"It's a boy," the women knelt before her handed her a blanket with a small bundle tucked in nice and snug. She took him in her arms looking at each feature searching for the answer to a question she had only asked twice before. It didn't take long to find it. He breathed in and out in her arms and she knew. He was an Airbender.

"Can I hold him?" Her husband loomed in the doorway robes swaying in the breeze. His face was uncertain. Just like her he wished to know the answer.

"Of course," she exhaled. "He is your son."

She lightly handed over the warm swaddle. She felt her heart constrict. Never had she considered what she would do in this moment. Slowly the child awoke in his father's arm. Drowsy and hungry he let out his first squall and a smile erupted on the face of the airbender that held him.

"What do you suppose we should name him?"

"I think we should go with the name you wanted."

His eyebrows raised in surprise. Her answer had been unexpected. She had not attended to his opinion at the birth of the last two children. He hadn't been particularly persistent this time when dreaming up names, he had expected her to override him once more. He looked gently down at his son lending himself to optimism for the first time in a very long while.

"Welcome to the world, Tenzin."

It took no time for Tenzin to become the focus of Aang's world. Katara was both relieved and saddened. She loved Tenzin but every time she looked at him his cheerful face reminded her of a time when her life was happier. Having Aang be so interested in him allowed her to escape her reality and not fall apart. Of course having Aang so interested in his newborn son made him rather absentee in her other children's lives. She often put her daughter, Kya, in bed and picked a book up to read only to hear, "Why can't daddy read me a story?" The look in her eyes made Katara feel guilty. She would have to insist every night that, "Daddy is busy. Maybe he can read to you another night." Bumi had noticed too. More often than not he called his little brother "The Favorite" rather than by his own name. At seven he was becoming a handful and with Aang distracted Bumi seemed to get in more trouble each wasn't that Tenzin was constantly with Aang. Aang busied himself with plans for the future of the Earth Nomads when he wasn't with his son.

"Don't you want to spend some time with the children," she had asked more than once. He never showed any sign of remorse when he declined. She couldn't be mad, as much as she wanted to, Katara was no hypocrite. She bit back her words and instead tried to make up for Aang's absence. Often she would take the children, sometimes Tenzin in a sling around her body, across to the quickly growing Republic City. They shopped, walked around, and watched the city being built. Occasionally she would take them to the park where they would watch benders spar and practice. Even though Bumi didn't have bending abilities he loved to watch others. That was until Kya waterbended at him while playing in the fountains. After that Bumi lost interest in watching the benders. Katara gleefully celebrated Kya and her new talent, but she also hurt for Bumi. Instead of being jealous like many non-bender kids she sensed that he felt as though he had somehow failed. One day she decided to ask Sokka for advice.

"Katara I'm not really an expert on kids," he joked.

"No you aren't," she replied stoutly. "I haven't forgotten how you let Bumi hunt with you the last time we vacationed together."

"Hey a guy's gotta learn how to hunt sometime."

"Sokka, he was five," she yelled. "Nevermind. You can help him. He needs to realize that being a non-bender isn't so bad."

He leaned against his desk and put on his pensive face. She already knew he would say yes, she just needed to give him a moment to himself. Unlike her, Sokka had no children. Despite marrying years before her and trying to start a family, he and Suki hadn't conceived any children, and they never would.

Seven years ago when she was pregnant with Bumi, Suki finally gathered the courage to ask Katara for her help. What she asked only a healer could do. So Katara took out her healing water and placed it over Suki's abdomen. As she felt for a problem she could see how worried Suki was.

"Have you been trying?" she asked tentatively.

"What. Oh. Yes, we've been trying."

"So, Sokka knows?" she asked out of pure concern for her brother. The brother that had attempted to train small boys in the village how to be warriors. Her goofy brother who could make anyone smile.

"Yes." Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke. "Sokka suggested we try in the first place. I've always wanted kids, but Sokka was ready years ago. I just don't want to let him down."

Suki collapsed on Katara sobbing into her shoulder. It hit Katara then just how much her brother must be hurting as well. Patting Suki on the back Katara backed away. Taking Suki's hands in hers she spoke gently comforting her sister in law.

"Suki. Nothing is wrong with you."

"Really," she gasped. Her face wet with tears brightened, but then faltered. "Why can't I get pregnant then?"

Katara chose her words carefully trying to keep Suki calm. It wouldn't help to speculate too much. In fact it might hurt worse than finding out she was unable to conceive.

"I don't know. As far as my abilities go I can tell that nothing is wrong physically with you. It could be a number of things, there is no way to be certain. Try not to worry, it won't make things easier for you while you try or if there really is no way you and Sokka can have children."

Her eyes dilated as she listened to the advice when she asked solemnly, "Could something be wrong with Sokka?"

Daggers pierced her heart. As she examined Suki the possibility went through her mind. Hearing the words forced her to consider it seriously, something she dreaded. It was completely possible, and if it was indeed Sokka what it might do to him scared her.

"Suki, it could be Sokka, but it could also be that it just isn't your time yet."

"Is there any way to know for sure?"

"If Sokka goes to a healer you might be able to find out, but I don't think that you will ever be sure."

Suki looked at her a little puzzled. "You won't examine him. You are his sister."

"No. The procedure to examine a women is more general but for a man it's a bit more delicate. I think Sokka would rather someone who was male and not his sister do the examination, if that's what he wants."

Suki blushed and looked away as she pulled her shirt back over her stomach. Meanwhile, Katara assembled some herbs for Suki to take to aide in the conception of a child. The went about their business in silence, the subject of babies and Katara's current state making things a bit awkward between them at the moment. Katara hoped it wouldn't be long for her sister in law and brother things hadn't been as usual since she had been pregnant and she missed the old days when they were a close family and visited each other at every possible opportunity.

"Do you plan to go to the fire nation for the anniversary of the end of the war celebration?"

Katara stopped grinding herbs in her mortar and took a calming breath before answering. "No , I would, but the baby is due so close to the date that Aang doesn't want to risk it. I don't either, but you know, for different reasons."

"Yeah, he wants it born on Air Temple Island, right? I know he feels uneasy about you having it in the Fire Nation, but really we are all going to be there. Even he has to be there being Avatar and all that what if you have the baby while he's away?"

Katara had already had this fight with Aang she didn't feel like explaining to Suki the complicated reasons behind Aang's stubbornness even though everyone in their immediate social circle already knew to some extent the struggles of her marriage. So she put the supplements in a pouch and handed them to Suki.

"I don't really feel like talking about it Suki. I'm tired I think I'm just going to go to bed, okay"

Suki quieted and softened, "Okay Katara, sorry. I love you"

"Love you too, Suki. Goodnight." Katara exited Suki's room and walked outside heading to the guest house on Kyoshi all the while tears flowing down her cheeks.