A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! You guys have no idea what it means to me! Makes me feel like all of this is worth something. Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy and please keep those reviews coming.

Katara walked towards the main temple and saw Aang standing in the courtyard, waiting for her. When their eyes met she felt a surge of energy pass through her and picked up the pace. She started to run towards him and he opened his arms for her as she crashed into him, laughing and kissing her on the head. She laughed and looked up at him.

"I'm guessing you're happy to see me? It's just been one day." Aang said.

"You're saying that while I was gone, you weren't aware of my missing presence?" She asked playfully.

"As if you even need to ask." He said and cupped her chin, pulling her up into a kiss. She smiled into the kiss and enjoyed the taste of her other half. After going a day without him she felt like she needed to make up for lost time, letting herself melt in his arms. After a while she heard someone clear their throat. She broke the kiss and looked around, seeing a few Acolytes gawking at them. She blushed but Aang didn't see the problem. Everyone knew how in love with her he was, even if she didn't know it herself. He smiled and gave her another kiss on the lips.

"Did you find what you needed?"

"Yes, and at a very reasonable price; free."

"You didn't steal them, did you?"

"Of course not! I was actually on my way to the herbalist and happened to stumble upon a section of herbs growing in the wild. The exact herbs I needed. So I picked them." She said and smiled at him, handing him a small cloth bag. "Treat it like tea and make sure she gets at least three doses of that a day until the bag runs out. It will help with her fertility now so when she is older there are no complications."

Aang put the bag in his robes and hugged her, picking her up and giving her a little spin.

"You are truly amazing, you know that? I didn't even know herbs like this existed… without you, she'd be dead and Appa would have no one to be with. You can't understand what this means to us…" He said and looked deep into her eyes, feeling like he was going to tear up. She simply kissed him again.

"But we lost a lot of lives still… the mother, and the other four babies… Yangchen was wrong."

"No. I thought she was too, but do you remember the first night we stopped to rest with Amhi?"

"Not much of it, I remember passing out curled up next to Amhi…" She said truthfully.

"Well, while you three were asleep I went and had a little chat with her."

(One week earlier)

Aang sat, leaning against Appa, looking over Katara and the newest member of his little Air Nomad family. He sighed softly and put his fists together, calling his past life to come before him. When he opened his eyes, Yangchen was before him and there was no one around. He was in the spirit world with her.

"You need further assistance, Avatar Aang?'

"You need to explain yourself. My hands are stained red with the blood of five innocent bison I failed to save. You never pressed the urgency. You lied to me. Death still surrounded us."

"Avatar Aang, I did not lie to you. You simply cannot see forest through the trees. Had you not saved the little female, your companion would die alone, leaving yet another breed of bending creatures extinct."

"What about the mother? He could have been with her!"

"There was no mother young Avatar. Those men were mistaken. The adult they took was female, but not the birth mother of those bison. She adopted them after the real mother was killed. Furthermore, she was barren from her own torturous life. The little one you saved was the only female sky bison left in the world alive that can bear children. And now even that is most uncertain due to her injuries. Had you not gone, she would have died."

"You're wrong again… It didn't matter at all that I was there. I couldn't do anything."

"But Katara could. And did. She's the greatest healer to live in your time, and should be revered for her talent and passion. Especially considering she just singlehandedly saved a species from annihilation. Remember that."

And with that he was flung back into his own body, taking a small gasp and blinking his eyes open. He felt his chest and looked around. He was indeed back in the physical world, and not by his choice. He sighed as he looked down at Katara and Amhi cuddled together. Yangchen was right about one thing. She was truly remarkable.

(Back to the present)

Katara blushed, unsure how to feel about a passed Avatar's compliment, but looked to Aang.

"So the life wasn't just one singular life she was talking about then. She meant life for all sky bison."

"Exactly. You saved her, and by connection, all the bison that will come from her."

Katara was speechless, she wasn't sure what to say. After a moment of reality crashing down on her, she spoke.

"But we're not sure if she can have children. We won't know that for a few years."

"But we have a start. And she has you. With the healing sessions you two have been doing and now this special herb, I don't doubt that when she is of age, her and Appa will have lots babies." He said with a small blush, thinking of all the pent up energy his best friend must have.

"Speaking of, where is my baby?"

Aang smiled and got into his robes for his bison whistle. He loved it when she called Amhi hers. It was like she had an animal companion now.

"She's been playing all day with Appa, of whom has been extremely energetic these past few days." He said and blew the silent whistle.

"Aang she shouldn't be flying! She's at a risk right now to tear something!"

"She's fine. She's better than fine. And she's about to show you just how fine she is!" Aang said as he looked over her shoulder. She didn't understand but followed Aang's line of vision, turning just in time to be knocked to the ground by a two ton baby bison, on whom pinned her down and licked her face all over. Katara's laughter was contagious as Aang joined in, absolutely amazed at how attached to Katara the little one had gotten.

"Well, I guess you missed me too, huh?" She smiled and Amhi flew off of her, allowing Katara to sit up. Amhi hovered in the air and swerved around her head. Katara was still laughing, but now concerned.

"Come down here Amhi. You need another healing session." She said through giggles and opened up her arms. The little bison flew back down to her and landed on the ground, nudging Katara's body before laying on her back in front of her. Katara pulled the water out of the pouch she had strapped around her torso and went to work.

"Well, while you do that I'll so make this special drink for her. I'll be back in a bit, I just have to get water and a kettle." Aang said as he walked towards the dining hall.

Katara barely heard a word he said, completely absorbed into her work. The scar tissue on her lower stomach was still being extremely temperamental. Not as thick as she was used to with humans. She worried that it would tear if Amhi wasn't careful. What if Appa was too rough with her? These and other thoughts raced through Katara's mind as she worked arduously on the little bison that tugged at her heart. She didn't even notice a young Air Acolyte walk up to her. The young woman stood there for about a minute before clearing her throat. Katara looked up finally and smiled.

"Oh, hello Meng Lu. Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"Well, you're certainly hard to miss." She sneered at her.

Katara hesitated over Amhi for a moment, feeling a sudden tension between herself and the young woman.

"I'm sorry, have I done something to offend you?"

"Oh no. It's nothing like that."

"Oh good. So what's on your mind?" She said and went back to work on her healing.

"You need to leave."

At these words the water dropped from her control and ran over Amhi's stomach. She looked back up to the woman with shock written on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, maybe I wasn't clear enough. Leave Avatar Aang alone."

Katara stood up and faced the woman, looking into her brown eyes.

"Aang is my… What right do you have to say who he can be with?"

"Oh we are all aware of how attached you have become to him. It's wrong and you know it."

"How is our relationship wrong?"

"You speak as if we don't notice you two together. The way he moves around you, as if you are the center of his universe. We see him leave, half dressed in the middle of the night to go off into your arms, returning the next morning in the same clothing he left. And now you have your own personal sky bison while not living as an Air Nomad or an Air Acolyte and you can't guarantee him that you will bear him airbending children. The cloud of lust around you is almost tangible to everyone who has to see you two together, and it's absolutely the most immoral thing I've ever seen. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"How dare you!" Aang's voice rang through the courtyard and the two women looked behind Katara to where Aang was standing with a tea pot in hand. Everyone who had been listening to their encounter froze and couldn't look away, as such disasters are often watched. Aang walked up to the two woman and looked from Katara to Meng Lu, the rage clear on his face.

"Avatar Aang! Please, I meant no disrespect."

"Don't try to play that card. You meant the highest disrespect possible. Is this how you really are? Are your true colors coming through?"

"Avatar Aang, please try to understand. What you two are doing is very immoral and she has the chance on giving you waterbending children-"

"Of which I would love as much as I love her. Nothing of that sort is even happening between us, not that it is any of your business."

Meng Lu's face went bright red and she went into a deep bow.

"Please accept my deepest apologies Avatar Aang!"

"Is this why you came to this island? Do you consider yourself a more suited partner, above her, because you lack any bending abilities?"

"Yes. NO! Please, Avatar Aang! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like this."

"Yes you did, I know you are lying!" His voice bounced off the temple and the surrounding buildings, silencing the birds. there was a tense silence that followed his statement and tears started to stream down Meng Lu's face.

"Leave." He said softly. She didn't move. She was paralyzed with fear.

"I want you off of this island, away from the sacred air temple." He said a little louder." And that goes for anyone who is here under the illusion that being here will somehow automatically categorize you as a potential suitor for me."

She hesitated but backed away slowly, walking out of the courtyard and down to the dock. Surprisingly, about five other women followed her, apparently thinking themselves better mates than Katara. Aang was surprised at how many women left and he sighed, handing the steaming kettle to Katara and walking away from the scene. She was torn between giving the medicine to Amhi and continue her healing session, and going to comfort Aang. She signed and knelt back down, bending the medicine out of the kettle and into a ball.

"Open up Amhi." She said softly and the little one opened her mouth. She bent the medicine into her mouth and she drank it, licking her mouth clean. Katara smiled softly and picked the water up from the ground, going back to her healing session. It took a while, but when Katara was satisfied she let Amhi go, flying off and meeting Appa over the dock. Katara took the kettle and stood, walking to the main dining hall and going inside. there were a few Acolytes around, all of whom gave her a smile. She rested the kettle in the sink and asked an elderly woman a question.

"Excuse me, did you see where Aang went?"

"Lady Katara, he went off to his own house. He didn't seem to be in the mood to talk…"

"It's okay, I'll see what I can do."

With that they bowed to each other and she headed off to his little house at the back on the island. When she came up to his door she hesitated. She had never seen the inside of his home before, and felt odd just walking in. But it was Aang, and he needed her right now. She took a deep breath and opened the door slowly.

"Aang?" She called into the house. Her voice echoed off the nearly barren walls. She let herself inside and closed the door behind her, feeling a strange kind of sadness as she saw the walls empty, nearly devoid of any decoration at all. This wasn't a home… it was a place to sleep.

"Aang, where are you?" She called out again, taking off her boots and stepping up out of the foyer and going down the main hallway. She walked passed an open door and did a double take, seeing a figure sitting on a bed with his back to the door, his outer robes balled up and thrown on the floor. She walked into his room and it was just as empty as the rest of his house, just a bed, an armoire, and a night stand. She saw on the wall, where the head of his bead was, a mural. It had the Air nation symbol surrounded by people in autumn colored robes, gliding through the sky and bison flying alongside them. It was the most beautiful painting she had ever seen and it took up the whole wall. She was speechless for a moment before coming over to him, standing in front of him. She looked at his face and he refused to look her in the eyes, looking down at the floor. She took her hands and gently framed his face, angling his upward toward her. He hesitantly slid his eyes up her body and finally up to her face. She was taken aback at the empty grey she saw, how lonely he seemed.

"Aang…" She whispered and he closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around her middle and pulling her close, burying his face into her clothes for fear of letting the floodgates behind his eyes loose. She hugged his head into her body, holding him like she know he needed. After a few moments she felt his shoulders starting to shudder silently as she felt hot tears soak through her clothes. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head, saying nothing. For a while she just let him get it out, not making a sound. After quite a while he pulled away from her body with a sniff, wiping his remaining tears with his arm. he didn't look back up at her, just held her there, staring at her stomach where his tears stained her clothing.

"Do you want to talk about it?' She whispered softly.

He hesitated and gripped her clothing.

"I feel betrayed… I thought these people wanted to learn the ways of my people… I thought I wasn't going to be alone anymore…"

"Aang, not everyone left. And you are not alone. Look at me."

He slid his swollen eyes up to meet her sapphire gaze and his heart skipped a beat. Her stare was so intense and deep, he swore he could drown in her eyes.

"You are not alone. You still have an island full of people committed to become the new Air nation. And… I will never leave you."

He stood quickly and kissed her deeply, a couple more tears streaming down his face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he back her up against the wall, letting his emotions get the better of him. He held her face in his hands and kissed her senselessly, staying connected longer than they ever had. Her knees felt weak and she parted her lips to let out a soft sigh, only to feel his tongue slipping between her soft lips a moment later. It completely took her by surprise but she accepted him, sliding her tongue against him. The feel and taste of her tongue made him open his eyes and pull back, snapping him back to reality.

"I-I'm sorry….I didn't mean to-" He stuttered out, completely embarrassed of how he had advanced on her.

"It's okay." She said breathlessly, a blush coloring her skin just a shade darker.

"No it's not. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Katara silenced him with another kiss, this time she was advancing upon him. With her eyes closed she molded her lips to his, sliding her tongue along his bottom lip ever so slowly. It made butterflies fly through his stomach and he closed his eyes, parting his lips. Their tongues met again just briefly and she pulled away, giving him a quick kiss before opening her eyes. When he felt like he could breathe he rested his forehead against hers, his eyes staying closed but still holding her face in his hands.

"Katara… I love you so much. And even though I miss my people, you make me feel whole in a way I never thought I could… You are everything to me. I don't care that you eat meat. I don't care that you're a waterbender. It doesn't matter to me. Please don't ever doubt that."

"I love you too, Aang. I won't let what she said bother me. Because you are everything to me too…" She said and closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his hands on her face. He just smiled and pressed his lips against hers once more. He was so happy. He loved her more than he thought was possible to love someone. And hearing that he meant that much to her just strengthened how he felt. It was a mutual love shared just between them. Something that they could carry together and let grow together, forever. He broke apart from her lips and held her to him, just holding her body close. She wrapped her arms from around his neck to around his torso as he rested his head on hers, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you." He whispered into her hair.

"For what?" She asked into the crook on his neck.

"Coming to see if I was alright. I wasn't, but I am now. So thank you."

"You're welcome." She said with a smile and nudged her head against his neck, enjoying their long embrace. He took in a deep breath and gave her shoulders little squeeze.

"Do you want to have dinner here?"

"With you and the other Acolytes?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Sounds great. Come on." She said and laced her hand in his as he lead them out of his house to the dining hall.