Waiting

"Sometimes even the healers are wrong…This is our little air bender."

It had been four months since she'd said those words to her husband. She was lying in the same spot that she'd been in when she spoke those words. Thinking back, she smiled at his reaction. At first he was silent, as if his mind had shut down, then he sat up and placed his other hand on her expanding stomach.

"Really?!", he asked excitedly, "Really?!" He asked again as he grabbed her and hugged her to him tightly, then he released his grip so he could lean back and look at her. "Oh, I didn't mean to hug you so tight. Did I hurt you? Did I hurt the baby?"

She laughed at him being so excited and concerned, "No", she giggled, "we're just fine." If she'd know the extremes his concern would grow to, she wouldn't of laughed in that moment.

Over the next twelve weeks Aang had Katara on what he called "bed rest", but she felt like she was on house arrest. He'd decided that even though her body had defied everything that the healers and physicians said, she was too fragile to do anything but sit in the bed. He said that he would take care of Kya and Bumi, cook and clean the house. He also said that he would handle Kya's water bending training, and he would take Bumi to Sokka on the days that Sokka wasn't able to make it out of the city and come to the island to have "Warrior Time".

At first, Katara thought that this sounded like heave. She would be able to kick back and relax for the first time since she had Kya. That was before she realized how serious Aang was about his idea of bed rest.

He expected Katara not to let her feet touch the ground unless he was there to ensure that she didn't stumble, or slip, or even stub her toe. The first time she'd gotten up to go to the bathroom he came rushing in and chastised her for overexerting herself while she was in such a delicate state. She had to threaten him with a water whip to make him leave the bathroom so she could use it in private.

"Aang, I'm not an invalid!" She protested.

So now she was laying in the bed, restless and bored. She couldn't go outside to do water bending practice because he would stop her. On the few occasions that he did go outside with her so she could water bend, he insisted that she did it while sitting on the pier and not do any movements that were too elaborate. Then, when he decided that she'd had enough exertion, Aang would cradle his arms around her and walk her right back to that damned bed that had become her home inside her home. The children came in there to play with her, her dinner was brought to her there, and when someone came to see her they sat in there to visit.

Katara thought she'd have some peace when Aang had to into the city or to handle Avatar business, but she was dead wrong. Whenever he had to leave Sokka would take his place, and her brother was almost more overbearing than her husband. Her only freedom came when Sokka and Aang both had to be in the city and Toph would take their place.

"Alright Sweetness, they're gone." Toph announced one day about a month earlier.

"Where are the kids?" Katara asked as she eased herself off of the bed.

"I asked one of the Air Acolytes to take them swimming, so we can't go to the beach today.", she said as Katara's feet hit the floor and she stood up, "Wow, Sugar Queen, your HUGE!"

Katara looked at Toph with an annoyed face as if her blind friend could see her reaction. "Nice Toph, really nice." she said.

"I'm sorry," the metal bender laughed, "I was just playing with you. Lighten up." Toph laughed again, "Sorry, guess you can't 'lighten up' for another month or so."

"Real funny Toph." the water bender said un-amused. As she stretched her legs she couldn't help but notice the thoughtful look on Toph's face. "Are you okay?", she asked her friend.

"Yeah, but, can I ask you something?" Toph hesitated, "Can I…can I touch your stomach."

Katara was taken aback. Toph had never shown an interest in her being pregnant, not the first two times and not until now with this baby. "Of course you can.", she answered.

Toph and Katara moved towards each other slowly and when they got within arms reach of each other Katara took Toph's hands and placed then on either side of her belly. Toph snatched back when something pressed against her right hand.

"What was that?", Toph said excitedly as she pulled her hands away.

"It's okay," Katara laughed, "the baby moved, he was just saying 'Hi'."

"How do you know it's a boy?", Toph asked, placing her hands back on her friends abdomen.

"I just think he's a boy, I don't know for sure."

The baby pressed again and Toph smiled, "How does it feel? To be pregnant I mean."

"It's great, but its also tiring and I'm always hot, and tired and uncomfortable and hungry," she giggled, "But when the baby comes its all worth it."

"Uncomfortable?"

"Yes, when he moved just now it wasn't bad, I think he only moved his hand or foot, but when its his head, or he's flipping around it's a lot of pressure, especially in the last month when they're so big." Katara was starting to wonder why Toph was so curious about this all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry about how the guys are keeping you prisoner." Toph said, "I wouldn't want anyone to do anything like that to me."

Katara's heart skipped a beat, "Toph…are you …pregnant?"

Toph held her head down and blushed, "Yeah."

Katara hugged her friend as tight as she could, "Toph, I can't believe it. What did Moo-Chee have to say?"

"I haven't told anyone yet." Toph said as Katara released the hug, "I was still working up the nerve to tell you. Katara, I'm so nervous."

Katara hugged her again, "Oh Toph, don't worry, don't be nervous. Everyone will be as thrilled as I am, especially Moo-Chee," In all the years that they had known each other this was the first time that Toph had shown any king of vulnerability, and one of the very few times that Toph called her by her name. The whole situation was a bit awkward.

Toph let a few tears drop. She was so relieved to have this secret out in the open. "Alright, Sugar Queen, get off me." she laughed as she lightly pushed Katara away, "Enough touchy feely mess. What do you want to do today?"

Toph told her husband, then Sokka and Aang, then had a letter sent to Zuko about her pregnancy. Just as Katara told her, everyone seemed shocked and excited. Toph was ecstatic that everyone was so supportive. She was able to relax and go back to being a slightly more hormonal version of herself.

While Toph was enjoying the first part of her pregnancy, Katara was ready for hers to be done. With two weeks left before her due date, she was miserable. The baby felt like he was stretching out with his head resting on her pelvis bone and his feet on her ribs, then it would feel like he would flip and stretch out all over again. She was tired of being in that room, but she didn't really have the energy to go anywhere. All the coddling and unwanted help Aang gave her before was now a necessity.

One new, and very good thing about the last month was the addition of a daily walk. Toph had gotten on Aang's case and told him that he couldn't keep Katara caged like some kind of pet bird. So Aang started walking around the island with Katara and the children in the afternoon. It would take a long time because they'd have to stop often so Katara could rest, but she was happy to be able to get around.

"Mommy!" Kya called as she came into the room with Katara's shoes, "Are you ready to go?"

Katara smiled and sat up slowly, "Yes Baby, I'm ready to go, but you have to help.."

"Yes Mommy, I know.", the little girl said as she sat by her mother's feet, "Put your foot in."

Next Aang came in with Bumi on his shoulders., "Ready to go?" he asked with his hand out.

"Yes," she said with a smile as she reached out and pulled on his hand, "I'm ready."

Half the way up she felt the muscles at the bottom of her stomach tighten. She paused for a second and grimaced. Aang caught hold of her shoulders as if she was falling. "Katara," he said as calmly as he could, trying not to concern the children, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered with a smile ,"Just let me go to the bathroom and then we can go."

Aang sat Bumi on the bed and then walked Katara to the bathroom. He stood by the door and waited like he always did. Inside the bathroom Katara relieved herself and as she arranged her clothes, her muscled tightened again. She bit her lip so that Aang didn't hear her light moan of pain. She knew what this meant, she'd felt the same thing when it was getting near time for her to have Kya and Bumi, but she didn't want t tell Aang yet because she knew that this was just the beginning and she had days left to go.

It always started like this, the tightening. It would be erratic for a couple of days, a couple close together, then not another on for a few hours. Then the contractions would start, and her water would break, and not long after that her baby would be in her arms. She was happy that the process had begun, but she couldn't tell Aang yet because her had already been way too overprotective and she didn't want to make it worse. Besides, she really needed this walk today.

Katara walked a little slower today than usual, but Aang just chalked it up to her being nine months pregnant. As usual, the children ran around them, playing. On a couple of occasions they had to tell Bumi to stop trying to attack Kya, and , in turn, they had to tell Kya not to shoot water or ice at her little brother.

As they neared the Meditation Pavilion Katara stopped in her tracks. She bit her bottom lip and gripped Aang's hand so tight that he flinched.

"Katara?!" he said, startled, "don't tell me you're okay. What's wrong?"

"Aang," Katara said, still in pain, "This baby is coming, and he's coming right now."

"What?" he yelled, catching Kya and Bumi's attention, "We have to get back to the house!" he said as he moved to pick her up.

"I'm not going to make it all the way back to the house," she said as he scooped her into his arms, "take me to the pavilion."

"Daddy," Kya asked scared and concerned, "what's wrong?"

"I need you and your brother to run to the dormitories and tell them to send the midwife to the Meditation Pavilion right away. You and Bumi stay there until I send for you."

"But Daddy…."

"No 'but Daddy' I need you to go now!" he yelled as Katara curled in his arms as another contraction came over her.

With that the children ran off to the women's dormitory. They knew that Aang was serious because their father hardly ever spoke to them in that tone of voice. Kya ran as fast as she could without actually leaving Bumi behind. When they got near the dormitories they stopped the first Air Acolyte they saw and Kya said as much as her little out-of-breath body would let her.

"Daddy said….send midwife…meditation…"

"Oh Goodness!" the young man exclaimed before she could finish and he ran off to the women's dormitory to get the midwife.

When Aang got Katara into the Meditation Pavilion he laid her on the floor. He took his cloak off and bundled it under her head. The Avatar placed one hand on his wife's stomach and held her hand with the other. "Why didn't you tell me it was time?" he asked with worry all over his face.

She gave him an apologetic smile "I thought I had a couple of days like before," Just then her water broke, "Oh no, the midwife isn't going to make it in time. You'll have to deliver this baby."

The color drained out of his face, "I don't know if I can do that Katara."

Fighting back the urge to curse at her husband she said, "Yes you can. You can do anything. You are the Avatar."

"I don't know about this," he answered. He'd been there when the other two children had been born, but that consisted of him holding his wife's hand and speaking encouraging words, not actually delivering the baby. He saw the babies for the first time when the midwife handed them to either him or Katara., "I don't know if I can deliver the baby."

"Yes you can!" she yelled , "I'll tell you what to doooooo-" a contraction cut her off , She squeezed Aang's hand and rode out the contraction. The second it passed she said, "Just catch the baby, wrap him in your shirt and tie off the cord and cut it and clear the baby's mouth."

At that moment the Air Acolyte that met the kids along the way ran up with blankets, pillows and towels in his hands. "Avatar Aang! The midwife is on her way. She sent me ahead."

"Thank you, Lee." He said, happy to have someone else there with him. Maybe the midwife would make it after all.

The two men quickly made a make shift bed and put Katara on it. As Lee spread a sheet out over her she had another, rather strong contraction. "Now Aang!" she screamed, "He's coming now. You have to catch him,"

What little relief her had at the arrival of Lee disappeared with those words. He got down on his knees in front of his wife and lifted the sheet. He was shocked to see the top of the baby's head. He fought the urge to pass out or say something imprecate. "I….I see his head." he said with a tremble in his voice.

Catch his head." She yelled through another contraction and she pushed as hard as she could.

All at once, and right as the midwife was running up to them, the baby boy slid into his father's hands. Just then the midwife came in and took over. She cleared the baby's mouth , cut the cord, cleaned him quickly and handed him to his father. "You did a good job, Avatar Aang. Here is your son."

Katara smiled weakly as Aang came over and handed their newest addition to her. "I knew he was a boy." she said as she took him into her arms, "You have to give him a good, strong, Air Nomad name."

Aang thought about it for a minute. His first instinct was to name him Gyatso, them he thought again and the name came right to him, "I've got it," he said, "and it's perfect. It means 'defender of the faith, upholder of the teachings'. His name is Tenzin."

*10/25/13 update* Second chapter to be updated. I'm working on it slowly. I'm going to try and do at least five chapters this weekend. Please R&R.