A/N: Howdy my people! This is the last chapter of this saga. I feel like I really accomplished something this week. LOL! My school is still on "Spring Break" and I really got some good writing in when I felt like it. This episode of Story Time with Zuko is about goodbyes, new beginnings, and that one time Zuko and Sokka drank cactus juice together... Let me know what you think of this story if you haven't already and if you likey, follow or favorite! Who knows if there will ever be a sequel like Story Time with Azula or Story Time with Sokka (that would be hilarious)? Anyways, thanks for all the love and enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Fanfiction is for goodbyes, hellos, new beginnings, closed chapters, cactus juice and story time...

Chapter 12-One Last Story

Zuko slept dreamlessly after returning to his room. The story he told the children that night was so emotionally draining that he didn't have the energy to toss and turn. He remained on his bed with his eyes closed when he felt the pull of the dawn though it was still dark out. He heard the tell-tale creak of his bed and felt hands pull his covers back. Zuko cracked one eye open to see Toph frowning in his face. "Good Morning, Love. How did you sleep?" he asked. "I hate you. I hate you for all time, Zuko." Toph spat. Zuko laughed hard his body shaking at her reference to "Zuko's" line from The Boy in the Iceburg. When he was able to calm himself Zuko rasped, "You looked so peaceful sleeping with the kiddos. I didn't have the heart to wake you." He explained. Toph shook her head back and forth. "No, no. You don't get a pass on this: you were wrong…You were wrong for leaving me there, Zuko. Did you know that Bumi flatulates in his sleep? The boy could very well be an airbender! Did you also know that his "wind" smells like the gunk between Appa's toes? Not cool man, not cool. Like, I feel like I need to have a discussion with Katara about that boy's digestive health!"

Zuko pressed his lips tightly to keep from renewing his laughing fit. Toph was just getting started. "Your daughters, Zuko, your daughters—snore in harmony! I couldn't believe it. I still can't. I didn't even think it was possible for little children to be that annoying while they sleep…but they are. They are, Zuko…" Zuko sat up. He shook from the effort of trying not to laugh at Toph's rant. He pinched his eyes shut and waited for the blow he was sure to receive, but no blow came. Toph was silent and still while he tried to curb his humor. He cracked one eye open again and sighed with amusement. When he looked over to where she lay, Toph was in a deep and quiet sleep. He leaned over and kissed her forehead and adjusted the sheets over her as he edged his way out of bed to begin his day. Zuko put on his thin pants and tunic he used for firebending practice and shut the door quietly behind himself. He walked several minutes in silent revelry to his training field. The usual routine went like this: He meditated with candles for an hour and then he ran through his most basic katas. Zuko increased in complexity until it looked like a cyclone of fire was whirling in the training arena. He kept this momentum up for several minutes.

A slow clap filled the area when Zuko stopped and bowed to the sun. He turned to see Aang waiting by the door. "You were an excellent teacher, Zuko. I wish I had really taken the time to learn from you instead of playing around like a little kid." Zuko laughed heartily as he wiped down with a towel. "You were a little kid, Aang. We all were. Sometimes I get the feeling we still have a lot of growing up to do. We had to learn to be adults on the fly without much parental guidance." Aang nodded in agreement. "Yeah, yeah. I know you're right, but despite the circumstances we made it; we're… making it." He corrected. The two friends laughed together. Zuko figured Aang had not come for pleasantries before breakfast. "What can I do for you this morning, my friend?" Aang smiled at the intentional mention of friendship. "Well, I think my family and I are going home today. Tenzin is old enough to ride on Appa and we haven't been home in almost half a year. For me, it's been a whole year. I'd like to give my family a bit more stability."

Zuko nodded in understanding. "Of course, what do you need? It's yours." Aang smiled sheepishly. "I'd like for you to tell the children one more story before we go, and I'd like for you to finish it." He said playfully. Zuko laughed out loud and scratched under his nose. "OK, I can do that. When?" he asked. Aang put his hand under his chin. "I was thinking around lunchtime. We would leave after that to get a few hours of flying in and rest." Zuko nodded his eyes and mind far away. Aang eyed his friend in concern. Zuko realized he was staring off and added, "Ok, sounds good. Uh, why don't we have lunch outside today, near the pond? Aang grinned widely. "That's a great idea! I'll inform my family. Thanks, Zuko you're the best." He said patting his friend on the arm and running off to find his wife and tell her the good news. "Yeah, you're welcome," Zuko whispered under his breath. He felt his shoulders tense after the hours he spent loosening them up with his workout. He began his basic katas again.

Zuko ordered a lavish outdoor lunch for his friends as a goodbye meal and to give the children something to remember. The servants added a few special touches to the trees and surrounding bushes to make the moment more festive. Bumi and Kya were dressed in their traveling clothes and Tenzin was wearing small robes and pants that made him look like a fluffy triangle of cheese. Katara had the baby on a blanket resting on his tummy as he explored his world with wide eyes and tiny fingers. Toph was feeling under the weather and rested in Zuko's room. Zuko made a mental note to check up on her later. The lunch was a mix of vegetarian and meaty offerings with a nice balance of fruits and fresh loaves of bread to choose from. Bumi and his father ate heartily enjoying all the colorful variety of foods. Bumi especially tasted each of the sweet treats on the table. The twins Izumi and Kya twirled around the colorful streamers hanging from the tree branches and danced and sang to each other silly songs about the water and the clouds and the sky. They flitted back and forth from the table to the streamers to the pond and turtle ducks. Katara smiled at how similar her two little girls were to each other though they looked so different. It was times like these she could see their twin-ship.

Aang watched how Katara watched her two little girls play. He knew that Katara loved the girls tremendously and wondered what she was thinking about. He resisted the urge to think about Katara and Zuko together and what if they had gotten together instead of he and Katara. Before his mind went down the rabbit hole, Toph punched Aang in the arm and leaned close to whisper. "Stop that shit, man. Your wife loves you, and she loves all her children as she should. If she didn't want to be with you, she wouldn't. We all know that including Zuko so chill out and enjoy the moment, OK?" Aang took a deep cleansing breath. Toph was right as usual. "Thanks. Hey, I thought you weren't feeling well this morning," he said. Toph laughed. "I needed more sleep. Your kids kept me up last night between the synchronized snoring and flatulence. I will never do that again." She said shaking her head. Aang chuckled. "I'm sure. Hey for the record, I realize now you weren't trying to steal me away from my wife on the way here. I overreacted. I heard your words, but I didn't hear what you were saying. You were having a moment of honesty and I misread it. Forgive me?" Toph sat back and punched his arm again. "Of course, Twinkletoes. I know how you are." She said quietly.

Aang chuffed and nodded. He rubbed the spot he knew was going to bruise later. "Yeah, I know and that's why I really appreciate your friendship. Promise me you'll take care of Zuko?" Toph rolled her eyes. "Zuko can take care of himself, he's a big boy thank the gods (she thought to herself), but I am always there for him if he needs me, he knows that." Zuko leaned in close and whispered in Toph's sensitive ear, "I do know that and I'm appreciative. To make up for last night, later today I can take care of some of your needs if you like." Toph bit her bottom lip and sat stock-still. She had a good feeling she was going to be luxuriously sore in the morning. "I'd better build up my strength," She murmured just in his hearing. "What do we have to eat over there?" she asked turning her head in Zuko's direction. Zuko smirked. "Do you want me to fix your plate?" he asked thinking he would return the favor from the banquet. Toph scoffed. "Hell no! You never pick the right stuff, just tell me what's over there."

Zuko rolled his eyes and groused. He grabbed Toph's hand and pulled her up to walk to the table and gave a dramatic dish by dish description of what was available to Toph's dismay. "Are you really doing this right now?" she shouted. Zuko continued describing each succulent dish with a slow enthusiastic flair while Toph groaned in annoyance. Katara looked over at Aang and winked. Aang winked back. He mouthed to his wife. "They make a cute couple." Katara smiled and mouthed back, "If they don't kill each other first." She laughed silently her eyes lighting up with mirth. Aang's heart flooded with love for his wife. Toph was right. Katara chose him. She wants to make their marriage work and was proving it slowly but surely. It was now his turn to prove it to Katara. He moved over to his wife and took her hand. "I love you Katara, you know that?" he whispered. She grinned widely. "Yes, I do know that, because I love you too." She whispered back rubbing her nose against his. Aang planted sweet kisses on Katara's lips and smiled when she blushed like she did when they were first dating. Zuko and Toph stood near the Avatar and his wife. Zuko had his arms around Toph's waist while she stood eating the finger foods she piled on her plate.

Between bites, Toph teased. "Aww. They're so sweet together, aren't they Zuko?" Zuko smiled to hold back his laugh at Toph's sarcasm and blind joke. "Hmm hmm." He mumbled. "Look at all the sweetness. There's so much of it, like pure sugar. It's just so much." Toph said keeping her voice wry. Zuko was practically convulsing trying not to laugh out loud. He buried his head in Toph's neck shaking and trembling. "There's so much sweetness it's no wonder they call each other Sweetie. I mean, that is one of the reasons I call Katara Sugar Queen and Sweetness. With their powers combined though, oh, the sweetness is just like everywhere. Everywhere…" she emphasized. Katara and Aang glared at Toph for ruining a perfect moment between them and said in unison. "Shut up, Toph! Tell your damn story, Zuko." The children stopped and stared with their mouths hanging open. Mommy and Daddy/Uncle Aang said: "shut up"? Toph stopped mid-bite. Did Aang just cuss? Zuko raised his head suddenly from Toph's shoulder and guffawed.

At his uncontrolled laughter the children giggled forgetting about the forbidden word, Toph leaned back on Zuko and laughed out loud, Katara and Aang rolled their eyes and began to chuckle until they too were laughing along with everyone else. Zuko released Toph and tried to catch his breath, "Ok, hee hee, let's, uh, heh, let's do this…Gather 'round kiddos. Whew!" he sighed. He tried to hold back his chuckle and breathed in and out to calm himself. On an exhale he laughed out loud again causing the whole group to start over. After a few minutes of non-stop laughter, Zuko forced himself to stop. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. He inhaled through his nose once more and found his calm. "Oh Gods, so, I thought long and hard about what story I should tell. I think under the circumstances this one is the most fitting. This story is about the time Uncle Sokka convinced me to try Cactus juice with him.

Toph piped up. "Oh yeah! This one's going to be a bitch. I was there for that one…" Katara and Aang turned to Toph sharply and whispered "Language!" Toph made a face and mumbled about how they just cursed not one minute ago. Zuko looked down at Toph who had settled down between his knees and leaned into his chest to hear the story. "You were there?" he asked in amazement. Toph turned her head incredulously. "Are you kidding me!? How do you two knuckleheads think you survived the night? I had to beach you. I literally put you under the sand up to your necks to keep you and Sokka from walking into the "sea of marshmallows" you wanted to eat. It was just the ocean. You cried all night because the marshmallows were so close and yet so far away, but you could taste them."

Zuko blinked. Katara and Aang blinked. The children blinked. "Oh," was all Zuko said. "Well, have I ever told you guys about the time Grandpa Iroh couldn't tell the difference between White Jade bush and white dragon tea and ended up having a really bad reaction?" Katara put her hand over her mouth. Aang looked down at the grass admiring its color and sheen. The children looked at Uncle Zuko as if he had just said the world was made of gummy bears and fire flakes. Toph just shook her head wondering how this crazy crew managed to save the world and not send it to hell by now. Izumi whispered to Kya, "I think I liked it better when we didn't hear the end of Daddy's stories." Kya nodded. "Yeah, me too, me too…"

I truly hope you enjoyed Story Time with Zuko. If you have a notion check out my other stories too. I'll be adding a gender-bend Zuko story soon. I've already gotten the first few chapters going and will be putting those out soon!