Author Note: Thanks for the love guys! I keep losing sleep over this story for some reason.. I don't really know what's wrong with me..
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the creators, not me.
The spring air was cool and crisp as Hakoda, Sokka, Bato and Toph stood on the deck of the ship. It was the next morning, and no one had seen Katara. It seemed she had stayed with Aang all night, and she had missed breakfast.
"Sokka," Hakoda said as he turned his attention to his son, "do you know exactly what happened?"
Sokka simply shook his head. He hadn't found the time or energy to get the full story from Katara. He knew he was shot with lightning, but that was about it. Whatever happened, really effected Katara, so he didn't want to push it. "Katara was the only one with him when it happened. Toph and I were waiting outside for them."
"And Katara saved his life," Hakoda questioned, trying to get used to the powerful bender his young daughter had become.
"More than save it," Toph spoke up now, "she brought him back. He was gone."
The mention of this sent shivers down Sokka's spine. Since they had met Aang, he always knew it was a dangerous mission. But the thought that they had actually, truly, lost Aang briefly.. well, let's just say it made him appreciate his friends a little more.
Toph continued, "I searched the vibrations for a heartbeat, and there wasn't. He was…dead." Her head lowered as she mentioned it. Toph was always strong and blunt, but something about the situation made her feel a little different. Aang was truly, her first friend. And she practically felt him die.
"I'm going to go check on them," Sokka mentioned as he walked away from the group. He didn't like the depressing conversations that were happening. As he walked down the stairs, he quickly checked in on the Earth King and Bosco, who were still asleep in one of the other small rooms of the ship. As he walked closer to where Aang had been taken, he could hear the quiet cries of his sister. His heart sank as he realized she had probably been at it all day yesterday and all night, but considering she hadn't come up to the deck, Aang still hadn't come back.
He slowly pushed the door open, to see Katara sitting next to Aang. She had her knees wrapped in her arms, and her face was buried in her arms. When the door creaked, she shot her head over to the side to see her brother standing there.
"He won't wake up," she said sadly, trying to rub the tears from her eyes. Sokka walked over to her and wrapped her in a big hug. He wasn't a big hugger, but he felt his sister would need the love a little more right now. "I just don't get it, Sokka. I've been healing him all night." She stopped again as she pushed her face into his shoulder. "Why won't he wake up?"
"I don't know, Katara," was all that Sokka could truly say. He really did not know, and he didn't want to lie to his sister to make her feel better. He released her from the hug before walking over to where Aang laid. Something about seeing his best friend – little brother, in fact – who also happened to be the most powerful being in the entire world, so helpless and weak, made Sokka' emotions rise. He wasn't usually like this. But he had grown to care about Aang too much for him to see him like this. He walked over to Aang, placed a hand on his shoulder, and whispered, "Hey Aang, buddy? Can you hear me? Well, just wanted to let you know, we need you here. So whatever it is you're doing right now. Well, we would really be happy if you came back to us."
Katara sniffled as she hugged her brother again, and he quickly walked for the door. "Katara," he said before he closed it behind him. "Please come and eat something soon. You need your strength."
She nodded at him, before he closed the door, leaving Katara alone with him once more. She sat back down next to him, and gently rolled him over. Shivers went down her spine as she did so, feeling his limp weight. She bended some water to the large wound on his back, and focused with all of her might as she healed it. The wound was so intense, that she felt she wasn't doing anything. The burn around the entry wound was still dark red, and the hole was still deep enough, that she felt she was staring straight into his soul. In fact, Katara couldn't see a difference at all. Was her healing suddenly not working?
"Come on, Aang," she whispered sadly, "wake up, please."
No response. She sighed and rolled him back onto his back, and stared at him for a moment. She always admired him. He was so powerful and so strong. The definition in his chest had been growing since he started to learn earthbending, and she had started rubbing her fingers on his chest, without noticing it. When she met him, he was a goofy kid. He wanted to penguin sled and explore more than fight off fire benders and train to be the Avatar. But he had changed. He had grown into his responsibility. His maturity grew every day, and she was in awe of his raw power and strength.
But now, looking at him unconscious, he seemed vulnerable. She felt this overwhelming need to protect him at all costs, and that if he never woke up, that she would have failed.
She got up from her seat, and walked over to her journal. She had kept it with her the whole trip, wanting to document their many adventures. She had mostly only written about good times, about how she felt when she mastered waterbending, or how Aang took out hundreds of fire benders single handedly. But, something deep down inside of her caused her to want to write about this.
The last few days have been hell. Azula infiltrated Ba Sing Se, and captured me before I had a chance. Aang came to rescue me, but Zuko joined forces with Azula and a fight broke out. Azula now has the Dai Li on her side, and they came to finish us off. Aang went into the Avatar State to get us out of there. I felt relief and pride when he did it. He was so calm, and not scary at all. But, then my world came crashing down. Azula shot him with lightning. I don't really remember how, but I made a tidal wave that took out most of the Dai Li agents and I caught him. Iroh held off Zuko and Azula so I could get Aang out of there. I need to thank him if I ever see him again. It was the scariest ten minutes of my life. I thought he was gone. He might have been – but I healed him using the spirit water Master Pakku gave me from the North Pole, and he was okay. But now, he won't wake up. He's breathing, Toph said his heart is weak but it's beating. I'm trying to heal him but nothing seems to change. He has a horrendous burn on his back and burns throughout his body, but only the small ones are healing. And he won't wake up! Why won't he wake up? The world needs him. But I need him. More than I can explain. Because, well, I think I love him. I don't really know how to handle those feelings. I'm only fourteen, and, well, he still might not come back. And what if he doesn't love me the way I love him? I want to tell him. But, he's unconscious. I don't know what else to do. I guess I will just keep healing him and hope and pray he wakes up in the next few days.
Katara sighed as a tear smudged the paper. She had not admitted her feelings to herself yet. But, she was right. She had spent the last 6 months, laughing with him, saving the world with him, training him, and being his rock while Appa was missing. But now, she needed a rock, but no one could ground her the way Aang did. But he couldn't be the one to do that. She waited for the parchment to dry before delicately closing her journal and standing up. She walked over to the sleeping Avatar once more and grabbed his hand.
"Please wake up Aang," she whispered into his ear. "I know the world needs you, but I need you. It's because… I love you."
Author Note: Oh shoot, she admitted it. Honestly, I felt like she would have, but since she's 14 she really doesn't know how to handle those kinds of feelings. Anyway, please like, follow and review! Thanks guys!
