Disclaimer: Don't own.

A/N: I love all of you. Honestly that was the most reviews for any chapter I had for the last one. You guys are awesome!

"Daddy!" squealed his youngest child as she ran down the gangplank and flung herself at him.

Zuko picked her up and grunted a little. "You're getting big, princess," he said putting her back down.

"I know! Did you notice I grew? Mommy said I did. Do you like my new dress? Uncle Sokka said it was like the one Mommy wore while traveling with Uncle Aang," Zuko was impressed at how fast his daughter was talking and could definitely tell that her dark blue dress was like the one he'd seen Katara wear while he was chasing her. "And I drew you a picture. Well I drew you a lot of pictures but I did this one yesterday and I wanted to give it to you first!" She thrust the paper at Zuko. He unrolled it and noted that, for a four year old, it was actually kind of good. He could at least tell that it was Katara and his second child practicing bending while his eldest was meditating off to the side. At least that's what he thought it was.

She was looking up at him with her big blue eyes that reminded him so much of Katara's that he wondered what was taking her so long to disembark. His other children for that matter too. "Do you like it?" She asked in the hopeful tone he'd come to realize only children made.

"I love it. It's very good."

"Are you going to hang it anywhere? Oh! Wait I have something else to show you!" He watched as she took a deep breath and watched her features rearrange into a look of utter concentration. A moment later she thrust out her fist and with it came a burst of fire. Not a large burst or even a very good one but she created fire.

"When did you start doing that?" He asked in awe.

"A little while ago. Mommy asked Irzan to show me some beginning moves but we haven't been working on them for long," she looked almost sad at that.

"Dad!" came the almost identical cry of his sons as they sprinted down to land. He would bet a good ten gold pieces that they were racing. Especially when, as he kneeled down to embrace them, his eldest stock his tongue out as he was clearly in the lead.

"Oof," was the sound that emitted from his mouth as they collided with him. "I've missed you," as they stepped back he took a good look at them. "You've both grown too."

"Where's my welcome?" Came the voice he'd been waiting to hear.

"Katara," he whispered as his wife came closer. He pulled her closer and kissed her as her arms slid around his neck. There were annoyed "ews" from their children but neither really cared.

"Three months is too long to be apart," Katara murmured, as they finally broke apart.

"I whole heartedly agree. Come on, let's go home." His hand slid around her waist as the family walked to the waiting carriage, Zuko had decided that a palanquin all the way to the Palace from the docks would be too much for the bearers. He opened the door and waited as his kids and Katara clambered in before he followed, taking a seat next to Katara while their children sat across from them.

On the trip up he was regaled with stories from their trip to Kyoshi, complete with how the boys learned how to use and care for a boomerang, how they had spared not only with their male cousin, but also with their female ones, how they saw the unagi splashing around, and Kyra whipped out her practice fans that she had taken to keeping in her belt to show Zuko. He smiled at everything, pulling Katara closer and every so often placing a kiss on her forehead.

When they arrived at the Palace the driver opened the door for them. "I'm going to go make sure the children get settled," Katara said as they walked up the steps. Zuko wasn't sure what they needed to get settled but he did know that he had some letters he had to go over that he had left in favor of meeting them when their ship docked. "I'll probably see you at dinner then," he responded as they went their separate ways.

Dinner was everything Zuko remembered it being. It was loud and full of trying to get the children to eat everything they should, stopping arguments over pieces of food, and something Zuko had missed dearly.

"Why don't you put the children to bed, I'll be waiting for you," Katara kissed his check as she stood and excused herself from the table with a quick "be good" to her children.

Zuko made sure the children were in their rooms and ready for bed (he even told them a story, one about the Blue Spirit for his sons and a story about turtlducks to his daughter). On his way back to his rooms he realized just how different his children's lives where than his was: whereas they had an official nurse he and Katara, for the most part, took care of them while he had had his mother and nurse take care of him. His children also had the unconditional love of both their parents.

He entered the rooms he and Katara shared and was happy to find her sitting in front of her vanity in her robe brushing out her hair. He watched her watch him as he made his way to his closet to shuck off his formal attire in favor of black sleeping pants.

Katara was waiting for him as he emerged from his closet. "Are the children in bed?" He nodded while his arms snaked around her waist. "Good I have plans for you tonight. But first there's something I-" she was cut off when he'd decided that those plans needed to go into effect now. He managed to drag her over to their bed without breaking the kiss.

"Zuko," Katara moaned as his mouth moved to her neck. "I really think you want to listen to what I have to say."

"Too much talking not enough moaning my name," came his reply.

"There better be moaning later. I'm pregnant." That made him stop and look at her. She saw his look of shock and could almost see the thoughts going through his mind. "I'm about four months."

"But we were being careful. Three is a good number."

"I know but with all our fighting and you're wanting to send us away because of the assassination attempts on the children and all our making up then, well, I guess we got a little careless." She took his hand and placed it over the slight but still there rounding of her stomach.

"I guess we'll have four then."