It had been an over a year since Aang and his family had arrived at air temple island. The air acolytes had arrived some six months prior. The island was full of people and bustling with activity. In fact he found that he had to remind himself sometimes that he wasn't home over 112 years ago. The air temple itself was an almost perfect replica of his home. The expansive grounds were covered in stone, sculptures and memorials were at every turn. Zuko had truly outdone himself with it's creation. Aang saw his culture revitalized. The air acolytes had all donned the traditional garb of his forefathers. He was truly humbled at the idea that these people wanted to learn and rebuild his culture. All around him were men and women meditating, reading, and learning. Children were happily running at play.
Aang was quietly meditating, thinking about how happy he was when he heard a distraught yell from one of the elder acolytes his eyes popped open immediately and he looked around for signs of a struggle. What he saw made him roar with laughter. His daughter, Kya, who was just over 2, with a hand over her mouth trying to suppress a giggle, was standing by a fountain where she had apparently water bended a giant water ball over the head of the poor man. Katara popped her head out of a window in front of him and gave him a stern look. Aang immediately changed his demeanor from laughter to fatherly.
"Kya, come over here now and apologise," he said, " you know better."
Kya, defeated, with her head hung walked over to her father who bent down to whisper in her ear.
"Your mother saw you, be more careful next time," he said with a wink.
She smiled widely at her father and humbly bowed in apology to her air acolyte. Besides her mischievous streak Kya was her mother made over- long dark hair flowing behind the 2 year old as she ran, she was also motherly and when her small brother was attempting to walk she would walk behind him and hold his chubby little hands. Bumi was the pride of her little life and when she cared for him and watched over him she seemed to transform into someone much older and wiser. It amazed Aang how much she favored his wife, which only made him love her all the more.
Bumi was now one and toddling around everywhere. He, unlike his sister had not yet shown any signs of bending ability, instead he was well known for his wild brown hair and fast smiles. Bumi loved life. Aang felt that he was well on his way to being very much like his dear old friend that had passed just a week before Bumi's birth. The thought that his friend in some ways lived on in his young son warmed the avatars heart.
Katara called them all in for dinner and Aang went to gather up his small children. They climbed happily into their fathers arms. Kya begging him to demonstrate his air scooter all the way to the dinner table, he happily obliged and they were there in no time.
Katara who had always had a knack for mothering was adapting beautifully to the quiet housewives life. She tended to her children and home but she was called on time to time for her healing abilities and often set in on meetings of the council that her husband and brother sat on. She had become a very respected member of Republic City in her own right, which is exactly what she wanted. She was known as not only the woman who had immediately won the avatars heart but also as the woman whose ingenuity defeated Azula.
Aang was so proud of her, how she seamlessly switched from mother to his adviser and rock. Her ability to calm him when no one else could. Not that everything had been perfect in their marriage. She was so disappointed when Bumi failed to show signs of airbending, she had thought for sure that this time everything would work out. She had kept this to herself, in an attempt to keep Aang from worrying. Unfortunately the guilt made her withdrawn and angry. Aang attempted to get to the root of the problem on many occasions but was always thwarted. In his mind she knew that nothing could change how he felt about her, in his mind he would just continue to be there for her while she hurt for him.
This was very prevalent on his mind when he entered into their dining room with their children on his shoulders. Katara saw the large smile on her husband and children's faces which for some reason only hurt her more. She thought about how much happier he could be if he she had been able to give him an airbender child. She shook the thought from her head and went directly into mom mode.
"Hi kiddos! Kya go sit down. Bumi, come here sweetie, lets go sit in your chair," she said as she took him from Aangs shoulder, barely glancing up at Aang when he kissed her forehead.
Aang took his seat next to Kya and water bended her drink back and forth which caused Bumi to go into fits of laughter.
Katara did manage a smile at this as she sat next to Bumi and broke up his food for him. Well it may not be perfect, she thought, but at least they all seem happy. Aang looked at her across the table as Kya rambled on about her day. He smiled at her, she returned the smile quickly but then looked down. Making Aang even more frustrated. He hurriedly finished his meal and helped clean up the mess Kya had just completed making, while Katara finished feeding Bumi and of course her meal.
"Do you want to go play with Uncle Sokka, Kya?" he asked her.
"Uncle Sokka!" she screamed as she ran out of the room.
"Katara I can take Bumi too, I'm sure they'd like to see him too. You can get some rest."
"Yea," she said looking down, "that would be good."
When Bumi was finished Aang picked him up and took him out of the room.
Sokka and Suki lived on the island part time to be close to their family, they came whenever Sokka found time to be away from his duties as head of the council of Republic City. It wasn't often but when he came he and Suki were always a great help with Kya and Bumi, and lately Aang had been asking for more time than normal to be with Katara alone.
Sokka saw his brother-in-law holding Bumi, and his niece running down the path to their quarters on the island and waved happily.
"Hey guys!" he said.
"Uncle Sokka!" yelled Kya jumping on him and climbing her way up to his head.
"Hey Sokka," said Aang, chuckling, "where's Suki?"
"Inside, we were just getting ready to come see you both- ow Kya that hair is attached you know," he said wincing as she pulled his ponytail.
"Kya be nice," he said sternly, and she immediately busied herself with finding Suki, "Well actually I was wondering if you would take them for a bit...I just...I really need to talk to Katara this evening. You can see how easily that happens with these two running around."
"Yea- I get it," he laughed, "no problem. We'll teach them some questionable manners and send them right back. Hey Suki, Kya's looking for you," he called.
"That's the most I can ask of you," Aang laughed as he handed over Bumi, "I'll be back tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!" said Sokka incredulously as Sukki put an arm around him and laughed.
"Don't worry about it Aang. We can handle it," she said.
"Thanks," Aang replied warmly, "you have no idea how much I appreciate it."
He turned quickly and ran back to see if he could help Katara clean up.
He found her rubbing her back after having bent over the sink for so long and immediately swept her up into his arms.
"Hey- Aang, wha-" she protested
"That's enough Katara," he said, "I've dealt with this mood for the better part of a year and tried and tried to talk things through with you to no avail...we're settling this tonight."
He brought her to their room and sat her down softly on the edge of their bed. It had not been since Bumi was born that they had been awake at the same time in this room, despite Aangs attempts, therefore it was more than a little awkward for him. She crossed her legs and looked disapprovingly at him, waiting.
Now that he had her here he wasn't sure how to begin. He paced the floor back and forth rubbing the space between his eyebrows for inspiration.
"Katara, I..." he stopped abruptly, fell to his knees, and took her hands, "do I not make you happy anymore?"
The look on his face was so afraid, so absolutely desperate that Katara couldn't repress the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. She had been a fool, and she knew it. "No, Aang. That's not it at all. I've- I've only been so disappointed in myself. I know not to be upset...and yet I am. And now I've caused you to think that I don't love you anymore." her anger at herself was palpable as her voice grew stronger with frustration, she looked into his grey eyes and saw all the worry that she had placed on his shoulders over the past year. She pulled him closely into a hug and suddenly all of her fears came forth like a waterfall and she couldn't stop them, "well what if this baby isn't an airbender...I mean what if it's not possible or something...I'm just worried that you're disappointed in me, that maybe you think I'm not the best choice for you. You were just telling me how important your culture is to you, and part of that is your ability to carry on the legacy of the airbenders. I've already messed up with Kya...and now...now I'm just worried we'll never get there."
Of course he readily forgave her and held her tightly as she confessed all of her feelings of failure. He patted her head and reassured her that she, Kya and Bumi were more than he had ever hoped for in his life, that nothing could rob him of his desire for her.
"Katara, I can't impress upon you how off you are. I didn't know you even felt this way or I would have explained it to you. Firstly, whether or not your child is a bender is determined by your genes, just like eye color. Kya has your beautiful blue eyes," he said touching the corner of Katara's eyes gingerly, "but because I am her father she has in her genes the possibility of having grey eyes, this may not be prevalent in her, but it's possible that if she has children they could have grey eyes. Does that make sense? The fact is that the airbender gene is in her DNA, and therefore my culture will be carried on. She and Bumi will always be able to keep everything I teach her close to them, just like what you teach them about water bending. Secondly, as long as you're willing to have children, I'm willing to make them," he said with a wink.
She rolled her eyes at him and laughed.
"Does that make sense though Katara," he said, serious again, "there's nothing in this world you could to "mess" up with our children. I will love however many there are with all my heart, and I will teach them what I can about my people," he grabbed her hands and spoke with such intensity she thought her heart would burst, "you are an absolutely perfect mother, and you should never worry about things that you can't control. Promise me you'll let this go? I can't bear to see you so upset."
Finally on the same page they embraced again as husband and wife and made love for the first time in a year.
It was intense and beautiful, they could finally fully connect again and as Aang lay next to her when they were through, it was as if everything was back to normal. Katara looked at him again how she once did when they were much younger. He felt younger too. And for the evening he was care free.
Authors Notes: When LoK came out and I realized Tenzin was their youngest child, I thought immediately about how hard that must have been for Katara and what enormous pressure was on her shoulders. Rebuilding and entire culture?! No thanks. Of course she'd want to assure him that everything was okay at first, but I bet it got to her in the days after Bumi was born. Anyway I expect to get back on track here again soon haha- promise! But I love writing about the normal days and little internal conflicts that they had in my head ^.^ peace -the evenstar.