Finally I got this chapter up :D its been crazy with pre-season so sorry about that but im alive and still writting. hope you like this one please review

Disclaimer: i actually now own something...jk lol nope

Tenzin had a problem. He had feelings for his best friend. Not only was she his friend, she was his pupil. Also he was involved with another woman. He was thirty five while she just turned nineteen last week. He buried his face in his hands. He was an unfaithful old lecher. Granted he and Lin had been distant and growing further apart, but he was still with her. The times that they were distant were the times that they actually got along. They didn't fight and could be presentable in public. But as soon as he tried to reach for her again, she would rant about his unfathomable need for a family. But even if they were having issues at the present time it didn't give him the right to think of other women.

It had happened so subtly. He and Pema had been friends, nothing more. She would make him smile and laugh with her wit and foolishness. She listened to his problems, actually listened, and she had no judgment of him. He had issues sharing feelings with people until he found Pema. She offered advice and genuinely cared about the issue and the outcome. She was very wise and insightful for her young age, and she had overcome the painful ordeal with her parent's death with bravery. She remained innocent and caring. He admired her.

But when her nineteenth birthday came around he saw her sitting down at the meditation pavilion again well past midnight. He grabbed his glider and prepared for take off when he remembered the sleeping woman a few feet away. Lin had come to stay the night and visit. She was sleeping a few feet away but he felt as if she were across the bay. He couldn't reach her. But he also couldn't leave her, it was ungentlemanly. He gazed out at Pema. He knew she was thinking about her parents and all the other things she confessed to him last year. He watched the moonlight fall on her skin and dance in her waving hair. He felt his eye droop and slipped into bed next to Lin and he drifted off to sleep.

He woke up to find Lin dressed in her work cloths and heading out the door.

"Where are you going?" he mumbled through his sleepiness.

"Work." She answered turning toward him. He stood up and walked to the doorway where she stood.

"Have a good day." He said. She nodded in thanks. He kissed her cheek, and then she was gone. He dressed in his robes and headed to his office. His father was preparing him for the role of councilor when he pasted, so Tenzin was given the title Vice Councilor and had an office on the island that held his mountains worth of work. When he actually became councilor, which he was not looking forward to, his office would be moved to Republic City to work, but for now he was still on the island and Aang was working with the council.

Tenzin tended to his work without distraction until lunch time. He thought of ordering food straight from the kitchen to his office, but thought better of it. He was getting sick of being alone in the room. He thought of talking to Pema, knowing she would cheer him up. Yes, she would be a breathe of fresh air from all of this suffocating work. He stood and left for the dining hall. He spotted her eating with her roommate and friend, Jin at the far end table. People would walk by and greet her which she would always return with a smile. She was quite popular around the Temple. He walked over to her table and smiled brightly,

"Hello ladies." He greeted Pema and her friend. They both bowed in respect.

"Hello, Master Tenzin." They greeted.

"A little lemur told me that it's someone's birthday today." Pema smiled

"I'm more concerned at the fact that lemurs are talking to you. You should probably see someone about that." Pema responded.

Jin looked in-between the two and excused herself to supposedly work on chores. Tenzin took her seat across from Pema.

"Happy birthday." He said in a low voice. She smiled brightly at him.

"Thank you. Did your father remind you this year?" she asked jokingly.

"He had me circle it on my calendar." He joked. She laughed and that was when he felt it. The tingle in his stomach. It was warm and strangely comforting. Her piercing green eyes stared into is foggy silver ones the whole time they talked. He kept feeling the flutter in his stomach and passed it off as nothing.

"I saw you sitting outside this morning." He awkwardly slipped that in to conversation. She looked at him quizzically,

"Why didn't you join me? Your company is always wanted."

"Oh- well- uh," He stammered.

'Why did you bring it up?' he thought angrily to himself.

"I didn't want Lin to wonder where I was." He couldn't think of a lie fast enough. He thought that she seemed a bit chest fallen after that, and she wasn't holding his gaze.

Lunch ended and they left to their respected jobs. He couldn't focus on his work for the rest of the day. His mind kept wondering back to the dining hall and the lunch shared with Pema. Her eyes were staring at him in his minds eye, and he tried to remember the feeling he got when he would hear her laugh. He was trying to convince himself that these feelings were purely plutonic. The hours seemed longer in the second half of the day. He would stare at a piece of paper having to read the memo three times before it sunk in. Why couldn't he focus?

After painful hours of work it was time for dinner. It was a special event tonight due to the celebration of Pema's birthday. It wasn't going to be as spectacular as her of age party, but it was still going to be a celebration. Tenzin found his breathing was quickening as he looked for the birthday girl amongst the sea of Acolytes. He turned to see her sitting next to none other than his father Avatar Aang. He was eating some fruit while talking to her. He heard her laugh as he approached them. The warm feeling in his stomach returned and he quickened his pace to reach her.

"Hey there, Ten." His father noticed him first.

"Did you know today is Ms. Pema's birthday?"

"You don't say?" Said Tenzin sarcastically. Pema giggled at their antics.

"Hey Pema, watch this." Aang pulled out a marble and showed it to her.

"To become a master airbender, you must learn this trick. It takes hours of practice, and is terribly difficult." She looked intrigued at his words and leaned in closer. He cupped the marble in his hands and pulled them apart. In-between his hands the marble was whizzing in circles. She watched for a moment and burst into further laughter. Tenzin just smiled at the two of them. He was about to ask to join them when an Acolyte boy came over. He had joined the Acolytes last year. He was very muscular and built like and earth bender. All the younger girls had a fancy for him. He was about twenty years old and was called Kalden. He bowed to Pema.

"Happy birthday, Pema. I was wondering if I could have this dance?" The Acolyte band was playing songs as more of background music. Pema smiled politely at the boy and nodded.

"Sure." She said turning to Tenzin and Aang. She left taking the boy's hand. A strange boiling sensation occurred in Tenzin. He didn't like how that guy was looking at Pema. His hand seemed a little lower on her back than appropriate, and his smile towards her seemed a bit more suggesting. He shook off the feelings and sat next to his father.

They talked mostly about business and Katara's progress down at the South Pole. Tenzin found that he was often distracted by the people on the dance floor, specifically the birthday girl. She was being thrown from guy to guy, her smile never faltering. They all held her, in his opinion, closer than necessary. And they all looked at her, again in his opinion, as if she were a piece of sugared moon peach. He had seen the stable boys look at her like this before, but it all of the sudden bothered him. Aang noticed the subject of his son's attention and smiled. He was so clueless to his own feelings. Aang was just about to suggest he dance with the birthday girl, as is tradition when Tenzin stood on his own. The look in his eye made Aang think he was going to tear Pema from her current dance partner. But instead he headed towards the Acolyte band.

Tenzin didn't know what inspired the idea, but he had the sudden thought for a song. He walked over to the conductor of the small band. They looked confused at his presence.

"Master Tenzin." The conductor said in surprise.

"Hello. I was wondering if you knew any old earth kingdom songs that you could play." He still looked confused.

"The birthday girl—Pema—is originally from the Earth Kingdom." He explained. The conductor nodded in understanding.

"We know some songs from the Earth Kingdom. We'll play them after we are finished with this piece." Tenzin nodded, thanked the Acolyte, and went to sit back down with his father. Aang gave him a side glance of curiosity. He was about to ask what was going on when Tenzin stood again.

The airbender weaved his way through the crowd of dancing people until he reached the center.

"May I cut in?" Tenzin asked politely to the boy and girl dancing. Pema's smile brightened as Tenzin took her hand. Suddenly the song ended and another began. It was more up beat and almost bouncy. Pema's head snapped to the band to make sure she was hearing correctly. This was an Earth Kingdom song. Her heart warmed at the sound. She found Tenzin's eyes and saw them smiling.

"Did you do this?" She asked, happiness dripping off her words. He gave her a nod. Right there, she felt like crying tears of joy. This song was a wedding song back home. It told of the lovers Oma and Shu who created Omashu. It was tradition to dance to this after you were married. Her mother use to sing this while she would cook or harvest the garden, really when ever she was happy. She knew that Tenzin didn't know this, but she still felt her heart warm at the thought. He wanted her to feel at home. They danced for the entirety of the song. She smiled and laughed out of pure bliss and Tenzin felt his heart warm at her happiness. Her eye shone brighter than ever as they danced, and he felt like the ground was miles away.

The song ended and Aang was approaching them for his dance. Pema looked into Tenzin's eyes with emotion bubbling over.

"Thank you." She mouthed as he parted from her. He nodded and handed her to his father. A few other Earth Kingdom Acolytes recognized some of the songs and taught the traditional folk dances that were associated with that certain song. The smile never left Pema's face the whole night.

At the end of the evening everyone headed off to bed and readied for sleep. Tenzin went to his quarters and did the same. As he was slipping into bed he thought about Pema. She had looked so beautiful tonight. Her face was pink from all the excitement, and her smile brightened her face. Truth be told, she looked beautiful every day. But he thought about her green eyes, slightly watered with emotion, piercing his and a shiver ran though his body. After a short time he drifted off to sleep and that's when the dreams started.

He heard sensual music playing some where distant. He was swaying and circling with someone holding on to his hand and shoulder. His other hand was resting on that person's waist. He looked down to see Pema as his dance partner. There was an orangey glow around her. Her bright eyes shone through. She was so beautiful. He pulled her closer until her body was molded to his. She smiled her vivid smile and her laugh rang in his head. His hand drifted from her waist and trailed up to her face his palm cupped her cheek and he lowered his head. Their lips met in a gentle kiss. Her lips were soft against his. And her skin was warm to the touch. The heat in him grew as they continued the innocent kiss. He tilted his head and deepened the kiss. His hand was in her hair while his other hand rested on her hip again trying to pull her if possible closer. His tongue traced her bottom lip, begging for entrance which she granted him. Her hands were now roaming his body, but the cloth of their robes still separated their skin. He parted their lips to move to her neck. As he tasted her neck, her hot breath was puffing against his ear. He tasted the nape of her neck and trailed lower to her collar bone. She was holding his head in place, running her fingers over his scalp, inviting him to continue. Her exposed skin was limited and he wanted more. His hunger became eminent. She was caressing his chest through the robes. Even through cloth, her touch burned his skin. She unwrapped his robes, leaving his torso bare. She locked her gaze with his and he was surprised to see her giggling. She was truly at her best when she was happy. He pulled her into a searing kiss of raw passion. His fingers found the knot of her robes. It loosened at his touch. He was going to feel her soft satin skin on his. He would trail his fingers along her back and fell her shiver. As he untied the knot she moaned his name, "Tenzin." Tenzin bolted upright in his bed. A cold sweat was running down his face and back and his pulse pounding.

"Oh, spirits."

Since then he had had multiple dreams of her. One time they were in the meditation pavilion ravishing each other with passionate kisses and caresses. A couple of his dreams were simply holding her while she slept, or riding with her on Oogi. These dreams were equally as satisfying. He was disgusted with himself. Every time he saw her in the hall or stable he wanted to cup her face and kiss her lips. And it didn't help that he was her martial arts trainer. He found that when he would help her with a stance his pulse rushed and his grip lingered on her longer than required. He found himself staring occasionally at her during a meal. He tried to pass these urges and glances off as just an attraction to a beautiful girl, but he wasn't just thinking about her body. He would loose his thoughts in her smile and laugh. He would forget about stress of work at the thought of her green eyes. No he had feelings for Pema.

How did this happen? He was sixteen years her senior. Not only that, he was involved with someone else. He paced his quarters. He had taken to this over the last week. He needed to clear his head. Meditating hadn't been working because he couldn't clear the images of Pema and himself in the pavilion from his mind. So he continued to pace. He hadn't noticed his father enter the room. The Avatar was quietly standing in the doorway watching his son fight his inner battles. Ever since Pema's birthday, Aang knew his son had realized his feelings.

"What's on your mind, Ten?" Tenzin jerked at the sound of his father's voice.

"Oh, hi Dad." He stopped his pacing and faced his father. He still seemed preoccupied with his previous thoughts.

"Is everything okay, Tenzin?" Aang asked. Tenzin didn't meet his father's eye.

"No, I-I'm fine." Aang crossed the room and placed his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Don't try lying to me, Ten. We both know you're really horrible at it." This earned Aang a smile from Tenzin. When he didn't respond Aang asked, "Is everything okay with Lin?" Tenzin looked at the ground with shame. Aang had hit the nail right on the head.

"I'll take that as a no." Aang mumbled in assurance.

"So is this about Pema?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Am I really that transparent?" Tenzin asked bitterly. Aang gave a sad smile.

"Only to your mother and I."

"Oh spirits, don't bring Mother into this." Tenzin said fearfully. Aang laughed heartily.

"Don't worry this will be between us men." He gestured for Tenzin to sit. Tenzin had issues with sharing his feelings and Katara had always tried to get him to open the flood gates of his emotions.

"So what's the situation, Tenzin?" It took a few moments for Tenzin to answer his father.

He started to say slowly, "I have romantic feelings for Pema, but I'm with Lin. And we've been together for so long and I just don't know what to do. I-I don't know what I feel for Pema is. Plus, she's sixteen years younger than I am. I'm just an old man." He finished. He put his head in his hands and exhaled audibility.

"You need to shave Tenzin." He looked up at his father quizzically.

"Your hair is starting to grow back over your arrows. If you let things grow out to long, then they hide what makes us unique." He knew his father was being cryptic on purpose, but it wasn't helping. He needed Aang to flat out tell him what he meant, and what to do. Aang rolled his eyes at his son's confused face.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I will tell you that you have to know what you want, and not dwell on what once was." Aang stood and left the room leaving Tenzin utterly confused.

A/N: Finally Tenzin got it through his thick skull lol. 5 reviews and i write another chapter. if i get less than 5 i'll still write another chapter ;P (i don't want to be that kind of aurthor.) hope it wasn't horrid. and as always thanks to my super mega cool Beta FooFooCuddlyWHAT