DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Avatar. They belong to Nickelodeon. Everyone you don't recognize, I do own.
Enjoy!
God loves you!
"Mama Does It Better"
Zuko sighed as he tried to get his five-year-old daughter, Shaina, to bed. She was doing everything she could think of to avoid it. She was generally a good girl, but she preferred Katara to tuck her in and when Katara couldn't do it, Shaina was a less than cooperative child.
"Shaina, come on, sweetie," Zuko said, trying to be as gentle as possible. "It's time to go night-night now."
Shaina shook her head.
"I want Mama!" She stated, a tiny ball of water forming in her hand.
Zuko sighed as he tried his best to get the job done without being too stern. He understood that Shaina missed Katara and he did as well. But the fact of the matter was, Katara wasn't coming back till late that night. And it was too late for Shaina to stay up and wait for her.
"Come on, honey," Zuko said, kneeling down to Shaina's level. "Daddy will tuck you in and I'll read you a story." He was bargaining now, trying to do everything he could to get his daughter to comply.
Shaina shook her head as she let her waterball fall to the floor with a splash. She sighed as she sat down in the corner and gazed out of the window. She then got up and made her way over to the windowsill. She sat down and gazed out at the moon.
Zuko's stern mood softened as he saw his daughter's vigil. She wasn't a child trying to disobey, but one who missed her Mama and wanted her back. She wanted Katara to tuck her in and to have cuddle time with her. She wanted her Mama there right now.
"Mama," Shaina said, softly, gazing at the moon.
"That's where your Auntie Yue is," Zuko told her, coming over and pulling Shaina to him.
Shaina responded by burying her face in his shoulder and clinging to him, but Zuko knew Shaina's heart wasn't in it. Zuko knew that he wasn't who Shaina wanted at the moment, but the waterbender would settle for her Daddy for now.
Settle was the word and Zuko wanted to change that.
He loved all three of his children and he wanted Shaina to know that.
"You know I love you, right, sweetheart?" Zuko asked, planting a kiss on Shaina's head.
Shaina nodded and gave Zuko a half smile.
"I love you too, Daddy." She said, rewarding Zuko with a kiss to his cheek.
Zuko smiled, despite himself. He really did love all of his children to pieces and he would do anything for all of them.
"What do you say, sweet pea?" Zuko said, picking Shaina up and carrying her out of the room. "Want to wait for Mama outside?"
Shaina nodded and smiled while snuggling into Zuko for a cuddle.
The fire lord sat upon the steps, his youngest daughter in his arms. He loved having time with her, even if she was a Mama's girl at heart.
"I want Mama here now." Shaina stated, her voice full of longing and desire.
"I know you do, sweetie. I do too, but she'll be back soon."
"How soon, Daddy?" Shaina asked, making Zuko mentally slap himself in the forehead.
Zuko decided to avoid the question and change the subject altogether. He knew that being a waterbender, Shaina was able to adapt to change rather well, but she needed banks to keep her path straight. And for Shaina, those banks were Katara and Pakku.
Shaina was a Mama's girl at heart, but she also adored her Grandpa Pakku. She and the waterbending master had a relationship that rivaled anything that Katara and Pakku had back when Katara was a student. Pakku cared for Katara greatly, there was no question about that, but he had seen potential in Shaina from the moment the waterbender was first born and she hadn't proven him wrong.
Shaina was the spitting image of Katara, except for her eyes. While Katara's eyes were blue, Shaina had brown eyes. But her eyes were full of not only determination and drive, but also love and compassion. She had a big heart and it only took her looking at Katara with her big brown eyes that caused Katara
to cave.
"Want to hear a story?" Zuko asked, hoping the subject change would get his daughter's mind off Katara's temporary absence.
Shaina nodded and gave Zuko her full attention.
"All right. What story do you want to hear?" He asked, hoping Shaina would pick a tale he knew well.
"Tell me about the first waterbenders, please?" Shaina asked, her big brown eyes looking up at Zuko with hope.
Zuko was lost. He had no recollection of the tale whatsoever. He only knew bits and pieces of it from listening to Katara tell it to Shaina from time to time.
It was true that Katara loved all of her children, but she had a special place in her heart for Shaina, while Zuko harbored that same place for Taccai and Kiana, who they called Ana for short.
"Daddy?" Shaina asked, her voice bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Yes, sweetie?" He said, hoping Shaina would forget all about the waterbending tale.
"Tell me the story, please?" She asked, always one to use her manners most of the time.
"All right. Let's see. A long time ago before Humans came, the ocean and moon spirits were the first waterbenders. They pushed and pulled the water as one. Then when Humans came, they taught them how to do it."
Shaina nodded, gazing at Zuko expectantly.
"SO how was that?" Zuko asked, knowing he had messed up badly.
Shaina thought for a minute, trying to find the words that wouldn't hurt Zuko's feelings, but tell him the truth nonetheless. She hated making people feel bad and always tried to do the right thing without hurting their feelings if she could help it.
Finally deciding on her choice of words, Shaina spoke.
"It wasn't bad." She said, hoping that her Daddy would take that as her answer.
"But…" Zuko said, knowing his baby girl too well. She had a lot of Katara's qualities. But unlike Katara, if Shaina knew that what she was thinking would hurt someone, it took a tiger shark to get her to speak up.
Shaina shook her head.
"It wasn't bad," she repeated, gazing behind her once again. She wanted her Mama to come home and it was taking Katara a long time.
"But…" Zuko prompted, knowing Shaina was holding something back.
Shaina sighed as she resigned to saying the rest of her peace. She got a small smile on her face and a mysterious look twinkled in her brown eyes as she stated, "Mama does it better."
Zuko chuckled as he bent down and started tickling Shaina's tummy, making the three year old burst out giggling.
"She does, does she?" He asked, still tickling his daughter.
"Yes!" Shaina said, still giggling. "Daddy, stop! Daddy!"
Zuko let up on the tickling and blew a raspberry on Shaina's stomach before hugging her close once again.
"I have to agree with Shaina on that one," a familiar voice said from just in front of the pair.
Shaina's eyes lit up in recognition and she squirmed down from Zuko's hold. She wanted her Mama.
"Mama!" Shaina squealed, happily. She then demanded of Zuko, "I wanna get down!"
Zuko shook his head as he held her fast.
"What are the nice words you use?" Zuko asked, still holding his daughter firmly, but not too firmly.
"Put me down, please? Please!" Shaina said, knowing that's what her Daddy was getting at. She normally remembered her manners, but upon seeing her Mama, she was overcome with excitement and all she wanted was to be back in her Mama's arms.
"Good girl," Zuko said, placing Shaina down on the floor.
The moment Shaina's feet were on solid ground, she ran for Katara and threw her arms around the waterbending master's waist.
"Mama! Mama! Mama! You're home! You're home! You're home! I missed you!"
Katara grinned as she picked her pride and joy up and gave Shaina a kiss on her cheek.
"Aw, I missed you too, sweetheart. I missed you and your sister and brother so much. Were you a good girl for Daddy?"
"Yes." Shaina said, snuggling into her mother for a cuddle.
"Was she?" Katara asked, gazing over at Zuko for confirmation.
Zuko nodded.
"Ninety-six percent of the time." He said, giving Katara a smirk. "She gave me some problems today during nap and bed, but that was it."
Katara nodded, choosing not to scold Shaina for that. As long as her precious angel had been good for the most part, Katara was satisfied.
"And how were our other little ones?" Katara asked, sitting down next to Zuko with Shaina contently in her arms.
Shaina rested her head against Katara's shoulder, happy to be back where she belonged.
"Good. Kiana burned Shaina by accident, but Pakku fixed it."
Katara nodded and kissed her daughter's forehead. She had really missed her while she had been away.
"How's the rebuilding of the South Pole going?" Zuko asked, knowing that's what Katara had gone to help with. She had also gone to see her grandmother, Gran Gran, for a few days.
Katara shrugged.
"It's going as well as it can. They're making progress."
Zuko nodded before giving Katara a kiss on the cheek.
"I missed you my yue."
"I missed you too, my huo. Believe me. I missed you more than you'll ever know."
Zuko smiled seductively and Katara slapped his arm.
"Not in front of our daughter."
Zuko pouted and resorted to kissing Katara's cheek before leading the way inside the palace.
Katara smiled as she tucked Shaina in for the night. She had really missed her precious angel and she was determined to make up for lost time.
"I love you, Shaina." She said, kissing her daughter's cheek before stroking her hair gently.
"Love you, Mama," Shaina said, barely awake.
"Aw, I love you too, my precious angel. I love you too." With that, Katara made sure Shaina was going to be okay before going to check on her son and other daughter.
Upon passing Kiana's room, she found Zuko cradling Ana in his arms. Katara shook her head as she kissed Ana's cheek before leaving to check on Taccai.
When Katara reached her son's room, she found Taccai fast asleep. He had his stuffed turtle in his arms and the covers were half off him.
Katara smiled as she re adjusted the covers and kissed her son's forehead.
"I love you, Taccai. Mama missed you, buddy. I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams." With that, Katara stood there, just watching Taccai sleep.
After watching Taccai sleep for a few minutes, Katara went to get ready for bed herself. She was tired and it had been a long day.
As Katara crawled into bed, she felt a pair of strong arms pull her close and that same someone kissed her on the cheek before stroking her hair.
"I missed you, my yue." Zuko purred into the waterbender's ear.
"I missed you too, my huo. Believe me." With that, Katara buried her face in Zuko's chest and fell asleep comfortably for the first time in two weeks.
Katara had really missed Zuko during the time she had been away and she was glad to be back in his arms. She missed her children, but Katara missed spending time with Zuko as well. She loved her huo so much and it pained her to be away from him for too long.
The next morning, Katara awoke to the rising sun and an empty bed. Well, almost empty. She smiled as her blue eyes opened to find Shaina snuggled up beside her.
Shaina had her stuffed seal tucked under her arm and a content smile on her face. She was fast asleep and Katara didn't have the heart to wake her precious angel.
She pulled Shaina close and grinned as her daughter snuggled into her for a cuddle.
"I love you, sweetheart," Katara said as she planted a kiss on Shaina's cheek. Mama loves you so much, my precious angel." With that, Katara fell back to sleep herself. She was more tired than she had thought and she needed her rest. She had her pride and joy safely in her arms and she, Katara, was home
where she belonged.
It felt great to be back with her family and right then, Katara wouldn't have it any other way.
THE END