A/N: First of all, I have never shipped Lin x Saikhan before. But this story was popped out of nowhere and suddenly became a worth story from my head and I finished this in five days relentlessly. I consider this story as a prequel before, but this is more like a glimpse of my upcoming story from Saikhan's perspective.

Disclaimer: All character belongs to Mike and Bryan, but this story is mine.

Warning: one sided love and unrequited love (maybe), past Linzin, typo(s) and inappropiate grammar mistakes.

About Lin

by daikota-akira

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It was overwhelmingly true - the fact that Lin Beifong is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman for Saikhan, and he doesn't need to think about it twice.

Even after the scarred tissue on her right cheeks has marked on it permanently, it doesn't affect and lessen her natural beauty.

He remember thinking the same exact thing about her as they met on Metal Bending Academy back then, and he had no intention to change the thought.

Toph introduced Lin to him and his dad that day, it was a raining morning as they arrived at the Metal Bending Academy. They were thirteen at that time, he remember vividly about her: strong, independent and confident.

Their friendship started as Saikhan recognized her ability shortly a few hours after they introduced each other and she beat him in the same morning. She apologized politely for causing his back ached, she didn't show off or brag about it, but the smirk of proudness was there.

They naturally became a friend, he guess. They met regulary at the Academy, both were in the same age and their parents were a friend too. Not to mention his father, The Duke - is an acquaintances with Avatar Aang and the Gaang who later became the right hand of Toph Beifong at the Head Quarters.

Lin wasn't a very vocal person since the first time he met her, though. And not a big fans of groupie, she only has a several friends, it could count by finger maybe not more than five including him. She's a very private person, but she's a good friend, at least that what he felt.

She was there when he broke her mother favorite vase and help him to search the same vase to the whole city until they found it, she attended to support him that time when he tried to join Pro Bending Team recruitment (even though it didn't turn out well), and she was there to calm him down when he nervously did the entrance exam of Republic City Police.

They aren't a very best friend forever and ever, they don't hang out to the city together, they're rarely told each others feelings and all that craps. But she respect him thoughtfully as a friends so does he, their relationship is nothing but a mutual respect and kindness.

He knows she's distant with her sister and she lived a tough life as an oldest sister and daughter of Toph Beifong, she sound unpleased whenever she had mentioned about her family, and the entire city including her (except Toph, of course) don't know who is her father (probably the biggest mystery of the entire world), she was deadly curious about it but she decided to stay still because every time she asked her mother, they would ended up with a big feud, with her moody snarled at the Head Quarters the next morning about it.

As he observed her through the year, no matter how angry, how big Lin and Toph's feud the night before, how complicated the mother and daughter relationship was, and how often she had grumbled about Toph - he assumed that after all she was working so hard only to pleased her mother, to become just like Toph Beifong.

She's very similiar with her mother, but at some point was also very distinct, he couldn't exactly tell what is it. For him, Lin and her mother are two sides of the same coin. They were made from the same material, with a certain homogeneity and equivalence: same form and color, their resemblance was irrefutable to anyone, it was undoubtedly true that a blind person could see it easily.

But in fact, they're facing two different sides, with two different point of view and perspective, just like a two sides of coin and facing the life they lived differently.

He teased her one day: "Stop working so hard and living your life, Lin. The entire city knows, it's only a damn time for you to become a Chief."

She replied with an annoyed huff and a fierce look, "How about you stop being an ass and mind your business."

He giggled after that, of course he wasn't butt hurt whenever Lin brushed him off with a bitter tone as always, it just the way she is being her self.

During their training days on metal bending academy, she was a young prodigy as she carry the Beifong names, living as the daughter of Metal Bending inventor it self, no one dare to question her proficiency. She's strong and very alive, full of passion and determined to show everyone that she was the best, she's a hard working person, indefatigable and unbeatable, she had fought and sparred with each of them and won them all.

He recalled when they grown up as a young teenager, the boys were essentially astounded by her skill and talent and her beauty it self, most of them - maybe every one of them had attached and showed their intentional affection to the young Lin. But backed off powerless as master Moo Chee or Penga showed up anytime and barked to them.

But she was also untouchable to everyone. It maybe her personality, she has that charisma - people called it her mother intimidating charisma - but Saikhan referred it personally, purely her own greatness aura, which is lead everyone to respect her without even she's trying so hard.

She later became Avatar Aang's son girlfriend, which is seemingly like the universe had fated them to be, the whole city - no, the whole world were very supportive towards this. Seriously, Toph Beifong and Avatar Aang's children dating each other was the best thing ever happened in the entire world.

Lin and him had been honest and it was a platonic and he furtively enjoy her companion. One thing that Lin doesn't need to know, he has always been watching and admiring her from afar - and it was unnecessary to tell her about it because it will be hella awkwrd.

And that was enough for him, to know that she's okay after all.

But it didn't long last though, he was unsure about what had happened, he just arrived from the mission that Toph gave to him and his squad out of the city for a weeks. But the whole Head Quarters had been so buzzing about one big thing:

Officer Lin Beifong has arrested her own sister that morning.

No one dare to question or babbling it in front of the two Beifong. Chief Toph Beifong wordlessly glared at them deadlier than ever with the meaning of keeping this secret and shut your mouth or y'all found your dead body next morning. The week has passed since that incident, the Chief called in sick for a weeks and Lin worked endlessly and she didn't mention anything about it, and talked with nothing but formal, additionally there was a bandage on her right cheeks. It was an intense weeks for the Beifong and the Head Quarters them self.

The next weeks Toph returned to work but Lin's didn't, so as the next weeks passed quickly, and become a month. Saikhan deadly curious about this, he genuinely worried about her. He knew something had happened between the mother and daughter and it must be involved with the incident, the entire Head Quarters thoughts the same thing, they were thinking that Toph has fired Lin - it made sense somehow, perhaps Toph was madly angry at her to arrested her own sister - but once again no one dare to question anything.

He asked The Duke about this, but his father had no idea (not like Toph would tell The Duke anyways), besides his father has his own business: dealing with grumpy cranky angry than ever Toph. Toph had became very aggressive towards the littlest thing, the small mistakes they did, she hadn't hesitated to barked and make a hole on the wall. Month has passed and Toph finally spoke about her daughter, she said Lin took a long day off and need to recover with her ilness - but she didn't mention what kind of ilness and when will she return to the Head Quarters.

Saikhan refused to believe it immensely, so he searched for her and found there was no patient named Lin Beifong in the entire city's hospital. It was like she somehow had vanished and never existed in the City.

That evening, several month after Lin's departure it was accidentally that he bumped into a stranger - Tenzin, Lin's boyfriend and the Avatar's son at the City Hall - he looked miserable too. Saikhan wasn't a very friendly with Tenzin, he had witnessed that the Air Nomad was madly a jealous boyfriend so… he better stay away of boyfriend jealousy drama. But he was after all an acquaintance, so he saw this opportunity to ask him.

"Hei, Tenzin - I was wondering, where's Lin? I haven't seen her in a month, I hope it's okay for me to worry about her." he said.

Tenzin managed to smile weakly. "Thanks for worrying her, Saikhan. But no one knows where she is. The only thing I can tell is, she's on her way to find herself." he said, there's a sadness on his voices.

"Well… if that so, when will she come back?"

The airbender shook helplessly. "I don't even know if she will ever back."

Year later, Lin hasn't return, everyone seems forget about her but not him, he had always hoped that Lin somehow returned and sat straightly on her desk right behind his and casually teased him, "Long night, Sai?" with the same smirks on her face.

The same year, Toph Beifong announced her retirement and promoted his father, The Duke - a non bender - as a Chief of Police.

It left everyone in a confusion. Everyone hoped that the great and the Chief's protegee, an earth bender prodigy Lin Beifong - would inherited her mother job and become a Chief, but Toph choose a non bender to lead the City's safety instead. It was a questionable decision, the press and everyone began to ask what about Lin Beifong? Did she refuse to replace her mother? Will the city safety is safe in the hand of a non bender Chief?

It became a chaotic months, but Toph brushed them all. And somehow Saikhan has never saw her again and The Duke told him that Toph has moved away with Councilman Sokka out of the City.

Three years has passed, the criminals still went on and on as usual - but his father was doing a great job with the Head Quarters and his help - The Duke was easily respected by the people of Head Quarters though, he was fun and less grumpy than Toph but also assertive at his job so it was easy to form a good connection between the Cadet and they had shaped a good team and it disproved everyone's assumption that a non bender should've not lead the Republic City Police.

But that was a very late night he just returned from a night patrol, he felt sleepy and tired - he almost thoughts that he was nearly walking on his sleep after a tiring days and probably dreaming when he saw her vividly sat on her old desk three years ago wearing her metal armor. Her pale greens eyes observing him from head to toes and back to his eyes.

"It's nice to see you again, Sai." she said so calmly - that made him slipped and landed clumsily on his back causing the same ached as the same woman beat him almost a decade ago.

He almost can't believe his own vision: she was back.

She had aged as well after three years, into something mature: her wavy hair was longer, the look on her face was nothing but her typical gloomy-fierce apathetic looks, the pale green eyes wordlessly told him a lot of story - there was a pain, a sadness, mournful, and sorrow but there was also a wisdom and a mature of understanding the meaning of life in it.

She become a full adults so as him, he welcomed him a friendly hug.

"Spirits, where the hell have you been, Lin?"

She huffed a quiet laugh, "Living my life as you always referred to."

He knows she was avoiding the real subject and it didn't matter. His friend was back and that was what important. They stayed and sat on their old desk, talking endlessly, catching up just like an old friend used to be. She shortly told him she was on her journey, travelling to the entire world to become a better person.

As she was back at work, Saikhan watching her in silent, she has changed a lot. Physically and mentally, she's strong than he could ever imagine, stronger than anyone - that kind of power that remind him of the greatest Toph Beifong herself.

For sure, Lin Beifong has always been so strong but no one could approach Toph Beifong's level - but this time, she ain't playing no games anymore, she's stronger, faster, and deadlier with or without her elements. He figured she must be learned with someone because he barely notice that kind of newest movement of hers, traditional martial arts.

He asked her someday, but she only shrugged and said casually, "I learned a few things for the past three years."

The same years after she returned, his father announced an official retirement and handed the responsibility to Lin Beifong, daughter of Toph. There was a pros and cros of her assignment at the Head Quarters, but she proved everyone that she deserve the title of the Chief even though she had gone for three years.

She changed mentally too, in the past, she oftenly still a hot-headed young lady, barked impatiently to everyone that question her existences in Police Force - something akin with the advantage as a daughter of the Chief. But this time - she was calmer, she brushed the press elegantly that asked her about finally lead the Republic City Police and the nonsense chattered from the Head Quarters it self of how could be someone had just returned from three years absent and earned the title in the same years?

She had blossomed independently as a beautiful young woman. In the end, she was accepted kindly and supportive from mostly everyone. But something had bothered Saikhan, he probably didn't quiet shared a conversation regarding their feelings in the past - but he didn't need that, the gloomly looks on her face said everything. He confused to see people was that blind and failed to notice the obvious pain in her eyes. But he stayed silent and supported her as she promoted him trustfully as her right hand.

They worked together for years, she slowly had been shaped into something hard - formal and distant - she built her own elevated wall around her to make sure everyone respected her entirely, certainly with those delinquents - she needs them to put their best respect and showed them who leads the City and how dare them to fouled her territory.

The old passionate Lin had evaporated - faded slowly but assuredly into the new Chief Lin Beifong - fierce, cold, merciless, relentless, unbeatable, and it was nerve-racking whenever she was around. Her old soul was still there, but most of time it was obstructed with her inner wall. He missed the old Lin sometimes - perhaps, it was selfish for him to hope somehow she didn't end up as a Chief.

Her life had absorbed and occupied everyday with those endless criminal.

Little did he noticed as he observed her, the dim on her deadly cold eyes were passionately sparkling again whenever Councilman Tenzin - made a quick visit at the Head Quarters and her face lighten up quickly with the most fascinating way. It was so satisfying to see her passionately living her life with that mesmerizing light on her eyes.

Once again, it was okay for him, in the end he was happy to see her happy - even though definitely not with him. Unwittingly, he has always shelved that slighest pang of jealousy whenever Lin - smiles widely with a certain Councilman. Saikhan felt odd - silly, whenever he accidentally eavesdropping their conversation, Lin has always been so alive, telling the Air Nomad boy more stories, more conversation, more - affection and love: more laugh that he desperately wants to hear.

He never realized that he indeed craving the same treatment from her.

It was started as the Head Quarters started buzzing again with the rumors that Chief Beifong broke up with Councilman Tenzin- that was based on simply a wild comments and assumption from the Cadets, like how Tenzin never visited their Chief anymore, and how Lin Become so moody lately. Saikhan didn't care about it - at least that what he thoughts, reality he was also curious - with a guilt he has a baseless allegation of faith that it - please - somehow true.

Their assumption was true.

The next weeks the whole city babbled it for a month, the news was everywhere on the front page of newspaper: The Chief of Police, Lin Beifong angrily had tried to destroyed the Air Temple.

The rumour spread just like a wild fire, everyone made the same conclusion: Councilman Tenzin had dumped the Lin Beifong.

The Head Quarters was very tense after that, Lin Beifong shuted everyone down that had tried to talk - to help her personally, she didn't want to deal with her feelings, she didn't even hesitate to fire each of them if they made a mistakes or showed a pity or a simple concerned towards her. Saikhan watched her wordlessly, powerless - he felt devastated watching her fucked up every single day.

The dim on her eyes were darker than ever: it was terrifying everyone. The frowns on her temple were deeper, her body tensed with an unleashed anger, she was grumpy, cranky and become a bitter lonely woman. In the end, she really turned like she wanted to be: just like her mother.

No one dare to approached her as she shuted the door and literally everyone out of her life. There was completely no life on that pale green eyes that he used to fascinated by it, it was all dead. He knows she was already in pain years before, after the incident with the former Chief Toph Beifong.

A month later, he was still working some paperwork and the Head Quarters was completely empty but he remember vividly that night: a cries of sorrow seeking a help from the Chief's office. It was very painful to hear that cries of plea from his friend. He was wondering, has she always been crying in the late night after everyone went home?

Hesitantly, he braved him self to open the door that always shuted to find the fierce unbeatable Chief Lin Beifong behind her desk with a painful tears and sob. She looked up to him, the look on her face was entirely a pain, anger and confusion. That moment they were speaking with their eyes.

One thing he realized: Lin Beifong was devastated.

He didn't know what to say, it was the first time and a one life time experience to see her crying. He wasn't good dealing a woman, precisely with a heart-broken woman. Despite everything, he felt the urge to help her.

"C'mon, let's get you out of here. It's time for us to finally hanging out." he said as he approaching her desk and offer his handkerchief. She stilled for a second, but wordlessly accepted it to wipe her tears, sniffled for a moment and followed him.

Saikhan brought her to the bar that familiar for him, he didn't quiet get used with the idea of hanging out with Lin, not exactly when she was in her lowest point, in a total mess. He was confused where precisely to drew the line between each other, how far she could manage to take his lame joke, especially that was the point of brought her here, to entertain her, to make her forget whatever she felt - honestly he completely didn't know what to do. He gestured himself so she would followed him to take a seat in the corner of the room.

It was a lonely night, there was only a plenty of people in the bar including them. Saikhan ordered two bottle of Cactus Juice, he learned that if someone is in pain, getting drunk was the best option to let go everything, even it would be temporary.

He stayed still, examining Lin who sat across him. It astounded him, even when Lin was in a total mess: with her messy hair, swelled eyes from crying and a redden nose from her sniffled, but she's still beautiful.

It hurt him as well to realized that Tenzin had dumped her - if what they'd said was true - this woman in front of him, is worth way more than to be dumped cruelly, and Tenzin is a fucking moron for breaking her heart.

The same heart that never belonged to him since the beginning.

She wordlessly took a big sip of her cactus juices straight from the bottle, he didn't stop her and let her do whatever she think could make her self better. It didn't take so long as he noticed her sudden changed of behavior; thanks to the cactus juice that slowly but certainly influencing her.

Just a couple minutes ago, Lin Beifong had been positively tipsy - in truth, this was the first time he'd seen her like this; she is the most sensible woman he'd ever known, it was surprising him how quick the cactus juices contaminated her.

He was unsure if it would harm her, precisely would it be harm himself after what he'd done to successfully make the Chief of Police drunk and let the woman drowned on her unconsciousness and slur, he started to think that he's the one who has to take the blame if something happen later.

Or perhaps Saikhan didn't mind, he was blameworthy after all - furtively reveling in Lin's crapulence: her uncharacteristic loquaciousness, her confused giggling with a redden cheeks. All of these were temporary - which is exactly why he refused the idea to take a single sip of the cactus juice: he wanted to remember so many things, but mostly, he wanted to remember her laugh that he'd always desperately wanted to hear.

Lin didn't cry during her drunkenness that night, maybe she already done enough of that and she strangely giggling happily; he suppose because that was all she wanted to, simply be happy - which is perhaps unable when she was sober. Her laughter was an unfamiliar song to his ears, one he realized that he loved since a they were still training on Academy, and so every time she laughed, which was quite often that evening, thankfully, he would listen.

That was a great night for him - he should've felt guilty for that, in reality he wasn't (but he felt sorry for whatever had happened with her). He was enjoying her nonsense chatter and laughter. With the most reasonable way, he proudly said that he wasn't sorry for making her drunk, in fact he was glad he did it. He insisted that she needs that, and he was here to help her because that what's friends do, right? To help each other.

She had drunk the cactus juice out of obligation more than anything else but simply to alleviate her pain; to let her forget her miserable life. And she would likely fell a sleep next hour in silence peace, so he drove her home safely (while sometimes she's still giggling).

It became a routine for them to spending time together at work and after work, she surprisingly asked him out to accompany her every weekend to the same bar.

He enjoy their little encounter, now it's been two month they'd regulary made an appointment to the bar - and he likes every one of it. If he's lucky enough, she would drunk and he would loved to hear that laughter - it's kind of weird to hear the Chief giggling playfully and it's encouraging him that he's the one who get the chance to hear it; the rarest part of the Chief that everyone has never seen it except him.

Or sometimes she refused to order a cactus juices whenever she need to stay sober and awake for the next following morning and they decided to ordered a casual drink, to simply sat and enjoy the local band and talk; mostly about a random things - the unsolved cases, the endless criminals, corruption and politics (even though they both dislikes it), which restaurant has the best taste in city and about Pro Bending - he convinced to himself, when the time's right, he will ask her to watch Pro Bending arena.

Saikhan himself never get drunk when they'd spent their time together; he is the driver, with the most important job to make sure the Chief was going home safely. Lin had never openly talked about herself; even when she was drunk - somehow she would stayed private as well no matter how drunk she was.

He never thinks that he would hanging out with her like this someday, even though they're friends; they both lived in a silence agreement that they somehow live differently with their own life. But there they were; finally hanging out like a friend should be.

i changed my mind, i decided to complete this as a one shot and change the title and summary as well xD