Wow. Over 170 hits on the last chapter, and only 3 reviews… Compared to the 10 before that one… That's sad, guys. I said at the beginning that I'll even accept flames… only 3 reviews… :(

So I've got a new update policy. No reviews, no updates! Mwahahahaha. Hahaha. Haha. Ha.

I must warn you, I'm pushing the "T" rating to its limits a little bit here. Nothing deserving of a higher rating happens, but it could be interpreted the wrong way. Especially in the last 2 paragraphs. Mostly because I kept using the word 'tonight'. Oh well. Oh, and because I was trying to get Katara to sound all sexy for Aang.

Aang: (grinning and blushing)

Toph: (Throws another rock, this time hits Aang. He's knocked to the floor. Still grinning…)

I don't know why I wrote this chapter like that. It just kinda happened.

I own. That's right.

Ch.16

Aang and Katara were making their way through the denser foliage of the middle of the island, looking for clues that might lead to Sokka and Toph. They were walking hand-in-hand, not really paying any attention to their search. So instead, they just took a walk and conversed.

"Do you think it's a good thing that we ended up here?" Katara asked Aang, wondering what his take on the situation was.

"Depends on what you're trying to ask. Do you mean if I like the way things turned out?"

Katara nodded.

Aang looked down at Katara's hand, which was firmly holding his. Katara followed in suit and felt Aang squeeze her hand gently. They looked up and smiled at each other. "Well, besides the obvious, I'd have to say yes. More than one good thing has happened since we got stuck here."

"Hmmm, like what?"

Aang lightly squeezed her hand again. "I think that we both know the first one." He said as he gave Katara one of his gentle, warm smiles that she so dearly cherished. Katara returned the gentle squeeze and smiled back. She then rested her head on his shoulder, which, she thought, was a definite upside to Aang's sudden teenage growth spurt that rendered him just as tall, if not just a bit taller, than her.

"So what are some of the other things?" She asked, nuzzling her head against his neck, looking for a comfortable spot.

Aang let go of her hand so that he could wrap his arm around her shoulders, gently pulling her closer to him. "Let's see… I've got a basic understanding of firebending now… And we've been able to relax a little. The last time we tried to take a vacation we ended up in a giant, sinking, ancient library being attacked by a spirit in the form of a giant owl."

Katara lifted her head from its spot on Aang's shoulder to look at him. Aang returned the gaze. They stood there looking at each other with a blank expression written on their faces for a few moments. Then, out of the blue, they both began laughing hysterically.

"I think that if we were to ever write the memoirs of our adventures, no one would believe half of the things we've been through." Katara managed to say between laughs.

"Well, you really couldn't blame them. Not everyone has seen a giant talking owl. Or a huge panda bear that can shape shift into deadly monster. Or a giant water monster awesome spirit attack thing..."

"I get it Aan-."

"… Or a cave that changes shape and the only way out is to kiss in the dark…"

"Aang, I think you've pro-."

"… Or a girl giving up her life to become the moon spirit…"

"That's enough, Aan-."

"… Or how about entering the spirit world? I'm the only one who ca- mmmphh!"

Katara, seeing no other way to stop Aang's rambling, had grabbed him by his tunic and pushed him up against a tree, then firmly pressed her lips against his. Aang was a little dazed, to say the least; Katara's action was definitely unexpected.

Katara figured that as long as she had him, she might as well have some fun. She began to lightly move her tongue along Aang's lower lip, waiting for them to part. Aang was still a little confused, but his subconscious mind took over his body's actions. He absent-mindedly placed his hand in Katara's hair, and his other hand traveled down along her back and stopped on her waist. Katara pushed herself into him a little more, trying to feel all of him at once.

Aang was now back in control of his body. He parted his lips at the feeling of Katara's tongue pleading for entrance. Her tongue made its way towards his, and once there, began to dance around it, trying to coax it to come out and play with her. Aang's tongue happily complied and began to wrestle with hers.

Noting that the kiss was now becoming more passionate, Aang let the hand that was resting on her waist slide a little lower, reaching a point he thought Katara was comfortable with. She noticed this action and smiled inwardly. Katara pulled back slightly before the kiss got any more intense. She got an idea that would make this kiss seem like nothing more than a quick peck.

"So are you done rambling now?" She asked with a smirk, knowing how well her little trick worked out.

Aang thought on it for a second. "Depends. Will you kiss me again?"

Katara thought for a second as well. "Maybe." She was sure Aang would enjoy her idea as much as she would, but it couldn't hurt to mess with his mind a little, first. She backed off of him.

"That's wasn't a 'no'…" Aang was disappointed that she left.

"I know…" She slowly began to walk off. He followed close behind.

"So you push me up against a tree and we start to make out only for you to suddenly walk away…"

"Yep."

"And then you said that we might kiss again…"

"Right."

"But you didn't say that we wouldn't kiss again…"

"Uh-Huh."

"So that means that we will kiss again…"

"Yeah."

Aang looked confused. "So why did you walk away?" He whined.

"I didn't say when I would kiss you again..." She smiled inwardly again, loving how upset he was that they stopped kissing.

Aang tried to respond but he couldn't come up with anything. He could only think of saying the first thing that came to mind. "You're mean!" He exclaimed with a pout, sounding like the child he enjoyed behaving as.

Katara giggled. "No, I'm smart."

Aang grumbled a little under his breath. He then looked up and saw Katara smiling at him. He grumbled again. "But why'd you have to stop? You can't just stop…"

"Why not?" Katara was still giggling a little at how disappointed Aang was.

Aang decided to try and get her to laugh. "Because it will cause severe bodily dysfunction!" He blurted, awaiting Katara's reaction. Maybe a joke will lead to a good time… Which could lead back to the tree…Or the dirt… Either ones works.

Katara couldn't help but explode with laughter at that last comment. "Don't worry! I think you'll be fine!" She managed to squeeze those few words in-between laughs. "Besides, I can heal you, right?" She said regaining her breath after her giggle-fit.

Aang pouted again. "C'mon! Could you at least give me a time frame? How long? Minutes? Hours?" He complained.

Katara giggled again. "Later. It will be worth the wait. I promise."

"Later… When later?"

Katara smiled and kept her eyes in-front of her. "Tonight later."

Aang stopped dead in his tracks. "Tonight? Why tonight?" he asked nervously.

Katara turned towards him and took both his hands in hers. "You know how to firebend now, right? Think about it. Dark, cold night. Warm campfire. Just you and me. No Sokka. No Toph. No Appa. No war. Just you and me…"

Aang felt his face heat up. As good an offer like that sounds, his responsible side took over. "Umm, you remember the whole 'too young for that' thing, right?"

Katara strongly punched him in the arm and laughed. "I wasn't thinking of it like that, you sicko! I meant a romantic evening alone!" She didn't sound angry. Maybe amused… and definantly a little flattered. She blushed at the thought of it, but didn't discard it completely. Maybe not anytime soon, but one day… They were to be married, right?

Aang grimaced in pain. "Would you stop doing that? You're a lot stronger than you look!" He said as loudly as he could without making it a yell. The last thing he wanted to do now was make Katara angry. No good would come from starting an argument the day the couple confessed their feelings for each other. He rubbed his arm that she had punched several times that day. I'm gonna have a bruise the size of a watermelon by tonight…

Katara laughed again. "Sorry" was all she said.

Aang smiled at the simplicity of her statement. "I guess that counts as enough of an apology. Just aim for the other arm next time…"

Katara's loud laughter was down to a soft giggle. "Yeah… Next time…"

The two continued with their search through the center of the island. Aang still had one last thing to say.

"But why did you have to kill the mood so suddenly back at the tree? Couldn't you have eased into it or something?" He pleaded. "Stuff like that can leave you feeling… I don't know… empty…"

Katara stopped and turned to face Aang. "I didn't kill the mood…" She stepped unbearably close to Aang. He could feel her warm breath on his lips. He shivered, wishing there was a source of cold water nearby.

"I'm just building up the mood for tonight…" She scuttled a little closer. Now their faces were literally less than a centimeter apart. The tone of her voice… it was the only thing keeping him from jumping onto her lips right then and there… Something about it told him that it would be best to wait…

Weeee! Fluffiness! And to any 'sickos' out there, like Aang, stop being so perverted. It's a "T" rated fic, people. I wouldn't add anything that would earn it a higher rating. I just thought it would be funny to have Aang get the wrong idea… And push the "T" rating as far as it goes… But now, in a few chapters, I'm gonna have to work really hard on a good make-out scene. I had some trouble with the last one… This one won't be any easier…

Those last 3 paragraphs with the "kill the mood" thing going on was a tribute for daydream11 and her story, "One More Time". It was her fics that convinced me to join this site and begin writing my own stories. Although my version of the kill the mood thing could be interpreted… um… differently? I guess that's the word I'm looking for…

And you heard what I said up in the header! Review people!

Rest in Peace, Mako Iwamatsu (Voice Actor for Uncle Iroh)