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Epilogue

five years later

Children's laughter reached Katara's ears. She smiled as her two children ran into her bedroom.

Hitaru, age two, had Katara's blue eyes and his father's pale skin. Megorea, age four, had tan skin - though a little lighter than her mother's - and her father's amber eyes.

Hitaru was hiding something behind his back. Megorea struggled to reach it for a few moments, then turned to her mother.

"Mama, Hitaru took my shell doll!" she stomped her foot.

Hitaru looked up at his mother shamefully, two fingers in his mouth. He brought out the said doll, clothed in it's shell-bead sequined dress, and handed it over to his sister.

Katara picked him up and placed him on her lap. "I's just wanted to wook at it Mama. 'S so pwetty!"

"Hitaru, it's not nice to take things that aren't yours without asking." Katara kissed his cheek. "Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" the moon outside was just rising over the courtyard wall. Way past her little ones' bedtime.

"Kitani thought we were asleep." Megorea smirked mischievously.

Katara set Hitaru back down and gave both of their bottoms a firm pat. "Go back to your nursery." she nodded at her maid behind her, who followed the two children back to their room.

With her children gone, Katara began to get undressed out of her red clothes. As the Fire Lady, she couldn't wear blue anymore. Not that it really mattered so much. Looking into her mirror, she gazed at the dark scar across her shoulder. By the time her strength had returned enough for her to tend to it after her injury, it had already scarred some. She couldn't do anything about the scars, but it served as a reminder to her husband to keep his temper in check.

Now in her short, flame-toned nightdress, Katara slid under the silk bedsheets. She rested the back of her hand on the pillow usually taken by Zuko's head.

She had begun to doze, and the crescent moon was now one-quarter of the way across the sky when the Fire Lord finally crawled into bed. Katara's eyes opened immediately. "You're late," she chided in a whisper.

Zuko slid his hand across her stomach to rest on the curve of her waist. "I had business to attend to." he kissed her nose. "But I missed you every moment."

She snuggled up against him. "I always miss you when I go to bed by myself."

Zuko responded by placing a lingering kiss upon her waiting lips. Just the scent of her made him dizzy; she smelled like winter and lilacs. An arousing combination, if you were to ask.

Katara shivered in bliss, returning his kiss. She laid a cool hand on his cheek, and he welcomed the temperature; he never wanted her to get so warm as she was with the draining fever, ever. "I love you so much, Zuko, and you make me so happy."

She shifted to place her back against him. He cradled her against himself, in heaven. "And I love you, too. Happy ever after, Katara. You deserve every moment of bliss and more."

"Happy ever after, Zuko."