Chapter 7
The woods are dark, the full moon casting shadows upon the world of sleeping mortals. There was not a cloud in sight. Everything was peaceful as the day time animals went to sleep in their little hovels. Nocturnal animals came out of their hiding places to hunt, predator stalking it's pray.
Jet was one of those nocturnal creatures. Hiding in the shadows of the pine trees, he gazed at the house the party had been held at. His anger was up to a boiling point, ready to explode at any comment thrown at him. He couldn't believe what had happened in there; Aang's gang had him cornered, like a caged animal. Didn't they realize that it only made him more dangerous?
Apparently not, since Aang fought him. The kid and his friends were very strong indeed; it would take more than what he had to take them down and get what he wanted.
Jet shook his head in disgust. He had never had to work this hard in his life to get something. Usually all he had to do was put on the charm and get the results that would suffice. But that wasn't going to work here. It was like they could see through his façade, which he proved them right by his actions this night. It was like the world was going against him, coming between something that wasn't its concern.
The Spirits seem to be purposely adding struggle to the plans. Jet didn't know how long he could stay in check. Moving away from the tree line he was hiding behind, Jet moved back into the trees. The shadows covered him like he was the King of the Dead. He started walking away from the house, into the inky blackness of the wood, despite the full moon glowing in the deep blue of the sky.
Jets hands were clenched, the knuckles white from the strain. He had to keep his temper in check; otherwise he would lose it completely. Taking a deep breath, Jet continued walking before he came to the clearing in the center of the wood. The moon was right above where he stood, casting brilliant light across the trees.
In the clearing, there was a small stream gurgling in the creek bed, sparkling like diamonds had fallen in the shallows. There was green grass all over the place, looking like green velvet, sot to the touch. The trees surrounding the place acted like guards. In the center of the clearing, a fire licked at the wood, consuming it slowly, waiting for the branches to turn to ashes.
Surrounding the fire were five figures, eating a late night meal. It was easy, by the light of the flames, to see who these people were: Smellerbee, Longshot, Sneers, Pipsqueak, and The Duke. Now what would six teenagers be doing in the woods at this ungodly hour of the morning? They looked up at Jet as he came into the clearing, and they could tell that he was ticked off.
They also knew not to say anything as he sat down and helped himself to some of their food. He was the leader after all; he had the right. He took small bites, however. He wasn't hungry for food; but for something else, something that he was denied. Jet could feel his blood boil again, but he tried to calm down enough so he could tell his gang what had happened at the window.
"Sokka has them sleeping over." Silence met this statement. There was no sound except for the crackling of the flames. Even the wild animals had silenced, as if they were holding their breaths. Jet continued, "He has them guarding the house. I heard them through the window on the second floor. Apparently they didn't want to leave the little wench alone."
Again there was nothing but silence. His gang members seem to be holding their breaths as he continued the status, "Zuko, Mai and Toph guard the living room; Sokka and Suki are in his room watching the woods; and Aang," he said the name like it left a bitter taste, "is in Katara's room. They seem to trust him the most when it comes to protecting her." He snorted. "Like that kid could protect anyone. If his friends hadn't been there, I would've crushed him like the bug he is."
His teeth clenched. Oh, how he wanted to crush that kid for what he did. Jet will have his revenge; even if it was the last thing he did. Everything was quiet after Jet's rant. No one knew what to say; not that they would say anything. If looked could kill, the gang would be lying dead right now. Abruptly, Jet stood up and caused everyone to jump.
He started pacing like a wild tiger in a cage, his anger escalading once more. "Why couldn't he just DIE?! Why did he have to survive from the attack at the mall? Why couldn't he be dead like his parents? He doesn't deserve to live! Oh, everyone thinks he's a goody goody. Ha! I'll show them. By the time I'm done with that kid, he's gonna wish he was never born!"
Everyone's eyes were wide. They were surprised to say the least. They had never seen Jet this angry. And what did mean by Aang's parents?
The gang had never heard him mention the kid's deceased parents before. What could Jet be hiding from them? The gang's uneasiness increased as they thought of the possibilities. Did Jet know who had killed them? Was Jet behind it somehow? What if he was the mastermind behind it? Or was it someone he knew that killed them? They didn't know, but despite the fact that they nervous, they were curious as well. The Duke was the first to recover. He raised his hand.
Jet stared at him before saying, "What, Duke?"
The Duke said timidly, "What do mean by Aang's parents? Do you know what happened to them?" It sounded innocent enough; everyone froze though, sitting like statues. Jet silently cursed himself. He didn't mean to say anything of the sort. The truth, he did know. But he wasn't ready to tell; he was worried he might lose his gang.
In the past, they had been best friends because their parents had treated them wrong, and only wanted to gain at least some respect. Jet had a way of twisting minds, however. As they got older, Jet and his gang had started doing "good" things.
Revenge was one of those things. At one point, Jet had said that they would be helping people and stop crime. But the truth was, he was the criminal. He got the gang into stealing supplies for their needs.
They had stopped some crimes so the police don't catch onto them, but more than half the crimes committed were of their doing. He didn't tell them the real reason why he had started "The Freedom Fighters" as they were never will, but still.
The gang waited for him to respond. Jet cleared his throat. "Nothing. Everyone knows what had happened to them. They were killed by some criminal that the police caught."
When they had confused looked plastered on their faces, Jet sighed. "Sorry guys. I'm just angry and tired. I didn't mean that stuff." It was partly true. Jet did know that Aang was a good guy and also knew he would give his life to protect others; like he almost did when he fought those men. But he did mean it when he said that Aang should have died.
He said, "I think we should call it a night. Let's put the fire out and scatter the remains. We don't want people knowing we were here."
The gang complied, putting out the fire and scattering it while other packed the remaining food in their backpacks. Then the gang walked out of the woods together before going their separate ways. Jet hated lying to his friends, but he didn't want them to abandon him. His life had nothing but drama and stress. He would give anything for a normal life that other people seem to have.
But he knew there was no going back. Life for him had never been easy, especially since he mother passed from cancer and his father was put in jail a year ago. His father being in jail had something to do with the attack at the mall, for Jet did know who those men were. It had been them that attacked the mall that day.
The next morning dawned bright and cheery. The big ball of fire was just rising above the trees, casting warmth onto the grounds and fields. Katara was snuggled up on the bed, her back against something soft but firm.
She took a deep breath, starting to wake up but not opening her eyes. She didn't want to move just yet; the girl wanted to stay where she was, snuggled and warm and safe. It felt like heaven.
Then she felt someone run their hand in her hair, and she became more aware of something beating against her back. She slowly opened her blue orbs. Sunlight was streaming through the window, casting the shadows away until they were minuscule.
Now that she was fully conscious, Katara looked down and saw that an arm was wrapped lovingly around her middle. The hand in her hair kept up its soothing rhythm. And she also realized that the beating in her back was indeed a heartbeat. There was only one person who she recognized with this particular heartbeat.
Aang.
She turned her head.
Sure enough, it was Aang watching her, a gentle smile on his sweet face. She felt her heart lurch before beating faster. Only he could make her feel this way. He had stayed with her the whole night, like he made a silent promise to be there for her no matter what.
"Good morning, Kat," he said softly, his hand still rubbing the top of her head in smooth strokes.
"Good morning, Aang," she replied just as softly. Katara turned her body around to face him, stopping Aang from rubbing her head. She looked into his eyes, deep and light silver mixing together in the orbs.
She touched his cheek. There were bags under his eyes, a sign saying of how very little sleep he had the night before. 'Aang must have been really worried' she thought.
They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, none of them saying anything. Then slowly, Katara leaned in, Aang following suit. Their lips brushed each other softly before they pulled apart. Then they kissed again, deeper; then pulled apart. Their lips locked for a third time and they stayed that way. The kiss became deeper, hotter, and faster. Breaths mingled together as they made out.
Aang dared to share his tongue with her, and Katara gasped lightly in surprise before accepting it. He moved, without taking his mouth from hers, so he was on top, straddling her waist. Katara lifted her hands, running them on his chest, her right hand lingering on his pounding heart.
Then she realized something: her heart was pounding with his; same rhythm, same rate. It was incredible. This was another sign that they were soul-mates. It's like their hearts knew each other from another life. And maybe they had. Aang could feel it too; his heart and pulse beating in time with hers. He also knew they were soul-mates; otherwise their hearts wouldn't have been beating like this.
His hands were stroking her sides, stomach and neck, causing shivers to run through her body. His body pressed closer to hers, feeling warmth spread out through his blood.
They didn't know how long they did this, but eventually air was needed. So they pulled apart, their lips touching gently and slowly before stopping completely. The young couple was breathing hard, somewhat shocked from the kiss. Katara leaned her head up so their foreheads were touching.
Neither one of them opened their eyes; they took in the sound of their breathing coming back to normal. Only then did they open their eyes; blue of the ocean meeting gray of the sky. They smiled at each other, their faces aglow.
Aang was the first to break the silence. "I love you, Katara. I always will." He stroked her face, still completely baffled that she was his. It was impossible that this angel was his; yet here she was, in his loving embrace, willing to do anything to make him happy. Aang would do the same for her. Katara's happiness meant the world to him.
"I love you too, Aang," she said back in kind. His heart swelled, almost expecting it to burst open. Her words were so sincere, it was almost enough to make him cry.
So he closed his eyes and laid his ear next to her heart. Its rhythm was enough to make anyone fall asleep, and Aang was in between awake and asleep.
He never wanted to move from this spot; it was too perfect. He felt Katara's hand go into his hair, stroking it like he did with hers. He breathed a content sigh, reveling the feeling. They didn't say anything for a while, content with lying where they were. They didn't want to leave their haven.
Unfortunately they had to. Katara sighed in disappointment before saying, "Aang?" He looked up. She continued, "I think we should get up now. We don't Sokka coming in and getting the wrong idea."
He lifted his head a little more and sighed as well, knowing she was right. If Sokka found them like this, he would go ballistic. So Aang got off of Katara and started putting his clothes on. Katara went into her bathroom with a change of clothes.
When she emerged a few minutes later, Katara saw Aang sitting her bed fully clothed, staring out the window with a thoughtful expression.
He really did look tired though, and she was worried about him. Something must have happened last night, but he didn't say anything. Maybe, if he did know something, he didn't want to tell her for he knew she would worry either way.
Katara sat next to him, causing Aang to jump slightly by the extra weight. Then he looked at her, his eyes softening, and reached for her hand.
She asked, "Are you okay?" Aang looked back at the window and Katara followed his gaze. The sun was up higher than before, becoming white as it ascended higher into the sky.
He looked back at her, squeezing her hand. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just tired," he replied. It was true; he was tired. The energy used earlier that morning was enough to make his fall back to sleep.
But Katara didn't look totally convinced, yet she didn't pursue the subject. Instead, she squeezed his hand and said, "Okay. But if you ever need to talk, I'm here. You know that, right?"
He nodded. It was nice that there were people around who cared about, besides Gyatso. Ever since Katara came into his life, everything had changed for the better. He found the second half of his heart, the love of his life, and he wasn't going to let her go, ever.
Aang said, "Let's head downstairs and have some breakfast. The others might be up by now, eating."
Katara snorted. "I'm usually the one that has to cook. And if I know Sokka, he would be knocked out like a hibernating polar bear."
Aang laughed, standing up and pulling her with him. He gave her one more kiss before the couple exited the room.
When they got downstairs, Aang could see that Katara was right in her assessment. Toph, Mai and Zuko were still asleep. But since Toph's feet were on the stone floor, she jerked awake when she felt their familiar vibrations.
She said, "Hey, lovebirds. Nothing to report. It seems like the bozos made a quick getaway last night after Twinkle Toes beat the snot out of Jet." By this time, Mai and Zuko had woken up and were listening to Toph. They nodded to the younger teens, confirming what Toph had said.
Aang nodded. "Okay, good to hear." He led Katara into the kitchen so they could have some breakfast. Katara was cooking eggs and bacon while Aang made himself some fruit salad. A few minutes later, Sokka, and a very annoyed Suki, came down. As usual, Sokka was drooling when he smelled the food. Suki was annoyed because it seemed like her boyfriend care more about food than her.
A little while later, everyone was sitting at the table, talking about random topics and enjoying the meal. Then Zuko brought up the subject about Jet. "I still think he's out there. Who knows what he plans to do. How do we know that he gave up? It didn't seem like he was going to when he left."
Everyone looked at each other, thinking the same thought. Jet did say that they would see him again. But the question was when? There was no doubt whatsoever about seeing the last of him. No one could forget his threatening eyes and dark demeanor.
Of all the people in the group, Aang was the most thoughtful looking. The image of the shadow at the window kept whirling around his head like a storm cloud. It wouldn't leave him alone, and he knew if he didn't say something soon, he would lose his mind and probably put those he loved in more danger than they were already in.
So he decided to be honest with them. "I have confession to make." Everyone came out of their thoughts when they heard Aang's voice. All eyes turned to him as he cleared his throat. "I think… I 'know' I saw something last night." He paused, wondering if this was a good idea. But it was too late to go back now. He took a deep breath before saying, "Someone was at Katara's window last night." Everyone's eye went as big as saucers. He continued, "I don't know who it was; if it was Jet or one of his gang members. But there was definitely someone there. I think they wanted to see if Katara was alone. When they found me there, they backed off." They were quiet, listening intently while he spoke.
When he paused, Toph's brow furrowed thoughtfully. She remembered that something 'had' moved outside and that there was someone climbing on the vines by the Katara's window. She had sat, wide awake, waiting to see what would happen. Then the vibrations retreated back into the trees, and she couldn't feel anything after that. She cleared her throat as well. All eyes turned to her.
Then she said, "I have a report. It happened last night as well. It was very brief though, so I didn't see a lot. But I can confirm that there was someone out the window. As far as I could figure, the person used the thick vines that grew around the house. I was awake when I felt them coming. The vibrations felt familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint who exactly it was. Then a minute later, they left. Ran back into the forest where I couldn't feel them anymore. Like I said, it was brief; but I agree with Aang. Someone wanted to see if we left her. And since they saw we didn't, they decided to hit the road."
The gang sat in silence, taking in what the blind girl had said. Everyone was thinking the same thing. There was only one person who showed more hatred for them than any other person they had met; one person who wanted Katara to be his. That person was…
"Jet!" Sokka said angrily. They looked at him with grim faces. That's what they were thinking. Jet had threatened them and he had tried to take Katara away from them.
Aang wrapped his arm around Katara protectively as Sokka stood up and started pacing. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him closer.
Sokka ranted, "That son of badger! I would give ANYTHING just to beat the living crap out of him! He has no respect; none whatsoever! He thinks he's such a hunk! He's NOTHING but an abusive smart aleck! GAH!" He threw his hands at the end.
Everyone eyes were wide. They never saw him blow up like this. Who knew he was capable of this kind of anger?
Suki stood up and put her hands on his shoulders, halting him from his agitated pacing. He looked into her and felt himself soften a little at the look of concern and love on her face. Then she hugged him close, feeling like she needed to be there. In a way, this was her family, all these teenagers who had been through much together, coming together at a time of need. Make no mistake, Suki loved her family back home; but these people made her feel like she belonged with them. They brought her out of her shell.
Sokka held her close, arms wrapped around her slender waist, head on her shoulder. He was glad to have someone like Suki. She brought out the best in him, made him feel like life was worth living. He couldn't count how many times he had gone to her to get the comfort that his dad or sister couldn't bring him. Sure he loved Katara and Hakoda, but it was Suki who had his heart since they were kids. She was his best friend, his companion, and lover. He just didn't know what he would to without her.
No one knew how long the silence went on. It could have been hours; it could have been minutes.
But after the silence stretched on, Toph decided to break it. "Okay. So we all agree that Jet was the one outside of the window?"
There were some 'yeses' and 'sure' going around the room.
Toph nodded. "All right. Well, no offence to the lovebirds present, but talking about this kind of stuff and the cuddling that's happening makes me want to up chuck. So can we do something fun? I'm in the mood for the amusement park. Summer's still young. Let's spend it the way we're supposed to!" She jumped out of her chair and went upstairs.
The gang silently decided that she was right. It was already hot out and it would be better to be outside having fun instead of contemplating the day away. So everyone went their separate ways to get money, swimming wear and extra clothes.
An hour later, the team was in Suki's van, driving to the amusement part. This day might actually turn out for the better.
