A/N: ****Trigger Warning**** This chapter is a bit of a doozy. A lot of injuries and pretty sad/heavy. Contains mentions of rape. These chapters all can stand alone so please skip over if you'd rather not read it. I've done a double chapter update so it's easy enough to skip this one over

The horrible feeling of dread had taken up residence in her gut days ago and grew more intense every time she looked at the headlines in the papers.

Lin Beifong had gone missing 10 days ago in a suspected kidnapping.

The news was full of sensationalized theories and rumors but Sora knew that whatever had really happened was being kept quiet, most likely in an effort to protect the missing police chief. The healer had switched shifts with a friend and was now struggling to stay awake as she read over the newest article for the hundredth time.

A movement just outside the hospital doors caught her eye and she noticed two dark figures quickly retreating out of sight. Standing up from the desk she caught site of an unmoving object on the ground. It looked like a person.

"Hey, I need a little help out here."

She felt uneasy about the whole thing, waiting for two of her colleagues to join her before approaching the outside world. As they got closer she could see that it was definitely a human body and as soon as the doors opened Sora felt a fresh pang of dread as she recognized the bloody and unconscious woman.

Lin.

"We need to get her inside, NOW!"

Sora knelt down, desperately feeling for a pulse. She found one, frantic and thready, but still strong. She didn't get a chance to get an inventory of all her injuries before a bed had been brought out and one of the other healers easily picked up the police chief and set her down on it.

They rolled into one of the trauma rooms and Sora worked on removing the remains of Lin's tattered clothing. She could already see the beating the poor woman's body had taken as cuts and bruises of various shades of purple covered her entire body. As they turned her on her side the earhtbender's eyes suddenly snapped open. She frantically started thrashing and Sora caught one of her fists to the nose, yelping as she felt it break, blood pouring down her face.

Something in Lin seemed to change when Sora yelled and her eyes widened in realization as she recognized the healer.

"S-sorry. I'm so sorry. Didn't mean-"

Her voice came out in a croak and her breath seemed to hitch. Tears leaked from her eyes and she looked so ashamed at what she had done. Sora brushed off one of the healer's when they tried to fix her nose, getting closer to Lin.

"It's okay, Chief. I'm okay. I just need you to try and calm down so we can help you. Okay?"

Lin calmed, still struggling to take in deep breaths as she nodded. Her eyes darted to the other healers around them and she grabbed Sora's arm, her grip tight enough that it hurt.

"Just you."

"Chief, I can help better if they help-"

"Please…"

There was such pained sadness in her eyes that Sora felt her own eyes burning. She looked to the others and nodded, one of them closing the door as they left. Sora quietly gathered water and ran it over the woman's tattered body. It was bad. Very bad. Her entire torso was covered in blunt force injuries and one of ribs had punctured her lung. Her right hand seemed as if it had been smashed, significant breaks and fractures in all the fingers and her wrist hung nearly limp, the bone completely snapped. The healer would not be able to fix this all at once and definitely wouldn't be able to do it on her own. She would have to start by just working on getting the pain under control and healing what she could.

"I'm going to try and fix your ribs for now so you can breathe easier, okay?"

Lin nodded slightly.

"It's going to hurt, I'm sorry."

Sora took in a breath and closed her eyes, focusing on repairing the broken rib and the damaged lung at the same time. Lin clenched her eyes closed tightly and sucked in a deep breath. After a couple minutes Sora dropped her hands, the water retreating as beads of sweat dripped down her face. Lin seemed to breathe easier now as the healer took a moment to regain her own energy.

"I want to do the hand too but I'm afraid I won't be able to heal anything else after. So I'm going to heal some of the lesser injuries first."

Lin only nodded again, eyes staring resolutely at the ceiling. Sora rolled her neck before once again running the healing waters over her.

"Can I ask what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Lin…"

"They wanted Tenzin."

Sora paused for just a second but didn't press further. Whoever had done this had obviously thought Lin was still important to the airbender but apparently hadn't gotten what they wanted. It wasn't the first time, but Sora cursed Tenzin in her mind at the pain he was still causing Lin.

"He has a wife and kid now. And they still came after me."

She laughed bitterly, tears now streaming down her face. Sora struggled to prevent her own tears from falling as she guided the water to the lower section of her body. It brushed against an injury that was more familiar to the healer than she wished and Lin let out a small hiss of pain.

"Lin?"

The earthbender had her eyes closed as she turned away, tears still streaming.

"Lin, did they ra-"

"Don't say it."

Her green eyes bore into Sora's deep brown ones.

"Please, just don't…"

"Lin…"

"Yes, okay? Yes they raped… it's not the first time. I'll be fine…"

Her voice trailed away and Sora blinked rapidly, returning her focus to the task at hand. She healed the tears and bruises, both external and internal as quickly as she could. She didn't care if she'd use every ounce of energy she had she would at least give Lin that small comfort. While the worst of the injuries, it was not the last as she continued down her legs and finally to her feet.

Sora's shoulders slumped as she sensed the state of the earthbender's feet. Her captors had undoubtedly wanted to prevent her from any chance of escape because both feet had been broken. She suspected in the same way as her hand based off the similar way the bones were shattered.

"I can't heal the feet and your hand in this session."

"Just do what you can with the feet."

Sora only nodded as she worked on the reconstruction of the bones the best she could. She knew the importance an earthbender's feet played in sensing the world around them. She couldn't heal them completely before her power finally gave out but she had made a significant start.

"I've done what I can for now. I can give you a sedative to help you sleep if you-"

"Yes."

Sora carefully helped Lin into a hospital gown, carefully propping her head on a mountain of fluffy pillows before covering her with a blanket. Lin was careful not to make eye contact with her and Sora didn't question her any farther about what had happened. There would be time to talk but for now her job as a healer was to keep her patient comfortable and make sure she felt safe. She placed a hand on Lin's shoulder as she carefully injected her with a strong sedative.

As the police chief's eyes drooped close Sora squeezed her shoulder gently.

"You're safe now, Lin."

Sora took a moment to collect herself, wiping her eyes and dimming the lights in the earhtbender's room. As she stepped into the hall she could hear several very loud voices.

"Aiko!"

She caught the attention of one the younger healers she was still training and the young girl came running.

"I need to stay by Chief Beifong's room at all times. No one but myself is allowed inside and you're to tell me immediately if she wakes. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master Sora!"

The young woman seemed sincere as she took her position outside the door. Content that Lin was in good hands Sora walked to the front desk where a small crowd of people were badgering her colleagues. Several of them were wearing the police logo and Sora surmised these were Lin's officers. As she approached them a gust of wind blew through the doors and Tenzin joined the group.

"Where is Chief Beifong?"

"Is she okay?"

"Did she tell you what happened?"

Sora just raised her hands and they all fell silent.

"Chief Beifong is resting. She's a little banged up but the only thing she needs right now is rest."

"Master Sora, please, did she tell you what happened?"

Sora looked Tenzin sternly in the face.

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss anything the Chief may have confided in me. You will have to talk to her when I see fit to allow her to have visitors."

Tenzin looked as if he wanted to press further but a glare from Sora made him think better of it. He dipped his head to her in acknowledgement though Sora was still going to keep an eye on him. The last thing she needed was him sneaking into her room.

"Master Tenzin and no more than 3 of you may stay and wait for any updates. The rest of you will have to leave."

There were a few grumbles and arguing over who was going to stay but after a couple minutes the lobby was once again empty.

Satisfied Sora made her way back to where Aiko stood guard.

"All good?"

"Yes! No change and no one tried to enter."

"Good."

Sora went to pinch the bridge of her nose but let out a hiss when she felt a jolt of pain, remember that her nose was very much broken.

"Are you okay, Master Sora?"

"Aiko, how good are you at healing broken noses?"