Sumie stood tall and unflinching in front of her Fire Lord Ozai. She knew she was risking her life, but she didn't care. She knew she would willingly be a shield to those she loved without a second thought. Kazuma, her oldest son and member of Ozai's council, was the subject of the Fire Lord's ire.

Ozai had talked to the now ill-fated Shinu about wanting to make a deadly point among those in his council that had deserted him. Shinu had suggested patience, but now that he was hated by Ozai, anything he suggested was now suspect.

Emi caught Katara's eye, her terror for the mother and brother of the man she loved was obvious. Still what Emi saw calmed her immediately. Katara looked determined and nodded to her slightly. The conversation Emi had with Katara the day before came back to her.

Emi had said, "I promise they are all on your side. Anything you need-"

Cutting her off, Katara said, "I will have from them. I know. Kazuma was never invited to the 'invite-only dinners'. He protected your sister at the cost of his influence. I am glad for your reassurance but not surprised in the least."

Katara smiled and added, "in fact, Kazuma was one of the first councilors Zuko respected. He was one of the names Zuko wouldn't write down or speak since he was on the shortlist among those who Zuko believed he could trust. He hasn't addressed him directly because he doesn't believe that he needed to in order to gain his support."

Emi blinked in shock. "Does he trust him that much?"

Katara smiled kindly. "You have been among my most vocal spies from the beginning without anyone asking. In fact, you were one of the very first to report information to me in the harem. You weren't chosen to go to Natsume by Madam by accident."

"I figured it was because of my sister…."

Laughing, Katara shook her head and said, "no. That was just a bonus to me. As sweet as the story is between your sister and Kazuma, the Madam didn't give a damn. She was only focused on helping me and the harem. You are the reason you were chosen if that makes sense."

Pausing, Katara sighed and added, "the Madam is aware of… Kazuma is a good man. She follows palace politics well. She told me she chose a woman —you, that she could trust to work with a family she believed would wholly be on Zuko's side."

Emi blinked, and she was back in the present, watching Sumie standing firm in front of her son.

Ozai scowled, "you were last to arrive here when I called for my councilors!" He was ignoring the woman standing between him and Kazuma. He knew she posed zero hindrance to him. He could order to have her drug away.

With her hands firmly on her hips, Sumie said, "he was here in the time you allotted, Fire Lord Ozai." She added his title in the end, attempting to be respectful to a man she hated.

What she didn't know was that the Avatar was on the move. He was pulled from his bliss and the woman he now loved. She was also on the move and being hidden in the cave below the palace, with Toph standing as her guard. Rumors of what Ozai was planning had circulated just in time.

Ozai sneered. "And yet he was still last to arrive. What does that tell me about your family's commitment?!"

She smirked wickedly, "Shinu was among the first to get back, and look what happened with him. He betrayed you, Fire Lord. To me, our arrival says the family has nothing to hide. After all, men in our family have been on the council for over one hundred and fifty years."

"And yet I don't care. He was last and-"

Kazuma snapped out of his shock over his mother's actions, grabbed his her, and pushed her behind him. He refused to let his mother risk her life for him.

Yet, it was Zuko who walked forward and said, "enough, father! They have been an honorable family. How can you accuse him?"

Ozai fumed. "You don't tell me what to think!" Katara looked at Zuko with adoring eyes when he didn't flinch. He had become a man of strength and honor. And to her joy, he could stand up to his father.

Zuko said, "no. No one tells you what to think, Fire Lord." He bowed to fake deference. He then added, "you don't think anymore, father."

Ozai stood from this throne, completely ignoring Kazuma now; his whole focus was on his double-crossing son. "You! Azula was better than you could ever be!"

The doors of the council room flew open, pushed by the wind –wind made by the Avatar. Szeto yelled out, "I challenge you to Agni Kai!" Shock and silence reigned in the room for twenty seconds, then the sounds of complete shock ran through the room.

Katara was glad she knew what was coming and that she had kept her focus on Ozai. The brief terror that flashed in his eyes made her smile.

Ozai got his reaction under control quickly and balled his fists. "Arrest him!"

"No!" Zuko yelled out with a resounding firmness in his voice. He turned to look at his father. "Since when have you been a coward, Father? He challenged you to Agni Kai. You are honor bound to accept." He then taunted, "you do have honor, right? Or do you just strangle men to death that can't defend themselves anymore?"

Ozai sat on his throne and pounded his left fist on the armrest. "I am Fire Lord!"

Zuko smirked, "true." He then sauntered forward towards the throne. "But that doesn't answer the question of your honor."

Ozai glared at Zuko. "I will accept his challenge. And when I win –know my next act will celebrate the death of that bitch you're so attached to." He stood and smirked. "Arrest Katara!"

His demand, because that was what it had become, it wasn't an order if no one obeyed, met silence. Not one guard even twitched in her direction.

Katara laughed and gestured widely to the room. "You said you are Fire Lord –screamed it, in fact." She cocked her head and observed him appraisingly. "Are you if no one obeys?"

Ozai stood and began to stride forward. Haru, Kazuma, Natsume, Kyo, all of the councilmen, and many guards inserted themselves in between Ozai and Katara.

Then the Avatar strode forward and stood in front of them all. "Agni Kai in one hour?"

"Accepted!" Ozai screamed and marched out of the room.

Emi rushed into Sumie's arms, hugging her so tightly. "You are such a strong woman." They were standing back in Kazuma's room.

Hana chuckled, "she is fierce, isn't she?" She asked proudly. Natsume then came over and pulled Emi into his arms. "The Avatar is here in the palace? He even saved mom."

Emi blushed, "yeah…."

Kazuma looked at her in shock. "You aren't surprised about the Avatar being here?!"

Emi shook her head and looked at Natsume, "H-he was the reason for the odd pattern for the guards that was noticed...by the others…."

Natsume looked at her in shock. "You knew about…" He shook his head. "Looking back now…. You knew that much? You really knew the Avatar was here?"

She blushed scarlet and said, "yes. Katara trusts me, and it was why I was sent to you. Well, and since Zuko trusted your brother Kazuma from the beginning. He isn't high in the council and wasn't among Ozai's favorites….." She stared at the floor. "I'm friends with Ainu."

"Ainu? Sumie asked.

"She's… She's with Sezto… They love each other. Remember her, Hana?" She asked, turning to her sister.

Hana blinked, "yes. I remember you two being close." She paused and then said, "you're trusted by the future Fire Lady and by the future wife of the Avatar?!" She shook her head in amazement. "I might have saved Kazuma, according to his mother," she always was humble about how much she helped him. "But you will make this family."

Natsume was proud of the woman he loved. He knew how much Hana meant to his mother, and he had wondered if the woman he chose would ever live up to her in his mother's eyes. By the look of it, Emi would absolutely be adored by her.

Aya was wrapped in Haru's arms and smiled gently. "As horrible as it will be to watch the battle, our dreams are coming true."

Holding up a now-filled, again, wineglass, she said, "to our imminent divorce."

Her husband smiled while his mistress cuddled against him. "I am afraid we might actually be friends after all of this."

His wife scoffed, "you're too good a man to befriend me. But who knows –you haven't always had good judgment. You did try to love me." She smirked, "a woman determined to hate you from the age of five."

He shrugged and caressed the rounding belly of the woman he adored. "Yes, but in the end, you helped me find abiding love and true happiness. You did ask Katara to find me a mistress, a woman we both appreciate."

She sighed heavily, "yes. Despite myself, I admit she is amazing."

Suki blinked up, looking at the sheer size of the Fire Nation Palace. In all of her pondering, she never imagined it to be so large. Still, finally, they had arrived.