A/N:

Sorry, I'm not as quick about updates like I was before with my first story. Lol but I do plan to keep this story on the roll as well as the other two stories separate from this storyline.

So enjoy!

Chapter 33:

Zuko walked into his father's office with Ryu, hoping to find Katara there with him but instead found Hama holding a block of ice to his father's groin. He raised his brow and shut the door behind him. As much as he wanted to ask, he was afraid to know.

"Have you seen Katara?" Zuko asked simply.

Just hearing her name, Ozai winced before a cry escaped him and Hama had to apply more pressure. She scolded Ozai telling him he was a dumbass.

Now, Zuko wanted to know what happened. Hama glanced at him in annoyance when he asked.

"Your stupid ass father here had the audacity to ask Katara if she would wear nipple piercings." Hama said as she tried to help with the swelling.

Raising a brow, "Okay but what does that have to do with Katara obviously having attacked him?"

Hama glanced back at Zuko, "Piercings to the nipples is a Southern Water Tribe tradition for many that choose to remain unmarried and play as the village swinger."

Okay. That made sense. He could see Katara getting angry at something like that.

"Even worse, he explained how he had learned about the piercing through Hakoda pairing him with a girl that wasn't even technically of age yet." Hama scoffed. "Now, she's off to stomp her father in his privates too."

Gasping as he couldn't take the pain anymore, Ozai buried his face into his arms on his desk, hissing through his teeth. "Ah! Fuck! Just do your water magic thing!"

Sighing, Zuko shook his head and called his father a massive idiot. What the hell was wrong with him? He finally got Katara back and he admits to that sort of shit? Total complete dumb ass.

"There's just some shit you don't tell Katara and that's definitely one of them." Zuko shook his head in pity as he held his son, bouncing him in his arms in front of his father's desk.

Ozai glared at Zuko and told him if he said another word he was going to send her to him. The Fire Lord shrugged and said he was the only person that was willing to fight Katara back. Claiming he had bigger balls than him.

"I'm sure she'd loved to hear how you jerked off on her underwear you stole during the summit." Ozai threatened.

Hama looked at Zuko with disgust, "What?! I thought you hated her then."

"Focus on what you're doing, Hama!" Ozai yelled when she accidentally put too much pressure on his groin.

"I'll tell her myself." Zuko shrugged. "Plus, I don't think she will care. At least I didn't fuck an underage tribes girl."

"Fuck you, Zuko."

Indifferently turning around, Zuko told his dad that he was going to simply go find Katara himself since he was no help.

As the Fire Lord left out of his father's office, Tomoe followed behind him, informing him that she heard the guards had sent a physician to her father just now and Katara was likely to be near. Zuko sighed and shook his head. Why is she so violent?

Finding the place where the guards had gone to pick Hakoda off the guard, Zuko found Katara standing by with a scowl on her face as she looked to her father. He carefully approached her with their son in his arms, hoping she would see the baby and not turn on him.

Luckily, it worked and her eyes lit up when she saw the baby. Zuko smiled at her as he handed her the baby.

"Ryu has been cooing all morning. Almost sounds like a song." Zuko said as he watched her hold the baby close to her chest and kiss his forehead.

Beaming down at her little baby, "He just missed his mommy." She poked his nose and Ryu did his baby gurgles as he reached for her finger.

Zuko dismissed Tomoe telling her she could have the day to herself. She bowed and thanked him. Turning his attention back to the mother of his son.

"I went looking for you in my dad's office and-"

Glancing up at Zuko, "Did you know anything about the underage girl your father decided to put his dick in?"

Shaking his head quickly in response, Zuko backed away. "I think I know who the girl was but I swear I didn't know he was involved with her. She was always introduced as his friend even though Kya says that father tricked her into believing he was going to marry her."

"WHAT?!" Katara stared wide eyed at him.

Oh shit!

…..

Katara and his father became a spectacle. Every servant that walked by had paused in the hallway when they saw the Phoenix King being driven to his knees with a crazed woman on his back, hitting him with her shoe calling him every name in the book. Zuko wasn't about to dare step in and neither was Hama. The twins watched in amusement at their father being overpowered by their mother. The guards were a little afraid to step in and the generals and officials that had followed his father to the Earth Kingdom remembered the Agni Kai match and wasn't about to get involved.

The waterbender's husband and brother showed up on the scene. Separately. Both gaping at the sight. Arnook especially was confused by this. He thought Ozai and Katara were having an affair. If that was so, why was she beating him?

Putting him in a headlock, Katara tried dragging Ozai back to his office as he tried to resist. It was astonishing to them all to see someone so small drag a grown man that was at least three times her size. When she got him in the office, she slammed the door behind them and screamed Ozai's head off about being a pedophile for sleeping with an underage girl. They hear the Phoenix King try to justify that the girl was close to her 18th birthday by just a few days and Katara loses it again.

"You couldn't wait a few days!" Katara screamed.

A loud crash took place and everyone flinched.

"Katara, it's not that big of a deal! She came willingly!"

"So if Kya willingly asked some dusty old man to have sex with her then its okay?!"

"Fuck no!"

"EXACTLY! YOU FUCKING MORON!"

A few more things got tossed around and Katara was screaming and yelling while Ozai was yelling back to get her to calm down.

"That's it! I'm leaving!" She shouted.

"Leaving where?!"

"None of your damn business! I fucking hate you and all the shit you've done! Fuck you and eat a dick!"

"Katara! Wait!"

It was silent and they all waited to hear what would happen next but shortly after, the doors opened and the Phoenix King had a cloth held to his bleeding forehead as he looked around at all of them and finally his gaze fell on Zuko. He scowled.

"Get in here! We need to talk!"

When the Fire Lord expression became Indifferent and he shrugged before walking into his father's office, Ozai told everyone to get lost and they quickly did.

Shutting the door, Ozai sighed and looked at Zuko, tossing the bloody cloth away.

"I need you to hold down the fort for me." Ozai told him.

Zuko raised a brow, "Excuse me, what?" He eyed his father who went to his desk and pulled out what looked like a packed bag.

"I'm leaving for a few days."

"To go after Katara?"

His dad chuckled and nodded, "Yeah. I need to bring her back."

"Okay," Zuko nodded. "So...was this all a ploy so you too could get away for a few days because that pre-planned bag definitely confirms my suspicions."

Ozai chuckled and went behind his office divider to begin undressing, "When did you suspect us?"

"For one, Katara had nipple piercings when we traveled." Zuko explained his first few encounters with Katara, he had noticed them and he had to admit, he was fascinated by her straight away. "So I assume Hama's also in on this. Second, you heal from regeneration so you must be purposely slowing it down to look like she really hurt you. And lastly, I figured you all put on a show for Arnook so he would believe Katara truly was angry with you to avoid further suspicions. Also, Katara's strong but not strong enough to pull you when resisting."

Rolling his eyes as he changed into commoner clothes that Katara had snuck out to buy a few days ago. He really did hate how much of a keen eye Zuko had developed. No thanks to Iroh.

Sweeping his hair back and tying it up high into a bun, Ozai told Zuko it would only be a few days and that if he could manage that without any casualties then he would do him a favor. Zuko couldn't argue much with that and plus, he kind of wanted to toy with Arnook.

"Where to?" Zuko asked.

"None of your business." Ozai scoffed. "Just make it seem like I went after Katara and keep selling the story that we hate each other. Okay? Do that and get Arnook off our backs and I'll do you three favors."

Zuko snickered and nodded, "Okay, well you two have fun."

"Will do."

Ozai shape-shifted into his black flame state and took the shape of a bird, soaring from his office window into the midday sky.

…..

Zuko gathered everyone in the lounge to address 'what' took place with his father and Katara. Feeding all of them the lie. Only Hama knew better. They all seemed to buy this as his father and Katara's performance was spot on but none of them seemed worried except for Anrook.

When everyone left the room, Arnook stayed behind to confront Zuko on what was all really going on. The Fire Lord tells the Northern Chieftain some made up story about how Katara had truly wanted to just befriend his father for the sake of the twin but his father had tried pushing for more and she had been at odds with him despite trying to be respectful.

"She had her final straw when he told her he would make her his again." Zuko sighed and shrugged to make it more believable. "I told Katara to go to you about it but she wanted to deal with it herself. She's a fighter and she likes to fight her own battles. Literally."

Arnook's brows furrowed, " All this time I thought she was having an affair with him but she was just trying to keep the peace." Shaking his head. "I accused her of being unfaithful. I even got physical with her. Tui and La, I'm such a jealous idiot."

Great. Something we can all agree on. Zuko told him that his father went after her to hopefully get her to come back. But with the stress she was getting from his father and Arnook, it was likely that she just wanted to be alone and would not come back willingly.

As the Northern Chieftain sulked and went on about his business, Hama resurfaced with a grin.

Wrapping her arms around Zuko's waist, "So Ozai left you in charge, I bet."

"Yes and since he's gone, I'm going to do what I always wanted to do." Zuko said with a twisted grin on his face.

Running her hand up to his chest, "And that would be?"

Zuko leaned down to whispered in her ear and she looked at him seductively before slipping from around his waist, taking his hand.

"Then allow me to lead the way, your majesty."

…

When Ozai finally showed up at airship dock, he found Katara had been waiting by the entrance with her bag strapped to her shoulder and her hood over her head. She perked up as she saw him and he could see her smiling from under her hood.

"Everyone buy it?" Katara asked as she ran up to him.

Chuckling as the waterbender took his arm pulling him along, "Everyone except Zuko."

Hugging his arm to her as they headed in, Katara figured Zuko would catch on. "Well, I mean it wasn't totally an act. I really am disgusted that you did that to the poor girl. Not to mention she was not of age."

Ozai felt her nails dig into his arm. "Oh, I know."

"So...where are you taking me?" She asked as they reached their cabin.

"I'll tell you once we get there." He says as he removes her hood from her head and cups the sides of her face as he moves to press his lips to hers.

Pulling away from him, Katara rubbed her cheek against his hand. "Umm...I sort of just started my cycle today, so that ruins things a bit."

Groaning as he rested his forehead against hers, "At least you're not pregnant." Ozai tried looking on the bright side.

Nodding.

"Would it be okay if I said I didn't care about your cycle?"

Ozai spent the rest of the night with a red hand print on his face, sleeping on the floor. Apparently, it was not okay that he still wanted her despite her female afflictions. She could have just said so. She didn't have to slap him and then make him sleep on the floor.

It was a days travel from the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation on the airship. Katara would have to say she was surprised. She spent the early morning getting herself ready for the landing while Ozai remained asleep in bed. He managed to convince her in the middle of the night to let him sleep beside her. If it weren't for the fact that he rubbed her stomach with his very warm hands to help reduce the pain, he'd have slept on the floor the whole night.

Having finished bathing for the day, Katara wore a towel as she dried her hair, getting ready to style it for the day when Ozai finally woke up. He entered the bathroom stretching with his hair completely a mess on top of his head. She tried not to laugh as he scratched his bare abdomen.

"I don't remember you waking up in such an undignified fashion." Katara teased as she ran the towel over her hair. "You were so perfect. At literally everything. Even sleeping but now…*laughs with amusement* you're-"

"A mess." He answered for her as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed the crown of her head.

Shaking her head as she reached up to the side of his face and caressed his jaw while staring at them in the mirror. She smiled warmly with a soft gaze. "You're normal now."

Snorting as he removed himself from her and went to the shower to run the water. "You call is normal. I call it not giving a fuck."

Rolling her eyes, Katara combed her hair and started braiding it into a fishtail but had to undo it because Ozai somehow sensed she would do it and told her not to. Her eyes rolled some more and this time, she pulled it into a high ponytail. Plain and simple.

When Ozai finally finished his shower, he saw that Katara had gotten herself dressed up in her Fire Nation attire. A peach crop top, baggy pink pants with a peach skirt over them and sandals. Her hair was tied up the way he liked it. And no makeup. He preferred her with no makeup. Made her look like the woman he feel in love with and not one of those noble bitches he used to fuck for fun.

In just his towel, Ozai walked up to the waterbender as she sat on the edge of the bed staring out the window. He toyed with her ponytail and smirked when her sapphire eyes glanced up at him.

"You're taking your sweet time today, your majesty." She remarked with humor.

In a delightful mood, Ozai replied that he was a lot less punctual and a lot less caring when he got the chance to relax. This was a vacation for him. A long awaited one. Katara asked him why had never taken her on a vacation before.

"The timing of our marriage couldn't have been worse. There was war everywhere and we both only wanted to kill each other until we only wanted to fuck and kill each other." He explained, finding what he would be wearing for the day.

Standing up to assist him, Katara told him that she never wanted to kill him, even when it was supposed to be her mission when she married him. Telling him all about what Lao, Kimiko, and the other fire sages that worked for the White Lotus told her.

"I hated you and your people since I was old enough to comprehend. And then my mother was killed by a Fire Nation soldier, I wished divine punishment on all of you. You told me once that you didn't really care about my people enough to hate them, well I can't say the same. I knew when I joined Aang, I was going to make you all pay for what you had done to me and everyone in the world." She said as she helped button up his shirt. "But I stepped foot in the Fire Nation two years before you kidnapped me and I realized you all weren't monsters. I told myself that this wasn't a race thing. I had already seen plenty of people who weren't Fire Nation that were evil as hell to know not all of us were good. Zuko helped make that more clear to me."

The waterbender stepped away to get a better look at him and her lips curled into that beautiful smile he couldn't ever get enough of. "That's why even though you had me kidnapped and threatened to destroy the very last of my world, I knew I wasn't going to kill you when they told me to did. I promised Kimiko I'd find a way to save you even though I still hated you in my heart. You didn't deserve to die. You were just a product of arrogant racists who thought my people and people different from you were beneath them. It would be worth more to teach you rather than kill you, don't you think? Sometimes you get more out of mercy than you do out of revenge."

Ozai was taken aback by her as she climbed onto the bed to reach over and kiss his cheek.

"So no, Ozai, I didn't want to kill you." She said as she placed both her hands on his face. "Maybe slap the shit out of you or kick you in the groin but not kill you."

Kissing him one more time before hopping down of the bed and going to her bags, telling him to come on as she dashed out of the room gleefully.

The Phoenix King grabbed his belongings and threw his satchel over his shoulder as he followed behind her.

…..

Seeing that they were in the capital, Katara held Ozai's hand as he navigated them through the crowd. It was awfully busy today and it seemed no one noticed them which was good news to them.

When they finally got to their destination, Ozai spoke with the stablehand to purchase a kimono rhino. Of course, Katara told him she wanted her own and he scoffed, rolling his eyes as he agreed and purchased her one of her own.

Mounted on his, Ozai looked over to see Katara struggling to climb on hers and he got off to go help her.

"No! I can do it myself!" She told him.

Ozai grabbed her by her waist and lifted her up onto the rhino, "You can do it yourself another time, Waterbender. We've got places to be and your short ass is taking up time."

Glaring at him as he got back on his mount and then took off down the less busy streets towards the outskirts. Katara fixed herself up and followed behind him, catching up to his side as they rode.

"So where are we going?" She asked him with a sharp glance to the side.

Focused on the road ahead, "Take a guest."

Well, she could tell they weren't staying in the capital and they flew over emerald Island, so she had absolutely no clue. None what so ever.

"I wouldn't know, Ozai. I didn't exactly travel with you much around the Fire Nation so I don't have the faintest clue." She told him.

Ozai told her to stop being annoying and keep riding as they were almost there. Katara scoffed and pulled over, folding her arms as she was not going anywhere. Ozai wasn't having it and turned around to snatch her off her mount, forcing her down in front of him as he took the reins of her rhino and tied it to the back of his.

Katara glared up at him as she looked over her shoulder. He forced her head to turn and face forward. She pouted and went back to folding her arms as she scoffed.

"Don't expect me to do you any favors tonight. You can use your hand." She retorted.

Rolling his eyes, Ozai didn't say anything. He knew sometimes the waterbender just wanted to find a reason to argue and fight. It was nothing serious and she would get over it as soon as they got to their destination.

As promised, the destination was just up ahead and a small but beautiful village. The spring weather had the cherry blossom in full bloom and there were spider-lilies sprouting up all through this especially green valley. It was the most green and floral part of the Fire Nation she had ever seen. Katara was absolutely mesmerized.

Seeing the look on the waterbender's face from this angle, Ozai grinned. "I grew up here."

"Hmm?" She looked up at him with surprise.

"I don't know if all your memory is back completely but I told you once that my father exiled me from the palace as a toddler after my mother passed. This is where he sent me, where Hama raised me."

Katara's eyes widened as she looked all around.

"I brought you here in the middle of the night when I had returned from my status of being dead. Up ahead, is a manor I had built while we were married. I figured the war would end soon, preferably in my favor, and I knew you wanted to raise the children away from the palace."

Katara remembered that night. It was nearly winter then and she couldn't see too well. But this was incredibly beautiful. La, she really liked it here already.

As they road through the village, seeing the village people smile and wave as they went about their day. Reaching the top of the hill where the manor rested, Katara saw the manor was being occupied by guards and servants already present.

The guards guarding the gates opened them as Ozai signaled to them. Entering the courtyard entrance, Ozai climbed down off his mount and pulled Katara down with him. On his feet, he handed the reins to the servants to deal with the rhinos.

Taking her hand, Ozai walked up to the entrance to the manor and they were both greeted by a servant dressed slightly different.

"Your majesty." The woman bowed her head. "We have everything prepared as requested."

Katara glanced up at Ozai as if to ask what he had prepared. He said nothing and just grinned as he took her hand and followed the servant as she led the way.

Entering the manor, Katara's eyes explored all the decorations and colors and the usual expensive things. It was lavish but homey and she liked it. A very traditional scenery with multiple gardens. Panel doors that slid. Servants tending to the domain of the place. Yeah, she liked it a lot here.

Reaching a large area of the manor that had to be reached by a bridge of a small moat that cut through the garden, Ozai told her that this was where their chambers were and they were completely isolated from the rest of the manor. She giggled and hugged his arm to her.

Reaching the inside of their chambers, the couple was left alone to themselves. Katara let go of Ozai's arm and pulled back the translucent drapes that hung in the doorway of what looked to be their bedroom.

"Oh my La, it's beautiful!" Katara shrieked as she saw the flowers everywhere and the bright warm colors. She threw herself onto the big round bed and curled up into the soft silk pillows, wiggling against the sheets.

Setting his satchel down, Ozai walked over to the patio of their bedroom and pulled back the curtains to reveal the surprise he had prepared.

"You haven't even seen the best part." He told her and saw her head pop up.

Hugging the pillow to her chest, Katara walked up beside him and dropped the pillow. "Is that a hot spring?!" Her eyes lit up.

Ozai nodded.

Katara gleefully shrieked and jumped in his arms, kissing his cheek repeatedly. "Fucking la, I love you, you crazy handsome man! Mwah!"

The Phoenix King watched her remove her clothes in seconds. Seconds. And jump straight into the hot spring. Splashing him in his face.

"I'm not crazy." He said folding his arms.

Flipping her hair back as she resurfaced and looked over her bare shoulders, "Oh, so are you a goodie goodie now?"

"Yes." He replied with a humored smirk.

Seductively pulling her wet hair of her shoulder to ring the water out, Katara fluttered her eyes flirtatiously at him. "Well that's unfortunate. I'm sure you're too good to want join me."

Raising a brow, "I'm not sleeping on the floor again, Katara. You have fun swimming around by yourself. I have a few things to tend to first."

Pouting, Katara scoffed as she went back to enjoying the spring by herself. Jerk.

….

Kya walked by the training grounds and saw her brother and uncle. She decided to stand by and watch, figured she hadn't seen what Zhiar was like when it came to his training. It was to her understanding that he trained as a firebender and in weaponry in the North Pole. He was pretty good. The comment her father would make.

"Coming to train with us, Kya?" Her grandfather asked her.

Shaking her head, "I only train with father." She said, hugging to her chest.

Overhearing this, Zhiar scoffed and walked over to where his twin sister was. He towered over her. She was short and petite like their mother. Gold eyes that slanted like their father. Their mother's brown complexion, only slightly lighter. Her hair was wavy and curled like their mother. Dark like their father's. She definitely had the family look that their father passed down to all of them. Even worse, she had his stare. He honestly didn't know why but he really didn't like his sister. She was weird and awkward. She pretended to be emotionless because truth was she sucked at making friends. Which was why she had a dumb toy as a friend.

Looking up at her taller brother, Kya wanted nothing more to do than to slap the shit out of her older twin brother. He towered over her like he was somehow better than her. Zhiar always thought himself better than her. Back at the academy. He and the other children called her names because she was a waterbender and had the Water Tribe look. Even though they had the same father and she had been born on Fire Nation soil, they treated her like she was inferior. It made her more angry than anything. Even worse, he goes to the North Pole and looked down on again for being raised by the man he used to take pride in claiming as his father. Kya promised herself that in time she would break Zhiar. Twin or not, he had treated her, always, as inferior and she would have no more.

"You train with father because he let's you win." Zhiar smugly.

Unfazed, "I train with dad because I can't kill him." She corrected him as she turned to leave. "And if you want to start finally being a part of this family, you need to get a lot stronger than that. Resorting to sneaky tricks against the unsuspecting is not going to save your ass when we go against Lao and his people. And our older sister, Azula, is with him. You will surely meet your end if you don't strengthen up."

Growling as he clenched his teeth and his fists, Zhiar glared at her. "Don't think you're all tough because your dad's favorite."

Glancing up at him from the corner of her eyes, "Dad's favorite? You've got it wrong, Zhiar. All this time your stupid ass didn't comprehend that all along you were the one father favored. You were meant to be his heir. Your name is even written in records in the Fire Nation to have been father's heir. You dumb sellout boy of a treacherous Northern Chieftain, you've moronically stood at the side of a man that means us all harm. You shouldn't have the luxury of being father's favorite nor should I be allowing you the privilege to speak to me. You are beneath me and your only strengths lie in your ability to not die. But what fun is that when I can wipe the floor with you? A life of eternity of being my floor cushion."

Hakoda was astonished by how cruel his beautiful granddaughter could be with her words. Sure, he had rarely seen her smile...if he had ever seen her smile. Must take after her father. But Hakoda could say he's at least seen Ozai smile a handful of times.

Zhiar grabbed Kya's shoulder to stop her from leaving, "You talk big for someone so tiny."

Kya eyed his hand on her shoulder, "Zhiar, ask yourself why I don't go out of my way to speak to you."

"What's the supposed to mean?" He squeezed her shoulder.

Taking his finger, Kya snapped the bone in it and split it all the way up his arm and to his shoulder. Zhiar screamed in agonizing cry of pain as he fell on his knees. Hakoda quickly grabbed her and yanked her away as Sokka ran over to help.

"You bitch!" Zhiar screamed.

"Hey, don't talk to your sister that way!" Hakoda reprimanded as he held Kya back.

Sokka took a look at Zhiar's arm as the young teen continued crying over his completely dismantled arm. "Dad, this looks bad."

Hakoda looked to Kya, "Sweetheart, I get he was teasing you but y-"

"I'm sick of it! Just because I'm a waterbender, I'll never be good enough!" Kya's eyes were flooding with tears. "But guess what?!" Tears of rage. "I'm not just some waterbender!"

Zuko and Hama were just getting back from having some wild crazy sex in his father's bedroom and were about to do it again in his office when they stopped at the sound of screaming.

Racing to the scene, Zuko's mouth fell up as he watched guards race in front of him to the ordeal. Even Hama reacted to the scene with urgency.

The Fire Lord watched as Katara's father ran up to him with horror on his face.

"Tell me! Was Kya always able to firebend?!" Hakoda shook him.

Shaking his head, "I- I I didn't know."

Oh, it was just like his father to leave him in charge of what was going to be a shit show. Bastard! Didn't even tell him that Kya was a duel bender. Agni, I'm going to kill him!

"Fire Lord Zuko, the palace is catching fire!"

"Where are my siblings?!" Zuko demanded.

The guards all looked up at the rooftop of one of the palace buildings and saw Zhiar trying to fend off against Kya. She was on fire. Literally on fire. White flames enveloped her body as she made attacks to her twin brother without using basic bending moves. Zuko really hadn't a clue how to deal with this.

"Hama come with me to the rooftop. I need you to put Kya down for me."

The water siren nodded.

If I make it out of this night in one piece, I swear I'm going to find a way and kill that son of a bitch! How do you just hide that your daughter is a fucking duel bender?!

Zhiar tried keeping Kya off of him but with her attacking two different elements without the use of her limbs and very little movement, he couldn't read her next attack.

"I'm going to kill you. If you stop fighting then I will make it quick but of course, you want to make things more difficult." Kya's voice sounded very strange. As if it were someone else speaking through her.

"Kya!" Zuko called to her as he had gotten onto the roof with Hama.

The girl turned around and looked to her older brother, "Stay out of this, Zuko. This has nothing to do with you."

Hearing that shift in her voice and seeing the red glowing eyes, Zuko backed up. "What th-"

"Out of the way, Zuko." Hama shoved him. "We're putting the girl down."

…

Getting out of the spring, Katara walked out wet and naked into the bedroom, completely disregarded that there were male servants and her lover staring at her as she walked in the bathroom. Ozai ordered the female servants to take the clothes he had set aside for her into the bathroom and get her prepared for the evening.

"Your majesty, is that by chance the former Fire Lady?" One of his servants asked him.

Ozai nodded. "Is that a problem?"

"Of course not, sire. But I would like to inform you that her ladyship did enjoy the festival fireworks every spring in wake of the war ending." The servant had remembered being assigned to serve Lady Katara by Fire Lord Zuko. He remembered her to be very kind towards him and the other servants despite being widely disliked.

Thanking the servant for this information, Ozai dismissed them all, giving just two the orders to have a carriage prepared for them so that they may go into the village for the festival.

When Katara and the servants exited the bathroom, Ozai dismissed the servants as he walked up to Katara.

"So, what's on the agenda for tonight, your majesty?" She asked him as she flirtatiously placed her hand on his chest and moved around him, letting her fingertips glide around his middle as she circled.

Figuring that she was teasing him, Ozai took her hand and pulled her from around him, until she was in front of him. He then slapped his hand down on her forehead and pushed her into the wall.

"Keep toying with me, waterbender, and I will make you beg me to fuck you. Got it?" He grinned devilishly.

Katara nodded her head as his hand moved from her forehead. "The offer was on the table in the hot springs but I assume you weren't serious."

"We were going to go take part in the festival."

Gazing at him with excitement, "Our first date! Perfect! Let's go!"

"But I'm thinking that's going to have to wait now." He told her as he looked her over. "Clothes off, waterbender."

A few minutes later, Katara was comfortably sitting in the carriage laying against Ozai's arm as he held the side of his face. He was gazing down at her with frustration.

"You're abusive." He commented.

Squeezing him tight, "Keep talking and I'll kick you out of the room tonight."

This is what he got for trying to take her away on a romantic getaway. He tries to do something nice. Something right and he never got the results he wanted. Maybe he should just be an asshole like everyone so kindly likes to tell him he is. Perhaps that will work better for him.

Having the carriage pull over as they reached the village, Katara excitedly exited the carriage and scurried off into the festive streets. Ozai climbed out and sighed as he treaded behind her, feeling a little unenthused. He figured she knew how to have fun by herself. She always seemed to be delightful and filled with glee when he stayed out of her way. And quite frankly, he liked to just watch her sometimes. She seemed to enjoy the things in life he couldn't bring himself to enjoy. She lit up at the things that he shied away from. She was everything he wasn't and experienced life in ways he couldn't. Watching her have her fun and fulfillment was something, that was his way of getting out of life what she seemed to get when she did the things that made her happy.

Jumping up and down flailing her hands around in front of her, Katara told Ozai to come quickly. He took his time coming over. He wanted to make her wait as he liked to see her become impatient.

"Ozai! Please! Buy me it!" Katara bounced up and down.

Holding his hands in the sleeves of his arms, Ozai saw the sparklers and raised his brow. "How old are you again?"

Pulling on his sleeve, "Please! Ozai! I want one!" She begged.

"Really?"

"Yes!" Katara whined. "You stole my youth!"

Rolling his eyes and muttered under his breath about her having forever to be young while he had to literally spend it as a middle age man. Buying her the damn sparklers, the vendor asked if they were married.

Playing with the sparklers, Katara chuckled. "Divorced." She said.

"The marriage was nullified. No, divorce is not the same." Ozai corrected her.

Shrugging, "He's my ex. I'm actually remarried. He's making it up to me for marrying me when I was young."

The vendor eyed them strangely as Ozai pulled Katara away. She laughed as she waved her sparkler around, teasingly waving one in his face. He let her have her fun as she was at least enjoying herself.

The Phoenix King let the waterbender drag him to different stalls. Trying the different games that she was terrible at but passed off as the vendor pulling a scam. Though, he was able to prove to her that it was just her poor skills that caused her not to win. And then it was his turn to tease her. Calling her aim worse than her terrible attitude. To which she was offended by and jabbed him in a pressure point on his side, causing him to go weak on his left side.

Katara made him sit on a bench and took his coin purse, frolicking off to another booth. Then coming back with some dessert looking thing.

Sitting beside him, "Taste it. It's sweet. You like sweets."

Ozai eyed her. "You jab me to get my coins and buy that just so I can taste it."

"Well...not exactly but you were being a jerk, so it's come to this. Now, taste it so we can finish the night on a good note." Katara said with a twisted smirk while holding out a spoon of the dessert to his lips.

Reluctantly, Ozai opened his mouth for her to feed him and she cooed, talking to him as if he were a baby. In his response, he grabbed the dessert with his bare hands and shoved it in her mouth.

"Taste good, right?" He grinned sadistically as he watched her look utterly shocked.

"You asshole! It's all over my face and clothes!" Katara yelled before she wiped the sweets off her face and smeared it on the side of his face.

Ozai tried fending her off as she laughed and took what was left of the dessert and tried to rub it in his face like he had done with her. The two of them laughed at each other as they wrestled to make the other more dirty. Eventually, people looked at them like they were being silly and while some thought it was amusing to watch, some had other opinions.

…..

It had only got worse that night in Omashu. Kya had set Hama on fire and kicked her off the rooftop. She then impaled Zhiar with an ice spear in his heart to immobilize him. Zuko had shaped-shifted into a dragon, hoping to subdue her but Kya struck him down with lightning and he collapsed on one of the buildings.

When she went to finish off Zhiar, Kya swept his head off his body and kicked his body off the rooftop. His body fell in front of a group of servants that ran away screaming.

Gazing down at her brother's corpse, the young siren saw her grandfather and uncle look in horror at the sight of Zhiar. She decided to spare them from having to see him like that and set his body ablaze. The two of them jumped back and looked up at her as she swiftly got down from the rooftop and picked up where she had dropped him.

"Kya-"

"I don't belong here anymore." She said as her glowing red eyes turned back to normal. "I need to go."

Hakoda reached for her and she lifted a wall of white flames to stop him.

"Don't. I'll be fine on my own."

….

"My hair is going to be sticky in the morning." Katara whimpered as she and Ozai had went to the shallow stream that cut through the town.

Splashing his face, "You started it, waterbender." Ozai laughed as he shoved her into the river water.

Katara yelped and fell on her elbows into the shallow water, glaring at up at Ozai, who thought this was hilarious. She stared at him with narrow eyes as she bent the water of the stream into his face, knocking him down hard. It was her that laughed next as she got up and waterbended the water from her hair and clothes.

When they eventually were dried, Katara took Ozai's hand as she saw the fireworks begin, pulling him towards where the light show was at its best view. She paused amongst the crowd of people that all looked up at the night sky.

Once again, Ozai watched the waterbender because he liked to watch her enjoy the things he couldn't. He had to say. Out of all the nights he had with her, this was by far his favorite. Nothing beat seeing the lights from the fireworks gleam on her face and shore in her blue eyes. Or the feeling of her clinging to his arm as if she couldn't bring herself to let go.

When the firework show was over, the two of them yawned, heading back towards the manor. They walked through the town's streets, taking their time as Katara told him about how she really wished he hadn't wasted that dessert because it was really delicious.

"Agreed. It did go to waste, didn't it?" He wasn't too happy about it. But he figured he would find the vendor in the morning and have them remake that dessert for them. He'll treat her to it tomorrow night.

"Ozai?"

The two froze as they heard the voice. No one was supposed to recognize them or know they were here together.

"Ozai, I know it's you. You're the only man that damn tall in this part of the world." A woman said.

Pushing the waterbender behind him as they turned around, Ozai looks to see who it was speaking to him, he tensed up when he saw the woman.

"Ursa?!" He was shocked.

"Ursa?" Katara repeated as she peaked around him and saw a rather tall woman in front of them.

Chuckling as she looked Ozai over and noticed a woman behind him, eyeing her. "You look different. Less scary. More like the socially awkward man you are. What's changed you? That water girl I heard you married a few years back?"

"None of your business, Ursa. What the hell are you doing here?!" He seethe.

Ursa sighed as she looked around and then looked back to him, "I'm here for the festival. Just like you and your little friend you're trying to hide from me."

Ozai balled his fists. Katara placed her hand on his fist and stepped around him to take over from here.

"Hi, I'm Katara. Ex-wife." She held her hand out.

Grinning as she shook the younger woman's hand, "Ursa, other ex-wife. Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"Likewise." Katara replied as she tried to get a feel for her. She never thought she'd get to meet the woman. But Ozai and Zuko had two very different descriptions of her and she was trying to figure out which was true or if either was accurate.

Ursa seemed to pick this up and grinned, "How about we catch up, Ozai? I'd love to know how you became Phoenix King and get to know my fellow sister ex-wife."

"Sorry, but we're on a dat-"

"We'd love to!" Katara quickly interjected.

Ozai scolded her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "We're heading back." He bit out.

"But, Ozai-"

"I said we're going back!" He raised his voice at her.

Katara backed down and shrunk a little as she hadn't had him raise his voice at her in a while. She took his hand and tugged her along as he stormed them away from Ursa.

Waving her hand at the strange couple, "Guess I'll see you two around." Ursa called after them.

Back at the manor, Ozai pulled Katara into their room and yelled for all the servants to leave.

"Fucking Agni, what is wrong with you?!" He shouted at her.

Flinching at his tone. "What did I do wrong. Ozai? I just wa-"

"You just what?! Wanted to talk to her?! For what?! What could you possibly want to talk to her about?!"

Furrowing her brows at him, "Ozai, I don't know what you're upset for but don't take it out on me, okay? Calm down. We had a good night up until she showed up."

Ozai scoffed. He was pacing back and forth. Katara eyed him strangely.

"Ozai?" She tried to reach for him but pulled away.

"Don't touch me!" He hissed as he looked at her in a defensive stare.

Pulling back, Katara told him she would back off from him till he calmed down. "I'll sleep in the sitting room. You can have the bed tonight. Okay?"

The waterbender went to the bed and took a few pillows and carried them out the room, wishing Ozai a goodnight before leaving.

In the morning, Katara was dressed in a simple red kimono with her hair down as she sat in the garden drinking tea. She figured Ozai was still asleep. Heard from the servants that he had requested to have a sedative. It made her worry even more about last night. Everything was fine. Things had been great. And Ursa shows up and he loses it.

Sighing as she held her cup to her lips and drank, worry displayed all in her brows. Katara shut her eyes. This was supposed to be a nice little getaway. We go on our first date and that happens. Slumping her shoulders as she slouched, she sets the cup down and slowly reopens her eyes to the beautiful scenery around her.

Ozai has always referred to Ursa as his accomplice in many things that advance him to becoming Fire Lord. Zuko refers to her as the kindest woman he knew and feeling lost without her. But last night, I sensed something else. Katara was surprised that her siren soul wanted to finally talk to her. It rarely ever resurfaced these days but at least when it did, it was helpful. What should I do? Ask Ozai, he's just going to flip out. Then we do some investigating of our own.

Now Katara could definitely do that much.

"Yes, my lady?" A servant bowed as she approached her.

"Can a carriage be prepared to take me into town?" The waterbender asked kindly.

Nodding, "Yes, my lady."

As the servant went to have a carriage prepared, Katara went back to her chambers and went to pull her hair up in the vanity of the bedroom. Ozai was in fact still asleep. She glanced at him before she dashed off to leave.

…

The night had been the longest of his life. Zuko knew his father and Katara were going to have a fit. There was a sector of buildings in the inner sanctum that were completely burned down. Two dozen guards were injured. Hama was in critical condition. Zhiar had managed to recover due to his phoenix traits and Kya….Kya, she was gone. Hakoda and Sokka had went after her.

Zuko was pacing back and forth. What the fuck was he going to do?! Kya was gone. No one knew where she was and even if they did, how were they they to bring her back when she was so powerful and dangerous.

Ugh! Zuko pulled at his hair. I'm going to just have to tell them now. Hopefully, they'll be more forgiving on their way back.

Ozai was just waking up around noon. Dragging himself around the chambers looking for Katara. When he didn't see her, he asked a servant and they informed him that she had went into town looking for sweets. It put him at ease to know the waterbender hadn't just left without telling anyone where she was going. Plus, she was getting sweets and he could really go for that right now.

Scratching his stomach as his baggy pants hung slightly off his hip, Ozai caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he walked by one and saw his hair was an absolute mess. A fucking terrible mess. All in his face and tangled through and through. Shrugging as he didn't mind the look, especially since he was on vacation. He simply went to the sitting room and lounged on the sofa that Katara had slept on.

Buying his face in one of the pillows, Ozai inhaled the scent she left there and shut his eyes. Agni, he shouldn't have blown up at her last night. He was just unnerved from seeing Ursa. That woman- exhaling, Ozai really shouldn't let that woman have that effect on him. But old habits die hard. And Ursa had always stirred a negative reaction from him. Ever since he met her.

Ozai sat up and combed his hair out of his face with his fingers. He figured he should get himself together before Katara showed back up. He was going to have to apologize and make it up to her.

However; as he stood up, the firepit flame shot up and suddenly he heard Zuko's voice.

"Dad! We need to talk! Is Katara with you?" Zuko said urgently.

Groaning as he sat back down and rubbed his jaw, "No, she's out. What, what is it?" Ozai was annoyed to be bothered right now.

"Okay, well last night there was an incident." Zuko's voice was shaking.

Ozai suddenly snapped out of his annoyance, raised his brow. "An incident. What kind of incident?"

Hearing the threatening nature of his father's tone, "Uhmm, well...Kya and Zhiar got in a fight and…-" suddenly he remembered Kya firebending. "Hey! When the hell were you going to tell someone that Kya was a damn duel bender! She fucking caused an Agni damn mess here! Hama's unconscious and Kya is gone! She ran away!"

Ozai sighed as he slouched in the sofa and placed his hand over his face. Damn! He should have known this would have happened sooner or later. Kya had been on ice since the summit. Shit, Kya.

Honestly, this was his fault. Kya was a ticking time bomb. He had only seen it twice when Kya had used firebending. Once when she got rejected as a friend by a group of girls. It was why Kya stayed in the private parts of the palace and didn't to the public parts without him. And then the last time was when Zhiar had struck him down, Kya raged and was about to go after him. He had to hold her down and she only stopped when she realized his skin was burning off.

"Kya is a waterbender. She wants to be identified as a waterbender and so we agreed not to mention it. So for her to expose herself, Zhiar must have caused her to snap." Ozai laced his fingers together as he furrowed his brows. "That boy is really getting on my last nerves. I will deal with him when I get back. In the meantime, leave Kya be. I'll tell Katara on the way back."

Zuko sighed and shook his head, "I'm going to go look for her. I can't just-"

"Kya is the least of your worries. She can look after herself. I've left her in charge of the palace plenty and she does fine. What you need to focus on is Arnook and Shin. Keep an eye on them."

Nodding his head, reluctantly. He disbursed the flame and sighed. Regardless of what his father said, Zuko wasn't going to leave Kya out there.

Ozai wasn't really worried about it. Kya was the most mature out of his children and he saw her as his equal. She would be fine. He had faith in her capabilities. But...

…...

Racing past the guards stationed along the gates of the walls, Kya kept the hood of her cloak down as she blended in with the wooden wagons that rolled out. She figured if she stayed close they wouldn't notice her and they didn't. The gates closed and she was free.

Once far enough from the city gates, the little water siren made her way into the woods and figured once she was deep enough that she would open a portal with her flames and get as far away as possible.

However; to her surprise there was a portal of white flames like her own that was already open. Just flickering there as if it had been waiting for her this whole time. Kya didn't think too much about it and went straight for it. She just wanted to get away from here. Wherever this led her, hopefully it was better than here.

….

Getting himself dressed in some plain clothes. Just a dark red yukata and a light outer coat. Hair tied back in a high ponytail. He decided to walk into town. Needing to do some exercising as he had been feeling quite sluggish.

As he got into town, holding his hands in his sleeves, Ozai wore his stoic expression hoping now of the friendly locals wouldn't wave or speak to him. Fortunately, that caught on quick. They just eyed him as he ignored them.

It didn't take him long to figure out where Katara was. He could smell the sweet bread being baked and just knew she had to be near that auroma. When he was about to walk up and tap on her shoulder, Ozai saw Ursa approach her first. He paused.

"Lady Katara?"

"Ursa? Oh, wow. I didn't expect you to recognize me after one meeting." Katara said as she wore a soft expression. "I'm just waiting on the sweets I ordered. I figured it'll cheer Ozai up."

Ursa looked surprised as she tilted her head, "I apologize if I'm prying but aren't you remarried?"

Ozai watched Katara's face redden.

"Umm, yes." She replied. "However; I plan to divorce my husband soon. I'm not much the cheating type."

Ursa chuckled, "No. You look like a good woman, Lady Katara. Only a good woman would be wanting to cheer up a man that kidnapped her and stole her youth. That or a crazy woman."

The waterbender was a little caught off guard by the comment and wore an awkward expression. Ursa quickly apologized again and said that she has a terrible sense of humor.

"Ummm, so can I ask you something?" Katara was a bit hesitant.

"Sure, why not? What is it, precious?" Ursa grinned as she moved close to Katara and stroked the side of her hair.

Ozai saw Katara tense up but didn't move.

"What was Ozai like...when you married him?"

Smirking as she let her finger twirl in the brown wavy locks, "Why would you want to know that? I'm sure you can guess the Ozai I had to deal with. But me, however; I'm curious as to what version of Ozai you got lucky with. You're his ex-wife, remarried, and yet you're here with him, in the town he was raised. Last night was a date, was it not? You two are seeing each other. Even when he's the man that ruined your life. Shocking."

Pushing her hand away from her hair, Katara stepped back and eyed Ursa. "You have bad blood with him obviously. Why approached me when you've pretty much summed it up?"

"I don't have bad blood with Ozai. I'm actually indebted to him at the moment. I was about to repay my debt last night before he dragged you off." Ursa said as if she was disappointed that Ozai would think she was after him. "Besides, even if I did have bad blood with him, what the hell could I do about it? He's immortal."

Narrowing her eyes, "Pay back a debt? What debt?"

"Ozai and I had specific arrangements in our marriage. Strictly give and take. I have information that I feel will be enough to unbind me from my debt to him."

"And that is?"

Ursa pulled out a scroll from her arm sleeve and handed it to Katara. "You love him?"

"Yes." Katara said as she took the scroll.

"Then you tell him I said to not pursue Lao." Ursa said gravely. "Ozai was a gods awful husband and a worse father but he kept his word, always and he was a good friend to me despite us both being fucked up. The last thing I want is to see him lose what he's built thus far. Protect him."

The waterbender nodded.

Ursa grinned as she moved closer to Katara and stole a kiss. Stunning both Katara and Ozai, who was watching nearby. Pulling away, Ursa grinned and told her that they would meet again.

The waterbender stood there in confusion but was brought out of it when the baker came out with her basket of sweet she had ordered.

"Thank you." Katara bowed before glancing in the direction Ursa walked off in and shook her head. That woman is strange.

With her eyes cast down, Katara held tight to her bags of sweets and the scroll that Ursa gave her. She knows about Lao. Glancing at the scroll in her hand.

Eventually, Katara bumped into someone and she quickly apologized as they caught her. When she looked up to see who she had bumped into, her eyes widened but then she chuckled.

"You're finally up." She smiled as she handed him the basket. "I figured I'd go get you some sweets to hopefully cheer you up."

Ozai eyed her as if waiting for her to say more and she did.

Holding out a scroll to him, "While I waited, Ursa approached me. She gave me this. Somehow she knows about Lao. I'm not sure how but she says to stay away from him."

Taking it from her, Ozai put it in his arm sleeve and then took her hand, pulling her along with him back to the manor. She noticed he was quiet the whole time and she figured he might have seen Ursa or seen Ursa with her. Katara sighed and didn't bother saying anything. When he got like this, it was better to wait for him to speak.

…

Back at the manor, Katara watched Ozai place the letter in the desk of the study room. He shut it and locked it with a key. His gaze lifted up to hers and she braced herself for whatever tongue lashing he was going to give her. She really hated that after all this time he could still talk to her like she were a child.

"I'm thirty-three, Ozai. I'm not a child anymore. If you're upset about something I did then we should talk about it like adults." Katara decided she wasn't going to allow Ozai to treat her any less the woman she was just because he had twenty years on her.

Remaining silent, Ozai just eyed her as he walked over to her and pulled her to him. Initially, she was stiff as she was trying to figure out what he was doing. Eventually, her arms wrapped around him and she nuzzled her head against his chest.

"You worry me, Ozai." She closed her eyes.

Kissing the crown of her head, "I'm sorry, Katara. I need to stop treating you like a child."

"Exactly!" She looked up at him. "You can do that with our children but not me. If I'm supposed to be the woman you love then you should treat me as such."

Gazing down at her, he nodded. "You're right."

Raising a brow, "I'm right?"

Ozai nodded.

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with my Ozai?"

"Your Ozai? So what, you own me now?" He smirked.

"Wh-what?! You know what I mean!" She hissed and tried pushing him away.

But Ozai held her closer and refused to let her leave, "Did I? I really don't mind if you're feeling possessive, Katara. Even if jealousy is such a nasty thing."

Wiggling against him to get free, "Ugh! Ozai, let me go or I swear!"

"And why would I do that?" He asked as he scooped her up and began carrying her out of the study. "I wanted for us to relax in the hotspring together. Make up for last night."

Katara's eyes widened. "Ozai, I told you I'm-"

"And I told you I don't care." He said in a low growl as his eyes shifted from gold to silver.

…

A/N:

So while Ozai and Katara are on vacation, Kya decided to fuck shit up and dip. Hopefully, she hasn't gotten herself into more trouble. And Ursa, what's up with her?