Author's Notes: Here's another chapter! I want to thank my just-plain-amazing beta, margaritanightly. Love her, worship her... I do.

…

Katara found her nausea slowly getting worse as the hours passed, as they got closer and closer to the Fire Palace. Closer to Zuko. She hadn't thrown up since after breakfast, several hours ago, but her stomach was uneasy. Her nerves weren't helping the matter, either. She had already gone over the conversation in her head several times, and she still didn't know what to say.

How did you tell someone that they were going to be a father, that you were carrying their baby? How could she walk up to him, look him in the eye, and tell him she had ruined his life?

No, damn it, she was NOT going to cry.

She relaxed in the back of Appa's saddle, curled up on her left side. She found it eased her stomach cramps, but it put pressure on her breasts. She found it hard to sleep as it was, even though she was dead tired. She'd never admit it, since she was a little sullen about the fact they were making an exception to their plans for her, but she was glad they were going to the Fire capital because she didn't think that she could deal with the fear of carrying a baby around the country or dealing with these symptoms that she didn't fully understand.

Even if Zuko didn't want the baby, she mused, she could at least check in with the palace physician and make sure everything was okay, and she could get some information about what to expect in the months ahead. But she was hoping beyond hope that Zuko would be supportive. She wasn't naïve enough to think that maybe he'd be excited or in any way positive about this development, but she could hope for support and a place to call home before she should, eventually, return home to be with her family.

"How're you feeling, sis?" Sokka asked over his shoulder from where he sat with Aang on Appa's head.

Katara shot him a glare, crossing her arms over her sore, swollen breasts. "Shut up, Sokka." She snapped.

"What did I do?" He whined.

She sat up, glaring darkly. "You just can never shut up, can you? I don't want to hear your voice because you are definitely not helping me!"

Sokka opened his mouth to complain where Aang shook his head. The monk leaned over to Sokka, whispering something in his ear. Sokka glanced back at his sister, and then nodded and gave an, "Oh!" of understanding. Katara wanted to throttle them both.

Suddenly, the urge to cry swept over her again, for no reason. She had every right to be mad at Sokka and Aang, in her mind, and she wasn't sorry for it. Yes, she thought this whole situation was quite unfair, but she was determined to deal with it like a true Water Tribe warrior. She just didn't understand why tears were gathering in her eyes, threatening to spill over if she even blinked.

Katara turned her face away and pursed her lips together, refusing to let out even a small sob. She blinked several times, tears falling down onto her cheeks, and then drying there because of the wind. She trembled for a short while, hugging herself, and then was frustrated with herself for being weak.

She was carrying a little baby inside of her. It was counting on her to tell its father and to make everything right, and she had to do it. It didn't matter how much she needed a good cry or how unfair everything was; she was pregnant and there was nothing she could do about it. All she could do was hope that her baby was healthy when it was born.

"Are we there yet?" Katara asked.

Aang squinted into the distance, and then looked over his shoulder back at her. "I think we'll be there tonight. How's the stomach?"

"None of your business." She snapped, and he looked hurt, but he remembered whatever it was he had told Sokka, and merely smiled at her. She wanted to throw something at him.

"Katara, we just want to help you and we want you to feel better." He reminded her in a gentle voice, trying his best to be soothing when he was actually a little terrified. He'd heard horror stories about women with pregnancy hormones going whacko, and Katara was a very powerful Waterbender. Aang did not envy Zuko for what he was going to have to deal with.

"I know." She muttered sulkily. She did know, too, but she was so irritated with the entire world. She just wanted to throw something or break something or kick someone. She usually felt like this when she had her monthly flow, but this was completely different. Her frustration was bubbling underneath her skin and was almost physically itchy in its quest to release itself, and she didn't know what to do. She didn't even know if bending could be harmful for a baby!

She hated her ignorance. If she was going to have a baby, she should know these things. Granted, she had been more focused on saving the world and defeated Ozai over the last year, rather than stocking up on information she wouldn't have needed for several years, had she not decided to have sex with Zuko. She made a mistake with him, she knew, but she didn't feel bad about it. It had been wonderful, and maybe… maybe this baby would be wonderful too.

Katara sighed and shook her head. She just wanted to sleep.

And eventually, she did, and she slept for several hours, and when she woke up, Appa was heading downwards. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, yawning. She decided that a nap had done her some good. She felt much more calm and able to face whatever laid ahead of her. She was still scared, still a little nauseous when she thought about it, but she didn't feel as though she wanted to run and hide and never see Zuko again. She was a master Waterbender. Surely she could have a baby.

Heh. Bravado wasn't really helping her.

"Wow, the Fire Nation has pretty sunsets!" Aang pointed out, gesturing to the orange, pink and red splashes across the darkening sky.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's great, Twinkle Toes. Get the bison on the ground before I push you off." Toph threatened Aang, still unsettled by the fact she couldn't 'see' anything.

Soon enough (but far too long for Toph's tastes), Appa touched down, and they were met by several smiling servants. A few went to tend to the bison, and the rest approached the gang, to invite them to their quarters to freshen up before dinner. Appa was taken away to the stables, and Aang went with him to make sure his flying bison was all right for the night.

"Lady Katara, would you prefer to go to your rooms before dinner?" A young girl asked her with a friendly smile on her face.

Katara nodded immediately and followed after the girl. She didn't think she could face Zuko with her self-esteem so low. She smelt like Appa and hadn't properly washed in a few days. No one would probably care, but Appa smell, she decided, was what really made her nauseous. It would be good to get into a new set of clothes and prepare what she was going to say, and how she was going to get him alone to even tell him without his servants and guards around.

Katara let out a long breath, leaning against the door once it closed behind her. She was so relieved to finally be alone. She tossed her bag onto the bed and pulled out her slightly rumpled clothes. After the war, she had bought a few new outfits, but they were all similar and it was just a relief to have clean clothes to put on. There was even a basin in the corner, obviously there for her personal use. She could have cried again as she washed all of the Appa-smell and all of Appa's fur from her body. She felt renewed.

Dressed in clean clothing, she brushed her hair, and braided it, without the hair loopies. Katara then sat down on the bed and crossed her legs, looking down at her hands. So… tonight, Zuko was going to learn that he was going to be a father. Suddenly, she felt very cold and her hands were sweaty. All of a sudden, everything seemed so real. If the vomiting wasn't enough, this feeling of cold dread told her that this was real. She was going to be a mother, and she was going to give birth and she was going to have a son or daughter.

A knock came at the door, and Katara jolted herself to her feet, and opened the door. It was only Sokka, and she gave him a grim smile. "Is it dinner time?"

He beamed and grabbed her arm. "Is it ever!"

Katara couldn't help a laugh at her brother's enthusiasm. Only him could be excited about the food. He was a good person, her brother, and he had developed a great ability to see solutions no one else would. He was creative, but some of the time, he was Sokka, her big, oafish brother who loved to eat, and it amused her to no end.

"How do you feel?" He asked seriously, putting his arm around her shoulders.

She gave a little shrug. "Better, now that we're off Appa. I don't think I can travel on him anymore. It's amazing how much better I feel now that I can't smell him." She gave Sokka a half-smile. "Everything still seems to hurt, but…" She trailed off, actually feeling the optimism her words expressed.

He nodded. "Good."

"Wait, you do know where we're going, right?" Katara asked when she realized he was leading her and there wasn't a servant in sight.

Sokka looked offended. "I know exactly where I'm going," He cut her off before she could make any cracks. "And no, it's not because of my instincts."

Katara was disappointed he hadn't let her get a good quip in.

He continued, "I asked for directions because I wanted to get to the food quickly. I think the people around here already know me. I didn't even really ask." He beamed. "I think I could get used to this place."

"I'm sure Zuko would be glad to have you." She teased him. Though Zuko turned out to be good, the two young men would never be best friends. They would never have friendly sparring matches or see who could eat more Fire Flakes before fainting from the heat. It just wasn't in the cards for them, but at least they respected each other. It was still hilarious to make fun of Sokka, though.

Sokka, appropriately, made a face. "Never mind. I'll eat his food, but I won't stay here longer than I have to."

Katara smiled, but her happiness faltered when noticed Sokka was slowing down and veering to the left to open up a door for her. She froze in step, and she looked up at her brother. She shook her head wordlessly, and he took her hand.

"Katara, it's okay." He assured her.

She faced the doors, and then took a deep breath, and then she took another one. Taking deep breaths was calming, but it wasn't enough to settle her pounding heart or her pounding head (stupid pregnancy headaches, she grumbled, assuming her new headache was because of the little life inside of her). She didn't want to walk into that room and face Zuko. She didn't want to face his inevitable rejection. What kind of seventeen-year-old boy wanted to raise a child with a girl he had slept with once? And Zuko was the Fire Lord and had more duties than he knew what to do with. He had no room in his life for a child, especially an illegitimate one that would only get him into trouble. He didn't have any room for her in his life.

"Sokka," She whimpered. "I'm scared."

He looked her in the eyes and nodded. "I know. Me too."

"No, you don't know." She hissed suddenly, and then stepped around him and opened the door herself. She stormed inside, not even registering the fact both Zuko and Iroh were absent and plopped down in one of the empty chairs.

"Sugar Queen?" Toph prompted.

"Nothing." She lied, and looked for something to drink. She picked up her goblet when Toph shook her head. "What?"

"Wine." She responded simply, and Katara put down her goblet as though it had burned her.

"Thanks, Toph." She offered the girl a smile, and even though Katara knew she couldn't see it, she hoped Toph could hear it in her tone.

"No problem." Toph answered casually.

Sokka slumped down in his own seat, glancing around. "Where is he? Come on, he can't expect us to wait until he's ready! I'm hungry!"

"Sokka, you're always hungry." Aang pointed out with a good-natured smirk.

"Aang," The Water Tribe boy was condescending. "You aren't quite old enough to understand the deliciousness of food, but when you are, you'll understand why I'm always so hungry." He was practically salivating. Zuko had been more than generous in putting them up for a few days right after his coronation and he'd been amused as heck by Sokka's enthusiasm about food.

"Okay, whatever." Aang rolled his eyes.

Katara smiled briefly down at her hands in her lap. She was still annoyed by nothing, still wanted to cry at nothing in particular, and her head was throbbing painfully, but Sokka and Aang were being themselves, and it was reassuring that that wouldn't change too badly. Her life was about to be completely abnormal, so whatever normality she could steal right now was nice. More than nice. Awesome.

She slowly turned when the door opened, and her heart froze.

...

Author's Notes: Hehe. Cliffie. I'd feel sorry about it, but I don't. As always, please review; all ideas/comments/suggestions/quips/qualms and/or quibbles are appreciated.