Chapter Text

Kya stretched her arms above her head and yawned. She and Shaw had found a secluded cove and while he slept, she thought now would be perfect to wash off the dirt from her time working on a farm yesterday. She looked over her shoulder to double check that she was indeed alone before stripping down. She ran across a few rocks where waves gently kissed them, then dove into the clear water.

She felt at peace as the sound of the currents washed over her ears and she was left with her thoughts. It was a few minutes until she felt her lungs burn and she had to resurface. She was roughly fifty meters off the shore of Full Moon Bay and it was tranquil. It had been months since she felt this at ease. Being a doctor in Republic City never gave her the time off to be alone with her element. Lin would indulge her from time to time with family trips to the beach, but as a rule, Lin wouldn't swim unless it was in a lake or a river where she was always within arm's reach of her element.

It was one of the frustrating aspects of their relationship but at least Kuvira didn't mind the beach, she loved it more or less, especially when Kya would place them in a water bubble so they could view the sea life under water.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us Lin?" Kya asked. She was in the process of squeezing the excess water from her hair while Kuvira looked at the Chief of Police expectedly.

Lin didn't look up from the papers in her lap, not even to ogle her wife dressed in a white bikini top and a light blue sarong. "I can't, I have to finish this report." Lin had agreed to visit the beach, but she did warn them that she had paperwork to do, that and she was quite content with her lounge made from sand with a large umbrella, not wanting her porcelain skin to resemble that of a lobster.

"Fine." Kya took Kuvira's hand and lead her to the ocean. With her free hand she contorted the water until it separated for them and they walked forth. Kya pulled her other hand from Kuvira's grasp, needing it to hold back the water wanting to swallow up the space they occupied. They were probably one hundred meters from shore when Kuvira let out a gasp.

"Mum! Look!"

"I can see her. What animal is she?"

"A sea lion. She has a baby!"

"That's right." The two animals looked at them then swam off in a flurry of underwater acrobatics that were customary of the playful creatures. "Kuvira, over here."

Kuvira squatted to where her mother had gestured with her head. "What are they?"

"Kuvira, these are star fish. Don't touch them though, the oils on our skin can hurt them."

Kuvira pulled back her hand. "What's this?"

"That's a hermit crab. Careful. These little guys are so cool. When they get too big for their shells, they line up from largest to smallest and literally hand down their shells. Kuvira, over here."

Kuvira went to her mother who was standing over a couple of lobster-crabs.

"Kuvira, what you need to do is pick these guys up behind their claws, under their arm pits. They can be our dinner for tonight."

Kuvira had watched her mother and Gran Gran do this a few times during the summer and now it was her turn to give it a go. Reaching out, Kuvira grabbed one in each hand, and held on tight while their tails flapped until they exhausted themselves. "I did it!"

"That's my girl!" They walked back to shore and Kya took the shellfish from her daughter. "Watch this." Kya snuck behind Lin, who had her beach hat pulled low over her brow and was reading a report, then lowered the creatures in front of her face and they started to flap again.

Lin threw the papers off her lap in surprise then fell off her makeshift lounge. "Kya!"

The waterbender stopped laughing when her wife started to chase her. Dropping the creatures, Kya ran over to Kuvira and held her up like a shield. "You wouldn't hurt our daughter, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't." Lin used the sand and wrapped it around Kuvira's tanned legs, pulling her out of Kya's hands, then slammed her foot, launching her wife into the sea. "Leet that serve as a warning to you Kuvira, never sneak up on me." She picked up Kuvira and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

Kya, still grinning ear to ear, made it back to shore and wrapped her wet arms around Lin's body, much to her chagrin. "Spirits! You're cold!"

"Well let's start that campfire and cook dinner." She gave Lin a soft kiss on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you."

Kya was brought back to her senses when a wave crashed over her body, submerging her under the water. She had hardly resurfaced when she was forced underneath again. She opened her eyes and saw a yellow orb on the sea floor. Surfacing once more, she took a large breath then duck-swan dived under the water and swam towards the mysterious object. She reached the sea floor and the sea currents kept her in place, on her stomach, starring at this bright yellow light. She tentatively reached out to touch it but it shot off into the open ocean.

Lungs starting to burn again, she propelled herself to the beach and got dressed, then ran towards the campsite where Shaw was just beginning to wake up. "Have a good swim?"

"Yeah, those waves are crazy."

Shaw looked past her and out to the ocean where the water was calm. "Are you sure you haven't still got lillyweed in your system?"

Kya looked back out to the calm ocean and her brow furrowed. "Maybe?"

Lin woke at her usual six in the morning. Everything was still quiet in her home, save for the soft breaths coming from the boy who was still snuggled into her side. She ran a gentle finger over the bare arm that had the burn marks and sighed. Pushing herself from her bed, she got dressed in her training gear and went outside to her backyard. The sun was still hidden but she didn't mind.

Lin would be lying if she said that her accident a few months ago didn't have a lasting impact on her life, as she took great care to stretch her back. The skin was still a tad flaky but that was mainly due to her not being able to reach with the moisturiser.

The warmth of her breath mixed with the cold air and her sinuses burned when she started her body weighted exercises. It wasn't long until she was sweating but this only made her push harder until her legs buckled. Rolling over to stare at the rising sun, she couldn't help but wonder if her wife was staring at the same sun rise.

Kya glared at the rising sun, now regretting her decision to offer Lin help with training. "What happened to my smiling waterbender?"

"She's still in bed where she's dreaming of koala-sheep."

Lin stretched her hands over her head.

Seeing the opportunity, Kya wrapped her arms around her waist and buried her face into the nape of Lin's neck, inhaling her earthy scent. "Let's just go back to bed. Toph and Su aren't up yet, we could enjoy some time alone." Kya gently bit Lin's neck, sending a chill down her spine. Her hand started to dance across Lin's abdomen, working the clothing up until her hand was drawing imaginary lines across each muscle of a well-toned stomach. "We could have a shower if you want, together."

Lin leaned back into the embrace. "I can't, I need to train."

"Come on. You've been training so hard these past few months, you should take it easy."

Lin shook her head and abruptly pulled away. "I need this. I need to train hard."

Kya put her hands on her hips. "Lin, we barely spend any time together. Any free time you have is spent training and I don't understand it. Toph is your instructor, she already knows your capabilities."

"I need to prove to myself that everything I work for, isn't because of nepotism. If I keep proving to my classmates that I'm the best, it's worth it."

"Is it worth our relationship?" Kya scoffed, turning to the door.

"Shit, spirits, no Kya." Lin lunged forward, grabbing Kya's hand. "That's not what I meant. I- I want to climb the ranks as fast as I can."

"Why, why is this so important to you? And don't say it's to make your mum proud, we both know that Toph couldn't care less."

"I'm doing this for us."

"Why?"

"I want to buy us our own place. At the moment, I'd be lucky to rent a small studio, I want us to get our own place where we won't have the judgement of our families. With you doing more probono work, I feel like I need to try harder because I want you to keep enjoying what you do."

"Lin," Kya took her girlfriend's face into her hands, "this is an equal relationship. If we buy an apartment, it will be a shared purchase." Kya could see how much pressure Lin put on herself to provide for her, but Kya didn't want that and this wasn't the first time the topic of money had come up. "Let me join the force as a medic. Your mother has asked me on multiple occasions."

"Bu-"

"No buts. You support me in doing this, and I'll support you."

That moment had seemed like such a long time ago. Lin looked to the home she currently resided in, purchased after their first year of marriage with the money her grandparents had left her. Kya wanted to put in her share but Lin had argued that it was both of their money and Kya relented, it would at least mean she could go back to doing more probono work.

Lin stood and entered the kitchen to get a glass of water but noticed one of the cupboards was open. She peered around the door to find Bolin gnawing on a sealed bag of her favourite jerky. Lin sighed and picked the slender child up. Pulling the bag from his weak grip, she placed it back in the cupboard and shut the door. "Kid, come get me next time you want food and I'll make you something."

Bolin's stomach grumbled.

Lin placed him on the countertop. "Would you like to help me make breakfast?"

He gave her an excited nod.

She took out a bowl and wooden spoon then gave it to him. She added in flour, an egg, some milk, a little bit of sugar and salt while Bolin stirred, though a bit of flour did end up on his cheek. It reminded her of when Kuvira use to help her cook. "How about some chocolate chips?"

Bolin watched on as chocolate was added to the batter.

She gave him a few and he plopped them into his mouth and she did the same. The batter was poured into a hot cast iron pan and soon, she was joined by two more children. "If you want breakfast, set the table please."

Mako took instructions from Kuvira as to where the cups were and put one on the table for each person, followed by lychee juice from the ice box and condiments for their pancakes. Lin finished cooking the batter and placed all the pancakes on a single plate allowing people to grab what they felt like they could eat.

Lin helped Bolin cut his meal when he gave up and started to use his hands. "Spirits kid, someone has to teach you some life skills."

He did manage to shovel the food into his mouth, however.

"What are we doing today?" Kuvira asked between bites.

"You're going to the Satos and then Tenzin will be coming over to watch you three."

"What about them?"

Lin looked to the boys. "They're coming with me for a check-up."

Yasuko sat at a small table in her daughter's room, a fancy hat on her head and an impeccably tiny cup of tea in her hand. She watched on in amusement as Asami 'styled' her friend. "This bag really acc- axce- accessorises your shoes."

The shoes, which were from Yasuko's closet were way too large but so was everything else. "Thank you, Lady Sato." Kuvira said, bowing to Asami.

Asami curtsied "You're welcome, Lady Beifong. Have a seat, tell me about your life."

Yasuko couldn't help but giggle at how quickly the girls went from one magical world, to another. One minute, they were playing cowgirls, then race drivers, then tea party and dress up and now they were two gossiping ladies of high society. "I have two brothers!"

Out the window went Asami's posh attitude and now it was replaced with genuine excitement. "What?!"

Kuvira had the largest of grins on her face at finally having someone excited for her. Her mother was less than impressed but she could always count on her best friend.

"Kuvira," Yasuko felt the need to step in, not wanting the girls to get their hopes up too much. "They're not your brothers. Lin is just providing them with a home for now."

"No! They're staying forever!"

Yasuko placed a soothing hand on the pouting girl's back. "I'm sorry Kuvira, I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that adoption is very difficult."

"But I'm adopted."

"You're right." Yasuko knew that this was probably a conversation that Lin and Kya should be having with their daughter, but knowing that Kya, the level headed patient one in the relationship, was gone, all Kuvira had left was the parent who put up walls when the topic of Kuvira's adoption was brought up, as it brought back bad memories. "But even to adopt you, your parents had to jump through a lot of hoops and it nearly destroyed their relationship."

"Why?"

"Well, the city didn't want them to have you. They wanted a baby for years and it was only thanks to your aunt Su that they had you, they were very lucky. Don't get angry at your parents if Mako and Bolin don't stay forever, because at the end of the day, it's not their choice, it's the city's."

Kuvira frowned. "The city is stupid."

"Yeah! The city it stupid!" Asami agreed.

"I should be telling you both off, but the city can be stupid."

Lin walked into the doctor's office and placed Bolin onto the bed, followed by Mako who failed in his attempt to jump high enough. "I need you to make a copy of the report for me."

"Not a problem." The young female doctor said as she placed her stethoscope to Bolin's chest. She was new to the clinic, a paediatrics doctor with brown shoulder length hair that had a side fringe, green eyes, and was a good foot shorter than Lin. What threw people off about the doctor was the deep voice that she spoke with. "So chief, how did you come across these fine young men?"

Lin shrugged. "They found me more, or less."

The doctor checked their reflexes and their temperature, then came the unpleasant task of assessing their bodies.

Both boys shivered in their underwear and the doctor frowned when she saw the makeshift shoes on Bolin's feet. "What's this?"

The meteorite flowed through the air and found its purchase in Lin's hands, forming a ball. "Sorry, I didn't have shoes in his size, I had to improvise."

"Something is better than nothing, though I would suggest investing in a proper pair of shoes." The doctor started with Bolin, taking into account the cigarette burns, his scrapes and bruises, followed by his weight and height.

The doctor pulled Lin aside so she was out of earshot of the boys. "I can't release them without knowing the story of the burns and I know you had nothing to do with it, but law dictates that you wait outside."

"Bolin doesn't talk much."

"That's okay. I have some tricks up my sleeve."

Lin looked to the boys. "I'll be right outside."

Once the door was closed, the doctor put a puppet in the design of a badgermole onto her hand and held a lolly in her other. Mako thought it was stupid but his little brother was enthralled with the sock puppet. Mako had to hand it to the doctor though, she was great at voices.

"Hi, I'm Poc, the puppet doc! I'm looking for a boy to give a lolly to, do you know any boys that want a lolly?"

Mako crossed his arms over his chest, not wanting to lose any of his tough guy attitude, however, Bolin was waving to the point he might fall off the bed.

"Aww, I can't hear any boys, I'm blind."

The doctor looked to the puppet. "I can't hear anyone either Poc. Do you think if we use more lollies the boys might say something?"

"What a great idea!"

The doctor grabbed another Lolly. "Maybe the little boy might want the lollies now." The puppet got close to Bolin's face. "Do you want a sweet?"

"Yes p'ease!"

The doctor smiled at getting Bolin to finally talk. Then waved the other lolly in front of Mako. "Do you know any tough men that want a treat?"

Mako couldn't help himself, he wanted the damn piece of teeth rotting sugar. "I'm tough."

"Spirits, I think you are." She gave him the lolly.

The doctor ran the puppet covered hand over Bolin's arm. "You must have been really tough when this happened."

"I think you're right doctor Poc." Bolin shrunk away from the contact. "Doctor Poc and I, we have a secret power. We have a way to make sure this never happens to you boys again. All you need to do is answer doctor Poc's questions. But I need voices."

"Okay." Both boys whispered.

"Did Chief Beifong cause these burns?"

"No." Bolin said.

Mako was worried where the questions would lead.

"That's good. How did they happen?"

Mako looked away and rubbed his arm nervously. This grabbed the doctor's attention. "Mako, everything you say in here is confidential. Do you know what that means?"

"You can't tell anyone?"

"That's right." The puppet said. "Or she will go to jail."

"Really?"

"Mhm." The doctor now spoke. "If you tell me who caused the burns on Bolin's arms, I can let you go back to Lin."

"I can't say. Snitches get stitches. Why are you asking this?" Mako queried, confused.

"Chief Beifong is acting as your temporary guardian and in cases like yours, we need to make sure that we aren't giving you to a person that has already hurt you."

"Oh."

"Yeah. If you can tell me enough, so that I know I'm not giving you to someone who will hurt you again, that's all I need."

Mako finally relented. "A triad member did it when I didn't get back in time."

"Okay. I won't tell Lin, but you can trust her. Chief Beifong would do anything to protect people."

"Yeah."

"She's nice!" Bolin shouted. "She maded pancakes!"

The doctor couldn't help but smirk at the young boy's admission. She always thought the Chief of police had a steel heart like the papers claimed, but seeing the youngest child praise her, it was quickly changing her perception of the officer.

"Were they yummy?" The puppet asked.

"Yeah! She let me help. I wan' them 'gain."

"Well I'm sure she would be happy to make them again for you."

Satisfied with her inquiry, she opened the door to let the officer back into the office. "I can't find any medical records for a Bolin or Mako so I would recommend having them vaccinated."

"Go for it."

The boys watched on in horror as syringes and viles were pulled from a cabinet. "You two will feel a slight prick, but nothing more."

The doctor continued to speak to Lin as she administered the medicine. "They need to gain weight, both of them. Their scrapes are not out of the ordinary for two boys living on the streets but Bolin's burns will scar."

"Figured."

"Are you planning on adopting them?"

Lin looked at the boys who had wide eyes. "I, uh, I haven't really-"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that."

"It's fine." Lin put her coat back on, covering her uniform and helped the boys get dressed back into the green garbs that reminded her of Zaofu. "Thank you, doctor."

The boys gave her a nod and followed Lin out of the clinic, still sucking on their hard treats.

Lin stopped when they walked past a shoe store, then looked down to Bolin's feet. Now is as good a time as any.

Bolin was giddy as he held onto Lin's hand and jumped around in his new brown leather shoes. While Mako didn't show the same level of enjoyment, Lin did catch him looking down at his new shoes every now and then.

"Do you like them Mako?"

"They're alright. I've never had a new pair before."

"Oh?"

"We shopped second hand."

"Nothing wrong with that, shoes are shoes."

Lin felt herself being stopped by Bolin, who had his face pressed up against a pet store window.

"Look! Guinea-rabbits!"

Huh, the kid does talk.

Lin had a scowl set in place as she listened to Bolin waffle on about all the animals he wanted. Spirits, she already missed the shy kid that rarely spoke, what was worse was that he now had Kuvira asking her for a pet and no way was she allowing a creature that only ate, pooped and slept to sponge off of her. "Kuvira, no means no. You can play with the creatures on Air Temple Island if you're desperate to pat something."

Kuvira pouted and clenched her fists.

"It's your turn Kuvira." Mako gestured to the pai sho board.

"I don't wanna play anymore."

Lin finished locking her boots into place then filled up one of her pouches with jerky from the kitchen just as a knock sounded on the front door. "Kuvira, let your uncle in."

"'Kay." Kuvira bounded over to the entry way and yanked the door open. Tenzin was standing with a large grin and a staff in hand. "Uncle Tenzin!"

Tenzin picked her up and gave her a hug. There was something different about the hugs from the father figures in her life compared to her mother's. Her uncle's hugs were always tight, warm and made her feel safe, whereas her mother's hugs were more comforting and loving. It was an interesting difference and Kuvira loved the differences in affection.

"Hello Kuvira. How are you?"

"Chief won't let me get a pet?"

"Uhh-"

"Ignore her Tenzin." Lin appeared from the kitchen, putting her utility belt into place. "Thanks for doing this."

"Of course, any time." Tenzin looked into the loungeroom where two boys eyed him cautiously. "Um, Hello?"

"Tenzin, that's Mako on the left and Bolin on the right. They're staying with me until a spot in the orphanage opens up."

"Since when?"

"Yesterday. Don't think too much about it. There is food in the oven so help yourselves." And with that, the Chief of police left, leaving her confused brother in law to look after three children on his own.

"Does anyone have a button?" Tenzin asked, suddenly feeling intimidated by children not even four foot tall. "No? Okay."

Lin removed her armour and collapsed onto one of the couches in her office and sighed. It was her first field mission back since her accident and the adrenaline was still flowing through her body. She felt more alive than ever but the effects were wearing off and she was starting to feel herself dozing when the door opened quietly.

"Oh, whoops, hold on." Sayo turned and knocked on the now closed door. "I forgot how much you enjoy people knocking on shit."

Lin kept her eyes shut. "Sayo, don't you have a report to write up?"

"Not until forensics sift through the Triple Threats hideout." Sayo sat on the couch next to Lin and nudged her with her thigh. "It was good to have you back out there tonight. As much as we enjoyed having Toph around, she never really needed our help."

"I don't want to hear about my mother right now. That operation was a mess."

"I thought it went great."

"Sayo, one of your officers sneezed fire onto the triad's ledger book. We'd be lucky to get at least half of the names."

"We've all been there, cut the kid some slack."

Lin glared at her second in command. She sat up and a surprising hiss snuck past her lips, confusing them both.

"You okay?"

Lin touched the length of her pants until she felt something wet come into contact with her hand. "I'm hurt?"

"Number one detective right here ladies and gentlemen."

Lin investigated the area a little bit more and found a hole in her pants. "Damnit."

"Trip to the hospital for you."

"I don't need a hospital. I've had enough of hospitals to last me a lifetime. I'll patch it myself."

Sayo shook her head. "At least let me help you."

Lin relented, remembering how persistent Sayo could be when she wanted. "Fine."

"Great, drop 'em Chief."

Lin did as directed, while Sayo grabbed the medical kit she kept in her bottom drawer, curtesy of Kya. "First mission back and this happens."

"Do you know how it occurred?"

"I think an earthbender. I thought I deflected an earth projectile off my uniform but I didn't track where It went." Lin managed to take off her boots and pants, leaving her in white undies and her tank top. She waited for Sayo to sit on the couch before propping her injured limb onto Say's lap, displaying the cut on the top of her right quad. "It doesn't look deep."

"It isn't." Sayo dabbed a cotton swab with disinfectant and pressed it firmly to the cut that was two inches long, one inch wide but only a few millimetres deep. "You don't need stiches which is something at least."

Lin let her head loll back onto the arm rest and closed her eyes, not at all minding the contact of a fellow adult, something she hadn't had in over a month.

Sayo allowed her cold fingers, chilled from their mission in the autumn night air, to linger on Lin's smooth thigh. She took her time wiping away the debris, until she knew she was flirting in creepy perv territory and dressed it with a bandage. "I don't know why you didn't just have Kya heal it."

"Kya is off travelling. We're sort of on a break."

"What?!"

Sayo pulled the police vehicle over when she arrived outside Lin's house. "So she's travelling to find herself?" Sayo's eyes darted around in their sockets for a few moments then her face screwed up. "That's stupid!"

"Mm." Lin looked out to her home where the occupants were most likely still asleep, given it was only two in the morning.

"And you just let her go?"

"Kya sacrificed a lot for me in the early years of our relationship. I knew this was coming I just wasn't prepared for her to tell me we're taking a break."

"A break?"

"We're still married and I trust her. I think she just said it to give me permission to leave the relationship, instead of it being her decision."

"But you don't know if she's screwing her way through the Earth Kingdom?"

Lin closed her eyes, keeping her head turned from her friend. "Kya wouldn't do that."

"But how do you know for sure? She could be gone for years and you two are just going to not give into your urges?"

"Sayo."

"I mean, If I were you, I would have told her how I truly felt. I would have told her that I needed her to stay. That she vowed to be with me through thick and thin."

"Sayo."

"And yet you say you're okay with it, that she gave up a lot for you? Pfft. I doubt that."

"Sayo!"

The officer stopped talking to look at the hardened woman she had known for years, to see that her eyes were filled with sorrow. "Sorry."

"Look, Kya did give up a lot for me and there is shit I did that would have sent anyone packing. I'm lucky she stayed for as long as she did." Lin sighed.

"What did you do?" Sayo asked. "From what you've told me in the past, it's always been Kya with the issues."

"In the beginning, it was me. She wanted to wait until we were a few months into our relationship before we told her parents, but when she told me how fearful she was, I may have fed her my own fears. I was bullied in school about never dating anyone and I was afraid of the backlash I would get if kids at school knew I was dating someone of the same sex. I've seen what they did to other kids they thought were different and I told Kya. I thought her parents would treat us the same way. When I was finally secure in our relationship and finished school, she started to fear telling her parents and it had a negative impact on her relationship with Katara. I feel like I hurt them both."

"Lin, you can't blame that on yourself."

"Then she wanted to travel when I made it into the force and I would always say no. We managed to go away on weekends but that's as good as it got. I kept her here after promising I would never hold her back."

"Li-"

"And then when we started trying to adopt, I did something horrible."

This admission piqued Sayo's interest. "What did you do?"

Lin closed her eyes, not wanting to see Sayo's reaction. "We had been trying to adopt for a year at this point and I was genuinely happy we hadn't succeeded. Kya and I were still happy, I was secure in my career and so was she. Then I had a call at my office from an orphanage saying they had found me and Kya a baby… I, I said no. I didn't want something to come in and change the life I had created for us."

"Did you ever tell Kya?"

"I was going to when I went home that night, but I found her crying in the bottom of our shower. I had never seen her so upset and I didn't want her to be more upset with me. I tried to call the orphanage the next day but it was too late. I didn't realise adoption would be that hard and that it would be a couple more years until we got Kuvira. I thought it would be easy, given mine and Kya's credentials."

"So, you let her travel, because you still feel guilty?"

"She's been so sad over these past few years and I was blind to it. I thought when we got Kuvira, everything was fine, but after the shit that happened in the South, I realised it was just a façade. She needs this. I just want her to be happy and if it means that she and I break up, it's worth her happiness."

"What about your happiness?"

"What about it?"

Sayo reached a hand out to cup Lin's cheek, now or never, then leaned forward and sealed their lips together. When she felt fingers entwine into her hair, Sayo allowed her body to relax and smiled into the kiss. Taking it that one step further, she kept their lips connected and swung her leg over the centre console so she was now straddling her superior officer.

They broke apart for a quick breath then resumed kissing. Sayo was surprised by how gentle Lin was, as though she wasn't sure but the thought went out the window when she felt the buttons of her uniform come undone and a steel vambrace glide across her ribs as fingers clutched onto her back.

Sayo, feeling more confident in herself, reached for the Chief of Police's waist band, but just as her fingers made it into lace underwear, a wrist stilled her movements, making her quickly fling herself back into the driver's seat. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, I-"

"Sayo, it's fine." Lin touched the ring on her finger. "I should have said something. I'm sorry."

Sayo looked out her driver's side window so that she could recompose herself and will the tears of rejection not to fall. "Can we just forget that this happened?"

"I- yeah, okay. This never happened. Good night, Captain."

"Goodnight, Chief."

"Sayo," Lin leaned over to talk to the woman through the car window, "thanks for tonight."

"Don't know what you should be thankful for." Sayo shook her head in dismay. "I'll see you at work tomorrow."

With two taps on the roof, the car pulled out onto the street and drove away, allowing Lin to enter her home. She walked into her home office, sat in the old leather high back chair, unlocked her bottom desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of alcohol and a file. The file contained numerous articles about her exploits throughout the years. It was something that Kya had started when Lin had first appeared in the papers.

"Aww, rookie cop Lin Beifong rescues cat from tree." A photo of a cat clutching onto Lin's arm for dear life was splashed across the page.

Lin threw her work shirt into the laundry hamper then collapsed into a kitchen chair. "Burn it."

"No way! I want to remember this moment forever." Kya pulled out a pair of scissors and cut out the article. "I want to remember everything my girlfriend does for the city."

When Kya realised that Lin wasn't paying attention to her, she went behind the officer and let her fingers dig themselves into tension plagued muscle. "You okay Love?"

"I just, I want to do my job without people commenting on it. It's a job, I'm paid to serve, why is it newsworthy?"

"Because, it shines a light onto the work you guys do. It's not all about violence and slapping cuffs onto people."

"Humph."

"Great retort Chief Beifong."

"I'm nowhere near being Chief. I've only been on the force for a couple of weeks."

"No, but it won't be long." Kya leaned down so her breath was on Lin's ear. "And you can't tell me it's not a turn on."

Lin flicked her wrist at the phonograph in the loungeroom and soft music began to play. Lin stood and placed a confident hand on her girlfriend's waist, pulling her close to her body. In turn, Kya placed a hand on her shoulder and their free hands were brought together.

"What makes you think I'll be chosen as Chief above everyone else?"

Kya looked down into glistening emerald eyes and hoped that her own conveyed the same level of emotion and truth that Lin's often expressed. "You, Lin Beifong have something that all those people will never have and that's an extreme level of selflessness."

"Hm?"

"I know that you would sacrifice anything to make someone feel that little bit better even if it puts you at a loss, or it makes you feel like shit. You would sacrifice your own comfort, or your own happiness to make sure that other person was okay and safe. I don't know many other officers who would give the lunch their loving girlfriends made them, to a homeless person on the street."

Lin stopped them from swaying to the music. "You saw that?"

"I was coming out of the clinic and thought I would give you a few extra minutes. It was very selfless of you, and that's all that is needed by an officer, compassion." Kya resumed their dancing. "I know when you were growing up you found it hard to give into what you were truly feeling, but you've really grown up over the past few years and it's been amazing to see you become so patient with others. With me."

"Because I love you."

"And I love you."

Lin's eyes opened at remembering the ghost like contact re-live itself on her skin. The bottle, which was once two thirds full, was nearing empty. She reached for her phone and dialled a number.

Su was awake in her library enjoying a cup of tea with her mother discussing the new rail line when the phone rang. "Suyin Beifong."

"Su, It's Lin?"

"Lin," Su looked to the clocks that displayed different countries time frames, "It's only two thirty in the morning in RC, what are you doing up so late?" Su heard a muffled sniffle. "Hey, hey, are you okay?"

"Can I talk to mum?"

"Yeah," Su looked to her mother, "she's here with me."

Toph's face remained neutral as the receiver was put into her hand. "What's up Badgermole?"

"Chief, did I fuck up?"

"Yeah, most likely." Toph tried to fend off the fists that Suyin was trying to hit her with, who was listening in on the conversation. "Spirits Lin? Have you been drinking?"

"Umm." It wasn't a no.

"Lin, what's going on?"

"I don't know anymore."

"Look kid, I'm probably the worst Beifong to talk to since I quit drinking, you should probably talk to Su." When there were no words of protest, Toph passed the phone back to her youngest daughter.

"Lin, I'm here, what's wrong?"

"I fucked up."

"How?"

"If I just said yes all those years ago, Kya would still be here."

"Say yes to what?" Suyin was pacing around the room, as much as the line would allow, until she felt the need to repeat herself. "Lin, say yes to what? Talk to me, please."

"If I said yes all those years ago when that orphanage called."

It took Suyin a while until she could piece it all together. "Oh Lin, you didn't, did you?"

Another sniffle.

"Lin, why are you thinking about this now?"

Lin took a deep breath, trying to reign in her emotions as much as she could. "I, I just had a rough night. Or week, I don't know anymore."

"Lin, listen to me. Dwelling on the past won't fix things now, no matter how much we want it to. What happened this week to make you think about this?"

"I have two boys living with me, and I don't know, seeing them with Kuvira, even though it's just been a couple of days and I'm wondering if the universe is giving me a second chance to fix my mistake."

"You're wondering if this could have been the family you and Kya could have had together, aren't you?"

"…Maybe."

"Lin, Kya will come back one day. She isn't dead, she just needs a break after everything that has happened and you can't blame her for that." Suyin took a deep breath. "I was going to leave my family after what happened too."

"Why?"

"I suppose it's because shit like this always happens to our family, death," Su looked to her mother who was happily listening to them, "secrets, the endless hospital visits, we never get enough time to recover. Our family will always be there for whatever the world throws at us, it's our penance for being who we are and I wanted to get away. I was going to leave Baatar Senior with our five kids and run off to spirits knows where but after I saw what the effect of Kya leaving you did, I knew I had to stay. But if she didn't go, I would have."

"What should I do?"

"Well, talk to me about these two boys. I want to know what my big sister has gotten herself into."

Lin was grateful that she could talk to someone about these boys, knowing that if she told anyone in Republic City, they would be harping on her to do it. "Mako is the eldest, he's Junior's age. I've never met someone who could be so dumb but intelligent at the same time."

Suyin giggled. "Yeah?"

"Well, you could probably give him a run for his money."

"I have no doubts."

"Then there is Bolin who just turned four. I thought this kid was quiet but he can't shut up. I will admit though, he is a cute kid and he could probably eat uncle Sokka and mum under the table."

Su spent the next half hour happily listening to her sister waffle on about the three kids that were in her care until she had nothing left to say. "Feel better now?"

"Yeah, thanks Su."

"Honestly, anytime. I know parenting on your own can't be easy but you're doing a great job and you shouldn't let your work life impede on your private life. If stuff has you down, think about Kuvira and whatever school event is coming up. You'll be fine. We're Beifongs, we can do anything we put our minds too."

"Thanks Su. I, I uh-"

"I know, I love you too. Now get some sleep. I'll check in on you tomorrow" Su hung up the phone and ran a hand through her hair. "Did you know she said no to an orphanage?"

"Had no idea. I thought it was weird that for three years they weren't given a chance. I'm going away for a couple of weeks."

Su's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. "What?"

"I just have to do something. Don't worry about me kiddo. Greatest earthbender around, remember?