Chapter Seventeen

Two Months Later

In the two months since being found by Sokka, Aang Windstorm had never been happier. He had completed his freshman online courses and was almost finished with his sophomore ones. Nearly every day he drew in his art book, mostly pictures of Katara, but of other things to add to his portfolio when it was time to take college courses.

His job was awesome; he loved being around all the books and seeing what was in stock. He had been alone for so long, sometimes he wondered if it was all an elaborate dream. But no; every time Aang woke in the morning as the sun rose, he took a deep breath and grinned to himself. Today was Saturday, and he decided to not work on school for the day; he was so far ahead already it wouldn't hurt to take the day off.

Mrs. Nolan, who insisted on being called Teresa, only let him work from Monday to Friday. He had the weekends off for himself. She had said that he was still a teenager and needed a break every weekend before coming back to the grind. He was grateful for her support and decided not to argue too hard.

Stretching and yawning, Aang rubbed his eyes as sunlight filtered in his bedroom windows. Ever since getting the job, he had made it a point to make the room more like him. At first he had been unsure of how it should look: Bright and cheery like his room back home, or dark and quiet. Pieces of him had been taken, but he had found that he hadn't lost the love for bright colors, so he decided to go cheery with a hint of darker tones.

A golden-orange duvet with black sheets and pillowcases adorned the bed, white curtains slightly open to allow light but with black on the other side to block it if so desired, and some personal products of his own on the dresser. The digital alarm clock read a little after nine in the morning.

Standing, he walked over to the dresser and looked at himself in the large, square mirror. No longer pale, Aang's skin had gained a healthy peach color, the circles gone from his eyes, and the bruising he'd had had disappeared from his body. He was a glowing, healthy teenager again, though he tended to skip meals every now and then when he was working on school or art. Otherwise, he looked like an older version of how he had been before the kidnapping.

Thanks to his friends, he had gained a healthy amount of weight and had a bit of muscle on him now. Katara and Sokka helped him eat meals, starting low to in order for him regain his appetite again. There was a free gym in town where they went to at least twice a week. Katara had helped with changing his bandages until the wound from the glass table had closed up. His mind was better, too. Even the nightmares weren't as frequent as before.

After dressing and combing his hair, Aang went into the kitchen, where Katara was making breakfast of oatmeal and fruit slices. Sokka was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Sokka?"

Katara looked up. "Still sleeping, so I decided to get something for myself for a change." She smiled at him and his heart galloped in his chest. It seemed that no matter how long he had been around her, there was no stopping his reactions to her beauty. She was a gorgeous person in and out. Katara was going to make some guy very happy. Even f it wasn't him.

She asked, "Would you like something too, Aang?"

Aang shook his head, both in answer and to stop his thoughts. "Nah, I'm good with some cereal and toast." He went over to the fridge and pulled down some Fruit Loops. As he placed two pieces of bread into the toaster, he poured milk into the bowl and waited.

Since that day, he had gotten to know this family. Sokka, it turned out, was a real technical genius. He could take apart and put back together almost anything from cellphones, laptops, and tablets, as well as cars and other automobiles. His favorite color was auburn (what a shock), and his favorite food was steak. Sarcasm was his way of living life or handling grief.

Katara was another matter. She was strong, with a mother's love and strength of a warrior. Her favorite color was purple (indigo) and her favorite food was spiced apples. She loved bubble baths and swimming in pools, though she wasn't a fan of the beach.

The toast popped up, then was buttered, and they wandered to the table to eat. The silence was comfortable if a little nerve wracking, at least on his part. His crush had started to grow more, though he was afraid to give the feeling a name. Aang had never felt anything like it before. Any crush he'd had before paled in comparison to this one. A couple of times, he had wanted to admit that he liked her, but had always chickened out at the last minute.

In just a couple more weeks, he would be starting Junior Year. The vacation had flown by; he had no idea where it had gone. Hakoda, who had become something like a father figure since his was gone, had arranged for Aang to be put into classes. Having almost finished his online classes for Sophomores, the principal had no qualms about the boy entering for that year and the next.

The idea made his stomach fill with jittery nerves, but despite that, he was looking forward to going to school. The fear of being discovered what he had been before all but disappeared. There was no way anyone else would know about his forced prostitution. No one had to know; he mostly wanted to keep his head down and get through the rest of school without trouble.

He had been thinking about some things the last couple of weeks. His father, for one. How was he doing, if he was still alive? He hadn't told Hakoda about his suspicions about him, or that he was even around. The mistress could have him, or he was killed. But Aang refused to believe that. There was a chance his dad was alive. He felt it was about time to get him back.

The thought brought his mother to the forefront. At least it was a certainty of her being alive. But so far, he hadn't had the courage to see her. Suki had asked him loads of times if he was ready but each time, something held him back. Could it be the fact that his father wasn't around? Partly, but it was something else. What if she didn't believe that he was her son? She thought him to be dead. He could only hope that, when they did meet again, she would recognize the fifteen-year-old she raised.

A question came to mind and he looked at the girl in front of him. "Hey, Katara?"

She had just taken a bit of cantaloupe, so she swallowed then said, "Yeah, Aang?"

He frowned at her. "You've known Suki for a couple of years."

Katara frowned back him in curiosity. "Give or take a couple weeks. Why?"

Taking a deep breath, he asked lowly, "Did you ever meet her, my mother?"

Putting down the fruit, she furrowed her brow, causing a little wrinkle. He resisted smoothing it away as she answered. "Well, no, actually. Suki told us once that she wasn't one for company after someone she loved had vanished." She shrugged sadly. "I didn't think much of it at the time except feeling sad for her losses, though I wasn't sure it was you or her husband who had gone away."

Sighing, Aang twiddled his thumbs. "I've been thinking that it...might be time to see her. Before school starts."

There was silence for a long time. The thought had crossed his mind from time to time in the last couple of weeks, but it was only last night after dinner that he really starting thinking it was time. He was healthy, stronger, and wiser than before; Suki gave him lessons on defending himself, and he knew what to look for when it came to detecting danger. At least he wasn't too afraid of being touched, anymore, but there was still a long way to go before he was ready for anything remotely sexual.

He took a shuddering breath, still facing the floor. "It's just that... For a long time, all I wanted was to be free from that place. And now that I have that freedom, I want to use it right. Seeing my mother would help me reconnect to who I was before."

"Aang," Katara said softly, and when he looked at her, there was a sad smile on her face, understanding in her blue eyes that warmed his chest. "You don't have to explain anything to me. If you want to see your mother, than you have every right to do so."

He smiled to show his appreciation for her encouragement and reached over, grasping her hand. That zing hadn't lessened; if anything, it was stronger than ever. It was getting harder to keep his heart to himself, but that fear, fear of rejection, fear of expectation, kept his mouth shut. Kind and beautiful though Katara is, he couldn't not expect her to remain celibate because he still wasn't sure he was ready for intimacy.

Clearing his throat, he removed his hand and stood up. For a moment he thought he saw hurt flash in her, but then she smiled warmly, so it must have been his imagination. She said, "Suki might be home; want to give her a call?"

He nodded and went back to his room, saying, "I'll be right back."

He had been able to save some money to get a smartphone, a sleek black number with a six inch screen. Aang unlocked it and opened his contacts. Having them memorized, Kuzon's and Zuko's, as well as some of his other friends' numbers, were logged in, but so far he hadn't had the guts to cal any of them. One was the worry that they were old; another was that he wasn't ready.

They all probably believed he was dead. If he called out of the blue, how would they react? To them, it would be like talking to a ghost.

Pushing them from his mind, he looked up Suki's number and pressed the call button. Heart pounding at the thought of his decision, he waited.

After two rings, she answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, Suki," he replied, feeling his throat tighten at hearing his friend's voice. Sometimes it amazed him still that she was around, that his sister by everything but blood could calm his home ache. "Are you home?"

"Yeah. I'm enjoying a nice lazy day." He could hear the snap of a a cover, and figured she had been reading a book."So what's up, Aang?"

Taking a breath to cal himself, he then replied, "I think it's time, Suks."

There was a pause on the other end. Suki would know what Aang meant. They had spoken about it before. But now, the decision was real, and he needed her help.

Finally she said, "I'll be right over, little brother. Are you sure you're ready, though?"

"No," he admitted, "not completely. But I want to see her, all the same. I-I need her to know that I'm alive."

"Alright, I'm on my way."

"Thanks, sis," he said before hanging up. After all this time, Linda would be seeing him again. His mother didn't know he was around, that he had escaped, because Aang didn't want her to know. Suki promised she wouldn't say anything about him.

Now, with his Junior Year around the corner, it was time.

(***)

Katara had offered to go with him, but Aang felt that he should do this on his own. Suki informed him on the way that Linda lived farther down the beach, more or less on her own. Katara had never met her because his mother didn't go out much, even when Suki had asked her before if she wanted to meet her friends.
According to her, Linda had become increasingly recluse in the last two years and didn't fancy talking to people.

"But if that's true," he said warily, "how can she talk to me? I'll be a stranger."

They were driving to the edge of town. It was going to take at least forty minutes to arrive at his mother's house. His nerves were quaking to the point that it was a miracle he didn't fall apart.

Suki smiled, though it had a hint of grimace to the expression. "Well, maybe," she said slowly, "but Mom would still be happy to see you're alive."

"And you didn't tell her about me, right?"

"Of course," she affirmed in slight annoyance. "Look, everything will be fine. Just relax right now, okay?"

Easier said than done, but Aang did his best to take her advice. It wouldn't do to stress over something like this. Either it was going to work out or it wasn't. In the meantime, he decided to look around as they left the main hub, with a warm breeze ruffling his hair from the open window.

Freedom was a dangerous thing, he knew, but the sensation of it was still kind of foreign to him. In the two years of his imprisonment, it was amazing to be out in the world, figuring himself out and remembering how things were before in comparison.

It was amazing how things had changed.

They remained silent throughout the rest of the drive, but Aang didn't mind. It was a comfortable silence that only sibling-friends could understand. Suki's solid strength and warmth was on his side, her love powerful, even when she had thought he was dead. He couldn't of asked for a better sister.

The buildings had grown slightly sparse, but the city limits were still beautiful. On their left was the coast, a beach with white sands and glittering waves. On the end of the beach, near a dock, a small house on stilts sat among the short dunes. It was slightly careworn, as if the person inside didn't pay too much attention to detail.

But there was something that Aang recognized almost immediately: On the ledge of a window facing them, a flower box grew begonias. His mother's favorite flowers.

Memories of that bloom made tears well in his eyes as Suki stopped the car. When he was a child, his mother would collect them to braid a flower crown. They were always beautiful, but he used to comment on how sad it was that they were dying after being plucked from the ground.

His mother had laughed. "Oh, Aang, much like your father, caring for all things alive." She leaned in close and whispered, "But you know what?"

Five year old Aang looked at her. "What, Mommy?" he asked softly, gray eyes wide with wonder.

"For every flower plucked, one more beautiful will take its place." She placed a kiss on his forehead as he smiled while she placed the finished crown on his head. "Remember, sweetheart, even when gone, a seed remains."

It wasn't until now that he began to understand what she meant. His family had lost so much, Aang himself had been taken and beaten and molested. But that tiny seed, that small sprout of hope, had never completely been weeded in his heart.

They sat in silence for a while, watching the closed curtains. Heart in his throat, he said, "She's in there." Swallowing down a sob, he covered his mouth. "My mom will finally know about me."

Suki grabbed his free hand. "It's going to shock her, Aang. Do you want me to go with you?"

Aang thought for a moment, but the idea of Suki walking up there with him...it didn't feel right, somehow. This felt like something he had to do alone.

He shook his head and opened the door. "Just stay here," he said softly. "Okay?"

She seemed to understand his meaning because she nodded. "Alright."

Leaving the car behind, he crossed the street and walked up to the front door, heart beating faster now than ever. His mom was just inside, believing he was gone for good. What a shock it was going to be when she saw him again.

Once he raised his hand, however, he hesitated. Did Aang really have the right to just barge in on his mother? She had had made a life of her own here, where neither man was around, him or his dad. Aang bit his lip uncertainly, then straightened his shoulders, and knocked.

Movement could be heard in the house. He released a slow breath as the sounds got closer. His mouth went dry as the handle turned. When the door opened, he felt the air freeze in his lungs.

Though there was definitely gray strands in the auburn locks and a few additional wrinkles on her face, his mother didn't look any less beautiful. Her green eyes, though lovely as he remembered, were darker, sorrow and anger and tiredness weighing her gaze. She was thin, but not so much as to appear skeletal. She wore a red jersey and blue shorts.

She looked at him, narrowing her gaze. "Can I help you, young man?" Her tone was cautious, like one would have when...meeting a stranger. Like him...

There were a lot of things he wanted to say to her, but glue seemed to close his throat shut. He cleared his throat, then forced himself to speak. "Are you Linda Windstorm?"

Suspicion came to her gaze. No wonder; he made himself out as a creep. "Who wants to know?" she said lowly, dangerous.

He cleared his throat by swallowing, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Well, ma'am, I..." Aang trailed off, lifting his hand and rubbing the bracelet for courage.

His mother looked at his movement sharply. When her eyes widened in shock, she demanded, "Let me see your wrist!"

Aang jumped in surprise, heart pounding louder that it was almost a miracle it didn't escape. "I-"

But she had reached out and grasped his bracelet, yanking it towards her. His reaction was automatic; he pulled away in fright. Gentle touches he could handle, not sudden ones. But the woman had gotten a look at the bracelet; there was a glaze of tears in her eyes.

"Who are you?" she murmured shakily, meeting his gaze, looking at him for an answer. "How did you get my son's bracelet?"

Tears burned his eyes as he said softly, "You do recognize me, don't you?"

His mother looked at him, really looked at him, seeing his medium brown hair and gray eyes, eyes that he had inherited from his father. The tears spilled from her green eyes, which helped his turn hazel in the light, gray and green together.

Linda clasped a hand to her mouth."Oh my God," she whispered, eyes widening. "It can't be..." She hesitated, then asked, "Is-is that you, Aang?" Her voice choked on his name.

Tears flowed and he smiled shakily, nodding. "It's me, Mom. I'm alive."

Linda didn't seem to think he was. Her hand, the one not covering her mouth, stretched out. But she hesitated in touching his cheek. Taking the initiative, Aang grabbed that hand and placed it where it was meant to, to prove that he was indeed there, flesh and blood.

Hers and Joshua's.

His voice choked, he mumbled, "I'm here, I'm not dead. I came to find you."

Linda started sobbing, but there was a smile on her face. "Aang, my son." She caressed his face with both hands now, eyes shining with incredulity and love. "You're here. My baby boy." She didn't seem able to hold back anymore; she wrapped him in her arms, and Aang clung to her just as desperately, sobbing into her neck. Linda was kissing his hair over and over, though she had to stretch up to do so.

They laughed and cried together, staying in the embrace for a long time before she leaned back, grinning. "You've gotten so tall."

He gave a watery laugh. "Growth spurt."

She chuckled, wiping her eyes. "Just like your father." Chin wobbling, she brushed his hair away from his eyes. Linda shook her head with small laugh. "You look just like him, sweetheart. But you definitely have some green in those grays of yours."

Aang laughed because, damn, it felt good and wonderful, to be around someone else from his past, someone he had grown close to before the nightmare. He wiped his face, grinning. "Yeah, I've been told." He looked down, feeling his throat clog up.

"What is it, Aang?" she said worriedly. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, raising it. "Nothing, Mom. I just missed you so much." His gut seemed to hurt from so much crying, but he couldn't stem the flow completely.

Linda hugged him again, holding him like he was still the five-year-old of way back when. "I've missed you too, sweetheart. I died a little every day, thinking I'd lost you."

He closed his eyes tightly, and he made a promise from his heart of hearts. "I'm not going anywhere, Mom. I swear."

She choked out a laugh, tightening her hold, then nodded. "A piece of me still believed."

He looked at her, grin back in place. "For every flower plucked, the seed remains, right?"

She nodded. "Always, Aang." Linda held him close, and whispered the words he had wanted to hear for two long years. "Welcome home."

It did, indeed, feel like home.

I'm not going to lie; I bawled when I wrote this. It seemed so real in my mind. Just picturing it all happening made me cry. Hope you liked it!