Chapter Three: Too Broken to Mend

Four Months After Sozin's Comet

Aang was lying back on a couch in the corner of the Jasmine Dragon. Katara and Aang had became bored at the Southern Air Temple and decided to pay Iroh and Toph a visit.

"You know Aang, we've been lounging around since the end of the war. I mean, apart from the major peace council a few days after the comet and small meetings since then, we've done nothing. I miss when we used to travel and see the world!" Katara gave Aang a pouty face that hinted at something, just his innocent oblivious head couldn't process what she wanted.

"I don't know, Katara. Haven't you enjoyed this free time? I know I've really enjoying being able to sit around with you without the worry of the entire Fire Nation trying to kill us."

Katara made her over to the couch and sat purposefully on Aang's stomach.

"Gah! Katara I can't breathe!" Aang was trying not to laugh at his situation.

All Katara could do was smile. "Oh really? Oh how I wonder how you will ever get me to get up," she said in a sarcastically loving tone. Sitting on him wasn't enough. "Fine, Aang. I'm going to tickle you until you do as I say!"

So she did.

Aang was laughing so hard he could barely speak now. "Fine. Ha! What do you, ha-ha, want?"

She looked down at his laughing face. "Let's go somewhere! I want to do something, like we did when we were kids."

"We still ARE kids!"

Present

Dinner was quite awkward. Aang sat across from Katara and Suki sat at the end of the table. There were stolen glances between airbender and waterbender, each looking away when the other made eye contact. There were many attempts at starting conversation.

"I...," he'd say.

"Uh…," would be all that she could mutter.

A face palm could be heard on the end of the table from an almost non-existent Suki.

Aang had barely touched his salad, and Katara had devoured hers. The tension in the room was high and stress was felt on both ends. Aang began rubbing the back of his neck in habit and was looking at the bowl in front of him. This was awkward.

"I need some fresh air," Aang said, as he rose from his seat and walked to the kitchen door. He made one quick glance back to Katara, who was pretending to be interested with the end of her nails.

Once Aang was gone, Katara looked over to Suki, who was eating quietly, trying not to pay attention to the awkward situation.

"So… Katara…"

"I'm going for a walk." Katara got up and made her way to the door Aang had just exited and made her own leave.

Suki just looked back down at her food, mumbling about being left out and being the only normal person in the world it seemed.

He sat upon the railing of a small red bridge with his knees brought up to his chest and his arm wrapped around his legs looking down at the small stream under. It seemed just like yesterday he, Sokka and Katara had visited Kyoshi for the first time. He had been young and immature then, letting the Avatar fame get to his head. He had neglected his best friend, and the girl he would grow to love. Aang bent the water from the stream up, and then swirled it around mid air before returning it to the stream.

Someone made their way to the bridge. That same person sat down beside him and placed their hand on his shoulder. He knew who it was, and for a brief second he was comforted, until he remembered the circumstances.

"Aang…"

He turned his head and their eyes met. How could it be that the person he loved the most, was the one who could bring him down the easiest. All the past anger and sadness was temporarily forgotten in the one fleeting moment the connection was made.

"Aang, listen, I'm sorry… I'm sorry I left you the way I did… I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just," She thought for the right words, "It wasn't working out."

He looked at her for a moment, just staring at her deep blue eyes, before speaking what had been on his mind since they had split. "I just thought, you know, we'd be together… I love you, but I guess you just don't love me." He hung his head and turned his gaze to the stream below.

"No, Aang, I did love you, I think. I still love you, just not the way you love me. I still wish we could do things together, like the old days, before the war ended. Don't you remember all of the good times we had?" She was trying her best to patch up the friendship she had so carelessly broken.

Aang didn't respond. He just stood up and looked back down at Katara and offered her his hand. She gave him a questioning look, but accepted his hand.

They walked through the town, silently existing, but not exactly enjoying the presence of the other. The town was quiet, and the moon was nearly full. He br

ought her down to the beach, where they had landed years before. Aang sat down, and Katara followed his lead. The moon was in perfect view over the ocean.

Aang turned to look at Katara, with a desperate plan in mind. He was fidgety and twiddling his thumbs, ruining the peaceful atmosphere.

"Aang, what's- mmph!" Her sentence was cut off by a pair of lips belonging to a desperate Avatar, trying to mend a broken romance.

Katara pushed Aang off, probably too hard. He was sprawled on his back, with sadness in his eyes. She wiped off her mouth on her arm and her eyes turned murderous.

"I told you I don't love you like that Aang," she snapped. "I'm trying to fix our friendship, but you are just hurting whatever was left of it! How could you?" Katara stood up and stormed off, leaving whatever remained of hers and Aang's friendship to drift off with the tides.

Aang just stayed there staring at the stars, and for the first time in months, he let the tears flow from his eyes. Little did he know, a pair of blue-green eyes watched him hurt, and wished they could make the pain, so familiar to them, disappear.

The next morning Aang woke on the beach in time to see the diplomat's boat float off to sea, and to see an auburn-haired girl sitting a few feet away with her legs crossed, fast asleep.

[A/N: So… this chapter is a bit more depressing than previous I'd say. Don't worry; they won't be on Kyoshi for long. I'm open to constructive criticism and suggestions! –WC]