Zuko didn't know why he was admitting all of this to an almost complete stranger. Given they were sort of family, but it still didn't explain his need to utter one of his darker secrets. Especially to someone who was going to kill him for it.

"What?" Sokka asked in an overly calm, terrifying voice.

Zuko didn't reply, just stared down at the carvings on the bar, hoping that Sokka would just kill him. "I would definitely deserve it," he thought somberly.

"Answer me, damn you!" Sokka's calm was gone now. In it's place was unadulterated anger at the thought of his sister enduring more pain. "Are you FUCKING DEF?! ANSWER ME!" he screamed as he threw a punch at Zuko's jaw.

Zuko saw the hit coming, but did nothing to deflect it. Or the kick that came after that. Or the several blows Sokka landed to his head and stomach before the bartender got between him and his assailant. He didn't struggle when the bartender hauled him to his feet. He didn't protest when he was thrown out for 'startten trouble'. And he didn't move from where he landed in the back alley of the establishment as the darkness blurred his vision and he slipped into unconsciousness.

-:- -:- -:-

When he awoke, the pain in his head was excruciating. Zuko refused to open his eyes and see what Hell looked like, for he was sure he had died in the night and been sent there.

He heard footsteps approaching and inwardly cringed. Satan has come to collect his new charge. Someone prodded his shoulder, and he groaned in pain.

"So you're not dead," said an unfamiliar voice. Well obviously I am. Zuko thought. No one lives in Hell.

"C'mon," said the strange voice. "You look like hell. Let's get you out of here."

Deciding that maybe this wasn't Hell after all, since he was being offered help, Zuko chanced opening his eyes to look up at the stranger. It was a petite girl with bright green eyes and black hair. "I have learned recently," he croaked, "that one should not talk to strangers."

"Well, that's lovely, Sleeping Ugly, but you have some pretty nasty cuts, and what looks like a third degree burn, and lying in a filthy alley isn't going to help you. I'll fix you up if you get off your lazy ass and come with me before some one sees me."

Zuko slowly sat up and shot the girl a look, ignoring the comment about his eye, deciding not to tell her it was as healed as it would get. Instead, he choose to try and clear some things up. "You, saying things like that, doesn't make me anymore inclined to follow you, Ms..."

"Beifong. But you can call me Toph." she said, then giggled. "Ms? Ha!"

Zuko rolled his eyes at her antics. "Now, why do I need to 'get off my lazy ass and come with you' before you're seen?"

"I have a reputation to uphold. And helping drunks behind a bar isn't part of that," Toph said matter-of-factually, looking around the end of the alleyway with a wary eye. "Look, I have to get back before Haru starts to worry. Are you coming or not?"

Zuko stood, thinking about her offer. Coming to the conclusion that it couldn't be the worst decision he'd made that night, Zuko followed the young woman off down the street into the night without another word.

-:- -:- -:-

After being kicked out of the bar for 'assaltten da binness', Sokka marched purposefully up the street to his apartment he shared with his wife and daughter. Still stewing from what he had learned, he stomped up the step and slammed the red door of flat 3C. Tramping into the master suite, he grabbed a suitcase from the closet and started stuffing his clothes into it.

Hearing all the ruckus, his wife Suki ran from the daughter Morganna's room, thinking that someone had broken in. "Oh God, Sokka, you scared me!" she panted when she found in him in their bedroom.

"Sorry," he huffed, still stuffing garments into the bag.

"Babe, what are you packing for? Are you going on another business trip?" Suki asked.

"No," he replied, not turning from his task. "I just came across some very interesting information that requires my presence elsewhere. I'll be gone for a few days."

"Where are you going? Babe, you're starting to scare me. Turn around and talk to me. Please."

Stopping in his manic rush, Sokka turned to his wife. "I told you about my baby sister, right?" Suki nodded, so he continued. "Well, she's had some... problems lately, and I have to go home and make sure she's okay."

"You haven't talked to her in over seven years, Sokka."

"She's my baby sister. I can't let her go through this alone. I'll only be gone a few days, and-"

"Like those few days that turned into a month and a half last time because you where so stoned you didn't know how long you'd been away? I had to come and find you! And-"

"Suki, you know I don't us-"

"Don't give me that crap, Sokka Icewing!" she ranted. "I found it in the back of the closet! You have a family, now! You can't just go running off to wh-"

"She's my sister. She IS my family."

-:- -:- -:-