My longest oneshot yet! Based on a random idea I got one day. I think it's interesting, but whether or not everyone else does remains to be seen. Happy readings :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

XXXVII. Sleeping Beauty

From this moment as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this.
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment on

~ Shania Twain, From This Moment On

Since the War had ended, Aang hadn't really found the need to stay up at night and think, but as sleep hadn't found him he sat up and just stared. The stars were fainter than usual owing to the multitude of clouds that floated across the sky, so he didn't bother to gaze at them. In any case, stargazing wasn't nearly as fun alone; he infinitely preferred watching the stars with Katara than watching them by himself. But Katara was fast asleep, curled up on the sleeping mat a few feet away from him, a peaceful expression on her face, so Aang just gazed at the landscape around him.

He couldn't really say what had prompted Zuko to propose a camping trip, but if he had to guess, he would put it down to the never-ending work the Firelord seemed to have and how he never got so much as a minute to enjoy the great outdoors. Honestly, Aang was grateful for the trip because since Zuko had become Firelord it really seemed like the only way to spend time together like they had before the war ended, was to do work. So when Zuko proposed a camping trip, Aang had been ecstatic.

Their campsite was in a secluded part of the Earth Kingdom, one of the many places Suki had discovered when travelling with the Kyoshi Warriors. It was far enough from a town that they could enjoy their trip without worrying about being disturbed by others, but close enough that, in the event of an emergency, help could easily be reached. It vaguely reminded Aang of the Air Temple; with several waterfalls, a stone shrine to some unmarked spirit, and ruins of an ancient building, it really seemed like this place had been a temple of sorts. But Aang had his suspicions. The scenery here was too distracting for meditation; if this place had been a temple, the young monk wondered how anyone could ever get anything done with such beautiful landscape all around. The Air Temples afforded stunning views of the landscape as well, but somehow, meditating there seemed possible. Here, Aang wasn't sure he'd get anything done. But he enjoyed the place all the same.

There was so much to do there, the young Avatar wasn't sure a week was long enough to spend there. Sokka had discovered a series of underground caves and had promptly declared that they should explore them. From the outside, the caves looked small but after a few hours of walking, Zuko had pointed out that the caves were probably too big to explore in a day so they moved on. Aang had discovered a lake fed by five waterfalls and though he hadn't told anyone yet, he was sure they would like it. At least, Katara was sure to like it, but being a waterbender, she loved anything to do with her element.

Aang turned his gaze from the scenery in front of him to the sleeping girl beside him. Katara was still smiling in her sleep and if he hadn't known she was asleep, he might have thought she was wide awake. He could only imagine what she was dreaming about. He sighed to himself. He wished he was asleep too, but unfortunately, he was denied that luxury.

From the corner of his eye, something caught his attention and Aang turned to look at the landscape again. He could have sworn he saw something before, but now, everything looked normal. The grasses of the rolling hills in the distance waved gently in the breeze and the treetops whispered unintelligibly. He was about to close his eyes in an attempt to get some sleep, when a hazy, indistinct figure appeared between the sparsely growing trees a few hundred feet away from him. Aang looked over his shoulder to where Toph's earth tent rose up from the ground, but he could still hear her snoring, which meant she, like him, hadn't sensed the figure approaching.

The silhouette drew closer and Aang suddenly realized that with its hazy, wavering form, it was more of a spirit than a human figure. So he waited calmly while the spirit materialized before him.

"Hello, Aang."

"Avatar Kuruk," the monk replied, genuinely surprised. "What's wrong?"

Kuruk, for the first time since Aang had met him, smiled. "I've come as a favor to Roku. He seems to think something's wrong since you haven't gotten a wink of sleep."

"Nothing's wrong," Aang replied. "Just insomnia, I guess."

Kuruk chuckled, surprising Aang even more. "I've told him, but the old man won't seem to listen."

Aang smiled. "Must be something we all have in common then."

Kuruk was about to respond, but a cool breeze blew from the trees and Katara shivered a bit, so Aang draped his unused blanket over her. When he turned to face Kuruk, the former Avatar had a dejected expression on his face as he gazed at the waterbender. Aang just had to glance at the expression on Kuruk's face to know he was thinking about Ummi.

"Sometimes," Kuruk said, abjectly. "I forget what she's like. You'd think that our love would be strong enough to override that, but these past few centuries have eroded at my memories. I was so in love with her, but we hadn't even been together that long. "

Aang felt like he should apologize, but he didn't know what to apologize for; he hadn't done anything, anyway.

Kuruk smiled wistfully. "It was the same for all of us, I suppose. Love at first sight."

It took Aang a moment to realize Kuruk was referring to him and the other Avatars. He didn't know about Kyoshi and the other previous Avatars, but based on what Roku and Kuruk had told him, he knew what the former Avatar had said applied to the three of them.

"What was Ummi like?" Aang wondered, hoping to draw some happier memories from the older man.

"Much like your waterbender," Kuruk replied, smiling wistfully. "But she was less adventurous." He knelt beside Katara as if to brush a strand of her hair away from her face, but recoiled when he realized he was nothing but a spirit. "She had such beautiful hair too. I think I was so crazy about her, I often dreamed of brushing her hair."

The airbender smiled at the thought of a love struck Kuruk. Was it just an Avatar thing, or did people generally act like he had around those they liked?

"She wasn't a bender, either," Kuruk said. "But she came from the Southern Water Tribe." Aang just smiled. He wondered if Katara knew, but considering that the Southern Tribe was closely knit, he supposed she had heard about it from someone since everyone seemed to know enough about everyone else and their ancestry.

"It's strange," Kuruk said, watching Katara. "Sometimes, I think she's so much like Ummi that she's Ummi's reincarnate, but then I see her with you and she's so different."

"I didn't know that people like Ummi were reincarnated. I thought it was just an Avatar thing."

Kuruk shrugged. "Well, nothing's been proven yet, but who knows? But it's a good thing your waterbender isn't Ummi's reincarnate."

"It is?" the airbender asked, tentatively.

Kuruk nodded. "Then we'd both be condemned."

"What makes you say that?"

Kuruk sighed. "I have nothing from my past life, Aang. No heroic battles fought to keep the world in balance, no story or legend to tell of how I defeated a despotic Firelord or anything like that. Just Ummi. If Katara really was Ummi, if it was certain that she was, I don't think I'd let you have her."

"You mean…?"

"Love makes a man do crazy things," Kuruk said. "I've spent centuries looking for her. If it was proven beyond a doubt that Katara was Ummi's reincarnate, the rational part of me would probably try and accept that and move on. But like I said, love makes a man do crazy things. It's a wonder I haven't used any of you yet. There were so many opportunities when I could have used Kyoshi or Roku, even you, to help me find Ummi and I probably would have if I had been desperate enough."

Aang just blinked at the former Avatar. He knew Kuruk had dedicated his time to finding his wife, but he never suspected that he had almost used Kyoshi, Roku, or even himself to do that. And suddenly, the airbender realized something. Kuruk said that if Katara had been Ummi's reincarnate, that they'd both be condemned, implying that Kuruk already thought he was.

"You don't think you're condemned, do you?" Aang asked the older man.

Kuruk smiled. "You're quite perceptive. It does seem that way."

"You think looking for Ummi means you're condemned?"

"I've been looking for her for ages and just when I think I've found her, I end up right back where I started. I think Koh's done a fairly good job of keeping her just out of my reach."

"But that doesn't mean you're condemned," Aang pointed out. "Just because you haven't found her yet doesn't mean it'll be like that for eternity. You have all the time in the world to look for her. Koh can't keep her forever."

"You underestimate him, Aang. Koh is quite clever."

"He is," the airbender conceded. "But he's bound to slip up sometime."

"Immortal spirits such as Koh don't slip up," Kuruk said.

"Maybe not, but you've been after him for centuries, like you said. Sooner or later, Koh will just get bored of the game and…"

"And supposing he does?" Kuruk interrupted. "What then? What's stopping him from just getting rid of Ummi? He'd die before he just handed her back to me."

"Koh may enjoy the game, but his cleverness and trickery aren't going to be much of a match for your dedication and perseverance," the young monk said sagely. "He probably just expects you to give up one day."

Kuruk just blinked. "Roku was right," he said, suddenly laughing. "You do have wisdom beyond your years."

"I don't know about that," Aang replied, modestly. "But I don't think you're condemned at all. How can fighting for the one you love be condemnation?"

"Perhaps you're right," Kuruk said, thoughtfully. "But I'm beginning to think this is how I'll pass the rest of eternity, chasing Koh to get Ummi."

"I don't know," Aang replied. "I can't predict the future, but even then, I still wouldn't see it as being condemned."

"And what if Koh took Katara?" Kuruk asked. "What if you had to chase him for centuries just to get her back? You don't think that's being condemned?"

"No," Aang said, slowly. "I don't. Maybe if he took was someone like…Azula. That would be condemnation because as much as I dislike her, I wouldn't want Koh to get her, or anyone, really. But helping people close to you isn't condemnation, even if it takes a lifetime or longer to help them."

"You're too nice, Aang," Kuruk chuckled. "If I had been in your place, and if Koh had taken Azula or Ozai, I probably would have said good riddance and turned my back on them. But you're right; helping people like them would be worse than helping people like my Ummi. But still, I can't help but feel like I'm condemned, that even Ummi's condemned. I've spent four lifetimes trying to get her back and I still haven't succeeded. Sometimes I think Ummi will just sleep forever."

Aang started to wonder if pessimism was a Water Tribe thing. Sokka certainly had enough of it for their entire group at times.

"Maybe that's what I need to do," Kuruk said, breaking Aang from his train of thoughts. "This entire time, I've been thinking I'm condemned, that the rest of eternity will pass this way, but perhaps you're right and if I don't wallow in pessimism, perhaps I'll get somewhere."

Okay, so maybe pessimism is more of a Sokka thing, Aang thought, revising his previous statement.

"You're very lucky," Kuruk said, suddenly. "Koh hasn't come after the Avatar in a long time."

"I think he's more interested in collecting faces and keeping Ummi from you than attacking me," Aang said, sadly.

"Probably. But you don't have to worry about losing people like Katara."

"I don't?" Aang replied, genuinely surprised. He didn't obsess over the thought of losing Katara, but it wasn't like the idea had vanished from his mind either. He knew she was completely capable of protecting herself, but he still made sure that no matter what he did, she was okay.

"Of course not. With you, Koh doesn't stand much of a chance. You'd probably destroy the world before letting him take Katara, right?"

"That's one way to put it," the airbender said, gazing at the beautiful sleeping girl beside him. "But yeah, I guess I would."

Kuruk chuckled. "Just like Roku. You know, that man is quite good at showing no emotion at all. It's no wonder that Koh didn't try and take his face or Ta Min's, for that matter."

"Really?"

Kuruk nodded. "Really. Anyway, it's getting late and I'd better let you get some sleep. Next time Roku sends me, please try to have something worthwhile for me to do. As much as I enjoy chatting, I've already wasted some time I could have spent looking for Ummi."

"I'll try. But Roku must have been pretty worried if he sent you," Aang mused.

"He couldn't make it for some reason. But you know how he is, sometimes," Kuruk said. "He still worries you're thinking about the consequences and benefits of being the Avatar and such."

"Not really," he replied. "But at least he cares."

"Very true," Kuruk said, making a move to go. "I would tell you to watch out for Katara and your other friends, but you're doing a pretty good job. It's nice to know someone learned from all the mistakes of the past Avatars. Take care, Aang." And just like that, Kuruk's figure grew dimmer and dimmer as he walked away. A few seconds had elapsed until Aang could no longer make out his figure.

"So," a voice said, startling the airbender. "How much of that did you mean?"

Aang turned to find Katara wide awake, sitting beside him, a curious expression on her face as her cerulean eyes twinkled with an intensity he could only compare to the brightness of stars.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," the waterbender admitted. "Avatar Kuruk isn't exactly the quietest spirit."

Aang chuckled. "I guess not."

"You never answered my question, though. How much of that did you mean?" Katara demanded.

"All of it," he replied, meeting her gaze.

"Really?" Katara asked, softly, somewhat taken aback. "Isn't destroying the world for me a bit extreme?"

"Well, I saved it for you so…"

"You did what?" the waterbender asked, a shocked expression crossing her face.

"You think I defeated Ozai just because I had to?" Aang asked, his gray eyes twinkling,

Katara nodded dumbly. "I thought you wanted to."

"I did," Aang replied, lightly. "But I also did it for you."

"I didn't know I was worth it." Katara whispered.

"You are."

"So you also meant what you said before, about not being condemned if Koh took me and you had to find him like Avatar Kuruk?"

Aang nodded. "Finding Koh to get you back would not be a punishment for me. Maybe I'm a little crazy, but nothing I do for you would ever be condemnation."

"I think you are a little crazy," Katara said, giving him a warm smile.

Aang just shrugged and turned his gaze back at the landscape. Suddenly, Katara threw her arms around him, enveloping him in what looked like a bone-crushing hug, nearly causing the airbender to lose his balance.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her and felt a few of her tears soak the fabric of his clothes.

She looked up at him and underneath the layer of her tears, her eyes were sparkling brighter than any gems. "Everything," she whispered, smiling. "You're amazing."

"Not really," he replied, laughing. "I'm just crazy like you said and I'd do anything for you, but who wouldn't?"

He never found out the answer to that question because Katara chose that moment to press her lips to his.

"I don't know what I did to deserve any of this," she said.

"Nothing and everything," Aang replied, simply.

"You wouldn't really fight Avatar Kuruk if what he said had been true, would you?"

"You mean all that stuff he was saying about you possibly being Ummi's reincarnate?"

Katara nodded.

"Well if it was true, I wouldn't attack him, but I wouldn't let you go without a fight either."

This time, when Katara hugged Aang, he was well prepared for it. And suddenly, he realized that even if Kuruk had thought he had been condemned to looking for Ummi forever, he would never give up, because Ummi meant too much to him. And he realized Katara meant too much to him, so if he somehow shared the same fate as Kuruk, he couldn't think of himself as condemned. But he knew the chances of that happening were slim and that he and Katara would get to spend eternity together. She was, after all, his forever girl.

I hope it was alright. ^^' I thought the idea was pretty interesting, but I don't know if I did this topic any justice. In spite of that, I like this one. Thanks for reading (I know it was longer than usual ^_^) And, as always, thank you for all the reviews I've gotten so far. You're all wonderful! :)

~ Cassidy Alice