A/N: I have gotten so many kind reviews of you all. I swear, I'm so thankful and I love you! I have read and reread and rereread the reviews you have left me and you just make me so happy :). I really feel like I am not the only one enjoying this story and that gives me so much motivation to write while trying to figure out which tropes I'm going to include before this story's over. I hope you like what I did here! Please let me know what you thought and have a wonderful night or day or whatever your time-zone is! This is me signing off for the evening. Lots of love, Lily.

PS. I have split the parts with part 1, 2 and 3 because it didn't feel right that they are sort of included in a chapter and not just separate stand alone chapters. That's why the people who follow/favourite my story have suddenly gotten these messages that I updated, which wasn't the case, sadly… but now here you go! Chap 28 is ready to be read ;).

Chapter 28 – The Northern Air Temple

Azula was getting on his nerves.

Actually, she had always gotten on his nerves, even when they were children, but this time, now that they had both grown into adults, it was as if she was putting extra care into it. At every corner, he could see his sister watching his every move as if he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. Stringing conversations with him regarding the Avatar's demise, which she had caused. She was the one that gave the killing blow – a memory that still haunted him at night – but she acted as if he did it.

Zuko knew, of course, that it was highly possible that Katara had healed him. After all, she had shown him the spirit water of the North Pole, explaining its special healing properties. Meaning that the water could have saved Aang from his death.

Zuko's heart sped up. If that was true, and Azula would continue to imply that he was the one that killed the Avatar, then that meant that he would be the one that failed to kill the Avatar, and had lied to his father about it several times, if he found out that Aang was alive after all.

Then all would have been for nothing.

Zuko arrived at the doorstep of his father's throne room. It would be the first time he would see him in seven years and to say he was nervous was an understatement. Taking a deep breath, he crossed the threshold and came face to face with the man who had personally given his son a scar for life.

He swallowed but continued walking up until the front of the stairs that led to his father's throne. He tried not to falter in his step when the face of the man appeared from behind the flames. The face he had dreaded to see. When he got to the end, he crouched down to bow deeply before his Fire Lord.

''You've been away for a long time. I see the weight of your travels has changed you. You have redeemed yourself, my son,'' his father began when standing up from his throne. The fire parted for him so he could step over the barrier and walk down to greet his heir. ''Welcome home.''

Zuko had forgotten the chilling sound of Ozai's voice. Like the eerie calm of the air just before lighting struck. A sound that, if you made it feminine, would sound just like Azula. Zuko remained quiet while a slight shiver went down his back.

''I am proud of you, Prince Zuko. I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se. I am proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor. And I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment: you slayed the Avatar,'' Ozai continued. Zuko tried to hide the shock he felt when he heard that Azula had even told his father the lie.

''What did you hear?'' He almost cringed when he realised he had spoken out of turn, but his father didn't comment on it.

''Azula told me everything. She said she was amazed and impressed at your power and ferocity at the moment of truth.''

Ozai had been walking in a circle around his son, genuinely feeling proud of his male heir for doing what he had been tasked to do.

''I hear you have not been sitting still in your banishment either,'' Ozai added slyly, anticipating his son's reaction. ''I hear you had a relationship with a Waterbender.''

Zuko's insides froze. ''Father, I… I don't know what Azula told you, but I have never had a relationship with any Waterbend-''

''Don't lie!'' Ozai bellowed at him, his voice echoing in the vast, empty room. ''Do not lie to me, Prince Zuko, or suffer the consequences.''

Zuko swallowed the bile away from his throat, his hands shaking in his lap. ''I promise you, father, I did not have a relationship with a Waterbender.'' Even he could hear the lie in his voice.

Ozai stayed silent for a moment, making Zuko wonder what he was about to do, but didn't dare look up at the dangerous Fire Lord.

''Very well,'' Ozai eventually drawled. ''It does not matter anyway. I have made arrangements with the governor of New Ozai. Mai is to be your wife. See to it that you two become… friends. It will make it easier in the end.''

Zuko, again, tried to hide the shock on his face and merely nodded obediently. ''Yes, father.''

''You're dismissed,'' Ozai said and walked up the stairs again before taking place on his throne once more.

Zuko bowed once more before standing up and walking back to the door through which he came in. His father's voice stopped him in his track.

''Remember what I said, Prince Zuko. Lie to me, and suffer the consequences.''

Zuko just walked out.

That night, he had trouble falling asleep. His bed was cold and although he could warm himself up easily with the technique he had long since learned from his uncle, he felt a distant pain in his heart. He could still remember the way Milah had laid against him, curled up against his body with her cold fingers tucked against his chest. He could still feel the way she had felt when he had made love to her. Or the way her lips had felt wrapped around his cock-

''Fuck,'' he whispered to himself when his manhood hardened and then slackened upon remembering his father's words today. Zuko had needed to protect his little Waterbender by saying he hadn't had any relationship with her. Otherwise, his father would do anything to hunt her down just to see who the girl, that had captured the heart of his son, was. And then, if she was lucky, Milah would be thrown into jail, next to his uncle, just to make sure that she would never speak of their relationship. If she wasn't lucky… Zuko tried not to think about that.

But Azula… Azula had lied about the fact that she had killed the Avatar, not him, to their father. It made him nervous because it meant that Azula also thought that Aang had survived her attack, meaning that when the news came out that the Avatar wasn't dead, his father would blame him, not Azula.

A shudder went through him just by thinking of it. Time to pay my sister a visit, he thought while getting up from his bed in the middle of the night and putting on his clothes.

Milah was standing at the front of the ship, wearing a fur-coated jacket. A vast mountain range was spreading out over the entire coast on her right, snow-caps clearly visible on the high tops that could be seen through the clouds. They were sailing to one of the locations where one of the groups of people lived that were supposed to help them in the invasion on the Day of Black Sun. Sokka had left a list with Hakoda where names and locations were mentioned, together with some kind of drawing her brother had made that was supposed to be logical in his eyes. Milah had only stared at the piece of paper and wondered how exactly someone could make something out of it, but Sokka had insisted that the inventor they were going to pick up had a mind greater than any she had seen, so she would just have to wait and see if it was going to work.

They were nearing the North Pole, but that was not the destination they were headed to. No, they were heading towards the Northern Air Temple. Only the ship where Hakoda, Amim and Bato and the crew were residing was sailing towards the massive structure partially hidden by the clouds. They had left the rest of the fleet at a secluded spot at a cliff where they would not be easily spotted by the Fire Nation, considering they were near the territory.

Hakoda hadn't dared to send another ship to retrieve the other people written on the list, saying that as Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe, he was the one to persuade these people to join them in their cause. The least he could do was show up himself to let them see that even he was prepared to sacrifice himself.

Milah's stomach churned at the thought. She couldn't bear to lose any more people in her life, not when she already lost two not so long ago. Not again.

She stroked her slightly protruded stomach absentmindedly. She had started wearing an oversized shirt of one of the male warriors so her stomach could grow in peace over the next eight months. Her turtleneck was her go-to choice of clothing, but it was tight on her body, and she didn't feel comfortable parading around with a pregnant belly. Not when it would raise questions at strangers about why she was a single mom, seeing she didn't wear any kind of 'marriage label'.

Yes, that was just the kind of world she was living in, and Milah couldn't make it any different on her own, so she could only hope that the situation for single moms would improve over time.

''No morning sickness today?'' Amim asked her on her left, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight. Her heart slightly warmed at the sight.

''Thank god, no,'' she answered, letting out a soft chuckle. ''I'm not really sure when it will stop entirely, but I have heard of women experiencing it until they reached six months. Six months! I won't be able to grow at all if that's going to happen to me.''

Amim shook his head. ''Nah, my sister-in-law only experienced it for like a month or something. But well, not every woman is the same, so we'll see.''

''I hope I'll be that lucky, but I won't get my hopes up. I'm afraid this little thing is going to be my death someday, and he's not even born yet.''

Amim looked at her strangely. ''He?''

Milah blushed. ''Yeah, I've been kind of thinking of it as a he. I don't know why. It just feels right.'' And she was. She had been dreaming about this little boy with black hair and golden eyes, creating little puffs of flames with his hands and showing her excitedly whenever he had succeeded.

''It would make sense, you know,'' she started to tell a theory that had been swarming around in her head lately. ''I've noticed lately that the moon didn't power me up like it used to. The last full moon was around the time that Aang had woken up, like two weeks ago, and I can still remember gazing at it at night and just not feeling the thing I used to feel. You reckon that's because he'll be a Firebender?''

Amim looked at her with wonder before grinning stupidly and shrugging. ''You're the mother. You'll tell me.''

She just rolled her eyes, leaning against the railing with her elbows again.

When noon hit, they had arrived at the nearest piece of coast at the Air Temple. The men were trying to moor the ship as best as they could while Milah could only sit by and watch, having been forbidden by the entire crew to do any heavy work. It had driven her crazy to just sit by and watch other people do hard work, but she understood where it came from. Especially from her father, who had seen to her every wish ever since he learned his daughter was pregnant.

Especially since they all knew that the man who was supposed to be by her side to help guide her through every step of the way, wasn't there.

Her heart ached. It ached so much that she raised her hand to the spot on her left breast, massaging the skin just to try and get the pain out. Every day, it was hurting a little bit more. Every day, she could feel the way the heartbreak was affecting not only her mind but her body now as well – excluding the pregnancy, of course. She had been feeling stressed out about the whole situation, not only about the fact that she was to be a mother, but also that her little baby would probably grow up without a father – she didn't exactly see how Zuko and she could ever be together, not when the invasion would happen. If it succeeded, then Zuko would be thrown into jail and she didn't expect anyone to feel pity for her when she would ask the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, the Earth King and the Avatar to release him, just so he could be a father to his child. No, she would probably be thrown into the cell right next to him, just because she was carrying his baby. Although she reckoned that Aang would feel sympathy, she couldn't ask the young boy to plead for her. She would never ask that of anyone.

But if the invasion didn't succeed… then Milah wasn't sure if she could ever let Zuko know that she was growing his child in her body. Not when there would be a possibility that the Fire Lord would have them both killed for it. There was no way in the world that the despicable man would be okay with the fact that the heir of his heir was a child of a Waterbender.

She let out a large breath, closed her eyes and let herself relax in the sun for a minute. It'll be all right, she thought to herself but didn't believe it for one second.

Zuko was walking through the corridors of the palace. He had put on his usual wear and was making his way to his sister's sleeping quarters where, hopefully, the answers lay that he was searching for.

When he opened the door, his sister was asleep, which wasn't unusual seeing it was the middle of the night.

''Why'd you do it?'' he asked the girl, who didn't even crack open an eye upon hearing his brother suddenly, awakening her from a dream.

''You're going to have to be a little more specific,'' she answered slyly, reminding him of the way his father had spoken to him so similarly.

''Why did you tell Father that I was the one who killed the Avatar? And why did you say that I had a relationship with a Waterbender?'' The lie rolled off his tongue more smoothly than it ever did before, causing his heart to contract painfully.

''Can't this wait until morning?''

''It. Can't.''

His sister sighed dramatically before opening up her eyes, pushing herself up with her hands so she could face her brother. ''Fine. You seemed so worried about how father would treat you because you hadn't captured the Avatar. I figured if I gave you the credit, you'd have nothing to worry about. And about that Waterbender… I'm disappointed to say that I had nothing to do with that. Although it wouldn't be a lie, now, would it?'' A twinkle appeared in her eyes.

''Fine. Let's pretend that you didn't tell him about her,'' he answered, not believing her for even a second, although wondering for a mini-second who could have told his father about Milah. ''That still leaves the question as to why you'd lie about me killing him?''

Azula got up from her bed with a lioness' grace. ''Call it a generous gesture. I wanted to thank you for your help and I was happy to share the glory.''

''You're lying.'' His fists were shaking.

''If you say so…'' his sister merely answered and glided past him in her nightgown. Her face was illuminated by the candle on her nightstand for a second and he was struck by the image of his mother on her face.

He shook his head to clear the memory. ''You have another motive for doing this, I just haven't figured out what it is.''

''Please Zuko, what ulterior motive could I have? What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the Avatar?'' she asked him in an innocent voice that was far from that and put his hand on his shoulder after having approached him. ''Unless, somehow, the Avatar was actually alive. All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness. But you said it yourself, that was impossible.''

He shook the warm hand off his shoulder and turned around to leave the room. Azula always lies, he kept repeating to himself, wondering if he had made the right choice down in the catacombs. Maybe she had been lying then as well.

''Sleep well, Zuzu.''

Or maybe Azula hadn't been lying, and maybe, hopefully, Milah was somewhere far away from here. From him. Starting the life she had always wanted for herself.

The walk up to the Northern Air Temple was long, but not hot, thankfully. They were far enough up north that the sun didn't warm up their heads as it could do in Ba Sing Se. ''How much longer?'' she panted and asked her father who was walking right alongside her.

Hakoda chuckled. '' 'No, dad! I'm going with you and no one will hold me back! I'm sick and tired of sitting around and watching all of you do all the heavy work!' '' he imitated his daughter with a high-pitched voice who had been rampaging only a few hours earlier.

Milah scowled. ''That's not fair. It's not like I'm sick, I'm just pregnant.'' And she really felt that way. But, to be honest, she could use a little break right now. She was exhausted from all the walking, especially since she hadn't had any real workout since… forever, really.

''I know. But what's the point in letting you do any heavy work when we have twelve crewmen that can do it for you? Besides, they're happy to help you. You've made some friends.''

Milah glanced up ahead to Amim and the two warriors walking beside him, Marok and Turaq. ''That's true. But I knew them already, from my combat lessons at the Northern Water Tribe. So they don't count.'' Marok, Turaq and her had immediately recognised each other upon meeting when the entire fleet had met up with them after the Fire Nation ship was destroyed. They had been instructors together with a few others, and since they had always been a few years older than her, they hadn't been friends, albeit friendly. Marok and Turaq, however, had always been best friends, from what she'd heard.

''But they're nice to you, right? Or do I need to beat someone?''

Milah slapped his arm playfully. ''Stop, dad, please.''

Only half an hour later the party arrived at the footstep of the Air Temple. It looked like a big castle built into the peak of a mountain itself. The top part of the structure was covered in the clouds that were hanging particularly low today. Not one person could be seen on the several balconies, or anyone flying around. Sokka had mentioned that the persons they were going to pick had made their own gliders that could be used without airbending, meaning that either they all had left since the last time the Gaang had seen them, or they were all hiding from sight, which was probably a smart thing to do.

''You think they're home?'' she asked Amim who was standing beside her.

''I'm not su-''

''Watch out!'' someone roared out of the blue. A large shadow covered the party for a split second before Amim reacted and pulled her to the side in one swift move. If he had been one second too late, a large bomb would have come down right on the top of her head. It hit the ground not with a big explosion, but a splash, making every one of their party drenched from head to toe with a foul-smelling substance.

No one was spared. Everyone was dripping with a dark liquid that smelled of rotten eggs and dead animals.

Vomit spilt out of Milah's mouth as soon as she inhaled the terrible reek. Unfortunately for Amim, he still held her in his arms, making her throw up her guts all over his outfit. She couldn't see his face, but she was sure that he had a scowl on his face. No one liked to be puked upon, of course.

But instead of letting her go – and making her fall onto the ground, seeing she was leaning heavily against him – he held her while trying to hold her hair back. It didn't matter anyway, her vomit almost smelled better than the stank coming from everywhere.

Far away, she registered people shouting and running in every direction, but Amim had carried her away after she was done being sick. He had brought her over to a secluded part of the area, hidden from view of the Temple that had launched an unexpected attack on them.

''What the fuck was that?'' Milah asked him, trying to wipe some of the grim, vomit and tears from her head. Amim did the same to his face.

''I don't know. Sokka didn't mention this,'' he muttered under his breath, giving her a concerned look. ''Are you okay?''

She nodded absentmindedly and gestured behind Amim where Marok came for them, making the reformed Fire Nation soldier turn around.

''False alarm. The people who live here thought we were here to attack them. But we're invited inside now they've learned we're here on behalf of Sokka,'' he told the two, his warrior's tail sticking to his neck from the watery substance.

''They better have a bath,'' Milah said, feeling her stomach getting upset again when she breathed in the air of rotten eggs, decaying animals and vomit. Marok chuckled and nodded in agreement.

''Otherwise, I'll make sure I'll use that inventor's shirts as towels to dry my hair with,'' Amim added, making Milah laugh as well. He helped her stand up, keeping his hand on her lower back to steady her over all of the branches and bushy part of a forest they had hidden in.

A warm feeling lit up inside of her, feeling like she was being cared for by him. Amim had always been good to her – he had been better for her than she was for him – and had always shown her that she could trust him, which she did. But at times like these, where he had saved her without thinking twice, letting her throw up all over him, making sure she was all right…

She didn't know what to think.

''Milah!'' her father called out to her, not having been spared from the bomb either seeing the soaked state he was in.

She just gave him an assuring nod, which he returned after having a silent conversation with Amim from afar. Those two could speak with just their eyes, freaking her out more often than not.

A little while later, a middle-aged man came down to greet them and pointed them up to a flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever. Milah groaned inwards but took step after step behind Marok and in front of Amim.

A large party met them at the top, consisting of men, women and children, all huddled together and eyeing them with curiosity. They wore green and grey robes, probably descending from the Earth Kingdom. In front of the group, a man around her father's age was standing with a big smile on his face. His eyebrows were missing several areas of hair and his eyes crinkled on the sides with his grin.

''Well good morning to you, lads,'' the man welcomed them and stepped forward. ''My name is Turu and this is my son, Teo.'' Turu put his hand on the shoulder of a boy several years younger than her. He was sitting in a wheelchair.

''Hello,'' Teo greeted them with a kind smile. Milah gave a tired one in return, still trying to hold back the vomit threatening to spill out of her at any moment.

''It's good to meet you, Turu and Teo. My son has told me a lot about you. My name is Hakoda, and I am here on behalf of Sokka. We need to discuss something highly sensitive, but first, can we please freshen ourselves up somewhere?''

Turu chuckled. ''Of course, Hakoda. I'm sorry I threw a stink bomb at you. We've been very cautious, you see, ever since the Fire Nation attacked us several months ago. In fact, your son taught me how to make such stink bombs!''

Hakoda laughed along with the inventor. ''I'm sure he did.''

''Come along with me, I'll show you to the bathhouse. We finally finished it just a month ago.'' He led the way for them and all of the people watched them leave through a huge door that led to a bridge that went to another part of the Temple. And then, finally, there was a massive bathtub steaming in front of them that shouted at her to just jump in and wash off all the nasty grime on her body.

''Thank the spirits,'' she whispered to herself and before anyone could hold her back, she dived into the grand pool and immediately felt ten times better. When she resurfaced, she saw that she wasn't the only one that had jumped in. Many of the men in their party had taken off their shirts and shoes and had plunged into the water after her.

Milah hesitated for a second but then decided fairly quickly that these men probably had seen a woman naked before, so her body would be no different really, and took off her shirt and pants until she was left in her underwear, not ashamed of her body at all.

Turaq came swimming her way, having taken off his shirt as well as his pants off as well. ''Much better.''

''Could say that,'' she answered and splashed his face with a light flick of her hand. It hit him right in the eye and knew that she had just unleashed a war upon herself. A war she wouldn't win in a million years.

''Shouldn't have done that,'' he said to her and gave her a devilish grin so similar to the ones Zuko used to give her that a pang shot through her heart, making her gasp out loud.

Turaq watched her with concern. ''What happened?''

Her throat burned. ''It's nothing.''

''I love you, Milah,'' Zuko whispered in her ear after making love to her on an abandoned field in the middle of nowhere, in the outer ring of Ba Sing Se. ''You don't even know how much.'' And she had just smiled and kissed him underneath the moonlight.

''It's nothing,'' she told him again, trying to convince herself while the first tear threatened to leave her eye. ''I'm fine. It's nothing. I promise.''

Turaq came over to her slowly and made a move to wipe away the stray tear finally having fallen down her cheek. But she didn't let him.

Because she was fine. And it was nothing.

And it had been the greatest lie she had ever told herself.