CHAPTER RATING: T (Language)

A/N: I didn't think I'd ever write anything involving family life. But I searched the lore, and I think I made a few interesting connections, even if they aren't canon. But that's the nature of fanfic.

Enjoy.

Published on: 01/18/2020

Epilogue, Part I: New Horizons

…Several Years Later...

Azula leans against an opened door frame, her hand rests on her stomach, feeling the kicks of life from within, the wind brushes against her skin, the Air Nomad robe dyed with Fire Nation colors that Aang had made for her fits snugly due to her pregnancy. Her eyes scan the horizon, her mind amazed-and perhaps a bit fearful of the changes she's seen in the last few years. Republic City bustles with life across the bay; what was once a small village of wooden houses and straw-thatched rooves that sat on a peninsula has grown into a metropolis with blackened steel buildings that reach towards the sky.

"Mommy! Mommy, look what I can do!" A small voice calls from behind with footsteps echoing across the floor. Azula turns with a smile to her second child; glowing amber eyes shine brightly, framed by long raven hair.

"I knew you could, Ilah!" Azula leans down to examine the bright, but small and erratic flame as it dances in her daughter's hands.

"I want to see you do it too, Mommy! Show me!" Ilah pleads. The enthusiasm brings a smile to Azula's face, she holds her stomach and lowers herself into a chair.

"Come closer, stay calm, keep your fire alive and I can show you." Ilah walks over to her mother, her breathing labored and her face contorted with a wonderful childlike effort to keep the small flame in her hands alive. Azula holds out her hand, palm up, and a sapphire flame bursts into existence, dancing with a glow reflected in her daughter's eyes.

"It's so pretty!" Ilah exclaims. She jumps up and claps her hands together, the flame she held is snuffed out in the excitement.

"Your father always thought so too." Azula closes her hand and wraps her arms around her daughter. "Where is your father?"

"He's outside, with Bumi!" Ilah points towards the hallway where she came from.

"Let's go check on them, come on!" Azula tries to pop up to her feet, but instead slowly stands and begins walking to the wooden balcony that hangs above the beach shore, her daughter right behind her.

…

A whirlwind builds outside of her house, a house that the Avatar himself had built in Yue Bay. She remembered how he'd used the Power of the Avatar State to hold the sea waves away and raised up the sea floor into the very ground she stood on now.

Air Temple Island he called it, and now it was home to her family.

"Look Mommy! What are Bumi and Daddy doing?" Ilah points to the long white sand shore; a massive dust cloud of sand builds, Azula's heart jumps with panic until she hears the laughter of her son and husband.

"Racing." Azula replies in a flat, sarcastic tone but still smiles at the thought.

Aang sits on a swirling bubble of air, rushing across the sand. His son, Bumi follows close behind on a much cruder oval bubble of air that gives him a rougher ride compared to the Avatar. Azula sees Aang look up towards her, and he slows down just as they approach the finish line.

"Oh no!" Aang shouts with overly-dramatic pain. He pulls his hands apart, the bubble of air he sits on disappears and he lands on his feet. Moments later, Bumi shambles across the finish line, his air scooter disappears, and he lands softly into the white sand.

"I won! I beat Dad!" Her son shouts, victorious as the sand clouds settle and the cool waves crash against the shore.

"You did! You won!" Aang jumps up with a joy that sends him into the air. Bumi runs up to his father and jumps into his arms, the Avatar takes his son with a hug that sends them both tumbling back down the shore in an invisible cloud of air.

"Let's go show daddy what you can do! You go first." Azula pushes Ilah's back, and her daughter scuttles down the stairs that lead to the beach.

"Okay! Daddy! Daddy! Look what I can do!" Ilah screams across the bay, holding her hands together. Azula smiles again as she sees a glow light up her daughter's face. Taking in a tired, deep breath, and looking at the monumental task of navigating down the massive flight of stairs, she pats her stomach and takes another deep breath.

"I think you'll be my last." She whispers and pulls the whistle that hangs from her neck and blows into it. Appa grunts from behind her and lightly nudges her back with his massive, furry forehead. "Hello Appa." Azula runs her hand through the grey arrow of the bison's mane. "Willing to help me?" She turns as the bison roars in response.

"How are you feeling today?" Aang's comforting voice comes from behind her; Ilah sits on his shoulder, balancing a small flame in her hands; Bumi with his shorter disheveled black hair is at his father's side, bobbing up and down while he sits on his imperfect air scooter.

"Mom!" air pulses away, and the boy lands on his feet, running towards her. He crashes against her wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. "Did you see?! Did you see how I beat Dad?!"

"I saw." Azula gently pats his back. "You did wonderfully, I can't believe you beat dad!" She smiles at Aang, who winks in response. "Let's go inside, and get something to eat, there's food already on the table."

"Oh! Yes!" Bumi shouts and runs back into the house, his younger sister claps her hands, the flame dying as they come together, falls to her feet, and follows him.

"Save some for us!" Aang shouts at them before turning back around to Azula. "So, you saw? I just thought-"

"I understand." Azula nods. "Sometimes it's better to let your kids beat you." Aang smiles. "And I'm doing better. But I'm pretty sure that our newest addition to the family will be here in only a few more months." A pain cuts down her back and she falls onto the soft cloud of Appa's head.

"Are you okay?" He jumps to her, holding her up.

"I'm-I'm fine." She grabs his hand and accepts his help back onto her feet. "I just have one more thing to ask before I have this baby."

"Anything you want."

"I want my children to meet their grandfather."

He pauses. She can see the doubt crawl through his mind as the words leave her mouth.

He leans in to kiss her, his hand gently touching her stomach.

"Alright."

…Several weeks later…

The wind runs through her hair as Appa flies across the sky; in the saddle, Azula sits with her family, Aang with the reins in his hands, Ilah and Bumi, fast asleep next to Azula at the back. The familiar endless water is soon overtaken by the obsidian peaks of the Fire Nation's mountains. Azula folds up some blankets and places them below the heads of her children and then walks up to Aang.

"Riding on Appa used to be the most interesting thing for them." Azula whispers. "Now look, fast asleep as if they were back home." She kisses his cheek as he turns his gaze. "They really do take after you."

"Get ready to land, Appa!" He shouts and the bison roars.

"They don't even wake up to a sky bison's call." Azula whispers to him with a chuckle.

"Unfortunately, we will have to wake them up."

"Thank you for doing this. I promise that things are different now."

…

Firelord Zuko sits on his throne, the court nobles that would grovel before him are nowhere present when Azula and her family enter. Everything is as majestic as she remembers but despite the anxiety that comes with her return, she still knows how to present herself, and is glad that the Avatar remembers too.

"Avatar Aang." The Firelord's voice echoed through the room.

"Firelord Zuko." The Avatar bows.

"It's been a while since our last meeting." His eyes scan across them. "I'm glad to see that you took great care of my sister; and have such a beautiful family."

"Thank you, Firelord Zuko." The Avatar bows again. "There was also something that Azula wanted to ask." Zuko turns to her, and Aang steps back.

"I would like to visit Father, Firelord Zuko. Please grant me an audience." Azula bows as far down as her body will let her.

Her children stand still, as if they were statues themselves, not making a sound. Firelord Zuko steps down, wordless, and stops in front of Azula.

Her heart races, her head bowed, she can't read his expression.

"What are we doing?" The Firelord speaks. "Why are we still acting?"

Azula smiles.

"UNCLE ZUZU!" Ilah and Bumi both shout and run into the Firelord's arms; he falls to his knees and hugs them.

"It's great to see you two again. Learn any new bending tricks?"

"Uh-huh!" They both nod, eyes wide.

"Great! Promise to show me later?" They nod with sheer enthusiasm at his request. "Prepare them a feast! And Beds!" Zuko orders the attendants who scramble to fill his orders. "Aang," the Avatar laughs with a smile. "Follow Han here, you must be hungry." Zuko points to an attendant. "I'll join you soon."

"Ilah, Bumi, let's go! We can show Uncle Zuzu what you've learned in the dining hall. We'll find your mother afterwards." He waves to Azula as he leads them away.

"Follow me." Zuko turns to her. "I'll show you to where Father is." His tone of voice changing into something more sincere and more solemn than just moments earlier.

Azula expected to be let to the same person where she had met with her father before, but instead she follows him down the halls of the palace to her parents' bedroom.

"He's in here. Take as much time as you need." Zuko says.

"Thank you. If I'm not out soon, could you lead them here?"

"I'll let them know." Zuko waves and walks back.

…

Azula steps through the door, on a large bed she hasn't been in since she was a child, her father sat.

"Father?" She whispers.

"Azula, how has life been treating you?" His voice is weak, strained, tired. "I trust that I was correct about the Avatar?"

"You were, Father. The Avatar had been nothing but good to me." Azula walks up to him and sits at his bedside. For the first time, she notices how deep his wrinkles are now, and can plainly see the gray hairs on his head.

"That is reassuring." He takes her hand. "I'm glad that I was able to see you again."

"I thought I you'd still be imprisoned, but your here. Are you ill?" Azula squeezes his hand.

"It is none of your concern." He coughs but regains his composure. "I heard whispers from the guards. Whispers of an Agni Kai that occurred the last time I saw you. Do you know what they call your brother?" A smirk breaks across his lips. "Zuko the Merciful." He nearly breaks into a laughing fit. "I'm still imprisoned. But my prison, is the entire Palace itself."

Azula laughs at the thought. She had seen so many cells since she was sentenced by Zuko so long ago. But to be imprisoned in his own house? Zuko really did earn his moniker.

"Is there another reason why you are here other than to just visit a broken, old man?"

"Yes, but they are currently in the dining hall. Perhaps after they are done eating, they will-"

A knock comes at the door.

"-get a chance to meet you." Azula takes a deep breath, walks to the door, and opens it.

"This is…" The strength that was once lost seems to have returned in his voice.

"Bumi, come say hello to your grandfather." Her son takes his stance and moves his arms; air is sucked from the room, and he sits on the air scooter he is so proud up, directly launching himself at Ozai. His air scooter catches against the foot of the bed, dissipating before his hands, with a push of air he sends himself into a spin, landing on his back at the foot of the bed.

"Hi, Grandpa!" He recovers and greets Ozai with a huge smile. Azula even believes she sees a hint of relief-of happiness in her father's eyes.

"Ilah," Azula sees it catch her father's attention. "come meet your grandfather!"

"You…named her after my mother?" Azula nods with a smile to her father, seeing the tears well up in his eyes.

"Grandpa! Look what I can do!" Ilah's voice enters the room, a proud look in her bright eyes, a determined expression on her face, and a glowing flame between her hands. "I brought a fire, to keep you warm!" She holds it out to him.

"I love it, Ilah." His massive hands take her small ones and hold them with an unfamiliar gentleness that only comes with age and humility. "It will keep me warm forever." He closes her hands and pulls her into a hug. Azula turns away, wiping her eyes when she sees streaks roll down his cheeks from the glimmer in his eyes.

"Avatar." Ozai recovers as his grandchildren pull away and run towards their father.

"Ozai." Aang bows, Azula can see how tense he is.

"I want to thank you." Ozai's voice breaks at the words he has to say. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter. Seeing the two wonderful children you have; I know that I was right about one thing. Thank you."

"Thank you for your blessing, I give you my word, as Avatar, I will take care of them forever."

Pain. Unbearable pain rips through Azula again, her voice tears through the room.

Her family falls to her side, Aang sits her in a chair.

"Bumi, get Zuko, now!" Aang points to the door. Bumi jumps up, summons his air scooter and flies out of the room. The pain drowns Azula's mind.

"It's time." She whispers to the shocked faces of her family.

"Zuko will be here soon, just keep breathing. It'll be okay." Azula takes another deep breath.

"UNCLE ZUZU! MOM IS HAVING A BABY!" is the last sound she can make out through the pain.

In the pained haze, the next thing that grabs Azula's attention is the sound of a newborn baby crying; the beautiful sound of life enters her weary senses, and through blurry vision, she sees a beautiful baby boy resting against her chest, writhing not in pain, but in exhilaration, filled with life and the will to live. She holds him close, feeling his energy resonate against her.

"What should his name be?" Aang leans over, caresses the forehead of his newborn son, drawing an invisible arrow with his finger.

"Tenzin."

A/N: It was not supposed to be this long.

And it's not even over yet.

Part 2 and Part 3, coming sometime in the future.