Disclaimer: I don't own these shows.


The area was just all too familiar. And that wasn't just because she had lived here all her life and had seen city hall a billion times. No. It was only days ago that the entire city had been gathered at this very spot to bid their avatar goodbye. She could have sworn that she could still see the tear stains on the pavement.

"Captain, the firelord has arrived."

Lin turned around and the officer didn't dare to look her in the eye. How obedient.

"I'll follow you in a minute. Secure the perimeter." she demanded emotionless.

The officer scurried off to join the rest of the team and each of them circled the red carriage containing their target for protection. Lin looked at it. The gold trimming around the curtains, the dark red engulfing the entire carriage. It was noble. Royal. Powerful. And the person inside was just those things. The police captain stepped down the stairs and was soon standing right in front of the dark shadow, ready to emerge.

At once, Zuko carefully made his way out of the carriage and stepped down the small steps. As he got to the ground, the first thing that Lin was noticed was his heartbeat. It was uneven and pulsed faster than usual. There was no doubt in Lin's mind that her uncle was also dealing with the stress of the city. She said nothing of it.

"Good morning, Firelord Zuko." she addressed him professionally.

Zuko eyed her. "Firelord?"

"I am on duty."

The scarred firebender laid a hand on one Lin's metal covered shoulders. "You and I both know that even your mother would still call me Sparky, on duty or not."

Her uncle's smile was contagious. Lin was surprised. He seemed happy in a sense. "Of course, Uncle Zuko."

The firelord took back his hand and started to walk towards the large doors of city hall. Lin looked back to her team and signaled for them to stay on guard. Afterwards, she followed Zuko into the large building.

As they were walking up towards the large council desk, Lin inspected the firelord. Zuko seemed calm, professional and collected. He didn't seem as if he were grieving at all. She wondered. Does masking your emotions come with royalty? She would never know.

"I have to ask." Lin said breaking the tension between them. "You are capable of defending yourself. Why the need for body guards?"

Zuko glanced at her before looking back to the contents of the table. "Your mother insisted. And you know I can't fight with her."

Mother. Lin knew her mother knew that Zuko was able to defend for himself. Not only being a skilled firebender, the firelord was a master swordsman. So why would her mother feel the need to protect him? The answer was all in the question itself.

"I see." she mumbled just loud enough for him to hear.

They stayed in silence as Zuko shuffled with the papers upon the desk. Lin stood quietly, but stealthily tried to find any sign of difference in her uncle. Even the slightest movement or facial expression, Lin was trying to read him closely. There was no way that Zuko wasn't struggling with this loss. Aang was one of the major figures in his life that had gotten him back on the right path. If it weren't for the young avatar he had met so many years ago, he may have ended up where his father had gone. In prison. Left to rot and most likely die. Zuko was forever grateful.

A loud sigh brought Lin out of her thoughts. Zuko spoke up. "The council is quite the work over loaders.

Lin allowed herself to chuckle for the first time in weeks. "I'm sure my father doesn't mean to." She took a pause. "Maybe."

Zuko only responded with a slight grin. He nudged Lin slightly and the two were back to their silence. A minute later, Zuko was once again the one to break the silence.

"Sometimes I even wonder if the council, other than Sokka, does anything. Well, nonetheless, I must take care of all these. I'll probably need some input from…"

His speech stopped and both of them stared blankly into the air.

It hurt. Badly. Oh so badly.

Lin quickly shook her head and told herself what she had been telling herself for days. Stay strong. Stay strong. Stay strong.

She looked over to Zuko and found him staring down at the stack of papers that were now shifting awkwardly in his hand. There it was. The pain that she had been looking for. It was plain on his face. Lin still didn't say a word.

The firelord cleared his voice. "Uh, we should get going now. A lot to do."

"Yeah." she answered quietly.


"I am so sorry!"

Lin watched the scene play out in front of her. It wasn't like she was surprised. She had to think about it. Fourth time? Or was it the fifth time? No, no. Fourth time.

Zuko stood up. "I apologize. I'm not usually like this. I am terribly sorry, Ambassador Feng."

The ambassador just wiped himself of the spilled tea that had spilled onto his robes. "It's quite alright firelord. Accidents happen."

Just like her father had done many times before, Zuko smacked his hand up to his forehead. Even with her boots on, his heartbeat shot up Lin's feet. This had been happening all day. Being the captain of her team, Lin was the closest to Zuko while he went through his business in the city. Lin was witness to every single fumble the firelord made. First, he had dripped ink on the contract he was supposed to sign. Then, he tripped over his robes. Next, he sneezed while talking to a company CEO. And now this. Lin had to admit that she even felt sorry for him.

"I promise you that the next time we meet will go much smoothly. My apologize, again." Zuko pleaded.

The polite ambassador just smiled up at him. He was so calm. "Firelord Zuko. Don't beat yourself up. I don't think little of you."

The rest of the servants helped clean up the incident and the two political figures were outside of the tea shop and ready to go their separate ways.

Ambassador Feng smiled at Zuko once again. "You can depend on the city of Manching to continue its agricultural trade with Republic City."

"Thank you so much." Zuko bowed respectfully.

Just as they were going to walk away, a sudden hand landed on the firelord's shoulder. Zuko turned halfway and met with the ambassador's eyes once more.

"I know right now is a rough time. The whole world compensates with your feelings. Don't think you're alone."

And with that, Ambassador Feng was into his carriage and was being pulled away. Lin watched as her Uncle closed his eyes and thought to himself for a minute. She had heard what the ambassador had said. In a way, what he had said had brought her a small spark of hope. He was right. They weren't alone. Everyone else in the world was missing the great Avatar Aang. As the world, they will rise and live on in his memory.

The sun was barely visible in the horizon. The moon had taken over the night sky.

"I must get back to city hall. I have more paperwork waiting for me." Zuko announced. The team of police officers and their captain quickly followed.

They reached city hall in no time at all. Lin waited outside the carriage for her uncle to emerge. The moon lit up the darkness. Lin let her mind wander to other thoughts. Are you with Yue now, Uncle Aang?

The curtains shifted and once again Zuko stepped down from the carriage. This time, however, Lin could read him as clear as day. To any other person, they would have thought Zuko was just putting on a professional expression. To Lin, the pain was prominent in his ember eyes. He wanted to escape the seeing eye. Be able to sulk in his own emotions. Not on my watch.

"Captain Beifong, you and your team have done an excellent job. I am in no need of your services any longer. Thank you." The firelord bowed to the metalbending officers, receiving them back as well. He then started his way up the steps of the building.

Lin turned to her officers. "I'm going to stay here and make sure he is safe. You are all dismissed."

"Yes, Captain."

The young Beifong nodded to her officers and made her way up the same path her uncle had taken. Her young legs bested Zuko's aging legs and she was able to catch up to him in the grand hall of the building.

"Uncle Zuko." she called out.

Zuko slowed his steps but didn't stop walking. "What is it, Lin?"

"How are you doing?"

This had ended his walk. Even through his thick red and gold robes, Lin could see the small trembles that rang through Zuko's body. But he didn't break down. Not just yet.

"I am doing well enough to continue working. That is good enough."

Lin walked up to him and faced him. She looked at his eyes as she spoke. "Tell me how you really feel."

Zuko returned the stare. He couldn't help but note the same characteristic of her eyes that Toph possessed. Although she was blind, Toph had an impressive talent to lock eyes with you and stare into your soul. And Lin was doing just that. Staring with her green eyes into his mind, digging out his true feelings.

Zuko closed his eyes to cut off the connection. "I'm sorry, Lin. I have work to attend to."

Their shoulders brushed as Zuko made his way past the police captain. Lin tried to find the words to bring him back, but her mouth made no sound. She just let him disappear into another hallway.

But she wasn't going to give up.

She wasn't going to fail again.

Stay strong.

Lin made her way out of city hall and into the night.


Zuko brushed a hand across his face. It was slowly approaching midnight and he was still sitting behind a desk doing paperwork. However, his mind was far from the papers he was reading.

The attempt that Lin had made to talk to him was all he could think about. In a way, he thought himself rude for just brushing his niece off. Lin was just trying to help after all. What could possibly happen when having a conversation with a twenty five year old?

Who was he kidding? Of course everything could go wrong with that conversation. And it wouldn't be because of Lin. It would all be his fault. Mai had been helping by comforting him while they stayed in the city and Zuko easily opened up to his wife. But he seemed as if he still hadn't got his feelings heard. It was reasonable for him to feel that way too as his wife wasn't the best soother. He appreciated the effort but he still had some kind of big ball of emotions waiting to explode. Zuko didn't want to put Lin through that.

His thoughts had completely gotten him off task and the firelord gave up. There was no use for him to ponder on his thoughts in a stuffy old office. The least he can do is do it in bed. Zuko got to his feet and stretched for a brief moment. His joints popped and ached, more of a reason for him to escape to a nice comfy bed.

He started to walk out of the room and found it suitable to comment on everything that he hated.

I hate that painting. I hate that that door. I hate this hallway. I hate the grand room. I hate the council desk. I hate all the benches. I hate that big door. I hate Lin.

Zuko stood up straight and raised an eyebrow. His eyes widened as he turned his gaze back to the earthbender. There Lin was. Sitting cross legged next to the grand doors. Her eyes were closed and in her hand she held a cup. If he didn't know any better, she could have been sleeping.

Zuko quickly made his way over to his niece and gently shook her. Lin's eyes opened and came face to face with her uncle's.

"Hey there Uncle Zuko." she said slightly cheerful, very out of character for a person like herself.

Zuko eyed her with great confusion. "Lin, what the spirits are you still doing here? It's the middle of the night."

"I can ask you the same thing."

He was totally caught.

"Sit down. I have tea."

Zuko obeyed and sat in the same posistion across from her. She moved her hands behind her and brought into his sight two tea cups and a tea pot. A sudden deja vu came over him. Tea. The calmness Lin eminated. It reminded him of a jolly old man.

Lin lifted the teapot. "Do you mind?"

Zuko carefully bent a flame under the teapot and heated the tea in only two minutes. As Lin poured the contents into the cup, the steam cause the firelord's face to moisten.

"Here you go." She held out the cup to him. His hands, without thinking, took the cup. He stared at the tea and his eyes widened once more.

It couldn't be.

He took a sip.

It was.

"Who taught you how to make this brew?" he asked desperately.

Lin just stared at him. He was falling right into it. "When I was young, my mother took me on a trip. Along the way, we made a stop at Ba Sing Se to a tea shop with a name that I can't even remember anymore. There was a nice old man that knew my mother and he let me watch him make this brew. It is the best tea I've ever tasted. Loved it ever since."

Zuko stared at her in disbelief. He looked back into his cup. He spoke softly to her. "That old man was one of the wisest people I've ever known."

"Great Uncle Iroh was very wise wasn't he?"

Lin saw her uncle whip his head up and stare straight at her. She could only smirk.

"When Uncle died, I didn't know what I was going to do. He was my father. My real father. He helped me figure out my destiny in this world." His fingers played with the cup in his hands. "I felt so empty."

"How did you move on?" Lin asked curiously.

Zuko took a pause before answering her question. "Honestly, I don't think I would have ever moved on without the help of the others. I had help from Katara, Sokka, your mother, Mai, and...Aang. He helped me the most. He listened to me and figured out my feelings. I was completely lost. The person that had helped me find my right path for so long was gone and I couldn't help but feel as if I had no sense of direction." He choked back the tears that were starting to form in his eyes. "But then Aang picked me right back up. He helped me find my way once more and now I live such a beautiful life. He convinced me that Uncle will always be with me and sometimes, I feel his presence. It's unexplainable, yet amazingly wonderful."

Lin looked at her uncle. He was silently crying. His tears streamed down his face but he remained perfectly silent. There was no turning back now.

"So what makes this time any different?"

He pondered on the question. There had to be a reasonable answer for it. "But Aang is gone."

"So was Uncle." she tried to make it sound the most sensitive she could.

"But Aang was there to help me. Who is going to help me now?"

Lin crawled over to him so that they were seated next to each other. Their shoulders touched. "You have a lot of people to help you. Mai, Ursa, Iroh, Katara, Bumi, Kya, my parents. And if they don't work for you, you'll always have me." She turned her body to him. "Let me tell you right now. This may not mean anything to you at the moment, but Aang will always be with you."

Aang will always be with you.

Iroh will always be with you.

Suddenly, a wind blew into the building, thanks to an open window in the far corner of the room. Swiftly, it made its way to the two on the floor. The wind circled around the firelord and Zuko took in the air. He felt something. Something familiar. Always with me.

The wind left as quickly as it came and Zuko opened his eyes. He felt refreshed and uplifted. Sudden strength surged through him. The strength to carry on. He would move on in honor of them.

The firelord turned towards Lin who was feeling the wind just as he was. She opened her eyes.

A sudden force grabbed Lin and she was stunned for a couple seconds. Finally she turned her head and was surprised to see her uncle holding her tightly in a crushing hug.

"Thank you."

Lin quickly returned the embrace. She succeded.

The two let go of each other. "I think it's time for me and you to go home, don't you think?"

They made it outside of city hall. The grand doors closed shut as Zuko locked it. Lin had her gaze to the city, only to be interrupted by a brush of a shoulder.

"You coming?"

She nodded and followed her uncle down the steps with a voice of the wind to send her off.

You did good.


Sorry if there are any grammar or spelling problems. I promise to go through it tommorow and fix it. I just wanted to get a chapter out before another week of school. Goodnight (: