Lin sat upright on her bed at southern water tribe. Katara's guest room was very comfortable and warm. Lin wondered how she got here. She remembered Katara saying she couldn't restore Korra's bending. She remembered watching Korra stormed out of the door. She remembered feeling a bit dizzy, she remembered taking few wavy steps towards the chair she had been sitting on and that was it. Now she was on a bed, freed from the armor completely. Lin looked at her torso. She wore a white comfy tunic. Her arms and ribs been bandaged. Katara must have healed her broken ribs and cuts. Lin drew in a steadying breath, closing her eyes and started to let it go slowly. Suddenly, she stopped. Everything around her, stilled. Her eyes flew opened and Lin stared at the white blanket, eyes wide and breath hitched. 'She'd have found out!'
Katara entered the room carrying a steaming bowl of soup. "You are awake!" She said placing the bowl on the bed side cabinet and sitting on the bed, next to Lin.
"How long had I been passed out?" Lin asked avoiding Katara's gaze and busying herself in pulling on the pakra that lay next to her.
"All night." Katara replied.
"How's Korra?" Lin asked taking the bowl of soup from the cabinet and opening its lid.
"She's OK. She got her bending back." Katara said taking a rather big handkerchief out of a drawer of the bedside cabinet. It's a good thing she did, because Lin, in her bewilderment, choked and spluttered soup all over her pakra front.
"h-how?" She stuttered. "You said-"
"I did nothing." Katara explained, taking the bowl from Lin and cleaning the stained pakra gently. "Korra found Aang; Her spiritual side; finally; and he has restored her bending."
Lin took few deep breaths and calmed herself down. "Do you think-"
"She will restore your bending. But Lin, you are not strong enough yet." Katara said, taking the bowl of soup in to her hand and bringing a spoonful to Lin's lips.
"I can eat m-" Lin opened her mouth to protest but Katara took the opportunity to shove the spoon in to her mouth. Lin sighed, knowing there is no point arguing with the mother-hen.
Katara watched as Lin slowly swallowed the soup. They were quiet for a while as Lin finished the soup. Katara gently shoved the last spoonful in to Lin's mouth and put down the bowl. She poured a glass of water and handed it to Lin, not before trying to wipe her mouth with the handkerchief.
"Aunt katara!" Lin pouted, jerking her head backwards.
For the second time that morning, Lin spluttered the content of her mouth in to her pakra front as she coughed violently when Katara asked her next question. "When were you going to tell me?"
Lin hastily grabbed the handkerchief from Katara and cleaned the mess she just made. "Tell you what?" She asked in an innocent tone, being careful to avoid the water-bender's gaze.
"Lin!" Katara prompted. "Is that why you've never let me check you or heal you for fifteen years? Was it the reason for your long vacation to Goalin? I can't believe Toph didn't tell me!"
With the mentioning of her mother's name Lin looked up. "Don't blame her. I made her promise not to tell anyone."
Katara's hand found its way to clasp Lin's face. "Why child? We are family! If I knew I'd have don-"
"No. It was too late. It was my fault. I let it happen." Lin said sternly. "It's history, aunt Katara. It died because I was not strong enough to be the mother it deserved."
There was a loud clatter from the door that made both Lin and Katara jump. Tenzin was standing under the door frame. His hands frozen in the mid air like he was holding something. The source of the clatter; Lin's repaired armor; lay scattered on the wooden floor.