Still In This Fight

by SkyLegend04

AU. It's 1945, and many believe the war in Europe will soon come to an end. Back home, Aang makes the worst mistake of his life. He joins the army, hoping that he can leave the past behind him. Will he overcome the burden of his failure, or be forced to live with the thought of what might have been?

3. Love and War

Chapter 3: Love and War

It's been three months since Aang left for basic. Upon finishing training, he finds himself headed towards the front. It was in the early days of March, and the First Army Group had pushed through France and Belgium towards the Rhine. Aang was sitting in a foxhole, writing a letter home.

Dear Suki and Toph,

Sorry it's been so long since I last wrote to you. I hope everything's alright back there. Any news on Katara's condition? I know what I said before I left, but I care too much for her to not ask. I hope she'll wake up soon and make a speedy recovery. When she's awake, please break the news to her slowly. I know she won't take well to my leaving, but she should move on, for both our sakes. I hope you're all doing okay. Words can't express how terribly I miss all of you, Appa and Momo included. Please give them lots of hugs and kisses from me. How's Sokka? I know we never had a chance to make up before I went away, but please tell him I miss him. He is still like family to me, and I hope that we can fix things when I return. If I return. I finished training around late January, and since then I've been pushing East with my unit towards Germany. Currently, we're holed up in a forest a few miles from a town called Remagen. We've been tasked with supporting a division of tanks rolling by to take a nearby bridge. The Germans have fought much harder than I had anticipated. I think of all the times I was almost shot to pieces, or hit by an artillery shell. Thankfully, I have made it this far, though I did not expect to or even hope to. I know in my last letter I said I'd try to be more positive, but it's been a lot harder than expected. I just haven't been able to forgive myself for what I did. I hope Katara can find a good man that will love and care for her better than I could. I know you and Toph will make sure she's treated right. Please take care of her for me. As for the letters, I suppose it's up to you if you want to show them to her. Please give her some time, though. I can't imagine all of this hitting her at once will do her any good. Anyways, I should be moving out in the morning, so this will be the last time I'm writing to you for at least a few weeks. Thank you for all the support you've given me. I know how you feel about all this, but I think they'd be better off without me. Even if Sokka and Katara are out of my life, I hope we can still stay in contact. You and Toph have been like sisters to me, and I love you both very much. Hopefully this war will be over soon, and everything will be resolved. Whatever happens, I know it will all be for the best.

Sincerely,

Aang

He sealed the envelope and stuffed the letter into his jacket pocket. Hopefully, he'd live through this battle, if only to ensure that Suki got this letter. Even if he died, he would at least give everyone back home some final closure. His company commander walked up to their foxhole, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Fine evening, isn't it sir?"

"That it is private. Come with me, I've got a job for you."

"Yes, sir."

The lieutenant brought him to where the 9th Armored had been passing through, and on the side of the road there was a lone Sherman sitting idle. On its 76mm gun, the words Punisher were written in white.

"The boys in the 9th have been giving the Krauts a good ol' hammering, but not without losing a few of their own. I need you to replace their bow gunner. Lost him when they were ambushed by a Panzer Division on their way here. I trust you'll be up to the task, son."

"Yes, sir. You can count on me."

"That's what I like to hear. Go on and get yourself acquainted, you boys will be stuck with each other for the rest of the war."

With that, Aang exchanged a salute with his commander, before turning to introduce himself to his new crew.

"Sergeant. I'm your new bow gunner."

"On whose order?" the sergeant responded.

"Lieutenant Walters, sir. From Able Company."

The sergeant looked him up and down. He could tell Aang had fought before, but clearly he was still fresh and had a lot more to learn.

"How long you been in the army, son?"

"A month."

"Well shit. We've got quite the fight ahead of us. You sure you're up to it?"

"I'll do my best."

The Sergeant looked at him once more, and took a long pull of his cigarette before finally responding.

He sighed. "Looks like you're it then. Get some chow and meet the rest of the crew. We head out for Remagen in an hour."

"Yes, sergeant."

Aang began walking towards the tank, unsure of how he'd be received by the crew. His impression of the sergeant was already of a very ill-tempered and troubled man, which only left him to wonder how the other men would be. Just then, he saw a familiar scarred face staring at him, almost in disbelief.

"Zuko?" Aang said with a hint of relief in his voice. At least there was someone he knew to make this easier.

"Aang! What the hell are you doing out here?"

"Couldn't let you have all the fun out here, now could I?"

"Well shit, it's good to see you bud! How's Katara doing?"

Aang looked down for a second. He had hoped Zuko wouldn't ask. Since he arrived in Europe, he has tried to keep his mind off of her. And he had no problem doing so, being constantly bombarded and subjected to combat. He had simply been too focused on surviving to think about her. Except for when things got quiet. That's when each man was alone with his thoughts, thinking about anything but the constant suffering and death that surrounded them. And that's what always crossed Aang's mind on those days where there was a lull in the fighting. He would think of his home. The home they shared. Cuddling up on the couch with her on a cold winter day, listening to music as they enjoyed each other's presence. Walking in the door, and being pulled into her embrace since she had gotten home early. Playing with Appa and Momo in the front yard. He thought about how he could never again share any moments like that with her. We can't be as happy as we used to be, and it's all my fault. He began to sulk once more, until Zuko's voice pulled him back to reality.

"You okay, Aang? You spaced out there for a minute."

Aang decided to give Zuko a quick rundown of everything that happened before he left. The accident, Sokka's outburst, and his decision to leave.

Zuko gave him a tender smile and put a hand on his shoulder. "That's rough buddy. I'm sure everything will be okay."

Aang returned his smile. "I sure hope so. Now, can we meet the rest of the crew?"

"Sure thing."

There were two other men sitting on the tank. As they walked up to them, Zuko called their attention.

"Hey boys, looks like we got ourselves a new bow gunner. This is Aang, an old friend of mine."

Aang was about to greet them when one of them spoke up. It was the man sitting atop the tank, leaning against the 50 caliber gun. Zuko had pointed them out to Aang on their way here. This man's name was Kesang, but to the crew, he was known as "Preacher". According to Zuko, he controlled the main turret. The next man leaned over the tank's main gun, staring at Aang while smoking a cigarette. He was tall and slender, just like Aang. Though the dead stare in his eyes told Aang they might not be so similar. Zuko had said they called him "Grady", even though his real name was Chong. Grady was the loader. And Zuko had said he was the driver.

Preacher jumped down off the tank and looked at Aang. "Is he saved?"

"I'm baptized."

"Now see, that's not what I asked you."

Grady chuckled and pointed at him, "That ain't what he asked you. Listen up."

"Are you saved?"

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Oh you will. You will."

Preacher stared him down intensely before finally laughing, Grady and Zuko joining in.

"Ah I'm just messing with you kid. Welcome to your new home. Do your job right, and we'll do just fine."

He let out an audible sigh, relieved that, despite them being grizzled veterans, they accepted him without much fuss.

"Our gunner was a good man. He's gonna be hard to replace. Hopefully you're up to the task." The sergeant finally returned, remarking to Aang as he climbed atop the tank. Zuko said his name was Sergeant Kelden, but he was known in the Division as "Wardaddy."

"I'll do my best, sergeant."

"That's all any of us can do, son. Zuko, talk him through that gun. Get him up to speed. Preacher, I want you to grab extra ammunition and fuel. We'll need as much as we can get. Grady, give the tank a once over. I want everything squared away."

Everyone nodded and went their separate ways, getting to work. Zuko brought Aang into the gunner's seat, sitting beside him on the driver's side.

"Alright, so you got the periscope to see your targets. There's ammo cans to your right, so be ready to make quick reloads. Every 5 rounds is a tracer so you can see what you're hitting. Try not to squeeze the trigger too long. You'll want to fire in short bursts, so you don't waste too much ammo on one target. Got it?"

"Got it." Aang stared at the gun. It was a great deal different from the Thompson that he carried. You could mow down hundreds of people with it, and he shuddered at the thought. He killed before a few times, but he told himself it was for his survival. He knew it was wrong, but if he couldn't do his job, he would get himself and those around him killed.

As if reading his mind, Zuko spoke up. " I know you're a peaceful guy Aang, but this is war. We do what we have to do."

"I know Zuko. I won't let you guys down. I'll do my part."

From outside, the roar of engines could be heard. Aang and Zuko opened their hatches to look out. Sergeant Kelden and Preacher had returned. "Mount up! We're moving out." the sergeant yelled to the rest of the column. The Punisher would be leading a column of 5 tanks and an assortment of infantry to take and hold Ludendorff Bridge. "We'll be leading the pack, kid. Keep your head on a swivel and be on alert." Aang nodded in response, and the rest of the crew entered the tank. "Button up!" Wardaddy called out to the crew, and they did as ordered, closing their hatches and preparing for the fight ahead.

"All tanks, Wardaddy. I'll be leading the column. Let's get this done."

"Let's get under way, Zuko."

"Copy that."

With that, Punisher got into full gear, driving on towards Remagen. They led a column of 9 tanks, as well as multiple troop carriers and half tracks following behind. They had been going on for about an hour, before finally reaching Ludendorff Bridge. There was a long dirt road alongside the river leading up to the bridge, which the column followed. As they rolled on towards the bridge, a German Pak 40 fired from the other side of the river. The shell ricocheted off the turret into the nearby hill with a loud whistle.

"We got Krauts, 4 o'clock! Gunner, traverse right, load HE! Fire!"

"On the way!"

"Jackson, Murphy, Dixon, follow me to secure the bridge. The rest of you, lay down suppressing fire across that river bank!"

Wardaddy leaned over the side to speak to Sergeant Miles, who was leading the infantry alongside the tanks. "Let your boys know we're moving on the bridge. Get them off those trucks and stick close!" About 30 ground troops were now following the four tanks, while the rest of the column stayed back to engage the bridge defenses along the other side of the river. "Driver, full ahead. Bow gunner, keep your eyes peeled. You see any Krauts, you cut those sons of bitches down." Aang stared ardently out of his periscope, his hands tightly gripping the gun in front of him. Punisher rolled onto the bridge, enveloped by a thick fog.

"Roll on through that soup Zuko, let's get this done." Sergeant Kelden ordered.

"Roger that", Zuko responded as he began to increase speed.

As the fog began to clear, there were 7 or 8 Germans in a sandbag position at the edge of the bridge. They were rigging explosive charges to blow up the bridge, and when Sergeant Kelden saw this, he didn't hesitate.

"Bow gunner, squirt those Krauts on the left! We're not letting them blow this bridge!"

"Roger that!" Aang breathed in slowly, and squeezed the trigger. He fired three short bursts at the Germans, while Wardaddy suppressed those on the right with the 30 mounted on the roof. As they mowed down the enemy troops, they met little resistance. Wardaddy turned to Sergeant Miles once more. "Get two lines on either side of the bridge. Start clearing the town, and we'll follow." Miles nodded and gave the order for the infantry to begin marching across the bridge to Remagen. As soon as the men appeared in front of the tanks, one private took a shot to the chest and collapsed.

"Sniper!" one of the men called out. Instantly, they all dropped to the ground, while those close by ducked behind the tanks for cover.

"All tanks, move forward!" Wardaddy called out. They rolled over the bridge into town, letting the infantry fall in behind them for cover as they did so. The sergeant ducked his head down behind the 30, looking for any signs of the sniper. Just then, he saw the glint of a scope in the bell tower, straight ahead at the edge of the road.

"Preacher, target that bell tower, 400 yards." Wardaddy began suppressing the top of the tower, and soon enough it exploded into a mass of rubble and falling bricks.

"Let's keep going. Driver, ahead steady." The small column continued into town, ever alert of every window and alleyway they passed.

"Hard left up ahead," the sergeant called out to Zuko. As they turned the corner, another AT shell whizzed overhead, just missing the lead tank. "Straight ahead, 100 yards! Throw some willy pete at those cocksuckers!"

Grady loaded a white phosphorus round, and closed up the chamber. "You clear, Kesang!"

"On the way!" The shell flew out towards the small corner shop where the artillery gun had fired on them, blowing the windows to shards and wrecking the entire structure. Three German soldiers walked out, being cooked by the white phosphorus. Aang fired his gun and cut them down, more of a mercy killing than anything else.

"Jackson, Murphy, take that road on the right. Dixon, follow me and we'll continue this way."

As the infantry began clearing house to house, the tanks slowly escorted them through the town. Punisher and Dixon's tank, the Liberator, rumbled down the quiet street. They reached the town square with and linked back up with Jackson and Murphy, letting the infantry do the brunt of the work. Once the all clear was given Wardaddy radioed for the rest of the convoy to cross the bridge and hold up in the town. The tank crews had dismounted and done an ammo and supply check when all of a sudden, a whistling could be heard through the night sky. "Take cover!" one of the infantry shouted. Everyone dove to the ground or under vehicles, while Aang crawled under the tank with Zuko. He had been in combat before, but he never got used to the shelling. Something about it shook him to his core. The constant shaking and dirt and debris flying everywhere. You could just narrowly miss one shell only to be hit by another. He had seen men blown to pieces where they stood, and it was forever imprinted into his memory. He lay there shaking, his hands over his ears, praying that it would stop. Fortunately, Zuko was there to get him back on track.

"Get up Aang! We've got to get inside the tank!"

Aang wouldn't budge, so Zuko dragged him out from under by his shirt collar, and boosted him up onto the hatch. As the crew braced themselves inside, the bombardment continued for half an hour. All they could do was wait it out, hoping they wouldn't be blown apart. Finally, the town went silent. Wardaddy did a check on the crew and the other tanks. Their only losses were several infantrymen and one tank. But each fallen was another face to remember, another life cut short by war. The silence did little to comfort them. Not more than a minute later did gunfire begin to rage through the town. The Nazis were launching a counterattack to take out the bridge, but the Americans were ready. Wardaddy and the other tanks jumped into action, pushing back the oncoming waves of Volkssturm and SS that constantly besieged the town. The Shermans had managed to set up a defensive perimeter on all major roads into Remagen, as well as on both sides of the bridge. They were in for a long night, but they'd be damned if they let the Germans take back the town. For Aang, it took an immense toll on his conscience and his mental health. If one thing was for sure, it was that he wouldn't be the same man he once was if he ever returned home.

Back Home

"I just don't understand why it's taken so long for Aang to write. I mean, it's been three months!" Suki remarked as she headed to the hospital with Toph and Sokka.

"It's not all that bad. At least he won't be around to ruin Katara's life any further." Sokka responded, almost oblivious to the now furious Suki, and the even more furious Toph.

"How can you even say that Sokka? You know how much they mean to each other! I thought we'd been over this." She glared intensely at him as he focused on driving, while Toph punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! Would you knock that off?"

"You need to get your head out of your ass, Snoozles! Aang wouldn't even have left if you hadn't put all that shit into his head. And just think of how Sugar Queen will feel when she wakes up."

"She's right, you know. We're both very mad at you right now, and I'm sure Katara will be too when she comes to."

Sokka sighed. He knew this was an argument he was going to lose, so he took Toph's advice and "got his head out of his ass."

"I don't blame you. I am still mad at Aang for what happened, but I am mad at myself too, ya know. Katara's my sister! And Aang- he's been like a brother to me for the past 3 years! I know now that what I did was purely out of rage, and I wasn't thinking. Please know I'd do anything to take it back. I never meant to hurt either of them, but I just want what's best for Katara!"

"Well clearly, you don't know Katara then! She's practically been head over heels for Aang since they met. You remember how flustered she was when you introduced him to her." Suki said to try and lighten the mood.

Sokka chuckled and cracked a small grin. "I do remember. She was so not ready to meet Aang! Her face was redder than a tomato, and she tripped all over herself walking up to shake his hand!"

The two girls, despite being mad at Sokka, laughed heartily at this as they were glad at the change of subject.

"And remembered when Twinkletoes lunged himself forward to catch her? She couldn't even speak when he plopped her back on her feet!" Toph remarked, filling the car with laughter once more.

Sokka started to think more on this, however. Katara and Aang really were in love, and he had probably just fucked it up for the both of them. He sighed once more, thinking of the day he had confronted Aang once more. He wished he could've been more kind, more understanding. He was only trying to protect her from Aang at the time, but he knew that was stupid. Aang wasn't at fault for that crash, and he could've guessed that was how Katara would see it too.

"I'd do anything to reverse all this. To make him stay, to be here when she wakes up. It's all my fault." Sokka was doing his best to hold back his tears, but Suki knew him better than that. Behind his manly facade, Sokka was a real softy. That was the man she had fallen in love with, and she wanted him to be more comfortable with that.

She gently picked up his hand and kissed it, trying to comfort him. "It's okay hon. At least you know what you did, and now you can make up for it. Just please, don't let it get to you. We don't need another one of the gang leaving us again."

He knew Suki was right. He had to be strong for Katara, for Aang. But really for all of them.

"I won't. Do you guys think you can forgive me for what I did?" He glanced over at Suki, then at Toph in the backseat. Both girls looked at him quietly, before Toph grinned and finally spoke up.

"If you ask a few more times, I'm sure we'll come around to it. Maybe after a free lunch or two, just to be safe."

They all laughed as Sokka's mouth began to water, a testament to his unbelievably large appetite. "Now that's something I can do"

They finally arrived at the hospital, pulling up to one of the front parking slots. They were all very excited to see how Katara was faring, though caring for her had been quite strenuous. For the past three months, they'd come in to help give her baths, change her clothes, and just to spend time with her. They'd talk to her about their day, or just mindlessly ramble about anything to her. Even though she couldn't respond, they acted like she was hanging on their every word. By this point, her room had been filled with cards and flowers from family and friends, to the point where the hospital had to move some of them to the empty room next door. As they walked into the reception, the nurse looked up at them, putting down the phone that was in her hand.

"I was just about to call. Something's happened!" she had said with a less than excited tone, immediately worrying the three.

"What?! What happened to my sister! Spirits, no!"

Sokka ran down the corridor to her room, with Suki and Toph not far behind. The nurse tried desperately to calm them, but to no avail. They had finally reached her room, and found an empty bed. Their eyes widened, and Sokka fell to his knees, unable to stop his tears from flowing. Suki and Toph were immediately at his side, both trying to process the news themselves. As they continued their grieving. The sound of the bathroom door in her room opening caught their attention.

Their bright smiles could've outshone the sun, as they ran up to her, now with tears of joy falling across their cheeks.

"Katara!" Sokka called out as he gripped her in a tight bear hug. Suki and Toph both joined in on the embrace, happy to see their friend finally awake.

"It's so good to see all of you! She began to cry as well, overwhelmed with emotion at their reunion. But of course, she knew immediately something was missing, or more specifically, someone.

She took a step back into the wall, and her voice cried out with a desperation they'd never heard from her.

"Where's Aang?!"

Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed the last story! Reading them really made my day, and I've been working for days to try and make this chapter as good as I could for you guys. It was also a very busy week for me, so no worries, from here on out I'll try to update more frequently. Thank you again!