Sam

Zuko and I got up together to send the children off to school. This would be the first time since the poisoning that the children would be going. After they left we would be heading straight to the shelter. After I was dressed, I went over to help Izumi get ready for school. Zuko was already dressed and he would be waiting in the hallway for us.

"Guess what, Zoom?"

"What?" she said, excitedly.

"Your daddy is coming with us to send you to school." I said causing Izumi to gasp in excitement.

"Yay! I love it when Daddy sends me-us to school." Izumi amended. "And when he lets me ride on his shoulders!" she said excitedly.

"You know what would be a nice thing to do?" I asked Izumi.

"What?"

"If you let Daddy give Chang a ride to school. She never did get a shoulder ride before." I didn't know that for sure but Buzi certainly wasn't the type.

"Really? But she has a daddy too." she said, confused.

"Yes, but her daddy is not nice. He is mean to Chang."

"Why? Daddies love us." she said

"Yes, good daddies do. But not all daddies are good daddies, sweetie. Chang's daddy was very very mean to her." I said. Izumi, in her small world view, didn't understand this. Her father was kind and loving towards her, so all fathers were like that. Then I saw some realization spread across her face.

"Oh, like how Daddy's daddy was mean to him?" It never stopped surprising me how smart this child was.

"Yes, exactly." I said. "Look, you don't have to let her get a ride but it would be nice to do it for her. Even just once." After we got dressed, Izumi and I stepped out of the bedroom. Zuko, as expected, was waiting for us. After a few moments, Chang also walked out with Nan.

"Hi Chang!" Izumi said. Zuko walked up to Izumi and smiled as he stooped down.

"How about a ride for my little turtleduck?" Zuko asked smiling. Izumi looked at me and then at Zuko. He caught it and was a bit puzzled.

"Um. Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I…think I want Chang to ride on your shoulders today. I think she'd like it." she said. Her words were hesitant at first but she finished with confidence. Zuko was taken aback, obviously not expecting this turn of events. He looked over at me and smiled. He knew this was my doing. He looked back at Izumi and stroked her cheek.

"You are a wonderful young lady, my daughter. Just like your mother." he said smiling over at me. I gave him a shy smile back. He kissed her on the forehead and turned to Chang. "Would you like a ride on my shoulders?" Zuko asked. Chang looked hesitant. "Don't worry, you won't fall. I've been doing this for years with Izumi and she hasn't fallen once." Although she almost did the one time I thought. He overshot his shoulders and she started falling back. She grabbed ahold of his face by his nose and his mouth. He held onto her legs tight and he managed to get her back on his shoulders with my help. It was a close call but we all laughed about it. Chang looked more confident and nodded at Zuko.

"Ok, you have to turn around so your back is to me. I'm going to put my hands right here." he said, holding his hands right under her arms. "I'm going to count to three and as soon as I say 'three,' I need you to JUMP as hard as you can. Ok?"

"Ok!"

"Alright. Now, ready?"

"Yeah!" she was clearly getting excited.

"One. Two. THREE!" he said and he hoisted her up as she jumped up. He plopped her right on his shoulders. She quickly grabbed ahold of his face, trying to find balance. He didn't remove his hands from her sides until he felt she was steady. "Now, how is that?" he asked as he moved his hands from her sides to rest on her thighs, holding her steady.

"Wow! I'm taller than everyone! Even you!" she said, looking down at Zuko. He turned his head and looked at her through the corner of his eye, laughing.

"You certainly ARE taller than me! I think you're the tallest person in the whole Fire Nation!" he said. She giggled. Then she started to bounce Zuko's topknot with her hand. I wasn't sure what was so fascinating with his hair but the girls found it so.

I looked down at Izumi and she was smiling. I held my hand out to her which she took and we walked to the entrance of the palace. We approached the entrance and Geshna, who was already told they would be returning to school today, was waiting for us. She looked at Chang on Zuko's shoulders in surprise but quickly smiled.

"Geshna, please keep a close eye on Chang. If she looks like it's too much for her just bring both of them home." I instructed her.

"Yes, my lady." she said bowing.

Zuko reached up, picked Chang up off his shoulders and set her down on her feet. He didn't let go until she found her footing. "Alright, kiddo. Ride is over." he said. She turned around to Zuko.

"Thanks, Zuko! That was fun!" she said. She quickly ran over to him and hugged his leg tight. He reached down and tousled her hair.

"You're quite welcome, Chang. Now both of you have a good day in school. Be good!" Zuko called after them. They both responded saying that they will as the three of them disappeared around the corner.

After they were gone, Zuko and I headed into the city and to the shelter. Many people stopped us to show their respect to their Fire Lord and Lady to which we graciously accepted. As we walked through the streets something in one of the shops caught my eye.

"Oh! Zuko!" I said, grabbing his arm forcing him to stop.

"What? What's wrong?!" Zuko asked, ready to protect me. I chuckled.

"Nothing is wrong, dear. Look!" I said pointing to the shop. "Look at all the yarn they have!"

"Yarn? What on earth would you want to do with yarn?" Zuko asked. I considered making a sarcastic comment but ultimately decided to suppress it.

"What anyone would want to do with yarn. Sew."

"Sew? What would you sew? You don't even know how to sew!" Zuko said. I laughed.

"Zuko, believe it or not, there are some things you don't know about me. I do know how to sew and I also know how to knit. I had been thinking of making things for the girls in the shelter. Blankets. Sweaters. Anything that would help them. I thought it would be good to teach Izumi too. It's a good skill to have. Always can come in handy." I said. Zuko got his uptight, Fire-Lordy look about him.

"Sam, it isn't customary for the Fire Princess much less the Fire Lady to engage in such activities. If you want to donate things to them, then we can buy something or have Yen make something."

"Zuko, Yen is already busy making clothes for the three of us. Well, the four of us now that we have Chang there. Besides, what about our relationship or reign has been customary? Especially from my side of things?" I asked. Zuko raised his only eyebrow and shrugged.

"I guess you have a point. If you really want to, I don't see an issue with it."

"Then let me go into this shop and get some yarn. Just to hold me over. Then I'll have some delivered to the palace so I can make things for them. It's fun when you know how to do it."

"How is sewing anything fun?"

"Because, babe, you're creating something. With your bare hands." I said, holding my hands up in demonstration. Zuko still seemed perplexed.

"You'll see." I said. We walked over to the shop and I looked at the yarns. They were very nice and high quality yarns. I was impressed. I couldn't find the needles though. I went up to the merchant.

"Hello, I'm sorry to disturb you but do you sell knitting needles at all?"

"Oh, yes, my lady! And you will never disturb me! It's an honor to have our Fire Lord and Lady in my shop. I keep them behind the counter. I have had some kids who come in and snap them all in half so I keep them back here to protect them."

"What?! That's atrocious!" Zuko said, raising his voice. "Next time that happens tell one of the guards. They will handle the children and inform the parents. I will say something to them when we leave your shop." he finished.

"Oh, thank you, my lord! Thank you!" the merchant said, grateful. This is one of the many reasons people loved Zuko as their Fire Lord. He was never too busy for the common man. Even just one person. He cared about all of his people regardless of their societal status.

"So, I will take 6 balls of that yarn, and 6 balls of that one and a pair of needles. Can I see the sizes you have?"

"Sizes? What are they different lengths?" Zuko asked. I giggled.

"No, hunny. I mean, well yes there are different lengths. But that isn't what I'm referring to. It's the thickness of the needles. The thicker the needle, the larger the stitch. But some needles are just better suited for different weighted yarn." I explained. I stole a glance at him and he looked like a deer in the headlights. I reached up and playfully patted his face. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." I said. I did know what I was doing although it'd been many years since I did it. Hopefully it was just like riding a bike. I picked out the needles that I wanted and handed them to the merchant.

"I had no idea the Fire Lady can knit." the merchant said as he rung up the merchandise.

"Oh yes. I used to knit all the time before I came here. I used to make stuff and sell it to help make ends meet, actually." I said. He looked surprised at me considering my current status. "I wasn't always Fire Lady, sir." He recovered himself and smiled.

"Of course, my lady. Will this be everything?"

"Yes, Will this cover it?" I asked. I handed him 50 gold pieces. The items were probably worth twenty. Thirty at most.

"Oh, yes, it will more than enough to cover it. Thank you!"

"Of course. I would also like for you to come by the palace in the next week or so with samples of the yarns you are able to procure for sale. I'd like to have it delivered regularly to the palace. Would you be able to accommodate that?"

"Yes, of course! I will come by next week when I have samples of everything." the merchant said. He handed me my bag and we left. We walked down the street to the shelter. We walked in and were, as always, greeted by Fu Sen.

"Good morning, Fu Sen. How are the girls doing?" Zuko asked.

"They are doing well. Many of them have not left for work yet if you would like to speak to them."

"Yes we would. Please send them all to the common area for a brief meeting." Zuko requested. He nodded and scurried off to gather the girls. Zuko and I went into the common room and took seats at the front of the room. I reached over and took his hand into mine. Shortly thereafter the girls came into the room.

"Thank you all for coming in to meet us today. We would like to talk to you about a few things." I began in my own tongue. One of the girls rose her hand. "Yes?"

"We will be late for work. Our bosses are very strict on punctuality." One of the girls said in the common tongue.

"We will send a letter with each of you signed be me stating you were working on official business." Zuko said. The girls all seemed to relax a bit at this.

"We would like to talk to you about helping us get the bad guys in this whole mess. To nail the people who did this to you. To put them in prison where they can't hurt anyone else."

"I can only speak for myself but that seems dangerous. These people are powerful." one of the girls stated. Turned out they had been learning the common tongue here. I guess I wouldn't need my language.

"Yes, we are sensitive to that. What would you say if we told you that we found a way that you can see them but they can't see you?"

"We would say we don't believe it." one of the other girls spoke up. She looked annoyed and her brow was furrowed. She didn't trust us.

"I can assure you that they can't see you. Before we bring anyone in we will be more than happy to show you how it works. You will be completely safe. No one will know. Some of you probably know what a two way mirror is. This is what we made."

"But they'll see us going to the palace. They'll know what is going on." one of the girls said. She had a good point. They will. I thought about this for a moment when Zuko spoke up.

"We can have you brought to the palace as though you are meeting with Sam. No one will know." Zuko suggested. "We will keep you safe. As your Fire Lord, it is my duty to keep you safe."

"And I will sit with each of you that day as well." I added.

"But you'll show favoritism to those who took the citizenship."

"I don't care who is a citizen and who isn't. Citizen or no, you are still on Fire Nation soil. Therefore, you are my responsibility." Zuko said. The girls looked at each other and looked like they were considering.

"Look, don't make a decision today. Go ahead and sleep on it. We will send someo-" Zuko nudged me, causing me to look at him. He leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"We will be here. They won't trust anyone else." Zuko said. Ah. Good point.

"I'm sorry. I meant that Fire Lord Zuko and myself will come tomorrow to speak to you ladies again. There is no pressure. We will not hold it against you if you choose not to help. But don't fool yourself into thinking you will be safer. If these people are roaming free, you will never be safe." I said. I turned to Zuko. "Fire Lord, how about writing them their work excuses for being late to work?" I said to Zuko who stood and went to Fu Sen for writing utensils. I turned back to the girls, "We will be back tomorrow morning." I said. Zuko finished writing the excuses for the girls and we went home.