Chapter 21

The sun rose in the colors gold and red, the finger lights stretching across the sky. Aang shifted a bit before opening his eyes with something between a sigh and a groan, blinking rapidity. He yawned before looking down at the precious girl wrapped in his arms, sleeping soundly, and smiled. He almost didn't want to leave her, but he had to if he was going to get everything ready for today. So being as gentle and quiet as possible, Aang slipped out of the bed and got dressed before grabbing his wallet. Then he left the room after looking at Katara again. He felt tenderness creep into him, and knew his heart was in good hands.

Going outside after grabbing the spare key, Aang went to the side of the house, grabbed his bike, unlocked it, and took off down the road. He had somewhere to go, a couple things to buy, and when he got back, Aang was going to make this birthday for Katara the best she's ever had.

Three hours later, Katara woke up to the smell of pancakes. She stretched leisurely, breathing in deeply. She had noticed Aang was gone; but now wondered if he was the one downstairs. It would be nice to be pampered for once. Not sure what to do, but also wanting to be lazy for once, Katara sat there, the smell of the pancakes becoming stronger. A few minutes later, the door opened and Aang came in with a tray. He saw his girlfriend up and smiled before walking over to her. Placing the the tray on her lap, Aang gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning, Water Lily," he said cheerfully, sitting at the foot of the bed.

Katara laughed. "Water Lily? That's a new one." She looked at the pancakes that seemed to have pieces of fruit in them, a glass of fresh orange juice, and buttered toast. No meat, but that's not surprising; nor was she complaining. "Did you make this?" she asked, cutting a piece of pancake and trying it.

Aang nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "There were a few times where Gyatso taught me how to cook. When I was little, back when Aunt C was alive, she would make pancakes almost every morning. When I got old enough, around fourteen, before we moved, Gyatso taught me how to make those. So I thought, for your birthday, that I would make them for you. Do you like them?"

Katara nodded with a smile, cutting another piece off and putting it in her mouth. The fruit was very sweet, and the pancake itself was fluffy, just how she liked them. She swallowed. "It's amazing," she replied. "Nice to know that I won't be cooking. Well, not until Sokka wakes up anyway."

Aang shook his head, grinning. "Taken care of." She gave him a questioning look, since her mouth was full of toast. "Everyone's already up. I made a big platter of pancakes. Sokka complained about the lack of meat, but Suki put it to him straight: be grateful that you're being fed at all. Those were her exact words. Anyway, I told everyone that you're not to do any cooking, cleaning, or playing nursemaid. Today is your day."

Katara grinned, enjoying this attention. She couldn't really remember a time where she was the one being treated like a princess. It wasn't until Aang showed up that she realized how much of her childhood was taken away from her. After finishing off her breakfast, Aang told her to get ready. He had more plans for the day. She took a quick shower, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt she had brought, and walked downstairs to see everyone talking quietly. They stopped talking the moment they see the sixteen year old girl.

Aang came out of the kitchen after taking care of Katara's dishes and smiled at her. She smiled back and grabbed Aang's hand before they sat down together. Toph said, "Hey, Katara! Happy B-Day!" Everyone followed along, wishing her a happy birthday.

Katara grinned. "Thanks everyone! So what are we doing today?"

Toph crossed her arms. "I have to go back to my place," she said, hating the idea. "My parents are supposed be coming this afternoon." Then she grinned. "But I'm getting out the moment an opportunity shows!"

Her friends laughed while Zuko said, "You make it sound like you're escaping from prison."

She shrugged. "That's pretty much what it is." The Gaang laughed loudly, knowing she spoke the truth. The few times they drove her home, there would be police officers there to guard the vault inside the house, with a state-of-the-art security system. It was a wonder Toph could get out at any time.

After the laughs died down, Sokka grabbed Suki's hand and they stood up, along with Toph. "Well, if anyone needs us-"

"That's unlikely," Toph joked, causing a few chuckles to come out.

Sokka glared at her and cleared his throat. "Anyway, if you need us, me and Suki will be at her Mom's house. Katara, we'll stop at Dad's place too, since he has today off. We're bringing Toph home too. We'll see you guys later." Everyone said their goodbyes and Suki waved as the trio left the house.

Then Mai said, "We should head out too. We have to bring in the rest of our stuff home."

Katara looked surprised. "What do you mean? What stuff?"

Zuko grinned and grabbed Mai's hand. "Well, we were going to wait to tell you until later, but you might as well know now. Before I came here, my mom went to the jury with my dad, and this time, she won the rights for me to be here. So to save you the excruciating details, I'm coming here to live."

"And my parents really like it here," Mai added. "So we've been busy moving from San Francisco to here. We'll be staying permanently."

Katara was grinning broadly. She stood up and hugged the teenagers in turn. "This is AWESOME!" she exclaimed. "You're going to stay with us! This is turning out to be the best birthday EVER!"

Aang chuckled. "And it's not over yet," he said while standing up and grabbing her hand. "I have a little surprise for you. Do you want to see it?" Katara nodded enthusiastically and he turned to the older couple. "You guys can go. I'll tell you about her reaction later."

The couple, grinning, wished Katara a happy birthday, leaving the girl confused. She looked at her boyfriend, raising and eyebrow. "What was that all about?" she asked.

He shrugged. "While you were asleep, I told everyone what I got you, and they went nuts. I was going to give it to you later, but I thought about it, and decided now would be better."

"Why?"

Grinning, he replied, "You'll find out." He tugged her hand. "Come on." And he led her to the garage outside. He unlocked the side door and opened it before turning on the light. In the center of the floor was a huge box with holes in it, as if something was alive in there. Aang gestured to it. As if on cue, the box shook a little, and the last sound Katara thought she would hear came from one of the holes.

"Mew!"

Her eyes widened and she turned to see Aang smiling broadly. He led her over to the box and said softly, "Go ahead; open it."

She did so, and saw the cutest kitten ever lift its face curiously, big green orbs shining into her blue ones. Katara put her hand into the box and the cat nuzzled it before purring loudly. Then she lifted him out of the box to cuddle. "Oh, Aang," she breathed, looking at her beaming boyfriend before looking at the cat again. "He's adorable! Where did find him?"

Aang scratched one of the cat's pointed brown and white speckled ears. The kitten looked almost like a cheetah, except for the color difference. "I went to the animal shelter early this morning. It's a couple miles from here, so I took my bike out there. I looked at the cats until I found one that seemed perfect for you. He doesn't have a name yet. According to the vets, he was rescued from a farm, where he was eating peaches. He ate them for so long, he would only eat regular cat food if there were peach bits in it. So I decided to pick him for your present. Do you like him?"

Katara was crying as she hugged the kitten closer, his purr vibrating her chest slightly. He seemed content to stay there. "I love him," she said softly. "What do think happened with him? He should have been with a mother."

Aang nodded. "He should have. My guess would be that the mother was attacked and killed by something. Either that or he was abandoned. Anything could have happened."

Katara held him protectively. "That's horrible. Nothing, not even an animal, should suffer like that." She wiped her eyes. "Well, it's their loss. He's mine now. He only needs a name." She thought hard; and then said, "Momo. His name's Momo."

Aang smiled. "Momo it is," he said softly before standing up, offering his hand to her. "Come on, we're taking him upstairs." Katara grabbed his hand and followed him up, holding Momo close.

They got to Aang's room and as they sat on the bed Katara asked, "How did you know I wanted a cat?"

Aang smiled sheepishly, rubbing his neck while his cheeks burned red. "I uh, well... I know you told us to stay out of each other's minds. But I did a little probing into yours, and found out cats were your favorite animals. Sorry."

Katara looked a little miffed. "Why didn't you just ask me what my favorite animal was?"

"Because if I had," he stated, "then it would have ruined the surprise."

Katara was about to retort before logic worked its way into her brain. It made sense; if he had asked so close to her birthday, it would have ruined the nice surprise she got. She shrugged. "You have a point. So what do we do now?"

He grinned. "I have the whole day planned, just for us."

"Really?"

"Really! But first, we're going to bring Momo to his new home. Your dad has a little set up there."

"My dad knows you got me a cat?" Katara asked as she followed Aang downstairs.

He nodded and opened the front door. "Yeah; I went over there this morning on my way to the shelter to see if it was okay. It turned out that your dad was going to get you one this afternoon, and I persuaded him to let me get it. He only agreed if he was allowed to get the essentials, which was only fair. So, in a way, Momo was from both of us."

Katara observed him, cuddling Momo, as they walked slowly to her house. She studied the messy dark hair with the sweeping bang over his intelligent gray eyes, his straight nose, full lower lip like a perfect Cupid's bow, and the glowing peach of his skin. This would sound corny to anyone who heard it, but to Katara, Aang was beautiful, almost godlike. He noticed her looking at him and said, "What?"

Katara shook her head slowly, as if coming out of a daze. "I just keep wondering if this is a dream. Finding you, meeting you, falling in love and learning you're my soul mate. You have a big heart and an incredible mind. It's like you can read people by their expressions alone. You're so smart and kind and brave. I wonder how someone simple like me could get someone as extraordinary as you."

Aang stopped walking, causing her to stop as she looked into his serious yet sincere face. "If there's one thing I learned about you; it's that you aren't simple. Not by a long shot. I sometimes feel like I'm the one dreaming, that you're an illusion. You're beautiful, graceful, and productive. Your mind is unique; the way you think of ideas, how you care about people who need your help, and best of all, a love that digs deep. If anyone is undeserving of someone like that, it's me. You could have done so much better than me; but you chose me out of all the guys you could've gotten. You have no idea how happy and special that makes me feel."

Instead of tears running down her face, Katara's heart swelled with love and gratitude as she thanked the Spirits for blessing her with this boy, her other half. If they hadn't met, her world would still be in shadows. She touched his face, still staring into his gaze. He really was beautiful, inside and out. He had the biggest heart she had ever known, the same heart that she went to sleep listening to almost every night. The same heart that brought her out of the ice, the same one where it had taken a complete strange dog in without another thought. The same heart that won hers just for being itself.

She took a deep breath before brushing her lips against his, mindful of the kitten between them. Their eyes closed in contentment. Aang loved the feeling of their lips connected, merging together like they were meant to. Again he thought of that day in the hospital when they admitted their feelings to each other. It seemed impossible that she belonged to him. And yet, he can believe it, because his heart and soul had recognized its other part long before he even knew it had happened. He loved this girl with everything he was and has. And the best part was, he knew she felt the same.

After an eternity passed, they broke apart smiling and continued to Katara's house, hands linked together as if never willing to let go of its perfect half. They wouldn't have it any other way.

After Momo was dropped off at Hakoda's place, and it took a while to get Katara away from the kitten, Aang hailed a cab and slipped a blindfold on Katara's eyes. The driver looked a little bewildered, but Aang explained it was her birthday and he wanted to surprise her. The guy nodded in understanding, and Aang handed him a sheet with the address on it. A few moments later the cab started forward.

Forty minutes later, which felt like two centuries to Katara with the blindfold on, the cab stopped and the couple came out. Aang held Katara's hand firmly as she stumbled a bit. She laughed. "Aang! Where are we?"

Aang grinned. "Someplace you are going to love," he said sweetly. He put his hands on the blindfold. "I'm going to take this off, so be prepared for the sunlight. Okay?"

Katara nodded, and the sudden darkness was lifted from her eyes. She waited a few heart beats before blinking slowly, rubbing them. Then she looked at the building in front of her and gasped. It was the new aquarium that opened a few weeks ago: The Sea on Land. She had yet to visit it because they had been busy. The front showed the name with dolphins and whales jumping over the waves. The entryway had a thick glass pillar on either side, each filled with exotic fish of many colors. The place was huge, about half the size of a football stadium, decorated with different pictures of fish, whales, and other aquatic life.

Katara turned to Aang, excitement coursing through her. "First breakfast; then the cat; and now the aquarium? You're spoiling me, Aang!"

Aang shrugged. "I told you I have money. I just didn't want to spend it on myself. All I want is to make you happy because I felt like you deserve it. I hope this is okay."

Katara hugged him, breathing in his earthy scent. It was intoxicating. "Of course is it," she whispered, making Aang shiver. She leaned her head back. "But you didn't have to do all of this. Having you around makes me happy enough."

Aang brought her closer, his chuckle vibrating her chest. "I know I didn't have to; but I wanted to. Having you happy and content and safe is all I want. I love you so much I feel like flying."

Katara clung to him like he was her lifeline. And maybe he was. Who knew that after everything she had gone through, after being lost in shadows for so long, it would be Aang who found her and made her live again? He brought out the strength in her, made her who she really was. No one had been able to do that; not even her family. She sighed. "I love you," she murmured, and felt his arms tighten around her, making her feel safe. Katara didn't add the 'too' because it would have sounded like a reply, and she didn't want that, not for this moment in time. "You know, this almost made me forget about the Mamba gang." She clasped him tighter when he stiffened. "Do you really think we can stop them?"

He kissed her temple. "Of course I do. I promise that they will be stopped. I'm not going to let them hurt you, our friends, or any of these people. I swear it." Then Aang moved his head and smiled at her. "But let's not worry about that for now. We're here to have fun! Are you ready to see what this place has to offer?"

And the spell was broken as Katara grinned excitedly, letting the depressing matter of the gang go for now. "Yes! Let's go!" They went to the window to pay submission.

On the other side of the street, Smellerbee was there, again recording what the couple said. But this time, she wasn't alone. Longshot was with her, both of them listening through the headphones. Both of them were behind some bushes, wearing green and brown camo to blend in. The trees had been turning into different colors for a while now, and the leaves on the bushes were becoming less green.

Once the couple was inside the aquarium, Smellerbee stopped the recorder and turned to Longshot, taking off the headphones. "See what I mean?" she asked. "They're devoted to each other. You can see the love surrounding them, right? There's no way to separate them."

Longshot looked as fladdergasted as she had felt yesterday when she spied on them on the boat. He thought for a few moments before nodding.

"We have to convince the others that Jet was wrong about them. They only want to protect other people from this stupidity, including each other. Will you help me?" He nodded determinedly. "Good! Then let's go!" And they vanished further into the trees.

It was almost two thirty, and Aang was ready to get Katara back to his place for another surprise. They were in last exhibit, watching as a polar bear swam in the icy water of his tank. Well, Katara was watching; Aang was observing his girlfriend. She looked… almost ethereal, with the glow of the tank casting a second skin on her original mocha color, making her look like a goddess out of a Mythology book. Her chocolate curls looked soft, just waiting for a hand to run through it.

His eyes traveled her face, landing on her full lips that were slightly pink, and had the sudden urge to kiss her senseless. His own lips tingled while his heart thumped hard against his ribs, and he had to force himself to look up to her high cheekbones; then to her gorgeous blue eyes wide with wonder. Correction: she is a goddess. The most beautiful goddess in history.

Katara felt eyes on her and turned to see Aang looking at her in wonder, and felt her cheeks heat up a bit. She gave a small smile. "Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked quietly.

Aang came out of his trance and blushed. "Oh, um, no reason. I was just, well..." he blustered before looking away, feeling his whole face red. And he thought being shy with her was over. Guess he thought wrong. "Never mind," he mumbled, embarrased before taking a deep breath and looking back at her. "So, are you ready for lunch? We're heading back to my place for it."

Katara nodded, grabbing his hand. "Yeah. To be honest, I was getting hungry myself. But why your house?" she added curiously.

Aang grinned as they left the building and hailed a cab. "You'll see," he said.

Turns out they were having a vegetarian picnic. Aang had Gyatso make this while they were out. The boy had left instructions on what was to be served. They swapped stories about their childhoods, likes and dislikes, favorite memories, foods, and animals, and much more.

Katara laughed in disbelief. "You did not!" she exclaimed. Aang was telling her about what he did on April first in Middle School.

Aang laughed with her. "I swear on all that is good and holy, I did! He wasn't our favorite teacher; Mr. Jorganson was too stiff. And he taught History. He always talked in that slow, bored voice as if he were on meds and he treated us like we were in prison." He shook his head. "Anyway, me and my friends decided to play a prank on him, using an airless balloon, a long air pump, and his lunch. He had just sat down at his desk in the room since he always sat there for lunch, and he forgot a fork and had to go grab it.

"Me and my two friends were hiding in the supply closet, and I went out after Jorganson was gone and placed the balloon it in his salad, the small air pump hose connected. He was partly blind, otherwise he would have seen the hose. When he was about to eat, Alex gave Tim the signal and he started pumping air into the balloon. I was recording this with Alex's camera because we were going to put it on YouTube.

"Jorganson was watching his salad expand in bewilderment; then the ballon started showing itself as the words Happy April Fools Day became visible. Then a few bursts of air later, the balloon exploded, sending pieces of balloon and salad everywhere, including Jorgansons's face.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't hold in our laughter, and he located us and brought us to the principal. When he explained to Mr. Smith what had happened, Jorganson thought we should be suspended for a month. But I could tell Mr. Smith was trying hard not to laugh, and he declared clean up for a week instead. Every day after school, we had to clean the cafeteria and hallways. It was worth it though, because we got the video on YouTube."

Katara laughed. "Maybe I should watch that sometime. What's your YouTube name?"

"AirNomad22."

"Okay, I'll look you up." Then she lied down, rubbing her content belly. "I'm stuffed. That was delicious. Give my compliments to the chef."

Aang laughed as he lied down too. "I will." Then she snuggled into his warmth and closed her eyes. Aang played with her hair. "You look ready to fall asleep," he remarked, chuckling.

She nodded. "I'm about halfway there," she murmured. She sighed contentedly, burying her head in his chest. "You're warm."

Aang smiled lovingly, combing her hair. "Thanks. Do you want to take a quick nap?" She nodded and he kissed her head. "Go ahead, Water Lily. I'll be here." And she was out like a light. Aang fingered his necklace, watching her sleep. No matter how many times he watches her in her slumber, it was still a beautiful sight. She looked content, like all the weight of the world was off her shoulders. She even had a small smile on her face.

Not wanting her to get chilled, because he was going to play with Appa until she woke up in a couple hours, Aang picked her up gently and brought her into the house to lay her on the couch and covered her with the blanket. Then, before he went to get the ball, the sixteen year old boy made a phone call to check and see if everything was ready. Then he went upstairs, grabbed the baseball, and he and Appa went outside to play fetch in the fresh Fall air.

A few hours later Katara woke up and noticed that she was lying on the couch in the living room of Aang's home. Another thing she was aware of was laughter from outside. She got up and stretched before going to the window that showed the backyard where she found Aang playing with Appa. She put her cheek in her hand and watched as they played as if they had known each other all their lives. Aang fell on the ground and his dog pounced on him before licking his face enthusiastically, causing more laughter to erupt from the boy as he tried to push the dog off, and Katara couldn't help but laugh too, thinking this was one of the cutest things she had ever seen.

He must have sensed her because he turned to the window and waved when he saw her before pushing Appa off successfully and running to the back door, the dog following with his tail wagging uncontrollably. He came in and said, "Hey, Kat! I see you're up. How was your nap?" His cheeks were flushed red and was panting slightly, but there was a huge grin on his face and his eyes were sparkling.

Katara shook her head, smiling widely. "It was good. I saw you two were having a good time." Appa looked up at her with his tongue hanging out, as if having a great time. She giggled and scrathed his head, causing him to jump in her arms and stand on his hind legs.

They laughed and Aang said, "Yeah, we did. Appa's had a lot of energy today."

Katara snorted as Appa jumped down and pranced around before chasing his tail. "I think he still has some." She looked Aang over and added,"By the way, you smell like a dog and you have dirt all over you. And where's your necklace?"

Ang shrugged. "A little dirt never hurt anyone." Then he went under his shirt collar and brought out the beaded necklace, unharmed. "And I placed the necklace under my shirt to keep it from getting wrecked." He grinned. "I did say it was never going to come off."

Katara smiled. "You're so weird. But I guess that's a good quality for you."

Aang snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, I was never normal. None of us are. But remind me when we get to your place to take a shower."

"My place?" Katara asked confusedly. "Why there? Can't you take one here?"

Aang shook his head. "We have a couple more things to do, and one of them involves dressing nicely. If I take a shower here, it could take longer for us to get there."

She cocked her head. "Where are we going? Dinner?"

He grinned. "Not telling you. Just wear something casual. You'll see when we get there later."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "You said we had a couple things to do. What's the other?"

He shook his head. "Still not telling." He went to the stairs and added, "I'll be right back. I'm going to grab a new change of clothes and shower stuff. I'll only be a minute." And he was gone. Katara looked at Appa, him looking back as if he knew what his master was planning. Now she wished she could read animal minds too, so she could know what the heck was going on. Not sure what to do now, she sat on the couch with Appa's head on her thigh, waiting for her secretive boyfriend.

Aang, Katara, and Appa were walking down the sidewalk when Katara asked, "Where was Gyatso? I didn't see him at all while we were there."

Aang brought the shoulder strap up as the backpack tried to get away. "He had an emergency at the clinic, something about burns on someone's arm. He was called a little while before we showed up for the picnic. He had called me while you were asleep, saying he was coming home late."

"Oh, that's too bad. I hope that person is okay."

He shrugged his free shoulder. "They will be. My uncle's remedies can cure just about anything."

Katara sighed softly and smiled. "Well, that's a relief."

Aang smiled back. They walked on in silence, Appa boundong forward a few yards before bounding back. The sun was almost gone, nearing seven o'clock.

When they got to the house, Katara opened the door to the lights coming on and her friends shouting, "Suprise! Happy Birthday, Katara!" Her eyes were wide as she looked around. Blue and purple balloons and streamers decorated the living room; a two layer chocolate cake with strawberry whipped icing, her favorite, and a few presents stacked on the dining table by the cake.

Then Aang's sweet voice said, "Happy Sweet Sixteen, Katara."

She turned to him with a huge smile and threw her arms around his neck, not minding the scent of dog on him, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she said softly, letting go.

Aang was grinning. "I'm only returning the favor," he said simply.

The family was about to head over to the T.V. to watch A Bug's Life when Toph sniffed the air and grimaced. "Ew! Who is smelling like a dog that had rolled in the dirt?"

Her friends smelled themselves, but no one smelled like a dog except… "Uh, sorry," Aang said sheepishly. "Me and Appa were playing earlier."

That was when Katara panicked, looking around; but she couldn't see Appa anywhere. She grabbed Aang's arm. "Where's Appa? And have you guys seen Momo?"

It was Sokka who replied, "Last we saw him, the kitten was sleeping on your bed. Maybe Appa went up there too to check him out. Dog's always had a way to sense another animal's presence."

Katara was already going up the stairs, Aang following her. The door to her room was open, and when she entered, she stopped dead in her tracks. Aang came in and saw what was happening; then he grinned and said, "I wanted to tell you nothing was going to happen to Momo. Appa cares about other animals, including cats." There on the bed were Appa and Momo, the kitten cuddled in the dog's fur while Appa licked the little thing clean. It was adorable to watch. Then Appa lay his head down protectively around the kitten as they went to sleep.

Katara turned to him. "How did you know?" she asked.

Aang scratches his head. "Well, because I was hiding Momo at home, I decided to see how Appa reacted to him. And he immediately accepted him with open paws."

Katara looked at the heart melting sight of their pets sleeping soundly, oblivious to the outside world. She smiled. "You really now how to pick animals, don't you?" she asked, turning back to Aang.

He grinned and shrugged. "I guess. Gyatso has told me I have a sixth sense when it comes to animals. He said that it was normal for people like us."

"Us?"

"Me, my Mom and Dad, and Gyatso. They grew up in Hun Gow, taking care of animals when they finished healing lessons. I inherited the ability to understand animals from my parents. They were vegetarians too. That's how I knew Appa wouldn't hurt us when we found him."

Katara stared at him, awe stamped on her face. "So, can you understand their thoughts?"

He laughed softly. "No; that didn't come with the ability. It's like… You ever hear about how the eyes are the windows to the souls?" Katara nodded. "Well, when I look into an animals eyes, it's like I can read their emotions buried deep in their souls. I can tell whether they're dangerous or gentle; calm or angry or happy. It's actually kind of cool, although it can be a bit disorienting."

Her jaw gaping open like a fish's maw, Katara stared at Aang with wide eyes. She always had the feeling that there was something mystical about him; now she knew. "Wow," she breathed. "I wish I could do that. You really are talented."

Aang blushed before saying, "Thanks! Well, you should head downstairs and blow out your candles. I have to get in the shower. We leave in about an hour or two, and you need to wear something formal, okay?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "You already told me that. Seriously, Aang: where are we going? I really want to know. Pretty please?" She even put on the puppy dog face, hoping Aang would cave.

But he held firm. "Uh uh. You'll have to wait and see, like you did to me yesterday."

She pouted. "That's not fair!"

Aang was out of the door. He stuck his head back in. "All's fair in love and war," he drawled, grinning.

Katara rolled her eyes again, but she couldn't hold the grin from creeping onto her face. "You're so cheesy," she commented.

"Love you too!" Aang said before heading to the bathroom across the hall. Katara giggled and headed down the stairs. She might as well spend at least an hour with her friends. Besides, she wanted a slice of that cake.

After Aang got out of the shower forty minutes later, he went into one of the guest rooms to get changed. His heart was pounding as he thought about his plan for tonight. He knew he loved Katara with everything he was; and knew she loved him just as much. There shouldn't be any problems tonight, hopefully. But there was little sliver of doubt. What if she says she's not ready? What if Katara said no?

Aang's mouth went dry. He hoped to the Spirits that she said yes. But if she needed time to come to a decision, he would be more than willing to give as much time as she needed. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Everything was going to be alright. He had no reason to worry.

After buttoning the the last button on his shirt, the boy sat on the spare bed and contemplated how he was going to ask her…

Katara got in the shower ten minutes later to get ready for tonight. What does Aang have planned? Why does he want her dress up? And what should she wear? Katara contemplated this as she washed herself up for the next thirty minutes. Maybe it was for dinner. That was something to dress up for; and it would certainly explain why food wasn't served before cake.

But Katara kept feeling like something was missing. What was it? She shrugged, not bothering to think about it. Her mind will remember sooner or later.

Katara stood in her closet wearing a towel, thinking on what to wear. Formal, Aang said. She reached in and grabbed a blueish purple strapless dress, with a white sash around the waist, that stopped at the knees, a pair of black leggings, and a dark purple, almost black, jacket, along with dark flats.

After changing, Katara went into her make up box. She didn't want to over do it with her face, so she picked the mascara, strawberry flavored lipgloss, blush, and glittery purple eye shadow. Then she did her hair. She decided to have it half up and the rest of it down with a few curls framing her face. Once the deed was accomplished, Katara examined herself in the full length mirror. She almost didn't recognize herself. Twirling around, she felt radiant, confident, and beautiful. Then she smiled when she looked at the clock to see it was almost time to go. Walking down the stairs, Katara had a flash of feeling like a princess walking to her Prince Charming. And speaking of her Prince, Aang was waiting at the foot of the stairs, wearing a white long sleeved button down shirt and black pants. As always, he wore the necklace she made him, which filled her with happiness. She wondered if they would be doing this for Prom their Senior Year.

Aang looked up the stairs when he heard footsteps and felt his heart go into his throat. Katara looked beautiful, more goddess like than ever before. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, Aang was still staring at her as he said, "Hi."

She looked into his eyes. "Hi yourself," she replied.

Aang grinned and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. "You look beautiful," he commented softly.

She smiled widely, blushing again. "Thank you. You look good yourself," she added, looking over him and fingering the necklace with her free hand. He stopped her hand and brought her into his arms, wanting to just hold her close. For a moment they forgot about everyone and everything around them, soley focused on each other and their heartbeats.

Then Hakoda said, "Well, we better get going." Katara looked at her dad in confusion, wondering what he meant by we. The older man answered the unspoken question. "I'm your ride to the last destination and back. And Aang will be sleeping over." The couple grinned when they heard this. Hakoda grabbed his car keys and opened the door. "Let's go!"

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the destination. It was the high school, where a dance was being held at. Now Katara remembered. She had seen flyers all over the school for the autumn dance. The girl turned to her boyfriend. "You're bringing me to the dance?"

Aang nodded. "I thought this would be a nice way to end the day. I wanted your birthday to end on a good note."

She kissed his cheek. "You're so sweet," she said softly before jerking her head in the direction of the front door. "Come on; I want to go dance."

Aang got out of the car and went around to open hers and helped her out before saying, "You head up to the entrance. I need to talk to your dad first." She looked at him, concerned. "It's nothing bad; don't worry. Go on. I'll only be a minute." She still looked a bit uncertain, but she squeezed his hand, then walked slowly to the entrance while Aang went to Hakoda's window which was down. He took a deep breath. "Thanks, Hakoda," he said quietly. "Thanks for the blessing."

The older man nodded. "You're welcome, Aang. And I wish you luck tonight. Just remember what I told you; if she doesn't give an answer immediately, tell her she can take her time to think about it."

Aang nodded, his face and eyes serious. "I know. I already promised myself that earlier." He sighed, straightening. "Well, here goes nothing. We'll see you around midnight." Hakoda nodded, and drove away as Aang walked over to his waiting girlfriend.

She took his hand when he was close and asked, "What was that about?"

Aang squeezed her hand. "I'll tell you later. But for now, it's dance time." And the couple opened the doors, and went to the gym where the dance was being held.

The gym was decorated with balloons, streamers, lights and a disco ball, the lights reflecting in the glass and shining different colors mixed with silver on the walls and dance floor. Teenagers talked and joked or danced to the beat of the music as the DJ played different tunes, all of them requested. It was nearing midnight, and Aang was getting really nervous. He felt his pocket to make sure it was still there. He and Katara were sitting at one of the tables having punch after dancing to a slow song.

He took a shaky breath, stood up, and said, "I need some air. Will you join me?"

Katara looked at him before nodding and grabbed his outstretched hand to stand as well, letting him lead her out of the school into the crisp night air. They walked over to a maple tree bursting with color and Aang stopped them under the leaves, facing her. Then he started. "I wanted to ask you something, and it didn't feel right being in there with so many people who could overhear us." He took a breath and grasped both of her hands. "Katara, what I wanted to ask you was… well, I was wondering if-if you wanted to…" He licked his lips. "If you wanted to live, uh, wi-with me."

Katara looked shocked, not sure she heard him right. Did he just ask her to move in with him? She had to be sure. "Are you asking me to move in with you and Gyatso?"

Aang shook his head. "No. I mean: do you want to get a house together and live with me in it?"

Katara took a few moments to comprehend what he had just said to make sure it was true before replying, "When? Now?"

Aang swallowed. "Well, no. I was thinking after we graduate and have jobs. The money we do have won't last us forever. You don't have to answer now," he added when she hesitated. "Think about it first. I'm not going to pressure this on you. You can take all the time you need to make sure this is what you want."

Katara nodded slowly. "I will think about it, and let you know. Okay?"

Aang nodded too in understanding. "Sounds good." He took another deep breath to calm his frayed nerves and gave her hands a squeeze. "There's one more thing I need to ask you." He let go of one of her hands and reached into his pants pocket and withdrew a box. "This is your birthday present; but it's more than that. I looked around for something that would suit you. Here; open it." She took the box and opened it to reveal the most simple yet beautiful ring she has ever seen. It was a silver band with a blue stone the exact color of her eyes, with tiny cresent moons facing back to back with the stone.

"This is a moon stone," Aang explained. "Very rare. I went to the jewelry store looking for a ring that reminded me of you. None of the diamonds worked, and I was about to leave when I saw this one winking in the light." He took a nervous breath. "Katara, this is a promise ring. I want people to know that you're mine. I know it makes me sounds clingy." They laughed quietly at that before Aang sobered. "But I want people to understand that you're unavailable. Katara Yatsunoma, will be my forever girl, and wear this ring to show that you belong to me?"

Katara looked at the ring, the stone winking in the moonlight, her heart melting. A promise ring. Aang wanted people to know she belonged to him and no one else. She smiled as the first tear trailed down her cheek and she wiped it away before looking at him with happiness and love. "Only if you put it on my finger," she replied softly.

Aang released a breath he was holding when he smiled and took the box out of her hands and removed the ring. Then with slightly shaking hands, he slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand, and clasped it tightly. It felt natural to Katara to have the ring there. Aang placed his forehead on hers. "Thank you," he murmured.

She smiled softly. "You're welcome," was her soft reply before she kissed him, her heart ready to burst with love. Aang deepened the kiss, feeling his stomach flutter crazily but pleasantly. Katara's arms wrapped around his neck while his went to her waist, pulling each other closer all the time.

Then he pushed her against the tree, begging for entrance which she accepted. They made out slowly and lovingly, not rushing, trying to stay in the spell they were put in. Katara pushed his tongue back and bit his lower lip softly, causing him to groan and hold her tighter. Their hearts were beating like crazy, fast like the wings of a hummingbird, causing a kind of buzzing sound in their ears.

Some time later, the need for air was becoming too great, and they slowly pulled apart, breathing heavily, staring at one another as he set her down. Katara touched his flushed face as if memorizing it. Aang traced her swollen lips tenderly; and they both hugged, burying their faces into each other's necks.

When her breathing was under control, Katara whispered, "I love you, Flowing Wind."

Aang swallowed, enjoying those words and new nickname, and took a deep breath while closing his eyes. "I love you, Water Lily. I always will."

They stayed that way under the shadow of the tree for a long time, the half moon shining above with glittering stars surrounding it and expanding like a giant blanket in the never ending sky. Then Katara sighed when a thought came to her and moved her head back to look at him before she said, "What does my dad think about this? You did talk to him, right?"

Aang nodded. "Yeah. When I told Hakoda about getting you Momo, and after he agreed, I asked him if you could live with me. Of course, I also mentioned that we didn't have to until we graduated from here, and that I would give you time to think about it. And I also told him that I wanted to get a promise ring, and he surprised me by giving his blessing." He shook his head, smiling goofily. "I swear there was a sparkle in his eye. I think he found it amusing because I was a stutterting mess."

Katara laughed, also smiling. "I think he might have enjoyed a little amusement. Dad keeps telling me that the meetings have been getting boring." Then she sobered. "So, were you serious about wanting to move in together?"

"Yes," he responded just as seriously. "And like I said; think about before giving an answer. I want to live with you, but I'm not going press you about it."

She touched his warm cheek and kissed the other. "I promise to think about it." Then grabbed his hand before pulling out her phone from the pocket of the jacket to see it was ten minutes to midnight before putting it away. "Let's head back in. The dance is will be over soon." Aang nodded and led her inside.

Later that night, the couple was sound asleep with their precious pets cuddled at the foot of the bed. Katara was lying on Aang's bare chest with her hand on on his stomach, the ring seemingly glowing. Hakoda opened the door silently to check on them and smiled. They looked perfect together; no one could deny that. Their bond was immensely strong where no force on Earth or in the Spirit world could break. The man trusted Aang with his daughter, and he knew the teenagers couldn't live without each other.

It reminded him of how he and Kya used to be before she passed away. He wiped a tear as it slid down his cheek, feeling guilty again about not doing anything to protect her. Kya's death had hit everyone hard. No one deserved to die by being murdered. He really hoped Katara would be well protected.

Looking at the young couple again, at Aang's arms wrapped around the girl in a protective manner, Hakoda knew the boy would do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant putting his life on the line.

Hakoda sighed silently and closed the door quietly, deciding it was time to go to bed. It had been a long day.

Awww, Kataang Fluff. It's too cute! Katara turned sixteen, and Aang made it very special. Hakoda had given Aang his blessing about Katara living with him. Will Katara say yes or no? Keep reading to find out!

This chapter is the longest one ever. The next chapter won't have much fluff; but there will be suprises. Smellerbee has convinced Longshot to help her get their other friend to see good, and to not follow Jet's crazy plans to break the Gaang apart. Will they succeed at the task? Or will Jet find out and have them pay the consequences?