Chapter XI: Promise


I promise I won't be there,

I promise I won't try,

I promise that I don't care,

I promise I won't lie


They never got out of the cold.

Sokka was carefully manoeuvring himself on the ice. It took intense concentration to make sure his crutches didn't slip as they made their way to the inn Amak had pointed out before he'd left. From the gleam of new ice, Sokka thought it had been hastily renovated in the last few weeks. Then, just as he was turning his eyes away to navigate the steps upwards, glad for the practice going up to Arnook's damn Council building had given him, a loud cry split the air.

Sokka fell.

There was a dizzying blur of motion as crutch and arms and leg all flailed, trying to keep his balance. And then the hard, icy ground was rushing up to meet him, and he instinctively cradled his head and bent to absorb the impact. Years of living in the South Pole made him clench his teeth and brace himself for the cold and the pain.

Warmth and strength enveloped him instead.

Suki staggered a little under his weight as he came crashing down, but it was a qualified bend. From the way she bent and pushed back, setting him upright again, her posture had already adapted to him, had expected it when she'd moved two quick steps forwards to catch him. Sokka blinked at the speed of it all, but he had never been slow, and so he leaned into her arms before he could think.

He felt her tighten her grip gloriously around him for one, two, three heartbeats, and then suddenly step back.

Sokka almost fell again, cursing. But the pessimistic side of him had expected this, so he levered his crutch just to the right instead. It clunked into a rougher patch of snow, enough to give him at least a little bit of traction. But by the time he'd stopped fighting for balance, he'd missed his chance. Suki's face was narrowed in concentration, her ear cocked to the wind. "What is that?"

Sokka blinked again, then cursed as awareness of the outer world hit him once again. The cry that had unbalanced him in the first place had been joined by another, and then another - a wave of emotion reverberating through the frozen city. He couldn't quite place what emotion it was, though. He thought he heard pride, or a fierce rage, or even honour and love.

But he could pick where it was coming from.

"The Council of Elders' Building," Sokka said grimly, fingers tightening on his crutches. He looked at her then, and what he saw made a knife press up between his ribs. Suki had understood what he meant, how he had got there, and then where he was going in about the same time he took to get there. The realisation tasted like hot, burning regret slicked by melting ice. He shook off those thoughts though. She was standing there as if she were made of ice herself, and he wasn't going to dash himself against that wall again for nothing. He bore his own hurts now too, and wolves preferred to lick them in private when there was no one else around.

Her next words, though, which were maybe what he might have possibly been getting ready to say next, drove the realisation in again. Or maybe it was just the way her voice was sharpened by the soberness on her face. "Arnook's report talked about unrest and instability."

He couldn't help it. His old grin spread across his face, helped along by a dose of caustic acid. "Want to get a first hand taste?"

What he hadn't expected was the brief quirk of her lips, and then the shake of her head. "Are you insane? You want to go riot-surfing with a broken leg?"

Sokka had had several moments of discomfort with his injury before. Usually at the moments where he'd jarred it when it was still tender and his world was a world of 'ow', or when he wanted to go help Aang and Zuko with whatever crazy thing they were doing and had to stay behind. But he'd been all right with it at some level, the level that said it was the end of the war and he totally deserved a chance and an excuse to rest.

Now, he had never hated the break so much in his life.

"I swear," he muttered viciously to himself. "I am sitting outside the healer's hut until Yagoda sees me."

His head was down and to the side, and so he didn't see the sudden hesitancy in her eyes. And then a hand was squeezing his - just once, and tightly - a warrior's grasp (or a lover's, his heart said) and it was gone.

"I broke my arm once," Suki said, matter of factly. "Accident in training. Was proud of the girl who did it, but hated her at the same time." And then, unnecessarily, "We didn't have healers, so I had to rest."

He caught the implications, all of them. He wanted to hold her, or maybe laugh with her. He settled for his caustic grin again instead. "Well then. Meet up back here when we can?"

She nodded. He noticed that she glanced back once at him, and then strode away quickly, a lithe, deadly hunter's step on her even as she was, bundled up in much more than she was probably used to.

She looked small against the snow, against the towering, icy heart of the Northern Pole. Maybe that's why his mouth said it before he could stop himself. "Be careful."

She paused and looked back, face tight. He felt the familiar feeling of his foot being shoved down his throat, and cursed himself. What was it that crazy old Fortune teller said? Damn it, I wish Katara was here, I need to talk to someone. Oh La, I hope she's okay.

He was so far gone he almost didn't hear her when she started speaking, almost didn't remember what she was even responding to. But then his mind finally caught up with his ears.

"I will," she said. And a ghost of a smile crossed her own lips. "Promise."


A/N: Hey everyone,

I know I haven't written in a long time. For that I apologise. I've realised, recently, that the most unfair thing is that I haven't let everyone know why. The simple reason of it is that I've decided to finally act upon a lifelong dream I've had - to publish an original novel. And so I've decided that I'd like to complete a draft of it before I get back to fanfiction.

This fic is not dead. I've spent too long planning it, love it too much, and am humbled and amazed by all the support and reviews I've gotten for it. I do intend to finish it as well, just not right now. Sorry for the long silence. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, read, and stayed on this journey with me despite my delays. Your patience is awe-inspiring, and I hope to reward it someday soon.

With that in mind - this is a tiny, tiny part of Chapter 11 that I managed to write up to give you something for Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate on this day. I know it's pretty puny, and I apologise for it. But what it does represent as well is a promise. I will finish this story eventually, and thank you so much to all of you who have been so patient with me.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays,

-Shadowhawke