Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.

Toph halted.

Everyone behind her just stopped and looked at each other. Aang and Katara shared a confused look while Sokka gave the chief of police's back a questionable expression. Satoru was the only one that approached her and spoke. "What's wrong?"

They had only just entered the sewage system and they had already put a pause on their search. Toph breathed deeply and answered. "Uh, nothing. Let's keep going."

"Nothing? I know that there is definitely something." The engineer walked by her side. The three in the back cautiously followed while listening to the conversation.

"It was nothing. Let it go." Toph picked up her pace in hopes that her former lover would back away. She should have known his persistence better.

Satoru took a risk and placed a hand on her shoulder stopping the group once more. "Come on. Really, what's wrong?"

Sokka crossed his arms and looked at Satoru smugly. "She obviously doesn't want to tell you so why don't you leave her be?"

The engineer put his hands up and raised an eyebrow. "I was just trying to help."

"Yeah, well, we don't exactly appreciate compassion from someone who pretends to be dead. Like she said, let's keep moving."

The two men were able to stand eye to eye being the same height now. Satoru tried giving the councilman a fierce look, however, seeing that it wasn't in his nature, failed completely. Sokka just smirked at the mistake. The engineer wouldn't be one up-ed by Sokka of all people. "I don't hear your concern about her. Excuse me for being a friend."

"Friend?" The deep laughter echoed through the sewers. "Don't make me laugh, buddy."

"Maybe we should just keep looking. We aren't doing any good by staying put. We don't know what or who is down here and I'd rather not be a sitting turtle duck." Aang offered.

Katara followed her husband's direction. "Toph and I will take the lead."

The waterbender made her way towards her friend who presently was pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. She grabbed the chief of police's shoulders and turned her back around. They walked in front of the men who she left to be baby sat by Aang.

"So what's wrong? Why did you stop?"

"I had those...what do you call them? Motherly instincts. I felt like something bad happened."

Katara comforted her at once. "I'm sure you are just worrying too much about the kids."

"Funny, I thought you'd be the one freaking out."

The waterbender just sighed. "Oh I am. I just thought with your dead husband here, Sokka ready to tear his guts apart, and Aang surprisingly in the same boat, you'd be a bit stressed."

"Not the exact search party I was hoping for." Toph started.

The older woman couldn't help but smile sympathetically at the earthbender. "I had forgotten it was the twentieth today. More so, I thought you'd be out at a tea house rather than talking in your office."

"What's wrong with talking in my office?"

"Seems a little more private than tea houses don't you think?"

Toph scowled. "And what are you exactly implying here, Sugar Queen?"

Katara flinched slightly at the harshness in her voice. "I'm just saying, would it really look good if you beat his head in while in private? I mean at least at a tea house people would just think that he was a good for nothing ex."

"He is a good for nothing ex."

From behind them, Satoru's voice shouted out. "I can still hear you."

Toph yelled back. "Don't care!"

Katara grabbed Toph's arm and walked faster to distance themselves from the men. Thankfully, Aang got her message and stopped the other two men from catching up. The waterbender kept her arm linked with Toph's. "Why is he still here? I thought you were going to set him straight."

"I did." The chief of police argued back. "He's never actually been scared of me."

Katara couldn't help but start laughing quietly. "Looks like you really did meet your match."

She wasn't prepared for Toph to grab her arm tightly making her squeak at the blood flow stopping. Toph spoke softly, but forcefully. "You know, we are surrounded by metal pipes."

"And also gallons upon gallons of sewer water. Take your pick."

The chief of police let her go and the two friends continued to walk through the sewage system of Republic City. "When did you learn to be so snarky?"

The waterbender flipped her hair. "I learned from the best."

"You bet your ass you did."

The two women laughed.

"What do you think they're giggling about?" Sokka whispered into his brother in law's ear.

The avatar just cocked his head to the side, place his hand at his chin, and pondered the question. "Don't know. I never know what those two are thinking sometimes. They are just as scary when they are working together."

"Do they still fight often? I can still hear the screaming matches from years ago." Satoru chuckled.

"Why do you care? You left her years ago, Four Eyes." Sokka frowned at the engineer. Aang could have sworn he saw Satoru's glasses steam up. "But if you really must know, yes, the two still fight. If anything Katara has gotten more fearless with Toph over the years."

Aang's eyes lit up at the memory that passed his mind. "Like the time, Toph watched the kids and let them have sweets. The two ended up fighting for a straight hour in Toph's backyard. The place was destroyed."

Satoru questioned the avatar. "And you didn't pull them off each other?"

"For the ones that stayed, we know that stopping his wife," Sokka gestured towards Aang. "and Republic City's chief of police is the worst idea in the world. The sight is as ugly as Aang's beard."

The monk faced his brother in law with frustration. "My beard isn't ugly! Katara likes it."

"Riiiiiight."

"Oh yeah? What do you call that thing on your chin then?" Aang went as far as grabbing the councilman's goatee, earning him a yelp from the watertribesman. It didn't help that Satoru laughed along with the avatar.

Sokka eyed Toph's former husband. "What the hell do you think you're laughing at?"

"Oh come on. That was funny. Wasn't that funny?"

Blue eyes met the brown behind his glasses. The engineer was unfazed by the fire that burned in the councilman's eyes. Satoru held his hands behind his back and allowed Sokka to talk down to him once more. "Alright, pal. Let's get a few things straight. You aren't supposed to be here. This issue does not concern you. You decided that this wasn't any of your business when you ran away from the explosion sixteen years ago. Don't act like things are all good and dandy, because it isn't. I'll say it again. You aren't supposed to be here."

"But I am here, Sokka. And I'm trying to make things right between Toph and I. But you know, the past really just can't let go because you are still wedging yourself between us."

There was a low growl from Sokka's throat. The avatar readied himself to get between the two men if it got that far. He had been repressing his own will to put Satoru in his place seeing that his brother in law had a greater grudge on the man. "Still crying the same old story then, Sat?"

"It's Satoru." A glare crossed the lenses of his glasses. He became even more serious. "Don't make me the only bad guy here. You had Toph stuck on you for years and you didn't have the heart to let her down easy. That's sick, councilman."

Sokka just gritted his teeth. "That's different. We're past that now. We've already talked about that. At least I didn't leave her when she needed me most, asshole."

"What are you trying to say, Sokka?"

The chairman of the council just stared at the engineer with pure hatred. If looks can kill, Satoru would be floating through the Republic City sewer pipes right now. But Sokka had morals. As much as he wanted to take this guy on right now, he didn't want Toph shutting him out. The fact that she would actually do it is what scared him. To add to that, it wasn't his story to tell. The water tribe warrior walked away before mumbling back his response.

"Forget it."

"But really, Toph. You would have thrown Satoru out of the city by now. Why is he still here?"

The chief of police walked several more steps before deciding to answer her friend's question. "The argument was interrupted several times. First, by Lin and Bumi going missing. Then, by you three barging into my office, although I'm more grateful for that one."

"Why?" Katara grabbed her shoulders at once, but continued their pace away from the boys. "He didn't try anything did he?"

Toph shook her off annoyed. "Of course not! There was no damn way I was going to let him do that. And if he did, he wouldn't be behind us right now." They were back to walking side by side. "We were in the middle of something."

This time, the waterbender's hands came to her mouth. "Oh my god, were you guys kissing? Or...were you guys-?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Will you calm your lunatic imagination for once second?"

Katara didn't speak. Just waited for some kind of explanation.

"He was asking to be friends again. Like before he pretended he faked his death." Toph laughed. "The idiot thinks things can go right back to normal after everything. What a joke."

"And you said?"

"I didn't say a thing." The chief of police crossed her arms, a sign that Katara connected with discomfort. "That's when you guys came in."

Calming herself down, Katara talked to Toph maturely. "And you're grateful because you didn't have to answer."

There was no response.

The waterbender chose her next words carefully. "Do...you still want to be friends?"

"We can't be friends." The words had came out so quick, Katara practically stumbled at trying to hear every last bit of the sentence. She opened her mouth to further question the chief of police, but Toph beat her to it. "And don't even ask why. You know why. Everyone knows why. Why is exactly why we are searching these damn sewers in the first place. Everyone but him knows why and that's how I'd like it to stay, thanks."

"I never said I didn't agree with you, Toph." She bravely put an arm around the short woman. Over the years, Katara had grown much bolder regarding how to handle Toph. Much to say, the earthbender was impressed. "The guy pretended to be dead after all. That's unforgivable. But it seems you are feeling conflicted right about now, so I can't really tell you to throw him out. You really not going to tell him?"

"No. Lin is my daughter and that's it."

"Alright." If they had been lounging on the island or at her home, Katara would have pushed the metalbender further into talking about what was really going on in her head. However, with the subject in matter walking only a couple feet away from them, maybe right now wasn't a great time. So she intended to change the subject.

Too bad Sokka thought otherwise.

Toph stopped walking. Not only did Katara have her arm around her, but now her brother did as well. "The both of you will get off of me right now if you still want to be able waterbend and throw that stupid boomerang of yours."

The water tribe siblings, slipped their limbs away. Sokka spoke softly next to her ear. "Can we talk?"

She just groaned and began walking again. Katara made her way back to her husband to help hold off Satoru.

The two best friends walked away from the three behind them. This time it wasn't Toph trying to distance themselves, but the councilman literally pushing her away. Sokka had a hand on the lower part of her back and as much as she hated cringing at the touch, she did. Toph didn't shake it off though for two reasons: Satoru would hate it and she needed the comfort.

Once they were a good couple feet away from the other group, Sokka talked quietly near her. "Toph, did that bastard come here to try and get back together with you?"

"Maybe he did. That doesn't mean he succeeded."

"Did you know he was coming?" He sounded partially angry at her. Toph didn't like the tone of his voice at all.

She moved away from him. "Look, I appreciate the concern and all about my emotional stability, but right now I'd rather not talk about that mess back there. He is just here to help with maneuvering through this hell hole. After this, he is going to go back to where he came from. Happy?"

"No. I'm not happy at all." He moved to come face to face with her. He walked backwards. "He can't come barging in back to your life like it's okay that he supposedly took his own sixteen years ago. You were in shambles, Toph. I would know, I was there for you. We all were. He wasn't, so why talk to him so casually?"

"Because I'm not a little kid anymore, Sokka. I'm not going to send him half way across the earth kingdom just because I'm angry with him. I'm not going to beat him up even if I say so. That isn't going to prove anything."

He groaned in slight frustration. "Yes it will. It will show him who's boss."

"Do you want to know what is going to prove that? My successful career. My title as a war hero. Lin. Suyin. All these things I've been able to accomplish without him. Letting his presence get to me like it is for you is not all too convincing."

"Me? You know exactly why I'm pissed right now. He hurt you, damnit." He looked at her blank eyes confused by the weird direction Toph's attitude had gone. She was supposed to be agreeing with him.

"Well, I'm the one that suffered and I'm doing a-okay. So get over it." She sighed in a way telling him that she really didn't want to have this conversation anymore. Sokka was persistent as ever.

"Yeah. You are taking all of this well." The councilman's mind began working and he gritted his teeth at his realization. "Unless you still have feelings for the bastard."

She rolled her eyes. Toph had mastered it over the years practically becoming her signature. "You're stepping over a fine line here, chairman. Best to drop the subject now."

"So that's it then. You still want to be with him."

The earthbender didn't answer, leaving yet another conversation about her former husband in the dark. Instead, her head turned just the slightest bit to the left and her ear twitched.

"Toph, answer me."

"Shut up, Sokka."

"So you do."

"Can you shut your yap for one fucking minute?"

"After everything you've been through, you're-"

The rest of his sentence was spoken into her hand. Toph focused on what she had heard and felt. After several seconds, she directed her speech towards Satoru."What's down that way," Her free hand pointed to the left corridor. "and to the right."

Slightly surprised by the request, the engineer fumbled with the blueprint he had in his belt. He looked towards Aang. "Do you mind…?"

The avatar lit a flame in his hand to improve the invisibility in the tunnels. Satoru carefully unrolled the blueprint and scanned their current location. He realized that they had actually walked for quite awhile and were now near the city limits. "There shouldn't be anything there other than some type of exit or something. We are at the border between Republic City and the Earth Kingdom so the pipes shouldn't extend any further but back towards the city. Why? What do you see?"

"Indentation into the rock of Earth Kingdom territory. There is metal, like it's some type of underground building connected to the sewage system about half a mile down that tunnel. I feel heartbeats."

"How many?"

"Wanna take a guess, Twinkle Toes?"

The avatar slammed his foot into the ground and focused on the vibrations. Although his seismic sense wasn't as good as his Sifu's, he still had the ability. No matter how old he got, he still felt a need to impress his former teachers with his bending abilities. "Thirty?"

"Thirty three. Not bad."

Aang smiled.

Satoru approached Toph and spoke. "Describe the building."

"There is a main center which consists of just a large rectangular building. Extending from its sides are six hallways consisting of about ten rooms on average. The entire establishment is about a hundred feet below the surface. There is one part of the building that I don't understand though."

"Hundred feet underground…" Satoru penciled in the measurement into the picture he had drawn on the back of the sewage system blueprints. "They must have ventilation systems. What's wrong with that one room?"

Toph's foot shifted slightly as she got a better look at the room. "It's a medium sized room compared to the main building, located in the back. I can feel the room, but I can't feel anything in it."

"That could mean a lot of things. It could be made of ice."

"Unlikely." Toph commented.

Satoru continued. "Platinum or another kind of pure metal."

"Too expensive for a place like this."

"Then it must be wood." The engineer began to sketch the room. "Now then, why would you have a room made almost entirely of wood in a building underground? What's its purpose?"

"Not the best building material to use underground. We learned that in the mines." Toph cursed at herself at mentioning the memory.

Satoru grinned. "Where we met."

"Do your job, idiot."

He stayed smiling but went on. "We have a wooden box underground in a facility most likely harboring two earthbenders, a nonbender, and an airbender."

The chief of police stood up straight. "It's a prison cell."

"Bingo. Now how do we get there undetected?"

Toph had already been walking down the tunnel. "We don't."

Satoru shook his head and followed her.

The other three stood watching the two walk away from them. They shared a look once they disappeared around the corner. Sokka spoke first. "What was that?"

Katara sighed. "Toph being civil towards her dead husband. That's what."

Aang coughed and commented. "Weird."

The three scurried after the mess that was both Toph and Satoru.

The new team avatar is just a mess right now. At least Toph and Satoru can get along when it matters. Maybe too well. Anyways, now the gang is off to find the kids. What are they gonna do when they finally find them? What happens when they meet up with Yun? Is Suyin still alive?! Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you feel like it (: