I feel I should apologize if I was a bit snarky or rude in the last chapter. I was just a little frustrated. I just feel that I put a lot of time into planing and writing the stories, and I know that people are reading them and that is great, I would just like a little input sometimes. I write because I want to, but I also want people to like the story. For that I would like to know what the readers think. That way if there is something in the story that people don't like, or would like more of, then I can do that. Sorry to go on about this again, I won't do it again. It just gets to me sometimes.

The summer sun had been up in the sky for a while, when Toph finally started to wake up. She had had a fairly uneventful sleep once she drifted off again. A small gust of wind blow in through the open window. Moving her hair into her face forcing her to start to sit up.

"Morning."

Aang pulled himself to sit up in the chair. He had been sitting there for about two hours and had leaned back into it, to be more comfortable. He did go back to his room, and like Toph slept fairly well. He woke a few hours ago at his normal time. Just after he was up and dressed there was a knock on his door. It was a maid letting him know that the king was ready to see him and Toph in the throne room when they were ready. He asked if they had been to wake Toph, they said no, so he asked them to leave it to him.

As quietly as he could he knocked the door. When he got no reaction, he slowly creped the door open. The room was cooler than his due to the open window. Almost on tip toes he walked towards the bed. The teasing he could get if she could see him tip toeing across the room ran through his head. He would never live down the nickname twinkles toes if that happened. Toph was curled up on the right side of the bed, facing the window and the chair next to it. For a brief moment he thought about waking her up, but quickly decided against it. Instead he sat in the chair and waited for her to wake up on her own.

"What are you doing here. Did you sleep there, I told you..."

"No I've only been here for a hour or so." He decided against tell her how long he had really been there "How are you. What happened last night." He moved forward on the chair, so his elbows where resting on his lap.

Toph was silent for a while, as she thought of the best way to explain to Aang what happened. "It was just a dream...a bad dream."

"That's an understatement. I have never heard you scream before, ever. It must have been something really bad for you to scream like that."

"You haven' heard me when those maids try and dress me in a frilly dress. I could scream the place down."

"Toph." His tone let her know that she wasn't fooling him. He saw through her attempt at making light of the situation. "How are you." He sounded so sincere, she couldn't lie to him or brush him off.

"Tired, but I am used to it...scared a little."

"Its ok..." While he spoke he got to his feet and walked over to her. A need to take her hand, or hug her over took him. Before he reached her, she moved out of the bed and walked over to the dresser next to the window.

"I need to get dressed, the King is waiting isn't he." Aang nodded and moved to leave. Just before he left she said something else, so quietly he almost didn't hear her. "Thanks Aang." He glanced back, but she wasn't looking his way. She was pulling two front strands of her hair back from her face. He slowly closed the door behind him as he left.

A short time later Toph now fully dresses meet Aang, who was waiting outside the Throne door. Like their other audience with the King the door was opened for them by two guards, who then lead then into the room. Then proceeded to stand by the throne.

"Avatar, General. I think that would be the correct title now that..."

"That's fine." Her head was lowered, but her voice came out loud and sharp. Aang watched the earth king taking a deep breath to stop himself from snapping back.

Once it had past him he went on. "I have some news for you on the jade bandit."At this Toph's head shot up. Her eyes wondered around more than normal. Before Aang could ask her what was wrong the king went on. "But first." he gestured for the guards to move. "I am sorry for this, but needs must." Toph while letting out an exaggerated sigh held out her left arm to the guards. The handcuff was quickly fastened around her wrist. Attention then turned to Aang, who reluctantly held out his right arm. Once the cuffs were fastened the guards moved back to stand by the throne. "Now that that unpleasantness is over, I will tell you both about a new development.

Aang had glanced over at Toph while the earth king was talking. He expected her to say something like, unpleasant, that's an understatement. Try invasion of personal freedom. But she never did. It was a little worrying how easy it was for him to think like her.

"Lady Shou, a guest from the banquet, who is staying at the palace for a few days clams the jade bandit was in her room last night. She saw them at the desk by her window, where she kept her jewellery."

"Did they take anything."

"No, she woke and must have scared them off before they had the chance to take anything."

"We'll go talk to her about it now. Is she still in her room."

"Yes. She's in the left corridor, second from the end."

Toph nodded and moved to leave, pulling Aang along with her. He had been quiet will she talked to the earth king, but now they where out of the throne room he started asking her questions. "Do you think it really was the jade bandit. They may have the emerald with them..."

"I don't know, maybe we'll find out."

They where now about to start walking up the stairs, when something occurred to Aang. "Wait." He stopped in his tracks and gave a weak pull on the chain to stop Toph too. "Do you think she knows about this." He lifted the chain up for emphasis.

"I don't know. He let us out of them for the banquet, so I don't think he wants people to know."

"So what do we do." Toph gave a shrug. "We could wear robes with long sleeves, wrap the chain a little around out wrists and stand close by each other."

Toph was silent for a minute as she tired to mentally picture how this idea would work out. "How would we get the robes on in the first place. Plus its summer, its to hot to ware a robe like that." Pulling Aang's arm a little, she moved to cross her arms in-front of her chest, and lean back against the wall. "We've just going to have to go up there like this. If she asks we'll tell her the truth, there isn't anything else we can do."

you can bend the chain apart. Thought Aang as he followed Toph up the stars. He wouldn't bring this up again, not after what happened the last time. A horrible thought crossed his mind as they reached the top of the stairs. How where they going to change clothes chained together. If they couldn't put on a robe how were they ever going to be able to change clothes for bed, or the next day. An even worse thought came to his head. Where were they going to sleep tonight. Before he had the chance to voice any of these concerns he heard a knock on a door, and realised that they had reached Lady shou's room.

A hight pitched voice answered the knock with a detached enter. Toph pushed the door open and will a look of irritation crossed the threshold. The room was much the same as the ones Aang and Toph stayed in. the only difference was this one had window that faced out over the grounds of the palace. Aang had a view of the city. Being at the end of the corridor Toph's over looked half of both. It seemed a little ironic to Aang that Toph was the one to get the room with the best view, maybe next time they were here he would ask to swap with her. You maybe sleeping in her room tonight. The voice in his head said. He shout it out as he turned his attention back to scanning the room for an clues of the jade bandits presence.

"The king said that you had an intruder last night. Can you tell us anything about it." Toph's whole face and demeanour changed. She was once again the well spoken polite young lady she was in-front of the king and at the banquet last night.

Lady Shou was a women in her fifties. She seemed over dressed for the summer weather. She wore a long detailed robe that looked very heavy. Her hair was severely pulled back into a bun, that was decorticated with a large hair ornament. The hair its self had a touch of grey to it. The make up she wore was also applied heavily. "That is correct Lady...Bei fong." Toph knew that she hadn't forgotten her name, she must be a friend of her step-mother or even her father and was just trying to insult her. She choose to let it go..

"Actually, its lady Toph. My step-mother and mother before her were Lady Bei fong." A self-satisfied smirk crossed her face as she moved to the centre of the room. "Now, what can you tell us about what happened last night. What did you see."

Lady Shou let out a sigh as she moved to sit on the bed. Her face fell into a frown, she looked a little troubled. "I woke up and saw the jade bandit over at the desk. They turned round to face me. Then left through the window." Her eyes had drifted over to the window as she spoke.

"Did you see them land or..."

"I was frozen in fear. I couldn't move. I don't care if they landed safely."

"Of course not, I was just asking." Toph's voice had a hint of irritation to it. Lucky Aang was the only one that noticed it.

Toph edged slowly over to the window. Leaning against the frame. It took Aang a bit of time to realise what she was doing. She couldn't see if there was any sign of forced entry, but he could. He didn't have to look very hard to see that there was nothing to see. The window looked fine. The only thing that was of any interest was that the drop from the window was a very high one.

"Is there anything else you can tell us, what they were wearing. Did they take anything. Anything at all could be of use."

"It was to dark to see. They didn't get anything."

Toph turned to Aang. She was asking him if he was ready to go, or did he want to look around more. He gave a subtle shake of his head. Toph turned back to face Lady Shou. "Thank you for your help. Sorry for bothering you." Pushing herself off the window frame she moved to leave the room. As he past her Aang gave Lady Shou a slight nod.

"I think what you are doing is a disgrace. You had everything your father could give you. Like a selfish brat you through it all back in his face. You run around with.,..." Her sharp eyes left Toph and fell on Aang. "Looking like a common..."

"That's enough." No one in the room expected Aang to be the one to snap. Toph felt Aang about to say something more, so she forgot the chain, too hold of his wrist and pulled him out of the room before he had the chance to say anything else. Toph kept pulling him till they where a few rooms away from Lady Shou's. "Why did you let her talk to you..."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it dose." Pulling his arm away from her, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Toph what is wrong. You are acting..."

"I just don't want to make all of this worse than it already is. I just want to get it over with as soon as possible." There wasn't much he could say to this. He knew there was more to all of this, but if he kept asking her about it, he would be the jerk. She had him trapped. "Did you see anything that could..."

"No." He dropped his arms and took a step back. "The fall from the window is pretty high though. I don't know if someone on there own without earth or air bending could have gotten in and out through the window."

"Are you implying that your the jade bandit."

"No, what..."

"You just said that you would have to be an airbender or earthben..."

"I was just saying..." He was silenced by her laughter.

"You are to easy." Aang moved to walk away, but was quickly reminded of the chain. It dawned on him that Lady Shou hadn't said a thing about the chain. She must have been too caught up in her own problems. "Aang." She knew she didn't have to call him back, he couldn't get very far away from her now anyway. She felt she owned him this much as least. After all she was the reason they were in this position. "I know I have been acting...strangely. There is a reason, I cant tell you, but it is a good one. So can we just focus on this and get it over with as fast as possible."

Aang turned back to face her again. If she was willing to make a little effort then he he would to. "So...what did you find out from Lord Toro last night. I should have asked you..."

"Well there was the yelling. Then the...screaming and then the you being nice to me." While she spoke she moved her arms around more then was normal, to show she was ok. That she was fine. For a second he almost believed her act. "Nothing really. It was a waste of time."

There was something she wasn't saying. He didn't know if it was about last night, or to do with her odd behaviour. "Do yo think the jade bandit was here last night."

"I think she believes that they were. Really no, I think she was seeing things."

"Why didn't you tell her that."A look of what are you talking about, isn't it obvious spread across her face. "Ok, I guess she wouldn't have taken it well." Toph moved to lean against the wall by the door. She could tell Aang had more to say. "Do you thing it's the jade bandit that took the emerald."

Toph was silent as she thought of the best way to answer his question. "I think..." Her face fell, for a split second Aang saw the walls fall, as she was about to tell him something she hadn't intended. "Lord Hong asked the jade bandit to take the emerald. There are reports of this happening before and I think Lord Hong did the same thing."

"I never got around to that report I guess." An awkward laugh escaped his lips.

Toph let out a faint laugh too. "No you didn't. The earth king had those reports kept secret."

A look of frustration crossed both their faces for a while before Aang asked another question. "Did you know lord Hong. You spoke like you did just then."

"I meet him once, I was about nine. He visited my father. It was the first guest I was aloud to be introduced too. I guess at nine they thought I was going to live so no need to hide my so much any more." He could taste the bitterness in her voice, it was so strong. "I remember I was dressed in this hot itchy dress, and my hair was pulled back so tightly. All I wanted to do was tare my hair out, pull of the dress and runway." She was quite for a second as she realised how much she had said. "He was taking about retiring...and what he was going to do with the emerald. He wanted it to go to the village. It makes sense that he would find a away, anyway to do that."

For the first time since all of this started Aang felt like he was starting to get a clear picture of what was going on. There were still a lot of thing that made no sense to him, but he would find them out in time. "I get you want to deal with this all in your own way. I just don't get how you could let her get away with talking to you like that."

A slithery mischievous look slowly crept across the Petit earthbenders face, as Aang looked a little more closely at her. He hadn't seen that look in a while. "Well...I may have metalbent the lock on the door, so it stays locked." Aang was about to start laughing, when a look so worry crossed her face. "I think we should get away from that door."

"Why."

"Because she's walking towards it."

Taking hold of her hand Aang pulled her behind him as he took off along the corridor. He stopped when they reached an alcove a little down the corridor, which he pulled them into. Form here they could watch what was going on from a safe distance. The banging on the door was so loud it cased Toph to cover her overly sensitive ears with her hands. Lady Shou was a lot stronger than she looked, to be able to make that much noise. Toph finally lost control and burst into loud hysterical laughter. Aang quickly covered her mouth, in case Lady Shou would hear her.

It was then that he noticed what Toph had tried so hard and so far be able to hide from him. "What happened to your neck, you have a huge bruise." Her laughter abruptly stopped. Aang moved his hand from her mouth so she could answer. Even the banging seemed to be muted as she racked her brain for a good lie, excuse. "Did I do that...when we were fight yesterday with the chain..." His voice trailed off, unable to finish.

All most against her well her head nodded. Finding this to be the only response she could give. She felt his hear sink, and she hated herself for being the reason for that. She hated lying, epicyclically like this. She had to keep in mind the bigger picture, play the long game. Right now it didn't seem worth it though.

"I'm sorry..."

"Please not. I gave as good as I got. Forget it please." He noticed that she had said please twice in more or less the same breath. So he respected her wishes and nodded, letting it go.

In silence they descended to the lower floor in search on someone to realise Lady Shou from her room. Toph could bend the lock back to normal, but she didn't want to be near when the old lady was released. She wasn't scared, she just didn't trust herself not to burst into hysterical laughter again. The rest of the day was spent like the day before in the library, With Aang reading the reports he didn't get around to the day before.

That night however they weren't released from the chain. Like Aang had thought, he was going to be spending the night in Toph's room. Both with their years of living out of a pack, sleeping out in the open, were fine with sleeping fully clothed in clothes they had worn all day. At least for a few days. It surprised Toph a like how this simple idea of something she had done before felt odd to her now. Maybe she had become to settled. Toph slept in her bed and Aang slept in his sleeping bag. Toph had to stay on the right side of the bed closest to the window, or Aang maybe pulled up form the ground.

At first Aang had had to try and drown out the sound of Toph tossing and turning while she tired to get to sleep. He noticed the blue bottle she had had with her at the eastern air temple when they were training Yunru on the bedside table. It was half empty. She must be using it again to help her sleep, or maybe she always used it. After a while he drifted off to sleep, he thought she would do the same soon. A little after midnight Aang woke from his light sleep. Even with the window open, the room was still filled with warm air that stopped him from fully falling asleep. He was about to try and see if the chain was long enough for him to reach the window, so he could sit by it and get some cool air. When he realised the other handcuff lying by his pillow. He shot up and found the bed empty. Toph was gone.

Again thank you for reading, I hope you likes it. There was a lot of dialogue in this chapter, I think it is one of the longest chapters I have written, because I wanted to try and clear up a few things, make the plot a little clearer. As so to remind everyone what is going on. Because the main plot was kind of dropped a little to set up a few thing for later in this story and parts of the story. Like always any comments or opinions are very welcome. It is really the only way I can think to make the story better. For you to tell me what you don't like and what you do like about it.