A/N: Entry 2/7 for Kataang week - this prompt is for Tuesday July 22nd 2014 - Comfort

Nothing brought life to Katara's eyes like seeing her children happy. But Bumi was a teenager now and wild as ever, chasing after the young women of Republic City. Kya was a tween and drifting away from their family lately, copping an attitude at inopportune times. And Tenzin was so absorbed in his studies she hardly saw him at all besides meals, and that was only if he wasn't on a trip with his father. Katara didn't know what to do to bring their family together as a happy unit anymore and it broke her heart. She just wanted everyone to get along for one night. Just one night would make her so happy. But it didn't seem like her children wanted to be happy with one another. She was fighting a fight she just couldn't win. She sighed and flopped onto the couch, disturbing her son's papers that were spread everywhere.

"Mother." He whined and gathered them back up.

"Sorry sweetie." She murmured and crossed her legs, twirling a lock of hair with her finger and crossing her arm over her stomach. "You'll just have to share." She said and smirked, leaning onto his papers purposely.

"Mother honestly! I'm trying to study." Tenzin said and tried to pull the papers away from her. She laughed and leaned her whole body over his scrolls and papers.

"Take a break and spend time with mommy."

"I'm serious! I have so much I need to get through before father gets home!" He said and she ignored him, grabbing him by the waist and dragging him into her lap. She peppered his face with kisses, Tenzin protesting the whole time.

"What is going on in here?" A low voice said from the front door and both mother and son gasped, looking at him with a smile. Tenzin wiggled free from her grasp and ran to the door.

"Father! You're home!" He said and started to rant about everything he had studied while he was gone. Aang's eyes would usually shine with pride, but today they seemed glazed and empty.

Katara stood and walked to him, placing a hand on his arm. He avoided her gaze, knowing how intuitive she was.

"That's great Tenzin. You can tell me more later okay? Can you do me a favor and go find your sister and bring her here for me?"

Tenzin nodded and ran off to find Kya. Katara was about to ask what was wrong when her eldest son walked in the door behind Aang.

"Jeez Dad, you ruin all my fun. It's not even sundown yet."

"I know. Just take a seat in the living room."

Bumi grumbled and pushed his way inside, flopping on the part of the couch that wasn't covered in papers. Aang walked inside, still avoiding Katara's gaze, and hung his outer cloak. He came over to the couch and stacked his son's study materials in a neat pile and placing them on the table, clearing the couch. Tenzin ran out of the back of the house and hopped on the couch with Bumi, Kya coming out with her arms crossed.

"Dad, you've been home three seconds, what's with the family meeting? How about a hello first?"

Normally Aang would address her attitude, but for some reason he let it roll off his shoulder, nodding.

"You're right, I'm sorry. Please, take a seat with your brothers."

"Sweetie?" Katara asked and came up behind him. He gave her an empty smile and motioned for her to sit. She was reluctant but sat on the couch with her children.

"Aang, what's going on." Katara asked and he looked at all of them. He let a breath escape him that he had been holding in.

"Sokka sent me a letter while I was outside Omashu. I'm afraid I don't have good news."

Katara gulped and gripped her hands together. She knew what was next and her heart was already tearing itself to shreds. She took her daughter's hand and looked to Aang. Their eyes met and a silent understanding came between them. He nodded and stepped closer.

"Kids, you know your grandmother has been sick for a while." He started and Bumi adjusted himself. He realized. He knew. It didn't even need to be said. Kya and Tenzin weren't quite there yet.

"Dad?" Kya asked and looked to her mother, pleading with her bright eyes.

"I'm sorry, but she just couldn't handle it anymore. She passed away yesterday." He said and closed his eyes. Kya covered her mouth and muffled a sob. Bumi was stone faced, no emotion. And Tenzin seemed confused.

"That can't be true, we just saw her a few weeks ago. She was getting better." The youngest of them said and Kya let out her sob, gripping her mother for support.

"Tenzin, I'm sorry, It's true."

"But, you're the Avatar! Can't you just go into the spirit world, get her spirit and bring her back?"

Kya punched her brother in the arm with tears streaming down her face.

"It doesn't work like that you idiot!"

"Kya, knock it off. It's not his fault." Bumi said, anger boiling under the surface. Kya ignored him. Katara interrupted before all chaos unleashed.

"Aang, when are the arrangements?"

"If we leave tonight we can make it in time to guide her to the tundra."

Katara nodded and stood, helping her daughter up.

"Okay, you heard your dad, go pack a bag." She said to the boys, guiding Kya to her room to help her. Aang motioned for Tenzin to follow him and Tenzin came to him, wiping his tears on his father's shirt. Bumi sat in the living room for a while when everyone was gone. He was having a hard time grasping the concept of never seeing Gran-Gran Kanna again. He had never known anyone who had died before and the idea didn't sit well with him. He felt there must have been something someone could have done. After stewing for a little while he left the living room, packing for their trip.

X

The whole village turned out for the ceremony. The icy wind was unforgiving, just like the grips of death, stinging those with tears on their cheeks. Hakoda gave a good speech. he spoke of strength and forgiveness and love. All of these things she possessed. The tribe gave their goodbyes in a unison prayer to the spirits of the moon and ocean, that they may guide her spirit to peace. As the crowd dispersed only Katara and her family were left, Hakoda and Sokka standing next to Kanna's pelt wrapped body. Sokka, Hakoda, and Katara shared a hug, the father kissing his daughter on the forehead. Sokka lingered and then saw the kids with Aang standing back. None of them knew what it was like to lose a family member, though Aang did understand great loss - probably better than most can understand. This pain they the southern watertribe members were feeling was reopening old wounds of losing Kya, the grief being fed and combined with the current loss.

Sokka patted his family and let go, walking over to Aang and offering to take the kids to where they would be staying. Aang agreed and watch them go off. Katara and Hakoda continued to hold each other, not crying or speaking, just comforting each other. Aang came up and put a hand on both of their shoulders. No words were exchanged. Words never help. They can't caress a wet cheek of hold a shaking body. Hakoda pulled him in closer and they all stood in the wind, exchanging breaths and muffled sighs instead of sobs. After a while Hakoda broke them apart and nodded to his son in law.

"Thank you for coming." He says softly with a sad smile. Aang nodded.

"I know how important family is to both of you. And you are my family too." He says and wraps and arm around Katara. the snow starts to fall lightly around them and the wind softens to a mild breeze, but the temperature drop is tangible. Hakoda nods and goes around the pile of pelts to the head, grabbing the ropes tied to the bottom of the minimal sled that held Kanna's body.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, it's tradition that the eldest surviving son takes her. I know a spot out in the tundra where she will be at peace."

"Can I at least help you dig? It's pretty hard without bending." Aang offered and Hakoda shook his head.

"We must always work for the ones we love." He said with a smile and threw the ropes over his shoulder and marched out to the tundra. Katara wrapped her arms around Aang's middle and buried her face into his robes. He held her for a while until the snow started to stick to her hair and the sky grew dark.

"Let's go get you warmed up." He said softly and she nodded, walking with him to the hut next to the one their children were staying in. When inside they shrugged out of their snow covered coats and sat on the pelts near the fire. Aang started a pot for tea and Katara lay in his lap and he played with her hair mindlessly. she gripped his pants and pressed her face against his thigh.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Aang asked. She took a while to answer.

"No, It's okay. I'm fine." She said and raised her head to look at him. He looked to her with deep concern.

"I'm really okay. I promise."

"You've just been very quiet. The whole ride here you've barely said a word to any of us."

She hesitated and let out a soft sigh.

"Aang, you know I didn't have my mother for long. Gran-Gran Helped to fill the void that was left. She guided me. She loved me. She even encouraged me to help you on your journey back in the day." She smiled and moved her head to kiss his palm.

"That being said, I'm sad she's gone and of course I'll miss her, but she was so sick for so long… am I a bad person for being relieved that she has finally passed? "

"No." He said and held her cheek. "It's not easy to watch your loved ones suffer. You just wanted the suffering to end for her, and despite your amazing healing abilities, you couldn't reverse what had happened to her. So there is only one other option for the pain to stop. It's completely understandable."

"Will you keep it between us?"

He nodded and reached for the kettle, pouring them two cups of steaming tea. She took it gratefully and gripped his hand with her free one, sipping her tea gingerly. They were silent for a while, enjoying a peaceful evening though it was somber. They caught each other's eyes over their cups and enjoyed the silent communication. When they were done he took the cups and kettle and set them on the mantle, grabbing a blanket for them both. He lay down beside her and she curled into his chest, just like they sleep when he is home. He covered them and kissed her hair, her arms wrapping around his middle again. She was just about to drift into sleep when he whispered to her.

"If you do need to talk, I'm always ready to listen."

She nodded and fell under the black ocean of sleep, exhausted from being strong for her family for so long.