Note: Takes place after Book 3, episode six, but before what presumably occurs during next week's eps. So, spoilers galore. Don't say I didn't warn ya!
"I have to continue looking after the Avatar, Su." She and her sister were sitting on the bottom most steps leading up to the Republic City Police Force airship. "But, I do promise to not wait another thirty years before seeing you again."
"And talking to me?" Suyin asked, a glimmer of hope burgeoning in her eyes.
"And talking to you," Lin said with a easy smile that was becoming more the norm than not. It still felt somewhat odd, and she doubted that feeling would go away any time soon; she and Suyin's relationship would take time to mend, but at least they were beginning to talk civilly now, instead of resorting to throwing metals and boulders around at each other. It had only been a couple of days since Opal had effectively ended their fighting.
The kids were still back at Suyin's house and grounds, because they were here for another night before they'd leave bright and early the next morning to head out for the Northern Air Temple, where they would leave Opal in Tenzin's care as she worked on mastering her airbending. Lin had needed to check on some things at the airship, though, and when she had come back out, she'd found Suyin sitting on the bottom steps, looking back up at her when she'd sensed Lin walking down them. While both had grey hair now, Lin could still see the six year age difference between them in Su's eyes, in her entire face and even in her gait.
"I'm glad that we can talk better now," Su started.
"Talk at all, you mean," Lin interjected with a wry smile.
Su smiled back at her, "Yes. Thirty years of silence... we have rather a lot to make up for, don't we?"
"We'll never make up the time lost. It's gone." Lin settled her elbows on her knees, her right hand running a couple of fingers over the scars that her sister had accidentally given her all those years ago. They never physically pained her now, but during the years she and Suyin had been estranged, and her younger sister had been busy building this Metal Clan up from nothing, Lin had more often than not dealt with the wish to break the mirror she had to look in every morning when she woke. It became easier throughout the day to see herself in mirrors she passed by, but the first time upon waking was always the worst. Had been the worst, at least.
She started when she felt Su's hand rest upon her own, peeling it away from the scarred side of her face. Su stopped then, asked, "Is this okay?" Lin grit her teeth together, then released the stress with a calming exhale. She nodded, albeit curtly. Slowly. Take it slow.
She let Suyin run her own fingers over the old wound once before saying, "That's enough... for now. Su."
"I never did properly apologize," her younger sister said, pulling her hand away. She folded her hands upon her lap and met Lin's eyes. "I never truly wanted to hurt you. I just..."
"You were a teenager. I was hardly out of my own teenage years."
"Still. I am sorry. I always had hoped that it wouldn't leave a scar, but after Mom came to see me, I asked, and she said it had. She'd felt it herself, she'd said. And then I saw your photograph in the papers sometimes. Verifiable proof, there." Su laughed, but it was hollow. "Do people... ask where it came from?"
"Not anymore. They stopped once I threated to give them their own to match..." she smiled when she heard Su laugh genuinely at that. "And word still travels quickly in Republic City.
"It's none of their business, to be true. It's a Beifong family matter."
"I guess you're right, Lin. Speaking of family matters, though," Su said, gesturing to the Metal Clan's grounds, "I also came to ask you to look after my daughter as well as you can. I know she isn't who you're charged to look after; she isn't Korra, but..."
"She's your daughter. Your only daughter. I understand. I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe."
"Thank you," Su said, a grateful smile lingering on her face.
It was shortly after that, that the daughter in question came calling after them, and upon finding the Beifong sisters conversing peacefully together by the airship, Opal smiled brighter than Lin had ever seen the girl before.