"I got a message from Iroh,"

"Oh? What did he say?"

"You're not going to like it,"

"I think we both know that it doesn't matter, because I have ways to make you tell me, Fire Lord,"

"Retired Fire Lord,"

"Semantics,"

There was a pause between them. The old man was huddled in an old, worn parka lined with fur. It was no longer as soft as it had been when she had given it to him thirty years ago, but it was still just as warm.

"Republic City is under attack from the Equalists, Tenzin asked for his aid,"

The woman sitting across from him in the fur lined igloo began to stand up. He knew that if it was not for her age, she would have shot up like a bullet and dashed away before he could try to stop her.

"I must go…"

"Katara, he is already on his way here, I have already gotten a report,"

She narrowed her eyes, the crows feet at the corners wrinkling even more into the sides if her face. He could not tell if she was annoyed that he was trying to placate her, ask her not to take action, or that he knew more about her son's situation than he did.

"One of your spies again?"

"Who else? I'm not exactly as young as I used to, to go traipsing off as the Blue Spirit,"

She studied his posture, his crossed legs, his hunched back, and his thoughtful brow. Looking into his golden eyes and seeing a level of calm she trusted, she slowly, with a creak in her bones, sat back down.

"That grandson of yours better have a plan. No matter how much honor and skill he has, he will be doomed if this Amon gets close enough to take away his bending,"

"My Iroh can fight just fine without his bending,"

"He's already at a disadvantage," Katara reasoned. "Why do you think he sought the title of General? Not only to live up to his namesake, but because he likes those iron ships,"

"That's what he takes from your side of the family,"

Zuko drawled.

"I honestly thought he was going to be a fire bender with his looks, but your Bumi came through, despite the fact he can't bend himself,"

"And he's just fine,"

"Yes, just like his Uncle,"

There was a brief silence.

"Maybe I should leave before Tenzin gets here," Zuko said, now making his own way to stand up.

"Where will you go? Hide in the snow? Unlikely. You'll melt it all,"

"Excuse me for being considerate,"

"Do you really think Tenzin would hold a grudge at a time like this?" Katara asked, and for a brief second in Zuko's eyes she was young again, in her twenties when she had had her first child and Zuko had realized it was too late.

He blinked and she was eighty-five, but her eyes were just as young and bright.

"You've been his step-father for ten years now, he may not still be comfortable, but in a time like this he needs a father figure,"

"I was never gentle a father as Aang was, or as patient,"

"No," Katara admitted. "But you were every bit as loving and protective."

Zuko pondered her answer, rolling her own words on his tongue trying to taste the truth in it. He gave a small smile, his scar crinkling, and had to slowly bend to his knees to give her a light kiss to the forehead.

"I'll allow myself that one bit of praise," he whispered. "Come on now, I think I can here Oogi."

A/N: Just an idea I got after watching the recent LoK episode. Plus, I wanted my Zutara to fit in with canon! I was originally going to make Iroh Zuko and Katara's one and only child, but realized that if Aang died at 66, Katara would have been too old to even consider having children.

I've seen couples have children in their 50's, but rarely their 60's, so I gave up on that. But my Zutara LIVES!