Hey guys it's me, Kataanglova8! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever, but I've been so busy lately it's ridiculous! I'm going to try and make weekly updates if I can. I'm thinking every Friday, but if I can't make it for one Friday, I will update it the next. Alright, so this chapter is the after thought. Keep in mind Aang was drunk last chapter, he's a bit of a lightweight and so he got drunk easily. Think of this as the day after, and so he did things the night before he wasn't so proud of. Anyway, he is going to feel a bit of regret in this chapter but most of the problems will be resolved by the end. I decided to make this a really long chapter since I have kept you waiting for a long time. It probably will be about double its normal length, at least that's what I am hoping for. Lastly before I begin, the beginning is in Aang's POV and the end is with Katara's but I'm positive by the end of this chapter you guys will want more! Anyway, on with the disclaimer!

Me: Alright guys, we haven't updated in a while so, I expect someone to come right off the bat and say the disclaimer already.

Everyone: no answer

Me: Oh don't all volunteer at once! Geez people! We could show at least a little more enthusiasm!

Toph: You want to see some enthusiasm, well here you go! (Puts me from the waist up in earth)

Me: Thanks Toph! Now how exactly am I going to write this chapter buried in earth! Ever think that one through!

Toph: Actually I did; here's your computer! (Throws computer in front of me and releases my hands from the earth chamber)

Me: Alright well Zuko come here (Zuko walks over). Well since you finally get to make your appearance in this chapter, you are allowed to do the disclaimer for once!

Zuko: Yay!! (Starts to do the happy dance). Kataanglova8 doesn't own me or my happy dance. Oh, and my friends either!

Me: (face plants my forehead) Why do I even bother? Zuko! (Zuko snaps back into attention) I want you to be a good little boy and stop doing that or you're not getting in my story!

Zuko: Oh man! (Pouts and walks away)

The End Has Yet to Come

Chapter 7: Running from Destiny

Awakening to the pure brilliance of utter and true pain wasn't exactly my plans for this day, or any to follow. But here I was once again, beaten by my own defenses, thoughts rambled and shock passing over my body. Beyond comprehension, my mind with its jumbled words and phrases pounded as the force of aftershock swept through my veins. Without question, my eyes began to flutter open; with extreme difficulty may I add. Light streaming through the glassed windowpane began to feel as if it would burn a hole straight through my eye. Wincing, I shook my head in an attempt to rid my body of the sheer force that was entirely foreign to my brain. But, due to my luck, the twinge of soreness only stayed, much to my dismay.

Where was I and how did I get here? What happened to me last night? As if a switch had lit itself within my brain, the memories rushed back, the drinking, the water, Appa, her, Katara, the kiss. Wait?! Hold on a second, what had I done? Why did I have to go get myself drunk beyond comprehension? Why did my challenges and resistance have to be disposed of? Why, why, why? Why did I have to be such an idiot is my question? She had ripped me apart and spit my heart back at me and now I was ……kissing her for it. No, no everything is messed up! Something must be wrong! I wouldn't, not in my right mind at least, try to express these bottled up feelings; I would not, could not, revert to my aged viewpoint of her. But here I was, as love struck as poor school boy or a lost puppy.

As if the mountainous opinions all whizzing past my already confused head weren't enough, I realized a small weight upon my tightly drawn up chest. Glaring down at the reason for my turmoil, I realized I need to get out of this predicament. Fresh air seemed to be calling to me as it seductively tended to my every need. Having a requirement to be anywhere but here, I gingerly placed her arm back onto the bed and crept towards the door, reeling with sheer triumph with each step I made forward towards the door and away from the crisis. Curse the squeaky floorboards, as I swiftly snap my head around in order to see my doom awaiting me.

Katara, staring back at me through beautifully lazy eyes utters, "Good Morning Aang," followed by a trivial yawn.

Itching to run, I couldn't deny the urge as my feet pressed forward across the slippery surface of icy palace floors, putting space between her and I. Calls and shouts of my name followed as she furiously continued her attempts to seize me back to her, but I pushed ahead. Being hung-over had its drawbacks however, as I stumbled time after time, each occurrence bringing me within a breaths distance from her. The slipping only continued as I made my way down the winding staircase bringing me to the fortresses' exit. Each slip, each fall, only weakened my spirits but somehow I had burst through the citadels gates first out into the already hectic market place. Each turn I had taken was a chance to slip away from everything and everyone, as panic welled up in my being. All I had yearned for was to make my distance from her essence, to numb myself for it was easier on my mind and spirit in that way, but that might as well have been a lie.

My heart weakened at each mention of putting space between us, it yearned for more but somehow I still managed to deny that desire. She had this overwhelming control of the ways of my heart, each beat and thump of it against my pounding ribcage seemed to call to her and all I could do was try to ignore it, not matter how difficult it seemed. Burning for her, I used the craving as a piece of the chase, each step towards my victory, however far ahead that may be.

Unaware to me I had toppled straight into rows of bright colored glass beads leading me into some sort of shop. Incense filled my nostrils as my eyes squinted to make out my surroundings. The unnatural darkness flooded my eyes striking fear within my core; what could possibly be lurking in the shadows of this seemingly ordinary structure? Shadows dancing like flames on the surrounding walls each vying for my attention, each putting out any flicker of resistance I showed.

All of a sudden sounds of jingling and swaying of objects reached my ears as I crept forward. When I glanced back upon the open door where the light pooled at a puddle on my careful feet, I noticed that there was no wind. The air, so still it brought chill after chill to the back of my neck, raising each and every single hair as fear consumed me.

My heart pounded violently against my chest afraid of the unknown, representing my mood towards life at this moment. As soon as the panic had crept up upon my being, it dissipated as the light flickered on and I had the ability to observe my surroundings: pillows strayed around a small table on the floor with a bowl filled with bean curd puffs filled on the center; serene pictures being displayed on the wall of scenes utterly calming to the mind and soul. Although I know I have never entered this hut before I can't help but remember a similar one, flickering in the depths of my mind coming to life once again.

As I began to see a persons shadow creeping in the depths, I'm frozen. Every muscle, every pore of me is struck with terror and I feel as defenseless as a newborn pup; that was until the figure stepped put of the darkness and a voice that could only be described as sugar spoke, "It's about time you showed up Aang! I was getting not only restless but a little antsy as well. I've been waiting for you, much longer than you can ever imagine."

At this instant my eyes finally began to focus and I could finally take her in, a presence of light radiating in the sun's rays. Gold seemed to pour from every vessel of her being and the brightness of it all almost made me turn away. Hair that seemed to flow like liquid gold down her back in light waves fell upon my eyes first. Her skin, a shimmering golden brown in color, struck me as unique. Next came her face: features almost identical to Katara's stared back at me, except her plump rose petal lips. Although unlike Katara, this woman was quite a few inches shorter (not Toph short, but short enough) even though her figure had to be identical to Katara's. A pair of light blue baggy Capri's adorned her toned legs with navy stripes that ran down its sides. On her top was a blue halter of the same sky blue as the bottoms with a blue lace pattern splayed upon the entire back. Every piece of her ethereal and other worldly made this woman seem unreal to the eye. However I was snapped back to reality with a quick, "Are you done inspecting yet because I have a lot I need to show and tell you?"

Sputtering for words like a fish out of water I utter, "What the…? Who are you?"

"The name's Serena! Pleased to meet you acquaintance and your Aang. Ok now since we know who each other are, I bet you want the juicy info. Am I right," she added with a slight rise of one of her eyebrows and smirk placed upon her luscious lips.

"Well that might be helpful! I mean you just show up out of no where and magically know my name. I mean I might be a little of my rocker but come on! How could you possibly know me if I have never even talked to you? "

Cutting off my blabbering with a wave of the hand and a school girl type giggle she verbalized, "Oh but that's where you are so very wrong. We have met numerous times over and over again, you silly boy. Oh and to answer all your questions from before, do I," using her hands and gesturing towards herself, " really look like I'm from around here?"

Puzzlement crossed over my features due to her making absolutely no sense whatsoever. Now that she mentioned it though, her appearance was a bit peculiar to this world, a little too perfect and put together to be living in this hell hole. "Your one of them, aren't you, the spirit wielders from the Spirit World. I never thought that I would actually see one in person though. You're so rare I would have never guessed. So are the stories true? Do you have premonitions and manipulate spirit instead of an element? If this is true you can obviously come back to the real world to use your powers because no one can use any power in the Spirit World. I'm guessing Roku and the others sent you here for me. Ugh, can't I ever get a break?"

"Not so many questions at once Aang, geez! Ok to sort through your questions, yes to all of them. Now it might actually be easier if I told you why I am here and my whole story," and with that she set off into her epic tale. "It all started when I was about 2 years old, when most children show their bending powers. Growing up in the Water Tribe, my parents expected me to specialize in water, seeing as they were both master water benders, but I never did. I always had noticed the effect I had on people though: the way I could get them to believe anything I wanted them to, my natural charisma and charm, and as I grew older I began with the premonitions.

"They started first as dreams, horrible nightmares that began to come true around me. I told my parents but of course they just thought I was going crazy. So, at 15, I ran away from home. I ran as far as my feet would take me until I found a little town where they were hospitable to me, as kind as can be. Having heard murmured whispers of this crazy old lady in the town who could do predictions, I set off to find her to see if she could explain what I should do. That day changed my life forever," she uttered as tears began to well up in her eyes and a few poured down her cheeks silently, looking like liquid diamonds on her glowing skin.

"Her name was Aunt Wu and she taught me everything I now know." She paused and stated, "I'm guessing you know which Aunt Wu I am referring to, Aang. Anyway," she continued, "fright overwhelmed me that day as she explained exactly what I was, a higher being as she called it. People would kill for that power and so, I had to hide it. A spirit wielder hadn't been born for centuries and as soon as someone of importance found out my gift, well… I don't have to explain to you what would happen. She began to teach me cloud reading and how to interpret palms. Everything she knew was transferred to me. She said that by doing astrology and all of these things, I was still embracing my gift but not enough to call attention to myself. Finally, I began to feel useful and utter happiness began to pour from me. I had a purpose and I was useful. I was me and that was all I ever needed to be. But how wrong we both were, so very wrong," with that she collapsed on the ground with a convulsive sob and I rushed to her side. It broke my heart to see the twinge of sadness showed within this one woman. In that instant, a paternal instinct welled up in my core. For as she lay here vulnerable and full of grief ,it was as if I was seeing a child within her, one who had never been loved the right way, one with emotional baggage. Being the Avatar, I suppose I felt it was my duty to prevent horror and pain stricken states from coming over anyone but at this moment I was as helpless as a newborn child. Defenses and acts couldn't bring her from this pain that was not only hers alone but mine as well.

After composing herself she continued, "From using my spirit powers, it began to corrupt my mind. Suicide and horrid thoughts began to permeate me and I felt violated. I told my concerns to Aunt Wu and worry began to fill her core. Being the only Spirit Bender within the last couple of thousands of years had its draw backs however. She of course wasn't a spirit wielder, so at the commencement of this task she didn't know the consequences and then there was that man who started hanging around. He began poking his nose around and asking me questions. Now I know him for what he was, but at those moments he seemed pleasant enough and so I answered. Being naïve, I didn't think anything of it, until that one fateful day, the day I was murdered." Trepidation showed through her glassy, blue, tear stained eyes and the sympathy placed itself on my face. Why wouldn't anything I attempted to do help Serena? This appalling pain was heart crippling and I wasn't even the one experiencing it. If this was how strong the memory of it was, how horrible was the actual experience?

"Unlocking my door, I stepped over the threshold of my house only to be grasped from behind and stabbed once: the knife's cut deep enough to kill. As I lay there in a pool of my own blood, all the pain and horror fell away. Truly at peace, I drifted off into a place so much more tranquil than our own, well at least that's what I thought was occurring until I arrived there that is. As I stepped into the light of the Spirit World, I was approached by a man old enough to be my grandpa adorned with a long gray beard. Do you know who that man was, Aang," she asked with question and speculation swimming in her eyes. As realization swam over me I finally could figure out the factual response.

It was a simple one simple one word answer that I replied, "Roku."

"Correct you are my friend and do you know what he said to me?! He uttered that I was stupid. What type of a greeting is that? I was absolutely livid until a smirk crossed his face and he explained why I was so dense. He said that a spirit wielder such as me should have noticed that he was talking to me in my dreams." A snort escaped her lips followed by a quick smile showing me that the sadness had dissipated and the important pieces were soon to follow.

"Apparently he had warned me in my dreams of the up and coming attack and I was so oblivious to it that the man murdered me. Well, Roku said since I had suffered enough in my life and learned a great deal of life lessons, even though I was only of twenty years of age, I could keep my powers without any hindrances, but there was also a price, as always. I would have to watch over the Avatar's mind and come to guide him in the right direction in the real world if Roku was ever consumed in some sort of business, as he is now. So, I have met you many times in your dreams young Avatar, giving you subliminal messages and the like. But, you are so troubled as of today that I thought I would make an appearance and point you on the path you should be taking. Ok, now you can ask questions," she uttered as a smile lit up her already glowing face. Anticipating surged within my core as it vibrated its positive light through my being.

My jumbled thoughts swarmed past my head at the speed of light and I felt like a child on Christmas morning. "So where exactly is Roku?"

That seemed to strike a cord within her as pain passed over her face. Avoiding it carefully, as if treading the grounds between land mines, she answered, "Um, well he's uhhh ……. Just don't worry about it, ok kid. Just know that he is fine and doesn't want you to stress."

At other times I would have been suspicious but I was basking in her story and the countless unanswered questions that I let it pass. "Ok, so what did you come here to tell me?! Are you going to have a premonition if I ask you a question? Can we start already?"

Serena's laughter filled the space of the room and brought with it a wave of heat. "Aren't we excited? Well, I came here to answer what ever difficulties you are possessing and no premonitions for today. We are going to do this the old fashion way: astrology, reading your chi, crystal ball, and reading both the bones and your palm."

"Oh man! I wanted to see you go like into a trance and start saying all cool stuff, but I guess this is just as good."

"Now come on lets get started!" With that, we rushed into the next room where all her supplies were already set up for our reading.

Settling down in no time she brought out a scroll which looked oddly familiar to me. "Where have I seen this before, Serena?"

"Hmm, well I was conjuring it up over the last few days in order to get ready for our visit. Maybe you saw it being completed in you dream or something. I don't know, but anyway this is your birth chart or natal chart, which ever you prefer to call it! It shows where in the sky the stars were at the time of your birth and their meaning in your life to come. Oh and whatever I tell you is the absolute truth because the stars never lie, so keep that in mind." With her index finger she skimmed the inside of the scroll looking at its contents, eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. A few moments passed in utter excitement when she finally began her observations.

"Alright buddy, let's see. I have an idea there are three areas in which I am guessing you would like to know about: love, family, and all your fun Avatar business. So, I will have you choose which one you would like to hear about from the stars. Then, we will go to the crystal ball and I will tell you all about another, followed by the rest of these gizmos. Ok, so which one do you want to learn about first?"

Pondering this for a mere moment I cancelled out the love part, which I would save for the crystal ball and I decided on family. "Alright Serena, I'm going to go with family. It seems to be the most reasonable choice and plus I want to know how everyone on the other side is dealing."

"Aang, you know family also included the one you have today right? You can't forget about them; your friends are now your family. Never deny it."

"I know Serena," I mumbled incoherently and a successful smile passes across her face.

"I'm glad. Ok, so I'm going to give you some background information on yourself first so you get how you interact with others and then I will show how you match up compatibility friendship wise with all of your family. You are an intricate character Aang, which you already knew yourself, but it's also backed up by your natal chart. Having your sun sign as a Libra, your charm is your most likeable trait. You have a light air about you that is magnetic to others, it pulls them towards you. Always the forever diplomat, you can solve problems and interpret peoples feelings with ease. As well as this, your sign has some negative qualities as well, which given the situation could turn out to be your down fall. You're quite flighty in nature and tend to try other ways than confrontation to solve your problems, this all has to do with the way you were raised as well, do not forget that. But all Libra's seem to find a balance and inner peace or harmony, which seeing as you're the Avatar is an obvious trait. Plus, you are good at multiple things, pretty much anything you set your mind to that is and I highly doubt there is probably anything you couldn't do. Alright so do you want me continue on you or move onto your relations with your friends," she asked with a light tone in the already gleeful atmosphere.

"Well now, I think I want to know about my friends and their future. Yeah, first tell me about Sokka and Toph. Are they ever going to get together," I questioned with an exasperated tone.

Childlike wonder passed over her face as she uttered, "Ah, Toph and Sokka. Now they are quite an interesting pair. Toph is a Taurus, stubborn and resistant to change until the end, although, her soft side is rather shy, quite and easily wounded. Even though she is brash and blunt she has the ability to be a lady with her manners and etiquette. She is quite diverse and that is what makes her so special. Sokka, being a Cancer, compliments her nature in many was. He has the imagination of a genius and a drive like no other. Even though he can become moody and overly sentimental for her taste, she loves him for it. Together they can be a bunch of kids and they don't need to think about the past or the future so much as the now. The only reason they aren't together yet is because of their inflexibility that could probably move mountains if it had to," she added with a belly chuckling laugh that had us both splayed out on the floor from the absolute truth in her words. Everything that splays out of her is so articulating and so unbelievably accurate that it makes me mull over what she really believes about the whole Katara circumstance.

Startling me back to attention was, "So Aang, who else would you like to know about?"

"Um, well maybe we could learn about Mai and Zuko some other day because I know there will be other visits, obviously. So should we move on to the next event, which I'm guessing would be your crystal ball? Am I right," I said quoting her directly from earlier.

Sitting for a few moments in bone chilling silence, she sat perplexed. Although I wanted to believe that was pondering about her feeling about my heart matters, a cord was struck within me that this information was as far from factual as they come. Depression then crept up upon me.

When someone could finally explain these matters of my bewildering life to me, they were ripped away, tearing but another seam of my psyche. Sitting here with her in this instant ultimately showed me what it is like to be truly and utterly isolated, me against the world with no one to hold on to. But, in a certain uncanny way, that was completely fictitious.

For, as she had stated before, I had my family and at this point they were the only thing pulling me back from teetering on the edge of insanity. My life line to the world and together we would make it, we would prevail with Toph's perseverance, Sokka's plans, Katara's comfort, and Zuko's adaptability. Our family could do this together and no matter what darkness was thrust upon us, we would worm our way through into the light ahead, the light of the future, as one whole cohesive unit.

After the few moments of solemn silence, I decided to break the ice by uttering, "So I guess this is the first and only time that I am going to meet you. Huh? Well it was nice to kno…," I was cut off by her sharp words slicing like a sword through the previous tension.

"Aang! I don't even know for sure if this will be the last time we will see each other! Stop making predictions of things you don't even know. Ok, for one thing I am positive I will still be able to speak to you in your dreams if you are open to it. But, there is a possibility that this could be the last hoorah, although I hope this to be false. But, why don't we use the time we have left wisely. Let's use it for something useful, something that has troubled you for years on end, my dear Katara."

If there was time for my will to shake it would be within these next few moments. Every unanswered question could finally be solved, every fight, every lie taken care of until I would then only have to deal with the future. But what if I didn't want to know these unanswered questions? What if these questions ripped me apart further until I couldn't handle myself anymore?

Now, I knew the truth for myself. She had always had my heart. Whether it had been intentional for me to leave it with her, it was there and I didn't have the power to take it back. It had been hers for so long that t couldn't possibly belong to anyone else, not even if it wanted to. That's why each stab hurt. Why I finally found out the real reasons as to why my heart sang when she grew close or why with each word she spoke my ears were on end trying to make out what her musical voice was saying. So I had my answer. I was still irrationally and irrevocably in love with Katara. So all I had to mutter to Serena was, "Why?"

With that realization her face lit up and she didn't need any crystal ball or gadget to tell me what was foretold in my near or distant future. All she had to do was speak from the heart. "Look inside your heart, Aang. That is where any of your answers lie. Because she can, because she wants to, because your made for one another. It's all the same. What you have to deal with is letting go. You need to let go of the hurt and the turmoil and things which had once caused you immense pain. Just let them flow down the river,"

"It's not worth it to hold a grudge. It's not worth making yourself miserable over when you know that every day of her life she regrets the decision as well. All she wants is you Aang, just you. I'm not saying you have to go off and marry the woman, just let her back into your life. Slowly, but surely everything will fall back into place, the way it should have been. You can finally be yourself again because you will have her love. You will accept her love and not fight it. Aang, I know this is all easier said than done. But really, do you want to go the rest of your life knowing that you could have had what one in a million dream of? Or do you want to seize the chance? I know what she did and so does she,"

"But, she has forgiven herself and I think you should too. In a way, you both blame yourselves. You blame yourself for leaving her behind. In the sense you left her to rot, but you needed closure. You needed closure with your old self and taking all the anger out on her now isn't going to help. When you think you can't possibly go on, just breathe,"

"Breathe and call to me. I will guide you on what to do. I'm here to lend a helping hand, both in this world and the next. I will help you do this and all you need is a little faith. Faith in yourself and in the ones around you. Faith that no matter what happens, you will make it through the storm and prevail. Faith, it's not much but it's all we really have besides love. It's the only eternal thing. Faith and Love. That is all you need to make it through life without one scratch to your name or yourself. "With that, she closed her eyes and just took a breath. An utter calm state resonated in her and me as well. Without my knowledge, tears began streaming down my face as I let go.

Letting go of the grief and the anger just flowed out of me. Maturing as this process continued, I cried for joy. AS this weight that had been pressed upon my shoulders for years had finally been released and I was free. I crumpled to the floor and just glowed. Life was going to have a new beginning for me and I was going to make the most of it.

There was a purpose for me here that was more than just being the Avatar. It was finding peace within me. I was finally home and as I looked up from my space on the ground she was gone. Sadness might as well have rushed through me until I heard her voice.

"I'm here Aang never forget that. Oh, and there is one last thing I must tell you. Prepare yourself for your next challenge. Something is amiss among the spirit world dwellers and you're going to need your whole family to help on this one. Whatever it is, it isn't happy. So gather your friends and stay strong. You're going to need it."

Switch to Katara's POV

"Damn it, Aang! Where are you," I cry out as I lay on the street corner weeping. Every pore of me is crying out to him.

How could I have let this happen again? If it wasn't for me, this wouldn't have happened again. Losing him was like, my heart being ripped out and stabbed until it beat no longer. My soul had been sparked once more last night only to be put out once again. I have all about lost hope until I look up and there before me is a golden orb of light. All I know is that I must follow this strange illumination. It beacons to me as it flares there and I follow after it at a dead sprint.

Turn after turn it brings me until it enters a little shop. I feel ad urge to follow it and enter. In all the glory of a god, there he stands and I jump on him. All I do is whimper and bawl, grasping onto his muscular shoulders and repeat, "Don't leave me. Don't leave me," until I don't even know if I remember the words any more. All I know now is that I'm safe; in his arms and that I never want to leave. The next thing I can comprehend however is on loud, obnoxious voice, one that is all too memorable and one that makes us both spin around in glee, "Sorry to break up the love fest guys, but I think I deserve a better welcome than two of my friends making lovey dovey faces at one another."

In unison, Aang and I scream, "Zuko," and bombard him from there.

Hey guys, I know I have been absent for quiet some time now and I want to thank everyone for being so patient. I am going to try my hardest to get a chapter out every week if possible. I love this story too much to let it go. Anyway, thank you all for reading and please feel free too leave reviews. I love you all. Thank you so much.

XoXo

Kataanglova8