A/N: Well we made it. That last arc was not exactly executed as I had wished, but it stands as is. We have the last arc of the story starting now and we are easing into it and then we are done! I have really enjoyed this story and it has been an incredible year of writing for me. I have grown so much and I hope I continue to grow each day. Okay, enough of my ranting - this isn't what you're here for! As usual, I own nothing.

Morning came very quick for her. The dreamless sleep hadn't exactly refreshed her brain. It put it on pause, more or less. Her opening statement to herself was an internal barrage of insults and she twisted in the sheets. Aang had tried to comfort her the previous night and it did help a little. But Katara was and always had been her own worst enemy. She lay in the morning light and watched the clouds pass by, praying for the strength to forgive herself eventually.

She sighed and sat up in her bed, letting the sheets fall off her body. It was true that Fei ZhiZhu was the true monster in this case, but she had lowered herself down to his level, letting an angry, vengeful beast take over. And for that, she needed to pay some consequence. At least, she believed she did.

Actually getting out of bed was harder than she thought. She felt like a rock was in her stomach and her limbs felt tired from the whole ordeal. What finally got her out of bed was a knock at her front door.

She slipped onto the floor and made her way to the door, cracking it open.

"Morning." Aang said with a patient smile. Her lips pulled up just the slightest and she let him in. He flashed a toothy grin and closed the door behind him.

"Get dressed, we have a full day today." He said with pent up excitement.

"What do you mean?"

"You and I are going to do some waterbending practice."

She shook her head.

"Aang, I really don't feel like bending today."

"And that's why you're going to do this."

She put her hands on her hips.

"Aang, you can't make me."

"I can try. I'll dress you myself if I have to." He said and she blushed looking away from him. She huffed and dropped her arms.

"Fine, wait here."

He nodded and smiled triumphantly.

She didn't take long. The hottest days were dwindling down and today felt much cooler than the previous week had. She dressed accordingly; leggings, short sleeve tunic and her hair in a braid. She came out and was wrapping her forearms with a navy cloth.

"Much better." Aang said and smiled. "Not that I don't love seeing you in your little night gown." He added, trying to lighten her mood. He made them both blush in the process and he cleared his throat. He stepped over to her and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. She encircled him and exhaled into his robes as he kissed her hair.

"Trust me," he said in a softer and more serious tone. "I know this will be good."

The ride on the ferry was quiet. He held her hand and rubbed her hand with his thumb. It calmed her a little and helped her feel less horrible.

Once on the island Aang took her off the path and around the cliffs where there was a small part of a beach just big enough for both of them. He let go of her hand and walked to the top curvature of the water, the most inland part, and took off his shoes and rolled up his pants. Katara took her cue and slipped her leggings off with her shoes and set them aside, feeling the warm sand between her toes. Aang went into the water to about Mid-thigh and she came after him, the bottoms of her tunic in the water.

Aang lifted a large stream from the water and circled it towards her. She passed it back to him without missing a beat, feeling comfortable but still guilty. They passes the water back forth in silence and until her stance became rigid and the water was dropped. Aang questioned her with his eyes and she rubbed her arm.

"I'm sorry, I just don't feel very worthy of bending right now."

"Sweetie, you have to let this go."

"I can't." She choked back a sob and looked to the water. He came towards her and took her hands gently.

"You can't just not bend because you made a mistake."

She didn't respond and kept her eyes fixed on the waves between them. He let go of her hands and came around, his hands at her waist once he was behind her.

"Bend your knees."

She was silent but did as told, getting her legs into a stance.

"Raise your arms with the waves."

She was hesitant and he felt the stubbornness rolling off her body. He positioned her arms and moved her body with the waves. She was resistant at first but her body took over eventually, letting his hands rest back on her waist. The push and pull was so relieving, like the physical representation of pushing out everything that was running through her mind and pulling it away from her body. She relaxed and got into it, barely recognizing his hands on her body. The push and pull of the water was somehow cleansing her toxic mind and guilty spirit. The waves receded and came back fuller each time, the ocean at her beck and call. She started to move the water around her, not just in waves but in a tide.

Aang let go to step back and her eyes closed, feeling her way through the sand by the feel of her natural element. Her arms raised again and the water mirrored her body, fluid and beautiful like it's master. She pulled at the waves until a large crest was hanging above her head. She stopped it form crashing on the beach and exhaled, lowering the water back into the bay. She repeated the action until she was sweating. That's when she let go completely and allowed to water to go back to normal. Releasing the water was just as relieving as the bending had been. She stood straight again and opened her eyes, watching the peaceful waves clap against the shore.

Aang came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nestled his nose into her hair.

"Any better?"

"A bit." She said with the smallest smile. His hands came together over her middle and she placed her hands over his.

"I know that there is really nothing I can say to help you. You're doing this to yourself. But…" He stopped and kissed her cheek from the side.

"No amount of guilt can change the past and no amount of anxiety can change the future."

She pondered his wise words and tried to let go of her sunken stomach like she had released the water. The pull of guilt in her gut was a sick feeling and she wanted it to be gone. She just didn't know how to forgive herself.

"Have you ever done anything like this?"

"How about running away and getting frozen in an iceberg for 100 years only to be found and told that my entire culture had been erased because I wasn't there to protect them?"

She looked down at their hands and she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.

"I can't even imagine the guilt you must have had. How did you let it go?"

"I had to. For me to be able to be the avatar, I needed to free all my chakras." He took her hand and placed it below her naval.

"The Water Chakra deals with pleasure. It's located here, in your lower abdomen. This chakra is blocked by guilt. In order for you to feel full pleasure in your life again, you have to let go of the guilt that binds you." He said softly.

"How?"

"Rest assured that we all make mistakes and it's all nothing if we learn nothing from them. You made a mistake. Now learn from it and move on." He said and let her go, giving her a kiss on the cheek and walking away from her. Katara was left in the cove with the water and her thoughts.

X

She was sitting on the dock with her feet in the water when he found her later that evening. She was laying on her back and watching the clouds, her hands folded over her stomach and her legs kicking slowly, twirling her toes into the cool bay. He came up on her quietly. Her eyes were closed. He sat at her head in the lotus position, folding his hands and starting to meditate. He wasn't going to push her.

She was happy he was there. His presence helped her finalize her feelings. She sighed and opened her eyes. Aang opened his eyes and leaned over her, playing with her braid.

"Everything alright?"

She nodded and looked up to him.

"I think I can finally understand what I need to do."

"And that is?"

"To just move on from this whole terrible episode. You're right. No matter how much I beat up myself I can't change what I did. The only thing I can do is forgive myself and learn."

Aang smiled and stroked her cheek.

"That's very healthy of you to decide."

"Yeah well," she sat up and turned to him, pulling her feet from the water. "I had some help from a pretty wise Avatar."

Aang shrugged.

"I try."

Katara smiled and hugged him on her knees, giving a small laugh as she clutched him to her chest. He smiled and wound his arms around her middle, trying to ignore her chest and appreciate the affectionate hug. She kissed his arrow and he blushed.

"I love you." She whispered.

"And I love you." He said softly.

Suddenly the light mood felt heavy. Katara pulled back and held his face, looking into his silver eyes. Aang was overwhelmed by how much he loved this woman in front of him. Time meant nothing to him. He felt like he had known her forever though their friendship had barely graced six months. Without breaking eye contact he put his hand over one of hers and moved her palm to his lips, giving her a tender kiss.

In this moment Katara felt like it was just the two of them in existence. They searched each other's eyes for questions, answers, feelings, justification, and above all else, unquestionable doubt that their love was deep and true. She traced his lips with her finger and he closed his eyes, kissing her digit lovingly. She came down to his level and kissed his lips, adjusting her body so she was sitting in his lap. His arms came around to hold her and she put her arms around his shoulders.

She pulled her lips away and they both let out a soft sigh. Their eyes met again through heavy lids and both hearts were running races. Katara hesitated, wanting more, but she knew she had to hold herself back.

"We should probably stop." He said breathlessly.

She nodded and loosened her grip.

"Let's grab some dinner, it's about that time." He suggested. She nodded again and raised herself up, offering her hand to Aang. He took it and stood with her, lacing his fingers with hers.

As they walked towards the main part of the island something started to come together in Aang's mind and as much as he tried to push it aside, it was just so right it couldn't be ignored.