Feels Like Home
Chapter 1
The day Lin Beifong was born, the earth trembled with joy.
Dust fell from the ceiling of the hastily built earth tent. One strong hand remained firmly planted on the ground. The ground, as a result, shook with every contraction Toph Beifong experienced. The earth bender did not wail, or cry. She hardly broke a sweat. However, several minor earth quakes were reported from there to Ba Sing Se.
And when a tiny body emerged, wailing with life, the earth rejoiced the birth of another daughter.
"She's beautiful, Toph," murmured Katara, who had traveled to Toph's residence from Air Temple Island just for the occasion. Outside waited the rest of the Avatar Gaang, all eager to meet the new addition.
"I know," sighed Toph, the most loving of smiles painted upon her face. Now she did cry, happy tears sliding down her face as she rained kisses down upon the infant's downy head. The others had gathered now, all smiles and tiny coos of admiration.
"What a cutie," sighed Suki, clutching Sokka's arm. "Mm," agreed Sokka through a grin.
"Katara," Toph said suddenly, and everyone was startled into silence, for there was never a time the earth bender didn't call her "Sugar Queen".
"I… Yes, Toph?" Katara asked uncertainly, coming to the dark haired woman's side.
"Is she… I mean…. Can she…?" Toph's voice broke and she swallowed; the hormones were still making her emotional.
Katara gazed into the baby's clear green eyes. They stared intently back at her. She smiled. "She can see, Toph."
A collective sigh went through the room, and a broken sob burst forth from the new mother. "Oh, good," she choked, tucking the small warm head under her chin. "Good, good, good."
Her child would read. She would read, and see colors, and appreciate the world the way her mother never could.
"Have you thought of a name?" came the Avatar's low, deep voice. Aang's voice, once it had changed and deepened, had acquired a calming quality. Rich, like honey.
"I have," murmured Toph as tiny breaths tickled her collarbone.
"Let's hear it!" cried Sokka eagerly.
Toph smiled fondly.
"LIN!"
A giggle erupted from the three year old as she scampered through the house. Toph groaned, feeling the vibrations of the mess the small earth bender had left behind. Rubble cluttered the floor of Lin's bedroom as she, once again, escaped her nap.
Toph turned to leave the room and heard Lin wailing from two rooms down. Her heart seized the way it always did when she heard that sound, and she took off at a run down the hall.
"Lin? Linny?"She entered the sitting room to find her daughter sprawled on her stomach, having tripped and fallen.
Toph clicked her tongue. "Well now, that's what you get for runnin' in the house after mommy told ya no, ain't it?" She lifted the sniffling creature into her arms and bounced her gently. "It's okay, little Badgermole. I got ya. Shh, shh." She comforted the child while rubbing a hand over her to check for injuries. Lin was unharmed.
"Now we're gonna try this again. But since you destroyed your room, we'll have to nap in mommy's room." After the trauma of tripping and falling, Lin seemed to have calmed, her mischievous air replaced by a more sober attitude.
"There," murmured Toph, tucking the child under her own earth toned covers. She sat at the end of the bed and watched her baby curl up and fall asleep.
"I told ya you needed a nap," she chuckled softly. As she took in the sight of her tiny daughter tucked into the very large bed, alone, it reminded her of how she used to spend hours alone in her bed during nap times or illnesses, with no mommy coming to tuck her in or coddle her. It had been quite lonely. And suddenly, a fierce need to be near her daughter, to comfort and hold and protect filled her soul.
So she removed her outer tunic, pulled back the comforter and lay carefully beside her daughter, covering them both. Lin snuggled to her mother's chest, and they fit together perfectly.
To Toph, it felt like home.