A/N: Hey guys, sorry I took so long to post, I had a bit of writer's block. But here's another chapter for you :)

Note: flashbacks are bold and italicized; thoughts are just italicized.

Warning: mentions of violence

I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender

CHAPTER 12

She had sat alone at the bar, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. The noise of the crowded room blurred into a distant hum. She stared into her drink, her mind far away, tied to memories she'd rather forget tonight.

A young man sauntered over, his presence announced by the scent of leather and confidence. He slid onto the stool next to her, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "What's a pretty girl like you doing here all alone?"

She glanced up, taking in the tousled hair, the devil-may-care eyes, and the hint of trouble in his smile. He's the type her friends always warned her about. She rolled her eyes and returned to her drink. "Leave me alone," she had muttered, hoping he'd take the hint.

But he didn't. He had leaned in closer, his voice low and persistent. "Come on, don't be like that. What's got you so down?"

She sighed, the weight of the day pressing heavily on her. "It's none of your business."

"Maybe not," he had said, undeterred. "But talking to someone might help. I'm a good listener."

She finally looked at him, really looked. The arrogance was there, but so was something else—curiosity, maybe even genuine interest. She shook her head. "Today is… not a good day."

He had softened slightly, the smirk turning into a more sincere smile. "Rough day at work?"

She snorted. If only he knew.

The tears were threatening to fall once more. Ten years didn't erase the pain she still felt at the death of her grandfather. Especially on this day, his death anniversary. Nothing could compare to how shattered she felt at losing him; her number-one supporter. He encouraged her to pursue her music—his last words. His death was shrouded in mystery; the gunshot, the blood. She closed her eyes, blinking back the tears that were oncoming.

"You could say that."

He didn't push further, sensing the delicate balance. Instead, he had signaled the bartender. "Two of whatever she's having."

She watched as the bartender poured another drink. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know," he had said with a shrug. "But I want to. So, what's your name?"

She hesitated, then took a sip of her drink. "Why do you care?"

He chuckled. "Just trying to be friendly. Mine's Jet."

She had raised an eyebrow. "Jet? Really?"

"Yeah, and you?"

She paused, then gave in, feeling a faint blush creeping up her cheeks despite herself. "Katara."

He had extended a hand, that cocky grin back in place. "Nice to meet you, Katara."

She hesitated, then took his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Jet."

The sharp slamming of hands on the dining table brought Katara back to reality. She blinked, refocusing on the room where voices were echoing around her.

Sokka's angry voice was directed toward the guard stationed in front, "We're waiting for an answer. My folks are one phone call away, so start talking.

Katara let her head fall back down. Sucked in a vacuum-like state; the voices around her sounding miles away. One minute she was trying to remain optimistic despite the news of her ex's release, the next, she was painfully reminded that he was back and out to get her. Oh, how she wished there was a button to go back in time and never met him. Stupid, stupid bar.

Aang's calm yet firm voice cut through the tension. "Walk us through what happened yesterday."

The guard shifted nervously, his eyes darting around the room. "Well, sir, Mr. Jet showed up at the gate and presented what appeared to be legitimate credentials. He said he knew Miss Katara and that it was an emergency."

Aang's expression remained composed. "Did you verify his story?"

"I… I was about to. I asked if he had an appointment, and he insisted it was urgent. As I was going to send a message to verify, the communication device went down."

Sokka, arms crossed and glaring, stepped forward, his voice laced with anger. "And why didn't you come to verify in person?"

The guard mumbled, "I didn't think much of it at the time. He seemed convincing."

Sokka's face flushed with rage. "You didn't think my sister's safety was worth looking into? What are we paying you for?"

"Sokka, " Katara insisted, "let's hear him out."

The guard looked down, clearly uncomfortable. "I… I didn't mean any harm. It just seemed like a genuine emergency."

Aang raised his hand to calm Sokka. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Let's get the full picture first."

Turning back to the guard, Aang's expression was firm. "So, what did he say was the emergency?"

The guard swallowed hard, his eyes darting between Aang and Sokka. "He said there was an urgent matter regarding Miss Katara's safety. He claimed to have information about a serious threat against her and insisted he needed to discuss it with her in person. He showed some official-looking credentials and documents. They seemed legitimate at the time, so given the urgency and how convincing he was, I… I let him in." It wasn't until later that I realized they were fake."

Sokka's anger simmered beneath the surface, but he held his tongue, letting Aang continue the questioning.

Aang nodded thoughtfully. "I see. So, when the intercom rang awhile after, why didn't you answer?"

The man looked down, unable to answer.

Sokka, still fuming, muttered under his breath, "nonsense."

Aang glanced at Sokka before turning back to the guard. "One last question. How much were you paid off?"

The room fell silent. The guard's face drained of color, and he began to sputter. "P-Paid? I don't know what you mean."

Katara and Sokka exchanged confused glances. "Aang, what are you getting at?" Katara asked quietly.

Aang remained calm as he pulled out a tablet and tapped the screen. "Let me show you something." He played a surveillance video showing everything—in the video, Jet's car pulled up to the guard hut at the entrance of the compound. After a while of speaking, Jet emerged from the car. When the guard was about to verify his identity, Jet stopped him. They exchanged words for a moment before Jet discreetly handed over an envelope. The guard hesitated briefly, then swiftly glanced inside, his eyes widening imperceptibly. Looking around nervously, the guard could be seen shutting off the cameras before quickly disabling the intercom. He then nodded to Jet, allowing his entrance into the compound.

The guard's face turned white as he watched the video. "I-I was threatened," he stammered, kneeling on the ground, desperation in his voice. "He said he would hurt my family."

Katara gasped in shock as she stared intensely at the guard, her mouth open in disbelief. She stood up, hands on her hips, her voice quivering with disappointment and anger. "Are you telling me you did this for money? After everything I trusted you with? Wasn't what my family paid you enough?" Her eyes welled with tears as she struggled to comprehend. The shrill ringing of her phone sounded and she excused herself to take it.

Aang wanted so badly to comfort her. The hurt in her deep blue eyes was too much for him to bear. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and tell her everything would be okay; he had to clench his hands at his side not to reach out for her. But he knew that would have to wait for now.

Sokka's anger flared even more. "Cut the crap! It's not what we're seeing on the video. You betrayed us and now you're playing the victim? We paid you to protect her!"

A moment of tense silence passed, as the guard waited with bated breath.

"So," Sokka concluded, facing Aang, "the prick disabled the cameras to carry out his plan."

Aang shut off the video, his gaze unwavering "All but one," Aang said, his tone measured. "I wasn't going to make all the cameras visible."

The guard, now desperate, pleaded, "Please, I was threatened. His exact words were, anyone in the way of him getting to Miss Katara, he will fuck things up."

Aang's expression didn't soften, but his voice remained calm. "You're fired. Consider yourself fortunate we aren't involving the police. Now leave."

The guard looked at Aang flabbergasted, "b..but sir, did you hear what I—."

"I did, but you're forgetting one tiny detail," Aang said to the guard, his tone calm yet firm. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device. "I have the audio from the surveillance footage. It contradicts your account of Jet threatening you."

He played the audio and the guard took a sharp intake of breath, his entire story crumbling like a house of cards.

Then the accusations began. The guard, his voice strained with desperation, pointed an accusatory finger at Aang. "It's because of you! Since you came on board, they've been cutting my hours. I've got a family to support!"

At the guard's accusation, Aang had to physically stop Sokka from lunging at the guard.

Even though he didn't really want to.

Aang was getting angrier by the minute at the fact that the man was willing to jeopardize Katara's safety for some quick money. He took a deep breath, using all his self-control to remain calm.

"Despite that, accepting bribes is not the solution," Aang replied firmly. "You're supposed to take it up with the Hopkinsons. You are disloyal and not capable of protecting Ms. Katara anymore."

The guard, visibly shaking, spat out, "You don't have the authority to fire me!"

Aang's expression remained calm and composed. "I do," he responded smoothly, "since it involves Ms. Katara's immediate safety. You've compromised that trust, and I can't allow you to stay here any longer."

Sokka, his expression hardened, stepped forward. "I'll escort him out."

"What have you found, Koko?" Katara asked, her PR manager, as she curled up on the sofa in her studio room.

Koko sighed on the other end of the line. immediately catching Katara's attention. There was a brief pause, a hesitation that Katara sensed before Koko continued, "Unfortunately, it seems your address was leaked through a third-party service used for fan mail."

The news hit Katara like a ton of bricks causing a sinking feeling to settle in her stomach. She shot up from the sofa, hoping she hadn't heard right. " No, no, no how could something like this happen?!"

"We're still piecing together the details," Koko replied calmly, although there was a slight waver in her voice. "It's possible, Jet could have gotten it that way Katara. I won't deny that. But we're not entirely sure yet. We're investigating every angle."

Katara took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as her thoughts raced. "How long did this happen?"

"Not sure yet, we're still investigating," Koko assured her, "only yesterday we received a message about the breach.

Katara bit her lip in thought. Jet had known where she lived for a while now, no doubt about that, the messages were proof enough. She couldn't fathom why it was so hard for him to let go of her. Then it clicked. During the lowest points in his life, she was there. She had felt sorry for him, living on the streets, surviving. She was always there for him to fall back on. He was charming and cunning, so she knew he was watching her and planning this. It all seemed more sinister than a simple leak. After what was uncovered today, she couldn't trust everyone close to her anymore. Jet could be very persuasive when he wanted to be.

"Katara, you there?" Koko asked through the line.

Katara ran a hand through her hair, letting out a shaky breath, "Y-yeah I'm here."

"How would you like for us to proceed?" Koko asked.

Katara closed her eyes, wishing she didn't have to make these decisions. A part of her wished her mother was here to do this for her. But she refused to let her mom stress over her problems. "What about taking legal action against the service?"

Koko considered her response carefully. "Legal action is an option, but it can be lengthy and might attract unwanted media attention and—"

"Well I'm not ready for that," Katara interjected, "not looking forward to a legal battle right now. Just please do what you must to get my private information off public."

"Ok first thing, I'll initiate a takedown request with any of the sites that may have your address, or other personal information. Please just ensure your location is secure." Koko responded earnestly.

Katara stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, "Thank you for handling this, Koko," she said as a lone tear fell from her eyes. She desperately needed to get back into her music, to escape the fear that clamped around her heart knowing he was truly back.

"Not a problem Ms. Katara, stay safe."

Ending the call, Katara dropped into the chair, as another memory slammed into her, vivid and unyielding.

-Flashback-

Katara's nerves were on edge as she had walked up the path to her family home with Jet. It was their first meeting, and she had wanted her family to approve of him.

Inside, Sokka had greeted them with a skeptical look. "So, Jet," he had begun, his tone challenging, "what do you do for a living?"

Jet leaned back, "Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that," he had replied vaguely, a hint of evasion in his voice.

Sokka had narrowed his eyes, pressing further. "Come on, man. Katara's my sister. We want to know who she's getting involved with."

"Sokka," Katara stopped her brother. But Jet had raised his hand to say its all good.

Jet's smile had tightened as he replied "I do what I need to do to get by. Some jobs pay better than others," he said, his intense gaze flickering to Katara.

Katara looked down.

Their mother, Kya, interjected smoothly, trying to diffuse the tension. "And how did you two meet?"

Jet's had smirked briefly before he answered, "Around town. Katara caught my eye, you know?"

Katara was caught off guard by his bold confession in front of her parents.

So, Jet, what's your background? Where are you from?" Sokka had cut in, eying the man suspiciously.

Jet's smile had remained guarded, his eyes briefly flicking towards Katara before answering vaguely, "I've been around. Moved a lot."

Hakoda, sensing Sokka's line of questioning, interjected smoothly, "And your family?"

"Dad—" Katara had cut in, only to be stopped by an intense look from her boyfriend.

Jet's expression had tightened imperceptibly. "They're not in the picture." He responded to Hakoda's question, not hiding the cold tone used.

Their father, Hakoda, studied the young man, taking in how he carried himself. "What are your intentions with my daughter, Jet?"

Jet had shifted uncomfortably, "I care about Katara," he said finally, his tone firm. "I can provide for her, give her what she needs."

After dinner, as they had been driving home, the silence between them had been palpable. Katara couldn't bear it. "What's wrong?" she had asked, her voice trembling. "They liked you. They just need some time to get to know you."

Jet hadn't responded. The silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating. Finally, he had pulled the car over into a dark alley, his eyes burning with anger.

"So, you talk shit to your family behind my back?" Jet had accused, his voice harsh.

Katara's heart pounded. "No, Jet. They're just protective. They want to make sure I'm safe."

"What did you tell them?" he had asked, his tone slightly gentler now, but still with a certain force.

Katara hesitated, then replied softly, "I had told them..y-you're great."

Jet had smiled, "I hope that's true," he said, reaching out to gently touch her cheek. "Because you know I treat you well."

Katara felt conflicted, but she had managed a small nod. Jet leaned closer, cupping her cheeks. "Kiss me,"

She had complied, not liking the way he demanded it, but didn't want to make him angry, like last time..

"I don't like your brother," Jet had said coldly after they parted "He's a problem."

"He's just looking out for me," Katara had said, trying to keep her voice steady."

Jet's expression hardened. "If you love me, you'll stay away from them. I don't need them interfering. We can move away."

Tears had welled in Katara's eyes. "I can't just cut them off. They're my family."

Jet had leaned closer, his voice a dangerous whisper. "For me, Katty. If you love me, you'll do it."

Katara's heart twisted. She had felt trapped between the love she felt for her family and her desire to make things work with Jet. "Okay," she had whispered, her voice breaking. "I'll try."

Jet had nodded, satisfied. He started the car again, the tension easing slightly but leaving a lingering fear in Katara's heart. She had looked out the window, her tears falling silently as the city lights blurred by.

"That's my girl," Jet had murmured, his hand gripping hers firmly.

"EARTH TO KATARA!"

Katara jumped out of the sofa and landed on the floor with a thud while Sokka stood over her, waving his hands in her face.

"Sokka! You scared me," Katara said placing her hand on her heart. She discreetly wiped the moisture from her eyes.

"I uh sorry, how are you holding up?" he asked, helping her to her feet "

Katara blinked in surprise at how unusually serious her brother sounded. She swallowed, "I'll be okay Sokka," she said trying to convince herself more than anything.

"Is this the first time he has been bothering you since his release?" He asked, with a bit of venom in his voice.

Katara immediately stiffened at the sudden question, now realizing she hadn't told he brother of the text messages and calls she received prior. "Yeah." She lied.

Knowing Sokka, he was impulsive. She didn't want him to go after Jet without thinking and get hurt, or end up in prison. He had his entire future ahead of him. She didn't want her family to worry too much about her.

Sokka scrutinized her for a good while, then slumped forward, "I feel like I'm failing to protect you."

"Sokka stop saying that," she said, trying to keep the oncoming tears at bay, "you're the best brother anyone can ask for. Although I keep insisting I don't need your protection," she added rolling her eyes, "I will figure this out. But, thanks for standing up for me."

"Anytime," Sokka said with a nod. Then, unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug.

Katara stilled for a moment before hugging him back. "What's this for?"

"I'm sorry for what happened today too," Sokka said.

Katara sighed, pulling back to look at him. "It's okay, I kind of saw it coming. That's why I didn't want a bunch of people around. My one bodyguard is enough as it is."

"I know but it still sucks," Sokka said, his brow furrowing. "That guard was working for our family for years. And to betray you for some money…"

He stopped himself, not wanting her to know the reason for the guard's motive.

"Yeah, well, not everyone can be trusted," Katara said softly.

The betrayal stung deeper than she cared to admit. The realization that someone hired for her protection succumbed to greed for mere money, left a bitter taste in her mouth.

It wasn't just about the breach of security; it was about the breach of trust. In her line of work, trust was everything. It was also a stark reminder of how far Jet was willing to go to get to her.

"Speaking of which," Sokka said, pulling her from her thoughts, "I was thinking of hiring a private investigator to look into your bodyguard."

Katara snapped her head back at her brother, her eyes narrowing in shock at what he was insinuating.

"Excuse me, what?"

"I said—"

"Oh, I heard you Sokka. And why in La's name would you do that?!" Katara asked, her voice rising in anger.

"After what happened today, I just want to be sure," Sokka said, his tone earnest.

"I trust him!" Katara insisted.

"How can you be so sure?!" Sokka's voice grew louder. "That guard was with us for years, and he turned out to be—"

"Keep your voice down!" Katara hissed, glancing around. "Where is Aang?"

"He' left to go somewhere, said he will be back," Sokka replied, lowering his voice. "But Katara, think about it…"

"Hell no, Sokka! And that's final," she said firmly. I can't believe you would put him in that category after seeing how he handled the situation. And don't you think if he wanted to harm me, he would've done it by now? He's been supportive of me, and I trust him." She caught herself before she said too much.

Sokka eyed her suspiciously but finally backed down. "Fine, but I'll keep an eye on him."

Katara rolled her eyes and swiftly changed the subject. "Anyway, it's nice to know that you and Suki are now official."

Sokka blushed a little, trying to hide it by laughing. "Oh, that. Yeah, well, Suki wanted to be the one to tell you."

"Fair enough," Katara said with a grin. "Because I was getting just a little mad you didn't tell me first. Anyway, I'm happy for you, treat her well and listen to her, okay?"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Sokka said, grinning.

"And sis?"

"Yea?"

"I know I can act a bit overprotective sometimes—"

"More like ALL the time" Katara interjected with a roll of her eyes.

"That's my job! I care about you, that's why." Sokka gestured wildly with his arms trying to make his point.

"I know Sokka," Katara said, smiling at her brother. "I do too you know."

"But you know," he continued, "I also want you to be happy and find someone who genuinely cares about you. Just let me have a serious talk with them first though." He said only half joking.

Katara was quite taken aback by her brother's admission. He had never been so open and mature when talking about her love life, which only deepened the guilt she was feeling at not telling him about Aang and what they had. But this was different, she knew. Although her family could not change her decision in any way, there could still be repercussions. In the back of her mind, she wished Aang and her had met under different circumstances.

"It must get lonely here in this house all the time," her brother continued."

Oh, brother, you're so oblivious.

"Yeah, I know. But, like I said, I'm focused on my music." Katara said, looking away. "Why are we even having this conversation Sokka? I thought you said you would mutilate the next guy that tries to get with me."

"That still stands," Sokka said, which earned him a slap on the back of his head. "Ow! You didn't even let me finish my statement," he complained.

Katara shot a warning glare at him but allowed him to continue. "As I was saying, I'm still going to be protective of you. That won't change, you're my lil sis and after everything that happened, I'm not gonna take it easy on the next guy." Katara was about to protest when Sokka stopped her, "But, I think you deserve to be happy again, just wanted to put that out there."

"Is that a tear I'm seeing Sokka?" Katara teased her brother. But then she hugged him. "Just know that I am happy," she said, "Despite all the crazy stuff happening around, I'm good. Thanks for looking out for me though."

"Yeah… now all this sappiness has made me hungry," Sokka said when they parted from the hug.

"And Sokka's back," Katara said rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I'm just a simple guy with simple needs," Sokka said defensively. Especially that Suki has already spoiled me with her cooking."

"My goodness Sokka, you have a chef for crying out loud," Katara admonished, getting up from her chair and stretching.

"Sokka shrugged, "I just like her food more. And I don't have her doing that all the time."

Katara couldn't argue with that because she felt the same way. Aang had magic hands, it was something about his food that felt more homey compared to the ones made by her chef. She bit her lip not knowing which she liked more—the delicious food he makes, or the way he looks making them.

Dirty, dirty thoughts Katara…

"Yeah, but lately I noticed she's not around as often as before," Sokka bit his lip in thought, "just hope I'm not coming on too strong."

Katara studied her brother and noticed his concerned expression. She could sense that he didn't want to mess this up. Then her mind went back to what Suki told her earlier and she felt a pang of hurt for the both of them.

"Just talk to her Sokka, and don't forget to listen too. It'll be okay." Katara said, patting her brother's back in comfort. She just hoped everything would work out between them. She could still recall how heartbroken Sokka had been when his long term girlfriend, Yue had moved away, then changed her number, wanting nothing to do with him.

"Yeah, I'll do that. I'm leaving now, so please take care of yourself," Sokka said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "It will also be worth looking into for another place," he mumbled.

Katara jerked her head towards her brother and sighed, "Sokka, I'm not making him win. I can't just up and leave every time…" her voice breaks slightly, "every time he shows up in my life. I gotta face it head-on now."

Sokka, knowing he won't win against his sister especially once her mind is made up, dropped his hands in defeat, "Have it your way sis, but promise me you will at least agree to install more security features around the apartment."

"Sokka—"

"Katara please," Sokka interjected, looking at her earnestly.

"Fine," Katara said, realizing she already promised Aang the same thing.

They hugged once more, and she watched as her brother left. She hung her head as another painful memory flooded her mind.

-flashback-

Who the hell is this Kuzon that's texting you?" Jet's voice had reverberated through the small apartment, his face twisted in anger.

Katara's eyes had widened in shock. "Why are you going through my phone, Jet?"

"Answer me!" Jet had demanded, his grip tightening around her phone.

Katara's anger flared as she had pulled her phone away from him. "It's my friend, but it's none of your business. You need to stop this, Jet, or I'll leave you."

Without warning, Jet's hand had lashed out, striking her across the cheek with a resounding crack. The sharp sound had echoed in the room, leaving a stinging silence in its wake. Katara's hand had flown to her cheek, her eyes wide with shock and pain.

She stood still for several seconds, not believing that the man who she admitted her love for a few months ago had just hit her, "Why… did you hit me?" she asked as her voice had cracked and big hot tears ran down her cheeks unbidden.

"You needed to know your place!" Jet had shouted, and he kicked her roughly in her stomach as she crumbled to the floor.

Her mind was a jumbled mess, she felt so small and vulnerable. 'I need to get out of this relationship', she thinks to herself as she lay on the floor, her throat tight with the panic of the fact that maybe he was capable of much more. That is until she heard his next words.

"If you ever try to leave me," Jet had growled, his voice low and menacing, as he stooped to the ground "I'll kill you. And then I'll go after everyone close to you."

Katara lay there frozen, her mind racing with fear and disbelief. The weight of his threat pressed down on her, leaving her feeling trapped and helpless. He rushed out of the apartment, while she stayed in a fetal position and cried her heart out.

Hours later, Jet had returned with a bouquet of flowers in his hands, and his demeanor entirely changed. "I'm sorry, babe," he had said softly, his eyes filled with remorse. "I shouldn't have done that. I'm such an ass." He berates himself, "It's just that sometimes I feel you will leave me like everyone left. Like my father left. I can't lose you, you're my lifeline."

Katara had looked at him kneeling before her, her heart aching. She knew she should walk away, but the fear and his twisted affection held her captive. "Okay," she had whispered, her voice hollow. "I forgive you."

Katara had forced a smile, but inside, she had felt a part of her soul wither away, leaving her feeling dead inside.

The next day, Toph had stood outside Katara's door, hesitating for a moment before knocking gently, unsure of how her friend would receive her. After a few tense seconds, Katara had opened the door, her eyes red-rimmed and her expression guarded.

"Toph?" Katara's voice had wavered with a mix of surprise and apprehension.

"Toph gets straight to the point. "Kuzon saw Jet coming out of a hotel with another woman hand in hand, before they parted, they kissed.

Katara had blinked, a flicker of hurt crossing her features before she composed herself. "I see," she had murmured, her voice tight.

The truth was, it was not news to her. She saw the signs, yet, he would not move on and let her be.

Toph was taken aback by her friend's response, "Wait you knew? And you're still putting up with him?!"

Katara's throat had tightened, tears stinging her eyes. She turned away slightly, a tremor in her voice. "Toph, I… I can't just leave him," she had whispered, her voice shaking. "You don't understand."

"If you talked to me I would understand," Toph had said, willing her friend to hear her out. I can even get a lawyer if that's the case, we can figure this out." She had said, begging some more.

"Toph, please," Katara had pleaded, tears threatening to spill over, "It's complicated."

Toph's patience snapped, "Katara, can't you see what he's doing to you? He's isolating you, making you small and insignificant. And those bruises…" Toph's voice cracked with emotion. "Don't think I don't know."

Katara's eyes had filled with tears as she struggled to find the words to explain, torn between her fear of Jet's retaliation and her longing to confide in her friend. "Toph, I… I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't. It's not safe."

"Why are you protecting him, Katara? He doesn't deserve your loyalty. You deserve to be safe, to be happy."

Katara's shoulders had slumped, her resolve crumbling under the weight of Toph's words and her own inner turmoil. "Just go, Toph," she had whispered, her voice breaking. "Please. Tell everyone I'm okay. Don't ever come back."

Toph felt a surge of anger. "Fine," she had bit out, turning on her heel and slamming the door behind her.

As soon as the door had slammed shut, Katara's facade had shattered like fragile glass under a hammer blow. Tears had welled up in her eyes, hot and uncontrollable, streaming down her cheeks in rivulets that mirrored the pain etched deep within her soul. Her shoulders had shook with each sob, the weight of her anguish bearing down on her like a suffocating blanket.

-End of flashback-

"Katara?"

Katara snapped back to the present upon the distant calling of her name by a familiar kind voice.

She opened her eyes and saw Aang standing over her with a concerned look on his handsome face.

She followed the action of his hands as he cupped her cheeks and with his thumb, he wiped the moisture from her eyes; she didn't realize she was crying

"I don't like it when you cry." He said softly while peering down at her.

Katara looked up at him and suddenly felt like she didn't deserve his affection. She knew seeing Jet again triggered these memories she had never wanted to think of again. Now a string of questions kept running through her mind; what if Aang changed? Jet was nice at first too. What if…

"Tara, please talk to me," Aang said kneeling by the chair she was lying in and taking one of her hands in his.

Katara sighed, "Just thinking about what happened yesterday, now today," she said looking at their intertwined hands.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Aang said squeezing her hands, "I don't want you to worry, leave that to me."

Katara felt comforted by his words and forced a small smile, "I know you will," she said, looking into his stormy grey eyes. Those eyes brought out all kinds of emotions in her.

"There's that smile," he said, grinning and Katara couldn't help but chuckle.

But then there was something nagging at her mind to ask him. She didn't want to pry too much, but she was falling deep for him and she wanted to know.

"Uh Aang, can I ask you something?" she said sitting up in the chair. Aang shifted himself and sat across from her.

"Yeah sure," he replied, while still holding her hands.

"How did your last relationship end?"

Aang immediately stiffened at the question, wondering why she was asking so suddenly. The topic of his ex was the last thing he wanted to talk about; mostly because of the pain and hurt that came with it. But, he cared deeply for the woman across from him, so he knew he had to open up to her.

"I'm sorry, forget I asked," Katara said, about to get up.

Aang immediately caught her wrist, realizing he had taken too long to respond. "Katara, come sit, please?"

She complied and Aang leaned forward and held her hand with both of his, looking straight in her eyes. "It's hard to talk about it because she was my first," he said breathing in deeply, " I don't open up fast to people, after what happened with my mom. But I opened up my heart to her and I got hurt. She was cheating and lying to me and I didn't want to believe it. It wasn't until I got proof of what she was doing that I had enough."

Aang finished talking and lowered his head. He felt vulnerable but also free to open up to someone again. Katara placed one of her hands under Aang's chin and tilted his head up towards her. Aang looked into her eyes and saw the tears settling in her eyes.

"I'm sorry you went through that," Katara said, her voice breaking, "you're such a caring person, you didn't deserve that."

"Hey, hey," Aang said cupping Katara's cheek and rubbing her tears away, "that's all in the past, it was hurtful at the time, and I did a lot of messed up things to cope with how I was feeling at the time, but I'm over it now. It's just when I love, it goes deep."

At the mention of the word 'love', Katara's heart fluttered. With Aang there holding her cheek lovingly, her true feelings all came to a head; she loved him, all of him. Probably since the first time they met. The entire notion scared her, but she couldn't help how she felt. But would he feel the same so soon?

"Do you have any more questions, princess?" Aang asked smiling. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears, sending a shiver over her.

"Not any I can think of," Katara said smiling back."

Aang let out a silent breath of relief. He wasn't ready for Katara to learn about the choices he made after the breakup with his ex. Those were not his proudest moments.

"What time is it?" Katara asked while sitting back in the chair.

"9:00 pm."

"What?!" Katara shot up from the chair, surprising Aang. She had her shutters down in the studio room, so she didn't realize all that time had passed.

Aang chuckled, "let's go eat, I have some things I want to go over."

Katara nodded and followed him out of the room.

When they reached the dining room, there was Katara's favorite meal, sea prunes along with other vegetarian dishes.

Katara eyed Aang, "you were up to this, weren't you?" she said shooting him a smile.

Aang rubbed the back of his neck, blushing. "I may have," he said pulling out a chair for her. "But I allowed the chef to prepare some of the meals, so it doesn't look too suspicious. But I made this for you," he said, gesturing to her sea prunes.

Katara's heart melted at the gesture. She couldn't believe she was questioning whether Aang would change. He was nothing like her ex.

"Oh Aang, you know you're spoiling me. How do you even know how to make this? You don't like it," she pointed out, taking a mouthful of her soup.

"Once I found out it's your favorite, I asked Zuko's uncle for the recipe."

"And you did all this when?" Katara asked.

"Earlier, when your brother went to see you, I went over to the restaurant and made it," Aang said blushing. "I know you were going through a lot, and I wanted to do something for you."

Without a word, Katara held Aang's wrist as he was about to sit and brought his head down to hers in a loving kiss. This kiss was full of love and admiration for the caring nature of the man. Aang returned the favor, cupping her cheeks as their heads tilted and lips moved in sync. They parted and rested their foreheads together.

"Is this your way of saying I should cook more often?" Aang asked, grinning.

Katara playfully shoved him as he laughed and took his seat. "Next time, I'll have to thank you the old-fashioned way," she teased.

They ate their meal in comfortable silence, with the occasional playful banter and light flirting.

"So," Aang started after they finished eating, "I spoke with Zuko on the phone earlier and he said if Jet shows up again or bothers you again, be it the calls or messages, we can start the process of getting a restraining order," Aang said, his jaw clenching at the mere mention of the man's name.

Katara was silent for a while, pondering the way her ex was able to continuously get away with what he wanted. "So, why wait until he strikes again?" Katara asked.

Aang sighed, "I asked the same Katara, but Zuko and a few other of his colleagues he spoke with said it's the first breach since he was released, so their hands are tied until he tries anything drastic again."

"What about the condition the court set out for him to relocate? He clearly breached that.

"That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about," Aang said, drumming his fingers against the table, I brought this up, and, well it's not good."

"What is it?"

"Apparently his lawyers had negotiated a plea bargain."

Katara's eyes widened in disbelief. "A plea bargain? How does that excuse him not moving away like he was supposed to?"

Aang took Katara's hands in his as he continued, "his lawyer convinced the court to impose a different set of punishments instead of relocation; increased supervision with community service, and mandatory therapy sessions for six months."

Katara sat dumbfounded for a few minutes, then it all clicked. The reason he didn't contact her for all those months. Still, how he got her number remained a mystery to her.

"I guess Jet always gets what Jet wants," Katara mumbled quietly to herself, her brows furrowed.

Aang heard her and came to sit next to her. "Tara, look at me, " he requested softly.

Katara raised her head, looking him in the eye. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, "We will get through this. He has to get to me first."

At the mention of that, Katara drew her attention to Aang's bruised cheek, a small band-aid covering it. Her anger toward her ex flared up again.

"How is your face?" Katara asked, gesturing to the wound.

Aang gave a small, dismissive shrug. "Oh, it's nothing," he said, trying to downplay it. "But Jet on the other hand…I think he got the message."

Katara couldn't help but chuckle, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. "Good. He deserved it."

"Anything for you princess," Aang said, opening his arms to her in a hug.

Katara blushed furiously and melted in his embrace, drinking in his breezy sandalwood scent that had her heart beating wildly in her chest as she burrowed deeper into the hollow of his shoulder.

Aang could remember the words. The vile words about Katara, leaving the mouth of the coward's mouth, and that was it for him, he saw red. He was fiercely protective of the woman in his arms; a woman whom he was falling hard for. Maybe it was her striking beauty or her sweet, caring nature. Either way, one fact remained: he loved her. But would the truth of those words scare her away?

A few minutes later, Aang heard Katara's breathing slowing down. He shifted his head carefully and saw that she was sleeping.

"Katara?" he tried calling her, but she didn't budge.

With very careful movements, he placed one hand under her knees and another under her arm and carried her bridal style up the stairs to her room, her small body clinging to him.

He entered and laid her down, but her hands were still around his neck. He tried to carefully pry her hands off him to make her more comfortable, but she tightened her arms more tightly around his neck.

"Tara, I need my hands now," he murmured while trying to pry her hands away again. A sudden burst of laughter emanated from Katara, taking him by surprise.

Aang opened his mouth in shock, you weren't sleeping?"

Katara grinned, her eyes filled with mischief, "I wanted you to carry me and I got my way."

Aang held his chest in mock shock as he eyed Katara. "You will have to pay for that," he said.

"Yea? What do you have in mind?" she asked in a sultry voice.

In a flash, he darted towards her, his fingers wiggling menacingly. "Aang, no!" Katara shrieked, but it was too late. His hands found their mark, and he began tickling her sides mercilessly.

"Aang, stop! I can't breathe!" Katara gasped between bouts of laughter, her eyes watering as she squirmed to get away.

"Not until you say sorry," Aang replied, grinning down at her.

"But I didn't do anything!" she protested, though her words were barely intelligible through her giggles.

"Still waiting," Aang teased, his fingers relentless in their assault.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Katara finally managed to gasp out, her face red from laughter.

Aang found himself hovering over Katara, and soon realized he was on her bed. At that realization, he pulled himself up quickly, feeling like he had crossed a line.

"Uh, I'll let you get ready for bed," he said, rubbing his neck and turning to leave.

Katara lay on her bed, her weight resting on her elbows. "Stay, please?" she asked shyly.

Aang swallowed, his mouth going dry at Katara's request. Although they had started a relationship, and had a few kisses here and there, sleeping in her bed felt like pushing too far. He didn't know if he would be able to control himself with her pressed against him. Despite these conflicting thoughts, he found himself nodding.

Spirit knows he couldn't say no to her

After they both freshened up in their separate rooms, Aang knocked on her door in case she was not decent.

"Come in Aang," he heard her soft voice across the door.

He entered cautiously and found Katara sitting up on the bed, wearing a silky pajama set. Her skin was glistening in the moonlight, which made her akin to a goddess. Her sapphire eyes followed his movement, as he made his way slowly to her.

As he reached the edge of her bed, Katara raised the blanket up for him to join her, and his heartbeat picked up considerably. It felt almost like déjà vu. Only this time, they both were sober.

He slid onto the bed, sitting awkwardly at the very end, as Katara rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to bite you," she teased.

"You sure about that?" he said smirking, as he regained his confidence.

Katara's cheeks flushed at his response. She shifted closer to him, then straddled him in one swift motion.

Aang felt his manhood twitch the moment Katara landed on his lap. He knew they should stop, that this was a far cry from taking it slow, but she felt so soft and pliant in his arms. And her scent was so fresh, so intoxicating. Katara placed her hands around his neck, while his hands found their way around her waist. For a moment, the two of them just gazed at each other intensely, silently, grey orbs meeting her oceanic blue.

In an instant, Katara crashed her lips against his, and he returned in kind. The kiss started out slow, and deliberate each movement a careful exploration of the other, as Aang's hands found their way to her lower back, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. Then his kisses became frenzied, kissing down her jawline to her neck and shoulder, eliciting a moan from Katara. She suddenly felt his arousal hard against her inner thigh and her eyes shot open. This was new to her, and were they going too far?

She slowly broke the kiss, her breathing ragged. Aang's eyes widened when he saw her staring at the tent in his pants. He quickly pulled the pillow on his lap, his face flushed from embarrassment.

"Katara, I'm sorry I—"

Katara silenced him by placing a finger on his lips. "Aang it's alright," she said shifting herself off him to lay by his side, "we both got carried away," she added with a blush on her face.

"Did I make you uncomfortable?" He asked, his voice soft.

"No Aang, you could never. It just felt new to me, feeling that part of you, she said hiding her face on his chest.

Aang smiled, a part of him relieved she didn't see him as perverted. "You know," he said hovering close to her ear, "I can't help that you're so beautiful, you do things to me, Tara."

Katara's face turned red from Aang's admission, as an involuntary moan escaped her lips. It was a wonder that he could go from shy to confident so fast.

Aang smirked when he saw the effect his words had on her. Then, his expression got serious, "Katara look at me," he said softly. Katara looked up into his charcoal eyes, "we don't have to rush into anything. We have enough time to figure things out. I want us to move at a pace that feels right for you."

Aang then settled in a lying position on the bed with Katara in his arms. He played with her hair while she drew circles on his chest.

Before Katara could respond, the piercing sound of her ringtone filled the silence.

She entangled from Aang's arms and grabbed her phone. The caller ID showed her manager calling, and she wondered why the late call.

On the phone

Hi Kerry, any reason for the late call?

"Hey Katara," Kerry's voice was buzzing with excitement. "Sorry for the late call, but I have great news that was confirmed not too long ago."

"No, you're all good. What's that?"

"Ok, so being the great manager that I am…" Katara rolled her eyes playfully. "I got you signed to the most prestigious record label, Roku's Records!"

"Wait, what? Are you serious?" Katara's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Completely serious! They were really impressed with your latest album and want to work with you. We need to set up a meeting to go over the contract and discuss the next steps."

"Oh spirits, Kerry! This is amazing! I guess I don't mind the late call after all.

"That's not all," Kerry continued.

"What else could there be?"

"They want you to collaborate with another singer. The artiste actually requested it"

"Who?"

"Let me check back my notes, hold on."

Katara, still on her happy high, glanced at Aang. He was lounging on her bed, watching her with an amused smile. Seeing how ecstatic she was, he smiled goofily, then reached out to take her hand, kissing it softly. Katara blushed, her heart fluttering.

"I'm back," Kerry's voice came through the phone again. "The singer's name is

Azula Voss."

The man groaned as the sunlight filtered through the blinds, piercing his eyes. He turned over, feeling the unfamiliar weight of someone next to him. He cursed under his breath as he realized the situation. He looked over at the naked woman in his bed, barely covered by the sheets, as he racked his brain for any memory of how he ended up in this compromising position. He rubbed his eyes and pulled his hands through his hair as memories of the night before came crashing down on him.

The blinding rage he felt after leaving that place, the pain in his face, he wanted to get a gun, turn the car around, and finish the job. Instead, he drove blindly to the nearest dance club with the intention of getting wasted, when his eyes flickers on the dancer that seemed to be eying him. It takes him a while to realize this is more than just a club. Without thinking, he requested a private dance, anything to get his mind off the girl that fucked with his heart. One thing led to another and he found himself being asked if he wanted to have some fun. He nodded dumbly while the dancer pulled him to the upper floor of the club and shoved him into the room. He remembered smirking and thinking that it wouldn't be too bad to get back in the game.

"Shit," the man muttered to himself.

Quietly, he slipped out of bed and began grabbing his clothes from the floor, hastily putting them on. Just as he was about to sneak out, the girl stirred.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked, her voice sultry and teasing.

Jet froze, then looked back at her. "Where do you think? I'm leaving."

"What if I don't want you to go?" she asked seductively, sitting up and letting the sheet slip down her bare shoulders.

Jet sucked his teeth and sat back down on the edge of the bed. "How did I even get here?" he asked, already knowing, but just wanting to delight in the hurt expression on her face. He usually did this with the whores he slept with.

The girl's eyes widened in disbelief. "You don't remember?" she asked incredulously, then slapped him hard across the face.

"What was that for?" Jet's voice thundered, as he rubbed his cheek. He curled his fist tightly against his palm to not hit the woman.

"For being a douchebag," she snapped, her eyes flashing. "And it's a nice addition to the bruises you already have."

Jet winced, touching the tender spots on his face where the asshole had punched him. He would get him back for that, he thought darkly. "Okay, I'll stop messing around. I do remember. I just don't want to remember you."

The girl's expression turned from anger to a hurt one. "You don't want to remember? I thought… I thought you liked it."

Jet rolled his eyes, his irritation rising. "Look, I'm hung up on someone. I just needed a release, and you were there."

"That's all I was? A release?!" the girl snapped again.

"Oh don't let's forget, you were screaming another dude's name while I had my way with you." Jet shot back icily.

The girl's face flushed with embarrassment, and she immediately deflated. "Yeah, I guess I'm not over my ex either."

Jet stood up, heading for the door. "Look, I gotta go."

"Wait," she said, stopping him. "You're right, I'm into someone else, but… friends?"

Jet looked at her long and hard, his face hardening. "No."

The girl's eyes flashed with anger. "Fine. Pay me my money then," she said harshly.

"Your mom knows you're a hooker?" Jet taunted her.

The woman's eyes narrowed in anger, as she crossed her arms. "Not that it's any of your fucking business, but I'm a dancer, not a hooker. You're lucky you got to sleep with me."

"It's the same thing," Jet said smirking as he pulled out some cash, dropping it on the vanity next to her phone. As he did, the phone's screen lit up, revealing a face he didn't anticipate seeing so soon. The anger was still fresh, his insides burning in jealousy as he stared at the man who was in his way of getting the one he wanted.

"Is that him?" Jet asked, gesturing to the phone.

The girl scrambled for her phone, clutching it protectively. "You nosy prick, but yes. That's him," she said with a dreamy look on her face.

Stupid oblivious girl, he thought to himself.

Then a devious smile spread across his face. "On second thought, wouldn't mind being friends, " he said.

The girl looked at him suspiciously. "Why the sudden change of mind?"

"Oh nothing," Jet said, smirking. "Let's exchange numbers."

"Okay then," the girl replied warily as she handed him her phone.

They quickly exchanged numbers, and as Jet turned to leave, he paused at the door. "By the way, didn't get your name."

"Onji," she replied.

Jet nodded as he walked out the door. "Nice to meet you, Onji, we'll keep in touch."

A/N: I appreciate the read and the reviews this story is receiving. Thank you so much, guys.

Review responses:

KL117: Thank you so much for reviewing! Yes, Jet is so naïve, he really had it coming. Oh, and we'll see later on what 'Lee' has planned.

Guest: Thank you for your reviews! I'm really glad you are enjoying the story. Sorry, I'm taking so long with updates.

Ashley Barbosa: hello! Welcome back, thank you so much for your reviews!

-Oh don't worry, I have plans for Azula. I see her as more of a sneaky inside person. Yess, I always try to add some amount of Kataang fluff in my story, cuz I can't get enough of them haha. Hakoda is very trusting and Ozai is going at length to disguise.

-Yeah Jet is doing the most to intimidate Katara. Of course, I had to add in the teasing nature of Toph towards the Kataang relationship haha (Although the author that does it best is Stag96). I do plan on bringing on more ATLA characters, but the main characters the story will be about are Katara and Aang. I also have a minor storyline for Suki and Toph, but for the other characters, they might play only minor role.

-Yea I had to bring in Ozai and his evil side. Glad you like Suki's storyline. Jet has it coming.

Min-chan17: Your reviews are greatly appreciated! I'm glad you are enjoying the story