Time: 5:24 PM...waaaaaaaaa
Well, I finished my other story, the one I was completely dedicated to. Snow Petals on Her Face. Check it out if you want. It is my fav. But now that I have finished that one, I have more time for the two I have written about Aang and Katara. Heh heh. Reviews are always welcome on this one and all my other stories. Thanks. :) I also wanna thank Blue-kataang for the review. It kind of helped me get the encouragement to write on this one.
And to clear something up, no. I did NOT mention what the two months meant. Heh. It's a secret. But not for long anyhow. Another twist in the story. Hope you enjoy it. All I have to say about this chapter is...meep. That basically sums it up.
Disclaimer: Let me check again. Nope, don't own Avatar: the last airbender.
I yawned and leaned my head against my husband's shoulder, watching the pink sunset sink beneath the ground. His strong shoulder, kept me up, despite my heaviness from the baby. I felt his cheek rest on the top of my head and sigh. It was wonderful to be back home, in our own world.
Already the memories of being born in the other world were starting to fade. Even though it had only been a week, some of the old memories I had as a child there, were vague and blurry. It gave me a major headache to just think about it. So, I gave up trying, for the time being. This is where I belonged anyways. By Aang's side.
"Mmmmmm," I mumbled, my eye lids heavy, my body winding down after walking around the park earlier today. I insisted on the exercise, despite Aang's complaining and worry that I should be off of my feet.
Last night was the last night of the festival, and the beginning day that started it all seemed like an eternity ago.
"What was that?" Aang's groggy voice asked me, sounding like he had fallen asleep for a few minutes.
"Nothing," I murmured, twisting my head and nuzzling my face against his neck.
He smiled roughly, looking down at me with a glint in his eyes. "Don't tempt me," he said huskily.
I smiled back up at him, kissing his shaven chin, "Wouldn't think about it."
There was a low growl in the back of his throat and he lowered his face to mine. His kiss was slow and passionate, and I felt my heart begin to pick up speed, my head becoming quite dizzy. He was doing this on purpose. He knew what he was doing. Just like he knew about everything else.
He mumbled something against my lips, and I ignored him, slightly pressing harder against him. His arm tightened on my shoulder and he tilted my head a bit more.
There was a sudden sound, and someone clearing their throat. He stopped, his face still attached to mine. I opened my eyes completely embarrassed, frantically searching with my eyes.
He slowly opened one eye and looked in the direction of the bystander. It was our cook, a wonderful, cheery old woman, Mrs. Caully.
Finishing his kiss, he finally broke from my lips, and turned towards Mrs. Caully. My face was beat red from embarrassment, and I was frantically wondering why he wasn't as bewildered as me. I put a hand to my face to try to cool it down.
Mrs. Caully wasn't disturbed in the least, she just smiled like she usually did, her apron folded over her arm, and her hat in the other.
"Avatar Aang, I will be retiring for the night."
Aang smiled at her handsomely, as calm as ever. "Thank you Mrs. Caully. You may go now, and please tell your husband hello for me."
Her older face crinkled in happiness, and smiled a full, wrinkled smile. "I will Avatar."
She turned and stopped. Suddenly remembering something, she rummaged through a pocket in her apron, and retrieved an envelope.
"I completely forgot. This came for you by messenger about ten minutes ago."
Aang shifted his weight, letting go of my shoulder, and stood up, walking across the balcony. He retrieved the letter and bent down a good couple of feet to hug the short woman goodbye. He shut the door behind her softly, and looked at the letter in his hand. It was dark now, and he flicked his wrist, sending a burst of fire to the torch beside him. Carefully, he opened the seal, and opened the letter, his eyes grazing the paper.
His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and it reminded me of almost two years ago, when we had received a note from Zuko, asking Aang to come up and help him. It was the same one that had taken him away from me for that year long thing, in which I was incredibly lonely.
He crumpled the paper in a wad and held it between two fingers. It instantly burst into flames, and smoldered within seconds. My mouth dropped open, and my angry eyes fixed on his tall figure as he walked towards me.
"Who was that from?" I asked, a little anger in my voice. It was rude to burn a message from someone who took the time to send it.
He bent down and smoothed my hair, and lightly placed a kiss on my forehead.
"Nobody," he whispered against my forehead. I pulled away and glared at him hard.
He rolled his eyes and stood up, looking out into the night.
"It was the Earth King. They would like me to attend a meeting for a week, and meet with Fire Lord Zuko on his trip here, and talk about some things." His voice was tense, and forced.
I narrowed my eyes. "Why did you destroy it then? It is incredibly important. You have to go to thing Aang."
His grey eyes flashed down to mine again, sending fire in my direction.
"I'm not going," he said, his voice tight. I knew I should leave it, but he was being incredibly stupid, and someone had to pound some sense into his head.
"What? You have to go Aang. You are the Avatar! One week more isn't going to kill you."
His eyes bore into mine, his face showing no emotion.
"I'm not going to leave again. At least not until the baby is born, and I know you can protect yourself again."
"I can protect myself," I defensively shot back.
His voice grew louder. "No you can't! You couldn't do it last time! The baby is already making it harder on your body. If something else happens and I am not around to protect you, there won't be a second chance!"
His words stung, almost as if they had slapped me in the face. Sure, I knew that Azula had killed me, and that Aang had brought me back to life, as I once had for him. But, still. I didn't want Aang giving up his Avatar duties for my protection.
"No," I said angrily, "You don't need to watch after me. You are eighteen Aang. Stop acting like a child Aang, grow up, and take on your duties as the Avatar. I am going to be fine by myself."
His eyes flashed.
"Grow up?" He asked angrily, "You want me to become mature? I'll show you grown up."
I saw the glint in his stormy eyes too late. He bent down, roughly grabbing my shoulders, and kissed me with passion enough to melt my body. I pushed against his chest, trying to pry him off of me.
"Aang no!" I mumbled against his lips.
One of his hands traveled down my chest, landing on my hip. I stopped a gasp that was rising in my throat, and tried to turn my head.
He kissed down my neck, leaving a trail of hot marks along my skin that tingled and made me shiver when they became cold. It made a moan rise in my throat, and half of it came out before I squelched it back down. I was not going to let him take pleasure in the fact that he could control me sometimes. He traveled back up my neck, and stopped near my ear.
"Not grown up enough?" He asked again, "Then why is it that we are having a kid Katara?"
I felt the nausea sink to the bottom of my stomach, where it churned. He's right. I thought, We made a decision to have a child.
I felt him shift his stance and snake his arms under me, lifting my heavy body up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again.
He walked me towards the house, lifting his foot towards the door, and opened it with a blast of air. I barely noticed from the lack of oxygen I was getting from kissing him.
We were completely absorbed in each other as he carried me through the living room. I knew we weren't going to do anything, because of my pregnancy, but that still didn't mean that we couldn't make out. I bit his lower lip.
As though someone had planned it, there was a heavy knock on the front door.
Aang groaned.
"Come on!" he complained, his voice whining a bit, "It seems as though every time we are alone together, people just can't leave us alone!"
I giggled at his expression and made him put me down.
I hobbled over to the door, suddenly feeling the weight of six and a half months of pregnancy suddenly landing on my feet. I grit my teeth and opened the door.
Before me stood Zuko and his family.
"Hey," he said, "Hope we aren't intruding on anything."
Behind me I heard Aang groan.
The next day, Aang opened the door to Sokka, Suki and his two children. Aang smiled and let them in, the kids instantly running for the backyard, where Appa spent his days, retirement becoming something he was getting used to. At least, that's what Katara called it. Aang wasn't so sure Appa was out of retirement just yet.
"Katara's in the other room," Aang said to Suki, and took her coat for her, heading to the coat rack.
She smiled and headed towards the other room.
Sokka came up and slapped him on the back. Aang smiled and took him to the balcony where Zuko was sitting, waiting to resume their conversation.
As they entered, he stood to shake Sokka's hand.
"Man," Sokka said happily, "I haven't seen you in a long time! Nice little goatee you got there."
Zuko smirked, his way of showing happiness. "It's kinda annoying. I think I will shave it soon. Even Mai admitted she hated it. I only did it because I lost a bet with the war general."
Sokka snorted, and sank into a chair. He rubbed his shaven face, "Yeah, I will probably think about it in a couple of years. Don't want to get ahead of myself."
Aang rolled his eyes, and sat down as well.
There was silence for a moment, until Zuko finally cleared his throat, and looked at Aang.
"As you know, my visit here was to see if the rumors were true that Katara had died, and you had brought her spirit back to this world. I can see that was completely true. Now, that I have waited this long, would you mind telling me how you did it?"
Sokka smiled, and looked at Aang, who nodded that it was okay for him to tell the story.
Sokka scooted to the edge of his chair and looked eagerly at Zuko. "Aang was amazing! I have never seen him so angry and emotional in my life, not even when he discovered that his entire culture was gone." He looked over at Aang sheepishly to make sure he hadn't wounded him any. Aang just smirked and nodded his head.
So, Sokka dove into the story that would be told for centuries to come.
When Sokka got to the part where they were talking to the spirit of death, he was anxious to tell of how, in Sokka's eyes, he had the spirit scared silly.
"And he threatened Shinu that he would cut off the spirit world from the real world, and the death spirit gave in saying that if he would have to agree to a bar….gin." Sokka's voice slowed and he suddenly looked at Aang, his eyes wide.
"Oh no," he whispered.
Zuko looked between the two men, and narrowed his eyes, "Wait. What? What's going on?"
Sokka ignored him.
"How are you going to finish your promise? In two months?" he asked Aang meekly.
Aang sighed, and looked over the balcony, at the grass and hills, seeing Sokka's children rolling on the grass with Appa sleeping nearby.
"I don't know," he said finally.
Zuko stood up, glaring at them defiantly.
"Would someone appreciate telling me what in the world is going on here?" His voice was hard, and cold. He knew this was a serious matter, and that something bad was about to be told to him.
Aang finally looked at him, Sokka completely silent.
"My deal was that since I was taking a spirit that had already died from the other world, there would be an empty space that needed to be filled." Zuko's eyes went wide, fearing what was going to be said next.
Aang continued, "And Shinu gave me two months to find a spirit that would be given to him to take that place. Or…. or else he would come back for Katara's spirit."
Zuko stared at him like he was mad.
"Find a spirit?" he asked, his voice deep.
Aang nodded.
"As in killing someone?"
Aang nodded again.
"But that's against everything you go by. You couldn't even kill my own father for crying out loud!"
Aang lifted his eyes to Zuko's amber ones.
Sokka groaned from the sidelines. He knew this was going to be a tough situation.
"What are you going to do?" Zuko whispered hastily.
Aang was silent, sitting on the edge of his seat. His elbows were on his knees, hands dangling at the wrists, as he stared at the ground.
He finally lifted his eyes to his group.
"If I can't think of anything by then, I was thinking that I would have to offer my own life."