Author's note: I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who reads this. It's been so much fun to try and continue this story, and I promise we're not even close to being done yet. This is such an awesome community to be a part of, and I love you all. Seriously, you're all great. Ok, before I start crying we should probably get on with this. You're the ones who should be crying, not me. We're picking up exactly where the original author left off, so if you haven't read the first two chapters...go do it. This one's a slow burn, so prepare yourselves for lots of super-emotional Kataang goodness. Enjoy...

N.B. My favourite fic of all time includes a song to accompany each chapter, so that's what I'm going to do here. It makes the story even more powerful, and hopefully will introduce you guys to some cool new music. This chapter's song is 'Scott Street' by the amazing Phoebe Bridgers.

As she watched her brother rush Aang away, Katara's attention shifted to the girl in front of her. Kya was still small, coming up no higher than her hip, and bursting with youth. Chestnut hair tied up in a high ponytail, with two strands falling down her face on either side. She couldn't help but smile. It was a water tribe hairstyle, one that she had taught Aang years ago, just after they'd gotten together for the first time. He could never get the hang of the loopies…

'Hi!'

Katara was almost shocked by Kya suddenly turning to speak to her. Kya. Something started welling up inside her. Even after so many years…keep it together Katara. She shook herself out of it and smiled down at the child.

'When can we start water bending?!' Kya begged, practically screaming in Katara's face. She laughed.

'Not today. And I would have thought A- your dad would have taught you some already…it's not like he can't.'

'I ask him, but he won't. He said it had to be you.'

It had to be you. Those words instantly lodged themselves in Katara's mind. Her brain was quickly becoming a broken record, a mental zoetrope reliving the same few moments. Memories.

'Why don't you go play with your auntie Toph?' Kya lit up, and scampered off to find the metal bender.

Katara could hear Toph's screams, somewhere between fear and joy, in the distance as she moved over to the other side of the courtyard. She wasn't expecting this to be so difficult. She was a mess. She knew Aang coming home would be somewhat of a shock to the system, but this…she wasn't prepared for this. She had secretly hoped that he would still be single. That he would have…waited? No. Why should she expect that? She was the one who had ended things. She was the one who hadn't even said goodbye.

For a brief moment she found herself there again, in their room. The blinds were drawn, save for a small crack that let just a sliver of silver light in. With her eyes raw, her head aching, she sat silently on the floor by the foot of their bed. There was nobody else there. She could hear the sounds of bittersweet goodbyes being said down in the courtyard. She couldn't bring herself to go. The guilt was too much. Had she done the right thing? She had meant what she said. She wanted a family. Marriage. To settle down in this place they'd built together. She wanted it with him. But she couldn't go on. He was right —this was his life. He had no choice. Was it cruel? Maybe. But it was the right thing to do. Was it? A part of her prayed that he would come home soon. That they could talk. That they could go back to how things were. But a part of her also wished he would never come back. It was a part of her that she pushed deep down, but couldn't keep from springing back up. It would make things easier. Simple. She wouldn't have to spend every day waiting. Hoping that he'd be ok. And having to live with the fact that one day, he'd come back and they would have to confront what she'd done.

Pulling herself out of the darker recesses of her mind, Katara started walking. Ignoring the calls of Toph behind her, she ploughed on through the streets of the city she had helped bring to life, desperately trying to get as far from everyone she knew as possible. The sounds and smells of the bustling metropolis swelled up around her, people calling out from market stalls, the roar of drills cutting deep into the earth to build the new 'tram lines' the council had approved. The world was changing, fast. She had changed it. But there's no better reminder of how stuck in place you are than watching others progress.

Just when the noise was becoming too much to bear, she burst out onto a long, relatively quiet promenade. It was getting dark, and the sunset over Yue Bay cast a soothing orange glow onto Katara's face. She stopped. Breathed. Looked out over the water. Three Fire Nation naval vessels were anchored in the centre of the bay, near a small island, where construction was beginning on an enormous statue. Katara had to laugh. Even here, she couldn't escape Aang.

The last seven years had been hard. It sounded corny, she thought, but there really hadn't been a day when she hadn't thought of him in some way. She hoped maybe his return might give her some closure, might help her put that chapter of her life behind her. But that little girl. Kya. Why did he name her Kya? That had sent her spiralling. Who was her mother? That feeling she felt, the one that reared its head when she was stood there staring at that child. It wasn't grief. She'd had more than 20 years to grieve. No, it was something else. Fear. Fear that she'd been forgotten. Left behind. He'd not just left, he'd moved on. He'd found someone else. He'd had a child. She could feel him slipping away all over again. And it terrified her.

After a few more moments looking out to sea, she took a second to compose herself, before turning back and melting into the busy streets, like a breath in the wind.

From the balcony adjoining his room, Aang looked out over the city. It had been a long time since he had come home. He had hoped for at least a moment of peace when he got back, but what Sokka had told him that afternoon was troubling him. And Katara…

She hadn't spoken to him. Not since he arrived. In fact, he hadn't seen her at all. She had seemed distant from the moment she first saw Kya, and after Sokka had pulled him away, she seemed to have evaporated altogether.

As he stood there, taking in the warm sunset, a small hand gripped onto his. His breath hitched for just a moment, a long dormant memory suddenly unlocking itself. He looked down at the wide eyed girl stood next to him and smiled. She was perfect. She smiled back. His worries melted. He loved her more than anything. But he also felt…sad. Like she was missing something. Someone. He'd done his best. Was it enough?

'You ok sweetie?'

'Yup!'

He chuckled to himself. Where did this kid get the energy from?

'Daddy?'

'Yeah?'

'Love you.'

'I love you too sweetie'.

Kya scuttled off inside to throw around the stuffed Sky Bison he had bought her when they last passed through Gaoling.

He was taller than when he'd left. Lithe, but powerful. The years had shaped him into a formidable warrior. But his heart felt… static. He had Kya, and she was the most important thing in his life, but a small part of his soul had remained in Republic City all those years ago. As he gazed out to sea, to the small island in the middle of the bay, taking in the vastness of the city he had founded, he wondered if that small part of his soul was still out there somewhere.

As the last shafts of sunlight sunk down over the horizon, Aang took a moment to compose himself before heading inside. He was tired. Kya bounced on Aang's bed. Neither of them had their own room here yet. His old room…well it wasn't his anymore.

Suddenly, something indescribable pulled him back to the balcony. It was like there was this silent call from somewhere out in the city, now all lit up in a billion colours, pulling him towards it. Lanterns floated in the sky, drawing his gaze up to the nearly full moon. He almost said something…but just smiled, knowingly.

'Daddy?'

He turned back to his daughter, promptly scooping her up and plonking her down on the small bed made up for her next to his own. He sat on the floor. 'Story?' Kya asked, sheepishly. He smiled, and looked back towards the window.

'Did I ever tell you the story of the moon spirit?' He asked. Kya shook her head.

'Well…'

Back in the courtyard, Katara, weary from the day's events, looked up to a balcony on the third floor. It was empty, but a warm glow emanated from inside. She could have sworn she heard Aang's voice, laughing. She had almost forgotten what he sounded like. It had been so long. She sighed. She was tired, and all over the place. She looked up once more to the balcony. Deserted. Sleep. She needed sleep.

Several miles east, by the city's main port. A fisherman was getting ready to go out for a night hauling turtle-crabs. It was a warm evening, and there wasn't much wind. Suddenly, he stopped, and turned. Strange. He could have sworn he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Probably just…the wind. Shaking it off, he pushed out to sea. Probably just the wind…