Expansion

Epilogue

A/N: paragraphs in italics indicate a flashback

Seven Months Later

Another summer was coming to a close. Piandao's palatial estate was the perfect place to rest and recover from the most recent trauma that life had dished out, and the royal family was taking full advantage. Mai sat under a broad leafed tree while seventh month old Kaminari lay on a blanket next to her. The bright eyed girl sucked on her fingers and looked over at her mother. Occasionally she would roll over and then push herself up to a sitting position. Proud of herself, she smiled and gurgled and then pushed things even further by attempting to crawl. She wasn't quite ready for that, however, and fell flat on her face. The baby didn't cry; in fact she found the fall funny and laughed instead.

Mai was perpetually in wonder of her youngest child's sweet, constant nature. Nothing seemed to bother her. Despite that, the Fire Lady fretted over the baby more than was necessary.

Zuko approached with a smile and dropped down on the grass beside his wife. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her temple.

"The kids are playing hide and seek with Fat," he announced with a grin.

"And Tom? Is he still with Piandao?" Mai asked.

"Yep, still at it."

"Good."

Mai had a sort of faraway look in her eyes.

"She's fine, really; the physician was adamant that Kaminari's completely healthy. You don't have to worry so much."

"You worry more than I do," Mai retorted, placing a hand on the baby's stomach and rubbing. "You're just trying to make me feel better."

Zuko sighed but didn't deny Mai's statement. It was true after all. Ever since their second daughter's mysterious illness, he was extra vigilant when it came to her care and her health. He agonized over things that never bothered him with Miyako and Ryuhito. He hoped that more time would cure both he and Mai of their need to coddle Kaminari. It had only been a month since she took suddenly ill...

"Why are you so fussy?" Mai asked her six month old daughter as she closed up her tunic. "Why don't you want to eat?"

She smoothed back ebony hair from the baby's forehead. It was damp with sweat and her head was hot to the touch. In what seemed like only seconds, the child's cheeks blazed pink, her eyes looked glassy and she twisted her little body as if she were in agony.

Picking her up, Mai walked swiftly with Kaminari to Zuko's office where the Fire Lord was spending the afternoon. She wasn't panicked yet, but a small prickle of anxiety had settled deep into her bones.

"Hey, come to visit Daddy?" Zuko asked happily as soon as he saw Mai with their baby.

"I think she's sick," Mai stated bluntly.

'Nothing to panic about', Zuko thought. 'Babies get sick. It happens all the time. Children get sick.'

Except that in their three years and three months of life neither Ryuhito nor Miyako had ever been ill. It was a new experience and one they weren't quite sure how to deal with.

"Let me see her," Zuko demanded a bit more harshly than was necessary.

He stood up from his chair and rounded the desk quickly. He didn't have to touch her to know that her tiny body was on fire.

"Oh, Mai," he breathed. "I'm getting the physician."

He sent for the older man who tended to the royal family's medical needs and the couple waited impatiently for him to arrive. Mai silently wondered what kind of mother didn't think to call for the physician when her baby was sick. Mentally chastising herself, Mai tapped her foot irritably on the floor and stared at the doorway as if that would bring the doctor faster. It only took half an hour but it seemed like forever.

"Couldn't you get here any quicker?" Zuko attacked when the balding man entered the room with his red and black bag full of instruments. "Our daughter is sick."

He instantly regretted his tone but pushed that thought aside as the man took hold of the child and laid her out on a chair. He checked her pulse, gently holding onto her wrist, and expertly gauged her temperature simply by touching the skin of her forehead and her cheeks.

"Kaminari is definitely feverish and her pulse is a little too fast for my liking. It's likely she has some sort of infection. How's her appetite?"

He looked at Mai expectantly.

"She refused to nurse just a little while ago. It was at least four hours since she'd last eaten and normally she would be ravenous."

"Keep trying. If she won't nurse, you need to keep her hydrated with water. Her lips already look a bit dry and that's not good. Wet her lips. Put a few drops of water in her mouth at a time. She'll swallow it."

"Is that all?" Mai asked. "That won't make her better, will it? Don't you have some medicine or some kind of herb that will cure her?"

Her voice rose in pitch slightly as she finished her questions. He hesitated for a moment, taking time to adjust the glasses that rested on the end of his nose, and then placed a comforting hand on her arm.

"My lady, I plan to mix a medicine that may help fight the infection. Give her cool baths as well. Other than that, there is nothing I can do, no advice I can give."

"What do we pay you for?" Mai shrieked. "What good are you?"

"Calm down, my lady," he said patronizingly.

Mai's gold eyes grew even narrower and she glared at the wrinkled man. He shifted on his feet, obviously uncomfortable, and waited for her to speak.

"Get out! Go make the medicine and bring it back here immediately."

He took his leave, grabbing his bag hastily, and didn't look back.

"Where's Katara?" Mai asked as she picked up Kaminari. "Maybe she can do something?"

"They're traveling, Mai. They could be anywhere. Come on; let's take her to our room and give her that cool bath. Maybe that will make her feel a little better."

Zuko looked down at his daughter's flushed face and dull eyes. He put a hand on her chest and felt her racing heart. His own chest constricted with fear and he felt his heart start to pound in unison with his daughter's. Mai was chalky white and her fingers shook slightly as she stroked Kaminari's cheek.

Once inside their room, they bathed her in cool water. She didn't kick her feet like she usually did in the bath. She didn't smile. She just lay lifelessly in the crook of Zuko's arm as Mai ever so gently ran the cool damp washcloth over the tiny body.

They diapered her and left her undressed, lying in the centre of their massive bed. Never had she looked so small. Never had she looked so vulnerable. Mai began to cry.

"Maybe we're overreacting," she said through her tears. "I mean, people get sick. Children have fevers. It's common enough. Maybe she just has a cold."

Zuko shook his head. He wanted to comfort her, lie to her, but what good would it do? They both knew that there was something desperately wrong with their daughter and apparently nothing much could be done to help her.

The next week was spent in their room, taking turns holding the baby girl, getting what water they could into her and trying to will her back to health. Mai attempted to nurse her every few hours, but Kaminari showed no interest. She lay listlessly in her mother's arms. Mai went so far as to express milk and force a few drops down her daughter's throat. They did the same with the physician's medicine.

Each day that passed weakened their daughter. The old doctor came three times a day to examine her. Miyako and Ryuhito didn't understand much of what was going on, but they knew it was bad. Mommy and Daddy were sad and tired and didn't play with them, so something was up. Tomiko knew the severity of the situation and helped all that he could. He and Ursa and Toph took care of the twins and each took turns helping out Mai and Zuko as well.

"Mai," Tomiko asked on the fourth day, "she'll get better, won't she?"

The ten year old boy looked down at the baby in his sister's arms. Mai sat on the bed, pillows piled up behind her, while Zuko dozed next to her. Her face was drawn and there were heavy dark circles under her eyes. Tomiko had never seen Mai like this and it frightened him.

His sister didn't reply for at least a full minute. Tom thought she hadn't heard but was too afraid to repeat the question. Then she spoke. Her voice was barely a whisper but it was edged with hard, cold steel.

"Yes. She will. We won't accept anything else."

Mai's confidence made him feel a bit better.

"I'll hold her if you want. You can take a bath or something."

"Do I smell that bad?" Mai quipped automatically and Tomiko grinned.

"Well not that bad, but you could use a little freshening up."

"Thanks, little brother," she answered sarcastically.

She got up from the bed, trying not to disturb Zuko. Tom took the baby and cradled her close, humming quietly and kissing her warm forehead.

"I'm just going to wash my face," Mai stated and rubbed her brother's head. "Thank you, Tom."

On the fifth day, the physician told them to 'prepare for the worst'. Zuko lost it. He looked at the man, his entire body trembling with fury, fire caressing his palms, and screamed.

"Get out of here, you old, incompetent bastard. My daughter is not dying. She will not die. How dare you say that to us?"

He flung a ball of fire at the man who spryly dodged just before it lit him up like a firecracker. In an instant he was gone and Zuko stood alone in the centre of the room. His strong shoulders shuddered and heaved with weeping. He understood a bit now the pain his uncle felt at losing Lu Ten. He could relate to the overwhelming grief, the sense of emptiness; and this was at the mere thought of losing his daughter. If he did lose her, Zuko wasn't sure what he would do or how he would react. He would never be the same; that he knew with certainty. His world would be forever altered.

Mai lay Kaminari down in her bassinet and wrapped her arms around Zuko from behind. She pressed her face into the soft silk of his tunic and shed her own tears.

"She won't die," Mai whispered into the scarlet fabric.

Zuko felt the heat from her breath and the warmth of her tears. Turning around he pulled her into his chest. She looked up at him, eyes filled with determination, and Zuko felt hope replace the despair.

"You're right," he agreed and kissed her softly on the lips. "Why don't you try to feed her again?"

He scooped the baby back out of the bassinet. He crooned to her and tickled her cheek and then handed her off to Mai. Settling on the unmade, rumpled bed, Mai opened her tunic and exposed a breast.

"Come on, little girl," she urged.

Mai's breasts both ached with fullness. She moved the child closer, rubbing a nipple across little pink lips. Nothing happened. Mai sighed and felt her eyes well up with tears again. Then Kaminari made a little cry, twisted a bit in Mai's arms and latched on weakly.

"Zuko," Mai hissed. "Look."

"Thank Agni," he whispered as he watched his daughter nurse.

Zuko placed a hand on the girl's forehead. It felt a bit cooler, he thought. Kaminari only nursed for a few minutes and then went to sleep but it was the first bit of progress they had seen and both Mai and Zuko were delirious with joy.

Two days later, her fever was gone, she ate every hour, making up for lost time and her eyes were bright and sparkling once again. Mai found it difficult to put her down and go to sleep at night. She dreamed of Kaminari getting sick again and this time not recovering. Zuko watched over their baby with a fierce, tireless vigilance that had his friends and family worried.

"You're wearing yourself out, Grumpy," Toph declared. "She's proven herself a tough kid. She's better now. You need to get back to normal."

"I'm not ready, Toph. We almost lost her and I can't get that out of my mind. Give me some time."

"Your council's getting tired of holding meetings without you," the earthbender added. "I hear all kinds of things around here."

"I'll get back when I'm ready," the Fire Lord snapped. "They can handle it. That's what they're paid for. The nation isn't falling apart."

"You don't want them to think that they don't need you," Toph added.

"I don't really care," he answered off handedly.

"Yes, you do. You care about your country and your people and your position. They need you, Zuko. And your other kids need you too."

"I know," he said with a heavy sigh and slumped down onto a chair. "It's, I just don't want her out of my sight."

Toph dropped down beside her good friend and punched him softly in the arm.

"Let me sit with her. We'll play for a little while. You go see the twins. They're with Tomiko. And take Mai with you. Is she ever going to finish her bath?"

"I heard that," Mai smiled as she opened the bathroom door.

She got dressed quickly then stood in front of her husband.

"Toph's right, you know. Let's go, just for a little while."

"Mommy, Daddy," both kids cried joyfully when Mai and Zuko walked into Tomiko's room.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said to them both. "I haven't spent much time with you for the last few weeks."

"I've missed you two," Mai stated and hugged them both tightly.

"It's okay," Miyako said, easily forgiving her parents.

"Kami was sick," Ryuhito said gravely.

"Yes, but she's better now," Zuko replied.

He looked at Tomiko and smiled gratefully.

"You've been such a big help, Tom. I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks, Zuko."

"Me too," Mai added and stood up to hug her brother. "You're a good kid, a good brother."

"So, can we have dinner together tonight or maybe go somewhere?" Tom asked hopefully.

He wanted everything to get back to normal very badly. Zuko looked to Mai.

"Didn't Piandao give us an open invitation?" she mused. "I think it would do us all good to get out of here, just for a few days; even though I'm terrified to go," she added.

"He did and that's perfect. I'll send him a hawk to let him know. Tom, you'll get some more lessons."

"Yess," the boy shouted, pumping his fist into the air. "I can't wait."

"I won't take 'no' for an answer," Piandao said in a scolding tone. "You and Mai are having some time to yourselves this evening if I have to force you."

"But Kam.." Zuko began.

"She's fine and Fat and I can watch her for a few hours. We'll eat and play some games or whatever. Don't worry. Fat's got a picnic basket ready. Go!"

He practically pushed them out the door. Miyako and Ryuhito giggled and waved goodbye to their parents.

"Have fun," Tomiko suggested innocently.

"I suggest the waterfall," Piandao said as he handed them a large wicker basket and closed the front door in their faces.

They heard the lock slide into place and began to laugh. Zuko reached for Mai with his free hand. She grabbed hold and they walked toward the spectacular waterfall that was only one of the beautiful spots on the sword master's estate.

Once there they settled onto the grass and watched the sunset, eating their delicious picnic dinner. Mai leaned back against Zuko and he supported her weight willingly.

"It's pretty damn beautiful here, isn't it?" she asked.

"Mmm," Zuko replied. "But not as beautiful as you."

Mai rolled her eyes, looked up into her husband's face, placed a passionate kiss on his lips and declared, "Some things never change."

The End

A/N: Thanks once again to all my readers and reviewers. This series of stories has been quite an undertaking and a fun ride.

Maybe I'll see you soon. I've got an excellent idea for my next story. I just need to figure a few things out before I put fingers to keyboard on it. Hopefully it will work out.

Alabaster