The Lady Xia

forty: Epilogue

"Destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday."

~ Iroh

~*~

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Zuko asked in concern as we walked up to Iroh's tea shop, The Jasmine Dragon. 

I smiled weakly, "I need a distraction."

Hina, Hideki, and Yoshi had recently sent word from the Northern Water Tribe. Asuka had given birth to a healthy baby boy with brilliant emerald eyes. She gave him the name Hiraku right before she died. 

Hina's nightmare wasn't just a dream, it was a vision of some kind. They had also sent word to my parents, but I had no idea how they would react. My grandfather, Jeong Jeong was there with them, trying to patch up his relationship with my mother. 

"Hideki said they were bringing Hiraku here as soon as possible," I told Zuko. "I think you and I need to relax a bit before we have to deal with a baby?"

"A baby?" A voice asked. We turned to see Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki staring at us in disbelief. 

"I mean, I know you two got married, but I didn't think you'd be having a baby already," Toph said.

I turned crimson as Zuko had a coughing fit, "it's not their baby," Ryuu drawled behind us as he walked up with Mai. "It's our sister, Asuka's baby."

"Does he have sideburns?" Sokka asked curiously.

I smiled at the image, "according to Hina's description he is a very very bald baby." 

"Is that good?" Aang asked curiously.

"How would I know?" 

"Zuko, come play the sungi horn!" Iroh ordered from inside.

"I am not playing it!" Zuko protested as he marched inside.

"Can he play it?" Katara asked me.

"Yes, very well, actually." 

"She's not lying," Toph said, impressed.

"Or she could just think he's amazing since she's in love with him," Suki offered.

"Trust me, he's great at playing the sungi horn," I said with a knowing smile as we walked inside. In the end, it was Iroh serenading Appa with the sungi horn since Zuko flat-out refused to play. I made everyone's tea as Zuko served it to our friends and family. 

It was the first time all of us had a moment to truly relax without the weight of the world hanging on our shoulders. Aang was playing with Momo as Sokka was practicing his calligraphy, or I thought that was what he was doing. 

"Zuko, stop moving!" Sokka exclaimed suddenly. 

"I thought you were writing," I said as we all looked at him in surprise.

"I'm trying to capture the moment," Sokka said with a serious look before it softened as he continued his artwork. "I wanted to do a painting, so we always remember the good times together." 

"You seem very dedicated," I said as Sokka stuck his tongue out comically. 

"That's very thoughtful of you, Sokka," Katara said as she looked at the drawing. Her expression quickly changed into a deadpanned look though. "Wait! Why did you give me Momo's ears?!"