Summary: I am finally getting back on track with my writing. As promised before, this chapter is loner, and I hope to make all of the following chapters longer as time goes on. Also, there's a lot of dialogue in this one.

Thanks for your patience. Please review; it helps a lot.

Chapter 3: Help

Suki had just arrived back at the Kyoshi Warriors' hut, where all of her fellow sisters in arms were waiting. All of them wanted to know what had happened, but Suki made a promise to Aang: Not to tell Sokka, and in her mind, that meant everyone else as well. She did not want gossip reaching Sokka, or even worse, the rest of the world.

"Suki?" A fellow warrior questioned.

"Everything's fine. Go back to your duties." Suki comanded, watching as they all left. Except for one person: Ty Lee. Suki made her way over to a floor mat and sat down. Ty Lee followed and sat across from her.

"He's not fine, is he?" Ty Lee questioned with genuine concern.

"What makes you say that?"

"He's always had a positive aura, but this...this aura Aang has now is so...off. I can sense the turmoil inside him." Ty Lee whispered, saddened by the possibilities.

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone." Suki put her hand up in defiance.

"My lips are sealed. I don't want to make things worse." Ty Lee smiled genuinely. "So, what's wrong?"

Suki sighed and looked down. "His heart is broken."

"Why him and Katara ar-

"-not together anymore." Suki cut her off.

"What?!" Ty Lee yelled in shock.

"Shh!" Suki covered Ty Lee's mouth, muffling her cries.

"Sorry. It's just that, I could never imagine them without each other." Ty Lee looked down.

Suki let out a depressed sigh. "Me neither."

"So what did Aang tell you?" Asked Ty Lee.

"Do you want all the details?"

Ty Lee nodded. "I need everything if I'm going to help.

"Ty Lee, that's not a good idea. He needs space right now." Suki demanded.

"Ok, but I still want everything."

"Well, Katara broke up with him...but in the worst way possible." Ty Lee motioned for Suki to continue." She said it wasn't his fault, but of course that isn't what Aang thinks. And...Aang was just about to propose to her when she did it."

"What?" Ty Lee gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

"I know." Suki replied. The two girls sat in silence for a few long moments, both silently trying to understand the pain their friend was going through. "Please don't tell anyone, especially Sokka."

"I won't. This is too much, and Sokka is bound to be mad at Katara." Ty Lee stated firmly. "Do...do you think Aang and Katara will ever be together again?"

"Aang said that Katara said she didn't think so." Suki replied solemnly.

Ty Lee couldn't believe that. "Will they still be friends?"

Suki sighed and looked down into her lap "Aang doesn't think so."

"Why?"

"Because, with all that they have been through together, how much he loves her, and the way this whole thing happened, he doesn't see how it can work."

"He's afraid he'll get mad at her if she was around?" Ty Lee wuestion.

"Maybe. Or, most likely, he doesn't know how to act like just a friend towards her anymore. It would be to awkward...and painful." Suki mused.

"I understand. I'll make sure not to tell anyone and to keep my distance." Suki nodded solemnly. "But I do want to talk to him...if he wants to."

"Ok. Now, we should get back to our duties." Ty Lee nodded in reply.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It had been a few days since the incident, and Katara had been bed ridden this whole time. She had suddenly lost nearly all of her energy and was now just regaining it. She was also feeling better about the whole situation. She still felt like it was for the best, and this is what she wanted, but a slight tinge of pain remained after seeing how broken Aang looked. He looked like a shell of his old self in a matter of seconds.

"Katara, darling, can I come in?"

"Of course, Gran-Gran."

The door to her room slowly creaked open as Gran-Gran made her way through. She had brought soup and some water. "How is my waterbender doing?" She placed the tray she was carrying on Katara's lap.

Katara sighed. "I'm doing...better. I can't say the same for him though."

"Do you regret your decision?"

Katara sighed again and looked out her window. "I regret seeing him like that, but I feel I've made the right choice."

"I know it's hard, no matter what side you're on. How do you think I felt about Pakku?"

"But, you two are together again."

"Yes. But until he arrived four years ago, I never imagined I would see him again." Kanna looked down. "Not a day went by where I didn't think about how I had broken his heart."

Katara had looked out the window again. "I never wanted to hurt him, but it's for the best." She whispered.

"As long as you think it is, you'll be fine."

Katara hugged her grandmother. "Thank you, Gran-Gran."

"Anything for you. Now, get some rest. You have a class to teach tomorrow." Gran-Gran made her way out of the room.

Katara gazed out her window, looking at the growing city of the Southern Water Tribe. Everything she ever knew came from Aang. But, it was best to end it, no matter how much it pained him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Does Sokka even know Aang's here?" Ty Lee asked Suki as her day came to an end, and all of the other warriors were returning to their hut.

"No." Suki sighed.

"He needs to know eventually. They're best friends, Suki."

"I know, but Sokka is smart. He'll know something is wrong instantly and will start interrogating Aang. I don't want that, and Aang won't be able to put up with it for long."

"I'm going to go talk to him." Ty Lee stated firmly.

"Who?" Suki was shocked at Ty Lee's sudden determination.

"Aang."

"Ty Lee, no. Leave him alone." She commanded.

"Do you really expect him to sleep out on the beach all night?" Ty Lee questioned with a slightly irritated tone.

"Actually, I kind of did. He has Appa and Momo to keep him warm. I mean, how do you think he slept when he travelled the world." Suki replied honestly.

"The last thing he needs is to be cold and alone right now. He needs to at least have us to talk to."

Suki waved her hand; she gave up. "Fine. Go ahead, but if he gets mad at you, remember he is The Avatar."

"I can chi-block, remember?" Ty Lee smirked.

"Ha, have fun explaining that to him." Suki chuckled, and Ty Lee left for the beach.

Ty Lee walked through the waning light of the day as she made her way to the beach. The chill was uncomfortable, and the wind didn't help the matter. She felt so bad for Aang. Katara was everything to him. He would sacrifice anything to make her happy. But now, all of his happiness was gone, and Katara wasn't there to help like she always was.

Ty Lee continued out to the beach where Aang was earlier. She wasn't happy with what she saw. He hadn't moved an inch. He sat cross-legged, staring out at the water with his shoulders slumped and face drained of all emotion. He was a shell.

Ty Lee made her way up to him, slowly, and sat down next to him. He didn't move, not even taking notice to her presence. Ty Lee took the time to look over his face. His eyebrows flat, lips set, and eyes blank. Nothing. Nothing was there. She decided to say something.

"It's getting late." No reply. "It's cold out, you know?" He still just sat there. His jaw set more than it has ever been in his sixteen years of life. "You know, we all lose things at one point or another." Aang adjusted his position at this. "Zuko lost his mother. Azula...lost everything; I know you don't care much about her though. Suki lost her family when she was just a kid. Sokka and Katara lost their mother." Aang cringed slightly at the mention of Katara. "I even lost my own childhood when I joined the circus. So, please. Just come to the village and not sit out here, okay. We're here to help."

"She was always there to help." Aang whispered. "And don't think I don't know how to handle loss." He turned his head to look at her. He wore a ghostly expression the frightened her. "I lost Appa once. I lost my people. I lost the closest thing I had to a father." Aang's voice began to falter. "I lost my life, but Katara brought me back." Tears began to flow steadily down his face as he looked out over the water. "And now I've lost her; the one person who never gave up on me, never forgot me, never blamed me." Aang looked down into his lap. "I don't know if I can handle losing her."

Ty Lee wrapped her arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. He needed something to help. "You haven't lost us; we're all your friends here."

He hugged her briefly too. "Thank you." He chuckled through his still falling tears. "I needed someone to knock some sense into me."

"So, are you going to come to the village?"

"Sure. Go on ahead. I'll meet with Suki on where I'll stay."

"Okay, see you later." Ty Lee smiled, walking away as if she suddenly had new life. Aang though it strange, and so did she, but who cared.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Aang arrived at the Kyoshi Warriors' house about fifteen minutes later. Both Suki and Ty Lee greeted him. "I'm glad you decided to come." Suki smiled at the arriving airbender.

"Ty Lee talked some sense into me." Aang smiled.

"How are you doing?" Suki asked.

Aang looked down at his feet solemnly. "About the same. I'm just...suppressing it."

"Oh. We'll give you space then. There is an extra room in the back, if you wouldn't mind staying there." Suki pointed down the hall through the door behind her.

"Thank you." Aang began to walk to his new room down the hall. Suki and Ty Lee followed. Aang made his way to the bed and sat down. Suki motioned for Ty Lee to get something, but Aang didn't hear what.

"You're going to have to talk to Sokka tomorrow." Suki explained.

"Why? " Aang asked, not wanting to go there.

"He comes by every morning to see me." She smiled.

"Oh. Um...I don't want to tell him about Katara yet."

"You'll have to eventually. He'll notice that something is wrong and will start asking, when he sees you."

"I know. It's just..." Aang sighed. "...I don't want him getting mad at her for this. He's always hard on her with things. And this...this is something I don't want him involved with."

"You can't hide it forever." At this moment Ty Lee arrived with tea and brought it in on a tray, setting it down on Aang's bed. She left almost immediately.

"Can you have Ty Lee come back? I'd like to talk to her." Aang asked.

"Sure." Suki poked her head out into the hall and cuffed her hand around her mouth. "TY LEE!" She arrived almost instantly. "Aang would like to talk to you." At that, Suki left.

Ty Lee walked into the room. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to thank you for talking to me."

"Oh, it was no big deal." Ty Lee waved her hand, with a little extra pep in her voice. She was back to normal.

"It was a big deal." Aang stood up and looked out the small window above his bed. His back faced Ty Lee. "I was a mess, but your talk helped me." He turned around and smiled. "Thank you." He bowed.

"You're welcome. I don't like seeing you like this. Your aura has always been amazingly positive, until today. It doesn't feel right."

"Well, I appreciate it." Aang replied. Both of them just stood there looking each other. Aang thought it rude to ask her to leave, and Ty Lee thought it rude not to leave. After a few awkward moments, Aang broke the silence. "Um...I am going to get some sleep."

"Right. That is why you're here after all. Goodnight." And with that, she left, leaving Aang to sit alone. Something he hadn't been in a long, long time: alone.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.