So hey guys! I haven't been ignoring the reviews!
Thank you guys! I love you all! I've had a difficult time with this
because it felt like I wrote myself into a corner but then I remembered
AANG! So more Aang in this one than the others.
And I don't know Sokka's favorite snack, just figured it
it was some kind of jerky. x) Hope you guys like it.

"Where is she?" They should've been here hours ago, Aang already didn't like the idea of Katara being around Zuko but now that he knew she was in love with him he felt devastated. He just wanted to see her again, he knew his heart couldn't take it anymore.

But he had found peace yesterday, while walking through the trees. He needed to find that peace again

Yesterday

"Roku…I need to talk with you." Aang's voice had been shaky proving that his confidence in himself was more than shaken. He sat down in the hut he had fashioned himself out of trees, he had been proud of himself. He'd maneuvered the trees to form a small club house that protected him from the rain and wind while looking like a mangle of trees to anyone passing by.

He glanced around the small room again, remembering every step that had led him here. He had left the group when they'd gone after Zuko and Katara. He couldn't bear to see her happy with him, he was supposed to be the enemy not Katara's love interest. He could see it all over her face even though he'd heard her and Sokka talking about it. He knew those feelings inside of her for Zuko would be fanned and the flame he had ignited would grow. He couldn't watch.

He had run so far away from them. The two lovers, water and fire, the harmonious mix of life and death, cold and heat- one could not survive without the other it would seem. As the day's passed after his disappearance from the group, Aang had found himself thinking more and more about the two of them, in each other's arms. He hated going to sleep at night because he could see her in his head, talking to Zuko, sitting with Zuko, laying with Zuko…

He couldn't stay awake forever though and when he slept, it was fitful sleep that carried terrible dreams. He never thought caring about a person could be so terrible, that it could bring so much pain. That one night though, that he had found her in the spirit world had actually been a dream of his. He had been grateful for the end of the nightmares and even more so when he'd seen Katara. He'd known when she had responded to him that she could really see him and that she was consciously aware of him.

He wanted to run to her and tell her how he felt but then he had realized she was happy with Zuko. He could feel all of her emotions and he felt something he wished he hadn't. He had lashed out at her, hurt and angry that she could betray him like that. How could she possibly love the man that had hunted him for so long? How could she love the man that had caused nothing but pain for Katara's family? He didn't understand and he didn't try.

But he was no match for Katara's charm, even when she was angry with him she still proved to care about him. She did love him and Aang knew that but it made him sad to know it wasn't the same love he felt for her. He had had to let go of his anger at her for something she couldn't control. He didn't like it but he did like that she was happy. He needed to focus his attention on getting back together with the group though. He really shouldn't have left like he did and he realized now that it was one of the more childish things he's done since the group had been together.

He sat there now looking for Roku and for a way to escape the feelings that were swarming inside of his mind, each different emotion clamoring for his attention all at once. He needed something to center him and for the longest time it had been Katara. He could no longer rely on her to center him and he knew now that he could only rely on himself and the past avatars.

"Roku I need to talk to you…" Aang didn't know who else to turn to and if he was going to start relying on his past lives why not start with the most recent?

"….don't think he's coming…" First Katara rejected him, then Roku doesn't respond to him when he needs him the most. Great. He stood up and walked to the middle of the room, deciding the best way to solve his problems was a walk. He silently descended the stairs that were in the middle of the trunk. He counted each step, trying to find some order in this chaos. He made it to the bottom before his thoughts were pulled back to Katara.

It was the way of the monk to leave all earthly possessions behind and become one with the world. As the avatar he should do this more than anyone else. He walked through the trunk of the tree, bending it to allow him passage, as he walked into the sunlight blinded only for a second. He looked around and saw the life that surround him even though he felt like the bottom of his world came out from underneath him. Then it struck him.

That's all that it was, the bottom of HIS world. He needed to focus on the world. He had been hiding in a trunk, shut away from the sun, the trees, grass, and birds. He had shut himself away from life. He needed to focus on those things, focus on the sun that gave life instead of feeling like his was gone because one thing didn't go right. He looked up to the sun, shut his eyes and reveled in the feel of the sun warming his bald head. He smiled at the way the wind danced through his clothes and felt a peace settle on him.

He was back. The avatar was back. He could focus again. He knew that Katara would never love him the way she loved Zuko but he didn't feel the blind pain that he had earlier. It was merely a scar upon his hard. He sighed as the weight of his emotions were lifted and began to focus on the place he was supposed to meet Katara and Zuko.

Today

He looked at the trees once more. It was the afternoon but he could still feel the sun shining through the canopy and the soft breeze that danced with the leaves there. He needed to remember that this world was the one he protected, the one that he loved more than anything. He calmed himself once more and began to look down at the village Katara had said Sokka and Toph would be at. He couldn't see them but that could have to do with the village and the people in it looking like ants. He had to disguise himself before he entered the village. He looked around and saw an abandoned old saw mill between some trees further up the ridge he was on. He checked the time of day with the sun and looked down at the village. He needed to make sure there was no fire nation and there didn't seem to be any.

He walked over to the mill and checked the door. There was a warning on the door saying the mill was closed due to unstable machinery and toxic air. Well that doesn't sound good. Aang took in a deep breath and opened the door. He could see the dust on the machines and the particles floating in the air. He looked around and noticed a long, wide cloth hanging over some of the machines. He walked towards it and pulled it off. Then he saw it.

The machines weren't unstable, they'd just killed someone. A body had been sucked into the machine, cutting the person in half. From what Aang could tell the person had been a man and the accident had happened several years ago. Aang shuddered at the sight of the dead man. He left the cloth there, not wanting to drape himself in death. Seeing a dead man before noon was not a good omen.

He decided to leave the mill and walked out the door. He didn't want to see what any of the other machines had done to people. He looked at the trees for help instead. There were leaves, more leaves, oh and more leaves. Yeah….not going to walk into any village with a hat made out of leaves. He just decided to cover himself in mud and act like a beggar. So he covered his arrows and most of his face and walked towards the village.

In the village he could feel people staring at him. So much for blending in, guess these people don't see beggars that often. He looked around as he hunched over, trying to make himself seem skinnier and less fit, like a beggar would. He looked around for a hotel that Sokka and Toph would most likely stay at. Then he stopped when he saw the two walk out of a store, hand in hand.

WHAT? Aang's mouth dropped open. Sokka and Toph? Sokka gets the girl but I can't? Are you serious! Aang hunched over even more, and waddled towards them, he let his anger slip away and regained his composure. I never would have imagined this in a million years.

"Money for the poor?" Aang said once he got close enough to the two love birds. He could see he'd shocked them by asking for money. He could sense they were even more shocked to see him once they recognized him.

"We'll do you one better old, dirty man! We'll bring you to our place where you can have a warm meal and take a bath." Sokka said, knowing that would be the only way to get Aang safe.

"Who is it dear?" Toph said, acting her best not to let other people know she could 'see' Aang.

"An old, dirty, stinky man my love. He asked for some money so instead I invited him over for a meal and a hot bath. Is that all right with you butter muffins?" Sokka said. Aang was getting tired of them fawning over each other. They were acting like a married couple and they'd only known each other for a very short while. And he was getting tired of Sokka calling him an old dirty man.

"That is perfectly okay with me. The least we could do is help others who are less fortunate." Toph said loudly. They'd been talking loudly since Aang showed up, putting on a show for anyone who was watching, which Toph could feel was everyone.

"Wonderful! Now old man, let us be off! We live in that direction!" Sokka yelled enthusiastically, pointing towards a hotel further up the road. He led the way as the entire village watched them leave.

Once they made it out of the village and towards the earthen house Toph had made herself and Sokka Aang stood up and looked at them.

"Old, dirty, stinky man? Really Sokka, do I look that old?" Aang said as he looked at Sokka and Toph. They seemed different, older almost. He hadn't been gone that long had he? Aang began to worry again, thinking he'd disappeared in his tree for another several years.

"What? No, you don't look that old! But we do huh?" Sokka said, reading Aang's mind. "We've been wearing these costumes in town so no one would bother us. We pretended to be married so they wouldn't think we were with the Avatar. Word of the Avatar and his gang has traveled everywhere and this village seems to be pro fire nation, I have no idea why though. They aren't fire nation, in fact I believe they are earth kingdom so that just makes things even weirder. So yeah, no we aren't together, no we aren't older, yes we're still waiting for Katara and Zuko."

Sokka took a breath and looked at Aang. Aang seemed older too and not just because of the mud covering his body. His eyes didn't have the same childish sparkle they had had when they'd began this journey. Sokka felt like he'd been transported to the future, before him stood an older, muscular Aang, but it was only a vision and it was gone. Before him stood the young stick of an avatar but his face still held that older Aang that he'd seen in his vision.

"Oh I see. I was supposed to meet Katara here this morning. Something must've gone wrong for her not to be here." Aang walked into the hut Toph had made. He felt bad that he hadn't said anything to her yet but he didn't really feel like talking. She knew how he felt so she didn't talk either. Sokka seemed to be the only one completely oblivious to Aang's feelings.

"I don't like her being around that boy you know. He isn't good for her, he isn't good for any of us. He's been hunting you down since we found you and now she's gallivanting through the woods with him. He must be a witch or something. That explains it! She's under a spell! How could anyone like Zuko enough to be around him for that long?" Sokka just kept talking; unaware of the scars he was opening on Aang's heart. Yes Aang had found peace but it was still fragile and young.

"Hey Sokka, do you have any food?" Aang asked, not wanting him to go off on another rant about Katara and Zuko. Sokka smiled.

"Come now Aang, you know me! When would I NOT have food?" Sokka walked over to the makeshift cupboards and pulled out his favorite snack, duck jerky.

That night

"Aang, you sure you don't want any more mystery soup?" Toph said as she took the ladle from the big pot in the middle of the room. No one wanted any more mystery soup except Sokka, she was only asking Aang to start a conversation. She could feel his hurt and pain filling him from the bottom of his soul. He needed to let it out or it would consume him.

"Uh, no thanks Toph. How've you been? Sokka hasn't been a complete weirdo has he?" Aang was trying to deflect Toph's curiosity because he knew what she wanted.

"No, no, he hasn't been. He's been really...sweet." Toph said with a blush. She didn't want anyone to know that Sokka kept her warm at night or that they weren't just pretending to like each other because she knew it was only temporary and that it was only a fantasy. War had a way of bringing out the weirdest possible situations.

"That's great," Aang said, sensing she was being sweet on Sokka too, "I'm glad he's being sweet. You deserve someone like that." Aang said with a smile as he looked back down to the bowl of mystery soup in his hand.

"Th-Thanks Aang -" Her voice caught in her throat, how had he known? She had no idea. "So when did Katara tell you she'd meet you here?"

"In a dream."

"A dream?" Toph shouldn't have been surprised, he was the avatar after all, but she was.

"Yeah and since she's not here with Zuko or Iroh so I'm going to assume something happened and try to make contact again tonight. Which reminds me...where am I sleeping Toph?" Aang said, not giving her any room to talk about Katara or Zuko.

"Oh, uhm over here..." Toph said as she put her foot to the ground and felt the earth shudder as it pushed forth a bed covered in soft green grass next to the fire. "It can get cold at night so you can sleep next to the fire..." Toph said, her blush letting Aang know she and Sokka shared a bed at night.

"Thanks, I'll be off to bed then. I'm sure you'd like to get some rest too." Aang said again and gave Toph a hug, glad to see a familiar face even though she wasn't as rude as she had been before.

"Night Aang." Toph said as she walked away, towards the room with the soft bed and warm arms waiting for her.

Aang lay on the soft bed for a while, sleep not coming to him as easily as he had hoped. He bent some of the earthen ceiling away so he could gaze at the stars. His mind wondered and before he knew it he was in the spirit world. He looked for Katara everywhere but couldn't find her. She must not be asleep yet...He continued looking though because the thoughts that began to surface of what she could be doing at this hour other than sleeping made his heart tear a little.

He found her. She was sitting on a rock, the same way he'd found her the first time. Her hair around her shoulders like a curtain keeping the world at bay. He sighed at the sight of her and felt happiness bubble inside again.

"Katara...?" He called out as he walked towards her. He hoped it was her, one could never be sure when it came to the spirit world.

"Aang?" It was her all right. "Aang! Thank goodness I found you! I was hoping I'd be here again! I need you to find me! We're in a cave, Iroh is injured and can't walk. The fire nation destroyed his kneecap and when they ambushed us the second time they go this foot. Zuko won't let me leave to come find you because Azula attacked us and then retreated so he thinks she's up to something. He won't leave because he doesn't want her coming back while he's gone and taking me prisoner and killing Iroh. -"

He hugged her quickly before she could finish her long drawn out speech, even though he knew it was important and he knew that she had been attacked, all he could think about was not having her love him. He needed to hold her.

"Katara, I will find you. Don't worry. I'm just glad you're safe. I've missed you." Aang said calmly, asserting himself.

"Aang, you know I miss you. You know I've missed you since you left. You know how I feel about you. I just want you back where I can keep you safe." Katara said as she hugged him back. She'd been surprised at first at the hug but had welcomed it. She felt something inside of her become complete again.

"So where are you?" Aang said as he let her go.

"We're in a cave somewhere. I can't be sure exactly. I know we're still a day's walk from the village so we're not too far but be careful, Azula may still be out there." She looked at him and saw that he had changed. He seemed older. It wasn't his physical appearance but his eyes were different. They didn't hold any of that childish excitement anymore and he held himself differently now. He stood taller and emanated a sense of authority and calm that only a self confident person could.

"Okay I'll be careful. Toph and Sokka are here, we'll leave in the morning. You should get some rest Katara. We'll find you." Aang said as he raised his hand to her face and felt her soft, warm skin against his palm. He had missed her. He loved her with all his being and not being with her was destroying him slowly but she wasn't meant for him. He would do his avatar duties and rid his mind of his emotions until his job was done.

"Goodnight Aang."

"Goodnight Katara."

So, I know a lot has happened in this chapter but I needed to make up for lost time. I also apologize for all the Aang but he's been MIA for so long I decided that to continue the story, we needed to know what he was up to. It would seem that he's changed.

Comments or questions would be lovely! If you have any ideas about what should happen next that's also welcome! Thank you!