Author's Note: Here's the updated Chapter 3...
Chapter 3: Home Sweet Home
It is now the early evening in Ba Sing Se. The sun is just above the horizon and the cities citizens are lighting their lanterns. The Gang is strolling through the streets heading back to the house. Aang and Katara are walking side by side, while Sokka and Suki are a few steps behind them. Katara then takes a deep breath and lets out a relaxing sigh.
"You ok?" Aang asked.
"Hm? Oh yeah I'm fine Aang." She replied.
"You seem a little distracted. What you thinking about?"
"Oh, I was just thinking, I've always loved this time of day." She explained. "The early evening, the suns still out, but its dark enough for everyone to light their lanterns. If you really look at it…" She grabs his hand. "It's very romantic."
He smiles and looks around observing the scenery. "Yeah, I see what you mean. It's really nice." But his smile disappeared when he turned to Sokka and Suki. Suki was resting her head on Sokka's shoulders, but Sokka was focusing on Katara. He could tell Sokka was trying to figure out what Katara was hiding. He turns back slouching, thinking about what they talked about back at the store.
"Aang, are you alright?" Katara asked. He doesn't answer her. "Aang?" She asked nudging his arm.
"What? Oh yeah, everything's fine. Sorry about that, I just got lost in my thoughts. Heh heh." He responded.
"Aang, you're not very convincing. I can tell something's wrong. What's going on?"
Aang hesitantly responds, "Well, the thing is…"
"I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" Katara immediately asked catching Aang off guard.
"WHAT! No! No! Not at all! He yelled in response. "I promise you Katara, you did nothing wrong."
"Oh. I'm sorry. The thought just came to mind and I jumped without thinking." She explained. "I didn't mean to scare you like that."
"It's ok Katara. And trust me, there is nothing on Earth makes me as happy as you make me." He explained.
She smiles and blushes. "So, what were you going to say?"
"Hey guys!" Suki cried out. They turn to see Sokka and Suki heading towards them.
"I'll tell you about it later, ok?" Aang whispered to Katara.
"Ok Aang." She replied.
"Is everything ok?" Suki asked. "We heard Aang yell."
"Oh yeah, we're fine." Aang replied.
"I decided to have a little fun and tickle Aang when he least expected it." Katara added.
"Oh yeah, I know that feeling." Suki replied with a devious smile. "You got to hear all the things I've done to mess with Sokka since we started going out."
"What?" Sokka yelled in a high pitch. "No she doesn't. Why would she wanna know that?"
"Because, it sounds so intriguing." Katara replied with a devious smile of her own.
Suki then throws her arm around Katara, "Oh, where do I begin…" she said as they continue heading back home. Sokka smacks his forehead and began to follow them. Aang lets out his own sigh. "Oh boy, could this day get any better?" he sarcastically asked himself. He then runs to catch up with the others.
When the gang make it back to the house, they find Toph sitting on the front porch with Momo resting on her lap.
"Toph? What are you doing here?" Katara asked.
"Well it's nice to see you too Sugar Queen." Toph replied. "Nice to know I was missed around here."
"I meant what are you doing back from your parents so early?"
"Let's just say things didn't turn out the way I hoped." Toph replied." She then lowers her head trying to cover her face trying to hold back tears. The gang then sits around her concerned for there friend.
"Why, what happened?" Aang asked as he sits beside her.
"From the moment I opened the door, I was expecting a warm welcome from my parents, but instead, they come in surrounded by the guards. And my dad yells, "Toph, now that you're home, we'll make sure you'll never be in harms way again." I tried to explain to him that I was able to take care of myself and I shouldn't be hidden away like before. He started blaming you, Aang.
"What?" Aang replied.
He said that you corrupted me and that you filled my head with nonsense and made me join your dangerous crusade. And then he called you a bad influence."
"Aang? A bad influence?" Suki replied.
"Is your dad out of his mind?" Sokka added.
"He has to be if he really believes Aang is like that." Katara replied.
"I was thinking the same thing." Toph cut in. "And I explained to him that it was my choice to leave and do my part to end the war. Keeping me locked away from the rest of the world was the bad influence. Instead of understanding me, he ordered the guards to put me in my room and throw away the key. My mom said it was for my own good. So I snapped and blew a hole in the wall and yelled "I'm never coming back.", and I left." Tears began to run down the blind Earth benders face.
Aang places his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Toph."
"It's ok, Aang. I should have known it was a waist of time going back. That life just wasn't me. My life is here, with my real family." Katara then gives Toph a hug which was followed with the rest of the gang in one big group hug.
"Ok, it's been a long trip. What's there to eat?" Toph asked.
"I'll go and get dinner started." Katara replied.
"I'll help you." Suki added.
"Ah dinner, my favorite meal of the day." Sokka said out loud as he and Toph got up to head inside.
"I'll be right in. I'm just gonna check on Appa." Aang said. He then gets up and heads to the backyard.
As time went by, Katara and Suki finish making dinner in the kitchen. While in the living room, Toph lays on the floor relaxing after her long trip digging her finger up her nose, and Sokka is sitting at the table working on a new painting. Katara and Suki walk in with bowls in each hand and place them on the table.
"Sokka, don't tell me you're working on another painting?" Katara asked.
"As a matter of fact Katara, I AM working on a new painting, my best one yet." He replied. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"I don't mind if you paint, Sokka. The problem I do have is that I always have to clean up after you. You always leave your ink and crumbled up pieces of paper everywhere and I have to clean it up." She argued.
"Hey. I don't need you to clean up after me like I'm a child." He argued back.
"Then how about you actually clean up when you're done so I don't have to." She yelled.
Aang then walks in from outside. "Hey guys, how's dinner coming?" He stops looking confused at the sight of Sokka and Katara face to face with each other. "Umm…what's going on?" he asked.
"Sugar Queen and Snoozles are going at it because he doesn't clean up after himself when he paints and she ends up doing it." Toph explained.
"Sokka, I'm just suggesting you clean up your mess when you're done. But if you keep acting this way, I will treat you like a child." Katara yelled.
"Yeah? Well I think the one in here acting like a child is YOU! Little Miss Secrets!" Sokka replied pointing his finger at Katara's face. Katara went silent not knowing how to respond.
"All right guys, that's enough!" Aang said stepping in between the two siblings. "Look, it's been a long day, we're all tired and letting little things bother us. So, let's all just relax and enjoy dinner. Ok?" He turns back and forth waiting for a respond from the two.
"You're right, Aang." Katara replied. "It has been a long day." She turns and grabs her dinner and begins eating. Aang then turns to get an answer from Sokka, but he turned away. "Come on Sokka." Aang pleaded. Sokka turns back to Aang and nods, "Ok, let's eat." They then grabbed their bowls, and Aang sat beside Katara and begins to eat.
"Zuko and Mai are at the door." Toph stated pointing at the door. A second later there's knocks at the door.
"Come on in guys." Aang yelled.
The door opens and Zuko and Mai enter the house with Zuko's personal guards behind them. "You guys stand guard outside." Zuko ordered.
"Yes Sir." One of the guards replied, and then they walk back outside and close the door.
"Hey everyone. What's new?" Zuko asked.
"Not much. We went into town to go shopping earlier, and now we're about to eat dinner." Suki replied.
"Oh, that's good."
"Care to join us?" Katara asked
"Oh, no thanks. We already ate with Uncle."
"Yeah, you can tell they're related. Zuko's beginning to eat with just as much gusto as Iroh." Mai added.
The group laughs as Zuko starts to blush. "Yes." He then covers his mouth and clears his throat. "I guess it's a family trait. So…Sokka, working on another painting, huh?" Zuko asked obviously trying to change the subject. "What are you painting this time?"
"Well Zuko, I was actually trying to paint the moment Aang defeated The Firelord."
The room went silent and everyone turns to Sokka.
"You mean when he was taking his bending away?" Suki asked.
"Uhh…yeah." Sokka replied feeling awkward about all the attention drawn to him. "I mean when I was there, seeing it with my own eyes, it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Seeing Aang and the Firelord as two beams of light, I just couldn't keep my eyes off it. I wanted to try and put that feeling I had into a painting."
Everyone then turns to Aang.
"You never really talked about it, Aang." Katara added.
"Yeah, all you said was that a giant lion turtle taught you it, and that's it." Toph asked.
"Tell us, what was it like? What were you feeling?" Sokka added. Everyone then got comfortable in anticipation for Aang to tell them about the experience.
"Well, I don't know what exactly to say about it, just how I felt through it all. I was feeling the same way I'd feel when I go into the Avatar State, but doubled. I felt so free, so pure. It was the most exhilarating thing I've ever experienced. But then, I began to feel Ozai's hatred taking over me. All I was seeing was pain and terror being inflicted on the world. And when it was about to consume me, I saw something."
"What was it?" asked Sokka, who was literally on the edge of his seat.
"I saw the reason why I was fighting in the first place. The one thing that kept me going through the whole war." Aang then turns to gaze at Katara and holds her hand lovingly. Katara begins to tear up and squeezes his hand tighter.
"And that is?" Sokka asked. Everyone then lets out a sigh of frustration. "What?"
"He saw Katara, Sokka." Suki pointed out.
"And it helped me gain the power to overcome the hatred and darkness. And with that power, I took his fire bending away, and finally defeat the Firelord." Aang concluded.
Katara then placed her hand to his face and gave him a passionate kiss. "I love you so much, Aang."
"And I love you Katara, with all my heart."
As they were getting lost in each others eyes, the sound of Zuko clearing his throat broke their trance. "Sorry guys, but I almost forgot, the main reason we came is because Uncle's throwing a party at the Jasmine Dragon." He then pulls a flyer from his robes. At that second, Sokka snatches the flyer from Zuko's hand. "Ooh a party?"
"Yeah, he figured a party maybe the best option to help the people celebrate The Harmony Restoration Movement. He's been planning this for a while. Even I had no idea until today. And I figured having the Avatar and the Firelord there will be a huge benefit on the movement." Zuko explained.
"Wait, it says there's gonna be a talent show at this party." Sokka pointed out on the flyer.
"Oh yeah, he decided to throw that one in too since he said he was bringing some old friends to perform as well, and he wanted other people to express themselves." Zuko added.
"He didn't say who they were. Just that it was a surprise." Mai explained.
"So how about it guys, do you wanna go?" Zuko asked.
Aang looks around and sees everyone more than excited about the idea. "We're in."
"That's great! We're gonna leave there soon." Zuko claimed.
"Come on Aang. Let's get ready!" Katara yelled dragging Aang with her to get ready. Sokka and Suki followed.
"Am I the only one who doesn't need to get ready?" Toph thought out loud.
Hey, wait a minute, I thought you left to visit you parents." Zuko noticed. Toph then blew her hair up.
In Katara's room, Aang was just finished changing into his monk robes and putting on his air bender necklace while Katara was changing into her favoriteEarthKingdomrobes.
"I wish I was able the wear the dress you bought me today, Aang. I can't wait to wear it." Katara explained as was putting the finishing touches on her robes.
"The store owner said he wanted to have them cleaned first, and then he's gonna have someone bring them to us. I'm sure it won't take long for them to come." Aang responded.
"How do I look?" Katara asked.
Aang turns to her and couldn't keep his eyes off the young waterbender. He smiles, "Beautiful as always."
She smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. You're so sweet. Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." He replied.
"Was it really me that helped you fight against Ozai?" she asked. "Do I really mean that much to you?"
He smiles and takes her hands. "Katara, from the second I woke up and saw your face, I instantly fell in love with you. And as time went on, my love for you grew bigger and bigger. I wanted to save the world, don't get me wrong, but the real reason I fought was for you. I wanted to give you a happy world."
"Oh Aang, that was the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me." She then gave him a big hug. "Come on, let's get going." She begins to walk out the door, but he stops her. "What's wrong Aang?"
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah. Why?" she asked.
"It's about Sokka. He knows you're hiding something, and he told me he's not gonna stop until he finds out what it is." He explained.
"What? When did he say that?" she asked.
"It was while you and Suki were changing at the marketplace. He tried to get it out of me but I didn't tell him anything. But he does know something's up. And when you two were arguing and he called you "Little Miss Secrets." The look on your face, I hated seeing you like that."
"So, what should I do?"
"Actually, I have an idea." He pointed out. "At the party tonight, you could sign up for the talent show." He suggested.
"No way! I told you why I don't want to. It's too much to ask."
"Come on Katara. Since I met you, you had no one take control over you. You made sure you did what you know is right. You're a fighter. You fought Pakku to learn waterbending, you fought Sokka to save a starving village, you even fought me to go face the man who…I'm just saying, you're the strongest person I know. And I know that you can beat this fear to truly express yourself. If you don't, Sokka will stop at nothing to find out, and you know that Toph will stick her feet in too. I'm not forcing you to do it, I'm just telling you the truth."
She turns to the mirror. She stares at her reflection. A million thoughts were circulating through her head. "I never thought I would be so afraid to do something before." Her expression of fear and doubt suddenly became confidence. "Ok." She turns back to Aang. "I'll do it!"
Author's Note: I also finished Chapter 4 and 5 so you continue reading the updated chapters. This is helping me with Chapter 6!