A/N. Nightmares and Daydreams, part one…. I changed it a bit. There aren't four days left, but seven. I have plans with the other days lol.

I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Oh Spirits… Oh shit. Oh shit!

Seven days!

Just seven!

Seven days and the Day of the Black Sun would be upon them! Sokka had explained the plan, and it was a good one! Really!

Hakoda and whatever he had managed to get together would join them the day before the invasion, so that everyone could get a moment on dry land before the battle… And a good night's sleep… Sleep…. Wait no! There were other things! Yes! They would also hold a war council the night before the invasion! Spirits… He needed to sleep.

They had arrived two days before, and it was getting out of hand. He and his friends had travelled from that mining town to this island, the saddle stacked with supplies and those metal plates. Appa had clearly not liked it, and Aang could understand the feeling. But Sokka was right, maybe it was better to make sure Appa would be safe during the battle. Even if it meant an irritated Sky Bison for a few days!

The first day here had been… nice. There were wild koala sheep running around the island's eastern part, where they had set up camp. Katara had been feeling much better, at least, that was the impression she gave off. Of course, Aang knew that those episodes she talked about may come back, as they did with Hakoda… But for the moment, it seemed to go well. And if they could go on like this, at least until after the invasion…

But now, he was having problems. The airbender hated to admit it, but knowing that in seven days, he would need to face Ozai… It filled him with dread and fear. What if they came too late, and the eclipse had gone? What if the Fire Lord wasn't even there?

What if… What if… What if…

There was so much left to chance! It was the only plan they had, and it was Sokka's brainchild! But spirits, what if something went wrong? What if the eclipse actually didn't happen, and that stupid owl spirit had tricked them in believing this? And surely the Fire Nation Army would be prepared for such an attack? Alright, maybe they wouldn't expect anyone so brave or foolish to attack Caldara, but still…

And Sokka had been pestering him about Caldara… What was the lay out of the streets? Where were the barracks? Where would be good landing ground?

As if Aang knew all of this! It had been a century! A century the Fire Nation had probably spent using the riches they stole from the other nations to rebuild their capital, and to reinforce their defences! And also, he had only visited Caldara two or three times when he visited the Fire Nation! Once had been for a summit between the nations, hosted by Fire Lord Sozin… Aang hadn't been allowed to come within the Palace, as only Gyatso and Pasang had been invited as the delegation of the Southern Air Temple. But he had spent some time in the lower city with the novices… But that was most of what he knew about the capital of the Fire Nation.

He had said so to Sokka, but still, the Water Tribe boy had insisted on hearing whatever Aang could remember.

And the nights were even worse… The first one had been hard, with Sokka nagging at his side about maps and plans. And when the water tribe boy had finally left him alone so Aang could go to sleep, the nightmares had come… And come again last night…

Aang was tired… Who was he kidding? He was exhausted. But everything was better than those bizarre nightmares, switching from ludicrous dreams about walking into the Palace's throne room as naked as the day he was born and being mocked by Ozai, to outright… Terrifying.

The first night had just been those naked throne room dreams. But last night… He had way more vivid dreams about… When he had woken up, a few minutes after finally falling asleep, he had still heard the screaming and had the scent of burning flesh in his nostrils… Even if nothing was happening in their quiet camp site…

So, he had opted not to sleep. Everything was better than training the whole day and seeing your worst nightmares during the night. So, why not optimize the time he had left until the invasion and just… train?

Yeah… Great idea. He was exhausted, but at least there were no nightmares… So… that was good, no?

And now, they were sitting at their breakfast, and Aang just knew Sokka was trying to figure something out on the map he had made of the Fire Nation capital. And the airbender saw the small look towards him. Oh… joy.

"Aang… When you were at Caldara… Were there any secret tunnels? Or ways into the inner city without being seen?" The water tribe boy asked suddenly, and Aang felt how his water skin slipped from his fingers.

"No! I don't know! How am I supposed to? I don't know the capital! We just have to wing it!" he shouted, rather too irritated.

"Wing… it? Wing my plan, on which I have been working on since you were sleeping sound like a baby on the ship?" Sokka answered, just as irritated. That surprised Aang, for Sokka never… Well, he never got angry. Sure, he got irritated, or got in a shouting match with Katara… But this was different. But the airbender didn't care.

"May I recall you, that was because I GOT HIT WITH LIGHTING?!"Aang got up, shouting. He astonished himself. Was this because of the lack of sleep, or the anxiety he was feeling about the coming few days?

"I'm just asking you if you know something that could help us! Because you're the only one who had the luxury to visit the place! You're probably the only outsider alive who has visited it!" Sokka also got up, and Aang felt a hand on his fingers. Looking down, he saw a tired-looking Katara sitting next to where he was standing, just shaking her head slowly.

"I don't know Sokka. I just visited the lower city! Oh, and how is your climbing?" Aang said, thinking of one of his… Dreams? Yeah, it had been a dream. Or rather, a nightmare.

"My what?" Sokka's voice calmed down considerably, probably surprised by the sudden change of subject.

"Your climbing!"

"Why?"

"In my dream, you got roasted because you couldn't climb a wall fast enough!" Aang grabbed Sokka's arm and pulled him towards one of the smaller cliffs hiding their camp from sight.

"Please climb that!" He pointed to the summit of the cliffs, nodding his head as Sokka looked at him with a mixture of irritation and exasperation.

"Seriously?"

"Yes!"

And the water tribe boy got to climbing. Aang believed he heard him grumble something like Stupid Avatar, stupid dreams, the things I do for that idiot… That was surely his imagination. Sokka would never call him an idiot… At least, not for real!

As he turned around, he saw Toph grab the water skin he himself had dropped mere moments ago, at bring it to her mouth.

"No, no!" Aang took the few steps needed to get to the earthbender, and ripped the water skin from her hands, splashing the contents around at the same time.

"Twinkletoes. Explain. Now." Toph grumbled, as she felt at her shirt, that had been drenched thanks to his actions. Besides her, Aang saw how Katara was bending the water that had got all over her, with a rather strange look in her eyes.

"In my dreams, you sabotaged the whole invasion with your small bladder! So, when we get there, you shouldn't drink! Anything!" Aang knew it was absurd what he was saying, but if only one thing would go wrong, they were all going to be killed or imprisoned! So, no water it was!

"Aang. Calm down." The blind girl muttered, but he wasn't finished! He still had to do something!

"Oh! Oh! And Katara! You need to start wearing your hair up! You know I like it when it is down, but it got caught in a train and-"

"Aang… Calm down, you are unravelling." The waterbender interrupted him, placing a hand against his cheek. It was only then that he realized what he said… You know I like it when it is down… Spirits, that was awkward. Or rather, it was true, but Sokka and Toph still didn't know about them… Why they were always pushing it into the future, he didn't know. Well, he did. Each time the moment seemed right, something happened.

"Yeah… Yeah…" He closed his eyes, feeling Katara's fingers against his face. Spirits that felt good… It had been since Hama's village that she had initiated real contact. She had refrained from hugging, from kissing or… well, more. Not that kissing and sleeping together had often been on the menu, because of the fact they nearly spent all their time with Sokka and Toph, but still… The discreet hand touching and so on had also gone to zero after Hama.

"I'm losing my mind, aren't I?" He sighed, falling down on his knees in front of Katara, who nodded softly, caressing his cheek with her thumb.

Behind him, he heard the sound of Sokka who come down from the small cliff towards them.

"You could have calmed him down before he forced me to climb upon that stupid rock sis." The water tribe boy grumbled, grabbing the hammer he had been using the last few days to form the metal plates for Appa's armour. Toph had suggested to do all by bending, but Sokka had been stubborn and had said that nothing is better than handcrafted armour.

"What is the problem then?" Sokka asked, their irritation from just a few minutes before forgotten.

"Well… It's like every time I think about how stressed I am, I just end more stressed!" Aang straightened, so that Katara's fingers slipped away from his face and began to pace a few feet away. "It's like you throw a snowball down a slide, and it grows and grows…" He finished lamely, wringing his hand together.

"Yeah, of course, you are. You are going to fight the Fire Lord in a few days. You know, the guy who has the world under his thumb and is the embodiment of the thing we are fighting. Him. Oh, and you'd better win please, or we are all done for."

Sokka probably meant it as a light joke, to make light of the situation. But Aang saw all his fears just... Became reality. They had never said it like that, in a clear way, out loud.

You better win. You need to win. You are the only hope we have.

Avatar Aang.

"Sokka! You are not helping!" The sound of Katara's voice seemed to come from very far off. Or were his ears just playing tricks on him? Oh Spirits, he was really going insane. If they lost, he had no hope whatsoever to just live his life.

For him, winning was about being able to finally be just… Just Aang. Not the Avatar, not the one destined to end a century-long conflict that had taken the lives of generations… Just Aang. An Air Nomad who wanted to spend his life travelling… And with Katara. That was all he wanted. And if ending a war was needed to achieve that, he would do it.

But the fact was that he wasn't sure if he would be able to stop Ozai. How was he supposed to do that? It was not an option to just kill the man… That would go against all that Air Nomads held sacred. But how else was he supposed to do that? Maybe… Maybe take him prisoner and let the other decide what to do with him. At a fair trial, of course! But… In all Fire Nation propaganda, it was said the Fire Lord Ozai, the embodiment of Agni on this earth, was the best firebender to have existed.

And what had Gyatso always said?

Every lie is built on truth. It is impossible to just conjure a story out of thin air Aang.

Sure, those words had applied on him when he had yet again stolen one of the fruit pies… But it was still true. Ozai had to be an exceptional firebender. And the eclipse would strip him of his powers, ever so briefly… But what if he didn't reach the Fire Lord in time? What if he got in a fight with him when the eclipse ended? What i-

"Hey, you know what, I've got just the thing. Get ready to be de-stressified." He suddenly felt those soft hands on him… Katara. She took his hand and began to lead him away from the others.

"Don't forget Sugar Queen! He likes it when you wear your hair down apparently!" He heard Toph shout behind them.

Was that what Katara was planning? A… session? Spirits, if that was the case, he wasn't sure if he would be able to… perform. Spirits, he didn't even know for sure if he would be able to get it up, he was just too stressed, too tired.

"Katara… I don't know what you're planning…"

"I kept it a surprise, but maybe it would be good. I found these caves yesterday while I was exploring the island a bit." She answered, leading him to the entrance of a cave. Spirits, she was really planning on doing it. Oh no… This was going to be so awkward…

"Tara, I-"

"Shh, you are going to see what I mean!" She laughed softly. Oh no, that was not good. Had she been preparing something? Oh no, please don't let it be page forty-five from the book… Anything but that. If that was the case, he would slap himself mentally for the remainder of his life. That he would have to stop her before she tried that. Spirits, he wanted to try that, but not in this state.

Aang let her pull him inside the cave, which was lit by a hole in the dome. Inside, there was steam coming from cracks in the floor, and there was a small pool in the middle. Shit. It was really romantic. If he had the energy, he would have stayed her for days if possible… But he had to stop her, here and now…

"Katara, I don't think I can do this!" He muttered. It was embarrassing, and really not what he wanted. But he needed to stop her.

"Seriously?" She asked, as the watebrender pulled her dress down. Oh no…

"I mean, it is just some stretching…" She said, as she moved her arms, and began to stretch them into the air.

Stretches. Just stretches. Oh Spirits, thank you. Spirits, he had been so afraid to reject her.

"Come on!" Katara smiled and gestured for him to stand next to her, "THe warmth can help you relax! Maybe, after this, you could take a nap or something? And then… Well, we will see! But no more training Aang. You've been training too hard."

Yeah… she was right. Maybe a relaxing moment of sleep could do wonders…

They did some yoga, and it was really… Well, at least physically he began to feel slightly better. That was something! The only thing was that the warmth around them made him think… Think of his dreams. The one where they had been fleeing from Ozai on a hippo-cow. Sure, not a very realistic dream… But still!

"Are you feeling the stretches doing their work?" Katara asked, while bending down so her head hung between her knees. Spirits… He should do the same! Not look at her… well, he was looking at her rear.

Quickly bending down, he immediately felt the blood rush to his head, and knew it had been a bad idea. Aang began to feel light in his head…

"Yeah?"

"Good! Good… How are you feeling now?"

Well… not good…

"Like… Like I'm in the Fire Lord's palace, and he's shooting a bunch of fireballs at me!" Oh shit, his imagination had taken up its free will once more. The warmth around him began to change, as it instead of surrounding him, and making him sweat slightly, it was hitting him from every direction, constricting his ability to breathe. He had to get out of here! Now! Falling down, he lay on the ground. He had no choice. He had to stop.

"Oh… Maybe your stress is the kind you need to talk out?" Katara said, taking his hand, and pulling him up again. Quickly pulling up her skirt, she led him down, out of the cave and towards their camp.

Yeah… talk. That was better than being trapped inside a warm, steamy cave with a half-naked Katara, trying to do stretches…

"Oh, there you are! Spirits, it was just a few minutes… I'm so sorry Sugar Queen." Toph spoke up when they arrived back at their campsite, and Aang didn't even have the energy to protest.

"Oh, shut up you pervert, nothing happened. We were doing yoga, but his stress isn't physical. It's in his head!" Katara released his hand and walked down to her brother. Aang didn't hear what was being said, but he sighed and sat down next to Toph.

"Really, nothing? I bet if she just suck-"

"Stop right there, please." He interrupted her and raised his hand. He didn't want to hear that… Even if it had been on his mind since the last time he and Katara had done something…

"Oh come on, you two need to get it going one time or another, before the invasion! That was literally the goal of this trip, at least for her!" Toph sighed, clearly not joking anymore.

"Wait what?" Aang managed to mutter, feeling the inside of his head beginning to turn once more. Was it because of his utter exhausted body, or because the information he had just got? But before Toph could answer, Sokka suddenly appeared next to him, with his fake beard and a koala sheep under his arm. What. The. Monkeyfeathers.

This had to be his imagination, no?

"Come on Air Head, you and I are going to have talk." The Sokka/Wang Fire spoke, and pulled him up by the arm. So, no illusion. Sokka had really kept that disgusting beard. And had put it on for Spirits knew what. And what had that poor koala-sheep to do with their talk?

He led the water tribe boy pull him far away from Toph and Katara, and they stopped in front of the cliffs. From here, he had actually a beautiful landscape unfurling underneath his eyes… Spirits, if only he had known about his place earlier, Aang would have forced his friends to come here sooner… So many places to have a quiet moment with Katara…

"Lay down." Sokka put down the animal, and gestured for him to lay down. Sitting down, he put his head against the soft wool on the animal's body… Spirits, this would make for a great pillow…

"Why don't you get right down to business and tell me what's bothering you?" Sokka spoke, but in a voice… It sounded professional, as if he tried to make a study out of his problems… Well, the water tribe was the most intelligent person Aang knew… Maybe he would be able to make sense of all of his thought?

"You know what is bothering me Sokka. I need to fight the Fire Lord in a few days." He grumbled. It was not so difficult to understand why he was stressing his pants off, no?

"Mm-mmm…. Tell me more about this… Fire Lord… Tell me more about him." Still in that weird voice… Well. It wouldn't hurt to talk about it.

"You said it yourself, he is the baddest man on the planet. I'm supposed to defeat him, and save the world…" He sighed. At least, he got that off his chest…

"Mmm…. Life does feel that way sometimes, doesn't it?"

What?

"Like we are all trying to save the world from evil?"

That didn't help! No! Maybe people felt like that sometimes, but in his case, he actually had to save the world from evil! And help it rebuild after that! And sacrifice too many things to achieve that!

"But what can I do to feel better?" Aang muttered through gritted teeth. Sokka wasn't helping! And apparently, the water tribe boy saw that too, for he took another koala-sheep and handed him the animal.

"Want to try screaming into this… pillow? Sokka asked, now in his normal voice, filled with concern… Aang grabbed the animal and screamed as hard as he could into the wool of the animal. But it didn't do anything. Only make the pounding in his head even worse…

Putting the koala-sheep down, Aang saw Sokka grin hesitantly, nodding. The airbender just shook his head. This hadn't worked…

Sokka got up, pulling off the beard, and Aang saw how the water tribe boy walked up to Katara, and apparently, said it hadn't worked. The airbender saw how Sokka shook his head, and how they watched him with concern in those blue eyes… They turned around and began to talk, probably trying to find another way to calm him down.

But how would that be possible! He wanted to sleep, but at the same time, he was afraid of the dreams and nightmares coming during his sleep…

"I have another solution!" Toph voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, and he turned around, seeing how she held the water skin from that morning in her hand.

"Water?" Seriously, that was not going to help!

"Sure… Water." If he hadn't been so tired, Aang would probably have heard the hesitation and secretive tone in her voice. But he just pulled up his shoulders, took the flask and drank.

It was only after the third swallow he realized it wasn't water.

Answers :

Kalaong : I have a plan for the field trip that I think you will like! And of course, I am going to touch on the subject of Iroh and his role in the Fire Nation before the death of his son!

Jjsmith103 : I think you may know where I'm going with that whole necklace thing, but you'll see! And of course, the story line about Katara and bloodbending isn't finished, but will go to the background for the Invasion part (even though she will still have moment she will think about it!) I hope you are going to like where I'm going with all this!

Rak :Yeah, it is horrible to see how she tried to suppress something that is a part of her identity, and that was maybe why it was so good to have her do waterbending again at the end. And of course, I was going to have the different point of views. The readers know what is going on, but the characters only have their own knowledge! That is why I like to change from Katara to Aang each chapter!