AN: This is the first story I've written on my own that I've decided to let others beside my closest friends read so please go easy on me. That is not to say however, that I don't want honest feedback, just please do not flame. Thank you.

It had all worked out perfectly. She stood proudly before all of the Fire Nation as their new queen and first stand alone Fire Lady. To either side of her stood her most loyal subjects and newly appointed generals Ty Lee and Mai. Mai had wisely decided to return to her after being informed of how the water bending girl had murdered her darling Zuko. Ty Lee of course worshipped her and had come running as soon as she saw that her friends were on the same side again. She felt happy that her friends had returned to her of course, but was far more relieved that her trust in their loyalty had not been misplaced. Of course she was relieved for another reason too.

Her dear father, the man whom had always held her shackles, lay powerless in a bedroom at the back of the palace while she stood here taking his place as leader. He was injured of course, but more than that, the avatar had seen fit to relieve him of his bending. She had felt the need during her final battle with him to thank him for that. She fondly remembered the fear and confusion in his eyes as she told him how grateful she was, successfully distracting him for the moment it took for her to end him. Nothing could compare to seeing him confined to that bed where she could deal with him. Nothing except perhaps watching her lightning pierce little Zuzu's heart as his little girlfriend watched helplessly from the sidelines. Smiling fondly at the memory, she stepped forward to the edge of the balcony, taking a moment to bask in the adoration being heaped on her by her subjects.

"People of the Fire Nation the proudest and now only Nation on this Earth, the war we've fought so long is won! There have of course been casualties on both ends, my honored father and brother among them, however last night the avatar fell at last!" a cheer went up from the crowd below. She lifted a hand at marveled at the immediate silence. "There is however a small group of renegades. Those who fought with the avatar against my brother, my father, myself, and this country. While we do not suspect in the least that they will be much trouble alone, they must be brought to justice for their crimes against me and this great nation! Artist renderings of them can be found at the guards stations. If you so much as think you see any one of them report it at once as is your duty! That is all." Finished, she turned on the bows of her subjects and walked back toward the palace. As she passed them, her generals turned and followed her inside. They walked down to her stateroom and proceeded to make themselves comfortable.

"Gee Azula, you did great out there. So, what are you going to do as your first official act, Fire Lady Azula?" Asked Ty Lee leaning over the arm of the couch she was laying on toward her mentor and queen.

"Well, we have to ensure order in the Earth and Water Kingdoms or whatever's left of them, set up a few more colonies, spread out the Dai Li a little more, and all that. Oh, and I am going to burn every air temple to the ground! I mean why not right? They are all dead." she said smiling at the petite warrior who smiled back at her.

"Oh ok. So, um, what exactly are our duties? You know, as your new generals?"

"For now, consider yourselves my personal guard. And, should there ever be any need for your individual talents in the future, I suppose you'll be in charge of that." Throughout all of this Mai had sat in silence, barely even looking at either of the other girls. Azula thought it best not to press her as she knew the moody girl was in her personal version of mourning. She happened to catch her reflection in the mirror and remembered the little haircut she had given herself. "By the way Ty Lee, I was wondering if you could help me fix my hair? As you can see it got a little butchered in the fight with the water peasant." she fixed her sweetest smile on the one most loyal to her.

"Of course Azula!" as the girl ran off to find scissors, Azula's smile slid into her usual cold feline one. Yes, everything had worked out perfectly, and life was as it should be.

Katara was slow to wake. She felt as though she were struggling against the tide, being pushed and pulled in and out of consciousness. As she finally wrenched her eyes open, her body was wracked with pain. Slowly, carefully, she sat up using the bed post for support. Looking around she found herself in a small wooden room containing only the bed she sat on and a small table next to the bed. Just as she was getting her bearings, the door opened and Suki walked in.

"Suki? Where are we? What happened?" The warrior started at the sound of her voice.

"Oh!? Katara your awake! Don't you remember? Well I suppose since you weren't actually conscious… we're on a boat headed to the Earth Kingdom. It seems like it's the safest place to be right now." she said wringing her hands in apparent worry.

"Safest? Suki what do you mean? And why are we taking a boat? Where's Appa? Where's Aang? Where-" her voice froze in her throat at the sight of the tears in the other girl's eyes. "Suki….where's Aang?" she asked as she regained her voice.

"Oh! Katara…Aang lost. We had to release Appa…we couldn't risk being seen-" Katara cut her off.

"Lost? Whatdo you mean lost? To who? The Firelord?"

"Well…yes. Just not the one you're thinking of. He lost to the new Firelord.

F-Firelord Azula. He's dead Katara. She k-killed him." At this point Suki was sitting on the bed sobbing. Katara couldn't bring herself to cry over this because it just didn't feel real. She jerked away from Suki nearly falling and feeling a horrible wave of vertigo before finally managing to stand.

"NO! I-It can't be! Why wuld he be fighting her? He was supposed to fight Ozai! Me and Zuko we're supposed to fight her! We-" her face froze at the sudden rush of memories. The tears she couldn't find moments ago burned as they poured from her eyes. Her legs weakened and she fell to the bed next to Suki. "Zuko." his name felt like acid pouring from her lips, sending a burning sensation threw her chest. "She killed him too.I-I saw it, but there was nothing I could do! He was trying to protect me. She shot at me but he couldn't redirect it…he's dead because of me! It is all my fault!" she curled into a ball hot tears burning her face. After what felt to the broken bender like forever, she asked, still not looking at Suki "How long ago was that?" When the other girl didn't answer immediately she yelled. "How long Suki!?" The other girl jumped to her feet.

"A week. It's been a week! A week later and they're still dead! And you've been unconscious and we're running away because there's nothing we can do!" She glared at Katara out of breath. Until the other girl began throwing up. Suki grabbed the bucket next to the bed and held it under her. When she was done, Suki cleaned her up and layed her back down. "You may be more wounded than we thought Katara. You've bneen throwing up like this all week."

Katara sat with Sokka in the home of the healer. They had been in the Earth Kingdom for two weeks and whatever had been ailing Katara during the week she'd been delirious had not gone away. She stil;l threw up almost everyday, and now had begun to display what Toph dubbed as 'The princess is going through mood swings!' Finally the healer looked up at Katara from where she had been studying her stomach. She smiled at her.

"You're not sick dear. You're pregnant."

She let loose a scream. She couldn't believe how much it hurt. Never had she felt such pain, it was like being torn apart. With one last heave she at last felt relief. A second or two passed as she lay there panting. Then a second cry went up. This one from the squirming newborn girl placed in her arms. Katara's heart felt like it would stop beating as the small beautiful girl opened her eyes and looked up at her. She had her mother's dark complexion and the tuft of curls on her head matched Katara's as well. But her eyes are what broke her mother's heart. Her daughter had clear bright gold eyes. The eyes of her father.

Azula was in a right fit. Ty Lee lay stretched on the chez lounge as her queen raged. She was used to this sort of behavior as well as the different moods that could come after.

"How can we not have found them yet!? It's been a year! Where could the possibly be!?"

"Maybe they're dead already. They're haven't been any sightings of them in ages."

"No. They're not dead. They're hiding! How could they hide from my army for a year!?" She grabbed a glass full of wine from the nearby table and threw it at the wall as hard as she could, shattering it and leaving shards of glass across the floor in front of the wall. Then, her anger losing hold on her, she sank to her knees and cried. Ty Lee knew that this meant the danger was over so she went over and hugged the shaking monarch.

"It's alright Azula. If they are still out there we'll find them. Even if we have to do it ourselves we'll find them." Azula sniffed.

"Yes. I know." Her momentary lapse into helplessness over as quickly as it began. Her icy grin in it's place once more. "Why don't you go see how Mai is doing? I think I'm going to pay a visit to my father.