Chapter 3
Speak To Me

Momo chattered to get Katara's attention, which seemed fixated on making sure the sheet on the table was even end to end. Luckily Katara's cleanliness worked in the avatar's favor this moment. She picked Momo up by his belly too quickly to see what the lemur was grasping. She turned and walked away cradling the lemur like a newborn; the one thing he hated but she did it anyway. Aang quickly rolled silently over top of the towels just as Katara peeked over her shoulder at where Aang literally was just hiding. She shook her head.

"Momo what's wrong with sleeping anywhere else?" She said scolding him, looking at the hand towels that were once folded, but now looked like the lemur had a fight with a cat-owl. Some of the small cloths were simply pushed to one side, others looked deliberately unfolded.

Suddenly Katara sniffed the air and remembered the meal she was preparing. Katara's eyes darted toward the kitchen with delight, even though her tone was that of annoyance as she said. "Where's Aang I wonder? He said he'd only be a moment or two, writing to Toph still I suppose." Aang was a little surprised; he thought he heard a hint of jealousy. Apparently he was right because the last thing he heard before the door closed Katara sighed with a laugh. "Get a grip Katara, this is Toph, she'd knock you in the head if she wanted Aang, not go behind your back." She smiled as she remembered just how much he cared about her and she for him. "I love you too sweetie."

Aang's heart sank as he heard this. What am I doing? He thought. I'm not keeping my promise; I'm making myself feel better about lying to Katara as though covering up what happened will make it go away.

"Katara." He called getting up from behind the table. He found her lifting the iron lid from the giant pot that hung over the fireplace Aang bended out of the wall when the house was first built. She inspected the contents of sea prunes and chard; he could tell it was still going to be a few more minutes just from a quick glance.

"So you were there." She smiled disdainfully, not turning to face him. "Is there something I should know?"

"I lied to you. But I realized in doing so that I was just making things more complex than they need be." Aang told his love. "I realized that had I just told you about it, that you'd understand…. and-" Aang's voice began to quiver as he said this, suddenly the entire weight of what he'd done in totality. Katara turned and hugged him catching him as his knees gave way.

"It's okay…" She kissed his forehead. "As fragile as leaves in the air itself my love." She wrapped him tighter as tears fell but he didn't cry strangely.

"I lied Katara to you, again." Aang spoke to a spot on the cobblestone kitchen floor with an analytical and self-loathsome look on his face. "There's no excuse and I'm so sorry."

"Listen to me…" She cupped his check in her hand and turned his head to look at her. "You had noble intentions this time, we were still kids back then… you're the avatar, you always seem to find danger if it doesn't find you first." Aang looked to her and smiled.

"How do you always know how to pull me back from hating myself?" He asked wiping his eyes on his sleeve.

"I'm a healer Aang, besides being your wife." She smiled and caressed his cheek. Katara's tone turned to concern as she touched his afflicted shoulder and noticed the bruise.

"How are you not furious with me?" Aang said suddenly bewildered and coming to his senses.

"You're too silly to stay mad at, and partly because of what I just finished telling you… I know you had good reasons, not wanting me to worry, of course I want you to be careful, but I also know you can take care of yourself. Now pick yourself up. The sea prunes will be ready and then it's just the rice that needs to be steamed, which you yourself can do quicker than any fireplace." She said, trying to lift his self-confidence.

As Katara and Aang got older, their tastes changed dramatically. Aang now loved the taste of sea prunes as much as any southern tribe warrior.

The two then got to their feet, and brushed off their robes, making sure all the folds hung just as before. They ate and Aang explained the whole trial and what had happened with the escape, and the finality of Yakone having his bending removed. "I wonder what it's like?" Aang asked curiously.

"Having your bending taken away?" Katara asked in reply, she thought for a moment as she chewed on a sea prune. She swallowed and told him. "Most people rely on their bending as their job Aang, like me as a healer. Or Toph's squads of metalbenders… but on a spiritual level I imagine it feels like having a vital part of who you are removed." Katara satisfied with her thought process, popped another prune in her mouth.

"You're going on the assumption that most benders identify themselves as just benders." Aang told her, finding a funny side to the grim conversation.

"Don't you identify with your bending, your status as the avatar?" Katara asked seriously. Katara knew better of course, but her point was valid.

"It's a title and it's what I am in my present form, but I identify as 'Aang'." He explained. "I don't refer to you as 'waterbender'… you're Katara."

"True enough." Katara changed back to the original conversation as Aang cleared her now empty bowl from the solid earthen table. Stealing a kiss as he passed and his beard tickling her ever slightly.

Regardless. I'm sure it's a very traumatic thing to have happen. If I couldn't bend I… I don't." She trailed off, suddenly realizing just how horrible the actual experience would be. "Oh speaking of which." She called after him as he walked off. She rose quickly and followed him. "We should go to the baths don't you think, think you could heal yourself in the avatar state?" She wasn't paying attention and nearly bumped into him as he stopped suddenly.

"Actually." Aang began as he turned to face the waterbender. He put the bowls down on the slate countertop. He looked down as he reached to hold both her hands, entwining their fingers. "Can you do it? You have good hands." Aang smiled.

Katara just blushed furiously as he let go of her hands and instead placed them on her back, pulling her in close. He kissed her and she lost herself in this man, thinking that his seemingly infinite powers extended to being able to make her swoon for him every time he kissed her in such a passionate fashion.

She moaned in protest as he ended their kiss. Catching her breath as her heart beat quickly subsided from a speed she hadn't felt in months. "Sure, I could do that, give me two minutes to change." Katara told him. Giving him one more quick kiss before running off to their bedroom.

A/N: Chapter 4 should be up soon guys... just give me till wednesday at the latest.