Another chapter, so soon? Why, it must be your lucky day! :D Yes, it seems I've got quite a lot of support for this story despite it having been just a little blurb in my mind when I first wrote it up. :P Anyways, I've decided to continue on with this story so that all of Aang and Katara's children can hear the story of how they met, so expect some more chapters after this one. :) But, I must sadly announce that I am starting school back up tomorrow, so sometimes my update speeds may not be as frequent as before. Don't worry, dear fans; I shall continue to write for your enjoyment. :D Please enjoy this newest update, and don't forget to review! :D

Oh, and I must also announce that I got 540 hits and 215 visitors yesterday to my stories. That is literally the first time I've not only gone over 400 hits, but also 500 hits. Seriously, folks, that's a LOT of reading. Thanks to all those who visited my stories that day. :D

Responses:

AvatarFan128: Thank you so much for enjoying this story, and I'm so sorry that I had to discontinue "A Lifetime of Love". The story really wasn't going anywhere fast, and I just couldn't find any inspiration or willpower to continue it. As fun as it was to write, it had run its course and needed to be laid to rest. However, I'm glad that you think this story "fixes" that little situation. :) Again, I'm terribly sorry to see a story go, but it just happens sometimes and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show and its characters belong to Mike and Bryan, the brillant geniuses behind one of the greatest cartoon shows in the history of cartoons. Their work is legendary, and I salute them for it.

A New Life Is Born

"Just keep pushing, Katara," instructed Kanna from the foot of the bed. "This should all be over soon."

Katara, completely fatigued and exhausted by the day's labor, painfully screamed as she tried to push the baby out, mind-numbing agony coursing through her body with lightning speed. Aang, who was sitting next to the bed and holding his wife's hand for comfort, supportively said over Katara's screaming, "You can do it, Katara! Just keep pushing!"

The screaming stopped as Katara collapsed against her pillows, heaving gasps and pants emanating from her mouth as she tried to ready herself for another round of pushing, her face completely drenched with sweat and salty tears. Between breaths, Katara raggedly asked, "Why does…it have to…hurt so much?"

"Life's greatest treasures always come with the greatest pains," wisely said Aang, making Katara look over at him, her brilliant eyes filled with pain that he could never experience and yet understood through his bond with her. He wistfully smirked and added, "You've put up with me for forever, haven't you?"

"Ha ha, Aang, very funny," sarcastically drawled Katara, chuckling as she rolled her eyes, feeling the stinging and ripping sensations of her labor fade slightly away in the midst of her mirth. Feeling a few grateful tears intermingle with the painful ones, she sincerely smiled at Aang and lovingly said, "I seriously can't thank you enough for being here for me."

"Together forever, remember?" smiled Aang, tenderly kissing her fingers as she chuckled again, both of them reminded of the vows they took on their wedding day so long ago.

"Forever together," heartily replied Katara, feeling her heart ache with the unbearable yet needed weight of the love she held for her husband, knowing that he was one of her life's greatest treasures and that the Spirits had made this man for her and her alone.

"Let's try again, Katara," interrupted Kanna. Her granddaughter sighed and braced herself against the pillows, screaming her throat raw as she continued to push, unimaginable shards of anguish stabbing into her heart and mind with each passing second of torture. Aang could only watch and offer his love through comforting words and affectionate gestures, and he knew his company was enough for her in this most precious of times.

Outside of the birthing room, little Makima sat in her Uncle Sokka's lap, fighting hard to keep her tears from falling down her face at the terrifying sound of her mother's screams. With Sokka was his wife Suki and their three children: Yansu, their seven year-old son with tan skin and blue eyes like his father and auburn hair like his mother, which was pulled back into a warrior's wolf-tail; Sakumo, their four year-old son with sea-green eyes like his mother, tan skin like his father, and pitch black hair that hung loosely on his shaggy head; and Rikari, their precious seven month-old baby girl that Suki was now cradling in her arms, who had her father's eyes, her mother's skin, and dark red hair. Of course, all three children were nonbenders, given the fact that both of their parents were nonbenders themselves.

Sokka noticed the distraught his niece was going through and, in order to comfort her, hugged her as he smiled and said, "Hey, kiddo, what's wrong?" Suki looked over as Sokka asked his question, bouncing little Rikari in her arms as she did so.

Makima whimpered as she backed into Sokka's chest, a stray tear trailing down her cheek as she timidly murmured, "I'm scared."

"About what, sweetie?" concernedly asked Suki, absent-mindedly swatting away a finger that Sakumo was trying to use to pick his nose. Yansu chuckled a little at Sakumo's expense, making the younger boy scowl at his older brother.

"About Mommy…" quietly replied Makima, fear evident in her young voice. Her entire being shook against Sokka, trembling with uncertainty and fright as she heard her mother scream again. Makima clasped her hands over her ears, crying slightly as she tried to block out the awful noises, wishing that they would go away only to have them come back and haunt her just minutes later.

"Hey," kindly said Sokka once Katara's screaming had died down, carefully removing Makima's hands from her ears, "there's no need to be scared." Hearing Makima sniffle as she wiped away a tear, he smiled and said, "Your Daddy's in there with your Mommy, making sure that everything goes okay with the new baby." Moving Makima so that she faced him better, he asked, "And does your Daddy ever let anything bad happen to your Mommy?"

Makima shook her head, her lips trembling as she softly said, "No, Uncle Sokka…"

"Then why so glum, chum?" chuckled Sokka, kissing his niece on the forehead. "Why so sad?"

"I don't want Mommy to hurt anymore," meekly replied Makima, wiping away tears that had yet to fall. "I want Mommy to stop screaming; I want to be there with Mommy and hug Mommy and tell Mommy how scared I was and tell Mommy I love her."

Taking her face in his hands, Sokka assuredly said, "Makima, once the baby gets here, I'll take you in there myself so you can do all those things with your Mommy. Does that sound good?" Makima nodded her little head as more tears streamed down her face. Sokka warmly smiled as he pulled his niece into a hug and said, "I love you, Makima."

Makima returned the hug, burying her face in Sokka's shoulder as she murmured, "I love you too, Uncle Sokka." Suki smiled down at the warm scene, knowing how much Sokka loved their little niece, and she was truly grateful to have his support in such a tender and frightful time in Makima's life.

Just then, Yansu walked over to Sokka and Makima, making both of them take notice of him. Yansu smiled as he put a hand on Makima's shoulder and patted it, saying, "Don't be scared, Makima. I went through the same thing when my Mommy had Sakumo and Rikari. Sure, it seems really bad when you can't be there with Auntie Katara, but it's all going to be okay when the baby gets here."

"Promise, Yansu?" Makima held up her little pinky, which her cousin grasped with his own.

"Promise," proudly smiled Yansu, making little Makima smile with a little more certainty than before. Katara screamed at that moment, making Makima yelp and clasp her ears again, screwing her eyes shut as she tried to block out the horrid screaming. Yansu took hold of her hand, forcing her to look at him with confused eyes as he said, "Everything's going to okay, Makima." Giving his cousin a little smirk, he added, "I don't like screaming either."

"Really?" confusedly asked Makima.

"Yeah," chuckled Yansu. With a shrug, he added, "Guess it's something we both don't like." Makima gratefully smiled at the company Yansu was providing, while Sakumo looked like he was going to fall asleep at any moment from sheer boredom.

"Momma, I'm bored," complained Sakumo. "When's Auntie Katara's baby gonna get here?"

"The baby will get here when it gets here, Sakumo," patiently responded Suki, propping up Rikari on her hip as the little infant cooed.

"But it's taking forever!" whined Sakumo, slumping against the wall as he looked up with hopeless eyes.

"These things take time, son," reasoned Sokka.

"But, Dad-" Sakumo began to complain, but a stern look from Suki cut him off. Defeated, Sakumo hung his head down, heavily sighing with boredom as he slumped further down the wall.

Suddenly, Katara's screaming died down as a new sound filled the house: the shrill cry of a newborn child. Everyone looked over towards the birthing room as Kanna proudly announced over the shrieking newborn, "It's a boy!" Suki excitedly gasped at the news, an overjoyed smile taking flight on her face.

"Well, I'll be!" joyfully laughed Sokka. He looked down at Makima and happily said, "Sounds like you've got a little brother, Makima!"

"That's so cool!" piped up Sakumo, having overcome his boredom with the arrival of his new cousin.

"Can we go in now?" immediately asked Makima, her face bright with the hope of seeing her mother again.

"Not just yet," chuckled Sokka. Seeing Makima pout, he added, "Your Great Gran-Gran's gotta take care of your brother first and have your Mommy and Daddy see him before you come in."

"Okay, Uncle Sokka…" sighed Makima as she leaned against her uncle's shoulder. Sokka chuckled as he kissed Makima's head, knowing how eagerly his niece wanted to be back with her Mommy.

Ten minutes later, once the screaming infant had quieted, the door to the birthing room opened, making all heads swivel towards it as Kanna appeared and said, "Makima, your parents want to see you."

Sokka could feel Makima tighten with anxiety and apprehension, and he knew that she needed his support. He stood up and propped Makima on his hip, saying, "I'll take her in, Gran-Gran." Smirking, he added, "I'd like to take a look at my first nephew as well."

"Of course, Sokka," nodded Kanna with a smile, stepping aside and allowing him and Makima to walk through, closing the door behind them and leaving the others to wait until they were called upon.

Once the door closed, Suki looked down at Yansu and sincerely said, "That was very nice of you to comfort your cousin, Yansu." Her eldest son looked back at her and smiled, his young face beaming with pride.

Inside the birthing room, Makima found herself staring wide-eyed at her parents, who were smiling at her as Sokka set her down on the floor. Makima noticed a little white bundle in her mother's arms, and she wondered what could be in that bundle. Makima looked up at her mother, who looked exhausted but very much glad to see her daughter in the room. She walked over to her father, who scooped her up as he affectionately said, "Hey, sweetie. Mommy and I missed you."

"What are you holding, Mommy?" curiously asked Makima, staring down at the strange little thing in her mother's arm, quite unsure of what to make of it. All of the fear and anxiety she had felt earlier seemed to disappear, replaced by an insatiable curiosity at this new thing in her mother's arm, her sterling silver eyes full of questioning and interest.

Katara chuckled as she propped up the bundle, saying, "Your little brother, sweetie. Makima, meet Noma." Makima leaned closer to the bundle, gasping when she realized that there was a little baby all swaddled up in sheets of white. Noma was a handsome little thing, with tan skin like his mother's and his father's rounded head, his hair a dark brown like his mother's. The infant creaked open his eyes a little, cooing as his cerulean irises were shown for the first time.

"My brother…" Makima whispered to herself, hardly believing what she was seeing. He had the same skin as her, and he looked so similar to her parents that there was no doubt that he was indeed related to her. Looking up at her mother with wondering eyes, she asked, "Are we keeping him, Mommy?"

Both Aang and Katara laughed, and even Sokka chortled a little at Makima's question. "Of course we are, sweetheart," mirthfully chuckled Katara.

"Can I hold him?" asked Makima, feeling a sudden need to feel a lot closer to her new kin. Katara smiled and nodded, carefully handing over the bundle to Aang, who gently placed Noma in Makima's small arms but kept his own hands close by in order to keep the newborn from falling to the floor.

Sokka peered over Aang's shoulder and smiled down at the newborn, chuckling as he said, "Well, I've certainly got a looker for a nephew, don't I?"

"Sokka," playfully admonished Katara as she shook her head, watching Makima stare down at Noma in awe-struck wonder.

"Congratulations, buddy," proudly said Sokka as he patted Aang on the back, brightly smiling at his brother-in-law. Aang appreciatively smiled at Sokka before returning his gaze to Makima, who was still staring down at Noma with wide eyes.

"My little brother…" Makima whispered to herself in amazement, as if her new status as the older sister stunned her, making her feel older than she really was. She reached up and softly ran her delicate fingers through Noma's hair, making the infant coo with affection at her touch. Just that little innocent sound from Noma made Makima widely smile, no longer feeling afraid as she had been earlier. Now all she felt was happiness and love, knowing that her mother would be alright and that they had a new member of their family to cherish and adore.

"So, what do you think?" asked Katara, tilting her head towards Makima so that she could see her daughter's sparkling eyes, which were still wide with amazement and wonder. Aang couldn't help but feel himself tear up at the sight of his eldest child holding her little brother in her arms, reminding himself how lucky he was to have been blessed with a family of his own, how fortunate he was to hold such endless love for Katara, Makima, and now Noma.

Makima looked up from her brother and asked her mother the only question she could think of at the moment…

"Can I have another one?"

Everyone laughed their hearts out for almost three minutes, little Makima laughing along with them the whole time.