"Sometimes life is like a dark tunnel.

You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel,

but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place."

- Uncle Iroh

Two Years Later

Zuko stroked Katara's thigh where it lay curled possessively over his. The air was sultry, the height of summer having been reached in Capital City. But there was always a coolness to his waterbender, like she carried the southern winds with her. He couldn't say he minded that or the fact that High Summer had his wife sleeping naked, even though he worried about someone rushing in and seeing more of her than he was willing to share.

But it was hard to mind when, lying against him on her side, he got a lovely view of the swell of her breast and the dip of her waist, the round of her ass. He could pull up the silk sheet quick enough if it was needed. She'd only kick it off again if he bothered with it right now anyway.

Instead, he drifted his fingertips on the wild curl of her hair, the other hand soothing her thigh still. He was considering waking her up to make love to her. She'd almost awoken when he'd crawled into bed long after she'd been asleep, long after she'd tucked Izumi into her bed. Izumi always wanted a story and a bedtime snuggle from Katara.

Katara had opened blue eyes and blinked at him uncomprehendingly, then scooted in and claimed him, draping over him with her hair and her legs, and one strong arm. She'd immediately settled back to sleep with a sigh so satisfied it warmed him.

He'd told her, once, it would be cooler for her if she didn't sleep on top of him. She'd blithely ignored the suggestion. Agni, he was grateful. How could there be bad memories invading his dreams when she so fiercely guarded him? They'd likely also both get more sleeping done if she didn't press the swell of her breast into his side and if her breath didn't sigh across his skin. But neither of them complained about how often the other woke them in the middle of the night for slow, sleepy kisses and languid lovemaking. Still, he'd had a very long day, as had she, and he should definitely let her sleep. They would be up soon enough, Izumi was an early riser and they all did morning sun salutations together.

He shifted, just a little, as if that would alleviate the heavy weight of desire, the low ache. And then his breath caught as fingertips drifted across the epicenter of his problem, then curled. "I thought you were asleep," he said, his raspy voice barely above a whisper.

"I was," came the reply, thick with sleep. "And I was dreaming of you inside of me, kissing me, and at first when I started to wake up I didn't want to because I thought you were still working. Then I realized you were right," she squeezed him, "here."

Her head tipped up and their mouths found each other, familiar and eager. Between strokes of tongue and the scrape of teeth, he said, "I was going to let you sleep."

"I'm not nearly as thoughtful," Katara murmured as she slid over him, as fluid as water, smooth as the silk on which they lay. She took him in on a rush of breath and heat and slippery need. "I want to see you."

So he lit the candles until fire danced on her skin and sparked gold from his eyes up at her. She rode slow and easy, practically still dreaming.

After, he didn't let her slide off of him but pulled her down to rest, face pressed to his throat, bodies still joined. He could feel her flutter around him and the answering race of sensation up his spine.

"Katara,"

"Mmmm?" She laughed huskily as his hips jerked reflexively. "So soon? You might have to do the work, then."

Zuko nipped her ear sharply. "Stop teasing or I will do just that."

Katara sighed, shaking her head at him. It was their rematch in the North all over again. "Your threats were always weak but now you're offering treasure as if that will deter me?"

"Who said I was threatening you, Waterbender?"

"That's Fire Lady Master Waterbender to you. Ponytail"

Zuko smirked at his Lady Wife. "I don't have a ponytail."

Carding her fingers through the silken hair he'd grown to his shoulders, Katara smiled. "You could have, though."

"We're leaving for Ember Island early. Don't you want to sleep?" Turning the subject away from his hairstyle.

But his wife nuzzled him. "It's almost a full moon."

"Mm." He slid his hands over the arch of her back, muscled and elegant at once. "So you're tireless."

"No, but it is...energizing."

His breath caught at the wicked and suggestive smile. It was hard to imagine he was here, with her, now. That this was the same woman who'd been worried about getting him sticky the first time they'd kissed. And who'd wanted to square off as if kissing were sparring. "Katara…"

"Zuko," she murmured against his mouth just before she took them both under again.

The Morning After

It didn't begin with languid lovemaking. They stayed on the beach, Katara bending the water away and Zuko lighting a fire for them. Curled together in a bubble that was filled with years of longing and hopes for years of loving together. When they finally went inside, after midnight but well before the sun was set to rise, someone was waiting.

"Well, well, well. Look what the otter-cat dragged in."

Katara froze but Zuko, his arm curled around her shoulders, squeezed. "Toph."

"I guess this means you two are gonna go up there and fuck like you haven't in the last six years?"

"Toph!" Katara's voice whipped out in a tone they hadn't heard since the days of flying together on Appa's back. "That is out of line."

"But is it the plan?"

Zuko, surprisingly calm in the face of Toph's...Tophness, said, "We're going to get some sleep. We'll talk to everyone after breakfast."

Katara angled a look up at him, hard to see in the shadowy house with the storm shielding the moon and Toph not having bothered with lights for obvious reasons. "We will?"

Zuko nodded, turning his head so his gold eyes gleamed at her. "We've waited long enough, Katara."

They went to his room without discussing it; she borrowed a shirt to sleep in, the two of them curling together on the bed despite the humid heat of the island night. They didn't talk, just held each other close in the silence until Katara whispered, "I'm finally going to wake up beside you."

It tore at Zuko, that she'd been longing and lonely just as he had. He held her closer, pressed his lips to the top of her salt-sprayed curls. "Every day, Katara."

The next morning, though, Sokka was waiting. Toph had a sly grin on her face and Aang gave them a look that was apologetic about what was to come. He even sighed and said, "I tried."

"This again? Really?" Sokka had his hands splayed upward, moving to indicate the two had come down the stairs together.

"What again?" Katara asked her brother. "There was never-"

Sokka cut her off. "There was and we all know it. So does Suki and if we weren't fighting and she'd been here, she'd agree. He broke your heart, Katara." Zuko made some sound or gesture and Sokka's gaze slashed to him. "I know why. You're the Fire Lord and you had obligations. But she's my sister and her heart was broken."

"So was mine," Zuko said softly. His words stopped whatever tirade Sokka had prepared for him or them. "You know Lan and Ming Na-"

"Of course I know they were in love," Sokka responded, his gaze wary as they shifted to Katara. "We were friends." His sister raised a brow. How come he'd never told her about that aspect of Zuko's marriage? Sokka, guiltily, moved on. "But that's not hte point."

"It could be," Katara answered, slipping away from Zuko's side. "It could be the point that my own brother knew I was heartbroken and that the man I loved was in a marriage that was never going to be more than a partnership."

"Katara, it couldn't matter. You couldn't be his..his…"

"Lover?" She said, advancing on Sokka who, despite his age, gagged a little. "His mistress?" His jaw clenched. "His Consort?"

"You'd have broken Dad's heart."

She shoved him lightly. "You still should have told me."

Toph chortled. "This is better than I thought it would be. Get 'im."

Aang looked at her, bewildered, "Who are you rooting for?"

"No one. I just the like the chaos."

Katara, though, caught her brother's hand before anything escalated further. "It doesn't matter, Sokka. What you knew, what I didn't know. Zuko and I talked through it all. We're going to... try.."

Zuko did not like the ambivalence of her description and interrupted, firmly. "I'm still in love with Katara; she's agreed to come to the palace and let me show her that I can be worthy of her."

Katara turned back to stop that nonsense, but Sokka's grip on her hand tightened. "Go on, Zuko."

"I've already cleared the way with the Fire Sages. I want to marry Katara," he said, his eyes on the waterbender before shifting to her brother. "I want her to be my Fire Lady, to bear-"

"Ooogies. Oogies. Okay, okay, okay." Sokka let go of Katara and threw his hands up. "Toph wins the bet. Damnit. I thought it would take another four years, Aang said three, but toph had this trip pegged as the one. "

"That's right. Pay up." She wiggled her fingers at him and Aang.

Katara's mouth dropped. "You bet on us? Aang?"

The Avatar looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. "The thing is…"

"Zuko! They bet on us!"

Zuko's mouth was curled a little. "They bet on when. Not if."

Nonplussed, Katara gaped again until Zuko closed the distance between them and slid his arms around her waist. "Even they knew it was always you, Katara. From the caves in Ba Sing Se to now."

"Oh, sure, no one is upset that he liked her while she was dating Aang," Sokka muttered. And was ignored.

And then they finally had their first kiss in front of Sokka. The oogies were many and loud, accompanied by Toph's laughter and then gagging.

It was absolutely imperfectly perfect.

A/N: Song title from Ellie Goulding "How Long Will I love You?"