Thanks for reading, you guys! And sorry I haven't updated recently.
"Your turn."
The father groaned and rolled off the bed. He slowly approached the wooden crib. He swooped the crying bundle that was his daughter into his arms. She stopped crying, and opened her dark eyes to look at her father. The man grinned, despite his sleep-deprived state, before setting her back down.
He jumped onto the bed, while the mother remained unfazed as she continued to snore softly. Soon, the child began crying again, and the man smirked.
"Your turn."
Chapter One: 6 years
Lin couldn't even remember what her father looked like. Today was the anniversary of his disappearance. He had left without a note, taking only his weapons 5 years ago. Lin's mother smiled as she watched her daughter practice her earth bending.
The 6-year-old girl still struggled to pick up a boulder, but she was very dedicated to practice her gift.
Later that day, a message was given to small Lin.
"Give it to your mother," the messenger said before running off into the sunset. Lin contemplated about reading, but shook away the thought.
"Mom is all I have. I can't make her mad," Lin said to herself. The girl ran her hand down her braid, taking deep breaths. She practiced this exercise whenever she thought about what would happen if Mom disappeared like her father. It calmed her down.
Lin ran into the cottage before calling her mother multiple times. Toph Beifong rushed down, hair wet from taking a shower.
"Is everything all right?" Toph asked, fear in her eyes.
"What? Yes, everything is fine. I just needed to give this to you," Lin replied, confused by her mother's distress. She held out the scroll.
Toph's shoulders relaxed. "Oh, okay, sorry." Lin was quiet as Toph took the scroll. "But did you really have to call me while I was in the shower?" Toph recovered, rustling her daughter's hair.
"Hey!" Lin exclaimed. Toph opened the scroll and read it silently. Her eyes widened. She smiled at Lin before heading upstairs to her room, taking the scroll with her.
Lin was puzzled when her mother came down again, clothed in armor and carrying three luggages.
"Lin, I need to go to Republic City. I need you to come with me," Toph said, smiling tightly.
"Why? For how long?" Lin was surprised. What?
"You'll stay with Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang, okay?" Toph pulled her daughter to the car.
Toph started the car, and they drove in silence. They ended up having to take a ferry. When they arrived at Republic City, Toph walked Lin to Katara's home.
Katara arrived at the door, and took Lin inside.
"I'm sorry, Toph," Katara whispered, pulling Toph into a hug.
"I am too, Katara. I am, too." Toph inhaled sharply.
"Tell Lin I love her, okay? Tell her I'll be back soon." Toph walked away, holding her arm down to her body so no one could see her hand was shaking.
She still wasn't back. It had been five days, and Lin yearned for her mother to come back. Had she gone away, too? Lin blinked back tears as she sat on the windowsill.
"Do you wanna play a game?"
Lin turned around and realized she was facing Kya. Lin was slightly surprised. This was the first time any of Aunt Katara's children had spoken to her. The water bender was 10, and she held herself like she was a queen.
"Okay," Lin said quietly.
Lin put up a stone barrier, but she knew that that would only but her a minute or two at most. Kya was very skilled, and Lin was struggling to even stand a chance against her. The "game" ended up being a full-out battle in the fields.
Lin knew that she was quite small in comparison to Kya, and was trying to think of a way to use that to her advantage. The barrier cracked, and a few pieces of sharp rocks slid across her fair skin. Lin fell to the ground. She was bleeding. She whimpered in pain.
"Lin! Lin, are you alright? I'm so, so sorry, Lin," Kya approached her, examining her arm. Kya left for a moment to retrieve bandages.
Lin gritted her teeth. She imagined her mother wrapping bandages around her arm, kissing her head, hugging her, and comforting her. Lin began to cry silently, while stroking her braid with her un-injured hand. Would her mom ever come back?
"Don't cry, Kya's getting bandages," a calloused hand wiped at her tears. Lin looked up in surprise, and saw a boy staring intently at her. She recalled that his name was Tenzin.
"Okay," Lin said quietly. She looked down, wishing- not for the first time that day- that her mother was here. Tenzin was silent, but he sat down next to her.
"It doesn't hurt," Lin closed her eyes.
"Then why did you cry?" Tenzin said calmly.
"I miss her."
"She'll be back, I'm sure," Tenzin replied.
Lin wasn't so sure, but she didn't protest.
"How about we pick roses for her? I promise that she will be back before the roses wilt, and you then you can give it to her," Tenzin suggested maturely. Lin nodded mechanically.
She took Tenzin's hand and walked to the rose bushes. Lin didn't care what color each rose was, after all, her mother was blind. As time passed, Lin got more interested in the rose picking. She wanted to give her mom the biggest bouquet ever! She laughed at Tenzin's jokes, and she even tried her hand at some knock-knock jokes. Eventually, Kya and Bumi joined them.
Lin felt welcomed by the trio and was happy to make new friends at such an unknown environment. Lin told them about her father. They comforted her.
Lin went to sleep that day, content.
Toph came back the following day, but she seemed different. Lin ran to Toph, but her mother didn't hug her tightly and didn't say a word. She smiled sadly at Lin, before walking towards Katara. Lin stood there, with the bouquet of roses in her hand, tears forming in her eyes.
Lin walked into the kitchen to confront her mom.
"Mom? I got you something," Lin smiled, awaiting her mother's response.
Toph turned around. "Huh? Oh, hello, sweetie. Right now Mommy is busy, okay? Mommy will play with you later." Toph turned back to Katara, but Katara was silent and looked at Lin with pity.
Lin felt anger welling up inside her, but she ignored her. "Oh. I just wanted to give-"
"Honey, I'll talk to you later, alright?!" Toph interrupted, not even bothering to look at Lin.
Lin exhaled sharply, before leaving the room. The tears spilled out. What had happened to her mother? Lin threw the roses on the floor, stomping on them on her way upstairs to her room.
Lin sat on her bed, eyes closed and head ducked. She felt a familiar hand wipe away her tears.
"Don't cry," Tenzin said. Lin looked up at him, silent.
"Okay," she finally said. Kya entered the room.
"It's something about your dad. I heard them talking," Kya said quietly. Lin looked back down.
"Thank you," Lin said, just barely above her whisper. She swallowed, and sighed.