(A/N)- I'll be honest this chapter gave me the hardest time for some reason. I was certain I had a specific idea for it when I planned the outline but I plum forgot what the idea was so I had to come up with something else. Nothing seemed to quite fit right until I made it about (essentially) being a middle-aged married couple wrapped up in the busy minutia of life who really really just need a long date together.

...Look it's relatable to me if nothing else.

Disclaimer: Nope, ha ha, not here. I have no money.

Interlude: Nocturne

The night air was chilly and crisp as she stepped out onto the balcony.

Angka shivered slightly, pulling her thin shawl closer around her shoulders. Her bare feet tapped almost silently on the cold stone as she stepped to the railing.

For a moment, she stared down at the sea, watching the crashing waves and surf below her. The new coastal Air Temple had been built a few miles closer to sea level than the old Eastern one. She was facing the wrong direction but if she was on the other side of the tower and squinted, she could still see the spires of her old home rising up above the clouds, on the crests of the mountains that defined this island archipelago.

Leaning her arms on the balcony railing, she tipped her head up, towards the three-quarter moon in the sky, beaming soft white in the gray-black haze of the sky.

For a while she just stood there, absorbing the night atmosphere.

She inhaled slowly.

"Hey Yuan," she called up, with a timid smile. "I know you're probably busy with moon stuff." She shifted position on her feet, leaning on the other leg now. "I won't keep you long, just wanted to keep you updated. Um..."

She bit her lip, now a bit uncertain where to begin.

"We discovered six new acolytes with airbending affinity over the summer. They're all getting trained at the new temples. One girl was really snooty about the fact that boys and girls are separated but..." She shrugged. "I think she'll come around."

She relaxed in her stance.

"Finally got that trade treaty signed between the swampbenders and the Earth Kingdom. As long as the caravans stay on the designated roads, the swampbenders won't try to hunt and eat their cattle-horses."

She flicked a dry leaf off the railing with her fingers.

"And Iroh's decided he's going to expand his tea shop into a franchise. He wants to open two new shops, one in the lower levels of Ba Sing Se, and one in the Fire Nation capitol. The Amber Dragon and The Pearl Dragon he's calling them. You know, keeping with the gemstone theme."

Angka paused for a moment and then sighed.

"I really wish Katar was here. These politicians are driving me crazy with their arguing and I don't see a solution. I could really use his advice." She tugged at the edge of her shawl. "I'm normally pretty good about finding compromises everyone could be happy with but with this... It just feels like every time I solve one problem another one crops up. I'm exhausted."

The moon didn't change, but Angka imagined it was turning a sympathetic face on her.

"It's been hard on us lately, getting pulled in all directions and never having time for ourselves. Feels like I haven't seen him in forever. I miss him." Both hands grabbed the hem of her shawl, as a sudden light breeze off the sea chilled her. "He's been my strength and my best support and I feel like I'm falling apart without him."

She exhaled wistfully.

"I know planning for the expansion of Wolf Cove takes enormous precedence over being here to listen to me complain but..."

She bit her lip, lost in thought a moment.

"I should write to him," she decided. "But... how do I explain that I just want him to drop everything for a moment and come take me away from all this for a bit?"

"You could just tell me," a voice came from behind her.

Angka gasped and whirled around, to see a very handsome and familiar face. Katar leaned on the doorframe back into her room, and grinned a bit as she gaped at him.

"Katar!" She boggled, looking him up and down in disbelief. "You're—When did you—How did you—?" Suddenly embarrassed she rubbed a hand behind her head. "Er... how much of that did you hear?"

"I could stand to hear more," he joked, leaning up and then coming to take her shoulders softly and give her a kiss on the forehead, right on the top of her arrow. "Don't worry. I talk to Yuan too sometimes," he assured her. "He doesn't answer but it makes me feel better anyway. I guess it does the same for you."

Still in shock, Angka slid forward until she was tucked in his arms, her ear pressing on his collar. "Yeah..." she murmured.

Katar wrapped arms around her, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"In all honesty, I came because I was missing you too," he confessed. "And it seems we had the exact same idea about taking a vacation."

"We need one," Angka moaned.

"We do," Katar agreed, nodding. "So how about this? I help you wrap up with everybody first thing tomorrow, then I tell Téa to handle all your mail and paperwork and we take a trip out to Whaletail Island and spend a week just absorbing the sand and surf."

Angka laughed into his chest, almost out of hysterical relief. He knew her so well. He had already been thinking of her, already been planning to rescue her from the tedium of Avatar duties and her loneliness.

"Man, what did I do to deserve you?" she wondered aloud.

"Mmm, besides be amazing?" teased Katar.

"Stop!" she said, blushing and giggling.

His grin widened. "So what do you say, Forever Girl? You want to get out of here and—" He winked cheekily up at the moon. "—'do an activity'?"

Angka swore she heard the vaguest sound of vexation from somewhere very far away for a moment.

She pulled back with a laugh, holding her hand out, pinky extended.

"It's a deal!" she declared.

He caught her finger with his and looked at her with affection and Angka's heart skipped a beat at the moonlight shine in his eyes.

His demeanor turned at once fretting and anxious. "All right, now that that's settled it's time for you to get back inside and get some rest."

She sighed, half-happy, half in surrender.

"Yes dear."

He took her shoulder and steered her back inside, out of the cold night and into the warmth of her bedroom.

(A/N)- Yuan plays silent therapist and Katar is Best Boy forever.

Also Téa has become a very valuable Avatar secretary, as well as one of the best flying instructors for the Air Nomad Acolytes.

Hope you enjoyed!