Thanks for the comments about my finals : D They all seemed to go really well- and I definitely got a lot of money back for my books- thank goodness! Now there's a lot more time to write and you guys are going to love what happens- well, you won't but….oh just wait and see!

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Kaori stood on her balcony, a white bathrobe draped around her, her expression lazy. She stared out at the village, gazing over the rooftops and the trees around them, the ocean in the background. This was her home, this was what she knew. So why did it feel like something was going to happen? Like something bad was approaching them? Lately, she hadn't been able to get Zhao out of her mind- sure, they had escaped from the ship back then, but had they escaped from Zhao? Would he let them be?

"There you are," she heard from behind her, as familiar hands slipped around her waist. She could feel Zuko smiling as he pressed his lips against her neck. "I was wondering where you had gone off too,"

Zuko, she loved him. He had grown so much since showing up on the island. He smiled more, laughed more too. He talked to the people around the village- by now it seemed like he had known all of them his entire life, he fit in so naturally. He held her more without any hesitation ever since…well, their mistake weeks ago that had turned out to be wonderful. It was as if he suddenly was positive that she loved him; as if he had doubted her before, and she scoffed at that idea. He should never doubt her.

"I'm right here," Kaori muttered, watching a bird land on a rooftop in the distance.

"I can see that," Zuko said with a little chuckle, kissing up her neck slowly.

Kaori frowned a little, waving a hand and shrugging out of his grip, turning and heading back into the room. "Not now, Zuko, she murmured.

Zuko turned slowly, looking at Kaori with a slice of hurt in his eyes. "Kaori…?" He asked. "What's…what's wrong?"

She paused, putting a hand against the doorway and glanced back at him. "Nothing…I'm just…I'm just not in the mood,"

Zuko frowned, stepping forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. "But it's more than that. Something's bothering you,"

"I'm fine, Zuko," Kaori said sharply, raising her shoulder quickly, getting rid of his hand.

She stepped into the room, shedding her bathrobe and tossing it onto her bed. Zuko leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over her chest. From a drawer, she pulled out a green, flowing skirt, slipping into it easily.

"I know you, you aren't fine," Zuko said simply, and she glared at him as she buttoned up a white shirt.

"I am," Kaori snapped, putting up half of her hair, running her fingers across her beads.

Zuko's arms fell from his chest, his eyes confused and hurt and he stepped forward towards her. "Kaori, please-"

"Zuko! Leave me alone!" Kaori yelled, turning on him, her hair blowing behind her from the force of the air she pushed in her anger, surprising Zuko so much that he took a step backwards. Kaori stared at him for a moment, her breathing hard, before she turned and strode out of the room, her hands clenched into fists.

Zuko stared at the door she slammed on her way out, his eyes wide. What was going on with her?

XxXxXxXxXxXx

Kaori walked along the beach, fuming on the inside. What was going on with her? First she had been thinking about Zhao, about the sense of doom she knew was coming and it had depressed her. It had been such a powerful feeling, one that she hadn't been able to push away. And then, as fast as a shooting star, she had been filled with fury, she hadn't even known why. There had been nothing that would normally upset her and yet she had been so angry… Angry at Zuko…

The thought of his eyes made her sad again, and her shoulders slumped. She had yelled at him and he hadn't done a thing; if anything, he had wanted to know what was bothering her.

Running a hand against her forehead, Kaori sighed. She had been so awful to him and he was probably just as confused as she was.

Kaori stopped, looking up. She would go apologize. A smile spread over her lips. She would hug him and tell him she was so sorry, then maybe they could take a walk together. He would understand, he would, she knew it. Turning around quickly, Kaori smiled widely, ready to talk to Zuko, when she froze, pain spreading through her body.

With a scream, she fell against the sand, arms wrapping around her waist.

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"So, you have to tell me, what was it like?"

Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes for the hundredth time. Ever since he had let it be known that he was the now ex-Prince of the Fire Nation, Aliruko had stuck to his side, begging to help him out any way she could.

"I've already told you, it was just…I don't know!" Zuko exclaimed, and Aliruko nodded eagerly.

"But the colors, and the people, what were they like in the city? Did they use their fire bending every day?"

"Aliruko," Zuko said, coming to a stop. He had been walking through the village looking for Kaori when Aliruko had caught up with him. "I really don't remember. It's not something I like to remember,"

Aliruko frowned. "But how can you not want to? I'm sure it was a glorious sight to behold! Surely you don't not want to see it again…"

Zuko looked at her hard. "No, no I don't."

"But that makes no sense!" Aliruko exclaimed, throwing up her arms. "A city like that would be beautiful!"

Zuko opened his mouth to ask her why she cared so much when he heard a scream. His head jerked in the direction that the scream came from and a chill ran over him. "Kaori," he whispered, taking off towards the scream.

Panic filled every fiber of his being as he ran, followed by Aliruko, moving quickly. A few other villagers had heard the scream and followed as well, concern in their eyes.

When he turned onto the beach, Zuko's breath caught in his throat. "Kaori!" he exclaimed, and she looked up weakly from where she lay. He ran towards her, sliding a bit as he fell to his knees at her side.

"Zuko," Kaori said softly. She yelped a little, clutching her stomach.

"Someone get a doctor!" Zuko exclaimed, looking through the villagers that had shown up. "Get the doctor now!"

XxXxXxXxXxX

It felt like hours to him, when in reality, it took only about twenty minutes. The doctor, a small man with eyes to big for his face, clucked his tongue and nodded, muttering to himself now and then. Kaori lay in bed, her eyes going from the doctor to Zuko more times than he could count. Zuko held onto her hand, his mouth in a tight, thin line.

Finally, the doctor sat back, a smile against his lips. "Well, Princess, there is nothing to worry about,"

Kaori looked at him, raising her eyebrows. "But…but that doesn't make any sense,"

The doctor chuckled a little. "It makes perfect sense,"

Zuko frowned, standing up and glaring at the little man. "No it does not. Did you not see the pain that she was in?"

The doctor looked up at Zuko calmly, still smiling, then his eyes slid to Kaori's. "Princess, I assure you that everything is alright. You are…with child,"

The entire room seemed to freeze. Kaori's eyes went to her stomach, looking bewildered and Zuko's eyes were wide, his mouth parted slightly.

"But…but…" Kaori stammered.

"It appears that everything is still alright," the doctor continued. "So there is nothing to worry about. However, you will want to take it easy from now on…just until the baby is born,"

There was a long moment of silence and the daughter coughed uncomfortably. "I'll…um, leave you two then to privately share this blessing,"

Zuko didn't even see the doctor leave, he just knew that he was gone. A child. A child. There was no way, there couldn't be, he didn't know what to think. Flashes of his dream made their way before his eyes- the girl with the golden eyes, the black hair. Was she real? Was she growing right now?

"Zuko…" Kaori whispered, and he turned slightly to look at her. "I'm sorry about before," A tear slipped from her eye as he took her hand gently. "I didn't mean to yell at you…I'm just…I couldn't control myself… And I kept thinking about…about Zhao…and something bad is going to happen Zuko, I just know it, something bad is going to happen-"

Zuko pressed a finger to her lips, sitting on the side of her bed, keeping her hand in his. "Kaori, nothing bad is going to happen. Zhao will never find us, I won't let him get you,"

Kaori nodded, tightening her grip on his hand. "Zuko…" she whispered again, "Now…now this baby….what will we…."

He leaned forward, kissing her gently. "I love you," he said gently. "I will take care of you and this baby." The words came so easily and yet he was filled with fear. He couldn't be a father, he couldn't. He didn't know what a father was. But she needed these words, it was obvious from the way her eyes calmed.

Kaori nodded and closed her eyes as he slid onto the bed next to her, pulling her to him.

"It'll be alright," he whispered into her hair, although he wasn't sure if he was speaking more to her or to himself.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Aliruko sat in her room, all the windows covered. She stared at the wall, her arms crossed over her chest as she frowned. How could Zuko not want to go back to his nation? To that city of beauty and purity. How could he not want to see the wonders of that world… In fact, he hardly ever used his fire bending anymore…he just practiced in the mornings now and then to keep himself in shape; sometimes by himself or sometimes even with Kaori.

Aliruko clenched her fists. If she was a fire bender, then she would use her fire bending every moment of the day. She would treasure it's beauty. If she had come from the capital, she would take in every aspect of it and never take it for granted. She'd walk around the capital every moment. If she had known the Fire Lord….she would have spent her life bowing down to him.

There was a knock on the door and Aliruko stood up, swinging it open. A thin, young man stood before her, a lock of brown hair in his eyes. He smiled at her with a charming smile and held out an envelope to her. Aliruko took it slowly, nodding at the young man before closing the door.

She leaned back against it, holding the envelope to her chest.

"And so it begins," she whispered to herself, using her thumb to flick the envelope open.