Author's Note: Finally we reach the point where the last member of the gAang finds out that the motherly waterbender that had held them together is gone. I am talking of course of... Firelord Zuko.

Chapter Seven: The Last to Know

Zuko's Point of View

The bison was diving for the snow-covered ground. The village was in sight, it had grown since the last time I had seen it. I shuddered in the cold, only trudging through this torture because the had struggled through so much with me.

I let go a breath of anticipation, which turned instantly to a frosty fog and then disappeared, floating above me to the clouds. As soon as we touched ground I slid off, and patted Appa thanks and goodbye.

I ran for the village, as I passed some bowed, or yelled something like "Hail the Firelord!" I saw Sokka stick his head out at that and when he saw me, he turned and whispered something to whoever was behind him in the tent. His wife Suki, and Toph dashed out and stopped me in my tracks. They gestured to Sokka's ice house and we gathered inside.

Suki scrambled around, making some tea, while Sokka got Toph and me settled. The house was much more than a pile of patted snow, quite roomy and strangely warm.

"How is Katara? Is it the baby?" I aksed, once we were all settled, sipping tea.

"Yes it is the baby, and the little one is fine. But Katara is- gone." Toph replied lifelessly, choking at the end and looking away.

I choked on my tea and watched as Suki patted her on the shoulder, trying to comfort her, but held her own pain in her eyes. Sokka became still and his eyes were sad, older, more mature than I had ever seen.

"Katara is dead?" I managed, a sort of plea in my question. They just managed stiff nods. I tried to take a sip of tea to soothe the pain that had quickly exploded inside of me, but my mouth was dry and my throat constricted.

"The baby?" I asked, now eager for good news. I wanted to hear how Katara's son had lived on even though she had left us for good.

"She is perfect. A little girl is what we ended up with, Kaya Agi. The sweetest little thing." Toph answered, her voice and expression softening. "Aang is with her now. He hasn't left her or even taken his eyes off of her since she was put in his arms."

"May I see her?" I asked hopefully, wanting to see the little child that we had waited for for so long.

Toph nodded and gestured for me to follow her as she padded outside of the igloo. I followed quietly, but not before I saw Suki's form shaking with silent sobs, and Sokka's eyes glistening with tears.

We stepped into the place in which they had exited when leaving to meet me. There he sat with the baby cradled awkwardly in his arms. He was rocking the little girl slightly and was humming a tune of which I thought sounded as if it was from the Earth Kingdom. But the young child showed no signs of drowsiness, on the contrast she seemed to be more alert than her father. Neither were taking their eyes off the other.

Toph motioned for me to stay back for a moment as she crept forward. She laid her hand on his shoulder, but he was not startled. It took a few moments but finally he averted his gaze from the small baby in his arms.

"Yes Toph?" Aang said, his voice cracked but full of pride.

"Aang let's let Uncle Zuko hold Kaya for a while, okay?" She saud, her voice gentle and firm at the same time, as though she was holding herself together for him.

At that, he turned his head, and for the first time realized I was there. A crooked smile spread across his face, and he patted the mat next to him. I walked over and sat down next to the young father. The little girl was delivered to my arms. She had Aang's round face and his round eyes of a dark smoky gray. She had Katara's curved nose and smooth cheekbones, plus the raven black hair that sat ruffled on the top of her head. I smiled at the likeness of both the missing mother and lost father.

"Aang I got to say, you have a pretty good child here."

His gray eyes flashed with a fierce pride and his lips twitched as if supressing a smile.

"I know. Hey Zuko I need to tell you one thing." He said, not even hiding the smile.

"What?" I asked, looking at him instaed of the girl who sat in my arms, now surveying me curiously.

"My daughter is going to kick your little firebender's butt." He answered.