Thank you for reading. I hope that you will like the second last chapter of this part of the story. I am looking forward to writing the next, last part. I have also enjoyed working on the little extra thing that I have been working on to go along with the last part. If school goes ok then I will try and have the last chapter of this done by the end of next week. Then the last part a week or so after that.
The tiny baby gurgled a little as her father rocked her slightly back and forth. Keeping her held tightly close to his chest. She seemed to be soothed by his stredy heartbeat, beating in her ear against his chest. The room was lit by a few soft burning candles. Night had fallen long ago, but the new baby not even a day old didn't seem to want to sleep. Wanting to see her mother first before allowing herself to fall to sleep for the first time, Aang guessed. Even in the faint light of the room her bright, uniquely coloured eyes darted around. Trying to see as much as she could. Not wanting to miss a thing.
He eyes looked up at his and he became lost in them. She was his, a part of him. It was like the part of him that was most precious. The part that was most important to him, the part that he could not live without, that he had been always without knowing it been fighting to protect, had been ripped from him and he now held it in his hands. In all its fragile glory. More importantly she was also a part of Toph. When the corners of her thin mouth tilted ever so slightly upwards, he swore he could hear the sound of a faint laugh. Toph's laugh. The laugh that had led him to her.
The sound in his head distracted him from the sound of movement just behind him. Sighing he looked out at the night sky from the window he stood in-front of. This was not how he had expected all of this to go. Then again nothing in his life had ever really gone the way that he had expected it too. Most of the time that had been for the better. Things had by in large turned out better than he had ever expected them to have gone. He wished that his was one of those times.
A groan of pain caused him to spin round to face the bed behind him. The bedding had been changed, the clean white sheets matched her skin so well it was too upsetting for him to look at her for very long. That was what had led him to the window. Even over the last eight months she had still remained so tiny. Now with the added weight she looked even smaller than she had before. He cheeks had taken on a slightly hollow look. The severe morning sickness had left her unable to keep anything down for almost two months. He though she had gotten better, now it didn't seem like it.
"Hey easy." He whispered quietly as he walked over to the bed.
Toph was trying her hardest to push herself up to a sitting position but finding it hard. Silently he bend down towards her. The baby safely held in his left arm, he slipped the right under her left arm. She was so light it was no real effort to pull her up. Once she was sitting up he sat on the bed next to her. She was leaning against his chest. Her head tucked in next to his neck. Reaching out with his right hand he picked up her pillow and positioned it so that she could lean against it. He did the same with the other before gently helping her back down on them. His hand stocked her cheek before he pulled it away.
"There is someone here that wants to meet you." He couldn't hide the smile he fought back from seeping into his voice.
She let out a sigh. Like she had been holding her breath, waiting for this for a long time. This was followed by a hitch in her voice that sounded to him like she was fitting back the threat of crying. If she was feeling the numerous feelings that he was, which he was sure she was, then he understood that. Her hands shock a little and it took some real effort for her to lift them even a few inches, but he still knew that he couldn't not let her hold her own child.
Her arms sank a few inches when the baby was placed in her arms. "She is going to need a name."
If she was not holding her baby girl in her arms for the first time he would have thought that her quiet voice was due to pain. That was most likely still a factor, a big one, but she was focusing on something more important right now to even think too much about the pain. Reaching out and stroking the small tuft of black hair he thought the statement over. She did need a name.
"What are you thinking."
A small smile crossed her face. "Do I have to do everthing." She finished her reply with a small laugh.
"Hey, I have been watching her this whole time."
"How long." Her voice suddenly sounded scared. She finally came to notice the fresh sheets and nightdress she wore.
"Not long, a good few hours that's all."
She nodded. "And in all that time you didn't think of a name. What does she look like."
"You, so beautiful."
"You are just trying to sweet talk me, because I didn't curse and blame you earlier." She smirked. Even in the dim light he could see a light colour coming back to her cheeks. "That is what Sokka said, wasn't it." Aang had the good grace not to say anything in reply. "There's always next time."
"So a name." He quickly changed the subject.
"What was the short list for a girl." She was listening to him, but her attention was on the tiny thing in her arms that needed her, depended on her. She like Aang had never felt so important and less so at the same time.
"Yin or Tama."
At the second one, the tiny baby made a cooing sound. "I think she's spoken."
"Yeah I think so." Aang smiled. Tickling her under her small chin he smiled down at his daughter. "Tama it is."
"Whole."
"Fitting."
As slowly and gently as he could he leaned forwards kissing his wife on the forehead. Then lowered his head to kiss his newly named baby girl on her forehead. A sigh of contentment of peace left his mouth as ne lifted his right hand to rest on the side of his wife's neck. Running his thump along the skin behind her ear. Her head tilted a little into his hand. Her head was starting to clear from the fog of tiredness. Her unique sight started to come back to her. She could see for the first time the presence of the wooden crib a few inches from the left side of the bed, Aang's side. This brought a smile to her face, he was planning on getting up with Tama in the night so she could sleep.
The smile slowly fell from her face as she noticed the parchment on the table by the door. She didn't have to guess what it said. She felt it in her heart as well as slight guilt that she had not felt it before now. It must have arrived after the birth. Aang had ben carrying more than their child waiting for her to wake up.
"He's dead isn't he."
He didn't have to ask her how she knew. He simply nodded. "Yes."
She had known, felt it in her heart when she saw him last. He was dying and only he knew. The healers had said he was just aging, but he knew better. Just like he always thought he did. This time he was right. She didn't know if that was funny, ironic or tragic. A little of each she decided. If she was not holding her baby daughter in her arms, then the loss of the only blood relative that she had had would have affected her more. In a way she had let her father go a long time ago. It still hurt her though.
"I'm sorry." He said as he lowered his had to take hold of her.
"In a way I think I knew this was coming."
"Your mother wants us to come as soon as we can. I was going to send her a message back about Tama, but it seemed….."
He stopped himself not wanting to finish what he was going to say. If a father's death could be told to their daughter in a letter. Than a stepmother could be told of the birth of her step grandchild in a letter too. Her non-concretion of Poppy not being her mother let him know that she was affected by this news, she was just going to not let it get in the way of what she now felt to be the most important thing. Taking care of Tama.
"To important to put in a letter." She finished for him. Her tone let him know she understood and agreed with his feeling. "It'll be a nice surprise for her when we arrive. It might help her."
He nodded. He was a little surprised that she was so willing to go. She was clearly still not well enough to even sit up using her own strength. It would be a long and cold trip to her childhood home at this time of year. She was determined to do it though. He could tell by the look in her eyes.
"Ok, but you have to rest and this little one had to get fatter." His hands tickling her round stomach causing a gurgling sound to echo throughout the room. "A week or so."
She didn't look pleased, but knew that she was in no position to argue. He was right. Tama and herself needed to get stronger before they made this journey. Her arms lowered a little, the slight weigh of the baby was slowly becoming too much for her. Gently he reached out and took Tama back into his arms. She didn't say anything but he knew that she was grateful and also annoyed at herself for not being able to hold her own baby for more than a few minutes.
Standing up slowly he walked over to the other side of the bed. Very carefully he placed the bundle in his arms into the crib. Now that she had seen her mother properly for the first time Tama seemed to settle. Sleep was not far away. Turning round he looked at Toph who also looked like sleep was about to take her too. Sitting on his side of the bed he helped her sit up a little more so he could place the pillows back flat on the bed. Once she was lying down, he lay onto of the sheets next to her. It didn't take long for mother and daughter to fall to sleep. With the father following not long after.
I hope you liked it, I would love to hear any comments that you have. As I am almost finished with the story, it would be nice if you could tell me if there is anything from the show you would like to be brought in, in a small into the story. Also if there is anything from Korra that you may like to be foreshadowed so I can work it in. Thank you.
