A/N: Back again! I'm surprised at myself haha. Anyway, that's really down to you guys. You all are such awesome motivators that I cant help but stick to this updating schedule thing. You guys will enjoy this chapter, you guessed it, because there's angst haha. But also because we get some great Aang-Katara moments.

Responses to guest reviews:

A: hehe I apologise for keeping you up, but I hope it was worth the reduced sleep XD I'm glad to hear that, thought you'd feel the same way about her as Yun XD Yes man, very cruel, butttt I don't blame you she does give very mixed signals, but she's had a hard time with her husband forgetting his memories and looking after a child all alone XD I suppose all the spirit stuff isn't quite as prominent in this universe as in the show, so its very much not at the forefront of their minds, although one could wonder about the timing, but as you said, so much was happening that there wasn't time to dwell on it. Haha that would be very funny XD I get the feeling you're gonna really like this chapter.

Haneypots: Forgive me for putting you in the doom XD You're gonna have to yell at them for them to be able to ya hehe. Not at all, I enjoy hearing your thoughts, makes me grin wickedly at my continued success of upping the drama haha. Couldn't reach the link unfortunately but I'll try again! Wow man that is a deep and awesome idea, I like the thought of it, honestly I wish I thought of it. Might give me food for thought in future fics XD Have fun with this chapter! XD

/

Katara's POV:

When the car finally pulls up in front of my house, it takes everything in me not to dash out of the car and escape the awkward silent air that settled in the car after my outburst.

"Thanks for driving me here." I voice gratefully as my hand moves to the handle.

"Of course, and Katara I would love if we could be friends if you're up for it?" Jin asks as my fingers tighten around the handle. 'Friends with my ex-husband's new partner? It feels like fate wants to punish me for all my mistakes and misdeeds.' But instead of voicing that to her I force a smile to my face and nod.

"Sure." I say courteously, because despite the circumstances she's genuinely someone I would've been friends with in another life. The woman seems to detect the undertone meaning of my response and gives me a half smile in understanding. I pull the handle and push open the door.

"Katara?" My body goes still at hearing the Airbender's voice and after an age I finally turn to look at him when no other words are forthcoming from him.

"Yes?" I prompt impatiently, itching to get away from his watchful gaze. His grey stormy orbs can be so hard to look into sometimes and I thank the spirits that Yatsu didn't inherit it from me otherwise I don't know how I would've been able to cope or look at the boy day in and day out.

"I'm sorry." My ex-husband whispers for what must've been the tenth time. I release a long sigh as I turn to face him properly.

"Please stop apologising. It's not going to change anything. Just...be happy." I whisper which leaves the Air Nomad confused as he stares at me. Even after I've exited the car and closed the door, I can still feel his gaze on me.

"I'll park your car up front. We can walk the rest of the way." Jin informs from her rolled down window. I give her a weak smile.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." I voice with a slight bow of my head.

"Well, we were about to use some public transport to get back home, so I should be thanking you for letting us use your car." The woman reminds mildly as she sticks her arm out from the car window. "It's been a pleasure meeting you. I'm sure we'll run into each other again." Jin comments kindly and I stretch out my hand to shake hers.

"I'm sure we will." I agree as my eyes subconsciously slide over to the man beside her. "Look after him." I murmur softly as I retract my hand. Jin glances to the Airbender before gazing back at me.

"Always." The woman confirms with an easy smile. I don't wait until they're gone and make a beeline towards the house door to unlock it.

As soon as I enter the house, I instantly know everyone's gone to either work or school and I deflate at knowing I missed seeing Yatsu. I bite my lip as I whip out my phone to send Yun a text saying I'm home and then pocket the device. I glance at the clock and with a tired sigh, I realise it's getting near to the start of my shift. With a groan, I drag my body to my bedroom to change for work.


11 Hours Later:

When I finally return back home from work and slip my shoes off, I feel so close to collapsing that I barely register the small pitter-patter of feet until small arms are wrapping around my calves. When I look down, I find Yatsu completely distraught as tears smudge his face.

"I'm sorry I was mean to you Mummy, please don't disappear again." The boy apologises with heart-wrenching sobs as his tears soak my trousers. I fall to my knees in an instant and hold him tight. 'Shoot, I knew being apart for this long would be too much for him. We've only really had each other over the years.' I think with a lump of guilt as I give him a tight squeeze.

"There was a lot of stuff going on, I'm sorry I haven't been around much." I whisper softly as his little body shakes with anguish. He looks up at me with tear-stained cheeks and a snotty nose as his lips wobble.

"So, you didn't disappear because I was mad at you?" Yatsu asks with a wobbly voice. 'Oh shoot, when I talked to Yun, I should've asked him to put Yatsu on the phone.' I realise with shame as I shake my head vigorously.

"Definitely not!" I voice so firmly that the boy's eyes start to dry.

"But...but you always come home, even if it's late. I always hear you. Or-or you're always there in the morning." Yatsu protests and I heave a sigh.

"Something came up. Took a wrong turn and ended up in another city so had to stay at a hotel because it was so late." I explain, hating that I'm being so dishonest with the child. 'But I can't possibly tell him that I was being stalked and then passed out from exhaustion after his father found me.' I think to myself just as my son pulls away slightly to analyse my features.

"Are you sure?" He mumbles. I stretch out my hand to cup his face and nod with utmost certainty.

"I'm sure. I would never disappear no matter how angry you are at me." I promise gently and the boy's eyes well up again with tears.

"I'm...sorry Mama." Yatsu's voice catches as he hangs his head in shame. I bite my lip before moving my hand to tilt his chin up so that we lock eyes once more.

"I should be the one apologising." I state firmly, but when he starts shaking his head, my hand drops from his face.

"I should never be mad at you Mama." Yatsu insists stubbornly and it pulls at something deep inside me as I feel tears prick the backs of my eyes, but I blink them away.

"As much as I love the thought of that, it's natural that you will be mad at me sometimes. I...I'm sorry I never told you." I mumble as I continue to chew my lip. The boy watches me steadily for the longest time before he starts mimicking me by chewing his lip.

"Why...why did you never tell my Daddy about me?" Yatsu's voice is so small and fragile, as if it could break at any moment. I gag at the question.

"Would you accept that it was for reasons out of my control?" I plead. The boy doesn't seem to like the sound of that, but when he scrutinises me, his shoulders slump.

"I want to know Mummy, but...you look tired. I'll ask you another day." Yatsu whispers as he reaches for my hand. His empathy moves me so much that I reach forward to plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Thank you, sweetie." I murmur as I pull back. "I love you very much." I add. Usually, he repeats the sentiment in a heartbeat, but today the hesitation is clear in his blue oceanic orbs.

"I...love you too Mama." Yatsu whispers back, but his eyes notably stray away from mine. I bite the inside of my lip when I realise I've really butchered our relationship. 'He's only talking to me now because he was worried when he didn't see me for a while. Otherwise, I'm sure he would still be ignoring me.' The thought sends a stabbing pain through my chest.

"You should go to bed, I'm surprised you're still up with school tomorrow." I say instead and the boy glances back to me.

"Mr Yun said you'd be back today. I wanted to make sure." My son admits as he takes a step back. "Goodnight Mama." He bids and dashes up the stairs before I can reply. My shoulders sag. 'He's still mad. He's just trying better at hiding it.' I realise sullenly.

I run a hand through my messy hair. 'I wish I didn't tell him.' I berate myself as I push myself to my feet and make my way to the bedroom. I edge the door open quietly, expecting Yun to be asleep, but he's sitting up in bed with a book in his hands.

"Yun?" I voice in surprise, pulling him away from his reading as he glances at me. An expression of relief washes over his face as he puts his book down.

"Thank the spirits. I was hoping I'd run into you at work, but they needed me elsewhere in the hospital. How are you feeling?" The man asks as he pulls back his duvet. I shake my head and mime for him to stay in bed.

"I'm fine, just really tired. Let me get out of these clothes and put on some pyjamas." I say as I pick out the first night gown I find and start moving towards the bathroom.

"You can change here." Yun's voice is quiet, but I find my whole body freezing at his words. I turn to him uncomfortably.

"I don't..." I start, but he gives me a gentle smile.

"I won't look. I just noticed you're walking with some difficulty there." Yun points out and I cringe at how stiff I must look from the repeated back trauma, but I've had no energy to heal myself.

Usually undressing in front of the man would be a big no-no, but...after seeing how comfortable my ex-husband was with Jin, it has my blood boiling in a way I know it shouldn't. However, I still my fraying nerves with a deep inhale of breath before giving him a half smile.

"It's fine, I need the bathroom to heal my sore muscles anyway." I say as I make my way to the bathroom.

I wait until the door has clicked shut before resting my head against the door. 'That type of closeness isn't something I'm ready for. Even if he isn't watching. I just... can't.' I think to myself as I quickly change out of my scrubs and into my nightgown. 'I hate feeling so...numb. I thought moving in with Yun would ease my feelings of loneliness and emptiness. And it has helped, but it's still...there. That numb feeling which doesn't seem to want to go away.'

I bite my lip as I fold my scrubs before sliding down against the wall until I'm sitting on the floor. 'Maybe I should just take Yatsu and move back to our old place. It will save Yun and his daughter a lot of future hurt.' I contemplate, but a part of me feels reluctant, almost desperate to hold onto a fairytale dream. I sigh quietly and push myself back to my feet. 'I'll give it a little more time before I make a decision.' I decide as I re-open the bathroom door, forgetting that I need to heal myself. Yun takes one look at me before he pulls his duvet over him.

"Go to sleep. We'll talk later. You look shattered." The man advises and I cast him a grateful smile.

"Thanks. I'm off tomorrow, so I'll be able to help out at home a bit more. Sorry about the past two days." I murmur as I slip into my bed. He shakes his head.

"Don't worry about it. Just get some rest." Yun urges as he switches off the bedside lamp, plunging the room onto darkness. I thought I'd find it difficult to fall asleep with everything that's been playing on my mind, but I'm out like a light.


The Next Day - Evening:

The four of us are eating our dinner quietly. A little too quietly. Yatsu is still understandably mad at me. Yun seems to be more subdued than usual. And I'm still lost in the events that have occurred over the last day. It's only Fuki who seems to have kept up her upbeat attitude.

"You guys all look like someone died." The girl points out dryly. I flinch. As someone who's a little too accustomed with death, it hit a little too close to home. Yun notices as he lowers his fork slightly before shooting a stern glance at his daughter.

"Fuki, that's not nice to say." Her father corrects firmly which elicits a series of incoherent mumbles from the girl.

"Sorry. It's just you all look so down, what's going on?" Fuki queries as she swirls her fork in her pasta.

"Just a busy few days." I say, but the girl isn't buying it.

"Then why's Yatsu so depressed? He didn't want to play Lego pieces and that's his favourite thing to do!" The girl exclaims and I cringe as my eyes slide across to my son who's too absorbed in staring at his plate. I bite my lip.

"It's something between Katara and Yatsu." Yun replies simply as he dabs his mouth with a napkin, only for the girl to frown.

"If we're going to become a family, then we all should be involved." Fuki mutters as she puts her fork down. I cringe, hating how right she is.

"My Daddy doesn't know I exist." Yatsu mutters quietly as he continues staring at his plate with his fork tightly clutched in hand. I choke, not expecting the boy the spill so easily like that. Fuki's jaws drop as she stares at the child before glancing up at me.

"Oh jeez, so that's why it's been so tense for the past week." Fuki breathes out with wide eyes. "Wait, that means he's still alive?! I always assumed he died when Yatsu was young." The girl mutters to herself, making me cringe harder.

"Fuki, that's enough. Keep your comments to yourself." Yun interrupts, but the girl steamrolls past him.

"Who is he? It wouldn't harm just to..." She starts, only to stop when her father glares at her seriously.

"That isn't your business Fuki." He cuts across firmly, only for the girl to widen her eyes in realisation.

"Oh...oh you know. You know who he is." Fuki breathes out in disbelief and it's the first time that Yatsu jerks his head up to stare at the man.

"You know?! You're not even related to him!" Yatsu cries out as his eyes slide to mine. My mouth opens and closes, unsure of what to tell the boy.

"Whether I know or I don't isn't important. It's between your Mum and I." Yun defends lightly, but if anything that just makes the child even more mad.

"That isn't fair! He's my Daddy! I should at least know who he is!" Yatsu yells as he bangs his little fists on the table.

My eyes widen and my body reacts faster than my brain. Maybe it's because of how much time I spent with my ex-husband that I've managed to spot the shifts of the air just before it gets more violent. Either way, I run over to Fuki just as the pot of steaming sea prunes flies towards her. I shield her body with mine just as it slams into my back. The sizzling hot liquid burns me with mind numbing agony. It's a miracle that I'm able to hold in my scream.

"Fuki! Katara!" Yun shouts as he pushes back his chair so quickly that it topples to the ground with a loud thump. The entire room is eerily silent before I finally pull away from the girl to check her for burns while keeping my lips tightly pressed together. When I'm sure I can't find any burns, I pull back.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" I ask quietly, only for the girl to shake her head vigorously.

"N-No. I...I...thank you." She stutters, still in shock. Her words seem to have opened a dam in Yatsu as I hear another chair thump to the ground.

"M-Mama?" He quivers. I take in a deep breath before turning to face my son.

"You could've seriously hurt Fuki. I know airbending is new to you, but you need to have a better handle on your emotions or..." I stop myself just in time. 'I nearly made the mistake of telling him he's dangerous and that's not the type of trauma I'd ever want the boy to deal with.' I inhale deeply as I pinch the bridge of my nose. "You need to trust that if I don't tell you things about your Dad, it's because I have a good reason not to. You need to believe that I have your best interests at heart." I rebuke, but the boy's hands start shaking by his sides.

"Maybe you think it's best Mama, but that doesn't mean they are!" He fires back, stunning me. 'Yatsu...never talks back at me.' I think with wide eyes.

"Yatsu..." I start, but he shakes his head vigorously.

"No!" He yells as he runs to his backpack and empties a wodge of work sheets onto the ground. I frown and stare at them, my heart dropping when I realise what they are.

"What...what is this?" I croak back, even though I already have a sinking suspicion I know exactly what he's going to say.

"The maths teacher who gives lessons to the 16-year-olds has been giving me algebra and other maths problems to do in my classes." Yatsu mutters without meeting my eyes. I bite my lip hard.

"How...long for?" I ask, my voice sounding strained.

"Months. I've been doing English and Science too. They say I'm more than ready to move to their classes whenever I want to." Yatsu explains in a low voice and my chest tightens. 'I knew he was a genius like his Dad, but...I had hoped it would be to a lesser degree.' I think as my gut twists. Yun stoops down to pick up a few sheets and gives a low whistle.

"These are really hard problems. Some of this is college level stuff." He murmurs as he leafs through the papers. His observations slam into me like a wall.

"Why...why would you hide this from me?" I croak back as the boy stares at his feet.

"I knew you didn't like it that I was...different from the other kids. You want me to stay with kids my age, but my classes are boring." Yatsu urges as he lifts his head to gaze at me. I bite the inside of my cheek.

"If you didn't like it that much you should've told me, I would've got you a tutor at home or something." I press, but the boy frowns.

"That's not the same. I want to be in a class. I don't want to spend my time colouring or doing something easy." Yatsu argues as my nerves continue to fray. 'I'm not sure I'll have any nerves left after this. And spirits my back hurts.'

"Yatsu, you don't want to attract unwanted attention to yourself." I utter tightly, but the boy doesn't want to get it.

"That doesn't make sense Mama! I should use my abilities not hide them." Yatsu protests as he steps towards me with angry defiant eyes. 'Shoot. He looks way too much like his Dad.' I think numbly. When I don't reply, it seems his anger only gets worse. "Mama say something!" He demands as the last of my nerves dissipate.

"I don't want you to face the same trouble as your father!" I bite back, stunning not only the boy but also Fuki and Yun as they stare at me. 'This is something even Yun doesn't know.' I think with a grimace, but my son is quick to recover, 'I suppose that's one of the only things he takes after me.' I realise humourlessly.

"So that's it...you just don't want me to be like my Daddy! You...you want to erase him and want me to be just like you!" His words are brutal as they send a stabbing pain into my chest.

"That...that isn't true." I protest weakly, but the air starts picking up around him.

"You're a liar Mummy!" He screams and when I notice the chair beside him tremble towards Fuki, I do something I never would've dreamed of doing before. I reach down and slap him, hard across the face.

The air stills almost instantly as he stares at me before lifting his hand to his bright pink cheek. The guilt is instant. It slams into me like a bull and it's so hard that I almost vomit then and there. A flash of betrayal is etched into his tiny face as tears start spilling over his cheeks.

"You're...you're the worst Mama." Yatsu whispers, a far cry from all the shouting he did moments ago.

"Yatsu...!" I start but he's too quick for me and dashes up the stairs before I can stop him. My knees buckle underneath me from all the strain, exhaustion, stress and pain.

"Shoot, Katara." Yun skids over to me. "Let me look at your back." He urges, but I push his hands away.

"It's fine...I...I can heal it myself." I mutter, but I know I'm lying to myself. After hitting my own kid, the last thing I want to do is make myself feel better. My fiancé rolls his bottom lip between his teeth.

"A-Auntie Katara?" Fuki probes hesitantly as she comes to kneel beside me. I give her a feeble smile.

"Sorry. You shouldn't have had to see that. I shouldn't have..." I break off in a choke as my throat closes up. 'Shoot. I really just hit my own flesh and blood. He's right...I am terrible mother.' I think as tears sting the back of my eyes.

"No! I saw the chair moving towards me, you were just trying to stop him." She reasons, but it falls on deaf ears. 'It doesn't matter what anyone says, I did something absolutely unforgivable.' I push myself to my feet without any help, despite the offer of two pairs of hands.

"I'm just...going to my room to lie down for a bit." I mumble while moving towards the stairs. The father and daughter exchange a worried glance.

"We're here if you need anything." Yun whispers softly. I give him a brief nod to show that I've heard, but move up the stairs as quickly as I can manage.

I don't bother changing and drop into my mattress. I instantly regret it at the screaming burning pain that greets me. I bite my lip and roll over to my stomach. Hours come and go. Yun slips in quietly, but I make it clear that I'm not up for talking and when it hits 4am in the morning, I can't take it anymore. I kick back my duvet and quietly slip out of the bedroom while Yun continues to snore quietly.

I slip on my shoes, grab a jacket and head outside. It's winter, so the mornings are still so dark. In fact, it's biting cold, so it's not surprising that there's no one about. Plus, it's too early for people to be getting ready for work or school. I ditch the car and let my feet take me wherever they seem to wish. It's half an hour later when I find myself at the graveyard.

"Oh." I whisper, so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realise that this is where I'd be going. I sigh and take a seat at a nearby bench. 'Yun will be waking up soon with the kids. I should text him so he wouldn't worry.' I think robotically as I dig for my phone from my pocket. I send him a quick text before pocketing the device again. I turn my head to look behind me as I stare at rows upon rows of headstones.

"I haven't come here in a while." I mutter with a sigh.

After a while I push myself to my feet and pass through the graveyard gates. The more I think about it, the more I realise I really haven't told Yatsu much about anything. 'I never told him about his grandma for example. He just assumes he never had one. Or maybe...maybe it's another thing he just kept to himself.'

I bite my lip as I continue moving through the graveyard, but I find myself stopping next to the huge Air Nomad monument. I turn towards it. It used to be pretty well maintained, presumably by my ex-husband, but since he lost his memories, I suppose it makes sense that it will look as out of shape as it does. There's no one else to keep an eye on it after all. Green moss has started to grow all along the stone until it covers a good chunk of the victim's names and the ground beneath the stone has grown tons of weeds.

I bite my lip at the sight as shame washes over me. 'I should've been looking after it. I'm one of the few people who knows what actually happened after all.' I realise with regret and so I spend the next few hours removing the moss and washing down the monument with my bending. When I reach down to start pulling out the weeds, my back starts screaming at me to stop, but...I can't.

I need something to pull my mind off what I did last night. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit. 'I hit my own kid. I hit his kid. He would've never lost his cool like I did. He would've been faster. Stopped the chair from moving. He'd never take such drastic measures.' My lips wobbles as my vision blurs.

"Shoot, maybe Yatsu is better off with him. He'd understand him better than I could ever. They could bond over their bending. Their shared genius. Heck, they even look alike. Their jet-black hair, pale skin tone, facial expressions. All Yatsu got from me is my blue eyes and my temper." I know I'm talking to myself, but it doesn't matter. I've never felt so alone and isolated as I did now. 'When Yatsu came into my life it finally felt like I had someone in my life to look after. Someone who needed me. We could face the world together I used to say. But now, he's doing fine without me. Making his own decisions and wanting his...Dad.'

My shoulders tremble as I sink to my knees. Quiet harsh sobs escape me as both guilt and hurt seizes me. 'I'm not fit to be a Mum.' Dark thoughts swirl around in my head as I hold my biceps tightly.

"Is that...Katara?" I stop at the familiar voice and turn to find my ex-husband standing unsurely a few paces away. 'Shoot!' I think as I wipe my eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I utter gruffly. 'The graveyard is the last place I'd expect him to be.' I think in a panic. The man stares at me for several moments before answering.

"Jin asked me to lay some flowers for her grandma because she has work today. But, what are you doing here?" The Airbender queries as he takes a step towards me. My eyes dart to the huge Air Nomad monument and I shoot up to my feet, ignoring the pain in my back as I move to block his path. 'He might not remember anything and nothing seems to trigger any flashbacks, but...I can't be too sure. Besides, his name is on there. That would be too suspicious.'

"I was walking around aimlessly and ended up here. Tripped over a tree root and landed on the ground." I lie and the man sees right through me as he narrows his eyes.

"You looked like you were crying." The Airbender points out bluntly. I swallow and turn my head away from him.

"Have you put down the flowers for Jin's grandma?" I ask as I glance at his empty hands, trying to dodge his question. He purses his lips before nodding.

"I did. Listen, why don't we go over to one of the benches and talk?" My ex-husband suggests, but I stiffen up and move away from him.

"There's nothing to talk about." I mutter, but his movements are lightning fast as he moves in front of me to grasp my wrist.

"Oh, that's an obvious lie." The Air Nomad voices with a slight grin. Seeing that easy-going joy on his face is just one of the reasons why I feel like I made the right choice. "Besides you're freezing cold. You must've been out here for a while." The Avatar notes as he starts dragging me towards a bench.

I follow along in relief. 'He didn't even pay the huge Air Nomad monument any attention. It was as if he didn't even see it. Before, it was the first thing his eyes would sought out whenever we came here together. It's weird, seeing how all his trauma just vanished like the blink of an eye.' I contemplate as he leads me to a bench.

"Alright, now spill. No one comes here at 7am in the morning." My ex-husband starts as he takes a seat beside me, while making sure there's at least half a metre between us. That fact doesn't go unnoticed by me and it sends all sorts of unpleasant feelings through me.

"You're here at 7am." I point out which elicits a laugh from the man.

"Well, Jin and I are early risers and I promised I'd do this favour for her." The Airbender responds with a smile, but ice grips my heart. 'Does that mean... they're living together?' I realise as my nausea comes back in full force. I turn to give him my side as I rest my hands over my knees.

"Fair enough." I mumble.

"You still didn't tell me why you're here. Did...did you come to visit someone?" The Airbender queries hesitantly. My fingers curl over my knees until I'm grasping them tightly. 'There was a time when he knew all this.' I think with closed eyes.

"Not intentionally no, but I might as well while I'm here." I reply as I re-open my eyes. I glance to the side when I hear the Air Nomad clear his throat.

"Sorry. I...I suppose this was one of the things I used to know?" My ex-husband asks delicately. I swallow and give him the barest of nods.

"Yeah." Is all I say.

"Hmm, I see. So, if you didn't intentionally come here, did something happen?" The Avatar presses, but I find myself unable to tell him anything.

"It did, but it's fine." I brush off. It's silent between us for a moment before he releases a sigh.

"If...if we used to be married, then we used to be able to talk together about things that bothered us. I know our relationship is different now, but I still want to listen if something's bothering you." The Air Nomad offers kindly and I feel terrible when a snort rips out of my throat, because we were awful at talking to each other. 'Namely he was awful at talking to me. It was what ripped us apart to start with. But I can't tell him that.' When I take a glimpse of him, however, I think he's worked it out. 'He was always in tune with people's emotions like that.' His shoulders sag.

"Oh, I...guess we weren't good at that." He mumbles in realisation. I let out a small breath.

"It's fine. I...I had an argument with my son and did something I shouldn't." I reveal in an attempt to stop him digging further into our past relationship. The Airbender blinks twice as he turns to face me fully.

"An argument? You two looked like you get along perfectly." My ex-husband comments in bewilderment. I release a bitter laugh.

"Yeah, well not recently. Apparently, I'm the worst." I mutter sourly before slumping my shoulders. "He's probably right." I add quietly as I massage my forehead.

"Hey, I'm sure that's not true." Yatsu's father denies as he rests a hand on my shoulder. I flinch, reminding myself of the probable burns from last night's incident. His hand coils back instantly. "Are you...are you hurt?!" The man demands and I shoot him a side glance before returning my gaze to the ground.

"What makes you say that? Maybe I don't like being touched." I retort, but it's half-hearted at best. The Airbender narrows his eyes as he moves to stand.

"I know the difference between flinching from pain and flinching from repulse. You definitely flinched in pain." My ex-husband notes seriously as he tugs me to my feet. I blink in surprise.

"What are you doing?" I ask in confusion.

"Taking you to our house, it's nearby and we have a first aid kit." The Airbender answers smoothly, but my feet come to an abrupt halt.

"Your house? No. No, I can't do that." I deny vehemently as I try to slip my hand from his grip, but he refuses to let me go.

"Jin won't mind if that's what you're worried about. She actually really likes you." My ex-husband insists, but I shake my head.

"No, it wouldn't feel right." I state stubbornly, but the man pulls me closer to him and before I can start struggling, he uses his bending to push himself forward with utmost speed. "Wait!" I yell as he holds me while he runs. "Spirits!" I curse when he finally stops. I stumble from his arms instantly, both to get away from him and to stop the pulsating pain in my back. "I told you, no!" I spit out angrily, but he barely pays me any mind as he unlocks the door and pushes it open.

"You're engaged and I'm happy in my relationship. So, stop worrying." My ex-husband utters breezily as he reaches for my hand again. I slap it away.

"I can walk on my own." I mutter stiffly as I enter the house ahead of him. It's surprisingly simple. Barely any photos or are decorations up, but it's well organised and spacious. I don't know why I stiffen up when I hear him lock the door, but it just feels wrong to be here, especially when his partner isn't around. I eye him wearily as he passes beside me to rummage in the kitchen before returning with a first aid kit. I shoot him a dubious glance.

"You know I can heal myself with waterbending." I remind mildly, only for the Airbender to quirk his eyebrow.

"And yet you haven't." He answers pointedly. I click my tongue against the roof of my mouth.

"I...haven't had time." I reply lamely. This time it's his turn to give me a dubious look as he sets the kit on the table.

"Let me have a look." The Air Nomad requests as he takes a seat on the sofa. I gawk at him.

"You know it's my back, right?" I remind in disbelief, but he just stares at me innocently.

"I do and?" The Air Nomad queries in confusion. I resist the urge to slap my forehead and instead raise my hand in front of me, I'm just about to clench it, but opt to relax my hand muscles.

"That would require me taking off my top." I clarify tightly, but still he blinks as if not understanding. "Shoot, how do you not get how inappropriate that is when we both have partners?!" I grit back loudly. The Avatar quirks an eyebrow and fishes for his phone before dialling a number. I frown at him.

"Hey Jin, how are you? Yeah great, I stopped by Grandma's grave. Bumped into Katara. Mmm hmm yep. She's hurt, but is being a baby about showing me. Right? She said it's inappropriate if I see her back. That's what I said! Ok yep sure." The Airbender tosses the phone towards me and with wide eyes I make a grab for it before it hits the floor. I grit my teeth as my back flares up with the sudden movement and gingerly press the phone to my ear.

"Katara stop being a child and let the guy help you. I seriously don't mind if he wants to use the first aid kit on you. I mean, you're a doctor aren't you? You treat people all the time." Jin rambles breezily, making it hard for me to get a word edgewise and when she finally does stop, I find myself dumbfounded for a moment.

"But he's not a doctor. He's my ex-husband." I grit back as she laughs on the other end.

"I seriously wish I was there to see your reaction. Aang will have to tell me about it later. But honestly, it's ok. Aang's loyal to a fault so I trust him." Jin murmurs and her faith in him is so uncannily painful that I find myself biting my tongue, wishing that I was able to trust the man that much when we were together.

"I still don't think he should." I mutter as the woman sighs on the other end of the phone.

"If you're hurt, I want him to. No arguments! Side note…you really should call Aang by his name sometimes. It's obvious you're avoiding it." The woman notes with a despondent tone. I freeze at her observation.

"That's...not going to happen." I reply tightly. I hear her sigh again.

"I figured as much. Anyway, gotta jet. Let him help! He's got some medical knowledge anyway." Jin voices over the phone before hanging up. I stare at the phone before silently passing it back to him as he sits watching me expectantly.

"Jin's just insanely trusting." I mutter in defence.

"And Yun's a doctor. He treats female patients all the time. So, stop worrying and show me." My ex-husband presses. I clench my jaws and go to sit beside him.

It's an age before I finally turn to give him my back. I lift a hand to undo my top button, but when I move to the second button, I stop and close my eyes. 'This is wrong. Even if it's for medical purposes. We were together for years. We had a kid together. This...I can't do this.' I think to myself as I drop my hand to my lap. My ex-husband notices that I've stopped moving and with a sigh, I hear him shift behind me until his knee rests by my left hip.

"I'll just lift your top up from behind, if its ok?" The Air Nomad asks gently, I bite the inside of my cheek before giving him a stiff nod. I can tell he's careful not to accidentally brush his fingers against my bare skin as he hoists my blouse up. As soon as he does I hear his breathing catch. "Spirits Katara!" I hear him curse and I find myself biting my lip. 'Great the burns are probably as bad as I thought they would be. I was hoping not.' I cringe, but don't say anything. "You've got blisters and black bruises all over your back!" He adds in frustration when I don't say anything.

"Oh." I breathe out. Bruises. 'Must've been when Yatsu threw me against the door a few nights ago. Jeez, I always thought airbending was beautiful, but in the wrong or inexperienced hands it can be so deadly. No wonder why Air Nomads are a rarity.' I realise with my shoulders sagging forward.

"Oh? Oh is all you can say?!" My ex-husband exclaims in disbelief. I hear him dig into his pocket. "Is it ok if I send Jin a picture? Just so she knows how ridiculous you've been." The Airbender mutters, I bite my tongue, knowing very well that it's more to reassure his partner than for anything else. I shrug.

"Sure, as long as that's the only person you're sending it to." I mutter. A few seconds later I hear him slip his phone away before he exhales loudly.

"I'll put some burn ointment on it. Nothing I can do about the bruises though." He mumbles as he rummages through the first aid kit.

"I can just heal it." I point out and he goes still.

"Then why in spirits name haven't you?! I'm shocked you're able to move with how bad some of these burns are! They're...t-they're going to scar because you left them untreated for this long." The Avatar's voice falters as I hear his breathing hitch. My lips part from how concerned he is. I furrow my eyebrows and turn my head to the side to catch a look at his expression and he looks so mortified and downtrodden that it pulls at something in my chest.

"Why...why do you care this much? You don't even know me." I mumble as I turn my head to look ahead of me again.

"You were my wife at some point. I must've liked you a great deal." He hisses back as he starts rubbing some ointment into my back, but my hands bundle into fists.

"You didn't even know that till recently! And that doesn't explain why you're so upset. You can't remember anything about me." I snap back. His hands still for a moment before resuming.

"You didn't have to tell me. I felt a pull towards you every time we meet. My brain might've forgotten, but my heart still remembers something. Besides...I don't like seeing you so careless about yourself, it's frustrating!" My ex-husband retorts sharply. I inhale deeply and hang my head. 'I used to be the one telling him that. When did we reverse roles?' I think as I start blinking back tears that threaten to fall.

"I'm...sorry." I falter, realising this is how the Airbender must've felt back then. I hear him exhale loudly and the air flutters around me, making me shiver. The Air Nomad notices as he draws his hand back.

"Sorry." He mumbles. "I just...wish I could do more for you than this." My ex-husband adds. I bite my lip.

"You...could try healing." I stumble, not sure why I've brought it up to start with. It's hard to heal what I can't see, but I could heal myself once I'm in the tub.

"Me? Heal? I can't do that." The Airbender scoffs, but at my continued silence he balks. "Wait...I could heal?!" He shouts, making me jump. "Ah sorry." He mumbles as he tries to shake off his excitement.

"Well, you've only done it once before you lost your memories." I explain awkwardly and the Avatar jumps to the kitchen.

"If I've done it before then I can do it again!" He hollers as he rushes to get water. I blink, baffled at how excited he is to heal. 'The last time he learnt to heal, he felt it was a necessity. He never felt excited towards it. Actually, that was the same with all the bending disciplines. He was never excited, just felt like it was his duty to do. Waterbending was the only time he showed some interest and that's probably because I was the one teaching him and our relationship was still young and fresh.' I roll my lip between my teeth in thought as the Air Nomad returns with a bucket of water.

"Ok! What do I do?" My ex-husband asks eagerly. My lips twitch upwards at his enthusiasm.

"Envelop the water over your hand. Then you just rest it over any injury and inhale deeply. Imagine the tissues being reformed and it should start glowing and it will stop once it's all healed up." I instruct as the Airbender nods his head in understanding as he positions himself behind me again.

"I guess that's why it's handy to have a medical degree." The Air Nomad murmurs with a grin. I give him a half smile.

"Yeah, you actually used to read my medicine books, but you never showed any interest in healing until later." I say wistfully. "But Jin said you have some medical knowledge so that should be enough." I add when he doesn't reply.

"So...we went to uni together?" The Avatar queries meekly and I catch myself, realising I've said too much. I bite my tongue, annoyed at myself.

"Yeah, we did." I answer reluctantly. The Airbender doesn't reply and instead rests his water-covered hand over my back. I hear him take a deep breath and moments later I spot a strong glow despite having my back turned to him. My jaw slackens. 'Last time he struggled, but this time he got it so easily. I suppose...that's the difference between having no trauma.' I realise in disbelief. After a while I hear the water splash back into the bucket, but instead of being excited at being able to heal, I hear him sigh.

"There's...scars." He whispers in anguish as his hand lightly brushes over them, I shiver and quickly pull my top down.

"It's fine." I say with a nonchalant shrug as I turn to face him, but he shakes his head as his face twists in displeasure.

"It's not fine! That could've been avoided if you healed yourself immediately!"

"It's not like I don't have other scars." I retort back, but I instantly regret it when his jaws drop.

"Wait, where?!" My ex-husband demands. I roll my eyes and cross my arms uncomfortably.

"My front. It's not a big deal." I try to minimise it, but he's already reaching for my top again. I slap his hand back.

"Jeez A..." I suck in my lips, realising how close I was to actually say his name in a fit of rage. I massage my forehead. "There's boundaries. You can't just...do stuff like that." I mutter. The Airbender leans back as he eyes me.

"You almost said my name." My ex-husband notes with a half-smile. I glare at him.

"I think I'm done from here." I fire back, but the Airbender grasps my hands before I can stand up.

"Tell me what happened. How did you get burns and bruises?" The Avatar pleads with begging eyes. I bite my lip before withdrawing my hands from his.

"Yatsu's airbending is still a bit out of control when he's...emotional. I'm finding myself flying into a door or a hot pot of soup goes flying into the air." I explain wryly as I lean back against the couch.

"Spirits that bad?! You've should've told me, I would've came to give him more lessons. Let me do that now." The Airbender voices as he pushes himself forward from the couch, but I go to grab his shoulder.

"It's less about him having poor control and more about him and I arguing." I press as I drop my hand from his shoulder. "But I suppose some extra lessons might help. He should be at school by now though." I add. The Air Nomad furrow his eyebrows and he slides back onto the sofa, while keeping an eye on me.

"What are you two even arguing about to warrant such violent outbursts?" Yatsu's father queries in disbelief. 'Spirits, why can't I keep my big mouth closed?' I groan internally. I rest my cheek against my palm as my elbow leans against the armrest.

"Multiple things." I mumble, suddenly feeling very exhausted and drained. I feel the sofa sink beside me, but my eyes flutter to a close. 'I got no sleep last night and barely any the night before that. My body feels like it's shutting down.' I think numbly.

"Hey." The Airbender whispers as I feel a hand rest on my forehead. "Hmm you're not warm, but..." He murmurs to himself before trailing off. "Listen, I'll take you home. You could do with the rest and then I'll visit later when Yatsu is back from school to run through some airbending drills with him." My ex-husband suggests and after an age I re-open my eyes.

"Sure. Thanks." I voice quietly as I start pushing myself off the sofa.

"Here." The Air Nomad murmurs as he offers his hand for me to take. I glance from his hand to his face, but other than that open, honest expression of his, I find no reason to decline With a sigh, I give him my hand and he pulls me up to my feet with ease. Black dots appear in my line of vision and I realise going this long without sleep was really not my brightest idea. The Airbender notices and frowns.

"Hey, are you ok?" He murmurs as he steps into my personal space. I'm about to push him back when my vision darkens completely. 'Oh shoot.' I curse as I feel my knees giving out beneath me. "Katara!" I hear him yell as he grabs me by the shoulders to stop my descent. My vision slowly returns and I pull away from him.

"Sorry, not been sleeping much." I wave off as I massage my forehead, but the Airbender's face contorts in utter worry.

"Maybe you should rest here till you feel better." My ex-husband offers but I'm quick to shake my head.

"That's not necessary. I don't live that far away anyway." I remind as I move towards the door. I feel the man trailing after me.

"You're really a stubborn one." The Airbender mumbles and my lips twitch slightly in amusement.

"You were pretty stubborn back in the day too." I recall as I move to the side to let him open the house door, but he freezes and instead eyes me carefully.

"You've been awfully lax about sharing information about my past today." The Air Nomad comments suspiciously. I quirk an eyebrow at him.

"Hardly. Nothing of any value anyway." I say with a one shouldered shrug as the Air Nomad finally moves forward to unlock the door.

"I wish you would tell me more. I can tell we were really close, regardless of being married." My ex-husband's voice is quiet and subdued as he pulls open the door. I avert my eyes from him.

"Some things are better off forgotten." I whisper as I step outside.

"Shouldn't I decide whether it's worth forgetting or not?" The Air Nomad utters from behind me. I go still and throw my head back towards him without pivoting the rest of my body.

"Trust me, there are things I know you'd prefer forgetting." I voice seriously as an ominous tinge enters my tone. The man visibly shivers before finally glancing away.

"Maybe you're right." The Avatar mumbles as he moves to lock the door behind him. I exhale in relief, thinking that I've finally managed to persuade him away from digging into his past until he opens his mouth again. "I still want to know about us though." The Airbender adds. I clench my jaws and turn away from him.

"There's nothing much to say. We met at university. You graduated early because you were gifted. We stayed together for a while, got married and..." I trail off, recalling the whole situation with Yon Rha with a pained pang. "...things became complicated and we started having lots of arguments. You lost your memories not long after that." I summarise, purposely missing out all the actual important parts, like why he was tucked away at university in the first place or that we spent years apart or that we have...a son. I breathe through my nostrils, wondering if there'll ever be a right time to tell him. 'Should I even tell him at all?' I contemplate anxiously while the Airbender scrutinises me carefully.

"Why did things become complicated?" Is the only question he has for me. I shrug.

"Your Avatar duties got in the way a lot. It's a dangerous job." I answer vaguely, leaving the rest for him to figure out and by the way he looks away, I assume he has. "Come on, I should be getting home." I say, trying to pull him out of his thoughts. It works as the man moves towards his car.

"I'll give you a lift." The Airbender states as he unlocks the door. I swallow. 'Am I letting my guard down too much around him? Shouldn't I be careful and not tell him anything? The more information I give him, as seemingly meaningless as it appears to be, the easier it becomes for him to piece things together. For an average person I wouldn't worry, but with his intellect, it becomes a constant fear.' I chew my lip. 'I'll be more careful. I won't let any more information like that slip.' I decide with a nod of my head as I go over to the car.

A/N: Ah nothing beats the angst eh? XD I had SO much fun writing this chapter and reading it back was satisfying, it's also reminding me of any loose ends I should be paying attention to lol. Currently writing chapter 26 and still haven't reached an endpoint yet, so its longer than I thought this fic would be heh, but hey more angst! That's always good right? Forgive me if I crushed your bubbles with the continued Yatsu angst, but I think that's the last of it for now.

Next chapter will be the chapter you've all been waiting patiently for. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to update this coming week because I've been scheduled to work on the weekends (sad times), so hopefully the next chapter will be out Tues/Wed the following week and if not then it will be the weekends of that week.

4/8/24