A/N: While I was writing my first fic Just Play Along, I started having all these ideas of writing a companion piece for it, and since it had become a favorite for so many I decided why not? Just to be clear this story will center around Sokka and how he developed feelings for Toph during the year she and Satoru were separated. So without further delay, here's the sort of prequel to Just Play Along. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

1. It's Over

Sokka had just got out of the bathtub when he heard knocking at his front door. Who could that be at this hour, and in this weather too? It was coming down hard outside, raindrops pounding on the roof like loud footsteps. Sokka rushed over to open his door and was shocked to see Toph standing before him, looking completely in a daze. Though she was still in her police uniform, her hair was unbound and completely drenched, water dripping down her face due to her wet bangs.

"Toph! Spirits, what are you doing here so late? Are...Are you okay?"

"Can I come in?" She asked, her voice soft and shaky, which was unusual for her.

Sokka stepped aside so she could walk inside his home. "Yes, of course." He closed the door behind him and rushed to his hall closet to get some towels for Toph.

When he returned Toph had already discarded her armor in the corner of his small living room and was sitting quietly on his sofa, wearing only her undershirt and loose pants. Something was wrong, he knew it, and judging by how dazed Toph was it had to have been something serious. Sokka had placed the towels on Toph's lap and sat down beside her.

"Here's some towels so you can dry off," He said softly, "Is Lin alright?"

Toph let out a long sigh. "Lin's fine. She's staying with Aang and Katara tonight."

"I see." A long moment of silence stretched between them before he tried again. "Is this about Satoru? Did you guys get into another fight?" When Toph still didn't respond he sighed. "Look Toph, I don't know what's going on. You come here practically in the middle of the night, in the rain no less, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong...-"

He stopped as soon as Toph broke down sobbing, keeping her head down so he couldn't see her tears.

Toph held her breath long enough to meekly get out, "Satoru left me," before she returned back to crying.

Sokka's face fell. "What?"

"He left me, Sokka. We're separating." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I just came here unannouced, but I couldn't... -"

"Shh, it's alright," He assured as he pulled her close to him. As she laid her head against his bare chest, Sokka realized too late that he hadn't put a shirt on yet, which made him blush at they're close contact. "Sorry Toph, but you came just when I was getting out of the bath. I should at least put a shirt on-"

"Just stay with me Sokka," she interrupted, "it doesn't bother me."

Well it bothers me, a voice in the back of his head said, which wasn't necessarily true. A part of him didn't mind holding his best friend like this, however, another part of him was concerned with how he holding his technically still married best friend like this would look, it was inappropriate. In the end he just sighed and held onto his friend tighter. "Okay Toph, I'll stay."

"Thank you," she replied softly, "you're the only person in this world who probably doesn't hate me right now."

"What are you talking about, Toph? Everybody loves and respects you."

"That's only because you weren't at my house earlier tonight." She sighed. "Tonight was the biggest fight Satoru and I ever had."

"What happened?"

Toph pulled away a little bit and wiped her face. "Well first it started off like any other fight," she said simply, "but then he started going on about I should tend to my family and take more time off, and that was when I said yeah, I'll just ask the nice criminals to stop breaking the law so I can play housewife to my husband and child."

Sokka chuckled at her sarcasm. "Then what happened?"

"Like I said, biggest fight we've ever had. Satoru basically said everything from us to our marriage was too much and it shouldn't be, which ironically was the only thing we could actually agree on. So now he's moving in with his uncle until he finds his own place, and Lin's going to visit him on weekends. My marriage is over."

"Come on Toph, you're marriage isn't over," he tried to reason, "you guys just decided to separate for a while, you can still...-"

"It's over Sokka," she cut off while shaking her head, "Satoru's never going to change and neither am I. By this time next year we'll be finalizing our divorce, which will give Lin yet another reason to hate me."

Sokka sighed. "Lin doesn't hate you Toph, if anything she hates the situation and you're the only one she can take it out on."

"If you say so."

The sad, defeated tone in her voice made Sokka's heart sink in his stomach, he hated seeing Toph hurt this much. As soon as he thought of something he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I don't know if you know this Toph, but your daughter worships the ground you walk on, in her eyes you are everything. She just needs time to adjust, just like you do."

"You really think so?"

He smiled. "I know so."

A small, yet warm smile spread across Toph's face as she leaned into Sokka's arm again. "Thank you for saying that, she sighed "you're such a good friend Sokka, what would I do without you?"

"Well, for one thing you would have been stuck in the rain."

They both shared a laugh before Toph wiped another tear from her face. "Damnit, I wish this didn't hurt so much."

A sad look fell upon Sokka's face. "Yeah, I know it hurts like hell now, and I'm not going to lie it's going to hurt for long time, but you're tough, you'll make it through this. And you what, I'll be right here for you, whatever you need Toph."

The Chief of Police lifted her head and gave her old friend another sad smile before she buried her face into his shoulder and sighed. Sokka continued to hold onto his friend tighter as, in that moment he had finally come to a decision. When Suki left him all those years ago Toph was right there for him, seeing him everyday, calling him everynight, she even took time off and took him on vacation. Now the same thing was happening to her, he had to be there for her, and he will.

Don't you worry Toph, He said in his head, I'm going to be there for you every step of the way.

With that he and Toph continued to sit in silence, listening to the calming, yet pouring rain outside until they eventually fell asleep on Sokka's couch.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that, and don't worry I'm almost done with the second chapter so it should be up soon. I tried(though I don't think I did a good job) to put a little foreshadowing in this chapter, of the feelings that will soon develop between Sokka and Toph. Remember, to those who read Just Play Along this is the time when Sokka actually falls in love with Toph, though he doesn't realize it. I'm not expecting this story to be that long, maybe five, six, or seven chapters tops, and naturally the last chapter isn't going to be a happy one because of the death of Satoru, so just a heads up there. As always I appreciate any reviews and constructive criticism, and lastly I want to thank all of you guys who love my fic Just Play Along so much, I really did have a good time writing that story, which is why I wanted to write this one. Happy reading :) And until next time...

Free-Spirited Dreamer