Toph's finally had the baby, now maybe things will calm down…maybe. Time for visitors. Enjoy.

Thanks for all the reads, comments, etc. It makes me smile :D.

As always, characters by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Story by Me.

*11/10/2013* Pressing on little by little. Thanks for your time.

Parents and Friends

The next morning the Avatar's household was somewhat back to normal. Kya and Bumi were back home and running around. Tenzin sat on a blanket on the floor cooing at his father while Aang tried to get him to say 'Dada'. Katara was in the kitchen cooking breakfast while Sokka complained about the fact that they didn't keep more meat on the island, and in a room down the hall Toph was feeding her new baby.

She was fascinated about how this little one made her feel. There weren't words in any language that could describe how much she loved this little person who wasn't even a day old. Lin was so tiny and soft and she smelled like, well she smelled like baby. The new mother found everything about her child amazing: the way she moved, the little sounds she made, even the way her hair curled under Toph's fingers. Lin was just wonderful.

Lin had just stopped suckling when Katara came in with Toph's breakfast, "Good morning", she chirped, "It looks like I came just in time." She placed the tray on the bed next to Toph and took Lin so her mother could eat.

"Hey Katara, I've been thinking." Toph said as she pulled a piece from the roll on her plate. "I want my parents to come see Lin."

Katara paused in her rocking of the baby, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, but they have to stay in here with her and you, Snoozles or Twinkle Toes has to be in the room or by the door the entire time they're here."

Toph shook her head 'yes' and Katara went to the kitchen, the baby still in her arms, "Aang, could you come here and minute,"

"Sure," he said, getting up from the table, "What's gong on?" he asked when he got to where his wife was standing.

"Can you go into the city and get the Beifongs. Toph said that they can see Lin, but they have to stay in the room and one of us have to be nearby the entire time."

"Yes, I'll go get then, is she sure that's what she wants?"

"It seems like she is.", Katara answered, adjusting a now sleeping Lin in her arms, "I'd better go lay her down, she has a long day ahead of her."

At about midday Aang returned home with Toph's parents. He helped Lao and Poppy Beifong off of Appa, then he escorted them to the house.

"This is a lovely island Avatar Aang.", Poppy commented.

"Thank you. I never would have been able to build it if Toph wasn't such a good earth bending teacher."

The Beifongs didn't respond. They heard of all the things that their daughter had done over the years, but they still considered her helpless and fragile.

Aang spoke again, "Toph has asked that the baby stay in the room with her at all times and that myself, my wife or brother-in-law be nearby at all times."

Lao responded, "Yes Avatar Aang. We will not take her daughter like you took ours all those years ago."

The air bender stopped in his tracks and turned around, "I didn't take her, she told us that you changed your mind when she was really running away from her small minded parents who treated her like she couldn't do anything." He turned back around and continued to the house.

Lao and Poppy silently squinted at each other and continued to follow Aang to his home. When they came within viewing distance they were shocked that The Avatar lived in such a humble home. They expected a mansion, but he had a normal house, something that you would find in the middle or upper level of Ba Sing Se. "What a quaint home you have.", Poppy commented as they neared the door.

Aang knew that 'quaint' was a rich person's insult for small and poor, but the pretended not to understand the insult. "Thank you. It's just big enough for my family, and we have space for a couple of friends to visit.", he turned away from them and rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to be rude.

When they got to the house, the Beifongs exchanged pleasantries with Katara, Sokka and the children. They wondered where the servants and nannies were. They were sure that even though the house was humble the Avatar and the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe would at least have two or three employees. Why would people of their stature take care of three small children and a home on their own. Not to mention all the flying bison and lemurs they'd seen as they approached the island.

Katara, with Tenzin on her hip, lead Toph's parents to her room. She knocked on the door, "Toph, you're parents are here."

"Come in,", Toph said, reaching into the cradle and pulling Lin into her arms.

Her parents stepped in and saw a sight that they never thought they would. Their poor blind baby sitting in the middle of a huge bed with a baby of her own in her embrace. They silently stepped forward to either side of their daughter's bed. Once again the new grandmother was the first to speak, "Toph darling, you look well." she said stiffly.

"I'm better that I've ever been.", she said, smiling sown at the newest Beifong."

Her father spoke next, "The Avatar would not tell us anything about the baby, only the stipulations of our visit. Are we allowed to know the details about our grandchild."

"I told Aang not to tell you anything, I wanted to." she told her father, "This is my daughter, her name is Lin Beifong."

"May I hold her?", Poppy asked, barely containing her excitement at having a beautiful little granddaughter. She could just imagine all of the beautiful little frilly things she could buy for the baby.

Toph handed her baby over to her mother, knowing that Katara was still at the door. She also heard someone else approaching the room. The steps were too heavy to be Aang, so it had to be Sokka. She felt herself blush at the thought of him. He'd held her hand while she was in unimaginable pain. He took all of her abuse and he'd confessed that he loved her in spite of it. If she hadn't been in such a messed up situation that would have been the best thing ever, but she had too much on her pate right now to think about anything remotely pertaining to a romantic life.

Lao and Poppy held and coddled the baby for hours, only letting go of Lin for her to be changed or fed. They'd never done those things, not even for Toph. That's what nannies and wet nurses were for. They saw that Toph and the baby were well supported here, but what would happen when she returned home?

Her father wanted to say something, but he realized that he should tread lightly. After all, he was in the Avatar's home and his wife and brother-in-law were the most famous water bender and warrior in the world. He also knew that his daughter was a force to be reckoned with herself, but she was recovering from childbirth, so that made her slightly less threatening.

Toph was tired of the awkwardness, she slid to the side of the bed and put her feet on the floor. She instantly felt two familiar people coming up the hill, "I'm going to hit the head.", she announced, just to annoy her parents. She eased her way to the door where Katara and Sokka were standing, "Snoozles, my delivery from the Fire Nation is here, and my nanny is too. Can you and Twinkle Toes go to the porch and greet them?"

"Nanny?", Katara and Sokka said at the same time as Toph headed across the hall.

"Yeah, I sent for a nanny. I'm going to have to go back to work sometime, I'm going to need someone to keep Lin when I'm not home. I'm going to the bathroom, keep and eye on my girl Sweetness."

The siblings looked at each other and shrugged before Sokka made his was down the hall. He informed Aang about what Toph said and the men took the children outside to greet the new guest.

Aang and Sokka had just set foot out of the door when they saw the silhouettes of two people coming up the hill, the something swooped from the sky on to the man's shoulder. "Momo?", Aang said. He ran toward the man and woman when he it clicked who it was.

Almost a year earlier Momo had gone to Kyoshi Island with Ty Lee. He'd had such a hard time dealing with Kya and Bumi's crying when they were babies that Aang asked the Kyoshi Warrior to take Momo with her for a while. Momo went happily because he knew that a woman's growing belly meant that one of those little screaming things was coming.

"Zuko! Ty Lee!", Aang yelled as he ran to his guest with his children and brother-in-law on his heels and his baby in his arm.

They all engaged in a group hug. The Zuko pulled away and turned the unscarred side of his face to Aang and Tenzin. "Aang, it's good to see you, and this is little Tenzin. He does look just like you."

Aang smiled and put a knowing hand on Zuko's shoulder, "You don't have to hide it from him."

With that, Zuko turned his full face to Tenzin and smiled when the baby didn't flinch.

"Uncle Zuko," Kya said, pulling at his pants, "where's Ursa? Didn't you bring her so we could play."

No little one, I didn't.", he said, picking up his daughter's best friend, "Uncle Zuko's here on business, I can't stay long, but I'll bring her back soon, I promise."

"Uncle Zuko," Bumi chimed in, "Why aren't you wearing the cape? I like the cape."

"I left it behind Bumi. I wanted to be comfortable while I traveled.", he bent down to the warrior-in-training, "I did bring my armor though."

"Yay! Cool!", the little boy said as he jumped into Zuko's other arm.

"I thought Toph said there was a messenger and a nanny here.", Sokka said, " She must be losing her touch."

"No she's not," Ty Lee said, "I'm the nanny and Zuko's the messenger."

"You?", Sokka asked, shocked, "You know how to take care of babies."

"Yep", she beamed, "I've got fifteen nieces and nephews. I think I'm a little qualified. Besides, who better to protect the baby than a chi blocking Kyoshi Warrior."

"When Toph came back from the bathroom her mother was walking Lin around the room and humming. When she saw Toph come into the room she stopped and said, "Toph, did I hear you tell the Water Tribe Prince that you had a nanny coming."

"Yes, I told Sokka that I had a nanny coming.", she replied as she crawled back into the bed., "And don't let him hear you call him a prince, he's a warrior."

"Well," Poppy turned to Katara, "You two are the children of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, aren't you?"

Yes," Katara responded, "but we don't see ourselves that way."

"Oh," she turned back to her daughter, " well then, with a nanny then perhaps Moo-Chee will come back."

"No he won't," Toph said flatly, "He left us and he better not dare come back."

"Toph, be reasonable", Lao said, "He is your husband. What will people say."

"I don't care what people say. He left us. I don't need him, I have…', she almost said Sokka, but she caught herself, "I have friends here who love me and are willing to be there for me. They don't treat me like a helpless child!" there was silence, "Mother, give me my baby." she turned her head, "You two can leave now."

"But Toph…", Her mother said as she handed Toph her little girl.

"Please Mother, just go.", Toph said quietly as she hugged Lin to her.

Katara watched the Beifongs walk out into the hallway and turned back to Toph, "Are you okay?", she asked,

"I will be."

Katara walked Toph's parent into the living room where they ran into Aang and the other. "Ty Lee! Zuko! What are you doing here?", she said as she ran into her old friends' arms.

The Beifongs were taken aback by the informality. "Fire Lord Zuko, it is an honor to finally meet you.", Lao said as he and his wife bowed to the young king. "We are the Beifongs of Gaoling."

"Please," Zuko said with a smirk, "I get enough of that at home. Toph's parents don't have to be so formal."

"Excuse us Fire Lord, but we will never understand how casual all of you are."

"Well", Aang said, passing Tenzin to Sokka as Momo jumped to Katara, "we've been through a lot together, we're a family."

Poppy said, "But I thought Toph said that a messenger and a nanny were here?"

"Yes Madam Beifong," Zuko replied, "I and the messenger and Ty Lee of the Kyoshi Warriors is the nanny."

Poppy and Lao looked at each other, confused. A majority of the most powerful people in the world were under this roof and they were conducting themselves as commoners.