Sea and Sky

Chapter 12: Reason Enough

Sea and Sky

Chapter 12: Reason Enough

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Sokka was understanding when Suki had told him that she would be leaving the celebration. Just a few moments earlier the pair had lounged comfortably against each other in a canvas chair large enough to hold three people. As the sounds of celebration and merrymaking rose around them, they leaned into each other for support as they finished their pints of brew.

And then, passing by as if she was on a mission, Katara had stalked past them, a hard look on her face as she made her way towards the outer edges of the gardens. As they had watched her pass, Sokka and Suki looked at each other and had come to a shared conclusion - Aang had told her what had occurred during her absence.

Letting out a long sigh, Sokka motioned his head towards his sister's direction. "Go. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"The whole situation is childish. They need to figure out what they want from each other." Suki muttered to herself as she deposited her empty pint onto a nearby table.

Wiping the last vestiges of the foamy brew from her lips, Suki stood from the chair and smoothed the creases out of her tunic. As she followed Katara, the gravel crunched under her feet as she went.

At hearing someone approach, Katara crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to face who ever was behind her. "Go away, Aang." She stated flatly, drawing her eyes up from the ground.

"Oh, Suki. It's you."

"Yeah, you looked like you needed to talk to someone."

Licking her lips, Katara moved a few steps away from Suki. Of course Suki had some to talk to her. With the way she had made way through the party, Katara was sure she'd garnered more than a few odd stares. She and Aang had disappeared earlier in the night, and only she'd emerged back to the celebration. Uncertainty filled her mind, unsure of where Aang had gone. She'd expected him to follow her.

"I'm guessing he told you about Rana." Suki continued as she smoothed a few short strands of hair behind her ear. The event played out in her mind, the General's words and Aang's reaction to his offered seared into her mind.

Nodding her head, Katara was conflicted, words failing her as she stood and regarded Suki. Unsure of what to say, she dropped her hands to her sides. What could be said? Over the past few days they'd had a turbulent reunion, had found some sort of common ground, and then this. Aang's revelation had slammed into her with a force she couldn't comprehend. While she knew that she had been the one to give the necklace back and leave, the fact that he'd considered someone else, even for a fraction of a second, made her sick to her stomach.

"It's all my fault." Even this, she couldn't deny as she took a seat at a nearby bench. Dropping her head into her hands, she closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. Ignoring the pain that lanced down from her scalp to her toes, Katara found a small level of relief as a breeze caught the small beads of sweat on her forehead.

"Honestly, you both have issues. You need to talk to him, and he needs to focus on you more. I know his position of Avatar can be hard on you both, but if you want this to work out, you both need to be easier on each other."

There was no denying the simple truth in Suki's words. What Katara had done, to run away without even a word, was childish and immature. At the moment when she had made the decision, she'd felt smothered and helpless. Instead of speaking up, she'd taken the easy way out, hadn't wanted to be a burden to Aang's already difficult life.

Katara gave a sad laugh as she covered her face with her hands. She was out of tears and the urge to cry was far off from her. "Does he still want to marry me? I don't even know any more."