One Year Later-Fire Nation Royal Palace

"This is the royal court yard." Ursa explained.

The palace was nothing like Bumi had ever imagined, the pure elegance of it. It was much different than the island where the Air Nomads idea of simplicity was in full force now. There were even a number of Air Nomad wannabes living on the air island, Bumi thought it was a bit odd. They'd pop up at odd times and in the middle of dinner.

"Do you want to see the turtle ducks?"

The turtle ducks had always been her favorite. She could remember spending hours with her father just feeding them. It was one of their special pastimes. Her dad told her that it's what he and his mom used to do it. It somehow made her feel closer to her namesake and the woman her father held in such high regard. She turned and looked up at Bumi who seemed to be in a complete daze. His grey eyes always stood out against his naturally dark skin but right now the way the sun was hitting them they seem to make the eyes even more noticeable.

"Bumi?" Ursa whispered.

Her words brought him back from the daze.

"Oh I'm sorry did you say something?"

Ursa laughed, "you have as short of attention span as a fly Bumi."

"Concentration and all that mediation stuff is my dad and brother….they're the serious ones, now me…," Bumi scratched the back of his head ruffling his already unruly hair more, "I'm the uhhh…,"

Ursa smiled at him, "well you're very nice and sweet."

"Sweet?" Bumi choked out, "I'd take anything other than nice."

Ursa laughed, "why?"

"It's girly. Now you were saying something about turtle ducks?" Bumi asked beginning to sprint towards the turtle duck pond.

Ursa followed behind him struggling a bit with her long robes tugging them upwards as she ran. Bumi sat the at the edge of pond his face a near few inches away from the water. Ursa smirked and slowly she tip toed up behind him before slightly shoving Bumi. Bumi leaned forward waving his arms rapidly before face planting into the water. Ursa giggled, Bumi picked up his head and shook it around. He reached forward grabbing the edge of her silk robe before tugging forcefully down on it, sending the Fire Nation Princess straight into the water beside him.

"BUMI!" she shrieked before starting to laugh.

Bumi splashed at her and in moments the two were in a full on splash war and in a fit of laughter. Neither of them noticed the three people walking towards them. The tall and lean man with graying hair, beside him was a petite and small dark haired women with a slightly upturned nose and their son stood dressed in his Army clothing. Zuko stood behind them.

"Ursa?" he called not expecting to see his daughter soaked wet and in the swallow little pond.

Ursa instantly stood reaching for her top knot clip in the process. Her cheeks turned bright red and Bumi a little delayed followed suit.

"This is my daughter Ursa and her friend Bumi, the son of Avatar Aang and Katara."

"The airbender?" the woman asked in awe.

Bumi looked down, "no. I'm the non-bender middle one ma'am."

The woman's smile faded and instead she turned her nose up and latched arms with her husband. Their son smiled at Ursa but she stared blankly at her father, she had never seen these people before.

"This is Zohar, he's on the council for Republic City and is descendant from one of the many nobles. His wife Hazel and their son Zaire," Zuko pointed to each in turn, "Zaire is to be your husband, Ursa."

Ursa's mouth dropped open, "wh-what?"

At first she thought she had heard her father wrong, he couldn't have said husband no. Then he kept talking about Zaire and his accomplishments at the Fire Nation Bending school in Republic City and about the wedding but her ears were just ringing over and over again as if she were hearing her father speak but not truly listening to him.

Bumi was starring at the Princess for some kind of response from her, but she wasn't moving at all. For a moment he wasn't sure if she was breathing but he leaned closer and watched her chest rise and fall, relieved that she was breathing he went back to his own thoughts. His mind was buzzing with thoughts and flashes of images. Most of them were with Ursa smiling and laughing at one of his stupid jokes he learned from his Uncle. Then his mind began to play images of Ursa laughing at Zaire's jokes, splashing in the turtle duck pond with Zaire and firebending together. A part of her life he could never share with him. It made his stomach do flips and he clenched his fists in anger.

"Ursa?" Zuko asked upon seeing the non-reacting Ursa. He walked forward placing a hand on her arm, she jerked her head towards him and then looked away. He held tighter but she pulled away harder. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes. Ursa never liked to cry in front of people she didn't know and ran from them. She wasn't even sure where she was going she just wanted to get as far away from the situation as possible.

"I am sorry, I did not expect her to react like this, and normally Ursa is a very calm young girl." Zuko explained apologetically.

Zohar nodded solemnly and Zaire was starring intently at Bumi with a look of disgust in his face. Despite it being childish and very inappropriate for the moment Bumi stuck his tongue out at him.

"So uncivil to think the Avatar wouldn't teach his son some manners," Hazel tisked shaking her head at Bumi.

It took all of Bumi's self restraint not to snap something that would get him in trouble at her. Behind Zohar and Hazel Aang and Katara walked. Katara narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her son who clearly was very upset and soaking wet. Aang looked to her with a face full of concern.

"Bumi?" Aang called out.

Bumi looked up to his father but didn't say anything. He walked out of the pond splashing and squeaking towards his parents. This behavior surprised them, usually they had to beg and plead to get Bumi to leave. Katara placed an comforting arm around her son's shoulders but he violently took her arm and shoved it off him and stomped off. Never in his life had he reacted that way to his mother.

"Bumi!" Aang called out angrily, "come back and apologize to your mother, you are not allowed to do that!"

Bumi ignored his father's request climbing the steps of the palace and stomped out of the palace to where Appa was waiting for them. Aang and Katara followed, Aang's arms wrapped around Katara's shoulders. Bumi sat on the saddle with his back towards them his knees drew up to his face. The family took off in silence and fly al the way back to Air Temple Island in complete silence. It was the first time they didn't talk and the silence wasn't sitting well with either Aang or Katara.

"Daddy! Mommy!" eight-year-old Tenzin shrieked from the ground as his family was landing.

Hakkoda smiled up at them. He always loved to babysit and every time a chance came up he would.

"Hi Tenzin, did you have fun with Grandpa?" asked Katara.

Tenzin nodded solemnly, "he told me all about his time in the war," and then Tenzin noticed Bumi's disposition, "what's wrong with Bumi?"

Bumi stood, "what's wrong with me? Nothing of your concern Tenzin! Why don't you go back to making little air puffs and playing with the lemurs?" he roared at his younger brother.

Tenzin starred wide eyed at him before beginning to cry. His brother had never yelled at him before and his yelling startled him. Katara ran forward wrapping her arms around her son and rubbing his back. Bumi instantly felt a pit growing inside of his stomach. His little brother hadn't done anything wrong it's not like he had any hand in Ursa's impending marriage.

"I'm sorry Tenzin." Bumi muttered.

Aang stared at his son, "I think it's time you and I had a talk."

Bumi sighed and nodded. Usually his father's talks were full of wisdom but bored him when they weren't about battles or the war. He didn't have any particular liking of hearing about the Great Air Nomad History which was basically air bending, mediating and making pies. It wasn't something that particularly interested him. Aang and Bumi walked to the meditation pavilion. Aang sat down cross legged and Bumi sighed and reluctantly climbed and sat beside him. It only took moments for him to blurt out the whole story to his father and even then he admitted out loud for the first time that he loved Ursa. That he loved her since the first time he ever saw her.

"I am so sorry son, I had no idea," Aang muttered, "but true love always works out in the end. If you and Ursa are meant to be together the two of you will find a way."

Bumi felt tears forming in his eyes, his vision became very blurred, and "that's it? Leave it to destiny? That's the great Avatar's advice?"

Fire Nation Royal Palace

Zuko paced in front of his daughter's bedroom door. She had been inside all day, something she had never done before. When she was young her dreaded punishment was to be sent to her room she hated being copped up inside of it. She would much rather be outside enjoying the fresh air. With a deep breathe he walked into the room. His daughter lay curled in a ball in the middle of cushions and blankets.

"Ursa?" he called out.

"How could you do this?" she asked jerking up, "just surprise me with this? Hey honey this is your husband. That was the last thing I ever expected. I'm twelve years old father, I can't be getting married now."

Zuko felt horrible, seeing your child cry and having the child being angry with you was the worst pain in the world. He hated to see his little girl cry.

"No, no. Not now Ursa, but in time. And Zaire is a good person, you will be very happy."

"Promise?"

"Promise."