Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the last Airbender.

The day of Hakoda's wedding was the same day he became the Southern Water Tribe Chief.

There was a small stage area made of ice that both Hakoda and Kya were perched upon, staring at each other in front of the entire village. Their vows were recited, oblivious of the entire world. All Hakoda could focus on was his wife's beautiful smile and bright enough eyes to light up the sky.

His newly made parka was pure white, with black leopardbear fur along the edges, his sword glued to his side. It really was quite hard for him to part with something he was quite dependent on.

Kya's hair was looped from the front to the back, in a small bun, and the rest tumbling down her back, curling at the bottoms. A small blush was tinting her face, but her smile gave him relief in his own nervousness.

When they were done, they turned and faced the crowd, as the applause and hollering started up. Hakoda felt his neck flare up at the attention and laughed with Kya, as she bit her lip and looked up at him in humor.

Just as they were about to step off the ice stage, Bato walked up and held up a hand. There was a mysterious smile on his face and he shook his head slightly. Hakoda raised an eyebrow, and looked out into the crowd, completely confused. He saw his mother, her face glinting with tears, smiling happily at him, and nodding slowly.

He turned his head back towards the crowd just as he saw them splitting in half, making a pathway. His eyes grew wide as he saw the figure become the person of his master. He swallowed hard, wondering what was going on. He looked down at Bato and all the other men from his training group. Their smiles were hard to hide, completely stretched across their faces.

Hakoda's master finally made it through the people and came up to Hakoda and Kya, stopping and clasped his hands behind his back, his dark charcoal eyes boring deep into Hakoda's.

"Hakoda," he said, his voice loud and reaching all the people of the crowd, "I am here on behalf of the entire Southern Water Tribe to thank you for your obedience to the village and protection you have shown to us. Despite the fact that you were gravely wounded, and defeated at one point, you still fought for the lives of these people with everything you had, up until the point where you were barely alive yourself." He paused, causing Hakoda to swallow hard, and wonder what was going to happen next.

His master raised his chin slightly, staring up at Hakoda on his pedestal.

"It is our honor to ask you to become the next chief of the Southern Water Tribe."

Hakoda's mouth dropped a little. Did he just ask what I thought they did?

"Are you willing to accept this position on behalf of the entire village and protect it as long as you live?" His master finished, and looked up at him curiously, an eyebrow raised.

Hakoda's eyes went soft, his heart pounding. How was this possible?

His eyes shifted down to Kya, who was looking up at him, her eyes watery. She nodded, her arms tightening on his, where they were linked. She leaned into him, smiling brightly and proudly.

Hakoda looked back up at his master.

"Yes," he said deep, with authority. A feeling of unbelief filled him up and overflowed as he looked at the crowed in awe.

There before him, his eyes grew wide as his master went down on one knee, his head bowed, showing obedience to him and his wife.

Hakoda felt his heart swell full of love as he watched each and every person in the crowd slowly take one knee, as his master did and bow their heads towards the new Southern Water Tribe Chief Hakoda.

Three years had passed now, and here came the hardest trial Hakoda had ever faced. He sat outside his house in the snow; his back leaned up against the wall. His head was hanging in his hands, completely frustrated.

He heard footsteps crunch near him and he glanced up, pulling his head from his hands for a moment. The sight of Bato wasn't enough to comfort him in the least. He put his head in his hands again and groaned.

A chuckle rose from Bato's chest.

"Here sits the fearless Hakoda of the Water Tribe. You have killed hundreds of men without a second thought. Their cries reach your ears and you cruelly and ruthlessly ignore them. Yet you can't stand the sound of your wife moaning from labor."

Hakoda looked up and glared at him. "I've never killed anyone I've loved. She is completely different."

There was another scream from inside the house and the housewife and his mother trying to calm her down. Hakoda fought the urge to run inside and comfort her somehow. But he knew it was all in vain. There wasn't anything he could do to help her but sit idly and let the doctor deliver the baby. She knew what she was doing.

There was another yell from Kya.

"I'm going to kill Hakoda!"

Hakoda's eyes went wide and he looked up at Bato, who was now holding his stomach and leaning against the wall, laughing so hard he was crying.

Hakoda got up and shoved Bato hard, "Shut up!" He growled.

Bato was laughing incredibly hard now that he couldn't even stand up, and he sunk to the ground, crying, and pointing at him. Hakoda grabbed the front of Bato's parka, and was about to let him have it when there was one final yell and everything was silent.

Still gripping Bato's parka, Hakoda's head turned towards the door of his house, his heart pounding.

Silence filled the air. Even Bato was quiet, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes.

A small cry rang out through the air, and Hakoda's heart stopped. That's my child.

He got up to his feet, his legs wobbly. He stumbled through the flap in the house, taking in the scene. Kya, exhausted and disheveled, lay in bed, a faint smile on her lips. He walked over to her, and kneeled down beside her bed, their eyes level. She grabbed his hand, hers weak and tired. Hakoda was shaking with anticipation and happiness.

A small smile tugged on her lips, and she finally turned her head as Hakoda's mother came in with a small bundle in her arms, an enormous grin plastered on her face. She carefully placed the child in Kya's arms.

Kya slowly pulled back the flap of blanket covering the face of the child. When she did, Hakoda gasped at the child in her arms. His heart was full of pride and love, looking at this child, his little baby boy in his wife's arms.

Kya was gazing at the child lovingly, her motherly instinct taking in.

She looked over at Hakoda, her eyes full of tears. He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips, tasting her tears.

They had talked about names for the baby a while ago, for both a boy and a girl. He gazed into her eyes.

"Sokka?" he asked, lifting his hand and running it over the baby's fuzzy head. The boy squeezed his shut eyes even more and wiggled a bit.

Kya glanced over at Hakoda's expression when he was touching the baby. She saw the face of a wonderful father and husband. She knew her life was just the beginning of something legendary, although she would never tell Hakoda. She could just feel it. She looked back at the baby, and watching as the baby's fingers curled around one of Hakoda's, and heard him chuckle.

"Sokka," she whispered.

The End