Ugh. I've only been working on this for forever. This is another finale oneshot... and I have a finale poem to, er, finish... And I'm soooo soo sorry this thing took so long because school started last week (albeit on wednesday -- thanks Fay!) and I've been struggling. ANYway, I'm not extremely satisfied with this update, but if I have an epiphany, I'll revise it. :)

"We're just trying to help!" A hardened edge sharpening the words, carried on an undercurrent of desperation from my lips to his ears.

"Don't walk away from this!" Yelled command that remained ignored, the worry that my touch could no longer heal taking on a fearful anger of its own.

He didn't respond.

"What Katara? ... " A defiant snap cried out by a spirit in need of refuge, strength, answers, and that ever-elusive peace.

Those were the last words I heard him hear... my own demand the final bitter waves to break on his mind.

I never saw him again after that.

I told myself I was simply concerned -- he was troubled and needed guidance -- who knew what he was going to do? I should have been there if just to tell him I regretted how my feelings displayed themselves, that I was upset because I cared, that I had been confronted with the choice of another's life and death... and that I'd discovered that it was no choice at all. That I saw his confusion and internal struggle as the others laughed and mocked... but a firm hand on my shoulder shattered that future and silenced my lips. It's not the right time. True, it was his decision. Once he'd found his solution, I could wrap my arms around him like I always had and tell him I was proud, if sorry that it came to this. But the hand had torn that away from me as well.

He was gone the next day.

A part of me was panicking and I knew it... but this time, the telltale widening of the eyes, quickening of the heart, and utter fear never registered on my face. Maybe, somewhere inside of myself I unconsciously knew that he was solving his problem and didn't need us -- didn't need me. Unlike the time my emotions ran rabid within me when he ran away, I knew that we could no longer help like we had before. Still, the rest of me was resolute in looking for him.

And then we turned our backs.

It wasn't a thought out decision to simply give up -- just a convenient back-up that seemed to be our only hope. I wished I could see where he was -- anything to put my -- our minds at ease. Not long ago, I'd have never dreamed of this happening... we would have left in the morning, all eight of us returning to the Fire Nation one last time to end this fight. The tension would be tangible and we would have shared a final hug... in case the next time we saw each other, our group count would come up short. And even as much as it sounded like the Day of Black Sun, I'd known it wouldn't be like that... it would be different this time.

But in this case, it was just too different.

The comet lit up the sky in glorious shades tonight; I found myself hypnotized by its majestic glow from Appa's saddle. It was disconcerting to see how quickly time had flown, as if Aang had simply disappeared and the next thing I knew, I'd ended up here. Just several nights before I had expected to be fighting by the Avatar's side, protecting him so that the tragedy of Ba Sing Se wouldn't repeat itself. Instead, I was on my way to fight with the Fire Prince – Zuko of all people – against his sister. My mind and muscles were more than ready to make her pay for what she'd done to us – to Aang – and it was only a matter of time. Yet time was also the very thing that kept my thoughts wandering in circles, jumping from anxiety to resolution, and finally come to the realization that I wouldn't see any of my other friends again until after the war... if at all. My pulse skipped a beat as I thought of the last true conversations I had with Sokka and my friends. I had found remarkable companionship with Zuko. I'd hugged my brother and told him we'd do fine. I'd laughingly told Suki I thought the fact that she'd found a boy was fantastic... even if her choice was a bit odd. I'd said a few friendly words to Toph... but she never needed much.

And finally... I'd left Aang under a starry sky utterly rejecting him and saying it wasn't the right time. The last thing I'd done was yell at him. Now I'm here, playing into the sharp jaws of oblivion, and if we're lucky, will only have a brush with death. At best. I bit my lip at a pang that struck my heart.

I hadn't even said goodbye.

The eastern sky was filled with crimson, a vivid reminder of life and its fragility. Not so long ago, I'd prided myself on the fact that I had no regrets... it had only taken several days to bear so many. One never knew when fate would decide to tear those dearest to your heart away... I absently grasped at my mother's necklace.

I should have learned that the first time.

But all I could do, as the foreboding red palace loomed into view, was ask for one more chance to say the words and make things right.

"It's not the right time." Sigh of resignation to the conversation I'd rather not have... wary eyes overtly searching for escape.

"Then when is the right time?" Confidence betraying a passionate fear, helplessness, and love.

The fact that destiny had managed to bring me this amazing soul to cherish should have reminded me that just as this war had two faces, so did life, death, and everyone caught in-between. An amber eye caught mine as the bison descended, an imperceptible message of trust passing through our gaze before reality crashed back down and brought undeniable duty with it.

Maybe the words never had to be spoken nor promises ever uttered. The last thing he would have had was my smile and embrace, not a shout of desperation... that wasn't at all how it should have been. I took a breath before steeling my heart against the threat of my foe and the impending plight of my friend. I pleaded silently.

Just one more chance...

Opportunity was a gift we couldn't afford to throw away in these wretched times. The fact that there was a war going on appeared a viable excuse to put off such intense feelings... but as much as logic might have to protest, it never did have a say in how things ended. Reason had told me that there had to be a right time for everything... and life had told me that sometimes, there never was. I needed to be able to tell him I had made a mistake -- to express how he meant so much, in case destiny decided to unexpectedly take one of us back, and that no matter what, I never ever stopped caring.

It tends to be at the wrong time that we realize for this... everytime is the right time.