Silently creeping down the hallway, Katara made her way to the nursery in the Western Air Temple, in the crib closest to the back wall was her son Mugi. He had just turned one year old. His dark brown hair pressed down against his forehead, eyes closed. Katara reached down and picked her son up. She wanted to hold Mugi one last time. As per her agreement with the surviving Airbenders, she would leave after his first birthday to grow-up as an Air Nomad. Mugi would know who his mother was and be able to visit the Southern Water Tribe, but would spend most of his childhood in the care of the Air Nomads. It was a fair agreement; the Air Nomads were so few now, not even enough left to fill more then two temples they needed every Airbender. Biting back tears, Katara kissed Mugi on the forehead and set him carefully back in the crib. No matter how much she wanted to hold her son and never let him go, Katara knew better. She only a few hours before dawn and needed to put as much distant between the temple and herself as she could. Hurrying out of the temple, she ran on silent feet to the front cliff's edge, her hooded cloak billowing behind her. Appa was waiting for her, a small pile of satchels and trunks in his saddle. Using her Waterbending, Katara pulled water from the fountains underneath her body and rose to the saddle. A barely audible yip-yip fell from her lips and she and Appa were off.

Easily gliding out to the chasm and then slowly fluttering to the bottom, Appa was soundless, as if he knew Katara's wordless desire to not be discovered. After the other Air Nomads had come out of hiding, they had insisted Aang join them. This would have been fine for Katara, she and Aang had been together for a few years and while she did love him, she knew it wasn't something that would last. They were growing up and growing apart. Unfortunately, Katara had been pregnant when they decided it was safe to make themselves known. Her child had been an Airbender and they needed him. Not wanting to have a long, drawn out and overly public goodbye, she had opted for something more personal that would leave her with less guilt towards her child and towards Aang. The guilt felt by Mugi's father was as great as his mother's, but Aang would be there to help raise Mugi, Katara didn't want to have to see his teary eyes and hear his hollow apologies. It wasn't Aang's fault, and Katara knew that, but she didn't have the energy to comfort him when she knew she was the one getting the short side.

Appa landed with a small tremor at the bank of the river at the bottom of the chasm. Climbing down, Katara waterbended her belongings off of Appa, making a large board of ice, she moved her stuff to the back and made a criss cross box over it so it would stay in place during the journey. She turned to Appa and hugged him goodbye. It would be a long time before Katara saw him again, they both knew it. Jumping on the ice board, Katara started her journey home, knowing she would never make in there in one shot she had sent a messenger hawk ahead to Fire Lord Zuko asking if she would be able to stay at the palace for a few days to rest. Not having the luxury of waiting for a reply, the note had said to have a palace valet waiting for her at the docks in two days if he agreed, if not she would rest at an Inn and then continue. The note had explicitly told him not tell Aang if he should contact Zuko, Katara only hoped he would respect her wishes.

As she cleared the chasm a lone child started crying in the Air Temple, reaching up and grasping nothing, wondering why his mother wasn't there.

In the study of Fire Lord Zuko, chaos had ruled of late. Papers were strewn everywhere, half empty cups of cold tea with scrolls piled on them were barely balancing on ink pots, brushes were left unrinsed, the ink crusting on the bristles and making them useless. Normally a servant would be there to clean up the mess Zuko had left, but there were so many political issues and requests that every waking minute was either spent looking over papers and messages or meeting with his advisors. He had barely had time to practice his Firebending, which upset Zuko the most. Getting physically soft was the worst thing that could happen to him, the Fire Lord had to appear as physically fit as he was mentally fit. A Fire Lord going soft this early in life was taken as a bad omen. Zuko sighed as he looked over everything that needed reading and signing, the piles were seemed endless; he needed a vacation. Maybe he would write to Toph and visit the Bei Fong estate, but no, he couldn't do that. The Earth Kingdom was still very politically unstable and Zuko wasn't safe there. He could always go down to the Southern Water Tribe and visit Sokka and Suki; he was much less despised there. Of course, it was winter in the South Pole, which meant no light. Being cut off from the energy of the sun would probably drive Zuko crazy. Letting his forehead fall onto the desk Zuko groaned, he needed a diversion from life, someone to talk to that didn't grovel.

Iroh was in Ba Sing Sei at his tea shop, Aang and Katara were at the Western Air Temple with their new child, Toph was busy playing diplomat in the Northern Water Tribe and Mai was with her new husband Master Piando enjoying her honeymoon. He was completely alone.

"Fire Lord Zuko?" a voice called through the door.

"Yes." Zuko answered, sitting up straight and smoothing his hair down.

"You have a messenger hawk from Priestess Katara."

"Give it to me!"

Eagerly Zuko stood-up, walked over to the door and yanked it open; the servant had the message on a plate waiting for him. Snatching it up, Zuko read it quickly, happy to have communication with a friend.

"Two days? That's today!" Zuko exclaimed "Quickly have a valet take a palanquin down to the docks to meet Katara."

The servant nodded, bowed and hurried to make the arrangements. Zuko smile, he would finally have someone to talk to.