First morning on Ember Island


Lin woke the next morning with a jolt. She breathed heavily as she allowed her brain to wake up and realize that she wasn't in the nightmare. After her breathing got under control, she sat up and glanced over to check that the boys hadn't been woken up by her. Thankfully they were still asleep.

Glancing out the window, the sun was just starting to make an appearance, so Lin figured it was sometime after 5 in the morning. She ran a hand over her face, groaning softly at being woken so early. As she laid back down though, she felt a churn in her stomach.

'Not this shit again.' Lin stood quietly, and left as quickly as she could, making her way out of the room and down the hall to the toilet. Barely making it in the end, and she fell to the floor, kneeling as she paid homage to the porcelain spirit.

She was startled when she felt hands move her hair out of the way, but another churn of her stomach had her paying attention again to the toilet.

After a little while, when she was sure she wouldn't be able to bring anything else up, she leant back. "Thanks." She mumbled to the person who had been holding her hair and rubbing her back. She assumed it was Kya or Nira, but when she turned slightly, she realized it was neither of them. There was her mother, in her sleep clothes with concern in her glazed eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen that look on her mother's face. Probably before she was in her late teens.

"Oh, uh Chief. Thanks." Lin said awkwardly. Not sure what to make of her mother being here.

"Don't mention it." Toph replied. "You okay? Thought Kya said you were sick due to the flight, and you seemed fine last night." Toph reluctantly let go of Lin's hair and went to fill a cup of water from the tap.

Lin accepted the glass and took a sip, before swishing it in her mouth and spitting it back out into the toilet bowl. She tentatively took a new sip of the cool water and sighed slightly in relief as it settled in her stomach and didn't upset it further. She glanced back at her mother, "uh I've been struggling with nausea since the event. The flight made it much worse, and I was fine after we landed. Sometimes it gets to me at other times." She willed her heartbeat to stay regular as she knew her mother could tell when she was lying. She hadn't had any morning sickness until today, and Lin was sure the trip yesterday probably helped trigger it.

Toph's eyes narrowed slightly as she could tell Lin wasn't giving her a fully honest answer, but she dropped it for now. "You think you could handle some tea?" She said instead.

It took all of Lin's effort not to choke on the sip of water she had taken. She was not expecting her mother to drop the subject once she had seen her eyes narrow. She finally managed to swallow the water, before speaking. "Uh, I think so. But I should probably have ginger tea, just in case." She managed to stand without stumbling and flushed the toilet. "Just going to brush my teeth." Lin muttered, moving past her mother to reach into her toiletry bag, retrieving her toothbrush and the minty paste.

"Sure. I'll just head down and see about getting that ready." Toph said and left the room.

Downstairs, Toph found Zuko and Izumi talking quietly.

"Ah, Toph. Good Morning. I was not expecting you to get up so early." Zuko greets his old friend.

"Sparky." Toph nodded to him. "I see you still rise with the sun." She turned to Izumi. "Princess Sparkle."

"Good Morning, Aunt Toph. And I am the Fire Lord now-" Izumi started with a raised brow, not that Toph could see it.

"Potayto, Potahto. Same shit." Toph shrugged. "Is there a cook here, or could you show me where the ginger tea is?"

Zuko stood. "Here I can make it. I don't recall you ever liking ginger tea."

Toph followed him to the kitchen and sat on a stool nearby as she heard Zuko puttering around. "Not for me. Lin was throwing up. I heard her in the hall, so I went to check on her." Toph frowned slightly. "No one will tell me what's going on with her. I can tell her, Kya, and that acolyte are keeping secrets."

Zuko set the kettle on the stove, then pulled the tin of ginger tea from the cupboard. "Perhaps they are not ready to share what is going on. Sometimes it is best to let your children come to you, not forcing it from them." He added a couple scoops to the tea strainer in the teapot and turned to face his old friend. "You know, it's been a while since I've seen you. How have you been?"

"Ah well you know, living in a swamp. Exciting stuff." Toph shrugged.

"And you're a grandmother now. I've met Su's children, they are lively. Have you seen Suyin? How is she handling Baatar Jr. leaving and joining Kuvira?"

Toph ran her hand over the back of her neck. "Well… Honestly I don't know. Haven't seen the kids for about 10 years or so until a few days ago."

Zuko shook his head at his friend. He could not fathom being away from his daughter or grandchildren for a month, never mind a decade or more. Out of all their friends though, he had always understood Toph the most. He knew what it was like to grow up in isolation, with parents who didn't see them as more than pawns to control. Sure their mothers had loved them, but it hadn't been enough when in the shadow of their fathers control. However, they had both ended up raising their children differently. Zuko was very involved in his daughter's life whereas Toph kept her daughters at arms length - or further.

"How was meeting young Haru?"

Toph's face relaxed into a soft, sad smile. "He's pretty special isn't he." She replied softly. "I-I realize I have made a lot of mistakes over the last few decades, especially when it comes to Lin." Toph picked at her fingernails, needing to do something with her hands while speaking about her emotions. "I don't know if there is any way for me to let her know that I have realized what I've done, and I truly am sorry. But I doubt she'll ever let me in enough."

Zuko paused, and turned to the kettle when it started whistling. As he poured the hot water over the tea leaves, he started speaking. "Sometimes actions speak louder than words. She let you come down to arrange tea for her, and she didn't push you away when you were helping her out earlier. Perhaps all you need to do right now is - how did Aang put your style of earthbending - ah, yes, waiting and listening. I know being quiet has never been your strong suit though." Zuko placed the kettle back on the stove, but was not quick enough to dodge the metal spoon that smacked his head.

"I'll have you know that I have been very quiet over the last decade, your royal fire-pants." Toph bent the spoon into the sink, it made a clang as it fell into the metal basin. "But maybe - for once - you are right. Actions… yeah I… I can do that… I think."

"Did Toph Beifong just admit I was right about something?" Zuko teased as he lifted the strainer from the teapot and then placed the lid in its place after setting the strainer aside.

"Stuff it Sparky." Toph grunted.

Zuko just let her grumpiness roll over him, it was nice to see his old friend again. "Shall we bring this back to the dining room? I'm sure that is where Lin will head.


After brushing her teeth, she decided to tackle her hair. The heat on the Island was making it abnormally difficult. She winced a few times as her brush caught on some tangles. She silently cursed her decision to keep her hair longer even though she loved the feel of Bumi's hands as he would braid her hair at night. She glared at her reflection in the mirror as she noticed her hair had poofed up. Lin quickly braided her hair to keep it in place and as tangle free as possible.

She washed her face to help her feel less grimy, and then padded back down the hall to her bedroom. She quietly entered, not wanting to wake the boys, who were still sleeping soundly on their cots. Rohan was all curled up, whereas her son was sprawled diagonally across the mattress. She smiled in amusement and gently fixed his limbs and body to lay straight, tucking him back under the light sheet. After gently kissing his forehead, she went and grabbed her robe to place over her pajamas - not feeling like changing yet.

She left the room quietly, and made her way downstairs. Upon entering the dining hall she found Izumi reading over some transcripts from the United Forces who were stationed in and around Republic City.

"Morning Zumi." Lin said.

Izumi looked up and peered at Lin over her glasses that perched on the end of her nose. "Ah Lin, good morning. Father and Aunt Toph should be back at any moment with your tea. Please, join me." Izumi said, motioning to the chair beside her.

Lin sank into the chair with a soft sigh of relief to be sitting. The excitement of the morning and the trip through the house and downstairs had tired her out again.

"What's going on Lin? And don't say you're fine, when we both know that isn't true." The older woman glanced at her younger friend with a raised brow.

"We'll talk later. I promise. Just not right now." Lin saw Izumi open her mouth with a determined look in her eyes, so she placed a hand over the fire benders. "Please Izumi. Not. Now"

Izumi narrowed her eyes at her friend, but took note of the stubborn look on her face and knew that Lin really was serious at this instant. "Fine, but it will be later today."

Lin nodded, and went to remove her hand from Izumi's, when her hand was grasped.

"What's this? Another band? Don't tell me you and Bumi tied the knot and didn't invite me."

Lin swallowed, suddenly nervous. Izumi was usually calm, but when she was mad, she was terrifying. "Well -I"

"Did I just hear that you and Bumi married?" Came Zuko's voice from the doorway to the kitchen. Lin looked over and saw his shocked and slightly disappointed look. She watched her mother push past Zuko, grabbing the tray from his hands.

"Yeah they got hitched three days ago now." Toph said bluntly before setting the tray beside Lin and pouring a cup for her daughter. "Honey?" She asked, gesturing to the small pot on the tray.

"Oh, uh yes. Thank you." Lin answered with a slight frown on her face at her mother's… care? Lin wasn't really sure what to think about how her mother was acting that morning. She turned and focused on Izumi and Zuko. "Look, it was kind of spur of the moment. Believe me, we would have much rather waited, but well with Kuvira… We just wanted to have control over something." Lin shrugged, feeling a little uncomfortable under their stares.

The room was quiet except for Toph moving around the table and taking the seat across from Lin. After a few moments of silence Toph huffed. "Look here your Fire Lordlinesses… Linny is a big girl. She doesn't need us around to do stuff. But I know they mentioned doing a proper shindig once the dust settles, so get off your high ostrich horse."

Lin's frown deepened for a moment at her mother's words, but she quickly shook the thoughts - it was too early to deal with her mother and their past. She gave Izumi's hand a gentle squeeze. "I promise we will have a proper one in a bit with you both and Katara. Trust me, we wanted you all there."

Izumi's face finally softened, and she returned the squeeze to Lin's hand. "I believe you. But if you two pull something like this again… It was bad enough that I had to hear about your pregnancy with Haru from my father. And now this."

Lin gave Izumi a small smile. "I promise you won't be out of the loop any further." She hoped her meaningful look told Izumi that she was referring to their expected talk as well.

Izumi patted Lin's hand before letting go, showing that she got the message. Lin took a sip of her ginger tea and sighed lightly in relief. It was definitely helping her stomach, especially after this conversation. She looked up when she heard Zuko sit, and offered him a tentative smile, to which he gave her an understanding and loving one back. She felt the rest of the tension leave her shoulders and she relaxed into her chair, holding the cup of tea reverently in her hands.

"Shall we take the boys to the beach later today?" Zuko suggested after a little while of small talk.

Lin was refilling her teacup from the pot, and so she took a moment to think the question over. "Perhaps. I'll have to go into town to get them and myself swimsuits, so if not today, we can go tomorrow."

"Nonsense, we'll send someone out so that you can relax. You had a difficult trip up yesterday." Zuko said, his tone leaving no room for arguments. Lin just sighed and nodded as she added a healthy dollop of honey to her cup.

Lin listened as the other three continued to make conversation. It was nearing 7 by the time Kya and Nira made their appearance. Lin lifted an eyebrow at Kya's smug smile and Nira's slight blush, figuring the waterbender had flirted with the acolyte.

"Morning everyone!" Kya said cheerfully and loudly, causing Lin to grimace a little. She came and sat next to Lin, much to the younger woman's displeasure due to her boisterousness this morning.

"Good Morning Kya, Acolyte Nira." Zuko said, nodding at both with a smile.

"Please, Lord Zuko, call me Nira. Good Morning to you all." Nira said, giving them a bow.

"Then call me Zuko, Nira. Please have a seat. I will call for breakfast soon."

"I should probably go check on the boys." Lin said shortly after Nira sat down. "They'll be up soon." She stood quickly, but then groaned and sat back down just as quickly. She clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes squeezed shut. She tuned out the others asking if she was alright, and focused on her breathing. Luckily it eased quickly.

When she opened her eyes, she avoided everyone else's gaze. She sniffed and used the hand that had covered her mouth to pat her hair down - not that it was out of place to begin with.

"Lin-" Kya started.

"I'm okay Kya. I was just sick this morning, that's all, and perhaps it hasn't eased as much as I thought. I'll just get up slower and will be fine."

Lin eased herself up slowly this time, but before she could fully leave the table, Kya caught her wrist.

"Have you taken your meds for this morning yet?"

"I will grab them while I am upstairs. Thought it best to hold off a bit to make sure I could keep them down."

Kya nodded and let go of her wrist. "Do you want help with the boys?"

Lin shook her head. "I'm sure we will be fine."

Once Lin got up to her shared bedroom, she quietly opened the door. In the hour or so since she had gone down, Haru had shifted again, somehow completely switching which end of the bed he was sleeping on - his one foot dangling off while his other was on his pillow.

Lin pursed her lips in amusement. Bumi had definitely gotten his mini-me in their son. She placed her hand briefly on her stomach wondering if this one would take more after her, before she shook her head and dropped her hand. She couldn't begin to think about that now.

Before waking the boys she went over to the box she had placed on the tall dresser out of their reach. Inside had her medications both herbal and modern. She took out her morning doses and pocketed them in her robe.

The boys were fairly easy to wake this morning, but they were clingy.

"Up Mama." Haru requested, arms gripping the hem of her robe.

"I'm sorry, little badgermole, Mama can't carry you or Rohan right now. Why don't you each take one of my hands and we'll go get some breakfast? Uncle Zuko is going to take us to the beach later."

Lin let out the breath she had held once she felt each boy grab one of her hands. She led them downstairs for breakfast, listening to their now excited chatter about the beach.


"Haru, please sit still so I can get this sunscreen on you." Lin almost begged of her son, who kept squirming.

"Mama I wanna play." The two-and-a-half year old whined.

"I know little badgermole, but we don't want the sun to hurt us do we?" She said, though Haru didn't seem to care as he continued to wiggle around. She internally sighed, thinking that dealing with her rookies was preferable to the struggling toddler right now - though at least he wasn't having a temper tantrum, a small blessing.

At least Lin noted that Kya was having just as difficult a time with Rohan, except he was bigger than Haru, so his struggling was harder to keep under control.

Nira came over with some juice. "Here you go boys, I brought some lychee juice."

The boys perked up and stopped struggling, much to Lin and Kya's chagrin, but it gave them the chance to finish lathering the sunscreen on while the boys sat still to drink their juice. Nira just gave the older women a knowing grin and sat beside Kya.

They were soon joined by Zuko and Toph, who unlike the others, were not dressed to swim but were at least dressed lighter so as to not overheat under the intense heat.

"Ah there you all are. Looks like we are all ready for a day at the beach." Zuko said, taking a seat on one of the chairs under a second umbrella that had been placed there by his staff.

Toph ignored the chair beside Zuko and bent her own sand one, which amused the boys.

"Again!" The boys cried, with excitement in their eyes.

Toph smirked. "You got it kiddo's. Let's see here…" She scratched her chin for a second before flicking her hands out and bending the sand in front of the boys. A miniature version of an air bison emerged.

"Mochi!" Haru called, breaking free from Lin and running to the sand creature. He patted the head like he would to his father's bison.

Lin smiled softly at her son, but felt a small pang that she couldn't bend right now to play with him that way. It was an odd feeling to again be jealous of her mother - she had enough of that growing up.

Rohan begged Toph to make another, so she bent another air bison. This kept the boys entertained for a little, before they were begging to go into the water.

Lin sighed, but took off her coverup, leaving her in the red wrap style bikini top and bottom. She was at least thankful it was a more covering bottom than some of the newer styles that were all the rage amongst the younger generation.

"Looking good Linny." Kya grins cheekily at her as she stood gracefully and held a hand out to Nira.

Lin blushed a little, but rolled her eyes. She stood up herself and grabbed Haru's hand to guide him to the water.

Haru took to the water like a little fish. Lin wondered if maybe it was a sign - his grandmother and aunt were waterbenders, so it wouldn't be a far fetched notion.

As they got a little deeper, Lin was happy for the water's buoyancy as it meant she could hold Haru without worrying about his weight. They wadded in until the water was just above her waist, and she held Haru under his arms. "Alright Haru, raise your legs up and kick your feet." Haru followed what she said, splashing the water with his feet. "Good job kid. Keep it up." She slowly walked backwards so that he felt like he was actually swimming as he kicked his legs.

They kept it up for a bit before he noticed that Kya was launching Rohan into the air and then catching him with the water. Before Lin could react, she felt the water shift around her hands and Haru soared into the air.

"Haru!" She cried out, unsure how to save him. He was shooting out towards the ocean, away from her.

Kya handed Rohan to Nira and quickly used her bending to bend the water up near Haru and grab him, before being carried back over to the three women.

Lin wrapped her arms around Haru tightly. "Are you okay?"

"I fly Mama!" Haru said excitedly.

Lin looked up at Kya and fixed her with a stare. "Did you just launch my son from my arms?"

"No, Lin, I would never do that. I was going to offer after a little while to play with him like Rohan. But I would never do it without your consent." Kya said sincerely.

Lin believed her, but couldn't understand how it had happened… unless. "Then either there is another waterbender around, or Haru's a waterbender."

Kya moved over excitedly. "Really? Maybe I can see if he can move the water again. I promise to catch him."

Lin hesitated, before handing him over. "Fine, but we stop if I say so."

"Of course." Kya grinned at her. "Alright buddy, do you think you can make the water move again?"

Haru seemed to think for a moment before nodding.

"Okay, do what you did before, love." Kya encouraged him.

Haru raised his arms then slammed them down onto the water. He was launched straight up this time, about 10 feet in the air, before lowering back into his Aunt's arms. Kya had a bewildered look on her face.

"My son is a waterbender." Lin said with shock.

Kya looked up from Haru with her eyes wide and caught Lin's gaze. "No, Lin. Haru is an airbender."

Lin frowned, "but didn't he just-"

"He used air to launch himself up. But because we are in water, it just looked like waterbending. I only noticed because I was holding him and could feel the shift of the water."

"An airbender…" Lin said, slightly breathless. Then she smiled and took Haru into her arms, swirling them around in the water. Haru giggled at the attention from his mother. "Daddy is going to be so excited, little badgermole."

"Yay!" Haru clapped his hands.

"I say we head back and tell the old folks on the beach the good news. Maybe we can hunt down some ice cream too." Kya said with a smile.

They made their way back to the beach and the old friends who were catching up more on time missed.

"Looks like you all were having fun. You really shot Haru far out, Kya. Perhaps not so far until he knows how to swim, spirits forbid we were unable to get him." Zuko said, his smile tight with concern.

Lin shuffled slightly. "Actually, Uncle, that was not Kya who launched him up. Haru did it on his own." She ruffled his curls with her hand. She smiled down at her son.

"My grandson's a waterbender? Dang. Katara is never going to let this down that her genes beat out my superior earth ones." Toph huffed, but was grinning crookedly. "Well Sugar Princess, looks like you have your own pupil now."

Kya, Lin, and Nira shared knowing glances, which while missed by Toph, was not missed by Zuko.

He squinted at them a little in suspicion. "What are you not telling us?"

"Actually, Haru is not a waterbender… nor an earthbender." Lin said, smirking at her Uncle.

Both elders looked on at them in shock.

"You telling me Twinkle Toes won out with the bending genes? Figures." Toph then 'looked' over to Haru's direction. "Alright kid, show us what you got."

Kya turned to Rohan. "Hey, do you wanna show Haru one of your airbending moves?"

Rohan puffed up his chest slightly. "Yes, Auntie. Here Haru, do this." He took a deep breath in, then blew really hard, causing the sand to swirl in the 5ft in front of him.

Haru clapped, then tried following what his older cousin did. However, he was not facing an open beach, but Toph and Zuko. He let go of his breath before Lin could turn him.

Lin pursed her lips to try and stop the laugh that wanted to come out as she took in her mother being dropped to the ground as her sand chair disintegrated with the air bending, and Uncle Zuko was covered in said sand.

"He is definitely Aang's grandchild." Zuko said in amusement as he flicked sand off himself.

Kya lost her battle to keep her laughing in check, which caused the boys and Nira to laugh. Lin soon lost hers as well. Before long Zuko joined in as well, laughing harder when Toph grumbled about being bested by a toddler.


A/N:

So did you guess Haru's bending? I hinted at it throughout Lin's pregnancy with her food aversion to meat. I like to think that Haru has been subconsciously bending a little for a while, just nothing noticeable until today.