Book One: Water

Chapter Two: The Avatar Returns - Part I

He was asleep.

He was comatose.

He was unaware.

He was oddly warm.

He heard a voice. A female voice.

He opened his eyes and saw a spirit, no, a goddess. With dark shiny skin and ocean blue eyes. A wonder indeed.

She was the definition of "a dream girl."

He was fascinated. But he was also confused.

"Aang?"

Aang jolted up, still spooked from the dream he just had. It was the same one he had before he decided to return to the temple. He'd wake up in the arms of a beautiful Water Tribe girl and then find out he was part of an almost extinct race. His heart rate doubled at the thought of facing such a reality. But…it was inevitable. As long as he was living in this- this nightmare- then the loss was inescapable.

Katara watched his half naked self carefully, in wondrous excitement. How did he manage to sleep without a shirt in this harsh weather? The light blue arrows didn't end at his neck but ran across his entire body from his head, to arms, to back and ending at his feet.

Airbender tattoos, she thought. She shook her head, trying to focus on why she entered his tent in the first place.

"Good morning," she greeted with a warm smile. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded and started to feel self-conscious as her eyes followed his every movement when he tried to pick up his shirt. "Um, yes actually," he smiled back, putting his shirt on.

"I'm glad." She paused and waited for him to stand up. "Come on, you can meet everyone over breakfast!" she beamed, taking his hand and dragging him out before he could protest.

He stood awkwardly in front of the small crowd of people that occupied the village. He'd expected them to be more than this. He remembered the Southern Water Tribe as a glorious city – just not as majestic as the North – that had a good number of citizens. Not twenty something people who are mostly old ladies and toddlers. What happened? Aang thought.

As Katara introduced him, much to her brother's displeasure, but the people stepped back in fear and apprehension. They didn't know who this stranger was that Katara had brought back in the middle of the night and neither did they have any interest in knowing. They usually didn't entertain foreigners, at least not in these times of war and unrest. It was too dangerous to keep unknown people in their Tribe. He could be a fugitive or worse.. a spy! The young children seemed to be just as intrigued by him as Katara. They smiled at Aang, welcoming him and playing with his staff.

"Uh, hi?" Aang waved at the tough crowd. Then suddenly, Sokka grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him out of their village.

"Hello and thanks for stopping by! Now you can take your leave!" Sokka said rudely.

Katara went after the two of them after assuring their villagers that Aang wasn't a threat. "Hey, Sokka stop!" she yelled.

Sokka rolled his eyes in irritation. "Oh for heaven's sake Katara! How long are you going to keep defending him? I know he saved our lives and gave us a lift and we repaid him by giving him a roof over his head and food to eat! What more do you want to give him? Yourself?!" He retorted, a little out of point.

Katara stood there in shock, feeling angry and disrespected. "No." she said, a little disappointed that her brother could think such a thing. "But I don't think it's very nice to kick out someone who hasn't done anything to deserve it. What's the reason for you throwing him out? Because you don't trust him? Well then get to know him! Because you think he's a threat? Well didn't you sit outside his tent all night last night? You don't have any reason for treating him this way. You just feel insecure about having another young man in our village and do you want to know why? Because you're not a man yourself, Sokka. You're just putting up this macho man façade, trying to intimidate everyone else into respecting you because you can't actually earn respect. You're just a weak, spineless, sorry excuse for a soldier!" She spat, taking Aang back to the village, leaving her brother stunned.

Aang glanced at the raging teenage girl currently dragging him across snow and stopped. He looked at her, a worried expression all over his usually smiley face.

"Um, Katara?"

She breathed loudly. "I just hate him so much sometimes!" she burst. She crouched down on the cold floor, burying her tear filled face in-between her knees.

He sat beside her, not sure if he should speak or just let her cry it out.

"Ever since our mother died and our dad left, Sokka…changed. I don't know what happened to him. He has this notion that he needs to be some kind of warrior – savior and protector of our village – just because he's the only man here. I understand but it doesn't mean he has to look down on every person for it. He doesn't respect women and he attacks senselessly – like he did to you." She sniffed and continued. "I just want my brother back."

Aang saw that it hurt her to speak to and about her brother in such manners. She cared for him despite their unnecessary bickering and he noticed it. Maybe if he left, Sokka wouldn't act this way again. Sokka would rest easy knowing that the stranger was far away from them. No, if he did that, Katara wouldn't like it for sure. He just couldn't please them both.

"You know he loves you, right?" Aang spoke up after a debate with himself.

Katara looked up, wiping the cold tears off her red cheeks.

"That's why he's acting like this. To protect you." He smiled at her. "Because it would kill him to see you get hurt, even in the slightest."

"He sure has a funny way of showing it." She scoffed.

"Why don't you try to see things from his perspective?"

Katara shook her head. "It still doesn't make sense. I mean, if I had a little sister and an entire village to look after, I wouldn't try to shoulder it all on my own and end up putting up a wall between me and my fam—

She stopped, realizing what she'd just said. Her brother was going through a lot. Was that why he acted so sour and was always a joy kill? Was that why he hated anything new? His position had made into a bitter old man instead of the exuberant teenager he actually was. She once again buried her head in-between her knees, regretting why she'd been so insensitive. "I'm…terrible."

"I think you should talk to him." Aang suggested.

Katara stood up, dusting the snow off her coat. "I will but first," Then she hugged him, burying her nose in his chest. She held him tighter, taking in his unnatural warmth and smiled into his shirt. "Thank you."

Aang was stunned. All he did was give some advice. What did he need a hug for? He returned the smile, despite how awkward he felt. "You're…welcome?"

She released him, laughing nervously. She didn't know how long they were like that but she enjoyed it. Being in someone's arms that wasn't her Gran-Gran's or her brother's. It felt safe. "Walk with me?" she asked.

He nodded and they both began a slow stroll to the village.

If there was any moment more perfect time to ask him, it was now. She'd been dying to since he announced he was an airbender but decided it would be best to let him settle down first. It wasn't everyday people got broken out of giant iceberg prisons. That was also something she wanted to ask him. Why were his eyes glowing, along with his tattoos? Why was he in ice? What did those tattoos mean? Where'd he keep Appa? There just wasn't an end to his mystery.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Aang's words broke her out of her trance.

"You."

Silence. It was a very uncomfortable silence. Me? Aang thought. What was so amazing about him that she wanted to talk about? And why did he dislike the hug she gave him? It made him regret not having many female friends; now he didn't understand her.

Katara cleared her throat. "Uh, I mean, I hardly know anything about you other than your name."

"I could say the same thing about you."

Katara shook her head, smiling lightly. "No. You've met my entire village, my brother and you know my age. I'm not as big of a mystery as you are, airbender."

Aang arched a brow questioningly. "I don't know how old you are, Katara."

"What? I told you yesterday on our way back on Appa. My sixteenth birthday was yesterday!"

His mouth formed an 'o' shape. "Right…sorry."

She sighed. "What about you?"

"I'm fourteen."

Her eyes widened. He was a bit younger than her, but they looked around the same age. Well, she a baby face and he was tall. They continued to stroll in silence, enjoying the slow strides they made towards the snow village. Then Katara decided to speak up.

"I like your tattoos." It was a simple compliment but to Katara, it was the perfect opening for her to ask about the other airbenders and most importantly…the Avatar.

"Thanks. They're given to master airbenders." Aang explained further.

"Wow, you're a really young master then." She praised him, hiding the hint of jealousy she felt. He was younger than her and had already mastered his element. It made her feel even more useless as a bender.

Aang noticed her slightly changed mood and smiled at her. "I had great teachers, Katara. I'm sure you'll be a master waterbender one day."

She nodded, his nice words pushing her feelings of jealousy behind. "I'm guessing the Avatar had one too, huh." There it was. She was initially scared to ask him about him because well, Aang was the only airbender seen in a hundred years and he might not have even known the Avatar but… it didn't hurt to at least try.

Aang hesitated before answering. "I think so. I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people that knew him but I didn't know him personally." He didn't look at her when answering.

"Oh so, you don't know where he is either? That's okay. The Avatar's a legend that ceased to exist about a hundred years ago anyway. I just like holding on to myths and stuff…" she trailed away, focusing on the snow by her feet, a little disappointed.

Aang's sorry expression immediately changed into a shocked one. "A hundred years ago? What are you talking about?"

"The Avatar disappeared a hundred years ago just before the war began." Katara explained solemnly.

"War?" This part wasn't explained in his dream. The only parts he remembered were waking up and finding out the other airbenders are gone.

"Aang, you're kidding right? There's been a war between the Fire Nation and the rest of the world for a hundred years. And so far, the Fire Nation has this in the bag. It's only a matter of time before—

"Hold on!" he interrupted her a bit rudely. "I've been all over the world, even the Fire Nation, I haven't heard or seen any war!" He said as if Katara was making stuff up.

This annoyed her. How could he be so oblivious? Was he even living in the same world she was? Everyone has had a taste of the Fire Nation's cruelty, even the airbenders – especially the airbenders! They were the ones that got wiped out! The fact that he was alive was…a miracle – unbelievable even. How did Aang not know this?

"What? Sometimes I wonder how long you were in that ice!" It was a rhetorical statement, meant to tell him that he was being ignorant of the world's current state, but then it hit her. How long was he actually in that iceberg? She wondered.

Aang looked away, a distressed look taking over his face. "I don't- I don't know. Maybe- a- a few days or a week."

She stepped closer to him, placed a palm on his cheek and turned his face to meet her. Their eyes met for a few seconds before she spoke. "I think…it was more like a hundred years."

Aang pulled away from her touch, expanding the distance between them. "How can you say such a thing, Katara?" He sounded hurt and it pained her for him. She didn't want to cause him any pain by saying the truth but, it was what he needed to hear.

"Think about it, Aang. The war is a century old, you don't know about it because…you were in there the whole time." She saw him fall to his knees, shaking his head, trying not to believe what she'd just proposed.

"No, no, no! What- what happened?!" he yelled, his voice cracking as tears ran down his cheeks. "How did this happen?" he whispered.

Katara sat by his side, just like what he did for her earlier.

"The Fire Nation happened. Over the course of a hundred years, they've slowly taken over the world. They've done so many horrible things. They kidnapped our waterbenders, burned down Earth Kingdom towns and…committed genocide." She said the last part almost in a whisper. She looked at him, waiting for him to respond.

He just kneeled there, gazing intensely at the snowy flooring, muttering things she barely understood. "Genocide?" he finally spoke up.

She placed her hand on his shoulder, for comfort. "Against the Air Nation."

Then he went completely still, not moving an inch. His chest barely rose as he held his breath, scaring Katara a little. It was like it was paused in time.

"Aang? Aang I know it must sound absurd but—

He stopped her, pushing her hand off him and standing up abruptly. She followed after him as he began to march towards the village.

"Aang, Aang wait! Where are you going?"

"I want to be alone Katara!" He spat.

"You can't be alone at a time like this! You need a friend. I'm here for you, Aang. I know how you're feeling right now and I understand. The Fire Nation also took someone very important from me—

"No you don't understand, Katara!" he screamed at her. "I want to be alone and away from YOU! I thought you were my friend? I didn't expect you to make up some crazy story about a century old war, and me not knowing about it because I'm a century year old, and while I was taking a hundred year nap, my people were murdered by the Fire Nation? If you wanted me out of your village so bad, you would've just said so!" He blew up in her face then walked away.

Katara was left dumbfounded. Was this how Sokka felt when she screamed at him earlier? It felt terrible to be yelled at like that. To be blamed for only trying to help someone you care about. She had to fix things with her brother and also with her friend.

She got to the village a little after Aang because she went back to look for her brother but he wasn't there. Maybe he'd gone to village alone a while ago. As she got there, she saw all the villagers gathered around, yelling profanities. She pushed past the small crowd and saw Aang getting his bison ready to leave. But she also saw someone familiar, someone she'd avoided for a very long time because she was afraid to answer a simple question.

"Tarik?" She said breathed, slowly approaching him. He looked awful and battered, with burns all over him and dry blood staining his entire body. "Tarik!" she shouted in shock and ran to his side. "What happened?"

Sokka came out of the crowd. "The Fire Nation. They're nearby." He carried the older man into one of the medical tents, leaving the women to tend his wounds. He explained to Katara what Tarik had told them, with anger in every word he uttered. Tarik was from a neighboring village of the Southern Water Tribe. He was the oldest youth in their entire tribe and was kind of like the leader and a mentor for Sokka. It made sense to see Sokka furious about what the Fire Nation had done to his senior.

They had attacked the Nuik village seeking an airbender. The villagers only had Tarik to defend them. He couldn't fend off an entire Fire Nation ship by himself and they beat him up, badly. He managed to crawl to their village overnight to warn them about the dangers ahead. He could've sent someone who was in the right shape for this but he needed to make sure Katara was okay – his beloved. He arrived at the village only to find Sokka, the other villagers and a foreigner but no Katara. He got scared that they'd captured her for being a waterbender and begun weeping. When Sokka asked what happened, he told him. Sokka got extremely angry at Aang, who was the only airbender in their presence, and banished him from their village. The other villagers encouraged him, thus, yelling profanities at Aang.

"You! You're the cause of this!" Sokka jumped him from behind, trying but failing to pin him down.

Aang kicked him in the groin, pushing Sokka off of him with a small gust of wind. Sokka stood up, taking out his club in a fighting stance. Both boys watched each other in silence, one waiting for the other to attack first.

"I don't want to fight you, Sokka."

Despite his words of pacifism, she could still hear the anger in Aang's voice. He looked ready to beat Sokka up, ready to take out his anger on her at her brother. But Aang didn't seem like the aggressive type. He was a gentle spirit, a good person, he looked like he couldn't hurt a fly. The Aang she saw now was different. He's hurting and his emotions are running wild. He's fueled by rage and grief over the loss of his people – even though he acted like he didn't believe her. He didn't mean to act like this and she knew it.

"Well that's too bad, because I want to fight you." Sokka replied.

He was about to attack and Aang about to counter when Katara stepped in the middle of them.

"Guys, please stop this!" she turned to Sokka. "Sokka, it's not Aang's fault. You shouldn't blame him for something he didn't do. How would he know the Fire Nation was after him? When he's…when he's been…" she stopped and decided not to add stuck in an iceberg for a hundred years.

"Again Katara? How long are you going to defend him? Tarik's already gotten hurt because of him; your own fiancé, Katara!" Sokka said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He thought his sister knew better than to side a total stranger than her family.

"Fiancé?" Aang asked, lowering his guard. Sokka used it as an opening and attacked him, bashing his head with the club.

"I'm going to kill you!" Sokka straddled him, pressing his neck.

Aang coughed, as he struggled to breathe. He then threw a strong wind blast which sent Sokka ascending and then landing on and destroying an empty tent. He got up, panting and sweating with blood all over his bald head. Sokka was pretty determined for a nonbender, he'd give him that.

Katara rushed to her brother's aid, helping him stand up and searching for injuries. "Are you okay?"

He managed to stand up, glaring daggers at the young airbender. "Get out of our village! Now!"

Aang turned away. "I was already leaving." He said and climbed on his bison, who was too tired to fly, and exited the village.

The villagers who were watching the two teenagers fight, dispersed and continued with their daily lives, as if Aang never even came. Katara shoved her brother angrily.

"Are you happy now?"

Sokka shook his head, frustrated with his sister's naivety. "Katara—

She continued walking away from him and he followed her. "Did you know that Aang was sleeping in that iceberg for a hundred years? Did you know that he had no idea about the war? He thinks there are still airbenders out there!" she said in disbelief.

Sokka was confused. What did she mean a hundred years? Was Aang actually a hundred years old? "Look—

"He's hurting right now, Sokka." She stopped in front of Tarik's tent. "And he needs our support. I didn't think you were this heartless."

Sokka sighed. "Look, I know you like the guy…a lot—

"I don't like him, Sokka." She reprimanded.

He cringed in irritation. That's wasn't what he meant. "I don't mean like that, I know you're engaged to Tarik—

"We're not engaged. I haven't said yes."

"But you're considering it, right?"

She didn't respond, turning away. "No." she spoke quietly.

Sokka shook his head. "We're getting off track here. I need you to understand that we are at war Katara! The Fire Nation are evil, sick, bloodlust savages that will do anything to get their way. We have to do whatever it takes to protect our people from them – even if it means banishing boys of a rare race." He paused to see her reaction. She looked indifferent, like she didn't give a damn about what he had to say. He continued, "If the Fire Nation wants an airbender, then we can't harbor one. It'd put the whole tribe in danger! Funny thing is, I'm actually doing arrowhead a favor. Now he can go off on his flying bison and elude the Fire Nation." He said the last part matter-of-factly.

Katara remained silent, clenching her fists in rage. She felt so angry that someone innocent had to be treated like a criminal because of the Fire Nation. But her rage wasn't justified. She still had the whole tribe to think about. She couldn't put their lives on the line for a single Air Nomad, it wouldn't be fair. But it wasn't also fair to Aang. He probably wasn't happy to leave but his own anger made him look more than thrilled. She wanted to be there for him but she also had to be there for her people. It was a hard decision to make. Why was it so hard though? She'd only known him for a day and yet, she couldn't help but worry about him. Maybe she pitied him because of the loss he'd have to endure? Whatever the reason, it was strong enough to make her consider betraying her tribe.

She breathed, calming herself. She had had two outbursts today and she wasn't going to have another. She turned to her brother. "You're right Sokka. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I know you were just trying to protect me and you're trying to protect all of us now, which is why you banished Aang. I'll try to be more understanding."

Sokka was taken aback by his sister's apology. Did that airbender talk to her or something? She would never apologize for something that had to do with his toxic masculinity. This was the weirdest thing he'd ever seen her do besides her rage-filled waterbending.

"I'm sorry too. We good?"

She smiled at him. "We're good." She said, proceeding to enter Tarik's tent and see how he was doing. He was a family friend after all.

"Wait!" Sokka stopped her. "Promise me you won't talk about him anymore." He looked dead serious. He knew his sister and she wasn't one to just forget about someone who she vouched for like she'd known the person all her life.

She sighed. He didn't say she couldn't think about him. "Aang was jus a transient part of my life." Though it pained her to say it, it was true. She was never going to see him again.

"I'm glad you know that."

She walked into the older man's tent and saw him lying there, his eyes open, staring at the roof of the tent. He looked lost in thought so she thought not to disturb him while he was thinking. She attempted to leave but was stopped when he notices her.

"I thought you wouldn't come see me." He said, his eyes not leaving the roof.

She sighed and sat by the exit, keeping a safe distance between her and him. "Of course I'd come see you, Tarik. You're my friend."

He sat up. "Right…" he dragged. "I heard your new friend's with those savages."

Katara looked at him unbelievably. "I knew you'd think just like Sokka. You Water Tribe men are all the same!" she half yelled, a little offended. "Aang is not of the Fire Nation!"

"Wow, Sokka said you defend him like your life depended on it but I just thought he was exaggerating, until now."

"Well he did exaggerate. Aang was nothing more than a transient part of my life." She said as if she were trying to convince herself of that statement.

"I know. I heard your conversation with your brother. You two didn't stand as far away as you thought."

Katara mentally slapped herself. Tarik just heard their entire conversation which meant he heard her when she said she wasn't considering his proposal. He must feel so bad and it pained her that she was the cause of it.

"Tarik, I—

"Why Katara?" he cut her off. He then brought out a small animal skin bag revealing a nicely carved betrothal necklace. "You're of age, your brother approves of it, I-I love you! Why don't you want to marry me?"

She looked away, feeling guilty for making him feel rejected. But she didn't want this yet. She felt like her life had another purpose and despite her age, she wasn't quite ready for that sort of commitment.

"I'm sorry, I just don't feel the same way."

"Why don't you?" He pressed. "I could give you everything! I'll protect you, treat you like a queen, listen to you, and I'll put your brother in his place when he needs to be. I'll be your knight in shining armor." She didn't say anything so he continued. "If you're waiting for your father to return before we get married then we'll wait. Just take the necklace. Let me know that we've made an unbreakable promise. I know your mother would be proud to know that you married a man like me." He knew that she either gets vulnerable, upset or happy at the memory of her mother. He'd hope she gets vulnerable enough to say yes. "A man who puts you before his loyalty to the moon. He'll love you more than he could possibly love anyone. Please Katara."

She froze when he mentioned her mother. She touched the necklace clamped to her neck. Would her mother be proud to know her daughter was going to marry? Of course she would. But Katara didn't feel ready for that sort of commitment. She felt pressured. She didn't want to get married – not yet at least. But she didn't have many options, did she? Tarik was basically the most eligible bachelor in the entire tribe and any girl in her position would be foolish to say no. So why was she foolish?

She wanted more out of life than to settle down, get married and have children, even though those were things she dreamt of. She did want them. But not now.

But if not now, when? When the Fire Nation finally wins the war and throws the world off balance? When all hope is lost? When the Avatar doesn't return?

No, she shouldn't think that way. She had to remain hopeful. But hope could only do so much…

Maybe she should get married, have children and live out the good days before world is taken over by a megalomaniac psychopath – that is the Fire Lord. She had nothing else she was doing with her life. It's not like she had any one to teach her waterbending. And there was no chance of ever travelling to the Northern Water Tribe to learn waterbending. The Northerners were on the other side of the world! Her dream of becoming a proficient waterbender was never going to be fulfilled. But her dreams of having a family could be? Even though it came a little earlier than she hoped, it was still an opportunity. One that she'd reluctantly take. Maybe her mother would be happy to know that her daughter was getting married, from somewhere beyond the moon.

Maybe Tarik can give me a…good life. She thought as she turned to look at him. She took his hands in hers and looked in his greyish blue eyes.

"Alright Tarik, I'll marry you."

It wasn't long until the snow turned black, signaling danger was near. The Fire Nation had reached their village. Sokka planned to tell them Aang wasn't here and hoped they'd leave, without causing a bloody scene. He hoped wrong. Prince Zuko was bent on finding the airbender here since he'd fruitlessly searched all neighboring villages. He threatened to destroy their entire village if he wasn't given any information.

The scarred prince then grabbed Katara and Sokka's grandmother, moving her around like some ragdoll. "He'd be about this age! Master of all four elements?!" he yelled. When no one answered, he threw the old woman on the floor, his anger rising.

"We don't know who your talking about! Leave our village!" Sokka demanded holding a spear, ready to fight.

Angrily, Zuko threw a wave of fire to the people, earning screams and weeps of fear. "Tell me where he is!"

Sokka then attacked, charging at him with his spear but was easily blocked by the trained prince and he was pushed to the ground. Zuko then threw him a ball of fire which he dodged quickly and then Sokka charged again. This time he was stopped by the prince breaking his spear and kicking him in the face. Annoyed that his attacks were futile, Sokka threw his trusty boomerang at the prince but Zuko dodged it.

"You know, if you just tell me what I need to know, none of this will be happening." Zuko coaxed.

"We don't—

Sokka was cut off by his sister yelling, "We'll never tell you were he is!"

Sokka groaned at his sister's stupidity. Zuko smirked, approaching the young Water Tribe girl. "So you do know.."

Katara backed away slowly. "I'm not talking!"

Zuko was about to hit her when an injured Tarik stood in front of her. "You will not touch her." He said adamantly.

Wasting no time, Tarik and Zuko broke out in a fight. Tarik was a more proficient warrior than his junior Sokka but his injuries hindered his movements. He held his own against the angry prince until the firebender was blown away by a small snowstorm.

The people looked to see who defended Tarik and were shocked to find the airbender that they'd just exiled. Katara couldn't help but smile at the sight of her friend protecting her village. Maybe he isn't angry anymore. She thought.

Zuko melted the snow off his Fire Nation armor as he realized who was standing in front of him. "Finally…"

Aang held his staff, giving the prince a battle ready expression. "Looking for me?"

Zuko smirked. This was going to be easy. "You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?"

A general gasp was heard. "Aang?"

"What?"

A/N: It was a long chapter, I know. But how well did you like it? I added a new character, just for effect.

I'm still figuring out how to make this a lot better so, I might do some editing in the future. But right now I'm mildly content with what I've written. I hope my writing will get better with time.

Also imagine Aang as the one from the Graphic novel: Imbalance. I think that pretty much describes him. Heck, imagine all characters like the ones from imbalance.

The next chapter will be out in about 4 to 7 days.

Don't forget to leave a review. Thanks.