Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

Finality

The war was finally over. One hundred years of fear and anguish had finally come to an end. The Fire Nation no longer sought the destruction of the Earth Kingdom. Instead, the world entered an era of peace, prosperity and happiness. In fact, Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang had already started to rebuild the world, restore balance and in doing so, were cleansing Fire Nation history. The future had never been brighter.

Yet something was obviously keeping Toph from celebrating this. Her role in ending the war had been a tremendous effort on her part- leaving her pampered life to teach Aang earth bending, participating in extremely dangerous plots to overthrow Fire Lord Ozai and inventing metal bending in the process.

Whilst the Gaang rejoiced, Toph hung back- something Katara could not fail to notice. She approached her.

"Is something wrong Toph?" she asked concernedly.

"I... I was wondering if my parents are ok," Toph said quietly. "It's been a while since I ran away. You wrote to them for me but they couldn't answer back seeing as I was travelling... they could even be dead for all I know..."

"Why don't you just ask Aang if he can take you to your parents? I'm sure they'll be more understanding if you tell them about everything that's happened-"

"You don't know that Katara. And neither do I. My parents didn't understand that I love to fight when I took out all those benders in front of my father, how do I know they will understand now? How do I know they will love me even though I'm not their helpless blind girl?" She sounded so uncertain- quite unlike the tough, assertive Toph Katara knew so well.

"I don't know but you have to try. Try and help them understand and if they don't, at least there will be that sense of finality. I wasn't able to let go until I confronted the monster who killed my mother," she finished bitterly.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Katara watched Sokka and Suki chatting animatedly. Zuko and Aang laughing at a joke Iroh was telling. Momo was leaping around the room, chasing a fly.

"Maybe you're right," Toph said finally. She punched Katara's shoulder, something she no doubt was expecting, and murmured her thanks. "I think I'll go and ask Aang now."

oOoOo

"You want me to fly you to your parent's house," repeated Aang, watching Toph with surprise. She nodded.

"Why?"

"I... I miss them," replied Toph a little awkwardly. "And... I want to make sure they're ok, you know, after all the problems Ozai caused."

"Ok then," was all he said.

oOoOo

This was it. Toph was standing right outside the gates of the familiar house she was once confined to. It was as grand and immaculate as it had been since she left. A pit of fear, anxiety was forming in her stomach. Maybe this was a bad idea. She could feel Aang's gaze, willing her to go on. After all, she made it this far.

She marched with as much confidence she could muster and pushed the gates open. Aang trailed behind her. Beyond them were two guards, standing on either side of the grand, front doors.

"Toph...?" one guard began, clearly astonished, but Toph ignored him.

"I'm here to see my parents," she said commandingly. He nodded, disappearing through the doors. The other watched them intently. She could hear her father bellow "Who dare come to our home unannounced?!" followed by a shocked silence. A few minutes passed when the guard returned.

"Go right in," he said. Toph strode in, dragging Aang in by his arm.

She entered to see the house changed not a bit. It was only when she stood in the sitting room, she noticed something that had not been there previously. A large portrait of Toph dressed in a white silk gown, smiling mischievously.

"They missed you too," whispered Aang to Toph, just as her father and mother came in.

It was as if they could hardly believe what they were seeing; their twelve-year-old daughter alive and well.

"Toph!" cried her mother. She looked as though she wanted nothing more than to pull her into a ferocious hug, but resisted. Maybe she deemed such a gesture as inappropriate.

Or maybe it was because Toph was covered in what she called "a healthy coating of earth."

"Mom, Dad, I... I wanted to see if you were ok so-" she began but her father interrupted her.

"Why did you run away," he demanded, almost angry. "We loved you, gave you everything you wanted-"

"I know, but listen to me, please," said Toph. Her father sat down imperiously, her mother followed suit.

She explained herself. Her feelings, her powers and accomplishments, summarizing the events that had passed and her contribution to ending the war. It took a little over an hour.

"And even though we lived rough, I was happy," she ended up finishing. "I came because..." she sighed, "I wanted to make sure you were alive, and let you know I survived."

Her father looked long and searchingly at her and Aang. Toph wondered if he would finally accept her for who she truly is.

"I believe you have had enough adventure and far too much freedom- just what you wished for. Now the war has ended and the Avatar has learned earth bending so you will now return to live here," he said in a terrible voice.

Toph merely shook her head. She had prepared her answer beforehand in case things didn't work out.

"You just don't understand. This isn't the life I want to live." Mingled disappointment and exasperation washed over her- for a brief moment she actually felt as though they accepted, maybe even felt some sympathy for her.

"I have to leave now," she said. "You can't stop me," she added as her mother opened her mouth to speak, "I can take on all your guards and kick their butts all the way to Omashu." Her mother flinched.

"I did what I wanted to do," she continued "I tried to get through to you and it didn't work. At least I know the Comet didn't hurt you, and you know I lived. Goodbye." And she left, not looking back at her parents once. To her relief, they did not try to stop her, nor did they set their guards on Aang.

As Aang and Toph flew away, she realized, Katara was right; she did feel a sense of finality. She would always regret her parent's attitude. But no more, would she have that burning desire to know how they were, or wonder if they were capable of accepting her.

Hey readers, this is my first Avatar fanfic so please don't hate me if you don't like it (maybe it's just me but writing about a TV show is a bit different from writing about a book). Read and review as always because your input/opinion is VERY valuable to me.

Thanks again,

-the Chocofreakazoid