A/N: let me know what you think! I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Aang stared angrily at the ceiling, one hand behind his head while with the other he absentmindedly bent a small flame while thinking about what be had just seen. He had told Katara he had remembered, but it apparently she hadn't realized when he said that, he meant he remembered everything. He remembered growing up in the Air Temple and then meeting Katara and Sokka a hundred years later, he remembered the Cave of Two Lovers as well as being shot down by Azula. But most of all he remembered the words that, when uttered, caused him to fill with a protective rage so fierce that he wrecked havoc on anyone or thing nearby. Protect the Water Bender. Those simple words flitted through his mind, causing shivers to run down his spine. However just as quickly as fear filled him, it was replaced by anger that shocked him, because although during the past three years he had learned all he needed to know about anger, not once had it ever been directed at Katara. How could she? He thought bitterly, not caring that the flame he had been bending had grown in size, its heat making the once cold tent now almost unbearably hot. Unable to stand the thoughts swirling around in his head, Aang stood quickly and exited his tent. Not sparing a look towards the rest of the group, he hurriedly made his way into the forest. Once he felt he was far enough he let lose the yell of frustration that had been building in his throat ever since he saw Katara take Zuko's hand. With another yell he pushed the ground away from him, making a decent sized clearing in which he immediately began to fire bend. For ten minutes he practiced, his movements that of a Master, and still he pushed himself, determined to be the best, he continued his workout not allowing himself any room for mistakes. When a bead of sweat got into his eye and made him miss his target by a fraction of an inch Aang re-practiced that specific move until he could get it perfect with his eyes closed, and then he practiced some more. It was around this time that he heard the clapping. Aang whirled around and was surprised to see Toph standing before him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, the words leaving his mouth more sharply than he intended.

"Nothing, just wondering what has you so worked up." she said nonchalantly.

"I'm fine." he said shortly.

"I can tell your lying." she reminded him.

"It's nothing." he snapped.

"Aang." said Toph impatiently.

"It's Katara!" he shouted and then turned away from his friend, embarrassed.

"What about her?"

"You can tell that I'm lying but you can't tell she and Zuko have a thing for each other?" Aang demanded angrily.

"Wait, what?" said Toph confused. "I thought you two were together finally."

"Yeah." said Aang with a bitter laugh, "so did I."

"Aang, are you sure? Maybe it was just a miscommunication." She offered.

"Of course Toph, why didn't I think of that." he replied sarcastically. "There could have been plenty of reasons for Katara to stare right at me while she grabbed Zuko's hand."

"When did this happen?" demanded Toph.

"When we were talking about the stupid Chakra's." he muttered, and then glared suspiciously at Toph when a look of understanding crossed her face. "What do you know?"

"Nothing." she replied, the look gone from her face, making Aang wonder if he had just imagined it. "All I know is that your Katara's friend, and if you really care about her you'll want her to be happy."

"You think its that easy?" demanded Aang. "I literally gave the world for her to be safe and happy Toph, don't you understand that? I turned my back on the millions of people who needed me just so she would be spared!" he shouted. "I'm the Avatar! I should have saved those people but my love for her got in the way. Because her life was threatened I allowed myself to forget everything that was ever important to me to save her! I don't want anything but the best for Katara, even if it's not me!"

"Then why are you so upset?" Questioned Toph.

"Because she never told me about her and Zuko. I think I deserve at least that much from her, after all, we are friends."

"That's not all." said Toph gently.

Those three words seemed to break a barrier in Aang, and with an anguished look he turned to Toph. "I love her." he said, his voice broken. "And she loves Zuko." Hesitantly Toph approached her hurting friend and laid a soothing hand on his back as silent tears fell from his eyes.

"If you had to go back and choose all over again, would you sacrifice yourself and the world for her?" asked Toph curiously.

"No. I wouldn't. I would chose the world." said Aang with heat, his voice carrying over to the edge of the forest where, unknown to him, a young water bender stood, a shaking hand covering her mouth to prevent her sobs from escaping her chest while she quietly made her way back toward the camp site, her heart breaking.

"Toph?" said Aang a few minutes later.

"Yeah Twinkle Toes?" she replied.

"Yes." he said quietly. "If I had to choose again then yes I would choose Katara. No matter what, I would always and forever choose Katara."

"Even if she was with Zuko?" asked Toph.

"Even if she was with Zuko." Said Aang softly.

The next morning Katara woke up with a headache. That's what you get when you cry yourself to sleep. She reasoned with herself as she began to get ready for the day. Once her hair was pulled out of her face and she was dressed Katara forced herself to leave the safety of her tent and join the others. She avoided Aang's gaze as she took her seat by the fire and accepted a roll from Zuko who was looking at her with a question in his eyes.

"I'm fine." she told him softly, giving him a small smile. Zuko responded by drawing her closer to his side and planting a small kiss on her forehead.

"I'm going to practice my bending." said Aang suddenly, an angry scowl on his face as he stood and left the fire ring.

"I'm going with him." replied Toph, and even though she couldn't see, Katara got the feeling that the Earth Bender would be glaring at her if she was able.

For the rest of the day Katara moved about the campsite nervously, wondering if Toph and Aang were in the same clearing as last night, or if they had been captured and were now awaiting rescue. When she ran this thought by Sokka he just laughed at her active imagination and told her not to worry, which only made her worry more. She tried to distract herself by working on her water bending, but even that didn't hold her attention for long. Finally, just as the sun was beginning to set, the two came into view. Relief filled Katara as they approached, followed by sadness as she took in the happy look on their faces as they joked and laughed. She missed having that with Aang, he always made life seem so much brighter, which was one of the things she loved the most about him, but now, because of the Chakra's, she had to force herself to stay away from him, and that hurt more than anything.

"You said you care about Katara right?" Toph asked Aang quickly as they got closer to the campsite.

"Yes." said Aang cautiously.

"Well then I think you should still spend time with her." she said hurriedly, aware that they didn't have much time until they would be overheard.

"What? Why would she want to spend time with me when Zuko's around?" he asked surprised.

"Look I know I don't seem very girly or anything but just trust me on this Aang. Even if she doesn't feel for you what she does for Zuko, your still friends and she has missed you. Besides," she added, "I know you'll always want her in your life, but if you stop being friends you could easily lose her forever. Were back!" she called the last part to the others as she moved away from Aang, leaving him to think about what she had just said. It was because of her that, when they all took their seats to eat, Aang hesitantly took a spot next to Katara and gave her a small smile.

Katara felt her heart all but stop when Aang took a seat next to her. She felt herself panic even more when he gave her his beautiful smile, the one she loved, the one that was also making it hard for her to stay focused and remember that she needed to keep her distance so he could master the Avatar State. She felt a small smile starting to show on her face, despite her best efforts to stop it. However she was saved by Sokka, right before she had time to open her big mouth and tell him she loved him.

"So where did you and Toph go last night?" he asked, his mouth full.

"Just off to practice bending, and catch up." said Aang, not meeting anyones eyes.

"Catch up on what?" asked Zuko.

"Oh not much, just Aang saving the world and all that." said Toph with a shrug.

"Oh?" said Katara, unaware that her voice was oddly high. "Well saving the world is definitely the most important thing in the world. More important than any of us even." she said, taking a sip of water to avoid meeting anyones gaze.

"That's true." agreed Zuko slowly.

"What do you think Aang? Is saving the world more important?" she demanded, and then felt herself blush.

"Yeah." he said, his voice cold. "I guess it is." Katara nodded her agreement while trying to stop her tears from falling.

He couldn't believe it. He had followed Toph's advice and tried to make things better with Katara, but almost seconds after he had tried, she had vented about how the world was more important than all of them, making it clear that she didn't appreciate Aang saving her instead of the world at all. He truly didn't understand what was going on with her. Back before the Invasion they were extremely close, and then at the Fire Nation school she did everything she could to get him to remember, as well as adding in a few kisses, but now that he remembered she suddenly doesn't want anything to do with him. He tried to think if he did anything wrong between then and now, but he couldn't think of anything. With one last dejected sigh Aang sat cross legged in his tent and began to meditate.