CHAPTER 9

ZUKOS POV

Toph looked so different from how he remembered her. Back when he had been traveling with Team Avatar sometimes it was hard for Zuko to distinguish her from a little boy. But now she looked…pretty, delicate, and feminine. She walked with a certain grace and finesse that befit a warrior and a royal. She was leading them down a set of basement stairs and through a maze-like underground tunnel lit by green crystals. 'So this was the real Toph Beifong' he thought to himself. Zuko gave a slight smirk as he studied the young earth bender. He had known about Toph Beifong from the day that she was born, well before he began traveling with the Avatar. He had been seven years old when her family had announced her arrival. Her family being of such high a stature made her the truest form of a noble. She had been added to the roaster of suitable arranged marriages that he or his cousin Lu Ten could choose from when they came of age. But that was back when his grandfather was Fire Lord and there was still some semblance of foreign relations. Back then having a foreign bride was not abnormal for a fire royal who wasn't directly under the line of succession. But things had changed a lot since his father had usurped the throne.

"Here's my office" Toph said finally stopping. She walked inside of a boxed off room, the walls packed to resemble tiles; one of her skilled Earth bending techniques. Her mahogany desk sat in the middle of the room, built to be her height so that she could stand and use it. On her massive desk was a stone carveout of a world map. As Zuko approached he could see the full masterpiece. The table was sunken in deeply, and inside was a map made entirely of earth. Dirt soldiers and regiments sat in different territories, and upon closer inspection had nation insignias etched into their armor. The attention to detail was impeccable.

"Toph you're a genius" Zuko praised as he surveyed the 3D map. She grinned her lopsided grin, sinking her feet into the ground.

"Thanks! I can control all the pieces too" she bragged. He watched as she slid her foot across the floor smoothly, causing the fire nation soldiers to march further into the earth territories. Zuko watched in wonder at her creativity.

"Wow Toph, that's amazing!" he heard Katara say behind him.

"This still doesn't explain why you're here Toph" Zuko said observing her. Her sightless eyes moved to the doorway where the young waitress was still standing.

"Give us a minute On Ji" Toph said to the girl. She nodded her head and turned to leave. Toph closed her door with a wave of her arm, sealing the three of them in. She stomped her foot raising her fist to create three earth chairs for them.

"Thanks" Katara beamed sitting down. Once they were all settled Toph gave them both a sly smirk, her eyes once again hidden behind her thick hair. Crossing her arms she reclined back in her seat.

"You two are totally screwing" grinned the blind fifteen year old.

"TOPH" they both scolded.

"Okay okay" she said holding her hands up "I called it a long time ago…." she mumbled.

"ANYWAY-" Katara started.

"How did you get here?" Zuko interjected. Toph sighed deeply, planting her feet firmly to the ground beneath her long dress.

"After Aang went off and left us all, for the second fucking time in his lifetime, I had nowhere else to go. The Air nomads have sparse resources as it is so I couldn't stay at the Eastern Air Temple for much longer after he sent Katara away" she frowned. Zuko looked over at Katara to find her frowning deeply, no doubt put off by Aang's lack of awareness for his friend's well being. Toph continued,

"One day Appa came back, but he was all spooked and had ash and soot all over him. I needed to move and the only place I knew to go was back to my parent's house. When I arrived the city was on lock down, they had said that Katara was captured by fire nation soldiers which caused a fight in the upper ring. Since then I've been having a search party looking for you for months Sugar Queen" she explained turning her milky green eyes to Katara.

"Are your parents aware of your involvement with the White Lotus?" Zuko inquired.

"…you see, my parents…they don't really understand me or who I am. They believe me to be just a blind helpless girl so when I'm here managing the White Lotus spy quarters for the Earth King my parents think I'm at piano lessons" she explained rolling her eyes. "I'd been in loose contact with Zuko's Uncle for quite some time, and he had been searching for you as well Sparky. So when June got the sniff on you I gave her the green light to find you. Little did I know I'd find Sugar Queen with you!" her voice rose as she lifted her hands. Zuko couldn't help but smirk at her antics. He had missed the crazy kid.

"So what now?" Katara asked, sitting forward in her seat.

"You help me whoop some fire bending ass" she grinned toothily as she punched her palm. Zuko and Katara exchanged a look.

"What exactly does that entail?" Katara asked quirking up her brow. Standing from her Earth chair Toph strolled over to her life like map, prompting Zuko and Katara to follow. They formed a wide circle around her desk, each of them peering down at their bird's eye view of the world.

"Currently we have a small spy detail of specialized benders invading a fire nation soldier check point. The underground hideaway has been harboring fire nation foot soldiers on their path's deeper into the Earth Kingdom." Toph explained as she pulled ten mini Earth soldiers up from Ba Sing Se, and over towards the town of Chao with her bending.

"The checkpoint is in Chao?" Katara gasped. Toph nodded her head.

"We're expecting at least twenty soldiers to be housed there". Zuko walked around the table to stand beside Toph, his hardened gaze staring down at the town he'd called his home for the past four years. He was disgusted that such a major funnel for the fire nation had been hidden right beneath his nose.

"It's being used as not only a respite for soldiers but a bargaining center for food and goods from Earth Kingdom citizens who support the Fire Lord" she sneered. Zuko's brows furrowed deeply.

"Why would my father have followers in the Earth Kingdom?" Toph's sneer turned to a deep frown, her full lips almost coming to a pout.

"Ozai has some very….manipulative ways. He's managed to create an underground political party amongst the Earth citizens who've been effected by the war the most. Naturally when a nation's at war it's the people who suffer the brunt of it. The need for weapons has caused the King to raise taxes, ultimately disrupting the economy and casting many poorer people on the streets…Ozai's offering them something they're not getting from their King…a chance" Toph explained. Zuko shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't understand…how-"
"These fire foot soldiers pass through my nation in need of goods and services. They're hungry, tattered, and lonely by the time they make it to Ba Sing Se. Anyone with their own business benefits from the exchanges they can get by going to one of these underground checkpoints"

"So what do we do?" Katara asked, scanning her deep blues across the map.

"We join the spy squad that's moving in on them tomorrow" Toph said grinning devilishly.

"Tomorrow?!" Katara asked incredulously.

"Hope you've been keeping in shape Sugar Queen"

"We don't even know the plans Toph…" Zuko mentioned.

"And that's why we'll stay here until you do" she proposed "On Ji!". A moment later the sprite young waitress came peeping her head between the door.

"Yes Major Beifong?". Zuko quirked a brow, mouthing "major", without sound.

"Bring in the spy detail that will be raiding the Saelim family estate tomorrow, we need to have a proper introduction since we'll be working so closely" On Ji nodded her head stiffly turning on her heels.

KATARAS POV

Katara could feel her heart hammering in her chest. The minute Toph had uttered that last name her throat had dropped to the pit of her stomach. Saelim….Song Saelim…

"Hellooo? Earth to Sugar Queen?" Toph yelled snapping her fingers. Katara blinked shaking her head slightly.

"What?"
"Are you going to answer the question?" Toph demanded.

"What question?"

"Do you think with your bending it'd be best to take a small boat up the river and-"

"Did you just say the Saelim family estate?" Katara interrupted suddenly.
"Yeah" Toph grumbled annoyed.

"That's my friend's house!" Katara cried.

"Song?" Zuko asked, catching on quickly.

"Yes!"

"That's how he's able to get those fire nation spices for us!" he lamented in realization "and that's why he's so Agni damned rich…."

"Song can't know about this…she just can't" Katara whispered, clutching at her mother's necklace.

"There's no way to know if she does or doesn't" Toph said dryly.

"We have to warn her!" Katara cried looking between them. When she was met with silence she looked to Zuko desperately.

"Zuko! We have to warn her…" she pleaded. Toph stepped forward slightly.
"Right now we don't know what she does or doesn't know. Think about it logically Katara, she's been with her father way longer than you've known her. She could've been in on it this whole time. If you give her a warning it could foil our plans" she reasoned.

"Toph's right" Zuko urged stepping around the table and grabbing her hand "we can tell the rest of the squad to try their best not to hurt her. But if she fights back, she'll be fair game" he reasoned as he squeezed her hand. Katara felt her eyes begin to well. She didn't know how she could possibly face her friend like this. She'd loved and trusted Song almost the entire short time she'd lived in Chao. She hoped and prayed that Song knew nothing of this.

"Let's go over the plans shall we?" Toph smirked. Just then there was a tap on her door. With a wave of her hand Toph slid it open revealing seven Earth soldiers, two female the rest male. They were all dressed uniformly in simple green military gear.

"I brought them" On Ji said bowing.

"Perfect timing" said Toph as her smirk split into a lopsided grin.

….

The next day Katara found herself in one of the underground bunkers attached to the White Lotus spy quarters underneath Ba Sing Se. Her and Zuko had stayed the night there, housed in separate quarters filled with bunk beds, one room for the boys and one for the girls. She was in the bathroom changing into her military gear when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in" she huffed looking down at her loosened leather suit and disheveled weapons belt. The door creaked open.

"Sounded like you were struggling" she heard a familiar voice say. Turning her head she found an auburn haired beauty with radiant grey eyes smiling back at her.

"Suki!" Katara cried throwing her arms around the Kyoshi warrior nearly knocking her over.

"It's good to see you too Katara" she laughed, catching herself against the door frame as the water bender continued to hug her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with my brother in the North Pole"

Suki looked away quickly, a distant look crossing her features.
"About that…" she said scratching the back of her neck "…we kind of…broke up" she sighed.

"What?" Katara gasped. Sokka and Suki had been inseparable the last time she'd seen them a few months ago.

"I began to suspect that he was in love with someone else" she explained sadly.

"Oh Suki…" Katara sighed embracing her friend in a tight hug.

"I'm coming to terms with it. He tried his best not to hurt me, but in the end I knew we weren't meant to be"

"Did you ever find out who he was in love with?" she asked.
"The northern princess" Suki grumbled "I should have known the moment he laid eyes on her. He's never looked at me like that" she frowned. Sympathy was etched across Katara's features for her friend. She knew exactly who the northern princess was. They had all been introduced as children, back when the northern tribe would come to visit their sister tribe more often. She was an ethereal beauty by the name of Yui, blessed with the hair of a silver moon. Katara couldn't imagine how beautiful she must be now that they were older. It was a wonder her brother was taken with her, not that Suki wasn't gorgeous in her own right. Although Katara was feeling sorry for her friend the diplomate in her recognized their union as something that could solidify the bond between both tribes in the future. After all her brother would become chief soon, and having the princess as his bride would be ideal.

"Let me help you with your gear" Suki suggested, changing the subject quickly. She stepped behind Katara synching her weapons belt tightly around her waist. Katara starred at them through the mirror surveying her all black attire. Her hair was slicked back into a low ponytail, the curls clumping to form long ringlets behind her.

"Toph must have sent for you"

Suki nodded her head "she sent a letter to Kyoshi asking for warriors about a month ago. I came as soon as I could"

"Have you seen Zuko?" Katara inquired.

"No not yet! I heard from some of the female soldiers that he's here…." she said suggestively. Katara's face heated up to her friend's chagrin.

"Jealous much?" Suki laughed.

"Jealous? Why would I be?" she said looking away. Suki pinched her sides lightly, reveling in her friend's embarrassment. Clearly Suki knew of her and Zuko's relationship, no doubt from Toph's big mouth. She didn't know why it was harder for her to tell her old friends about her and Zuko. Maybe because she thought they'd think it was weird since they've known them for so long.

"You know, no one's going to be surprised" Suki comforted "we all knew you guys had a thing for each other. Except for maybe Aang". Katara snickered remembering how the Avatar had had a crush on her.

"Yeah well…"

"Is he treating you well?"

"Absolutely" Katara gushed "I've been living with him over the past three months." Suki's eyes widened into grey saucers.

"Living together?" she asked.

"Yes…"

"So you guys have…?"

"Yes…." Katara blushed deeply. Suki squealed grabbing Katara's arms and squeezing them.

"FIVE MINUTES LADIES" they heard Toph yell from the hallway.

"We'll talk about this later. I need major details!" Suki whispered. Katara nodded her head as she slipped on her black knee high heavy duty boots. Both girls made their way out of the bathroom, greeting the other two women that would accompany them on their mission; two earth benders by the names Jin and Riley.

They all made their way to Toph's office, eventually merging with the men in the hallway.

"Nervous?" Zuko asked as he caught up to her in line. He could probably see the worry etched onto her features.

"Kind of. I'm just worried about Song" she admitted. He nodded stiffly keeping his eyes trained towards the front of the line.

"Just remember, the cause comes first Katara".

"ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTS, ATTENTION!" Toph called from the back of the line. They each parted ways to make room for the small Earth bender as she sauntered to the front. She was clad in the same black leather body suits they were all wearing, except her's was lined with metal from head to toe, the only part of her body that wasn't covered were her feet. Her hair was placed in a high pony, the inky locks switching like a tail behind her as she walked. Reaching the front of the line she turned towards her small team, eyes alight with a ferociousness and severity Katara had never witnessed in the usually light hearted teen.

"You guys know the drill" she began "no matter what happens tonight just know that as your captain I couldn't have asked for a better team. This small victory could change the tide of the war, sending a clear message to that maniacal bastard that he cannot and will not set up camp behind these walls. This is OUR territory!" she yelled. Her voice rang out like a warrior's. Katara couldn't help but beam with pride at how mature her friend had become. Her spies and soldiers clearly held a deep respect for her. As she looked around she could see their faces hardening with determination at her words.

"Let's move" she seethed pulling her mask up over her lips. The rest of the small squad followed suit, hiding half of their faces. Katara ran between Zuko and Suki as they flanked the rest of the squad. It was the dead of night and the moon was high in the sky when they came up from under ground. Everyone else in the squad was a part of Toph's elite team of Earth benders, helping her launch the three of them from under ground. Katara landed in a crouch position, quickly sprinting to keep up with her squad mates. They ran in silence, hiding between the alleyways of the city. There weren't many people outside at this time of night, aside from the occasional strangler which was easy to evade. Once they reached the outskirts of the city and crossed over the wall Toph lagged behind coming up next to Katara.
"We're nearly to the river. Like I said before it's a narrow strait, it shouldn't take much for you to bend us there" she explained in a whisper. Katara nodded her head as they approached the thin river that would bring them to Chao. Waiting for them was a long skinny canoe. She noticed that it looked much like the warrior's boats of her tribe. These were the kind of boats built for speed, and nothing else.

"Everyone in" Katara whispered. Zuko clamored in right behind her, sitting at the very front. Once everyone settled in their seats Katara remained standing assuming her bending stance. With one leg propped onto the nose of the boat she shot her arms out to the side propelling them forward at lightning speed. Waving her hands in a windmill motion she steered them down the river, the trees a blur around them. She glanced behind her briefly, seeing that everyone's eyes were fixed around them scanning for any ambushers.

"Keep it up Kat, we're almost there" Zuko encouraged from behind her. She smirked

"I've barely even broken a sweat" she chided.

After a while they arrived at the edge of the river where the strait met the creek. This was the exact location her and her friends would meet for lunch. Her stomach began to knot at the thought of Song.

"Move" Toph signaled with her hands in a forward motion. Toph had opened up the ground and the rest of the squad was jumping into the dark hole. Katara could hear them funneling out a tunnel with their bending. Zuko leapt in before her, igniting a flame in his palm to light the way. Katara dropped down with Suki right behind her. The air was cold and stale underground there, but Katara tried her best to ignore her discomfort, her entire focus was on keeping up with the group. They had been jogging down there for what felt like an eternity when suddenly Toph stopped, holding her hand up to hault them.

"Major Toph-" one of the men questioned.

"Shhh" she interrupted "do you hear that?" she asked. They all stopped and quieted, straining their ears. They could just make out the sound of voices on the other side of their underground tunnel. It sounded like a gathering of some sort, there had to be at least twenty people down there, just as Toph suspected.

"Are we right underneath the estate?" Suki asked. Toph nodded her head silently.

"Koji! Drill us a little closer so I can hear better. It sound's like they're having a meeting". A male earth bender came forward digging his feet into the ground and pushing the wall forward slowly as not to alert the people on the other side of the wall. Instantly the voices became much clearer.

A gruff male voice took precedence, yelling over the idle chatter that filled the room.

"As you all know we've gathered here on this auspicious night to celebrate yet another victory for our King Ozai!" The room erupted in cheers, the sound echoing through the cavern they had dug out.

"That sounds like Song's dad!" Katara hissed in disbelief.

"Quiet! Quiet! I know it is exciting, but you all must listen to the important message our savior has sent us. He is so proud of the joining of our two nations, both earth and fire coming together to take down our failed King Bumi" Song's dad spat in disgust "he sends us all a warning. For our brother's of fire he wants you all to retreat back to Caldera within a months time, all soldiers must vacate the earth kingdom as soon as possible. For our brothers of earth he warns you to flee the earth kingdom before it is too late"

"Too late for what?" they heard someone shout.

"Lord Ozai will rein fire and hell upon the Earth Kingdom in exactly eight months time…warn everyone you love and hold dear"

The room began to erupt in loud chatter, some people sounding quiet hysterical.

"Silence!" Mr. Saelim ordered "Do not dare question our Lord's decisions!"

"We never signed up for this!" a woman's voice rang out "Ozai was supposed to provide us with a chance to prosper again, not burn down our homes!"

"You should feel lucky he didn't do it sooner you Earth scum!" someone else across the room yelled.
"You're one to talk you psychotic fire brute!" The room exploded into chaos. Although the squad could not see anything, it sounded like a full on brawl was ensuing. Katara looked to Toph for direction.

"Well…I wasn't expecting this…" Toph pondered stroking her chin. Zuko stepped forward to stand between them.

"It'll be easier to destroy them now that they're divided" he reasoned.

"But how will we know who to fight?" Suki asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"They're all traitors!" Koji argued.

"Agreed" Riley said from behind. Katara shook her head.

"It sounds like the Earth citizens want out of the deal" Katara tried to offer. Toph sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Alright here's what we're going to do. Kill everyone, unless they surrender themselves and agree to be taken as prisoner". Katara starred at her in disbelief.

"Jin did you bring the earth cuffs?"

"Yes Major Toph"

"Toph wait! Let's think about this…" Katara tried, pulling her friends arm.

"I've thought about it enough Katara, now let's move!" she shouted breaking open the wall separating them and the underground checkpoint. Katara had no time to think, instantly all eyes were on them as the wall crumbled apart around them. The large room was built like a cave with the ceiling reaching well over twenty feet in height. Marble tables adorned the large meeting area, with red carpet running up the middle of the tables and leading to a podium where Song's father stood in shock. Registering them as a threat almost immediately two fire nation soldiers sent flamming punches their way, the fire balls hitting the wall beside them. Katara rolled away just in time shielding her face with her forearms.

"I've got this" Zuko called launching forward by kicking himself off the side of the wall. He sent a flaming kick into one of their chests leaving a burning hole killing the man instantly. He turned swiftly as the other man tried attacking him from behind. Using his momentum against him Zuko pulled the other man in sinking a flaming danger deep into his stomach. The room fell into a deep silence, fear etched onto the faces of everyone in the room. Toph pulled her mask down sauntering up the isle way and towards Mr. Saelim. She was sporting a smug smirk as she walked past Zuko, giving him a quick pat on his back.

"Sorry about the mess" she said calmly, stepping over the blood pooling on the floor from the man dying at Zuko's feet "but we come here on urgent business"

Song's father was seething, his face turning redder and redder the closer Toph came.

"And what business could you possibly have with me….little girl" he spat. Toph looked down nonchilauntly inspecting her nails for dirt.

"Seeing as you're the head of an extremely influential Earth Kingdom family, who's managed to illegally harbor fire nation soldiers and traitorous earth citizens I'd say we've got quite a bit of things to discuss Mr. Saelim. You see…I work for the so called failed King that you mentioned, and he doesn't take too kindly to treason. So I've simply come to collect" she finished, flicking the dirt from her fingernails into his face. He scoffed, balling his fists to the side, his bald head beading with sweat.

"How dare you, you insolent little-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you" Zuko interrupted calmlyy.

"I'll have you killed little girl!" he seethed. Toph grinned widely shooting her hand out with a speed Katara had no idea she possessed. Her movement sent a metal cuff flying off of her wrist armor and settling around his neck tightly.

"Not if I kill you first" she teased. His eyes widened in fear.

"You witch! How can you bend metal?" he cried, his breath coming in short gasps from the cuff squeezing his neck.

"Listen, and listen real good you traitorous piece of shit, and everyone else in this room!" Toph raised her voice, turning to face the crowd "I will give you all one chance to surrender to the Earth King Bumi and be taken as prisoner tonight. If you do your fate will lay in his hands. But if tonight you choose to resist….you will meet your maker" You could hear a pin drop.

'Please surrender, please surrender' Katara thought.

"I surrender!" she heard a female voice call from the left side of the room "Me too!" Katara looked over to find what looked like four earth citizens huddled in the corner holding onto each other.

"Riley! Cuff them" Toph ordered. Riley stepped forward and approached the small huddle, binding their hands with chi blocking earth cuffs.

"We knew you Earth scum weren't really loyal to our Lord!" a female fire bender cried as she sent a fire blast toward Riley's back. Reacting on instinct Katara ran forward opening her water pouch and calling her water to her side. Blocking the fire blast with her whip it evaporated sending steam into the air. She called the steam back to her, forming it back into water and whipping it into the fire bender's temple. She was knocked out in an instant. From there all hell broke loose. All the fire benders engaged at once, attacking someone in their squad. Katara ran to Suki's side, fighting back to back with her. Katara had to admit that this was exhilarating. She hadn't fought in a battle in months.

"Give me a lift!" Suki yelled over the chaos. Katara crouched down as Suki stepped onto her back launching herself into the air. She sent three metal fans flying through the air, each one crashing into a soldier's head and killing them on impact. She landed in a crouch in front of their fallen bodies. Katara bent the sweat from her brow making it into an ice spike, which she sent into the neck of a soldier. Things were really starting to heat up down there, the fire from the fire soldiers catching the dry earth that surrounded them.

"Toph!" Katara cried as she looked over at the small Earth bender. She was shooting metal cuffs from her armor, leaving all sorts of damage and death in her wake.

"Kinda busy over here Sugar Queen!"

"This place is gonna burn down soon!" Katara cried as a soldier pounced on her from behind. She managed to twist her body just in time so she didn't land on her face. With the man straddling her she could see his fist coming up, engulfed in flame. Her eyes widened as she tried to shield her face. Just as she began to close her eyes she felt his weight fall off of her and a spray of something wet land on her face. She looked up to see Zuko standing above them with his dual swords at his sides, dripping in blood. The man that was on top of her lay to the side, his head completely removed from his body. Katara fought the urge to vomit as she realized it was his blood coating her face.

"Get up, we've got to move above ground before we get smoked out" Zuko grunted as he hoisted her up. Katara stood up surveying the room. She could barely see, with all the smoke and dust in the air. The earth benders in their squad looked to be fairing well against the rest of the fire nation soldiers.

"Over here!" they heard Toph yell as she began bending a stair case leading 20 feet into the air. Zuko, Katara, and Suki ran toward her, following her up the stairs. Zuko reached down grabbing the cuffed and half strangled Mr. Saelim, dragging him up the stairs with them by his collar.

"The squad can handle the rest of them, we need to go investigate what else this snake's got hiding in his little palace" Toph explained as she marched upward. Opening the ceiling above them she launched them through the air and into the quiet halls of the Saelim estate. Toph sealed the ceiling back, effectively swallowing them in silence. The contrast of the ragging battle bellow to the now complete peace and silence was odd.

"Nice place" Toph surveyed, looking around at the opulent white marble floors and walls, "now…where's your study? I know a man of your stature must have one"

"Fuck you!" Song's father gasped through struggling breaths. Zuko, still holding him by the collar, punched him square in the jaw.

"Is that any way to speak to a lady?" he questioned baring his teeth. Mr. Saelim's eyes widened.

"I know you! You're Ozai's disgrace of a son!" he cried.

"And you're a dead man. Now show us to your office and maybe we'll spare you fucker" Zuko clearly wasn't in the mood to talk today. He rangled the man up by the front of his shirt, pushing him forward to start walking. He led them through the halls in silence to a room with a large tiled door. Toph pushed the door open and the four of them followed her inside. The room was grand, the study's walls lined with shelves full of books. In the center of the room stood a mahogany desk with papers neatly stacked and an ornate glass ink jar with a feathered quill. Toph sat at the man's desk and began rummaging through his files, searching for any correspondence from the fire nation.

"Ah-ha!" she yelled, pulling out a huge stack of papers all punctuated with the Fire Lord's seal.

"You really are a piece of shit" Suki lamented. Katara stepped forward approaching Song's dad. She could not say that she was particularly close to the man, but for months she had been interacting with him wether it be getting fire nation spices for Zuko or staying here at this estate to be with Song. She knew that Song loved her father, and would talk about how proud she was to be the daughter of someone who brought so much good to their nation. When Song found out it was all a lie, she'd be devastated.

"How could you?" Katara asked, with hurt lacing her tone.

"How could I what?! Choose the winning side?" he was turning red his features scrunched in anger.

"How could you do this to your daughter?"

"Everything I do is for Song! Do you think Ozai would have spared us if I had not sided with him?"

"Why wouldn't you go to your King? How long have you been harboring this information?"

"He is no King of mine! He is WEAK!" he spat, saliva spewing from his sweaty mouth.

"Father…?" All four of them spun around to find Song in her sleeping robe standing in the door. Tears were welled in her eyes, and her small delicate hands clutched at the front of her white night dress.

"Song honey…go back to bed"

"Katara? Zuko?" she cried as she took in the scene before her.

"Well isn't this sweet" Toph smirked from behind the desk.

"Quite it Toph, this is fucked up" Katara said angrily.

"What's fucked up? The fact that we're going to have to kill this traitor in front of his daughter, or the fact that you feel bad?" she seethed. Katara's frown deepened.

"Take him to Bumi and let the King deal with him" Katara reasoned. Toph got up from the desk chair and came to stand in front of them.

"I don't leave stones unturned Sugar. The King gives me an order and I follow through"

"Katara what is she talking about?" Song's voice rang out in desperation. Katara turned to her confused friend giving her a helpless look.

"Song…"

"Your father's a traitor to his nation sweet cheeks. He's been in cahoots with the Fire Lord for over a year now, running an entire operation right underneath this estate"

"That's impossible…" she whispered "father! Tell them they're wrong" tears were now streaming down her tanned cheeks.

"i'm sorry Song" Katara whispered approaching her friend and enveloping her in a hug.

"Everything I've done was to protect you Song" her father grunted.

"Wha-?". But before Song could question him any farther Toph closed her fist tightly, crushing her father's windpipe with the metal cuff that surrounded his neck. Choking on his own blood he fell over dying right before them.

"FATHER!" Song cried in agony doubling over Katara's arms. She sank to the ground with Song trying her hardest to support her weight.

"I'm sorry….I'm so sorry Song" Katara cried with her as Toph stepped over his body gathering the files in her hand. Moments later Koji appeared in the door way with the rest of the squad behind him.

"All clear Major Beifong"

"Wonderful, let's move out." Katara watched as her friends filed out of the room, her eyes red rimmed with tears and her face streaked with soot and blood.

"I'll come back tomorrow to get you" Zuko told her. And with that, her and Song were left in the study. All that could be heard were her whimpers as she shivered in Katara's arms.

END CHAPTER 9

A/N: Yay plot! Happy Holidays to everyone, I hope you enjoyed this chapter full of violence. Things are really starting to get real for some of our characters, and it only amps up from here! :) Always, thanks for reading!