A/N: In honor of the new season of Korra starting today I wrote this up. I always thought that with Tenzin being Aang and Katara's last child there would have been some kind of desperation on Aang's part to have a child that could airbend. This is my interpretation of those events.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or any affiliated characters.
Aang sat on the edge of a cliff looking out at the ocean. The setting sun hovered just above the horizon over the ocean. Whenever he was troubled he would come to this spot and simply watch the waves crash onto the rocky shores below. The open seas had always had a calming effect on him; even more so after he channeled the spirit of the ocean at the North Pole so many years ago. Even at the age of thirty he could still recall that event with perfect clarity. Now, looking over the vast expanse of salt water before him, Aang felt grateful he had found this little hide away. This spot had become a sort of sanctuary for him, where no one would bother him. He supposed it was one of the perks of having your own island to live on.
His mind drifted back to the day he had created the island he now called home. He and Katara had been house hunting that day. The couple had recently been engaged and the council of Republic City, of which he was a member, insisted that they find a proper abode within the city. They had spent four days straight going to various locations and seeing many kinds of potential houses. Surprisingly it was Aang who was picky about the whole process. None of the houses that were shown to them met to Aang's standards. The places they saw in the city were too modern for Aang's tastes, befuddling his senses. Who had ever heard of toilets inside of the house? They tried looking at older more traditional houses. Unfortunately those houses were either falling apart or needed major cleaning. He disapproved of every house they took him to, saying that they never felt right. That was all before he found it though.
He had been leaning over a railing overlooking the bay when he saw it. It was nothing much, just a patch of rock and sand peeking out above the waves. However something about it caught his eye, and so he unfolded his glider and flew over to the barren beach. He circled above it a few times before landing gracefully on the surface. He didn't know why or how or even what had inspired him to choose that particular spot, but he knew that it was right. With a wide smile he lifted his arms raising the earth beneath him. He flew and surfed and jumped around the rocks, shaping the island as he went. He could see the crowds gathered back on the mainland wondering what it was he was doing. Finally when he felt satisfied with his work he added one final detail. A massive spire of earth erupted before him, soaring high into the sky. He flew up to its tip and dove down, hollowing out its inside. At last he had completed his work.
After flying back to shore, he called on Appa to take him and Katara back to the newly created island. Katara looked around in confusion. "Aang what did you do? What is this place?" Aang pointed to the tall tower ahead of them. "It's our new home, and also the foundation for the newest Air Temple." Katara smiled brightly and jumped into his arms. The following weeks were filled with nothing but hard work. The city had generously agreed to supply the materials and labor needed to build his new home as well as the different buildings that would serve as the campus of the Air Temple. But when the construction was finally completed Aang knew that he had made the right decision.
It didn't take long for plants to populate the island. Trees and grass flourished on the artificial island. Just months later the Island received its newest inhabitants, Air Acolytes both men and women came to the island in search of the Avatar's teachings. Not long after Aang discovered a lost herd of Sky Bison and colony of ring tailed lemurs, which he led back to the island. Within a year the island lived up to its name as an air temple. Monks and bison lived happily side by side and lemurs flew about from tree top to tree top. Life was good and peaceful for the Avatar.
Aang's life became even better with the arrival of his and Katara's first child. He decided to name his first son Bumi, after his dear friend who had passed away only a few years before. Katara whole heartedly agreed. Aang sighed, looking back on those days life seemed perfect. Aang had been more than sure that Bumi would be an airbender just like him. From an early age Aang had trained Bumi in the arts of airbending, teaching him the stances and traditions of his people. It was around this same time that Katara gave birth to their daughter, whom they named Kya after Katara's mother. With both a four year old and an infant, life quickly grew quite hectic for the new parents. But they managed somehow and life was still good.
However just a year later Aang had felt things begin to go awry. By the age of five he had begun to doubt that Bumi was a bender. He had the spirit of an airbender to be sure. He was just as rambunctious and playful as the man who was his namesake. However, he didn't show any of the tell tale signs of being an airbender. He was rather clumsy and never got along well with any of the island's lemurs. By the time Bumi was seven Aang had completely given up hope on Bumi being a bender. Instead he switched his focus onto his daughter Kya.
Aang picked up a nearby rock and ran his hand over its smooth surface. He looked back out to the sea before chucking the rock as far as he could. He didn't bother to look and see where it landed; instead letting his head hang. How did he screw things up so much?
He thought back to that morning three days ago, when it all started. He had started the day just like any other. He woke up, shaved, and had a light breakfast. It was while he was on his way to feed Appa that Katara literally ran into him. "Aang, Aang come here quick. You have to see this!" She said excitedly. She pulled on his arm threatening to drag him along if he didn't start to move his feet. "What is it?" He asked curiously. Katara turned her head and offered him a sly yet anxious smile. "You'll see in just a sec." They made their way over to the kitchen where Kya sat patiently at the table. She was looking longingly out their back porch to where her brother Bumi was playing outside. "Hi Dad!" Bumi yelled through the glass as he saw his parents. Aang waved back with a smile before turning to look at Katara who had gotten a glass of water and placed it on the table. "You're going to be amazed." She said with confidence before bending over slightly to look her daughter in the eye.
"Ok Kya now just do what you showed mommy before." Aang raised an eyebrow curious as to what his wife had so urgently wanted to show him. Kya on the other hand nodded and turned to the glass with a look of concentration. She stuck out her hand above the glass and narrowed her eyes. Suddenly the water inside the cup sloshed around before spiraling upwards to hover beneath her palm. Aang's mouth fell open in shock. Then to both their amazement Kya began to pass the ball of water back and forth between her hands. Katara squealed in excitement and was bouncing up and down with unbridled joy.
She turned back to her husband with a smile as bright as the sun. "She's a waterbender just like me!" Katara turned back to her daughter and picked her up to spin her through the air. Kya giggled and laughed until her mother came to a stop and held her in her arms. "Isn't that great Aang?!" Aang stood with his mouth agape for several seconds before he forced a small smile. "Y-yeah that's great sweetie." Katara's smile faltered for a second before Kya shouted from her mother's arms. "I'm a wata-benda Daddy!" Aang gave a dry chuckle before walking over and patting Kya on the head. "Yes I'm proud of you sweetheart. I'm sure your mother will have a lot to teach you." Aang briskly walked away as soon as he was able. He distantly heard Katara talking to herself about sending a messenger hawk to Sokka and Suki as well as Toph and Mai. He didn't pay attention to it though, too wrapped up in his own thoughts.
He felt crushed, like his entire world had collapsed around him. He had been so certain that Kya was an airbender and he had been so hopeful that she would restore his people and their traditions. Now his hopes had been dashed like the waves against the rocks. He was utterly depressed and for the next few days everything he did felt meaningless. He waved off the concerns of his friends but with each day it became harder and harder to keep pretending. And he knew that Katara could see something was wrong.
Then things finally came to a head earlier that day. He had been sitting in his study going over various papers when Kya came running up to him. "Hi daddy!" She greeted enthusiastically. "Hello Kya." Aang didn't even bother to look up at her, too engrossed in his paperwork. "Are we ever going to do my airbendin' training again?" She asked innocently. Aang sighed deeply, his pencil pausing above the paper. "No Kya." He said. "But why not?" She asked. "Because you're a waterbender now, there's no need for you to do that kind of training." She tilted her head in curiosity. "But why can't I be both?" Aang was quickly getting irritated by his daughter's innocent questioning. "Because people can only bend one element at a time." Kya jumped and stamped around. "But daddy can bend water and air! Why can't I?" Aang finally put his pencil down and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Because Kya I'm the avatar so only I can do that." Kya was quickly grating on Aang's frayed nerves and he was close to his breaking point. "Well why can't there be two avatars?" Her final question had pushed him over the edge and he turned to her with a look that seemed of unholy fury to her all too childish eyes. "Because that's just how things are! Ok!"
Aang regretted his outburst the moment it left his lips. Kya's lip quivered and tears slowly leaked from her eyes. "Kya…" He tried to reach out, to apologize to her, but it was already too late. Kya ran from the room tears streaming down her face. Aang called after her, but all he could hear were her wails echoing through the house. Knowing that there was nothing he could do Aang returned to his work. Shortly after that Katara burst into the room, a righteous fury lighting her features.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" She screamed angrily. "What are you talking about?" Aang asked. "I'm talking about why our daughter ran into my arms crying about her dad yelling at her!" Aang sighed and stood up as Katara glared furiously at him. "Look I didn't mean to yell at her. I just snapped alright." He tried to placate her but Katara was having none of it. "You snapped? What could she possibly have done to make you so upset?" Katara shouted. "She was just asking a lot of questions and I was just stressed and I yelled at her." Katara looked at him incredulously before her anger took hold again.
"That's it? She asked you questions? Aang you're her father you're supposed to teach her things not yell at her just because they might be annoying."
"Yea right, why would she need me to teach her anything when she's got you?" Aang muttered under his breath.
Katara looked at him in shock before her eyes narrowed. "Is this about Kya being a waterbender and not an airbender?!" Aang's fists clenched and he grasped at his head.
"Yes, No, I don't know!" He threw his hands up in exasperation.
"Is that why you've been so distant these past few days? Aang I understand you might be upset but that's no excuse to yell at her! You should be proud of Kya not angry at her!"
Aang punched the wall in frustration, his anger getting the best of him. "Well I can't help it Katara! The future of my people depends on me having an airbender child! The fate of the avatar relies on me having an airbender child! Do you know what kind of pressure that puts on me?!" Aang yelled loudly all of his peaceful nature gone in the blink of an eye.
"Oh so this is about you now?! Well in case you've forgotten, I'm your wife Aang! We're supposed to be in this together!" Katara walked angrily up to him and looked him in the eyes. "And this all depends on you?! Well tell me how you plan to have an airbender child without me, I would love to hear it!" She screamed with a tone of angry sarcasm.
"I don't know but clearly this isn't working! Whatever we have is just not working!" A gust of wind blew out from around him, shattering windows and rocketing papers through the air.
Katara stood in shock at his words. Then as her tears threatened to spill down her face she backed away with clenched fists and a jaw set in anger. "You…you selfish…ASSHOLE!" She screamed. Katara picked up a nearby vase and chucked it at Aang's head in a blind rage. Aang dodged it easily but was unprepared as Katara lashed at him with the water from the broken vase. "GET OUT! Get out of here! I don't ever want to see you again!" She yelled with desperate anger, tears flowing unbidden down her cheeks. Aang did as she said and stormed out of the house. Behind him he could just barely make out the sound of Katara's sobs. But all he was focused on was his own anger.
That was hours ago and now as he watched the setting sun leave the sky and the night time over take it, he had just one thought. How could he have ever been so stupid? Of course Katara was right, Kya couldn't help that she was a waterbender or that Bumi wasn't a bender either. But he had been so wrapped up in his own misery he had forgotten what was most important to him, his family. After he had cooled off he spent the next several hours trying to think of ways to apologize, not only to Kya but also to Katara. He shuddered when he recalled what he said to her. "God I'm such an idiot." He muttered to himself. The look on her face when his words sank in just broke him. It was as if he had ripped Katara's heart from her chest, and with how he was acting, he practically did. He finally resolved to make it up to her, but he had no idea where to start. What could he say that would ever take that pain away?
Finally Aang gave in and simply decided to go with whatever came to him. He headed back to the temple, a sorrowful look on his face as he saw the damage he had caused. He entered his and Katara's shared bedroom and saw her standing in front of her vanity fiddling with her mother's necklace. For several tense moments neither of them said anything, Katara watched him from the mirror and Aang stood ashamed in the doorway. Then he closed the door behind him and took a few steps to the nearest side of the bed.
"Katara…" He began, but paused as he struggled to find the right words. "Hello Aang." Aang flinched at her tone, cold and serious. He had only ever heard her use that tone a few times before, all in situations he would rather not remember. Aang sighed and pushed on ahead, determined to make things right between them. "Listen Katara, I'm so sorry." Katara abruptly turned around, interrupting him. "Don't be. You were right." That threw him for a loop. Out of all the things he expected Katara to say, that was certainly not one of them. Seeing that he wasn't about to say anything else Katara continued on. "Maybe I can't give you the child you need. For the sake of the future, you need to have an airbender child. Otherwise the avatar cycle will be broken." Aang's mouth dropped in shock. He could hardly believe he heard her say those words. Did she honestly believe that? Katara looked down and away, still fiddling with her betrothal necklace. "We can use a surrogate than. I'm sure one of the Acolyte girls would be more than happy to." That broke the final straw for Aang.
He rushed forward quicker than Katara could see and embraced her. Katara was too astonished by his sudden movement to do anything but be held by him. "Stop that right now." He whispered. "I was the one who was wrong. I never should have said those things I did." Katara felt Aang's hold on her tighten and a few stray tears landed on her shoulder. "I was so caught up by those things that I almost didn't realize what was most important to me." Aang lifted his head and looked into Katara's eyes. "You, and Bumi, and Kya. You are my family and I didn't appreciate you enough." Katara felt her eyes water and Aang wiped away her tears, a gentle smile on his face. "But, but what about the Air Nomads and the Avatar cycle?" Aang shook his head. "I don't care about any of that. All I care about are you and the kids, that's what's important to me." Katara wept, but not with sadness she cried tears of joy. "Oh Aang, I love you." She said before jumping into his embrace. "I love you too Katara, and I'm sorry, so so sorry." Their words died off as they embraced each other, lips intertwining in gentle kisses and losing themselves to their emotions. That night was filled with passion and love for each other and they both knew that no matter what would happen they would be together for everything.
Aang paced nervously in the waiting room of Republic City's largest hospital. Katara had entered into labor three hours ago and he was starting to get nervous. He hardly even realized when a firm hand grasped him on his shoulder. He looked up to see Sokka's smiling face. "Relax Aang she's been through this twice before already. She's going to be fine." Aang smiled lightly and nodded. Of course he knew that, they had the best doctors in the world here and Katara had the best midwives and healers from the North Pole as well as several of the older Acolyte women with her. "Yea I know, I still can't help worrying about her though." Aang returned over to the couch where his friends were sitting. Toph, Zuko, Sokka and Suki, were all giving him constant reassurances. They had been there for the birth of all of his children, and they weren't about to break that habit now.
Finally after what felt like an eternity to the Avatar a nurse exited the ward and told him that he could see them now. Aang nearly bowled over half of the people in the hallway as he rushed to Katara's room. He came to a stop at her open door and gasped. She was lying on the bed cradling a small bundle in her arms. When she saw him she smiled and Aang swore that she had never looked more beautiful. He approached the two and held out his arms. Katara handed over their new child gently and Aang could feel his heart melt. Their boy was smiling gently up at him, hardly any tear stains on his face. He reached out with his tiny hand and Aang gave him a finger for him to wrap his fist around. Aang smiled and felt happier than he had in a long time. He looked back to Katara and smiled brightly. "This is it Katara. He's the one I know it." Aang looked back down into the smiling face of his baby boy. "Our little Tenzin."
A/N: So there you have it. Read and Review please, let me know what you think. I might go over this again later and edit it some more but for now this will do.