A/N: So sorry for the long time since I last posted. Between the holidays and School starting, I've been busy, but I will be regular now! Enjoy and Happy New Year!
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A roar from Appa made Aang open his eyes. It was evening now, and Aang had been meditating the entire time. He hadn't eaten since sun up, and didn't feel hungry. He looked the way Appa was and watched as a balloon came into view. A fire nation balloon? What was that doing here? Aang took a running start and leapt from the ground onto a higher balcony, grabbing a telescope that they kept up high to watch for incoming people or animals. Hanging from the ledge he looked out, seeing Iroh adding fire into the engine. With him was Katara, looking his way. He almost let go of the ledge but grabbed it tighter. They had found him, and were close. It didn't matter, so what that they found him? He was doing a very poor job of convincing himself that it didn't matter.
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Katara stared at wonder at the mountainside and her heart clenched. "Iroh…look…" She said pointing to a mountain that was near the temple. It was Gyatso, his face in perfection, more perfect than the statue that sat in the temple itself. He must have done that. Everything else was covered in snow, it was the only mountain revealed, and a small fire burning on it must have been a tribute to the old monk. It was amazing, she couldn't believe that Aang had the emotional strength to do that. She could never do that for her mother, she would break down every time she would try. She felt tears slip down her cheeks. Maybe Aang did understand her better than she thought. Slowly the balloon lowered, the young monk sitting in place, meditating, though his tattoos were not glowing. She approached slowly, unsure what to do or say.

"Hello Katara."

She didn't move any further. His eyes opened up and looked at her and than to Iroh. "Hello Iroh. How are you doing this evening?" His voice was flat, and emotionless. Katara was stunned, unable to believe this. He was calm and relaxed, seemed to be in complete control.

"Well I'm doing fine." Iroh said, seeming to go along with the politeness.

"We need to talk Aang, please." Katara said, recognizing that she had seen this before, shortly after Appa was stolen. He was beyond hurt. Her heart clenched, this time it was all her fault.

"Alright Katara. Let us have some tea inside and some fruit and we can talk." Aang stood and headed towards the nearest building, which Katara realized was sparkling clean. She followed Iroh in, as he walked over and started working on the tea as the monk brought out fruit.

"So Katara, what is it you wish to talk about? It seems an awful long way to come to talk to me if the matter isn't urgent." He said, taking the tea Iroh had just laid down, taking a drink of it slowly. This was killing her, she couldn't take him being so emotionless and serious. It just wasn't him.

"I want you to come back to the South Pole. We all miss you, and don't want you to be alone."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"Katara, I understand the South Pole is your home, but this is mine, as you can see, Momo and Appa are happy here, and everything is clean and sparkling, no interruptions from silly things like storms or earthquakes.

She looked over, wondering if Iroh was going to help, but finding him gone out of the room. For the best, this was her battle.

"Aang, I need you. I can't live without you." She said turning back to him, tears falling down her cheeks.

He looked at her once again. "So do you have an answer for me?" He asked, his voice switching from monotonous to slightly hopeful. She was gripping her necklace, something she hadn't realized.

"Aang…please, just come home." He frowned at her, and she could see his heart break in his eyes. His voice was flat again.

"Katara, it is best if you leave now, the serenity of this place is being broken by your presence."

"NO! I'm not leaving. You can't run away from this! I can't think straight, I need you there so I can think, it's not right, please! What would Gyatso say if he saw you running away from me!"

She had gone too far and she knew it. He leapt up, a blast of wind knocking out the torches in the room, the tea spilling. "Get out!" He yelled, his eyes and tattoos glowing for a moment, close to losing control." He turned, grabbed his glider and leapt out a window, leaving Katara alone and in the dark once again.

She didn't know how long she kneeled there, but when a light broke the darkness she turned, hopeful, only to see Iroh, holding a ball of flame. "I made things worse." She said looking at the table. He walked forward towards her before speaking.

"He still loves you Katara." Iroh said to her. "But perhaps we should return to your home. Nothing else can be done here." She wanted to fight, to wait here for him, but she submitted. He was right, Aang wouldn't come back tonight, maybe ever, but her presence wasn't going to help that. She felt tears run down her face again. Why couldn't she just give him an answer? She took a deep breath standing up, preparing for the long flight home.

Aang was flying, over water, for how long he didn't know. He couldn't see through his tears and just wanted to dive down and never think about it again. She couldn't answer him, she tried to insult him. He was holding back sobs. "Why Katara…why?" He said to himself before seeing a place to land. There were stone pillars everywhere. He recognized this place, it was where the battle between him and Ozai took place. "With you gone!" He folded his glider. "Things were supposed to be!" He free fell lifting his arms offensively. "PERFECT!" He yelled, slamming his arms down as he connected with the earth, the ground rippling out, causing pillars to topple, a crater forming where he landed. He was breathing heavy, feeling the vibrations when he felt something familiar. He lifted his arm and snapped it to him, an all too familiar sword finding his hand.

"Even here, there is something to remind me." He closed his eyes and sat down in place. He needed to settle down, this was dangerous for him. He took a deep breath and sighed. All he wanted was peace.

Katara and Iroh landed early that morning, Sokka meeting them, looking as if he hadn't gotten any sleep. She shook her head and he closed his eyes and looked down. "I'm going to bed." Iroh said stretching, and heading off to his makeshift home. "Let's go home Katara." Sokka said. She nodded, walking over to him and embracing for a long moment before heading towards the home that felt just a little empty to Katara.

The door barely closed before a gentle knock disturbed it. She opened it and found Suki. Backing away Suki came in and Katara closed it. "I know you can't sleep Katara…and I figured I'd lend an ear if you need one." She said to her.

"Won't my brother know your missing?" Katara asked, not looking at the Kyoshi Warrior. "He snores like a banshee, I'd have to poor water on his head to wake him up." She said with a tiny blush on her cheeks. Katara managed a small chuckle for that comment which Suki returned.

"So let's talk." Suki said sitting on the bed.

Katara gave a small smile. "Okay."

Aang was alone again, sitting in the crater he had created, looking over the one of a kind sword, wondering if he should deliver it and see if he could live amongst them. He didn't think he could, it was too much for him to bear. He closed his eyes, the autumn solstice was here, he could feel it.

"Avatar Roku." He said allowed, calling to his mentor once again. The older man appeared in front of the current Avatar.

"Hello Aang, what do you need?"

"Advice." He said, and after a moment he spoke. "Should I wait for my emotions to be more under control or should I go now, and maybe find they fall in place?" Roku looked at him for a long moment evaluating his words.

"You may not have time to make that choice Aang. There is a storm coming, one of great proportions and it is headed directly to the South Pole. It will devastate the land, leaving it broken and in pieces. Nothing will be left of what we once knew." Aang's eyes wide as this information struck him.

"No…this can't happen! I won't let it!" Roku smiled at the boy.

"Destiny has it's way of working things out." He told him. "The storm will arrive at the next full moon, bringing the moon's full power to fruition, attacking one of the very places that worship it." He said. "I offer this wisdom Aang. Confront your destiny, and the world will respond." The fire bender disappeared into the air leaving the air bender alone once more.

"I will save them, even if it costs my life."