2. Contagion


The Biology and Other Sciences Unit didn't exactly have a vaccine, but they were able to contain the disease. People could get the care they needed to prevent themselves from getting the disease. Those who were sick got the care they needed to help fight the disease. The quarantine was going so well, and they had clinics to help the sick at the end of almost every block in the city. Katara, Aang, and Sokka tested since the incident at the Noodlery place. Luckily, the three of them tested negative. They didn't know about the rest of the council though.

A couple of the stores were beginning to reopen now, since they felt the disease/virus was being contained. People could start going back to work, and earning money. The beginning of the depression in the city was already clearing up. The thing is though, the citizens were so eager for new positive information. They didn't know that the vaccine was just a rumor from the press. Aang had read the articles about this "vaccine" in the Republic City Times. Though, he knew they were fake. He knew that the disease was finally somewhat contained, but not cured.

"We have to control the press," Aang said, pacing around their master bedroom in the morning, after he read the paper.

Katara was sitting on the corner of their bed, still in her pajamas. She wasn't nearly worked up as her husband, but she understood his frustration. She folded her arms across her just and sighed.

"I don't know what to say, Aang."

His jaw tightened as he absorbed her words. He continued to pace, getting angrier by the second. In times like this, Katara would usually help him calm down, but she just sat there.

"You don't have to say anything," He eventually spoke.

"Don't get all worked up about it," Katara said, standing up to face him, "you can talk to them later and solve it."

Aang stopped in his steps and sighed, "I can't. If I tell them to get rid of the article, the public will find out it was false, and they'll freak out again. And that will result in the economy falling... again!"

"Yes, but while that article is up, people will start to get impatient and they will start rioting," Katara argued.

"See, this is exactly why this is so frustrating!" Aang yelled, his hands rubbing his temples.

Katara walked over to him and wrapped her arms around in him. He embraced her with one arm, while he was still rubbing his face with the other hand. He inhaled the scent of Katara's hair, immediately relaxing to his senses. He always loved the smell of her passion fruit shampoo. He relaxed in the embrace, and nearly melted into her.

"Thanks, sweetie," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

She untangled herself from the hug and reassured him with a smile.

"I'm gonna go check on Bumi," She said before leaving the room.


That day, Aang went into work half an hour before noon for a meeting. Everyone was present, except for Ela. When everyone got situated, they then realized that she was the only one missing.

"Where's Ela?" Aang asked.

Everyone stared at each other for answers.

"She called me to tell you all that she's come down with something and couldn't make it today," Haruto, the firenation representative, said.

Aang watched as everybody's face turned ghostly pale.

"I don't think it's the disease..." He continued, "It just sounded like some ordinary cold. She said she was going to get tested today around noon or somethin'."

Aang gently gnawed at the inside of his cheek, deciding whether or not he should bring up the press thing right away. He was waiting for Sokka to bring up a topic, and hoped it would gradually lead into the press. His train of thought was interrupted when the court room's doors burst open. Toph and two of her main guards walked down the entrance. Aang stood up immediately. He studied the stern expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Aang asked.

"They're rioting," Toph said, the anger in her voice cut like razor blades.

Aang made an inhuman sound as he internally groaned. He knew it was going to happen one way or another.

"You've got to get the press to take down that article, Aang," Toph ordered. "I know you don't get along well, but now I have a problem on my plate."

Aang clenched his hands into fists, but it wasn't noticeable. Toph felt his heart rate pick up, and she took a step back.

"I'm going to deal with the riots, you deal with the press," She demanded. "I don't care how angry you get, you're gonna do it."

His jaw tightened. His lips were drawn into a thin line.

"Come on Aang, you got this," Toph said, trying to coax him into calming down.

He sighed, an the tension on his shoulders dropped. He stepped down from the meeting and walked out, bowing down to Toph on the way out.

The editorial's building post wasn't too far from City Hall. He flew to it on his glider and got there under three minutes. He tried to not march angrily when he entered the building. He didn't even have to talk to anyone, he was able to walk up to the head of the press' desk.

"Take down your article about the vaccine," Aang said, his blood was boiling with anger. His tone was sharp and demanding.

The head of the press was a flimsy middle-aged man. His hair was always unkempt, his glasses always falling down the bumpy bridge of his nose. He had a hunch in his back. His voice was grossly high-pitched and nasally. He smiled, showing a row of crooked yellow teeth.

"What's your problem, Avatar?" He asked.

"I'm demanding you take down that article you and your company wrote about the 'vaccine.' I need you to know that there is no such thing, they're just finally getting a lid on this. This discussion is private. Don't go posting this in there either, or I will have the Republic City Times demolished." He ordered, in what seemed like under one breath, "Do I make myself clear, Ollie?"

"Certainly," he snorted.

"Good," Aang said with an edge to his voice.

Aang made a harsh turn on his heel. Doing so, he made sure he blasted a small gust of air, knocking off the towering stacks of papers on Ollie's desk. Then, he continued to angry storm out of the building.


Aang arrived home at nightfall. It was about 9:30pm when he got home. He was relieved to see the flickering lights of candles coming from his bedroom in the hall. He was practically running into their bedroom. He was so happy to finally be home, so he could fly into bed and cuddle up with his loving wife. When he came in, she was sitting on her side of the bed, looking over a medical file.

"Hey beautiful," He greeted her with a heart-warming smile.

"Hey, look who's finally home!" Her tone was shining with happiness.

He crawled onto the bed and embraced her into a tight hug. He felt at home, inhaling the same passion-fruit scent of her shampoo. He smiled, and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"I missed you," He whispered into her ear. "I had such a shit day."

Katara was nearly taken aback by his wording choice. She knew Aang, and only one other time had he heard him swear in anger. She pulled out from the embrace and waited for him to go on.

"I had to deal with the press," He sighed, positioning himself next to her and flopping onto his back.

"How'd that go?" She asked.

He shrugged. He gave her the more "simple" story. He didn't add that he nearly blew that building down, or that he was really eager to. She understood his frustration, and comforted him with a kiss on the cheek.

He smiled up at her. He loved moments like these, where he could just lay back and relax with his wife in the comfort of his own home. Moments like these made stressful days bearable. For Aang, it fueled him; kept him on his feet and kept him going.

Katara rolled over and cuddled up to his side. She tossed the medical file on the floor next to the bed. She threw her one arm over his body, and closed her eyes.

"Going to sleep already?" He asked.

"Nah, just resting my eyes," She muttered.

Aang put an arm around her, and shifted so he could rest his chin on the top of her head.

"What was in that file anyway?"

Katara sighed, "Nothing good. Just an over view of who's got the disease, and who died."

Aang carefully moved Katara off of him and sat up. He scooted off the bed and picked up the file from the floor. Katara sat up and questioned him, but he didn't answer. He just read over the case, reading the names of who had been infected with the disease.

"We were tested," Aang said, "but we didn't hear about the rest of the council."

Katara gasped. Her stomach dropped to her feet; she was expecting something bad.

Aang read the names of who'm were diagnosed.

Lee, Siku, Kailam, Kilout, Suku, Kaito, Anju, Ela, Jigme, Ketu, and many more.

He couldn't help but gasp when his eyes skimmed over the name Ela.

"This is bad," He said to himself.


Kinda lame, but leave a review and tell me what you think! And I'd like to add that I'm REALLY sorry I haven't posted in a while. School's been hectic... BUT, it' May now, and I've only got one month left. And usually, we don't do that much work, so I'll have less homework and more time to post. Thanks for reading!