Sorry, it's still not mine.

The sun blazed in through the eastern window of the room brushing warmly against Aang's bald head. He stirred slightly before sitting up in his seat with a yawn. After stretching he wearily rubbed his eye and felt around the bed for Toph's hand. He couldn't find it. Quickly turning his attention to the bed, he was terrified and relieved to find it empty. The covers were thrown off to the side implying that she had left the bed of her own will.

"Toph?!"

No answer. Aang sprinted from the room screaming frantically. "Toph?! Toph?! Where are you?! Toph?!" As he rounded corner after corner calling her name he began to panic that she had already tried to leave.

"Geez! What do you want, Twinkle Toes?"

Aang stopped in mid sprint and turned hastily back to the voice. There she was standing in one of the many doorways he had passed with a finger in her ear. His heart leaped. So did he. Right into her with his arms wrapping tightly around her and lifted her into the air.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Toph yelled as she clocked him in the head. "Injured earthbender here, remember?"

"Sorry!" Aang laughed as he set her down.

"Aang, you have to be more careful," Katara's voice interrupted. She stood inside the room Aang had found with a smile on her face at seeing the two together again.

"Sorry," Aang repeated. "I'm just so glad you're finally awake!"

"Well of course I'm awake," Toph chided. "How did you expect me to sleep with you snoring like a porcupine boar right next to my ear?"

She was back to her old self again, even if she did have a few soft spots for the next little while. Aang's smile broadened.

"Okay, Twinkle Toes, now you're just creeping me out. What's with the silence?" As Aang opened his mouth to answer Toph put her hand up. "On second thought, never mind. I'm gonna go find Iroh."

And with that Toph left him to stand dumbfounded with his mouth hanging open like a confused and hungry bull frog. Aang's mouth snapped closed as he started to follow after his friend. A gentle hand stopped him in his tracks.

"Aang, you really do need to be just a little more careful around her for a while, alright?" Katara said. Aang allowed the warmth of Katara's hand flow through him as his mind raced through his memories of her. His fondness for her would forever be a part of him, and he would treasure her friendship until the day he died.

"I know," he smiled. "And I want you to know something, Katara."

"What is it, Aang?"

He gently placed his hand upon hers and looked up into her eyes for the first time since she and Zuko shared their first kiss two years ago. He smiled brightly and genuinely.

"I'm happy for you. Really happy."

Tears of joy came dangerously close to spilling from Katara's eyes as she embraced her long time friend. She had been so scared that she had chased him away when she gave Zuko her heart, but that one little statement told her that everything was going to be all right.

"Thank you, Aang. That means a lot."

Aang waved vigorously as he began to search the castle for Toph once again. He had to tell her what he had learned last night. He had to tell her the truth about how he felt. He had to find her. As he sped down the narrow turns of the hallways he collided with Sokka who was on his way for breakfast. They tumbled together a good ten feet before finally being stopped by a wall at the tuning point of the current hall.

"In a hurry?" Sokka said from under the airbender.

"Kinda," Aang replied as he climbed off of his surrogate big brother.

"Seen Toph yet?"

"Yeah, but then I lost her again. Do you know where Iroh is?"

"I never know where that crazy old man is," Sokka said with a smile. Though he did indeed at times think that Iroh was quite mad, Sokka had ever growing respect for the old general and had learned a lot from him. "If I had to make a guess I'd say drinking tea somewhere."

"Thanks, Sokka! Say 'hi' to Suki for me!"

And he was off again.

Toph wandered around the halls of the castle feeling the soft vibrations of Aang running frantically in all kinds of different directions. She knew that he was looking for her, but she wasn't really ready to see him yet. She had somethings she needed to say, but every time she tried to organize her thoughts his goofy, happy voice crept in and jumbled everything up again. What she needed right now was some good advice and a nice cup of tea. Luckily, she knew just where to find them.

"Iroh?" Toph asked as she stepped out into the small courtyard. She didn't really need to ask considering his vibrations were right next to the pond. She just felt it was polite.

"Ah, Toph my dear! Come, join me in some nice relaxing ginseng tea!" he greeted happily. Just what she wanted to hear.

"Thanks," she answered as she plopped down next to him. He filled her a small cup and handed it to her. As always, it was perfect. "I still don't know how you do it, old man."

"Tea is not an easy art to follow, but if your heart is in it, you will do well."

"Speaking of the heart," Toph hinted.

"Trouble, my friend?" Iroh was always quick to catch on and Toph was thankful for it. Rather than have to spit out all the mushy gushy stuff everyone else would undoubtedly ask about, he just lent her his ear.

"He said something last night. Something that I've wanted to hear for a long time, but I'm not sure if I'm really ready. I mean, I've never been in love before, and I don't really know what I'm supposed to do. Let's face it, I'm no Sugar Queen."

"My dear girl, no one is ever 'ready' for love. You can not expect to enter into something so life changing and no what is going to happen. You should simply follow your heart."

"I could have gotten that from a fortune teller," Toph smiled sarcastically.

"Very true, but here is what no fortune teller will tell you. All manners of love are different. You could find one hundred different happy couples and receive one hundred different examples of love. You do not have to be any particular type of person for love to work. In fact, I believe it is simply because of who you are that he said whatever it was that he said to you."

Iroh took a long sip of his tea as Toph sat and mulled this over in her mind. What Iroh said was comforting, but she still had not asked his advice on what worried her most.

"You have another question in your eyes," Iroh said. Toph laughed.

"That's true, but no matter what you may have to say about it, his is the only answer that will make me feel any better."

"Then I wish you luck, my friend. Even though I don't think you will need it," Iroh smiled again as he lifted his cup for another drink. Toph finished her tea and gave her old friend a polite bow before thanking him once again and going in search of Aang.

Aang meanwhile was still searching the wrong side of the castle for her. He had so far found three cooks, seven cleaning ladies, four bathrooms, and one strange man trying to sell cabbages. But no Toph. Almost ready to give up, Aang tried one last room at the end of the hall. Still no Toph, but there was someone. He was sitting on his knees with his back to the door.

"Who's there?" Zuko asked without turning around.

"It's me," Aang replied.

"Good to have you up and walking around," Zuko said.

"Thanks."

"Have you spoken to Toph yet?"

"Yeah, I saw her with Katara."

"I mean, have you talked to her yet?" Zuko emphasized. Realization struck Aang between the eyes. How did he know?

"No. I haven't." Aang walked around his friend and rival and sat directly in front of him, taking a seat in meditation and closing his eyes. "How did you find the courage?"

"I can't really say that I did," Zuko answered. "It was more like the courage found me."

"Well, I hope my courage has better luck finding me than I am finding Toph. And even when I do, what should I say?"

"I wouldn't know," Zuko replied. "If there's one thing I know it's that only you know what's really in your own heart."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes with only their breathing floating through the air. There was something Aang found steadying about this moment. Something about he and Zuko sharing time in quiet meditation put him at ease. Maybe it was the fact that for so long they had been enemies and now they sat here as friends showed him nothing was truly impossible. A confident smile appeared on his face as he began to stand.

"Thanks, Zuko. You really helped." Zuko's eyes opened.

"I didn't do anything," Zuko said with confusion in his voice.

"Well, thanks anyway," the Avatar smiled as he left a bewildered Zuko behind.

Just outside Zuko's room Aang closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He lifted his right foot off the ground and stamped firmly on the marble surface beneath him. The vibrations flowed quickly, revealing to him the entirety of the castle. Zuko behind him, Sokka gorging in the kitchen, Suki with him, Katara back in her room, and Iroh out in the courtyard. Then he found her.

Toph stood in the room Aang had awoken in only a few hours ago. She didn't seem to be doing anything at all. She was just standing there, like she was waiting for something. Aang sighed and opened his eyes.

"Now or never."

Aang slowly made his way back to Toph's room. He was now ready to tell her, but his legs felt like jelly. It seemed like an eternity by the time he reached the door. As he debated whether or not to knock Toph's voice found him.

"Just come in, Twinkle Toes. You've been standing out there forever."

Doing as he was told the Avatar pushed the door open slowly and walked in. Toph was sitting on her bed with her leg hanging off the side so her foot could feel the cool marble of the floor.

"Hey, Toph."

"Hey, yourself," she smiled. "You've been running around like a maniac all morning."

"You're hard to find," he laughed sheepishly.

"Got something you wanna say?" she asked just a little too quickly. She was obviously nervous. Luckily, the airbender was too nervous himself to notice it.

"I'm sorry."

"What're you apologizing for?" Toph asked.

"I'm sorry about what happened."

"Oh yeah, cause it was all your fault."

Aang winced noticeably. Toph shook her head at his ridiculous reaction.

"It wasn't your fault, airhead. Stuff happens."

"That stuff shouldn't happen."

"But it does. Don't beat yourself up about it or it'll make it no fun for me to do."

Aang smiled as he joined her on the bed. He sat down comfortably next to her as she began to tap her foot on the floor. The blood rushed to his face as he placed his arm under her pillow and behind around her shoulders.

"What're you doing?" she asked almost silently.

"I almost lost you," he whispered as he wrapped his other arm around her. She placed her hand on his arm and felt his warmth against her.

"Aang . . ."

"I don't want to lose you, Toph. Ever."

"Are you sure it's me?" Toph asked. "Are you sure it's really me?"

Aang sat in silence for a few moments. Toph's worry only grew with each passing second that he did not answer. Was she really just someone to have around? Did it really matter to him that it was her that he shared the last two years with, or could it have been anyone? All of her fears were about to be confirmed or put to rest with whatever his answer was.

Aang's arm pulled away from her grasp as placed his gentle hand on her face and turned her towards him. Zuko had been right. Only he knew what was in his own heart. Only he knew what it was that his heart truly wanted. Without a word Aang leaned in slowly and placed his lips upon Toph's. His heart raced and his head swam as the world around him fell away. In this moment all there was was Toph. All that mattered was Toph. The only thing in the world that he could not live without was right here in this moment.

Toph placed her hand over his as she returned his kiss. All of her fears were forgotten as Aang gave her his answer. In all of her life she had never felt something so strong, so real. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cave the walls around them so that the world could see their love for each other as she surrendered to him her heart and soul. But no one moment can truly last forever. Aang slowly pulled his lips away from Toph's as he pressed his forehead against hers. He stroked her cheek gently with his thumb as she gripped his hand.

"In all this world and all the next, there is no one, no one, I would rather spend the rest of my life with. I love you, Toph."

If there were any lingering doubts about how Aang felt about her, they were completely blown out of her mind now. Aang said those words with a conviction that Toph had never heard in his voice before. She traced his arm up to the side of his face and placed her hand upon his cheek. He leaned into it and closed his eyes as she closed the distance between them once more. Upon pulling away from each other for the second time, she told him the secret that she kept hidden in her heart for far too long.

"I love you, Aang."