DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED THE CHARACTERS IN ATLA. I DO NOT OWN, NOR HAVE I EVER OWNED NICKELODEON. HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH THE WRITERS OR ANIMATORS OF ATLA. I HAVE NO AFFILIATION, NOR HAVE I EVER HAD ANY AFFILIATION WITH NICKELODEON.

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This story is dedicated to one of my best friends, thank you so much for all your encouragement… You know who you are.

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This story is a spinoff from Together Again. After Mai's death Zuko took his daughter to Ba Sing Se for a vacation; he wanted to get as far from the Fire Nation. He worked in his uncle's teashop. One day Zuko took his daughter to the Zoo that Aang had created and that is where he met the beautiful green-eyed, chocolate brown haired beauty Taryn.

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Chapter 1

Zuko was sitting at his desk in the main living area, he had several sheets of paper before him. He was writing letters when Taryn came down the beautiful staircase. "Good Morning!" She said as she walked over to him.

"Good morning!" He couldn't help grin like a little boy.

"What are you doing?" She asked him as she came up behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders then sliding them down into a hug, then she softly kissed his cheek.

"Something that can wait till later." He said as he closed the lid of the desk and locked it. "Were you able to get any sleep last night?"

"Yeah, I felt much more relaxed after talking to you." She blushed.

"Is your mother up yet?" He asked her.

"No, she usually sleeps in, thank the spirits." Tarns said.

Zuko got up and took her hand and walked them over to the couch; they sat down and he wrapped his arm around her pulling her against himself. "Then let's take a quiet moment to ourselves before she does wake up."

"I love you so much." Taryn said to him.

"I love you too." Zuko said to her. "I am so happy with you, I haven't been this happy in a LONG time."

"You weren't happy with you wife?" Taren asked him.

"I… I don't want to talk about it?" Zuko told her.

"Daddy, I'm hungry." Ursa said coming down the stairs.

"Okay baby girl, I'll have the galley bring breakfast right away." Zuko told his daughter picking her up as soon as she was at his side and giving her a tight hug.

"Would you mind if I go help her get dressed?" Taryn said about the little girl that was still in her pajamas.

"Yes please!" Ursa squeaked with joy.

"It would probably be easier if you did, I am not allowed to watch as she changes." Zuko said.

"Boys can't look!" Ursa told them.

"What a modest little girl." Taryn said as she took her soon to be daughter upstairs to get changed for the day.

Zuko went to the galley to order a variety of breakfast foods to be delivered to the main sitting area right away. Then went to the helm "Captain, how long do you expect it to take us to get back home?"

"A week, weather permitting, Fire Lord, Sir." The captain answered.

"Thank you." Zuko told him as he walked back out, to the main seating area. When he walked into the room he found Taryn's mother sitting at his desk trying to open it. "It's locked." Zuko folded his arms across her chest, he already didn't like her now, she was trying snoop into his business.

She jumped when she heard him speak, "I'm sorry, Zuko, I was looking for some paper... To write a letter."

"Fire Lord Zuko, thank you. In ALL that stuff you brought I find it hard to imagine that you didn't bring any paper with you." Zuko said to her.

"Oh, uuuuhhhh… There might be, I didn't think about that." She told him. "Fire Lord, Sir."

"Yeah, I bet it just slipped your mind." Zuko said sarcastically.

"MOTHER!" Taryn said in shock as she saw her mother sitting at Zuko's desk, that Zuko had a very angry look on his otherwise handsome face. "It is not YOUR business to be at HIS desk!"

Zuko turned and smiled at his daughter and his beautiful bride to be. "You picked out a beautiful dress Ursa!" Zuko said to his daughter.

"Taryn picked it out for me." Ursa told her daddy.

"Breakfast will be out soon." He told his girls.

"Wonderful." Dyna said. Taryn watched as Zuko scowled at her mother. They all went over to the couches and sat down, Taryn took a seat next to him, so close that her mother frowned at them. Which made Zuko smirk, he really did not like this woman and just the thought of her staying with them until the wedding made him frustrated.

"Why were you at his desk?" Taryn asked her mother.

"I was looking for some paper." She told her daughter, innocently.

"No you weren't! You were trying to snoop in Zuko's business, don't lie to me!" Taryn said.

"Don't you talk to me like that girl!" Her mother snapped.

"Do NOT talk to Taryn like that!" Zuko said as he rose from his seat. "Your presence is by request of your husband, I am letting you be here."

"He wants me here so that you do not defile our daughter before your wedding." Dyna told him.

"I have self-control! I am not some sex-crazed man!" Zuko raised his voice at her. "You will behave while you are my guest."

"Yes, Fire Lord Zuko!" The woman dropped to her knees on the floor bowing to his. Zuko growled then swiftly walked up the stairs and went into his room.

"Why did you do that?" Taryn asked her mother. "He has been nothing but kind and patient with you! You constantly put him down EVERY time he picked me up or dropped me off. He was patient when you brought almost everything you own with us. I hope you know you will NOT be living with us in the Palace. You need to stop treating me like some child that needs constant supervision, I am twenty two years old! I am more than old enough to live my life the way I want to. I am old enough to decide whom I do and whom I do not want to marry. You don't have to be my protector."

"Taryn… I'm scarred!" Ursa said, Taryn's heart broke when she saw that the little girl was on the verge tears.

"Oh Ursa I'm so sorry." She hugged the little girl and rocked, Taryn scowled at her mother and mouthed "Look what you just did."

"I want my daddy!" She whimpered.

"Okay Little Princess, I'll take you up to him right now." Taryn said just as breakfast arrived. "Could you bring some of that up to the Fire Lord's room please?" She told the man pushing the cart.

"Yes, ma' lady." He responded. Taryn stood up, still holding Ursa in a tight hug, and went to Zuko's room.

Zuko was getting tired of Dyna's crap and he wanted her gone like now. He was practicing his forms in the large suite when he heard a soft knock. "Come in." He grumbled throwing another quick fire jab at the air.

"Oh!" Taryn said as she watched a fireball get shot at the air in front of him, then quickly dissipating before it hit anything. "I'm sorry about my mother, even I'm tired of her."

Zuko quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled it on then noticed Ursa had her arms wrapped tightly around Taryn's neck. "All the yelling scared her." Taryn said about Ursa, "So I thought it would be best to bring her up too you… I also told the galley worker top bring the food up here for you and Ursa."

"Will you join us for breakfast?" Zuko asked, He was happy it would just be the three of them sharing breakfast in his room.

"I would love to." Taryn told him. It was only minutes before the food was delivered and spread out on the table in front of them.

"Have you decided what kind of wedding you want?" Zuko asked as he cut his breakfast sausage.

"Yes I have, with my mother's help." Taryn answered.

"Oh." Zuko rolled his eyes and imagined a huge ceremony with thousands in attendance.

"She's irritating me too… So I was thinking a small, fast ceremony with just our closest friends and family." Taryn told him. "I told her she's not going to live with us in the Palace."

"I thought you were going to ask for a huge wedding." Zuko lauged.

"No, you're such a dingbat sometimes." Taryn laughed.

"Dingbat!" Ursa giggled.

Zuko was over joyed by this news "Perfect! I will send a few letters out right now, I'll send another airship to get your family and I need to send letters to all my closest friends." He was relieved that he doesn't have to deal with Dyna for too much longer.

The soon to be small family enjoyed their breakfast together, alone, in his room. They talked and laughed as they all ate. Ursa was bubbling with joy that Taryn would be her new mommy for real soon.

As soon as they were done eating they all went back down stairs, Taryn played a game with Ursa while Zuko wrote his letters. Dyna was not in the main area anymore. Zuko wrote three letters, one to his sister requesting her to pick up Taryn's family from Ba Sing Se in one of the larger airships, he also told her to be on her best behavior. The next was to Aang and Katara, telling them his wonderful news and requesting their presence. The third was to Uncle Iroh, asking him to stand with him at the ceremony.

Zuko went to the helm and dispatched the messenger hawks to their various addressees. As soon as he saw them all head in their different directions he relaxed a bit, Dyna was seriously making him angry, the snooping mooch.

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