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Chapter 5

Katara put Tenzin to bed, then walked back to the beach. She always felt comforted when she was near her element. Stripping down to her bindings, she waded in to the water and began bending it in to streams, circling them around her. She had a lot on her mind and it was a full moon. There would be no sleeping tonight. She closed her eyes and listened to the waves crashing against the beach. Such a soothing sound. Hoping it would ease her troubled mind. 'Tenzin is an airbender.' she thought to herself. Looking at the moon wishing Yue, the moon spirit, would tell her what to do. 'How can I tell him he has a son?What should I do Yue?' she silently pleaded with the spirit. Only heading back to the house when the sun rose, exhausted and still not sure what to do.

When she arrived at the house, she found Suki awake, feeding Kya in the kitchen. Suki looked up at the haggered waterbender, concerned. "Katara? Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah... No... I don't know." Katara replied frustrated. Sitting down and placing her head in her hands.

"Sokka told me about Tenzin. You must be so excited!" Suki said enthusiastically, smiling at Katara hoping to brighten her spirits.

"Yeah... excited." Katara said flatly.

Suki knew what she was thinking. Sokka told her about their argument on the beach yesterday. How he thought she should tell Aang about Tenzin and how stubborn he thought his sister was. Going on and on about what was right, and what Tenzin deserved. 'How confused Katara must be.' She thought. Not knowing how to help her friend, she just sat there silently feeding Kya. Hoping that Katara would open up and talk to her about it.

"I know I have to tell him." Katara said softly, breaking the silence.

"Yes, you do. But how are you going to break the news to him?" Suki asked.

Katara lifted her head and looked at her friend. "Gee... I don't know... maybe I'll just walk up to him after four years and say, 'Hi Aang! How've you been? Oh, by the way you have a son that no one told you about for the last three years. And, oh yeah... he's an airbender!'" She shouted sarcastically.

Suki didn't say a word. She couldn't imagine the turmoil that was going on inside her friends' mind and heart. She knew Katara still loved Aang, though she would never admit it. She seemed so lost when he left, like part of her was missing. It wasn't until Tenzin was born that she saw a smile on the waterbenders face once again. "Well, If you need to talk. You know I'll always be here to listen." She said softly.

"I know. Thanks, but I think this is something I'm going to have to figure out on my own." Katara replied. 'Soon. Before Sokka decides to take matters in to his own hands.' She thought.

Tenzin awoke and wandered to the kitchen where he found his mother, head on her arms, slumped over the table, asleep. "Momma! Momma! I'm hungry!" He squealed, tugging on her sleeve.

"Wha... Oh... Tenzin. Of course you are. Sit down here and I'll fix you some breakfast." Katara replied sleepily. Then rose from the table and began preparing breakfast.

Sokka entered the kitchen yawning, stretching his arms out above his head. "What's for breakfast?" He asked, trying to peer over her shoulder to see what she was cooking. "I hope it has meat in it." He added, then walked over and sat next to Tenzin at the table.

Katara remained silent, continuing what she was doing like he wasn't there.

"Good morning little buddy." Sokka said affectionately to his nephew.

"Morning Unca Sokka!" Tenzin replied happily.

"What big plans do you have for today, huh?" Sokka asked. Rubbing Tenzins head, and musing up his hair.

"Nuthin." Tenzin replied sadly.

"I've got an idea. There's a good friend of mine I'd like you to meet. I think you'd like him. Maybe we could go find him together. It'll be like... an adventure." Sokka said with a wicked grin on his face.

The plate Katara was holding fell and shattered on the floor as she glared at her brother. "I think that will have to wait for another day. I thought maybe we could go shopping today, Tenzin." She said. Mainly to her brother, but looking at Tenzin and smiling.

Sokka locked eyes with his sister, glaring. Silently stating 'You may have won the battle, but not the war.'

"Yea! Can Unca Sokka come too, momma? And Aunt Suki an Kya? And Aunt Toph?" Tenzin queried his mother, looking hopeful.

"Sure sweetie, the more the merrier." Katara remarked flippantly. Smiling sweetly at her brother.

"Hey! Maybe we could all take a trip together somewhere! Like... the Earth Kingdom!" Sokka chimed in. Pleased with himself.

"Yeah momma! Can we?" Tenzin said looking at his mother with his 'puppy-dog-eyes', so innocently.

'Oooohhh... I hate that... that... look. Aang used to do that to me and always got his way.' Katara thought, clenching her fists. Realizing how much Tenzin looked like Aang at that moment. They had broken her resolve. "I suppose so..." She said biting her lip, a bit unsure.

Sokka smirked at Katara, then winked at his nephew, giving him a high five.

'Arrgh... I can't believe I fell for that... again.' Katara thought, bending over to clean up the shattered plate. Then stood up and dropped the pieces in to the trash. "Well, we can't leave today. We'll need time to plan and pack." She said, sighing.

"No problem! I'll go tell Suki. We can leave tomorrow." Sokka said, skipping out of the kitchen to look for his wife, nearly knocking Toph down as she entered the kitchen.

"What's with Snoozles? He seems unusually cheery this morning." Toph said as she began piling food on her plate, then sat down to eat.

"He talked me in to taking a trip to the Earth Kingdom. All of us." Katara said, sounding defeated.

"Sweet! We can go to Gaoling and I can show you my earthbending academy!" Toph said enthusiastically. 'Snoozles, you are one mad genious.' She thought, smirking. She knew exactly what he was up to.

Tenzin just sat quietly, excited about the trip. 'Maybe we can look for Unca Sokka's friend there.' He thought, smiling.

That evening, after putting the kids to bed, Katara, Sokka, Suki and Toph sat in the living room to discuss the trip. Katara was still trying to find excuses for why they couldn't go, but wasn't getting anywhere.

"Come on Katara. When's the last time you went to the Earth Kingdom? For that matter, when's the last time you went anywhere?" Sokka asked her.

"Well... I've been... busy." Katara replied curtly. Folding her arms across her chest.

"WhatEVER." Sokka said, rolling his eyes.

"It'll be fun Katara. The kids have never been anywhere but Kyoshi Island. They'll have a blast!" Suki chimed in.

"Yeah. And I do need to get back to Gaoling..." Toph added.

"See! You're outnumbered, three to one." Sokka said triumphantly. Puffing out his chest.

"Alright, alright... you win. We'll leave for Gaoling in the morning. I guess I should go and pack." Katara said. She knew when she was defeated.

"Yes!" Sokka shouted, jumping up. 'Everything is going as planned.' He thought.

Katara left for her room, leaving the others in the living room to plan.

"Way to go Snoozles! You're the man!" Toph said grinning, giving him a high five.

"Guys, I know what you're up to and if Katara finds out, she'll kill us." Suki said, worried.

"So... she'd better not find out. Right?" Sokka said, looking at his wife.

"I hope you know what you're doing Sokka." Suki replied softly.

"Hey... Have I ever let you down?" Sokka asked, kissing her on the cheek.

"Don't answer that." Toph snorted, and laughed.

The next morning the group gathered their bags and headed for the dock. Tenzin could barely contain his excitement as he stared up at the huge ship sitting in the harbor.

"Wow momma! Are we gonna ride in that?" He asked his mother with awe.

"Yes sweetie." She replied, bending over and kissing him on the cheek.

"You ain't seen nuthin yet, kid." Toph said to Tenzin. "This party's just gettin' started." She added, scooping him up. Carrying him the rest of the way.

Katara giggled and followed behind them. 'My family.' she thought, smiling as they boarded the ship headed for the Earth Kingdom.