A/N. I had trouble starting this chapter, but I'm quite happy how it turned out!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Groaning, he opened his eyes.
Ah… apparently, he had finally been able to drift off into sleep. Lifting himself off the bench, Aang felt the pain in his back. Spirits… A slab of stone was really not the perfect sleeping arrangement.
The airbender, after storming out of the guest room the night before, had gone to the school building, and had slept on one of the benches of the music room. He had stared at the painted ceiling, with its faded colours and traces of water damage. It had been a long night… For his brain hadn't wanted to leave him alone.
Why did she not understand? Spirits, the only solution to this problem was for her to hide. Hide, and make sure that no one could ever find her. And yes… Katara had made a whole lot of sense. Breaking their group up would be dangerous… And yes, they would try again, and perhaps, they would succeed this time… But so many things could go wrong…
How could she think it was not important that Azula had threatened her! Of course it was! That made her public enemy number two! After him! And the things that would happen… No! How could she not see? Hiding, in between all the people of the North Pole… It was the only sane thing to do!
And… She had given it back. The moment she had pressed that pouch in his hand, he had been afraid. Afraid of what that meant. When Aang had felt the necklace, still inside it, he had known. He had known that she had said no.
No…
Why? What had he done? Could he have done something differently?
This would only make us a target.
As if they weren't already! Azula knew! She knew what was happening between him and Katara! And even if she had her doubts… His reaction to her threats was enough to make her leave those doubts behind. No, the princess knew perfectly well what was happening. And had given orders accordingly.
Aang walked to the door, opened it and left the room. Why had he chosen this one, seriously? He could have slept in any place, but no! He just had to go to the place with the bad… no, the good memories.
Good memories tainted by how the halls looked now…
The airbender arrived at the terrasse and saw that it was barely dawn. So, he had slept, but not for a long time… An hour? Maybe… Snapping open his glider, he managed to cross the distance to the Greeting Terrasse. He remembered how once, he had landed there… When he had been around twelve? No, thirteen. It had been the first year Aang had been allowed to participate in the bison races with Appa.
"Ah, I'm not the only one not sleeping I see." A voice sounded from near the fountain. Aang turned around, seeing Sokka sitting on the edge of the water basin, with the fingers of one hand in the water.
"No… Trouble sleeping too?" The airbender sighed, walking over to his friend. He put his glider against one of the pillars, before sitting down at the other end of the fountain, in front of the water tribe boy.
"Yeah… Haru is a snoring menace, didn't think someone could topple Toph with that…" Sokka smiled at him, but Aang couldn't help but think it was a false smile. It was too wide, too toothy. Too fake.
"And the real reason?" the airbender looked at his friend. He knew him better than that.
"Everything… And you?" Sokka sighed. Yeah… everything. From failing to win, failing to protect the warriors, worry about Suki, worry about what Azula had said… Yeah. Everything.
"Same…"
Sokka nodded, and a silence settled between them. Aang watched as the grey sky began to turn to orange as the sun was beginning to come over the horizon. It was a beautiful place. But one that had lost all its beauty in his eyes…
"How are you holding up? You know… being here…" The water tribe boy broke the silence, as Momo came to sit between them, eyeing the water in the fountain. Aang nearly smiled, seeing that. A century ago, these fountains had always been filled with lemurs…
"I thought it would be worse… The fact that this part seems quite in a good state, that helps. But still…" Aang didn't finish his sentence, for his friend probably knew what he meant, even if he didn't say it. Yes, it hurt. It felt like his heart as being pulled out of his chest and stomped upon.
"Well, the good news is that we leave here today. You know… This place is really well hidden. If Zuko hadn't shown up, we could have stayed… But now, North Pole it is." Sokka nodded, and the airbender looked up. Yes, he needed the water tribe boy on his side! Maybe, if he and her brother would both make the case, Katara would accept it!
"Sokka, I'm the target. If… If you and Katara go to the North Pole, together… Maybe that would lessen the danger you are in." Even before ending his sentence, Aang knew it was no use. The resolve in Sokka's ice blue eyes was palpable.
"You are kidding, right? No way any of us would agree to that! We all leave, or we all stay. No discussion. Seriously, what did Katara say when you suggested this stupid plan?" The water tribe boy shook his head.
"Kind of the same thing… But Sokka, Azula threatened her! I… I can't imagine what I wou-"
"Aang, stop. The only way to make sure everyone is, and stays, safe, is by staying together. We can defend each other, no matter what. You know that. Spirits, you would be the first to fight if any of us was in danger. I know it hurts, but you can't change what happened, because it is not in your power to change it. Yes, Katara got a big target on her back now, but even so, she chooses to stay, to be at your side. Air Head, she loves you, and even if we tried, how long do you think I would be able to hold her back? Even if we tried, she would find a way to come back to you." Sokka said passionately, and Aang felt slightly ashamed.
Yes, Katara would never listen. She would do whatever she wanted to do. The waterbender had always been like that… She would make her own way, or no way at all. And it was true. They could make any argument, however reasonable… But at the end, she would do what she thought was right. And in this case, Aang knew… She would never abandon her friends for her own safety.
"I… I know. She said more or less the same last night… I just worry about it… I wouldn't want to be the reason why she suffered." He sighed, knowing that he wouldn't manage to convince Sokka.
"I get it Aang. Azula imprisoned the girl I… like… tortured her, and Tui knows what more. Send her to a prison that apparently is the worst place on earth. And then, that bitch threatens my sister. Imprisons my father and all, my friends. Aang, we all suffer because of her. But the only way to feel slightly safe, or even sane, is by staying together. We are all that is left of the resistance against the Fire Nation. And we need to stop them. Together." Aang felt a hand on his arm, and, pulling up his chin, saw how Sokka was looking at him.
He was right, of course. Aang knew that. But it didn't make it easier.
"Yeah… I know. But not Agna Quel'a. We can't bring that kind of danger to the Water Tribe. We need to hide somewhere else." That, at least, he agreed on with Katara. How could they put the North Pole in such danger?
"True… But I see no other place. The Earth Kingdom isn't safe, home has no defences to speak of and no warriors... The Fire Nation knows you are alive, and we can't hide there again. No, here was perfect… Close enough to attack the enemy if needed, and hidden." Sokka rubbed his forehead, clearly trying to think of a place.
"The Southern Air Temple?" Aang suggested. It was the only place that fit all of the requirements…
"No, too far away. And honestly… They probably figured out that you lived there somehow. It is the first place they will look."
That hit like a punch in the guts. Yeah… They were probably already underway towards his home… In those wretched air ships. Fire Nation boots would spoil the temple grounds once more, and nothing he could do would change that…
"Maybe the others will know a place…" Aang tried to control his voice, thinking about how those soldiers would be looking through his home… Probably not caring about what or whom they would disturb…
"Yeah… And another thing. I saw you coming out of there." Sokka gestured to the school building, "I thought you two would sleep in the guest rooms."
Ah… yeah…
"I slept alone." The airbender answered shortly.
"Spirits Aang! You talk about Katara's safety, and then you leave her alone while a crazy firebender walks around! What got into you!" The water tribe boy sounded angry.
"I… Spirits, can you keep a secret?" he looked at his friend, who was trying to control his irritation.
"Sure."
"I gave her the necklace before the battle…" Aang spoke in a small voice, averting his eyes from Sokka. A sharp intake of breath, and a groan followed his statement.
"Ah… I see." Yeah, Sokka probably understood. He had given it days ago, and she hadn't put it on. Sokka knew what had happened.
The airbender pulled the pouch out of his pocket, and just stared at it. Sure, he had known it was a possibility… But still, it hurt. It was just not what he had expected. For months, he had been surer and surer that he was doing everything right. There were still things to work on… Katara had been interested in his traditions and customs, but his real, private life before the iceberg… That had been a mystery for her. Had that been the reason? No, she had said that it was just too dangerous. But that was the point! Aang knew that there was a real possibility that he would die in the coming weeks… And at least, it would have been slightly easier to meet that fate if he knew he had done one thing right. One thing… just one thing.
As he looked at the pouch, Aang felt a hand on his shoulder, and, looking up, saw that Sokka had moved and was now beside him, smiling tentatively.
"Don't worry about it… I'm sure it doesn't mean the end of you two…" His friend padded his shoulder awkwardly.
"But what does it mean then? I… I thought I did everything right. We talked about this. Before the invasion, she said that we had a future, a long one, together… Spirits, and now, I don't know." Aang felt tears prick in the corners of his eyes.
"You forget one thing. Katara likes to overthink things. You are impulsive, whereas she is always thinking things over, and over again. Why would she say no, because it isn't because she doesn't love you, that is for sure. So, why?" The water tribe released his shoulder and didn't look at him.
Aang thought about it. Why had Katara said no? Actually… She hadn't said no. Remembering their conversation, he realized… She had never said no. But, giving the necklace back, wasn't that same thing, without having to say it aloud? In the Water Tribes, as soon as a woman was presented with a necklace, she was supposed to answer. Yes or no. But then again… Katara had never really cared about traditions…
Was he being an idiot?
"Katara… She never said no. I just… Well, I gave her this, but didn't stay long enough to see if she looked… So, I never really asked… And she never said no." Aang said slowly. He was as much to blame for his predicament. He had ever explained his point of view, just thinking that she and him were already in agreement… He had presumed.
"Seriously? Tui and La, just talk! How is it that I, the meat and sarcasm guy, am advising the love and flower guy about these things. Aang, you won't get your answers from me. If you want to know why, ask her!" With that, Sokka stood up, shaking his head at him. Yeah… Maybe listening to her would be better… He had ignored her last night, but… It had sounded like she wanted to explain. Spirits, he had been an idiot.
Aang also got up, stretched, and began to walk to their supplies. They had salvaged some from the Black Cliffs, but it wasn't much. They would have to make do with whatever they had, or what they could find here. The orchard was at the bottom of the canyon, where fertile ground had been used to plant apple trees, pears, peaches… With a bit of luck, some were still there. They should look, before travelling on, and take as much fruit with them as they could…
He pulled some of the bread out of the bags. It was turning slightly stale, but it was better than nothing. In a few moments, the others would probably begin to wake up. If they managed to eat their breakfast before the sun reached the middle of the sky, they could probably reach the northern end of the Western Air Temple territory by sunset today… And then, well, they would see.
He heard the creaking of the bridge and knew that that meant that Katara had woken up, or that someone was going to wake her up… Turning his head around, Aang saw the waterbender walk hesitantly over the bridge, holding the rope and not looking down.
"Morning…" He spoke awkwardly, making her look in his direction. Her eyes were bloodshot…
"Are you alright?" The airbender straightened as, from the corner of his eye, he saw Sokka nearly sprint away towards the corridor where the others were probably still in their rooms.
"Yeah… didn't sleep that good…" Aang heard the slight hesitation in her voice, as if she didn't know what to say, or how to say it. And he knew what that meant. Katara had probably had the same kind of rest as he had got… Meaning, none at all.
"Katara… I'm sorry for not listening last night. I know I should have… Well, I should have stayed, and heard you out. And… Well, we could try again, tonight?" He asked. It was the only thing he could do! Sokka had been right, he should listen to what she had to say, because Katara did overthink everything… And maybe she had found something rational and logical…
"Yeah… I would like that." She answered, still clearly awkward.
Aang sighed in relief, but… Well, he still needed to know.
"This doesn't change anything, does it? I mean… We are still good?" He felt slightly shy as he gestured between her and himself. It was crazy, they had done so much these last few weeks, Aang hadn't thought he would feel shy again about his feelings. But yet, here they were, being mumbling messes, not looking each other in the eyes.
"No, of course not! No… We are still good!" Katara spoke immediately after his question, and the fervour in her voice made him smile, ever so slightly. That… That was good news at least. Finally, some good news!
"Hey, is Toph somewhere outside?" Sokka interrupted the moment by running towards them. Haru, The Duke and Teo followed closely behind, clearly just awake, with half-opened eyes and clothes that had been put on in a hurry.
"Ehm… no." Katara said, looking around. Aang closed his eyes, and, holding up a hand to show he needed silence, began to feel around with his earthbending. Tentatively, he began to feel, first a few feet, and then, widening the perimeter of his search. The airbender could feel the walls, the smooth stones making them up, and the floors. The others were easy to discern, because they were standing close, but the farther he felt, the less precise his seismic sense became. As soon as he hit the extremities of this building, it was just too blurry.
"She isn't in this building. Perhaps in another?" Aang suggested, opening his eyes. He saw Haru looking quizzically at him, as if what he had just done surprised the earthbender.
"Toph taught me how she sees things around her. It is like feeling the vibrations on different materials. I'm not very good at it, but as long as it is not too far away, I can feel whatever someone is doing." The airbender explained, smiling at Haru.
"Great Spirits… Can you teach me that?" The earthbender shook his head in disbelief, astonished at this.
"Toph would be better at teaching I think… She'll be around here somewhere." That last part, Aang directed at Sokka, who still looked dubious, clearly not comfortable at the idea of someone walking alone in the temple.
"Yeah, perhaps she is just practicing her bending! There are such cool places further down the temple! I swear, that room with the Pai Sho tiles is just made for earthbending!" The Duke spoke enthusticially, sitting down with a piece of bread in his hand.
Spirits… Luckily, they would leave here after today, for Aang had no wish whatsoever to forbid bending inside these walls… But he knew the destructive nature of earthbending. If they let Toph loose in one room, that room would not stay upright for long… But if he explained, she would surely understand.
Suddenly, a hole was knocked in the side of the cliffs, narrowly missing the mosaic of the Sky Bisons by a few inches. From the hole, Aang could see a whole tunnel… And Toph, falling out of it, coughing.
"Twi… Twinkletoes. Your stupid temple is a maze! I have been searching for two hours!" the angry blind girl shouted, still coughing. Why… Why had she been searching? Her seismic sense was a hundred times better than his, she was able to find a person a mile away!
Before Aang could even move towards Toph, Katara was already next to their friend, kneeling down.
"What happened?" The waterbender asked.
"My feet got burned! Just fix me Sugar Queen, being blind really sucks!" Toph rolled her misty eyes.
"How did this happen?" Sokka had moved to come stand beside him, and they both looked as Katara pulled water out of the pouch at her hip to begin healing the earthbender.
"So, after you all went to sleep, I went to see Zuko. And before you begin to cry bloody murder, listen me out! What do we have to lose? I found him, he was actually quite easy to find. His camp is a joke, the guy has never camped a day in his life. Or at least, has never pitched a tent." Toph began to explain, and Aang tried to hide a smile. It sounded a lot like Toph at the beginning of her living rough. But the idea that she had gone to see Zuko, alone… He could see the irritation in Katara's beautiful blue eyes when Toph spoke, and clearly, Sokka wasn't a fan either.
"I hoped that, if we could just speak, as civilized people, without threatening anyone, we could work something out." Toph continued.
"And, let me guess, he attacked you." Sokka groaned.
"Eh… Well, yes. But also, no! Just listen! He did pick a fight, just was surprised by me walking up to him as he was asleep! Anyone would have done the same! We could hear him out!" Toph spoke vehemently, as Katara continued to look at the blind girl's feet.
"This will take a few days, and a few healing sessions… And it would be better if… well, if we stayed. I wouldn't like to have her in an environment we don't know, as she is always our scout in these kinds of places. So… it would be safer to stay, just for a day or two…" Katara said, and Aang felt her eyes on him. Spirits… No longer. Not longer than strictly necessary. But looking at Toph, and the burns on the soles of her feet… He knew they couldn't ask her to move somewhere unsafe as she couldn't see a thing.
So… Western Air Temple. Two days. Not a second longer.
"Yeah, that would be best. But what about Zuko? We can't just leave such a risk in our back if we stay here…" Sokka began to think, "He thinks… He thinks we want to talk, Toph made that clear. What if we do take him prisoner? At least, then, we would be able to know what he is doing, and we would have the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation as a hostage!" The Water Tribe boy smiled, and Aang didn't like that grin. It was too… Sneaky. Too eager to get an edge on their enemies.
"We don't keep prisoners in these grounds." Aang spoke, not able to contain himself any longer, "We can ask him to stay here. At the express condition that there will be no firebending here. Not again." He spoke those last words probably slightly too venomously, and hated that. What was he becoming? Firebending had been beautiful, and so useful in his days… And now, he was hating it. What was this world making him?
That provoked a silence, one that was only broken as Sokka scrapped his throat, nodding at Toph. Aang nodded, understanding what his friend meant. Stepping forwards, he put an arm under the blind girl's knee and a hand on her back, as did Sokka. Together, they lifted her up.
"Fountain?" The water tribe boy asked, nodding towards the structure. Aang didn't respond, only nodded. They moved to the fountain, and put the earthbender down on the ledge, so that she would be able to put her feet in the water.
"Ah… That's the stuff…" Toph sighed, "So, you are not going to hurt Zuko? Only say that he has to stay here?"
"That seems the only choice. I would prefer to create a big distance between us and Zuko. But we need to stay here, so… Yeah, better to keep your enemies close. And if that idiot tries anything, at least we will get the satisfaction from throwing him into the canyon." Sokka seemed to relish that thought, looking at the canyon where the morning mist was beginning to fade due to the sun.
And just then, everything went to shit.
A flash blinded him momentarily, and Aang felt the temple shake before hearing the explosion. As dust and stones began to fall down from the ceiling, he saw how Sokka instinctively threw himself above the blind earthbender, and the airbender moved as quickly as possible to do the same. The others would be able to move around without too many problems, but Toph was wounded. And couldn't walk, only crawl.
"Get off me! As much as I like having two men throw themselves at me, back the fuck off!" Toph shouted in his ear, but Aang also heard another shout. Fainter, a little off due to the echoing, but clear.
"Stop! I don't want you to hurt the Avatar anymore!"
Was that… Zuko?
The dust cleared, and, looking up, Aang could see the small crater in one of the four great pillars that held the terrasse to the canyon. There were cracks in the great pillar, but it seemed to be holding. For the moment.
Further away, he could discern two figures, on one of the roofs of the building next to the school. One, bulky and large, was… Combustion Man. And the other, with his back turned towards them, and apparently trying to argue with the attacker, was Zuko.
"The mission is off! I'm ordering you to stop! I can pay you the agreed price, but you will leave them alone!" The prince shouted, and Aang… Was astonished. Was Zuko seriously trying to… help them?
"The Fire Lord raised the price." A low, rumbling voice answered, and the airbender realized that that had to be their attacker. Oh Spirits…
He kept hold of Toph as he and Sokka pushed her down, behind the fountain. Katara joined them, holding one hand on her brother's shoulder, and the other on his, while the others, who had been closer to the corridors, fled inside.
Aang didn't look over the ledge, but could still hear a scuffle. After a few moments, there was silence, until a small whistling sound could be heard.
"DUCK!" Katara shouted, and pushed them down as another explosion shook the temple, and Aang heard stones falling in the water of the fountain.
Another explosion sounded through the canyon, but nothing happened on their terrasse. He didn't know what had happened, but managed to release Toph, and pull Katara's hand from his shoulder. Crouching, he straightened, and quickly ran towards the outer pillar. Combustion man saw him, and send a blast towards him. Aang managed to jump over it, as it seemed… More concentrated. Even the explosion was smaller. So, their attacker was able to manage the power of his attacks. If he could keep moving, making him attack only with small blasts… Maybe the distraction would be enough for his friends to join the fight.
As he began to fall back down to the ground, he twisted, and created a small whirlwind, that Aang sent to Combustion Man. Not looking if his counterattack worked, he quickly made his way to the others.
"Sokka, get Toph to those metal doors!" Aang shouted, but as he turned to Katara, he saw she had already straightened, and was bending the water out of the fountain towards the school building.
No… Not there…
Their attacker was standing on the roof of the temple building that had served as the school and had to hold his metal arm in front of himself to avoid the ice daggers that Katara had sent his way. Still, Aang saw at least one cut the man over his cheek, and blood beginning to flow out of the deep cut. Before Combustion Man had time to straighten out of his defensive posture, Aang grabbed the watebrender's hand and pulled her away, towards where Sokka and Toph were hiding.
"That idiot is going to blast this whole place right off the cliff side!" Toph shouted as another explosion could be heard behind them. One of the great pillars cracked and crumbled into the canyon. Aang watched with horror as that happened. Toph was right. All four pillars were needed to hold this terrasse in place… And the floor was already sagging dangerously in the corner where the pillar had stood. If their attacker managed to hit another…
"We can't get an angle on him from here!" Katara shouted over the noise, before being pushed aside by her brother.
Sokka stood for a moment, before pulling out the boomerang he had in a sheath on his back. Aang watched as the Water Tribe boy concentrated, before throwing the weapon in the air. Sokka quickly got back behind the metal door. But Aang could hear the whistling noise the boomerang made, and after a few seconds, a grunt could be heard. It had hit!
"Now!" his friend shouted, and Aang didn't need any more encouragement. He followed Katara and Sokka to the open space. The water tribe boy caught his boomerang out of the air, but he concentrated on the school building. Combustion Man stood there, with a slash over his forehead, where the weapon had hit him. And… Oh he looked angry.
"Nope!" Sokka shouted, as he had probably seen the same thing as Aang had, and turned around to rejoin Toph.
But before they could even move, their attacker grunted… And exploded. The explosion made the whole canyon shake, and Aang saw bricks fall off the floor where the pillar had stood… And also… Saw how a whole crack appeared over the side of the school… And how it fell away, into the canyon.
"NO!" He shouted, running towards the falling building. Not that, everything but that… But he was stopped by a hand grabbing his tunic, and pulling him back.
"It's over! He can't have survived that!" Katara voice shouted in his ear.
"I don't care about that!" He shouted back, "That was Jinora's classroom!"
But it didn't stop the temple from falling, and a loud crash underneath proved that… That the building had really been destroyed.
And yet again, the Fire Nation chipped away a piece of his old life…
Answers :
Jjsmith103 : Exactly, it is not like anyone is safe now from the Fire Nation, and it is clear they will not stop. So, they should stay together, if Aang was thinking logically. But he is not lol! And of course, they are going to search everywhere! Aang makes it clear in the show that he will always try and stay calm, except when his loved ones are in danger. Take Appa, or Katara. When those two are in danger, the Avatar State come around the corner lol.
Alyssa : Thank you so much for the compliment! I like to write, and try to put as many emotions as I can into the characters. Some are easier than others! And sure, Katara has every right to not be totally floored by Aang's proposal, and of course you would want to know everything about someone's past before saying yes. That is going to be a small arc this part of the story!