The sun had long since fully set by the time Appa arrived back at the fire nation palace with his three tired passengers. Aang did what he could to make the landing as quite as possible as the others should be asleep by now and he didn't want to wake them. The main topic of conversation before all of this had been sleep deprivation with young children. He knew it was not wise to disturb the little sleep they did get.

Once they had landed he turned round to face Toph and Zuko. Toph had already pulled Zuko to his feet; he was starting to come around a little now. Before Aang could offer any help, she had jumped off the saddle taking Zuko with her. She seemed to be a keen as he was to get some rest, but not before talking to each other. Aang followed her lead, landing lightly on the ground next to Zuko. Once he was by their side, helping Zuko walk into the palace he finally noticed the patch of blood on her top.

"What happened." He sounded more panicked that he wanted.

"The wound opened up, its fine."

Luckily for Toph before Aang couldn't ask her any more questions as they were suddenly interrupted by a loud voice.

"What took you so long. The girls are starting to get really worried."

Sokka had offered to stay up, and wait for the others to return while Suki and Katara got some much needed sleep. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he had been worried too. His warriors pride had been dented by being left behind with the women and children. He understood what was, he just didn't like having to wait, sit on the side lines. When he reached them he took Zuko off of Toph's hands, by letting him lean against him as he walked his friend and brother in law back into the palace.

Aang and Toph walked behind them, they knew Sokka was talking but they weren't listening. Toph took Aang's hand in hers. "I'm glad you came." That was as close to a thank you as Aang was going to get, and he knew it.

"Me too."

He quickly lifted her hand to kiss it. He had just lowered it back down when Sokka turned round to look at them. Clearly expecting a response or answer to what he had been talking about. Aang I response offered his worried friend a faint smile and shrug of his shoulders. With a small smile and shack of his head Sokka turned back around. He understood, they needed a minute between them right now.

Before they could go to their room to talk and sleep, they found themselves cornered in Zuko's study by Suki and Sokka. Over the last few years Suki had developed a sixth sense for when one of her boys was up in the middle of the night. This sense had led her to the study. Katara been woken by baby Iroh's crying, and head the other talking. She had instating on healing Toph's cut and Zuko's head before taking him to bed. Sokka still felt left out, so he wanted to know everything that had happened, while he had been left behind. He also knew that it was best to talk about it all now, when they were all together and everything was still fresh in their minds.

"What did Azula say. Had Ozai been to see her." Toph was sitting in a chair with Sokka moving closer towards her as he asked each question. Feeling a little like she was being interrogated.

Aang was about to step in, but Toph beat him to it. She got to her feet, almost knocking Sokka over as he tried to move backwards. He was trying to avoid a punch, he was sure was going to be thrown his way.

"She is going to help us, she will let Ozai get her out. Then when he makes his move against us, she will turn on him. So no, he hasn't been to see her. Yet."

"How did you get her to agree to that." Suki was worried about the answer, but felt they had to know.

"I lied"

Aang moved over to Toph, wrapping his arms around her waist. He knew the importance of what she had just said. She never lied, at least not a total lie if she could help it. Even then it was done for the right reasons. It was a sense of honour with her. No one said anything for a few seconds, no one dared ask Toph any more questions.

"What did you find out from Roku." Toph didn't tilt her head to face Aang, instead she crossed her arms, taking hold of his arms. Holding him closer to her.

He rested his head on Toph's shoulder as he spoke as if he was only taking to Toph. Which in a way he was. "He said that only you can unlock the power. There is nothing Ozai can do. So he is no real treat." He knew that she would know he was lying, not telling everything he knew. He also knew that she would understand, this was a conversation they had to have on their own.

He knew what was said was not directed at him really, but Sokka nodded his head three or four times during the small speech. His mind working on his next plan, what they were going to do next. This was his specialist area. He was the idea guy. Formulating a plan made him feel less useless. "So tomorrow a group of us can go and search for him, then ..."

"I think we should leave the planning for tomorrow." Suki moved forward wrapping her arm around her husband as she spoke. "Let's go check on the kids before we go to bed" Suki was more observant than her husband, who she gentle pulled him out of the room.

"I think you need to get some rest too." Katara gentle pulled Zuko from his chair. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder he let her guide him out of the room. While letting out a deep breath, Katara wrapped both of her arms around Zuko's waist. She gave a quick glance back to Aang and Toph before they were left alone to talk. Aang shout her a smile, to say thank you.

Once they were alone Aang moved Toph around to face him so he could kiss her, while keeping his light hold on her waist. "I am so glad to see you."

"It's only been a day, not even..." She was quickly silenced by another kiss.

"Don't make me say something mushy. Like I miss you when I don't see you for..." Toph this time silenced him with a hand over his month.

She gave him a look that told him to stop with the romantic talk, he didn't have to tip toe around her. She was no longer angry at him, she was ready to talk about the serious stuff now. "What else did he say."

Aang didn't answer. He slipped his hands from her waist to take her hand as she dropped hers to her sides, and led her out the room, along the corridor and up the stairs to their room. Toph let him lead her, she knew that he was going to answer her question, he just wanted to do with a bit more privacy. He never kept anything for her. Well, he had only kept one thing from her. He only did that to protect her. So she could forgive him for that, as long as he never did anything like that again.

I know that this was a boring and short chapter, but I needed to bridge to the next chapter. The next few chapter will be a payoff, of what has been built up to. So thank you for reading.