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This one is...I don't know where it came from. Thanks for reading and please review.
"Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young." –Sir Arthur Pinero
Unlike Roku before him, he had lived many more years than he would have thought possible at the age of twelve. He was reminded of Kyoshi for she had lived to almost two hundred years old. Now he lay on his pallet in a simple, but endearing room that held many memories for him in the Southern Air Temple. The room had a golden glow about it as sunlight beamed through the window.
He loved his home. It was here that all of his children had been born. Here for the first time with Katara at the age of eighteen he had…
They had married in Ba Sing Se with Iroh doing the ceremonies. His friends had visited him throughout the years and he had traveled the world much of his youth. After his first child had been born, things had changed. He had settled down more, but not completely.
He sighed wistfully. Aang did not regret anything and soon….very soon…he would be seeing his beloved wife once more. She had passed only months ago. He missed her. It hurt everyday…
His eldest sat beside him, watching with blue eyes. "Dad?"
Aang opened his eyes and looked at his son. He was older now, middle-aged in fact with his own family. He was a waterbender. Aang could proudly state that after having eight children, he had over twenty grand-children. Five of his children had been airbenders, three waterbenders, and one…one had not been a bender. His people would not disappear with him. They would live on in his children and their children. Their numbers were growing once more. The next Avatar would be trained by his second, a beloved daughter who was a master in Airbending.
Most of his family lived in the Southern Temple with him, except for several of his waterbending children. The youngest, the non-bender…He did not speak to any of them. If there was anything he did regret, it would be their falling out long ago…
They had named him Saicho, which meant "fortunately born." Who were they to have known he would not be a bender? He had been born with dark hair, golden skin, and Aang's grey eyes. He had been the youngest, younger than the eldest by almost fifteen years. He had grown up traveling with them the most for the others had been old enough to be left alone at times. Saicho was handsome, intelligent, and fierce like his mother. When he reached twelve years of age…
"Dad, I am leaving," He declared to a shocked Aang and Katara.
"Why?" Katara demanded, angry at such a declaration. He was still her precious boy.
"I am going to go train to be a warrior. I am not a bender….I have never belonged in this family," Saicho explained with bitter feeling. They had always raised him with love and had not ever treated him any differently from his siblings. He was loved by all of them. So why…?
"You are a part of this family!" Katara said horrified, "How can you say such a thing?"
Saicho scowled on his young face. "How do you think it feels to be the son of the Avatar and not be a bender?"
Aang and Katara could not find the words for they did not know. Saicho had left them in anger, but they had let him go…
"Is Saicho here?" Aang asked his eldest weakly.
"No, Dad," He replied sympathetically, "He's not coming."
Aang closed his eyes. If only…
"He loves you."
Aang sighed. "I know," He murmured, "Tell him that I…I am sorry I did not understand."
"I will."
"You are in charge now," Aang continued weakly. Somehow he did not feel old...he felt young even now. "Take care of our family."
"I won't let you down."
"I know," Aang replied with a smile. "I know."
Avatar Aang than passed with his first born son present. That son led the family he was to and Saicho…he eventually returned to the Southern Temple, regretful for not being there that one last time. Little did he know that he would be the one to be the father to one of the greatest Airbenders in the next generation.