Zuko was pacing. Over and over, back and forth across his antechamber. With every moan he grimaced and at the occasional shriek he recoiled.

Katara was sweating, feeling her lower half practically rip in two.

Zuko reached one end of the room and immediately turned around.

"Get...him...in here!" She panted, her hands on her protruding stomach.

"Fire lady, that is not how things-" said her healer timidly.

"ZUKO!" She bellowed.

A moment later, the doors slammed open, and he rushed in.

The women fussed over his presence, but Katara reached out one of her hands and he ran to grab it, pushing the damp hair out of her face. He leaned his forehead down to hers. "How you holding up?"

"I've... been through...worse." She said, clenching down on his hand as she tried to concentrate on his golden eyes.

He chuckled as he kissed her forehead. "You're almost finished."

She nodded, panting. Katara was grateful for the reassurance.

"Fire Lady, we need you to push during next contraction!" Said the midwife.

Katara nodded, keeping her face close to Zuko's. "Don't leave me." She whispered to him.

"Never." He vowed, squeezing her hand.

Katara's face scrunched up in pain.

"Push!" The healer exclaimed.

Katara let out a small moan, trying to hold in her breaks of pain.

"Harder! Five... Four...three...two! Okay! Done. Breathe. Two more pushes."

Katara took in deep breaths as another contraction hit her like a wave. "Aaah!" She exclaimed as Zuko put a hand on her back, steadying her.

"Take a breath, fast, ready! Push!"

"Go Katara!" He whispered into her ear, voice full of excitement, yet concern.

"Pushpushpushpushpush aaaand here it comes, one more!"

Katara let out one loud groan and a cry was hear in the silence.

Zuko looked up immediately, and his eyes ravished the small body of a little baby, scrunched up and red with a tuft of dark black hair.

Katara exhaled, still panting.

"One more, fire lady!"

"ONE MORE? What are you talk- ahh!" Yet another contraction hit her abdomen, and Zuko reached over to perform the fire nation custom of the father burning away the umbilical cord.

Then he returned to the exhausted, yet strong, Katara, who was clenching onto his hand like her anchor to life.

"We can do this in one big one, Fire Lady. Just give me a big push... Push now!"

Katara cried out as she did as she was told, and the room was met with another cry.

Zuko was showed the second-second! born and he burned the cord away again, amazed. The second boy had short brown hair, similar to his mother's.

Katara seemed to slump, laying back in bed and her eyes closing.

A female waterbender came forward and proceeded with any cleaning and healing she needed, and then was off to check on the children.

Zuko sat next to Katara and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Are they okay?" She whispered, eyes closed.

"Perfect. They're perfect, Angel." He said, kissing her repeatedly. "Thank you." His eyes were glassy.

"Anything for you." She replied meekly. "I want to see them."

Zuko pulled away and looked to the midwives. "Bring them!"

"Yes, Fire lord!" The women scuttled off to bring the blanketed children.

"This is the first," indicated the waterbender healer, handing the child wrapped in blue to Zuko, and then another handed Katara another wrapped in red. "And that is the second."

"Twins." Zuko whispered.

"Twin boys." Katara remarked, astounded.

"Oh, Katara." Zuko said, as the midwives departed from the room, leaving the baby carriages behind. "Thank you."

"What will we name them?" She whispered, looking down at the baby boy in her arms.

"Lu Ten." He whispered to the boy in his arms.

Katara nodded. "And he will be Terrek."

"Lu Ten and Terrek." Zuko agreed.

"Princes of Fire Nation." She said, kissing the black hair of her son's soft head.

Zuko traded her babies, giving her Lu Ten. "They're not identical."

"Fraternal." Katara murmured, running a finger over Lu Ten's face.

Zuko nodded. "They're... A mix."

She nodded. The baby with fire nation looks was wrapped in a blue blanket and had bright blue eyes. The second son, Terrek, looked very Water Tribe but possessed the golden eyes of his father and was wrapped in a red silk.

"They are the offspring of two worlds." She said. "Two nations, love and a compromise that will last forever."

Zuko nodded, and leaned to kiss her. "Sleep, Katara. Please."

She nodded and handed him the other twin. "Keep them safe."

"Always."