The aftermath

After Aang and I shared out kiss on the balcony of The Jasmine Dragon, he retreated to his room at our house we shared in what seemed like ages ago. We wouldn't be staying here permanently but we would tonight while we planned our next moves. It was almost hard to believe…a hundred years of war over. To some people, this may be the first time they've ever seen peace, ever been truly free. It was like for a hundred years the world screamed, and all at once, stopped. In the silence I heard my ears ringing, listening, and waiting for something to happen. Then Aang spoke, and with his words I heard my name.

"I'll meet you back at the house Katara," he says not less than a second after he pulls away. I think for a moment am I supposed to follow him? But I knew from the look on his face that he wanted to be alone. He must be exhausted.

Back in the teashop, I was playing with my tea, watching the steam rise and lifting it out of the cup with my fingers. I swirled it in the air, watching the gentle cream color of it blend in with the ceiling. I thought back to the first few moments that Aang and I first met, his tattoos glowing brightly and fading as he stood at the top of the iceberg. I remember him falling into my arms…

"I got it!" Sokka exclaimed, lifting the painting he'd drawn into the air.

"What!" I gasped, frightened by his sudden outburst. It had been silent prior. He didn't respond and I laughed when I looked at him. He was soaked with the tea I had accidentally dropped on him, his face the way it always has been during my bending mishaps. Well, he should be used to it by now!

"Why do you always have to play with magic water around me!" he jokes, taking it better he used to. At least nowadays he knows that it's bending and not just 'magic water'.

"It's tea, not water," I correct, yanking it out of his clothes in one fluid motion. "You should be glad I didn't get any on your wonderful painting of…" I trailed off, looking at the shapes and different strokes of black paint.

"It's of us!" he says, holding it up so that the rest of us could see it.

"My hairs not that spiky," Zuko growls, looking more irritated than angry. I simply laughed at all of their unhappy little comments towards Sokkas painting. They weren't all that rude though, and Sokka just laughed them off, while still defending his artwork. I saw Aang in his painting and already I missed him. Maybe I should go talk to him, it wasn't right of him to leave us all here.

"Toph," I whisper, knowing she'll hear me. She stands from where she sits comfortably on the other side of the room, coming over to me coolly.

"What is it sugar queen?" she says, sipping on her tea and taking sitting on the desk in front of me.

"Can you cover for me? I need to get out of here, see Aang," I whispered, knowing her of all people would understand. People sort of underestimated how close we've become. We may have gotten off rough in the beginning, but the healing process helped tremendously.

"Sure thing," she whispered. She winked and stood up, stretching and yawning. "I think it's about time we get headin' home don't 'ya think?" she says. I think for a minute. Why is she suggesting we all head home? The whole purpose was for Aang and I to be alone!

"Mai and I will be returning to the Fire Nation in the morning, it's my first week as Fire Lord and I can't spend it away from my country," Zuko says, standing and tapping Sokka on the shoulder reassuringly to pick up his attitude about his painting.

"Yes. It is about time you kids rest, you've had a long journey." Iroh smiles warmly at us all, setting his tea on the table in front of him. "The White Lotus will need to recreate itself and establish a secure location. Where is Aang? I must speak to him personally," he says, looking around.

"He decided to head home for the night," I tell him.

"Well I hope you all have a nice night, I'll be retiring as well." He stands and we take that as our dismissal.

"Uncle, can we meet with you tomorrow? I think it's safe to assume you won't be returning to the Fire Nation with us," Zuko says sadly, drooping his arm around Mai's shoulder. "I need help," his voice gets quieter and I feel like I'm invading on a private moment between them. Iroh nods and sets his hand on his nephews shoulder.

"We'll speak in the morning," he says. After that it's all mindless chatter as we exit the Jasmine Dragon and mount Appa, heading home to arrange future living arrangements. I need to get to the South Pole at some point, needed to let GranGran know that Sokka and I are both okay, and make sure that she knows how much we love her.

My mind wanders and I find myself reminiscing over past memories and thinking about Aang, about what the rest of our lives were going to be like. Where would I live? I couldn't return to the South Pole permanently. Not after I'd seen the world, fallen in love with the Avatar. Would I marry him?

The sky is dark and stars shine brightly. I get closer to Toph and lean in, beginning to ask her what her reasoning was.

"Aang won't be there, wait until they're asleep and then take Appa and go find him," she says quietly before I can even open my mouth.

"How do you know that?" I question, looking down at the city below us, people scrambling to get into their homes, waiting for some Fire Nation resistance to rise out of the ashes. The war had ended, and the peace tonight was going to scary. A night of not knowing what to do or where we would go next. Aang was going to have a lot on his shoulders for the rest of his life. How was he supposed to be the Avatar and create a world if he was repairing it? Maybe, he could do both in the process.

"I just do," she smiles wryly and waits for a moment after I don't respond. "Check the outer wall," she adds. He must've told her that he wanted me to meet me there. That's the only explanation.

Soon enough, we were at our old home in the upper ring and all of our friends slid down Appas tail, drowsily trudging into the house, eager for sleep after the longest day of their lives.

"Zuko," I say, moving onto Appas head, ready leave after my word with the old prince.

"Yes?" he asks, letting Mai go in before him.

"I just wanted to say thank you again, what you did was incredible," I tell him with gratitude, all I ever was to him was cold, and he still risked his life for mine. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"I'm all stitched up now," he opens up his robes and shows to me the bounds wrapped around his torso. "I'll heal just fine." He smiles. "And you're welcome, though I owe you just as much. You saved my life too." I nodded respectfully, and let him go inside, his golden eyes tired.

"Goodnight," I call after him.

"Goodnight Katara," he says back before closing the door.

The ride to the outer wall was long and I nearly fell asleep on the way there, but just as I felt myself slipping I was awakened by the sight of the massive construction. I landed and gained a visual of Aang, his back to me and a small fire lit up in front of him, his glider leaned up against the wall. He was meditating.

The sight of him caused butterflies to arise in my stomach. My friend for the longest time, is now about to be my love; my true love.

I sit behind him, unable to resist wrapping my arms around him. He reaches up to touch my arm. I sigh and bury my face in his shoulder.

"I love you Aang," I whisper. He turns around to face me, the widest, most beautiful smile spread across his face. This was the Aang I knew, and I couldn't help but smile back at the sight. He practically tackles me, hugging me as tightly as I remember him too.

"I'm surprise you came!" he says. "What with us being up all night and all day, I thought you'd be the first to get to sleep." He says, smiling at me the same way he always has.

"Really? Considering Sokka," I say. He nods.

"True." I look at him for a moment, and he gazes back. "Can I kiss you?" he asks. I don't answer; I just wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips tightly to his. I had never wanted another person this much in my entire life. The feeling scared me and it most likely scared him too, but both of us were surrounded with this heat that we couldn't shake. We were kissing passionately, much more fulfilling than our kiss an hour ago. It was like we were making up for the lost time. But we had all of the time in the world to kiss each other, and maybe even make love in the future. Make love…of course. There was no getting out of that; we had to repopulate the airbenders didn't we? But of course there was no rushing into that, though I would do that more than willingly.

We continue kissing, falling back until he was pressed against the floor. It was the craziest feeling ever! His body was warm and our hands found places to explore, to hold and cradle.

As I pull away I notice Aang is panting quietly, his fingers wound into my hair, pulling me closer, in for another kiss. This one is quick, but still does not fail to set my insides on fire. His lips are wet and soft and there is a forcefulness that makes me feel weak as a woman, makes me want to give up everything right then and there.

"It feels to wrong to be physical with you," he whispers as he releases me, "but it feels just so right at the same time. I'm sad to say we can't continue, because I'm afraid we'll go too far," he concludes. I nod, agreeing.

"Why don't we get you home, you must be exhausted." I say, helping him stand up. He uses firebending to put out the fire he'd made, cooing Appa as he approaches him.

"Hey boy, I bet you did great today!" he says with a smile. "Did you help Katara defeat Azula?" he says. I laugh and come up behind him again, hugging him more tightly.

"I better be allowed to hug you, because I went a year not knowing you wanted me to touch you," I say. He chuckles and turns to hug me back, his body warm and inviting. "I could stay in your arms forever," I whisper. He responds after a moment of thinking.

"Then sleep with me tonight." I look up at him, stunned that he would actually agree to an idea like that. He shrugs. "The monks never said anything about sleeping in the same bed as a woman, as long as fornication does not occur," he says with a smile. He comes closer and squeezes me, brushing his nose against my neck, his warm breath sending shivers up my spine. "So sleep with me."