"I do," Sokka said.

"I," Suki dragged the words, "can't."

Gasp. Whispers. Murmurs. Complains. Arguments. Shouts. Chaos. Toph felt all of these as a pulse began at her head, momentarily paralyzing her where she was.

All her life she was told that she was blind, that she couldn't see, that she wasn't fully aware of the things that were continuing around her. At some she would protest because they weren't at their full capacity truth but at others there was no other choice but to except what was destined by birth. But times like this it was very hard to follow her and others opinions. Even more now when she was sure Sokka's eyes were looking right at hers. As if she knew what to do. Or held some consolation.

Seven days. A week. Minutes seemed to pass like hours and hours like months. It wasn't her pain but somehow these were the words she used to describe what he was feeling when they asked. It wasn't Sokka's exact description, if at all he never talked about 'That' as they referred to it but she guessed they were under the same thought of line. That's what she felt and since there was no other alternative because Sokka( even if they only stood in room full of silence) didn't want any other than Toph around and since everyone was so concern she only gave what her vibrations indicated. Tired. Devastated. Slow. Painful.

Seconds. It took Toph seconds as she sat at a chair near a window on her apartment to realize for the first time in a week, seven days, countless instants that Sokka had spoken.

"I don't understand," he said.

"Me neither," it was true, she after confronting Suki, never comprehended anything that took before and after she ran off the ceremony.

"I gave her everything," his voice sounded discontent from across the room, it didn't fit the noise going about below in evening Republic City, "I gave her all of me. I just can't see why she would do this. I loved her."

"Loved?" the words caught in her throat like a spider web, entangling her voice with murmuring ones repeating what he said last over and over.

"After all that happened," Sokka said, "I think it's best."

"Your, probably right." Toph tried to shrug it off easy but she couldn't. If she were to make him this mad would he forget about her that easily? No, not this mad, she would always do something to get him mad. This aggravated, this frustrated, this angry would he dismiss her to the past? Would she be loved one day by Sokka? The thought was almost impossible to imagine.

"Did she ever tell you something?"

Toph sighed. Of course Sokka saw her chase after Suki when she ran through the doors. She had hoped that he would avoid the subject, most of them did. Well, most of them didn't see her go after the soon-to-bride, all their attentions were to heart-broken-broom. She should have stayed with him instead, maybe then none of what's happening now would be taking place. But to someone who has lived so many years with a boy as wonderful as him and have the guts to walkway… She just couldn't see past the person who broke that boy into a hard cold man.

Though there were no time to regret now and no chance of herself getting out of this, so she tilted her head back as if she were thinking it over. Trying to summon the memory forward. But it was just a deceiving trick as she tried to understand for the second time that day the meaning behind Suki's actions after she just walked away. And her words…

Toph felt the sting in her eyes as she earthbend underground and located Suki's vibrations, popping to the surface in front of her. She was a good runner, she was pretty far from the ceremony and the reception and Toph hated that. She hated her for everything. She had hated her since she met her and know she knew why. She hated that she would just leave without explanations. She hated that somehow in the lapse of two hours a person could just stop loving and halt a commitment. Someone who had been in a relationship for years. Someone who couldn't utter any explanation for the amount of sum she felt towards Sokka, because even Toph knew that Suki loved Sokka more than life itself. So, what happened?

"What's wrong with you?" Toph spat. That was a good way to start.

"Toph," Suki gasped, stopping her legs, "don't do that!"

"Oh, did I scare you?" Toph was amazed at how spiteful she sounded, but she quickly sentenced everything away deciding that it was everything if less of what Sukki deserved. "Well, you left a heart-broken Sokka in the altar!"

"I don't have time for this," Suki was trying to push herself away.

She got a few steps before Toph earthbended into tripping her, making her fall hard to the ground. Suki grunted and Toph cursed her for it. "You don't have time for this, but you have time to hurt him! What's wrong with you... you…" what word can describe her? "witch."

"Leave me alone!" Suki growled, on her feet again. "You don't understand!"

"Oh, I think I and everyone inside the ceremony understands-"

"I love him, Toph." Suki began, her voice controlled and small and… sincere.

"Then, why-"

"But I can't commit to someone I love when he loves two."

Toph stomach sunk. Was Suki suggesting that he was being unfaithful? How could she think that? How could she even suspect such a horrible crime? Sokka loves Suki, she is his world and she knows that. Why could she even accuse him of something so mischievous? Something that isn't him. Something that isn't true. Can't be true…

"Suki, you're being crazy! How can you even assume that Sokka would… would…" Toph's mind was whirling and she was reminded of ties, rocking back and forth. Never settling

"I've seen it with my own eyes, Toph." Suki said with a sort of finality that made any confusion dissipate. Because how can you compete with evidence? Even more so when you were eye-witness? And despite the nagging sensation that told Toph not to lose the small ounce of trust she held towards Sokka she couldn't help but believe Suki.

"Does he know… that you know?" He has to know, right?

"I gave him the choice to decide," Suki admitted, tiredly, exhausted. "And he just…"

"He chose you!" Toph exclaimed as if it weren't more obvious. She cursed Suki again for not noticing.

"But he didn't… He's still…" Suki's voice was wavering and she sighed defeated as if holding back the despair was no longer inevitable. "I need time to think, to sort things out. I'm going way." She was already walking away for what felt like the millionth time that day and Toph just stayed there. She wanted to go after Suki but she couldn't, she was numb. And somehow she couldn't blame Suki, she had some right in all this. She knew Sokka longer, even if for a few months, and deeper in scale and the pain must be worse and if she could see someone else in all of this when Toph couldn't… "Wish him luck, Toph."

"She wished you luck," Toph said finally.

Toph heard something crash as Sokka screamed. It hit a wall, it sounded like glass. Toph tried not to flinch when it happened but it was too late, he was already apologizing. "I'm sorry, I'm just mad. I'll pay for it."

She shrugged and even though she didn't know that he'd just broken she said, grabbing whatever was near and throwing it to the ground. "Don't worry. I didn't like that hideous thing anyway. Trash anything you like. It helps."

The next hour was angry. That's the word. Sokka was grabbing whatever was hanging or laying in the way and he broke it. Toph wondered if he compared those objects with his heart, and every time he broke something new he relived that day at the altar. But maybe it was his pride because the next hour was spent moaning and grunting and when things ran out he started hitting the walls or biting and howling into a pillow. Though she figured it was his emotions because the next hour he spent condemning on Suki, criticizing things that didn't seem to matter then but seem to annoy him now. Like the way she talk, or the way she brushed her hair or the way she held his hand. Toph joined in a few but didn't interrupt as much because this was his time, not hers. At some point the stories changed to memories and he started laughing and pointing things out, like the way he use to love her smile when she tried hard to hide it. This hurt Toph more than any other, of course, this process was hurting her because he was hurting but somehow this was more painful because in a way he was… happy.

Finally Toph decided that he had reached his heart. Somehow Toph and Sokka had ended in the same couch, his head resting in her shoulder. Everything was quiet at last and the only thing Toph was aware of was the deafing silence and her hand rubbing his hair and his tear in her shoulder and his cry. Such a strong man, crying. It was kind of pathetic but Toph didn't point that out because she was holding her tears too. Of all hours this one seemed to drag the most and somehow she knew that even if she wanted another stage, any but this one, she knew it was the last. The one that was going to stay. Grief always stays.

"I don't understand," Sokka whispered. He sniffled and started choking on a sob. Toph patted him on the back and now he was clinging to her. When did she become the anchor? When did they changed roles?

"Me," Toph began to repeat the same words that she had over and over that day as she encircled her arms around and under his. But she hesitated. She shook her head instantly reminding herself of Suki. "Neither. "

Me, Toph thought. Suki was talking about me