A lot of people requested a sequel to "My Rock", so I'm gonna give it a try. For anyone who didn't read the previous story, I'll give a quick recap:

The war didn't end with the defeat of Firelord Ozai. After his death, Azula ceased control of the firenation, and it was under her command that Sokka and Toph were captured and detained. They escaped, but Toph nearly drown. Sokka and Aang later go undercover as guards in Azula's palace in an attempt to free the captive Zuko and Iroh as well as kill the maniacal Azula. Toph and Katara arrive just in time for the final battle, and they stand with Aang in a face off with the Firelord while Sokka lies seemingly lifeless on the floor. Sokka comes back from the brink of death and kills Azula, but loses his hand in the process. As Katara and Toph pull him from the rubble, Sokka asks Toph to marry him, and she accepts. The story draws to a close right after Aang and Katara's wedding in which Sokka attempts to teach Toph to swim.

So that's where we left off. I hope everything lines up correctly, but if you see anything in this story that doesn't line up with what happened in "My Rock," please let me know.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

She had been through so much in her short life. She had commanded a squadron of earth benders against the fire nation army at the Battle of Black Sun. She'd stood with Katara, Zuko and Sokka holding back the enemy while the Avatar faced and defeated Firelord Ozai. She had looked on while the man she loved lay weeping over Suki's mangled corpse and had helped him bring her body back into the light for the last time. She had been imprisoned by Azula's troops only to escape, and she had been present when her beloved had come back from the brink of death and run the bitch through with his sword... the last sword he'd ever hold. Toph was no stranger to fear.

"I don't know if I can do this, Katara!" she shouted at her friend.

"I don't see why facing your parents is more terrifying than all the other things you've faced," replied Katara stiffly, her hands on her hips.

Toph sighed heavily, "Because this isn't something I can bend my way out of, and I can't impress my parents by telling them about my adventures. They'll just be mortified and try to lock me in my room."

"Well don't tell them. This visit isn't about that anyway. We're just getting their permission for you to marry Sokka," said the tall woman with a smile, "I still can't get over that," she said wistfully.

"Yeah, but will my parents be so thrilled? The first time I've seen them since I ran away, and I'm just gonna tell them I'm engaged to one of the people that kidnapped me?"

"You weren't kidnapped," said Katara calmly.

"My parents think I was, and when they see Sokka..."

"Sokka is a good match for you!" screeched Katara angrily, "He's the leader of the Southern Water tribe and a hero of war..."

"You don't know my father! He's not gonna see that. He's gonna see that he's the one armed leader of a tribe that is on the brink of ruin!" shrieked Toph in return, tears flowing from her sightless eyes.

"We are not on the brink of ruin," replied Katara coolly, pinning a red dragon-orchid in Toph's hair, "Since we took hold of the world's fish industry, the Southern tribe has become quite wealthy... and we're the only source of the black pearls that have become so popular in Omashu."

Toph sighed and nodded, "Maybe I'm being paranoid."

"I think that's obvious," said Katara with a laugh, "Besides, you'll have quite a bit of support."

This was true enough. The Avatar, his wife (who was also the Water Tribe's ambassador to the Earth king) and the Firelord would all be at the party where Sokka would ask for her hand. Would her parents really be able to turn him down under such pressure?

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

"Absolutely not!" shouted Toph's father, a look of absolute horror on his face, "I won't allow it."

"Sir, I promise you that she'll be very well taken care of..." Sokka pleaded.

"Taken care of? TAKEN CARE OF! You were one of the ones that stole her from us in the first place. How dare you steal my poor daughter, drag her all over the world, take her into battle, and when by some miracle she comes home alive, you have the audacity to ask me to give her to you in marriage!"

All eyes were on them. Of all Lords and dignitaries seated around the long tables, not a single one was eating, though many a mouth was wide open in shock. Even King Bumi, who had come at Aang's request, sat with mouth agape. Toph and Zuko were the only ones that didn't seemed shocked. The latter was looking very bored and the former was muttering darkly about how her fiance hadn't actually ASKED his permssion.

"She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She's a hero in her own right," seethed Sokka, his arm shifting back as though gripping his sword, despite the fact that it had been severed half way down his forearm months ago.

"She's blind and frail and she's still only a child!" shouted Lord Bei Fong.

"At eighteen years old?" asked Zuko from where he sat a few chairs down. He was slumped against the table fiddling with what remained of his food, looking for all the world like he was fighting sleep.

Lord Bei Fong looked ruffled, but snapped back, "Still, she cannot simply marry whomever she chooses. She is a well born Earth Kingdom lady. She..."

"Is blind and no one other than Sokka would want me, Father. Besides, he's the Chief of the Southern Water tribe! You can't possibly hope for a better match," said Toph, pushing back her chair and rising to her feet.

The angry man didn't answer. Instead he pushed his chair back and tried to walk out of the dining hall, grabbing his daughter by the arm and dragging her along with him.

Toph, however, wasn't going to let it end that way. She planted her feet firmly, twisting her feet so that the stone of the floor molded itself in a thick sheath half-way up her calf, "Let me go, daddy!"

"Toph, you will hold your tongue and you will come with me!" he shouted, tugging angrily at her arm.

"NO!" she screamed, all her anger and defiance compressed into the single word as it reverberated throughout the palace dining hall.

Lord Bei Fong took a step backward, shock evident on his face. It was not as if his daughter had never defied him before, but in all her life, only once before had his illusion that she was weak and frail been so shaken as it was at that moment. He didn't like the feeling.

"I will not leave. I will not be silent, and I will not let you leave until you agree to let me marry Sokka!" she shouted, slamming her hand down hard on the table, causing huge slabs of rock to shoot up from the floor and blocked the huge arching doorways.

The man stared at her in absolute shock before turning to king Bumi, "Majesty, will you not stop this? They have obviously brainwashed my child... corrupted her and turned her against me! You must take action..."

"I will do no such thing. I know this girl, and I know the young man whom she plans to marry. Both are good people with minds of their own. I think it is obvious that you must either grant your blessing or lose a daughter," said the king, in that rare tone he had when he was truly serious.

Bei Fong clenched his fists and stared hard at the floor. After several moments, he surprised everyone when he nodded solumnly and shouted so that all could hear, "So... if that's the way it must be," he said turning to Toph, "You are no longer my child. I deny you," he turned and walked toward the door, "Do with her as you will," he shouted to Sokka over his shoulder.

Bumi shook his head solemnly, making a motion with his hand that cleared the doorway and let the man pass. Toph merely stood in shock.

"I don't think that's what you meant, was it Bumi?" asked Aang nervously. He had whispered it, but the hall had grown so eerily silent that all those around heard him easily.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

The night air cooled her hot skin as she sat on the edge of the fountain trailing her fingers in the cool water. It was a warm night, and the roses were in full bloom all around her. She knew from the talk at the party that the full moon shone brightly tonight in a cloudless sky, and she wished she could see it. The sight of the moon always seemed to sooth the others, and she had to push down a surge of jealousy that such a comfort was not available to her. Instead, she focused on the soft sound of the falling water, soft and sweet like tiny bells.

She felt his heavy footsteps on the paved stones of the path and turned to face him, "Sokka..."

"Toph," he said gently, coming to sit beside her at the fountain. He wrapped one arm around her waist and nuzzled her hair. His breath was warm as it ruffled her short black locks. They were both silent for a long time.

"I guess we can get married now..." she said softly, a tear rolling down her face.

He sighed heavily and used his damaged arm to lightly stroke her back, "I'm sure he didn't mean it, Toph. We'll give him a few days to cool off and then we can go talk to him. Maybe if we talk to him privately, instead of putting him on the spot in front of all the world's most powerful people..."

She wanted to hope, but somehow it eluded her.

"Why does he still think of me as his poor blind daughter? Haven't I proven a thousand times over that I'm capable?" she asked, shifting so that her back was leaned against him.

"Yeah. You've proven to all the world how great you are, but he's not the world, Love. He's your father, and its hard for him to let you go. Remember how crazy I acted the week before Katara got married, and she's just my sister," said Sokka with a chuckle.

Toph smiled. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. The smile left her face just as quickly when she felt a group of soldiers coming toward them.

They came into view, having obviously run all the way there and looking very out of breath.

"Lady Toph, Lord Sokka, we have grave news..." said the lead soldier.

"What is it?" asked Sokka coolly, rising to his feet.

"Lady Bei Fong has been kidnapped."

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

"We don't need your help," said Lord Bei Fong, glaring at the three of them.

"She's my mother!" shouted Toph. Sokka and Katara both placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Aang smiled kindly, "We really want to help you, Lord Bei Fong. There's no need to draw this out needlessly, and between the five of us, we'll have your wife back here with all speed," he said at his most diplomatic.

The man looked torn, glancing from Toph to Sokka and then at the gaping hole in the wall of the mansion. Finally he gave a great sigh and nodded, "Fine. For my wife, I suppose I can be civil."

'Not exactly welcoming me home with open arms, but I'll take it for now,' thought Toph with a ghost of a smile.

The four of them moved around the room, searching for clues among the ruins. The place was in shambles, the creamy white walls riddled with cracks that spread out from the large hole. Shattered vases, torn linens and splintered furniture made the room difficult to move through.

"That hole wasn't made by earth bending. It's way too sloppy. Feels like someone punched their way through with something," said Toph, running a hand along the damaged wall.

"And whoever it was, they were making a statement. I mean, if all they wanted was Toph's mom, they wouldn't have bothered to destroy the place..." said Aang, shifting a broken piece of wood with his foot.

"No blood though, so I don't think they hurt her... yet," said Katara. Toph's father flinched.

"Hey guys... come look at this?" called Sokka. He was standing in the only clear section of floor in the whole room, a piece of paper in his hand.

"What is it?" asked Katara as they all rushed to his side.

"It's a note, but I don't really understand what it means... 'You think you have me? I know your weakness.' What is that supposed to mean?" said Sokka. He flipped the note over in his hand, searching for more clues. Only when he looked up did he realize how white Aang had become.

"What's wrong, Twinkletoes? You're heartbeat is going crazy..." said Toph, reaching out to offer a steadying hand.

"That's what she said... in the royal bed chamber. Those were Azula's last words," said the young man, and he turned to cling to his wife, his body shaking all over.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888