Hi Little Readers! It's Mss Go come to rescue from the dull days of summer! I have been writing an Edward and Bell story, but I decided to take a break and pick back up on where my FanFiction obsession first started…Avatar!
This story is based off of James Blunt's song Carry You Home. It would probably set the tone if you listened to it while reading.
Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA, oh but if I did, it would be mre graphic, and Zutara would have been impossible to create.
Carry You Home
Aang slipped into the Earth Kingdom prison and crinkled his nose. Everything abou this place had become all too familiar.
"Where is she?" the Avatar asked an overweight man at the entrance desk.
"Down the hall, to the right. Her usual spot," he replied pointing a stubby finger towards cell block C. Aang bowed and sprinted down the hall. The entire block reeked of puke and unbathed people. He slowly approached the earthen cell.
"Katara, I'm here to take you home," he said in barely more then a whisper. The small girl lying on the bunk stirred slightly but didn't sit up. Her brown hair was still beautiful but it had lost is glow, and her small hands were fragile and worn. Aang had to fight back a fresh round of tears at the sight of her.
"Home, she finally uttered. She said up and headed towards Aang. He quickly earthbended the cell open and caught the girl just before she fell. He lifted her into his arms, cradling her as if she were an infant. She snuggled her thin face into the bare side of his chest. "I'm already home," she breathed. Her words stung him and he had to keep up his brave front.
"I know," was all he managed out. He carried her out of the building, stopping only once to nod at the officer on duty. Katara gripped his chest once the cold night air hit her and Aang cringed from the painful contact. She was this way because of him. Somewhere along the lines, Katara had left and this ghost had taken her place. He trudged along the back streets until they reached The Jasmine Dragon. The lights were off but Iroh sat at the front door.
"How is she?" the old man questiond from his spot.
"She isn't going to make it though the night," Aang whispered. "She is almost completely unresponsive."
"Take her to the back," Iroh stood and headed for his room.
"Iroh?" Aang called out. The man turned to face the young Avatar. "Thanks for everything you have done for us." The man just nodded and left the dining area. Katara's breathing was becoming more even and her heart rate wasn't as fast. He gently laid her on their small bed and fell to his knees.
"This is my entire fault," he cried into his hands. Over the past few years Aang hadn't been home and Katara was slowly declining. The times he came home he would always take comfort in her stady breathing, but tonight it was quiet and he knew all to well what that meant. "I'm so sorry, Katara." Aang to her hand and held it in his as if it were going to crumble. If only he had stayed and watched her. If hadn't ran away when he thought things were getting out of hand. He used being the Avatar as an excuse to escape his problems, but look where it had left him. He glanced at Katara's small form and fought back more tears. He looked around the room and let his memories overtake him. The bed where they had made love for the first time was exactly the same. He had only been sixteen, but Katara had made everything feel so right. The window she would sneak into, just so she could rub his back while he went over treaty after treaty. Those nights were spent in complete silence, but he felt like they had both said so much. The letter she had written him after he proposed was hanging on the wall. He was nineteen, far past marrying age, but Katara was always so patient with him. On the dresser sat the jar of beach sand from their honeymoon. It was shortlived, but the four days they shared were some of the most amazing days in his entire life. The small blue shirt that lay folded neatly in the clothes basket. Katara had made it for their son who never took a breath. Aang slammed his eyes shut and foreced the memories to leave. After that baby, Katara just lost it. He was gone all the time and trouble had become the only friend she had. He would come home long enough to bail her out of jail and then he would leave again, hoping that when he returned everything would be normal. Katara would be fixed. Life didn't work that way though. You can't just ignore your problems and hope they would work themselves out. He would come home to big dinners and think to himself "Maybe she is better." Only to be let down when she would start talking about how much little Kye had grown and how anyday now he would show his skills as an airbender. Then he would have to hold her while she screamed as he reminded her that Kye wasn't alive and that there wouldn't ever be any little airbenders. It was forever going to be just the two of them.
"Aang," Katara called, yanking him out of his reverie. He scooped her up in his arms.
"I'm here, and I promise this time I'm not going anywhere," he assure dher.
"Aang, I don't remember your proposal. Tell me ho wit went," she pleaded him. He forced back his emotions and made his voice sweet and happy.
"Well I was walking through the Nothern Water Tribe when I saw it," Aang said. His eyes hazed over as he became lost in the memory.
Aang wondered through merchants in search of the perfect ring. He didn't want a betrothal necklace. What he and Katara had was special; therefore his proposal must be unique. Engagement rings were rare in the four nations, making a ring the perfect choice. He sighed in exasperation and was about to give up when he saw ring looked like pure ice, but the symbol on the diamond was air nation. It was the perfect representaion of the joing of the two nations.
"Excuse me sir, how much for that ring?" Aang's voice crack slightly. The man eyes him before laughing crazily.
"That ring is way out of your price range, boy," he laughed as he started packing up his shop.
"You never answere me," Aang said evenly. The man looked at him and rolle dhis eyes.
"It is one thousand gold pieces, now run along and leave me be," the man snapped before turning his back to Aang.
"Thank you sir," Aang pushed his plack hair away from his forehead and bowed politely. "You have my Avatar promise that I will be back in exactly one hour." The man was left standing mouth agape as Aang took off at airbender speed. He jumped on top of Appa and counted one thousand gold pieces out of a small trunk. When all was said and done, Aang was left with thrity-three gold pieces and a small satin box.
"I never knew you spent that much," Katara chimed from his side, bring Aang back to the harsh reality. He struggled to keep his mood light and airy, a feat not four years ago that would have been impossible not to accomplish.
"I don't regret it though. You are the only girl I will ever love, Katara," he kissed her forehead lightly. She turned so she was facing him and kissed him with as much passion and love as she had so long ago on the balcony. For an instant, Aang forgot everything but Katara. This was the girl he had fallen in love with. The waterbender who was filled with more passion and heat then a firebender.
"I'm going to miss you Aang," she whisperd into his lips. His high crashed down at her words.
"You don't have to go yet," his sentence was supposed to be a statement but it came out as a plea.
"Not right now, but tonight," she said as she laid her head on his chest. She listened to the comforting hum of his heart fluttering in his chest. "When I go, don't blame yourself."
"Katara," he wrapped his arms around her tightly," it is my fault though. I never stayed long enough. I ran from my promblems and you instead of being a man and fixing them." His emotions were in a war inside of him. He wanted to be overjoyed that she was here, but regret, guilt, pain, and sorrow were racking his body.
"No, it isn't your fault. How can anyone, even me, expect you to have maned up? You were forced to save the world at twelve." She traced cirlces on his chest.
"I can't use that as a cruthc. That isn't excuse for not taking care of you like I should have," he said bitterly. She cringed slightly but regained her composure.
"It isn't your fault. I always knew being the Avatar's forever girl wasn't going to be easy," she chuckled slightly and Aang committed the sound to his memory, "This is what the spirits wanted Aang."
"I think they have taken enough from me," he snapped. He dug his palms into his eyes. Katara rolled over so her chest was sideways on his and her face was even with his. She tore his hands away from his face.
"Aang, don't beat yourself up over this! I'm here! Katara, not the shell of what I was," She placed a hand on his worn face and smiled slgihtly. Aang wanted to take her and run with her, as if it would stop Katara from fading away. But, running wouldn't work. It never did.
"Where have you been?" he asked as a nervous smile danced across his lips.
"Lost, but you have helped me find my way back. This time I'm not going anywhere," she claimed his lips as hers once more. Her fingers started to rail lower and her legs intertwined with his. Aang wanted to laugh with joy. This was his Katara, the playful one he knew and loved.
"Katara," he managed out in warning.
"You're my husband, I want one last moment," she said as she ran her fingers through his black hair. "I always loved your hair." Aang looked in her deep blue orbs and for the first time in three years he saw saw his wife, his lover, and his best friend. He saw that fourteen year old girl who stole his heart all those years ago. He saw the strong woman she had become and the person he knew she was meant to have been. His lips placed a soft kiss on her neck and for the last time they made love. Aang traced every inch of her and tried to remember every detail of her body. The curve her neck and the way the small of her back felt pressed beneath his hand. The way her sighs were like music to his ears and the way one look from her could send his heart and body into overdrive. He clutched her to him and tried to loose himself in the pure bliss of those moments after.
"Finish the story," she said snuggling into his arms. He smirked and kissed her hair.
"I was nervous, but deep down inside I knew you would say yes," he bgam as Katara's breathing evened out.
Aang paced back and forth, clutchin the small box in his right hand and his glider and in the other. He stopped and banged his head against the small artifact of his people.
"I know I love you, and I know this is shocking," he groaned in frustration. "So stupid! What do those two things even really have oto do with each other?"
"Aang are you in there?" Katara's unknowing voice called from the outside of the wood door. He fumbled the box into his pocket and set his glider in a corner.
"Y-yeah," he called back. He smoothed his hair down and fixed his pants. He opened the door to Katara, beaming. She was wearing a red summer dress and her hair flowed in waves down her back like a chocolate waterfull.
"So where to Mister Avatar?" she giggled as she hooked her arm in his. Aang stared striken silent by her sheer beauty. "Aang, you in there?" She waved her hand infront of his face and snappe dhim back to reality. He blushed several shades of red.
"Yeah, K-Katara, you look gorgeous," he managed out and she blushed in response. He led her out to Appa's stables and made her close her eyes. She clutched to his arm and followed wearily.
"Aang, it smells in here," she siad crinkling her nose.
"Open your eyes," he whispered. She looked before her to see Appa sitting on the ground before her and Aang's arms outstretched to Appa as if he were a grand surprise.
:Oh, look its Appa," she said with fake enthusiam. "We are having a date with Appa?"
"No, we are having a date on Appa," he corrected her as he helped her up to the saddle. "Yip, yip!" The enormous bison lifted into the air of the Northern Water Tribe and out to fly over the cold ocean.
"Aang, its gorgeous out here,"she sighed as she snuggled into his side.
"Look up," he said smiling. Colorful lights danced above their heads like a rainbow.
"Aang, that has to be the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen!" she exclaimed. "Did you know I love you?" She kissed him playfully.
"Katara, h-how long have we been together?" he suddenly asked. He felt a surge of confidence and was bent on using it.
"Almost seven years. Why?" she said, completely oblivious.
"A-and after seven years, just the sight of you takes my breath away. I-I promise t-t-to love you n-n-now and forever. Do you love me?" he managed out.
"Aang, of course I do," she started to get a little worried and had pulled away from him.
"Well," he took an entirely too large breath and pulled out the box," marry me?" Katara's heart skipped a beat and when she saw the ring glistenin in the small box she was at a loss for words. "I know I love you. And I want to be with you forever and have little waterbenders and airbenders with you. Please, Katara, marry me." She cut off his rant with a kiss.
"Aang, yes, yes, yes," she said each yes inbetween kisses.
"Can you believe we have been married for eleven amazing years?" Katara's fading voice drew Aang back to reality once more.
"Yes, I just wish we could be spend seventy more," he kissed her cheek.
"I love you," she whispered. Aang heard her heartbeat stop and he could feel the love of his life leave him. He wanted to cry but he couldn't find anymore tears. He lay there clutching her lifeless body and the only though in his head was how it was all his fault. His gray eyes opened in realization. It was his fault, but he was going to try and make it up to her. He pulled away from the shell and took a meditation posistion. He closed his eyes and within seconds his arrows and eyes were glowing. He appeared in the space between the physical realm and the spirtual relam. Katara was dancing under a raincloud. Spinning in circles as the rain poured on her skin. She had a huge smile on her face and everything about her seemed completely at peace. He smiled at the sight and ran to her. He lifted her up in his arms and she smiled calmly in response. There was a blinding light up ahead and Aang took light, short footsteps towards it. He wanted to savor the last moment with her. Her eyes screamed her love for him and he kissed her wet forehead one last time. He clutched Katara in his arms and carried her for the last time.
So, whatcha think? It was the result of being single, nerds, and James Blunt. Read and Review because your reviews are what keep me going lovely readers.
Mss Go