'Kiss me hard before you go Summertime sadness, I just wanted you to know, That baby you're the best...'
It's been three months. Spring formed into the midst of a blazed summer month. It had also been three months since their heated encounter. It drove Tenzin into disbelief, how could Lin have pushed him away as if nothing happened between them. They had poured their love that night. Plus, Lin had been avoiding him as much as possible. There was always an article about her and her officers in the papers. Tenzin's heart would beat rapidly. He was concerned for her. He didn't want to find out in the papers that she was injured or even worse. Dead. Tenzin frowned. He didn't want to think such things. He knew Lin's job was risky. She was risky. She needs to consider her health and well-being as well. Tenzin stared off into Republic City. Tenzin frowned more. After what happened that day. Tenzin kept dreaming about Lin. Lin would infiltrate his dreams but during the last month his dreams weren't sweet. They became horrible nightmares. Nightmares, which have produced more guilt. Father... Should I forget and move on or should I do what is right?" He asked to the air. The wind gushed fiercely causing Tenzin's robes to dance around him. Tenzin sighed a heavy sigh. Tenzin turned around towards his home. Pema had asked him what Lin meant that night. Tenzin had turned a deep shade of red that night. He never responded to her question. She hadn't bothered to ask again. Tenzin needed to make the effort towards his young wife. Pema and Lin were completely different people. Pema was sweet, kind, and loving. Lin was, strong, abrasive, and sarcastic. Opposites, you could say. As Tenzin arrived into his kitchen Pema had begun to cook.
"Good morning dear," "Pema said sweetly.
" Good morning," Tenzin replied.
Tenzin cleared his throat. "I'll be heading off to the city now. I apologize that I can't accompany you for breakfast." Tenzin stated.: "Pema turned around with a sweet smile. "No need to worry, the acolytes can accompany. Now, you don't want to be late now do you?" Pema said giving him a chaste kiss on the lips and returning to her cooking.
'I Got my red dress on tonight, Dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight, got my hair up real big beauty queen style, High heels off, I'm feeling alive...'
"Tenzin arrived at city hall, only to see his mother there.
"M-mother! What are you doing here?" He asked nervously.
"Tenzin, it's nice to see you too. Oh, are you not pleased to see your mother?" Katara cackled "N-no, it's just I saw you three months ago and..." Tenzin rambled only to be cut off by Katara's hand in front of him.
"I didn't come to see you. I came to see Lin." She stated with a stoic expression. "What? Why? What's wrong with Lin?" Tenzin asked franticly.
"Nothing, it's something Lin should tell you herself. I'm not obliged to tell you about her personal life, and I promised her not to say, "His mother said not looking at him.
"Ah, here she comes; I'll see you back at the island." His mother told him. Leaving him standing there, looking at Lin like an idiot. She wasn't in her uniform.A lump formed in his throat. Lin looked pale. The colour in her eyes were opaque but there was a twinkle in them. Lin walked right past him to enter city hall. He followed. Noticing that she had gone to see the other council members. Tenzin formed a deep frown and made his way to his office. Sitting at his desk, taking in on how grave Lin looked. It looked like she had been mourning. Over what though? Could she be gravely ill? 'Oh, spirits please don't let it be that, anything but that. I already suffered once. When she got those scars on her face.'
Tenzin massaged his temples only to be disturbed in his train of thought by the door opening. "I assume its paperwork that I need to approve on." Tenzin asked. Whoever entered stayed quiet.
"Well?" He said looking up. Only to see Lin, standing at the doorway. Avoiding eye contact. "I need you to sign this paper. Then I can be on my way." She stated in a hoarse voice.
"Lin, are you all right you don't look to good, whatever it is I need to sign I'll sign later after reading it." He said getting up from his desk to go to her side. "No. It needs to be signed immediately and don't worry over me. It's just a slight cold." She said clenching her hands into fists turning her knuckles pasty white.
Tenzin grabbed hold of her and forced her to sit. She didn't flinch away. She let him sit her down.
"Sign the paper, so I can leave." Lin hissed.
"What's your urgency for me to sign the paper?" He asked.
Lin was angry now. Tenzin knew that she was angry by the way that she scowled, and her body language radiated it out.
"Just do it," She said softly with a tone of authority in it.
"Please." She added.
Tenzin sighed. He grabbed the paper from her hand. Without reading it he signed it. Giving it to her. Letting his fingertips linger against hers. She realized what was going on with their fingers. "Thank you, I'll be on my way now." She gingerly said.
"Lin, wait... Is there anything you need to tell me?" Tenzin asked her, hoping that she would tell him what was going on with her.
"Nothing and goodbye Tenzin." She said leaving him alone in his office. Leaving him to wonder.
"After a serious amount of paperwork, his secretary came in. "Yes?" Tenzin asked. "Um, this is the paper that Chief Beifong had each of you sign. It's just a copy. She has the original one" his secretary said giving him the paper and leaving him in solitude read the paper. Anger arose in Tenzin. Why hadn't he read it? It was a permission slip to take leave from duties as chief of police.
Tenzin barged out of his office to the island.
"Mother!" He yelled.
"Yes?" She replied.
"Is this what you meant Lin had to tell me?" He asked her, with his rage still intact.
Katara read over the paper. Her face never changed expression. Her lips formed into a straight line.
'Oh, my God, I feel it in the air, Telephone wires above are sizzling like a snare, Honey I'm on fire I feel it everywhere, nothing scares me anymore... '
"Go before she leaves Tenzin," Katara told that to her son. "GO! Don't worry about Pema." She added walking off into his home.
He stood there taken aback. The sun was setting against the horizon. Tenzin hurried to get Oogi. As he soared through the air, he made it to the train station. He sent Oogi back to the island. Tenzin scurried into the train station. It was crowded. He kept his eyes peeled. He figured that Lin would be heading to the earth kingdom. Tenzin manoeuvred himself to the earth kingdom platform. He was right. He saw Lin. He rushed to her pulling her into a secluded area.
'Kiss me hard before you go Summertime sadness, I just wanted you to know, that baby you're the best; I've got that summertime, summertime sadness S-s-summertime, summertime sadness, Got that summertime, summertime sadness...'
Tenzin was looking at Lin intently. Anger rising in him. "Why? Why are you leaving?" He spat at Lin.
""You have no right to question why. First, who gave you the right to pull me away, secondly you signed those. My. Problem." She spat back wiggling away from his hold.;
"N-no. Lin, tell me why you're leaving? This is your city." He said.
Lin looked at him. "I..." She began. Only to close her mouth and pout, not giving him an answer.
Tenzin stared at her. "Tell me." He was begging her now. Lin looked away again. Not replying. Tenzin got a hold of her making her stare into his eyes. His hands resting on the side of her face. Tenzin noticed how her breathing pattern changed. Her lips were pursed into a thin line. She stared behind Tenzin.
"I'm leaving because I fell in love with someone. It's best we keep our distance from each other, Tenzin," she replied hesitantly. "Tenzin was shocked he couldn't believe Lin's words, but they sounded so true to him.
"I didn't want you to find out... Besides you're married, you have no right to question my departure. Now if you please, I'll be on my way." She said stoically. Tenzin's grip became tighter. He didn't want to believe that she was with someone else. He couldn't believe it.
"No, you're lying. You wouldn't be able to move on that..." Tenzin stopped himself, he realized his words were wrong, and so did Lin. "Easy for you to say councilman." She hissed.
"Lin, that's not what I meant... It's just..." He hesitated at finding the right words." "Tenzin, I'm able to do whatever I can do. You on the other hand, keep looking back at the past. Force yourself for the future. For your people," Lin retorted. "That's something I can't give you..." She softy added.
"Yes Lin, however, you're the only one for me. I... My desires for you and for a family are two different things... I just... I need you to be around, Lin." He told her, his grip never loosening.
Tenzin watched as she swallowed hard.
"Tenzin... You're making this harder than it is. Just go home, please." She said softly. Pulling away from his grip and turning on her heel to return towards her designated platform. Only to be stopped by an embrace that made the air around them warm.
'I'm feelin' electric tonight, Cruising down the coast goin' 'bout 99, Got my bad baby by my heavenly side, I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight...'
Tenzin held onto Lin tightly. He was making this hard on Lin too. He didn't want her to go. The city needed her; he needed her too. Why was she doing this to him? Did it please her to see him jealous and see how terrified he was on the thought of losing her?
"Tenzin, stop being a nuisance and let me go. It's for the greater good." She said through gritted teeth.
Tenzin felt the tenseness of her body. He wasn't going to let go. He was an idiot. He moved on quickly. If only he had gone after her that day. He had so many chances, but she didn't put the effort to come to him too. They were both stubborn, he wanted a family, and she didn't. That made him wonder if they could be together. If only he pushed those thoughts aside. They could've attempted to be together. His father had always asked him every single day if he had proposed to her yet. He kept delaying it. Tenzin was at fault as well. Plus, the white lotus had tried to separate them once. His father did his best to make sure they hadn't disturbed Tenzin's romance with Lin.
"Lin... Stay. I beg you." He spoke softly into her ear. "Tenzin felt the shivers that coursed through her body.
'Oh, my God, I feel it in the air, Telephone wires above are sizzlin' like your snare, Honey I'm on fire I feel it everywhere, Nothing scares me anymore, Kiss me hard before you go, Summertime sadness, I just wanted you to know, That baby you're the best...'
"Without finding the need for Tenzin to turn her around. She did it on her own. She brought her hand to stroke his cheek and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. Tenzin pulled her in more. She tried pulling away, but it was a failed attempt. Their kiss was gentle and sweet; it wasn't those hungry and passionate kisses they had always exchanged with each other. Tenzin pulled back. Gazing into her emerald like eyes.
"Please take care of yourself." He whispered. Pulling her in for a hug. "Lin didn't say a word. She turned and stalked off to her platform. Tenzin stood there for a long while, until he saw the train depart.
"'I've got that summertime, summertime sadness, S-s-summertime, summertime, sadness, Got that summertime, summertime sadness, I think I'll miss you forever, Like the stars miss the sun in the morning skies, Late is better than never, Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive, drive...'
"Tears streamed down his face. "Lin... I... Take care..."He said to the air around him. Throughout the rest of the night, Tenzin wandered around Republic City aimlessly. 'I guess, this is how Lin felt like when she caught me and Pema...'Tenzin had made it to the docks and boarded onto a ferry back towards his home. He leaned over the railing, letting out a heavy sigh. When he arrived home, his mother was standing there.
"Mother, you should be in bed." Tenzin said to his mother.
"I was waiting for you. Did you get to Lin on time?" Katara asked her son.
Tenzin looked to the side pursing his lips. "I did... However, she left." He said softly.
"Oh dear. Did she at least tell you why?" Katara asked with a tint of angst in her voice. "Yes, Lin's... She's in love with someone else." He told his mother flatly.
"What?" His mother exclaimed.
"That can't be... I thought..." Katara went quiet.
"You thought what?" He asked.
"Nothing, it's best you go to bed." Katara said turning to go to her room.
"Tenzin didn't understand. He felt hollow. He wondered if it was true or it was just a lie. He still felt the pressure from both of their lips clashing together, gently and sweetly.
As he got to his room, Pema was still awake.
"Dear, are you all right?" She asked. "Yes. I just feel a bit tired." He replied to her. Pema looked at him.
"Oh, all right, come to bed then." She said patting the other side. Tenzin changed into his pajamas, and slept in a profound sleep. It felt as if he shut down. He didn't dream nor did he have nightmares. He was completely consumed into darkness. When he awoke, he was alone in his bed. He stared at his ceiling. It sunk into him that Lin wasn't in the city or in her life anymore.
I'll treasure our time together. From our good moments, to the ones that weren't. You'll always have a place in my heart." He said while a single tear streamed down his face.
'I've got that summertime, summertime sadness, S-s-summertime, summertime sadness, Got that summertime, summertime sadness; Kiss me hard before you go, Summer time sadness, I just wanted you to know, That baby you're the best, I've got that, summertime, summertime sadness, S-s-summertime, summertime sadness, Got that summertime, summertime sadness...'