Chapter 17

Katara walked back to the gangsters' tent city, too exhausted to run, though her anxiety spurred her. What would she find back at Gaishun's hideout? She had abandoned Sokka and her friends to the sandbenders, just to seek revenge. What if her brother had been hurt, or recaptured?

Luckily, she found the situation much as she had left it. The Resistance fighters and the sandbenders were still at a standoff. As he ran after his girlfriend, Aang had blown sand in the eyes of the desert dwellers, and Ty Lee had taken the opportunity to chi-block as many of them as she could, while they were blinded. Sokka's ally had Gaishun by the throat, forcing his men to freeze. Mai's knives had pinned some of them by their flowing robes, and more were poised to throw. Zuko held his dao swords ready; Sokka wielded a scimitar he must have just stolen. They stood next to the rented sand sailer, ready to board and flee as soon as she and Aang returned. Several of the desert gang's sand sailers were on fire, ensuring they would not be pursued.

When Sokka spotted his sister, he called out to her. "Hey, Katfish! You didn't have to come down here like some big damn hero! Suki and I had the situation under control!"

"Suki?" Katara wondered.

With a quick sideways tilt of his head, Sokka gestured toward the girl who held Gaishun in a headlock.

"Nice to meet you," she said, smiling brightly over the gangster's shoulder.

"Charmed," Katara responded, then turned back to her brother, crossing her arms in indignation at his ingratitude. "Under control? What was your getaway plan?"

"That part was still coming together," he admitted. "How was your grudge match with the Fire Lord? Was that the real reason you came?"

"No, you idiot!" Tears pricked her eyes and she rushed at her brother, smacking him on the shoulder. As soon as she hit him, though, she began to cry in earnest. He hugged her with his free arm, not lowering the blade he pointed at his former captors. "I'm sorry," she murmured into his chest.

Katara's show of emotion brought out a rare moment of tenderness from her brother. "Shh, it's ok, sis. I'm glad you're here. There isn't a firebender or a sandbender alive who can best a Water Tribe warrior."

With a chuckle, she disengaged, and stepped behind him; with her water used up, she was now completely unarmed, the most vulnerable member of their group.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Mai wondered.

Katara updated her friends on the conflict, and Aang's request to talk to Azula. Mai raised her eyebrow at that, as if surprised the other girl would allow the airbender to speak to his ex-fiancee alone, but Katara didn't pay attention. She was too busy watching the horizon for his return.

Only a few minutes later, Aang joined them, appearing in a cloud of dust on top of his air scooter. The others urged him onto the sand sailer, and he created wind to take them away from the tent city. The girl warrior kept her hold on Gaishun, to ensure their safe retreat. She finally pushed him off the sand sailer, somewhere in the desert about halfway between his headquarters and Misty Palms. They were all relieved to be rid of him.

"Do we want to know?" Mai drawled, opening the topic of what had happened with Azula.

Aang sighed. "Katara fought her and won. Then I stepped in and sent Katara back. I talked to Azula about why this was such a big mistake, and left her in the care of one of her guards."

"There are some among the Resistance who won't be happy to hear you had the Fire Lord at your mercy and didn't simply finish her off," Zuko began.

Aang drew in a sharp breath through his nostrils, his chest inflating indignantly, ready to argue.

Zuko raised his hand, knowing what the younger man would say. "But there's no need for us to tell them. Azula is crazy, and she needs to go down, but despite everything, she's my sister, and I'm glad you didn't kill her." Mai and Ty Lee gave concurring nods.

Somewhat taken aback, the airbender accepted this statement. He continued directing air into the sail, powering their journey back to the Oasis.

In the Misty Palms resort, the friends decided to rest for a day before reuniting with the rest of their group in their new hideaway. They enjoyed frozen drinks in the bar, and then spoke to the front desk about getting another room for Suki. Everyone was thrilled that she had agreed to join the Resistance; such a skilled fighter would be a definite asset.

Meanwhile, Aang reunited gratefully with Appa. He was so relieved to see the bison, that he paid the boy who had cared for his animal companion twice what they had agreed. It was amazing how a little time burying his face in Appa's fur helped him to let go of the day's tension. And for his part, the bison made contented lowing sounds, then licked his friend thoroughly.

When Appa was settled, Aang went to Katara's room to say good night.

He found her sitting on the bed staring blankly ahead. He sat next to her, a little worried by her shellshocked demeanor. "Are you ok, sweetie?"

"I shouldn't have picked that fight with Azula," she murmured with a shake of her head. "I forgot all about Sokka and the others. I was just acting thoughtlessly out of anger, and if you hadn't been there—"

"It was understandable." He interrupted her self-flagellation, his tone forgiving. "You have a history with her, and she kidnapped your brother…"

"That's no good reason to attack the way I did." The waterbender insisted. "If I had gone into today's conflict with your beliefs, I never would have endangered anyone. Before, I thought you were a bit naive. Sorry. But now, I've seen my own error, and been converted. What I learned today is that your philosophy of nonviolence is not just virtuous, it's also wise. Yours is the winning strategy, because it's how we avoid needless harm to ourselves and others." She took a deep breath and turned from the idea to its challenging implementation. "But the problem is, Zuko was right that some members of the Resistance would be mad to hear you didn't commit cold-blooded murder…"

Aang began to defend their compatriots. "They've been traumatized—"

"But so have you! And you didn't let it….warp you like that." Katara objected. Then she pursed her lips and proposed her plan. "I think you need to teach them. Help them get over what happened to them, and show them how to remain connected to love and hope, and to act on that conviction. That's the way you can really help the Resistance."

"I like that idea," Something inside Aang opened up, as he realized she had just put the purpose of the next phase of his life into words. "Converting the Resistance to a peaceful movement sounds like the best way for me to honor my people and create harmony in the world. Thank you for the inspiration."

"You're the inspiration." She smiled at him, then looked down into her empty hands. "Did Azula try to, um, get you back?" she asked in a whisper.

"She never had me," he answered decisively.

"I know…." Katara acknowledged uncomfortably, rubbing her arm.

"But….yes." He admitted, chagrined.

"What did you tell her?" she ventured to ask.

"That I'm yours," his response was firm. "I tried to be kind about it, because I think she really does….feel something for me, but I was completely clear that she needs to move on."

Her whole body relaxed. "Thank you for choosing me. And for what you said about Sokka, that you'd do anything to help me keep my family." Her words felt inadequate to express her gratitude to him.

"I meant it. And not just because I lost mine."

"You can have my family," she offered. "You are my family."

He swallowed, hoping his lonely hunger didn't come out in his avid gaze. "I'd like that."

"I mean it, and not just in the way that the Resistance is one big family." She took his hands in hers and went on. "I want to be with you. In every way. Forever. One roof, one heart, one life." She quoted the Water Tribe marriage rites, and blushed when she remembered he wouldn't know the reference, and she'd have to explain it.

But he seemed to understand anyway. He was nodding eagerly, drawing her fingers up to his lips. "That's what I want, too. To share everything with you, to be as close as possible, as long as possible, starting as soon as possible. I'll go through any ceremonies, make any promise….."

Elated, she realized they understood each other perfectly, and that they were on the precipice of something enormous. "We'll spend every day together, and every night…."

"I will love you until the end of this life," he vowed, "and I'm ready to make that love complete whenever you are."

"Now," she answered, "I have been yours since that first kiss." She looked at his mouth and leaned forward.

He gave a shaky gasp, and leaned in, too. But at the last second, he pulled back, and voiced a small quibble. "Just to verify, though, this isn't about you claiming me, or me proving to you that I pick you over Azula once and for all…."

"No! This is about our truth." She clutched his hand fiercely, touching both their chests with their clasped fists. "Because it's a simple fact that we are already each other's family, and that nothing can ever come between us. This doesn't have a thing to do with Azula."

"Who's Azula?" His eyes were blank and puzzled, as if he'd never heard the name in his life.

She grinned. "Someone I've completely forgotten as well."

Their lips touched, and soon their souls did, too.

Author's Note: How was that proposal scene? Tell me what you think in a review!

I should let you know that this is basically the end of the Kataang in this story. Their trials are over, and this is their happily ever after. Aang and Katara don't appear together again until the end of the story, as they are busy enjoying their life offstage.

However, Azula and Raiden's story continues! This fic is only about one third finished.