Alright this chapter is wow yeah this might be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Enjoy! :)

...

Around 5 years ago

It was the night after Zuko and Katara arrived from their mission to find her mother's killer. Aang walked outside of the beach house on Ember Island to find Katara sitting in the sand, hugging her knees, with the waves from the ocean hitting her feet.

"Hey," he said while standing behind her. She continued to stare of into the ocean "Hey."

"Are you okay?" He asked while sitting down next to her in the sand. "I will be."

The airbender took a minute before speaking again. "I know I already said this, but I'm really proud of you."

"You shouldn't be," the waterbender said in a dry voice. "What do you mean?"

"I bloodbended." The airbender turned to face her with concerned eyes.

"I bloodbended one of the Southern Raiders. I taught it was him but even when I found out it wasn't, I didn't even feel bad."

The Avatar continued to stare at her in concern. "I mean what's wrong with me? I took control of a person's body. I could feel every vein, every pint of blood within them, and I bent it to my will. I did that someone, and I didn't even feel bad for doing it."

"Katara-" He said lowly while placing a hand on her shoulder. "I almost did it, Aang."

"I almost killed him. I was so close. But I kept hearing your voice in my head. Telling me to forgive him, telling me to not choose revenge. And then I thought of what you would think of me if I did it. Or what you might already think of me. You must hate me, you must think I'm a monster."

"Katara," he began. "There is nothing that you could do that could ever make me hate you."

She finally turned to him while wiping a tear off of her eye. "And you are not a monster. You have to be the most amazing, caring, powerful, and just overall the best person I've ever met. I mean you have constantly risked so much for total strangers just because you believe that you can help them. Do you have any idea how much you help all of us? I mean you're the one who always keeps us, hopeful. You take care of every single one of us, even if we don't want you to. I mean, I don't know where I would be if it wasn't for you."

Katara's cheeks began to blush. "You can't really believe that you're a bad person just for being angry at the people who are responsible for your mother's death? Cause if so, you wouldn't really be being fair to yourself."

"And even if you did do it, even if you took his life. I don't think that could get me to change how I feel about you." She smiled at him with tears filling her eyes but she then frowned again.

"I'm sorry," she said in a low voice. "For what?"

"For what I said to you, when you were trying to get me to not go. I said that you wouldn't understand. But the truth is, you understand better than anyone. I mean your entire nation was wiped out of existence by the Fire Nation. I lost my mom, but you lost everyone. You lost the airbenders, you lost Monk Gyatso, you lost all of your friends. What right do I have to even think that I could compete with that?"

He looked down to the sand, "It's not a competition."

"I know, but still. I shouldn't have said that. It just surprises me how you can go through that much loss, and still manage to be so happy all of the time. I really admire that."

The airbender blushed slightly and continued to stare off into the ocean. "Do you remember, when I first found out that I had been in that iceberg for a hundred years?"

Katara nodded slightly. "You told me to look at the bright side of things, do you remember what I said?"

She then smiled softly at the memory, "You said that you got to meet me."

He nodded, "I still feel that way. I used to believe that being trapped in that iceberg was one of the worst things that could've happened. But now, I think it might've been the best. Because I don't think I could live in a world without you in it. I am so thankful that I was able to meet you, and have you as my friend."

Katara stared into his eyes while her's teared up. She then began to think about what she would do in a world without him. What would happen if he didn't return from his battle against the Firelord. She wanted so badly to just kiss him and be with him, but she didn't want to risk letting him fully in knowing there's a good chance that he might not make it.

"Alright I'm gonna go back to bed, I'm getting tired." He said while getting up from the sand. She also got up and turned to face his direction, "Aang."

"Hmph?" She then ran to him and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back being so grateful of having her so close. "Thank you."

Present Day

Katara traveled to the South Pole for her grandmother's funeral. Aang wanted to accompany her but the healers said he hadn't recovered enough to travel yet. At the South Pole, she met up with Sokka and Toph. They stayed there for about 5 days and then returned to the Fire Nation. For the next 2 weeks, Katara was particularly cold towards Aang.

Aang, Zuko, Sokka, Toph, and Suki were all having dinner in the main dining hall.

Zuko and Suki were having a conversation when Zuko dropped an o-nigiri on the floor and the two began to laugh.

Sokka and Toph were enjoying their food while talking about the match she had against a firebender that day and how she totally kicked his ass.

Aang was sitting there enjoying his tofu and kept looking at the door in hopes that Katara would come in.

She hadn't been to dinner at all since she got the news of her grandmother. He was worried about her but knew that she just needed some time to grief.

"I'm gonna go bring Katara her food. Good night, guys!"

"Good night!" They all said synchronized.

Aang knocked on the door of Katara's bedroom and opened it when he heard her say "Come in!"

"Hey! I brought you your dinner." He announced while placing the tray of food on a table next to the sofa.

"So, do you need anything? Some blankets, do you want me to take Liang tonight so she doesn't keep you up?"

She laid in bed and didn't make contact with him.

"Katara, do you need anything?"

"I would like it if you left me alone!" she finally snapped.

The airbender frowned and began to make his way towards the door but then stopped. "You know what? No. I've had it! What is your problem with me?"

She continued to look down, "What are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about? Ever since you came back from the North Pole you have been treating me like crap! And I'm the only one you're doing that to. When you're talking to everyone else you're great. But when I even so much as look at you, you turn the other way or tell me to go away!" The waterbender remained looking down at the pillow in her hands.

"What did I do for you not even want to look at me?"

Katara finally made eye contact with him. "What did you do?"

"You left me!" she yelled out.

Aang opened his mouth slightly at her accusations.

"You might've not meant to, but you did. We had a fight and you left me alone. You promised me that you were never going to do that! And then you did!"

"You didn't see me. You didn't see me moping around this palace like some sad sad widow. I tortured myself everyday for what I said to you. I felt horrible for what I did." She then reached into her pocket a took a deep breath before continuing.

"And then I found this!" She said before throwing the betrothal necklace at him.

Aang's eyes widened at the sight of the necklace he had carved out. He figured that he must've lost it when he got captured, but he never imagined that she would have it.

"You found it," he responded with low voice.

"How dare you? How dare you leave me with that!"

The airbender kept looking at the necklace and tracing his finger along the carvings. "I didn't mean to. You weren't supposed to find it."

"Is that why you were talking about marriage and kids that night?" she asked for reassurance.

Aang nodded his head slightly.

"You were planning on proposing, and I said that I couldn't see a future with you." Katara said while remembering the argument from that night.

"Is this what you had in your pocket that other day?"

She nodded her head slightly.

"Katara I-" he was then cut off.

"No. I'm not done talking here." She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I miss you." she admitted.

"I have missed you, every second of every day. I miss turning around and seeing you there, I miss waking up in the morning and having you in bed next to me. I miss waterbending with you. I miss everything. I just want you back."

His eyes softened at her words, "But I am back."

"No, no you're not! You're not back. You're not back for me. Aang, I don't think we've had more than five conversations that don't involve Liang in the two months since you woke up!" He looked down at the floor with a frown.

"Don't get me wrong, I am so so happy and thankful that you are spending time with her, that you care about her just as much as I do. But after everything I had to go through for you to be here right now. I mean, I risked Liang being left with no parents at all just so that you would return. And you're not even here." Tears continued to flow down her face.

"Do you have any idea what finding out I was pregnant was like? I didn't know if my baby was ever going to live to see her father! I was always told that being pregnant is one of the best feelings in the world. Oh! But not for me." She said with a fake smile.

"I was carrying a life, but I don't think I'd ever felt more dead! And giving birth? Oh man, that was even worse! I couldn't stop crying! And if you asked me I wouldn't be able to tell you if it was from the pain of pushing a human out of me, or if it was from you not being there."

Aang's face grew with pain from hearing her words.

"You were supposed to be there. You were supposed to be holding my hand and telling me how great I was doing. And if it wasn't you, it was supposed to be my mom. But she wasn't there either. And the person who did hold my hand, was my grandmother. Oh and guess what! She's gone too!" Katara finished with a sarcastic tone.

"You want to come in here and ask 'what I need'? I need you!" she finally admitted with much agony in her voice.

"Katara..." Aang spoke in a low voice not knowing what to say.

"No, I know. I get it! You need your time. But I'm not asking for a boyfriend here, I'm asking for my best friend!"

"So, please could you just-" She was then cut off by him coming closer and hugging her tight. She was surprised at first but then returned the hug.

"Don't you ever say that. You do have me. No matter what, you are always going to have me. Even when I'm not here. I am so so sorry that I wasn't there for you when you needed me. But I will be now. You wanna vent to someone, I'm your guy. You want a shoulder to cry on, your head is on it right now. You want to laugh, I'll come up with as many jokes as I can. Whatever you need, I'm here." She smiled and continued to hold him tightly while rubbing her cheek against the back of her hand.

"And I miss my best friend too." Tears still flew down from her cheeks and from his too. They continued to embrace for a long time until Katara started to stumble.

"Alright, you're tired. Let's get you to bed."

The airbender walked her over to her bed an she sat with her back against her bed board. He sat at the edge of the bed and smiled at her. She smiled back.

"Why didn't you tell me about the necklace?" he finally asked. The question made her look down. "How was I supposed to?"

"If I told you, I knew you were going to want to keep it. And that you wouldn't be giving it back."

He looked up again with a rather surprised face, "Wait, you want me to propose to you?"

"Of course I do!" She replied with a smile. "If this whole thing has taught me anything, it's that you're the love of my life...even if I'm not yours."

He continued to stare at her and then looked down at the necklace he was holding. "Could I-could I keep it?"

She quickly looked away with sorrowful eyes, thinking that he was saying that he didn't want to propose.

"For now."

Katara's cheeks reddened at his words. She locked eyes with him again, smiled, and nodded her head slightly.

He gave a small smile and turned his eyes to Liang's crib. "Hey do you want me to take her tonight, so she doesn't disturb your sleep?"

She faced the same direction as him and sighed, "Honestly if it was any other day I would say 'no'. But she has been keeping me up so much lately, I will gladly let you take her." He chuckled and got up from the edge of the bed.

Aang placed a soft kiss on her forehead before walking towards the baby's crib, which made Katara blush once more.

He took hold of his sleeping baby and began to walk towards the door. However before opening it, he turned to face Katara. "Question...will you go waterbending with me tomorrow?"

She blinked at his question, "What?"

"Well, I haven't practiced my waterbending in quite some time. And I have a feeling if I don't do it soon, my master's gonna be really pissed." He explained with a grin.

She chuckled and grinned back, "Well I hear your master says that if you don't pass your exam tomorrow, you're gonna have to be creating waves for two hours."

"Ouch, haven't even started and you're already tiring me out." He joked. "Goodnight, Sifu Katara."

She smiled to him calling her sifu after so long. "Goodnight."