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Chapter 1

Summer Wedding

"I can't believe how nervous I am," Suki said as Azula put the finishing touches on her gown. "I mean, I thought I'd be a lot more calm than this. We've been together so long, you know?"

"It's perfectly natural to be nervous about getting married," Azula said. "At least that's what I've been told. I suppose the best thing to do is remember that the two of you have been living together as a family for a long time now, and this is really just the official stuff."

"Official stuff has never made me shake like this," Suki laughed. "I almost had to ask for help to put my makeup on. How does it look by the way?"

"It's fine," Azula answered without looking. She already knew that the pale white powder was evenly coated and that the red paint was perfect over Suki's eyes. Suki was just as much a perfectionist at this sort of thing as Azula was after all. "You might want to consider tripping on your way out there though. It's probably the only way your idiot soon-to-be-husband will be able to save face. You should have seen him putting on his suit earlier."

"That bad?"

"This is Sokka we're talking about."

"That bad."

Suki finally began to laugh. Azula had this gift for putting things into perspective at someone else's expense. This was a big moment in Suki's life, and she was glad that Azula would be there to share it with her. Since the time that Azula had come to stay with her and her fiancé, Suki had begun to think of Azula as the sister she never had. Granted she was usually cold and indifferent about nearly everything, but it was times like now that Suki was glad to have her.

Just then, there was a light knock on the door. Before either of the girls could utter a sound, the door cracked open just a bit and a voice came through the opening.

"Everyone dressed in there?"

"Come on in, Mom," Suki answered.

An older looking woman with long, caramel colored hair came in and stared at Azula and Suki. Along with her was a man that Azula knew was Suki's father. She was his spitting image from his eyes to his strong yet gentle presence. Azula took a step off to the side as Suki's mother walked towards them. The two of them had been popping into Sokka and Suki's home unannounced ever since their arrival a little more than a week ago and Azula had long since learned not to bother trying to tell them Suki was busy.

"You look absolutely marvelous," the woman beamed. "The dress does look just a little tight though."

"Mother, it's fine."

"No no no. It should be more loose around your legs and longer too. It's supposed to be elegant, not sexy."

"And why, pray tell, can't it be both?" Azula asked.

Suki's mother turned her eyes on Azula with an awe struck look on her face. Azula read Suki's face and saw the signs of strain as she tried to hold back her laughter. Her mother on the other hand had no signs of restraint whatsoever. Azula and her mother had gotten off on the wrong foot since day one, and things did not look like they were going to be any different today.

"And just who might you be to comment on my daughter's wedding dress?"

"In case you have forgotten, I made the dress," Azula replied sharply. "To Suki's figure, personality, and request. Do you have an issue with that?"

Suki's mother opened her mouth to answer, but Azula cut her off.

"Good. Now if you would go take your seats, we will be heading out there shortly."

Suki's father pulled his wife away and guided her back towards the door. As he ushered her out, he closed the door behind her and turned to face his daughter.

"You look beautiful," he said. "And thank you, Azula, for taking such good care of my little girl."

"Dad," Suki sighed. "Don't you think this qualifies me as not being a little girl anymore?"

The man placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders. He stared deeply and lovingly into her eyes even as his began to mist and tear. His smile was small, but it was just as genuine and full of love as what he said next.

"You may not be a little girl anymore, but you will always be my little girl."

He stroked her hair out of her face with a strong hand and pet her head gently so as not to undo the style that Azula had put it up in. Had it not been for the makeup on her face, Suki was sure he would have kissed her head like he used to when she was small. It took almost everything she had not to cry as he wished her luck and followed after her mother.

"So?" Azula asked, turning her to face the mirror. "Do you think you're ready?"

Suki was at a complete loss for words. Even after what her mother had said, Suki thought that the dress was wonderful. Every bit as beautiful as she ever dreamed it could have been. Without a word she turned and hugged Azula tightly.

"It's perfect," she said, still choking back the tears.

"If you ruin your make up by crying now, I'm not helping you fix it," Azula said flatly. "And stop hugging me. You're going to wrinkle all of my hard work."

Suki laughed again as she released her friend. Azula rubbed her hands down Suki's front to straighten out the creases and wrinkles she had warned against and then smiled as well.

"Here's hoping this goes better than his proposal," Suki said as she walked towards the door.

"Not likely," Azula whispered, remembering the gravy disaster that Suki had told her about. "At least the buffet table is going to be in the other room."

- - - -

Sokka stood nervously at the head of the room begging his knees to stop shaking. His father and sister stood at his side whispering words of encouragement to him, but he could not hear anything over the sound of his own heart beating in his ears. Any second now, Suki was going to walk down that aisle and stand with him. After that, he would be her husband and she would be his wife. Even though things were going to stay the same, everything was about to change. His head was starting to hurt.

"Why does it feel like this day is never gonna end?" he asked no one in particular.

It was then that he felt her enter. He turned his head to look down the aisle at his bride-to-be. Azula had outdone herself with the dress. Suki just seemed to be radiating beauty as she made her way towards him with Azula in tow. Sokka's head pounded louder and louder until finally she came to stand next to him, and then everything fell silent. He could not hear the words of the holy man as he began the ceremony, or the sounds of the crowd of family and friends behind him. The only thing that registered in his mind at all was Suki's smiling face.

After a few minutes, the initial shock of the the holy man then took hold of both Sokka and Suki's hands and placed them together in front of him. Sokka was not too familiar with the traditions of Suki's people, but he had agreed to follow their wedding customs. The man then gently wrapped a long red ribbon around them and tied it loosely over their clasped hands.

"May the spirits watch over and bless this union. Just as the ribbon now binds your hands together, let it also strengthen the bond that brought your two souls together. May your love for each other know no age and grow ever greater as you travel together through this life."

Sokka and Suki turned to face each other and the emotions began to flow. Sokka did not know why, but he felt that he should say something. Staring into the face of his wife, his heart began to stir until finally the words found him.

"Suki, you know how bad I am at talking about how I feel," he said. "I can't really wax poetic, or even pick out a good love song. Instead, from here on out I'm gonna live my life showing you every day just how much I love you."

With those words hanging in her heart, Suki leaned forward and shared her first kiss with Sokka as husband and wife. In that kiss she felt all of her hopes and dreams for their future suddenly becoming more and more possible. She could see their home filled with precious memories and accomplishments. She could see their family so full of love and happiness as it grew over the years. It was all so beautiful that she simply could not help but cry.

When Suki pulled away from her husband she laughed. Along with the vibrant red lipstick that now rested on his lips, there was a long, pale smear of mixed white and red makeup on one side where her tears had brushed his cheek. Lifting his hand to his cheek, Sokka sighed when he discovered the wet powder. Then Suki saw the flash of inspiration in his eyes as he grinned. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers again. When he pulled back with that smile on his face, the entire room filled with laughter.

"Now I have one on each side," he said triumphantly as he pointed out the matching makeup streaks on either side of his face.

- - - -

Aang sat down in the banquet room of the hall the Bei Fongs had rented for Sokka and Suki's wedding. He could not help but watch the newlyweds as they danced and talked merrily with everyone present. For the first time that he could remember, Aang did not want to join in on the fun. He preferred to just sit on the sidelines with Toph as she kicked her legs under the table. She was thinking about something. Just as he was about to ask her what was on her mind, she spoke.

"Hey, Aang," she said. "Do you think we'll ever be like that?"

"Like what?" he asked.

"I mean like those two," Toph replied. "The way everyone can just tell how in love they are. Even I can tell just by being in the same room as them. The perfect picture of a happily married couple."

"Zuko says 'happily married' is an oxymoron," Aang said with a smile and laugh. Toph smiled to him. "I can't say that we're going to be like them, but I can tell you that I love you."

"Does that mean that you'd marry me?" Toph asked, raising an eyebrow. Aang stammered over his words as he began to blush furiously. Toph felt his pulse become erratic as he tried to form an answer. "That's good enough, Twinkle Toes. For now."

"What are you two doing over here all by yourselves?" Katara asked as she and Zuko came to join them.

"There's a party going on and Aang's not making himself the center of attention?" Zuko joked. "What's up?"

"We're just talking about the trip tomorrow is all," Toph answered. "Kuzon's got me and Ty Lee all packed and ready. How about you guys?"

"All set for some summer time fun!" Aang replied.

"Same here," Katara chimed in.

"I don't know about Azula, but I'm ready," Zuko added. "How long are we going to be gone anyway?"

"I was thinking about a month," Toph said. "I haven't decided yet."

"I can hardly wait to get out to the beach!" Katara said. "This is going to be my last big vacation before college, so I'm really going to cut loose!"

"I can't wait to see that," Toph laughed. Between tormenting Twinkle Toes about marriage and hearing about Sugar Queen letting loose, this trip was shaping up to be the most entertaining summer of her life.