ugh, this is the first chapter in this series that i'm not too sure about but i know that my loyal reviewers will let me know their view on the chapter. the next one i'm hoping will be out next week but it will be harder for me to uploaded in the next couple months due to christmas and me working in retail. but i will not give up. next chapter will be so much better a promise and in the future there will be an M chapter which i know you will all enjoy. until then, read, review and enjoy

The Beifong household was peaceful. Mum and dad were curled up in each other's embrace, enjoying their small amount of time together between working, raising a child and maintaining relationships with their ever-growing family.

Kuvira's eyes snapped open at the little bit of light flowing into her room. She quickly threw the blankets off her little body and ran into her parent's room, jumping on them until her dad had enough, grabbed her, and dragged her into their bed, before feigning sleep. "Dad! Let me go! I have to get ready for school."

Kya rolled over and brushed her daughter's messy hair out of her face. "The sun is barely up, there's still a couple hours until we have to go to school badgermole."

"But I want to go now!"

"I think she's the first kid to ever say that sweetie."

Lin let out a grunt as she released her daughter and rolled over in a vain attempt to get some more sleep.

"Hey mum, what was your first day like?"

"Daunting. I was really excited like you are." A sleepy smirk graced Kya's lips as she retold the story of her first day at school. "Uncle Bumi told me how great school was and I saw it as a place big kids went to learn how to be a grown up but when my mother went in to drop me off, I freaked out. I started crying like a little baby and I wouldn't let go of her leg. My teacher had to pull me off of her. It wasn't until the class began that I made some friends and had some fun."

"I won't cry, I'm a big kid and dad says earthbenders are too stubborn to cry."

"Did she now? I could tell you some stories about your dad crying that would make you laugh."

Kuvira sat up on her knees and leaned over Lin's sleeping form, to begin poking her, hoping to get her attention. "Dad. Are you awake?"

"No. Now if you don't stop poking me, you won't get any ice-cream for dinner."

Not wanting that to happen, the young earthbender stopped. "What was your first day at school like?"

"My mother gave me ten Yuans and told me to learn something." Lin let out an oomph when she felt her partner kick her in her bottom. "I mean, it was great, I made a couple of friends, learnt a lot of things and learned that ten yuans can get you really far, but not nearly as far as the accidental hundred yuans my mother gave me every now and then."

"Can I have lunch money?"

Kya leaned over and kissed Kuvira on the cheek. "Not while there is food in the ice box. You can go get dressed in your uniform if you want."

Kuvira jumped off the bed and quickly ran to her room, eager to start the day.

"Lin, I think we should get up."

"But I don't have work until ten. I rarely get a late start."

The waterbender gave her partner another kick, this time it was hard enough to knock her out of bed and onto the floor with a thud. "Spirits! Are you okay?"

"I think I winded myself."

"Why can't I just wear a green one?" Kuvira asked her mother, who was currently tying a green and blue sash around her waist.

"Because you're also from the South, even if you weren't born there you are seen as part of the Tribe. You should be happy I'm not making you wear yellow and orange with it too."

"But I'm from the Earth Kingdom."

Hearing the growl coming from her girlfriend's mouth, Lin kneeled down to her daughter's height and gave her a smile. "Badgermole, it doesn't matter where you come from, we're a family and that means I'm just as much Water Tribe, as I am Earth Nation. Loving someone means loving where they came from and you love your mother right?" She received a nod from the five year old. "Good, now grab your bag and lunch so we can get going."

When they stood up, Lin was surprised to get a hug from Kya, but she returned it none the less. "Thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome."

"So does this mean I can put your hair into some Southern styles?"

"Not happening."

The family got into Lin's police vehicle to begin their journey to Kuvira's new school. The little girl didn't sit still until they arrived at the large building, where she began to panic a little. "It's, uh, really big and there's a lot of kids."

"Don't worry sweetie, your dad and I will be here if you need anything." When they got out of the satomobile, Kya looked down to see her daughter clinging to her pants leg. "Everything is alright Kuvira, you'll be fine."

The two parents walked their daughter into the school, where a teacher with a clipboard stood directing the students to their new classrooms. She was young and awfully cheerful for someone welcoming snotty children and their high-strung parents on a Monday morning. "Hi, my name is miss Hirako and I will be the school's receptionist this year, can I please have your child's name?"

"Kuvira Beifong."

Miss Hirako looked up from her clipboard to gaze over the unusual family. "Right, well Kuvira will be in class one A with mister Asano. Enjoy your first day Kuvira."

The five year old just buried her face in Kya's leg, hoping it would help her escape to a safe place. "Come on badgermole, let's go see your classroom."

The Beifongs entered the school and were instantly met with curious gazes from other parents. "Lin, everyone is starring."

"Just ignore them." They entered a classroom and found Kuvira's desk in the middle of the class, with her name on the back of the little chair. "Alright kid, your mother and I have to go to work, but I will be here at the front gate waiting for you."

The young earthbender nodded her head as she took a seat, mentally trying to calm her nerves as she prepared herself for being alone for the day. "What about mum?"

Kya kneeled down and wrapped her daughter in a tight hug. "It's going to be okay. I have some late appointments but I should be home for dinner. Now give us our kisses."

Once she gave her parents a kiss on the cheek each, she finally realised that she truly was alone and didn't know anyone around her.

"Hello class and welcome to your first day at school. I am mister Asano and I look forward to learning everything about you, so let's go around the room and you can tell everyone something about yourself, beginning with your name. You might like to share your favourite food, if you're a bender, what you did for the holidays, what you want to learn this year, anything you like."

One by one, each child stood up and said their name. Kuvira's attention was instantly caught when the girl next to her stood up. "I am Kiki and I'm an earthbender, my dad is an officer and my mother sells houses. We went to Ember Island where I made a lot of friends and had a lot of fun."

Kuvira didn't know why, but she felt the need to compete with this girl. "My name is Kuvira and I'm an earthbender. My dad is the Chief of police, my mum is a doctor and I spent my holidays in my aunt and uncl-"

"The Chief is a girl! She can't be your dad. Dads are boys."

Kuvira looked to her left where Kiki was still standing, with her hands on her hips. "No they aren't."

"Yes they are!" All the kids began to call out in contradiction to Kuvira, making her feel small and stupid, as the teacher tried to calm them all down.

The young Beifong grabbed one of her exercise books to hide behind and began to chant to herself quietly. "My dad is Chief of police. My dad is Chief of police." She repeated this over and over again while chaos surrounded her.

"Spirits! Yasuko, you have to tell Lin."

"Shh, keep it down Kya."

The waterbender looked around the teashop to make sure no one was paying attention to them. "Sorry. Yasuko, your family is in danger. The triad won't stop at anything to make Hiroshi pay for protection. They will sabotage your company, hurt your workers, your family." Kya reached across the table and grasped the young woman's hand in her own tightly. "I've seen what the triads can do first hand. They tried to cut a deal with the police force when Toph was still in charge and it lead to a fight and the triad was disbanded."

"I don't know. Asami just started back at school and business is booming, I don't want to shed any negative light on Sato Industries."

"This isn't about your company, this is about you and your family. I know how Lin operates in these situations, especially with family friends. She will assign two of her top officers to be stationed outside your home. The triad wouldn't dare going against metalbending cops, they're too hard to defeat."

Yasuko let out a sigh. "Alright, call her."

"It's going to be okay Yasuko, we won't let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about. It's Asami. If something happens to me, she won't have a female in her life for her to look up to. I worry that she will feel all alone."

"If something does happen to you, spirits forbid, Lin and I will make sure she will have someone to talk to. You're family in our eyes."

"Thank you Kya. That means a lot coming from you."

Lin was leaning against her patrol vehicle, thinking about her conversation with Yasuko before she had to pick up her daughter, when she felt something solid rest itself against her outer thigh. She looked down and cocked and eyebrow. "Kuvira? What's wrong?"

The young girl raised her head to reveal tear filled eyes. "Are you my dad?"

Lin's heart felt like it was breaking inside, she knew this would eventually happen but she didn't think it would happen so soon. She leaned down and pulled Kuvira into a tight hug. "Let's go home and practise some earthbending, then we can talk."

Kuvira nodded her head and climbed into the backseat.

Not wanting the ride to be an awkward one, the Chief of police decided to drum up a conversation. "I received a call from your aunt Su yesterday."

This peaked the young girl's curiosity, she always loved hearing things from her aunt. "What did she say?"

"She's coming to the city in a few days for a visit so we can finally meet Opal."

"Why didn't we go to Zaofu like with Huan?"

"Well we've been busy. Your mother has more clients and I have my hands full with the force. We couldn't afford to take the time off." They pulled up in their driveway and made their way into the house. "Go get dressed in your training gear and I'll meet you outside."

"Okay."

Lin made her way to the phone and began to dismantle her armour as it rang. "Doctor Kya."

"Hey sexy."

"Lin? Is everything set up at the Sato mansion?"

"Everything is taken care of." Lin was a little upset her partner didn't want to play her game, but knew there were more important matters to attend to. "I have a couple of officers out there right now, but that's not the reason why I called you."

"What's wrong?"

"Kuvira." The metalbender let out a sigh as she worked off her boots. "She's asking me if I'm her dad."

"So?"

"What do you mean so? What if she doesn't see me as her dad anymore?"

"Lin, sweetie, you need to relax. Our daughter is a smart young girl, just tell her the truth and believe she can handle it. It can't possibly be that hard as when we told her she was adopted."

"I think she figured that one out on her own."

"Don't be a weakling and tell her why you want to be called dad. I have to go. My four o'clock is here."

"Alright. I love you."

"I love you too."

Lin made her way outside, where her daughter was beginning their usual warm ups of digging two of their fingers through packed sand. "I was thinking we could try spar-"

"Are you my dad?" Kuvira asked as she turned around to reveal tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

Lin felt a pang in her chest as she got down on her knees and pulled the young girl into her arms. "I am your father in every sense of the word. I love you like any father would love their daughter. I will protect you from everything that wants to hurt you and I will be there for whenever you need me. I may not be a man but that doesn't stop me from being the dad you need me to be. I love you so much and no conventional norm will stop me from doing that."

Kuvira finally returned the hug, burrowing her face into her father's shoulder. "But why don't I call you mum as well?"

Lin let out a sigh as she sat down, with her daughter in her lap. "When I grew up, I didn't have a father. I didn't know who he was because my mother believed she could be both my mum and dad. But that didn't stop me from wanting a real dad. I wanted a man in my life that would love me no matter what I did. However as I grew up, I realised that wasn't going to happen so I chose to be a father figure for Su so she wouldn't have to go through what I did. When Kya and I decided to adopt you, I was determined to be your father figure and I think I've done a pretty good job of that so far."

"You have, dad."

Lin smiled and kissed Kuvira on the forehead. "Come on, let's have some ice cream instead of training today."

Kuvira sniffled and a small smile graced her face. "Okay."

"Dad! Mum! Wake up!" It was later that night and Kuvira was frantically trying to wake up her parents.

Both the waterbender and earthbender sat up in bed, to see their daughter kneeling on before them with panic in her eyes. "Sweetie, what's wrong."

"Asami's house is on fire!"

Lin quickly jumped out of bed and looked out her window to see her neighbour's house surrounded by flames. "Spirits! Kuvira, stay here." Both adults quickly pulled on some clothes, Lin in her uniform and Kya in a tank top with baggy pants, and hastily exited their home to run over to the Sato mansion. "Kya, get the fire! I'm moving inside!" Lin bended a boulder through the window and jumped inside, to see a man standing over a frightened Asami, about to strike her but she wrapped one of her cables around his torso and sent him into the wall, knocking him out. "Asami, are you okay?"

The six year old sniffled as Lin looked her over to make sure she wasn't hurt. "My mum and dad are upstairs."

"Alright. Everything is going to be okay Asami but I need you to be brave for me." Lin opened up the ground. "Can you stay in there for a few minutes?"

"N-no. I can't!"

"Asami, if you want me to save your parents, I need to make sure you are safe." With a nod from the young girl, the Chief of police took her hand and lowered her into the hole. "I'll be right back."

"O-okay."

Closing off the hole, Lin sprinted upstairs, where smoke was coming from one of the bedrooms. She kicked open the door to find Hiroshi backed up on the bed, with a couple of firebenders controlling the energy around them and concentrating it into electricity. She moved the floor beneath them, to come up to their arms, then pull down until they were on their knees. "Hiroshi, where's Yasuko?"

"That bitch is dead, just like you're 'bout to be."

Lin growled and kicked the man in the head. "Shut up." She looked around for her friend and noticed the bathroom door open a crack and a bright light fluttering against the walls. "Oh spirits." She hesitantly pushed open the door to find the corpse of her dear friend on fire, her body barely recognisable. She dropped to her knees and emptied the contents of her stomach as the smell of burning flesh entered her sinuses.

"Yasuko."

Lin turned around to see Kya standing behind her. "Kya, she, uh, can you?"

She didn't need to say anymore as the waterbender doused the flames and grabbed a blanket from the bed, where Hiroshi still stood in shock, and covered her deceased friend's body. Sirens now filled the space around them. "Where's Asami?"

"She's downstairs. I hid her underground."

"Alright. I want you to go get her and take her outside, I'm going to take care of Hiroshi."

Lin slowly stood up and walked down the stairs, where she used her seismic sense to locate the six year old. She opened up the hole and helped Asami out. Keeping her close to her body, they made their way outside where a couple of ambulances, fire trucks and police vehicles were driving up the driveway.

"I want my mum."

"I know, but right now, you have to be strong."

Saikhan got out of his vehicle and quickly ran up to the Chief. "What's the status?"

"Three inside. They appear to be from the Agni Kai triad. Three civilians. Kya is bringing out Mister Sato but I need a recovery squad in the master bathroom. We also have two missing officers. I had officers Sung and Shu stationed outside but I haven't seen them."

"A little help?!"

Paramedics moved past the two officers to take Hiroshi from Kya, as multiple officers moved inside to secure the estate, while waterbenders made sure the fires were put out.

"Kya, could you take Asami from me while I make sure things move smoothly? Maybe take her to our pla-"

"Chief, we found the two triad members."

"Two?! There should be three!"

Everything began to move slowly for Lin as the sound of electricity prickled her ears like it had done many times before. Her eyes darted to a flash of blue coming from the tree line, but she was too slow to move. The last thing she heard was her name being shouted by the love of her life.