Well here it is, the final chapter. I want to thank everyone who read it and took the time to review. And especially those who made this story one of there personal favorites.

kerwinm 12345: What does idk mean?

Toph-fan 101: I don't think i'll be making that epilogue. I'm so sorry, but I just don't have the necessary inspiration to do so.

Zergplex and Grey field: I completely agree with you guys. But indeed my 'word' correction is busted. And I tried that Open-office thing, but it didn't work. Why? Don't ask me, I'm just really bad with computers, heck it's a wonder I can post this story.:) But I did my best and checked for mistakes myself, and I hope I didn't dissapoint you all with this chapter.

This will be my last story for a few weeks because the holiday-exams are coming up. But not to worry I still have a few story's in mind. Two of them starring Toph. Also I'll try to correct my spelling in all my stories during the Christmas vacation. (I have no idea what you call it in English but for those interested, in Dutch it's: kerstvakantie.)

Disclaimer: I don't own atla, or any of it's characters. If you do think so then you're mad. Mad i tell you!

I hope you all like it and please review!

Chapter 3: the final confrontation

There they were, standing on the plains where tomorrow their allies would gather. Sokka was scared, though he didn't show it. But what was it that he was afraid from? Where it those thousands and thousands of fire-nation soldiers he'd have to face? Or perhaps noticing here, tomorrow that this invasion army is way to small, or maybe finding out that his father had been captured and that there is no army at all? No, he had bigger worry's, Toph. Ever since the 'incident' (that's how he decided to name it) at her birthday, he always made sure that he was never alone with her, or at least as little as possible. He did so because he didn't want 'the 'incident' to be brought up again. But if he knew Toph, wich he did, he'd hear about this again. Untill then he'd just have to avoid her as much as possible.

Tonight was her last chance, she knew that. She tried to talk to him in private for the last few days, but without results. Her anger grew as her attemps failed, try after try, the precious time slipping through her fingers way to fast. She realised that tonight was now or never. And she'd damn herself if it would be never. The last two days she had putted it off to the last minute. Now she had no choice.

They saw Aang falling asleep on the bed that they had made. He needed his sleep, she felt a connection between Aang and herself. She had seen him suffer, like she had, suffer because they both missed something in their life, but Sokka wouldn't be as easily obtained as a good night's rest.

Sokka yawned, said something about a bath and left Katara and Toph standing there. Katara kept looking at Aang, while Toph decided that it was time for action. She'd confront Sokka, no matter what.

"Katara."

"Hmm." She responded, not taking her eyes of the avatar.

"I'm going for a walk."

"Okay Toph."

Toph hugged Katara, something she didn't usually did and therefor it felt a little awkword, she knew that tomorrow everything would be different, wether they succeeded or not. Especially because she was going to have a chat with sarcasm-dude. She wanted to remember the friends she had before the world changed. After the hug she punched her in the arm and tried to cover the sadness in her voice.

"Don't stare at twinkletoes all night okay?"

Katara laughed. But started to stare at him again.

"It's just that..."

Toph waited patiently for her to continue.

"I don't know, have you ever spent a lot of time with someone and then saw that person ... differently?"

"Oh yeah." She responded in a mumble, thinking about how she felt about Sokka.

"Do you ... think that's ... uhm ... wrong?"

"No, of course not!" Trying to convince rather herself then Katara, but she didn't notice.

"A little selfish?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well what if that person doesn't like me back, it could mess up not only my relationship with Aa... I mean that guy but also with everybody I know that he also knows."

"Life's to short to wonder sugarqueen."

Katara didn't respond and if Toph could see, she'd see a tear rolling from the waterbenders eye. Beeing blind as she was, she didn't and started her 'walk'. The entire time, she was wondering about her conversation with Katara. She never thought anything she did was wrong, but perhaps it was selfish. But then again, that kiss meant she and Sokka had already gone to far to back down now. She could feel Sokka's vibrations through the earth and started to mover herself towards their source.

Sokka was relaxing in this river. It was a perfect place to take a bath, it was a deep part of the river and a waterfall came down into it, the sound was soothing. The moon shone silver light onto the rocks and water, the water wich was so clear that it reflected the sky, filled with stars, creating an exact, calm mirror, doubling the beauty that was tonight.

She couldn't 'see' him anymore and started to worry. Picking up her pace, she continued to were she felt the last vibration comming from.

Sokka was swimming, the stress of what would come tomorrow continued to fade. All was well, at the time, in his world. He pictured himself floating on a cloud while actually he was floating on water, the serene sky calmed his mind. He loved this one place in his brain, in wich he could come to peace. It was his temple of tranquility, it was therefore only more hard for him when he heard his name being called out, and hitting earth again.

"Sokkaaaaa!"

"Whaa, what the hell?" Sokka splashed around in the water.

"Sokka you're allright."

"Of course I am, now get the hell out of here!"

"Thank the spirits that you're ok. I suddenly couldn't feel you're vibrations anymore and I thought th..."

"Toph get away, damn it!"

"What, why? What's wrong?"

"I'm taking a bath!"

Toph remained oblivious.

"I'm naked Toph! Now beat it!"

On the spot Toph started to blush and run away, but after a few steps she realised something very vital, she's blind. She halted and regained her senses, she became herself again.

"Well put some clothes on I've got to talk to you."

Sokka now to seemed to realise she was blind. Embarresed over his own mistake, he got fully dressed. But still he did this behind a rock. He couldn't help but feel embarresed, even if she couldn't see. He couldn't help feeling nervous as he approached her. She ofcourse felt this. Even though he was still nervous about what had just happened, what would be next could be worse. He prayed to the spirits that she was not here to talk about the 'incident'.

"Sokka, I'm here to talk about what happened on my birhtday."

Fuck

"Toph, I don't want to talk about that."

"To bad you're gonna."

"Can't you just let it go?"

She 'stared' at him and remained silent.

"I thought you said you knew me Meatboy."

"Ofcourse, the day you let something go is the day Momo and Appa have a baby." He sighed.

"I think I deserve an explanation."

"I don't have feelings for you."

Toph felt in the vibrations comming from Sokka that he was telling a lie.

"Don't lie to me Sokka, I can tell remember? Besides, I think you ow me the thruth, you can't take back you're feelings Sokka. Not after that kiss, I felt it, it felt it in our joined heartbeat. You loved me and I love you. Why can't you admit that?" Her voice was filled with grief.

Sokka remained silent for a while. The tension between these two rose. Every second without a sound only made it more difficult to say something. And he had to say something. But he couldn't tell the truth, he couldn't put her through that, and he couldn't lie. Or she'd know. In the end, it was all the same, speaking was losing. The silence was broken when Toph spoke again.

"Why can't you answer me?"

No response. Her heart was beating twice as fast as normal in pure anger, anger for beeing this close to the truth, but not really beeing there yet. And his, it was as calm as ever.

"Sokka,... I'm going to ask you some questions. And if you care the slightest about me and my feelings, you'll answer them truthfully, not because I can tell but because I'm a friend."

"Is it because of Suki?"

"No, I'll always love Suki, but she's gone now."

Toph heard the voice of her hero, and all she heard was a broken man. She didn't want to hurt him anymore, yet she had to find out the truth.

"Is it because of us beeing friends?"

"... No ..."

"Is it that you don't like me?"

"Ofcourse not how could you even think that."

"Is it that you still think I'm a child?"

"No, actually on many occasions you act more grown up then me."

"It's because I'm blind isn't it..."

"Please don't think that way Toph, I've never questioned you're ability to see, you see more then most people do. Believe me its not that."

Toph was confused, so far he had answered all her questions, and he didn't lie even once. Then she could only think of one more reason, back at Ba sing se Katara must have lied to her, to make her feel better about herself. A tear appeared at her left eye and she got mad. She couldn't believe her 'prince' was so shallow.

Sokka saw a tear. Toph was crying, a rare sight indeed. He knew he was to blame, he had already let herself get to close to him, she already cared to much.

"So it's because I'm ugly, is that it? Well you are one shallow basterd!"

This suprised Sokka. How could Toph think she wasn't pretty? He had to calm her. She started to bang her fists to his chest and yelled things like him beeing shallow. Tears were still flowing from her eyes as he grabbed her hands pulled her closer and calmed her down by laying her head on his chest.

"You bastard... bastard..." she continued to sob. The longer the less frequent and the more quiet.

"Toph, you are the most beautifull girl I've ever seen in my life." Sokka whispered to her after she had finaly stopped. "And you're smart, funny, you can be gracefull and be vulgair at the same time, I like that combination. You're way less vain then other girls, wich is great seeing that I don't like that. You are tough and gentell. I love the way you can get stubborn and bold, and at those times I know that I'm the only one who can stop you, and you're the only one that can stop me. Not to mention, you're a great kisser. You are all those things, but especially don't ever doubt that you're beautifull. With you're shiny black hair, soft skin and perfect shaped lips."

Now it was her time to be speechless. He held her for a long time. But eventually she spoke again.

"So why don't you return my love for you?"

Sokka letted go of her.

"I can't answer that."

"You can tell me everything, and I won't let you go until you do so."

"I'm sorry Toph, but if you won't let me alone, I'll have to go to the one place where you can't get to me."

He ran off and jumped into the water. This wasn't fair to her, and he knew it, but he couldn't risk it, he couldn't let her get to close. The water was instantly deep, so he could dive in it, he swam about 45 feet away from her and halted. Why did he stop? Because of her voice, what she said shocked him and stopped him at once.

"Hey Sokka, if that's the way you want it!"

And then he heard a splash in the water behind him. He turned around and looked at Toph, she was swimming towards him. For a moment he forgot that he was fleeing from her. He laughed in pride, she could swim. She could actually swim!

Toph aimed her movements in the water to where she last heard him. But the more she swam and moved herself away from the solid ground, the more she started to worry. She was truly blind again. Who knew if she was going the right direction. She hadn't thought this one through. Then it happened again, panic overcame her, in fear she started to lose her concentration and couldn't move in any direction anymore, she splashed around in one place and started to sink slowly, screaming for help, screaming for Sokka.

He saw it happen, it was going all wrong she was drowning. He swam towards her as fast as he could but the closer he got the more she sank untill she dissapeared completely underneath the surface.

This was it, she'd die right here right now. Killed by her greatest fear. Still trying to resurface but failing misarably. Sinking further and further.

"Hold on Toph!" Sokka yelled to himself.

He had reached the place where she had sunk. And dived under the water. He swam towards her, and saw her struggling becoming les rapid and powerfull. Reaching out to her with his arm, trying to grab hers he could only think of one thing "I'll tell you, please live, I'll tell you!". Just a little further he could almost reach her arm. She stopped moving. He grabbed her arm, living those moments in fear, not feeling a response. Then to his relief she moved, her hand grabbing his arm. He pulled her towards him, so that they faced eachother, and swam upwards, somehow she was still conscious enough to kick with her legs.

"Breath, god please breath!" Sokka yelled at her after they resurfaced, but were still in the water.

He didn't try to cover the fact that he was afraid, nor the fact that he was crying. All he wanted was for her to breath. The first thing that happened wasn't Toph breathing, but she spat out water that had been trapped in her lungs. She spat it out right in Sokka's face. For a split second Sokka didn't know how to react. But as soon as he regained his sences, he cried tears of joy, and still in shock he pressed her close to his body, afraid of letting go.

Time went by and they remained there, Toph catching her breath and Sokka squeezing her tightly, mumbling phrases like 'I'll never let you go again.', while half laughing and half crying.

"Sokka..." Toph started, in the weakest possible voice "I ... want to ... know ... why."

It took sokka a long time to answer, because he wanted to phrase his words perfectly. He wanted to find the right words for her.

"Because Toph, two reasons."

She braced herself, now she'd find out what was wrong with her.

"I don't want you to interupt me untill I'm finished okay?"

"S.. sure..."

"First of all, Toph I do love you."

Her heart skipped a beat, she wanted to tell her "I love you to" but remembered her promise.

"All those things I said just now about you're personality and you're looks they're all true. And that's why Toph, you're this special girl, the most perfect one I've ever seen in my life and I'm not worthy of you. How could you love me, when I'm just a southern watertribe peasant?"

He stopped talking for a second, and although Toph remembered her promise she just had to speak. She removed her right arm from Sokka's grip and moved it to his shoulder. Once there she punched him in the shoulder.

"Get a grip off yourself Sokka, I Toph, just jumped into the water. Me, in the water. Do you think I'd do that for just anyone. You're special Sokka, and if not to yourself, then don't worry, you're more then enough special to me."

They both remained silent, and slowly Toph moved her head closer to her hero's for a kiss. Sokka however turned his head.

"So what's the second reason then?"

"Toph, you haven't lost anyone to this war now have you?"

"... No ... my family was rich enough to stay out of the war."

"Well I have, I've lost my mother. And that pain that I felt, I don't want you to feel it to. Because wether you like or not, loved once's die because of this war. Love isn't a shield you can put up against this war."

"But that's why I want to be with you."

"..."

"Sokka, look at me."

He turned his head towards her.

"Sokka, the fact that tomorrow something might happen to one of us only invigorates my feelings towards you. I don't want to have to spent my entire life wondering what might have happend, I wan't it to happen. And if something happens to me I..."

"I don't even want to think about that."

"I want you to know I love you, and I alw..."

This time she wasn't stopped by his voice, but by his lips. She could feel the full passion she felt for him, beeing returned. One kiss saying more then a thousand words ever could. He didn't have a dilemma about it this time. And she felt that they loved eachother, and always will.

A/N The final chapter was originally planned to be on a battlefield aftermath, with Sokka dying. But then I thought: Nah, screw that let's let them live. I've already letted him die in another story and that one didn't make a hit.

I kind of like the end that I chose, so I hope that nobody will blame me for not making an epilogue.

Let me know what you think, flames allowed, but let them be based on something real.