Summary ~ Aang is under a lot of pressure to get things settled. A new group pyro causes a threat to his goal.

Ships are Kataang, sukka, maiko, I'm not gonna have toph in a relationship for now I may do her w satoru tho bc I ship them. And as some of you guys know I already wrote a story. In case anyone wants to know what happened to it. I deleted the story as I wasn't happy with it. This story should last about 40 chapters or so. It's rated T for now. There's There's not too much Kataang in the first few chapters but after chapter 6 trust me there's going to be sm more. Please please rnr lemme know what u think.Im gonna update weekly or twice a week

Now I'm gonna stop writing bc no one' ever reads these anyway

Ages are

Aang-17 turning 18 soon

Sokka-20

Katara - 19

Toph -17 turning 18 soon

Zuko -21

Suki-19

Be nice it's my first fic

Katara hummed happily as she packed the last of her clothing into her rucksack. It had been very difficult figuring out just what to take when packing her trunk, she'd been slightly surprised at how many possessions she had, most she hadn't used in years! This made it a little hard to decide what to pack for her journey to Cranefish town.

Katara hadn't been back to Cranefish town in 6 months, she had been spending time with her family and developing the South Pole. Master Pakku had done a great job with her father in devoping the city, but he had requested for her to come in order to teach some young girls waterbending, his exact words were 'who better to teach the next generation of female waterbenders other than my first female student'.

Sokka went with her to the South Pole, but he only decided to stay there for one month before making his way back to Cranefish town in order to help Aang with talks of developing the city into something greater.

She bit her lip thoughtfully. It was hard to believe that it had been slightly over four years since she, Aang and the others had defeated the Firelord and restored balance to the world, And she especially couldn't believe that it had been a little over 2 years since Aang and their friends had helped defeat a bender supremacy ring that threatened to pit the benders and nonbenders of Cranefish Town against each other forever.

Now the city had grown even more. There was even talk that some of the former Fire Nation colonies would be joining together to create a "fifth" nation of sorts, a Nation that would welcome people all heritages, people from neighboring Earth Kingdom towns, the Fire Nation, and the North and South Poles were pouring into the city on a daily basis. Katara thought that within a few years, at this pace, Cranefish Town would have to expand into a worldwide city. It would be interesting to see if Aang and Sokka would manage to pull it off.

Katara was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard a light knock on her bedroom door.

"Come In." she called out, throwing a dress into her suitcase

A slender, dainty girl walked into the room. Her tall heels made a rhythmical noise against the floorboards, solid and regular like a soldier. Her face was youthful, yet mature as she threw herself onto the opposite end of her bed.

"Hello to you too Ilah." grumbled Katara rolling her eyes

Ilah glanced at her friend and rested her head on Katara's pillow

"Katara. I'm just still so desperately distraught of you're departure from my presence, oh how ever will I live without you?" she joked, overdramaticly pressing her wrist against her forehead and falling backwards into the bed.

Ilah had befriended Katara shortly after she arrived at the South Pole. Ilah was one of the few people there that Katara already knew. She was couple of months younger than Katara, and they both already knew each other as they were often forced to preform tasks as the only young girls in the southern water tribe during the days of the war.

Katara rolled her eyes again at the immaturity of her friend. Her goofy ways reminded her so much of a certain airbender.

"Thinking about him again? Katara you're literally going to see him in 3 weeks?" Ilah snickered, removing one of her dresses that Katara tried to place in her suitcase.

Pretty often, Katara would think about Aang, no surprise there seeing as they had been dating for 4 years, She could have never guessed then, when she was younger and so cold and scared, that one arrow-covered boy would change her to such a degree. But now , he would wake her up to watch sunrises, explaining how they're much better than sad sunsets, and take her to places she'd never dreamed of 4 years ago, like to air temples, museums, rich and grand palaces. He knew how to make her smile and giggle like she always used to do before her Mother died.

Aang made her feel like she was weightless.

The way he can make her blush just by squeezing her hand or by nudging her foot with his under the table. And she knows, every time they bring their lips and breaths together, that she's living in her youth.

Katara would often worry about the young avatar, they hadn't been separated for this long since he had left to help Zuko find his mother.

"Yeah he's hiding something from me. His past 3 letters have been really weird. He sent 3 apologising for not picking me up. I know Aangs sweet and romantic, but this is too much." Katara said

"Or maybe he's just trying to be nice. That seems pretty sweet to me." shrugged Ilah punching her friend in the arm. "Now stop worrying about this. Don't forget me when you go back to Cranefish town ok. Come and visit some time."

" Wow is Ilah being affectionate?" Katara laughed opening her bedroom door. "Goodbye Ilah. I Shall never be able to forget such a woman like you." she joked "I'll be back soon promise."

Katara began walking out the door before she heard another comment from her friend that was just so...Ilah. " DON'T GO GETTING YOURSELF KNOCKED UP... AND IF YOU DO I BETTER BE THE FIRST TO KNOW AND I WANT DETAILS. " she yelled smiling to herself.

Katara simply glared at her friend and continued walking off trying to ignore the laughs radiating from Ilah's mouth.

Katara said the rest of her goodbyes to her friends and family and set foot on the boat

" I'm about to find out whatever it is you're hiding Aang."

A month earlier

"Avatar Aang, you have been requested to join the next council meeting tomorrow by Firelord Zuko." said a short and stubby older man, trying to catch up to Aang's walking pace.

Aang continued walking outside in the gardens of his temporary accommodation in Crawfish Town. He honestly didn't care or have the motivation to sit through a long council meeting. He had more important things to worry about.

"Regarding what?" he asked unlocking the doors to Appa's stable

" Pyro. I don't know anything more sir." Said the old man

Aang sighed, Pyro was a group he unfortunately knew too well about, they were trying to prevent a new, larger city being made out of cranefish Town. They were peaceful about it at first, but now they had started rioting and becoming more violent. Aang wasn't entirely sure about why they were angry that he wanted to unite the 3 nations, if anything he should be angry because the town was on Air Nomad sacred ground. But there was nothing he could do about it, yet.

" I will be attending thank you." he sighed

Aang was only 17, just an kid and he was under an immense amount of pressure to protect the world, to deal with everyone's problems, and what's worse is that Katara would usually be by his side supporting him, she was his rock, but she had been gone for five months. He had to carry all of this pressure on his shoulders alone. He needed to take a break from everything.

Aang was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a familiar sound "AAAANNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG."

His head instantly spun around at the sound of his name, but it was only Sokka running towards him, probably to ask for something. This wasn't uncommon behaviour for Sokka.

" Yeah Sokka?"

Sokka placed his hand onto Aangs shoulder holding onto him steadily, trying to regain his breath.

"Just give me a second buddy. I shouldn't have eaten all of that seal jerky before running over here."

Aang simply nodded his head at his friend and waited for Sokka to regain his breath.

" I need to borrow Appa next week." he said calmly.

Aang was usually willing to help everyone and anyone how he could, but this was something he couldn't possibly do. He was supposed to to take Appa to pick up Katara in the South Pole.

"I'm sorry Sokka bu-"

" I know that you have to pick up my sister, but hear me out." he interrupted. "If you take Appa you're just going to be reuniting and doing whatever kind of oogies you guys get up to," He shivered just at the thought of what the two of them could be doing "but Toph and I need Appa to go and get sukki and Ty-lee." he continued "They have some valuable information for us on Pyro. Which will benefit the WHOLE OF CRANEFISH TOWN. So you think about that buddy. Plus you shouldn't be leaving Cranefish town at a time like this, with things the way they are."

Aang hesitated unsure if what to say in response. Sokka did have some pretty good points and in Avatar Yangchen's words he had to. 'do whatever it takes to protect the world'

" Fine. I guess it's more beneficial for everyone." he mumbles

Sokka's face lit up, he was Surprised that it was so easy to convince Aang to say yes. "thankyousomuchbuddyyouwontregretthispromise." he smiled running back into the house.

Aang looked over at Appa apologetically. Although it was so he could collect Katara. It was also going to be an opportunity for Aang to spend time with his Bison. They hadn't had one on one time in a while

" Sorry buddy." he frowned, patting his companion on the nose.

Appa grunted sadly in response and continued to munch on his food.

The counsil meeting seemed to drag on the next day. For some reason they decided to to say the intresesting things at the end when everyone was already tired

"Avatar Aang two of the leaders of the group have requested to meet with you to try and nagotiate something. Do you agree to this meeting?" Asked the earth King.

"I object." argued Sokka "Why would the enemy want to meet with us? to have a tea party and 'work things out'."

Everyone at the table glared at him as if he had just said the worst thing imaginable

"Sokka. Don't you want things to be resolved?" Zuko asked his friend

"yeah I do bu-"

"this whole thing is about Aang, I think it's best if he decides. It is him that they'd like to see afterall." said Palil stroking his beard. "Each of us left our homeland to resolve this issue because its too important. Aang I think you should try whatever you can to understand the groups motives and stop them. And meeting the leaders just may do this."

Sokka slumped back in his chair and frowned, looking at Aang pleadingly. It was a bad idea to let Aang decide. Although he was capable of making a decision himself, he was a pacifist, always tyring to look at the bright side of everything. Certainly he would say yes.

"Thank you Palil, I think it would be best if I met up with them, to understand their motive and what they want." He replied

Aang met Sokka's gaze and noticed how irritated Sokka looked. Aang didn't want Sokka to be mad at him. They had gotten along so well for the past five months so he suggested something else. " But I'd like to bring someone along with me, preferably Sokka."

Sokka relaxed much more after Aang's suggestion. He had to keep Aang safe, he had promised Katara the night before he left the South Pole that he would.

5 months earlier

Sokka and Katara were the last ones awake, they decided to spend the day with Hakoda and gran-gran before Sokka headed back to Cranefish town the next day.

The two of them lasped in a comfortable silence for a while, each of them lost in thought. They sat and gazing at the fire. Sokka was enjoying the quiet and stillness of the night. Before Katara spoke

"Sokka." she began

"Yeah?"

" Can you promise me something?" she continued, avoiding eye contact with him

"Depends what it is. But it's definitely a yes if seal jerky is thrown into the mix." he joked, looking quite satisfied at his response.

Katara simply looked at her brother confused, but continued what she was saying. "Well when you go back...tell Aang I say hi."

" So you acted all dramatic and suspenceful just to ask me to tell Aang you say hi?" he asked raising his eyebrow at his sister.

Katara didn't really want Sokka to tell Aang that she said hi. In reality she just wanted to ask him to look out for Aang. Aang would often let the responsibility of being Avatar get to him, he would always put the world before himself. It wasn't a bad thing, but everyone needs to put themselves first sometimes, or even someone to advice them, and although he didn't act like it he was still deeply hurt by the loss of his people, being the last airbender. Since Katara couldn't be there to support Aang. She felt like she had to ask Sokka to do it, otherwise she'd drive herself crazy worrying about him.

" Well no Sokka. What I really need you to do is look out for Aang." She explained, furrowing her brows.

Sokka looked at his sister confused. Look out for Aang? That sounded ridiculous to him. "You're asking ME to look out for the avatar? Did Toph slam a rock into your head or something? He's the most powerful being in the world. He has the easiest life getting everything for free form everyone. Mmmmmm imagine all that free beef jerky. He should be the one looking out for me." he laughed

As Sokka kept adding on to what he was saying, Katara grew more annoyed with every word that came out of his mouth, her knuckles ached from clenching her fist too hard, and she gritted teeth from effort to remain silent, her hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, potent. She could feel the suppressed rage ready to burst out her, her heart was swelling with a combination of sympathy and affection for the boy she loved so dearly. His deep trust in her meant the world to her. No one else saw this Aang, the Aang with doubts and fears and haunting thoughts. No one but her , and when Sokka was about to finish, she snapped.

"Being the Avatar's not that easy you know. Imagine having all of the world's problems resting on your shoulders to deal with them. Imagine feeling like it's your fault that an entire race of people were killed because of you. And imagine having to witness all of the hardships and pain and deaths from a war and thinking every day its your fault. Imagine Dad dying and thinking its your fault every day, imagine him dying and never even getting to say goodbye And that's not even the half of it. Being the Avatar isn't that easy so stop making it seem like it is. Aang seems fine all the time because he's an open minded person and he dosent talk about his problems. So don't tell me he has anything easy! "

The once vibrant atmosphere in the room turned melancholy. Neither Katara or Sokka uttered a word. The only sounds were the odd squawks of penguins stumbling around outside.

Sokka felt terrible. He never truly comprehended or understood the pain and pressure Aang was carrying on his shoulders. He especially didn't realise how his sister also took it upon herself to carry them on hers. Sokka couldn't even remember a time when Katara had been this pissed off at him.

"I'm sorry Katara... I didn't reali-"

"No you didn't." she snapped

"look... I'll look out for Aang for you. I promise."

"Really?"

"Of Course."

Back to a month earlier

The council had all agreed that Aang should meet the two leaders of Pyro with Sokka. They were both supposed to go and gather information on the new threat.

Sokka was extremely relieved when he found out that he would be able to tagg along with Aang. They had become closer than they were before if that were even possible. While they used to share one brain cell between them, they now shared half a brain cell.

He knew that with him there, nothing could possibly go wrong, so he thought...