alrighty, everything is tying together... somehow. one more chapter then reunion time bithces! i hope you enjoy this chapter, i had fun putting it together. thank you for the reviews, if you reviewed as a gust, you can find your response in the chapter your left the review.
have fun!
Chapter Text
Lin was slowly helped into a sitting position by Katara who kept a cool hand on her lower back. "Easy, you've just gone through a lot."
Lin felt herself hyperventilating. Her hands were clammy and her shirt was soaked in sweat. Standing on unsteady legs, Lin felt her world spin. "I'm, I'm too hot." Lin peeled of her sweaty top and threw it to the floor but the action made her even more disorientated. "Fuck. Wha- what did you do to me?"
"Lin, relax, deep breaths." Watching Lin's legs finally buckle, Katara rushed forward and wrapped an arm around her waist and lowered her down onto the ground. "That's it, breath, in, out. Good."
Lin, soon gaining composure, realised her state of undress, which didn't go unnoticed by Katara.
"It's nothing I haven't seen before."
"I would still prefer a shirt." Lin looked to the phone dangling off the hook. "Is someone on the phone?"
"Kya. Do you want to talk to her?"
Lin took the receiver.
"Okay, I'll go get you a clean shirt."
"There's some clean washing in the laundry. Thanks, Katara." Lin took a deep breath and placed the phone to her ear. "Kya?"
"Uh, yeah. Hi. Mum told me what happened and I heard some of it. Sounds like a heck of an experience."
"You're telling me." A few seconds of silence passed between the two.
"Why is my mother with you?"
"She's here for when Pema gives birth. She's pregnant, in case you didn't hear."
"Yeah, she told me before I left. Is mum staying with you?"
"She is, it's just so I can teach Korra earthbending. Kuvira is enjoying the extra company."
"How did Kuvira handle me leaving?"
"How the fuck do you think she reacted Kya?" Lin sighed as she ran a hand through her sweat sodden hair. "Spirits, she was only five. It was hard enough for her to rationalise you leaving for the South for a few months, but she thought that when you came back, you were back for good, then she wakes up the next morning to find you gone again, she's hurt. I understand why you left, but Kuvira? If you ever come back, you have a lot of work to put in."
"I know, I know. Did Kuvira get her birthday gift?"
"I couldn't bring myself to give it to her. It would only remind her that you're gone."
"Did you tell her what sort of state I was in before I left?" Kya asked, hoping that her daughter had some inkling as to why she left.
"You want me to explain depression to a child? That's a conversation for when she's older. Are you getting over it?"
"Getting over depression? It's not exactly something someone just 'gets over'. I've found a few coping mechanisms and I've had a few experiences that have helped."
Lin's fist clenched the phone. "What kind of experiences?"
"Well there was this one night out in the dessert where an orgy was happening, the male to women ratio was fantastic and~ I'm kidding Lin. Spiritual experiences. What about you, have you had any…'experiences' since I've been gone?"
Lin thought back to the moment she shared with Sayo in her car. While she wasn't the one to initiate it, she didn't stop it straight away either.
"I see."
"It's not at all what you think. I didn't have sex with someone else if that's what you're wondering."
"But something did happen?"
"Kya, I don't know what you want from me. You're the one that left all attachments to me behind, telling me that we're on a break without defining the parameters, and you mean to tell me you have done nothing since leaving Republic City? That you haven't come across someone where they provided some level of human contact?"
"You're right, I don't have a leg to stand on."
"I'm lonely Kya. I'm not afraid to admit that. Yeah, my home, our home is full at the moment, but our bed is empty and cold and unless I have a small human in bed next to me, my sleep is constantly interrupted by nightmares. I am tired and there are lapses in judgement that I'm not proud of, but I'm only human, I make mistakes.
"Lin, I understand how lonely you are. I have had times during my travel where I don't come across another human for months and if it's too wet for me to get a fire started, that's when I think of you. I will never hold anything that happens in Republic City against you. You have had me next to you since you were sixteen, it's hard to go to sleeping alone and you're right, I didn't define our break."
"And I take it you're not going to define it now?"
"I don't see the point of putting restrictions on something you and I have clearly taken advantage of. But I do want to add, I haven't had sex either."
A few seconds passed before Lin spoke. "Kya."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for being there for me."
"What are you on about? I'm hundreds of kilometres away."
"I meant for the past. I always thought of myself as the city's guardian but I guess you're the guardian who guards the guardian." Lin could hear her wife's chuckle down the line. "Spirits, I've missed that sound."
"You and me both."
"How have you been Kya, genuinely?"
"I no longer cry at the bottom of the shower if that's what you're asking. I have moments where I wish I were never born, that life would be easier, more people would be alive. The memories of the South are lessening but they're still there. Not a day goes past when I don't see that man, that boy's face."
"I'm glad you're getting better. I know there are going to be moments when I wish you were with me, like now, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that you're sad. Like I said years ago, seeing you happy, makes me happy and all I want in life is for you to be happy." Lin let out a large yawn.
"I think you should sleep. If you went through a metamorphosis, which is what I'm suspecting, you're going to want to get some rest."
"Always the doctor."
"Always the officer. Night."
"Yeah." Lin frowned as she hung up the phone.
"Here's your shirt Lin." Katara stated, re-entering the loungeroom.
Lin took the garment and clutched it in her hand. "Sorry, I'm just really hot."
Katara felt Lin's forehead. "You're burning up." Coating her hand in ice, Katara placed it to the nape of Lin's neck.
"Sprits, that's better."
"What did you see?"
"Memories from my youth."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"To be honest, no. I've had enough of the past, I'd rather focus on the future." Lin was aware that her mouth was unusually fry. "I'm so thirsty."
Katara passed her the water bladder attached to her hip "Just take some time to re-orientate yourself."
The officer poured the water down her throat quickly, any excess ran over the corner of her mouth and down her chest. "How long was I out?" Lin asked, passing the empty bladder back to Katara.
"A little over an hour."
"Kya thinks I went through a metamorphosis."
"Zuko went through the same thing when he was deciding what side to fight for. Are you sure you don't want to talk? It can be a tough thing to go through."
"My metamorphosis isn't what you want to talk about. You can't tell me that you didn't hear anything from the laundry."
Katara eyed the bender wearily, weighing up her words carefully. "I think, given your situation, you're making a lot of tough calls. I can't say if they're the right ones, having only heard one half of the conversation and trying to fill the gaps in for myself. What you're doing with Kuvira, it seems like the right call, especially if she's having a strong aversion to Kya, and it's good to hear that Kya is getting back to normal."
"That's it?"
"What do you mean?"
Lin's head lolled to the side. "You want to tell me you have no opinion?"
"Of course I have one, I'm just trying to be a bit more reserved in sharing it."
"I understand." Lin shook her head. "Spirits, I'm tired."
"That would be the tea." Katara helped Lin onto the couch. "I'll be right here when you wake up."
Choosing to lie on her stomach, Lin let her shirt fall to the floor and closed her eyes.
Katara sat on the edge of the couch so she could continue to hold the makeshift cold compress to Lin's neck. Her eyes drifted down to the bender's scared back, which was now a bright pink. It had amazed her that so much damaged had come from one group. Mental, physical and personal.
I'm so sorry Lin, we made this city thinking that it would be a safe place for families to raise their children but we failed in our promise to protect our own kids. Katara pressed her free hand to Lin's forehead to check her temperature again. Finding that she had cooled down, she put the water into a nearby pot plant then sat in the armchair and watched intently as the woman she helped raise, entered a fitful sleep.
Her fingers twitched slightly, her toes would curl then release, her head would snap from one side to the other and the sweat that formed on her brow made it look like she had just stepped out of the shower. It broke Katara's heart.
"Gran-gran."
Katara jolted awake, her granddaughter and Korra were standing in front of her. "Oh, Kuvira, morning sweety."
"Mum won't wake up."
Katara looked over to the couch. "Lin?" Silence. Mako and Bolin moved out of Katara's way when she reached a hand out to the coronary artery running along the length of Lin's neck. "She's fine. She's just extremely tired."
"Is she going to be okay?" Mako asked, concern written on his face.
"She'll be fine. We stayed up all night talking, that's all. Why don't you kids wait for me in the kitchen and I'll make breakfast."
Korra, Mako and Kuvira eyed the older woman sceptically while Bolin ran for the kitchen after hearing the mention of breakfast.
"Go on, I'll be there soon."
The three children left slowly, still unconvinced the Chief was okay.
"She looked dead, right? It's not just me." Mako asked, taking a seat at the table.
"The Chief wouldn't die." Kuvira narrowed her eyes at her brother. "But she's never slept in either."
"Maybe she's just old?" Korra supplied like it was no big deal.
Mako looked to Kuvira. "How old is she?"
"Thirty-five?"
"Yeah, that's old."
Bolin climbed up on a chair with a block of cheese and bit into it, grossing everyone out.
"Bolin! Don't eat that." Kuvira exclaimed, trying to grab the food from him.
"What's he eating?"
The four children turned their heads to find a man with unruly hair standing in the entrance of the kitchen. Bolin, Mako and Korra were confused as to who this man was but relaxed when Kuvira ran up to him.
"Uncle Bumi!"
"Heya kiddo!" Bumi picked her up and threw her into the air. "How's my favourite Beifong doing? Don't tell your Grandma Toph I said that." He whispered to her. "And who do we have here? Wait wait wait, don't tell me." He pointed to Korra, "Mako."
"No! I'm Korra!"
"I'm Mako." The firebender raised his hand.
"Then the kid getting a healthy dose of dairy must be Bolin. I'm Tenzin's and Kya's big brother Bumi, which makes me your uncle. We are going to have so much fun while I'm stationed in the city."
Katara entered the kitchen. "Hopefully not too much fun. You kids wreaked havoc when you were younger." She pulled out a box of cereal from the top cupboard.
"Us? Never!"
"I'm sure I recall you making Lin so angry, she put a crack in the temple. It's still there by the way. Kids, as soon as you finish breakfast, I want you washed up and dressed for our stay on Air Temple Island."
Bumi joined his mother so they were out of earshot from the children. "Is Lin okay?"
"She'll be fine. She just needs rest."
"I could stay here to make sure? I know with Pema so close to giving birth, you want to be there for her."
"I'd appreciate that. You call me if anything goes wrong."
"Nurse Bumi reporting for duty." He gave her a mock salute.
"You were always my special little helper. Maybe you could take Lin to her room, that couch can't be comfortable."
"I accept my mission with honour." Returning to the loungeroom, he rolled Lin over onto her back. "Woah Beifong, put them away." Bumi chuckled to himself as he took her into his arms. "Somehow, I thought when I carried a half-naked woman to the bedroom like this, I would at least be dating her. Another disappointment."
Finding her bedroom, he laid her down on the bed and covered her with a blanket. "No one can ever say I'm not a gentleman."
"Suyin Beifong speaking."
"Hey Su, it's Kya again."
"Hi, did you call Lin?"
"I did…"
"… And~"
"It went okay, not great, but not overly bad either." Kya sat on the bed in Lin's room, a series of photo albums surrounding her.
"What wasn't great about it?"
"Kuvira is angry at me for starters, which I completely understand, I thought that Lin would try to explain to her a bit more though why I left."
"You can't expect Lin to do all the heavy lifting and it's hard for a child to understand. You have no idea how many arguments I have with my kids when I say ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner isn't happening… even if I think it sounds like a great idea. Kids don't see logic."
"I know, I know. But then there is Lin."
"What about Lin? You're still on okay terms with her, right?"
Kya sighed. "I think she might have found someone else."
"What?!"
"We were just talking and the topic of sex came up, I asked if she had any experiences, and she went silent. She said she didn't have sex, but it makes me wonder what she has done."
"Kya, if Lin says she hasn't had sex, then she hasn't. Lin's a lot of things, but a liar is not one of them. You're worrying over nothing. And Lin has too much on her plate to handle a relationship other than yours. With work, and kids, no parent in their right mind would take on more."
"You're sure?"
"You know Lin better than I do."
"I know, I'm just looking for reassurance. She went through a metamorphosis last night, and I'm just worried it changed her for the worst."
"A metamorphosis?"
"Yeah, it's when there is an inner conflict in the body or mind. It can be a block where the mind doesn't want you to relive something, or if your chi is blocked and the energy isn't circulating properly. Basically, it creates a change in someone."
"Lin is too stubborn to change drastically. Honestly, I think you're worrying over nothing."
"You're right." Kya flopped back onto the bed with a picture of Lin on her graduation day from high school with her grandparents. "Why did you never tell us that Poppy knew of mine and Lin's relationship?"
"Wow, loaded question. Well, we hadn't talked for eight years and I guess when our relationship re-established itself, I completely forgot. How did you find out?"
"I came across your grandmother's journal. She was genuinely happy for us."
"She was. She used to come into my room and ask for stories about you two. I think it made her feel connected to Lin a bit more. They were always close but when it came to love, there was a boundary, you know? I think that has always been a flaw in our family. We're Beifongs, we're tough, we don't have emotions." Su stoically drawled out.
"It took Lin months to tell me she loved me. Getting emotions out of you lot was like pulling teeth."
"What about me?!"
"Su, you were a brat growing up. You were a little ball of sarcastic anger."
"I don't have a comeback for that."
Kya chuckled. "I better get a move on."
"Where are you off to next?"
"Not sure, wherever the universe wants me to go I guess."
"Okay, I love you."
"I love you too Su." Hanging up the phone, Kya put the albums back where she got them, picked up her backpack, and grabbed Poppy's, now wrapped, journal off the counter and walked outside.
"See you later old man."
The groundskeeper didn't look up from his work. "Whatever."
Walking through the open gates, she followed the signs that directed her to the town centre, then to the post office, there, she found a familiar face. "Li Qiang!"
The postal officer threw the last of the mail bags into his kart then plopped down on the edge. "Hey, Ky, right?"
"Kya."
"Sorry, I'm useless with names. What are you doing in Gaoling?"
Kya shrugged. "Just kept walking straight and the universe pointed me here."
"That's one way to travel."
"Can you do me a favour?"
"That depends, can I have another kiss?" The man gave her a toothy grin.
"I'll give you a kiss, if you can deliver this for me."
Li Qiang took the wrapped journal from her and turned it over. "This is the Beifong family seal."
"That's not a problem, is it?"
"No, no. It's just, I haven't seen it used since Lao Beifong was alive. The Beifongs used to do so much for the Earth Kingdom, but these days, all they do is rake in the profits and no one hears anything from them. Everything is run by accountants and lawyers."
Kya's face fell. "Do you want to grab a cup of tea?"
"I uh, yeah, okay."
Finding a teashop, they placed their orders and took a seat. "So, why are you using the Beifong seal to send this?"
Kya looked at the table. "I may, be, a Beifong."
"I'm sorry, but I knew both Lin and Su, you are not a Beifong."
"I'm Lin's wife."
Li Qiang pursed his lips then burst out laughing. "Spirits, that's hilarious."
"It's true!"
"I'm not saying it isn't, but I spent a lot of time around Lin whenever she came to Gaoling. Never thought that lanky girl could land someone like you."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Their tea arrived, along with a few cakes. Li Qiang took a sip of his tea then placed it back down. "I find it funny though."
"Why?"
"Well, now I've dated you both."
"This is not a date."
"Yeah, but when I tell my buddies, it will be."
"So, you and Lin dated?"
"It was just a summer romance when we were fourteen. She was my first kiss."
Kya smirked. "That's adorable."
"Yeah, until her grandfather saw us. I have never once seen that man run and he was fast for an old codger. Something has been nagging me though, if you're Lin's wife, why aren't you wearing your rings?"
"We're on a break." She put her tea down, opting for a slice of cake instead. "Something happened in my life and I'm just trying to revaluate and find who I am without something holding me back."
"How is that going for you?"
"I'm getting there. Now it's my turn to ask my nagging question. Why are you so okay with mine and Lin's marriage? I told the groundskeeper at the Beifong estate and he was less than pleased."
Li Qiang smiled. "When you go from town to town, you tend to develop an open mind. Also, the grounds keeper is my old man. Don't take anything he says too personal. My older brother lives in Republic city and is married to a man. My dad wasn't happy about it, but he still visits them once a year."
"I guess there's a silver lining after all. So, if Poppy and Lao passed away, why is the estate still being kept up?"
"Not too sure. I ask myself that all the time. My dad and other grounds staff still get paid so it's one of two things, an oversight of the books, or the Beifong's have it as a getaway if shit hits the fan. I'm hoping for the later one, otherwise there are people out of the job."
"Given my reason for visiting, I'm guessing the second option too. Now, what did the Beifong's use to do for the Earth Kingdom?"
Lin slowly stirred awake, what she didn't expect to find lying next to her was a shirtless hairy monster. "Bumi!"
"Huh, wha?! I'm awake!"
"What are you doing in my bed?"
Bumi looked at the clock then back at the woman glaring at him. "Well, you said you wanted to go for three from three with Katara's and Aang's kids. I never knew you liked to be so rough Beifong."
A blush crossed her cheeks and she raised the blankets to find that while shirtless, she still had pants on. She put the blanket back down and scowled at him.
"I never said sex, I meant sleep, get your head out of the gutter, also, you kick in your sleep. Nice boobs by the way."
Lin pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes. "This is not happening."
"Relax, I got tired from caring for you and it's hot as Ozai out there, so forgive me for taking my shirt off and sleeping on the bed instead of the floor."
"You're not forgiven. Where are the kids?"
"Air Temple Island with mum. I was going to head over there after you woke up but now it's too late."
"What time is it?"
"Eight in the PM Chief."
Lin got out of bed and walked to the toilet.
"I was thinking delivery for dinner and maybe we can share a few beers." Bumi called out to her.
"General Tso's?!"
"Done." Bumi got off the bed and stretched
"How long are you in Republic City for?" Lin asked, coming back into the room, and going for her dresser drawer.
"A couple of months actually."
Lin pulled a black tank over her head and changed into a pair of shorts. "Good."
The food was delivered in short order, and they were now seated in the loungeroom digging into their meals. "Slow down Beifong, the chicken-duck isn't going to walk off the plate ya know?"
She washed down the contents in her mouth with a beer. "Sorry, it's been over twenty-four hours since I ate last. Is Iroh in the city too?"
"Yeah, he's working the recruitment desk in the marketplace."
"Never thought I'd hear of Fire Nation royalty doing a job like that."
"He's only a kid. He's climbing the ranks but he claims he wants to do every job the army has at least once. He thinks it will make him a better General."
"That's ambitious."
"Why do you care if he's in the city? You two have never exactly been close."
"Mm." Lin took in a few mouthfuls of rice. "You're right, he was closer to Su's age, but I'm looking for a master for Mako."
"You can't teach him?"
"There's no similarities between earth and fire. If Kya were here, she would have better luck, but he needs a firebending master. I can only teach him basics from what I've seen Zuko, Aang and Izumi preform."
"You're worried about that Zolt character."
"You got my last letter?"
"Yeah, just in time too, we were about to set off."
Lin put down an empty container and picked up another. "Zolt isn't afraid to use lightning. We're about to raid the triad he's affiliated with and if he can get a good enough lawyer, he'd be out on the streets in five years, less with good behaviour. I need to make sure my sons can protect themselves."
"Aww, I love protective mama platypus-bear. I'm sure asking couldn't hurt."
"Thanks Bumi."
"What are big brothers for?"
"To make my life a living nightmare?"
Bumi roared with laughter. "I'm going to be staying on Air Temple Island from tomorrow night, are you going to be okay on your own?"
"Yeah, I'm busy organising this operation so I won't have time to look after the kids, which is why they'll be on the island for the next couple weeks. I'll be there in the evenings, if I have the time, to eat, train Kuvira, Bolin and Korra, then back to the station."
"Mum told me you talked to Kya last night. Did you tell her about the boys yet?"
Lin shook her head. "I don't want her to feel pressured to come back to RC. I've told everyone not to tell her under any circumstances. That goes double for you."
"Me?! I am the keeper of secrets."
"Bull-rhino shit, Bumi. As soon as you found out I got my period, you were off telling everyone, after Katara and Kya made you promise you wouldn't."
"You guys should have checked your surroundings. Not my fault I overheard."
"Unbelievable."
The rain pelting down outside echoed in the airship, making it hum like a wasp nest. The operation had been a success. They managed to grab people from the logbook they had recovered a few months ago and caught them red handed using children as pawns, though Lin still wasn't satisfied.
She set her gaze outside the window, while the rest of the squad, still amped up from the adrenaline made tasteless jokes about all the women they would have lining up for them.
"You okay Lin?" Sayo asked, coming to stand slightly behind the officer.
"It's not over yet."
"What are you on about? We managed to stop production and I know you wanted to get that Zolt guy which we did. What more could you want?"
"The runners. They're just kids and they're going to be processed as criminals."
"Those kids knew what they were doing."
"They were desperate." Lin sighed as she turned to face her second. "But we did our job which means we get to sleep well."
"I don't know what you mean about 'well'. You've looked like shit these last couple of weeks." Beifong turned away from her. "I get them too, just so you know, the nightmares."
"How do you get them to stop?"
"Alcohol, sex, sleeping pills. Depends what shift I'm working the next day. The boys want to go out and celebrate so I guess alcohol will be my aide tonight. You should join us."
"I have kids, I can't."
"They're staying on the Island. It would be good for morale if the squad saw you enjoying yourself with them."
Lin, knowing she was sleep deprived thanks to her forty hour work day, and at this point open to suggestion in the hopes it would help her sleep for longer than three hours, relented. "Fine."
Lin was surprised by how quickly Sayo took charge once her door had closed, having found her back pressed up against the door and her head rolling to the side as her subordinate nipped at her neck. Her vision was hazy due to the combination of sleep deprivation and alcohol and it allowed her other senses to take over.
Hearing the simple order to remove her armour, as fingers clacked on the steel, Lin gave the woman an uncharacteristic grin. "You first." They were both in a tug of war, involving actions and words, vying for dominance which was hard given their personalities.
"Make me."
Lin reversed their position using a hand on Sayo's hip, and a well-placed foot behind her ankle, resulting in Sayo's head smacking into the door. Lin raised her knee to the apex of the other woman's thigh, enjoying a moan that escaped her throat. "You like it rough? I can go soft."
"Don't you dare." Placing a foot on the door behind her, Sayo pushed forward, pressing them further into the small apartment where only a bed was located.
Releasing slender hips, Lin folded her hands, one in front of the other and jerked them forward, causing her armour to knock Sayo onto the bed and permitting the armour to fall away.
"I knew you didn't wear bindings under your uniform." The firebender sat on the edge of the bed, her arms circled around her superior's waist to pull her in by her firm rear.
Lin tried to hold back a low growl at having her backside touched. "Steel keeps them in place."
"That's cheating." Sayo used deft thumbs to lift the tank top enough so she could kiss the taut stomach.
Lin rolled her eyes. Placing a firm hand on the centre of Sayo's chest, she pushed her down on the bed and yanked off the pants, which gave Sayo time to remove her police jacket so they were both now in matching tank tops.
Lin placed open mouth kisses up the woman's thigh and when she reached what many would consider to be 'goal' she verged off to the left to playfully bite her hip bone.
Sayo sat up, forcing Lin to sit back on her thighs. Crawling forward slightly, Sayo took the hem of the metalbender's tank top and pulled it off in one fluid motion. Sayo's blue flecked golden eyes roved over the defined core. Unable to resist, long nails dug into the flesh on Lin's sides, coming to cross to the front.
A small push forced Lin onto her backside, resulting in hands quickly going back to support her from falling over completely.
Lin's half lidded eyes watched as Sayo removed her own tank top. Spirits, that skin, it's nearly as dark as Kya's. Shaking the thought from her mind was easy as Sayo crawled up her legs to sit on her lap.
The firebender threaded her fingers through Lin's thick hair to guide her mouth down to her chest.
A shuddering breath had a positive effect on the nipple, making it stand erect. Lin's tongue swirled around the hardened flesh.
"Harder, Lin."
Lin bit down, hard enough to hurt, not hard enough to cause damage. He hands dug into the older woman's lower back, pulling her closer to her body.
Sayo was in complete bliss, wanting this for a few years now and it was finally coming true. Wanting to convey her love for the Chief of police, Sayo placed a gentle hand on Lin's scarred cheek, but it didn't have the effect she had expected.
Lin had pulled away from her chest, removed the hand from her face, and looked away. "I'm sorry, I can't."
Sayo sighed and fell backwards onto the bed with Lin joining her a moment later. "It was because I touched the scars on your face, wasn't it?"
"It just reminds me too much of Kya." Lin turned her head to look at the disappointed woman. "I'm still married Sayo."
"We're drunk enough that it could just be a mistake."
"Alcohol is never an excuse, that's what we tell criminals, it's the same for us."
"Then why did you come back to my place?"
Lin rolled onto her side entirely, to face the other woman. "I needed to feel wanted, that something wasn't wrong with me."
Sayo turned so they were now eye to eye. "I understand. Would you ever leave her?"
"I, I don't think so. I love her too much."
"I see."
"I'm sorry Sayo."
"Yeah, me too." She rolled over to her dresser drawer and pulled out an envelope.
"What's this?" Lin asked when the paper was given to her.
"My resignation. This," Sayo gestured to the space between them, "hurts too much. I need to have a fresh start, I'm, I'm going to the South to join the force down there."
"The South?"
"My father lives there. I was debating moving once my mother died and was on the fence, tonight was the deciding factor."
Was this premeditated? Lin asked herself. She began to feel herself getting annoyed. "You planned this?"
"I may hav-"
"You got me to agree to having drinks with you, knowing that I am open to suggestion when I drink, to see if I would fuck you in the hopes I would break up with my wife to be with you."
Sayo raised a hand to Lin's shoulder, but it was shrugged off. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"But you did." Lin got off the bed and summoned the steel to her body, forgoing the tank top which she snatched off the floor. "This was so selfish of you! If you truly loved me, you would want me to be happy."
"Me? Selfish?" Sayo stood in front of Lin so they were face to face. "No, what's selfish is your fucking wife travelling without you, leaving her daughter behind in the process, under the guise of 'depression' that's fucking selfish."
Lin wanted to hurt this woman, to punch her, to have her cables fling her across the room, she just wanted to inflict the same hurt that she currently felt at her second in command's betrayal. "I'm not going to dignify that with a response. From tomorrow, Saikhan will be Captain and you will go back to being a Lieutenant."
"I still have a month left before that resignation is official."
"I need someone I can trust, and currently," Lin's voice became dangerously low, daring the firebender to challenge her, "that's not you." Lin stomped out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.
Opening the door to her empty home, Lin reached down and picked up the mail that had fallen through the slot in the door. Bill bill bill. What's this? Obviously, a book Detective Dipshit. Flipping it over, Lin was surprised to see her family's wax stamp sealing the packaging together. Probably Su. Coming to sit on the couch, Lin untied the twine string and ripped off the brown paper. A book? Yeah, cause I need another book.
Opening the leather-bound book to the tittle page, Lin found a note in handwriting she recognised anywhere. Lin, I found this book while in Gaoling. I think it will bring you closure and some comfort. I Love you. Kya Beifong.
Dumping the book on the coffee table, Lin quickly reached for the phone and dialled the number for the Beifong estate. It rang for what felt like a century but then died. Lin grabbed the phone and threw it onto the ground, watching it smash into hundreds of pieces. "Fuck!"