"Hello Fire Lord Zuko." She said sweetly. He shook his head.
"I'm not the Fire Lord yet." Her smile brightened.
"But you will be soon." Suddenly a maid came to him and offered him a tiny warm bundle. He took the child into his arms as it slept peacefully. He could feel the intense heat coming off the babe.
The baby scrunched its face and opened its eyes wearily only to close them again. The golden eyes flickered to Zuko for a moment. Zuko was surprised to see the child did not cry or scream at seeing him as he thought it might. Instead the eyes regarded him sleepily and with little interest, the golden irises disappearing behind thin eyelids. There was no doubt this child was his.
He felt a gaze upon him and looked up to see Katara smiling at him knowingly. A maid rushed by and said the Fire Lord and Avatar wanted permission to come in. Zuko looked to Katara who nodded her head. His old uncle came bounding in after the Avatar who was younger and quickly.
Their attention was diverted to the small bundle in Zuko's arms first as they stared quietly over it for the longest time. Finally Iroh and Aang both looked up to regard Katara and after she rolled her eyes they went to her side to gauge her health.
"I'm fine, but I think Zuko is going to have to give up that baby soon or we may never get it away from him." Zuko smiled down at Katara and reluctantly handed over the warm bundle to its mother. She smiled as she took it in her arms and looked lovingly at it. She pressed her finger on its warm smooth cheek. The child reflexively turned its head towards her finger, its mouth gaping. It's eyes were still closed unaware of its actions.
"So nephew, do you know if it is a boy or girl?" Zuko looked to Katara questioningly and she giggled.
"Didn't you take the hint earlier, Zuko? No? Well it's a boy, your firebending son. Your heir." Uncle Iroh slapped him on the back grinning wildly.
"Well I guess arrangements will have to be made for your new coronation, Fire Lord? And we mustn't forget our new Fire Lady. But tell me where does that leave poor old Uncle Iroh?" Katara grinned.
"Well I guess as a retired Fire Lord you can sip tea, play Pai Sho and play with your grandchildren all day." Iroh's eyes brightened perceptively at the word grandchildren. Aang standing on the edge of the group broke in.
"So what are you going to name the little guy?" Aang asked. Katara and Zuko looked at each other suprised. They blushed realizing they had completely forgotten about this predicament.
"If I may offer a suggestion?" Iroh stepped forward, his grin growing bigger.
"When Zuko and I were in Ba Sing Se we went under nicknames. I think it's only fair to at least consider the name Lee, Zuko's nickname." Katara's smile brightened but Zuko's bit into a scowl at the memory of that time.
"What do you think Zuko?" She asked him tiredly.
"Lee sounds like a perfect choice." He said. She smiled and looked at her baby boy.
"Well Katara, I believe your father is expecting a letter from me on the news of his new grandchild. You sleep well tonight." Iroh bent over and kissed her on the forehead and rubbed a finger over the baby's smooth cheek. He seemed to almost skip out of the room, so happy was he.
That left Aang alone with them.
"Aang thank you for being here for me. Even though you weren't needed I am still glad you were here. I also wanted to thank you for helping me before with my fever. I owe you my life and my baby's." Katara's voice was soft and thoughtful as she saw Aang's eyes widened.
"Aang, your welcome back here at any time. The door's always open. Besides your new nephew will want to see you from time to time." Zuko turned to regard Aang coolly. At this moment, Zuko knew he had nothing to fear from Aang. Katara was safe and she held their baby in her arms. Aang was speechless for a moment.
"Isn't Sokka his uncle?" He asked.
"Aang, we have been through a lot together. All of us. We're family. Without you, neither of this would have been possible. Besides we want to see you more and maybe this will give you some incentive." Katara chuckled at her own joke and Aang grinned.
"Don't worry Katara. I'll try to stop by sometime. In the meantime I should probably go inadvertently spread the news of the new heir to the Fire Nation." He winked at them and walked away.
Zuko turned to Katara a small and simple smile on his face.
"I should leave too, you need your rest." She grabbed at his hand as he started to shift away from her. One arm was still enclosed protectively over her baby.
"Stay with me tonight." He lifted his good eyebrow.
"But you…you just…aren't you tired?" She smiled sleepily.
"I find it hard to sleep without you now." He smiled back at her. He summoned a few servants and a new cradle was brought in. The wood was dark and on it hung the emblem of the Fire Nation with the background of the Water Tribes. She gasped when she saw it.
"I was thinking of adding a little more blue to our décor. After all with your new waterbending room it's only fitting." Her jaw dropped and she stared at him in astonishment.
"You're joking, right?" He smirked and took her hand in his and kissed the top of it.
"Absolutely not. I had to do something to keep my mind occupied while you were incapacitated. Besides with you stuck to your bed it seemed the perfect opportunity to do it when you wouldn't be able to accidentally stumble upon it. And one more thing, sure we have a firebender now but that doesn't mean I won't have to put up with some little waterbenders soon. They will need somewhere to learn and I am definitely not going to part with them while they go to the South Pole." The last word he said with a sense of bitterness, but one related to the freezing temperature of the area. She laughed at his remark and smiled up at him.
"You really do think of everything don't you?" She said.
"I try." He grinned and bent down and kissed her lovingly on the lips. He jumped when he heard the baby squawk and began to cry. He stared at the child astonished at its loud sounds.
"I guess we won't be getting much sleep any time soon." His wife murmured gently. Zuko shook his head eyeing his son wearily.
"I'll get started on that nursery room tomorrow." He said somehow disheveled at his new found fatherhood. She laughed.
"Zuko!" He grinned down and kissed her a bit more passionately and broke apart as his son's wails became more deafening.
A/N: Don't go anywhere! I still have an epilogue to post! Also be on the lookout for the next Book titled Never Change! It is a continuation of this story! Remember this is a trilogy!