DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED THE CHARACTERS IN ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED NICKELODEON. HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH THE WRITERS OR ANIMATORS OF ATLA. I HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH NICKELODEON.

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I have started writing prequels, here is a list of them:

A Second First Date: One month after Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai

Nightmares: A one-shot prequel to Together Again. Aang saved the world, facing Ozai on his own. Everyone kept saying that he was a great hero, that he was so courageous. He wore a brave face and acted the hero they thought he was. But at night, in his sleep, he was a scared boy-scared for his life as he tried to get away from a psycho Firebender. The Battle came back at night.

Anila's Story: This is another prequel to Together Again. It's about a young female Airbender just starting out in life. She is ready to travel the world as soon as she turns 16. Little does she know, Destiny has a grand purpose for her first child.

I want to thank my beta readers for their help, advice, and contributions: 116788 (pen name not user ID) and ReverieNishio

*116788 (pen name not user ID) is available to beta read for others, she has 3 slots open right now.

Chapter 15

He started physical therapy after another two weeks in the hospital. He was advised to use a staff to help him walk. And yet, something seemed so natural about walking with a staff. He was so comfortable using a staff that sometimes he forgets he's holding it. It's a mystery, like how he got amnesia.

His days with Song were tiring yet fulfilling. During the day he would push himself to walk until he was tired, with Song always assisting him by his side. During the evening they would talk and laugh and play Pai Sho. He loved spending time with Song.

It had been about three months since he had awoken, six months after the explosion. Soon the hours Song spent taking care of him seemed to pass by too quickly. Before he knew it, another month had gone by. After the hospital released him for being fully healed, Song and her mother invited Aang to come stay with them until he remembered who he was. Song would use 'helping Aang with physical therapy' as an excuse to go on walks, or have picnics with him. His smile made her heart flutter and she would blush, which just made Aang grin even more. Aang was falling for this beautiful young woman. He loved every moment he spent with her. However, there was a nagging feeling in his heart, and he didn't know why.

She was 7 months pregnant when the new announcement for the tournament went out. The baby would be 9 months old at the time of the competition. She was given her own igloo since she was having a child of her own soon.

Suki came over every day. The Kyoshi warrior was kind of sad when Katara moved out of her and Sokka's home, but she knew it was best. "Good morning, Katara!" Suki greeted as she came in. Six weeks after the announcement, Katara's tummy had more than doubled in size. Good thing they didn't have to hide it anymore.

"What are you planning for today?" Suki asked as she helped Katara up from her bed.

"I feel like a beached whale!" Katara said as Suki helped her. "I don't know what I'd do without you Suki."

"We should go for a walk later, maybe visit Appa?" Suki suggested.

"I wanted to visit people today. We could waddle over to Gran Gran's, then to see Dad. I would love to have tea from that nice little tea house we always go to. Oh and cakes! I would love to have a cake!"

Suki giggled as she remarked, "You always want cake!"

"Aang once told me that the Air Nomads were known for their fruit cake... I blame the cake cravings on the Airbender inside me." Katara was able to laugh at that, although remembering anything that reminded her of Aang still hurt.

"Well then, we will feed cakes to your little Airbender." Suki laughed.

Helping Katara has helped Suki to not miss the Kyoshi Warriors so much. She always goes to Katara's early in the morning, because the waterbender was needing help to get out of bed with how big she was. She would spend the day with Katara. Then Katara would cook dinner for Suki, Sokka, and herself.

They went to visit Gran Gran. "When you told Sokka and I that our destinies are intertwined with the Avatar's, did you have any idea it would be THIS intertwined with his?" She asked while rubbing her huge belly.

Gran Gran chuckled. "Honestly, Katara, I thought it might."

Sokka came to see Katara while she was out and about, "You remember when we were in the Fire Nation, and Aang was in that school?"

"Yeah!" Katara said with a laugh. Remembering it didn't hurt as much as before.

"Remember when he got in trouble and we had to pretend to be his parents?" Sokka went on.

"And I was wearing that ridiculously huge belly." Katara laughed.

"Yeah... that's how big you are now!" Sokka laughed hysterically. At least Sokka wasn't hurting anymore either. Aang's death hurt Sokka pretty bad too. Sokka didn't like Aang at first but they grew very close. He covered it well but Katara could tell he was hurting inside; Aang was his best friend.

Katara was nearing the end of her last month. Gran Gran told her the baby has dropped into the birthing position. The baby would be here any day now. She was scared; she needed Aang now more than ever. He was supposed to be here at the birth of their child. It hurt her but she fought for her child, for what was left of Aang, and she would give it all the love from her and from Aang.

Katara went for a walk to the tea house, where she would meet Suki. Her sister-in-law has been there for her every day, helping her with everything her husband, the father of her child, should have helped her with.

"Hi Suki," Katara greeted, hugging her best friend and sister-in-law. "You look lovely today."

"Katara, you look radiant!" Suki replied.

"I look like an igloo!" Katara laughed.

"Anything planned for today?" Suki asked her.

"Tea, eating, more eating, a walk... eat some more." Katara told her. "I sure eat a lot nowadays." They both laughed and drank their tea.

"Aaaaaahhhhhh!" Katara grimaced as she cried out and clutched her abdomen as a sudden sharp pain slash through it. It tightened, and the pain almost made her faint. Katara had never felt this kind of intense pain in her life.

"Are you okay?" Suki asked worriedly.

"I think I'm fine now, it doesn't hurt anymore. Just a bit of false labor," Katara said. "Will you walk it off with me?" Inside, she knew that this was more than just a false labor, but she tried her best to ignore the feeling.

"Sure Katara, that's what I'm here for. Where do you want to walk to?" Suki said, a little concerned.

"Let's walk down to the harbor I like... OOH NO!" Katara felt something liquid ran down her thigh and she started to pant hard as another rush of extreme pain struck her abdomen, causing her to double over. "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh." She cried out again, the contractions causing her to drop to her knees.

"Are you... Katara! Your water broke! We need to get you to your house. I'll tell Sokka to get Gran Gran." Suki helped Katara, holding her up and assisted her to her home. She remained calm and levelheaded, because she knew this day was coming very soon. Gran Gran had already gone over, several times, at what they all needed to do when Katara felt the first waves of contractions.

"SOKKA! GET GRAN GRAN!" Suki yelled. It was Sokka's responsibility to inform Gran Gran and the rest of the family that Katara had gone into labour.

Sokka was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, screaming like a girl. "GRAN GRAN! GRAN GRAN! NOW! BABY! KATARA! NOW! ON THE ICE! THE BABY IS BEING BORN ON THE ICE! RIGHT NOW!" Suki could only shake her head at Sokka's overreaction. Somehow he managed to make it to Gran Gran's igloo, but by that time almost EVERYBODY in the tribe knew Princess Katara was about to deliver a new Air Nomad.

Katara was panicking. She was so afraid of what was happening to her right now. She and Aang were supposed to be together right now. He was supposed to be keeping her calm, talking soothingly to her. It hurt her so bad that he never even knew she was pregnant, that she was carrying a new Airbender for him inside of her body. "AANG I NEED YOU!" Katara cried out in pain as another wave of contractions came on. "You're supposed to be here! You're supposed to be with me! Why did you leave me ALONE?!"

Katara grit her teeth and endured every ripple of pain throughout her body. Her baby is coming, and there was no use wailing for somebody who can never be by her side again. She screamed and cried, nails digging into whatever her hands came across to. It was unlike any pain she had suffered from, and a part of her wondered if she was going to make it through alive. But she had to, for her baby, for the only thing she had of Aang.

As Katara screamed and longed for Aang, Suki could only pity her. She assumed the responsibility of taking care of Katara, staying with her until the baby is born, something that Aang should have done. But she couldn't blame him too. If only Aang were here.

Aang had another dream about Katara. He couldn't see her but he could hear-she was crying out in pain, "AANG I NEED YOU! You're supposed to be here! You're supposed to be with me! Why did you leave me ALONE?!" It kept happening over and over again and he tried to run to where the sound was coming from but he couldn't find her. He kept yelling her name. "KATARA! KATARA! WHERE ARE YOU KATARA?!" He kept calling to her and trying to find her. It felt like she was so far away but he kept running and yelling to her... Then after a long, loud scream, he heard what sounded like a baby crying. He woke up with a start.

That was by far one of the strangest dreams he had had.

Thanks to Sokka, the entire tribe was awaiting the announcement of the birth. After about 8 hours of hard labor, Suki came out and announced, "It's a boy! Mother and son are in perfect health!" Everyone cheered.

"When can we see them?" Hakoda asked nervously. He wanted to be the first to see his daughter and his new grandson.

"Katara needs rest. She can accept visitors in a few hours, Gran Gran's orders." Suki told them.

Katara was sitting up in the bed with a bundle of blankets and furs. Inside was a whimpering baby boy. She studied his little face. She smiled as she saw gray eyes, black fuzz on the top of his head, and big ears... He looked exactly like Aang, skin tone and all.

She started crying tears of joy. She was a mother now! The pain of labor she had to go through was all worth it for this little bundle of joy in her arms. She knew she would never forget Aang, as her little boy, THEIR little boy, looked just like his father. She also cried tears of sorrow that Aang would never see his son.

She was sad that she had to raise this mini-Airbender without his father, and the idea of the tournament, of any man besides his father, raising this little boy appalled her. She was so afraid they would treat the most important person in her life cruelly because it was another man's child. She begged the Spirits to help her keep the Avatar's child safe, and to give him the best father possible.

"You have the love of so many people, Little One." She told him as she ran the back of her index finger along his soft, chubby red cheek. "Your daddy and I love each other so very much, and you are the result of that love, Little One... Hmm, what should we call you?" She talked to her chubby, gray-eyed, big-eared little boy. "I know a name that your father would love! Since Aunt Wu foretold that you are an Airbender, we will call you Gyatso... yes, Gyatso it is. He was like a father to your daddy." She told her newborn baby. If she didn't know better, she would have thought that the baby smiled at his name.

When Katara was well rested, she and her baby saw visitors. First was Hakoda. He kissed his daughter on the top of her head then turned his attention to the bundle in her arms, smiling hugely as he examined his newborn grandson, he couldn't help but fall in love with his grandson immediately. Sokka and Suki followed suit. "Oooohhhh," Suki cooed. "Can I hold him?"

"He's so squishy looking." Sokka commented.

Katara handed Gyatso to her sister-in-law. "What's his name?" Suki asked her.

"I thought of a name that Aang would love, one that he would be proud of, and one fit for an Airbender. His name is Gyatso." Katara told them.

"Wasn't Monk Gyatso Aang's mentor and guardian?" Sokka asked.

"Yes, he was." Katara answered.

Suki passed the baby to Sokka for him to hold. "He looks exactly like Aang! I love my nephew, but I want to kick Aang's ass for getting you pregnant!" Sokka told her as he smiled down at the baby that looked just like his father... Like Sokka's best friend.

"Who is Katara?" Song paused, giving him time to think. "You have been yelling her name in your sleep, every night for 6 months now." Song felt a little sad. She had thought that she and her mysterious guest were growing quite close in the last few months. But she couldn't help feeling hurt every time she would hear him calling that girl's name in his sleep. "You yelled it a lot last night... almost all night long."

"Katara?" It sounded so familiar to him... "Katara," he said it out loud. It was the first time he had pronounced it to himself. "Ka-tar-a", sounding out each syllable individually, as if to taste them. It sounded so familiar. "OH MY SPIRITS THAT'S HER NAME!" he yelled at himself. He went outside to clear his head, taking a deep calming breath and blew it out... Something happened that he didn't expect. As he blew out slowly the wind gently swirled around, lifting fallen cherry blossoms into the air.

Song had followed behind him, he heard her sniffle. When he turned to look at her, she was crying.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." She pleaded. The immense guilt filled her to the brim after seeing how he reacted to the name, and she couldn't keep it a secret any longer. She has to tell him everything, even if it meant losing him forever. "I know who you are... and I know who Katara is. I've known for several months now. I... I didn't want to tell you because I wanted you to stay here with me. I love you and I thought you... It was torture listening to you call to her in your sleep." She was crying hard now, in full remorse. She finally told him her feelings, but also the sad truth.

Anger flashed on his face first, but then he collected himself and it changed into pity. All she wanted was someone to love. Love like he did to Katara. He didn't know who Katara was but above all else he KNEW he LOVED Katara. His memories may be gone but his heart told him he loved Katara.

Song steadied herself, then began... "You are Aang, the Avatar. The most powerful bender in the world."

"And Katara?" He asked.

"Katara is... was... is... IS Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, in the South Pole, the only Water Tribe princess in the world." Song told him.

Still feeling a little lost, he stated. "The information feels incomplete to me still." The South Pole is where the cold comes in.

Song looked like she was about to cry again, like what she was going to say next hurt her so much inside. "You were betrothed to her." Song finally managed to say.

All of a sudden, his memories came rushing back like a tsunami... He clutch his head in pain as EVERYTHING came rushing back to him. His head whipped up as soon as he realized she had used the phrase 'were betrothed'. "Wait! What do you mean 'were betrothed'?"

"Four months after they had thought you died, an announcement went out saying that she is in mourning. But in a years' time, they will be having a tournament for her hand." She told him. "The competition will be seventeen months from when they thought you died."

"Seventeen months from the explosion? How long has it been since the explosion? How long has it been since the announcement was made?" He panicked.

"It's been eight months since the explosion, but only three months from the announcement, Avatar" she bowed to him. "It will take about two months to travel to the South Pole from here, weather permitting." She said.

Aang started mumbling as he calculated... "That leaves me 9 months from now! I'm coming back like I promised!" He said.

"You can still stay here until you are ready to go... I'm sorry, I truly am. It's... It's just that I love you. I... I just wanted you to stay with me... I thought maybe we could have gotten married and had a family together." Song said as tears poured down her face.

Aang's heart was breaking for the poor woman. He did fall in love with her, and it was quite possibly that he would have stayed with her, settled down, and raised a family. But he was also hurt that she always asked him if he remembered anything new, when she already knew all about him. She never told him she knew.

The next day Aang started training, honing the powers that he had not used in 8 months. As he trained he remembered all the times he sparred with Katara, HIS Katara. His mind went to the last time he had sparred with Katara, when things went farther than it was supposed to. He remembered making love to her, recalling how beautiful she was, her body, her face, everything. He promised himself to come back for her, and hopefully things will all go back to normal when he did.