Author's Notes:
Oh and I received a review a while back noting that Katara's not paired up with anyone. Yes that's true, and I think it will remain that way because someone had once told me they see Katara paired up with too many people in almost every fic they see. Truth be told, I wouldn't know who to pair her up with.
Weeks passed and Tai Shan seemed to adjust pretty well. Everyone took a liking to him and ensured to make a quiet comment to Sokka and Hakoda that they couldn't believe that the sweet kid really had Azula for a mother (to which Gran Gran agreed). Sokka pouted and replied that she wasn't that bad of a person--and that she was a great mother. Hakoda looked at his son.
"So what's the plan with you two?" he asked. He loved his grandson instantly, and wished that Tai Shan didn't have to go back to the Fire Nation. Kana adored the boy that she spoiled him rotten, telling Hakoda that Tai Shan shouldn't have to go back to the Fire Nation since they lost seven years already. Azula had her turn, Gran Gran had said, it's ours now. Hakoda somewhat agreed, knowing what the princess did was wrong--keeping Tai Shan away from them; not being able to know about his existance. However taking the child away from his mother, would be just as wrong.
Sokka sharpened his boomerang, "I don't know." He looked at his father, wondering if he was going to get a lecture from him about taking responsibility--wasn't he doing that? "I told her that we were getting married, but she refused. She said she had set me free by not telling me." Sokka sighed. "I don't understand her Dad. Why are girls so complicated?"
Hakoda laughed, "I don't know. What exactly did she say to you?"
"That I would have hated her and Tai Shan, had she informed me. She made it seem like she was doing me a favor," Sokka said. "It's like she did this to be spiteful."
"Maybe not," Hakoda answered. "She could have thought that she really was doing you a favor."
"Maybe she was trying to keep him all to herself," Sokka suggested nonchanlantly.
Hakoda smiled, "Maybe. She could have been afraid that you would take Tai Shan away from her afterall."
Sokka dropped his boomerang. That's exactly what he did when he found out, wasn't it?
Back in the Fire Nation Azula remembered clearly what happened after she woke up to find the Fire Nation defeated and her father dead. Zuko was the first person she saw, he had told her that they were wrong all along--to which she answered back that they weren't. He told her that so many people suffered already, and that it was time to stop it--because even she was hurt by the war. Her brother told her that they had to accept their wrongs and make amends with the rest of the world. She was furious at him at first because Zuko pretty much besmearched their ancestors' names by saying they were wrong--that they had no right, and so on.
"Don't fight this Azula," he told her. "Uncle will be the new Fire Lord, and he's trying his hardest to get us out of the pickle we made in Ba Sing Se. If you rebel and not concede--then we can't help you. You're either going to end up in prison for the rest of your life or be handed over to the Earth Kingdom." It would be the Avatar who would help her in the end, because the Earth Kingdom did not wish to give any favors to the Dragon of the West whom laid siege to their capital, for 600 days. Two days passed without seeing or speaking to Sokka. She knew that he was avoiding her as much as she was him. The betrayal stung him, and Azula could not apologize. It was war, everything was fair. It was love, everything was fair. Wasn't it? What would he have done? She knew though, she would be asking too much of him to forgive her. He had done so much for her already, he would never. "Azula why don't you just go and see him?" Ty Lee told her. "You know you want to!" "Azula," Uncle Iroh called to her as the girls turned the corner to see the newly crowned Fire Lord standing there. "We need to talk."
It all went downhill soon afterward. When she realized she was pregnant she didn't know what to do. How could she be so careless? She took a vacation (without telling anyone) at Ember Island for awhile, thinking about what to do with her situation. The princess contemplated aborting the child, but in the end she couldn't do it. The child in her womb was a representative of her and Sokka's love for one another; the child was a part of her and Sokka. She didn't want to lose something of his--considering she had already lost him.
The baby was someone she could love unconditionally--someone who she hoped would love her just as much. She would ensure that her child received the mother's love that was denied to her. Clarity within her mind allowed her to return home, to find out that her mother was found. Azula refused to acknowledge Ursa's warmth and happily took the mission of being sent to the Northern Water Tribe. Soon afterwards she contemplated about marriage. She wanted the child to have a father, however she wanted it to be his real father so she later refused--to which Ursa and Iroh respected and granted her requests. She couldn't allow her son to grow up believing someone else was his father, someone who wasn't Sokka. She never did her former lover because she couldn't, and she had so many reasons for it.
Aang wrapped a blanket around Toph, which she gladly accepted. "I hate coming here sometimes..." she drank the hot tea Katara had given her. "I can't see. And I actually have to wear footwear or my feet freeze."
"Don't worry Toph," Katara sipped her tea. "You'll have someone around to guide you."
The earthbender frowned, "That's the problem Katara. I hate feeling helpless. I hate being the girl my parents think I was."
Aang placed a comforting arm around her, "Don't worry--you got over your fear of flying--well mostly--and you handle it pretty well; it's the same with this place. You'll eventually overcome the obsticle."
"Don't get all gooey on me Twinkle Toes," she joked.
Katara growled and rolled her eyes, "You make me sick." She got up and left the two 19 year olds.
Aang and Toph only shrugged as they asked her, "What?" but she was already far gone for them to receive an answer.
"What's up with Katara?" Aang was baffled.
"Meh, who knows."
Sokka paced back and forth, his mind plaqued with thoughts of Azula. He loved her, and he wanted to be with her. H fantazied about his life with her and Tai Shan--wanting it so much to be realized. Katara walked over to him and observed Tai Shan playing the children, "He's adapted well here hasn't he?"
"Yeah," Sokka laughed, "I think he's even found himself a girlfriend." The children was playing hide and seek and Tai Shan kept pairing himself off with a young girl. Seeing them hold hands brought a smile to his face.
"Don't think we'll go easy on you Tai Shan just cuz your a prince!"
Katara playfully elbowed her brother, "Like father like son I suppose."
Sokka grinned, "Well yeah...of course!"
"If he's anything like his father though he's going to stubborn," Katara added.
"That's run throughout his family--our family, Azula's family," Sokka reminded her.
"He'll find someone," Katara seemed to have ignored brother's comment and continued, "that's no good for him." Sokka glared at her.
"Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's what I'm looking for."
"Indeed."
"Indeed," he repeated.
The Fire Lord looked that Azula, as she asked him why she was summoned. "I have received news from the Northern Water Tribe."
Ursa, Zuko, and Mai looked at Iroh with curiousity. Azula arched a brow, "Of what?" How did that concern her? She hasn't participated in anything concerning the foreign countries lately.
"Hahn has asked for your hand in marriage."
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