Zuko sighed and rand his hands over his face in frustration. He removed his hands slowly and looked at the two piles of paper on his desk. One pile was about a foot high, all signed and ready to be sent out to their respective recipients. The other pile was close to four feet high and teetering dangerously at the edge of Zuko's solid teaoak desk. The papers on this ever growing pile still had to be sorted, read, and signed by the end of the day. Groaning, Zuko let his head fall to the desk top and muttered angrily into the wood.

"What's the matter, hon?" Zuko lifted his head and looked at his wife wearily, pointing at the mountain of papers to be signed. Katara smiled sympathetically and cleared a space on top of the desk for her to sit.

"Ah, yes," she said picking up a paper from the pile. "The wonders of being Firelord. What do we have today? Proclamations? Laws? Foreign policy?...Wait, why are you reviewing statements about this years llama-goat wool harvest? Isn't this more of a job for the secretary of agriculture? And, what's this?...Crop rotation laws? Cabbage sales? Where's Daizon? Isn't he supposed to handle stuff like this?"

"Daizon had to go home for a couple of weeks. His mother is sick," Zuko told her, rubbing his eyes. "Unfortunately his job didn't go on vacation with him, so I have to make sure the paperwork doesn't start really piling up before his replacement gets here in two days. I've been at this all morning. My head is killing me." Katara clucked sympathetically and walked behind Zuko. She wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders and nuzzled his cheek.

"Poor baby," she murmured. "How about I make your head better?" Zuko leaned back and sighed.

"That would be wonderful." Katara chuckled and drew water from her ever present water skin and let it surround her hands. She brought them up to Zuko's temples and the water glowed a soft blue. She made small circles around his temple and he relaxed back in his chair.

"This feels so good. I hate paper work!"

"Well you think you'd be used to it after 18 years." Zuko snorted.

"Used to it, yes. I still don't like it." They lapsed into a comfortable silence as Katara worked. All too soon for Zuko's taste, Katara was done and his headache was gone. Zuko grabbed her hand and kissed the palm.

"Thank you." Katara smiled down at him then leaned down and pecked his lips.

"You're welcome my love. Now, how about I do something really useful and help you with some of these papers?" Katara went back to her perch, grabbed some papers and began leafing through them.

"How'd I ever get so lucky as to have you for my Firelady?" Zuko asked gratefully. Katara winked at him with a playful grin as she tussled his hair which was out of its normal topknot.

"You're just lucky I like reformed bad boys, with messy hair." They fell into a familiar rhythm as they worked in silence for nearly an hour and soon the pile of signed papers had nearly overtaken the pile of unsigned papers.

"Zuko, do you realize we've been married for 17 years?" Katara said suddenly, setting aside another signed sheet. Zuko froze and fearfully wracked his brain. Did he forget their anniversary? No, he didn't think so. So why did she bring it up?

"I do," he told her. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he added, "The years just flew by. You're still as beautiful as the day I met you." Katara laughed and slapped Zuko's arm.

"Please. The day you met me, you were threatening my village. I don't think you gave me more than a passing glance."

"No, that doesn't sound like me," Zuko said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I definitely would have noticed a stunning creature like you. It must have been some other Fire Nation prince bent on world domination."

"If I remember correctly, you were bent on regaining your honor. Your father was the one bent on world domination." Zuko grinned impishly and pulled Katara across the desk onto his lap. Katara squealed and put up a token protest before settling into her new seat.

"Well it doesn't really matter anymore. You have given me all the honor I'll ever need. I have the most beautiful wife in all the lands, four beautiful children…"

"Not to mention the throne of the Fire Nation," Katara added, flicking Zuko's nose. He rubbed the offended appendage and snorted.

"Yeah, and all the paper work, headaches and just plain irritation that comes with it. Some days I think I'd rather be working in Uncle's tea shop in Ba Sing Se. What do you say, Katara. How'd you like to be the wife of a tea server." Katara grinned and kissed Zuko's forehead.

"You'd have to learn to make tea first, my love." Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed. Katara snuggled into Zuko's chest and tucked her head under his chin. Zuko absently stroked her hair as he imagined his life at the tea shop.

"Ursa told me some exciting news today," Katara told her husband. Zuko started out of his day dreaming when Katara mentioned their oldest daughter. Her tone of voice had him immediately suspicious.

"Oh?" he said warily. "What's that?" Katara didn't look him in the face, instead focusing on his chest where she was making small circles with her finger.

"Well, she was asked out on her first date and…

"No way!" Zuko cut in. Katara stopped making finger circles and sat up.

"And why shouldn't she go? Kazulon is a wonderful boy."

"She's too young!" Zuko couldn't believe what his wife was saying. Sending Ursa out on a date? With a boy? Not on Zuko's watch. Katara had other ideas. She frowned and crossed her arms, a sure sign that she was going to stand firm until she got her way.

'Not this time,' Zuko thought.

"Zuko, she's 15. I was only a few years older than her when we married!"

"That's different. We were just out of a war and I needed a bride." Immediately Zuko realized that that was the wrong thing to say. Unfortunately, his realization came too late. Katara leapt of his lap and huffed indignantly.

"Are you telling me that if you hadn't needed a bride at the time you wouldn't have married me?"

"No, no that's not what I'm saying at all," Zuko stood up and placed his hands gently on Katara's hands. "All I'm saying is that I wouldn't have married you then."

"Oh, that's much better," she growled, shoving Zuko's hands away. "You needed a bride so I was the most convenient choice, right?"

"I wouldn't say convenient," Zuko muttered, thinking of the rather explosive reactions of Sokka, Hakoda and Aang. He suppressed a shudder.

"What was that?" Katara asked dangerously. She moved her hands threateningly towards her water skin. Zuko suppressed another shudder and tried once again to placate his wife.

"Katara, love of my life, flame of my heart, star of my sky, I had to get married because I was the Firelord and I needed someone to rule with me. I chose you because I loved you. I still love you and I will love you till my dying day." Katara's anger ebbed away and she allowed Zuko to fold her into a hug.

"I love you, too," she whispered. "Now about Ursa's date…" Zuko smiled into Katara's soft brown hair stroked her back.

"It isn't going to happen," he told her softly. Katara chuckled and nuzzled Zuko's neck.

"Yes it is, Zuko. I already told her she could go." Zuko froze for a moment and allowed her last statement to sink in. Then he exploded.

"You told her what?" he screamed. Katara sucked her teeth a motioned for him to be quiet.

"Would you relax? Ursa's old enough for this. Beside's Yue's the same age and she's been on her first date already."

"How your brother and his wife choose to raise their daughter is their business! No daughter of mine is going is going on a date at 15 years old."

"Well what do you suppose I say to her, Zuko. That she can't go on a date because her father's being overprotective? If we were in the Water Tribe, we'd be considering marriage offers for her already."

"And that's why we live in the Fire Nation and not the Water Tribe! She's too young. She's not going. End of discussion."

"No, it's not the end of the discussion," Katara yelled. She jabbed her finger into Zuko's chest to punctuate her point. "Now you listen to me, and you listen good. Ursa is going to go out with Kazulon and you're going to be supportive and polite if I have to bloodbend you into it. Got it pal?" Zuko was going to point out that she could only bloodbend on the full moon, which wouldn't be for another few weeks, but one look at the fierce determination and anger in her ice blue eyes and he decided it would be safer to just smile and nod. And with that, Katara's anger disappeared and Zuko was once again facing his lovely, happy wife.

"I knew you'd come around," Katara said, throwing her arms around Zuko. "Ursa will be so happy! Now, come on. Uncle Iroh will be here in a little while and I'm sure you want to get something to eat after spending all day in here with all that paper work." Zuko allowed her to take his hand and lead him from the room, still reeling from Katara's sudden mood swings. Something else he figured he should be used to by then. Her sudden temper hadn't changed in 19 years.

"Wait, Uncle's coming?" Zuko asked, coming out of his daze.

"Yes, don't you remember? He's staying with us for a few weeks. He misses his nieces and nephews." Zuko groaned.

"He's going to spoil them rotten!" he lamented. The last time Iroh had visited his nephew and family he had brought a jet black and ivory ostrich horse for Lu Ten, a dozen silk earth kingdom hwalots for Ursa, a dagger made from a moose-lion's tooth with a citrine and ruby studded hilt (dull, for Katara's sake) for Rokuda, and an extravagantly crafted Earth Kingdom doll with a complete set of silk robes for their youngest daughter, Kya.

"Oh, he doesn't mean any harm by it, Zuko," Katara soothed him.

"You're only saying that because he bought you that limited edition copy of the waterbending scroll. Didn't you already have one that you stole from pirates?" Katara blushed and turned her head away.

"Yes, but I gave that to Aang. Besides, the one Iroh gave me is written on river cow leather with ink made from liquefied gold. It's the rarest copy of a rare piece of work. It's beyond a collector's item."

"You're a rare piece of work," Zuko muttered.

"I heard that," Katara said, slapping Zuko's arm. "Besides, it's not like he doesn't bring you stuff, too. Remember, he brought you the swords last time." Zuko shrugged. She was right, though. Iroh had brought Zuko twin swords made in the same style as Rokulon's dagger. Zuko had them on display in the throne room. But that didn't mean he had to like that Iroh spoiled his kids like that.

"I work so hard to keep them from becoming brats just because they're royalty," Zuko told Katara. "It's not that I want them to grow up like paupers, I just want them to realize that what we have isn't due to us. That they do have to work for what they want."

"Zuko, you've done a great job," Katara assured him. "We have four of the most well behaved, non-bratty children anyone could ask for, mostly thanks to you. But it's ok for them to have a treat every once in a while. And Iroh doesn't get to see the kids that often, he's just excited."

"You're right, I guess," he conceded. He smiled at Katara. "You know, you had a lot to do with how the kids turned out, too. They wouldn't be as loving, generous or as strong if it wasn't for you."

"As long as you recognize that." The couple spun round to find the source of the new voice. Katara's face lit up and she ran to throw her arms around her uncle-in-law.

"Iroh! We were just getting ready to go meet you! You're early." Iroh chuckled and hugged Katara back.

"It is wonderful to see you, too, my dear. And I see you've been taking care of my handsome nephew. How are you, Firelord Zuko?" Zuko rolled his eyes at his uncle's use of his official title and shrugged as he went to hug Iroh as well.

"He's just upset that you're about to undo 16 years of non-spoiled kids while you're here," Katara told Iroh. "Well, that and Ursa's about to go on her first date." Iroh frowned and stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"She's a little young, isn't she?" he asked.

"Thank you!" Zuko cried, throwing his hands in the air. "Even Uncle agrees with me and he never agrees with me." Katara rolled her eyes.

"Not you, too, Iroh. Ursa is 15, and they're only going to the carnival for crying out loud." Iroh looked surprised.

"Fifteen? Already? When did that happen?" he wondered. "Sorry, Zuko, I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Katara on this one."

"Uncle!" Zuko whinned. "That's not fair! You can't switch sides like that."

"Stop that Zuko. There's nothing sadder than watching a 35 year-old man act like a child," Katara chided him. "You're behaving like Sokka." Zuko scowled at Katara and crossed his arms. Iroh chuckled and slapped Zuko on the back.

"I see you haven't changed much, Zuko. Still just as given to brooding when things don't go your way. Now if I remember correctly, you went on your first date when you were around Ursa's age."

"I was 16," Zuko muttered.

"Ah, but if memory serves, the young lady was about 14 or 15." Zuko said nothing, but kept pouting. Katara put her arms around his middle and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Darling, you knew this day would come eventually. Besides, you let Lu Ten go on his first date at 15."

"That's different," Zuko growled. " He's a…"

"Zuko, if boy is the next word out of your mouth, so help me I will freeze you to a tree." Katara glared at him, daring him to finish his sentence.

"….More mature?" he ended lamely. Katara and Iroh just gave him a dead pan stare. Zuko's shoulders fell and he held his hands up in defeat. "Fine. She can go."

"Oh, Zuko," Katara said as she kissed his cheek. "You say that as if you had a choice."

"Speaking of my grandnieces and nephews, where are the little ones?" Iroh asked.

"Probably outside," Zuko told him. "It's dinner time anyway. We'll send for them." Iroh clapped and rubbed his hands together.

"Wonderful. I have presents for all of you!"

"That's what I was afraid of," Zuko said, shaking his head.

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

Dinner was served that night in the private dining room near Katara and Zuko's chambers. It was small, with just enough room for everyone to sit down at the carved wood table comfortably. The decorations were minimal, just some ornate torches for light and the piles of red and gold silk cushions that served as the seats around the table. A large, glassless, picture window looked out over the garden an gave the family a spectacular view of the sunset over the distant mountains. Katara and Zuko found the sight very peaceful, especially after a long day of dealing with generals and foreign dignitaries and nobles. Tonight however, the beautiful sight went unnoticed as the legendary Dragon of the West kept everyone entertained by the exploits of the White Lotus Society in Ba Sing Se.

"Then king Bumi looks at her and says, "Young lady, if I had a gold coin for every time someone said that to me, I'd have exactly three coins…and a very nice snack for my pets.' She went white in the face and ran so fast she upset a cabbage cart." Iroh, Katara, and the two youngest children fell over themselves laughing and the rest of the family chuckled politely.

Zuko watched his family from the head of the table. Some days he couldn't believe how his life had turned out. If someone had told his 15 year old self that he would one day be married to a beautiful woman with four children who everyday did something to make him proud of them, he would have thought they were insane, and crazier still if they had told him that his wife would be a water bender.

Katara threw her head back and laughed at something Iroh said, her soft brown curls tumbling to the floor. She was even more beautiful than when he had married her. Four pregnancies had left their marks, but she was still slender and had the kindest, brightest blue eyes Zuko had ever seen. And he wasn't the only one to think so. Often, he had warned some other man from letting his eyes or hands wander where they shouldn't. There were small, faint laugh lines beginning to appear in the corners of her eyes whenever she smiled, but unlike some other noble Fire Nation women, Katara didn't obsess over them and try to hide them with creams and powders. When she noticed them, she just shrugged, saying that worrying about them would only make them worse.

"Besides, if I didn't have any, everyone would think I had no sense of humor, like you." She grinned at her husband cheekily and winked at him. Zuko smiled at the memory and let his gaze drift to his uncle. Iroh was much the same as always. His hair was perhaps a little grayer and he had slowed down a lot, but he still had his sense of humor and drank tea as if it would disappear if he didn't. He wore his age well, and stood as tall as he ever had, despite his complaints about rheumatism and stiff bones. Iroh was also still the wisest man Zuko had ever known.

When Zuko was first named Firelord, he relied heavily on his uncle's advice on everything from laws and rebuilding, to public relations and proper etiquette. Iroh even advised him on how to get around the Fire Nation citizen's complaints about Zuko marrying a water bender. Iroh spoke on Zuko's behalf to the Council. Zuko isn't sure what his uncle said in that meeting, but the next day, when the Council reconvened, they all but demanded that Zuko marry Katara while Iroh sat in the back of the room, smiling contentedly.

Then Zuko turned to his children and his eyes settled on Ursa. She was growing into a lovely young woman. She reminded Zuko of Katara at her age. She had the same blue eyes and stubborn set to her chin as her mother. Zuko couldn't blame any of the young men of the Fire Nation for wanting to pursue her, but he wasn't ready to let them either. With a sad sigh, Zuko finished his dinner without really tasting it, and watched his growing children.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So, when is this date thing happening?" Zuko asked Katara later on in their private study. Katara looked up from the book she was reading and smiled mischievously at her husband. He was looking out over the gardens and messing with his top knot. It was his way of looking cool and unconcerned, but Katara heard the way Zuko bit out the word 'date' and it was all she could do not to giggle.

"They're going to the Sun Festival," she told him. "It's three days from now."

"Three days?" Zuko turned to Katara, astonished. "Why am I just hearing about this today?"

"He just asked Ursa yesterday," Katara said, flipping a page in her book. "And she told me about it this morning."

"That's just inconsiderate," Zuko fumed, flopping onto the seat by the couch that Katara was stretched out on. "Four days isn't enough notice to give a girl." Katara laughed and sat up. She curled up in the corner of the couch closest to Zuko.

"It's more notice than you gave me for our first date," she reminded him. "If I remember correctly, you asked me out to an Earth Kingdom Festival the day it was happening."

"That was different!" Zuko said, flushing lightly. "We-we were traveling a lot! I probably didn't have enough time to have planned ahead."

"No, that's not true," Katara said. She put a finger on her chin as if she were thinking hard. "We were in that particular village for almost two weeks and we heard about the festival when we got there. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the Festival was a week long and that was the last day. I didn't have anything to wear. I had to drag Suki and Toph shopping with me. And you know how Toph hates shopping." Zuko folded his arms and glared across the room sulkily. Katara laughed a little and kissed his cheek.

"You are so cute!" Zuko's scowl deepened.

"Whatever. What's this guy like? How'd they even meet?"

"Zuko," Katara chided. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed that our silk merchant's son has been hanging around the palace more than normal."

"A merchant's son?" Zuko nearly shouted. "That's who you decided it was ok to let our daughter go out with?"

"Yes, a merchant's son," Katara said, folding her arms. "Who happens to be polite, sweet, and the top of his class at a very prestigious Fire Nation school. Is that a problem, honey? Don't tell me you'd rather her go out with one of the nobles' sons." Zuko cringed at the thought.

"No! Those lousy, power grubbing, brown nosers. It's bad enough they're throwing their daughters at Lu Ten."

"I didn't think so," Katara said. "I asked Ursa to invite him to tea before they go to the Festival so you can officially meet him."

"Why can't they have dinner with us?" Zuko asked.

"They're going to a Festival," Katara reminded him, picking her book back up. "There's going to be plenty of food there. Besides, I don't know if I trust you with an entire dinner with him yet. I don't want you to scare him off before he and Ursa even have a chance."

"I don't see a problem with that," Zuko grumbled. Katara just rolled her eyes. As far as Zuko had come from the troubled, angry young man she had met, there were a few things she knew would never change.

"You're stubborn as a zebra mule," she told him, rolling her eyes. She curled back up into her corner of the couch and picked her book back up. It was her signal to Zuko that the conversation was over. He took the hint and finished preparing for bed.

"I get no respect around here," he muttered to himself before he fell, exhausted, into bed.