Okay,here's the final part of the mini story arc. It takes place right where the two other chapters end. If you didn't read the previous two chapters, I suggest you do. By the way, I think in the future, I'll have some chapters from another character's point of view. Do you guys have any suggestions? Review!

72: Stars

Sokka moved to follow Zuko's example and head to bed. He expected a nice, silent walk to his room, since it was just about midnight.

He did not expect to nearly step on Toph.

"Toph! What are you doing here?" he asked nervously. She was huddled in her nightgown next to the gate, seemingly lost in thought. Or, at least, she was lost in thought until Sokka nearly squashed her.

"What does it matter to you?" Toph challenged.

Sokka was about to answer in the same tone when something dawned on him. Could she have been there the whole time? "Were you spying on me?"

"No," Toph answered hotly. Her eyes betrayed her. They flared slightly, sensing danger. Sokka had always wondered how Toph was able to convey emotions with her eyes if she couldn't use them to see.

"You know, Toph, You're not the only one who can tell when people are lying. Now, how long were you watching?"

"I wasn't watching at all," she growled, pointing to her eyes, "but I was here the whole time."

"How'd you know we were here?" Sokka asked.

Toph looked down at her feet. "I kinda sent Zuko…"

Sokka's jaw dropped as he fell into silence. Why wouldn't Toph just tell him? It certainly would have been a whole lot easier than the guessing game. Hoping to get some answers, Sokka prompted, "Let's sit down."

Sokka and Toph moved to a spot in the grass that had two depressions in it - where he and Zuko had rested earlier. Both of them sat down, trying to come up with something to say to break the awkward silence. In one night, so many silences, thought Sokka.

Toph succeeded in finding a topic. "What makes the moon and sun different?"

Sokka paused. It was difficult to describe something like this to someone who couldn't see. He also realized that Toph must have heard his story about Yue. "Well, the sun shines brighter. It has more…power. It takes up space and acts sort of masculine. The moon's light is softer, I guess you can say. It's like having rough cloth and smooth silk. Both do the job, but rough cloth is tougher, whereas silk is more comfortable."

Toph nodded. While Sokka was speaking, both of them had stretched out on the grass, staring up at the sky. Sokka looked over at Toph; her eyes were fixed on the heavens, as if she could actually see the moon and stars embedded there.

"The moon also has stars," Sokka put in.

"What do the stars do?" questioned Toph.

Sokka couldn't take his eyes away from her. Toph's dark hair took on a silvery feel in the light. The moon's glare bounced off her face, creating bright highlights that gleamed white and dark valleys hidden by shadow. She looked like another person in the starlight.

"The stars shine, too. They help the moon." Sokka managed to say.

"Because the moon is less bright, right?" the earthbender asked.

Sokka turned his own eyes to the celestial body in question, thinking of Yue. She shone in her own way. "I think it's because she prefers company." Toph stiffened slightly at his use of the pronoun. "The sun gets all the glory, shining in the daytime all arrogant and proud. But the moon gets friends; she can let others share her spotlight. They make the moon shine more vividly."

"I guess that makes me like the stars. Are they small?" asked Toph.

Sokka responded slowly. "Yes, but they're strong. And they shine like the moon, that soft, silky light. It turns everything a gorgeous silver."

Toph blew out hard, her breath blowing a few strands of hair back from her forehead.

"I know, I know, no colors," Sokka consoled. "I guess it makes things more dramatic. Like, picture going from normal temperatures - warm in the day and cool at night - to extreme temperatures. One part of you is boiling hot, the other freezing."

Toph cocked her head thoughtfully. "I guess that makes sense…sort of…" A thought struck her, and she pushed herself up on an elbow. "What would happen if there were no stars?"

"Well, the nighttime wouldn't look as stunning. And I don't think the moon would shine as bright."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like I said, the moon shines softly because she likes to give the stars a chance. Wouldn't you be lonely if everyone you knew suddenly disappeared? Those stars are there to support the moon."

Silence. Again. At least this is comfortable, thoughtful silence, thought Sokka. He could sense Toph's mind whirring beside him as his own brain contemplated his words. Not only the moon needed help.

"I think we all need stars; people in our lives to make us shine brighter. Without them, we would be lonely, and life wouldn't be nearly as beautiful. It would be like the night sky, dark and empty. I don't think that would be much fun."

Sokka felt something brush against his hand. When he looked down, he noticed Toph's fingers next to his. Gently, he took her hand in his own. Toph blushed, adding a splash of red in the grayscale world of midnight. It was like a painting, with the stars and moon shining overhead and the black and white pair below. Sokka almost laughed; the only way this could ever be a painting would be if he or Toph painted it. And, even though Toph was blind, she was still a better artist than he was.

Toph turned her head slightly. "Am I a star to you, Sokka?"

The question would seem odd to anyone else, but Sokka understood perfectly. Toph wanted to know if she helped him, if she had changed his life so far.

"I think so," Sokka murmured, his voice almost a whisper. "How about me?"

Toph shook her head, leaving Sokka in dismay. Then she declared, "You're more like a rock."

Sokka smirked. "What, because I'm stubborn? Hard headed?"

"No, because I need you."

Sokka didn't move a muscle. All the breath had been sucked out of him. The only thing he could feel was her fingers in his. Toph had that ability to take a joke and turn it into something serious. To her, special moments weren't ruined by a pun, and for that, Sokka was grateful. Still, he felt like he needed to apologize, to make it up to Toph. He had no clue what he needed to make up, but he did anyway.

"Let's always be stars, Toph."