A/N: This one is much shorter as I really struggled with this prompt. I feel okay with how it turned out. It could have been better, but I just couldn't get out much more for this prompt. /:
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
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The Earth Kingdom had fallen and they had all failed miserably. It was their first major defeat of the war and it was a day that not a single one of them could ever forget. Appa flew throughout the night with the group of sullen children on his back. They all sat in complete silence. Sokka and Toph finally fell back in the saddle and decided to get some sleep, but no such rest could come to Katara.
Aang's unconscious body was laid across her lap and all she could do was watch to make sure he was still breathing. She'd never forget the moment it happened for the rest of her life. She'd never forget how the air escaped her lungs in a panic as she rushed to catch his body. She'd never forget the tears she shed as he opened his eyes and briefly blinked up at her. She'd never forget the day she almost lost him.
As she held him, a deluge of feelings and thoughts coursed through her. She shivered at the thought of never seeing him smile again, never hearing him laugh or never being able to practice water bending together. Tears sprung to her eyes as memories of the sweet boy in her arms flooded her mind.
"Katara?"
Toph's voice startled her and she quickly wiped her face. "Go back to sleep, you need some rest."
"So do you," Toph could hear the sadness in her friend's voice. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just go back to bed."
"I can tell you're lying."
Katara sighed. "I'm just worried about him."
"Twinkle Toes will bounce back," Toph assured her.
"But how do you know that?" More tears welled up. "How do we know he'll pull threw? Spirits, we barely even know where we're going at this point. We've lost the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation is on their way to winning the war."
"Because you're the best healer I've ever met and that spirit water you used has to be good for something. Worrying about the 'what ifs' aren't going to help either of you. I know you're in love with him, but-"
"What…why would you…." Katara sputtered.
Toph laughed quietly as to not wake Sokka. "Please Sugar Queen, everyone knows you're the Avatar's girl. I've known he's in love with you since we met in my parent's garden. And as for you, well I wasn't sure at first. Seemed as though you thought of him as a friend, but as time went on, I realized you felt the same."
Katara was unsure of how to respond. "I.. How?"
"I may be blind, but I'm not stupid," she sighed. "I can hear your heart beat. Every time you're around one another, your hearts start going crazy. You either love each other or fear one another and I really doubt it's the latter."
"You can't tell him," Katara said suddenly. "You can't tell either of them. There is a war to fight and the last thing Aang needs is a distraction. He can't know until after we've won the war."
Toph shrugged. "Have it your way, but I doubt Aang will wait that long to tell you how he feels."
"He'll have too," she looked down at him longingly. "For the sake of the world."
With that, Toph gave in to her exhaustion once again and fell back onto the saddle. As if Katara didn't have enough to think about, now all she could focus on was hoping Aang would make it to the day she would able to tell him how she felt.
Except now instead of focusing on the potentially devastating outcome, she focused on how she would tell him once the war was over. Her mind was then filled with images of them smiling and laughing in the future as they looked upon a world free of the Fire Lord's reign.
She imagined holding his hand as she looked into his eyes. She imagined feeling genuinely nervous about something teenage girls are actually supposed to feel nervous about as she uttered the words, forever hoping he'd feel the same.
And while she'd never forget the day the Earth Kingdom fell. She'd also never forget the day after the rebellion took it back. The day that she stood by Aang's side watching the sunset before she turned and kissed him. And she'd never forget when she pulled back and whispered. "I love you."
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A/N: Going to try and work on the other prompts later tonight. Thanks for all the reviews so far! : )