Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA... yada... yada...yada...

Chapter 12

Katara couldn't sleep that night. She missed Tenzin, and couldn't stop thinking about Aang. He had grown up so much, and had hair. His face was so handsome. And he was so tall, and muscular. Let's face it, he was absolutely gorgeous. Like the gods had carved the flesh of his face and body themselves. She couldn't help thinking about what she saw when she gained consciousness. There was no mistaking the huge bulge in his pants. 'Wow... he really has grown.' She thought, blushing. And a warm sensation spread throughout her body.

Aang walked home, thinking about Katara. 'She's in love with someone else.' He thought sadly. His heart sank in his chest. He wasn't expecting that. But, there was nothing he could do about it. Or, nothing he would do about it, anyway. He went straight to his room and plopped down on the bed when he got home. Telling the servants that he didn't want to be disturbed as he walked by. But, he knew he wasn't going to get any sleep. He laid there in the dark, mourning the loss of his one true love. As the tears started to spill from his eyes and stream down his face.

Tenzin woke up before his family the next morning. And he found his way to the kitchen, where Iroh sat at the table drinking a cup of tea.

" Good morning Tenzin." Iroh said cheerfully. " Would you like some breakfast?" He asked the boy.

" No. Not right now." Tenzin replied. " Can I play with the blocks again?" He asked.

" Absolutely! I'll get them for you, and you can play in the other room." Iroh replied, smiling.

Tenzin patiently waited from him to retrieve the blocks. Looking around, inspecting his surroundings. Iroh returned a few minutes later with a bag full of building blocks, then ushered Tenzin in to the next room.

" I won't be opening for a few hours, so make yourself at home." Iroh said. "Let me know if you need anything, or decide you would like to eat breakfast." He added, grinning widely. Then walked to the front of the tea shop and unlocked the door. And disappeared in to the kitchen to prepare for the day.

Aang decided to get up, since he couldn't sleep anyway. The sun had already been up for a few hours. Getting dressed, he went downstairs and left the house to walk for a while. Feeling like he needed someone to talk to, he headed toward the Jasmine Dragon. He knew it wouldn't be open yet, but Iroh would be up by now, getting ready to open. When he arrived he knocked on the door, but no one answered. Turning the door knob, he realized the door was unlocked and let himself in.

" Hello? Iroh... It's me, Aang." Aang said when he entered.

Tenzin turned to see who had entered the tea shop. Inspecting the intruder thoroughly.

Aang noticed the boy sitting on the floor playing with building blocks, and walked over to him. " Well, hello there." He said to the boy, smiling brightly.

" Hello." Tenzin replied. " Who are you?" He asked Aang, cautiously.

" I'm Aang. I'm a friend of Iroh's. What's your name?" Aang asked him, politely.

" Tenzin." The child answered.

" Well, it's nice to meet you Tenzin." Aang replied, reaching down to shake the boy's hand. 'Huh, that's an Air Nomad name. How unusual.' He thought.

Tenzin looked at Aang curiously, then shook his hand. He seemed nice enough the boy thought.

Aang sat down cross legged on the floor next to him. " What are you building?" He asked him.

" A castle, but it keeps falling down." Tenzin replied sadly.

" Here... Let me help you." Aang said, smiling. Then started to repair the damaged castle. Placing the blocks carefully, so they wouldn't fall.

" Thanks!" Tenzin said, his smile beaming at Aang.

" You're welcome." Aang replied, grinning widely.

Tenzin stared at Aang's forehead curiously. Wondering what that strange blue mark was, showing below his hair.

" What?" Aang asked him. Noticing the boy was carefully scrutinizing his face.

" What's that mark on your head?" Tenzin asked.

" Oh... It's a tattoo." Aang replied, chuckling. "Sometimes I forget it's there." He added. " See?" He said, lifting his hair up off of his forehead. " I have them on my back, arms, and legs too. See?" He added. Showing Tenzin the blue arrows on his arms, and the back of each hand.

" What's a tattoo?" Tenzin asked, staring at Aang's forehead once again.

" It's a permant mark on my skin, made with ink." Aang replied, smiling. " Go ahead, touch it." He added, leaning his head down closer to the boy.

Tenzin cautiously reached his hand out and touched the tattoo. Then rubbed it with his fingers, to see if it would come off. " Neat!" He said, smiling brightly. " Didn't it hurt?" He asked, curiously.

Before Aang could reply, Iroh stepped out of the kitchen. " Tenzin, I made you some breakfast." He said. Then his eyes grew wide when he saw the man sitting on the floor next to the boy. Speechless for a moment, with his mouth agape. " Oh... Hello Aang." He replied quietly. Still dumbfounded.

" Hi Iroh. Sorry I came by before you opened. I just needed to get out and had nowhere to go." Aang said to Iroh, smiling.

" Um... Okay." Iroh replied. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the situation.

Aang could sense the tension in Iroh's voice. " I can leave if it's a problem." He told him. Concerned that he was imposing.

" No. Of course not. It's no problem. I was just surprised to see you, that's all." Iroh told him, smiling. " Tenzin, why don't you go in to the kitchen. Your breakfast is waiting for you on the table." He said to the boy, smiling.

" Okay. Nice to meet you Aang!" Tenzin shouted, as he ran toward the kitchen and disappeared through the door.

" He's a nice kid. A friend of yours?" Aang asked Iroh, teasingly. Raising one eyebrow.

" Um... Yes. He is the son of a friend. I'm just watching him for a few hours." Iroh replied nervously.

" Oh... I really am sorry that I came by unannounced. I hope I'm not intruding." Aang said.

" No. Not at all." Iroh replied. " Can I get you a cup of tea?" He asked Aang, smiling.

" No. Thank you." Aang replied. " I'd probably better get going anyway. I know you'll be opening soon, and you probably have a lot to do to prepare." He added, as he stood up.

" Are you sure? It's no problem." Iroh replied.

" I'm sure." Aang told him. " Maybe I'll come back later." He added, smiling.

" Please do. You are welcome here any time." Iroh said smiling, then walked Aang to the door.

" Okay, thanks. See ya." Aang said as he left.

" See you." Iroh replied, then let out a deep sigh of relief.

Katara finally fell asleep sometime before dawn. And woke up feeling exhausted. She got dressed and went toward the kitchen. Noticing that her son and family weren't home yet, as she walked by the empty bedrooms. She grabbed a piece of fruit for breakfast, and left to go get her son at Iroh's tea shop.

The tea shop had just opened, and customers were quickly filing in. Katara glanced around the room until she saw Iroh, then waved to get his attention. Iroh quickly walked over to greet her, smiling. " Good morning Katara. Tenzin and the others are in the kitchen. Why don't you join them and have a cup of tea." He said.

" Thank you, Iroh." Katara replied. Then walked to the kitchen and entered.

" Good morning, Sugarqueen." Toph said, with a smirk on her face.

" Good morning, Toph." Katara replied. " Hi Sweetie." She said to her son. Then walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

" So… How did it go last night?" Suki asked her, with excitement.

" Not so great. But we'll talk about that later." Katara said as she glared at her brother. " Tenzin? Are you ready to go home?" She asked her son.

" Awww… Do we have to momma?" Tenzin asked whining.

" Yes. I think that we've imposed on Iroh enough." Katara told him.

" Not at all Katara. It has been my pleasure." Iroh said to her with a smile, as he entered the kitchen. " But, I would like to have a word with you before you leave." He added. " If it is not too much trouble?" He finished.

" Of course not, Iroh." Katara replied, smiling. Then joined him across the room from the others, where they could talk privately.

" This morning Tenzin woke up before the others, and went into the dining room to play with his building blocks." Iroh told her. " And the front door was unlocked." He continued. " While I was in the kitchen, Aang stopped by unannounced." He finished.

" OH MY!" Katara exclaimed. Placing her hand over her mouth in shock. Everyone at the table stopped what they were doing, and looked at Katara. Wondering what caused her reaction.

" I take it you did not tell Aang about Tenzin?" Iroh asked her.

" No, I didn't." Katara replied.

" Do not worry. I did not tell him who he was. But they seemed to be having a good time playing with the building blocks, when I walked into the room." Iroh told her, smiling warmly.

" He played with Tenzin?" Katara asked, dumbfounded.

" Yes, he did. And they seemed to be getting along quite well. Tenzin warmed up to him rather quickly." Iroh explained. " And Aang seemed to be quite taken by him, as well." He added, grinning.

" Do you think so?" Katara asked him. Looking a bit frightened.

" Yes I do. It was obvious to me that they were quite comfortable with each other." Iroh said. " As if they had known each other all of their lives." He added, grinning widely.

" Really? Thank you, Iroh." Katara said, smiling softly.

" You are welcome." Iroh replied.

Katara walked back to the table to join her family. Then helped her son get up from his seat, and ushered him out of the tea shop. Her family just stared at her as they walked out the door. Wondering what she and Iroh we're talking about.