Author's Note: It's good to be back, thanks for the review ;) I reread the last chapter and got aware of the fact that I used "ever" very frequently in the Author's Note...sorry for that. I hope you all enjoy the story so far and please review !

It was surprisingly easy for Toreth to enter the Fire Nation. They didn't even ask for passports. This couldn't be a good sign at all. Or they felt far too safe.

Sitting at the edge of the ferry she watched her image flying over the water. She remembered the first time she had ever been on a boat not long ago with Hakoda. A smile crept slowly on her face as her gaze wandered to her swollen stomach. It was a somehow creepy, yet welcome and warm thought that she would never be alone again, that there would be something that stayed in this world, even if she should fade away. Two things, actually.

Toreth wondered where Hakoda was. Her dream had worried her even more and not a moment was she free from this sorrow.

Soon they saw the island. It was totally silent when they entered the harbor. Then they heard fighting. Explosions, screams, metal taring flesh apart.

No one from the ferry wanted to leave except the dryad. The captain tried to hold her back but she shot him a glare and he backed down. She got off the boat and wasn't surprised at all as it just left as fast and silently as it could.

Toreth turned towards the fighting and listened closely if she could make out any specific voices. She was irritated for a moment when she couldn't hear neither Katara, Sokka nor Hakoda. Then she heard it. It sounded exactly like her dream, just far far away, but it were the same words.

"...we need you...", she followed the words, not caring about the fighting or if she would be seen. Walking as fast as she could she followed a small trail up to several small towers. The first was almost covered in ice, which told her that Katara was definitely here. She turned to the second and saw what she feared most.

Sokka was standing next to a sitting Katara. Even from the distance she could see that Sokka was as close as one could be to collapsing. He stood only shakily and obviously didn't know what to do. Katara was crying. She sat next to a laying body, Hakoda's body. Tears shot into Toreth's eyes. She watched how he took Katara's hand and whispered something to his daughter. Tears streamed down Toreth's face as she hesitantly approached them. If he was too seriously wounded, she didn't want to disturb his, probably, last words.

Sokka turned around, wanting to lead the invasion, now that his father wasn't able to do so, but stopped when he saw her. He stepped up to her and tried to stop her, "Toreth, what are you doing here?", as she didn't answer, just continued on her way he tried again, this time holding her shoulders, "Toreth, don't go there."

Faster than he expected her to be able she turned around, slapping his arms away, a stern expression on her face, while the tears still streamed down her cheeks. Sokka took a step back, then continued to do, what he did before he saw her.

The dryad silently approached the girl and sat down beside her. Katara didn't notice her until Toreth touched her hand. Then the girl's head shot up and she stared at the woman next to her. "Toreth, what...", she began but trailed off as a single sob shook her shoulders, looking down at her father's body she whispered, "I tried to… I really tried to….". Toreth wasn't able to speak. She wanted to say something, to comfort the water tribe girl, but she didn't manage a single word, so she just hugged her instead. Katara immediately began to cry and clench onto Toreth's dress.

They stayed like this for a few moments, until they were interrupted by a silent whisper and a hand reaching up, "Toreth? Are you there?", Hakoda's eyes stared blindly at the sky, but a single tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.

Both women immediately turned and stared at him for a second, then Toreth caught his upreaching hand and bent down to his face. She kissed the tear away and whispered, "Yes, I am here, we are here.", she led his hand to her belly and another tear escaped his eyes. "Didn't I tell you that you should watch over yourself?", she asked.

"Didn't I tell you to stay with the nuns?", he answered, a smile forming on his face.

"And there I thought I was too late.", she said, now smiling too.

"Don't you endanger the children?"

"I don't think so. Now shut up.", she smiled happily while a green light emerged her hand traveling over his arm until it found the wound and covered it. Moments later the color turned back on his face and he opened his eyes sleepily. The first thing he saw was Katara hugging his lover. She cried into Toreth's shoulder, overwhelmed by her feelings. Toreth shove her away, "Do you have bandages with you, Katara?".

"Yes. Why? It's nothing with the children, is it?", the girl's voice was still shaking.

"No, nothing about them. It's just, I wasn't able to fully heal your father. The wound still needs to be threatened. I didn't want to risk having... a miscarriage or something...", the girl only nodded and began searching her bag.