They were arguing again. He hated when they fought. He didn't even know what it was about. Lin and him had gotten along together swimmingly for a good month or two, and he thought it would stay that way, but she came raging in today heated at him about whatever. He stormed out of the temple after she left. She was so aggravating. He walked down to the meditation pavilion. He bended some air forcefully trying to let out his anger.

The voice came from behind him, "Tenzin?" he whipped around to see Pema looking at him quizzically with a bail of hay in her arms,

"What are you doing?" she asked

"I-I was-just letting off some steam." She put down the hay and walked down to him. He angrily looked away and balled his hands into fist at his sides. She came up behind him and lowered her voice.

"Is everything ok?"

He huffed "Everything is going just—" he left his sentence unfinished. She bit her cheek and wrapped her hands around his wrist. She sat down in front of him still holding his wrist to signal he do the same. He obeyed and sat facing her

"Its Lin." He sighed. "She can't make up her mind. First she tells me I'm too serious, and then I'm too frivolous. Its like she can't be happy." Pema gave him a peculiar look.

"I think she's just under a lot of stress. Maybe she's just taking it out on you." Pema said. "Just give it time. She'll cool down." Tenzin sighed. Pema's hands were still loosely holding his wrist. He felt suddenly calm. He hadn't talked to Pema in awhile. He forgot what effect she had on him

It had been almost a year since her eighteenth birthday. They had formed a friendship from that day. He found that he was very childish around her and he didn't mind. They would talk occasionally if they met in the hall or sometimes in the stables. And she never failed to make him smile. Sometimes during meditation he would bend the air to blow on her and distract her. She always glared at him and wrinkled her nose in annoyance, but he never got tired of it. But he hadn't seen as much of her as late. And he hadn't realized it until now, but he missed something about her; her laugh. He had seen her progress in training the past month, but didn't speak to her directly.

"How are you Pema?"

she smiled, "Fine. Been busy, all the bison are shedding." She said. His eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Fun stuff." He said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes

"Oh yeah, time of my life." They chuckled together. Her hands were still on his wrist, but she didn't remove them.

"I'm going to a practice session with my father soon, do you want to come and watch?" Tenzin's question was so unexpected even by him. He thought it would be fun for her to see an airbending fight and she had been working to the bone with the bison no doubt. And maybe they could catch up after. She looked shocked, but happy.

"Uh-sure-I mean if it's allowed. I would love to." He smiled

"Great." They just smiled at each other for a moment. Pema looked over Tenzin's shoulder and remembered the hay.

"Oh I first have to feed the bison." He nodded and she then let go of his wrist stood and hauled the hay towards the stable.

Tenzin met his father in the kitchens stealing fruit for Momo.

"Hey Ten you ready for practice today?" Aang asked

"Uh yea, dad I'm bringing a friend to practice." Aang perked up his head

"Oh? Who?" Tenzin averted his gaze

"Uh you know Pema right?"

Aang smiled wide, "Of course, she's Appa's favorite stable girl."

"Oh well she'll be sitting in." Tenzin grabbed an apple and ate it in silence as his father gave him a funny look.

"Ok, so long as she doesn't intervene. Last time your mother nearly broke my neck when I knocked you off your air scooter." Replied Aang.

"Dad she's a non-bender." Tenzin pointed out.

"Oh well then, I hope she enjoys the show."

Tenzin walked towards the training area in his practice robes a short time later. He rounded the corner to see Pema standing against a pillar retying her hair. It looked as if she had just gotten out of the stables. There were strands of hay in her ponytail, and smudges of dirt on her robes and body. At the sight of her a grin crossed his face.

"Pema." He called. She turned and smiled brightly.

"Are you ready?" he asked. She nodded and the headed into the mock battle ground in the center of the training area.

"Is it ok with your father if I come?" she asked nervously.

"Of course, he says to enjoy the show." Replied Tenzin. Pema nodded.

"So what element will he be fighting with?" she asked.

"He's allowed to use any element, but he can go into the avatar state, or that's cheating."

"That doesn't seem fair. He gets four elements and you get one."

Tenzin shrugged "He argues that his age is to my advantage." They entered the battleground to see both Aang and Katara chatting.

"Mother, what are you doing here?" Tenzin asked.

"Your father said you were bringing a friend along, and asked if I wanted to tag along as well." Her eyes shifted to Pema and she smiled brightly.

"I was just telling your mother not to interfere if you fall behind." Aang said.

Tenzin huffed. "I won't fall behind dad." He said indignantly.

Aang just smiled. "We'll see." Was all he said. He turned and started to walk towards the other end of the battleground. Tenzin huffed again and walked in the opposite direction.

"We should take our seats dear." Katara said to Pema. She nodded and followed Katara silently. Pema had never felt more awkward in her life as she sat down next to Katara waiting for Aang and Tenzin to begin.

They took their stances facing each other waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally Tenzin shot up in the air and blasted air down towards his father. Aang shot up dodging the air and meeting his son in the air, sending fire at Tenzin. Pema gasped as the fire licked the edges of Tenzin's robes. He quickly blew air at the fire, and descended to the ground now sending gusts of air up to his father. Aang quickly conjured an air scooter and zoomed around Tenzin in a taunting manner. Tenzin chased Aang around before successfully knocking Aang down. The fight got more heated as Aang started to use earth and water against his son. Tenzin dodged or redirected all of the attacks. His bending was great and he didn't once fall behind. Pema was on the edge of her seat gasping and yelping for joy while Katara was standing and cheering on her husband and son.

"Hit him with the ice! The ice! Send him in a tornado Ten!" The intense battle got Pema on her feet with excitement. She cheered on Tenzin and occasionally Avatar Aang. But finally Aang caught Tenzin with icing his hands and feet to the ground. Katara cheered for her husband's victory and rushed to hug him. She hugged Tenzin for a good job and fantastic bending. Tenzin smiled meekly. He obviously didn't like being beaten by his father. Pema joined in Katara's praise of the battle.

"That tornado kick you did was amazing. The way you dodged those rocks was brilliant." She knew that she probably sounded foolish to the trio, but she couldn't care less. She was in awe at their bending ability. Aang smiled proudly at her praise and Tenzin just beamed at her enthusiasm. When she and Katara were done admiring them Avatar Aang left the arena with Katara to deal with business and left Tenzin to walk with Pema to the Temple.

They walked in comfortable silence up the slope to the Temple until the reached the doors.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Tenzin all but blurted out. It had been bugging him the whole way up to the Temple. She smiled at him which caused something warm to spread in his stomach.

"Of course, it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen." She gave into the urge that had been gnawing at her for a while and hugged Tenzin around the neck. She felt his arms wrap loosely around her waist as if unsure what to do. Tenzin felt the sudden urge to hold her tighter, but shook it off. He guessed it wasn't weird for friends to hug, but he still felt as if he were a dirty old lecher hugging her. She didn't hold on for long and released him a second later.

"You were fantastic. Thanks for letting me watch." She said when they parted from their embrace.

They walked in the Temple together chatting about trivial things. A figure at the end of the entrance hall was briskly walking towards them. Pema felt her stomach drop out. Walking towards them was the statuesque figure of Lin Bei Fong. Pema glanced at Tenzin to see a confused expression on his handsome features. Pema didn't know why she just stood there, but she was unable to leave Tenzin's side. She had a feeling that they might argue again. Maybe she felt that if she physically stood in Lin's way then they would avoid a spatwith Tenzin. She saw how irritated he was this morning after their spat. He was usually so calm and rational to see him so annoyed made Pema uneasy. For that moment she believed that he was hers to protect and support, but when Lin reached them she looked first to Tenzin and then to Pema.

"Could you excuse us for just a moment?" she said politely to Pema. Pema gave Tenzin a look that clearly said

'Are you going to be ok?' he gave the smallest of nods. She bowed to Lin then Tenzin and left.

Pema felt an ache in her heart as she heard frantic whispers coming from the hall as soon as she left. Lin and Tenzin had been together for sometime now, but for a while they have been fighting and avoiding each other. She always felt guilty when they faught because she secretly wish it would end them. When Tenzin asked Pema for advice about Lin there was a part of her that wanted to tell him it wasn't worth it. She treated him as if he was of least importance. She put her work and training above being with him. Pema wanted to say that she would cherish him and prioritize him. But it felt wrong and selfish. So she always gave advice to wait until they could calmly talk and make up.

She new she never had a chance with him. Lin was everything she wasn't. Strong willed brilliant, respected, beautiful and a bender to boot. Everyone always said that their children would be the most powerful benders. This comment always made Pema's stomach churn, because truth be told she frequently fantasized about marriage to Tenzin and baring his children. She was only eighteen, but she was exceedingly mature for her age and didn't find it strange that she was having these thoughts. But these fantasizes would only remain fiction, because when the couple made up Pema would return to her role as the friend. She would love him in secret whilst he loved another. His friendship would be enough. She was doing just fine as the situation was presently. She constantly felt warm when he walked by. She always felt the jerk of delight in her stomach when he smiled her way or blew air to distract her from meditation. He was so calm and rational, but then he could also be silly and energetic. His handsome features were branded in her memory and dreams. Some dreams were more appropriate than others. She sighed and instead of heading towards her room she detoured towards the stables. She needed to talk to Appa.

author's note : Reviewers get to have a heart to heart with Appa (still own nothing) also I'm sorry if you guys don't like how I portray Lin. I don't mean to make her sound like a bitch or anything. I think she is awesome and she's one of my favorite characters, but her and Tenzin broke up for a reason. and I'm just trying to show how they were growing apart.