a/n: this is the story of Lin's past. Mostly about Linzin as a main pairing, and the old wounds, and my alternate universe of how's Lin figure it out her own self.

Disclaimer: All character belongs to Mike and Bryan, but this story is mine.

Broken

by daikota-akira

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chapter one: the news

Lin once again released a great sighed, it must be the third times today. She felt incredulously tired and glad at the same time, at least they've found something after the tiresome mission. She's finally back in town, to Republic City after her mom, the Chief of Police, Toph Beifong sent her away to investigate the gang of Terra Triads in outskirts of Ba Sing Se with Captain Song's Squad, including her. The elite brigade took almost four months away to investigated the Terra Triads true leader that endlessly robbed and threatened Republic City for the past six months and it's getting out of control.

It was a very exhausting mission, consumminating her mentally and physically. But after all, it was a successful mission. They've finally got the name of the leaders. Not only Toph who had an headache because of the Terra Triads, but the entire city even the Avatar himself. So, it was kinda a big achievement for Lin, personally, to received such a big mission to gain the information of Terra Triad's leader from the Chief herself.

Lin has always assumed that she's a strong woman, but as she's on the mission, she's only gotten the headache and the nausea even worse at day by day, and she clearly not on her fit body, she felt sick a lot. Even, her co-worker Fai asked her everyday is she doing okay? Because in the morning she would started puke in the morning at the inn they've stayed and that was worrying the entire squad and question her credibility but once again, she's the daughter of Toph Beifong, founder of the Police Forces it self, she proved them that no one will ever questioned her credibility one more time.

And she never be glad to finally arrived at the city again, to finally back to house and probably get a good damn well rest. As they arrived at the Head Quarters, she greeted the Chief formally with the rest of the squad, and she starts to gathered her stuff without even bothered join Captain Song to give the report, location and name of the leader as the rest of the Head Quarters congratulated them of the successful mission.

And Toph, not wasting anymore time, give a command to Captain Fa's squad, that include Saikhan to ambushed the leader of Terra Triads immediately as her mom dismissed the entire of her squad to get a rest.

If it's not the worsen headache she felt, she probably argue to her mom, resisted the Chief's decision to sent Saikhan to ambushed them instead of send her. But really, her headache it's getting worse so she calmly agreed whatever her mom command to. She dismissed herself after changed her outfit and gather her belongings and directly went to the hospital.

She is very uncomfortable with her own body, feels like they'd been against her will and she wants to know if she is proved to be sick, what kind of disease she had that persistently unhealed even though she had tried her best to keep her body fit as always.

"How long you were out of the city?" the healer asked with a bright smile, meanwhile Lin's face was paler than her skin.

"Almost four month."

"And did you eat well?"

"I must say, not a very healthy food if you expected more, and yes I eat well regulary on time to keep my body healthy, I'm on a mission, I can not get sick. But it didn't work, I felt this ridiculous nausea every morning and this headache it's just getting worse. I'm getting tired easily, my body felt like betrayed me."

Lin watched the healer wrote everything she said quickly on the paper. "And what about your rest? Do you sleep oftenly?"

"We're in charge to take turn on the night, and sometimes there was a night activity. But other than that, I slept well. I felt sleepy so quickly, I don't know why, even during the day."

"And - "

"And oh - there's some certain smell I suddenly dislikes and all I want to do was puking, that was very annoying. I drank a lot of tea even headache drugs, but it didn't work." she sighed while closing her eyes, it's almost afternoon but the nausea is keep coming back, she rubbed her temple tried to reduce the pounding sound inside of her head.

"What about your period?"

"I haven't had it since the last time I left the city."

And that's completely normal, it's not the first time Lin hadn't get her period right on the time, when it comes to a big stressful mission, it usually arrived later than usual. She just realized during her mission, she never had her period not even once, and she's glad she hadn't it. Because it would probably troublesome herself on the mission.

"Are you sexually active?"

At that question, Lin lifted her heads, stare at the healer's blue eyes. "Why is that? Is that has something to do with this?"

"I can't tell if you tell me." she said, smiled politely.

She recalled the day when was the last time she had sex with Tenzin. About Tenzin - Agni, she missed the airhead babbling and his annoying concerned. After this is over, she promised herself she will visit him. The last time she met him was the day before she was off to the mission. That's true, that was the last times she had sex with him. The night before, they were making madly in love on her apartment.

Lin can't help but smiling dumbly at his concerned and babbling worries stuff about how could that Toph sent her own daughter away to investigate some kind of criminal to Ba Sing Se? And then, the next thing she known is only to kiss him - hot and deep, and their lustful looks explain the desire and Lin would take care the rest of the night. One of the passionate night she had spent with him.

"Yes. But it was… a long time ago since i left the city."

"Were you on birth control the last time?"

She snorted, "Of course, I've never…"

Wait… a minute.

She can not remember, did she use the birth control or at least drink the herbs tea in the morning?

No, they were completely carried by the beautiful scenery with each other and either Tenzin or herself even bother at the thoughts. And in the morning, she was almost late, she got up late that morning, she even can't washed her hair and - no, she didn't drink the herbs tea.

Lin felt her own heartbeat become erratic at the thought. There's no way she has the possibilites of -

"Am I…?" she can't finish her own words.

"You may have lay down so we can prove that."

She gulped, never once in her life she felt this panic, fear, and nervousness at the same time but still, she get up and followed the healer's demand and laid down there, let the healer work with water glowing hands same as Katara did before on her mother's stomach while Toph was pregnant with Su.

Lin could only froze at the moments, there's a ton of thoughts on her mind. She's only nineteen, she's way too young to be pregnant and become a mother. She completely had no idea of being a mom, it's not that she had Toph as an ideal mom. She's still young and there's a long way to pursue her dream jobs as a cop, to become like her mother, and being pregnant at such a young age it will be bother, isn't?

She still has rebellious Su to take care of, she need a time to take care of Beifong Household. What will she do if it's true that she's pregnant? What will Tenzin react? What will her mom react? What about Aang and Katara's reaction? What will the press react? That the daughter of Toph Beifong is pregnant out of wedlock?

"Congratulation, you're almost four month pregnant."

Lin closed her eyes, I'm pregnant.

I'm nineteen and pregnant with Tenzin's.

It's not that she's happy, either she hates the whole situation. Things happened for a reason, and somehow it just how it's done.

And Lin is unsure how to react the whole things, yesterday she just off of the mission and now she's pregnant. Is she happy? She can't figure. One thing she's sure is, she is worried. Worried about…. basically everything. The idea of being a mom, Toph herself, she hasn't make her proud, either she hasn't take care of Su well, she hasn't make a good cop and become just like her, and Tenzin -

Tenzin - She loved him, really, and he does too. There's no way the two of them deny about what they felt, both of them know and certain at it since a long time ago they grown up together. But they never really talked about having a kids.

She remember, the night they making love for the first time, it was the most magical night she ever spent. They finally together, share the same mutual body and soul to become one, it was magically beautiful. After their love making, she and Tenzin laid there side by side on her bed. They talked a lot that night, Lin allowed her self to talk more than usual to vocally conveyed her mind. They'd shared their thoughts, to be honest with each other about their dreams, goals and aim, what they worries, and what they likes and dislikes.

"I'm afraid people will sees me as the Avatar and Master Katara's son." said Tenzin the night they made love.

"Hell, me too. Everyone as a war hero's children has the same anxiety. It kinda hard to makes our own step without looking at our family background, isn't?" Lin agreed him.

"Bumi and Kya seems that they always know what to do about their own life, I'm jealous."

Lin laughed a little, "Aren't you always jelaous, Airhead?"

He sighed, "What about you?"

"I think… I'm not a good enough, being a daughter for my mom and… Su is just getting out of control, can you imagine, she's hanging out with a delinquents."

"Lin, you're always do your best. I'm sure your mom appreciate what you did with Su, even though she never said that. You're practically raised your own sister, while your mom chasing the criminals in the city."

"I only wished she's at home, Ten. Su and I… it's complicated, I don't even know how to deal with her, she's rebelious and disobedient and my mom didn't even care about that, I feel like she's not my sister anymore, there's a big gap and we're so distances. She always called me a failure and I'm only her half sister so I don't have a rights to do with her life."

"She's young, Lin. Remember your mom used to be like her when she was young. Everything is going to be fine, Lin. I'm here."

"I hope so. And I'm so greatful that you're always here." she said, she knows her face probably turning red, hell, maybe her hair turn red in the next second.

"Let's stop talking about this. It's not fun. What's your dreams, Lin?"

"I want to become like my mom." a seventeen years old Lin finally said, with a sigh snuggling closer to Tenzin's bare chest.

The air bender chuckled at her, it's not that he didn't acknowledge that. It's obvious to everyone that Lin admires and loves her mother so much, additionally, she'll end up become like her mom is probably isn't suprising at all. "I know."

"You do?" asked Lin in confusion, she propped herself with her elbow and facing him. Tenzin nodded calmly, "Everyone does."

"What about you?" asked Lin, Tenzin thoughts at the moment, at the end he decided to saying the truth, "Honestly, I don't know."

Lin frowned deeply, give him a confused look at his absurd answer.

"Well, everyone expect me to do the… stuff." he sighed.

"But you can choose what ever you would like, it's not that everyone forced you. You always still had a choice, Airhead." she said again, this time burried her face to her lover's neck.

The air bender move slightly, Lin noticed this and she propped herself again, "Is something bother you?" she asked again.

"You said we should honest with each other isn't it?"

"Uh - yes?" she asked again, Tenzin keep giving her a grey question and answer and it didn't bring them anywhere.

"Alright, the truth is, I didn't like you snuggling with me."

"What?" asked Lin in a total shocked. "Why?"

"It's ticklish, Lin!" he groans desperately. "Especially, when you're hair keep touching my bare skin, my neck, believes me, I do love you so much, but I can't help with it." he said sadly.

Tenzin was expecting Lin to storm out off the room, leaving him there, but he was wrong. Lin's reaction suprised him with that laugh.

"Something funny?"

"Yeah, you." she said laid back besides him, this time she leave the space between them so they will not touching skin to skin.

"Why don't you just tell me?" she asked, facing at the white ceiling.

"I thought you would be mad,"

"I wouldn't, silly!"

At that moment, Tenzin stare at the young woman, at how calm and steady her breath alongside by side with his own rythm, at how her skin seems to be glowing like a porcelaine doll under the orange fire by the side table, and that sparkling pale green eyes has always been fascinating since the day Tenzin saw a little Lin was born, but at the same time those same eyes could be very sharply looking at anyone she want to apart the souls she looked at. And now they closed calmly, her captivating thick eyelashes began to appeared clearly.

Agni, he loves this woman so much. And he knows he's a couldn't be more lucky than this.

They were celebrate his first appearance as the air nomad's representative at the council everyone knows, soon or later he would replace the avatar's place in the council. Lin said she's very proud of him and they need to celebrate it and she said it as a 'gift' for him, so they did it. It was a beautiful moment for both of them, and either one of them want the night to stop.

"I think I just want to be… simply me." said Tenzin, Lin opened her eyes to stared at her childhood lover, who seems in another time loops of dimention.

"What's that supposed to be mean?"

"I mean… yes, people expected me to do the stuff as my father, as the representative of the air nomad, it's my destiny. But perhaps, precisely, I want to have a simple family, you know. In the future, I want to live in a simple life, with a wife to wait me at home and a plenty air bender kids sounds good, isn't?"

"You are really a simple air nomad boy," she mocked slightly at his dreams.

"Maybe I am."

"Yeah, sure."

"But Lin," he called, grip her wrist softly, "Yup?"

Those blue grey eyes stare at her, "I meant it." he said.

And Lin Beifong knows, he referred herself as his future.

And that's it. They never thought the idea of having a kids this soon. There's a lot of things they want to do, so they agreed wordlessly to using birth control and Lin having the tea herbs after their love making.

"I can figure the baby's gender. Would you like to know?" asked the healer.

Lin open her eyelids slowly, she will never runaway from this. She's Beifong, Beifong didn't runaway, that's not what her mom had taught to her.

Beifong is head on through any problem. She needs to face it, soon or later. And clearly, this is not a problem. "Yes, please."

The healer worked her glowing water on her stomach again, it tooks a time, until Lin saw the smile on the healer's face. "It's a girl."

Girl?

Lin blinked and get up straighten her back. "I… Is she?"

"Yes it's a girl," she nodded again.

"Is she… healthy?" said Lin carefully, perhaps she had no idea of being a mom, but one thing she had to make sure is the healthiness of her baby. Hers.

"Surprisingly, you are a cop, aren't you? And you just got back from mission?"

"Yes."

"She's pretty tiny, but that's doesn't matter, as long as you keep your body healthy from now, you both will be fine. I'll write you out the list of a food to support your pregnancy and I'll give you the medicine to reduce the nausea and the headache."

"Is it… is it okay that I'm pregnant? I mean - I am nineteen." she said, her face probably red because she felt this ridiculous heat on her face to neck.

The healer smiled again. "You're healthy, and that's important. Age didn't bother a pregnancy, you're on a safe age, Lin Beifong - isn't?" she asked.

Lin could only nodded plainly as she listened the healer chattered about the whole pregnancy stuff and what to do and what she needs to avoid, and that's explain her morning sickness and her tired body.

"I'm expecting you to come again next month with the father, Tenzin the Avatar's son, right?"

Lin blushed slightly, their relationship isn't even a secret, why would she blushed? The whole city knows about them, they somehow become the celebrity of the press and the society. Claimed as 'Relationship Goals between The Avatar and Chief Toph Beifong's children, Tenzin and Lin Beifong: A first love become a lover.' She once read the headlines when the press acknowledge their relationship was more than a childhood friend, and the whole city was crazy about them for a months. After that, whenever she was on date with Tenzin, there's a news about it in the next morning.

"Um.. Okay, thanks, uh…" Lin said awkwrdly.

"You can call me Sumi," she said kindly. "Here's the food and tea list that good for pregnancy to reduce the sickness and headache."

"Right. Thank you," she got up shortly, one thing she knows she need to tell Tenzin first, and before she can hand the doorknob, Sumi - called her. "Hey, Lin?"

"Yes?"

"You're doing fine, there's nothing to worry, okay? You can came here if something bothers you." Sumi said with a bright smile on her face.

With a smile, Lin nodded and left the room.

Sumi is right. There's nothing to worry. Everything will be fine.

After that Lin brought the list of food Sumi's kindly wrote for her, she brought a lot of unknown tea leaves she just figure by now and straightly walked to her own little apartment near to the head quarters of the police after she visited the council office's and found nothing than an old secretary told her that young Tenzin and the Avatar is visiting Ba Sing Se, and probably would be back in the evening. Lin left a message that she was expecting Tenzin to visit her apartment once he's back.

And he did.

The tea has the strangest smell, really, Lin almost puking after smelling that tea recipe from the healers. Before she could take a sip, her door was banging pretty loudly, and a bald head with arrow (and a bright smile) showed up immediately approached her with a protective hug. "Spirits, I missed you." he said.

Lin couldn't help but chuckled, she calmly set the cup down and embrace her boyfriends with a same warm kiss on his cheeks.

"What are you? Trying to knocked my door's off just like my mother did with my room?" she teased, caresses her lover's cheeks with affection.

Tenzin said nothing and raining her face with a kiss, and ended up on her lips, this time longer and deeper.

"What's with this strange smell?" he asked, with a frown of confusion, one of his hands circled on her back, and on her waist.

While Lin's claimed his heartbeat right on his wide chest, spirits. I missed you too, airhead.

"Uh… right, I tried a new tea leaves. Experiment, I must say." she said, tried to make an excuse. She really doesn't know how to tell Tenzin the news.

But one thing she's sure, Tenzin would never resent her neither the baby. Her predict says he mostly end up happy at the news, Tenzin is knownly a social butterfly around kids, he's naturally good at it not like her awkwrd and all of that craps around a bunch of brats. When they were younger, before all the responsibilites of Tenzin being the progeny of the Avatar's son, to represents the Air Nomands and she become the cops later, she and Tenzin would likely took care of the Air Acolytes's baby spending their time together at the air temple when it's getting even more lonely as Bumi and Kya's departure.

So, at the worst scenario she can imagine, he's probably shock.

"You didn't like a new things. I figure you have leave Jasmine Tea? Lin, I just flew all the way from Ba Sing Se with my father to get a Jasmine Tea once you're back." he said with a dissapointment. Lin knocked his bald head with a click on her forefinger.

"I do still like it, airhead. Why don't we sit down, so you can chattered and I'm going to listen just like we used to?" she asked, lead him to the warm couch.

Tenzin served himself the tea that he likes as Lin waited nervously on the couch, sitting while take a sip of the pregnancy tea. Despite the strange smells, the taste was exceptionally good and it calmed her down as Tenzin take a seat behind her.

"So how's the mission?" he asked, put his big arm around her shoulders as Lin laid her head on his chest side by side.

"Boring." she sighed, lying. The truth is horrible, she felt that nausea wave endlessly everyday.

"Why did you go to Ba Sing Se?" she asked.

"My father visited the Earth King."

"And… why exactly you went with him?"

"I… tried to found you?"

"What? But you didn't even know my exact location."

"I know, but I can't help because I missed you, Lin." he said desperately.

The face on his couldn't make the Beifong got any softer everyday, really. Sometimes, Tenzin could be a serious bastard and not fun at all but there's a time like this, the word he said and the affection and concerned he showed to her, it's almost impossible for her not to falling in love even more to him.

Lin herself wasn't a very vocal person, like her mother, she's having a hard time to express herself, her own emotion vocally. But she said it with a gesture, she might be never said that 'I love you' oftenly like the way Tenzin did to her, but she had made sure she said it all with the tiniest thing she could showed to Tenzin physically.

And Tenzin has very understandable towards this - towards everything, he's a best friend, a childhood friends who knows her better than anyone, even her mom and her own sister. It's not that Bumi, Kya, and Izumi isn't her best friend, perhaps, their only one year gap that makes the bound between them even stronger than her others childhood friends. He's the place she would think at the first place where all the anxiety and resentment of her old house began to out of control between her and Su.

He's the one who could calmed her down, where she can find her peace, to create anywhere else and called it a home. With him.

And she's made sure, Tenzin received all the affection she couldn't offer vocally but at least physically.

It still awkwrd for her, receive the sweetness of being a lover such as a simple 'I love you' or 'I missed you' probably, because of she's rarely talked about it so it means a lot for her. So, she changed the topic avoid the circumtances to force her said those things, "Why did your father visit the King?"

"My father was kindly visit the earth King Kuei, he isn't any younger, you know."

She snorted softly, "Typical your father. And so we are, aren't we?"

"What do you mean?" Tenzin asked as he caressed Lin's upper arm with a circle motion.

"We're not getting any younger. And… don't you think we're an adult now?"

He laughs, carefully shifted his position to face the earth bender and bring her closer to embraced her waist in his 'concerned mode' as Lin referred to. "What is it? Do you want to do the adult stuff?" he asked, playing with her waist string pants. Lin almost couldn't believes what she just witnessed. Her laughter fill the room softly, and that's enough to make Tenzin smiling dumbly.

"Did you just flirt with me?" she said, with the rest of her laugh.

"What? Am I banned to do so?" Tenzin asked again, this time his hands move with more purpose, stroked the slender waist under her robe.

"Tenzin." she called, gripping the collar of her lovers softly.

The air nomad boy only gave her a simple hum as he started to give her porcelaine neck plenty of kisses.

"I went to the hospital today."

At that, Tenzin stop, his concerned frown began to appeared again, "What is it?"

"I…" she bit her lips nervously. She didn't have a reason to be nervous, really, she's Lin Beifong for Agni's sake, and he's only Tenzin. But giving the information of herself being pregnant of his, perhaps isn't something in common she used to.

"Did you hurt during the mission?"

"No -"

"Did something wrong with your body?"

"Well, practically, yes, but - "

"How bad is it? Lin, I should've known it was too dangerous for you and we need to see my mom immediately, and I'll call your mom." he got up as gripping her wrist firmly make her stood too.

"Tenzin, no, stop, damn it, listen to me." she said desperately.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked.

"I went to the hospital, they said I'm okay and…"

"Yes? What is it? Tell me? Lin you worries me." he said again, this time grip her shoulders softly and facing the earth bender, stare directly at her pale green eyes.

"And they said I'm pregnant," she whispered, she bit her lips tightly until she didn't have to worry it might be bleeding, she watched Tenzin's froze reaction.

There's a long silent after that.

"Tenzin, damn it, say something."

"Is it one of your lame jokes that I didn't understand about?"

"Spirits, no, I'm four month pregnant, with your kids."

Tenzin's eyes widened in suprise "WHAT?"

"Yeah, what, you didn't seems happy about that, I'm personally dissapointed at your reaction. And here I am thoughts that you want a future with kids and stuff."

"Are you kidding?!" he gasped, the next second Lin knows that she's already on laid her back with Tenzin's body blanketed all over her, hugging her tightly and kisses her face again and again.

"I can't believe this. Are you really pregnant? With my?" he finally released her after Lin struggling and pushed him tenderly.

"No, I slept with Saikhan and it's his." she said in annoyed tone, but gently caressed Tenzin's cheeks.

"Ha-ha, not funny, Officer." he pouted, but a bright smile appeared again on his face. "Wait, if you're four month, that's mean…"

"Yes, it was the night before I went to Ba Sing Se. We're so careless that night and I didn't drink my tea herbs."

"It doesn't matter, Lin, I have no words to say." he said smiling ear to ear dumbly.

"Are you happy?" she asked, she felt her own hearts began to bloom and warm at his ecstatic reaction.

"Are you blind? I think I'm going to explode!" he said frantically, the two of them share the same joyous laugh. "And Lin, is it okay that I haven't ask you for a marriage?"

Lin felt her own heartbeat might be stop for a second, "W-what?"

"I did plan to marry you since a long time ago, but I haven't pick the betrothal neck for you and I guess you're the type of offended if I'm asking you a marriage now for the sake of your pregnancy."

Lin smiled softly, "You know me so well, Airhead."

"It's good to know that I am good at it."

Lin slightly seems hesitantly, but she decided to ask, "Tenzin, I'm nineteen and you're twenty, do you remember that night we still had a lot of things to do?" Lin asked in concerned.

"Lin, I believe things are happen for a reason, and this news, it's a blessing."

"But I don't know how to be a mom," she whispered and burried her face on Tenzin's chest. Tenzin's big hands stroked her wavy black hair gently.

"And so do I, you're a natural mother, you took care of Su since you were eight."

"But Su - "

"We're going to figure this out together, Lin. It's going to be fine."

"I hope so, don't leave me, Ten."

"I won't. I promised."

He kissed her gently, and she always relieved she felt the love poured between their kisses.

"Are you going to tell your mom?" he asked. "I think so, she probably will figure it out soon," said Lin.

Tenzin chuckled sligthly, "Ah, yes, I forget your mom has a super sonic sense. So, can I tell mom and dad?"

"Uh… can we keep it a secret, Ten? I'm still not used of the idea I'm pregnant." she sighed.

Tenzin saw the glimpsed of dissapointment on Lin's gesture, he can't help but asking, "Aren't you happy?"

Lin smiled at his concerned, "I think I am. But it's so... surprising, and - i... I hope you understand."

"I understand, but I want to make sure this is not a mistakes for you, Lin."

"Of course it's not, Airhead, why do you think so?"

"Because you seems worry too much, relax, Lin." he said, kissing her temple tenderly.

"I'm trying. But when I'm ready, we're gonna tell everyone, you okay with that?" she asked looked up to him hopefully. He smiled gently, "Anything, Lin."

"And, Tenzin?"

"Yes?"

"It's a girl."

Another glimpsed of shocked from the air nomad boy, next thing Lin realized is Tenzin already yanked her off to the air with a loudest cheer she has ever known from the calm boy.

The day has passed slowly, Lin asked her day off for three days to her mom and says she just simply miss her bed and she will stay at the apartment (that's because of Tenzin asked her to) and there's plenty of things she need to discuss with Tenzin. Tenzin has showed her the biggest support and has been nothing but ecstatic towards everything regarding their unborn child.

They argued for a moment, mostly about the baby's name, while Lin insisted it would be early to decided her names. But Tenzin unusually stubborn he said that the baby will be one hundred percent an air bender, and then they finally reached the end of their argument and somehow the name of Jinora (from an air nomad) has picked magically and peacefully. And Lin also agreed that she will tell her mom first about the news and soon to Tenzin's parents this week once she's back from the patrol.

tbc...

So how's it? let me know what you're thinking of this chapter at the coloumn review!

next chapter would be re-write of the old wounds, about Toph, Su and the impact for Lin.