Short Tales

by AnumOfTheMoon

Short tales involving OzaixKatara, Zutara, and OzaiXKataraXZuko. PM or Comment ideas for the stories

11. Short Story 5 Part 2

A/N:

I'm back

Part 2:

There wasn't much stuff to move. Mostly, just her clothes and personal items. Katara didn't have much most her life which had played a part in why she agreed to this arrangement. It made her feel like some tramp trying to climb her way to the top but really, she just wanted a decent life for her and her mother. She didn't need all that Ozai was offering and she planned to speak with him about that.

Carrying a box of small trinkets, Katara let the movers carry her clothes ahead of her as she saw Ozai open the door to the condo for them.

"Is that all you brought?" Ozai asked as he opened the doors for Katara and the movers.

Feeling a bit embarrassed by what little she had, "Umm…I didn't think I needed to bring anything but the clothes you bought me and a few personal items. I don't really have much, Ozai."

Seeing that he embarrassed her, Ozai placed his hand on her back and brought her into the condo, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey!" Kya shouted as she kicked the door open before it shut.

Turning to see Katara's mother enter with a scowl on her face, Ozai smirked. "Sorry about that."

Kya glared at him, "Look here, you rich fuck! Me and my daughter are human beings! You don't get to treat us any kind of way just because you're throwing money at us!"

"Mom!" Katara hissed at her annoying mother.

Ozai chuckled, "Believe it or not but I actually have feelings for your daughter. This isn't just business or sexual for me. That's the whole point of us all living together."

"So you're staying?" Katara beamed.

"Yes." Ozai smirked at her. "We're planning to have a baby. I'd think I'd need to be here for that."

Katara was happy about this. She thought he was having her live here while he lived elsewhere and only came to see her occasionally. She didn't want to be a 'kept' woman. But to know he wanted them to live together and really be a family was what made her feel a whole lot better about this baby ordeal.

Kya rolled her eyes as she saw the way her daughter looked at the man. Clearly, her daughter had daddy issues. Not that it was her fault. Her daughter grew up without a father to protect and provide and dote on her. Now, she had an older man for a boyfriend that could give her what she wanted.

"I'm going to settle in my room." Kya mumbled to herself as she was beginning to understand her daughter a little more and carried her bag to the other end of the condo.

Ozai took Katara's hand and led her to their bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"So, you want a baby within five years." Katara fidget with her fingers.

"If it takes that long, yes. I plan to take you to a fertility clinic to assess our chances of pregnancy as well as any problems that may occur." Ozai explained as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Is that necessary?" She asked.

"It is in my opinion." Ozai patted his thigh for her to come sit in his lap.

As she did, Katara pulled her hair behind her ear and struggled to meet his gaze. "I'm nervous."

"Don't be. Even if you were to get pregnant now, it wouldn't affect your studies. You'll be graduating before you even begin to show. You only have four months left."

Katara sighed, "It's not that. I just…I worry what a baby will do to us. What if it ruins our relationship?"

Ozai chuckled as he caressed her face and shook his head, "It will only strengthen our relationship. You'd be giving me another child. One I've been wanting for some time. You shouldn't worry too much about that."

Katara liked hearing that but she was still unsure. She'd go through the motions for now until she felt better about it but she was really concerned about this.

Pulling at the hem of her skirt, Ozai slid his hand up her bare thigh and moved between her legs. "In the meantime, we should make an effort before our appointment with the doctor."

Nodding her head, Katara got out of his lap and stood in front of him to undress. Ozai ran his hands along her naked form and placed his hand over her lower abdomen. His gold eyes lifted to her.

"I can't wait till you're pregnant." He told her. "I've been picturing it for a while."

Swallowing hard, Katara could already tell she'd be pregnant soon enough if he was this eager.

Curled up against Ozai as they had finished with having some really intense sex, Katara held her arm around his middle as he laid on his back. She didn't mind having a baby if it meant she had to do this repeatedly until she was pregnant. They had incredible sexual chemistry since they first started out and it only got better with time. Not to mention, she felt Ozai was genuinely into her and not just trying to have the child he couldn't have with his wife. He had ways of making it known that he truly cared about her.

"What is it?" He asked her while holding her to him.

Shaking her head, "Nothing. I just love laying here with you."

"Do you really?" Ozai asked as he took some of her hair and twirled it on his fingers.

Nodding her head as she tilted it against his chest and looked up at him, "I really do, Ozai."

"Are you sure it isn't just my money you're after?" He asked her.

Pushing up against his chest to sit up and look him directly in the eyes, Katara looked at him with a somber look. "How will I ever prove to you that it isn't about the money to me?" She asked him. "I can do without it. All of it. I just want you. You're good to me and I love how it feels being with you. I wish I could make you see that, Ozai."

Cupping her face as he grinned at her, "I believe you." Ozai caressed her face. "Come ride, daddy, so he can put a baby in you."

Katara smirked and climbed over him to settle into his lap, holding her hands against his chest as she sunk down on his erected member. Ozai sat up and captured her lips as she began rolling her hips. Holding her to him as she rode him, Ozai kissed her from his lips down to her neck and gripped her ass tight while thrusting up into her.

The sheets were just barely covering their lower halfs as the bedroom door opened.

"Katar-...this early?! Really?!" Kya snapped as she stood in the doorway.

"Mom!" Katara pressed her breasts to Ozai's chest and tried holding the covers to her in order to cover them.

Ozai laughed as he swept his hair from his face, "How can we help you?" He asked in amusement.

Kya glared at him, "How about you get your dick out of my daughter and let her come speak with me for a moment?"

Ozai smirked, "how about you wait till we're finished?"

"You disgusting fucking worm!" Kya shouted.

"Mom!"

"Fine! Hurry up! I know it doesn't take you men that long to finish!"

The door slammed and Katara immediately apologized for her mother. She couldn't believe her mother said that to him but Ozai didn't seem to be offended.

"She might as well be my in-law." He chuckled. "I'm sure she'll warm up to me soon enough."

Katara highly doubted that.

Kya sighed to herself as she sipped a cup of coffee and ate the breakfast the chef made. She really didn't know about this arrangement. Some rich married man wanted a baby with her daughter, it felt like there was more to it. Kya didn't like the way that man laughed. Something was up with him.

"Mom, you can't just talk to him that way!" Katata said as she stormed into the kitchen in her night robe Ozai bought her.

Kya sucked her teeth, "You're not a vessel for his offspring, Katara. You are an intelligent woman with goals and ambitions. Do not give that up just to be his plaything. Continue with your schooling."

Katara furrowed her brows, "I plan to."

"Good. I don't want you thinking you have to stay with him if things go south. No man is worth being treated like an object or tool. You're a person. Never forget that."

"I'm sure she won't." Ozai said as he waltzed into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Katara's small waist as he grinned at her mother. "I'm about to take her to campus after she eats."

Kya drank the rest of her coffee and took a strip of bacon before leaving for her room. The door slammed behind her and Katara sighed, rubbing her brow. She hoped her mother didn't find a way to make Ozai uncomfortable in his own home.

"Your mother is right. Don't neglect your own ambitions. You may become a breakthrough physician. It would be setting a good example for the baby when it grows up." Ozai told her as he nuzzled his face against the top of her head.

…..

Kya couldn't sleep. She didn't like this place. Not at all. Fancy unnecessary shit. She couldn't believe her daughter was attracted to this kind of crap. It had always been something that Kya tried to instill in her daughter to not be materialistic. However, it seems growing up with nothing and going to school with the rich and wealthy left her wanting for more.

Sighing as she ate her 2 a.m. snack, Kya tried to tell herself she was being too harsh on Katara but just as the thought came to mind, it fled her mind when she saw her daughter's boyfriend walk into the kitchen ass naked.

"What the hell?!" Kya shouts.

Opening the fridge, "I'm just getting a water bottle."

"Then put some fucking clothes on!" Kya shouted.

Ozai rolls his eyes, "This is my home. I don't have to put on clothes to go to my fridge."

"Well, I don't want to see you naked!" Kya hissed.

Ozai turned around to face the woman and she screamed at the sight of him before turning her head. He smirked. "It's been awhile since you've seen one of these, hasn't it?"

"You sick fuck! Put that away!" Kya screamed.

Katara was lying in bed waiting for Ozai to get back when she suddenly heard him and her mother's voice shouting at one another. She climbed out of bed and put on a robe to go see what was going on. As soon as she left the bedroom, she heard her mother screaming at Ozai to put some clothes on while Ozai was shouting for her to just look away if it bothered her.

Sighing to herself, It's only been a week and you two are already fighting?

"Hey! What is this?! Mom, why are you yelling at Ozai?" Katara said as she walked up in front of him.

Kya looked to her daughter, "This man needs to be mindful of his nudity, Katara! He can't just walk around with his junk out! I don't want to see that!"

Katara sighed and looked at Ozai, "My mom is conservative about these kinds of things. Can you be a little more mindful of her?"

Ozai glanced at Katara and nodded. "Of course."

Kya rolled her eyes as her daughter looked back at her.

"Why don't you get to bed, mom? It's late."

Kya shook her head, "I'm restless, Katara."

Sighing, Katara told Ozai she was going to help her mother to bed and would see him in a little bit. She, then, helped her mother to her room and sat her down on the edge of the bed. Kya eyed her daughter and shook her head at her.

"You're a petite girl, Katara. What the hell are you doing fooling around with someone that big? You could hurt yourself." Kya looked at her daughter with furrowed brows.

Katara raised a brow before chuckling, "Mom, stop it. That's not a thing."

"It is!" Kya stated.

Shaking her head, "even if it is, nothing can be done about it now."

Kya looked away from her daughter.

"How about we hangout tomorrow after my classes? Just you and me?" Katara suggested.

Kya nodded. "I'd like that."

Smiling, Katara was about to hug her mother but the woman shook her head, not wanting to be hugged. This bothered Katara a little as she couldn't think of the last time she hugged her mother.

After class, Katara meets her mother at the spa that Ozai booked reservations for them. The two of them were getting the full treatment and this happened to lighten things up between them. As they were having their fingernails and toes painted, Katara saw her mother looked like she was in a good mood.

"Nice of Ozai to do this for us, huh?" Katara said.

Kya rolled her eyes, "Nothing is free, Katara."

"Yes but at least he paid for us to do this together. Have some mother daughter bonding time." Katara tried to keep things on a light note.

Ka sighs, "I hope this is legit, Katara. I don't want you to be crushed if things don't turn out the way you want them to."

Katara looks away from her mother and to her nails that were being done, "Ozai and I have a contract. Plus, I know he means what he says."

"A contract for you to be his whore and have his babies. You're no better than a damn cow. He milks you for everything you have, all so you can have access to unnecessary wealth." Kya scoffed.

Katara narrowed her eyes at her mother, "Is it so wrong that I want more than what we had?"

"No. There's nothing wrong with wanting more. I thought that was why you were going to school to be a doctor. I would have never imagined my daughter, my only child, would whore herself to a rich man to have more." Kya spat.

Katara pulled her hands and feet from the nail technicians before getting up from the chair. She had nothing more to say to her mother. Clearly, the woman was never going to get pass her feelings on her relationship with Ozai.

Returning home without her mother, Katara saw Ozai was on the balcony doing a few abdominal workouts and went to go talk to him. He paused what he was doing when he saw her leaning against the doorway with tears in her eyes.

"What did she do now?" Ozai asked as he already knew her mother had something to do with her being upset.

"I just think she hates me." Katara sniffled.

Getting up, Ozai walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. "She's just bitter. It has nothing to do with you." He told her.

Comforting her with a dinner date, Ozai messaged his private investigator to look into Kya's past and Katara's parentage.

…...

Staring at the necklace he had given Katara, Zuko rolled on his side and stared at it with a hurt expression. All this time, Katara was struggling at home and he never once asked her about how things were going. He felt this was his fault. He could have easily helped her with her financial issues. He knew she wasn't anything like Mai and was actually into him. She was just short on her luck and needed someone to help her. Unfortunately, it happened to be a pervert she met in the club and not him.

It had been two months since they broke up but Zuko was going to text Katara to meet him somewhere when his mother knocked on the door and let herself in.

"Zuko," Ursa said as she entered her son's room.

"Yeah, mom?"

"Your father is inviting us out to dinner to meet his girlfriend. Apparently, he's finally found someone he wants to have his dream child with." Ursa folded her arms.

Zuko scoffed and went on to type out his text to Katara, "I don't care about him and his new whore."

Sighing, "Zuko, he won't pay the bills around here if we miss another get together. So, get dressed in something nice and we'll head over to the restaurant."

Rolling his eyes, Zuko tossed his phone on the bed and went to his bathroom to take a shower."

Katara felt so nervous. She knew this day would come but she didn't know what would happen once it was discovered that she had been with son and father at the same time.

Rubbing her temple, Katara felt she could crawl back into bed and hide the rest of her life. Seeing Ozai come up to her from behind in the mirror, Katara tried to give a reassuring smile but he could see she was nervous.

Ozai ran his hand over her flat stomach, "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you two."

Giggling, "Ozai, we don't know if I'm pregnant yet."

"I'm sure of it." Ozai nuzzled her neck. "It's been two months since we've started trying and your cycle is late."

Katara felt that maybe she was pregnant. She didn't know. Her mother even commented about how she had a small glow to her. A small smile came to her lips as she held Ozai's hand to her stomach and turned her head to glance behind her at him.

"I hope it's a girl." She said as she remembered Zuko telling her that that's what he wanted.

Ozai grinned as he kissed her shoulder, "It will be."

Riding in the backseat with Ozai and her mother, Katara was putting in the ruby earrings Ozai bought her to match the red slender dress he had gotten her recently to wear. Her hair was done up into an elegant bun and she wore a pearl necklace.

Holding her hand in his, "I warned you that my son and wife are not very fond of me."

"I wonder why that is." Kya mumbled.

Both Ozai and Katara eyed her with annoyance.

"Anyway, don't take offense if they make a comment towards you. Especially my son."

Katara swallowed hard.

Arriving at the restaurant, Ozai was led by the owner to the private balcony to await his guests. Kya watched the rich bastard pull out the chair for her daughter and rolled her eyes as she had told the waitress to bring their most expensive wine. She was going to milk this man for every dime he had for turning her daughter into a homewrecking whore.

Zuko went up the steps to the private balcony with his mother holding onto his arm.

"Be nice, Zuko. He's still your father." Ursa reminded him.

Sucking his teeth, "You want me to be nice while he has some other woman he's sleeping with on his arm? Why do you let him treat you like this?"

Ursa sighed, "Zuko, you don't understand women, do you, son?"

Zuko scoffed. Maybe he didn't. They all seemed to confuse him except Katara. She wasn't hard to understand. Even after she confessed all she had done and left him, he understood why.

Arriving at the private balcony where his father was waiting for them, Zuko and his mother saw his father sitting with two women, one that was sitting beside him and was obscured by the large frame of his father.

"You've both finally made it." Ozai grinned as he stood up and took Katara's hand to help her up. "I'd like you both to meet, my beautiful girlfriend, Katara Mizuki."

Ursa's eyes widened at the sight of the young woman she knew had dated her son. Her wide eyes shifted from the young woman to her son and saw he looked utterly distraught before running off.

"Zuko! Wait!" Ursa called after her son before looking to his father and then to the woman beside him. "What the hell is this?!"

Katara averted her eyes as she knew something like this would happen.

"Ozai, can I have a word with you?!" Ursa asked.

Ozai was a bit confused. "Yes." He told Katara to have a seat and that he'd be right back.

Katara sat down and saw her mother was drinking and staring at her daughter suspiciously.

"You know that boy, don't you?" Kya asked.

Nodding her head.

"Oh dear gods help you." Kya chuckled before drinking more wine.

Outside the private dining suite, Ozai allowed his wife to tell him what was going on.

"Ozai, that girl in there, she used to date our son! How could you do this?!"

Furrowing his brows, "What?"

Ursa looked at her husband, "You don't know?"

"Know what? That Katara was dating our son? No! She said she had a boyfriend while we were together but she's since ended things with him two months ago to focus on us. I didn't know it was Zuko she had been with." Ozai hissed at Ursa.

Furrowing her brows, "Well, you need to ask her about it because she clearly hid this from you as much as she hid it from our son."

Ozai watched his wife storm off and turned to enter the private balcony to see Katara.

"What was the name of the boy you were seeing from school?" Ozai asked her in a stern tone.

Katara looked at him, "Zuko. I didn't know he was your son but as soon as I did, I ended things. I promise, I didn't know till you had me sign the contract."

Ozai pinched his brows, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to be upset with me but I should have told you anyway." Katara explained as she stood up from the table.

Sighing, as he looked at her. "In the future, I don't care what it is. You tell me what's going on. Understood?"

Katara nodded as she felt incredibly ashamed. "I'm sorry, Ozai."

Kya rolled her eyes as she watched the man hug her daughter. This had to be some sick game.

…..

It was graduation day and Katara had seen that Ozai had not only come to see Zuko but also her. He handed her her gift which turned out to be a blue sports car like his along with a bouquet of roses. She saw her mother rolling her eyes at how Ozai kissed her forehead and told her he was proud of her. If only her mother would try to say the same to her. Ozai kissed her lips and told her he would be right back as he was going to go look for Zuko.

Finding his son in the crowd, taking pictures with his friends, Ozai came up beside Ursa, who was taking photos.

"Ah, so you're not just here for your girlfriend, I see." Ursa said.

Ozai kept a pleasant look on his face as he sneered, "I might have accidentally taken his girlfriend from him but he is still my son. I'm proud of him. He's finally able to come work at the company."

Zuko glanced up from talking with his friends and saw his father beside his mother.

"Congratulations, Zuko. I'm proud of you, son." Ozai told his son.

Scoffing, "You didn't come here for me. You came here for her. I saw the new car you got her." Zuko glanced over at Katara speaking with her friends. "What is she to you? Your girlfriend or the daughter you never got?"

Smirking, "Truthfully, both."

"Sick!"

Ozai sighed, "Son, I knew her far before you even noticed her. Ask me how I know? She talked alot about a boy at school that she liked but never paid her any attention. By the time you took her out on your first date, we were already in bed, me telling her to suggest a horror movie."

Zuko's eyes widened at this.

"I even fucked her in the car just before dropping her off for your first date. I bought her the dress, had her hair and nails done. That was me. No, I didn't know it was you, Zuko. But she was my girl first. I just loaned her to you." Ozai told him in a smug tone.

"Bastard!"

"Zuko!" Ursa hissed at him.

Ozai grinned, "I never told her to break up with you. I honestly, don't care if you two were to-"

"Keep your whore!" Zuko spat.

Returning to Katara's side, Ozai leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Go talk to my son. He's a little confused on what exactly happened. Think it would be better coming from you."

Glancing up at him, "But-"

"I promise he's not going to do a thing to you. Just clear the air for him like you did for me." Ozai kissed her cheek.

Katara nodded.

Zuko saw Katara walking towards him and narrowed his eyes as he made his way towards her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her with him out of the crowd to speak with her in private. When they were at a good distance from everyone else, Zuko let go of her arm and narrowed his eyes on her.

"Did you know?" He asked her sternly.

Katara shook her head. "I didn't know. I knew your father for a year before you even spoke a word to me. But as soon as I realized that you two were- I ended things between us, Zuko."

Eyeing her with anger and hurt, "How'd it start? You and him."

Sighing, Katara pulled some of her hair behind her ear, "I had just started working as a hostess and I was being harassed by one of my clients."

~Flashback Starts~

"Come on, girlie. You're the cutest thing in this club. I've got fifty bucks with your name on it if you give me a little kiss on the lips." The client waved his cash in her face.

Katara rolled her eyes as she was so done with this client. He had been coming by every night, trying to hog her section and get her to do things she didn't want to do. She never did them and he had become increasingly worse. Her boss didn't seem to intervene because he paid well enough and he hadn't put his hands on her yet. This honestly ticked her off even more as she really just needed to have someone have her back in this. All the other hostesses had complained about this same man but nothing had been done about him.

Getting fed up with this guy, Katara told him she'd be right back to get them drinks and walked off to the bar. Sighing as she asked for three shots of the strong stuff, the hostess waited and looked around to see how everyone else was enjoying themselves. As her shots were ready, Katara took one by one and once she got to the last one, a hand took her cup from her. She looked up and followed the hand to see a tall man smirking down at her.

"You're too little a girl to be drinking this much." He told her.

Narrowing her eyes at him, "What business is that of yours?"

Grinning as he drank her shot for her.

"Hey! I paid for that!"

Katara watched the man pull out his wallet and slap cash down in front of her. She saw it was a few hundred dollars and looked back up at him funny. "The drink is only twelve. The rest is unnecessary."

"I was hoping to sit in your section. You are a hostess, aren't you?"

Glancing from him to his money, Katara looked the man over and could see he was definitely older than her. Middle-aged, likely. He was very good looking. Too good looking. Looked like trouble from his devilish grin. Plus, he put way too much cash down like he wanted to buy her and not just her section.

"I am but I already have someone in my section." Katara told him.

"Then why are you at the bar and not ordering from your section?"

Sighing as she glanced over to where her client was waiting on her, "He's got fifty dollars with my name on it if I kiss him. I'm trying to wait him out. Maybe he'll lose interest and go sit with another hostess."

Chuckling, "I guess you cost more than the average hostess."

Katara rolled her eyes and snorted, "I can't be bought. I'm not some slut to bend to someone else's will for money. So, keep your cash. I don't want it for whatever perverse things you want to do with me."

The man chuckled some more and leaned against the bar to look her over, "I just wanted to talk. Get to know you."

"Why?" Katara eyed him carefully as she ordered herself another drink, using her cash to pay.

Seeing this, "You're cute. Real cute. I think we'll get along just fine."

Drinking her drink, Katara sized him up. "You're married. Forgot to remove your ring."

"My wife doesn't care."

"Well she should."

"And why's that?"

Katara looked away from him and drank some more, "You're good looking. If I was your wife, I'd be scared to let you out of my sight."

The man grinned even more, "If you were my wife, I wouldn't want you out of my sight either. You're short enough to get lost."

Nearly spitting out her drink in laughter, Katara covered her mouth and eyed him.

"See, I'll have you giggling all night like that."

Swallowing her drink down, "Fine." She said as she eyed him.

"Name's Ozai." He held his hand out to her.

Glancing at his hand, "I'm Sapphire."

Looking her over, "What's your real name?"

"Get to know me a little better and I'll tell you." Katara smirked back at him.

Ozai grinned at her. "Alright, Sapphire. You've got a deal."

~Flashback Ends~

"After that, your father and I saw each other nearly every night. Things progressed and soon he wasn't just my client anymore." Katara sighed.

Zuko glared at her, "So why did you agree to see me and you were with him?"

Katara looked away, "Your father always made it clear we weren't exclusive. We're still not. He's married to your mother and I know he has a girlfriend in the Fire Nation. I don't know about any others but he told me I was free to see someone else. You were my longtime crush so when you asked me out, it wasn't like I couldn't."

"You should have told me that you were with someone else! It wasn't just my father you should have been concerned with betraying! It was me!" Zuko spat.

"I'm sorry, Zuko."

Zuko shook his head as he couldn't look at her, "Katara, are you seriously planning to have a baby with my father?"

Katara sniffled and nodded, "It's what your father wants, I signed his contract."

Zuko pulled his graduation cap off and threw it down on the ground before storming off.

Sighing as she watched him storm off, Katara saw Ozai approach her and place his hand on her side.

"Let's go home and change into something else. I have reservations for us tonight."

Katara nodded as she took his hand and let him pull her away.

…

"So, is it good news?" Ozai asked as he held Katara's hand while they sat in front of the doctor at the fertility clinic.

The doctor looked over his chart and looked at the couple, "Looks like you two are expecting. Congratulations."

Ozai was absolutely happy to hear this as he pulled Katara to him and kissed her. Katara just felt relieved as she was finally pregnant. They had thought she was several months ago but she was simply late for her cycle. However, this time, the doctor finally got them the good news they wanted to hear. She was beginning to worry.

"We'll schedule the first prenatal appointment next week." The doctor told them.

"But I thought that wouldn't happen until I was several weeks along." Katara said as she remembered reading about it in a magazine that was in the clinic's waiting room.

The doctor nodded and smiled at the couple, "Seems you two have been busy since I've last seen you all a few months ago. You're almost 4 months."

Katara was surprised as Ozai seemed very pleased with this. Leaving the clinic with this news, the two got back to the condo and Katara made a b-line for the bathroom. As she finished emptying her stomach, the soon to be mother went to rinse her mouth out and saw her boyfriend smirking at her.

"I know it'll be a difficult journey for you but I'm happy, I truly am." Ozai told her.

Katara looked at him with concern, "Is this all you want from me, Ozai?"

Ozai shook his head and cupped her face as he pulled her to him. "You think that? That I only want the baby?"

Nodding her head, Katara teared up as he wiped her tears away.

"You're an idiot if you think I only want this baby and not you." Ozai told her. "I want more than just the baby, Katara. I wouldn't be doing what I am if the baby was all I wanted. I love you."

Katara's teary eyes widened, "You what?"

Smirking, "I love you, Katara."

"I love you too, Ozai."

The two were about to act upon their confessions when Katara's mother interrupted.

"I'm assuming the doctor confirmed it. Congratulations." Kya told them both.

"Thank you, mom."

"Now, you can stop letting this bastard fuck you in the wee hours of the night. I'm tired of hearing his name over and over again while I'm trying to sleep." Kya folded her arms.

Katara glared at her mother as Ozai grinned.

"Some women continue to enjoy making love until the very day of delivery." Ozai told Kya.

Sucking her teeth, "There is no love in the making of whatever it is you two do in that room."

"And what would you know?" Ozai furrowed his brows. "When's the last time you've had a man?"

"Ozai!" Katara tried stopping him.

Kya smirked, "What makes you think this child will love you, Ozai? Your twenty-two year old son hates your guts!"

"Mom!"

"No! Ask yourself Katara, why does this man's family hate him so much?!"

"Ask yourself why your father left you after you were born?!" Ozai shouted as he scowled at Kya. "Don't think I didn't do some digging into your past, Kya! I know all about what really happened between you and her father!"

Katara was about to stop Ozai from yelling at her mother when she paused at his words.

"Wait. What are you talking about?" Katara looked at Ozai. "You know about what happened between my parents?

Ozai nodded as he saw Kya avert her eyes. "You wanna tell her or should I?"

"There's nothing to tell." Kya wrapped her arms around herself.

Looking at Katara, "Your father was a married man. Her boss."

Katara furrowed her eyes at her mother. "Mom…is this true?"

"Katara, it was a different time. I had just graduated and only got so far with an associate degree. I couldn't afford more. Your father, he was a friend from university and he took care of me, found me a job and I-"

"You slept with him." Katara narrowed her eyes. "You did the very thing you always criticize me for!"

Kya teared up a little and sniffled, "I just wanted you to be better than me is all."

"And she is." Ozai told the woman as he placed his arm around Katara's back. "I drafted up that contract not for myself but so she would know I mean to take care of her."

Kya refused to look at either of them. "I think it would be better if I moved out. This isn't going to work for me."

"Mom-"

"I'll make arrangements to have you stay somewhere else." Ozai says coldly to the woman.

"Wait!" Katara went to her mother and placed her hands on her shoulder, "Mom, you don't have to leave. Let's just work things out."

Kya turned her lip up at her daughter and shoved her away, "Don't touch me. I'm not staying to watch my daughter make the same mistake as me!"

"I'll call you a cab." Ozai said as he walked out of the room.

Katara tearfully looked at her mother, "Why do you hate me so much?"

"I hate your actions. Not you." Kya said before following Ozai out.

When a cab was called for her mother, Ozai had made reservations for her to stay at a hotel until living arrangements could be made for her mother. Ozai promised Katara he'd have her mother staying not far from here so she could still visit her and that he'd see to it that Kya received a decent allowance.

However, none of that concerned Katara. Her concern was for what really went on between her mother and father and who her father was.

Soaking in the bathtub, Katara ran her hands along her still flat stomach and could feel the fluttering her doctor expressed she would feel due to the child growing inside her. She wanted this child to be happy and have what she didn't. Two parents that cared about them and left them wanting for nothing.

Climbing out the tub, Katara saw Ozai was dressing down in a pair of pajama pants and walked up to him in her towel.

"We have the house to ourselves." Ozai purred as he pulled her towel off.

Tilting her head, "You still want to have sex with me, Ozai?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Why ask that question? Of course, I do." Ozai ran his fingers along her shoulders and down her arms. "Knowing you're pregnant with my child makes you even more sexy to me."

"I don't feel very sexy right now."

Ozai smirked, "We'll need to work on your confidence level. Obviously, your mother has done a number on you and you need to be reminded of how beautiful you are."

Katara sighed as she shook her head.

Not liking that she seemed truly upset about something, Ozai told her to put some clothes on as he was taking her out. Katara put on some baggy pants and a hoodie, matching the carefree attire Ozai was wearing. It was the most casual she had seen him dress and she rather liked it.

Getting in the car, Ozai had them go to a diner on the other side of town and Katara was surprised that the people here knew him.

"Mr. Yong, you're back this late in the evening?" A waitress behind the counter asked.

Taking a seat into the booth with Katara sitting across from him, Ozai picked up a menu. "Yes, well, I suddenly had a craving."

"Want the usual?" She asked.

"That and…what did you want, Katara?"

Looking over the menu, Katara blushed and told the waitress what she wanted. Chili cheese fries, a jalapeño burger with extra onions and several hard boiled eggs smothered in gravy.

"Sounds like the order of a pregnant woman." The waitress commented.

"She is." Ozai chuckled.

"Oh, well congrats on the new baby at forty-seven." The waitress snickered as she told them she'd be back with their drinks.

Katara bashfully kept her eyes cast low as she felt embarrassed at how Ozai had his eyes glued on her. He seemed so genuinely happy to know they were having a baby finally.

When their food came back, Katara saw Ozai had a burger and fries. She watched him pick up his fork and knife and giggled.

"You know, Zuko eats it like you too." Katara mused.

Ozai smirked as he cut his burger with his knife, "Yes, well, he and I, back when he didn't hate me, were rather close. He wanted to do everything I did."

Eating her chili cheese fries, "What happened to make him hate you?"

Focusing his attention on eating, "I left his mother. She and I were in a rocky marriage. We agreed to remain married so she could continue to benefit from being my wife but I'd move out of our home and we'd live like we had divorced. Zuko didn't take this well and has hated me ever since."

Katara lifted her eyes to him as she continued eating, "Why don't you explain things to him? You clearly care about your family since you remain married to his mother in order to still take care of them."

"I have but Zuko is hot-headed and temperamental. He doesn't listen to me."

"I'm sorry, Ozai." She said, placing her hand on the table and moving towards him.

Ozai took her hand and smiled, "Things will be different for us. I promise. I want us to remain under the same roof and for you to think of yourself as my family. You and the baby."

Katara was truly happy to hear this. It even made her tear up from hearing it.

"Don't cry, dear." He chuckled. "You're too pretty to have tears."

Returning home, the couple hit the sheets and took things slow. Cherishing one another's embrace. When finished, Ozai rained kisses all over Katara as she giggled and rubbed her stomach.

In the doctor's office, the two held hands as they waited to hear whether they had a girl or a boy. Katara looked away from the ultrasound screen as the doctor conducted the ultrasound on her belly. Ozai couldn't look away as he truly wanted to know whether he'd have another son or a daughter.

"It's a girl." The doctor told them.

Ozai was thrilled and kissed Katara's hand as she teared up.

"We're having a girl." He grinned at her.

Nodding her head as she smiled back at him, "She's going to love you, Ozai. I'll make sure she does."

….

"Yes, Ozai, I am truly happy for you." Ursa said as she was on the phone with her husband while looking through a magazine in the living room. "I think that's a beautiful name and yes, we'll come to you for dinner tonight."

Zuko walked into the living room with his hair all a mess and the same clothes he had been wearing for two days. He plopped on the sofa next to his mother and saw her eyeing him funny.

"Alright, Ozai, we'll see you at 8." Ursa said before hanging up and taking a full look of her son. "Zuko, take a shower."

"I'm not going to dinner just to congratulate dad on knocking up my ex with the child he always wanted." Zuko scoffed.

Ursa sighed, "From what I was told, your father gave her permission to see someone else while they were together. Neither of them knew she was seeing his son until she decided to break things off. I think she did the right thing by ending it with you."

"She's only with him for the money!"

Ursa got up from the sofa, "Ozai said she didn't want to sign the contract with him. She only agreed when her mother urged her. So, I think there's more to why she agreed to this but nonetheless, I need you to get ready. We're going to show our support since your father does a lot to support us."

Wearing a simple blue maxi dress, Katara wore her hair down and eyed the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful diamond ring with a white gold band. Ozai gave it to her as a show of the new steps in their relationship. He couldn't marry her while he was still married to Ursa but he wanted her to think of herself as a second wife to him since they were contractually binded.

At the moment, Katara was chopping up the veggies for the chef in preparation for dinner tonight. It was a joint effort to learn how to prepare meals herself. She told Ozai that she wanted to cook for him some of the time so they didn't have to solely rely on the chef.

Sitting at the kitchen island counter while Katara helped cook, Ozai didn't take his eyes off of her. She exceeded his expectations. He hoped she would have his child and continued to let him see her but she turned out to be more. Be exactly what he had wanted for years. A wife that gave a fuck about him. He believed with all his heart that Katara cared little about the money and wanted him for him.

Stealing a slice of vegetables from the tray, Ozai smirked and ate it as Katara eyed him.

"That's not for you, Ozai."

"Everything is for me, sweetheart."

"Not with that attitude, it isn't." Katara said as she playfully slapped his hand when he tried to snatch another slice.

The doorbell rang and Ozai went to buzz them in. Greeting his wife and son at the door.

"It smells good in here." Ursa commented as Ozai took her coat.

Zuko shoved past his father and waltzed towards the living room, where he plopped on the sofa.

"Don't mind him, Ozai. He's still upset about it, you know." Ursa patted her husband's chest.

Ozai nodded his head and showed Ursa to the kitchen where Katara was cooking on the stove.

"Well, look at this. She can cook." Ursa smirked as she saw her husband walked over to his young girlfriend.

"I'm learning." Katara said as Ozai wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "Ozai eats late in the night and it would be easier if I cooked for him instead of waking the chef up."

The young woman giggled and laughed as Ozai wouldn't stop kissing her. Ursa could see this was different from the other times her husband was involved with another woman. He looked in love with this girl and she would be more happy for him, were their son not so obviously in love with her too.

"So, have you agreed on a name?" Ursa asked them.

Shaking her head, "Ozai wants to name her after his father but I think giving her her own name would be nice."

"I like Yuno or Yukino. Maybe Yumi." Ozai told his wife as he ran his hands over Katara's small belly.

"Yumiko." Katara told him.

"Oh, I like that."

Ursa figured she should start drinking now if she was going to have to deal with this the entire night. Maybe she should make sure Zuko drank as well.

As dinner was prepared, everyone sat at the table ready to eat when Zuko kicked his feet up on the table and Katara looked to Ozai to see what he would say. She saw him glaring at his son. He asked Zuko several times to take his feet down and Zuko refused. Even his mother asked him to obey his father's command but still, he wouldn't.

"Zuko, please take your feet off the table." Katara asked him. "If you want to voice your thoughts, be an adult about it."

"Ah, just like you were an adult about things and figured it was better to go through my dad to get my family's fortune rather than wait for me to accumulate my own." Zuko said with great disdain.

Katara narrowed her eyes at him, "I told you already, Zuko, I didn't know he was your father. I knew him before I knew you."

"I find it hard to believe you didn't know the name of the CEO of Dynasty Banks."

"I never gave her my full name or told her what I do for a living. She only knew my last name after I gave her the contract to sign. Soon after, she broke things off with you." Ozai bit out. "She is not after my money, Zuko. She has asked that I stop giving her an allowance and allow her to make her own by working at the hospital. Quite frankly, she is the only person in my life that isn't after me for money."

Zuko furrowed his brows, "It's all you're good for."

"Watch your mouth, Zuko!" Katara stood up abruptly.

"Dad, you should really get your bitch." Zuko folded his arms.

Ozai slammed his hands down on the table, startling everyone present. "You will not disrespect her, Zuko! I get you're upset about how things turned out but I was with her long before you had the balls to ask her out on a date!"

Furrowing his brows, "What are you saying?"

"Zuko, me and Katara are in an open relationship. I knew she had feelings for someone else and I gave her permission to pursue her little school crush, that turning out to be you. Hell, I don't even care if you want to keep seeing her. She'd still be the mother of my child and I'd still love her. So, shut the fuck up and pipe down. If you're hurt, be hurt but don't disrespect my woman, got it?!"

Katara got up from the table and stormed off. Everyone watched her yank the ring off of her finger and toss it at Ozai before she left.

Sipping her glass of wine, "Doesn't seem like she wants it to be open, Ozai."

Ozai sighed as he pinched his brows, "Get out, both of you."

Zuko snorted a laugh and shook his head as he scowled at his father, "We'll see just how open your relationship is, Ozai."

When they were both gone, Ozai went to his bedroom to see Katara sitting on the edge of the bed wiping her tears away and sat beside her.

"What's wrong?"

Sniffling, "You basically told Zuko he could have me."

"I did not. I told him that if you two wanted to rekindle things I wouldn't be opposed. You're still my woman and the mother of my child. Nothing changes that." Ozai ran his hand over her head. "I don't care if it's my son or some other man. We had an agreement that as long as I'm not exclusive, you don't have to be either. I want to be fair."

"But Ozai, I chose you."

"I know, sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "I love that about you but truly, I know your feelings for my son hadn't just gone away. You're allowed to see him if you want."

Katara averted her eyes.

"When the baby is born, how about you two try at least mending your friendship. That way he's not at my throat everytime I see him." Ozai suggested.

Folding her arms, "There's nothing to mend. Zuko hates me too."

"I'll figure something out." Ozai got up from the side of the bed to go undress for a shower before bed.

"Wait, why do you even care?"

"Because I want a happy family, dear. Whatever makes the family happy, makes me happy."

…..

Katara thought she was prepared. All the parenting classes and workouts she did in order to prepare for labor, she should feel less anxious about this. However, she had never been more fearful in her life but fortunately, she had Ozai with her every step of the way. Yet, this still was not enough to calm her down as she panicked all through her labor causing her much difficulty in trying to deliver the baby. Crying, Katara begged for her mom and asked Ozai to bring the woman here. Little did she know, he already contacted her mother and the woman refused to come witness the birth of her first grandchild.

Eventually things got so bad due to her anxiety that she was unable to have the child naturally and was taken into an operating room to have a C-section. When the child was finally delivered and Katara was stitched back up, Ozai saw how awful she looked. Even as she held their child, she had this somber look in her eyes and he wondered what was going through her head. As the nurse came to check the baby's vitals, Ozai moved a little close to Katara and took her hand.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her as he kissed her hand.

Staring at her daughter that whined from being pulled away from her, Katara sighed. "I would never let my daughter not have me there through big moments like this. I couldn't imagine it."

Ozai glanced over at their daughter too, "Yes, well, that makes you a better mother than yours already."

"I swear I hate her!" Katara bite out bitterly.

Patting her hand, "You don't mean that. You're just angry."

"Ozai! I hate her so much! She's never supported me or been there for me! She just works nonstop and criticizes me every which way! She couldn't even be bothered to be here for her granddaughter's birth!" Katara broke down.

After a few days, the couple returned home from the hospital and Katara was absolutely in love with their daughter. She had eyes as gold as her father's and skin as brown as her mother. Not to mention, she had a patch of curly jet black hair. She was darling and Katara couldn't understand why a mother wouldn't be incredibly in love with their child.

As she laid her daughter in the nursery they prepared for her arrival, Katara turned to see Ozai beaming down at their baby girl.

"You haven't a clue how in love I am with you and our daughter." He told her.

Katara smiled at him, "We love you too, Ozai."

….

Ursa cooed at the baby girl as she got to hold the little girl. Ozai had invited his wife and son to come meet his daughter as he wanted them to be a part of her life as much as he was. They were all family. It was overdue that they started acting as such. Plus, it gave Katara a break from having to take care of the baby around the clock.

"How is she doing, Ozai? Postpartum not too bad?" Ursa asked.

"She has her moments of getting overwhelmed but she's been fine for the most part." Ozai explained as he nursed a glass of whiskey in hand while lounging on the sofa across from his wife.

"That's good. Any chance you two plan on having another cute baby?" Ursa asked as she cuddled her stepdaughter.

Ozai smirked and glanced over to the bedroom where Katara was resting. "If that's something she wants to do, I'm not opposed to more children. You know me, Ursa. I've always wanted a large family."

Ursa nodded, "Yes, I'm glad you found someone who can give you that. By the way, did Zuko tell you he and Mai are together again?"

"Mom." Zuko finally pulled the phone away from his face.

Ozai glanced at his son, "You're back with that gold digging cheat? Was it not bad enough she fucked your friend?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Considering my last girlfriend fucked my dad and had a baby with him, I think I can forgive Mai."

Ozai snorted and drank from his glance, "She's still a better match than Mai. You two should just make up already."

Zuko eyed his father venomously, "You have serious issues if you're serious about me hooking up with your girlfriend."

Chuckling, "Your mother and I are still together through all this. It's not orthodox by a long shot but we're both happy nonetheless."

Ursa nodded in agreement.

Raising his brow at his parents, "You can't be serious that you want me to reconcile with her."

Shrugging, "It would be better than you being with that grim girl, Zuko. I really don't like her. She's snooty and has an air about her that makes me uncomfortable."

Zuko rolled his eyes as his mother chuckled at this.

"You just don't like young girls, Ozai."

Snorting, "He liked my girlfriend obviously."

Ozai smirked as he glanced at his glass, "Katara is different. You should know that."

Zuko folded his arms, "You really want me to fix things with Katara?"

Ozai nodded.

"Why? Are you planning to leave her?"

"Heavens no!" Ozai laughed. "I'm not giving her to you. I'm sharing. Know the difference."

"Fine."

"Great, I'll arrange for the two of you to meet sometime this week. Be nice." Ozai smirked.

Katara felt like Ozai was up to something. He practically rushed her out of the condo to get air while he watched the baby. Apparently, she needed to go for a walk through the city park in order to get her head together. He felt she was becoming too absorbed in motherhood and not alotting enough time for herself which was true but she didn't mind. Getting some air was much needed and she appreciated Ozai giving her some time to herself.

Making her way through the park and taking in the crisp winter air, Katara noticed someone in a red hoodie walking towards her. She paused as she was curious what this person wanted and as soon as they stopped in front of her, she was surprised to see who it was under the hoodie.

"Zuko."

"Hey, Kat." Zuko said in a surprisingly non-hostile tone.

Awkwardly, Katara waved her hand at him as she didn't know what he wanted or how to interact much with him since they weren't on good terms.

"Can we talk?" He asked as he couldn't seem to make eye contact with her.

Katara nodded slowly, "Sure…"

Sitting on a park bench facing away from each other, the two seemed very awkward about their current situation but Zuko figured he should just get it out.

"My father seems to think it will be good if we bury the hatchet." Zuko told her. "And I want to. I don't really believe you're just after my dad's money. At least I don't anymore. He says you reject allowances and even start working at the city hospital soon. Plus, you never asked me for anything while we were together. So I guess you're not too bad."

Katara pulled her hair behind her ear, "Your father likes to use money to buy people. I guess he thinks that's what's keeping him from being alone. I've noticed that but he doesn't have to buy me. I love your father. He's been to me what no one else has and I hope you can understand that."

Zuko sighs, "I get it. Not even my mother likes to talk poorly of him. Guess he's not so bad."

"You should try making up with him. Your father really wishes you wouldn't hate him so much."

"Yeah, well, he said the same thing about you. Apparently, you're a better fit as my girlfriend than Mai. He thinks we should patch things up."

Katara looked over at Zuko, "Are you asking to be friends?"

"It might be awkward at first but I think it'll work. I do miss you, Katara." Zuko finally looked over at her.

Looking over her shoulder to meet his gaze, "I miss you too, Zuko."

The two stood and hugged one another.

Returning home from her walk, Katara found Ozai sitting on the sofa with the baby in his arms watching children's programming and placed her hands on her hips.

"You sent me out to see Zuko, didn't you?" She asked him.

Ozai smirked, "I think it would be good for you to see him."

"Why? What has that to do with you?" Katara asked him.

Ozai averted his eyes and concerned himself with Yumiko's hair, "Ursa and I talked and-"

"And what?" She folded her arms.

"She thinks it would be good if we all moved in together." Ozai told her. "I've already found a place outside the city that would be big enough for all of us. I'll keep this place just in case but I think it would be good for us all to live together since we're a family."

Katara narrowed her eyes, "So you and Ursa are planning on sharing a room?"

Ozai glanced back at her, "We'll all have our separate rooms."

"I don't know, Ozai." Katara shook her head as she couldn't see this being a good idea. "How will it be comfortable with you sleeping with me and Ursa under the same roof. Are you just trying to make it convenient for yourself or-"

"Yes, it would be convenient but not just in the way you're thinking. Zuko is as much my son as Yumiko is my daughter. I don't want to have to split myself between two households. Which is why I want you and Zuko to get past the grievances since you two will be living there too. You don't have to sleep with him. I'd prefer it if you didn't, actually. But if you do, please use discretion. Nonetheless, I want both my children and my women under the same roof. Can you agree to that?" Ozai asked her.

Sighing, "How can I say no to you, Ozai?"

"You never have, which isn't lost on me." Ozai got up from the sofa and walked over to kiss her head. "I promise if anything goes wrong, we'll leave together. I promise."

Katara nodded.

….

"Hey! Those are my things!" Katara shouted as she caught Ursa snooping through her clothes from her luggage and found some of the lingerie that Ozai had bought her a while back.

Ursa smirked as she had a pair of thongs in hand and held it up. "These fit you? They're so tiny."

Snatching them from Ursa, Katara shoved them back into her suitcase and eyed the woman. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I wanted to chat. Figured we could discuss the elephant in the room." Ursa said.

"And that would be?"

"You and Ozai and my son." Ursa grinned at Katara. "Ozai tells me you're a good girl outside the sheets and I want to believe him but I can't seem to get past you hurting my son. While he's made me aware that you two have made up, I just feel like I need to make something clear to you." Ursa's demeanor changed to a more serious one. "My husband's and my son's sex life is not any of my concern these days, however, I don't want to have either of them fighting over you. If it comes to that, I will blame you and you don't want that. So, are you going to keep that from happening, Katara?"

Katara nodded.

"Good girl." Ursa patted her jaw. "You can get back to settling in."

Katara swallowed hard as her boyfriend's wife left out of her room and turned to her things she needed to unpack. She worried about having moved into this house with Ozai's family. Sure, he made it clear they were all family since she had Yumiko but…Katara just felt like an outsider nonetheless. And she was. Just some girl that worked as a hostess to help her poor mother out and ended up hitting the jackpot with a very rich client. Hell, her own mother wanted nothing to do with her, how could she even truly be embraced by this family.

Dinner time rolled around and Katara had taken a seat away from everyone else at the table to which Ozai eyed her funny for doing. She barely spoke a word as Ursa and Zuko had a conversation with Ozai about something she didn't really seem to understand. It was her hope that the night would continue with her being ignored so she could slip off to bed but Ursa had to ruin her plans by asking a question that put her in the hot seat.

"So, Katara, what's your opinion of women? Do you find them attractive?"

Katara nearly choked on her food as she saw Zuko staring at his mother strangely and Ozai seemingly curious about her answer.

Getting herself together, Katara cleared her throat and looked to Ursa. "Sorry, I'm a little confused."

"Just tell me, anything you find appealing about women? Ever been with one?" Ursa asked before sipping her wine.

Averting her eyes, "I mean, I went through a phase in high-school. At least, I think it was a phase. I had a girlfriend for the first two years but I never did anything with her." Katara admitted.

Smirking behind her glass, "What about now? Do you still find women attractive?"

Awkwardly pulling her hair behind her ear, "Sometimes. Depends. Some women are beautiful but their personalities turn me off. I care more about the personality than the gender of a person."

Ozai hid his amusement at her answer and saw his son eyeing him as if to ask whether his mother asked on his behalf.

"How nice. I like that you keep an open mind. We're not your typical family as you know, so it's always good to be open to things." Ursa said cryptically.

Katara nodded.

As they all retired for the evening, Katara had just gotten out the shower in her towel when she saw Ozai waltz in without knocking.

"Staying the first night with me?" Katara asked him as she was about to undo her towel.

Grinning at her, "Thought it would be better if you came to my room." He offered his hand.

Kataea glanced over at their daughter in her crib, "Is it wise for me to leave her?"

"Take the baby monitor." He told her.

Katara grabbed it and hurried to take his hand as he pulled her out of her room. She didn't notice Zuko coming up the stairs as his father yanked her into his room, shutting the door behind him.

In the room, Katara saw Ozai eyeing her funny as he stood in front of the door waiting for her to remove her towel. She smirked and let her towel fall to the floor but just as she was going to waltz up and kiss him, she froze at the sound of chuckling behind her.

"Oh, she's hotter than I thought with her clothes off, Ozai." Ursa grinned. "I'm glad you managed to convince her to join us."

Katara looked from Ursa, who was lounging nude on the bed, back at Ozai, who was shielding the door. "What's going on here?" She asked him.

"You didn't tell her, Ozai?" Ursa sat up.

"Tell me what?" Katara was confused.

Ozai smirked at her, "Figured since you're both my women that the three of us would learn to be more intimate with one another."

Katara furrowed her brows at him and shook her head before grabbing her towel. "I'm not doing this, Ozai. I don't know what you think of me for you to even suggest this."

"Katara, let's just-"

"Let me out. I'm going to bed."

"At least consider."

"There's nothing to consider!" Katara raised her voice as she couldn't believe what she was being asked. "I want to be with you! Just you! Why do you try to pond me off on your son and now your wife?!"

"Kat-"

"Let me out!"

Ozai sighed and stepped away from the door to let her leave. The door slammed behind her and Ursa sighed.

"Poor girl, she really is a good girl."

…

The next few weeks were uncomfortable between Katara and Zuko's parents. She didn't speak to either of them, avoided them at all costs, and refused to have dinner with them. Zuko noticed after she started working at the hospital that she would go straight to her rooms and kick the nanny out. He wanted to speak with her but he didn't know what exactly was going on and felt he probably didn't want to know.

However, one day while about to grab a snack from the fridge, Zuko overheard his parents talking in the kitchen.

"She hasn't said a word to you?" Ursa asked.

Shaking his head as he drank some of his hard liquor. "I haven't seen her in a few days. She keeps her door locked."

"You should have explained the situation to her." Ursa scoffed.

"I didn't think she'd respond like that. She's never turned me down like that. Katara always gives me what I want."

"Yes but you trying to push her back on Zuko and then on me, that's too much for a girl."

"I didn't try pushing her on you!" Ozai hissed. "You're the one that suggested a threesome!"

Zuko's eyes widened.

Ursa snorted, "Yes, well, you think I want you and her having all the fun while I have to sit back and watch?"

Ozai rolled his eyes, "Get yourself a lover if it bothers you that much but you've managed to ruin things between us! I can't even go see the baby when she's here. I have to wait till she's at work!"

"I didn't ruin anything. You could have said no but you wanted it just as much as I did."

"I'm a man. Of course, I'd be game for that."

Ursa wanted to pull her teeth out, "Whatever. Just tell her you're sorry and get her a gift or something."

"I tried. She just dumps it off in front of my room's door." Ozai rubbed his temple. "She's not easily bought. I can't really throw money at her because in the end that's not what she wants from me."

"What does she want from you?"

"Me."

"You finally found someone that doesn't want your money, Ozai. You won't find that again. Fix it."

Zuko slipped away and decided to go check on Katara. He found her room was opened and peaked in only to see she wasn't in her room. He figured she might be outside as he caught her plenty of times in the garden area with Yumiko.

Finding her right where he expected her to be, Zuko approached her and saw her gaze lift from the sleeping baby in her arms.

"Hey,"

"Hi."

Zuko took a seat beside her on the bench and glanced over at his baby half-sister. "Are you alright?"

Katara looked from him to the stars up above, "I don't think you want to know."

"I think I overheard my parents discussing it." Zuko admitted awkwardly.

Sighing as she turned away from him, "Sometimes I think your father looks at me like a sex object. Like thats all he has use from me. I mean, I get it, he met me in the club as a hostess but I thought I was more than that now."

Zuko could understand why she thought that, however, "You're not my dad's first girlfriend, Katara. He's had plenty of them over the years. I never met any of them and neither has my mother. He keeps those things to himself. But for some reason, he's decided with you that he wanted to have kids with you and bring you around us. I don't think he just sees you as a tool for sex. I just think he's more sexually attracted to you than he is to anyone else because you're sort of what I think he's been looking for. So maybe, he gets carried away with things because he just feels really strongly about you."

"Then why is he trying to have me sleep with you and then your mom?"

Zuko scratched his head, "Well, apparently from what I overheard, it was my mom's idea and my dad only agreed because he's a man and that's sort of something that turns us on."

Katara sighed.

"As for why he wants you with me, I don't know. Maybe guilt because he can't exactly be exclusive with you since he's married to my mother." Zuko told her. "He has a guilty conscience."

Katara rolled her eyes, "He's a jealous man, Zuko. When I told him we had sex for the first time, he fucked me in the public restrooms in the park."

"Wow." Zuko said as he suddenly recalled how she just left abruptly that time they first had sex. "So there wasn't anything wrong with your mother. It was him."

Katara cringed and nodded.

Zuko glanced down at Yumiko, "Well, I guess something good came out of all this." He said before looking back at Katara. "Go talk to my dad and sort things out. He's not very bright about this kind of stuff."

Returning inside with Zuko walking beside her, Katara saw Ozai was in the hallway outside her bedroom door pacing. He stopped and looked up at him. She immediately saw a glimpse of jealousy on his face and felt guilty for having him think there was something between her and Zuko again.

"Ozai, can we talk?" Katara asked.

Ozai nodded at her before shooting his son a look.

Zuko wanted to laugh as he remembered what Katara told him about his father.

In her room with the door shut, Katara turned to Ozai and explained why she had been so offended by him trying to have a threesome with her and his wife. She felt like he was trying to pass her around for his family. Like she was some sex fiend that wanted to do every member of his family. It was insulting. Sure, they met in a club where she worked as a hostess and fucked each other relentless for a few months before things go serious. But she wasn't a whore. She wanted him and him alone. Sure, she still had feelings for Zuko but that didn't mean she was going to request the three of them have sex together.

"I mean, I could arrange that." Ozai said.

Katara's mouth dropped.

"A birthday gift or something since you don't really like any of the gifts I get you." Ozai suggested.

Furrowing her brows, "Did you not hear anything I just said?"

"You're blowing this out of proportion. I said you could have another boyfriend. I've told you that back when we first started seeing each other and after you signed our contract. I'd prefer if that boyfriend be my son. I can't really tolerate anyone else." Ozai explained honestly.

Folding her arms, "So I'm starting to hear a glimpse of honesty here."

Groaning as he looked away from her, "If you're going to see anyone other than me, I'd prefer it were Zuko. I can tolerate that. I can't tolerate it being anyone else. I won't allow it."

Katara sighed and sat on the edge of bed, "I knew that would be the case, Ozai. Before you knew it was Zuko I was seeing, you practically oozed jealousy whenever I mentioned what me and my boyfriend were doing. Like you wanted to know for curiosity's sake but you couldn't handle it. Knowing I was with someone else."

"I love you, Katara. I don't actually want you with anyone else but I can't say that because it wouldn't be fair to you seeing as I'm still married." Ozai explained. "I rather you be honest about seeing someone else than go behind my back. If it's Zuko, I can stomach it. Anyone else, I think I'll snap."

Taking his hand, Katara pulled him down to sit beside her and caressed his face. "Ozai, let's stop thinking about that, okay?"

Ozai nodded.

"Good boy." Katara smirked. "Want to stay here tonight?"

…..

Living in the house shared by Ozai's wife, mistress, and children was not a difficult venture at all. Things went smoothly with everyone knowing their roles and place in the house. Ozai was good at keeping both women in his life happy and helping them befriend one another. Of course, it was obvious to see his mistress was by far his favorite but neither woman felt any jealousy towards the other. Ursa made it clear that her and Ozai's relationship felt more like a formality since neither wanted to go through a divorce. However, Katara knew that she and Ursa were not the only women in Ozai's life. There was the model he saw whenever he ventured to the Fire Nation. Katara never bothered to think about her unless Ozai had to leave for a trip there but as of late, she had noticed Ozai's been going to the Fire Nation quite a bit to see his eldest brother. She spoke to Ursa about the woman and Ursa was very honest to her about the kind of woman his other mistress was.

"She's nowhere near as catering or loving as you are to him. It's why only you have a child with him and not her. However, she never fails to win his attention when he's over there. The things you won't do with him, she will." Ursa told Katara as they were in the kitchen fixing dinner. "I only met her once and she's every bit of the snobby bitch you'd expect her to be. I don't know what Ozai sees in her but he refuses to get rid of her."

Katara wasn't so happy to hear any of this. She didn't know what to make of such a woman. She always thought Ozai wanted someone that was more of a 'family' oriented woman. However, he might be attracted to all kinds of women now that she thought about it. Zuko had mentioned before that he had had other girlfriends in the past.

Ursa saw Katara getting lost in her thoughts and chuckled, "Trust me, Katara. You're the one he loves. She's just a stand in for when you two are apart. Just think of it that way."

After finishing dinner, Katara saw Zuko had come in with his girlfriend Mai while his mother greeted them. She knew not to say much to Mai besides giving a friendly smile. Ozai hated the girl and so did Ursa, but Mai hated her. Katara knew Zuko must have told her about them and Mai developed a sense of jealousy towards her. She never let it bother her as she and Zuko were just friends now but that didn't stop Mai from giving her a look every so often.

"Your father seems to be running late from the office." Ursa said as they all took their seats.

Zuko said something under his breath that only Mai seemed to hear. Katara figured it was about his father because Mai looked her dead in the eyes and smirked.

"Katara, give him a call and ask him where he is. Heaven knows he'll pick up if it's you calling."

Nodding her head, Katara stepped out the dining room to call Ozai and just as Ursa predicted, he picked up.

"Hey, Ozai, are you on the way?" Katara asked.

*Sorry, sweet stuff, but he's with me tonight. You'll see him in the morning.*

"Wait, who is this?" Katara asked as her brow raised.

*I'm the other bitch. Now, I've gotta go, he's getting out of the shower. See ya soon.* *click*

Katara stared down at her phone and walked back into the dining room with an annoyed look on her face.

"What's wrong, dear? Is he not coming?" Ursa asked.

"Apparently, he won't be home till morning, so you all can start without him. I'm going to bed." Katara said as she walked over to the highchair Yumiko was sitting in and picked her up before waltzing upstairs, slamming her door behind her.

Zuko eyed his mother as Mai giggled.

"Is she in town?" he asked his mother.

Ursa sighed, "Possibly." She rubbed her temple. "I don't doubt your father will bring her over to meet Katara."

Zuko figured he might need to postpone his trip to see Mai's parents this weekend as he might have to break up a cat fight.

The next morning, Ursa was in the kitchen having a cup of coffee when she saw her husband enter with a pair of shades on and a guest on his arm.

"Where's Katara, I've got someone I want her to meet." Ozai said to his wife.

Ursa sipped her coffee and told her husband she was at work.

"Whoa, wait, she works?" Said the guest her husband brought in. "Ozai, I thought you said she was the love of your life. Why are you making her work?"

Ursa smirked and answered for her husband, "Katara isn't with him for the money, Fumi. She actually cares about him. To prove that, she works to make a living of her own."

Fumi grinned at Ursa, "How sweet. I can't wait to meet her. I heard she's very beautiful. Definitely a step up from us old hags."

Ursa wanted to slap this bitch and gave her husband a look to get this woman out of her face. Ozai sighed and told Fumi to go upstairs to his room before kissing her forehead. When she was gone, he sighed and took off his shades. Ursa gasped as she saw his eyes were puffy and red.

"Ozai, what the-...Don't tell me you started doing that filthy drug again?"

Ozai grabbed a cup out of the cabinet and poured himself some coffee, "Don't tell Katara. I don't want her to know about it. Plus, I only do it when Fumi is around. It's not like I'm addicted. Just for a little fun."

Rolling her eyes, Ursa glared at the cup in her hand. "What do you even see in that junky bitch?"

"Hey, watch what you say about her. I want to keep the peace since she will be staying here with us for the next few weeks." Ozai told her.

Ursa looked up at her husband, "You think Katara will be okay with this? Sharing you with a wife, is one thing but with that woman, it'll be something completely different, Ozai. She won't go for it."

"Katara and I have an understanding. So, long as I don't force her into any uncomfortable situations, she's okay with it." Ozai said confidently as he drank his coffee.

"You clearly don't know her very well if you think that."

"I know she loves me enough to let me live as I please." Ozai bit out and eyed her with an icy gaze.

Ursa scoffed and walked off, "Don't ask me to clear this mess up for you, Ozai."

Later that day, Katara was getting back from the hospital and went into the living room to say hi to Zuko, who was on his laptop watching tv.

"Hey, Kat." Zuko said with a smile.

Smiling back, "Hey, is your dad home?"

Zuko nodded. "He's been asleep all day. Think he's sick."

Katara furrowed her brows, "I'll go check on him." Zuko nodded and got back to what he was working on.

Going upstairs, Katara walked down the hall to Ozai's room and knocked before letting herself in. As she did, she saw his lights were turned off and he was under the covers snoring. She sighed with a small smile as she made her way over to him. However, as she got closer, she saw there was someone else in bed with him and realized upon getting to the edge of the bed that it wasn't Ursa. Katara's brows furrowed and she felt something come over her immediately as she balled her fists.

Ursa was about to go soak in the tub when she heard some commotion from down the hall and soon heard Ozai shouting for Zuko to come help him followed by glass shattering. She decided her bath would have to wait as she left her room to go see what was going on. As soon as she peaked around the corner, she saw her son yanking on Katara as the girl was pulling Fumi's hair, dragging her out of Ozai's room. Sighing, I told him.

"Let go of my hair, your bitch!" Fumi yelled as Ozai was yanking her back by her middle.

Still holding her hair as Zuko had her around her waist, Katara kicked her foot at the woman's head and managed to kick her in the face.

"Katara, let go." Zuko told her.

"No! What is this bitch doing in his bed?!" Katara screamed as she yanked Fumi's hair more.

"Ozai! Make her stop!"

Ozai looked at Katara and shouted for her to let go.

"No!" Katara yelled back. "Make her leave!"

"This is my house, Katara! I can let who I want in! Now, let go!"

Katara finally let go and Zuko pulled her a little ways away as Fumi cried out in pain. She glared at Ozai as he tried to help Fumi up and shrugged Zuko off of her before storming down the hall to her rooms.

"Hey, you get back here, Katara!" Ozai yelled.

The door slammed and Zuko saw his mother walk up to them, giving his father a scowl as he helped Fumi back into the room.

"I told you this would happen, Ozai." Ursa scoffed.

"Shut the fuck up, Ursa!" Ozai spat before he slammed his door in her face.

Sighing as she looked to her son, "What happened?"

Zuko shrugged, "Guess Katara caught dad in bed with Fumi."

Ursa sighed, "Let me go talk to her."

Entering Katara's room, Ursa saw the nanny leaving as Katara was packing some clothes into a suitcase.

"What's going on here?" Ursa asked.

"I'm leaving." Katara said as she sniffled and wiped her tears. "He's gone all night and then comes home with that bitch. I'm not dealing with this."

Ursa sighed, "Katara, dear, calm down. I know you're upset. I was too when Ozai first decided we would see other people."

Katara wiped her eyes and looked to Ursa, "I'm sorry, Ursa. I'm sorry for sleeping with your hus-"

"Katara," Ursa chuckled, "by the time Ozai got to you, I had long since stopped caring. Honestly, you're my favorite of his girlfriends. Believe me when I say I'm not happy that Fumi is here. I absolutely hate that disrespectful bitch. However, Ozai's right. It's his house and he can have whoever he wants over. Now, don't leave because she's here."

"I'm not staying here if she's here."

"It's only for a few weeks, Katara. I'll be here with you the entire time. It'll be nice having someone else to snub the woman with me." Ursa chuckled a little. "Plus, we can give Ozai the cold shoulder together and make him regret bringing her around. What do you say?"

Sniffling, "Okay. I'll stay but I'm not doing anything for him while she's here. Fumi can do all that since he wants her so badly."

Laughing, "He'll get rid of her in no time."

The following morning, Katara was getting ready for work when Ozai came into her room without prompt and stared hard at her in the mirror as she was doing her makeup.

"Can I help you, Ozai?" Katara asked.

"What the hell was that last night? Coming into my room and attacking Fumi like that?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

Applying her lip gloss, "Zuko said you were sick, I went to check on you, and it caught me off guard that she was in your bed. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Want me to apologize to her too?" Katara asked as she turned to look at him.

Ozai sighed, "No, I'll tell her you said so. Just try to keep the peace. Please, you have no reason to be jealous. Things are just transactional between her and I. Nothing like it is for you and me. Understand?"

Katara nodded.

Smirking as he walked up to kiss her, Ozai noticed her turn her head and he kissed her cheek. "You'll grow to like her. I promise."

But Katara had no intention of liking that bitch Fumi. After work, Katara began cooking in the kitchen to prepare dinner. She spoke a little with Zuko as he was just getting off work too and told her about his day and how Fumi was in his father's office all day. Katara refused to show her jealousy even though she was tempted to spit in Ozai's food and make him eat it. However, she thought up something else instead.

When Ozai arrived late from work with Fumi following behind him, he saw his family and Mai was already at the table eating without him. He raised a brow as he saw his plate wasn't fixed and eyed his wife and Katara. Both tried not to snicker.

"You're home sooner than we thought." Ursa said as dabbed her lips with her napkin. "Thought the two of you were going to grab a bite to eat since you're running late again from the office."

Katara grabbed her wine glass and sipped it, "didn't want to starve waiting up for you." She said with a bit of a tone.

Zuko saw his mother and Katara burst into laughter as his father took Fumi back out the door. He figured the two did this intentionally to piss off his father which was much better than them attacking Fumi. However, he was surprised that Katara was being petty this way.

The next few days were trying for Ozai. Not only did Katara stop cooking for him, she wasn't doing anything else for him, including entertaining his company at night. It was all blamed on being tired or forgetfulness but Ozai wasn't stupid. Eventually, things escalated and he caught Katara cuddled up on the sofa with Zuko one night watching a movie. He was about to say something to them when Katara got up and patted Zuko's head before telling him goodnight. Ozai went on to follow Katara upstairs and stopped her before she went into her room.

"Tomorrow, you're going to sleep in my room, okay? I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses about being tired. You're just being passive aggressive because of Fumi." Ozai told her.

Katara yawned and turned to look at Ozai, "Passive aggressive? I thought Fumi was here to give me a break from having to look after you."

"Katara, you know out of the three of you, you're the only one that does anything for me. Why are you playing games?"

Scratching her head, "I'm the only one that does what for you?"

"Katara! Who else does what you do for me?!"

"Wow, Ozai, I didn't realize it was only me that took care of you. I figured Fumi must be more useful to you since you shunned me for her."

"Shunned you?!"

"Yes, shunned me." Katara's eyes narrowed. "You've got three women under one roof and you piss off the only one that actually looks after you for the most useless one. I think I have a right to be passive aggressive."

"Kat-"

Opening her bedroom door, "Ask Fumi to look after you since this is your house and you can have whoever you want in it."

The door slammed in his face.

Zuko decided to tag along with Katara the following morning as she was taking Yumiko out to the park. As they reached the city park and Katara pushed the stroller while Zuko walked beside her, he noticed a few people eyeing them like they were a couple. Honestly, he felt like they looked like one some of the time. Lately, he had been thinking about their past relationship and hated that it ended. Getting back with Mai only seemed to further remind him of them since Katara was everything Mai wasn't. His dad was a moron to have Fumi around when he had someone like Katara with him. It seriously pissed him off.

"So how are you and Mai doing?" Katara asked.

Shrugging, "Not much to say about us to be completely honest." Zuko admitted.

Katara glanced over at Zuko sympathetically, "Is everything okay?"

"It is but it's not like how things were with us." Zuko told her. "When it was you and me, we just did whatever came to mind and had fun. But Mai, she's just…"

"Bland." Katara said.

Zuko nodded. "I really wished we could be like we used to be."

"We can." Katara told him with a smile. "I wouldn't mind going to that cat cafe we went to after class that one time."

Zuko grinned at her, "You wanna go now?"

Katara smiled and nodded.

Arriving at the cat cafe, the two got a table by the window and watched the cats play with a yarn ball near them as a waitress took their order.

"So, are you going to continue this cold war with my dad for long?" Zuko asked.

Katara ate some of her toffee ice cream and nodded, "Even after Fumi leaves."

Chuckling, "I didn't realize you could be so…petty."

"Petty?" Katara raised a brow. "Zuko, you've never met my mother, that woman was petty. Still is. She won't even speak to me anymore because your father actually seems to care about me compared to my father, who left her."

Zuko grimaced at this, "I didn't know."

"Yeah," Katara licked her spoon. "My mother hates me. Has hated me ever since your father and I have been seeing each other."

"I'm sorry, Kat."

"It's fine. I just thought that after ruining my relationship with my mother and doing everything I can to prove I care about him, that he'd have more decency and tact to not have that whorish bitch in the house." Katara scoffed as she swirled her spoon in her melting ice cream. "If he had her at the condo and didn't come back for a few weeks, I could accept that better than this. But I just sort of feel disrespected."

Zuko sighed and reached to take Katara's hand, "I'm here for you, Kat."

"Thanks, Zuko." Katara beamed at him.

Returning home, Katara was giggling at this story about what happened to Zuko at work when she saw Ozai coming down the steps, eyeing them both.

"Where have you all been?" He asked them.

"We had some fun in the city with Yumiko." Katara replied as she took her daughter from Zuko.

"Guess I'll head off to bed. I've got a long day tomorrow." Zuko said before kissing Katara's forehead. "Night, Kat."

"Night, Zuko." Katara smiled at him as he kissed Yumiko's cheek.

Ozai eyed her the entire time with a scowl.

"I'm going to bed, Ozai. Whatever you got to say. Save it for another time. Night." Katara said as she walked around him and went up the stairs.

….

In his room with Fumi, mounted on top of him, Ozai hissed between his teeth as he was nearly upon his completion. When he came, Fumi pushed his away as she got up and hurried off to the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Ozai mentally cursed himself as he realized he did it again. It was the fourth night in a row that he called for Katara while with Fumi and he knew Fumi was fed up with him. He got up to go check on the woman and saw her cleaning herself.

"If that stupid bitch means so much to you, why are you with me?" Fumi glared at him.

Leaning against the threshold, "Because I care about you too, Fumi. I don't want to give you up either."

Fumi sniffled as she looked away from him, "You do?"

"Yes." Ozai told her. "I don't want to have to pick between any of you."

"But Katara hates me."

"I'm trying to think up a way to change that." Ozai told her.

"She could join us?" Fumi suggested.

Ozai shook his head, "I suggested that…that was the only time before now that she was pissed at me."

"Maybe I could talk some sense into her."

"You think?"

Fumi nodded. "She and I just need to have a better understanding."

Katara was getting ready for bed when she heard a knock on the door. She went to answer the door and saw it was Zuko. She smiled up at him.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Mai and I broke up." Zuko told her.

Katara told him to come in and shut the door behind them.

For an hour Zuko explained what happened between Mai and him. Apparently, she felt the same way he did about their relationship. It was a mutual breakup but Zuko still felt really bad about it. Katara got dressed in some baggy clothes and grabbed her car keys. The two of them left the house to head to the bar after asking Ursa to watch Yumiko.

Reaching a bar Katara used to go to, Katara ordered them her favorite mixed drinks, the red tide, and told Zuko to unwind. It didn't take long for them to both loosen up a little and get to talking.

"Really, I'm not too upset." Zuko admitted. "I knew it wouldn't last long. Mai isn't the kind of girl I could see myself with anyway."

Katara sighed as she could understand that.

"Really, I'm sort of worried about you. My dad always seems so head over heels for you and I still think he really loves you, I just don't understand why he'd keep Fumi around knowing it upsets you."

Drinking her cup, "I don't know why either, Zuko. I'm thinking maybe your father thinks he can buy his way out of any situation but I'm not letting him off the hook. I think I should move out. I saved enough money from work at the hospital to get a decent place."

Furrowing his brows, "You're breaking up with my dad?"

Katara shrugged, "I don't know, Zuko. Maybe, maybe not. It just depends on how your father wants to do things moving forward. I love him but I won't let him just treat me any kind of way. I refuse."

Zuko sighed and nodded, "You really aren't after his money."

Katara shook his head, "He helped me alot and I appreciate everything he's given but if all he can do is say what I want to hear and sprinkle a few thousand dollars on it, I don't think it's going to work between us."

"Well, I support whatever it is you decide to do." Zuko told her.

Smiling at Zuko, "Thanks."

…

While Zuko had seen it coming after his chat with Katara, he was still surprised that she really went through with it. Even more surprised by his father's reaction. His father was always reserved and kept his composure with different things. However, his father lost it when Katara broke up with him. He had to hold his father back when he tried to stop Katara from leaving. Zuko could see Katara didn't want to do this but his father told her the other night that she shouldn't complain when she knew he had another woman outside of her and his wife. It was his own fault.

"You won't get away with this, Katara! I promise you! This isn't over!" Ozai shouted at her.

Ursa scowled at him as she helped Katara take her things and Yumiko to the cab.

It was about a week later that he saw Katara again, she was at the grocery store with Yumiko, shopping for dinner. He was about to go speak with her when he saw men in suits approach her. He paused and furrowed his brows.

"Can I help you?" Katara asked.

"We have orders to take the child and return her to her father." One of the men said.

Raising a brow, "Excuse me?!"

Another pulled out a document and showed it to her, "In the event that you tried to take the child and go your own way before the five years of the contract is up, custody immediately goes to Mr. Yong." He explained.

"What?!" Katara's eyes widened in disbelief.

Zuko watched as two of the men held Katara back while the other grabbed Yumiko, causing a scene in the store as Katara screamed for them to give her back her daughter. As the men took Yumiko, Zuko hurried over to Katara as she wept on her knees.

"Kat, you okay?"

Katara looked up and saw Zuko. She grabbed him by his collar, "Zuko! Where are they taking her?!"

Lifting his hand up, "Kat, I don't know."

"Then why are you here?!"

"I-I I was just passing by. I was going to speak until those guys showed up."

Katara knew Zuko wouldn't lie about that sort of thing. She let go of him and cried, "Zuko, your father…those men were here because of him!"

Zuko sighed and told Katara they'd figure something out.

The two headed back to her place and as soon as they arrived, Katara saw her landlord clearing out her apartment. She furrowed her brows and walked up to the man.

"Hey, what's going on?" Katara asked.

"The check you gave just bounced, so Imma need you to do the same." The landlord told her.

Furrowing her brows, "What?! I just got paid yesterday and I have tons of money saved up! It shouldn't have bounced!"

"Well…you got the money now? I'll let you cashapp it to me it with next month's rent for making me go up there with a no good check."

Zuko glared at the landlord trying to swindle Katara.

Not putting up a fight as she had too much to deal with already, Katara pulled up her app and was about to send the money when she noticed there was an error message when she tried sending the cash. She finally decided to pull up her banking account on her phone and shocked to see all her money was gone.

"What?! I know I had money in here before I went to get groceries!" Katara shouted in outrage.

The landlord rolled his eyes, "I don't have time for this! You've got to take your things a leave!"

Katara gaped at her phone as the landlord walked around her.

"Kat, it's alright. You can come with me. Mom and I moved back to the penthouse after you left." Zuko told her. "You can stay with us until we sort things out."

Ursa was surprised when she saw her son bring Katara into the penthouse and rush her to his room. She was going to follow them until she saw Zuko shut the door behind him, leaving Katara in the room by herself.

Furrowing her brows, "What's going on?"

Zuko looked at his mother and shook his head as his eyes were wide. "Dad's lost it. I ran into Katara and Yumiko at the store when these men took Yumiko from her."

"What?!"

"Yeah, so I drove her to her place only for her landlord to kick her out because the check she gave him bounced. When she went to check her bank statement, she had no money."

Ursa looked pitifully over at her son's room door as she heard Katara crying in there. "Your father did the same to me, Zuko." She confessed. "He froze all my accounts and removed money from the account I had through his bank. It's why I've been putting up with him. Even if I had my own money, he'd just get to it before I did and shut it down. She's his financial hostage."

"He can't do that!"

"But he can, Zuko. The two of them were in a contractual relationship. Even if they had real feelings for each other, your father's not stupid enough to not have safe guards in place in case she decided to get away from him. He probably made these safeguards in place just for her. Since he knew buying her wasn't possible, he made it where she can't even make her own income without his say so." Ursa sighed. "I'm going to go have a word with him."

Zuko sighed and nodded, "I'll stay here with her."

Ozai had been really eager to answer the door when he heard the buzzard. However, he was a little disappointed to see it was his wife and not Katara.

"You son of a bitch! How could you do that to that girl?!" Ursa shouted as she slapped him.

Backing up as he held his cheek, "She went crying to you about it, did she?"

"No! Your son ran into her and witnessed Yumiko being taken away and her accounts being frozen!" Ursa glared at him. "Why?! Why would you do that to her?!"

Ozai glared back at his wife, "She's the one that broke the contract! She left me!"

"And she was right to! You're just mad the money wasn't enough to make her stay! No, it requires too much effort from you to do more than wave your wallet around and demand submission!"

"That ungrateful bitch had nothing! Absolutely nothing, Ursa! Not even her own mother gave a rat's ass about her! I put a roof over her head, give her a child to love and care for, anything she could want, I give it to her!" Ozai raised his voice in frustration. "And all because I wanted Fumi for a few weeks, she decided to leave me! If that girl knows what's good for her, she'll come here and beg me to take her back!"

Ursa looked at her husband in disgust.

"Let her know, I'm waiting." Ozai told his wife.

Returning home, Ursa threw her keys on the lobby counter and made a b-line for the kitchen. She pulled out a bottle of wine from the wine cooler and uncorked it, pouring herself a glass that she chugged down all too quickly before pouring some more.

Catching a glimpse of her son leaving his bedroom, Ursa sighed as she looked at him. "Your father isn't going to let up until she comes crawling back to him, begging to be taken back."

"You didn't tell him she's here with us, did you?" Zuko asked.

Ursa drank her wine and shook her head, "No but she can't stay here."

"Where is she going to go?"

"I don't know, Zuko. If Ozai finds out she's here, he'll just take his anger out on us and then we'll lose everything. I can't risk that."

Zuko furrowed his brows, "I forgot we were sellouts."

"Zu-"

"No, I'll figure something out." Zuko said before skulking off.

Ursa sighed as she shook her head, "No, it's fine. She can stay. Just…don't make it obvious she's with us."

…..

A/N: Part 3 will be out soon enough