Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Air Bender.

Author's Note: Hello my wonderful readers! So let me update you on my life, got a great new job with flexible hours, yay! Unfortunately I have to study for the English CSET, boo. I want to address a couple of messages I got basically asking, so what now? Trust me I have plenty of tricks up my sleeves. Now the story is far from over, remember I plan to make this an epic! As a reader I always get sad when a story ends after a new birth. I'm always left thinking, no! I want to know more! A few great fanfics I read actually didn't end until the main characters died, yeah I know sad but at least I know what happened. I love reading your thoughts, comments, pms and reviews. Thank you all for your support and please keep feeding me reviews!

Chapter 17 – Life Changes

She frowned at her reflection in Mai's mirror. She was due any day now and looked it. She needed the Avatar's help putting on her shoes since she could no longer see her feet. She was finding it difficult to do many of her daily tasks and hoped the baby would come soon.

Mai sat in a chair polishing her knives, "Staring at yourself won't make the baby come sooner."

Azula took a seat across from her, "If I could command this child when to come I would."

Mai rolled her eyes, "Get up, we are going for a walk."

She silently pulled Azula to her feet as they walked to one of the common gardens. They admired the changing leaves of the trees and stopped to see the last bunch of fire lilies.

Azula grabbed Mai's arm as she felt a wet sensation around her feet, "Well this is disgusting."

Mai looked down and wrinkled her nose, "I'll alert the royal physician and Aang."

Midnight was fast approaching and still no baby. Azula's windows rattled from the gusts of high winds and she let out a sigh of boredom. Mai sat on the edge of her bed playing a game of cards. Aang, Zuko and Iroh sat around a pai sho board.

"Your highness, how are you feeling?" Zhuan, the royal physician asked cheerfully.

"Bored. Do you have nothing I can take to make the baby come sooner?" Azula asked frustrated.

Zhuan only chuckled, "Babies will come when the want to, your highness." He checked her pulse and felt her stomach before leaving.

Aang sat down next to his wife, "Be patient Azula."

She gave him a dirty look, "This is all your fault."

Zuko laughed at his friend, earning a glare from his own wife. Azula turned back to look out the window. She couldn't make out any shapes in the dark but the wind was howling louder. She felt a sharp pain and cried out. As the wind grew stronger Azula's pain intensified.

"Zuko, get Zhuan," Mai ordered. Zuko and Iroh rushed out the door.

Aang held Azula's hand, "It's time."

Azula's whole body was covered in sweat. She was trying hard to control her breathing. "You're doing great, Azula," she heard the Avatar say. If she weren't in such pain she would have smacked him.

Mai wiped her forehead with a cool cloth. "Princess, one more push and you're baby will be here." Zhuan commanded. She groaned in pain before taking a few deep breathes.

Her ears were greeted with the shrill cry of a baby. Aang quickly let go of her hand to see the baby Zhuan held.

"Congratulations Avatar Aang and Princess Azula. You have a beautiful baby girl."

Aang greedily snatched his daughter from Zhuan. The baby quieted in her father's arms and opened her eyes. Stormy grey eyes identical to his looked back. He gently ran a finger down her pink face. He could feel her chi and smiled, "I'm not the last air bender."

"Maybe Azula would like to see her daughter," Mai commented.

Aang gave both women a goofy grin, "Yeah, sorry Azula." He reluctantly handed his daughter over.

Azula was struck by the powerful love that stirred in her heart. She drank in the grey eyes, the black hair, and the perfection that her daughter was. Mai peered at the baby, "Except for the eyes, she looks just like you Azula."

Aang nodded in agreement, "Azula, what do you think of the name Airi?"

"Airi," Azula said out loud. The baby looked at her mother at hearing the name. "I think she likes it."

12 Months Later

Airi crawled across the carpet to grab her princess doll. Aang had seen the doll with the black hair and yellow dress and thought of his own little princess. Airi had squealed with delight and never let it out of her sight.

Aang could watch her play all day. He relished the alone time he could get with Airi. Whenever he lingered before leaving for an Avatar mission Azula was quick to remind him that soon enough Airi would be spending most of her time with him, since there was no other Air bending master to teach her.

He scooped her up in his arms and she happily smiled at him. He bended a ball of air for her to grab at, "One day I'll teach you how to do that." No one could ever understand what Airi meant to him.

"I love you Airi," Aang whispered into her hair.

Azula shaded her eyes from the burning sun. She turned to look at Zuko to see how he was fairing but if he was uncomfortable, he didn't show it. She had never spent a significant amount of time in the Fire Colonies and had agreed to join Zuko on his tour out of sheer curiosity. The Avatar had insisted on coming but Azula insisted harder that he would be of no help. "This is after all, just a regular royal tour of the nation. If you were to attend, the people would get the wrong idea," she had told him.

He didn't ask what the wrong idea was but had decided to take Airi with him to the Northern Air Temple. Mai had declined to attend so it was just the royal siblings.

The magistrate of Yu Dao was showing them the progress Yu Dao had made from the last tour, "We are proud of our new library and our market place is one of the largest for international trade."

Azula clicked her tongue, "I have heard that some of the citizens are not happy to be part of the Fire Nation. There is talk of separation."

"Oh no Princess, those are just rumors. A very few group of people were bitter years ago after the failed Harmony Restoration Movement but nothing to be concerned about," the magistrate flustered as he spoke.

"It's been my experience, magistrate, that rumors always hold some truth," Azula said with a smile that showed her white teeth.

"I assure you, we are humble servants to the Fire Lord and proud to be fire nation citizens. Now please if you will allow me to treat you to the best noodle house in all of the colonies," the magistrate asserted.

"It's the calm before the storm," Azula said when they were alone.

Zuko shook his head, "I don't want to jump to conclusions. It could cause another war."

Azula eyed her brother, "Precautions should be taken."

"Such as?"

"Send trusted men and women into the major cities, infiltrate from the inside. If there is something brewing we can use the element of surprise."

Zuko thought for a moment, "And if there is nothing to worry about then we can quietly send them back to the capital."

"Exactly."

"It could be a year or more before the men and women would have anything to report," Zuko commented.

"All good plans take time," Azula said wisely.

"Mom, mom!" Airi cried joyfully at seeing Azula. Azula bent down to pick her up.

"Hello Airi," Azula said softly.

Aang emerged from their bedroom, "Hey Azula. How was your trip?"

"Boring." Azula and Zuko had agreed to keep the colonies infiltration from their spouses. The less people that about it knew the better.

"We're glad you're home," Aang told her as he kissed her forehead.

"How are things at the Northern Air Temple?" Azula asked as she braided Airi's messy hair. Aang was never good at brushing her hair.

"It was great. Airi is getting better at walking. We received letters from the students studying abroad. Dulin was accepted into the University of Ba Sing Se." Aang informed her.

"Really? Good for him," Azula said nonchalantly.

Aang smiled, "Yeah but he decided to go to the University of Omashu instead."

Azula smiled, "Even better."

Through Out The Next Two Years

She would be back any minute and he had promised the house would be clean. He only had to wipe down the dinning room table when he heard a large splash in the kitchen. He quickly rushed over to find a large puddle of water.

"Kaya, are you okay?" Haru didn't have to ask his daughter what happened. Ever since she discovered her water bending the house was getting wetter.

"I sorry daddy," her aqua green eyes twinkled with apology.

"It's okay," Haru said as he bent down to clean up the mess.

"What happened in here?" Katara asked setting down the groceries.

"Just some water bending practice."

"Kaya, water bending is for outside," Katara scolded gently. Kaya nodded before running out of the kitchen. "Here, let me help you," she bended the water out the kitchen window.

"I thought water bending was for outside?" He smiled while helping her chop the vegetables for dinner.

"It is, unless you're a master," she winked.

"My apologies, Master Katara." Haru kissed his wife gently.

"I'm telling you Toph, she looks just like me, doesn't she Lao?" Poppy held her three-month-old granddaughter. The small bundle yawned and Poppy cooed.

"Yes dear, just like you," Lao answered but was looking at his own daughter as she picked her toes. "Toph, darling, you should start watching your manners, we wouldn't want Lin to pick up bad habits."

"You're right dad. At this age, kids will copy just about anything," Toph said sweetly.

"Look you two! She's smiling at me!" Poppy said with excitement.

Toph stood up, "I'm going for a walk. I'm sure you two can un-teach her any bad habits she picked up today." She didn't wait for a response and instead made her way to the garden.

She was grateful her parents had taken to Lin so quickly, despite the fact that they hadn't responded so well to her pregnancy. None of it mattered now. She could see a change in her parents' attitude. Lao even asked her if she would teach Lin metal bending. Poppy liked to drop by her metal bending school to make sure Toph wasn't "too harsh with her wonderful students." Toph smiled to herself, she had little to complain about.

"Shiro! Keep your sword up! Feet wider apart, like this," Sokka demonstrated for his son.

Shiro nodded and imitated his father. Some of the villagers had said five years old was too young to start warrior training, but when you're father is a sword master and your mother is the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, it's hard to argue.

Sokka lounged his wooden sword at his son but Shiro was able to dodge it, "Good job, want to take a break?"

"Yes, please." The timing was perfect; he could see his mother approaching with two cold fruit drinks.

"How's sword practice?" Suki asked.

"Great, when did you think I could use a real sword dad?" Shiro asked excitedly.

Sokka smiled, "Not for a while but if you keep practicing it will be a lot sooner than you think."

He was trying his best not to yawn. He had told his parents that four years old was old enough to stay up late for the fireworks. He saw Airi was already asleep in his Uncle Aang's arms.

"Tired Kanbe?" Mai asked, watching him rub his eyes.

Kanbe shook his head, "No way. I can stay up all night."

Zuko smiled, "We'll see."

The fireworks started with loud pops. A red dancing dragon lit up the night sky. Bursts of white, blue, and green surrounded the dragon. Kanbe couldn't believe it was all for him.

"Daddy, Mommy, thanks for the great birthday," Kanbe said as he finally gave into the yawn.

Mai picked him up, "You're welcome."

She opened her eyes when she heard the whaling of the twins. She exhaled very loudly to voice her displeasure at being interrupted.

Aang laughed, "It's okay Airi. Why don't we take a fruit tart break?"

Airi wanted to stay mad at Aki and Tenzin but she could never say no to fruit tarts.

"Maybe later we can go to one of the gardens farther out in the palace to meditate before bed," Aang offered as he handed her the fruit pie.

"Watch this Daddy!" Airi used her air bending to take the fruit pie from his hand. She swirled it around as she took big bites.

Aang clapped, "You're a natural."

She felt cool hands cover her eyes, "Guess who?"

She quickly turned around and threw her arms around Dulin. He laughed as he hugged her back, "You didn't guess Atiya."

She smiled, "I didn't have to. What are you doing back so soon?"

"We're on break. I missed home." He looked into her green eyes. He didn't realize how womanly she looked. He blushed at his thoughts.

"We missed you too. Tell me all about your classes and your new friends," She couldn't stop smiling as she took his hand and led him towards the courtyard with the others.

Ty Lee smiled at the letters from Azula and Mai. She was sorry she had missed all the births, birthdays and small details in between. She was happy as a Kyoshi warrior. Suki and the girls treated her like family. But there were moments when the girls exchanged knowing looks or told stories of their early days that she missed her own friends. Mai often reminded her that there were rooms ready for her at the palace whenever she was ready to come home.

Every once in a while Ty Lee would meditate and ask the universe if it was time to go but she always got the same answer, no. She placed the letters on her desk and stepped outside into the moonlit night. She sank into the porch and closed her eyes. The laughter from the nearby houses danced in the air. It wasn't in her nature to feel sad for long. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled into the night. The universe was telling her it would soon be time to go home, she would be needed.