This chapter went through a few edits. The overall plot I had planned for it didn't change, but writing it proved to be difficult as there are a lot of moving parts and emotions to cover. So, sorry if it feels convoluted. Next chapter should be cleaner as it will be more focused on just a couple of people.

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They always help. Some questions will be answered this chapter. Previous disclaimer still applies.

Chapter 3: A Future

Sokka watched his sister sink to the earthen floor, sobbing and shuddering. He dropped to his knees next to here and held her close. He knew this would be tough for her, but he didn't realize she would be utterly devastated like this. Of course, they were all devastated but had managed to hold back their emotions for the time being. However, the strongest among them; the one who led them through the desert, the one who saved Aang after the lightning, the one who saved an entire village virtually by herself was utterly destroyed by this. Her fears, her guilt and her heart were laid out in front of her on that bed. It killed her.

Katara could feel her brother as he squeezed her tight. She felt movement as he signaled for someone to bring a chair over to her. After what felt like an eternity, the warrior finally managed to pull her off the ground and into a chair. Her limbs refused to move as if they had atrophied. She was sat in the chair on Aang's right side. As Katara moved into the chair, she couldn't bring herself to look at the airbender; it was too painful. It felt as though dozens of eyes were on her. She wanted it to stop, "Could…you leave us please…" her voice was weak. It cracked from her sobbing.

Everyone seemed to nod silently in agreement, but Yagoda protested, "Katara, I must suggest that I stay…"

"Please…" Her tone was desperate and small. It broke Yagoda's heart, "Just a minute."

"Very well. I'll be just outside." Her former master complied and began to move towards the door.

Once everyone had left the room, the waterbender could finally look at her friend without the entire world gazing at her, judging her. He eyes slowly scanned from his feet to his head. He was sprawled on a mattress sitting in an earthen frame. His lower body was covered in blankets; the blood loss had caused a significant drop in body temperature. As her eyes moved upwards, she came to the part she feared most; his arms were wrapped in bandages, starting at his palms. The was a faint pink hue near his wrists. She began to weep at the sight. Her eyes continued to trail upwards towards where the blanket ended just below his shoulders. His shoulders looked lean, but not in the way she was used to; they were almost bony. As she came to his face, it looked thin, gaunt and pale. He looked unhealthy, but this wasn't caused by blood loss from the last day. He clearly hadn't been eating well for some time. The only thing that eased her conscience the slightest bit was that his expression seemed almost relaxed, at peace. She stared at his face for what seemed like days; a face she hadn't seen in months. The thought of their time apart wrenched her heart.

"I'm so…so sorry sweetie. For everything."

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Outside of the room, the rest of the gang had gravitated into their own separate groups. Zuko, Sokka and Iroh stood with Yagoda near the door. About twenty feet down the hall stood Mai, Suki, Ty Lee and Toph. However, the earthbender was keeping some distance between her and the other women.

Sokka spoke to the men surrounding him. He didn't want to bring this up, but it was important to considering the situation, "It feels shitty to bring this up right now, but we need to start making a plan."

Zuko nodded in understanding. He had noticed in the last few years that the young warrior had become quite the leader; possibly better than Sokka's own father. The Southern Water Tribe would be in good hands for decades to come, "Go ahead Sokka."

Sokka's eyes darted between the eyes of the princes of the Fire Nation, "Okay. Unfortunately, we need to start thinking about the future. With Aang…incapacitated…" It was unbearable for him to say or think about those words associated with his friend…again, "…we need to form a body to assume some of his roles."

"Uncle, would The White Lotus be able to take up the mantle for the time being?" The fire lord posed the question to his mentor and…'father.'

The old man nodded, his arms crossing his abdomen with hands tucked into his sleeves, "Of course. The White Lotus was formed for such…uh" Sokka cut off his answer before the mood was darkened any further.

"Excellent. Zuko, could you inform the Earth King of the situation? And for spirits sake, keep his fucking mouth shut. We can't let this go public. We don't need a panic." He huffed slightly. He understood the king was manipulated his whole and despite that turned into a pretty good leader, but he just could not keep a secret.

His friend nodded, "Will do."

"Okay. I'll need to head home to inform my dad of the situation as well. I'll talk to Suki and Katara before I go." He began to walk towards the girls before any protests could be made. Iroh and Zuko followed while Yagoda remained at the door. He heard them murmuring from the girls and a few sniffles but couldn't make out anything specific. He assumed they were just consoling each other. He moved towards Suki's left side as they all stood in a circle. Her back was to him but she could sense his approach. "Hey honey…"

She turned to him. He hadn't noticed before, but her eyes were now bloodshot. Her reply was soft and resigned, "Hey…"

The man smiled sadly at his love, "I'm going to talk to Katara and then head home to dad. He needs to know. Do you and Ty Lee have your gear?"

Ty Lee piped up. Her usual bubbly and cheery attitude was nearly gone, but she always tried to sound positive, "Always. Why?"

Sokka looked to the acrobat and then to Suki, "Can you two stand personal guard?"

"Absolutely." Suki nodded with complete conviction. She was going to volunteer to do so anyway. She wanted to protect Aang, but also wanted to be here for Katara.

"Okay. Honey…I want you on Katara." He looked to Ty Lee, "I want you on Aang."

Suki could sense her boyfriend's anxiety kicking in. He always went into hyper-planning mode when this occurred. She grabbed his shoulders and forced him to meet her eyes, "Sokka, relax. We've guarded Mr. Fire Lord over here. We've got this."

"Thank you. I need to go see my sister." He began to walk off. He didn't know why he didn't use her name in that moment. He knew it sounded bad, but their bond had taken a hit since the breakup as well. It hadn't been easy on him and he would occasionally refer to her in that way to avoid getting over-emotional about it.

"Sokka…" She grabbed his arm before he walked away. "Please talk to Toph as well. We had no luck a few minutes ago."

"I will."

Zuko turned to his wife. "Babe, I'm going to stay here for a while. Can you head home and stay with my mom please? I'm sure Izumi and Kiyi are probably close to burning the palace down by now."

Mai was her usual monotone self, but her eyes betrayed her mask, "What should I tell her?"

"The truth. But don't tell Kiyi what happened. She'd be devastated." Zuko turned to his mentor, "Uncle, would you accompany her as well." The old man nodded to his nephew. "Thank you." He sighed. "Now I get to speak with The Earth King."

Zuko moved passed everyone down the corridor and turned right towards the throne room. The two Kyoshi Warriors left to dawn their uniforms. Iroh and Mai made their way towards the airship that brought Katara and Suki for their long trip back to the fire nation. That left Sokka and Toph.

The warrior noticed the continued discomfort plastered on his friends face. He didn't even want to imagine what she must have gone through. But, they needed to move beyond it…for now, "Toph…come with me." The warrior stated plainly.

"Where?" She whispered.

"We're going to talk to Katara."

Her breath hitched, "I-I…don't want to go back in there." That was the last place she wanted to go. After everything she witnessed, the earthbender wasn't sure she could handle going in there again. Her best friend and the person who showed her the world was now near death, motionless and cold. Everything she could sense of him felt wrong.

Sokka turned to look at her. He had never seen the snarky earthbender this quiet and reserved. "It's alright. I need to talk to Katara before I go, and I would like you to keep her company while I'm gone." Sokka saw the color disappear from the girls face, "Of course, you don't have to if you don't want."

She hesitated, "I-I'll try."

Sokka smiled softly and nodded gently towards the earthbender, "Thank you." He turned and began slowly walking towards the door, Toph following closely behind. Yagoda stool quietly nearby, waiting to go back in. Slowly cracking the door, Sokka poked his head in, "Is it okay for us to come in?"

"Yes." The response was quiet and weak.

The three joined the waterbender who was still sitting next to the bed. Yagoda was moving about, over towards Aang's head. She filled a bowl with water and began to heal around his temples. This concerned Katara, "Why are you doing that?!" Her immediate thought went to severe brain damage, like a concussion and he's asleep! She thought.

The master healer looked her former student in the eyes, earnestly, "Blood loss caused a lack of oxygen to the brain. Nothing serious and there is no damage. But, until his body regenerates the lost blood, I'll need to assist."

"Let me help." Katara didn't so much as ask or suggest. She demanded.

"Katara, the best way you can help is to get some rest. You are one of if not the best healer I've ever taught, but you're not in the right physical and mental space right now. Get a few days of rest and then we'll talk about it."

The waterbender was furious. She had already done so much in the past to help this young man. If there was anyone who was an 'expert' in helping Aang, it was her. "You can't…I brought him back before! I can do it again!"

"Katara, please." Yagoda sighed, "I know how capable you are, but I think it's best you rest in your current…state." The master healer had a suspicion of what was going on with her former pupil. But after observing her more closely, it was confirmed.

Katara was silent. For now, she would listen, although begrudgingly. She stared at the floor in contempt, grumbling incoherently as Yagoda continued to work on Aang.

Sokka moved in front of Katara and kneeled so she could meet his sisters' eyes. She still avoided looking into his directly, choosing to stare at his shoulder instead. "Katara…I-I'm so sorry." Nothing from his sister. He suspected she was still holding some contempt for him, but more so just trying to shield herslf. "I need to head back home and tell dad…"

In that instant, her façade broke, "Sokka…no…he can't…" She trailed off.

He stopped her before she protested any further, "He needs to. He's one of the world leaders. He must know…"

Sniffles began to emanate from his sister. Despite everything, they always needed each others support, "Don't leave me…" The desperation in her voice was haunting.

A tear fell from Sokka's eye, "I will be back…but for now, Toph will keep you company, Zuko is staying in the city and Suki and Ty Lee will be guarding this room with their lives." His sister remained silent; tears began to roll down her cheeks. His heart broke, this was as bad as when their mother died. He pulled her into a tight hug. Sokka felt her relax slightly, however, he could feel his should getting soaked with tears. He pulled away and looked her straight in the eyes. "I'll be back. Promise." He moved his right fist over his chest and pounded it. She nodded hesitantly before turning her eyes back to Aang. Sokka slowly moved his way out of the room, giving Toph a quick, reassuring hand on her shoulder. It was all he could do for her in the moment.

All who remained in the room with Aang was Yagoda, Katara and Toph. Yagoda moved back and forth between the airbender and a bowl of water, making sure her healing water was clean and dabbing warm water on the airbender to keep his body temperature regulated. Toph had found a chair in the corner of the room, keeping her distance from the bed and opposite of Katara.

"How long?" Katara's question was weak, directed at Yagoda.

In her focus, the healer didn't quite make out what the woman said, "What's that my dear?"

"How long until he wakes up?"

"I do not know. From what I can feel of his brain activity, he is likely comatose. It could be days or weeks." Yagoda saw her fellow waterbender scrunch her eyes shut, clearly forcing tears to stay in. "But, if we aid in keeping him hydrated and fed, he will come back to us much faster."

Katara relaxed her eyes and opened them to look at the Avatar's face. It was just like after Azula shot him. All over again. The nightmare of the unknown. He looked, almost at peace now. More peace than he had felt over these last few months, "I need to be here when he wakes up." This was the first time she looked Yagoda in the eyes. Her expression was pained, determined and…scared.

Yagoda nodded in response, "I am finished for tonight. I don't imagine I can convince you to move to a guest room, so I'll have someone bring some cots for the two of you."

Toph broke her silence, "I'm not staying in here overnight."

Yagoda smiled sadly at the earthbender. She understood completely, having seen the state of he young woman carrying the Avatar to the palace, "One cot then." She left, leaving Toph and Katara alone.

"Toph?" She looked at the earbender, who looked extremely tense. And strangely, she was keeping her feet off of the ground by resting them on the wooden crossmembers of the chair's legs. There was still no answer, "Toph?"

Toph took a deep breath. She sensed something off about the waterbender ever since she arrived. And now that she realized what it was. She had been trying to hold in her emotions but hearing her voice somehow tipped her over the edge, "You have no idea how hard it is for me to be in here, do you?" She asked, tartly.

The sudden anger in her friend's voice confused the waterbender, "I don't understand…"

"I-I can feel his slow heartbeat…every strained breath….everything." Toph raised her eyes and somehow managed to capture Katara's despite her blindless. It was haunting to the waterbender. Eye contact with the girls milky eyes was not normal. "Everything about you too." Toph's voice sounded threatening.

Katara's eyes widened. Could she sense that… "Toph-"

Toph put a hand up, cutting her off. Her anger began to flare. "You don't think that detail could've meant something!?" She yelled now. The earthbender was done being discrete. She had seen the avatar slowly unravel over three months.

"Toph…I…" The waterbenders voice was small. She could no longer speak. All of her bottled emotions over the past few months began to choke and suffocate her very soul.

Toph stood up and practically screeched, "Go ahead Sweetness! Admit it!"

Katara began to ball. The wall of emotions was too much to hold back now. This is all my fault. I could've helped him…stopped him. "I-he-"

Just at that moment, Zuko pushed his way into the room after hearing all the commotion on his way down the hall, "What's going on in here?" He looked between the two of them.

The earthbender pointed sternly at her friend, "Just trying to get Sweetness over here to be honest for once!"

The firelord realized where this was going. He had hoped she wouldn't pick up on this, "Toph…you're out of line!"

"Am I? I carried his dying body here! I deserve an answer!" The earthbender was now stricken with tears of her own, "It could've stopped him!"

Zuko practically yelled, "No one here is to blame, Toph!"

The earthbender huffed, "I'll be outside. I don't like being in here anyway." She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Zuko made his way next to the waterbender, pulling up a chair. He grabbed her hands in his. She was sobbing profusely, letter her head fall to the firelords shoulder. She was shaking. "Toph was out of line."

Katara was continuing to sob, "No. She isn't."

"Don't say that. You have no-"

"You don't think…finding out…" She steeled herself. Admitting it in front of Aang was the toughest thing she's ever done. She looked at the airbender. Everything the two of them went through rushed through her mind. The good, the bad and the well…everything really. She now looked directly to the airbender as if he was just sitting there with them; like things used to be. She decided she would admit it, not only for him but for herself, "You're going to be a father, Aang." Her voice was sad, but Zuko had heard aa bit of hope leak through.

Her tears continued to roll but Zuko pulled his friend into a hug, "You have no way of knowing anything. All you can do is be here for him."

"What will he do when he finds out?"

"I'm sure he'd be over the moon."

She took a deep breath. "I mean, what will he do when he finds out….I-I kept it from him?"

Zuko squeezed his friend tighter, "Don't talk like that…" The firelord really had no idea what to say to that. He knew what Katara did was wrong, but they were all going through something horrible, so telling her the brutal truth would be out of line in its own right.

"I'm scared…" She didn't know that to say. It was true that she was scared…of everything. Scared for him, his reaction and scared of being a mother. She knew that when Aang woke up, he would love their child unconditionally. But her…her she wasn't so sure was worth of being loved by the airbender anymore.

"Katara, no matter what happens, you'll have a future. A future that will have a beautiful child. And two loving parents."

More tears fell from Katara's eyes, she tried to chuckle to lighten the mood, "You're starting to sound like your uncle."

"He might have rubbed off a bit." He stood up and moved towards the door. "I can have them bring another cot in and stay for the night if you'd like."

It was a kind gesture but she wanted to be alone right now. She didn't want to burden her friend with having to deal with what she was anticipating a very sleepless night, "I'll be fine. Just…please check on Toph for me."

"I will." He nodded.

"Thanks, Zuko."

Her friend left the room and after what felt like an eternity, Katara turned to look at the Avatar. She moved slowly and gently grasped his hand and held it in hers. It was cold, not something she was used to. Memories of his warm touch caressing her cheek when she was sad or holding her hand events and other things of course. She smiled sadly at that thought. These next few months are going to be tough, but they'll prevail. They always do. She began to speak without even thinking about it. Her raw emotions pouring out, "Aang…I don't know if you can hear me. Spirits…you probably don't want to." She sighed, "I just want you to know…that you to know…when you come back to us, if nothing else, come back for our child. Please…"

A couple of things. Don't be too hard on Toph for going after Katara this chapter. She's arguably in just as bad an emotional state as Katara. Maybe even worse. Emotions are high and people try to find a reason, a thing, or a person to blame in these situations. As sad as that sounds, it happens. It's human nature.

Hopefully it wasn't too obvious what was going on with Katara. I wanted it to be a surprise but also not out of left field. That, and I didn't want to play the pronoun game any longer and Toph was the best person to pull it out of her.

And as you can likely tell, I'm trying to weave in some canon stuff to make it somewhat fit between ATLA and LOK. This means there will be references to the comics and other future events.

Just to cover my bases: for the few of you out there who haven't seen or don't remember LOK to avoid any confusion:

Izumi is Zuko's daughter.

For those of you who haven't read or don't remember the comics:

Kiyi is Zuko's much younger half-sister.

Read the comics if you haven't. They are good. You can find them online for free if you dig deep enough, but I recommend buying them to support ATLA as much as you can.

In this story, Izumi is an infant and Kiyi is about 8