A/N: Sorry for the wait, I know I take a while. But now I'm so busy with volleyball and preparing for school and all that, ugh... I always find time to write, though.

Chapter 5: Meet the Parents

The feeble rays of light shining through his window were hardly enough to encourage Zuko to lift himself into a sitting position on his bed. His uncle's voice was a little more forceful. Groaning with his eyes still closed, he pushed himself up on his elbows and felt his stomach strongly disagree with the movement. A bucket was pushed to his chest but the Fire Lord was able to control his nausea with deep breaths.

"How are you feeling, nephew?" asked the old man beside him, his voice light and cheerful. Another groan answered him as Zuko turned over to go back to bed. "I know you had a rough night, but you need to get up and get some fresh air. It will help you."

Zuko was anything but willing to get up, but with more and more prodding from Iroh he managed to get to his feet, very cautious of his protesting stomach. It was better than last night, but he still felt on edge. A servant hovered behind him with a bucket, and his uncle took his arm to lead to him to the courtyard; Zuko slept through breakfast, which he didn't mind at all.

Before entering the courtyard, Zuko pulled from his uncle's grasp and sent the servant away. He didn't want the others to see him like this, especially Sokka. Half the group might be concerned and the other make fun of him to no end. This morning especially, he was not in the mood.

The sunlight in the courtyard compared to the narrow windows in the palace corridors was immense, giving his golden eyes a new shine, but they would barely open. He felt terrible. Zuko spied his group of friends by the pond, circled around… Toph. He strode to where they stood, listening into their conversation.

"-And then, he just started throwing up EVERYWHERE! All the way home! I had to fight off the lousy bandit myself," Toph was saying, illustrating her conversation with hand gestures. Everyone listened with wide eyes.

"Wow!" said Sokka with exaggeration only a few noticed, "That must have been some bandit!" Suki elbowed him in the ribs.

Toph snorted. "Nah, he ran away screaming like a little girl."

"What about Zuko?" asked Katara.

"Oh, I don't know. I guess he's really sick."

"Oh, no!" The water bender said with concern, but Toph just shrugged.

"He'll be okay. Well, I hope so…"

"There he is now!" cried Sokka, finally noticing Zuko was standing behind them, glaring. He was about to turn around and leave before Sokka spotted him. They beckoned him to join them, so he did.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked maternally, scanning him up and down. He nodded weakly, and Toph caught his eye.

"I was just telling everyone about what happened, and how you got sick all over the place!" she said with an entertaining grin. Sokka chuckled and shot Zuko a mocking look.

"Oh," said Zuko with mock surprise. "Did you tell them about the rest of the evening? I'm sure you told them how nice you looked." Toph shut up and a confused silence hung in the air. Not only did Zuko say that Toph looked nice, but the meaning behind his words was a mystery. Judging by the tension in Toph's demeanor, it was juicy, Sokka thought.

"Well did you?" Zuko repeated, with a hint of malevolence in his voice. Pay back time. The girl answered in a low, deadly voice.

"Tell them and I'll make you eat dirt," said Toph threateningly, and he couldn't help but glance at her feet. With one stomp he knew he could be buried head deep, but her threat didn't phase him. He was the Fire Lord.

"Was is it?" cried Sokka, who was on the verge of a breakdown. Like wise, all the others were watching him intently.

"I was just going to say that Toph wore a dress and it was-" Zuko began innocently.

"TOPH WORE A DRESS!" cried Sokka, leaping to his feet. He had one finger pointed in the girl's face, who closed her eyes and waited. Sokka broke out in laughter, as did everyone else except for the few girls. Even Aang giggled.

"This Toph?" asked Haru, trying to hold back his laughter without success.

"Picture it! Princess Toph in a dress," Sokka said, reaching over to pinch her cheeks. Before Toph murdered him Suki held him back, giving him a disapproving look. Katara looked reproachful and Zuko was confused.

"You guys-" began Katara, but the laughter didn't cease. Toph gritted her teeth and stood up.

"I'm out of here," she said and stormed out. The laughter died down quite a bit but some of the others still couldn't choke back their giggles at the mental picture formulating in their heads. Zuko's eyebrows furrowed, he didn't understand what was the big deal.

"Aang!" Katara barked. "Sokka! What's wrong with you?" Sokka was wiping tears from his eyes.

"Oh come on! It's Toph! She knows we were just having fun, we were laughing with her!"

"You were laughing at her for being a girl!" Katara said angrily, and the smile slid off of Sokka's face.

"When you put it like that…."

"No wonder why she's afraid to have a girly side! And YOU!" Katara whirled around to Zuko, who wasn't laughing. "Why would you do that? You're supposed to be marrying her and I can't believe you were that mean!"

"I.. I didn't know-" Zuko began but Katara cut him off by declaring that they were all mean people, except for Suki and Ty Lee, and marched off.

"You should really go talk to her, Sokka," Suki said with a frown. Guilt was evident in the others faces, and Aang looked particularly distressed.

"Yeah, you're right. I was a jerk," her boyfriend said, and stood up. Zuko watched this with an expressionless face. Why was it that the group collectively chose the water tribe boy as the face for their faults, the one who should chase after her? Really, it was his own fault. And even if it wasn't, there was something out of place about Sokka being the one to heal the scratch at this point in time….

"No, I'll go," Zuko said, attracting stares of wonder. After he made this decision a servant trotted up to him, out of breath.

"Fire Lord Zuko! I have an urgent message!" Immediately everything that had seemed to be a big deal just seconds before melted away to make room for this urgent message. Zuko quickly shot a look of dismissal to his friends and stepped outside the courtyard, waiting for the news.

"Well?" he demanded.

"My Lord, the parents of Princess Toph, Lord and Lady Bei Fong, are on their way here. They wish to meet you."

"What?" choked Toph after being told the news from some servant.

"Your parents are-"

"Where are they arriving?"

"The main gate-" Without another word the girl turned heal and dashed in the direction of the main gate.

"And no one gave me notice?" Zuko growled so viciously the servant stepped back.

"I'm sorry, t-the council only received a message now from the Bei Fongs. As soon as they heard of their daughter's engagement they sent a message saying they were on their way here from the city Gaoling in the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko let of a jagged sigh. "I… I have to go get ready. Does Toph know? Where is she?"

"Word is she ran out to the main gate as soon as she heard they were arriving there."

She can't stop them, Zuko thought, but this is going to make everything worse! We aren't officially engaged… What if her father gives me his approval or something? Ugh, Uncle! Why didn't you tell me sooner!? Breathing a spout of fire out of his nose, Zuko left.

Anxiety and fire brewed in the chest of the Fire Lord as he took deep breaths, waiting in the entrance hall of the palace for the uninvited guests to barge through the large doors. He didn't know what to expect; would they demand to revoke the marriage? That sounded too perfect, too rich. No, they would behave as normal parents, wouldn't they? They would see that their daughter wanted no part in the arranged marriage and beg the council to pull her out.

Zuko's mind flitted back to the memory of a time Toph was neither awkward orshy or standoffish around him, the time in Ember Island where she latched onto his arm and demanded a field trip with him. Of course, he had no idea what she was talking about until she began to unnecessarily explain to him her life story. All he knew about her parents came from the her vivid description of the overbearing, overprotective monsters that caged their fragile, helpless daughter in a palace to hide her from the world.

Surely she was exaggerating.

It was then that the palace door opened, and three figures were silhouettes in the distance, a halo of light surrounding them. Zuko swallowed and straightened his back, looking as stately as possible. When the dimness of the light evaporated as the palace doors shut, he could make out the people heading towards him.

On one side must be Lady Bei Fong, pretty, elegant, her head held high. There was a kind look in her eye. She was clutching her daughter's arm, who stood in the middle with a sour expression on her face. On the other end was Lord Bei Fong, looking wise and dignified. They looked like nice people, Zuko thought. Toph had to be exaggerating.

They approached the Fire Lord and were soon in earshot.

"Now-Toph, careful. There's a step there, step up. Watch it, now walk straight-"

"Mom, I know!"

"Of course you don't, you can't see. Now, step, step-Up ahead, there's the Fire Lord!"

"I KNOW, mother!"

Zuko blinked, vexed. They were guiding her and treating her as if she was actually blind… No time to think, they were right before ihim Mutually, he and Lord Bei Fong bowed to each other.

"So you are Fire Lord Zuko," the man said in a warm voice. Zuko tore his eyes away from Toph's miserable expression to Lord Bei Fong's, who was studying him meticulously. Zuko smiled back and held out a hand; he could be very diplomatic when he needed to be.

"I am. Lord Bei Fong, Lady Bei Fong." He flashed Toph's mother a smile and held out a hand. "You have to forgive me, I wasn't expecting your arrival. If you'll wait a moment, we can have lunch in the dining hall."

"Yes! That would be excellent, and I can get to know that man who wants to marry my daughter!" Lord Bei Fong said, giving Toph an affectionate pat. Meanwhile, Lady Bei Fong was looking around with her lips pursed.

"But do you have a servant? Toph needs guidance when she's walking around, as she can't cling to her mother all day." Zuko blinked and Toph said nothing, just stared at the ground. Her arm was limp in her mothers. "She is blind, you know. She needs help getting around," her mother continued in a hushed voice, as if it were a secret.

"Uh, of course, if that is what you wish… but I understand that Toph can use earth bending to see-"

"Toph is blind!" Lady Bei Fong guffawed.

"Surely you know the girl you are marrying is blind?" said Lord Bei Fong. Zuko paused.

"Of course," he said carefully.

"No matter. I'll guide her. Shall we?" Lady Bei Fong asked, fighting Toph's attempt to wrench her arm out of hers.

Toph hadn't been exaggerating.

Zuko led his guests into the dining hall, praying the servants pulled off a miracle. Upon arriving the tables were decorated accordingly, with Earth Kingdom ornaments and a deep green table cloth. The food was laid out, and they sat in a classic Earth Kingdom style; Zuko and Toph diagonal in the middle of the table, with Lady Bei Fong to his right and Toph's father across from him. Fire Nation cuisine was laid out in numerous plates before them, and each were absorbed in their own activities and conversations.

Lord Bei Fong was discussing Zuko's large estate and reign of control with great interest, Lady Bei Fong was determined to help Toph eat her food, and Toph was fantasizing how to get rid of her parents. She had to admit, seeing them was somewhat of a relief; it was the first time she saw them since the end of the war! But in the present context, she had to resent her father and Zuko's phony diplomacy. He and Zuko could act as sugary and sweet as they wanted to, she knew it was a matter of politics. Lord Bei Fong would love to deliver his daughter into the hands of a the rich Fire Lord as well as ship her away from the town that knew nothing of her existence, killing two monkey-birds with one stone.

Zuko kept one eye on Toph's pathetic situation but kept his mouth running, charming the Earth Kingdom noble with every word. It was a tricky game, he noted, and he hated it.

By getting Lord Bei Fong to love him he would be forging a stronger bond between the nations, and if he didn't he risked offending him. But still, talking to him like this gave him the impression, even convinced him, that Zuko was the right one to give his daughter's hand in marriage to.!There was no way the Fire Lord could tell him that his true intention was to not marry her, it would be disaster! But if things kept going the way they were now, the Lord might give his blessing for the marriage, practically sealing the deal...

He was trapped. Zuko turned his attention to Lord Bei Fong's wife, who was watching him with a pleasant smile.

"How do you like the food?" he asked.

"It's… lovely," she returned. "If not a bit spicy. I'm not used to hot food like this in truth, but I suppose that's what a blending of the nations calls for!" He could feel her dark eyes examining him, but unlike Lord Bei Fong's, they searched for something deeper. He felt them pierce into his eyes, peek into his soul, determining if he was strong enough for her daughter. He quickly adverted his gaze and apologized.

"I'm sorry, that was ignorant of me. I'll summon the cooks to make traditional Earth Kingdom cuisine instead!"

"You don't have to do that," she said.

"But I do. If you don't mind waiting a few minutes while it's prepared…"

"You know, that sounds like a good idea. I'll just go to the bathroom and freshen up!" Lady Bei Fong said, rising from her seat. "Toph dear, will you come?" The sulking girl she addressed pushed back her chair and rose to her feet.

"Fire Lord, while we wait for the ladies won't you show me around?" Lord Bei Fong asked. Zuko pushed out his chair quickly and nodded. Before the two pairs parted Zuko shot a look at Toph, but he couldn't tell if she sensed this.

This was a disaster!

What does Zuko think he's doing? thought Toph.

If he kept going on about his enormous wealth and monopolies, her father was going to hand her right over! By the time she shoved her mother in the palace's first oversized rest room a plan formulated in her head, it was a plan of action that often came to her on instinct; run away. Yes, she could run out of the palace and refuse to cooperate in the ludicrous event. The other voice in her head kept meddling:

You can't leave Zuko alone, it's not fair, it said, surprising Toph.

I know, but he deserves it. He's impressing my father just to show off!

You know he's only trying to do what's expected of him. He's in this just as much as you, and takes most of the responsibility!

Yes, but…! He's…!

Face it, he was your friend before this whole mess and he still is. He's Sparky.

Alright… But he still told everyone I wore a dress.

Yes, for that he should pay.

Done with her internal conflict, a better plan ran through her mind. She quickly abandoned her mother in the bathroom and ran out of the palace entrance, and out the door. Toph wasn't running away, she just stood there. She planted her bare feet in the earth and for a moment closed her eyes, feeling it's familiarity. By opening and closing a fist a mass of raw dirt rose from the ground. As she turned heel, it followed her stealthily through the palace.

Stillness. No vibrations swam from the dining hall, or else her earth bending would have detected it. She slipped inside, and found that already the cooks had placed new dishes on the table; earth kingdom cuisine. Sniffing the air, she could see that it wasn't very traditional, but the closest the fire nation cooks could come. She seized the nearest dish, an elegant silver platter that rested near the spot where Zuko sat.

Smiling, the girl cleared out the rock rolls that rested on it and replaced it with her mound of floating dirt. She replaced the lid, and took her seat at the table. She waited.

Zuko reentered the dining hall with Lord Bei Fong close by his side, his questions never ceasing and interrogation relentless. What the Fire Lord found strange was that his questions were not about his daughter and her welfare, but mostly about his own control, wealth, and business like matters. For someone who seemed so overly protective of their young, his words avoided the topic.

Toph was waiting patiently at her seat, feet swinging freely off the ground. She looked content. Zuko was immediately suspicious. He was conscious that Lord Bei Fong took his seat next to her.

"Toph, where is you mother?" he asked lightly, his spirits high. The girl shrugged.

"She said she had to freshen up or something, and not to wait for her." Her father pursed his lips and dismissed his wife's absence, preferring to examine the new food set before them.

"I hope you like it," Zuko said, inwardly relieved the food was prepared so fast. He himself didn't mind the Earth Kingdom food, some of which he sampled during his time in Ba Sing Se, but the cooks tried to make it 'traditional'. That and the silent but eeir aura coming from Toph made him reluctant.

"This is really good," Toph said suddenly, and her father's ears perked up. She was beginning to end her silent streak. "Did you try it, Zuko?" The Fire Lord nodded and ate something off his plate for emphasis.

"I agree," he said softly, eyeing her. Her bangs fell over her eyes as she shoveled more food into her mouth, then pushed a silver platter towards him.

"You have to try this, it's the traditional Earth Kingdom food of the royal court." Zuko glanced at her before turning his attention to the platter. He uncovered the lid and looked at what appeared to be, to him, a pile of dirt-looking food.

Zuko swallowed. Hard.

In some cultures, rejecting their food was like a slap in the face. Lord Bei Fong was staring at him with a mingled look etched on his features, that Zuko thought was aimed at him. Only Toph knew Lord Bei Fong was really eyeing her dish.

"Toph-" began her father.

"I know, it's really delicious once it melts in your mouth," Toph said. Zuko smiled weakly and picked up a spoon with a slightly shaking hand. He tried not to look at the food as he brought the spoon to his mouth and forced himself to eat it.

It tasted exactly how it looked; like dirt. Or what he imagined dirt might taste like. Forcing a wry smile, he swallowed and said, "I like it."

"You like it?" Toph said. The girl's mouth was set in a straight, determined line. Her dark bangs covered her eyes.

Zuko could feel a clot of the food roll down his throat.

"Yes," he repeated. There was something about the smile that now haunted her face that made him think that something wasn't right about the food he just ate, but what was most important was that he hadn't offended Lord Bei Fong.

Toph's father spoke. "Well, I've never seen that kind of food before, but I guess it must be some kind of Earth Kingdom imitation food. I'll pass on it, if you don't mind." Something inside the Fire Lord snapped, and he desired nothing more than to strangle the girl that was smiling across from him.

A few minutes later Toph's mother came back, clearly unhappy that her daughter abandoned her and said so. Lord Bei Fong scolded Toph and told her that she had to stop being a nuisance. He apologized to Zuko, who apologized for not having a servant attend to Lady Bei Fong, and everything made Toph sick. What happened next made everything else seem like nothing…

As the Bei Fong's hinted that they would leave soon, Lord Bei Fong settled down to give parting words to the Fire Lord. He looked him eye to eye and extended out a hand with a smile. Zuko took it.

"Zuko, I like you. You're a good man, and I approve of the marriage. I would chose no other suitor to marry my daughter.. So the wedding has my blessing."

The fire in his veins froze, and he knew Toph heard those words, too.

That was an official blessing. With Toph's parents expecting marriage, could they really back out of it now? Never releasing his held breath, he and Toph walked her parents to the door.

He was so frustrated, and angry at himself. Zuko watched Toph hug her parents stiffly, and saw how much she missed them but how angry she was with them because of it. He couldn't have been anything but polite tonight, and even in the end it dug them into a deeper hole.

He was so frustrated, and shuddered to think what the girl would say to him. As the Bei Fong family left, it was just the Fire Lord and the earth bender that were left, side by side, watching them go.

A long sigh, but neither of them could tell whose it was. Neither wanted to talk about what Toph's father just did to them, as if saying it out loud would make it even more official.

".. Sparky," Toph said at last.

"What?" Zuko asked quietly. When she didn't answer he looked over to her, and saw a small finger pointed to the ground to his right. He followed the finger and saw a shallow ditch. It looked like it was created through earth bending.

"I told you not to tell anyone about what I wore," she said with wide smile and felt, leaving him to figure it out himself. "And I don't make empty threats."

End of chapter.

I know I made Toph's parents a little more overbearing and obnoxious then might actually be, but... Hey seriously, if you think this is getting OOC at any point TELL ME! It's so important that I keep things in character! Thanks! Reviewww!