(A/N)- This was actually one of the first chapters I came up with, and since it would not let me not write it (or skip ahead), here it is. Because delicious angst.

Disclaimer: Ha ha yeah right.

Hollow

Warm, lazy sunlight beamed across her cheek. She rested her head on a soft lap, and gentle hands patted her hair.

Angka stared morosely at a little spotted leopard-beetle that was flitting around the cool green leaves of the mountain lily growing in a small vase on the table.

"Don't worry," a woman's voice crooned to her, reassuringly. "Monk Gyatso promised me he'd look after you."

"It's not that," Angka sighed, raising her head and sitting up. "What if... what if I'm no good?" she asked. She looked down at her toes. "What if I can't bend the other elements?" she mumbled.

"You will. You're the Avatar," Nun Choenyi encouraged. "It's in your very nature."

Angka slumped against the woman's side. "It'd be easier if you were with me."

Choenyi laughed lightly, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. "My place is here sweat pea. And you will need to concentrate on your training. I'd just be a distraction."

Angka clung to her, both arms tight around the woman's waist. "But I'll miss you!" she strained, feeling wetness blur her eyes.

"Oh sweetie..." Choenyi cooed, taking Angka's face in her hands. "No matter where you go," she told her. "I'll always be with you."

"Promise?" Angka warbled.

"Promise."

Long, soft sleeves enveloped her, a heartbeat holding her close, a warm darkness that...

-ATLA-

...melted into chilly night air and the musty leather saddle on Appa's back.

Angka started, blinking in disorientation a moment. She was curled up on her side, the gentle motion of Appa's lumbering breath raising her gently up and down. The night sky was moonless, only twinkling stars illuminating the night.

She sat up, shivering, her limbs stiff. She wrapped her arms around her knees, staring off into space and trying to ignore the sudden ache in her chest, inhaling a shuddering breath.

"Are you okay?"

Angka gasped softly, startling. She looked over the side of the saddle. Katar was sitting up in his sleeping bag on the ground below, looking at her in concern.

She forced a smile to her face. "I'm all right!" she said, in an overenthusiastic happy chirp. With a swirling move of her arm and a puff of airbending she lifted herself from Appa's back and floated softly to the ground. "Just couldn't sleep is all," she shrugged. She pointed off with her thumb. "I think I'll just go for a walk."

Katar began to get up. "I'll come with you," he offered.

"No that's fine," she said quickly, the cheer in her voice starting to crack. "I'm not going far," she insisted.

He was already next to her, sky-blue eyes probing, like she was made of glass and he could see straight through her.

"It's okay to be sad," he told her. "You don't have to hide it."

"I'm not—" The false note and the denial caught halfway up her throat, which was suddenly tightening, choking her. Her lip trembled.

A quivering sob forced itself from her mouth and she looked down, her eyes brimming with tears.

Katar took her shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. She sniffled softly, wetting the front of his chest.

"Hey... hey, it's okay," he assured her. "I'm right here."

"You won't leave?" Angka sobbed, voice muffled against his shirt.

He smiled. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. "Promise."

She exhaled shakily, gratefully resting her head on his collar bone as the hollow space inside her sharpened.

(A/N)- We get a brief glimpse of Angka's life at the Eastern Air Temple (to be revisited later in the chapter that covers "The Storm") and meet her airmom, and learn that Angka is becoming a bit of a Stepford Smiler to hide her grief.

(Seriously though, Aang took the genocide of his people remarkably well considering the next episode he was laughing and playing with giant koi fish, so I'm betting it was only one part genuine and one part deliberate mental distraction so he wouldn't wind up a blubbering puddle of angst.)

Also Angka is getting rather attached to Katar's chest, she should see someone about that.

Kyoshi warriors up next and boy oh boy am I looking forward to that!