Hey everyone, this is my first ATLA story! This show has to be, by far, my favorite show. Also, I have always shipped Toph and Sokka and was a little (AKA completely) upset that they did not end up together. But, I guess that is what the imagination is for right? Anyways onto the story!

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender…but I am pretty sure that I am a water bender. I know…shocking!

Oh! By the way, Toph is 16, Sokka is 20, and Aang and Katara are 17.

A man in all black looked over his shoulder as he began to sweat. He thought he heard footsteps coming his way, and he could not get caught. Shaking his head, he continued to put jewel after jewel into his bag. Although, he heard that many men in his same position were caught and badly hurt doing what he was doing, he didn't allow himself to stop. Everyone in the house was in bed he was sure of that. After all, he knew their schedules. He was hired here to protect a little, helpless blind girl and he couldn't believe his luck; they were filthy rich. How hard could it be to steal from two parents that were always out for business and a little girl who couldn't even see?! Chuckling to himself he grabbed a couple of earrings before freezing when he heard;

"Hey, hotshot, you should take the necklace too, it costs a fortune."

Turning with trembling hands the man put his hands up in surrender, allowing the bag to hit the floor, "Beifong? Is that you?"

"Yes, genius, it's me. Now give me that bag, or else."

Laughing the man reached down to pick the bag back up, "Or else what? You gonna trip over your own feet like you did in the garden last week?"

The girl smirked and moved into a fighting stance; it took only one flick of her wrist to silence any laughter the man had left.

"Sokka, we are not leaving him here! It's freezing! He will get sick!" a blue eyed girl with a long dark haired braid cried to her brother.

"Oh, you didn't seem to mind about me getting sick when you were splashing me with your magic water!" Sokka crossed his arms.

Katara gritted her teeth in frustration and whispered, "It isn't magic! I told you it's bending!"

"Bending shmending! This bald kid and his over sized polar puppy are not coming with us!"

Said boy gave a shy smile and sheepishly replied, "Um, Appa is an air bison."

"What the hell is an Appa!" Sokka turned to the tattooed teenager.

"It's not what, it's who. My so called 'polar puppy' is an air bison named Appa."

Sokka looked at Katara with an agitated yet curious look. They both knew that air bison's were extinct and that everyone only knew about them because of ancient stories told around bonfires.

Katara walked over to the boy and said, "Sorry, um what's your name again? I'm Katara and that goof ball is my brother Sokka."

"I'm A-Aang, and that's Appa, my air bison!" Sokka shook his head at the boy. He was getting flustered and glazed eyed over his little sister all because she asked for his name.

Smiling kindly at Aang, Katara chuckled, "I know, you said that already. Anyway, sorry that my brother is being so rude it's just that. How do you have an air bison?"

"Everyone at the air temple has an air bison! Have you guys never been there before?"

Katara put her hand over her mouth and looked wide eyed at her brother. Aang had no idea that the air temple was gone for many years now. "Aang, the air temple doesn't exist anymore."

Sokka sighed, "This kid is already sick, Katara, leaving him here couldn't make him any worse."

Her eyebrow twitching, Katara swung her arm effectively trapping Sokka's body in a block of ice with her 'magic water'. "Aang come with us, we'll take you back with us to our village and explain everything to you. Okay?"

Still shaking his head from the previous news, Aang nodded and didn't even blush when Katara grabbed his hand.

"Well, my smart sister, how do you plan on getting us back to the village when you broke our boat?!"

"We can fly on Appa!" Aang smiled at Katara.

Katara smiled back and thanked Aang as he helped her onto his animal friend. Sokka crossed his arms and mumbled, "Great, now the fur ball flies too! And Katara says there's no magic."

After Sokka was done screaming from the long flight back to the village—the stupid animal flew, who knew, right?—he slid off of Appa and began walking towards the igloo he shared with Katara and his Gran-gran. As he walked he noticed a ship at the edge of the icy bay. Squinting his eyes, he also noticed that there was an Earth Kingdom symbol on the side of the ship.

Eyes widening, Sokka ran back to Aang and Katara, grabbed both of their arms, and pushed them back onto Appa. "What's wrong now, Sokka?" Katara sighed.

"I saw some ships near the bay. Whenever a nation comes to the villages, something goes wrong. You two need to leave now. Don't come back until you see that the ships are gone!" Seeing Katara's defiant stance he grabbed her shoulders, "Promise me that you will stay out of sight, both of you."

Katara opened her mouth to argue but was interrupted when Aang put a hand on Sokka's shoulder, "I promise to take care of your sister."

Sokka felt an odd twinge of pride towards the stranger he had met only earlier today and whispered, "Thank, you."

Hands grabbing for Sokka, Katara yelled her brother's name as Aang called out the command 'Yipp, yipp' to have Appa soaring through the sky.

Turning back to his igloo, Sokka ran towards it to make sure Gran-gran was alright. "Gran! Gran!"

"I am alright, Sokka, I'm in the living space." Replied Gran-gran.

Sokka relaxed and smiled when he heard the familiar sound of his Grandmother's voice. "Thank god you're ok. I thought one of the boulder heads from the Earth Kingdom had you or some-"

Shutting his mouth, the blue eyed warrior gave his Gran a confused look. Why did she look so worried? That was when he noticed that one of the 'boulder heads' was standing in front of Gran-gran. Worried once again, Sokka pulled out his boomerang and blocked the Earth Kingdom officer from coming any closer to the old woman he loved.

"Sokka, no!" Gran-gran grabbed his hand.

"Ah, that is what I like to see," Sokka turned to see a man with black and grey hair looking at him, "a man that is willing to fight and protect without hesitation. Boy, do you understand that all my men are holding dangerous weapons that could out match your boomerang any day?"

Sokka, a little embarrassed now, put his weapon on the table beside him.

"Besides that, I complement you on your passion for those who you protect." The man, now looking at Sokka's grandmother said, "And you, you told me that all the men in the village left for war."

"I just recently turned twenty, sir. So, I just technically became a man only a few weeks ago. It must have slipped her mind. She is quite old after all," Gran-gran gasped and hit Sokka on the side of his head, yup, that's where Katara got her spirit.

"Hmm, well then all is forgiven. But, you, boy,—"

"Sokka, my name is Sokka."

The room went silent and one of the Earth Kingdom guards pushed himself straight into Sokka's face and yelled, "Don't you dare interrupt Mr. Beifong again, you worthless water peasant—"

"Enough, enough, Chang, he meant no disrespect. Now, Sokka, I'm going to need you to come to the Earth Kingdom with me for both business and personal reasons."

"Sir, I am going to have to politely decline. I have to stay here to work for and protect my people."

Mr. Beifong smiled a tight smile, "I came here first only for supplies, but, now that I have seen you I believe that you are a necessity that I am going to need. You see my daughter, she is blind and helpless. Unfortunately, do to business; I am not able to be around for her often. Also, I recently found one of my men stealing from my wife. He was, shockingly, already tied up and beaten for what he had done but the damage was done, and I had to fire him from his duties. I need someone with heart, passion, and strength. I see that in you. So, Sokka, although I am a very lenient man, I am not offering you a choice here. You must accept."

Sokka turned to his Gran-gran and mouthed, 'No'. Gran-gran closed her eyes which had filled with tears and when she opened them again, the tears were gone. "My grandson would be honored to protect your daughter, Mr. Beifong."

The dark haired man smiled and nodded his head respectively to the older woman, "Thank you for your willingness. I appreciate this on behalf of me and my family."

Gran-gran smiled coldly and asked, "May I have a few minutes alone with my grandson?"

"Of course, come men. We will be waiting for you on the ship, Sokka." The men left in a straight line, one after the other as they followed their leader.

"Gran, I cannot go the Earth Kingdom! You, Katara, the village...you all need me!" Sokka cried as he knelt to his grandmother's height who sat in a chair.

"Sokka, I know. I do not wish for you to leave but, Mr. Beifong is a strong political man in all the nations. I fear what he will do to not only us but also the village if we were to refuse."

"Father—"

"Would be proud for the sacrifice you are providing for the tribe, now go say goodbye to your sister."

Sokka hugged his grandmother, and that is when she let her tears fall.

Grabbing his one bag, that contained all that he owned, Sokka blinked the annoying tears from his eyes as he walked towards the ship. Looking up at the sky, a part of him wished Aang and Katara would sweep in now to say goodbye. But, that was selfish. His sister needed to be kept safe and weirdly enough, he trusted that odd air bender with her.

Shifting the bag to his other shoulder, Sokka took in a deep breath as he got ready for a long journey. And although so much was on his mind, he couldn't help but wonder;

Did he pack enough seal jerky?

Lol I had to add a little humor at the end. It was getting to depressing. Tell me how you all like it so far! Thanks for reading!

*Sue-per Z