((AN: First of all, I'm beginning to get absolutely annoyed about this little error going around on FF...I hope they get by it soon, somehow. This can't last forever; the mods must have gotten a ton of emails about it by now.

I'm miffed mostly because I wanted to put up a new collection of Avatar one-shots (and I have too, I just had to upload it under a different category first...so rest assured, it IS Avatar, not AHHH, Real Monsters). x3 I hope you guys enjoy it, too.

At any rate...at least I can update a new chapter here for y'all, in which our friends give the Earth King the low-down and help rebuild Gaoling. x3 Toph also gets to talk with her parents. I admit, when writing the confrontation scene, I didn't know exactly how to characterize her father. Most fanfictions always seem to have her parents on one of two extremes; either fully accepting of her, or still so stupidly stubborn, even after the war is over and she's a hero (probably with good reason...I mean, who else facepalmed in the series when Lao accused the Avatar of -kidnapping- Toph, and acting like that when he saw for himself just how skilled she was. The freakin' Master Yu even said she was the greatest Earthbender he's ever seen. A Master said that, and Lao -still- didn't see straight. SERIOUSLY, WHAT.). So I kinda settled for an in-the-middle thing. Lao's a stubborn, no-nonsense noble, but he's also torn with trying to earn his own daughter's respect by now.

Plus we go back to the fluff, a little bit, which will only get better as we go. x3 Enjoy!

Mike and Bryan own all here, not me.))

Chapter 20

There was going to be a bit of heavy cleanup for the town the day that the five friends had chosen to stay in Gaoling. But for that evening, they had been invited to stay at the Bei Fong Estate—in the buildings that hadn't been too damaged by fire—for a much-needed night of rest and relaxation.

The Boulder, Master Yu, and the rest of the Earthbenders and prisoners had gone back to their duties as protectors of the town. It was only Toph's parents and friends at the estate…and the Earth King, who of course had a lot of explaining to do (his pet bear, Bosco, had been hiding out somewhere on the property while he'd been taken captive. They had to wait for Sokka to stop ranting about the animal's uselessness before continuing).

And explain he did, that night at dinner, with everyone else looking on. Toph however wasn't present; she'd given her parents an ultimatum to speak with her if they were ready to do so without treating her like a helpless, blind child, and she'd gone to bed early.

Kuei began his story with a hum as Bosco devoured a large piece of meat. "Well, uh…first of all, I must point out that I didn't mean to put the town of Gaoling in this rather…precarious predicament, upon coming here. My world travels were going well, and I was learning more than I ever could have hoped about the outside world. By the way, Avatar, I know it's a bit late but…uh, congratulations to you and your friends on winning the war."

"Thanks," Aang nodded politely, with the others giving proud smiles in return.

Nodding, the Earth King continued. "Anyway…I admit that I had been starting to miss the life that I'd left behind. Luckily, the noble Bei Fongs knew who I was instantly and kindly gave me a place to stay for a few nights."

"We were only happy to do so," Lao Bei Fong said. "It was an honor to have the Earth King stay. And especially since he had stories of the Avatar and Toph."

"Ah; they just wanted to hear about their daughter," Katara mumbled between bites of her food.

Not paying her attention, Poppy Bei Fong continued. "I do wish I knew why the Earth King himself would travel the world in such ragged conditions. I am surprised that we could tell him apart from any other peasant."

"The bear must've given him away," Sokka muttered. "He's the only guy in the world we know who has one as a pet."

Katara elbowed her brother as a sign for him to be quiet, and Kuei resumed (none too indignantly). "At any rate, I suppose somehow word got out that my kind hosts had an important guest…gossip travels fast in little towns, I've noticed…and soon enough word must have spread to some Fire Nation rebels that they were housing the former Earth King. And the next thing I knew, the ruffians had captured they and myself, and overran the town!" He rubbed his temples with his hand. "What a mess."

"Believe me, we know," Suki nodded. "There's more than enough of a mess to clean up now that the war is over."

"There's good news though," Katara added. "Ba Sing Se has been retaken for the Earth Kingdom. The palace has been run by several advisors and generals, as far as Iroh tells us…"

"But what it needs is someone back on the throne," Sokka finished. "That is, if you're willing to go back. If the Fire Nation rebels are so keen on trying to capture high-ranking nobility, then you're better off safe behind the walls again."

Kuei groaned and placed his head in his hands. "I know. I've had thoughts about it, but…after all that I've seen in this world, and all I have yet to see, I've fallen in love with traveling. To go back into the confines of the palace…"

"Think of it this way," Aang jumped in. "Unlike the kings before you, you're a worldly king, and know much about the state of the world as is. And if you're concerned about restoring it and know what must be done to keep balance, then that should be the path you follow." He smiled. "I know how much fun traveling is, take it from a nomad. But in your case, it's what made you wise enough to truly rule as you were meant."

"And there are many people you can count on to help now," Sokka added. "Not just us, but our allies. Iroh and the members of the White Lotus, who are located all over the world. And now of course, the new Fire Lord, Zuko. A formal treaty of peace with the Fire Nation would be a good place to start, and maybe help stop these rebellions."

Kuei lifted his head, a small smile on his face. "Yes…I suppose you are right. The world needs to be rebuilt again, and Ba Sing Se needs a king. I shall make preparations to leave soon."

The group let out collective sighs of relief. One thing they knew about the Earth King in their time with him, is that he did have a sense of duty, however small.

"You could come with us," Suki offered. "We're all on a leisurely trip across the Earth Kingdom to check up on a few places. Ba Sing Se will be our destination after we stop over Omashu, the Eastern Air Temple, and the Foggy Swamp."

Kuei smiled. "That is very kind of you, and I would take up your offer in a heartbeat. But, I feel that I need to get there sooner than you will, and I am still a little wary of flying, with no offense intended toward your bison…so I shall take a carriage from here in Gaoling."

"Then I guess we'll send Iroh a message to let you know you're coming back," Sokka said, while giving Hawky a stroke on his chest feathers. "We've got the best messenger in the world."

Katara leaned in to whisper in Aang's ear. "It'll be fun to see who gets there first, us on Appa or him on the ground."

Aang suppressed an agreeable snicker before turning back to the dinner gathering. "At any rate, we're glad we made it here on time and to see you all safe again."

"All thanks to you and your brave friends," The Earth King admonished.

"Indeed," Lao said as he put down his bowl. "But, there are a few matters to discuss while you are here, Avatar. Namely, why you decided to kidnap our daughter all those months ago."

"Kidnap?" Aang echoed while quirking an eyebrow. "You didn't know? She came with us of her free will, to teach me Earthbending."

"Yeah!" Katara exclaimed, rather surprised by the topic. "You must have heard the news, how she helped us save the world. You can't still think to treat her like a child, after all she's done."

"They have a point, dear," Poppy softly spoke up. "And remember, just earlier today she saved our lives. I think it is past time that you relinquish your thoughts on the matter."

Lao sighed. "But it is dangerous! Our daughter is rebellious and out of control!"

"And brave," Poppy added. "Her heart is in the right place. The Avatar and his friends may well have brought out the potential in her that we thought she would never show in her condition."

"Ugh…" the father closed his eyes, trying to keep his composure in check. "Maybe so…but…still. I cannot help but think that she has been taken away from us in all ways. She would not even join us for dinner. Our daughter hates us."

"Hates you? She missed you guys more than you'll ever imagine," Sokka said matter-of-factly. "She sent you a letter, after all. It's not you she hates; it's how you treat her. She wants you to see her for what she really is and be proud of her. Or she'll just keep staying away."

"Try to see it from her point of view," Katara pleaded. "She's smart and independent, and knows how to live past her imitations. And yet you won't even try to understand her. So our advice is to start doing that, if you want her back."

Lao narrowed his eyes, unable to speak. His wife raised her head and spoke for him, instead. "We will try. If at least to do so as we are indebted to her and to you, now."

"That's all we ask," Aang answered as he bowed his head. "Anyway, thanks for the dinner. It was delicious."

"We are happy to accept the blessings of the world's savior," Lao replied, lightly smiling. "As we have said earlier too, the rooms in the mansion are yours for tonight and tomorrow night as per your plans."

With that, dinner was finished and the group went their ways to clean themselves up and get ready for sleep. For courtesy's sake, again, they would all be in separate bedrooms.

"We're gonna have to get you some decent traveling clothes," Katara told Aang at one point as they strolled along the back halls. "I know you're partial to your Air Nomad robes, but they did get pretty scratched and burned up today."

He had said garments bundled in his arms, and was otherwise simply covered up in his black Fire Nation trousers. He did keep his wooden ornamental necklace on, however. The Airbender shrugged and smiled shyly. "I suppose so. I wouldn't want these to get destroyed like my other outfits did. Maybe we can find something in the market tomorrow."

"Sounds like a plan," Katara chuckled. "Meanwhile, I'll fix these up for you. They'll look as good as new again when I'm done, trust me."

Aang gave her a smile as he handed her the outfit. "I always did trust you."

The Waterbender smiled back, reaching for the clothes and taking his hands along with them, pulling him to her. She laid a kiss on his lips, short but sweet, and broke away after a second.

Aang pouted, and Katara laughed. "Sorry, but that has to be short. You know how old-fashioned they are in this place."

"Yeah, and I kinda hate it," the Avatar snorted with his own laughter, deciding to steal a short kiss back; when she leaned into it, it told him that she hated being apart about as much as he did.

But the sound of approaching footsteps pulled them out of their moment, and with hurried "good nights" and "I love yous" exchanged between them, they made for their individual bedrooms.

The next day, the town was already starting to settle down from the shock of having been invaded. Renovations were being made on the houses that were destroyed, and families gathered in small meetings to discuss plans for rebuilding and making for better security along the borders. Master Yu had the idea of having the Earthbenders build a wall similar to Ba Sing Se's, only much smaller, and would still allow for easy trade between other towns. Sokka and Suki oversaw some of those plans to make sure that everything would fall neatly into place without trouble.

The group's three benders, meanwhile, helped themselves to the clean-up. It was easy with Aang's Airbending to gather the debris in one place, and with Firebending and Earthbending to burn and dispose of the garbage. Katara refilled her water pouch and used more from the nearby river to clear the streets. By the end of the day, things were livable again, and the five friends were free to enjoy themselves how they saw fit.

Toph was alone that evening, after everything was said and done. She insisted that the others go off on their own while she stayed behind at the estate. The blind Earthbender never said why, and neither did her friends press for the reason. They simply knew as always that it was better to leave the girl to her own devices.

But truth be told, she didn't know what to do with herself either. A part of her wanted to initiate a talk with her parents, and another part wanted them to come of their own volition if they had any respect for what she truly was. And for once, not taking the Earthbender's head-on way out, she obeyed the latter instinct. So, under the waning sunlight and the slowing warmth of day, she stayed in the expansive courtyard and practiced her skills in solitude.

At one point, amidst the sounds and vibrations of her own practicing, a set of footsteps were sensed coming towards her from the house. She recognized the gait and the stance instantly, and with it, the person.

"Toph?" Lao Bei Fong called out. "It's me, your father."

The Earthbender ceased her training and spoke without turning to him. "I knew it was you way before you warned me, Dad. What do you want?"

"I want…" he paused as the words caught in the noble's throat. It wasn't at all easy to relinquish his pride before his little blind daughter. "I want you to speak to me, Toph. And I want to understand why you are this way with us."

Silence passed between them for a few moments. Toph still hadn't moved.

"…I tried to tell you why before. And even then you didn't understand," she answered evenly. "How will I know you will understand now?"

Lao closed his eyes. "Because…Toph, we're your parents. We love you, and we will always love you, no matter what. And we were afraid that you were never going to truly and capably look out for yourself. Seeing you now, knowing that you've helped to save the world, and that you've saved us…become a master surpassing masters…it is too much a shock. We thought we could protect you, and yet you went without fear or concern and have done the most unthinkable, heroic things. And after much thinking…and your mother's coaxing," he laughed quietly, "I feel horrible for driving you away." He bowed his head. "Please…tell me what we can do to have you back again."

Toph listened to her father's lament, believing that she would only hear more of the same kind of garbage that she always had to put up with. But instead, it came as a surprise. Tears sprung from her foggy eyelids. I don't believe it.

Quickly wiping the moisture from her face, she turned and faced her father with a stern expression. "I'll tell you what you can do…you can start to understand me for who I really am."

"And how can I do that?" Lao softly asked. "My daughter…I do not even know how you came to possess such amazing prowess in Earthbending even after Master Yu had promised that he was keeping you at the beginner's level."

Toph raised her head. "If I tell you my story, will you promise to listen and not to judge until I'm finished?"

The nobleman gulped, trying his best to hold back his most prominent urge to argue and decline. He began to think that perhaps her stubbornness was inherited from him. "…Yes. I promise."

At that, a slow smile spread on Toph's face. She walked forward and took her father in a tight embrace, which he returned strongly.

"Then we'd better get inside," the Blind Bandit grunted. "It's going to be a long story, and also, I don't want to be seen hugging you like some kind of sap."

Meanwhile, the others were having a time just touring around the town. Sokka had taken Suki on a tour of his favorite places (including the market where he'd bought his favorite green Earth Kingdom bag), while Katara and Aang were having a small date of their own.

One of the first things they did was to send a status letter to Iroh via Hawky, about the rebellion that they'd gotten rid of. The leader of the attack had swiftly been taken away to prison to face up to crimes against the Earth Kingdom, but would also probably have to face judgment from the Fire Nation in due time as well. Then they'd checked other mail stations for a reply from Zuko, but so far nothing had yet arrived.

So finally, they'd made their way to the market to resupply and fix themselves up. As Katara promised, she bought some thread and extra cloth at a sewing shop and spent her time fixing up the Avatar's ripped robes while Aang himself looked for a proper Earth Kingdom traveling outfit to wear.

The Waterbender was waiting outside one of the shops as the first stars came into the sky, appraising the golden Air Nomad fabrics under one of the lamps. I wonder how they made their clothes, since they didn't really raise animals for meat or anything, she wondered, letting the curiosity about how other nations lived get the better of her. I wouldn't be surprised if it was all made out of shed sky bison fur. Now there's an idea…

Soon enough though, Aang's footsteps followed by his voice had broken through her thoughts. "So how do I look?"

Katara turned to the Airbender, poised before her with his arms open, and looked over him with a smile. He'd kept on his black Fire Nation trousers, but over his torso he wore an open emerald-green Earth Kingdom vest, basically two large pieces of cloth that wound over his shoulders and down his otherwise bare chest to be tied at the waist and trail slightly down his legs like the tunic style he was often fond of. Adding in his wooden Air Nomad necklace and his Water Tribe armlet, he looked as if he wore the four elements themselves.

She nodded appreciatively. "Now that is a look for a traveling Avatar. Your sense of fashion didn't fail you at all this time."

Aang blushed at the compliment, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, it almost did. I almost chose that outfit," he said, briefly pointing out the disheveled ensemble that the window sign had labled as 'all the rage that season' before regarding himself again, "But then I noticed that I'd just look exactly like Kuei. Then the dressers intervened and after a lot of pushing and shoving, I decided on this."

Katara couldn't help but laugh at the thought of it. "Let me guess; all the shopkeepers wanted a chance at trying to dress the Avatar."

"Yeah, and it was annoying," Aang snorted slightly. "But I was polite and gave everyone a chance. And hey, patience pays off too," he grinned, striking a pose. "Since I know you like it."

Hiding another giggle between her hands, Katara tilted her head. "Since when did you become such a charmer?"

"Wasn't I always?" he smirked while casually resting his hands behind his neck. "I mean come on; from the beginning you seemed to like it when I showed off for you."

Remembering those days only over a year ago, the Water Tribe girl gave him a playful snort as she strolled down the street with him. "I was being nice. You were such a goofball. You still are."

"Guilty," Aang grinned toothily. "But you still laughed."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Yeah…I did. And still do." She gave him a smile while idly re-folding the bundle that she was holding. "Anyway…it's getting darker and we'd better find Sokka and Suki. I don't think the Bei Fongs would tolerate us breaking curfew, whether we saved the world or not."

"Man, I hate rules," Aang grumbled, slumping a little as he walked. "The Earth Kingdom's full of them. I'll be glad to hit the skies again in the morning."

"Me too," Katara admitted. "To the Foggy Swamp, and then to the Eastern Air Temple, and then finally to Omashu." She gave him a sideways glance. "And after this place, we won't have to worry at all about breaking curfew."

Catching the intonation in her voice, Aang stopped and placed his right hand on her shoulder to freeze the girl in her tracks. A little surprised, she turned back to him and saw the playful gleam in his soft, gray eyes. "Why are we worrying about it right now?" he inquired with a whisper.

It was Katara who blushed then, quirking an eyebrow. "Oh, Aang, you know why. Because it's getting late…"

"Mm-hm?" he pressed, taking her other shoulder.

"And, we still have to find the others, and we could get in trouble, and…and someone could see…" she continued to argue, though her voice started to stutter and her face grew even warmer as he wrapped one arm around her, pulling her even closer.

"So?" he murmured, and she felt his somehow cool breath on her face as he leaned forward towards her, looking into her wide eyes.

"So…" she started, but couldn't find the words, for they were lodged in her throat and all but forgotten.

And then her mind started to wonder. Yeah…why ARE we worrying about it? Curfew isn't for another hour…

Oh, why fight it?

Relenting, Katara relaxed her posture and closed her eyes, letting herself be drawn into Aang's embrace. There, in the middle of a street leading just out of the marketplace in the town of Gaoling…where normally it would be crowded during the day…they held each other and simply helped themselves into the moment and the peace of the night. Her lips found his, and his formal Air Nomad clothes fell unfolded in her grip as her arms wound around his neck. His own arms held her tight, one at her back and the other winding around and up at her shoulder.

But the moment didn't last very long at all before a familiar voice shattered the peace. "Oh for cryin' out loud, you guys! In public?"

Both inward and outward, Katara groaned as she parted from the young monk. Well, at least we know how we can easily find Sokka.

"What's the problem?" Aang asked innocently, quickly letting her go first as the two older teenagers approached. He had a lingering tint of red on his cheeks. "You two kiss in public all the time."

"Yeah, but not like that!" Sokka nearly whined, with his Kyoshi Warrior girlfriend giving him a pitiful shake of the head from behind his back.

"Like what, Meat-brain?" Katara shot back, her hands at her hips. "Sounds a lot like you're jealous that we kiss better than you two."

Sokka straightened up and blushed brightly, gritting his teeth. "What? Please…when we kiss, the earth moves."

"Oh, spare us the details! Ugh!" Katara snorted, shaking her head as Suki broke into laughter and Aang turned beet-red behind her. "Anyway, we were just about to come looking for you guys. Curfew's almost up."

"Don't worry, we knew," Suki nodded, stepping forward and raising a hand to nudge Sokka out of any further arguing. "Our preparations went off without a hitch, so we were just waiting to meet up with you guys before going back. And hey, nice new look, Aang."

"Thanks," the Airbender said, turning by the waist a couple of times. "It oughta be better for traveling now anyway."

"All you need now is the green Championship Belt that Toph has, if I can ever get it back from her," Sokka sighed as he motioned the others to follow.

Aang laughed, strolling along behind them and still keeping in step beside Katara. "You'll have to beat her at Earthbending for that. Anyway, I'm fine without the belt."

"You sure? You'd look awesome," Sokka pressed.

"He's fine the way he is," Katara interrupted with a roll of her eyes. "Let's just get back."

"Fine, fine…no accounting for fashion sense," Sokka sighed. The group walked on through the dark streets, back to the Bei Fong Estate in calm silence. Along the way, Katara discreetly took Aang's hand and held it tightly, the two at least trying to share a small bit of the night with each other.