Chapter 28

Sokka had decided to stay with his father the night they returned to Ba Sing Se. They had stayed up rather late talking and he thought Katara and Zuko may appreciate the privacy. It wasn't like he needed any now that Suki had gone home. Not that he had thought she wouldn't have. It had been more than a year since her warriors had been captured and almost two since she'd been home. Before they had parted ways in Omashu they had had a long conversation about their relationship. Lying on a bed roll in the front room of his father's apartment, Sokka contemplated the sad state of his love life. As he considered what they had talked about, a foot kicked him hard in the shin.

"Boy am I glad to have another place to crash tonight. My poor feet don't need to see what's happening up there right now. What's keeping you up anyway? You're usually the first one to pass out."

Sokka looked over at Toph and scratched his scruffy chin. She had sought refuge away from what she assured him was a nightmare for third party viewing.

"Just thinking about Suki. I wasn't surprised she didn't come with you. We pretty much ended things in Omashu." Toph was quiet so long after that Sokka sat up and checked to see if she was still awake.

"You guys have been together forever. What happened all of a sudden? I mean, I know she was getting a little grouchy those last few months but we've all been pretty stressed out lately." She sat up and leaned against her knees. Her hair was loose and hung down her back to the floor. It was so rarely down, Sokka forgot how long it was. Almost as long as Katara's. Thinking about his soon to be married sister reminded him what they'd been talking about in the first place.

"My baby sister is getting married. If everything goes the way we want it too she will be Fire Lady one day. I think eventually I will take over for dad as chief, at least that was always the plan. Suki... well she is the leader of the Kyoshi warriors. She has important responsibilities there that she can't just walk away from and I could never stay there with her. Maybe I won't take over after dad, but either way I know I don't want to stay on Kyoshi island for the rest of my life. I mean, there isn't anything for me there. I'd never ask her to follow me and she said she didn't want to limit me to Kyoshi. Neither of us know what's going to happen in the future but, we decided it would be best to end things now before something happened." Toph laughed, obviously understanding what he'd meant.

"Katara's got you spooked huh?" Sokka shrugged and fell silent. "You know, if you are gonna answer me it has to be verbal meat head." She waved her hand in front of her face and Sokka laughed at his mistake.

"Sorry. Ya I guess when we found out Katara was pregnant it was kind of like, what would we do if it had been us. I know I want a family someday but it just made us think about… well us. Made us realize we don't have the same goals. It sucks but… it was for the best." Sighing, he drug his hands across his face. Toph wore an odd look but said nothing. He reached over and tugged on a lock of her hair. "Anyway what are you gonna do while we're all stuck here. From what dad said it sounds like we may be here a while."

Toph sighed dramatically and flopped back on the bedroll, yanking all of her hair back and out if Sokka's reach.

"I think I'll teach metalbending again. It might be useful when we try and take out Sparky's crazy old man again. Speaking of Zuko, how do you think he's taking the news that his kid is going to be the next Avatar?" She was laughing now and after a moment Sokka joined her.

"All I know is the Spirits have one hell of a sense of humor. I would love to know what Aang thinks of all this. He was so sweet on my sister, and now his next incarnation is gonna call her mommy." He pictured Aang moping in the Spirit world and remembered how his relationship with Zuko had changed too. "It's so ironic. Zuko spent so long looking for the Avatar, turns out all he had to do was sleep with my sister. Do you think Aang will ever Avatar state speak through this kid? I hope so. What an awkward conversation. I hope I'm there when it happens."

As the laughter died down, Sokka thought about how dangerous this could be for them. If Ozai somehow discovered who his niece or nephew was, Sokka didn't want to think about the consequences. They needed to finish Ozai and this war. It was the only way any of them would ever truly be safe.

A week had passed as they prepared what they could for a water tribe wedding in an earth kingdom city. Katara knew they had to blend in with the other earth kingdom refugees so as not to raise suspicion, but she still wanted her family together. Her gran gran had somehow had the foresight to bring the ceremonial marriage blankets but she missed the freedom to celebrate properly. Still, she had Zuko back, her immediate family would be there, and in a little over four months they'd welcome their first child. She was happy.

Then Zuko told her one morning that he and Sokka were taking off again.

"What do you mean you two are leaving? Where are you going? You just got back and our marriage blessing is only three days away." He lept backwards as the floor began to freeze beneath his feet as she advanced on him in a fury "I swear Zuko, if you've changed your mind I'll," she paused when he raised his hands out in front of himself and started talking again.

"Katara, I'm sorry. That came out wrong. Please, calm down." If the look on his face was any indication, it was clear he regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Katara felt her whole body heat with outrage at the comment. What man without a death wish told an angry pregnant women to calm down? He backtracked quickly. "Look Katara, we aren't actually leaving. Sokka and I are just leaving the city proper. There's something we need to take care of, for the blessing actually. I promise, I'm not leaving you again." She was still frowning but the temperature had risen noticeably when Zuko approached again and took her face in his hands. "We'll only be gone two days at the most. Master Pakku is coming as well." Katara opened her mouth to question again but he silenced her with another kiss. "No I can't tell you what we're doing, but I promise you'll like it." She finally relented and wrapped her arms around him.

After they had gone, Katara went to find Toph for a spar.

Ever since their late night convention that first night Sokka had been back, Toph had felt rather unlike herself. Jumpy and less sarcastic. Way back when she had first met Sokka she had had something of a crush on him. She had been only 12 and he had gotten together with Suki not long after so she had packed away the feelings. Now that he was single again, and she older, the feelings started making themselves known. It was uncomfortable and inconvenient. Sokka was her best friend and she was still technically a child for another year and a half. She decided it would be best to just squash them down again. When Sokka came to her a week later to ask her to occupy Katara again, she knew she'd made the right choice. They were friends, anything else would be awkward.

Toph had made Sokka tell exactly what their plan was before she agreed to keep Katara distracted and in the city while they were gone. It was admittedly one of their better ideas, so she had gone along with it. Katara had been angry at being left again but it had fizzled after a short stomp through town. Unfortunately for her she tired more easily now despite the unusual extra bending power. They had settled for a stop by Iroh's tea shop. Even though Iroh and the White Lotus were the de facto ruling government until King Kuei could be found, he still found time for his tea.

The gray haired general brought them their tea and told Katara not to worry before rushing off. Haunched over her steaming drink, Katara didn't speak.

"What's wrong Sweetness? They'll be back in two days and then it will be all happy wedded bliss."

Katara huffed and sipped her tea.

"I know. I'm just irritated at being left behind again and… well I may have overreacted a little. I'm not sorry for being mad though." Toph chuckled and leaned back in her chair. Boy was she going to laugh about this later. Her smugness must have given something away because Katara sat up again.

"You know what they're up to don't you! Tell me Toph!" The indignation in her voice only made Toph laugh more.

"No can do mamma. Your brother and your man both swore me to secrecy. Unknot your bindings, drink your hot leaf juice and relax." Katara practically growled but Toph ignored her. "After we're done here we can head to a bathhouse. It's so dang cold, I don't know about you but I could really go for a hot soak."

They spent the next two days drinking tea and enjoying an upper ring bathhouse.

Nearly two days later, they were sitting in the Jasmine Dragon again when Sokka and Zuko got back. She knew it was them by the sound of their steps and by the way Katara's heartbeat stuttered.

"Oh good you're back." Toph stood and met Sokka halfway across the shop, punching him in the arm. "How'd it go?"

Zuko had gotten to Katara by then and it sounded like she had forgotten about her anger. With a off putting wet smacking sound he turned away from her and spoke next next. "Perfectly. Katara, we're not getting married here the city. That's what we were doing. We were out at lake Laogai. It's far enough from the city that no one will notice if a large group of refugees gather there." Katara gasped.

"You mean the whole tribe will be there? What were you doing out there for two days?"

Sokka spoke up next. "You mean besides freezing our butts off? Working so hard baby sister. I really am pretty great." Toph stepped on his foot. "Ow! ok ok. It wasn't just us. It took that long to get everyone there without people wondering where all the foreign looking refugees were going together. We're due back tomorrow." Katara ran over and threw her arms around her brother. "Ya ya I love you too. It was Zuko's idea anyway. We had plenty of time while we were freezing up north to talk about all of our tribes customs and he thought there wasn't any reason we shouldn't do this right." Zuko had joined them where they stood in the middle of the shop by the time Katara spoke again.

"Thank you Zuko, but shouldn't we be honoring your culture too? You are a prince of the Fire Nation after all." He laughed and kissed her.

"We are refugees in the Earth kingdom and the only other fire nation person here is my uncle. A fire nation royal wedding is lots of pomp and dress and loads of fire sages. That world is lost to me right now but your whole tribe is here with us. I want to do this for you." Toph couldn't see their faces but assumed they were staring obnoxiously into each others eyes and likely about to kiss again. Deciding to avoid another disgusting auditory episode, she interrupted.

"Ok you two. Let's go get Gran gran and get this over with." She headed out of the shop first so they wouldn't see her smile. After all the heartache and violence of the past months, years really, it was nice to be able to focus on something as silly as a wedding. At least there was some happiness in the world still.