In the dark hallway Zuko pushed Katara against the wall and brought their lips together in a frantic kiss. He had been thinking about kissing her all day and now was his only opportunity. She wrapped her legs around his waist and eagerly returned the kiss. He started to push her skirt up and her breath hitched.

"Zuko, we can't do this here. Someone could catch us," Katara said as he started kissing down her neck.

"We don't have a lot of time alone, this may be our only chance for days," Zuko replied, not stopping his ministrations.

She relented and let herself get carried away in the feeling of his hands on her skin and her lips on hers. They were too consumed with passion to hear the footsteps heading their way.

"Oh, sorry Zuko I-" Aang said but stopped when he realized who Zuko had been kissing.

"Aang, I'm...we…" Katara started to say as her and Zuko pulled apart.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since we took down Azula," Zuko said. Aang glared at him and then ran off.

"We probably should have told him sooner," Zuko said as they stared at the place Aang had been standing.

"Tell him what? That the person he thought was his forever girl is actually in love with the Fire Lord and being a waterbender has zero chance at a successful relationship."

"Let's just enjoy the time we have now, we can worry about everything else later," Zuko said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She smiled and allowed him to lead her to a more private area.

Later turned out to be about two weeks. Katara found Zuko sitting by the pond watching the turtle ducks and smiling. She sat down next to him and scooted as close as she could.

"Is everything alright?"

"I think I might be pregnant."

Zuko closed his eyes and thought back to all the discussions he'd had with Iroh about Katara.

"I want you be happy, Zuko, but I worry that others will not take so kindly to her so soon after you have taken the throne."

"Uncle this isn't fair to her, the older she gets the more people start to question why she has not married yet, she's an outcast!"

"She will be more of an outcast if she were your wife. Or worse, if she bore you only waterbender children."

"Then my heir will be a waterbender and show the world we can all be united!"

"Please, Uncle, for Katara, will you help me try?"

"Are you...angry?" Katara asked.

"Of course not," he said as slipped his arm around her waist and buried his nose in her hair. "Uncle has been trying to help me convince the council to allow us to be married, I will see if he has made any progress."

"It is still so soon, Nephew, I don't know if-"

"She's pregnant."

Iroh sighed and poured himself another cup of tea. He drank it slowly and took that time to reflect on a possible solution.

"Her father is Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, soon he will be crowned King and this will make her a Princess. I will see if this is enough. In the meantime, take Katara some calming jasmine tea."

Katara and Zuko were tucked into armchairs in a remote corner of the library when Iroh approached them later that day. He took a seat next to Katara and put a gentle hand on her knee.

"Katara, you and Zuko will be allowed to marry, but you have to go through the normal courting rules. Your engagement will be announced in two weeks."

"Two weeks? We can't wait that long, she might start to show," Zuko protested.

"Zuko, for now this will be fine, we can downplay my pregnancy and tell everyone I'm on a really long bed rest later on." He nodded but only half heartedly.

"Nephew, what she says is true."

When they did get married Katara had started to show; her frame was so slender that she quickly started to round out and fill in. Iroh enlisted the help of a very discrete and excellent seamstress who created the perfect wedding gown for Katara, that blended both cultures and concealed her changing figure. The woman also helped Katara with a few dresses for after the wedding to help keep up the facade.

Everything went perfect, even though there were still people openly opposed to the marriage, most of the palace was so used to Katara always being around that nothing changed there.

Zuko knew what was at stake if anyone found out about the pregnancy - she could be shamed or the legitimacy of their heir could be called into question. In the end he had nothing to worry about. When their daughter, Kya, was born it was obvious that she was a natural firebender.

In the end everything worked out, even with the occasional political unrest. Life for the Firelord and Firelady was good.