A/N: So this week at work ate me and was pretty terrible. But I wanted to update before this week, where I have a business trip to Houston of all places for like a day and a half.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

Toph spent a good portion of the night planning. She needed a solid plan (if traveling with Snoozles taught her anything it was how not to plan). Part of her problem was, well, her inability to see. Knowing where she was in the world was easy; knowing where places were in relation to each other was a little harder (especially when flying everywhere). But she'd never let her lack of sight interfere with anything she wanted to do before so she wasn't going to start now.

It was actually Twinkletoes' whole "communing with the swamp" thing that helped her. She could feel the earth, why not see how far out she could feel? She sent tremors out and waited. After what felt like forever she felt the familiar caves and could almost see the badgermoles. It wasn't that far, if she were to judge. Plus Aang couldn't really say no if she wanted to visit her parents.

Now how to stall there. She picked up the cup she'd pocketed earlier. It felt simple enough, just clay with some swirls carved into it. She could make a better one if she wanted to.

She sat up. She could make a better one. Or even make this one look slightly different with a nice coating of dirt. And if this whole marriage thing happened because two people drank out of this specific cup, no matter how it looked, well then she could distract Aang that way. In the morning she'd tell Aang she wanted to make a stop on the way.

Zuko and Katara better thank her, she thought. She was going to willingly see her parents for them.

And get married but that was besides the point.

"Sokkums wake up," Suki cooed as she gently shook her boyfriend. He continued to snore. "Come on, we're almost at the South Pole." Sokka stayed firmly asleep. "You leave me no choice, sweetheart," she told him as she firmly kicked him out of bed.

He let out a shriek of surprise as he hit the floor. "What was that for?" He asked as he rubbed his head.

"I tried to be nice and you wouldn't wake up. We should have breakfast before we land."

Sokka popped up. "Why didn't you say it was for food?" Suki sighed as she rubbed her forehead. "Come, get out of bed so we can get food!"

"Sometimes I forget why I love you," she said softly as she swung her feet over the side of the bed.

He pecked her cheek. "Because you know there's more to me than food."

"Yeah, yeah, come on big guy, let's go."

They dressed quickly and made their way to the tiny mess hall for breakfast. The airship was much better equipped than either really expected but they were glad to almost be there. Well Suki was, Sokka also liked prowling the engine room and tinkering with things whenever they let him. After breakfast Suki watched him do just that before they were both kicked out so the engineers could prepare for landing.

"I wonder if my dad knows," Sokka said thoughtfully as they stepped out of the airship on to the ice of the South Pole.

Hakoda was waiting for them. He kept looking over them. "I think he does," Suki said.

"Hi Dad!" Sokka called as he waved. Hakoda clasped his son's arm once they were close and gave Suki a welcoming hug.

"Where's your sister?" Hakoda asked, still peering into the airship.

"In the Fire Nation, as kind of the Fire Lady," Sokka said with his usual tact. Suki almost smacked her forehead in frustration.

"I honestly thought the letter was a joke," Hakoda admitted. "Just tell me what happened."

"We we were taking the swampbenders back and we got caught in a storm. Appa wouldn't fly anymore so we landed and stayed the night at a kind of seedy tavern that was also an inn. The swampbenders filled a cup with water and said it was special. Katara drank from that and then shoved it in Zuko's face and told him to be nice and not all Fire Nation and evil and respect their customs and drink. The swampbenders congratulated them and that's apparently how they got married," Sokka said. Hakoda looked at Suki who nodded.

"Well, uh, that's good. I just didn't know that Katara even liked Zuko," Hakoda said. Suki could tell he was trying to stay calm.

"Katara didn't know that's what would happen," Suki reassured him.

"Yeah and now she and Zuko are in the Fire Nation trying to get unmarried there, Aang and Toph are off finding the swampbenders so they can find out how Katara can get unmarried according to them, and we're here to tell you we think Zuko would be a terrible provider for Katara and that he couldn't even kill a tigerseal if it bit him," Sokka said proudly.

Hakoda rubbed his forehead. "While I appreciate that unfortunately Zuko's going to have to come here and demonstrate that. Plus they have to wait a month anyway."

"But, but, when Pinka wanted to get rid of Nuvuk she just had her brother say that to you! I remember because you told me to leave and I listened at the door till Mom found me and made me go play with Katara! Then Nuvuk went to the Northern Water Tribe and Pinka married Siluk a few years later."

"Sokka there's a lot about that you don't understand and we'll talk about it later but that's not the case with Katara and Zuko," he paused, "at least I hope not or I will kill the Fire Lord." Suki fully understood what Hakoda wasn't saying and quickly put a hand over Sokka's mouth before he could ask another question. "Anyway Katara needs to wait a month to prove she's not pregnant."

Sokka's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "She's not...they didn't...SUKI WE NEED TO GO TO THE FIRE NATION RIGHT NOW!" He grabbed Suki's arm and began dragging her back to the airship.

"Sokka, stop!" She said as she planted her feet in the snow. She held his arm as he lost his balance when he tried to drag her with him. "First of all Katara knows what she needs to do to get out of this. Second Zuko also knows you would kill him if he tried anything Katara didn't want to do. Finally you once told me that those clouds," she pointed to the dark clouds moving quickly towards them, "mean take cover there's a storm coming."

"Monkeyfeathers!"

Zuko was having that stupid dream again. The one where he'd wake up in bed with someone and he pulled her closer and that lead to, well, to other activities. This time, however, it felt so real and he'd never had the girl smell like jasmine flowers before. He hummed happily as he pulled the dream girl closer.

And sneezed when her hair tickled his nose. Fully awake he sat up. Apparently Katara smelled like jasmine...oh, right he bought her lotion for her birthday after Uncle suggested it. "Cold," she mumbled in her sleep and she pulled the blankets closer around herself and tried to scoot back into his warmth. Warmth he really didn't want to share with her because then he'd have to explain that no, that part of his body that was very much awake did that in the mornings (sometimes) and that it had nothing to do with her (maybe sometimes it did have to do with her but now was not a good time to tell her that).

He quickly retreated to the bathroom. Someone had been in there since they'd gone to bed: Katara's clothes had been neatly folded on the counter next to the sink. After a quick bath he wrapped a towel around his waist and felt ready to face the day. He shuffled across the bedroom to the closet, dropping the towel before he entered. He changed and was fixing his cuffs when he came out to a very awake Katara sitting up in bed.

"Good morning," he called as picked up his brush to try to tame his hair into a topknot.

"Do you always do that?" She asked.

"Do what? Wake up early?"

"Go into your closet naked." He dropped the brush and felt his cheeks light on fire.

"What did you see?" He asked as he turned around.

"That your lightning scar has faded a little and, well, your entire backside."

"I thought you were asleep," he replied lamely.

Katara smiled slightly. "If it makes anything better it looked really nice." Before Zuko could react beyond swearing his cheeks were actually on fire Katara scurried into the bathroom.

"This is going to be a long day," he told his reflection.

Next chapter will have more Zutara. I've also kind of figured out where this is going. It's just getting there and trying to keep it light that's going to be a challenge. Also finishing it.