The wind that caressed her smelled rich of salt. And the sun affectionately warmed her skin. These things gave her comfort as the sound of the growing crowd upon the harbor enveloped her.

The tour was meant to be a few weeks. Instead, it became four months. Today, diplomats and soldiers of Republic City will be returning home.

Sokka's role for the tour was as a representative of the Southern Water Tribe and as a trusted spectator of the Avatar to ensure peace was maintained throughout the four nations.

Despite the war having ended nearly fifteen years prior, it was an ongoing battle to upkeep the peace between the nations. Consequently, Sokka never stayed anywhere for too long.

Not even home.

Because of his extended absence, as much of the original gang that could attend stood waiting at the port for Sokka's arrival. Toph comfortably stood in between Katara and Aang. Suki stood slightly ahead, trying to peer over the crowd and into the open waters for the first glimpse of Sokka's steamboat. The fanning of long sleeves and the fluttering of excess material met Toph's sensitive ears. Suki was wearing a dress.

As was she. Toph wore a flowing silk pastel green dress that Katara bought her (supposedly to match her eyes). And, for once, Toph allowed for her waist-length hair to freely cascade down her back.

Katara said she looked beautiful. Toph tried to not feel happy with these words. Or wonder how she compared to Suki.

Afterall, Toph wasn't one to care about her looks.

Still, she was dressed nicely and the weather was perfect.

It was a fitting day for Sokka's return.

Toph "saw" Suki inch forward on her tiptoes again. Toph didn't have to see Suki's expression to know of her excitement. She frowned.

It felt odd for her resentment to fester, especially since Toph had known that Sokka and Suki were an item from the beginning. Still, a decade and a half later, and she felt envy boil within her veins.

One breath in.

A long exhale out.

Suki wasn't important.

All that mattered was Sokka and the celebration of his safe return. That's why they were here.

"The ship is coming!" Suki shouted excitedly, pulling Toph from her thoughts.

A moment later and the loud blaring of the steamboat's horn bloomed within the air.

Toph felt her heart pound within her chest at the sound.

Don't get your panties in a twist. This isn't Sokka's first homecoming, She mentally chastised herself.

The crowd buzzed with excitement around her.

"It's just a ship…" she muttered, agitated by the whooping and hollering of the people around her. "They're excited to see their loved ones," Katara said.

"Yea, whatever."

She couldn't see Katara's expression, or anything else for that matter, but she felt her eyes on her. "Are you feeling okay?" "I'm fine." "Are you sure?" Aang annoyingly asked, a hint of concern in his voice. Toph sighed, "I said, I'm okay."

Before either of her friends could continue interrogating her, Toph suddenly felt the vibrations of the massive steamship docking onto the harbor.

Cheers filled the air.

"Toph, your face is growing pale. I think you should sit down somewhere."

"I. Am. FINE." Toph hissed while crossing her arms. "If I wanted to sit, I would earthbend myself a seat. Stop pestering me!"

Katara sighed and dropped the topic.

Suddenly, air rushed around them, the crowd excitedly began moving toward the ship and those on board. Loved ones: sons and daughters, wives and husbands, best friends, and respected comrades were welcomed home with affectionate embraces and tears of joy. Toph stood rooted beside Katara and Aang.

She felt Katara hesitantly take one step forward, pause, then take a step back. She was staying with her.

She knew that they were both restraining themselves.

Toph didn't need the waterbender or Avatar hovering over her. She was more than capable of managing herself.

"I see him!" Katara said with contained excitement.

"Sokka!" Aang, now in his late twenties, was just as loud as ever. "Hey guys," Sokka greeted. Toph waved once with light vigor as she felt his approaching familiar foot sequence.

Katara finally left Toph's right side.

"Hey you!"

The powerful airbender soon followed after his wife.

"Welcome back."

Suki said nothing, but Toph knew she was clinging on his arm.

Toph remained where she stood.

"Toph." Sokka finally greeted her familiarly. His voice was like a sweet honied rumble. She hadn't heard it in so long that a shiver crept up her spine.

"Hey, dufus. Long time no see."

He laughed and stepped forward to hug her. She took one quick step to the side in order to avoid his intended embrace. "I'm hungry, are we going to stand here all day, hugging each other, or get moving?"

Sokka laughed. "Just as blunt as ever, aren't you?" He affectionately rustled her hair. She immediately began smoothing out her hair with her fingers. "I'm a Police Chief now, Sokka. I can arrest you for unwanted hair-rustling." "Then, lock me up. Chief." His tone was friendly and slightly flirtatious. She frowned.

Really? In front of Suki?

Noticing her serious air, he changed the subject. "Toph's right, let's go somewhere where there's food and drinks. I have a lot to tell you guys and I"d rather do it with some food!"

The bars on the port were overflowing with people. With the arrival of the Republic City soldiers, it came as no surprise to the group of twenty-somethings. The gang sat at a large corner table within a well-known bar. Not after long, numerous seafood platters covered their table.

The group dug into their entrees while Sokka spoke tales of his most recent venture, his words slightly hindered by his mouthfuls of food.

Toph, who was originally hungry, lost her appetite the longer he spoke. The stench of their current surroundings was overwhelming. The smell of fried foods, fish, and alcohol in the bar did not sit well with her stomach. She ate her ginger soup in small hesitant bites.

Union was becoming less appealing as time wore on.

She passively listened to Sokka, Katara, Suki, and Aang's conversation. And offered little to it.

Despite being amongst her closest friends, Toph felt increasingly uncomfortable. Her discomfort must have been apparent because Sokka brought up her meek behavior.

"Hey, Toph. You're mighty quiet. A coin for your thoughts?"

"I'm fine. Just not in a talking mood, is all." "You seem tired. Want to head out soon?" Aang asked. "You've been working a lot of hours at the police station, Toph. Maybe you should consider cutting back," Katara added.

Again with their overprotective nature. I am a grown-ass woman. I don't need their hovering!

"I'm fine."

"She's a tough cookie, Katara. Don't pester her." Sokka's words were equally irritating and appreciated. He was hardly home. What did he know about her anymore? What did he care about what she did or didn't do?

"She can take care of herself," he said while swallowing a mouthful of food.

Toph's hands clenched and unclenched on her lap.

"Um, let's get the check." Aang awkwardly segued. "What?! I've only had 3 entrees! And Toph hasn't even had a beer yet. What's the rush?"

"I'm not drinking, Sokka." "You're not on duty right now, Toph. You're wearing a dress, for God's sake. Let's celebrate! Don't try getting out of sharing a beer with me!" "Sokka," Katara began. "I'm going." Toph interrupted suddenly. "Hey, don't leave. Okay, you don't have to drink a beer with me. I'm only teasing you, Toph. Don't go."

Teasing.

"We're not children. We're adults, Sokka. Stop acting childishly."

"What's your problem? He just got home. Can you at least act like you're happy to see him?" Suki asked, her voice thick with annoyance. Toph stood upright, her hand now in her purse. Aang placed a warm hand on her wrist. "We've got you covered, don't worry about it.

"Thanks, Twinkle-toes."

"Hey, you're not really leaving are you? Come on! Don't act like this. You're being dramatic." Toph began to walk away. And within seconds she could feel Sokka start to follow her. She thought about tripping him with an easy bout of earthbending. But decided against it. Not worth the trouble.

Instead, she walked forward, avoiding servers with food trays and already mid-day drunk patrons with a grace unlike any other individual, blind or not. The moment she reached outside she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Glorious, spectacular, wonderful fresh air.

She almost forgot about her unwanted follower.

Almost.

She began to walk fast, managing to maneuver through the busy crowd.

"Toph!"

She paused after walking nearly a block from the bar.

"What is going on? You're acting like you're not happy I'm back." "I am happy you're back." "You could at least act like it, then." She turned to him.

"Toph, the night before I left-" "Don't. Start." She spat out. She could feel his heart rate escalate. She was happy she wasn't the only one on edge. "The night before I left for my trip you and I... talked." She snorted. "And now that I'm back you're acting like you hate me. What the hell is going on with you?"

"Nothing is going on with me. Worry about your girlfriend, Sokka."

"Toph, don't bring up Suki. Not now."

Toph felt her insides boil.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'DON'T BRING HER UP'?" The blind metalbender felt the man before her shift uncomfortably.

"Forget it. Drop it Sokka, I'm going home. Let's not bring up anything that you'll regret later." "No. We're going to discuss this."

Toph knew that he meant more than her sudden departure at the bar. She closed her eyes and momentarily thought about the night before Sokka left for his most recent tour.

And opened her eyes.

She didn't know what he wanted from her. She knew that while he loved her in his own way, she wasn't the person he was in love with. No amount of talking would change that. No amount of intimacy would be enough.

Before he went on tour, she got a taste of what she wanted. Of what she had always dreamed of. That was going to have to be enough. Because while she meant every touch, every stroke, every second, she knew that Sokka was only living in that moment, and drunk.

And while she was drunk too, she acted out of courage. Because she was too weak to act out her desires while sober. Sokka, on the other hand, acted on blind hot-blooded instinct. She was a woman, and Suki was away.

That night, they took consensual advantage of each other.

But it wasn't something that could happen again. Because even while Suki was annoying some days, she was a woman worth Toph's respect. As a warrior, as a member of their team, and as a woman. Toph tried not to think about how their betrayal would rock Suki or their group.

She loved Sokka. Always had. But it wasn't enough. She knew it wasn't. He knew it wasn't. Which was why they didn't write to each other while he was away.

Why he bothered with this charade now was beyond her. Did he feel guilty now that he saw her? Did word about her condition reach him while he was away?

Movement pulled her from her thoughts.

Suki was coming.

He took one step forward and she instinctively trailed her foot from one side to the other. With her feet, she could see Sokka's next step resulting in him doing an impressive and unexpected splits. He comically wailed in pain. She didn't bother checking if he was okay.

She was too busy doing them both a favor and walking away. And stopping him from doing or saying anything that would expose his lapse of judgment to Suki.

The moment Toph stepped through her front door, the sound of a child's laughter bounced off her smooth stone walls. Lin, her four-year-old daughter, squealed with delight in the room over. Toph could "see" her rambunctious daughter awkwardly running from the nanny who was good-naturedly chasing after her. "I'm going to get you!"

"No!" Lin's tiny voice whined. A smile curled upon Toph's lips as she stepped within the room the pair were playing in. "Miss Beifong!" The nanny greeted, a smile in her tone once Toph made her arrival known. "You're back sooner than expected. "Mama!" Lin ran to her mother. Toph bent down and picked her up. Lin had grown much bigger these days, and for a moment Toph felt herself falter. "Toph, you should be careful."

Toph sighed. "Why is everyone on my ass all the time? I'm the most powerful earthbender in the world. I think I can manage picking up my own daughter."

"Because you're the only one who's acting like you're not pregnant."

"I stayed on duty at the police station for nearly six months when I was carrying Lin. I think I can manage picking up my own daughter with this worm in me."

"Be that as it may, you should still consider taking it easy."

Lin kissed Toph's cheek and squirmed out of her arms, making the decision for them both.

"Mommy, you have to be careful," Lin said with a stern nod. Toph rolled her eyes and stomped a foot down. The small girl squealed in delight having been thrown in the air thanks to the assistance of a sudden elevated rock. The nanny quickly ran forward and caught Lin while she was midair.

"She lands on her feet, you know," Toph said with a coy smile. The older woman clucked a sound of disapproval.

It didn't bother Toph any.

Toph was determined to raise Lin as she raised herself. To be strong and independent. To not need anyone. To not be scared. To be as tough as the element she was sure her daughter would be able to bend.

She would do the same for the child she was carrying.

Toph put a hand onto her stomach. She was hardly showing. But she could feel the growth of her stomach beneath her hand. Katara said she was past her first trimester. The timing was a real bitch. But that was fine. She was fine. Toph did this before. She could handle another pregnancy on her own. She could do everything alone. She was Toph Beifong!

"Mama?" Lin called out to her, ripping her from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Are you sad?"

"No. Not at all. Beifongs don't get sad," Toph said with a shrug.

"But mama…"

She heard the nanny try to hush her daughter.

"You're crying."