Author's Note: I'm pretty proud of this one actually. It takes place after "The Puppetmaster." Please let me know what you think. Also, remember, I'm taking fan prompt requests.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender.

"I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it—I will love you through that, as well. If you don't need the medication, I will love you, too. There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me."

Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Comfort

Hama. Aang cursed the name of that awful woman. What kind of sick person would force an innocent girl to bloodbend against her will? Katara was devastated by the whole situation, having gone straight to her tent after they all set up camp. She hadn't come out since. It was really horrible, what Hama did to her. Aang shivered, remembered Hama's last chilling words to them: "Congratulations Katara. You're a bloodbender."

Those words had brought tears to Katara's eyes and the beautiful waterbender Aang had fallen in love with had fallen to her knees, unable to hold back her sadness as she cried. Aang had wrapped an arm around her, and Sokka had laid a hand on her other shoulder, both boys trying to provide her comfort. However, once she had cried all her tears, she had pulled away from them. She had separated herself from the others for the rest of the night. While flying on Appa to find a spot to camp, she'd sat in the back of his saddle, avoiding everyone else. When setting up camp, she spoke to no one. And now, she sat alone in her tent, refusing to come out and talk to anyone. It brought pain to Aang's heart to see Katara like this. He looked over at her tent from where he lay sleeplessly on one of Appa's legs. How could he sleep when someone he loved was in so much pain? Aang sat up. What he really wanted to do was go comfort her and try and get her to talk to him. He just didn't know if she would let him. Would she talk to him and accept his comfort? Or would she push him away? Aang once again looked over at Katara's tent. Maybe she was asleep. Still though, Aang's heart, mind, and soul told him to go to her. So, he got up and walked over to her tent.

"Katara?" he murmured softly, so he didn't wake Sokka or Toph.

"Go away Aang," came a quiet reply.

Aang frowned.

"Katara, please. Let me help you."

Katara didn't even give him an answer this time. Aang sighed.

"Katara, I'm going to come in, okay?"

When Katara once again did not answer, Aang pushed open the tent flapped and cautiously entered. Katara sat in the furthest corner of the tent, her back turned to him.

"I told you to go away," she said quietly.

"You don't really want me to leave though, do you?" Aang said walking over and sitting beside her. Katara remained silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"No, I don't, but you'd be safer away from me. You saw what I did Aang," her voice broke, "Aang, I-I'm a monster!" Tears swam in her ocean blue eyes.

"Katara…" Aang murmured, ever so lightly laying a hand on her shoulder.

"No Aang, I am, so don't say that I'm not because I am."

"Katara, stop lying to yourself. You're not a monster and you never could be a monster. It's just...It's simply impossible. It's impossible for you to be a monster," Aang said, moving his hand from her shoulder and gently cupping her cheek so that she turned and looked at him, "You are the kindest person I've ever met. You are caring and put others before yourself. You are brave and thoughtful. You stand up for what you believe is right. I know all this because I see it in you everyday. People think I'm supposed to be the world's savior, but Katara, you're my savior."

Katara could not hold back the tears any longer. One slipped down her cheek, falling through the air and landing on her clenched hands that lay in her lap, then the rest began to quickly follow, pouring out and falling to the ground like rain drops. A choked sob came out of her mouth and she tackled Aang in a hug, who in surprise, lost his balance, falling back a little. He quickly recovered though, wrapping his arms around her tightly and pulling her closer to him. His fingers ran down her back, causing a slight shiver to echo throughout Katara's body. She realized his shirt must be soaked with her tears by now, but when she tried to pull back and apologize, Aang stopped her by pulling her back into the warm embrace of his body. So, Katara held on to him tightly, crying for her sorrow, but also crying some tears of happiness because of Aang's words to her. "People think I'm supposed to be the world's savior, but Katara, you're my savior."

Did he really mean it? Aang didn't typically lie, but how could she possibly be his savior? When she finally calmed down enough to talk, she pulled back enough to speak.

"Did you really mean it?" Katara asked timidly.
"What?"

"What you said about me. Did you really mean it?"

Aang looked at her perplexed and spoke, "Of course I meant it. Why would I ever lie to you?"

Katara just smiled, her eyes still watery and her face a bit red from crying. Aang's breath hitched in his throat. "She's so beautiful…" he thought. Katara tipped her head at him.

"Why are you staring at me?" She asked confused.

"Huh?" Aang said snapping out of his thoughts, a blush quickly covering his face, "Uh, staring? Um, I wasn't staring…"

Katara laughed for the first time that evening and the sound rang happily in Aang's ears like sleigh bells. He couldn't help but allow a goofy smile to cover his face.

"What is it?" Katara asked, one she noticed his grin.

"You're laughing," Aang remarked happily, "And smiling. You haven't done that all night."

"Well, I guess it's because I have you to comfort me and cheer me back up," Katara said, smiling softly at him, "Thank you Aang." The waterbender leaned over a gave Aang a soft kiss on the cheek, causing the avatar's face to go bright red.

"Oh, ah. You're welcome Katara," Aang said, smiling and looking down at the ground between them.