Days two and three are togther

Change / The Avatar State

He jumped at the contact. Katara wondered if Aang hadn't noticed her coming toward him. She slid her hands around his back, tightening her grip. She felt his body shutter as he exhaled before he wrapped his arms around her and leaned down, burying his face in

the crook of her neck.

They held hands as they walked back to their room in silence. This was not the Aang she had gotten used to. Even when he was upset with her, she could tell that a certain joy was just under the surface. He was so different now. He looked heavy, tired, utterly miserable.

Katara stood at the door and watched as he laid down "I'll go get us some breakfast. You want anything in particular?"

"I'm not hungry." he answered quietly.

"Oh. Okay." she took the handle into her hand and slid the door closed.

She went to the dining car and asked for breakfast to go, sitting at the booth until the waiter brought the two trays to her. She smiled and thanked him, then headed back to the room, hopeful that Aang would eat once he found out what she had.

"Guess what was on the menu today." she said trying to sound happy as she stepped in and closed the door behind her "Egg custard." he was still curled up on the bed. He didn't move "I remembered you said you liked it."

"Yeah. Thank you." he said in a monotone "I'll eat it later."

She sat the plate up on the top bunk and then sat on the edge of the bed and started picking at her own breakfast.

Aang had been very quiet for the bulk of that day, but by dinner he was in a slightly better mood. They sat in the booth and ate in near silence. It was only when desert came that he said something.

"I have to master it." he mumbled to himself.

Katara cocked her head a bit "Master what?"

"The Avatar State." he answered, looking down and poking around in his apple pie "My spiritual master said that in order to master it I had to let go of earthly attachment, but I couldn't do it. Gyatso was getting worse." he shook his head "I-I just couldn't."

She reached out and placed her hand on top of his "Is there something I can do to help?"

"No." he muttered "I have to do this alone." he pushed a piece of apple "That long layover is tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." Katara answered, watching him play with his food "In this town called Tu Zin."

It was early when the train stopped at the little station. Katara offered to go with Aang, just to keep him company. At first the Avatar started to tell the water bender no, but he decided that it wouldn't hurt to have someone there to keep an eye on him.

Aang stood on the edge of the station platform and looked out at the woods. This had been a long time coming. This meant that he'd be a fully realized Avatar and that he was at the world's beck and call. Things were peaceful, but he wasn't looking forward to all the stuffy world meetings he would now be privy to. He took a nervous breath and Katara slid her hand into his.

He looked at her. Aang was happy that she was there to support him. He wouldn't have blamed her if she had turned and walked away because of the way he'd been acting, but she was such a caring person that she stayed right beside him.

Aang smiled at Katara and squeezed her hand a little "You ready?"

She smiled back at him and nodded her head "Ready."

Katara sat on a log and watched Aang. He sat with his legs folded under him and his fist pressed together in a patch of grass across from where Katara sat. She was fascinated with the glow coming from his tattoos. Aang hadn't moved in a little over an hour, not even a facial expression change. When the glow finally faded he opened his eyes.

Aang took a deep breath and looked at Katara "It's done."

She smiled at him "Good." but, because she knew so little about the avatar state she asked "So what does that mean?"

He stood up and just shrugged as if it were nothing "It just means I can control it now. No more slips."

Katara stood too "What is it for?"

"It makes me stronger, wiser. It's basically like all the other Avatars are standing with me, it's just all channeled through my body."

"That sounds amazing." she held her head down a bit and blushed , not wanting to be intrusive, but wanting to see it, under his full control, first hand "Can you show me?"

He smiled and nodded "Okay."

Aang took a few steps back and the glow returned. He raised himself up off of his feet and surrounded himself with the four elements. Aang rode the wind and flame leapt from his hands. Soil lifted from the ground and compressed into rock. Water came to him from some unseen source and danced around his body. After a few moments he released everything. His glow faded and his feet returned to the ground.

He smiled at her "How was it?"

She was in awe "Absolutely spell binding."

He laughed for the first time in a couple of days "Good." Aang walked up to Katara "Lets get back. We still have time to check out the town.