Just wanted to say I love all of you reading this. You make my day every time I get an email saying one of you put this or me in your favorites lists, or put this or me on your alerts. You're awesome. That's about all I wanted to say. Haha

-Symphonic Madness

Zuko

I wake up to something I feel like I haven't seen in forever: the sunlight streaming through the curtained window of the bedroom Katara and I share. I get up and smile, but then realize that today we have to go back to our mundane lives. I sigh and change out of my sleep clothes and into what I plan on wearing for today. I see Katara open her eyes just as I pull on my pants. She sits up, looks at the window, and collapses back down onto the bed with a groan. I finish putting on my pants and kiss her lips.

"We had to come back eventually," I say. "But it won't always be business all the time."

"I hope so," Katara says, pulling an outfit out of her bag. "Well, we'd better wake the others. I know Toph and Aang need to get back to the Earth Kingdom and take care of the problem we discussed yesterday. And your brother and Suki need to go back to the Southern Water Tribe to plan their wedding."

"I'd suggest you do it this morning. I'm not the best at waking people up. You're gentler than I am," I say.

She giggles as she slips on one of her blue Water Tribe dresses. "No. You should. I need to start breakfast. You can be gentle."

"Not easily," I mutter.

Katara giggles again and kisses my cheek. She finishes tying her dress and pulling her hair into the topknot and crown that is customary for Fire Nation royalty to wear before walking gracefully out of the room. I do the same with my own hair before going into Aang's room and waking him and Toph up just like I used to wake him up for training.

"Wake up!" I shout.

Aang gasps and shoots up out of bed when he sees it's me, a scowl forms on his face. "What the hell was that for?!"

"For old time's sake." I shrug.

Toph groans. "You could've considered the fact that Twinkle toes and I share a bed."

"I did, actually. But it's more entertaining to watch Aang's reaction," I say. "Katara is making breakfast. I'm gonna go wake the happy couple across the hall."

"Oh they're happy alright. Did you hear them last night? Gross!" Toph says as she sits up and gets up out of bed.

"Spirits, yes!" I groan. "That was bad. Please tell me Katara and I aren't like that."

"No. Listening to you two it's actually kind of arousing. No giggling or cute talk." Toph shudders.

I chuckle. "I take that as a complement."

"You should," she says as I begin walking across the hall to Sokka and Suki's room.

"Wake up, guys," I say once I'm in their room. "Katara is making breakfast."

I want to tell them how obnoxiously loud their lovemaking was last night, but I hold my tongue, something I've grown accustomed to doing over the years. I walk out of the room and close the door behind me. I then make my way to the dining area where I find Toph and Aang already there. Shortly afterward, Suki and Sokka decide to join us.

"Hey you guys," Suki says. "How did you all sleep?"

Toph can't hold back from snickering. "I slept pretty good. How about you?"

"I don't know, you tell us, Toph. Since you seem to know my whereabouts of last night," Suki retorts.

"I don't have to. Everyone heard enough of it last night," Toph says with an amused grin on her face.

I stifle a laugh by coughing. "I have to agree with her. You were pretty loud."

"Well sorry," Sokka says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, since we're all getting sick of each other, the sun is out, so we'll be leaving today," Aang says.

"Yeah," Katara says as she enters the room with steaming bowls of food. "It was nice seeing everyone again. But we'll see each other soon. We have to go to the South Pole to go to the wedding. And who knows, Aang and Toph may wed within the next few years."

"Hopefully," Aang says.

"I'm just not ready for that kind of thing. I don't really want to become a wife and eventual mother quite yet. I'm seventeen. I'm barely past puberty and you guys are all getting married and making plans for the future," Toph says.

"Well, it's always good to wait," Katara says.

We finish the meal in silence, and soon enough, we're riding back to the palace on Appa.

"I know you two missed the boat you were gonna get out of here on, but Toph and I can give you a ride on Appa to the Earth Kingdom if you want," Aang says to Sokka and Suki once we're back at the palace. "There you can probably get a ship home."

"That sounds good to us," Suki says. "Unless our friend, the Fire Lord, can give us a private one to ride on, hint, hint."

"Sorry. All the ships both going out and coming in have been stopped because of the monsoons. Appa would be your best bet," I say with a shrug.

"You just got back. How do you know that?" Sokka says.

"I've lived in the Fire Nation pretty much my entire life. I'm pretty sure that's usually what happens," I say.

"Let's just take his word for it, Sokka," Suki says.

"Alright," Sokka says.

We go into goodbyes right after he says that, and it's pretty emotional.

"It was so nice seeing everybody," Katara says when we return as she gives Aang, Suki, Sokka, and Toph hugs.

Toph, surprisingly enough, returns the hug. She hugs me, then punches my arm, wishing me the best. Aang and I shake hands, as do Sokka and I. Katara hugs Suki one last time and tells her that she'll see her soon. Both women have tears in their eyes. Suki kisses Katara's cheek before following Toph, Aang, and Sokka to where Appa and Momo are waiting patiently. I take Katara into my arms and we watch as Appa flies off into the sky.

"We'll see them soon," I tell her. "Sokka and Suki's wedding can't be more than a year away."

"Yeah," she says. "Well, we have meetings to attend. Come on."

By the end of the day, we've gone to so many council meetings it doesn't take long for us to be chomping at the bit to escape and be with one another alone. I run a hot bath and we strip down to nothing and get in together. Katara sighs blissfully and splashes water on her face. Her hair is down, and just like mine, it's grown longer. It now goes down to her lower back in elegant, dark waves. I can't help but run my fingers through it as Katara, who is sitting in between my legs, leans back and puts her head on my chest. Though soon after washing one another, trying our best to be chaste for once, we crawl into bed with one another and sleep soundly.