Chapter Seven: Hidden Truths

They arrive at headqaurters and Kaya follows the officers inside. She holds her throbbing cheek as she walks. It is already starting to swell.

"Here you go, sweetie," an officer says as she hands Kaya a bag of ice. "The chief will be in with you soon, okay?" Kaya nods and the officer leaves her alone. The silence makes Kaya think. Sitka's insults echo in her head. Soon they are replaced by her mother's screams and Kaya winces.

The door opens and Kaya quickly presses the ice against her cheek. It is so cold it makes her shudder. Toph walks in and Kaya looks at her.

"Where's-?" Toph cuts Kaya off.

"He's in the other room being questioned," she answers. Toph crosses the room and sits at the desk in front of Kaya.

"You okay?" Toph asks after a moment of silence.

"My face hurts..." Kaya mumbles. Toph huffs and puts her fingers on the bridge of her nose.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I'm so sorry," she says louder.

"It's oka-" Kaya starts to reply.

"No, it's not!" Toph shouts suddenly. This takes Kaya by surprise and she sinks into her chair. Toph shakes her head.

"I should've just told him no. I could've protected you..." Toph confesses.

"It's already happened so many times. It...it doesn't matter," Kaya assures Toph. "I'm used to it."

"That's just it, Kaya. You shouldn't be used to it. That's what's wrong with this whole situation!" Toph says loudly. Kaya is silent. Toph gets up and starts pacing the floor.

"No one should be used to that! It makes me sick to think that you were too afraid to say anything before and that no one back in the Watertribe stood up against it!"

"But no one knew," Kaya says.

"His friends knew!" Toph points out. Kaya looks down.

"They're lucky they're out of my jurisdiction. I can't say the same for your father," Toph grumbles. Kaya's eyes widen.

"What are you going to do to him?" she asks. Toph shakes her head.

"We don't know yet." There is silence. Kaya sighs.

"And what about me?" she asks. Toph turns to her.

"Aang and Katara should be here any minute," Toph replies. "We'll see what they think."

Kaya takes the ice away from her face and rubs her cheek. She winces from the pain. Tears well up in Kaya's eyes. She blinks them away and bites her lip.

"Are you hungry?" Toph asks.

"Yes," Kaya answers. Toph buzzes for one of her officers to bring some food and a cup of tea for Kaya.

"Thank you," Kaya says. Toph shakes her head.

"Don't," she says. "I don't deserve it." They wait a few minutes and an officer shows up with Kaya's food. He looks at her cheek and shakes his head. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops himself. He bows to Toph and leaves the room.

Kaya eats slowly and drinks her tea. Every now and then she looks at the door to see if Aang and Katara are coming. They aren't.

After a while Kaya starts to feel abandoned. She wonders if they are really coming at all. Maybe they decided that they didn't care.

"Here they come," Toph says suddenly. Kaya sets her food down and looks at the door. She sees no one. Kaya looks at Toph.

"Just wait," Toph says with a slight smile. A few seconds later, the door opens and Aang and Katara run in, almost knocking the officer who escorted them here over.

Katara wraps Kaya in an embrace and Aang joins them. A tear rolls down Kaya's cheek and she buries her face in Katara's shoulder. It hurts, but Kaya ignores the pain.

"I was so worried," Katara whispers. "We came as soon as we could." She pulls back from Kaya and looks at her. Katara puts her hand on Kaya's cheek and Kaya winces.

"Look at what he's done to you..." Katara whispers with teary eyes. She pulls Kaya into another hug and Aang looks at Toph.

"Where is he?" Aang asks.

"He's being questioned right now," Toph tells him. "He should be out soon."

"And then what?" Katara asks.

"Then we determine where Kaya goes," Toph answers.

"And Sitka?" Aang asks.

"He's probably going to be spending some time here with me. Hopefully that'll straighten him out," Toph says in a sarcastic tone. The door opens and an officer peeks in.

"Chief Beifong, he's ready," the officer announces. Toph nods and stand up. The officer holds the door open for her and she leaves. Aang, Katara and Kaya stay. Toph pokes her head back in.

"Are you coming?" she asks. The three of them follow Toph out of the room and down the hall.

"Keep the ice on your cheek," Katara instructs Kaya. Kaya presses the ice to her cheek and keeps walking.

They enter a room and see Sitka sitting at a round table. There are two officers at his side. Kaya shudders and Aang and Katara are both filled with rage. They sit at the opposite end of the table and stare at eachother. Kaya keeps her head down.

"So," Toph says as she clears her throat. "Before you begin your sentence there's something we have to settle." Toph says to Sitka.

"What else could you possibly do to me? You're already locking me up!" Sitka says in his defense.

"You're lucky that's all you get for what you've done!" Katara sneers.

"Katara, please. Just leave this to me," Toph says calmly. Katara looks angrily at Sitka and crosses her arms. Toph sighs.

"We've decided that you obviously aren't a suitable parent for Kaya," Toph informs him. "Permanent custody can no longer be yours. Kaya needs a good home. That's what we need to figure out." Sitka huffs.

"I'm sorry, sir, but what's the problem?" Toph asks Sitka. Sitka chuckles meanly.

"Good home..." he shakes his head. "She doesn't deserve one." Katara and Aang clench their fists.

"Everyone deserves a good home," Toph tells him. Sitka shakes his head.

"After running away against my wishes? I don't think she does. For doing that she should be locked up just like me!" Sitka points out. Kaya looks at Toph.

"She had a reason to run away!" Katara shouts at him.

"Absolutely not!" Sitka says in a booming voice. "I gave her everything she needed!"

"No! You only hurt her!" Katara shouts.

"Never!" Sitka denies. Kaya snaps her head up and looks at him in shock.

"How can you sit here and deny it?" Aang asks in disbelief. "The proof is right here on her face!" There is silence for a moment. Sitka shakes his head.

"She attacked me," Sitka states. "I knew that once she learned how to waterbend that she'd use it against me. She froze me to a wall! I was protecting myself from her!"

"No! I'd never-! He was going to hurt me! I was defending myself!" Kaya shouts. "He's lying!" More tears fill her eyes. Sitka starts to protest.

"I know he's lying," Toph says. Sitka opens his mouth.

"Sitka, I don't know if you're aware, but I'm blind. I see by feeling vibrations in the earth using earthbending. Everytime someone lies they send off special vibrations, and let me just say you're send off a lot right now," Toph explains. Sitka closes his mouth and looks down.

"Now, back to Kaya's new home. I-" Sitka cuts Toph off.

"She's staying with me," Sitka says.

"I'm sorry, but that isn't possible," Toph says.

"And why not? Apparently I'm not a good parent, but she's my child! She should live with me if I'm alive and well," Sitka states. Kaya looks at him with tears in her eyes.

"You never wanted me before! Why is now different?" Kaya asks.

"You're right. I didn't want you. I still don't," Sitka tells her in disgust. "I'm just not going to let you live with the Avatar."

"Why not?!" Katara questions.

"Because I'm not about to let the most important man in the world take on a burden like her!" Sitka explains as he points at Kaya. Kaya looks at Aang, then looks down. Katara stands.

"How can you say that?! Kaya is not a burden!" Katara shouts. "She's the nicest, sweetest girl I've ever met, and it's a shame she's had to spend her life with a terrible man like you!"

"No," Sitka says in a surprisingly calm voice. "It's a shame that you don't understand what she truely is. A mistake." Katara starts to speak again, but Sitka looks at Kaya.

"Kaya...do you remember your mother?" he asks. Kaya knits her eyebrows. She keeps her head down.

"Yes," she answers. Sitka chuckles.

"What do you remember?" Kaya sighs and bites her lip.

"The day she died..."

"Anything else?" Sitka asks.

"What does this have to do with-?" Sitka ignores Katara's question.

"What else can you honestly remember about your mother?" he asks Kaya. Kaya looks at him.

"Nothing. The only thing I can really remember is the day she died," she confesses. Sitka smiles.

"Exactly," he says. Kaya knits her eyebrows.

"What?" she asks in pure confusion. Katara looks at her.

"I never planned on telling you. I planned on keeping it hidden. I didn't see the point in it other than traumatizing you further," Sitka explains.

"What? What is it?" Kaya asks in suspense. Sitka shrugs.

"Neda never planned on having you. It just happened. We were devastated when she found out she was pregnant. You were a mistake. We didn't want you," Sitka says. "When you were born Neda stayed to take care of you. She had to. Of course, she didn't want to and I didn't want her to stay either. We didn't get along very well once you came along. Once you were old enough to go without her she left," Sitka stops and Kaya tries to take this in.

"Not only did she just leave the house, she left the NATION. She wanted to be as far away from you as possible! And of all places she went to the Fire Nation! I got a letter one day telling me she married a former general." He shakes his head and goes on. "I was stuck with raising you on my own for almost seven years. It was such a burden. Then I found out you were a bender which only made things worse." Tears fill Kaya's eyes.

"What is this accomplishing?" Toph asks sternly.

"Just let me finish, Chief," Sitka says. Kaya looks at Toph and Sitka goes on.

"Several years after Neda left I got a letter from her begging me to help her. Her husband wasn't who she thought he was, apparently, and she wanted to come back to live with us. Of course, I said no. Like a fool, she came anyways, and her dreaded husband followed her," he looks at Kaya. "The rest of the story you should know...her husband was angry with her for having a child he didn't know about and he burned the house down."

Kaya looks down at her hands. They are shaking. She tries remembering that moment. She sees her mother, who's face is unclear like it always has been. Everything about that moment is suddenly clouded. Despite that, it all fits. Kaya's mother didn't want her. She never did. Kaya looks at Toph.

"Please...tell me he's lying," she begs Toph. Toph shakes her head.

"I'm sorry."

"Hopefully you can see now that taking Kaya in would be a waste of your time," Sitka says. Kaya puts her head down on the table. Katara looks at her and is filled with anger.

"Taking Kaya in would not be a waste! We care about her and want her as part of our family! Nothing you can say will ever make us change our minds!" Katara says defiantly. Sitka nods.

"I see," he says. "Very well. If you want her, I guess you can have her. Don't say I didn't warn you though." An officer hands Toph a folder of paperwork. Toph shows Sitka where to sign his name. He does and Toph gives the papers to Aang and Katara. They sign and give the papers to Toph.

"Take Sitka to his cell," Toph orders. The officers bow and take Sitka by the arms. As they walk past Kaya Sitka chuckles.

"Good ridance," he grumbles. Kaya cringes and he is gone. Toph smiles at Aang and Katara.

"Congratulations!" she says with a laugh. She punches them both in the shoulder. They all look at Kaya.

"You hear that, Kaya?" Toph asks. "You have new parents!" Kaya stands and goes to the window. She leans against the wall and looks out at the city. Katara sighs and goes over to Kaya.

"All this time...I was just lying to myself," Kaya says.

"What do you mean?" Katara asks.

"My mother...I always pictured her as the only one in the world who cared about me. I always thought that if she were alive she'd save me from Sitka. I thought that she was there for me, right up until the day she died...but I was wrong." A tear traces down Kaya's cheek. "She never cared about me at all...I just don't understand how he could have hidden the truth from me for so long."

Katara hugs Kaya. Aang and Toph watch from where they're standing. Kaya sighs.

"I'm not sure if I was better off not knowing, or if it's better that I do know," Kaya says.

"I don't think it matters either way. You're here now...that's what I think really matters," Katara tells her. Kaya looks up at her.

"Thanks, Katara..." she says. Katara laughs.

"I know I told you that you can call me that...but now I'm 'Mom', okay?" Kaya smiles.

"Okay, Mom," Kaya giggles. Aang walks over.

"And I'm 'Dad', got it?" he asks.

"Got it, Dad," Kaya smiles.

"Just call me Aunt Toph, or Chief Beifong, either way," Toph says indifferently.

"Okay, Chief," Kaya says with a salute.

"Just don't do that," Toph tells her. Aang and Katara laugh and Kaya brings her arms down.

"Sorry," she says. They all laugh. Katara hands Kaya her bag of ice and they start to leave the station. Kaya puts the bag against her cheek and they get into a buggy. While they ride Katara puts her arm around Kaya's shoulder.

"I just can't believe you're my daughter now...legally at least," she says. Kaya smiles.

"Yeah," she laughs. "Me either." They get onto the ferry and ride towards the island. Kaya can't stop looking at it and thinking of it as her home.

When they get inside the boys are already in bed. The babysitter leaves and Kaya yawns. She goes to the guest room, which is now her own room, and lays in bed. When she gets settled Katara comes in.

"Goodnight," she says.

"Night," Kaya answers. Katara leans over and kisses Kaya's forehead.

"I love you," Katara tells her. Kaya smiles. At first it feels weird, but she finds the words.

"I love you too," Katara closes the door and leaves. Kaya falls asleep. She is completely happy for the first time.