Iroh hastened through the long, cold white corridor. I would never have expected such a cruel remark to come from an Avatar. He is just a child, but to be so full of anger and impatience, and to take those feelings out on a friend… he clearly has much more than the elements yet to learn. Iroh knew that despite her tough exterior, the little earthbender cared very much for the Avatar. That's why it had hurt her so badly when the boy lashed out at her. Iroh understood her sorrow. It was the same way he'd always felt when Zuko had yelled at him.

A gasp escaped the retired general as he found Toph lying like a rumpled blue ball at the turn in the hallway. He rushed towards her and knelt by her side. "Are you all right?"

"I've been better," Toph groaned, pushing herself up slowly to a seated position. She was glad Iroh was the one who found her. She didn't want anyone else to see her in pain, especially not pain she considered to be her own fault.

"What happened?" he asked gently.

"I ran into the wall pretty hard," she confessed, trying to hide her tears behind her long black bangs. "Go ahead, say it. It was stupid for me to run away like that, since I can't even see where I'm going."

Iroh shook his head. "I wasn't going to say that. Here, let me help you up."

"I'm fine," Toph said through gritted teeth, trying to stand.

"No, you're not. Besides, haven't I told you before that there's nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you?"

Toph remembered. He had said that on the day they met. "Maybe you don't think so, but Aang sure does," she sniffled softly as she allowed Iroh to help her to her feet. "He was right about one thing: I couldn't fight on my own. And I hate it. I hate this place! There's no earth under my feet for me to feel vibrations, so I can't see anything here. It makes me feel like a helpless little baby that everyone has to take care of, and I don't want that. I want to be able to take care of myself!" She slammed a fist into the solid ice wall on the other side of her and made a splendidly large crack, as if to prove her strength to herself.

"I'm sure plenty of Fire Nation soldiers out there today thought you could take care of yourself just fine," Iroh pointed out. "Don't take what the Avatar said to heart. His words were spoken out of frustration and fear. He had no right to take those feelings out on you, let alone blame you for something that couldn't possibly be your fault."

"He's right," a warm, younger male voice that Toph recognized as Sokka said then. He, Suki and Pakku had just walked up behind them. Momo resumed his place on her shoulder, nuzzling against her hair. "Aang didn't mean what he said to you, Toph. He just has a really bad temper. Anytime something happens that he can't deal with, he gets mad and either blows up or glows it up. We've all seen it before. It has nothing to do with you."

"And you're an amazing earthbender," Suki chimed in. "I wonder if even Avatar Kyoshi could metalbend the way you do."

"I was on the wall when Aang took you out to face the Fire Navy fleet," Pakku added. "You showed no fear, even in the heat of battle. The Water Tribe is grateful for your help, even if the Avatar isn't."

Toph was not one to show emotion, but their genuine praise and comfort was overwhelming. She would have heartily love-punched all four of them, but she couldn't feel any of their vibrations, and so had to settle for words instead. "Thanks, guys. I couldn't ask for better friends than you. Come on, group hug!" They shared a warm embrace, and even Pakku had to join in, wedged tightly between Iroh and Suki.

ooo LL ooo

Sokka and Suki decided to take a brief rest, as Suki was still a little weak and Sokka was being protective as ever. Pakku went back into the healing house, promising to let them all know when there was news of Katara's condition.

Toph was favoring her left leg slightly, but Iroh said nothing. The arm he had offered was now a gentle hug around her shoulders, meant to support her weight. Had the leg been broken or sprained, she wouldn't be walking at all. Iroh decided to let it slide, and give her already-wounded pride a break.

"What do you say to a nice, warm cup of ginseng tea?"

Toph couldn't help but snicker. "No offense, but what it is with you and tea?"

"My wife, Fujiko, taught me the secret to making the perfect cup of tea," Iroh told his little friend, something he suddenly realized he had never even told his own nephew. "It's to put your heart and soul into every cup. Anytime I came to her with a troubled heart, she would make her magical tea, and somehow, everything would be all right again. Then, after I lost her… well, I suppose it's my way of keeping her close to me. So, whenever someone I care about comes to me with a heavy heart, I always do for them exactly what Fujiko did for me. It's my way of showing that I care."

"Wow," Toph murmured, sorry now that she'd laughed. "I didn't know. You must have really loved each other."

"So much it ached when we were apart," Iroh related softly, " and so much that no one could ever take her place."

"I wonder if I'll find a love like that someday," the blind earthbender wistfully wondered.

"I feel certain that you will."

"But if I do… I mean, how will I know that it's right?"

"To love is to be happy," Iroh said wisely, "completely happy in the presence of another. The person meant for you will appreciate you for who you are inside, and never expect you to be something you're not. He will see all the things that make you beautiful and unique, and only want for you to be more of yourself - not less. When you feel your heart overflow with joy just by being near that special person, you will know that you've found the right one to grow old with."

"Then, if someone makes me angry or miserable most of the time… he's probably not the one for me." Toph hung her head, her bangs falling in her face.

"Don't worry," Iroh said reassuringly, "when you are ready, love will find you. Until then, just keep living. After all, how can you experience the joy of discovering another person until you really know yourself?"

"Y'know, you're really smart," Toph nodded, wishing her hand was free so she could love-punch him. "Thanks. You've got a real knack at knowing what to say to help me."

"I'm glad."

"So… I heard about Azula. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I mean, she was your niece."

Though Toph couldn't see it, she could almost feel Iroh's face fall. "My niece was never truly happy," he admitted, shaking his head. "She was too much like my brother - full of rage and hate, and the desire for power that consumed them both. I do not regret doing what had to be done to save Katara's life and protect the Water Tribe. And perhaps now, as a spirit, Azula can find the peace she could not find in life, always in her father's shadow."

They arrived at Iroh's ice-dwelling then, and he took the little girl inside and brewed a delicious pot of ginseng tea. Maybe it was the soothing quality of the warm draught, or maybe it was exhaustion from a terrible battle in a terrible war, but somehow the two ended up snoring next to one another, Toph curled like a little owlcat against the rise and fall of Iroh's girthful stomach. She didn't know it, but in her sleep she'd cuddled up against him, and murmured, "I wish you could be my dad."

ooo LL ooo

Inside the healing house, Pakku found Kana bustling about. "I thought I asked you to wait outside," Gran-Gran bristled. "As you can see, we're quite busy in here."

"I want to help," the old waterbender offered. "Please. What can I do?"

"You don't know how to use your bending to heal," Kana pointed out. "That's women's work, remember?"

Pakku caught the barb and sighed deeply. "Are you going to punish me forever for my mistakes all those years ago?"

Kana paused, then reluctantly looked up into his hopeful blue eyes. Mentally, she cursed Tui and La; he had aged better than she had, the old coot, with hardly a wrinkle on his face except for his brow, and those eyes of his were as beautiful as ever. "If my granddaughter can put up with you, so can I," she finally said. "Since you insist on remaining here, go sponge her brow. She's burning up with fever."

Pakku headed to Katara's side without another word. His stubborn little protégé laid vulnerably on the fur cot, her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed.

The old man frowned. It hurt him to see the girl like this. He'd admired her deeply for having the pluck to challenge him, the unbeatable Waterbending Master of the Northern Tribe, and give him the first exciting sparring session he'd had in years. If that hadn't fully won him over, her determination as his student had. She had proved herself strong, brave, and disciplined. She had earned his respect. Not my granddaughter by blood, he thought, yet I love her as if she were my own child.

He waterbended some ice into a cool, frosty mixture and patiently held his palms above her flushed cheeks and forehead. It would take Yugoda to restore her chi, but at least he could keep her fever at bay. Fight this, Katara. You have to wake up. For your grandmother's sake… and for mine.

ooo LL ooo

When morning came, Jee ducked his head into Zuko's tent. He was surprised to find that the young prince was not asleep, but meditating in front of a tiny candle that was burned nearly down to the stub. He waited for a few moments respectfully in silence.

Finally, Zuko glanced over his shoulder. "I know, I asked you to wake me at dawn. I won't be much longer."

"It isn't that," the middle-aged soldier replied, "it's the Dai Li. They've all gone."

"It's all right. I asked them to return ahead of us. There's something we have to do on our own, before we go back to Ba Sing Se."

Jee paused, but if he was waiting for Zuko to elaborate, now wasn't the moment. Zuko turned back to the candle flame without another word, and Jee let the tent flap close behind him.

Zuko exhaled deeply, focusing on the flame to calm his mind and steady his scattered thoughts. As exhausted as he had been the night before, he hadn't been able to sleep.

I can't believe it. Mom really is alive, and I'm going to see her again. I wonder if she's changed. I wonder what she'll think of me.

She's been in the Earth Kingdom all this time, protected by people I never knew existed. But… Uncle knew about them. And if King Bumi knows where she is, that means Uncle had to know, doesn't it? I don't understand. Why didn't he tell me? Did he not trust me, even enough just to tell me she was alive? I always thought Uncle was the one person in the world I could trust completely, besides Mom. Why would he keep this a secret from me?

He hadn't voiced his doubts to Bumi. These were questions only Uncle Iroh himself could answer. If I ever even see him again, he thought wearily. With a sigh of finality, Zuko blew out the candle and headed out into the morning light.

At the campsite, only Bumi and his faithful guards remained. While his men folded up tents and blankets and packed the ostrich horses with their bundles, King Bumi himself squatted by the fire. The eccentric earthbender's gnarled, bejeweled hands clasped the handle of an iron skillet, in which he was frying cowpig ham and hogchicken eggs for breakfast.

"Morning, Lord Naga," he said cheerfully, "how do you like your eggs? Happy, or sad?"

Zuko arched the eyebrow opposite his scar, and Jee could only scratch his head. "Uh… how are you having yours?"

"Happy!" Bumi exclaimed, indicating two eggs with yellow bouncing yolks for eyes and a slice of bacon with upturned edges, resembling a smile. As Zuko and Jee exchanged awkward glances, still not quite sure about the old King's level of sanity or lack thereof, he slid the contents onto a plate for himself and started some more bacon and eggs. "How about you, Jee? Happy or sad?"

Lieutenant Jee shrugged. He didn't exactly like his eggs runny, so he decided on the alternative. "Sad."

"Aw, what a shame," Bumi clucked. "He wants his eggs to cry. Oh, well. Sad it is!" Bumi took a wooden utensil and stabbed the egg-eyes repeatedly, cackling to himself with glee.

Fortunately, the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a man riding a large, sleek eelhound. He pulled back on the reins and brought the lizardlike beast to a halt, then leapt down and approached them.

Zuko's eyes widened. He couldn't help but feel there was something awfully familiar about the stranger. He walked with his shoulders regally thrown back. His eyes were narrowed, cautious; a soldier's eyes. And that scar across his eye from a blade point - he was sure he'd seen it before. Unless he was sadly mistaken, this man had once been a Fire Nation soldier, and a highly ranked one at that. He had let his white hair grow wild, and he dressed in the simple brown cloth of an Earth Kingdom peasant, but Fire Nation always knew their own.

"Well, hello, Master Jeong Jeong," Bumi called. "You're just in time for breakfast. How would you like your eggs?"

Zuko and Jee both opened their mouths to caution him, but before they could get a word out, Jeong Jeong muttered an abrupt "Sad!" and sat down beside them. Jee shrugged. Apparently, Master Jeong Jeong had eaten with King Bumi before.

"I've heard of you," Zuko began cautiously. "You were a general in the Fire Nation army. They call you Jeong Jeong the Deserter now."

"I've heard of you as well, Prince Zuko," Jeong Jeong returned without looking up. He stared at the cookfire, as if haunted by the sight of a flame. "And it would seem I am not the only Fire Nation deserter in this camp."

"Wait just a minute," Jee spoke up defensively, "Zuko didn't mean any offense -"

"Neither did I," Jeong Jeong interrupted gruffly. "To be called a deserter from the Fire Nation at this time is a compliment. Our homeland has forgotten that the nature of fire is capricious and dangerous. The very flames they would use to destroy others will turn inward on themselves, but by then it will be too late."

"Now, Jeong Jeong, what have I told you?" Bumi chided, waving an admonitory finger. "Save the doom and gloom for after breakfast. Here."

"Is he always this… cheerful?" Jee murmured, wondering what kind of a traveling companion the old general would make.

Bumi elbowed Jee, having overheard. "Oh, this is nothing. You should read his poetry: a hundred-and-one haikus on death, fire and destruction. And occasionally, nature!"

Jeong Jeong flashed Bumi a dirty look, then continued eating.

"Thank you for your hospitality and for your help, King Bumi," Zuko said then, shaking the mad king's hand and trying not to wince at his overly firm grip. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for helping me find her."

"You're very welcome," Bumi replied, pulling Zuko into a surprising and slightly crushing hug. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. Tell her I said hello!"

Her? Jee wondered. "Find who?" he had to ask.

"Oh, hasn't he told you?" Bumi wondered aloud. "Jeong Jeong here is taking Zuko to visit his mother."

Jee's square jaw dropped. "You mean… Lady Ursa is alive?"

"Mm-hmm! She's not too far from here, so I thought a family reunion might be in order."

"Your Majesty," a bowing guard told Bumi then, "everything is assembled and ready for our departure. As you instructed, we've also prepared the ostrich horses for your guests and loaded on their belongings."

Zuko glanced around, impressed. Bumi's guards had worked so silently, he hadn't even noticed that the tents were down and all signs of their presence in the clearing had been erased.

"Looks like we're ready to part ways," Bumi declared. "Take care, boys! I'll see you again when the time is right."