A/N. Slightly rambling, but imagine what it would be like for them, trying to understand what has happened. So, of course, both try to understand what has happened to the other, and they miss plenty of things… But, well… Kataang.

Katara had to hold in a curse as she settled on Appa's saddle. Aang's curious and surprised look when she had kissed him was enough for her to realize it had been too soon to do that. Of course it had. The guy had been through so many emotions these last few weeks… And now, she imagined that the realization it had all been for nothing was too much for him to process.

She had worried about him, feared for him… But she had known he was alive and with their friends. All the while, he had been worried sick about whatever Azula truly had captured her, and if so, what had happened. And…

Had he been tormented by Szeto? Gyatso had said that the Avatar before Yangchen had been corrupted, and he had spoken to her… Had he also spoken to Aang? Whispering cruelties in his ear? If that was the case, she should ask him about it…

And what had happened in the Spirit World? She had tried to ask him… But he had not wanted to answer that. But Katara had seen the pain and the hurt in his eyes, and not only that… She had heard of whom he had spoken during his time there. Jin.. That was probably Jinora. And Gyatso. He had spoken about people he had loved and lost, and it had not sounded like it had been good. It had sounded so, so pained.

All that passed through her mind as she moved to hang over the saddle's edge, wanting to help Aang up. His wound was still fresh, even if it was healing nicely… So some help couldn't hurt. But as her head passed the ledge, she saw… No one. Frowning, she looked towards Appa's head and saw that the airbender had moved to the bison's head, softly whispering something in the animal's ear. Smiling, she knew what he was doing. Whenever he was uncomfortable, or feeling shy, he calmed himself by talking to his animal companions.

"Aang." She spoke softly, pulling his attention back to her. She saw the slight blush on his face, and couldn't help but feel the same way. For weeks, they had both longed to see each other, hold one another… And now that they were here… She didn't know what to do. And he neither she suspected.

"Tara…" He sighed quietly, as his grey eyes kept fixing her. Behind them, the waterbender could see all the things he wanted to say, but didn't know how to. That was why she had brought Appa to this clearing an hour ago. She knew that whatever was going to happen, she didn't want anyone else hearing it. She didn't want to have the airbender pour his heart out while a soldier stood just a yard away… And… Well, she didn't want anyone hearing anything else.

With a last few words whispered into Appa's ear, Aang clambered on the saddle without his usual grace. Katara suspected he was not bending, or at least, was sparing his strength. As the airbender sat down on the saddle, Appa slapped his tail down and Katara felt the familiar tug in her stomach as the bison took to the air. As the wind whipped around, messing her hair, she smiled and closed her eyes. Tui and La, how she had missed this.

As she felt the wind disappear, as it always did as soon as Appa found his preferred speed and began bending the wind away, she opened her eyes, to be met with the grey ones of the airbender still looking at her with an expression she knew all too well. It was the way he always looked at her when he thought no one saw.

The first few months of their travels, it had been furtive, secretive, and Katara had not known what it meant. She had just thought it cute… Then, when they had returned to the Earth Kingdom after the siege of the North, it had grown bolder until the hours they had spent in the Cave of the Two Lovers. Afterwards, it had become like a brazen fire, on which she readily warmed herself whenever she found him looking at her… It was only after that night in Ba Sing Se, after finding Appa, she had become aware of its true significance. It was love and want and everything Aang felt for her, poured into one look.

Only this time, it was mixed with tears in his silver-grey eyes.

"What is it?" She heard herself whisper. The waterbender had not meant to ask that question, but the shy question had slipped past her lips.

Aang didn't answer her for a moment, still mesmerized. Katara felt herself grow slightly abashed at the stare, even though she knew he didn't mean to make her uncomfortable.

"You." Was the only thing he answered after a moment. Katara studied his eyes, and saw that the desperate hint that had been there in the stables just before he was stabbed was gone. Had… Had her disappearance had such an impact on him?

"How… how have you been?" Tui and La, seriously? That was all that she could summon? She should have her arms around him, to show him she was truly there, to listen to his story in the warmth of his embrace… Instead, they were sitting awkwardly on either side of the saddle of the Sky Bison.

Once more, his answer didn't come immediately. Katara saw him think, and think. As she looked into his eyes, she saw the careful wall behind the grey orbs dissolve slowly, to be replaced by something she couldn't describe to be honest.

"I've… I've been better." The airbender whispered, and she saw his hand wander towards the pocket of his trousers. His hand slipped into the pocket and he pulled out an object that she didn't recognize in the fading autumn light. The rain had stopped once more, but threatened above their head.

"She… She sent us this." Aang's voice took on a pained tone, and Katara shuffled a bit closer to see what was in his hand. The blue band was crumbled, but the soft yellow stone attached to it was still like she remembered. Carefully polished and carved into the symbols of their respective nations…

"I heard… I'm sorry. I think I lost it during the fight with Azula." She whispered back, stretching her fingers out to caress the stone.

"When… When I learned…" The pained expression became somewhat worse, "I said some things I'm not proud of."

She had heard. She had heard the rumours during that dinner with the governor and On Ji's family, when the man had come to warn them about the arriving army. Katara had learned what Aang had said… Or at least, what he had threatened to do.

"No one blames you for that. I would have said the same thing." She whispered, the fingers that had been on the stone slipping over his skin.

"I… I said I would show the world why we were pacifists." He whispered, and she felt his hand being pulled away from her touch.

We.

She didn't need to ask about whom he spoke.

"And you did." She answered. Katara knew what Aang had meant by the statement, but spoke her answer anyway, "Aang, your actions have been the reason the town was… Well, that they saved whatever they could."

"He said… He said I was needed."

He… Oh. Aang was talking about what had happened in the Spirit World.

"Do you… Do you want to tell me? What happened after you disappeared? Everything?" She asked instead of continuing. Perhaps it could help him…

"So much… So much happened." He objected softly, but she heard the want in his voice.

"Still, if you want, tell me." The airbender shifted slightly, and she felt his fingertips touch her arm.

"I… You meant the beginning, right? From Ember Island?" She nodded.

"I… I woke up on an island. There, I began to contact the Avatars before me… Each gave advice, worse than the other." Katara was surprised by the bitterness in Aang's voice, "They all told me to kill him. Even Yangchen. They told me to put aside my principles for the good of the world… After Yangchen, no Avatar came."

At that, she saw the hesitation in his eyes. The furtive glance towards her was enough to make her wonder. If no Avatar came to speak to him… Who did?

"Someone else did I suppose? Was it… You know… Gyatso?" She asked softly, knowing that if someone could have comforted the airbender, it would have been him.

"No." Still the hesitation, "I… I don't know how, or that it was even possible…" Then, his eyes wandered to her throat.

"Someone else?" She asked softly, not understanding his hesitation. Surely someone would have helped the airbender.

"Kya." Aang whispered, so very quietly that she was not sure she had heard him correctly.

"M-Mom?" Katara couldn't hide the fact that tears welled up in her eyes. As the airbender nodded gravely, her throat contracted. How was that even possible…

"She… She looked a lot like you. I… I don't know to describe it. But… she helped me. Told me the island was a Lion Turtle… And it told me how to bend energy."

She didn't register that last sentence, still too shocked to be able to listen. Aang had met her mother… How was that even possible? And Tui and La, what she would have given to hear her voice once more… Just once. Was that so much to ask?

"How… How was…" She managed to ask, but didn't finish her sentence. But Aang seemed to have understood it all the same, answering softly.

"Kind, and gentle… Like you. She felt… She felt like home." His fingers descended towards her hand and closed around some of her own fingers, "I'm… I'm so sorry you weren't there. Do you… Do you want me to… To go look?"

She shook her head, still not understanding how it had been possible… Were the dead not truly dead? That was impossible.

"We'll… Could we talk about this… Later?" Katara asked. What she meant was for him to continue his story, but leave this part for what it was for the moment. She didn't understand it, and wasn't actually too sure if she wanted to know it.

"Of course." His fingers softly caressed her skin, "After… After leaving the Lion Turtle, with the knowledge it gave me, I was at Wulong. It had told me Ozai would go there… I'm so sorry Tara. I had no choice, I didn't want to disappear again. I know you were sick with worry!" He began to ramble, but the waterbender shook her head.

"I was… But I understood. I never doubted you… I knew you would face Ozai." With that, she looked into his eyes and saw the tears in the silver grey.

"He came… Spirits, it was horrible. The… the comet was in the sky, and… And the fight… I… I don't know how I stayed alive. There was fire everywhere… And… Oh Spirits." She saw how the tears rolled over his cheeks, and at that moment, she moved to enclose her arms around him. For the first time since finding each other, she felt the intimacy of a hug… A hug that said more than words. Katara knew that Aang had probably been afraid for his life, but had not told anyone about it…

"But you are still here…" She whispered into his ear as she felt his body push against her own.

"He… he cornered me. I had to… to bend a wall around myself… He… he attacked it." Aang spoke quietly and fast, as if to move past this part as fast as possible, "I… I begged the Avatars to listen to me… To help me… They… They debated! They hesitated to… to help me…"

What!? For a year, all the Avatars had pressured him into fighting Ozai, and when he had finally done their bidding, they had not helped? How dared they! Katara felt anger bubble into her heart.

"But… But they did, in the end. I… Entered the Avatar State, and they all shouted at me to kill him, to end it… To stop the war…"

They had tried to pressure him into something he had told them over and over he wouldn't do… Tui and La, what a bunch of horrible people.

"The rumours in town said… They said you didn't kill him." Katara whispered quietly, not wanting to believe that the rumours had been false. Piandao had said it too! Everyone on their side had agreed on that!

"I… I managed to keep the Avatars at bay. Used what the Lion Turtle taught me… And… I managed to reach into him Tara. I… I touched his… I don't know how to call it. His… being. His thoughts, his memories… I saw what kind of a man he was… And I think… I think he saw the same about me." The airbender whispered, and Katara couldn't imagine what that would have been like.

Zuko had told them some things about his father… How would Aang, the gentlest soul she could imagine, react to such evil? Had he… Had he seen too much?

"I managed… Well, firebending is fed by your inner flame. I snuffed it out… Removing his bending. Fire Lords have to be benders. He couldn't be the ruler without it."

That sounded so much like Aang that she chuckled. Only he would think about such technicalities. Other people would have considered that a dead man couldn't be Fire Lord… But he had found a way around killing him, and removing him as an important figure in the Fire Nation. As she felt the airbender put his chin on her shoulder, she moved her own head a pressed a quick kiss onto the skin of the back of his head.

"I knew it…" She whispered, not able to continue her sentence. Katara had known he would find a way…

Appa changed his course slightly, and she realized that the bison had moved without being helped towards the northern part of the island. Glancing over the airbender's shoulder as they were still embracing, she saw that there were hills underneath them… Very familiar hills.

"Hey… We are close." She whispered as Appa slowly began his descend. She had whispered the place into the bison's ear that afternoon, as she knew he was more than capable of understanding, and remembering the place.

The airbender nodded and the waterbender felt his arm fall away from her back, as he disentangled himself. As he wanted to move to the edge of the saddle, she grabbed his hand, in which the necklace was still fixed. Aang looked at her with a confused look, but she ignored it and made him open his palm.

"You have something of mine." She explained, with a smile, as she took the necklace from his opened hand. She hesitated for an instance, before putting it in the pocket of the dress she was wearing. She had never worn it… And she wasn't too sure if this was the best moment to do so. But Katara saw the shine in the silver eyes of the airbender, and answered it with a quick smile as Appa's paws touched the ground.

Looking away from the look the airbender was once more giving her, she quickly scrambled over the edge of the saddle and let herself slide over Appa's fur, down to the ground. Katara could hear Aang doing the same on the other side. Looking around, the waterbender realized that Appa had not only brought them to the shepherds' huts… But he had brought them to the shepherds' huts… Those where they had stayed after the party in the cave…

The three huts were huddled together, one clearly a stable, in which they had put Appa and Momo that night… The other one where they had slept… And the last one, which was nothing more than a little shag… Where… Well, where she and Aang had stayed.

Stayed…

Feeling a slight blush creep up to her cheeks, she quickly looked away and began to undo the ropes that held the saddle onto Appa's back. As she undid them, Katara thought about that night. They had come here to rest, and as Toph and Sokka had slept… She and Aang had slipped out of the bigger hut, and had sneaked into the smaller… That had been the second time they had… Well, done it.

Would it happen again tonight? On the one hand, she kind of hoped it would, for now that Aang was so close to her, she felt things that had been dormant during all those weeks apart… The worry, the horrible feeling of being lost without a way to let her friends know she was alive and safe… Well, it had not been good for her… physical needs.

Would Aang be able to do that? With his wounds and all? And with his mental state? He had seemed normal at the one moment, and then horribly vulnerable… To go back at normal again… But then again, they had done it on other occasions where he had seemed stressed. Before the invasion for instance…

Counting, she realized they had done that only four and a half times, if counting what had happened at the Western Air Temple… Spirits, and they were married. It sounded all so… So weird. To be like so at ease with each other, and at the same time, feeling shy now. But perhaps it was normal after such a long time apart?

The saddle slid off the bison's back, who shrugged and stretched and then, as if he was afraid of what was going to happen, bolted away towards the stable hut. As the great mass of fur disappeared between them, she saw Aang look with a blush towards the hut they had used… used last time they were here.

Feeling herself blush too, Katara realized he had been thinking about it.

"Ehm… Perhaps we could go inside the big hut?" She suggested, feeling rather awkward once more. As she pulled a hand against the elbow of the opposite arm, she realized she always did that when feeling like this, and quickly let her hands hang down her sides.

"Yea…" Aang scraped his throat and scratched the back of his neck, as he always did when embarrassed, "Yeah. We should. It looks like rain."

The weather. Spirits, they had moved from talking about the comet and what had happened to the airbender to the weather.

As they walked into the hut, she had to laugh. It had clearly not been used since they had occupied it, because the bottle Toph had been able to take from the party was still lying inside. Aang had apparently seen it too, as she heard him chuckle softly.

"Well, at least that means we are not going to be bothered." The silent implication of his words were not lost on her, and apparently neither on him, as he backpaddled immediately, "I meant, like being disturbed while talking!"

She smiled as she turned to him, "Talk and talk… And everything else?"

It was as much confirmation she dared to ask, and the waterbender saw how Aang swallowed thickly, before speaking once more.

"Y-yeah… We can talk a bit." He whispered, and she thought she saw his eyes flicker towards her… But not to her face. Smiling, she closed the distance between them and put a hand against his cheek.

"Continue your story." She asked him, letting the hand slide down onto his arm, down to his hand. As her fingers grasped his palm, she pulled him towards the centre of the hut. Slowly going to her knees, she pulled him with her so that they sat on their knees, facing each other… And she couldn't help but remember the last time they had sat like this, that night in their room at Ember Island, as they swore to love each other… And to be there for the other. The night they had married.

"We… the others… They had brought the airships down. Brought one to the place Ozai and I were, and we used it to go to the Caldara. There… Azula. She… She said things. That… That I would see you again. And… ehm… I may have hit her." It was spoken with such shame that Katara nearly felt the pain he was probably feeling.

"Good." She answered, knowing that Aang had hated being violent… But she had deserved it.

"Suki and Toph managed to pull me away… Azula… She escaped with the help of a Fire Sage."

"I knew it." Katara nearly spat, "I knew those idiots would try something. They were more or less hostile towards me and Zuko when we defeated Azula. But they accepted the result of the Agni Kai."

"Yes! I completely… Spirits, what happened to you?" Aang's voice was so tight that she looked him in the eyes as saw only guilt and pain. Taking his face between both her hands, she looked at him.

"Something so stupid… We defeated Azula, and I took Appa to Wulong. I knew that you would be there, and went to help. I took a break before crossing the sea, and saw the light… I knew it was you. But then, soldiers came and mistook me for someone from the town. I tried to bend at them… But then… well, I suppose I should tell you." She whispered, and was met with a frown.

"Tell me what?" The voice quivered.

"Oh, no, not that." She answered hastily, knowing he had been afraid of… well, that, "No… A voice spoke to me. In my head. Told me… Told me I would only see you as you lay dying…And that you would suffer."

"You will suffer unspoken horrors, to begin with her. First, you shall know heartbreak. You shall be reunited, but you will never hear her voice again." Aang whispered.

Katara was shocked. Those were the words… But slightly different. The words spoken to her had been about Aang… But the airbender had heard the words directed to him…

"Yes… How…"

"That was what Azula told me." Aang answered with tears in his eyes, "Tara… I heard a voice during all those weeks… Tormenting me… And I… Well, I learned who it was."

"Szeto." She spoke the name with hate in her voice, understanding what had happened. That bastard had threatened her with Aang's life, but had gone totally silent after that. Because he had known that to get to her, he only needed to torment Aang. Spirits… Had Aang listened to that for weeks? Her eyes filled with tears as she realized how much he had suffered… And she asked herself how he had managed to stay somewhat sane.

"How…"

"You are not the only one talking to people." She smiled as the tears rolled over her cheeks, "When… When you were stabbed. Another voice comforted me. He didn't tell me his name, but I understood it had to be someone who loved you very much… I think it was… Well, Gyatso." She explained.

Aang silver eyes overflowed with tears too, as his lips formed a small smile.

"I… He told me. You… You know what happened after; We looked for you. When On Ji told me you were here… When I got wounded… I…" At those words, his voice faltered before finding some strength again, "I woke up in the Spirit world… only… Well, it was as if I had not run away. The airbenders were still there… But I saw it all… Everything… Szeto is not the only one who played tricks… Ehm… S-Sozin did too."

"WHAT!" She nearly screamed, startling the airbender, "You mean to tell me you talked to that bastard!"

"Yeah… He… He took me into the… Well, some sort of fog… Told me he was trapped inside it, and that he wanted to see me suffer for what I did to him… The fog… It shows your fears and your shame. I…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but Katara didn't need to hear it to understand what had happened. She had heard Aang's murmurs during his coma. Jinora… Gyatso… all my fault… He had lived and seen what had happened to the people he had loved…

"Oh Aang…" She managed to utter before embracing him.

"Gyatso… He came into the fog. I thought he was another vision… But he told me he had tried to reassure you. That you worried about me… I understood… Well, that he was real. He… He helped me out of the fog… And told me not… Not to blame myself."

She nodded softly, pulling the airbender closer to her body. Tui and La, she didn't understand half of what had happened to him, but they would have days, weeks, months… years… To talk about it. Years… They had a future…

A future, that belonged to themselves… Not to anyone else. There was no century old war to end, no threat that if they didn't succeed in their one task, that the world would be out of balance for all eternity… The future was blank… And they could fill it like they wished to…

"Aang." She spoke after what felt like an eternity, "Aang… Never, ever, blame yourself for what has happened. To the Air Nomads, to the world… And for this. The Air Nomads was Sozin, the world was the Fire Lords… And this, this was the meddling of Spirits. But it was never your fault. You understand? No one blames you. Not the Air Nomads, not the world, and neither do I. So, for me… Stop blaming yourself."

"I… I…" he began softly, but she interrupted him.

"No, not you. Aang… think, for once, about yourself. You did everything that was required. Everything you promised, and everything anyone could have asked of you. Now, think about what you want."

"I… I have some ideas…" She heard the quiet confession.

"Me too… But now? Now, I just want you…" It slipped out of her mouth before she knew it, but as she created some space between her and the airbender, she saw his eyes… And as his eyes burned with that look, that look that was only for her, she bent towards him and kissed him once more.

And that feeling was the best medicine she could imagine for her heart and the pain she had felt all those weeks.

Answers:

Katara2323 : Toph being the horrible friend that tries to push two other friends to sleep together is just th perfect idea I have of thank you so much!It is really heartwarming!

StarJem8 : Oh… And next chapter is only more of them… "together"

Jjsmith103: It only took fourty chapters lol! Exactly, you can sense that they are both people that are shy and have difficulties about opening up to someone about their true feelings, but when they are together, they are just so… Well, happy to be able to pour their heart out without being judged. True love… And thanks!

Alyssa :I hope this chapter was sweet too! And next chapter… Well, it will be sweet too I think!