Post war, 20 years later:

She ran through the woods and down the beach,tears of sadness anger, and pain streaming down her cheeks. She called asking, begging, her father for help and collapsed in the sand. As the stars lit up the night sky she fell at his feet and he cradled her in his arms calming her and taking her away, leaving her to blissful sleep.

Just hours later, before dawn, the Fire Lord's ship reached the island and Zuko, Aang, Katara, Sokka and Mai climbed ashore.

"A whole island for refugees and escapees, people looking for a second chance or a new life..."Zuko spoke with wonder "... people of all nations on one island for years."Where was this place when I was banished?

Sokka nodded "I heard of it from some water tribesmen up north, they say the stumbled upon it years ago...but the people had rare few visitors and had little idea what was going on in the world." He stroked his beard in thought.

"As good a place as any for my mother to be..."

In the middle of their conversation they were startled by a girl trudging through the sand. "Hello, there can we ask you a few questions?"Sokka called out to her . She looked up at him and approached them cautiously.

"I am Sokka, and this is my sister Katara, her husband Aang, Mai and Zuko. We are looking for someone, would you mind helping us."

"...Zuko...Prince Zuko..." She stammered.

"Actually I am Fire Lord Zuko."

"My apologies... Fire Lord...but I know exactly who you are looking for and would be more than happy to guide you to her, you all can just follow me to the village if that is all right." She stopped stammering and began to smile a bit "Its not far but it is a bit early so we may want to wait a while before going into town."

"That would perfect, thank you. And what is your name?"

"My name is Tula, your highness." This is amazing...she will be so pleased, she will probably go with him...and I will be alone. Hmmmh perhaps if it isn't to much to ask she will let me go with I should try not to be too hopeful... "I live with your mother, Ursa, I have for a while. The village is only 20 minutes away so um we should just wait here for a couple hours then leave so we are not there too early."

"Thank you very much Tula." Zuko said in his dignified tone as she would expect him to with a blank expression although she could see him hiding a smile.

"You probably want to be alone with your friends, so I will come back in an hour or so and then we can head to the village. Okay?"

"Yes, thank you. That will be perfect." The Fire Lord said and she vanished into the forest.

"Zuko, this is wonderful. We have finally found her, do you think she will come back with us to the palace?" Mai linked her arm through Zuko's, leaned her head on his shoulder and spoke while smiling softy.

"I hope so, I am just so glad to have found her finally. I have missed her for so long..." His face was no longer in his normal expression and he was smiling with joy, he took her hand in his hand and squeezed it. "And our children will have their grandmother, and the one on the way will always have her, from the beginning."

Sokka went and patted his best friend on the back "You are very lucky to have found your mother, I can't wait to meet her." He turned to Katara thinking about their own mother and could see Katara was also. He turned back to Zuko and smiled.

Zuko in return grinned and spoke to his friend "I am so glad too, this was my last hope too, I was considering stop looking for her...but here she is. Twenty minutes away..." He smiled again "and I am so happy you are all here too."

Katara and Aang started to speak at the same time,

"I can't wait to meet...he he sorry you speak first." They smiled at the habit that was starting after sixteen years of marriage and six children, SIX they could hardly believe it themselves but they were surprisingly 'fruitful'(and probably not finished yet), they knew each other so well they could finish each others sentences.

They proceeded on in discussing what was going to happen when they met her and Zuko told some stories about his mother for a while. Eventually the topic changed to the island and the strange girl Tula...

"So she lives with your mother? Perhaps she's a servant or something like that."Katara turned to Zuko and Aang "What do you think?"

"Maybe, I trust her enough, she new who I was and who I was looking for with hardly a word. She does seem odd and I wonder why she was out here so early, but I don't have any reason to be overly suspicious or defensive." Zuko replied and waited for Aang's reply.

"I agree with you, Zuko, but I sense something strange about her so I would remain cautious, I do think you are right but I feel a strange vibe...It is probably nothing though." Aang spoke with an uncommon unsureness for the wise but young avatar. But he shook his head and shrugged it off hoping the others would forget he had said anything.

Zuko and the rest of them nodded and assured him that it would be alright and went back to talking about his mother until Tula reappeared from the forest.

"You ready?"

They walked through the forest as Tula guided them for about thirty minutes going slowly because of the six months pregnant Mai, before reaching the village. It wasn't the largest village but it was certainly not small, some buildings were a tad ratty but in general they appeared nice. Some of the food stands and businesses were opening and there were a few people on the uneven dirt road. Tula led them down the main street, subject to a few odd glances and glares directed at the group and Tula respectively,and around a corner down another street. At the end was a small house with three turtle ducks waddling around the yard. Tula led Zuko up the steps first and opened the door...

AU: My first fan fiction so I am sorry if its unpolished, Its traditional pairings (although i love me some zutara) but not Legend of Korra, i have a good idea for the plot development but please let me know if it's good. i am having some trouble with the perspectives of aang and katara so if ANY of them seem ooc let me know, please read and review!all input welcome, even ideas once i get the plot going...was the cliffhanger okay? should i write more? PS: I don't own AtLA AT ALL thanks for reading!(if anyone does...)