A/N – Thanks so much for the reviews, and thanks also for the constructive criticism. Some people seem to be unhappy with my portrayal of Toph. She has her reasons for acting like that, but in light of comments I've received, I've grabbed a few things I planned for later chapters and made this one. Which actually works better than the one I'd planned, I think. So keep the reviews coming, I really want to know what people think, it helps a lot.

Zuko had always prided himself on his independence. On his ability to survive without the things other people took for granted; security, family, a home. It wounded him deeply each time he had to ask someone for help with a simple task.

Katara led him onto Appa. The bison obligingly extended his tail to the ground and lifted it as they walked. He walked slowly, hyper aware of the precariousness of the surface they were standing on and ready to react if necessary if the bison moved unexpectedly.

As they left, his uncle had ambushed him with a tight hug, squeezing the air out of his lungs. He could still feel the pressure of the strong arms holding him as though they didn't want to let him go. It had made him feel safe. Up here in the saddle of the giant flying bison, despite having traveled this was many times before, he felt anything but.

Appa began to move and Zuko instinctively gripped hold of the edge of the saddle.

"Okay?" asked Katara.

He nodded and tried not to react to the uncomfortable feeling of leaving his stomach behind as the bison launched himself into the sky. "Of course," he said. She sat down on his left. On his right side, someone touched his shoulder and squeezed lightly.

Once he got used to the uncomfortable feeling of motion without seeing where they were going, it was easier flying on Appa than when they were camping on the ground. The addition of the Avatar to their group had come as a surprise to Zuko. He didn't approve; the boy's time could be much better spent in other ways, but he was grateful for the flying bison. Although piloting a war balloon would have been impossible for him, he would have happily provided the flames to keep it afloat and allowed Sokka to take over that task, but they didn't provide the same level of comfort as the bison. Sailing would have been ideal but all the ships were busy with the effort to end the war and bring soldiers home. It would have been inappropriate for him to take one for this personal mission.

In the air, they were in a confined space; people didn't move around much, and anything that wasn't within arm's reach could be handed to him if necessary. He noticed how antsy Toph grew in the air. So far from the ground she was as blind as Zuko and he could understand her discomfort easily.

The group seemed oddly quiet during the flight, the conversation stilted and odd, full of unnatural pauses. He noticed it almost immediately and continued noticing until he realized the problem. Without any perception of body language, conversations were filled with gaps that he had never noticed before; without the ability to look down over the land and sea and distract himself with the view, the time between comments seemed longer; without knowing what his companions were doing, he didn't want to potentially interrupt by starting a conversation even if he did have anything to say.

When they did speak, it often drove home his feelings of exclusion. Sokka leaned over the saddle placing his head somewhere behind Zuko as he shouted, "Wow, look at that waterfall! Ouch! What? Oh, right." and then sat down again.

"It's okay," Zuko said. "Don't censor yourselves on my account."

"Yeah," Toph chimed in, "You never bother for me."

On the ground he felt exposed. It had occurred to him, even while laying in bed trying to come to terms with his injury, that declaring the war over would not necessarily mean the end of it. Fire Nation troops had, for the most part, appeared happy to return home, but that didn't mean they were all okay with the sudden end to a war they had struggled and sacrificed to win. Especially on the eve of their victory. But the real danger he imagined was from the people of the Earth Kingdom.

They were somewhere inside the borders of that vast country now. The Fire Nation had hurt them badly. They might be mostly peaceful people, but there had to be some out for revenge. Especially against him, the crown prince, soon to be Firelord. Especially when he was so helpless.

As the others sat around the campfire on the first night, he excused himself and retreated into his tent. As he sat alone trying to achieve the stillness of mind necessary for meditation, he realized that although he couldn't see it, although it was outside and he was in the tent, he was aware of the fire. It's presence was soothing and familiar, like a caress inside his mind. The heat, too, had a presence. As a firebender, he was more sensitive than most to changes in temperature. He concentrated on the heat of the fire. Fiercely warm in the center, it radiated outwards much further than the flames themselves.

Outside the tent came the sound of footsteps. With a rustling sound and a rush of cold air through the gap, the tent opened and someone slipped inside.

"Hey, Shuffles." It was Toph's voice. The earthbender dropped down to the ground next to him. "How're you doing?"

"Shuffles?"

"Yeah. You know, the way you walk around? Sliding your feet along the ground."

Zuko sighed. "Oh."

"So what's with the sitting by yourself? Too good for the rest of us now you're going to be Firelord?"

"What?" Zuko shook his head. "No, of course not. I'm just not in the mood for it at the moment. Anyway, I don't know whether I'm going to be Firelord. It all depends on the outcome of this trip."

"Seriously?" He felt and heard her move away slightly and turn toward him.

It should have been a completely pointless gesture, the blind girl acting as though she was staring at the blind boy, but he felt himself wither under her scrutiny. He shrugged with a barely audible rustle of fabric.

"Y'know, shrugs, nods, all that non-verbal stuff? They're for sighted people. Words are easier."

"I wouldn't be able to do it," he said.

"Of course you would. What? You think a working pair of eyes are necessary equipment for sitting on a throne giving people orders?"

Zuko shook his head, "That's not what a Firelord does. Well, It's part of it, I suppose. But there's more to it than that. And there will still be people faithful to my father in the council, if I appear weak I could lose the throne and the Fire Nation could fall into civil war. Or even restart the war we just ended."

Toph inhaled and exhaled slowly as she thought over what he had said. "Do I appear weak?"

"No, of course not. You're the strongest person I know. And I know the Avatar."

"So don't be weak."

Zuko angrily blinked away the unwanted tears that had begun to form in his eyes, thankful that Toph couldn't see them. He had no intention of being weak, but it was what other people thought that mattered. In politics and in leadership, appearance was everything. "It's different for you. You can see using earthbending."

Toph sighed loudly. "Look, I told Katara I wasn't going to give you the pep talk, and I'm not. You're right, what's happened to you is nothing like my situation. If I told you it's all going to be fine, it'd be meaningless; I have no idea what it's like to lose your sight. What's happened to you stinks and don't blame you for hiding away in here, but I've met people who were blinded and managed to get on with their lives. And frankly, having you hanging around sulking brings down the credibility of all the other blind people in this group. So stop it. Anyway, I came in here because I got you a present."

"I'm not sulking." Zuko crossed his arms defensively, "I don't sulk."

She stood up. "Do you want your present or not?"

"I'm not sulking. I just don't want to..."

"I'll take that as a 'yes please'," Toph told him.

Something pressed against his hand and he took hold of it. His fingers explored the rough surface of a long piece of wood about an inch in diameter. "What is it?" he asked eventually.

"A tree branch."

"Oh, right." Zuko frowned. "Of course. Thank you, Toph."

The younger girl giggled. "You can use it to help you get around. Sweep it across the ground in front of you as you walk, it'll help you find anything that's in the way. Then you won't need to shuffle around so much. Shuffles."

"Oh." He put the branch down next to him. "Great. Thanks."

"Yeah, you're not sulking at all, are you?" Toph landed a slightly too hard punch on the top of his arm. "C'mon, everyone's about to eat and you know how the Sugar Queen gets about food in the tents."