Okay, here is the next chapter to "As The Raindrops Tumble" Sorry it took me so long, I've been really busy lately. I hope everyone enjoys, please read and rate! Again sorry for the delay!

Mari

--------

Aang looked into Katara's crystal eyes that glistened the room with spectacular colors. She gleamed back at him, awaiting to release the words that would hopefully bliss the deep minded monk.

"Yes Katara, what is that you would like to tell me?" Aang said shortly hoping that it would be something he always wanted to hear. Katara bit crimson lip and leaned back against the window ledge.

She glanced away from his sight and looked above toward the leaky ceiling. Thoughts coiled through her mind, as she tried to put the best words into what she wanted to articulate.

"I wonder how I should put this…" She thought for a moment. She didn't want to admit what was locked away in her drifted mind, but in a way she wanted to express her feelings to him like a beautiful mocking bird's song.

"I wonder what she's thinking about, it's sure taking her awhile to say anything…" The monk predicted within his own landscape of thoughts.

The room fell into a deep slumber again, only to hear the sounds of the tumbling raindrops surrounded them. The room began to feel misty and cool as the embers of the fire's dance slowly faded away into a relaxed rest.

Katara inhaled softly as she began the soft consistent taps of her long tanned fingers.

"Drip Drip"

"Tap Tap"

"Drip Drip"

"Tap Tap"

The rhythm continued and continued. Aang began to latch his teeth against his bottom lip. He gashed his teeth against the sore thick lip below him.

"Ka… tar…a…?" Aang manage to stutter out. He had to break the silence; the temptation of what Katara was to tell him was killing him.

Katara gazed back over to the Airbender. He seemed to breathe heavy and his hands seemed to shake from the curiosity that ran through his mind.

"Aang… I have been meaning to tell you something for so long, but…" The sun kissed girl established. Aang shaped his mouth for a moment. "What is it that she wants to tell me, gosh what it is?" Aang thought as he begged in his mind that she would tell him that she loved him.

"What… is…it Katara?" Aang slowly asked. The temptation was killing him, he had to know about what the love of his life wanted to convey to him.

The Waterbender stared deep into his eyes. Her eyes seemed to suck Aang's in like a whirlpool drowning its victims.

"Maybe I shouldn't tell him… Maybe he won't feel the same way as me…" Katara's thoughts hesitated. "Maybe, I should just make up something else…" "Or maybe, I should just get it over with…"

Katara curved her lips as she opened her mouth to speak, but hesitation arose through her mind and she locked them again. "I know what I'll do…" The girl theorized.

"Hey… Aang…" She utter out. The room was still lifeless and bitter as Aang snapped out of the spell of the Waterbender's glistening eyes. "Yes Katara…" He answered softly hoping that the words would just warm the room and vanish the chill of the November mists.

Katara gasped in another chilled breath and began. "Aang, would you like to go for a walk with me, I mean we have some umbrellas and the rain slowed down a bit, would you like to?"

"Go for… a walk…" Aang thought. He felt as if his heart could have shattered in a million pieces. "I can't believe it…" He continued. He sighed and looked down as he reached for the umbrellas.

"I wonder what's wrong with him." Katara thought with curiosity. "Maybe… I should have told him…" The Waterbender looked over to the empty fireplace; it seemed lost just like Aang did. "Maybe I'll tell him on our walk." She thought positively.

Aang approached back with one solid black umbrella. It lined with a beautiful layer of silk and a smooth bamboo rod to hold it up.

"You ready Aang?" Katara asked as she glimpsed the young monk. He looked towards her with soft eyes and nodded as they trailed out the doorway into the misty environment a forth of them.

The cold rain drops smacked upon the silky umbrella as the two walked into the misty atmosphere. The air tasted so clean and fresh, but it also left a cold sliver down their backs as they walked. The wind died down a bit, but there was still a trace of it, that would brush there skin with each step they took.

Aang looked down at the falling rain the clashed against the ground; it seemed to hypnotize him as he made no sudden movements. "Aang, are you okay?" Katara busted out. She looked upon his reflective bald head and waited for a reply.

"I'm fine Katara thanks…" He stated. "No Aang… you don't seem fine, what's been wrong with you lately." She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Well Katara, I've been thinking lately…" "Thinking…?" "Yes, I've been thinking a lot…"

The rained slowed a bit as they reached near a small stream toward the distance of the grassy landmass. "Aang, what are you thinking about…?" Katara asked quietly.

Aang stopped for a moment, and looked into the eyes of the Waterbender. They seemed to tell a story, a story about his true feelings for her, and that his wishes were fading along with the passing raindrops in the skies.

"I've been… thinking… of… you…"