Lin rolled over, trying to avoid the sun that was trying to wake her. After yesterday's events, she was exhausted and just wanted to continue to sleep. Her bladder on the other hand had a different memo and decided to let her know right then and there that if she didn't get up now, she would have a wet problem to deal with.

Groaning, she slowly sat up as she didn't feel like throwing up this morning. After taking a moment to stand, she then sped to the washroom down the hall.

She made it back to their room before anyone could spot her in her nightdress. She decided to get back in bed and snuggled back up to Bumi's side, trying to fall back asleep.

But a soft fluttering in her belly gave her pause. When it stopped, she figured it was just gas. But it happened again… and again. She frowned, putting a hand to her slightly swollen belly. 'Was that what I think it was?' she thought as her eyes flew open.

She sighed, realizing she wasn't getting back to sleep anytime soon. She slowly got up and quickly changed into a pair of loose fitting pants and a tunic style shirt which came mid thigh.

She then left the room, headed towards the kitchen to get some tea. Upon arrival she found Pema working on breakfast.

"Would you like some help?"

"Oh would you? That would be amazing Lin, thank you." Pema said, looking at her with a relieved smile on her face.

Due to the festivities of the day before, everyone was having a bit of a lie in, and with Zuko staying the night along with the Zaofu Beifong's, they had decided to have breakfast this morning in the family home, away from the acolytes and new airbenders. The only downside was that Pema didn't have any help to make breakfast as Tenzin was hopeless in the kitchen and she was letting Jinora rest.

Lin quietly started to prepare some cong you bing (scallion pancakes), while Pema finished getting the sweet buns in the oven and started on the congee.

"What was it like?" Lin broke the silence in a soft voice.

"Hmm?" Pema looked up from filling a large kettle with water. "What was what like?" She noticed Lin fidgeting with the edge of the cutting board, face down with her unpinned hair blocking her face. Pema smiled softly when she noticed Lin's other hand was cupping her baby bump.

"Being pregnant. What was it like?"

Pema finished filling the kettle. "Well each of mine were different. Jinora was definitely my easiest, but I'm not going to lie and say it was all smooth sailing. There was back pain, heartburn, nausea, swollen hands and feet, having to use the washroom constantly, no sleeping... I could keep going. But then there were the soft moments, where you feel the first flutter, then feeling them more solidly moving, and then the first kick. Knowing that they were mine and I created that tiny life; I was their first home. It made up for all the bad…" Pema smiled as she put the kettle on the stove and lit the burner.

Turning back to Lin, she rested her hip on the counter. "How are you feeling?"

Lin cleared her throat before continuing prepping the savory pancakes, not comfortable talking about herself; but she was thankful for the new burgeoning friendship of sorts that was forming between the two former adversaries, so she tried to move past the feeling. "Well, uh, the nausea has stopped for the most part, as long as I don't get up too suddenly. And with the new mattress here, my back and hip aren't too bad, though I am mostly used to it anyway with my line of work." She paused, a small, gentle smile formed on her face as she turned her head to Pema. "I am pretty sure I felt some small movement this morning."

"That is so exciting Lin! Does Bumi know yet?"

Lin shook her head. "He was still sleeping when I came down. Should I really say anything? It's not like he will be able to feel it yet." Lin asked awkwardly.

"Of course you should. If he is anything like Tenzin, then he will just want to know all the milestones, no matter how big or small." Pema turned back to the stove and turned the heat off of the congee, giving it a small stir and setting the lid back on it. She set it on the back burner to stay warm, and then grabbed a pan to start frying up the scallion pancakes.

They continued to work in a comfortable silence, until they heard movement in the doorway.

"Ah, good morning ladies. I hope you haven't been working too hard in here. Anything I can do to help?" Asked Katara as she made her way into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Katara. Lin and I are almost done with breakfast. Perhaps you could get the kids to let everyone know?" Pema said plating the last pancake, covering it with a lid to keep them warm. Lin sent a smile at Katara as she was finishing prepping fruit and other toppings for the congee.

"Of course dear. I will see you both soon." She smiled before leaving.

The two were soon joined by Tenzin and Meelo who helped them set the table. Lin went back to the kitchen to grab the second tray of tea when she felt an arm wrap around her.

"Morning Linny. Where'd you go this morning? You weren't sick were you? You should have woken me!" Bumi rambled.

"Other than a tiny badgermole dancing on my bladder, I was fine. I came down and helped with breakfast when I couldn't get back to sleep." She turned in his arm and planted a kiss on his lips. "Mm… morning to you too."

"Do I need to have a word with this tiny badgermole?"

Lin let out a laugh. "I think I will let you start once the flutters turn into kicks that hurt."

"Wait, you felt the baby?" He looked at her, eyes wide.

Lin smiled at him, nodding. "This morning when I got back into bed. It's why I couldn't get back to sleep. I'm sure it won't be long now till you will be able to feel them too."

"Lin, I-" He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "You make me so happy."

She was startled when his hand grasped the back of her head and pulled her in for a heated kiss. She moaned, allowing herself to melt into it; wrapping her arms around his neck. She didn't realize him moving them until she was backed into the kitchen counter; the tea service was quickly forgotten.

"Lin are you in here? Pema said you were fetching the other set of tea a few minutes ago and I offered to come see if you needed…" Zuko's voice from the doorway broke the two apart, "help... I see you are a little preoccupied though. Don't mind me." He turned away, slightly awkwardly, but mostly amused at what he had found.

Lin and Bumi were both blushing wildly at being caught.

Lin gave Bumi a glare and shoved him gently away. "Shit Bumi. How am I ever going to look Uncle Zuko in the eye again... Spirits, we aren't 16 anymore… and there are kids in this house… what if Bolin or Mako came in or if Su walked in? I'd never hear the end of it…" She was pacing, working herself into a panic.

"Lin, calm down-"

She turned and glared at him, fire in her eyes. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down. This is your fault we are even in this situation." She all of a sudden got a flash of a young Bumi kissing other girls around the island. She found herself voicing her inner thoughts without thinking. "Though I'm sure I am not the first girl Uncle Zuko or the others have caught you in compromising situations with."

"Lin come on, be reasonable…"

"Well it is perfectly reasonable to be upset that I am just another conquest-"

This time it was Bumi's turn to interrupt angrily. "How dare you. I have made it perfectly clear to you that I love you. You have always been the one I wanted. So yes there had been other girls, but you were 8 years younger than me and then you were with my brother. So don't bring that into this." He stepped back a bit, hand running through his wild hair. "I'm sorry that I got excited about the thought of our baby showing proof of its life. I'm sorry that I was so overcome with emotion that I needed to kiss you. I'm even sorry for loving you, as apparently you still can't seem to accept that." He then turned and left out the door of the kitchen.

Lin felt a wave of shame come over her. She closed her eyes, 'great going Beifong. Ruining another relationship.' She knew she overreacted. 'He was just trying to help. Fuck.'

She took a big breath realizing she couldn't stay in the kitchen any longer. She schooled her face into her usual Chief face and squared her shoulders. She then picked up the tea service and walked into the dining room.

She missed the looks of concern that the adults in the room shot each other. She was just thankful no one asked where Bumi was.

After pushing around the food on her plate, she excused herself from the table and went up to Bumi's room. She sat on the bed and put her face in her hands, the argument still replaying in her mind on a loop.

She looked up at a knock on the doorframe, realizing she forgot to close it after herself.

"Oh… Hi Uncle." Lin said, twisting her hands together.

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier, and I hope I didn't cause any issues between you two."

Lin looked away, blushing. "It wasn't your fault. We should not have been necking like teenagers, at our age, in the open like that."

"Oh Lin, being in love is nothing to be ashamed of. You should celebrate it, not hide it away." Lin continued blushing. "I take it you and Bumi are together?" He asked lightly.

Lin nodded, "At least we were… I overreacted after you caught us. I think I was in the midst of a panic attack, and I… I freaked out at him when he tried to help. Spirits Uncle, what have I done? I always ruin everything!" Lin closed her eyes against the sudden tears springing to her eyes.

Zuko sat on the bed beside her and pulled her into his side. After a moment of comfort he pulls back enough to tilt her head to look him in the eye. "Lin, you are not the reason for things going wrong. It took me many years to understand that fact myself, but I eventually leaned on my friends and my Uncle Iroh and they helped. It doesn't mean that I never let my temper show, or spoke without thinking, but over time I got better at stopping. Eventually I learned from my friends and from being a father that fate determines what happens, but I can control how I react and learn from the experience."

"I've been trying. Ever since reconnecting with Bumi before Harmonic Convergence, and especially since Su and I talked in Zaofu just over a month ago. But I can't help but feel like everyone is right; I will always be a bitter, lonely woman who never lets anyone close to her." She hugged her arms around herself, looking away from Zuko again.

"Lin-"

"All I have ever wanted was to make my mother happy and proud. But I never could meet her expectations." She laughed bitterly. "I failed in raising Su and I have the scars to prove it. I failed in being a daughter. I failed at being Tenzin's girlfriend, I failed at being police chief, I failed to protect Tenzin's family, I failed at being a bender, I failed to protect Korra… and now I have failed with Bumi… I-" She gasped in a breath of air, feeling like she was choking. "I'm going to fail at being a mother too… History always repeats itself."

"Oh my love you are not a failure-"

Lin caught the time from the clock on Bumi's nightstand and made a quick decision. She stood up, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. "It's okay Uncle. I have already accepted this part of myself." She grabbed her bag and quickly shoved the few sets of clothes she had in Bumi's dresser into the bag. She took a moment while her back was turned from her Uncle to close her eyes and take a deep breath, trying to ignore her heart breaking. Turning back she gives him a small smile. "I wish you a safe trip home, Uncle. I will write to you." She quickly kissed his cheek, before heading to the door. "Goodbye."

Lin quickly made it out of the house, thankfully not running into anyone. She made it to the docks just as the first ferry of the morning was about to leave. The acolyte just gave her a small nod before continuing to ready the boat for the trip across Yue Bay to Republic City's docks.

Once she finally made it to her home after hiring a taxi, she made it inside and dropped her bag in the entranceway. She managed to hold herself together until she made it to her bedroom. She collapsed on her bed, and finally let the tears out fully.


Zuko was conflicted as he walked back downstairs. On one hand he knew Lin needed time alone at the moment, which was why he let her leave. However, on the other hand, he was worried for her. She was obviously still suffering from past trauma. He felt guilty in some ways for not being there for her more during her childhood and previous years. He knew realistically there was no way he could have physically been there as being Fire Lord meant staying in the Fire Nation most of the time.

He came across Katara who was sitting with Kya, Su, Baatar Sr, and Pema in the living room with a new pot of tea.

"Ah, hello." He said awkwardly.

"Zuko, what do you know?" Katara asked him, eyes narrowing at him; she could always tell when he was guilty about something.

He sighed as he sat in an armchair. "I may have walked in on Lin and Bumi in the kitchen, which caused an argument between them. That is why he wasn't at breakfast."

Su stood. "I will go speak with her."

Zuko shook his head. "She is not here. I spoke with her after breakfast."

"What? You let her leave?"

"Well Lin and I are very similar. We need time alone to process things. However, I must confess I am worried about her." He looked at Katara with a sad expression. "She blames herself for many things that have happened over many years."

Su sat back down, Baatar taking her hand. "We definitely saw some of this back when she was in Zaofu with us. We talked a little bit over what had happened 30 years ago, but at the time so much was happening with the Red Lotus, we dropped it. Then with the news of her sudden pregnancy and Jinora's ceremony, I didn't bring it up again. She seemed happy in a way I haven't seen since I was very young. Maybe it was selfish of me, but I just wanted to keep her happy."

"It is not selfish to want your loved ones to be happy, Suyin. However, I think it is time Lin spoke with someone about her past." Katara said, looking concerned herself. "I think it has been a long time since she has allowed herself to express emotions that weren't anger or the calm sternness she uses on her job."

"Add to that the new, more intense hormones rushing through her, and the body changes. She must feel overwhelmed." Pema added.

"I think she has gotten used to being and dealing with everything alone. It is quite obvious by her actions that she puts others' needs over her own." He adjusted his glasses as he felt everyone looking at him. "But she has all of us here now, and we will help her realize she is just as important as the rest of us." Baatar said with certainty, making everyone in the room realize there was more to the quiet man that was Suyin's husband.

Su squeezed her husband's hand gratefully, her love for him growing a little more.

"Perhaps I should go find Bumi. He is probably working himself up over the argument." Kya said, and accepted Pema's help in standing.

"Hold on, let me see if I can find him for you." Su got up and moves to the door leading to the back garden. Once off the wooden floors, she slammed her barefoot down, trying to locate him among the many air benders and acolytes. It took a third stomp before she found him, she was never as good as either her mother or her sister at seismic sensing.

She quickly walked back into the living room. "He is on the north beach. Do you want a hand getting to him?" There was no easy way down to that part of the island, and Kya was in no shape to waterbend her way down.

Kya nodded and they made their way as quickly as Kya could hobble along with her crutches to the north side of the island.


Bumi left the kitchen frustrated. He quickly decided that he would grab his sword and go do some practising, he was thankful it was his left arm in the sling at this moment. It usually helped to calm his mind and help him process his thoughts.

He quickly went up to their room and grabbed his sword from the wall, strapping the harness around his waist. Then he decided to head to the beach on the north side of the island, where no one went so that he could be alone.

Thankfully he had learned to use an air scooter before everything happened, and used that to get down the cliff face.

He drew his sword from its sheath, and let himself adjust to its weight in his palm. As he started going through movements, careful not to upset his left arm, he let the actions calm him down.

'Why would she say something like that? Why even bring it up out of nowhere? Have I not told her every day how much she means to me?' He found himself thinking through these thoughts as he continued.

He was drawn from his practicing when he heard a crunch of rock grinding on rock. He looked up to see a platform being bent from the cliff face and started descending down. He was not ready to face Lin just yet, so he turned away and stared out to the ocean.

"Lin I need to be on my own a little longer before we talk." He said as he heard footsteps in the sand behind him.

"We aren't Lin, Bumi." Kya said.

He turned to see Kya and Su standing behind him.

He frowned at them. "What are you two doing here?"

"We need to talk, Bumi, and it sounds like you do too. Why don't you go first." Kya said, watching her older brother.

He sighed and motioned to a tree log so that Kya could sit. "The morning started off good. I came to the kitchen, and Lin told me she had felt the baby move this morning for the first time. I just got so happy I kissed her. Things may have gotten heated enough that we were still kissing when Uncle Zuko walked in. Lin pushed me away and started freaking out over being caught like teenagers. She was talking about how it could have been one of the kids who found us. I tried to tell her to calm down-"

"Bumi, please tell me you didn't word it like that" Kya asked, fingers rubbing her forehead.

"I- uh." He stuttered, not really getting why Kya was acting like it was wrong.

"You never tell a woman to calm down, least of all a Beifong and a pregnant one at that. Baatar said that once and I had him sleeping on the couch for a week. I wasn't even pregnant at that time!" Su exclaims, before sighing and gesturing her hand at him, "just continue."

Bumi looked a little flustered from the outburst and realized maybe why Lin had gone off a little.

"Um well, she then yelled at me for telling her to calm down. She then somehow turned it in a totally different direction and made comments about how she was just another conquest I was getting caught with." He sat down on the log and put his head in his right hand. "I couldn't believe she would say something like that. I know we've only officially been together about 4 weeks now, but every day I have told her I love her. What am I doing wrong?"

The two women shared a small look, before Kya put a hand on his shoulder. "Bumi, I think Lin is harbouring a lot of trauma both recently and from many years ago. Part of the reason we came looking for you is because Uncle Zuko tried speaking with her. I think this morning was just the tipping point. It would have happened sooner or later, so please don't blame yourself."

"Is she okay?"

Kya gave him a small smile, trying to reassure him. "I think she needs help processing and working through everything. Uncle Zuko said that she blames herself for many things which I assume is what helped her decide to isolate herself from everyone for the better part of 14 years since her breakup with Tenzin."

Su put her hand on his other shoulder. "I know that you make her so happy. Lately I have been seeing glimpses of the Lin I knew growing up, before she turned 15. I think on some level she does believe that you love her, she just has all these past experiences telling her to not fully accept it. But we just need to be patient and continue to show her and tell her how much we love her."

Bumi let their words sink in before standing up. "I think I should go speak with her now that I understand a little more. I am still a little upset, but we can talk through that later. Right now she needs me to be there, and I will prove to her that I will always be by her side."

"Uh, about that, she may have left the island after speaking with Uncle." Kya said, standing up with the help of Su.

"She what? Well then I will head to her place." He put his sword back in its sheath and joined the women on the platform, which Su then bent back up the side of the cliff.


Bumi unlocked the door after thanking his brother for giving him a ride over on Oogi.

He almost tripped coming into the house and noticed her bag on the floor. He picked it up and put it on the small bench that was inside the door, before closing and locking the door behind him.

He noticed no lights were on in the house, and didn't see or hear her in the living room or kitchen, so he assumed she was upstairs in the bedroom.

He decided to make her a little food as according to the others she hadn't eaten. He put the kettle on too, deciding they could both do with tea at this point. After quickly frying a couple eggs for each of them, making toast, preparing the tea, and putting a couple apples in his pocket, he took off his sling and used his left hand to help carry the tray up the stairs. He purposefully had his right hand under the tray and just used his left to keep it balanced, but he knew it was mostly healed by now, so what his mother and sister didn't know wont hurt them.

He slowly made his way upstairs to find the bedroom in complete darkness. Lin obviously had not bothered to open the blinds. Thankfully he could hear her soft breathing and realized she had fallen asleep. He placed the tray on the bedside table and quickly fixed his brace back into place. He then opened the blinds enough to let a gentle hint of light in, enough so that he could see her.

He walked over to the bed and sat beside her, noticing the tear tracks down her face. He hesitated to wake her up, but he knew she needed to eat something. Bumi reached his hand out and tucked a few strands of hair from her face behind her ear, before starting to caress her cheek with his thumb.

"Lin… Lin, it's time to wake up. Come on love." He said gently.

She stirred a little, before blinking up at him. She frowned, not understanding why he was there. "Bumi?"

"Hi Linny. I made some late breakfast for us, as we both haven't eaten. I suppose it is lunch now though."

Lin quietly sat up slowly and leant against the headboard. She watched him pull the dome off the food, which had kept it hot. She then accepted the plate he handed her and managed to take a bite, before realizing how hungry she actually was and made quick work of her eggs and toast.

"Do you want some tea? I also brought up a couple apples." Lin just nodded, setting her plate on the bed beside her, before accepting the cup of tea and the apple.

After they both finished their small meal, Bumi set about cleaning up their dishes.

"Why?" She asked softly.

Bumi paused from placing a tea cup on the tray. "Why what?"

"Why are you here? I was awful to you." Lin looked away from him, eyes on her hands fiddling with the bed sheet.

"Lin, I said I would always be here. A small argument is not going to send me packing."

Lin tried to ignore the hope building in her chest.

"I-I owe you an apology. I am sorry for overreacting, and for bringing up your previous relationships that I know nothing about. It was insensitive and uncalled for. I honestly have no idea where it even came from."

He put his hand over her closest one. "Lin, I forgave you right after it happened. I just needed my own space to calm down." He turned her hand so he could hold it fully in his hand. "However, there is something we need to talk about."

Lin flinched and attempted to pull her hand from his, knowing where this was going. 'Why did he have to come back spouting all this and serving me breakfast if he is just going to leave? Unless he is just leaving me and not the baby, which makes sense. Of course he wouldn't leave his child.'

"It's okay Bumi, I understand. Of course you will still be able to see the baby-"

"What are you talking about? Lin, I am not breaking up with you." He frowned at her.

She blinked up at him in surprise, confusion reading in her eyes.

"Lin, I love you, and a little argument like this is not going to push me away. I may need a moment to gather my own thoughts, but I will always come back, ready to talk about it."

She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.

"What I want to talk with you about, is why you reacted like this. And about why you keep thinking I am going to just up and leave. Uncle Zuko told me about your conversation. He said you blame yourself for much of what has happened since your childhood."

Lin felt a flash of betrayal. "He told you? Did he tell everyone?"

"Don't be mad at him Lin. He is so worried about you, we all are. It is not healthy to think like this. Believe me, I have spent my own fair share of time blaming myself for things out of my control. But I can tell you that working through it has helped so much." He raised her hand, still in his, to his chest over his heart. "Let us help you."

Lin blinked, trying to clear the tears that had formed. She didn't know how to respond.

"We are not asking you to talk with any of us if you don't want to, though all of us are here for you with open arms. We just want you to talk with someone, perhaps even a professional. Su said you felt better after that trip to the acupuncturist in Zaofu. Maybe a combination of that and speaking with someone will help?" He continued, speaking softly, not wanting to make her feel like he was forcing this on her. "But I'll let you have time to think it over okay? There is no pressure."

Lin nodded.

"I love you Linny." He said, pulling her close so he could wrap his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head, before resting his cheek on the same spot. He felt her relax into his arms, and they both took comfort from each other. "How does a nice, warm bath sound?"

"Amazing." She answered, placing a soft kiss to his neck.