Katara brushed her hair as she stared into the ornate mirror. Her mind wandered as she went through the familiar motion. Today had been another long day, it had been an endless parade of what had become her life. Waking everyone up in the morning, meetings with the council, lessons with the children, meetings with her staff, more lessons, training, talking with visiting dignitaries and ambassadors, spending time with the children and sparing whatever remaining time she had catching Zuko alone. She sighed as she sat the brush down and leaned in closer to look at her reflection in the mirror. Her deft fingers quickly found the single silver hair that was nestled in with the mass of brown. She grimaced slightly and sighed once again trying to decide what to do about the proof of her aging. She was so focused on her decision that she didn't see the other person come into the room. She didn't notice until she felt a soft voice whisper in her ear, "It's a mark of pride - just leave it."

She dropped the offending stand and rolled her eyes, "So speaks the man who reached his 30th year and not gotten a single gray hair along the way." She meet his eyes in the reflection of the mirror.

He just smiled back at her and shrugged his shoulders, " I guess I have got some good genes in me." he told her with a chuckle. "I am sure one day I will be as gray as Uncle."

"But right now you're not." she pointed out to him, "I, on the other hand, seem to be…." her eyes dropped back to her own face as she reached a hand up as if to rub away the wrinkles that were not even visible yet. " Are you still going to love me when I am as old as Gran Gran? When I am as wrinkled and gray? When you will still be attracting noblemen's daughters and I will be old and worn out?" she murmured.

He had the audacity to laugh at her questions which caused her eyes to fly back up to his and glare at his reflection with such intensity that he was surprised it didn't melt the mirror. He leaned quickly to lay a kiss on her head before she could dodge out of the way, then turned and started to remove his outer robes.

She continued to glare angrily at his reflection as he continued his ritual of removing his garments. Slowly her anger faded as she watched him and when he finally started to remove his undershirt she adverted her eyes before it faded completely into a new emotion all together. She wanted to keep her anger until she had gotten her answers.

Zuko had been watching her from the corner of his eye while he had been undressing and he knew exactly the moment when her anger turned into want. He had also seen her avert her eyes from his form knowing full well what he was trying to do. He smirked to himself and he pulled his undershirt over his head, threw it in the pile with the rest of his clothes and began to quietly stalk back over where she sat on her pedestal.

He reached his hands up to caress her arms that were bared in her nightshift. He felt her stiffen from his touch and attempt to pull away. He gently clasped a hold of her upper arms and leaned down to nuzzle her neck causing her to gasp and lean her head into his to block his action. He chuckled again and reached his hands down to grasp her around the waist and pulled her up off the stool. She let out a startled, "Zuko!" which he ignored as he picked her up and carried her squirming body over to the bed. He turned her in his arms and sat her down gently on the side of the bed. "Katara…" he began but she quickly turned her head not want to look at him or his naked chest. He knelt down in front of her so that he was now below her but could see her face better.

"Katara…" he said again, "I seem to recall that Pakku still found your Gran Gran appealing. Appealing enough to give up his life in the north pole and live out his remaining days with her in the south. So I am fairly sure that you will still be as beautiful to me when you are as old and gray as your grandmother was." he finished with a quiet chuckle in his tone. She just huffed in response.

He rolled his eyes, "Katara, seriously, we have been over this time and time again. I won't leave you just because you are getting a gray hair or two or even a whole head full. You are my wife, my love, the mother of my children and the other half of me. Who else would I ever be able to find that would complete me as well as you do? Not to mention I am pretty sure you would kill me if I even tried, hmm…" he raised his eyebrow at her as he finished.

She finally turned her face to look back at him and gave him a small smile. " I know" she whispered quietly, "it's just sometimes I start to wonder. I mean it has been 10 years and we have been through so much together and some of it has not been easy at all. There have been times that I have wondered why either one of us even bothers and others that have I been tempted to call it quits. " she confessed to him.

He nodded, "Yes it has been hard at times but I think that it has made us stronger. And I know that my love for you as only increased because of it. Are you telling me that yours hasn't" he looked at her questioningly.

She shook her head vigorously, "Oh no, of course not. If anything I am even more attracted to you and more in love but it doesn't stop me from worrying at times… it's just that I keep getting older and you… well I know you are too, but you're a guy. It isn't really the same. I mean look at Iroh, he is still a notorious flirt and you know how old he is getting."

Zuko grimaced in slight disgust at the thought of his Uncle's flirting. "Yes, but he has always been like that. I on the other hand have never been a flirty person, you have always been quick to tell me how blunt I am, remember." He gave he a pointed look, "Besides, Uncle has never really loved anyone else the way he loved my Aunt."

"I guess so but what if that is because she died when she was still young and he never got the chance to fall out of love with her or grow to hate her? Or get old?" she asked him her face drawn tight with concern. " I mean I'm not the young girl I was when you meet me or even the young woman I was when you married me. I've had two children and I'm getting gray hair and I'm just going to keep getting older…." she finished running out of breath, her tone having reached a point of desperation and tears forming in her eyes.

He stood up quickly, sat down next to her and pulled her head into his chest. He ran his hand through her hair while she caught her breath. "Katara…I can't say for sure that we will always love each other the way we do know but I certainly hope so. I couldn't imagine not loving you. I love what you have become. I love you more because you are the mother of our children. And I love your gray hair." He smiled at her when she raised her head to look at him unbelieving. "Like I said it is a mark of pride, you've earned it. You're a great mother, a wonderful wife, the best adviser and partner that a Fire Lord could ask for." he told her.

She stared at him for a moment and then hugged him fiercely. "I love you too Zuko." she said huskily. She pulled away and averted her eyes briefly before looking back at him. "I'm sorry I got all upset I guess it's just been a long day and with my birthday coming everything just got to me." she sighed and leaned back into him.

"I know." he said as he leaned his head on hers. "I do think that you do push yourself a little to hard at times.

She smiled, "I know I am working too hard I just enjoy seeing the kids as much as possible but it is still a lot of work even just being your wife. The wife of the Fire Lord is a very important job you know." she told him with a serious look.

He sighed, "Yes, yes I know. You know I want you to do what you want but I don't like you pushing yourself too hard." he told her.

She cuddled into him closer as he leaned back against the headboard. "I know… but unfortunately that is part of the job, Zuko. I guess the kids could start doing more lessons with someone else they are getting to that age and your heir is really start to push the limits with me." she raised an eyebrow at him, thinking of their gray eyed daughter.

He shrugged, "What can I say she takes after her mother." he stated and then laughed when she lightly slapped him.

"I don't remember me being so moody and stubborn." she told him.

He laughed harder, "How fickle your memory is my love." he told her with a kiss on her nose.

She huffed at him but continued to snuggle into him. "Not at seven I wasn't! Perhaps I bet she gets quite a bit of her moodiness from her father, she did take her bending from you." she retorted back once she was settled.

"Oh, well then how do you explain your son?" he asked with a chuckle.

"What about my son?" she sat up and asked him.

He rolled his eyes, "You mean you haven't noticed his strange sense of humor, I think that my impressionable four year old has been spending too much time with his Uncle and cousins. I think perhaps I should forbid any further vacations to the South pole or Kyoshi." he told her teasingly.

She laughed at the thought of their blue eyed son with his strangely Sokka like sense of humor. "Well, Sokka always did take after Dad in that manner so maybe that is where he got it from."

"But he got his bending from his mother." he said while leaning down and nuzzled her neck, causing her to giggle. "What would you say if we were to add another?" he whispered into her ear trying to be seductive.

She laughed and leaned into his nuzzling, "I guess I could go for that." she told him back with a smile, her hands caressing his chest.

"Always good to hear." he murmured against her cheek as he began to kiss his way to her lips. He felt her smile against his lips and sigh with pleasure and he slowly started to undo the buttons in the front of her nightshift.

She pulled away ever so slightly and looked him in the eye, "And just so you know if you were to ever leave me, it would be Toph that would kill you - not me." she told him with a small smirk.

He rolled his eyes and leaned his head back against the headboard in defeat "Agni save me for the Toph and her horde of flying, rock-throwing spawn. They are bad enough when they come for a visit"

She laughed and pulled him to her in tight embrace. "You need to kiss me my Fire Lord" she demanded of him huskily.

"Whatever you wish, my Lady." he told her and then he dipped his head and kissed her deeply.

Suffice to say the Fire Lord and his Lady lived as happily as life did allow. There were ups and downs, fights and reconciling. Screaming and shouting could be heard all over the palace on a few days, with the servants ducking around corners and shaking their heads in slight amusement. On others, the servants would whisper to one another to not disturb the royal couple and take it upon themselves to entertain their children for a few hours, which was a much coveted job. On most days there was giggling and laughing as the couple chased each other or their children around the palace playfully. The days of Zuko's reign were strict but filled with much honor and respect and with the help of his Waterbender wife the Fire Nation once again become a proud Nation. Bringing not only a new era of peace and love but one of understanding and compassion.

AN: That is the end my dear readers, and since it is christmas eve here it is my christmas present to you. I purposefully left names and other descriptions of the children out so that each reader could use their imagination to think of what they would like best. I tried to leave the ending with a happily ever after but with a more realistic twist of how life really is. I hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much I have writing it.

In part I have dedicated this little story to my own Zuko, my husband whom I have been married to for 5 yrs but with him for 10. He, btw, is wanting to work on a Sokka/Yue story that will still be based off cannon. So I do hope you will keep your eyes open for that.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season in whatever manner you celebrate. :)