There are several stories written by several authors (including myself) trying to fill in the "gap" and explore how Aang and Katara got past the scene in Ember Island Players to the kiss in the final episode. I was intrigued by a scene in Rast's story, "The Price of Falling", where Zuko and Iroh work to help Katara and Aang realize their love for each other is mutual. This is another offering looking at that subject….
CHAPTER 4
A young warrior sat staring out at the sky as he piloted his ship. The last couple of days had taken their toll on him. He and his friends had just completed a quest unlike any other ever attempted throughout history. During the process, he had protected and saved one friend while being saved by another. They had witnessed the end of a war which had been waged for over one hundred years. As he guided the ship through the air, he pondered the past several months, thinking about what had occurred as well as the people he had met along the way and those who had accompanied him on the journey. There was one face which kept recurring, and another which seemed to accompany the first.
Aang…the last airbender…the Avatar. Sokka and his sister, Katara, had rescued him from an iceberg where he'd been sealed for a century-long sleep. As Sokka gazed at Aang's face in his mind, another face, that of his sister, seemed to morph alongside Aang's. He had noticed they seemed to be best friends, but he had just attributed that to them being close to the same age. For some time, however, he had begun to suspect that there was more than just friendship budding between the two. The way they both looked at each other, the way they would seek to comfort each other, even at the expense of their individual comfort. The rest of his team was checking on one of their members, who was going through a hard time. They thought he had ignored their absence, but he wasn't as oblivious as they believed. Just as he knew that Aang had a thing about Katara and that she was obviously in love with Aang. Now why had that thought come to mind…?
"How's he doing?" Sokka asked as Suki and Toph returned from checking on Aang.
The two girls in question gave a sudden look at the back of Sokka's head, almost as if he had two heads. Neither one had thought he would notice their leaving momentarily while they checked on Aang.
"He's doing okay," replied Suki.
"Yeah, ol' Twinkletoes is going to be alright. Nothing a little nap won't cure." Toph added.
"Is he still worried about Katara?" asked Sokka.
At this, both girls gave a start. Sokka still wasn't looking at them, yet he knew where they had been and what had been going on.
"Y-yeah, Sokka. He's ok, and I think he's dreaming about Katara," Suki stammered as she glanced towards Toph. The blind earthbender's face showed an unnaturally quizzical expression as she tried to figure out what had happened to the Sokka they all knew and loved ("Well, heh-heh, tolerated," Toph thought to herself).
"I hope they sort that out soon." Sokka half mused to himself. "Hey, Suki, could you take the wheel? My leg is killing me."
As the brunette moved to the wheel and Sokka hobbled to the windows, he suddenly brightened up.
"Look, there's the Fire Nation's capital city," Sokka exclaimed excitedly, almost falling down as he let go of the window sill.
oooOooo
A young woman was brushing her hair with deep even strokes when she stopped for some reason. What was happening? Then she realized there was something going on. The young man behind her wasn't moving, yet he seemed to be intently watching something. She turned to find out what had captured his attention.
"Zuko, what…" and she stopped, for she followed where his eyes were focused and saw it, too. An airship coming towards them. Zuko didn't seem to be on guard, so it probably wasn't a threat. As she processed this, her heart, which had been troubled for the last couple of days, seemed to suddenly be at rest, as if all was right with the world. "Aang…" she breathed quietly, dropping the brush she had only recently been using on her hair.
Zuko turned from where he was watching the airship approach, only to see Katara suddenly drop her hairbrush as her face reflected several emotions at once. First fear and confusion, then relief, and, finally, an ecstasy which made his heart skip a beat. He knew what she was feeling…it was the same feeling that had calmed him during the night as he received some kind of assurance that Mai was okay.
Katara moved up near Zuko and joined him in watching the airship as it neared. "They're back." She turned to him with a rather large smile on her face. "Zuko, they're back!"
With those words, Katara turned and ran towards the field behind them, the field where the airship seemed to be heading. Zuko followed behind her at a somewhat more sedate pace, yet he couldn't help but catch some of her excitement. These teens - Katara, Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Toph - had become like family to him. No, not like family; they had accepted him into their family. They WERE his family, more so than anyone but his mother, uncle Iroh and Mai had ever been. A feeling unlike any he had ever felt before welled up in his chest. Pride, joy, love. It was all of these and more. His family was returning, and they had been victorious. For the first time, he could truly allow himself to look at the future in a new light. It was bright, and the new day reflected the new age which had, itself, just dawned. A smile which had seldom been seen on his face lent a new lightness to his feet as he began to run, too. Still, he was nowhere near fast enough to catch up to Katara as the airship landed.
oooOooo
As Sokka directed the airship to the field he had spied just outside the Fire Nation palace, he noted two figures running towards them. One, her hair flying behind her, was well ahead of the second, who was just now beginning to run, too. They both seemed to have smiles on their faces, so, obviously, they had completed their part of the mission.
While Sokka directed Suki on where to touch the airship down, another figure began to stir. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. Coming to full consciousness, he realized that there was a change in the feeling of the airship. As he arose from his resting place near one bulkhead, Aang looked around. He saw Toph looking towards him with a toothy grin as she greeted him, "Good morning, Twinkletoes. Good to see you decided to join us again."
In the background, Aang could hear Sokka directing Suki, who was at the wheel of the airship, to reduce the speed and lift. As she did so, he felt a bump. It was obvious they were on the ground. Looking out the window, the airbender saw the palace walls in the distance. There was a plume of smoke rising from within the walls of the royal city. No other signs of life came from that direction. Within his heart of hearts, though, Aang knew that Katara was near. He had no idea how he could know that; he just did. He had to face her, to give her the space and time she needed to figure things out for herself. He owed her that. Roku was right. If there was any chance for love between them, he had to allow it to grow in its own time. Just because he knew that he loved Katara didn't mean that Katara loved him, but he held hope that she could love him in time. He just had to give her the chance to find out if she loved him or not.
oooOooo
Outside the airship, two figures came to a stop. Though they had both seen similar ships on the Day of Black Sun, it was still rather impressive to be this close to one on the ground. Katara stopped, and a pensive look came over her face as she seemed to remember something. 'What am I going to tell him? What will I do if he refuses to talk with me?' It was with these thoughts running through her mind that Katara watched as the airship settled to earth in the field, and the gangplank lowered to allow those within to debark.
Toph was first, plowing into the ground as if she had been at sea for months. "Earth! Oh, sweet earth!" She stopped suddenly and looked in the direction of Katara and Zuko.
"Sugar Queen! Fire Britches!"
Both Zuko and Katara brightened as Toph ran towards them. Their family was back together again. This young girl who had become like a younger sister to both of them seemed unhurt by the experiences they had all come through.
As she ran towards them, two more figures descended from the airship. While Toph collided with Zuko, Katara saw that Suki was supporting Sokka who seemed to be limping as he came down the ramp. She barely had time to wonder what had happened as she felt Toph's arms uncharacteristically envelope her in a bone crushing hug, followed by a rather loving tap to her shoulder.
Katara didn't have time to do much more than wince about that when she heard Sokka cry out, "Katara!" as he and Suki moved as swiftly towards them as his injured leg would allow.
Katara was elated to see that her brother and his girlfriend had survived. Yet she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. The one person she most wanted to see still hadn't come out of the airship. She greeted Sokka and Suki but found her heart wasn't really in it. "Is he here? Did he decide to just leave and not come back because he thought she didn't care? He wasn't-he couldn't be-"
oooOooo
As Katara was contemplating these things, a young airbender, the youngest fully realized Avatar in history, was nervously contemplating what he should do. Should he nonchalantly step on down the ramp? Or was that too self aggrandizing? Should he quietly move down the ramp, then go off to meditate by himself? He wasn't sure. He also wasn't sure what he should do when he saw Katara. He wanted her to know he was willing to give her the space she wanted, but he wasn't sure if his going over to talk with her and tell her would be appreciated.
While Aang was considering his options, a certain waterbender was making her way towards the airship, almost as if drawn by a magnet. VERY slowly, yet very surely, she was moving towards it.
Suddenly, Sokka was by her side. "Katara, I think he's waiting for you. I don't know what happened between you two before the final battle, but I think he doesn't want to hurt you or make you think he wants something you are unwilling or unable to give him."
Katara looked at her sibling, her mouth gaping open as she contemplated what he had said. Since when had Sokka gotten the idea she and Aang might have feelings about each other? Oh, yeah, even Zuko knew.
With these thoughts, Katara turned towards the airship again and began walking towards it, a little more surely, but still with some hesitation.
oooOooo
As Aang moved towards the ramp, he saw one figure detach itself from the group and move towards the airship. He would recognize it anywhere. It was Katara. She seemed to move slowly towards the ramp, yet inexorably, even as the tides are moved by the moon. He stood watching as she moved closer. Then, it seemed almost as if a shudder went through her. She came to a momentary standstill, looking straight at him. Then, almost as if there was a magnetic pull, she began moving more swiftly and surely towards him, her eyes never leaving his form.
oooOooo
Katara's heart caught in her throat as she caught sight of Aang. He was standing there with a contemplative look on his face, yet she could still see some of the same hurt she had imagined while she and Zuko had been waiting for the other four teens' return. She slowed momentarily, then continued on. She was determined that Aang shouldn't have to wait any longer. She was determined that he would know just how she felt. With this in mind she continued on, her eyes focused on Aang, seemingly freezing him where he stood. She slowly climbed up the ramp, her eyes never leaving his.
-o-
First, let me say I am sorry it has taken so long to update. I was going through a long period of severe writer's block. More importantly, though, I had moved to Louisiana for a promotion, then discovered my health was no longer what it once was. Somewhere along the way, I realized I had met my own Katara, and she agreed to marry me. So, here we are, at the real chapter 4. Oh, yes, I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters. (EXCEPT my own personal Katara - I love you Tyger. :o)) )