Chapter 10: To Arrive Where We Started and Know the Place for the First Time

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters. Nor do I own the words of T. S. Eliot or Rumi.

Nine weeks and two days, Zuko thought to himself. Katara has been gone for nine weeks and two days.

No one spoke of her leaving anymore, at least not out in the open, despondency and strain spread over the group. Each felt in some way responsible for the waterbender's departure, but none felt it as keenly as Zuko. Although Sokka and Hakoda tried to hide it, it was clear to Zuko and, obviously, Toph that the two Water Tribe men were deeply worried about Katara's safety.

What if something has happened to her? What if she is hurt or captured or dead? Zuko's mind spun thinking of worse and worse possibilities.

In the weeks since his return, Zuko had tried to keep himself busy training Aang and practicing with his swords. Everyone had fallen into a new routine of chores. Each person attended to their assigned list of duties; from cleaning and cooking to foraging, hunting and patrolling. It feels like an army camp after a defeat; no heart, just drill, drill, drill. This was once a home and now all we do is work, eat, and sleep, Zuko thought was as though Katara's absence had reminded each of them of everything they had lost in this war. Hope and optimism were ebbing lower every day. Even Toph seems to be getting anxious.

Zuko had noticed the blind earthbender getting very fidgety and cranky over the last three days. It was unlike Toph to show concern. Twice in the last week, he had overheard her demanding to know what day it was and what moon was doing from Haru. She had been increasingly harsh with Aang during training sessions culminating that afternoon in the monk flying away in a temper. As Zuko watched the boy dip and soar on his glider, it struck the prince, Toph was expecting Katara back by now. Katara must have told her nine weeks and now she isn't back!

As the sun set, bathing the temple in pinks and purples, Aang finally landed next to Appa. Zuko watched the various temple dwellers take their meals off to their corners. No one ate together around the fire anymore, it was too much of a reminder of who was missing. Zuko remained perched on the edge of the balcony watching the moon begin to rise. That night, he was too anxious to have much appetite for the flavorless vegetable mush Haru had produced.

Finally, when everyone else had gone to bed, Zuko stood, still staring out at the blazingly full moon. If Katara is out there, tonight she will be unstoppable. It comforted him to think of the power the moon would give her. Sighing, he turned in for the night.

Hours later a strange sound drifted through his window. Zuko slowly awoke to the sound of music. Only it was not exactly music, it was more like the moonlight had become sound. He arose trying to find the source of the disturbance. It seemed to be emanating from the temple itself, as he wandered the halls, he could not pinpoint the source. Eventually, he came to the massive waterfall which fed the water systems of the temple. In the moonlight, the water almost appeared to be flowing upward instead of down into the canyon. Standing next to the illuminated roaring cascade, he suddenly had the urge to leap into it. Not for the purpose of self-destruction, no, but rather to feel the rush and the moonlight all around him.

His hand had just touched the icy torrent when he pulled away realizing where he was and what he was doing. The music seemed to have faded as his hand touched the water. Zuko shook himself and returned to his bed hastily, trying to chase away the echoes of the strange melody.

At sunrise, he met Suki and a bleary-eyed Sokka for their usual foraging party. Chit Sang and Hakoda had already set out the day before for a hunt. As they were starting up the stairs, Toph appeared unexpectedly calling Sokka back for some reason. Zuko looked at Suki; she shrugged and the two set forth, figuring that Sokka could join them later. None of them had passed through the old common area to leave the temple. Thus, they did not see the four figures industriously cooking breakfast around a fire.

Aang and the others were awoken early by a delicious smell and the sound of laughter, two things that had definitely been missing in the last two months. They warily emerged into the common area halting at the sight of four people sitting around a fire drinking tea, an elaborate breakfast spread out around them. It only took Aang a second to spot the smallest in the group sitting between two tall strangers… Katara! Aang had barely registered the thought before he found himself hugging her, having knocked her to the ground with his speed and enthusiasm. She was laughing and hugging him back, her eyes dancing. She's really back!

After Aang's impetuous rush, the others came forward quickly, exclaiming over the wanderer's return and the delicious smells of her cooking. They each had a turn to embrace her and welcome her back. Her three companions sat smiling unobtrusively, enjoying just watching the happy reunion. After everyone had greeted Katara, she turned to make the introductions. Iroh, Aro, and Ren each bowed when they were introduced. Aang rushed forward to hug Iroh, much to the old man's surprise and delight.

Katara introduced the various temple dwellers who were gathered, a slight crease marring her forehead as she looked for her brother and Toph… and Zuko.

Before she could ask where the others were, a shriek split the air accompanied by the sound of charging feet.

"KATARAAAAA!"

There was her brother rushing towards her with Toph following behind him, grinning like a fiend. Bracing herself for her sibling's embrace, she was surprised to find herself swept off the ground and swung around in joyful circles as Sokka hugged her, both laughing and crying at the same time.

"Don't. Ever. Leave. Like. That. Again! Who goes on a walkabout in the middle of a quest to save the world? We come back and find you gone! Where did you go? Did you find what you were looking for? Would it have killed you to leave me a note? I thought I was going to go as gray as Gran Gran with worry! Do you know how terrible the food has been here? What would have happened if we had had to leave?" and on.

Through the flood of questions and admonitions, Katara managed to find her feet again. She finally stopped Sokka long enough so she could turn and embrace Toph, whispering in the shorter girl's ear, "Thank you, these last two months, they were exactly what I needed. I would never have done it if not for you."

Blushing, Toph waved her away with a gruff, "Forget it Sugar Queen. Although… you're late! I figured you'd be back three or four days ago. What happened?"

"Well, when I gave you the original time estimate, I didn't imagine I would be returning with so much stuff. Speaking of which, Sokka, Toph, come see what I've brought back from my journey." Toph was delighted to see Iroh again. She informed him that Zuko was out foraging but would be back shortly. Katara stiffened only slightly at the news.

Sokka was less delighted with the two handsome young men accompanying his baby sister. He found their height, beauty, and manners less charming than his companions. Walkabouts were supposed to be about finding yourself, not finding hot guys! Fortunately, he was soon distracted by both the breakfast everyone was now sharing and the assortment of musical instruments set to the side of the common area.

"They were the real reason for the delay," Katara was now explaining. "I had to wait for the moon to be at its fullest in order to bend that boat full of people and instruments up the waterfall."

"You sailed a boat up the waterfall!?"

"Last night. We decided it was too late to wake you all. So, we unpacked and started making breakfast. We'll be in serious need of naps this afternoon."

Aang broke in at this point to ask what everyone was burning to know, "But where did you go and how did you find Iroh?"

"I traveled to an island, famous for its tea, where I figured he was staying, got a job at an inn, waited for him, met these two, reconnected with Uncle Iroh, and returned." Katara said this like it should clear up all the missing pieces of the last two months, which of course it did not.

"Perhaps, we three should tell the tale of how we were caught by the Siren of the Singing Unagi," interjected Aro sensing both that Katara did not want to share much of her own experience and that the group was desperately curious.

"An excellent suggestion, my boy," Iroh quickly agreed.

"What Siren?"

"You were captured?"

"What does this have to do with Katara's walking thing?"

"Patience and all will become clear," Ren quieted the questions in his best storyteller's voice. "Aro and I are traveling bards. We spend our lives spreading and searching for true music in all its forms. We have wandered all over the realms for several years together with no real aim or destination. About seven weeks ago, we heard an enticing rumor from a ship's captain about a mysterious musician on a nearby island that could sing men's spirits from their bodies. Everyone called her the Siren. No one knew where she had come from or who she was. She had just appeared by the ocean one day to move the hearts of the people with her music."

"Upon hearing the tale, Ren insisted we find this enchantress and hear her play," Aro took up the story. "We caught the very next ferry to Oolong Island. One afternoon, we were walking along the top of some seaside cliffs headed toward the famed village, when we were entranced by the sound of music. We looked around but saw no musician. It seemed as though the music was rising up out of the waves themselves. This must be the Siren. We had found her. And we were done for. No one, even those without an ear for music, could have resisted that call."

"Without trying any further to find the musician, we decided to join in the music. It was as though the sunlight and the waves had learned to sing and we were being invited to play along," Ren added reminiscently.

"For a time, we played and sang the tide together. But as if someone had suddenly awoken from a dream, the music stopped coming from the sea," Aro lowered his voice dramatically as if telling a ghost story. "We begged the still invisible nymph's pardon and asked to play with her awhile longer."

"You have no idea of the fright you two gave me!" cut in Katara, shaking off the spell of the story. "I thought some Spirits had come along and I would be trapped in that cave until the tide rose to pull me out."

"Wait! Katara, you were in a cave listening to all this? Were you trapped by the Siren too?" asked the Duke.

"No, no, I am the Siren," Katara replied dismissively. "I went down to a cave in the cliffs frequently to practice my music and be alone with the sea. No one had ever happened by before. So, when suddenly I had accompaniment, I was too surprised to think straight."

"You're the Siren?" asked Teo and Haru.

"You play music?" asked Aang.

"You found your music again?" asked Sokka, looking like he was about to tear up.

"Why have we never heard you sing?" asked Toph accusatorily. "Is it because you sound like your brother?"

"Hey!" Sokka interjected. He had occasionally insisted on singing hunting songs on their way to Ba Sing Se, claiming that it increased morale. In response, Toph had twice tried to push him out of the saddle. It was not his fault that his voice was changing.

"Lady Katara, your companions did not know of your talent? Child, why would you keep your gift locked away like that?" asked Iroh.

Looking flustered and embarrassed, Katara responded, "I haven't played or sung since we left the South Pole and honestly, not much even then... since before Dad left us."

"Are you good?" asked the Duke innocently.

"Good?!" Sokka once again interjected. "Katara's the best! The Water Tribes have always been known for our music but she… She could play or sing anything even when she was younger than you. Haven't you been listening to the pretty boys' story?"

"In any case," Aro took up the narrative again trying to forestall a fight. The Duke was now eyeing Sokka with a malevolence at odds with his age. "We spent the rest of the afternoon playing and singing with the unknown musician. It was one of the loveliest afternoons of our lives. When she finally climbed up the cliff, Ren and I both felt like we had always known her."

"After that, our duo became a trio. When it came time for her to leave and to return to you, Katara invited us to join her. We hope that we can add some liveliness to your quest," Ren concluded with a flourish.

"Of course, you are welcome. Any friends of Katara's," Aang agreed warmly, although in his mind he felt a twinge of jealousy that his forever girl had come home with two more guys who seemed to have seen a side of Katara that he had not.

"So, Pops, how did you find Sweetness? Did her siren's call, lead you into her clutches too?" Toph drawled.

"Actually, Mistress Toph, that is exactly how it happened," Iroh chuckled. "Good music, picnics, and pai sho are a dangerous combination."

"Did you use the moves I taught you?" asked Sokka eagerly.

"Yes, and they were quite effective," Katara smirked.

"With her victory, I was helpless to deny her request that I accompany her back to her friends. Of course, I had my conditions…" Iroh let his voice trail off in a tone of mock seriousness.

"Don't worry, I have not forgotten our deal, Uncle." Katara grinned at him in response.

Clapping his hands together, Iroh said, "Excellent, then perhaps tonight after we have all rested and regrouped, we shall have our first Music Night."

"Music night? We get to hear you play?" Aang asked enthusiastically. He had enjoyed the music at the North Pole immensely. In fact, it had been his inspiration for the dance party with his Fire Nation schoolmates. It only now occurred to him that Katara had not participated in any of the music and had only danced when forced. He had unconsciously assumed that her avoidance had been due to a lack of skill.

Sweeping the group with her gaze, Katara clarified. "We'll all be playing; that was the General's condition for joining our group."

After some excited discussion of the night's events and more stories from the four newcomers about the last months, Sokka recollected that he had news of his own. He told Katara of the events of Boiling Rock and how their father and Suki were now a part of the group with only slight embellishments.

"Dad is here?! Where is he? Why did you wait so long to tell me?" Katara jumped to her feet, ready to start searching for her parent immediately.

"I forgot, okay?" Sokka answered guiltily. "He's hunting with Chit Sang. He should be back soon. Suki and Zuko should also be back from foraging any time."

As if his words had summoned her, Suki appeared with a look of startled bewilderment to see the enlarged group sitting around the cook fire. Introductions and explanations were quickly made. She hugged Katara warmly and said, "Your Dad and the others actually just got back too. They're upstairs cleaning and hanging the meat."

That was it. Katara was off, running up the staircase that Suki had indicated. She could not wait another moment to see her father. She could vaguely hear the sound of her brother following after her. Climbing several floors, she finally emerged breathless into a chamber where three men sat with carcasses hung all around them, looking shocked by her sudden appearance.

Her father barely had time to stand before she threw herself into his arms. They just held each other tightly for several long moments, tears running down both their faces.

"Dad."

"My little girl."

Then, Sokka was with them joining the hug. After several more long moments of just holding each other silently, the small family suddenly could not stop talking and embracing, completely forgetting they had an audience in the two Fire Nation men. Eventually, the realization of their presence hit the three and they turned sheepishly to acknowledge the others.

Zuko's mind was in tumult. She is back! She is alive! She is here! were some of his more coherent thoughts. Relief, excitement, fear, hope, and happiness swirled through him, shot through with some jealousy for the obvious love, the family was displaying upon their reunion. His sister and father had certainly not welcomed him home with this effusion of tenderness and joy.

Pushing the unwelcome emotion away as the three turned to them, Zuko felt Katara's gaze upon him for the first time in two months. It seemed to both ease his heart and tense his muscles at the same time. He braced himself for the coldness he was sure he was about to receive upon her finding him still among her companions. Instead, her gaze moved on to their new companion as he was introduced to her. He felt reprieved but also disappointed that she was no longer looking at him with those intense blue eyes.

Looking at her now as she graciously and warmly welcomed the large firebender, he noticed that she carried herself a little differently than before, more confidently, more gracefully. He couldn't quite put his finger on the exact difference. She looked, if possible, even more striking and formidable than when she'd left. More mature maybe. Then she was facing him again. He held his breath.

"Hello Zuko, thank you for helping rescue my Dad. It means the world to me! Fortunately, well now seeming providentially, I brought something back for you from my journey. It's waiting downstairs by the fire." She bowed formally to him in thanks. As she straightened, their eyes met for an instant then Katara turned back to her father.

Zuko was once more shocked. Her words had not exactly been warm but they had been sincere. Katara thanked me. 'It means the world to me.' She isn't angry with me or ignoring me. She brought me back something? She expected me to still be here and she brought me a gift? Zuko could not believe it. He decided this must all be some kind of bizarre dream. He followed the Water Tribe family down to the rest of the group only half listening to their conversation.

As they made their way down the long flights of stairs, Chit Sang muttered to Zuko, "So that's Hakoda's missing daughter. Pretty little thing, isn't she? Glad she's back. He looks ten years younger." Chit Sang had spent most of the intervening weeks with Hakoda as they were the only two adults. Chit Sang was not sure if he would call the man a friend. The firebender liked Hakoda immensely and had appreciated the support the Water Tribe man had offered in reconciling Chit Sang to the loss of his girlfriend. Yet, there was some divide either cultural or class related that kept Chit Sang from being totally at ease with Hakoda. He could feel, as Zuko had, that indefinable air of command radiating from the man. So it was rather with a sense of reverence that the firebender regarded his companion and his reunion with his children.

Zuko only grunted in response to Chit Sang's observations. For him, the word that kept reverberating through his thoughts as he watched the trio ahead of them was family.

When they entered the common area, Zuko was excited to see the remains of a large breakfast waiting for them and three new figures amongst the group. Two were facing him blocking his view of the third. The new men were exceptionally good looking and seemed to be sizing him up before turning their attention to the Water Tribe family. They both smiled-besottedly, it seemed to Zuko-as Katara introduced them as her friends.

She brought back men with her? Is this her gift? I thought she was supposed to be on some sort of spiritual journey, not picking up hot guys. He unconsciously echoed Sokka's earlier thought. Zuko was generally uncomfortable with new people. Despite being a part of the group for months, he still felt like an outsider. Now there were two more boys to make him feel uneasy. Their striking appearances only made him more aware of his own deformity. Then the two strangers parted and Zuko forgot all about them as he saw clearly the third person with whom Katara had returned. Uncle.

The next thing Zuko knew he was lying on his back, with a crowd of worried faces leaning over him. Only two seemed to stick in his consciousness. Katara and his uncle. She was saying his name over and over. He felt her hands on his forehead and pulse. She was touching him! How had he come to be on the ground? How had his uncle gotten there?

"Zuko? Zuko? Are you alright?" Katara asked concern in her voice. Zuko blinked up at her still dazed.

"Yeah…" Zuko's voice seemed distant and rougher than usual even to his own ears. Katara pulled her hands away when he spoke. Where a moment earlier her eyes had been filled with worry, they were now blank as she looked him over once again. Her expression had a schooled neutrality about it. It looked unnatural on her usually open face.

"Give him some space. He's had a bad shock," Katara said waving away the rest of the gawkers. "Uncle Iroh, I'll leave him to you. Don't let him get up too quickly. It'd be better if he remained lying down or, at most, sitting." Katara stood, shooing the group ahead of her to the far side of the courtyard to give the two Fire Nation royals some privacy. Zuko's eyes followed her; finding it easier to watch the waterbender leave than to face the man he had betrayed.

"Zuko, my boy, are you alright?" His uncle looked concerned but with a hint of amusement. "I have only once before seen you faint."

Faint? Embarrassment now joined the other emotions roiling inside of Zuko. He had fainted in front of everyone. Finding his voice again, Zuko croaked, "How did she find you?"

"Lady Katara is far more gifted than she lets on. She tracked me to an island and laid the perfect trap for me. I was putty in her hands. We should be grateful that she is an ally and not your sister or the world would be at her mercy."

"She trapped you?" Nothing about this conversation was making any sense to Zuko.

"With music, tea, and pai sho. Simply diabolical."

"I'm still dreaming." Definitely, a dream. Music and pai sho? Only his guilt-ridden unconscious would come up with something so ridiculous.

"No, no, you are most certainly awake and I am definitely here." Iroh let these words sink into his nephew's befuddled thoughts.

Suddenly, Zuko sat up bowing over his own legs. Zuko spoke as if each word was being wrenched from him. "Uncle! I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me. But I want you to know, I am so, so sorry. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you, but I…" His uncle interrupted him at this point by pulling him into a strong fatherly hug, silent tears running down both their faces.

"How can you forgive me so easily?" Zuko choked. "I thought you would be furious with me."

"I was never angry with you. I was sad… because I was afraid you'd lost your way." They held each other even tighter.

"I did lose my way," Zuko whispered into his uncle's shoulder.

"But you found it again." His uncle sat back holding Zuko by the shoulders. Zuko looked up into Iroh's tear-drenched smiling face. Iroh continued, "And you did it by yourself. And I am so happy you found your way here."

They hugged again.

"It wasn't that hard, Uncle. It was my true path all along," Zuko said, his voice slightly muffled by the fabric of his Uncle's robes.

They stayed there for a long time, each drawing comfort from the other.

Finally, Zuko broke the silence and asked, "But, Uncle, really, how did Katara find you?"

"It seems that her healing of me after your sister's attack created a bond that she followed to where I had hidden after my escape. Rather than approach me directly and risk scaring me off, she waited for me to come to her. You know, Nephew, you could learn many things from that young woman." Iroh eyed Zuko speculatively.

"I know, Uncle. I already have…" Zuko studied his hands avoiding his uncle's gaze. "So how did she convince you to join her?"

"She ruthlessly seduced then bribed me." Zuko's head snapped up. Seeing the look of horror on his nephew's face, Iroh chuckled. "She played me some music, told me her story, asked for some advice, listened, then invited me," He clarified. "Oh, and she agreed to reinstate Music Nights."

Zuko couldn't help but smack his forehead with his palm, a conditioned reaction to the words 'Music Night'. Iroh laughed. His uncle's words once again caught up with him. "She played you some music? Katara plays?"

"And sings." His uncle's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Oh, Prince Zuko, you have never heard such music! Well, you will hear it tonight, for tonight she has promised to keep our bargain."

Deciding to move on in his uncle's words, Zuko asked, "She told you her story? About why she left the group?"

"Far more than that. Lady Katara shared much of her history from her childhood up until that night. She seemed to think it necessary for the advice she was seeking. You know, the two of you have a lot in common. Both determined young people seeking to protect your nations despite having suffered much personal loss." Iroh's eyes took in every detail of Zuko's reactions from his expression to his defensive body language.

"Our mothers." Zuko was back to studying his hands. He and his uncle had never directly addressed what had happened to Zuko's mother. His uncle had probed Zuko once about it before his banishment. Zuko had set fire to his own bedroom and could not be found for a day following the well-meaning inquiry. Iroh had not pushed again.

"I see you two have already bonded," Iroh said encouragingly. It pained Zuko, to hear the hopeful note in Iroh's voice.

"Yes… well, no… not exactly. I guess we did when we were trapped under Ba Sing Se together…" Zuko replied, feeling a fresh wave of guilt. "Then I betrayed her."

"She mentioned your imprisonment," Iroh commented.

"She did?" Zuko was surprised. Since joining the group, it had been made clear to him that Katara had not talked about their time together in the cave. Zuko for his part had never mentioned it to anyone. He had tried not to read into her reticence on the subject with her friends. Bitterly, he asked, "Did she also mention how she hates me now?"

Iroh watched his nephew's bleak expression with some amusement. Youth, he thought to himself. Taking pity on his nephew's misery, he contradicted mildly, "No, I do not recall her ever saying anything about hating you. She said plenty of other things about you, not all were particularly complimentary, but she certainly never mentioned hating you."

"Well, she does. I don't blame her; I hate me," Zuko muttered.

"Prince Zuko, I don't think you are giving Lady Katara or yourself enough credit. I am not saying she has forgiven your actions, but as I said to her, forgiveness is earned not given," the old man advised sagely. "You may want to give her some time and continue to try to earn both hers and your own forgiveness. I think it likely that she will be quicker to forgive than you."

Looking up eagerly, Zuko asked, "Do you really think so? Katara might forgive me someday?"

Zuko's hopeful tone and eagerness combined with Katara's somewhat vague story stirred Iroh's suspicions, begun when finding the pair in that crystal lined cave. He flashed back to those anguished silent looks and missed glances. His once proud and rageful nephew, the mighty Prince Zuko, heir to the Fire Nation throne was now nearly pleading with him for the hope of forgiveness from a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. How the last year had changed the prince. Iroh's oft-tested hopes of his nephew becoming a good man and a great leader were buoyed by this marked change in Zuko. He decided to bide his time and see what else might change, particularly where the young waterbender was concerned.

From across the wide courtyard, Katara surreptitiously watched the interactions between the two Fire Nation royals. While she could not hear a word they were saying she had seen what looked like Zuko's apology and Iroh's forgiveness. She felt a twinge of the old rage and frustration to see how easily Iroh forgave Zuko. With a great effort, she reminded herself that she was trying to give Zuko the benefit of the doubt.

Upon Toph's first mentioning his name, she had felt an odd flutter of anticipation and anxiety about seeing Zuko again. Seeing him with Chit Sang and her Father had felt so incongruous and unreal, it had been relatively easy to shut out her long-standing resentment. But from the moment that their eyes had met following her thanks for the return of her father, she had felt a prickling uncomfortable awareness of his presence near her as she talked with her family and introduced Aro and Ren. She had felt herself tensing readying for an attack. Then, Zuko had collapsed.

Katara had felt an unexpected wave of panic and concern as she saw the prince hit the ground. She had been the first to reach his side, moving even faster than Aang in her alarm. That long moment of fear before his eyes had opened and he had responded to her, now had her thoughts and feelings in a tangle. Why had she cared if he fainted? He was manipulative lying Zuko, not one of her companions or even a normal Fire Nation citizen.

Reminding herself that she was supposed to sort out her feelings about the firebender over time, she tried to turn her attention back to her friends seated around her talking over each other in their eagerness to share their stories. Iroh had had months to come to terms with Zuko's actions and they were family. She had a sinking feeling that the flash of concern might mean that she too would eventually forgive the prince.

Her father's voice in her ear broke through her thoughts at this point, "Katara, are you alright? You look like you might be sick."

"No, no, I'm fine," she replied unconvincingly. Seeing the continued look of worry on her father's face, she explained, "I think I am just tired from the journey. I will be fine after a nap."

"You know, it took me more than a moon cycle to feel normal again after I came back from my walkabout," Hakoda said encouragingly. "All that spirit searching takes some time to adjust from. I found that I had changed and so had those I had returned to. We needed to take some time to figure out how we fit together as a community once again. I think you will find as I did, that the changes in who you are now are just beginning. I know you of all people can weather these changes."

"I just thought I would have everything more figured out when I came back," Katara admitted. She almost felt guilty that she had spent so much time alone thinking and seemed to have so few answers. "Honestly, I just have more questions."

"A walkabout is not about finding all the answers," Hakoda reassured her, a hand on her shoulder. "It is a time to learn the value of asking the right questions."

Katara looked up into her father's strong blue eyes and felt a little of her inner turmoil calm. She was reminded she was by no means the first to experience challenge and change. And she was not alone. She leaned into Hakoda, putting her head on his shoulder and said, "Thanks, Dad."

Putting his head on hers, he said softly, "I'm so proud of you and happy to see you again."

After the various reunions concluded and the food was all consumed, the four newcomers retired to rest for a while. The rest of the group trying to show Katara how much they appreciated her return and her cooking, cleaned up the meal and discussed the expansion of the group. Zuko, Hakoda, Chit Sang, and Suki were told of how the four had met and Katara's stint as the Siren of Oolong Island. Hakoda was overjoyed to hear that his daughter was playing again and excitedly told stories of the music of the Polar Nights. Sokka joined in and the entire group's anticipation of the evening grew.

When Katara, Aro, and Ren arose, the three began preparing dinner together allowing Iroh to sleep a bit longer as the journey had been more wearing on the older man. Zuko and Aang were off practicing firebending as they had missed their morning session. Sokka and Suki were somewhere enjoying an activity. Toph had also decided a nap was in order. So, it was the nonbenders, Haru, and Chit Sang who helped the musicians prepare the meal.

Katara was delighted to have a firebender in the kitchen. Particularly when it turned out that he was quite adept with cooking meat. He just seemed lost as to how to flavor things. Aro and Ren helped with the side dishes asking Teo, Haru, and the Duke how they had joined the group. Katara was happy to have some time with the boys as she was usually too busy cleaning or focusing on the other benders to spend much time with them. She talked the Duke into becoming her chef's assistant whose task it was to taste all the dishes as they were prepared. The small boy happily crouched beside her, seriously analyzing each spoonful.

Her father smiled to see the way Katara mothered the child. It seemed effortless for her to involve him while still being productive. She is a true woman of the Southern Water Tribe, he thought. He felt a pang of sadness for missing so much of his daughter's life.

Hakoda was suddenly reminded of his daughter's increasing adulthood when he broadened his focus to see that the four other boys had stopped talking to watch the three 'cooks' around the fire. It seemed obvious to his anxious paternal eyes that all four were enthralled with his daughter. And from the stories that Sokka and Toph had told in Katara's absence, there was at least one other boy around who had an interest in his daughter. Now which, if any, did Katara show an interest in? Hakoda set himself the task of finding out.

When the meal was prepared, Katara sent Aro and Ren to retrieve the rest of the group. They surprised the temple dwellers with a rendition of 'Come, come, whoever you are' as they went about locating the missing companions. The words of the song effectively roused the slumbering and the active alike. Soon the full group was gathered eating happily and sharing more stories of their time apart.

Zuko noticed that Aro and Ren sat flanking Katara, chatting animatedly with the waterbender, her father, her brother, and Suki. Zuko sat next to his uncle, who was regaling the rest of their companions with stories from their time aboard ship. Zuko didn't listen as the accounts would likely only embarrass him further. He watched the other half of the group carefully. It irked him that they seemed to have formed a separate family within the larger group. How could these two minstrals so easily meld themselves into the Water Tribe group? Zuko had never found it easy to join any group in his life.

His observations of the small group plagued Zuko so much that he barely tasted the delicious dinner. Of course, they are gorgeous. Zuko surprised himself with the thought, not used to noticing other men's beauty. Why did she have to find such pretty men while looking for Uncle? Because the universe hates me. He thought, answering his own question. While things with Katara did seem to be markedly better than before she had left, Zuko had not forgotten that closed expression as she had left him with his uncle earlier. It was clear that she was not ready to be his friend again. These glum thoughts occupied him through the remainder of the meal.

Seated on the invisible line between the two groups, Toph took in moods and reactions of the enlarged group. Life over the last two months had been decidedly dull. The only real flicker of variety had been Sokka's and Zuko's return. Since then, other than occasionally winding Sokka or Aang up or flattening any of the benders that dared to spar with her, her days had largely been spent with Appa napping and trying to avoid hearing the zeal of Suki's and Sokka's reunion. Her fleeting crush on the Water Tribe boy had long since faded. That did not mean she enjoyed listening to endless endearments or worse, fervent kissing.

Throughout the day she had been entertained by the various reactions of her friends to the newcomers as well as their stories. Even more absorbing had been Zuko's and Katara's reactions to each other. She could tell that Katara was passed her self-destructive rage towards the prince but that did not mean things were not fraught between the two. Toph felt a gleeful anticipation creeping over her as she contemplated the coming interactions between the two older benders. Add to these Aang, Uncle Iroh, and the two minstrels, Toph wasn't sure when she would find time to tease Sokka and beat up Haru.

Leaning back, her stomach full, Toph thought happily, Now that Sugar Queen's back things are finally becoming interesting.