This is just a little one-shot about the day Lin metalbends for the first time. And as much I want Sokka to be her father, that would make Tenzin her cousin by blood and I don't think Nickelodeon condone that sort of thing. Anyway please enjoy and review = much love and cookies ;)

And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast

Hotel California, The Eagles

"Come on Lin, time for breakfast before school". Lin lowered her arms from her earthbending stance, the muscles aching a little from practicing for two hours after she had woken up as per her mother's instructions.

"Ok Mum" Toph moved around their little kitchen, long used to how the room was. She found the cupboard she had been looking for and pulled out two earthen bowls and filling them with cereal and milk. Lin entered, picking up her bowl and pulling out spoons from the drawer for each of them.

"Mum, why can't I metalbend?" Lin asked after a few minutes of eating in silence "I mean you invented it when you were 12 and I'm 14 now" Toph turned her head to her daughter, setting her sightless on the teenage girl.

"Lin. You are one of the strongest earthbenders I know, excluding myself. You are stronger than most of the men in the force. I promise you that metalbending will come, just give it time." Little did Lin know, she would metalbend that very afternoon.

"I'll see you later Lin" said her mother, at the school gates, wrapped up in her usual metal uniform for her work as Chief of Police "Stay awesome" Lin smiled at the words her mother always said when it came to goodbye for school.

"See you mum" A few hours later and Lin was eating her lunch with Tenzin, sitting outside on metal bench and chatting like they usually did. Now, Tenzin was the son of the Avatar and also one of the only two living airbenders – so he was left well enough alone. Lin however the daughter of a blind woman and although she was chief of Police for Republic City but she didn't earn loads, so Lin wasn't up to date in fashion or the current slang. She didn't care of course but this set her up to bullying from some of the girls in her class. Her tunic's were faded and worn; she kept her hair in a simple bun to stop it from getting in her face. Her philosophy had always been 'as long as it works, it will do'.

"Do you catch the pro-bending match at the weekend?"

"Yeah, it was re-"

"Well what do you know?" came a high pitched girl's voice, interrupting their conversation. "It's the ugly little earthbender"

"Leave her alone!" complained Tenzin, getting up

"It's fine Tenzin" she said putting a hand on his shoulder. "Can you just leave us alone? I've done nothing to you. Let me eat my lunch in peace"

"Your existence makes me sick so I feel the need to sort you out."

"And you think being a bitch your whole life is going to get you anywhere? I'd say I expected better but I didn't" the prissy girl and her friends huffed at this

"At least I have a father." Lin stood up. This was a very touchy issue for her – she didn't know who her father was.

"What?!"

"Your mum's a slut! That's why you have no father – she'd sleep with anything that moves" anger rippled through Lin, her fists clenching as her seismic sense amplified. She could feel everything – Tenzin's slightly frantic heartbeat, the school west of where they were standing, the tiny beads of earth in the metal bench behind her.

"Chief Beifong, phone for you" came the voice of Toph's secretary who handled most of her paperwork because she couldn't see it. Toph grabbed phone

"Hello?"

"This is Mrs Shen from Republic City Senior School. I wanted to ask if you would come in, we need to discuss your daughter's behaviour". Toph frowned

"Sure, just give me 30 minutes and I'll be there"

"Thank you Chief Beifong". Toph finished her work quickly and took the rest of the afternoon off and then made her way quickly to Lin's school. Katara was there as well, standing at reception, her blue robes bringing life to the dull room. Of course Toph couldn't see this, but she recognised the strong and steady heartbeat and composed stature of her best friend anywhere

"Katara what are you doing here?"

"They called me in – apparently Tenzin has been acting up"

"Wait Twinkletoes Jr has been bad? I thought he was like you – all annoyingly perfect?"

"Usually he's very good. I'm just as surprised as you are. Bumi, sure, but not Tenzin"

"Ah, you must be Tenzin and Lin's parents, please follow me" the woman that spoke had just walked in and the parents followed her into an office where their children were sitting. Toph could feel Tenzin's heart beating like crazy, he was very nervous. Her own daughter however, was sitting cross legged in the chair, very relaxed. Toph and Katara sat down as the teacher began to speak to them

"Lin and Tenzin were involved in an incident at lunch time today. Tenzin airbent a group of girls so that they, well flew 30m and landed on the field. And Lin why don't you explain what you did?" Lin cocked her head towards her mother

"I metalbent a bench around a girl. She has been bullying me for two years and frankly she deserved it" Toph had to hide a smile – her daughter could metalbend!

"Tenzin, I expected better from you" admonished his mother. "I'm sorry mum" he said quietly.

"We can't suspend you with exam's coming up soon so we will have to settle for after school detention for a month starting tomorrow. For now I would like you to go home and you can come back tomorrow" the teenagers nodded. Toph and Katara stood up, thanking the teacher. Toph practically dragged Lin out of the school and into the street pulling her into a massive hug. Lin was surprised at the display of affection but wrapped her arms around her mother anyway

"I'm so proud of you" Toph muttered in her daughter's hair

"Even though I got in trouble?"

"Please, I couldn't care less about that. From what you've told me, that girl seems horrible. What happened to make you metalbend?" she asked, letting Lin go

"She said some things. About why I don't know who my father is – she called you…." she trailed off, unable to say the word. Toph got this immediately as said nothing for a while as they walked home. She decided now was the right time to tell her daughter the truth

"Your father was a good man. His name was Ranthra, but everyone called him The Duke. I met him during my travels with your uncle Aang. He died not long after you were born – bunch of men ganged up on him. Stabbed him to death. Do you ever wonder why I became chief of police? It was because of him" Toph didn't cry. It was one of the things she had always considered herself too tough to do.

"I'm sorry mum" said Lin, linking her hand with Toph's

"It's fine. Come on, let's go home and get you some ice cream, you deserve it. Just do me a favour and pretend like I punished you for fighting at school. I don't want to get in trouble with Aunt Katara"

"Ok mum"

"And never forget Lin, you are the daughter of the world's greatest earthbender. Your uncle is the Avatar. You have a lot of family that all love you very much. You are awesome and nothing anyone says is going to change that. It doesn't matter that you don't have a father – there is huge group of wondeful people that make up for him"

"Do you miss him mum?" Toph paused for a moment; remembering Ranthra's face the first time his eyes fell on Lin. It was the first time she had gotten up since giving birth to the squealing infant, her feet finding blessed relief int he stone floor. Over the years her seismic sense had improved so much she could feel facial expressions to some extent. He looked so happy to see his daughter she thought his face was split from the huge grin plastered on it. He had cried when he held Lin for the first time not caring that his wife was laughing at him for being a girl.

"Every day Lin. Every day"