Sokka hadn't been there when it happened, but he had heard all about it. He could picture it all happening, too; the battle, the army of Di Lee agents, Aang rising up into Avatar State, Azula's sickening smile as she shot the lighting straight through Aang's back, and then his best friend falling, falling, falling.
Sokka had a bad feeling about all of this. It had been days since the attack, days since Katara's recollection, days of watching his sister try to heal, then cry, then try, then cry. It had been days since they had landed Appa on this island, and an eternity since Aang had woken up.
And as Katara tried her healing waters on Aang's back yet again, Sokka sat by the fire, putting aside his former thoughts of 'fortune telling is mumbo-jumbo', and trying to predict the future. From his perch he could hear his sister's voice, clear and sweet though she was crying on the inside, singing to Aang an old rhyme she learned long ago.
Toph had wandered over (although Sokka had scooted over to make room for her on the log, she plopped down on the dry earth in front of him) and, leaning to the side, placed her head in his lap.
Had it been a few days earlier Sokka would have been appalled by the girl's open display of weakness and her need for comfort, but a lot of things had changed, and now he rubbed her back as he had done for Katara in a time of grief.
The only difference was now, instead of his baby sister, it was Toph, the world's greatest Earthbender, who needed a shoulder to cry on. It seemed that a little piece of everyone had died that day it happened. Almost like they went to sleep and never woke up.
Kind of like Aang did.
"You should rest, young lady. I know you're just trying to help, but I'm sure the Avatar wouldn't want you hurting yourself in the process."
The Earth King stood over Katara, gently smiling down at her. Unfortunately, the word 'trying' wasn't lost on her, and she bitterly turned back to Aang, ignoring any advice to get some sleep.
"Yeah" Toph mumbled into Sokka's leg, "I'm sure 'Mister Avatar' wouldn't want to be unconscious and dying either."
As soon as she spoke, Sokka clasped his hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Katara had heard what Toph said ("Oops, did I say that out loud?") and the healing water splattered to the ground as the older girl began to sob openly.
Lifting her head from Sokka's lap Toph awkwardly tried to apologize, -"Aw, Katara, c'mon, you know I didn't mean it"- but Toph had used the d-word, and everyone knew there was no turning back.
Aang was dying.
Unbidden, Katara's voice crept back into his mind, though it sounded different than when she was singing to Aang… almost… eerie.
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
No, the song was unimportant, Aang was in serious trouble, and he needed to focus on keeping the group together while this nightmare was going on.
Sokka looked over to Aang and felt the sadness wash over him. Holding back his own tears as he watched his sister cradle the once energetic boy, Sokka knelt down beside him, and although he tried to look at Aang's face, he found his eyes drawn to the angry red wound covering most of the youth's back.
How horrible it must have been for Katara to see her best friend wounded like that, it hurt Sokka just looking at it! One second you think you're winning, the next Aang's dropping out of the sky.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
Without thinking Sokka put his hands over his ears, to try to block out that mocking voice. "Katara" he mumbled under his breath, "Stop singing…"
"I'm not singing, Sokka"
And sure enough, Sokka looked over to find his sister sitting there with her mouth closed, but her eyes wide open with concern, and a little fear.
"Oh" Sokka stated, uncurling himself and noting that everyone was now staring at him. "Well, of course you weren't."
Toph raised an eyebrow but, considering she had done enough damage in one day, kept her mouth shut.
Katara turned her attention back to Aang, and Sokka was relived to see she had stopped crying. As Sokka watched Katara soothe the unconscious Avatar, he felt Toph sit down next to him, heaving a sigh.
He draped his arm around her and she hesitated for a minute before resting her head on his shoulder. 'Well' Sokka thought forlornly, 'At least this brought us closer together…' though something else was telling him it was just pushing Katara farther away.
The Earth King must have given up his quest to get Katara to lie down, as he was on the other side of the camp fire having an animated conversation with Bosco. Sokka let his eyes rest on the King for a moment, (If you could still call him a King) and this time he wasn't so unsettled when the next verse floated into his mind.
All the King's horses and all the King's men
"It'll be okay" the Waterbender whimpered, stroking Aang's arm.
It took Sokka a minute to realize that this time Katara's voice had spoken aloud, instead of reciting songs in his head.
"You can't die. You won't die." Katara then looked up at Toph, defiance written all over her face. "He won't die… will he?" Toph shuddered, and Sokka tried to be supportive, but nothing would come out. Katara looked to the Earth King, begging him to assure her things would be fine. "We can help him r-right?"
"I-" The Earth King was flustered, but there was something on his face that Sokka found almost fatherly as he struggled for words. "I, oh child, I don't know."
Toph let out a whimper here, and everyone seemed to be surprised to find that she had tears running down her cheeks (she couldn't be sad, she was Toph!). Sokka held Toph tighter, and flinched as Katara cried out (he couldn't make out the words, something like 'why', or 'die', or 'bye'). The Earth King sat uncomfortably watching this from across the campsite, beside moaning and groaning animals.
They stayed like that for a while, and eventually, after things had quieted down, Katara opened her mouth like she was about to sing, but with a glance at Sokka her mouth closed and she rested her apologetic gaze on Aang.
Besides, Sokka already knew what she would have said.
Couldn't put Humpty together again
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Note: Dude, leave it to me to take a nursery rhyme and make it a creepy story. Well, hey, we all knew it sounded at least a little sinister. Ah, well.
And yes, I'm currently working on a longer Toph drabble, and the third chapter to Marriage, but this crazy thought popped into my head and I was forced to make it into this WEIRD drabble.
Be expecting more drabblets from me in the near future; the plot bunnies like to screw with me.
I dunno, I sorta like this one. Comment, if you please!
And Ya-ha for my Tokka implements!