,' Through the mist,I see you there.

Though I see you,I know not where.

Come back to me love,for my heart dost tear.

Because only through the mist,I may see you there,'

Sokka felt the cool morning mist air on his skin right before it would lower to ground,moistioning the soil so that grass could grow and animals could graze.

His arms were folded loosely to his chest and he clasped his boomerang only to keep it from falling.What was the point of fighting in the world they lived in?

The neighbouring trees around him stretched tall up in dark spires that looked as though they could eventually reach the post-dawn sky,their slender branch tips like fingers ready to make contact.Sokka lowered his eyes to the others.

All were sound asleep next to Appa,all peaceful and innocent.He felt any envy he had had towards their abilties completely evaporate.The fact that they were powerful benders didn't matter now,they were just as vurenable as Sokka was.

Protectiveness for them surged and he looked on across the silent forest when a new thought entered his mind.Suki.He did not know what'd happened to her.

She was probably confined to ribald conditions while the world's captors lived in luxury.Sokka surpressed his bitterness and yet felt desperation for the need of her whereabouts to be known.He had to find out her before it was too late.

Pushing up off the trunk he leaned against,Sokka had to regain his balance for he had been sitting still so long.The backs of his legs aches and he felt knots of hunger but he ignored them as he hopped down,branch-by-branch,to the floor.

"Sokka?"Toph asked him drowzily,peering up from being back-to-back with Katara."Where're you going off to?I thought we agreed to stay together now."

The young man straightened up and looked over his shoulder,without guilt."I've got to go back for Suki.Azula's probably keeping her locked up somewhere."

"You don't know that for sure,"she countered.

"You guys just stay and keep together."Sokka told her and turned to head out.

He heard walking over toward him."Sokka,don't be a monkey-baboon.What if we never meet up again and what am I suppose to tell Katara and the others?"

"They'll understand."

"Sokka!"She balked.

"Ssh,Toph."he tried pleadingly to settle her down."Listen,were right outside the palace walls and well-hidden for the moment.I'm going to retrace my steps and then I'll be back soon.You need to stay here with the others and stick together."

The young girl averted her glazed eyes down."We need you."

"And I need you to understand why I'm doing this."He tried sounding calm.

"Why?"

"Because if I lost Suki,then that would mean I'd failed again."

Before he could object further,Toph rushed up to clasp his hand and pulled him forward with her other hand stretched out.Sokka would have withdrawn had he not been struck with awe as Toph's swaying hand signs made the trees on both sides of them bend down to form a long path of surreally curved trunks knitted.

"What the heck?!"he gaped in fascination."How can you do that without-?"

"Do you save to find your girlfriend,"Toph cut him off,eyes set straight ahead."Or do you want to ask dumb questions that I don't have a single anwser for anyway."

Sokka rolled his eyes in exaggeration."So why're you doing this for,footprints?"

"Partly."she grinned."I also want to jump on the trees to help the sap inside along so we can have syrup for pancakes when we come back,assuming we do though."

Common sense gained it's hold on him,finally."Toph,"he pulled her back his way as they were some distance from camp now."You need to go back,this is a journey-"

"Wait!I see something."

Sokka scoffed."You can't see anything."

"A-hem,earthbending."

"Oh,"he rubbed the nap of his neck sheepishly."There's that."

"It's coming from this direction."She pointed westward and headed off instantly.

"What if it's Fire Nation?"Sokka mentioned as he gave chase.

"Stop,"Was her only reply,sliding to a halt and putting her hand up to his chest.

The air around them felt a little harder to breath,heavy and humid.Sokka felt tingles running up his spine as he pursed his lips and instinctively grasped Toph's wrist out of safeguarding.A presence lingered near yet neither threateningly not passively to them.

"Who's there?"he asked out in a normal,steady voice."We won't harm you."

"Sokka?"A female voice inquired warbly.

He heard Toph sigh."It's gone on,Sokka.Let's just go back to the others."

"No wait,didn't you hear her?Suki just said my name."

The little girl peered around curiously,gliding her feet across the ground."It's nothing."

"Nothing?"he said incredulously."Didn't you just hear Suki's voice?"

Toph shook her head."No,I only hear you and that's enough."

Without meaning too,he took her roughly by the shoulders and made her face him."I want the truth,Toph."he demanded between clenched teeth."Where did Suki go to?"

She stared up into his hardened face and it wasn't until he felt her starting to tremble a littlr did he release her,searching around the hollow and damp forest a haphazzard way.

"If you go back you'll be done for,"Toph told him quietly and turned to walk back.

Taking a deep inhale,Sokka closed his eyes and exhaled;listening.The distant acsotics of a roosterowl,the faint pitter-patter of dew drops sprintzling the leaves,the gold sun's break onto a dizzying,warm yet colorful morn,to the far calls of the girl that he loved so.

"Sokka..."Suki called out."Sokka..."

"I'll save you,"he whispered,dipping his head as the full fall of moisture in the air fell over him and incased his entire back in dampness."I'll save you,Suki.I promise you that I will."

His body felt stiff and cold.But there was a person in front of him and he rose up to meet whoever it was at full height.Sokka's eyes felt cold with water as he opened them,all that was around him swishing around in liquid obscurity until someone's body began filling out.

"Suki?"he asked softly,reached out for her.But her blurred appearance began to diminish.

No,no,no...please,don't leave.

Suddenly,he felt a pressure up against him.His hands shakily moved up and cool,soft skin that were someone's cheeks corresponded with his stroking touch.As his vision cleared a new light broke through and Suki's joyful face appeared.Though traces of smeared make up were evident and her hair looked un-kept,she was finally there in his arms now.Finally.

"Sokka."she laughed breathlessly and touched the back of his hands."It's really you."

He brought his hands down around her bare back and held her to him again,she sported nothing over then leaves and some type of roping strewn together.Passionately,he brought his lips onto her and tried to warm her on the inside as well as the out.She was back now.

They brought each other's forehead's together as they drew back and gazed lovingly into each other's eyes.Suki smiled demurely after another moment and straightened herself up.

"What is it?"He asked her concernedly,also standing up to full height.

"Well,this may be hard for you to believe..."

"What?They didn't hurt you,did they?"his eyes wandered about her fit legs,arms,midriff in search of lacerations but he quickly covered his eyes in embarrasment."Uh,sorry.I didn't-"

"Sokka."Suki shook her head in disbelief,smiling."Will you just get me some clothes!?"

Blushing,he nodded and taking her hand the two headed back for camp.

The End.

LP