Everyone arrived a few days later, as planned. Zuko hadn't wanted to send messages to them, telling them what had happened. In his mind if they didn't know, if they still thought of her as alive then she still was, he wouldn't have to face the truth.

Toph never left his side. They didn't say more than a few words to each other in this time, they didn't have to. Like her element she was his rock, something unmoving in his world that was spinning around him. When he realised this, and the irony of it hit him, it brought a small, faint smile to his face, despite himself.

Iroh worried for both of them, he was glad that Toph was there to help his nephew, but he worried that she was also using it as an excuse for not dealing with her one loss. They hadn't spoke much either, so he was not aware that her reason for coming so early was to talk to Ursa, about her loss, her mother.

The day after the gang, minus Aang had all come together, They held a short memorial at sunrise. Zuko had wanted to keep the whole thing out of the publics notice. Having everyone pretend that they knew her, and they really cared, that this had changed their lives was just to much for him. Katara felt that was a little odd, but trusted he knew what was best.

They spent the rest of the day in the palace, just catching up. Despite the circumstances, they where glad to be together again. At first the conversation had been tense, stupid comments about the weather, and work filled the air, till Suki spoke up. She told the story of how she, and the Kyoshi warriors had been ambushed by Mai, Ty lee and Azula. She told this story, to back up her comment that Mai was despite the way she acted a very strong fighter. This opened up the others, Toph spoke about the arguments she the two of them had, when she was staying here a year ago, but also how she had respected her, as she was the only person, other than herself that could hide their feeling so well.

Ty lee, was uncharacteristically quite. She sat next to Suki, he eyes fixed on the window to her left. She was wishing she could be anywhere but here.

As an laughter, uneasy at first filled the room, Zuko finally spoke. He told them how he had planned to ask her to marry him. At one point he almost stopped, then he felt a warm hand in his cold one. His eyes that had fallowed to his feet, as he spoke, not wanting to look any of them in the eye, looked up to find Katara's deep blue eyes looking right into his. She was giving him a very faint smile, telling him it was ok. He continued his story, with Katara's hand still in his.

When the sun started to set Zuko left, leaving the others to continue their catching up. He went out onto the large balcony, where he and Mai had watched the crowds arriving for the ceremony that would make himself, Toph, Katara and Aang ambassadors. It was also where he had planed to propose to her. It was her favourite place in the palace, he thought it was because she could look down on everyone from here.

"So. what did the note say" There was a different tone to her voice now. It was like she had a huge weight on her that she couldn't shake off.

She like everyone else was wearing black. A fitted jacket with a long skirt. It made her look even more fierce, so no one asked her where she was going when she left, they had a very good idea any way.

"What note" Zuko didn't even turn to look at her. He kept his gaze set on the horizon in front of him.

"The one that was left, you picked it up so fast, so no one else would see it" she moved to stand next to him. Resting her arms on the rail.

Closing his eyes, and taking in a deep breath, he answered her "It was from Azula. It just said. Hi Zuzu"

"So what are you going to do" she knew in the back of her mind what he was going to say, but she felt like she had to ask, to have it confirmed.

"I have to catch up to her, and stop her. Whatever it takes" the determination and angry in his voice frightened her. This must be the way he had been when the others had first met him, letting his anger control him. She finally felt what they had been talking about.

Knowing it didn't make any difference to her, but hoping it would to him, Toph took hold of his shoulders, and forced him to face her. He was much taller, and border than the last time she was in the fire nation, and she now felt his angry pouring out of him.

"don't you dare go back to that. I've heard from the others what you were like, and if you let yourself go back to that, then I'll kill you myself. Do you hear me. I stood up for you, got burnt to help you, don't make me have done that for nothing"

As she had spoken, Zuko had tried to avoid her blind gaze, but he couldn't do that forever. When he finally did look her in the eyes, he thought he saw a tear building up her in her right eye. He didn't say anything, but she felt his body under her hands become smaller. He was calming down, controlling his anger.

When she felt she could trust him, she dropped her arms to her sides "Where do you think she will be, I mean where are you going to start looking"

"She is targeting the people she thinks betrayed her, but I don't know where she will go next"

Toph turned to face away from the grieving prince. She hated it, but she knew she had a pretty good idea what Azula was think "I think she will go after Ty lee next. If she was after the rest of you here, she would have made her move by now. She hasn't, I think she is going after everyone in the order that she felt they betrayed her. Mai was the one that made her paranoid about everyone, then Ty lee. Your parents I think would be next. she isn't thinking clearly"

A cold wind blew, chilling Zuko to the bone. It wasn't just that that chilled his blood, all that Toph said made since, it was exactly what Azula would do. He didn't want to think about how Toph knew this, how she could think like his sister. A look at her, resting on the rail, told him she too didn't want to think about it either, so he let it go.

"so Ty lee…is the next target…"

"What… how could you keep that to your self" Suki over heard the conversation, as she walked past the balcony to her and Sokka's room. She was now moving to slap Zuko, crossing the balcony in big strides. He hand raise in the air, But as it moved to hit the prince it hit a metal rectangle that appeared out of no where. Once she looked at it more closely, she saw it had come from Toph, who now stood behind her.

"Stop it Suki. It is up to him how he deals with this" she bent the metal back into the hair band she now wore. Both girls were facing Zuko, waiting for him to speak.

Suki got tired of waiting "So what is your plan"

Zuko still didn't say anything he just turned his head back out to face the setting sun.

Toph's heart broke for him; she hated seeing people she cared about hurting so much. When there was nothing she could really do to help. Her hand reached up for the pendent around her neck. She never would admit it, or think about it really, but it hurt, it physical hurt. She had never known her mother, so it shouldn't hurt, but it did. She could only imagine how much Zuko must be hurting now.

"Zuko" her voice was now much gentler "Will you let me take charge now, then after that it is all up to you. I promise"

He didn't look at her he just nodded.

"Ok" she gentle placed her hand on his shoulder, before turning back to Suki "Suki don't say a word to anyone, just leave with Sokka, Ty lee and Katara tomorrow, go back to Kyoshi Island, and stay there. Keep an eye on Ty lee. Don't say a word to her, understand" Toph felt she had to make this point very clear.

"fine, but you two better get in touch with me soon, To let me now what is going on" she didn't wait for a promise, she was to worked up, and frustrated to be near them any longer.

The balcony again feel into silence, as the two benders looked out a the see in the distance, with only one of them being able to appreciate the beautiful view.

"I was going to ask for you all to help" it was the first thing he had said in the last three days, that hadn't had to be prided from his lips.

"why didn't you" Toph took up her place next to him probable again, leaning on the rail like he did.

"Sokka and Suki are married and will probably have kids soon, and Katara has Aang to wait for, you are still young. I couldn't ask you all to put everything you have on the line to help me"

"you are family. You don't have to ask" for one of the rare moments in her life Toph made eye contact with someone, and didn't even know. In one quick move, Toph had pushed herself at Zuko, wrapping her arms around his neck. She had to stand on her tip toes, but it didn't matter. Zuko held her just as tightly as she held him. Silent tears feel from his eyes, landed on the strong shoulder, of the earth bender in his arms.

"I am going to leave now" she waited till she knew his tears had stopped falling, and he felt strong again to stand on his own, before she pulled away "I will be back by mid-day tomorrow, be ready to leave then. Just tell the others I have business to take care of in the earth kingdom, so I left early in the morning"

She jumped off the balcony and was gone. She didn't wait for him to say anything, she didn't want to leave him like this, but she had to, there where things she had to sort out, before she left with him to face Azula. The best way to do it, she thought was to just get it over with quickly.

Zuko didn't even look down to see if she had hit the ground, he trusted she had. He had learned worrying about Toph was wasted energy. It wasn't till then that it hit him, tomorrow he was going to leave to track done his sister. He knew very well how that would probable end. Toph was also coming with him, he didn't remember asking for her help, but like she had said he didn't have to ask for it. He didn't like the idea of her coming, not after the last time, or when he brought Katara with him to deal with Aziula, but deep down he was glad she was coming.

He was along again. For the first time in his life he found himself willing the sun to set, so tomorrow would come quicker.