Chapter 37
That night I toss and turn, unable to get to sleep. I try all sorts of positions, try multiple techniques, but sleep eludes me. One time my door opens, and I see Katara stick her head in my room. I lie still and take deep, even breaths.
"She's in there," I hear Katara hiss. Sokka pops his head in too, and then they leave. I flush, angry that they don't trust me. I sit up on my bed, unable to keep Zuko's face from flashing behind my lids every time I blink. I need to get help.
Katara and Sokka would just tie me up if I admitted to wanting to see Zuko. Aang would give me that reproachful look and tell me to forget about it. Toph… Toph might help. I remember how angry she was that the others wouldn't at least consider Zuko, and he has done the least amount of harm to her.
I stand up, wrap a robe borrowed from Katara around my body, and slip silently from me room. My feet make no noise on the cold stone floor, and I slide through Toph's door, which is slightly ajar. I walk over to her bed, but before I can shake her awake, she says, "I was wondering when you'd come see me."
I jump, and a startled noise comes from me. I quickly quiet myself and ask calmly, "Yeah? How'd you know?"
"I've got you nailed, Sunshine," she says, sitting up. "You want me to talk to Sparky for you, don't cha?" Sparky can only be one person.
"I just need you to get him to hang around, to try again," I say. "I—I don't think… I can't lose him again." My voice breaks and I blush, ashamed at myself.
"How can I say no to you, Sunshine?" Toph asks, her tone teasing. I look up and see that she's smiling. I can't help but smile back.
"So you'll do it?" I whisper. She stands, and even though she is a head shorter than me, it strikes me that she may really be the best earthbender in the world. And once she matures a little, learns to hold her tongue during appropriate occasions (though I never did), she will be a fine young lady. Perhaps an ambassador, or a leader of some sort.
"Sleep here tonight," Toph says, patting her bed. "I'll be back before you wake up." I give her a long, tight squeeze. "Yeah, I get it, you love me," she grumbles, sounding like Sokka. She pulls on her cloak and leaves the room. I lie down in her bed and pull up the blanket, but my heart is beating too rapidly for sleep.
In my dream everyone who I have loved and lost visits me. My mom, my dad, the servants back home, particularly the Cook and Kayla, Iroh, Zuko, even Theo. Each conversation tears me apart more and more, and while I don't wake up screaming, I am making distressed sounds of pain as my heart twists painfully.
Tonight Aang finds me, which is a fairly rare occurrence, and calms me. We are leaving Toph's room when we catch sight of Katara hurrying down the hall. Aang calls her name and she turns around. She locks eyes with me and then relaxes.
"Why were you in Toph's room?" she asks, smoothing a piece of hair that has come out of place during the night.
"The usual," I shrug. Meaning nightmares. Katara nods.
"Look, I just wanted to say sorry about yesterday. Sokka, too. He'd tell you himself but he's trying to get Haru and The Duke up. Why don't you and Aang join Teo in the courtyard?"
Her apology is sweet, but for some reason her motherly tone irritates me. After all, I am almost two years older than her. But I smile at her and accept her offer, pleased to be on friendly terms again. Aang and I head down to the main courtyard. Aang joins Teo by the pot from which a delicious smell rises, while I head over to the fountain to inspect its draining system.
I'll be back before you wake up.
Toph's words ring in my mind and I frown anxiously. Where is she? What happened last night? Has Zuko hurt her?
My hands start to sweat. Surely there was plenty of time for her to get back here? I am on edge and worried as the others arrive, and as Katara and I serve breakfast. I am just ladling my own portion when Katara asks, "Has anyone seen Toph?"
I flinch, but Sokka just says, "I haven't seen her since she stormed off yesterday." I nod in agreement, and Haru waves his spoon around.
"Maybe she's just exploring the air temple. There are some pretty fun spots to practice earthbending," he suggests.
"Yeah… maybe she went over the canyon wall to practice. I know these vibrations were getting annoying to her. Do you want to go with me and find her?" I ask Katara.
She hesitates, and then agrees firmly, "I think we should look for her." I nod. Though I'm afraid of finding Zuko with Katara, I also feel responsible for Toph. After all, she only went on my request… not that I can admit that.
"Aah, let her fun with her rocks," Sokka says, rolling his eyes. "I'm in no rush to have her yelling at us again."
The Duke pushes back his helmet and pipes up. "We can go check for her!" By the way Haru and Teo agree, I think that they really just want to explore some more. My suspicions are confirmed by Teo's reply.
"Yeah, I want t ride that tunnel down at the hall of statues again. It'll work a lot better now that I fixed my brakes." The three boys run/wheel off before Katara and I can reprimand them, and tell them to be careful.
I sip my breakfast. I've just slurped up the last of it when there's a loud explosion. I jump up, shattering my bowl on the ground. I look over and see Toph fall out of hole she made in the wall. I am the first to rush over to help her, although Sokka, Katara, and Aang are close on my heels.
"Toph, what happened?" I ask, leaning down to help her into a more comfortable position than her awkward belly slide.
"My feet got burned," Toph says, and I flinch, knowing who exactly must have burned her feet. Has Zuko really not changed then?
"Oh, no! What happened?" Katara asks, sounding alarmed. Toph's face takes on an exasperated expression.
"I just told you. My feet got burned!" she repeats. I know that she is trying to keep the secret for my sake, but that she will have to give it up.
"I meant how," Katara scolds.
Toph looks up at me, staring more at my mouth than my eyes, but I know that she means to look at me when she says, "Well, I kind of went to see Zuko last night."
"You what!"
"Zuko!"
"Aah!"
I roll my eyes at their reaction as Katara takes out some water from her bag and begins to gently heal Toph's feet.
"I just thought he could be helpful to us, and, if I talked to him maybe we could working something out," Toph says, and I'm very grateful that she's not ratting me out.
"So he attacked you." Sokka does not sound surprised, merely a little smug.
"Well, he did… and he didn't. It was sort of an accident," Toph says. I rub my temple because really, how much of an accident could it have been? It's not like Zuko can accidently firebend. I sigh.
"But he did firebend at you?" Aang confirms.
Toph sighs, then admits reluctantly, "Yes."
"See! You trusted Zuko, and you got burned. Literally!" Sokka throws his hands in the air. Katara finishes her healing.
"It's going to take awhile for your feet to get better. I wish I could've worked on them sooner," Katara says.
"Yeah, me too," Toph mutters.
"Zuko's clearly too dangerous to be left alone. We're gonna have to go after him," Sokka decides, and I bite down on my tongue so hard that I taste blood. I've managed to stay silent this whole time, but if I open my mouth I'm going to erupt and scream out all the things that are on my mind.
"I hate to go looking for a fight," Aang says, "but you're right. After what he did to Toph, I don't think we have a choice."
"He's crafty, but we'll find a way to capture him," Sokka says.
While Aang and Sokka pick up Toph and carry her, she says, "Maybe just invite him back here. He's already offered himself up as a prisoner once. And if Del asked him, there's no way he could say no."
"Yeah," Sokka says thoughtfully. "Get him to come back, and say he'll be our prisoner, then we'll jump him and really make him our prisoner! He'll never suspect it!"
"You are a master of surprise, Sokka," Katara says sarcastically as the boys put Toph down at the fountain, letting her feet rest in the water.
"Aah, that's the stuff. Now I know how the rest of you guys feel. Not being able to see with your feet stinks." I turn away from the others so I can let my emotions shine on my face.
I can't believe. Won't believe it. But Zuko hurt Toph, and it seems that the others are right. When Zuko comes back here, I will have to go along with their plan.
Because Zuko, it seems, is the enemy.
Del's done a 180! Lol.. BTW... I LOVE EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! i was in a sad mood and you cheered me right up!
Soo i totally reccommend anyone who has never watched them to go on youtube and watch monty python! so frickin funny. and that michael palin is a cutie! too bad he's old now! my favorite is the spanish inquistion! "Nobody expects the Spanish-oh bugger!" ahahahaha. and check out Palin and Cleese's LIVE dead parrot sketch for the secret police thing or something. also GREAT and palin is so adorable in it!