Disclaimer: Don't own.

A/N: This comes out of me actually starting to feel sick. Boo. I have about half of a different word for s done but this one came out easier. I do want to go back to that one though. I also know of a few fics where one of these two is sick so I guess I'm adding to the pile. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and everything!

The day started off rather well for Katara. All three kids were healthy again, Zuko wasn't sick, and she had, miraculously managed to not get sick either. Now it was time to get back to normal routine of helping run a country and family.

She took her older children to school, discussed with their teachers what they missed and promised they would make it up even though the teachers were a little hesitant to give the princes extra work. She told them, once again, that while they were royalty she wanted them treated like every other student and that meant make up work. It helped a little when she gently remind them that she too was royalty and could easily turn her request into an order (though she never would). After she returned to the Palace she looked over letters she had received in her office while her youngest played in the corner. Lunch was a small affair that she bullied Zuko into attending. After was naptime while she and Zuko discussed the affairs of the Fire Nation before she went to pick up her other children.

As dinner drew closer she began to feel a little sore. That was fine, she and Zuko had sparred a few days before and, while she was still in shape, sometimes she became a little sore after. She brushed it off and focused on helping with calligraphy. At dinner she took a sip of tea before coughing. It was probably too hot and that was why her throat slightly hurt. She drank water the rest of the time.

Zuko put the kids to bed and Katara changed for bed. That was when it hit her. She avoided getting sick for about a day but now she could feel the tightness in her throat and the sickly ache through out her body. She changed again into her most comfortable pajamas (a pair of loose pants and one of Zuko's old shirts) and curled up in bed. She was asleep before Zuko came back.

In the morning she felt no better but liked the warmth that was Zuko wrapped around her. Then she coughed. And he coughed.

"Please tell me that was some form of sympathy," she croaked out.

"I can tell you that but it won't be the truth. I thought we managed to skip getting sick this time," he complained.

"I did too. Usually we get it while they're still sick," cough, "but I guess not this time. I'm going back to bed. You can't," she weakly kicked his leg under the covers, "you have an important trade meeting to prepare for."

"Head hurts, throat hurts, body hurts," hack, "don't want to move." He burrowed his head into her shoulder. "You're warm."

"I usually tell you that." They lay curled up taking turns coughing for a little and wallowing in their shared illness.

"Maybe," Katara began while pulling the blanket closer around herself. Zuko whined and tried to grab some from her before he realized he had a half a bed's worth of blanket to curl up in himself. "We could get up, get things set in motion for the day and get anything important that we need to look over and bring it to bed."

"Good plan. You get up first. I'll follow you." Katara knew she would have to drag him out of bed. For all of his 'firebenders can get sick but get better faster because our bodies are warmer' talk she knew he was always sick for the same amount of time as she was and he always complained slightly more about it. She tried to make herself move, to force her body into getting up from the warm comfort of the bed and failed. Miserably.

"Later, later I'll move."

She could feel herself drifting back to sleep when two distinct cries of "Mom, Dad!" and one of "Mommy, Daddy!" came from inside the room. She wasn't going to guess as to why she didn't hear the door open all she knew was her children were being loud and, for a second, she felt like a slightly horrible mother for wishing they would shut up and leave her alone.

"Kids are here," Zuko mumbled from under the blanket. "Katara make them stop being so loud." She really hoped that somewhere deep down he felt bad about that comment.

Three heads appeared by Katara's side of the bed, all wide eyed and looking expectant. Before any of them could say anything Katara muttered "Mom and Dad are sick. Go get Grandma and tell her to come here." At that moment Katara was so grateful that Ursa had returned and had agreed to live here.

They nodded and ran off. Had either Zuko or Katara been more aware they would have seen their eldest take charge and give jobs to his siblings with the effectiveness needed for the future Fire Lord (even if the job he gave to his baby sister was to stay with him). However both were already on their way to going back to sleep.

Katara woke up again when Zuko moved next to her. She rolled over to see him sitting up and Ursa leaning over to place a tray in front of him. "Here baby," had Zuko been feeling better Katara knew he would have been annoyed at being called that but always told her to stop affectionately. "I brought you hot and sour soup like you like when sick and some of Iroh's special blend of tea for sore throats. Your children said that they heard you two coughing. I also brought what looked important for your trade meeting and it's on the table here," she gestured to the nightstand by Zuko's side, "along with a pot of jasmine tea and some honey. You can heat the tea when you're ready to drink it." She placed a kiss on his forehead much like Katara had done when her kids were lying in bed sick before bending down to pick up another tray and some scrolls.

"Ah, good you're also awake Katara. Here let me help you sit up. I brought you the same thing as Zuko and a pot of the lychee tea you like. Have Zuko heat that as well even if he complains. I also brought that scroll of Fire Nation myths you've been wanting to read and the letters that arrived this morning for you. If you or Zuko need anything else there's a servant waiting outside your door but I'll be back to check on you two." Katara was surprised when Ursa kissed her head too and let a few tears escape her eyes because this whole thing reminded her of her own what her own mother would do when she was sick as a child. She managed to hold back the larger sobs because those would hurt her head and throat more than they were hurting. Zuko noticed her tears and carefully put his arm around Katara.

"Thanks," she mumbled. After a few moments of being held she gently moved to get her soup and Zuko took the hint and began eating as well. Occasionally one of them would cough and inevitably spill some of the soup on either themselves or the blanket.

Once finished they moved their trays to the floor and curled up together. Katara rolled over to kiss his cheek before snuggling into him again. "What a pair we make," he said into her hair.

"At least no one can say we don't take care of the kids."