AtAB is owned by people who are very creative, most of the time...seriously a play to recap what had happened...oh bother, I promised my self I wouldn't relive that. Anyway, you know you own it and we all know I don't ... so if you're reading don't wuss out next time!

Katara watched the moon and for the first time in years thought of Yue as the large orb crossed the night sky. She stood sentinel, high on the northern most tip of the glacier that dropped into the frigid waters of her home. The frozen wind blew against her solid form, the icy zephyr trying to pierce the warmth of her clothing. Katara ignored the howling winds and the furious crash of the waves beneath her, it had been too long since she simply stood and was surrounded by the silence of her frozen home.

The last five years had brought much change to her people, the Fire Nation had offered to help fund the rebuilding. Katara could still remember the surprise in Zuko's eyes when her father had thanked him for the offer then stood and said, that the forgiveness of the Southern Water Tribe was not for sale. When the Fire Nation had something worth trading they would be interested in establishing themselves as a trade partner, until then the iron ships of the Fire Nation were not welcome within the waters of the Southern Water Tribe. Then he led his party to their ships and they had left that very day.

The Southern Tribe received no messages from the Fire Nation, she traded with the Earth Kingdoms and her sister Tribe of the North. For the past five years they healed and with the help of the Northern Tribe had rebuilt their home and become once more a flourishing nation.

Sokka had brought Suki to the South Pole after the buildings had been reconstructed, several of her sister warriors found husbands among the returned soldiers of the water tribe. Kana had taken it upon herself to teach the young warrior women the skills needed to help their husbands.

Katara smiled at the moon, "Yue, have you seen the changes that have come to us. I hope you are pleased with the increased respect that the women of my age carry." Katara paused in her speech, "You were the first my sister of the North, with the children of the Warriors of the Southern Tribe you will not be the last and your light will never be forgotten." A single tear froze to the water benders face as she exhaled into the icy wind.

Lowering her gaze from the moon Katara cast her eyes over the gently illuminated churning sea. The vast waves revealing a small vessel, slowly loosing it's fight to remain a float. Curious Katara lowered herself into a bending stance and with great care moved the craft closer to her iceberg. Not recognizing the make of the craft Katara continued to bend the waves to her will. Once the small boat was close enough she focused the sea to rise and in a column of water the small boat landed gracefully on the ice next to her.

Above the wind she heard the cries of an infant.

Now concerned she sliced the side of the wooden boat and with a wedge of ice she cracked the frame, opening the protected interior. She released the ice as water and let it return to ice behind her. Moving quickly into the dark womb of the boat she followed her ears to the sounds that she heard.

The interior of the boat held no light so she moved slowly toward the sound. She tripped over a still warm body, eliciting a moan. Slowly regaining her feet, she tripped once more over a much smaller body and still the infant wailed in the dark. Finding her feet once more she moved around the small cabin searching with her hands until her mittened hands found the softness of a child's body.

She lifted the slight form toward her face and sighed when her lips touched the soft skin of the infant's cheek. The babe stopped wailing once it was held. Knowing she could do nothing until she could see, she returned to the open frame and frozen wind. Using one hand she formed a crude igloo over the body of the small craft and resigned herself to staying where she was, until Angi rose and gave her sight.

Katara returned carefully to the dark belly of the craft, careful of the adult body. She slid to a seat next to the person as she held the infant tenderly in her arms. She undid her protective outer coat and nestled the infant into one arm as her other hand moved around the confined space in search of the other child. Once the small body was found she gently pulled it toward her and settled the child on her lap and surrounded both the infant and the child in the warmth of her parka.

Katara woke disoriented she could no longer feel the moon in the sky and it was far too early for her to be out of her furs. As she tried to blink her eyes open, she realized she couldn't lift her arms. Her entire body felt numb, warm but numb. Confused she opened her eyes fully sighing as her sight slowly adjusted to the dim light.

She glanced down as something wiggled on her numb body, her deep blue eyes widening as they met the golden eyes of the little girl.

The girl stared at Katara for a long while before she spoke, "Are you my momma Katara?"

Katara's heart almost stopped beating as she tried to process the girls words.

"Katara!" Cried a tired and familiar voice.

Katara's attention shifted from the girl in her arms to the woman who was trying to move herself closer. Katara caught the long dark braid and stared, "Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee's amber eyes found Katara's and she reached out her hand as she wept, "Thank Agni, thank Agni, oh thank Agni." Her strength expended she passed out where she lay.

"Momma!" the little girl cried and threw her arms around the older woman's neck, "I was so scared, Auntie Ty promised, she promised that we would find you that the water wouldn't hurt us, because you'd never hurt us!" The girl buried her head in Katara's neck.

Katara wrapped an arm around the girl in reflex and held the slight form close. Offering her protection and comfort as she was able as she considered the girl in her arms, the girl on the floor and the babe in her other arm. Confused she rested there for a few minutes longer, until the child's stomach growled.

The winds blew around her and the cold cut into her as she descended the glacier and returned to her village. Her parka covering the children she carried as she made her way quickly to her gran gran's home.

"Gran Gran!" she called out, "I need your help!"

A few minutes later a bleary eyed grey haired woman moved from her sleeping chamber out into her living area. "Katara?"

Katara smiled at her sleep tosselled gran gran, "I'm sorry to disturb you, I need your help." She peeled back the coat to reveal the sleeping children. "I need you to look after the children until I return."

Kana stared at her granddaughter and held her arms out for the babe as Katara unwound the elder child from her hip.

"No, no, no Momma Katara, no don't leave!" the child cried as she held on tighter.

Katara sighed and caressed the girls hair, "I have to go get auntie Ty, you want her to be safe don't you?"

The little girl sniffed as she nodded sullenly, "Promise you'll come right back."

Katara smiled and brushed the girls cheek with her fingers, "I always come back. Your Nonni Kana will get you food, save some for Auntie Ty ok?"

The girl nodded her head as she moved over to the older woman, her eyes curiously taking in her surroundings.

Katara took the chance and moved quickly back out into the unforgiving weather as she refastened her coat and moved swiftly back to her glacier point.

Several hours later Katara managed to maneuver Ty Lee into her own home. Before she settled the other woman under her sleeping furs, she pulled water from the ice around her and tried to reduce the woman's raging fever. Once the dark haired acrobat was sleeping peacefully, she returned to her gran gran's home.

"Momma Katara!" the little girl voice cried as she flew at Katara's legs, "You came back!" Her voice a raspy cry.

Katara held the girl, "I told you I would."

Kana watched her grandchild with the fire nation girl, "Granddaughter Tara, come we still must change you brother Miko."

Katara smiled at her gran gran, "Go now Tara, you did save Auntie Ty and I food now didn't you?"

The girl nodded her head as she let Katara set her down, though she held out her hand.

Katara smiled and slipped off her mittens, then let her cool skin rest in the little girls as she allowed herself be pulled into her gran gran's second bedroom. To find the babe playing with Master Pakku, both with giddy smiles on their faces.

"Gran Pakku!" little Tara cried as she launched herself at the older man.

Pakku caught the girl, "What are these?" he asked as he swiped his finger over her tears and showed her the water.

The little girl stared at the water on the old man's fingers, then touched her own fingers to her face pulling them back to see water on her own fingers as well. Her amber eyes opened wide, "My eyes are leaking!"

Pakku laughed and tapped the girls nose, "they are called tears Tara, they happen when we are happy, scared or upset."

"Am I ok?" she asked the older man earnestly.

Pakku smiled at the small fire nation girl, "Yes, you are ok. Now that your Mother Katara," he glared at Katara, "has returned, you may finish telling me about how you came to find us."

Tara nodded, her braid swinging with the motion. "Father woke us up and we went through the tunnel and out onto a big black ship. Auntie Ty was waiting for us. We traveled a long time on the ship, then there was fire and fighting and Auntie Ty carried me and brother to the little ship. Auntie Ty got sick and it was cold, I was really hungry, then I woke up," at this point she held her arms out to Katara.

Katara took the girl into her arms and held her.

"I woke up sleeping on Momma Katara," she smiled up at Katara as she nestled closer to the woman.

"How did you know it was your Momma Katara?" Pakku asked.

"Father showed me her picture, he made me remember her eyes, he said it was very important for me to remember Momma Katara's eyes. He said no one has eyes like Momma Katara," the girl stared into Katara's eyes, "they're pretty."

Katara smiled at the girl and rubbed noses with her, "Thank you Tara, now after your brother is ready we will go see Auntie Ty. She is going to be very lonely if she wakes and you are not there."

Tara nodded as she rested against Katara's shoulder.

"We will bring the babe Katara," Kana replied as she watched the young girl. "she needs proper rest."

Katara smiled, "Yes gran gran."

Five months later…

Katara walked arm in arm with her brother as they watched Ty Lee, Tara, Suki and Kaya run around in the snow. The young girls were learning to fight and do acrobatics in the snow. The bounding figures of the Kyoshi Warrior, the Acrobat and the bouncing girls had become a common sight to the Villagers. Katara would stop and speak with any villagers that had a moment and Sokka always had a horrible joke or his hands to offer assistance to any who needed it.

"Momma! Momma!" Tara bounded toward Katara, "did you see, did you see Kaya, she launched herself all the way over the canal!"

Katara braced for impact and scooped the five year old up into her arms, "I saw it little penguin, now what has Momma told you about running like that through the village?"

Tara blushed, "Not too?"

Katara nodded, "Correct, return to your lessons with Auntie Ty." She set the girl back on her feet and gave her a little push toward Ty Lee.

After a moment Katara noted black snow, "Ty Lee!" Katara yelled, "take them to Gran Gran, you stay there as well!" With her command shouted she spun and raced over snow and open water toward her glacier. She could hear her brother calling for her as she raced away. Using bending to move her faster through her element she arrived at her favorite look out spot. She saw the Fire Nation Ship spewing it's black smoke into the air, with a series of hard, sharp and powerful moves, icebergs closed off the entrance to the Southern Water Tribe.

Golden eyes burned as they caught the lone figure on the glacier above them, a stream of fire dissipated from a group of eight benders.

Katara moved the frigid sea water and froze every person on deck to the deck. Ice cold and hard, the ice would not melt until she released it. A geyser of the brutal water moved up and she stepped confidently into it. It lowered her to the deck of the ship and ice daggers hovered at her side as she stepped out of the funnel of water. "Why have you come to the South Pole?"

None of the fire benders replied to her question.

Katara smiled and the cold ice that ran through her was evident in her smirk. "You do realize that I am not the Avatar, that these waters are unforgiving of fire and iron."

"I look for my children peasant," came a cold voice, "I have reason to believe that you harbor them."

Katara waited on the deck for the speaker, "There are no Fire Nation children in the Southern Water Tribe. You risk much bringing this iron beast to our waters, Chief Hakoda has declared that the iron ships are not welcome."

"Your Peasant Chief's demands mean nothing to me," growled the hard voice as he moved from the shadows of the area above her.

Katara noted the wild eyes and the familiar bearing and face. In a swirl of water she was off the ship and the waves started crashing onto the deck, "Your son had mercy, you will find I am not as kind." She said simply as she was moved by the waves out of harms way. She kept his eyes even as the panic'd screams of the sailors filled the air around them. She waited in the waves until the great black ship was taken to the depths of Tui. She waited even longer to ensure that none survived to speak of this to any other living soul.

When the last body was taken to the depths she returned to her glacier and bent the water from her cloths. Slowly she returned to her village, smiling as she watched the efficiency of the Warriors of her Tribe. The men and women of the Tribe stood along the large defensive wall of their home and waited for the spotters to return. She moved directly to where her father and Sokka would be waiting for news.

"Chief Hakoda," Katara bowed at her father.

Hakoda stared at his daughter, she was never official with him unless it was very important. "Sokka, check with Bato." Hakoda commanded his son.

Sokka glanced between his father and sister and sighed, they'd tell him when they were ready.

"Master Katara," he replied.

Katara looked into her father's beloved eyes, "There is no ship from the Fire Nation."

Hakoda stared at his daughter, he saw the cold glint in her eyes and sighed, "Were they a threat?"

Katara nodded once, her blue eyes sparkling with determination, "Prince Iroh's brother commanded the ship."

Hakoda stood swiftly and wrapped his daughter up in his arms as he rested his head in her neck, "Thank you daughter." He said softly.

Katara smiled as she wrapped her arms around her father, "Now she is avenged."

Hakoda smiled as he let go of his anger and released his daughter, "How are my grandchildren?"

Katara smiled as she removed the ice door from his meeting room, "They are well, I swear Tara moves faster every time she learns a new trick from Ty Lee."

They talked as family and not as rulers until Sokka returned.

"There is no sign of a Fire Nation ship, though there is an ice shelf that is blocking the passage to our village." He glared at Katara.

Katara smiled at her brother, "Now Sokka, you know how tricky the ice flows can be."

Sokka growled at his sister, "You never let the rest of us have any fun!"

Katara laughed at her brother's petulant expression, she tried to dispel her mirth under his fierce glare, "Sokka, you agreed to allow me a certain amount of creative freedom when I protected the Village with the ice. Wasn't it you that said, the hothead's would think twice about visiting us if they found themselves fighting big honkin' chunks of ice."

Sokka glared, "Any idea who it was?"

Katara shook her head, "My glacier is too high for identification, but perfect for sudden avalanches of ice."

Sokka sighed, "Fine, next time Sparky sends one of the iron ships we," he pointed to his chest, "get to turn it away."

Katara smiled, "I promise."

"So Suki was hoping that we could visit Kyoshi this summer, you want to bring your brats?" Sokka grinned at his sister.

Katara considered her brother, "I don't know, I'll have to check with Ty Lee."

Hakoda smirked, "Bato has no commitments for this summer."

Sokka groaned.

Katara smiled as wickedly as her father, "Humm, we'll have to see what we can do to convince Ty Lee."

Hakoda grinned, his best friend had fallen for the acrobat and was fighting it tooth and nail. He hadn't been certain what to think of the young Fire Nation woman until her ready smile and enthusiasm for learning new things won her a place in their tribe. Katara called her friend and her words meant much to the tribe.

For the next five years Katara and her children visited Kyoshi with Sokka, Suki, Kaya and their second daughter Kyo, as well as with Ty Lee, her doting husband Bato and their son Leeto. Tara and Kaya were trained in the way of the Kyoshi and Ty Lee taught the Kyoshi warriors her chi blocks and pressure point techniques. Katara took the opportunity to stretch her bending and fight the fully realized Kyoshi Warriors. Each fight both opponents emerged stronger and there was rarely a conclusive winner of the skirmishes.

It was their fifth summer and Miko was watching his mother fight his fan aunts. He was standing on the shore and when his mother moved the water he mimicked her and fire erupted from his closed fists.

Katara had been the one to notice the blue flame that her son commanded, "I surrender!" she called out to the warriors as she dropped the water around her and raced toward her surprised son.

Miko stared at his hands, his golden eyes wide as he stood and blinked his surprise.

Katara caught her boy up in a hug and swung him around, "Well now my little fire bender, how are your hands?" She rested him on her hip as she inspected each of his hands, seeing nothing she smiled. "I guess momma will have to find you a teacher now."

Miko held onto his mothers neck, "Momma, what was it?"

Katara sat down on the sand and rested Miko in her lap, "It's called blue fire, my little penguin. It is very special, very few fire benders are able to command the blue flame."

"It's not water?" he asked in a pout.

Katara laughed as she kissed him on the forehead, "No my son, it is not water. It is fire," she tapped his nose, "you are a fire bender."

Miko folded his arms, "I want water."

Katara laughed, "I knew another fire bender that said that once." Her laugh faded, "I am very proud of you Miko, you must be very careful. Fire is like water it can do good or it can do great harm and hurt people."

Miko's golden eyes stared into his mothers, "Like ice?"

Katara nodded solemnly, "Yes, like ice. You must never reveal your fire in anger my son. This is very important, you could hurt your sister or one of your cousins. When your temper burns inside you remember this moment, fire is not to be wielded in anger."

"Yes momma," Miko nodded quietly.

Katara released her boy, "Go play with the cousins and remember no fire!"

Miko grinned as he ran away, "Yes momma!"

Katara's eyes closed, the blue flame brought to mind Azula, "Not this child," she swore, "the madness will not take this child." Katara moved from the sand and made her way into the village, she had need of one of the messenger hawks. She needed a Fire bending Master to teach Miko, for the first time in seven years she was going to contact Aang.

Aang flew Appa over Kyoshi Island a week after he received Katara's message. They had not parted well, she would not leave the tribe when they needed her. They had both been angry, both said words to inflict hurt and Katara had disappeared into the Tundra. Never apologizing and never allowing him to apologize, the message had come as a surprise. He'd had no word from the others about her having children, not that anyone spoke of her to him.

Toph could feel her husband's curiosity from Appa's back, she nursed their child and thanked all the gods she could name that they had this babe. If Katara had children, she had no need to worry about the old unresolved feelings that dwelled in her husband.

Appa landed away from the town proper, though he was greeted by an enthusiastic cheer and a familiar voice yelling his name.

"Sokka!" Aang waved from Appa's head as he jumped lightly to the saddle to help his wife and daughter to the ground.

"Ah," Toph sighed as she flexed her toes against the earth.

Sokka moved quickly to the front of the crowd and wrapped them both up in hugs, careful of the babe, "You're here!" He paused then looked around for a moment, "Why are you here?"

Toph rolled her eyes, "Careful Snoozles, Sweetnes invited us, well Aang to teach her son fire bending."

"Miko's a bender!" Sokka cried out as he looked for his nephew, "when did that happen?"

"At his birth most likely," Suki sighed from her husbands side.

Sokka flushed then glared at his wife, "Not funny Honey."

Suki grinned, "Aang, Toph it's good to see you and who is that little one?"

"Gya," Aang smiled as he touched his daughter's cheek.

Sokka smiled at his friend, "Good for you, welcome both of you. I think Katara is at the cove with the children."

Katara was surrounded by her nieces and nephews, along with her children by the cove. She stood in the water and manipulated the waves into forms that chased the children along the beach. Causing them to scream in delight and run away, then run back when the water receeded. While Ty Lee and Bato watched the children's antics in amuzement.

Tara and Kaya were off training with the other warrior girls, so it was just the younger ones of their family and some of the village children.

Katara noticed the group coming toward them she'd seen Appa and was hiding her apprehension in playing with her element for the children. Bending always calmed her and for this she needed all the calm she could get. When she saw Sokka and Suki talking with Toph, she knew that Aang was here as well. She smiled at the children. "Ty Lee would you take the young ones back to the house, I see hungry faces."

With a cheer all the children surrounded Ty Lee and Bato, pulling them up from the beach and toward the house. Where they would all receive a snack and be amused by Ty Lee's acrobatics.

After all the children disappeared from the beach, Katara faced Aang and Toph. "Hello Aang, hello Toph." She smiled.

"Hi Katara," Aang said as he moved toward her, "it's good to see you." He stopped at the waters edge.

"You as well Aang, you have a child?" Katara's soft voice carried over the waves.

Aang's smile lit up the sky, "Her name is Gya."

Katara returned the air benders smile, "Congratulations, it's a beautiful name."

Toph frowned, she couldn't 'read' Katara when she stood in water. She wasn't sure she trusted the waterbender's words, though her tone was sincere.

"You have children?" Aang replied.

Katara smiled, "yes, Tara and Miko. Miko is the fire bender of the family, his gift just presented it's self."

"I am honored that you would consider me to teach your child," Aang replied in a soft voice.

Katara smiled, "We were friends once."

Aang's smile reached his grey eyes, "Yes, yes we were."

"Momma!" a young voice called out.

Katara watched as her daughter raced toward the waves at her usual breakneck speed. "Yes, Tara?"

"Come quick, Kaya's hurt bad!" the girl replied.

Katara was off and running keeping pace with her daughter as she raced to find out what happened to her niece. Sokka and Suki barely a stride behind them. Tara raced into the woods and Katara fell into step behind her. Suddenly they burst from the cover of trees to find the training warriors surrounding a very bloody Kaya.

Katara pulled water from the stream near the girls and fell to her knees as she removed the girls cloths. She bathed her in water until she realized the severity of the wounds. Lifting the girls broken form, she carried her into the river and rested her nieces head in her lap as she focused the water to bend to her will.

Two hours later, Sokka carried his daughter's unconscious body back to their home. The tear tracks evident on his face as he walked.

Suki half carried Katara and Tara rested her mothers other arm around her shoulders, trying to take some of her weight as well.

Once they reached the house Sokka lay his eldest daughter on a sleeping mat and helped maneuver his sister to the one next to it. He directed Tara to bring jugs of water into the room, in case Katara needed it.

Katara used the water to continue healing the internal injuries that Kaya sustained, she exhausted herself convincing the tissue and organs to heal and function properly. When Kaya rested in a healing sleep she crumbled into a heap next to her, to tired to function.

Tara sat with her mother and Kaya, she beckoned her brother into the room and let him lay down next to their mother and wait for her to wake up. Uncle Sokka, Auntie Suki, Auntie Ty and Uncle Bato all took turns waiting for them. Their cousins were all sleeping around the room as well.

Katara woke slowly to the sound of her brother snoring. She smiled to herself as she turned her head to see his youngest daughter Kyo sleeping in his arms and him dead to the world. She kissed her son on his head and removed herself from his grasping embrace. She moved Tara onto the mat and quietly left the room, she was in desperate need of a bath.

The water bending master sighed as the warm water enveloped her, easing all her tension out of muscle and bone.

"Katara?" Aang asked as he peeked his head into the bathing room.

"yes Aang?" Katara replied, his voice was so familiar still it raised no warning flags to her psyche.

"How old is Tara?" His voice soft.

"She's just about 10," she replied, her eyes closed in contentment.

"Were you ever going to tell me that you had Zuko's child?" his voice tight with anger.

"What?" Katara asked suddenly much less content.

"Was that why you refused to leave the South Pole, refused to travel with me? Because of your child with the Fire Lord?" his voice quivering with anger.

Katara looked at the grey eyed air nomad and pierced his gaze with his own, "You think that's why I didn't want to leave with you?" her voice cold.

Aang not heeding the warning in the water benders tone pushed, "What other reason, why else would you stay and help rebuild the South Pole. You weren't treated with respect, you fought with your father constantly, this makes sense."

Never releasing Aang's gaze her voice froze the air, "Do you really want to know why I wouldn't leave the South Pole with you?"

"Of course," he replied easily.

"I didn't leave the South Pole because I hated your mercy, yours and Zuko's." Katara replied in absolute honesty, "I hated that you left merciless, war-mongering, creatures alive to spread their disease and discontent. I was deeply offended at your lack of respect for all those who suffered at the creatures of Sozin's war. I could not condone your choice to value life at the cost of future peace. I am Water Tribe as you are Air Nomad, you see no excuse for death and we know that there is no life with out death. I will never be Air Nomad, I will never believe that every creature deserves life at the cost of my own."

Aang backed up at the icy venom in her voice and the cold hard words struck his core. Hurt by her words and tone he replied, "You forgave Zuko long enough to lay with him."

Katara stared at the man before her, "You should leave, it was a mistake to contact you. I am no longer interested in your teaching my child to wield his fire."

A sudden explosion of air burst through the room, "We need to resolve this Katara, for all our people."

Katara laughed, a cold icy sound so unfamiliar that it sent shivers up Aang's spine, "No we don't, you have your life and I have mine, I was wrong you are not welcome in my life. You can not understand me and I do not wish to forgive you."

"Forgive me!" Aang cried in anger. "Your tribes intolerance is the reason that there are still pockets of fighting, it is why Ozai was released from his prison. The Southern Water Tribe's resentment of the Fire Nation perpetuates the disquiet and rips the peace out from under us."

The bathing tub burst from Katara's anger as the water turned suddenly to deadly points of ice and left her standing naked in front of the Avatar. "Leave now Avatar, your wife is not here to protect you from me."

"What happened to you Katara?" Aang yelled, "You were sweet and wonderful, you had the softest heart and would never refuse to help people who needed you." His face a sneer, "Now you are just this empty shell, should I just call you Hama now?"

Katara's eyes burned with ice, "Would you like a demonstration Avatar, or have you finally gotten around to Mastering all the elements? Did you stop playing long enough breed Toph, or was that just a game as well?"

Aang's grey eyes narrowed, "Leave her out of this."

"Why should I, you already accused me of bedding Zuko. Of not traveling with you so that I could raise a child beget by him, what right to answers do you think you have?"

"I loved you!" he yelled at her, "You were everything to me! When you left me for your Tribe Toph was there for me, I love her and we have a beautiful daughter! What could you possibly have with Zuko that was worth your soul?"

Katara moved out of the bathing room as she passed Aang she made certain not to touch him.

"We aren't done," he growled at her as he reached for her arm.

Suddenly his arms wouldn't work and he was surrounded by girls, one with Zuko's golden eyes, an other with Water Tribe blue eyes and the rest with Earth Kingdome green eyes.

Katara watched her daughter incapacitate the Avatar, as the girls of her age watched on lending their silent support. "Girls, this is not your fight. Kaya, have you even told your mother that you are back at fighting strength?"

The blue eyed girl blushed, "Aunt Kata, we heard the raised voices."

Katara nodded at the girls, "Go back to the house."

"Tara who is your father?" Aang asked, though he couldn't move.

"Fire Lord Zuko," the girl replied softly as she stared at the man.

"Who is your brother's father?" Aang's voice ran clearly through the building.

"Fire Lord Zuko," Tara replied confused. "Momma?"

Katara smiled at her daughter and nodded in the direction that Kaya and the other girls had just disappeared.

With a frown Tara followed her revived cousin and their training sisters.

Katara's eyes narrowed, "Go away Aang, come back to Kyoshi after the children and I have left."

"I can't believe he didn't tell me," Aang whispered, "All this time, he knew why the South Pole was closed to Fire Nation and he didn't say a word!" Aangs rage flew around him as he tried to work through the chi block that the girls delivered. The slight wind died as he crumpled, "You loved him even then, that's why you faced Azula with him. That's why you nearly killed yourself healing him. Is that when it happened, we were all gone for long lengths of time. Did you seduce him or did he seduce you? When did you know that you loved him!"

Katara stared at the man on his knees and a part of her heart went out to him, "When we went after the Southern Raiders and he led me to the man who killed my mother, that's when." Her voice was tired.

"She's not lying," Toph replied as she moved from the shadows.

Katara glanced at the other woman, "Your daughter is beautiful Toph, I hope for the three of you years of happiness." Then the water bender walked away. Katara walked quickly to her rooms, she covered herself with a robe then walked down to the cove as her tears fell. She dropped her robe on the beach and walked out into the water as her tears fell and joined the sea. She swam out to the most distant rocks and let her tears pour forth from her soul. She had loved the young air bender for so long, he was light and goodness and even as she resented his choices she understood them and respected him for them. He had moved on from her, he'd found love with Toph and now her loneliness overwhelmed her capacity to freeze it out.

The seas churned in response to her despair as she wept until dawn. As the sun rose before her, she released what could have been on the tide and once more settled into what was. She had a child that needed a fire bending Master to teach him control, he had the blue flames of his line. With his sire gone, the only threat was his eldest sister. Katara needed to know if Azula lived still.

"Sokka!" Katara called out when she reached the house.

Her brother came to a sliding stop in front of her, "Uh hi Katara."

Katara growled, "I need to know the political climate in the Fire Nation."

Sokka looked surprised, "Uh why?"

"I need to know if Azula is a threat to my children," Katara replied in tones as cold as ice.

"She's still alive, in prison, her supporters are fewer than Ozai's, though slightly more organized." Suki replied for her husband as she slipped under his arm. "Why?"

"Miko needs a bending Master," Katara replied curtly.

"Aang?" Sokka stopped speaking as his sister glared at him.

"Aang is not an option," Katara replied.

Sokka stared at the mule-fish expression that his sister wore and declaired, "No, absolutely not. We do not have relations with the Fire Nation, or had you forgotten."

Katara considered her brother, "I stopped asking your permission when I was 8 Sokka, and I'm not asking it now."

Sokka stood up to his full height, "No Katara, it is reckless. I won't allow you to do this."

Katara rested her hands on her hips, "Do you really think you can stop me brother?"

"As your future Chief," he said in a low deliberate tone, the same one her father used.

Katara bowed her head, "You could invoke that right," her own voice colder than their home, "in which case your current rank is less than mine as Master Katara. Choose your words carefully brother, I am not in a forgiving or understanding mood. If you need an example I'm certain that the Avatar's current state can attribute to my frame of mind."

Suki blanched at the hard words that were being spoken by the Water Tribe siblings, "Husband, our nephew has need of a Master. The Avatar's weakest element is fire, and Miko needs a true teacher to learn his own form."

Sokka turned his head to face his wife, then with a smile he kissed her deeply on the lips and rested his head against hers, "Thank you Suki." He addressed Katara, "I don't think I want to know what happened between you, please think about this carefully. Father's terms were specific."

Katara smiled at her brother's more negotiating words, "I remember them precisely Sokka, my children did not arrive on a ship of iron. A wooden craft was the means of their arrival, I am just late in returning word to the Fire Nation that trade is of interest to us."

Sokka stared at his sister then his smile became more of a smirk, "Well then, why didn't you say something before?"

Katara sighed as her brother took the reins of their immanent arrival in the Fire Nation.