Hey ya! This chapter is going to be the longest for a while. It is focused mostly on Katara because of the whole Aang-is-in-a-deadly-coma thing. I just wanted to give a shout out to More2Life, thanks so much for the concrit and suggestions! I will keep those in mind. This chapter will slow down a lot and go into the nature of Katara and Aangs relationship. Final note: most of the things in italics are Kataras memories (that's why they are in I and me instead of her and she). Heres chapter two! Enjoy!

Chapter Two: Memories and Weeks of Waiting

Day One:

Katara woke up at three in the morning to Aang terrified screams; she jumped up from the mat beside his bed to see why he was bawling.

"Aang, Aang! Wake up! It's only a dream, calm down. It was only a dream." Her voice was calm and soothing and his shouts subsided. Gently she flipped him onto his back, revealing a bloody mess on the bed. Dark blood was still gently flowing from his back. "Oh no." A soft gasp escaped her lips. Immediately the healer started to try and stench the bleeding on the Avatars back. A memory tugged at the back of her mind.

The room was mostly dark red, like blood, and lit with several torches. It was very large, Fire Nation banners hung on the walls. I shivered, feeling awkward in this Fire Navy ship. I could feel the rumbling of the engine beneath my feet as I walked to where Aang was laying. His stomach was on the mattress revealing the pale parts of his un-bandaged skin. I unwrapped the stained strips of cloth, exposing the rest of his back. The top part of it was covered with red blisters and cuts, lighter on the edges and darker towards where Azula hit him with lightning. I set down the bowl of water I had filled in the galley. My hand was trembling as I placed my hand into the water and then onto his back. After about an hour I stopped healing him and wrapped him up in bandages. They wrapped around his torso and shoulder. Aangs elbow was also broken so I healed that and set it in a cast. He groaned in pain, like he was regaining consciousness, but slowly. I turned him so he way laying on his back and quietly left the room.

As she finished the current healing session her energy dwindled. When she moved her hands away from his back she collapsed on the floor and fell asleep.

Day Four:

Aang still hadn't woken up from his fatal coma. The entire Gang was very concerned, but Katara was the worst. She hadn't left his side for four days, not even to eat.

"Katara, you really should go down to the dining room, there is some of your favorite foods down there…and they are going fast!" Sokka popped into the room with an apple in one hand and Suki's hand in the other.

"Could you just bring me up some bread, fruit and some water? I'm not that hungry."

"Please, Katara, you must come to breakfast with us. It will be good for you to spend some time away from Aang in case he doesn't, you know." Suki begged. She knew that the chances of Aang surviving were very slim, even with her friends amazing healing abilities.

"No, thank you."

"Please?"

"I'm begging you."

"I said no thank you!" Katara shouted and turned her back on her friend and brother. Tears were forming in her eyes. Memories flooded back to her of Aang and all the times that made her fall in love with him.

His eyes showed disappointment in me as I turned and got on Appa with Zuko to go avenge her mother. His voice echoed in my head for several minutes "Violence is never the answer. It is better to forgive." A silent sob escaped as I flew Appa.

Aang pulled me close and hugged me as I cried. Gentle words were whispered in my ear. His hand ran through my hair in a calm, soothing motion.

My heart raced as his face loomed closer to mine. I knew this was the only way to find our way out of the cave. My eyes closed and our lips met, it was only for a second but it still made my heart beat so fast I thought I was going to pass out. Then, the moment was over

My boyfriend, ah! I love saying that, my boyfriend, slipped his hand into mine as we walked through a Fire Nation village. We were taking a day off from peace promoting. Kind of like those min-vacations we took a while back. Sokka decided to sleep all day and Toph was working on trying some new form of bending, so Aang and I decided it would be the perfect time to go on our first date. He smiled at me with his wide loving smile as he spoke.

I looked into grey unfamiliar eyes. He was clearly a child, no older than 12 or 13. The way he looked at me, it made chills run up my spine. The boy had blue tattoos on his head and hands.

We were on one of our late night trips into the woods. Tonight he decided to take me up on his glider. I was holding tightly around his chest, every time we swooped higher I tried to pull myself closer to him. He smelled amazing. Like when you step outside after it just rained, that fresh, new smell. I breathed in his scent, trying to memorize every detail of him.

Iroh smiled at us as we sat down in his tea shop in Ba Sing Se.

"Hi, what can I get for you today?" He asked in that friendly husky voice.

"Two jasmine teas." Aang ordered and we sat down at a table. Iroh came back quickly with the tea and winked at Aang. He smiled and laughed.

"What was that about?"

"Oh, nothing." I took his hand across the table.

She snapped out of her trance and laid back down on her mat.

One Week Later (Day 8):

Eventually Katara was coaxed out of her room by Suki. She still was never gone for more than an hour or two, but she still left the room one or two times a say. The water bender still had much hope that Aang would wake up.

He looked into my eyes; it felt like he was staring right into my soul. I could feel my face heating up, but I didn't break his gaze. Aang lightly brushed my lips with his; it felt like I was kissing a cloud. Quickly the moment was over as he brushed a flyaway hair out of my face. "I love you." He whispered tenderly.

We were in the air; I was hanging on his back. My hair was whipping my face as we soared higher and higher.

"This. Is. Amazing!" I shouted, a grin was slowly spreading across my face as my terrified screams turned into shrieks of joy.

"I know!" He called back.

"Is this how it feels every time?" The question hung in the air as we started to plummet towards the ground. Both of us called out with excitement and a rush of adrenaline. That was the first time she flew with him. Every time was more thrilling and exciting. She sighed, hoping that one day soon she would be able to fly with him again

Five Days Later (Day 13):

"Just one date? Please Katara!"

"No. I don't want to go on a date with you and that's final!" Katara slammed the door in yet another pursuers face. Footsteps echoes through the hallway has he stormed out of the house.

"hmph! Well will they learn? I'm not interested in being courted! I already have someone…" She trailed off as she looked at Aang who was sleeping peacefully in the bed. His snores echoed slightly around the room. Her bare feet padded over to him. "Aang please, wake up soon. I miss you. We all miss you." Her hand rubbed up and down his hand and arm. A soft knock came from the door.

"Come in."

"Hey Sugar Queen, want to come out and train with everyone? Zuko said the resistance is getting stronger and that we should be prepared for an attack." Toph walked in and leaned against the dresser. At the mere mention of the resistance tears started to well up at the corner of Kataras eyes. She swallowed and chose her words carefully before answering.

"I-um…I guess so. But only for a while. Aang isn't getting any better and he needs to have a healing session again soon."

"Okay, well we'll meet you out there." The almost fifteen year old earth-bender walked out of the room and back outside to where the rest of the Gang was waiting to hear how it went with Katara.

During training everyone enjoyed themselves, including Katara. She laughed and smiled along with everyone else, and it was genuine happiness.

"Wow that was a blast! We should do that again sometime!" She smiled and pushed loose strings of hair out of her face.

"Definitely. It would be sooo much more fun if Aang was here though. " Sokka spoke without thinking. "Ow! What the hell was that for?" He turned his at to face Suki who had just punched his arm. Then a look of realization crossed his face. "Katara I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking and I…" He trailed off, the apology was useless though. The damage had already been done. She looked at him with tear filled eyes and then turned back toward the palace. She ran always back to her and Aangs shared room. She laid down on her mat and cried herself to a choppy dream filled sleep.

Two Weeks Later (Day 27):

Katara woke up from her first good night sleep in almost a month. She turned to her left, expecting to see Aang laying on the bed next to, instead it was just a wall. She sighed remembering that she had moved back to her room. Slowly she rolled of her mat and changed into her fire nation outfit. He always liked this one me. I don't know why…it's not that awesome or anything, but it is very comfortable. Hehe. Mmmmm…I'm going to go check on him. I really hope that he woke up… Her bare feet padded down the hallway. The water tirbe girl passed her brothers room and heard loud snores echoing through the empty hallway. When she got there her mind started fading into memories.

Aangs laugh filled the air, I looked up from the mud. I was giggling as I pushed myself up and out of the puddle we had just made.

"that was so fun! But home come I'm the only one covered in muck?" I teased. Every part of me was covered in a layer of wet filth. I decided to share that with him so I smothered him in a big bear hug.

"Haha, he getoff me. Aww…not the face!" His hands pushed lightly against my chest trying to get me off him. My heart raced, but I kept his hands there. He started to mold his lips to mine. Ther were soft and smooth. I curled my arms around his neck and his arms moved down to my waist. We didn't make a sound as we continued to press our bodies against each other.

Dear K,

Meet me by the beach. Need to talk to you. See you soon

XO,

A

I held the note close to my chest as tears streamed over my face and onto the floor. A soft hand rested on my back, comforting me.

She started to heal the love of her young life. Her nimble hands danced quickly up and down his back. After she was done healing him she traced his scars. She didn't know why she did it….but it was a ritual she did after every healing session.

Month 1 Week 4:

Katara spent more time away from Aang and more time in the garden thinking. She thought about everything; Aang, love, how things have changed in the past three years. She was 17 now, over marrying age. Everyone kept asking when she would accept one of the many marriage proposals. The answer was always the same… "I will when the time is right." which was a fancy way of saying never. When she wasn't thinking the young woman was in the library soaking up every scroll she could find.

Month 2 Week 3:

In the kitchen Sokka and Suki were talking about how they were worried about his sister.

"I don't know what is the matter with her! She's being sucha, I dunno, a loner. You know?" The water tribe warrior was munching on an apple.

"Sokka. Be more sensitive! Her boyfriend is in a coma and he probably wont wake up from it. She's depressed." Suki scolded her fiancé.

"Well cant she be a little more, like, alive? I mean all she does is either sit in the effing library and read or lay on that bench in the courtyard. She needs a life!"

"Hmm…I guess." The Kyoshi warrior gave in, knowing that she would never in the fight.

"I know! We should set her up with someone!"

"I don't know…what if-"

Sokka interrupted her, "I know just the person!" He dashed off excitedly leaving his soon-to-be-wife in the kitchen.

Katara didn't get out of bed that day. She felt like someone buried her in a pile of rocks. All day she thought of everything she had done wrong in her life…she couldn't understand why she was feeling like this, it was id all the guilt of her entire life just crashed down on her. Somewhere around three in the morning she came to a realization right before she fell asleep.

Aang's condition deteriorated. He had cold sweats nearly every night. His dreams were confusing and he often found himself in the spirit world. Roku spoke to him at least once a day, sometimes more. During the time he spent in the spirit world he learned a lot about the past Avatars and their history. His back burned twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. When will the pain end? I honestly would rather die than keep going through this torture.

Month 5 Week 4:

Katara nervously checked the mirror to make sure she looked presentable. After many weeks of persuading and bothering, her older brother finally got her to go out with the Northern Water Tribe warrior, Kisho, Hahn's younger brother. She took a deep breath and walked out to the hallway where Kisho was waiting. They were going to go take a walk around the palace grounds. She didn't want to be too far away from Aang, but she still wanted to be far enough away that her mind was focused on her date and only her date.

"So, Kisho, how do you like the Fire Nation so far?"

"It's really cool. Hot, but really cool. Haha." He laughed at his accidental joke. They walked around the grounds several times, just talking about everything they could think of, and then some.

Hours later Katara rushed into her room, blushing and breathing heavily. She gave herself a small smile then flopped on her bed.

Month 8 Week 3:

"Hey guys! I'm going out for a walk! Don't wait up if you go anywhere. I'll find you eventually." Katara breezed out the kitchen door and out to the courtyard.

"Hello beautiful. " Kisho wrapped his arm around his girlfriends waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Um, hi. What's up?" She shimmied out of his grasp. Not completely comfortable whit being in that position with him, at least not yet. They started walking around the courtyard, then the back of the palace, then towards the town. The couple took walks a lot, just talking and laughing. The Water Tribe couple was so close they were like best friends as well as boyfriend and girlfriend. Katara fell silent for several minutes.

"Are you ok? You seem distracted."

"Oh. What? Yeah I'm fine." Lie. I feel horrible lying to him. But if the he knew the truth he wouldn't be able to look at me, let alone talk to me. If only he knew… Her thoughts trailed off, leading back to Aang. She knew no one could ever replace him. He was her first love; he always was and always will be.

Month 11 Week 1:

Aang stirred in his bed. Every muscle in his body was stiff. "Uhh…." He groaned as he tried to life his body off the bed and onto the floor. Eventually he succeeded. As he stood up the floor started heading toward his head, he quickly grabbed his staff and righted himself. His goal was to find Katara and tell her what he was going to say that day he-didn't-know-how-long ago. Several minutes later he walked into the kitchen and gasped. He saw Katara in the embrace of another man. The Avatars staff clacked to the floor when he dropped it.

"Aang!" Katara shrieked and ran to the door. It was too late, he had already flown off. His head was pounding and he couldn't think straight. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there, and fast.

"Aang! Please wait come back!" She tried to follow him but he was too fast for her. The water-bender felt like her heart was breaking all over again. Tears ran down her face.

"Katara…what was that all about?" Kisho came up behind her, a worried look was etched on his face.

"It-I-I'm sorry." Katara ran off back into the palace.

Sorry it took so long for me to post! I restarted several times. Teehee. ;) well hope you enjoyed it. Please concrit and stuff. By the way, I'm not going to be posting very frequently. Got a lot of stuff to do with school and all. My goal is to post at least once every two weeks. Or possibly every week. Just depends. Thanks so much for reading!