Zuko watched the glowing embers at the bottom of his cigarette before he exhaled a gray cloud of smoke, flicking away more ashes. Some gardeners passed him holding their tools, nodding in acknowledgement, and he returned the gesture with another drag, quickly peering over his shoulder to make sure that Katara wasn't watching him indulge in his smoke from a distance. With a sigh, Zuko rested against the stone pillar of the outside stair case, impatiently checking his watch.

"C'mon, Aang …we can't be late," he whispered to himself in quiet agitation. It was already 7 a.m., and he didn't want to be tardy for his crucial meeting which was set to take place in thirty minutes. The inconveniences of having his car in the repair shop seemed to be infinite.

Zuko decided to pass the time away by practicing fire bending forms, unintentionally burning some shrubs and foliage. He could feel the disapproving glare of the gardeners burning a hole into his back as they undoubtedly watched him ruin "their" grounds. "Katara would murder me if she knew about the smokes…" Zuko laughed to himself as he imagined her reaction. "I'll take a shower before she sees me," Zuko justified his actions as he completed a basic fire bending set. "Finally!" Zuko threw his hands up in joy, as he saw Aang 's car pause at the cast-iron gate to be let in. Zuko dusted himself off, smiling with the newly lit cigarette between his lips, as his companion's car came to a screeching halt before him.

Aang hurriedly reached over, opening the passenger door from the inside. "C'mon and get in, we'll be late!"

"You're telling me?" Zuko asked, quickly jumping into the seat with a thud.

"I'm sorry, I woke up late—"

"Don't sweat it, we'll still make it there on time."

Aang , with both hands on the large wheel, looked at Zuko, grinning from large ear to ear. "So…" He began, his smile becoming wider as he let the monosyllabic word hang.

Zuko shook his head sadly. "Nothing happened."

Aang immediately frowned as he pulled out of the estate. "What do you mean, 'nothing happened'?"

Zuko lifted up in his seat slightly, taking the black velvet box out of his pocket. "I'm gonna need you to hold onto it for a little while longer."

"Ah, c'mon Zuko! What the hell happened? Everything was a sure go!"

"I can't keep the ring anywhere at my house, can I? Katara will find it—"

"No, that ring ought to be on her finger, not still up in the box—in my car!"

Zuko turned away, hoping Aang would drop the subject, but he knew better.

Aang looked at his friend who quietly smoked in contentment, and he scoffed. "Do you have any idea what I had to go through to make everything perfect? Do you even care? Please, tell me how much time you think it takes to buy all of those candles and fire lilies, trek out to that cabin in the middle of nowhere, and then set them all up? Don't forget, I even had gourmet dinner prepared and ice wine for after the proposal!" Aang 's voice rose in increments, as he listed all of the things he had done for Zuko's big day. "Jeez, I hope you know I'm not doing all of that again. No siree; you can find another friend who's a fool enough to go through all of that."

Zuko rolled down the window, smirking at Aang 's little outburst. "You're a good friend, thank you—"

"Shut up; you don't mean it."

"I do, I do. I know you did everything you could to help."

"You still haven't told me what exactly happened." Aang was quickly losing his patience.

"Do you have short-term memory loss, or something? My piece of junk car, which is now in the shop, broke down; I only got home at around noon time yesterday. We didn't make it out to the nice cabin with all of those candles, flowers and all of the other extra stuff. We spent the night eating order-in food and talking, remember?"

"From what I understand, y'all got the honeymoon suite; you could've asked her there."

"Are you crazy?" Zuko asked, turning in his seat towards Aang , his eyebrows shooting up at the ludicrous suggestion. "C'mon, at least give me some credit for trying to be romantic! I just wanted everything to be perfect. I don't need a jumbo-jet writing words in the sky or something…I just want her to remember it."

Aang 's face softened. "Listen to you: sitting over there with your cigarette, all sentimental and stuff."

"I'll pay you back for the candles and flowers, don't worry."

"It's no skin off my nose: I'll gladly do it for the sake of young love. She's your foever-girl," Aang quickly negated his previous statements.

"Would you quit saying that?" Zuko insisted after a long drag. "It's creepy."

Aang ignored the request. "So when's take two?"

Zuko rolled the cigarette between his fingers, as he shrugged. "I don't know."

"…You don't know?"

"The time needs to be right. I think it's good I didn't do it this weekend after all. I want to propose when everything's finished and in order. I don't want us to be engaged, and be in a state of limbo. I want to be able to say: 'Katara, I've got everything covered, and this is how things are gonna go'. How can I expect her to say yes with all the uncertainties? No, I want to be a little more stable."

"You sound so mature, I can't believe it," Aang said with a chuckle, and a glad shake of his head. "But everything will work out, I promise."

"I can't lie: I thought about doing it—proposing to her that night, but I also got so nervous. I would've made a fool out of myself. There was just too much going on. I just want to put all of this shit behind me," Zuko threw his cigarette butt out of the window.

"We're going to meet Fire Sage Shyu now, but then what?"

"I don't know. I haven't spoken with him in a couple of days. He said he would get some contacts together; people who could help me.

Aang whistled. "Phew, he's really sticking his neck out for you."

"I know. I just hope he's got some ideas, 'cause I'm spent."

"Father always thinks of something." Aang applied his brakes at the intersection, reaching over to pick up the ring box, putting it in his interior jacket pocket. "I hope you know I don't intend to hold this thing for much longer."

Aang and Zuko stepped out of the car simultaneously thirty minutes later, finding a parking spot not too far away from the temple. Their feet crunched against the loose gravel which made up the parking lot, and the two young men maintained a brisk pace, each adjusting their clothing to make sure they were presentable.

Aang looked around at the cars which surrounded them. "What's going on, is it offering hours?"

Zuko merely nodded, checking his wrist-watch as they neared the temple doors. "Fire Sage Shyu should just be wrapping up now, c'mon let's hurry."

A few temple goers emerged from the entrance; from elderly couples with linked arms supporting each other down the potentially hazardous stone steps, to young mothers grabbing each and every direction to herd their boisterous children together; all with baskets filled with flowers and offerings.

"Excuse me, pardon me," Aang and Zuko politely parroted as they made their way through the exiting crowd. A man stepped out of the way, holding the door open for the two young men.

"It feels good to—" Aang began before he took one foot into the sanctuary, and immediately his hand covered his nose. "Goodness!" Aang exclaimed as the thick cloud of incense greeted he and Zuko with full force.

Zuko, who quite enjoyed the bitter-sweet smell off the incense, too was overwhelmed by its peculiar pungency. "I think Fire Sage Shyu needs to ease up on the incense," Zuko futilely waved his hand in front of his nose.

Aang stopped, looking at Zuko through squinted eyes. "I don't think I can go on."

"Jeez, stop being such a big baby." Zuko pointed to a corner of the church, just off of the altar. "I see him."

Fire Sage Shy was still in his ceremonial garb, speaking with a couple of people who had hung back to speak with him personally. He immediately saw the two young men who slowly made their way towards him, one covering his nose, and the other taking full strides of determination. "Excuse me, I'll be back in just a moment," he excused himself. "Aang ! I see you twice in one week? What a blessing!"

Zuko gave Aang a puzzled look.

"I came on Saturday, I thought a little spiritual mojo would calm your nerves," Aang explained with a sheepish shrug.

Zuko wouldn't say it out loud, but he really appreciated the sentiment. "Thanks for seeing me, Fire Sage Shyu. I hate to just roll right through, but Aang and I have an exam today."

Fire Sage Shyu held up his pale hands. "Say no more, I have what you need right here." Through some maneuvering, the sage was able to go under his thick robe and reach into his pants pocket, pulling out a crisply folded sheet of paper, handing it to Zuko. "That's the home and office number of a good friend and faithful parishioner. His name is Iroh Sozin."

Aang leaned over as Zuko with wide eyes delicately unfolded the paper as if it were a rare treasure he was afraid to damage. "Uncle…Iroh…I didn't even think of reaching out to him. We haven't spoken in years on account to my father's disapproval of his political alignments," Zuko muttered the latter and looked back up at the sage with obvious interest.

"Your uncle is your best bet. He doesn't know much about your case Zuko, and I thought it best you inform him of the gritty details. I took the liberty of scheduling a meeting between the two of you tonight at 7 p.m. sharp at Jinpao's Teahouse downtown."

"Jinpao's Teahouse!" Zuko and Aang exclaimed in unison.

The sage raised a white brow, his head slightly tilting at the unexpected response. "Is that alright…?"

Aang and Zuko couldn't help their laughter, garnering the attention of some parishioners who remained on the kneelers, continuing in prayer. The young men lowered their voices as Zuko explained. "That's where Aang and I met Katara; she worked at Jinpao's Teahouse…the irony."

Fire Sage Shyu only smiled. "Now, your uncle is a very busy man. If you're but a minute late, don't expect to find him there waiting; the man is never idle," the sage gave apt warning.

"I haven't been in touch with him since I was a child, what's he been doing?" Zuko asked.

Fire Sage Shyu cracked a smile. "He's only the Fire Nation's most influential financial lawyer. I'd have to use my fingers and toes to list off all of the degrees he has, but it doesn't go to his head; he's a behind the scenes man. Most people don't even know he exists, which suits him just fine. But he doesn't have the cold heart of the lawyer; he's willing to help absolutely anyone in need as you would know."

"Okay good, I heard Uncle Iroh was always altruistic," Zuko gave his approval.

"I'm sure you'll recognize him in an instant even after all these years. Man is still fit as a fiddle."

"And he agreed to help?" Zuko could never be too safe.

"He gave me his solemn word."

"He's willing even though he knows he will be dealing with a me; his estranged nephew. After the way my father treated him?"

Fire Sage Shyu scratched the back of his head, smiling shyly. "I thought it best not to scare him right out of the gate. It's sort of like…a blind date! Both of you are meeting one another with completely clean slates."

Zuko wasn't sure how much he liked the 'blind date' idea, but right now, he didn't have the luxury of being picky.

"Don't fret over a thing, Zuko. Your uncle may appear to be formidable, and trust me, he can be, but he has the softest heart, especially for his family. And if you ask me, I'd say he's a hopeless romantic. Once he hears your plight, he'll put everything he has into aiding you, I promise."

Zuko looked at Aang, wondering if there was anything else either of them had missed. They both remained silent.

"I'll leave you two gentleman be. And I'm working on that…" Fire Sage Shyu paused and smiled at a young couple who walked by, "that other thing."

Zuko winked at the sage, realizing that no more could be said on the matter at the time. "Thank you so much Fire Sage Shyu. I'll see you again sometime this week."

"I look forward to it."

Azula reclined until her sore back made contact with her soft pillows, as she idly tapped her ball point pen against the cover of her journal. She stopped her thoughtless movement, positioning the utensil for writing once again.

April 1st, 1955

It seems that it is always raining these days, and perhaps that is what has affected my mood. So much has happened since I've last written, and I'm not even sure I have the energy to put it all to paper. I hate to admit it, but I have been a little hesitant in restarting my journal entries, fearing that the sniveling Aang may find them; I've hidden it especially, and there is no chance he'll get his hands on them now.

Azula thought of her ingenious hiding place, and it brought a smile to her lipstick red lips. It was the simple things which brought her joy.

I think Aang would either laugh or be frightened if he knew I was writing in the same journal he gave me for the Winter Solstice all those months ago. Anyhow, exams are on their way, and I find myself terribly distracted by the two lovebirds who have become more brazen and reckless with each passing hour. Mai too is becoming impatient. That girl is very hard to read—

At times, I feel as if she has lost hope of ever "winning back" Zuko, but sometimes I see her look at Katara with such a hatred and at Zuko with such a deep longing, I wonder when she'll finally snap. Perhaps I'll beat her to it. I've been having more dreams, and they're like nothing I've had before. So vivid and detail, they frighten me. I can hear everyone's thoughts, see every facet; they're no longer clouded in fog. I think they are visions, but Mai—

"Good afternoon, Azula," Katara's cheerful and melodic voice filled the room, and Azula swore she could hear Katara's smile. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Katara asked, her expression jovial as always.

Azula wondered why the maid was always grinning, as she quickly snapped her journal shut. She put on her best fake smile, throwing her black hair off of her shoulders. "Katara, you look so bright today."

Katara put a hand to her chest, slightly bowing her head at the compliment. "Ah, thanks Azula." The maid walked farther into the room, carrying her bucket of cleaning agents. "Doing some studying, there?"

Azula slid the ornate journal a farther little under the sheets, hoping Katara didn't notice the slight movement. "Yeah, just some reviewing, is all."

Katara held a feather duster at her side, and set down her bucket as she moved to Azula's tall dresser-drawer. "How was your weekend, Azula? It seems that we never get to speak any more, I have no idea what you've been up to!"

"Such a shame, isn't it?" Azula feigned a frown, before continuing. "My weekend was fine, I suppose. I spent most of it at Mai's house, shopping and running about. We went to the drive in theatre, which was lots of fun. But what about you; any exciting adventures?" Azula hoped her last question sounded completely natural.

Katara stopped, slightly pivoting towards Azula before thinking a moment, and offering a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. "Nope, not really. Just the same ol', same ol'."

Azula resisted gritting her teeth. She hated being lied to, especially by someone who was so ghastly at it. The poor thing, she was so innocent; maybe that's why she was always grinning like a buffoon. No matter the reason, Azula did not want Katara in her room, and her mere presence was causing her to itch. "Sorry Katara, but could you come back and do this later? I'm afraid I have to take a shower now."

"Of course. Go right ahead, that's no problem at all." Katara gave Azula a small wave, before quickly turning, humming her entire way out.

Katara stood across the street from her home, pausing as she noticed an unfamiliar car in her driveway. She pushed her bag further onto her shoulder, looking both ways before finally crossing the quiet street. "Huh…I guess Dad has guests over." After a slight struggle, Katara found her keys buried at the bottom of her cluttered purse, and sighed as she resisted the temptation to just rest on the door, and not bother to exert the mere effort it took to open it. She was so worn out.

"Katara, it's about time you came home!" Hakoda opened the front door with a wide swing, surprising his daughter who took a step backward, her hand flying to her chest.

"Are you trying to scare me into an early grave, Dad? What are you doing?" Katara tried to peer over her father, as she heard feminine and masculine laughter from inside the home. "And who's in the house?" Katara was surprised yet again as her father took her hostage in a large bear hug.

"Come in and see for yourself!"

With caution, Katara clutched onto her purse, slowly crossing the threshold with anticipation. "Sokka?" Katara thought her tired mind was playing tricks on her, because she thought she saw her brother sitting at the kitchen table—with Suki affectionately holding his hand. Katara looked at her father with big eyes. "Dad…what's goin' on?"

Hakoda smiled widely, motioning towards the table where the young couple sat. "Sokka has a new girlfriend, and he brought her over so we could meet her."

Suki stood, extending her small hand to Katara's. "Hiya, I'm Suki Kyoshi. It's nice to finally meet you Katara, Sokka never mentioned how pretty you were, the little devil," Suki teased with a bright smile and sparkling eyes.

Katara's hand went limp in Suki's embrace, as she tried to piece together what exactly was happening. "But—I—" Katara's head swiveled between her brother and his girlfriend, ready to say something else before Sokka jumped up from the table, wrapping his arm around Suki's shoulders.

"I'm sorry for keeping her away from you for so long Katara. She's really been looking forward to meeting you; it's all she could talk about on the way here."

"Ain't that sweet?" Hakoda asked his daughter. It was clear that Suki had passed all of Hakoda's tests for approval with flying colors.

"And thank you for having us over on such short notice, Mr. Kuruk. It's such a blessing to finally be in your home," Suki said nodding in Hakoda's direction.

"Call me Hakoda."

Katara couldn't resist rolling her eyes; Hakoda had never gone this easy on anyone who was romantically involved with his children. Where was his club! Katara folded her arms over her chest as she cleared her throat. "Sokka, I'm so glad to see you again."

Sokka moved forward to hug his sister, lingering in the embrace, holding on tighter as he whispered into her ear: "We need to talk."

Katara pulled away as she heard the command.

"Suki, why don't you keep Pop company? Katara's got to show me somethin'; I'll just be a hot minute." Sokka turned away for the kitchen first, going down the hallway to Katara's open room.

Katara cautiously trailed behind her brother closing the door quietly behind her. She took a step forward, her hands immediately going to her hips, and her head bowed in thought. "Sokka, can you please explain to me what just happened out there?" Katara asked, surprised at how mildly the question came out.

"Just keep cool and hear me out—"

"You better start talking, then. So what? Y'all suffer from amnesia now, is that it?"

"Listen Katara," Sokka said bringing his voice to a whisper, and moving closer to his sister so his voice wouldn't carry through the home's paper thin walls. "I wanted Dad to meet Suki, and as far as he knows y'all two have never met. Suki is a perfect stranger to you, and I know you don't like her, but could you just go out there and make nice? You don't have to talk or nothin'—I just want Dad to like her, and you know how he is. If he knew everything you knew…he'd kick me out a second time."

How quickly the tide had changed. Not too long ago Katara was pleading with every fiber of her being, begging Sokka not to reveal her relationship with Zuko. But now she was the one with the potentially devastating information, and she had to make a choice. Could she go out there, and pretend that nothing had happened? That she liked—approved of this girl? Sokka never became serious with anyone, but he must've seen something in this striking beauty otherwise known as Suki, or else he wouldn't have spared the effort.

"Fine," Katara whispered. "But only 'cause you did it for me first!"

Sokka opened his mouth to speak, but closed it quickly, clasping his hands together in thanksgiving. "You won't say anything?"

Katara threw her purse onto the bed, scratching her head in thought. "You didn't say anything 'bout Zuko, so I won't say anything, I guess," Katara mumbled.

"Thanks…and Katara? What I said the last time 'bout singing like a canary 'bout your fire bender, I didn't mean it. I wouldn't dig your grave like that; you're still my little sister. I'm sorry, okay?"

"I know you wouldn't Sokka. And I hate to admit it, but I…sorta understand where you're coming from with Suki, okay? I'll try and get to know her a little better."

Sokka smiled, and Katara couldn't resist her own. They walked out of the room together, met with the laughter of Hakoda and Suki from the kitchen.

"Did I miss somethin'?" Sokka asked, sitting down once again.

"Nothin', your dad's just being a ham!" Suki's sweet laughter dwindled as she diverted her gaze towards Katara who looked away quickly, walking to the oven.

"What's in here, Dad?" She asked.

"Suki brought us a roast. Ain't that special?"

Katara looked at Suki, offering her a warm smile. "Thanks. That's awfully sweet." She opened the oven to take a quick peek. "What kind is it?"

"Roast duck. My mama used to fix it all the time, it's truly decadent I promise. I just had her mail me the recipe." Suki stood up to stand next to Katara.

"Oh! Speaking of letters Katara, Haru—"

Katara wasn't paying particular attention to her father, for she was too busy talking with Suki. "Where does your mom live now, then?"

"On Kyoshi Island, that's where I'm from, but me and Koko moved up here for work."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah I'm a maid. Aren't you too?"

"Yeah, at the Sozin house. Where do you work?"

"At the Ukano's house."

Katara's eyes widened, as a hand flew to her chest. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "You gotta put up with Mai every day; bless your heart."

The two women laughed together, Suki recovering first. "Girl, you don't even know the half of it. I swear, I'm gettin' into nice areas of the Spirit World for having to put up with her. But you know what I'm talkin' 'bout," Suki moved out of Katara's way as the oven was opened so the casserole could be taken out. "You got that hellcat Zuko still livin' at yours, right?"

Katara shrugged, quickly setting the hot dish on the stove. "He ain't all bad, honestly. It's just he's got a bad reputation, but he's really kind."

Suki looked over her shoulder on to find Hakoda and Sokka walking towards the living room together. She leaned towards Katara, whispering conspiratorially. "Girl, between you and me, that Zuko's kinda cute for a fire bender. You got the good deal!"

Katara's head went back with laughter.

"You laugh 'cause it's true, ain't it! I don't care what color he is, that boy's a hunk."

Katara's laughs steadily ceased, as she leaned against the counter, looking at her brother's girlfriend with a smile. Perhaps she wasn't so bad after all.

Aang shoved his hands inside of his pockets, looking over at Zuko, then down at his watch: 6:55 p.m. "Zuko, we're gonna have to go in soon."

Zuko's feet remained glued to the sidewalk, as he looked vacantly at Jinpao's Teahouse which was bustling as usual. "I'm really nervous."

"Fire Sage Shyu said your uncle would help you, so that means he will."

"Things might change once he realizes it's me. Maybe this was a bad idea."

Aang rolled his eyes at Zuko's doubts. He had to deal with Zuko's verbal back and forth the entire car ride to the restaurant, only to be followed by more nervous rambling once the car had parked, because he had wanted to delay the meeting for as long as possible.

"Alright, let's go," Zuko said rubbing his hands together in confidence before stopping in his tracks. "Agni, Tui and La: please don't let this meeting be a total disaster."

"Ha! C'mon, Zuko," Aang said shaking his head with a laugh.

The pair of friends walked into the crowded diner shoulder to shoulder, immediately scanning the numerous guests for any sign of gray hair and the familiar face of his uncle. Aang spotted Iroh first, nudging Zuko's side with his elbow, pointing to the farthest corner of the restaurant. "That's him over there; reading the paper. You see him?"

Zuko strained a little to look over the rows of tables to find the older man at the very last one, his head nearly covered by the large newspaper he was reading. "Oh, he looks so much older?"

Aang 's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What of course he does, you last saw him when you were 10. Okay, let's just move on to 'Plan B'—oh wait, they don't exist," Aang sarcastically quipped. "And trust me; Iroh is the best of the best. Even my parents speak highly of him."

Zuko nodded, swiftly walking around the busy maitre d', bobbing and weaving through the many tables until he reached the gray-haired man whose gold eyes remained downcast on his reading. Zuko cleared his throat to gain the man's attention, unsure of how else to start the interaction.

Iroh Sozin slowly raised his head, his wrinkly face set in curiosity as he looked up at the muscular young man before him. His eyes widened and softened when they locked onto Zuko and then smiled at Aang in recognition. "Oh my…Zuko…Aang!" Iroh asked happily, standing to shake the young man's hand.

"Iroh, it's good to see you again. I came here with my friend," Aang said nodding in Zuko's direction.

"Ahh, I guess Sage Shyu is up to his old tricks? Setting me up with my own nephew without giving me a hint" Iroh asked with a smile, while going up to Zuko and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Uh…Uncle I'm so sorry. I didn't know how to reach out to you," Zuko spoke up, looking around the restaurant as he took his surroundings into account as Iroh let him go. "Fire Sage Shyu and I are good friends," he explained.

Iroh did not try to hide the once over he gave the tall dark haired young man. "No need to apologize, nephew. I know how my brother is. I've been looking forward to this meeting shrouded in mystery. But to see its you, just made me happier. You have grown into a fine young man."

Zuko blushed. "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet me, despite everything. I heard you're top notch, at whatever it is you do. Fire Sage Shyu only had good things to say about you. Forgive me, I know how strange it must be—"

Iroh raised a silver brow, his head tilting slightly. "You're rambling Zuko, you only do that to avoid the truth." Iroh asked with familiarity.

Zuko promptly shut his mouth, looking over at a smirking Aang with a gulp.

"Has a cat got your tongue?" Iroh asked taking a seat, and inviting the two young men to do so as well. "You needn't be afraid of me."

Zuko took a seat across from Iroh, and Aang sat to his right. "Pardon my nervousness, Uncle.

Iroh looked pensively at Zuko, picking up his tea, not breaking eye contact with the young man as he drank. "Now my curiosity has been doubly piqued. You are aware of my profession, right?"

Zuko looked at Aang quickly. "Just that you're a finance lawyer, but that could mean a lot of things. The sage wasn't very heavy with the details and Father doesn't speak of you unfortunately."

"Well remain in darkness no longer: I'm indeed a lawyer. I mainly deal in the financial realm; sorting disputes between corporations, executing wills, and everything in between. I do it all, really. But…I'm fairly certain Ozai has a team of men just like me, so I too am confused about this meeting; Fire Sage Shyu wasn't very heavy with the details on my end either."

Zuko sighed, as he watched the older man take off his glasses, and fold his wrinkly hands together. "I don't even know where to begin, Uncle."

The man smiled pleasantly. "The beginning is always a good place to start."

"I'll probably be as clear as mud, and trust me; this is not your usual case."

"Go on and give me your best shot; with forty years of experience I learn how to fill in the details here and there. And, I'm pretty sure I've heard it all, so don't be embarrassed."

Aang snorted, contributing to the conversation for the first time. "Trust me Uncle; this one is strange, even for you."

Iroh opened his clasped hands, signaling his readiness for the story.

"Where to begin? Uhhm, my mother,—"

"Ah, Ursa. Bless her soul."

Zuko paused. "Were you close with her?"

"She was truly a light within the Sozin household," Iroh affirmed with a nod.

"Well, then you know she passed away a little after I was born, but she still left me with a written will. And to make this short and sweet: I need to get whatever's in it, every last penny. I haven't cared 'til now—hell, I don't even know what it says! My father and his team have always taken care of my finances, and money has never been an issue."

"I can see that," Iroh said with a grin as he took into account the young man's designer loafers, expensive watch, and the impressive ring which he wore on his left index finger.

"But pretty soon my father's not gonna want anything to do with me, and that cash flow will dry up like the Si Wong Desert, I'm one hundred percent sure of it. So, I need to make sure everything that's mine stays mine, and he can't get his hands on it."

Iroh listened, before leaning back in his chair. "Those are some serious words; Zuko, going against the almighty Ozai? Who would've thought such a day was to be written."

"I don't want it to be like this Uncle, but I can't control him, and I gotta start living my own life. He'll try and manipulate me, forcing me to do what he wants 'cause he'll have all the money. And unless I do something now, I'm fixing to be broke 'till I agree to be his puppet. I love him, despite the grevious flaws, but I don't want that."

"And what's the occasion which brings with it such urgency?" Iroh paused to chuckle. "I'm not used to dealing with clients so young as you nephew, so excuse me if I ask more questions than usual."

Zuko looked around nervously, almost forgetting he was in a crowded restaurant speaking of such a tender matter. He lowered his voice after thoroughly clearing his throat. "'Cause I'm getting outta this place, Uncle."

Iroh didn't even blink as he too leaned forward to meet Zuko. "You're going to have to give me more to work with than that, nephew."

Zuko reclined into his seat, nervously looking around as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket, sliding his finger into one of its pockets where he kept a mall photograph of Katara. Zuko took a moment to look at the small picture, smiling as he looked upon his beloved. He slid the photo over to Iroh, who retrieved his glasses in preparation. "Uncle, I'm trusting you."

"I no longer have any allegiance to my brother; this is utterly confidential," he said gingerly picking up the photo. He inspected it quietly. "Hmm." He spoke to Zuko but kept his eyes on the black and white photo. "She's a beautiful young lady; yours, I presume?"

Iroh may have been elderly, but at least Zuko didn't have to spell everything out for him. "We're in love."

Iroh peered over the picture towards Aang , his facial expression screaming "this-must-be-a-joke", but the young man remained serious. "And I love tea, so what?"

Zuko was receiving the hint that Iroh wanted more details to work with. "She's my soon-to-be fiancée."

"Forgive me, these eyes are worn and old, but she is foreign, correct? She's not a dark skinned Fire Nation woman?"

"She's foreign, Uncle."

Iroh sighed, taking his glasses off once again, pushing the photograph back to Zuko. "I have a feeling that my life just became very interesting."

"The short tale of it is that I want to take care of her. I'm set to inherit the family business, but that's not gonna happen with her by my side."

"How perceptive of you, Zuko."

"But I still want to make sure we're taken care of; get what's legally mine. And if you decide to help me, and all of the official stuff is sorted, we're out of here."

Iroh sighed, taking off his glasses as he handed the picture back to Zuko. "Where did you find your ladyfriend? She's hired help, isn't she?"

Zuko's eyes widened at Iroh's correct guess, but he remained silent.

Iroh smiled, already knowing he was correct. "She's a maid, isn't she?"

The two young men looked at each other, then at Iroh, only able to nod.

"Don't look too surprised, boys. Once you get to this age, you quickly learn it's always the maid," Iroh chuckled some more. "And I take it this started in the summer too, didn't it?"

Aang held his hands up. "Okay Iroh, you're really starting to freak me out over here."

"I may be old and look slow, but I know how this routine goes, young men. People like to pretend this stuff doesn't happen, but we who pay attention know that it does. Except…I don't have a waiting list of Fire Nation men asking me to help them runaway with their foreign lovers: you take the prize for being first, congratulations. This is peculiar…oh, peculiar indeed."

"We're not just 'lovers'," Zuko felt the need to clarify. "I'm not some kid blinded by lust in some cheap affair; we're getting married, well, once I propose," Zuko added the last bit quickly. "This is real, Uncle Iroh."

Iroh reached into the breast pocket of his jacket, pulling out a small pad and pencil, flipping it to a new page, and scribbling down a few notes. "What's your lady's name?"

Zuko paused, thinking over his decision one last time. "Katara Kuruk," Zuko leaned in as she spoke.

"Ka-tar-a…Ku-ruk," Iroh whispered to himself as he wrote the down the unordinary name. His gaze snapped back up towards Zuko's. "You are twenty-two, correct?"

"Yes, Uncle."

"So young," Iroh said with a smile. "And Ms. Kuruk?"

"Twenty, sir."

"Tell me more about this Kuruk girl, then. I'm not a fan of surprises, and I would like to know exactly whom and what I'm dealing with, here."

"Well, for starters, Katara lives in southern part of the Caldera—"

"The colored part of town, of course."

"She's got one brother, Sokka; he's twenty-two too. Her mom's dead; car accident, and she lives with her dad and brother who are both mechanics. She's been working at my house since mid-June of last year, I think—"

Iroh lifted up his pencil. "Is that when all of this started?"

"Yes sir."

"Where'd she go to school? She got anymore kin in the area?"

"She went to Caldera High, graduated two years ago; top of her class," Zuko added proudly. "All of her kin are dead sir; her dad and brother are all she's got."

"Who are her friends? Give me a couple of names."

"Well…uhh…" Zuko realized Katara didn't exactly have many friends. "Jin and Meng who work with her and are her neighbors and this guy named Haru Tyro."

"Has she been married in the past, any children?"

"…She only just turned twenty…"

"That's plenty of time to get married, divorce, and be left with a kid. But I'll take that as a 'no'," Iroh correctly surmised, writing down even more notes. "Now, I have to ask this next question."

"Okay…"

"Is she pregnant?"

Zuko's eyes widened as he shook his head. "No Uncle!"

Iroh' head tilted, revealing his doubt. "Is there any chance whatsoever she could be with child in the near future?"

"No Uncle, none at all," Zuko said waving his hands for emphasis. "We're not running off 'cause we're expecting a baby."

"Alright," Iroh said putting his hands up. "It's just, you gotta ask these types of questions nowadays. Okay, so if I tie up all of your loose ends and secure your rightful funds, where do you plan on going?"

Zuko bowed his head slightly. "I don't know sir, it's up to Katara, I just want her to be happy."

Iroh smiled. "I remember when I was young and in love, and life was just a blank book to be filled."

Zuko's eyes traveled to Iroh' left hand, which was sadly devoid of a wedding band. Zuko knew his Uncle's wife passed when he was young and could see how his uncle still remembered her fondly. "Well, I wanna fill my book with her."

"Well, ain't you romantic?" Aang chimed in with a chuckle.

Iroh reclined fully into his chair, looking at Zuko and Aang silently, a grin slowly appearing on his face. "This is a refreshing case, to say the least! And no less a chance to reunite with my nephew."

"Can't it hurt your career?" Aang asked.

"Hurt my career?" Iroh said with a wave of his hand. "No one will trouble me for carrying out the law. And if Ozai wants to come after me, he can go right ahead; this old man has nothing to lose. This was going to be just a favor, but you are my nephew," Iroh said wagging his finger at Zuko. "I thought I wouldn't get to see the man you will become. You remind me of a younger version of myself; filled with lofty hopes and dreams. Good for you, this girl is mighty lucky. Your mother would be proud."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Well, you can count on me to have you back, nephew. I believe everything you said, and I'll definitely help you. What's rightfully yours you should be allowed to spend wherever and on whoever. Ursa wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

Zuko didn't care if he appeared to be giddy as he grabbed his Uncle's hand with fervor. "Thank you so much Uncle."

"Leave it to me, and you'll be taken care of; I promise."

"What do I do next?"

"I'll do a little bit of digging on your ladyfriend and her family; make sure they don't have anything which Ozai can use against you. I'll obtain a copy of your mother's will—"

"But won't that cause suspicion, Iroh? When Ozai's lawyer team realizes that an outside party is reviewing Ursa's will?"

Iroh smiled. "Oh Aang , you can't always play by the rules. I'll do some…tweaking. Trust me, I will be the only one who knows about this. I'm quite looking forward to it, in fact."

Aang and Zuko looked at each other happily.

"I'll call Aang when we need to meet next, it wouldn't be wise to phone your house or workplace," Iroh said standing, signaling that the meeting was over. He extended his hand towards Zuko for another shake. "What will you tell your fiancée?"

"She not my fiancée yet, and I don't know what I'll tell her."

"Well good luck with that, nephew." Iroh looked down at his watch, cringing at the time. "I must run now, believe it or not, I have another meeting!" And with that, the old man was off, leaving the two friends standing in awe.

Azula's high-heeled shoes made contact with the pavement of her driveway, her sunglasses blocking out the radiant rays which decided to make a long-awaited appearance from behind the rain clouds.

"Don't forget the bags in the back, Mai," Azula reminded the dark haired girl who sat in the passenger's seat, raising her voice to be heard over the sound of the gardeners trimming the hedges.

Mai too stepped out of Azula's car, joining her friend at the trunk. "Azula, do you think we shop too much?"

Azula unlocked the trunk of her car, revealing a several shopping bags of shoes and jewelry. "No, I think we do it in moderation," but even as the words fell from her lips, Azula knew they didn't ring true. She reached out, picking up three of the paper bags.

Mai did the same, helping her friend shut the hood of the trunk. "It's such a nice day out."

"Yeah, it is. I'm starving, though. I'm really in the mood for some smoke sea slug tonight."

"Sounds tasty," Mai agreed as she made her way with Azula towards the front steps of the house, before the pale girl abruptly stopped. "Oh, look there! It's been a while since I've seen sparrowkeets 'round here," Mai pointed out excitedly.

Azula looked over by the front of the house just in time to see a couple of sparrowkeets fly past the dining room window. Azula slowed down a little, as something from the image gave her a mild sense of déjà vu; she wrote it off as merely the beauty of the birds.

The heels of the young women clanked against the stone steps, as the gardeners and maids made haste to step out of their way. Azula turned to one of the maids who stood idly. "Could you bring two glasses of watermelon juice to my room? Thanks." The Sozin didn't await for a reply, as she and Mai went directly upstairs.

"My feet hurt so badly!" Mai collapsed onto Azula's bed the moment she could, kicking the painful shoes from her dangling feet.

"I told you not to buy them," Azula reminded her friend as she set her shopping bags by her dresser.

"But they were too nice to pass up!" Mai watched Azula open one of her dresser drawers, snatching some clothes.

"Well don't complain to me! Hey, I'm gonna go change real quick," Azula said as she made her way to the bathroom, but leaving the door open.

Mai put her elbows against the edge of her bed, resting her chin against her clasped hands as she looked out the window at the gang of gardeners outside. "You know Azula, some people say coloreds don't tan…but I don't think that's true."

"What are you talking about, Mai?"

"I mean, just look at those gardeners; why else would they wear white, except so they can't get any darker? Poor things. You know, I never understood why they had to wear white when they work with dirt for a living, but now it all makes sense."

Azula crept from the bathroom, still in the same clothes. "What…did…you…say?" She asked slowly, moving closer to Mai with each strung out word.

Mai's eyes narrowed in confusion, as she looked back out the window at the band of dark skinned men who diligently trimmed the hedges around the fountain. "I said I never understood why the gardeners had to wear white, but they work with dirt. It's 'cause they don't wanna get darker. Isn't it…Azula?"

Azula's hand moved behind her, feeling for the wall which she knew was there, but her back ran up against it before she could stop herself. Her gold eyes were wide with shock, her mouth opened wide and covered with one hand, as she shook her head side to side. "No…no, it c-c-c-can't—people can't—I can't—"

Mai sprung up from the bed, alarmed by Azula's strange reaction. "Darling, what's wrong? You're scaring me!"

Azula walked past Mai in a daze, moving directly to the window which was next to her bed. The team of gardeners were around the fountain clipping its surrounding hedges. "It's just like my…dream…" she whispered, clutching onto the pearl necklace she wore.

Mai moved behind Azula, as she heard her frightened words. "What? Your dream?"

"Aahh!" Azula yelped, jumping backwards with a frightened scream, her back colliding with Mai who was pushed backward by the impact. "The birds! Oh my God, did you see them sparrowkeets fly past the window!"

"What birds?" Mai asked, becoming more frightened, as she looked towards the window, catching the birds fly off into the distance. "You're not making any damned sense!"

"It's happening Mai! I'm seeing it! What I thought in my dream, about the gardeners—you just said. Damn it, you nearly said it word for word!" Azula turned frantically towards the window, pointing outside. "I saw that exact same image! The same number or men, in the same positions, and I thought what you said just now! There is no way that the birds and the white jumpsuits are both accidents!"

Mai took a step away from Azula.

"For the love of God…it's finally happening."