He watched her often. His wife often asked why he spent so much time in the fire nation lately. It was because he simply enjoyed the views, he had assured. He felt calm on Ember Island and free to be himself. Katara had yet to learn that the avatar was always in constant battle with himself. The monks had taught him great restraint, yet that was well over 133 years ago and their lessons were more palatable to a child's mind. Now he was a full grown adult man with no guidance in how to contain this part of himself.

During puberty, he had begun to see the opposite sex in a different light. Sure he had wanted Katara as his girlfriend and enjoyed her as his wife, however, his wife was slowly becoming more maternal with each child she bore for him. Their last son, Tenzin, now four, had truly brought out the motherly woman she was meant to be. Aang loved how Katara nurtured their children. The role of motherhood fit her like a tailored glove. Yet, she often forgot that they had three children and he was not one of them. Their bedroom activity had decreased dramatically and had all, but ceased to continue.

"You should get a harem". The fire lord and his best friend Zuko once joked. "But I've seen Katara bloodbend. She would snap your whole body in two".

Aang had taken the joke for what it was and had ignored the pressure building in him for the last few months. Though Katara was fine with appeasing him, when asked, her approach seemed more or less a chore. He wanted to feel wanted, lusted for, and desired. This wanting was another reason why he enjoyed the fire nation. Unlike the stoicism of women in the earth kingdom and the tradition-favoring water tribe women, fire nation women were full of passion, whether they were benders or not. They were driven by passion and openly expressed fondness for the married avatar whenever he happened to be in their presence.

It was different from his youthful days on Kyoshi Island. Back then, it was attention he sought.

"Avatar...handle it".

Aang continued to watch her. Barely hearing Iroh's words, but noticing all of her movements. Unlike other fire nation women, Azula was not one to pay him any attention. The two rarely spoke since venturing to Hira'a those many years ago. Her face, though pretty even then, still possessed the roundness of a child. Now, however, her features had sharpened, making her an almost replica of the mother she once sought to kill. The same mother who now sat close to her middle daughter, literally at her right with the fire lord to her left on the other end of the long dining room table.

Though Aang stared, the woman had yet to look his direction, unlike the fire lady and Kyoshi Warrior Ty Lee who immediately complimented his musculature when arrived this morning.

"Aang?" Along with his name being called, the avatar felt a soft jab to his shin from his wife.

He turned his attention to her, stating, "Sorry, I missed that. What happened?"

He looked to Iroh, seated at the head of the table, noting the fleeting narrowing of the man's eyes before they returned to their normal, cheerful manner.

"It seems the Avatar may need a break" he announced. "These meetings are dreadfully boring, right Aang?"

It was then that Aang caught Azula's eye for the first time. He could have sworn that he saw a shimmer in them or maybe it was all in his mind.

"Ahem," he started, clearing his throat to give himself time to banish his lustful thoughts. "If it is spirits that threaten the nation, I'll need to intervene. It's rare for them to show themselves unless provoked".

"The Banti Tribe are not liars," Azula finally spoke, surely noticing the irony in her words. "I would know," she added with a simple wave of her hand. "The spirits they speak of are dark in nature. Yes, the avatar could handle it, but not alone".

Aang gave a nod in response. Zuko had mentioned that Azula had formed a relationship with isolated Banti Tribe of priests and spiritual monks. Aang had been surprised to hear of their existence living in a nation who had foregone their spiritual beliefs during Sozin, Azulon and Ozai's reigns.

"What are you suggesting, Azula?" Asked Fire Lord Zuko.

Azula looked to Iroh, who responded. "The spirits aren't to be taken lightly. Especially dark spirits. I'm not sure if even the avatar could appease them".

"I'm sure Aang can figure out a way," piped Katara. His wife wholeheartedly supported him and believed in the avatar before anyone else did. "Besides Sokka and I will be there to--"

"And you'd rather make your children orphans?" spoke Azula, making Katara stop mid speech. "No one has faced such spirits since Avatar Kuruk according to history and he was dead before he reached his mid thirties".

Katara refused to back down from her long time nemesis, however. "We'll find a way. Just like we did when we took down Ozai".

Aang winced, feeling the tension rise in the room. Although Katara had not said the words, everyone knew that she also implied Azula's downfall as well, including the princess.

Instead of her normal attitude, Azula gave a soft smile towards his wife. "Ozai was not a spirit," she stated simply. "And spiritual injuries cannot be healed with your little bending".

Before Katara could, Zuko stood, silencing the room. "This is a serious matter. I'll have to agree with my uncle and sister. The avatar can handle it, but I think you and Sokka should sit this one out, Katara. Sokka is chief of the Southern water tribe now and you have your children. Aang and I can handle--"

"Zuko!" Mai called to him, showing more emotion than anyone had seen in a long time. "We have Izumi and your nation needs you". Zuko took his seat giving his wife a solemn look.

Aang took a moment to look about the room. No one was suited to handle this, but him. He knew Katara would not like his response, but he also knew there were times the world needed its avatar more.

"I'll go alone," he said. As expected Katara objected immediately. "I'm the avatar. I'm the bridge. No one else needs to be involved".

"You're an idiot".

Despite the insult, Aang felt hopeful and silently thanked the spirits when Azula continued.

"I'll face the spirits with you".

That was how they found themselves in this situation. Azula had revealed herself to be a spiritual healer with her firebending honed by the Banti Tribe upon defeating their first dark spirit.

Aang was in awe as she soothed him from the inside. His body was unharmed, but if it was not for Azula he would have suffered irreparable damage to his human spirit.

"There," she said when she was done.

Aang sat up from his place on the sandy ground. Their first battle with a dark spirit named Father Glowworm had taken place through a small spirit portal tear in island's forest. The two were alone, yet had managed to defeat the spirit enough to close the tear. Father Glowworm had returned to true form after spending centuries being reborn. The battle had taken a toll on both benders, yet with Aang's previous incarnation, Kuruk, being the spirit's greatest foe, Aang had taken the majority of the beating with Azula assisting and preventing the spirit from creating too much damage.

"I couldn't have done that without you," he said to the woman, looking up to meet her her eyes as she kneeled next to him.

They were in a small bungalow that the princess said once belonged to the two old cronies who raised her in Ursa's absence. As neither woman had children of their own, upon their deaths they agreed to pass the property to their beloved princess.

"They must have cared for you very much," Aang mentioned when she revealed the story behind the house upon arriving to Ember Island.

Azula had unknowingly allowed a tear to form in one of her eyes before batting them quickly, and clearing her throat.

"It's not much, but it will do for the time being. It's fully furnished and away from the poor company in town".

"Look!" Aang gestured towards a hallway painting. "That's a nice picture of you guys".

Azula looked towards where he pointed to the old painting of her, Ty Lee, Mai and Zuko from their vacation during the war.

"We'd better get started looking for these spirits. I don't want to stay any longer than necessary".

"You should be fine in the morning, but we shouldn't keep this up. Maybe we should leave the spirit hunting for your next life," Azula remarked, snubbing her flames. "There could be consequences".

Aang reached for her hand as she began to stand. The gesture caught the woman by surprise, but she did not pull away.

"Stay here with me?" He asked with a sheepish smile. "I'm not quite ready to be alone yet".

The princess gave an arched eyebrow. "I'm tired, Avatar, and there is only one bed. I'm sure your wife would not take too kindly to that".

Aang shook his head. "No, she wouldn't, but she's not here. You are".

It was then that Azula took her hand away from his. Though it was not in anger. The princess was surprisingly calm as she stood.

"You should rest, Avatar. Good evening". With that, she quietly exited the room, leaving Aang to his thoughts.

Azula left the avatar in haste. Hurrying to the bath house behind the bungalow while she had the nerve and willpower. She needed to cool off.

She hated how her body reacted to moments alone with the avatar. Any woman would notice his physique now that he was fully grown and the added beard had been a nice touch to his carved face. For a vegetarian, he was surprisingly muscular for his 6'6 frame. And his eyes seemed to glow with want when he looked at her.

The monk did not try to hide his intentions the moment they stepped foot on the island. It was a wonder that his wife had not noticed how ready he was to be alone with another woman for the next few weeks. Though, Katara had expressed that they were just that happy. The idea intrigued Azula. She could never trust anyone that wholeheartedly.

Slipping out of her uniform, she used the crank to pump water into the small bath before easing into it and heating it as hot as she could bear through her nostrils. The effect was nice and she gave a soft sigh as she laid her head back against the granite edges of the bathing pool. Willing her mind away from the avatar, she thought on Lo and Li. The two old bats had truly loved her. They were probably the only people who did.

"Azula, we are concerned for you and your wellbeing".

She chuckled in spite of herself and the tears that had begun to fall from her eyelids. They were the first to warn her about her mental health. They had always been there. Now they were long gone and she wondered what they would say if they could see her now.

"The avatar is a married man, Azula. We think it's best if you tread lightly". She heard them tell her in her mind.

They had been real mothers to her, unlike Ursa. Though nonbenders, themselves, they had honed her into the firebender she was today.

"Firebending comes from the breath. Meditation helps to gain clarity and proper breathing".

Her perfection at meditation led to her newfound spiritual abilities that led to her being the only one who could assist the avatar in this endeavor with the dark spirits.

"Just do the job and leave. You don't owe anyone anything," she reminded herself as her eyes closed.

"Mind if I join?"

Azula was almost sure she was hallucinating. Surely, the avatar was not rude enough to interrupt her bath. Instead of opening her eyes, she gave a sigh and decided to entertain the hallucination.

"Consequences, Avatar. You have your wife and children waiting for you".

To her surprise, she felt the water shift, forcing her to open her eyes to see the man himself in front of her, a stupid grin on his face and his chest bare. She refrained from checking to see where his tattoos led or if he was just as naked as she. Luckily, the water was steamy enough that it covered her nakedness and his.

"What do you want?" She hissed at him.

The avatar gave a wider smirk. "If I were to tell you, would it change anything?"

"No," she hissed.

"Ok," he said simply before diving beneath the water's surface.

Azula took the opportunity to escape the bath and find her robe. Thankfully, she had it tied shut when the avatar emerged from the water a frown on his face.

"You don't have to run," he said, placing his elbows on the granite edges. "I don't bite unless you want me to".

"You're disgusting, Avatar," said Azula, as she turned to leave, a thought occurred that she felt ashamed to think about.

She was actually enjoying this little chase. It was a game of sorts that reminded her of the few good times during the war. Sensing her hesitation, Aang called out.

"It's nice to feel something again, isn't it?"

Azula agreed in her mind, before leaving the avatar once more. It was nice to feel wanted again.