This chapter is a little shorter and from Aang's POV. Will post chapter 3 later tonight.

———————————————————————

I dreamt of her.

Eyes that rivaled the color of the spirit oasis, chocolaty hair so long down her back as I tangled my fingers in it. Light mocha skin flawless against the sunset.

That kiss was my undoing. I was sure of it. We kissed before, but this, this she initiated, this she wanted. And it was exhilarating. She tasted like the ocean and I was content to drink my fill.

We weren't exactly 'together' but I hoped to ask her if she would like to be. I was eager to be with Katara, I had waited so long, but I also didn't want to scare her away by being too forward. I could be patient for her.

Then I heard her scream. The horrific sound rattled through the home and I was on my feet seconds later sprinting towards Katara's room. The elements teeming at my fingertips ready to meet any threat. Her scream echoed in my soul. My need to protect her was overwhelming.

I flew around the corner and saw the door wide open. "Kata-" her name on my lips flitted away when I saw her waterfall of curls buried into Zuko's bare chest. She was sobbing, his arms around her. I walked around the room searching for an intruder.

My shoulders going slack once finding nothing out of sorts and I turned to the pair. "Katara, what happened?" Her saffire eyes found my grey ones immediately and she ripped out of Zuko's grasp and launched into my arms.

I wrapped my arms around her and I nodded my thanks to Zuko as he was on his way out. We walked towards the bed. She sat down and I wiped away her tears.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head. I understood. Sometimes I saw things in my dreams I never wanted to talk about, think about. "Lay down, Katara." She listened and laid on her back.

Her dainty hand snaking up and pulled me into a kiss. I smiled against her lips. It was a slow, steady, comforting kiss. I pulled away from her after a few minutes.

Her eyes were so blue in the moonlight, I pushed a stray hair out of her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep, Katara." And I stood up. As I was about to walk away her hand gripped my wrist.

"Stay…" I could deny her nothing. Sleep found me quickly whilst in her embrace.

————————————————————

Waking up next to Katara was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

I knew from the second my eyes opened and met hers on that iceberg. I could feel it in my bones. I loved her from that very moment.

I woke with that luscious hazelnut hair strewn across the bed and all over me. I breathed her in. An ocean breeze mixed with a soft raspberry scent that sent me reeling. I pulled her closer to me, burying my face in the crook of her neck. Fingers skimming down her bare stomach.

Then my eyes flashed open, cheeks heating furiously. So much of that mocha skin I adored was exposed. She was in her bindings, similar to those she wore to bend or swim in and I almost couldn't breathe.

This woman, a spirit reincarnated. She stirred and those ocean eyes peered into mine. Sleepily and not fully attuned to our surroundings, but she met mine nonetheless taking my breath away.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." The words slipped through my mental filter and she blushed heavily as she leaned into me, her mass of curls tickled my arm when she rested her head on my chest.

I pulled her closer.

———————————————————————

R-n-R :)