"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING FU?!" Kuvira yelled, pacing the room. "YOU THINK WALTZING AROUND REPUBLIC CITY, NEARLY GETTING YOURSELF ARRESTED IS SOMETHING TO JOKE ABOUT?!"
Baatar stood next to Kuvira, not taking his eyes off of Fu and silently nodding every time Kuvira made a good point.
Kuvira, seeing that Fu had not spoken up at all through out their whole twenty minute conversation finally stopped walking around. Composing herself, she stood in front of Fu. "Why didn't you tell us about your ability to airbend?" she asked harshly. Staring at him, she crossed her arms in front of her and impatiently tapped her foot.
Fu only stood there, unable to come up with any words.
"Well?" All the rage she had felt when discovering Fu had the ability to airbend for the past years was now beginning to morph into hurt and betrayal. Does he not trust me? watching as he shuffled around, averting his eyes away from hers.
"Young man, your mother asked you a question." Baatar said coldly staring at him.
Still looking at the ground, Fu didn't really know what to say. What should I tell them? he thought worried. Nervous and scared, Fu gulped and looked up at his mother. He could see the hurt and betrayal radiating from her eyes. What have I done, he thought horrified. That's it. It's the end. Tears began to fill his eyes. Their gonna give me away.
"I'M SORRY!" he yelled suddenly. Both Kuvira and Baatar jumped in surprise at the outburst.
Looking up, tears were now flowing freely from Fu's eyes. "I DIDN'T WANNA TELL YOU BECAUSE I THOUGHT I'D LOOK WEAK! I-I THOUGHT..." looking back down at the ground, "I thought you'd give me away."
A few seconds passed, neither Kuvira nor Baatar really knew what to say. All anger suddenly gone, Kuvira looked at Baatar and could literally see the gears in his mind spinning, trying to figure out what to do in this type of position. Kuvira only sighed, knowing that it was her that would have to fix this situation.
"Baatar," she whispered. "Why don't you let me take care of this?" Looking at him with insistent eyes, Baatar nodded and quietly slipped out of the room.
When Fu heard the door shut, his knees buckled and fell to the ground and continued to cry. They're really gone, he thought still looking at the ground. They really don't want me. Gripping the ground, he started to shake with anguish.
I knew it. He thought wretchedly. This is why I didn't want to tell them. Mom probably thinks airbenders are weak. Or she probably thinks that I'm pathetic for being a late bloomer. Dad's probably frustrated that I was a bender, and not the non-bending son he's said he always wanted. I'm not what they wanted.
"Why doesn't anyone want me?" he muttered miserably as his tears began to hit the floor.
Without warning, Fu felt a hand gently lift his chin upwards. Looking up now, he saw the concerned face of his mother observing his tears with care.
She's been in here the whole time? he thought in shock.
Watching in confusion as she slipped off her glove, Kuvira softly began to wipe away Fu's tears with her hands. Fu only sat there in, enjoying the feeling of her warm hands on his face and the sympathetic look in her eyes.
"Fu." she said, still bending down. "You know that's not true."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Fu launched himself at her, wrapping his arms tightly around her neck. "Please don't ever leave me mom." he whimpered into her shoulder.
Kuvira only smiled and embraced him back, sliding her hand through his hair affectionately. "Never"
"No more secrets?" Fu mumbled through her shirt.
"No more secrets." Kuvira agreed.
Fu only sighed with relief, and slid into Kuvira's lap.
A few minutes passed by until Fu suddenly looked up. "Hey mom, do you hear something?"
Kuvira straightened up, still kneeling however with Fu on her lap, and listened carefully to the now approaching voices.
"Mother please!"
"Baatar Junior, if you wish to keep those arms of yours, you would remove them from my shoulder."
"MOTHER! Just, can you just, mother, mother plea-."
BANG! The door burst open and in walked Su, Baatar following behind her still pleading.
Ignoring Baatar, Su looked around the room. Spotting the kneeling Kuvira still holding Fu in her embrace, Su grinned and tackled Baatar with a hug.
"Oh Junior!" Su exclaimed with the utmost of happiness. "Why didn't you tell me? When did it happen?"
Baatar, struggling to find excuses to cover up for fiancée, suddenly caught Kuvira's eyes. "No more secrets." she said silently. Lip reading this, he felt himself smile.
Detaching his mother from him, he called over to Fu.
"Fu." He said still smiling. "Come over here please."
Watching this all go by, Fu reluctantly left his mothers embrace and made his way towards Baatar and the lady that had helped him escape the cop. What did Dad call this lady? He thought questioningly. Started with an M…Moth, Muth…mother. MOTHER?!
Immediately, Fu's rushed madly over to the lady and crashed into her. "YOURE MY GRANDMA!" he yelled while hugging her.
Su, not expecting the sudden embrace, didn't hesitate as to pick the boy up and give him a big kiss on the cheek. "Wow! So this is my new grandson hm?" she said as she held him on her hip and carefully observed him.
Fu, still astonished that his savior turned out to be his grandma, was currently having the time of his life. "Hey grandma?" Fu asked.
"Calling me grandma already, now are we?" Su said, raising an eyebrow, still smiling.
Fu immediately paled and bean to stutter excuses that it was his dad's fault.
Su only laughed. "I was just joking…..um…BAATAR!"
Baatar, who was observing the two closely, snapped out of his thoughts and straightened his posture. "Yes mother?" he said tensely.
"What did you say my grandsons name is?" she asked, face slightly blushing in embarrassment.
Before Baatar could reply, Fu shouted, "MY NAME IS FU!"
Su, looking at him skeptically, but only shrugged and replied grinning, "Alright Fu. So, what were you asking?"
"Can I call you Grandma?" he asked innocently.
"Little late for that don't you think?" Su replied. Seeing the embarrassed look on his face, Su only laughed and set him down. "Don't worry about it kid." She said while ruffling his hair. "Of course you can call me Grandma."
Seeing his eyes brighten up, she watched as Fu ran to Kuvira.
"Did you hear that mom!" he exclaimed happily. "She said I can call her Grandma!"
Kuvira only smiled lightly and looked up at Su. She still thinks I betrayed her, she thought uneasily, now observing Su's now stern face.
"So Kuvira," Su said hesitantly. "You must be glad to be stepping down from your position today."
Kuvira only looked at her in detest. Still the same coward she thought disgusted. "Why would you think such a thing?" Kuvira asked, now putting her hands behind her back and walking towards Su. Fu only watched in confusion at the arising tension in the air. Baatar, as if sensing an upcoming argument, quickly shuffled over to Fu and led them both towards the door.
"Baatar, don't you dare walk out that door." Su said pointing a finger at him. "You need to hear this as well."
Letting obedience take over him, Baatar closed the door and walked over to where Kuvira was standing. Fu, still holding his father's hand, was still trying to piece together what was going on.
"Listen to me very carefully both of you." Su said dangerously, all sign of recent laughter now gone. "Realize now that both of you are parents. Both of you have the responsibility to take of this boy." Saying this as she pointed to Fu. "If anything happens to him, then you're both automatically responsible for it." Looking at Kuvira straight in the eyes, "Kuvira, I know how much you want this dream of yours, but I want you to think about Fu right now. Can you really guarantee his safety, not to mention his own personal life? You can't just keep him on that train of yours forever!"
Kuvira stood there, deciphering the words that were just spoken to her, and turned away abruptly. "Get out." She whispered hoarsely.
Su looked at her disappointedly and glanced at Baatar. He too had his eyes closed, refusing to meet the gaze of his mother. "Alright," she said sorrowfully. Turning over to Fu, she managed a smile, "C'mon Fu, why don't we give your parents some time alone?"
Fu, ecstatic about spending time with his new Grandma, immediately brightened from the gloomy conversation. Hand in hers, they both walked out the door, Fu running more than walking.
Once the door shut, Kuvira breathed out a heavy sigh and plopped down on a couch. Following Kuvira's lead, Baatar slowly opened his eyes and made his way to sit next to Kuvira.
"Damn woman," Kuvira muttered. Baatar only glanced at her while sitting down next to her.
"She's right though, isn't she." Baatar murmured almost to himself. Kuvira only slunk deeper into the couch and ran a hand through her hair.
"Today was the day I was going to step up. Become the one in charge, and in the end, finally create a united Earth Empire." she said almost to herself. Eyes hardening, she continued, "And I will. When Prince Wu gives his speech, I will still take the step." Standing suddenly, she looking straight into Baatar's eyes, "We WILL create a untied Earth Empire and we WILL complete our dream."
Baatar only looked at with deep sadness. "Kuvira. I know you want this, trust me, I want this as badly as you do...but mother was right. What about Fu?"
"Baatar," she snapped. "You know very well I can't go and abandon my nation to that disgusting excuse of a prince. The empire needs me." Adding with hesitation, "Fu will be fine. He's a strong kid and will be able to manage."
Before she could turn away, Baatar stood. "No Kuvira, you're wrong." He said firmly. "Why do you think Fu never told us about his airbending? Why do you think he ran away from the train? It's because he's lonely. And although we may not see it, Fu is possibly one of the isolated kids in this whole empire." Raising his voice, he adding more harshly, "It's because of us! Were the reason! We isolated him from the world by keeping him in that train! And both of us didn't even give a care as to what he may be feeling when we left him in that train and went into the towns. If there was one thing mother was right about, it's that Fu needs a stable place to settle down." Seeing her emotionless face, he was now pleading. "Please Kuvira. The Earth Empire will be fine. We've already made sure of that. The council won't allow it to go back into shambles. Just give Fu the mother he wants. He may have a strong will, but you've got to remember that Fu's only a kid."
There was a deadly silence when Baatar stopped talking.
Without saying a word, Kuvira left the room.
OK. I am so srry for pausing right here. I was totally planning on finishing the whole story in this chap, or at least ending it better...BUT I AM EXHAUSTED. OH MA GLOB. But, you know, I'll update soon and all, school has really been catching up with me.
Oh, and for all you people reading this and giving me favs and reviews...your all frkn awesome. CHOW!:D