Months ago at the kitchen table, while her mother lay in a hospital bed recovering from blood bending trauma, Lin was asked an important question. It was a question Sokka had been considering for quite some time, but felt suddenly driven to ask now that he'd come so perilously close to losing his best friend and love.
"Hey Bones," he began casually as he guided a few noodles from the frying pan onto her plate, "what do you think about this?"
Lin looked up from the "get well" card she had been illustrating curiously, "about what?"
"This," Sokka replied, indicating the space between them. When Lin continued to watch him absently, he elaborated, "I mean about having me around more often."
Lin's eyes darted back and forth suspiciously, "Why?"
Sokka made his way to the table, placing the plate before her and taking a seat beside, "I was thinking about asking your Mom to marry me."
Lin's eyes bulged, "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
A moment passed before Lin's face split into a grin, "I thought you were going to say something awful."
"...meaning that your Mom and I getting married is... not awful?"
Lin's head shook vigorously, dark curls swinging in her face. Without verbal confirmation, she went back to working on her card with the unparalleled concentration of a girl unaffected by irony. Sokka sat back in his chair, confused.
"Ok. Just to be clear-"
"You can marry my Mom, Sokka," Lin interrupted helpfully. She smiled impishly at him and Sokka smiled back, concluding that her nonchalance was typical of children at this age.
In the beginning, Lin went between not thinking much about it and being overjoyed by the prospect of participating in an actual wedding. When her mother accepted Sokka's proposal Lin was thrilled by the small celebration that followed, complete with ice cream and unenforced bedtime. It appeared that this kind of a change was one she would welcome readily. That was back when she was an idealistic eight year old. Today, as a hardened and wise nine year old, Lin saw things a bit differently.
Since their engagement, she spent more time at Air Temple Island than she had collectively in her entire life. "Busy" is the word they used to appease her when Lin would comment about the absence of her mother, "she's just busy."
Toph was busy, though. Wedding planning became a second job, one that Toph longed to quit. Originally, she figured that because she was so low-maintanence the ceremony would be casual and easy to plan, but once she got to the guest list her dreams of simplicity were shattered. She was marrying a political figure and though she felt entirely comfortable leaving far-flung relatives and associates off the guest list, Sokka felt otherwise. He appealed to her practical side in these matters, explaining the political ramifications of neglecting to invite some Fire Nation Ambassador she'd never heard of to an event the Firelord would be attending. It seemed for every person she agreed to invite came a new complication.
Apparently, these finicky strangers would be loathe to sit next to political rivals and Sokka was very cautious about these things. Toph's philosophy was of course to put them all at a table together and watch the fireworks ensue- if they were going to complicate her wedding this much, she might as well get a bit of entertainment value for the inconvenience.
Along with political issues came emotional ones. The invitation to Mr. and Mrs. Lao Beifong was the very last to go out. Their invitation was debated at length and Sokka was surprised that many of these talks ended with Toph bursting into tears and insisting that he leave her alone for awhile. Eventually, she conceded that she ought to invite them at the very least, but she constantly reminded him that, "they probably won't even come, so don't take it personally." Sokka was fairly certain that she said these words aloud to steel herself against a let-down, rather than to prepare him for one.
While Toph felt anxious about reuniting with her parents, Sokka was chomping at the bit to get see his father, Hakoda, who had moved back to the Southern Water Tribe village after the war ended. Sokka devised a plan to take a trip down south and travel back with his father, enjoying some ice-fishing and loads of quality father-son time as they made their way back to Republic City for the wedding together. With Sokka absent and Toph busier than usual, Lin had somehow been lost in the shuffle.
Lin was beginning to fear that she was being gradually acclimatized to living on the Island full time. She enjoyed the Avatar's home; it was full of adventures waiting to happen and three of her closest friends, but it was also the setting for a strict bedtime (radio off!), vegetarian dinners, and punishments for the use of foul language. It was a poor replacement for her own home which she began missing terribly.
Two weeks before the wedding, Lin had been left in Aang and Katara's care for three consecutive days. Toph had been particularly swamped at work, attempting to deter the multitude of men who were jockeying for control of the vice in Republic City now that Yakone was behind bars. The first night she worked late, the second she organized a raid on one of the front-runners to fill Yakone's shoes, the third she simply requested to leave Lin in their care so that she could get some much needed sleep. All these reasons were legitimate and tied to work, but Lin related them only to her mother's engagement.
Lin mentioned her resentful feelings to Tenzin alone and it was one of these conversations that was interrupted by the sound of metal boots marching up the hill to the main house. Lin's heart soared at the sound of her mother's arrival.
"My Mom is here," Lin announced suddenly, hopping off of the small stone wall she sat upon with Tenzin, "I've got to go."
She swiftly made her way across the courtyard, anticipating the comfort of her mother's arms as she turned the corner to find Toph's familiar figure in conversation with Katara along the main pathway. She steadied herself for their reunion, preparing to spend an evening practicing earthbending, eating spicy noodles together, and staying up late to listen to her favorite radio program when she heard her name and sprang quickly back behind a bush to eavesdrop.
"Has Lin given you any trouble?" Toph asked.
"No, she's perfectly fine. You know you can leave her here whenever you need," Katara offered.
"Don't tempt me," Toph joked.
Lin's heart sank, the excitement that had previously been vibrating within her veins drained suddenly, leaving a heavy feeling in her stomach and a frown across her face.
"You've been busy," Katara excused, sympathetically. Behind the bush, Lin did not feel quite so forgiving.
"I know. This wedding stuff is for the birds," Toph sighed, stretching as if to clear away exhaustion, "and so is the legal system. I'm about ready to toss all of these Yakone wannabes into cell and throw away the key, no questions, no trials, no appeals."
"Sounds like they are giving you hell," Katara laughed.
"Yep. Speaking of which, where is my little hellraiser?"
Lin jumped, knowing that Toph would have already located her by the end of that sentence.
"Lin?" she heard her mothers voice ask as the Chief made her way to the bush that disguised her presence.
"Hi Mom," Lin greeted her casually, turning the corner as if she'd just arrived at the scene.
"Come here, stranger," Toph directed her with open arms. Lin obliged, sidling up to her with an air of reluctance, leaning into Toph with her shoulder rather than returning her hug. When Toph pulled back, she left her hand in place on her daughter's shoulder.
"You excited to sleep in your own bed for once?" Toph asked jokingly.
Lin shrugged, "Not really. I don't even remember what it feels like."
Toph let out a laugh, unable to fully grasp the underlying resentment in her remark without seeing the way in which Lin pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. The non-verbals were not lost on Katara, who lifted her own eyebrows at the little girl's comment.
With a faint smile, Toph turned her attention back to Katara, "Well, I guess we're going to hit the road then. Thanks again, I owe you guys big time."
Katara returned her smile with a shake of her head, "You don't owe us anything. Family is family."
Toph gave another appreciative nod and stuck her hand out, "Come on, kid."
After a moment of hesitation, Lin placed her own hand in her mother's palm, deciding that grudging her mother was not worth the effort or the time. Time was important to Lin, considering it was one commodity her mother no longer had to give. Sokka would be returning soon and Lin realized that she should take advantage of these fleeting moments alone with her mother while she had them.
"Did you miss me?" Toph questioned with a playful nudge as the two girls stepped from the ferry into the bustling city.
Lin shrugged again, unwilling to give her mother the satisfaction of knowing the truth. Toph prodded her again with an elbow after a beat of silence, "Eh?"
"I won't miss meditation," Lin offered finally.
"Oooh," Toph replied as if watching someone take a particularly nasty punch, "sounds rough."
"Did you know they meditate every morning?" Lin asked incredulously.
Toph pulled a face.
"...before breakfast!" Lin added, easing up a bit. She'd been dying for someone, other than Bumi, to understand where she was coming from on this issue. Meditation was boring in the best of circumstances, but it was absolutely unbearable on an empty stomach.
"How could I leave my child in such a hellish place!?" Toph bellowed, sarcastically dramatic.
"I'm serious," Lin insisted, though she said it with a hint of laughter at her mother's declaration.
"I am too," Toph assured, "meditation sucks. Blegh!" She finished, sticking her tongue out for effect.
"And they have a radio curfew," Lin continued to explain as if describing the unfamiliar and terrifying customs of a foreign culture,"I haven't listened to 'Rise of the Shogun' in three days!"
Toph shook her head in pity. 'Rise of the Shogun' was more than a late night radio program in the Beifong home, it was a ritual as highly regarded as praying at temple was in other families.
"You missed some good ones," Toph sighed, confirming Lin's worst fears, "but luckily for you last night's installment was taken directly from real life! My life!"
Lin's eyes widened and her ears perked up, she finally quit fighting the smile that had been tugging at the corners of her mouth since she'd been reunited with her mother. It spread across her face as she listened to Toph explain how last night's program was based on the time she and her friends fought the Dai Li to gain access to the Earth King. Toph described the event in vivid detail as they walked, noting the sounds and vibrations of their battle in a way that only another earthbender could fully appreciate. This is what Lin had been missing; her Mom, her hero, her one stop shop for endless entertainment.
Lin listened to Toph with rapt attention, asking questions when she couldn't contain her curiosity, until Toph turned left on the wrong street.
"Wrong way," Lin provided, pulling on her mother's hand.
"No, no. We've got to stop by Sokka's place and pick up his mail," she explained, tugging Lin along again.
Arriving at his apartment door, Toph realized she'd completely forgotten the key on her desk at work. After a moment, the shoulder piece of her armor clicked loudly and detached itself from her body. She slid the meteor bracelet down her arm and compressed it in the palm of her hand.
"You never saw this," Toph whispered conspiratorially to her daughter, "I am a responsible adult...now go be a look-out and make sure nobody sees me breaking in, will you?"
Lin nodded and ran down the hallway to the stairwell, glancing between it and her mother as Toph wriggled the makeshift key inside Sokka's lock. It only took a minute of finagling before the lock clicked and the door swung inward. Lin ran back down the hall to join her mother.
"Ok, if you were a pile of mail, where would you be?" Toph asked as she stood alongside a pile of mail.
"Right here," Lin replied, guiding her mother's hand to the letters that sat in a bin beside the door, "He's got a mail slot."
"Well, that was easy."
Lin walked into the room a bit further, having only been in Sokka's apartment a handful of times she recalled always being rather taken by the view. She made her way through a sea of boxes before reaching the curtains of a large window and tugging them to one side.
Republic City stretched out before her, the setting sun glinted off the shining towers creating a sparkling streak of light along the water. Her eyes adjusted to the image, fading the reflection of the living room full of boxes into the background.
"Wait a second," Lin gasped as she turned to face her mother, "why is all of Sokka's stuff packed up?"
"For when he moves into our house," Toph returned plainly.
"But..." Lin protested, looking around the room as her stomach dropped out, "but why doesn't he just stay here?"
"Why would two married people live in different places?" Toph countered logically.
"You and Dad did," Lin argued.
Toph let out an amused laugh, "Your Dad and I were never married, kiddo."
"Yes, you were."
"Nope."
Lin looked around, confused. The children in her class were right. All of those times Lin had righteously countered their accusations against her mother, they had been telling the truth. Her feelings went from nervous to obstinate to downright upset in the span of thirty seconds as she considered all this new information. The things they said were so terribly against convention, it never occurred to her that they could be right. She knew her mother was not a typical woman, but she never suspected that her own family was quite so scandalous. It was embarrassing.
"Karuna was right and I was wrong," Lin muttered as tears welled in her eyes.
"Huh?" Toph asked, noting the bitterness in her daughter's tone.
"The kids at school have always made fun of me saying that you and Dad were never married and they were right this whole time!" Lin shouted in disgust, sobbing finally as she completed her sentence.
Toph stood across the room from her, heart sinking. Instantly she was reminded of her father's warning, "...think of what people will say- how they will treat her..." Toph was a strong person, practiced in the art of letting cruel comments and offhanded judgements roll off her back, but when it came to her baby all of that went out the window. She blinked back her own tears and pushed down the rage that bubbled inside of her at the thought of some entitled brat teasing her daughter as she made her way to Lin.
She bent at the waist and took Lin's face in her hand, "Look at me, baby girl."
Lin sniffled, wiping at her eyes futilely as tears continued to spill out.
"Who is making fun of you?"
"Everyone," Lin croaked.
"They say this stuff because your Dad and I weren't married?" She asked solidly.
Lin nodded, "and because Dad left, and because you're blind, and because my clothes don't match..." she sobbed, rattling off a list far longer than Toph would have ever anticipated. The length of it coupled with her own faults being so well-represented caused her eyes to tear up again and several insistent drops streaked down her face.
"I'm sorry, baby," Toph began, drawing her in to hug her tightly, "but you know what? I've dealt with people like that my whole life and the only thing to do is ignore them."
She offered this peaceful advice, though her mind silently suggested several violent alternatives.
"I can't ignore them," Lin groaned in a ragged breath, attempting to control her tears.
"I know, baby, I know..." Toph sighed, "But listen- the best thing you can do is act like you're ignoring them. Don't give them the satisfaction of knowing it's getting to you. You know why? You're better than that. You're better than them! You're better than that stupid little Karuna- who you will be happy to know- has an awful family."
"Really?"
"The worst," Toph confirmed, "Her Mom is a chronic shoplifter and her Dad... well... you know what? It doesn't matter. The best thing you can do is ignore her and prove that no matter what anyone says about you- you will rise above it!" Toph pushed her back slightly so that Lin could see her serious expression, "The best revenge is success."
Lin wiped her nose and realized for the first time that this expression was probably the driving force behind her mother's entire existence.
"That's what you did?" she asked meekly.
"You bet your ass," Toph confirmed, "And do you ever see anyone messing with your Mom?"
Lin shook her head, finally cracking a smile, "No."
Toph pulled her in again, kissing Lin's head quickly, "You're going to do the same, Lin. You got me?"
"Same, same," Lin agreed with a sniffle.
Toph smiled lightly, reaching down to run her hand across Lin's face, clearing the tears with her rough fingers, "Good. Now, how about we head home and make some instant noodles, get in some metalbending practice in time to catch the next episode of 'Rise of the Shogun?"
Lin nodded, wiping her running nose, "Okay."
Lin neglected to let go of her mother's waist for the remaineder of their walk, preferring to have her close as long as she could. She may be unconventional, but she was hers, at least for now.
Metalbending practice was a chance for Lin to show her mother some new techniques she'd picked up by practicing with Aang. Toph sent one of her cables flying toward Lin, only to feel her disappear from the landscape entirely. The cable reached the end of it's length and fell limply to the ground. Toph's heart skipped a beat nervously, "Lin?"
She heard a giggle from somewhere above.
"Lin? What did you do?"
Suspended by her practice cables, Lin hung from a tree branch- dangling just out of her mother's attack zone, "This is my version of airbending!"
"What the hell?" Toph asked again, confused. Lin tugged on the branch, swinging lightly and causing a few leaves to fall onto Toph's head. She brushed them away as they hit her, laughing heartily.
"Clever girl," she commented before sending a rumble through the earth that shook the tree so violently that the branch Lin held onto snapped. Lin crashed to the ground, which she made sure was soft an accommodating by the time she made impact.
"You're already inventing new techniques," Toph cheered, "Suck on that, Karuna."
"Yeah, suck it!" Lin returned happily.
Toph held her hand out for a high-five and felt a slap instantly, "Okay. Let's get something to eat."
After their sparring session the girls entered the house, ready to clean up. Lin was first in line for a bath, washing herself off as quickly as possible so as not to miss another moment with her Mom. Just as she stepped from the bath and wrapped herself in a warm towel, the phone rang.
From inside the bathroom she heard her mother's angry voice, barely muffled by the walls. She cautiously opened the door and made her way into the living room where Toph was barking orders into the phone.
"Call in all available officers. Block off the roads and alert the authorities in Makapu. Freeze the outgoing trains. I want Kato working on getting all of his contacts into Headquarters- And for fucks' sake you'd better personally be standing at Han's cell when I get there. Get an alert on the radio ASAP. I will be in soon. Yeah. Bye."
Toph slammed the phone down with a grunt.
"Mom?"
"Get dressed, kid."
"Why? Do you have to go?"
"I said get dressed!" Toph snapped. Lin bowed her head sheepishly, turning back toward her room as she was told. She dressed slowly, dreading what she knew was coming next.
"I'm sorry," Toph apologized in a sigh from the doorway. Lin turned to find her mother looking regretful, "I shouldn't have snapped at you."
Lin shrugged, but said nothing as she pulled her nightgown on, "Are you taking me back to Air Temple Island?"
"Yep."
Lin sighed dejectedly, "What happened?"
"Yakone escaped," Toph replied and Lin's head shot up.
"Is he coming here?"
"Not if he knows what's good for him," Toph returned, grinding a fist against her open palm. She could feel Lin's erratic heart beating through the floor, "don't worry, Aang took his bending away, he's harmless."
Her words of assurance did little to calm Lin's racing pulse as images of her mother cold and still in a hospital bed came rushing to the forefront of her mind.
Do you ever see anyone messing with your Mom?
No, Lin thought, but I've seen the aftermath.
Lin lunged forward, wrapping her arms around her mother.
"Let's get going, kiddo. If we're lucky I will be back in time for Shogun," Toph offered hopefully.
The two earthbenders stepped from the ferry and made their way up the hill. The temperature dipped momentarily as Appa flew over them, landing in their path just before the main house. Aang disembarked on a breeze, looking serious.
"I've already been to some of his old haunts," he began without hesitation, "no sign of him yet."
Toph nodded, "Thanks."
"Hop on, I'll take you to the station. The press beat you there," he explained sympathetically and Toph's entire body sagged. In her career, securing Yakone had been her greatest personal triumph -her critics had been silenced and the citizens of Republic City, relieved. In his escape, Yakone had turned the tables, his freedom latching shackles around the ankles of the woman who had publicly guaranteed his removal from society. It was the best possible revenge for his entrapment, but she wondered if he would be satisfied to stop there.
Behind Aang the sound of a door sliding open caught their attention. Katara appeared in the doorway, closing it behind her quietly.
"Any luck?" she asked, imploring her husband with hopeful eyes.
A quick shake of his head effectively dashed her cautious optimism. Her eyes travelled to Lin, who stood quietly beside her mother in a nightgown.
"Have you eaten yet?" she asked.
"She hasn't," Toph answered, placing one hand on the crown of Lin's head, "but can you do me a favor and let this little punk stay up and listen to 'Rise of the Shogun' if I don't make it back in time?"
"Of course," Katara agreed diplomatically.
"We'd better get going," Aang interjected, turning quickly to kiss Katara's cheek.
"Please be careful," she sighed.
"Always," he smiled, but Katara glanced past him pointedly at Toph.
"Let's get you inside," Katara called to Lin with a reassuring smile. Toph kissed Lin's damp hair once before boarding the sky bison. There was a pit in Lin's stomach as she moved away from her mother's arms and toward the house. As she passed, Aang bowed down, "Don't worry- I'll take care of your Mom," he assured with a wink.
Toph turned in Appa's saddle and scoffed, "Oh please, Twinkletoes. I'll take care of you. You're lucky I'm letting you ride along with us big kids."
"Said the disgruntled Chief with no transport to the Avatar with a flying bison," Aang countered chidingly as he spun himself back up to the helm of his bison.
"Pulling the Avatar card? That all you got?" Toph challenged as Appa kicked off. Aang's teasing reply was lost as they ascended into the clouds, leaving Katara and Lin standing in the courtyard.
Katara placed a guiding hand on Lin's shoulder and led her inside. Over her shoulder, Lin saw a few men in blue and white robes closing the space behind them, forming a human wall around the house.
The mood inside was quite a departure from the dreadful gloom of the outside world. Lin and Katara made their way to the warm kitchen to find Kya's nose in a book as Bumi flicked peas at his younger brother with startling accuracy. Against the wall stood another one of the men in blue and white, a stoic outsider with a lotus insignia on his helmet.
"Beifong?" Bumi exclaimed after launching one last pea across the table, "don't you ever go home?"
Katara opened her mouth to chastise him just as the pea spun in the air and changed direction, snapping against Bumi's right eye.
"Tenzin!" Katara shouted.
"He's been throwing them at me since you left!" Tenzin insisted hotly.
"Both of you- off to your rooms. Now," she ordered.
"I haven't even finished eating," Bumi argued, rubbing his wounded eye.
"If you were hungry you would have found a better use for those," Katara returned, pointing at the peas that littered the table and floor around Tenzin's seat.
"Off you go," she repeated.
The boys stood, defeated and annoyed. The stoic man took a step forward and made eyes with Katara, who gave him a barely perceptible nod.
Tenzin grabbed a glass of water from the counter as he attempted to make his exit.
"Don't take that," Katara admonished him anxiously. He looked up, confused.
"We can't even have something to drink?" he wondered incredulously.
"No..." Katara corrected, "Of course you can. I'll go get some more from the well."
"But, this isn't anybody's water," Tenzin observed, "it's just sitting here."
"Oh, just take it," Katara snapped, searching the cupboards for a bucket. Tenzin made eyes with Lin and then with Kya.
"She's nervous," Kya mouthed before looking back down at her book. Tenzin carefully placed the glass back on the counter.
"Never mind, I'm not really thirsty anyway," he told her quietly before departing for his room. The white lotus guard followed him silently.
Katara emerged from under a sink basin with a large bucket, "I'll be right back girls. Lin- help yourself to some dinner, sweetheart."
Lin moved to the counter, scooping some vegetables and rice onto her plate. She took a seat next to Kya whose eyes darted from side to side as she read voraciously.
"Kya?" Lin asked before touching her food.
"Hmm?"
"Who was that guy in the blue and white?"
"Oh, he is just here to make sure nothing happens to Tenzin," she replied airily, before her head snapped up and she corrected herself, "I mean he is here to make sure nothing happens to any of us... but mostly Tenzin I guess."
Lin nodded, locking a wilted mushroom between her chopsticks. It was the first time she heard anyone openly acknowledged how differently Tenzin was treated. The unique nature of his bending set him apart in nearly every way. It was something that everyone simply knew, but nobody ever talked about. It was something seen and not heard, much like the White Lotus guard. Lin saw it in the way he was treated by teachers in school, she saw it in the way adults reacted to him; as if he were some exotic creature they were lucky to glimpse. Even Lin's own mother, who often encouraged her to give sparring every ounce of her ferocity, seemed on edge if Lin would play too rough with him.
"Do you think Yakone will try to come here?" Lin asked, attempting to sound casually conversational.
Kya shrugged, "It would be pretty stupid of him."
"He can't even bend," Lin said aloud.
"No, he can't," Kya agreed, "and if he tried to get anywhere near this house my Mom would use that big bucket of water she's getting to send him flying into the bay."
Lin gave a small laugh at the image and felt herself relax.
The bucket of water followed them for the remainder of the evening. Katara dragged it into the living room where the three girls listened to the radio. It was a great episode of Shogun, but Lin found the experience somewhat lacking. Katara sat in a chair, mending clothes and not paying much attention, while Kya had been lost entirely to her book. Lin longed to be with her mother, an active listener, who always had a comment to share.
When the program came to an end, a strident beeping alerted them to a news bulletin. Katara quickly jumped up and turned the radio low, sending the girls to bed. Lin grudgingly complied, following Kya to her room and passing the sentry man posted at Tenzin's door in the hallway.
She had hoped her mother would be back by now. Lin laid back on the cot specially set up for her in Kya's room, lamenting the loss of time with her mother. With the wedding just two short weeks away, Lin's mind raced with all the things she would be missing out now that she would have to share her mother with Sokka. Tonight was meant to be time for just the two of them, she thought angrily. Yakone ruined that. Lin's eyes fluttered closed and she hazily told herself not to think about that man before bed.
Lin awoke with a start, stifling a scream. Her breaths were desperate and frenzied as she fought in vain to still her heaving chest in the stillness of the room. The ticking of a clock finally caught her attention and she could barely make out the time, 3:44. She looked to the bed a few feet away and saw Kya's chest rising and falling peacefully. Slowly, Lin pushed the blankets away and tiptoed to her bedside.
"Kya," she whispered, giving her shoulder a push. Kya gathered a breath and rolled to the side. Lin's hand reached out again, but quickly retracted. She didn't want Kya to know she scared anyway. With a sigh, Lin returned to her cot, sitting upright and trying to actively push images of her mother in a hospital bed from her mind. Her efforts were wasted and her imagination ran wild with different scenarios in which Toph was being tortured or worse. She thought for a moment about going down the hall to Katara, but dropped that idea after deciding she'd rather not be babied. She wanted to feel safe, not patronized.
Finally, she slid off the bed and opened the door a crack, peering out into the darkened hallway. The shining moon could not penetrate the windowless hall and Lin walked gingerly with her hands stretched out before her.
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness just in time to see the sentry man before Tenzin's door. He looked down at her and in a panic, she moved past him, sliding the door open and closed in one quick motion.
"Tenzin?" she whispered once inside. There was no answer and she moved forward, tiptoeing past a nightlight. Her eyes rolled instinctively, but she decided not to give him trouble for this considering she was the one currently sneaking into his room to find some measure of security.
"Tenzin," she repeated, giving him a shove.
The young airbender groaned, rubbing his eyes and blinking up at her, "Lin?"
"Move over," she instructed.
"What? Why?"
"Because I said so," she argued, sitting along the edge and shoving her way in. Tenzin acquiesced, moving to the side to allow her space.
"Are you scared or something?" he asked.
"No," Lin hissed.
"Ok," Tenzin sighed, letting her have her way. He rolled over with his back to her and closed his eyes, "You don't have to be scared, Lin."
"I'm not," she insisted in a whisper, turning her back to him as well. She huffed, assuming the next thing he would do is lecture her about how her powerful mother and his god-like father would protect them.
"Because I would never let anything happen to you," he whispered in the dark.
Lin smiled in spite of herself, "Same here."
"Goodnight," Tenzin whispered finally.
"Goodnight."
The sun was breaking when Sokka's boat docked in Republic City. The passengers exited, half- asleep and weary from traveling. Many of them had been onboard since Whale Tail Island, dreaming of solid land and a steady night's rest. They had nothing on Sokka or his elderly father, Hakoda who had been on board for nearly two weeks. Over a month ago when Sokka had the brilliant idea to use seafaring transport, rather than a much more time-efficient skybison he figured the long trip would be a great opportunity for father and son to reconnect on the open sea.
They had bonded, certainly. It was hard not to when stacked nearly on top of one another in a tiny bunk, in a room neither could stand entirely erect inside of, helping each other through some of the roughest waves nature had ever doled out. It was bonding, but not in an ideal way and Sokka found himself eager to fall asleep in a large, soft bed beside his future wife, the natural scent of her filling his nose.
"I know we just woke up," Hakoda commented, "but I'm ready to go back to sleep."
"Almost there, Pops," Sokka assured with a pat on the shoulder, "just a couple of blocks..."
Hakoda's shoulders sloped in anticipation of the short, but exhausting walk ahead of them. Without another word, the men made their way to the luggage pick up area awaiting the porters to appear. Alongside the queue of people were some enterprising food carts, beckoning the waiting hordes with the smell of breakfast foods and warm tea.
Sokka found himself in line without quite realizing how he got there, browsing the newsstand as he waited. His eyes locked on the cold, dead eyes of Yakone, face prominent on the cover of several periodicals.
"ESCAPED!" the 40-point font read.
Now fully awake, Sokka lunged for the paper, dipping into his pocket and retrieving a few coins for the cashier without ever taking his eyes off the article. He learned of the escape and read Toph's statement, assuring the press that all police resources were focused on bringing him to justice once again.
"Dad. I'm sorry, but we've got to stop somewhere."
"This is one of you bad jokes, isn't it, son?"
"I'm afraid not, but I'm sure Katara will have somewhere for you to sleep," Sokka told him, turning the paper around so his father understood.
The good news was that it took less time to get to Air Temple Island than it would have to make it back to Sokka's apartment. After a brief hold up on the dock by the White Lotus guards, the men made their way up the hill, passing the meditating Acolytes along the way.
Sokka spotted his brother-in-law, leading the meditation, eyes drawn and body focused. He considered this a good sign- if Aang was not out searching, surely some positive turn of events had occurred.
Hakoda waved to Aang, futilely.
"He's kind of in the zone," Sokka explained to his father when Aang neglected to return the gesture.
"Right. Avatar."
"Yep."
The two of them walked quietly into the main house. Sokka thought he was being quiet anyway, but Katara appeared quickly out of the kitchen.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of them and she ran forward, throwing her arms around her brother and father, absently hitting Sokka in the face with a flour-coated whisk she held.
"Sorry," she whispered, pulling back and wiping his cheek with her thumb. "I didn't expect to see you two this early."
"We saw the papers," Sokka told her in a matching whisper.
"Oh," she returned quietly, eyes darting sideways into the living room.
"I figured since Toph is probably at work I'd pick up Lin for you," Sokka explained further just before a loud snore filled the room. It was coming from only a few feet away and the three members of the Southern Water Tribe looked at one another curiously.
Katara shrugged and jerked her head in the direction of the snore, "She's not at work."
Sokka rounded the corner to find Toph, splayed out unceremoniously on Katara's couch in her uniform pants and a tank-top, dead asleep. The smile that spread across his face at the sight of her drooling onto the cushions took him by surprise and it struck him just how much he missed seeing her.
"Let her sleep," Katara advised at his shoulder, "they just got back."
"Did they find him?"
Katara shook her head, "It doesn't look promising."
Hakoda appeared behind them and the sound of Toph snoring filled their silence.
"So, Dad... you remember Toph," Sokka joked, holding out one hand as if to display her.
Katara laughed quietly and gripped her father's arm, "Dad- if you want to get some sleep, Kya's room is open."
"Where is she?" he wondered.
"Helping me with breakfast," Katara returned, holding up her whisk.
Sokka looked between them, "then where is Lin?"
Katara sighed and gestured for him to follow her down the hallway, "Not where I left her, that's for sure," she provided as they reached Tenzin's door and she slid it open. Lin and Tenzin dozed in the soft light of morning, back to back and breathing slowly.
"Best friends, eh?" Hakoda commented as the three looked in.
"Oh yeah, but if you ask Aang their's is the next wedding we'll be hosting," Katara returned dryly, "Come on, Dad. Let's get you settled."
Katara and her father moved down the hall, leaving Sokka in the doorway of Tenzin's room. He entered gingerly, careful not to wake them both, bending slightly at the side of the bed to rub Lin's shoulder.
"Hey, Bones," he whispered, jostling her gently.
Lin blinked up at him, focusing after a minute, "Sokka?" she asked, hoping she was still asleep. He'd been gone over a month and she still hadn't managed to have any alone time with her mother. How could he already be back?
"What are you doing here?" she wondered in a drawn-out whine.
"Sorry to wake you," he apologized, mistaking her disappointment for tiredness, "but how about we move this slumber party back to the house?"
Lin twisted in the bed, kicking her feet out with a grunt. She whined incoherently as she pulled herself out of bed and stumbled after Sokka into the living room to find her mother on the couch.
"Mom," Lin grumbled as she pushed against Toph's sleeping form, "let's go."
Toph woke quickly, running a hand across her tired face and sitting up, "I'm up. I'm up. What's going on?"
"I'm taking you home," Sokka provided.
"Sokka?" Toph asked, reaching out toward the sound of his voice and finding his shoulder, "Sokka!"
She sprang forward into his arms and gripped him tightly, "You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice," she told him as she buried her face in his neck.
"You have no idea how glad I am to hear your snore," he laughed lightly, kissing her temple.
"Did they tell you...about Yakone?"
"I saw it in the paper."
Toph's body sagged in his arms and she pulled back, reaching a hand forward to search for Lin.
"Kiddo? You ready to head home?"
"I guess."
The three of them said their farewells to Katara and Kya as the others slept. They made their way back through the streets of Republic City, just as the streets were coming to life. Lin trailed behind a few steps, glowering. Her feet dragged and her arms remained crossed as she followed her mother and Sokka, thinking bitterly to herself that nothing would ever be the same once he officially joined their family.
"Oh! Bones, I almost forgot," Sokka announced, pausing just as they approached the front gate of their yard, "I got you something."
He dug into his bag and fished around, retrieving a whale-bone cup with holes carved all around the sides. Small pegs of ivory dangled from strings tied to the holes and he held it out to her proudly, "Flippy cup!"
Lin looked up at him, confused.
"I used to play it all the time when I was your age. You have to flip these pegs up into the cup, but not in just any order! This one first, then this one," he explained happily, pointing out the pegs as Lin's face remained passive.
"Wow. You guys must have been really bored down there," Toph commented dryly.
"No, it's fun," Sokka returned, sounding slightly as if the air had been let out of his balloon.
"This one is mine," he continued, taking on a wistful tone, "my Mom helped me carve it when I was a kid. Anyway, I thought you might like it."
Lin looked from Sokka's sad expression and back to the crudely constructed cup, feeling guilt settle against her shoulders. The weight of it bore a hole in her chest and she found herself feeling rather ashamed of her selfish thoughts from moments ago.
"Will you show me?" she asked, in an effort to relieve her guilt. A smile spread across his face and he nodded once.
"Of course," he agreed, beginning to demonstrate on the spot.
"Baby," Toph began in a yawn, and they both responded by turning to her, "how about we learn the rules of flippy cup after we take a nap."
Sokka smiled, "Good idea."
But Lin, still worried that he might feel jilted, insisted that she learn the rules immediately-which is how all three of them ended up in Toph's oversized bed.
Toph was asleep in an instant, body jolting once as she began to drift which earned her a laugh from Lin and Sokka. Lin nuzzled herself between them and rested her head on Sokka's outstretched arm as he used his free hand to swing the cup around purposefully.
"See? It's all in the wrist," he commented as one ivory peg swung into the cup.
Lin nodded against his arm and curled into his side as he continued to swing his childhood pastime from side to side, "We'll all have to try it once your Mom wakes up, it's a good family game," he explained.
Lin nodded again, contemplating his words. Her Mom, her Sokka, and herself all lay cuddled up together, a family. Unconventional sure, but Lin was beginning to see that wasn't such a bad thing.
"Sokka?"
"Yeah, Bones?"
His eyes drifted to where she lay along his side, looking on the edge of sleep, "I'm glad you're home," she told him, honestly.
"Yeah?" he smiled, kissing the crown of her head and catching sight of Toph's sleeping face, "me too."
In the the following weeks, Sokka couldn't decide which was turning cold quicker; Yakone's trail or Toph's feet. She was becoming so pre-occupied by the missing crime-boss that their impending nuptials were merely an afterthought on her radar. He was beginning to worry that she might forget to show-up altogether if she didn't find him first. He even considered giving her a false tip regarding Yakone's whereabouts that might lead her to Air Temple Island on the designated day, just to be sure. As it was, her most reliable lead said that Yakone had fled the continent.
Three days before the wedding when Toph seemed to have nothing but Yakone on her mind, Sokka finally met her in her office to address the issue.
"Are you ok?"
Her mouth opened and closed, considering her words, "Okay implies some level of competency, so the short answer is no. No, I am not okay."
With a sigh, he reached out and pulled her to his chest, "Are you talking about Yakone or our wedding?"
"You think I'm bad at wedding stuff?" she grumbled, voice muffled against his chest. He let out a small laugh and she pushed back to face him, "of course I'm talking about Yakone...but I guess," she sighed and pushed her way out of his grasp, "I guess I'm talking about both."
"As long as you show up," Sokka joked, "you'll be fine."
She gave him a pity laugh, "reserve your judgement- you're basically asking me to talk about my feelings in a fancy dress in front of a bunch of strangers."
"Not all strangers," he reasoned.
She shrugged, "Have you checked the mail today?"
He knew what she was asking. The invitations went out ages ago, all had come back to them with a 'yes' or 'no' except the last invitation she sent. In moments like these, she resembled Lin closest.
"Nothing," he confirmed, "but theirs was the last to go out."
"Whatever," she mumbled, "my parents don't want to come, they don't have to. I did my part."
"Maybe it got lost in the mail system," he offered, helpfully.
She shrugged again as she fixed metal cable spools along the hip of her uniform, "I've got to go break in some newbies. I'm running some field drills, lots of rock smashing and heavy lifting- are you free? You can come watch."
"Chief Beifong, are you trying to seduce me?"
A mischievous smile passed over her features before she snapped the last of the spool in place with a loud click, "Maybe."
"Well, I hate to decline, but I've got a council meeting in about twenty minutes," he told her regretfully, "I just wanted to drop in and make sure you were doing okay."
"I'm fine. I'm always fine," she assured him with a wave of her hand.
He crossed the room and leaned in to kiss her, "You definitely are."
"Oh jeez," Toph laughed at his corny sentiment against his lips before playfully shoving him away, "get out of here."
Their laughter chorused and he leaned in again, "Save it for the wedding night, Meathead!"
"Okay, Okay," Sokka relented with a chuckle, "I'll see you later."
He stole one last kiss before making his way back to the door, "Love you."
"You too," Toph returned just as she heard the door close. She shook her head in amusement, fighting to wipe the smile from her face before she head out to field training. Though she stressed over work and family, Sokka always managed to brighten her mood. It was a great quality to find in a person you planned to spend your life with and she marveled at her luck as she made her way onto the field where she could feel several pairs of feet waiting.
Half of the men were new and stood straight, heels together, bringing their hands up to their helmets for a proper salute when she arrived. The other half, the long-term officers they'd been paired with, gave a salute but continued chatting among themselves when she bowed her head to relieve them.
"Okay, ladies- listen up," she ordered, cutting their conversations, "I've got things to do today so let's keep this short and simple."
"What's the rush? The honeymoon aint for at least four more days," Officer Zhang chided her, bumping an elbow into his junior partner.
"Watch it, Zhang- you're talking to somebody's mother," she warned. "Now, newbies- you're with me. We're going to go into this house," she explained, pointing toward a model home set up on the field, "on a rescue mission. The officers inside wearing green are the victims. Your mission is to get them to safety and apprehend all the officers in red who will be putting up a fight, make no mistake. I want you making the most of your surroundings, use whatever materials you have at your disposal to accomplish this mission. Any questions?"
There was a silence in which she sensed the racing hearts of new recruits, but their mouths remained closed.
"Okay, let's go!"
The officers ran toward the mock house and their resistance poured from the doors instantly, meeting them outside to begin their fight. Toph stood in the middle of the fray redirecting debris from the others, occasionally shouting "Watch your blow-off, ladies!"
She watched the rookies bend the earth and metal with her seismic sense, showing no outward approval or disapproval of their actions as they maneuvered inside, though she was secretly pleased when a new recruit was keen enough to sense a box of tools under the sink and use the metal inside to pin one of their targets to a wall.
The exercise lasted approximately fifteen minutes. Toph had to call it when it became apparent that one of the rookies was nowhere near making an arrest. They filed back out onto the field for a debrief and Toph sensed several new pairs of feet this time.
The scent of cherry blossoms filled her nose and her heart began to race, "Zhang. How about you handle this debrief? I've got some visitors..."
"You got it, Chief," he agreed.
Toph made her way to the side of the field, certain she was about to speak with her parents. Kato stood beside the new arrivals, "Chief, I know you don't normally allow civilians out here, but they said they were your parents so, I figured you wouldn't mind."
"That was very impressive, Toph," her father offered.
They were the first words she'd heard him speak in five years. They were the first words of praise that she'd heard him speak in at least thirty years and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying.
"Thanks, Dad," she replied, but her voice was soft and she could tell the unusual tone of it was making Kato uncomfortable.
"I'll let you catch up," Kato bowed, exiting as politely and swiftly as possible.
As soon as he moved to leave, Toph's mother was embracing her. She grabbed either side of Toph's face in her hands and took her in. She noted a small scratch on her forehead- new and red, she saw how Toph's hair was graying at the temple, she saw small lines that spidered out from her eyes, but in spite of all of age's markings Poppy saw her baby.
"I am so pleased to see you, my darling," she gushed, drawing her daughter in for a long hug and Toph could tell her mother was crying. Her arms remained awkwardly at her sides as she couldn't quite bring herself to return the gesture. A storm churned inside Toph, two opposing systems fighting it out in her gut. One half was made of relief, the other resentment.
"I wasn't expecting you two," was all she managed to say.
Poppy withdrew and stole a quick glance back at her husband, "Well, we thought we might beat our RSVP here," she told her lightly.
"You did," Toph confirmed.
Poppy looked between her husband and daughter, feeling the invisible stream of resentment thicken the air. She attempted an easy laugh, "I hope we're still invited."
A moment passed before Toph replied, it lasted just long enough that Poppy was beginning to believe their invitation had been rescinded and her face took on a pained expression.
"Of course," Toph said, finally putting her mother's worry to rest.
"Toph," her father interjected, clearing his throat, "Your Mother and I are staying with the Kwon's while we are in town. The four of us would like to extend a dinner invitation to both you and Sokka, to...celebrate."
Toph understood from his tone of voice that this wasn't an invitation so much as an expectation. When he used this distant tone it insinuated a command rather than a request. Though Toph had no particular dinner plans, she couldn't help the feeling that rose within her to deny him. It was familiar rebellion, but a little less satisfying now.
"We aren't available for dinner tonight," she told him solidly.
Though she couldn't see it, she was fairly sure he mother was crying again, "Sorry," she provided in sympathy.
"In that case- I assume we will just bring our invitation to Air Temple Island on Saturday?"
"Yeah, sure," Toph agreed awkwardly.
The three stood in a group, along the sidelines of the police practice field without a word to exchange. After what seemed like an eternity, Toph shifted her weight in way that conveyed finality, "I should get back to work," she explained, jerking her thumb over her shoulder.
"Of course, dear," Poppy nodded, moving forward yet again to kiss her daughters cheek. Toph waited to see if her father would do the same, but when he didn't budge she gave him a curt nod, "Talk to you Saturday."
As quickly as they had appeared, they were gone, exiting the field swiftly to avoid any further discomfort. Toph was grateful for their departure, the large expanse of the field was beginning to feel rather claustrophobic with them around.
"Zhang!" Toph called out, "Can you finish up here? I'm supposed to be at the dock to greet the Royal Family by four."
"No problem, Chief."
Though it was scarcely three o'clock Toph decided to take a little time for herself between running drills and her hosting duties to decompress after the bombshell of her parents arrival exploded at her feet.
Lost in her thoughts, the arrival of the Royal Barge snuck up on her and before she knew it she was standing beside Aang at the dock waiting for the Firelord and his family to disembark. Toph was careful to keep their conversation to a minimum, mindful that the snapping cameras of the press might catch onto her uneasy feeling and mistake it for pre-wedding jitters.
Once the royal party made their way from the barge, Zuko stepped up to a podium and delivered a very even speech about how delighted he was to be back in the city that he helped to create and reminded the press that this would be his only public appearance as he was visiting for a private event.
The cameras snapped, Aang and Zuko posed together- a symbol of unity, Mai and Toph dove right into their easy sarcasm routine as Ursa stood off to one side, bored to tears. The arrival of the Firelord's family marked the official beginning of her wedding weekend.
Toph had assumed that the wedding would be her most challenging moment, but when it came to rehearsal she was beginning to rethink that notion.
The main courtyard of Air Temple Island had been entirely transformed for the occasion, with festive bunting and low-hanging lanterns strewn across the length of it, creating a canopy of sorts over the seating that had been set up. Everyone commented on how beautiful the place was, much to Katara's delight but Toph characteristically shrugged, "We could be doing this in a cave, for all I care."
"You're welcome, Toph," Katara grumbled in return.
As the rehearsal got underway two things became readily apparent; Aang's enthusiasm for the wedding outdid all others, and Toph could not properly navigate the aisles with her wedding slippers on.
The first thing didn't need fixing, but the second was a matter of some debate.
"I'll just go barefoot," Toph decided, after knocking her shin against yet another chair.
"Toph," Katara pled in exasperation
"What if I just hold your hand, Mom?" Lin offered.
"You want to give me away, kid?" Toph joked playfully.
"No, Mom. I'm serious," Lin iterated. It was something Lin had convinced herself was important. It was her permission Sokka was asking all those months ago, after all. She'd formulated this idea after he had returned from his trip. Though she learned to play flippy cup, quite well even, she still didn't feel as if that could adequately express how deeply sorry she was for not wanting him in their family originally. This would be her gesture of good-will and acceptance in lieu of actually having to talk to him about it.
"Well, I don't see why not," Toph smiled.
"Okay, that's settled then. Let's get going," Katara instructed and Lin gripped her mother's hand to lead her down the aisle where Sokka, Aang, Hakoda, and Zuko stood talking amongst themselves.
Aang insisted on performing the ceremony himself and Toph and Sokka both laughed when he could hardly get through the rehearsal without crying. All went smoothly, prayers were said, and dinner followed.
When the evening ended, Sokka kissed his bride-to-be farewell and went back to his apartment, allowing Lin and her mother one more night alone together.
They practiced bending, ate the spiciest noodles they could get their hands on, and stayed up late listening to the radio. It was a last hurrah that didn't feel very final at all. The two Beifongs fell asleep together in Toph's bed, an open book laying across Lin's chest.
They woke before the sun the day of the wedding, as they typically did, but today instead of bending practice they gathered their formal clothes and made their way back to Air Temple Island. Lin giggled a bit when they passed the Acolytes meditating among the wedding decorations as dawn broke over the island.
The main house was buzzing with activity when they entered, Katara was already up and moving a mile a minute. She embraced Toph in a hurry, "You're getting married today," she squealed, giving Toph a vice-like hug.
"Wow, are you sure it's me and not you?" Toph joked of her excitement.
Katara laughed a little, "We're going to officially be family."
Her comment seemed to win the attention of her youngest son who went from rubbing his groggy eyes to fully alert, "Wait, does that mean we will be cousins?" he asked, looking over at Lin.
"Technically," Katara answered and Tenzin's face paled.
"Not by blood," Aang interjected happily as he walked into the room and gathered Toph into a hug, "Ready for the big day?"
"It's always been my dream to talk about my emotions in front of my parents and a bunch of politicians," Toph deadpanned with a shrug of her shoulders.
"You'll do fine! Just picture everyone in their underwear if you get nervous," Aang advised and Toph pointed to her clouded eyes helpfully.
Katara pulled a face, "You picture people in their underwear?"
"Well... not exactly... I mean I've done it once or twice. It's more of an expression," Aang attempted to explain, tripping over his words.
"Come on, Toph. Let's go get you ready," Katara sighed, mercifully ending the rambling of her husband.
Katara put in an insane amount of beauty work, doing Lin and Kya's hair as Toph scrubbed herself down in water infused with lilac. When she was all finished up, Katara braided and coifed Toph's hair, which proved a tedious endeavor. There were intermissions of course, to slap food out of Toph's hands and to calm the girls, now joined by Ursa, who ran around the room in high-spirits, making a mess.
Katara helped her get into her long, silk wedding gown of traditional red embroidered with gold. Mai popped in to sit with the ladies as they applied a light, natural layer of make-up to Toph's face.
"You clean up pretty well," Mai offered as she watched Katara paint Toph's lips.
"Uh...thanks?"
There was a knock at the door and Katara groaned, wondering who else could possibly be here to slow proceedings. The day had flown by- they began at dawn and it was very nearly sunset.
"Come in."
Toph's mother slid the door open and stepped through. The room froze momentarily at the sight of her. Katara recovered first, standing to politely bow.
"Mrs. Beifong," she greeted, "I'm not sure if you remember me. We met before."
"Yes, of course. Hello, Katara."
Katara looked between Toph and her mother, "We're pretty much done here. Why don't we give you a minute alone," she offered with a diplomatic smile.
With another bow all the girls except Lin and Toph filed from the room, "Lin?" Katara prompted her from the doorway.
Lin shook her head resolutely, obviously indicating that she would remain behind to offer some kind of protection to her mother. She recognized her grandmother immediately and before a memory could surface, a feeling did. It was the feeling that this woman made her mother sad and so Lin decided to stay put.
"It's okay, baby girl. Why don't you go check on Sokka for me? Make sure he isn't making a run for it," Toph assured her daughter with a hand on her back and a light kiss on her cheek.
Lin obliged then, passing her grandmother with a cool stare before sliding the door closed behind her.
Poppy and Toph were alone in the room finally and the silence rang out like an alarm.
"You look beautiful," Poppy announced. It was clear by the hitch in her voice that she was already crying.
"Smoke and mirrors," Toph deflected casually.
"Lin has grown so much," Poppy told her from the doorway, "she seems very strong-willed. She gets that from you I suppose."
Toph wasn't sure what was rising inside her when she heard her mother's comment, but it was unstoppable. Her throat constricted and her eyes instantly began pouring tears, "She is the most wonderful person, Mom. She's smart and funny and so talented and even though I might be a complete screw-up in your view, I know I did something right."
It came as if from nowhere, her statement. It was full of conviction and obstinance and she felt as if she had to say it, to prove to her mother that something she did in her life was fundamentally good and worthy.
"Oh, Toph," Poppy returned, "I don't think you are anything less than perfect in the first place."
"Could have fooled me," Toph told her sharply, channeling years worth of anger into her statement. Toph stood at the base of an emotional mountain made up of a lifetime of worthless feeling and shame in her disability, accepting the idea that it was not entirely unscalable for the first time in her life.
"You locked me away. You kept me a secret from your society friends because you were ashamed of me," Toph pressed on, "you tried to stop me from being myself and I'm supposed to believe you when you show up thirty years too late and say I'm perfect?"
"I was never ashamed. I was frightened," Poppy insisted, her own cheeks turning red from the tears that streaked down her face, "I wasn't afraid of you, I was afraid for you. We wanted to protect you, Toph and we were wrong. I know that now. But you don't understand how terrifying it is..."
"Are you kidding?" she scoffed, "I get it. Lin scares the shit out of me. I never knew I could worry so much. I worry about what she eats, is she happy, is she too sensitive, is she not sensitive enough, does she feel loved, is she learning, where is she, who is she with, what is she doing? It's exhausting."
Poppy let out a knowing laugh through her tears, "Motherhood..."
"Yeah," Toph agreed, wiping at her eyes.
"Then you can understand something for me too," Poppy sighed, "when you left- I... I was so scared."
A fresh wave of tears swelled inside her and Toph began crying again, "I know. I'm sorry. I was a dumb kid."
"No," Poppy insisted, crossing the room to take her face in her hands, "you were brilliant and I'm sorry I never told you that. I am so proud of you. I always have been."
Toph's head bowed in her mother's grip and tears flowed freely, dripping onto her lap to leave small splotches of deep red in her silk dress. Mother cradled daughter in her arms as Toph let go of one final sob into her shoulder. She'd covered the entire spectrum of her emotion in just a few minutes, it was as draining as it was cathartic. There was no greater gift she would be receiving on her wedding day than to finally reach some sort of understanding with her mother.
Toph clutched her mother's form, inhaling her familiar scent and for once she smelled like home. She pulled back and wiped at her tearful eyes again before feeling her mother's hand gently brushing her cheek.
"Oh dear," Poppy remarked with a sniffle, "we probably should have done this before your make-up."
"Is it bad?" Toph questioned. It was, the eyeliner had bled entirely down her cheeks making her appear waterlogged and exhausted.
"No. It's nothing I can't fix," Poppy told her confidently, reaching over to wet a towel and run it across her daughter's face, clearing the canvas.
Poppy pulled Katara's stool over and began re-applying Toph's make-up with a delicate touch. The task took only ten minutes and the silence they existed in for that time was some of the most healing and peaceful silence either would ever experience.
"There we go," Poppy whispered as she rubbed the last bit of blush into apple of Toph's cheeks. She brushed Toph's eyebrows quickly with her thumb and ran her hand down the length of Toph's face, "My beautiful girl," she mused leaning forward to kiss her forehead, "Are you ready to go get married?"
"Might as well conform to something while I've got you here," Toph joked in return.
The two women stood and made their way from the preparation room, fundamentally changed. Poppy slid to the door open to reveal Katara and Lin waiting patiently against the opposite wall.
Katara had managed to turn herself into a vision of beauty in the short time she'd been absent and she reached out for Toph's hand, giving it a squeeze, "You ready?"
"Yeah," Toph confirmed, squeezing her hand in return.
The four women made their way out to the courtyard. Katara and Poppy both kissed Toph's cheek before leaving to find their seats. Toph felt her daughter's hand slide into her own and she bent low to kiss her cheek quickly, "You know you're always my number one love, right?"
"Are you okay?," Lin whispered, looking her mother over suspiciously.
"I'm always okay as long as you know that," Toph told her.
"You're being weird," Lin whispered again, aware of the few people in the back of the courtyard turning to glimpse them.
"And I'm always going to be weird," Toph agreed, standing fully, "now let's do this thing."
She slipped her shoes off and took a step forward, Katara caught the small movement from her seat and rolled her eyes. Lin looked from the discarded slippers to her mother and laughed, walking beside her in measured strides down the aisle.
Sokka stood at the end, looking tall and handsome in his tunic, which was Water Tribe inspired, but modernized somewhat for style and comfort.
Though Toph could find her way to the altar easily without her slippers, she felt it was appropriate to have Lin at her side just now. When they reached the front, Lin passed her mother's hand off to Sokka who leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Love you, Bones," he whispered.
"Love you too, Sokka," she returned stepping around her mother and taking her place on the opposite side.
"You look wonderful," Sokka whispered from the side of his mouth.
"You look like nothing," Toph retorted, squeezing his hand, "but you smell great."
Sokka turned to find Aang's eyes glistening as he launched into his first prayer, asking the ancestors to watch over his two friends as they enter a new phase in their lives. Zuko leaned forward and lit the incense as Aang addressed the couple before him, "Do you pledge to dedicate yourselves completely to each other, with body, speech, and mind. In this life, in every situation, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, you will work to help each other perfectly."
"We do," the couple affirmed in unison.
"Now, instead of running down the list of vows here," Aang announced of the parchment in his hand, "Sokka has prepared his own words."
Aang rolled the parchment up and gestured for Sokka to begin. Sokka swallowed hard as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his writing and Toph could feel his heart pounding through the ground.
He unrolled the paper and cleared his throat, his eyes danced over it quickly, rolling it up again and placing it into Toph's hand before opening his mouth to speak. Toph felt the parchment in her hand, covered in a pattern of raised bumps and her eyes stung. He'd written it all out in her own private code.
"So you always have it," Sokka laughed. He cleared his throat again nervously and took both her hands this time, focusing just on her face so the penetrating eyes of spectators would fade into the background.
"Toph," he began, "I can't think of a more perfect person for me to be standing with today. I have called you my best friend for longer than I can remember and I am so honored that after today I can call you my wife as well. I can't imagine my life without your smile or your humor which has saved me on more than one occasion. You are beautiful, and graceful, a wonderful mother, and one hell of a bender," he continued through the small wave of laughter, "and you have taught me so much about what is important in life just by being yourself. I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love a person I promise to spend the rest of my life making sure you know that."
Sokka turned to his father, who held out a the necklace Sokka had originally presented to her months ago. He clapped his son on the shoulder and Sokka turned back to Toph.
"This necklace is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in partnership," Aang provided as Sokka fastened it around her neck carefully, with a small kiss at the corner of her mouth.
There was a pause and Toph blushed, "How am I supposed to follow that?" she asked aloud and the entire courtyard came alive with laughter.
"Uh..." she began awkwardly, "Sokka, I want you to know I second all that stuff you said...I love you, obviously. I, um, I love how steady and present you have been for Lin and how you always make dinner even when I don't ask. I love that you always consider me and Lin whenever you make a decision about your own life. You are really amazing and... oh spirits what am I saying...you're basically one of the greatest things that have ever happened to me. I'm forever grateful that you think there is something special about me because I don't know where I would be without your love and support. You're pretty much the greatest and I love you. And I'm going to stop talking now."
Sokka laughed lightly and squeezed her hand to reassure her.
Aang smiled broadly, "By the power vested in me by the wishes of Sokka and Toph as well as the blessings and lineage of the spirits, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
Sokka leaned in, kissing Toph full on the lips as the crowd erupted in applause. The sound of fireworks filled the air as they broke apart.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Aang called through the cacophony, "please join me in congratulating Mr. and Mrs. ... uh Beifong?"
Sokka's face fell and he cast a look of annoyance at his brother-in-law before Toph pulled his hand into the air triumphantly.
"Ha ha!" she laughed, "And don't you forget it!"
The music picked up and Toph dropped her other hand for Lin to grab onto and the three of them made their way back down the aisle together.
The courtyard underwent a further transformation as the Acolytes cleared out the chairs and set up dining tables and cleared space for a dance floor. The guests milled about, acquiring drinks and mingling while the newly married couple posed for a short photo session.
Food was soon set up along a large and expansive table, the sheer volume of which could not possibly be consumed by all the people in Republic City.
The newlyweds returned and took their place at a table with their closest friends. After pulling out Toph's chair, Sokka sprinted to another table to snag two chairs which he set up at their table, offering the space to her parents.
It was a last-minute gesture, but they accepted, taking their place just between Hakoda and Firelord Zuko.
The conversation was spirited and constant as it was apparent everyone at the table was riding the wave of positive feeling begun by the ceremony itself. Even Poppy had a joke or two for the group. The only dissident was Toph's father Lao, who did not engage anyone unless absolutely necessary. This wasn't lost on his daughter who elected to ignore his dour attitude, feeling as if she'd mended enough fences for one day.
As dinner wound down, the dance floor sprang to life. The first dance belonged to the newlyweds who chose a relatively upbeat number for their first dance as husband and wife. Toph was not quite as well versed in dancing as Sokka and she stepped on his toes a number of times, causing their dance to devolve into the business of staying upright while laughing against one another. It also resulted in some wonderful candid photos.
Aang could hardly resist the music and took to the floor in short order, pulling Kya along with him. Father and daughter tore the place up with a number they'd clearly been working on and everyone cheered them. The floor filled up and became more and more animated as the night wore on and the drinks flowed. Only an hour into the reception while Toph was busy talking shop with some of her officers, Lin danced with Sokka, her feet on top of his as they moved around the floor.
When the heavy sound of the Watertribal drums began to echo around the island, Katara made her way onto the floor in an astounding display of dancing ability that caused Bumi to cover his own eyes and Aang to happily declare, "That's my wife!"
"She's drunk," Toph observed.
"Well, if anyone deserves to unwind after this it's my sister," Sokka sympathized, recognizing how much thought and effort she channeled into this event. She twirled around quickly dropping her weight and slapping the ground before popping back up again. Aang elbowed Sokka in the ribs, caught his eye and frowned when he realized her brother might not find her movements quite as appealing.
The floor crowded again, egging her on in her movements and joining in the festivities after a few minutes of observation. The children had disappeared and when Toph realized she hadn't heard much out of Lin in awhile she sent a vibration through the ground to find all the kids behind a shrub passing around a glass of champagne as if it were a ticking time bomb.
It was so innocent she chose to do nothing about it at the time, figuring she could scare the daylights out of Lin by revealing this knowledge at a later date.
When the kids returned to the dance floor Ursa and Bumi were acting particularly spastic, having convinced themselves they were "feeling it."
Soon, a second and longer pyrotechnic display filled the night sky, coloring the faces of the happy onlookers and signaling the end of their evening.
Toph felt the weight of Sokka's arm around her shoulder, "Well, we did it."
"But not as much as we're going to do it," she returned with a laugh as the sound of exploding shells echoed around her. As the final fireworks burst, Sokka leaned in for a kiss, "I love you, wife."
"You too, husband."
Several months later at the kitchen table, Lin was asked an important question.
"Hey Bones," Sokka began casually as he guided a few noodles from the frying pan onto her plate, "what do you think about this?"
Lin looked up from the sketch she was illustrating and indicated the space between them, "About this?"
"No," Sokka's eyes darted back and forth suspiciously, "about this," he clarified by pointing at her plate, "is this enough noodles for you?"
Lin smiled, "Yeah that's enough." She paused and looked down at her sketch, considering how nice it was having him around full time. Her sketch was based on one of the wedding photos in which all three of them pulled a face and stuck out their tongues, their first proper family portrait. "And for what it's worth," she followed, "I'm really glad you married my Mom, Sokka."
He smiled, taking a seat beside her, "Seriously?"
She nodded once, "Seriously."