I am very sorry that I am once again late with the up-date. I have had a problem with my computer that set me back a few days. I really should have learned that when I say that I will up-date by a certain date I am jinxing myself. So should not do so anymore. I hope that you like the new chapter.
The sun poured in from the half open window, landing on the middle of the occupied bed. The occupant began to stir. They tried to push themselves up with their elbows but found that they couldn't. Even lifting their head off the pillow a few inches brought on a sharp rush of blood to their head. Which forced them back down onto the pillow. This slight movement and the pool of light hitting the bed woke the other occupied of the room. Who had fallen asleep sitting next to the bed, with their head resting on the edge of the bed.
"Morning." Aang finished with a yawn.
Resting his hands on the bed he pushed his upper body up so he was sitting in an upright position again. He then reached out with his right hand and took hold of Toph's. Though her face was looking straight ahead of her, looking up at the celling, he could tell that she was rolling her eyes at this gesture. All of this he knew she thought was over reacting.
"Morning yourself." She replied as she turned her head to face him. "Though did you sleep at all."
"I got a few hours."
"If you're not careful she is going to be after you to." Even the faint laugh that followed brought on a feeling of light-headedness.
He a little reluctantly let her hand go. "Katara isn't that bad. She is just worried about you." He didn't say it, but he was worried about her too, it went without saying.
It had only took a minute. A minute of blind sheer panic, before her came too once they arrived at the air temple just over a week ago. She let him help her down from Appa, but insisted on making her way to the bedroom on her own. That fact that she agreed with him about going to bed to rest without even the hint of disagreement was enough for him. Once she was sleeping he sent their messenger hawk to the fire nation capital. She would be annoyed once she woke up and found out he had sent a message to Katara asking for her to come earlier than planned to take care of Toph. He didn't really care, he would take an annoyed Toph over a weak one any day.
From almost the second she arrived a day and a half after Aang sent the message, Katara had taken over almost everything at the temple. Not that that was truly a lot. The temple was Aang and Toph's home. Everything there was about them in one way or another. Right now their lives revolved around the coming baby and Katara knew more about what was to come and how best to help. So they stepped back and let her lead things.
"Try and get up again and we'll see how bad I am."
It was a sign of how tired both benders where that they never heard the waterbender walking towards the bedroom. She entered the room walking over to the other side of the bed than the one Aang sat at, then she placed the tray with breakfast that had made down on the bedside table.
"Thank you." Aang said as she stood up.
He then helped Toph sit up as much as she would let him, as Katara fluffed up the pillows behind her. Once she was sitting back down she was quickly handed a bowl of porridge. Katara hand a bowl over to Aang next. Who shook his head.
"I'm really not that hunger. I think I will go from a ride on the gilder. Get some air. If you don't mind…."
"I don't need to be babied. I'll be fine for an hour or so."
The avatar looked to Katara, who gave him a small smile. Letting him now that she would be right hear and would look after things. He smiled back in return before bending down to kiss Toph on the forehead.
When he returned just over an hour later. Katara was washing the breakfast dishes. Feeling bad, but not wanting to be seen, as he would then feel like he had to offer to help her. He slipped past the kitchen towards the bedroom on the upper floor. With every step he took further away from the kitchen the more his guilt feel away. The bedroom door was closed which let him know that Toph was most likely sleeping. Opening the door slowly he crept into the room. He was right Toph was in the bed, sleeping on her left side, facing the side of the bed where his chair stood. Almost tip toeing in he walked towards it and sat down.
The bed sheet had fallen down to her waist, the baby bump only half covered. Reaching over her took hold of the sheet, to cover her further. As he did he felt the baby kick lightly against his clenched hand. Letting the sheet slip through his fingers, he opened his hand and placed it on the bump. As if on cue the baby kicked again.
"Hey you." He felt the words low and quiet, soft leaving his mouth before he had a chance to think about them. "I'm your dad." This was the first time that he had said that word out loud in connection with himself. It felt strange, powerful. Yet right at the same time.
"Your mum and I can't wait to meet you." He was sure he heard Toph let out a soft sigh in her sleep, like she was agreeing with him. "I realise that we don't know anything about you. If you're a boy or a girl. Will you have your mom's eyes or my ears. What kind of bender you'll be. If you'll be one at all. We still want to meet you, but now of that stuff matters. As long as you are here and health and happy. That is all that matters."
All the possibilities of who his child could be ran through his head. He found that he was absolutely right. None of it matter. Not one little bit. A girl he could naturel fuss over would be pleasant. It would also be nice to have a son, who he could maybe better understand and support when needed. A child that was an airbender would be amazing. It could be one step closer to his new major goal as avatar. To rebuild the air nomad culture and nation. Finally restoring balance to the four nations. Truly though he didn't care. He just wanted to meet his and Toph's child. Whomever they would turn out to be.
"There is one thing about you that I know for certain already." He felt Toph move slightly under his light touch as she pulled the pillow she was holding a little tighter. "That is that you are loved. So much. I already love you more than I ever loved any one before and I know your mum loves you that much as well."
He could have said how he knew this to be true. The risk she was taking in having them, the strain it was already taking on her. He didn't though. Part of him knew that neither Toph nor the baby could really hear him right now. He still knew that she would now what him to say it. To bring it up to her and especially not bring it up to the child. Not that he ever would. Bending down he quickly kissed the baby bump, before standing up. He was now fairly hunger. He would have something to eat then come back up.
The rest of the day went by as quickly as all the other day since they returned home. The next day also began much like the others before. The only difference was that food was getting short, so Aang was forced to take Appa to the nearest village and get some supplies. After seeing him off Katara went to check on Toph.
As she had been since returning back here. Under strict orders from Katara and Aang, Toph was in bed, propped up with two pillows. As Katara entered the room she caught Toph letting out a faint sigh. Clearly expecting too be forced to eat or drink something. Worse still being given some medicine. She was in luck as Katara was not planning any of these things. Simply she walked over to the bed. Once next to it, she sat on the edge of it. Then swung her legs onto the bed. Sliding over to be propped up a light by the pillows to, rather than lean against the hard wall.
"Hey."
Toph scoffed a little. "Hey sweetness."
Katara had to bite back her urge to ask Toph how she was. She didn't have to ask. The circles under the earthbenders eyes, the tiredness in her voice, added to her washed out complexion told her all she needed to know. Toph was tired and she didn't blame her. She had been through this herself twice before.
"I would ask if you wanted a book to read, but I am too comfortable right now to get up."
Closing her eyes Katara rested her head on Toph's shoulders. After the shook of the older benders actions wore off, Toph rested her head on top of Katara's. "Why are you tired." She said just above a whisper.
"Be quiet." Katara replied also just above a whisper.
For a few minutes the two women rested, dozing a little. After her back started to get a little stiff Toph was forced to move a little. Forcing Katara to lift her head from Toph's shoulder. "Are you ok." She asked.
Toph took a deep breath to try and deplete her anger before answering. "My back is stiff, but I can't get up and move because….."
She was silenced as Katara wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into a hug. "It'll be over soon." There was nothing more that she could say. It would just be saying something for the sack of saying it. Toph didn't need and won't want that. Pulling back she fluffed the pillows up a little more. Know that it would not really make any difference.
Settling back down, it was now Toph who rested her head on Katara's shoulder, while she in turn leaned hers on top of Toph's head. The feeling into a comfortable silence, falling very close to sleep. Till a sharp pain, like being run through with a burning sword shot through Toph's abdomen.
Her eyes shot open widely as she let out a faint yell of pain. She bite her lip trying to not yell out very loudly. Instinctively she had sat up and took hold of her baby bump. Katara was pull from her dozing state too. She lace placed her arms around Toph's back. She didn't say anything. They both knew what was happening. She knew that it would be soon, but she had never expected it to be this soon.
Thank you for reading. I hope that you liked it. As always I would love to hear what you think, as I really don't know how to right the next chapter. So any ideas and input would be very much appreciated. All comments are very welcome.
