Gah! I'm slipping! It shouldn't be taking me this long to update. Oh well.

YAY! People liked my fight scene! I'm shocked to say the least; I thought it wasn't all that good. I need to boost my self-esteem. Lol.

I don't own Avatar. And I am disappointed in those who do because they made a crappy videogame.

Ch.13

Aang was making his way out of the trees and got to the sandy shoreline. The group of 40 or so soldiers were waiting for their leader. When they saw Aang, but not their commander, they all got a look of terrible fear on their faces. Aang approached the nearest one.

"He's alive, but he is badly burned, has a deep gash and a broken arm. He'll need medical attention right away if he is to remain in command of your group." Aang walked off before the soldier could say anything, but he heard several people run towards where the fight had occurred.

He began his walk back towards camp, wondering how he could ever do such a thing.

I'm the Avatar! What in the world was I doing? I'm supposed to be a peaceful monk… But then again, I stopped being a monk when I left the temple. Still, what I did wasn't right. And what was worse was that I felt satisfied with what happened… Uhgh, how will I tell Katara? She told me not to kill the guy… and I didn't… but I was about to. And I wasn't even in the Avatar State! It made me so angry to see them treat her like that. Katara's a great person, she doesn't deserve to be bound up and hurt for no reason. And everything I said over there was true. She shouldn't have to follow me on mission after dangerous mission. Katara should have the best anyone could give her… I just hope I can give her enough…

Aang hadn't noticed that he was almost at the camp. He stopped for a second to collect his thoughts, and took a deep breath. He just wondered what Katara's reaction would be like. He walked forward the last 10 feet. 5 feet… 3 feet… 1 foot… He saw their small tent, and then he saw Katara. She was sitting by the river, her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be deep in thought. He also noted that Katara had a look of extreme concern on her face. Aang rustled some bushes to get her attention. She didn't respond. He walked over to her, and she still didn't notice. She seemed to be in some sort of deep trance, like he was when he meditated. He crouched down next to her.

"Hey… Open your eyes. I'm back." Aang whispered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes and looked over at Aang, who was giving her a faint smile. She took a moment to realize that he was really there, and then she practically assaulted him with a fierce hug.

"AANG!! You're okay! I thought that you- I mean you probably wouldn't- but- I just…" She hugged tighter. "I was so scared, and-." She sighed happily. "I'm just glad your okay." She started kissing him franticly. Not with so much passion, but just kissing him for the sake of kissing him, because in the back of her mind, she knew that if he had died she would curse herself for life for not taking every chance she got to kiss him. To hug him. To just be with him.

He pulled back so that they were a few inches apart. "Yeah, I'm alright. But how are you? They didn't hurt you to bad, did they?"

"I'm fine, just a little shaken." Katara felt her cheek, where the Fire Nation soldier had slapped her. "What happened to the soldier? He wasn't with the others when they returned to their ship."

Aang let his head hand and sighed. He didn't know how to start off. "Well, I want you to know that I listened to you, and I didn't kill him..."

"That's a good thing, isn't it? Why do you sound so down?"

"Because I was about to… I was holding a giant boulder overhead, ready to drop it on him. And the only thing that stopped me was when I remembered what you said. When I realized what I was doing, I just felt so… so… horrible. What I was doing wasn't like me. It was like I had no control over my body."

"It's ok, Aang. The important thing is that you didn't kill him. You and me both know that you can do some pretty irrational things when you in the Avatar state."

Ouch, that one hurt. "That's one of the worst part's of it… I wasn't in the Avatar state."

Katara sat there in silence for a few moments with a blank look on her face. Then she finally realized what Aang had said. "What do you mean you weren't in the Avatar state?"

"Just that. Before the fight, the soldier wanted to fight me as me, not the other Avatars. So when I started winning and he couldn't fight back, I… I started torturing the guy. He was completely helpless and I just wouldn't stop. He started yelling to stop and to let him go, but I wanted him to pay for what he did. I wanted him to suffer. He had no right to take you. He had no right to hit you. He had no right to insult you. And I wanted him to know it."

Katara remained silent.

"I was really ashamed of what I did. I could have stopped at any time, but I didn't. What I did was inhuman." Aang lowered his head. "I just hope you don't think I am some kind of monster."

Katara still remained silent, trying to take in all that Aang said to her. He started to get up, thinking that she wouldn't want him there, but Katara grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down into another tight hug.

"Of course I don't think you're a monster! What you did was for me, and it showed just how much you care about me. And you were in control, Aang. If you weren't, he would never have survived. You showed him compassion by letting him live. The fact that you hurt him doesn't mean you are a monster. It is just human nature to protect the ones you care about."

Aang adored the way she could always make him feel better. "I wasn't just protecting someone I care about. I was protecting someone I love. And I'll always do anything to make sure you are safe."

Katara smiled and so did Aang. Katara broke the hug and pulled back a little, taking Aang's hands in hers. She looked into his big, grey eyes. The same eyes that just a few minutes ago were glowing as he was getting ready take his revenge on the Fire Nation soldier. Katara stared at them for a while, and Aang sat there, letting Katara gaze.

"What do you see?" Aang was curious to know just what Katara was looking at in his eyes.

"I see the soul of a kid and the heart of a warrior. I see peace. I see the weight of the world. I see fun and enjoyment. I see courage. I see bravery. I see a great destiny. I see the man I love. I see you, Aang."

Aang got his usual wide grin. "The MAN you love?"

"I said all of that and you only heard 'man'?"

"No. I heard the rest of it." Aang out his hands on her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He grinned again. "But still, the MAN ?"

Katara rolled her eyes and laughed a small laugh. "Yes, Aang. The man I love." They leaned into each other and kissed for a good, long time.

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

Sokka was in his sleeping bag when the sun shone through the mouth of the cave he was in and it shone in his face. His eyes slowly opened and, doing something very unsokkaly, and actually got up. He took a moment to stretch and crack whatever joints hadn't when he got up. He looked around and saw Toph, who was still lying on her rock. How does she sleep like that? Then he began doing something very sokkaly, and he began rummaging through their things for meat. When he found none, he grabbed his fishing equipment and headed towards the beach.

I don't know if it will live up to some of your expectations. Like I said, I need higher self-esteem. Lol.

Rest in Peace, Mako Iwamatso (Voice Actor for Uncle Iroh)