Author's Note: I know it has been a long time since I last posted a story. Life got very hectic and I was very busy. I hope you like this oneshot. Fair warning though, it's sad. Please let me know what you think by leaving me a comment!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender.

Aang woke up to an absence of warmth at his side. His eyes slowly fluttered open and he slowly sat up looking around the room.

Katara.

His wife was gone. She did not lay beside him nor was she anywhere in the room. Aang, now fully awake, picked himself up out of bed. He had a pretty good idea of where to find her.

As he walked through the dark hallways, his mind wandered towards this last month. It had without a doubt been the hardest month is his and Katara's marriage, and one of the hardest months of Aang's life. Who wouldn't have a hard month after losing a child?

X

About a Month Ago

Aang woke up to the sound of Katara screaming. His brain immediately on high alert, he jumped up, scrambling over to her side of their shared bed and kneeling at her side.

"Katara! What's wrong?!"

Then he saw the blood.

Between Katara's legs, their usually clean sheets were stained dark red. Aang's eyes widened.

"Katara, what's happening?" he asked, trying not to show his rapidly rising panic. His wife was now sobbing uncontrollably and Aang was getting scared. She wasn't speaking to him, instead just clutching at her swollen abdomen where their baby sat. Aang suddenly realized with horror what was happening.

"Katara, I promise I'll be right back!" Aang rushed out of the room with speed only an airbender could acquire.

"MIDWIFE!"

Their midwife, an older woman by the name of Aika, rushed out of her room.

"Avatar Aang! What is it?"

"It's Katara. There's blood m'am. And she won't stop crying," Aang explained as quickly as he could. Aika's eyes widened.

"Oh no…" the older woman murmured. She hurriedly followed Aang back to where Katara lay, still sobbing uncontrollably.

"Katara dear, you must calm down," Aika said, immediately rushing to her side.

"It hurts Aika," Katara said, finally speaking.

"I know it does dear, but we need to get you to the bathroom so you can pass the placenta and the…" Aika paused for a moment, closing her eyes before saying the words that brought Aang's nightmare to a reality, "...the fetal tissue."

Aang closed his eyes, feeling sick.

Their child….no….it couldn't be, right?

"Avatar Aang, I'm going to need your help moving Lady Katara," Aika said softly. Aang swallowed thickly and nodded. He walked over to his wife and gently scooped her up into his arms. Katara immediately turned her face into his bare chest, staining it with her tears.

"It's going to be okay Katara," Aang murmured, although he knew it wasn't true. They'd lost their child. And that was in no way okay.

The delivery process was short and heartbreaking. Aika ran a warm bath for Katara to make it easier to pass the fetal tissue and to help soothe the abdominal cramps. Thirty minutes later, it was finished. As Aika drained the bloody bath water and wrapped the tiny pink remains of their child in a towel, Aang helped Katara dry off and helped dress her in a clean pair of lower bindings and a fresh nightgown. Katara was no longer crying, but staring blankly at the floor, numb to the rest of the world. Aang on the other hand, was barely keeping it together. The only reason he hadn't broken down yet was because he was trying to keep strong for Katara. However, once Katara was back in bed, ordered by Aika to rest, Aang sat on the edge of the tub, staring at their 12 week old child that lay in the towel, gone.

And he cried.

Tears streamed down his face, heaving sobs coming from deep inside his chest as he finally lost his composure.

X

He found her sitting outside in meditation gardens. She sat silently, her knees pulled to her chest, staring blankly up at the night sky. Aang knew there was nothing he could say to make it go away, so instead, he sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. He knew they would get through this. They always did. It would just take time.

AN: Again, I hope you liked the story. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please drop a comment below and tell me what you think. Thanks for reading!