Chapter 2: Sunrise in the East

Summary: It's Izumi 5th Birthday! Zuko takes the crown princess and Katara to Ember Island to celebrate. The family enjoys some time away from the hectic life of the Fire Nation palace but do repressing feelings between the Fire Lord and the Witch finally come to surface, or will they continue to swallow them.

A/N: I had no plans of continuing this, then so many comments and questions had me wondering just how satisfactory the one shot felt. And when I myself reread it and just couldn't accept the previous ending, I knew I had to write a second part to this one shot. I hope it's what you guys were looking forward to! And thank you for the comments. Feel free to let me know what you think of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender

"Mommy wake up."

Tiny hands cupped Katara's cheeks. She yawned loudly, pinching her eyes shut and smacked her lips. Cracking an eye open, her blurry vision caught Izumi grinning at her. "Get up, mommy, it's my birthday."

Katara purses her lips, hiding her growing smile and stifles a laugh. "Noooo." She complained in a mock pout. "I'm soooo tired." She grabbed the blanket and threw it over her head, muffling a complaint in the pillow.

Izumi giggles, shaking Katara still hidden beneath the blanket. "You can sleep tomorrow. Daddy says we're going to the beach and that I can stay up as late as I want."

"Oh, really?" Katara smirked, reaching a hand out to tickle Izumi's foot.

"Hehe. Stop it, Mommy."

"But how can you be the birthday girl if you haven't had your birthday tickles yet?!" Katara pounces, dragging Izumi under the blankets with her and began tickling her sides. The little girl squeaked and laughed, kicking her feet and rolling around on the bed to get away. Katara joined Izumi in a laughing fit, dragging the princess back to her, displaying annoying kisses all over her chubby face.

The doors to Izumi's bedroom opened and the girls stilled.

"Now I swore I heard laughter in here." Zuko announced, arms crossed. Katara shushed Izumi, a single finger to her lips, signifying they should be quiet.

"You're right, Lord Zuko." Kioko, the palace's head healed responded. "Where could it possibly be coming from?" The middle-aged woman rubbed her chin in amusement.

Izumi couldn't hold back a snort, quickly covering her mouth with a gasp.

"There it was again." Zuko said, coming around the side of the bed. "Well, I guess I must be imagining things. Oh well." With a loud sigh, the Fire Lord fell backwards on the bed and landed carefully on top of the girls.

"Daddy!" Izumi's muffled a protest. "What are you doing in my bed?"

Zuko laughed. Izumi crawled out of the blanket, jumping on her father's chest. He grunted at the impact, propping himself on his forearm and held Izumi tight against his chest with his free arm. "Good morning, sweetie." He kissed her forehead. His back arched forward with a slight crack, Katara shoving Zuko and forcing him to sit upright while she struggled to get out of the blanket. "Oh, morning, Katara." A shy grin plastered on his face.

Katara slid across the bed, stopping to sit on the edge just a few inches next to Zuko. Her cheeks were painted pink. "Morning, Zuko."

The tension was back. The undeniable yearning they held enclosed for one another flared like a backed-up canon. They hadn't discussed their feelings or the kiss they had months prior. Katara thought it best to put her sole focus on Izumi. Even though closing the hole in her lungs was a success, there were still some minor healing sessions and exercises she required. Any healer could do that, but Izumi refused anyone but Katara. Katara herself was pretty sure Zuko had enough on his plate as it was and halting his daily life to take in the feelings of some lowly peasant was probably the last thing on his mind.

Even now, fighting the council over the fact that Katara was here, made her feel guilty as it was. They were not pleased that their Fire Lord was sheltering a waterbender in the royal palace and raising his heir at that. They could see the longing between the Fire Lord and the waterbender and has recently urged Zuko to take another wife, even though it was unnecessary considering the nation now had a healthy heir.

Rumors didn't get by Katara. She knew this would happen one day, and she thought it the best. She loved Izumi too much to leave, but the day Zuko remarries is the day she would make her way back home. The idea was heart wrenching.

"We go to beach now, Daddy?" Izumi interrupted both their thoughts.

"'Are we going to the beach', Izumi. Remember your lessons." Kioko corrected.

The little girl frowned, furrowing her brows and casting her eyes up at Katara. "Oh…" she pouted.

"But no worries." Katara tapped Izumi's nose with her index finger. "You'll be a natural soon enough."

They ate breakfast while servants packed their things for Ember Island. Katara was reluctant about having her things for the trip packed without her supervision. Zuko informed her that her own attire wasn't suited for a place like Ember Island and would require something more comfortable in such a place where the sun exposure was too much. Katara mentally rolled her eyes, wondering just how much hotter it could be than here in the capital.

They set out via boat to the island, Kioko joining them. It was Katara's idea. She was pretty close to the head healer and was very helpful when it came to Katara shifting into the palace life. Not that she was treated any differently than a mere servant by the other palace residence. Being friends with the Fire Lord and known as the crown princess mother did not gain her that much respect. It wasn't anything new to her. Kioko was nice and deserved to be part of this for everything she's done to support the odd family.

Zuko wasn't too thrilled by Kioko's presence. Aside from celebrating Izumi's birthday, he was hoping he'd have some alone time with the waterbender. He knew that rumors were going around of his advisors urging him to take a wife. He wasn't interested and wanted Katara to know he wasn't. If he could see anyone being by his side, it was her. Confessions wasn't his strong suit. Mai was different. She was just...there. She had always been there. It was expected, and he didn't have to try.

Katara was so much more different. She wasn't prepared all her life to appease him. She had straightforward opinions and was blunt as hell. She wasn't afraid to argue with him, especially in public- especially in public. While others thought it was absolutely demeaning to their Lord, some thought it was a nice change to see Zuko challenged, and from the looks of it, he enjoyed it more than he let on. At the same time, she was sweet and kind and compassionate. She was utterly supportive of Izumi and an honest friend to Zuko. He could see no other woman making him this happy and they weren't even a couple.

That kiss was all he could think about and he wanted more. More of her in his arms, of her blue eyes gazing at him, of the taste of her lips against his until they swelled from their hungry kiss.

Zuko unconsciously licked his lips at the memory.

"Nervous there, Fire Lord." Katara teased, playfully brushing bumping his arm, Zuko's blush spreading profusely.

"About what?" He chuckled.

Katara shrugged. "I don't know, Izumi? She's grown so fast. It's been almost a year since I've known you two and it feels...so unreal, I guess. Probably more so for you."

It did frighten Zuko how fast Izumi was growing up. One minute she was this premature infant hanging on the edge of life. Mai had gone into labor too soon, giving birth to a hardly developed baby girl and losing her life in the process. The tiny princess almost joined her but by some miracle, she had survived. Soon, she would grow up to be a beautiful young woman and a leader to this very country. Zuko could only hope that she has a smoother path than he ever did.

Ozai's sudden death only months after his coronation shook the nation. Azula was never seen again after suspicions of her playing a role in Ozai's death spread. She returned, some years after General Iroh turned down the crown to give to Zuko. She challenged him, only for her years of wondering the country in self-exile without a clue on how to survive properly without the support of royal luxury made her weak. She was knocked off her feet and immediately imprisoned. Being a previously banished prince did not sit well with many people either way. Death threats, assassination attempts, and riots felt never ending. It was with Izumi's birth that things settled down.

"A part of me knows things will be fine, another part of me worries about her time to reign. I never had it easy, even after being crowned. Severing ties with the Earth Kingdom after the war's end was what almost had me killed time and time again."

Katara sighed. She remembered what the previous war did. It was explosive. The Earth Kingdom started it first, and in turn, the Fire Nation made allies with them to protect themselves. The Air Nomads scattered across the world hundreds of years ago. It was when Katara was a child that the last of her people were forced to abandon their home when trading between nations were disrupted and essentials became scarce. The ice caps were melting, animals started to wither. "The Earth Kingdom has done a lot of damage to the world. It's people like you who choose to be different that'll make it right."

She took his hand in hers and shuddered at the warmth his hand held. He rubbed a callous thumb over her knuckles, returning the gesture in kind.

"Mommy, Daddy, look! We're almost there." Izumi cut between the two, pointing straight ahead in excitement.

They were escorted to the royal family's vacation house once the boat docked. It was extravagant, holding numerous rooms. The beach could be seen from the back of the house, directly behind the dining room. Izumi was ecstatic showing Katara around the place. Leading her to every room in the large house.

"This is where Nana Ursa stays when she comes to visit." Izumi told Katara, opening the door to the former princess's room. "And over here, is the bathroom. It's huge! Oh, oh! And there's a hot spring not far from the house that Daddy takes me to every year!"

Katara humored the little girl while their things were unpacked, and the servants began to make the family lunch. After they had eaten, they made their way to the beach first. Kioko stayed at the beach house, complaining that the two-hour journey to the island tired the poor woman out. Katara seemed disappointed. Zuko was relieved.

Katara took in the beach. It was beautiful. Living by the surrounding river towns most of her life didn't give her the luxury of an ocean view. She could hardly remember what it looked like living in the South Pole. But one thing she remembered was the smell of the ocean.

"You like it?" Zuko asked from behind her as they watched the princess run towards the water.

Katara glanced over her shoulder, then went red, pressing her lips in a fine line. Zuko exposing his bare chest had rattled her confidence, and she had to keep her mouth shut to keep from stuttering. The top half of his long hair was tied in a topknot while the bottom laid over his right shoulder. He looked good in swimwear. Really, really good.

"Come on, Mommy, do your waterbending!" Izumi called to her by the water.

With a prideful smirk, Katara unraveled her robe and ran to meet the princess by the beach. "Okay, first rule, you stay on the shore unless Daddy or I are holding your hand. Second, no running. And third, don't open your eyes unless I say so. You ready, birthday girl."

Izumi shut her eyes tight. "I'm ready, Mommy."

"Okay." Katara bent her knees slightly into a stance, bending the waves crashing on the sand. It lifted up and over their heads, trickling down droplets. "Open your eyes, love."

Izumi's gold eyes went wide. Her tiny hands lifting above her head to catch the droplets. She screamed and giggled, jumping up and down on the wet sand.

Zuko watched the scene, sitting on the beach blanket he laid out. Izumi had never lit up this much since the day she was born. All those moments he missed of her growing up because of his duties, he sometimes hated the weight of what came with being a Fire Lord and what he had to sacrifice. He at least had this, and this was something he'd always treasure.

Izumi wanted to demonstrate her fire bending and asked Katara to spar with her. Katara sat on the sand, only using basic waterbending as the princess used different firebending techniques. She was getting better. No doubt in Katara's mind that Izumi would become a prodigy. Zuko chimed in a few instructions. When Izumi tried to form a high kick, she lost her footing and fell to her knees. She tried several times before frustration took over and she started to cry.

Zuko approached his daughter. "Izumi, what has your firebending lessons taught you?" He bent down, patting her back.

"Do not give up. Use breathing exercises to stay calm and don't allow anger to get the best of you." She replied, wiping her nose with a sniff.

Zuko patted her head. "Good girl."

The princess tugged his arm. "Can you show me?'

Zuko snapped his head in Katara's direction. She shrugged, giving him a smile. "I don't mind. If I recall, we have yet to spar."

The Fire lord seemed up to the challenge. Urging Izumi to sit on the beach blanket they brought, he faced Katara, readying his stance.

"Wait, hold on." Katara said, removing her one-piece swimwear and leaving herself in just her bindings. Zuko gulped, not prepared for the amount of skin he'd see. At least in her civilian attire he could only imagine what her body looked like beneath, as perverted as that sounds, but his imagination didn't hold a candle. From her toned stomach, to her curvaceous figure. Hell, even her upper bindings did little to hide the swell of her full breasts.

Agni help him, he was going to lose his first round to a waterbender. A very, very attractive waterbender.

"Try not to hold back, your majesty." Katara taunted with a sly smirk.

"I can say the same about you, waterbender." Zuko retorted, taking a deep inhale before igniting flames in his palms. Taking the first direct attack, the Fire Lord lifted a single leg, sending a ball of fire in her direction.

Katara called the water to her, using a stream to block the attack, before turning a complete three-sixty and sending it in Zuko's direction. He kicked a flare up to the air, diminishing the water and leaving a cloud of steam in its wake.

She bent a larger stream of water, using it to surround her and creating eight tentacles in a defensive stance.

"Yay! Go, Mommy!" Izumi clapped from where she sat.

Zuko calculated that waterbenders preferred defensive methods, considering water required more concentration, and that they attack as soon as their opponent was distracted enough to take down. Her arms moved in a tranquil motion, her hips swaying as her wet hair clung to her brown skin. Zuko swore he's never seen her do that during one of her training sessions before.

"I knew you wouldn't make it as easy as I hoped." Katara called, three of the tentacles swung icicles at him. He melted them before they even reached him several feet away.

"What would make you think otherwise?" He quipped, dodging another icicle.

"Hmm, I don't know." She feigned innocence. That's when it hit Zuko. She's purposely distracting him by stripping down to her bindings and it all became clear by her movements, which went from challenging to seductive. So, she was toying with him.

"You think I don't see right through you." He smirked.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Lord Zuko?" She puffed her cheeks out in a mock pout.

Cute. Zuko sarcastically commented to himself.

Tossing his crown to the side, Zuko exhaled a flame from between his lips and watched Katara quiver. He balled his hands into a fist, lifting them above his head and brought them back down, spreading fire from his hands and onto the sand, enclosing Katara into a circle and forcing her to retreat closer to him.

"Zuko." She growled, trying to hang tight to the water tentacle, only to watch it vanish. "Zuko!" she gasped, running straight into his strong chest and looked up to see him grinning with triumph.

"I win." He declared, puffing out the flames and snaking his arms around her waist to swing her around.

"Okay, Okay!" She yelled, kicking her feet. "You win."

Izumi ran up to her parents giggling. "Do me. Do me!"

Zuko picked up the princess with his other arm, spinning both Katara and Izumi in circles until the waterbender called time out.

"Well, well, looks like I'm not too late for the celebration."

"Uncle Iroh!" Izumi cried, jumping from her father's arm and running to the former general.

"Ah! If it isn't my favorite great niece!" He chuckled, picking the princess up and into his arms for a hug.

"I'm your only great niece, uncle." Izumi laughed.

"So, you are, love. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything private." Iroh cleared his throat.

Katara slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing she was half naked and rushed to get her swimwear back on. Her face turned a shade of red she's never had before.

"I didn't think you were able to make it, Uncle." Zuko said, joining his Uncle for a hug. "It's good to see you."

"You too, nephew. And who might this lovely water flower be?" Iroh asked, Katara joining them once she was dressed. He grasped her hand in both of his, kissing the top of it. Zuko's brow twitched.

"Hi. I'm Katara. Zuko's told me so much about you." She introduced.

"Oh, yes, the healer my nephew has raved about." Zuko glared at his uncle with an angry blush. "You are more beautiful than he's described. And a wonderful personality, I hear. To take someone else's child as your own is truly an honor." Iroh smiled fondly at Zuko, who returned it.

They made their way back to the beach house, Iroh shooing the kitchen staff out so he could make tea for the family.

"This is a special brew among my patrons back in Ba Sing Se." Iroh announced, placing a cup in front of Zuko, Katara and Izumi.

Katara sniffed it before taking a small sip. "Spirits, this is amazing!" she commented, taking a longer sip.

"I told you Uncle's tea is like nothing you ever had." Zuko said.

"So, I heard you own a shop in Ba Sing Se? Isn't it difficult considering the ties the Fire Nation broke with the Earth Kingdom." Katara asked, dabbing Izumi's mouth with a handkerchief.

Iroh hummed. "Most would think that. But being the Earth King's favorite tea maker does put me more in favor with the people there. Besides, not all Earth Kingdom citizens are that distraught by the severance. It is a time when all sides of the world should reflect on their faults before moving onto a better future. It was one of the reasons my nephew had taken my advice and worked to fix the conflictions within our nation before proceeding to make amends with the Earth Kingdom once again."

Zuko set his tea down. "My great grandfather's reign has shaken a lot of the trust the other nations had in us when allying with the Earth Kingdom and their evil ways. Ozai had bigger plans. Luckily, his life stopped short before such things could develop." Zuko's good eye widened. "I didn't mean all Earth Kingdom-"

Iroh raised his hand to stop him. "My wife has been gone a long time, and I know what you meant, Lord Zuko."

"You married an Earth Kingdom woman." Katara arched a brow.

"It was an arranged marriage, bringing two great nations together. I had grown to love my wife dearly. Sadly, I had lost her to an illness after Lu Tan was born. Then, my son soon joined his mother later in life."

"I'm so sorry." Katara apologized.

"No need, dear. Besides, in the end some good came out of my teachings." He looked at Zuko. "I'm glad that despite the challenge of being here, you chose to stay by Lord Zuko's side and raise his lovely daughter."

"I couldn't see myself anywhere else." Katara stated, hugging Izumi to her.

The rest of the evening ended with the family sitting by the fire on the beach after dinner was served and more time was spent playing in the ocean. Kioko joined them after a small nap. "Too bad I missed the fascinating spar between you and our Lord, Katara. General Iroh has filled me in. I bet it was pretty exciting."

"Mommy was amazing!" Izumi squealed, mimicking some of Katara's forms. "She'll beat Daddy someday." She jumped in Katara's lap., wrapping her arms around her and resting her cheek against her chest while the waterbeder stroked her hair.

"I would've beaten him today if he didn't cheat." Katara turned to Kioko and Iroh, rocking Izumi side to side in her lap.

Zuko's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "I didn't cheat!" He blurted. "If I recall-" Katara hushed him, jerking her head down, Izumi's eyes fluttering. The princess groaned, snuggling up to her mother until her breathing steadied.

"Happy Birthday, love." Zuko said, kissing Izumi's cheeks. "I suppose it is time to turn in. This is the latest she's ever been up."

They all got up, Iroh putting the fire out with sand.

"If you all don't mind, I'd like to stay here a bit longer." Katara said, brushing sand from her lap.

Zuko's throat closed up. He wanted to say he'd join her but couldn't find the voice and ended up taking Izumi from her arms. His eyes followed her as she dragged her feet to the shore.

"Why don't you stay as well, Lord Zuko." Iroh winking at him and taking Izumi. "The moon sure is beautiful this evening."

Taking the hint, Zuko watched as his uncle and Kioko carried Izumi back to the beach house. He swallowed his gnawing panic before following Katara to the ocean where she had her feet in the water up to her ankle.

"You feeling okay?" He croaked. Smooth Zuko.

Her ears perked up, looking over at the approaching Fire Lord then giving him a small smile. "Actually, I'm feeling pretty good today. This is the most fun I've had. I heard Ember Island was beautiful. But at night, it seems to take your breath away."

Zuko looked up, finally seeing what Katara was referring to. The half moon reflected in the ocean water, the stars sparkling like diamonds in the sky. The cool breeze and the soothing sound of waves crashing on the beach gave off a sense of calmness and serenity.

"I'd like to say it reminds me of home." Katara said. "But when I close my eyes, I just can't see it."

Zuko scratched the back of his head, nervous about how to respond. "Then what do you see?"

"I see Izumi." She sighs. "And…I see you." She looks at him with a contorted face of misgivings. She was throwing up a wall, Zuko could tell.

Throughout her stay, there had been too many hindrances to their progressing relationship. Zuko was fed up with tiptoeing around their feelings. It was obvious they held a connection that was hard to ignore, and it was high time they confront them, if not for their sakes, at least their daughter's.

"And what do you see when you see us, Kat?" He pressed.

Katara wrapped her arms around herself and averted her eyes back to the ocean. "Home."

That was all it took for Zuko to walk in front of her. To hug her, to let her arms slip around his neck and tug him closer. He pressed his lips to her shoulder, sending affectionate kisses across her collarbone and up her neck until he traced them to her jawline.

"Is this okay?" He asked his hot breath hitting her lips.

Katara laughed to his confusion. "Sorry. It's just- Spirits, Zuko, I'm right here. You don't need to act so modest. If I'm uncomfortable, believe me, I'll let you know."

Now that he had her permission, Zuko captured her mouth in a firm kiss. It set Katara's soul on fire, her lips meeting his in a melting kiss that had her insides burning with an undeniable desire to feel every part of him, inside and out. And it was clear by the strong grip on her waist that Zuko was feeling the same.

Katara sighed, snuggling up to the warmth wrapped around her, Zuko making lazy circles at the base of her spine with his thumb. She hummed against his neck, pinching her eyes shut from the bright light of morning sun peeking in through the Fire Lord's bedroom window.

Zuko smiled, burying his face in her curly hair. "Katara, it's morning." He rasped. "Izumi will be up soon."

"Five more minutes." She groaned. It wasn't as easy for her to sleep at night as him and Izumi, nor was it easy to get up when the sun rose. Zuko had taken her to his room after they left the beach, holding each other in his bed until they fell asleep, forgetting to change into their night attire and slumbering in their swimwear.

The creaking of his bedroom door made Katara whine. "Too late." Zuko laughed, flushing Katara to his chest.

Izumi ran in jumping onto the bed and crawled in between her parents, bouncing up and down until both Katara and Zuko got up. On their way to breakfast, Izumi noticed something different about her parents. Something good different. She stifled a giggle, covering her mouth with her hands as she watched her father brush her mother's hair back and planted a kiss close to her ear.