A/N: Pals, sorry if this chapter is a little short. I wanted to put something out as soon as I could. Until things change, monthly updates seem to be the norm. Life is still wild. But, thank you all for the reviews!
Shuffling the wood around the campfire with a stick, Hakoda looked out across the ocean. His attention was brought back to the present as Bato came to sit down beside him.
"Hey Bato, was there anything interesting that arrived with the messenger hawk today?," Hakoda asked coolly.
Bato's mouth up turned into a little smile as he responded to his longtime friend, " Oh yes, there is a lot of interesting mail for you here. There's a letter from Firelord Zuko."
Hakoda's breath caught in his throat as Bato paused for a moment. The Chieftain's heart beat a little faster in these few moments waiting. He watched intensely as pieces of paper rustled in between his friend's fingers. Finally, Hakoda exhaled at Bato's next words.
"Oh, and you have something from Katara," Bato announced with a beaming smile.
Hakoda took the letter handed to him by Bato. Now with two pieces of mail, Hakoda decided to read Zuko's first to soften any difficult information. He hesitated for a moment before opening the letter enclosed in fancy Fire Nation stationary. Hakoda gazed down at the words written on ink in the letter. He cleared his throat before beginning to read aloud.
"Dear Chieftain Hakoda,
I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to write to personally invite you to the Fire Nation for the reunification ceremony. All nations will be represented. I know that I can not take back the pain and suffering I, and my nation, have caused to your family and tribe, but I hope to rebuild the world. I would be honored to discuss it together in person, as I could use your wisdom. I have already learned so much from Sokka and Katara about the scale of destruction, and what needs to happen to attempt to make amends to your tribe and the rest of the nations. The bravery and courage displayed by your children can not be underestimated. We could not have defeated Lord Ozai without them. I will make sure there will be time for you and your children to meet. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance with your travel. I truly hope you and your tribe come for the ceremony to celebrate this new dawn.
Sincerely,
Fire Lord Zuko"
The last words in Zuko's letter hung in the air for a few moments. The weight of the finality in the statement, that the strife of the past was really gone, was still a shock to Hakoda and Bato. Hope really is upon the world after living in the darkness for so long. A future that once seemed to be a dream was now a stark reality.
Hakoda's weary eyes look down at the envelope from Katara. He tore it open, feeling a mixture of relief and anticipation.
"Dear Dad,
I know Zuko is writing you, but I wanted to write you as well. Everyone is recovering now but doing fine. Sokka broke his leg in the fight and has been asking me constantly for healing sessions. He can be so annoying. Times like this I wish he didn't know I was a healer. I hope you're coming to the palace for the ceremony. I can tell you more about the battle in person. I've never felt so tired and relieved before in my life. I miss you and Gran Gran so much, send me her love. I have to go now, I'm being fitted for new robes by Zuko's tailor. Aang just came from the tailer with his new airbender robes, so it's my turn. Sokka has been eating nonstop, and Toph spends most of her time outside in the garden away from people. So weirdly, things are pretty much the same. Hope to see you soon!
Love,
Katara"
Tears well in Hakoda's eyes as finishes reading the letter. He turned to look at Bato, who was also sitting in pensive silence. His old friend spoke, "I'm really happy they made it back safe and sound. I know I've said it before, but you really have great kids, Hakoda. They changed the world for the better, not many parents can say that."
Hakoda half-smiled, mindful of keeping the emotions within him at bay. He swallowed hard, "I know, I'm still not used to it. I would never think that my son would break me out of an inescapable prison. I always knew he was a warrior, and smart, but no parents expect their children to save them at this age. Seems like just yesterday he was this wobbly baby just learning to walk. I still want to be the one to save them. I guess, it just kind of makes me feel useless now."
Bato's demeanor changed quickly to that of disgust, "Hakoda, how could you say that? Yes, they saved the world, but they're still your children. When I met them on the shores of the Mo Ce Sea, I saw how much they lighted up at the mere mention of your name. Kids are always going to need their parents, no matter what they accomplish."
Hakoda's despondency lessened, as a genuine smile shone through.
His friend continued to speak with a smirk, "And besides, who do you think they'll need to babysit when they have kids of their own?"
The Chieftain groaned and pretended to swipe at Bato, "Okay, I get it. I'm going to enjoy this time as much as possible. You win." They both bust out into laughter as the sun began to set over the icy land.
The next day, Hakoda walked to the hut where his mother and Pakku resided. He felt the chill of the air against his skin for the first time in years. Being away from home for so long had made him grow accustomed to warmer weather. After a knock on the door, Hakoda was more than happy to enter the warm hut and leave the snowy weather.
Leaning down to hug his mother, warmth returned to his face. They broke apart after a few moments. Hakoda then hugged Pakku. He stood there next to his mother and his now step-father for a moment before sitting down on the couch draped in furry blankets. Kanna walked to the kitchen and promptly returned to the living room. She bent down to place an assortment of cookies and hot tea on the oval, wooden table. The weathered smile on Kanna's face made Hakoda happy. His mother rarely smiled. Having grown up watching many of her friends taken away by the Fire Nation, to becoming a widow, and then seeing her daughter-in-law also taken by the Fire Nation, she did not have many reasons to smile. To see this softness in his mother, after so much of life had hardened her, delighted him.
"So, have you heard from Sokka and Katara?" his mother asked as she sipped her tea.
Hakoda instantly smiled and answered, "Yes, they're safe and staying with Prince...well, he's Fire Lord Zuko now, until the coronation next week. Sokka broke his leg during the battle, but he's healing fast with Katara's help. I could hear her annoyance with Sokka in the letter, so I think they're doing well."
Kanna and Pakku beamed at each other with big smiles before Kanna looked at her son. "And the Avatar...how is he?"
Hakoda finished eating a cookie as he looked at his mother, "He's safe and uninjured, I've been told. Apparently, he's going to give a speech at the coronation as well."
Pakku snorted, "As he should. A child like that, taking down Ozai? Aang deserves as much. I can only imagine how much his bending will grow. I've never seen such raw power."
Hakoda and Kanna nodded in agreement as they nibbled on cookies, taking in what it all means to be in a world with probably one of the greatest Avatars of all time.
Kanna cleared her throat before looking at her son, a twinkle in her eye, "The last time I saw Katara, she was leaving her home to travel with that boy. I imagine they're pretty close now?"
Hakoda's heart nearly stopped as he heard this question. He stammered as he replied, "Uh, um. I guess they are close. The only time I really saw them together was after he woke up from a coma, but they seemed to be friendly."
Pakku gave Hakoda a knowing smirk. Kanna's smile changed to a slight frown, "Don't tell me you don't see it?"
Hakoda gave a long sigh, "Of course I see it. But there was a war going on, so I didn't give it much thought. Katara hasn't mentioned anything, I hope she would tell me if they became more than friends."
Kanna placed her delicate hand on her son's, with a reassuring smile on her face, "I know she would she tell you. You're the most important person in her life. Don't forget that."
Hakoda lightly squeezed his mother's hand as his eyes began to water. He blinked the tears away and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in his mother's home, finally safe and sound.
From the large ship on the dock, Hakoda waved goodbye to his mother and Pakku. He insisted they join him, to see the four nations finally unified for the first time in over 100 years, but they refused. Their reason, not wanting to travel so far, didn't make much sense to him. He couldn't understand it at first, but he gradually came to respect it.
Hakoda wondered if their age made traveling more difficult as he stowed luggage away safely in the ship. He chided him for a moment at not realizing that was probably the real reason for their refusal. As he walked to the bow of the ship, hands gripped on the wood, he chuckled to himself for feeling like a naive child briefly. After everything he had faced and experienced in his life, there were still many lessons to be learned.
The few brisk and sunny days sailing came and went. Suddenly, the weather became hot and humid. Hakoda knew they were in the Fire Nation. The reds and blacks on the horizon as he steered the ship into port made him initially clench his fist before relaxing his hand as he remembered what all had happened.
Bato, who was beside him, laughed with joy in his eyes, "I know, I did it, too. We'll have to get used to this new world." Hakoda nodded in agreement as his friend put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The ship docked and one by one, Hakoda, Bato, and dozens of people from the Southern Water Tribe made their way to the shore.
Almost thirty minutes later, they approached the Fire Nation palace. Hakoda was taken aback by all of the people, different nations, united again. He had always hoped for this. And while his hope never wavered, the brute reality of a 100 year war chipped away at the possibility of seeing an end to the war every passing year. His face was calm, but inside, emotions wanted to burst forth. The beginning of something amazing, the ending of nonstop genocide, all made more possible because of his children. Every day he became more and more proud of them and wished Kya was watching, wherever she was.
Two familiar faces in blue clothing rushed towards Hakoda.
"Dad!"
"Dad!"
A smile bursts through Hakoda's face as he immediately embraces his children, "I heard what you two did. I am the proudest father in the world." He turns to look at Katara, "And your mother would be proud, too." Tears of joy roll down Katara's cheeks as she touches her necklace.
Sokka breaks away from his family to meet Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors.
Katara and Hakoda smile at Sokka as he excitedly joins the Kyoshi Warriors. Hakoda looks at his daughter with a hint of concern on his face as he puts a hand on her shoulder, "How was it? The battle?"
Katara places her hand on her father's, giving him a solemn look, "It was...different. I wasn't scared or anything, but the pressure was different, you know? Like, if somehow Azula won, it could've all been over. It it would've been my fault."
He shook his head, "Hey, part of fighting is not dwelling on what could have been. You'll drive yourself crazy like that. The past can't be changed, and worrying about the what-ifs is pointless. Now, you just have to focus on what's next."
Katara nods with a weak smile, "I guess you're right. It's so strange to think that for almost a year I wanted to fight Zuko and he ends up saving me. And then I save him."
His eyebrows raised in surprise, "He saved you? Well, I guess things really have changed. I'm grateful for that. I owe him a thank you." They embrace and Hakoda asks as they break apart, "How's Aang holding up?"
She blushed and cleared her throat, looking at the ground before looking back at her dad with a smile, "He's good. He was pretty tired for a while after fighting Ozai, but he was so brave! I'm so proud of him. Are you coming to the Jasmine Dragon with us after the ceremony? You should talk with Aang, I know he'd love to catch up."
Hakoda's suspicion was shaken away and replaced by generous curiosity, "Oh, does he now? Any reason?"
Katara's cheeks flushed pink as she replied, "No, it's just that he's pretty much part of the family and you haven't really gotten a chance to get to know each other." Her eyebrow raised while placing her hands on her hips, "Is that a problem?"
Her father laughed heartily, "No, Katara, it's not a problem. But, I do have to help everyone find our quarters and eat, the tribe has had a long trip. I'll come by for dinner and talk with Aang then, how's that sound?"
Katara's face lit up as she pulled her dad in for a tight hug, "Thank you, Dad!"
The joy on Hakoda's face was bittersweet. With the whole world changed, he selfishly wanted things with his family to stay the same. But he saw the look on his daughter's face whenever Aang is mentioned as well as the way Aang looked at her. His thoughts on what it all could mean were interrupted as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. He looked up at the stage to see Zuko and Aang standing side by side.
The sinking feeling in Hakoda's stomach became heavier as he turned to look at his daughter, who was completely transfixed by Aang. What was once only suspicions, seemed to become real at this moment, even without words being said. Hakoda shook away this feeling, instead of trying to focus on Aang's speech. This is a moment in history that he wanted to fully take in, never to be forgotten. Dealing with his daughter and Aang could wait until dinner.
A/N: Okay, this was officially the last canon chapter! Next chapter will be more Kataang focused.