Katara laughed as Zuko hustled her to their room. His father ordering her death had spooked him; that was obvious. He looked at her and grumbled, "yes, no one moved to arrest you, but that doesn't mean someone won't."

"The Avatar has challenged him. Surely they would at least wait to see who won!" She said, mildly exasperated and smiling.

He stopped abruptly and faced her. "And why the hell do you think this is funny!?"

"Mostly, I was laughing from nerves. That whole thing was stressful. He threatened people firmly on our side and me. Also," she shrugged, "you're adorable when you're protective of me."

He couldn't help himself; he cracked a smile too. Then he stepped closer to her and whispered. "I'm protective of you –I'm not adorable. And if I remember right, you find me very hot."

She placed her hands on his tight abs, and her eyes grew darker with lust. "I'm yours, my heart, and my body."

He gave a sexy smirk. "I'll show you just how much that's true soon."

Zuko then stepped back and shook his head. "First, let's get you to our room."

"I'm safe, Zuko," she objected.

"Yes, but you should change into a more formal dress and your gold jewelry. I sure intend to dress up. I'm about to become Fire Lord, and I will be announcing that you will be Fire Lady today."

Her whole body sagged with relief. "It's almost over, isn't it? I'm sorry about your fath-"

"I'm not," he said, cutting her off. "Now isn't the time to worry about me. If he ever acted like a father to me, that was long forgotten. He's a monster now—one who chokes people to death. And," he said, caressing her face, "he did the one thing that I cannot forgive. He threatened to kill you."

When they reached their room, Haru and Aya were waiting for them in the hall. Haru said, "I told the guards they were okay to let in." Then they both walked away without a word.

Katara was through the door and hugging Sokka before Zuko could get through the door. She pulled back abruptly, though, when Zuko made it into the room and whispered, "mom?"

Zuko couldn't believe his eyes. His mother was staring at him and smiling, the very same mother he was told had chosen to forget his existence. Both mother and son were frozen in place.

Sokka, figuring he should get everything moving, said, "I told you I was going on an epic side quest! Aren't I awesome?"

Zuko blinked a few times and repeated himself tentatively, "mom?"

With tears in her eyes, Ursa nodded and rasped out, "yes. It's me, Zuko –my dear son." As soon as she said the words, he ran to her to hug her.

The room looked on as they were both crying, clutching each other. Katara was crying the most, watching the man she loved finding such happiness. It did make her smile when she turned to look at Sokka, and he seemed very proud of himself.

Zuko leaned down and picked up Kiyi, and placed her on his shoulders. Crying made him uncomfortable, and he was ready to move on to the rest of the good news. As Zuko and Ursa pulled back from the hug, so Zuko could ask questions, Sokka pointed at the girl on his shoulder. "I also found a sister for you that isn't insane. To be fair, she never had to be around Ozai. Well, she's a half-sister, really."

"W-what?" Zuko looked at his mother in confusion.

It was the unknown man with her who spoke. "I'm Noren, well actually, Ikem –your mother and I were engaged when Ozai decided to make her his wife." He blushed and looked nervous.

The whole story then came out. He heard about the one-day engagement and the heartbreak each of them felt when Ozai made his decision. His mother told him how her children were the only things that made her life worth living and how she loved them both. Ikem then told them about going to the Mother of Faces in his heartbreak and how, once Ursa was banished, she went there too. Zuko heard about how his mother found love again; at the time, she thought it was for the first time and that she had his half-sister.

Sokka then added, "and we found them on our epic side quest and brought them back to the Mother of Faces to get their memories back!"

Then Ursa asked the one question that could make Zuko sick. "Where is Azula?"

Katara watched Zuko grow incredibly pale, and she stepped forward, assuming Sokka would have already filled her in on who she was to Zuko. Her heart broke for her love, and she didn't want to make him say what had happened. "Azula challenged Zuko to Agni Kai. She left no room for doubt that she was seeking his death." She didn't feel she needed to say anymore. After all, Zuko was standing there healthy and alive.

"Wh…what?" Ursa was blinking back tears. "She's…"

"Exactly like Ozai," Katara finished. "Even Uncle Iroh didn't see a way to turn her from her path, and he believes in everyone." And to spare Zuko any more pain he was going through, she said, "from the moment of the challenge from her you know only one of them could back from that. I'm glad it's Zuko. Heck, the whole palace is."

Zuko scuffed his foot as he looked at the ground. "If you can't accept…." He couldn't finish. He really couldn't handle it if his mother turned her back on him.

"I hate this stupid wretched palace and the damn 'family traditions.'" Ursa grumbled. "Ozai used to joke that killing family was a 'royal family ritual.'" She shook her head. "I hate that I wasn't here to guide her. Your father led Azula down a path of destruction –damn him."

Zuko barely kept himself from audibly sighing in relief when he heard his mother blamed Ozai and not him. He couldn't stand the idea of his mother hating him.

Ursa then added, "she always listened to everything that monster said. I worried about her the most when I was sent away initially. I knew that you, Zuko, would turn out to be a very good man." She swiped at her tears. "I worried what she would become under Ozai's guidance."

"Azula's dead?" Kiyi asked.

Sokka pulled her off his shoulders and set her down gently, took her hand, and kneeled down in front of her. Looking her in the eyes, he said, "they said it was done for everyone's safety, and she tried to kill Zuko."

"-and your sister," Zuko added.

Dropping her hand, Sokka shot to his feet and looked at Zuko. "And then you killed her?" Zuko returned the stare and nodded while Sokka smiled in relief.

Trying to change the subject away from the death of Azula, Katara walked over and knelt in front of Kiyi. She saw how comfortable the girl was around Sokka, so she used that to start the conversation. "Kiya, that's a beautiful name. I'm Katara, Sokka's sister."

Kiyi focused her eyes on Katara and clutched Sokka's pant leg. She said, "you're pretty." She then took a step back due to her nerves.

"Thank you," Katara said kindly. She then added, "if I were new here, I'd be nervous." She held back her dark amusement at that statement. Actually, she had been terrified. "Do you have any questions?"

"Is the bad man going to hurt me?"

That finally snapped Zuko into action. He knelt beside Katara and said to his new half-sister. "No. I promise I won't let him near you. You're safe."

Kiyi sighed and gave a small smile, "thank you." Her smile slipped to a frown, "he was mean to mommy and made her cry. I heard her say it." Blushing, she admitted, "I was supposed to be sleeping. Am I in trouble now?"

Shaking his head, Zuko looked at his mother. "I'm sure she's not mad at you."

Ursa held her hand to her mouth in an attempt to control herself. She was overwhelmed with everything. She managed to get out a stilted, "It's fine. I'm not mad."

Zuko, catching some of what his mother must be going through, drew Kiyi's attention to himself. He said, "the bad man is going to be stopped soon. You don't have to worry about him."

She reacted like any child would who had an idyllic childhood. She trusted him. The bad man was just a specter in her mind. Kiyi had never faced "evil" where she lived. Her own parents didn't even remember their troubled past. She grew up believing bad things didn't happen to her. Sure she got cuts, scrapes, sicknesses, and even broke her arm once, but those weren't done to her; they were just accidents.

Katara saw what was happening and looked on with envy. After all, she found her mother slaughtered. Still, once she looked at Zuko, that envy faded. Yes, she desperately wanted her mother back. But, she believed her mother would be proud of her path. And part of Katara wondered if her mother would have voluntarily given her own life to end the 100-year war she abhorred.

Katara thought fast and said, "I have a sweet friend Aya who would love to meet you." Zuko, knowing Katara's mind, went and had the guards fetch Haru and Aya, who hadn't gone far. As they were on their way back, she continued. "Aya has a lot of pretty clothes; you like pretty things, right?"

"Yes, but mama and daddy…." Kiyi trailed off.

Katara took her hand and said, "Aya and Haru will let them try on fun clothes and see what they look like dressed up as Fire Nation people. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Yes!" The little girl's eyes lit up with enjoyment.

Katara leaned in conspiratorially to her and said, "I know for a fact we have clothes you can try on too."

Aya walked in, and Katara turned to face her. Aya said, "they will be ready for the presentation."

Katara wasn't surprised Aya got what she wanted. Zuko would be presented as Fire Lord with Katara, his mother, stepfather, and his half-sister by his side, all looking decked out as the royal family.

As much as Zuko wanted to talk to his mother and his, shockingly enough, new half-sister, Aya, and Haru, with the aid of the guards, smuggled them out of the room.

Katara and Zuko faced the group that remained. There was a lot to discuss now. "Okay, so the Avatar had challenged Ozai to Agni Kai."