Sokka squinted his eyes against the glare of the sun, and then promptly squeezed them closed again. Suki lay pressed close against his side, and from the way she was laying beside him he could clearly feel the extra weight that she had put on over the past few months. Not that he minded, of course. The women of the Water Tribe were generally more voluptuous than those of the other nations, and so Sokka had always preferred girls with a beat of meat on their bones. It was the fact that Suki had put it on so quickly that disturbed him. Perhaps the stress was getting to her…

A sharp prod to the side made Sokka's eyes snap open again. "Quit it, Kata," he grumbled, rolling over so that his head was hidden with the crook of his arm. Another prod made him jerk upwards, a scowl painting his features. "Katara! If you don't stop that right now, I'll…" the words died in his throat when he managed to pry his eyes open and glance upwards.

It was not his sister that stood by his side after all. Rather, it was a craggy faced man that towered over him, brandishing a rake as one would a sword. Sokka swallowed hard as he attempted to shake off the fogginess of sleep and deal with the situation that had arisen, but he was still groggy when the man began to speak.

"What, by Agni, do you think you're doing in my fields?" the man's voice was surprisingly sophisticated for a farmer, and it was reminiscent of the peculiar accent that Zuko's voice carried. The gruff, cultured voice carried the hard edge of danger, however, and his tone kept Sokka from thinking too hard.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sokka saw Zuko stir from his sleep and push himself upwards. It took all of one second for the banished prince to assess the situation, and Sokka felt his stomach flip when he saw Zuko's muscles tense and his mouth press into a hard line. Nevertheless, the Water Tribe warrior felt somewhat relieved that he was no longer alone with the farmer.

"We're traveling," came Sokka's somewhat lame response.

"So far from the main road?" the farmer replied archly, making both Sokka and Zuko cringe. "You're in trouble." It was a statement, not a question, and Sokka found himself at a loss for words. "The only question is: who are you hiding from?"

"We'd better be on our way." Zuko's voice was harder than Sokka had heard it in a long time, and that fact alone made the hair rise on his arms. At the older boy's voice, the farmer quickly jerked his gaze over to where Zuko sat. There was silence for several heartbeats as the two examined each other; Zuko's face was cold and calculating, the farmer's wary.

"You," the farmer said after a time, his gaze lingering on Zuko's scar. Zuko's jaw squared in defiance and his shoulders straightened with all the haughtiness of a royal. The farmer let out a deep breath, and he closed his eyes briefly. "I don't want to know anything," the man said slowly, his gaze boring into Zuko's. "The less we know about each other, the better."

Sokka suddenly got the eerie feeling that the boy and the man had known each other at one point and time, and for the briefest of moments, he wondered as to what else the boy could have been hiding. "Agreed," Zuko replied, snapping Sokka's attention back to the moment.

The faintest trace of a smile crossed the farmer's hard lips at the response, and then he looked down to the rest of the children sleeping around the two boys. "Head back to the house once you've woken everyone," he said, and Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" Zuko demanded, his voice bearing a hard and dangerous edge. Before he could blink, the farmer through dug through his belt and then tossed something towards the boy. Zuko caught it one handed, his gaze still locked with that of the farmer's.

"If your uncle taught you anything, you'll understand." With those cryptic words, the farmer turned on his heel and disappeared into the shoots of wheat that surrounded them.

Zuko frowned at the man's retreating back, and then looked down to what the farmer had throne at him. He held a White Lotus chip in his hand.

-------------------------------

"Don't make me hurt you, Uncle." Iroh didn't even bother to glance up from where he sat in the filthy cell to where he knew his niece stood. "Family shouldn't need to resort to violence," the girl continued, and Iroh had to hold back a scoff. It was well known that the descendants of Agni were frequently guilty of any and all forms of murder…patricide, fratricide… Iroh's own father had murdered his uncle in order to claim inheritance.

His silence must have grated on the girl's nerves, for the next time she spoke her voice wasn't quite as smug as it had been earlier. "I'm going to give you one last chance. Where is Zuko?"

In truth, Iroh hadn't the faintest idea. When he had been captured four days ago, Iroh had been nearly incapacitated with fear for his nephew and the other children. He had been nearly certain that his niece had captured them and that the war would now amount to nothing. When the princess had entered his cell, her painted lips curled downwards and her eyes alight with anger, however, a spark of hope had flared within him.

With every day that she returned, the spark fanned into a larger and greater flame. So long as she appeared, the avatar was safe, hence the war still had a prospect of success.

A chuckle from the girl caused Iroh's mind to return to his surroundings. "I can't believe you're so loyal to him after…" she trailed off, and despite himself, Iroh glanced upwards. The smirk he saw painted across his niece's pretty features was enough to make his gut clench with fear. "Oh, that's right. You don't know, do you?" Her tone was snide, haughty, and strongly resembled that of her father's.

Iroh said nothing in response, but he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. She was a manipulative little witch, for sure, but there was nearly always the smallest grain of truth woven within her lies. If this was more than a mere ploy, what exactly did she know that he didn't? What, by Agni, could Zuko have done?

"You see, Uncle, about a month ago Zuko and I had a little…run in. I'm sure you remember." There it was again, that superior smugness that Ozai had always spoken with. The girl paused for a moment, as though gauging her uncle's reaction. "What you don't know is that Zuko didn't escape. I let him go." Another long pause and her smirk widened.

"But more importantly: he rejoined our father." She watched as Iroh's entire body stiffened, and she let out a small laugh. "What's more, he's been reporting to me for the past month, giving me your locations, your battle strategies. Don't look at me that way; I'm not lying this time. How else would I know that you've sneaked Earth Kingdom soldiers disguised as Fire Nation colonials into our country? That the plan is for the so-called civilians to rise up against us the day of the Eclipse to distract our Navy from the larger force coming across the waters?"

Iroh's palms began to sweat, and he swallowed hard. That was all privileged information. There was no way that she could know unless… "If this were true, you wouldn't be so desperate to find Zuko," he replied smoothly, hiding his fear with bravado.

Azula paused and a finger twitched, alerting Iroh to the fact that he had struck a nerve. One corner of his mouth lifted upwards slightly at the small victory, but he quickly smothered it with a forced cough. In an instant, however, Azula had regained her composure, and met her Uncle's steady gaze with one of her own.

"Wrong. I may have... given Zuko a little too much freedom in our negotiations. If it is he who delivers the Avatar to Father, he will get all the glory. If it is I…well… I'm sure you understand."

Iroh said nothing, choosing instead to school his features while his mind reeled. The girl frowned deeply at his apparent lack of interest, and then she shrugged. "Have it your way, Uncle. Keep his whereabouts a secret." Iroh stared at Azula stonily as she turned away from him and began to walk away from his cell. "Know this though: if I am the one to find him, Zuko will suffer."

Iroh swallowed convulsively, although he was careful to show no indication of his discomfort. Years of living amongst the vipers of the Fire Nation court had taught him well how to create and hold a façade, so such a feat was relatively easy for him. Once his niece had ascended the steps that led out of the dungeon, however, Iroh sank back against the wall.

Zuko…his Zuko would consider participating in such a traitorous act? Iroh had thought that he had taught the boy what was right and good, he had thought that his nephew had changed. Over the past few months, Iroh had seen the stony wall that his nephew had built around himself crumble into dust; had watched the young man fall in love for the very first time, had observed Zuko's sudden embrace of the role of a father. The image that he had in his head of his nephew simply didn't agree with what Azula had told him.

How could it be possible that a boy with a kind and gentle heart could be the one that planned to murder the children who had welcomed him into their family? Iroh buried his head in his hands even as the answer came to mind. The boy had the blood of both Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin flowing through his veins. Such good…mixed with so much evil. The combination was a fatal one, Iroh knew. To be constantly at war with yourself…

Iroh shook his head to clear his mind. Perhaps Zuko had done the unthinkable; perhaps the boy had defected to his father. The question was whether he was guilty or innocent, not the complicated reasons behind the boy's motives. Iroh racked his brain to find support of Azula's claims, and the more he thought, the more the color drained from his face.

There was aloofness when he had "escaped" from his sister's clutches, the sudden strain on his relationships with everyone in their little band. There was that strange, horrified, almost betrayed look on his face when Azula had opened fire on their ship; his pleading with his sister while ravaged with fever.

The more Iroh thought, the more all of the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Despite himself, Iroh wanted fall into denial; to believe that the boy he loved as his son was innocent; to believe that he hadn't spent the past four years of his life instilling morals and kindness into the heart of Ozai's son, only for the boy to turn against all of his teachings.

I promised Ursa I would watch over him…I promised her that I wouldn't let Zuko turn into his father… Iroh suppressed a groan when he thought of the soft eyed woman whom he had lost to his younger brother, and of the vows that he had sworn to her.

I failed…Ursa…I'm so sorry…

--------------------------------

Zuko met Lieutenant Jee's eyes for what must have been the hundredth time that day, and as always, he felt a chill run up his spine. This man had served under him for the past three years…so what was he doing here, on a farm in a small village just outside the capital? And if he were truly a member of the White Lotus Society, why hadn't he been captured as well?

He felt Katara lay a comforting hand on his knee beneath the rough hewn kitchen table, but he didn't relax as he once would have. He didn't remove his gaze from Jee's movements, his mind whirling. They had agreed that neither would ask any questions; it would be far better not to know than to be placed in a position where they might learn too much about each other.

However, the gears in his mind continued to whirl. The last time he had seen Jee, the man had been on his way to fight against the Northern Water tribe. When the man hadn't resurfaced, Zuko had assumed that his breath had returned to Agni in the midst of battle. Seeing him alive and well, in an obscure village not three days from the Fire Nation capitol jarred Zuko's senses.

"You're staring," Katara admonished under her breath, and Zuko gave a slight nod of his head to indicate that he had understood her. "We can trust him, Zuko... Uncle himself told us that anyone in the White Lotus Society is on our side." Zuko merely nodded again, and Katara narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with you?" she demanded, her voice low enough so that the others wouldn't be able to hear her.

Zuko shook his head slowly, choosing instead to lift a seed from a pomegranate to his lips. He chewed on it slowly, his mind still mulling over the situation that they were now in. Mai had mentioned in passing a member of the White Lotus Society who had given up the identities as well as the schedules of the other White Lotus members.

What if Azula had installed a plant there, before the raid? What if Jee, was, in fact, being used by his sister? What if everything they said and did was being reported to the palace? What if Azula was already on her way? What if…

"Breathe, Zuko," Katara hissed, and Zuko started.

"Sorry," he mumbled, and Katara frowned.

"Really, Zuko. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he replied, and when he saw Katara's face begin to twitch he hastily changed his answer. "I'm just…stressed."

Katara's eyes narrowed, but then she heaved out a sigh. If he didn't want to speak to her, far be it from her to force anything out of him. Before long, her attention was drawn away from Zuko when Nozomi's chubby little hand lurched forwards and gripped the juicy red pomegranate seeds from her mother's plate.

Katara quickly pried the little girl's hand open and wiped the juice off before it had a chance to stain the child's skin. "No, Nimi," she scolded gently, and Nozomi frowned. The little girl reached for the seeds again, but Katara lightly slapped her wrists. "No," she repeated, more firmly this time.

Nozomi frowned and blabbered out nonsense in response, and Katara quirked an eyebrow. "Do you want a spanking, young lady?" she demanded.

"No!" Nozomi exclaimed, pouting. The little girl smacked her hands down on the table for emphasis, and Katara rolled her eyes.

"Sit like a nice girl," Katara instructed the child, and Zuko groaned.

"Let her have the damn seeds," he grumbled, and Katara narrowed her eyes.

"Watch your language," she said almost offhandedly, and Zuko sighed. "And I'm not going to let her make a mess of herself."

"Katara…"

"I'm not raising a heathen, Zuko, and that's final."

Zuko grimaced, and turned his attention back to Jee. This time, the man met and held his gaze for a full heartbeat before turning away. Without warning, Zuko stood quickly and left the small kitchen. The air seemed stifling, what with his confusion over Jee's true intentions.

"Zuko!" Katara called after him, but the boy didn't even turn around. The girl heaved out a sigh and went to stand, but stopped when she felt her brother place his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go," he said. Katara paused for a moment, sighed, and then finally ducked her head in assent.

With that, Sokka turned on his heel and followed the banished Prince out the door and into the field. He found the boy a few meters away from the house, his forearms resting on his knees as he stared out into the distance. Without a word, Sokka sat beside Zuko, unconsciously imitating the older boy's position.

Some time passed, in which no words were spoken. It was a comfortable silence, though, one of two boys on the verge of becoming men; of two entirely different people who were truly the same. Finally, Sokka spoke. "You changed your mind," he observed. "You don't think that we can trust him."

Zuko said nothing in response. Sokka heaved out a deep sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face. "If it were just the two of us, we could take off into the night, and not leave a trace," Sokka said with a slight shake of his head. "But we have women and kids with us. We can't leave just like that."

"They're perfectly capable of taking care of themselves," Zuko muttered half-heartedly, and Sokka shook his head.

"Once, maybe. But now Katara has a baby, so she won't be able to fight like she used to. All she's going to think about on the road is whether or not Nimi's going to be okay. Suki…well, Suki's been different lately. She gets tired so easily… and Toph and Aang- they're able to take care of themselves, sure, but they're still kids."

Zuko took a breath, and then nodded in agreement.

Sokka paused for a moment, and then turned towards Zuko again. "Are you sure this guy's trouble? Do you have any proof?" he said, and Zuko shrugged.

"None. I'm just…paranoid. Maybe more so now than ever before."

"Because of my sister," Sokka observed, and Zuko turned to Sokka with an expression of part nervousness, part surprise, and part resignation. Sokka chuckled slightly, and then shook his head. "I'm not as stupid as you think I am," he said, and then it was Zuko's turn to chuckle.

"I've known that for a while now," the boy replied.

Sokka threw the other boy a half smile, and then silence reigned once more. "We never did finish our conversation, did we?" he asked after several heartbeats, and Zuko frowned.

"Which one?"

"When we were on the boat, before your sister attacked us," Sokka reminded the boy.

Zuko shrugged slightly, the memory coming back to him. It had been the first, and thankfully only, conversation that the two boys had about Katara.

"Back then, we agreed that my sister was off limits," Sokka said, and Zuko resisted the urge to cringe. "You haven't changed your mind, have you?" he asked, and Zuko remained silent.

Instead of speaking, he met Sokka's steady gaze, and for once, he left his expression completely unguarded. At seeing the answer there, Sokka sighed harshly. "I thought as much," he replied, closing his eyes. "You haven't taken her virtue yet, have you?" he asked, his voice choked.

Zuko coughed and despite himself, a flush rushed up to his cheeks. "N-No," he replied quickly. The flush settled, and then he thought over Sokka's question. "What do you mean, yet?" he asked, and Sokka shrugged.

"The way I see it, it's only a matter of time. You're already sharing a kid, so…" The Water Tribe Warrior trailed off, and then ran a hand over his face again.

"I'd never do anything she didn't want me to," Zuko attempted to assure Sokka, but his words didn't seem to help at all.

"That's what I'm afraid of," the boy grumbled, and Zuko frowned deeply. "Zuko…" Sokka trailed off again, and then the boy took a deep breath. "Please, just tell me. Can you see any way for you and Katara to be together in the future?"

Zuko frowned at the unexpected question. Should he become the Fire Lord, surely there would be a way of bullying his advisors into allowing him to take the girl to wife. But if he didn't… If, Agni forbid, he were somehow forced into turning the Avatar over to his father, he would be at his family's mercy. And he was certain that neither his father nor his sister would take kindly to having a progeny of half breeds. "If we win," Zuko finally said after a time, "I'll make it happen," he said, and Sokka frowned. "If we don't…well… That's not really a problem, is it?"

The Water Tribe boy nodded slightly, and then cleared his throat. "The Eclipse is only a few days away," Sokka observed, allowing the subject to change. "What are we going to do?"

"Continue with the plan. Hopefully, there will be enough of our people left that are doing the same thing."

"And if there aren't?" Sokka asked, feeling dread creep through his veins.

"Then we'll die with honor." The statement was spoken with such conviction and resolve that Sokka found he couldn't object.

"What about Suki and Katara?" he couldn't help but ask, and Zuko swallowed.

"I'm going to do everything I can to protect your sister; you should do the same for Suki." He paused, and then continued, "The Fire Nation army will not harm healers; it goes against our code of honor. If we keep the girls in the healing tents, they'll be safe."

"You know they'll never agree to that."

Zuko's lips curved upwards in a soft, mirthless smile. "I know." He then pushed himself up from his sitting position, and headed back towards the house. "We need to start going over the battle strategies again," he said. "I'm going to tell everyone to gather in the barn."

Sokka watched the boy walk away, and he swallowed hard. "Zuko!" he called after a heartbeat of question. The Fire Nation boy turned around, a brow quirked. "Before you go… Are you in love with my sister?"

Sokka watched with a combination of relief and terror as a smile curved its way across the Fire Nation prince's chiseled features. The boy nodded his head once in response, and Sokka felt his mouth go dry. The boy then turned on his heel and made his way back to the house, leaving Sokka alone in the field with a thousand questions in his mind and a bittersweet ache in his heart.

-----------------------------

Suki and Katara sat cross legged in a small attic room that Jee had given them. "You need to tell him, Suki," Katara said, glancing pointedly downwards at the Kyoshi warrior's stomach.

"And you need to talk to Zuko."

Katara sighed and shook her head. "That's not as important. Suki, you're pregnant with the man's child! We're going to war in just a few days; doesn't he deserve to know before then? What if something happens, Suki? What if he dies? You'd spend the rest of your life regretting the fact that you never told him about his baby!"

"And what about you? You're already sharing a child with Zuko. Doesn't he deserve to know how you feel about him? What if he dies?" Suki replied quickly, and Katara glanced down at her lap.

"Let's make a deal, then. You tell Sokka tonight and… and I'll talk with Zuko," Katara finally proposed.

"Tonight?" Suki asked incredulously.

"Tonight."

Suki took a shaking breath, and then gripped Katara's hands. "I'm terrified," she admitted quietly, feeling more woman than warrior in that moment than she ever had before.

Katara's lips curved upwards slightly, and she squeezed the girl's hands in return. "So am I."

A knock came at the door, and Katara quickly pulled her robe closed about her shoulders. "Come in," she called, and her brother peeked his head around the door.

"I was just checking on you two," he said by means of explanation, but his worried eyes lingered on Suki. The girl flushed slightly, and quickly turned to her friend, her eyes wide. Katara smiled in turn, patted Suki's hand, and rose from her position on the floor.

"Zuko's probably sick of Nimi by now; I should probably go relieve him," she said quickly, and hurried from the room, leaving her brother and her friend alone.

There, an awkward silence reigned, and the space between the pair remained uncrossed. Finally, Suki patted the space beside her, her stomach doing somersaults. Or perhaps it was the baby fluttering within her; perhaps it knew that its father was about to learn of its existence.

Sokka frowned as he sat in the space indicated, and the said frown deepened when he noticed just how pale and scared his girlfriend appeared. "Suki?" he asked softly, and the girl started.

"Sokka…I…" she paused, and swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I…I don't know how to tell you this…" she began and then trailed off. She recalled her training: strike to wound, withdraw, go in for the kill. Somehow, she doubted that would help her at all when it came to this conversation.

She licked her lips, and then grabbed the boy's hand. Swallowing convulsively, she brought it to rest over her lower belly, and she swallowed hard. "Sokka…you're going to be a father," she finally managed to say, and then she stopped breathing.

Sokka stared down at where his hand had been placed, his face devoid of emotion. A baby… he found that his mind refused to wrap around the concept, and he swallowed convulsively. "A father?" he asked, his voice trembling in a decidedly unmanly fashion. However, he couldn't bring himself to care. Somehow, masculinity seemed like such a small importance when the woman he sat beside carried his child within her.

A baby… that would mean so many changes…so many problems…so much wonder! Sokka pulled his hand away from Suki's stomach and instead wrapped his arms around her body as he kissed her roughly. She was crying, he realized, but then again, so was he.

Just outside the door, Katara leaned against the wall, a slight smile on her face. Suki had worried for nothing, just as Katara always knew she had. The girl heaved out a sigh, and then pushed herself away from the wall. She and Suki had made a bargain, after all.

Still, the thought of speaking to Zuko set her stomach to churning and her throat to closing. Since they had come to their agreement, they had been relatively comfortable around each other. And not until that night in the field had Zuko ever attempted to invade her privacy. A part of her was terrified that if the truth were revealed, their relationship would be irrevocably changed.

Still, a promise was a promise. So it was that Katara squared her shoulders, set her jaw, and made her way to the room where Zuko was staying. Steeling herself, she pushed the door open, and started when Zuko put a finger over his lips. She then looked down to where Nimi was curled against his chest, sleeping peacefully.

Her lips curved up into a maternal smile, and she momentarily forgot what she had come to tell Zuko. Instead, she walked forwards and gathered the child into her arms, pressing a kiss against the little girl's soft forehead. The little girl whimpered and mumbled 'mama,' which warmed Katara's heart considerably.

She then brought the little girl over to Zuko's bedroll and laid Nozomi down gently. Before rising from her crouched position, Katara kissed the child's cheek and brushed her hand over the length of Nozomi's hair. With that, she turned to face Zuko, and the smile vanished.

"We need to talk," she said, soft enough so as not to wake Nozomi but firmly enough for Zuko to understand the gravity of the situation.

"I thought we'd already done this," the boy said pointedly, rising from where he sat and turning away from the girl abruptly.

"We did," Katara conceded softly. "But I talked with Suki a little while ago, and she told me something: I have a choice. I can choose to be with you, or with my family." She paused, and let out a sigh.

"The problem is, Zuko, I've never really done anything selfish. My whole life up to this point has revolved around my family, so when I finally get the chance to do something for myself…"

"You're rambling," Zuko replied dryly, and Katara flushed slightly.

"The thing is, you're my family now too. And because you're family, it's my responsibility to make sure that you're not hurt. So… once this is all over, we…we can't…"

"For someone who doesn't want to hurt me you're doing an awful lot of damage," Zuko muttered through gritted teeth.

"There would be more damage in the long run if I didn't do this. One day soon, you'll forget all about me, and…"

"Agni, Katara, do you think I'm so shallow?" Zuko demanded hoarsely, whirling around and gripping the girl's shoulders tightly. He shook her once, as though to shake some sense into her.

"Do you honestly think that I'd forget about you so easily?"

"Damnit, Zuko, I'm doing this for your own good!" Katara finally exclaimed. "I we win this war, you're going to be at the mercy of the nobles and your advisors. Uncle's alluded to how difficult it is to survive in the Fire Nation court… Your advisors would never condone our marriage, and if we went through with it anyway, you'll probably be usurped!"

By this point tears were streaming down Katara's cheeks, and she forgot about the fact that her daughter was sleeping not a few feet away. "I'm doing this because I love you, Zuko, and I don't want…"

"Marry me!" Zuko blurted, and Katara paused mid-sentence, her eyes gone wide. She stood in silence for several moments, her mouth working but no words coming out. However, Zuko could read her face like a book. He watched as her expression changed from one of shock to confusion, and then back to shock again.

"You…I…What?" she finally stuttered, her eyes wider than Zuko had ever seen them.

"If we get married now, before I take over the Fire Nation, no one will be able to object! It'll be too late!" the boy exclaimed, the ideas rushing to him even as he spoke.

"Zuko, the eclipse is only in a few days," Katara reminded the boy, her voice shaking. "We…I mean…I don't…"

"Do you want to be with me?" Zuko demanded, and Katara fell silent.

"Of course…"

"Honestly, Katara, I don't think that I'd be able to survive without you. If I lost you, I'd…" Zuko cut himself off and shook his head. "I need to know: do you feel the same way about me, or is this all just some game to you?" his voice was harsher than he'd intended, but his blood was pumping through his veins and he had no control over what he said or how he said it.

"Of course not!" Katara exclaimed indignantly, and then she swallowed hard. "I do feel the same way about you Zuko, honest to La, I do. But…I don't think that this is the right way. Uncle's not here; my father isn't here…"

"We can have the ceremony all over again later. But for now, if we're married by a Fire Nation sage, no one will be able to force us apart," Zuko exclaimed, and Katara swallowed.

It would be far too impetuous and highly irresponsible for her to agree to the boy's plan. She could practically hear Iroh warning her of the future consequences. A commitment of marriage was meant for a lifetime, and a marriage born of haste...

But his gold eyes were pleading with her, begging her to choose him. He had let his guard down entirely, and she saw desperation reflected there, mingled with vulnerability and love. And, more importantly, she wanted this. It was an abrupt realization, but a realization all the same. She wanted to spend the rest of her life getting to know her one time enemy and very best friend.

Her mouth went dry, and when she went to speak, she couldn't form the words. She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath, steadying herself. She licked her lips and then nodded. "O-Okay," she breathed tremulously.

Zuko blinked and stood stock still, as though he had been expecting for her to say no. When it finally sunk in, however, the widest grin Katara had ever seen stretched across the boy's features. With a whoop, he grabbed her hips and spun her around, making her laugh in an odd combination off surprise, joy, and amusement. He had hardly set her down before he kissed her, and for the first time in a long time, Katara didn't pull away. Rather, she returned both his embrace and his kiss.

Zuko's head swam when he pulled away, and he had to take a couple of deep breaths before he could manage to speak. Katara, however, somehow managed to speak for him. "My brother," she breathed. "We need to tell my brother."

Sokka took the news better than either of them had anticipated. Perhaps he recognized the desperation in their eyes, or maybe, he merely understood. Instead of the eruption that Katara had expected, Sokka had merely stared steadily between her and Zuko. His face was not devoid of shock or trepidation, of course. This was his baby sister, after all; the girl who he had been charged to protect as his own when he had been the tender age of thirteen.

Once the shock had passed, however, he had managed a small, tight smile. He opened his arms, and Katara rushed into them, burying her head against her older brother's neck. "Does he make you happy?" he asked softly, attempting to ignore the ache at the back of his throat. When he felt his little sister nod against his chest, he felt his gut clench.

"You break her heart, I'll break your neck," Sokka said at long last, meeting Zuko's gaze with frigid blue eyes.

Zuko felt a chill wash over him, but he swallowed hard and brought his body temperature up to rid himself of the sensation. That done, he nodded solemnly.

With that, Sokka let go of his sister and marched forwards to clasp Zuko's arm in a Warrior's handshake. "Looks like you're really a part of the family now," Sokka observed dryly, and Zuko chuckled in response.

Zuko then turned back towards Katara, who had somehow managed to get teary eyed over the exchange. "I have to go make preparations in the village," he told her, and she nodded.

When he turned to leave, Katara rushed over to him and gripped his arm. "Be careful," she cautioned him, pulling his head out of the clouds and reminding him of the danger. Zuko nodded, and was somewhat surprised when Katara stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his in front of her brother. And what was more shocking was that Sokka didn't respond violently in the slightest.

-------------------

Zuko paused outside the lieutenant's room, his courage failing him for the moment. It had been one thing to plan on enlisting the man's help, but another thing entirely to actually ask him for it. He took a deep, steadying breath, and then knocked.

"Come in," came the gruff response, and Zuko swallowed before pushing the door open and closing in tightly behind him. The aging man then turned around, and his brows shot up when he recognized Zuko. "This is a surprise," the man said, and Zuko squared his shoulders.

"I…Lieutenant…"

"Just Jee."

"Jee, then…" Zuko paused, and then swallowed. "I…I've come to ask you for your assistance," he said at long last, his face flushing somewhat.

"You're asking?" Jee replied, his voice laced with humor. "You mean you're not just going to order me to do your bidding."

"I'm not a prince anymore," Zuko replied quickly. "Nor am I the selfish child that I once was," he added, his voice substantially softer as he recalled his behavior those three years ship bound.

Jee was silent for a time, gauging the boy's words. "No, you're not," he finally agreed, and Zuko managed a tight smile. "This is about the girl, isn't it?" Jee asked, rising from where he sat and brushing off his clothes.

"How did you…"

"It's always about a girl," Jee replied with a slight, knowing smile. "I have to say, I had begun to wonder how long it would take you to develop an interest in the female race. That one time that Iroh attempted to take you to a brothel…"

At the mention of that incident, Zuko's face flamed and he had to pinch the bridge of his nose as he attempted to forget the episode. He'd been painfully oblivious to the whole process until his Uncle had explained why so many pretty girls stood before him. Once that had been revealed, he had been so angry and embarrassed that he had lit the brothel's receiving room on fire.

Needless to say, Iroh had never attempted to take Zuko to such a place again.

"I'd prefer not to be reminded of that, thank you," Zuko replied, his voice gruff to cover the embarrassment that lingered there.

Jee chuckled, and then lifted a brow. "So, what's this favor?" he asked, and Zuko squared his shoulders.

"I'm marrying her."

Silence. Then: "You can't be serious."

Zuko managed a slight smile. "That was her initial response," he conceded, and Jee shook his head. "But really, it is the only course of action that makes any sense at all. We already share a child and…"

"We both know that the nobles will never accept a Water Tribe peasant as their Fire Lady."

"She's equivalent to nobility in the South Pole," Zuko replied defensively. "Her father is the Chieftain."

"Of an insignificant tribe," Jee added, and Zuko narrowed his eyes. Jee then sighed and shook his head. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, do you?" he muttered under his breath, but then he looked up and met Zuko's eyes again.

"Just let me know what you need. I'll do what I can to help," the man finally grumbled. At Zuko's shocked expression, Jee managed a slight half grin. "I've known you since you were very young, Zuko. I knew your mother, and I became good friends with your uncle on that Agni forsaken ship." The man paused. "Since neither of them can be here to help you, it's my place."

Zuko suddenly felt very foolish for ever doubting Jee's intentions, and he bowed to the older man. "Thank you," he replied softly, moved more than he thought he would be.

-----------------------------

Katara woke early the following morning, just before the sun had risen. She sighed softly, and went to lay down again when the memory of the proceeding night hit her like a ton of bricks. She was getting married today. Katara bolted upright in bed, her chest heaving. What, by La, had she gotten herself into? Was she really ready for marriage? Was she being entirely too stupid and childish over this whole matter? Was she…

"Getting cold feet?" Suki's voice jarred Katara out of her panic, and the girl blushed.

"A little," she conceded, and Suki chuckled. "Where's Zuko?" Katara asked softly after a moment, and Suki moved to join the younger girl on the bed.

"He headed into the village earlier this morning. Apparently, there's a whole lot of traditions about the groom not being allowed in his bride's home the day of the wedding… or some such nonsense," Suki said with a wave of her hand, and Katara couldn't help but to smile at her friend.

Absently, Katara's fingertips brushed across her mother's necklace. The movement shocked her into silence, and sent the smile slipping off her face. Mom… Katara's heart cried out, and she gripped the pendant tightly between her fingers, as though doing so would actually bring her mother back to life.

It was only just now that she realized just how different her life would be without her mother. When she had been younger, she had always equated her mother with love and security. When the woman had died, Katara had been devastated. However, she hadn't realized then all of the long term ramifications. Her mother wouldn't be here to see her wed, wouldn't be there for the birth of Katara's first child… A tear slipped down Katara's cheek at the thought.

"Oh, honey, don't cry!" Suki exclaimed, hastening to brush the tear from Katara's face. "This is supposed to be a happy day," the girl scolded gently, and Katara sniffled as she attempted to staunch the flow of tears.

"I was just…" Katara sighed, and then leaned her head against her friend's shoulder. "I was just thinking about my mother," she said softly, squinting her eyes to keep the tears at bay.

Suki said nothing. Instead, she pulled Katara into her arms and held her as a sister would. Katara swallowed hard, grateful for her friend's understanding. "If she was alive, she would have been the one to wake me this morning. She would have brushed my hair, probably cried over her only daughter growing up… She would have brought me to the igloo dedicated to the Spirits. There, we would have prayed together for a love and fertility in my marriage. Then she would have taken me back to our hut, dressed me, done my hair, and probably cried some more, knowing her. And then she would have given me…bedroom advice."

Suki laughed outright at that, and Katara couldn't help but to join her. "It's a tradition in our tribe," Katara added with a smile. "Although I probably would have stopped my ears to the whole conversation," she added with a watery laugh.

"Well, I'm not your mother, and I'll never be able to replace her. But I'll do your hair for you; I'll cry and pray with you. And I'll even throw in some bedroom advice for good measure."

Katara laughed again, and then brushed the lingering tears from her eyes. "Thanks, Suki," she managed, and then hugged her friend tightly. "You're like a sister to me."

"A few more months and I'll actually be your sister," Suki replied with an impish wink. "The second this war's over, Sokka and I are going back to the South Pole and get married. He'll make an honest woman out of me yet."

At the news, Katara let out a decidedly girlish squeal and hugged the Kyoshi warrior again. It was at that moment that Toph barged into the room, Nozomi on her hip. "Your kid's cranky," she announced, plopping the little girl on the floor.

Despite herself, Katara launched out of bed and wrapped Toph in a hug. "Whoa!" Toph exclaimed, taking a step backwards. "Gee, sugar, have you gotten into the Fire Spice?" she asked, and Katara laughed.

"Oh, Toph, won't you please let me do your make up today?" Katara begged, and Toph sighed dramatically.

"If you have to," she grumbled, but Katara could hear the smile in her tone. Not too long after, the noises of giggling and merriment filled the room- sounds that only females are capable of making.

Elsewhere in the house, however, silence reigned.

Aang sat alone in the room he had shared with Sokka, his knees drawn to his chest. Katara- his Katara- was getting married today. Aang swallowed hard and leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes sliding closed. He'd thought about this day for a long time, but in his dreams, he had been the groom. Instead, it was his once rival, part time firebending teacher and sometimes friend that had usurped his place and stolen the girl of his dreams.

If he was still capable, Aang was certain that he would have gone into the Avatar state by now. For once, though, he was glad that he was no longer able to achieve such a feat. For the source of his pain was the girl he had fallen in love with, and to kill her while impassioned… The thought scared the boy witless.

"Cheer up, man. There will be other girls," Sokka's voice intruded on Aang's thoughts and the twelve year old scowled.

"Not helping, Sokka," he replied with a slight roll of his eyes, and Sokka sighed before sliding down the wall.

"Sorry," Sokka said, and Aang shrugged. "It's just…you'll find someone else some day."

"No one like her," Aang replied miserably, and Sokka sighed.

"You know, I used to say the same thing about Yue," the boy said, his voice somber. "But somehow, I met someone who wasn't just as good as Yue- she was better."

Aang scowled, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Think of it this way, man. You want Katara to be happy, don't you?" Sokka asked, and Aang managed a nod. "Well, she'll be happiest if she knows that you're happy for her."

"That makes no sense," Aang replied stubbornly, and Sokka sighed again.

"It makes perfect sense."

"You're starting to sound like Iroh," Aang retorted, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"And you're starting to sound like Toph," the boy replied quickly. "Look, Aang…Katara made her choice. I wasn't too happy with her decision to marry Zuko either, but you know what? I love my sister. I'd do anything to make her happy. And Zuko… when she's around him, she has this sort of glow to her. So, although I don't entirely approve, I won't mope about her decision to marry outside our tribe. You should do the same."

With that said, Sokka stood and left, leaving Aang alone in his misery.

------------------------------

The ceremony was a small one, performed under the cover of darkness. While Zuko hadn't had a chance to tell Katara anything yet, Sokka had informed her that it had taken some time to convince a Fire Sage to perform a wedding with such short notice, and even harder to find one willing to marry a Fire Nation man to a woman of the Water Tribe. Yet, after much wheedling and even bribing, they had finally found one who would perform the task required.

Katara wore a borrowed veil of red gauze for the ceremony, and beneath it lay a face painted sparingly with her friend's cosmetics. But at that moment, Katara could have cared less. It didn't matter that the temple had provided her with her wedding finery; it didn't matter that the marital customs of her tribe were being ignored, or that she couldn't understand the language that bound she and Zuko together as husband and wife. All that mattered was that her hand rested in Zuko's, and that she was embarking on a new phase of life with this boy beside her.

The Fire Sage poured wine into a crude stone goblet, a testament to the poverty of the village that they were being wed in. He passed the cup to Zuko, who drank of it, and then lifted Katara's veil enough to bring it to her lips. She drank of it as well, although her eyes watered and she winced when the alcohol burned its way down her throat.

The Fire Sage then bound their hands together with a scarlet cord, and led them over to the ceremonial fire pit. The tinder lay unkindled within the hole, but Zuko rectified that with one swift motion. The symbolism was lost on Katara, who had never even questioned the marital customs of the Fire Nation until that day. The tight squeeze that Zuko gave her hand, however, was enough of a promise for her.

Moments later, Zuko lifted Katara's veil and claimed her lips in a last symbol of their union as husband and wife.

Later that night, once they had made their way back to the farmhouse, Jee met the pair by the barn. "It isn't much," he said softly, tactfully ignoring the flush that covered Katara's face, "but I did my best," he said, leading the pair up the ladder in the barn and to the loft.

Katara started at what she saw there, and she clung to Zuko's hand all the more. Jee had made them a crude bed, and had even covered it with the pomegranates, coins, and jade eggs that were custom for bridal chambers. Zuko's throat closed at the man's thoughtfulness, and he clasped Jee's hand with gratitude.

The man hastily departed, leaving the newly married couple alone. An awkward silence descended over the pair, and Katara couldn't help but glance between the bed, and Zuko, and then back again. "What…What does all of that mean?" she asked softly, feeling unbearably self conscious.

"They're symbols of fertility," Zuko replied, his voice equally tense.

"Oh," Katara replied softly, her face practically glowing from all the blood pumping through it.

Zuko cleared his throat, and then stepped close enough to Katara to take her hand. "It's nothing to be nervous about," he said, and for the first time in his life he wished that he hadn't set that brothel on fire. "We've slept in the same bed before," he added, attempting to ease the girl's nerves.

"But we haven't…" Katara trailed off, and swallowed hard.

"I wanted to though," Zuko admitted, and Katara's gaze jerked up to meet his own. Zuko smiled slightly, somewhat nervously, as he stepped closer to the girl that he had just claimed as his wife. Tenderly, he rested his hand against her cheek and he let out a breath of air when she leaned into his touch, her eyes sliding closed.

Then, he leaned forwards and kissed her- gently at first, but then with building passion. To his surprise, Katara never once backed down after her initial shyness. Once the initiative had been taken, she molded into his embrace and returned each of his caresses with one of her own.

Their lovemaking was not the fiery, passionate affairs of which the novels speak, nor was it as achingly tender as the poets describe. Rather, it was a fumbling of hands and a flushing of faces; sometimes unbearably awkward and touched with a few brief moments of pain. And despite the tense moments and nervous chuckles, or perhaps because of them, it was an experience that was extraordinarily beautiful.

And somehow, a boy became a man and a girl a woman that night.


A/N: Once again, I'm sorry about the wait. The blame can be placed partially on my friend, Speaks-with-spoons, who had introduced me to so many other realms of fandom these past few months. :D Just kidding Han.

A giant thank you to my beta, Empress of the World, who was kind enough to help me out once she noticed all my typos. Bless her. And another giant thank you to Tempest in Blue, who created an absolutely lovely fanart of the last chapter. For those of you who haven't, there's a link in the reviews.

Once again, please review. Thanks!