I'm not entirely sure anyone is still reading this, but to those who are…

…thanks for reading. Thank you for all your feedback and stuff, and I'll go and finish this story whether or not you guys are reading it because I know how annoying it is to read an unfinished one. Well, here we go.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own ATLA.

Chapter X: Look, Guys…

"Look, guys," Aang started. "It's nothing personal but…"

"We get it, Aang," Sokka cut in. "Just…try not to leave for six years again, okay?"

"I'll come back," Aang promised.

No one in the room looked like they believed that statement, but they nodded anyways.

"Just…when you get out of here, come find us, Twinkletoes," Toph pleaded. "We'll have a going away party."

"A proper goodbye," Sokka elaborated.

Aang looked at his red and inflamed shoulder. "I'm not sure when I can get out of here, after that knife…" A thought came to him. "How do you know other assassins won't come?" he demanded.

"You…you were…uh…out, for a while," Katara answered timidly. "I asked Dad and he put some guards around the place."

"But how do you know that someone won't climb in through the wind—" Aang looked over at the window, which had been replaced by a wall. "…oh," Aang finished lamely.

"And your shoulder…I think just one more healing session should do it," Katara continued.

In wonderment, Aang glanced at his shoulder. "Are…are you sure?" Aang asked dubiously. "Not that I'm doubting you guys, but it looks kind of…you know," he said, gesturing at his shoulder.

"Oh, it's really awesome what the healers can do, Aang," Sokka replied. "When they first found you we could see some bone, and the muscles were all torn and blood was everywhere and…"

Sokka slowly cut off as he realized that everyone in the room was glaring at him. "R-right," Sokka said, hands up in a calming motion. "I'll just be waiting outside, then…" Sokka walked quickly backwards and shut the door.

Everyone looked at each other for a moment, then burst out in laughter. Aang laughed along with them. It felt so great after such a long period of cheerlessness and sorrow. Same old Sokka, he thought.

"Well," Toph said, "I think Sweetness here should start giving Twinkletoes the healing session she talked about earlier so we can have our going away party!" With that, she exited the door, dragging Suki after her.

"Feel better Aang!" Suki called as Toph dragged her away and shut the door.

Aang and Katara were left staring at each other awkwardly.

Aang stared deeply into Katara's eyes, and he was dimly aware that Katara was doing the same. Then, with a jolt, he realized what he was doing and began rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "So!" he began, "uh…"

"Right, heh, yeah," Katara said nervously, beginning to blush, "uh…can you sit at the edge of the bed?"

Aang did as he was told as best he could, without moving or putting too much weight on his injured shoulder. Katara then knelt down and started healing his shoulder using some water from nearby bowls.

As the relaxing tingly massaging feeling of healing began to course through his body, Aang became painfully aware of the proximity of Katara's face to his. Especially her lips. Aang strongly resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her. The soothing feeling of healing began to fade away, beginning to be replaced by…

"Aang."

Said Avatar snapped out of his daze with a shock, realizing that he was staring very intensely at Katara's lips. His cheeks felt oddly warm, and he suspected that they were as red as cherries. The sight of Katara's lips was suddenly replaced by a pair of cerulean eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked in concern. "You were just staring into space…"

Well, not exactly space, Aang thought, but he responded with, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Take a look at your shoulder," Katara suggested. She set the bowl on a drawer, later to be refilled.

Turning his head to the left, Aang inspected his shoulder.

It looked as good as new.

Rotating his shoulder, Aang realized that it was perfectly restored. Compared to this, his right shoulder felt decrepit and creaky! "Thank you," he breathed. Before he knew what he was doing, he was hugging Katara.

"You're welcome," Katara said into his shoulder.

"No, but really, thank you," Aang repeated.

"Uh…you're welcome? Again?" Katara replied bemusedly.

"Thanks for saving me and healing me," Aang said. "Even though I was so nasty to you."

Katara lifted her head out of Aang's embrace and stepped back. "Actually, Aang, I wanted to…uh…" she started, looking at the ground.

"What?" Aang asked gently.

"Apologize," Katara finished in a voice so low that Aang doubted that she had even spoken for a second. Then she looked up, eyes shining with regret, and in a rush, said, "I'mreallysorryforbeingsomeantoyoulikelasttimewemetandIhopewecanstillbefriendseventhoughIwasinsultingyouandbeingnasty."

Aang laughed. "What are you apologizing for?" Aang said. Internally, he was shining with happiness, but he knew that he had deserved every moment of Katara's wrath. "It's me who should be apologizing, for leaving without saying goodbye, for pretending that I didn't know you at all, for knocking you out, and for kissing you at Ember Island." Aang's spirits sunk a little when he remembered what had happened that night, but he was happy to get it off his chest.

Katara looked down, blushing at the mention of the last event. "You know," she started, cheeks pink, "the night you, uh, left, I was going to tell you—" Katara was suddenly interrupted as the door swung open.

"So how's the healing going?" Sokka said. "Can we have the going away party?" When no response came he asked curiously, "Why are you both glaring at me?"

Well. Going away party next chappie, and then you find out Aang's plan! If you don't guess it first, that is.

Please read and review!

PythianPickles out.