BUZZ! BUZZ!

Sokka jerked awake from hearing the loud sound coming from the telephone. A curse left his lips as he banged his head against his desk. He blinked furiously while trying to get his bearings straight. He looked down and noticed a pool of drool on top of papers.

"Sweet La and Tui," he mumbled tiredly, wiping his mouth.

He had fallen asleep while writing a report for work that he had to send by messenger hawk in the morning. Sokka was on an official visit in the Southern Water Tribe on his own, and much to his dismay his family couldn't join him. This trip was scheduled to be a month and a half long and it was the middle of the school year for the children. Suki stayed in Republic City with Atka, Tikani, and Sakari while Sokka went ahead to the South without them. Only two weeks had passed, and he already missed his family, despite how chaotic it could be sometimes with three children. He didn't know how Suki was able to do it alone while he was gone, but by spirits that woman could do anything life threw at her.

Sokka continued to blink furiously as he reached over to the telephone and grabbed the receiver off the hook with fumbling hands. He managed to straighten up as he lifted the mouthpiece of the phone close to his face. He cleared his throat.

"Councilman Sokka," he said in the best professional voice he could muster at the moment.

"Hi, Daddy!"

A huge smile appeared across Sokka's lips. The sound of his youngest daughter's voice immediately cheered him up.

"Hi, my sweetheart. It's late, I'm surprised Mom's letting you stay up," said Sokka.

"Mommy said we could call you before we went to bed," explains Sakari.

"Ah, I see. Are your brother and sister there, too?"

"Hi, Dad!" came Atka's voice.

"Hey, Dad," followed Tikani's voice. It was in the early stages of changing.

An even bigger smile is now on Sokka's face. He relaxed more in his chair as he looked over at the picture of his three children on his desk. It was of them at their home on Kyoshi Island by the waterfall in their backyard he snapped himself. He had grown fond of photography through the years.

"How are you three? I miss you all so much."

"You mean four?" came Suki's voice. The sound of his wife's voice made Sokka smile more. One of the things he missed most while away was not having her by his side in bed. The nights felt extremely lonely without her. Though they had been married for several years now, it didn't make any distance between them any easier.

"My mistake, how are you four?" Sokka corrected himself.

"We're doing just fine, though it sounds like we caught you in the middle of a nap," said Suki. Sokka could tell by her voice that she was holding in a laugh.

"You'd be correct." The sound of his children's laughter echoed on the other line. "I'm glad you woke me up, though. Number one, because I love to hear the sound of all of your voices and number two, I have to finish up some work."

"Working hard over there, I see," Suki joked.

"Oh, you know me," teased Sokka with a smile on his face.

"Alright, it's time to say goodnight to Dad," says Suki to the children. There was a series of groans from the three young ones. "I know, but it's bedtime. We'll talk to him for longer on another day."

"Goodnight, Dad," came Atka's voice through the line.

"Bye Dad," followed Tikani.

"Goodnight, Daddy!" finished Sakari.

"We miss you and hope you're doing okay," added Tikani.

"I miss love you each so much," says Sokka, looking back at the photograph of his children on the desk. He touched it briefly. "I'm doing just fine, it's great being around your grandfather. But I'll be back home before you know it."

The kids say their last goodnights before they left for bed. Suki sent them off and told them she'd check on each of them in a few minutes. It was just husband and wife on the phone now.

"So, how are you really?" Suki asked.

Sokka let out a tired sigh. Before he could say anything, Suki answered her own question by saying, "Ah, that's what I thought."

"Lousy. This trip is draining all of my energy," answered Sokka, slouching a bit in his uncomfortable desk chair. "It's a rack and ruin situation down here. It's been great seeing Dad but the rest of the staff can be difficult and stubborn. They don't like the idea of new and improved ways and just want to stick to tradition and what they already know. It's like the council at times; a bunch of oversized children bickering. I would rather deal with that at home with Attie and Tik with Sakari as the instigator."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," said Suki sympathetically. She paused for a moment. "I wish we were there with you," she added quietly.

"I know, Suks. I wish you four were with me, too."

There is another picture on his desk of his wife he took a few years ago. It was from a get together on Air Temple Island with Aang, Katara, Zuko, Mai, and Toph. He caught his wife in the beginning of a laugh, a bright candid smile on her face. It was his favorite photo of her. What she was laughing at, he didn't remember. Probably something stupid he had said or done no doubt.

"I've had a few sleepless nights. I just want you to be next to me," confessed Sokka faintly. He was also missing her touch.

"The bed definitely feels empty without you," sighed Suki.

"How in the world did we do this when we were younger?" Sokka asked incredulously. He recollected all the times when he and Suki were apart due to Team Avatar and Kyoshi Warrior duties. Sometimes it would be months until they would see each other again.

Suki let out a grim laugh. "I have no idea. I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder, as they say."

"Well, 'they' are most certainly right, but it doesn't make me feel any better." Sokka pouted to himself, still staring at the photograph of his wife. "But enough about me. How are you and kids doing?"

A sigh is heard from the other line. "It's a lot, to be completely honest," admitted Suki, though she didn't sound completely defeated. "Between the dojo and taking care of the kids it's been hectic. Luckily Katara has helped a lot with picking them up from school while I'm still at work. I don't know what I would do without your sister."

Guilt built up within Sokka. He developed a frown. "I'm sorry, Suki. I should be there with you. Not here in this icy hell I'm currently in."

"No, no. Sokka, please don't worry about me," Suki assured her husband quickly. "It's hard, yes, but I'm able to keep up with everything with the help I'm receiving from Kat. You know we help each other out when you and Aang are away from home for a long period of time. It's okay."

"Still. This trip is another month long." Contrition continued to pang within Sokka. "I miss you, Suks. So much." His voice cracked a little at the end of his sentence. His fingers lightly touched the glass that framed her picture.

"I miss you too, Sokka. I can't wait until you come home. But we'll get through this, we always do." Suki paused again for a moment. "Write me when you're able? Like old times?"

"Of course," Sokka reassured her. "Call again when you're able?"

"Of course," repeated Suki, a smile in her tone. "I love you."

"I love you, Kyoshi Girl."

Suki mimics a kiss on the other line. "That's for you," she teased.

"I can practically feel it through the mouthpiece of the phone," Sokka said with a goofy smile developing on his tired face. "I'll let you go tuck in the kids. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"You better. Good luck on your work tonight."

"Thanks, at this rate I'll need all the luck I can get." Sokka internally groaned as he looked down at the half-written report on the desk.

"Don't go to bed too late," Suki added in a motherly tone. "You'll need your strength to take care of the man children you're dealing with."

This makes Sokka let out a laugh. "Right. Thanks, Suki."

"No problem." Another kiss into the telephone. "Love you."

"I love you, too. Goodnight, Suki Suks."

"Goodnight, Sokka."

It ached putting the mouthpiece back onto it's holder. A heartsick sigh left Sokka's lips as he paid one last glance at the photos of Suki and their children. Everything he did, he did for them. Making the world a better place for Atka, Tikani, and Sakari had its trials and tribulations, that was for sure. But it was worth the pain and frustration it brought on. Sokka didn't want and wouldn't have anything less for their future.

Cracking his knuckles, he went back to work on the report. At times he would glimpse at the photographs to help motivate him through his tiredness. The smiles of Suki and their children encouraged him to keep going.

Only one more month until he could hug his son and daughters again. One more month until he could kiss his wife goodnight. Until then, Sokka was determined to give them hell in the Water Tribe. For the sake of not just the world, but mostly for his family.