Chapter 1:

Katara and Zuko

"If she kicks me one more time..." Katara didn't need to finish the threat as she glared down at her stomach.

Zuko rolled over and smiled at his frustrated and very pregnant wife. It seemed that the larger his child grew within his wife the more active the little baby became, which on one level excited him to no end and on another, scared him witless. The idea that he was going to become a father was not only a new and adventurous one, but also a doubt-ridden cloud hanging over his shoulders that never entirely went away. Is he going to be a good dad? Will he do the right thing? Is he going to be anything like his own father?

Zuko shook the dark thoughts from his mind and leaned over to kiss Katara's swollen belly. He felt her hand on his hair smoothing it away from his face. She had told him she preferred it long because it always reminded her of the Zuko that wanted to change the world and what it thought of him, it reminded her of the Zuko that saved her life.

"Why are you smiling?" Katara asked, curiosity in her bright blue eyes.

"Just thinking about how you insist its a girl when you know full well its a boy." He answered with a small grin playing on his lips.

Katara leaned back against the headboard, closed her eyes and sighed, "I don't think...I know."

Zuko narrowed his eyes and slowly reached up and kissed her hand that rested on her stomach. Moving further up he placed another chaste kiss on the crease of her elbow. He saw the flutter of her eyes and a small smile. Moving further up he placed another kiss on the top swell of her right breast peeking out of her dressing gown and lingered a second longer than the last.

The sound of silk on silk moving against each other had Katara peeking under her eyelashes to watch Zuko move his body further up the bed towards her neck, where he made contact yet again, this time below her earlobe above her beating pulse. The small sound of his lips softly sucking the exposed skin made her gasp and arch her neck to the side to allow him more access. Her hand reached up and gently pushed against his bare chest.

Zuko gave in to the pressure and leaned back to look up at Katara who was staring at his swollen lips while slowly licking her own causing Zuko to groan in agony a moment before he reached up with his own hand to grab her by side of her face and bring her to him. Their lips met each other's desperately with a passion that grew along with the heat from Zuko's body against hers. Zuko won the war against dominance and moved Katara down the bed and straight on her back. His body hovering over hers by his strong arms on either side of her shoulders. Katara's hand crept around his midriff to his back to gently caress and massage the soft pale skin. Zuko slowly lowered his face to lay gently between each breast, his face turned and he licked the curve and part of the sheer linen covering the flesh he so desperately wanted to reveal.

A loud knock coming from the door of their master chamber causing tm both to still. Zuko cursed under his breath and just laid his head down, listening for retreating footsteps.

They could hardly be heard over Katara's loud breathing. She tried to cling to the sense of reality Zuko was so willing to steal her from. It really wasn't fair. The man had way too much power over her for her own good.

The knock sounded again followed by a very familiar cough.

They both groaned in unison, this time however it had nothing to do with the pleasure they were feeling earlier.

"I know your in there!" the voice on the other side of the door said.

"Go away!" Katara yelled back.

"What? I did not fly half way around the world on Appa to be told to go away!"

...

"Katara!" The person moaned in frustration.

"All right Sokka, I'm coming."

Zuko dropped his head next to Katara's shoulder on the bed. The idea that katara's family was standing right outside their bedroom door was enough to cool his temperature. He wasn't going to ravish the man's sister if he could hear everything. The very idea had him glaring at the large mahogany doors.

Katara giggled at her husband's expression. She had the very same idea to stay in bed all morning long and just relish in each other's warmth. But alas all good things must come to an end...usually due to Sokka's bad timing. Katara kissed Zuko's forehead and swung her feet off the bed and sat up. Stretching she wasn't aware of the light shining through her sheer gown and the drool dripping from Zuko's mouth as he took in her silhouette. She felt his arms around her before her hands came down to rest by her sides.

"I feel really parched, maybe some water will do me good?" Zuko whispered in her ear so her big-eared brother wouldn't hear the lustful undertone in his question.

Katara moved her face to the side so she could look at him. The scar that at one time could have raised alarms now only sits dormant upon his face as a grim reminder of his father wrath. Every time she looked at it, it wasn't a ugliness she saw, but a strong, powerful leader that lets nothing stand in his way of achieving peace. She knew Zuko believed the fire nation was just as scarred and that slowly they will heal and move on like he himself did.

Katara reached up and placed her hand fully on the left side of his face. He didn't flinch like he used to a year ago when she touched it.

"Funny, you don't seem dehydrated. But if you are I can go get you some water." She whispered back, only a hair separating their faces from one another.

Zuko grinned, "I don't want that water."

"What kind of water...did you want?" Katara asked innocently while her breath hitched as Zuko lowered his lips to her neck.

She felt him smile against her skin, "The kind that's very..." kiss, "...very..." a second kiss and a glance up to her half closed eyelids, "very wet..."

"Um, I can um, um...What are we talking about?" She gasped as his lips connected with a very sensitive spot between her neck and the bottom of her cheek. He nipped her with his teeth, causing her hands to reach up and pull his face closer to her body. She was on fire from his touch and felt Goosebumps scatter across her skin as his hands traced the outline of her back and waist before finally dropping to cup her bottom and squeezing gently causing her to give out a small yelp in pleasure.

"Shh, he'll hear you." Zuko whispered in warning when he came up for air from her heated skin.

"Katara? What are you doing? I want to eat already!" Sokka yelled while still locked outside their bedroom door.

Katara glared at the door. Her brother and food were never separated for long. She sighed and smoothed the hair back from Zuko's face.

"I love you." Katara whispered so it was just between them.

Zuko stood and helped Katara to stand from the low mattress. He engulfed her in arms and hugged her to him. It was as close as they could get with Katara's large belly sticking out between them. But Zuko didn't mind, because it felt like he was hugging the baby too. He was grateful to have them in his life and scared to lose either one of them. This was their first child and beside his own insecurities, the baby's health was a fear also. This was the first time he ever heard of master benders from different elements coming together and producing offspring.

"I love you too." He whispered fiercely as his mind shook away the fear. He had to be strong for Katara. He had too.

The door swooshed open so fast it had Sokka nearly falling on the floor at her feet. He caught himself on the doorframe and glared. However his glare faded almost immediately as he took in his sister's pregnant state. Katara's scowl also faded at seeing her brother's smile and face for the first time in almost a year. They embraced with tears threatening to overflow between them. Zuko watched as the siblings were reunited and smiled fondly. He felt Sokka was more than just a brother-in-law, but a true brother connected by blood to him, and for that connection he was grateful. Especially considering his true sibling had tried not only to destroy and annihilate all of them but that he helped prior to him understanding his true purpose in life. He would never forgive himself now if he ever hurt or lost Katara or the rest of their friends and family due to his ignorance of what is right.

Sokka leaned back and smiled. He began pulling her out the door so he could embrace Zuko with a big brotherly bear hug, which Zuko gave freely. They patted each other on the back and grunted making Katara roll her eyes at the obvious 'I'm-a-strong-man' vibe they were trying to give each other.

"Funny, you don't look like your wasting away Sokka." Katara mentioned as she took in her brother's much larger frame. Though most of it was pure muscle, he was larger than the slinky tall brother she knew a year ago.

Sokka shrugged and threw his arm around her shoulders. "It takes a lot of food to keep this fine figure sister."

Katara laughed and wrapped her arm around his waist as she escorted him to the dining hall. As they walked down the steps with Zuko following on the other side of Katara for additional balance, Sokka drew his eyes together in curiosity.

Katara looked up at his face once they reached the bottom step, "What's wrong Sokka?"

"Do you notice all the people bowing at us?"

Katara looked around at the servants and guards that bowed low from the waist as Zuko and them walked by.

"It's out of respect for their Fire Lord and Lady." Zuko answered.

"Katara! Zuko!"

Their faces turned to a tall slim woman running from the dining hall's doors to them, her face painted that of a kyoshi warrior. A bright smile, and open arms were the first things to engulf Katara in another strong hug that day.

"Suki!" Katara screeched and hugged the girl tightly back.

"Oh I have so much to tell you!" Suki said excitedly while at the same time kneeling down to rub her hand over Katara's extended stomach.

Sokka moved his arm from his sister to his wife who immediately started chatting about their trip and the family back home. "Okay, she can hear it over lunch, I'm hungry."

Suki glared at Sokka and smacked him in the stomach with the back of her hand. Katara smiled at his mock hurt as he rubbed his stomach while still pulling her away from them. He grinned over her head as they walked through the doors with Suki still telling her just what's on her mind.

Zuko slipped his hand through Katara's and pulled her to him once more. She looked up as his face came down with his forehead touching hers. He looked up to check and see if anyone was coming and to make sure they were alone before he leaned back down and captured her lips with his own. The kiss was slow and heated. The warmth of his breath mingling with hers sent shivers down her spine. All to soon he pulled away and smiled at her.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"For what?" She asked while still trying to catch her breath.

"For making me the happiest man alive, for making me a father...and for loving me."

Katara smiled and reached up with her hand to touch his face, "No thanks necessary."

They stood in their peaceful moment for a moment longer before finally separating. They walked into the hall to see Sokka eating up a storm and Suki smiling at them from his side. They joined them and watched as food was placed in front of them for their own lunch.

Katara smiled and rubbed her stomach. A small kick was her answer and Katara dug into the mouth-watering noodles. They were freshly made and topped with a ginger sauce that added sweetness and spice. Katara sat back in her chair after a third bite and glanced out to the garden that could be seen from their head table. She smiled as she watched the turttleducks mother make them all line up to get back in the pond. A small one was falling behind because he was so tiny. The mother turrtleduck waited patiently like any mother would. Katara looked down and saw one of Zuko's pet bear lion cub look up at her from under the table. She reached up to her plate and picked out a long noodle and brought it under the table for a small treat.

Zuko was watching Katara and frowned. He was smiling when she started giggling at the small cub eating the long noodle she fed him. Then she suddenly looked down at her stomach and frowned. Her worried look gave him a worried feeling. Zuko looked up at Sokka who was just explaining where Toph and Aang were and when they should arrive when he heard Katara's gasp from beside him. All eyes turned on her.

"Katara?" Zuko questioned.

Then he saw her double over her stomach while clutching it tightly with both hands. He left his seat and rushed to her side with Sokka and Suki coming around on her left.

"Zuko the pain…it hurts so much…" Katara gasped out.

Zuko felt her stomach and froze. Sokka did the same only to pull his hand away swiftly from the intense heat radiating from her skin. Their eyes turned from Katara to her cup that was sitting nearby as it began to rattle. The water inside was beginning to boil over the rim of the cup.

Zuko picked Katara up in his arms and was about to rush her back to their room when he looked down in front of them and froze. There, lying on its back with glazed eyes and no air in its lungs to push its chest up and down to show it was alive was the small bear lion. Dead.

Thank you for reading my first fanfic for ALAB. I was always a big fan of Zutara but never found an idea worth writing. Until now that is! Lol!

I hope you like the story and continue to read; I will do my best to update quickly. Please ignore any wrong doings, I'm working all from my e-mail at work and really didn't have time to proofread fully.

Anywho please review!

~Smo