Toph couldn't help but think about how ridiculous she looked in her new authentic water tribe outfit. Katara had said that she made the outfit specifically in case Toph ever decided to visit. But Toph had a slight suspicion that the clothes were hand-me-downs. It was confirmed when Toph heard Katara's mock surprise as she found a matching purple head band.

But she could care less if they were hand-me-down's, as long as she had something warm, she would be happy. Also the boots were quite comfortable, although she wasn't used to the heaviness of shoes so she felt a little wobbly.

"Wow Toph..." Aang remarked. "You look..." He flinched as Toph scowled at him.

"Like a marshmallow, I know you don't have to rub it in twinkle toes." She snapped.

"Well I think that you look like a water tribe princess." Sokka smiled at her.

She knew he was only telling her what she wanted to hear, but that didn't keep her cheeks from turning red. She turned to wear she thought Katara was standing, wanting to have a female's opinion on the matter. "I don't know. Katara do you think that this looks ok? I feel like I'm going to kill myself in this." Toph said.

Katara was actually behind Toph, so she walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Toph jumped slightly. "You look beautiful Toph, but if you want we could go shopping tomorrow."

Sokka's eye's lit up at the thought of shopping. "Oooh, yeah I saw a bag that would look amazing with that outifit!"

Toph's forehead tilted down, and she tapped her heal. "I dunno ... I don't ..." She wanted to say she didn't like it here. The ice, the cold, the clothes ... the more she found out about this place the more she wished she hadn't come. But she couldn't say it ... not now, not to Katara, Sokka, and Aang. This was their home, their place of refuge. It was part of who they were. If Toph said she hated that, then what would they think she thought of them? "... i just ..."

"Tell you what," Katara interjected, giving Toph's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "it's late and you've just had a long trip. How bout you get some rest and we'll talk wardrobe in the morning?"

"Yeah," Toph agreed feebly, feigning a yawn, "in the morning."

"Yeah, I suppose it's about time for a nap." Sokka yawned genuinely, big and loud as he turned to walk away. "Katara, you help Toph. Aang, you know where your room is. I'll catch ya guys in the morning."

"See ya Sokka," Aang responded, as he closed the gap between him and his two female companions. "Goodnight Toph." Aang then leaned in and gave Katara a peck on the lips, which she returned graciously. "Goodnight Katara," and with that Aang turned on his heel and headed off to his own bedroom.

With just the two girls remaining in the living room Toph decided to comment before Katara started leading the way to her room. "So ... you and Twinkle-toes huh?"

Katara turned her head and smiled softly as her face bloomed crimson. She wanted to say something but words wouldn't come. It was no secret that Aang and her were together. In fact, everyone had wondered why the two hadn't made it official a lot sooner.

"So when's the wedding?" Toph japed, grinning her urchin's grin as she felt Katara's pulse spike, even through the excessive layers of animal hide.

Katara cringed. That wasn't the first time she'd been asked that and it probably wouldn't be the last. "We're not ready yet," she stated firmly.

Toph scoffed at the back of her throat and rolled her eyes. "Not ready for what?" she demanded. "He's been fawning over you since the day i met you guys. You're his master, his best friend, and you trust him with your life. You came of age three years ago, almost four. And he came of age two years ago. Why not trust him with your lively hood?"

"It's ... complicated."

Toph squared off to Katara as best she could with her total blindness hampering her. Toph then jabbed a threatening finger in the direction of her taller friend. "Bullshit!" The one word hit Katara like a slap to the face. "Look, Sweet Cheeks, I may not be able to feel you lying through the ground but don't think i don't know a lame excuse when i hear one. He loves you and you love him. You both have loved each other for years and everyone knows it. There's absolutely nothing ...nothingcomplicated about that."

"But ... he's the Avatar," Katara protested, "I can't be the Avatar's wife."

"Katara, you're right," Toph said, her voice softening, "You can't be the Avatar's wife."

Katara quirked an eyebrow at this sudden apparent change in stance, but didn't quite let her guard down yet.

"But you're not going to be the Avatar's wife. You're going to be Aang's wife."

"But Aang is-"

"No, Katara. Aang is not the Avatar ... and the Avatar is not Aang." Katara was beginning to think that the small girl had suffered some sort of head injury but kept her mouth shut in case Toph had an explanation. "Yes, Aang has all the powers of the Avatar, and he can bend all four elements. But Aang and the Avatar are two different parts. They just happen to be inhabbiting the same body."

Silence passed between the two for several moments as Katara considered what Toph had just said. It was crazy. Two people in the same body. Completely ridiculous. But then ... the Avatar wasn't human. The Avatar was a spirit that manifested in a human's body.

This "two people in the same body" concept would actualy explain a lot. Like why there could only be one Avatar at a time. And why, from Aang's account, all of the Avatar's past lives had had different personalities. And also why it was only while an Avatar was in the Avatar state that the reincarnation cycle would be broken. Actualy, this would mean that it wasn't a reincarnation cycle at all. It would mean that the Avatar Spirit simply moved from host to host as they went through their cycle of life and death. But why not use inhabit an adult as a host?

That question was answered almost as she wondered it. An adult would have already lived most of their life. To maintain balance the host would need to master all four elements, which would take time that an adult was already running out of. Not only that but an adult would be more likely to abuse the newfound power for unjust purposes.

Katara's thoughts were interupted by Hakoda trodding down the hall, apparently having just woken. "Oh, good morning Katara," he greeted, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "I didn't expect you to be up this early. Who's your friend?"

"It's Toph dad. She arrived with Aang a couple hours ago," she explained.

Toph turned to the sound of Hakoda's voice and gave a slight wave. "Hey Chief," she greeted with a non-chalantness that would have made her father pull his hair out.

The name clicked in his mind and his expression turned to surprise. "Oh, Toph. Didn't recognize you wearing water tribe clothing." Something else registered in the man's mind and his expression changed to curiosity and he pointed at the clothes Toph was wearing. "Hey, are those-"

"The clothes i made for her just in case she ever came?" Katara interjected quickly. "Yup, they sure are." It took all the willpower she had within herself to try and keep her voice casual, and she only barely managed to swallow the nervous laugh threatening to escape the back of her throat.

"Oh ..." Hakoda said, not quite understanding Katara's behavior. "I just thought they kinda looked like-"

"Dad! could you leave us alone for a bit? Toph just got here and she's very tired from her trip ... and we were kinda in the middle of something." Katara's face wore a pained expression and she gestured for a key to lock the big mouth of his for now, very thankful that Toph couldn't see or feel what she was doing. Katara had in the past suggested making clothes in case Toph ever did come down but never got around to it.

For one there was the problem of not knowing exactly how big or little Toph was in certain areas, and then there was the fact that Toph wasn't very inclined to visit the South Pole anyways. So she had simply settled for keeping a good set of her own old clothes that looked like they might fit Toph (just in case).

Sokka had been briefed on what to do (or more precisely, what NOT to do) if Toph ever questioned the clothes origins. However, Dad (the one from whom Sokka had inherited his big meat-mouth and slow uptake for tact) unfortunately had not been briefed.

"Oh ... okay," Hakoda responded, confused but obediant. "Nice to have you here Toph, our home is your home. Now if you'll excuse me i guess i should go get ready for the day."

Toph furrowed her brow. "What was that about?"

Katara feigned confusion "Huh? ... Oh nothing."

Toph could tell Katara was feeding line but didn't feel like pushing the matter. "Whatever ... just ... take me back to my room."

Katara's left hand slid around Toph's waist and her right hand grasped Toph's right hand as Katara began to lead her friend up the hall to their rooms. Once there Katara took Toph to her bed and said, "If you need anything i'll be just across the hall."

"Could i get a thick slab of granite?" Toph asked retoricly, though in her mind she couldn't help but wish such a thing were possible.

Katara laughed, "I'm sorry, Toph, but rocks pretty much don't exist down here."

Toph sighed as she sad on the bed. "I know." And with that the young earthbender began to undo the buttons to her coat.

"Well," Katara said, wanting to stay if Toph needed anything but not wanting to hover, "call me when you wake up." She turned and headed back out of the room, but stopped at the door. "And Toph," she added, "Thank you."

Toph didn't say anything but gave a knowing grin in her friends direction, and with that, she was alone.