Zuko held the small baby girl in his arms tightly, keeping her snug and warm. He smiled down at her lovingly, proud to call this beautiful newborn his precious daughter. He hummed a soft melody as he rocked her back and forth gently. He was so entranced by this touching moment that he didn't hear the footsteps quietly come behind him. He almost jumped when his wife wrapped her arms around his waist.
"You're singing that song again," she said quietly.
His smile faded a bit when he realized she was right. "It's always in my head. Ever since… ever since we lost him," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly.
Mai felt a tear slip down her cheek, something that was a very rare occurrence. "It's only been a week. I feel like it's been forever since he was here. We had so little time…" she whispered back sadly.
She looked at her young daughter and felt a mix of love and sadness rise into her. "They were identical…" she whispered.
Zuko sat their daughter down in her crib and grabbed Mai's hand gently. "I miss him so much, Mai."
Tears fell down both of their cheeks now. Neither of them tried to hide it.
"He… he would've been amazing, Zuko, just like you. I just know it. He really would've been an amazing man," she said sadly while wrapping her arms around her husband.
He wrapped his arms around her tightly and ran one hand up and down her back soothingly. "He would've been even better than I, Mai. Just like his mother. But he's in the spirit world now, waiting for us."
He said those words, sobbing at the same time. Mai looked up at him, her eyes swollen from so much crying. Her lip quivered and she blinked away some more tears before managing to push past the lump in her throat to speak.
"Sing the song, Zuko. I want to hear it again," she begged.
He nodded and kissed the top of her head before beginning the low, beautiful melody he'd memorized long ago. He rocked them both back and forth soothingly.
Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Come marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home
She began to sing along with him, tears staining her pale face.
Those leaves did grow
From branches overgrown
Drifting slowly down
Resting on the loam
Little soldier boy
Taken from home
Forced to fight a war
That's not his own
Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy says
"Carry me home"
Sleeping soldier boy
Is carried home…
For a few minutes they just stood there, remembering their lost son. He had only been a few days old. Iroh had been his name, for Zuko's dear Uncle that had taught him the very song he'd sung. He'd been Ursa's twin, but sadly he was too ill to live. But they both knew that he'd always live on. Through his parents and his young, healthy sister.