Directly after the season 2 finale, Katara laments for Aang's near death and blames herself.


"The Earth Kingdom, has fallen." The earth king proclaimed in a somber tone as he looked down in defeat. Sokka and Toph who were sitting next to him didn't reply, their body language said it all. Katara had sat Aang down next to her where she could steer Appa. She had used her healing powers with the Spirit Oasis water just seconds before to save Aang and bring him back to life. That was the only good outcome of all of this, the Avatar was still alive; barely, but alive nonetheless.

Katara was bruised, beat up, burned, exhausted, defeated. She had lost. They all had. And they had come so close to victory just to have it taken away. Fortunately they were all together, but even that didn't seem to lighten up their spirits. She looked down at Aang, he was unconscious laying against her with shallow breaths. Her eyes welled up. She could have stopped this, she could have stopped Azula from using her lightning. She was distracted and she wasn't paying attention, and she let it happen.

It was all just too much to take in.

She hugged Aang close to her, as tight as she could. She tried to calm herself and do a play by play of all the events that happened. She was talking with Zuko. She thought he had changed. Aang came. They tried to leave. Azula came. Zuko came. They attacked us. Aang fought, I fought. We were getting overwhelmed. Aang went into the Avatar State. Azula zapped him out of the air. There was no where to go. Iroh came and held them off. I got Aang out of there.

Katara played these events over and over in her head, scrutinizing herself for every mistake she made, no matter how small it was. A million what ifs came to her mind. She should have known those weren't the real Kyoshi warriors, she could have fought better in the emerald cave, that fight alone she made so many wrong moves. She could have done so much more to have protected Aang. Maybe if I was better She looked down at the young Avatar in her arms, her teammate, her bestfriend.

"I let you down." Was all she said as the great city of Ba Sing Se slipped away from sight.


Here's another short one :) Let me know what you think!