Prologue

*Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I its creator. I'm a fan.

She fell hard into the ground, grass popping into her mouth. Her wrinkled hands grabbed more grass, as much as she could with binding around her wrists.

"Dig deeper you old hag!" A soldier with a heavy boot had kicked Hama squarely in her ribs. She took her hands and immediately tossed the grass in his face. He screamed as it reached his eyes. More guards raced out to where she and the other prisoners of the Fire Nation were slaving away.

Never will they take my will, she thought. One day, I will be free. I will be free.

"Get up!" Another guard, she didn't bother to look at, grabbed her roughly about the shoulders and stood her up. The bright sun scorched her 80 year old weathered skin and she gummed her bottom lip constantly. It was all she could do since water was rarely provided and given the stunt she pulled today, she'd be lucky to get a cup. These fences can wait. Digging holes, pulling water buckets and being forced to keep up the multiple inns by sweeping, doing inventories and the like- blah! It was all hell.

"Hey," someone nudged her while she was trying her hardest to stick holes equal meters apart from each other with bound hands.

"Just what do you-" She blew the hair from her face and saw it was one of the younger workers.

"You Hama?" A young man with dirt on the side of his face asked her. He wiped his brow and waited for an answer.

"Who wants to know?" She asked turning back to her toil.

"Seems kind of ironic huh? Building a fence to create a barrier which separates us from the rest of the world when we are the world. What I wouldn't give to get out of here."

Hama was used to people coming to her even in the wake of night. Trying to devise plans, schemes to get out of this hot prison. Oh how she missed the clean, crisp winters of the Water Kingdom. Freedom! This particular night, she will rest; with the toughest rope they can find pinching her skin. After digging and cleaning this day, she headed back to her "Secure tent". The metal tent structure with the three guards.

She thought of the young man with the dirty face and considered what he said. If she were fifty years younger, her seductive whiles could have made him her slave, but that wouldn't do. Hama knew he was from a low level security tent and it would take but a short while to get him to have her released. The guards were smart. Reduce her liquids-decrease her spit.

There was a moon out tonight.

All she needed was water.

She will get a cup.

Chapter 1

Brothers of the New Calling

Hey guys! Remember the end of the The Last Airbender, where Aang and Katara kiss? Well, this new fanfic will take place right after that part. Enjoy and review if you wish!

Katara watched as Aang and Firelord Zuko pour of scripts and maps to formulate their new plan for the brand new world. Both of their heads were bent together, the candlelight framing both of their faces. One with the burning reminder of a scar, the other an arrow signifying he has mastered air bending. Brothers of the new calling.

"I know you're there Katara," Aang stood up, his monk robes draping to the floor. Katara would have laughed at his short frame if he weren't so powerful of a bender.

Katara entered into the throne room, or war room as Firelord Zuko calls it. She tipped her head at the two of them in honor before coming closer. She felt as if she were in the presence of two gods. The moment was palpable. Should she even make the statement she came here for? It seemed childish.

"Well, what is it?" Zuko asked first. Katara shook her head.

"Oh, nevermind. It-it seems so silly now." Why was she fumbling over words? She was just as strong as they were and Aang was a dear friend of hers. Firelord Zuko…well, he has certainly proven himself to be worthy of the title.

Aang stepped closer to her, and touched her arm. "Katara- you can tell me. Nothing is ever silly that you have to say."

"I know, Avatar Aang."

"And stop calling me that! I know what I am." Aang smiled at her, and suddenly she felt alright.

"I am having weird dreams and I can't seem to control them." She thought back to her last dream. "I dreamt last night that while we were creating peace among certain tribes, I was- um." She looked over at Zuko who had his head bent towards a papyrus scroll. His dark hair had fallen from its gold pinned crown and shrouded his face.

Aang watched her closely. His smile gone. "Katara."

Katara refocused. "Cities were burning everywhere! Oh it was horrible!"

Aang remind silent.

"Not only that, but the places where the prisoners were kept remained untouched and I…"

"You what Katara," Zuko had asked softly. Katara couldn't look at him.

"Oh this is bad. I'm losing my cool." She started to turn from the great room when the Avatar's familiar hand touched her shoulder.

"We can speak in private Katara, if you like," Aang offered.

Katara nodded once. Zuko, for a split second appeared stung that he would not be let in their secret but then promptly exited the room. Katara felt a little bad.

"Aang," she started. "Fire was coming out of me."

Aang's eyes widened as he slowly lowered himself to the floor, legs crossed. Katara followed him and crossed her own legs under her red chiton.

"Tell me more."

Katara bit her lip. Aang's eyes grew serious. Lately he went from boyish and happy to serious and ancient in mere moments. It kept her on her toes. It made her feel protected.

"The fire came from my belly Aang. I killed everyone."

"It was a dream, Katara. You would never do such a thing, besides- you're a waterbender."

"No, Aang. That's not the worst part." She swallowed, feeling the goosebumps all over her again. "I killed everyone, and liked it. I liked it!" She stood to her feet, Aang tried to gather her into his arms.

"No, Aang! I am no better than Ozai! No better!" Tears stung the sides of her eyes and threatened to fall down her face.

"You can't compare yourself to him, Katara. He has different demons inside of him, not like you. You are good. You are pure. Even dreams can tell lies."

"I guess," she remained unconvinced.

"Remember when I had those weird dreams of Ozai throwing me silly tests and I would stay up all night and you helped me de-stressify the best you could?"

"Oh, yeah," Katara allowed a small smile to stretch her face. She remembered well.

"Those were lies driven by fear Katara. It wasn't real. So my question to you now is what do you fear?

Katara lowered her head so she wouldn't have seen those big eyes of his- those eyes which cold make you or break you into bits. Aang had a face so boyish and innocent, yet eternal. Gone are the days of the "boy in the iceberg'. The light flickered and danced and made the fire images come to life around them.

"I fear that our peace efforts will be for naught."

She knew Aang had much to think about. They had to begin plans for peace strategies beginning here on the home front and spread the message and the solution throughout the lands. Here she was having nightmares.

"We will keep our eyes peeled for anything amiss, Katara. For now anytime you want to talk with me, you know I'm here."

"Thank you Aang."

She considered bowing out but it seemed so impersonal. She stayed rooted where she was. Aang touched her arm again. He probably would not accept her bowing down to him, yet she did everytime. This night, she needed something more.

Aang read her mind.

He gently touched her cheek and she closed her eyes.

"Katara, my water princess. Sifu…Kat-ar-a." He touched her lips with his. Katara was stunned by his bold move and welcomed it. They kissed for long seconds until a short cough startled them to break part.

Zuko stood there before them. His eyes roamed from Katara to Aang. Katara noticed a shadow pass Zuko's eyes before he quickly marched in with more scrolls tucked under his arms.

"We best get to work, Avatar Aang. There's word of a possible prison break in a small village."Aang brought one scroll out and laid on top of the table. "This woman may be the cause of it." A wanted poster.

Katara leaned over Zuko's broad shoulders and stared into the face of the old Southern Water Tribe woman-the one who forced her to use the abominable bloodbending skill.

The inky capture on the scroll was that of Hama. The skillful artists caught her wicked, toothless smile too perfectly.

*As with any fanfiction, if there are characters name misspellings or a slight error in location that's my bad. Some things get too technical and I try to capture it just right, otherwise have fun reading!