When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light we'll see

No I won't be afraid

Oh, I won't be afraid

As long as you stand, stand by me

-Ben E. King, 'Stand by Me'

Epilogue

In the eyes of some in the Fire Nation, Crown Prince Zuko never married. When he ascended the throne twelve years after the end of the Hundred Years War, once his Uncle had decided he was too old to rule and returned to the Earth Kingdom to open his Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop, he brought the woman he had married in a private ceremony on Kyoshi Island: the water bending master and sister to the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara. There were few objections, but they were loud. Fire Lord Zuko and his cabinet of officials and advisors silenced the outcries with thinly veiled claims of political alliance. Zuko couldn't have married an air bender, could he? He obviously had had to settle for a water tribe girl, or so the gossips said.

From his union with his wife, Fire Lord Zuko named his second born child, the golden eyed Princess Suza, as his heir. Many thought that, despite the fact that she was the Avatar, he should have named the very popular Kaya as his heir. He had declined, and when asked later, Kaya said that she would have declined as well. Suza was a serious child, very concerned with what was right and the happiness of her younger brother, Prince Rozu, when he was born two years later with stunning blue eyes. He was said to be the spitting image of his Uncle Sokka, and the two were devoted to each other. Katara, watching Zuko watch them play, loved seeing the relieved look in his eyes; that his children wouldn't suffer the same relationship he had with his sister.

Suza was born in the Southern Water Tribe among her mother's people on a full moon. She was a prodigal fire bender, lighting her first flame when she was six months old. Her brother Rozu was not as quickly talented, though he did go through a period where he froze his sister's drinks solid for a month when he was seven. Zuko liked to grumble that it was because he was born while visiting Toph and it was her fault. Kaya was thrilled with both of them, and was the only person who could make Suza laugh until she cried. All three children were occasionally disgusted by their parent's obvious adoration for each other and would retreat to whichever body of water they were closest to so Kaya could take them ice skating. The grew up on the road, meeting Kings and powerful benders, riding wild animals while their mother wasn't looking, learning the art of diplomacy as they learned their numbers.

Through his travels, Zuko rebuilt the reputation of the Fire Nation through his own as a fair, kind, and just man. Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe leaders grew to trust his serious, sincere personality and in turn trusted him on the throne. They met his children and enjoyed them. Most of them knew Katara from her past adventures and were incredibly fond of her already. Katara teased Zuko that the only reason he was such a well-liked Fire Lord was because they all actually liked her. It usually sparked an argument that ended with them naked in bed, which had been her goal anyway.

After Iroh's death, Fire Lord Suza's coronation, and Prince Rozu's appointment to General of the Royal Army, Zuko and Katara retired to the South Pole. For a month. Zuko objected loudly to the cold and declared that he refused to die in a frozen wasteland. Katara relented and agreed to relocate to Kyoshi Island to be with her brother and Suki, who had been living there after Sokka had passed chieftainship of the Southern Tribe to his son.

Toph never returned to Gaoling, instead taking up residence in Omashu once the Avatar had mastered earth bending and Zuko ascended the throne, breaking up their travelling party. She was appointed Chief of Police by King Bumi a year before his death at the age of one hundred and thirty. Min Ki was elected as the Earth King and served for many years, eventually passing on the title to his younger daughter, Suyin, while his older daughter Lin continued in her mother's footsteps as a guardian of the people. With the city in good hands, Toph and Min Ki left to travel the world in search of enlightenment, eventually reuniting with Katara and Zuko on Kyoshi Island.

Kaya said goodbye to her mother and father when she was eighteen, a year before Zuko took over as Fire Lord. With Chi Lin at her side, she departed from her travelling family to discover the world on her own as a fully realized Avatar, though there were few places left that were unfamiliar to her. The last her mother heard, the two were in the Western most part of the Earth Kingdom, searching out a rumor of a colony of air benders. Another rumor was that she had found her spirit dragon, and one for Chi Lin, and the two of them rode them across the world.

Sokka and Suki, with the help of Katara and Sokka's People, rebuilt the Southern Water Tribe to a glory that had not been seen for decades. It rivaled the Northern Tribe in technology, medical advancements, and cultural brilliance, though the Northern Tribe always seemed a step ahead. They were married on Kyoshi island in front of a crowd of over three hundred citizens from around the world. Less than three months later, Kamol was born, named for the friend who had died in Sokka's arms. His siblings, Atka, Eska, Pakak, and little Mitka, followed soon after. When Hakoda stepped down as chief, Sokka took over leadership of the Southern tribe. He would be written about as one of the greatest leaders in tribal history who led his people into a time of peace and prosperity.

When they all finally reunited on Kyoshi island, they laughed at how old each other was. The grey streaks in Katara's hair. Zuko's completely grey hair. The wrinkles under Sokka's eyes. Suki and Katara grumbled about Toph's still jet-black hair and smooth skin as she sat laughing at them. Min Ki was similarly youthful, as was Denali when he joined them. They sat around fires and told stories about their children, their grandchildren, stories from the war. They mourned the ones they had lost. Iroh to age. Jimoz to Fire Nation rebels. Hakoda to age and reckless ice-dodging. Their friends who had died so long ago. And they talked about Aang: the reason they had all come together in the beginning. Zuko held Katara close against him as they talked, still enjoying the smell of her hair, the feel of her skin on his, the warmth of her presence beside him. She was his partner, his lover, his best friend, his life. As she fell asleep beside him, her grey streaked hair shining in the firelight, he wondered where the next adventure would take them.

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To Guest: Thank you! And you're welcome

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To storyoftheunknownfangirl: Thank you! This dream was not important…or it could be. In a sequel. Hmmm…

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