Author's Note: I'm not sure why, but I don't feel as confident with this chapter. I've been really tired lately, and I'm just hoping it's alright. Please review, and tell me what you think. If my readers enjoyed it, I'll write on.
Koada didn't say anything. His face was stiff, and pale. His eyes red and puffy, as if he'd been crying for hours. He staggered closer toward his children, and fell on his knees, covering his face in his hands. Sokka's heart skipped a beat. "D-dad? What is it? Where is she?" he murmered in a shaky voice. "Okaa-san...please dad...where is she!" Katara came up behind her brother. "She's not okay, is she?" Sokka gulped, and took a deep breath to steady himself. "No...no, Katara...she's probably still getting here. She can be a little slower then dad.." he stated with a nervous laugh. "Right, dad? That's whereOkaa-san is..because she can't die, right...that's where she is...right!"
But to anwser his terrified question, Koada reached out and took both of his children into his arms, and held them toward him. "I'm so sorry...Sokka...Katara...I'm so sorry." Sokka's eyes widened with forming tears. "No dad! Please! NO!" he screamed. His father murmered softly in a voice that seemed so delicate..like it would break if you touched it. "There was nothing...there was nothing...I could do.." Sokka pushed away, hot tears pouring down his cheeks. "Mom...can't die. Mom can't die!" Koada took a deep breath, standing up as Katara clung to him. "Sokka...I know it hurts." Sokka fell to his knees, admitting loud, miserable sobs. Shuttering, he cried "Mom...she was fine just a few hours ago...there's just..no...dad..." He really couldn't help it. He never imagined such a great loss was possible. Koada tried to calm his son by speaking in soft, soothing words, but nothing seemed to help the boy. "Sokka...it's alright. I know you're afraid now...I know you miss her...but in time, we can get by...without her in our lives. Even if it seems impossible to imagine now...Believe me, Sokka. I loved your mother just as much." Sokka's shoulder's shook, as his whole body quivered at the thought. "She's not dead, dad!" he sobbed. "You just didn't find her...that's it...you didn't find her...we have to go back..and..." Koada let a tear slip from his eyes as he held Sokka's shoulder's firmly and Katara cried "Sokka...you can't go back there...you can't!" Sokka wiped the salty liquid from his eyelashes and put on the bravest face he could. "I promised to protect her! I have to protect Okaa-san...I have to..."
Koada tried to stay firm with the sobbing boy, and it took all his strength. "Sokka...the best thing you can do for your mother right now, is accept her death. She wouldn't want you to be unhappy. She loved her children with all her heart." At that, Sokka wiped his eyes, and ran to hug his father. Starting to cry again, he mumbled between sobs "I know...but...who...who...would kill her? Who..would do something like that? Mom..." Katara finally spoke up. Wiping her tear streaked cheeks, she murmered "The...fire nation.."
Sokka closed his eyes as the river of sorrow trickled from the corners. All he could think about was how could it be that someone was so evil as to kill his beloved mother- the one person who could make every wound heal with a simple kiss? The one person who could make him fall asleep on a restless night with the melody of her voice? The woman who could make his day with a simple smile? His world was shattered, because of the fire nation. Never before, until now, did he believe such evil excisted except for the bad guys in Kana's stories. Now it was real, and he couldn't handle the pain.