I could hear the pitter patter of small feat making their way towards me, "Aang! Thank goodness, I was worried – is that Suki?"
"Yes, she's hurt pretty bad. We need to get back quick, could you get me onto Appa?" With that I razed the ground below us and Aang stepped off onto Appa's back.

-Aang's pov-

I helped Toph onto Appa as I let the level of Earth fall back into its natural place. I turned to see Toph looking down at Suki, she looked ruined. Toph touched her head for a long time, I realised she could probably tell something. "…Is she still alive?" The words came as a small whisper, I was scared for Suki's life – but it tore me apart, the fact that if I had been there sooner I could have stopped it. "Barely, she's in a lot of pain." A tear ran down the Earthbender's cheek and she looked so little all over again, "When we were on the ground, you could feel everything she was feeling couldn't you?" She nodded painfully and stroked Suki's short hair. "She's in a coma, so it's amplified." I pulled the girl into a tight hug; she wiped the tears from her face and looked up towards me "Don't worry Aang, Katara will save her." With that she smiled, it was sad to look at but it was an attempt.
"Umm Twinkletoes?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you… naked?"
"Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no. Suki has my robe on her."
"Ok good." She smiled, and realisation dawned on me. We were still in the Abbey.
"I need to get us back, take care of Suki while I fly."
"Ok."

-Toph's pov-

"Ok Toph we're here." I let Aang and Suki down onto the ground with an Earth platform and ran straight to Katara's room.

I didn't feel the need to even knock on the door, because she would obviously be asleep. I ran straight into the room and shook Katara as hard as I could. "Toph! STOP!"
"Katara, we need your help!"
"Now?"
"Suki's hurt really bad." With that said she got straight up and I lead her straight through the maze of fountains and stopped a couple of feet from the hurt girl and the monk. "What happened."
"I… don't know, but I can't go further – it hurts too much."
"Ok, why don't you go to sleep? She'll be ok, I promise by tomorrow." I went straight to my room and bid the sight good night.

-2 days later-

I went straight to Toph's room to tell her of the good news, Suki was awake and recovering. But there was bigger news than that to deliver. I tapped the little girl on the shoulder knowing that would be enough to grab her attention, she had the nicest room from my calculations – but I guess the Fire Nation palace was a second home to her. We had left the day after Suki's incident and when we got back I was based in the healing rooms ever since, as for everyone else: meetings had been put together in order to postpone the native reunion in Ba Sing Se (because of Suki's injury's), and that morning I had found out from Zuko that our plea had gone through as a positive. "Katara? Shouldn't you be with Suki?"
"She's awake."
"She is?" The little girl sat up in glee and I couldn't help but smile at her excitement.
"Yes and the native reunion has been postponed for another month. After all, Suki is leader of the Kyoshi warriors and a significant member of the Earth Kingdoms troop."
"Ok, and has Manami come back yet?"
"I thought you would have known…" Toph had been looking out for her friend throughout the castle and in the towns. "I'm sorry Toph."
"It's ok, she's probably at school. Good for her."
"I'll help you get ready, and then we can go and see Suki, she's much better now so you can be near her."

-Aang's pov-

Zuko sat as his desk facing Sokka and I, I felt as if I was in one of those weird meetings were they try to recruit you for a profession depending on what you say. "So, Suki's better…" Zuko sounded a lot more drowsy than usual. "Aang, do you remember what happened?"
"What?" Sokka looked straight at me in silence and I was clueless.
"You were there Aang, who was it?"
"I… don't know. I know it was a woman, that's all I remember."
"Ok."
"Well it was dark Zuko - do you expect the Avatar to have night vision too!"
"Geese Aang… he was just asking?"
"Oh, well I'm sorry Sokka. I guess I didn't see the courtesy in his voice!"
"Aang calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down." With that I stood up in my seat and left for the medical room, I had to see Suki.

"She's in there Aang." Nurse Rose beckoned me inside the room, she was so sweet.
"Thankyou Rose." I walked over to Suki's bed and she smiled up at me, I missed that smile. I saw her sitting on her bed all alone, there was a freshness about her – well I guess she had been sleeping for quite a while, but it was nice to see her at least a bit like herself again.
"Well hello you." There were no scars on her face, or any sign of bruising apart from her bent leg which was visible from the moulding of the blanket.
"Hi." I sat on the chair to her side and she smiled back again.
"So, rumour has it you're my savoir."
"Some savoir I am…"
"You saved my life Aang, I would have died…"
"I could have done better…" She shook her head at my reply and looked down at her red blanket.
"You were quick, and there when I needed you the most, I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there. The whole time I kept on saying, I wish Aang was here, I wish he was here to help me cope. But then I thought, actually I don't want him here – because he would have died too. But I didn't die, and neither did you, because that's how amazing you are. That's what you do, you save people, and I don't ever want you to stop." She looked over to me with an innocent smile; Suki and I were always going to be friends no matter what.

We talked for a while and eventually the girls joined us. "I'm glad to see your well Suki!" Toph hugged her friend and Katara smiled over the situation. It was all a happy affair, and everyone felt safe. Unexpectedly an anxious looking Sokka marched into the room, not giving a second glance to the female company surrounding Suki's bed. "Zuko needs to see you and Toph." She looked up from her seat next to Suki on the bed, as if she was in trouble. I stood and walked to Sokka, "Why?" I said in a hushed tone as to not scare anyone. "We'll talk about it there, you're not in trouble." With that Toph joined us and we were ready to go, "I'm glad you are well Suki." Sokka smiled at the girl and as if in shock she perched a smile back and with that we left.

The golden silk curtains bordered the maroon framed windows letting the boiling sun pass through the dazzling room; Zuko's office never got old, there was always something new to discover in the room while you were looking around as to avoid being interrogated. Or perhaps there were constant renovations… Toph and I sat across from him the perched seats. I could see in the corner of my eye how uneasy she looked, she was scared. He was frightening her. Sokka joined the Kyoshi warriors standing in the corner to Zuko's left. "I don't mean to be a nuisance. But you two were there." No reply was made, as the obvious statement was spoken. "Sokka and the girls went down there yesterday and over the night – to the Abbey that is. They saw where it all went down, however we need to know if you have any idea of suspects you could put forward." Toph looked down as if to pear at her feet and said nothing, "I'll start with you Aang."
"I told you, all I know was the person was a girl."
"Just one girl?"
"Yes."
"Is there anything else?"
"I don't know, she had dark hair but that's all I saw. It was dark."
"Ok. Toph?"
"No, I didn't go in."
"Why not?"
"It's a wooden exterior, I wouldn't have been able to see let alone help."
"Understandable. Toph, you may be excused now." With that the small girl raised from her seat and left the room, no bow or salute was made to her Fire Lord but that didn't seem to bother him. As soon as the door shut I wanted to be out of there. "Aang, Suki trusts you, and you were there. Seeing as the situation is delicate I would like you to see if you can find out who did this to her and if she has any details about this person." It was an understandable plea, but it was tantalizing and nerve wrecking. I looked over to Sokka as if in a cry for help, but he nodded. "Ok, I'll try." With that I left my seat as Toph did without a salute of any kind and left the room, I shut the door behind me and looked at the ground in defeat. I don't have the time for this. I'm not the right person either. I just can't… "What did he want?" I heard the minor voice and looked across the gallery to see Toph standing there waiting for me. Do I tell her? "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." As if you she had read my mind. "I have to find out who hurt Suki, from Suki." Sigh.
"Wow, your life really couldn't get any harder could it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"All you have to do is ask her Aang."
"And could you do it Toph?""
"If I wanted to I would."
"Just leave it ok, I don't feel that way about Suki."
"Who even suggested that?"
"No one, it's just why else would they make me of all people to do this?"
"Because your one of the few compassionate people in our little group, plus you were there." I sighed at the downfall in my plea, she was right I was being ridiculous. "Come with me for lunch, clear your head and then you can go and ask her."
"No, I'll go and ask her now."
"Well ok then." Toph short patients span was still clearly there and I loved picking at it.
"-And then I will meet you for lunch, we'll go somewhere nice – Bei fong standard in fact!" She laughed at the sound of the last bit and smiled. "Ok, it's a date!" With that I bid the Earthbender goodbye and set off to find Suki.

She was alone at her bed. "Where's Katara?"
"She just went to ask when lunch is starting. Zuko is quite busy so it looks like it'll just be the 5 of us."
"Oh, umm… I'm really sorry Suki…" I bit down on my lip and she looked at me with a sly smile
"You're ditching us aren't you."
"Well, we kind of just made plans, I'm sorry we didn't know-"
"We?"
"Toph and I…"
"Oh, no it's fine. I guess we should have known that after the war we wouldn't be able to be the 6 of us together all the time ya'know." I felt guilt tripping me up.
"I'm really sorry."
"Its fine, I did tell Toph earlier that we might all be splitting for lunch so that's probably why." Or maybe we just wanted to have lunch because we just wanted to have lunch…
"Anyway, I need to talk to you, about the abbey. If you're ok with that?"
"I'm fine, let's talk about it." She made an effort to turn towards me and I reclaimed my seat to her left.
"Do you know who it was? Even have an idea of who it was or any physical features of the person?" Suki looked down almost as if she was going to be sick. "I'm sorry, let's not."
"No! I-I know who it is. I just wish I didn't, because it's not right." I could see she was shaking, but she wanted to get it out. "Suki, if you don't want to tell me don't."
"Did Zuko send you?"
"That doesn't matter, what matters is your safety." She looked up at me at that point, and I saw the pain and anguish in her eyes. She looked down and took a deep breath, her now just below shoulder length hair cupped her face and she stared at the design of her bed spread. "It was Manami." The words came as a whisper and a tear dashed down her cheek. She looked up at me as if I had the answer of what to do with this information, but all I knew in that moment was that Toph was in her room, getting ready, and having her hair braided by some crazy assassin.