I tried to cut it down. I swear but I had so much. I just couldn't. So this one then the epilogue!
This is like my baby. Feel free to be truthful. I tried not to make anybody oc and make it plausible.
This was so hard to finish.
Enjoy. Thanks for the Memories!!
Mai
They left that night stopping only to leave a handwritten note to her parents. She loved her parents but couldn't stand them for long periods of time. Since his return from the meeting, her father had not ceased his congratulations. It had gotten tedious after he told her what good fortune it was that she had caught the Avatar's eye for the third time.
Her mother had been more understanding which in itself was odd. Mai had only to remind her that his name was Aang and not Avatar once. Plus she seemed to like him and hugged her daughter telling her to be happy and ignore her father.
They arrived at the Southern Air Temple in record time, neither one noticing since Appa had flown without guidance most of the way. It was the closest of the temples and Appa was clearly glad of being rid of the over pampering of the Earth Kingdom palace.
Mai had drowsily climbed from the bison and Aang promised his giant friend a whole bushel of carrots if he could hold off until morning. Aang skirted the Fire Nation evidence and headed to his old room, she followed yawning behind him. She stood for a moment admiring him while he breathed new air into their room.
She removed her outer garments and spread them out to further warm their sleeping space. It was moments before he fell asleep that she had whispered, "I'm glad you came back."
He burrowed his face in her hair, a habit he had developed during their time at the Western Temple. "I never left."
The next few months were spent toiling in getting rid of any part that remained of the Fire Nation siege. The first part had been especially hard. Mai had gotten Toph to come and partly because of their time at the Western Temple, the blind bender had become her best friend. She was very helpful in disloging the armored tanks and armor from the edges of the mountain. Mai had wanted her mostly to give her advice. Toph was able to lend a helpful ear since her relationship with Sokka had faced a similar rocky beginning.
Mai had tried to keep Aang busy so as not to think about the fates of those who had dwelled here but it was difficult and somedays he would just sit for hours contemplating. On the fourth day he had announced that he wanted to bury all the dead, air and fire.
He had taken care of Gyatso himself and that had left him morose.
Mai knew this was a big job and she enlisted some of the members of the Northern Temple to help. Teo had been instrumental in clearing the fountains and pushing out the gunk left over from the Fire Nation army. The others had gone to sleep and Toph, after having been reassured that Mai would see to Aang and herself, had followed suit a few hours later.
Mai scurried though the corridors, it was past midnight and he had yet to appear. This was his home so she knew if he didn't want to be found no amount of searching would unearth him. She chanced upon a library and she caught his shadow bent over a book. "Aang?"
He looked up, his eyes red rimmed from a combination of lack of sleep and tears, "I found these records. Every monk that has ever trained here made an entry as soon as they mastered Air. I never got to write in it. I was going to but that was the day I found out Gyatso and I were to be separated."
His fingers touched the pages reverantly. "Why don't you write something now?"
"I don't feel worthy. It's been too long."
"Why don't you write something about the temple?" She bent and handed him ink and brush, "why don't you write to Gyatso? Tell him you miss him? Write what you've done since he's been gone." With that piece of advice and a warm blanket she left him.
Some hours later he came to their bed and slept soundly.
Zuko
It was his second night waiting for Jin to get off work and already he was annoyed. 'How long did it take to close a tea shop?' Remembering some of the techniques Aang had taught him. Zuko relaxed by doing some fire squats and breathing evenly.
Jin came out soon after, she laughed at his concentration. It was funny how serious he was about everything. In the three months that they had been together she had seen a change in him. He no longer got angry over every little thing and he even was more demonstrative with his affection.
He felt her eyes on him. Embarrassed he stopped squatting and greeted her, "Hey."
"Hi, you ready to go or do you need to do another set?"
"Very funny," he scowled but it held no bite to it. He lightly held her hand and she looked to him in confusion. "Jin, I need to ask you something. I have a wedding to go tomorrow. I don't want to go alone, will you go with me?"
Jin knew very well what wedding he was referring to. The Avatar's wedding had been the only thing everybody had been talking about for several months now. "I would be honored to go. Will you be ok seeing her?"
He face tightened into a grimace but they did not cease walking, "I will be because it's what she desires and he makes her happy though I have no idea why. That's all I ever wanted."
Jin tucked her hair behind her ear nodding. "That's a good attitude, I think."
"Thanks, I couldn't have reached it without your help. Thank you for refusing to go out with me right away. For forcing me to confront my losses before beginning again." He leaned in and kissed her.
"You're very welcome."
True to her word they had arrived at the wedding. He stood next to Katara and was glad that she had regained some of her earlier health. "Hello Katara."
"Zuko it's nice to see you." Her smile was genuine as she hugged him. "You must be Jin." Katara shook his girl's hand, "Zuko had written me a lot about you."
Jin blushed and threw him a questioning look, he just shrugged. "You ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be. What about you? Are you here with anybody?" Zuko asked.
"No to all the above. I've been too busy but I'll be fine. Aang deserves this," was Katara's response.
The ceremony began and all stood quiet to hear the couple's vows.
Zuko wondered if he could reunite the group. They had been a family before and he didn't want it to end because he had been stupid.
He was happy with Jin. Mai and Aang were happy. The only one missing it all was Katara but maybe he could help remedy that. 'There was no reason that they all couldn't be right?' He would make sure they regained that familiarity they had lost.
Katara
"Hello Katara."
"Zuko it's nice to see you." Her smile genuine as she hugged the firebender. "You must be Jin." Katara shook the girl's hand, "Zuko had written me a lot about you."
"You ready for this?" Katara couldn't resist asking. He hadn't come alone like she had but then the only person she would have brought was the one getting married.
"As ready as I'll ever be. What about you? Are you here with anybody?" Zuko redirected her question.
"No to all the above. I've been too busy but I'll be fine. Aang deserves this."
The ceremony began and all stood quiet to hear the couple's vows.
That had been hours ago and now she stood to the side along with Sokka, Toph, Suki and Iroh. Awaiting her turn in the line to congratulate the couple. She had considered skipping out on the reception but even Zuko had arrived though he had changed to the more formal royal regalia of the Fire Nation. Jin dressed in similar colors was apparently distracting him by occasionally directing his attention to their other friends.
Mai was wearing a very intricate orange under dress with the yellow and red sashes looped around it leaving her shoulders bare. Her only jewelry was a pendant with air symbols carved onto it, red beads of her homeland holding it up. Her headdress was interlocked with her dark hair and her bangs had been swept back.
Standing out against her ivory skin was a shinning blue arrow.
It was much smaller than Aang's and clearly decorative as it didn't reach back past her forehead. It was concrete proof that they were forever bonded. Her turn had come up while she'd been admiring Mai. She was resplendent in her wedding attire but Aang had taken her breath away.
She hadn't gotten a good look earlier thanks to her choosing to sit as far away as possible.
Aang was wearing a similar ensemble except for his pants which were black and though he wore robes they were much less than what he had worn to Zuko's coronation. Part of the material was tied on the very edge of his shoulder leaving his right arm completely bare except for one sash in particular which wrapped curiously high on his bicep then dangled to his waist.
His hair had been shaved for the occasion showcasing his arrow. His only adornment was a pendant that matched Mai's. Her heart tripped on itself as Aang turned that radiant smile on her.
"Congratulations. Mai …um and Aang," she stuttered. 'For goodness sake could this get any more awkward.'
Mai's hand was resting on the crook of Aang's elbow. She was beaming which was not so unusual anymore. Aang apparently made her shine and she did the same for him. "Thank you for coming, I hope you'll stay until tomorrow. Zuko wants to throw a reunion party at Ember Island and he wants everybody here to make arrangements."
The rest of the line behind her was being dispersed by the very genteel but stern Lady Toph. "It wasn't a big deal, I mean it is but not... I just wanted to say congratulations. I'm afraid I can't stay. Water tribe business and all." The words rushed out of her mouth.
"Oh, ok. Well if you can't make it. We could always do it again some other time. I could write you if you want and let you know the details, Katara."
Ashamed at being so transparent Katara made her excuses, "that would be nice. I'll do my best to come." Katara was grateful that Mai had chosen that moment to greet some Fire Nation nobles leaving her alone with Aang. Not since their talk at the Western Temple had they been together. Katara had seen to that. She knew Aang had taken Mai along on his travels and she hadn't wanted to run into them.
"Katara, we are still going to be friends aren't we? You aren't going to disappear from our lives are you?" Aang asked concern marking his face.
"I can't do this right now and I'm not sure if I ever will. I will try though. I can promise you that I will try but that's it. Don't ask anymore of me." She looked away from him wiping at her eyes, "I don't want to ruin your day but I have to go. Tell Mai bye for me."
"Katara?"
She paused mid step and pivoted to face him, "I'll write you. If you don't want to answer. I'll understand."
"I'll always write back. Bye Aang." She left him but hung back to observe. He practically floated to Mai's side. He casually wrapped his arm about her waist and Mai closed the distance between them without once stopping her conversation.
Seeing him so happy made her determined to learn from his example and reach for her own even if he was no longer a part of it. She would go to Ember Island and join in the reunion in a few months time, that was her promise to herself.