Disclaimer: "Avatar the Last Airbender" the characters and the world were created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and owned by Nickelodeon and Viacom or Paramount or some huge corporation. This is purely a work of fan fiction because I wanted to play in their world and I love the characters that they created.

Set up: This takes place during the final episode and is an alternate ending to the battle of the airships when Toph is hanging off the platform from Sokka's hand.

Ten Seconds

An Alternate Ending to Sozin's Comet

Great! It just keeps getting better! Sokka thought as he saw a line of fire benders begin to assemble on the catwalk under the main part of the airship. Well there's the sarcasm, looks like I'm the meat! He felt Toph's hand slip again, he had to hold on.

"I don't think boomerang is coming back Toph. It looks like this is the end".

The young man's arm felt like it was being pulled out of its socket but he had to hold on. He had seen an airship somewhere below them, if he could swing her onto it. How come I'm not on fire? He wondered. He looked to the benders and they were looking at something below him. Then his arm rebounded as the weight was suddenly gone from his hand.

He looked down and Toph was falling away,

"no" escaped his lips in a whisper.

No choice! The swordsman thought, as he launched himself off of the platform. Ok, I remember this. It's just like the time I was thrown off of Appa when we were running the blockade. He spread his arms and legs out, the pain from his left leg was mind numbing and his left arm, while not as bad as his leg, was hurting wonderfully as well. Oh this is fun! He thought.

The young warrior looked down and saw the young girl disappearing under an airship that was headed for him. He was going to land right on top of it, if he didn't do something quickly. He shifted his weight to the right, and he felt himself slip to the right, and just missed the body of the airship. As he zipped past he thought he saw someone standing on the stern. Was that Suki?

Once past the airship Sokka saw Toph again, below him and to his left. He shifted his weight and lined up on her, but he wasn't catching up to her. He brought his hands to his mouth to try to shout, and as he did, his body shifted to a head down attitude and he could feel himself speed up. Hey, I am really starting to get the hang of this he thought with some pride at his skill.

As Sokka got closer he shouted,

"I'm almost there Toph, make earthangels!"

The tribesman could see the blind bender shift her head slightly then she spread her arms and legs out to either side. He was coming up on her very fast, too fast he thought. He spread his arms and legs out again, felt his body re-orientate and slow down. He was almost on top of her now. He reached out and grabbed her.

"I've got you" he shouted, "don't worry I will never let you go!"

The small earthbender spun around like a cat in his arms and grabbed him in return, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He gave an involuntary,

"Woof!" as she latched onto him; he realized for such a little girl she is really strong.

Sokka could feel, even through his armor, Toph's heart pounding against his chest, poor kid, she's really scared ran through his head as he held onto her. With his arms around her, they were now pointed head down and speeding up, but he figured it didn't matter, they were together at last. He shifted his weight again and spun them both around so that he had his back to the ground and she was on top of him. The pain from his leg shot through him like a lightning bolt and he cried out, but then got control and pushed the torment away. Sokka squeezed Toph tight with his head next to hers. He felt something wet on his cheek. It must be the wind causing her eyes to tear up.

"Ok, Toph!" he shouted over the wind, "we only have a couple of seconds. I am going to need you to… ",

What? The fifteen year old asked himself. We are falling to our deaths and there was nothing either of them could do about it, but he couldn't let her think about that.

"To… ", he shouted, "to bend like you never have before"

Yeah, that sounds good the young man told himself. He turned his head and out of the corner of his eye he saw the ground below them.

"There is going to be some smoke," he spoke to her slowly and very clearly, "then trees, then the ground. It's going to be really fast, as soon as you can sense the ground, start bending. OK?"

"OK!" Toph shouted back to him.

She had calmed down quite a bit in the second or so Sokka had been holding her, he could hardly feel her heart now. Probably because yours is up in your throat, he told himself. Well at least it will be quick, and you won't feel your leg hurt for much longer he added. He felt her heart speed up and then she pulled her head back off of his shoulder. He turned to look at her wondering what was wrong. She shouted above the wind,

"Sokka, I… love you!"

Where did that come from? The teenager asked himself.

She was the one that said non-benders didn't count, that she didn't care when he was away but then he answered back,

"I love you too Toph!"

He gave her a hard, fast kiss,

"For luck!" he shouted.

He smelt, then saw smoke and shouted,

"Get ready!"

He looked out of the corner of his eye as they went through the smoke.

"I'm sorry I won't be there for you Katara" The young warrior said to the wind, and he added,

"Sorry Suki".

He had made his choice, Toph needed him more.

"Take care of them for me Yue" he prayed.

Something green, Leaves?, flashed past and he shouted,

"NOW!" and he felt Toph tense in his arms, then he felt something hit him.

Authors Notes:

This was my first attempt at fanfiction, or writing for that matter. I wrote it in January 2009 and posted it on DeviantArt.

I decided to do a little minor editing and post it here since I will not have a new chapter for my main fic I'll Walk You Home for about two weeks, so this was an easy way to get something new up. Also I read blutenka's In the Palm of His Hand which made me think of this old one shot of mine, so here it is.

It was originally inspired by a fanfic on DeviantArt by the-evil-girl called Falling which can be found here

/art/Falling-a-SokkaSuki-fanfic-105186449

Sokka decides that he can't save Toph's life but he can sacrifice himself so that she will not have to die alone.

I hope you like it.