Chapter 18

Zuko could feel the sun.

He knew without opening his eyes that it was mid-morning, just by the feel of the rays. He tried to open himself to the fire that normally filled him each day, bringing him life and energy. But the way was blocked—like a frozen river.

But just like water could flow under the ice, fire flowed over him, gradually weakening the barrier between him and his element. Soon, little cracks appeared, letting the sunlight pierce through, slowly stirring heat and life into his system.

He forced himself to breathe, to draw in those sharp little beams until he began to feel his energy rise—maybe not to normal levels—maybe nowhere near—but at least enough that he could finally become fully awake.

He opened his eyes to see Toph sitting beside him in a sort of earthen lounge chair, complete with umbrella. He looked down to see that he lay on a lounge of his own in the full sun. For a chair made of rock it was surprisingly comfortable. However, he was a bit concerned that he was without shirt or trousers.

"Hey, Sparky," she said softly, rising quickly to sit on his lounge beside him. "How do you feel?"

"Better," he managed. "Where are we?"

"We are in our own private courtyard in the mountains. It's beside a cave hideout of Jet's," she explained. He looked around to see that they were indeed surrounded by ten foot walls. "You needed the sun on your body, but I didn't want Mai and Katara ogling you," she explained with an irrepressible grin.

"What about you then?" Zuko asked, taking in her fully clothed state. "You look a little overdressed to me," he managed to tease, albeit weakly. "Let's see some skin."

"You are better, aren't you?" Toph laughed. "Don't you worry. I'm doing just fine in the shade. Firebenders don't have to worry about sunburn, but earthbenders do."

She leaned forward to give him a kiss on the forehead. He tried to reach out for her, but he was still too weak. "This is ridiculous," he grumbled. "How much longer am I going to be like this?"

Now he was getting angry. Toph was very glad to see it—if he was strong enough to be grouchy, he was definitely better. "Just keep soaking in that good heat, baby," she said with a grin. "You'll be up and about in no time."

Back in the cave, Jet gathered what few provisions he'd stored there. He was glad to see that nothing had been disturbed since his last visit. Maybe that meant his hideout was still secret. He glanced across the room at Mai. Once Toph had opened that incredible new doorway into the caves, Mai had been much more willing to enter.

Now she explored the large central room, looking around in amazement.

"So, what do you think?" Jet asked as he opened a clay jug to check its contents.

"It's interesting," Mai responded evenly, "if you like this kind of thing." She glanced up a little nervously. "I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep with those things dangling over me like that," she said with a shiver as she pointed up at the stalactites that hung from the ceiling.

"Maybe you can get Aang or Toph get rid of the ones over your bedroll," Jet said with a laugh.

"I hope so," Mai replied with another nervous look at the ceiling.

"I take it you don't like caves," Jet continued as he rose to check the boxes on a rough storage rack.

"Not particularly," she said. "I don't like to have so much ceiling between me and daylight." She walked back toward the large open porch Toph had created. "This is much better. Plenty of sunshine."

"I hope I can talk Toph into putting it back like it was when we get ready to leave, though," Jet said as he moved a couple of low stools toward the fire pit. "Having it this open is just an invitation for someone to find it. Then it wouldn't be much of a hideout anymore."

Mai turned to look at him. "Why do you need a hideout?" she asked. "Who are you hiding from?"

Jet shrugged. "You never know. I like to have a place to go where I know I won't be found."

Mai thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "I can appreciate that," she said.

Katara and Aang walked up to join them.

"How's it looking in here?" Aang asked. "Do you think we can make it a few days?"

"I think so," Jet replied. "Most of my supplies are still good—basic but usable. There's plenty of water in the spring."

"I was thinking of flying in to Omashu to pick up some more food and extra bedding," Aang said. "I don't think it will take more than a couple of hours to get there."

"Sounds good to me," Jet replied.

"Would either of you like to go back to the city?" Aang continued. "This might be your best chance for the next several days."

"I'd better stay here while you're gone," Jet answered immediately. "No one else knows the area as well as I do just in case there is trouble. Just let the guys know where I am if you don't mind." Then he glanced over toward Mai.

This was her chance, she thought. She could pull up stakes right now and head back to her old, safe, independent life.

On the other hand, it was actually fun to be off with the group. "I think I'll stick around to keep Katara company while Toph's busy tending to Zuko," she heard herself answer.

"Okay," Aang replied with a little smile, "just thought I'd offer." He looked back at Katara with a slightly raised eyebrow, then walked over to knock on the wall of Toph's courtyard.

"Yes?" Toph called.

"It's Aang. Can I come in a minute?" he asked.

"Sure," came her reply and a section of thick wall parted like a curtain to admit him.

He walked through the thick dust that fell around him, bending it away with a little cough as he reached the other side.

"Have a seat," Toph offered, waving another lounge chair up from the ground.

Aang sat, surprised by how comfortable it was. "Hey, this is nice," he exclaimed. "How do you make them so cushiony?"

"It's all in the wrist," Toph replied.

Aang looked over at Zuko who lay on his own lounge, his eyes closed, looking for all the world like he was sunbathing on the beach rather than recuperating from a serious illness. "How are you doing?" he asked.

"Okay," Zuko replied, opening his eyes. "Much better."

"Feel like traveling yet?" Aang asked.

"Yes," Zuko instantly replied.

"No," Toph countermanded firmly. "Give it at least a couple of days, Sparky," she said as she reached out toward him. "You know what will happen if you push too fast."

"I'll get better faster in Omashu," Zuko replied firmly and went so far as to sit up on the edge of the chair.

"Fine," Toph agreed, standing up. "We'll go back to Omashu."

Zuko sat there for another moment before finally sinking back into his chair in exhaustion, a serious frown on his face.

Toph looked down at him sympathetically. "Another day or so, maybe?" she asked quietly.

Zuko nodded weakly.

"Okay, baby, we'll give it another day or so," Toph agreed sweetly.

Aang felt so sorry for him. He vividly recalled how he'd felt after Ba Sing Se so many years ago. He'd been so weak and so angry about being so weak. Maybe Toph had the right idea to keep him separated from the rest of the group. Not only would he be ill-tempered, but watching the rest of them be healthy would only make it worse.

"I'm headed out to pick up some extra supplies and to let Sokka and Suki know we're all okay," Aang said, rising from his surprisingly comfortable seat. "Any special requests?"

"Just something good to eat that does not involve catgator," Toph replied with a smile. "And how about some some ginger candy?"

Aang agreed and hopped back over the wall in a puff of air. Within moments, he and Appa were sailing out of sight toward Omashu.

When lunchtime rolled around, Toph dropped a section of wall to let everyone come in and join them for the meal. She did, however, see that Zuko was properly clothed again. She wasn't kidding about not letting Mai and Katara ogle him. She knew how good her husband looked. There was no need to tempt fate.

"Toph, would you mind taking a short walk with me after lunch?" Jet asked. "I'd like to be sure we'll stay undisturbed up here. The path runs through a narrow canyon. It wouldn't be hard at all for you to block it."

"Sure," Toph replied, then looked over at Zuko. "Do you mind, Sparky? I won't be gone long."

But Zuko was asleep again. Toph took his bowl from his hands and made sure he was comfortable.

"Don't worry about him," Katara said quietly. "We'll keep an eye on him until you get back."

Toph nodded and followed Jet out of her courtyard and onto a little rough path that led back down the mountain. The going was pretty easy at first, then they approached what Toph immediately saw as some very unstable shale.

"Be really careful here," Jet said, reaching out a hand to help her. "The ground is very loose."

"I appreciate your concern," Toph began with a smile, "but don't worry about me. At least not where the earth is concerned." With Toph's small gesture, a walking path appeared before them, its surface as smooth and solid as a ballroom floor.

"My deepest apologies," Jet said with an impressed laugh. "I am not used to traveling with someone who can change the terrain to suit her."

"I don't make it a habit of changing the terrain," Toph replied, a little miffed. "And when we leave, this shale field will be just like we found it. I just can't have you sliding to the bottom of it and breaking your leg, that's all. You are too big for me to carry."

"How do you know how big I am?" Jet teased in return.

"I can see you perfectly well and you know it," Toph replied as they traversed the slope.

"Then you know if we're truly alone up here," he surmised as they reached the bottom where a narrow canyon opened before them.

"We are alone," Toph said and turned slowly to take in the landscape. "Except for a cute family of prairie mice living in a burrow under that grassy knob, a bunch of assorted insects, including several scorpionspiders"--she shuddered at that-- "and some birds that just landed on that ledge overhead."

Jet whistled in appreciation of her gift. "Then let's see about finding some dinner. What are you in the mood for?" he asked.

"Anything but catgator," she answered then watched in curiosity as Jet pulled his sword out of its sheath and stuck it into the dirt beside him. Then he placed his hand on the pommel lightly and closed his eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Listening for dinner," he answered softly. "It's a trick I learned from Sokka, surprisingly enough."

"Sokka puts his ear to the hilt to hear the vibrations," Toph replied. "And usually without much success. How are you listening with your hand?"

Jet just stood there a second with his hand still lightly resting on the hilt of the sword, his head tilted slightly. Then he looked up at her. "Dinner—that way," he said firmly, pointing into the canyon.

Toph followed him curiously as he walked down the trail, stopping after a few minutes where a vine grew out of the wall. He gave it a tug, but when it wouldn't budge, he knelt before it to dig it out with his fingers.

If he hadn't looked so happy about finding the huge cassavayam, she'd have just earthbended it free of the canyon wall. However, she could tell Jet was so pleased with himself that she just let him have his moment.

When the root finally came free in a shower of sand and dirt, she was very impressed with the size of it. And seriously confused as to how he'd found it.

"Looks delicious," she said, bending the remaining dirt off the surface—and off of Jet.

"It will be once it's baked and covered in butter and honey," he replied, rising from the ground to heft the large root over his shoulder. "The mooselions usually keep the vines eaten down to the ground. Makes them harder to find."

They began to walk back up the trail. "About finding them," Toph began, but Jet cut her off as he gestured to the canyon around them.

"This is the spot that would be the easiest to block. A fake rockslide will cut off anybody trying to get up this way, but won't look suspicious," he suggested.

Toph looked around and agreed. Very little destabilization had to be done to the rocks on the hillside to send several large boulders down into the canyon to block the trail. She tweaked the placement of a few of them to make sure they would stay in place, then turned back to Jet.

"As I was saying," she continued firmly, "how did you find that root?"

Jet began to walk up the trail, his head down in thought. At last he spoke up, "I'm not exactly sure how it works," he began. "Sokka showed me how to amplify vibrations with a knife years ago, but after I found this sword, I realized that it amplified something other than vibrations."

Toph listened intently. Sokka's meteor sword had many unusual properties, she recalled. Not the least of which was that it was very bendable for her.

"So how do you hear this other thing it amplifies?" she asked curiously.

"It's a kind of listening," he replied slowly, "but not with the ears. I'm listening with my whole self." Then he shook his head. "It sounds crazy, I know," he laughed, "but I don't know how many times I've heard an ambush ahead of me or a group of bandits behind me. Not to mention finding dinner," he laughed, shrugging off his self-consciousness.

Toph stopped in front of him, placing her hand on his arm. "Jet, it's not crazy," she said firmly. "It's earthbending. You're hearing the earth with an earthbending sense. I thought you said you weren't a bender."

"I'm not," he replied uneasily. "I can't do anything even remotely like what you and Aang can do. All I can do is get little hints about what's ahead or behind or growing or roaming around me."

"That's the first thing I learned to do when I was little," Toph replied softly. "I learned to listen to what the earth had to say to me. Benders who only learn to manipulate the earth never understand the heart of earthbending."

She pulled him over toward a convenient rock and sat down on it, and when he hesitated, she pulled him down next to her. "Put down the cassavayam," she ordered, "and look at me."

"Jet," she began once she had his full attention, "you are an earthbender. More than that, you've discovered on your own what most earthbenders never understand. They see earthbending as power, as strength, but fail to see the connection between themselves and the earth."

She looked around her. "We are all part of the earth. Everything is connected to it. Even birds have to land," she said as a large falconhawk touched his feet down onto the peak far above them. "The earth has so much to tell us—not only about where things are and what they are doing, but also about our own actions and how they effect the world around us."

"When you can listen to what the earth has to tell you, you understand neutral jing—not just the attack or the retreat--but the waiting, the pause between thought and action," she said. Then she gave him a long searching look. "Does any of this make sense?"

Jet looked back at her intently. "Not really," he replied.

Toph heard his words, but also heard his heart. He was lying. He understood exactly what she meant. He was just avoiding the discussion—why, she didn't know.

As they rose to walk back to the cave, he pondered her words. He never had any idea that what he did was some kind of earthbending trick, he tried to tell himself.

Then he upbraided himself for the lie. He knew that what he did was a kind of bending. He just tried not to think of it that way. For too many years, the question of what kind of bender would he have been had nagged at the back of his mind.

For too many years, he'd told himself that it was pointless to even wonder what he could have done with his talent if things had been different. That was water under the bridge. Just another thing the Fire Nation had taken from him when they took his parents, his childhood, his home.

For a moment, all the old resentment surged again inside him—resentment against the nation whose soldiers had robbed him of everything, whose prince had gotten him imprisoned and nearly killed, whose attack had separated him from the only friends he'd had left, whose departure had left nothing but desolation and chaos.

Nearly every bad thing that had ever happened to him, nearly every bad situation he'd ever been in could be laid directly or indirectly at the Fire Nation's door.

Then he thought of Zuko—lying sick and weak back at his hideout. He'd heard about how hard Zuko and his uncle were working to make amends with the rest of the world, how committed they were to peace for everyone.

And Zuko was even committed to making peace on a personal level. Not only had he apologized to Jet for the past, he'd shown how human he could be when he'd risked his life for Toph and when he'd entrusted her to Jet's care.

Then Jet's thoughts turned to Mai. Since leaving the swamp it had been easier to treat her like one of the group, but she wasn't just one of the group. He found himself constantly looking for her, keeping her in view, watching her.

There was something about this girl—this woman—so capable, so fierce, but so vulnerable at a level she took great pains to hide. He couldn't deny the attraction between them, the little thrill that ran through him whenever they touched. He could tell she was holding back—on him, on the entire group.

She was Fire Nation. She'd actually helped Princess Azula conquer Ba Sing Se. That much he knew. But there was so much he didn't know about her.

And as embarrassed as he was to admit it, he wanted to know everything. At least he'd be able to remember her when all this was over and they'd gone back to their lives.

As they walked back into camp, Toph immediately went back to Zuko's side, shooing Mai and Katara out of the courtyard. "Sorry, ladies, but Sparky needs more sun time."

As she sealed the courtyard with a wave, Jet carried the large orange cassavayam over to the firepit and built up the fire, dragging out some good coals for baking.

Katara went into the cave to see what kind of spices were stored inside as Jet walked over to a large bananachestnut tree to cut off some of the large leaves. He softened the leaves in the fire, then rolled them around the cassavayam, tucking it into the coals he'd pulled aside. Mai watched him with interest.

The afternoon passed quietly, peacefully. As the sun began to set, Toph dropped her earthen courtyard walls with a small cloud of dust that settled too quickly. Zuko walked out of the clearing under his own power, but only barely. He managed to get to the low seat Toph bended for him next to the firepit, but trembled a little as he sank into it.

"How are you feeling?" Katara and Mai asked almost simultaneously. Katara immediately brought out a crystal blue orb of water, but Zuko waved them both away.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he answered a little testily.

They wisely gave him some space, joining Toph in the cave—probably to talk about him, Jet guessed sardonically.

"It stinks, I know," Jet offered sympathetically. "I've done my time getting over stuff. It's never easy. Especially when somebody's fussing over you."

"Yeah," Zuko replied, clearly tired.

Jet rolled the large cassavayam over in its bed of coals. It would be ready soon. He was really looking forward to it. He hoped Aang thought to bring some butter—otherwise, they'd just have to eat it with honey alone. Which wouldn't be bad. It just wouldn't be as good as it would be with butter.

Then he felt Appa touch down. He felt all heavy and furry. It was interesting. "Aang's back," he heard Toph call. Then she announced, "And he's brought company!" just as Jet felt them hop to the ground.