A. N. : Small prayer, or musical reference ? Your choice for today's title, I guess, although between the tone and the PoV character, my mind was definitely focused on the music part. Those eight minutes have gone on for a while, huh... Eclipses are one thing, but I do need to learn how to do ellipses haha

The sun is gone.

Suki was taken blindsided by it all, the sudden dark skies in the middle of the day, the crown of fire around a disk so black it looks like a hole in the heavens. Sokka said not to look at it directly, but she couldn't help herself.

The others knew it would happen.

When the eclipse started, Katara went to sit by Sokka. Held his hand while they both closed their eyes and lowered their heads. The Prince joined them, too, and so did Toph, both complaining about the cold Suki didn't feel until the sun was eaten completely.

I'm sure they're alright.

Somehow, more than the sight of the four and a half of them huddling together miserably, it's this line, whispered low enough that Suki can't figure out who said it, that makes her realize she's missing something.

The others knew the sun would be gone, somehow. Why ? Why would they – why are they –

Lin is crying. The Prince complained of a cold only Toph could feel.

And that line…

Pieces of a puzzle Suki wasn't even aware of before this moment fall into place. She had been wondering about it, about why she had gone from prisoner to hostage to bait in such a short amount of time – seven days, only seven days, why didn't the Princess take more time to plan her trap ? – and about why the others were in the Fire Nation in the first place.

I'm sure they're alright, someone said as all of them worry about something Suki doesn't know of, about people she –

Ah. So that's how it is…

The reason it all went so fast, the reason everyone is here – it's because there was a time limit she didn't know of. The eclipse was supposed to mark something, something big, something dangerous for the Princess, that would involve other people.

But she had to go and ruin it.

It's not enough that she almost caused Sokka's death, she – she might have cost the lives of the people the four and a half of them are praying for. Might have cost the War.

Suki sees them, hands clasped together, foreheads almost touching as they comfort each other, and her heart tears in two. She wants to hold them. To tell them everything will be alright. To soothe their pain like she would her sisters'.

But for her to have the audacity to do that, when it is her at the root of their turmoil…

She disgusts herself. One breath – she's a Warrior, she shouldn't have been captured in the first place – two breaths – she shouldn't have mentioned Sokka to the Princess, should have let her snide comments on camaraderie slide on her like water on a turtle-duck – three breaths –

Maybe… maybe she shouldn't have left Kyoshi Island. Shouldn't have taken her sisters with her.

Maybe she should never have met with Sokka and Aang and Katara and Toph, maybe she –

She gets up as the light starts to shine again. Only Toph seems to notice, and she raises her head slightly at the sound of Suki's footsteps.

One, two, three – away and away, somewhere she won't be a curse to the ones she loves.

She shouldn't be here anymore.