Sokka and Zuko were still outside of Norem's house when Tu Cho caught up with them. "Listen," Zuko told Sokka, "I'm going inside. Can you stay and keep an eye out for Azula?"
"Sure," Sokka nodded. "Anything you need."
"I'm going in too," Tu Cho said, catching the pair of young men off guard as they hadn't seen her yet.
"Before you do..." Sokka said. "Can I talk to you?"
Tu Cho nodded. "Go ahead, Zuko. I'll be in soon." Zuko walked away from the couple.
Tu Cho took a deep breath and sat beside Sokka. "I really am okay, Sokka."
"You're not," Sokka said. "You've been distant and moody for most of the trip."
"I wasn't distant or moody the other night."
"No, you weren't." Sokka looked at Tu Cho. "But you became even moodier afterward. Do you..." Sokka looked away from his wife. "Do you regret marrying me?"
"Sokka!" Tu Cho was mortified. "Of course I don't regret marrying you! What would possess you to make you ask me such a thing?"
Sokka hung his head. "I'm sorry, it's just... well, Kita barley knows who I am. She barely has object permanence, let alone long term memory. You could tell her any random person was her dad and she'd believe you. I feel like I'm never around. I missed her first words and her first steps, her first instance of bending, I missed everything. I feel like a let down as a father. And then this whole trip you've been, well, as distant as I feel..."
"Oh Sokka." Tu Cho laid her head on her husband's shoulder. "I'm sorry. This is my fault... I didn't ask for it to be this way, I'm just worried. Worried about Iroh and Kita, and, most of all, Azula. It's too late for me to fix my relationship with my sister." Tears welled in her eyes. "If I'd known what she needed when I was younger, I could have been there for her." Sobs stared in Tu Cho's throat. "Now she won't or can't accept my love or guidance and father drove her insane and now, now she's antisocial and schizophrenic and..."
Sokka hugged her to his chest. "Tu Cho, I promise to be there more. For you and Kita. I can't change Azula but I can help you. You can talk to me about anything, at any time. I'm here for you, my love."
Tu Cho took a deep breath. "How can I love you more today than the day we got married?" Tu Cho kissed her husband and wiped her face. "I should go in now..." Tu Cho didn't move from her husband's arms.
Sokka smiled. "Or you could just stay here with me..."
Tu Cho nodded into his chest, breathing in his sent and calming herself. "That was a good night..."
"What?" Sokka asked.
"When we snuck away from camp the other night..." Tu Cho looked up at Sokka with a teasing expression, "...and nearly lost your tunic."
Sokka gave a crooked smile and moved his necklace around. "The hicky is still there."