Braya : The Lost Guardian

Heated Feelings

"Twinkle toes, I'm the chief, I'm going to have to know what is in there sooner or later. I would rather get it over with now, "Toph said defiantly to Aang.

"Toph, please just trust me on this, you don't want to know what is in there," Aang pleaded.

"What is on the paper," Katara asked pointing to Aang's hand.

"Nothing, please we all need to go inside." Kya however wasn't having it. She was an adult and was tired of her dad babying her, and even his friends at times. She snatched the note from his hand and read it. Aang tried to stop her, but Kya had already read the note. She looked up from the letter with tears in her eyes.

"Dad....is that.... oh my god, is it her," Kya said, getting choked up trying to get the words out.

"I think so," Aang said looking down to the floor again.

"What do you mean you think so! Was it or was it not dad?" Kya yelled at her father.

"What are you talking about Kya...." Katara asked, very slowly.

Kya gave the letter to Katara, who read it and fell to the ground. At this point Toph and Lin were furious. They wanted to know what they were talking about, and they were sick of waiting. Toph demanded Katara tell her what the letter said and being that Toph is blind she read it out loud for her.

"This is a warning to your chief of police. If you don't stop searching for my sanctuary, then one of your children will be given the same fate. Believe me when I say she suffered. Your children will to if you don't head my warning. You don't want to bury another family member." Katara set down the letter and started crying into her hands. Lin turned to go look at the body for herself, but Aang stopped her.

"Let go of me Aang, I need to see it for myself, so let go!" Lin pushed as Aang held onto her arms.

"Please, Lin you don't want to see it. please."

"Tell me what it looks like Aang," Toph joined in causing Lin to stop fighting with Aang and just stare at him, waiting for an answer.

"Are you sure Toph it's," Toph interrupted Aang.

"Yes... I'm sure, we all need to know," she said calmly looking in the direction of Aang.

"The body is burned.... it's burned to the point you can't recognize anything on her anymore. The whole body is just black.... they had the clothes she wore the night she was taken, wrapped around her so we would know it was her...." Aang stopped. He couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Tenzin had started crying, and was holding Pema as she cried, trying to be a support while also feeling horrible pain. Sokka left saying he needed a drink. Everyone knew he wouldn't be back for a day or two. Lin dropped to the ground unable to support her weight anymore. She looked up to her mother who stood solid. She wasn't showing any emotion at all, she looked like a statue. She had never seen her mother cry and she guessed that even now she wouldn't. Lin got up and walked to the bench in the back of the island. she sat by herself, weight coming down on her chest. The person she cared about most in this world was dead. She had failed her and because of that she was dead. She tortured herself wondering if she had been alive the past ten months before being burned alive, or if they burned her alive and then stored her somewhere in a closet just to mess with them.

She thought about Su and Bumi, who were both gone travelling. Who was going to tell them about Braya? Lin's heart ached thinking about having to tell Su. She put her head in her hands and sobbed. "Damn it. It's all my fault. I should have protected her," Lin cried to herself. Then she felt a warm embrace pulling her in and consuming her.

"This is not your fault," a voice whispered in her ear, a voice Lin hardly recognized through her sobbing. She felt the other person lay their head on her back. After a few minutes she could feel her back start to get wet. She realized they were crying too. Lin took her head out of her hands to see her mother crying with her on the bench. She had never seen her mother cry before, but here she was. She grabbed Toph in a tight hug, "I'm really glad you're here right now." Lin cried to her mom. "I know the others need you right now..." Lin was interrupted by Toph before she could finish.

"Kya and Tenzin need Katara and Aang. You need me. You are my main priority. Plus, there is no one I would rather share my emotions with than you." Toph said tears dripping down her face but offering a small sincere smile. "You know how I felt about Braya. I lost a daughter today and it makes me want to hold you and Su that much closer. You three girls mean everything to me. Everything I did, I did for you girls. I know I'm not the best mother, but I really try Lin. I try so hard to protect you all. If anyone is to blame, its me. I should have been there to protect her. I just hope she knew how much I loved her, and I hope you know how much I love you Lin," Toph wiped the tears away. Lin leaned into her mother holding her a little longer while they grieved together.

The days following the incident, no one talked. The temple was silent, while everyone prepared for the funeral. Aang had stopped responding to the figure in the spirit world. He felt the connection pulling at him, but he ignored it. He had been so overcome with grief; he couldn't think about anything but his failure. He blamed himself for Braya's death. He is the Avatar but couldn't protect his own daughter.

Katara took it upon herself to arrange the funeral. She was going through the motions of the day, but everyone could see how depressed she was. They managed to get Bumi and Su home the day before the funeral. They had the service near the water at the back of the temple. The funeral was beautiful everyone stood before the crowd to say nice things about Braya. They recalled favorite memories and character traits she had. Afterwards everyone went inside for food. As everyone stood quietly talking to one another they heard glass being tapped for attention. Katara stood in front of everyone, waiting to gain all their attention. "I just wanted to thank everyone for coming today to remember Braya with us. Braya made quite the impact on many people. I remember when my dear friend Toph brought her home to us. We had this little girl needing a home and Aang volunteered us to take on another baby even though we had three already," Katara chuckled. "I couldn't be more grateful that we were the ones blessed to raise her. She is and will always be my little girl. She changed me for the better and I will always be thankful for that." Katara wiped away a tear and gave one last thanks before leaving everyone.

Katara thought of the bench Braya loved so much out in the back. She walked outside to see Toph sitting on the bench already. She sat next to Toph and placed her hand on top of Toph's. "I wish I had been there," Toph said softly to Katara.

"Me too," Katara responded. "Toph... thank you for being there for Braya when I wasn't. You were the mother she needed when I was not. Thank you."

Toph squeezed Katara's hand. "We will get through this as a family. I promise."