Sam

Zuko and I broke for lunch. We went to the dining hall and shared lunch with our friends. They wouldn't leave until we had something concrete. We were sitting chatting when Geshna came in with the girls. She was carrying Chang in her arms.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but Chang isn't feeling well so I brought them both home, as you had instructed. I had to carry her because she was having trouble walking."

This worried me. I got up and went over to Chang and felt her forehead. She had a fever again. Sending her back to school today was a bad idea and I felt guilty for it. Zuko came over to us and brushed the hair out of Chang's face to get a look at her. She was pail.

"Thank you, Geshna. I'll take her." Zuko said, holding his hands out. Geshna passed her over to him and he held her in his arms. "You are relieved for the day." he said.

"Thank you, sir, but I'd like to stick around if you don't mind?" I could tell she was just as worried about Chang as we were.

"Of course." Zuko said. He turned to our friends, "I'm sorry, but we hav-"

"No need for explanation. We will take the children outside to play." Aang said. "

Zuko carried Chang through the corridors with myself in tow. Izumi was also with us holding my hand. She was worried about Chang.

"Is Chang gonna be ok?" Izumi asked.

"I think so, Button. It'll just take a while."

"I got scared when she frowed up." she said. She vomited? Poor dear. I felt even more guilty.

We finally arrived to Chang's room and Zuko went in and walked over to the bed. I turned the covers down and he laid her into bed and we covered her back up.

I walked over to Zuko and placed my arm around his waist as he put his arm around my shoulders. I turned into him and snuggled into his warmth. I was upset and when I sniffled he turned to me.

"Fire Lily. Are you crying?"

"I feel so guilty about Chang. I obviously sent her back to school too early and now she has gone backwards." I said.

"Hunny, it isn't your fault. You couldn't have known."

"But, Zuko, I'm a mother. I should know."

"You can't know all the time, Sam. That's impossible. Besides, we both decided this together so if it's your fault then it's just as much mine." Zuko said.

"No, I was the one who made the final decision. I just…this girl has just been through so much. With her parents. Then getting poisoned. And then I send her back to school before she is ready."

"She will be alright, my love. Don't worry." he said. I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his body and he held me close, comforting me. "You're an amazing mother, Sam. Don't ever doubt that." I buried my face more into his chest but what he said did make me feel better. He always said I was the one good at this but he always knew what to say.

""Izumi, why don't you go out to the garden to play with the other children?" She looked at me and then at Chang. "We can't do anything for her now. The best thing for her is rest. Go on." I said stroking her chin. She smiled sadly and with one last look at Chang, she left the room. "Come on. Let's go take a rest. You have been pushing yourself too hard these past few days with the children. I'll lay with you but I want you to rest." he said. Even after all these years he still took really good care of me.

"Alright, I'll lay down." if' I'm being honest with myself, if he didn't lay down with me I wouldn't have done it. Then again, he probably knows that.

"I'm tired too though. It's been a rough few days." he said. We unwound our arms and stepped out into the hallway. Nan was standing there waiting to go into Chang's room. "Go ahead and stay with her, please. She is sleeping now but she might wake up. If she does, please fetch Fen to check her again. She has vomited at least once already." Zuko instructed. I usually liked to be there when the children were sick but Zuko was right. I needed rest too. So I would have to delegate it for right now. And Nan was always great with the girls. We walked down the hall hand-in-hand and went to our bedroom. I saw the bag of yarn and needles resting on my dresser. I walked over to them but Zuko's hand tightened around mine.

"Oh no, Fire Lily. You can do that later. I want you to rest. Please." he said. I looked back at him and relented in defeat. Zuko walked me to my side of the bed and held the covers back for me. Always the gentleman. I climbed in and he laid them over me and walked over to his side. He scooched over to me, laid down and lifted his arm so I could rest on his chest. I laid my free arm over his body and snuggled into his warmth once more.

When I finally woke up I looked out of the window and it was pitch black. I sat up quickly and looked around. Zuko, of course, was still with me.

"What is it?!" Zuko asked, startled.

"How long have I been out?!"

"A few hours. Like we said, you needed the sleep."

"But, babe! You must be so hungry! It's well past dinner!"

"I'm not. I slept a lot of it too believe it or not. I was awake only a few minutes before you woke up. The children ate though." he said. It was then that I noticed a form laying on the other side of him. Chang. Her head was resting on Zuko's stomach and Zuko's arm was around her. She was sound asleep. "Yeah, she wandered over here a couple hours ago. She said she didn't feel well and wanted to lay with us. So she has been laying here ever since." No wonder he slept so long. What else was he supposed to do being trapped as he was? I laid back down on his chest, not wanting to wake Chang. We laid quietly talking about everything - the proposals, the girls at the shelter, Xinche, Chang until the latter finally started to stir and woke up. She rubbed her eyes and looked at us.

"Hi." she said simply.

"Hi," I said back. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry!" she declared. She bounced out of bed and was heading for the door.

"Not so fast, kiddo." I said. "You shouldn't just eat like that after you were so sick. I think you need to stick with something simple."

"Like what?"

"Soup I think would be good. We will have the cooks make some for you." I said. "Why don't you head back to your bed and we will let you know when it's done." I said. I wasn't sure if I would have her go to the food or the food go to her. I thought the latter was the more likely option. We all got up and walked out into the hallway. Sitting on one of the benches was Azula.

"Azula! What are you doing here?" I asked. A stupid question really. She was obviously here for Chang. She looked at me and raised an eyebrow at me. "Wait! Forget I asked that. Dumb question."

Azula chuckled, "Yes, it is. I heard that Chang wasn't feeling well so I wanted to come check on her. I didn't expect her to be in with you guys."

"We didn't either." Zuko laughed. "She is going to go back to her bed though if you want to go with her. She hasn't thrown up since she got home but she is only going to eat something bland to ease her belly back into food."

"Alright." She looked down at Chang. "Come on, rugrat. Let's get you back into bed." she said. She took Chang's hand and Azula closed the door behind her.

Zuko and I went to the dining hall and sent one of the servants to get our food for us. They brought it out and the two of us ate. We were hungrier than we thought we were. After we finished eating, since it was so late, we would just returned to our bedroom. Before we did that though, we wanted to find Izumi. We thought she might be out in the garden. We went out and it was empty.

"She must be in her bedroom then. I don't see the others so they must have turned in for the evening too." We went back into the palace and to Izumi's room and, sure enough, there she was playing with her toys. Zuko and I really were spoiled with Izumi. She was a well behaved kid and always somehow knew where she was needed. She knew Zuko and I were resting so she went to her room to play alone with her toys. Not too many children would do that.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she said, getting up and running over to us. "You guys sleeped a long time!"

"Slept, sweetie." I corrected her, "And yes, your father and I needed rest."

"Is Chang ok?" Izumi asked.

"She will be, hunny. It will just take some time. She is going to need lots of rest though." Zuko said.

"Daddy! Will you play with me?" she jumped up and grabbed his hand.

"Of course." Zuko said. It wasn't too late and he hadn't been able to spend time with Izumi today.

"While you two play, I am going to get a bath." I said. They both nodded and I left.

I drew my bath, heated it and climbed in. The warm water felt good on my skin. I laid for a few minutes and then finished. I got out and dried off. Then I put my sleeping clothes on. Before returning to Izumi and Zuko, I went to check on Chang. I walked in and Azula was still with her. She was laying on the bed and Chang was snuggled into her, sound asleep.

"How is she?" I asked softly.

"She seems to be feeling ok. She was able to hold down the food the servants brought to her."

"She doesn't look as pale as she did before."

"No, she doesn't. She's a strong kid. I admire her." Azula said.

"She is. She will grow into a very good woman, I think." I said to which Azula agreed. Ironic. When she was bullying Izumi I thought she would cross our paths in sentencing. Amazing what a little perspective will do.

"Well, I'll let you two be so she can rest. Please let us or the servants know if you need anything." I said and walked out and to Izumi's room.

I opened the door slowly and saw Izumi and Zuko playing still but they didn't know I was there. I worked hard to suppress a giggle. Zuko was wearing a pink feather boa and was holding his tea cup daintily with his pinky sticking out. This is one of the things that made Zuko such a great father. He could connect with her on a level that most men couldn't. I finally opened the door revealing myself.

"Zuko, you look quite lovely." I said, jokingly.

"Yeah? I feel pretty." he said making Izumi laugh.

"Daddy is pretending to be Mrs. Buttercup!" she said.

"Well, I think he is a spitting image of Mrs. Buttercup." I said, smiling at Zuko. He then recovered his normal demeanor and took everything off.

"Alright, Turtleduck. It's time for bed." Zuko said. "Clean up your toys, ok?"

"Ok, Daddy." she said. Zuko and I handed her things to help her clean up faster. She then walked over to the bed. Zuko held the blankets up and she laid down, grinning. She knew what was coming. He started bouncing her up and down and tucking the blankets in tight around her, cocooning her in the blankets.

"Alright. Do you feel nice and snug as a bug in a rug?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah! Nice and cozy!" she said. Zuko smiled and kissed her forehead. After he finished, I went to her other side and peppered her with kisses to her face making her laugh. I planted one last one on the tip of her nose and wished her good night as well. We blew out the lantern, left the room and went to our own.

"I checked on Chang. Azula is still with her and she is sound asleep. Azula said she held down her food."

"Good, I knew you would check on her." Zuko said. He did know me very well. I would say he knew me better than I even know myself. We both climbed into bed and went to sleep. Tomorrow, we would revisit the shelter.