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The campsite they eventually pick is in the middle of a large, dead plain, nothing obscuring vision in any direction for hundreds of yards. It might have been a farm once; it's all dead now.

They're all exhausted. It was dark when they'd camped the first time; it's close to midnight by the time the two cars pull off the road and into this field, and it's raining - cold, thick, heavy rain that blows any hope they might have had of making a fire.

Thank everything for Toph.

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"Ooh, that's a good idea. I'll keep the fire going long enough we can cook whatever Suki brings back. Way less grumpy then." She grins, bouncing Hana. "And then we all get meat for breakfast!"

Beat.

"Three years ago I would have thought that was the most disgusting thing I'd ever heard. Go figure."

Mel smirks.

"I don't know how you can even think of eating meat," she decides, reaching for another bar.

Steph kisses Hana's head happily. "Meat, Hana?"

SEE SHE WILL PROVE IT.

"Meat!" Hana agrees. "Mommy meat?"

Mel shakes her head, breaking bits of the breakfast bar off for Loo, who eats it more happily.

"For you. Mommy's not hungry."

"Mommy's not meat, either," Steph says, wincing from Hana's choice of words. It's a litle too soon to joke about that. "Ew, Han."

Mel, being too used to toddler grammar to have made that connection, winces particularly when Steph mentions it, shooting her a sharp gaze.

But Loo's now eating, so that's something.

Steph wrinkles her nose apologetically and leans back against the rock wall, sighing.

She should tell Mel that Babs called in and that they probably can't count on any backup from the Birds any more. Except she doesn't really want to bring that up.

"I think the rain's clearing up a bit."

"Be better for driving," Mel says, offering a bright side. "Maybe Tara needs all the water, though."

"There'll be water in the lake," Steph says, but she's frowning. "I hadn't thought of that. Do you think she'll be OK?"

"She's good at what she does," Mel answers. "If it can be done, she'll do it."
IF

"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about," Steph says, starting to braid Hana's hair loosely. "I'm worried about Sokka, if she can't."

"Got enough worry in there for yourself?"

Mel says it absently, grinning when Loo finishes her whole bar and rewarding her with a small babythrow.

"He'll deal. You and me'll be there. We'll get through."

Steph sticks her tongue out at Mel and after looking around for a moment, passes her a cloth. "I'm not the one needs worrying about."

She blows Loo a kiss, and then Hana one too so that Hana doesn't get jealous.

"Yeah, we usually do."

Mel wipes the food and crumbs from Loo's mouth and clothes and beams at her.

"Think you're ready to show yourself, huh, Baby? I'll just stick some pants on."

"You can help me wake up Unc'Sokka," Steph suggests. "He needs tickling."

"Yay!" Hana decides. She pulls away from Steph just long enough to pick up her otterpenguin and press it into Mom's hand. "Take."

Then she's keen to go find Unk Sokka. Mel grins, and shooes Steph out.

"Catch you in a bit."

The tea, and most of the bars Steph brought for Mel, go untouched.

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