I Need To Find Myself
I had a lot of musical inspiration for this one…and yes, I'm well aware that I have weird taste in music :D
Songs Inspired: Dr. Jeffery Thompson- Delta Sleep One, Miika153- With the Rain (seriously underrated musician), Paul Collier- Always watching over you, Riots- Slumdog Millionaire, Mat Graham- Oath to Order (If you're a Majora's Mask fan, my favorite Zelda game, you'll love this), T.A.T.U.- 30 minutes (English version, although the Russian version sounds just as lovely), Danity Kane- Ride for you INSTRUMENTAL, Ashanti- Don't Leave Me Alone
And finally, Adele- One and Only (Special thanks to Britmysta for recommending this one; just perfect :3 )
This is officially the longest chapter in the entire story...and the most climactic. It wasn't meant to be this long; I was aiming for it to contain at the most around 10,000 words, but because so many things occur in this one chapter alone, it ended up being over 26,000 long. I do apologize for this, and I want to suggest just taking your time and resting your eyes with this one as it's a lot to take in. I hope all of you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Happy Reading! :3
His hands began to shudder, his face perfectly still...
"It can't be…can it?"
The entire room around the young Avatar spun as the image of that ebony beauty mentally surrounded him; swirling in his thoughts as he became immersed in the answer to the very question he almost asked just moments ago. That night in Ba Sing Se, that incredibly passionate night, he accomplished with Katara what he couldn't achieve with Onji these many months. On that one night he shared himself with that ebony beauty, he managed to succeed in what he's been striving to produce all of these months. On that night…he fulfilled his duty.
"That night…" whispered Aang.
Aang suddenly remembered Sokka and Suki's wedding; his memories submerging him deeper in his psyche as he was taken to the moment in which he and Katara locked eyes for the first time since that fateful morning in Ba Sing Se.
…The way she looked at him with those entrancing, blue eyes; a hint of desperation in those enormous sapphire blues as their sights entwined with one another's…
His memories then swiftly took him to the moment after Lee announced that he and the young water bender were with child. He could still picture her icy gaze; its pierce as sharp as a hot skewer, her lips unresponsive, yet screaming to him with her daunting stare.
That look…Now Aang understood what that look meant, it was all clear to him now….
Aang's lower lip became heavy, while Iroh slightly raised his chin and waited patiently for the Avatar to speak.
The young Avatar gripped his chest as he stared into nothingness. So many emotions were coursing through him like a mighty tidal wave; happy, sad, angry, relief, worry, all of these intense feelings cluttering themselves in the very area he clutched, swallowing him whole.
"Lee can't be the father…because I am." said Aang as those very words sent sharp chills through every bone in his body.
Iroh nodded, "I'm sorry you had to find out this way Aang." said Iroh with great compassion; a steady expression in his eyes as he heaved his words, "But you see, there's more to this story that I think you need to know Aang…"
Shock overtook the Former General's expression as he put two and two together, "Y-you mean that…Aang…" Iroh gasped as his cup of tea slipped from his grasp; spilling a few drops of its liquid content onto the wooden table.
Katara pressed her fingertips against one another as a drop of sweat dripped from her right temple, "Iroh, the contraceptive brew we made together, the morning after…you know." Katara didn't have to finish her sentence; all she did was give the Former General a simple smile, a smile that said it all.
"I didn't need her to explain further; it was almost pointless for her to do so because I already knew what she was going to tell me…."
Katara nodded with a bittersweet smile, "Yeah…" whispered Katara with a quivered exhale, "The contraceptive brew we made the day after Aang and I had intercourse..."
Aang's stone grays widened; revealing the perfect roundness of his irises as the Former General shot the young Avatar a tough gaze.
"Failed." said Iroh.
That was it, that was all the great Avatar needed to hear in order to succumb to his guilty conscience; as this new revelation echoed through his mind, hot tears began to sultrily stream down his flushed cheeks. "Oh my…Katara..." thought Aang as he covered the flabbergasted expression formed on his lips with his hand; leaving only his watery eyes to reveal his appall.
Iroh, however, wasn't finished, "I blamed myself at first; I figured the brew may have somehow had a hand in Katara's difficult pregnancy, that perhaps the brew somehow affected her ability to carry safely to term. But I used my common sense Aang; you see, there was no way this brew I prepared for her could have any effect on such an early stage of conception, that's just not the way it works." said Iroh. "The point being, even after she drank the contraceptive brew that was meant Aang, MEANT to prevent YOUR sperm to fertilize HER egg, she still became pregnant, STILL." exclaimed Iroh, "If that is not a sign Aang, then I don't know what is." said the former Fire Nation General as he placed his hands on Aang's shoulders; a glimmer of hope in his aged eyes.
The young Avatar couldn't believe it; his vision blurry and his mind in a complete haze as he painfully registered what he was hearing. Everything felt so surreal to him, "How could I have not even considered, the possibility…" thought Aang to himself. He couldn't stand to hear another word, and yet he thirsted to know more.
The Former General saw Aang's confusion etched in his expression, but there was more the young Avatar needed to comprehend, "Aang, sometimes the universe chooses to guide us when we fail to acknowledge the obvious. It was no coincidence that you found yourself in Ba Sing Se that evening when Katara was in grave peril, and it was no coincidence…that you found yourself in her arms that very same night." said Iroh, "The universe was leeeading the way for you Aang, leading you; when you were too blindsided by your OWN fears to see the truth." said the Former General with great passion, "I believe that fate is allowing you to use your freewill Aang because even as the Avatar, you are still free to select how you wish to lead your life, and as a result, destiny is conforming to the life you have designated; because you have taken this path, the universe is accommodating to the destiny you have chosen for yourself. The spiritual and earthly planes are shifting for you Aang, and you are being shown the way, but in the end, it is you who must choose to walk it; I believe this, and I believe this is the reason why her child, YOUR child as well as Katara are in grave danger." finished Iroh as he shut his eyes; expressing great remorse for the ailing water bender as a small tear flowed down his rosy, plump cheek.
As soon as that tear dripped down Iroh's jawline and landed on his lap; without warning, the young Avatar was plunged deep into the darkest fathoms of his memories. Suddenly, Aang remembered a conversation he had with Guru Pathik not too long ago, and a warning he had long forgotten…
…Keep in mind Aang, you are the Avatar, and whomever the Avatar Spirit chooses to infuse is the one who truly holds your heart…"
It suddenly clicked; a soft gasp escaping Aang's lips as he came across the most crucial epiphany he's ever had in this entire life.
"Iroh's right; Katara's pregnancy, it became complicated because of…me."
The young Avatar now understood why he and Katara had shared similar experiences the previous night, the spontaneous sharp pains, aches and cold sweats; he felt those things...because she was feeling it. Aang couldn't explain how he came to this conclusion, but it was as though the answer was conveniently placed in his heart and directly speaking to him; telling him that from the very moment Katara conceived his child, a spiritual connection between him, Katara and this child formed, binding them together both in body and spirit. His heart had chosen her...even before he knew it.
Suddenly, Aang's memories took him back to that same conversation he had with the wise Guru….
"…What is happening in your life now is something that I can easily lead you to answer, but I will not do such a thing, for it intervenes with free will when it comes to aspects of the heart…"
Gloom befell the young Avatar, "He knew; even then, he knew…"
Now he grasped why Guru Pathik expressed so much concern over his decision to have Onji carry his child, because Aang may not have known it at that time, the wise Guru already comprehended then that there was just no way could Onji ever conceive with him. Even at a time in which Aang was still completely and utterly confused with his own feelings; he knew that Aang still loved Katara, and only Katara would be able to carry his child, but he chose not to interfere so that he may find his own way to the truth. Now he understood his past incarnations' silences as well; he didn't receive any spiritual assistance because although this matter greatly concerned the fate of both the Avatar cycle and the world, they just couldn't intercede and influence his free will, even if he did ask for their aid. Because he chose to go separate ways with the Southern Water Tribe beauty and selected Onji to be his mate, the spiritual connection between him and their unborn child progressively weakened; resulting in a spiritual battle having manifested and waged on in Katara's womb, causing her troubled pregnancy. Aang discerned that he had chosen his destiny to marry Onji, and because of this decision, fate has begun to conform to the path he has chosen for himself. Now, because he decided to embrace this walk of life with the Fire Nation Beauty, fate is going to take Katara and this child away from him. It all made sense now…
The former Fire Nation General took notice of Aang's distraught appearance, but felt there was more the young Avatar needed to hear, "I wasn't going to tell you anything Aang; Katara made me swear not to tell a soul, including you." said Iroh.
Aang shot a quick glare to the Former General; his glossy, tear-filled eyes expressing the bother he felt by what he just finished hearing.
"But I was convinced this was something you needed to know Aang, and I felt compelled to step in and say something for your sake as well as the sake of both Katara and that child she carries in her womb." said Iroh as he gave the young Avatar's shoulder a light squeeze.
Aang however, didn't respond to Iroh's attempt to lift his spirits; he didn't even know how to answer to everything he just learned or what to even feel. Should he be elated because Katara's child is his? Or should he be furious because she tried to keep his child a secret from him? Aang wanted answers; he needed to know why she wanted to keep something so incredibly important and significant away from him, especially in light of her condition.
But it was his anger that decided to display itself, "B-but why, why wouldn't she tell me about this? This isn't exactly a 'little white lie', this might as well fall under the caliber of stealing, how could she be so, so SELFISH!" growled Aang; a frightful glare in his eyes as he slammed his fist onto the glossy floor.
Iroh nodded his head disappointingly; crossing his arms as he glared at the young Avatar, "I can't say whether her actions were wrong or right Aang, it's not in my position to judge; however, I can assure you that she did it with good intention. You see Aang, she lied to you, because she thought this was the life you wanted." answered Iroh.
Aang suddenly felt guilt once again creeping up his chest, "Katara lied, because she thought I wanted this? What, did she think I wouldn't want my own child?" asked Aang as he confusedly bent his eyebrows.
Iroh nodded, "Yes Aang, she did." answered the Former General, "She didn't want to burden you with a child that she assumed you probably wouldn't want anyway; just as you didn't want its mother, she assumed you'd reject it. Plus she'd be damned if her child be known as the bastard offspring of the Avatar, no, she'd never allow that; thus, she decided that she going to do everything in her power to make sure this child would live a comfortable, happy life, even if you're not in the picture." explained Iroh, "She wanted to give your child a decent life; a loving life with a man she assumed would be a father to her child, and that man was going to be Lee, while leaving you free to be happy with your mate." hissed the Former General as he agitatedly pointed towards the room where Onji sat in wait, "But when it came down to the wire, she just couldn't do it; she couldn't keep up with the charade and lie to him anymore because she knew he didn't merit such an unfathomable deception, and she couldn't lie about her own feelings any longer either. And so, she decided to be upfront and honest to him today…and tell him everything." said Iroh somberly.
The young Avatar eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, "She was going to tell him about us, and what we did?" hissed Aang, "And that the baby's not his? All in one blow?" asked the young Avatar.
Iroh nodded in agreement, "She is willing to care for her child on her own Aang; she has prepared to keep this entire situation under wraps and be both mother and father to that child while leaving both you and that child in the dark about everything, so that both YOU AND THAT CHILD can have the chance to be happy at her OWN EXPENSE!" exclaimed the Former General as he slammed his fist onto the palm of his hand, "THAT'S why she chose to keep you out of it."
Not a word slipped from Aang's lips; the young Avatar was utterly speechless over what he just finished hearing as his heart shattered like glass on stone.
"She was trying to protecting us, both of us…"
Suddenly, the rumble of drums began to sound from the Palace Courtyard.
Iroh looked towards the small ray of sunlight that managed to slip through the entryway's curtains; swiftly turning his focus to the Avatar, who was still deep in thought, "The time has come Aang." said Iroh, "It's time for you to make a decision and choose between what YOU want, and what everyone else wants." said the former General; his word cryptic and stern, yet comforting.
Aang's eyes gleamed as his focus shot towards the Former General who was smiling back at him; feeling both determined and empowered by the decision he has already made, "I have to go." whispered Aang; a gentle smile formed on his lips before he manipulated the surrounding air to lift him from the ground and walked away from the Former General.
Iroh's worn, ember gaze followed the young Avatar as he walked towards the door to the room that held his fiancé and entered; towards his destiny, and the destiny of both Katara and their unborn child.
Back in the waiting room of small care facility, not a word was uttered; silence blanketed the entire room, the tension heavy as stone, and all that echoed were quiet sobs …
Master Pakku held his beloved wife tight; rocking back and forth, trying to console her as her tears soaked through his travel cloak. Toph, hard as nails and who shows her emotions to no, succumbed to sadness as she grasped her lover's hands tight; both women huddled together as their warm cries dripped onto one another. Sokka gripped his better half as she clung onto his warrior uniform as her own tears moistened the Southern Water Tribe warrior's neck; her tears trickling down his collarbone as he struggled to keep himself together for her sake. And finally, the ailing water bender's father, who stood outside of the infirmary's window; his sharp blues staring blankly at the barren streets as he clenched his chest, his gaze hollow yet full of anguish, as was his warrior heart.
The young water bender's grandmother sobbed uncontrollably, "I-I don't understand why, why does she want to be alone?" asked Kanna as her trembling hands gripped onto her husband's shoulders.
Pakku remained strong for his wife; although he ached on the inside in knowing that the expectant mother wished to die alone of her own accord, "You know doesn't want us to see her suffer dear, and she doesn't want us to see when...it happens; we need to respect her last wishes, however much we may disagree with it." said the Master water bender before he rested his lips on top of his wife's forehead and gave her a comforting kiss.
On the other side of the waiting room, the former Kyoshi Warrior shook her head in disbelief as she wiped the excess tears from her lower eyelids, "I knew it…I just knew this was going to happen." whispered Suki as she wiped her tear-soaked palms onto her trousers.
Sokka shot a deadly glare towards his wife as he pulled her away from his hold, "What do you mean 'you knew'?" asked Sokka.
The former Kyoshi Warrior looked up to meet her husband's scowl; she couldn't believe she just said that loud enough for Sokka to hear, but because of her carelessness, she had to come clean. "When I saw them dancing at the event, I had my suspicion that something like this was going to happen." said Suki.
"They were dancing?" asked Sokka.
Toph and Mana turned their attention to the bickering couple; for they both remembered that day well, and remembered how close Aang and Katara were that night indeed.
Suki turned to meet her lover's angry gaze, "Well yeah, at the Fire Nation Event, they were dancing innocently enough, but as they continued to dance they got rather…close." confessed Suki as a warm blush tingled on her cheeks, "When I saw them that night, I had my suspicions that what they had, wasn't exactly 'over'…" said Suki as she quoted herself with her fingers.
Sokka raised his nose as he scowled at the thought of her sister and ex-boyfriend getting 'busy' on the dance floor, "They were DANCING? CLOSE? AND YOU NEVER SAID ANYTHING?" exclaimed Sokka.
Now Master Pakku and Kanna's attentions were immersed in the verbal debacle the newlywed couple was having.
Suki balled her fists and clenched her teeth as she felt her temper reach its peak, "Well, I didn't think things would escalate the way they did, Sokka!" screamed the Warrior's wife, "They're two-grown-people, they made the decision to *gulp* 'take it all the way'…themselves." finished Suki as fresh tears streamed down her flushed face.
Sokka shook his head in disbelief; it took a lot for the Southern Water Tribe Warrior to hold himself back, but he just couldn't do it anymore, and soon his face twisted with rage as tears of his own began to trickle.
"I can't BELIEVE THIS!" shouted Sokka as drops of his own cry fell onto his balled fists, "HE JUST HAD SEX WITH HER, AND TOOK OFF!" screamed the scorn Southern Water Tribe Warrior; hurt and confused as to why one of their closest friends would do something so insensitive and wrong to someone he once told him was his 'forever girl'.
Suki was starting to get frightened by Sokka's wild behavior; she has seen him upset many a times, but the fury burning in his deep ocean blues was a look she didn't recognize, and the man that looked back at her was one she had never met before. "Sokka, please; calm down. This isn't the right time or place to talk about this." said Suki as she tried to calm her severely disgruntled husband.
But all she did was fuel his inner rage, "You don't understand Suki! That's MY sister who's lying in that bed, fighting for her baby's life at the cost of her own while that JERK is off marrying someone else!" yelled Sokka hoarsely as he slammed his fist onto his thigh.
The former Kyoshi warrior jerked back; her glistening large eyes sweetly looking back to her lover, "Sokka, you know that Aang has no idea what's going on; he doesn't even know he's the father." said Suki compassionately as she attempted to reach for his shoulder.
However, Sokka was in no mood to accept her comfort, and he pulled away from her reach as he shook his head in agitation, "Yeah, heh, well I want him to know, so that he can feel the pain we're ALL feeling and so that the guilt can completely destroy his already rotten heart! She's being a fool for not telling him Suki, and you know it." hissed Sokka as he pointed fiercely to his wife's face.
Suki could only look away, defeated; she couldn't even try to imagine the pain her husband must've been feeling at that moment. After having lost his mother at such a young age, she was well aware that he looked up to his younger sister as a motherly figure; they were close, almost inseparable, even though they have had their fair share of disagreements. And now, not only is he about to lose the only sibling he has, but the closest thing he could ever have to a mother, while at the same time feeling betrayed by the man who he considered to be one of his closest friends, the same man who knocked up his sister, and left.
Sokka's balled fists trembled as his blood continued to boil, and soon after, he began to see red.
"When I see him…I don't care if he breaks me into a million little pieces; I'm getting revenge for my sister." whispered Sokka maniacally.
Suki's large, chocolate gaze watched helplessly as her husband steadily lost touch of reality; completely engulfed in his own anger and speaking nonsense, "Revenge?" thought a befuddle Suki , that is, until she caught glimpse of her husband's tight grip, so tight that the flesh he clenched turned white. The former Kyoshi warrior gasped as those chocolate eyes widened and her rose stained lips grew heavy; terror inflicted in her expression. "SOKKA NO! This isn't the way to resolve this!" shrieked the Warrior's wife, "I know what he did was wrong, but he's still our friend, and the Avatar! You don't want to mess with him, Sokka!" she screamed.
The Southern Water Tribe Warrior however, was unmoved by his wife's desperate plea, "I don't care; as far as I'm concerned, he's no longer a friend of mine." said Sokka regrettably, "He's going to get what he deserves, and what he deserves if my fists in his smug Avatar grin; I'm getting my hits, and revenge for what he did to my sister..." finished Sokka; expressing great pride in his plight.
All the while, the great Southern Water Tribe Chief Hakoda, seemingly frozen from head to toe, continued to gaze into nothingness; registering nothing of what's been said, and like a tortured spirit, reflected nothing but melancholy.
Back in the Fire Lord's palace, a very miffed Fire Lord alongside his wife and several guardsmen marched into the Palace; of course, with the exception of Zuko himself, who stomped his way in like an angry Komodo-rhino. The Fire Lord skimmed the Royal Hall for the Avatar, but there was no sign of him anywhere; instead, he spotted his uncle; sitting casually behind him on the floor by the Palace entrance.
Zuko stomped towards his uncle; his irk apparent from his wrinkled nose, "What the heck is taking Aang so long? The ceremony should've started an hour ago!" yelled Zuko as he flailed his arms around like a deranged lunatic.
The Former General pointed his thumb towards Zuko's bedroom down the hall; "He just walked into the bride's room errr, your bedroom." answered Iroh.
The Fire Lord felt his tension lift, "Oh." said Zuko; feeling almost silly for being so impatient, "So he's going to get her now?" asked the Fire Lord.
Iroh's eyes skimmed aimlessly over his surroundings, "Mmmmmmnot exactly." said Iroh as grinned cheesily to his nephew.
Zuko could read his uncle like an open book; he knew something was up, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. "Uncle, what's going on?" asked the Fire Lord suspiciously.
The Former General sighed heavily while he combed his fingers through his long, gray locks, "Well, it's a long story." said Iroh as he scrubbed the back of his head nervously.
Mai's worry wore heavy in her appearance, "Iroh, does this have anything to do with the gang's absence?" asked the Fire Lady.
Iroh's gaze locked onto the woman he considered to be like a daughter to him; his golden embers reflecting the small ray of sunlight that shone through the curtains as he prepared himself to answer her question.
The young Avatar swallowed the tension balled in his throat, walking into the room with shut eyes as he quietly closed the door behind him. His hands were trembling, beads of sweat glistened from his temples, and his heart pounded violently in his chest; all of this overwhelming anxiety colliding against one another as he loosened his grip on the door handle. Aang slowly loosened his eyelids, and when they finally parted, his stone grays finally set sight on the person he needed so urgently to speak to. He saw Onji, the Fire Nation beauty he had been calling 'his woman' for the past year, standing by the window; dressed in the garments Royal tradition obligates the bride to wear, the very ensemble that Royal brides of past have worn, and the very ensemble the bride of his own past incarnation donned.
"What took you so long Aang? I was starting to get worried here." said Onji as she chuckled lightly; her smile sweet as honey while the sun showered her in its radiance.
She looked great, no, stunning in the young Avatar's eyes; the drastic amount of time the Fire Nation beauty spent in making her look this lavish was apparent in her whole ensemble. The way her short bob was neatly combed and tucked around her head dress, pinned to perfection, her dress vibrant and without wrinkle as it elegantly hugged her well-formed figure, she looked fantastic. As the young Avatar continued to gaze at the Fire Nation beauty before him, his remorse became apparent in his expression. She was attractive, this he was certain of; yet as attractive as she was, he just felt no gravity towards her. It was as though he were complimenting any of his female friends, and just as he felt no romantic link to Toph, Mai or Suki, that amorous connection he once thought he had with Onji just didn't exist; it never did. Nevertheless, Aang was confident in what he was about to do. Despite the fact that he didn't want to hurt Onji in any way or form, his love for Katara burned like a raging furnace; and his love alone was more powerful than the obligation he felt he had to the Fire Nation beauty for his deceit. He couldn't lie to her anymore, he could no longer pretend and hide his true feelings from her; this was the right thing to do, and he desperately hoped that one day, someday, she would forgive him for what he was about to convey to her.
"I have to do this…"
Aang slowly approached his fiancé, his gaze focused on hers before he slowly reached for her dainty hands; he gently rubbed his thumbs on milk-smooth skin as he forced a lazy smile.
The young Avatar's fiancé stared at her groom with question; her eyes darting from her hands to those enchanting, stone grays, "Is everything alright?" asked Onji.
The young Avatar's expression was still, "Onji, I have to talk to you." said Aang.
That savoring smile soon flipped, and that darling expression she just wore a moment ago turned sinister, "Yooouuu have to talk to meee? About what?" scoffed Onji as she slipped her hands away from the young Avatar's grasp; pointing authoritatively to his chest.
Aang remained motionless; his expression focused and undisturbed as he continued to let his fiancé vent her frustrations on him.
"You come in here LATE, you look like you just rolled out of a wet tarp, and you have the audacity to tell ME that you have to talk to me NOW? NOW that we're about to become man and wife in front of the ENTIRE WORLD?" exclaimed a very miffed Onji as she slapped her hands on her sides. "Heh, no, nonononono you know what-"
Onji grabbed hold of Aang's arm as she forced the young Avatar to follow her lead. "Come on, we'll have AAALL the time in the world to talk AFTER the ceremony." asserted the bride-to-be as she gripped the young Avatar's arm and began to forcefully pull him towards the door.
Aang took in an enormous inhale before he released a heavy sigh; he could sense her distress, he empathized, but he couldn't let her take the initiative over him. Before the Fire Nation beauty could take another step further, the young Avatar grinded his teeth beneath his lips before he stopped Onji from her futile attempt to get him through that door.
"Onji." whispered Aang; "This can't wait."
Nervousness began to creep up on Onji as he once again gripped her delicately formed hands, "What the heck is WRONG with you Aang? Why are you acting so strange?" asked the Fire Nation beauty; her ice-cold gaze longing for an answer.
The young Avatar paused for just a moment, taking her all in as his lips began to part. "I'm sorry…" he muttered…
It was time.
"Onji, we can't do this." said Aang.
There was silence between them; not a sound was heard but of the distant rustle of trees from the Palace garden.
Onji's eyes widened as she felt her heart sink down to her stomach, "Wha-wha, what are you trying to say to me, Aang?" asked a perturbed Onji; her fear distinctive in her voice.
Aang used all of the courage he could muster to confess to the young Fire Nation Native. He knew that as much as this was about to hurt her, he owed it to her to tell her the truth; however, now wasn't the right time for his fiancé to know anything beyond his own feelings. He wanted to be as sensitive in his approach as possible, and refrain from mentioning anything in relation to Katara's delicate condition…for Onji's sake.
"I'm saying…we can't get married, Onji." said Aang decisively as he held Onji's hands tightly in his grip.
Onji gazed into those eyes, those stone grays she has been so enamored with since the very moment she first laid eyes on them in a small Fire Nation Academy some odd years ago; spiraling into her own despair.
Aang gazed innocently back at her, "I'm in love." said Aang softly; "I'm still in love."
The young Fire Nation beauty's vision became a blur as her eyelids swelled with tears; overflowing as her tears slipped onto her rose tinged cheeks. Her surroundings became a haze, and all she could see was the man that just ripped her heart out her chest and stomped on it, staring back at her without the slightest indication of regret in his appearance. Her face soon twisted in disgust.
"It's her isn't it?" asked Onji; a menacing glare in her eyes.
Aang paused for a moment; he knew very well who she meant, they both knew.
"Yes." answered Aang.
Onji's hands began to tremble uncontrollably in Aang's grasps; exasperated by his heartless words, she bit her lower lip as her mind painfully registered what the young Avatar, her fiancé, just professed. His answer torturously replayed in her mind over and over and over again, and she could find no escape.
"Y-You're doing this to me? On our wedding day?" asked Onji, her voice faint and broken.
Aang couldn't bear to see her this way; she has been his lover for so long, and his good friend for even longer, but he knew this had to be done.
"Onji…I know this is upsetting for you to hear, but you have to understand that I'd only be doing you a disservice if I went out and took those vows with you; I'd be lying to you for the rest of our lives Onji, and I didn't want to do that to you. You don't deserve that." explained the young Avatar; his words sincere and kind.
But the Fire Nation beauty wasn't ready to throw in the towel to their relationship; no, she was ready to put up a fight.
"Aang, pleeeease, don't do this…" pleaded Onji, "I'll be better, I-I can love you better Aang, better than she ever can." said Onji seductively; as she ran her finger down the young Avatar's chest; her eyes hungrily gazing at Aang as though she wanted to rip off his clothes right then and there and have her way with him on the ground below their feet.
As soon as Onji's finger reached the lower rim of Aang's belt buckle, he firmly gripped the young Fire Nation beauty's hand; abruptly halting her pitiful attempt.
Onji was incredibly displeased with the young Avatar's unwillingness to abide to her offer, and his reluctance to give into what she assumed was 'his heart's desire'.
"Aang…I can be whatever you want me to be, I-I-I will get on my knees and beg you Aang, I will get on all fours and kiss your feet. I am willing to submit to you in any way possible just please, PLEASE Aang…don't leave me; I-I don't want to live without you." said Onji; overzealous in her attempt to persuade the young Avatar to stay.
Aang couldn't help but feel pity as he strangely gazed at the young Fire Nation beauty; first she tried to salvage their relationship through carnal favors, and now she was offering herself as a slave for him. The sight was just too hard to watch.
But the young Avatar wasn't swayed, "Onji, please don't make this more difficult than it already is." said Aang as he turned his gaze towards the open window, away from her.
The young Fire Nation beauty began to heave; he was slowly slipping away from her grasp, and she felt it, "No, n-no Aang, please, for the love of the Most High Spirits, please don't take this opportunity away from me." blurted Onji.
Aang's eyes widened slightly as he abruptly turned his attention back towards his fiancé; his eyebrows bent with suspicion.
"Wait a minute, opportunity?" asked Aang.
Fresh tears continued to cascade from her jawline; lustering from the sun's brilliance, "I deserve my place in society Aang! My rightful place amongst the most RESPECTED figures in all of the Nations! That's my place Aang, by your side as hierarchs; above all Aang, you and me." said Onji fervently as she smiled warmly to her fiancé.
This new revelation took Aang by complete surprise, "Hierarchs? Is that why you want to marry me so badly? For power?" asked a repulsed Aang as he released his grip on her hands and pulled away.
The Fire Nation beauty didn't know what she let escape her lips until she was too late; and quickly tried to undo the damage she has already done by opening her big mouth, "N-n-no Aang!" answered Onji uneasily as she waved her hands apologetically; her embarrassment full-fledged in her appearance. "I love you; I really do, I want you to marry me because I love you, and it's for that reason only." explained the Fire Nation beauty, "But I was born Aang, I was born to be…with you. You and me Aang, we'll conquer the world with our love, we'll make dreams come true; together Aang…we can make the world a better place." finished Onji dreamily; sparkles, rivers of milk and bluebirds seemingly hovering over the dreamland that was her mind.
Now Aang was really getting weirded out by Onji's antics; either way, he wasn't buying her explanation and his frustration was slowly gaining strength, "Onji, you're being incredibly unrealistic; please have some decency and open your eyes." pleaded Aang, "This idea that you have of us…it isn't real Onji, and I think you know it too; deep in your heart you know that it's just a fantasy." explained the young Avatar.
"IT'S NOT A FANTASY; IT'S REAL! WHAT WE HAVE IS REAL AANG; YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'SE BEEN BLINDED, BLINDED BY THAT CHEAP, SEWER WATER TRASH!" screeched Onji as she pressed her index finger onto Aang's nose; her words as painful to the ear as nails on a chalkboard.
The young Avatar's patience for the Fire Nation beauty was wearing thin, and now that Onji has become as distasteful as to belittle the woman he loves, his patience grew even thinner, "Onji, there's no need to go there." suggested Aang collectedly; swiping her finger from his face as he struggled to keep the little peace there was between them from falling apart.
But the Fire Nation beauty rejected the offer; cackling mockingly at the young Avatar as she folded her arms over one another and smirked, "Hmph! What makes you think that she'll take you back a-ny-way!" taunted Onji; her dark brown eyes flooded with anger and hurt.
Aang's expression immediately depressed in on itself. That possibility didn't even cross his mind until now, and as abrasive as Onji was being, she couldn't be more right. What if Katara did reject him? What if regardless of his own say, she still didn't want him to be in their child's life? As much as Aang feared those questions, it didn't take long for him to come up with an answer, an answer he was definitely sure of.
Onji began to gasp her words, "You'd be missing out on meeee Aang, Meeeee; a woman who's WILLING to give you her entire LIFE to make YOU HAPPY!" said Onji as she gestured her hand over her body, "You'd be missing out on all of this, for a one in a million chance with some…common woman!" hissed Onji bitterly.
Aang couldn't bite his tongue any longer; he's tried to deter himself from being disrespectful to Onji, but her constant insults towards Katara proved to be too much, and his patience for his fiancé finally crumbled.
"I'd rather be happy spending the rest of my life knowing that I exhausted every opportunity I had to be with that 'common woman', than be unhappy spending the rest of my life with someone I didn't love." answered Aang boldly; his chin high and his gaze stern.
Onji's mouth gaped at Aang's insinuation; not taking her eyes off of him as he turned his back towards her. She was shocked, no, floored that he was brazen enough to ridicule her by voicing of his unhappiness throughout the course of their entire relationship; while at the same time professing his love for a woman she connived to the very end to keep him away from. As much as she tried to cling on to him, she now knew that he was never hers to begin with.
But never in her wildest dreams did she EVER imagine he'd be as despicable as to leave her, and on their wedding day of all days. Avatar or no Avatar, he had no right, and she hoped his disgrace ate him alive.
But there was no shame in Aang's expression; he meant every word he said. Although he understood his fiancé's enviousness towards Katara, she had no right to blame her for their failed relationship; for if anyone deserved the blame, it was him.
Onji stared helplessly as Aang began to walk towards the door, and out of her life, forever. He reached for the doorknob; so many unfathomable emotions coursing through her as her now ex-fiancé continued to turn that gold sphere. She didn't want to watch, she couldn't watch; achingly turning her back on the man she adored before all of a sudden, her mind went completely blank…
She wondered why, why he didn't tell her this before they planned their wedding, why he chose to break her heart on the day that was supposed to have been the beginning of the rest of their lives together. She felt pilfered by the woman she personally sent Azula out to destroy; it was she and Aang that were meant to have been together forever, but it was all taken away from her in one big swoop by that water bending tramp. The Fire Nation beauty grew numb as she felt herself submerge deeper into her misery; her vision became a foggy haze, a shrill ring buzzed in her ears, and her tongue began to loosen. She was left there, alone and forlorn in that chaos of dashed hopes that Aang has created for her; surrounded only by the whirlwind of memories of what could've been. A happy married life with the man of her dreams, having his children, and all of the comfort in the world she felt she deserved; it's all been taken away from her, and it was all was thanks to the water bender that hailed from the Southern Water Tribe…
"She should be dead." The Fire Nation beauty muttered under her breath, "She should've died that day…if only Azula HAD JUST DONE WHAT I SAID, THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING to me…" hissed Onji through her teeth; hot, salted tears trailing onto her plump lips…
Iroh, Zuko and Mai along with the guardsmen looked on as the door handle ceased to turn.
The Fire Lord became baffled, "Hmm...I thought they were coming out." said Zuko.
Mai sighed monotonously while the guardsmen shrugged their shoulders.
Iroh however, simply stared at the door; suspicion weighing heavy in his gaze.
Onji heaved forcibly from her sudden outburst as she abruptly snapped herself back to reality; her back hunched, her arms clutched, all while her coughs and gags emanated throughout the room. That's when it hit her…
"Did, did I just…say that out loud?"
The Fire Nation beauty's alarm intensified when she realized that she didn't hear the door shut behind her…
"Oh no…please Great Spirits don't tell me that Aang-"
But before she could finish her sentence, she heard the doorknob slightly fidget. She slowly turned around, where she began to witness her worst nightmare unfold; Aang, his hand still on the slightly turned doorknob, his back still facing her, seemingly having heard every word she said…
Aang smoothly let go of the door handle before gradually turning himself around to meet her gaze. When Onji finally laid eyes on the Avatar; to her utter horror, his expression was consumed in pure shock. Those once-serene stone grays, now inflicted with terror, were now staring back hauntingly towards the young Fire Nation beauty.
"What….did you say?" whispered Aang.
Onji gasped at the sight of him; she had never seen such an expression of pure shock and dread in his face before, and her panic began to feed off of it, "Uh-errm…what?" asked Onji; her heart palpitating faster and faster as she felt a hot flush trickle from the tip of her head and blanket her entire face.
"Don't you 'WHAT' me Onji." hissed Aang, "What…did…you…say?" demanded Aang; desperately hoping he had somehow heard different.
His piercing gaze locked on to hers; she knew right then and there the jig was up, so she did the only thing she felt she could do: she began to bawl.
"A-A-Aang *sniff*, pleaseyouhavetounderstand, th-th-that thatIdidthisforusand…"
That was all he needed to know; to his dread, he heard right…
Aang remained completely incoherent to Onji's ramble; unable to process her words as the reality of her involvement in Katara's murder attempt sunk down to the pit of his stomach. His breathing became shallow, he began to pant, all while the most revolting feeling radiated through his gut; he had been with this woman for a year, he had a relationship with this woman and has shared his body with this woman. And now here she is, standing before him; confessing to a dark deed that could only be carried out by the evilest of hearts, a dark deed that he hadn't a clue she was involved in. He felt himself spiraling downward into the darkness shadows of his consciousness; his vision tunneling as silent words continued to flow from her lips…
"S-so you see Aang…I did this because somehow, somehow I knew that Ka-Katara would-"
But before Onji could finish her sentence, a tight grip grabbed hold of her upper arms; forcing the Fire Nation beauty to gasp from the fierce energy that pulled her towards her enforcer. Frightened and confused, Onji faced her attacker; her terrified gaze coming into contact with those stone grays, now blackened and filled with fire and rage.
Aang exhaled ferociously through his nose as his pupils severely contracted; his teeth clenched as his quivering grip on Onji's arms became tighter and tighter. His mind was racing uncontrollably; the veins on every muscle in his body bulging out as his blood reached the boiling point, and for that moment, all coherent thought along with every benevolent teaching the Monks have instilled in him was sucked out of his psyche, leaving only one thought to spin erratically through the now vast blackness of his mind: Revenge.
Onji continued to weep as her body jolted in response to the shots of pain that Aang's grip was causing. She was now deathly afraid of the threatening gaze that stared back at her; that empty gaze, now void of any trace of humanity, wanting to crush her. Now, now that she was experiencing his wrath as a result of her own stupidity; with every sense of hopelessness in her shuddering voice, she began to plead for her life.
"Aang *sob*, please don't do this Aang…I did it for uuuus." hissed the Fire Nation beauty bitterly, "I j-just knew; I knew that somehow *sniff*, she would get in the way of what WE HAVE AANG! AND SHE DID AANG SHE DID, SHE DID, SHE DID…" she cried miserably as her arms turned purple; numbness settling in her fingertips.
As the Avatar continued to squeeze that disgraceful woman, he glanced into her deep browns eyes and grasped how truly scared to death she was. How she sobbed pathetically in his presence, begging for mercy like a hypocrite while crocodile tears streamed down her cheeks; how she had the nerve to try and justify her heinous actions against the woman he loves, and how badly he wanted to rip her apart and tear her to shreds for having nearly succeeded. He could smell her fear, and it only added to his hunger for vengeance.
And yet as Aang looked down on her pathetic expression, he knew that as vile as she was, he knew he would never hurt her; as much as she merited being mutilated by his bare hands and fed piece by piece to hungry wolf-bats, he could never take her life. She was a living being, and all forms of life are sacred, including the scums of the earth; he knew this well, and he knew well that he had no right to take it from her. As he loosened his grip on her, the violent rage that consumed him moments ago began to subside, and hurt soon took its place.
Onji shook uncontrollably as she felt the young Avatar's grip loosen; alleviating the pressure in her arms as sharp tingles pierced the surrounding flesh. She acknowledged the pain in his eyes; he was no longer that hollow shell that stared back at her a few moments ago, but a human being, a human whose vulnerability flowed down his face and splashed onto her bosom. And yet, as sparing and forgiving as the young Avatar was towards the Fire Nation beauty, not an ounce of repentance could be found in her expression; her gaze clearly devoid of any conscience.
"Aang" whispered Onji; her voice still shaken,"I only…did this…to show you the way towards your destiny." she explained, "And that destiny Aang… is with me. You are supposed to be with me Aang, and only me. Anything and everything will be possible Aang if you just realize…your destiny." professed the Fire Nation beauty as she placed her trembling hand delicately over his face; massaging her thumb onto his flushed cheek.
Suddenly, realization came on swift wings; forcing his eyes wide open. How could he have not seen it sooner?
Onji saw the Avatar finally grasp what she was trying to have him realize, Oh what joy did she feel inside when she saw his glistening eyes succumb to comprehension, "Now do you realize that I was only doing it to ensure that you be led to you needed to go…to me." she whispered entrancingly.
The young Avatar smiled tenderly towards her, "You know what, Onji?" whispered Aang as he finally released his grip, "You're right. You did lead me to where I was supposed to go…and I thank you for that, Onji." said Aang as a devious smile formed on his lips.
Ecstasy became etched in her deranged grin, "Yes, yes, yes! He finally understands; my love understands…." thought the Fire Nation beauty.
"If it wasn't for you, Azula wouldn't have found Katara..." said Aang.
Onji's expression turned sour; the grin formed on her lips just a moment ago beginning to fall apart.
"I wouldn't have rescued her…" the young Avatar paused as he shut his eyes briefly.
Her suspicion was now prominent in her deep browns as she slid her gentle grasp from his face.
The young Avatar halted for a moment; revealing the delight in his stone grays as he glared at the wretched woman who stood before him.
"And I wouldn't have spent that entire night… with her." confessed Aang, his gaze piercing right through her gaze and into her soul.
Not a single word did the Fire Nation beauty utter; her aghast said it all.
The young Avatar quietly relished the way Onji's deranged glare and mouth widened with despair, the way her nose wrinkled with hatred, and the way her flesh revealed its beat red flush despite the heavy amount of foundation she wore. But he wasn't finished with her yet.
Aang chuckled dementedly, "Thanks to you Onji THANKS…to your meddling ways Onji; Katara is carrying the future lineage of my people in her womb. Thanks to you… I have fulfilled my duty." the proud, young Avatar confessed as he pounded his chest with valiance.
Onji was mortified; she has been degraded, humiliated by the man she loved, and by a man she foolishly thought loved her in return. Her eyes glazed eerily toward his boots; her face squirming with rage as she harshly grit her teeth against each other; shuddering without control.
"How, how could you…belittle me *gasp* t-this w-way? H-how, how could you be so ruthless?" asked Onji as her heart burned in grueling agony.
Aang however, mentally discarded the pain stricken beauty's words to the side as if they were piles of filth; he had no sympathy for her, none. He snatched her arm and yanked her so close to him that they were literally face to face with one another; pressing the tips of his fingers deep within her skin as he looked her straight in the eye with his brutal gaze.
"I guess we're both guilty of keeping secrets…except mine isn't as dirty as yours." hissed the young Avatar before he shoved his loosening grip on her as if she were worthless.
Onji remained totally paralyzed by Aang's startling confession; speechless and without life, her appearance looked as though she had been petrified by Aang's stinging words. She could only stand on the very spot he left her in as she involuntarily watched the love of her life walk away from her and towards the door.
Back in the Main Palace hall, Fire Lord Zuko, his Lady and uncle spoke amongst themselves as they waited for the Avatar and his fiancé to appear.
Iroh folded his arms as he blew loose strands of his hair away from his face, "So, have you two picked out any names of your bundle of joy?" asked the gleeful Former General.
The Fire Lord blushed lightly as a cheesy smile escaped him, whilst his wife's expression remained in its familiar stillness.
"Well, no not really." answered Zuko bashfully.
The Former General jerked his head back a bit as he stared at the young couple; befuddled by his nephew's answer.
"Oh? How come?" asked Iroh.
The Fire Lady wasn't hesitant to answer that question for her husband, "Well, we decided not to know the gender of the baby, you know, until its born." said Mai as she smiled sweetly at her protruding belly; a facial gesture quite rare coming from the usually gloomy woman, "We want it to be a surprise." she said as her sharp embers stared back warmly at the Former General.
Iroh watched as his nephew wrapped her arm around his wife; his adoration for her apparent in his eyes as he watched her massage over her womb. The love they both shared glowed around them, flowing through and about them like soft waves of energy; feeding and nourishing their infatuation. Different as they both were in personality, they complimented each other and accepted one another's flaws; yes, they were the picture-perfect image of what love can blossom into if you let your heart guide the way.
"*sigh*, If only Aang had done the same, this entire mess could've been avoided." thought the Former General as he continued to admire the happy couple standing next to him.
Their idle conversation was soon cut short as the door to the Fire Lord's sleep quarters was blown wide open with the power that would rival that of a windstorm; revealing the young Avatar rushing out of the room, his appearance fuming yet calm.
Iroh, Zuko, Mai and the guardsmen that stood by the Royal Family watched as Aang, the groom, stormed out of the room…without his woman.
Immediately afterwards, the young Fire Nation beauty followed suit as she stomped her way out of the room and into the Main Hall. Zuko, Iroh, and Mai gasped in horror as they laid eyes on the Avatar's fiancé; her eyes were swollen red with tears as dark, wet streaks of eyeliner trailed down her face, while her usually smooth, creamy skin was instead replaced with pasty flesh, embellished with sweat and blotchy cake makeup. Her expression twisted maniacally, and her eyes seethed with anger.
The Royal family could only stare at the ghastly sight; she looked so beautiful when she arrived at the Palace hours ago, but now, now she looked as though she had been drenched in salt water and hung to dry.
Onji, however, could care less about her appearance; still trying to chase down the man who dumped her on her wedding day as she whined like a child without comfort.
"I DIDN'T PUT IN ALL OF THIS WORK ON OUR RELATIONSHIP FOR YOU TO J-JUST WALK OUT ON ME LIKE THIS AANG!" she screamed, "YOU ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" bellowed the Fire Nation beauty; her piercing shriek bouncing off the walls as her echo resonated throughout the hall.
The young Avatar immediately stopped his quick pace towards the frightened Royal family; slightly turning his head towards his now ex-fiance's direction.
"Yes, I am." answered Aang as he slowly rotated himself around to meet her glare; returning it with a decisive one of his own, "And so are you." he hissed cryptically.
Onji was perplexed by Aang's implication, "What?" she gasped as she scoffed at the Avatar's words, "What are you gonna do? Huh? What are you gonna do Aang? Take me home? L-like s-some sort of little BRAT being sent to her room?" she jeered; her congestion making it hard for her to breathe from her earlier cries.
The young Avatar could only nod his head; feeling pity for the bitter woman that stared daggers at him just a couple of yards away, for she had brought this upon herself. "No…" he murmured before he pumped his chest out and called out.
"GUARDS!" exclaimed Aang.
The Fire Lord and Lady exchanged bewildered glances, while the Former General's suspicious gaze focused solely on the young Avatar as the guardsmen marched in perfect form towards him; subconsciously questioning his judgment.
"Aang?" he muttered.
Meanwhile, the Palace guardsmen huddled around the Avatar, "Yes Avatar sir?" asked one of the guardsmen.
Aang parted the human circle that formed around him before pointing towards the Fire Nation beauty's direction.
"Arrest that woman." demanded the young Avatar; his glare still and fierce.
The surrounding guardsmen were taken aback by the Avatar's request, exchanging baffled glances to one another as they contemplated whether or not to act.
The Fire Lord thought he was babbling nonsense; assuming he wasn't thinking rationally as he watched the marital disaster unfold, "Aang, what's going on? Why do you want to throw Onji in jail?" asked Zuko.
The young Avatar turned towards the Fire Lord; his stone grays reflecting the anger that blazed within him, causing even the great Fire Lord to shudder at the sight of him.
"For conspiracy to commit murder." answered Aang coldly.
Shock enveloped the entire room; all eyes now glued on the disgraceful woman that was set to marry the Avatar that very hour. Mai placed her hand over her mouth as she slowly grasped the impact of the news; her husband holding her close as his hostile glare darted towards the accused woman, whilst Iroh's demeanor remained calm and collected, almost as if he were expecting something like this to happen. The Royal Family knew personally that Aang would never make such an allegation to such a sinister deed unless he was absolutely sure of his accusation; they trusted the Avatar's judgment, and were willing to defend him for it regardless as to whether or not they understood the facts behind it. The guardsmen however; still in the dark about the entire situation questioned the young Avatar.
"B-But Avatar Aang, sir, this is your fiancé." fearfully uttered another guardsman.
Aang could only glare menacingly into Onji's pitiful appearance; his expression clear and solid as a rock.
"She is no fiancé of mine." he declared.
Terror soon overtook the Fire Nation beauty as she heard her ex-lover callously say those heart-wrenching words. There she stood; tossed to the side as if she were a mere plaything, to be discarded when done being amusing, and her tears once again spilled onto her ice-cold cheeks as if the floodgates were opened from her eyelids. "No...no Aang pleeeaase...I'm sorry..."
The guardsmen were fast approaching; she couldn't run, she couldn't hide; all she could do was stand in despair and wait for the fate she has appointed to herself the day she set off to destroy the water bender that hailed from the Southern Water Tribe…
He knew she had brought this upon herself, but he couldn't help but look away from the difficult sight with great sadness; unable to watch as the guardsmen forcefully apprehended the young Fire Nation Beauty. He could hear the chains being wrapped around her hands along with her screams and wails; her 'let me go's, her 'Aang please's', her 'I love you's' and 'don't do this to us', and finally, the last word she uttered before she was dragged towards the entrance to the holding cells beneath the Palace: 'You asshole!'. That last earsplitting word stung the most, for it only proved that their whole relationship had been a farce all along; all of this time she convinced him into thinking that she was this wholesome woman, made him believe that she a good woman of her home, kind and respectful to all; but she was only striving for her own selfish ambitions. As she continued to throw at him every cursed name known to man from within the Palace dungeon, he doubted whether she truly did loved him; however, there was no time to dwell on meaningless theories, his heart was calling to him, and now, now he was listening.
The young Avatar turned towards the Royal Family standing by the Palace entrance; his eyes worn from all of the tears he shed, "It was her." he said somberly, "All of this time I- I've been literally, SLEEPING with the enemy..." said Aang; utterly disgusted by the cruel reality of what he just said as he fought the sudden urge to regurgitate right on the glossy floor.
Zuko painfully observed his old friend's afflicted state; he didn't know exactly what was going on, but he wanted to get to the bottom of what just happened and help the young Avatar in any way possible, "Aang, who did she try to have killed?" asked the perplexed Fire Lord.
The young Avatar cringed before the thought even emerged onto his head as drops of sweat trickled from his brow, "Katara's murder attempt…Onji was the one who sent Azula after her." confessed Aang as he balled his fists, fury still bubbling in his chest.
Both the Former General and Fire Lord simultaneously dropped their jaws while the Fire Lady's eyes stretched wide open; all of them completely blown away by the staggering news.
Zuko personally looked as if he had seen a ghost, "Oh man…" said the stupefied Fire Lord.
Iroh's face contorted itself to reflect his fluster, "Wow, talk about 'crossing the thin line'…are you sure it's her?" asked the Former General.
Now a single word escaped the young Avatar's lips; he simply nodded agreeably with a look of disbelief on his face.
Mai couldn't have been more 'disturbed' by the unsuspected scandal, "Yeesh, talk about being a complete and total psycho; you know I aaalways thought there was something weird about that girl, especially after the day of the Fire Nation Event. I couldn't pinpoint it then, but there was just something about her that gave me the willies. Either way, I'd never thought she'd be this deranged." said the Fire Lady dully as she smoothed her nails over her shoulder.
Aang stared dolefully at the ground as he rested his hand on his forehead; the other placed on his hip, "I know; it's bizarre." said Aang reflectively as he passed his hand over the back of his neck, "But there's no time to dwell on this; listen to me guys, I can't explain everything now but I need you all to take care of Appa for me; there's somewhere I need to be." pleaded the young Avatar; the sense of urgency apparent in his both his voice and demeanor.
The Fire Lord exchanged sly glances with his beloved as he grabbed hold of her waste, "You don't need to explain anything Aang; we know what's going on." said Zuko as he smiled caringly towards the Avatar, and one of his closest friends.
The young Avatar blushed; as a wave of relief consuming him from head to toe, "They know…" thought Aang as he smiled timidly towards the Royal Family.
Mai sighed impatiently, "Don't worry Aang, we'll take care of your Bison; just go, go and be with her. She needs you." said the Fire Lady kindly as she gently grazed her hand over her womb.
Iroh then intervened, "Go to her Aang; love is waiting for you, reach out and grab it." said the Former General wisely as he balled his fist; a small smirk formed on his lips.
The young Avatar nodded compliantly as he raised his thumb to his friends; gazing back at them admirably before he grabbed the staff he tossed to the side earlier and began his dash towards the Palace entrance.
But before he was able to reach its closed curtains, a voice.
"Aang!"
The young Avatar nearly stumbled on his footing as he manipulated the surrounding air to restore his balance, and when he came to a complete halt, he looked back to the person who called his name.
"Congratulations…Avatar." said Zuko warmly as he honorably saluted the young Avatar; his hands in proper formation as he bowed his head to him. Soon after, Mai and Iroh followed suit; bowing their heads before the divine protector of their planet as they saluted him with tremendous amount of respect and pride.
Aang stood in front of them proudly; the emotions that were running through the Avatar as he watched his friends humble themselves before him were overwhelming, while his heart overflowed with indescribable joy at the mesmerizing sight. This is when it truly hit him: He was going to be a father.
"Thanks guys…" said the grateful, young Avatar before he once again bolted down the hall and past the Palace entrance; immersing himself in the sun's golden rays before the curtains closed behind him.
In the Royal Palace Courtyard, every wedding wedding attendant was merry; talking amongst one another and feasting on the delectable ors d'oeuvre assigned to each table as they patiently awaited for the bride and groom to present themselves. Everything was peaceful quiet with the exception of the light rumble of conversation, until one attendant spotted something out of the ordinary...
"H-HEY, IS THAT THE AVATAR COMING OUT OF THE PALACE? ALONE?" yelled out the spectator as he pointed towards the Palace.
As soon as the spectator's words echoed throughout the Courtyard; all eyes were magnetically drawn to the Palace entrance, whereas to everyone's shock, the man saw right. Everyone looked on as Aang sprint out of the palace, staff in hand and fierce determination carved on his expression as the force of his sprint nearly blew the World Council who sat on the Royal Platform out of their seats. As the Avatar continued his rush down the Palace steps, whispers and gossip filled the air; "What's going on?" said a baffled attendant aloud, "Where's his bride?" screamed another. No one had a clue as to what was going on or why the Avatar was without his woman, it was literally mass confusion; but before anyone could contemplate further, the entire crowd took cover as the young Avatar's dash onto the crimson carpet set out a powerful blast of wind that hurled every table adornment into every direction, while every attendant held onto their tables dearly so as they wouldn't be pulled from their seats by the force like their tables' decor. Without a second to spare, Aang shot his glider into the air like a dart; it's inner mechanisms freeing the wings tucked inside before he effortlessly ascended into the air and grabbed hold of its grips.
The astonishment that enshrouded the entire Courtyard was incomprehensible. Every attendant looked on as Aang, the groom, took off into the air with his glider and soared to the heavens; not even mentioning or making a proper announcement as to where he was going. Everyone was speechless, dumbfounded, but one guest didn't take his unannounced leaving so lightly.
"GET BACK HERE AVATAAAAR! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MARRYING MY DAUGHTER, NOT FLYING OFF TO 'SPIRITS KNOW WHERE', YOU SNIVELING COWAAARD!" bellowed Ping, Onji's father, as he shot out of his seat and futilely ran towards Aang's direction; flailing his arms like a raving maniac whilst his wife remained silent and submissive in her seat, almost aloof to what was happening before her as she sighed lethargically.
The young Avatar's personal friends, including the members of the Order of the White Lotus, watched on as Aang disappeared into the horizon; knowing well that there had to have been a very good explanation as to why he would leave his own wedding in such a hurry. Of course, with the exception of King Bumi, who was too busy being amused by the whole brouhaha.
"*snort*, HAHAH HAH! *snort*, Now WHO would've expected something like this to happen?" said the King of Omashu aloud as his snorts and cackles overshadowed the silence that blanketed the Royal Courtyard.
At the same time, a man who sat father back from the seating arrangements was just as equally appalled as the crazed man who was chasing the Avatar.
"The Avatar's leaving?" asked the man; a pompous man heavily lavished in fine jewelry and fancy Earth Kingdom attire, "Where could the Avatar possibly have to go on the day of his wedding? And how could he just leave his fiance behind like that?" asked the fuming man.
His escort, a woman Aang has become recently acquainted with, scoffed at her client's hypocrisy.
"Pfft, you mean like the way you left your fiancé back home to be here with me?" asked Xin with a devious smirk, "HAH! Who are you trying to fool?" she chuckled.
The man wasn't too happy to hear his escort backtalk him; glaring at Xin as rage settled within his chest while simultaneously fighting the urge to bitch-slap her right across the face, "Bite your tongue, woman! I didn't ask for your opinion...remember, I'm paying you, so all you have to do is look great and keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut!" growled the man with a sly grin, "We'll put those luscious lips to good use later." he finished satisfactorily; wrapping his arms around with false affection.
Xin rolled her eyes and folded her arms as a heavy sigh escaped her mouth; she was used to this type of treatment from her clients, she had to be in order to survive in this kind of business. And yet despite her client's cruel words, a quiet cheer repeated in the young prostitute's mind; for she knew well where the young Avatar was going. She looked up to the sky with joy as she watched the young Avatar become nearly invisible to the naked eye; silently giving reverence to the man that chose to take charge of his own destiny and refused to become like all the other male sleazeballs on the planet.
"Go get her, Aang."
The Former General, Fire Lord and Fire Lady ran out of the Palace and watched as Aang flew out of the volcano's mouth and dipped down behind its outer rim; disappearing completely from sight.
"Uhh…uncle?" asked Zuko as he continued to look towards the heavens.
"Yes?" asked a cheerful Iroh.
"You…didn't tell Aang exactly where he needed to go, did you?" asked the Fire Lord.
The Former Fire Nation General couldn't resist a giggle, "Heh, no, I supposed I didn't." chuckled Iroh cheesily as he rubbed the back of his head, while his nephew and wife exchanged dazed glances.
Although Aang had no idea where Katara was, he felt as though he were somehow 'being led' to where he needed to go; almost as if he were being tugged on the chest by an invisible force. But as he hovered over the Main Plaza, he was suddenly struck by a sharp pain that scattered throughout every muscle in his body and he soon found himself struggling to keep afloat. He knew what this pain meant...
"No" he heaved, "I need to get to her before it's too late..." whispered Aang as he struggled to motivate his body to go faster. The young Avatar grunted frustratingly as he tried to ignore the aching throbs, but his energy was slowly depleting and he felt himself getting weaker by the minute; he didn't know how long he was going to last gliding through the air with all of the pangs that were cutting through him like rusty daggers.
Suddenly, a voice.
"Don't worry Aang, we're here to help you every step of the way…" said a disembodied voice he immediately recognized as his immediate past life, Roku.
Aang's eyes shot wide open, "Roku!" exclaimed the young Avatar.
But before the Avatar received a response from his past incarnation, he felt a strong pull from within him abruptly take over his limbs; his eyes and tattoos began to glow fiercely as every one of his motor skills instantly abandoned him, and his dominance over his body fleeted beyond his control. All of his senses, all of his pains and aches along with every sentiment of awareness and perception became numb, and before he knew it, he had quickly become a spectator in his own body. Like a form of pure spirit trapped in an empty shell, Aang watched as his body's energy became revitalized and sped towards an isolated area on the Plaza's outskirts, without his command.
"The Avatar Spirit; it's guiding me straight to her..." he thought with amazement.
His body continued to soar straight towards that direction; lighting up the sky with his supernatural radiance while his body flew as fast as it deemed possible. Before long, he finally reached a small home on that very deserted area, the only home in the entire Plaza with its lights on.
"That must be it!" he mentally exclaimed.
Just as quickly as those words manifested in his mind, he felt control of his limbs returning to him, and he found himself fast approaching the dwelling that housed his destiny.
Back in the clinic, the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe continued his mesmeric stare out the waiting room window, not having moved an inch from his position; looking out ambiguously as if he were searching into nothingness yet subconsciously staying vigilant for something, or someone, to appear. That is, until his sharp blues spotted something that resembled a shooting star gliding in the horizon.
While the rest of the gang along with his kin remained completely engrossed in their own sorrows to even notice anything out of the ordinary, the Southern Water Tribe Warrior's attention became completely focused on the strange, luminous object in the sky; squinting his eyes so as to get a better look at the airborne body.
"What is that thing?" He thought quietly to himself. Whatever that bright mass was, it was heading straight towards their direction with great speed; and as it drew nearer and nearer to the clinic, a slight fright embedded itself within the brave Warrior's heart.
Suddenly, the mass stopped in the middle of the air but a few yards away from where he stood; forcing The Southern Water Tribe Warrior to become stricken with panic. His expression turned dauntless as he placed his hand on the grip of the blade that sat conveniently in his back pocket; ready to fight whoever or whatever this foe was, but just as the he was about ready to pull out his weapon, the luminosity that surrounded the object just seconds ago completely diminished. Hakoda watched warily as the figure that was bathed in splendor a moment ago fell from the sky and landed gracefully onto the ground; revealing a man the Warrior knew all too well, a man with arrow tattoos etched on his head and limbs.
"Is, is that who I think it is?" said Hakoda aloud; the very first words he uttered since he first stood on that very spot.
The Southern Water Tribe Chief's words triggered everyone's attention towards him, as he had not spoken since he last saw his weakened daughter laying helplessly on her deathbed. However, the Warrior didn't pay any notice to the stares that burned his back, and as the Warrior finally caught a full glimpse of the figure that tossed its staff to the side and sprinted towards the doors, shock completely enshrouded the great Warrior's demeanor; his whole body aquiver and his mouth gaped open.
"It is."
All of a sudden, a voice.
"Who's out there, dad?" asked Sokka.
Hakoda nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard his son's voice; when he frantically turned his head, the astonishment in his sharp, blue eyes became apparent to everyone in the room.
The young Warrior release his grip from his wife's shoulder and rose from his seat as he walked towards the awe-stricken man, "Dad?" said Sokka nervously.
Kanna gazed back at her son worryingly with sob-swollen eyes, "Hakoda? My son, what's the matter?" asked the Chief's mother concernedly; her congestion from all the tears she shed apparent in her nasally voice.
Hakoda stared back at everyone in the waiting room vacantly; too engrossed in whom he had just seen arrive to even remain attentive for anyone's question, "Wait a minute, does this mean he knows?" thought the Southern Water Tribe Chief in his dream-like state, but before Hakoda could answer his own question, The doors burst wide open.
*SLAM!*
Without warning, the doors to the clinic flew wide open; slamming violently onto the walls that surrounded its entrance as pieces of wood and paint flew onto every direction. Everyone in the room jumped from their seats as soon as the crashing sound waves stung through their eardrums while their terrified gazes shot towards the figure that walked into the waiting room; enshrouded in a cloud of dust, debris and shadow. A horrified look in each one of their faces, Mana and Kanna cowered in their seats; while every Warrior and bender within the group positioned themselves in battle stances, ready to take on this mysterious rival.
Slowly, the thick cloud began to dissipate as the figure took one step forward; affecting the blind earth bender as she gasped softly in her combat position, surprise overwhelming her squint eyes.
"Twinkletoes?"
Her suspicion was soon answered, for as the cloud finally lifted from the presence that now stood in the middle of the room, the person that walked into the infirmary was determinately revealed to be none other than the man who was partially responsible for this entire tragedy. It was the man who broke the frail water bender's virtue, unknowingly impregnated her, and took off like a heartless jerk, standing in their presence; severely exhausted and melancholy abundant in his expression as he struggled to stabilize his breathing.
An uncomfortable silence layered the entire room while the young Avatar gradually got his breathing under control; coughing out the bit of debris stuck in his throat as he wiped droplets of sweat from his glistening brow. At that instant, his heavy-lidded stone grays took notice of all of the familiar faces staring back at him; their positions still as their eyes and mouths broadened with surprise. The young Avatar gulped down the anxiety caught in his esophagus as he felt the pressure of everyone's stiff watch grow heavy on him; they hated him, and it was painfully obvious in their appearance. But even so, he understood their cold treatment towards him, and as much as he wanted them all to understand his position, he felt that an explanation from him would be rendered pointless. The young Avatar felt the urge to speak; he wanted to apologize for everything, he wanted to try and make amends, however he didn't know how to go about it through this massive haze of tension enshrouding the entire room.
But it was the young water bender's brother who didn't hesitate to break the tension between them.
"You...have...GOT to be kidding me." said Sokka furiously as he balled his quivering fists; hell-bent fury ablaze in his eyes as he clenched his teeth.
The young Avatar quickly turned his attention towards the young Warrior, and to his dismay, saw his old friend glaring daggers straight through him; his weary, stone grays consequently locking on to Sokka's focus.
The young, Southern Water Tribe Warrior growled freakishly as he breathed fiercely through his nose, "You think that after you deflowered my sister and knocked-her-up, y-you can just barge in here all willy nilly? Like nothing happened? Is t-this some sort of cruel JOKE to you?" asked Sokka maniacally as he stomped his foot on the ground, "Huh huh, yeah, let's all laaaugh at Katara now, yeah! you know, since she's the butt of your JOKE!"
"That's enough Sokka!" hollered the young Warrior's grandmother.
The overwhelming amount of sadness that filled the young Avatar's heart in seeing one of his closest friends act this way towards him was heartbreaking. He was his friend, the brother of the woman he once confessed to him he loved; he kept their friendship and trusted him despite the fact that he broke up with his own sister, and he let him down- badly. He sympathized with Sokka, for he too hated himself for everything he's done to her.
"Sokka stop! You're going WAY too far!" shrieked the young Warrior's wife as she tried to shake her husband back to reality.
"Yeah Sokka, you're acting like a total nutjob!" yelled the blind earth bender as she placed her fists on her waste.
But the young, Southern Water Tribe Warrior remained completely incoherent to any of their words as his entire surrounding crumbled before his eyes; leaving only endless shadow and the figure that stood before him, the Avatar, who stood his position valiantly, and unintimidated.
"Are you for real Aang? ARE YOU!" roared the young Warrior as he stomped ragingly towards the young Avatar.
Suki gasped as she vigorously grabbed hold of her husband's arm; trying to hold him back from acting on his irrationality. "Sokka, don't do this!" she pleaded frightfully as fresh tears trailed down her blushed cheeks.
But the former Kyoshi Warrior was met with opposition as her husband shrugged her grip loose and continued his rampant pace towards the Avatar.
As Aang watched helplessly while his friend rapidly approached him with rounded fists, he bowed his head and shut his eyes in shame; he knew what Sokka was going to do...and he was going to let him do it.
The young warrior's breath became heavy as his gaze grew more malevolent, "What, you j-just figured you can just walk into her room and say 'I'm sorry' for all of this? Then be MERRILY on your way to your own party right? So that you can free your filthy conscience and sleep better at night, or better yet, so that you can SLEEP with your fiancé better? HUH? YOU BASTARD!"
Just as Sokka readied his fist to land square on the young Avatar's jaw, he felt a counteractive force on the very arm he was going to thrust towards his face.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" screamed Hakoda; his arm firmly gripped on his son's arm as he ferociously pulled the young Warrior away and shoved him towards his wife's direction.
Aang's eyes shot wide open as his stone grays looked down on the wooden floor, "Hakoda?" the young Avatar questioned in his thoughts as his lazy gaze trailed upward.
When he looked up, he saw the young Warrior nearly tumble on Suki from the sheer strength of his father's push; his eyes dimming in defeat as he turned his focus away from both him and his resister.
Aang was floored; despite having caused the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe so much grief, he still had the heart to defend him.
Hakoda glared disappointingly at his son, "What if I did let you hit him Sokka? Tell me what GOOD could that have possibly done for us? I'll tell you, It would've done NOTHING!" bellowed the great Warrior, "All you'd do is inflict more pain...vengeance ISN'T the answer, my son." finished Hakoda wisely before he turned his sinister glare towards Aang; those sharp, blue eyes glazed and weary as he eerily approached the young Avatar.
Aang stood his ground; scared out of his mind as a quiet fright settled in his chest. As intimidated as he was by that chilling stare, he stuck his chest out and raised his chin high as he anxiously awaited for the ailing water bender's father to speak.
Hakoda merely looked at him for just a few seconds, just a few, that's all it took for the mighty Chief of the Southern Water Tribe to finally break down; his sinister glare diminished, and his eyes filled with tears, "That's my child in there." whispered Hakoda hoarsely as he slammed his hand on his chest before he came within arm's reach from the young Avatar; his expression swimming wild with immense pain, "My flesh and blood." he declared as his voice trembled with agony.
Aang's eyelids spread in astoundment as he helplessly witnessed the great Warrior fall apart; he too felt his anguish, except he wasn't only on the verge of losing the woman he loves, but he was about to lose the child he just now learned was his own in the process. As that dreadful reality hummed torturously in his mind, the young Avatar lifted his head up honorably as his own warm tears flowed down his cheeks, and a sincere smile formed on his lips...
"And that's the woman I love." declared Aang proudly.
Shock quickly enveloped the entire room. Did they just hear what they think they heard? This was the man that left Katara, this was a man who's been with another woman for a year; a man who was set to marry that woman that very same day, and now he's professing his love for the ebony beauty that was on that very moment laying on her deathbed. Sokka, Suki, Toph, Mana, Pakku and Kanna were all left bewildered and blown away; wondering, "What the heck is going on?". Yet one member of the group sensed his innocence, his fervor and his sincerity...through the vibrations below her feet.
The blind earth bender's vacant eyes glistened with amazement, "He's telling the truth..." she asserted silently.
Aang however, was too engulfed in his inner turmoil to even notice everyone's astonishment. His tears continued to fall as his melancholy, stone grays pierced through Hakoda's own sharp blues, and into his heart.
"I love her, Hakoda, sir...I never stopped loving her." confessed the young Avatar; the honesty in his voice both heartwarming, and heart-wrenching to hear, "A-and I, I know this may seem disrespectful to say now, but I need to s-see her, and I w-want all of you to know that I'm sorry and I-I just w-wanted her to be happy and I-I had no idea and I didn't know Katara's baby was m-mine and I was trying to carry on my duty, but I'm not marrying Onji, a-"
Before Aang could finish his nonsensical ramble, he felt a pair of hands gently placed on his shoulders, Hakoda's hands. The young Avatar looked on as tears cascaded down the Warrior's face, but these tears were different; these tears were that of insurmountable joy.
"Aang..." whispered the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, "I believe you." said Hakoda as a heartfelt chuckle escaped his mouth, "I BELIEVE you Aang." he professed with passion.
The elation that ran through the young Avatar as he heard Hakoda say those words was indescribable; uplifting him with immeasurable amount of happiness as his eyes sparkled with glee. He believed him, it was almost unreal; yet, he couldn't help but wonder why, why would Katara's father have so much faith in his words, especially after everything he's done to her.
While everyone else dumbfoundedly spectated their conversation, Hakoda smiled fervently to the young Avatar, "This may sound strange Aang, but I had a feeling that you were coming." affirmed Hakoda; his hands still softly gripping the Avatar's shoulders, "I-I can't describe it Aang, and even as I continued to look out that window I thought to myself 'what am I doing'; heh, I seriously considered that I was going mad. But as I looked out that window, I felt as though my gut were trying to tell me that somehow the answer to all of this, everything that's happening to my daughter...lied in you." he confessed.
Surprise befell on Aang appearance as his face brightened with hope, and as he curiously continued to listen to Hakoda's words, just one thought ran through his mind, "This can't be a coincidence..."
Hakoda's appearance beamed as the sun's light glistened from his glossy, sharp blues; "Now I don't know what answer is Aang, but my heart...my heart is telling me to trust you." confessed the great Warrior passionately before he affectionately wrapped his arms around the young Avatar.
Aang quietly cherished the feeling of his embrace; he never had the pleasure to know his own father, but now, now in this new life, he has found him...in Hakoda.
Suddenly, the great tension that cloaked the entire room lifted; Toph was the first person to smile at the stirring sight of the Avatar and the Southern Water Tribe Chief sharing an endearing embrace, then Mana, then Master Pakku followed by Kanna and Suki. Soon after, everyone in the room walked towards and surrounded Aang and Hakoda before they all joined together in an enormous group hug.
Everyone, except Sokka.
The young Avatar instantly took notice of the young Warrior's absence from the group; his eyes aimlessly searched throughout the waiting room until he finally caught sight of him, having secluded himself by the corner of the waiting room with his back on the wall and his arms folded over one another. Aang assumed that he was still very upset with him, but he didn't want to become estranged from the person who's helped him succeed in defeating one of the most evil men in the history of the Fire Nation, and his friend. The young Avatar sighed peacefully before immediately separating himself from the group as he walked towards the isolated Warrior.
"Sokka." said Aang as he cautiously approached the young Warrior, while the entire group looked on cautiously for any sign of outburst.
Sokka observed the young Avatar coming towards him, and his uneasiness; taking a deep breath as he rubbed his temples with his index finger, "It's alright Aang; I'm not livid anymore." he assured as he once again wrapped his arms atop one another, "Listen, about all of those things I said earlier...I apologize, I shouldn't have flown off the handle like I did." apologized Sokka as he rubbed his arm bashfully.
The young Avatar lightly chuckled as he nodded his head. He knew how uncomfortable it was for the young Warrior to express his emotions; it wasn't difficult to discern from his appearance, however that was the last thing he wanted to do, "You don't need to apologize to me, Sokka." said the Avatar warmly as he came within reaching distance from him.
The young Southern Water Tribe Warrior recognized his sincerity, "I would've joined you guys over there, but you know I'm not a 'group hug' type of guy." said Sokka softly as a weak grin formed from his lips.
The young Avatar smirked back, "I know." said Aang.
Sokka slightly raised his chin; sighing through his nose as he placed his hand on his old friend's shoulder, "She's down the hall, turn towards the corridor to your left; her room's on the last door to your right." answered the young Warrior; almost as if possessed to do so.
Aang placed his hand on Sokka's shoulder in return; his stone grays looking back at the young Warrior with gratitude as a genial smile formed on his lips. "Thank you, Sokka." said the young Avatar.
Sokka smiled sentimentally and watched on as Aang loosened his grip on his shoulder and walked towards the hall; soon after, he joined his family and friends as they all watched Aang walk down the hall and disappear into the obscure corridor and out of sight.
Just then, the young Warrior felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
"Do you truly trust him, son?" asked Hakoda.
Sokka stared decisively into the dark hallway; absolutely sure of his answer to his father's question.
"Yeah..." answered Sokka earnestly, "I do."
As Aang walked down the corridor, all he could think about was that one phrase Onji asked him back in the Fire Lord's Palace.
"Hmph! What makes you think that she'll take you back a-ny-way..."
He could feel his nerves knotting in the pit of his stomach; the fear of being turned down was all too real in his mind, it stalked him to the point where he was now expecting it, but he needed to save Katara and the only hope his world had in continuing the Avatar cycle regardless of her rejection. As he inched closer to that last door to his right, he felt the sudden urge to vomit; his temperature was rising, his heart was accelerating, all while the most intense feeling of fear irritated his gut. And when he finally reached her door, the young Avatar sucked in a deep breath and exhaled the little anxiety he could grasp.
"Here I go." said Aang.
But before Aang has the opportunity to reach the brass handle, the door itself was abruptly opened from the other side; and when that door swung away from his range, he was met with a familiar face. Aang could only stand his ground as the man who stood in front of him glared back with a look so cold and full of hatred.
"Aang." said Lee bitterly.
For several moments, the young Fire Nation native simply gazed menacingly into the young Avatar's stone grays, contemplating what he was ready to say to him; while Aang stood motionless and stern as he watched Lee's eyebrows and lips curl viciously, not knowing if any word he said would distinguish the rage blazing in his ember eyes, or arouse his outrage. The tension was awful, and the silence between them only fueled its vitality; nevertheless, Aang felt deep within him that he hadn't much time; he needed to see Katara, and by all means was willing to do whatever possible to go through the man she called her 'lover' to get to her.
"Lee, I-"
But Aang was quickly interrupted.
"YOUKNOWI, I wondered, what I would do when I saw you." said Lee, "I've pondered over whether or not I would punch you, slap you, kick you...or just downright try to kill you." he chuckled; nodding his head in disbelief as his dark bangs rubbed against his face, "But then it hit me, heh, the guy that slept with my girlfriend, the guy that not only took my girlfriend's virginity but to MY DISMAY!...IMPREGNATED HER AT THE SAME TIME…is none other, than the Avatar." hissed Lee resentfully as he slammed his hand over his chest.
Aang remained silent as he listened attentively to Lee spill his sorrows; trying to ignore the guilt that was creeping up his own chest.
Lee gazed at the Avatar in awe; shaking his head with his mouth gaped open, "Even if I was to fight you Aang, even if I did get my hits while you beat me to a bloody pulp...as I'm sure you're undoubtedly capable of doing so...the only thing I'll get back in return is my pride." said Lee as he shrugged his shoulders, "Now what good will that do me? FOR ME PERSONALLY? BECAUSE YOU SEE AANG pride, it's just an illusion; a veil that shelters the heart from reality. That's all pride is Aang, a false sense of security...and I don't want it." said Lee.
Aang pressed his lips; he didn't want to hear anymore of his painful woes, but he felt he owed it to him to listen.
Lee ran his fingers through his hair uneasily; his tight grip dragging towards his face as he stretched the fair skin blanketing his expression. "You see Aang, I could hate you for the rest of my life; I could loathe you and Katara until the day I die…but what's the point?" he pounded his chest, "Either way, I'll never get Katara back." said a disheartened Lee; his dashed hopes visible in his crumbled expression before an ominous chuckle escaped his mouth. "You know I told her I'd be there; I told her I'd do everything in my power to see to it that she and that baby had everything they wanted and needed...I offered her my love, but she refused it." said Lee gloomily; a dispassionate look in his ember gaze, "She said, something, something about…all of this having to come to pass; she said…this was the way things were meant to be and she couldn't be with me." he described.
Aang watched as Lee fidgeted his trembling fingers over his thighs; not wanting to comprehend the emotional suffering he must've been enduring at that moment as he confessed his disturbing recollections.
"I looked at her in disbelief, wondering to myself why she refused me even as I threw myself into her arms and BEGGED to help her; then I thought to myself that she was probably delirious from the pain she was enduring and as a result, wasn't thinking rationally. And that's all I thought about Aang, that's pretty much all that's been running amuck through my mind; that is, until you stood here before me a couple of moments ago." said Lee as his simmering anger began to dissipate.
Aang watched as the Fire Nation native's infuriation disappeared before his eyes; leaving his expression to reveal what he was truly feeling: Agony.
"Now I see Aang, I see that…all of this, everything, is a sign. As you stand here in front of me." he paused; reading the young Avatar's stone grays as if searching for the answer to all of his problems through his gaze, "I've come to realize that what you and Katara have goes far greater than anything I or anyone could possibly fathom. The FACT Aang, that you're standing here on this very moment instead of exchanging vows with your fiancé has only made it very clear to me...that the bond you and Katara share has a divine purpose, something I could never offer her. And as much as it aches me to admit it, I now know that you and Katara share a love that can never be broken. And even if she accepted me and we did end up staying together, I would never have her love; I'd just be wasting my energy on a dream that was never mine to obtain...because her love will always belong to you...just as yours belongs to her." said Lee bittersweetly, and soon after, a soft smile escaped his lips.
Aang couldn't believe what he was hearing; he could only watch speechlessly as glistening tears rolled down from Lee's ember eyes.
But the Fire Nation native wasn't finished, "Aang…you look me in the eye, look me in the eye and tell me that you're going to do everything in your power to help that child and its mother!" demanded Lee as he brushed the back of his hand over his tear-soaked face; his seriousness heavy in his broken voice as his ember gaze cried out for an answer.
The amount of strength that it must've taken for Lee to not only face him, but to muster the courage to confess everything he said to him must've been staggering. Aang knew he deserved his hate, yet he refused to submit to it; in the face of this entire situation, his betrayal, Lee held no malice towards him. Aang stood dignified before the humble man as he raised his head high and straightened his limbs; earnestness deep in his expression.
"I'm not running away; not anymore." said Aang as he smiled sympathetically to the afflicted Fire Nation native.
Lee couldn't help but chuckle as he nodded his head in agreement; pressing his tear-moistened lips as his focus darted aimlessly around their darkened surroundings. He then sighed, "That's all I needed to hear…" Lee whispered, and immediately afterwards, he turned his gaze away from the young Avatar and proceeded to walk down the corridor; walking away from him, and Katara, for what the young Avatar assumed to be for good.
Aang furrowed his eyebrow as he questioned the Fire Nation native's choice to leave on such a delicate time as this; "He's leaving?" the young Avatar thought as he watched Lee approach the main hall in fast pace. He didn't want to be intrusive, and he certainly didn't want to aggravate the situation any further than he already has, but he couldn't resist asking the heartbroken man where he was going.
"Lee, wait-"
The young Fire Nation native raised his palm to the air, "No, Aang." said Lee as he arched his head and turned his gaze back towards the young Avatar, "You know well that my presence's no longer needed. the child's father…is here." said Lee as a cheerless smile escaped from his lips before once again turning his back to the young Avatar.
Aang looked on as Lee continued to walk down the corridor and disappear into the main hall; those last words the Fire Nation native uttered sending chills down his spine, "Wow..." whispered the young Avatar as he finally saw Lee's shadow disappear from the hallway. It was plain as day; Lee beyond reasonable doubt loved Katara, so much so that he let her go in spite of the fact that it killed him on the inside. The guilt he felt for the pain he has inflicted on Lee was staggering, yet silently, the young Avatar honored and thanked him for his selflessness.
Just then, distress surged through his mind.
"Katara"
The young Avatar gasped as fright embedded itself in his expression; the slightest memory of Lee completely disintegrated. He didn't have much time left; he had to get to Katara and quickly, and without a moment to waste, he pushed the door to Katara's room wide open.
And there she was...
Aang was still; his hand still sprawled on the door as he stood motionless before the magnificent sight. His heart skipped a beat as his gaze savored in the pleasure of laying on the enchanting woman who was carrying his child, lying on a soft bed with her long, dark locks elegantly spread and body completely disrobed and bare; a mere, blue lace sheet covering her lower nudity. And yet, against her unsurpassable beauty, her illness was undoubtedly evident; her eyes lazy and dim and her skin almost completely devoid of the rich, chocolate color that once elegantly coated her flesh, now only masked with shimmering beads of sweat and the mystical, blue glow of the healers that surrounded her. She, however, didn't acknowledge his presence; for it was apparent that she was too weak to turn her head and see the intruder that's entered her room.
Not a sound escaped from the young Avatar's lips; he didn't move, didn't shuffle, for the emotional chaos was happening within of him. From the pounding thumps of his heart to the knotted nerves that made him shudder; from his trickling drops of sweat that cooled his profuse fluster to the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach; all while the most smothering feeling of anxiety blazed within his chest. All of this havoc ran wild inside of him, just from the sight of her, yet these feelings couldn't block the bleak ambiance that engrossed the air; there he stood, watching with dismay as the healers halted their futile work on the ill water bender that laid on the bed. He looked on as they scattered to pack their things, while their Superior stood by her side; leaning towards the ebony beauty's crown before she laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. The frail water bender laid unstirred; giving way to movement only to lovingly grasp the Superior's hand, while the Superior squeezed her hand in return; a quiet sob and whisper stuttering from her lips before she laid the water bender's hand on her stomach and sluggishly walked away from her side.
One by one the healers left the room, bowing their heads before the presence of the Avatar before they made their subsequent exit; yet he didn't acknowledge any of them, for his stone grays were solely on the water bender that laid on the bed; gripping her belly as tears flowed down her drained skin. The sight of her in this state was too difficult for him to handle, still he couldn't look away; she has inadvertently cast a spell on him and he couldn't break free, yet he didn't want to. Aang gripped his chest; he felt his heart calling to him, and he yearned to get closer...
But just as he was about to take a step forward, the young Avatar noticed the forlorn Superior walk towards him; breaking his focus on the ebony beauty as he turned his solemn gaze towards the head healer of the Northern Water Tribe.
"Hello, Aang." said Yugoda; those faded eyes staring back at him as loose strands of her gray locks swayed over her face.
The subtle desperation in the young Avatar's gaze grew heavy as his composure gradually slipped from his control, "H-How is she?" whispered the young Avatar concernedly as he moved closer into the room.
Yugoda's eyes started to glisten as she sighed dishearteningly, "Not good Avatar, not good." answered the head healer; nodding her head as she pressed her eyelids together with somber, "We tried everything; all of our remedies, our herbs...nothing has worked." she answered as she returned her gaze to the young Avatar.
Despair rapidly shook him to the core as he heard the terrible news; he shook his head with disbelief, "No..." his trembling voice whispered before he pressed his lips; struggling to suppress his tears as he deviated his gaze towards the bed.
That's when he noticed her...those large, cool-blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds...staring hauntingly back at him.
Aang gasped quietly under his breath as strong waves of anxiety rippled through his body. His focus became transfixed on the water bender; immersed in her bewitching gaze as she stared tiredly back at the young Avatar, their attentions immovable from one another's as Yugoda continued to speak.
"Even against our traditions inside the Northern Water Tribe, some of our healers have resorted to keeping the room cool for her by lightly frosting the air; that is all we could do for her." she said with great compassion.
As discreet as he tried to be with his gaze, his stone grays just didn't move away from her; they wouldn't, and Yugoda wasn't oblivious to his stare.
"Avatar Aang." said Yugoda, "She doesn't have much time."
Aang's pupils contracted as he sharply turned his focus back to the head healer, "What?" hissed Aang, "Then, then why isn't anyone here with her?" the young Avatar asked; feeling almost silly for having even brought up the question in the first place, for the answer was obvious.
A bittersweet smile formed on her lips, "She chose to be alone in this process, young Avatar; she doesn't want her family to see her depart from this world, and see the child expel from her. And the heat emitting from her body due to her rising fever has become so unbearable to her that she requested to be as comfortable as she possibly could during the process; in her case, she wished to be nude. Her friends and family can't see her this way, of course, and I'm sure that as the Avatar you have enough respect to honor young Katara's final wishes." said Yugoda.
He wasn't hearing all of this, he couldn't be hearing all of this, "Final wishes?" Aang thought to himself; not yet fully grasping Katara's personal plead. He rested the groove between his thumb and index finger over his forehead as he forcefully swallowed the reality of her petition, "Katara doesn't want anyone here...not even her own family." then, a disheartening thought crossed his mind, "Then that means...she probably doesn't want me here, either." he thought, that final probability stinging the most.
But he wasn't going to give up that easily; no, he was determined to be by her side and help her in any way he could regardless of her disapproval. Determination overflowing in his eyes; he was ready to challenge Katara's own request, and he was going to let Yugoda know it, but before he had the opportunity to object, he felt Yugoda's hands rest on his shoulders...
"However...I believe your presence here is the exception...young Avatar." answered Yugoda gingerly.
Befuddlement overtook his expression as he gave Yugoda a questionable look; He's the exception? Did this mean that he could stay and be with her? Does Katara even want him there? His questions however, weren't answered ; for as soon as Yugoda made that remark, she smiled sweetly to the young Avatar and softly placed her hand over his cheek.
"She needs you Aang, and I'm sure she knows it as well." whispered Yugoda, and with those final words said, the head healer of the Northern Water Tribe let her hand slip from his face before she walked out of the room; quietly shutting the door behind her.
The sound of that door closing only meant one thing: He and Katara were finally alone. Excitement and fear was all he felt as he steadily returned his gaze to Katara, who laid defenselessly on her bed; her gaze still fiercely on his.
Katara looked wearily at the young Avatar standing by the door; her heart thumping fiercely in her chest, "Aang…mmmhhwhat….are you…doing here?" asked the ailing water bender; her words sluggish and faint.
Aang was taken aback by the fact that Katara didn't mind him being in her bare splendor; it seemed as though she was almost aloof to the fact that he was watching her in all of her nude glory, but that was the least of his concerns. He slowly made his way towards her; gently taking a seat on her bedside as his admiring watch stayed focus on her eyes.
"I came to see you." answered the young Avatar softly; a sweet, subtle smile formed on his lips, "How are you feeling?" he asked; staring longingly into her cool blues.
Those captivating, rounds of silver intermingled with his charming words made the young water bender shiver; sighing exhaustively as she struggled to contain her nerves, ""I've...been better." she answered out of breath with a cheeky smile; trying to be in good spirits despite the dire situation at hand.
A light chuckle escaped his lips, "Yeah, I suppose you're right." he answered innocently; that is, before a moronic look contorted his expression as he realized what he had just said, "Err N-no, no that's not what I meant, I mean-I just-, I only meant that-"
Katara observed Aang's embarrassment as his cheeks became blushed to the point of near-red while he rubbed the back of his neck; it was quite comical to her, and she responded with a sweet, tiresome chuckle of her own.
"Aaaang...I knowww...whhat you meant." she answered understandingly, while Aang returned her generosity with a flustered smile and a goofy chuckle.
There was silence between them for a few moments; their glances magnetically pulling at each other as they both took in the other's presence. Aang almost didn't want to touch her; she looked so delicate, so fragile, he felt as though he would break her just by the mere feel of his touch. Yet as wary as he was of causing her any discomfort, he found himself moving his hands towards hers; gripping them firmly in his own as he locked his heavy-lidded gaze on hers. Katara felt her blood rush up her neck before a hot flush blanketed her expression; she quietly savored the feel of his touch, as did he. How they achingly yearned for each other's feel, their warmth, while their fingers entwined as they stared amorously at one another; yet one question continuously repeated in the young water bender's mind: "Why is he really here?"
His nervousness was painfully obvious; his cheeks were inundated in a deep, red blush while the muscles swelled in his throat, and all he could feel were the hard pounds in his chest. Nevertheless, the young Avatar has traveled this far, endured adversity as well as both emotional and physical pain, and it was all well worth it because now, now he was there...by her side. He licked his lips before he summoned up the nerve to speak; rubbing his thumbs over her smooth skin as he prepared himself to make the most powerful confession he has ever made in this life.
But he found himself interrupted by the expectant mother's words.
"Aangmhhh…you should...really take off yourhhh jacket; it's really…hhot in herehhh…" said Katara weakly; each breath she took shallower than the last.
Now his excitement was replaced with worry; he could feel it in his grip that she was physically burning, but unbeknownst to the water bender, the room was quite cold.
"Katara…this room is freezing." he whispered tenderly; his alarm apparent in his expression as he gathered the courage to brush the back of his hand over the water bender's rosy cheeks.
Katara secretly relished the feel of Aang's cool fingers passing over her flaring profile; sighing sweetly as she gazed dreamily into those mesmerizing, stone gray eyes, while at the same time slowly feeling herself slip away...
Meanwhile, the young Avatar flipped his hand so his palm rested over her face; stroking his thumb smoothly over her cheek. How he savored the feel of her smooth skin as he drank in her visible, erotic form, from the roots of her long, dark locks, to the curves of her hips; everything about her was so unfathomably magnificent to him, but the most beautiful thing he had ever seen bestowed on the ebony beauty was her belly. That round belly, that stuck out in contrast from the rest of her body with its glossy and tight skin , that round belly, which held the future of the Air Nomad Race in its womb, that belly, that held his child. How he wanted to place his hand over it, and feel it himself; feel the warmth of that belly...that held within its shelter, the child he loves.
But he wouldn't get the chance, for as soon as that thought crossed his mind, Katara suddenly rose from her bed with a disoriented look in her eyes; her breasts bobbing slightly as her body jolted into a seated position.
"Aanghhh…could you pleassse…askhuhhh my mother if ssshe can get nnme a glassss of waterrrr?" she asked hoarsely as she pointed to one of her most prized possessions: Her mother's betrothal necklace.
It was a troublesome sight for Aang to take in; his expression overwrought with uneasiness as each slurred word she uttered came out heavier than the last. He observed helplessly as her trembling finger pointed to the sentimental piece of jewelry that sat on top of the small table next to her bed; her mother had been dead for many years, she knows this, yet she's claiming that she was there, even went as far as to ask for the non-existent entity to pour her a drink. Suddenly, an ominous feeling crawled through his flesh; forcing his eyes to shoot wide open while terror infiltrated his face.
"She's...she's slipping into delirium." thought Aang to himself before he inhaled an exacerbated gasp, "that could only mean-"
Without warning, Katara's eyes darted aimlessly around her before they rolled to the back of her head; those crystal blue irises have disappeared from sight, leaving her facial expression completely zombified.
A sharp jolt of pain shot through his chest as he watched her lose touch with reality, "No...no Katara, Katara stay with me!" he shouted as he placed his grip on her shoulders and lightly shook her.
But his efforts to keep her alert were futile; as he spoke that final word, her body began to falter.
Aang watched in horror as Katara's body succumbed to her illness; forcing gravity to push the unresponsive water bender back until she fainted towards her bed.
"Katara...no-"
Before her body was able to collapse into the bed, Aang frantically reached out his arms beneath the ebony beauty just in time to catch her...but to his sheer dread, he realized that he had arrived too late; for when his desperate gaze searched for any signs of consciousness, it found none. She had become comatose.
His eyes glistened with tears as he gently pulled her towards him and cradled her in his arms, as if carrying the most delicate porcelain in his loving hold. He watched as her breaths of air became quiet gasps; becoming shallower with every breath of air she arduously inhaled.
'Katara…" he whispered, as he pressed his middle and index finger into her neck; silently checking her pulse. It was still beating, but it was incredibly faint, and as he felt her heart beat get progressively weaker, he too felt himself elapse into his heartache. It wasn't long before the Avatar couldn't hold back his anguish any longer.
Not a word did Aang utter; he simply sat there with a blank expression as his sorrow trickled from his dimmed eyelids; his eyebrows bent upward, and his lips relaxed. He became overrun by the emotions that tore him to shreds, firing spears brutally through his heart as an uncontrollable storm of despair wreaked mayhem in the pit of his stomach; while every second that fleeted, the woman nestled in his arms, the woman he loved along with his child gradually perished from this physical plane. He sobbed profoundly; his tears falling onto her protruding belly as each droplet trickled down to her perfectly curved back, while his silver gaze remained transfixed on her dead face.
Suddenly, an inexplicable force overtook his reason, and the young Avatar felt compelled to speak.
"Katara, I don't know if you can hear me…but you asked me a question earlier, and even thought I answered it...there's more to it than the answer I gave you. You see Katara... I'm not getting married today. I broke us up, thinking that…I was doing the both of us a favor, but instead...I ended up making a mess out of everything, and I've realized that I've been lost, and a hopeless, brokenhearted pathetic…without you. I'm a wreck Katara...what I'm trying to say is…that I love you; I love you Katara…of the Southern Water Tribe."
He then smiled, "So you see, Katara, I will NOT, under ANY condition of ANY sort, marry or be with anyone…not unless it's with you and only you...and another thing…you are NOT going to die on me today. I won't allow YOU or OUR unborn child to die on this bed Katara, no...You're both going to live." he emotionally professed, and in that instant, Aang's stone grays along with his tattoos became enshrouded with an intense glow.
Everyone in the waiting room, with the exception of Toph, gasped in their seats as they saw brilliant rays of blue light emit from the dark corridor down the hall; their eyes fused as if they have been entranced by the lustrous sight.
The former Kyoshi warrior was the first to point it out, "What's...going on in there?" asked Suki as if she were bewitched by that blue light.
The water bending Master scratched the crown of his head, "I-I don't know." answered Pakku; "It looks as if a healer's working in there, but Yugoda and her helpers have departed not too long ago, and the light is much too bright; even Yugoda's healing glow isn't that strong. This doesn't make any sense..." said the baffled water bending Master as he squint his eyes with suspicion.
"Maybe, Maybe Aang's in the Avatar state?" suggested Suki; her voice aquiver.
Sokka gawked at the sight; his jaw barely connected to its bony hinges while Hakoda tightened his anxious grip on his son's shoulders; it was hard to stand back and do nothing while this strange beam of light is emanating down the corridor from where the ebony beauty laid dying.
"No, that can't be it; if Aang was in the Avatar state this entire place would've been destroyed as soon as we saw those creepy lights. And for what reason would he need to go to the Avatar state? It's not like some crazy, psycho villain like Azula's in there." explained Sokka.
"Then…what is it?" asked Mana.
Everyone in the room continued to ogle at the amazing display of raw energy, and Sokka soon became flooded with worry.
"Maybe-maybe something's wrong, and Katara's all alone in there! We gotta go check and see!" exclaimed Sokka as he rose from his seat and made a mad dash towards hall.
But his attempt was quickly interrupted.
"HOLD IT THERE, WARRIOR GUY!" yelled Toph.
Sokka's heart nearly jumped out of its chest as he promptly stopped himself in his tracks; looking back at the blind earth bender with a bothered glare.
Toph rose from her seat and pointed towards the hall Sokka was just about ready to run into a moment ago, "For the record, she's NOT alone; Aang's with her, and secondly, I don't know exactly what's happening in there, but I have a feeling that neither you nor I nor anyone in this room should intervene." exclaimed the blind earth bender.
Sokka scowled at his friend, "What do you mean?" he asked.
Toph's expression immediately went from defensive to boggled, "I-I don't know what it is that I'm sensing, but I feel something really crucial is happening in there; nothing bad, but there's this strong feeling in my gut that's telling me that we all need to stay out of this." explained Toph eerily.
Everyone in the room shuddered from the blind earth bender's cryptic words, but took what she confided in them seriously. From Aang falling out of the sky and professing his love for Katara on the day of his wedding; to Lee just waltzing out of the clinic with an actual smile on his face despite the fact that Katara had not only cheated on him, but that another man, the Avatar, had fathered the child he thought was his. Oh yeah, there was definitely to be something much bigger at work than they could possibly comprehend, and they all decided that perhaps it was wise not to intervene in any way; at least until the lights disappeared. But once again, the protester of the group decided to do what he does best: protest.
"Pfft! Ooooooo, is poow Toph scawed of the bwue beams of wight?" asked Sokka mockingly as he fiddled his fingers in the air.
The blind earth bender scoffed at her dense friend, "Um, hello?" said a miffed Toph as she waved her hands in front of her face.
Sokka's expression cringed from his idiocy, "Oh, right…sorry." apologized Sokka as he scratched the back of his head bashfully, while Suki shot her husband a dumbfounded glare.
The entire room became engulfed in his light; the force surrounding him brighter than the light he exuded as every limb, every piece of clothing, every hair and nail on his body became enshrouded in pure brilliance. There was benevolence in his omnipotence, not even close to resembling the terrifying fury that so many people have come to expect and fear, but a pure love emitting from his energy. It resembled the sereneness of a healer's energy, yet with a power mightier than lightning itself. Completely aware of what he was doing, the Avatar gently placed Katara on the bed before he smoothed his luminous hand over her hair; gently running his fingers through her long dark locks as he traveled towards her face and caressed her cold cheek. Tears still running down from his light-infused eyes, he then placed his other hand delicately over her belly. He took a deep breath...and as soon as his hand made contact with her flesh, her womb began to illuminate, the light making her entire body completely translucent.
And there it was…a lone and slow, tiny heartbeat...within a little being in the very center of its mother's womb...Katara's womb.
Even in this heightened state of spiritual awareness, Aang couldn't help but be in awe by the sight of the child; merely resembling what it would grow up to be, and yet human in every single way. Its minuscule organs, nerves and tendons; all visible through its translucent flesh, and its weakened heart...thumping dangerously slow as the blood that coated its safe haven began to spill out of its mother's birth canal.
The Avatar's illuminated expression turned somber as he watched the water bender's blood soak her bedsheets; then, he looked at the child...and a smile formed on his lips.
"Live." was all he whispered.
Suddenly, a pulse from Aang's energy began to emit from his body; majestically traveling through the arm that was placed on Katara's womb and into the young water bender...then, another pulse. One by one, each wave of energy traveled through her body as if she were made of nothing, and every wave centering in one area: her womb.
It was an extraordinary sight. With every ripple of energy that flowed into the womb, the young Avatar could hear the voices of old echo around him; sudden whispers of ancient songs and tongues encompassing them as the ebony beauty became enveloped in his light. As the sacred whispers became louder, the pulses emitted faster; each pulse flowing into her quicker than the last, yet gently as if it were air that were circulating throughout her body. The young Avatar remained concentrated and perfectly still; his hand still lightly pressed over her abdomen as he continued to bathe her with his surges of light...
All of a sudden, right before his eyes, Katara's spilled blood began to redirect itself back into her womb as if it were being drawn back by an invisible force; her sheets no longer drenched in her blood, but clean and spotless as if nothing had ever touched it. His glowing eyes then followed the trail of blood back to her transparent belly, to where he saw the child's heartbeat begin to speed up; accelerating quickly as the blood began to attach itself to her uterine walls. Soon after, his eye traveled farther up, to which he saw Katara's heartbeat once again regulating itself to its normal pace. He knew his work was almost done, but there was one more thing that needed to be done; with that one thing clear in mind, he grazed her cheek with his thumb before he bent towards her face and parted his lips. He then whispered...
"Wake up."
All of a sudden...a gasp.
Hahhhh!
Everything happened in an instant. As soon as Aang whispered those two words, the ebony beauty's eyes and mouth widened as if in shock, panting as if she had been holding her breath while the light that engulfed the two benders slowly disappeared. It was done; she and her child had been brought back from the verge of death...by Aang.
As he recovered himself from the abrupt drainage of energy, the young Avatar tried to contemplate what just happened, "Did, did I just heal Katara?" he thought confusedly to himself as he rested his elbows on his knees; gripping his head as drew in sharp breaths. He's been in the Avatar state before, and he knew how malicious its manifestation could be, but never had he felt such a feeling of goodness while in this state. This was all so strange to him; yet, despite the fact that he couldn't comprehend what exactly just occurred or how he impulsively knew what to say or do, he knew why it happened: To bring back the woman and child he loved; the woman who was carrying the future of not only the Air Nomad race, but of the Avatar cycle, and the woman whose cool blue eyes were staring at him once again as she sat up from the bed.
The young Avatar gasped softly; he didn't even notice her gaze, but when he did, the relief he felt from bringing Katara and the baby back to life was soon overshadowed by intense fear, and he found himself once again overwhelmed with anxiety. The young Avatar gulped down the knot that had formed in his throat.
"U-uh..h-how are you feeling?" asked the young Avatar; seemingly frozen and his eyes swimming with fright.
"I-I feel alright." she answered; rubbing her arm bashfully, "What, just happened?" asked the expectant mother; now massaging her belly with worry.
"I, really don't know what just happened...I felt as though I was in the Avatar state, but at the same time...it didn't 'feel' like I was. It felt more as if I was in a deep, meditative state, but completely aware of my surroundings, and I guess, as weird as being in that state was for me, I somehow...saved you. " he answered before a deep blush tinted his cheeks; fidgeting his fingers tensely.
"Oh..." she answered, a strong blush emitting from her cheeks as well, "Um, well...thank you, Aang...for saving us." she answered kindly.
Aang noticed that she was now physically better as well; the color had returned to her skin, and her tired eyes were now alert and stable as if she didn't go through any sort of physical distress. But there were other matters that needed to be taken care of, he knew this, yet as much as he yearned to resolve all of this with her, he wished he could just crawl into a ball and escape from her piercing gaze. Nevertheless, he found the strength to speak and tell her what he's been longing to say to her for so long.
"Katara...I don't know if you heard me, while you were, you know, but-"
"I...I heard you Aang...every single word you said." she answered; her expression still and unmoved.
An ice-cold numbness crawled under his skin, "She heard." he thought as he felt his gut twist in knots before he shot his gaze absentmindedly into every direction but hers.
Their conversation was soon overlapped with silence; Katara failed to respond to the young Avatar's startling confession, and Aang was growing more uneasy by the second anticipating her answer. He even found himself pulling on the pieces of loose thread from his pants just from the sheer nervousness of waiting for her to respond; grinding his teeth while his leg trembled in the process.
Suddenly, the silence was broken.
"How do I know that you're not going to leave again?" she whispered.
Aang jolted just from the sound of her voice before he registered her question, and he saw that her painful glare was still on him. She had every right to doubt him, he even thought it was her right to; especially after all the heartache he's made her go through. There she was, willing to die carrying HIS child rather than save herself despite the disapproval he was sure she was met with; a selflessness rivaled by none, what does he have to offer such an extraordinary woman? All he can.
"Katara, I can't ask you for your trust...I understand, that no matter what I may say to you and no matter how much I can try to convince you, you'll still be wary of my intentions..." the young Avatar explained dolefully.
Sadness was all that could be seen in her expression; gripping her protruding belly as if it were only comfort.
But Aang wasn't finished with his explanation, "I messed up; I-I made the worst mistake I've ever made in my entire life the day I left you back in Ba Sing Se, but even though I know that I don't deserve you because of what I did...all I ask of you, Katara...all I want is to at least give this..."
The young Avatar reached for her hands, tenderly gripping them while their hands laid atop of her womb; his amorous gaze solely on her enormous sapphires.
"Us...a chance; one day at a time is all I ask of you, and I promise Katara, I promise that I will do everything in my power to prove your doubts wrong." he begged earnestly; those stone grays glistening with urgency.
Katara didn't know what to say to the young Avatar's plea; she was truly speechless and unsure if all of this was really happening. Wasn't this the man that dumped her to try things about with another woman? Wasn't this the man that slept with her, then told her the next day that she was practice? And left her pregnant to top it all off? Yet she felt her heart screaming to her, telling her to trust him; but she was weary of giving the young Avatar another chance, "Should I..."
Despite his best efforts and plead, it seemed as though he was unable to stir the young water bender. Her facial appearance didn't change, and she turned her blunt gaze from him; the same way he looked away from her when she expressed his love for him back in Ba Sing Se.
Her silence was his answer, and his anguish slowly churned in knots within his chest as he looked down towards his lap; defeated and forlorn, trapped in his now never-ending cycle of despair.
"This is it...I lost her...forever." he though to himself as he shut his eyes with remorse; mentally preparing himself for what he was about to tell her as he put the unbearable ache in his heart aside. How difficult it was for the young Avatar to do it, but he had to; now that he lost her for good.
"Katara...I respect that you don't want to try things again with me, but I want to at the very least, be in our child's life, and I won't-"
At that moment, the young Avatar felt a sharp tug on his top.
Without a second to react, Aang found himself face to face with Katara, her arms wrapped around his neck...and her lips pressed onto his own.
Aang didn't fight it; no, he couldn't fight it, and he didn't want to. The Avatar passionately kissed the young water bender in return as he fondly embraced her; yet cautious of the protruding belly this woman, his woman, held in her womb. Their soft sighs and whimpers quivered from their lips as electrifying sensations rippled through their brushing skin; it felt so right, so comfortable, something they didn't share with their previous counterparts as much as they tried. They belonged with each other...and only each other. And as they parted from their endearing kiss, they rested their foreheads on one another as their fingers became entangled in each other's grasp.
"I missed you..." he said with great intensity.
"I missed you too..." she answered fondly, "Oh Aang *gasp*...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry that I lied to you." she confessed; looking away from him as she fought back her tears of guilt. "It's just that, I just, I couldn't-"
"Stop." he demanded as he softly turned her chin back to him; those silver rounds that made the expectant mother shiver in his arms endearingly gazing back at her, "You apologize to no one; if anything, it's me who should be apologizing to you...for everything I put you through because of MY stupid choices. But I promise you Katara, that from this day forth, I will do everything, and I mean everything in my ability to earn your trust. My life, will be solely dedicated to you and ONLY you." professed Aang before his hand traveled down to her belly, a sweet smile formed on his lips, "And this little one." he professed; a sincere smile beaming back at the young water bender,.
Katara placed her hand over his soft cheek, "One day at a time." whispered Katara as she smiled warmly to the young Avatar; the light in her cool blue eyes twinkling from the sun's rays.
He watched for a moment as her eyes glimmered in the sun; it was almost supernatural how captivating her eyes really were, how beautiful she was, and how he missed gazing into her, "Little by little." answered Aang with just an equally heartwarming smile.
As soon as Aang said those very words, they both locked lips and shared another passionate kiss. Their hearts were on fire; melting as they basked in each other's raw, passionate caress. He reveled in the touch of her nude form, her velvety, dark skin; while admiring the soft feel of her silk hair. How she relished the feel of his masculine grip pressed onto her, his robust build, and the sensuous way he handled her. How they missed the succulent taste of her each other's lips, their warmth, their delicate touch and their intoxicating scent...how they missed each other.
As they pulled away from their heated embrace, Aang felt driven to speak, "Katara...I know that we have a lot to talk about, and we have a lot of things to sort out between us; which is why I want you to know that I really meant what I said. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure I earn your trust..." whispered the young Avatar with a heavy breath.
Katara's words as equally heavy with desire responded, "You're right, there are things we need to be resolved between you and me...but I'm willing Aang...I'm willing to do this with you." she answered blissfully.
The young Avatar's eyes gleamed with joy; smiling ecstatically as he cupped his hands on her face, "Katara, I want to prepare a place…for us; you, me, and this baby." said the young Avatar in a serious tone of voice as he lovingly grasped Katara's belly.
Katara looked at her lover with a baffled expression; astounded by what he was implying, yet hesitant, "N-no, Aang; we could always stay with my dad or, or Gran-Gran or Sokka and Suki." said Katara.
The young Avatar chuckled, "Not for the rest of our lives." he answered with a charming grin on his face, staring dreamily at his woman's beauty.
Katara shivered with delight as those very words glided through her in a wave of comfort, and a bashful smile formed from her lips; she wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with him, and she was going to let him know it.
"Aang...I will follow you." she answered with pleasure, meaning it with all of her might.
Aang gazed at her invitingly as he placed his hands affectionately over hers, "I'm going to build a home for us, a place we can call our own...and a place where our family can grow." he answered ardently; a strong desire in his tone of voice.
Katara's eyelids parted as far as they could; completely blown away by what Aang was proposing to her, "More, children?"
Aang meant what he said, but then he immediately took notice of what he thought was discomfort in her appearance, and assumed that perhaps he was pushing his 'plan' a little too soon. His face twisted with embarrassment, and he quickly tried to do damage control.
"O-of course, w-we don't need to have more children, I-I mean, we d-don't need to rush anything, I mean...no- n-no that's not what I meant, what I meant to say is-"
Katara placed her index finger delicately over Aang's lips; her eyes glistening with joy, while a dumbfounded expression formed on Aang's face.
"I know exactly...what you mean." answered Katara in her sweetest tone of voice, "And I would love to have your children."
Aang couldn't have been more elated to hear Katara say those words. For so long, he has wanted to have a family of his own; something he never had, and now, now it's happening in the most magnificent way it could've possibly happened...and with the woman he loves. He was the happiest man in the entire world.
"There's nothing I want more Katara...than to spend the rest of my life with you by my side." answered Aang as he trailed his thumb over her cheek before his eyes dimmed suspiciously, "Aaaand to see our little Airbenders and Waterbenders wreaking havoc around their mother." whispered Aang with a sly smirk on his face.
Katara scoffed at his implication before a chuckle escaped her lips, "Oh yeah? What about their father? Will he get the same treatment?" asked the expectant mother as she furrowed her eyebrows.
Aang bent his lip upward with a questionable expression in his eyes as if he were in deep thought, "Nah…I'll be too quick for them." answered the young Avatar as he chuckled lightly at the thought of Katara in the middle of such a mayhem.
The young water bender laughed in disbelief; nodding her head in false agreement, "Uh huh, yeah…we'll see about that…" said Katara as she wrapped her arms around Aang's neck.
Aang chuckled as his eyes once again became enchantingly transfixed on Katara's striking blue eyes; wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her closer towards him, "I love you Katara...it's truly an honor for me to have you as my woman again...and to have you be the mother of my children, you and only you..Katara." said Aang as he leaned closer to get another taste of her succulent lips.
"Aang...I-"
Suddenly, the door burst open.
The two lovers barely had a second to react before they saw Sokka; his grip on the door handle and his eyes literally bulging out of their sockets before he once again slammed the door shut.
Aang and Katara stared at the door; both lovers startled as they heard muffled yells coming from outside of the door.
"UUUUUUGH! Couldn't she at least have the decency to put on some clothes!" shrieked Sokka from the brief glimpse he caught of his sister's bare backside.
"Well, what POSSESSED you to think that you could just waltz right in there without knocking, Sokka!" yelled another voice Aang and Katara recognized to be Suki's.
"I DIDN'T THINK SHE WAS GOING TO BE NAKED!"
A strong flush trickled from both Aang and Katara's faces as they heard Sokka scream bloody murder about catching the young water bender's in her birthday suit; slowly turning to face each other before a light snicker escaped their lips, then, a chuckle. Suddenly, they just burst out laughing; of all the things they've gone through in the past year, awkward situations such as these didn't seem to be so bothersome anymore. Indeed, it seemed as though nothing could irk them; no, nothing could rob them of their infinite bliss. They have both become completely different people, new people; no longer insecure and doubtful about one another or themselves, but putting their faith where they should have placed it in the first place: Their hearts. As their loud laughter dwindled down, Aang took her bed sheet and wrapped it around her body; covering her entire nudity as he smiled warmly to his woman...his forever girl.
"I love you...Katara." he whispered.
Katara gazed longingly into those stone grays; those glistening rounds of silver she has fallen so deeply for but was afraid to admit, but now, now she wasn't afraid, anymore...
"I love you too...Aang."
Those words sent ripples of joy through his heart; those words he longed to hear for so long, only confirming that his ultimate desire has finally become reality. He then leaned towards her; gazing dreamily into those deep ocean blues he's been enamored with since the moment he first laid eyes on them back in the South Pole before they both shared an electrifyingly passionate kiss...the kiss that sealed the rest of their lives...together.
Ahh but the story doesn't end there, Stay Tuned...
http :/img847. imageshack. us/img847/176/aangpissedoff. jpg
http :/img40. imageshack. us/img40/913/togetheratlast. jpg