Chapter 14:
Awakening
Suki weakly supported herself on her elbows. Sokka sat next to her on the bed.
Toph and Katara had left the room, as they figured they weren't needed.
"What happened last night? All I remember is us eating dinner and walking to the firelight fountain and then I remember you pulling something out of your pocket and then I blacked out." Suki said, looking up at Sokka with her big blue-green eyes.
"Check your hand." Sokka replied, smiling.
Sure enough, Suki was still holding the betrothal necklace. She hadn't even realized it was still in her hand. Suki gasped at the beautiful carving.
"Sokka- I- this is beautiful! Thank you so much!" Suki stumbled over her words.
"So I never got an answer." Sokka said, his heart pounding.
"To what?" Suki asked stupidly.
"Will you marry me?" Sokka said, much smoother than he had the last time. He was glad she didn't remember.
"Of course Sokka!" Suki said.
"Good." Sokka smiled as he kissed Suki on the lips. "Do you like your betrothal necklace?"
"Sokka, it is the prettiest thing I have ever seen. I love it almost more than you." Suki smiled and made a fake gag noise at her sappy response.
She examined it closer and noticed all the fine detail Sokka had put into it. Suki traced over the smooth edge with her thumb.
"Will you help me get this on?" Suki asked, turning around and holding her hair.
"Couldn't be happier to." Sokka replied happily.
Sokka gently tied the necklace around Suki's neck. He stood up and walked in front of her. She was kneeling down and she adjusted her hair before she looked up.
Sokka held out his hand, offering to help her up. She kindly took it and hoisted herself up. Suki let go of his hand and walked towards the door. She felt her knees wobble and she stopped moving. Certain that Sokka had seen, she turned around and smiled sheepishly.
"What?" Sokka asked stupidly.
"Never mind." Suki replied, waiting for Sokka to stand next to her.
She hooked her arm around his and they walked toward the door. The whole group was waiting for them in the great room.
"She's alive!" Aang said, holding out his arms like a zombie and making a stupid face.
"Yes, alive and well." Suki smiled and laughed, leaning on Sokka.
Zuko and Mai were sitting on the couch, Mai looked like she was asleep on his shoulder.
"Glad to hear you're ok and didn't turn into another spirit." Zuko teased. Sokka shot him a dirty look.
"Aren't you hungry?" Toph asked. She was reclined on the other couch, with her feet on the table.
"Yeah, I am actually. What do we have to eat?" Suki asked, patting her stomach.
"Tea, rice, general earth kingdom foods." Katara responded, getting up from her chair. "Did you want me to go get you some?" She offered.
"Yes, thank you. That would be great." Suki replied.
Katara nodded and walked away. She paused at the front door and turned around. "What do you want?" Katara laughed at her forgetfulness.
"Surprise me." Suki said.
Katara shrugged and turned around. Suki crossed her legs and Sokka leaned on the back of the chair.
"So how are you feeling?" Zuko asked.
"Really good actually. I'm a little nauseous, but other than that I'm fine." Suki replied. Sokka raised an eyebrow when she said she was nauseous.
"That's good to hear. You took quite a spill." Zuko laughed lightly.
Mai opened her eyes and sat up. "Is that your betrothal necklace?" She asked.
Sokka was pleased with her noticing. "Indeed it is." Suki smiled at Sokka.
"Let me see!" Mai said excitedly.
Both Zuko and Suki were surprised by Mai's interest and excitement level. She was acting rather out of character lately.
Mai got up and walked around the table. She knelt in front of Suki and put her hand to her neck. Suki flinched at her cold fingers.
"I'm not going to slit your throat." Mai laughed.
"I know. Your hands are cold!" Suki gasped.
"Cold-hearted." Toph mumbled to herself. No one seemed to notice.
"I can't help it. This necklace is beautiful!" She said cheerily. "Why can't you make me one of these Zuko?" Her tone suddenly disgusted.
"We're fire nation." Zuko retorted.
"So?" Mai asked.
"Ugh, I'll make you one if you want." Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed in a Mai-like manner.
"Good." Mai stood up and sat back down next to Zuko.
Katara returned with some roast duck, rice, and tea for Suki. She set down the tray of food in front of Suki on the coffee table.
"That smells delicious." Sokka closed his eyes and smiled as he inhaled.
"Mine." Suki said protectively.
Suki picked up the bowl of roast duck and rice and began eating. She gracefully grabbed the pieces and popped them into her mouth. Sokka stood behind her, waiting hopefully for her to offer some.
"Thank you Katara." Suki said, smiling at Katara. Katara smiled back and sat down next to Aang on the couch.
"Come here." Suki motioned to Sokka to lean over.
"What?" Sokka asked, when he was within a few inches of her face.
"Open." Suki said.
Sokka complied and Suki put a piece of duck in his mouth.
"Thanks." Sokka replied with his mouth full.
"Don't speak with your mouth full!" Katara scolded.
"Sorry mom." Sokka replied sarcastically, mouth no longer full of food.
Suki finished her meal shortly after Katara's scolding. She picked up the tea and began to sip it.
"So what are we going to get up to today?" Katara asked.
"Why don't we just hang out? Chat and stuff." Suki suggested.
"Why don't we actually go and do something? We all seem to be pretty lazy." Zuko protested.
"Are you going to attack me with fireballs for not doing anything again?" Aang teased. Zuko responded with a dirty look and a shake of his long black hair.
"Well how about the girls stay here and the boys can go gallivanting off doing silly things." Katara suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Mai said, standing up.
"I don't get to spend any time with my fiancé?" Sokka asked.
"Nope." Aang said cheerily, grabbing Sokka's arm and pulling him out the door. Zuko followed behind the excited 13 year old.
"Ok, well now that we have the house to ourselves, what do you want to talk about?" Suki asked.
"You." Toph said, her voice flat.
"What about me?" Suki asked, confused.
"Well, there's this extra presence that I feel when I'm with you. However I couldn't pinpoint it to you, because Sugar Queen was always nearby." Toph explained.
Suki looked perplexed. Katara and Suki exchanged alarmed glances. Mai, returning back to her gloomy self, was cleaning her nails, completely unaware of the sudden seriousness.
"I think one of you is…" Toph paused.
"Is what?" Katara asked, her heart rate elevated.
"Pregnant." Toph blurted out.
"What?" Suki asked, standing up from shock.
"It feels like there are 5 people in the room, when I know there are only 4." She explained calmly.
"Well I'm not- I couldn't be." Suki sputtered, sitting back down in her chair.
"How do you know for sure?" Toph asked.
"Did you- oh my, bad images!" Katara looked disgusted.
"Well yeah but, it could still be you Katara, or Mai for that matter." Suki reasoned.
"I heard my name?" Mai inquired.
"Never mind, go back to whatever you were doing." Toph said, waving her hand dismissively.
"Well did you?" Suki asked Katara.
"What? No! He's- no, just no." Katara said, mildly offended.
"Well that leaves you then, doesn't it?" Toph said.
"Wait. What day is it?" Suki asked, trying to reason her way out of her situation.
"The 20th." Katara responded.
Suki counted on her fingers. Her heart began to race and her breathing became rapid.
"Oh no. This can't be true!" Suki said, suddenly very worried.
"It's not that big of a deal. I mean you're 16, of marrying age. You are getting married soon enough." Katara said, trying to calm Suki down.
"You're right, but still! I just can't believe it. I'm pregnant…"
So thus concludes my chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter is fluff, you know the aforementioned gallivanting? Well that's what's to come. I'm almost finished with this story, and I'm excited to start writing the sequel. I'll post the two chapters at the same time so you can have a link to it. Anyway, have a nice day. :D