I'm back after almost a year of not writing! Sorry about that. I got involved in school and stuff and just didn't have time to update. Anyways, here's my new chapter! Even a year later, I'm still not the owner of A: tLA or Green Day, unfortunately.

"I don't want to go back home

I don't want to kiss goodnight.

Let us paralyze this moment 'til it dies.

To the end of the Earth

In the Valley of the Stars

There's a car crashing deep inside my heart." -Green Day, Awesome as F**k, "Cigarettes and Valentines"

Zuko's POV

Zuko was just so glad to have Toph back in his arms that nothing else in the world mattered at that moment. She looked so beautiful, and she felt warm in his arms. She felt right. How could he have ever doubted that he felt something for her? He realized at that time that he loved her, he really did.

"Toph, I've missed you. A lot," Zuko told her hesitantly. He had to at least tell her that for now. She had to know that much.

Toph turned her face upwards so that her sightless green eyes appeared to stare into his. Before it might have been slightly unsettling to Zuko, but now it just filled him with joy.

"Oh, Zuko, I've missed you, too," Toph said, then she let go of him. "But what's wrong? Just now, I sensed that something was up."

"Uh, nothing. Not anymore, at least, now that you're here," Zuko said, brushing off her question. Toph didn't need to know that Mai had broken up with him, not yet, at least.

"Obviously something's wrong, Zuko. I know you too well to not know when something's up. Besides, you're not a very good liar. So what is it?" Toph pleaded with him.

Zuko sighed, resigned. He should have known better than trying to keep something from Toph. After starting her own metalbending school and dealing with her students she seemed to be able to sense people's emotions even more.

"Okay, well, it's kind of a long story," Zuko responded, making one last attempt at trying to tell the story.

"All I have is time right now, Sparky, so you'd better tell me," Toph retorted with a sly smile, the one that Zuko adored.

"Alright, so about a week ago Mai left. She broke up with me, Toph," Zuko told her, anger just barely creeping into his voice.

Toph's POV

Toph just stood there, for once she was speechless. Mai and Zuko, who had seemed to be very happy together and were on the verge of getting married, were broken up. Well, it wasn't exactly the first time they'd broken up, but it came as a shock now, especially considering the proximity to their wedding. A part of Toph felt really bad Zuko, and for Mai, too; but another, much larger part of her was silently rejoicing. At last she could have Zuko, so long as she played her cards right. In the next second she felt awful for thinking that, but she quickly suppressed the feeling.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko, is there anything I can do to help you?" Toph asked in all sincerity.

"Thanks, Toph, but just you being here is enough to, uh, make me happier," Zuko responded a little awkwardly.

Toph frowned a little. What was that supposed to mean? Whatever it meant, Toph thought that she liked the sound of it.

"Alright, if you're sure…" she trailed off.

"I'm sure. Now what was it you wanted to discuss with me? Something about uprisings in Ba Sing Se?" he asked her, and she felt him walk away, back toward his throne. Zuko had quickly transitioned from being Toph's friend Zuko to being Fire Lord Zuko.

"Oh, um, right. Well, this is how it started," Toph began, and she started telling Zuko about what had happened that day in the Lower Ring. As she was telling the story, she gauged Zuko's reaction based on what his body did, since she could not see his face. To her shock, he seemed only mildly surprised by her story.

Once she had finished, Zuko said, "From my time living there when Uncle and I were Ba Sing Se, I got the idea that they weren't happy. What I don't understand is, why did you come to me with this? Wouldn't it have been better to take your concerns to Kuei?"

"Well, after the way he handled the crisis in the Colonies, I wasn't so sure he'd be able to deal with this. Besides, I trusted that you would know what to do in this case, Zuko," Toph responded, somewhat indignantly.

Toph felt Zuko move his hand to touch the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I understand all of that, but I do think you need to take this up with Kuei. Is that all right? If he fails to act on your advice, then the next best person for you to talk to would be Aang. I can't do anything in an area that's obviously the Earth King's territory," Zuko told her.

Toph knew he had point. She had really just come to the Fire Nation to visit him. She folded her arms. "Fair enough," she replied. Then changing her mood, she said, "Anyways, let's go do something besides being cooped up in this palace. I'm starving!"

Zuko laughed, and Toph smiled in satisfaction. "Alright, I know a good fruit stand down in the market, how does the sound?" he asked her.

She pretended to think about it for a moment. "Well, I guess it sounds fine," Toph replied, trying to sound bored.

She then felt Zuko come down from his throne. He then came over to her and looped his arm through hers. Toph felt a little thrill at being this close to him. Together they started to walk toward the exit of the palace. This trip to the market place was going to be a very nice one, she could tell.

"Hey, Toph?" Zuko asked, almost sounding shy to Toph.

"Yeah?" she asked in return.

"I'm really glad you came to visit me," he proclaimed.

Toph sensed just how much he meant it. "I know," she responded, in her typical Toph-fashion. Yes, this was going to be a very nice market trip indeed.

Thanks for reading! Your reviews are much appreciated! Oh, and in case you didn't notice, I'm trying to connect this to the Promise Trilogy that has come out recently. Later in the story I want to connect it to Legend of Korra, as well.

~Cori