Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the plot.

I; Home

Its been 3 years since she left her home behind.

No, she wasn't talking about Gaoling, the place where she was born. The place where no one knew her name, not before Lao and Poppy Beifong revealed that they do have a child and announced that their precious little girl is missing.

She wasn't talking about the Earth Rumble VI either. Sure, its a big part of her life, and despite the bruises, calluses, and wounds, there's not a day she don't sigh and thought to herself, man, am I glad to have the gut to go to that earth bending tournament. She remember the laughing, the mocking, the awe from the audiences when she shows up, and the disbelief. Most of all, she remember getting her butt whooped and whooping plenty of big, buff guy's butts. She loves the place, even though she's not sure it loves her right back.

And she wasn't talking about her precious big house, either. The place was never a home for her. It was a merely big house, filled with antiques, guards, her parent's business partners, and rules. It was never a home for her, just like how Lao and Poppy was never a parents to her. They love her, but she never could love them back.

When she was little, she thought home was a place you're familiar with. A place you'd never get lost in. A place where you could sit back and relax, without any real danger coming towards your way. A place where you could sleep safely and where breakfast will be ready at mornings and dinner will be ready at nights. She thought home was a place build of stones and walls. A place where you know exactly where's the bathroom is, or the bedroom, or the dining room. A place with hallways, balconies, gardens, doors and windows, curtains, and stairs.

3 years ago, she realised that all those things weren't exactly home. They're just house.

When the 100 Years War was over, she returned to Ba Sing Se safely, as she didn't want to return to her parents in Gaoling. She thought that home is everywhere, now that there's no real danger upon her. Now that she can sit back and relax, and she can sleep whenever she wanted to without worrying about people trying to kill her. She was given a nice house with hallways and windows and doors and stairs, and remember thinking, sweet, my own home! She remember being so dingly dang excited about her life, now that she has no responsibility and she can do whatever the hell she wants.

But as days passed by, she realised that she's… Lonely. Everyone adores her. Everyone saluted her. The try to talk to her and be her friends - or even worse, lover. She could literally ask anyone to be friend and they'd say yes. She shouldn't feel lonely, but here she is.

Everyone loves her because she invented metal bending. They love her because she trained the Avatar. Everyone loves her because she's only 12 when she helped saving the world. Everyone loves Toph Beifong, but no one loves Toph.

Only now that she realised that home, to her, is the opposite of what she thought it was. Its not familiar. Not at first. She was irritated by Katara's demanding attitude, she thought Sokka's sense of humour is annoying, and she thought Aang was too weak to become an earth bender. She didn't want to leave her house in Gaoling back then, but she did, and these three strange, unfamiliar stranger becomes the best thing she ever knew.

She remembers being lost at her home, too. She remembers the time she and Sugar Queen had a huge fight. She remembers feeling scared, because she always thought of Katara as the sister she never had, even though she wouldn't ever admit it. When they were fighting, she was always afraid of losing her. Sure, she's irritating and can be demanding and act so motherly sometimes, but she don't want to lose her.

She can't exactly sitting back and relax either. She face real dangers everyday. The old wounds and bruises that she got from Earth Rumble VI began to come back, and it multiplies. She remember not knowing what it feels like to not having wounds and bruises and scars.

There's no guarantee that breakfast will be there by morning and dinner will be there by night. She was used to eating some of the best dish served in a fancy plate, but she'd choose the fishes and meats she captured with her friends together was tastier than a chef cooked meal any day.

And home, to her, certainly isn't build of stones. It has no windows, no doors, no stairs, no hallways, no balconies, and no gardens.

To her, home is not the place where she were expected to be silent. Home is not the place where everyone thinks she's fragile, and vulnerable, and weak. Home is not the place with the family who rarely talks to each other. Home is not the place where she has to smile and says that everything is fine so they won't hear the truth rattling behind her teeth. Home is not the place where she was expected to be a lady, to be soft and small, to be everything her parents want her to be. Its not the place where one single mistake is unforgivable.

To her, home is the way she fight in her friend's side. Its how they will have her back, and she will have theirs. It's the feeling of wind on her face when she's flying on Appa's back. Its Katara's soothing words. Her water bending skills. Her fierce personality. Her loving and caring nature, her soft hands, and the scent of coconut that she has. Its Sokka's twisted sense of humour, his ability to make people laugh. His plans and strategies and how he was so protective towards the one he loves. His rough, scarred hands. Its also Aang's light footsteps and his gentle nature. Its the way he couldn't learn earth bending easily because he's so soft - unlike the earth.

Home, to her, is their heartbeats. She has listened to many performers that sang in her house in Gaoling, but nothing compares to their heartbeats. It may sound creepy, but she listened to it when they were asleep. She listened to it when they were being attacked. She listened to it in between their laughs and in between their words. She listened to it when she was scared. Their heartbeats is a proof that they're alive and well, and that's all she needed to know.

Home, to her is being capable of being Toph, Toph Beifong, and The Blind Bandit at the same time. Its being able to become those three person separately, and being able to become neither of those. She knew they'd still love her either way. Home is Sugar Queen, Snoozles, and Twinkle Toes. She loves them deeply, and they love her right back.

Home, to her, is the three people she hasn't seen for so long. Its the three people she ran to with tears in her eyes a few hours ago. Its the brother and sister who was sleeping in front of her and the other who is sitting on Appa's head. Just like old times.

3 years ago, when the 100 Years War ended, she left her home. But a few hours ago, she returned to it, and she has no plan on leaving it ever again.

Author's note: Hey! Thanks for clicking this story, and decided that you want to read it! Reviews, follows, and favourites are much appreciated :)