Four Years

103 AG

Life in the Southern water tribe moved at a much slower pace, things were typically calm and serene. Considering how fast paced and busy the last few years had been, it was like a soothing balm, a much deserved respite. Suki and Ari had quickly developed a peaceful rhythm when it came to caring for their children together, they made a remarkable team. Both Roku and Koda were very good babies, calm and well mannered, though they very much preferred to be held. Both boys relished in the attention they received from the cadre of adults that surrounded them. Thankfully though on the rare occasion that they were set down the children seemed to enjoy each others company just as much as their mothers' enjoyed each others.

A month after Zuko had left they had another visitor: Ursa. Ursa had brought Noren and Kiyi with her on her visit to the South pole to meet her sweet little grandson. Ari was so glad to see the woman and even more happy to feel so at ease with her mother in law. The easy companionship between them was a vast improvement on the relationship Ari had had with her last mother in law. Not surprisingly, in the warm motherly presence of Ursa; Ari found herself missing her own mother.

Despite her childhood, Ari and her mother Daphne had been inseparable. Daphne had certainly had her demons. She, had been a spoiled little rich girl; who had gotten herself in way over her head when she had romanticized poverty. She had left home and had run away from her chance to marry within her own social circle, instead marrying a man she barely knew. It had not taken Daphne long to realize the mistake she had made, but long enough for Ari to exist. Ari's early years she had been raised in a bubble, expected to have the manners and decorum of her mothers' former station. It had at times made it hard to make friends as a child, as she had a tendancy to act like and talk more like a tiny adult than a child. Her mother however was absolutely miserable, and frequently took that out on her daughter. No matter how bad things had gotten though Daphne had told herself that it wouldn't last forever. She had been an heiress after all; bad feelings between her parents had left her hanging with no trust fund, but she was still her fathers only child and her grandmother's pride and joy. Ari had been 10 when the rug had been yanked out from underneath her mother; when she had discovered that her inheritance had been stolen from her by an opportunist manipulating her senile grandmother. It had crushed Daphnes' spirit almost completely, her mother hadn't been the same for a very long time after that blow.

The house in the Southern water tribe was lively and loud while their guests were there. Toph had only just left to return to Yu Dao, but they were still at full capacity. Ursa doted on both boys excessively, loving her new role as Nana. While Noren had originally been more reserved, unsure of his place in the family; with a lot of encouragment though, he began to settle comfortably into his role. Eventually with a little help from Hakoda he had claimed the title of Boppo for himself. Kiyi on the other hand was very proud to tell everybody she possibly could that she was an aunt, and helped with the babies as much as she possibly could. Ari had originally been nervous that a six year old was keeper of several dangerous secrets; Kiyi however rose to the challenge, it was almost scary how well that child could lie. After two wonderful months their guests left to return home to their lives in the Fire Nation.

They were not alone for long however before Uncle Iroh decided it was his turn to entertain them. He rode in one day with gifts galore. Iroh was more than happy to play the doting grandfather to the boys. He was more than a little put out though that Suki and Ari wouldn't let him feed the children sweets; in their defense the boys were only 8 months old. Uncle was there as they attempted to sleep train the boys; at 8 months old they were more than ready to be in their own beds. The first night was predictably the hardest, listening to how upset the boys were was hard on everyone. It was no easier for Ari having done this a couple times before, Rowan and Aeron had both sleep trained at 8 months old. Though for some reason she had never pushed Lily to do the same; Luca had told her Lily would be their last and as such she had never been able to bring herself to push Lily to sleep by herself.
"I can't bear it!" Iroh said dramatically with exaggerated tears in his eyes, after the first few minutes of crying for the boys.
"Just give it a few more minutes and Suki and I will go in to soothe them." Ari assured him.
"But it's just so mean." Iroh accused her with a pout.
"It is not." Ari rolled her eyes. "It's better for them in the long run to be able to get to sleep by themselves." She told him.
After a several cycles, each progressively getting longer, of the parents going in to soothe the babies they were finally out for the night.
"That was rough." Suki said flopping down on the couch in their living room.
"It should get easier." Ari said with a tired sigh.
"Does anybody else want a drink?" Sokka ask them, pulling out a bottle of fire whiskey they hid in the back of the cabinet from the younger teens.
"Yes!" Iroh agreed quickly. "That was torture." He said illiciting a quiet chuckle from the parents.
After the first night each night got progressivly better, by night four Roku and Koda had hardly fussed at all about sleeping in their cribs. More than once though Sokka, Suki, and Ari would wake up in the morning to find all three of them asleep in Iroh's bed. The second Iroh heard the smallest peep from the boys in the morning he would sneak in and rescue them.

All too soon it was time for Iroh to leave as well. He had already been amazingly generous with his time having spent 5 months away from his tea shop acting as interm Fire Lord, and agreeing to continue doing so anytime Zuko came to the south pole. As well as the time he had taken to visit Ari and baby Roku. While Uncle Iroh loved his tea shop, he loved his family even more.

Right in time for Roku's first birthday Zuko returned to the Southern water tribe. It was amazing being reunited after so long apart. Once again they found their peaceful bubble where they weren't royalty, just a happy family. Zuko played with his son and loved on his wife and the months they were given were bliss.

104 AG

Ari found herself briefly wondering, after Zuko had left for the year, if their 8 month long seperation would be more tolerable if they fought more. Before Zuko had left for the Fire Nation it was by some miracle not Ari that was pregnant, but Suki. Sokka and Suki began preparing to have their second child while Ari pretended to be pregnant with her fourth. They still had their occasional guests, but by and by they lived a quiet life. Suki and Ari were a well oiled machine and had both carved out lives in the Southern water tribe. Ari acted as ambassador of the Fire Nation and had designed and organized the building of their embassy in the south pole as well as being a general advisor for Hakoda when it came to the freshly built oil refinery. She had also used the money that had been allocated to her, as ambassador, to build a school for the children of the Southern water tribe. While similarly fulfilling her role as Fire Lady and communicating back home to work on education reform in the Fire Nation as well as the construction of a university. Education really was her passion and it brought her great joy to be able to provide education to those who might not have been able to recieve it otherwise.

Similarly Suki found herself teaching classes at the new local school from time to time, teaching a new generation how to be warriors. Both women also helped Kanna as needed, though the older woman was still quite virile for her age and resisted too much assistance. Sokka and Katara were generally busy with their work on the Southern Reconstruction Project; but they would leave with Aang from time to time to tour the world and handle problems as they cropped up.

For Katara having the other women around was personally beneficial as well. Her mother having died when she was so young, it was nice to have someone she could confide in for more intimate matters.
"How did you know that- that you were ready for...more?" Katara ask Ari nervously one afternoon when they were alone.
"Oh!" Ari said eyes wide. "Look Katara I'm not sure I'm the best one to ask for advise. I mean, yes the only men I ever slept with I married, but I was never very good at waiting. I mean Luca and I had been dating for a month and Zuko and I had only even know each other for what a week!"
"You're honestly the only one I can ask. I love Suki, but her experience on the subject happens to be my brother. Ick." Katara said with a shudder.
"My culture has some really weird hang ups about sex that don't seem to exist here. It's a deeply personal decision, if you love Aang and you feel ready than go for it. If your still unsure though, don't try to force yourself to be ready." Ari advised her young friend unsure of what else to really say and not wanting to impose her own hang ups about sex on someone young and impressionable. At 16 and 18 Aang and Katara were both considered adults here, and could make their own decisions.

One of the biggest events of the year however was Hakoda and Malinas' wedding. While big news in the Southern water tribe, they had refrained from turning it into an over the top international event. Ari couldn't blame them; her own wedding having been a massive international event. Hakoda and Malina kept things simple, their wedding was, to them, just a technicality. They had after all been living together for the last 2 years. For attendants Hakoda had chosen Sokka and Bato; while Malina had chosen Katara and Suki. Although Ari hadn't been chosen as an attendant the happy couple had ask her to sing for the wedding. Albeit delighted by the request, Ari had been concerned with who she could trust to watch Roku during the event. Thankfully Ursa assuaged her fears by planning her visit for that week, to not only watch Roku but Koda once he was worn out for the days events.

By the end of the year Suki's pregnancy had drawn to its inevitable close. One cold night little Kaelan came into the world. His parents and big brother were absolutely smitten with the little man.

105 AG

Zuko only just missed the birth of baby Kaelan. He came bearing gifts though for his rather large unusual family. That's what they had become, at some point they had bypassed being friends and had become family. Zuko adored the time he spent in their home here; it was warm, and cozy, loving. It was everything he had ever dreamed that family would be and every night when everyone would sit down and eat dinner together it brought tears of happiness to his eyes. It felt almost as though they were now just counting down, 18 months to go. 18 months and Ari would be able to return. 18 months and Zuko would have his family back and could finally take all of them back with him to the Fire Nation.

The birth of baby Kaelan wasn't the only notable excitement. Before Zuko returned home to the Fire Nation, the group had one more monumental milestone. Aang and Katara getting engaged. It had happened one snowy night a couple of weeks before Zuko had to leave. The two older couples had been quietly eating dinner with their children when the two of them came in looking so happy they practically glowed.

"Aang proposed!" Katara blurted out unable to contain her joy a moment longer.
"Congratulations!" The other four yelled in stereo, jumping to their feet.
"He made me a new betrothal necklace and everything!" Katara said proudly as she pulled the neck of her parka down enough to show them her new necklace.
"Good job buddy." Sokka told Aang as he patted his shoulder.
"Seriously good job. You planned it a lot better than Sokka and I did." Zuko told him with a smile.
"We were in the midst of a war. Trust me we forgive you two, right Suki." Ari said turning to her best friend with a smile.
"Speak for yourself." Suki harumphed with a sly smile teasing her husband.
"Hey! I got around to making your betrothal necklace eventually!" Sokka said in defense.

Iroh's visit later that year had been positively comical. He came loaded down with dolls and silks and tiny dresses.
"What is all this?" Ari had ask him in wide eyed shock.
"The world thinks you and Zuko just had a little girl. What kind of grandfather would I be if the little princess was not properly pampered?" Iroh had told her with a big grin.
"Your insane." Ari had told him laughing and kissing his cheek.
"Lolo!" The boys yelled as they ran to Iroh and Roku jumped into his arms gleefully.
"Hello boys! Look how big you have gotten! Don't worry, I have presents for you as well." Iroh told them with a hearty laugh and a big smile.

Zuko visited as he could over the next 18 months staying for a week or two here and there.

106 AG

The day had finally come. All their friends had gathered at the house in the Southern water tribe; they were rarely all together anymore, but none of them would miss this. This was the day Ari's children would be returned to her. They had all congregated in the living room first thing that morning.

"Are we ready?" Aang ask them nervously. It would all come down to him, if he messed this up Ari would never see her children again and the last 4 years would have been for nought.
"We're ready." Zuko answered for them while he held his wife tightly.
Aang sat down in the center of the room in the familiar lotus position. Everything happened so fast, Ari could scarcely believe it. Aang had started glowing and in less than a minute he was falling backwards with three small children and a very angry orange furball.
"I panicked!" Aang told them, talking quickly. "The cat was sitting with the kids and I just grabbed him with them, everything was starting to shake!" He said looking frazzled.
Ari rushed to her children and fell to the ground as she pulled them to her crying. "I thought I would never see you again! I love you so much!" She told them through tears, and looking over her shoulder just long enough to call out- "Don't let the cat out, he's an indoor cat! Oh and watch out he bites!"
"What's an indoor cat?" Sokka ask confused.
Ari just laughed, far to emotional to make any sense and she sat there crying and hugging her babies. She knew she needed to try and calm down; her children had no idea she hadn't seen them in six years, they probably hadn't realized she had left at all.
"Momma why you cryin'?" Aeron ask her sweetly.
"Don't worry baby mommy's fine. I just missed you." She told him wiping her eyes. Lily was now clinging to her tightly, unsure of what was going on.
"Mom you look different? Where are we?" Rowan ask looking around at the unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar setting.
"We're in the south pole." Ari told him her face stuck in a smile. "Oh thank you, thank you Aang!" She said burying her face in Lily's soft flaxen hair.
Zuko knelt down next to his emotional wife and put his arms around her.
"Kid's I think there are some people you need to meet. This is your new daddy." She said introducing Zuko and putting her head on his shoulder. She wasn't sure this was the right way to tell them, but for all intents and purposes their father, Luca, no longer existed.
"Hi guys!" Zuko said with a gentle smile while he waved awkwardly, unsure what else to do.
"That's not daddy." Aeron said confused.
"Where is daddy?" Rowan ask her starting to panic. Rowan had always been closer to his father, out of all of them this would be the hardest on him.
"Not here, he won't be coming here. It's just us, but you have a new daddy and another brother." Ari explains gently. "Roku come here." She called for her other son who had been standing with Sokka, Suki, and their boys. "Roku, honey-" She said taking his hand. "This is Rowan your twin brother, Aeron, and Lily."
"Do you want to go play with us?" Roku ask them.
"Sure!" Aeron answered with his usual megawatt smile. The four boys ran off to Roku's room to play, leaving Ari with a very clingy Lily.
"Are you okay?" Zuko ask her gently.
"I am, I really am." She said with an emotional laugh.
She looked around at her friends.
"Thank you all so much for everything you have done that made this possible. No amount of thanks could ever be enough, but thank you." Ari said trying her hardest not to cry again.
"Oh Ari!" Suki cried out running to her friend. "We did it all because we love you. Don't you know that?" She said as she hugged her.
"I love you too. I love you all." Ari told them losing the battle to not cry as the tears slipped unbidden down her face.

That night had been particularly rough. Zuko had ended up sleeping with Roku in his room, while the other three children slept with Ari in the big bed. The boys had been too frightened to sleep in the other room, and Ari had warned Zuko it might take some time to get Lily out of their bed. There had also been drama with Rowan wanting his dad to put him to bed. Just as Ari had predicted Rowan was having the hardest time adjusting and it was going to get a lot worse before it got better.

By the second night Ari had been able to convince the boys to sleep in the nursery with Roku. Unlike Lily both boys had been used to sleeping in their own beds since they were infants. Zuko had been caught more than a little off guard when Rowan had come in that night to say good night to his sister though.
"Good night beautiful princess." Rowan told his sister as he kissed the top of her head before running off to be tucked in.
"He seems to have understood that concept surprisingly fast." Zuko said with surprise as Ari was climbing into bed.
"Oh that- no he's been doing that every night since she was born. Everybody has always called her princess." Ari told him as she snuggled her daughter closer.
"I thought you were the princess?" Zuko teased her.
"I was. We both were." Ari said with a smile.
"Why not Queen?" Zuko ask with a laugh.
"Nah, too much responsibility." Ari told him, sticking out her tongue.
"Isn't that the truth." Zuko sighed before laughing. "Do you ever regret it? Regret being Fire Lady?" Zuko ask her, not meeting her eye.
"Are you kidding me? I love what I do! Even thousands of miles from home I've spent years working as an ambassador of the Fire Nation, working on education reform for our nation, and in just a few short months my crowning achievement The Royal Fire Nation University will open! I feel fulfilled and happy in my role. " Ari told him passionately. "It's just me being me on a larger scale really. I get to mother an entire nation and not just everyone around me." She said with a laugh.
"Thank you for being the person that you are." Zuko told her as he leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss. He laid back down and smiled at the sight of Ari and Lily cuddling.
"What did Luca look like?" Zuko ask her curiously as he reached over to stoke one of Lily's pale silky curls.
"Short, not much taller than me really. His hair was so dark brown it was very nearly black and very curly. He had deep set brown eyes with insanely long eyelashes, and big bushy eyebrows. He was muscular when we were younger, but after 6 years at a desk he was definitely getting soft around the middle. He certainly wasn't a classically handsome man." Ari told her husband as her eyes seemed to look far away. "Why?"
"So the kids don't look like him at all?" Zuko ask her thinking about the younger twos' delicate features.
"No not really. All of them got my coloring for the most part; the younger two get their blonde hair from my side of the family and the same with Rowans hazel eyes." Ari told him. "Rowan has Lucas' grandmothers nose and his hair is closer to Lucas' texture than my own. Other than that though I can't think of a single physical trait the young two inherited." She said with a slight shake of her head.

The children began slowly warming up to their group of friends little by little. Once Lily had stopped clinging to her mother she was running around with the boys as well. The house felt like it had suddenly shrunk with the pack of six children running through it. After a couple days of mayhem Toph had taken her leave, promising to return in a month for Aang and Katara's wedding.

The next month was all about trying to bond as a family. Rowan, Aeron, and Lily had to be able to bond with Zuko and Roku; otherwise they would be found out. Bonding with their new brother Roku hadn't taken long, but Zuko was another story. Aeron was handling everything far better than the rest, though he had always been an easy going kid. Lily was patently afraid of Zuko, in the beginning, but she was slowly but surely warming up to the man that was now her father. Rowan on the other hand was being as difficult as he could. Rowan had always struggled with change and everything about this was change. Rowan was missing his dad, his grandparents, his friends, not to mention the food was different, his mom looked different, his toys had been left behind; absolutly nothing was the same here. The days all started the same: Rowan would typically complain about breakfast, then it was time to beg to watch cartoons. Next it would be time to complain that his clothes were different. He would usually get distracted enough to play with the other kids just in time to complain about lunch being "gross" and refusing to eat. Nap time would typically be a breather for all the adults from Rowans miserable behavior. It didn't last forever though. The rest of the day would be more complaints about how the food was different and that there was no TV. Bedtime though was the worst part of the day. Roku and Aeron would go right to bed, with Lily still insisting on sleeping with her mother. Rowan however was at his worst. He would scream and cry over his tablet not being here and missing his dad, Ari's heart was breaking and she couldn't help but wonder if this had been a mistake. She knew Rowan would struggle, had she done this for him or for herself? Slowly things started to get better one day at a time. Surprisingly what helped the most was having their cat Milo there. What had been a decision made in a moment of panic by Aang had been the little bit of stability the children desperatly needed. Milo had always had a deep bond with the children and all three were taking great comfort in his presence. Zuko on the other hand was not Milo's biggest fan. That demon cat clearly adored Ari, but Zuko was tired of it growling and hissing everytime he touched his wife.
After a week bedtime stopped being a knock out drag out fight with Rowan. Two weeks in he stopped begging to see his daddy. Three weeks in and the kids were getting more comfortable with Zuko. Four weeks in and they were finally able to all leave the house together. Their first big debut as a family would be at the end of the next week for Aang and Katara's wedding. But first they would have to get through the world summit leading up to it.