Opal had experienced pain in her lifetime. Equal amounts physical and emotional. Being the only girl of five, it came without saying that there'd be rough housing. Wing and Wei were the main instigators, although Huan and Bataar Jr. could turn hostile the second someone would ruin a blue print or "master piece". She'd held her own, especially for being a non-bender at the time, and made it out with few bruises. Then there was not too long ago when she'd been injured from a near hit by Kuvira's spirit weapon. Emotionally, Opal easily recalled the times she felt unrecognized or replaced. The Beifong name was synonymous with earth bending. Opal hadn't been born with the ability, and when her mother had picked Kuvira to be her earth/metal bending protégé, her non-bending nature seemed shameful.

Yet nothing compared to this. All of the pain she'd endured couldn't so much as scratch the surface of this despair. To witness the one she loved suffering and being incapable of reliving it. Yes, Opal had stayed up on nights like these in attempts to comfort him, but she couldn't bring his parents back. This was a nightmare that he couldn't wake up from.

Bolin's weeping had subsided into silent tears. Each one that traveled down his face twisted her heart a little more. Opal had been contently dreaming in his arms not ten minutes earlier when his sleep talking had woken her. The same night terror of his parents' murder would have Bolin shouting his family members' names before she would plead for him to wake up.

"Bo! Bolin, love! It's just a nightmare. Wake up, everything's ok. Please!"

It was a lie. It wasn't just a nightmare, he'd wake up and realize it was reality and the weight of this cruel joke would crash down on him. The tears would have already formed in his sleep, but they would fall more rapidly once he was awake.

These night happened far and few in between, but they happened nonetheless. The first time, Opal had decided to call Mako, thinking that he could give guidance or help ease Bolin's pain. Bolin, though, had begged her not to. He refused to let his older brother, his guardian, see him like this. He feared that Mako would blame himself or become depressed as well. Opal reluctantly agreed to not call Mako, and instead had to let Bolin mourn for as long as it took while she held him. She assumed that life hadn't allowed him proper mourning time as a child. It had been delayed. Until now.

Currently, Bolin was sitting up in their bed with his head bowed down in his hands. His cries were barely audible, but Opal saw the shaking of his shoulders. She wrapped one of her arms around his bicep and used the other hand to rub his back. This was the only consolation she could provide. Bolin promised her that this was more than enough for him, but deep down she felt hopeless.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she heard his shallow breaths and the occasional sound of sorrow. He turned his head towards hers, eyes glassy and lips quaking. She hugged his arm tighter, and placed her forehead against his.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I-I love y-you too, so much," he said, voice quavering. "P-please don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere."

A wave of fresh tears streamed down his cheeks, and he pulled her onto his lap. Enveloped in his arms, Opal could feel his heartbeat as he cried silently into her hair. She caught her lip trembling, but she swallowed the lump in her throat. She needed to be brave for him. Clinging to her, Bolin's breathing slowed.

"I couldn't save them," Bolin said dejectedly. "In my nightmare I'm never able to save them."

Opal pulled away so that she could see his face. The same pitiful expression was etched into his features. She tenderly wiped his tears away. She knew she could never fill the shoes left by his parents, but she could love him as deeply as they had.

"Your parents did not deserve what happened to them, and we might never know why it did happen. What I do know is that they love you and they are proud of you. You help those in need, and will stand by the ones you love without question. You've saved people's lives," Opal said, caressing his cheek with her thumb. "This pain is apart of the healing process, but no matter how much it hurts, you can't blame yourself. You're a good person Bolin, don't ever doubt that."

Bolin softened. The look he gave her was one so complete, so adoring; Opal could barely keep herself from averting her gaze from the intensity of it. Bolin leaned his forehead against hers, their noses brushing.

"Thank you," he said, after a moment of silence, and she nodded. "I love you Opal."

"I love you Bolin."

He ever so gently pressed a kiss to her lips, the action expressing what words couldn't.

Opal relaxed after she heard his sores ten minutes later. She knew that this wouldn't be the last of these nights. He might have accepted that he was not responsible for his parents' death, but the pain would never truly go away. Opal's comfort, however, would always be there, only inches away when he reached for her.

Opal's breathing calmed, and she curdled up next to her husband. The sound of rain hitting the window was the last thing Opal remembered before nodding off.