Lin's shoulders ached as she made her way to City Hall. She was getting too old for all that cable-swinging nonsense.

An impromptu council meeting had been called immediately following the disastrous events at the Pro Bending Stadium. Seeing as she had vouched for the safety of all in attendance of the championship match, Lin thought it wise to attend the meeting even though she had not exactly been invited.

She marched stone-faced into the council chamber and placed a chair between Councilman Tenzin's seat and the seat of the Water Tribe councilman. She ignored the annoyance on Tarrlok's face and sat down as if she had every right in the world to be there. She looked at the council members with narrowed eyes, but she wasn't really seeing them, her mind was roiling with all the events of the night.

Tenzin was the last one to arrive, gliding purposefully into the room and taking his usual seat. Tarrlok started off the meeting with a speech filled with insinuations of Chief Bei Fong's incompetence as a leader.

Lin ignored any verbal attacks to her character, but snarled in defense of her police force when appropriate. Otherwise, Lin did not actively participate in the meeting. She listened intently, carefully cataloguing the council's proposed plans. Mostly, however, she was perturbed.

The Equalists had upped their game with these electric devices. They had seized control so easily. The police really had looked like fools. But these things weren't what was bothering Lin the most. At least not right then.

That night was the first time in ages that she and Tenzin had had any sort of personal conversation. They had gone from terse pleasantries to a night of easy camaraderie in a single day. It had really felt like old times. So much so that the chasm in her heart that she thought she had filled had been torn anew.

When electricity had been coursing through her body, all she could see was Tenzin's fearful expression, and all she could think was how much she wanted him again. And that idea frightened her to the core.

Lin was determined to drown her feelings for Tenzin once and for all. When the meeting ended, she cleared her throat and touched him purposefully on the shoulder. The other council members hurried out, anxious to get to sleep finally. Tenzin and Lin lingered.

The metalbender was uncertain how to broach the subject. What was she even doing? Her plan had been to end everything with Tenzin, but it was already ended. It had been done for 12 years. She couldn't end all acquaintance with him, but she needed some sort of closure. Something so final that no amount of nostalgia would make her yearn for his touch ever again. She cleared her throat again and shifted indecisively on her feet. Finally, she opened her mouth to give some excuse for needing to speak with him.

Tenzin made an excuse unnecessary as he swooped towards her and covered her mouth with his. Lin only allowed herself to shut her eyes and savor his kiss for a moment before she shoved him away.

"What do you think you're doing?" she barked. This wasn't at all what she had intended for this encounter, and she was angry at herself for enjoying it anyway.

Tenzin looked sheepish for a moment and averted his eyes. "Lin—I—I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. That was completely uncalled for."

"I'd say," Lin hissed.

He looked her straight in the eyes. "I don't regret it."

Lin's heart pounded, and her eyes widened. It was her turn to look away. "You should."

"Lin, tonight was terrifying, but it was also enlightening." He placed a hand on hers. "I'm trying to remember why I ever left you."

Lin's breath hitched as she snapped her gaze back to Tenzin's, eyes narrowed. "To have unruly air-bending babies with dear Pema," she muttered bitterly.

Tenzin grimaced. "You're right," he sighed.

His reply made her heart throb. Unbidden hope dared ooze into her mind. "Well you've had your babies." Her tone was sharp, but she was ashamed of how it was tinged with pleading.

Tenzin opened his mouth, but no words came out. His countenance turned indignant. "Are you—," he struggled to form a sentence with enough righteous anger to cow Lin. "You can't—I'm not leaving my family, Lin!"

Lin would not be cowed. A mirthless "ha" escaped her lips. "Where did you get that idea? I'm certainly not asking you to."

Tenzin's face reddened. "You know perfectly well what the subtext of—What else was I—Why are we here!?"

"We're not. This never happened," Lin growled. Her objective was to flush Tenzin from her system, but now she was rife with dissatisfaction. The chasm in her heart was approaching unheard of depths. She headed for the door.

She almost made it out of the building before Tenzin stopped her with his hand at her elbow. He pulled her to him for another kiss, but Lin placed her fingers over his mouth, glaring. She scrutinized his eyes. They were earnest. Her blood pounded. Her resolve died.

"Promise not to regret it tomorrow?" she breathed, hating herself for being so weak. Her fingers trembled against his lips.

Tenzin gently pulled her wrist down. "Of course," he whispered before capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss.

Pema's light sleep was broken when Tenzin climbed into bed. She fluttered one eyelid wide enough to see the smallest trace of sunlight through the window. "The council must have made some very important decisions tonight," she mumbled sweetly, nuzzling against her husband. She fell asleep before Tenzin answered, blissfully unaware that Lin had been present, and that the meeting had ended some hours earlier.