"I like your new clothes..." Zuko rubbed the back of his head. "What was the occasion? Welcoming home?"

"I'm pregnant." You shrugged, deciding that it was easy just to admit it now. Especially since your dress lent itself to just spreading the leaves apart to showcase what was growing underneath.

Zuko choked.

"You... the family thing... Are you... Did you come back for that? To have a family with someone?" Zuko felt the anger and sadness welling up inside of him. "How could you? You're wearing my necklace! I know you said that you didn't even believe in girlfriends and boyfriends but I didn't think you'd ask me to come see you just to show me another man's--"

"It's yours, stupid." You blood bent his mouth shut. "Your baby. I came back 'cause it were too dangerous to be stayin' around all that stuff with me like this. Plus, I just wanna be with my family, you know I was missin' them."

Zuko looked like he was going to pass out.

"Plus..." You paused and then added this last note. "I... I ain't want the baby to have to be the Fire Lord..."

You felt a sudden strain against you and you released your grip on Zuko.

"But it's my baby!" Zuko protested. "My heir! Why wouldn't they be Fire Lord?!"

"Iroh said..." You stumbled. "The old man said... I'd have ta lose my baby..."

Zuko's face paled. Iroh knew. That was why he said not to bring you back. Why he said to stop making mistakes. Why he did not want him back with Mai.

If I brought her back now, and she gave birth, I'd have to marry Mai and present the child as ours. And if that child was a water bender, we'd have to exile or kill them. Zuko really did feel like passing out now.

"Mai's back." Zuko admitted. "She thinks she's my girlfriend. If you came back now and had the baby, it might push me to have to make choices that I don't want to make. Bad choices."

"So, I can't come back?" You frowned. "I wanted ta have ya be with me while the baby grew."

"They're trying to kill me anyway." Zuko admitted.

"What?" You stiffened up as the canoe drifted in circles. "Kill you?"

"Mai has saved my life once. Another time, I saved myself."

"Well, at least she's being useful..." You mumbled. "Why is they killin' ya?"

"Harmony Restoration Movement." Zuko explained. And he continued to explain for at least an hour. You dipped into the water when necessary but you heard him out. It was long, and honestly, boring, but it was important to hear.

"You know, I ain't understand why people would hate that so much ta try'n kill ya." You shrugged, getting back in the boat.

"Let me see the baby." He demanded. "I don't know when I'll have time to come back once I leave here."

You pulled your dress back and Zuko looked over at you.

"Weird." He noted.

"You is weird." You laughed. "Stupid too. Datin' some gal because you too scared to say no. Gettin' another pregnant 'cause you ain't got the restraint--"

"Hey..." He moved closer to you. "I'm... I'm not complaining about that one. Not yet."

"And you're still gonna try'n make the baby the Fire Lord?"

"I'm going to try and figure something out, YN." He looked down at your stomach and then lightly traced his fingers against it. "Fire Lord's honor."

"Shut up 'bout your honor. Lemme introduce ya to ma family"