Chapter 8: The Hero Trapped Within-
Everyone just stared at Zuko. "That is not Toph. Katara growled. "Toph wouldn't do anything like this." And Sokka nodded. But Aang looked unsure, remembering what he had done to Toph. Maybe he caused her to just snap. The iron woman had been trying to kill him. He glanced at the boy in girl in Katara's arms, if that was Toph were those his children? No that isn't her. Toph was dead. "You're mistaking Zuko. That is not Toph." He said defiantly. But Zuko didn't listen. "Help me get her to the infirmary." He said then picked the woman up heading inside.
~o.O.o~
A few days passed before the Iron woman woke up. In that time the palace had been restored to the way it was before the battle, the bodies cleaned up, and Azula had been locked back up in her prison cell, now powerless. When the iron woman started to wake up, Katara looked up. She had been on guard duty that day while Suki watched over the twins, she had to get used to having kids around anyway. Seeing the woman stir she stood up and tightened the straps around her wrist and ankles, so she couldn't get free, incase she still wanted to attack. Then she asked a servant to get Zuko, just as he had asked her that morning.
As the woman's eyes opened, she struggled to get away from the straps, but Katara made sure that they didn't come off. The woman realized that she couldn't see, couldn't tell where she was. But the straps holding her down, just like when Azula tortured her when she was misbehaving. Was she back at the base? What had happened? Why couldn't she remember the end of the battle? Why was Azula torturing her again? "Azula. What are you doing to me? You were the one who failed." She said, the voice still raspy and her breath forced. Katara ignored the words, but only asked one question.
"Who are you?" Katara asked. The voice seemed familiar to the woman, but she couldn't remember who's it was. So she ignored it. She kept her eyes closed as she spoke. "I am the Iron Empress." But Katara shook her head. That couldn't be her only name. "That is your title. But what were you called before you took that name?" The woman shook her head. "That is my only name."
Katara sighed, angry that she could not get an answer. But maybe she could find out who the two babies were. Why they were important enough to be taken into battle attached to the side of the leader. The girl, Miki, was lucky that Zuko had only knicked her arm when he kicked the woman. She only had a broken arm but it could have been a lot worst. She and her brother could only be a few days old, way too young to be moved a lot. Way too young for a lot. "Who were the two babies you were carrying? Who are Rien and Miki?" Finally the woman opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Katara, and Katara saw what Zuko had saw a few days ago. Those pale green eyes of the friend she could never forget. Zuko was right, it was Toph.
"What have you done to them? What have you done to my heirs?" Toph yelled, struggling again. This time Katara didn't bother with the straps. Heirs? Did this mean that she had had the twins? Then who was the father? What in the world had happened to her? She had only been gone for a little over six months, which meant that the twins had to be conceived during the war. Who could have done it? She was always with them. Except, except that one night when she went to see Zuko. Is that why Zuko had been so obsessive over where she was? Because she was carrying his children? He had gotten her pregnant when she trusted him enough to go and speak to him? How could she have trusted him after that? That bastard!
"The babies are fine. They're being watched by people here." With that Toph calmed down for a little. Just then, Zuko walked into the infirmary, heading over to Toph's bed. Katara got up and gave him a loud SLAP across the cheek before going over to the corner. Zuko looked at Katara confused before looking down at Toph. "What happened to you Toph? This isn't you at all." Toph looked away from him angrily. "I don't know what you're talking about. That's not my name." Zuko sighed. Either Azula had brainwashed her or she had been changed into this 'Iron Empress' through torture. By the way Toph looked and knowing his sister, Zuko guessed torture.
Zuko put his fingers lightly on the edge of the iron cheek, running them lightly over it. The skin was covered with the metal. It was like a curse, a punishment. Maybe if it was removed, it would be easier to bring her mind back to it's old self, and also they'd be able to help the wounds hidden underneath. "We're only going to help you Toph, we won't hurt you." He said, and Toph just closed her eyes focusing on the fact that her heirs were safe.
Zuko moved away from the bed towards where Katara was lurking in her corner. "Katara, is there a way to get the metal off of her? It may help bring the real Toph back. I see it in your eyes, you know its her too." Katara glanced at Zuko then scoffed and looked at Toph. Whatever he saw in her eyes it was definitely not that. What he should be seeing from her eyes was hatred and distrust. She didn't want to do this for Zuko, but maybe he was right, it could help bring Toph back. Katara reluctantly nodded. "Yes. I can see what I can do. It'll take a few days to do. But I'll see what I can get off."
Zuko smiled and nodded. "Thank you Katara. He said the turned to go to the nursery to check on the twins. He swore to himself that he would help the kid that Toph had and now he was going to keep that promise.
~o.O.o~
In his roon, Aang was pacing back and forth deep in thought. He had to stop Toph from telling the others that he had raped her. Especially Katara. If she told Katara then she would almost certainly break up with him. He couldn't take that.
If the iron woman was Toph then she would tell them as soon as she remembered. He had to stop her before that happened. At all costs.
~o.O.o~
Zuko sat in the nursery with Zuko, carefully holding Rien in his arms as he slowly rocked back in forth in the rocking chair. Rien had amazing jade green eyes, just like what Toph's would have been if she hadn't been blind he guessed. But the thing that confused him were Miki's grey eyes. Who had grey eyes? Did the father have grey eyes? Zuko sighed and looked down at Rien smiling as the small hand wrapped around his little finger. They seemed so happy about everything. Good thing they didn't need to know the past.
Author's Note: No it's definitely not over yet! I still got more chapters to come! The 9th chapter should be up soon seeing as I have a lot of it written already. That one gets a little fiesty between everyone. ^^ Keep reading and keep reviewing! The 10th chapter will depend on reviews!