Chapter 13: Suspicion

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Mai watched the scenery fly by under her. It was peaceful.

She was snapped out of her dreamy state by a nauseating stirring of her stomach. It seemed to be twisting and compacting, and Mai pictured it trying to push her breakfast back up through her throat. Mai groaned quietly, and looked around nervously to see if anyone had heard.

Naturally, Zuko had caught it, and was furrowing his brow in worry at her. Mai waved him off and looked back over the side of the basket. The nausea was getting worse, though. Her head started to prick, as if to warn her that she was getting dangerously close to getting sick all over the floor.

"Mai, are you all right?" Zuko drew her attention from her queasiness. "You look green."

Mai turned a well-controlled mask to him, hiding the grimace she wanted to make. "I'm all right, Zuko. You're imagining things."

Zuko frowned. "You're sick," he said firmly. "Katara, doesn't Mai look sick to you?"

Katara looked over. Her eyes widened at the sight of Mai's face. "You look awful!" she said.

"Thanks." Mai looked away, hiding her eyes under her bangs.

"She's telling the truth." Zuko tipped Mai's chin up so she'd have to look at him.

The movement made things worse, and Mai struggled to keep from getting sick on Zuko.

"We need to land," Zuko shouted to Aang.

Aang turned towards Zuko in confusion. "What? Do you see something?" Aang studied Zuko, and realized he wasn't paying any attention to the land below them anymore. When Aang saw what Zuko was looking at, he gasped. "What happened to Mai?" he asked.

Mai sighed. The last thing she wanted was to be fussed over.

"I don't know." Zuko was pulling Mai further into the middle of the balloon's basket. "Let's just land."

Aang didn't hesitate any more and guided Appa towards the ground. Zuko followed with the balloon. Soon they were on the ground.

Aang, Sokka and Suki scrambled off of Appa and came over to the others, leaving a disinterested Toph behind.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked. "It's too early to stop to—" At the sight of Mai, Sokka backed away. "Is she gonna hurl? Because if she is, I am so out of here."

Suki smacked Sokka on the shoulder. "That's not nice," she reprimanded.

"But I will be!" Sokka insisted.

"I'm not that bad!" Mai said, frowning at Zuko. "Stop worrying about me and we'll—" Mai's sentence was interrupted as she lost the battle with her stomach and subsequently lost her breakfast to the nearby grass.

True to his word, Sokka yelled in disgust and ran to the other side of Appa, where he wouldn't have to watch anything else Mai might do.

Zuko immediately started pulling Mai's hair away from her face, moving her away from her mess, and trying to control his hysteria.

Katara was watching intently, cycling through possible causes for Mai's sudden and severe illness. "Mai, how long have you felt nauseous?"

Mai looked up at Katara, whose face was being blocked by an ugly black dot, one of many that had popped up in her field of vision. "I think... about... five minutes..."

"Do you think you're air sick?" Katara asked. "If you are, the symptoms should stop soon..."

"I'm not air sick," Mai protested. She was out of ways to hide her discomfort, and didn't feel like wrestling her way out of Zuko's arms. At least she knew she could still put up a good front. "I can't possibly be air sick because I never have been before."

"There's a first time for everything," Zuko pointed out, obviously disagreeing with Mai's assessment. "Maybe it's just a new—"

"No, it isn't!" Mai snapped, jumping away a bit. At Zuko's somewhat wounded expression, Mai was remorseful, and settled back where she'd been. "I was just fine until a few minutes ago. And I still feel nauseous, so that can't be it, anyway." She tried to make her voice softer, so as not to alarm Zuko.

Katara stared at the ground. What could possibly bring on such an episode? As she thought, Mai threw up again. It wasn't as bad as the first time, but it still had Zuko worked up.

Aang was starting to feel useless, as he had very limited medical knowledge and didn't have any other ideas, so he went back to Appa.

Katara came over to Mai, looking worried. She laid a hand on Mai's forehead. "You don't feel warm, but still, if it's just started," she muttered. Speaking clearly, she asked, "Do you think it could be some kind of stomach flu?"

Mai resisted the urge to shy away from Katara. She was only trying to help, after all. "I don't know where I could have caught it, if that's the case. Nobody was sick like this back home— Get out of the way!"

Katara didn't have much time to move before Mai threw up the last of what she'd had in her stomach.

"As I was saying," Mai continued shakily, "this would have had to come from somewhere, and I can't think for the life of me what I could have been exposed to."

Katara frowned. "I'm sorry my healing powers don't work on this sort of thing." She water-bended some water, wiping Mai's face off. "I think we should camp here for a day or two, until you're feeling better." She pursed her lips. "I think I brought some ginger mint along. I'll make you some tea with it, after I've told the others that we'll be staying put for now." She turned and headed towards Aang and Appa.

Mai nodded. "Thanks for doing so much, Katara," she said.

When Katara had gone, Mai looked apologetically at Zuko. "I'm sorry I'm holding us up. You could go on ahead..."

Zuko looked shocked. "I'm not going anywhere without you, and especially when you're like this! No, someone else can go ahead, but it won't be me."

Zuko's speech was rewarded with a tight hug.

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Mai sat next to Zuko under a tree's shade, trying to calculate in her mind how long it had been since she'd left the Fire Nation. A sneaking suspicion was whispering in Mai's all-too-willing mind. She was hoping that something had happened to help Zuko in a way only she could do. "Zuko... would you mind if I talked to Katara alone for a few minutes?"

Zuko looked a bit confused but went to find Katara.

When Katara came over, Mai motioned for her to come closer. "Do you know how long it's been since we left the Fire Nation?" she asked.

Katara nodded. "It's been around three months…" Katara trailed off. "Why are you asking?"

Mai could tell by a light growing in Katara's eyes that the same suspicion was creeping into her mind. "I think… I don't think I've had a single period since we left." She let that sink in.

"You think maybe you don't have the flu." It wasn't a question; it was a suggestion.

Mai nodded. "Let's not tell anyone; I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone—I mean, Zuko—if I'm wrong."

Katara nodded excitedly.

"It will be our secret," she intoned very seriously, then started giggling. "I won't tell, Mai. At least, not until after you do," she said in a much more normal tone.

Zuko hurried around Appa's back, and looked at Katara and Mai suspiciously. He'd heard Katara laugh, but not what she'd said. If those two were planning a prank of some sort…

"Hello, Zuko," Mai called lazily over, keeping up her usual detached façade. "What's keeping you all the way over there?"

Zuko smiled and hurried to sit next to Mai, tucking her into the crook of his arm. Maybe he was suspicious for nothing.

Mai shot Katara a conspiratorial glance that Zuko wouldn't be able to catch, not with his face buried in her hair the way it was.

"What was Katara laughing about earlier?" Zuko asked casually after about half an hour of talking like typical newlyweds. "You don't usually tell jokes."

Mai shrugged. "I decided to try something new."

Zuko raised his eyebrows at her. "Really? Mind telling me what brought that on?"

"Actually I do." Mai shrugged. "It's a girl thing."

Zuko frowned. He hated it when Mai kept secrets. "Are you feeling better?"

"A bit." Ever since Mai had thought of a good reason to go through the nausea, she had started feeling better.

"Do you think you'll be able to travel?" he asked, laying a hand gently over Mai's stomach.

Trying not to giggle at the giddy shock running through her skin, she wondered whether Zuko could feel anything under his hands that hadn't been there before. She shrugged. "I'll try."

Zuko studied her expression. "There's something going on here," he said, and tipped her chin so she looked him in the eye. "You're very happy—but you're sick, too. What does that mean?"

"It means I had a nice talk with Katara and I'm in a good mood."

Zuko shook his head. "No. Something is definitely different."

Mai's mind was desperately searching for a way out. Would Katara see what was going on and save her? She couldn't tell Zuko because all she had was a suspicion and a hope. She didn't want Zuko to even consider the possibility.

Aang suddenly dropped out of the sky and landed in front of them.

"Hey, Mai, are you feeling better?" he asked, genuinely concerned, although completely missing the fact that he had startled the both of them very badly.

Mai blinked and turned her head, now that Zuko's hand had loosened enough to allow the movement. "Actually, I am, Aang. Thanks for asking. We may be able to—"

"I don't think so." Zuko reined her in. "Not yet."

Mai sighed. "All right. I'm feeling better, but apparently I'm not allowed to even think about going anywhere."

"That's fine." Aang turned from them and started heading towards Katara, who was helping Suki unload Appa. "Hey, Katara! I found a pond. Want to go swimming with me?"

Katara glanced at Suki, who made a "go on" gesture.

"All right," Katara called to Aang. "But not for too long—"

Katara's qualification was cut off as Aang whooped and sped up. He grabbed Katara's hand and raced off into the trees, pulling her along.

Suki laughed, and started laughing even harder as Sokka stuck his head over the other side of Appa and asked, "What was the yelling about? Hey, where's Katara? I thought she was helping you unload."

"She and Aang are off for a swim," Suki said to Sokka. "You're helping me now."

Sokka frowned. "When did I volunteer?"

Suki leaned over and kissed him.

"Oh! I get it. I volunteer!" Sokka leapt into action, unpacking the makings of a camp.

Mai and Zuko watched with mild amusement.

"That looks like fun," Mai commented.

"It really isn't." Zuko shrugged. "I've done it. You'd be bored under normal circumstances, and now, it'd be too much work."

"Moving looks like fun, though." Mai turned a pout to Zuko.

Zuko shook his head. "No. I'm not about to let you move and then throw up the little you have left in your stomach."

"Fire Lord and doctor? When did this happen?"

"Once I learned you were sick!" Zuko smiled down at Mai. "Relax. The more you relax the sooner you'll recover."

Mai sighed. "Yes, sir."

Zuko frowned. "Aw, don't do that. You're one of the most powerful women in the world, Mai! Don't call me sir. I'm your husband for Agni's sake."

Mai laughed. "All right. I won't call you sir again." She yawned and soon she was asleep.

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Suki took it upon herself to unpack the "feminine provisions" instead of having Sokka do it. She wanted them to be easily accessible, yet not in the men's way. She left some near Toph's rock tent, by her and Sokka's tent, by Katara's tent—and then stopped in front of the tent Zuko was setting up. It occurred to her that Mai hadn't used any of the things she'd left for her at the other campsites—and it had been close to three months. "Oh!" Suki's hand flew to her mouth as her gaze shot to a still sleeping Mai.

Zuko's head whipped around to examine Suki. "What is it?" he asked in alarm, following Suki's gaze to Mai. "Suki," Zuko's tone warned Suki that she'd better say something or Zuko would explode.

"Um... Nothing, Zuko. I just remembered that I'm supposed to talk to Katara about something!"

"Why are you looking at Mai like that?" Zuko took a step closer.

"Only because she's nearby! Goodbye, Zuko!" Suki ran off, and stopped on the other side of the war balloon. She realized Katara was off with Aang. She had to talk to someone else soon. She needed to bounce her idea off someone likely to be able to answer her question. Her eyes settled on Toph. She'd do. "Hey, Toph!" Suki whispered. "I need to talk to you."

Toph cleaned out the inside of her ear. "What's that, Suki?" Toph kicked herself inwardly for not having an embarrassing nickname ready for Suki.

"It's just that I need to talk to another girl, and Mai's asleep and Katara's out with Aang. Please come over here!"

Sokka looked down from Appa's back. "What's going on down there?"

"Stay out of it, Sokka!" Suki said indignantly.

Sokka frowned and pulled his head back over the edge of Appa's saddle. But he still listened.

"All right, Toph." Suki hurried to Toph's side. "I think Mai is pregnant!" she squeaked.

"What?" Toph hopped away from Suki. "You think they actually did something ri—"

Suki clapped her hand over Toph's mouth. "Don't go yelling it everywhere! It's just that Mai hasn't had a single period since we started this trip! I think the nausea and the fatigue—" Suki gave Toph a moment to register that Mai really was asleep, judging by how little she was moving "—are really from her being pregnant!" Suki squeaked on that last word, and Sokka's head reappeared. Suki frowned at him and he disappeared again.

Toph laughed. "Then I guess at least one of their political problems is solved—if it works out. Hey! Now I get to mess with the father..."

"Not yet!" Suki cautioned, and pulled Toph behind a rock. "Let's not forget that Mai might not want Zuko to know yet. She hasn't told us, either... but she probably just hasn't gotten a chance yet."

Toph shook her head. "All right. We can keep it quiet."

Turning abruptly away from Suki, Toph released a stream of boisterous laughter and hand motions, causing her tent to crash into the soil. "Ah, dang it!" Muttering to herself she replaced said rocks in a more fitting formation and turned back to Suki.

"Sorry about that, Jumpy." Satisfied with the look of shock displayed on the other girl's face, Toph laughed again; softly this time though.

Suki's eyes flashed with a reprimanding glint. "I just told you a big important secret, and you laughed? This is serious!" she whispered frantically.

Blind eyes flitted up to where Sokka was peering down from, and she heard him gasp. Suki was also upset by the noise and quickly flew to silence him.

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When Katara returned alone (Aang had decided to enjoy the water for a bit longer), Suki cornered her. "Katara! Have you considered the possibility that Mai isn't sick at all? That it's something—" Suki's eyes swept around the surroundings to see if any of the men were listening "—that it's something else?"

Katara carefully kept her face blank. She shrugged slightly. "Maybe you should ask Mai about that."

Suki pouted. "She's got Zuko hovering over her all the time. There's no way to talk to her."

"I'll get him out of the way for you. I can't guarantee for how long, though."

Katara walked over to where Zuko was sitting by Mai. "Hey, Zuko, could you come light the fire for me, please?"

Zuko looked up at Katara. "Sure," he said, looking warily at Mai. If she woke up... he didn't know how long it would take him to convince her to rest some more. But he wasn't her father, after all, so he just followed Katara.

Suki quietly made her way over to Mai. "Hey, Mai," she whispered.

Mai's face twitched, but a second later it smoothed out again, and Mai continued undisturbed.

"Mai!" Suki whispered a bit louder, this time accompanying her whisper with a poke to Mai's shoulder.

Now Mai's eyes shot open and she frowned at Suki. "What is it?"

Suki's eyes darted around. "Have you considered that maybe you don't have the flu?"

Mai blinked. "Who have you been talking to?"

"Katara wouldn't tell me if she thought you were pregnant," Suki pouted.

"I think I am." Mai bit her tongue. She wasn't supposed to let it out that easily. Why had she even let Suki wake her up?

Suki squealed.

"What was that?" Zuko's voice came from around Appa.

"Nothing, Zuko! The fire isn't ready. You can check it out later!" Katara insisted.

"The fire would be lit if you'd stop waterbending all over it!"

"Oh. You caught that?"

"Hard not to."

Mai laughed quietly. "Let me go back to sleep. I don't want to worry Zuko by being awake when Katara stops confounding him."

Suki had her information, and skipped off.

Katara saw Suki, and quickly removed the excess water from the pile of wood. Noticing that, Zuko quickly caught it on fire.

Katara caught his arm as he started to push past her. "I'm sorry for messing with you like that, Zuko. I shouldn't have, but your obsessive worrying isn't going to help Mai. I just thought you both could use a break from it."

Zuko studied Katara for a moment. "All right. Maybe next time you can do it when Mai's awake to enjoy the break. Thanks... I guess..." Zuko shrugged and glanced around Appa to see Mai, still perfectly still. "She's all right... surprisingly. It doesn't look like she threw up again."

Suki walked by and grabbed Katara's arm. "Come on, Katara! It's your turn!"

Zuko furrowed his brow. "Your turn for what?"

Suki turned to Zuko in shock. "Umm... it's her turn to... have a girl talk with me!"

Zuko stared. "All right. Whatever." Zuko walked over and sat next to Mai, a little distance off.

Suki turned her enthusiastic eyes to Katara. "Mai thinks she's pregnant, Katara! Isn't that exciting?" Suki was a bit too loud, and Zuko cocked his head at her. Suki shook her head at him, and he let it go.

Zuko hadn't been able to hear what Suki said, but he'd heard Mai's name, and the word: "Exciting." In his mind, this was something to be thought about. Mai's idea of exciting translated into danger... unless he was involved. A slight grin spread across his face as he scooted a bit closer to Mai.

"Sh, Suki! Mai doesn't want Zuko to know yet, because she's not sure," Katara admonished.

Suki stared at Katara in surprise. "You knew already?"

Katara nodded absently, her attention on the fire and the food supplies she was digging through.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Suki asked, sounding slightly hurt.

"Because I promised Mai I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Oh." Suki seemed pacified. She wandered off to find Sokka, leaving Katara to concentrate on finding the ginger mint.

Sokka had been bored, but he'd found some sticks, leaves and pebbles and had decided to try constructing a city... or a forest... or just a collection of random forest objects. He heard someone coming and looked up to see Suki with a thoughtful look on her face. "Look at the city of Sokkaria!"

Suki laughed. 'That's nice, Sokka…" She trailed off thoughtfully.

"What's on your mind?" Sokka asked lazily. "Is it the thing you were giggling with Toph about earlier?"

Suki nodded absently.

"Come on, can I get anything better than that?"

"It's a secret." Suki sighed.

Sokka pouted. "A secret? Out here?" At a questioning look from Suki, Sokka elaborated. "That could be dangerous. What kind of secret is it?"

"It's... a girly secret."

"Could it possibly affect the mission?" Sokka wasn't really thinking so seriously, but if he got Suki to do so, he could get an answer out of her.

Suki thought about that for a moment. It could definitely affect the mission if Mai's suspicions were true. "Yes, it could—but only in a good way!" She wasn't so sure about that, but it could affect Zuko and Mai's mission in the perfect way.

Sokka frowned. "Battle plans?" he guessed. "Girly battle plans?"

Mai had only specified that she didn't want Zuko to know... "Not battle plans. But we girls think Mai is pregnant!" Suki said the last word in a high, squeaky voice.

Sokka's eyes widened. "Oh." Had he wanted to know that? "I guess Zuko deserves some congratulations, and Mai, too."

Suki waved her hands in front of Sokka's face. "No! Mai doesn't want Zuko to know. She doesn't know if it's true."

Sokka shrugged. "All right."

Toph had been sitting nearby. "Did I hear something about—?"

"Sh!" Suki cautioned. "Not so loud! But yes, you did..."

Toph grinned. "Oh, this will be fun."

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Aang bounded back into camp, not having bothered to pull his shirt and shoes back on yet. He caught Katara around the waist and pulled her against him, kissing her cheek.

Katara let out a loud shriek, having been abruptly startled from the reverie she'd fallen into while stirring the ginger mint tea. Fortunately for Aang, she recognized the feel of his arms around her; otherwise, he would have been drenched in the boiling hot ginger mint tea.

Mai woke up abruptly at the sound of Katara's scream, her eyes wide in alarm. "What's going on?" she asked nobody in particular, as she hadn't had time to register anyone's presence.

"I'll check. You stay." Zuko shouted as he ran around Appa to see what was going on. He was greeted with the sight of Katara in Aang's arms, glaring at Aang. He almost asked what had happened, but he decided against it and went back to Mai. "It's only Aang and Katara. I guess he startled her."

"Oh. All right." Mai's eyes were closing by themselves, but she reached out her hand. "Come over here, please." She put a pleading tone in her voice.

Zuko ran to her and tucked her into his side.

Mai made herself comfortable and sighed in satisfaction. "That's much better than the tree," she said before falling asleep again.

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Sokka came up to Aang. "So, have you heard the latest gossip around camp? You can't tell Zuko…"

Aang looked up at Sokka. "What? Why?"

Sokka grinned. "Because Mai doesn't want him to know! She thinks she's pregnant!"

"Pregnant?"

Unfortunately for the two males, Katara happened to overhear Aang's last question. She stalked up to them. "What are you two talking about?"

"Sokka was telling me that Mai thinks she's pregnant," Aang immediately told her, accustomed to answering her questions honestly.

Katara turned to Sokka, eyes blazing. "And who told you that you could spread Mai's private life around camp?"

"Nobody told me…" Sokka trailed off at the fury in Katara's eyes. "I was just told I couldn't tell Zuko. And I didn't. I told Aang."

Katara gritted her teeth. "And this was why Mai didn't want anyone else to know," she muttered to herself. She looked back up at Sokka. "Just make sure you don't even hint about it around Zuko, got it?"

Sokka nodded emphatically. "I promise. No hinting!" He ran away from Katara.

Katara turned to Aang. "And that goes for you, too."

He nodded emphatically as well. "I promise." Then a mischievous glint came into his eyes. "Although I think Zuko is probably the only one who doesn't know, at this point."

Katara sighed. "And we're going to have to be careful to keep it that way until Mai decides she wants to tell him, herself."

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Mai waited until Zuko had left her for a while; he was taking a turn maintaining the fire. She decided it would be best to get moving, and so walked away from the tree she'd been sitting under since they'd landed. She avoided being seen by Zuko and went to find someone to talk to. Unfortunately, the only person she could find was Sokka.

"Hey, Mom!" Sokka sang at her.

Mai stared at Sokka in disbelief. Then she blinked a couple times. "I don't believe I in any way resemble your mother, Sokka. If you're delusional, you're worse off than I."

"No! I'm not delusional; I mean…" Sokka waved his hand in the air.

Mai's jaw dropped. "Who… told… you… what?"

Katara and Aang walked past the place where Sokka and Mai were standing. Noticing that Mai was there, Katara slipped her hand out of Aang's and scurried over to her. "You're feeling better?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

"I was until I learned that your brother here has been trumpeting my secret all around camp! Zuko must be the most unobservant man on the face of the earth!"

Katara glowered at her brother. "What did you do?" she demanded.

"I just told her—"

"He called me 'Mom.' Loudly."

"Sokka! You thick-headed—" Katara glared at her brother. "I guess I should have been more specific. Don't say anything that might possibly indicate—that." Katara gestured towards Mai's stomach. "Ever!"

Zuko heard yelling in the trees. He stood up. "Is everything all right over there?" he called.

Sokka froze mid-nod.

"Yes, Zuko! Everything's fine!" Katara called. "Sokka's just being… Sokka." Katara resumed glaring at her brother.

Zuko sat down. That was understandable. Once he'd decided the fire was all right on its own for a while, he hurried back to where he'd left Mai.

To his horror, she was nowhere to be found. He didn't have the presence of mind to stifle his shocked and terrified yell.

Mai hurried out of the trees. "Relax, Zuko, I'm all right!" she called to him.

Zuko took in the sight of Mai practically running toward him and froze. "You're moving," he accused.

"I'm allowed to, right? You didn't order me not to."

Zuko's mouth twitched at the word "order." "No, I didn't. But couldn't you have told me?"

Mai stopped a yard off from Zuko. "Would you have let me take a walk? I was only going to do it as long as you weren't around. Sitting under a tree all day is boring!"

Zuko frowned. "It's safe, though! Running like you just did could have done something bad to you!"

"Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like? If it's not a tree, it's a throne?"

Zuko folded his arms. "No. Only when you're sick. This morning, just moving your head was enough to make you throw up! And now you want me to let you run around the forest after dark?"

"Yes, I do!" Mai exploded. "I really do want you to let me run around the forest after dark, all right? Maybe you could come with me if you weren't wound tighter than I am!"

Aang and Katara followed after Mai. They watched in surprise as the newlyweds bickered. After a moment, Katara stepped forwards.

"Zuko, do you remember what I told you earlier?"

Zuko turned on Katara. "There was nothing in our discussion about her just taking off. I'm all right with letting her sleep without me nearby, but when she just wanders off?"

"Two things, Zuko," Katara said dryly. "One, Mai is perfectly capable of taking care of herself when she is healthy, and you know that full well. And two, she's told me that she's feeling better. So there's no reason why she can't move fifty feet on her own."

Zuko frowned. "Fine. I do know that full well." He looked at Mai. "Go ahead and do whatever you want." He went back to the fire and started keeping it up again.

Mai stood completely still for a few moments. Sighing, she relaxed enough to walk back into the forest. "Thanks, Katara," she called over her shoulder in her old, flat tone.

Sokka, Suki and Toph had been watching from a distance, and Sokka and Suki continued to double take between Zuko and Mai in confusion.

Toph had no such problem. "Well, that sure went nicely," she said, and disappeared into her earth tent.

Katara sighed and laid her head on Aang's shoulder. "I think I messed that up," she muttered. "Now who do I apologize to first? And for what, exactly?"

Aang wrapped his arms around her and held her, not knowing how else to answer her.

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Many thanks to those who took the time to review and thus brightened our week: broken and forgotten, gloomy maiko lover, Kimjuni2, Silvereyes12, and tweetyberd.