AN: So this one is a little short of 3000 words but I thought I did a good job on it. Kind of a filler, but an EXCITING filler, seriously I almost cried. I would like to give a shout out to a particular reviewer (you know who you are) for being so smart and picking up on my foreshadowing :) On with it!

Ok so here I am after the authors note I added towards the end of this and BELIEVE ME you are going to want to read to the end of this one!

The following morning I awoke with a cold spot on my back. I grumpily realized Sokka wasn't there and I flipped the covers over my back. I was almost asleep when the mattress sank behind me. "Trying to shut me out or something?" He chuckled pulling the covers back and curling around me.

"Where were you?"

"I had to pee."

"Lovely," I sighed. I nestled my cheek into the pillow and pressed my shoulders into Sokka's chest a little more. He slung his arm over my belly and gently tapped with his fingers. A little kick answered him and I almost laughed. He moved his fingers and drummed against my belly again. A harder kick to his fingers. I smiled and rolled over to face him. He didn't stop his game of tag with my baby as I moved. I put my arm under my head and yawned. "Good job, Sokka, you woke him up."

Sokka chuckled and flitted his fingers to another part of my stomach. "You think it's gonna be a boy?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Maybe, I just… it's been… hard to really think of things like that."

"Yeah," he sighed taking his hand from my belly and finding my own hand that wasn't trapped under my head. He let his fingers fall between mine and rubbed his thumb over my skin. "Are you doing ok with all of this?" He asked.

"Im doing the best I can. It just seems like the universe is out to get me. I mean, come on I have worse luck than a cabbage merchant."

He chuckled at that and let our hands rest between us on the sheets. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry all this had to happen to you. No one deserves all the crap you've been through."

"It's not your fault, Sokka."

"Well maybe if I had just been there or something!" He growled. I flinched and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him. "I just can't help but feel if I had been here, all this might not have happened."

I pushed him away from me gently. "What are you talking about? You couldn't have expected yourself to be here with me twenty-four seven. You had your own life to live."

"But I didn't even do anything that important! If I was here I could have protected you from that creep and you wouldn't be pregnant right now." That stung but I let it slide.

"Listen I-"

"And you wouldn't have had to go through all that pain. What did I miss the in the first eight weeks huh? You were here by yourself and anything could have happened! And two days ago, I wasn't there and those men jumped you!" He growled. "I-"

"Sokka, would you just stop!" I snapped. "Its not your fault ok!? Even if you were here these things-"

"Listen, Toph. If I was just around to keep an eye on you all of this would've never happened," he said sharply.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"And that's exactly why your pregnant isn't it!? Why you're not virgin anymore, huh!?"

I clapped my hand over my mouth and everything inside me shattered. I felt the tears in my eyes. "Get out."

"What?" He breathed.

"I said get out, Sokka! Get out of my room, get out of my bed, get out now!" I snarled jabbing a finger towards the door.

"Toph, I-"

"Get out! Get out, get out, get out!" I screamed. I felt his weight leave the mattress and then the door clicked shut a few seconds later. I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow and sobbed. I clamped my teeth down on the fabric and screamed. I cried so hard I felt the soreness in my hips return full force. But I didn't care. I didn't care! I curled up and let my tears fall freely. Why? Why did he say that? I rolled over and put my hand on the floor and blocked the door off with a stone slab. I knew everyone in the house had heard us yelling. And I wanted to be left alone. I put my face in my pillow again and wept.

How could I have been so stupid? Of course he wouldn't want me now that I wasn't a virgin. He wouldn't want a baby. He didn't want me at all. What was he doing these past few months then? Was it pity? Did he pity me and felt like he had to dole out sufficient supplies of sympathy? Why had I let myself like him as more than a friend? Why did I let myself believe he wanted me, maybe even like my baby? But, what about that thing in the Fire Palace? What about the anklet he gave me? Why did he hold my hand all the time? What was with all those nights he let me sleep beside him and keep me warm? It didn't make sense. It doesn't make sense! I gripped my head and cried harder.

His words had cut me deeper than anything. Even what Jai Ling did to me didn't compare to this agony. I thought Sokka was my very best friend. Why would he say those things? The pain wound its way up from my pelvis and into the muscles in my waist. I thought he loved me, loved me the way a friend does. And I had foolishly thought maybe more than a friend one day. I thought he even loved my child. But he made it clear he didn't want me or my filthy offspring. He hadn't said it but he meant it, that I was sure of.

I didn't stop crying even when the strain reached my ribcage. I couldn't even begin to comprehend how bad my heart hurt. I had let him in and look where that got me? A tangled mess of blankets and tears. All I could hear was "…not a virgin anymore…" I heard him saying it over and over again. And it hurt worse every time. He kept telling me it wasn't my fault I was raped. He was only telling me that to make me feel better. But it was my fault, he made that clear. He blamed me.

By the time pain reached the creases of my legs and spider-webbed around my thighs I had stopped crying. I was too exhausted. My lament had sucked the little store of 'go' I had stockpiled and I fell into an energy-deprived, dreamless slumber.

I woke up to a loud groan from my stone floor. I put my palm on the floor. It was Aang. I pulled the covers tighter around me and tried to blink the soreness from my eyes. I felt… numb. "Toph?" His incredibly humane voice asked. I didn't answer him- I didn't want to talk. "What happened?" He asked, the bed dipping down at the small of my back. I only shouldered the blanket around me farther and hid my face from him. It was so quiet that if I didn't know better I would have thought he left. His strong hand wrapped around my little shoulder and I flinched away from it.

I was so tired of being this weak little girl but Sokka had cut me deep and I couldn't find it in myself to do anything about it. "Please tell me what happened?" My student asked. I ignored him. There was a moment of silence again. "Well if you won't talk to me maybe Katara, she wants to check up on you and the kid." I felt something inside me sink a little, he sounded so happy even in such a gentle, hushed voice.

He left and then Katara came and pried my blankets away from my fists more gently than I thought possible. I rolled to my pushed my tunic over my belly and the bell-like ring of healing water reached my ears. She checked me over shortly and told me that everything looked good except for some tight muscles and a few burst blood vessels in my tendons. I rolled away from her.

"I don't know what he did, but I'm sure he's sorry," she said softly pulling the blankets back over me. It was quiet after that. I laid there for a while and ignored my growling stomach as the hungry sensation came and went. I slept for short bouts but had to get up when my kid kicked my bladder. I limped into the bathroom, hoping I wouldn't run into anyone, namely Sokka. I went back to my room and started a fire in the fireplace and snugged under my covers. It must have been chilly outside today.

Aang came back a few hours later in a miserably chipper mood and had brought me a late lunch. He tried to lift my spirits by chatting away about some kind of necklace he had made Katara. He said she was wearing it already when they announced they were engaged, but I guess I hadn't picked up on it. I only ate for the sole benefit for the baby. I really could have cared less about myself and the food was tasteless as it went down. After I finished he took the dishes and told me to feel better.

I fell into some kind of depression over the next few days. Well, Katara had said I lost a lot of blood in the alley, so maybe that's why I was so tired. But, I knew the dull ache in my chest was sadness and everything else just felt numb. Maybe I was just being a big baby.

I felt my strength slowly coming back to me a week after my near-miscarry. I got up and took a bath and changed into full length pants and a big, long sleeve tunic Katara had bought me recently. I crept towards the door early one morning, even before Twinkletoes was up. But Sokka was slumped over the kitchen counter. I ignored him and opened the door, a cold rush of wind hitting my face. "I'm sorry." He murmured. If I didn't have sharp ears I wouldn't have even heard him.

"Me too." I rushed out after that and wandered around the yard. I eventually came upon Appa and decided he needed somewhere to get out of the wind. So I bent a huge tent for him, taking care to make sure the entrance pointed away from the direction the weather usually came and made sure it was big enough he could turn around in it. I felt a little drained after that and my face fell. I had never felt tired that soon after earthbending. I put my hand on Appa's big, fluffy cheek and led him inside. He gave me a low rumble in thanks and I spent a while with him, just being quiet.

Another three days came and went and Katara happily announced to me that I was officially six months pregnant. Only three more months left. That thought alone sent me into a near panic attack that I rode out in the confines of my room. I called Katara in a few minutes later. "Um, so how much is it going to hurt?" I blushed.

"I won't lie to you, Toph, even if I could. It's probably going to be the most painful thing you'll ever experience."

"And, um just what is going to happen while I'm in labor?" I wrung my hands nervously.

"You'll have muscle cramps mostly. They'll start of small and then get more and more intense. And you might get sick to your stomach, maybe back pain. It all kind of depends on your body," she explained gently.

"So how will I know when it's time?" I felt like an idiot. No one had cared to explain all this to me. And I was scared.

"Well, your water will break, which is just the fluid around your baby, it's perfectly normal. And then you'll feel some cramps."

"Will it hurt when my water breaks?"

"No, but you'll feel like you peed your pants," she said with a little laugh putting her hand on my arm. I smiled weakly.

"Ok and um, I know how you're supposed to feed babies, but I don't know how you're supposed to feed babies." Katara explained it to me and then she told me how I was supposed to hold one and change one and things of the like. Somehow we ended up talking about clothes and then baby names and then wedding decorations. My hair was in a braid by the time we were done. "Thanks, Katara. I really appreciate it, you have no idea. I would be totally lost if you weren't here."

"No problem. It's what friends are for."

"Yeah, friends with freakish amounts of baby knowledge," I smiled. She laughed and patted my shoulder.

"We're all going into town, you wanna come?"

The next day I awoke at an unearthly hour of the morning and had the strangest feeling. I just wanted to eat a whole container of pickled cucumbers. I got up and wrapped a warm robe around me and made a beeline for the kitchen. I had to earthbend a little step so I could reach the top shelf of the cupboard. It came with the territory of my height. I dragged my fingers along the bottom of the shelf until they bumped into a glass jar. I sat down at the table and popped the lid off. I reached in and found it filled to the brim with pickled cucumbers. I sat there eating every delectable morsel of the sour vegetable I came by.

I felt someone walk in from the hall, hesitate and then walk over. Sokka sat across from me at the table. I didn't stop eating but I wasn't enjoying it as much now. I pulled my feet up, trying to distance myself from him in every way without having to renounce my claim at the table. I heard him take a deep breath and I knew he was about to talk to me. "Toph… I-" he stopped and let out a breath. I sucked some cucumber juice from my fingers. "I'm so sorry about what I said." Silence. I wasn't sure I was ready to forgive him… or was I even mad at him? I didn't know, all I knew was the dull ache that came back from the deep wound he had made in my heart. "I don't know why I said the things I did. I just… I felt helpless after those guys jumped you."

I grabbed another cucumber and took a bite. "I can't even begin to tell you how scared I was when we found you." He tapped a finger on the table nervously. "You just… looked so- and there was so much blood." His voice was strained, almost like he was in pain. "I was so scared, I thought you were going to die… and then Katara told me you were miscarrying. I thought the baby would die, right there in my arms, even if I couldn't see him."

I accidentally swallowed an exceptionally large chunk of cucumber and almost choked. "You were scared for my baby?"

"Well, yeah." I could hear the shrug in his voice. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you didn't care," I said, downcast.

"I guess I sounded like that. But I do care, Toph, I really do. I'm just so sorry about everything I said. I was mad and I felt like my hands were tied, like I can't help you. I never ever meant to hurt you. I'm such a jerk for saying that stuff. I don't want you to think I blame you for anything, even if I sound like I did. None of this is your fault and I never meant for it to sound like it. Spirits, Toph, I am so, so, so sorry."

It was silent for a moment as I let his words sink in. I had let my toes onto the floor when he started the second sentence. He wasn't lying, he was being genuine. I forgave him, even if I wasn't sure I was even mad. It felt right, he had hurt me and now he was sorry. I bit my bottom lip and held out the food in my hand. "Cucumber?" I offered gently.

"Yeah," he said taking it from me and biting into with an audible 'crunch'.

(AN: Your lucky, I was gonna end the chapter there, lol)

And so Sokka and I were once again inseparable. We were attached at the hip and did almost everything together. He made me all the foods I was craving and listened to my incredibly abnormal dreams and read to me. We came to find a new activity we liked. We would sit outside on a surprisingly conformable earth bench I made, wrapped in a hugely fluffy blanket and drank hot tea. I only let Sokka brew it once because it almost killed us both and then I made it after that. He would watch the sunset and I would watch him. We always held hands and I could feel his heartbeat and every little twitch he made. It was probably my favorite part of the day... well right next to reading our book. We only had a few chapters left now.

It was exceptionally chilly that evening and we were snuggled against each other, our tea already having been drank. This was probably the last night we would get to sit outside like this, I felt a snow storm on the way. I was glad this had been a long fall this year because it gave us more time to sit out here like this. "I wonder how Momo's doing?" Sokka asked taking my hand in my under the turtleduck down blanket.

"Does it get cold in the Southern Air Temple?" I asked.

"Probably." I rested my head against his shoulder and sighed.

"I'm really happy. Are you?" I said quietly. It was too peaceful for loud voices.

"Yeah." I could feel his cheek plump out in a smile against the top of my head. "I'm happy."

"Crazy that I'll have a baby in three months huh?"

"Tell me about it," he chuckled.

"And Aang and Katara getting married in the spring?" I said. "Things are changin'."

"That's for sure, but they're good changes."

I giggled. "Yeah but I'll always miss that summer. Well... minus the fighting and brushes with death."

Sokka laughed out loud. "I am so glad we're friends, Toph." He gave my hand a strong squeeze. I tightened my fingers around his in response.

"Me too."

It was quiet for a long time after that. I could feel the sun's rays on my face, making one last, heated glare in the last minutes before it sunk below the horizon. I felt Sokka's pulse quicken and he moved his shoulder our from under my head. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he answered "Just thinking."

"Don't try too hard, you might hurt yourself," I smirked. And then, he was everywhere. I felt the warmth of his body radiating off him. He was so close and... his lips were on mine. An electric jolt shot through me and I felt adrenaline pumping through my blood, my heart hammering against my chest. His lips were soft like they were on my hand, or my temple, or my forehead but this was different. His hand had tightened around mine. His lips moved against mine, so incredibly gentle and I felt my eyelids slide shut. I pressed my lips against his softly. And then he pulled back, slow. I opened my unseeing eyes and blinked. I felt his hand heat up from a blush at the same time mine rushed up to my face. "So... um,"

"Yeah," He replied rubbing the back of his head.

"Um- we should probably-"

"Go inside now."

"Right," I blushed.

WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED?