Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok

"Toph! Toph!"

She ignored him longer, letting the bottle in her hands be her only friend at the moment.

"Don't make me airbend the door down."

Just another sip. Sparky has some good liquor.

The chief of police didn't even jump at the sound of wood breaking. She felt the wind that the avatar had created to throw the doors open. Again, she just drank to that.

Aang walked up to the side of the bed where Toph laid lounging. One of her legs was completely stretched out while the other was bent at the knee. She held her head up with her left hand. The other held the green bottle. He spoke to her with anger. "Go back in there and apologize."

"I'm not doing anything."

The avatar grabbed the bottle before her lips could touch it. Glass shattered against the wall.

Toph just scowled. "There are other ways I can ignore you." And with that, she turned away and closed her eyes.

He put a hand on her shoulder to turn her back around. "Toph, what you said in there was out of line."

She scoffed at him. "What? Snoozles can't take my heat?"

"You and I both know that that wasn't joking around anymore. I'm scared that you actually meant what you said in there."

"Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't."

The avatar was getting tired of his friend's games. He didn't know what possessed him to pick her up bridal style, but he showed no fear as Toph squirmed with anger. Fists banged against his body and there was only a matter of time before-

He met the ceiling face first. The earth pinning him up against it had broken through the floor and hit him where his scar was. The avatar just groaned and bent the earth pillar back to the ground. Aang hit the floor right next to his former earthbending teacher. "What's the matter with you?"

Toph scoffed. "Leave me alone, Twinkle Toes."

He stopped her from getting up by grabbing her wrist. He pulled her down harder than he intended.

"Hey!" The chief of police hit her head on the ground. "Let me go!"

"Can we just stop this right now!?"

The two of them stopped moving at once and all either could hear was the ringing in their ears from their most likely concussed heads and the heavy breathing of the other. Aang looked around the room and sighed internally at the damage they had caused. The floor was busted from Toph's earth pillar. The wooden doors that were once at the door frame had been sent to the back of the room with shards of wood everywhere. There was no doubt that they would have to pay Zuko back for the damages to his vacation home on Ember Island. The avatar thought to his self. Maybe this vacation wasn't such a good idea.

"So much for relaxing." Toph said out loud as if she were reading his mind.

The avatar leaned his back against the bed. Toph followed. "We have only been here one day, Toph. You've already manage to destroy one of the rooms. That's a new record."

"Thanks I guess." She let her arms rest on her knees.

There it was again, the absence of her usual sarcasm. For a week now, Toph had not been acting like herself. More bitter than usual, the chief of police snapped at her officers, at both him and his wife, once at her daughters, and now at her best friend. Aang and Katara had been trying to get Toph to open up to them, seeing that she was making everyone not have the nerve to ask her themselves. Lin and Suyin had tried, probably the only two beings in the world that could challenge the earthbender's attitude. But even they had lost the battle resulting in them leaving their mother at home and sleeping on the island that night. The Bei Fongs did reconcile, Toph not being able to stand her daughters being angry with her, but she refused to tell them what was biting her. Nonetheless, the three still agreed to come to Ember Island at Aang's suggestion, both to relax and give Toph the perfect setting to finally let things out.

Too bad it didn't work.

Then again they had only arrived today.

Let's just say things weren't looking up.

"So what in spirits name is bothering Toph Bei Fong?" Aang readied himself for the most difficult conversation he would have in his lifetime.

The chief of police turned her head away. She had pondered on getting up but figured she had a good enough headache right now and didn't need to be hit on the head once again. "Ugh. You guys are so annoying. I already told you, I'm fine."

"Toph, what you said at dinner was no better indication that you are most certainly not fine."

"Hmph." She remained facing away from him. "It wasn't that bad."

Aang scowled into the open air. "You told Sokka that if he was ever going to be a good father, then he would keep his filthy boomerang away from it."

"That's what you're mad about? I honestly felt like what I said-"

"Then you said that any child of his would turn out to be just as useless as he was anyways."

"Okay, good. You're mad about that part too."

He couldn't help but get angry with his childhood friend once more. "Toph! In what state of mind did you think that was okay to say in front of him and everyone else. Much less, the children!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll apologize. Jeez. Calm your ass before you go into the avatar state."

"I won't be surprised if I did. I've tried being really patient with you. All of us have. Katara and I have been trying to figure out what's going on with you, Lin and Su have even tried helping you, yet you pushed us away. Like you always do."

She gave up and stood to walk over to the other side of the bed. "Well then it's pretty obvious that you guys should just leave me alone. I've already talked to the girls. They understand."

Aang laughed. "The girls don't understand a thing, Toph. They understand some pathetic excuse you gave them. I bet you don't even realize the extent of what you said at dinner."

"What's your point?" Her fists were clenched tightly. By this time, the avatar had stood up himself and was staring his friend's back down. His gray eyes lingered on her fists, knowing that he was hitting the right nerve.

"You said it right in front of Suyin."

"She doesn't know anything."

"It doesn't matter, you and I know exactly what you just said to your own daughter. You said she was useless."

Toph suddenly whipped around with such fury that Aang might have felt he was pushed back. An angry Toph wasn't an unseen spectacle for the avatar. The chief of police had quite the temper. However, when it came down to it, that was nothing compared to when she was really furious. Aang could still remember when Sokka had announced that Suki and he were getting back together. Toph had put on a brave face, but when Aang had finally visited her back at her estate, the house was half destroyed. He will never forget the sight of Toph's bloodied hands, the fierceness in her face, and lastly little five year old Lin cowering in her own earth tent in the corner of the backyard. It took all four elements to stop her rampage and make her realize the damage she had caused, especially to Lin. That night, Toph cradled the five year old apologizing for everything. Several months later, the chief of police was cradling both her daughters.

The avatar was brought back to the present and listened to Toph's every word.

"Suyin is not useless. She is far from it and that is because of one reason and one reason only: because she is my daughter. Su is Sokka's biologically, we know that. But she was raised under my tutelage. She is my daughter."

"Toph-"

"No. Nothing you can say can convince me otherwise. Sokka chose to go back to Suki."

"You didn't tell him, Toph. What other choice did he have?"

She shot her arms down towards the ground. Aang was sure he wasn't hallucinating the small rumble of the ground. "He could have stayed for me. He may have thought it was nothing that night, but I didn't. I sure didn't."

Aang talked with his hands. "No matter what you say, Toph, Suyin was raised by Sokka. He took her to school, he took her out when you couldn't, he bought her gifts, he cooks for her, and he loves her. Whether he knows that Su is his own flesh and blood or not, Sokka has been her father." He began walking towards her. "I get it. I get not having someone love you back, but you have two kids that do."

"Oh don't talk to me like you know what I'm feeling." She backed away towards the corner of the room. "You got your happy ending, Aang. She loved you back in the end and she still does. Me? I lost both of them. Two people I loved. Do not tell me that you know what it feels like to find out that the one you love is gone. Do not tell me that you know what it feels like to watch someone you love having a child with someone else. Especially when that someone has been the best damn dad for not only Su, but for Lin too. Those kids...they deserve that. Now, they are going to have to compete for his attention, just like they are doing with me. Everything was working. But once that kid is born, there is nothing that can be done."

There it was. Aang couldn't help but feel a little happy for the fact that his plan had worked and Toph had finally revealed the fuel behind her bitterness for the past week. He had his suspicions but was never one to jump to conclusions. It was only last Saturday that Sokka and Suki had announced they were expecting. The avatar congratulated his brother and sister-in-law, but he couldn't help but find his eyes fall to his former earthbending teacher. She seemed happy for them at the time, however, there was a sadness in her eyes. Before he could say anything, Lin had approached him and told him that she, her mother, and sister were heading home early. As he stared at the twelve year old's face, he suddenly wondered how vivid the memory from seven years ago was in her mind. Maybe Lin knew much more about things between Sokka and her mother than she put on and the way she had looked at Su when she had announced they were leaving only confirmed that Lin understood very, very well.

"Lin knows."

She stopped. "How-"

"She's a smart kid. And a great kid too seeing that she doesn't let it get between her and Suyin. I guess she doesn't appreciate the...arrangement."

Toph spoke through gritted teeth. "That isn't my fault."

"Yes it is. And Lin thinks so too." Aang crossed his arms, stopping just a few feet from his friend. "She thinks it's both your faults. But again, brilliant kid, doesn't let it get in the way of loving all three of you: you, Sokka, and Su. She sacrifices, maybe a little too much at times. Makes me worried about the stupid things she'll do when she's older."

He watched his words settle in her mind. Toph's expression progressively changed. Her left hand came up to rub her mouth and lips, too nervous to do anything else. Aang's eyes didn't deceive him: her hands were shaking.

"I hurt her again, didn't I?"

The avatar just sighed. "You offended Sokka, Suki, and an unknowing Suyin. She's hurt for them but doesn't show it." He approached her carefully, ready for when she flinched backwards again. When Toph didn't show any signs of resisting, Aang quickly pulled her into an embrace. She didn't hug back. "I probably won't ever understand how you feel or whatever it is between you and Sokka, but you don't need to keep these things bottled up. Not when the frustration is taken out on other people, especially your girls. The things you said tonight, you regret it, I know you do."

Toph didn't show any sign of confirmation.

"Don't let Suyin get caught up in all this, or anymore than she has to be. Just let her be what you said she was: your daughter."

They separated, but Aang continued.

"And don't make things harder on Lin. I'm sure situations like these make her feel left out.

The chief of police just breathed deeply. Although he had figured out why she was angry in the first place, Aang knew he couldn't help with the internal struggles she faced when dealing with Sokka. Whether she will ever move on or stay a lonely observer of what could have happened, Toph wasn't going to tell him. Right now, he was content in helping her see how it hurt other people around her and how to fix that.

She cleared her throat. "I think I should go talk to Lin. I'll pay for the room, don't worry."

"I'll help you look for her."

Both forty two year olds walked out of what used to be a guest suite and into the warm hallways of Zuko's vacation home.

"You know, I think everyone is still in the dining room. Do you feel like apologizing to Sokka and Suki?"

She let out an unsure grunt.

Aang just put on a sad smile. "You are eventually going to apologize to them right?"

After a couple of seconds, she answered. "Of course I will. I was out of line."

"Good." He put a hand to her shoulder. "And Suyin?"

"I'll come up with something."

He nodded, not wanting to argue with her about the matter. "I'll send Lin towards the beach."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Toph."

He turned around to walk the opposite way, but a fist in his robes stopped him. Aang turned around to come face to face with Toph's arm latched onto him.

"No really, thanks. For trying."

He smiled genuinely this time. "As long as you are too."

With that, the two separated and Aang made his way back into the dining room. When he entered, he found everyone in quiet conversation. His eyes couldn't help but fall on the two Bei Fong girls sitting next to each other. Suyin had her arms crossed, posing that familiar frown that she could only inherit from her mother. Lin, on the other hand, was picking at her food with her chopsticks with no intention to put it into her mouth. The two seemed to be speaking to each other, but refused to look at one another.

"Aang." Katara called out.

Talking in the room ceased and all eyes were on him now. For some reason, the staring caused him to finally realize how much being slammed against the ceiling really did hurt and his back began to ache. He was certain, Toph's head was throbbing from the way he had pulled her down. He made a note to apologize for that later.

Everyone must have noticed his sudden discomfort. Katara spoke to her husband once more. "She didn't hurt you did she?"

The master airbender just smiled. "Lin, your mother would like to speak with you out on the beach."

On the left side of the table, Sokka mumbled under his breath. "Of all people..."

The eldest of the Bei Fong sisters approached her uncle standing in the door way. "But Su is the one that's mad."

He put a hand on her shoulder and spoke only for her ears. " And you aren't?"

The girl shifted uncomfortably. "Not exactly."

"Nonetheless, you know exactly why your mother can't talk to Suyin or Sokka right now."

"No I-"

"It's okay. We know."

"I didn't-"

"It's okay. Thank you for putting up with all of this. Even back then. You didn't have to."

The young girl just looked at him with honesty. "Yes I did. I love all three of them."

"That's good to hear." Aang stood up straight again. "Now go on. Your mother is anxious as it is."

He watched as the strongest of the Bei Fongs made her way through this mess once more. He made his own way to the table for some wine.

I have no doubt in my mind that Toph really did love Satoru, but you know, things happen. At this point, I think Aang knew very well of Toph's struggle and something like this would finally cause her to snap. I mean, it meant there was no hope. I didn't really want to focus on Toph figuring out how to feel about Sokka, but rather about what it was doing to her kids. Hopefully I did at least a half decent job. Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think with a review!