Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender.

A/N: Unlike the fluffy "Betrothal," this is a darker piece. As such, it is rated T, and will probably be the only one like that. Just thought I would give a word of warning.

Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. It is much appreciated!

OoOoOoO

002: Worst Case Scenario

OoOoOoO

Another hot blast erupted over their heads and slammed into the far building. Flames and smoke billowed from the charred, skeletal remains.

"Remind me again why we agreed to do this?" muttered Toph, as she and Sokka huddled close to the ground.

Sokka was beginning to wonder the same thing, but he decided to give her an answer anyway.

"Because we promised to help Zuko out, and he is such a good pal of ours?"

"Screw that! I didn't sign up for this!"

He heard the screech in the air and prepared himself for another assault. The mesh of blue fire and lightning made the thin, wooden wall behind them shudder. Another building, old and already falling apart, burst into hot flames. Sokka shielded Toph from the rain of heavy debris.

"Ah...!"

Sokka winced when he heard her agonized grunt. She visibly shook with the effort to mask her pain. A nasty burn covered the length of her right arm. She had taken a direct hit only seconds after they had walked into the ghost town.

"Sorry... Toph, we need to-"

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" sang the madwoman. Shaking with hysterical laughter, Azula's voice echoed high and clear above the roar of her own fires. "Don't you want to play with me anymore?"

A third blast came dangerously close to their hiding place.

She was getting closer.

Only a few weeks ago, Azula had escaped from the Fire Nation mental health facility on Ash Island. Sokka and Toph had volunteered to track her down and, if at all possible, bring her back to the Fire Nation for further treatment. It had been hard, deadly work, and he and Toph had managed to follow the former princess' trail to the wilds of the Earth Kingdom. The trail had led here, an abandoned fishing town, built on a series of wooden docks and planking that hovered just over the deep, frothing river. Everything had been going so well...

But it was looking like it had been Azula who had been chasing them, and not the other way around. It was a perverse game of cat and mouse, and he and Toph were now trapped and at the mercy of an insane, severely unstable woman.

"What's wrong?" she called. "Is something the matter? Why won't you come out and face me? You can't hide forever!"

Sokka could just imagine Azula wandering the docks, wild hair shrouding her pasty face, eyes darting every which way, head wagging and gait jolting, as she searched for them. It was a frightening image. He was reminded of all the stories about ice-witches he had heard as a child.

This one wanted to eat them all up, too.

"Are you afraid?" said Azula. "That's strange. I thought you wanted to see me! Stop being rude, and come out!"

Only the sound of their collective breathing, Toph's raspy and shaky, came to his ears. He held her close. For a brief moment, he thought that alone would protect and shield her from the eyes of the enemy. It was a foolish idea, but it gave him a flicker of hope.

"Just keep quiet," he whispered into Toph's ear. She shivered. "I'm working on a plan. It's going to be okay, I promise."

She only nodded. It was the best assurance she could have given him.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, is it?" The lady's laughter rang out like a shrill bell. "No matter. Be that way. You are out there though, aren't you? I know you're listening, my little rats, so listen well and good! We are going to have so much fun together!"

Sokka wracked his brain for an idea, any idea at all. There had to be some way out of this...

"Let me guess. My dear brother Zuzu is much too high and mighty these days to come and take care of me himself. Is that it? How disappointing…I must say, I'm hurt! Not even the Avatar himself bothers with me. Should I be glad or insulted?

"And, instead of great and powerful warriors, they send you two instead, eh? Hilarious! The buffoon and the gimp! Surely you can see the humor in this... How brave of you both, to give your life to protect your friends…"

Sokka thumbed his empty sheathe and swore beneath his breath. His weapons were gone. He had lost them in their first mad attempt at escape. He had a feeling Azula had kicked the sword and club into the river.

The river was much too wide, and now very rough thanks to the spring thaws, for them to risk swimming, and Toph was only a beginner. They would be quickly spotted, and then fried by lightning, before they even had a chance to taste freedom.

They were also too far from the riverbank to make a dash for it. Azula had cornered them in such a way that they would have to go through her sights to escape. No matter what course they could have chosen, it would only put them in more danger. She would catch them.

Worse yet, the former princess had done everything in her power to limit and keep Toph from becoming too much of a nuisance. The wooden planking and buildings ensured that the Blind Bandit could not even think bending a way out, and the burn wound only made Toph slow and vulnerable.

Azula could not have created a worse possible scenario for the intrepid duo if she had tried.

A series of smaller eruptions, more like concussion blasts than the previous attacks, sang in the air and blew an entire house apart.

"She could find us if she wanted to, you know," said Toph. She hid her face in his side to cough. The smoke made both their throats burn. "She's only doing this to make us squirm."

He knew she was right.

"I've known for quite some time that you have been following me," said Azula. With each passing moment, her voice drew closer and closer to his and Toph's shelter. It would not be long before she found them. "Why do you think it was so easy for you to chase me? Can you guess? Have you realized it yet? Have your memories been jarred and senses shaken, my pets?"

Her laughter pealed, short and quick and panting, as if she could barely control herself. "Yes, yes! That's right! I planned it all, don't you see? I did. It was all a pretty trap, just for you. Isn't that nice? Aren't you just the lucky ones?"

Sokka mentally kicked himself. It was his fault that they were in this situation. If only he had been more aware, more careful, he might have seen the warning signs. He should have known that it was too good to be true, and that with Azula it was best to always expect the unexpected. He was dealing with another strategist, after all, and one who had always proven herself to be his superior. Even while in the grips of insanity, she had tricked them, and drawn them into a trap.

And now, because of his lack of judgment, it could be too late, not only for himself, but for Toph...

No! No, he could not think like that. He was not about to let that monster hurt Toph. There was a way to get out of this. He just had to find it.

He had to.

She was not thinking too clearly. Could he use that against her?

If only there were some way Toph could bend...

Maybe there was!

"Would you like to know what I am going to do with you?" asked the unstable woman. "Would you? Oh, it's going to be quite the treat for you two, that I can promise! So would you? Yes? No? I think I'll tell you anyway."

His eyes scanned their surroundings. Wooden buildings, some standing, others framed by flames and smoke, met his gaze. Where was it? Sokka knew he had seen it, sometime before he and Toph had walked into this hellhole. Had he been imagining things?

"You two are going to be my special toys. It's been a while since I got to have some fun. It is dreadfully boring at that place Zuzu sent me to. Always locked up, always watched! Can you imagine? I suppose not. You've been free this entire time. There is no amusement to be had there, you see, none at all. I missed it so much... I missed the air, the sky, freedom! I missed being adored…

"And then I got away, and you two came along. It must be providence. The spirits sure do love me, don't you think, my little rats?"

Her humming was loud enough to hear even over another blast of fire. "Oh, I forgot. One rodent should be called a mole, shouldn't she? How silly of me. Why don't you come out and play with me, little mole? I know you want to. You wanted to roll my head once, remember? Come out and try it! Do try not to run into any walls, though."

Toph scowled but did not respond to the obvious baiting. She did mouth the word "bitch" though, he noticed, and the small hint of Toph's unwavering strength made him smile despite the danger they were in.

"Just think of all the time we have! So much time to spare, all the time in the world maybe. We are very far from civilization, you know. No one around to hear you scream... And I do plan on hearing you scream," said Azula.

Toph gripped his arm and jerked her head. Taking a chance, Sokka peered around the edge of the wall. He quickly whipped back around. The former princess was almost on top of them. A few more yards, and she would see them, huddled into the corner of a roofless house. He was running out of time.

"Your fates won't be quick, either. I'll make it last for days. Days! The only thing you'll know, ever know again, is pain. I'll make each of you bleed, burn, cry and beg for mercy, and force the other to watch. You two are close now, aren't you? I could use that... What would you do, I wonder, to protect the other? I guess we will have to find out, won't we? How terribly exciting! I will finally have a chance to do what I wanted to on the day of the eclipse!"

Come on, come on, where was it?

The hot roar of flames slammed past them. It came close to singing his sleeve, and Sokka scooted closer to Toph to avoid the remains of the blast. His heart seemed to pump in his throat.

This woman was insane. He had known it before, but listening to her rant and rave about torture, and enjoying it, made his blood run cold.

Was she too far gone to save? He almost felt sorry for her, and then he remembered that she was going to do unspeakable things to Toph. That he could not forgive or forget.

"I want revenge," said Azula, slow and sure. He heard her booted feet padding against the wood. "Revenge for the humiliation, the betrayal, the hurt, everything I have suffered these past four, almost five, years! I had wished to have another shot at your darling sister, Sokka boy, but I suppose I will have to make do with you and your girl."

A chortle escaped her throat. "Not that I am complaining, mind you. You two will do quite nicely. And when your little friends see what's left of you, after I'm done? Oh, ah, yes. That will be justice! They locked me away, they forgot about me, but it will be they who pay! I will show them all! I am not defeated!

"Water, water, everywhere, but nowhere to go. Nowhere but to me!"

And that was when he saw it. The black tower jutted just over the roof of a former shed. It was almost hidden by the shadows of the forest. It was an abandoned weapons factory. Sokka guessed it had been used a lot during the War, because the river provided excellent transportation of goods and supplies, but after peace had come to the world it had fallen into distant memory and disrepair. But it could still be useful, and was their only means of surviving this encounter. It had the one thing he and Toph needed.

Metal. And, hopefully, there would be lots of it to spare.

He took Toph by the shoulders and pulled her close. Their foreheads met and he stared deep into her glassy eyes. Toph took in a breath, surprised by the sudden movement. To reassure her, Sokka stroked her cheek and squeezed a slender shoulder.

"Do you trust me?" he asked. He spoke in the lightest of voices. If Azula heard either one of them, it would all be over.

Her eyes widened. "What?" she whispered.

"Do you trust me?"

"You know I do, Sokka. Wha-"

"I have a plan, but you have to do exactly as I say. And trust me that things will work out. Okay?" She nodded, worry creasing her brow. "Good. Now, I am going to stand up, and make a run for it."

Toph grabbed him by the arms. "No!" she hissed, through clenched teeth. "Are you crazy? She'll kill you!"

"You said you trusted me. I need you to do that for me, Toph. Please. Now, listen."

Toph looked rebellious, and almost ready to protest, but she nodded again.

He sighed gratefully, and said, "I will distract her, and lead her away from you. When that happens, I need you to follow behind us. Don't get so close that she can see you, okay? You'll know what's going on when we get there."

"Why not just tell me now?"

"No time to explain."

"Sokka..."

"The factory, Toph. There's a factory over there, remember?"

Understanding flooded her face, and then blazing fear and doubt that struck him harder than any blow. "But, Sokka… My arm… What if I can't-?"

"You said you trusted me. Well, I trust you too. I know you can do it. We'll get out of this together, Toph. Me and you, together, just like always." He kissed her, lightly, on the forehead, and smiled. "Ready?"

"Might as well be. You're going through with it anyway. Idiot."

"That's my girl." Sokka took a deep breath. "Remember, not until it's safe for you to come out... Well, here goes nothing."

"Be careful, Sokka."

He could not chance talking to her again. Moving away from her, slowly, he almost crab-walked to the end of the wall. Sokka hesitated, sweat running down his temples and cheeks in torrents. Once he stepped out and away from this wall, there would be no turning back.

But when he looked back at Toph, staring uselessly out in his general direction, cradling her injured arm and covered in sooty ash, he made his decision.

Sokka stood and ran out into the open. As close as she had been, Azula saw him immediately.

"There you are, filthy peasant!" she crowed triumphantly. "I've found you!"

A wave of blue fire charged his way, burning up the wooden space that separated them. He jumped away and rolled to avoid the blast, and then pushed himself up again to run as fast as he could down the wooden docks. The rapid tap-tap-tap of boots pressed after him.

She was laughing again.

Don't look back. Just don't look back. Keep running!

Sokka cleared what had once been a low-hanging fence or guard rail. A screeching tongue of lightning just grazed his wolf tail. He fell to his chest on the planks. The fearsome attack sailed overhead and struck a building not far ahead, destroying it instantly.

Breaths now coming in short, rapid gasps, he scrambled wildly, hands and feet setting him upright again, down the docks again.

"You can't run from me forever!" she shouted. Sokka spared a look over his shoulder, and saw her standing on the railing. Her hair, matted and untamed, fluttered in the wind caused by the meaty explosion. A savage smile ripped across her face. "I will catch you!"

She moved her arms, and Sokka dove into a side-alley. A wave of flames burned the planking where he had been standing only moments before. Without time to take a breath, he bolted out the opposite end of the narrow path, and headed for the black form that he knew to be the factory.

If only it could be that easy...

He dodged and weaved through the remains of the village, took refuge for only seconds at a time before running again, and struggled to avoid the madwoman on his tail. Several times she almost caught him. Fire and lightning screamed and danced all around Sokka, hot and burning and deadly, shoving him down and forward and into the walls. He knew that he would have several burns and bruises to show for this bold plan of his.

It was like the entire world was on fire.

Each and every time, he managed to avoid capture, and whatever fate Azula had planned, but he was tiring.

His side ached. His legs grew heavier and heavier, and his head swam. It was hard to breathe in a world of ash and thick smoke. The former princess' laughter, shrill and hysteric, rattled his nerves.

And there it was. The factory, built on supports that kept it off the water just like the village, reared up before him. Its steel doors hung off their hinges. The entrance now looked more like the open maw of a feral beast, ready to swallow anything and everything whole.

Sokka fell into the abyss.

It was dark inside the factory. Only small dapples of light wormed their way through the stained windows and cracks. Cobwebs hung from the rafters and the musty air smelled of mildew and rot. The floor was littered with cast off pieces of scrap metal. Had he only been exploring, Sokka might have found this place very, very creepy.

Now, though, he could only smile. It had exactly what he needed.

"A dead-end then, is it?"

He turned and backed away until he hit the far wall. Azula stood, framed, at the front doors. Sokka felt some sort of twisted satisfaction to see that she was just as winded and exhausted by the chase through the village as he was.

She stalked into the cavernous chamber. Now, more than ever, she looked like a rabid tiger-wolf. "You've trapped yourself," she said.

"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?"

"You think you are going to get out of this?" She giggled, unnaturally, and waved a dismissive hand at him. "Silly boy. Haven't you realized by now that your jokes just aren't that funny? And, like it or not, it's over for you. I have you now." A mixture of flames and lightning flickered at her fingertips. "And, oh, do I owe you..."

Sokka watched her carefully. Until Toph came (if she came, that is) he was on his own. But without any of his weapons, Azula definitely had the upper hand.

"I see you don't have your muscle with you," she said. Her smile shifted into a sick sneer. "Pity that. Did she abandon you? Poor Sokka. You do have the worst luck with girls, don't you? Now your latest fuck has left you to die."

"I won't deny that I have bad luck." His mouth was very dry. "But you're wrong. She didn't abandon me." He left the truth hanging in the air. He supposed he should have kept quiet, but defending Toph's honor seemed the right thing to do. Hearing anyone talk badly of her set his blood to boiling. "Toph is better than that."

"Then where is she?" asked the living, breathing witch. "Oh, I see. You sacrificed yourself to save her." She chortled again, and it made her entire body shake. Sokka thought it looked more like convulsions. "How brave of you! I thought this might happen, of course, though I was so dearly hoping to have a special time with each of you."

Her amber eyes glinted in the dim light of the factory. "But I suppose beggars can't be choosers. I will just have to have extra fun with you then, Sokka, to make up for not having the earthbender as a pet."

She started moving in sequence. Sokka recognized the pose, and knew that she was about to bend lightning. Her monstrous visage stared up at him the entire time, smile never fading, chortles never quite slipping away.

"Scream for me..." she whispered, and brought up her clawed fingers.

A scrap of metal flung out of the darkness and caught Azula in that hand. The former princess cried out as she was dragged back and slammed into the nearby wall, her entire arm now trapped. She screeched, tugging at the thick restraint, but was unable to free herself.

"Not too much fun to be caught the same way as last time, is it?"

Both Azula and Sokka turned to face the emerging figure.

The madwoman's face twisted with rage as she hissed, "You! Filthy little mole! How dare-!"

Sokka smiled. "I told you so, princess." To the newcomer, he said, "What took you so long?"

Toph graced him with that toothy grin that he knew and adored so well. "You try finding a way through a raging inferno sometime," she said. "See how easy it is for ya there."

"Well, you can try running from-" Sokka noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. "Toph, look out!"

Azula had lashed out with her free hand. A swirling torrent of blue flames hurtled towards Toph.

But the earthbender was ready and bent down to the floor, dragging up a steel slab in front of her. The fire struck the shield and dissipated off to the side.

Toph leaned back on her good arm, swinging her left leg up and around. Another piece of metal, a large slab that had probably once been part of a door, flew into the air and struck the former princess. It pinned Azula completely to the wall.

A moment's silence passed on the factory floor.

It was broken by Azula's screams and curses, some so foul even Toph winced, as she fought and struggled against the trap but could not get away. It did not take her long to tire herself out. Defeated, Azula, face flushed and tears running down her cheeks, hung her head against her heaving chest. She glared at both Sokka and Toph as they came to stand in front of her.

"Good work, Toph," said Sokka, patting her on the back.

Toph could only nod curtly. Her burned arm had to be killing her by now, he realized. Even a small amount of bending would have put a great deal of strain on her, and she had just done something impressive. He would have to tend to the wound as soon as he could, before the damage was too great.

And was that a blush he saw, or a trick of the bad lighting?

He smelled smoke and burning flesh, and heard Azula whimper. He had a feeling he knew what was going on.

Sokka returned the lady's glare with one of his own.

"Don't bother trying to escape," he said. He made sure to stand close beside Toph. Even captured, he did not trust Azula for one second. "You'll only end up badly burning, or killing, yourself if you try any bending behind that metal. It's over, Azula. You're coming with us."

"Oh, no, no, I don't think so."

The rage flitted away from her haggard appearance, only to be replaced by a sort of wild glee. It made Sokka's stomach turn.

"I'm not going back," she said. "You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? Lock me up again, forget that I exist? But no, you won't. Not this time. I'm never going back to that place. Never. I won't let you. I am going to a different place entirely, my pets."

Her eyes flashed. "And I am going to take you with me!"

Heat began to build up behind the metal slab. Azula screamed in agony but did not stop. Fire spilled from her mouth and edged out from the ends of her restraints. Lightning began to spark around her. The entire floor began to shake.

"Oh no... Run, Toph!"

Sokka grabbed the girl by the arm and dragged her away. They raced out of the factory, their feet pounding down what was left of the docks.

The entire world exploded.

OoOoOoO

A dull throbbing in the back of his head stirred Sokka. Moaning, he cracked his eyes open and winced. Tears blurred his vision. He blinked them away and, struggling to turn onto his side, took in his surroundings.

A river streamed along a few yards away. Dark smoke billowed in the distance. The beginnings of a forest towered all around him, and the air smelled of rain and dying embers.

What was going on? Wasn't he supposed to be...?

And then he remembered.

The village. Azula, killing herself, trying to kill him and Toph too...

Toph...

"Toph?" Sokka's eyes darted from side to side. Nothing met his gaze or answered his call. He was alone. "Toph?"

Still nothing.

Becoming increasingly frantic, Sokka screamed and pushed himself to his feet. "Toph! Toph, where are you!? Toph! TOPH!"

Oh, spirits, no... She couldn't be dead... She just couldn't be... He couldn't have lost her!

"No, no, no! Toph!" He yelled her name over and over, refusing to believe what had just happened, tears blinding him as he stumbled around, chest heaving so hard that he could not breathe. "Toph! Toph, please, Toph!"

"Holy hell, Sokka, calm down!"

A pair of small arms wrapped themselves around his middle and pulled him back. He fought the steely grip. Toph was out there! She needed him! She needed him to save her. He had to protect her. He had to!

"Toph!"

"Sokka, I'm right here. Sokka!"

The voice reached past the fog and touched him. Sokka gasped and turned around, and saw Toph holding onto him for dear life. She was wet and shivering, covered in soot, grime, and blood, but she was there and real, living and breathing.

"Toph..."he said, choking on her name. "You're…"

Relief made him sob, as he grabbed her up in his trembling arms, and, falling to his knees, held her tighter than he had ever had before.

"You're alive..." he whispered, stroking her wet, tangled hair. He peppered her face with short, sweet kisses, trailing his lips from her temple down to her mouth. "Thank the spirits, you're alive..."

"Yeah, mostly thanks to you," she said, interlacing her fingers with his. "You shielded me during that explosion, and when we fell into the river-"

Sokka leaned back for a moment, but only out of surprise. He did not let her go, though, and was careful not to graze her burned arm. He really needed to help her with that, he thought.

But she was alive... She was alive, and with him. He had not lost her...

"We fell into the river? I don't remember..."

"Huh-uh. Whatever she did, it was strong enough to send us flying into the water. But you helped us get to shore, and then you just passed out."

"How'd we get here, then?" asked Sokka. He could not take his eyes off her. It was a stupid thing to be afraid of, but he feared that if he did she would vanish away and never return.

Toph blushed. "I did that. I dragged you over here. I figured, well, we'd want to be as far away from that place as possible."

She shivered and scooted closer to him. He swore he could hear her heart beating against his chest. Sokka smoothed a hand up and down her back.

"I tried looking, but… Azula's probably dead, Sokka."

"I know. I'd be very surprised if she survived that."

"Then we failed in our mission. You think Zuko and the Fire Nation will-"

"Screw the Fire Nation and Zuko," he said firmly, kissing her. "Forgive me if I'm not that sorry about it. You're safe. That's all that matters to me. We did our best, but there was no saving her. She wanted to die. We can't blame ourselves for that. And, really, I would rather have you around than some crazy fire princess."

"I feel the same way about you," she said, giving him a bear-hug. "You were out for a really long time, Sokka. I... I'm glad you're okay."

"Don't sound so surprised. I had my partner in crime with me on this one. There's no way I wouldn't have not been okay."

He kissed her again, longer this time, and caressed her cheeks. Toph chuckled. "You're being awfully clingy."

"So are you, smarty pants," he said, smiling. Sokka imagined the stupid grin went from ear to ear. "You haven't let go of me yet either."

She kissed him this time, after running her fingers gently and lovingly along his face. "I think we deserve some cake and time off after all that, don't you?"

"Definitely. No more crazy chases and insane princesses for me. Well, at least none too soon. You never can tell what kinds of situations we'll get ourselves into."

They both took a deep breath and leaned back into the cool grass. Her head resting on his shoulder, his arm draped around her slender shoulders protectively, they found rest and comfort with one another.