Love Hurts

Chapter 2: Regrets

**I don't own Avatar…even though I wish I did…

Aang stood staring after Toph long after she had disappeared into the forest. He felt the anger that had threatened to overcome him and almost forced him into an uncontrollable Avatar State quickly turn to a mountain of regret that was slowly crushing his heart.

"Why did I have to ask her? Shouldn't I have known that this would only end badly? She knew how badly Katara hurt me, and she stuck with me even when I tried to drive her away. I may have forgiven Katara, but I shouldn't have assumed Toph wasn't angry at her. I should have known." Aang stood there, still watching the spot where Toph disappeared into the trees.

Aang stood there watching the trees as if expecting Toph to reappear, charging through the forest, bringing him news that she'd rethought what he'd said and decided that they should help Katara. But, although Aang longed for this to happen, he knew it never would. Toph was just like her element, strong, sturdy, and not easily swayed. He knew her well enough to know that once her mind was made up, she would rarely change it. The sun slowly crept behind the trees, and although Aang knew it would rise again tomorrow, he couldn't help but feel as if this was the last time he would see it. He slowly made his was over to the remains of the boulder Toph threw at his head and sat upon the half that hadn't completely crumbled upon impact. He closed his eyes and meditated, asking himself what the right thing to do was.

No matter how hard Aang attempted to concentrate on the problem standing before him, the only thing he was able to think about was the day before his return to the island. It was one of his most painful memories, second only to the day he returned to the Southern Air Temple after Katara and Sokka found him, only to find everyone he loved dead and decaying alongside the enemies they valiantly fought against. This memory, although it happened nearly two years ago, was still fresh in his mind. Every time it crossed his mind he could not help but cringe as if just thinking about it gave him physical pain.

It had been a beautiful day, he could remember thinking that that night would be the perfect night to take Katara up on top of one of the tall ice walls surrounding the Northern Water Tribe to watch the Northern Lights. He knew she loved watching the lights swim around in the darkened sky. Katara didn't know it, but Aang knew she believed her mother often tried to communicate with her through the lights.

Aang had been working nonstop all day long attempting to completely reconstruct the intricate design on new outer gate. The Fire Nation had destroyed in nearly two years earlier in their attempt to siege the North Pole. While a wall was easy enough to reconstruct, it was another matter all together to attempt to rebuild a wall that was almost sacred to the people of the city. It was intricately designed with the water tribe symbol and contained many crevices in which benders could sit if an attack was launched against them. At first Aang thought it would take less than a day to carve the design back into the wall, but then Chief Arnook informed him that the design could not be carved using water bending. It had to be carved by hand, by one person who was elected by the Chief. Lucky for Aang, Chief Arnook choose him. Aang had worked on this design for over two weeks, and was still only a quarter of the way done.

Aang had gotten done early, and was walking back to the healing hut he shared with Katara. Aang silently laughed to himself. The thought of their healing hut brought back memories from his first travels with Katara and Sokka when they both contracted a strange illness that caused dementia and hallucinations. They had been living in the Northern Water Tribe for nearly six months when the first strange illness that had affected Katara and Sokka sprang up, which was soon followed by an outbreak among the children. Katara had been the best suited to heal the children, but at first she tried her hardest to help rebuild the city instead. It took Chief Arnook insisting that she was one of the most talented healers left in the tribe, as the rest had gone to the Southern Water Tribes to help rebuild and heal. Katara finally gave in, and since she and Aang were together, Aang lived with her in the hut.

Looking back he should have known something was wrong. Gran Gran was usually friendly and open with Aang, often laughing at his antics or offering advice on how to win Katara's love. But that day, she was openly hostel toward him. He could still remember her exact words.

"Aang! What are you doing? You should still be working on the wall." At first her voice had seemed teasing, but when Aang told her that he left early to take Katara to watch the Lights she turned snippy.

"No! You promised the people of the water tribe you would help them in any way they needed it and Chief Arnook honored you greatly by asking you to carve the symbol of the all the water tribes into the wall and by slacking on your responsibilities you are not only letting the people of this tribe down but also the people of the Southern Water Tribe and even yourself. Besides, Katara is very busy and doesn't want to be disturbed."

Aang had been surprised by her words. Last week she had told him that he worked too hard and that the people were just happy he agreed to take on the monotonous task. Aang decided it wasn't worth it to remind her of this fact and told her that he would wake up extra early to make up for the work he missed today, but she still was not satisfied. She demanded that he return right away and leave Katara alone.

Aang realized that trying to reason with Gran Gran right now was impossible. He decided that the only way he was going to see Katara within the next hour was to act ashamed and promise Gran Gran he would return to the wall and work until the moon rose. He must have been a better actor than he thought because it worked and he soon found himself on a different path back to his hut. He was just approaching the door to the hut when he heard strange noises. He paused and listened outside the hut, not wanting to walk in on a wounded person and embarrass them while Katara was working. But the noises didn't sound like that of someone in pain; they sounded like…OH MY GOD! Aang couldn't believe what he was hearing. Instead of listening to the wise voice in the back of his head that was telling him to run far away from that hut and not come back, he barged in and saw a scene of utter horror.

Katara, his Katara, was in THEIR BED with Hahn. HAHN! The no good ex-fiancé of Princess Yue was in bed with Katara! He stood there staring for what seemed like hours, trying to understand what was happening. His mind couldn't digest the fact that Katara was cheating on him with that no good scumbag.

Suddenly, Katara moaned, snapping Aang out of his disbelief. She wouldn't let him touch her like that and now he knew why. Aang couldn't help himself. Using all the force he could, he threw a gust of wind at the two. The wind swept threw the hut sending the animal skins flying from the walls and, much to Aang's pleasure, sending the two lovers flying into the air. Katara landed roughly on the floor with the warm fur from the bed slowly coming to rest on top of her naked behind, while Hahn was sent hurtling against the wall, only to fall on top of the stuffed Buffalo Yak that sat in the corner.

With Hahn's painful moaning as background music, Aang began screaming at Katara. He was so overcome with anger that, looking back, he can't remember anything he said. All he remembered was the shocked look on Katara's face as he whistled for Appa and walked out the door.

He never gave Katara a chance to explain why she cheated on him and that was the one thing he regretted. But, now he had a chance to see her again. He had to convince Toph that he didn't have feeling for her anymore. He just wanted to know why she betrayed him like she did. But now he was fighting with Toph. He realized now that Toph was the one girl he fully loved, the one girl he knew would never betray him the way Katara did.

He took off running through the woods, using the speed that only the Avatar possessed. Trees spun past him in a wild blur, quickly thinning, and finally opening up into the clearing where the little stone house was nestled. Aang slowed to a walk and realized there was no smoke rising from the chimney, but he rationalized that that wasn't unusual, seeing as though he was the one who lit the fire and he had been gone all afternoon. Aang approached the door to find it left wide open. Worry began to settle over him.

"Toph?.........Toph?......Toph?!...TOPH!!" Aang ran throughout the house searching for any trace of her. He reached her room realized her bag was gone. He sprinted to the kitchen only to realize that half of their food supply was missing as well. Toph had meant it. She was really gone. "Shit," was all Aang was able to say.

Okay…so that's chapter 2! I hope you like it! If you did, or even if you didn't, send me a review message thing!