A/N: Avatar the Last Airbender is wholly owned by Nick.

At the wedding, one special guest is out-of-sorts.

(This was meant to be a one-shot but it's evolved.)

Jolted and Jilted

Azula sat in her assigned seat in the massive dining hall. Many dignitaries and noblemen offered their congratulations to the Avatar and the surly metalbending police chief, who also happened to be her best friend now.

She found the whole affair to be rather mundane and most boring, as she slowly sipped her glass of wine. What she did find amusing was how wrinkled the wily earthbender's dress was now. Less than thirty minutes before, it had been the model of perfection. Poppy had warned all of them how fragile it was before the ceremony. Now, it looked crumpled beyond repair. "I guess that stupid, lewd Avatar didn't get the message," Azula chuckled to herself as she watched Toph swatting her mother's hands away in an attempt to straighten it out.

She laughed lightly to herself as she saw the bright, telltale smiles and reddened cheeks on the newly married couple's face. "I was wondering how long you were going to wait before breaking your maidenhead," Azula thought to herself. "Couldn't even restrain yourself till the reception was over, Duchess. I hope you're pregnant now with his big-eared child. That would serve you right, you horny, cute thing," she mumbled to herself, as she lifted her glass in a silent toast to them. "Be happy Toph, just be happy."

Her attention turned towards the famous Water Tribe siblings, Katara and Sokka. They seemed to be engaged in some type of argument as she waved a finger in her brother's face. "Typical of that cold-hearted water bitch," Azula thought wondering if she should go rescue him.

Sokka's face was tense as he silently glared at Katara, apparently enduring the abuse. Then, without warning, a front-hand slap exploded across his face. It was hard enough to turn his head, and the reverberation caused those around them to turn and look their way. Sokka slowly turned back to look at his irate sister. Azula's heart sank as she saw the tears streaming down his bruised face and blood flowing from his busted lips.

Katara suddenly realized what she had done, her palm still stinging from the contact. She placed the hand over her mouth, shocked that she had struck him so hard and without thinking. "I'm so sorry Sok..." she began to apologize only to have him raise a hand to her face. Sokka shook his head as he turned and started to walk away.

"Please, brother forgive me," Katara cried, running after him, followed by the wheelchaired bound glider pilot, Teo. "You can hit me back!"

"Yes, please knock her the hell out," Azula swore to herself, as she followed them heading for the outer door with her narrowed eyes. "...and while you're at it, teach her some respect."

Suddenly, both Mai and Ty Lee were also at the table. They had been out mingling, something Ty found exhilarating, while Mai just thought it was nauseating. But Toph had personally requested that they tried to be friendly, all except for Azula, she didn't have to participate, and she didn't. Even Aang thought that was a wise choice.

Mai took in a deep breath, watching the awkward departure from the hall. "Did you see that?" the blade wielder asked in a low, threatening tone.

"I indeed did," Azula replied, shattering the empty crystal wine glass in her grip. "Ladies, I think it's about time we put a certain uppity peasant in her place," she stated as the other two nodded.

The chi-blocker clenched her fist. "Feels like old times," Ty Lee giggled menacingly.

All these antics didn't escape Toph's notice as she started to walk out towards the door they were bound for. Aang grabbed her arm and pulled his bride back to his side. "Let them work it out Toph," he whispered softly. "You know Sokka won't stay mad at her for too long. Besides, I don't want you and her to get into a brawl on your wedding day."

The metalbender sighed deeply in exasperation. "B-but, she hit him, why'd she slap him like that, Aang," Toph asked in a concerned voice. "No matter how they went at it before, Sweetness never hit him like that! You know, she would just splash him with ice water or throw snowballs at him, but I nev'r thought she would strike him like that. It sounded awful," she said as sadness covered her face.

The Avatar lightly furled his brow. "Me neither. Katara must be stressed out of her mind, my love. I'm sure she's thinking, this should have been my wedding," Aang guessed as his eyes watched the door closing behind the exiting trio. "I saw Teo following them; he's pretty leveled headed. And I'm sure no matter what she does, Sokka would never hurt his sister. He would rather die first," he stated confidently.

"It's not her I'm worried about," Toph declared touching Aang's solid bicep. "I know Sokka would let her half kill him before he would ever lay a hand on her. But these others, uh, I think they have ill intentions about all this," she stated, nodding in Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee's general direction."That little group is like his fan club."

The Avatar watched as the three seemed to be conferring and pointing at the door the Water Tribe siblings had left through. None of them looked too happy as Mai slipped a table knife into her hand. "Can you hear what they're saying Toph?" Aang asked, not wanting to assume the worst.

She nodded, pulling her hair back and cupping her ear. "Yeah, something about, slicing the bitch, pounding her to a pulp and then turning her to ash, before pissing on her to put out the fire," Toph exclaimed with a panicked expression. "You got to do something Aang before they destroy this place! Sugar Queen isn't going to go down without a fight!"

Aang's face twisted in confusion. "Pissing on her, who said that," he asked out of curiosity.

Toph punched her groom solidly in the shoulder. "That really doesn't matter right now, you pervert! Just do something!" she insisted with a cross look.

The Avatar paused for a moment to think and then he recalled a conversation he had overheard between Poppy and her daughter. "Can we get the bride's ladies to the center of the room, please ladies, come to the center of the hall," Aang suddenly requested in a booming voice.

The fearsome threesome was about to leave the room as all eyes seemed to turn their way.

"Please give them some encouragement," Aang commented as he began to clap.

"What are you doing husband," Toph enquired through her tense, toothy smile.

Aang snickered. "Just trust me, love. Didn't your mother say it was a tradition that the bride dances with her bridesmaids?" he replied lightly shoving her towards the dance floor.

Toph's smile relaxed. "I love you so much right now, Mr. Avatar!" she exclaimed as she gleefully ran out onto the floor. "C'mon girls, let's do this thing!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

A thunderous round of applause sounded out for them as Azula, and her co-conspirators smiled but did not start moving. Toph ran over to them and looped an arm through Azula's. "You're in this one princess; didn't you heard the man? Why are you still standing here like a statue? Jun, Smellerbee, and Suki are already out there," Toph announced, beginning to pull her in that direction.

The reluctant princess tried to set her feet, but a sharp tug from the powerful earthbender sent her moving forward. "Uh, I was going to go get Katara," Azula quickly fabricated. "Ugh, she needs to be here too, right? She is the maid-of-honor," she tried to reason while being dragged clumsily along.

Ty Lee and Mai exchanged glances and shrugged. They knew their quest was over, at least for the moment. Ty Lee linked arms with her taller friend. "Shall we, milady?" she playfully said rubbing shoulders.

Mai rolled her large golden eyes. "If we must. I do hate these social gatherings," she replied in her usual dead-pan fashion as they followed Toph and the still reluctant Azula.

"No worries, Aang went to get her," Toph replied as she sensed the waterbender re-entering the room. "Look behind you; she's back already! Conductor, the Honey-Fly Hustle please!" she requested as they passed the grandstand. "Now we can dance our asses off!"

"Duh-dance," Mai stuttered as she almost began breaking out in a cold sweat. "We're not wearing any underthings! Won't we be... uh, jiggling?" she gasped as her cheeks flushed cherry red.

"You bet, some of us more than others," Toph responded over her shoulder, laughing brightly. The buxom earthbender stuck out her full rack. "I'm going to make my man proud he bought these! But, I don't think two of us have much to worry about, well that's what Ty Lee said the last time we all bathe together!"

The blade wielder's lips tightly pursed together as she shot an evil look the chi-blocker's way. "I suppose that is directed at Azula and me because you and Ty are endowed like hippo-cows!" Mai accused as she turned her face away. "Well, I'll have you know, quality beats quantity, right Azula," she boldly stated.

"Speak for yourself, Mai," Azula replied with a grin that resembled more of a sneer. "If I recall that bath, I'm at least a full size larger than you, my dear."

"It was less than a half-size, I do recall, Azula," Mai corrected her. "I can assure you, I get no complaints about size from him," she added still remembering her tryst from just a short time ago. The outline of her nipples suddenly jutted through the heavy gown as she recalled his suckling and touch.

Ty Lee's grip tightened uncomfortably on the blade wielder's arm. "Oh, is that guy back in your life. You know, the one who was in your father's little group," she asked sardonically, carefully observing her friend's aura.

"No, Kei Lo is not back in my life," she replied as her expression dropped. "Last I heard, he was trying to make a life for himself back at home, that's what my mother told me anyway."

Ty Lee wasn't swayed by this unusual outburst of emotions from the stoic woman. "So Mai, who is this man who will settle for small offerings," she asked with a chortle. "Do we know him?"

"I, I didn't mean to say that I currently have a guy. I was just talking about when I did have someone in my life," she replied, trying to cover her tracks. Mai sucked in her bottom lip as she patted Ty Lee's hand. "Could you loosen up a bit Ty, your cutting off my circulation right now," Mai stated with a grimace.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't realize I was squeezing you so tightly, Mai. I guess I'm just excited about dancing with all of you," Ty Lee said with a forced smile. "Is everybody ready?" she asked as they stood on the dance floor.

Azula's attention was once more focused on a certain waterbender. As Katara and the others re-entered the room, she and Teo appeared to be discussing something rather important. She had her hand on his shoulder, but neither one of them looked very happy. In fact, Katara seemed like a schoolchild being scolded. Still, Azula was more upset over the bloodstained napkin Sokka was using to dap at his still bleeding lips.

Aang and Sokka were walking far behind Katara and Teo, conversing casually. The two men were even laughing and smiling playfully.

"Remember your promise, dear," Teo admonished her as Katara headed for the dance floor. "Play nicely."

Azula began to step over to intercept the approaching waterbender. "Yeah, I'm gonna play real nice," she snarled under her breath as her fists clenched.

Suddenly, Toph hugged her tightly and kissed her on the cheek, stunning the princess. "You know, Snoozle's would never forgive anybody who would hurt his precious sister," she whispered into the angry firebender's ear. "I know you don't want him to hate you, now do you, Azula?"

Toph's words were sobering as the firebender hugged her back, returning Toph's kiss on the cheek. "No, and thank you for centering me again. I do love you, Duchess," she whispered back in a barely audible voice. "How come you're the only one I can accept this comfort from and not feel weird about it?"

"That's because I love you too, Azula. And you know that I'd never stop being your friend," Toph answered once more kissing Azula's heated cheek.

Ty Lee now joined the act as she pushed her way between Toph and Azula. "Hey you two, knock it off already. Don't you know this little ball of mud is my girl," Ty Lee exclaimed as she planted a big wet kiss on Toph's lips.

Poppy nearly fainted from the shocking scene. What made it truly over-the-top was that Toph threw her arms about Ty Lee's neck and kissed her back. As the feisty earthbender pulled away, the chi-blocker stood like a statue in the middle of the floor. She seemed to be in a daze, mumbling incoherently.

Mai walked over and gave her stupefied friend a light slap, bringing her out of her dream world.

"Wha, uh, what happened," Ty Lee asked as she placed both hands on her heated cheeks. "One minute I was playing around with Tophy, and the next I felt like I was floating on a cloud and sitting in a vat of warm pudding," she described as Ty motioned for Mai to lean in closer. As she did, Ty Lee cupped a hand to Mai's ear. "I think I came... a bit on myself," she confessed, her bright gray eyes glistening. "How can one woman do that to another with just a kiss."

"Tylee, you ought to know by now not to play around with her. Remember that time we were at that bar in the middle of nowhere, and someone bet that she wouldn't kiss you me and Azula," Mai reminded her still slightly, groggy friend.

Ty Lee put a hand on her chin, "Yeah, it was that crazy ass friend of Azula's, Jun, I do recall that. The one right over there! I remember Toph kissing her first, and for a little while there; I thought they needed to get a room," Ty laughed as she started to fan herself. "I can see why now, that girl is a great kisser! I'm so jealous of the Avatar."

"She may be, but I don't want to know," Mai emphatically stated as she crossed her arms. "I'm just glad that night, everything stopped at Azula. I was going to shank her if she tried to kiss me," she declared making a stabbing motion. "Poor Azula looked helpless even as she threatened to fry her. That little earthbender just walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her as Azula swore up a blue streak. What really freaked me out was when she got quiet and hugged her back."

Ty Lee nodded. "Oh man, that was strange. I thought they were going to start wrestling or something. I didn't expect Azula to just lay on her like that," she recounted, a look of wonder in her expression.

Mai took in a deep breath as she continued, "It looked so simple, so innocent, the two of them hugging like long lost friends. It's like watching a typhoon out on the sea. As long as you're just watching, it's a thing of beauty," she stated in a low voice. "But strangest of all was that... weeping. It was like Azula just lost it. I think this was the first time I saw her genuinely cry without being angry," Mai asserted with a long sigh. "Even Jun forgot about the bet over that scene. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. That's when I knew that woman was a force to be reckoned with."

"She may not be entirely human, is what I heard," Ty Lee stated, repeating Sokka's comments about Toph's uncanny abilities. " hey, I thought would be dancing by now! What's going on over there," Tylee asked pointing out at the edge of the dance floor.

Indeed there was a commotion occurring. Instead of joining the group of bridesmaids, Katara had circled back and was apparently confronting the groom. This time it was Aang who stood quietly and listened to her rant.

Toph was not going to stand idly by and let her new husband become the brunt of the waterbender's anger. She hurried over to them and upon seizing Katara's arm began to pull her away. "Please, honored guest this will be just a moment. I think my friend here is a bit, not herself," Toph explained to the crowd. "Perhaps too much of this beautiful, high-quality wine, brought to us by the New Republic Brewhouse. When you think quality, think, New Republic Brewhouse," she announced to the venue as her father had requested.

Lao smiled and nodded to the reps from the brewhouse. They appeared to be quite pleased with improv of their commercial as they raised their glasses in response. "That was perfect," he thought with a huge grin. "Good touch having that Water Tribe girl join in."

Katara tried to pull away but to little avail. The metal cop was pressing on her nerve points, making it impossible for her even to bend a drop of water. "Ow, that hurts Toph. Let go of me!" she insisted trying to twist away.

"Deal with it," Toph stated as she continued to drag her towards the bathrooms.

"Please, everyone, enjoy yourselves. Maestro, a little music before we get to the bride's dance," Poppy instructed as she fluttered about the room. "Also, please try some of this excellently roasted turkey-swine, compliments of Won's Butchershop and Dry Goods. They are having a sale on all their fine fabrics, 10% off this week," she added as her husband nodded approvingly.

Toph literally threw Katara into the bathroom through an opening she made in the wall. The woman toppled to the tiled floor, sliding against the far wall. "Why did you even come here Katara, if you were just going to be a bitch?" Toph yelled, standing over her. "You could've just stayed away and enjoyed your pity party all on your own! This is my wedding!"

"And when did you learn chi-blocking Toph," Katara asked with a menacing glare, trying to work out the numbing sensation permeating her arm.

"It's not chi-blocking Sugar Queen, it's nerve blocking, there's a difference," Toph angrily replied, as she folded her arms over her chest. "Did you forget, I'm the Cheif of Police? I need to know these things."

The blue-eyed bender put her back to the wall and sat up. "I suppose you do, Miss Cheif. Get it, mischief... Miss Cheif," she attempted to joke.

Toph sighed, "It was funnier when your brother said it, Sweetness, and it's Mrs. Cheif now. You really shouldn't steal his stuff and then slap him. That's just bad form, and it really pisses me off!" Toph shouted as she jerked Katara to her feet by the collar of her dress.

"Go ahead Toph, slap me back for him, I deserve it," Katara dared her as she clenched her teeth. "I know you want to. I can tell by that look on that stupid mug of yours. They may paint you up to look like a bride, but there's not enough makeup in the world to hide ugly," she spat caustically into the blind woman's face, attempting to goad her.

Toph closed her foggy eyes as she felt the spittle running down her cheek. She didn't bother to wipe it away as her tears forced themselves from under her eyelids. "So, you do hate me, don't you Katara," she asked rhetorically, shaking the waterbender as she spoke. "Why else would you come and then do everything in your power to ruin it. How many times have I apologized to you about Aang and me! What do you want me to do? We, fell in love, end of story. It's my story now, not yours Katara! You're the one that left him, remember? That had nothing to do with me!"

Katara spat a second time into Toph's glowering face. "Liar! You're a La-damn liar Toph! You know you loved him even before he and I started dating. We both knew what that mud-fight was really about, so don't try to feed me that innocent act. Tell me the truth Toph, if I didn't kiss him that day at Iroh's, you were going to do something, weren't you," she accused, jerking Toph's hands away.

Toph didn't bother to open her sightless eyes or remove the second glob of spit. "Yes, you're right Sweetness, I did fall in love with him back then, but I knew he was fixated just on you. Did you know, I liked your brother first, and when Suki came along, well, there went that!" she exclaimed throwing up her hands. "I was 2 for 2 in the broken hearts category. When Aang kissed you, and you pushed him away, that gave me a glimmer of hope, but it all came crashing down before I could build up my nerve. Yes, by all that's holy, yes, I wasn't going to let him slip away after you ran away, Sugar Queen. It broke his heart, and I saw my opportunity," she confessed as the tears continued to release from her closed eyes.

Katara got face-to-face with the shorter woman. "I didn't run away; I was driven away Toph! Those acolytes and that Air Nomad Restoration plan, it was all so confusing," she shouted back as her anger turned to sadness. "Aang just kept saying he would go along with whatever I decided in the beginning. I didn't want to seem shallow or jealous; I didn't want him to think ill of me. I loved him... no, I actually love him, even now. Seeing him, I just want to..." Katara words were choked short as she began to wail loudly. "Please Toph, please give him back to me! I've been so miserable all these years! I promise I'll do anything to make him happy!"

This time Toph opened her expressive eyes. "Fuck you Katara! No way am I giving him to anyone. He's not mine to give you or anyone else. That's his choice, not even mine," she exclaimed thrusting a finger into the waterbender's shoulder. "Make no mistake; I am his."

Katara blinked a number of times. "Wait a minute, uh, I don't understand. You told him no way to the acolytes, the Restoration Plan and living on Avatar Island," she recounted using her fingers. "Duh, sounds pretty much to me like you're in control here Toph."

The metal cop shook her head. "You're either very desperate or very stupid, Sugar Queen. The only thing I'm in control of is myself. I only told him what I wasn't willing to do, even to be with him. He had to decide if being with me, minus those others, were worth it. Even though I love him, I was willing to let him follow another path without me, if he chose to do that," Toph explained as she tried to sense Katara's response. "I'm not going to give away my dignity, even for him and if he truly loves me, he wouldn't ask me too."

The blue-eyed waterbender eyes doubled in size. "That's not true! He, eh, loved me too, but he still asked me to go along with the acolytes and live on that frick'n rock of an island! Those guys from the White Lotus told me it would help restore balance to the world, that I would be a hero through my sacrifice. He asked if it was okay that he participate in bringing back his people from the Void by... by having children with other women. I, huh, at first said alright, but the closer it got to reality, the more I just couldn't stand the idea. When I tried to back out, he looked furious. I didn't know what to do so I... ran," she confessed bowing her head. "He didn't come after me. He didn't even come looking for me. Why Toph, why didn't he come after me?"

The earthbender stood silently and took in a deep breath, feeling her maid-of-honor's grief building.