A/N: Long long time huh? I'm sorry about the wait. I'm really better at oneshots than multi-chaptered fanfictions.

"Princess," the servant bowed as Azula entered the garden where her son was playing. "Hahn of the Northern Water Tribe demands to see you."

Azula arched a brow, "Demands?"

"Yes Your Highness," the servant answered nervously. "He says it's urgent that he speaks with you."

Azula sighed glancing at her son, before turning around to leave, "Fine. Where is he?"

It had been a long night for Sokka. He couldn't sleep, he kept tossing and turning. He ate breakfast quickly to avoid the incessant questions coming from his friends. He didn't want to tell them just yet, I mean what was he suppose to say? And besides, they wouldn't really care would they? They would just worry over him, and he didn't need that. He didn't want them to worry or feel sorry for him.

He walked over the gardens where he saw Tai Shan playing near the pond. "Hey kiddo, you're up early."

Sokka noticed that everyone in this place was up early. Tai Shan smiled and bowed politely to the elder man, "Good morning sir. Do you care to play?"

"Uh sure," Sokka replied, "but on one condition. Drop the formalities, you can just call me Sokka."

The boy looked at him with a shocked expression and said, "I can't do that. It's not..."

"What is it?" Sokka asked.

"My family would never approve," he answered. Even after the war, it would seem that the Fire Nation still had strict rules. He remembered when Aang had told him about his schooling in the Fire Nation, and how there were so many rules. He wondered if that still went on. At least though, they were now allowed to dance.

Sokka couldn't very well tell the boy to call him, uncle because they weren't on that familiar terms. Then an idea popped into his head, "But you're a prince right? You can do anything you wish."

The boy blinked as if asking him, have you met my mother? "I'll stick to Mister, is that okay?" the boy asked hesitantly.

"All right Your Highness," Sokka bowed. "Now let's play."

Meanwhile Azula had just returned from her meeting with Hahn and witnessed her son, playing with Sokka. They were getting along splendidly, which was strange since Tai Shan didn't get along too well with others his age. A small smile graced her lips as she wondered what could have been.

They could have been a family, in another place and time, where Sokka could've been her husband and Tai Shan was their son together. However she played him and his friends like fools and they would never forgive her; and she doesn't think she could get over her father's demise at their hands. Everything was against them from the very beginning.

If someone had come up to her years ago and would've said that she and some Water Tribe warrior would be star-crossed lovers, she would've laughed her head off and called them insane.

The princess then recalled her conversation with Hahn, earlier that morning.

"Azula that night at the North Pole," he began.

"You have no need to obligate yourself to me Hahn, we're fine," she told him.

She brought her attention again to her son, and she didn't have the heart to tear him away from his time with Sokka. He barely had fun with strangers, so she saw no reason to interrupt. She walked away to inform Tai Shan's governess that Tai Shan wouldn't be attending lessons today.

Sokka couldn't believe that the sweet boy in front of him was Hahn's; and he couldn't believe that he was growing really fond of him as well. How could someone so kind be the spawn of such a jackass? Then again, how could someone as smart as Azula find Hahn attractive enough to sleep with him?

"That's sweet," someone called from behind him. He turned around to find Ty Lee standing there with a smile on her face.

"Aunt Ty Lee!" the prince beamed, running toward her to embrace her.

"Hey," she said warmly, "Did you have fun with Sokka?"

"Mm-hm," he nodded.

Ty Lee chuckled, "Well that's good. Now your Aunt Mai and Uncle Zuko asks to see."

"Am I in trouble?" he wondered.

"No no," she told comfortingly. "Though your great-uncle did say something about feeling neglected..."

"Oh no!" he turned around, "Excuse me Mister Sokka, see you later Aunt Ty Lee!" The boy dashed inside the palace.

Sokka gave her a look and she shrugged. "What? He played with you all day that Uncle Iroh does feel neglected."

"I didn't mean to..."

Ty Lee stared at the sky ignoring him, for it wasn't a big deal that the Fire Lord was neglected for just a day. "It's hard isn't it? Who could blame you? How could you not love Azula's child?"

Sokka remained silent.

"If it makes you feel better that Hahn guy is leaving tomorrow."

"They're leaving so soon," Sokka commented. "Are you and Haru leaving as well?"

"No I think we'll stay for awhile longer," Ty Lee answered.

"Do you plan on settling here?"

"I don't know...it's either here or the Earth Kingdom."

"Sokka there you are!" Katara greeted her brother as she saw him enter the room that they were currently occupying for conversation's sake. "You didn't have lunch with us, so I was worried about you."

"Sorry," he told them.

"You missed out going to the beach," Toph told him. "Did you play with Tai Shan all day?"

"Yeah I did," he answered.

Aang smiled, "I hope you had fun."

"So what's going on with you and Azula and the child?" Katara asked, straight to the point. "You left us hanging last night, I think your friends deserve to know."

He sighed, exasperated. "Tai Shan is Azula's son with Hahn."

Katara looked at him with shocked eyes. Fury consumed Katara, and she wanted to strangle Azula with all the strength she had. It was bad enough she hurt them, when she deceived them into believing they became friends; but to hurt Sokka? Now finding out that she hurt him more, was more than she could handle.

Aang felt sorry for the guy, but he didn't know what to say or what to do, to help Sokka. While Toph appeared nonchalant. "Hahn?" she asked, "The same Hahn that you guys met in the North Pole?"

"Yeah," Sokka replied. "I'm so angry at her, I don't know what to do. I know I had no claim on Azula...I never did...but why did it have to him?"

He was hurt, and his friends didn't know what to do.

"Tai Shan," Zuko began, "next year do you wish to attend the Fire Nation Academy?"

"Oh no! School...I forgot...Mama's gonna--"

"Don't worry," Ursa laughed, "your mother knew and she's informed your teacher."

"She's not mad I missed...?"

"No darling. Why would she?" Ursa told her grandchild.

"Because Mama says an education is very important."

"It's all right to miss one day," Mai told him with a smile. "Besides you're a good student, I'm sure you can catch up later."

"Fire Nation Academy?" Tai Shan asked, getting back to the subject since it was apparent his family didn't want him to worry. "Did I do something wrong Uncle Zuko?"

"No. We just think it's time that you join children your age in school. Don't you want to make friends?" Zuko told his nephew.

"No," Tai Shan told his uncle. "I don't like kids my age. They're mean to me."

Ursa's disposition changed to a sad one, and she beckoned her grandson to come to her. She embraced him lovingly, "I'm sure not all of them are like that Tai Shan."

"Are you gonna force me to go?"

Ursa looked at her son and daughter-in-law, "That's up to your mother." She got up and left, "Now let's go to Uncle Iroh. He's been looking for you all day."

Zuko looked puzzled, "I'm worried about him."

"Why?" Mai asked.

"He's too anti-social like his mother. He needs to get out more," Zuko told his wife. Mai smiled and got up from her chair, walking over to him.

She kissed him, "I think it's a family trait. If I remember correctly you and your sister share that same trait of being anti-social."

He laughed, "So what's your excuse? You were anti-social before you had a friend and boyfriend that was, and no one in your family is anti-social."

"I'm the odd one in the family as are you, which is why I think we get along so well."

Zuko wrapped his arms around her, "Yeah I think so." He leaned down and kissed her again.

"Uncle Iroh!" Tai Shan smiled, running toward the Fire Lord. "I'm so so so sorry! Please don't be mad!"

"Me mad at you? Never!" the old man laughed as he took the boy in his arms. "Were you spending the day with Grandmother Ursa?"

"No," the aging woman answered smiling. "He was with Sokka."

"You have a lot of nerve," Katara hissed at the Fire Princess. "How could you do that to Sokka?!"

"He must've told you then," Azula smirked as she sipped her tea, not bothering to play innocent with the waterbending master.

"You're a horrible person. You always were and you always will be!"

Azula sighed, aggravated, "You know you and your brother are impossible Katara. What's done is done. You can't change what's been done and you know what? I will not apologize!"

"It's bad enough you left Sokka bleeding! But just when he's finally closed the wound, you reopen it?!"

"How dare you? You're the ones who came here to my home, and you accuse me of hurting him? I didn't seek him out and flaunted that I had a child with Hahn. I was living a peaceful life here in the Fire Nation and you just had to come along, didn't you?! If anyone's to blame, it's him for reopening his wound again. It's all of you!"

"What?!?"

"What the hell is this really about Katara? It's no longer your brother, so just spit it out!" Azula demanded.

"It's you that I have a problem with!" Katara yelled just as Aang entered the room.

"Guys you're all being so loud! What's going on here?" Aang asked the girls as he entered Azula's chambers.

"I don't know. Ask your friend," Azula hissed. "What do you want Avatar?"

"Katara can you leave me alone with Princess Azula?" the young man asked politely. Katara glared at Azula and told her this was far from over, and then left.

"Azula..."

"Aang..." his name sounded so foreign on her lips, even when they were traveling companions.

She was drinking again, and Aang wondered why she resorted to drinking lately. He didn't want her getting dependent on such a vile drink, so he reached for her bottle and drained it, pouring it onto the grass. "Toph lately you've been acting really really strange. Are you okay?"

She laughed as she wiped some sake from her chin, "Of course I am Twinkle Toes."

"You know, if all of you want to leave the Fire Nation so badly then we should go tomorrow. I thought we ought to stay here for a couple weeks to oversee how the Fire Nation's doing since the war ended...but if all of you are so bothered by it..."

"The only person bothered by it is Sokka," Toph replied with a snort.

"I just saw Katara and Azula at each others throats," he told her. "And you..."

Toph got up and walked over to the middle of the garden and faced the sky as she lied down. He followed shortly afterwards, lying next to her. He held her hand as he asked, "Have you even spoken to Azula since we arrived?"

"No," Toph frowned.

"Is she the reason you've been acting so strange lately?" Aang asked her. Toph and Azula had gotten along pretty well back then. The earthbending master had taken quite a liking to the princess, and their sarcastic personalities meshed well. Azula certainly got along with Toph more than she did with Katara; and it hurt all of them when they realized Azula's treachery. Aang guessed that Toph wasn't over it, but who could blame her? They had been close.

"That's only half of it," she answered, as she curled up closer to him. She snuggled her face against his arm, "Let's not talk about this right now. Okay Twinkle Toes?"

"Whatever you say," Aang replied, as he gazed at the stars above.

Sokka poured his heart out to her, venting his anger and frustration at the earthbender, "I don't know what to do..."

"Then get over it," Toph told the older man, causing him to frown. Why did he bother going to her for advice, sometimes, he wondered. Because she'll tell you how it is, straight up, that's why.

"I can't," Sokka told her. "Because it's Hahn's child; and even if it weren't...I can't let it go. Whoever the father is, is a moron for leaving. I don't like the fact that Azula has a child with some other guy--"

"--that isn't you; you don't like the fact that she had an intimate relationship with a guy; you don't like the fact that you're not the man in her life," the younger woman finished for him, much to Sokka's annoyance. Unfortunately for him, she continued, "Look Sokka. It hurts like hell: having the woman you're still hung over after all these years giving birth to the child of your most hated rival. It hurts like hell like you fell in love with two women--two princesses, but for some reason Hahn got something from them that you couldn't; whether it be her hand in marriage or child. It hurts like hell that you and her broke up because of her deception, which could've led her to do the things she did. But what are you gonna do? You can't go back in time and change all of that."

"Toph," he began. "I know. But it doesn't make the pain any less."

"I know," she said sadly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But tell me, after finding out what you've just found out. Do you still love her?"

"You know I really hated her," Sokka explained. "Sometimes I still hate her for driving me insane, but do I still love her after this?"

"I think that's just what I said," Toph told him, sounding a lot like Azula.

"Yeah I do. Always," he answered.

A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday vacation.

I really really really don't like some assets in this chapter, but I don't know how to change it. I feel Azula's OOC but after watching "The Beach" I don't know how to write her anymore. There hasn't been a fic, that I've read at least, that meshes her typical personality and her relaxed/awkward personality so I don't know how to do it myself.

The next chapter is pretty much completed...however I may add a little bit more.