A/N. Little time jump, we skip the part in the city of Omashu, to get directly to the night in the refugee camp.

I don't own Avatar the Last airbender

It had been a long day. A very long one. Aang just had returned with Flopsy, King Bumi's… pet. Katara sighed, seeing the dejected look on the airbender's face. How they had survived this day was a mystery to her.

This morning, everything seemed fine. Practicing waterbending with Aang. But then, life took a different turn. Trapped in the tunnels… And kissing the airbender.

She didn't know how she felt about that. On the one hand, it had been a logical thing to try. But, at the moment she had bent towards the airbender, the whirlwind of emotions had frightened her. When their lips met, it was not simple attraction Katara had felt. It was…. So much more.

Love is brightest in the dark…

She had felt that. Love. Nothing complicated, only the overwhelming feeling that she never felt for anyone. Sure, she loved her family. But Love was a whole other matter. When Aang had put his hand on her waist to pull her closer, she had felt only one thing. Home. Like she was meant to be there, with him.

And now, looking at the airbender, she felt like these emotions were too much. How could anyone feel so much for someone? It scared her…

And then, just as she was trying to figure out what to do, the revelation of the fall of Omashu had changed their whole planning. The idea had been to go to Bumi to learn earthbending. Given the proficiency of the king, they had thought Aang would learn earthbending rather quickly, so that they would have enough time to find someone capable of teaching Aang firebending.

But now? It was the middle of the night, in a refugee camp in the mountains near the city, and the only thing they had, was Flopsy the enormous gorilla-rabbit.

"We just did a head count." The gruff voice of the officer in charge of the refugees said, walking over to them. Katara had been holding Aang in a friendly hug. Nothing special. Not like the one they had shared only hours ago…

"Oh no! Did someone get left behind?" She asked, worried about the people still the in the city.

"No… Not exactly… We have one extra." The man spoke, pointing at a small child, no more than one year old, who was trying to play with Momo. Quickly releasing Aang from her arms, the watebender walked over to where the baby was dragging Momo behind him. When she stood next to the child, the baby looked up and reached to her with his little arms. Smiling, Katara couldn't help but pick him up and hug the child. Looking at the chubby face, she realized something. The jet-black hair… The ember eyes… This child was Fire Nation!

But still… It was a child. Not a soldier or a murderer. A child. Turning to the others, she saw that the officer was building a fire next to where Flopsy and Appa were lying. Sokka was pulling his weapons from him and stacking them up next to him. And Aang… He had not moved. He was standing next to Bumi's pet, standing straight, casting a long shadow towards her. And he wasn't looking at the child. He was starring at her. With a look that she had seen several times… The look he had just after kissing her…

Blushing, she quickly moved to sit next to her brother, and Aang also sat down, next to her.

"He is from the Fire Nation…" She whispered to Sokka, he looked at the child with a strange look.

"I'm not taking care of him!" He quickly said, moving away from the child on her lap as if he had a disease.

"You know, one day you'll have to take care of a child. If someone wanted to have children with you that is." She bit back, not liking how her brother had just assumed that he wouldn't help. But she saw that her brother was squaring his jaw, like he always did when she said something that went too far. Yue had been interested… Even if she couldn't have Sokka, she had wanted it with her whole heart… Had she loved her brother?

"I'm sorry… That was uncalled for." Katara whispered back, putting a hand on his arm, which he gently padded with his own hand.

The child had climbed down from her lap and was now waddling towards the pile of weapons next to Sokka. Pulling out the club, the baby began to chew on it.

"No! Bad Fire Nation baby!" Sokka screeched, pulling the weapon out of the chubby hands. Of all the things the child could have taken from the pile, the club was the least dangerous. Katara looked at the knives, and the sharp boomerang, and choose that the club was alright. At least, it was too heavy for the child to hurt himself with.

Slapping her brother on the back of his head, she pointed to the child, and Sokka grumbled, but gave the club back. It was just like how it was when they were home, and she had let the children play instead of 'warrior training'. No child should be taught to handle a weapon. Of course, to survive they had to. But let them be children for a little while longer. She and Sokka hadn't had that chance.

The baby was cooing and playing with the club, and Katara couldn't help but overlook the fact he was Fire Nation.

"You're so cute!" She said gently, touching the child shoulders. The baby turned his head and showed a big smile towards her.

"Yeah. Now, he is cute. But wait a few years, and that cute little monster will be a monster in the Fire Nation Army. He'll be a killer, and you won't find him cute then." The officer complained, eyeing the child with suspicion.

"Oh come on! Does this look like the face of a killer?" Katara protested, showing the baby, who was still laughing. Yes, maybe he would grow up and be a monster. But for now, he wasn't. And they shouldn't treat him as one just because of his origins.

A screech could be heard from a boulder. Katara looked up, and saw a messenger hawk, just like the ones the Fire Nation used. Aang stood up, and took the note from the bird, who flew away directly.

"It's from the Fire Nation governor! He thinks we have his… son…" The airbender quickly glanced towards the child, and Katara pulled the little boy towards her. Having seen how much the population had suffered, she wouldn't be surprised if the refugees would try to do something to the child, just to spite the governor.

"He wants to trade! His son, Tom-Tom, for… for King Bumi!" The excitement in his voice was so good to hear. Aang had been down since coming back, without a clue where his friend was being held.

The officer declared that they should do it, after resting. He and Sokka walked away, but Katara stayed by the fire, with the child on her lap. She didn't trust the refugees with this child. Not if his safe return ensured that Aang would have an earthbending teacher. And his friend. She didn't look forward to travelling with those two together.

"So. Also staying with… Tom-Tom?" A voice rang behind her, and the child laughed, hearing his name. Aang was still there.

"Yeah… I want to keep an eye on him."

"In case any of the Earth Kingdom people try something?" His voice was bitter.

"Yeah… I hate to be suspicious of our allies. But these people have lost everything… You never know what they would try to get a sense of justice…" Katara answered, unhappy with that train of thought having crossed her mind, instead of trust and understanding.

"I understand. I didn't read the letter aloud. Just the basics. For the same reason." His voice actually sounded angry. Cold, pure anger. He handed her the letter without looking at her, starring in front of him, inhaling and exhaling to calm himself down.

She began to read.

Whoever is in command. Hand over the child to the governor of New Ozai. You can have the old fool Bumi back. One Fire Nation child is worth as much as the King of the Omashu. If the child Tom Tom is not returned before tomorrow at noon, we will send you king Bumi. Piece. By. Piece.

A.

Katara didn't say anything, just looked at the fire. It flared up each time the airbender next to her inhaled. He was firebending without even noticing it.

"Why? Why did everything change?" the voice, that was barely Aang's said.

"What do you mean?" She asked, quietly, trying to calm him down. She had seen what thinking of the death of one of his friends had done at the fortress. She didn't want to repeat that.

"Before I froze. There was peace. Of course, there were cruel people. I don't have any illusions about that. But the world was largely at peace. Why did this happen?" The flames roared up.

"Aang, you know why… This happened because of Sozin's ambitions!"

"Yes. One man's ambitions changed the world. That man is dead for more than eighty years. But still, his ideas make people kill and hurt each other. Since when are children and the elderly a weapon, to be used in war?" The flames calmed down, and Aang sat down in front of her, with his legs crossed.

"Since the beginning of time… War isn't just men killing each other on the battlefield. It is fought against the innocent! It kills women, children, the elderly!" She didn't want to think about this. The day had gone well, up to the point of the discovery of Omashu's fall.

"You know what one soldier said to me down in the catacombs of the city?" Aang murmured. His voice had lost the anger, to be replaced be sadness.

"That with me at their side, they could kill all ash-eaters in the city. When I protested, he said Why not? They killed your people. Murdered and violated the temples. People seem to believe I want to do the same to the Fire Nation. I. DO. NOT!" the flames thundered up again. From the corner of her eye, Katara could see Sokka standing with the officer, turning his head towards the sound. With one hand, she made a movement to make clear not to approach.

"We know that Aang… Please… Calm down…" She whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. The flames quietened down.

"Aang, listen to me. Yes, there are cruel people all over the world. Fire Nation, Earth kingdom, Water Tribe. I'm sure there were some cruel Air Nomads! But what is now is not important. What is important, is that the future people will be a bit less cruel. Take this child, for example! He is innocent, even if his father is a criminal. He doesn't have to be the same." With those words, she put the child in the airbender's lap. Aang's grey eyes looked at the boy and softened visibly.

"Yes, the world is cruel now. But you know who will change that? You. Us. Maybe this boy." She gestured Tom-Tom, who was pulling at Aang's ripped clothes. He would probably never have seen colours like that.

"I know Katara… It is just difficult for me to imagine that my world is gone. Replaced by this. And that I have to be the one resolving it. I don't know how."

"Start here. Get the child back to his parents. For everything they are, they are still parents, worried sick about their child. Get Bumi from his prison. And with his help, change the world." She smiled at the airbender, whose eyes were fixed on her, with a kind of awe in them.

He nodded and turned to the child. Tom-Tom had begun to rub his fists around his eyes, clearly exhausted by all the new impressions of the night.

Then, the airbender did something that surprised her. In a soft voice, he began to sing. She didn't understand the words, but it sounded… beautiful…

After a few minutes, the child was soundly asleep, and Aang looked up, with a gentle smile.

"An old Air Nomad lullaby." He whispered, smiling.

"Write it down, I believe you just solved every parent's nightmare." She laughed, putting a hand on his knee. At the moment she touched him, his face flew up, to look at her. The intensity of his gaze surprised her, and she felt the familiar tug in her stomach that she had had ever since discovering her little… crush…

"Hey! Get some sleep you two!" A shout came from the dark. The spell of the moment was broken, by a very annoyed sounding Sokka.

Tomorrow would be another day.

Answers :

Gabriela N. Gonzalez : I hope I made you happy with the last part. I kind of used Tom Tom as a example why the Fire Nation is not always bad. That is going to be something recurring in this fic (I hope lol)

CoyoteLemon : Yeah, the poor guy just didn't know what to do lol! I didn't address that situation in this chapter, because of all the war drama. But I will surely address it later on.

Ashley Barbosa : Yeah, and the desperation continued. But I hope I made sense of the dilemma in the refugee camp!