Chapter 2: Return

Five years had passed since Katara had seen her friends in person and letters were their only way of communicating. None of them were married yet, and Katara felt a little guilty thinking that Sokka and Suki were waiting for her to return before they tied the knot. After she left she ended up staying in the Fire Nation despite what she had been planning as a healer. She had almost left the borders of the Fire Nation when she came upon a village wrought with sickness and she had healed everyone.

Learning that everyone in the smaller villages knew nothing about the war's end she had had travelled for the first five months to different villages healing their sick and informing them that the new Fire Lord would help his people. The last village she stopped at though she had ended up collapsing in front of an older woman's house and then learned there had been more consequences to that night then she had expected. The woman was a healer who specialized in herbs, and she had informed Katara that she was pregnant. Having seen how distraught Katara was the woman Zyra had offered to let her live with her, and help her heal the cases the herbs alone wouldn't work on.

Zyra later acted as a grandmother to Katara's daughter Kiriko who had her mother's hair and general features, but her father's golden eyes. Kiriko's birthmark on her back showing her to be her father's daughter ended up making it so that she had to admit to Zyra who Kiriko's father was. After explaining her reason for never telling him what had happened that night Zyra had become even more fiercely protective over the both of them, and told Katara that she had been right to leave. Sometimes though Katara wondered if she had been right to leave despite the reassurance from Zyra because she had wondered if the reason he hadn't married was due to that night.

"Ms. Katara, Ms. Katara," a young teenager named Miyu yelled running towards her. Katara was used to being called like this, but when she looked up from tending the herbs and saw Miyu's face she knew something was terribly wrong. The girl tended to be calm whenever she got Katara to heal someone no matter how close to death they seemed, but this time Miyu was looking at her with so much fear on her face that Katara didn't know what to do.

"Miyu what's wrong," Katara demanded to know rushing up to the young girl hoping nothing had happened to Kiriko.

"These men wearing all black they attacked Ms. Zyra and took her and Kiriko. I tried to follow them, but they took off on some sort of animal before I could get close enough," the girl said crying with such sadness. Ever since Kiriko had been a toddler Miyu had helped them watch her when they had to go off on calls. She was like a sister to her daughter, and Katara knew that the girl was feeling as much pain and sadness as Katara.

"Did you see where they went?" she asked trying to stay calm. Her being hysterical wouldn't help her daughter, or the woman she had come to see as a second mother. Praying to La and Tui, even Agni she wished that her family wouldn't be hurt. Did they know who Kiriko's father was, was that why they had taken them, or were they taken by coincidence?

"No it happened so fast. I'm sorry," she said collapsing on the ground in tears. The poor girl was the same age she was when she had left with Aang, but with the war having been over for five years she hadn't expected something like this. Katara hadn't expected something like this to happen either, and she was afraid of why it was happening now. Kiriko hadn't even shown signs yet of being a bender and now she wished that her daughter or Zyra was a bender because then they would be safer. If they could hold their attackers off they could escape, but it was impossible.

Hugging Miyu quickly she whistled calling Xan her Komodo Rhino to her. Time was of the essence if she wanted to save them, and if worse came to worse she would have to head to the capital to get reinforcement. It would mean revealing that she had a child out of wedlock maybe even admitting whose child, but if it meant that she could save her daughter's life she would do anything. Hopping up she saw the crowd gathered around Miyu the news had probably already spread, and they all looked at her with sorrowful eyes. Despite the fact that they knew her child was illegitimate they had all come to love her and her daughter, and they didn't care that their healer hadn't waited for marriage.

"I'll send word when I find them," she promised smiling at the villagers who were sending her off. She was glad that she kept the saddle bags on Xan with emergency supplies in case she ever had to go to another village quickly to treat someone. In the past five years she had become famous amongst the nearby villages, and many people came to her for help when their own healers couldn't. The fact that if needed she would treat you for free also made it a lot easier.

Waving at them one last time she left her heart heavy as she prayed she would find them in good health, or at the very least alive. It would kill her if she lost her daughter now when she should have protected her. She trusted Zyra though and knew the older woman would do her best to protect Kiriko from harm even if she had to sacrifice herself. Knowing Zyra she was probably blaming herself for getting captured. Thinking that if she hadn't been so weak they wouldn't have been, but Katara didn't blame the older woman at all.

For days she rode and searched only sleeping when she couldn't ride any longer, and when Xan was too exhausted to continue. Xan rested whenever she stopped at a village asking them if they knew what was going on. Most of the answers were the same they were a group who had been taking woman and young girls when they were away from men. Only a few benders had been able to escape them because none of the group themselves were benders. Apparently she wasn't the only one looking for these men because the royal army was hunting them down as well having been informed of what had happened. Hearing those words had filled her with pride because she knew if it was still Ozai's reign that they wouldn't have trusted the Fire Lord to help them.

The odd thing though was that Katara always seemed to just miss the royal army either arriving before them at some villages or after them. She had been told at some villages that the army knew that there were others searching as well, and that they didn't care as long as those searching sent word to them if they found the men. She would send word aright, but only after she froze them all to the ground to prevent their escape. It would be doing what they asked, but ignoring the unspoken warning she had gotten to not fight them herself. Then again most villages she stopped at didn't know she was a bender, and she kept it that way not wanting them to know who she was just yet.

It was only after she had stopped at the last village though that she had gotten the best and worse news. The men who were most likely the group who had taken her daughter and Zyra had been caught and been taken to the Boiling Rocks for their crimes. It made her shudder wondering what else other then kidnapping they had done to their captives to make them be sentenced to that horrible place. She was also told though that all the victims had been brought to the Palace despite protests for the royal physicians to look over. After she was told that though she ran out of there and rode off towards the place she had left five years ago praying with everything she had that her daughter and Zyra were there and safe.

Two days later she was finally there and breathing heavily having not gotten much sleep in the last few days. The only sleep she had allowed herself had been so she didn't kill Xan in her hurry. Even though she knew if they were at the castle they wouldn't be harmed she worried about her daughter being there too long. For all she knew they already knew who her father was because if she had been injured and treated they would have seen the mark on her back.

"Halt," a voice commanded as she got closer to the gates. "State your business," the voice added probably being more cautious just in case there were others working with that group.

Shaking slightly in fear because she didn't yet want to use her name she hoped her reason for being her would be enough. She hoped that she would just be able to collect her daughter and Zyra, and then leave here once again. "I heard those taken from their homes by the group of black clad men were brought here. My daughter and her honorary grandmother were taken, and I came here hoping to find them," she called back.

Instead of giving a verbal answer the gates creaked open and she was allowed entrance. Her face was hidden beneath a hat she had worn to keep the hot sun off of her skin, and provided shade during her ride. As she clicked for Xan to enter she could see the servants watching her, since it was everyday someone who wasn't royalty or noble came on a Komodo Rhino. Once she had reached the palace doors a man approached and offered her a hand down from Xan before another servant smiled at her and took Xan towards the stables. Either they had recognized her somehow or they had been told to treat anyone looking for their loved ones this way.

Another young woman approached her and she could recognize her as the girl who had so long ago escorted her to the dining hall for breakfast. She had grown some, but still seemed younger then Katara's own 21 years.

"I've been instructed to bring anyone looking for their family to the guest wing. If you can describe who you are looking for I can ask those there if they are in the infirmary or not," the woman said bowing slightly and giving Katara a sympathetic look.

Instead of answering her Katara was panicking as she followed the maid. What if Kiriko and Zyra aren't here and she came back here for nothing? There could be another group out there and she could be wasting valuable time to find them on a false lead. Worse what if she found out that her daughter had been killed, or Zyra had died and Kiriko witnessed it? The maid probably knew what direction Katara's thoughts were going because she didn't try to talk to her yet.

A part of Katara wished she could just run through the halls shouting Kiriko's name, but she didn't want to bring to much attention to herself. Besides although some of this place looked slightly familiar the only place Katara truly knew how to get to was the throne room. Which they were much closer to then she felt comfortable with. At any moment she could run into Iroh, or Aang, or heaven forbid Zuko and then they would wonder what she was doing here after all these years without announcing that she was back.

Passing the throne room the noise from within was making Katara shiver knowing that at least one of the people in there would probably know her. They were almost past the area completely when a large wave of heat escaped the room and the maid sighed. Katara wondered if Zuko was losing his temper over something, and was going to ignore it when she heard a familiar voice scream, "I want my mommy!"

Ignoring the maid behind her who tried to stop her Katara opened the door to the throne room bringing all eyes on her, but the only one she focused on was Kiriko. With tears in her eyes she launched herself towards the little girl only belated realizing when she felt fire sear her flesh that her daughter was surrounded by a column of fire. Gasping in pain she still walked forward wanting to make sure that Kiriko was fine.

"I'm here sweetheart, I'm here," she said softly to her daughter watching as realization showed in her eyes and the fire stopped when the girl launched herself into her mother's arms. With tears in her eyes she clutched the little girl to her tightly trying to ignore the pain the burns were giving her. She had always known it was a possibility her daughter could be a fire bender like her father, but she wondered how turbulent her feelings must have been for her to completely surround herself with fire without having any training behind her.

Glancing up when another pair of arms flung themselves at her she smiled through her tears as she looked at Zyra. Luckily the older woman looked uninjured and healthy, and pulling her daughter's arms off of her she looked her over to. Kiriko didn't want to let go, but did once she saw that her mother was just looking her over and making sure she was ok. Then once she confirmed she was she hugged her daughter back against her thanking the spirits above that he daughter was safe.

It was only when someone coughed loudly that she remembered that they weren't alone and she froze as she saw the people surrounding her. Judging by the looks on her friends, and surprisingly her brother's faces they hadn't yet realized who she was. Instead they were giving pointed looks towards the woman beside her almost like they all knew her. Zuko looked like he was really angry at her, but super happy to see her at the same time.

The silence was broken though when Iroh began to talk to her, "thank you young lady for taking care of Ursa all these years," he said with a smile completely shocking Katara with his words. She was almost about to ask him who he was talking to when she caught Zyra's eyes and the ashamed expression in them. The woman who had been acting like Kiriko's grandmother all these years really was her grandmother, and she hadn't even realized it. Even though Zuko had shown them all a picture of Ursa Katara hadn't realized that the woman she had been living with for four and a half years was really the mother he was looking for.

"You shouldn't thank me," she said tears in her eyes as she whispered those words knowing now that she couldn't hide from them any longer. How could she be mad at Ursa when she had done a similar thing even though she had told Ursa the truth about her, how could she expect a woman who had been hiding for over ten years to tell her that she was her daughters blood.

Before anyone could ask her why she was denying her thanks she took of her hat watching as many emotions flicked over their faces happiness at seeing her, confusion over her daughter, anger for not telling them, and many more. There were tears in all of their eyes as they looked at her as well, and then they were all hugging her and crying. Kiriko was just looking up at her mother with confusion and Katara was wondering what she should do. Should she tell them the truth now about who her daughter's father was because they obviously didn't know? If they did they would all be looking at her and demanding an explanation and her brother would have tried to kill Zuko.

"Mommy why they hug you?" Kiriko asked tilting her head at everyone in confusion. Making them all let go as they stared once again at her daughter and turned accusing eyes on her.

"They're old friends of mommy, but right now why don't you go for a nap with Nana. Mommy needs to talk to them ok?" she asked not wanting to get into everything with her daughter in the room. She was just an innocent child in all of this, and besides it's not like she can say well that man is your father, that's his great-uncle, your aunt, and my brother could she? Although she would have to explain things to her daughter later she wanted to do it when her daughter wouldn't have to hear yelling.

Zyra no Ursa smiled at her most likely realizing why she wanted her daughter to go for a nap, and even though Kiriko pouted not wanting to be away from her mother again she agreed. Zuko looked like he was going to protest his mother's leaving, but then seemed to think better of it when he remembered how stressed out her daughter had been earlier. Giving her daughter one last hug she handed her over to her grandmother and smiled at them as they followed the maid who led her here to a room. She didn't really want to be separated from her daughter after not seeing her for a week, but she knew it was better for her daughter to not hear the argument that was about to break out.

Once they were gone all eyes once again turned towards her and looked like they were all expecting her to explain. Katara didn't know where to even start though because she had never actually thought of what would happen if they came searching for her. Not once had she ever even thought of going home, so she hadn't thought about what she should do when confronted with her past. She should have expected this eventually though because it's not like she was actually in hiding since she had kept her name, and showed those around she was a bender. If it wasn't for the fact that they all seemed surprised and angry that they didn't know she had a daughter she would have expected that they had known where she was for awhile. At that moment she realized that even though she had ran she had always wanted them to come after her eventually. That's why she hadn't tried to hide because she wanted them to be able to find her if they decided to.

"When did you get married?" Sokka asked deciding that his sister wasn't going to break the silence so he might as well.

Shifting around and avoiding her brother's eyes because she knew he would be furious when she answered, "I didn't."

Two small words, but they had sent everyone into shock as they looked at her. After all they had probably never even thought that she would do something like that without being married. Sokka's face was shifting between anger and fear as he looked at his sister, and she knew he was probably thinking the worst since she hadn't looked him in the eye. Yet how could she just admit to him that she had slept with a member of their group because they were both drunk, and she had wanted him never mind how she had been raised.

"Y .. You w..wer...weren't..." he tried stammering before Katara cut him off wanting to put him at ease immediately. She would never allow her brother to think that.

"No the act was consensual," she replied truthfully looking away with a blush. A few months after she had left she had completely remembered that night, and it always made her feel a little bothered and flustered when she thought about it. Maybe it would hurt him knowing that she hadn't waited until marriage, but she wasn't going to lie to them. Besides she didn't want them to think she was forced especially when she was the one who had initiated the act in the first place.

There was relief in his eyes that his little sister hadn't experienced one of the worst things that could happen to someone, but at the same time he seemed to be a little disappointed in her. She had expected him to be disappointed and angry, but the relief from hearing she wasn't forced had wiped all anger out of his mind for now. Aang looked like he wanted to cry and she knew he had probably guessed how old Kiriko was, and thought she had been with someone when she rejected him and hadn't told him. Zuko and Iroh looked very angry though and she feared for a moment that they knew exactly who Kiriko's father was.

"Who dishonored you in this way Katara?" Iroh asked a lot of anger in his tone showing her that the two were angry about who had done this. Just like in the Water Tribes it was seen as dishonorable to take a woman's virginity before marriage. Yet neither of them seemed to put the pieces together and realize that he was in this room, making her wonder if Zuko had even told his Uncle what he had discovered on his sheets that morning.

Turning her head away from them she didn't want to answer them knowing what it would do to the group, and even if she said a little bit the truth would be recognized by Zuko at least. Then most likely they would be forced to marry, and she just couldn't marry without love. She would rather never marry at all then not be in love with the man she would marry. Then again she wondered if the situation would really be that way. One part that had always confused her about that night was that she had started it with Zuko specifically hunting him down and offering herself to him. Could she have been in love with Zuko all this time and not realized it, or was it just the sexual tension that had always been between them coming to light?

"I can't tell you," for the moment it's best not to tell them. For all she knew Zuko had a steady girlfriend or even a fiancée by now she couldn't ruin that for him, and she was afraid of what everyone would do to him. If or when she told Zuko the truth he at least deserves for her to tell him alone not in front of all their relatives and friends. He deserves to be able to get angry at her for hiding this for him and she deserves to be able to tell him her reasons without everyone else butting in.

Sokka's eyes narrowed at that, "why he's too good to raise the kid he helped make," his voice was so full of scorn that Katara felt tears in her eyes.

"NO!" she screamed at him not wanting to hear him putting down Zuko when he didn't even know the truth. All eyes turned and looked at her in shock at her outburst probably not expecting her to get so vocal defending the man who in their eyes dishonored her. When in truth she dishonored herself because she went to him not the other way around.

"I never told him about our daughter," she admitted looking into their shocked eyes.

They probably thought the worst of her having a child out of wedlock and never even giving the man a chance to do the right thing. She knew what she had done when she left was wrong, and when she found out about their daughter she felt way to much fear of what could happen to tell him. The peace was still so new and a fallout with the wrong people could damage the Fire Nation to much, and the people might have demanded another war. He had no time to fight what was her fault to begin with. She went to him well he was drunk, true she had been drunk as well, but she was the one who started it so the blame was on her shoulders more than his. It was wrong to let them try and blame him when he hadn't even had a choice to do the right thing.

At the same time she wanted to shout out that if she had let him do the right thing she was afraid of the consequences. To just tell them all who Kiriko's father was and let them work out on their own how bad it could have been five years ago if he knew. One day she would have to face the truth after all she couldn't hide the truth from her daughter her entire life. If not before by the time she marries she would have no choice because her husband would see her birthmark, and know that his wife was royalty. Another part of her was afraid that there would be people who wouldn't want the daughter of a water bender to be their next ruler even if she was a fire bender, and that she would put her daughter's life in danger.

"Do you love him?" this time the question came from Toph a question that she didn't even know the answer to.

So instead of answering right away she gazed at her friends who had all grown up so much since she last saw them. Aang was now a man no longer the child who had once loved her, and even though he had seemed angry early she doubted that he still loved her even though he probably still felt the pain of her rejection. Her brother and Suki were leaning against each other as if trying to borrow each other's strength, and she could see the telltale look of a betrothal necklace around Suki's neck. Zuko though was probably the one most changed looking like a proper Fire Lord and she was glad he looked nothing like his father. If he had he probably would always feel like he might become him, but instead he seemed to look more like his mother.

Tapping her foot impatiently Toph gave her that look that said she wouldn't let up sighing she turned her attention back to the problem at hand. "I honestly don't know Toph."

"If you didn't love him than how did it happen?" Aang asked trying to keep his voice calm. His question was the one Katara had asked herself for years especially after she had remembered that night completely.

Knowing that she couldn't answer that question when she didn't even know herself she sighed wondering how things between them all had gotten so bad that they didn't realize at this moment all she wanted was to be with her daughter. Then before she could answer all their questions she would have to tell Zuko that he was a father, or she would have to run away again. La help her she just couldn't understand her own heart and their questions were just making her even more confused.

Iroh's eyes were on her with sympathy in them and she wondered how he could feel sympathy from her after everything. She had broken Aang's heart and then not even a few hours later she ended up in bed with another man. Then to make matters worse she dishonored said man by leaving and not giving him a chance to do the right thing. For all she knew she could have made him think that he had hurt whoever he had laid with and that's why she had left. All these years her actions could have made him think he was a monster. Finally the worse thing she had kept her child from not only her father, but everyone who would have loved her. Keeping Kiriko away from them and not even informing them that she had a daughter probably cut them deeply. She trusted them all with her life, but she couldn't at that time trust them with her daughter. After everything had settled down she should have come back and told them all the truth.

"I'm sorry, but I just can't explain everything right now. Please just let me go be with my daughter," she begged them trying to hold back her tears.

Maybe it was the fact that they knew how horrible it was for her to go through losing her child, and that was probably why Iroh had seemed so sympathetic. He had felt an even worse lose then her own when his only child had died. "Fine but we will talk about this later," Zuko answered for the entire group, and she knew that if he had anything to say about it that she wouldn't be able to get away. "You'll use the same rooms as when you were here last, and share them with your daughter," he added. Not knowing how much turmoil knowing that she would be only down the hall from him caused her.

Giving them all a small smile she basically ran to those rooms knowing that if they had been here for a couple days that her daughter and Ursa were already in that area. Opening the door to those rooms she was proven that Zuko had felt something similar with her daughter because she was already here. Even though she wanted to deny it she knew there was no way Zuko or any of them would let her leave the palace for awhile. They would be too afraid that she would just completely disappear off the face of the earth this time.

Authors Note: I still don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Kiriko is my own creation though. Please review and tell me what you think.