A/N: So remember way back when I made this story M? Maybe you've been wondering about that. Wonder no more. So, if that's not for you, don't read this part.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Aang popped his head into the interrogation room, where Toph had just finished up with a suspect. He slipped in as the criminal was escorted out, leaving him and Toph alone. "You think I'm a bad kisser, don't you?"

Toph lurched around at the question. "What?"

He slipped fully into the room and closed the door behind him. "It's the only explanation I have for why you've been avoiding me these past two days," Aang considered softly, "You think I'm a bad kisser."

"Or…" Toph retorted sardonically, "…maybe it has to do with the fact your thirteen year old daughter saw us together, had a meltdown and now hates our guts thoroughly. That might also be a possibility."

Aang sighed. "She doesn't hate us."

Toph grunted and crossed her arms in challenge of that statement. "She does a fairly good impression of it. So, I thought I should probably keep my distance for a while."

He circled the room, appraising her from beneath his curling lashes as he did so. "That's great for Kya. She needs some space so that she can process things, but what about me?" Aang emphasized, "What about us, Toph? I thought we were trying to see where this goes with us."

She stiffened. "I don't know, Aang. Maybe we shouldn't. Maybe this isn't a good idea after all."

"Wow…my kissing really must suck."

"This has nothing to do with your kissing," Toph huffed, "I think that after everything that has happened in the last couple of days that maybe we should…I don't know…cool it for a little while."

"Yeah, I didn't see that coming at all," he muttered.

"Is it not supposed to matter to me that I'm ripping your kid's world apart?" she cried, "I'm not heartless!"

"I'm not saying you're heartless. But it makes sense that Kya is going to struggle with this. I struggled with this. Sometimes, I still do. Eventually, she's going to have to reconcile herself to this. Besides, she's a thirteen year old girl! Being dramatic comes with the territory. Give her some time to adjust."

"That's what I've been trying to do, O Fount of Wisdom! I just don't happen to think we should be sucking face while she does!"

Aang grimaced at her phrasing. "Sucking face? Really, Toph? What are we? Twelve?"

"You're not too far off the mark," Toph mumbled cryptically, sinking down into a nearby chair. She could almost sense Aang's puzzled frown so she tried to clarify. "Aang…lately, when I'm around you, I've been feeling a lot like a little girl with her first crush…only I'm much more nauseating now than I would have been then."

"Um…okay."

"I mean, I'm the type of person who makes fun of others for this kind of nonsense! I made fun of you, for Momo's sake!"

"Yes, I recall."

"So, do you know how distressing it is for me to admit that you give me…butterflies?" She shuddered upon the admission. "Gah. I feel like I need to bathe in a vat of acid."

Aang digested that statement with a thoughtful purse of his lips. "Thanks, Toph. That's a real esteem booster."

"You're welcome."

Sympathizing with the misery he heard in her tone, Aang took the empty seat on the other side of the table and then reached across the space to take hold of her hand. "I know this is an awkward situation right now, Toph," he whispered soothingly, "But I know we can work it out."

He was disappointed when she pulled her fingers from beneath his and clasped her hands together with a resigned grunt. "We're not talking about the thing that really matters here," she told him.

"You mean Kya?"

"No. I mean Katara," Toph clarified softly, "What are we really proposing here, Aang? More specifically, what are you expecting to get out of this? How far are you planning to go with me? Kissing? Sex? Are you looking for something serious or is this a passing fancy for you? I need to know these things because, when it all boils down, we both know that there's only one woman you're going to truly want and I refuse to be a replacement for her."

Aang recoiled from her blunt pronouncement, not because a bit of it was even remotely rooted in the truth, but because she apparently believed it. "Do you seriously feel that way?" Aang whispered in an incredulous and hurt tone, "You think I'm trying to use you as a replacement for Katara?" He felt a surge of anger as he contemplated it further. "Really? Good grief, Toph, that is insulting on levels you can't even fathom!"

When she opened her mouth to challenge that proclamation, fully prepared to castigate him on the many ways he was wrong, the door to the interrogation room abruptly slid open. Toph jerked to attention, growling at the cadet who had dared to disturb her, "I'm in the middle of something! What do you need?"

"I'm afraid there is somber news from the Fire Nation for you and the Avatar, Chief Beifong," the cadet said, "The Firelord wishes to regretfully inform you that his uncle, General Iroh, has died."

The tentative state of their non-relationship was immediately put on the backburner as Aang and Toph turned their attention towards Iroh's funeral. They, along with Sokka and Suki and their respective children, made quick arrangements to make the long journey to the Palace City and comfort Zuko in his time of grief. The trip required the use of another bison besides Appa, which Aang regretted because he would have liked for them all to remain together and grieve.

As it was, Aang spent the hours guiding Appa alone, because Toph had chosen to ride with Sokka and Suki to avoid causing further tension, and mournfully reflecting on the last time he had seen Zuko. It was rather tragic that they didn't get to see each other very often and, when they did, it was usually for a funeral. Aang was determined in his heart not to let it continue that way.

After two days of travel, the group arrived at the Palace City only hours before General Iroh's funeral. In the meantime, his preserved body had been put on display in the public courtyard so that the citizens could come and pay their respects to him. He had a traditional Fire Nation burial planned, complete with chanting and a large funeral pyre. Surrounding his platform were hundreds of flowers and handwritten scrolls. It was evident that the famed "Dragon of the West" was beloved by his people.

Zuko caught Aang rather off guard by humbly requesting that he perform Iroh's eulogy. Although hesitant, Aang agreed, not because he felt at all qualified, but because Zuko had asked him. He didn't want to emotionally tax his friend further and if giving Iroh's eulogy would provide Zuko with some modicum of peace then Aang wanted to do that.

It was a difficult day to get through. By the end of it, many tears had been shed and were still being shed. As their friends and family finally retired to their bedrooms in grief-stricken exhaustion, Aang and Zuko remained awake and sojourned to Zuko's private study to talk. The room was lavishly decorated in rich maroons and dark woods and it seemed, at the moment, almost oppressively dark even with the fire leaping in the hearth. Under the somber circumstances, that seemed rather appropriate.

With his somber stare lingering on Zuko, Aang sat down and watched as his friend poured them each a steaming cup of tea, his uncle's special blend, to drink in his honor. "He was a good man, Zuko," he murmured as Zuko wordlessly passed him the cup, "I'm going to miss him very much."

Zuko perched himself on the edge of his desk and set aside his tea, having no real appetite for it. "It's strange how you can spend so much time preparing for a moment and knowing that it's imminent and yet still feel so shocked and devastated when it happens," he murmured hoarsely, "I used to think that knowing his death was coming would somehow be easier to accept than having him taken from me suddenly." He stared at Aang with glimmering eyes in the firelight. "It doesn't."

"I should have come sooner," Aang lamented, "I knew he was sick and I should have come sooner."

"There was nothing you could have done, Aang. And you're here now. That's all that matters."

"You needed me here," Aang insisted, "I should have come before this…before he died."

"We can both beat ourselves up about could haves and would haves," Zuko said with a shake of his head, "I had the same guilt when I couldn't stay longer for you after Katara died."

"It wouldn't have mattered. I barely remember anything from that time anyway. I was half out of my head with grief."

"I remember," Zuko murmured softly, mournfully, "The truth is, we've both done the best we could. You can't ease this pain for me, Aang…just like I couldn't ease the pain of losing Katara for you. It is what it is. Death doesn't discriminate, I'm afraid."

"No, it doesn't."

The corners of Zuko's mouth lifted in a humorless smile. "I suppose this is one more thing you and I have in common, isn't it?"

Aang fixed him with a mild frown. "How's that?"

"We've both lost the person most important to us in the world." Zuko choked back a sob and averted his face, not wanting to weep in front of Aang but helpless to control his tears. "I don't know what I'm going to do without him," he wept brokenly, "He's been such a big part of my life for so long and…I don't know…"

Aang rose and crossed the distance to place a commiserative hand on Zuko's trembling shoulder. "You'll figure it out, Zuko," he reassured his friend softly, "Eventually…you will."

A long time later, after he left Zuko, Aang went to check on his sleeping children. Tenzin and Lin were, surprisingly, sound asleep. Aang feathered kisses across each of their rumpled heads and then tiptoed down the hall to check on Bumi. His eldest son was awake, but pretended to be asleep in hopes of concealing the fact that he had been throwing around his boomerang indoors. Unfortunately, one glance around his room told Aang all he needed to know. In the end, Bumi was scolded, grounded and he had his boomerang confiscated.

When Aang stepped in to bid Kya goodnight as well, he discovered that she too was feigning sleep but for an altogether different reason. She had been lying awake, thinking of her mother and grandmother, and sobbing softly. It seemed that Iroh's funeral had stirred up a great deal of sad memories for her, particularly those surrounding her mother. She was so distraught that she broke her resolve to give Aang the silent treatment.

Because he realized that his daughter had a great deal to get off her chest, Aang and Kya talked about Katara for quite awhile, reminiscing together about the things they missed about her the most. And finally, as Kya drifted off into a fitful sleep, she sleepily confessed to him that she didn't want to forget her mother…and she didn't want Aang to forget either. After promising her that he hadn't and he never would, Aang pressed a goodnight kiss to her temple and left.

By the time Aang dragged himself into in own bedroom, it was late night, early morning. He felt emotionally and physically beaten. With a low grunt of dissatisfaction, he tossed aside Bumi's boomerang onto a nearby nightstand and began removing his clothing in preparation for bed. Under normal circumstances, he would have been a bit neater while undressing, a habit that Katara had drilled into his head long ago. This particular time, Aang simply dropped articles of clothing in small piles on his way towards the hearth to get the fire going because he was too weary to care. He was down to his trousers and about to remove those as well when he realized he wasn't alone.

"Toph!" he cried, thoroughly startled, "Where did you come from?"

She swung upright with a disgruntled frown. "Hey, Twinkle Toes. It sure took you long enough!"

Obviously, she had been waiting for a while. Tendrils of her unbound hair were stuck to her cheek which bore the imprint of the armrest from the sofa upon which she'd been resting. She wore a loose fitting cotton shirt and dark green knee length trousers, her usual bedtime wear. Her dark hair, that which wasn't plastered to her face, fell across her shoulders and forehead in wild disarray. It was evident to Aang upon closer inspection that she had been crying as well. Her features were slightly reddened and puffy. Aang emitted a sympathetic sigh.

"Rough night?" he ventured.

"The roughest," Toph replied, "I've been waiting for you. I tried to sleep but finally gave up a couple of hours ago." She produced the small decanter of wine she had stuffed behind the sofa cushions and held it aloft. "I thought you and I could have a drink together."

Aang squinted at her dubiously. "Toph, do you have any idea how late it is?"

She shrugged. "Does it matter?" Without waiting for his reply, she lurched into an upright position and swung around to reach for the two empty cups she'd brought with her. She set them down on the table adjacent to the sofa and filled them both before passing one to Aang. "I know you don't usually drink," she acknowledged, "but this is a toast to Iroh so you can make an exception this time."

With a heavy sigh, Aang took the cup and sat down beside her. "Have you been waiting a long time?"

"Not too long. I've been sitting here thinking about the first time I met Iroh." She smiled to herself. "It was after we had that fight when Appa was shedding and I left. He was kind to me and I got sassy with him because he dared to pour my tea."

Aang barked a short laugh. "Hmm…sounds like you."

"He was the first person who really understood my need to prove myself…to prove that I wasn't helpless…that I wasn't a burden. He was the one who helped me realize that I didn't have to prove myself at all…not to the people who really loved me."

"He was a very wise man."

"Now he's gone," she sobbed softly, "Yet another person who changed my life profoundly is gone and no matter how many times it happens…it won't ever feel natural to me, Aang. I won't ever stop being angry about it."

"You shouldn't," he whispered, "I don't know if it is natural to experience this much pain. I'm not always sure that's what was intended for us."

Toph whisked away her falling tears. "Well, I don't want to cry about it anymore," she announced firmly. "I don't want to cry at all. I want to remember happy times and I want to laugh tonight. You and I have cried enough tears to last a lifetime, don't you think?" She lifted her cup for a toast. "What do you say, Aang?"

Aang tipped the rim of his cup to hers with a reluctant sigh. "Two drinks, Toph, and that's it."

A little less than half a bottle later, Aang was regaling Toph with the tale about the time Iroh attempted to make "bubble tea." They both chortled with laughter as he recounted his and Zuko's less than enthusiastic reactions in painful detail. "…I was really trying to be subtle about the whole thing, but then Zuko just spits it out of his mouth and is all, 'Pfft! What are you trying to sneak into my mouth?' It was hilarious!"

"Poor Iroh," Toph chuckled, "I bet you two were being your usual drama queens. Iroh makes flawless tea."

"Not that time!"

Toph sobered abruptly. "Made," she amended gruffly, "He made flawless tea. Past tense. That's done now." She polished off the remainder of her wine and tossed the empty cup over her shoulder. "He can't make tea, flawless or otherwise, anymore."

"No…he can't."

She hung her head forward with a soft whimper. "I really want it to stop hurting, Aang."

He set aside his cup with a mournful grunt. "Me too." She whispered his name then, and the trembling way she said it caused Aang to fall completely still. "What is it, Toph?"

"I know a way we can make it stop hurting." Without warning, she shifted into his lap and straddled him, nestling the center of her body snuggly against his.

Aang choked out a soundless gasp. "Toph…what are you doing?"

She dipped her head to nip at the underside of his jaw. "Seducing you…" she whispered softly, her lips on a meandering trek towards his as she felt his arousal begin to swell, "…and from the feel of things, it's working…" He groaned her name, a sound that was quickly swallowed by Toph as she covered his mouth with her own. There was an instance of fleeting doubt before Aang forgot himself enough to kiss her back, his tongue plunging into her mouth in eager forays.

Every ounce of passion they had been harboring for each other was poured into that kiss and further inflamed by the frantic caresses they exchanged. But when Toph began grinding against him, coaxing his already rigid erection into throbbing sensitivity, Aang tore his lips from her with a breathless moan. "Wait, wait, wait…Toph, wait," he protested gruffly, "What are we doing?"

"Feels a lot like kissing," she teased lightly, lowering her head for another taste, "But let's do it again so I can be sure…"

"Is…this really…a good…idea…?" Aang panted even as he returned her kiss with avid hunger.

This time, Toph was the one to break contact. "Must you think all the time?"

"One of us should, don't you think?"

She popped to attention, her cheeks flushed, her lips pink and swollen and her breathing harsh and uneven. "Don't you want me, Aang?"

He lifted his hips against her and pressed hard into her aching center, causing her to groan and himself as well. "Yes. I want you, Toph."

"And I want you too. So why not?"

"We've both been drinking tonight," Aang reasoned, "We're not thinking clearly."

It was a weak excuse. He knew it. She knew it. They'd both imbibed only enough alcohol to relax their inhibitions only slightly. Their judgment was still very much intact. What was flaring between them presently had less to do with wine and more to do with months and months of building desire. They had both reached the point where they were tired of fighting it.

"I don't want to think clearly," Toph whispered fiercely, confirming that fact explicitly. "I want you inside me, Aang."

He didn't argue anymore after that because, truthfully, he wanted the same thing that she did. He hadn't had so much wine that he couldn't recognize that fact and he knew she hadn't either. Just for a little while, Aang wanted to forget reality…his grief, his family troubles, the uncertain state of his relationship with her…all of it. He wanted to get wrapped up in her…in them together. It was an easy thing to do, especially when he couldn't focus on anything beyond how warm and soft and eager she felt in his arms.

They kissed frenetically, briefly breaking contact long enough to stagger to their feet before they came crashing back together, hot and desperate. Blindly, they stumbled towards the bed together, haphazardly shedding clothing along the way. Minutes later they were falling against the cool, silk sheets, entangled in one another, seeking and searching, bodies aligning in an anxious need to get closer. The first thrust into the moist depths of Toph's body sobered Aang immediately. But, by then, he was too far gone to stop. She felt too warm, too slick, too deep and it had been so long…

He grunted into her mouth, following Toph's gasped urgings to "push deeper, go faster." Somewhere on the periphery of his conscience, Aang recognized that what they were doing was wrong…wrong time, wrong reasons. But as Toph wrapped her arms around his shoulders and parted her thighs wider for him, inviting him to sink even deeper, Aang found that he didn't care that it was wrong. All he cared about was her…her kisses, her turgid nipples scraping against his chest, her hips pumping furiously beneath his, her short, choppy moans of pleasure, her internal muscles contracting and convulsing around him as she climaxed. And then, he exploded as well, emptying himself inside of her with a low moan of intense satisfaction, thrusting against her again and again until the last of that electric sensation died out.

Yet, once the haze of lust had passed, reality descended once more, starker than ever before and bringing with it even heavier realizations. The enormity of what they had just done fully dawned on Aang then. Still trembling in the aftermath of their intense coupling, Aang pulled out of Toph and rolled heavily to his side. He said nothing and she said nothing as well.

Truthfully, Toph didn't know what to say. She lay there feeling stunned and cold, hyperaware of the tension radiating from Aang's body as well as the reason for it. She, too, had a moment of blinding clarity when he'd first entered her, a sharp instant of disbelief that Aang…her good buddy Aang, her sidekick and the frequent butt of her jokes…was actually inside of her. For one, fleeting second, it had felt inherently wrong but then he had begun to move, slow and deep at first and then rapid and hungry as he got caught up in the incredible friction they created, and then nothing in Toph's life had ever felt more right.

His lips and hands on her skin, his gratified groans stirring softly against her ear, the broken way he whispered her name over and over as he peaked…it had all been so right. Now, in hindsight, it all seemed like an incredible lie. How could it not be a lie when she knew he was lying there beside her, her perspiration cooling on his flesh, her scent still lingering on him…regretting all they had done together?

But Aang wasn't regretting anything at all…at least not in the way Toph imagined, and that was the problem. He was more troubled by the satisfaction he felt than he was over having slept with her at all. The fact that he liked being with her as much as he did, so much more than he thought he should, troubled him deeply. He never anticipated responding so ardently or with such eagerness.

It was the first time he had been with a woman since Katara, besides Katara. It was the first time he had wanted to. This was a major step and something Aang had expected to struggle with greatly, yet it hadn't happened that way at all. Not only had he thoroughly enjoyed it, but he was mentally replaying every intimate detail of what he and Toph had just done and was contemplating the prospect of doing it again. The realization shocked him.

Aang had imagined that when he finally reached a point of readiness to make love again, if he reached it, it would happen with a good deal of forethought and planning. Surely, he was going to vacillate over it and question whether or not it was the right thing and whether he was ready. He had never imagined that it would happen in a fit of wild lust so potent that he would be unable to contain it. But it had. And, as irrational as it seemed, it almost felt like a betrayal to Katara. The thought made Aang feel a little sick to his stomach.

He sat up abruptly and began to roll from the bed, suddenly inundated with the need to put distance between him and Toph. If he stayed then he would touch her again and if he touched her then it would be all over… As soon as Aang started to scoot away to make his escape, Toph reached out to touch him and her fingers accidentally grazed the puckered scar on his back, a place no woman besides Katara, had ever touched him. Aang tensed in reaction, both surprised and guilty that it pleased him to have Toph stroke him there. Unfortunately Toph, mistaking the stiffness in his spine for displeasure, quickly dropped her hand. A rueful sigh shuddered from Aang's lungs.

"I'll be back," he said as he rose from the bed. Aang knew he was being contrary, but he'd never be able to get his thoughts in order while she was lying twelve inches away and totally nude.

"Where are you going?" Toph asked, sensing when he stooped to scoop up his discarded trousers and slip them on.

"I'm thirsty," he replied somewhat lamely, "I'm going to get some water. I won't be gone long."

But Toph was very well aware from the lurching vibrations of his heart as he beat a hasty retreat out the bedroom door that he was telling a lie.