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Iroh.

He had seen the look on his son's face when the young Airbender sat next to Master Katara.

Iroh had put his bowl of spicy noodles down, ready to intervene if he had to.
Zuko had gotten better at controlling his temper over the years, but thing's were different where Katara was concerned.

Zuko never talked about it but Iroh knew when she left with Aang, she took Zuko's heart with her.

He was certain the waterbender felt the same.

He'd seen her look back at his son as the bison was taking off, and saw longing in her eyes.

Seeing Zuko settle down, Iroh reached for his tea cup.

Looking over the rim as he sipped, he saw a servant he didn't recognize watching the group....and an uneasy feeling washed over him...

******
That night.

A shadow slipped down the halls, and passed the guards silently.
So stealthy, that it went unseen by even the most alert guard.
It knew the one's watching over the Fire Lord and his friends, wouldn't hesitate to attack if they spotted it creeping along, making it's way to the Gates.

One guard seemed to sense it, and turned towards it, staring hard at the corner it froze in.

"Hey Feng! What is it?" Another called out, coming to stand the first one.

It was caught.
It just knew it.
It let the Leader down.

"Must have the dark playing tricks on me. Haven't gotten much sleep lately." Feng said, moving back to his spot.

"Baby still not sleeping through the night?"

"Naw, don't know how people with more than one do it."

The shadow breathed a sigh of relief and continued. He had to let Him know that she had arrived.

*******
Sokka.

His bride to be was beautiful.
After all this time together, he still couldn't believe that she was his.
He'd never been this happy.

Walking to their bedroom, with his arm around her slim shoulder's, Sokka felt content.
Looking down at her beautiful face, he soaked in her gentle features.
Her Auburn hair, pulled into a half top knot.
Her high cheek bones.
Her sparkling purple eyes and, his favorite, her soft pink lips.
Though not as defined as his sister, Suki didn't have an ouch of extra flesh from her years of training with her warriors.
Built like a cat-gazelle, his warrior was.

He couldn't wait to marry her.

After dinner with the gang, Zuko showed everyone to their rooms.
Watching his sister chatting with Toph, Sokka wanted the same happiness for her that he had with Suki.

There was a weight on his baby sister's shoulder's that he knew he couldn't help with.
It broke his heart but she had to figure this out on her own.

So did Zuko.

He sighed.

"What's wrong love?"

Looking at his whole heart, Sokka smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Nothing babe. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"You becoming my wife."

She blushed.

*******
Aang.

He hadn't missed Zuko's reaction at dinner.
The growl was kinda hard to ignore.

What's his problem?

Had he said something to upset him?
He didn't think so. He hadn't even been here a full day yet.
Maybe he didn't like the food or something.
Or had it been because he sat next to Katara?
No, that was ridiculous.
Zuko wouldn't care about that.
He knew they were close so....

"What's on your mind Twinkle-toes?"
Toph appeared beside him, startling him.

"Oh, ah, nothing really."

"Lie."

He hated it when she did that.

Looking ahead of him to Katara and Zuko, he paused.

Zuko was telling her all about the redesign of the palace and he actually looked....happy.

"Do you think there's something going on between them?" He said after a few minutes.

"Kinda blind here so care to elaborate?"

"Katara and Zuko. Do you think there's something going on with them?"

Toph was quiet for a moment. As if searching for the right words.
His palms started sweating.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well... I don't know. They just seem different."

"Well Twinkle-toes, they have gone a good while without seeing each other so their probably just figuring out how to act around each other now."
She knew that was only half true, but it wasn't her place to tell him the rest.

"Yea... I guess."

But watching them together, doubt started creeping in.

*******
Zuko.

"So.... how's Azula doing?"

Kataras question caught him off guard.
He was expecting this in a way.
Her heart was too big.

"After I was able to get out of bed on my own, I had one of the guards take me to her. They were holding her in a temporary cell...."

He paused a moment, the memory a hard one.

"When they opened the door, they didn't even have to restrain her. She just laid there. One of the female servants taking care of her said she refused to eat anything. She was just.. broken."

Kataras eyes filled with unshed tears. Her heart going out to the young girl and her brother.

"How is she now?"

He shook his head sadly.

"She eats now at least, but just sits there. Sometimes she'll call out for our mother. I visit her as often as I can but she won't even look at me."

"Zuko..."

"I've found the best doctors there for this kind of thing and nothing has worked so far."

He couldn't give up on her. She didn't deserve what their father had done to her, brainwashing her so badly that it broke her. She was still his sister and he knew their mother would want him to keep trying.

"I'd like to see her. Maybe I could even help."

"What?" He asked, surprised at this.

She shrugged.

"I'm a healer remember?" She said with a smile.

And Zuko fell even more in love with the rare woman in front of him.

"Yea, I do." He suddenly felt hopeful for Azula.
If anyone could help her, it was Katara.

"Can you show us our rooms already?! You guys might want to stay up all night in the hallway but I'm tired!"

Thanks Toph.

He showed them to their rooms before he got punched.....

Thank you all so much for reading this far! Love you guys!