Summary: There's trouble in Republic City, a bank robbery gone wrong. Usually Lin is able to keep a leveled head with such things but when she is told that Kya is involved, it's a whole new level of anger and fear for the Chief of Police.
A/N: Someone requested this to me on tumblr and I liked it enough to post it on here. I hope you like it! :D
The Wrong Place At The Wrong Time
Lin clenched her jaw. She was on edge the minute the call came in that one of Republic City's Banks was being robbed. She knew that Kya had plans to stop by the bank that day and the only thing that kept her from completely losing her grip was the fact that Kya never stuck to a schedule.
When she arrived with Mako to the scene, a young rookie told her that using their seismic sense that there were three men spread out in the bank. There was also a group of hostages against the wall and another in the far corner. From above they were able to get a decent look through the window. The hostage in the corner appeared to be beaten and seemed to be unconscious. Another officer told Lin that she recognized the injured woman and against Saikhan's orders, she told Lin that it was Kya.
The Chief of Police didn't handle it well. Her first instinct was to go straight into the bank but Mako and Saikhan held her back. Lin clenched her fists, trying to get out of their grasp. She could've easily fought back using her bending but she knew that she shouldn't and she honestly didn't want to hurt either of them. She tried to calm herself but her mind was running through all the worse case scenarios. She tried to stop moving all together but the anger and panic of knowing that Kya was hurt made her whole body shake.
"Chief!" Mako said, Lin's eyes flaring at him. "Chief, I know you want to go in there but you can't, you hear me? You need to stop thinking of just Kya and think about the others." Lin calmed down, stepping back from the two men. She pressed her fists against her sides not knowing what else to do with them as she walked away from the group. She needed a moment to think, time to calm herself down.
Mako followed her, knowing that this wouldn't be easy for his boss. He knew that if she was alone with her thoughts for too long she might do something irrational, not only potentially getting Kya and the other hostages hurt but she might even get herself hurt.
"Kya is strong. This whole thing will be over before we know it and we can take Kya to a healer. And knowing you, you'll make sure those men will get what's coming to them." Lin took a deep breath, letting what he said sink in as she paced back and forth a few times.
"I know you're right, Mako. But you know if Bolin or your grandmother was in there…" Lin looked up at him.
"I know," he said softly. "And you would've been there to hold me back, telling me to stop and think." Lin nodded in response. "Come on," Mako said.
xOxOxOxOxOx
Lin chewed on her lip, waiting for something, anything to happen. Saikhan had put himself in charge knowing that Lin couldn't take the lead when someone she loved was involved and even though it was probably for the best that Lin leave, she wouldn't leave until this was resolved.
"Why aren't we doing anything?" asked Lin.
"Lin, you know protocol. We don't know how dangerous they are. The only reason you're acting differently now is because Kya is in there. I know you're the Chief of Police but you know that it's important to wait," Sai told her. Lin hated it but she knew that he was right. There were rules. They already had a negotiator at the ready. However the robbers seemed to not have a plan, nor did they know what to ask for.
Lin crossed her arms. She looked around her. Officers were waiting at the ready, Saikhan overseeing everything around him, and Mako waiting patiently to the side.
"Sir, there's an employee in the crowd that works at this bank. We asked if there was any information he could give us and he told us there is a back door and the robbers don't seem to know about it so perhaps we can send someone in."
"Send me in," Lin said almost immediately.
"Lin," Sai started.
"Send me in," Lin ordered. Sai and Mako looked at one another. Mako looked at him, inclining his head as if to say, whether you say no or yes, you know what she's going to do. Saikhan took a deep breath, looking at the officers around the building. If anyone could finish this quickly, it would be Lin. He sincerely hoped that he was making the right decision of not arguing with her.
"Go," he said calmly and so she did.
Outside, time seem to have stopped. Saikhan and Mako stood anxiously, waiting as well as the other officers. Most of the officers and the crowd jumped as one of the robbers crashed through the window. He fell to the ground, cuts on his body from the glass. He made an attempt at moving but fell back to the ground. They all heard a man's scream and a loud crash. A veil of silence fell upon them. Sai held up his hand, officers preparing their selves to go for the attack but everyone eased, watching the hostages leave the building one by one. The last to leave was Lin Beifong carrying Kya in her arms. Mako let out a relieved sigh, seeing the two women. That had gone better than expected.
xOxOxOxOxOx
Lin straightened up when Kya stirred. When Kya opened her eyes, Lin took her hand into hers. The waterbender smiled.
"I'm fine," Kya said.
"Don't lie to me," Lin said dryly. Yes, Kya looked much better. She looked almost good as new but Lin knew that the healers in Republic City weren't all that. Of course any healer looked like an amateur when you've seen someone as skilled as Katara work their magic.
Kya thought for a moment. Going back through her memory, trying to put her scattered thoughts in order as to what happened. She remembered sitting against the wall, her body sore from being beaten by one of the robbers. She remembered seeing police outside the window, knowing that Lin was probably out there, not sure if she even knew that Kya was one of the hostages.
The next thing she knew there was a noise from the back, one of the men running back there to check it out. They heard a gasp and then Lin came in, her eyes wide with rage. Lin's metal cable striking one of the men to the floor. She turned to the other man not giving him a second to respond as her cable wrapped around his torso. She pulled forcefully bringing him closer and spun around using all her might before letting him go, his body crashing through the front window. The other man began to panic, attempting to move close to the hostages but Lin's cable wrapped around his legs, dragging him on the floor towards her. The man screamed but was quickly silenced by Lin who threw him against filing cabinets. His body fell to the floor but Lin pulled him right back up to punch him in the face several times, knocking him out cold. She let his body fall to the floor. For a moment it seemed like she was thinking of whether or not to do worse.
The hostages looked at Lin, unsure if it was safe for them to move. Everything had happened so quickly that they weren't even sure that they were completely safe. "It's alright," Lin said. "Officers are outside. It's safe to leave." One by one the others lifted their selves from the floor. Lin dropped down next to Kya, clenching her teeth as she looked over her body.
Kya had been beaten badly, bruises on her body, a cut on her lip and brow. Lin started to think she was too easy on the robbers. She should've done more, beaten them worse or maybe even kill them for what they did to Kya.
"How badly are you hurt?" asked Lin. Kya smiled as she touched her lover's face not really paying much attention to her question.
"Am I glad to see you," Kya said smiling but grimacing as she placed her hand over her stomach. Lin felt her eyes become warm with tears, seeing someone she loved in such a state.
"I'm going to lift you up? Is that okay?" Kya nodded as Lin gently picked her up. The waterbender's arms crept around her neck, laying her head against her shoulder and everything seemed to be fuzzy after that.
Kya snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Lin.
"They're not dead are they?" asked Kya.
"They're still alive. But just barely," she mumbled.
"Lin…" Kya, started but Lin put her hand up as a sign to not continue.
"Don't even think about giving me a lecture. I've talked to Mako. He says all the witnesses stated that you resisted and that's why you were the only one hurt."
"It was an instinctive move. When he grabbed me I didn't know what was happening. I thought it was just some jerk that couldn't keep his hands to himself. If I had known that he had friends or that it was a robbery, I would've responded differently." Lin squeezed Kya's hand lightly making Kya smile. "Thankfully you showed up to beat up the bad guys." Lin pressed her lips together. If she had skipped work today and was with her or did something or anything differently this might have not happened to Kya. The image of Kya beaten and unconscious as she carried her out of the bank passed her thoughts.
"You know how much I love you, right?" asked Lin.
"Lin it's not like I was near death. I was just roughed up a bit."
"They could've killed you, Kya. They could've killed any one of those people. You said yourself that you had only instinctively struck back, nothing more and they beat you as badly as they did. And if they were to…" Lin couldn't even finish that sentence. "I would've-" Kya cupped Lin's cheeks.
"I'm fine. A bit sore I'll admit, but I am fine. And the others are fine." Lin exhaled softly, covering Kya's hands with hers. "I know how much you love me. You tell me every day. And the way you threw that man out of a window was a good reminder." Kya smiled sweetly before kissing Lin tenderly on the lips. They broke away hearing someone clear their throat. They both looked up to the door to see Mako, looking off into a different direction, not really wanting to impose.
"Yes, Mako?" asked Lin. Mako looked over smiling at Kya, glad that she looked much better.
"They said Kya is fine to go but she should take it easy for a few days."
"I'll be taking work off then."
"Lin, you don't have to."
"But I want to and there is absolutely nothing you can say that will stop me." Kya smiled, knowing well enough to not to argue with Lin about this. She leaned forward, pressing her lips against Lin's for another kiss. Lin happily returned it, moving closer as she wrapped her arms around her.
"I'll be," Mako pointed outside, pausing for a moment and realizing that they were no longer paying him any mind. He smiled to himself quietly leaving the room to give them their privacy.