After the first few minutes of being underfoot, Doctor Chang had booted Kouji out of the infirmary.  Full of adrenaline and uncertain of what to do, the young man eventually elected to return to his lair and wake Zuko — after all, today was a work day.

Zuko, however, was already awake, watching his sleeping son with the same panicked expression he'd worn the night before.

"Zu?" queried Kouji gently.

"Yeah?" He didn't look up.

"Work."

"I know. I just… what do I do with him?"

Kouji considered this.  "Well, Yui likes kids," he said after a moment.  "She's babysat for the guards before.  Maybe she could look after him for now?"

"Okay. Can you find her for me?" He didn't want to get up and disturb the child.

Kouji turned a bright shade of fuchsia.  "S-sure."

"Thanks."

The Firelord's surrogate brother ran off in search of his twin sister, and eventually found himself at the door of one of the wall guards.  "Damn it," he muttered, then knocked.

The guard, shirtless, answered. "Yeah?"

"Is Yui still here?" Kouji asked for politeness' sake.

"Yeah. Hang on a sec." He disappeared into the room, and a few seconds later, Yui emerged, dishevelled and tugging her shirt into place. 

Kouji groaned, and she gave him a sweet smile.  "What is it, Kou-kou?"

"Zu wants to see you," was the reply.

Yui nodded.  "All right."  She turned back into the room and exchanged a few soft words with the guard, then a kiss, before following Kouji back to the lair.

Zuko was still sitting where Kouji had left him, Mikoto asleep on his lap. "Hey."

"Hello," said Yui, then she noticed the boy.  "Oh!"  She knelt in front of Zuko to get a closer look.  "He's so adorable…"

Zuko almost-smiled, a sort of shaken, haunted imitation of his usual half-smile. "Yeah…"

"Kouji said you needed me?"

"Could you watch him? Mikoto, I mean? While I'm working?"

"Sure!" agreed the girl eagerly.  "I'd love to."

He looked relieved. "Thanks."

Fortunately, Yui didn't ask where Mikoto had arrived from.  Zuko wasn't ready to explain all that to anyone. He dreaded having to talk to Song about it later.  Upon hearing the news about Yì Suì, he decided to put it off until he was stable — no use piling on an extra heap of bad news after the accident.

When it was finally time for Zuko to go to work, Yui helped to gently move the little boy, trying not to wake him.  Mikoto did awake, however, regarding Yui with a certain amount of wariness.  The girl gave him a charming, friendly smile.  "Hello, Mikoto," she said.

"Hi…"

"I'm Yui, Kouji's twin.  Lord Zuko asked me to look after you while he's working."

He relaxed a little upon hearing that — from the way he'd watched his father leave, it was apparent he already practically worshiped him.

"Are you hungry?" Yui asked him.

He nodded, and she got to her feet and offered him a hand up.  "Then let's go get some breakfast."  She smiled again.

"Okay!" He took her hand, already losing his initial hesitation.

Yui laughed and led him to the kitchens, knowing that the nobles' dining hall was probably a very bad idea.  Never mind the fact that she, Kouji, and Ichiro had all been elevated to the nobility shortly after the Firelord's return from his honeymoon — none of them were especially well-liked, and since Yui's fourteenth birthday, a lot of nasty names had appended themselves to her.  She'd never bring the poor kid into that pit of vulture-wasps.

He was willing enough to follow her along, especially with the promise of food.

"What kinda food do you like?" she asked him on the way, and was then treated to a detailed list of all of his favourite foods.  Laughing, the young noblewoman said, "Which would you prefer to have?"

"I dunno."

"Then let's just go for fruit.  Sound good?"

"Okay!"

Yui grinned down at him and ruffled his hair, then opened the door of the kitchen.

All of the kitchen staff were immediately enamoured of Mikoto, though there were more than a few arched eyebrows and whispers that he looked so much like the Firelord had at that age, it was uncanny.

Yui's only comment on the matter was a cheerful, "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies!"; she was much more pre-occupied with making sure the boy ate, and getting some food for herself.

Mito, after entering the kitchen, was suddenly shy again, sticking close to Yui.  The girl in turn made sure to accommodate the shyness as well as gently encourage him to interact.  After a while, he cautiously loosened up, but didn't return to his cheerful bounciness of the walk over until they left the kitchen.

"Where would you like to go now?" Yui asked.

"Back to Daddy."

Yui checked the position of the sun.  "In two hours we can," she said.  "He'll have a break then."

"Okay!"

She grinned at him.  "Anywhere else, Mito?"

He tilted his head, considering.  Yui waited patiently while he tried to decide.  "Outside?" he finally suggested.

"Sure!  I can show you around the gardens."

"Okay!"

They passed the next two hours in this manner, then Yui, true to her word, took the little boy to see his father.

"Daddy!" Mito cried, and promptly threw his arms around the Firelord, who looked a little startled by this sudden show of affection.

The sensual girl laughed at that.  "He was looking forward to seeing you, my lord."

"I… can tell," Zuko replied, still looking a little boggled. The haunted look he tried to hide whenever he looked at Mito was fading.

Yui clapped her hands together.  "I've got an idea!  Why don't you and Mito have lunch together?"

"A-all right," he said.

She grinned.  "When should I bring him by?"

"I... suppose around one?" That was likely the earliest he'd be free.

Yui nodded.  "I'll bring him to your study then."

"Thanks."

She let Mito have a few more minutes with his father, then gently drew the boy away.  He clearly didn't want to leave, but sulkily complied.  "Don't worry, Mito," Yui soothed him.  "You'll be having lunch with him."

"I know," he muttered, still sulking.

The young woman tried to distract him, showing him to the library, but, since Mikoto couldn't read much of anything yet, this wasn't very entertaining.  She tried a few more things — the earthbending arena (empty as both Haru and Kouji were working and Toph was in the Earth Kingdom), the turtleduck pond, and the pomegranate grove.

The pond and grove held a little more interest for him, so Yui kept them there for longer, even giving Mito his first lesson in tree climbing.  This pleased the child greatly, and he was more than happy to keep trying, no matter how many times he fell.  Finally, it was close to one, and Yui took him to his father's study.

"Daddy!" he crowed, delightedly, throwing his arms around him again. 

Yui laughed at that.  "When do you want me to pick him up?"

"Um… in a half hour?" Zuko suggested. He looked a little less haunted than the last time she'd brought him by already.

The young noblewoman arched an eyebrow at him, but he chose not to explain.  With a shrug, she slipped away to find some food for herself.  When she came back a half hour later, Mito was asking his father incessant questions about everything in the study. Zuko was putting up with this with remarkable good grace.

"All right, Mito," she said kindly.  "It's time for Daddy to get back to work."

"Fine."

Oh, yes.  This would be an interesting afternoon.  She glanced at Zuko.  "When do you plan on introducing him to your mother, uncle, and wife?"

"I'm going to wait until Yì Suì's more stable before telling Song. And she should be told first."

"Don't hold it too long.  The rumour mill is already turning."

"I'm sure," he said, not looking at her.

Yui sighed and offered Mito her hand.  "C'mon, kiddo."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, darling," she replied. "Your Daddy has to do government work now, and that's all boring stuff."

"But I wanna stay!"

Yui crouched in front of him, so that their heads were level.  "Sweetheart, you can't stay with your daddy while he's working.  That's why I’m here, to take care of you while Zuko is busy."

"But—"

She put gentle fingers to his lips to silence him.  "You'll see your daddy again at dinner.  Seven o'clock, right, Zuko?"

He shook his head. "I have a meeting at six that'll probably run later than that."

"Budget again?"

He shook his head again. "Intelligence."

Yui winced.  "Ouch.  When should I bring him by?"

"Maybe five thirty?" The meeting was likely to run way past when Mikoto should be in bed.

"Sounds good," the girl conceded.

"I'll see you then, Mikoto," Zuko promised, and the child finally suffered himself to be led away, after one last hug.

Yui took Mito to the library again, this time to read him a story.  If her instincts were right, Mito ought to be worn out and would probably sleep soon.  In fact, he fell asleep before she was halfway through the story, to the girl's relief. 

 

*          *          *

 

Late that night, Zuko finally sought out his wife.  Song was in their suite, curled up in a chair and looking over a medical scroll.  "How's Yì Suì doing?" he asked.

"He woke up earlier this evening," Song replied with a faint smile.  "Leilani talked to him."

"That's good."

"Yes."  She sighed.  "We're so lucky the Avatar brought her in last night…"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, we are."

She set her scroll down and got up to kiss him.  He let her.  When that was done, he took a deep breath. "When we were held by the Dai Li..." he started, then stopped.

Song's brown eyes went wide.  In five years, Zuko had never spoken of their capture, not since Iroh had debriefed them.  "Zuko?"

He wouldn't look at her. "The second time they took me away, they tied me down to a table and..."

She didn't speak now, simply took his hand in hers.

"They brought someone in," he said, almost inaudibly. "She had a son."

It took Song a moment to get it, but when she did, her eyes opened even wider.

He still wouldn't look at her. "She brought him here last night."

Song had to sit down.

"If you want me to deny him," he said, dully, "I will." He would never forgive her — or himself — if she said she did, but he would do it.

"I'd never ask you to do that," Song replied quietly.  "This isn't your fault, and it certainly isn't his.  And after working with Yì Suì for so long…"

He said nothing, but visibly relaxed.

"What's his name?" she asked softly, squeezing his hand.

"Mikoto."

Prince.  The thought drifted through Song's head, and she unconsciously rested a hand on her abdomen.  Almost three years of marriage, and she had yet to conceive.  Was this why the Dai Li had sent the boy to the palace?  Certainly they were behind it.  But for what other reason would they bother?

To try and drive a wedge between her and Zuko.

Anger slammed into her like a stampeding komodo-rhino.

Finally, her husband looked up at her, seemingly sensing her anger. "Song?"

The young woman closed her eyes and took several deep, calming breaths.  "Sorry," she said quietly.  Then, "Where is he now?"

"Asleep. We found a room for him."  Why isn't she mad at me? I know we weren't together yet then, but...The same acidic shame he'd felt then and when he first saw Mito flowed into him again. He tried to hide it.

"May I see him tomorrow?"

"Sure. Of course."

She rose again and wrapped her arms around him.  "This isn't your fault, darling," she said quietly.

"I know."  He sounded doubtful.

Song sighed and rested her forehead on his shoulder; he, in turn, rested his head on hers. "I'm sorry...," he whispered.

"It's all right," she told him.

He held her a little tighter, and she leaned into his embrace. 

"It'll all come out okay, Zu," Song said now.  "And look on the bright side.  If I can't—"

"I'm sure you can," he replied immediately. "Don't listen to the stupid rumours, it was almost six years before my aunt Zolena had my cousin."

She nodded.

He was silent for a long moment, then said, "He looks like me."

"Then nobody will doubt he's your son," Song replied.

"I know."

After a moment, the Firelady said, "Yì Suì told us why he fell."

"Oh?" he asked, as much grateful for the change in subject as curious about the information.

"He heard a woman screaming," she reported, "and it startled him enough that he fell.  He said she sounded like she was in pain."

He frowned. "Do we know who...?"

"Not yet.  Leilani is trying to find out, as is Doctor Chang."

Zuko nodded, and sighed. "I'll see if I can think of a list of possible women who might've been out during the storm."

"Thank you, love," Song said.

"You're welcome."

She leaned into him, then wordlessly led him to their bed.  There wouldn't be an attempt to conceive tonight, but they needed to get horizontal.  He followed where she led, trying to squelch his shame.

 

*          *          *

 

Leilani wandered the outer portions of the palace curiously. 

After hearing a small sound, like a whimper, from one of the benches in a secluded part of the garden, Leilani investigated, wondering if it was someone who needed help.  

Curled up on the bench was a slender, eerily pale young woman, maybe two or three years older than Leilani.

The islander's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the beautiful, pale woman, and for a long moment, all she could do was stare.  So pretty…, she thought.  The pale woman didn't seem to notice her, but whimpered again.

That shocked Leilani from her stupor.  "Hello?"

The older woman gasped and slid off her bench to kneel, bowing her head.

"Y-you don't need to do that," Leilani stammered.

"S-sorry, lady," the other stammered back, shifting so she was sitting on the ground, crosslegged, rather than kneeling.

Leilani sat beside her.  "It's all right.  Are you okay?  You sounded hurt…"

"I'm fine, lady," the pale woman murmured. She was practically radiating heat.

"But you're so hot," whispered the healer.

"From the Academy, lady," she replied.

Leilani looked blank.

"I-I work with the students, to make sure they don't hurt one another," the pale woman tried to explain.

"Oh.  I… see," said Leilani carefully.  She really didn't.

The other fell silent, watching Leilani through her lashes.

"Um…," the waterbender said after a moment.  "Do… I mean… are you sure you're not hurt?  I can help…"

"I'm fine, lady." The albino sounded a little nervous.

Leilani subsided at that.  "All right."

The pale woman relaxed a little, then flinched again.

The dark-haired woman opened her mouth, then closed it.  A moment's hesitation, and she slipped away.

The other woman remained there for several minutes, then slowly got to her feet and headed back into the palace.