Y'all, look. Chapter 50 if something that was originally 10 chapters tops. As you see I for super carried away. So big things are about to happen. As always, thanks for everything, you guys make me so happy. The links to the story tumblr and the youtube play list are on my profile as always. I post previews and answer questions and other off the wall stuff on the tumblr.
Enough nonsense, you're here for the story. I haven't out right said it in the story, but quite a bit of time has passed. Aang's 20 now (he was turning 18 when this whole thing started.) They've been on the run for a little over a year.
Without further ado, It's a short one, but it packs a little bit of a punch. Enjoy.
Katara's Little Secret
Katara was never late for anything. She was born at midnight on her due date. She hit every developmental milestone on target. She was always at least five minutes early to school, or work, or even when she had to meet someone. She was never late for anything…especially her period.
Katara tried to ignore the little circle around the number in her date book. She was a healer, she knew that women are a day or two late sometimes. She tried not to worry, but she did. Then a day or two turned into a week, and then a week into a full month. She knew exactly what this most likely meant, and she knew exactly how to find out for sure, but she was nervous, so nervous that the people around her started to notice her becoming frazzled.
She looked worried all the time, so one day Suki followed her out to the beach.
"It's a little cold to be out here." Suki commented. As she approached the boulder Katara was sitting on.
"Everything's covered in snow and ice right now where I'm from. This doesn't bother me." Katara said looking out over the water trying to hold back the tears she'd gone there to release.
"Hum." Suki said as she sat back to back with the water bender "You must be really homesick right now. No wonder you've been sulking."
"Yeah." was all Katara could sigh without falling into a blubbering mess.
"And Sokka being gone can't help much."
"No."
"And I know you miss Aang." Suki drew a knee up to her chest.
Katara sniffed "Yeah. I do."
Suki shook her head and smirked "Those gnarly ass pregnancy hormones can't be helping the situation either."
Katara swung her head to Suki "What?"
Suki shrugged "I spend a lot of time with other women. I know the signs." she turned her head to Katara and smiled "Been through it myself once."
Katara laughed a little and a tear rolled from her eye "I don't know for sure."
"Then lets go get you a test. You don't have to say anything to anyone yet. It'll just be between us."
Katara shook her head and turned back to the water "I don't need one of those. I can do it myself."
"Oh yeah. Healer, I forgot. Then why haven't you?"
Katara held her head down "I'm scared. This'll change everything, but I don't know how."
Suki turned to the side "What is it? You don't want kids."
She shook her head "I do. I just wasn't ready yet."
"I get that. What about Aang?"
"I don't know. We've never talked about it." she turned her head again and smiled "But he's really good with them. You should of seen how attached my student's got to him when he was in the South Pole."
Suki smiled "I see how he is with My Love." she hesitated on the next question, but held her head down and asked anyway "If you are, do you want it?"
"Yes." Katara answered before the question could barely leave Suki's mouth.
The warrior wrapped her arms around the water bender and laughed "Well then you'd better go see for sure so we can start taking care of you and that baby."
"But Aang-"
"We'll worry about telling Aang later. This is about you right now."
Katara rested her head against Suki's and put a hand on her arm "You're right."
Suki released Katara and walked behind her to water's edge. They turned to each other and shared tentative smiles. Katara took a deep breath and held her hand out over the surf lapping at her feet, drawing enough water to cover both hands. The water bender took another breath, closed her eyes and held both hands over her lower stomach, letting the water spread over both hands. Katara heard Suki drew and held a breath when the water around her hands started to glow.
She felt it instantly, the small bundle of chi that resided within her, but was not hers. It was totally new, and growing.
She opened her eyes and felt the tears flow down her cheek as she smiled and nodded her head at Suki. Suki finally exhaled and ran to hug Katara, not caring about the water splashing between then.
Another week and a half passed before Katara said anything to another soul. It was hard talking to Aang every day and not saying anything, but she wanted to tell him this face to face. It wouldn't be much longer before he'd come back, only a week or two, so she decided it could wait.
It wasn't that she was being cowardly…not entirely. She just didn't know how he would react, how it would affect his duties. She could wait to tell him, but she needed to tell someone.
"Hi Dad." she said as her father's voice came over the phone.
"Hi Katara. How are you?" he said. He sounded so happy to hear her voice that she hesitated for a moment "Katara? Are you there?"
"Y-yeah. I'm here." she inhaled "Dad. I can tell you anything right?"
This time Hakoda paused "You know you can." he answered, worry telling in his voice "Is something wrong?"
"No, no. There's nothing wrong." she gritted her teeth "I mean not really wrong, I don't know how you're going to feel about it." she decided to just bite the bullet "Dad, I'm pregnant."
It was the first time she'd said it out loud and she felt relief, as if a twenty pound sack had been taken off of her chest, but then she realized that her father wasn't saying anything "Dad?" she said cautiously "Did you hear me Dad?"
"Uh, I-I heard you. You…you said you were pregnant."
"Are you disappointed? You sound disappointed."
"No. Not at all. I'm just…I'm surprised. What did Aang say."
She sighed "I haven't told him yet. I want to wait until he gets back here."
"Yeah. Yeah. I understand that." he answered, still sounding shaken.
She sniffed a bit and rubbed her eye. Her voice cracked "Daddy. I'm nervous about telling him. I don't know what to do."
The sound of her voice brought him out of his shock "No Baby, don't cry. It's gonna be alright. Aang's a good kid. I can't imagine him being anything but happy."
"You really think so?"
"I know so. Trust your old dad."
His voice was comforting, almost as good as the hug she needed. She wiped the tears from her cheeks "Thanks Dad. I feel better."
"Well that's my job." she smiled "You'll know soon enough."
She laughed "That's the truth."
Ursa watched Hakoda talk to his daughter with her eyes wide and waited for him to get off the phone. Finally he hung up.
"Did Katara just tell you she was pregnant?" he looked at her and shook his head with a small smile. "You're going to be a grandfather?"
A thoughtful look crossed his face "Yeah. I am."
She laughed "My little boy is going to be someone's father." she laughed "Can you imagine?"
He laughed "Oh yeah. Aang is like your son. I guess I can start calling you Grandma."
She gasped and put he hand to her chest "Don't you dare." Ursa turned to Hakoda "What did Aang say?"
"Nothing. He doesn't know yet. She wants to wait until he gets back so she can tell him in person."
She nodded her head "I understand that." she sighed "It's a shame they couldn't be married first."
"Yes, that's the ideal," he shrugged "but things happen." There was a knock at the door "You never know what will happen." he looked out of the peep hole an then looked back at Ursa.
"Who is it?"
Hakoda opened the door and there stood Sokka and Aang with huge smiles on their faces.
Katara knocked on Suki's apartment door. Suki opened it and smiled "How'd the talk with your dad go?"
She nodded her head "It went good. I feel a little better. I just wish-" she gave a sad smile "I really need a hug."
"Oh Honey." Suki cooed as she opened her arms and wrapped them around Katara "It's all going to be okay."
"I know it is." she said putting her arms around her friend "Now I just need to tell Aang." she pulled back a little "How did you tell Pàomò?"
Suki laughed "I didn't. Oyaji did while he held Mo up against a wall about a foot off the ground."
The two rested their foreheads together and laughed. "Thank you Suki. This would have been so hard without you."
"Anytime. You know we've gotta stick together."
