OH MY GOODNESS. I've been rendered speechless...

Thanks everyone soooo much for the reviews/faves/alerts! it sure brightened my day!

I meant to post this earlier today, but I got a tad busy. OK: Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA nor the song "Pretending" from Glee. (I HIGHLY recommend listening to this song. it is absolutely DIVINE!) unfortunately, i didn't use the full song in this chapter. but expect it to show up again!

Sounds like Nalren is slowly becoming a favorite. So, lucky those of you who like him, he is in the first part of this chapter! along with Toph and... (I can't tell you but I'm sure you know who it is)

enjoy! I quite like the beginning of this chapter. Toph rocks.

-TSA

Chapter 19:

"A man never knows how to say goodbye; a woman never knows when to say it." ~Helen Rowland

"I think we're close!"

"How would you know? You're blind!"

Toph stopped walking and slammed her foot into Nalren's shin, causing him to topple over and howl with pain. She set her hands on her hips, "I have a seismic sense."

"Which means…?"

"I can sense vibrations in the ground and perceive objects through it."

Nalren nodded while hobbling to his feet. He set a hand against one of the walls, which soon gave way due to Toph opening the passage. He was sent crashing to the ground, staring up at Toph who strode past him with the dignity and pride of a noblewoman. If he told her that, she'd have pounded him into the dirt, so he chose to remain quiet. Once more rising to his feet, he dusted off his tunic while cursing himself for not dressing in his armor.

But everything had happened so fast. Briar's letter was urgent and he had no time to round up The Avatar. He'd found Toph while he was scrambling his way down the hallways. Why he had asked her to join him at first was a question to him, but now he was finding her more helpful. That being said, he couldn't assure himself that anyone else was safe or that even he would be safe. Hand resting on the hilt of his sword, he meandered up beside Toph, who was peering into the darkness of one of the cells.

"Who are you?" Chronos wearily murmured, trying his best to get a better look at the girl.

"The name's Toph."

He pondered the name for a moment, "Toph…You mean the blind earth bender from the Bei Fong Family?"

"How do you know that?"

He caught a glimpse of her stature, a girl no older than twelve with a sturdy stance of her hands on her hips. A smirk wove its way onto his chapped lips that ached for a cool drink of water. He struggled to his knees while his hands curled around the bars of his prison cell, "I didn't expect you to be so small…"

"How do you know who I am?" she shouted, agitated by his reference to her height.

"I tried to unite my city with yours." He felt a blush rise in his cheeks at the notion of what Ulysses had attempted to arrange, "Your parents disapproved of a marriage. They said you were too young and I didn't have enough to offer."

Toph lifted a brow, "You wanted to marry me?"

He wrinkled his nose, "You make me sound like a pervert…"

Toph glanced over her shoulder, seeing Nalren draw his sword, "There isn't any time to be fussing over this. We need to get you out of here."

Chronos went to reply in protest until he watched Toph take hold of the metal cell bars and tear a hole through the center of them. She threw aside the broken material, but he was too shocked to move. Staring at her in disbelief, he was seized by his tattered tunic, by Nalren, and dragged from the prison. Toph's hands braced against the wall and opened a passage, which they rushed into before the Dai Li came stomping into the dungeon, shouting orders to search for the missing lord.

When they found a place to rest, Chronos yanked Nalren into a tight hug. The display was slightly awkward, but the rook returned the gesture. Upon hearing Toph clear her throat, Chronos released his friend and gave him a light punch to his shoulder, "About time you came to my aid."

"I've been caught up in a lot of things." Nalren followed after Toph as she led them along the tunnel, "Princess Briar needed me to assure you were safe-"

"Why would she want me safe? So she can kill me with her own hands?" He laughed spitefully, "When I find that backstabbing bitch, I'm going to wring her throat with my own hands!"

"There's more to this that you're missing, Milord."

"And what would that be? Has she conquered my city already?"

"It's more complicated, Milord-"

"Spit it out, will you, Nalren!"

Nalren grimaced, stopping for a moment to grab Chronos by the shoulders. Staring hard into his eyes, he fought to see his expression in the gloom of the tunnel, though he was sure it was fuming from his "beating around the bush", "Milord, Princess Briar has allied herself with the Fire Nation with a plan that I don't think is reasonable, but I'm going along with it." He sighed, feeling Chronos' glare burn into him, "I penned a letter to Ulysses, asking for clarification of a certain date-"

"Spare me the details and just tell me what's going on!"

Nalren blushed a little, thankful for the darkness, "The Day of the Black Sun. She's been researching it and claims it's the only time that the Fire Nation will be powerless."

There was a silence. Frankly, it lasted longer than he would have thought it to. When he saw Chronos turn his back and shuffle after Toph, he wondered if everyone was being played for a fool. What good would come out of anything Briar had done-?

That was when the thought hit him. It was sinister to say the least, but he wondered how Chronos would feel about it.

"Milord!" Nalren rushed up beside him, "You do realize that if we live through this, you'll inherit Ba Sing Se."

Chronos stopped walking, brow lifting in curiosity, "With that, I'd have no need for Briar's marriage…" He shook his head with a laugh, "I gain a kingdom for the expensive of a life. Seems a tad unfair, don't you think, Nalren?"

"I'm not so sure what is fair and what isn't." Nalren glanced at the cavern that opened before them. His eyes panned over the glowing crystals that allowed him to see the solemn gaze of Chronos, "Not anymore, at least…"

"We live in a crueler world than we have assumed." Chronos stepped into the light of the crystal cavern, stretching his aching limbs while Toph strode through the emptiness, "Why are you in Ba Sing Se, Toph?"

She glanced over her shoulder, and by the way she looked at him, he would have sworn that she wasn't blind, "From what I can tell, I'm here to rescue you."

He took that as an insult, "I don't need rescuing-!"

"Explains why you were sitting in a prison cell for three weeks…"

He wrinkled his nose while stomping over to her, but all his anger washed away as he stared down at her smirk and that challenging expression on her face. He gave a little laugh, feeling foolish for being intimidated by a small girl, though she certainly didn't act her age. Nor did she act like a girl… "You can bend metal. That's an impressive skill."

"Keep admiring it!" She laughed while he groaned with frustration, "You want me to teach you it, don't you?"

"It crossed my mind."

"We can worry about that if we get out of here alive." Toph punched his shoulder, which made him let out a tiny 'yelp', "I don't trust that princess, no matter what Nalren says!"

"Well, it's not like I trust her either!" Nalren strode up between them, defending himself, "I just have a bit of an insight, that's all…"

Chronos sighed, "What exactly is she planning? And what's this shit about the Day of the Black Sun?"

"I told you, it's the only time fire benders lose their powers-"

"Why would Princess Briar care about that?"

Nalren shrugged, "I don't know, Milord."

But he truly had a notion that he knew what she was planning. It was practically suicidal, and he was hoping that all her "training" would let her live through it. There were just other people she'd need removed if she wanted a clean escape. He was praying that she wouldn't ask him to kill anyone.

. . . .

The crystal catacombs, possibly the most beautiful thing she had set her eyes on since her stay in Ba Sing Se. Running her fingers along the green stones, she circled around the small cavern that served as a dungeon for her prince. They hadn't said a word to each other, as she expected, when she was given permission to see him. It pained her to take orders from Azula, but it was her only way of securing herself passage to the Fire Nation once Ba Sing Se was conquered.

Face to face and heart to heart. We're so close yet so far apart.

But no matter how long she paced around, admiring the natural beauty about her, he wouldn't look at her. His eyes were cast to the ground, where he sat so still, knees tucked up and arms lazily resting against his thighs. He looked to be in thought, though about what was beyond her. When she strode closer to him, he balled his hand into a fist and lashed out at her, an arch of fire sweeping in front of her face. She used her arms to shield herself, stumbling away from him while grasping hold of a wound that was scorched black.

I close my eyes, I look away, that's just because I'm not okay.

Tears threatened to fall, but she pushed them back while staring at the bleeding gash on her forearm. She tenderly ran her fingers across it, the sight of her own blood a painful memory as it were. Jet…his blade ripping through her side…The bandages around her waist seemed to grow heavy, as if the wound had reopened. Turning to face Zuko, she saw him with his head in his hands, and she wished she knew if there were any tears that cried for her.

But I hold on, I stay strong, wondering if we still belong.

"You never loved me, did you?"

His words stabbed at her heart, piercing through the softened metal, "Do you truly believe Azula?"

"I don't know which one of you lies more." He glanced over to his right, shaking his head, "But it all makes sense doesn't it? You were just playing me for a fool. I've fallen right into your hands-"

"Shut up!" She stomped over to him, "You don't understand anything! You don't know what I've been through!"

He rose to his feet, seizing hold of her wrist and holding her close to himself, "Why won't you just tell me that you love me?"

"Because I don't know if I do!"

Will we ever say the words we're feeling, reach down underneath and tear down all the walls?

She tried to wiggle herself away from him, ashamed to have caused the shocked glint of his eyes. His lips trembled, his body quaked, and his eyes betrayed him. All his lovesick emotions poured out as tears, but he wouldn't release her. Slave to his broken face, she felt herself crumble as his lips met hers. She could taste his tears, taste his confessions, taste his strengths and weaknesses. There were no words for it, just a torrential downpour of affections.

Will we ever have our happy ending or will we forever only be pretending?

He pushed her backward, turning his back while cursing quietly, "My Beautiful Betrayer…" His hands were clenched into fists, "Why do I love you?"

She stumbled over to him, hands sliding along his shoulders that tensed under her touch. She pressed a kiss to the back of his neck before wrapping her arms around his midsection and burying her face between his shoulder blades, "You don't want to love me, Zuko. I'll only hurt you."

She felt him sigh, smiling at the calming beats of his heart. He covered her hands with his own, entwining her fingers with his before spinning her in front of himself, "Hurt me, heal me…That was our bargain."

"I don't want to hurt you anymore…that's all I'm good for."

Will we always, always, always be pretending?

He threw his hands up in the air, shouting nonsensical words while storming about the cavern. Running his fingers through his hair, he glanced over at Briar, finding her green eyes. A single tear streamed down her cheek, rolling down her chin, then along her neck. It was a mesmerizing sight, that small droplet of water. He stepped toward her, but retreated with a shake of his head. He was done fighting for her.

"Is this goodbye?" he whispered.

How long do I fantasize? Make believe that it's still alive?

He closed his eyes, not bothering to look as she held his face in her hands. He bit his bottom lip to fight against falling victim to her tender mouth as she kissed him. There were more tears, a salty taste that made him shiver while he allowed himself to envelope in a tight kiss that was a battle of dominance. Tongues tangling, he suffocated her in his embrace, aching to feel her heartbeat in her chest. She gasped for a moment, air becoming the most important commodity, before his mouth found hers again.

Imagine that I am good enough and we can choose the ones we love.

He'd won. It was enough. He didn't need to fight for her anymore. He could just fight against her. Her body grew limp against him, her nails digging into the material of his tunic so she could hold herself up on her feet. His hands slid along her spine, entangling themselves in her cascading waves of brown hair, keeping her mouth from venturing too far from his own. It wasn't a beautiful bond that they had made with one another. No, it was a fierce battle of never wanting to let go, but knowing it was all they could do.

But I hold on, I stay strong, wondering if we still belong.

Those damnable tears stung his eyes, but he refused to let her know that she had that ability, the ability to make him cry. Both gasping for oxygen, chests heaving against one another's, he gently ran his thumb along her cheek to wipe away her final tears. For once, those green eyes had completely surrendered, and if he wanted it, she would have submitted to all his desires. But he was done with all it, having spent his last bit of affection in their goodbye kiss.

Will we ever say the words we're feeling, reach down underneath and tear down all the walls?

"Is this goodbye?" she muttered.

"You know it has to be this way," he replied.

She ran her fingers along his cheek, trekking over his scarred half, "The sad truth, and I'm the one driving the stake."

"You promised to be there in the end." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, "So, don't make this forever."

Will we ever have our happy ending or will we forever only be pretending?

There was a smile, though however small, that cracked a bit of sunlight onto her grave features. Staring into those amber eyes, she wanted him to kiss her again so she could be left to his merciful affections. Could she truly say goodbye? For the one instance that she had found love, she was finding it more difficult than any physical challenge she had experienced in her sixteen years. But what more could be done? Their paths were set for two different places.

They had arrived at the crossroads of their destinies.

Will we always, always, always be-?

Idk about all of you...but Toph totally OWNS Chronos! He tried to marry her! As if she'd have agreed to that...

then there's Briar and Zuko. they have finally been confronted with the paths of their destinies, but is there a chance that those paths lead to the same place should certain choices be made?

just food for thought, my dears!

i hope everyone is still enjoying this story! I know I haven't revealed Briar's full plot, but i want all of you to keep thinking on the Day of the Black Sun and why she would be interested in it...

Hmm...that is all i leave you with aside from my request: REVIEW.

thanks! chapter 20 will be out in a couple days!

-TSA