#miavortice

“I want to see them!  Put them on the screen!” A throaty, rough voice filled the room as Lu Ten set up his phone beneath a large flat screen.  He was fiddling with the touch screen, trying to get it connected.  

“How’s that?” he asked.  Behind him, Azula was sitting on the couch with Katara. On the floor before them were Zuko and Sokka.  “Can you see them now?”

A laugh came from the speakers.  “Not with you standing in front of the camera, my boy.”  

“Sorry, Dad.”  Lu Ten had a lopsided smile on his face as he stepped away.  On the flat screen, they saw a man with hair more gray than black and a neat beard.  He was seated in what looked like an office building, wearing a suit.  A rotund old man, but he looked happy and kind, just like his son.  “Can you see them now?”

“Ah!  Yes, I can.”  Iroh laughed once more.  “Hello, everyone.  I’m sorry I couldn’t join you tonight.”

“You’re in the Fire Nation, Uncle Iroh,” Sokka said.  “It’s okay.”

Katara raised her arm, as if to answer a question in class.  “Uncle Iroh, thank you for letting us stay at your family’s villa in Ember Island.  This year, we’re going to bring Azula and Zuko.  Is that okay?”

“Of course it is, Katara,” Iroh said.  “I would be very happy to have my niece and nephew visit.”  

“Un...Uncle Iroh,” Zuko said, blushing.  “I sorry I don’t remember you much, but I hope we can meet you soon.”

“Yes, Uncle!” Azula said.  “I left here when I was just a baby, so I don’t remember either.”

“I hope to meet you two in person soon, as well,” Iroh said, his voice softening.  “But looking at you two...ah...  Zuko, you look just like your father when he was your age and Azula...I can already tell you have that Souzin fire in you.”  

Both children seemed to sit up straighter with pride.

Out of view from the camera, outside, on a wooden deck with the other parents, Ursa sighed at the scene.  Part of her wanted to go in and greet Iroh, too, but a larger part of her was ashamed to show her face to him.  Iroh was such a good man and treated her like his own sister.  She didn’t want to face his disapproval for keeping her children away for so long.  

In addition, she divorced his precious younger brother and, if Lu Ten’s words were true, broke Ozai’s heart - which she still doubted.

“And you’ll be joining us then, right?” Kya seemed to prod at Ozai from where she leaned against the wooden railing.  

Ozai didn’t budge.  “I can’t.”

“You always say that.”  Hakoda sounded tired of excuses.  “Come on, Ozai.  This will be the first year Azula and Zuko will go since Zuko was born.  You have to be there.”  

“Besides, we always feel bad going.  It’s your family’s place,” Kya said.  Ozai gave her a dull look.

“My brother sent me photos of you all having a BBQ on the beach last year, having the time of your lives.  How badly can you feel?”

“Okay, somewhat guilty,” Kya said.

“It just gets really good waves on your family’s beach...,” Hakoda added.  “Anyway, that’s not the point.  The point is that this year, you’ll all be joining us.”

“Wait, not me, right?” Ursa said, lowering the her glass of white wine and placing it on the patio table.  She looked from her friends to her ex-husband with uncertainty.

“You’ll be there, too,” Kya said so confident that Ursa wondered if she already agreed to it and simply forgot.

She shook her head.  “Kya, I can’t.  I’m still looking for a place and then I have to move things in, not to mention start looking for a job.  My prenup will provide just the basics and I won’t get it until after the divorce is settled.”

Kya wrinkled her nose and Hakoda rubbed his chin; a sign that they were both mulling over her valid point.

“Don’t you think you should go with the children.  Won’t they feel uncomfortable with you present?” Ozai asked.

Ursa lowered her eyes.  She doubted they would.  “I’m afraid they may be used to it.  I was away more often that I would’ve liked.”

“All the more reason for you to go, don’t you think?” Hakoda asked.  “It’ll be good quality time with their mother.”  He gave a pointed look at Ozai.  “And father.”  

“Hakoda-”

“It’s just for a few days and it’s a few weeks away,” Kya said.  “At least think it over.  Seriously.  Ozai.”  She gave him a slight glare and he rolled his eyes.  She turned to Ursa with a more pleasant expectant look.

“I’ll give it a look, but in the off chance that I get a job-”

“If,” Kya stressed.  “Until then, we’ll count you as going.”

Ursa sighed and conceded.  “So stubborn.”

“I’m a determined woman,” Kya said, agreeing as she walked towards the open doors.  “Iroh!  Good news!”

“Kya!”  Ursa ran after her, leaving the two men alone on the deck overlooking a freshly cleaned and filled swimming pool illuminated in the dark.

Ozai scowled and turned his irritation to Hakoda seated on a hammock chair.  “I told you when you met her that she was trouble.”

Hakoda grinned and lifted his half empty scotch glass.  “And what an amazing ride it’s been, my friend.  You should get back on.”  

Ozai grumbled and snatched the glass from Hakoda’s hand as he stomped back into his house.  He paid no mind to his brother’s enlarged head on his flat screen on his way to the kitchen, but couldn’t ignore the humbled joy of Iroh’s voice.

“But Ursa, you must come,” Iroh said with clear insistence.  “It would be a good change of scenery for you.  I’m sure you’ve been so busy with getting re-settled.”

“Iroh, I’m still so busy.   I mean, there are a few drama department positions I’ve applied to for the fall and not to mention looking for a new apartment.”

“Wait, wait.” Lu Ten stood up straight from where he was leaning against the wall.  “Didn’t Uncle tell you that you can stay at my townhouse a few blocks from here.  It’s not too far from Yang Chen Academy and it’s mostly furnished.”  

Ozai looked up from the kitchen island where he was rinsing dishes.  Ursa looked cornered and he almost felt satisfied.  It would be difficult to reject such an offer now that it was out in the open.

“We can stay with cousin Lu Ten?” Zuko looked excited at the prospect.

“Well, at my place, yeah.  I’m usually at my girlfriend’s.”  

“You have a girlfriend!?” Zuko looked so impressed, Ozai was almost envious of the attention his nephew was getting.  

Lu Ten’s face reddened and his eyes darted away.  “Yeah...she’s from the southern Earth Kingdom and is finishing up her studies to be a wildlife veterinarian.”  

Sokka was looking up at him with awe.  “Is she pretty?”

“Sokka....” Kya frowned.  

“Sorry...I mean, does she have a good personality?”

Katara sighed and shook her head at her brother.  “See, this is why Suki doesn’t like you.”

He gave her a glare as Lu Ten laughed.  “Very pretty and with an even better personality.  We get along great, so the town house is yours.”

“That’s very kind of you, Lu Ten, but we still haven’t even discussed the rent-”

“Rent?” A confused look filled his face.  “Auntie, I can’t charge you rent.”

“You’ll have to pay for utilities on your own, but no rent is needed,” Ozai said as he wiped his hands on a dish towel.  “Besides, the town house has been paid off for years.  It’s just property tax that’s due.”

Ursa took a step back and shook her head.  “No, I won’t accept any such charity-”

“No one is saying anything of charity,” Iroh said, drawing everyone’s attention back to him.  “Zuko and Azula will live there.  They are my precious nephew and niece and you are their mother.”

“Didn’t I make it clear?” Ozai asked.  “I take care of my own.”  

The cornered look on her face fell as she paled and tore her eyes away.  She wrung her hands together as a feeling of guilt swept through her.  After vanishing from this family’s life, they would still offer her a home?  How could she accept it?  

Ursa could see the awaiting looks on Azula and Zuko, the concerned expression Lu Ten’s face, and Ozai’s look of calm expectation all fixed on her.  

Everyone wanted her to say yes to taking over Lu Ten’s town house.  Even Kya and Hakoda, who joined his wife at the doorway behind her, seemed to be waiting for her agreement.  

But she bring herself to couldn’t agree.  

She felt her eyes dampen.  She didn’t deserve their kindness.

“Give her time to think about it.”  Kya broke the silence and Ursa snapped her head back to her friend.  A serious look was in Kya’s blue eyes as she met Ursa’s.  “It’s close to the school, but there is still a work commute to take into consideration.  It may be better to wait until she finds a job before committing.”  

It was an excuse.  

Ursa never thought about her commute; only that her children remained close to their friends and now, Ozai.  However, it was a valid concern and while it didn’t matter to her, she was grateful to Kya for saving her once again.  Kya gave her a slight nod of her head, a subtle que to agree.

“I’d like to be able to spend as little time in traffic as possible,” Ursa said, turning back to Lu Ten.  She offered him a weak smile.  “Not to mention get home at a reasonable time.”  

“Well, at least come take a look,” Lu Ten said.  “Check out the area and see where it stands.  When you get a position, you can decide if the location works for you.”  

That was the best she was going to get.  At the very least, it bought her some time.

“That is a good idea, my boy,” Iroh said.  “But in the meantime, Ursa, where will you and the children stay?”

“They can stay with us as long as they need to, Iroh,” Hakoda said as he put an arm around Kya, who nodded in agreement.  

“But they can’t stay with you forever,” Ozai said.

“I don’t mind if they stay forever,” Katara said.  “I like having them around.”  Azula looked pleased by this and Zuko nodded.  

“Yes, Kat, but you can’t be greedy,” Ozai told her, his voice a bit softer as he addressed the little girl.  “I’d like to spend time with them, too.”

“Then we should move in with Dad as soon as possible!” Azula announced, as if it were the answer to all their problems.  Her eyes were lit up as she stood up on the couch.

Her words were a blow to Ursa.  “Azula, we can’t-”

“It’s perfect.” Azula continued on, her brows furrowing as they did when she was planning something.  “If we move here, we’ll see Dad without him having to come to your house.  And since he works a lot, we won’t miss him when he comes home because we’ll be here.”

Ursa ran her hand down her face.

“And we’ll be close by!” Now Zuko was voicing his approval and Ursa felt another blow.    “We can walk home from school.”  

Her children finally had their father in reach.  She knew why they wanted to stay at his house, but she couldn’t.  She could barely get through an afternoon with Ozai, how could she live with him day after day?

“And we can move in soon.  Uncle Iroh, did you know we’re going to go furniture shopping for our bedrooms this weekend?” Azula said, looking up at the screen.  “Zu-zu and I already picked our rooms.”

“We helped!” Katara added.  

“Well, that’s wonderful to hear!” Iroh laughed, smiling with eyes filled with mirth.  

“When can we move in?” Azula looked over the couch, to her father still in the kitchen.  She looked so excited.  

Ursa looked to Ozai, unsure of what he would say.  To her surprise, he looked just as unsure.  He lifted his eyes and met hers, as if asking what he should say.  

And of all the things he had said and done that evening, his uncertainty was what overwhelmed her.  Even then, after leaving him for another man and taking their children away, he would not make a decision on them without her approval.

“Ursa!”  She heard Kya’s voice behind her as she ran down the hall.  

“I forgot something at the house!” she said, shouting as she ran to the front door.  She fumbled with the locks, ignoring Kya yelling for her as she ran out of the house on unsteady feet.

“Ursa!”  A chill shot through her as she looked over her shoulder from the driveway.  That wasn’t Kya’s voice.  “Ursa, hold on!”

Every fiber of her being told her to do the opposite.  She looked straight ahead and continued her attempted run in wedges to Hakoda and Kya’s house as Ozai ran after her.  She could hear him catching up.  Longer legs and an athletic body closed the gap between them in a matter of moments.

“Ursa!”  She was nowhere near the other house when his hand grabbed her wrist.  “Wait a moment!  What is wrong with you, suddenly running out of the house?”  

She glared at his hand rather than meet his face, knowing it would show unfamiliar concern instead of a stoic expression she associated with him.  

“Nothing, I just remembered I forgot something at the house,” she said as she pulled back, trying to free her wrist.  

“And so you’re running there now?”

“It’s my phone!”

“What are you talking about?  It’s in your back pocket-”

“You know what I’m talking about!”  She lifted her head and watched him jerk his back.  His hand released her wrist and she stumbled backwards.  She rubbed her wrist as she looked away once more.

“I’m sorry to have pushed you.”  Ursa looked up once more.  “I know being around me bothers you; I was unaware of how much.  The children are of course welcomed at the house any time, but if you feel that uncomfortable-”

“How could I not feel uncomfortable?” Her voice was low and filled with unexpected anger.  “Hospitality from Kya and Hakoda is one thing, but from you...from you and your family?  After what I’ve done?” She shook her head.  “How can you be so welcoming to me after I left you?”

Ursa almost missed the look of pain on his face at the reminder.  Ozai took a deep breath, as if to collect himself before he answered.  

“I take care of my own, and Azula and Zuko are my own.”

She pursed her lips.  “And since I’m there mother, I just happen to be extended that care?”

Ozai said nothing as he seemed to study her.  His eyes narrowed into an irritated glare.  “Do you have a problem with that?”

“I’m not your wife any more.  There’s no reason for you to be so...so....”  She grit her teeth and her hands clenched.  “To be so kind!  I hardly know you.  Since we got here, you’ve been kind and attentive.  You’ve done nothing but show that if you were in their lives, you would’ve been a great father.”

“We don’t know that,” Ozai said.  “When they were in my life, I was hardly around.  I was a terrible one.”

Her eyes began to water.  “You would’ve been a better one than Ikem.”  

The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them and Ozai’s face became unreadable.  

“This is my chance to be their father,” he said, his voice almost unheard.  “Agni knows Kya and Hakoda are drilling that into my head.  I want to be their father.  I want my daughter to call me to ask for souvenirs when I’m on business.  I want to have water gun fights with my son.  But I’m not going to ask you to come back to me and pretend we’re one happy family when you don’t want to be with me. If you’re worried that I’m going to make you live a life you don’t want, let me put your mind at ease.  I don’t want to.  I’m not going to, and I won’t use ‘trying to be a good father’ to make you.”

For a moment, Ursa felt the pit of her stomach drop.  Was she disappointed?  Was she angry at him?  

Ursa lifted her hand and wiped her eyes.  “I just don’t understand how you and your brother and Lu Ten can be so welcoming to me.  I left you.  I took our children away from you.  You should hate me.  Iroh and Lu Ten should, too.”

Ozai took another deep breath and gave her a small shake of her head.  “Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps we are so welcoming because we don’t want you all to leave again?”

Ursa stiffened, her hand stopped wiping her eye.  “What?”

“It might not have changed anything, but perhaps if I had been more attentive and not so focused on work and my father’s approval....”  He trailed off and his lips tightened into a line.  “Mistakes were made on both our parts and I’d like to get over them so I can be the father they deserve.  Iroh and Lu Ten were saddened and disappointed when we divorced, but they harbor no ill will. You saw how happy they were to see the children.”  

“I wouldn’t deprive Zuko and Azula of there father now, or their uncle and cousin, so you don’t have to worry about us disappearing again,” she told him.  “You don’t need to give me a place to live and take me on vacation just so you won’t lose them.”

Ozai’s eyes narrowed.  “Is that what you think?  If you are adamant on refusing any assistance, fine, but don’t assume I’m only offering help because I’m afraid you’re going to leave with them again.  They’re my children and it’s my duty to care for them.”

Ursa inhaled a sharp breath, her wide gold eyes staring stunned at Ozai.  “Your duty?” She almost choked.  “Is that all?”

“Of course not-”

“Why can’t you just say you love them?”

“Why can’t you just accept that I do.”

She drew her head back.  A voice in her mind answered: because she wanted to hear him say it.  She just wanted to hear it...that maybe hearing him say he loved someone would confirm that he wasn’t an emotionless, single-minded man who valued work over family.  

“Fine,” she said.  “I would like you to remain in their lives; they can’t go back to how it was before.  But I want to be clear: I can take care of myself and our children without your help if I had to.”

The stern look on his face never faltered.  “I never said you couldn’t.”  

“Well...you’re making it appear like I can’t.”  His lips were still tight, but she could see a small flicker of surprise in his eyes.  

He swallowed.  “I’m sorry,” he said.  “I didn’t realize our pushing made you feel as if that were the case, especially in front of the children.  That was not our intention.”

Ursa forced herself to keep her eyes on his and not to waiver.  “I won’t stop you from being a father and supporting them, but you don’t need to provide for me, too.  That’s all, Ozai.”

Ozai nodded.  “I’ll speak to Lu Ten about the town house.  However, the trip to the villa...please seriously consider it.  I’m sure Azula and Zuko want you to go and besides, when was the last time you went home?”

Ember Island hadn’t been her home for years.  Her eyes crinkled up.  She couldn’t remember.  Did she ever go back with Ikem?  It was their home island and yet they never went back.  Her father died shortly after she and Ozai were married and her mother moved to Republic City to be try to be closer to them before she died.  

Ikem left the cremation early to shoot a film in the desert and her uncle flew her mother’s ashes back to the island.  She hadn’t visited.

Ursa closed her eyes.  “We didn’t go when I was with Ikem,” she said.  Her voice was oddly flat and she was cold, as if she were empty.  

Ozai cocked his head.  “What about when Rina died?” He always referred to her parents by their first name, as they insisted.  “Didn’t you take her back?”

“No, the cremation was in Republic City,” Ursa said.  “Uncle Ran brought her ashes back.”  

“I see.”  His voice was strained.  “I thought that since she was placed with your father, you had arranged it.”

“I did, but Uncle Ran brought her.”  She paused for a moment and stared at him.  “How did you know their ashes are together?”

“Someone mentioned it,” he said, nonchalant.  Ozai looked over his shoulder, back towards his house.  “What should I tell them?”

Ursa followed his gaze and saw the curtains in the front window move and the door close.  “Azula will be crushed when I tell her we’re not moving in.”

“You’re not moving in,” Ozai said.  “They will be, even if they’ll only stay here every so often.”  

“Fair enough.”  She took a deep breath and released it slowly.  She reached into her back pocket and found her phone.  She turned on the camera and used it to check her eyes.  “My eyes are red.”

“Just a little.”

“Let me stay out here a bit longer...until it clears.”  

Ozai nodded.  He took a step to return to the house, only to stop and look back at her with a quizzical expression.  

“By the way, what did you want to talk to me about?” “What?”

“Earlier, you said you wanted to talk to me.  Was it about the town house?” he asked, once more sounding as if it were business.

Ursa furrowed her brows, trying to remember.  At once, her face began to heat up.  Lu Ten’s voice echoed on her ears: ‘he loved you’.  She looked away, embarrassed, and shook her head.  

“It was nothing.  Don’t worry about it.”

He looked a bit sceptical, but nodded.  “All right.”  He began to walk back to his house.  He made it three steps before she opened her mouth.

“Wait, Ozai.” He looked over his shoulder and she cursed her curiosity.  “This is a ridiculous question, or rather thought, but earlier, when we arrived...Lu Ten mentioned that you were devastated when I left.  I think he got the wrong idea.  I know you were angry, but I don’t think you were devastated.”  

Ozai looked as if he were ready to lecture his nephew.  He turned to face her once more.  “If you must know, Lu Ten doesn’t have the wrong idea.  I was indeed devastated when you and the children left.”

Of course - because she took the children.  Seeing how he was around them now, it made sense.  Ursa nodded.  “I see.”

Ozai gave her a nod and turned back to the house. “No man wants to see the three people he loved most leave.”

She stood outside for a few moments longer, trying to dissect his words, but not coming up with any satisfying answer.  Ozai said the ‘L’ word.  The last time she heard him say it, it was during their wedding vows and she was sure he only said it because he thought he was supposed to.  

Days passed since she returned to Ozai’s house that night, assuring her children that she didn’t forget something as she thought.  Kya and Hakoda didn’t pry, but sooner or later, Ursa knew she’d crack and tell Kya.

After all she told Kya everything.  Everyone told Kya everything.  She probably knew things that people didn’t know about themselves, so that afternoon, a day before they were supposed to leave for Ember Island, Ursa recounted Ozai’s words and received and an unimpressed:

“I told you.”

“That’s not what he meant.”

“How else could he mean it?”

“I don’t know, Kya, but I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way!”  Ursa scowled as she folded laundry into three separate piles for her, Zuko, and Azula on her bed.  Kya was pulling out the children’s suitcases from the top of the closet in the spare bedroom Ursa was in.  

“Is it that hard to believe that he loves you?” Kya asked as she put Sokka’s blue spinner next to Katara’s, which bared some sea creature print.  

“As a friend, no.  I think after how long we have known each other, he had some affection for me, if only nostalgic.”

Kya snorted.  “Some affection...please....”

“He probably cared for me, but it wasn’t like he was in love with me.”

“I can’t believe we’re middle aged women who are mothers and we’re actually discussing whether or not a guy likes you,” Kya said with a roll of her eyes.

“Fine, let’s change the subject.  I’m more than happy to.”

“Okay, then.  When do you start the drama department gig at the Ba Sing Se University Extension?”

“My first official day is in exactly a month and a half.”

“Then why aren’t you coming with us to Ember Island if you’ll be back a good three weeks before it starts?” Kya gave her an expectant look and Ursa sat up straight on the bed.  

“I still have to go to some faculty meetings and talk to the other staff members.  They’re in and out in the coming weeks, so I need to stay here to be able to catch all of them.”

Kya didn’t look convinced.  “Uh-huh.”  

“The department head wants me to be as caught up as possible.”

“I thought you’re working with first year students.”

“I am, but there is a rigorous curriculum they need to follow and I need to know the ins and outs of it before we start.  I can’t go in there blind.  I’ll look like an idiot and none of the kids will respect me.  If they don’t, that’s it.  Authority gone.  No one will listen.  They won’t get the education they deserve,” Ursa said.  

“And you can’t do any of this at the villa?”

“I won’t get anything done.  You know I’ll focused on the kids.”

“Hakoda, Iroh, Lu Ten, and I will all be there to watch them, so you’ll have time to go over coursework,” Kya said.  

“With how awkward it will be staying at my ex-husband’s family’s beach villa?  Every red column and tile will scream the Sozin name.”

“Is that so bad?”

“Yes, because I divorced from it.”

Kya sighed.  “Your children are still legally Sozin.”

“I never got the chance to change it to Hiraa,” Ursa said,squirming in her seat on the bed.  “Anyway, they won’t miss me.  I’ll call in the evenings, Sokka and Katara are there for them to play with, and besides, Ozai will be there and I’m sure they’ll be clamouring for his attention.”

“Yes, but he’ll only be there the last week and a half.”

Ursa snapped her head up.  “What?  I thought he was going with you.”

Kya shook her head.  “They just won a bid they put in with a Western Nomad Territory transportation firm and Ozai has to go over the final details with their executive committee.  Their sales team just closed it last night.”

Ursa’s face fell.  “Azula and Zuko will be so disappointed.”

Kya glanced out the window, where screaming could be heard from the pool as another water gun assault was in the midst of taking place.  “Ozai is said he would break it to them himself when he comes for dinner this evening.”

“He did?”

“Yeah...I mean, Hakoda told him to, but he said he would.”  Kya looked back at Ursa.  “There is still a chance for you to come if you tag along with him.”

“Not going to happen,” Ursa said.  “Besides, he’ll be in in the Nomad Territories.”

“No, he won’t.  Their executive committee is coming here so they can tour the data center.”  

For a moment, Ursa panicked at the thought that she’d be alone with Ozai, but logic quickly quelled it.  “Still, it’s not like I’ll see him.  We’ll both be working.  I doubt he’ll drop by if you and the kids aren’t here.”  

Kya sighed, resigned.  “I suppose you’re right.  Anyway, did you make an appointment with Lu Ten to see his town house yet?”

“No, I didn’t get his info.  I was hoping you could call him?”

“So, you’re actually interested?”

“I just want to give it a chance.  He already thinks badly of me, I don’t want to make it worse.” “Ursa, he wouldn’t be offering his home if he thought badly of you.”

“I would think badly of me.”

“Okay, you have to stop.  No one here hates you,” Kya said, about to drag the luggage out of the room to have the children pack them under her supervision.  “Just accept some help from old friends.”  

Ursa watched her friend walk out of the room, two bags in tow, and let out a heavy sigh as Kya closed the door behind her.  “Easy for you to say...you didn’t take your kids away from their father.”

She fell back on the bed and released a heavy breath.  She still had to pack Azula and Zuko’s things for their trip, though Azula already had a packing list ready.  She had Ozai look over it for his approval and “in case she forgot anything”.  

Ursa knew that they wouldn’t want for anything at the villa.  Snorkel gear?  Done.  Life vests?  Check.  One word and Iroh would have a boat ready to set sail for his niece and nephew.  Lu Ten would arrive later along with his girlfriend, but he’d probably spoil the children, too.

A small knock sounded at the door and she remained laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.  

“Come in.”

“Ursa, I apologize for bothering you.”  She shot up in bed at the sound of that deep, solemn voice that seemed to haunt her as of late.  Her wide eyes stared at the door as it opened enough for a person to peek through.  “May I have a moment of your time?”

Her first thought was there was no where for her to hide, but she quickly shook it out of her head.  She was a grown woman, such a thought was unbefitting.  Yet, her eyes still darted around the room or a place to dive into and avoid coming face to face with her ex-husband.

“Ursa?”  He called out again and she tensed, still seated on the side of the bed.  How long was she panicking?  

“Sorry, yes, can I help you, Ozai?” Good.  Her voice wasn’t shaking.  She could do this.  

The door creaked open a bit further and part of her died a little.  

He was still dressed in his business suit.  It was three pieces that time, most likely to deal with the the Western Nomad Territory transportation firm Kya mentioned.  Of course he wouldn’t wear it to impress her.  

“It doesn’t,” she muttered under her breath, despite knowing it was a weak lie.  She always thought men looked good in suits and Ozai in black with a slight hint of blood red and gold in his tie and pocket square was no exception.

“What?”

“Nothing.  Did you need something?” She forced herself to look attentive and ignore the blush on her face.  

“Yes, actually you can.  Did Kya tell you that I won’t be able to go with them on Friday?” he asked.  She nodded.  

“Congrats on landing the transport firm, but it looks like you’ll be stuck here for a while.”  

Ozai shifted uncomfortably as he gave a small nod.  “It’s a win for the company, but inconvenient.  I haven’t told the children I’ll be arriving later.”  

“They’re going to be very disappointed.”

“I know,” he said, frowning at the reminder.  He met her eyes with firm ones.  “I was hoping you’d help lessen the blow.”

She cocked her head to the side.  “How so?”

“I’d like you to go to Ember Island.”  

Ursa was already shaking her head.  She stood up and dusted off her pale gray cotton jogging pants.  “I’m sorry, but I have meetings and trainings to go during that time.”

“Surely you must have some time to spare.”

“I don’t.  And even if I did, I wouldn’t have time to get ready and arrange a flight.”

“Don’t worry about the flight.”

She almost wanted to scoff.  She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.  She was almost insulted.  Didn’t they just discuss this?  “You don’t have to pay for my flight, Ozai.”

He narrowed his eyes.  “Pay?  I offered no such thing.”  

Ursa had to check herself to make sure she didn’t jerk back in surprise.  Her proud stance faltered a bit.  “Then what are you saying?”

Ozai remained standing tall at the doorway.  “I’m saying you’ll fly there on the Sozin jet.”

“That’s even worse!” Ursa couldn’t hold it back, her face reddening with embarrassment.  “I can’t accept the jet coming just to pick me up!”

“Who said it’s picking you up?” The corner of Ozai’s lip curled upwards and her irritation flared.  Was he amused at her frustration?  “Iroh is sending it to pick me up,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice.  “You’ll just happen to be there with me when it does.”

“What does my dad like to eat?” Zuko asked as he sat on a stool next to the counter, peeling some root vegetable with Katara for her dad.  

“Ozai pretty much eats anything,” Hakoda said from the stove.  “He like spicy things.”

“Like me!” Azula piped.  She was seated at the kitchen table, drawing.  

“I hope they pick up that sauce....” Hakoda stirred some meat around a large wok.  “It’s so hard to find.”

“You just have to know where to find it.”  Ursa walked in balancing a reusable shopping bag on her hip as she placed her keys on the counter.  “Here’s your hot sauce, Hakoda.”

She dug into the bag and out a large red bottle with visible chilis inside.  Azula gasped.  “What is that?”

“Black lava pepper sauce,” Hakoda said.  “Your father always had this at his place back in college.  He’d put it on everything back then.”

“Is it hot?”

“Your father is the only one we know who could eat it,” Ursa said.  She shook her head at the memory.  “I don’t know how he could stomach it.”  

“I want to try!” Azula said.  

“Later, at dinner,” Hakoda said.  “They should be getting here soon.” Just as he said it, the garage door sounded.

“Mom’s home!” Katara said.  A minute later, the garage door was closing and Sokka burst in, still wearing his soccer gear.  

“How’d the game go?” Zuko asked, turning around in his stool.  

“2-1, ended in a shootout,” Sokka said as he trudged past.  He grinned. “But we won!”

“Did you score any of the points?” Katara asked.  

“I did an assist, but Suki scored all the points this time...again....”  He headed to the stairs to get ready for dinner.  

“Who’s Suki?” Zuko asked.  

“The girl he has a crush on but won’t admit,” Katara said, proud that she had figured it out.  “She goes to our school and is a year above him.  She’s pretty and really nice, so she’s popular.”

“My boy has a good eye,” Hakoda puffed out his chest.  “Just like me.”

“I wish I had a good eye,” Kya said as she walked in.  

“Hey....”  She laughed as Hakoda looked mocked insulted.  He saw someone behind her.  “There you are!  I thought you’d be here by now.  The meeting ended an hour ago.”

“One of the sales people caught me before I left the office.  You know how they are,” Ozai said as he walked in.  

“Dad!”  

“Hi, Uncle Ozai!”

“Hi, kids.”  He placed his laptop bag by the coffee table and walked to the kitchen, shrugging off his suit jacket.  “I was going to to home and change first, but Kya waved me down on the street.”

“I’m hungry and didn’t want to wait for you to drag your butt here,” Kya said as she stopped in the kitchen, behind her husband.  She wrapped her arms around Hakoda’s waist and over his shoulder.  “Ooh...looks good.”

“Thank you, it’s a new recipe.”  

“Okay, kids, set the table,” Ursa said.  “I’ll put my bag upstairs.”  

“Same,” Kya said, tugging off her pony tail.

Hakoda began to place the food on dishes.  “Want a beer?”

“No,” Ozai said, taking the stool Zuko vacated as he, Azula, and Katara went to set the table.  “Is it spicy?”

“No, but I had Ursa pick this up while she was out apartment hunting.”  Hakoda motioned to the bottle on the table and Ozai sat up straight.

“I’ve been looking all over for that.  They don’t sell it at the supermarket.”  

“She said it’s not hard to find if you know where to look.”  Hakoda put the wok down.  “You should ask her.”

Ozai picked up the bottle and studied it.  “I just might....”  He screwed off the top and removed the seal before taking a whiff.  “It burns...just like I remember it.”

“There is something seriously wrong with you.” Hakoda shook his head.  He turned around and saw Ozai squeezing the bottle.  “You can’t wait?”

“Just a taste.  It’s been so long.”

“Well, be careful or you’ll-”  A squirting noise came from the bottle and the two men watched in silence as a dollop of dark, red sauce spurted from the nozzle and landed on Ozai’s shirt.  “I knew it.”

Ozai swore.  He put the bottle down.  “I need to soak this.  The sauce stains if it’s not soaked immediately.”

“Go to the laundry room.  I have some clean shirts on the rack.  Dunk that thing in the sink.”  

“Thanks.”  Ozai was already halfway done unbuttoning his shirt.  Hakoda sighed and eyed the bottle.

“I should just put it in a bowl....”

   She tossed her bag on to her bed and turned around, briefly catching her reflection in the full body mirror as she tugged off her beige blazer.  She stopped as she caught the white streak against her black blouse.

“Oh no....”  Ursa walked closer to the mirror and narrowed her eyes.  She lifted her arm and tugged on the shirt.  Deodorant on her blouse.  She turned around and checked her other side.  Another chalky white strip greeted her  Wonderful.  

She shook her head, relieved that she hadn’t taken her blazer off until she returned so no one saw the streak, but at the same time growing frustrated.  She was in a rush when she left to go apartment hunting and her impatience got the best of her.  She tugged at her collar, unbuttoning it as she opened her closet door.  

Nothing was left on the hangers and she cursed her earlier lethargy.  The clean laundry was still downstairs in the laundry room.  She removed the pins from her hair and ran her hand through.  She’d carry the laundry up later, but needed to change first.

Grumbling, she walked to the door and opened it just enough to peek outside.  The hall was empty and from where she was standing, the stairs were clear as well.  She kept her arms at her side, hoping they hid the white streaks as she tip toed across the hall, past the bathroom, and to the stairs.  

She heard Hakoda telling the children to make some space for the food on the table and she quickened her pace to change before dinner or before anyone could see her.  

As soon as she reached the foyer, she bolted to the laundry room around the corner, hoping that no one saw her.  

She nearly threw open the laundry room door as she stormed in, walking straight to the back where her and her children’s laundry was folded in a plastic laundry basket near the ironing table.  As the door creaked closed behind her, she tugged off her blouse, tossing it into a nearby empty basket and began to pick through her clothes for a replacement.

“Ursa?”

She jumped and let out a gasp before she whirled around and dropped whatever pair of clothing she had her hand.  Across the room, a man in a white sleeveless undershirt had his hands in a sink.  He looked equally surprised to see her.  

“Ozai!?” Her hands flew to her chest.  Thank the gods she hadn’t removed her bra yet.  “What are you doing here?”

He turned his head away and shook his hands over the sink to get rid of water before facing the opposite wall in a clear action to give her privacy.  The sink was behind the door and he had jumped when it flew open, but didn’t see who came in until it closed.

“I got some sauce on my shirt,” he said.  “I needed to soak it before it stained and Hakoda said to just use a shirt from here.”

Her chest was rising and fall with heavy breaths as her heart beat almost painfully in her chest.  He saw her.  He saw her in her bra.  Logically, she knew he’d already seen it all, but it had been near a decade and she wasn’t even wearing a nice bra.  

“I didn’t see you.”  

“Sorry, I didn’t know it was you, either,” he said.  He hesitated, but remained looking at the wall, his back to her.  “Are you changed?”

Right!  She was there to change.  Ursa turned back around.  Her trembling hands went through the basket of clothes until she found a regular red t-shirt from a volunteer event she once did.  

“Almost!  Don’t turn around, yet,” she said as she pulled it over her head.  She tugged it past her stomach and waist before turning around.  “Done!  All done!”

“Once again, I’m sorry.  I had no idea you’d come down here,” Ozai said.  He waited a second or two longer before carefully looking over his shoulder.  Once he saw she was fully dressed, he turned around and went back to the sink.  

“No, it was an accident.  I didn’t know you’d be here either.”  Did that sound like she was trying to avoid him?  

He nodded, paying more attention to the splashing in the sink.  “Can you go out and ask Hakoda if he has anything to pretreat it?”

It struck her then that he was doing his laundry.  She remembered him usually taking care of his laundry, either at home or to the dry cleaner’s.  When she was pregnant, she never did it.  Ozai took care of it and when he was away, had a maid come.  

Why was she remembering that now?  

Ursa looked towards the shelf beside the washing machine.  She walked over and grabbed a bottle.  “Use this.”  

He lifted his head and she stopped beside him, extending the bottle.  He looked from her face and down to the bottle in her hand before slowly reaching up to take it.  

“Thank you.”  He tried to twist the top open and frowned.  His hands were too wet.

“I’ve got it.” She moved closer, standing beside him as she took the bottle from his hand and opened it.  She squeezed the middle and a clear liquid gathered at the top.  She reached into the sink and began to smear the liquid across the a discolored stain she recognized.  She sighed.  “You got the hot sauce on you.”

“I did.”

“You couldn’t wait?”

“It’s been a while.  It was just a taste.”  

“Honestly, Ozai....”  

“If you’re going to lecture me, I can do it myself.”

“I’m almost done....there.”  She looked pleased as she pushed the shirt back into the sink half filled with water.  She lifted her hand and wiped her brow, looking satisfied.  She turned around and realized just how small that corner of the laundry room was.  

Ozai jerked his head back to make some distance as she practically pinned him to a table.  The bottle dropped from her hand as she felt both mortified and hot.  It was one thing to have him catch her yesterday and be touching him.  

It was another to be touching him and looking him right in the eyes.  It was her fault and they both knew it.

Ursa didn’t know what to do.  Her mind went blank and all she could do was remain standing in front of him, his hips and stomach pressed against hers as she struggled to find an apology and strength to move away.

Nothing was coming and Ursa wasn’t sure if she should cry out in frustration or not.  

Ozai didn’t say a word, but as moments passed and she remained as frozen as a horrifed mannequin in front of him, he spoke.

“Why do you look so scared?” She watched the lines across his face deepen as he frowned.  His eyes searched hers and she felt her heart race when she couldn’t look away.  “I’m not going to hurt you.”  

She knew that.  Ozai never intentionally hurt her.  It was his own negligence, but it was never intentional.  He was strict and firm.  He was serious and restrained.  But he wouldn’t go out of his way to hurt her.  No biting criticism about how she raised her children or kept up her appearance.  No insults made to impress his friends.  No withholding attention when he was displeased for the slightest infraction.  

She felt her eyes water and choked back a muffled, pained cry.  At the very least, Ozai didn’t want her to suffer.  

Ursa spoke before she could stop herself.   “Why didn’t I fall in love with you ten years ago?”  

His eyes widened as she whispered and Ozai’s expression saddened.  A warm hand cupped her face and stroked her cheek.  “Ursa....”  

Her trembling hands clung on to his thin shirt and she tilted her head up to meet his.

HIs arms went around her and pulled her closer, tighter against him as she opened her mouth across his.  She could smell his cologne and the faint shampoo in his hair as his hot breath whispered her name against her neck.  

She tilted her head back as his mouth moved against her flushed skin and sucked at the base of her neck.  

He remembered, a small voice in the back of her head said.  She let out a gasp and squirmed against him as he nipped at her neck.  Did he remember all her erogenous zones?  

His hands pressed against her rib cage and she let out a pathetic whimper, nearly melting against him as he stroked skin beneath the shirt she had just put on.  He did remember.  

Her head felt light and she wasn’t sure if she was standing on her own power or being held up by Ozai.  It didn’t matter as long as she was against him and could flood her senses with him.  

As his lips caught hers once more, she felt his hands swept past the swell of her butt and down to her thighs.  Strong hands gripped her and suddenly, she was pulled up, her legs on either side of him as she pressed against his hips.  

His skin was so hot against her and she only wanted to get closer.

“Ozai,” Hakoda’s voice came from the hall.  “Dinner’s almost ready!”

Panting, Ozai broke his connection to her and fixed his eyes on hers as he answered.  “I’m almost done.”  His voice was low and steady, not showing any sign of embarrassment or urgency.  “Just soaking the shirt.”

Ursa felt her heart still pumping hard against her as she loosened her hold on his shirt and pulled away.  Ozai’s carefully lowered her back and moved his arms away once she was standing on her own.  

He looked away as she squeezed past, her own eyes diverted.    

“I’ll...um....”  She cringed at her shaken voice.  She could feel her hands trembling at her sides as she tried to comprehend what had just happened - what she had initiated.   “I’ll see you at dinner.”  

“Ursa.”  She stood up straight, but couldn’t bring herself to turn around.  

She tried to use the normal voice she could muster.  “Yes?”  

“Perhaps I should go out first,” Ozai said.  She heard cloth shifting behind her and glanced over her shoulder.  He was tugging on a navy polo that seemed a size too big for him.  “They can’t see you coming out from here from the dining room.  Just give me a minute to get there first.”

She felt a small pain in her heart as he spoke.  She wasn’t sure if she was sad and disappointed because he knew she her discomfort or because he, who had kissed her so fervently moments early, didn’t have much more of a reaction.  

“Good idea,” she said, shoving down her disappointment.  She stood across the room, arms crossed over her chest as she leaned back against the washing machine.  

Ozai wiped his hands on a spare towel and spared her a small glance, pausing by the door.

He lowered his eyes.  “I’m sorry about that.  I was carried away.  My apologies for making you uncomfortable.”

Her eyes crinkled up as he turned around and walked out.  As the door closed part way behind him, Ursa lifted her hand to her mouth and felt as if she had done something terrible.

She kissed him.  He kissed her back, didn’t he?  Did he regret it?  He must’ve.  But what was worse...she all be declared that she wanted to love him.  That she regretted her decision and wished she had stayed with him.  

Her face felt hot.  What was she thinking?

What was Ozai thinking?  

Her eyes went back to the door, staring at it with disbelief as if Ozai would return and state his thoughts on her sudden and confusing confession.  She almost willed him to return.  She didn’t want his apology.  If anyone crossed a line, it was her.

“Ursa!” she heard Kya’s voice call from the foyer.  “C’mon!  Dinner’s going to get devoured if you don’t get down here!”

Careful to stay out of view, Ursa looked out the gap between the door and frame just enough so she could see the top of Kya’s head bob out of sight as she returned to the dining room.  

She took a deep breath.  No need to cause a scene.  Even less need to let everyone know she was making out with her ex-husband like a couple of teenagers.  She just needed to act normal.

Ursa perked up.  Why would this even be a struggle for her to hide?  She studied theater for years and was surrounded by actors the last several year so of her life.  Her last few years with Ikem had been a complete act she had simply fallen into.

She forced her discomfort down, determined to make it through dinner without uncomfortable shifting and wary glances at Ozai.  She could speak to him later about what happened, if he brought it up again.

“Sorry about that,” she said as she walked into the dining room. Everyone had already taken their seats and she took hers next to Zuko and Kya.  

“Okay,” Kya said.  “Now you can start.”

Several hands began to go around the table, lifting dishes and scooping food into plates.  Ozai was putting a small dollop of his sauce on to Azula’s plate.  

“Try it with the potato first to see if it’s too much.  We can always dilute it if it’s too strong,” he told her.  

Azula had a look of determination on her small face.  She eyed the small dollop of dark red sauce as if it were an obstacle to be conquered.

“Can I try some, too?” Zuko asked from across the table.  

“Oh, but Zuko, it’s very spicy and you’re usually not too fond of spicy,” Ursa said.  Her son’s face fell and Ozai reached across the table with a spoonful.

“He won’t know until he tries.  Besides, it’s not exactly the same kind of spicy we’re used to,” Ozai said.  

“Yeah, you’ve tasted it,” Hakoda said with a smirk.  “There is spicy for normal people and then spicy for monsters.”

Ozai shot him a glare.  

“Okay, here I go!” Azula announced with pride as she brought a small piece of potato half covered in sauce to her mouth.  Everyone seemed to pause and watch, awaiting her reaction.  Her face began to turn red and her eyes crinkled up, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes.

“Azula!” Ursa gasped.

“I’ll get her some milk,” Kya said, shooting of her chair.  

“No....”  Azula kept her mouth shut tight, refusing to spit out the burning vegetable, but at the same time, not chewing it.  “I can....”  She managed to say behind gritted teeth.  

“Azula, it’s too hot for you.  Spit it out,” Ursa said with a frown, about to stand and round the table to get to her daughter.  She could see sweat collecting on Azula’s forehead.  “Azula-”

“Azula,” Ozai sounded stern.  “Spit it out.  If you don’t chew it and swallow, it’ll start to burn your sinuses-”

“Your nose is running!” Katara gasped.  She reached for a napkin and shoved it in her friend’s face.  “Azula, spit it out!”  

“There’s no shame in spitting it out.  We can dilute the flavor and work you up to the concentrated one,” Ozai said.

Finally, Azula grabbed the napkin Katara held up to her and spit out the vegetable.  She made a face, both disgusted and frustrated as she looked at the piece of potato coated in sauce and saliva.

“Here, drink this,” Kya said as she placed a small cup of milk by Azula.  The child seemed to guzzle it down, her face returning to normal.  

“I couldn’t do it,” she said, sounding angry.  She glared at the remaining dollop of sauce.  “Yet.”  

“You’re crazy,” Sokka said from across the table.

“Sokka....” Hakoda gave him a look.

Sokka smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders.  He turned to Zuko.  “So are you going to try - huh?”

The red dollop on Zuko’s plate was smeared off, the last remaining bit of it on a piece of potato he brought to his mouth and began chewing at once.   He was a little flushed, but didn’t look as irritated by the heat as his sister.  

The table seemed to stare at him, both in amazement that he tried and confusion, as normally he wouldn’t have after seeing what it did to his sister.  

He swallowed and nodded with satisfaction.  “If you chew it, the potato mixes with the hot sauce and it doesn’t spread and and linger on your tongue.  As long as you don’t breath while it’s in your mouth, you don’t smell that burning spice.  It’s pretty good; the aftertaste is nice.”

“Well...,” Hakoda said.  “You’re braver than me, Zuko.”  

“There was only one other person I knew who could take it undiluted,” Ozai said.  “My late mother, Ilah.”  

Zuko nodded.  He seemed to understand that Azula was frustrated and seemed content with his father’s words without pressing for further compliments.

“Dad, I’ll be able to eat it, too,” Azula insisted.

“Of course you will,” Ozai said.  “But little by little.  Go about this strategically, Azula.”  

She seemed to understand and nod.  She looked at her mother.  “Mom, do you like the sauce.”

“It’s a bit too spicy for me, sweetheart.”

“Oh...well, you should work at it, too.”

Ursa took a deep breath.  Her daughter didn’t know half of what she had to work at in regards to Ozai.  

The rest of the dinner seemed to pass without incident, save Sokka trying some sauce on a dare and ended up choking.  Ursa kept a placid smile on her face, speaking only when spoken to or occasionally to her children and Kya.  The children were ushered to the kitchen for dessert to leave Ursa and Ozai some time to find a suitable date for a visit.

It seemed very professional: Ozai had his tablet out and was skimming through his calendar, reading out prospective dates and across from him, Ursa was going through her phone.

There really wasn’t a need for her to.  Aside from meetings with lawyers and realtors, she didn’t have much planned.  

“Azula brought up visiting nearly half a dozen times,” Ozai noted as he kept his eyes on the screen.  “Is it possible to simply bring them over tomorrow to look at the house?”

Tomorrow?  That was a little soon wasn’t it?  Her thoughts must’ve been written all over her face as Ozai glanced up and then back down.

“I can get dinner and finally pay back Hakoda and Kya for always having me over,” he said.  “Azula and Zuko can pick a room.  I’m sure Katara and Sokka might have opinions they want to voice.  We can schedule another time to go look at furniture.”

“You don’t need to order new furniture for them,” Ursa said.  “I’m sure whatever’s there is fine.”

He scrolled through his tablet.  “There isn’t any furniture in the rooms.”  

Ursa looked up from her phone.  “I thought you kept the house.”

“I did.”  

“What happened to the furniture?”

Ozai seemed to release a heavy breath and turned to look at her.  “One room used to be a nursery, the other was just transitioning to a toddler’s room.  There were cribs and diaper changing stations and mobiles, but not children.  What use did I have for that furniture?”

She could hear some bitterness in his voice and tore her eyes away.  “Well, what about the other rooms?”

“I gave the spare bedroom set to Lu Ten when he moved out of the dorms since it was new and never used,” Ozai said.  “We never did much with the last room.”

He once asked her if she wanted a home office, but pregnancy side tracked her plans to put one together.  Still, she had picked the room she thought would’ve been most convenient.  Ursa could only imagine that the others were just as vacant as it had been when she left.

“It worked out then,” she said, almost forcing herself to speak.  “Azula and Zuko can pick out what they like.”

“You might as well pick something you like for the third spare.  If they’re staying over and I’m not there, they should have a guardian with them,” Ozai said.  It was practical.  They did need to get another bed for her for such a reason.

It wasn’t like she could stay in their old bedroom.  

She fidgeted in her seat.  Did he keep their master bedroom the same?  That massive four poster bed with the matching bedside tables and dresser, and vanity table in her little well lit corner.  Ursa couldn’t bring herself to ask about what happened to it.

“Good point.  What about the kitchen?  If we need to cook.  I doubt it was efficient for you to cook with your schedule,” Ursa said.  

“The cooking sets and what not are in storage.  I’ll get them out,” Ozai said.  “This coming weekend, I’m free to go look at furniture with the children.  I should bring Hakoda...he’ll take measurements of everything.”

“That’s a good idea,” Ursa said.  “It’ll be good to know how much space we’re working with.”  And it was good that she wouldn’t be spending an entire day with him.  They’d look too much like a family and she didn’t want to have to correct people’s assumptions.  

How would that look?  Ozai probably wouldn’t care and ignore it, but it would bother her.  She also didn’t want the children to think there was something going on between them, which there wasn’t.  

She felt her face warm up and she fought it.  There wasn’t anything, regardless of what happened in the laundry room.

“Excellent.  I’ll book that day,” Ozai said.  “By the way, Hakoda said you went apartment hunting today.  How did it go?  Did you find anything?”

“I got to see some places, but nothing definite.  I’d like their school to be close, so that they could walk home.”

Ozai cocked his head.  “Are you taking them out of boarding school?”

Ursa shifted in her seat once more and diverted her eyes.  “There’s no reason for them to continue there.  I want them closer to home, where I can spend more time with them.”

Ozai took a deep breath and leaned back against his chair.  “I’m glad to hear it.  I was concerned that I’d only see them during school breaks and with my schedule, that could’ve caused issues.”  

She looked surprised to hear that, but nodded.  “Yes, well...Kya suggested enrolling them at Yang Chen Primary Academy, but...”

Ozai raised a brow.  “Is it the cost?”  He sat up straight and met her eyes.  “Ursa, you know I will spare no expense for my children’s sake.  Yang Chen is an excellent school and is a feeder into their preparatory secondary academy.  The children can even secure their spots early.  Both Sokka and Katara are on track to move on to secondary and have spots waiting for them.  It’s a good school”

“I know,” Ursa said.  “And it’s convenient.  The kids can carpool and if they need to walk home, they can do so together, especially in an off sporting season.”

“Yes, I would feel more comfortable with that.  Katara has to wait for Sokka in the hall and he has to wait for her in the spring, after their respective practices because Kya and Hakoda don’t want them walking home alone.”  Ozai rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  “Have Azula and Zuko tested in?”

Ursa shook her head.  “Kya helped me to arrange transfer papers and get acceptance spots based on their grades, behavior, and recommendations from their previous school.  She said she wanted to keep the option open.”

“And what about the children?  Would they consider it?”  

“Zuko hinted at it and Azula doesn’t seem to care.”  She smiled.  “If it’s by your house, I’m sure she’ll be all for it.”

She saw the corners of his lips move up in a small smile.  “Then it sounds like it’s the best course of action.  You can use my address if you wish, in case you move apartments if you find one better.”  

“Thank you.”

He dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.  “Now, regarding the apartment.  I spoke to Lu Ten.”

“Ozai, no,” Ursa sat up straight and frowned.  “I can’t trouble him.”

“Let me finish.  He said he’s willing to rent it out on one condition,” Ozai said.  Ursa narrowed her eyes.  “He’d like to meet his cousins.  He hasn’t seen them since they were babies and said he wanted to see them again.”

“Oh...well, of course he can see them,” Ursa said.  “Even if he doesn’t want to rent.  I’d like the children to meet other family....”  She looked towards the kitchen. “Zuko!  Azula!  Can you come in for a moment.”

There was a small grumble about finishing their dessert, but the two walked in.  Azula still held on to her bowl of half finished ice cream.

“Yes, Mom?”

“Your father and I have made a schedule-”

“When are we going?” Azula’s face lit up.  

“We’ll be having dinner tomorrow at my house,” Ozai said.  “Hakoda, Kya!” he shouted over their heads.  “Did you hear that?”

“Free dinner at Uncle Ozai’s, kids!” Hakoda said loudly.  “Bring your appetites!”  

They heard Katara and Sokka, as well as Kya, let out a gleeful ‘yay’.  Ozai nodded in his head, satisfied.

“Tomorrow, while we’re waiting for dinner, you two can look at the rooms and pick the ones you want.  We’ll go look for furniture this weekend,” Ozai said.

“Yes!” Azula beamed.  

“I can’t wait to get my own bunk bed,” Zuko added.

“We also need to schedule one more date,” Ursa said in a calm voice.  “We’d like to schedule some time to meet with Lu Ten.  Do you know who that is?”

“Lu Ten!?” Katara came skidding out of the kitchen, a hopeful, eager look in her eyes.  “Is he coming?”

“Who’s Lu Ten?” Zuko asked.

“He’s Uncle Ozai’s nephew,” Katara said, her chubby brown cheeks heating up.  “He’s really nice and tall and can throw you in the air really high-”

“Wait, wait,” Zuko said.  He looked back at his parents.  “We have a cousin?”

“Yes,” Ozai said.  “Lu Ten is my older brother’s son.  He’s your cousin and would like to see you again.”

“We’ve met him before?” Azula asked, finishing off her ice cream.  “I don’t remember him.”

“You were a baby when he last saw you,” Ursa said.  “So, would that be okay?  I think it would be nice for you to meet your cousin.”

Zuko agreed, but Azula hesitated.  She looked at Katara, who urged her to agree, and finally nodded her head.  

“Then I’ll ask him when he’s free,” Ozai said.  He made a show of glancing at his watch.  “It seems it’s getting late and I have an early video conference tomorrow.  I should get going.”  

“Already?” Azula pouted.

“I’m afraid so.  We’ll see each other tomorrow,” he said.  He pushed his chair back and stood up.  

As he put his tablet into his bag, Kya came out of the kitchen with Hakoda.  “You wantus to bring your shirt tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes, I’d appreciate it.”  He slung his bag over his shoulder and headed to the door.  The children bid him good-bye, with Azula reaching up for another hug.  

“You still need to work on it,” Hakoda said as he held the door open.  Ozai gave him another glare.  He walked to his car parked in the driveway.  

Azula and Zuko lingered by the door, waving, not willing to leave until his car backed out of the driveway.  Hakoda then herded the children back to finish their desserts and put their dishes away.  

Kya closed the door and looked towards Ursa.  She stood alone in the living room, looking out the window.  

“Are you okay?” Kya asked.  Ursa turned her head towards the doorway and nodded.  

“It was a very business like conversation.  And you were right; he’s all for Yang Chen.”  

“The kids will be excited to know Azula and Zuko will be going to the same school,” Kya said.  She reached her friend’s side and hooked her arm around Ursa’s.  “You did great, you know.  It was a normal conversation.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re still a great actress.”  

Ursa stiffened and turned sharply towards Kya.  “What are you talking about?” Her friend leaned forward and smirked.  “You know how your hand lotion smells like citrus?”  Ursa reddened.  She knew where this was going.  “Well right now, it smells like mens’ cologne.”  

Giggling to herself, Kya slipped away.  Ursa, flustered, reached out to her.  “Kya, wait!  It wasn’t anything serious!”

All her friend did was turn around and seemed to smile with sadistic pleasure.  “Remember what I said all those years ago, back when we were in college and I had just introduced you to Ozai?”

How could Ursa forget?  Kya’s quiet comment to her after she met Ozai for the first time made her hyper aware of him.  

Back then, Kya gave her knowing smile and winked.  “He’s single,” she whispered.  “Get it.”  

  “Is this it?” Azula sounded confused.  She stood in the half circle driveway of a large, brick house, and looked down the street.  “I can see your house from here.” The slate gray, white bordered house was clearly visible from the brick one.  Katara nodded, holding a tray of brownies she and Zuko made that day.  “Yeah...I don’t know why Uncle Ozai keeps driving.”

“Your Uncle Ozai’s weird, that’s why,” Hakoda said, passing the two girls to get to the front steps.  They all just walked, figuring that the weather was good and that the walk back at night would be refreshing.  

Ursa was bringing up the rear of the little group, with Kya at her side.  Zuko and Sokka were examining the front of the house, trying to figure out which window had the better bedroom.  

“Does my dad have a lot of cars?” Azula asked, noticing the black luxury sub SUV parked at the edge of the drive.  “University of The Republic...” She read the license plate frame.  “Law.  A...lu...m-nee?”

“Alumni,” Kya said.  “It means that the owner of the car graduated from that university’s law school.”

“Dad’s a lawyer?” Zuko asked, looking back at his mother.

“No,” Hakoda said as he waited for someone to respond to the doorbell.  “But Lu-”

“Uncle Hakoda!” The door was thrown open and a handsome, tall young man in a stylish gray sweater and dark jeans appeared.  “Good to see you again!”

“I thought that was your car,” Kya chuckled beside her husband.  

“Auntie Kya and...Katara!”  

A plate of brownies were shoved into Zuko’s hands as Katara darted forward and threw herself at him.  He caught her easily and picked her up, tossing her into the air just outside the door.  

“Hi, Lu Ten!”  

“That’s your cousin,” Sokka said, stating the obvious to Zuko.  “He’s great with video games, too.  He’ll play if you ask.”

Katara was placed back on the ground as he gave Hakoda a hug and ushered them in.  As each person passed the threshold, Lu Ten greeted them.  Sokka got a fist bump, making him feel somehow cooler.  Kya got a hug and a kiss on each cheek.  

Behind her, Azula and Zuko stopped and looked up at their new cousin.

Lu Ten’s gold eyes softened.  “Oh man...” he said as he looked at them.  “Look have big you guys have gotten.  Last time I saw you....”  He trailed off and bit his lip.  “Azi’s eyes were barely opening.  And Zuzu....”

“He calls you that, too,” Azula whispered, smug.

“Whatever, AZI,” Zuko said with a snort.  

Lu Ten chuckled.  “Well, let me introduce myself,” he said as he stood to the side and waved them in.  Ursa gave him a small nod as she walked through the door.  “My name is Lu Ten, son of Iroh.  He’s your dad’s older brother and current head of Souzin Enterprises.  I work in the legal department at one of its subsidiaries here.  I’m also your first cousin.”

“My name is Zuko-”

“He knows that already, dum-dum-”

“Azula...,” Ursa frowned.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Azula said, doing a little bow.

“Aw, a bow?  That’s it?” Lu Ten laughed.  “Can I get a hug?” He looked at Ursa, as if to ask if it was all right.  Ursa nodded.

Zuko stepped up as Lu Ten knelt down.  “Do you like brownies?  I made some with Katara.”

“I love brownies, cousin,” he said with a grin.  He leaned closer.  “And Uncle Ozai likes them, too, but he pretends he doesn’t.  He has a reputation to maintain.”  He winked.

“My turn!” Azula said.  She stepped back.  

“Azula?” Ursa asked.  Her daughter shot forward, raising her arms.  “Azula!”

“I got her, Auntie!” Lu Ten assured her as he caught his cousin and threw her in the air, just as he did Katara.  Azula yelled with delight.  

“Thank gods the foyer has a vaulted ceiling,” Ursa muttered to herself.  Azula seemed pleased with her cousin’s greeting and gave him a hug as he put her back down.  

“Your dad’s in the kitchen.  We were just working on an old family recipe he wanted to make for you guys,” Lu Ten said.  “Go on and greet him.”

Azula and Zuko followed Katara and her family down the hall.  Lu Ten watched as they disappeared into the kitchen, yelling at Ozai about something.  He turned around and gave Ursa a wry smile.

“Aunt Ursa,” he said, giving her a small bow of his head.  “It’s good to see you again.”

“You, too, Lu Ten,” Ursa said.  “You were just starting college the last time I saw you.”

“Yeah,” Lu Ten said.  He seemed cautious, as if unsure what to say.  “Aunt Ursa...I’m glad that Azula and Zuko are able to see their father again.  Thank you for that.”

“No.”  Ursa shook her head.  “It was a long time coming.  I should’ve brought them to him sooner.  He is their father and I made a mistake.”

Lu Ten didn’t voice his agreement, but she knew he did.  “Aunt Ursa, it isn’t any of my business - what happened between you and Uncle Ozai, but I just want you to know that it really hurt him when you left.  He had the house remodeled...he nearly sold it.  I know you probably don’t believe it considering your grounds for divorce, but he was devastated.”

Ursa wasn’t sure how to take the news.  “Lu Ten-”

He held up his hands.  “All I’m asking is that you don’t hurt my uncle again,” he said in a serious voice.  “Everyone knows how much he loved you.”  

She drew her head back.  Did Lu Ten even understand what he was saying?

“Lu Ten!” Ozai was calling for him.  They heard his footsteps against the tile floor approaching.  They looked towards the hall as Ozai, wearing casual clothing and a maroon apron.  “Can you set up your video game system for Zuko and Sokka?”  

“Sure, Uncle,” Lu Ten said.  He had a smile on his face once more and walked past, patting his uncle on the shoulder as he did.

Ursa watched the young man leave, his words still resonating in her head.   

Ozai loved her.  

It just didn’t sound...plausible?

“Ursa.”  She snapped back to attention as Ozai said her name.  “Are you coming?” he asked, heading towards the back of the house.  

She blinked and nodded slowly.  “I’m coming.” She wanted to ask him and spoke before she could stop herself. “Ozai.”  

“What?”

“Can I talk to you later?”

“Sure-”

“Alone.”  He paused just before stepping out into the large, open kitchen.  He looked over his shoulder, a frown on his face.

Ozai seemed to think it over for a moment longer before giving her a small nod.  “All right.”

Notes:

Don’t look.  Don’t look.  Her silent mantra was, she hoped, well hidden.  If her back was turned to him, he couldn’t see her appreciative eyes.  No.  Ursa gave herself a little mental shake.  She didn’t appreciate looking at him.  He was far too pale - must’ve been because he spent so much time indoors at the office.  

That was it.  She was looking at him because he looked so ashen and sickly.  Sure, it wasn’t as if his bones were visible.  How could they be with that nice, defined layer of muscle - no.  No.

“Mom?” Zuko popped up from the water beside where she was gripping the edge of the pool, glaring at blue tile border.  “Are you okay?  You keep muttering ‘no’.”

“Oh!  I was thinking about the laundry!” She felt a bit bad for lying to her son, but he couldn’t know she was checking out his father.  And also, she did have to check on the laundry now that she thought about it.  “Shoot, I need to add fabric softener.”  She kicked off from the side the pool to push herself up and on to the edge.  “Kya, did you buy new fabric softener?  We were out!”

Her voice was uncomfortably high and as she walked towards the door to the house, she found her hands trying to cover herself.  

“Don’t worry!” Kya strided past her and smiled.  She patted Ursa on the shoulder.  “You enjoy yourself in the pool.  I’ll take care of it.”

Ursa opened her mouth, but her only sound of protest was a feeble “wait”.  Kya disappeared into the house and Ursa felt more exposed than ever.  

“Auntie!” Katara stood in front of her and smiled, holding up a neon green and yellow squirt gun.  Relief flooded Ursa.  “It’s loaded!  You can be on our team.”  

Not knowing what else to do, Ursa took the plastic toy from the child and adjusted it in her hands.  “All right,” she agreed with a warm smile as she pumped it ready.  “Who are we up against?”

A cold stream of water hit her in the stomach and she let out a yelp as she jumped and whirled around, her glare looking for however shot her.  Sokka and Zuko were staring wide eyed, their water guns frozen in their hands, but pointed at Azula across the pool.  

Another stream of water hit her thigh and she yelled, turning to follow the water to her attacker.  Ozai was kneeling with a hose in one hand and his neon blue and orange water gun in the other.  

“Boys against girls,” he said in a serious voice that seemed out of place with where he was and how he was dressed.  “I thought we started already.”  

Ursa felt her face heat up.  “We have!”  She caught his eyes widen as he dropped the hose and shot up as she gripped her water gun and pulled the trigger.  Ozai lifted his hand and gun to block the water from hitting his face as he scrambled around the pool.  

“Get ‘em, Mom!” Azula cheered as threw a water balloon at her brother’s head.  

Ozai darted between the pool and the BBQ area and Ursa kept pumping the water gun, keeping her aim squarely on her ex-husband.  

“Hey!” Hakoda yelled over his shoulder as her stream of water hit him in the leg.  “This boy isn’t playing!”

“Sorry!” Ursa cringed and lowered her water gun.  

“An opening!” Ozai shouted.  From the pool, Sokka and Zuko took the cue and turned their attention to Ursa.

“Fire at will!” Sokka yelled.

“Sorry, Mom!”

She screamed as three water guns shot at her at once.  Hakoda stood by his grill, slowly shaking his head.  Ursa lifted her gun and moved the pump back, but felt no resistance.  

“No!”  She was out of water.  

Sokka and Zuko let out cheers, but were quickly silenced by water balloons to the head.  

“Azula, Katara,” Kya’s voice filled the wide yard.  “Sokka’s gun is nearly out.  Aim at Zuko to keep him from firing!”  Azula’s maniacal cackle of glee reached Ursa’s ears as the water hitting her died down.  “Ursa, grab the gun on the lawn chair.  I’ll cover you!”

From the patio area, Kya began pelting Ozai with red water balloons from a white bucket.  The man’s hair was soaked as Kya’s spot on aim took effect.  He tried to shoot at her, only to have a water balloon explode against his crotch.  

“Kya!” he growled.  “Hey!”

“Get him in the groin, honey!” Hakoda said as he flipped a burger.  

“I’m trying!”

“I thought you weren’t playing!” Ozai glared at Hakoda as he tried to shield his face from Kya’s watery onslaught.  

“I’m not,” Hakoda said in a cool voice.  “But I can cheer them on.”

Ursa rested the larger, she noted, water gun against her and smirked.  “I’m reloaded!”  

“So am I, Auntie!” Sokka said.  He stood to the side, his water gun full.  “Say hello to my little friend.”

Ursa knit her brows together.  “Did you watch that movie?”

“Yeah, Dad-”

“No!  No, he did not!” Hakoda interjected quickly, a slight look of panic on his face.  “Kya explicitly said he was too young.”  

The yard was silent.  Kya lowered the water balloon in her hand and crossed the yard.  Hakoda took a step back lifting his bare hands on either side of him.

“Okay, it was just once-”  His wife’s hand slammed a water balloon in his face.  A second later, he was in the pool, yelling about his burgers as Kya closed the lid on the grill and then dove into the water to drag him under.  

Several minutes later, all the water balloons were used up, two water guns were broken, and four out of breath adults were either sprawled across the poolside chaises, laying on the brick surrounding the pool, or in Ozai’s case, half on the brick and half in the water.  

“That escalated quickly,” Kya said as she draped an arm over her eyes from a chaise.  

Beside her, Ursa tried to crane her neck up and squinted.  “Wait...where are the children?”

At once, Kya and Hakoda were up.  None of the four kids were in the yard.  Their toys were abandoned, either floating in the pool or tossed aside.  Only the smell of burnt meat accompanied them.  

“The went inside once all the water guns were used up and the balloons gone.  Katara said she thought she had some more and she and Azula went to look,” Ozai said, lingering in the pool.  “Zuko said he was hungry and Sokka said they used up a lot of energy so they need to eat.”

“Eat...the food!”  Hakoda nearly tripped trying to get to the grill.  “My meat!”  

“There’s plenty of meat, Hakoda,” Kya said she shook her head.  “The hot dogs are still inside,” she added as she headed to the kitchen door.  

Ursa remained on her chaise, keeping her thoughts to herself.  Ozai not only knew where the children had gone, but it was clear he was paying attention to them.  Kya and Hakoda didn’t seem to realize they were missing at first, but probably assumed they went inside.  She had been too caught up in trying to keep her distance from Ozai by shooting water at him to hear the children leave.

“Oh, gods...look at this...” Hakoda lifted up a burnt black piece of meat from with some tongs.  “Ruined.  I had seasoned these, too!”

“Then Kya did us a favor....” Ursa overheard Ozai mutter under his breath as he pushed himself off the side of the pool and swim towards the center.  She tried to hold back a smile.

“Not to worry,” Hakoda said as he tossed four burnt pieces into a compost bin.  “I have more in the fridge!”  He placed his tongs down and walked into the house.

“Lucky us,” Ozai said.  He grabbed a floating pool toy and swam back across, placing the toy poolside.  “Can you gather the water guns and put them in the the bin behind you?”

It was such a mundane question, but the sound of his voice addressing her made Ursa flush.  She blinked and tried to look nonchalant.  “Me?”

“Yes.” Ozai swam across the pool again, gathering more floating plastic toys as he went.  “They’re bound to rush out here once they’re ready and might trip on the toys on the ground.  They can get them from the bin when they want them.”

Ursa walked to the lawn to pick up the discarded toys.  Ozai was picking up after children; she never thought she’d see the day.  She tried to break the awkward silence between them with a joke as she walked to a plastic yard bin with an arm full of toys.  

“Good thinking.  Hakoda and Kya definitely won’t look where they’re going.”  That was a lame joke and as she dumped the toys in the bin, she wanted to run into the house and hide with embarrassment.  Was that the best she could come up with?  No wonder everyone said Kya was the funny one.

A low chuckle came from behind her and she turned around.  Ozai pulled himself out of the water, one arm holding the last of the toys as he carried them over.  

“I was thinking the same thing.”  

She stepped aside, looking away as Ozai tossed the objects into the bin.  He was an arm’s length from her.  Maybe less.  She could smell the chlorine on his skin and see the small droplets course down the smooth contours of his bare arms and large hands.  

What was she doing?  Ogling her ex-husband?  Her divorce wasn’t even final and...was she considering Ozai?

Ursa took a subconscious step back and heard a scrape as her butt brushed against a chair.

“Watch out.” He reached around her and she could feel the heat from his skin.  He grabbed the chair to keep it from toppling over and moved it to the side.  

“Sorry!” She winced as she drew her arms to her chest.  Ozai looked up at her as he stepped back and stood up straight.

“You didn’t do anything.”

“Right.  I meant...you know...for almost knocking it over.”  Was her voice shaking?  Ozai squinted.

He seemed to want to ask if she was all right, but refrained.  He took a small step back and then another, as if to keep the distance he was putting between from being so obvious.  

“My apologies if I caught you by surprise earlier.  I could’ve sworn I heard Sokka declare ‘go’,” he said.  

“Oh, no, it’s fine.  All in good fun.”  

“It was.”  Ozai looked back over the pool.  “I wasn’t expecting such intensity, but it wasn’t unwelcomed.  Azula has quite an aim.  Zuko’s reflexes are good as well.”

“With a sister like Azula, they have to be,” Ursa sighed.  “She does enjoy tormenting her brother.”

“Do they not get along?” Ozai looked back at her, a slight frown on his face.  “From what I’ve noticed, they seemed to have a normal sibling rivalry.  Nothing too intense.”  

“They do when it matters,” Ursa said, as if to assure him that she didn’t mess up raising their children.  “Zuko is protective of Azula and she doesn’t allow anyone to pick on him except for her and Katara.”

Ozai tilted his head to the side.  “Why Katara?”

“Kya thinks it’s because they gang up on Sokka, so they also gang up on Zuko.”

“Sokka has mentioned several times that the two of them are a dangerous pair.”

This time, Ursa gave him a questioning look.  “Do you talk to Sokka and Katara about them often?”

She saw a brief look of surprise in Ozai’s stern face.  “It seems to be our topic of conversation more often than not.”  

It wasn’t an accident that it was so and Ursa knew it.  Her fondness for Kya and Hakoda’s children grew even more than it already was.  

“Azula has been drawing pictures of you, you know,” Ursa said, looking at her feet.  “She’s quite taken.”  

“I heard her call me ‘dad’ on the phone the other night, when Hakoda gave them the phone.”  She looked up at him and he had a thoughtful look on his face.  “I never thought I’d hear that.  I’m quite taken with them as well.”

The words left her mouth before she could stop herself.  “Then spend some more time with them.”  Ozai’s stunned look seemed to mirror hers as she drew her lips in and bit them.  “I mean...it would make them happy.”  

His looked pensive.  “Would you be all right with that?”

Ursa swallowed.  She rubbed her arm, a distracted gesture, and diverted her eyes once more.  “There’s no reason to keep them from you.  I’m sure they’ve always been curious. Now that they know who you are and know you’re close...I’d be a monster to keep them from seeing you.”  

“Ursa, you wouldn’t do anything for them that you didn’t believe, whole heartedly, was in their best interest,” Ozai said.  “I’d be happy to spend some more time with our children.”

Our children.  Not hers.  Not his.  Our.  

Ursa felt the pressure of tears collecting and she drew her head back.  “I’m going to go reapply sunblock,” she said, suddenly as she turned around.  “All that water hitting me must’ve sprayed it off by now.”  

Ozai said nothing else as she retreated.  She told Zuko and Azula not to eat too many cookies before the burgers and hot dogs were ready as she passed the kitchen table and then raced up the hall and stairs as soon as she was around the corner.  

Safe inside her room, she leaned back against the closed door and clutched her arms against her chest.  She sniffled back a cry.

Where was that man downstairs years ago?  When she was pregnant and taking care of their first born?  Why was Ozai attentive now?  Did he learn from his mistakes eight years ago?  Did he want to make amends?  Did he just want to see his children?

It wasn’t fair.  Eight years had made her a woman fleeing a broken marriage that had hurt her children...and her, if she were being honest.  

Eight years had done little to him except make him, in her eyes, better.  

If she had stuck it out and stayed with Ozai, would he be the same man he was right now?  

“Father, me, too!”  She heard Azula’s voice outside and walked to the window.  She peered down and saw her daughter in the middle of the deep end, chest deep in water with her arms up.  Suddenly, she was pushed upwards, squealing with joy as Ozai threw her out of the water by the feet.  

“Keep your legs straight when I push you up,” Ozai said, treading water.  He looked to the side.  “Zuko, you want to try?”

She watched her son’s face lit up before he jumped into the pool.  “Yes!”

Ursa took a deep breath.  There was nothing wrong with Ozai trying to be a good father.  He should’ve done so earlier and late was better than never.  Their relationship would never be the same, but at the very least he showed signs of wanting to be a father to Azula and Zuko.  That was the best she could hope for.  

She stepped away from the window and snatched a tube of sunblock off the bed.  She had failed in giving her children a father with Ikem; she would put aside any personal discomfort she had with Ozai so they could have one.

“He’s not angry....” she said as she squeezed some sunblock in her hand.  Perhaps they could get to where they were before they were married: adequate friends.  

Yes.  That was something to strive through.  She would offer Ozai her friendship.

She was avoiding him.  Ozai laid on a pool side chaise, deciding that his ex-wife was avoiding him on purpose and only spoke to him when she thought she had to.  Did he say something wrong earlier that made her uncomfortable?  He played their post-water gun fight conversation over in his head once more.  The day was more tiring that he thought.

As expected, a day playing in the water, chasing each other, and screaming wore out the children.  

Azula was the first to show signs of sleepiness and denied it.  Katara and Sokka, a bit more used to pool play, outlasted her and she wanted to continue on with them.  Zuko seemed fine as well, but when he noticed Azula struggling to sleep, he began to hint that it was time to go in.

It was, after all, just past sunset and he didn’t want to go to bed smelling like chlorine and wanted to shower.  Katara was quick to make the connection and called for her mother and aunt, who were drinking wine on the patio.  

The children picked up their things and were ushered inside with their mothers.  Hakoda was asleep on his hammock and Kya told him to get up and clean the grill and bring everything else inside.  

“Do you need help?” Ozai asked when his friend began.  Hakoda dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand.

“Relax.  You had a long day, too,” Hakoda said, grinning.  “The kids were all over you asking to be thrown out of the water.  You must be exhausted.”  

Ozai let out a scoff and pushed himself up.  “Don’t be....”  He winced as he felt soreness in his muscles he didn’t expect.  

“Yeah,” Hakoda said as he scraped the grill.  “Listen, Kya turned on the hot tub hours ago.  Get in and relax, old man.”

“Shut up.”  Ozai forced himself to stand and ignore the pain.  He didn’t expect to be sore so soon.  He worked out; was it just a different set of muscles used with the kids?  A slight panic raised in him.  Was it old age?  Hakoda never complained about muscle pain.

“Fine, don’t get in the tub.  Just take a rest, Ozai.  Enjoy the evening.  Grab a beer.”  Hakoda opened the cooler beside the grill.  “Perfect.  One left.”  He lifted up a can and tossed it across to Ozai.  

He snatched it from the air and opened it, returning to his seat.  Just as he brought the can to to his lips, Azula’s voice rang out.

“Father!” He immediately tore the beer away and nearly slammed it on the small table beside him in an effort to hide it.  

“What is it, Azula?” he asked, pretending he wasn’t just about to drink.  He slid his legs off the side of the chaise and sat up.  

His daughter was in a pink and yellow butterfly pajama sleep set, standing by the doorway.  

“I’m going to sleep now,” Azula said.  Zuko stood behind her in shorts and a white shirt.  

“Thank you for coming to see us today, Father.”

“Yes, it was fun.”  Azula looked at her brother and then back at Zuko.  “Will you come visit again, Father?”

Ozai wondered why it bothered him that his children addressed him so formally.  It made sense that they would considering he’d returned to their lives just days earlier, but ‘Father’ was so distant.  

“‘Night, Dad!” Katara and Sokka called out to their father from the door, behind Zuko and Azula.  

They sounded so casual and relaxed, almost as if it was just a notification of a break and that they’d continue tomorrow.  Then again, Katara and Sokka knew their father would be there the next morning, still involved with their lives.  

Ozai looked back at his own two children.  Azula and Zuko knew he was leaving later and weren’t sure when they’d see him again.  

“‘Night, kids,” Hakoda said as he gathered various implements in a plastic bowl.  He sounded equally assured that they wouldn’t disappear from his life, either.  Ozai felt the prangs of envy.  

“Of course I’ll come visit again,” he said.  “Your mother and I spoke a bit earlier today and I’d like to see if we can work out a time to show you my house.”

His heart almost ached as he saw the excitement fill Azula and Zuko’s face.  “You’ll let us come over?” Zuko asked.  

“It was your home before your mother and split,” Ozai said, encouraged by their reactions.  He smiled just a bit.  “I would like it if, regardless of the path your mother chooses, you would come to see it as another home for you.”  

“You’re doing great, man....” Hakoda said as he walked past holding the bowl.  “Don’t screw this up,” he added under his breath.

Ozai resisted the urge to shoot him a glare.  

As Hakoda squeezed past the two children at the door, Azula took a step outside barefoot, closer to her father.  

“Do I have my own room?” she asked, looking almost suspicious.  

His daughter was adorable.  Ozai felt his smile widening.  “There are four spare bedrooms.  You can pick whichever one of those you want.”

Azula’s eyes seemed to grow larger at the prospect.  She took another step closer.  “And...and I can decorate it?”

“We’ll paint it however you please and you can pick your furniture.”

“Can I get a bunk bed like Sokka?” Zuko was suddenly beside his sister, looking earnest.  

If Zuko wanted, he could get two for all Ozai cared.  He was on the verge of giving each child two bedrooms to themselves.  

“It’s a little early to be talking about bunk beds, don’t you think?” Ozai’s smile faded as he looked up and saw Ursa standing by the doorway.  She avoided his eyes as she rubbed one arm with her hand.  “I mean, you haven’t seen how the rooms look like.  What if you like what’s there already?”

“I doubt Father has a bunk bed already, Mom,” Zuko said.  

“We’ll discuss it some other time,” Ozai said.  “I’m sure your mother has come to make sure you go to bed.  Azula, weren’t you sleepy.”

“Yes, but that was before you told me about my room,” she said.  

“Azula....” Ursa used that low, warning voice Ozai wondered if all mothers had.  

“Let me say good night to dad,” Azula said, pouting.  His face softened at her words.  

“Can you call me that?” he asked.  They looked back at him; Azula and Zuko with confusion and Ursa with surprise.  He repeated himself, slower.  “Dad.  ‘Father’ is very formal.  I’m aware that it’s only recently come to light that I’m your father.”  Gods, he sounded as if he were in a business meeting, but couldn’t stop.  “But if possible, once you’re comfortable, I’d like for you to call me-”

“Goodnight, Dad.”  He snapped his mouth closed as he looked at his son.  Zuko carried the same kind, thoughtful look his mother often had.  For a moment, he could see his baby son again.  “See you tomorrow?”

He couldn’t breathe for a second.  Ozai stood up and nodded.  “I have some things to work on in the morning, but I should be able to drop by for dinner.”  

“Great!” Azula clapped her hands together.  Filled with confidence, she walked to him and held out her arms.  “Then we’ll see you tomorrow!”  Her thin arms wrapped around him and he tensed. It was a goodnight hug.  He was receiving his first goodnight hug from his daughter and....

Hug her.  He caught Kya looking at him behind the bay window next to the kitchen sink.  She seemed to be mouthing something and making a hugging gesture.  Hug her!

He awkwardly bent down and gave Azula a light hug.  “Goodnight, princess.”  She tilted her head up and grinned from ear to ear.  

“Goodnight, Dad.”  

She released him and skipped back to where her mother and Zuko were waiting for her.  Ursa gave him a brief nod before following the children into the house.  

At once all the, Ozai let the breath he had been holding in rush out.  His shoulders dumped down and tilted his head back.  

“Good job, Ozai!” He looked back at the bay window and saw Hakoda giving him a thumbs up while wearing yellow dishwashing gloves.  “That was some top notch parenting.”

“8/10, Ozai,” Kya added from beside her husband.  “You have to work on your hugs, though.”

“He’s never been one for hugs, Kya.  You know that.” “But he has to learn.  He can’t go around giving his kids handshakes, can he?”

“Azula’s pretty clever; she may need to learn how to give a solid handshake one day.”  

“Will you two shut up?” Ozai grumbled.  He reached over the chaise and grabbed his beer.  “This is all new to me.”

“And you’re doing a good job,” Kya said.  She was trying to encourage him, but coming from her, he couldn’t help but feel a bit patronized.  He rolled his eyes and took another long drink of his beer.  

“I’m going to use your hot tub.”

“Don’t stay in there too long.  You’ll get dehydrated.”

He put his beer down and walked to the pool spa at the far end of the pool.  He could feel the hot air around it and slowly sank in.  He closed his eyes as he leaned back.  

What a day it was and it wasn’t over yet.  He still needed to tell Kya and Hakoda he would come for dinner the next day and work out the next visit afterwards with Ursa to bring the kids to his house.  

He needed to prepare the house, as well.  What if they stayed the night?  He needed to stock his fridge and call the maid who came weekly to make sure the spare bedrooms were ready.  What else would he need?  

The kids liked video games.  Katara and Zuko were talking about a particular game earlier.  Perhaps he’d look into a gaming system?  It had been a while since he himself played.  Not since he and Hakoda were in college.  

And Azula...what would she like?  Ursa said she drew him.  Art supplies, maybe?

“Oh!” A surprised voice drew him out of his thoughts and he opened his eyes.  Ursa was pulling her white swimsuit cover back on, having noticed he was in the hot tub.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were using it.”

“You’re free to use it, too.  There’s enough space for six people,” Ozai said, sitting up straight.  He moved as far back as he could, to put as much space between them as he could.  

Ursa still looked hesitant.  She clutched her swimsuit cover closed and looked towards the house.  “No, I don’t want to disturb you.”

“You’re not.  I’ve been meaning to speak to you about the children.”  Once more, he sounded like he was about to negotiate an agreement with another company, but his formal tone seemed to relax Ursa, as if that was how she expected him to sound.  “If you don’t mind, I have a few questions.”

Ursa took a moment longer, but slowly nodded.  She began to remove her cover and Ozai looked away, examining the water jets beside him.  From the corner of his eye, he could still make out her long, smooth legs and the eye catching red of her two piece.  She lifted her arms to pin her hair back and he found himself admiring her slender neck.  

She was still beautiful, if not more so now.  He noticed her trying to cover her stomach and chest whenever she got out of the pool that day, but he didn’t understand why.  Her soft curves were inviting and he wished he remembered how they felt.  

“What did you want to ask?” He looked up and met her eyes.  She always had such expressive eyes.  

“You must’ve overheard that I’d like the children to come see the house.  I’m sorry if I said it would clearing it with you first, but I meant what I said.”

“I know you did.”

“Did you?”

“Watching you today made it clear you have every intention of being a father to Azula and Zuko.”  

He narrowed his eyes.  “I had every intention of being so the day you told me you were pregnant,” he said.

Ursa turned red.  “I know...I mean...now.  I mean now.  Because I left you and took the children with me, I was worried that you had given up.  Maybe resent us.”

“How could I resent my own children?  They’ve done nothing wrong.  They’re back in my life again and I won’t let the opportunity pass,” he said in a cold voice.  “Do you hate me, Ursa?”

“What?”  She shook her head.  “No, of course not-”

“Then do I just make you uncomfortable?”

“No - yes...Oh, gods.”  Ursa ran a hand down her face and furrowed her brows.  “Ozai, I do want you to be a father to them.  They want it so badly and they adore you.  I don’t want to take them from them, but I don’t know how to act around you.”

He drew his head back.  “What?  What do you mean?”

“Do you want me to stay away when you’re with the children?  Would you be all right if I was involved?  Can we even be friends again?”

He stared at her.  His hands clenched beneath the water.  “Ursa, I am not Ikem,” he said in a low voice.  “I won’t tell you what to do or how to act. Have you spent so much time with him that you forgot how to act on your own?”

Ursa looked down and wrapped her arms around her stomach.  Her eyes began to water and he berated himself.  “He was very controlling and critical of how I acted-”

“I was out of line-”

“But you are making me change my behavior now, not him.”  

He didn’t expect that.  “What?”

She glared at him.  “I don’t want to make this uncomfortable for the children.  I don’t want them think I hate you.”

“Do you?”  He held his breath once more as he met her eyes.  

“I would like to be friends again,” she said.  “Like we were in college before....”

Before they were married.  He understood what she was saying.  That was a more pleasant time, without the strain of marriage and the expectations that came with it.  They weren’t close, but close enough to be relaxed around one another.

Despite knowing what she asked, he was disappointed. He looked blankly ahead of him, silent.  

“Do you not approve?” Ursa asked and he looked back up.  She was frowning.  “I think being friends would be the best for the children.  Their parents would get along and we can be partners in raising them, like Kya and Hakoda.”

But Kya and Hakoda weren’t just friends, he wanted to say.  

Ozai nodded.  “I’d like that.  It would be good for setting boundaries and reinforcing discipline, as well as give them a happy home life with both of us.”  

A relieved look filled her face and he couldn’t help but feel a little hurt by it.  “Thank you, Ozai.”  

“As I said before, I take care of my own.”  

Ursa smiled and nodded.  She looked towards the house and shifted in her seat.  “Bring your schedule tomorrow and we’ll work out a date when the kids can come over.”

“You’re welcome to come, too, you know,” he said.  She looked back at him.  “I’m not going to keep them from you and besides, I still work.  If they want to stay over, but I’m on a business trip, you should have access to the house and a room.”

He watched her cheeks flood with color.  “A room?”

“There are four to pick from, but you’ll have to battle it out with Azula and Zuko.”

“Right, right!  The spare rooms....”

He raised a brow.  Was she thinking about their old bedroom?  He almost wanted to tease her about it.  “Is that okay?”

“Yes!  Yes, I’d appreciate it much, actually.  We may stay over some time to relieve Kya and Hakoda of us,” she said.  “I’m still looking for an apartment nearby.  I haven’t found one I really like and, to be honest, Azula and Zuko don’t seem to want to move out of this house.  The change to go to yours is the first time they’ve been excited about such a thing.”  

“Then stay at the house.”  He said it so easily, it shocked himself.  “It’s just down the street.”  

She looked unsure of what to say.  “Ozai...that’s very kind of you, but...I mean, I have no problem with spending the night there with the kids while you’re out, but to move in....  My divorce with Ikem isn’t final yet and-”

“Temporarily, Ursa,” he said, leaning forward.  “At least until you find something suitable near-by.  Perhaps I can help.  Lu Ten has a townhouse near-by, actually.  Iroh says he’s practically moved into his girlfriend’s house.  I’ll see if he’s willing to rent.”  

“Oh, I couldn’t bother him....” She looked almost ashamed.  “I divorced his uncle and after everything, I don’t know if he’d be fine with that.”  

Ozai wanted to argue.  When Lu Ten was little, he adored Ursa.  And he had his father Iroh’s kind, almost saint like personality.  If Ozai called him right now and brought it up, he was almost sure Lu Ten would be arranging movers the next morning to clear out the house for his ex-aunt and cousins.  

“I’ll look into it,” he said.  “Thank you for allowing the children to visit.”

She smiled.  “Thank you, Ozai.” They stared at each other for a few seconds lorder before Ursa looked away, her cheek still tinted red.  She reached for the metal railing to pull her up.  “I should go get ready for bed, too-”

He saw her leg buckle as she slipped on the tub floor.   Her hand slid past the railing, unable to grasp it as she fell back.

“Ursa!”

She should’ve paid more attention to where was was stepping.  She shouldn’t have been in such a rush to leave.  She was careless and now she was paying for it.

“Ursa, are you all right?”

No, she was not.  

Ozai’s arm was around her stomach, bracing her against him as his other arm hooked around hers to keep her from tumbling back into the tub.  She could feel his hot, wet skin against hers and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember when the last time she was so close to him was.  

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she said.  She willed her foot to search for a place to step and regain her footing.  “I just didn’t get my foot down right.”

He pushed her up to steady her.  “Hold on to me.”  

Don’t mind if I do.  No...dammit, Ursa.  She refused look at his face as he helped her regain her balance.  

“What your footing as you go up,” he said.  He sounded both worried and stern.  “Grab on to the railing.”

“Ursa, are you okay?” Kya rushed over.  “I saw you stand and fall.”  

“Just a little slip.  Ozai caught me.”  

Hakoda reached Kya’s side and looked at the two of them in the tub.  “I see he did.”  

She was sure her whole body was as red as her swim suit.  Ozai was right behind her and his hands were still on her arm and hips.  

He seemed to rip them away as soon as Hakoda said something.  “Walk and let me make sure nothing’s injured.”  Kya placed her swim cover over her shoulders and took her hand, standing beside her.

“I don’t think anything is....” she said.  “Anyway, I should take a shower and change.”  Still walking beside Kya she looked over her shoulder and briefly met Ozai’s eyes.  “Good night.  Drive safely.”  

“He lives like six houses away...he didn’t even have to drive here,” Hakoda said.

Ozai gave her a small nod and Ursa reached the house.  Kya followed behind her going up the stairs.  

“I’m glad you’re okay.  When I saw you fall, I came running out,” the doctor said.

“Were you watching us?” Ursa asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

“From the kitchen window.  We were eating the leftover popcorn,” Kya said without a bit of shame.  “You did great.  He kept staring.”

“I didn’t want him to stare,” she said in a low voice to avoid waking the children.

“Then why’d you wear that?”

“You made me wear it!”

“And it got the desired response.”

“What?  For Ozai to stare at me like I’m a piece of meat?”

“No, for him to be irritated with himself for being such a crap husband eight years ago, and reassess his life without you,” Kya said.  “And it looks like he did.”

“Wonderful.”  Ursa sighed as she walked down the hall to her room.  “I’m just here to make him rethink his life choices.”

“Did you rethink yours when you saw him with the kids?”  She stopped before her door and looked down at the door knob.  She did rethink hers.  

Ursa turned around and met Kya’s gaze.  “Is that the Ozai you know?” she asked.  Kya nodded.  “That’s not fair.”

“Ursa....”

“I’m tired, Kya.  I’ll see you in the morning.”  She opened the door and walked inside her dark room, closing the door behind her.   

“They never said anything about him to me,” Ursa looked offended as she looked up from her notebook.  

Kya had just returned home and late in the evening and was eating leftovers.  Hakoda was in his study, doing a web conference with their office abroad.  The den, where Ursa had cried her eyes out two nights earlier,  was currently the domain of four children marathoning a fantasy movie series.  

It left the two women in the kitchen, by the island.  

“Children are smarter than adults give them credit for,” Kya said as she slurped up some soup.  “Even if they don’t know why, I’m sure they picked up that you didn’t want to discuss him and that Ikem clearly didn’t want to.”  

“But you would think that they’d ask about their father every so often,” Ursa said.  

“Perhaps they were afraid to,” Kya pointed out.  “Especially when Ikem was there.  Ikem who wouldn’t even let them call him ‘dad’.”  Ursa’s shoulders slumped.  

“So they took to asking your family....” Ursa whispered, feeling like a failure to her own children.  Kya sighed.

“We have pictures of him on our wall; he is an important part of our lives both as a family friend and a business partner,” Kya reminded her.  “I don’t know how it started or how they even found out that we knew Ozai - we never mentioned it.  One day, Zuko asked if Sokka was telling the truth and the man in a photo was his father.  I was hesitant, but I didn’t want to lie to him.”

Ursa looked down.  “I didn’t have any photos of Ozai...I should’ve taken at least one, if only to show the children.”  Her eyes crinkled up.  “But you know Ikem.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Well, what did they ask about him?” Ursa prodded.  Kya chewed her seafood bits in her soup and thought for a moment.  

“What kind of man he was, what he did for a living, where he was,” Kya said.  “I tried to be fair in my answers, but Hakoda overheard and of course told them that Ozai was a stubborn, arrogant, hot head who liked to yell.”

Ursa smiled slightly.  “I remember that Ozai.”

Kya smiled back.  “I told them he was a good, loyal man who worked too hard and spent more time at work than at home.”

Ursa’s smile slowly left, but she nodded in agreement.  “I remember that Ozai even better,” she said.  “Did they ever ask why we split up?”

“Azula did,” Kya said.  “I was tucking her in at night during one of their sleep overs and she asked.  Honestly, that girl...quite a way to end a night.”

“Yes, but what did you tell her?”

Kya’s amused smile faltered.  She met Ursa’s eyes with sad ones.  “That you two just couldn’t make it work, but....,” Kya finished her meal.  “That he did care about them, but didn’t want to intrude on their lives.  Azula was not pleased with this.”

“Considering she has been talking about him non-stop lately, I can see why,” Ursa admitted.  “She and Katara got in an argument today because Azula said her father was more handsome than Hakoda and Katara vehemently disagreed.”

“Hah!” Kya tossed her head back with a laugh.  “Are you kidding me?  There is no question!”

Ursa chuckled.  “I know.”

“Hakoda.”

“The years have been good to Ozai.”  

Silence filled the kitchen as the two women stopped and stared at each other.  Ursa’s face heated up as Kya’s blue eyes bore into hers.  “I will ignore that you think my charming, brilliant husband is less attractive - because you’re clearly wrong, but are you telling me that you think Ozai is handsome?”

Panic filled Ursa’s face and she tried to come up with a valid answer.  “I only made the observation that in eight years, he hasn’t changed much!”

Kya continued to stare at her.  “You still think he’s handsome.”

“Kya, please,” Ursa groaned.  “Am I not allowed to?”

“I just...am surprised you’d admit it,” Kya said, still a bit dumbfounded.  Ursa flushed.

“Please don’t tell them,” Ursa said, grasping Kya’s hand.  “They can’t know!”

“You don’t want me to tell Hakoda either?”

“Please!”

“Alright, alright,” Kya said, waving her off.  “But you’re not wrong.”

“What?”

“Ozai...good-looking,” Kya shrugged as she took a sip of water from her cup.  “Thirty-some years old, but as you’ve said...the years have been good to him.”

“I’m just here to relay the message,” Hakoda said as he held the phone away from his ear.  “Kya said to remind you that it’s a pool party and to wear proper pool attire.”

“Hakoda, I am too old to attend a pool party!  That’s for the children!  What adult in the right mind would wear swim wear there?” Ozai continued to yell.  He didn’t care if he was at the airport and that people were staring.  He had thirty minutes until boarding and Hakoda decided to call to remind him to wear swim trunks to the BBQ the next day.  Where was Ozai going to get swim trunks in such short notice!?

“I am...in case one something happens and I need to jump into the pool to save a life,” Hakoda told him, as if it were obvious.  “Kya went with Ursa to get new swimsuits.”

“Tell him she got a two piece!” Ozai heard in the background.  

“Is Kya there, too!?” Ozai barked through the phone.  While he loved Hakoda like a brother and saw the two as his family, sometimes they drove him crazy.

Hakoda sighed.  “She’s off today and she’s just teasing you.  Listen, the kids are going to be running around with water guns and balloons.  You are going to get wet unless you’ll be joining us via teleconference from your house all day.  So, wear something you don’t mind getting wet.”

Logical as always, he had to give that to Hakoda.  It wasn’t often that you’d meet a man so creative and a huge dreamer who was still firmly grounded.  Ozai let out a heavy breath.  “I understand.”

“Wonderful.  Also, I got a call from Bato about...wait a second.”  Ozai could hear several muffled voices.  After a few moments, Hakoda sighed.  “The girls want to ask you something.”

“The girls?” Ozai raised a brow.  He could hear Hakoda handing the phone to someone and two giggling voices.

“Uncle Ozai, are you bringing cookies again?” Katara asked hopefully.

“They were very delicious,” Azula added.  “We would like some more, please.”

He was glad that no one he knew was around to see him.  His face lost its usual hardened look as he heard his daughter’s voice on the phone.  This was the first time Azula had spoken to him like he had heard Katara speak to Hakoda when Hakoda was on a business trip.  Ozau looked almost stunned and found he couldn’t even reply.

“Uncle Ozai?” Katara asked, when there was no answer.  “Daddy, your phone!”

“Uncle Hakoda, is your phone broken?” Azula sounded displeased.  “I can’t hear my dad.”  

Her dad.  

Shit.  She called him her dad.  Ozai felt an unforeseen rush of emotion at the title.  He ran his free hand down his face.  Azula had been just a few weeks old when he and Ursa separated and after eight years, he wondered if he’d ever hear her actually speak.  Hearing her high, confident voice the other night had been almost surreal.  The little infant he’d held, perhaps twice at best, was a proud little girl.

Now, she had called him her dad.

“It’s not broken,” he answered, his voice surprisingly firm, as usual.  “I...I’m bringing you some cookies, girls. Just share with your brothers.”  

“Awww....”  They both sounded disappointed, and Ozai couldn’t fight the small smile on his face.  

“Girls, I need to finish my phone call,” he heard Hakoda say.  “Tell him to have a safe flight.”

“Okay.  Have a safe flight, Uncle!” Katara said.  

“Yes, have a safe flight, Mr. Sou-hey!”

“Say it!” Katara urged.  “It’s okay!”  There was some hesitation.

“It’s alright, Azula,” Hakoda said gently.  “I’m sure he won’t mind.”   There was some more silence.

“Have a safe flight, Da...Father.”  

“Azula!” Katara yelled.

Hakoda received the phone.  “Well, she ran off.  At least that was close, albeit formal.”

“No, it’s fine,” Ozai said.  “Better than Mr. Souzin.”  Hakoda smiled for his friend.  “What were you saying about Bato?”

“Oh, that the new data center in Gaoling is fully operational.  No need to check it, he did it all himself,” Hakoda said.  

“Good to hear that,” Ozai replied.  “I need to get going.”

“Flight’s boarding?”

“No,” Ozai stood up and grabbed his carry-on.  “The duty free shop is closing and I need to get the kids some cookies.”

As expected, Azula was sleeping peacefully in the room she was sharing with Katara.  The drawings they had been working on before bed were still scattering on the low plastic table between the beds.  She’d noticed a change in Azula’s usual depictions of warrior-princesses and their trusty steeds.  

Lately, there was male figure drawn in with crayons holding the hand of a little girl wearing a tiara.  Occasionally, there was a little boy behind them with a tear in his eye, seemingly feeling left out.  

In all their time with Ikem, Azula never included him in her family drawings.  Zuko had, but the detail wasn’t the same as with them or Kya and her family.  

Ursa looked back at her daughter.  Azula seemed to have laid out her little red swimsuit and two unopened bags of balloons at the foot of her bed.  Ursa was sure that Azula wasn’t simply excited at the prospect of pelting her brother with them the next day.  She had been talking about the cookies “dad” was bringing her.

Sighing deeply, Ursa slipped out of the room and turned to the room across from it. She opened it and heard Sokka’s light snoring from the top bunk.  Beneath it, a flash light was being shined on to a book and she shook her head.

“Zuko...,” she whispered as the boy on the bed looked up, surprised as he was engrossed in his book.  

“Mom?”

“You were supposed to go to bed an hour ago,” she scolded lightly, careful not to wake Sokka.  Zuko looked back at his book.

“I can’t sleep,” he admitted.  She smiled softly.

“Excited about tomorrow?” she asked.  He nodded.  “Well, just to warn you, your sister has two packs of 40 water balloons.”  Zuko visibly winced and she chuckled.  “Get some rest, Zuko.”

“Wait, Mom?” Zuko said, as loudly as he could without waking Sokka.  The woman turned around and gave him a questioning look.  

“What is it?” Her son hesitated.  Zuko lowered his book and turned off his little flashlight.  

“Why didn’t Da...,” he caught himself.  “Mr. Souzin ever contact us?  He...he didn’t seem to hate us.”

Ursa’s eyes went wide and she lifted her hand to her chest.  “Zuko...” she whispered.  “No, he doesn’t hate us...you or your sister.”  Is that what he thought?  How long had Zuko thought that?  

“Then why didn’t he ever call or come see us?” Zuko asked, confused.  “Sokka and Katara saw him more than we did and he’s just their uncle.”

Her chest was aching and in the pit of her stomach, a dark, empty void seemed to twist. She glanced out the door and then back to Zuko.  She lifted her hand and waved for him to follow.

“Let’s go downstairs so we don’t wake Sokka.”

Zuko quietly closed his book and scooted off the bottom bunk.  He put on his slippers and followed his mother out the door.  

In the kitchen, Ursa turned on the two lamps hanging above the island.  It was just enough to illuminate the kitchen, but not so bright as to blind them at night.  Zuko automatically climbed on to one of the island stools and Ursa went to the hot water boiler to make some tea.

“I know you were too young to understand why your father and I divorced all those years ago, but let me make it clear that it was not your fault,” Ursa said, as firmly as she could.  She walked back to the island and stood across from Zuko.  “You probably already know by now that your father, Ozai, and I were married through an arrangement between our fathers.”

Zuko nodded as he leaned over the island.  “You didn’t want to marry him, right?”

Ursa tried to stop herself from wincing.  “Ozai was a friend,” she clarified.  “I liked him, don’t get me wrong.  We spent a lot of time together because of your Uncle Hakoda and Auntie Kya.  When I moved from Ember Island to go to school, I had left behind all the friends I had and my boyfriend, who I thought I would marry.”

Zuko lowered his eyes.  “Ikem.”

As he said it, Ursa felt her stomach sink. “Yes, Ikem.  We would talk often, but I was busy was school and Ikem was busy trying to get noticed.  Maybe your grandfathers thought that we broke up, so they pushed for me to marry you father.”

“Did he not want to marry you, either?” Zuko asked.

Ursa paused.  Her eyes widened slightly.  Surely, that must’ve been the case.  It couldn’t have just been her who didn’t want to get married.  Ozai had never been vocal against the marriage, but he always generally did what his father wanted.  

“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully.  “We were friends and I know he cared about me as such, but I doubt he wanted to marry me.  It was just that his father, Azulon, was very strict and if he told Ozai to do something, Ozai would do it without question.”

“What about you?” Zuko asked.  “If you didn’t want to marry him, why did you?”

Ursa took a deep breath and slowly released it.  “My father really wanted me to.  They said that if I married Ozai, Azulon and the Souzin Corporation would help Ember Island and it needed help back then.  I had to pick between the man I thought I was in love with and the rest of my friends and family on the island, so I picked the island.”

Zuko nodded.  “Was Ikem angry?”

Ursa’s jaw tensed.  “He was,” she said.  “Very angry, he tried to stop us, but the island would fall apart without help.”

“Oh,” Zuko said, looking down.  “Do you...regret marrying my father?”

Ursa closed her eyes and pursed her lips.  “Marrying Ozai allowed me to have you and Azula,” she told him softly.  “Even if we didn’t work out, we had two wonderful children and I don’t regret that.”  

Zuko offered a hopeful smile, but a small voice piped from behind him.  “If you didn’t regret it, why did you get divorced?”

Ursa lifted her head and looked towards the doorway.  Azula was standing in her little red robe and slippers, her hair a tangled mess around her head, and a frown on her face.  

“Honey, what are you doing up this late?”

“I heard you talking to Zuko and followed,” she told them, clearly displeased that she had not been invited.  “Why didn’t you bring me?”

“You were asleep,” Ursa said.  She heard a small click behind her and turned around.  The hot water was ready.  “Since you’re here now, do you want some tea?”

Azula looked hesitant for tea, but seemed to understand that having some would allow her to stay.  She nodded and seemed to groggily walk across the kitchen, towards the stool.  Zuko offered to help her, but she waved him away, climbing up on her own.

Ursa prepared some tea for the three of them in silence and brought it over.  “Here.  After the cup, you have to go back to sleep.”

The two nodded.  “Why did you get divorced?” Azula proded.  Ursa inwardly sighed.  Kya was right about her daughter’s determination to get her questions answered.  

“Your father worked too much,” Ursa replied.  She knew the answer; she had gone over it a thousand times, wondering if it was enough to get her to leave.  “After we were married, he spent so much time working at the office and traveling the globe.  He was rarely home and even when he was, we didn’t really talk.  It was an arranged marriage after all, so it was kind of awkward. l couldn’t see us raising you two as a family.”

“Was he mean to you?” Zuko asked hesitantly.  Ozai seemed strict from what he had seen.

Ursa looked taken aback by the question.  She quickly shook her head.  “No,” she said.  “Of course not.  Ozai is stern and can be very sarcastic, but he was not mean.”  She felt her chest swell for just a moment.  On the contrary, Ozai was was always quite respectful and gentle with her.  “But he was distant.”

“Distant?” Zuko looked confused.  

“Because he was always away?” Azula added.  

“Yes,” Ursa answered, though that wasn’t all.  “We didn’t divorce because of you two.  We divorced because we could not make it as a family.  He was always out and wouldn’t be able to raise you two with me.  He wasn’t there when either of you were born.  I made the decision to leave.”

The two children were quiet.  Zuko slowly sipped on his tea, mulling over his mother’s words.  Azula stared down at her untouched tea.  “He didn’t like us?”

“He was not involved, nor he was affectionate,” Ursa said.  “But I know he loves you both.”

“Then why didn’t he want to see us?  Why did he stay away?” Zuko asked, sounding hurt.

Ursa’s eyes moistened.  “Because of me,” she said in a raspy voice.  “I took you away and tried to give you another family, so Ozai didn’t contact us because he didn’t want to ruin that.  He loved you two so much that rather than drag out a long and painful divorce, he made it as quick and painless as he could to spare you two being caught up in one.”

Zuko looked down and Ursa wiped at the corners of her eyes.  Azula finally took a sip of her tea and narrowed her eyes.  

“Dad is stubborn,” she said, irritated.  “Isn’t he?” she asked.  “Just like Uncle Hakoda said.”

Ursa smiled slightly and nodded.  “I’m afraid we both are.”

“Mom,” Zuko began quietly.  “He’s supposed to come tomorrow.  Are you going to be okay?”

She looked surprised that he had asked and in the back of her mind, Ursa recalled Kya’s words on how perceptive children could be.  She gave Zuko a small smile and nodded.  “Yes, I’ll be fine.  Ozai and I were friends once...I think that we can be friends again.  And I know that he will be happy to see you two.”  

Azula and Zuko both looked pleased with that.  “He’s bringing us cookies,” Azula reported.  “I asked him when he was on the phone with Uncle and he said he would.”

“Your father takes care of his own,” Ursa found herself saying as she reached across the island and stroked the sides of her children’s faces lovingly.  “I am sure they will be yummy.”  

He arrived earlier than they expected, but he probably wanted to avoid coming over when the sun was at its highest and the heat at its worst.  A shiny, bright red sports car - something Ursa was fairly certain he didn’t have before - parked beside her white sedan.  

Katara, who had been watching early morning cartoons with Azula had seen the car pull up and immediately shook Azula.  “Your dad’s here!”  

The two rushed to the large window and waved as the man raised the roof over his convertible.

From the hall, carrying down a basket of laundry, Ursa had tensed.  Her eyes darted to the door as her heart shot to her throat.  No, he couldn’t be arriving so soon.  The BBQ wasn’t starting until noon and Kya was just getting the grill warmed up.  Hakoda was still scooping out a melon with some new gadget he bought.

And she was still dressed in sweatpants, no make-up, and hadn’t bothered to put on a bra underneath her loose shirt.  

Ursa quickened her step to try to get to the laundry room before he reached the door.  

“Daddy!” Katara shouted as Ursa heard their footsteps racing towards the foyer.  “Uncle Ozai is here!”

“I’ll get the door in a minute!” Hakoda shouted back from the kitchen.  Ursa reached the front of the house and headed for the other side.  

“We can get it!” Katara insisted.  

Just as Ursa reached the foyer, the small enclave illuminated with sunlight as Katara and Azula unlocked and pulled the door open.  

“Hi, Uncle!”  

“Good morning!”

Ursa froze, still holding the laundry basket against her.  Slowly, she turned her head towards the door and standing on the stop step was a dark-haired man who was filling out a pastel pink polo and a pair of knee-length beige khakis far too well.  Even his boat shoes matched his clothes.

“Good morning,” Ozai replied.  His eyes, however, had settled on Ursa and, as if noting her disheveled appearance, raised a brow in question.  

Ursa felt her face heat up.  Her ex-husband had made his appearance put together, as always, and she...was doing laundry in sweat pants.  

“Uncle!  Did you bring them?’ Katara asked hopefully.  Azula was eyeing the paper bag Ozai was holding.  

Calmly, the middle-aged man nodded and reached into the bag.  He took out a large box bearing images of cookies.  The two girls immediately reached for them, only to have him hold it up, above their grasping hands.  “Share with your brothers.”

The two girls hesitated, but nodded.  “Okay,” Azula agreed.  Ozai handed her the box and she clutched it against her.  She turned to Katara and gave her a nod. “But just one for each!”

Ursa perked up.  “Girls!” she scolded, but they raced out of the foyer, giggling.  She sighed tiredly and prepared to go after them.  

The front door closed and the sound of it made her remember who had arrived.  Ozai calmly locked the door behind him and placed his paper bag on the floor.  

“I’ll take that,” he said.  He moved closer and Ursa could smell the faint scent of his cologne.  She instinctively stepped back, clutching the laundry basket against her.

“It’s fine, I’ve got it!” she insisted.  Ozai gave her a questioning look, but stopped when she recoiled.

“I know where the laundry room is,” he said in a low voice.  “Please allow me to bring it there.”  

He sounded so formal in simply asking to carry the laundry basket, as if he was merely being polite.  Ursa looked away.  “It’s fine, Ozai.  It’s not far.”  

“Oh, for the love of...,” Hakoda sighed as he came out the kitchen.  “Just give it to him.  Kya needs your help with the grill.”

“I need to put the laundry in,” Ursa argued lamely.

“You can do laundry after the party,” Hakoda said.  “That way, you can wash the kids’ bathing suits and towels, too.”

“Dad!  Katara and Azula aren’t sharing!” Sokka’s frustrated voice sounded from the kitchen.  Hakoda tilted his head back and let out a heavy breath.

“Katara!  Azula!  You can stand to lose more than one cookie!” He stormed back to the kitchen and Ursa felt a small tug from her laundry basket.  She turned back and realized Ozai was trying to take it from her.

“I’ll bring it to the laundry room.  Go ahead and go to Kya.  You know how impatient she can get with food,” he said.  She felt the laundry basket slip from her hands and without another word, Ozai headed in the direction of the laundry room.

Ursa was left standing alone in the foyer for a moment before turning around and heading towards the kitchen to get out to the backyard.  Before she even made it into the kitchen, Kya intercepted her.  

“I lied, I didn’t need you at the grill,” the woman said as she turned Ursa around and pushed her towards the stairs.  

Ursa knit her brows together.  “What did you need me for?”

“He arrived earlier than expected,” Kya frowned, sounding somewhat annoyed.  “So much for your grand reveal.”

“What grand reveal?” Ursa choked out.  She made her way up the stairs, pushed only by a determined looking Kya behind her.  “What are you talking about?”

“I did not spend three hours with you, shopping for a two-piece, for nothing!” Kya huffed.  

“Kya!” Ursa was nearly dragged into her room and the door closed shut behind her as Kya made a beeline for the shopping bag sitting on the trunk at the foot of the bed.  She tossed two scraps of red on to the bed, followed by a thin, billowy white cover-up.  

“You will find my taste as on point as usual,” Kya grinned triumphantly.  Ursa poked at the red bathing suit pieces and carefully lifted the top by a strap.  

“I think this is hardly appropriate for a mother of two to wear,” she said with a frown.  

“Non-sense!” Kya dismissed.  “A woman should be able to wear anything she wants!  And you’ll look fabulous in this!  Look, I know how you don’t like your belly button showing, so I got the high waisted bottom.  The straps are thick, so you don’t have to worry about your breasts falling out.”

Ursa stared at Kya.  The other woman was in a pair of women’s board shorts with flowery patterns, and a one piece swim suit.  

“Why do you get to wear one piece?”

Kya proudly lifted her hand up to her chest.  “I usually wear racing suits.”  She turned around and lifted her hair up to show the cross strap in the back.  “I have so many, I don’t need to buy any more!”

Ursa twitched.  Kya had been saying that since they were in college and while a legitimate answer - Kya was a champion swimmer and had saved her, Hakoda, and Ozai from riptides a few times - it still bothered her that Kya was pushing the two piece on her while keeping the one piece on.

“I’m not wearing it unless you’re wearing one, too.”  Ursa crossed her arms over her chest defiantly and Kya let out a small gasp.

“Then what are you going to wear?  You know with the kids running around, you’ll get soaked,” she pointed out.  Ursa held her ground.

“Then, I’ll get soaked.”

Kya smirked. “Well, I hope you wear a bra, because that shirt isn’t going to hold up against water.”  Ursa gasped and covered her chest.  

A knock sounded on the door.  “Mom, I’m going to change into my swim suit!  Uncle said we can get into the pool now.”  Azula pushed the door open and looked in.  She looked from her mother to her aunt and back.  “What’s going on?”

“Your mom is looking for a swim suit to wear,” Kya beamed.  “She picked out this nice red one.”  Kya lifted up the two pieces of fabric as Ursa shot her a glare.  “What do you think?  Is it too much for your mom?”

“No, that’s fine,” Azula said.  “I like the color.  It could use some gold.”  She turned to her mother.  “Hurry up and change, Mom!  You can watch me get Zuko!”

With a sinister look on her face, Azula let out a childish cackle before closing the door to go change in Katara’s room.  

“Why did you tell her that!?” Ursa demanded.

“Desperate times, my friend,” Kya said as she held out the bathing suit.  “Now, put it on because knowing Azula, she’ll tell her uncle and father what you’re wearing and if you’re not wearing it, Ozai will think it has something to do with him, and it’ll get weird.”  

Ursa crinkled her eyes.  She snatched the two piece from Kya’s hand and pointed to the door.  “Fine!  But I’m not going to like it!”

Kya beamed and gave her a thumbs up.  “Show that man what he was stupid enough to let go!”

“Kya!”

The door shut behind her and Ursa looked down at the red two piece.  Her eyes crinkled up.  Sure, she had agreed to buy it and liked how it looked on her at the store, but now... knowing that Ozai will see her now aged, squishier body....

She let out a defeated sigh and walked towards the window.  She peaked through the blinds, towards the pool.  Sokka and Zuko were already inside while standing by the gas powered grill, Ozai in his polo and khakis was talking to Hakoda, in a pair of boardshorts and a loose shirt.  

She glanced down at the swim suit once more and felt a surge of determination.  Kya was right; she still had a great body!  Who cared what Ozai thought?  She would wear this for her!

While that thought in her mind, she quickly changed.  She quickly brushed her hair, allowing the long, thick locks to fall around her face before pinning the left side back behind her ear.  She stepped back and admired herself in the mirror.

Sure, she was no longer as slim as she was when they first met in college, but she still looked good.  

“Mom, I can’t put my hair up!” The door swung open and Azula walked in with her hair down and holding a hair tie.  “Put it so I can see.  I don’t want it getting in the way when I shoot Zuzu.”

Ursa turned around and held out her arms.  “Sure, honey,” she said.  “Ah...what do you think?  Does the suit look good?” she asked, hopefully.  

Azula gave her mother the once over.  “The suit is fine,” she shrugged. Ursa deflated.  She sighed heavily and took the hair tie from Azula.  As the little girl turned around, ready to have her hair tied, she spoke up once more.  “You’re always beautiful, so it doesn’t matter.”  

Ursa slowed in the middle of tying Azula’s top knot.  She smiled softly.  “Thank you...”  

“Well, this is a surprise,” Hakoda grinned as his wife walked out of the house and smirked.  Gone was the navy and white striped one piece she had been wearing earlier.  In its place was an electric blue halter and a bottom he could barely call shorts.  “Where’s the racing uniform?”

“Excuse me,” Kya said as she reached him and grabbed the front of his shirt.  She tugged him forward and as Hakoda chuckled.  “Are you complaining?”

“Not one bit,” Hakoda kissed the tip of her nose.  Kya giggled as she released him.  Hakoda wrapped an arm around her shoulder and brought her closer, leaning over and kissing the tattoos that peaked over her shoulders.  She had earned those particular ones after winning an international swimming tournament.  “It’s just not often you wear a two piece.”

Kya looked proud of herself.  “I’m wearing it in solidarity!”

“Of what?” Ozai asked as he raised a brow from behind Hakoda.  “Is he wearing one, too?”

Hakoda gave him a side glance.  “Funny.”

“Hurry, Mom!” Azula shouted from inside.  “I need help with the water balloons!”  

“Alright, alright,” Ursa’s exasperated voice said.  “But don’t run around the pool.  It’s slippery - what if you fall?”

“Mom, are you going to swim with us?” Zuko shouted from the pool, just half a second before Katara jumped on his back and dunked him back in.  His arms thrashed in the air as broken gurgles came from beneath the beaming girl.

Ursa sighed and lifted a hand, running it through the right side of hair as she walked out on to the back yard in her rich, red swimsuit just peeking through beneath her white cover-up.

A crunch of plastic was hard and Hakoda and Kya looked back, over their shoulders.  Water was pouring down Ozai’s hand as the crushed water bottle remained in his tight grip.  Wide, gold eyes were staring at the newly arrived woman and his mouth opened just a bit.  

Hakoda lifted the pair of tongs in one of his hands and put it under his friend’s chin, pushing the slacked jaw up.  Blinking as he did so, Ozai batted the tongs away and shot a glare at Hakoda.

“What are you doing?” he snapped.

“What are you doing?” Hakoda countered as his wife slipped out of his arm to go help Ursa and Azula with the hose and a bucket of water balloons.  “Excited much?”

“Shut up,” Ozai hissed in a low voice.  “What is the meaning of this, Hakoda?”

The blue-eyed man shorted and turned back to the grill.  He poked out some meat.  “You think way too highly of yourself if you think Ursa dressed like that for you.”  He didn’t need to turn around to know that it struck Ozai in the ego.  “She’s free to dress however she wants.”  Even if it was Kya who probably made her.  “So don’t think that she’s trying to impress you.”  

Ozai slammed his now crushed water bottle on to the stone topped bar beside the grill.  “Just make sure my steak is medium rare.  You know I hate it when it’s over cooked.”

“Sure thing, your highness,” Hakoda laughed.  The other man stepped back and began to lift up the bottom of his shirt.  “Oh, come on,” Hakoda rolled his eyes.  “Are you that petty?”

“What are you talking about?” Ozai smirked as he looked back at his friend with a smug expression.  He lifted his polo over his head, almost instantly feeling a pair of eyes on him.  “If you think I’m doing this for her....”

He tossed the pink polo on to a lounge chair and tugged his pants off to reveal dark red and gold swim trunks.  Hakoda shook his head and flipped over a piece of meat.  “...Then I would be absolutely right.”

It was the most awkward dinner she had ever been in, which is a difficult thing to admit after the years of putting a smile on her face and sitting through meals with Ikem and his peers.  

At the large dining table, Hakoda was on one end, flanked on either side by Ozai and Sokka, who sat next to Zuko, and then her.  Kya sat beside her, at the other end of the table, with Katara on her left, followed by Azula, who had decidedly taken the seat beside her estranged father.

Azula hadn’t been able to stop looking at the man confirmed to be her birth father, even after Hakoda closed the front door behind them.  Ikem’s bodyguards had carried him away after Kya said he had a broken nose and maybe further damage to his jaw and should go the emergency room.  When Ikem threatened to sue them, Kya laughed in his face, welcoming the threat with one of her own.  

“Go ahead.  Do you think you scare us?  If you come near Ursa or the children again or even try to drag their names through the mud, we will destroy you,” Kya hissed.  “Not just your career,” she added with a darkened look.  “You.”

Hakoda had ushered her inside and closed the door.  When he turned around, the tension in the air was clear as Ozai and Ursa stood a few paces away from each other, in the same room, for the first time in eight years.  

While it was no secret that Ozai was still friends with the couple - after all, he was one of Hakoda’s business partners and closest friend, it was still a shock to run into him...at least so soon.  

“You didn’t tell us you were coming,” Kya said in calm, even tones as she crossed her arms.  She stood beside, a bit in front of her, as if to draw Ozai’s burning gaze from the other woman.  “I would’ve made extra for dinner.”

“I didn’t plan to,” Ozai said.  His voice was slow and measured, but it seemed to take effort to pull his attention away from Ursa.  “I came by to drop off the souvenirs from the nomad territories that your husband forgot at the office.”

Hakoda seemed to perk up behind him, as if suddenly remembering something.  “Oh...the sugar cookies.”

“Sugar cookies!?” Katara gasped.

Hakoda gave her a weak look.  “Sorry, honey.  I forgot to get them from your uncle on the way out.”

Katara gave her father a pout and Ozai reached down at patted her head.  “Lucky for you, I brought on my way home.”  

Azula narrowed her eyes as Katara beamed at the assurance that she would still get her cookies.  Once more, Azula wedged herself between Ozai and whoever had his attention.  “Pardon me, I would also like some cookies!”

“Azula!” Ursa scolded.

The little girl didn’t falter in her demands.  “Please!” she added, instead.  

Ozai lifted his hand, used to patting Katara and Sokka on the head, and reached to do the same to Azula.  Then he stopped.  His hand pulled back before he touched her head and instead gave her a nod.

“I left it in the car,” he said.  He turned around abruptly.  “I’ll go get it.”

Kya let out a heavy breath and glanced back at Azula.  She was trying to keep an expectant look on her face, waiting for the cookies, but there was a look of disappointment there that she couldn’t quite hide.  

“I”ll come with you,” Hakoda said as he unlocked the door.  “That idiot may not have left.”  Ozai gave him a curt nod of his head.  

Just as he stepped out after Hakoda, Kya called out after him.  “Will you be joining us for dinner?”

He seemed to freeze at the threshold.  “Dinner...” he muttered.  Ursa was looking back at Kya with wide, gold eyes.  That’s right, it was time for dinner and Kya couldn’t simply send the man off without at least an invitation.  And under normal circumstances, Ursa was sure he’d say he would be.  

Would he stay?  Was he waiting for her to agree or disagree?  Would you flat out say no?

“You should stay,” Azula said suddenly.  She turned towards her brother.  “Right, Zuzu?”

Several pairs of eyes turned towards the boy with the black hair and stunned gold eyes.  He seemed hesitant to answer and glanced at his mother, as if asking if he should agree or not.  However, the fact that he hadn’t immediately disagreed with his sister meant that part of him wanted Ozai to stay.  

Perhaps he was curious, too.

Ursa swallowed a lump in her throat and gave a small nod.  “If you are not in a rush, Ozai, and do not mind the company....”

His eyes narrowed.  “I have no reason to.”  Even as he said it, his voice was cold.  He looked back at Kya and gave her a nod.  “I hope you made extra.”

“We have two growing boys here,” Kya said as she lifted her chin, satisfied with his answer.  “Of course I did.”  

Ursa and Ozai’s eyes met once more before he walked out.  As soon as he was out of sight, heading towards the driveway, Ursa let out the breath she had been holding in and reached for Kya.  The other woman held her steady as Zuko ran towards her.

“Mom?”

“I’m fine, I’m just...surprised,” she assured him.  “Why don’t you help Sokka set the table?” She saw Sokka look towards his mother and after Kya gave him a nod, Sokka herded the rest of the children towards the kitchen.  

Kya helped Ursa to the stairs and let her take a seat.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t know he was coming.”

“Ikem or Ozai?” Ursa said as she raised her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose.  She shook her head.  “It doesn’t matter.  Either way, it’s my fault.”

“I hardly see how Ozai coming to deliver cookies is your fault,” Kya said with disbelief.  “Are you sure you are alright with him joining us for dinner?”

Truthfully, Ursa shook her head.  She wasn’t ready to see Ozai.  She didn’t even ever plan to.  “They want to see him.  To meet him,” she said, referring to Azula and Zuko.  She tilted her head upwards and looked at Kya.  If she didn’t agree to it now, she’d never agree to it.  “Didn’t you see Azula?  How she looked at him?  And Zuko?”

Kya smiled.  “I saw.  It is sudden, but if you are up for this...”

Ursa nodded.  “There is no reason for me to be uncivil towards him.  Besides, he is your friend and this is your home.  You can bring whoever you want in.”

Kya rolled her eyes.  “You are our friend, too.  If it starts to get too much for you, let me know.  Ozai can take a hint and he won’t hold it against us.”  Ursa nodded once more.  

That was how her ex-husband ended up sitting on the other side of the table, talking to Hakoda about recent developments in a data storage facility their company ran.  

She ate in silence, despite Kya’s attempts to get her to talk. Beside her, Zuko was shaking his head as Sokka elbowed him.  

“Just ask!” Sokka finally exclaimed.  The table went silent and Zuko’s face turned red.  All attention was on him.  

“Ask what?” Hakoda raised a brow.  Sokka elbowed Zuko once more.  

“Go ahead!”  he urged.  Zuko looked hesitant and glanced up, across the table, at Ozai.  

“Do you remember me?” he asked in a quiet voice.  Ursa felt her chest ache as her son spoke.  She wanted to reach over and embrace him, but he was looking at his father, waiting for an answer.

“That’s a foolish question.”  Ozai said as he drew his head back, looking almost offended.  Zuko looked as if he had been struck.

“Oh, spirits...” Hakoda placed his fork down before rubbing his head.  Kya was staring at the other man as if he had lost his mind and Ursa had immediately turned red, wanting to scream at him.  

“Of course I remember you, Zuko,” Ozai continued on, unperturbed.  “You are my son.  How could I forget you.”  

He had said it rather roughly, but it was clear that the thought that he’d forget about them was absurd.  

“What about me?” Azula asked as she reached over and tugged at his shirt sleeve.  “Do you remember me?”

As if he couldn’t appease them with a mere verbal answer, Ozai reached into his back pocket and took out his wallet.  It was nice and black - designer and smelled of real leather.  He ignored the cards and the money and reached into a small pocket.  He pulled out worn piece of paper and showed it to her.

“You were just born,” Ozai said.  “Your Uncle Hakoda sent me the picture while I was stuck in Ba Sing Se.”

Azula crinkled her eyes and seemed to study the picture just as hard as she had studied him.  “That’s me?”

“Azula, 0 days,” Ozai said as he turned the small photo around.  “Can you read?” She nodded proudly.  “In your head?” She nodded once more.  

“I can, but Zuko can’t.”

“Hey!” the boy shouted across the table.

A small smirk tugged at Ozai’s lips. He tapped the back of the picture and Azula beamed.

“What does it say?” Kya asked gently from one end of the table.  Azula shook her head.

“It’s a secret,” she said, her pale cheeks blushing.  Ozai put the picture back into his wallet.  

“I have one of Zuko, too,” he said.  He grinned.  “He was taking a bath.  Want to see?”

“No!” Zuko looked horrified and turned red once more.  Ursa gave Ozai a frown.  

“You couldn’t have chosen a better picture?” she grumbled.  Ozai glanced down at the photo and Azula craned her neck to look at it.  

“I was cuter,” she said, seemingly satisfied.  Zuko glared at her harder as Kya and Hakoda snickered.  “Who’s that lady holding him?”

Ozai raised a brow.  “You don’t recognize her?”

Katara leaned to the side to also see the picture.  “That’s your mom, Azula.”

“Mom!?” both Zuko and Azula chorused.  Ursa caught herself from almost crying out ‘me!?’ at the same time.  

“We couldn’t simply leave Zuko alone in a tub of water, Azula,” Ozai stated coolly.  He shoved the picture back into his wallet and returned it to his back pocket.  

“You make a good point,” Kya said, quickly intervening before more questions were asked and Ursa became even more uncomfortable.  “So be honest.  How are the noodles?”

“Great, mom!” Katara beamed.

“More!” Sokka called out.

“10/10, darling,” Hakoda chuckled as he put some more on Sokka’s plate.  “Seasoned just right.”

“They’re delicious, Kya,” Ursa said with a hopeful smile.

“Yeah, Auntie, they’re good!” Zuko nodded.

“I want more pepper next time!” Azula said.  Ursa sighed.

“Agreed,” Ozai concluded.  “A little more on the spicy end next time, Kya.”  He gave Azula small nod of his head, but carried a small, satisfied smirk on his lips, as if proud of something.  

Ursa silently cursed the spirits that allowed Ozai, even in his 30’s, to remain attractive. Feigning being in love with him was one thing, but attraction to his face and body?  Even when her heart belonged to Ikem, she acknowledged that Ozai was ‘nice to look at’.  

She and Kya had spent many a night when they were younger discussing the physical attributes of Hakoda and Ozai.  Many a night.  

“Auntie Ursa, are you done?” Sokka asked.  She blinked and snapped back into attention.  The kids were helping clear the table and Ozai was back to speaking with Hakoda.  

She nodded and pushed her seat back.  “I can take it, Sokka.  Thank you.” The boy nodded and headed into the kitchen where Azula and Katara were climbing on to the bar stools beside the kitchen island and reaching for the cookies.

“One each!” Kya said as she collected the dishes in the sink to be rinsed.  

The girls each took one and as they sat there, with their legs swinging beneath them, Katara bit into her cookie.  “I told you he was nice.  He always brings us cookies when he comes back from the nomad territories.”

Azula nodded.  “I liked it when he punched Ikem.”

Kya let out a laugh from the sink and tried to calm herself as she heard their conversation.  Ursa frowned as she put the dishes in the sink and leaned back against the counter.  

“Kya....”

“It’s funny in retrospect,” Kya admitted.  She looked at Ursa with a gentle smile.  “Are you doing alright?  It seemed to go well.”  

“It was uneventful and that’s as well as it can get,” Ursa said.  

Kya elbowed her lightly.  “I bet you didn’t know he carries around pictures of you guys.”

Ursa felt her cheeks heat up as she watched Zuko and Sokka join their sisters eating cookies.  “I didn’t expect him to be the type.”

“You were married to him for three years,” Kya said.

“Well, we weren’t exactly close,” Ursa grumbled.  She looked towards the children and exhaled slowly.  “I wasn’t sure how he’d take the kids,” she admitted.

“He’s alright with kids.  He’s not the super fun uncle, but they like him.” Kya began putting the dishes in the dishwasher.  Her voice softened.  “You know...he did ask about them.”

Ursa knight her brows together.  “When?”

Kya closed the dishwasher door with her hip and leaned back against it as it began.  “When you first split up.  He’d ask us if we had the chance to see the kids.  It was subtle and he seemed to try not to make a habit of it.  Eventually, we’d just bring them up so he wouldn’t have to struggle.  Sokka and Katara talk about them often, too.  You’d be surprised how Ozai listens when they talk about Azula and Zuko.”

Ursa looked away.  “I feel like we’re talking about different men.”  

Kya nodded slowly.  “Maybe we are,” she said as she pushed herself off the dishwasher.  “You’re talking about your ex-husband.  I’m talking about my friend.”  She stepped away from Ursa and towards the kids.  “I said one each!”  

As the children giggled, Ursa sighed and walked towards the coffee maker.  “Coffee?”

“I’m good.  Hakoda might want some, though,” Kya said as she took a cookie for herself.  

“I’ll check,” the black-haired woman said as she placed a filter and some ground beans on the counter.  She walked out towards the dining room. “Hakoda, did you want coff....”

She trailed off as Ozai rose from his seat at the dining table upon seeing her.  He was alone; Hakoda’s seat was empty.

“He went to get some papers from his study,” Ozai said.  “He’ll be back in a moment.”  

Quietly, she drew her head back, but lingered awkwardly at the entrance.  “Then...um...do you want some...er...coffee?”

She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to say yes or no.  

“No, actually.  I need to leave soon,” he told her.  A rush of relief filled her, but with it a feeling of guilt at the relief.  “I have a flight in the morning.”  She nodded, more automatically than for acknowledgement.  Ozai straightened up a bit.  “How is Zuko’s eye?”

She dropped her gaze.  Did he want to know now?  “He’ll be able to see...he’ll be scarred, though.”  She didn’t seem him clench his jaw.  

“And did the doctors say how long Azula’s closed fracture will take to heal?” She looked up at him, clearly surprised he knew, and he let out a small cough.  “Kya told me.”  

“I see....”

Awkward silence filled the room and in her head, Ursa tried to figure out the best way to leave without making things any more awkward.  Before she could settle on a solution, Ozai spoke up once more.

“I know the agreement was that you have complete custody of the children and I also know that you do not want and have rejected financial assistance from me in the past,” he told her carefully.  “However, the offer still stands.”

Somehow, she always knew that.  Ursa nodded solemnly.  “I....we, appreciate the gesture.  I’ll think about it.”

His eyes met hers once more.  “That offer extends to you, too.”  She blinked.

“What?”

“If Ikem fights you about the divorce, let me know.  I’ll have my lawyers take care of it.”  She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to silence her.  “My lawyers are the same as Hakoda and Kya’s.  If it bothers you that much, pretend I have nothing to do with them.  I don’t want Azula and Zuko to have to go through a messy divorce.  I had tried to avoid that with ours.”  

Ursa grit her teeth.  He did.  He signed without question, agreed that he was insufficient as a father, and gave in to her demands, no matter how much Hakoda and Kya had tried to talk her out of them.  But because of that, their divorce had been quick and the children were spared a long legal battle.

Of course, that also meant Ozai left their lives willingly.  

Her eyes hardened as she looked back at him.  “I didn’t know you care so much about them.”  She couldn’t help but sound bitter.  

Ozai didn’t defend himself.  He merely gave her another solemn nod.  “I do take care of my own, Ursa.”  

Before she could let that sink in, Hakoda appeared from the hall holding a folder.  He stopped and glanced from Ozai to Ursa and back and slowly raised his hands.  “Am I interrupting anything?”

“No,” Ozai said quickly.  He looked at the folder in Ozai’s hands.  “Is that it?”

“This is it,” Hakoda said and handed him the folder.  “Did you want some coffee before you go?”

“No, I need to get some sleep for tomorrow’s flight, so I’ll be heading out now,” he replied as he flipped through the folder.

“Alright,” Hakoda nodded.  He walked around him and headed to the kitchen.  “Kya!  Kids!  Ozai is leaving!”

Ursa heard the sound of chair legs scratching against the stone tile and stepped to the side as Katara and Azula rushed in.

“Thanks for the cookies, Uncle Ozai!”  Katara said as she skidded to a stop in front of him and bowed her head.  Azula did the same.

“Yes, thank you!”  Sokka and Zuko mirrored the respectful movement and Kya nodded.

“Have a safe flight, Ozai.   When will you be coming back?” she asked as she and Hakoda began to walk him towards the foyer.  

“A week.  I’m meeting with our offices there,” he said.  

“Are you going to come and have dinner with us when you return?” Azula asked.  Zuko looked interested at the prospect and Ursa’s eyes crinkled up.  Were they that interested in Ozai?  They never asked about their father, at least not much.  

Ozai didn’t answer immediately.  He looked towards Ursa, as if seeking approval from her.  She didn’t know what to say and tried to avoid his gaze.  

“Of course he will.” Hakoda answered for them and both Ursa and Ozai shot him a surprised look.  Hakoda didn’t seem to think that would be awkward at all.  “We’ll have a nice BBQ when he returns, alright?”

Ozai looked only mildly irritated.  “Just don’t skimp on the spices.”  They reached the door and Hakoda unlocked it.  “Thank you for having me over.”

“Yes, we should do this more often,” Kya grinned.  He shot her a small glare.  

“Bye, Uncle!” Katara waved once more.  Ozai nodded and stepped outside.

“Bye, Mr. Souzin!” Azula added.  Ursa’s eyes went wide and Hakoda and Kya looked taken aback.  Ozai stopped on the pathway back to his car.  He bit his lower lip and turned around, giving her a nod back before stiffly making his way back to the car.  

The door closed and Azula looked at her brother.  “He seems nice.”

“Mr. Souzin is as Katara said,” Zuko agreed.  They turned around and froze in their spots as they saw their mother standing in the hall.  Zuko’s face paled as Azula turned red.  “Mom...”

“It’s getting late,” Ursai said.  “Isn’t it time to get ready for bed?” As if knowing that it was time to make a hasty retreat, Katara grabbed on to Azula’s arm and proclaimed they had to get ready and watch her favorite movie before bed.  Sokka was instantly distracted and began arguing as they raced up the stairs.  

“I’ll make sure they’re behaving,” Hakoda excused himself and followed after the children, leaving Ursa with Kya once more.

Without a word, Kya put her arm around Ursa and led her to the den, further towards the back of the house.  She turned on the light and helped Ursa sit on the couch before closing the door behind them and grabbing a box of tissue from shelf.  

She placed it beside the divorcee and took a seat beside her.  “Go ahead,” Kya said.  “The kids can’t hear you.”  

Ursa grabbed a handful of tissues and began sobbing.  

“Are you okay?” the voice asked through the phone’s speaker.  Ozai continued to rub a towel through his hair as he walked around his bedroom, near the desk where his phone was.

“Of course I am.  Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You know why you wouldn’t be,” Hakoda said.  

Ozai paused and turned towards the phone. “You didn’t tell me she was staying with you.”

“It didn’t seem like a topic of conversation at work.  I didn’t know you were going to drop by, either,” Hakoda said.  

“How long have they been there?”

“Two days.  She left while Ikem was still in the Earth Kingdom.  She didn’t want Azula and Zuko around him any more.”  

Ozai nodded to himself.  He sat on the foot of his bed and tossed his towel to the side.  “Thank you for staying with them.”

“We love them like our own,” Hakoda assured him.

“Not just the kids,” Ozai said.  

The man on the other side of the line paused.  “Kya will make sure she’s alright.  She’ll get through this, just like you did.”  

Ozai glared at the phone.  “Are you going to remind me of that whenever you have the chance?”

“I’m just saying that we’ll be there for her, like we were for you,” Hakoda said.  “At any rate, I think your kids like you.”

“I’m sure they just think I’m a ‘nice man’ who is friends with their uncle and aunt,” Ozai scoffed.  “Mr. Souzin, remember?”  Certainly he didn’t expect a ‘dad’, ‘papa’, or even ‘father’ when they just met him, but hearing his own flesh and blood call him “Mr. Souzin” had stopped him in his tracks.

“Well, did you expect them to call you ‘dad’ so soon?” Hakoda snorted.  “I think Ursa may be alright with you seeing the kids now.  This may be your chance to not massively screw up.”

“Shut up, Hakoda.  I’m not the same man as I was then.  If I could do it all over, I....” He suddenly trailed off.  

What would he have done all over?  Would he have made more an effort?  Would he have rushed back for the birth of his son and daughter?  Would he have tried harder to enjoy the damn theater Ursa loved so much?   Would he have fought to see his son and daughter?

“I know, Ozai,” Hakoda didn’t need any more information and silently, Ozai was thankful of that.  “We’re not going to force you to be the perfect father.  Frankly, that roll is taken.”  Ozai scoffed once more.  “But Ikem wouldn’t even let them call him ‘dad’ and he was their father figure for eight years.  Aside from their amazing Uncle Hakoda, they didn’t know what a father could be.  They may not understand what happened now, but one day they will.  It wouldn’t hurt to reach out to them.”  

“I get it,” Ozai frowned.  “I’ll come to the BBQ in a week.  I’ll see you then.”  He stood up and walked to his desk, reaching for his phone to hang up.

“Ozai.”  He heard Hakoda once more.  “Ursa is our dear friend, just as you are...I trust that you won’t do anything...hasty?”

“Of course not,” he said as his hand over the phone.  “Besides, she doesn’t need any more complications in her life.  She doesn’t need to know.”

Hakoda exhaled deeply.  “That may have been the problem to begin with: she never knew how much you loved her.”  Ozai frowned.  “See you next week.”

Hakoda hung up and Ozai glared at his phone.  “I need to get new friends.”

The black-haired woman stretched her arms up and above her head and she allowed herself to relax.  Finally, the last chapter of her latest book was ready to be sent to her editor.  Smirking triumphantly to herself, Azula saved the file once more just to be sure, and opened up an email to send to her editor.

She typed a quick, to the point message, and signed it “Her Grace, Princess Azula.” before attaching the file.  

Her cursor hovered over ‘send’ and then sent it away.  “Done.”  

A heavy breath escaped Azula and she pushed her seat back, ready to stand and perhaps do a bit of exercise to stretch out.  

The sound of the doorbell filled her sprawling luxury condo and she turned towards the door, raising a curious brow.  It was the middle of the day; most people she knew who would drop by her highrise were at work.  

She glanced at her laptop to make sure the file was sent once more before slipping out of her study and to the small foyer.  Once more the doorbell rang and Azula scowled with irritation.  She reached a small screen beside the door and pressed a button.  

A woman was standing on her doorstep, clutching a small paper bag with a designer purse slung over her shoulder.  She had her back to the little camera and seemed to be talking to someone standing behind her.  

Still, Azula could identify the woman immediately.  She unlocked the door and pulled it open.

“Mother,” she greeted politely as she held it open and bowed her head.  “Please come in.”

“Azula!” the older woman’s kind voice floated in as she stepped through the hallway.  “Look who is here!”

Azula lifted her head and smiled slightly as a dark-skinned woman her mother’s age followed Ursa into the condo.  “Good afternoon, Aunt Kya.”

“Azula, it is good to see you again,” the other woman beamed.  “I brought you some ice candy from the pole.”

“Thank you,” Azula said as she closed the door behind them.  She bowed her head once more and accepted a small, flat box from the visiting woman.  “Please come in.  Have a seat in the living area; I will prepare some tea.”

“Thank you, my dear.  And don’t worry about any snacks.  I’ve brought tea cakes,” Ursa beamed as she lifted up the paper bag she had been holding.  Azula nodded and headed into the kitchen.  As she plugged in the hot water boiler, she frowned.  

She had not been expecting visitors today and hadn’t bothered to put on any make-up.  Granted, she didn’t need any, but it helped top off her usually polished look.  In addition, she was a bit tired from her revisions and didn’t feel like entertaining anyone.  Still, she could not turn her mother and her brother’s mother-in-law away.  It would be rude.

Ursa and Kya went everywhere together when they were in the same vicinity and Azula had lost track of the many times her father had exclaimed he needed to relax and then called Hakoda to see if he and Kya were free to visit. Since their parents and Katara’s parents met, it had been as if they were long lost friends.  Zuko found it disturbing, but it was amusing to Azula.

She poured the hot water into small, but proper tea kettles, placed it on a tray with several cups and saucers, and made her way back.

“I’ve set out three different teas, but if none are to your liking, please let me know,” Azula told them.  

“Thank you, Azula.  I will have this jasmine,” Kya said as the young woman carefully poured the tea.  

“Now,” Ursa said as she set out the box of pastries.  “I am sure you are wondering why we have come.”  Azula had been, but didn’t see the need to voice it.  They would tell her on their own.

“The thought did cross my mind, Mother,” Azula said.  “I heard that Katara’s parents were in town and thought you would be showing her around.”

“She did,” Kya told her.  “But we wanted to talk to you about your book.”

Azula nearly faltered, but years of keeping her posture saved her.  She calmly poured herself a cup of tea before placing the kettle down.  “My book?” Her voice was steady and confident, as always.  “Which one?”

“Actually, darling, it isn’t about one you’ve written,” Ursa said as she sipped from her tea cup.  “It is about one you haven’t.”

Azula raised a brow.  “Come again, Mother?”

Ursa calmly placed her tea cup back on its saucer.  “You write so much about young couples....”

Alarms and red flags began to sound in Azula’s head.  

“Yes, and don’t get us wrong, they’re lovely books,” Kya insisted.  “It’s just that your readers aren’t just newlywed twenty-something years olds sitting in a tub of bubbles on their off day.”  

Azula’s face didn’t show any emotion, but she knew where this was going.  “Really.”

“I am sure that more...mature ladies, such as ourselves,” Ursa said, looking somewhat enthusiastic.  “Would love to read more with characters our own ages.”

There it was!  That was it!  That was the reason they had come with tea cakes and imported candy!  This was a trap!

“We know you have your own writing plans and what not,” Kya admitted.  “But it is just a thought.”

Azula could feel the pressure coming off of the two women.  

“Yes, Azula, one day perhaps?” her mother smiled hopefully.  

Well played, Mother.  Well played.  Azula pasted a smile on her face.  “I am sure I can figure something out.”

The Man She Left Behind

“You left him.”

“I...I left him.”

“You sent him the papers?”

“I sent him the papers.  By courier.”

“And if he won’t sign?”

The other woman hesitated.  “I will make him.”

She was met with a moment of silence.  “Good...I never liked him.”

Ursa lifted her head and looked at the blue-eyed woman sitting across from her at the kitchen table.  She lowered the hot cup of tea in her hand.

“I thought you said you liked him,” Ursa said quietly.  

“I said I liked that he would take care of Zuko and Azula as if they were his own,” Kya said.  “I didn’t like that he seemed to remind you of that all the time and wasn’t so much a father as a man who gave them a place to live.”

“He still treated my children well,” Ursa said, though admittedly, not as well as she would’ve liked.  He even found it uncomfortable when the children called him ‘Dad’, telling them instead to just call him Ikem.  “I didn’t mind.”

That was a lie.

“He treated them as well as he could, living most of the time away,” Kya frowned.  “I don’t know why he bothered to marry if he’d spend most of his time shooting at some random location, miles from his family.”

Ursa swallowed a lump in her throat.  “Ikem had to put food on the table.  And even if he was a bit possessive, he was good to me.”

Kya looked back at her and frowned more so.  “Zuko and Azula were hospitalized after the fire and he wouldn’t let you fly back,” she reminded her, anger still laced in her voice.  “You are their mother.  He knows how much you love them and told you to wait with him in that spirit-forsaken swamp, until they were done filming!  It’s like he held you captive!”

Ursa closed her eyes tightly.  She knew the situation and it had been the last straw.

Ikem had been complaining that the children were old enough to be left with a nanny and could do without her for a few weeks.  He urged her to come stay with him in the southern Earth Kingdom, where he was playing a supporting role in some film.  

A fire broke out at their mansion and while everyone had gotten out safely, ten-year old Zuko had burned his face and eight-year old Azula broke an arm.  Against Ikem’s wishes, Ursa had named Kya and her husband, Hakoda - two college friends of hers, as emergency contacts and they had raced to the children.  

Until Ursa returned, Kya would not leave their side, even while caring for her own daughter and son.  Ursa looked out towards the pool outside, where Katara and Azula, with her good arm, were throwing water balloons at Zuko, who was trying to float in a plastic donut with a bandage around his head.  He was screaming retribution.  Sokka was sitting on the low diving board clutching his water gun, cheering them on.

“You didn’t need to marry Ikem,” Kya said softly.  “I know you were in love with him, but you rushed into it.  He had changed....”

Or perhaps, he had always been that way and Ursa had just ever noticed.  The black-haired woman lowered her head.  “I was in a troublesome spot.  Azula was still a baby and Zuko a toddler...Ikem said he wanted to help.”

Kya frowned.  “ You know their father would’ve paid for everything.  He would’ve given you everything you needed to help with them.”  

Ursa’s face turned away.  Her children’s birth father.  “Ozai only would because he would feel it’s his responsibility.”

“It is his responsibility!” Kya insisted.

“But he doesn’t love us!”

The brown-haired woman looked at her sadly.  “It was an arranged marriage, Ursa, I understand, but Ozai accepted the divorce and wanted to provide financial assistance.”

“He was always such a cold man,” Ursa frowned.  “Everything about the business...but his father put so much pressure on mine to marry us....”  She lifted her hands to her face.  “Even after I said I wanted to be with Ikem!  And when I finally could, that was just as big a mistake!”

Kya released a heavy breath.  “I know, honey, I know,” she said.  She stood up and rounded the table, reaching over to stroke Ursa’s back comfortingly.  “You’ve had a lot to do today.  Why don’t you go upstairs and rest?  I’ll make sure the kids don’t kill each other.”

Ursa shook her head.  “What about dinner?”

“Dinner?’ Kya chuckled and smiled warmly.  “Since when did the soon to be ex-wife of a famous actor cook dinner?”

It was a joke of course, Ursa enjoyed cooking.  Still, the other woman nodded.  She took one last drink of her tea and slowly headed through the large house.  Along the way she passed by numerous pictures and portraits on the wall of Kya and her family.  Briefly, Ursa wondered if that was how her walls should’ve looked like - dotted with reminders of a happy family.

Kya was a good friend from college.  By some stroke of luck, they were paired as roommates their first year and remained so until graduation.  Ursa was studying theater arts and Kya was a medical student at the time.  Now, she was a doctor specializing in pediatrics.  Her husband, Hakoda, was an engineer who, along with some friends, started up a successful company.  Yet, the two still had time to raise two children who were now playing with her own.  

Ursa remembered the day an infuriated Kya returned from her martial arts lessons, having been shown up by some ‘nerd from the engineering department’. Somehow, the nerd had managed to coax popular and athletic Kya out.

That was how Ursa first met Ozai - he was a friend of Hakoda.  At the time, she didn’t know that his father and her father knew each other or that Azulon wanted her father to agree to marrying her to Ozai.  She was still madly in love with her high school boyfriend, Ikem - then a struggling actor.  While Ursa was in school, Ikem was auditioning for small roles and trying to break into show business in the Earth Kingdom.

Ozai was a business student from a wealthy industrial family.  He was arrogant and proud and Ursa thought he seemed only to be in Hakoda’s company because Hakoda was brilliant.  She and Ozai were never particularly close; they just had common friends in Hakoda and Kya.  

Her view of the spoiled rich boy Ozai changed on her last summer with Kya.  While at the beach, Hakoda was trying to catch Kya’s hat as it flew away in the wind.  Kya was yelling at him to forget about it, but he was determined.  Hakoda lost his footing and fell down a rocky cliff.

Ozai tossed his phone to Kya, ordered her to call the paramedics, and climbed down without any hesitation.  He carried Hakoda on his back, up the cliff while saying that the drop was too narrow for paramedics, and went with them to the hospital once the paramedics did arrive.  

“Whatever he needs, get it for him!” she remembered Ozai barking at the hospital staff.  She had never seen him so frazzled.

“Ozai, it’s fine,” Hakoda choked out as he laid on a stretcher.

“It will be fine,” Ozai scowled.  “Don’t worry about the costs, Hakoda.  I’ll take care of it.”

“Ozai-”

“Kya, I’ll buy you a new hat, too,” he told the woman who was sobbing while holding her fiancee’s hand tightly.

“You’re an idiot,” Hakoda wheezed.  Ozai didn’t look the least bit insulted.

“I take care of my own,” he stated proudly.  “Just...just don’t leave me behind, alright?”

Hakoda had been wheeled off, but smiled.  “I won’t.  You only have one friend.”  

Ozai had raised a brow, suddenly reverting back to his usual arrogant self. “Do you want me to pay for everything or not?”  

Yet for a moment, Ursa had seen the loyal friend Hakoda assured her was beneath all that bravado.  

Though, all that bravado was nothing in the face of his father.  Azulon convinced her parents to agree to an arranged marriage with Ozai by putting pressure on the small beachside business her parents had in Ember Island.  Her father begged her to agree to the marriage, fearing that Azulon would completely demolish the island if she disagreed.

Ursa did and Azulon lead Ember Island into a prosperity it hadn’t seen in years.  The same could not be said for her engagement to Ozai, who seemed to just do what his father told him.

Hakoda had been the best man at their wedding with Katara the Matron of Honor.  Everyone knew the situation - that it was an arranged marriage, but Ursa had put her theater acting to the test and feigned love for her new husband.  

She cried her wedding night and Ozai, uncomfortable, left her in the room.  Instead, he sent Kya to speak to her.  Their first night together and Ozai slept in another room.  It would be another two months before he actually touched her.  

The man was always busy and since they weren’t a typical couple, didn’t call each other or kept in contact while the other was away.  There were times Ursa wished they did, but what would they talk about?  She knew nothing nor was interested in business.  Ozai thought the theater was a waste of time.  

“You need to talk to her,” she once heard Kya and Hakoda chastising Ozai on one of the occasions they were all together.  “At least try, Ozai.”

“And talk about what?  The only thing we have in common are you two,” Ozai pointed out, irritated.  

The weekend afterwards, he had taken her to see “Love Amongst the Dragons” - her favorite play.  Kya had probably told him.  It was a valiant effort.  He stayed awake and managed to discuss the underlying themes, but clearly did not share her love it.  It was another reminder of their difference.

Sometimes she wondered how they even managed to have two children, though by the time she was pregnant with Azula, she could no longer take the man who spent more time at the office than with them.  

When Ozai missed Azula’s birth, as he had missed Zuko’s because he was in Ba Sing Se for business, Ursa told their friends that she wanted a divorce.  Kya and Hakoda weren’t sure how to react, but offered their support - for the both of them.  Ursa knew she put them in an uncomfortable position.  

Ozai was given the documents and after reading them through thoroughly, he signed them.  

The last place they had met was at their old house, just a few houses away from Kya and Hakoda’s.  They sat across from each other in the kitchen and he slid her the papers across the table.

“At least let me support the children,” Ozai said.  He didn’t sound hurt at all and it was another stab in her chest.  “I am their father, after all.”

Ursa shook her head.  “I will manage.”

“Ursa, you’re still on maternity leave from the university theater.  I doubt that’s enough to support you and the children.”  He sounded angry.  She refused to look at him.

“I have support,” she insisted.  “I...I’ve spoken to Ikem.”

He knew full well who Ikem was and when Ursa looked up to see him, she could see a pain in his eyes that she had never seen.  It was quickly masked over with anger and Ozai’s shoulders trembled.  

“Very well,” he said in a cold voice.  “If that is what you wish.  I know you’ve been in love with him since we met.  I cannot stop you.”

She wanted to cry, suddenly.  “I am sorry, Ozai.”

He pushed his seat back and stood up.  “Should I the children be in need of anything - anything,” he stressed.  “Tell me.”  

He stormed out of the house and she had started crying.  

They hadn’t talked directly since and Zuko and Azula never saw him again.  Ursa choked back a cry as she entered her guest room and slumped back against the door.  She began to cry as she slid down and crumbled against the back of the door.  

Ikem was a mistake, just as the arranged marriage with Ozai was.  

Downstairs, Kya stood at the bottom of the stairs and closed her eyes tightly, silently praying that Ursa stay strong.

“Aunt Kya!” Zuko called from the kitchen.  The blue-eyed woman quickly tried to straighten up and turned her attention down the hall.

“Yes, Zuko?” she called as she put on a smile and walked towards the back of the house.  

“Where’s my mom?”

“She went upstairs to rest.  It’s been a long day for her, but I’ll make sure to wake her for dinner,” she smiled.  

Distracted by the thought of dinner, Zuko perked up - his unbandaged eye looking excited.  “What are having?”

“Hmm...well...why not seafood noodles?  The cold ones, with some peppers,” Kya beamed.  “She used to love eating those when we were roommates.”

“That sounds good,” Zuko said.  “I’ll tell the others!”  Before she could tell him to be careful, he raced out.  The sound of water balloons popping was heard, immediately followed by Zuko’s pained cry.  

“I told you he’d come back!” Azula laughed.  “Katara, let’s get some more water balloons!”

Zuko screamed back at them, his face flushed.  “This isn’t over!”

She could hear the sound of muffled voices piercing her sleep.  Ursa turned her head to the side, closing her eyes tightly as she tried focus.  

Slowly, her gold orbs opened and she looked around the well furnished room.  From the window outside, the sun was setting and it would be dark soon.  Her room was cast in shadows from the dusk and she was still on the floor, beside her door.

Grimacing at the awkward position she had fallen asleep in, she wiped at her face to check for dried tears.  She shook her head.  She was a grown woman and she cried herself to sleep on the floor of her best friend’s guest bedroom.  

“Mom, what’s going?” Ursa looked back at the door.  That was Katara’s voice.  

“Just stay in you rroom,” she heard Kya saying.  Curiously, Ursa turned the door knob and opening the door, peeking down the hall.  All four children were crouched by the stairs, looking through the railing bars and down to the foyer.  She could see Kya’s head disappearing down the stairs in a rush.

“I know you and your wife are hiding her!  She’s not at the house, so bring her out here!”

A cold chill ran down Ursa’s back and she stumbled back into her room.  That was Ikem’s voice - and he sounded furious.  

“You are not welcomed here!” Hakoda growled.  “Leave before I call the police!”

“I’m not leaving until Ursa comes down and tells me what the hell this is all about!”  The sound of papers slamming against the marble tiled floor filled the foyer.  He had received the divorce papers.

Ursa could see Katara withdraw against her brother while Zuko wedged himself between the railing and Azula.  Azula, however, was glaring down at the foyer.  

“He’s upsetting Auntie and Uncle,” the golden-eyed daughter said.  “I’m going to tell him to leave.”

“Azula, no,” Ursa said, opening her door and getting their attention.  

“Mom, it’s Ikem!” Zuko whispered.  “He’s looking for you!  Stay there!”

It was not the job of her son to protect her.  Not now.  His words filled her with a sense of irritation and anger at Ikem.  How dare he make Zuko worry about her?  He was only a child.  Taking a deep breath, Ursa straightened up and walked down the hall.

“What’s going on here?” she said as she stood at the top of the stairs.

Hakoda was firmly standing in the doorway of the entrance, with Kya behind him.  Ikem was standing on their front stop, wanting to go inside, but hesitant to fight two people he knew were still active martial artists.  

“Ursa!” he called.  He was fuming and narrowed his eyes as he watched her walk down the stairs.  “What is the meaning of this!?  Divorce papers?  Is this a joke?”

Ursa reached the foyer, but did not get any closer to the door.  “No, it isn’t,” she said.  “I want a divorce.”

“What?” A genuine look of confusion filled Ikem’s face and for a moment Ursa wanted to throw something at him.  Did he really not understand what he was doing wrong?  Even Ozai had acknowledged that it wasn’t working out and in part due to him.  “What are you talking about, Ursa?  Stop this non-sense and come home.”

“I’m not leaving,” Ursa said as Kya moved closer to her in an effort to show her support.  Hakoda had not moved from the door and kept his eyes on Ikem.  “I understand now that while you’ll offer your support to raise my children, you only see them as a means of controlling me.  You don’t care about Azula or Zuko,” she said.  “You don’t care about my relationship to them or how much I love them.  You never did.”

“Ursa, I am in love with you!” Ikem choked out.  “I’ve told you a thousand times!  I never once stopped loving you!  I don’t care if you had children with another man or were married before, I just want you!”

“You want to keep me like a prize!” Ursa had tears in her eyes.  “Always at your side and not to be shared.  Since we’ve been married, I’ve hardly seen my friends or family.  You had Zuko sent away to boarding school and are planning to do the same with Azula!  You’re taking everyone I love away from me!  You try to keep me away from those I love!”

“Ursa, you don’t understand,” Ikem told her desperately.  “I am the one who loves you the most.  If anyone should be at your side, it should be me.”  

She shook her head, a pained expression on her face.  “So you would keep me away from my children.”

“They are just reminders of that man who trapped you into a marriage years ago, remember?” Ikem told her.  “I am only trying to free you of the marriage that made you so miserable, you came crying back to me.”

Ursa was shaking.  “I love my children,” she said in a low voice.  “And I will never stop loving them, regardless of who their father is.”  

Ikem’s eyes narrowed.  “Their father?” he spat out.  “Who they haven’t seen since he left?  Do they even know how he looks like?”  

“I’ve seen pictures!” Azula shouted from the stairs.  

Kya whirled around.  “I told you four to stay in your rooms!”  

“But Aunt Kya, he won’t leave until Mom goes with him!” Zuko said.  

“She’s not going anywhere with him,” Hakoda assured them.  “Ikem, I’m telling you one more time, get out of here.  Ursa wants a divorce and she and the kids are welcomed to stay with us as long as they want.”

Ikem was seething.  He never did like Ursa’s friends.  His face and neck were flushed red as his hands fisted at his sides.  “She’ll come back,” he said in a low voice.  He looked towards Ursa and shot her a haughty look.  “You came back before, Ursa, and when you’re ready, we can talk through this.  I’m sure we can work it out.”  He raised his eyes and looked up at the children crowded at the top of the stairs.  “I’ll even accept your scarred and broken children if you do.  After all, you don’t have a job or any means of support.  You won’t be able to survive without me.”

“Leave, Ikem,” Hakoda’s voice was now threatening.  “I’m warning you.”

Ikem sneered at Hakoda and took a step back.  “Let’s see how long you’re willing to house that whore who sold herself for Ember Island.”  Both Kya and Ursa let out gasps of shock as Hakoda stepped forward.

“You take that back!” Zuko yelled behind them.   He was running down the stairs, red-faced with his hands in fists.  Sokka darted after him to try to hold him back.

“Zuko!” Kya yelled.   He ran past her, ready to fight the older man.  Ikem laughed and held her arms open wide.  

“Go ahead and try, you one-eyed brat!  Take your best shot!”

A pale hand grabbed onto his right shoulder and suddenly, Ikem was whirled around.  The cocky look on his face disappeared as one of confusion filled it.  He barely recognized the man behind him as a fist slammed into his face and sent him tumbling to the ground.

“If you say anything more about them, you’ll be lucky if you have one eye remaining after I’m through with you,” a low, male voice said from the brick walkway.  

“I heard a crack,” Kya said as she rushed to the doorway.  Ikem was curled on the grass, grasping his nose as blood poured from between his fingers.  

“If he didn’t break it, I would’ve,” Hakoda said.  He looked towards the man looming above Ikem.  “That’s enough, Ozai.  I think he understands.”  He craned his neck and saw some men rushing out of a car parked across the street.  They were calling Ikem’s name.

“Ozai, get in here before his bodyguards try to fight you,” Kya said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the foyer.  “Hakoda and I will talk to them.”  

She slipped outside with her husband to confront the body guards, demanding they take Ikem away before they called the police.  

“Tell the media, too!” Azula said.  “It’ll ruin him!”  She was yelling towards the door, but kept her eyes on the tall, slender, black-haired man in an expensive suit standing in the foyer.  

Katara glanced from her friend to the man below.  “Uh...,” she said.  “Hi, Uncle Ozai!”

“Hello, Kat.  Sokka,” he greeted.  Sokka, who had run after Zuko, gave him a nod.  Even as he spoke, his eyes were on the black-haired woman in a wrinkled pink blouse and dark pants over baby blue guest slippers.  “Ursa.”

Her heart was racing.  She opened her mouth to try to speak to the man she hadn’t seen or spoken to in years, but nothing came out.

“Excuse me,” a little girl appeared and seemed to squeeze between them.  Black hair in neat pigtails moved around her head as she tilted it upwards to get a better look at the man.  She seemed to be studying him.  “Katara, is this him?”

“Uh-huh,” Katara said.  “That’s him.  Mommy said so.”

Azula narrowed her eyes.  “Mom,” she said, not taking her critical eyes off of the man.  “Is he our dad?”

If Ozai was surprised, he didn’t show it.  Ursa could barely breathe.  She nodded her head slowly.  “Zuko...Azula...,” she said.  “This is Ozai Souzin.”  As she said their last name, the two children seemed to perk up.  “He is your-”

“Ooh!  Wait, wait!” Sokka said, earnestly moving in front of them.  He tugged on the sleeve of Ozai’s blazer.  “Uncle, you have to say it!  Say the line!”

A wry smile tugged at his lips.  “Alright,” he said.  “Zuko, Azula,” he began as Sokka looked on excitedly.  “I am your father.”  

“Once more, Azula, you make your father proud.”  The man with a cast on his leg gave his daughter a nod of approval as she sat on the hospital chair beside him.  “Cleverly setting them up together in close quarters will no doubt bring them back together.”

“Thank you, Father,” Azula replied smoothly.  “It began sooner than expected.”

“What began sooner than expected?” Ursa appeared at the doorway to Ozai’s hospital room with two cups of pudding in her hands.  She gave her daughter a quizzical look as she crossed the small room.  “Something exciting?”

“Wonderful timing, my dear,” Ozai told her.  “Give one of my pudding cups to Azula.  She certainly deserves it after her hard work.”  Ursa raised an eyebrow and reached across the bed to hand Azula the chocolate pudding cup.  “Ah- the vanilla one!”  

Ursa barely contained her exasperated sigh before giving their daughter the vanilla pudding cup - Ozai’s least favorite of the two.  She knew that Azula was not much of a pudding fan, but was pleased Azula accepted it none-the-less, if only to appease her father.  

Ursa took her seat on the other side of Ozai’s bed.  “Now, will you tell me what is happening?”

“Last night,” Azula said as she peeled off the top of the cup.  “I heard noises coming from the den, so I went to check and found Katara on top of Zuko.”

A sharp gasped escaped Ursa.  She lifted her free hand to cover her mouth as her eyes widened.  Her pale cheeks reddened.  “Oh my...where they...?”

“Mother, no.” Azula made a disgusted face.

“Zuko is relatively good-looking,” Ozai told them as he waited for Ursa to spoon feed him.  “But not so much that women would throw themselves at him.”

Ursa frowned and held the pudding cup and spoon away.  “Zuko is very handsome,” she defended.  “And he is very kind and sweet.  Women climb over themselves to get to him!”  

Ozai snorted.  “If he’s so handsome, why did his engagement fall through?”

“My life decisions may have had something to do with it, Your Highness,” a low voice hissed from the doorway.  

Ozai looked past his wife and saw his temporary doctor leaning against the door frame, holding a metal clipboard at her side.  A dull look was on Katara’s face as her lips tightened into a line.  Ozai drew his head back slightly and let out a cough.

“Well, of course there was that!  A relationship takes two people.  Obviously, if you felt marrying my son was no longer a viable option, you had every right to call off the engagement,” Ozai said as he sat up straight.  “Never mind how much disappointment it caused....”

Katara sighed and rolled her eyes. “Zuko and I came to a mutual agreement.  I’ve told you before.”

“Oh, he’s not talking about Zuko being disappointed, Katara,” Ursa said as she lifted the spoon back to Ozai’s lips.  He took the pudding as he pouted.  “He’s talking about himself.  He was quite disappointed.”

“You were disappointed, too!” Ozai reminded her.

“We were all disappointed,” Azula said as she finished off her vanilla pudding.  “I was looking forward to having a sister.”

“Hmmm...and speaking of sister, my sister-in-law is here to take you to the airport,” Katara said.  “Suki tried to call to the room, but the phone...”  She looked towards the wall and found the phone unplugged.  She frowned.  “You’re not supposed to do that.”

“If I didn’t, Ozai would be on the phone with your father, trying to create an escape plan,” Ursa said gently.  Katara gave the middle-aged man a look of disbelief.

“Sire-”

Ozai corrected her.  “Father.”

“Father,” she scowled.  “You only have a few more days and then you can leave.”

Ozai didn’t seem to care and looked out towards the window with a resentful look on his face.  “This place is a prison.”

“This is a hospital!” Katara exclaimed.  Azula rose from her seat and tossed the empty pudding cup into the trash bin as she passed it.

She walked past Katara and patted her shoulder.  “Oh, let him keep his dreams alive.  He knows he can’t just walk out with you here,” Azula smirked.  “That’s why I asked you to oversee his stay.”

“Ugh...” Katara threw her arms in the air.  “Your Highness, I will be back later to check on you.”  It sounded more like a threat than a reminder.  “Come on, Azula.  I’ll walk you to the lobby.”

“Father, Mother, I’ll be flying back now,” Azula bowed to her parents before walking over and allowing her mother to give her an embrace from her seat.  

“Darling, call when you arrive safely,” Ursa said as she kissed the side of her daughter’s head.  “Check in on your uncle for us and tell him your father fine.”

“I will, Mother.”  Azula moved to her father and gave him a small bow of her head.  “Father, please allow your leg time to heal.  If you aggravate it, you’ll only be bedridden longer.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Ozai huffed.  He craned his head towards her and Azula gave him a small peck on the cheek.  While she was her father’s favorite, they weren’t very affectionate.  Traditional cheek kisses were what worked best, it seemed.  “Safe travels, Princess.”  

She bowed her head again and headed out the door with Katara.  

As they walked down the hall, the doctor passed the nurse’s station.  “Make sure his lunch meal does not include pudding,” she instructed.  “He’s already had more than alotted today.”  

Azula smirked.  “Oh, he’ll love that.”

“I’m sure,” Katara said.  “Are you flying straight to the Caldera?”  

Azula nodded.  “Yes, I’ve already informed Uncle.  I have work to return to and have asked to have the bulk of Father’s work transferred to me while he is in recovery.”

“You’ll spoil him,” Katara said.  They waited by the elevators and when it opened, they stepped in.  “Also, don’t do so much.  Hand over some stuff to Zuko.”

“Zuko already has his hands full,” Azula replied.  “If there is one positive about your engagement ending, it was that Zuko tried to drown himself in work.”

“Azula,” Katara frowned with disapproval.  “That’s not a good thing.”

“Oh, normally, I would agree,” the princess said understandingly.  “However, the progress made on the Fire Nation’s health care and emergency services infrastructure is impressive.  I can’t deny the results.”  The elevator jerked as they began to go down.  Azula kept a smirk on her lips as she looked back at Katara.  “But if you feel that it is too much for him, do feel free to...help him relax.”

Katara raised a single brow.  “Nice try, but it’s not going to work.”  A small ding filled the elevator and the doors opened.  

“What’s not going to work?” the other woman asked, innocently. Katara stepped outside of the elevator and Azula followed.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right,” Katara rolled her eyes.  “Listen, I’m fine with letting Zuko stay with me while your father is recovering, but at best, he’s a house guest and nothing will happen between us.”

Azula looked thoughtful for a moment.  “There you are!” they heard Suki’s voice from the lobby’s entrance.  “Azula, let’s go.  We’re cutting it close to your plane flight.”

“Oh, we’ll make it on time,” Azula assured her smoothly before turning back to Katara.  “How long do you think it will be until my father is fit for travel?”

“I’d give him two weeks, though he may try to prolong it so he can hang out with my parents.” Describing Ozai as someone who would ‘hang out’ was odd, but that’s what he seemed to do.  Azula’s red lips curled into a smirk.

“Two weeks,” she said.

Katara nodded.  “Yes, about two weeks, then Zuko can escort them home.”  Azula’s smirk grew wider.

“Very well then, I will believe your claims of a mutual friendship with my brother over a romantic one in two weeks,” Azula said.  Katara let out a small gasped and frowned.

“Azula-”

“Good-bye, dear Katara,” Azula made a small show of leaning forward and kissing Katara on each cheek before heading towards Azula.  “Try to prove me wrong, though I should remind you,” she said as she strutted to Suki’s car.  She looked over her shoulder once more carrying an almost infuriating look of triumph.  “I rarely am.”

“She’s crazy.”  Katara chugged down a paper cup filled with water before nearly slamming the empty cup on the desk piled with stacks of folders in front of her.  

Suki looked up from the piles of folders she was collecting and grinned.  “She’s just hopeful.”

“It’s been years!” Katara protested as she sat up straight.  She lifted her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose.  “Why can’t she accept that Zuko and I broke off the engagement because we thought it was for the best.”

Her brown-haired sister-in-law shrugged and fingered through one of the folders.  “Maybe Azula didn’t think it was for the best.”

A heavy sigh escaped the doctor.  “I think that Zuko and I can make our own decisions.  We’re adults.”

“True.”

“We knew our responsibilities and what we had to do.”

“Also true.”

“So why doesn’t Azula get it?” Across from Katara, Suki gently closed the folder and looked back at the doctor.

“I admit: I don’t know Azula as well as you do, but her ability to read people has never ceased to amaze me,” Suki said.  “I still remember the time you invited me and Sokka to Ember Island that summer because Azula had her family’s beach cottage.”

“Some cottage...that thing is a maze....” Katara muttered.

“And as big as it was,” Suki continued.  “I noticed that you somehow always running into Zuko.”  Katara’s face flushed and she shook her head.  It wasn’t as if she had purposely sought him out back then.  They sort of just ended up in the same place....

“We weren’t together then-”

“I know,” Suki cut her off.  “I had pointed it out to Sokka and you know him.  He wouldn’t stand for it.”  Katara wrinkled her nose.  Suki had a point.  “He was about to march over and drag you to town with us, but Azula suddenly swept in and somehow, we ended up on a boat, far away from you and Prince Charming.”

Katara groaned and buried her face in her hands.  “Please don’t call him that.”  

Suki chuckled.  “All I’m saying is that if anyone saw the chemistry between you and Zuko first, it was Azula.”

“And what are you suggesting?” Katara asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back, frowning.  “That Azula still sees something there?”

“Azula double majored in political theory and chemistry,” Suki said.  “The woman knows sparks when she sees them.”

Katara stared at her with disbelief.  “Now you’re crazy, too.”

Suki shook her head and turned towards the door.  “You’re an adult, you can make your own decisions,” she asserted.  She paused by the door.  “But as a reminder, he’s not a bad one.”

“Get back to work or I’ll tell my brother you’re trying to hook me up with my ex-fiance!” Katara grumbled.  Suki chuckled and closed the door behind her.  Katara let out a heavy sigh and sank back into her seat.  

She closed her eyes for a moment before looking around her small office.  Reference books, medical journals, patient charts, and various accolades filled it.  Her desk supplies were kept in a drawer, since her desk was constantly piled with papers that the pens and such would be lost.  Her eyes drifted to the monitor screen.  She moved her mouse over the ‘send’ button of and sent an email reply to one of her patients before closing the program.  The background photo was a lovely picture her mother had sent her using the new camera they had gotten her for her birthday.  

It had been taken in the Fire Nation during one of her parents’ vacations with Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa, and it was of one of the palace gardens.  It was a well-balanced photo, sharp, and with saturated colors, but it wasn’t just aesthetically pleasing.

It was the garden where Zuko asked if she would like to formally date him.  

Katara found herself smiling slightly at the memory.  It was Lu Ten’s birthday celebration and Azula dragged her to it.  She had claimed it was going to be a ‘casual party’, but had immediately dressed Katara in gowns and brought her into a fancy dining hall with some of the Fire Nation’s oldest, wealthiest families.  

“Oh, please, Katara.  This is nothing,” Azula assured her.  “His coming-of-age celebration was a week long.”

It may have been nothing to Azula, but Katara was quickly overwhelmed.  Zuko, who had visited her a few times while at college and kept in contact with her after that summer on Ember Island, asked if she wanted to go into the garden for some air.  She readily agreed and he escorted her out.  

He apologized for his sister, but admitted that she was correct about the ‘simplicity’ of the party.  He asked about Katara’s studies and they talked about the books they  were reading.  They talked about the cartoons they liked - both guilty pleasures and kept hidden from Azula, worried that she would not let them live it down.  

It turned out, Azula was an even larger fan.

They liked the same thing and Katara had asked when he was going to visit again soon.  

“I can use a break.  We can go watch that superhero movie Sokka is freaking out about,” Katara chuckled.  They were seated on a stone bench beside one of the ponds, the light of the party behind them.  The sound of it wafted in the air faintly, Katara recalled.

“I’m almost done with part of my paper, so soon,” Zuko said.  “Are you sure you don’t mind me coming to visit?”

She smiled at him and gave him a slight, teasing nudge of her shoulder.  “I like it when you visit.  Don’t get me wrong, Azula’s a great friend, actually, but being around you....”

She trailed off, unsure of how to explain it.  She had fixed her eyes away from him, too embarrassed to check his expression.

“Yeah,” Zuko said softly.  She felt him brush aside some of her bangs and she turned to look at him.  “Same.”

Katara could still remember the way her heart slammed against her chest and the heat of her face as she met his gaze.  Before she could stop herself, she spoke.  

“I really like you, Zuko.”  It sounded so childish, now that she thought about it.  They were young, but surely she could’ve found another way to say it.  

Not that it would’ve mattered.  His face turned red and he suddenly seemed so shy.  He drew his hand back.  “I....”  He was trying to speak, but all she was able to think about at the time was how surreal the situation was: she, a commoner from the South Pole, was sitting beside a Fire Nation prince.  “I would like to see you more, no...not just that.”  

Zuko looked uncertain and, now, she realized he was terrified.  “Zuko?”

“Katara, I know the burden on you would be much and that you’re busy with school,” he told her.  “But I would like to see you more, formally, as my girlfriend.”

Then, they had spent an unknown amount of time making out in the garden after she immediately agreed.  It only came to an end when Zuko’s uncle, Fire Lord Iroh, stumbled upon them.

“Ah...young love.”  He seemed pleased - not at all angry, like Katara expected, but he had caught them by surprise.  As soon as he made himself known, Katara panicked and shoved Zuko away from her.  Equally surprised, Zuko stumbled and fell backwards into the pond.

A snort left Katara as she turned away from the monitor screen.  Shaking her head, still amused by the memory of a soaking Zuko sitting, stunned, in a pond, she began to clean up her desk and prepare the documents she would need to work on tomorrow.  

The little clock on her monitor said she could’ve left an hour ago, but she spent more time than she thought answering emails.  Once her work was in place, she gathered her things and headed to Ozai’s room.

As she passed the nurse’s station, she dropped off some more folders, and turned the corner, immediately stopping as she caught sight of the man in the vacant waiting room, scowling as he clenched a phone in one hand.  

“It would’ve been nice for you to tell me,” Zuko hissed into his ear piece.  He glared at the magazine rack and stopped pacing.  “No, I’m not angry!”

Curiously, Katara approached the waiting room, wondering who he was clearly angry at.  She kept close to the wall and peered in as he continued to pace.  

“That is ridiculous, I do not have....”  His face reddened.  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?  Ugh!”

“Sir, please!” a nurse said as she passed.  Katara darted back around the corner, to avoid being seen.  “Keep your voice down!”

“Sorry!” Zuko said, his voice lower.  The nurse gave him a glare and then continued on.  Katara carefully moved closer to the waiting room.  “Great, now the nurses are angry at me.  Thanks a lot, Jet.”

Katara’s eyes widened and her mouth made a little ‘o’ shape.  So he was talking to Jet - Zuko’s charismatic, daredevil of a friend from university.  As much as their personalities seemed to clash, Zuko put up with Jet and Jet was loyal to Zuko.  

She didn’t hear Zuko hang up, but turned heard his footsteps approaching.  She snapped into attention and tried casually step out just as he was leaving the waiting room.

“Oh, Zuko!  I didn’t know you were still here!” she smiled as he stopped before running into her.  He blinked and nodded.

“I was trying to convince father to fly back sooner, but he insists that he can ‘recover’ at your parents’ house,” Zuko told her.  He gave her an apologetic look.  “Sorry about that.”  

She shook her head as she continued walking.  Zuko automatically fell into step beside her.  “There is nothing for you to apologize for.  Besides, my parents love having him and your mom over,” Katara replied.  

“Still, you know how demanding my father is.”  Zuko let out an exasperated sigh.  “He can be so dramatic, too.”

“Your mom keeps him in check,” Katara said as they neared Ozai’s room.  “Besides, I think it’s nice that they’ve gotten so close.”  

Zuko looked surprised.  “You don’t think it’s...weird?”

She chuckled.  “Why would it be weird?”

“Because...you know....”  He made some vague hand motions towards her and then to him.  “They’re our parents and we used to....”

He trailed off, but Katara found that she could easily fill in the blank.  Be engaged.  Date.  Kiss.  Sleep together.  Go on life-changing field trips.

Katara shoved the thoughts away and forced a smile on her face.  “You get used to it.”  They reached Ozai’s room and heard voices coming from within.

“You had one job,” Ozai sounded irritated.  “One job!”

“Who should I listen to?  The high maintenance prince of a foreign country or my daughter who is trying to keep him alive?” Katara perked up at her father’s voice.  “I’m going to go with my daughter, who is your doctor.”

“Don’t betray me like this, Hakoda,” Ozai warned.

“Stop being so dramatic,” Kya sighed.  “It isn’t as if you’re starving.”

“Kya, my dear, have you seen the food they serve here?” Ozai argued.  “You bring food for my wife to feast on-”

“It is delicious as always, Kya,” Ursa sounded pleased.  “You always add just the right amount of spices for me.”  

“See!” Ozai yelled.  “She gets to eat such delicious food and I am stuck with this...this...prison gruel!”

Katara tilted her head back and groaned inwardly.  Zuko bit his lower lip to keep from laughing.  “Alright, that’s it,” the doctor frowned she walked into the room.  “How many times must I tell you, this is not a prison!”

“You denied me of my pudding cups!” Ozai accused, immediately.  

“Honey,” Kya sighed from the seat beside Ozai.  “Why would you do that?”

“He probably ate more than he was supposed to,” Hakoda assessed from where he was leaning against the wall.  Ozai looked away, still irritated.  “See?  Bingo.”

Kya craned her neck to look past Katara.  “And who is that I see with you?”

Zuko too it as his cue to appear.  He stepped into the room and smiled, bowing his head at Katara’s parents respectfully.  “Sir, Mam...good evening.”

“Oh, Zuko, it’s been so long!” Kya rose from her seat and opened her arms towards him.  “How is work?  I’ve heard many good things.”

“Stressful, but ultimately worth it,” Zuko said as he embraced her back.  “How are you both?”

“We’re doing well, son,” Hakoda greeted as she approached to shake his hand.  “Far better than your father, that’s for sure.”  He grinned as Ozai shot him a glare.

“Have you lost weight?” Kya frowned as she stepped back.  “You feel lighter?  Do you want something to eat?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Zuko assured them as he shook Hakoda’s hand.  “I ate a sandwich at lunch.”

“Lunch?” Kya gasped as if he said something offensive.  That had been hours ago.

“He’s been trying to convince Ozai to fly back as soon as he is discharged from here,” Ursa explained as she dabbed a napkin against her lips.  “What about dinner, Zuko?  At least tell me you are getting dinner.”  

“I’ll...find something,” he said.  

“That sounds suspicious,” Hakoda said.  He put a fatherly hand on Zuko’s shoulder.  “Why don’t Kya and I drop you off at your hotel and pick you up something on the way?”

At that, Ozai’s face seemed to look elated.  “Actually, he’s not staying at any hotel.”

“What?” Kya looked at Zuko, concerned.  “Zuko, only one person can stay with the patient over night-”

Zuko could see Ozai smirking over Kya’s shoulder.  “Oh, he’s not staying here, either.”  

Several pairs of eyes seemed to move to Katara.  The doctor stiffened, tightening the hold on her bag at her side as the expectant gazes of four parents settled on her.  

“He’s staying in the guest room since Azula left this morning,” she said quickly, as if to combat any other idea they may have had.  

The room was quiet for a bit longer.  “I see,” Hakoda finally said.  His eyes flickered back to Zuko as he pulled his arm back.  “Have Katara pick up dinner for you both on her way back.”

“When are you leaving, Katara?” Kya asked.

Katara shuffled her bag forward, as if to answer them.  “I just got off.  I was coming down to get Zuko so he wouldn’t have to take a taxi.”  She looked back at him uncertainly.  “Unless, you wanted to stay longer?”

Before he could answer, Ozai yelled.  “No!  I refuse to listen to his nonsense about leaving immediately after my discharge any longer!”

Zuko closed his eyes and tried to suppress his frustration.  “I’ve given up trying to talk some sense into him,” he told Katara.  “I’m ready to leave when you are.”

“Okay, well, let’s get going then.  I know a good seafood soup place on the way home,” she agreed.  Zuko began to collect his things and Katara bid their parents a good night.

As they walked towards the elevator, Zuko began to put his coat on.  “He’s adamant on staying.”

“Let him,” Katara said.  “He probably just wants to run out the rest of his vacation.”

“He still has to return to Fire Nation,” Zuko replied.  The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside.  “I don’t know how he gets any work done with the amount of time off he takes to go on adventures with your parents.”

Katara chuckled as she turned around and pressed the button for the ground floor.  The elevator doors closed and they jerked as it began to go down.  “It’s just for a few more days.”

Zuko ran his hand through his hair.  “How much longer?”  

Katara paused.  The elevator dinged and she pursed her lips.  “Two weeks.”  

The doors opened and Zuko stepped out without a thought.  “Two weeks, huh?” he said.  “Is it okay for me to stay that long?”

“Huh?”  Katara snapped out of her thoughts as she blinked and quickly followed after him before the elevator closed its doors once more.  “What?”

Zuko raised an eyebrow.  “Is it okay for me to stay at your place for two more weeks?”

Her heart was quickening in a familiar way.  She could feel her skin warming despite her insistence that there was no need to.  

Katara smiled and looked up at him.  “Of course it is, Zuko,” she assured him before stepping around him and heading towards the parking lot.  “You’ve lived with me before.  I’m sure two weeks will be fine.”