One year later.... 
    ***SMUT WARNING***
    "Oh, Zuko~" Rose teased, stepping out to show off her new lingerie. As his gaze landed on her, his eyes grew wide. "You like?"
    "Oh, I like it a lot." he said, gulping. "Other than our one-year engagement anniversary, what's the occasion?"
    "Maybe I just wanted some attention from the Fire Lord." she teased again.
    He smirked. "That can be arranged."
    Within moments, his lips were on hers, lifting her so he could carry her to their shared bed. Once there, she wiggled free of him. "Not yet. You have to find me first."
    That said, she disappeared. 
    Zuko chuckled. Ever since the war ended, his relationship with Rose had only gotten better. No longer did they have to hide how they felt...and his lovely fiancé was taking full advantage of that fact. Even though he hadn't been much for PDA before, he'd grown to love letting the world know exactly who his beautiful lover belonged to. With that happy relationship, the pair had taken to experimenting with...other parts of their life. It had become a kind of game with them. She found a new way to tease her lover, he played along, and everything become that much better.
   He chased after her, only to find she had seemingly disappeared from sight. He began looking around the palace, cursing that it was a little too big when he was looking for one naughty Avatar. Through the corridors he went, eventually sneaking into the kitchen. Cabinets were hastily opened yet she wasn't there.
   He heard a noise down the hall, and he took off after it. Ducking into one room after the other, Zuko found no sign of his future bride. Finally, he threw open a room he hadn't entered in years. Hearing a noise, he rushed through it, tossing over furniture, not caring about the noise he made or the mess the servants would have to clean tomorrow.
    At the end of the room was a large, ornate wardrobe. Zuko carelessly flung it open to reveal the object of his affections. "Found you." he growled, huskily.
    Rose smirked, leaning in for a kiss, only to duck under his arm as she rushed to the door. Zuko was faster this time and he swooped her up and into his waiting arms. "No more teasing, naughty minx."
   "It doesn't seem to have caused any problems." She gestured to where his pants tented up as his erection tried to break through the fabric to get to her.
   "Oh, there's a problem alright and you're going to fix it." 
   That said, he carried her to the nearest piece of furniture: a large lounge chair. His lips captured hers in an instant. Clothes were quickly discarded, hers being practically ripped off of her body. The time for teasing was over, a fact that was easily understood by both of them. His gaze alighted on her, asking permission even after all this time. She nodded. 
    With one smooth movement, they were joined together again. Many rounds would follow until they returned to their room where they finally fell asleep.
     ***end of smut***
    Zuko lay in his oversized bed, one arm around the woman he loved, when a sound suddenly woke him. He leapt out of bed, waking Rose. "Zuko? What's wrong?"
    He grabbed her, pulling her to his side, as he prepared himself for a fight. Racing to the door, he threw it open and confronted the guards outside. "Someone's here! I can feel it! Someone's trying to assassinate us!"
    "Fire Lord," one of the guards began, "please, go back to sleep. We're in the most secure tower of the palace. No one will bother you tonight."
    As the other guard readily agreed, Zuko grew angry. "Do not mock me! There have already been five attempts on my life since I took the throne! And my wife--"
   Rose placed a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko, nothing will happen--"
   A sudden noise caused Zuko to firebend at his would-be opponent. The woman appeared from nowhere, attacking him and shouting for his death. They fought. At some point, she knocked him to the ground and Rose intervened, knocking the woman aside with airbending, locking her in place with earthbending, and using airbending again to whip off her scarf.
   She helped up Zuko who smiled lovingly at her before turning an angry gaze on what wasn't a woman but a teenage girl. "Convince me not to take your life." Zuko commanded.
    "Go ahead!" the girl spat. "My family has been loyal to yours for generations. By killing me, you'll only complete your betrayal!"
    "Your family?" he asked in surprise.
    "My father is the mayor of Yu Dao! And now you and your precious Avatar are going to ruin it with the Harmony Restoration Movement!"
    Rose and Zuko only looked at each other in shock.
                           * * * * *
    Hours later, the pair had dressed in their fancy clothing and took a group of men with them and the girl to Yu Dao. When the mayor learned where his daughter had been, he looked up in surprise as the Fire Lord and his future wife approached him.
   He fell on his face as he begged for forgiveness.
   "I should have this place burned to the ground!" 
   Rose caught his arm. "Zuko, calm down! Threatening them isn't the way to motivate them. They need to understand that we're doing this for peace."
    "Peace?" the mayor went on to explain how their people built the city and had the right to be there. "Your father would not have let the Avatar and the Earth King bully him into so obviously bad for his own nation's citizens!"
   Rose lost her temper then. "Excuse you, I never bullied Zuko into anything!"
   "Take it back!" Zuko shouted. "She is to be my wife and you will show her the respect she deserves!" The mayor scoffed and Zuko lost his temper, firebending and grabbing the mayor by the throat. "Not only do you disrespect the future queen, you disrespect me! I am not my father!"
   "No. I guess not."
                            * * * * *
   Meanwhile, Aang, Sokka, and Katara had been working on the Harmony Restoration Movement, moving Fire Nation colonies back to their homeland. Aang tried to reassure each group they brought back that it was what was best for everyone.
   With one of their last set of groups, the guards stopped them in the middle of unloading. "Return to the Earth Kingdom, by order of the Fire Lord! Fire Lord Zuko has officially withdrawn his support of the Harmony Restoration Movement!"
   The group gasped in surprise.
                             * * * * *
   As the group headed to Yu Dao to figure out what was going on, they were joined by Toph. They explained what they'd learned, Katara looking worried as she realized that Aang might have no choice but to fulfill the promise he'd made to Zuko a year ago....
                             * * * * *
    While they flew to the city, Rose wandered outside the gates of the city. After the mayor's outburst, Zuko had declared he needed some time to think on what to do and sent her away. Rose felt conflicted when she received the news of Zuko's decision. It didn't help that he refused to face her when the truth came out.
    What was going on with him? Why would he shut her out? It was almost like when they had shared their first kiss and he had accused her of trying to control him because it was easier for him than admitting he'd fallen in love with the woman that was supposed to be his enemy.
   She'd consulted every Avatar she could think of and they all said the same thing--no matter what, she had to protect the world, even if that meant destroying her soulmate. She returned from her meditation feeling more conflicted than before. Yet she had no time to dwell on it as she saw the rest of Team Avatar (sans Aurora) arrive on Appa and she ran to greet them.
    Rose hugged Aang first, commenting on how much he'd grown the past year. "You look great too, sis!" he said with a smile. She turned her attention to the rest of her friends, hugging each in kind and commenting on how they had all changed in a year.
    "You definitely look like a queen." Katara observed. "Speaking of, what's going on with your future hubby?"
    Rose's expression turned sour. "I don't know. He'd sent me away to think about what to do then shut me out when I tried to get answers. I've tried talking. He just won't listen to me anymore."
    "Sounds like trouble in paradise to me." said a familiar voice and the group turned to see Smellerbee at the head of the protestors who had been yelling about peace. "Time for talking is over. You're the Avatar, Rose. Time to fight."
    "I refuse to fight my future husband and my literal soulmate. If he won't talk to me, maybe he'll talk to both of us." she said, turning to Aang.
    "Let's go. Ready, sweetie?" he asked Katara.
    Katara smiled and responded, "Always, sweetie."
    The pair got on Aang's airglider and took off. "Sweetie?" Toph asked, blanching.
     Sokka agreed. "It's giving me oogies almost as bad as the two weirdos swapping spit."
    "I think it's sweet." Rose defended. "And, honestly, I don't get offended when you swap spit with Suki so kindly hush up. Byeeee!"
   With that, she aetherbended herself through a portal and into the city. Inside, the guards and the mayor were waiting for them. "This city is under the divine protection of the Fire Lord himself! No one may enter without his express permission, not even the Avatar and her Guardian! Leave now!"
   "Well, good thing I wasn't asking for permission." Rose shot back.
   Just as a fight broke out, Zuko appeared and shouted, "Everyone, that is enough! No harm is to come to my future wife or her friends!"
   The fight immediately stopped. "Zuko, what's wrong with you?!" Aang shouted.
   "What's wrong with me?! You attacked a city under my protection!"
    "No." Rose said. "You shut me out. We're supposed to be in this together. Why wouldn't you just talk to me?" Her eyes filled with tears.
   Zuko sighed. "Because you wouldn't understand."
    "Understand what, Zuko?" Aang cut in. "That you betrayed our trust? You've forgotten what we all fought for. And maybe I need to keep my promise."
    "What promise?" Rose asked, her voice icy.
    "Rose, I can explain." Zuko said, slowly approaching her.
    "He made me promise to kill him if he went bad." 
    Rose's gaze was full of fury. "YOU DID WHAT?!?!" She turned her poisonous glare onto Aang. "And you agreed to this? I thought you were my friend."
   "I am your brother. It's my job to protect you."
   "It's no one's job to protect me. I am the protector." Her eyes began to glow as she lost her temper. "No one controls me and no one hurts what is rightfully mine."
   The group of guards began to be blown away in the wind she conjured around herself. Zuko shouted for them to leave and ran to Rose's side. "Rose, please, don't do this. I love you. I've always loved you. I messed up by making Aang make that promise and I'm sorry. Please, forgive me."
   With his hand entwined in hers, she lost her fire and fell into his waiting arms. With a kiss, he woke her up. 
    Moments later, they walked through Yu Dao and Zuko explained what had happened after he sent Rose away. Aang argued that the five nations must be kept separate. Rose, who had been quiet the entire time finally spoke.
    "You're wrong." Everyone looked at her in surprise. "Aurora taught me that separation of the five nations is an illusion. Yes, every nation is different, but all are the same in a way. Every citizen of every nation both wants and deserves peace. Perhaps the path to peace is allowing some members of the nations to coexist. 
    "Think of it like this: the Aether Realm is made up of so many different types of people. Within her walls are peoples of all nations as well as the spirits, the seers, and the casters. My brother, Will, married a princess from the Northern Water Tribe. My other brother, Jasper, a prodigy of an aetherbender, is courting a witch. And I, the Avatar, master of all elements, was born to aetherbenders, and I am marrying a firebender.
    "We're not all so different as the world may make us seem. The war with the Fire Nation left us divided but, maybe, if we were to let go of the illusion of separation and come together, peace will follow."
    "Of course, you'd agree with him." Aang said in annoyance.
    "Before we make any decision, we need to talk to the Earth King." Katara cut in. "Zuko, would you be willing to arrange a meeting with him to talk?"
    "Whatever I have to do." Zuko agreed.
    Rose shook her head as she added, "Someday, you'll all see that I'm right."
                         * * * * *
    While the rest of Team Avatar headed out to meet with the Earth King, Rose and Zuko headed back to the palace. Zuko sent his servants away and turned his attention to the woman he loved. "Rose, I--"
   "What's wrong with you, Zuko? You've been lying to me for I don't know how long."
   "I never wanted to lie to you." Zuko tried to smooth things over diplomatically. "I just thought-"
   "You thought you'd sacrifice yourself when things got too hard? I thought we were in this together, Zuko? Isn't that the point of us being engaged to be married? For better or worse? Have you forgotten about our soulbond? How do you think I'd feel knowing my other half was gone, living the rest of my life as only half of myself because you sacrificed yourself to my brother?"
    "I'm sorry. I--"
    "What's wrong with you? What are you so afraid of?"
    "I just don't want to turn into my father, ok?" Zuko finally burst out. "I'm terrified I'll mess up and become just like him."
    Rose embraced him, pulling her beloved into her arms. "You're nothing like your father, Zuko. You're a great man and a great king. And, no matter what, I will be here for you all the way. I'm your queen, remember? I love you so much, but you have to trust me."
   Zuko hung his head at her words. "You're doing it again. Just like when you first kissed me. Instead of being willing to admit you loved me, you know what you did? You pulled away and shut me out; you accused me of trying to control you because it was easier than admitting the truth. Now, instead of telling me the truth, you shut me out again because what? It's easier than admitting you have to go back on your word because it's the only way to bring peace? Or because it's easier to be a martyr than to admit you're afraid?"
   She sighed, stroking across his scar. "You know you can tell me anything. I'll always understand, and I'll always be by your side. I'm not him, Zuko. My love is unconditional. Even if I think you're making the wrong decision, I'll at least hear you out. Worst case scenario, I'll advise you if I think you're making a mistake. But I trust you so please trust me."
   Zuko let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "I'm sorry. I should've trusted you from the beginning. I just--I didn't want to turn into him and have you hate me or resent our bond."
   "Oh, Zuko, I could never hate you. You're my soulmate and that means something to me." That said, she kissed him, pulling him into her arms. When they parted, she added, "And there's something else. You haven't been sleeping and I'm worried so you need real protection, not these guards. I contacted some old friends." 
   She gestured to the Kyoshi Warriors (Ty Lee as well). "They'll keep us guarded all night. Now, come to bed."
   Zuko smiled. "That I can do."
   They fell into bed together, making up for the days they were apart...
                          * * * * *
   Zuko shot awake, suddenly. Breathing heavily, he turned to his side to see Rose deep asleep, a peaceful smile on her face. He remembered thinking how beautiful she was the day they met. Now, he realized, she was even more beautiful when she was relaxed and at ease with the world. A thought then rose unbidden to his mind of her laying beside him, her belly swollen with their children and he blushed. He'd never thought of children before but after seeing how good with them she was, he felt like he wanted that with her.
   He sighed, his thoughts changing to something else. A few hours ago, as they laid together, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking, she had whispered to him, "Promise me, no more secrets between us, please? You know you can tell me anything, right?"
   He hated that there was one secret he could never tell her. He rose, pulled on his clothes, and headed for the dungeons like he had done almost every night since his coronation. Pouring a cup of tea, he set it before the prisoner, and spoke, "I need your advice...father."
    Ozai smirked, evilly.