this took me longer than i expected. please read and review, unless you're gonna write some bible passage in which case, fuck off.

Lin and Kya landed Agi in the Beifong family's backyard before disembarking with their belongings. Kya went around to the large animal's face to give him a pat on the bridge of his nose. "Thanks Agi, you can go back to Air Temple Island now." The bison roared in approval and took off.

"I'm so glad to be home." Lin opened the back door with her metal bending, a rucksack slung over her shoulder and a duffle bag in each hand, while Kya followed behind her with only a rucksack.

"Same here, I've kind of missed the city. Do we want to put our bags in your room and then go see Toph or?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Lin led the way to her bedroom and opened the door, only to see her little sister listening to the radio while she lounged on the large queen bed, which wasn't there when she left, with a book in hand. Lin didn't know what to address first, the fact that her tiny single bed had suddenly grown or that her sister was lounging all over it. "Su, what are you doing in my room?"

The younger Beifong set down her book, to sit on the edge of the bed. "Your new bed is more comfortable than mine, so I've been using it while you were away."

Lin walked over and placed her bags at the foot of the bed. "Why do I even have a new bed?"

"Mum said that if Kya is staying with us, a single bed isn't appropriate, or something like that."

Lin's scowl disappeared when Kya placed her hands on her shoulders. "That was very nice of your mum to do that. We'll make sure to thank her after we buy dinner." Kya leaned in close to whisper in her lover's ear. "I can't wait to break it in."

Lin shuddered at the thought. She reached into one of the duffle bags to pull out a small wrapped box. "We got you something Su."

The young earthbender got off the bed to retrieve the gift but as she reached for it, Lin raised her hand to a height Su couldn't reach. "Promise me that when you want to enter my room, you will knock and wait for me or Kya to say 'okay.'"

Su cocked an eyebrow at her older sister. "Why?"

Kya stepped around her girlfriend and leaned down slightly so that she and Su were eye to eye. "Because when two adults are alone they like to do things that only adults should do. And believe me when I say that if you see it, you will want to scratch out your eyes."

"Pft, Lin isn't an adult."

"That's not the point, Su. Just promise me you will knock."

Su waited a few moments before nodding. "Only because you're the one asking." She held out her hand. "Gift please?"

Lin rolled her eyes as she gave her sister the small box. "We got it in the Xiang province. "

"It's beautiful." Su held up the necklace to study it closely. The design of the pendant was a lotus flower made from tightly twirled silver. It was thin and delicate.

Kya stepped forward to take the necklace from her and place it around her neck. "There. You look beautiful Su."

Suyin blushed at the complement. "Uh, thanks. Are we going to get dinner?"

"Yeah." Lin reached into Kya's bag to grab her purse, before taking the rucksack from her girlfriend's shoulders and placing it with their other bags. "Let's go."

The trio exited the family home and walked the twenty blocks into the eatery district of Republic City. The streets were alive, with lights lining the trees, buskers played music for anyone who was willing to listen and the smells of different foods lingered in the air. "What do you feel like eating Kya?" Asked Lin as she steered them through large crowds gathering to watch street performances, making sure they didn't bump into anyone on their way.

"I'm not too sure. Kebabs?"

Lin shrugged. "Sounds good to me, Su?"

"If you're willing to wait in line, I'm up for it." Su pointed to the ten people who had queued in front of the kebab stand. "We'll wait here for you."

"Ugh, fine."

Kya watched as her girlfriend stalked across the street to retrieve their meat filled wraps. "No tomatoes!"

"I know!"

Kya leaned against the wall of a building, watching precariously as the younger Beifong eyed her before also leaning against the building. "Are you okay Su?"

"I'm fine."

Kya stared straight ahead but could still feel Suyin's eyes on her, as though she were trying to bore a hole into the side of her head. "Su-"

"What?"

Kya raised a confused eyebrow at her. "Why are you staring at me?"

"No reason"

"Then stop star-"

"-You and Lin." Su looked down at her shoes. "Why are you together?"

Kya cocked an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden question. "Why does it matter?"

"I just don't get it." Su said with a shrug. "I mean, she's… a girl."

Kya frowned. "So? It has nothing to do with you, so why do you care?"

"Well I talked to my friends at school about it and they called you guys freaks. I think it's just weird"

Kya turned and leered over Suyin, hoping that her height would help intimidate the young Beifong. "Don't you ever call me and Lin weird or freaks. Just because we have a different kind of love to other couples, it doesn't make us anything less."

Suyin rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Don't blow me off like that." Kya lowered her brows out of frustration. "You're only thirteen, you don't understand the weight of your words and how they affect people."

Su pushed herself off the wall, a smirk on her face. "I get it but it doesn't stop you two from being weird."

Kya was about to give her an earful when she heard Lin's voice behind her. "What's weird?"

"You are."

Lin glared at her sister. "You are such a pain." Lin wrapped an arm around Kya's lower back, pulling her in close so that she could whisper in her ear. "When her twenty kids eventually kick her out of their homes, she isn't living with us."

Su watched from behind them as Kya laughed and Lin stroked her lower back with her thumb. Freaks.

Toph sat at her desk, listening to the forms her assistant was reading out for her, when there was a knock at her door. "Enter Jin."

A stubby man with a gut entered. He wore an open jacket which revealed a white shirt underneath, with pants pulled up above his waist, making him look older than what he really was. His long white hair that only grew around the base of his scalp was pulled into a tight bun. His face was scrunched up in a glare and his dark green eyes narrowed at the assistant.

"I'll leave you two alone." The assistant gathered the papers and exited the office.

"What do ya want Chief?" His voice was laced with annoyance.

"You really scared Kanna… Asshole." Toph smirked as she got up from her desk and crossed her arms over her steel clad chest.

Toph wasn't a fan of the man standing in front of her but unfortunately no matter how much she wanted to fire him, it wasn't her responsibility and at the end of the day, he brought results from cadets over the years that no one had matched, even if his practises were unconventional. "Have you read the list of new recruits?"

"Maybe I 'ave maybe I 'aven't." He raised a thinning eyebrow. "What's it to you?"

"Shut up Jin." Toph walked behind her chair, clenching the metal in her hands, while debating whether or not to throw the object at the man. "Just tell me if you read the names."

"Yeah, I did."

"So you know my daughter is one of your students then."

"Yep." Jin put a finger in his ear, searching for a waxy substance that had eluded him earlier that day. "I'm gonna make her drop out and send a message to the other little shits I have to train."

Toph glared in his general direction when he flicked the bit of wax onto her boots, finally realising how Katara felt. "That's why I bought you here. I know what your usual shtick is and I think you need to stop."

"Well well well, are you, Chief of Police Toph Beifong, tryin' to get special treatment for your daughter?"

"No, I'm trying to make sure you don't kill her in your twisted up process. I want to make myself clear, if you do anything unconventional, I will see to it that those above me have you fired. You will be out on your ass, lucky to get a job as a bison toe scrubber." She sat down in her chair. "Do I make myself clear?"

"I'll think about it." A smirk appeared on the short man's face. "Here's hoping she's as strong as her mummy. I'd hate to see a Beifong break."

"Liar."

Jin laughed. "Come on Chief, you know it's not up to me if she calls it quits."

"I know." Toph let out a breath of air, causing her bangs to briefly shift from their usual position. "But my kid doesn't know how to accept help, and I worry that this year, that will mean no new recruits."

"If she can't accept help from her fellow cadets, she shouldn't be a cop. Even you ask for help every now and then, isn't that why I'm here in the first place?"

"I know, just don't try to kill her."

"I don't need to try." Jin turned on his heels and gave her a lazy wave. "I can't wait to meet your daughter tomorrow, I'm sure she'll be fine." The door shut with a resounding click behind him.

"That man needs to stop lying," Toph muttered to herself, "or learn to lie better."

Kanna entered the office. "You okay Chief?"

"Fine." A large smile made it to her face. "My daughters are here."

Kanna turned to see three girls walking past the desks to Toph's office, a bag of food in Lin's hand. "I guess we should just call this a day."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow Kanna."

Lin watched from her new bed as Kya walked into their bedroom, a towel wrapped around her hair and one hanging loosely around her chest. Kya closed the door before she bent over and removed the towel from her head. She quickly stood up, flinging her long brown locks behind her in one smooth flick. "I can't believe your mother ate my kebab." Kya removed the towel from her body, leaving her in nothing as she rummaged through the draw Lin had put her clothes in.

"Huh?"

Kya looked over her shoulder to see Lin staring at her legs. "Your mum, my kebab?"

"Oh yeah." Lin let her eyes travel up to the waterbender's round backside. "Umm, well she can't read so she didn't know she was grabbing yours."

"Still, she could have asked first. She didn't even say hello to us, she just went straight to the bag like a hyenawolf."

"I know but that's Toph for you and I think it's a small price to pay after she bought us this new bed."

Kya slipped on a pair of underwear and shorts. "How is it by the way?"

"Not bad."

Kya crawled up her lover's body from the end of the bed. She let her lips linger above Lin's, before quickly rolling to the side and switching off the lamp on the nightstand. "Goodnight." Kya pulled back the new blankets and slid under them.

"Wait," Lin's eyes were wide in bewilderment, "what just happened?"

"I just said goodnight, usually when that happens people close their eyes and sleep."

Lin got underneath the blanket and scooted closer to her girlfriend. "I thought we were going to break in our bed."

"Our?"

"Well, yeah." Lin wrapped an arm around Kya's waist, pulling her in close to her chest. "You share half the bed and in a few days two thirds of the wardrobe, it seems right to call it ours."

Kya rolled around in Lin's arms to face her. "I like that, ours, it's nice."

"So do you want to break in our new bed?"

"I'm not really in the mood." Kya rolled back around.

"What?" Lin's eyebrows creased. "Kya, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Aren't you the one who told me you shouldn't lie to your girlfriend?"

"Only because you suck at it."

Lin sighed. "Please Kya?"

"Fine." Kya turned back around. "While you were getting dinner, Su and I were talking and she isn't okay with you and me."

"What did she say?"

Kya let out a sigh. "She called us freaks and weird."

"She always calls me that."

"No, listen carefully, she called us freaks. "

"Oh, o-h." Lin rolled over onto her back to stare at the ceiling. "I never thought that she would have a problem with it. I can understand why you aren't in the mood."

"Looks like I'm not the only one with family problems."

"Yeah, but at least your mum is trying. Katara called to say hello, even if you only talked for a minute, it's still progress."

Kya turned around and curled into Lin's side. "Try not to worry about it too much, you have your first day of training tomorrow, focus on that instead."

"I'll try." Lin stared at the ceiling, hoping that sleep would come soon.

Lin leaned over Kya's sleeping body and turned off the alarm that was beeping softly throughout the quiet bedroom. Slowly she removed her arm from under her girlfriend, careful not to wake her from the movement. Lin got out of bed and walked to the wardrobe. She had just finished tying off her bindings when she felt warm hands on her back and encircle themselves around her neck. "It's only three thirty," a tired voice whispered hotly into her ear, "why are you up so early?"

Lin twisted around and placed her hands on Kya's waist. "Class starts at four thirty," they leaned in so that their foreheads were touching, "and runs until two, I need to go or I'll be late."

Kya gave her a soft kiss before reaching into the wardrobe to pick up a black tank top that read, 'Republic City cadet' on the back, and placed it in Lin's hands. "Do you want to go for a late lunch when you finish?"

"Sounds great. What are you going to do today?"

"I was thinking of going to my mentor's clinic and beg for a job."

"I don't think you need to beg, you're the next best healer after Katara and he adores you. "

"Yeah, well it will be easy compared to talking to Su about yesterday."

"As much as I would love to hear your plan, I have to go." Lin raised her head so that their lips brushed lightly before reaching down to grab her duffle bag, then quickly stood back up.

"I love you Lin."

"Love you too Kya." Lin closed the door behind her, then broke out into a brisk jog down the streets of Republic city. A few ostrich carts lined the streets, waiting for their drivers to return from a tea run, or from grabbing their client's bags, but other than one or two vehicles, the streets were silent

Lin walked into the training grounds underneath the police headquarters, an uncharacteristic smile on her face. She was surprised she wasn't the first one there, with three other trainees standing against the far wall, where ball shaped boulders sat in a perfect uniform line. She walked up to the only other female, a woman just a tad taller than her, with long black hair pulled into a tight bun, who had golden eyes with flecks of blue in them and tanned skin that reminded her of Kya. She held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Lin."

The older woman looked at the hand and took it with a smile. "Sayo. Are you an earthbender?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Firebender." She gestured to the two men behind her. "Aki is a waterbender and Saikhan is also an earthbender."

Lin offered a small wave at the two burly men and was given a curt nod in return.

Sayo and Lin continued to talk as others filtered into the room. The laughter and talking stopped when a large rock collided with the wall above their heads. "Stop your fucking gasbaggin' and get your asses over here!" The recruits hesitated for a moment but hastily formed a line in front of him. He started at one end of the line, yelling in the face of each recruit to declare their name, when he reached Lin. She stood up straight, trying her best to stare straight through him. "What is your fucking name!"

"Lin sir!"

"So this is what you look like!" Majority of the recruits furrowed their eyebrows in misunderstanding. "Do you want to tell everyone your last name recruit?!"

Lin took a deep breath. She was hoping she wouldn't have to reveal her name until she graduated, but now that plan was out the window and she was going to be outed. "Beifong." She said with a sigh.

"Louder."

"Lin Beifong, sir!"

"That's right everyone, we have a Beifong among us." He raised himself onto his toes so he could reach her ear but was still a few inches shy. Lowering his voice, he smiled when the young woman refused to shrug away. "I will fucking break you, over and over until you quit." Straightening back up, Jin continued down the line until he finished. "Get running Turds!" He took a horse stance. "Today will be the hardest day any of you will experience here at the academy. I am going to make you hurt, some of you more so than others. You will run, you will duck and dodge rocks and you will all obey the chain of command!"

They ran the border of the underground training grounds in a tight group, none of them wanting to be picked on by the angry man in the centre of the field. The training site was held underneath the police headquarters, something Sokka and Toph were proud of when they first designed it more than twenty years ago. The boundary was mud and the centre of the complex was solid earth.

Lin was focused on the person in front of her, cautious to make sure that she didn't tred on the woman's heels. That was until she saw a rock fly past the front of the pack, causing the leaders to stumble but quickly regain their footing.

"Don't slow down Turds! You will dodge these rocks like your life depends on it and if I see any of you idiots bend I will make that person wish they were dead." The old man raised a rock and pived it at the feet of the person at the back of the pack, making them quickly jump. "Good reflexes!" Another rock was raised and he kicked it at a person a few meters in front of Lin, making everyone drop and roll.

The young earthbender was too focused on the rocks to realise Sayo had run up next to her. "He's gonna kill someone."

"Yeah."

"Why did your mum hire this psycho?"

"She didn't. He was appointed by the council when the force assembled years ago. Sokka told me he was meant to be the Chief of police but Chief Beifong felt he was a bit unhinged so she took up the position. He's hated her ever since."

Lin watched as a rock neared quickly. The man in front of her hadn't even realised he was in the instructor's cross hairs until the rock exploded into dust, with a few pebbles hitting him on his bare arms. He stopped suddenly and turned to see Lin in an earthbending stance. His heart raced when he realised how close he was to serious injury. "Now he's gonna hate me too."

"Beifong! What the fuck did I say?!"

"Sorry sir, I felt as though my comrade was in danger!" Lin continued to run, pulling the man by the shoulder when she went past him, trying to get the young man to focus on the task at hand.

"That wasn't danger! I will show you danger." He straightened up. "Everyone, back to the centre and give me a hundred sit ups." When Lin neared, he stuck his foot out, causing her to land face first onto the dirt. "I didn't realise you'd rather do push ups. Give me fifty and then you can do your sit ups."

Supressing a growl, the young earthbender assumed her push up stance and began to push herself up and down. She was making good, steady progress, when she felt a steel clad foot land on her back. "All the way down Beifong, I don't teach cheats." Every time she would lower herself, his foot pushed her down until her chest touched the ground, continuing for the remainder of the exercise. "Good job you peace of shit, now give me two hundred sit ups and don't you dare stop. The rest of you, grab a ball of earth from the wall and I want you to walk from one end of the field to the other." The trainees watched from their position as their fellow cadet began doing her sit ups. Jin grabbed a nearby hose and turned it on Lin.

Lin shut her eyes when the cold water hit her in her chest, making her dirt stained tank stick to her body. She was at a loss for what was happening to her and why. Her mother had warned her he wasn't going to go easy on her but this was another level. She finished the two hundred and stood, waiting for her next command.

"Alright everyone, go get a drink."

Lin was about to walk towards the drink fountains near the locker rooms, when a wall of earth formed in front of her. "Not you. You can drink at the end of the session. Only five more hours. Do you think you will last?" She was smart enough not to answer. "At least you're not a fucking idiot."

Kya sat at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in her hands. She stared intently at the one leaf that managed to escape the tea strainer, watching as it bounced from side to side of the mug, never staying still. She took a small sip, enjoying the malty taste of the Assam tea. Just as she placed her cup down, Suyin exited her bedroom dressed in her uniform, the necklace they had bought her no longer hung around her neck, most likely it was now shoved into a draw. "Morning Su."

The teen didn't look at her as she spoke. "Uh-huh." She meandered into the kitchen and grabbed a banana.

"There is some tea on the stove if you want some. It's Assam."

"I'm fine."

"Come and sit down, you don't have to leave for school for another twenty minutes, we can talk."

Su eyed her precariously. "As much as I would love to, I'm meeting up with friends and they might be outside right now."

"They can wait." Kya kicked out the seat next to her with her foot, blocking the girl's exit. "Sit."

Suyin did as she was told, albeit begrudgingly. "What do you want to talk about Kya?"

"Your problem with Lin and I being together. It is pretty obvious that you are not okay with this and I want to help you until you are okay with it."

Su slowly peeled the banana in her hands. "I am fine with it."

"You're as bad a liar as Lin." Kya leaned closer to the girl sitting next to her. "Tell me the truth Su, why don't you like Lin and me being together? Is it because we are both women, or is it something else."

Su took a small bite of the fruit and chewed slowly, trying to decide the best way to answer Kya's question. She swallowed. "I don't know what it is."

"Well let's try to figure it out, shall we. Is it because Lin and I are women?" Kya asked quickly.

"No."

"Is it because I moved in?"

"No."

"Is it because you don't like me?"

"No."

"Is it because of Lin?"

"Yes." Su didn't mean to say that and her mind was freaking out, hoping she could still back track, when Kya hit her with more questions.

"Is it because she's becoming a cop?"

"What? No."

"Is it because she and your mum will be spending more time together?"

"I don't know!"

"Is it because she's happy."

"Yes, I mean no!"

Kya's eyes widened in surprise. "So you aren't happy that Lin is happy?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, no." Suyin was flustered. She had no idea why she felt this way but she just said it out loud and now it was hanging in the open, waiting to be dissected.

"Why do you want to see Lin miserable?"

"I don't know!"

"Yes you do!" Kya leaned forward. "Why Su?!"

"Because I'm miserable!" Su collapsed into the chair. "Do you have any idea, how hard it is to see Lin constantly smiling? Whenever you two are together, she is smiling and laughing and happy. I'm just over here, alone and it makes me envious and to make it worse, she and mum are going to be spending all their time together while I'm at home alone. Mum barely talked to me as it was but since you've been around it's gotten worse, I feel ignored by my own mother!" Su was breathing heavily but it soon turned into a choking noise as tears racked her body. "I feel like I'm not even loved by my own mother."

Kya quickly stood from her seat and pulled Su with her, wrapping her in a tight hug and not letting go as the young woman sobbed into her chest. "Shhh, it's okay Su. You just let it all out." Kya stroked her short hair comfortingly. "I am so, so sorry you feel this way, that we made you feel this way. Trust me when I say that's not what Lin and I intended." Kya pulled away from Su slightly and brushed the bangs away from her tear stricken face. Su lifted her head to look up at her. "I will make this better. I promise."

Su pushed away and grabbed her book bag. "I have to go."

"Su-"

The door slammed shut, leaving Kya alone to think.

The day continued, filled with squats, planks, wall sits, chin ups and a wide variety of different exercises, some of which the cadets hadn't even heard of, every time, Lin was ordered to do double, making her only half way through when everyone had finished. "Come on Beifong, I wanna go home."

Lin's heart was beating wildly as she grabbed the chin up bar, but the mud on her hands made her slip, causing her to fall flat on her face into the mud for the fourth time that day. When will this end? She thought to herself while the instructor yelled in her face.

"If you don't get up," Jin raised a boulder the size of a melon, "I will smash this on you until you do."

Lin looked up at the boulder but her arms couldn't support her weight and she collapsed. She waited for the rock to come down on her body, but it never came. Lin opened her eyes to see Sayo standing in above her. "Sayo?"

"What do you think you're doing cadet?"

Sayo stood tall, her tanned skin glistening with sweat. "Helping out a fellow cadet sir."

Jin dropped the boulder. "Do you accept her help Beifong?"

Lin looked from Sayo to her instructor then back at Sayo. "Yes sir."

"Okay." Jin walked to his gym bag and slung it over his shoulder. "It took you idiots all day to finally get it!" The cadets stopped their trek to the showers, giving Jin their attention. "In order for you to protect the city, you first need to protect each other and accept each other's help. Beifong was the only one to help a fellow trainee and accept help, majority of you were too selfish to accept help or give it." He looked down at Lin who was still lying in the mud. "You all could learn a thing from her." His voice softened. "Good work, Lin."

"That man is insane." Sayo knelt down and stretched her hand out to Lin, to which she took gratefully before pulling herself to her feet. "How you feeling Lin?"

"Thirsty and sore actually."

Toph was asleep in her chair, feet up on her desk. A small smirk graced her lips as she dreamt about winning the earth rumble sixth for the eighth time in a row, that was until a light knock roused her. "Come in."

The door opened and closed with a soft click. "Hey Toph."

"Hey Kya. What brings you to my office?"

Kya stood in front of the steel desk, arms crossed over her chest. "Lin didn't show up for lunch like we had planned, I thought you might know where she is."

"Wait, what time is it?"

"Four. We were going to meet at three. I tried your house but she wasn't there, I tried our usual spots, but nothing."

Toph sat upright and planted her feet onto the ground, sending seismic waves throughout the building. "She's in the laddie's locker room in the training grounds. Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I've got it. See you later Toph."

Toph gave her a small wave as she resumed her previous position and closed her eyes. "Good job, Badgermole." She said to herself once the door had shut.

"Thanks Sayo." Lin removed her arm from around the older woman's shoulders before sitting down on one of the benches that lined the middle of the room.

"Are you going to shower?"

"No point. I'm going to see my healer after this." Lin laid down on the bench and slung an arm over her eyes. "I just need a minute to get some feeling back into my legs."

Sayo got undressed before jumping into one of the showers, closing the chest high door behind her with a click. "Have you got any plans after this?"

"Well, I was meant to have a lunch date but that's gone out the window. I don't think they're going to be very happy with me."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Shit happens. Hey, wasn't there another woman?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, she quit halfway through along with five other guys, you and I are the only females left. So tell me about this date, is he hot?"

Lin was about to answer when she heard a familiar voice call her name. "Lin?"

"Over here." Lin stood up on shaky legs.

Kya took in her girlfriend's appearance. Her usually neat black hair was tousled and stuck out in odd angles, she had scrapes and bruises on her arms and legs and was covered in dirt. "What happened to you?"

"An insane man by the name of Jin, that's what happened. Sorry about missing our date."

Kya leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss. "It's okay but you look like you could use a healing session and a bath."

"Hang on." Lin threw her hands to the side, sending the dirt covering her body to the floor.

"I hate it when you do that."

Lin gave her a soft smile in apology. "Sayo, this is my girlfriend, Kya."

Kya turned around to see a woman staring at them with red cheeks. "Umm, hi Sayo, nice to meet you."

"Uh, yeah," Sayo rubbed the back of her neck from embarrassment, "you too."

Lin took Kya's hand in her own before grabbing her gym bag and slipping it over her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow Sayo."

"Yeah, you too Lin, take it easy."

Once they were out of earshot, Kya looked back over her shoulder. "I think we made her uncomfortable."

"People are just going to have to get used to it." Lin let go of Kya's hand, choosing instead to sling it over her girlfriend's shoulder. "Sorry, I feel like I've been hit with a brick wall, which, by the way, he threatened to do on numerous occasions. " Lin took a deep breath once they reached the bottom of the stairs. "This is going to be a bitch."

"Piggy back?" Kya knelt down, allowing Lin to let her arms hang loosely around her neck as her arms came up behind her knees. "I haven't given you a ride since you were five."

"Let's not make a habit out of it." They made it to the garage and Lin was lowered to her feet. "When we get outside, let's get an ostrich cart, I can't stand for much longer."

Kya closed the door to the house and re-joined Lin in their bedroom after having paid the driver of the ostrich cart. "You okay?"

"Not really. My back hurts, I'm pretty sure I'm still dehydrated, my muscles ache and I've been hit with rock after rock today whenever I couldn't do a chin up, or when I struggled to do a sit up. I can feel the bruises and the tiny cuts under my clothes."

"Okay, get undressed and on the bed, I'm going to get you a towel, a glass of water and my oils."

Lin nodded and slowly began to undress, before climbing onto the middle of the bed. She reached out a hand to the light switch to turn it off and then used her metal bending to draw the blind, leaving her in darkness.

Kya entered the bedroom and lit a candle that was on the nightstand. "Relaxed yet?"

"I'm trying to."

Kya handed her the glass of water, watching as her girlfriend drank it quickly. "Alright, roll over onto your stomach." Kya waited for Lin to get situated, and then placed a towel over her backside before assuming her position by straddling her lower back. Squirting some oil into her palms, the waterbender placed her hands at the nape of her neck and began driving her thumbs deeply into the tissue.

Lin curled her toes from the pressure, but kept her mouth shut. Just as she was getting used to the pain, Kya somehow managed to push deeper. "Ah fuck! Are you trying to make me hurt?"

"It wouldn't hurt so much if you just relaxed." Kya pushed Lin back into the pillow. "I'm trying to release the knots but your body is fighting me. If you don't relax, I can't help and it will take you a few days to get over the pain."

"I know, but my body isn't listening to me." Taking a deep breath, Lin forced herself to relax, choosing to focus on her girlfriend's ministrations instead of the pain she was causing.

"This isn't going to work." Kya let out a sigh. Getting off Lin, she walked to her medical bag that was sitting in the corner of the room and pulled out a syringe and a bottle containing a clear fluid.

"What's that for?"

"It's a sedative. It will help you relax so I can work out the knots in your body."

"Is that really necessary?" Lin stared at the needle in her girlfriend's hands, as she loaded it with the sedative. "Can't you just use your healing?"

"There's nothing to heal. You are just full of knots." Kya shot a small amount of the liquid from the tip of the needle. She levelled the device at Lin's arm. "Hold still." Tapping at the crook of her arm, Kya waited for a vein to surface and injected the sedative into Lin. "You know, I think you might deserve a lollipop for being a good patient."

"Very fu- whoa." Lin felt as though her body had become weightless. "This is actually some pretty great shit."

Kya smiled at seeing her girlfriend's eyes try to constantly refocus themselves but the sedative set in quickly and she settled on shutting them. "It was this or lily weed," Kya resumed her position on Lin's backside, "yet somehow I felt that the sedative would be easier to explain to my boss."

"You got a jo- ngh." A sigh escaped the young earthbender's lips when she felt strong fingers press themselves under her shoulder blades.

"Yes, I got a job." Kya pressed her thumbs to the side of one of the vertebras, having sensed a knot. "I'm training your class tomorrow in first aid." Feeling the knot re-form, the waterbender frowned. "Really Lin? Don't make me give you more."

"I'm sorry, it was just surprising." A smirk creeped onto the earthbender's face. "I guess sleeping with the teacher might have its perks."

Kya rolled her eyes. "That's not all. He wants me to be a squad healer."

"You mean a healer that tags along on police missions?"

"Mhm. I said yes. It will only be a couple of days a week, the rest will be spent at the clinic and doing other things. I thought it was the best move. It means I get to be a lot more flexible with my hours, and better money which is good for both of us."

"You know, I always thought you would look good in Republic City armour."

Kya smiled, glad that her girlfriend was so accepting, even if the sedative may have had something to do with it. "That's good to know, I actually pick it up in a few weeks."

"I can't wait to see you in it, perhaps naked, with nothing but that cool steel on you."

"You metalbenders have the weirdest turn-ons." Kya's voice turned serious. "I also talked to Su this morning."

"Uh huh. What did she sa-" Before Lin could finish talking, the door opened.

Katara looked at her daughter's position atop Lin's torso, causing a blush to form on her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Toph said that you were in here. I should have knocked."

The trio remained still, daring the other to talk, until Kya finally spoke up. "It's fine mum." She stared intently at Lin's back, not yet comfortable to make eye contact with the woman she punched in the face two months ago. "Lin had her first day at the academy and I was just giving her a massage."

"Without any water?"

"Yes, Doc showed me how to feel for the knots and with a bit of pressure, I can release them. It has a longer lasting effect than waterbending."

"A doctor named Doc, now I've heard everything." Katara stepped further into the room, watching intently as Kya worked on Lin's back. The light flickering off the vial on the nightstand caught Katara's keen eye. She quickly walked over to it and picked it up, reading the label. "A sedative?! Are you serious?"

Kya took a deep breath in an effort to keep her emotions in check. "Yes mother, a sedative. Lin was tense and I couldn't help her until she relaxed," Kya turned around and placed her hands on the back of Lin's thighs, "I gave her a sedative and I've been able to do my job."

Katara put a hand over her eyes out of frustration. "You shouldn't be using medical equipment like this. It should be used on those who truly need it, like those living on the streets with nowhere to go. This small vial costs twenty yuans and the fact that Doc charges for medical assistance is ridiculous."

"We can't all live on Air Temple Island where everything is free. This is the real world, things cost money. We try to offer assistance to those on the streets but with no funding from the city, there is only so much we can do." Kya removed herself from Lin's body and leaned down so that she and her girlfriend were now eye to eye. She placed a cool hand on Lin's cheek, rubbing gently at the skin when Lin leaned into her touch. "How do you feel?"

"Amazing."

Kya gave her a quick kiss before standing to face her mother and crossed her arms over her chest. "Now if you're finished questioning the way I use medical supplies, I'm sure Lin would love a bit of privacy while she gets dressed."

Katara gave her a slight nod, before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.

Lin stood from the bed and wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's waist. "You handled that well."

"Thanks. So did you by the way. I didn't feel you tense up when she walked into the room, I take it the sedative had fully kicked in."

"Mm hmm. I'm loving it actually. I finally realise why people get addicted to stuff like these. Your parents, Toph and Sokka are in the dining room. I think we should hurry out there, Aang is making Sokka wait for us."

Kya removed herself from Lin's grasp and waited for her to finish dressing before exiting the room together to grace the people at the table with their presence

"Aang, please can I eat now? The meat might get tired of waiting and walk off the plate."

The Avatar rolled his eyes as he watched his brother in-law gorge on the mountain of food they had bought from a corner shop. "Sometimes I wonder how you and Katara are even related."

"And sometimes I wonder how you're a vegetarian."

Toph stole a piece of food from Sokka's hands, much to his annoyance. "And sometimes I wonder why I let you two dunderheads into my home." She chewed on a few pieces of hippocow, while continuing to make conversation. "So Lin, how was the academy?"

"Tough. Jin's an asshole. Five people dropped out and apparently I managed to be his favourite student yet his least favourite."

Toph shrugged. "Don't worry too much about it. He died in my office today."

Lin watched as her mother popped a piece of meat into her mouth nonchalantly. "Wait, what?"

"Jin, he died. The asshole came into my office, told me how you were the first student he ever had pass his test and then he had a heart attack and died. I swear, he only dropped dead in my office because he knew it would annoy the shit out of me."

"Toph," Aang began, "I don't think you should call the man that word now that he passed."

Toph shrugged. "Just eat your dang rice."

"Wait," Lin swallowed what was in her mouth. "Are you saying that because I made him happy, he died?"

"It would appear that way. Jin was an asshole," Toph raised her glass, "though he was the best asshole I ever knew. Funeral is next week."

Lin stared down at her food, no longer hungry. "What happens to the trainees?"

"I'll be in charge. If you think he was tough, you have another thing coming."

Lin pushed her food away great, first Kya and now my mother, I'm never going to get any credit.

The meal continued in relative silence, save for chopsticks clinging against bowls. When everyone finished, they stared at each other, daring someone to talk.

Toph, having had enough of the silence, kicked Katara under the table, resulting in a glare directed her way, not that she could see it. "Umm, how have you been Kya?"

"Good."

"That's good to hear."

Silence resumed, making the air thick with awkwardness. "I swear," Sokka started, "I didn't sign all that paper work earlier to spend my evening in silence, Katara, just ask Lin and Kya what you need to ask to make it go back to being normal."

Katara scowled at her brother before sighing in resignation. "I just want to ask a few questions and perhaps talk to you about your… relationship." Lin and Kya glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes. "Kya, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you making a big deal out of it, which you did in the end anyway."

"You two were having sex in the open! How do you expect me to react?"

"Wait, you two did wha-" Toph silenced Sokka with a hand over his mouth.

"No talking tonight, just listen." She whispered in his ear

Kya looked at her uncle who was wide eyed before returning her attention to her mother. "With a bit more understanding. After all, I've caught you and dad out there on more than one occasion." Aang and Katara both blushed. "That's right, I've seen you two out in the open, butt naked, when I was four. I guess it's no surprise why I like women now. Dad's butt can turn any woman gay."

Lin smacked her palm into her forehead. "I'm dating someone who's whole family are exhibitionists."

"Pfft," Toph released a saliva covered hand from Sokka's mouth and wiped it on his shoulder, "You didn't stop running around the backyard naked until you were six. When you were five I chased your naked bum around the bullpen which was full of officers at the time. By the way, those officers still talk about that moment to this day and they're going to be your colleagues in a few months."

Lin's face turned red from embarrassment, knowing that her fellow officers had already seen her naked. "That's it, I'm becoming a hermit."

Kya smiled and folded her arms over her chest in victory. "I guess I win that argument. Any other questions?"

"Why Lin?"

"Why not?"

"She's going to be a cop one day and I don't want that life for you."

Kya's brows furrowed at the softening of her mother's voice. "What do you mean?"

"Kya, I've volunteered at hospitals, I see what happens when Toph's officer's get themselves caught up in fights with triads. The blood, the broken bones, death. Not to mention the late nights, the inconsistent hours, the torment it has on their psyches. There is a homeless man I help who used to be a cop. His nightmares are so bad that he turned to drinking in order to sleep and when he does sleep, it's only for a few hours." Katara turned to Lin. "You've seen your mother's liquor cabinet, you know how often she replaces those bottles. A smart girl like you can't possibly be blind to it."

Lin looked over at Toph who was staring down at the table, her bangs covering her face, a glass of brown liquor in her hand and a half empty bottle in front of her. Aang and Katara were drinking water, and Sokka was struggling with his second drink.

Kya reached a hand under the table to take hold of Lin's, giving it a tight squeeze in solidarity. "While I'm with Lin, she has someone to help her through those sleepless nights. She still has nightmares about what Yukone did to Toph all those years ago."

Toph continued to stare down at the table as she talked. "You told me you no longer have them."

"I can lie when I really want to. But it's the only one you truly believed. Since I've been with Kya, I've only had the dream a few times." Lin gave her hand a squeeze. "She's helped me through it, helped me sleep." Lin looked over at Katara. "I'm going to be a cop and Kya will be at my side, helping me with any vices I might develop."

Kya smiled at her girlfriend. "You know I will. Any other questions?"

"Yeah, Lin, what would you do if Kya was in danger? What if you got on the wrong side of someone dangerous and they decided to take Kya away from you?"

Lin glared at the older woman. "How can you ask me something like that?!"

"It's happened in the past. People have tried to use you and Su against Toph but weren't smart enough to pull it off. What's to stop them from trying the same thing against you?"

"I would give my life for Kya and if the day comes when one of those crooks gets lucky and kills her, you can bet your life that I would kill myself soon after bringing them to justice." Lin looked intently into Kya's eyes, trying to convey as much emotion as she could. "I can't live without Kya, no matter how hard I try. I love her."

"I love you too."

Katara leaned back in her chair and took a sip from her glass of water. "I see." A smirk finally appeared on Katara's face for the first time that night. "Welcome to the family Lin. Now about your tattoo."