Sokka and Hakoda were just getting ready to crack open some whiskey when Katara came in.

"Sokka there you are."

"You've been looking for me?" Why?

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that you didn't have any injuries or anything from yesterday." She really wanted to see if there was evidence of Azula hurting him.

"No, well other than me almost breaking my leg, but almost doesn't count."

"You don't need a once over?"

"Is this your way of showing that you care? Well, okay."

She checked him for injuries. "What are these scratch marks?" They went down his back.

Hakoda turned beet red. "Uh, I wouldn't worry about those."

"Did Azula bite you?" She saw a mark on his chest.

"Um, don't worry about that either." Sokka said nervously.

She waterbended them away and then started to check his head.

"There's nothing wrong with my head. What are you doing?"

She couldn't see any trauma like she had in Jet. "I don't believe it."

"What that I'm okay?"

"That's what I don't believe."

"Huh!"

"Come on! Azula must have done something to you."

"That's what this is about! She's not hurting me!"

"So you're just bonkers?"

"Can't you just be happy for me!"

"No I CAN'T. OUT OF ALL OF THE STUPID, RIDICULOUS, AND BIZARRE THINGS YOU HAVE EVER DONE, this takes the cake. She's ruthless, homicidal, evil and did I forget sociopathic yet you are determined to be with her and help her become Fire Lord?"

"She doesn't need my help. Zuko gave up his bid for the Crown."

"He what? No! Dad, why didn't you try and stop them?"

"This isn't our country. It would be like them trying to decide if I should be chief. Katara, we have to make the best of it."

"What was this Sokka your chance to play King? She's dangerous."

"No, she isn't. Why did you want Zuko to win so badly? So you could be his Fire Lady?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous."

"Why not? I see the way you look at him. Why is it okay for you to pine after the prince, but I can't be with the princess."

"You DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" she stormed off angrily.

Sokka sighed. "I don't want to fight her Dad. Katara means a lot to me, but I can't lose Azula. Did everyone support you and Mom when you got married?"

"Almost. My Dad was the only one who didn't like her at first."

"Really, Grandpa? Why?"

"Your mother was so sweet, he was convinced it was an act, and he just wanted to marry the future chief. He didn't realize it was how she was until she patched him up after he cut his hand working. People are imaginative. Sometimes they invent crazy explanations for things that are simple. It's clear that you and Azula care a great deal for each other. If you didn't, I doubt she would have sprung me from jail, but that's hard for Katara to see in light of their history. Let her take time and wrap her head around it. My dad came around, and it ended up being a waiting game."

Katara stormed off. Aang noticed her but she was gone before he could say anything. Toph tried next, "What's wrong Sugar Queen!"

"Stuff it TOPH!" she was gone.

"Damn, she's not so sweet today."

Toph found Aang, who asked if she knew what was wrong with Katara?

"PMS?"

"What?"

"Never mind, Twinkle Toes. I have no idea."

"Want to go play outside?"

"Sure."

The two went out, eager now that they had the time.

Zuko was on his way to the garden when he heard yelling. He found Katara sitting by herself.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she grumbled.

"You don't look fine. I mean not that you aren't fine." She looked at him as if he were from outer space. "You know what I mean!"

She laughed at him. "You're such a dolt!"

"Who are you, Azula?" he teased.

Her smile disappeared.

"Still baffled by her and Sokka."

"What would he want with her?"

"I have no idea. My sister is bossy, nasty, arrogant and had a mean streak that runs from here to Ba Sing Se, yet she's the Fire Lord, and I'm the Defense Minister, whoop de doo."

"Why didn't you fight her?"

"The sages took her side. They wanted more stability for the throne, which makes sense, but seriously, Azula. She just turned 15 last month!"

"She's only a year older than me? I assumed she was older, given her well ruthlessness."

"No, she's a teenage terror."

The two laughed.

"I just don't get how he left Suki for her."

Zuko thought Suki was sweet and cute. "Maybe he just likes bad girls?"

"Ugh! More like he likes crazy girls." She looked at Zuko. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bashing your sister in front of you."

"It's alright. She spent most of her life insulting me, one upping me and now, she's my sovereign. Ozai always said I was lucky to be born and she was born lucky. I'm beginning to believe him."

"Don't. You worked hard to be where you are now. You don't need luck when you can make your own."

The group all had dinner together. Azula sat at the head of the table with Sokka on her right and Mai and Ty Lee on her left. Next to Sokka was his father, then Katara, Aang, Toph and Suki. On the other side of Ty Lee was Iroh and then Zuko. There were several conversations going on at once. Sokka was talking to Azula, while Zuko was talking to Katara, Mai and Ty lee were having a conversation while Iroh was talking to Hakoda. Aang was just excited to eat. Toph was too and Suki just wept.

Finally, she got up and just abandoned the dinner. Azula looked up but said nothing.

"What's wrong with her?" Aang was oblivious to the love triangle.

"She's distraught," Katara said glaring at her brother.

He gulped. He was the reason why. He felt bad for her, but he wasn't in love with her. Nothing he could do would fix that for her.

"Maybe she'll feel better tomorrow. The warriors should be out of jail by then," Azula said as she continued eating.

"Are you serious?" Katara yelled at her.

"Why wouldn't I be? Most people would feel better if their friends were out of jail."

"She's not upset over her friends (maybe she is). She's upset that you stole her boyfriend."

"I didn't steal anything. He's a man, not a watch."

"You pretty much did steal him Azula," Ty Lee told her, "not that I blame you. He's cute."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Glad to know if he's cute, it's okay."

"I think it is."

"Who would be upset about losing an ugly boyfriend?"

"I think it's more about supply and demand," Ty Lee explained. "The cuter the boyfriend, the higher the demand, so the more valuable the time you have with him is, but there's a greater risk of losing him to another girl."

"So she assumed the risk of needing to be more vigilant," Mai elaborated.

"Exactly."

"He's not an economics chart," Azula retorted.

"Although if you could chart attractiveness to risk level, I bet I could make a killing selling relationship advice."

"Glad to know your innovative," Mai told Ty Lee.

Azula snorted.

"Glad someone finds this funny," Katara growled.

"I find most things mildly amusing, like that hideous face you make when you're mad. It's like your possessed or something."

Sokka mimicked it, i.e. he twisted his face as much as possible. Azula bust out laughing.

"Let me impersonate someone," Ty Lee said. She put her hair in a topknot with two strands in front. "Mai pretend to be Zuko."

"What?"

"Just do it!"

"Whatever!"

"Zuko, I have a secret for you."

Mai leaned in.

Ty Lee slapped her in the face and started laughing.

Everyone froze. Azula glared at them and then cracked a smile. "That was very good. I used to do that all the time. Hey Zuko, I have a secret for you!" She pantomimed slapping him and started laughing.

"You were such a nice sister," Zuko growled.

"It's not my fault you fell for it 10 times. The first time, I understood, maybe the second, but you always came back for more."

"It's because he's such a gossip. His desire for secrets was higher than the fear of you slapping him." Ty Lee told her.

"I am NOT a gossip."

"You're worse than Lady Shira." Azula told him.

"Wait a minute," Iroh said. "No one is worse than Lady Shira, although Zuko is pretty bad."

"HEY!"

"What? Everyone in this family gossips."

"Does anyone not gossip?"

"We tried to avoid it in the Air Nation, to try and minimize conflict."

"How sad? I would have been so bored during school if I couldn't gossip when the teacher was writing on the board." Ty Lee didn't understand a gossip free nation.

"To think, you could have tried taking notes," Mai said dryly.

"Why would I do that?"

Azula laughed. "You are one of a kind, Ty Lee."

"But I have six identical sisters."

"You have six identical sisters?" Hakoda questioned.

"Maybe in appearance, but none of them are you. You are special."

"Like in talented or like in special ed?"

"Mostly like in talented."

"Azula!" Iroh scolded.

"What? She has a handicap. It's called boy-crazy syndrome."

"Is that real?" Ty Lee questioned.

Mai slapped her head.

"Hey!"

The three girls debated the seriousness of Ty Lee's disease. What started off sounding like a serious conversation ended with making faces, name calling and finger-pointing. The rest of the table watched the Fire Lord act like well, a 15-year-old girl. It was shocking. Azula had never acted her own age.

"She even learned to change her own diaper," Iroh commented.

"What are we going to do with you?" Mai questioned.

"Clearly, we need to find her a man," Azula answered.

"Can we throw a party?" Ty Lee questioned.

"For what?" Mai asked.

"End of the war," Sokka offered. "You could invite the world's leaders, have a big ball or something."

"Foreign cuties," Ty Lee gushed.

Azula and Sokka looked at each other and laughed. "Do you have any friends you could set her up with? If I don't find her a savage, she might kidnap you."

"Sokka is not a savage," Katara growled at her.

"He eats like one," Toph laughed. "I can see that, and I'm blind."

"His table manners have improved greatly," Azula told Toph.

"You did slap my hand every time I got sloppy."

"And it worked. But seriously, we should throw a party. I can't remember the last time the palace had one."

The four carried on the conversation after dinner in Azula's new chambers.

"This room is so cool!" Ty Lee said as they came inside. "Remember when it was Azulon's and we used to sneak in here?"

"What was Azulon like?" Sokka asked her.

"Strict. He was no nonsense, had no time for those he thought incompetent and was a celebrated firebender."

"So he would be you if I turned you into a grandfather."

"Haha!" Azula said dryly. "Well, he did have a penchant for concubines, so I can't say we're that different."

Sokka pulled her to the seat next to him, kissing her neck. "So party planning?" They went over whom to invite, food: Sokka thought they should try and represent cuisines from all four nations, "Although I don't know how easy it is to get sea prunes or whale here," entertainment: both musicians and performers, lots of drinks and of course fireworks.

Iroh and Hakoda had a drink. "I'm going to have to get back to the tribe soon," Hakoda said to the general.

"Will you be able to stay for the end of the war party?"

"I don't know yet. If enough men are ready to go back, so that they can run things until I get there, I'll stay, but if I have to choose, I'd rather my guys get to the party and I'll head home. I'm the chief. I haven't been home in over two years. It's time."

"I understand. Well, it was good to meet you, and I'm sure we will be seeing more of each other."

"I know right. Your niece and my son, never in a million years would I have guessed."

"I know right?" Iroh still was skeptical about the pair, but she was tamer around him.

Aang and Toph were talking in the garden. "I thought that Katara and I would be together after the war but all she talks about is Zuko and the throne and Azula, and it's like she never got out of combat mode."

"Don't wait for her," Toph said.

"What? Why not?"

"I don't want to see you like Suki. I could tell Sokka changed when he came back to us, but I couldn't tell why until we got here. His feelings changed. I could sense it. Katara's not thinking about you the way you want her to. If you hold on to a false hope, it will just hurt worse in the end."

"You can read that from the ground?"

"I can, plus, I think you have other options."

"Really like who?"

"What girls do you know that are single?"

"Suki? She's too old for me, well not exactly since I'm 112, but you know what I mean."

"Try again."

"Um, Mai, but I don't know how old she is and she's scarier than Azula. At least Azula can smile."

"Try again and if you say Ty Lee, I will slap you."

Aang thought. Didn't she just name all of the girls, well other than herself? Hey, wait a minute! Did she mean? Before he could finish his thought, Toph kissed him, shocking his heart like a lightening bolt. His eyes clamped shut. Her mouth soft and sweet, but her hands were rough, holding his head in place as if she was afraid he'd bolt. The flighty airbender, however, had no plans on going anywhere. He returned the kiss, cupping her face with his hands, letting her know that she could ease up. She didn't, but she knew that she could if she wanted.