A Different Destiny

Chapter 4

The group walked for a distance in silence, Katara felt disoriented being underground it was hard to tell how far they had gone. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only several minutes, a pin prick of light appeared at the far end of the tunnel.

Katara increased her stride, catching up with Aang. She had wanted to give him- okay maybe herself some time to think. Although she had been incredibly relieved when Aang showed up- after all he was like another brother to her, she found herself wanting to check in on how Zuko was doing instead of Aang. But she didn't. Katara could see how upset Aang had been when he first saw Zuko.

Although he didn't get upset often, it's not like Katara hadn't seen it before. She had been there when he had almost blown her and Sokka off the sides of the Southern Air Temple and when he almost ravaged the tribe of sandbenders. This time seemed different. When Aang first entered the chamber his eyes were locked on Zuko as he protectively held Katara, shielding her from any falling rock, something inside him seemed to snap. Katara wasn't aware of it but Aang would have a difficult time seeing Katara in the arms of any other man, but the fact it was Zuko cut him deeper than he thought possible.

"Hey." She said, rubbing his shoulder with her own. "Are you okay? I'm worried about you."

Aang paused then gave her a small smile. "I'm just glad you're okay. I don't know what I would ever do without you." As casually as he could, Aang brushed his fingertips against Katara's. When she didn't immediately pull her hand away, Aang laced his finger with hers. He stopped for a moment and pulled her so she was facing him. "I would never leave you behind." It was like the Airbender had forgotten that they weren't alone in the tunnel. Someone made a noise behind them, like they had been choking on water.

"Aang-" Katara started speaking tentatively.

Aang ignored it, in his eyes Katara and him were the only two in the tunnel. Just like in the cave of two lovers Aang thought to himself, all they needed to do is let love guide their way. "I will always come back for you. You are my everything, I love you."

As the last few words left Aang's lips, Katara reflexively jerked her hand from his. In that moment, time seemed to slow down then stop. She had always known that she had a special place in Aang's heart, just like he did in hers- except she had always assumed that she was fulfilling the role of his lost family.

The past flashed before her eyes and for a moment she was transported from the cave. She was back at the Southern Air Temple, gusts of wind swirling about while dust kicked up into her eyes. It was like being caught in the eye of a storm. This wasn't even the most terrifying part, arguably the scariest part was watching the young boy she had just met, the one from the iceberg, begin to glow and rise up into the sky. She knew it had to be his Avatar Spirit, seeing Monk Gyatso, his only family dead, had been too much.

In that moment she had no clue what to do to help, afterall, she was just a little girl from the water tribe. Yes, she had lost her mother but how could she understand the absolute horror of being the last of your people? She couldn't, so she did the only thing she knew how. She made her way towards the Avatar, against the gale of all his past lives, calling out to him, "Aang. You're not alone. Monk Gyatso and the other Airbenders might be gone but we're your family now. Sokka and I." And like that the three of them (and later Toph) were bonded as family. But that's all Katara felt for Aang was the love for a brother, the same that she did for Sokka.

"Aang, I-" What was she going to say? She didn't see how she could tell Aang she didn't feel the same way without completely destroying him. Despite being the Avatar, Aang was a gentle soul and she had no desire to see him hurt. What she had been about to say must have been written on her face because for a moment Aang looked as though she had slapped him. Without another word he turned and fled down the remainder of the corridor.

With a bit of airbending it only took Aang a few strides to clear the rest of the tunnel. The moment he was no longer standing under the arched exit a blue light flashed in the tunnels, so bright Katara had to cover her eyes. Then the ground underneath her began to shake and the tunnel behind her began to cave in.