I actually started writing this about two months ago, but I didn't want to post it, unless I was going to finish it.

I just felt the need to write this, since everyone's probably wondered at least once how it would be if they lost…again. I know this is slightly, or very, depressing but well what is, is what is right? And also this story is Zuko, Katara, and Aang centric, meaning unless other characters join them it's just them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

Out From the Ashes

Part one

It was too late. The one thing he feared for so long had manifested into flesh.

As he stood in the limelight of what was supposed to be his shining moment he saw the remnants of what was his battle, only to be viewed as a burned forest; a hollow wind blowing in a quiet secret of what used to be a thriving forest.

He dropped to his knees and wept. If only he had stuck with the plan. If only he hadn't let himself be lost to the world for the one day they needed him. He always disappeared.

So he cried, not war ships in sight, no Fire Nation or Fire Lord as far as the eye could see. They were too far to catch. So he just cried.

It was over.

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"The comet's gone," Zuko commented dryly. He and Katara had done away with Azula and left her chained to be dealt with by a higher authority elsewhere.

"Yes, it is," Katara responded just as dully. She was drained both physically and mentally after her battle but that wasn't really what was draining her, it was her worry over Aang. "Meaning?" She asked a few moments later.

"Well, shouldn't something, I don't know, be happening." Zuko looked around as they approached the forest, now burnt, hearing nothing but a faint cry in their midst. Katara seemed to hear it as well when she perked her head up at the sound of the muffled cry.

"I know that cry," She said half out loud, half to herself and steered Appa downwards; following the cry until they saw the figure of Aang crouched on a pillar…what other than crying.

"Aang," Katara gasped and jumped down from the bison once he had landed on the pillar. The Avatar, though, had made no indication that he had heard her or Zuko approach him. "Aang," Katara whispered once more and crouched down to him; her hand hovering over his shoulder in a debate whether to touch him or not. He seemed so fragile for some reason.

Zuko, for one, knew that he was to back away from the situation as it was Katara's grounds until Aang was feeling a bit better. He already knew the situation at hand. He knew that Aang had either lost or didn't even get there in time and it surprised him at the fact that he wasn't surprised.

"What happened Aang?" Katara asked softly, her hand still hovering and Aang finally moved from his stillness, his half bare back arched at her words and he made a small whimper. "Oh, Aang." Katara whispered once more and removed her hovering hand to hug him tightly, he didn't protest, though he didn't give in. He just stiffed in her arms but she refused to let him go.

"I-I failed….again." he swallowed a thick lump in his throat and allowed Katara to pull him closer into her chest. Katara was well aware of the fact that she was pressing him right into her bosom, as he was aware as well, but both were too immersed in the harsh fate of the situation to blush or even care.

"No-no Aang you didn't," She soothed him; rubbing his back and gingerly going over his scar in the process.

"Don't sugar coat things Katara, you know that this is all my fault and nothing you say or do will change the fact that I had one thing to do, one duty as the Avatar, and I couldn't even do that without disappearing!" He pushed away from her harshly and rolled over to almost the edge of the pillar. Katara immediately rushed over to his side to aid him but he just pushed away again and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I hate to interrupt but what exactly are we going to do? We need a plan. And what about Sokka, Toph, and Suki?" Zuko mumbled in a dull, low voice that made both of them jump. "They were on those war ships you know."

"But who knows how far away they are. The comet's gone so they're probably done with the Earth Kingdom so that means…"

"No," Katara mourned quietly. "What if they've been captured, or…..or wor-" She trembled to her knees; Zuko placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. Aang stared at the scene near tears once again, but he remained serious going back to his methods used when he was traveling through the serpent's pass.

"We won't accomplish anything standing around, we need to go somewhere safe." Zuko finally suggested once Katara's cries died down.

"But-but Sokka and-" Zuko pressed his finger against her lips to silence her, but once he noticed the death glare emitted by Aang at him giving the women he loved such a gesture he pulled away. That was a fight not even Zuko wanted to have.

"They can take care of themselves for a night or two, right now it's too dangerous for any of us to be out. Right now probably every able bodied fire bender is out looking for us, odds-on Aang." Katara nodded slowly and stood, reaching out to Aang who just walked past the two and climbed on Appa.

"Come on," He instructed, "let's go."

"Where are we going?" Katara asked. Aang sighed and turned towards Katara and looked deeply at her before turning back.

"To the last nation other than the Fire Nation still standing, the Water Tribe." Zuko's eyes widened. He defiantly hoped they were traveling to the Southern tribe. He didn't think he was ready to return to the Northern tribe after what his people did, but then again it was at the Southern tribe where he actually captured Aang and threatened the women there. He scrunched his eyes tightly and Katara placed a hand on his back; giving him a faint smile of reassurance.

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The trip was a rushed journey. They had no time for detours and they were just relived that the tip South Pole was almost fairly close to where they were. It was hours later into the trip when Aang announced that they were making their way to the Southern tribe. It was too important for them to make the long journey in the least time possible with such adversity in their midst so Appa huffed and puffed as he flew as fast as his tail and legs could carry. Aang gently patted the bison's head as he flew.

The actual journey was rather quiet for the most part only sudden sniffles and huffs by either Aang or Katara could be heard and Zuko did his best to keep everyone on task and with the most hope as possible—which was usually Katara's job.

When they finally arrived the sun was rising over the horizon of the ice capes and they all shivered from the arctic air in their summer clothes.

"We need to find shelter." Katara suggested, regaining her bearings to take charge. "We can search for the village when we're well rested, but we need to warm up." The three dreaded the summer snow, it was always cold in the tribes even in the dead of summer so their attire wasn't the wisest choice. Normally, in situations like this Katara would pull out her and Sokka's old coats but they were stolen when Appa was captured and since they weren't in any fierce winter conditions they never replaced them.

Aang and Katara water bended a large igloo, enough for them three and Appa to sit and rest, and they all sat in silence mourning all the lives burned away by Sozin's comet.

"You know, this can still be fixed, we can fight again." Zuko finally said firmly enough to make Katara beam with light hope, but Aang—unsurprisingly—didn't change expression.

"Yeah," Katara gasped. "All we need is another window of opportuni-"

"No!" Aang yelled at the two excited older teens. "You're both wrong! This was my last chance." Zuko and Katara stared blankly at Aang and he just sighed. "The first time I talked to Avatar Roku he-he said that after the comet came not even the Avatar could restore balance. It's over guys. It's over and it's all my fault." He buried his face in his knees and cried openly. Katara, of course, went over to comfort him again but Zuko held her back giving her a look that clearly said "He needs this time to himself." Katara just nodded and sighed over at the scorned child.

Aang………

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"He's been crying for hours, he needs to sleep before the morning comes," Katara commented on Aang's methods when he hadn't moved in about three hours. It was well past midnight and Zuko was already starting to nod off.

"I don't know how to snap him out of this, you just need to talk to him." Zuko offered. He sounded slightly annoyed which Katara guessed was just because he was so tired so she gave him an okay to sleep which he took immediately and she crawled over to the crying boy.

"Aang," she whispered and placed a hand on his back, he rocked violently and looked back at her with his glazed eyes.

"D-on't" he stuttered and turned back into his knees.

"No Aang, you need to stop this!" Katara yelled and Zuko looked up at the loudness of them two angrily but then just fell back asleep. Katara, on the other hand, grabbed Aang's shirt pulled him against her again. He struggled against her hold but she remained steady and held him close.

"Katara stop!"

"I won't!" She kissed his head gently despite her harsh tones and he stilled slightly. "You're not going to engrave the fact that you're worthless scum in my head. You haven't failed Aang, you never did and you never will." He looked up at her in awe at how, even in these appalling times, somehow that pinch of hope found her. He admired her powers in that category to a great deal and wished he could acquire them.

"But-" he started but just stopped himself mid-sentence know that Katara would just easily cut him off anyway. And she did, but oddly and unexpectedly it was with her lips on his instead. They were soft and warm and lovingly pressed on his mouth and he had no other option but to sink into the moment. If she hadn't pulled away so soon he probably would've lost all consciousness of the fact that just outside that igloo was a fate worse than death.

"I don't believe this is that end of the world." She finished calmly and kissed his stunned mouth again.

"Uh," he mumbled lowly enough to make her jump a little. "What just-"

"I know this is probably the worse time ever to even consider being a couple, but I feel like it's the only way I can assure I'm with you one hundred percent." She leaned her forehead against his and stroked his cheek in a soothing manner.

"Oh, so this is just a reassurance thing?" Aang asked with little hope in voice at them being a real couple.

"In a way I suppose, and then it's just because I just can't wait anymore." They both looked deeply at each other before turning away blushingly. Aang almost even felt himself smile.

Almost.

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It was a bad night.

Aang didn't sleep at all; even with the love of his life kissing him goodnight and holding him as long as he wanted wasn't enough to cheer him up of all the lives he had cost. As soon as he stirred Katara began to move to. Her night wasn't any better than Aang's, though, she did manage to get a few precious hours of sleep.

"Was it a dream?" Aang asked softly against Katara's shoulder. His elbows were pressed firmly into her stomach though his hands were locked solidly on her shoulders. Her warm, soft, reassuring shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Katara whispered through her on coming tears and pulled him closer, but Aang refused to cry anymore and just held her tighter.

"That's what I thought,"

"It's not the end of the world remember, we have a chance, there's always a chance for the right to triumph, we just need to be patient."

"Patience won't work, there are more lives at stake here, Katara. People are going to die left and right if I don't rise to the occasion, if I don't do something!"

"What you need to do is calm down and figure out a productive plan, just let fate take its course." Aang pondered on her words for a moment of how fate takes its own course. He remembered so many moons ago of how he felt that him being trapped in that iceberg for one hundred years was a terrible stroke of fate only to feel completely different about the matter at the moment. Now he was actually kind of happy that he had the chance to meet Sokka, and Toph, and Zuko…….and Katara. She had told him in that cave during the storm that it was meant to be this way. So maybe the final testament of this war was meant to be like this too?

After they shook Zuko awake and packed their things they braced the cold again and made it until they found the Southern Water Tribe. It looked so peaceful compared to the rest of the world, so new and looking like it did back before the Southern raiders came along.

"Katara, Aang," a small voice called out and it was none other than Mya. The small village girl that told Aang she'd miss him. Mya ran up immediately and hugged the air bender around his legs in which Aang patted her and forced the best semi-smile he could possibly make.

"We need to find Gran Gran Mya, it's important." Mya nodded and grabbed Aang's hand to lead them to the elder.

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"Gran Gran ," Katara chocked out and her grandmother turned with a gasp.

"Oh, Katara, you've come back," she looked over at the air bender holding her hand. "And Aang, you've returned as well, I'm guessing you've done your duty?" The irony was almost sarcastic to both Aang and Katara, ad Zuko who was widely listening to everything outside the tent.

"Actually, we kind of missed our chance."

"Our last chance," Aang added and Gran Gran's face fell immediately and Katara squeezed his hand.

It was a long, grueling process to explain everything to Gran Gran, and her serious face was almost too much to keep going. So they would switch off, both Aang and Katara would take turns explaining everything; inviting Zuko in a little later to tell his side of story.

When all explaining was done and the day had soon faded into evening dinner was served in silence, and the horrifying story was re-told to all the villagers.

"I guess we'll start planning tomorrow?" Zuko asked, feeling more anxious than ever.

"I guess so," Katara answered, unfolding her familiar bedroll. It was funny. It had been almost a year since Katara had been back home, and when she finally was she couldn't even enjoy it.

"Well, good. It won't be long before they think to look for us here."

"What do you think they'll do to us if they catch us?" Katara asked without thinking and immediately regretted asking when Aang's head shot up.

"Probably look for Aang and do spirits knows what to him," Aang's looked deepened with sorrow and Katara hushed Zuko quickly; moments later hovering at Aang's side.

"Aang," she whispered and he didn't budge.

"You can't always be this distant just because something's bothering you." He looked over at her, long and even before turning back away, but she grabbed his shoulder and spun herself around so she was facing him. "I love you," she whispered and traced the arrow on his forehead before placing her lips there. He breathed against her, even his very breath full of desperate seeking.

"How does it feel then, to love a traitor?" It was the first smile he had ever flashed in two days, but the wickedness that provoked it made it anything less.

"Shut up Aang," She sighed pulled him tightly against her. She felt a slight nuzzle on her neck and a content sigh left her lips, enough to make Aang stop his movements. "Don't.." She begged softly but then Gran Gran entered the room and the two split apart.

"May I speak with you Katara?" she asked gently. "It won't take long." She added when she saw her granddaughter already preoccupied with a certain Avatar. Katara stood and frowned when she saw Aang take this opportunity to take to his bed but she didn't spare him a good night kiss. Brushing her lips just slightly over his and whispering sweet dreams to him.

"What is it Gran Gran?"

"Are you sure we're going to be able to make it?" She asked shakily, even for her.

"Honestly Grandma, I can only hope. Once Aang gave up it seemed sort of hard to believed myself, but I guess I have to be strong for both of us." She looked down at her hands, trying to hold back the tears stinging her eyes.

"I also see you have grown into a relationship with him?" Although a single tear rolled down Katara's cheek she smiled.

"It's the only thing good in my life, it seems." She looked up. "I've never been this happy and sad all at the same time." Kana nodded, and grabbed Katara's hand.

"I know things seem bad right now, but if the Avatar still lives I still have hope, and so should you." Katara smiled sadly at her grandmother's wisdom and gave her a tight hug.

"Thanks Gran Gran," Katara sighed.

Katara quickly made her way back in the tent once Gran Gran was done talking to her. Both Zuko and Aang were asleep and Katara swiftly made her way over to Aang.

"Yes?" Aang asked before Katara could tap him, obviously he hadn't found sleep yet.

"Nothing, nothing," she replied, running her hand over his head in soft, repeated motions. "I just love you so much." She kissed his neck smiling against his skin when she heard a soft moan come from his lips.

"Mm hmm," Aang mumbled and tried to turn over, but Katara followed his motions, bring him nose to nose with her.

"Say you love me too," she whispered. He groaned, low and even, into her shoulder and gripped her robe hard.

"Katara please, not now." He begged but Katara just forced him to look at her again.

"Aang…I love you." She thought she almost saw Aang smile, but he just frowned instead.

"I….I'm tired, good night." He turned over and sighed when he felt Katara's hands gripping his waist and her body warmly against his back.

"….good night Aang."

Well, I intentionally made this to be a slightly long oneshot but, obviously, that isn't the case anymore since it's already 8 pages and not even half way done. So, I decided to split my oneshot into at 5 parts all about the same size as this chapter. Yay?

I guess I'll be updating every couple of days, even though it's done, I want everyone to get a chance to review.