"Sato, what are you still doing here?" came a dry voice from above.

Asami gave a start and quickly rubbed her eyes, a vain attempt at covering up the fact she had been crying for the past ten minutes by herself. "O-Oh! Chief…I-I mean, Beifong…?" Asami stuttered. She had always been intimidated by the older woman, from the steely gaze she always seemed to have at press conferences to the rather brash manner she had always addressed Team Avatar. "I was just…um…" She let her voice trail off as she racked her brain for an excuse.

"I thought everyone had gone home," the former chief of command said, placing her hands on her hips. "A dark, abandoned alleyway is hardly the place for an heiress."

"Good thing I'm not an heiress anymore," Asami mumbled, rolling her eyes and pulling her knees to her chest, sniffling slightly.

A sigh escaped Lin's lips. "This is about that firebender boy, isn't it?"

Asami reddened and couldn't bring herself to meet the older woman's gaze. Lin Beifong was definitely the last person she had envisioned herself talking to about her relationship problems. She picked at her nails as she bitterly laughed to herself. But who else could she picture herself confiding her feelings in? Bumbling Bolin who could barely stand to be around her after he let loose his brother's secret? Tenzin who hmph-ed more than a few times whenever he had seen the young couple exchanging kisses and pet names on Air Temple Island? And Mako was the whole reason she was feeling like…like… Asami could feel more tears welling up in her eyes. Before the past couple of days, Asami would've gone to Korra in a heartbeat. Sure, the two girls had gotten off to a rough start as Korra had seemed cold and disinterested the first few times they met but Asami believed that they really were friends, especially after everything they had been through together.

"Yeah, mostly." Asami shook her head dismissively, already feeling guilty that she was bothering Lin with her stupid teenage problems. "B-But I'm sure that you don't want to hear about—"

"I know exactly how you…feel," Lin grumbled through gritted teeth, sounding as if she were being forced to say those words at the hands of Amon. She swept her head from side to side to check if anyone was around. "I've had my fair share of indecisive men too. Listen, girl, if you ever repeat what I am about to tell you…"

Asami's reddened eyes widened in surprise. What exactly is…happening right now? "Of course not! Um…what are we talking about?"

Lin took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "Once upon a time, when I was younger, I…dated…" She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. "I dated Tenzin."

If she had heard it from anyone else, Asami probably would have dissolved into a fit of giggles. The thought of the two most stoic, serious people she knew being engaged in a relationship and exchanging pet names and kissing. The younger girl disguised a loud guffaw threatening to escape her mouth with a throaty cough. "Oh." It took all the effort in the world for Asami to keep her voice even keel, especially after she snuck a glance and saw that the former chief of police looked clearly awkward and embarrassed. "W-Wait, but isn't Tenzin…married to…?"

"Aren't you the bright one?" Lin drawled. "Yes, he is married to Pema and has three bouncing airbending brats of his own now."

"But you two seem so…okay with each other."

"Oh believe me, girl, just because we're alright now doesn't mean that it didn't hurt a lot at the time." Lin joined her on the ground and continued. "It was difficult not only growing apart from each other but also having to see him develop feelings for someone else right before my very eyes. Being helpless isn't exactly something I'm very good at."

Asami hugged her legs to her chest even tighter. "It's really hard… I mean, I get that he's confused but I am too, you know? I lost everything: my father, my home, the only friend I really ever had. He was the one thing I really believed in and really trusted anymore and I…I…" Her throat constricted and her voice cracked and she could feel the tears starting again and—

"It's alright."

Asami jerked her head backwards and looked at the older woman in disbelief. "Wh-What?" Lin gave her a quizzical look. "I just, um…I just thought that you would tell me to stop crying…"

Lin crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well, you shouldn't waste your tears, not because crying is weak but because that boy isn't worth it. Listen, if there's one thing I've learned from my mother and from my line of work, it's that feelings aren't what make us weak. They are what give us strength. The fact that I cared so fiercely about my men is what gave me the drive to keep going tonight to rescue them. Your heart can still break in the middle of the war."

"I...I guess so..."

"Never apologize for feeling a certain way. Like you said, everything has already been taken away from you. Your right to feel outraged, upset, anger is one of the few things you have left. And it is a powerful tool. If you can learn to hone it, you will be a very formidable force to be dealt with." Lin studied her. "That firebender boy is an idiot, giving someone like you up just like that."

Asami felt a blush start to tinge her cheeks. Did she just...compliment me? She rubbed at her eyes and laughed, looking gratefully at the other woman. "I never really thought about it that way before." Asami smiled sheepishly. "Um, Lin?"

The older woman sighed. "Oh, what's the use anymore? Yes, you can stay at my place if you want tonight. I'm sure you're not too keen on seeing that firebender and the avatar anytime soon." She stood up and impatiently offered her hand to help the younger girl up. "Come on, I'd like to try to get a little bit of rest before tackling today's aftermath."

Asami grinned and latched onto Lin's outstretched palm. "Yes, ma'am!" She laughed as Lin pulled an irritated face at her unwarranted cheerfulness. And maybe, just maybe, the sunshine was starting to pierce these clouds that have been plaguing her.

In any case, her world was just the tiniest bit brighter.