Lin had no idea what she was going to do.
She was at the scheduled end of her shift, so normally her plan for the night would be simple: go back to her apartment, get out of this metalbending uniform, maybe have a small bowl of rice for a snack, and go to sleep.
But the six year old boy sniveling in the new interview room they'd made for kids had thrown a wrench in that idea.
She'd been no stranger to seeing what terrible things people were capable of in the years since she'd become Chief of Police, but what happened tonight had to be near the top of the list.
A mother, father, and brother, cut down in front of a child by a firebender. Her stomach churned again just thinking about what she'd seen at the crime scene. And spirits, the smell...
And she hadn't even known them. That kid in there had to be going through a pain Lin wouldn't wish on anyone. All he had left for comfort was a tiny fire ferret curled up on his shoulder, and that wasn't nearly enough.
"Chief Beifong?"
She looked up from her desk to see one of the senior officers of the department come towards her with paperwork of his own.
"Captain Saikhan. Tell me you have good news."
"Well, news." Lin understood the clarification. Nothing about this miserable night felt good.
"We finished collecting witness statements, and the boys at CSI found all they could at the scene. The coroner will start on the autopsies first thing in the morning."
Technically, it was morning now, she realized as she looked at a clock on the wall. "Has that monster been booked yet?"
"Yes, Chief. We got him through processing a while ago and he's on his way to maximum security."
Finally, something positive. But it still felt like a hollow victory. He hadn't made much of an attempt to hide himself, and he'd ended up getting taken down by some particularly brave civilians. At the very least, the city would be spared a manhunt, and the media circus that'd come with it. She wanted to think of something else, every second that man occupied her thoughts she felt more tempted to track him down and do something that would ruin her career.
Spirits, she was supposed to protect this city from people like this. They'd caught him, sure, but that wouldn't bring back the boy's family.
"How's the kid doing?"
"How do you think he's doing?", Lin snapped.
"Sorry, dumb question. Poor little guy. Anyone taken his statement yet?"
"One of the recent academy graduates."
"You sure that's a good idea?"
She'd have torn a lower ranked officer a new one for questioning her judgment like that, but Lin didn't have the energy right now. "The girl volunteered, nobody else was willing to go in there to try and talk to him." Even the ones old enough to have kids the boy's age seemed frightened of the idea of having to calm a crying child. A genuinely traumatized child, but still.
Even if the girl was green, she seemed to be having a calming effect, since she hadn't heard any crying for a while.
"Waaaaaaaahhhh!"
Never mind. Lin got up from her desk and walked out of her office, not paying attention to whether Saikhan followed. She entered the room, and after a quick glance to make sure the child wasn't harmed or in any danger, she yanked the young woman that'd been with him out of the room to interrogate.
"What happened?" The rookie looked at her like she was a catgator that would bite her head off if she got an answer she didn't like.
"I just finished taking his statement, and he asked me what would happen to him. I said he'd probably be sent to an orphanage."
"Why would you tell him that?"
"He told me there's no other family he knows to contact. I-I didn't know what else to say."
"Just...get out of my sight!" Lin was more furious with herself than that airhead. Even if it were true, it hadn't even been three hours since the boy had watched his parents and brother burn to death, couldn't this news wait? Either way, there was no one left to console him but herself, and she couldn't in good conscience leave him in there alone.
She opened the door, and the anger she'd felt shifted to pity. On a small couch in the middle of a police station, a child's life had been shattered. His cheeks were red, splotchy, and covered in tears, while his nose was starting to run.
And the fire ferret, bless its heart, was trying its best to console the boy. It was small enough to fit in Lin's palm, but the little creature was nuzzling at the child's neck, giving out little whimpers unheard over loud sobbing.
"Hey..." Lin was trying her best to be soothing. "It's gonna be okay."
It was a lie. A bad one that even a six year old could see through. "N-n-no it's noooooot! T-t-they're gonna send me to an orphanage and take away Pabuuuuuu!"
"Nobody's gonna take away your pet." Her tone was already less gentle. It hadn't even been ten seconds and Lin was already feeling the start of a headache.
"I want my Mom and Daaaaaaad!", the boy wailed. "And ma-ma-Makoooooo!"
"Calm down, kid", she told him with new concern, as his breathing became more frantic.
"I can't", he gasped, the words barely audible.
"Boy, breathe", Lin fretted, her volume below a yell. "Or you're gonna pass out."
"..." He was hyperventilating, not even getting enough air to speak. She remembered when she was younger, the same thing happened to Su, and Lin recalled how Aunt Katara had calmed her little sister.
She placed one hand on his stomach while she used the other to close his mouth. "Inhale through your nose. I'm going to show you, and I want you to do it with me, okay?"
The child was still frightened, his eyes wide, but he trusted her instructions, giving a tiny nod, slowly taking in air through his nostrils while Lin did the same.
Then as they exhaled, she gently pressed the hand she had put on his stomach to encourage him to breathe out in a slow manner.
They repeated this several times, until he seemed relatively stable. "Now, can you tell me your name?"
"B-Bolin", he quietly told her.
"Alright, Bolin. My name's Lin." She didn't feel like saying her title or surname right now. People tended to treat her differently when they found out she was the daughter of the "legendary" Toph Beifong.
"Okay. Miss Lin?"
"You can just call me Lin."
The child stared at the floor while he asked the question. "What's gonna happen to me?"
She gave the question a bit of thought before answering. If she said something wrong, it could send him into another wave of sobbing. "Are you sure there's no other friends or family that we can call?"
"Yes." It was only a murmur, though Lin still heard his voice cracking.
"Bolin." He didn't say any words in response to his name, but a whimper instead.
"Bolin, look at me." She got down on a knee, so their faces were level with each other. And when their eyes met, she saw grassy green, full of pain and tears.
"I know this is hard. I know this must hurt so much, and I am so sorry."
"They..." He couldn't finish what he wanted to say.
"They'd want you to be strong, right?" Lin thought back. What had her Mom always told her when she felt sad, when she felt like crying?
"But-"
"But nothing. You have to be tough. It's not going to be easy, but you can't go soft because of this. The world isn't going to hand you anything just for being a jelly-boned wimp, okay?"
The child stared at her, like she'd asked him to solve an impossible math problem. Why had she said that to him? Now that she remembered, Lin had shrieked and flung a toy in her Mom's face for telling her that.
"Okay." Then he grabbed a pillow and blew his nose. It would have to be cleaned
This was a miracle, it'd actually worked. No time to dwell on it though.
"Is there anything I can get you? Something to eat?"
"M'not hungry."
"Do you remember the last time you had anything to eat?"
"No", he told her glumly.
"Then you should have something", she said firmly. "It might make you feel better."
Bolin didn't give an answer, probably not believing that anything would make that happen.
Lin got up and walked toward the door. "I'll get you some food, just...stay here and play with your ferret, okay?"
"His name is Pabu", he told her, almost annoyed. There's the headache again.
"Fine, play with Pabu".
All the eyes were on her as she closed the door, instead of being focused on their work. At least they were all paying attention right now.
"Does anyone have any food he can eat?"
Silence. Cowards. She should've just raided the department fridge in the break room, but the last time there was a food thief, there'd been more effort put into catching them than any case in months.
"Nobody? Nobody has anything for that child in there?" She didn't want to yell I case he was listening, but it was getting harder.
"I um, I have some steam buns I was heating up, but he can them." It was the rookie that had stuck a foot in her mouth, probably trying to make up for her mistake.
"I got one Varri-cake left in my desk he can have", Lu offered.
"He can have my Lychee juice too", Gang added.
"Thank you", she told them. Then she noticed they were all just standing there. "Well? Are you going to bring that stuff here or summon a spirit to fetch it?"
"Yes Chief!"
Once they retrieved the food, Lin put the buns on a warm plate, carried that in one hand with the glass of Lychee juice in the other.
"Is...that all for me?, he asked as she reentered the soft room.
She didn't really bring in that much, she thought to herself. "You don't have to eat it all. Don't have so much that'll get yourself sick."
Lin handed the plate to him, and he began taking tiny bites, while tearing off tiny pieces to feed his pet.
"You can eat faster if you want. Nobody's gonna take it from you."
Bolin put the food down and took a sip of juice. "Dad always told me if you eat slower it'll take longer for you to feel hungry again."
Aunt Katara had said that too, but that was to get her kids (And Uncle Sokka) to stop wolfing down food. This boy looked like he'd been told that for different reasons.
Now that she was looking at him in a non-crying state, she noticed a few new things. He had none of the pudginess or baby fat that you'd assume a boy his age would have. No noticeable injuries either, but his clothes were extremely worn, and he needed a good wash...everywhere. And a haircut along with it.
"Well, you might wanna eat a little faster, cause you have dessert to finish, too", Lin told him while pulling the Varri-cake out from a suit pocket.
Bolin's eyes widened and he reached out to grab it, but she held the snack by the wrapper out of the reach of his short arms. "Steam buns first."
"Fine." He ate at a more brisk pace now that there was something to look forward to, and the Varri-cake was inhaled. So fast, he even had leftover frosting on his cheek that the fire ferret licked off. Gross, but the boy didn't seem to mind.
"Pabu!", he giggled. "That tickles!"
"Alright. Do you feel tired at all?"
"N-" He was interrupted by his own yawn.
"Sounds like a yes to me."
"It wasn't."
"Like you weren't hungry?", she retorted.
Bolin pouted. "You're bossy."
"Comes with the job, kid. Now lay down."
He did as he was told, and rested on the couch with his head on the pillow (the non-snotty side), while Lin went back to her office to rifle through her tiny closet. She chose her Mom's old coat that'd been in since her Mom was Chief.
"Smells grumpy", he murmured as it was draped over him.
"Hmph." He'd actually gotten her to smile. For the first time in...days...weeks?
What's gonna happen to me?
But that thought crept back into her head, and any happiness vanished.
She couldn't send that boy to an orphanage. Not in good conscience. The only ones she knew were decrepit and underfunded, and something she never had an issue with as part of the police, she guiltily reminded herself.
Of all the unaccompanied minors officers found on the streets (street rat had become the unofficial term), about ninety percent of them had fled the orphanage directly or from a foster home that hadn't been properly vetted. They were no place to send a child.
Especially a child in a situation such as this. She couldn't save them all, that kind of idealism had been abandoned a long time ago. And she wasn't even the person to save him. Lin was no good with kids, she knew that, it was the whole reason for...
Ugh.
"Captain Saikhan?"
"Yes, Chief?"
"Call Tenzin and tell him to get his bald butt down to headquarters."
Saikhan looked off to the side. "Uhhhhhh."
Lin sighed. "Send a message to Air Temple Island and tell them that the Chief of Police requests Tenzin's presence at the station as soon as possible."
"Right away."
Now all she had to do was go outside and wait.
"Lin!"
Only a few minutes. She'd forgotten how fast he could travel on Oogi.
"Lin, I know ending our relationship was hard on you. I have tried being understanding. I have tried being patient. But if you've got me out here in the middle of the night for another phony investigation into my wife, so help me-"
She held up her hand. "You wanna come into my office and hear what I have to say before you jump down my throat and make a public spectacle?'
"...Fine."
He followed her back inside and through, staying close, but not uttering another word until she closed the door.
"Okay, Lin, we're in your office, why am I here?"
She would've enjoyed correcting his initial assumptions if the news wasn't so horrible. "A few hours ago, there was a triple homicide on the east side. An eight year old and his parents were killed by a firebender in a mugging gone wrong."
Tenzin gasped. "That's...that's awful. But, why call me? Is he still on the loose? Should we alert the rest of the council?"
"We caught him. And maybe tell the council, but that's not why I called."
"Then-"
"There's more. There was a six year old there too, witnessed the whole thing. Unharmed physically, but..."
"Spirits."
"We checked records. He doesn't have any other family in the city and he doesn't know anyone else to contact."
"Oh..." Now he was getting the picture. "Lin, I don't think that's-."
"It's not like you don't have rooms available on that island of yours. None of those monks can look after him?"
"The Air Acolytes aren't social workers and therapists. It sounds like this boy will need a lot of help, and-"
"He won't see any if he gets sent to an orphanage. You and I both know they're a mess right now. He goes there, he's a drop in a bucket and whatever happens to him afterward is on us."
"Us?"
"Look, I would consider it a personal favor if you took him in." And we both know you owe me one.
Tenzin paused to think, leaning back in his chair and stroking his beard. "All right. He can stay on the island temporarily."
She'd have to take that if it was all he was going to offer. "Thank You."
"Now, where is he?"
She guided him again, and showed him his new ward. Bolin was out cold at this point with her Mother's coat as a blanket, and that little creature had curled himself on they boy's head.
"Bolin?" No response.
"Bolin?" Lin dropped down and shook him a little this time. "Come on, get up kid."
He was stirring now. He sat up and wiped the crud from his eyes, but his face crumpled when he saw theirs.
She knew why. The last time they'd talked, he might have been able to forget for a brief moment, but he'd probably gone to sleep hoping all of this was some horrible nightmare. Then when he'd woken up it'd be his parents and brother standing in front of him, instead of two strangers.
"Bolin, remember what I told you."
He didn't look up at them. "I know, be strong."
She nodded, though she could feel Tenzin giving her a look. He could correct her with some Air Nomad mumbo-jumbo later, but he'd be the one to pick up the pieces.
"This is Tenzin", Lin introduced. "If you want, you can stay with him on Air Temple Island."
"...Can Pabu come?"
"Of course", Tenzin told him gently.
"Then okay, I guess." She could tell Bolin was nervous about going with him, but she could also tell he knew he had no choice.
"Is that a sky bison?", he asked when they got outside.
"It is."
"I've never seen one up close before. They always looked like little dots in the sky."
"Would you like to ride one?", Tenzin asked.
"Really?"
"Hang on." Tenzin picked up the boy with one hand, while he used his other hand to create a blast of air that lifted them off the ground and onto the bison.
Bolin looked back and forth between where he was and where he'd been like he couldn't comprehend how it happened. "A-are you an airbender?"
"I am."
"I thought only the Avatar could do that."
"Well, maybe I'm the exception as the Avatar's son."
"Whoah." At least Tenzin's showing off had gotten the boy to let his guard down a little.
"Oogi, yip yip!"
"Wait!", the boy yelled. "Aren't you coming with us?"
"I've...got some stuff to take care of before I head home", Lin told him.
"Aw."
"But I'll come and check in soon, I promise."
"It'll be good to have you back on the island, Lin", Tenzin said. "We just finished repairing the damage from the last time you were there."
"What's he mean?"
"Nothing", she dismissed, glaring daggers at her ex, who gave the same expression back. Guess he's not over that yet.
