Thank you for reading.

The height of summer had started to pass, the days and nights were not as uncomfortable anymore. Toph was now four and a half months pregnant. Half way through as she liked to think of it. She still couldn't keep down very rich foods, or large quantities. Katara also still insisted that she rested. When she tried to do to much, the added weight of the baby, her tiredness and lack of food often led to a glassy look in her eyes that made both Aang and Katara worry that she was about to faint. As she spent most of her time sitting in the chair on the veranda, wearing lose fitting clothes, it was hard to tell if you didn't know already that she was in fact pregnant. This had worried Aang at first, but Katara had assured him that it was normal.

Zuko and Usra had come to visit, taking over form Katara as much as they could, so the waterbender could return home to see her children. Aang enjoyed having another man around to talk too. He had been at a loss for what he was meant to be doing. It was reassuring to be told from someone that had been through this twice that he was doing fine. Toph greatly appreciated having Ursa with them. Though she would never say it out loud, she wished her mother was with her. It was the one time in a women's life when they wanted, needed their mother the most. It had crossed her mind for a second to send a letter to her father and stepmother, but only for a second. Ursa had become like a surrogate mother for her and she was glad she was here.

Like most days Toph sat on the veranda her chair facing out to the sea in-front of her. Aang had gone to the market to get some food for dinner. Ursa was cooking, which left Zuko with the task of checking up on Toph. As quietly as he could, he pushed the main bedroom door open. Through the crack in the door he saw the small earthbender in her chair, head rested a little to her right. She must he taking a nap. The silence and calm of the room seemed to pull him in. Gentle he stepped forward, closing the door behind him. Out on the veranda about a foot from Toph's chairs was another that called to him.

When he reached the veranda, he looked down at his sleeping friend. While her eyes were closed and she seemed to be sleeping comfortably, she still seemed a like hunched over. Leaning down a little he was about to move her over to her bed, when he froze.

"Whatever you're thinking about doing you better not." She spoke with her eyes still closed. "I'm awake."

Her eyes finally opened and met Zuko by chance for a split second. He was still not used to her new bright green eyes and was a little taken aback to be caught in their gaze. Letting out a faint laugh at the situation, he relaxed and moved to sit in the other chair. "Dinner should be ready soon."

She nodded her head and smiled a little. Grateful that he had not said what she knew he wanted to, which was, how she was. "Good, I'm starving."

"Really. I thought you were of food."

"I 'am." Her hand now lightly rested on her slightly rounded stomach. "This one on the other hand."

"This one. So you don't have a name yet."

Feeling his eyes on her, she turned away from him. "No. not yet."

Realising what had just been brought up unintentional, he felt a little uncomfortable. "Toph….."

"We just can't seem to agree. He wants a name from the air nomads, but I don't like most of them."

Old memories of countless conversations with Katara about the names of their children ran through his head. He couldn't believe that it had taken them so long to come to the most obvious conclusion. Name their son Iroh and their daughter Kya. That way both people they wanted to honour were, and each of their cultures were represented. What they would have done if they had not had a son and a daughter he did not know. Neither name was unisex he knew that much. This piece of advice about compromise was on the tip of his tough, but he didn't say it. He didn't know if he should. After all that surrounded it for the other couple, he didn't know if they would have another child. This could be their only child. Compromise in that way may not work for them.

"We have come to a compromise I think though. If it's a girl he names her, if it's a boy I do."

Despite himself the fire lord let out a faint laugh this. It was just so Toph to let Aang name their daughter if they had one. It was one of her very subtle digs at his manliness. Though he knew his friend well enough to know that she would not have her husband any other way. He always knew from painful memories that Aang was far from a push over when pushed.

"Do you have any ideas."

She was silent for a second. "Yeah. I think I have one." A sly grin was now crossing her face. Zuko saw it even though he could only see the side of her face. That grin was never a good thing.

"He's not going to like it is he."

Toph suddenly turned to face her friend. "Have some faith oh great fire lord." A less sly grin came across her face for a second. "He is going to love it."

Zuko was about to open his mouth to ask her what the name was, but he stopped himself. He knew what she was thinking. Why she seemed so pleased with herself for thinking of it. He had to admit it was perfect. Knowing Aang as he did, he knew that he would never have brought up the name himself. He was going to be pleased, more so that she thought of it.

"He is going to love it."

Toph now was about to reply that he should not have doubted her, but she too was stopped before she could say another word. A sudden movement in her stomach silenced her and made her freeze. Her mouth still a little open as she took in short sharp breaths. The baby was kicking for the first time. For the first time she felt it move. All of her thoughts of how odd it seemed having another life growing inside her seemed to disappear as she felt the first real conformation on that fact. It was alive and moving.

"It's kicking." Her voice was low, but Zuko heard her.

Suddenly she reached out and grabbed his hand, placing it over her faintly rounded stomach. He felt the baby give anther kick. Her hand gripped tightly onto his, holding it in place.

"It's moving." Again her voice was just above a whisper.

Zuko looked up from his hand to Toph's face. Her mouth was still a little opened in shock and joy. Her eyes seemed to be even brighter than before, but there was something else. If he looked closer he saw they were starting to water a little. It all made a little more sense. She had never felt it kick the last time. This was proof that there was a very strong chance that the same thing would not happen again. She wanted him to feel it kick too, so that there was someone else that could confirm that it was alive and moving. Slowly when the baby seemed to tire and want to rest, he moved his hand so he was holding hers. Giving it a tight squeeze he smiled at her.

"It's amazing isn't it."

She nodded biting her lip to try and stop herself from bursting out in laugher. She had never felt so happy, relieved in her life. It was like a huge weight that had been pressing down on her was lifted. She could breathe easier now. Finally her hold on her lip fell away and she let out a half laugh half cry as the tears started to fall a little. "Really amazing." She was just able to get these two words out.

A few seconds later when she had recovered some of her composer, Zuko stood up and kneeled down in-front of her. Pulling her into a light hug, not wanting to be to rough, now that he was very aware of her rounded stomach. They hugged till they heard a pair of footsteps creaking on the wooden floor walking towards them. Pulling apart they turned to face Ursa.

"The baby kicked." Toph beamed. "Where's Aang."

The smile that suddenly appeared on the women's face feel a little. "I just passed him. He said he was going for a walk."

It did not take a genius it figure out what had happened. Aang must have returned to find his baby kicking for the first time and his wife placing another man's hand on her stomach to feel it. "I'll go find him." She said as she pulled herself to her feet.

Neither mother nor son dare to say anything. It was clear she had made up her mind. It was also clear that she was tired. Had not eat anything so far this day, and looked a little light headed as she stood up. Regardless they let her go to find her husband.

The evening air was cool, a fact Toph was grateful for. She was also glad that there was a small beach only about ten feet wide near their villa that Aang seemed to like. As she didn't have to walk far to find him. Aang was sitting under the tree on the edge of the sand, his eyes closed as he was deep in thought. Though she knew he could see her walking towards him.

"Hey airhead."

With a slight sigh, Aang slowly opened his eyes. Standing in-front of him, the setting sun behind her was his wife. This was the first time in a long time he had been able to take her all in. lowering his gaze from her eyes, he saw her round stomach. The red robe she wore over her white nightdress covered most of her stomach, but the nightdress clung to it. For the first time he saw how large her stomach had become.

"Hey."

Very slowly she lowered herself to sit in-front of him. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I'm still sorry."

"It was the first time our child moved and I missed it."

Toph like she did with Zuko quickly reached out taking hold of Aang hand. "You are going to be there for their first real breath. See the first time they open their eyes, most likely to see you. Take their first step. Hear their first word, and so many other things."

As she had been speaking she slowly moved his hand towards her, till she rested it on her stomach. As if that was what it had been waiting for the baby kicked again. Much harder this time. With her hand over his, Toph felt Aang's hand shacking a little. She wished that she could see the look on his face. If she could see then she knew that look would be one that would be permanently engraved on her memory. "They know who their father is."

Beaming he looked into her eyes. "That's our child."

She nodded. "It needs a name now."

"Do you have one."

Again she nodded. "What's yours first."

The avatar was quite for a second. "Lin."

Toph took a second to take in his word. "Lin. Like Yin."

Lifting his thump he ran it over her finger gently. "I have another idea, Tama."

"I like them."

"What about you."

It was now Toph's turn to beam at her husband. "Bumi."

Aang fought back laughter. "Are you serious."

"Of course I am…..I like Gyatso as well."

"I like them both too."

A little reluctantly Aang removed his hand from the baby bump. He was clearly thinking something over, so Toph remained quiet to let him think. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Aang lowered his gaze to the ground. "You don't believe me do you."

"Of course I do. I don't need earthebending to tell when you're lying."

"I know that. You still worry though. Cause so do I."

"Why."

"I don't know any more than you do really."

Toph was quite again for a few seconds. Trying to think of an answer to his question. Something that she had always had in the back of her mind sudden came forward. "Katara was your forever girl." She could feel him react in shock and surprise. "You talked in your sleep when you were exhausted and stressed. Don't worry she didn't hear you."

"That was years ago. I was twelve. You had a crush on Sokka" He quickly regretted the last thing he said. "You're my dream girl."

"That is stupid." She did smile a little.

"It's true. I saw you for the first time in a dream."

"Vision."

"Same thing."

"I don't think it is."

Aang smirked. "I'm the avatar. If I say it's the same, then it is."

"I'm the fated spirit and I say it's not."

"Ok. Then you really are my forever girl too."

Toph tried her best but she couldn't help herself but laugh a like. Silence fell over them for a while then Toph broke it. "Why do we keep doing this."

He didn't have to think very hard about what she was talking about. This did seem to be a habit for them. Getting insecure and a little jealous. He wondered if other couples dealt with the same issues. He assumed they did. He just didn't see it because like with him and Toph it was kept for their private monuments.

"I don't know. I think it's because we do love each other."

"Aang. I want to make sure I get this right. So can you tell me, am I rolling my eyes."

She was in-fact rolling her eyes.

"We love each other, so are scared to lose each other. Right." She nodded. "So of course we would act the way we do."

He made some sense, though she wasn't fully convinced. There was no point thinking about it anymore, as they would not be able to come up with anything better. The baby was also starting to remind her that is was hungry. Taking both of her hands in his, Aang brought them both up onto their feet. With his arm wrapped around her waist they headed back to the villa.

Again thank you for reading. I know that still not a lot has happened. I promise that things will move forward in the next chapter. I look forward to reading any comment that you may have. Thanks.