I know it's been a while since I last posted. I'm struggling with writing lately. However, I have a clear idea of where the story is going and it will be finished. Thank you so much for your patience.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I have a plan for how this works into the ending.

Katara lounged on the couch in her room with Toph. They were relaxing and having a great time. Toph asked, "they really won't look for me in here?"

"No. Even the guards who still think they work for Ozai wouldn't dare come into my room. They won't risk angering Zuko."

Toph laughed, "ha! They wouldn't risk angering you! You have most of the women in the palace on your side. Even the female palace staff are huge fans of yours. Word is the men have learned respect around them because they threaten to go to you. You did even save a woman from Ozai."

Katara thought about that. "I'm glad they feel safer now. It didn't even dawn on me they would be abused too."

"Lack of respect for women translates into every area of their lives." She gestured wildly with her hands.

Smiling, Katara said, "you don't have that problem. Everyone knows you can defend yourself."

"For the first time in my life –yes. My parents wouldn't even admit to having a 'defective' child."

Katara frowned. "You aren't defective. You're-"

"If you say 'special,' I'll stick you in a metal cage!"

"No. I was going to say annoying." Katana chucked at her joke. "You know your surroundings better than most, and it's unsettling." That was the truth.

"Tell me about something unsettling!" Toph said, "I have to stay away from anywhere near your room any time Zuko might be in here. You two are having sex constantly –gross!"

Laughing, Katara said, "trust me. It's not gross. It's incredible."

"I just didn't need to know you are that flexible."

Katara blushed, "oh. You saw that."

"Yeah. I saw that." Toph said with a grimace.

Katara searched her mind desperately for another topic. "So…. How are you liking the Fire Nation?"

Toph shrugged. "It's fine, I guess. I like the people more than the place. It's kinda hard to get over the idea that they are the enemy. How did you get over it? Other than freaky sex, of course."

Katara blushed and said, "I got to know the people here. A lot of them are still absolutely terrible, but some are great. That and I learned I had the power to change things. Even when it started very small, it made me feel like I was making a difference. I feel like the Fire Nation is something that can become better –especially under Zuko's leadership."

"And soon you will be the Fire Lady. Where does that leave me?" Toph barely managed to feign indifference. After all, she didn't want to have to go home. As much as the Fire Nation had been the enemy, it was the first place she felt free to be herself.

"It leaves you with options. You could be anything that you want to be. You could even be an advisor to me –or a bodyguard." Katara smiled and winked at Toph. "You did lock up that counselor all by yourself. Then there will be options from within the Earth Kingdom you are from. The government would hire you in a second."

"The blind girl?" She couldn't believe that was true. Her history with her parents wouldn't let her.

"The highly competent woman who can move metal as well as rock. You are a master bender."

Toph sat there contemplating her future, and for once, it seemed bright.

Sokka was pretty happy with himself. He had a girlfriend who was strong and amazing, and he was on his "Epic Side Quest". And now he even had Zuko's mother, who, having reunited with her love, had a child. He was feeling pretty damn smug.

He knew Zuko hated to destroy his own sister, even when it was the only way. Now he was bringing a sister home to the man who loved his sister like no other. He was a good man in Sokka's eyes.

Kiyi giggled, and he took another hopping step. He was bringing the soon-to-be Fire Lord, not only his mother but an adorable sister and one who wasn't a raging lunatic. He had her on his shoulders, and she gripped his hair, laughing.

"Uncle Sokka! Again!"

He pretended like he was going to trip, and she burst out laughing.

Suki was watching and falling even deeper in love with him. And it wasn't maternal instincts raging and making her swoon. It was how proud he was to be able to give something back to the man who protected his sister. He was thrilled to give the gift to a family to a man who thought he had to destroy his to save the world.

She watched Sokka pull Kiyi down and toss her into the air and catch her. She did have to admit to herself that Sokka would be a really great dad.

Emi gasped as she walked into her lover's room, and his brother and her sister Hana were sitting there with him. She teared up and ran to her sister, who stood so they could embrace eachother. Emi held on tightly with tears in her eyes. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too," Hana replied.

Emi's lover, Natsume, smiled and clapped his brother on the back. "Agree with my plan?"

His brother, Kazuma, said, "It's obvious that Hana is close with her sister. You're that sure about her already?"

"Yes. Yes, I am."

Kazuma nodded. "You're sure Ozai will die?"

"She knows things. I don't ask because I know secrecy is important, and the less who know the details the better. Still-"

Emi had released her sister and heard the conversation by now. She interrupted. "Still. Things are in the works you all don't know. Ozai doesn't make it much longer."

Kazuma asked, "but how are you so sure?"

"You don't trust me," Emi said. "You know my sister thought — very well. I would never betray her."

He smiled. "That I can trust. Your sister is amazing."

Emi said, "anyway, I spoke to Katara and-"

Hana cut her off, "you knowKatara?" It was apparent she was proud of her sister.

"Well, yeah," she blushed at the admission. "She trusts me. I talked to her about you all and… well, she wants me to tell you. The other night… when Natsume and I…." She blushed to admit to his brother that she asked him to go to a voyeuristic sex party. She wondered if he would hate the idea of his little brother having sex in front of an interested audience. "Well, the fact-finding mission I had you… help me with. That night what I heard was that they were close to searching the area that Shinu's illegitimate daughter was being held. What I discovered meant they needed to move her out of the palace immediately."

Silence reigned in the room. Several revelations came from that one sentence. Besides the obvious, the trust in Emi and the trust in the whole family, as a result, was glaringly obvious.

Hana looked at her sister wide-eyed. "She trusts you that much?"

Emi blushed. "I-I've always reported things to Katara. When the Madam wanted help, she came to me and some other women. They knew I would never betray her, and honestly, Natsume helped. He always worked hard to listen and get information for me to report back. He proved he was just as dedicated as I am. At least that's what Katara said."

Natsume flushed with pride. The fact that his future Fire Lady knew about him and his help humbled him. "Will they bring her back now that Shinu is dead?"

"No," Emi said, shaking her head. "She wasn't smart enough to keep from putting her desire to kill Katara in writing."

Natsume whistled lowly. "Wow, that's colossally stupid. I'm shocked with how much Zuko loves Katara, that he didn't just kill her."

Emi chuckled. "Katara doesn't love the killing, and he knows that. She'll probably spend the rest of her life in prison, though."

Kazuma looked at Emi in shock. "But she stood there stoically during the killing of Shinu."

"Yes, but that was politically necessary. It wasn't who his daughter was -it was his support of Ozai. Who will stand with Ozai after how he killed the war hero and closest ally?"

Hana shook her head sweetly. "You're cunning. More cunning than I could ever be."

Emi blushed. "No, I'm…."

"It was a compliment. This family needs cunning. It's how they survive in this nation."

The door suddenly opened, and a distinguished-looking middle-aged woman walked in and shut the door with a snap. "Hana, any ideas on what to do after that disgusting horror show?"

The woman turned and noticed Emi. "And who are you?" She tried not to betray her nerves over her candor just then.

Emi said, "the woman who loves Natsume and Hana's sister. And yes, I have an idea." Without giving the woman time to say anything, she said, "although you're already doing it. First of all, your sons are too smart to say anything to get them killed. I know things I can't say, but Ozai isn't long for this world. I would like to promise Katara your family's full and complete support." She had no doubt the woman was Natsume and Kazuma's mother. "Although she won't be surprised when I tell her."

Natsume jumped in. "I love her mother, and she's not lying. She has Katara's trust."

Leveling a look at Emi she said, "it's no secret your sister brought my son back from the brink. And for that, I honor her…."

Emi said, "and when Zuko marries Katara, what do you think that will mean for Kazuma and Hana?"

"That my fondest wish can come true," she answered. She then frowned. "All his first wife's 'good breeding' got him was immense heartbreak. To my shame, I insisted on the match."

Kazuma tried to object, but she cut him off. "I did and pushed you to fall in love. I insisted your match could be like your father's and mine." She blushed slightly, and Emi thought it was incredibly endearing. "Your father… He is… so dear to me…." She couldn't finish, but her sons knew what she was thinking.

She was objectively still beautiful and could remarry if she wanted to after her husband died three years ago. The fact was that she had no interest in doing so. She had married, according to her father's will, to a man of good standing. She had been a very obedient daughter, after all. Then, as the first few months of the marriage progressed, both husband and wife fell inextricably in love.

Kazuma's fidelity and love had very much to do with the bone-deep belief that arranged marriages ended up like his parents. He knew his mother wasn't to blame for the betrayal of his deceased wife, like she thought –for him quickly loving his wife. Anything she contributed had to do with how well and how completely she and his father had loved each other. Now with Hana, he finally felt like he knew what real and reciprocated love was –the kind his parents had.

Emi looked Natsume's mother in the eyes, "you're here when you know there is danger. I get that you showed up to try to protect your son. Let me work with you. I promise I will do what I need to in order to protect this family."

Later that night, Zuko found a pleased Katara in their room. "And what has you in such a very good mood?" He had asked, smiling, thrilled she was happy.

She smirked and let her dress fall to the floor, exposing her naked body.

"My future Fire Lord –here and wanting me."

Zuko smirked. "Always."

He moved forward and pulled her into his arms. "And what about your husband?" He teased her.

"They are one and the same."

He moved her and pressed her to the bed as he pulled off his clothes. "I adore you."

"I know. Now, make love to me, Zuko."