A/N: Just a little something I thought up while listening to The Parting Glass (hence the title). Enjoy!

I own nothing.

Toph Beifong couldn't see Sokka's eyes, but she imagined that they were full of worry and grief.

"Please, Toph, hang on just a little bit longer," he pleaded, gripping her hand tightly.

She chuckled, then grimaced from the pain in her wounded abdomen. "Sokka, I know how bad it is. I'm blind, not stupid."

He brushed her bangs from her eyes. "It wasn't supposed to end like this..."

"How was it supposed to end, then?"

She imagined him smile achingly. "We were supposed to make it out of this alive. We'd help bring peace... go home... grow old..."

"Together?"

She felt him pause. "Is that what you had in mind?" he asked cautiously.

A weak smile played at the edge of her lips. "Yeah, it really was. But hey, it's too late now for that sort of thing, right?"

"Please, don't say that," he whispered.

"It's true, though," she said.

They were silent for several moments, Sokka continuing to comfortingly rub his thumb across her forehead while the echoing sounds of battle surrounded them.

"You know," Toph said, breaking their silence, "if I had to choose the one thing I regretted not being able to do, it would be not having a kid."

"Really?" Sokka asked, voice full of surprise.

"Yeah. It's sorta hokey, but I always did want someone to continue on the Beifong legacy." She took a deep breath–it's getting harder to do this–and said, "I'm not sad, though."

"Careful. You're starting to sound like Aang."

"It would be my last moments when I'd finally start to take some of Twinkletoes's advice," she said, laughing faintly.

"Better late than never," Sokka said in a soft voice.

They stayed together for the next hour, talking in low voices, reminiscing about what was and what could have been. The moment they had both been dreading came quickly and quietly. She was didn't speak for several moments, then, seeming to know what was about to happen, whispered Thank you, and silently departed with a final struggling breath

Sokka didn't have to check to know. Eyes brimming, he kissed Toph's forehead tenderly, then gently carried her away.