((Brianna's P.O.V))
We all watched as Rebecca walked out the door and going off to who knows where. It was only until I heard the sound of the door shut did my brain start to fully operate. My mind started flowing with possible reasons as to why Rebecca had suddenly left and what she might have been upset about, but her past was way too complicated that I couldn't really think of a reason. That and most of it still remained a mystery to me.
"Hey Brianna," a voice called, which made me snap back into reality. I turned my attention towards Aang beside me. "What's wrong with Rebecca? Why did she get all upset just now?" he asked concerned about our raven haired friend.
"I don't know Aang," I told him honestly. "I really don't know what she's thinking half of the time. I mean, I have some ideas but I don't know how her mind works!"
"It's weird, Rebecca seems to have no problem with understanding us" Sokka said stepping into the conversation.
"Yeah well, she's good like that! It's one of her many talents, but you'll never hear it from her mouth." I felt my anger rising at the thought of Rebecca's incredibly low self esteem.
"You know when you think about it, it seems that Rebecca and you really know a lot about us, but then we bearly know anything about you guys. I feel kind of guilty," Katara said also entering our small conversation circle, completely forgetting about the mother and son behind us.
"Well uh, I don't really know what to talk about," I said, while feeling awkward with all the attention I was getting. I glanced over and saw that Haru and his mother had left the room most likely to talk about his earth bending.
"How about what your world is like," Sokka suggested.
"Yeah, I've been wondering about that for a while. Tell us, what's it like?" Katara said excitedly with Aang nodding beside her with just as much excitement in his eyes.
"I guess our world is a lot more complex than yours. We've got a lot more advanced technology and different styles of clothing that's probably easier to put on than the clothes you wear. The buildings we have are a lot sturdier and different looking. Our languages are a lot more advanced, I guess you can say since we have so many more nations of peoples. Umm you know what, ask Rebecca when she comes back."
"Umm okay then, what about your family, what are they like?" Sokka said trying to think of something else I could possibly talk about.
"Well my mom is very caring and free spirited. My dad is more of the strict kind, but not really. I have a puppy named Piper who has similar characteristics like Momo except she doesn't fly!"
"That was a pretty brief description," Aang said after I was finished with the short summary of my family. "So what's Rebecca's family like?" I felt my mind became a jumble as I looked around at everyone in the room.
"I can't tell you that!" I said in a whiny voice.
"Why not," Katara asked confused.
"I'd rather she tell you, because she has a more complicated life than I do."
"What so complicated about Rebecca's family that you can't tell us about it?" Sokka asked confused with all the secrecy.
"I think that is more Rebecca's place to tell you," I said trying to avoid the topic completely. "Anyway shouldn't we be getting Appa now? I'm sure he's getting worried," I said mentioning the bison we had left in the forest. "Come on Momo," I quickly picked up the flying lemur before I ran towards the door. "Come on Aang! I can't fly Appa all by myself!" I said to him as I did a small spin while running.
"Wait up Brianna!" I heard Aang call out to me. I slowed my pace down as I waited for him to catch up with me. When he reached my side I started walking with him back towards the woods. We walked in silence until we saw Appa in the clearing.
"Do you think Rebecca will tell me about her family if I ask her?" Aang asked me as we both started packing some of the camp stuff up.
"I think she will, if it's you Aang" I said as I threw Sokka's sleeping bag into Appa's saddle. "It's just hard for her to trust others sometimes, but I think you'll be one of those exceptions. Like me!" I told him proudly.
"You think so?" Aang said getting the last of the stuff and jumped onto Appa.
"Trust me," I said as I climbed into the saddle. "She'll tell you and if she doesn't, you can just order her to." We both laughed at my little joke, because we both knew that he could and she would definetely do it.
"I'm going to talk to her later. Maybe then I can help her, it's the least I can do. Since you guys are always there for me."
"Of course that's what friends do for each other you silly goose!" I wrapped my arms around Aang's shoulders as I hugged him and Aang placed a hand on my right wrist.
"Thanks," I heard Aang say with a small smile. I felt myself smile as tightened my grasp pulling him into a tighter hug.
"No problem."
((Rebecca's P.O.V))
"God damn it, I'm so pathetic," I shouted as I pulled my knees into my chest. I watched the sun slowly setting in the sky, turning the mountains a golden orange color and the sky a warm purple. "I can't believe I almost cried."
"Then why didn't you?" Gin asked me as he transported out of the yin charm to my side. "If one is suffering wouldn't it better to just let it all out?"
"It all depends on the person," I told him as I leaned against his warm white fur. "In my case it would be better to keep it all to myself."
"If you bottle it all up then one day it will all burst out."
"Of course I know that, but I'll make sure that when that happens I'm all alone. Well I guess since you're always with me, I'll be almost alone." I buried my face in my knees as I squeezed the side of my legs. "I feel guilty that even you have to watch me in this pathetic state."
"You don't need to worry about it," he curled his tails around my body as a replacement for a blanket, then placed his head on my right shoulder. "You and I are one in the same. It makes me happy that you can rely on me. When you suffer I will suffer with you. Whether you like it or not I'll be by your side forever." I closed my eyes and let a small tear flow down my cheek. I felt Gin's tongue lick it away, but just barely acknowledged it. I took his face in my hand and gently brushed the side of his snout.
"Gin, you're not curious as to why I'm being so emotional?"
"When we first encountered each other that day, I was able to see all that happened in your past. All the things that made you laugh, angry and cry, I know about."
"So you know everything about me."
"Since I am part of you it is necessary for me to know you." I felt my cheeks warm up as I buried my face back into my knees. I couldn't believe that he saw all of it. All the shame and humiliation in my past I tried so hard to hide from the world were now out in the open. Not only that, but the thought of Gin being a male made everything seem even more embarrassing.
"In other words you know what I'm upset about now" I said trying to continue the conversation without him noticing my hot cheeks.
"Yes, I know what your emotions are. Right now you're feeling quite embarrassed."
"Couldn't you at least pretend not to notice?" I asked as I lifted my head. He said nothing making me stare up into his beautiful blue and golden eyes, comforting me in a way. I turned my head back to the scenery and tried to regain my composer.
"I know I shouldn't focus on what happened in the past and should just think about what's going around me now. I know that, but it's just that I can't help feeling like this. Ever since I was a child feeling alone, sad, and unwanted was just a regular feeling back at home. Even when I was surrounded by people I still had that lonely feeling inside. I know I had friends that care for me, but it doesn't matter. Friends could always move on with their lives even if I'm not there with them. Just like my classmates in my old town did. Most people would say that family is most important. If that's true then what will happen to me? I don't blame my parents and it's not like they don't love me, but I can't help but question it sometimes. Every day I would wonder if I might possibly lose their love if I didn't meet their expectations."
"Then you began slowly hating your existence and wished you could just disappear so that you wouldn't have to deal with all the pain of being alone. The only thing that kept you going was your younger brother. He had dealt with the same pain you had endured. You both watched each other grow still accepting one another for who you were, strangely needing each other. As he grew older he started becoming more independent and it seemed as though you weren't needed anymore. Knowing that he and the rest of your family, either hated you or were strangers to you, the pain intensified."
"I would be impressed if I wasn't feeling like shit right now," I said as I rested my chin on top of my knees. "Do you think I'm being weak?"
"Why would you think that?" I shrugged my shoulders not completely sure why I asked him such a question.
"I guess it's because every night when I go to bed. I would lie there and wish that I would just disappear from the world." I leaned back against Gin as I looked at him. "It's funny, now that I'm here I don't seem to think that way anymore. Knowing that everyone here cares for me and needs me, it's a nice feeling. I haven't felt like this in a long time. Almost makes me wish that this journey will never end." I looked up towards the sky hoping that my eyes would stop watering up. I felt Gin rub his head against my cheek as the tears rolled down my face and fell onto his fur.
"I promise that even if everyone else turns against you, I will always be by your side. I'll never leave you or not need you" Gin said trying to comfort me.
"The same goes for me." I heard a familiar voice say. I flinched and quickly turned around toward the voice. I felt my heart drop as I saw the one person I didn't want to see me in this kind of state, standing in the side lines.
"Aang what are you…." I started to say but then I remembered the trails of tears on my face. I stopped my sentence and quickly wiped the tears away.
"Is it true?" I looked up at him as he continued to walk towards us. When he got near us he kneeled in front of me and gazed into my eyes. I stared into his grey eyes that were usually so full of life and was surprised to them filled with pain. "What you and Gin were talking about before, is it true?" I felt my eyes widen as I looked at Aang then back at Gin.
"How can you hear Gin? Only Brianna and I should be able to hear them," I told Aang confused.
"Perhaps it is because you are in such an emotional state that my spiritual activity has increased allowing him to hear me" Gin implied. Although Gin's words seemed logical enough, my mind simply could accept the answer. The idea just seemed too farfetched.
"Rebecca," Aang said trying to get my attention again. I saw his eyes filled with such distress and sadness, I couldn't look into them anymore.
"I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I know I'm pathetic and weak. You were the last person I wanted to see me like this, I'm sorry." My tears started flowing down my cheeks. They didn't seem to want to stop, making me have to constantly wipe them away as I continued to apologize to Aang. "I'm sorry." I felt Aang wrap his arms around me as he pulled me into a hug. I was taken aback by the sudden action, but quickly recovered as I relaxed my body in his grasp.
"You don't have to apologize. It's just seeing you like this is so painful. Even as a kid feeling so sad and unwanted, it must have been so hard. Hearing you say that you wish to disappear is just….I can't even explain it. Please don't say that anymore. We all need you here. We all love you. Katara, Sokka, Momo, and Appa we all need you just as much as Brianna, Nyoko, and Gin need you. I don't know how we could go on without you. The thought of you not being here…..I can't even imagine it. You're part of our family now. You're like the mom I never had." I felt his hug tighten when he said that last sentence. I couldn't see his face but I could feel him shaking. I slowly placed my arms onto his back as I returned his hug. I didn't know exactly what to say. I had never seen Aang like this before.
"Aang," I said but he didn't reply. Suddenly I felt something wet fall onto my shoulder. Aang was crying! "Aang," I said his name again but in a gentler voice. I placed one hand on the back of his head and another across his back in a motherly position. "Aang, it's alright. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. All that you heard is in the past. I know that you and the others need me. I don't want to disappear anymore. I want to stay by your side and help you save this world. So there's no reason for you to cry. I'm here, I'm here." I positioned Aang so that he could cry on my chest, as I gently rubbed his back. "I'm sorry Aang. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you. I'm such a terrible bodyguard."
"No you're not" Aang suddenly said lifting his head up to look me. "You're an amazing bodyguard and friend. I just wish you would have more self confidence." I looked down at Aang as he continued to surprise me with his constant mood swings. I l could feel a chuckle trying to break past my lips, but was able to catch it and struggled to hold it in. I covered my mouth trying to hide my smile but wasn't fast enough. "Don't laugh, I was being serious." Aang said a bit ticked off.
"I'm sorry, it's just I've never seen these other sides of you before." I could see Aang was still sulking but continued to hug me. I gave him another smile as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him gently into another hug. "I guess I still have a lot to learn about you." I could feel Aang hug me tighter and I knew that he wasn't going to let go. I couldn't help but smile. It felt as if he was a baby looking for the warmth of his mother. "Aang am I really that old to you?" He looked up at me again as I gently brushed away his trail of tears. "I must look old to be a mother."
"No that's not it. I mean, Brianna is more like a sister to me because she's always looking out for me and playing with me. With you it's different. Not because you can't goof around or act too much like an adult. You just watch over me in a different way. You always try and protect me from afar. You make sure I'm physically and mentally okay. I know I was raised by monks and might not know the feelings of having a mother but I guess I just….."
"It's okay, I'm honored that you would pick me. Then again it's not completely random that you picked me. Brianna's not exactly mother material yet and Katara, well you have a different feeling for her don't you." I saw Aang blush at the mention of his crush. I chuckled and patted his head before I got up from the ground. I offered Aang my hand and helped him up from the ground. "Don't worry I won't tell her. Besides it wouldn't mean anything if you weren't the one to tell her your feelings. You should confess already."
"Umm I don't think I'm ready for that," Aang said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I guess that's fine. Just don't wait too long."
"Yeah okay, I better go make sure Appa didn't eat all the hay since Haru's mother was nice enough to stay in the barn tonight. Will you be okay by yourself?"
"Don't worry. I've got Gin with me." Aang let out a little laugh as he headed toward the house.
"Okay, just try not to stay out too long!" Aang cried out.
"He's going to regret not telling her if he keeps this up," I muttered to Gin.
"This coming from a girl who's never fallen in love before" Gin said with a small chuckle.
"Not my fault that my heart's been very picky these sixteen years of my life." I told him jokingly. Something then caught my attention making me glance over to where Aang had run off to. I saw Katara and Haru walking over to us, both still hadn't noticed the two of us. "Gin, get in the charm. I don't feel like explaining to Haru about you."
"Understood," Gin said then did as I instructed. Before they could notice me, I slipped behind a nearby tree, jumped up into the branches, and then silently made my way towards the barn.
"Appa quit eating all the hay!" I heard Aang scream. I let out a small sigh as I stepped into the barn. I saw Aang trying to block a pile of hay away from Appa, who was trying to eat it, not caring if he had to take Aang along with it. I noticed Sokka and Brianna sitting on the ground and were watching the scene completely amused. I tried not to draw any attention to myself. I had almost gotten safely inside, until Appa spotted me and ran towards me. He literally pushed me to the ground with his paw as he started licking me, showing me both affection and concern.
"Whoa, looks like someone missed me" I said as I stroked his nose.
"Rebecca!" I heard someone scream out. I heard loud footsteps running towards Appa and I. Appa backed up allowing Brianna to stand over me. My whole body froze from fear making me unable to move away, knowing what was about to come next. I felt my breath being squeezed out of me when Brianna pulled me into a deadly bear hug. "I was so worried!"
"Brianna, you're killing me" I managed to choke out.
"Oh sorry," Brianna said and released me. I fell to the ground and began recovering all the air that I had lost. When I caught my breathe, I straightened my back and looked around the room. All eyes were on me, making me feel uncomfortable.
"Umm I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to worry you all."
"You should feel sorry! Do you know how worried we were?" Sokka yelled out with huge animated tears falling down his face.
"Umm Sokka, are you okay?" I asked, looking at the human waterfall. From the size of his tears I was afraid that he would completely drain out all the water in his body. "Hey look I'm sorry. I didn't know how worried you'd be."
"Don't worry we forgive you," Aang told me before Sokka could say anything else.
"Are you feeling any better?" Brianna asked me concerned. I looked at her and then at the rest of the group, minus Katara who was probably still talking to Haru at the moment. They all looked concerned and anxious for my answer, which subconsciously made me smile.
"Yeah I'm fine, I'm fine."
