Katara: Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?

Phoenix's Soul: (drops out of nearby tree) Oh hey, Katara, hey what's up?

Katara: There you are I've been looking for you for an hour now.

Phoenix's Soul: What have you been looking for me for?

Katara: You were supposed to come over to the village and tell the next part of your story to the kids.

Phoenix's Soul: Oh yeah that was supposed to be today.

Katara: Yes it was. (grabs hold of my ear)

Phoenix's Soul: Owowowowow, that's my hearing ear.

Katara: That's why I'm pulling it. Now come on.

Phoenix's Soul: You see folks this is what happens when you forget to do things. Like telling everybody that I don't own anything from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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Keeping Warm

Toph rolled over, and even though she was blind she knew it must be morning or close to it. She inhaled through her nose, and all the smells she was familiar with came floating back to her. There was the subtle sent of earth, the wonderful sent of dust in the air, and there was something else on the air. It was familiar, but strange at the same time. She knew it, but she had never smelled it in the morning what was it? She reached out of her sleeping back and tapped the earth she was on and felt the pulsing vibrations and read what they brought back. It was Sokka, lying no less than a few inches from her. Her entire body went rigid when she realized that it was him she smelled. How could she have not realized it, she knew his smell well. It was a mixture of sweat, ice, and earth those three smells combined to form one of her favorite smells in the world, his smell.

She inched closer to him and inhaled. Spirits how she loved that smell, judging from the vibrations she was sending every time she moved she estimated she was right around his neck.

"Toph?" Katara asked standing over her friend and her older brother. "What are you doing?"

Toph froze, what was she thinking doing this when everyone else was around. Her mind raced trying to find out a reason why she was sniffing Sokka like this. Then she realized what she had to do. It would be meaner than normal, but her dignity was on the line.

Katara laughed to herself as she watched Toph smelling Sokka. She thought it was cute how the young girl had a crush on him. She knew that when she called her name, Toph was going to do something really bad to defender herself, but Katara just couldn't help but anticipate what was going to happen.

"Eeeewwwwww!" wailed Toph right in Sokka's ear. "What's that smell?"

"Owowow, what's wrong?" Sokka cried clutching his ear and looking around his hair all over the place.

"Oh it's just you, Sokka," Toph answered mockingly.

"Hey I don't smell," his voice and temper rising.

"You're right," Toph agreed leaning in close and sniffing the air right in front of him. "Your breath is what stinks."

Sokka mumbled something under his breath and then checked his breath. He gave Toph a dirty look he was sure she couldn't see. Katara shook her head and smiled at this little exhibition of emotions. She walked over to the entrance of the hut and turned back as she crouched to exit.

"You two need to hurry up or you'll get left behind."

"Yeah, yeah we'll be right out," Sokka and Toph said in unison.

With great reluctance Toph pulled her boots on after Sokka passed them to her. Then she bended the earth back into the jar Sokka handed to her. She gave the earth one last sniff before she closed the jar. She smiled when she determined there was the slightest sent of Sokka in it.

"What are you smiling about?"

His voice wrenched her back to reality. She blinked several times even though she didn't really need to. She mainly did these things because they were what people normally did and they were things she just picked up when she once thought she had to fit in. That was until she figured out she just had to be herself. She growled a response then stood up holding her hand out.

"What are you doing now?" Sokka asked looking at the way she was standing. Her back was to him and her arm was outstretched and she had the cutest little pout thing with her lower lip going on that he couldn't help but smile at.

"I'm waiting for you to take my hand, Meathead," Toph growled.

"Whuh," Sokka yelped being taken aback by Toph's brashness.

"I put the earth back in the jar and you made me put my boots back on so now I can't see at all remember," she mouthed the last word unceremoniously some spit flying on his face when she whirled around to face him now realizing where his voice was coming from.

Toph's face went from a grouchy pout to a shocking blush when Sokka took hold of her upper arm instead of her hand and pulled her close to him. She lowered her head so Sokka wouldn't see, but what she didn't know was that he had seen the blush. And he liked it on her. He lead her out of the hut and over to the group gathered around the center of the village.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Sokka asked cheerfully as he released Toph's arm.

"Yeah, what exactly is there to do around here anyway," Toph looked around even though she couldn't see anything.

"Katara and I are gonna take the kids to go Penguin sledding," Aang announced happily over the heads of the small children surrounding him. "You guys wanna come with us?"

Sokka shook his head. He knew that Aang had just wanted any excuse to go penguin sledding even he was taking a bunch of kids with him. Sokka looked over at Toph and guessed what she was thinking. He though about it for a few minutes and realized that they shouldn't have made her come. Here, where there was no earth except for the jar he brought to make her feel comfortable, there was nothing for her to do because she couldn't see. Then it hit him, he could show her the one place here in the South Pole where you didn't need to see it to enjoy it. He smiled as he looked at her. When her pale sightless eyes fell upon him he looked away embarrassed by two things. One that he got caught looking at her and the fact that he forgot she couldn't see to see him looking at her.

"I'll pass," Toph barked. "I can't see what I'm supposed to do. So there is pretty much no reason for me to go."

"What about you Sokka?" Katara asked her brother her arms crossed over her chest.

"No I'm good," Sokka replied shaking his head. "I'm gonna stick with Toph, you know keep her company."

"Ok have it your way," Aang shouted over his shoulder as he and Katara were hauled off by the children.

Sokka had lead Toph back to their hut and she could here him rummaging around for something. She couldn't figure out what it was he was doing. If he was going to set up her little earth mat again it shouldn't be taking so long. Then she heard the flap of the hut sway but not from the wind from someone entering. She spun around acting on instinct alone that is until she slipped on the ice. She fell back, but instead of hitting the floor she fell into a pair of warm strong arms. It was Sokka who had caught her. She mumbled her thanks as he helped her back up.

"Careful now, Toph," Sokka said setting her back on her feet. "Can't have you breaking something before we leave."

"The only thing that is gonna break is your leg if you think a simple fall on the ice is gonna do anything to the Greatest Earthbender who ever lived."

"Hey, I was only joking," Sokka retorted his temper flaring for the second time this morning.

The sound of GranGran clearing her throat snapped the two of them out of their little glaring match and back down to earth.

"Sokka, I believe that this is what you're looking isn't it," GranGran said holding a small wrapped package.

"Yeah, thanks GranGran," Sokka said taking the package that he had been searching for and pocketed it.

"What is it?" Toph asked.

"You'll just have to wait until a little while longer," Sokka said grabbing hold of her hand and quickly guiding her from the hut and out of the village.

Toph had no idea where Sokka was taking her, and she didn't care. It was just the two of them and she liked it that way. No Katara to worry about butting in and making her over react to something she was doing that she knew wasn't a good idea at the time, but she just couldn't help doing it. No Aang to come bursting in at inopportune times. Just her and Sokka no one else, just the two of them.

"Ok, we're here," Sokka said after what must have been hours.

"Where are we?" Toph asked looking around even with the lack of sight she could feel there was something majestic about the place where he had brought her.

Sokka released her hand and reached into his pocket, but stopped when he felt both of Toph's small hands grab hold of his upper arm. He started and looked down at her, and was shocked at the look he found on her face. She looked scared; it was not something he was accustomed to seeing on her face. Actually he couldn't even remember a time when he had seen Toph scared.

"What's wrong, Toph?" Sokka asked curiously looking down upon her face. "Why are you scared?"

"I'm not scared," Toph shouted in his ear. "It's just that… I was worried."

"About what?"

"About being left alone."

"Why would you think I'm gonna leave you alone?"

"Because, everyone usually does," Toph answered looking down tears starting to form in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was a lot younger," Toph explained quietly. "Before I could fully sense my way through Earthbending, I used to get really scared when I was left alone. Since I couldn't see I didn't know where I was or if I was alone. It used to drive me crazy I would wander around feeling the walls the furniture and nothing else I could to try and find my way. I hate being like that, and ever since I've gotten here with all of you I've felt that way. Especially with these darn things on my feet."

"Well as long as I'm with you, Toph, you don't have to be worried being alone like that," Sokka said pulling the package GranGran had given him out of his pocket and unwrapped it.

It was a strange flute like instrument known as an Ocarina.

"You know, touch isn't the only other sense besides sight that allows someone to see in a sense. And its one that I know you use a whole lot."

Toph looked over in his direction wondering just what it was he was talking about. Then she heard something that took her completely by surprise. It was a long soft note coming from beside her. Sokka was playing something, then he stopped, and to her surprise Toph heard the same note come from somewhere else. She heard Sokka chuckle at her confusion and he smiled when she focused on his laugh and faced him.

"Sound," was all he said and he began to play.

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Phoenix's Soul: Well I hope you kids enjoyed that part of the story.( telling the children of the Water tribe) Ok I gotta go, you kids be good and I'll finish the story when I get back. "Until the Next Chapter everyone.