A/N: I wasn't going to post this until next week, but I'm addicted to reviews. ) First off, I want to say I don't hate any character. I love them all, and what I'm about to do is for the plot, nothing against the character or shipping. That said, please read and review. Also, I'm looking for a beta for my toko au. Someone in high school or just graduated to help me. (I just passed 10 years. Eek, I'm getting old!) Thank you guys for reading and please review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
Chapter 2
Toph woke in the middle of the night to the vibrations and sounds of people running past her doorway. Quickly pulling on a robe over her nightgown, Toph opened the door and grabbed the arm of a serving girl.
"What's wrong?" Toph asked the girl.
"It's the Fire Lady, she just went into labor," the girl said. "Please my lady, I need to get towels."
"Fine, but first tell me which direction the Fire Lady is," Toph said.
"That way," the girl said, pointing to Toph's left.
Toph let the girl go and hurried the direction she had pointed. She got lost quickly and stopped, trying to concentrate. She found Zuko and Iroh's vibrations and hurried towards them. After a few minutes of running through hallways, she found Zuko pacing outside of his bedroom. Iroh was sitting in a chair on the far wall and watching his nephew as he held a cup of tea.
"What's happening?" Toph asked as she approached the two men. "Is Mai all right?"
She felt Zuko stop and look at her, sadness and frustration coming through his vibrations to her. Something was wrong, but instead of answering, the Fire Lord simply started pacing again. Toph watched him with her earthbending as more frustration came through to her, so she went to Iroh.
"Uncle?" she asked quietly as she sat in the chair next to Iroh.
He was silent for a moment as she felt him turn towards Zuko. "Mai went into labor," Iroh said in a strained voice. "But the healers said it was too soon. We just had a healer come out and give us the news that the baby is coming too quickly and she hasn't opened enough."
Toph laid a hand on Iroh's arm as she heard tears enter his voice. Zuko had reached the end of his pace pattern, but instead of turning, Toph heard him roar as he kicked up a chair and felt the heat as he blasted it into ash.
"Isn't Katara close by?" Toph asked Iroh. "Or any waterbenders?"
"A sickness broke out at the Northern Air Temple, and she's there with Aang healing them," Zuko said as he turned back towards them. "And there are two waterbenders in there with my wife!"
"Please Nephew, calm yourself," Iroh said, getting up and going towards Zuko, but the Fire Lord just turned away.
Toph went to the old general and laid a hand on his arm, giving her best look of understanding, saying she would take care of Zuko. Iroh nodded and retreated to his chair as Toph walked up to Zuko.
"Zuko, they're doing everything they can," she said as she hooked her arm with his. "Come outside."
"No," Zuko said in a hard voice. "I'm not going to leave her. I'm not going to give up on her!"
Toph nodded, hearing the pain in his voice. She had only heard that tone twice before. When he had told her about his mother disappearing and nearly two years before when he had finally given up on the world wide search for his mother. He had even used the same words, and Toph knew they were true.
"I know, but Mai needs you to be strong," Toph said.
She felt Zuko relax slightly until the door opened. He became hard and tense as an elderly healer came out.
"My lord," the healer said as she came out. "Lady Mai wishes to see you."
Zuko rushed past the healer and Toph followed him into the bedroom as he rushed to Mai's side. Toph slowed and reached out with her senses, finding Mai still in labor on the bed. She was between contractions and exhausted, breathing heavily, but putting on a good show for Zuko.
"Hi honey," Mai said in a pained whisper.
"Hi," Zuko whispered back as Toph felt him kneel beside Mai.
Toph stopped an assistant and drew the young man back away from the royal couple.
"What's going on?" she asked the assistant, holding his arm firmly.
"I can't…"
Toph was about to growl and earthbend the young man into talking, but the elderly healer came forward and placed a hand on Toph's shoulder. Toph turned her face to the woman and let the young man go.
"Dan, go help Misha," she said and the young man hurried off. "The prognosis isn't good," the healer said in a whisper to Toph. "Her birth canal isn't opening any more. Her water has broken, and if the baby isn't born soon, it will die."
"And Mai?" Toph asked, nervous as she felt Mai go through another contraction, holding onto Zuko and screaming with pain.
"She will die if the baby dies, and may die even if we can get the baby out," the healer said sadly.
"Can't you cut her and take the baby out?" Toph asked as another scream filled the room.
She heard the healer gasp in shock at the notion, but then the healer went into motion, calling for a hot knife and painkillers. Toph felt Zuko turn towards her and then got up as the healer approached Mai with a knife.
"What are you doing?!" Zuko roared as he got between Mai and the healer.
"I'm trying to save them both, your highness. Please, it may be the only way."
Toph felt Zuko turn towards her and Toph instantly went to her friends' side. "It'll be ok," Toph whispered. "Let's be there for Mai."
Zuko nodded and went back to Mai's side as the assistants set up a small curtain around Mai's swollen stomach. Toph moved to be behind Zuko and put on her bravest face as she felt Mai turn towards her.
Zuko held onto Mai's hand as she went through another contraction. After the contraction had finished, a healer approached Mai with something and Toph heard her drink it.
"What was that?!" Zuko growled to the healer.
"A potion to dull the pain, your highness," the healer squeaked.
"Zuko, it's ok," Mai said in a heavy tone. "I feel better already."
Toph could hear the drug already taking affect as Mai's words became slightly slurred.
"Zuko, if anything happens…" Mai started, but Toph heard Zuko hush his wife.
"No, that's not going to happen," Zuko said gently to Mai.
Toph could only feel the truth in both of them, though she knew Zuko was starting to doubt. An assistant came by and offered to lead Toph out, but she stayed by Zuko's side. The assistant brought chairs for her and the Fire Lord, but Zuko refused, continuing to kneel next to Mai and hold his wife's hand. After a half hour of the healers running around, Toph heard a baby's cry. Zuko almost jumped up and towards the healers, but then settled himself back to Mai's side.
"A boy, your highness!" the elderly healer cried happily.
"Hear that Mai, a boy," Zuko whispered to his wife.
"That's great Zuko," Mai said, exhausted.
Toph felt happy for them, but then something odd came through Mai's vibrations.
"Healer! Her heart's racing!" Toph cried.
The healers went into action as Mai started having spasms and more contractions.
"Zuko…" Mai started through the pain and spasms. "I love you. Toph…take care…of them."
"No Mai, you're going to be fine," Zuko said, still holding Mai's hand, but Toph felt the lie.
"I will Mai, I promise. Just hold on and you'll hold your son." Toph said with a smile, but she somehow knew that Mai knew it was a lie.
"Call him…Kuzon. Please Zuko?"
"Don't talk like that Mai, you're going to be fine," Zuko said, pleading and sorrow in his voice. Something happened and Toph was sure the couple was looking at each other before Zuko whispered, "I will."
Mai had another spasm and Toph felt her go unconscious as her heart skipped a beat, then went on slowly before another spasm rocked Mai's body, and her heart stopped. The healers worked on Mai, trying to revive the Fire Lady as Zuko held onto Mai's hand, asking for her to be ok, to respond.
"I'm sorry," the elderly healer said after a minute. "She's gone. The Fire Lady has died."
"No!" Zuko screamed and Toph felt his body heat up. "Mai! You have to be all right! Please Mai! Please."
Toph put a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko…"
"Mai…" Zuko called out again, his voice weak as he collapsed over Mai, his body instantly cool.
"Zuko!" Iroh called as he burst into the room.
Toph felt Iroh rush to Zuko's side, but stopped before reaching the Fire Lord. Zuko was openly crying over Mai's body as Toph stood next to him. Suddenly a healer placed something large and warm in Toph's arms. Toph became aware of the baby as it moved and whimpered. Smiling slightly despite herself, she adjusted the baby to one arm and pulled Zuko's shoulder back with the other.
"I know," she said as Zuko tried to pull away from her, "but someone else needs you more right now."
With that, Toph kneeled and moved her arm to take Zuko's arm and adjust it so she could place his son in his arm.
"No," Zuko said, trying to hand the baby back to Toph. "I can't…"
"Yes, you can Nephew," Iroh said. "Your son needs you. Your country needs you. Mai would want you to do what's needed, to take care of her son."
Toph felt Zuko become angry, his empty fist heating up before he moved his head. She was sure he was looking at his son when he bodily sagged and calmed down. Toph helped him rise and moved him out of the room, but then she didn't know where else to go.
"Take him to your room, my dear," Iroh said gently from behind her. "I'll meet you there."
Toph nodded and gently guided Zuko holding his son all the way back to her room. Opening the door with earthbending, Toph guided Zuko to her bed and sat him down on it.
"Why?" Zuko asked suddenly.
"Why what Zuko?" Toph asked as she grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Zuko's shoulders, closing the door again with a quick kick.
"Why here? Why now? Why…her?"
Toph heard the tears in his voice and sat next to him. She took baby Kuzon from his arms and held the little prince. He was asleep, but was getting restless.
"Iroh told me to bring you here, because it's safe. Mai told me to take care of you and I don't know," Toph said as she felt tears welling up in her own eyes at the loss of her friend.
She felt Iroh coming down the hall with a young woman behind the old general. Toph shifted her foot and kicked a rock up to open the door.
"Thank you Toph," Iroh said as he entered the room. "This is Kalaya, a young lady who has a small child of her own. She will be the prince's nursemaid and wet-nurse."
"It's an honor your highness," the young woman said, bowing before Toph and Zuko.
"No, get out now," Zuko growled.
"Zuko, be reasonable…" Iroh started.
"I said No!" Zuko shouted.
The shout woke the baby and he started crying. Toph rocked the baby, but didn't know what else to do. She felt Kalaya approach her and the baby, but Zuko stood and dropped into a fighting stance between Toph and the young woman. Toph could feel heat radiating off of Zuko and instantly kicked a wall of marble flooring up between him and the woman.
"Zuko, stop it," Toph said sternly. "She's just here to help. I don't know the first thing about babies and neither do you."
"She's one of the waterbenders," Zuko snarled. "She let Mai die!"
The heat increased and Toph instantly brought up more walls to surround Zuko.
"Zuko!" Iroh said in his stern voice. "She had nothing to do with it! You know the truth!"
Toph held the walls while she held the baby as Zuko raged against them in his grief and anger. His fire caused the room to heat up, but Toph didn't let anything get through. Kalaya was hiding behind Iroh as baby Kuzon cried louder and louder as the room became more uncomfortable.
"Zuko, they did everything they could," Toph called to him as she felt him tire and stop blasting the walls for a second. "They both would have died. We need her. Please Zuko."
Toph felt Zuko stop and then fall to his knees inside the walls. She let the walls drop, moving the marble and stone back to where it should be and walked over to Kalaya, handing the screaming baby to the healer. She knew Zuko was watching when Kalaya started rocking the baby, humming a lullaby softly.
"He's hungry," Kalaya said. "I have more than enough. It's your choice your highness."
Toph felt Zuko glance at her and then move to look at the healer. His stance softened as he looked at his still crying son.
"Fine, but I want him to sleep in the same room as me," Zuko growled before retreating to Toph's bed.
Toph nodded to the healer and Kalaya retreated to a corner of the room with the baby. Iroh gave her a blanket to cover herself and the baby and soon Kuzon had stopped crying and Toph could hear suckling noises. She turned and found Zuko sitting on her bed, his back turned to her. Iroh went to her and laid a calloused hand on her shoulder.
"He needs time, but he needs you," Iroh whispered to her. "You're his friend. Be there for him."
Toph nodded and Iroh left. She approached the bed and sat next to Zuko. "You need rest," she told him. "I'll be on the couch."
Toph got up to leave him, but Zuko caught her hand. "No, don't go," he whispered in a strained voice. "Don't leave me too."
Toph nodded and sat back down. After a few minutes, she heard and felt Kalaya get up and move two cushioned chairs together before leaving the baby in a makeshift crib. Kalaya bowed quietly and left the room, leaving Toph and Zuko alone. As soon as the healer had closed the door, Toph felt Zuko start shaking. She felt awkward and clumsily wrapped an arm around him as she felt his body shake with sobs. All Toph could do was hold her friend as he faced the worst grief he had ever lived through. She knew that his life had been hard. His father and sister had betrayed and tried to kill him, multiple times, but there was always someone with him he could rely on. And now the one he had given his heart to was gone.
All Toph could do was hold Zuko as he let his grief out. Eventually Zuko fell asleep and she shifted him until he was lying on the bed. Once she had placed a blanket over the sleeping Fire Lord, Toph made her way to the makeshift crib. She could hardly feel the baby with her senses. Smiling, she earthbent some of the marble tiling into dust and laid it around the blanket of the little prince. When she could see him sleeping peacefully and every move he made, she made her way back to Zuko. She knew she should let him just keep the bed, but she also knew that he might go crazy if he woke up and found her missing. Sighing, she went to her bed and laid down on it next to Zuko. She couldn't sleep, and kept thinking about her friendship with the Fire Lord.
She had been the one to seek him out when no one else trusted him, and he had burned her feet, her 'eyes'. But he had more than made up for it. He had become a close friend while he trained Aang to defeat Ozai and especially afterwards. He had blown her off when they had had their little 'fieldtrip' on Ember Island, but afterwards, they had grown even closer. They had similar histories, and understood what it was like to be born to privilege and choosing a different path than the one their parents wanted. Mai understood as well and was almost as close a friend to Toph as Zuko was.
But now the dagger throwing Fire Lady was gone, and Toph had promised her that she would take care of Zuko and his son. Toph just didn't know how she could do that. She was only seventeen and there she was, promising to take care of the Fire Lord and the baby prince. She sighed and shifted as quietly as she could. Zuko's hand snaked out and grabbed her arm as if she would leave.
"I'm not going anywhere," Toph whispered to him, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.
He mumbled something in his sleep, and his grip slackened, but didn't leave. Toph smiled and shifted closer to Zuko, glad that firebenders gave off lots of heat before she drifted asleep.