Chapter 10: The Beginning

Kayla stepped out of the car that drove her to her wedding. The path to the ceremony was different from when she last came. It used to be soft and grassy, but now was hard and flat. It wasn't until she stepped out of the car, and looked closely that she noticed the floral patterns on the side of the path. Her fiancé the Avatar.

She was dropped off close to the clearing, and as her father came around from the other side of the car, he took her by the arm, and they walked towards the clearing. This was a lot different as well. She expected the chairs to be there, but what surprised her most were the flowers that covered the ground in the clearing, and the stone altar at the end. Underneath it stood Isaac, wearing his suit, and smiling like she had never seen before. Her father let go of her arm, and she walked to the place under the altar next to Isaac, and in front of the pastor.

Isaac raised his left arm, and to Kayla' surprise, the flowers surrounding the altar emerged from the ground, and wrapped themselves around the arch.

"Wow, Isaac has outdone himself" thought Kayla, looking at her soon to be husband, and what he had prepared, "So this is where he was sneaking off to all the time."

Isaac looked down at the few guests. All six of them. Kayla was right. A small wedding was better. Kayla's parents looked at them, glad to see their daughter so happy. Next to them was Samuel, and behind them were James, Asher and Ted.

"Are you sure you should invite Ted? As far as he is concerned you are Isaac Smith the Handyman, not Isaac Reed the Avatar?" Kayla remembered saying to Isaac when he said he wanted to invite him.

"Ted took me in when I was living on the streets, and is one of my best friends. He will keep our identities a secret. Don't worry." Isaac had said assuring.

"We are gathered here today to…" started the Pastor. He kept talking, but it might as well have been silent. All Kayla could think about was her and Isaac's life together. Their normal life when all the Avatar business is over.

"Kayla?" said the pastor, when she remained silent.

"I do." She said realising what she had missed.

"Isaac, do you take Kayla, to be your lawfully wedded wife, your constant friend, your faithful partner and your love from this day forward. In the presence of God, your family and friends, do you offer your solemn vow to be her faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. Do you promise to love her unconditionally, to support her in her goals, to honour and respect her, to laugh with her and cry with her, and to cherish her for as long as you both shall live?" asked the pastor.

"I do." Said Isaac, smiling and unable to take his eye off his beautiful bride.

"Then I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Said the pastor, smiling at the young couple.

"With pleasure." Laughed Isaac, as he moved forward to kiss his bride.

"It is such a shame your mother couldn't be here to see this." Said Samuel to Isaac an hour later.

"She would have been so proud of you, and what you have become." Said Samuel.

"Keep him safe." Laughed Samuel to Kayla when she walked by.

"Don't worry, I will." She said, looking up at her new husband.

"Isaac, my parents want to talk to you." She said, pulling at his arm.

"Thanks for coming dad." Said Isaac as he was pulled away.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it." Samuel yelled as Kayla took Isaac away.

"Isaac, we are so grateful for what you have done for our daughter. We owe you dearly for the things you have done for her." Said Mr Thompson.

Isaac thanked them, extremely thankful that Kayla had not mention what happened in the Burning Suns' HQ.

"We could not think of anyone who could be a better son-in-law. We are so proud of the both of you." Said Mrs Thompson, leaning in to hug her daughter and her son-in-law.

"Thank you for coming. This is a day we will never forget." Said Isaac.

"Kayla, I am going to go talk to James, do you want to come?" he asked.

He already knew the answer. They walked over to the old man.

"I remember just under a year ago, you two found me in the sewers, needing a place to stay, and I wouldn't let the two of you sleep in the same room." Laughed James. Kayla turned around nervously to check that her parents didn't hear. Lucky for her they didn't.

"Who knew that today, we would be in the beautiful forest, celebrating you two?" asked James.

"I did!" said Asher as he walked over.

"Don't get me started Asher, during high school you couldn't go 5 seconds without making a joke about us." Said Isaac in a joking manner.

"Because you never had the balls to ask her out." Laughed Asher. Kayla stood by them silently. This was all new to her, and she didn't want to miss a second of this.

"Anyway, back to what I was saying before you interrupted me," said James, giving Asher an evil look. Isaac knew he was just kidding around; Asher didn't, so Isaac decided to watch the show.

"Thanks for the interesting years. Honestly, I didn't look forward to having an apprentice, but you changed my mind. I am actually recruiting apprentices, that's what your old rooms are being used for." Laughed James.

"Really? That's great." Said Kayla.

"I just got to make sure I don't teach these ones bloodbending." Whispered James loud enough for only Isaac to hear. Isaac knew he was joking, but still felt ashamed.

"Anyway, I wish you two good luck, and hope you have a happy life together."

"Thanks James. For everything. I wouldn't be where I am without you." Said a sincere Isaac.

"Damn straight, you would have probably been killed by those Burning Suns." Laughed James, as he turned and walked towards Samuel.

Isaac turned to Asher, who was still unsure whether he should be scared of James or not.

"So with James is he…" began Asher.

"He is harmless, just don't sneak up on him. You don't have waterbending to save yourself." Laughed Isaac.

"Anyway, you may find this useful" said Asher, handing Isaac a card. Isaac opened it and found a cheque for $800. On one side of the card was a heartfelt sentimental message, and on the other, instructions and contact details.

"Your car is packed, refuelled and waiting for you. I will keep the police off your trail. If they get close to finding you, call me on the number enclosed. P.S. I hope the cheque helps." Said the instructional side.

"Thank you Asher, I owe you more than I can say." Said Isaac.

"Same, so I guess we are even." He laughed.

Isaac put forward his hand, offering to shake.

"Come on man, are we closing a business deal or saying goodbye?" Asher asked, as he put his arms around his childhood friend.

"Well I am going to go speak to Ted. This is getting too sentimental for me." Laughed Isaac turning towards Ted.

"And all the effort you went to with the altar isn't?" yelled Asher.

Isaac walked towards Ted, the bartender beaming at him.

"When I first picked up 'Isaac Smith' off the street, I never knew that he was some mystic magic man." Laughed Ted, looking at his young friend. "I almost had a heart attack when you called me and told me the true story." Then that stunt with the plant. You have to show me what you have been hiding the past few years when we get home."

"Definitely, I think you will be a bit surprised." Isaac laughed.

"By the way, I spoke to the landlord of your old apartment. I told him you were coming back. He was happy that you were moving back in. He said something about rent in on time. I am not sure, but anyway, I have organised your ad in the newspaper again, so it will be pretty much like you never left, except for the missus." Ted laughed.

"Thanks Ted." Isaac said, "This means a lot to Kayla and I."

Isaac looked at his new wife, who was talking with her parents. She saw him and knew what he was thinking. It was time to go.

Isaac and Kayla said their goodbyes and thank-you's to their guests, then walked with them to where Asher had parked Isaac's car. Isaac opened the passenger side door for his wife, and then proceeded to get in the driver seat.

They waved goodbye to their friends and said hello to their new lives together.