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The Zutara Family

Summary: Following the struggles of Katara and Zuko as they have a family (nine kids) and Zuko decides with his taking the throne...

Rating: K+ or T

Major Characters: Katara (22), Zuko (24), and kids (oldest to youngest as they'll come): Heishui, Little Zuko (Lil' Z as kids call him), Zarina and Zerifina, Jailia, Kaelea, Annalea, Kiki, and Heziah.

Pairings: Katara/Zuko, Toph/Aang, and Sokka/Suki and family relationships

P.O.V.: Third Person Omniscient

Family Talk

"I'm going to go shopping, Aang," Toph said. "Re-stock on food and stuff."

Aang smiled. "'Kay, Baby."

Toph smirked. "You're cute."

"I know," he grinned back.

"Watch Tiani for me?" Toph asked. "Or else I can take her with me if you prefer."

Aang shook his head. "Nah--I'll watch her."

Toph smiled and gave him a kiss. "Thank you. Love you, too, by the way," she added the last part with humor in her voice.

She turned to leave, but Aang then playfully pulled her back by the arm. He put his hands on Toph's widened waist and kissed her forehead. "You tell that baby to behave now."

Toph laughed. "YOU tell. It's your baby."

Aang grinned playfully again. He kept his hands on her waist and knelt so he was level with Toph's swollen stomach. "Now you listen good to Daddy, okay?"

Toph laughed at her husband's still child-like ways.

"Be good for Mommy and no umping around. It makes her sick and nervous," Aang finished with a goofy grin. He then got a twinkle in his eyes and lifted her shirt, planting a playful raspberry kiss on her belly.

"Ah!" Toph squealed and threw her arms around her husband, who picked her up. "Aang!" she giggled and pounded his back lightly. "Aang, let me down!"

Aang laughed in retuen and let his wife down on her feet. "You're bad!" she giggled.

"And I love you, too," Aang mocked teasingly.

Toph smiled. "I'm going to take off now. Keep an eye on Tiani, okay?"

Aang nodded. "I will. Don't worry about it." He paused, then called after her, "Love you, Toph!"

"You, too, Baby."

"Hey!" Aang smiled. "That's MY nickname!"

Toph stuck out her tongue in return, then left. But it wasn't long before she left than that Zuko showed up behind Aang, who was holding Tiani and talking to her.

Zuko didn't say anything. He was watching the scene and imagining this with his own little girl or boy. The relationship Aang had with Tiani was cute and just what he wanted. Toph also had a great relationship with her daughter he knew Katara would have. She wouldn't be as stern and tough as Toph, but she would be stern when she would need to be.

He broke the silence by clearing his throat, and Aang turned around. "Oh, hey Zuko," he greeted, setting Tiani down, who grabbed her daddy's leg. "What, uh..is everything okay?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, fine. Katara's just sleeping."

Aang played with Tiani's long hair. "Need anything?"

"No," Zuko shrugged. "Where's Toph?"

"Shopping," Aang replied, tying his daughter's long black hair into a ponytail.

"Can I, uh, ask you something?" Zuko asked, sitting on a nearby chair.

"Sure," Aang shrugged, sitting on his and Toph's bed with Tiani in his lap, who was twirling and playing with her hair. "You can ask me anything."

Zuko looked at Tiani. "Not to be rude or anything, but how do you manage her? You and Toph both?"

Aang shrugged. He understood the question. Tiani was, being blind like her mother, sometimes very difficult to managed. "We try. You know what type of a mother Toph is. She manages Tiani very well. I think sometimes better than me most times." He paused, then looked up. "Why ask?"

Zuko just sighed. "I was just thinking about--"

"Katara?" Aang asnwered. "Nervous, huh?"

Zuko gave an odd look. "Is it that obvious?"

"Don't worry about it," Aang waved it off and started bouncing Tiani on his right knee, her hands wrapped around his index fingers. "I was nervous when Toph told me she was pregnant with Tiani. And I'm pretty sure that Sokka's nerves are knocking about with Suki."

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say I am."

Aang gave the Firebender a look. "You guess?"

"I am," Zuko smirked. "Happy?"

Aang grinned. "What do you want to know? I can tell you anything you want."

Zuko searched his mind. "Well...anything. I mean, how's Katara going to be throughout all this? What'll happen when the baby comes? I mean--the basic stuff."

Aang nodded. "Well, Katara will be going through moods--you've been around Toph enough before Tiani to know that..."

Zuko nodded. He knew that all too well. But Katara being even more moody than usual was a scary thought.

"And don't worry about when the baby come. Worry about THAT when it's time," Aang finished off.

"That all?"

Aang shrugged. "Eh--the rest'll come to you, don't worry." He smirked. "You'll get those fatherly instincts kicking in no time."

Zuko looked back at Tiani and smiled. "Same advice you gave to Sokka?"

Aang laughed. "Pretty much. Except he was more--well, he just asked a LOT more questions. You know how he is."

Zuko uttered a laugh of his own. "I can only imagine, yeah. Thanks anyway. I'm gonna go check on her."

He started to leave when Aang stopped him and said, "Also, your worry instincts will kick in. Just a little reminder for you on that note."

Zuko just shook his head, then grinned, "I think they already have."

JayJay