A/N:

I'm back guys with more of our stories family. I plan to get into the story plot more once we've reached a certain point into the family's drama but for now, just light-hearted storytelling.

Chapter 3:

Most mornings he woke by himself in his room but this morning was one of those rare ones where he found he wasn't alone or in his bed. Not that it was an unsurprising turn of events. Ozai remembered the night before and how he got tingled in these sheets with Ami. It had been a while since he found himself beside someone he trusted so much. Ami was a good woman and he needed something good right now with all he was dealing with in his head. He knew he told Kya they were just friends but maybe he had just been lying to himself. Ami made him feel whole again and that was what he needed.

Rolling on his side, Ozai saw Ami was still asleep and caressed her face. She stirred a little and he smiled at her, receiving a smile in return.

"Morning." She rasped a little from having to scream in a pillow.

"Morning." He replied as he cupped the side of her face and looked her over. "Sleep well?"

Ami nodded and beamed at him, loving that he was more affectionate on this morning than he was the morning they first slept together.

"I'm going to get up and check on the children. I'll see you later." Ozai said as he kissed her and she returned it passionately.

As Ozai climbed out of bed, Ami smiled to herself as she dwelled under her sheets and wanted to shriek from how happy she was. Ozai finally seemed to show some real affection towards her and that's all she could have asked for. She had long since fallen for him and all she wanted was for him to fall for her too. They were made for each other. She just knew it.

Checking on Kya first, Ozai found her reading to her belly much like her mother used to. He was truly excited to meet his second grandchild and hoped they'd be healthy and well-mannered. Last thing this family needed were more kids that mirrored Katara or his attitudes. Ozai then went to check on Zhiar and Mailan and found they were out in the courtyard. Zhiar was practicing with his weaponry skills while Mailan watched, making bubbles for her brother to pop. He appreciated Zhiar being so involved with Mailan and entertaining her. He worried about having him out of prison due to his transgressions but he seemed to be cleaning up his act with Mailan and his mother around.

Ozai entered Katara's chambers after he didn't receive an answer from knocking. As he entered, the Phoenix King heard light sobbing coming from the balcony of Katara's bedroom. Her bed sheets were sprawled on the floor and dragged out to the balcony area. He wondered if it was her crying or something else. Did she have a nightmare or something?

Coming out on the balcony, Ozai saw Katara blowing her nose into her sheets. He raised a brow at her.

"Katara, what's wrong with you?"

Sniffling, the sobby waterbender shrugged. "I've been through a lot, Ozai. Sometimes I get a little depressed."

"I have a great physician for that. Currently has me on what he calls 'anti-depressants' you should try it." Ozai offered.

Katara shakes her head and wrapped her arms around herself as she turned around to face him. "So, how's Ami?"

"She's fine." He averted his eyes.

"You know, you should be more honest with us." Katara eyed him hard. "Unless you want things to get ugly."

Did Katara know about him an Ami? He hoped not. He wasn't ready to discuss that with her just yet. But his biggest concern was her sly threat she made.

Ozai narrowed his eyes at her, "You will not touch her, Katara. She's been through enough."

"So was it pity sex or do you have actual feelings for her?"

Speechless and not ready to have this conversation with her, Ozai walked out and scoffed. Katara flicked him off as he left.

….

"Why's mommy and daddy mad at each other?" Mailan asked Zhiar as he was tying a bow in her hair.

Shrugging his shoulders, "Don't know but I can tell you this, daddy most likely pissed off mommy."

Mailan sighed, "Daddy always makes people mad. Why?"

"Daddy has issues." Zhiar told her. "Serious issues."

Kya chuckled as she approached the two. She thought it was funny that Zhiar and Mailan had grown so close. Mailan noticed that Zhiar looked a lot like their father and bonded with him immediately and Zhiar said she looked like a small version of their mother. Seemed the two's affection for the opposite parent is what started the bond. Plus, Zhiar just seemed to be in one of his stable moods as of late.

Holding her round belly, Kya came to sit down on the steps to the courtyard with them.

"Kya, Zhiar said daddy made mommy mad. Is that true?" Mailan said.

Kya giggled and shrugged, "Who knows?"

"We all know he pissed her off." Zhiar groaned as he rolled his eyes.

It was likely but who could say for sur-

"Ozai, leave me be!" Katara shouted from the upstairs hallways, trying to flee her ex-husband as he was chasing her down the hallway.

"Just talk to me so we can settle this!" Ozai shouted after her.

Zhiar smirked at Kya. Rolling her eyes, Kya leaned back on her hands and sighed. Of course, their father pissed her off and she figured she had an idea how. I warned him.

Upstairs in her chambers, Katara was folding her clothes and throwing them into a trunk. Ozai finally caught up to her and barged in, stopping her from packing as he pulled her around her waist and bit her jaw. Growling at her in the process. She squirmed around and yelled for him to put her down but he refused.

"Let go of me! I'm going to see Zuko!"

"So you can revenge fuck him?!"

"So, I can take a break from you!" Katara screamed. "I need a fucking break before I snap!"

Letting her go, Ozai watched her breathe heavily as she turned around to scowl at him, shoving her finger up at his face.

"On our way here, you made it seem like you wanted me to earn the right to your side again! But really, you just wanted me to stick around while you test the waters with your princess bitch! Well, guess what, Ozai?! I deserve a fair and honest explanation for what the hell kind of shit you're pulling here!"

Ozai sighed, "I'm not pulling anything. I thought I wanted to fix things but-"

"But you saw her and you realized you didn't!" Katara yelled as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm the one that's hurt you, right? The one that's been banged up and scathed. The one with low-birth and lack the refinery of you highborns. I'm a weapon against you. A bruised and battered tool to make you weak. I've always have been, haven't I?" She looked away from him. "And she…she's like you. Royal blood, smart, flawless skin, and as poised as the most snooty of highborns. She makes you feel refreshed and young again. She's what you want…what you need right now and I'm just here because you pity me, right? Your children's mother that was raped and beaten in the North and then weaponized. You feel sorry for me."

As much as Ozai wanted to tell Katara she was wrong, he didn't know how to argue all the things she just said because the truth was, she was spot on and it hurt knowing she knew. She knew he wanted to save her and pitied her in the process. He loved her, yes, that would never change but Ami was a breath of fresh air to him and she was the kind of woman he needed by his side right now.

Katara went back to her trunk and started packing again. "I'll be back. I'm just leaving to get my head together and I'll be back once I've accepted you don't want me anymore."

"Kata-"

"Just leave me alone, Ozai. You're just making it more difficult for me."

"Very well." He gave into her request and stormed out of her chambers, slamming the door behind him.

Tears feel onto her clothes as she folded them. Katara didn't know what she was supposed to do. Ozai had never loved anyone but her in that way. Had he truly fallen out of love with her?

….

Zuko was very much happy to know Katara and his siblings were coming to stay with him for a few weeks. He liked having his entire family home in his palace. Made him feel accomplished in his family life. He had an entire feast prepared for his family and planned for them to celebrate their communion late into the night. The Fire Lord eagerly awaited at the steps of the palace for his family to exit the carriage.

Greeting Katara as soon as she reached the top of the stairs, Zuko hugged her tight and looked her over. She looked out of it and not to mention, smelled like booze. Covering his nose as Katara opened her mouth to say 'hello', the Fire Lord chuckled at her and signed for the servants to show her to her rooms. Zuko was then approached by his younger siblings, Mailan running pass him to go see Ryu while Zhiar was helping Kya waddle up the stairs.

"Mom's drunk. Tell the servants to keep her bar stocked." Zhiar informed his brother as Kya held onto him.

Wincing at how swollen her feet were, "Mom needs rest and peace of mind." Kya told her older brother. "Not more booze."

"I say kill the inner demons by drowning them or she can go back home and drown dad."

Zuko was not surprised to hear his father did something to upset Katara. That bastard was a moron and just couldn't keep it underwraps for her sake. He always had her in distress. How they were ever going to make it work was beyond him. This was constantly occurring.

Going to check on Katara, Zuko unsurprisingly found Katara drinking the last of a bottle of fire whiskey. He could only sigh as he knew Katara was far from done drinking.

"Kat, tell me, what did my father do now?" Zuko said while taking a seat just across from where she was getting wasted on his lounge chair.

Belching as she tossed the empty bottle aside, "Ami and your father are fucking. You and Kya were right to doubt us, there was never going to be us together again. Ozai gave me some shit excuse so he could go fuck that palace pooch!"

"Well father is a moron to think that woman is even close to being better than you." Zuko told her.

"She's a princess, highborn status, an intelligent science lady, sophisticatedly mature, and showers him in out the ass praises," Katara told him. "She's what Ozai 'needs' , an older woman that can discuss his interests with and be unapologetically his uppidy-self, to turn his nose up at everyone and laugh at their own jokes."

Zuko didn't know what the hell Katara was talking about but she had officially drank too much. She slowly started to fall asleep as she ranted about his father and Ami. When she was asleep, Zuko picked her up and took her to her bedroom. There, he nearly dropped her when he saw his father standing by her bed.

Narrowing his eyes at his father, Zuko proceeded to lay Katara in bed and tuck her in.

"I no longer work with Atsou because of what he did to Katara and Kya. Losing Uhara was a tragic blow to Kya and Katara can't live in a world without you in it." Zuko explains. "However, I can't have you leading her on. If you're with Ami, say that. Don't make her believe there's a chance and there isn't."

Ozai looks at Katara and shuts his eyes, sighing. "I love her but she hurt me. I don't forgive her for what she did in Ba Seng Sei."

"Atsou was controlling her!"

"No, she let herself be controlled!" Ozai snarled as he scowled at his son. "Katara is powerful enough to take Atsou down but instead she let herself be used by him! She's weak minded! A complete oaf! Deranged and holds herself to little accountability! How could I want to be with her knowing she so easily stabbed me through her own back?!"

Zuko bit back what he wanted to say and shook his head, "Whatever you're feeling towards her, don't hurt her more than she already is. Please, that's all I ask."

"I don't plan to." Ozai pulled a letter out of his sleeve and rested it on Katara's nightstand.

As his father left, returning back to the Phoenix Empire through his black portal, Zuko walked around the bed and picked the letter up off the nightstand. Opening it, he read the content and burned it. His father said he wasn't trying to hurt her but it sure didn't seem like it from the letter. If he was picking Ami over Katara, that needed to be discussed face to face.

…

In his office sulking over the official breakup between him and Katara, Ozai rubbed his temples and tried his best to just leave things be. He just needed to move on and if he were to do that, he wanted it to be with Ami. She was a perfect match for him and he really did care for her. He tried to keep his feelings for her to himself as he was still pining over Katara for the several years that he's known her but now, after confronting those feelings and Katara, he felt he needed to make that step towards being with her…officially.

It came as no surprise when Ami entered his office looking so very happy to see him. Last night they had a romantic dinner followed by a very sensual rest of the night. She woke up sore so Ozai told her to lay in bed longer while he got up, letting her know to come see him when she was up.

"You're absolutely beautiful," Ozai told her as she approached his desk and walked around it to take a seat in his lap.

Kissing his lips, "I enjoyed last night, Ozai. We must do it again." She caressed his face as she stared lovingly at him.

"Then tonight it is." He told her.

"Oh, you lover boy."

…

While Zhiar chased Ryu and Mailan around the gardens, Katara sat with her daughter, Ursa, and Azula to have tea. Of course, Katara was spiking her tea just a little as they found the topic of her ex-husband to be amusing. Not that she wanted to talk about him. Ozai made his decision and broke her heart. Why would she want to make herself emotional around everyone? They all knew it was a touchy subject but decided to speak on it anyways.

Katara decided to space out a little as she really rather not be a part of this conversation. She really missed that illusion. Ozai and her were happy. Sure, the end was tragic but she'd give anything for a life like that with him.

You could still have it. The siren, Kalhime, spoke to her. I say we kill this Ami bitch and make Ozai know he can never leave us! Not happening. Ozai's would be furious. So what?! It's his own damn fault.

The waterbender decided to ignore the murderous rant that Kalhime was going on about. She wasn't going to kill Ami. Ozai would have her by her throat.

"Mom, are you okay?" Kya asked as she placed a hand on her mother's wrist.

Ursa eyed Katara as she drank from her cup and scoffed, "Worrying yourself over that man isn't going to do you any good. Ozai is a selfish bastard with his head so far up his ass its a wonder he doesn't smell his own shit."

Kya and Azula eyed the woman funny for talking about their father that way.

"I just don't want to talk about him right now."

"Why? Cause you don't want to sit here and speculate how they're fucking right as we speak."

Katara glared at Ursa.

"Katara, dear, understand Ozai is going to always do what he wants and who he wants and you're no longer the who. Face it."

"I am!" Katara slammed her fists down. "But that doesn't mean I want to sit around talking about it!"

Ursa snorted and sipped more of her tea, "Lie to yourself if you want but you can't stand it."

…

Staying another day in the Fire Nation was a no-go as Ursa kept harassing her and Kya and Azula kept bumping heads. Katara decided to let Zhiar stay with Mailan in the Fire Nation for a few extra days while she and Kya returned home. While Kya went to rest after having the servants carry her things, Katara dragged her own luggage to her chambers and found Ozai was already there, pacing around her bedroom.

"What do you want, Ozai?" She groaned as she started unpacking.

Ozai paused and pivoted in her direction, "I feel like you're not being fair."

"Fair?" Katara pulled her clothes out of her trunk and placed them in the dresser. "What do I need to be fair for? You're doing as you like, I'm not spotting you. So how is it me that's being unfair?"

Sighing, "I just feel like I deserve to be happy with someone that makes me happy and you have only hurt me in the time that's passed. Can't you see that?"

Katara looked over her shoulder at him and scoffed, "Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?"

"Both!" Ozai shouted in frustration. "This isn't easy for me either. I really like Ami but I'm still in love with you."

"But you picked her." Katara stopped what she was doing and turned to face him, pressing her back to her trunk of clothes.

Walking up to her, Ozai looked down at her. "I picked being happy."

Hurt by the implication, Katara averted her eyes from him and stuck her tongue in her jaw. "Well, I'm sorry I can't make you happy, Ozai."

Watching Katara turn around to finish unpacking, Ozai tried saying something else but she cut him off.

"Look, Ozai, I have nothing else to say to you on this topic. I'm mostly here for the kids and I could care less what you do since we're not getting together. So, do you, I'll do me. Okay?" Katara said while pushing past him to place her clothes from the trunk to the dresser.

Stopping as she walked around him, Ozai pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. "I still love you, Katara."

"Don't say that." Katara shoved him away from her. "You don't get to say that anymore!"

The tear eyed waterbender pointed at the door for him to leave and reluctantly, he did so.

…

"Thanks mom." Kya smiled as her mother rubbed her belly gently to help soothe the aches and pains that came with the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Katara nodded and continued as Ozai had the servants fix up the nursery in Kya's chambers. Apparently, Ozai didn't care where she was having the baby, if she visited the baby would need somewhere to stay. So he had wardrobe, the nursery, and all other important things being prepared for Kya's son. Neither Ozai nor Katara could wait. They were both excited to be meeting their grandchild.

While Katara runs off to get some warm water and towels for soaking her daughter's feet, Ozai sees how excited she is and gets a glimpse of her former self. It was nice seeing her be with the kids and dedicate herself to them. He had almost believed she lost her gentle nature from all the pain and suffering she had been through. But it would seem that it was still in tact.

Deciding to help her with the tub of water, Ozai saw her eye him strangely before accepting his offer to carry it. Back to Kya, Katara got on her knees in front of her and took her feet to massage.

"Mom! That's not necessary!" Kya squealed. "I'll get a servant."

Chuckling as she shook her head, "No, it's fine. It is better done by someone that cares about you. Besides, I wished my mother had been around when I was pregnant with you and your brother." Katara smiled as she rubbed her daughter's feet in the warm water.

Kya felt her mother was taking the sentimental approach to things here but she didn't want her mother doing the task of a servant. She eyed her father to get her mother to stop.

"Katara, let a servant help." Ozai suggested.

Shaking her head, "I'm her mother and this is my grandbaby. I'll do it."

"Mom-"

"It's fine. Honestly." Katara assured her daughter.

Kya retracted her feet and shook her head at her mother, "I don't want you to handle my feet, mom. You are not a servant."

"Nor do I care, Kya. This is with love."

Ozai pulled Katara to her feet and shook his head, "Don't argue with a pregnant woman, Katara. Isn't that what you always used to tell me?"

Katara narrowed her eyes at him before storming out the room.

Kya looked to her father and sighed.

"Your mother is not as sensitive as you think, Kya." Ozai told his daughter. "She doesn't care about social standing like we do."

"Yes but I don't want to see my mother at my feet. Bad enough she's low-born. Does she have to shame herself like that?" Kya scoffed.

Ozai immediately scolded Kya for her comment.

Hearing the comment from outside, Katara hung her head and skulked off.

The next few days, Katara decided to try bonding with Kya in a different way since her other children were still in the Fire Nation. She prepared some sweets for her like she had when Kya was younger. However, Kya complained that her mother needed to leave the cooking to the servants. Katara insists that she enjoys cooking for her family but Kya tells her she doesn't like her cooking anymore.

One day after witnessing a resident spill something, Katara decided to clean it herself rather than waste a servant's busy schedule to get it. She grabbed a bucket and rag and began cleaning. But as she was scrubbing the spilt red wine out the rug of the main hall, Katara's bucket was kicked over and Kya shouted at her.

"What is wrong with you?! Why do you insist on acting like a filthy peasant?!" Kya screamed at her.

Confused, Katara looked up at her daughter from her knees while holding the rag. "I was just trying to save the servants the trouble. I didn't realize I was-"

"That you were lowering your head when you walk?! That you do everything the servants are supposed to?! That you let people look down on you?! Yeah, you've just about thrown in everyone's faces that you're a peasant now! Why?! Is this about dad dumping you?!" Kya said accusingly.

Furrowing her brows, Katara climbed to her feet and raised her hand to slap Kya but was stopped by Ozai, who was standing behind her. His grey eyes went from the crown of her head to his daughter's hateful gaze.

"Return to your chambers, Kya. You should be resting."

Staring in resentment at her mother, "Yes, father." Kya replied before turning around to storm off.

Letting go of Katara's hand, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Katara wiped her hands on her dress and picked up the bucket and rag. "I don't know what's suddenly wrong with her being so concerned about my background. Kya's not one to care about those petty things."

"But she's right. You need to stop doing a servant's task, Katara. I have capable staff all over. Ask any for assistance and they will assist." Ozai told her.

Furrowing her brows at him, "What? You think I'm acting like a peasant too?"

Ozai gave her an honest answer and that was that she had recently been a slave. People were going to look down on her now that she was back in civilized culture. He had already heard whispers from a few nobles mentioning this. She needed to be careful how she presented herself. He offered to have a tutor brought to teach her proper etiquette again since she had been years out of practice and wasn't born knowing the rules of a lady.

Sucking her teeth, "Go to hell, Ozai. I'm not ashamed." She said as she skulked off with her bucket and rag.

….

When Zhiar and Mailan returned, Katara was happy they seemed to enjoy her company despite the things going around about her. But her youngest did ask what a slave was and why she had been one. Ozai popped her behind for asking and told her to apologize as she should never mention that again to her mother. Zhiar scoffed and said he was being too hard on a child that knew nothing about anything. Ozai offered to whoop him too but with his shoe. Zhiar laughed and stood behind his mother for protection. She giggled and placed her hand on his as it rested on her shoulder.

"A slave is someone forced to work for nothing but their very lives. I used to be one in the North Pole." Katara explained to Mailan

Mailan tilted her head, "Why?"

"I did something I wasn't supposed to."

"And that was?" Mailan was a very curious child.

Ozai had almost forgot that Katara's suffering was his fault. He coaxed her into an affair while she was married to Arnook and despite his alliance with Atsou at the time, he expected Katara to remain faithful to him. She would have been had he not meddled in their marriage the way he had. It was his fault.

Katara smiled awkwardly, "I'll tell you when you're older."

"Okay, mommy. I'm just glad you're not a slave no more." Mailan said as she sniffled from her father popping her and hugged her mother.

Hugging the small child back, "I'm glad too."

Later, Ozai had decided to see Ami in her chambers and have dinner with her. As they ate, Ami asked him how his day was and told him about her day.

"For some reason, a lot of nobles have been quite warm to me as of late. Think any of them suspect us?" Ami smirked as she sipped her wine.

Ozai shrugged as he ate some of his steak, "Perhaps, but I've been meaning to ask you. Have you heard anyone discussing Katara's status as a slave as of late?"

Ami scoffed, "As if I care when I hear that woman's name mentioned. Only thing that matters is that she doesn't turn on us all and slit our throats in our sleep. She's a cold-blooded killer."

"Katara is capable of being gentle. She's had it rough."

"Defending her still?" Ami raised a brow at him.

"She's still my children's mother."

"She's also your murderer, Ozai. Have you forgotten?"

Balling his fist on the table, "No, I haven't."

"Good because she's a threat to more than your life. Think of your children and this kingdom, think of me, what will we do without you?" Ami encouraged him to think. "You have built an empire and continue to make it thrive. Your existence is vital to us all. If anything happened to you, we'd all be devastated. Please be wary of her."

Ozai nodded.

Leaving Ami to retire in his chambers, Ozai passed by Katara's chambers and decided to knock on the door. When no answer came, he let himself in and found her dancing in her sitting room with a half dranken bottle of wine in her hand as she swayed her hips around in circles. He let himself watch as she drank some of the wine and placed the bottle down in order to continue dancing to whatever music she was singing to herself. She had a beautiful voice, he realized, and a enticing way of dancing. She was all alone in her chambers, enjoying herself and the time she had alone.

"You can dance with me, if you like." Katara offered as she spun around and danced her way over to him.

Smiling at her as she took his hands and pulled him into her sitting room, Ozai watched her continue moving her hips in a seductive motion before spinning herself around with her backside facing him. She pressed herself up to him and moved herself against him, singing the song as she did.

"You're so stiff, Ozai. You should loosen up." Katara said as she spun back around to look up at him in her drunken state.

Ozai sighed, "You've drank enough, Katara."

"Oh, I'm just getting started." She shouted in a gleeful way as she stretched her arms out and leaned her head back as she spun ina circle. "The moon is full and I feel the ocean call to me, I want to dance to the feeling. Does the sun ever call you?"

Yeah, she was drunk.

"How about we get you in bed, hmm?" Ozai took her around her waist to stop her dancing.

"But I feel good, Ozai! I feel so good!" She leapt in his arms and circled her arms around his neck, before trying to kiss him.

Turning his head from her as she repeatedly kissed his cheek, Ozai carried her to her bed where she tried pulling him in with her, wrapping her legs around him. Katara rolled him under her and started undoing his robes. Grabbing her wrists, the Phoenix King stopped her and rolled her under him, pinning her there.

"Katara, get a hold of yourself."

"But I want you."

"I'm with Ami now." He reminded her.

"But you still love me though." She giggled drunkenly.

Ozai sighed as he stared down at her and kissed her forehead before climbing off of her. "Get some sleep. I'll have the servants bring you a tonic for the hangover you'll have in the morning."

As Ozai got ready to leave, Katara rushed to wrap her arms around his middle and pull him back.

"I won't tell anyone." She whispered. "It'll be our little secret. Like before."

Ozai shook his head and pried her hands off of him. "Katara, go to bed."

"But I don't want to sleep unless it's with you."

"Then stay up but I can't do that with you. So please, don't lower yourself life this."

Backing away from him, Katara let him leave and balled her fist as he left without another word. Don't look down on me! I'm good enough! Lowborn or not!

….

A/N:

Thanks for reading! Let me know how you all feel about the pace. I've decided to do shorter chapter in order to get them out sooner.