When I finally broached the subject of the idea to build a new city for all nations to come and lived as they wished, I was right when there was an initial shockwave of horror at such a supposedly ludicrous suggestion, but with Aang and all my friends' help, we calmed everyone down before we all began to explain the benefits to this new venture. It took hours, but most of the leaders were on board and the resistance against it gradually dwindled the more we argued our case. It took a while, but finally we were getting somewhere.

"And where exactly do you plan to build this band new city of yours?" One of the most cantankerous and infuriatingly stubborn ministers demanded to know, so I stood up to answer.

"Four years ago when former Fire Lord Ozai began his final invasion of the Earth Kingdom, he used Sozin's comet to amplify his power and began to burn from the coast all the way inland along with his fire benders." I reminded everyone, holding up my hands in light gestures so that I looked relaxed and comfortable speaking to so many dignitaries. "The land is scorched and nothing will grow back for many years. I propose we build there, providing that we are given permission by his majesty, Earth King Kuei, to do so. I acknowledge that this is a hugely presumptuous request, as it would require giving away the land entirely so that it is no longer part of the Earth Kingdom, so I would like to make it known that this is not a demand, merely a suggestion unless other options are put forward."

"Why does the Avatar not just make his own new land? Surely he could do that." Losing my diplomatic politeness momentarily, I just deadpanned at the guy who'd spoken, looking at him like he was a complete moron.

"You want the Avatar to just…lift land out of the ocean and build a city on it?" I repeated before placing my hand on my hip and resting my hand on the table, leaning over as I continued to address the guy who'd spoken. "Are you an idiot? Aang's powerful sure, but to just make a new country is something else entirely. Besides, trying to raise the seafloor up above water level with have devastating consequences from the sheer size it would have to be to accommodate what we need to build. Not only will it affect the natural habitats of the sea creatures, but we're talking tidal waves, earthquakes, entire islands shifting and possibly collapsing…and you want him to just make another country?!"

At my blunt response, Sokka and a great many others laughed whilst the rest looked offended by my tone. This was exhausting. I need a nap real soon otherwise I'm just going to get all the more irritable. "What my good friend Kayo is trying to say is, asking Aang to earth bend a new country out of the ocean is too dangerous and risky." Katara translated more effectively, standing up and placing her hand on my shoulder. "Our goal is to create a place where all can live in harmony and have balance to return to the world, but we need the help and support of everybody here to accomplish that."

"Indeed." I agreed, recovering myself and returning to being eloquent and political. "We understand that this is something that has never been done before, but Avatar Aang has already said that this is a new world we're moving into, and to resist is to only draw upon chaos. Help us build the future that we need to ensure that future generations, our children and grandchildren, can grow up in without fear of there ever being another war, where the balance of the world is stable and they can be assured of a life of complete cultural and personal freedom. This is a new age, let's move towards it together." Satisfied with my rhetoric, Katara and I sat down as Sokka gave me a secret thumbs up as Aang stood and took over, driving forwards in order to finally get everybody on our side.

King Kuei requested time to think and deliberate over whether or not to allow us to take over the burned lands that had not been lived on in the past four years, so the meeting adjourned and was scheduled to resume in a few days. I slumped in my chair with a groan, feeling like I needed a nice long bath and maybe a massage or two. "You're doing great, honey." Dad said to me as he got up from his seat and came over to me, rubbing my head as I naturally reached up my hand in order to hold his, giving him a smile. "You never cease to amaze me. How did a washed up old sea-goat like me ever manage to have such a smart, clever daughter?"

"You're way cleverer than you give yourself credit for dad. After all, you spent over twenty years fighting in a war and leading people to cause havoc and mayhem for both the Fire Nation and all those pirates. Uncle Kainon told me stories about some of your crazy but ingenious tactics. I'm just developing on the brains you and mom gave me." Laughing deeply, dad leaned down in order to kiss my head. I smiled contentedly, always thinking how lucky I was that I now knew my father and just how amazing it was to have such a strong, dependable presence in your life. Other than Iroh, no one ever came close to a real father who loved me so much I couldn't help but feel good about myself.

As dad was making a fuss over me like the gooey soft touch he was deep down inside, making Hakoda tease him for being like that only around me and his wife, I noticed Zuko starting to come over. He was looking at Sokka, so I figured he wanted to talk to him, but I knew if my dad caught sight of Zuko approaching, he'd just go wild with defensive anger and probably try and attack Zuko right there and then. Urgently I began to tap my foot in a pattern, catching Toph's attention as she felt the vibrations and listened to them before she quickly got up and cut Zuko off, grabbing him in order to lead him away with an excuse so that my dad didn't catch sight. I then tapped out a thank you, sighing with relief.

"Why did Toph suddenly go over to Zuko like that?" Katara asked me in a whisper, knowing not to mention his name in front of my father.

"Toph and I both learned a special code. They use it in the Fire Nation military to communicate without using words, to give signals, directions or orders by using either flashes of light or sounds in a pattern. We both learned it, so when I need to get a message to Toph without talking, I can communicate with her by tapping my foot. Most of the time I just make comments about people I can't say out loud, like Minister Jing's beard dipping into his ink pot without him knowing. That's why Toph laughs sometimes just out of the blue." I explained to Katara before then adding that I'd told Toph to get Zuko away from my dad, unless she wanted there to be a bloodbath.

"That's amazing, I didn't know something like that existed. Maybe we should all try and learn it, it could be useful." Promising to teach her at some point, we both then grabbed the others and left in order to get some food and rest. I fell asleep pretty quickly, napping for about an hour or so under the sunlight for warmth. Then I spent the rest of the day being lazy with my mother, telling her all about the meeting and listening to some of her suggestions and advice.

"Would you want to live in a united city mom?" I asked her and she paused in brushing my hair to think.

"That would depend on your father. If this plan really does go ahead and you have to leave home in order to help build the city, then I think your father and I would come with you. Otherwise we wouldn't see you for years and years. It would have to be a family discussion, but I think Koda wouldn't want to be apart from you for so many years either. Now, tell me about that boy of yours and what's been happening."

"You noticed?"

"I'm your mother, I see everything." She teased me with a smile, nuzzling my head before continuing to brush my hair even though it was already as straight as can be. I just liked the gentle sensation of it being brushed.

"It's not as bad as I thought it would be. We've spent some time together both alone and with all our friends. I don't feel like strangling him so much anymore, so that's something. I just feel sad now whenever I see him, and there's a hundred different things that go through my mind all at once and I can't get any of them straight." Talking to mom always made me feel better because I knew I could be completely honest and she'd never get mad, or upset, or overemotional. She'd just sit quietly and listen to me unload before talking it through with me. She'd never broached the subject before know, probably because she knew until now, I hadn't been ready to talk.

"Perhaps you feel so strongly towards Zuko because you still have deep feelings for him. It's always more painful when you love someone and they're the cause of your suffering. Just think how I couldn't even talk to you about your father after you were born, not even to tell you his name." Mom said with a little regret, setting the brush down in her lap so I turned around in order to hold her hand.

"Mom, part of the reason for that was so that I wouldn't go off bragging about my Water Tribe dad to a bunch of Fire Nation citizens. We were at war, and if people found out about us then they would have locked us up as traitors. You did it to protect me, and I understood just how much you missed him, so it's okay. We're together now so all that doesn't matter." She sniffed softly, wiping a tear away before smiling in agreement.

"You're right. My Kayo, you're so clever and wise." Since everybody seems to say it, I guess it must be true. "Anyway, back to my point. When you love someone, and you end up being hurt because of them, whether intentionally or unintentionally, you feel the pain far more deeply because of your attachment. After going through so much with Zuko, being rescued by him, protected by him, becoming a fugitive with him, escaping war and danger, learning to live with nothing but each other, then finding safety in Ba Sing Se and starting a new life with one another alongside his uncle…you weren't just family Kayo, you were kindred spirits, and that's why you feel the way you do. That kind of love and emotion, you can't just bury it. It's going to take many more years before it fades away, but I think you don't want it to, and that's why you're still holding onto everything." I just looked at her.

"I guess I know where I got the ancient wisdom from, then." She laughed lightly before reaching up with both hands to frame my face, looking at me intently.

"It's okay to admit that you still have feelings for someone Kayo, but you don't have to dive head first right back into them. I bet that's also what scares you, and that's why you're resisting everything. You'd rather stand still than try to move forwards and risk falling back. That's just the kind of person you are until something overwhelming urges you to take that step forward, like when you joined sides with the Avatar. When it comes to you, it has to be something worth the risk of being hurt, otherwise you won't allow yourself to be moved." Of course my mother would know me so well, no one in the entire world knew me better. Maybe I should have come to her in the first place.

"So what should I do?"

"You move slowly. It doesn't have to be giant leaps in order to move forwards, it can be just baby steps, like learning how to walk all over again. Start off from the beginning, and let the feelings naturally come back gradually over time. You'll find that as they return, you'll find yourself forgiving him more and more until eventually, you will be able to decide if you want to pursue your own feelings for him, or if you want to quietly walk away in friendship." Nestling against my mother, I lay my head down in her lap in order to think for a while and she started to play with and brush my hair again.

"I really was in love with him, wasn't I?"

"You think you would run halfway across the world to hide from him if you merely liked him?" My mother poked me teasingly. "If you just liked him, you would have yelled at him for a while before making up again. This is different."

"Do you think he still feels the same way?"

"It's hard to say. Maybe he taught himself to let go of those feelings so that he wouldn't hurt so much either. Maybe he does still love you but doesn't want to show it in case you run from him. Zuko is a sweet young man, you cannot blame him entirely for how lost and confused he used to be. From what you've told me, he hasn't had the easiest life." Humming in agreement, I closed my eyes in order to relax into the sensation of being comforted by my mother whilst also thinking things over until mom asked me one final question. "Do you want him to still love you?"

I was unable to answer, as I was uncertain myself.