Zuko lamented that there wasn't much time left in the day. At least for not everything he wanted to get done. Still, some things, even though they felt rushed, were a must. That was why he was there, reciting his vows to the woman who was more than he ever knew to hope for.

Thirty minutes ago Nozomu bowed to him and then held out a bouquet of Fire Lilies. "Fire Lord Zuko, everything is prepared for your wedding. I thought you would like to give Katara these flowers to carry. Once you do, if you come back, I will place the Fire Lord crown on you before the wedding. I have the Fire Lady crown ready for Katara once you marry her."

He looked at Nozomu with a confused expression. "Don't you think I should formally be crowned?"

"That depends on if you want to make a point or not. It is up to you, Sir. The past Fire Lords crowned themselves whenever they took the throne "early". I understand you are different, yet it does show you're taking the throne and not to be questioned." He waited patiently for Zuko to respond.

Since Zuko respected the man very much, he asked, "what is the downside to waiting for a formal crowning?"

"For one, those in the palace that object to your decisions can claim you're not fully Fire Lord yet."

Nodding, Zuko said, "I will be back for you to place the Fire Lord crown on my head. I will wear it daily like my father did. At least for now. I understand your point that symbols can be powerful, and I need to show my strength to protect Katara.

Katara wasn't far away, like always. He walked over to her and interrupted her conversation with Toph. "Katara, will you do me the honor of marrying me –now?" He handed her the flowers.

She looked at him smiling but spoke to Toph, "want to be a bridesmaid right now?"

As so it was that Zuko was standing in front of his mother and her family, his friends, allies old and new, the council, and what felt like hundreds of other people.

Still, all he could see was Katara and her beautiful blue eyes. The eyes he had loved since the very beginning, even before he fell in love with her.

Once they said "I do," they were pronounced husband and wife. But before he could kiss her, she had to bow and receive her crown. When his lips found hers, he was kissing his Fire Lady, the one who would rule lovingly by his side.

He got lost in the kiss, but he was comforted by knowing she did too. They were locked in a tight embrace, kissing passionately, when the wedding official coughed politely and drew their eyes to the watching crowd. Katara blushed red, but Zuko didn't feel an ounce of embarrassment. Not how many of the men there had seen him have sex with her at many of his father's dinners.

He laced their fingers together as they turned to face the crowd. Once they did, he leaned over to her and whispered into her ear, "finally, you're my wife."

A very content Zuko met Nozomu in his office fifteen minutes later. Katara was still hand in hand with him, and he finallyfelt like his life was on track.

Nozomu was originally shocked that the moment Zuko married, he wasn't dragging Katara to their room for a loud round of sex or five. But when he stepped back and really thought about it, everything made sense.

That was especially evident when Katara said, "please draft a letter to Chief Hokoda, my father," she grumbled, "I know I need my own secretary, but you know the whole circumstances behind everything." Zuko was beaming.

Nozomu realized the truth was he wasn't rushing her off to bed because this right here, was what Zuko desired in his marriage. An equal to rule with him.

"Tohru?" he asked, knowing she could fill in the blanks.

"Uncle has been teaching her to read and write, and I know I said initially she could be my secretary. But the reality is, I was just trying to give her a sense of purpose and belonging. Kyo ended up doing that better than I ever could. That and I like her, so I don't need to give her a task to be able to bear having her around." Katara frowned. "Does that even make sense?"

Nozomu said, "you no longer need to give her a job she isn't cut out for because she has found her own path and way to belong."

She chuckled, "and that right there is why I want you to draft the letter. You explained it precisely."

"That said," Zuko pointed out, "you will need your own secretary. It is necessary to show everyone you have your own office and your own staff."

"I can get you a list of five or six possibilities," Nozomu said. "It will require a different than normal list of qualifications. The chief of which is that if he is a man, he would have to be married or in a serious relationship."

Katara looked utterly confused. "Why?"

Zuko tugged on her hand, "he is my secretary, and he would have to honor my requirements. I wouldn't want a man hitting on the sexiest woman in the Fire Nation."

She giggled, "you and your cute jealousy. Mind you; it's only cute because it isn't overbearing."

Nozomu moved on and said, "I will have the list of potentials in the morning. Do you have any other qualifications?"

"I would ask for someone as efficient and intelligent as you, but that would be asking too much of you. I think too highly of you to think that would be easy to find," she replied. He tried to hide his blush.

He cleared his throat and said, "I will also have a draft letter written to your father for peace. I will keep it detached and official, pointing out you are the Fire Lady."

She gave him a wry smile, "like I said, you're a gem."

Zuko scratched his neck, it had been a long day. "And I will need letters-"

"Written to all the leaders articulating your desire for peace. They are already on the left-hand side of your desk for you when you come to look at them tomorrow." Nozomu wasn't subtle in his insistence that some things could wait.

"And what is it that you believe I should be doing now instead?" Zuko asked, amused.

"Your mother is in the west parlor with her family and your uncle, Fire Lord," he bowed respectfully as he informed him.

Zuko sighed heavily. "If I go there, I can't avoid finding out how she takes the death of Azula."

"True," Nozomu said. "But the reaction is coming no matter what it is. Don't forget you will have Katara at your side the whole time. She could face her father with you there; you can honor that and do the same thing," he gently chided.

Zuko's first thought was that Nozomu had gotten very bold around him. He was completely changed from the man he first knew. But truthfully, he had earned the right to be.

His second thought was an overwhelming shame. Katara had faced her father. She had chosen to love Zuko, and for that, she was rejected by the man. How could he stand there after what she had faced in choosing him and be afraid to do the same thing? Azula died because he chose Katara. He picked her life over his sister's hatred and brutality.

"Nozomu, tomorrow we will talk about your raise."

"You've already restored my sister. I can't ask for more."

Zuko looked him in the eyes, "that was because I want those loyal to me and who I care about to be taken care of. The raise is because of your sound council. That and you might go to work for Katara if I'm not careful," he teased.

When Zuko and Katara walked into the west sitting room, Iroh smiled at him and said, "it was an honor to witness your wedding."

Katara ran over to Iroh and gave him a hug. "And we were so glad to have you there!"

Gathering his nerves, Zuko said, "and how are you, mother?"

He watched as Ikem took Kiyi to the other side of the room. Iroh joined them and began to teach Kiyi Pai Sho. He was glad they were giving him and his mother some space.

Ursa stayed sitting, and Zuko and Katara went and joined her at the table. He appreciated how Katara stayed by his side for this. He needed her.

"And how are you, mother?" he asked again.

She shrugged, "it's been…. a day. A crazy day. Ozai died today, and I found out my daughter is dead, killed by her brother."

Katara sat there with her nails digging into her palms. She was determined to let things play out for now. There was a fine line that she knew she would defend with screaming and fury –she waited.

Zuko said, "two of the worst things I've seen in my life. Neither death made me happy."

"They both made you Fire Lord," she snapped.

He took a breath and tried not to take offense. She just found out her daughter was dead. How could any parent be okay after finding out that news? If it hadn't bothered her, she would have been exactly like Ozai, and he knew he didn't want that.

"Yes, mother. I am Fire Lord now. Although, Azula's death wasn't part of my gaining the throne. Father had already restored me as his heir. She was trying to take that away from me when she challenged me to Agni Kai."

"And you didn't have to accept," she hissed.

He let out an unamused huff. "Did you learn nothing living here? I did. It's not like I wanted ever to do that again after my father gave me this scar."

"Wait, what? He gave you that?" She asked, bewildered.

"What, did you think it was a training accident?" he inquired, scoffing, but he grew confused when she nodded. "No." He closed his eyes, the memory hurting him.

Katara squeezed his hand and said, "it was how Zuko lost his role as the rightful heir for a time. When he was thirteen, he was at a council meeting. A general recommended a battle strategy that left a whole regiment abandoned to die as a distraction. Zuko objected strongly to the wanton destruction of life. Ozai said he must fight Agni Kai since he dishonored the recommendation. When it came time for the battle, it was Ozai, not the general, that Zuko was facing. He couldn't bring himself to attack the father he idolized at the time, so Ozai gave him that scar, stripped him of his proper title, and sent him away in dishonor. It was Iroh who went with him when he was banished and formed the man he is now."

Ursa teared up and tentatively touched Zuko's scar. "He did that to you. It looks so awful."

Katara scoffed, "he faced the monster and didn't run. It's a mark of bravery."

"But…"

Zuko chuckled. "I've tried to convince her mother. But she loves the scar, just now how much it hurt me. It was a big reason she even trusted me in the first place."

Ursa's eyes drifted to the table they were sitting at, her overwhelming grief obvious. "To think he hurt you after I risked everything to protect you. I murdered Fire Lord Azulon to keep you alive."

"And by doing that, you save the life of the man who killed Azula." He clasped Katara's hand tighter. He wished he felt braver for her sake.

He watched his mother nod. "I'll never see her again. You took that from me."

Annnnnd right there, she crossed a line for Katara. She would not have this obviously weak woman pull this crap on Zuko. She had been hoping since Ursa had killed to protect Zuko that she wouldn't prove to be as weak as she feared she was.

Dropping Zuko's hand, Katara stood up abruptly and slammed both hands down on the table. She didn't care that she was making a scene; in fact, she relished it.

Ursa looked at her in shock and admonished her, "my daughter is right over there."

Katara made a show of rolling her eyes dramatically. "Don't worry. She'll figure out her mom is spineless soon enough; she seems like a bright child. After all, you visited the damn Mother Of Faces to forget your children. How dare you!?"

"It hurt so much to lose them!" Ursa interjected loudly.

"Like I said, you're completely spineless. I'm glad it hurt you to lose your children. It should. Ozai is an absolute monster, and he ripped you from them. Zuko thought you were dead until recently. He lived with the hurt of losing you, and he was a child! You, however, erased your children from existence, and you dare to say Zuko kept you from ever seeing Azula again?! I'm starting to see why Ozai wanted to marry you. You're weak, and you must have been so easy for him to control."

Ursa looked up at her with tears in her eyes, but it was Ikem who spoke up, "you have no right to speak to her like that!"

Katara burst out laughing and said, "no, right? I'm Fire Lady, and I have every right. This is my palace, and you're all in my home. More than that, though, I am Zuko's wife, and I won't tolerate him being mistreated by anyone. The fact that I have to stop his mother from doing just that disgusts me." She looked disdainfully at Ikem. "If I were you, I'd be disgusted too. After all, she's Kiyi's mother. I pity that poor girl."

Iroh was trying not to laugh at the whole scene. He found it highly entertaining, and he wanted to cheer for Katara. Ursa was judging Zuko over something she didn't even try to understand.

Turning back to Ursa, Katara said, "Zuko was told you chose to forget him. He knew and…." She shook her head. "Grow up and stop living in your damn little shell. When things get hard, you run and hide. You find the path of least resistance and go with what causes you the least discomfort. In a way, you're like Ozai; you're both incredibly selfish."

Tears were pouring down Ursa's face, and Katara could tell Zuko was upset over her tears. So, Katara slapped her hard across the face. "This isn't about you! Grow up and be a mother for a change!" That shocked Ursa out of crying.

Iroh walked over and sat in the fourth chair at the table. He then said, "Lady Katara, why don't you sit down?" She trusted him so she easily complied.

"I never like you much," Iroh said to Ursa casually. It was how off-handedly he said it that caused her eyes to open wide in surprise. "Oddly enough, Katata has already outlined all of my reasons why. Granted, I thought you still were a thousand times better parent than Ozai. To me, the only interesting trait you had was your love for your children. And yet, you even figured out how to un-impress me in that arena too.

"You know how I have always loved Azula and Zuko. We talked about how my heart broke over Ozai's influence on them." He took Katara's hand in his. "She is the woman he has always needed. She loves him, supports him, gives him purpose, and makes him stronger. Zuko, despite being challenged to Agni Kai, had no intention of killing his sister. A sentiment I guarantee you she didn't return in the least. I was there, and I was aware his plan was just to arrest her. That was until she tried to kill Katara. At that moment, Zuko realized it was one or the other. Azula made it clear she would never stop trying to destroy the woman he loved.

"I watched, heartbroken but approving, as he defeated her. A battle I could have stopped if I had wished. One I was there for." Iroh let out a long sigh. "She had become a mirror of her father; there was no changing her path."

Ursa had been looking at Iroh in shock the whole time. "You never liked me?"

Katara wanted to slap her again. That was what she had focused on?!

Ikem stood, holding Kiyi's hand, and said, "there is a lot to process. I think Ursa needs some time; then we can pick this discussion up again soon." Katara agreed with him that Ursa was probably ready to run again from her problems.

Zuko pushed back in his chair and got up. "Ursa," that name, not being mother, made an impact on everyone. "I would like the chance to get to know my sister, Kiyi. I think even you can see she would have advantages in the Fire Nation being the acknowledged half-sister to the Fire Lord. That now is my request from you."

"I'm your mother," she chastised.

"Katara and Iroh are right. If you are, then act like it. I get Azula is your daughter, and it would be devastating to hear she's dead." He shot her a hard look. "You never once thought that it would have hurt me to have to do what I did. I've known her better and longer than you have. As much as the two of us weren't close, you didn't even remember her for most of her life."

He took a deep calming breath and then slowly let it out. "You, Ikem, and my sister will always be welcome, and you will all have rooms in the family wing of the palace." Zuko, Katara, and Iroh then left.

Zuko reminded himself as he walked away that Chief Hokoda had called Katara a whore to her face for choosing Zuko. If she could endure that to love him, he could endure what his mother was doing now.