Together

Chapter 4: White Blood

"Said you'd always be my white blood

Circulate the right love

Giving me your white blood

I need you right here with me"

-White Blood/Oh Wonder

Katara finished writing the note, and placed on the rock outside. She willed herself not to cry, holding her chin up. But the tears fell anyway. She questioned herself with each stroke if she was doing the right thing, leaving Aang. But she knew it had to be done. If they were going to be together, they needed to be there for each other; whenever, wherever. But Aang wasn't. So Katara left. She went to the stables to find Bao, her favorite Sky Bison. She felt guilty about taking one and not bringing it back, but Bao and her had a strong connection.

After the Hundred Year War, Aang and Katara had discovered a herd of Sky Bison above the Western Air Temple. Together, with the help of Toph, Sokka, and Suki, they led the bison to the Eastern Air Temple where they thrived. Every Acolyte got their own Bison, and they were free to fly him to and from the Temple as they pleased. Of course, they didn't leave much. Aang stressed the fact that when you became an Acolyte, that was your life now. But he also stressed the fact that being there for your family was just as important.

Katara scoffed, thinking how ironic this was. He wanted the Acolytes to visit their families when they could, yet visiting his own was not right. She hopped on Bao's head. "Bao, yip yip!" She whispered. Slowly, the bison lifted and ascended toward the sky above. In spite of herself, she turned around and looked at the three Temples behind her, growing smaller and smaller. She looked at her and Aang's little room, tucked in the corner of the mountain. She thought of Aang, sleeping in there, a tear falling from her left eye. He probably looked so peaceful, breathing slow and steady as curls up…

Stop it, Katara! She thought to herself. He didn't even bother to run after you when you left, sobbing your eyes out.

Katara glared her eyes, averting them from the place she had called home for many years now.

It was time to move on. And she had to be there for her father.

When she arrived at the Southern Water Tribe many days later, there was a group of people gathered around the igloo where her father lived. The trip had took much longer than expected, since Bao was young and an inexperienced flier. She jumped off Bao and ran to the igloo, budging through the crowd. When the people of her tribe realized who it was shoving out of the way, they gave her sad glances. This only made Katara's stomach churn more. When she finally reached the inside of the igloo; Gran Gran, Toph, Sokka and Suki were all there, hovering over her father. He lay weak on the table.

"Dad!" Katara cried, running toward him.

"Katara." Sokka smiled sadly.

"It's great to see you, dear." Gran Gran said.

"Hey, Sugar Queen." Toph's voice was uncharacteristically quiet and solemn.

Suki just grabbed Katara, tears in her eyes.

Katara knew it couldn't be good.

"Katara…How are you?" Her Dad looked up to her, voice strangled.

Tears formed in Katara's eyes. "I'm…great!" She wanted to be positive for her father.

"Katara? Where's Aang?" Sokka asked, hand on Katara's shoulder.

Katara squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't want to talk about it."

"But Katara…This may be the last time…"

"I said, I don't want to talk about it! We broke up, okay?" Katara snapped.

"Katara. Calm down." Toph said quietly.

Katara breathed roughly.

"It's okay. We're here." Suki said, squeezing her hand.

Katara gave a small smile. "Thanks."

"Dad's sick." Sokka said simply. "An infection. We don't know what."

Katara sighed, knowing how hard infections were. "I'll try my best."

Gran Gran brought over a vase of water and placed it next to Hakoda. Katara breathed as steadily as possible and bent the water out of the vase. Slowly, she lifted in in the air and placed it over her father, using her healing powers, closing in on the point of infection. It was in his stomach. She closed her eyes, feeling his stomach. It was deep. Too deep. Tears began to form in Katara's eyes. She blinked them away.

"It's a stomach infection. Unfortunately, I can't heal it. I didn't get here in time. It's…It's too late."

Sokka shut his eyes harshly, tears flowing down his cheeks. Suki held him tight, crying as well. Katara felt a pang of remorse. She wished Aang was here, so he could hold her tight, blocking her out from the world. He always knew how to make her feel better. But he didn't want to be there for her. Even when she needed him more than ever. She blocked out the feeling, focusing her attention on her father.

"How much time does he have left, Katara?" Gran Gran asked painfully.

"A few hours. That's it." The words choked out of her mouth.

"Katara…I want you know that I love you so much…" Her father smiled, lifting his hand. He placed it on Katara's cheek. She could sense the pain in his eyes.

"I love you too, Dad."

"I know it's hard right now, but you'll get over it…"

"I know, Dad."

"And whatever's going on between you and the Avatar, you'll work it out. He needs you just as much as you need him."

Her father's words her hit her hard. Maybe he was right. She just felt so lost. She began to cry.

"Don't cry, Honey. It will get better. I promise."

But Katara couldn't see how it could. She ran out of the igloo, pushing through people as she sobbed. She didn't quite know where she was going, but she couldn't bear to see her father die. It was too much. Katara found herself at the edge of the Southern Water Tribe where the ice met the ocean. She fell to the ground, clutching her head. All she felt was pain and cold. She placed her head in her hands, feeling the tears rush down her face. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she needed Aang. He said he'd always be there for her, but he wasn't. And that's what hurt the most. She needed him more than anything right now, and all she felt was alone. Even Suki had come for Sokka. But Aang wasn't there, and the feeling of hurt and isolation stung Katara more than ever in that moment.