Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA

Chapter 4 will be up in a few days. Enjoy!

Once they'd arrived, Aang asked to speak with the spirit in charge. Roku smiled, telling him it didn't work that way. There were different spirits for different things and no one spirit was more important than any other.

Aang then asked to speak with the spirit of death. He wanted to bargain.

Chapter 3

Katara sat up, calm but confused. Just a moment ago she'd felt pain and heard men call out her name. She must have blacked out. Now she stood up but felt no pain. She looked around suspiciously and noticed that she was still wearing her same blue sundress. "Where am I?"

The water rippled beneath her feet and she saw what she thought was her reflection. Then she saw the blood and the men and then she saw Aang clutching her for dear life.

"NO!" Her eyes were wide and then she forced them shut and turned her head. "NO!" Her eyes welled and her chest tightened and she became terrified.

She felt a presence and turned to see a lone figure smiling at her.

"Mom?"

Katara started to run towards her but her mother held up a hand motioning for her to stop.

"Mom!" She clutched her hands together and spoke. "It's you, it's really you. I've missed you so much."

Her mother's smile grew.

Katara again looked into the water at her feet, now more brave with her mother's presence. As the tears streaked her face, she saw her lifeless form being taken away and she looked back to her mother for answers.

"There's still so much I want to do," she cried. "Am I with you now?"

Her mother's look was uncertain and Katara sensed that she was halfway between her world and her mother's.

She didn't know how much time they'd have together and she wanted to speak her mind. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you're here….because of me. If I weren't a waterbender they wouldn't have come looking for me. You died to save me."

Kya placed her finger at her lips and Katara sensed that what was done was done and her mother didn't wish to dwell on the past.

Her mind raced. She wanted to stay with her mother, but she wanted to go home, too. Either way, it would be nice if she were given that choice. She thought she might prefer to go back and live her life. There were people who needed her there and she selfishly thought her mother would probably be waiting for her here whenever the time came.

The ground beneath Katara's feet disappeared and she found herself looking through a watery mirror. She felt herself being grabbed and tried to fight them off, though her bending no longer worked. She was alone and terrified all over again.

"No," Iroh cut in emphatically. "You heard Roku, no one spirit can do something this big. You'll need the consensus of many. You have allies in the spirit world. Say what you need from them and they will listen. If it's meant to be, they'll make it happen."

Aang knew that the purpose of the spirit world was to support the physical world and to keep it in balance. He clasped his hands and closed his eyes and implored anyone who would listen to hear his pleas.

He pictured Roku, his other lives, the river spirit called The Painted Lady, the forest spirit called Hei Bai, the moon spirit called Princess Yue, and the ocean spirit called La. He hoped he wasn't missing anyone because he knew he needed all the help he could get.

His voice was loud and emotional and his words were chosen carefully. "The hundred year war has left the world out of balance and I have the remedy. Without future Air Nomads there will only be 3 nations, there will be no Airbender to train the next three Avatars and when the cycle returns to Air, the reincarnation cycle will be over and the Avatar will cease to exist."

"I can marry, I can have children and I can train those children to be Airbenders. This is where I need your help. I won't marry anyone but Katara. I won't have children without Katara. I won't…." he stopped and started to sob and Sokka put his hand on Aang's shoulder in a show of comfort. "I won't be whole without her and there won't be balance without her."

"I need you to understand that this isn't a threat. This is my own moral code. This is how I was raised as an AIr Nomad and it's how I've chosen to live my life. I don't think this was meant to happen, I don't know why it did but I know we have the power to make things right."

A voice from around him he did not recognize spoke plainly for all to hear. "Duty calls, Avatar. If you want to make things right then have your children and train them. You don't need her."

"Really? You want to talk to me about duty?" Aang said sarcastically. "You want to talk about losing everything you know and everyone you love? You're our only hope, Aang. Time to save the world, Aang. And do it before the comet comes or the world will end."

Iroh gave Aang a stern look. Angering the spirits was the last thing they needed right now.

In a calmer voice Aang explained, "I would have killed Ozai if I'd had to. It would have ruined me but I would have done it. I was given another way and I'm grateful for that. Lion Turtles are spiritual beings and I don't understand how this all works but I guess I should say 'thank you'."

"Sokka was scared but spoke up. "It sounds like Aang's not the only one with a choice here. You can bring her back." His words were met with silence.

Sokka threw his hands out and shouted "He's a 14 year old kid! What do you want from him?

Now Iroh stared at Sokka and shook his head, knowing that spirits weren't swayed by emotion.

Sokka continued calmly,"he already saved the world, now he's offering to restore balance. Please."

"You owe me," Aang said accusingly and everyone turned to look at him.

"You know what Koh did. He took Ummi from Kuruk, from my past life. The spirit world took the Avatar's love and it's time to give her back. Either get Koh to give back Ummi or give me back Katara. Both would be nice," he said lightly.

"No." Aang heard a voice behind him and turned. It was Kuruk. "The battle with Koh is mine, not yours. My actions angered Koh, it was my fault she was taken and I'll get her back from him, eventually. They owe you Katara, don't leave here without her.

The spirit world had listened and the water in front of Aang turned blue and rippled until Katara appeared under the water at Aangs feet wearing her same blue summer dress.

"Katara!" Aang and Sokka yelled together as they dove down to grab her. She seemed to be fighting to stay under water but they overpowered her and pulled her from the water dazed but dry. When she realized her attackers were her family she grabbed for them and held them as tightly as she could.

No one spoke for what seemed like minutes. There were hugs and tears and thank yous and Aang finally looked to Iroh and asked "Can we just go?"

"No, I think we need to talk about her physical self. When her spirit returns to its' vessel it must be healed." Iroh replied.

"Spirit water?" asked Katara.

"The spirit water you know of is from the Spirit Oasis in the physical world," said Roku. "This is water from the spirit world itself. I warn you, don't lose it and don't let it get into the wrong hands. Use it quickly and use it all.

With that said, Roku pointed towards a fox sitting on a large rock holding an amulet in its' mouth. Aang walked over to the animal, petted its' head, thanked him and removed the amulet containing the water meant to heal Katara.

"Now we're ready," stated Iroh simply.

"I saw mom," Katara said softly, looking at Sokka. "It was amazing. We didn't speak, I just saw her, or sensed her. Things are weird here."

"Did you happen to see my son?" Iroh said quietly.

"I'm sorry" Katara replied. "I don't know what he looks like."

The water by Iroh's feet rippled and a faint figure appeared. He gasped at the image of Lu Ten. "My son!" he cried.

It was clear that he wasn't under the water as Katara had been, he was more of a reflection. He looked the way he had when he passed. He smiled at his father and said "I'll see you soon, dad." Tears welled in the old man's eyes as the reflection faded and just as Aang and Sokka had done earlier, Iroh thanked the spirits for their generosity.

The rescue team left the spirit world with Katara's spirit, a vial of spirit water and the understanding that children were in her and Aang's future. The spirit world would provide the right chi but Aang and Katara would do the rest. It was also discussed that what happened in the spirit world, stayed in the spirit world and any discussion about what was seen or done there would break the deal.

As Aang returned, he wondered about the state of Katara's physical body and he regretted not taking more of the spirit water. With the way their lives had gone so far, he knew it probably wouldn't have gone to waste.