Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Korra

"Lin, you can't just do that."

"I already did it so it doesn't matter."

"Aang built that place. You can't just go destroying his island."

"Well, I had reasonable circumstances."

Suyin just laughed at her older sister. The two were sitting outside in the shade in Zaofu. Lin had decided to visit after retiring from the police force. It had only been two years since the whole thing with the Red Lotus and the older Beifong sister had decided that she had seen enough in her lifetime to finally settle down. Su was more than elated to see her sister arrive.

"I had only heard about it through the papers and radio. Was it better than it sounded?"

Lin just chuckled. "If by better you mean worse, then yes. Tenzin deserved it."

The younger of the two covered her face, but Lin could still see the smile peaking out. "Only you would, Lin. Only you."

"You bet your sweet tea." Lin purposely took a sip of her own tea in her hands. "Which is wonderful by the way. Got this from the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se, didn't you?"

"The only place I get my tea imported, big sister."

Lin scowled. "Unfortunately, I haven't tasted this kind of quality in awhile. Long days, early mornings. No time but to suffer through amateur tea."

Suyin made sure to pat her sister's hand that lay on the table between them. "Don't tell me you just retired for the tea? Mom lasted longer than you did."

"Mom had it pretty easy may I say." Lin set her cup down. "Sure she had that bloodbending deal with Yakone, but who knew it was going to come back and bite me when I was chief. Throw in a nonbender revolution, spirits roaming the city alongside giant vines that cannot be disposed of, and an anarchist group who almost destroyed the avatar lineage and I'd say I have had enough of that life."

Her younger sister looked down into her cup. "Well I'm sure you've made a mark on the police force like you intended. You're happy with what you accomplished, right?"

Lin didn't answer at once. She had to think about the question carefully. There was a lot of pride that went into being chief of police and Lin appreciated it very much. But if she were being truly honest with herself, there were other things she had wanted to do. "You can say that."

Her unsure answer got Suyin worried. "We're all proud of you, Lin. Me, my family, and even Mom. Wherever she is in the world. I'm sure she's heard about what you did."

"That's not what I'm hesitant about." Lin stared out into the open air. The skies were clear. "I just feel like I could have done a lot more rather than throwing myself into a career that I thought would make Mom happy right off the bat."

"Mom did end up happy. Seeing you achieve so much. She just wanted us to do what we really wanted. Maybe she really believed that you were forcing yourself to become an officer rather than wanting."

"Now that I think about it, you might just be right, Su."

Suyin looked at her sister with curiosity. Lin caught it by a glance and looked at her younger sister confused. "What?"

The metal clan matriarch smirked. "Nothing. It's just been awhile since we have had a civil conversation like this."

"Have we ever had a civil conversation?"

The two just laughed loudly. Their ears twitched at the voice of Suyin's middle child. The two Beifong sisters looked at each other wondering who the young girl was talking to. After the red lotus incident, Opal had decided to keep up her training back in Zaofu where she would keep the peace. Suyin couldn't have been anymore happier and Tenzin was proud to let her go out on her own as a true air nomad. In the next few years, even Opal will earn her tattoos.

Both Lin and Suyin anticipated Opal and whoever she was talking to finally make an appearance up the stairs. However, they didn't need to wait long until Opal's companion screamed out into the air.

"WHAT?!"

Su had jumped at the familiar voice and just shook her head. She turned her head thinking that she was going to share a look with Lin but found her sister wide eyed. It took the younger of the two several more seconds to figure out that a reunion was about to occur after thirty years.

Finally, Opal and her guest made it up the final steps and they stood in conversation. Suyin got up and approached the two.

"Su! How can you let this happen?"

She just rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"How can you let my granddaughter become an airbender? That's not right."

"Mom, I had nothing to do with that."

The aged master earthbender pouted at her youngest daughter. Toph was still as short as ever, even more so due to her slight hunch. But the former chief of police refused to walk with any aid. Her hair was a mix of gray and white and packed into its usual bun. Several wrinkles decorated her face but one look and you can still recognize the impish smirk of a twelve year old. She dressed in baggy green pants, green shirt, and yellow over shirt, resembling her attire when she was younger. Even if her physical appearance had changed, her personality was there to stay.

Opal blushed. "It just happened, Grandma. I didn't ask for it either. But I'm proud to be an airbender."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sure it's an honor to be part of a nearly extinct species and all, but you're a Beifong woman. Beifong woman are born with earth in their blood!" Toph punched a fist into the air.

Suyin crossed her arms. "Mom, Opal is a wonderful airbender. Will you let that go already? She's pretty grounded for an airbender nonetheless."

She found her mother snickering. "Well, I guess that makes up for it. But remember, Opal, you are a Beifong. Don't let people step all over you just because you're all twinkle toed now."

"I won't, Grandma." Opal laughed lightly.

Toph directed her speech to the one still seated at the table. "Hey! Just because I haven't seen you in thirty years doesn't mean I've forgotten what you feel like! So stop your heart from beating so fast! It's giving me a headache. Get over here, Linny buns!"

Lin jumped at her mother's booming voice. It had been years since she had heard her mother yell at her like that and she couldn't help but feel the emotion catch in her throat. No matter how funny it sounded, she really did miss her mother hounding at her.

When she still hadn't moved, Toph yelled even louder. "Are you deaf now? Hate to break it to you, but that doesn't run in the family! Get your butt over here!"

The older of the Beifong sisters stood up at once and hurried towards the group. When she was in close proximity, she crossed her arms and stayed quiet facing her mother. Opal and Suyin stood opposite just watching.

"So, you retired? I lasted longer than you." Toph smirked.

Suyin waved her hand in the air. "Mom, you're a bit late. Lin and I already had this conversation."

"You sure? Seems like your big sister can't even talk."

Lin scowled but remained silent. Opal laughed at her aunt's expression.

Toph directed her speech to her granddaughter. "She's scowling, huh? She did that so much as a kid and a teenager that I think it's her default expression. She may not even be mad and that's how she'll look."

"Don't be so mean, Grandma."

"Oh boo hoo. Your mother and this one are too used to this kind of banter. It's literally how I talked to them as babies. Lin was never offended, but the first time I spoke to your mother like that when she was not even a year old she cried. I had to get used to the fact that one of my daughters was a wuss."

"Mom." Su was the one to scowl this time.

All three were surprised to hear Lin chuckle lightly.

Toph quirked an eyebrow at her oldest. "And what is so funny?"

Lin quieted down but kept the smirk on her face. "Nothing. I just remember you calling Su a pudgy pig chicken because she was so big as a baby."

The oldest of them all bellowed with laughter. "Oh yeah. Opal, your mom was a fat baby. I almost destroyed Sugar Queen's house trying to push that one out. As for Lin, she was just stubborn. I was in labor for an entire day before I could even think about pushing."

Both sisters yelled at their mother. "Mom!"

"I want some tea! And you know I only drink tea from the Jasmine Dragon."

The three younger Beifongs directed Toph towards the table. They all sat and held cups of tea while the sun began making its way to the other side of the sky.

"So what brings you to Zaofu, Mom?" Su sipped her tea and waited for her mother to respond.

The aged earthbender waved her hand back and forth. "Oh you know, just walking around here and there. I was passing by and decided to say hi."

"The last time you said you were heading for the fire nation. Where are you going next?" Opal added.

"I'm still trying to decide. I have plenty of time."

Suyin laughed. "Not to be negative or anything, but Mom you're 84. That doesn't leave a lot of time."

Toph turned her head towards her youngest. "Says you."

"Su's right, Mom. Don't you want to settle down somewhere?" Lin decided to join in.

Her mother just rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? Well, what are you planning on doing now, retiree? I don't know if you noticed, but we are officially on the same level now. Both of us are ex chiefs. Which by the way, who did you exactly leave in charge? It better not be someone stupid. I don't want anyone ruining my police force."

Lin poured more tea into her cup. "I let Saikhan take over."

"And there goes the Beifong name."

"Wei and Wing are in the city as police officers right now. I'm sure they'll make chief someday. Probably even become co-chiefs." Suyin informed her mother.

"It gave me more of a reason to leave. The boys know what they are doing." Lin added.

Toph smiled widely. "Well good on you two for making sure Beifongs still stay top dog in the police force."

The two sisters just nodded at their mother.

Opal got up and held her hands behind her back. "As much as I would love to stay and keep talking, I have some disputes to tame in the main part of the city. Promise me you'll still be here by dinner, Grandma?"

"Of course. Now run along."

The sweet girl politely bid her mother and aunt goodbye and left the three to themselves. No one spoke at once, leaving the sound of birds and the far volume of the railways working to serve in their silence. Suyin picked at the tips of her hair, Lin swirled her metal cup around with her bending, and Toph remained still, cup of tea in hand.

"So…" Su started. "it's been awhile, huh?"

"Since?" Lin and Toph said together. Lin looked at her mother shyly.

"Since we've been together like this. Last time I remember we were in your office, Mom. Well, Lin's office. Well…I guess its Saikhan's office now."

Their mother scoffed. "Yeah, we have Lin to thank for that."

The older of the Beifong sisters seemed to have shrunk slightly. Su tried to find a way to defend her older sister's choices but found herself blaming Lin as well.

"Then again, if Suyin wasn't being such a pest as a kid, then maybe Lin wouldn't have pushed both of us away."

Su found herself pressing herself into her chair as well.

Toph allowed the information to settle in for both of her girls. She took a sip of her tea before speaking again. "Look, we'll probably never figure out whose fault it really was for what happened between all of us, and since starting my enlightenment, I figured out that maybe there really isn't anyone to blame. Maybe we are all just too alike that our stubbornness and sarcasm couldn't be contained in one household. But whatever the reason is, I've let it go. A long time ago."

"So have I." Su said.

Lin continued to look into her tea.

She didn't expect her sister's hand to touch hers. Su smiled at her. "And so has Lin."

The older sister smiled back at her younger.

"After everything that happened, it was too late to turn back. You girls made your choices on how you want to live your life. I'll take the blame for that one since I let you guys run around without a care in the world back then."

Lin answered back this time. "You had good intentions, Mom."

"I did. I had an image in my mind that it would be ideal. I thought you two would grow up better than I did but for some strange reason it back fired." Toph sighed deeply. "I guess it didn't help that I worked all the time. My bad."

"We understood, Mom." Suyin comforted their mother. "The police force was still in its first couple of years. They needed you."

Toph just quirked an eyebrow at her. "Please, you guys wanted me home all the time. I wasn't there for you two, you can say it. I'm a big girl."

Lin and Su just shared a look but didn't reply to their mother. It wasn't like their mother wasn't telling the truth. They just wish it didn't sound so bad when said bluntly. Suyin had explained it to Korra before. The two of them competed for Toph's attention whenever it was available. There wasn't any time between work and training them for leisure. There desperation for their mother was intense as children, but when they grew up, Lin and Suyin had hit some kind of acceptance that their mother didn't have time for them. So they took two separate paths: Lin still trying to earn her mother's approval by joining the police force while Suyin could care less about what her mother thought and did whatever she thought was amusing. Even now, sitting together in front of the old woman, Su and Lin didn't know if their mom was really proud of them. Lin decided to be daring.

"So you really didn't like it that I became chief of police?"

Toph's head turned slowly towards Lin's voice. It was nice to hear her daughter's voice after so long. She almost forgot what it sounded like. "It was the last thing I wanted you to be, Lin. You know why?"

"Hm?"

"Because you pushed yourself to do it. If there was anything that I wanted you girls to learn was that you do not need to do something because you feel like you need to. This is going to sound like bad parenting, but I'd rather hear the word want come out of your mouths rather than need."

Lin didn't give any kind of reaction. So Toph decided to continue talking.

"As for you, Su, the three of us know what would have happened if you stayed in the city. You had chosen your path and it was worse than Lin's choice. I'm not taking any credit for the way you've changed Suyin and I'm proud of you, but let's face it: without me redirecting you to leave the city, I don't know if you would still be here."

Su frowned and pointed her head down. "I know. I'm really sorry."

Toph softly punched her youngest daughters arm to lighten the mood. "Hey, we made up already remember? We're okay."

At that moment, Lin really wanted her mother to punch her in the arm as well. The two hadn't made any actual contact. Not usually a touchy feely type of family, Lin still yearned for her mother's touch.

And for some reason, Toph knew how to read her mind.

The fist that came to her left arm was weaker than she remembered, but the same nostalgic feeling was there. Whenever she mastered a new technique or made her mother proud, Toph would punch her affectionately. The harder the punch, the more love that was put into it (unless of course they were sparring). Right then and there, after thirty long years, Lin let her eyes water.

Suyin caught it and couldn't help the emotion pushing to come out in her eyes as well.

"You're also forgiven, Linny. It took a lot of strength to come to your sister's city. I'm proud seeing that you pushed back your regrets and anger to be there for Su. I think this is the first time I've said this: it's good to see you two getting along."

Lin grabbed her mother's arm before it left again. Toph was slightly surprised, not anticipating her daughter's speed. They stayed still, Lin having trouble expressing her emotion like always.

"I...I…missed you, Mom."

Toph just shook her head with a smile. Motherhood had softened her from the twelve year old kid who suppressed all of her emotions. It was for the better. "I missed you too, badgermole."

The aged earthbender took it upon herself to pull Lin out of her chair and pull her into an embrace. Her oldest latched onto her body at once and Toph just laughed lightly but returned the urgency. She was shocked at the sudden impact that came to her waist and realized that Suyin had jumped out of her seat and grasped on as well, one arm around her mother's waist and one around her sister's. Toph made sure that she had one arm around both.

"I'm tired of dancing around each other. Can we please just stop whatever this is and go back to being Toph and her girls?" She asked her daughters.

Lin and Suyin answered their mother in a relieved tone. "Of course."

"Good." Toph patted her hand on Lin and Su's backs. The sisters released their tight hold on their aged mother but remained in contact. "Now that the sappy stuff is out of the way, Lin where are you really going to go? Not to be rude or anything, but is there really anything left in the city for you?"

"No, you're right. There really isn't anything in Republic City for me anymore." Lin looked around the area on purpose. "Zaofu seems like a pretty decent place to live."

Suyin's face widened into a giant smile. "Really? You're going to live here?"

Her older sister looking nervous only made the youngest of the Beifong sisters happy. "Well, if that's okay."

"Of course it is! I've been waiting for this moment since we made up two years ago. You can help me lead the clan."

Lin shook her hands. "Woah, woah, woah. I retired. That means I'm not planning to work again."

Lin's eyes only widened at the sight of her baby sister giving her puppy dog eyes. "Oh no. Mom she's doing it. She's doing that thing with her eyes again."

"And I'll tell you the same thing I said back then: I am so glad I'm blind."

A low groan came out of the recently retired chief of police. "Fine."

Su bounced up and wrapped her arms around her sister's neck. Lin just gagged.

"Just like old times." Toph closed her eyes and smiled.

"What about you, Mom? Where are you going next?"

"You know, I've been thinking about what you girls said earlier and I think I might just take up the idea of settling down. Lin's right, Zaofu is a pretty nice place. It does have statues of me all over the place."

This time, Suyin did scream. Lin and Toph just shook their heads remembering who was the more excitable one was out of the three of them. "Oh my goodness, this is wonderful! We're going to be all together again!"

"Su, your optimism is disgusting." Her mother laughed. "Next thing I know, we'll be saying I love you to each other."

"Actually-"

Lin tackled her baby sister to the ground.

I hope you all enjoyed a little beifong reunion. Don't forget to review and tell me what you guys think!