Author's Note: I don't update very often. I have lots of other stories that should be finished. But I watched all of Avatar in a week and had to start something. I realize there is another series coming out, so you'll have to forgive any discrepancies between the next series and this fanfiction. It's just a little something that is going to have a few appearances of the original main characters. I hope you enjoy my little story and remember! It's just something for fun! I don't intend for this to be serious or anything...

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the characters in Avatar or the setting for Avatar in any way shape or form.

Twenty peaceful years have passed since Firelord Ozai was ripped from his throne and cast into the dungeons. His daughter, Azula, seemingly vanished from the face of the earth; it is said that not even the Avatar is aware of where she is. Zuko rightfully took the throne with Mai at his side, and with the Avatar's help, he regained the peace that the world was looking for. The path was hard, the land and its people scarred deeply by what the fire nation had done… and as Zuko knew best of all, fire is something that leaves lasting scars. But through the healing touch of honesty and humbleness, they were able to soothe the burns left on the landscape, they were able to build a new world around it, and now, finally, after over a hundred years of pain and torment and fear, peace has returned to the Continents.

"What are you doing?"

Katara looked up and smiled. "I'm just writing the last of our adventure down."

Aang leaned over her shoulders and skimmed the page curiously. "I know where Azula is."

"Of course you do," she blew on the ink softly and then rolled up the scroll, "but it would make things much more interesting for the people who read this later to think that you didn't."

"I dunno, Katara." The Avatar scratched his head. "I think it sounds kinda ominous."

Katara laughed. "Ominous? Aang, it's just a little mystery for the history books. Azula is locked up safe and sound, Ozai is fireless, and it's been twenty years of peace. You know where they both are, and you know as well as I do that there is no way they could escape." She stood up and smiled at him. "There's nothing to worry about."

For a second Aang looked worried, then he smiled back. "You're right. There is absolutely nothing to worry about. But you forgot one very important thing in that history book you're writing."

"Oh, what's that?"

He leaned over and gave his wife a kiss. "Us."

"And me!" A dark haired head poked into the room, gray-blue eyes focused on the two adults.

Katara threw up her arms with a smile. "Everyone's a critic."

"You also forgot that Momo and Appa have children. And that we found a secret society underground. And that—" Aang was silenced by a finger on his lips.

"Aang! That stuff hasn't happened."

Aang grinned. "Not yet anyway."

Katara rolled her eyes and tied up the scroll. "Come on, Roku. It's nearly dinner time."

The boy followed his mother out. "What's for dinner?"

"Please tell me it's not sea prunes…" Aang followed, sticking out his tongue.

"Nope!" Katara paused and then said, "Sea cucumbers!"

Deep underground, in a prison newly built, a guard made his way down the hall. His fire-nation armor clanked steadily as he walked. There was a tray of food in his hands. After passing several heavily guarded stations, he was finally admitted into a tiny room, with an even smaller cell to the back. Carefully the man walked forward and set the tray down.

"Lunch." He kneeled on the ground and pushed the tray under the bars.

The person huddled in the corner at the other side didn't say a word, nor did they move.

The guard frowned. "I said, lunch."

"Then leave it." A woman's voice growled bitterly.

The guard stood and started to leave, then seemed to think better of it and came back, leaning forward so that his face was close to the bars of the prison. "Lady Azula." His voice was soft. "This is a very important lunch."

She raised her head slightly, and then suddenly kicked off the wall, slamming into the bars and grabbing at the guard. "Did you come to gawk at the caged princess?" Her clawed hands swiped air as the guard moved back, startled. "Did you come to shout insults and taunt my fate?" Her mouth twisted into a savage grin as she shook the bars of her cell. "Don't you worry. I'm happy here. I'm happy because once I'm out, I'll get to destroy you all!"

The guard hastily left, straightening his tunic as he did so. A few other guards were trotting towards the cell where Azula was screeching, but the first shook his head. "She's insane."

The others stopped. One nodded, glancing toward the room where she was kept. "It's good that the Avatar took her bending away as well. Or we'd all be fried as soon as we walked in there."

The first guard grinned wryly. "It's a good thing she's insane or she'd have figured a way out of here already…"

The guards laughed together and walked away, closing the door to the room behind them.

As soon as the guards left, Azula quieted. Her eyes flicked around the room before she settled to the food. It wasn't bad, as prison food went, but it was nothing like what she had eaten before. Carefully she pulled apart the lunch and ate in silence. In her many years in prison she had learned one thing. If she acted insane they tended to leave her to her own devices. Of course, when she had first arrived she was insane, probably still was to some extent even now, but the long days in her cell after the Avatar had taken her bending away had given her plenty of time to think, and to observe. There was far more going on inside her head than ever before. If anything, the Avatar hadn't handicapped her, he had given her an advantage. She knew the guards; she knew their weaknesses, their loves, their families, their abilities. She knew who came at what point and when they changed guards to protect her cell. She was well aware of what they thought of her, and make certain to keep their opinions the same as when she had first come in. Scorn, disapproval, and that small flicker of fear she saw in their eyes when she screamed.

By listening to them talk she was able to discern what was going on in the world outside. What her brother was doing, how he was turning the world into a nice little fluffball of happiness and joy. She sneered, carefully finishing the bowl of rice to uncover the note under it. It was wrapped in wax paper to keep the steam from the rice out. Carefully she withdrew it and smiled.

Now that everything was so nice and quiet, it was time for things to spice up a little, and if there was anything that Azula knew how to do best, it was spicing things up.

"Uncle Sokka!"

Katara looked up to see her youngest fly into the arms of her brother and smiled. "Sokka, you made it!"

"Would I miss my own sister's birthday?" He walked over and gave his sister a hug. "Happy birthday, Katara."

"Thanks Sokka. Where's Suki?"

"She's gettin' Yue in here." He glanced toward the door. "She saw a firefly and had to chase it."

Katara smiled and moved to the door in time to see a small girl running toward the door.

"Aunt Katara! Look!" She opened her hands to show the glowing bug but as soon as she did it escaped her grasp. "Oh no!"

Katara smiled and patted the girl on the head. "Don't worry about it. We can catch more later." She led the girl inside, followed by Suki and a young man. "Moku, how have you been?"

The teen shrugged, looking to the side. "Pretty good, I guess."

Suki shook her head and gave Katara a smile. "He's just upset because we wouldn't let his girlfriend come along."

"What?" The family turned to an inside door where another young man stood. "Moku has a girlfriend?"

Moku smirked. "Before you too, Tenzin."

Tenzin gripped his head dramatically, "You mean she said yes? When did she say yes?"

Sokka cleared his throat. "I'm sure you two can catch up on that later, when we're not celebrating my sister's birthday."

The two boys ignored Sokka, heading off into another room to talk.

"Hey! Get back here you ungrateful little—!"

"Sokka, it's fine." Katara rested a hand on his arm.

"But—!"

Aang stuck his head in the doorway. "Sokka! There's cake!" He grinned broadly.

Sokka looked at Aang, mouth open in protest and then closed it, thinking. After a second he shrugged and walked into the other room. "Can't argue with cake."

Suki gave Katara a hug as they followed. "So where is little Roku?"

"He's not so little anymore." The water-bender smiled. "He'll be twelve in a month."

"Can you believe it? They grow up so fast…" Suki smiled at Yue who was climbing into her father's lap.

"Yeah." Katara smiled too, remembering that when she had first met Aang, he had been twelve. It seemed an incredibly long time ago that they had saved the world. She settled in a chair at the table, smiling as everyone caught up. Even though they didn't live too terribly far away, it was still rare that they got to see each other often. After the adventure, everyone went off on their own and started their own lives. It was nice, Katara decided, to have everyone together again.

"Mom!"

Katara looked up in surprise as her youngest clambered over the window sill and into the room. "Roku! What are you doing?"

"There's an eagle outside!" He pointed out to the porch where a large eagle was perched on the railing. At its breast was the symbol for the Fire Nation.

"A bird from Zuko!" Aang sprang to his feet and trotted to the window, hopping out.

"What's his excuse for not being here?" Sokka asked, mouth full of cake.

"Sokka, he has to rule a nation." Suki laughed a little and took a slice of the cake as well.

"That doesn't stop him from having tea time with his uncle!"

"His uncle is in the fire nation."

Katara stood up and moved to the window, watching Aang read the letter. "Aang?"

The Avatar looked up, his face serious. "This is bad, Katara."

"What's bad? What did Zuko have to say?" She felt ice sink into her skin and knew before he said it what was wrong.

"Azula and Ozai are gone."