Don't have time for a beginning AN. I've got to get this chapter up.

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

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Aang groaned as sunlight hit his face, signaling it was time to get up. He sat up and rubbed sleep away from his eyes.

He had asked Katara to wake him up before sunrise, but a part of him was actually happy that she didn't. He was glad to get the extra sleep, but Katara still didn't do as she was told.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, something was telling him to punish her, but he still felt a bit guilty for burning her hand, a few days ago. When she had come back with his lunch it was almost completely healed. She told him she had healing abilities once he asked.

He sighed just as someone knocked on his door.

Aang got up and pulled it open. Katara stood on the other side with his breakfast on a tray. She hurried over to the table and sat it down.

Aang expected her to leave, but instead she stood there and played with a strand of her hair, nervously.

She looks so cute when she does that Aang thought, but then face-palmed himself after he realized what he'd thought.

"Yes," he asked, coldly. "May I help you?"

"Well, Avatar Aang-," Aang corked an eyebrow at that. She never called him that unless he threatened her. He knew she must want something, " I heard you had a Sky Bison and I was wondering it you could show me."

Aang was surprised. He hadn't seen Appa in years. No one, but the caretakers were allowed to see the bison by his command. Katara was asking because unless he took her to see Appa, it was prohibited.

"Not right now, but maybe after you finish eating and I clean up," Katara continued after Aang didn't answer her.

"Maybe," Aang said, skeptically.

Katara never showed that much dedication to her work. She still mouthed off and refused to follow many rules, but she wanted to see how Aang would react to seeing his old companion. That meant she had to butter him up before he would agree.

Aang sat in his chair and ate his breakfast while Katara stood behind him and waited to take the dishes back to the kitchen. When he was done, she quickly picked up the dishes and walked out of the room.

On her way down the hallway, she realized someone was following her. She turned and saw a guard walking a few feet behind her.

Okay, don't worry. You're just paranoid, Katara, she told herself.

She walked a little faster, but someone grabbed her from arm and pulled her around a dark corner. She yelped as she dropped the dishes and they broke as they fell to the ground.

"Avatar Aang has a hot little servant," someone breathed against her neck.

She turned and saw nothing but the guard helmet that blocked the top her attacker's face.

"Let me go," she hissed. She tried to pulled her hand from his grasp, but he was too strong.

He turned her around and pressed her up against the wall. "I wonder if he minds if I borrow you for a couple of hours," the man whispered in her ear.

Katara whimpered, frightened as the man made hot, open mouthed kisses down her neck. His hand were clamped around her wrists, holding her to the wall.

"Help," Katara screamed.

"No one's coming to help you, sweetheart. I've got my buddies watching the hallways."

Katara continued to scream and holler. The guard moved his rough hands down her shoulders and to her shirt. He tried to remove the straps of her shirt from her shoulders, but he was suddenly gone. A breeze of wind hit Katara and blew her hair.

She looked around and found that the dark hallway was empty. She moved around the corner and found Aang holding the guard that had attacked her by the neck.

She let go of the breath she'd been holding, relieved. But then the weight of the situation she was just in, came to her and she slid down the wall to the floor. She sat and wrapped her arms around her legs. Tears slid down her face as her tough exterior cracked once again.

"What did you think you were doing," Aang demanded.

"Please, Avatar Aang. I can't breath," the guard cried.

"Good," Aang hissed.

"She's only a servant. What do you care!"

Aang threw the guard high in the air and when he fell down from the ceiling Aang air kicked him into wall. The man flew into the wall and made a large hole. He landed in the next room, unconscious.

"She's not just a servant. She's my servant," Aang muttered. He left the guard on the ground and turned to Katara.

Sympathy flashed across his face for a second and he put his arm around her shoulder. He helped her up and allowed her to cry on his shoulder, soaking his tunic.

He walked her down the hallway. Azula was walking past them, when she stopped and shrieked.

"Oh my spirits!" She gasped. Aang thought she was going to ask if Katara was okay, but she asked, "Why are you letting that filthy peasant ruin your shirt?"

Aang rolled his eyes and continued walking with Katara. He reached the large doors that led to the courtyard and nodded to guards. They acknowledged him and opened the doors.

Outside, it was warm and sunny. He led the crying girl to a huge stable and then he stopped walking. Katara's cries resided to small sniffles and she looked up see why they had stopped.

When she saw the stable, she looked at Aang.

"I figured you'd want to see Appa," he explained when seeing the look on her face.

She wiped her eyes and nodded, laying her head back on Aang's shoulder. Then suddenly something clicked in her mind and she jumped back from him. Almost as if she was remembered who he was.

Aang dropped his arm that had been around her shoulders and he beckoned her into the stable. He opened the doors widely and Katara hesitantly, walked in with him.

"Wow," she gasped when she saw the large animal inside.

Three guards ran up and grabbed her arms, roughly.

"It's okay, she's with me," Aang told them. They let her go and Katara moved closer to the animal. Some caretakers were giving him a bath. He was covered in soap, but Katara could only see the animal from behind. She moved a bit closer and Aang stood next to her.

Appa heard the movement and he turned to face the stranger. He briefly looked at Katara, but then caught sight of Aang. He grunted in happiness and ran to his best friend. The women who were bathing him sighed and gave up. They knew they'd never get him back to bathing if Aang were here.

Appa jumped up and landed in front of Aang. He licked Aang with his giant tongue and Aang fell back from the force.

Aang laughed, happily. His laugh sounded like music to Katara's ears. It was childish and melodious. Before, when Ms. Qin told her story Katara couldn't imagine Aang that innocent and kind, but now she thought she could see it.

She had never really looked at Aang. Before, she saw him as a cold hearted, monster, like the rest of them. Now she could see him as a human being.

After Appa gave Aang his second bath that day, Aang offered his hand to Katara. He was smiling -which was very rare-, but Katara was enjoying it while she could.

"Where are we going," Katara asked, taking his hand. Aang led her over to Appa, who had shaken off the suds from his bath.

"I'm going to give you a ride on Appa," Aang told her, joyfully.

He picked Katara up and Airbended them onto Appa's head.

"Yip Yip," Aang said, petting Appa.

When the animal lifted off of the ground, Katara gasped and grabbed Aang's arm. Aang laughed at her and Katara lifted her face from his arm to see that he was smiling as he looked up at the clear skies.

He has a wonderful smile, Katara noticed.

Maybe her plan to make Aang remember his old personality and life would work, right?

Wrong.

*~*~*~*~*

Yeah so, Aang still has a soft side. Too bad it's not here to stay, yet.

R&R

XOXO

Still Kataang-girl14