A/N: Now, what you've all been waiting for. I hope to have the next chapter up within a few weeks, but I've been hitting a few blocks with the next chapter, including working two jobs. Happy New Year to everyone! And a huge thank you to my beta, DeepAzulaEyes!
Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar
Chapter 14
Zuko scowled at his father walking calmly towards him and Toph. He kept himself between Ozai and Toph and dropped into a fighting stance. His father hadn't changed much, but the little that had changed was dramatic to Zuko's eyes. Ozai had a haunted look on his face. Where his father had once been tall and regal looking, he now looked malnourished and sleep-deprived. His clothes were loose and had several stains and holes, probably since he couldn't buy any because of his fugitive status.
Zuko heard someone move behind him and he felt Toph reach for him, but then her touch was gone and he heard struggling behind him. He wanted to look back, but kept his gaze on his father.
"So this is the little girl who stole your affection, Zuzu," he heard Azula say behind him. Azula cursed and Zuko knew Toph was trying to get away from his sister. "Stupid brat!" Azula hissed.
"Leave her out of this!" Zuko shouted at his father as Ozai smirked at the battle going on between Toph and Azula.
"No, my boy," Ozai said with a sneer. "You and your pathetic mother were supposed to die that night. You ruined my life, and I will make you suffer."
"No, you ruined mine!" Zuko shouted at him and charged forwards and drove his shoulder into Ozai's chest, knocking him back through a window into the rain.
Ozai rolled away from Zuko and they watched each other as the rain poured on them out on the lawn. Zuko saw Toph still struggling with Azula in the greenhouse, but it looked like Toph would win eventually. Knowing she could take care of herself, Zuko focused on his father as Ozai sank into a fighting stance.
"You've had three years to get better," Ozai snarled. "Let's see if you've learned anything."
He jumped towards Zuko and Zuko blocked the kick and punch before trying to punch his father. Ozai blocked and kicked Zuko in the stomach, sending him sliding back. Zuko managed to stay upright and waited for his father to attack again. Ozai jumped towards him, kicking and punching as fast as he could, but Zuko managed to block just about everything. He ducked too low under one kick and Ozai's fist glanced off of his shoulder. Ozai seemed happy about getting the hit on Zuko and tried to punch him again. Zuko saw it coming and caught his father's wrist, kicking his feet into Ozai's stomach as he flipped his father over him, using the move Toph had used on him a while ago.
He rolled away, but kept the hold on his father's arm. Ozai tried to turn and kick out at Zuko and the scarred teen reacted automatically, holding the pinned arm and striking it at the elbow. A sickening crunch sounded and the arm bent the wrong way. Ozai twisted out of the hold and faced Zuko with his right arm limp.
"So you have learned," Ozai snarled. "You're still too weak! Just like my pathetic brother and your mother!"
Ozai jumped towards Zuko, kicking and hitting, but Zuko managed to keep blocking, getting a lucky hit on his father occasionally. But even with a broken arm, Ozai still managed to land more punches on Zuko.
"No, you're weak!" Zuko yelled back as he blocked. "Hitting a woman and child! I was thirteen! It was cruel!"
"It was to teach you respect," Ozai sneered before he was able to land a kick on Zuko's leg, knocking the scarred teen to his knees. Zuko heard sirens approaching and hurried to stand, trying to hit his father with his right hand. Ozai caught his wrist and turned it. Zuko kicked his father's leg, but it didn't faze the man in the slightest and the hold on his wrist became more painful.
"You're going to suffer," Ozai said, his eyes close to Zuko's as Zuko heard and felt his wrist snap. "And then I'll kill you."
Ozai kicked behind Zuko's knee and when Zuko fell, his father let him go and disappeared. Suddenly five cops surrounded Zuko, guns pointed towards him as he cradled his broken wrist in the rain.
"Freeze!" They yelled until another voice sounded.
"Stand down, it's not him," a man said, almost disappointed. Zuko watched the cop approach him and help him up, leading him back into the greenhouse where Zuko saw Toph looking smug next to Mr. Pakku and Mr. Jeong while Azula laid hog-tied and gagged next to them. The teachers looked concerned, but both seemed to recognize the police captain and seemed more at ease when he entered the greenhouse.
"Captain Piandoa, what a surprise," Mr. Jeong said a little dryly, but with a small smile as Toph ran to Zuko and hugged him tightly. Zuko groaned as she pressed on a few new bruises, but he smiled at her before he turned to study the captain. The man was tall and middle aged, and held himself with pride. Zuko watched as the captain nodded to the teachers and then called a pair of officers in, having them escort Azula to a car before Piandoa turned to Zuko, studying the scarred teen with brown eyes that seemed wise beyond the man's apparent years.
"I'm a friend of your uncle's and know about your family's…history. Mind telling me what happened?" the captain asked Zuko.
Zuko frowned, but was about to nod when the principal rushed into the greenhouse and Zuko could see several students behind him. "What is the meaning of this?!" Principal Feng asked before his gaze fell on Zuko looking very wet, muddy, and beaten. "Zuko, another fight?!"
"It's not what you think, Principal Feng," the captain started. "Pakku, why don't you fill the principal in and get the rest of the students away. Jeong, do you have an umbrella? Wouldn't want to ruin the lovely dress of this lovely lady."
Mr. Jeong nodded and produced an umbrella and he and the captain escorted Toph and Zuko to an ambulance on the front steps of the school. Zuko glanced around as they walked and made out five police cars, one of which held his sister. That one was surrounded by three officers while others moved around as the rain started to slacken. A paramedic started treating Zuko, dabbing at a few wounds he didn't realize he had and starting on his wrist as Toph stood next to him. Mr. Jeong and Captain Piandoa waited patiently until the paramedic left to get more bandages before they started questioning Zuko.
"Your uncle and parents have already been called, but we need to know what happened," the captain said to the pair.
Zuko nodded and smiled at Toph when she squeezed his good hand. "We had fun dancing, but I wanted a…private moment with Toph and took her to the greenhouse." He saw the two men look at each other with a knowing smile and scowled. "I just kissed her. A man came out of the shadows and said he had finally found me. I pushed Toph behind me and asked him who he was. When he came into the light, I recognized my father. I heard someone grab Toph, but couldn't look towards her."
"Why not?" the captain asked when Zuko paused for a moment.
"Because if I took my eyes off of Ozai for a second, he'd kill me. I rushed him and we went through the window. I knew that if I could hold him off for a little, I'd be ok and maybe he'd be caught. While we were fighting, I broke his right arm. When we heard the sirens, he grabbed my wrist, breaking it, and then disappeared."
"Did he say anything?" Captain Piandoa asked. "Like what he'll do next, or where he'll go?"
"Yeah," Zuko muttered darkly and turned to look at Toph. She was so calm next to him, waiting for him to go on. "He'll make me suffer and then he'll kill me."
Toph just scooted closer to him and he leaned into her, finding comfort in her after facing his father and the pain the man had caused him. The captain and teacher withdrew to talk in private as the paramedic came back and started wrapping Zuko's wrist. She had just about finished when Zuko heard Toph's parents asking where she was. They came into view the same time Iroh did and Iroh rushed forward to hug his nephew while Jasmine hugged her daughter.
"Oh, my dear, I was so scared when I heard," Jasmine said as she clung to her daughter.
Zuko almost smiled as Toph rolled her eyes, but then he saw Lao's expression. Lao was glaring at Zuko, breathing heavily and his face was getting red underneath his umbrella.
"Toph, we're going home," Lao stated. "I don't want you associating with him again."
"It wasn't his fault," Toph said, breaking free of her mom's hug. Iroh was about to speak up, but Lao was facing his daughter.
"I told you he was dangerous! And now, his crazy family attacked you! I'm taking you out of school and back home where you'll be safe!"
"No, Dad!" Toph said while standing and facing her father in the shelter of the ambulance. "It wasn't his fault! He didn't ask for it, and I'm not a frail little girl!"
"Yes, you are," Lao said, grabbing her hand. "You're blind, and frail and weak. I'm taking you home so that this will never happen again. You are not allowed to see him any more!"
Lao started dragging Toph to his car and Zuko and Iroh were about to protest, but Toph broke free of her father's grip and started running into the rain.
"Toph! Come back here!" Lao shouted, but she was already gone. He turned to Zuko and scowled at the scarred teen. "This is all your fault! I always knew something like this would happen!"
"No, you pushed her away!" Zuko yelled back at him, his temper controlling him after all he had witnessed. "She's amazing and strong, but you don't see that. You just see a blind little girl."
Zuko grabbed his coat and started stalking off. His uncle called to him and the captain did as well, telling him to stop, asking where he was going.
"I'm going to find her," Zuko yelled back before he started running in the same direction Toph had run. As he ran, his temper cooled and he realized how stupid he was for going off alone. He looked around, but didn't see anyone. The rain was much lighter than it had been during the party, so Zuko thought Toph might have gone farther. He thought about where she would run to and instantly knew. Pulling out his phone, he prayed it would work while still wet, and thankfully it did.
"Zuko!" Sokka said when he answered his phone. "You ok? What's going on? Where are you?"
"Sokka, I need a ride. I'm a block down from the school and I need you to take me to the beach," Zuko said firmly.
"Ok, but what's going on?" Sokka asked.
"It's complicated," Zuko sighed, continuing to glance around. "Just get here."
"On my way," Sokka said and hung up.
Thankfully, it only took five minutes until Sokka's old camaro pulled up. Zuko got in and saw Sokka studying him.
"Take me to the beach where the rocks are," Zuko told him and looked out the window.
"What happened?" Sokka asked quietly as he drove.
Zuko sighed. He knew this would come up. He continued to look out the window, looking for Toph as Sokka drove.
"My dad's trying to kill me," Zuko told him. "And nearly succeeded tonight. Toph had a fight with her dad and ran off."
He saw Sokka nod slightly out of the corner of his eye before they pulled into the parking lot at the beach. They both got out, calling for Toph as they made their way to the rocks. The beach was dark and cool, a strong breeze blowing cold air in from the ocean, but it was only a light rain coming down. Occasionally the clouds thinned and some moonlight was shed onto the beach, but most of the light came from the lights back at the parking lot and on the street about a hundred feet away. Once at the rocks, Zuko climbed up a little into the cave, still calling.
"Toph? You there?"
"Zuko?" he heard her ask faintly.
XXXXX
Toph ran as fast as she could. She had to get away from her dad before he saw her cry. Before he made her a prisoner in her own home again. Everything had been going great. The week had been the best she ever had, minus the one thunderstorm, but even that had been okay. Zuko had been with her as they studied history and did some chemistry homework, and had stayed next to her whenever thunder had sounded outside of the house. As the night wore on, he even let her know when he saw lightning flash so that she was prepared for the thunder. And then homecoming was perfect. Even with the knowledge that his dad could show up soon, they had enjoyed the evening, dancing, talking with friends, and then he had taken her to the greenhouse and kissed her. It was the best kiss she had ever received and she wished it could go on forever. And then that man had ruined it, ruined their night.
She had stayed close to Zuko, knowing she could back him up and almost didn't hear the girl coming from behind until the girl grabbed her. Toph had reached out for Zuko as he faced the man, but was pulled away from him and had instantly elbowed the girl in the gut, causing the little twit to curse. If the man was Zuko's father, Toph could only assume the girl was his sister, Azula. She even moved like Zuko did, fluid and graceful, though there was more of an edge to her movements. A predator's edge as she moved gracefully and skillfully as she and Toph tried to get a hold on each other. Toph had almost not gotten out of a hold when she heard Zuko and his dad crash through a window, but knew she needed to focus on her own opponent. After what seemed like an eternity of trying to just get a good grip on the girl, Toph finally got her into an arm lock and felt some rope at her feet. She pinned Zuko's sister and reached down quickly, bringing the rope to her hands without letting Azula free and had bound her and then stuffed a rag she had found while they scuffled into Azula's mouth when the girl started to curse at her.
Just as Toph had finished tying the strange girl up, Mr. Jeong and Mr. Pakku hurried into the room, the gym teacher on the phone with the cops, describing Zuko and his dad fighting. Toph turned her attention outside, but could only hear the rain and occasional bump as if someone had hit the ground. She thought she heard voices occasionally and knew she had heard Zuko shouting something at his dad earlier, but the voices were muffled with the rain pouring down. Toph almost became ill as she heard what sounded like Zuko yelling in pain and then a bunch of cops yelling, "Freeze!" She didn't know what had happened, but as soon as she heard Zuko's footsteps coming back into the greenhouse, she had run to him, glad he was ok.
She knew by the way he was moving that something had happened to his right arm or hand, and quietly followed him and the cop out to the ambulance, just being there for Zuko as a paramedic worked on him and then the cop questioned him. She was surprised at how forthcoming he was to the cop, but the guy had said he knew Iroh and knew about Zuko's family. And then, her dad had come. Toph was so angry at her father. She thought about it as she continued to run away from him. She was angry at him for not trusting her, not believing she was strong enough, not trusting Zuko. And especially for thinking she was still a blind, frail little girl. She felt hot tears streaming down her face as she ran, mingling with the cool rain that continued to fall on her. She lost her shoes when she reached sand, and stopped, surprised at how far she had run. Toph immediately listened and heard the waves pounding on rocks. The rain was lighter than when she had run the previous week after the Halloween party, and she could almost see the vibrations of the rain falling off of the rocks where her cave was. Running to the rocks, she held out her hands as she neared them and felt along the rocks until she found the way up to her cave.
Once inside, she went to the back shelf and curled up into a ball, crying her eyes out. Toph wasn't a crier, as she knew a lot of girls were, Katara included. But sometimes, even the toughest girls cry, and the cave was the one place she felt secure enough to let her emotions out. She was just starting to breathe normally again, though tears still streamed down her face, when she heard Zuko calling for her. His voice became stronger and then echoed through the rocks as if he was calling in.
"Toph? You there?"
She sniffed and called back. "Zuko?"
She heard him start to come up the rocks and call back to someone else. "Found her!"
Surprisingly, Sokka answered. "Ok, um, I'll be in the car whenever you two are ready to go back."
Zuko muttered thanks and then was climbing up into the cave. When Toph heard him stand up fully, she ran to him, glad he was safe, glad he was there and just hugged him as she continued to cry. She didn't want to cry, it was childish and weak, but she couldn't help herself. She didn't know how long she held him, crying into his chest as he hugged her back and stroked her hair, whispering that it was ok. She started regaining control of herself when he said something that made her stop in shock.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as they held onto each other. "I never meant for any of this to happen."
She stiffened and stepped back. Toph heard the sorrow and regret in his tone, and wondered what would happen next.
"Meant for what not to happen?" she asked. She tried to keep her voice even, but heard her anger in it. She wasn't sure what he was regretting. Did he regret making the decision to tell her about himself? Taking her to homecoming? Kissing her?
"Meant for my dad to ruin everything," he sighed and she relaxed and hugged him again.
"It's not your fault," Toph said into his chest. They were silent for a while as they hung onto each other again. Toph finally sighed. "I'm going to be under house arrest now."
"I'm sure my uncle is working things out," Zuko said, though he sounded a little unsure. Toph nodded. Maybe Iroh could help with her dad, but her old man was as stubborn as she was, if not worse. "At least your dad cares for you. Mine's just trying to kill me."
Toph laughed lightly and drew back from him. He did have a point there. Her father was just trying to protect her from men like Zuko's father. But she wasn't one to be held back and coddled. Her thoughts turned to Zuko's decision to stay and her running away at the party and that night.
"This is pretty funny," she said with a smirk. "You're the one who's been running from him, but when we're confronted by opposition, I'm the one that ends up running. And in the rain, too! How did that happen?"
Zuko chuckled and pulled her close to him again. "I don't know. You're the reason I'm not running from him, although maybe I was wrong."
She tensed as guilt and regret entered his tone again, but continued to hold onto him. Toph knew she had to get her point across to him. "You are not wrong for wanting to stand up to him," she stated. "Not then, not now, and not ever!"
She felt Zuko nod in agreement, though he stayed silent. He seemed to be thinking about something for a while before he spoke. "Your parents are probably worried. We should get going," Zuko told Toph.
She nodded, but didn't want to agree. She was surprised the whole police force wasn't searching for her along with Zuko if his dad was half as bad as Zuko thought he was. She smiled slightly and decided to tease Zuko a bit. "Yeah, hope they haven't sent out the marines for me yet."
Zuko chuckled lightly and nodded, moving towards the cave entrance. He helped her down since she had to hold her long dress with one hand so she wouldn't trip over it and then they walked towards the parking lot.
"You brought Sokka?" she asked him as they walked, his coat covering her head as it continued to sprinkle on them.
"Yeah, I ran off after you, and then realized how stupid it was for me to be alone," Zuko sighed. "I didn't want to call my uncle; he'd bring half the police force."
Toph giggled and Zuko opened up the car door for her, sliding in next to her in the back of the car. Once they were both in, she heard Sokka turn back to them.
"You guys ok?" Sokka asked.
Toph just nodded and smiled faintly at her friend. Sokka turned to Zuko. "What's going on?" the blue-eyed teen asked him.
Toph turned her face to Zuko, questioning him with her expression. Had he told Sokka anything? Was he ok? Zuko just turned to her and then turned to Sokka.
"Just what I told you," Zuko stated. "My dad's trying to kill me and Toph and her dad got into a fight because of her being with me."
It sounded like Sokka opened his mouth to object or ask more, and Zuko just frowned, speaking up before the blue-eyed senior could. "Sokka, I can't tell you any more. It's already dangerous for you to know that much."
"Ok then," Sokka sighed. "Where to? I don't think either of you want to go back to the dance looking like that."
She heard Zuko reach into his pocket and pull out his cell. And then he was pushing numbers as if texting someone.
"To Toph's house, my uncle's there," Zuko said. Sokka nodded and started up his car, shifting it into gear. "Thanks, Sokka," Zuko said and Toph smiled as she heard Sokka relax as he started driving. Toph heard Zuko start fidgeting as if he were getting nervous during the short drive and reached out, laying her hand on his. She was nervous about facing her parents again after her fight and then her flight, but with Zuko at her side, maybe it would be ok. Sokka soon stopped the car and Zuko got out, holding the door open for Toph. She smiled at him as she got out.
"Ok, let me know if you guys need anything," Sokka said before Zuko closed the door.
"Thanks Sokka," Toph said with a warm smile after she got out. "I'll call Katara later to let her know I'm ok. I'm sure she's worrying like a mother hen who's lost her chicks right now."
Sokka chuckled. "Yeah, but she'll be fine. See ya Toph, Zuko. Hope the parentals aren't too harsh on you."
"Thanks Sokka," Zuko said, shutting the door behind Toph. They waited until Sokka pulled away and Toph turned to Zuko, smiling a little uneasily under his coat. She was sure Zuko was smiling back, but she knew that both of them were nervous. They could face crazy jerks, killer fathers and insane sisters without batting an eye, but facing her parents? That was scary. They both stayed in the same spot for a while and Toph sighed, holding out her hand to Zuko.
"We better not keep them waiting," Toph stated.
Zuko nodded and took her hand. They walked slowly to the door and Toph took a deep breath before opening her door and they heard Zuko's uncle talking in a calming tone.
"Help is arriving tonight, and more will arrive tomorrow," Iroh was saying. "I understand your concern, but we can not let this stop our lives."
"Stop our lives?!" Lao asked in anger. "Your nephew coming into my daughter's life stopped our lives."
"Lao, please," Jasmine said in a gentle tone. "We've been over this before. My cousin is coming and you know she'll watch over Toph."
"What's going on?" Toph asked when she and Zuko entered the living room. She heard everyone turn toward them, including Fong who had been silent. Immediately, Jasmine was up and Toph let her mother hug her, but she heard her dad breathing heavily in anger.
"Toph, go to your room. We'll discuss this in the morning," Lao stated.
"No," Toph said as her mother stepped away from her, sounding as if she didn't know who to go to. "We'll discuss it now."
Zuko seemed to tense, and she tightened her hold on his hand, making sure he stayed with her.
"That is ideal," Iroh said calmly to Lao before he turned to Toph and Zuko. "Toph, your cousin is an old friend of mine and works for the FBI. She's on her way now and will be watching out for you. Some more of my friends and her people will be in the areas you go to, making sure you are safe. Neither of you will be able to walk to school any longer and, unfortunately, your movements outside of school will be restricted. Either Fong or I will drive you two wherever you need to go, or your cousin when she arrives. Zuko, we need to head home and discuss what needs to happen next."
It sounded as if Iroh was frowning and Zuko tensed before he nodded. He squeezed Toph's hand and she sighed, knowing that his uncle was right. They had to deal with their own issues, and Toph would have an easier time dealing with her parents without him there. He let Toph's hand go, but she held on and turned to him, hugging him tightly for a second.
"Just call me if you need to talk later," she whispered to him and felt him nod slightly. She let him go slowly and turned her back to her father to 'watch' Zuko and his uncle leave. Once the front door closed again, Toph turned back to her parents.
"Toph, we'll discuss this more tomorrow," Lao stated.
"No," Toph told him, frowning. "Is Aunt Jun really coming?"
"Yes, she is," Lao said, the frown more evident in his tone. "I don't want you seeing that boy again outside of school. He's dangerous and his family is dangerous. I knew it from the first moment I saw him."
"He's not the problem! His crazy dad is, and I'm glad he's not running anymore!" Toph cried, feeling tears trying to come to her eyes again.
"He should have left!" Lao said, standing. "He could have left you and our family alone!"
"You don't understand him or me!" Toph shouted back.
"Lao, Toph!" Jasmine said sharply. "Stop that this instant!"
Both father and daughter stopped and stared at Jasmine. The times were rare that Jasmine raised her voice, but when she did, everyone took notice.
"Toph, Jun is coming and we'll talk more about where you can and can't go when she arrives. Lao, this is not the time to argue about this. What's done is done and you should be proud of our daughter for standing up for what she believes in and capturing the crazy girl," Jasmine said sternly. "Now, everyone to bed. It's been a long night for everyone and sleep will make everything clearer."
"Yes ma'am," both Toph and Lao muttered and hurried to their rooms. Once Toph was in her room, she changed out of her wet, ruined dress and quickly put on some pj's. She hoped Zuko was doing ok. She placed her phone next to her bed and curled up in her blankets, wondering if Zuko would call her later.
XXXXX
Zuko followed his uncle back to their house and saw a pair of cars parked in front and recognized them from the several times Iroh had had his Pai Sho friends over. Zuko hoped Toph would be ok, and that her dad wouldn't be too harsh on her. He knew it was his fault, even though Toph had said it wasn't. He was the one who had let her in, had told her about himself and had taken her away from the safety of the gym and kissed her in front of his father. True, he hadn't known his father was there, and hadn't figured Ozai could be that close to him yet, but now Ozai knew Toph and would go after her.
You're going to suffer, and then I'll kill you, Ozai had told him and Zuko knew those words were the truth. There were three important people in Zuko's life, and two of them were less than a hundred yards from him. He continued to follow his uncle into the house and stopped in surprise when three of his teachers and the police captain stood and started looking relieved when they spotted him.
"Sit, Zuko," Iroh said in a tired voice, gesturing to the small couch in the family room. Zuko did and Dr. Yugoda moved next to him with a medical bag, checking over his injuries and examining his wrist.
"They did a good job, but it loosened," she said, starting to unwrap the bandage and splint around his wrist while Zuko watched his uncle sit in an old recliner while Mr. Jeong and Mr. Pakku remained standing and the police captain locked the front door.
"That was a foolish thing to do," Pakku said to Zuko and the scarred teen frowned at him.
"Don't you think I know that?" Zuko asked with a scowl.
"Pakku, calm yourself," Jeong stated, his slight accent becoming more pronounced. "He did it for a good reason, and I'm sure he'll tell us why."
Mr. Jeong turned to Zuko, calm on the gym teacher's face as he and Zuko studied each other and Zuko nodded.
"Toph ran out of the party last week because I beat up Hahn before she could," Zuko started and saw Piandoa questioning Jeong and Pakku and Jeong smiled at the captain, saying he would explain later. Yugoda continued to wrap Zuko's wrist, but was listening in as he continued. "She stopped a block away, and later told me she gets disoriented in the rain. I was worried and angry and took off after her. I called Sokka a block away when I realized I shouldn't be out alone and he drove me to where I found her."
"And where was that?" Piandoa asked gently.
"A special spot for her at the beach," Zuko stated. He noticed Piandoa frown slightly when he didn't give any more information, but the captain nodded as Yugoda finished wrapping Zuko's wrist and started applying some band-aids to some of the cuts on his face.
"We talked and Sokka drove us back," Zuko concluded. Pakku and Piandoa were both about to speak up again, their faces showing frowns and Zuko figured he was about to be chewed out again, so he spoke up first. "Look, I know it was stupid for me to go off alone after Toph, knowing my father was out there, but I couldn't let her go off alone either. He'll go after her because he knows she means something to me."
"My nephew is correct," Iroh said, speaking for the first time since he had sat down. Zuko knew his uncle had been watching him the entire time. "Zuko, your mother is secure and the FBI will be moving her to a more secure location tomorrow. It is still your choice, do we move or do we stay?"
"I'm not running from him anymore," Zuko stated.
"But he could hurt others," Jeong said.
"Yeah, and how many more will he hurt in how many towns I move to until he's caught?" Zuko asked his teacher. "I'm tired of running. He'll come after me and then he'll be caught."
"There, you're done," Yugoda said as she placed a final butterfly band-aid onto Zuko's temple. "Get into a doctor tomorrow and get a cast on that wrist. You'll have it for six weeks, but it will heal to normal, though you'll be a little slow at everyday things for a bit. And no hitting anything with that hand, Zuko," Dr. Yugoda said sternly, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously at him as she gave him a hard expression. "That means stupid boys, punching bags, and fathers."
"Why did you even fight him in the first place?" Pakku asked Zuko when he nodded grudgingly to the doctor's orders.
"To get him away from Toph," Zuko said. "To hold him off, to stay alive."
"You could have talked to him," Piandoa argued.
"No, it wouldn't have worked with my brother," Iroh said with a sigh. "He knows all the tricks being a former FBI agent and negotiator. And Zuko is not the most elegant at word play."
Zuko frowned, but nodded, knowing his uncle spoke the truth. English and especially speaking had never been a strong point for him, but he could get by. It was another thing his father excelled at that he didn't, but at least his martial arts had gotten good enough so that he was almost even with Ozai.
"Zuko, it's been a long night," Iroh said. "Go on and get some rest and we'll talk more in the morning."
Zuko nodded and went to his room, changing out of the wet suit and thinking about that night. So much had happened and changed. He cared for Toph more than he ever had, but he was worried about her. He thought that if he called it off, and kept their relationship on a lower level, his father would leave her alone. But he didn't believe it for a second and Toph would never let him. She would be hurt, though she would refuse to show it if he broke up with her after everything that had happened, and hurting Toph was the last thing Zuko wanted to do. He sighed and fell onto his bed, ignoring the aches in his wrist and all over his body as exhaustion caught up with him and forced him to sleep.
