Hey guys! Wow thank you for the very kind replies! This next chapter is going to be the cute, cuddly, an fluffy kind lol. The next will start more of the plot, the kids will enter the earth kingdom village, and an old rival of aangs will show up. Ooooo I can feel the tension already.

Chapter 4

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The following day, the trio spent their time relaxing. They sat by a nearby river, meeting back up with Appa and Momo (who had made themselves scarce following Aang's orders to take shelter.) fetching themselves a light lunch with what they could find, allowing their wounds to heal, (Especially Aang, who was at the moment using the aid of a walking stick to help him around) and giving their bodies a much needed wash-down.

In short, the group laid back, watching the distant clouds go by without trying to race them, for once.

The ground was soaked, mud puddles tracing every foot of land like obscene footprints, leading in no particular direction. The grass looked weighed down from the rain, reaching up from its roots only to be slightly bent at the tops, sad-like, almost. Tree branches scattered the ground, giving the look of minor chaos from where the lightning struck them down violently during the storm.

There were a few clouds in the sky, scattered gently across the horizon, and the sun had finally made its way out into the sky, shining brightly and glittering over the land, lighting up the fallen rain; it illuminated the land, like a fairy tale looking oasis.

Katara resided by a flowing river, naturally toying with her element as it playfully danced around her figure; elegantly her body moved like the fluid she controlled so easily. Her breathing was even controlled by this exquisite movement, as the water rose up, then down, her chest breathed in, then out. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated- her mouth opening to exhale gently as she worked.

Her mind was at complete ease, every time she was with her element she felt as if her soul was given wings every time.

She smiled. 'Well, this isn't the only time…' Her mind went back to a lighthearted airbender, making her insides dance with glee as her body calmed. What he could do with just a single touch, 'He always gives me peace of mind."

The young waterbender was so wrapped up in what she was doing, she didn't notice the same airbender that clogged her thoughts watching her, quietly from the riverbank.

'I hate this damned walking stick…' Aang thought, thinking of the multiple ways he could break the thing once he felt better again. His eyes continued concentrating on the woman before him, watching her bend the water around her with ease and smiling lightly. Her eyes were closed; 'as if she had not a care in the world…' he smirked. He always admired her courage, remembering the stories of her mother- and how they continued to haunt her dreams.

'I think it's time she be recognized for that…' he concluded, walking towards her figure slowly. He decided to wait for her to finish, so he sat on the bank of the river, waiting patiently for the girl of his dreams to notice him.

He chuckled at the thought, thinking back to how long he waited for her to notice him when he was a boy. Hell, he sapped all the attention humanely possible from her at the time.

Katara finally opened her eyes, finishing off her elegant water dance with a simple flick of her wrists, sucking the life out of the water droplets that she had given them. She sighed contently, and moved her gaze toward the riverbank, where the boy she adored so much sat, apparently patiently waiting for her to return.

'He was waiting for me…' she smiled. 'I wonder what he wants.' She grew curious as she walked to him, staring down at him as she went. She grew fond of his gaze, and let it consume her every thought.

'I'm the luckiest woman in the world.'

He waited patiently for her to take a seat next to him, and get comfortable. She had nothing more than her underclothes on from waterbending; she looked completely at ease near him as she sat Indian style, facing him now. She looked curious, so he began.

"Katara?" he looked her in the eyes, "I never really thanked you… for saving me…" he grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly, before Katara jumped in.

"Don't worry about it,-"

"But I do…" he interrupted, "You can't know how much you mean to me, it's immeasurable Katara!" He grabbed her other hand, leaning over her slightly. "What you did- means more to me than anything else…" 'Of course, you are my anything and everything'

Katara's eyes brimmed with tears of joy as he spoke, and she started to speak back,

"Aang…" but was interrupted yet again by the young man.

"SO…" he cut in, his voice getting soft, "I'm going to finally say what I came here to say." And he leaned in closer still, watching intently as she tensed up, and then calmed the closer he got.

He waited until their lips nearly touched, and stopped abruptly, and watched as she slowly grew impatient, amusing him. A smile tug at his lips and he exhaled, his breath touching her lips with the lightest of kisses.

And he spoke, hints of that young boy inside of him coming out in two simple words, their lips lightly touching as he said-

"Thank you."

He quickly closed the gap, leaving reality to fly high in their kisses, and together they soared, hand in hand to the skies.

Crack. Footsteps were heard in the distance, getting closer.

"Katara! Aang! Where are you guys!" Sokka yelled, searching for his lost companions. "Come on! We should get to the city soon! Can you HEAR me? WE'RE OUT OF MEAT!" he screamed, pouting like a child because they hadn't left yet. 'Hmph.'

"Katara! Aang!" Aang tensed, stopping his trail of kisses on Kataras neck (causing a most desirable moan, he might add) and looked around. Katara heard it too, and groaned. Sokka.

She started to get up until Aang stopped her, obviously having come up with a plan. His eyes flickered slyly as he stood, raising water from the river and holding it above his head, looking in the direction Sokkas voice came from.

Katara smiled devilishly, obviously catching on.

'Oh, this would be funny.'

Aang led the water into the trees as he stood, waiting for his cue.

Sokka's eyes grew wider. Out of nowhere… there was a glob of water… floating in the AIR!

"Oh my GOD!"

Aangs smile widened, as he dropped the water, listening intently to hear if he had hit his mark.

"GAH! I'm being attacked!"

'Yepp' Aang smiled. 'And now for the wind…' Combining his air and water bending, Aang sent a freezing breeze in Sokkas direction. They heard a cracking sound as the wind hit the water, freezing on impact. They listened for the all-too familiar sound-

"AHHHHHH! THIS IS FREEZING!" Clang! Clang! Sokka began beating the ice around his half frozen body, "I'm just a GUY… with a BOOMERANG! Did I ASK for this!" he continued, mumbling, obviously getting nowhere with the ice.

"Soooo…" Aang began, "Where were we?" he went back to Katara, first getting on his knees and slowly lowering down onto her, only holding himself up with his strong arms at either side of her head.

Her hands graced his face as she leaned in once again,

"Here"

-------------

Meanwhile, in a distant Earth kingdom city, a young man of 18 worked hard, repairing walls and houses taken down in the storm. An even layer of sweat covered his toned, tan body as he looked toward the sky with his wonderous, brown eyes, thinking.

'Where are you… Katara?'

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N- Okay soooo yeah not much I guess in this chapter, next one will have more #$ in it lol. Or action or something. I'm planning on having a very dramatic ending, like in the first couple chapters…. But for now… :-P lol. R&R please

bEAmZ