I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender…

I never really intended to write this chapter, but my sister wanted me to do it so I did. I did not have a final piece outlined like I did for the rest of the chapters, so this one is just like a free write. I'll tie up all the loose ends I've created, hopefully. And there will finally be Zutara :)!... well a little...

Thanks for all readers who loved the story, and for Doctor Anthony who was my first reviewer! The character Kalo belongs to Doctor Anthony as well. (He's the only other non canon character who actually has a name in my story aside from the children if you noticed.) I wanted to distance the actual characters from the made up ones… (did it work or was it annoying?)

Chapter 6) Epilogue

Admiral Kalo's boat was quiet as the sun rose. The port of the capital of the Fire Nation was just in sight of the boat; they would land at noon if the tides held. Zuko stood watching the sunrise on the deck, thinking over the events that had just taken place in the past week.

They: Azula, the three children, Appa, Aang, Toph, Katara, and him had spent the last six days sailing home from the Northern Watertribe. They had all spent two days in the North Pole after the small attack to clear things up with the leaders of the village. Luckily, Katara's name was still remembered and even revered so negotiations and apologies were handled much more diplomatically then if Zuko had been there alone. With Aang being there as well, almost all was forgiven and an almost easy peace was settled. The leaders were expecting a messenger hawk the moment their ship returned to the Fire Nation announcing that he had successfully taken back his throne with no further delays and to elaborate on the situation. Zuko was already dreading the letter that would come in reply.

The sun moved higher in the sky and a slight breeze picked up, offsetting the rising morning heat. Zuko had since shed his cloak for his own attire more suited to the Fire Nation's warm climate. The Fire Lord turned around when he thought he heard a noise. The only thing his golden eyes spotted was Appa. The bison was happily sleeping on the deck of the ship, enjoying his break from flying. Zuko turned back around and watched the port grow closer. He felt a gentle presence behind him and watched out of the corner of his eye as Katara made her way to the railing next to him. He turned and looked at her for a moment. The waterbender had a placid smile on her face; her blue eyes were closed as she seemed to be basking in the sunlight.

Zuko smiled as he watched her. He could hear his uncle's voice reminding him not only that you don't appreciate something until it's gone, but also that you will never know what you do not have until you find it. Zuko had lived both lessons in the past two weeks. Katara leaned against Zuko as the sun peaked the open, extinct volcano the capital city was nestled in. The port loomed closer; soon the moment would be lost. Zuko looked down at her. She appeared to still be sleeping on her feet. He had never known her to wake up this early before. Zuko pushed his musings aside and was glad she had decided to join him.

After a few minutes Katara felt Zuko shift and rest his hands on the railing in front of them. She saw the rolled up message clenched in his left hand which he had received the night before. It was dated to the time of the failed invasion.

Katara looked to him as she reached out and covered his hand with her own. Zuko met her blue eyes.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. She moved closer so her back could rest against him as well as her shoulders and head. Zuko opened the scroll and read it aloud to her. He needed her opinions; he wanted to know what she thought of it all.

"Fire Lord Zuko, I regret to inform you of the assassination of the two Earth Kingdom members of your council and the attempted murder of my partner, one of the watertribe members. The killers were apprehended and found to be working for the two Fire Nation representatives. They have been dealt with. We, the two water tribesmen will met you at the port to discuss our final ideas before we depart for home, as we no longer wish to take part in the court. I am not to disclose the plans, but let me assure you that you will be pleased with our final decisions," Zuko stated. Katara sighed.

"They really tried to take full control," Katara said. She watched the ocean break around the ship as they neared the port. Other ships were coming into view. Zuko thought to what they had meant of 'taking care of them'. He doubted they had taken care of them as Azula had done for the men they had encountered at the North Pole. There was hardly anything left after she had aimed a few powerful lightning bolts at them to even worry about cleaning up after the battle. Zuko reminded himself to never let his sister get that angry at him, ever. He doubted even Katara could stop her.

"I don't want to think of what the remainder of the court has in mind now that they want to disband," Zuko stated, "they could-" Katara interrupted him.

"They said you'd like it," Katara smiled, she pulled his arm around her waist gently and held onto his hand, "don't think about it too much. Enjoy this last bit of freedom from the responsibility." Zuko smiled and took her advice. The two watched the ocean and the rising sun until they docked.

--

By the time the ship was tied off, the rest of the group had joined them on the deck. A small crowd of advisors and guards stood on the dock waiting to accompany them back to the palace. Katara sighed at the sight. Kasumi looked to her mother and shifted Jia Li into one of her arms so she could touch Katara's arm with the other. While the girl had taken back up her speech, she had already mastered expressing herself without it. Katara gave her daughter a smile and turned to Tsun. The prince's excitement at returning home was apparent on his face. Katara took a step from Zuko; breaking their comfortable position together they had kept for the past hour and made sure Kasumi had a proper hold on Jia Li. The baby was in a new dress but still wrapped in a blanket as she slept.

Admiral Kalo joined them on the deck. The man was still a little star struck at seeing Aang and having him on his ship. The gangplank was lowered and Zuko and Katara led the way into the crowd. Zuko was not surprised that there were no civilians in the group. He had left in a hurry and had wanted to keep everything a secret. His wishes had apparently been honored.

Toph and Aang followed Kasumi and Tsun behind Zuko and Katara off the boat. Azula stepped off the boat last. She was disappointed; her fun was over for the time being.

Katara noticed Zuko had slid effortlessly into his regal persona; she did not want to have too as well. She pretended that she had and walked beside him through the small crowd towards the two men from the Watertribe. One of the men nervously glanced over his should after each minute that passed. Katara guessed he was the one who had had a brush with death. The second man watched the two of them; they looked different. Neither Zuko nor Katara's appearance had changed; the man was even used to Katara's preference of blue clothing. Being of the water tribe himself he knew the importance of the color to her. She wore her blue dress which stood in stark contrast to Zuko's red outfit. The azure outfit had been a gift from the Northern Watertribe. It was cut for the Fire Nation's warmer weather and had the Fire Nation's royal insignia embroidered onto it in gold.

He noticed it was more the way they walked. The way the space between them was no longer cold, but instead they seemed to mesh; their auras were no longer divided, but one. A smile slid over the man's features as he switched the document between his hands. He knew his partner and he had made the right choice now.

The group approached the two men and stopped. The remaining councilmen bowed for Zuko and Katara and then were silent for a moment.

"Where are the other two men?" asked Aang as he stepped forward. One of the men looked to Zuko.

"You didn't show him the letter?" he asked.

"No," Zuko stated, "only Katara and I know what was written on it." The man's confusion was replaced by another soft smile. The Fire Nation men would have used his decision as a test; one he would have failed, but to him, the Fire Lord had passed. The two were finally seeing things together; it had only taken a few more near death adventures to get them to this point.

"Aang," Zuko said as he turned to him, "the two men who represented the Earth Kingdom were murdered as a part of the plan to take the Fire Nation from my control. Without anyone with power but them, they would have completed their takeover and you would have had another war to stop." Aang was silent as the news washed over him.

"Luckily we caught the assassins and found out the story before we joined our fellow councilmen," the man with the scroll explained. The nervous one only nodded before throwing a glance over his shoulder. Kasumi watched his actions with her understanding golden eyes; she had been the same way before.

"What news do you have for me?" asked Zuko. Azula stepped closer; any news regarding her brother would apply to her as well. Katara was interested as well. She noticed how Zuko had stiffened as he said the words, regretting the answer. Without a word she threaded her arm around his and took his hand. Zuko seemed to relax at her action. Almost everyone in the surrounding grouped was surprised. They had never seen their Fire Lord and Lady initiate any kind of physical contact, even within the palace. The two water tribesmen's minds were clearly decided at this point; the two had come a long way and this decision was absolutely the right one. The man unfolded the scroll and read it aloud.

"On behalf of the remaining councilmen we have decided that instead of naming new representatives that would cause the repetition of events that should rest forever, we will, with our remaining powers annul the council and all its responsibility and return it's given powers to the rightful ruler Fire Lord Zuko." Zuko managed to keep his jaw from dropping to keep up appearances; Katara was too stunned to care. Azula was surprised as well, only her raised eyebrows and amused grin gave away her delight.

"Really?" questioned Admiral Kalo. He seemed the most visibly happy. While he had known the role the court had played since the start unlike Toph and Aang, yet he had not lived through its demands like Katara and Zuko, he was the first to recover from the shock.

"Of course," the water tribesman stated as he folded the scroll back up, "the rest of the writing pertains to the legalities of it all and gives back all the rights awe took from you. Everything will be returned to prewar status."

"How did you accomplish that?" asked Katara.

"After you left the Northern Water Tribe, the village head there sent us a letter," the man explained, "that you were returning and had stayed lover for negotiations longer than expected." They explained what had happened in simpler terms then you had probably explained to them and how nothing like this should ever happen again."

"We received that letter just as I sent that one to you," the man explained motioning to the message in Zuko's hand, "so I wrote them about this new idea. They should be getting their letter soon."

"They're expecting a message from me as well," Zuko stated. Katara smiled and spoke up then.

"And the Earth Kingdom?" asked Katara.

"After I explained the situation they agreed with our decision and they feel they can trust you two enough to led the Fire Nation. Their outposts relayed the message faster than any of our birds could," the man stated. Zuko seemed to have finally come to terms with the decision.

"Thank you," he said truthfully. His golden eyes were closed, and he could not see the surprised look that floated across the two men's faces. Never before had the Fire Lord said those words to them or the court with such meaning. Katara gave his hand a gentle squeeze and looked up. Zuko opened his golden eyes and met her cerulean ones. Never before had her eyes looked so bright and lively. The life that the end of the war was supposed to bring for everybody had not been forgotten. Katara smiled as the two of them turned slowly back to face the remaining court. Zuko reached out and took the scroll; he handed it to Katara. The two court men bowed to the Fire Lord and Katara and then stepped aside to catch their own boat to the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko and Katara turned back to each other and shared another moment to themselves until it was broken abruptly; Azula pushed between them to walk back to the palace, shooting her brother a sly smile as she passed.

"The strings have been cut Zuko, be careful not to fall," she grinned. Zuko let a light smile cross his face as he watched his sister led the way back to the palace. Tsun hurried after her, more in hopes of seeing the palace first then anything else. Kasumi followed him a leisurely walk, carrying Jia Li for her mother. Katara watched them and laced her fingers through Zuko's. Together they returned to where everything had ended, and everything could begin anew.

… The End …

(lame attempt at a last phrase to close the story *sweat drop*)

Tell me what you thought of it as a whole… Even though it is done, I still like your comments... I don't bite people, I love getting reviews! I want to make my future writings better! Please…

I'd love to know if you thought the plot was too complex or if you don't think it was resolved enough… If parts were confusing in any portion of the story… please tell me… it helps to know what I need to improve for my next stories. (I like to know what I did right as well).

Thank you all… I hope you liked it