Morning came and Katara awoke to the grey light of early morning filtering through the window. She groaned but rolled out of her bed, trying to quietly sneak away to bathe in the river before anyone awoke.

"Sparky makes your heart beat awfully hard." Toph's voice was quiet but Katata swung around as if she had been screamed at.

"So?" Katara's whisper faltered.

"Tell me why Aang isn't here again?" She chuckled.

The Waterbender shrugged and glared at the younger woman, despite the fact that she was blind. Awkwardly, she said, "He just isn't."

"So you're not happy with Twinkle Toes."

"Did I say that?"

"It's obvious."

Toph saw nothing, yet saw everything all at once. Katara sighed. "I don't know why I'm not happy, Toph. I'm figuring it out. It has nothing to do with Zuko."

"Had. Had nothing to do with Zuko." Toph corrected with a wicked grin. Katara's shoulders slumped.

"Fine. Had." She seethed through a clenched jaw. "You win. I'm going to go bathe, now." Katara swung around and exited the house quickly, heart pounding.

Damn it, Toph. Always had to be under her skin somehow.

The cool morning air and the chilly river water were exactly what Katara needed to wake herself up and pull out of this mess. Just herself and the water and the beautiful morning sky. Finally.

A twig cracked and Katara half-turned in the direction of the noise.

"That's her- get her!"

She wasn't sure if the 'thunk' was her head hitting rock or not, before everything went black.