Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

by CrazyBellatrix13

Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

62. 95 Avatar

Toph took yet another step into the woods, anger burning up to her cheeks. Why wouldn't they just listen to her? Just because she hadn't had the history with the 'fire jerk' didn't mean she was entirely stupid.

"He never lied," she muttered to herself.

And there was more.

With everyone standing around, it was hard to pick it out. But the moment he'd stepped off the temple she'd known.

Two heartbeats.

Either this Zuko was a freak of nature or there was something else going on here.

Pausing in the middle of the wood she perked up. Even before she pinpointed the faint glow of the fire she could hear something.

Teeth grit, someone was groaning, clearly in intense pain.

Blood draining Toph hurried forward.

"Who's there?" The cry broke at the end.

Even past the foliage and mess of trees, Toph could feel Zuko, lying prone on the ground beside his fire, muscles tensed.

His heartbeat raced, picking up as he heard her approach.

The heat came before she could react.

Fire licked up her ankles, and Toph could feel herself go truly blind.

Toph relaxed into the water of the fountain, the burns on her feet reducing in heat slowly.

"Guys, you're not listening," she tried to argue, pain relief clearing her previously panicked mind.

"He burned you," Sokka snapped. "End of discussion. You went to see him, to 'get through to him' and he hurt you."

Knelt beside Toph, Katara pulled her hands from the water. "It's going to take a while for your feet to get better." She ran a hand through her hair. "I just wish I could have gotten to you sooner."

"Me too," Toph relaxed slowly.

Sokka was shaking his head. "Zuko is clearly too dangerous to be left alone, we're going to have to go after him."

Shooting him a raised eyebrow Aang hesitantly agreed. "I hate to go looking for a fight, but you're right. After what he did to Toph, I don't think we have a choice."

Toph sat up. "There's something else about him. It's not just that, there's more-"

Chin in his hand Sokka had lost himself to thought. "He's crafty, but we'll find a way to capture him."

"Maybe just invite him back here," Toph tossed her arms into the air, frustrated. "He's already offered himself as a prisoner once."

"Yeah!" Sokka grinned. "Get him to come back and say he'll be our prisoner, then we'll jump him and really make him our prisoner. He'll never suspect it!"

Katara rolled her eyes skyward. "You are a master of surprise, Sokka."

Toph grit her teeth, shaking her head. "Guys, you're still not listening. I felt something when he walked in here. I didn't understand it and then I didn't have time before he-"

A wild explosion knocked them all back.

Scrambling wildly they all ducked, searching frantically for the source.

"Stop!" The scream echoed across the canyon between them and their attacker.

The giant assassin, third eye almost visible, and blood-red against dark skin could be seen getting back to his feet. Crumpled beside him was…

"Zuko?" Sokka breathed, squinting up at the pair.

"Stop!" Zuko spread out his arms, blocking the team from view. "The mission is off. I'm ordering you to stop!"

He shoved Zuko aside effortlessly, aiming and firing once more.

Below, Katara yelped, arms over her head. Sokka scooped Toph from the fountain where they ducked behind a corner of the building. they were essentially completely hidden, though they could still hear each and every one of Zuko's frantic yells.

"If you keep attacking, I won't pay you." A grunt could be heard. "All right, I'll pay you double to stop!"

Sokka covered his head, feeling the shift in the air as the next shot was fired. Toph pressed herself against him, eyes closed on instinct.

This couldn't end well.

The metal arm glinted in the pale sunlight, falling into the chasm.

Zuko stood on the stone level, looking blearily around the destroyed fountain and rocks. Having scrambled up the side of the rock cliffs his chest heaved, panic starting to set in. How could he have been that stupid? Curling an arm over his middle, Zuko forced himself to take a single long deep breath.

He could feel the presence of those behind him. Pushing himself to his feet Zuko turned to face them. Not only was the avatar and his water bender friends there but the earth girl sitting behind them, and three more, only just peeking out from behind a far pillar.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Aang stepped forward. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but… thanks Zuko."

Behind him Sokka bristled. "Hey, what about me? I did that boomerang thing."

"Listen," Zuko began hesitantly. "I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday, I've been through a lot in the last few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right. All I want to do now is play my part in ending this war, and I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world."

He turned to Toph, bowing in contrition. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending, so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

Aang brightened a fraction. "I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara, and after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love. I'd like you to teach me." He bowed back.

Returning the gesture Zuko felt his shoulders drop.

"Will you tell them what's really going on now?" Toph demanded shrilly.

Everyone whirled to face her.

"What are you talking about?" Katara lifted a brow.

"I felt it," Toph pointed in Zuko's general direction. "You, when you were first here. I felt something, and before you burned me."

Shifting from foot to foot, Zuko pushed back. "There's nothing-"

"You were hurt."

Sokka was the first to snap back around.

Arms crossed firmly over his chest Zuko shook his head again. "No, it was nothing, it still is nothing." And the statement would have landed had Zuko's knees not given out from underneath him.

Mmm. M. M. M

Zuko!" Aang dashed forward.

Sat in the dirt Zuko tried to get a hole of his frantic breathing.

"Zuko, what happened?"

He could only shake his head, lips pressed tight together.

Hanging back Katara watched from a distance. She stood only feet away from Toph, who grabbed his wrist.

"He's got two heartbeats," Toph breathed, eyes wide.

Katara froze. "What?"

"I felt it when he was first here, I didn't exactly understand it until he'd left. That's why I went after him, when I found him in the woods he was hurt, something was wrong. He's…"

"Pregnant?" Out of all of them, Sokka was the one to breathe the word.

Zuko tried to shake his head. "Must've hit something on the rocks when I fell."

Taking another step toward the crouched pair Sokka tried to agree. "Yeah, I mean, he's not all big like Ying was with Hope."

"I'm not," Zuko tried to push off Aang's hand, confused by the amount of concern directed at him. "I-" he curled an arm over his middle.

"Katara," Sokka turned to his sister. "Can you look him over?"

She didn't even take another step forward. "He's fine."

In shock Sokka watched her stalk away, jaw nearly hitting the floor. "You, he, but, what?"

"Sokka," Aang warned. "Help me."

Sat on the floor, teeth grit, Zuko was quickly losing all color.

Abandoning whatever crisis Katara was choosing to put herself through, Sokka knelt beside him.

Zuko tried to get away, tried to shake off the concern, tried to get away from the cramping pain eating its way up his spine. "I told you, I'm fine. It's nothing."

"Right," Sokka snorted, crouching on the balls of his feet. "Then get up."

Shooting him an all too familiar glare Zuko tried to summon his usual ferocity. It wouldn't come. He felt like his energy was being drained away like a cup with a crack.

Sokka for his sake seemed almost to sense the lack of his usual bite, pulling Zuko's arm up over his shoulders. "Come on, tough guy. I may not be a healer but if Toph says you've got another heart in you, I trust her."

Zuko could feel his heart racing underneath his ribcage. The thrill of his failed assassin was fading, and being quickly replaced by something far more invasive, something far more elusive. Why couldn't he pinpoint the new sharp pain in his heart?

Then it was moot as a far more demanding physical pain took over.

Clinging to Sokka's arm Zuko leaned into the support.

That hurt.

"Toph," Aang called, gingerly taking Zuko's other arm. "What did you feel exactly?"

She gestured toward her still burn-scarred feet, starting to sting out of the pool. "I'm flying blind here, twinkle toes. You check."

"But," Aang looked toward the ever paling Zuko. "But I don't know how to do that like you do. I can still hardly feel where people are around me when I'm barefoot."

"Then kick your shoes off," Sokka adjusted Zuko's arm around his shoulders. If it wasn't a baby then thier newly formed ally was seriously ill. And with Katara's… whatever it was that was going on with her, they needed all the help they could get.

Aang tugged his boots off quickly, closing his eyes as he tried to concentrate. "I don't, I can't- wait."

Trembling harder, Zuko clenched his jaw. Of all his botched first impressions this was the last way he expected it to go. "What's wrong with me?" he said finally. His voice was already hitching.

"You admit there is something wrong then?" Sokka asked smugly. There was something pulsing under his own ribs as he held to the fire prince. It was almost like pride. All he knew is that he needed to keep Zuko upright.

Fingers digging into Sokka's shirt he grit his teeth. "Well, this isn't normal."

Aang's eyeshot up and he stared in shock. "Zuko, she's right, you've got a second heartbeat. It's so tiny but I can really feel it."

Fear joined the myriad of pains littering his body. On instinct, he pushed himself firmer against Sokka's side, against the only sturdy thing he had. "That can't be possible. I'm not pregnant. And even if I am," he conceded his last pleas under dark stares. "They could only be a few months along."

Sokka reaffirmed his arm over his shoulder, walking him over to the boulder where Toph sat. "Aang, any chance your magic bending can tell you why he's hurting?"

Gnawing his cheek, Aang tried to remember what Katara had said all that time ago on the serpent's pass. While muted Zuko's cries were starting to resemble Ying's own frantic breaths.

Carefully Sokka set him on the large rock.

He sat down, still holding onto Sokka's wrist. It'd been minutes since his knees had filtered and the pain wouldn't let go. It was only mounting.

"Zuko?"

Lifting half-glazed eyes, Zuko tried to focus.

Aang stood before him, twisting his fingers, looking earnestly up at him. "Where are you feeling the most pain?"

"What are you doing?" Zuko demanded.

"Helping?" Sokka lifted an eyebrow. "Obviously. What do you think we're doing?"

Zuko couldn't quite pull away from him. "I volunteered to be a firebending teacher."

Nodding Aang smiled. "Exactly. You're with us now."

Confused, Zuko glanced up at Sokka who shrugged. "I mean, you can't be a firebending teacher if you're bent over."

Ready to protest, Zuko crumpled, hand over his stomach. "I'mnotpregnant. It's not possible."

Toph poked his arm. "Then it's a real human-like parasite you got there."

Nails digging into his pant leg, Zuko shook his head.

"Then what do you think is going on?" Toph crossed her arms.

"I…"

Aang stepped in, watching Zuko sink under the proverbial gaze of Toph. "We don't need to get into that. For now, where are you hurt?"

"Mostly my back?" Zuko hesitated for a long moment before he answered. Pain was taking down his inhibitions. "But I swear this isn't…"

"Zuko?" Sokka looked down, brows furrowed. "What's that?"

Between his thighs, blood had bloomed like a flower and dripped across the rock.

M. M. M. M. M

Going ever paler, Zuko pressed his lips tight, frozen at the sight of his own blood.

"Oh dear," Aang gnawed on his cheek.

"What?" Toph pressed her hand into the rock, confused. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I'm getting Katara," Aang whirled around, running down the edge of the temple and vanishing into one of the hallways.

"Aang!" Sokka jumped up, ready to follow, only to find his hand still in a vice grip.

Zuko, still frozen in shock, started to panic, heart racing.

Poking Sokka's arm, Toph jabbed a thumb toward him. "You're going to need to calm sparky down. I think he's going to pass out."

Sokka turned back, watching blood seep from Zuko's face.

"Um, Zuko?" he started, unsure what to say. "Zuko, you need to calm down."

"Calm down?" Zuko snapped up.

Sokka held up both hands in surrender. "That's not exactly what I-"

The sharp cry cut him off. Bent nearly in half, Zuko grit his teeth, shaking his head.

"Zuko," Sokka knew this should be more awkward, more confusing, but right then all he could manage was sincere concern. "Are you sure you're not-"

"I'm not pregnant," Zuko snapped.

"And you're… super sure?"

Zuko glared up at him, eyes flashing.

"Just checking," Sokka sat beside him, making sure he didn't fall over. "Then why are you bleeding?"

The glare did not grow less terrifying.

"Look, we're, you're part of the team now I guess. Even if it's only been a couple of minutes and if you're so insistent on being Aang's firebending teacher then we need you to be okay."

Zuko nodded slowly, closing his eyes as whatever pain on him seemed to ease its grip. He was practically shaking. "I don't know."

"What?"

"I don't know why I'm bleeding. It doesn't make any sense."

Sokka hopped up, holding out a hand. "Maybe you got cut, adrenaline can numb that. I can take you to the bathhouse."

Ignoring the offered hand Zuko pushed himself to his feet, knees buckling underneath him.

"Careful!" Sokka caught him, slinging one of Zuko's arms around his shoulders. "Okay, not that far."

"I can walk," Zuko argued, making no move to break from his support.

Rounding the last of the scattered boulders from the latest attack Sokka lowered Zuko onto the edge of the pool.

Zuko hissed through his teeth as he was lowered, leaning back on his hands, trying to relieve a growing pressure under his belt line.

"I'm no water bender," Sokka snatched up a cup from the recently cleaned cutlery. "But I can help. Can you get into the water?"

Glancing toward the direction Katara had vanished, Zuko hesitated.

"Aang won't let her do anything," Sokka promised softly. "And for that matter, neither will I."

Reassured, Zuko shifted slowly, turning so he could place his feet in the water.

"Do you," Sokka paused, face heating. "You should-"

He didn't have to continue. Without complaint Zuko stripped off his tunic and pants, wriggling them off into the water. He now sat in a thin, if oversized shirt and red shorts that reached nearly to his knees. Despite some ragged edges to the garments they still seemed to be made of very soft red silken fabrics.

Sokka crouched by his knees, scooping up a cup. "Where are you hurt?"

Zuko gestured vaguely.

"But you're bleeding."

"I don't know," Zuko looked pointedly away, face drawn down.

"Look, Zuko-"

"I'm not pregnant!" Zuko actually stood on his pronouncement, anger fueling his spike of rage. "It's not possible. It can't be. And even if I were then they'd have to be partly an earth kingdom citizen. Can you imagine what kind of a mess that would cause? An ex prince and a wanted refugee? He's probably in prison and I-" His knee buckled, lost in yet another all-encompassing pain.

Sokka caught him this time, lowering Zuko more fully into the fountain's base pool.

Gripping him tight enough to leave marks in his skin, Zuko struggled to keep quiet, biting his lip to keep from screaming.

Sokka glanced up, holding tight to Zuko.

Standing in the doorway Katara froze, a little pale, watching them sink into the water. Just behind her Aang peered around her, just slack.

"He's in labor," Sokka said. Not a question, not even directed toward the boy he held to.

And yet Zuko nodded miserably. "How did I let this happen?" He ran his damp fingers through his hair.

The water around them bloomed pale pink as new blood trickled down his thighs.

"Doesn't matter now," Katara rolled up her sleeves.

"You're going to help?" Aang asked eagerly.

"No matter who he is, the child is innocent," she admitted begrudgingly.

Sokka took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. Carefully he laid Zuko back against the rim of the pool, lying his head on top.

Zuko didn't open his eyes.

"How far apart are the contractions?" Katara tied her hair back.

"On top of each other," Sokka spoke for him as Zuko's breath picked up, fingers digging into his knees.

"And how long has he been in labor?"

Sokka frowned as Katara pointed her question toward him instead of the one in labor . "I don't know," Sokka said flatly.

"He was in pain last night," Toph piped up. "That's why I got burned."

Katara pursed her lips, less than convinced. "Let's get-"

Cutting across her, Zuko's sharp cry echoed across the stone. Wet not only from the blood-soaked water but from his own sweat Zuko drew himself up.

"Zuko?" Aang dropped to his knees, hand hovering an inch away.

Sokka didn't bother with pretenses. Taking Zuko's hand he squeezed, giving Zuko permission to react.

The water on their fingers began to steam.

Starting to bristle at the sight Katara drew herself up. Aang caught her arm before she could even open her mouth. He shook his head quickly.

"Fine," she hissed. Removing her outer layer of clothing she moved to kneel in front of Zuko, brushing aside the pinked water with a wave of her hand.

By the time Zuko's wound spine released he'd had two contractions atop each other. Sweat pouring down his forehead he collapsed against Sokka's chest.

"This looks like the latter end of transition," Katara observed. "I need to check the dilation."

"Would you talk to him?" Sokka said flatly.

Lips pursed ever thinner she directed her next question at the still limp Zuko. "I need to check your dilation."

"What does that mean?"

Katara gaped at him. "How much research have you done into this, or did you expect the palace servants to take care of all of this?"

"I didn't know," Zuko shook his head, digging his nails' into Sokka's arm as another contraction built.

"You didn't know what ?" Katara crossed her arms, towering over him.

"I didn't know I was pregnant!" He sat up, shaking so badly he could hardly keep himself upright. "Let alone in labor. I didn't think one night on that boat would turn into this!" Zuko crumpled, sinking into the water with a groan, shaking his entire body.

Katara stared in shock. "You really didn't know?"

He shook his head, finally collapsing against the rock wall of the fountain.

Quickly her icy exterior melted. This wasn't the Zuko she remembered. This wasn't the angry soldier bent on destruction. He looked, well, he looked terrified, clinging to Sokka like a lifeline, each breath painful in her own ears. He was scared and in pain. And, begrudging as her help was, she knew she had to offer it.

M. M. M. M. M.

Taking a long deep breath, Katara began. "I need to check your dilation. That means I need to see how wide your body, more accurately, your hips, have spread. Once you've reached a wide enough point you can start pushing. It's also a good indicator on how long you've been in labor, unless you can tell me?"

Zuko scooted slowly away from her, pressing his thighs closer. "Since I left the palace, the day of the eclipse."

Sokka's heart turned cold. "That's… that was days ago. You've been hurting like this since then?"

He nodded once.

Absently Sokka began rubbing his spine. He had no idea how he'd gotten close enough as to practically be holding Zuko in his lap, but with how hard his arm was being held he had no plans on letting go. "And you didn't wonder why?" he asked.

"Some cosmic punishment for betraying my country," Zuko mumbled, coldly. "When I released the bison from his chains I spent the next week so ill I couldn't stand."

Sokka exchanged increasingly incredulous glances with his sister.

"That's a good indicator this is almost over at least," Katara tried for a comforting tone. It sounded very false.

Zuko lifted and dropped one shoulder. Too blaise, though whether that indicated real indifference or simply his growing exhaustion was anyone's guess.

"Can I have you remove your clothes?" Katara asked.

Aang, stood behind, whirled around, back facing the huddled trio.

Jaw set Zuko began slowly removing the blood-soaked undergarments.

Giving him whatever privacy she could, Katara leaned back on her heels. "Aang, can you move Toph back into the pool? I want to try and heal her feet again."

Eager to have a task, Aang did so.

Sokka for his part looked pointedly away.

"It's not something you won't see eventually," Zuko grumbled, only low enough for Sokka to hear.

Sokka laughed, a tiny strained sound. "Not something I expected to see today."

He grunted, kicking away the shorts just in time for another cramping pain. Zuko sunk against Sokka's chest, stifling a whimper.

"You don't have to keep yourself quiet," Sokka held tight to his hand, Zuko's nails digging into him. "Nobody here is going to judge you for it."

He said nothing, falling limp against the stone once more. He'd slid considerably, chin now inches from the water.

Sokka slid an arm around his back, lifting him slowly.

"Thanks," Zuko whispered.

"Least I could do." Sokka offered him a smile, meeting Zuko's eyes. The awkwardness somewhat forgotten Sokka had the chance to really look at his face, from sweat-soaked hairline, to the edges of his scar, to how brightly gold his eyes looked reflecting the pool's water.

Then Zuko returned the tiny smile.

"Shall we?" Katara returned, Toph sat on the opposite side.

His smile died.

Zuko looked purposefully away, digging his fingers into his thighs.

"Slow deep breaths," Katara said. "And if it'll help distract you, talk."

"About what?" Zuko spoke through gritted teeth.

"When was the conception date?" Katara kept her tone conversational as she worked, positioning Zuko's legs further apart, bending the still trickling blood out of her way.

"Conception?"

"You do know how babies are made, don't you?"

Zuko's face flushed, much to Sokka's chagrin. "Katara," he hissed.

"I do," Zuko cut across him. "I met a refugee on the boats to Ba Sing Sae. We were being mistreated, so we stole the captain's food storage. Afterward, we got to talking and it… turned into something else."

Katara nodded, pulling her hand away, wiping it on a stray cloth. "You're about seven or eight centimeters dilated. You need to be ten, so we've got a ways to go. But you are definitely in labor."

"That was in question?" Zuko grit his teeth as another contraction built.

"If you only conceived on your journey to Ba Sing Sae there was a chance you weren't in labor, but miscarrying." Katara crossed her arms.

Zuko froze, arm over his middle. "Oh."

Looking up at his sister, Sokka's brows furrowed.

For having not known the child was there only moments ago, the amount of concern in Zuko's face was palpable.

"They'll be small," Katara warned. "But I can't feel anything else. They'll have a lot of hair at least."

"What?" Zuko snapped upright.

Katara's smile was very small. "Yes, I felt the head. Which at least means they're in the right position. So far so good. Do you want to try and get somewhere more comfortable?"

"The water is fine," Zuko adjusted once more.

Sokka sat beside him, letting him lean on his shoulder.

Exchanging glances, Toph and Aang scooted closer, smiling innocently.

"So…" Aang began, watching Katara stand and dry herself off.

Zuko lifted a single lid. "So?"

"There's really going to be a baby?"

"Apparently," Zuko crossed his arms over his middle. His shirt was long enough to where he hadn't needed to pull his shorts back on to feign modesty, not that he wanted to. Lying on the stone railing of the pool his silks were soaking wet and, though red itself, clearly covered in blood.

He hadn't had the heart to ask about the blood. If she didn't bring it up, there was nothing to worry about… right?

Aang grinned, a bright expression, bouncing a little. "That's really cool."

Zuko didn't answer, feeling the newest pain creeping in, slower than the last.

Feeling the cramping muscles under his palm Sokka held tight to his hand.

"So who's the dad?" Toph leaned past Aang, her feet in the water, swinging slowly.

"You wouldn't know him," Zuko forced his breathing steady.

"Tell us about him," Aang crossed his legs, like he was settling in for storytime.

Leaning into Sokka, Zuko grit his teeth, groaning through the pain. It wasn't getting better.

"What's there to tell?" he let out a long slow breath. "He was a refugee, same as a million other people trying to escape the fire nation armies."

Aang shrunk a little. "Right."

"Zuko, are you hungry?" Sokka said pointedly.

"Oh!" Aang shot up. "Of course. I'll get you something."

Shaking his head, Zuko was too late. "No, it's… fine," he watched Aang run out of earshot.

"You're going to need something to eat," Katara interjected. "You'll need the energy. If you've been in labor for days I take it you haven't been able to eat much."

"Not a question of getting to eat, but what will stay down," Zuko muttered, trying to push his hair out of his face.

Katara's concern was visible, though she said nothing.

Lifting him from the water where he'd slunk once more, Sokka rubbed his arm. "Take no offense, but you look rotten. Are you sure you don't want to try and lie down somewhere? Maybe somewhere more private?" he jammed a thumb in Toph's direction.

Caught off guard, Zuko reluctantly nodded.

Mi. M. M. M. M.

I don't know how well I can walk," Zuko admitted quietly.

"Leave that to me," Sokka held out his hand.

Zuko took it, recognizing it as a water tribe handshake.

Sokka smiled and lifted him carefully to his feet.

Upright and wobbling, Zuko held tight to him.

"I've got you," Sokka promised. And in one fluid motion, he scooped Zuko from the water and into his arms.

Yelping quietly Zuko held tight.

Sokka frowned, adjusting his grip. "Wow Zuko you're… you're really light."

Zuko didn't dignify that with a response.

"Katara, can you get the spare bedroll?" Sokka asked. "I'm sure we've got enough empty rooms."

Less than pleased, Katara found the items on Appa's discarded saddle. Then she led the way to a nearby room. "Here should be fine. When the baby comes we'll want them close enough to be heard."

Ignoring any implications, Zuko held tight to Sokka. It was odd to be held like this. The feeling was turning his insides, though that might have just been the baby.

Baby.

He still couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

"Sokka," Zuko said the name, perhaps for the first time, in warning.

"Just breathe," Sokka comforted. He could feel the tensing muscles under his hands. Though with Zuko suffering from imminent collapse issues he didn't feel comfortable setting him down. So Sokka held on.

Suffering through the latest pain Zuko hissed every breath through his teeth, chin on his chest.

"That looked bad," Sokka gnawed on his lip.

"They aren't pleasant," he said flatly.

Sokka couldn't help but laugh, albeit strained, laughter.

Rolling out the bedroll Katara stepped aside. "Are you feeling any pressure yet?"

"In what way?" Zuko laid down carefully.

"If you have to ask then you don't yet," Katara stepped out. "I'll be back. Sokka-"

"I'm not going anywhere," he waved at her dismissively, sat at Zuko's side.

Lips pursed once more Katara stalked out of the room. "For the baby," she reminded herself. "That's all it is."

But was it for her brother? Carrying Zuko, holding his hand through contractions, even just simple comforts? Sokka was acting odd, and she couldn't quite put her finger on the reason.

Back in the room, Zuko tried to relax.

With Zuko laid on his back, Sokka finally began to pick out the subtle swell of his stomach. It wasn't like the ones he'd seen before. It hardly showed at all. But if you were looking for it, it was hard to miss.

"Zuko?"

"Hm?" he didn't even lift an eyelid. In the dimly lit room, he was starting to drift.

"You said, after Appa, you got sick. Is that true?"

Zuko nodded. "Uncle said it was due to some kind of… metamorphosis. I don't really understand. but when my fever broke I felt better, better than I had in years."

"So these pains now?"

Shrugging lightly, Zuko tried to find the right words. "I supposed it was my body and mind at war, trying to figure out if I'd done the right thing. I confronted my father during the eclipse, told him I was coming to join you. I suppose it was good I did that when I did."

"How do you mean?"

"If I'd gone into labor with an earth kingdom peasant's baby in the fire nation they might have been killed, or at the very least banished."

Sokka went pale, not only at the idea, but at the flat tone in which it was said. There was no doubt in Zuko's own mind that his child would have been removed from him for the crime of having a parent from another nation. "And now?"

"What about now?" Zuko tried to keep the same conversational tone.

"You're having the baby now. Does that change anything?"

Staring firmly downward Zuko didn't answer for a long while.

"Look," Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. "Forget I asked. It's fine, you don't have to know or even answer. This came around kinda quick. I'm sure it's-"

"I think so."

"What?" Sokka snapped back to attention.

Zuko bit his lip. "I think it does. Being here, being with the av- Aang. And you, all of you. Of course, it changes things."

"So, you'll keep them around?" Sokka scooted closer, leaning against the wall. From his vantage, he could see Zuko's full face, though slightly upside down as he laid utterly still.

"I'll have to, at least for a while," Zuko crossed his arms over himself, a more protective motion in his prone position. "Someone has to care for them, make sure they're fed."

Sokka could almost sense the discomfort rippling through him. "We don't have to talk about this," he said, trying to keep his tone gentle. "I'm sure I'm just about the last person you'd want to talk about it with anyway."

"I don't mind."

Why did that sentence flip Sokka's own insides? "Really?"

Zuko offered another noncommittal shrug.

Sokka didn't push it. Going quiet he wasn't sure how to comfort him now.

"Knock knock," Aang peered in, a bowl in hand. "I reheated some soup. It should still be pretty good."

Shaking his head Zuko didn't try to get up. "I can't eat."

"Zuko," Aang tried to sound comforting, failing miserably. He was still so lost by the turn of events he had no clue what to say.

"It won't stay down," Zuko said quietly, pressing the base of his palms into his eyes.

"Can I at least bring some water?" Aang offered.

Lifting one eyelid Zuko shrugged. "You could try."

He looked so tired, dark circles gouged into the space under his eyes. How long had it been since Zuko had slept, let alone eaten?

A pang hit Sokka underneath the ribs. Why was he so concerned for this guy?

Aang ran from the room leaving the soup behind.

"Are you sure you don't want to try to get a few bites down?" Sokka asked hesitantly.

Zuko shook his head, albeit slowly.

"You're going to need some strength."

"How bad do I look?" Zuko raised his remaining brow, making Sokka flush.

"Wh-why do you ask?" he rubbed the back of his neck, trying to keep the stutter from his voice.

Pushing himself up to his elbows slowly Zuko leaned against the wall. "Because you turned from enemy to protector in only a few minutes."

"I, um, like Katara said. It's a baby," Sokka picked up the bowl, searching inwardly. Why was he so drawn to help? When Hope had been born, Sokka couldn't get away fast enough. And now…

"Right," Zuko interrupted his thoughts, voice dropped, face screwed tight.

Somehow Sokka had said the wrong thing, though he had no idea how. "Do you need any help?" He brushed it aside, offering Zuko the lukewarm bowl.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Yes, I can feed myself," he scoffed, lifting it to his lips, ignoring the spoon. Slowly, he sipped away the broth, lowering it with an almost silent sigh of relief.

"Better?" Sokka asked smugly.

He said nothing, setting down the bowl.

Smug, Sokka picked up the still near full dish and set it aside. He might have more of an appetite later anyway.

Mi. M. M. M. M. M. M

Can we talk now?" Sokka crossed his legs.

Flinching visibly, Zuko rolled himself back onto the bedroll. "What about?"

"Exactly how you got yourself into this situation."

Tense, Zuko kept his jaw locked. "And why is that any of your business?"

"It isn't."

Mouth opening and closing multiple times Zuko glared pointedly at him. "Then why ask?"

"Call it me being nosy," Sokka shrugged one shoulder. "Besides, you won't talk to anyone else, so I thought I might as well try my luck."

Practically pouting now, sunk against the bedroll, arms crossed firmly over his chest, Zuko's scowl deepened.

"Well?"

Chewing his words for a moment, Zuko deflated, face falling. "What is there to tell? It was a one-night mistake."

"But how did you, well how didn't you know? You're a bender. Doesn't matter the gender. All benders can have babies," Sokka prodded.

"Wasn't on my mind," Zuko looked pointedly up at the ceiling. "Living as a refugee in Ba Sing Sae was, well it sucked. When I first got sick, nauseous all the time, I was sure it was just the terrible food. It went away just as we got proper jobs, had enough to eat. And I was gaining weight. I'd had so little before that it was supposed to be a good thing."

Sokka leaned forward, enthralled. "And in the fire nation?" he whispered. "What about then? Didn't you have doctors or someone look at you?"

"Not really," Zuko rubbed his head.

Waiting for him to continue, Sokka frowned. His silence prompted nothing. So he switched tac. "What about the other guy? You don't exactly go from spending the night to 'never see you again.'"

"It wasn't exactly like-"

"Water," Aang walked back in, a grin spread wide.

Zuko snapped his jaw shut.

Disappointed, Sokka pouted a second. "Thanks, Aang," he forced his smile brighter.

Sitting up once more Zuko held a hand out for the water skin, faltering as pain crept up his side, unbidden and eating away at him.

Sokka shoved the skin back at Aang, taking Zuko's hand.

Each breath coming in a hiss, Zuko pressed his forehead against Sokka's hand.

"Yell if you need to," Sokka rubbed his shoulder, the only bit of him he could reach "Scream, shout, it doesn't matter."

Letting out a final desperate puff of air, Zuko collapsed back on the bedroll. "I'm fine," he muttered. "Leave the skin, I'll have some later."

"But," Aang began.

Sokka shot him a warning glare.

Hands up in surrender Aang skittered back into the hall.

Zuko laid back, turning slowly to lie on his side, face pinched tight.

"Can I… is there anything I can do?" Sokka hovered beside him, nerves picking up once more.

"I need sleep," Zuko mumbled.

While Sokka couldn't agree more, the words sounded more like a complaint than a request.

Sinking lower, Zuko closed his eyes, trying to even out his breathing.

It looked… off.

"Zuko?"

He swallowed hard, hands turned to fists at his side.

Sokka tried to hold his arm, the same as he'd been doing for each contraction, only to have it pushed away.

"Zuko?"

Knuckles going white, Zuko's shallow breaths turned frantic. "Get help," he couldn't move, blood draining from his face. "Something's wrong."

Jumping forward Sokka took his arm, helping him up to a more raised position.

Zuko pressed his lips tight. This wasn't a pain like before. He wasn't simply struggling to hold back his own cries but he was physically incapable of making sound.

"What's wr-"

"I don't know." Zuko grit his teeth, freehand gripping his stomach. Each muscle had clenched around him. "I don't know. Just get help."

Snapping up Sokka shot out of the room. "Katara!" He yelled.

"Sokka?" Haru poked his head from around the corner. "Where are you going? What's wrong?"

"Where's Katara?" Sokka asked, not paying attention to the question.

He shook his head. "Last I saw of her she was storming off somewhere. Aang said something about the prince of the fire nation being here. Is that true? Is everyone safe?"

Anger sparking alongside the panic, Sokka tried to walk past him. "Hard to explain. I need to find Katara."

Haru caught his arm, brows drawn down. "I'll help you look. Just tell me what's going on."

Running his fingers through his hair Sokka caught the ponytail, knocking it loose. "Now is not the time. Ask Toph. She's at the fountain." And with that, he wriggled free and ran down the main courtyard.

His sister was nowhere in sight.

"Aang," Sokka slid to a stop beside the fountain. "Have you seen Katara?"

"I thought she was with you," Aang looked up, confused, wrapping up Toph's ankles, where the worst of the flames had licked upward.

Gesturing vaguely the way Sokka had come, Toph chimed in. "She walked away saying something about helping Sparky."

Sokka let the nickname slide, shaking his head. "I didn't see her on my way here."

"What is it?" Aang asked.

Sokka was out of breath, panic gripping his thudding heart. "I'm not sure. Zuko told me to get help."

"I'll come with you, maybe I can find her."

Spinning on his heel, Sokka shot back down the hall, past Haru, whose confused question followed after them.

"Zuko?" Aang called, reaching the doorway a split second before Sokka. His jaw dropped open.

Up on his elbows, eyes screwed shut, Zuko's breath came in frantic gasps. The last stitch of his clothing had been tossed away, leaving him bare on the stone floor. Or that was, bare other than the growing pool of blood around him, coating thigh and lower stomach.

Swearing aloud Sokka dropped beside him, taking his hand. "Zuko!"

Desperate for some kind of comfort or support, Zuko held onto him, pulling up closer. "Something is wrong," he breathed. "Something is really wrong."

"Just, um, just stay calm," Sokka tried frantically to remember. "Aang, can you get water and towels?" He wished his voice could have more confidence than he felt.

Aang nodded firmly. "Maybe that's what Katara is looking for?"

"Let's hope."

Grabbing the dampened bedroll he pushed Zuko atop it carefully. "Um, Katara said, she um, gravity," he said, terror wiping his mind nearly blank.

Zuko nodded vaguely, the latest pain winding down.

"Do you think you can get up on your knees?" Sokka knelt at his side, feeling the hot blood seeping into the legs of his pants.

He shook his head slowly.

"Zuko."

"Something's wrong," he repeated numbly.

"We can't know that yet," Sokka tried to comfort, taking his hand. Zuko's fingers had gone ice cold. Though whether it was from blood loss or his own fear was impossible to say.

Zuko shook his head. "I've been doing the math in my head. They'll be too small. They're not going to make it."

Cold raced down Sokka's spine. "No, I mean, Katara didn't find anything wrong."

"She said they'd be small."

Gnawing his cheek, Sokka scrambled for something to say. "We'll have her check again. I'm sure they'll be fine."

Zuko's eyes glazed over.

"You're really worried about them." Sokka knelt beside him, frown deepening.

Mouth opened to protest, Zuko locked his jaw. "And what if I am?"

Sokka lifted both arms in a surrender. "Nothing. But if you want to make sure they're okay, you're going to need to actually listen to me for once. Can you do that?"

The circles under Zuko's eyes dug deeper as he gave in, nodding.

Sokka held out his arm.

Letting himself be pulled upward Zuko groaned, even that movement pulling at already worn muscles.

"Zuko?"

"Just tell me what to do," Zuko muttered, wobbling slightly. He was on his knees, but only barely.

Moving forward Sokka lifted Zuko's arms around his neck. "Hold onto me, lean on me as much as you need. Okay?"

Zuko laid his forehead on Sokka's shoulder, muscles tensed.

With a quiet curse, Sokka absently rubbed his back, offering whatever words of comfort came to mind.

For his part, Zuko seemed deaf to the world.

Underneath Sokka's palm, the muscles in Zuko's back shifted, clenching. "What are you doing?" Sokka couldn't help his voice cracking. This wasn't the absent clenching. This movement had purpose, effort. "Are you pushing?"

Zuko shook his head slightly. A lie. "C-Can't help it," he whispered, panic mounting.

"We need K-" Sokka looked up. "Katara!"

Stood in the doorway, towels tucked under one arm and a large out of water on the other she looked between them, watching Zuko bear down.

"Zuko, stop," she ordered, setting her things down.

He didn't listen, blood going from a steady drip to a stream down his bare thigh.

"Zuko!" she snapped.

Pain coming to a stuttering end Zuko clung to Sokka, legs trembling.

"What happened?" Katara glared at her brother.

"I don't know!" Sokka tried to protest, holding tight to the still shaking Zuko. "He ate a little bit then laid down. He said something was wrong so I came to find you but I couldn't and then there was blood and-"

She shut him up with a glare, laying down towels atop the pools. "I never should have left," she sighed, aggravated. "Should've made you get the supplies.

Only Sokka really noticed how firmly Zuko dug his fingers in at that.

M. M. M. M. M. M

Panting, Zuko set his forehead on Sokka's shoulder. "M' dizzy," he whispered.

"Maybe you should lay back down," Sokka offered.

Katara pushed stray hair from her eyes. "He'll need to again anyway. I need to check the dilation again."

Zuko flinched, inching closer to Sokka.

"It'll be fine," Sokka took his arms from around his neck. How had he become such a source of comfort in such a short amount of time?

Katara too, had begun to notice the frown on her lips tighter than ever.

Helping him around the drying pools of blood, Sokka laid him back down.

"Talk to him," she hissed.

"About what?" Sokka asked, gaze pointed firmly at the ceiling.

She rolled her eyes. "Anything."

Taking Zuko's hand he cleared his throat. "Zuko, you were, um, you were telling me about this other guy, how you met."

"The boat," Zuko's eyes were tightly wound shut.

"Come on," Sokka tried to prod, grinning. "Don't I get details?"

Zuko turned stony, trying to ignore Katara's hands. They traced the outside of his stomach first, checking on the child's position.

"Why do you care?" Zuko snarled.

Sticking out his bottom lip Sokka pouted at him.

"Fine," Zuko laid his head back, looking at Sokka upside down. "The boat was a refugee boat, at the serpent's pass."

"We've been there," Sokka brightened.

"How'd you get past the gate agent?" Katara paused, lifting an eyebrow.

Zuko shrunk a little, shoulders up against his ears. "We borrowed a couple of passports."

"We?" Sokka asked, lifting his voice to cover Katara's furious snort of anger.

"My uncle and I," Zuko twisted his head, gripping Sokka's arm. Another pain swept over him.

Katara watched for a split second, turning to wash off her hands.

Scowling, Sokka focused his attention on Zuko instead. "What happened after that?"

"Once we were on the boat it took all day to leave, waiting until later in the day. I guess they wanted to travel under cover of night. Fire nation would be less likely to attack then."

Sokka nodded, rubbing his back slowly.

Teeth grit once more Zuko groaned, body straining once more.

Whipping around Katara pushed Sokka's hands off.

"Katara," Sokka sputtered. "What are you-"

"Stop," she snarled.

"Katara!"

But her fury was not directed toward Sokka but at Zuko. Hands on his arms she tried to get his attention. "Zuko. You have to stop."

"S-Stop?"

"Pushing," she moved back, tugging a clean towel from the pile, pacing it underneath him. Blood trickled slowly down his leg.

Contraction hitting its peak, Zuko writhed under the pain, visibly baring down.

"Zuko."

"I can't," he wound his fists into the fabric below.

Katara frowned deeper. "Zuko. You're going to tear if you keep going like that. You aren't fully dilated. If you keep pushing you're going to seriously hurt yourself."

Deaf to her words Zuko fell limp, shaking from the effort.

"On the next one try panting through it," Katara instructed. "With each breath out just blow out, it'll help."

Eyes clenched tight he nodded once.

"How much longer?" Sokka watched Zuko, unable to tear his own gaze away.

She shook her head. "Nothing's changed since last I checked. I'd say it was stalled if the pain hadn't kept going."

Zuko whimpered, the sound beyond his control.

"What can we do?" Sokka asked, never once looking up at her.

Katara ran a hand through her hair. "I'd suggest walking around if I thought he could keep himself upright. Sitting up? Anything to prompt the baby downward."

Nodding Sokka put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Hear that?"

"Can't," Zuko's voice was worryingly weak. "I can't get up."

"I'll help." Hooking a hand underneath Zuko's armpit he moved him slowly up. Once in a limp sitting position Sokka duck behind him, laying Zuko back on his chest.

Too tired to protest, Zuko faintly realized he was practically sitting in Sokka's lap. Closing his eyes he relied on other senses. The metallic sting of blood hit his nose. Realization sinking in, Zuko's heart clenched. "Why is there so much blood?"

Katara looked back, at a loss. "You don't-" she stopped, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Of course not."

"Are they okay?"

The gentle concern trapped in those three words caught Katara ever more off guard. He was really concerned about this baby. Despite not knowing about them, whatever humanity he had in him was not focused on himself, only the child.

Melting a fraction Katara used her bending on the worst of the mess, the smell lessening. "The baby is fine."

Zuko slumped against Sokka. "Then why…?"

Just managing a smile Katara continued to clean. "Bender or no, you're still male. The blood is the opening of the birth canal. Properly dilating in females, bender or no, is a simple contracting of muscles. In male benders, it's a physical opening. Each centimeter is-"

Sokka gagged quietly. "Got it. Not a bad thing. No more information please."

"Wimp," Katara mumbled.

Zuko laughed, albeit the quiet of chuckles, he had laughed.

Both siblings paused, shocked.

Relief had lessened the lines dug into his face, shoulders once knit tight now easing. Zuko placed a hand under the soft swell.

"Um, are they, should, can I-?" Sokka stuttered, unsure if he should even ask.

As if reading his mind Zuko took his hand, placing it atop his belly button.

"Can you feel them?" Sokka asked, cheeks flushing.

"I don't know. I've never tried to. Or maybe they just aren't big enough."

Katara pursed her lips. "I doubt that."

Zuko lifted heavy lids.

"I felt their head, I told you. They'll be small, yes, but if they're large enough to be delivered then they're big enough to have kicked."

Frown digging lines into his face once more, Zuko shrugged helplessly. "I didn't know they were there. How am I supposed to know the difference between kicking and hunger pangs?"

Worry ignited in Katara, in a place she couldn't quite quell. "I'm sure they're fine."

Zuko opened his mouth to argue, muscles tensing.

Sokka frightened, brows furrowed.

"Pant through it," Katara repeated. "Big breaths outward."

Gripping the blanket below him once more Zuko did as told, doing his best to keep from the bone-deep instinct to push. Pain ripped across each muscle, igniting every nerve. Head thrown back it took all in his power to keep from screaming.

"Zuko?" Sokka spoke in his ear, the only clear thing over the buzzing in his ear. "Zuko you're doing great. You hear me?"

Latching onto the words like a lifeline Zuko pressed his face into Sokka's collar bone, blowing out the last pent-up breath.

"Good," Katara's voice came back into focus. "Keep that up."

Zuko wanted to scream at her, let loose the moisture building up behind his eyes. That ? he sobbed internally. He couldn't do that again.

Sensing his pent-up emotion, Sokka shifted slowly, leaning back against the wall, Zuko still laid against him.

"I have a couple things for relaxing muscles in my bag," Katara offered. "I don't know how much they'll do, but it could help."

"Please?" Zuko's voice cracked.

Another look shared and Katara was off.

That was one word Sokka never expected to hear from him. Zuko looked wrecked. Pain, clearly the only thing keeping him up, Sokka placed both hands on Zuko's stomach.

He breathed a soft sigh.

"That help at all?" Sokka asked.

"Little."

Giving it a long moment, Sokka cleared his throat. "So… once you were on the refugee boat. What happened after that?"

Zuko wasted no time, desperate for any kind of distraction. "Walked up, told us that the captain wasn't feeding his passengers right, and offered to let me help his little gang get something better."

Smiling a little Sokka teased. "Sounds like your kind of guy. What was his name?"

"Jet," Zuko closed his eyes, fists white at his side. "His name was Jet."

Sokka promptly lost all his color.

Stood in the doorway Katara's fingers went numb, dropping everything she held.

Mi. M. M. M. M. M.. M

Lost in another pain Zuko turned over on his side, face dug into Sokka's thigh.

Sokka rubbed his back slowly, eyes still locked on his sister.

For her part Katara had pointed her attention downward, gathering the medecine back into her arms.

Breathing shifting from labored to eased Zuko fell limp.

"Good," Katara said numbly. The tiny metal tins she held clinked loudly as she shook. "That one seemed short."

He didn't respond

They have to have heard wrong. Right? It wasn't possible for Jet to be the father. Not after everything.

Still rubbing his back, Sokka gnawed at the inside of his cheek. "Do, do you want to try sitting up again?"

"In a minute," Zuko croaked. His exhaustion was clearer now.

Katar situated herself next to her brother. "I found the sauves. Most are just for sore muscles though."

He nodded numbly, flinching.

"Again?" Sokka grabbed his arm.

"No," Zuko pressed a hand against his middle, shifting on the bedspread. "Something feels weird." He lifted his gaze to Katara, waiting for her judgement.

Katara pursed her lips but didn't protest, feeling around the edge of his stomach. "Oh," she relaxed a fraction. "They're just kicking."

Jaw dropping Zuko pushed himself up onto one elbow. "Tey what? That's what it feels like?"

Resisting the urge to throw her hands into the air Katara nodded.

"I, I've been feeling them this whole time?" Zuko's voice dropped to hardly more of a whisper.

"Apparently so," Katara opened a bottle. "Sokka, keep him upright."

Listening to instruction but otherwise ignoring her, Sokka lifted Zuko slowly, letting him pick the pace.

Zuko held onto his hand, back against Sokka's chest. He would have had more protests had it not been for the awe still reflected in his eyes. His hand still pressed against his bare middle, rubbing slow circles just above his navel.

Watching with a half hearted smile playing at the corners of his mouth Sokka steadied him. "This is really the first time you've noticed them?"

"It's the first time I knew what it was," Zuko watched his midsection in awe.

A cold hand pressed against his back. Almost leaping out of his skin, he turned to face Katara, who was slowly rubbing the suave over his spine.

"Does it feel odd?" Katara screwed he lid back on, opening a new one.

"It's cold," he whispered.

Sokka watched as Zuko absent mindedly cradled his stomach.

"It'll warm up soon," Katara kept her head down, refusing to look him in the eye.

Shifting his attention to Sokka Zuko's brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Sokka squeaked, gaze firmly on the floor.

Face shifting harder Zuko tried to pull away from his supportive arm. "Something's wrong. Why won't either of you look at me?"

"We are," Katara placed a hand on his back again.

Zuko tried more firmly to get away, swaying badly.

"Calm down," Sokka held onto him, an overzealous smile on his face. "It's nothing. We just, we know your guy, met a while ago."

Katara dropped her forehead into her hand.

Losing color, Zuko's grip redoubled. "You know Jet? How is he? Where is he? I don't know what happened after we got seperated. I didn't know what to do."

"Whoa," Sokka put an arm around his shoulder. "Calm down. What happened with you and Jet? How did you get seperated in the first place?"

"He, he saw uncle bending. He vanished. Then, weeks later he came back, must have tracked us down, and tried to kill us," Zuko's voice dropped bit by bit until he was whispering. "Guards saw us fighting and dragged him away. I didn't know what to do, what to say."

Sokka set his jaw. "I'm sorry."

Pulling back Katara wiped off her hands. "That's all these oils will be able to do. It's minor numbing at best."

Zuko grunted, something close to a thank you, rubbing his side slowly.

"You should try and eat something before the contractions start again," she didn't look up, jaw set.

Sokka shot a glance at his sister, wanting to be smug at her caring. But the moment he saw the slightly panicked look in her eye his own spirits dropped. Just a distraction.

If Zuko was depressed in thinking the father of his child hated him how would he react to Jet's being… gone.

Ignoring the pair of them Zuko settled back onto the bed matt, closing hi eyes, visibly bracing for the next contraction.

Gnawing at his lip Sokka tried once more to hold silent conversations with his sister, only to be entirely ignored. With a quick deep breath he tapped Zuko's shoulder lightly. "Do you want to try more soup?"

Zuko shook his head.

"Water?"

A pause, then he nodded.

Sokka grabbed the skin, helping Zuko lift it to his lips.

In the split second between Zuko drinking his fill Sokka glanced up at his sister, nerves clearly reflected in his face.

His eyes flicked back to Zuko pointedly.

She shook her head.

Frowning Sokka cocked his head, asking a silent question.

"What's going on?" Zuko had lowered the water skin, watching their silent conversation, nerves rising once more.

"We need to tell you something," Sokka cut in, just as Katara spoke. "Don't worry about it."

Looking between them Zuko tried to hike himself further up on his elbows. "Is it the baby?"

Once more the siblings answered at the same time.

"No, of course not."

"Kind of," Sokka shrugged.

Katara glared.

Confusion rivaling fear Zuko was nearly sat straight before he sunk back to the matt, hissing.

Mi. M. M. M. M. M.

If something is wrong you need to tell me," Zuko kept trying to get himself up despite Sokka's hand on his arms.

Face hard Katara crossed her arms firmly. "I don't know if anything is wrong. I am not a midwife and without more information, there is nothing I can tell you besides what I know."

Zuko sat up fully, finally pushing off Sokka's hand. "So what? What's wrong? What won't you tell me?"

Brushing off his words Katara pressed on. "We are in a waiting game right now. When you're fully dilated you will start pushing and you do that you're going to need all the strength you can get."

"Is something wrong with my baby?" Zuko's voice cracked. He jolted forward, grabbing her wrist.

The intensity of his fear almost knocked her back. There was an emotion in that face she never expected. Not just fear for himself but fear for a being he hadn't known existed until moments before. He was already connected more than physically.

Melting a fraction, Katara took his hand. "There is nothing wrong with the b- with your baby."

Zuko dropped his head to his chest, releasing the breath he'd been holding. He released her wrist.

Leaning forward Sokka took his shoulders, easing him back onto the bedroll.

Each breath hitched in his chest as Zuko rested his head, letting the newest contraction wash over him. He whimpered, hands turned to fists at his side.

Sokka took his hand, squeezing tight.

"What won't you tell me?" Zuko begged. "If it isn't them then what is it?"

"You're going to be fine," Sokka promised.

"Doesn't matter."

Sokka and Katara exchanged yet more glances.

"I thought you, you wanted to be here to teach Aang firebending."

"As long as I'm alive I can teach. I don't need to be able to walk or even move," Zuko shook his head slowly.

Katara turned from the pair, hating the sight. She knew she needed to help Zuko but watching Sokka be so… tender was off-putting.

Head down she started to wash off her hands, removing any stray dirt from around her cuticles and under her nails.

From behind she could hear Zuko's breath once more, frantically panting, struggling to keep his instincts from bearing down/ She should be watching, should be helping. But she couldn't turn her neck.

What had changed? What was different?

Jet.

The realization drew her up short.

This wasn't only Zuko's child. This baby belonged to Jet, to a dead man. Would they look like him? Would she be able to tell?

She was clearly not the only one to think of it as Sokka's soft voice finally sounded over the faded panting.

"What do you think they'll look like, you or him?"

Zuko hummed quietly.

Daring a glance behind her Katara caught the look on Zuko's drawn face. He was tired, exhausted already. It wasn't good.

Still, better Sokka distract him than let him pass out. Unconsiousness wouldn't be good for him, not yet, not now.

"Don't know," Zuko curled closer to him. His forehead rested against Sokka's knee.

It was an absent movement as Sokka lifted it to cradle Zuko's head in his lap.

Soft fingers brushed back Zuko's damp hair.

Katara watched, head tilted. How long had her brother been so touch starved? Surely he couldn't be. There were people around him at all time.

After the invasion… he had been pulling away, blaming himself. Perhaps the idea of a baby wasn't something only softening Zuko's hardened exterior.

"Come on," Sokka egged him on. "You have to have guess. What'd the other guy look like anyway?"

Zukos' brows furrowed. "Tan. Not like you though. More suntanned than anything. Wore these stupid gloves, left a line across his palms." he brushed a hand over his own hand.

Sokka chuckled.

"Crazy hair. Don't think he'd ever brushed it." Zuko ran his hands through his own hair, an absent motion. "My fingers kept getting caught."

Katara turned away. She did not want to hear about Zuko had slept with Jet. "The baby will be born pale," she cut in. "Whether they get tan later will be up to chance."

"I wish I'd gotten a chance to know him," Zuko turned slowly on his side, lips pressed tight. "If not for me then for the kid. I won't ever be able to tell them about their father."

Sokka shot only a split-second glance at Katara before he broke his silence. "I think I knew him."

Eyes flying open Zuko looked up at him shocked. "Really?"

"Sokka," Katara warned.

He ignored her. "Crazy eyebrows, always chewing on that little piece of wheat, dressed like a junkyard?"

Zuko was too shocked to catch the joke, nodding. "How…?"

"We met him in the earth kingdom, just after that whole fiasco with the pirates." He laughed, though couldn't quite ignore Zuko's wince. "Anyway," Sokka pressed on.

And the story unfolded.

Katara had never known her brother to be an unbiased storyteller. Jad he related this tale in any other context than this knew she would have torn Jet to pieces for his stupidity. But, sitting there, talking to Zuko, he did his best to make him sound not only fair but a tortured genius. Even she would not have given him that much credit.

Zuko for his part only lost ever more color. "No wonder he hates firebenders."

Sokka stumbled over his words. "What?"

"When he found out I was a bender he didn't try to turn my uncle and I in, he just attacked. I had to fight him off." Zuko brushed a hand over his stomach. "I had no idea I was already carrying his baby."

Katara frowned. They shouldn't have told him. He was already in pain.

"And he almost killed everyone in the town?" Zuko lifted red-rimmed eyes to Sokka's face.

"He didn't," Sokka defended.

"If you hadn't saved them."

Sokka flushed. "It's not like that."

Mi. M. M. M. M... M

Turning away Zuko closed his eyes, bringing his knees as close to his chest as he could manage. "He was dragged off that night. I have no idea where he went."

"Jet?" Sokka asked.

"He burst into that little tea shop, screaming about Uncle being a bender. I had to get him away, stop him. We fought."

Katara snapped up. "You used fire against him?"

Shaking his head firmly Zuko pulled his hands into fists. "Swords. Not mine." His words were deteriorating, falling into another pain.

Sokka had his hand, shooting his sister a reproachful glare.

She didn't back down, spine straight, arms crossed firmly over her chest. Silently she dared him to argue, to fight against her.

"He was the enemy," her silent fuming seemed to snarl back. "Don't forget that."

It was Sokka who dropped his gaze first. Though the anger in his own stiff shoulders didn't release.

Zuko pulled closer, knees up, feet planted on the mat, gasping frantically as the pain hit its peak. The color, already so limited in his cheeks, retreated.

Sensing some internal shift before Zuko himself, Sokka was up on his knees. "Zuko, what's wrong?"

He shook his head, unsure himself.

Lost Katara pushed aside Zuko's clenched knees with one hand.

Zuko cringed away from the knowing hands.

"He's ready."

Sokka snapped up. "What?"

"On the next pain, you need to push," Katara squeezed Zuko's knee. "Can you hear me?"

Wracked by something worse than simply the pain Zuko curled in on himself. "I can't do this," he whispered.

Sokka's insides crumpled, heart, dropping to his stomach. "Don't say that," he admonished instantly. "Of course you can. Your kid will be here any minute."

Physically the cramp around the muscles is released. That was no comfort to the disparaging Zuko. Even with a hand around his, he felt so utterly alone.

Fighting the instinct to push had been one thing. This was different/ Given permission every ounce of bravery was dripped away. He wanted to hide, to crawl away from the pain.

"No," Zuko stared desperately up at the rock roof of the temple. "It's not that. It's not pain. I can deal with pain."

Sokka shook his head slowly, at a loss. "Then what?"

"I can't have a baby. Not alone like this."

Drawing himself up, Sokka snorted indignantly. "You're not alone. You've got me, and Katara." He added the last two words as an aside.

Katara made no motion of hearing the hesitation, though she rolled her eyes internally. Like Sokka would have anything to do with the actual birth. He'd passed out at the mere sight last time. How he'd lasted this long was… well it was confusing, to say the least. Best not to dig deeper for his motivation than that.

"That's not what I meant," Zuko was trying to shake his head, neck catching as he curled in on himself.

"Another one already?"

"No," Zuko whispered. "Just kicked too hard, hit a rib."

Not quite sure he believed him Sokka took his hand, squeezing tighter.

Zuko let the hold remain. Even as he pressed his eyes tight he could feel the tears he'd been struggling to hold back start spilling down his cheeks, out of his control. So much had been out of his control lately. It made him like a child, helpless and weak. And with energy being pulled out from him with teeth, leaving him trembling, Zuko let him collapse into the strong arms, though they might not have been the ones he wanted.

"I want my uncle," Zuko cried, hating the sob welling in his throat. "Or my mother."

Sokka snapped up to find it was Katara trying to avoid his gaze now.

"Or Jet. I want him to meet his baby," Zuko pressed on. and with an intensity, he had no energy for he dug his nails into Sokka's hand. "Where is he? Is he safe? I know he hates me, he must. But I want him to meet the baby, someday. Maybe when this is over."

Sokka tried to speak, voice caught under a lump of welled emotion. Looking to his sister once more he searched frantically for any kind of aid. It wasn't forthcoming. "I-"

Hunching over Zuko groaned, the sound shifting. This wasn't the straining ones before, ones where he struggled to hold back. This was a grunt of effort. The will he'd held to keep from pushing had vanished.

Snapping to attention Katara knelt beside him. "Good," she comforted, hand on his lower stomach. "Good strong pushes like that. Keep that up and we'll have a baby in no time."

Zuko dropped his head back, trying to fight the will of his own body. "I can't. Not without my uncle."

It was selfish he knew, to want Iroh. After betraying him, leaving him to be captured, and failing to save him from the prison, him wanting his uncle's comfort was perhaps the most selfish thing he'd ever asked for. It didn't change his wanting.

"Where is he?" Sokka tried to comfort. A glower from his sister told him he was going about it the wrong way. But a numbed, panicked mind gave him very little to work with. "Your uncle I mean."

"I don't know," Zuko fell limp, the contraction releasing him for the moment.

Sokka gnawed his lip. "Am I good enough as a replacement for now?"

The shrug was at least, not a refusal.

"And your mom?"

"Dead."

Sokka really winced this time.

"What about Jet?" Zuko's voice cracked. "Where is he? The city was taken, Did he make it out?"

"I…" Sokka hesitated.

That seemed enough of an answer for him. Zuko sunk back, arm over his eyes. "I'll get him out of there," he promised.

Mi. M. M. M. M m. M. M.

Zuko," Katara's voice was a harsh snap. "You have to keep pushing."

He didn't want to. Every vein, every muscle, every square inch of skin and sinew was aching, screaming to be released from the rhythmic, nauseating grind of contractions.

"Zuko!" Katara tried to get his attention.

The cry came too late. The pain retreated, not that it was any consolation. It would be back in only moments.

Panting, gasping to fill compressed lungs, Zuko tried to push himself away, as if it were possible to escape his trembling body.

Katara shoved herself back, sitting, brows furrowing. "Zuko. You have to keep pushing."

He didn't want to. He didn't care if it sounded weak. He hurt. He wasn't ready for this.

Glancing between the two Sokka squeezed Zuko's arm. "How about we just sit the next couple out."

"Sokka," Katara snapped.

"Just a couple. Give him a second to catch his breath," he tried for a smile. "Zuko?"

"Will it hurt them?" Zuko croaked.

"No," Katara admitted grimly.

Dripping his head back Zuko closed his eyes, taking Sokka's advice and struggling to catch his breath.

Katara pushed herself to her feet. "I'm going to check on Toph. I'll be back. Don't do anything."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Zuko flinched.

Her sour face pinched harder and Katara stalked from the room, washing her hands of the blood and fluid.

"Thank you," Zuko said finally.

Sokka started, blinking himself back into reality. "What?"

He didn't repeat himself.

Clearing his throat Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't mention it. I can see you-"

"Will you tell me now."

"What?' Sokka repeated, but this word came slower, trembling in his chest.

"Will you tell me where he is now?"

Sokka couldn't exactly escape, not with Zuko's head cradled in his lap.

They'd shifted, Sokka behind him if only to hold him up through each increasing pain. So he was trapped. His only consolation was Zuko couldn't see his face clearly.

"I don't-"

"Stop," Zuko forced himself up, turning to face him as best he could. "You're keeping something from me. You know where Jet is. Is he okay? I have to find him. He's going to have a kid. I can't keep that from him."

Looking firmly at the ceiling Sokka prayed to whatever spirit was listening for strength. "look," he said at last. "It's not that simple. I mean sure, we saw him but-"

"You saw him?' Sokka gripped his sleeve. "In the city? Did he say anything about the firebenders? Didn't he want you to help?"

Glancing up at the entrance to the hall Sokka shook his head slowly. "No, he, um, he didn't say anything about you. He was alone, not with his crew."

Zuko nodded. "I didn't see them. They must have been taken too."

Silently cursing Sokka shook his head. "I don't think so. We ran into them too. They said they'd watched Jet get dragged off."

Resetting quickly Zuko shook his head. "So he wasn't imprisoned. He was released? So why didn't he try to come after us again."

"He'd forgotten," Sokka stalled, wishing his sister would step back in, or even more cruelly that Zuko's baby would come with more force.

"Forgotten?" Zuko was almost entirely sat up now. "How?"

Giving in slowly Sokka gnawed at his lip. "The Dai Lee, the-"

"Earth kingdom guards, I know," Zuko cut across him. "What did they do? Did they torture him?"

This concern meant more. This had to be more than just worry for his child's father.

With a cold pang Sokka didn't quite understand he shook his head quickly. "No, they didn't torture him, well not exactly."

Zuko's grip changed, white-knuckled and stiff.

Grateful for the distraction Sokka took his hand only to be brushed off.

Arms gripped around his taut middle, Zuko glared up at Sokka through tear-soaked lashes. So many emotions, so much pain, so much changed in only the last few hours. His world had been tossed on its head. The least he could ask for was answers. "What happened?"

Sokka dropped his face into his hands. No one coming to his rescue. It was time to throw all the cards on the table. "They brainwashed him. Made him forget about nearly everything. He lured us down to this underwater cave."

"I know about the cave," he snarled through grit teeth.

"Right," Sokka backtracked. "Appa."

Hunched over now Zuko winced, feeling the steady drip of blood down his thighs. Fighting the urge to push wasn't something he could resist now. Pushing himself up on his knees, if only a little, his body fought the urge to bear downward, failing miserably.

"They found us in the cave. We fought."

Zuko looked up, alarmed. "What? Found who?"

Pressing the base of his palms into his eyes Sokka waited until he saw stars to continue. "The Dai Lee. They found us, Aang, Katara, Jet and I in the cave. The leader, Long Feng, he did something, used Jet's brainwashing against us, made him fight us."

As someone who had been on the opposing side of their little army, Zuko lost ever more cover, almost toppling over as he gripped Sokka's arm. "What happened?"

"It's hard to say," Sokka whispered finally.

"Sokka please-" He hunched over. The next pain came atop the first, hitting him with the force of a blow. Knuckles going white Zuko found himself incapable of resisting his body's frantic cry. No more resisting, no more fighting. He had to push.

"Zuko?" Sokka was up on his own knee now, Zuko's fists still closed around his upper arms.

Words replaced with a low moan he leaned into the sturdy caretaker, giving in to the demands of his unborn child.

Falling silent Sokka froze in place. He could feel the strain of muscles even with the faintest brush of fingers. "Katara?" Sokka yelped, trying for a yell and hardly getting out a squeak.

Mi. M. M. M. M m. M.

Rounding the corner Katara found the sight with an approving nod. "I take it he's finally pushing?"

Sokka wanted to argue, wanted to argue he could answer for himself. But as he watched Zuko screwing his jaw tighter he realized Zuko really couldn't. "I think so."

"Good." Making sure her swaying clothes were out of the way and hair tucked up, Katara leaned forward, hand on Zuko's leg.

He tried to flinch away, the effort draining away. Zuko sagged with breathless panting. Trying to lie back down he was stopped as Katara shook her head.

"Stay just as you are," she ordered gently. "You're in a good position.

With that permission Sokka wrapped his arms around Zuko's shoulders, pulling him closer, upright.

Zuko took the support in stride, resting his forehead on Sokka's chest. "See why they call it labor now," he whispered.

Sokka laughed, a strained strangled sound. "Did you just make a joke?"

He didn't bother responding, fingers digging into Sokka's shirt. Hardly a rest, hardly even time to catch his breath.

Bearing down without the go-ahead he grit his teeth, his strangled scream ripping his throat.

"Stop," Katara ordered.

Zuko shook his head, a minute motion, only caught by Sokka.

"Stop," Katara repeated, voice tiny, grim.

Peering around him Sokka felt the color drain from his cheeks. Setting a hand on the back of Zuko's head he whispered to him. "You need to stop pushing."

With a monumental effort, Zuko pulled away his straining efforts, left panting, swaying his hips through the last of the forceful pain. "What's going on?" Zuko croaked. Trying to turn, to open his sweat-soaked lashes he found Sokka's hand still on his head, pulling his face against the soft blue.

"Just hold still a moment," Sokka's voice was too forced to be casual.

Zuko tried to pull away, too weak to fight the strong hands. "What's wrong?" He could feel the tense air, sharp as a knife.

With an identical air of forced casualty, Katara spoke. "There's just a little more blood than I'd like to see. Possibly a blood clot. Can you give me small pushes?"

Trying to nod, Sokka pulled his hand away.

And in that split second he turned away, seeing what the pair had been so scared of.

Little more blood. Katara had said. Little.

The pool around him was enormous.

Legs gone numb with his efforts he hadn't felt the near waterfall measure around him, soaking his bedroll.

The thick liquid, so dark it resembled a pool of night sky rather than the scarlet than it should have been, spread out underneath him.

He'd seen less under corpses.

Fighting nausea, dizziness, Zuko swallowed the lump in his throat. "Are they okay?"

"What?" Katara placed another towel underneath him, replacing the soaking red one.

"The baby, my baby. Are they okay?"

The possessive should have eased something in Katara's wounded stomach. It didn't.

"I-"

"Katara," Zuko's voice broke, knuckles snow white around Sokka's arm. "Please."

Alarmed by the please, knocked out of her reverie Katara took a sharp breath. "I don't know," she admitted. "I don't."

Sokka was sure he could actually see Zuko's heart snap in half.

"What's wrong?"

"It's too much blood," Katara struggled to keep her tone even. but even a trained nurse might have had troubles with this sight.

"Why?"

"I don't know," Katara's voice shook. Her usually clean dark hands had black in the ring of the nails, in the crevasse, aging her fingers to old women's. "My best guess is a blood clot that burst. But I can't think of why."

Sokka clung to Zuko. "Like that whale seal dad pulled in when we were kids?"

Equally as confused as Zuko the pair looked up.

"Dad brought it into town," Sokka recalled. "Said it'd been stranded during a storm, struck by lightning. When they were gutting it there were so many clots in its veins."

Katara pursed her lips. "I highly doubt Zuko was stupid enough to let himself get struck by lightning."

"Well..." Zuko whispered.

The siblings snapped to attention.

"Before I left the fire nation, the day of the eclipse, I went to confront my father."

"You what?" Sokka breathed.

Zuko pressed his eyes shut, another spine-compressing burst of agony robbed him of speech.

Pulling him tight against himself Sokka clung to Zuko, using his body to keep the ex prince upright.

Face against Sokka's chest Zuko took deep breaths, taking in the scent of fire nation soaps, metal, vague woodiness. The scent gave him strength he swore he did not have. "We talked. I told him I denounced him, that I was coming to join you, teach the av- Aang firebending." His words trailed into an agonized whimper.

Shocked back to reality Katara leaned over, cleaning as she listened, pulling away the already blood-soaked towel. Knowing her efforts were useless she placed another towel underneath him.

"My father shot lightning at me," Zuko spoke through the breathless panting.

"You what?'' Sokka wanted to hold him at arm's length, to check he was in one piece. The concern was a lighting shock of its own.

Zuko pulled closer, fists clenched around his shirt. "I redirected it. I wouldn't let it to my heart. It went through my stomach." the words shuddered, an unrestrained sob. Terror was ripping him to shreds more accurately than any contraction could. "It hurt them. It must have."

Katara rubbed his legs as they trembled. "No way to know until we see them. Though this might account for your going into labor so soon. The lightning must have been a-" she stopped herself before she could sayshock. Sokka would never have let her live that one down. "It must have alarmed your body's natural process. As I don't have an accurate timeline we'll just need to hope they're big enough."

Zuko nodded, feeling another pain coming on the heels of the last.

Mi. M. M. M. M. M. M

Little pushes now," Katara soothed, a hand at the small of Zuko's back.

Zuko wanted to snarl at her. That was the only thing she'd said to him, at the crest of every nauseating agony ripping him to shreds. But his only answer was a low groan. Arms wrapped tight around Sokka's shoulders he pressed his forehead into Sokka's beck.

For his part Sokka placed a hand on either hip, swaying back and forth with him in the spare seconds between the never-ending contractions.

Collapsing against him, every breath sharp and painful Zuko choked back a sob.

"You're doing great," Sokka invented wildly, no idea if it were true or no.

"Mmm," Zuko didn't open his eyes.

"He's right," Katar agreed. "Only a few more good pushes."

"M dizzy," Zuko held tighter to Sokka, worried he was going to topple over.

Sokka shifted, holding against him, the small swell the only thing between them.

Gnawing at her lip Katara looked up at Sokka. "He's losing too much blood. We need to get this baby out now before it's too late."

Zuko didn't answer, clearly hearing her. Squeezing his eyes shut he fought back the tears sitting just behind his eyes for what have been hours. He'd been at this for so long his legs were utterly numb. The only real things in the world were Katara's voice, Sokka's strong arms, and the pain erasing all other feelings from his crumbling body.

"Okay, I don't want little pushes anymore," Katara gave up, knowing the more time between now and the birth would harm him more. "I want every ounce of effort you've got. You hear me?"

"Katara," Sokka yelped, alarmed. "The blood."

"He's losing it too fast. I know. But the faster the baby is here the faster I can keep him from passing out."

Her words began to swim, distant and fuzzy. Zuko pulled his face into the crook of Sokka's neck.

"I can't," he murmured, words only Sokka could hear through his raw, cracked throat.

"You can," Sokka pulled his tight. He wanted to do more, more than just cling to him helplessly. But anything he would do would be useless. Zuko wanted different arms around him, arms of a friend.

"I can't."

"Talk to me," Sokka insisted, no idea if it would harm or help now. "Tell me about Jet, about your uncle, about your mom. It will make them feel closer."

Zuko's breath caught in a hitched sob. "Jet should be here," he said again, the only thing his frozen mind could cling to.

Hugging tighter, Sokka pressed his eyes closed. "I think he might be, depending on how you believe in spirits."

Zuko's flesh turned icy cold underneath Sokka's hands.

"What?"

"Sokka," Katara growled. "Not the time."

Fingers winding tight, Zuko pushed himself as far from Sokka as he could manage while still using him as a crutch. "What are you talking ab-" his words dissolved, legs giving out.

"Sokka, hold onto him," Katara ordered sharply.

Lifting him back up Sokka pinned Zuko's arms between them.

Squirming with strength he didn't have Zuko tried to pull again. Shock had dried his unshed tears. Even though the building contraction, pain ripping at each segment of spine, compressing his hips, he pushed to escape. "Don't touch me," he screamed out of his torn throat, the words little more than cracking rasps. "Let me go! What do you mean? Where is Jet? Where is he?"

Crouched behind them Katara made her best effort to keep him still. "Zuko. You have to push! I see the head."

"Sokka!" Zuko's hands balled into fists, hitting the chest to where he was pinned.

Face crumpled Sokka held onto him, not for control. He was wrapping Zuko into a tight hug. Hand at Zuko's neck, forcing his face into Sokka's chest. "He died, Zuko."

"No," Zuko breathed. "No. Please."

Soka held tight.

"Zuko," Katara called distantly, too far away.

Sinking deeper into a pain turned screaming agony he still struggled, body forcing the unbearable pressure downward. He couldn't do it anymore. Emotions, wild and spinning were battling for attention over the peak of what his nerves could handle. He was going to pass out, drop to the floor. And when he did he wasn't coming up again.

Far from the pair, one holding up the other, footsteps could be heard, people responding to the desperate screams. Grief mixed with pain.

"Zuko!" Katara yelled. "Push now!"

There was no other option.

Throat ripped, blood now trickling down his chin Zuko bore down, pressure turned to fire. He was burning.

Fear met the chorus of everything else, became too much. Eyes rolling up into his head, Zuko fell limp.

"No, no, no,'' Sokka sat on his heels, arms around Zuko. "Wake up, come on. Don't do this. Come on. Jet might not be here but we need you, your baby needs you."

Zuko's breath in frantic wisps.

Feet away from her frantic brother, Katara held out her arms as finally, finally the infant the last hours had been spent laboring was brought forth. Zuko's shriek wasn't enough to distract her. It only meant the apex of the head was in the right place.

Silently she begged for the last of his effort.

The head emerged. She had no effort to concentrate on features.

Zuko was struggling now, fighting to getaway. She straddled his legs as best she could, calling out a warning to her brother she knew would fall on deaf ears Katara ran a finger around the neck only to find there was none.

Alarm trumped everything. The baby slid into her arms without effort.

And there she discovered why there appeared to be no neck.

"Oh," Katara whimpered, hand pressed to her mouth.

Mi. M. M. M. M. M. M.

Zuko!" the cries, not voices he recognized, more than one, called to him from miles away.

Taking slow breaths, past a ragged throat and heavy lungs, Zuko took stock of himself.

No sharp pains, though that might be due to the worrying numbness radiating over his spine down to his toes. He felt damp, heavy. Exhaustion threatened to pull him back into unconsciousness.

Shifting a fraction he fought back a whimper. His lower body ached . It was almost too gentle a word for the bone deep throbbing radiating from his groin. Burning and screaming combined into a flame bright stab.

"Zuko?" a voice caught through the garbled mess of voices.

"Jet?' Zuko breathed, hoped, prayed.

But no. Jet was gone, dead. He'd never be able to meet his… the baby.

Alarm sparked the last dregs of his energy.

Straining his ears, Zuko tried to hear over the yells for his name. No cries, no coos. Nothing.

Lifting lids heavier than any weight, Zuko had ever attempted to lift, he blinked into a dimly lit room.

"Zuko," the man's voice spoke again. Strong arms clung to him.

In the far reaches of his blurred mind, Zuko imagined it was Jet's voice.

The baby was more important than his own cracking heart.

"Katara, the baby," he croaked.

Relief washed through yet another voice. "Zuko. You're okay."

"They're here," Katara spoke. "Look."

The world came to slow sharpness. Katara, blood to her elbows, cradled something unrecognizable.

Membrane and fluid covered… something.

"What's wrong with it?" Zuko reached out, finding his arms too heavy to shift.

"Nothing," Katara's voice was thick. "Your water never broke. They're still in the amniotic sac."

Zuko squinted, seeing more of what she spoke of. He could see the curled shape of an infant in a clear sab of liquid. "Get them out," he tried to find panic, the spark hardly able to flicker under the weight of his own ruined body.

"They're fine," Katara promised. "I wanted you to wake up first."

Zuko watched, unable to move.

Her face was soft, lifted into a tired smile. "This is called a waterspirit back home. It's supposed to be a sign from the spirits."

Hand brushed over the sac Katara broke it open, spilling clear fluid over the already filthy floor.

With one movement of Katara's hand, the fluid was removed from nose and mouth.

Gasping the tiny creature curled up and began screaming with every ounce of strength in their lungs. Pale mottled skin flooded pink. Chubby cheeks turned to ruddy roses.

Straining Zuko reached out, finding the will to brush a hand over the crumpled cheeks.

His child was minuscule, smaller than the average newborn, not that he had many to compare to. Screaming at the top of their lungs tiny shaking fists no larger than Zuko's curled thumb, pressed into their neck.

"She's a good size," Katara said, her voice a little thick. "For how young she is."

"She?" Sokka said, peering around Zuko. He still held on tight, keeping Zuko somewhat upright.

Not Jet. Just Sokka.

Too enamored with the still wailing newborn Zuko couldn't feel the downward tilt of disappointment.

"Can I hold her?" Zuko croaked.

Katara bit her lip.

"I've got him," Sokka promised.

Situating them carefully Katara had Zuko in between Sokka's slightly raised legs. Sokka still had his arms around Zuko, but only to make sure the latter could hold up his own shaking limbs.

And there, still covered in mess and making as much noise as they could manage, his daughter was placed on his chest, settling into his hold.

"Hi," Zuko whispered, voice catching.

She was beautiful. Crumpled and angry and lumpy in odd places but still his , and still beautiful. Her hair, little more than wisps at the top of her head, were an almost blackened brown, the filtered afternoon sun making it look gold at the apex of each frazzled curl.

Chubby limbs pressed inward on a mottled core, rippling with every breath.

Each scream could have been a magic spell to him.

Pulled from his trance, Zuko could feel a shift within. He drew himself up sharply. "What was that?"

Katara nodded. "Good. I was starting to get worried."

"What's going on?" Zuko's face was going white.

"The afterbirth," Katara soothed. With what little clean water she had left she'd been scrubbing away the mess. She'd already made a strong dent in it. "And hopefully with it the last of the blood clots."

Zuko had almost forgotten his dizziness in his exhilaration. Nervousness built up his throat like bile.

"Don't worry about it," Katara soothed, speaking over the crying baby. "You concentrate on her and when you feel you need to give me one good push."

He did as he was told, recoiling against the slimy mess dropping between his thighs.

But Katara's sigh of relief was a good sign. Dropped in a bowl, covered with a towel, Katara wiped away the last of the blood and mess.

And left in the room was only the three, now four of them.

Sokka had pushed himself back against the wall to be a better support, still helping Zuko hold his newborn.

She'd begun to settle and when Katara pushed open the door into the hallway she found not only Aang and Toph, but Haru, The Duke and Teo hovering by as well.

"Aang has told us about Zuko, about the child," Haru spoke evenly but his eyes flicked over her shoulder all the same. "May we see them?"

Glancing over her shoulder to see Zuko, worn to the bone, the only stitch of clothing a thin blanket over top of him she hesitated.

Zuko caught her eye and shrugged one shoulder.

Indifference.

His little girl had managed, in the time it took to clean up her arrival, to tire herself out sufficiently.

The cries were little more than hiccuping coos at this point and she'd pressed her face up against Zuko's collar bone, thumb already stuck in her mouth.

"Fine," Katara went off down the hall, to dispose of the mess.

The group crowded in, Toph crouching beside him, eyes closed as she felt for the baby.

"They're so little," she said in quiet awe.

"She is," Zuko agreed quietly. He didn't like the eyes.

But Sokka's arms were warm, strong, and he was too tired to properly care.

"It's a girl?" Aang said, voice just as thick as Katara's had been.

Zuko nodded. "Katara said she was um, a waterspirit birth?" He glanced back at Sokka for confirmation.

He nodded, sleepy as well.

"What does that mean?" The Duke stood on his tiptoes to see over the crowd.

"It means she's been blessed by a spirit of the water tribe," Katara walked back in, arms out.

Zuko pulled away.

Delivering the child or no, now she was in his arms he didn't want to give her up.

Katara smiled. "She needs a blanket, Zuko."

Still reluctant he let the infant be removed from him, wrapped quickly and carefully, first around her legs and next around her body. She squirmed as she was taken from her father's arms. But she was also too tired to protrest much.

"What are you going to call her?" Teo leaned over the wheel of his chair.

"Lian," Zuko held out his arms, letting the now wrapped bundle settle back where it belonged.

"A water tribe name?" Sokka blinked, confused.

"It seemed… fitting. I heard it first in the southern earth kingdom. A name that crossed an ocean. A name for the water spirit she was blessed by." He looked up to Katara for confirmation.

Her soft smile remained.

"And for Lee, the person her father knew me as, the only person he'll ever know me as," Zuko said, though this was more of a whisper and he doubted any but Sokka could hear it.

Lian would never know her father, the one who fought so hard to make the world a better place, even if his plans weren't the best laid.

Both her parents were like that in a way.

"She's beautiful," Aang smiled.

And there in that little room, with afternoon starting to set outside, Zuko felt exactly where he belonged. This was best. If he had not been here just when he had his child might have been born in the palace.

Lian was safe here, protected.

And with the matter of her coming into the world, she had become accepted, far faster than he. She already belonged here.

Zuko would make this world good, not only for him and his nation now, but for his daughter.