Title: TW02:Worst Case Scenario
Rated T
Summary: Death hadn't always been a hard concept for her to grasp. Tokka one-shot
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender
A/N: I've read a few different versions of this scene since most Tokka fans like myself didn't seem satisfied with the Tokka portion of the finale, and I wanted to write my own take. I personally don't think this one-shot reflects my best work but oh well, it's something. This attempt is for Tokka Week, day two. I admit, I probably over did the angst but this is seriously how I thought it was going to turn out….well, sort of. I guess I improvised and tweaked it so that it would be a more adult ending.
Warning: Character death.
--
"Sokka, I'm slipping!" Toph cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't bother to fight them. Below her, Toph could feel the heat of the flames tickling her feat. It wasn't a pleasant feeling to say in the least, and she gasped as his grip loosened again.
She couldn't see. All she could hear was Sokka's grunt and a whoosh sound, the sound that boomerang made. Crackling flames danced beneath her and Toph could actually hear her heart pump ten times louder than normal. "It looks like boomerang didn't come back, Toph." He shouted down to her, groaning in pain afterwards. Toph knew he had hurt his leg while he was trying to save her and Suki; he was trying with all his might to hold onto her.
This wasn't the way things were supposed to end. She couldn't be the one who had to die. After all, it was her who did agree to help teach Aang how to master Earthbending. Toph figured that was enough good karma to help her live for a while longer. She was wrong; her clammy hand released it's grip slowly from the Watertribe warrior's hold. 'What a wonderful ending.' Toph thought bitterly, feeling more tears escape her milky-green eyes. 'I die while Suki lives happily ever after with Sokka. The end. Yeah, that's going to be a great bed time story for the kids.'
"Toph! Can you hear me!?"
"Yes!" She called back to him, finding that her voice was hoarse. Toph heard him sigh painfully. "Toph, I don't want to let you go. Hold on tighter!"
"Give up!" One fire nation soldier barked. "We have you surrounded! If you surrender now, we won't kill you…yet."
"Don't listen to him Toph!" Sokka exclaimed angrily; his demand was followed by an Umph….It seemed like Sokka used his uninjured leg to kick someone away. "I need you! Don't you dare let go!"
"Sokka, I can't hold on any longer!" As she cried this out, her grasp slipped even more. Now, Sokka was holding her by the tips of her fingers.
"No!" Sokka shouted. "Toph!"
So this was it. This was farewell. For a moment, silence encased her. Toph heard nothing but the sound of her beating heart, pounding viciously from the fear. Death hadn't always been a hard concept for her to grasp, especially since she was raised during the war. To think if she had just stood put and allotted herself to become a prisoner within her own home, she wouldn't be in this situation. Toph wouldn't have had any adventures, any friends….
"Toph…" Sokka's cry was weak, it sounded as if he was breaking. Toph took a breath to calm herself as the heat below her became intolerable. This really was the end….
"Sokka, I …I can't." She said in monotone. "I'm sorry…" Sokka closed his eyes as he tried with all his might to get a better grasp on her as her fingers escaped his own. "I love you."
"Toph!"
And as Toph Bei Fong fell to her fiery death, she realized that dying wasn't the worst thing that could ever happen to her. When she heard his last cry of anguish she knew death would be more unpleasant if she had never gotten a chance to know him, if they had never met at all.
--
In the end, Aang and Zuko restored peace and balance to the world. In the end, Suki had been fine; she had rushed to his aid soon as she was able to.
In the end, he had let go.
Sokka hated himself now more than ever. When his sister and friends united her absence was the first thing Aang had noticed. With help from Pakku, Katara, Aang and a few other water sources they killed the massive fires in hopes that they could find her body. Destiny had been on Aang's side; hope wasn't on Sokka's.
After Zuko's coronation, he hosted a small memory funeral. Aang had held Katara close as she cried into his shoulder while Suki tried to comfort Sokka best she could. He was in a state of shock, a stunned state. No one, he figured, would ever be able to understand how he was feeling. When asked to speak final words on Toph's behalf, he couldn't even find his voice.
He remained in this state for a month. Suki, having done all she could do, gave up on Sokka….and their close relationship had drifted apart.
He found himself by her memorial once again, when everyone was asleep. He had found himself there every night. He didn't speak, he didn't cry. All he could do was think.
His heart was torn and he felt there was no possible way it could be mended.
Crisp air brought him back to reality and pain once more. He nodded, knowing it was prodding him to go inside and get sleep.
"I'm sorry Toph," He whispered as the wind pushed its' way past him. "I hope you know that I love you."
He turned around to go back inside, smiling for the first time in months as the musical breeze imitated her voice:
"Love you too, Snoozles. And I always will."
-Fin-
A/N: Please don't kill me! I apologize for this one-shot; I guess I'm so pissed off with Breaking Dawn (Final book in the Twilight saga), I took it out in my writing. Yeah, I understand if you readers think this one-shot is crap. I wasn't really trying, that's why I don't think it reflects my best work. Sorry for killing off Toph, but like I said, I sometimes take my anger out in my writing. Thanks for reading. Happy Tokka week!
"Never let go of the one you truly love"
-December'sRose