Chapter 2-Wake Up:

"Sokka? Sokka? Please wake up." A voice sounded in Sokka's brain, but he could not seem to escape the unbearable pain. After several attempts with the voice in his ear, he finally managed to force his eyes open. Katara's tears filled eyes greeted his. At the sight of his sister's tears, Sokka reached a bloodied hand towards her.

"Where is everyone?" He choked out, his throat burning. His lungs burned and his voice shook. Aang and Toph shuffled into sight. Toph's eyes were closed and tears slipped down her cheeks. Her green and white sundress had mud down the front, and her hair was falling haphazardly from its bun. The side of Aang's formal robe was burnt, and judging by Katara's sky-colored kimono, it was from protecting her. In fact, as Aang pulled Katara into his arms, Sokka could easily put any doubt out of his mind; the burn patterns told no lies. It was then when he realized Suki was missing.

"I could only heal your external wounds. Sokka," Katara's voice broke. "There's a lot of internal damage. It's going to take a lot of time and strength to-"

"Where's Suki?" He rasped. Toph turned away as silent sobs shook her small frame. It was Aang who spoke.

"She was right beside the barrel. She and four others were killed." Sokka felt an emotion so strong, had he been standing, it would have brought him to his knees.

"Her body?" he asked, his voice strangled. Aang slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry Sokka." Aang turned and ushered Toph out so that Sokka could have the privacy he needed. As Katara stood to go, Sokka mustered all of his remaining strength to grab her wrist. He held her close as he sobbed.

Sokka sat in Appa's saddle, heavily bandaged, but comfortable. Aang had padded the saddle, and they were traveling by ocean to allow for a smoother ride. Aang smiled at Sokka from his position on Appa's head. He was wearing his one sleeved orange and yellow Avatar robe. Katara was chatting nervously beside him. She wore her short sleeve, blue kimono and silver colored sandals. She had her hair up in a messy bun, and Sokka was struck by how much she resembled Kya. Being in bandages, Sokka wore only his dark blue pants and boots. His weapons-not that he could use them-were on his left, and Toph was on his right. He glanced at her, and was struck again by the beauty that the young women possessed. At seventeen, Toph had long black hair and feminine curves that suited her small frame. She wore a pale green kimono, and had a wolf-pelt wrapped around her shoulders. Her hair was falling out of its bun...just like that day. Sokka shivered.

"Are you cold? I can get you a blanket." Katara said, her voice soft. Sokka glanced back at Toph, whose milky eyes were fixed on him, and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm a little cold." he replied, looking away from Toph.

Since that day, Toph was by Sokka's side in constant silence. Sokka could not find the words to say to her, and he sensed that she couldn't either. He couldn't seem to find his words at all. He would speak when spoken to, if necessary.

As a blanket covered him, Sokka noticed it was the very same wolf pelt that had occupied Toph's shoulders. She had become his protector, and it made his heart ache. As he opened his mouth to thank her, she simply nodded and looked away. Katara smiled as his gaze slid back to her.

"Wait until you see the view from your room! You even have your own turtle-duck pond." Sokka smiled at his sister, moreso out of the love he felt for her than enthusiasm. With more effort than previously required, Sokka tossed a small rock at Aang.

"You guys just better keep it down. It's bad enough knowing that you guys are...involved, but being in the room over..." Sokka shuddered and laughed. After exchanging glances, Aang and Katara joined in. Although laughing caused him a moderate amount of pain, it was worth it when he looked over and saw Toph's smile.

Aang airlifted Sokka from Appa's saddle with a grin.

"Aang, the only way I'm going to get my strength back is if you don't treat me like an invalid." Aang smiled and put his arm around Sokka's back, helping him into the house. Sokka's three companions were tense, and he had a feeling it was because they were worried that his spirits would dissipate. Should he tell them that as long as Toph was by his side, he would try? That he would keep going for her sake?

Sokka sat up in his bed, running a sharpening stone over the edge of his sword. The silver blade glinted, but Sokka longed for the one he had lost in order to protect Toph. A soft knock startled him.

"Come in," he answered. Toph shuffled in, her movements unsteady on the cold stone.

"Aang has something for you. He'll be here in a moment." Toph shuffled back out, leaving Sokka confused. Since when did Toph play messenger? Moments later, Aang walked in, a large brown parcel under his arm. He sat on the edge of Sokka's bed, an easy smile on his face. Sokka reached a bandaged hand to his own forced grin, and grimaced. Aang took it as an indication of pain.

"Are you alright?" He questioned. Katara walked in, a worried look on her face. Sokka quickly shook his head.

"I'm fine. What's up?" The couple's eyes lit up and Aang passed the parcel to Sokka. He unwrapped it, an eyebrow up until he saw the contents; a sheathed sword that resembled his space-sword. Sokka tried to tamp down the building hope as he slid the sword from its sheath. Aang began speaking quickly and softly.

"Toph hired some Earthbenders to find it. She funded everything, but we aren't allowed to tell you." Aang's eyes darted around while he waited to be sent through a wall or something. Sokka stared at the black metal in his hands.

"Space sword." he whispered. Katara stared pointedly at Aang, who stood and stretched.

"Well, I have a thing...to do...so...bye!" Aang retreated from Sokka's room and Katara gave Sokka a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry, but we need to do a healing session." Sokka nodded and sheathed the sword, placing it carefully on the chair next to his bed. He leaned back and allowed sleep to overtake him.

As Aang walked through the front door, Toph contemplated sending him flying. Aang knew that she didn't want Sokka to know that the sword was from her. Getting the money had been easy, but assembling an elite team of honest Earthbenders had been the hard part. She challenged and grilled countless people, all during the hours in which most honest people slept. It had been hard to leave Sokka's side, but she wanted so desperately to do something for him. Toph had never doubted her feelings for the Meathead, but what he had done went deeper. He protected her, and now Suki was gone. Toph swiped at the tears in her eyes and blew her bangs out of her face. She sighed. Ever since the...attack...Sokka had been giving of vibes of growing despair. It hurt Toph so much at times that she had to take her feet off the floor and blind herself. Toph would rather be blind than feel such pain that she could do nothing about.

Suddenly Toph felt foreign steps moving towards their home. She summoned a boulder and turned towards the source.

"State your name and business!" she yelled, causing the man to freeze.

"My name is Lee, and I'm a messenger of Firelord Zuko." He replied. Toph rolled her eyes and sent the boulder back into the earth, then took on a less menacing stance.

"I said state your business, not your profession." The man gave off strong waves of confusion.

"There's a difference?" Toph smacked her forehead as he handed her a scroll. "Good day miss." Toph smacked her forehead again.

"I'm blind you idiot!" She yelled after him. Fortunately, Aang chose to walk up to her. "Here." She thrust the scroll into his hands. Aang opened it and smiled.

"Zuko is coming to visit later this month." He glanced at Toph, but she was already on her way to Sokka's room.

Sokka bolted upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his face, screaming at the top of his lungs. Strong arms surrounded him, holding him gently, but firmly. He realized that tears were falling from his eyes, and as he looked down, Toph's too. Her long hair was down and she wore a silk nightgown. Her face was stricken as she rubbed Sokka's back, desperately trying to comfort him. Sokka realized with a start that she was sitting completely on his bed, her feet off the floor; Toph had blinded herself to comfort him. Sokka brought a shaking hand to her face, and caressed her cheek. Toph froze as he leaned forward and kissed her lips. Slowly, Toph relaxed into his kiss as he pulled her closer.

A/N: I apologize for the format. I'm stuck using Wordpad, but I'm working on downloading some writing software. It's just that this piece of crap computer can't handle much more on it. Anyway, I hope the length of this chapter made up for the first. Please review and keep reading if you would like! Thanks for reading! -Kirsten