7/26 Day 1: Family:

Family is what had been lost and yet gained during the war. Blood relatives lost, but friends closer than blood had been gained. And that's how it was with them.

The war had ended but not the way they expected. The Avatar had lost and with it all hope for a peaceful ending. They had remained in the palace and had fought hard against the Phoenix King's troops. Gathering what little supplies and as much gold as they could carry, it was only by pure fate that managed to escape in one piece carried away on Appa to the Eastern Earth Kingdom, or what had once been the Earth Kingdom. It was there that Appa, having lost his connection to Aang, fell like the Walls of Ba Sing Se. They grieved over the great beast's body for as long as was safe, but they had to keep on. They had to find their friends. Buying an ostrich-horse, their travels were tedious and dirty. The Fire Nation infested the Earth Kingdom like spider-roaches bringing destruction and fear. Entire villages were slaughtered, men, women, and children sold like beasts of burden to the highest bidder, travelers were subjected to high tolls to pass the roads. Katara had come up with the idea that they wouldn't be as harassed if she faked pregnancy and they hid their gold within the bundle of her dress. She had been right. Few soldiers harassed them, even they had limits to their brutality, and seeing a Fire Nation man with a pregnant outsider encouraged their beliefs of breeding out those they didn't kill. Having to pass as a young pregnant couple was odd, especially to Zuko. But seeing the swell of her dress made him realize how true his desire for a family, a real one, ran. To be the man his father never was, to have her be the mother he had had once upon a time. There was no time for such thoughts, let alone actions, especially after their wanted posters appeared on boards throughout the lands

In this decimation, there were no clues of their friends. Even the White Lotus checkpoints were abandoned. They were all that was left.

"We have to keep going," they both said, despite wanting to curl into balls and let the inevitable happen.

They found their way to the Western lands after nearly two years of searching. Katara recognized it as where they had all met and fought together for the first time. The village was still abandoned. Time still taking its toll on the stone buildings. Outside the main village on a hill Zuko led them to a house. It was an empty shell of a building. "But we'll be safe here. For awhile," Zuko said, dropping their supplies on the porch.

Katara knelt in the ground running her fingers of a patch of soil. "The soil is good."

Zuko stood above her inspecting the dry dirt that blew in the wind. "How can you say that? It's dust."

She grabbed his hand and ran it through the soil. "Feel that? It's had time to settle and get healthy." She stood flinging his hand away and looked around what was to be their new home. "We've got a lot of work to do."

Katara soon found that the prince was not handy whatsoever but he learned quickly as they rebuilt the home, plowed a small patch of land planting seeds left behind by the previous owner. Katara made the house as homey as possible given her meager resources.

Their two sleeping mats were positioned across from each other, Zuko by the door, Katara in the back far enough away that any intruder wouldn't get to her first. One night, Zuko awoke to her screams.

"It was a nightmare," she tried to dismiss, her tears still spilling over. A piece of his heart twisted and his gut plunged, rising from his spot and taking her in his arms. Her soft curves fit nicely against his hard angles and to sleep alone after that was too cold for either of them.

The first rains in their make shift home though brought other sensations as Zuko watched her dance in the rain, getting drenched with love in her element. Their friendship had blossomed to something neither expected, two lonely hearts finding solace in each other. Rising from the porch, he joined her in the rain, letting the drops wipe away his tears of failure and her kisses rain their sweet bliss into his tortured soul. Finding their way to their shared mat, their union was punctuated by soft whimpers and tears of joy, savoring each sensation that they would never let go.

She tended the little patch of tomato-carrots and the pig-chickens they had found roaming, he hunted in the forests nearby occasionally donning a black mask and raiding a new Fire Nation camp several miles away of special treats. They managed to live a peaceful life after years of war and heartache. The markings on the way indicated they had been here almost two years. Zuko grown into a man of 21, Katara a young woman of 19. And soon there would be another joining them. It had been unplanned, but not unwelcomed.

A filling meal of pig-chicken stew, tea and sweets stolen from the camp left full bellies, Katara reclining on Zuko's chest in front of the fire, enjoying the peace. But Zuko's mind was elsewhere. He rubbed the growing bump on her belly and thought that living here would not be best for their growing family. The Fire Nation troops were getting closer thus a threat on his home and his family.

"Uncle once told me that the Water Tribe has a deep sense of community and family," he began.

Katara tried twisting to look down at him, unsuccessfully, "Of course."

"Well, I was thinking, what if we go to the Water Tribe? The South Pole perhaps? Maybe the North?"

She sat up and turned to face him, confusion on her face, "What are you saying?"

Zuko's face turned hard, determined, "We won't be safe here much longer. We should leave. Soon," his hand landing on the bulge, eyes softening just so, "Before the baby comes. I was thinking that maybe, since they are your people, that we would be safe there."

Katara ran her hand over her belly. For Zuko to suggest they move in her condition told her that this was something that needed to be done. Katara's eyes welled up at the thought of leaving here until she saw the smoke over the tree line. They were getting closer indeed and the Water Tribe was all that was left to go to.

There they would be safe and could raise their family in peace.

Getting there would prove to be the challenge. But the pair was always up for a challenge.

OooOooO

This is actually a super condensed alternate beginning to "Each Other" that had been sitting around forever on my computer and since these prompts feel like they would be perfect as a multi chapter story that is how I'm treating them.

I feel like everyone else having pregnant!Katara but oh, well. I had another story I was trying to get done but it just wasn't working for me. Maybe later I'll post the other one too.

happy Zutara Week everyone!