Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok

"Twinkle Toes! Cool it will ya?" Toph shouted loud enough so that it would reach past the door. When the door to the Bei Fong house hold finally opened, there stood the avatar in all his glory, annoyed. "What's biting the avatar's ass this time?"

"May I come in?" Aang just wanted to get right to it. His earthbending teacher only smirked.

"And what do we have today?" She held out her hand waiting for the bottle under his robes. Aang tossed it at her.

"It's just wine. Nothing too overbearing."

"You're no fun." She frowned while pulling the cork off the top of the bottle. He didn't even need to question her efforts as the pop from the bottle only proved how strong she was. The chief of police took a swig of the liquid. "Mmmmm. But when you pick wine, you pick it right."

Toph stepped aside so Aang could walk into her home. The avatar immediately undid his over robe and threw it on the couch. He sunk into the green sofa, resting his arm on the back.

"Please, make yourself at home." She said sarcastically. Toph sat in the chair adjacent to the couch. "You know I'm really glad you are my new drinking partner. You get the best stuff."

Aang eyed her. "You're a war hero too. I'm sure you get some pretty good alcohol."

"I've been thrown out of too many bars to get stuff for free anymore. And that was before I had kids."

The avatar just let his head lay back. "Well I don't drink that often so I don't have a problem picking stuff up."

"Alright then. It's agreed. You will always buy the alcohol."

"Toph-"

"No buts."

The banter brought a soft smile to his face. It was the first time he had smiled since getting back.

Toph took a sip of the bottle and passed it on to her friend. Aang played with the bottle. "So how was your trip to the northern air temple?"

She didn't expect him to groan.

"I'm guessing it wasn't too great then. What happened? Twinkle Toes Jr. find the trip boring? I'd be pissed too if the girls hated going to Gaoling or visiting the badgermoles."

"The trip was fine, Toph." He took a sip of the wine before continuing. "It was the coming back part that is bothering me."

Toph laughed. "I know that you love visiting the air temples, Twinkles, but they are still going to be there after you leave. The acolytes are doing what you asked them to do and taking care-"

"Kya and Bumi are mad at me. For some strange reason."

The chief of police closed her eyes and relaxed. "Why?"

Aang talked with his hands. "When Tenzin and I arrived home, Kya and Bumi acted like we weren't even there. All they said was 'Welcome back' and went on doing whatever they were doing. I asked Katara if the two were fighting or something, but she said no."

"And then?"

"Then," The avatar continued. "I tried to talk to them both but they kept avoiding me. Did something happen while I was gone?"

The master earthbender put a finger to her chin. "Not that I can recall. Then again, I've been working."

Aang rolled his eyes. "You're always working, Toph."

"Hey. It's not my fault this city can't go one day without a crime."

He passed the bottle over to her, in fear that if it remained in his hands there would be none left for her. It was one of those nights. "At least your kids aren't acting like you don't exist. Where are they by the way?"

"Sokka decided to take them out since he had a day off and Suki was still at Kyoshi Island. I believe they said they would end their day on the island. I'll pick them up later tonight."

"I bet they are excited to see you after a long day."

"Pfff. Sometimes I wish they aren't. 'Mom, look what I can do!' 'Mom, Su is pulling on my hair!' "Mom, Lin got into a fight today!' "Mom, can we go see a pro-bending match?' And that's when I just get home." Toph turned her head away and let the wine travel down her throat. Her lips smacked together after pulling the bottle away.

"At least your kids want to be near you." Aang crossed his arms.

"At least your kids give you space." Toph replied.

"I don't want the space! I want my children to run into my arms again when I come home. Like before."

Toph couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. "You do realize that Kya is like fourteen and Bumi is sixteen, right?"

"So? I'm still their dad."

The earthbender got up and walked over to the couch. She plopped herself down and gave the bottle to Aang. She bent a small platform of earth from the ground in front of her so she could put her feet up. The avatar shifted to give her more room. It was her house after all. He took a sip and sat in comfortable silence with his old friend. For all the things that people said about her, it was nice to know that Toph was actually a great listener. Sokka would vent about his problems whenever they went out at night. Satoru would talk to her in bed and surprisingly, the earthbender never fell asleep during the conversation unless it had been a particular rough night at the station. Suki and Katara appreciated Toph allowing them to talk about gossip or womanly issues whenever the three would hang out. The chief of police was abrasive but would do anything for her friends.

"Maybe they were feeling left out."

Aang leaned away from her. "What are you talking about?"

Toph took the wine back into her possession. "Well, you did go on this field trip with just Tenzin. Maybe they wanted to go too."

The avatar pondered on his former sifu's words. To him, this trip was nothing but a learning experience for Tenzin. "This wasn't a vacation, Toph. I was teaching Tenzin about the air nation. The temples are the only place to provide a full experience of air nomad culture."

"And what?" She tilted the bottle outwards. "You think Kya and Bumi don't want to experience that either?"

"Well-"

"That's right. You didn't even consider it." She sipped the wine victoriously.

Aang was silenced at once. He deflated as any fight in him had gone out of his body. He stared at the floor and waited for Toph to talk once more.

"Listen here, Twinkle Toes." Toph turned so that she was facing him. It was a gesture in which he knew meant Toph was being serious. "Your older two, they are still your kids. They are definitely your kids. Just because they don't look the part doesn't mean they are any less air nomad than Tenzin. Kya is a very spiritual kid, let me tell you that. And Bumi? Well that kid reminds me of your when you were a kid. Excited, hyper, free to do what he wants. Sound like a familiar airbender don't you think?"

The avatar was stunned at the realization. It was never because he favored Tenzin more than his other children. That was definitely not the case. Aang loved Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin with all his heart. They were his pride and joy. He remembered back when Tenzin had not bended yet and the siblings got together better than any other time in their lives. He missed the days where he could just be dad the avatar, not dad the avatar and sifu. Back then, any of his kids could call him by the same name.

"Did you know that Tenzin calls me Sifu sometimes?"

Toph snorted. "Even my kids don't call me that."

"He thinks it's something about respect. I just noticed how sad it is that he doesn't call me dad. Even when we are training."

"I guess you need to take a drink," She thrusted the alcohol into his chest. "And make some changes in your parenting."

Aang did as he was told and drank, but he decided that now would be as good a time as ever to address Toph's own unusual mothering style. "What about you?"

She flinched at the question. "What do you mean?"

"Suyin and Lin don't exactly get along."

The chief of police turned away scowling. "I thought we were drinking because of your problems. How did this turn to me?"

Aang let the bottle sit on his leg. He put his elbow on the back of the couch and let his head rest on his hand. "Come on. It doesn't bother you that Lin and Su fight like rabid hog monkeys?"

She refused to face him. "Of course it does. But hey, siblings fight right?"

"And you don't think it's a little strange that the girls jump at every chance to get your attention?"

"What are you implying, Twinkle Toes?"

The avatar took a deep breath seeing that his next words may result in him getting kicked out of the Bei Fong home. "Maybe you give the girls a little too much freedom."

Toph didn't answer back immediately. She continued her blind stare at the other side of the room, although he could have sworn he heard her anger building. He didn't realize he was already backing away from her.

"Freedom is the greatest gift that I can ever bless upon those two. They are free to choose their own path and do what makes them happy. Are you telling me that that is not good parenting?" She whipped around and Aang found her milky jade eyes locked with his.

He shook his head. "Not at all. Your intentions are wonderful, but it just might not be what Lin and Suyin need in a parent."

Toph pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't tell me this is going back to the no fathers thing. I'm sick and tired of hearing it from the press and from regular idiot citizens. I really won't let it go if it is coming from one of my friends."

"No, Toph!" The avatar was frowning back at her, slightly hurt that she would assume. "You are an excellent single parent and a very capable one at that. All of us believe in you and we will love the girls no matter what. If anyone is able to do this, it's you."

The fight that he had sensed built up in Toph deflated slowly as she relaxed against the couch. "Sorry for…assuming. It's a habit."

Aang smiled. "Well then, take a drink," The bottle pressed against her chest this time. "and break it."

The chief of police couldn't help but grin and gently take the wine bottle from her companion. She took a quick drink and rested it on her chest. "I admit, maybe I don't spend a lot of time doing something with the girls that isn't training. Do I wish I could? Hell yeah. But with the police force and everything, I'm swamped."

"Keeping the world in balance and training the only other airbender in the world doesn't leave very much time for going on vacations with all my kids either."

The two friends slumped into the couch further.

Toph scratched her arm. "We aren't bad parents, right?"

Aang shrugged his shoulders. "How should I know?"

"We didn't exactly grow up with ideal examples."

"Monk Gyatso was pretty much a father to me."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah I do."

They sat together, listening to the distant noise of Republic City through the open window. When Toph had decided to build her own home rather than living on Air Temple Island, she had decided to live right on the outskirts of the city. She was neither too close nor too far from the commotion of the newly built center of the world. It was a perfect place to raise and train the girls, giving them an expanse of land to experiment and practice. For Aang, his own island had filled him with happiness. The two both needed somewhere to enjoy their personal lives, even if it was hard to keep them separate. A big part of that was for their children. Their kids were everything to them.

And if they left, Aang and Toph silently dreaded the thought. They were both those who lived with a fear of loneliness growing up the way they did. There were several reasons why they tried to make their children's lives perfect. There were the regular reasons such as letting them experience a childhood they had always wanted. And there was the selfish reason of being abandoned by their own flesh and blood.

Loneliness was a horrible thought both forty two years olds still had nightmares about.

"I was scared when I found out I was pregnant." Toph suddenly said.

Aang didn't look at her but responded. "You don't know how scared I was when Katara told me. All three times too."

Toph sighed. "I still am scared."

"Toph Bei Fong, you have said the word scared twice in the last thirty seconds." Aang tried to lighten the conversation.

The chief of police's face remained stoic. "I might have already messed them up. I could still mess Su and Lin up."

"You don't actually believe-"

"Tell me you aren't scared either then."

Any light hearted thoughts left Aang's mood entirely. Her words had hit home. The avatar's only response was to grab the bottle without any exchange in words. They played their back and forth game once more with the left over wine. Night time blanketed the city, but Aang and Toph remained quiet on the sofa, the only ones inhabiting the large home at the moment.

Aang and Toph talk about their children. I think there was a reason they weren't #1 Mom and Dad. They were the least aware as kids themselves of what a good parent was. OH WELL. Aang and Toph will drink to that. Thank you for reading! Leave a review and a new chapter comes quicker!