Hello there, fans of Avatar the last airbender. Thank you for taking the time to choose this story. Please, this is my first Avatar fic, though I have written before. That said, I strongly urge you to critique my work, because there is always room for improvement. Tell me what I'm doing wrong, tell me what I'm doing right. I appreciate feedback of all kinds(This includes flames, they make me laugh. xDD)
This is an Alternate Universe kind of story, so don't be befuddled when you see the word 'car'. xD
There are a few real-episode references here though. Let's see if you can see them ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the last airbender, the characters, the Pilsbury Doughboy, the Niagra Falls or even this box of Cheerios that I have claimed as my snack. Shh! If my mother asks where the cereal went, don't rat me out!
I hate Thursdays. Particularly, this Thursday.
You see, less then a year ago, Sokka and Suki finally decided to get married. After that, it just wasn't the same anymore. Sokka stopped being fun and I decided to quit hanging out with him all together. Zuko and Mai who were already married and living happily, busily running the newly acquired family business and restoring honor to their name again. This left me with just Sugarqueen and Twinkletoes who I'm pretty sure would've already been hitched, had they been old enough. Needless to say, I miss the old gang. Why did everyone have to grow up? Why can't things just stay the way they were? Why do we have to change?
These questions are retorical of course. I'm not looking for answers because there aren't any. I know that. It doesn't keep me from wishing that there were though.
I always hang out at Katara's house on Thursdays, and while I never found her the greatest of company, It was always good to see her. Well, metephorically that is, because I don't exactly see. At least, not like you do. I may be blind, but that has never stopped me from doing anything I wanted to.
My name is Toph Bei Fong.
"Toph, hello? Is anybody in there?" Katara asked, lightly rapping her kuckles on my head.
"Ow, ow, ow." I responded promptly after each rap.
"Hey there, welcome back to planet earth." She said. I could hear her grin. "So, in case you didn't hear, I asked if you wanted a sandwhich. It's only a PBJ, but you haven't eaten lunch so I figure it might be a nice treat."
"No thanks." I said, slouching a bit on the sofa I was sitting on.
"Are you okay?" Katara sat down beside me. "You seem a little downcast. Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine."
"I know!" She said, standing up and pulling me with her. "Let's go visit Sokka and Suki! He was just telling me the other day that he hasn't seen you in a while and I think it might be a good way to cheer you up. You know, Suki is due any day now. I'm so excited! I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl, I understand that they wanted it to be a surprise but it makes it hard to shop for."
"Great way to cheer me up, bring up Suki's baby..." I said sarcastically, but not quietly enough because Katara heard and stopped abruptly.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"I knew it! This is what it's all about, right? The baby, the marriage, you're...you're jealous, aren't you?" She said
"Don't pretend like you know what I'm feeling 'cuz you don't. For all you know it could just be a bad day, but you always have to jump to conclusions."
"A bad day? But you're like this every day!" She started raising her voice slightly. "I get it! The reason you haven't visited either of them is because you're jealous, jealous that Sokka chose Suki over you."
"That's not what it's like! You don't know me!"
"Well then prove it, prove to me that that's not what it's like and go to their house and spend some time with them! It'll at least make the two of them happy."
There wan't really much more I could say to her. Resentful, I agreed."Fine."
"Fine!" She said "Let's go."
"Wait, right now?"
"Yes right now." She handed me my jacket. "If we don't go right now you'll never get around to doing it."
That leads me to where I am right now. Slowly getting out of her car, taking my time...
"Hurry up Toph."
The drive over was rather...crazy to say the least. Heavy traffic all the way up and there was a grumpy guy fixing the Telephone lines on the street that they lived on who, judging by Katara's grumbling, parked his car right in front of their house.
"I'm coming."
"Looks like it's gonna storm" She said.
"Feels like it too."
Katara rang the doorbell and I dreaded the sound of it. The footsteps that came to answer the door were uneven, I could hear. A limp. I knew who was answering the door. I gulped.
"Hey Katara! Hey Toph!" Sokka hugged his sister and then myself. "Where've you been, Toph? I missed my buddy."
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that." My face was flushed a bit. I could feel it. I just hoped he didn't notice. He always used to do this to me. He sounded so happy, and it was catchy. Just standing by him made me feel brighter. It was the oddest thing.
"Sokka, who is it?" Suki called as made her way to the foyer of the house. "It's so good to see you guys!" Her tone lightened as she saw us. "Well, you can come in if you want. We were just watching TV." She and Sokka stepped aside, making way for Katara and I to walk through. Katara led me along, pulling on my arm.
We all sat down on the two couches, somebody clicked the TV off. Nothing happened, we all just sat there, waiting for someone to say something.
The sound of the clock in the background ticking never seemed so invasive.
15 seconds passed...27...32...45...
"Um, are you guys hungry?" Suki was the first to speak. "I'm going to make us some cheese and crackers" With that she stood up and left the room.
I wasn't hungry for the PBJ Katara was offering and I wasn't really hungry now. I find it funny how people often feel the need to feed me and such.
"So..umm...how's your leg?" Katara asked.
"It's doing better." Sokka responded. "
"And your arm?"
"Same as the leg."
"You should be proud of yourself, from what I heard, you were quite a hero." She said, leaing back into the couch. "Of course, you always seem to bust yourself up in the process, isn't that right Toph?" She elbowed me. "Do you remember when Sokka saved you?"
"oh..uh, yeah."
"Geez, that was quite a long time ago." Sokka said.
"Here guys, I got us some snacks!" Suki came back in, setting the plate of cheese and crackers on the coffee table.
Katara's phone beeped and she picked it up and looked at it. "Aww man! I forgot to pick up Aang from the college, his cars being repaired. I've gotta go, c'mon Toph"
"Aww, so soon?" Sokka half whined. "And you guys just got here..."
"Yeah, I know. I am so sorry. I completely forgot."
"Well, you don't both have to go, do you?" Suki asked "Can't Toph stay a little while? I mean, we haven't seen her in ages."
"I guess that would be okay," she started. "Do you want to stay here?"
"Yeah!" Sokka jumped up, then with the sharp jolt of pain, sat back down, slowly. up
"It's up to you," Suki said. "We don't want to force you to choose one way or the other."
"I'll stay then." I decided. Katara was a crazy driver and I didn't want her 'analyzing' me anymore.
"Okay, see you in a bit." Katara hugged Suki good-bye, grabbed a cracker and ran out the door.
"So, would you like anything to drink, Toph?" Suki offered.
"Um, water please?"
She stood up and was about to leave when Sokka grabbed her arm. "Don't go, you already got the crackers. I don't want you up and about so much, your supposed to be resting. Let me get it."
"But Sokka, your leg! You're supposed to be resting as well." She argued. "I'm fine, really. Besides, Toph is more of your friend then mine. You guys can talk, I'll be right back."
She kissed him quickly before he could respond and went off to get my drink.
I will admit, I felt kind of bad requesting water. Of course it's not like I couldn't have gotten it myself. I'm blind, not helpless.
"So...Toph, are you okay?" Sokka asked me. "I know I haven't seen you in a while but I'm pretty sure I can tell when you're not alright. Do you want to talk about it?"
Before I could think of a reply, we were interupted.
"Unh! Sokka!" Suki screamed, diverting our attention.
Running as fast as he could, Sokka made his way to the kitchen, where he found her on the floor.
"S-Sokka, the baby's coming..."
"Why does this always happen!" He helped his wife up off the floor, amazingly as he only had his left foot for stability and use of his right arm. "We need to get you to the hospital. Toph! You know where the phone is right, can you call for an ambulance?"
I nodded my head and I made my way to the living room. I moved my hands along the wall, making my way as best as I could. It had been a while since I'd been here, but I remembered the phone's place on a table, beside the couch.
I picked up the phone but there was not dial tone. "Sokka, the phone lines are down!"
"What!"
I then remembered that there was a person who was fixing the lines outside. "Do you have a cellphone we can use?"
"No...I left it in my pants and it went through the wash cycle..."
"Great job, genius." I said sarcastically.
"Uh, guys? Hello!" Suki yelled. "Need some help here!"
"I've gotta drive her to the hospital then." He decided.
"What? Nh.." Suki said in pain. "That's crazy!"
"We can't stay here, I don't know what to do! Last time I was in this kind of situation, I ended up fainting. This is the only way."
"A-are you sure?"
"We don't have to drive that far!" I yelled. "There's a guy down the street a ways, fixing the phone lines. Katara saw him on the way over. We can get him to help us"
"Great!" Sokka approved. "C'mon."
Slowly, the three of us(soon to be four), made our way to the car. Suki was helped into the back by Sokka, who then hobbled around to the other side and got in the drivers seat. I was in the passengers'.
In pain, Sokka did his best to make his way down the street, which was not easy. I could hear him hiss with the pain his foot gave him, so he decided to try using his left foot, which was not broken, for the pedals and carefully steered with only his right hand as his left was in a sling.
We made it to where the van was, but when Sokka looked around, he didn't see anybody. "He must be out to lunch. Darn!" He slammed his good hand on the steering wheel. "Are you doing all right, Suki?"
"Wonderful Sokka, wonderful."
"I can't do this!" He opened his door and got out. For a moment I had no idea what he was doing and I was briefly scared that he had abandoned us. But I quickly shook that thought away, after all, Sokka would never do this to Suki. I heard the pattering of rain and a rumble of thunder out in the distance.
Suddenly, my door swung open. "Toph! Scoot over into the drivers seat!" Sokka practically yelled at me.
"What!" Both Suki and I screamed at the same time.
"Trust me on this." He said.
I followed his orders, slid into the next seat and buckled up.
I don't think I would make it all the way to the hospital on my leg, but your legs are fine. I need you to man the vehicle and I'll be your eyes."
If I wasn't scared before, I was scared now. I heard the thunder clapping and Suki's cries of pain. Right now, if I didn't do something... "Sokka, I don't think I can do this!"
"What do you mean, of course you can!"
"No, I can't! I'll end up getting us all killed." I clenched the steering wheel tight.
"No, you won't." He said. "I know you can do this. you have to. Being blind never stopped you from doing anything before."
He was right.
"Okay." I consented.
Getting through the neighborhood wasn't so bad, as nobody was out there. Once we got out on the real streets though...
"Great, now a sharp left turn in three...two...one...NOW!"
I twisted the wheels to his commands. "Great job. It's gonna be a straight road for a while now." I nodded once. "You hangin' in there?" He called back to Suki.
"Best as I can, all things considered." Her reply was strained.
"Love you sweetie, we're almost there." He turned attention to the road. "Okay, there's a red light up ahead, but don't slow down."
I turned my head towards him in confusion.
"It's gonna turn green, don't worry. The other side's got a yellow...now a red...perfect!"
Our light turned 'green' and we sped through without hesitation. The adrenaline pumping through my body was getting me excited. I was driving a car!
"The hospitals up ahead. We're going to need to turn right. Slow down a bit."
I followed his instructions till we got to the hospital. Directed by Sokka , I pulled up to the area the he said was labeled 'Emergency'.
He got out, whipped around and helped Suki out.
They made their way to the entrance, leaning on each other.
I stood there a moment and then promptly followed, falling in line behind them.
We made it to the doors where a nurse saw us and called for help. They placed Suki on one of those bed-thingies and started making their way to a room. Sokka and I going with them, as fast as we could.
As Suki was being wheeled off, I heard her call back to me. "Thank you, Toph."
I couldn't help but feel a little proud of myself.
We all made it to the delivery room and the doctor directed Suki to 'push' and when to breath. It sounded awful. I don't mean to sound offensive but I honestly am not looking forward to delivering a kid of my own.
Sokka was there, not fainting, but trying his best to help Suki out by talking to her and comforting her, most likely holding her hand as well.
The sounds of the delivery room were chaotic to say the least, but then something changed. The cry of a baby could be heard and all of the chaos seemed to change into ringing rejoice. I could hear one of the nurses say 'it's a girl' and another cooing over how beautiful she was. Somebody else commented on how she had a pretty full head of hair.
Soon though, a nurse handed Suki the baby and the proud parents 'ooed' and 'awwed' over the life that they had created.
"Toph," Suki said quietly. "Would you like to hold the baby?"
I felt Sokka grab my arm and direct me to the side of the bed where she handed me her child.
The two parents helped me hold the baby properly, and Suki guided my hand so that I could feel the soft tuft of hair she had. I smiled as I moved my hand along the side of the baby's cheek, careful not to touch the face.
It was amazing. I may not be the mom or the dad, but I played my part in helping to bring her into the world.
"Whaddya say Toph, would you like to be her godmother?" Suki asked. I could hear her smile.
"There's only one thing I need to aske..." I said grinning "What's the babys' name?"
"Uh...we never could agree on that..." Sokka said slowly.
"We?" Suki asked, pretending to be offended. "I came up with lots of names! You never liked a single one."
"I want our baby's name to be special!"
"Well now it'll be confused, being brough into the world, nameless!"
The continued to bicker and I just rolled my eyes. "Hello there, little one." I said to the small child I held.
The baby yawned.
Maybe this Thursday wasn't as bad as I originally thought it was going to be.
In case you were wondering, the blind driving a car thing was inspired by a Mythbusters episode.
This was supposed to be a one-shot, though I might make it a two-shot and delve deeper into Toph's thoughts and emotions as well as actually naming the baby. Speaking of which, as I am having trouble with names, could you perhaps help me out? I would love suggestions if you've got any! ;D
Thank you for reading~