The new day dawned and Leiko's eyes opened slowly and analyzed the room she was in. The way the sun was shining in she determined it was a few hours after dawn. She pushed back the covers and slipped out of the bed, letting Zuko's limp arm slide off of her waist. She turned back and touched his cheek gently before walking over to the armoire and taking out her clothes. She got dressed and walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her to let Zuko sleep.

Then she immediately walked into the baby's room and over to the basket. "Good morning my little…" but she stopped when she noticed that Reina wasn't in the basket! She lifted up the blanket and looked around the room with a hand on her chest. Where was her baby? She ran out of the room and up to the deck, but there was no one there. Next she ran into the bunk of the ship, and there was still no one. So she ran into the mess hall and saw Iroh there. "Iroh…!" she burst in, "The baby!" Iroh chuckled and turned around, showing Leiko the infant in his arms. Leiko sighed of relief and walked over to him. "If you're going to remove Reina from her basket, at least let me know." Leiko asked of him. Iroh chuckled more.

"Oh Leiko…you're more like a mother than I expected. You show strong protection, everything a mother needs." Leiko smiled and gently touched Reina's little head. "How has Zuko been taking to it?" Leiko's face turned into a frown.

"He says he can handle it, but I have my doubts. Last night we were up with the baby for a few hours…he didn't seem to understanding." And she sighed, "I always pictured Zuko as a good father. All he's been doing is proving me wrong. I wish he would take a liking to Reina, but he hasn't seem to."

"Give it time. Prince Zuko is afraid of change. He has always been afraid of change."

"I can't really see Zuko afraid of anything." Leiko said and tilted her head.

"Everyone has fears, Leiko." And then Iroh sighed, "I never thought I'd see the day when Zuko would get married. I only prayed that it would come…and I couldn't have asked for anyone better for him to marry. I knew his heart belonged to you Leiko." Leiko smiled at her new uncle. "I knew it from the day he first spoke of you as a child. I've watched him grow, and grow bitter and angry, but I've also watched his love grow. His love for you. It makes me a bit misty you know? He seems so hard, but deep down, if anything happened to you he would never forgive himself."

"I'd feel the same way."

"And now…he's married and," and Iroh chuckled again and tickled Reina's belly, making her giggle. "I have a grandchild." He said with delight. Leiko grinned and Iroh handed the baby to her. "I am ever so happy for you. Two people who didn't even known love came together and let it flourish. The gods have been watching you, Leiko."

"I doubt the gods have been watching over an assassin." She said.

"But you're so much more Leiko. You have a gift. It has all come so naturally to you. The gods have some special plan for you…that's the only explanation. Something supreme that no one else can do." And he placed a hand on her shoulder. "A daughter, a wife, a mother…but also a warrior. That's a gift, Leiko Sikari."

"What's a gift?" Prince Zuko asked as he walked into the mess hall.

"Nothing, just this beautiful baby that you can now call your own." Iroh stated, as if he was trying to convince his nephew that things weren't as bad as they seemed. Zuko just walked in and kissed Leiko on the cheek

"I didn't know you left me this morning." He said. Leiko shrugged.

"I went to go check up on Reina." She apologized. Zuko just looked at the baby and then back up at Leiko.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked. But then a man walked in and called Leiko. Iroh left and Leiko went to follow.

"Not right now. But here…" and she handed Zuko the baby. He took her most unwillingly and grimaced a bit. "Take her and I'll be right back."

"But-" but Leiko ran off to the deck.

Zuko stood there with the baby in his arms. He wasn't used to the feeling of an infant's weight in his arms, and her slight squirming seemed foreign to him. Reina yawned and looked up at him. "Look at you," he started, "You're disgusting. You drool all over the place, you cry all the time, you…poop in your own pants. You're just about the most pathetic human I've ever seen." And the baby continued to look at him in awe. "What does Leiko find so attractive about you? You have a perfectly round head, plump cheeks and a chubby belly. And your chin is always covered in spit. Why would anyone want to adopt you?" and then the baby began to gurgle and make little noises at him. "Shut up." And the baby looked at him with sad eyes and broke out into a fit of crying and screaming!

"WWWWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" and his face changed to a surprised and disgusted look. He tried rocking her back and forth.

"Shhh! Please, be quiet! Please! Shhh!" but the baby didn't cease its tantrum. He had to think. "Okay, what does Leiko do when she cries?" he asked himself. He held the baby up and began to make funny faces. "Look at the funny face! C'mon, Reina!" he stuck his tongue out at wrinkled his nose. The baby looked scared and cried louder! Zuko put the baby over his shoulder and walked back and forth. "What's wrong? What's wrong?" he spoke to her, but her crying continued. But then the baby grabbed his ponytail and began to pull! "OUCH!" he complained and pulled the baby back in front of him, but Reina still had a firm grip on his hair! He pulled her further away from his head, but it only made the tugging worse! "Stop it!" he barked. "LEIKO!" he cried out for his wife. Luckily she came running back.

"What is it Zuko?" she asked, but then she saw the scene. She ran over and took Reina from Zuko, but she didn't let go of his hair! "Reina, let go of Daddy's hair!" she tried, but Reina didn't let go. Iroh walked in and started laughing heartily at what was happening. Reina finally let go and Leiko began to rock her back and forth. "Are you okay Zuko?"

"Why is she looking at me like that?" Zuko demanded, speaking of Reina. Leiko looked at the baby's face.

"I think she wants you to hold her." And she held the baby out to Zuko. But instead of going to him easily, Reina spit up all over him! Zuko jumped back and tried to wipe off the baby vomit from his tunic! "Oops."

"Leiko…THAT BABY HAS GOT TO GO!" Zuko bellowed. Leiko held onto the baby tight.

"WHAT?"

"She's done nothing but cause trouble! When we land on Kyoshi, I want you to leave her!"

"But we can't just do that! We're her parents! We made a commitment!"

"Wrong, you made a commitment! I didn't want anything to do with the baby!"

"I'm not leaving her on Kyoshi Island, Zuko!" Leiko argued back.

"That's an order!"

"You might be my husband, but that doesn't mean you are the boss of me! Reina is your daughter!" and Zuko got frustrated and pointed to Reina.

"THAT THING IS NOT MY CHILD!" and then there was silence. Iroh just loitered by the doorway, watching the scene play out. Zuko was breathing heavily. Tears were brimming in Leiko's eyes.

"If Reina goes…than I go with her."

"No you won't!"

"She need a mother, Zuko! I was given the responsibility, why can't you just accept it?" and she sighed. "I wanted us to be one happy family. Me, you and her. I've never had a family…and this was my chance. But you're being like your old self again…hateful." And she walked out of the room in tears with Reina in her arms. And as she did, Reina looked over Leiko's shoulder and reached out to Zuko.