Chapter 23: The Passage of time

Pema sped up the pathway towards the air temple, her hair flowing behind her and her arms stretched out to either side of her. She loved to feel the air move around her when she did this. It was almost like she was airbending. It was nothing like the incredible art that Master Aang and Tenzin could produce, but it was a sort of way of connecting with them. She sped around in this manner and flew right around a corner. She ran head long into Tenzin, causing herself to lose balance and Tenzin to have to airbend to steady himself.

"Pema!" he said concerned, offering her his hand, "Are you alright? You need to look where you're going."

"S-sorry Master Tenzin…I'll be more careful," she said blushing under his scrutiny. She had noticed more and more lately how being around him caused her pulse to quicken and her cheeks to flush. His tall muscular form was an almost constant presence in her mind. She realized she had been holding his hand an awful long time and quickly removed it.

"He's with the Bei Fong girl," she reminded herself, "there's no way he'd be interested in a skinny little nobody like you."

"It's quite alright, no harm done," he said, dusting his crisp robes off, completely missing the internal struggle she was having.

"Tenzin!" a voice called, it was that Lin girl.

"Over here, Lin. Are you ready to head out?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I suppose, although why we have to go to these boring meetings I don't know. It hardly constitutes a date," she finally took notice of the young girl by his side, "oh I didn't see you there," she remarked eyeing her suspiciously.

"Lin you know as well as I do how important it is for us to attend, our parents are aging and I will have to sit on the council, and you will take over for the police when they retire," he said, clearly exasperated at having to explain this obvious necessity to her again, "oh and this is Pema, she's one of the air acolyte children that live here."

"Charmed," said Lin, clearly disinterested, "can we go now?"

"Of course, Lin," he said taking her hand, "see you later Pema, and remember to watch where you're going," he added with a smile.

She had grown so much in the past few years he mused; at 16 hardly even the same crazy little girl he knew growing up. Then remembering how she plowed into him he decided that she was still just a little girl in many respects.

Pema stomped off towards her destination again, and just about ran into Tenzin's mother, Katara.

"Woah, Pema," Katara said as she swiftly avoided her, "I think your head is in the clouds."

"Yea," she thought, "your son just sees me as a stupid kid, your son, who I love, has been with the same girl since infancy probably, and there's no way for me to even tell him how I feel." Of course she couldn't say any of this to his mother…

"Oh, yea…I think I just need to go find a quiet place to think," she said, "sorry to almost run you over, that keeps happening today," she added with a bow.

Katara sensed the unhappiness in the young girl and held out a hand to stop her saying, "Hold on now…let me guess…you're 16 years old and you look like the world is out to get you…boy troubles?"

The young girl nodded and felt her cheeks heat.

"You know," Katara continued, "when Aang has to attend meetings and I have to stay here I get awfully lonely, but I know when he comes back I'll be greeted with a smile and a kiss, but if he hadn't tried so hard to convince me when I was younger that we were meant to be together, I may not have that luxury."

"Avatar Aang had to convince you?" Pema asked incredulously.

"Yes ma'am. He was very persistent, of course I had feelings for him, but it never felt like the right time...things were so busy and different back then…"

"So…I should just go for it…explain to him how much he means to me?" Pema queried.

"Exactly," said Katara with a wink. "Anyone I know?"

"Uh…oh…well I don't know…thanks for the advice Master Katara." Pema said with a hasty bow and ran off.

Katara shook her head as she watched the young girl go. She was such a lovely young girl, so full of life. She wished Tenzin could have such happiness. As it was he was still courting the same girl after 17 years. What is holding that boy back? She wondered.

Two years later...

Tenzin and his mother watched Aang as he demonstrated to a group of air acolytes the basic forms for airbending. His movements were still precise and fluid, but he lacked the speed that he used to be capable of. At 65, his health was beginning to fail.

"These movements are circular in nature," he said as he finished, "you create the current with your body. The reason I show you these moves is so that you can understand more the freedom that comes with this culture. Airbending itself is freedom. Okay that's enough for today!" he said with a smile.

The air acolytes dispersed and Aang made his way over to the small table where his wife and son sat.

"Well, Tenzin, do you think you can replicate most of these lessons? I was hoping that you'd be able to take over most of them soon, as you know my health is fading and I'm finding it hard to demonstrate the more complex moves."

Tenzin hung his head. It was true that he noticed a night and day difference in his father's movements over the past few months. It was if the life was suddenly being drained right out of him. It was different hearing him say it so frankly.

"Of course father. I'm more than ready."

Katara came over to apply some healing touches on the avatar's shoulder. "You've rather overdone it Aang," she said with a sigh, "you need to be more careful and rest more."

"That's exactly why Tenzin is going to help," he said putting a hand on his worried wife's cheek. "Don't worry, sweetie."

Tenzin was always amazed at how easy his parent's relationship was. It was such a perfect example of give and take, and of open communication. They both had mutual wants in this life, mutual goals that they had met time and time again. It was not that way with Lin. It seemed to him that they had been arguing more than ever lately. She wanted him to move away from the air temple with her, and establish a life in the city so that she could be closer to her work as the newly instated chief of police. He however felt that his place was here with his family and his cultural center. He regretted immensely his inability to commit to her, especially because he was worried that his father would die without hope of him marrying.

"Tenzin," he heard his mother's voice say, calling him back down to earth.

"Hmm?"

"Pema asked you a question…" she said slowly.

Pema? Good lord he hadn't even seen her walk up.

"Tenzin…can I speak with you for a moment," the young woman repeated.

"I…well, of course," he said, and followed her to the waterside.

Aang looked at Katara for an explanation, but her only response was a shrug of her shoulders.

Pema's heart was racing. It had been two years since her conversation with Katara. She had spent those years watching him, biding her time. She had noticed more tension between Lin and him, and felt now was her time to at least try.

"Tenzin," she began, and tried to keep her palms from sweating, "I need to tell you something…it's been a burden on me for so long."

"Is something wrong Pema?" he asked worried, "is someone trying to hurt you?"

"No, no…it's well, will you sit down," she said yanking him down to the ground.

He was astounded, but sat quietly, ready to listen.

Now that they were here there was no turning back for her, and the confession spilled forth in a blur of words,

"Tenzin, for some time now I have been very much in love with you. I didn't want to say out of respect for you and Chief Bei Fong, but I can't go on pretending... I think you'll notice that I've quite grown in the past few years, I'm…I'm asking you to be with me…I think that you're my soul mate," she managed very quickly and closed her eyes waiting for the rebuff.

Tenzin looked at the auburn haired young woman before him in a new light. He had never even suspected…but she was so young. How could she be interested in an old man like him? She was beautiful, so carefree, with large golden eyes that glistened when she laughed. She was the polar opposite of Lin. He had always noted the way she respected and embraced air nomad culture…maybe…maybe there was something to this.

He took his hand under her chin and pulled her face towards him, something in her made him bolder.

"Pema, I had no idea," he said slowly, "I, well I don't quite know what to say…"

He watched as she hung her head, and wondered why it affected him so much that she should be sad. It's not as if other women hadn't tried, son of the avatar and all…but those eyes- seeing the stark contrast between the light that usually filled them and the complete void of it now…

"Pema, would you like to come over for dinner?"

Dinner?! Her head screamed at her.

"Yes…I would like that very much."

He smiled warmly at her and took her hand to help her up.

They spent the walk towards his home laughing and talking, they knew each other well, but Tenzin had never thought to take notes on her, regardless of how attractive he had found her.

Katara and Aang were already sitting at the table, waiting anxiously to see what Pema had wanted with their son. Katara's head snapped up when she heard something she hadn't heard in years, the joy filled laughter of her son. She looked at Aang amused and saw that he returned the same look. They both smiled at each other and Katara took a moment to grab his hand and squeeze it.

"I don't understand how you could think that Pema, like there's some sort of code for it," Tenzin laughed.

"Think what?" called Aang.

"Nothing father, um…this is Pema," Tenzin said nervously, "I've invited her for dinner if that's okay."

"Of course it is dear," Katara said, "Pema make yourself at home, and have a seat."

"We know who Pema is," muttered Aang as Tenzin sat down next to him, "smooth one, son."

Tenzin glared seriously at his father, causing him to laugh heartily.

"Well what's going on kids," said Katara impatiently, making Aang shake his head with a smile. She never did master the patience portion of air nomad life, he mused.

"Well, Pema and I have decided…we've decided to court. See where this takes us…I personally feel that it's time for a change and…and so…well that's it I suppose," said Tenzin.

"Tenzin you sound like a child, you're a grown man perfectly capable of deciding who you love. As far as any misgiving you have about causing some sort of rift between myself and Toph, you should know that we've both felt for some time that you desired different things," said Aang.

This caused Tenzin's eyes to widen.

"Exactly," continued Katara, "Pema seems well suited for you. I think you two will be wonderful together."

Aang smiled to himself at the identical blushes on his son and Pema's faces. Yes theirs were two parts of the same soul, in the same way as he and Katara. Something in him relaxed as he saw them interact through dinner. He felt a great peace come over him, and with it he felt somehow stronger.

Lin, couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all that they had been through, all of the ups and downs and almost 20 years invested, it was over.

"Lin, I hope you understand, I only do this because I feel that it is for our mutual benefit and happiness," Tenzin said.

"Please, like you care what makes me happy at this juncture," she huffed, "I should take that…that, girl and have her thrown in jail…wait…that's exactly what I'll do."

"Lin, you can't go throwing people in jail just because you're unhappy with them," Tenzin said calmly, "and you do mean quite a lot to me, you know that. It's just I feel that we've grown apart. You're my best friend, Lin. I want you to understand...I have to do this Lin."

This did nothing to pacify the young chief of police and she sent a metal vase flying at Tenzin's head, which he expertly ducked.

"Yes, you do what you have to. Don't you Tenzin? Just go," she said miserably, her eyes welling with tears.

Authors Note:

I hope to update again very soon. I've loved writing again! Let me know what you think of these progressions -Peace. the evenstar.