Where Are You, Christmas?
It was a warm night outside the house in the Earth Kingdom. A woman with brown hair was sitting with her legs up on the sofa, next to the window; she was watching the snow – on that day it had, unusually, started snowing. Her eyes were searching for some kind of flying creature… A flying creature that could bring her lover back.
One month ago, her lover, Aang, was needed on a mission in the Fire Nation. He hadn't come back yet, and that made Katara worried. About two weeks ago, the Airbender sent her a letter saying that he wouldn't be back soon. Her hopeful spirit was totally in the dark.
In her hands was the letter the Avatar had sent to her; she closed her eyes to inhale, and smiled at the smell of his scent. It was a sweet scent that she always enjoyed.
"I miss you so much, Aang…" The blue eyed woman muttered and looked again to the window, and started singing.
Where are you, Christmas?
Why can't I find you?
Why have you gone away?
That day was Christmas Eve, and she was all alone. She looked out and saw many families together: laughing, smiling, and enjoying each other's presence. It all just reminded her of her home in the South Pole, when they were usually together. She had a flashback when she was looking out onto the snowy ground: her mother was decorating the Christmas tree with shiny lights all around it and was cooking delicious cookies. It was almost midnight; they held hands and sang carols. Everything was perfect, until the death of her mother. The flashback on the snow disappeared slowly.
The past Christmas was the first she spent with Aang. It was joyful, the entire Gaang together around the fireplace.
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play?
The Waterbender just hoped that this Christmas, Aang could be back home to stay with her, in order to say words that were full of love. She hoped that they could drink hot chocolate, nestled in each other's arms peacefully, while the snow fell outside.
Katara stood up, closing the flowery purple silk robe. Her eyes seemed lost, fixed onto the portraits on the top of the fireplace. All of those portraits were memories: not only of when she was a child, but memories of her and Aang, too. Her thin fingers stopped on a portrait at the end; it was of her and her lover two days before the Avatar's journey. He was hugging and kissing her passionately. She took the portrait to see it more clearly. A smile crossed her face, but with sad tears.
My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too?
"I just want to know if you're okay," the blue-eyed woman murmured, looking to her diamond ring on her right hand. It was the ring of proposal Aang gave her, along with the necklace; they were officially married. The necklace was splendrous, with Airbending and Waterbending symbols and to complete it, a giant diamond connecting the symbols, in a symbol of love.
Where are you, Christmas?
Do you remember
The one you used to know?
She put down the portrait on the sofa and put more wood on the fireplace to burn. Suddenly, images appeared everywhere in the house, flashbacks of the past, and they all included Aang. The Waterbender smiled, while dancing with the images that were flowing; she could see everything again, the first time they saw each other, the first kiss during the Invasion. Katara stretch out her arm to touch Aang on the image; when she did that, the image slowly disappeared.
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go
Her voice grew louder, and the images flowed more quickly. Her dance was gentle and calm, but full of movements.
Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh
She remembered everything, everything she had lived with Aang, since the first day. The smiles they shared, the moments when they blushed, the kisses, the fights, and the days alone…
If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time
The Waterbender took the portrait with her while she sat on the sofa and hugged it, spinning herself before she sat, to remember the moment. Her hope was there again, her hope that Aang could be back home on Christmas. She was wishing, wishing with all of her heart.
I feel you, Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love
The last image was of their wedding; she could see his eyes shining and could sense him putting the ring onto her finger, and the necklace on her neck. He kissed her gently and without a trace, everything faded. The woman found herself kneeling on the floor, with her left hand on her lips, smiling.
The portrait was on her lap. She took it, stood up, and sat down on the sofa again, giving a last look to the sky.
Where are you, Christmas?
Fill your heart with love…
Then, Katara slept through the whole night with the portrait in her hands. In the morning, a creature that she longed to see in the sky landed near the house, and a man with grey eyes airbended to land on the ground too. He looked to the house, smiling.
The Waterbender woke up with a startle and looked out of the window. There he was, her lover, her husband, her best friend. Without a trace of doubt, she closed the robe, put her fluffy slippers on, and ran towards the door.
Once outside, her face lit up when she saw Aang. He saw her, too, and ran towards her; everything was in slow motion. The Avatar hugged her hard, while she cried on his chest.
"I love you Katara, I missed you so much."
"Me too, Aang," she murmured touching him to see if he was really real, and he was. They shared a kiss and Aang lifted her up, spinning her while she laughed.
"I have a present for you." The woman said, taking his hands, when he put her on the ground.
"You know you didn't…" She interrupted him, putting his hands on her belly. His eyes showed surprise. "Are you…?"
"Yes Aang, I'm two months pregnant," she said happily.
"Oh Katara, I love you so much!" He said, while kissing her covered belly. "I'm the happiest man in the world!"
"And I'm the happiest woman in the world, because I have you…" she muttered with tears in her eyes.
A kiss was what happened next, and through the window that Katara had looked up so deeply from the night before, one could see that a portrait was lying on the sofa, shining more that day, while the lovers were kissing outside. Her wish had been heard, and on the day of Christmas, he came back to her.
They say the night of Christmas is magical; everything you wish for can come to life. You just need to wish, and have faith.
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Hi everybody!
In first place I REALLY want to thank my beta reader for correcting it and deleting my non-sense mistakes x D
A HUGE thanks!
And for everybody that read that story, I couldn't avoid writing a Christmas story!
This fic was like a movie into my head, I NEEDED to write it.
Leave a review please, I'll be glad : )
Kisses,
Isa