Taken For Granted | Aang

11. Awake and Rise

Aang and Luna chatted as they walked, the moonlight highlighting Aang's blue tattoos and Luna's grey eyes almost perfectly.

Aang asked as he turned to Luna, "What's wrong?"

Luna felt her smile drop, "What do you mean?"

Aang sighed, "I can tell something's on your mind. What's wrong?"

Luna let out a small huff before answering, "I just... I miss her a lot. I miss her laugh and her smile. I miss her white hair, and her dark blue eyes. I miss my sister. I miss Kaila and her silly jokes. I miss everybody so much."

Aang took her hands in his, running his hands along her veins, "It's okay to miss them. I know how hard it is to lose the ones you love. Is there anything I could do to help at all?"

Luna shook her head, "I just want them to come back. I want to go home and I want to see her. I miss her so much and I don't know what to do about it. It hurts so much Aang!"

Aang gently squeezed her hands and spoke in a soft, gentle tone, "I know. I know."

Luna started to softly cry, "I could've saved her if I was stronger. I could've saved Kaila if I was quicker. I was weak and it cost their lives. I hate it, Aang! I hate living knowing she could've been right beside me!"

Aang shook his head, "You couldn't have done anything. You could've been strong but Zhao was stronger in the end. The fire nation was stronger in the end. But it was just a battle. We can be strong together! We can stop this cycle of hate! I promise you, I'll make sure the fire nation never hurts someone again, even if I die trying!"

Luna was still crying quietly, upset and sad. She was so guilty for something she knew she couldn't have stopped. And that triggered something inside her.

Something opened inside her that day.

Suddenly she stopped crying.

Cold. She felt so cold. It hurt. Her head hurt. Her head was racing. It was exhilarating, it stung her throat and froze her skin.

It was like her entire body was ice.

She felt angry. She felt upset. She felt like she'd escaped her own body.

It felt like she was drowning yet breathing better than ever.

She thought as she coughed for air, "What's happening?!"

Water was Rising, tides were changing,

And Luna was going into the ocean state.

She couldn't see anything. Darkness clouded her vision and all she could feel was cold.

Like she couldn't get warm and never would.

It was terrifying. She felt more powerful than she ever had yet so weak.

And as Aang looked up at her, her eyes glowed.

And they glowed black.

Luna rose up in the air, surrounded by pillars of water and ice, snowflakes mixed in.

Aang called out for her desperately, "Luna!"

Luna felt something inside her. A small warmth, nestled in her heart deep down inside her.

A candle had been lit inside her and it was burning bright.

She felt the ice melt and fall away. The water dropped and so did.

Someone caught her. Someone warm caught her.

They laid her gently onto the ground. They whispered, "Luna, it's gonna be okay, I promise."

Aang. It was Aang.

She whispered it softly, like it was delicate, "Aang."

Her eyes cracked open and she saw him sitting next to him, "Yeah, it's me. Aang."

He had a soft smile on his face. Then, it faded away again.

Aang touched her arm. It was cold as ice, maybe even colder.

He picked her up, carrying her to her tent. He put a few blankets on her but she wouldn't warm up.

She was gonna get hypothermia if he didn't act quick.

He didn't know what to do. He was out of blankets and couldn't get more. If he left, she'd die.

He thought of Jeong Jeong. He thought of fire. He thought of flames and ashes.

And though he had burned Katara once, he wouldn't let Luna die.

He couldn't let her die.

And so, a small flame lit in his palm and he held it next to her. He expanded it slowly, making it larger with each breath until it split into two flames. One in his left hand, one in his right.

He slowly pushed them back in forth, over Luna's body, carefully not to burn her.

Then the coldness of her body almost melted away and she sat up.

Where Aang was. With fire. In his Hands.

The fire kissed her leg. She hissed, gripping her now-burned leg.

Aang exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, Luna! I-"

She cut him off, "It's fine. Really. It was my mistake and now I was burned."

She turned to him, "Thank you. For saving me."

He smiled, "Of course, Luna. You're my friend."