Hi. I feel like the biggest jerk on the planet for not updating this faster. I've fallen behind on my summer reading and school starts Tuesday. Anyway, here's Chapter 7. There's flashbacks in this part, so I hope you enjoy those!
As soon as Appa landed on the island, Aang scooped Lin's unconscious form carefully into his arms and into the house. Katara and Tenzin were hot on his heels. Aang brought Lin into her usual room and Katara started to go in after them. She stopped and turned to face her youngest son, blocking the doorway.
"Tenzin, I want you to wait out here."
Tenzin opened his mouth to argue, but Katara cut him off.
"I know you want to stay by her side, but I need to heal her. It's not going to help if you are hovering around her."
"Katara!" Aang called from inside the bedroom.
Katara cast one more look at her son. She could see the fear for Lin's life in his eyes.
"Please, Tenzin, for Lin."
Tenzin nodded slowly in defeat and watched as his mother disappeared into the room, shutting the door behind her.
He was left alone in the hallway, not sure what to do next. He desperately longed to be in the room holding Lin's hand.
Lin's last words echoed through his mind.
"I... love... you... Airhead."
His lips burned as a reminder of their last kiss this morning. The promise she had made to him seemed like a distant memory. He thought of all the fights that they had had recently. He had never felt guiltier in his life. When they had started dating, he had first vowed to love and protect her forever, no matter what. Now he felt like he had broken that promise.
Somehow, Tenzin dragged himself to the living room and sat down on the couch. He felt like he hadn't sat down in ages, his body sore from being bloodbent. A tear slid down his cheek as he rested his head in his hands. Memories of long ago flashed through his head.
They were seven when Tenzin discovered that he could airbend. Everyone had been so overjoyed that finally, there was another airbender.
Lin watched her best friend in jealousy as he practiced spinning the little gust of air in the palm of his hand. She had wished she could bend like him and her mother. It worried her that she was possibly a nonbender and would fail her mother and her legacy.
Tenzin had spotted her sitting by a tree sulking. He walked over to her and stood in front of her.
"Lin, are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Airhead." Lin replied sourly.
"You don't sound fine." He countered.
"I'm fine, Tenzin! Now leave me alone. Go practice your airbending or something."
"Lin..." Tenzin said, standing his ground.
Lin stood up and glared up at Tenzin. Even though he towered over her, she was still intimidating.
"I said leave me alone!" Lin snapped, bringing her foot down angrily.
Before either of them could comprehend what was happening, Tenzin was thrown into the air and onto the ground hard. Lin gapped at the square that was lifted out of the earth and then at her best friend, whose expression mirrored hers.
That was the first time Lin earthbended.
When they were eleven, their parents had gone out to dinner in town, and Bumi and Kya had gone to friends' houses. Lin and Tenzin were in Air Temple Island alone.
It was getting late and everyone was due to arrive back soon. After a long afternoon of sparring, they sat down on the couch, talking about their training with their parents. Lin was showing Tenzin her seismic vision skill for the millionth time when she had frozen.
"There are strangers on the island." She said. "They are coming towards the house."
She started to head for the door, but Tenzin grabbed her by the wrist.
"Lin, no. I don't want you to get hurt."
"I can take care of myself, Twinkletoes Jr."
"Well I'm coming with you then."
"Do what you want." Lin shrugged. "Just don't get in my way."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Tenzin sighed as he cautiously followed Lin out the front door.
"Where are they?" He asked.
"Over by the trees." She replied shortly as she headed towards the trees.
"Lin." Tenzin hissed nervously.
She pointed silently to a tall tree. Using her earth bending, she lifted herself to a high branch and climbed on. After sending the earth back down, she gestured Tenzin to follow her. Sighing, Tenzin airbend himself to the tree branch. Together, they watched as four men appeared.
"Boss, where do you think they are?" One of them asked.
"Probably inside, oblivious of what's coming for them." The leader replied with a snicker.
"Once we kidnap the two brats, we will basically have the Avatar and that idiot Beifong woman wrapped around our finger."
All the men laughed. Lin stiffened next to Tenzin. He knew that she wasn't going to let those get away with bad mouthing her mother.
"Lin, don't..." Tenzin hissed, but Lin had already earth bended the leader off of his feet and face first into the ground.
His companions whirled around to look for the source of the earth bending. Lin knocked another one into a tree branch head first. He crumbled to the ground unmoving.
"The brats are onto us!" One of the men exclaimed.
His leader stood up calmly.
"Come on out Miss Beifong and face me like your dear mother would."
Tenzin grabbed Lin's shoulder. "No, Lin, don't" He hissed. "He's baiting you."
"Maybe you and that airbending idiot are too pathetic to even come close to their parents. They never turned down a fight. Such dishonor to hide your faces from..."
BAM!
He went down hard as Tenzin whacked him with a gust of air fueled by anger. With that, he and Lin jumped from the tree and began dueling the three men.
They were somehow able to hold them off until their parents arrived to take down the benders. They had been so proud of Lin and Tenzin and often brought up this memory.
Tenzin felt more tears streaming down his face as he recalled memories from his past. There had never been a time where Tenzin had wished his siblings were there more than right now. However, Kya was in the Southern Watertribe and Bumi was off with the United Forces. Tenzin was all alone.
"Master Tenzin?" He heard someone say.
Tenzin looked up, wiping the tears from his eyes. He found himself looking up at a young Air Acolyte, who was looking at him with concern in her eyes.
"Pema?"
Something evil comes this way XD I hope you enjoyed the chapters and the flashbacks. There will be more as the story progresses. As always, please review! Until next time, peace!
