MISSING--Revised edition

Denial

Little Author's note: Yes, I'm taking my time with this, and I know that it is inconvenient. I apologize. I wish that all I did was write all day, but I now have other things in the way of the writing process. Thankfully, I have my best friend, Katie, who has come on board as my Co-author. She has put her heart and soul into this story and I sincerely appreciate her! (Y'all should to!)

Don't forget to comment/vote! I love your feedback!

-Elphie

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Aang's world stopped at the end of the final sentence of the note. He placed the now crinkled paper back on the vanity where he found it. He'd hope it'd turn back time. His eyes darted to the mirror, hoping to see Katara standing next to him.

Instead, Avatar Kuruk took the place of his own reflection. A past life that was devastated by the capture and death of his lover. The man's eyes sunk with years of unspeakable sadness and pain.

Avatar Kuruk walked forward, his arm extended. As Kuruk's hand touched Aang's shoulder all the pain of his past lives rushed forward. All the loss of people so distant in time and memory crowded him. He grew frustrated that he couldn't clear his mind enough to think of only Katara. It all flurried around him in flashes of faces and questions parts of him begged to ask. Why her? Why now? What's happening to her? Where is she? Katara. He felt his legs give way to gravity. The shock of the cold ground froze his thoughts. The last phrase she said to him, her eyes fixed on something else, "Don't be late, please." It felt distant, out of reach. Everything about her, from her pleasing fragrance to the way she hummed in content when he kissed her goodbye, ripped away from him. Katara. His mind began to thaw bringing him back to the present. Katara. Reality that she was gone hit him hard as he lay shaking on the floor. He quickly clawed his way to the bathroom where he emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. Katara. His mind boiling now one thought remained.

Where is she?

He caught his breath and finally stood. Aang glanced at himself in the mirror again to find his own reflection. The storm stirring in his eyes startled even himself, but he ignored it. One thing mattered to him: getting his wife back.

Fire danced on his breath as he left the bathroom. Grabbing his glider, he flew over the bay.

Seeing the city's lights fanned the fire already growing deep within his soul. Somewhere amid the people laughing, dancing, and partying, the rotten underbelly celebrated its own triumph.

Aang landed in the middle of the street Toph lived on. He checked over his shoulder multiple times before briskly walking up to the home of his friend. He pounded on the door, urgency sweeping throughout his body.

"Uncle Aang?" Lin's voice carried concern for him immediately.

"Can I come in?" He asked, unsuccessfully grasping for his composure. Lin didn't have time to answer before Aang stepped inside.

"Twinkle-toes?" Toph's voice drifted from the kitchen. "I didn't expect to see you here on your anniversary."

"I didn't expect to be here either." Aang snapped, throwing his glider on the floor. He crossed into the kitchen and looked over at Toph. She was in her casual wear, getting ready to wind down for the evening.

"Hey, Lin-"Another familiar voice emerged from the back hall. Tenzin rounded the corner, a goofy smile dashed across his face. "Oh. Dad, I thought you were with mom?"

Aang saw through the paper thin excuse. "You were supposed to be at Sokka's." Anger welled up in his throat. "Do you know what could have happened if I didn't know where you were? Something terrible could have happened to you and I wouldn't have a clue of where to find you or how to get to you! You are sixteen-years-old and should be more responsible. Do you understand how important it is for me to know where you are?" He felt Toph's hand on his shoulder.

"You need to cool it. Sokka was coming here to get him after the meeting so the poor boy wasn't alone." Toph took a seat at the kitchen table. "What's gotten you so worked up?"

Tenzin strolled over to Lin and put his arm around her shoulder. "Oh, don't you know, it's his anniversary." He smirked at his dad, who had his head in his hands. "Something obviously must have happened. Did she throw something at you like she did two years ago? That was funny!"

"Tenzin! Enough." Aang rose. The air was left unsettled by his outburst. They waited on his explanation. "She's gone."

Silence held on to the space between them. Aang returned to his chair.

Tenzin exchanged glances with Lin before speaking up. "What do you mean?"

Aang avoided the glare from his son by keeping his eyes on the table. "I mean she's been taken. Kidnapped."

"Are you sure, Twinkle-toes?" Toph's voice was filled with disbelief.

"Yeah, dad. That sounds ridiculous. I mean, mom could fight back. There's no way." Tenzin released Lin and wandered to the kitchen window.

"I'm telling you, she's gone and someone took her. I know. I have a note and evidence that she was taken. You have to believe me!" Aang's voice trembled.

"All right, I'll go put a jacket on and we can go check out your house for any evidence." She rose from the table and started down the hall to her bedroom. "This is all unofficial because I wouldn't put it past Sweetness to pack up and leave for a night." She tossed over her shoulder.

"Hurry." Aang growled.

◊◊◊

Tenzin had to admit that seeing the kitchen in such disarray upset him. It was not at all how his mother would leave it under any circumstance. He watched as Toph stood there rubbing her chin in thought while tapping her bare foot in a steady beat, perhaps in hope the vibrations may come back to her with something new. "Well, Junior, this is peculiar. No sign of struggle. Unless you count the dropped dish rag. The doorjamb is busted on the front door, which leads me to believe there was a break in. I'll have to bring a team out. Can you go ask your dad for that note?" She asked him finally, arms crossed and frowning.

"Yes." Tenzin responded simply. He refused to believe that his mother was taken. Even if someone broke in, she could have fought them off. Then, obviously shaken, she would have gone to Uncle Sokka's house. That was the story he was going with. Mom was at Uncle Sokka's and they haven't checked there yet.

He poked his head into his parent's bedroom. "Dad?" He kept his voice low.

Aang sat on Katara's side of the bed curled into himself. Sadness immediately overtook Tenzin. He looked to his mother's vanity where a piece of paper sat crinkled. Keeping his eyes on his father, he picked it up and smoothed it out.

"Avatar,

I hope you don't mind, but I thought I would borrow a little something of yours. If you want your precious wife back, you'll have to give me what I want. See how that works?

Happy anniversary."

"No." The word escaped as a whisper from Tenzin's lips. He looked back over at his father. Tears streaked the face of the most powerful man on the planet, and he knew that this was real.

Katara was gone.