When I get back from the market, I immediately look around for Lia. I don't see her though--she must be outside. I walk to the back of the tea shop, look into Uncle's rock garden--and freeze.

She's out back, all right. With Uncle. But it's not that fact that has be staring in shock, no, not that.

Lia... my daughter, the only waterbender in the world more powerful than me, the one who can bend with her MIND... is firebending.

My WATERBENDER daughter is FIREBENDING.

I sink to the ground, only able to watch as Uncle teaches her several basic moves, and she moves through them like a natural. She's a prodigy as a firebender just like she is as a waterbender.

After awhile, Uncle sees me, and says something to Lia. She nods eagerly and starts doing some strange sort of squat.

Uncle walks over to me, and there's something like anger in his eyes. "Come with me."

I don't argue, I just follow him through the tea shop and up into his room. He sits down, crossleged, and motions for me to do the same.

I do.

"I have told you how I spent some time in the Spirit World after my son's death." I nod, because he has. He looks at me with dark eyes.

"While I was there, I learned some things about bending. The only reason the Avatar can hold all four elements inside him, is because the Avatar Spirit is bound to Rava, the Spirit of Light. She keeps the power from destroying the Avatar's human body. No human can hold more than one element without being destroyed."

"So, what, Lia is a second Avatar?"

"No. The Avatar Spirit is passed on when the Avatar dies. But that power can be passed on in other ways. Avatar Roku was a member of the Fire Nation's Royal Family line. That line is full of very powerful firebenders."

His eyes are hard now, and suddenly I understand where he's going with this. He KNOWS.

I look away from him, I can't meet his eyes. I should have known better than to lie to Uncle.

He reaches out and grabs my wrists--the fire-water tattoos that swirl around each of my wrists and disappear into my robe are clearly visible. I mentally trace their path, up my arms and down my back, meeting the pair that twirl around my ankles and up my legs. Suddenly I can FEEL the marks on my face, the waterflames that literally dance when I'm angry.

"Zuko told me how your marriage was Blessed by the Spirits. I have seen Lia bend water with her mind. This is something only certain Spirits can do, Katara. The only way for her to bend with her mind, to bend both fire and water, is for her to be the result of a Blessing in an Avatar's line."

He falls silent, and I feel tears on my face. I just nod, unable to speak.

"Why did you lie?"

The question echoes in my head. Why DID I lie? What was the point? There was never any possibility that Lia could be anyone's daughter but Zuko's.

"I- I didn't want her to be Zuko's daughter."

Looking up, I see that Uncle doesn't look angry anymore. He looks lost. "Why?" He whispers the word. Suddenly I find myself again, and myself is angry.

"Because he's a monster! And I never want him to hurt her like he hurt me!"

"You loved him once."

"That was a long time ago, Iroh. I was a different person then."

"Who are you NOW, Katara? Who will you become?" His questions frustrate me--I don't know the answers. I'm angry and confused and afraid, so afraid.

"I don't- I-"

"Who are YOU? Who do you want to be? It is time for you to face your past, Katara, and move on! Who are you?"

"I'M WHO HE MADE ME!" With my shout echoing in the air, I run from the room, leaving a trail of tears in my wake.

And I don't know if the tears are from anger, fear, frustration... or the deep, aching sadness that echoes in my empty heart.

_____

What WILL Iroh do now? XD

Five comments and I'll update, as per usual. ;D