This is probably set after season 3 or 4.

Lin woke up with a dry throat and sticky sweat. She groaned as her muscles ache from every movement she made. She is still tired as evidently seen with her unwillingness to open her eyes to meet the rising sun. She felt warm, groaning again when she couldn't seem to remove the blanket that somehow was wrapped around her waist and legs. She struggled to push the blanket away from her body as much as she could from her dizzy and hazy state when she felt something, not something, someone beside her.

That made her sit up despite the headache that straight up attacked her head. Even in the dimmed room, she could see the outline of a man. Spirits! She is naked too. Lin quickly snatched the blanket to cover herself. What did you do, Lin?

She could barely make out the face of the man. Lin leaned closer just in time for the light to hit the right angle and revealed the unmistakably blue arrow from the man's head. She immediately paled. Fuck.

Shit. shit. shit. This can't be happening!

Lin pushed herself to stand up, groaning as her body complained at her actions. She frantically searches for her clothes and sees they are thrown across the floor together with the orange and yellow clothings.

She grabbed her clothes hastily with one arm while the other struggled to keep the blankets around her. Lin cursed herself at her actions. She looked around, still disoriented before making out that she's in her living room.

"Fucking shit." Lin hissed before running inside her bedroom, the blanket following her way leaving the airbender with nothing but a pillow to cover himself up.

Lin pressed her back against the door, she can feel her own heart racing inside her chest. "Lin, what did you do? You're not a teenager for fuck's sake." She groaned, clutching the blanket around her body. "He's married with a family. What were you thinking, Lin?"

She stumbled into the bathroom and quenched her dry mouth and splash some water to her face in an effort to put some sense in what she just did. She has no recollection of what happened last night. Lin doesn't know how she ended up naked beside him.

Oh god, him. Lin felt another headache coming.

Lin cursed herself for drinking and vowed to never drink again. She looked at the mirror, dropping the blanket to inspect her body. Her eyes went wide at the marks left in her body.

She felt herself blush at the sight of herself in the mirror. Red marks decorated her neck down to the valley of her breast. Lips were swollen and hair tangled in a mess. Lin almost couldn't recognize herself.

"Fuck!" Lin screamed out in frustration but was still careful to keep her voice down. She doesn't need him waking up while she's still panicking.

She stepped into the shower, scrubbing her body furiously, still in disbelief of what she just woken up to. How many drinks did she have that led her to this? But no matter how hard Lin tried to remember the night's event, she couldn't.

It was almost six when Lin finished getting ready. The shower made her feel much better but she clearly has a hangover. She would love to stay home and nurse her drunkenness but the crimes don't exactly stop for her.

Her armor was able to hide the marks but the problem is in her neck just below her right ear where an embarrassing hickey is placed. Dammit. She just has to make sure that her hair won't get blown by the air or else...Lin just shuddered at the thought of her officers finding out about her night of carelessness.

She peeked into the living room, looking for signs of him awake but there wasn't and Lin took it as a chance to run for the door. She almost made it to the door without waking him up or making a noise until she accidentally stepped on his finger.

Tenzin groaned in pain, eyes slowly opening. He's also feeling disoriented and that's when he felt it. Coldness. He looked down and was shocked to see himself bare. He grabbed the nearest thing he could touch to use as a cover which is the pillow Lin used.

"Lin?" Tenzin asked confusedly before his gray eyes widened, switching back and forth between his body and her. Realization hitting him with the same shock that Lin is still experiencing. "Lin! What happened?"

Lin opened her mouth but no words came out. Their eyes met and suddenly Lin saw the night's happening right before her eyes. She felt her cheeks tinting up, looking away to avoid his eyes. Without another thought, she ran out of the room and her apartment in a hurry.

All the way to the station, Lin kept muttering curses under her breath and taking a deep breath as she grew nauseous and pale. She waved carelessly to Miya, a receptionist, before making her way to her office.

"Woah, Chief!"

Lin snapped back to her senses. She was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't realize that the water was spilling off of her cup. She clicked her tongue at her now wasted drink. "Damn it." She muttered before placing the cup on top and putting both of her hands to grip the counter.

"Uh, Chief? Are you alright?" Lin turned her head to see Mako standing awkwardly with a similar cup in his hand.

Lin ignored him before moving passed him with a frustrated sigh. She almost bumps into Shu, who is carrying a tall stack of folders, if it weren't for the young cop's quick reflex to avoid the clearly distressed Chief.

"What was that, Lin?" Saikhan entered her office a few seconds later with a concerned look. "You're all over the place today."

Lin glared at him, clearly offended and taken aback at his boldness for his comment. She would have said something if she didn't see the cup of coffee in his hand. She accepted it with a gruff thanks, sighing in relief when it soothed her throat. Saikhan took another step toward her before realizing something.

Lin's eyes widened and grew nervous, suddenly conscious of herself. "What?" Lin snapped, putting her hand on the side of her neck, almost trembling at the possibility that Saikhan might have seen it.

Saikhan ignored her and inched forward towards her, his neck stretching as he inspected her face. "Are...are you sick?"

Lin rolled her eyes at his question. She let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. "I'm not sic-WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Lin yelped when Saikhan's hand made contact with her forehead. She quickly slapped it away, pushing her chair away from her desk and launching to a standing position.

Saikhan frowned, withdrawing his hands. "You're a little warm."

"It's hot." Lin blurted as she leaned on the shelf behind her, crossing her arms over her chest. Saikhan gave her a pointed look, causing her to let out an exasperated sigh. Saikhan had known her since the start of his career, having been put in the same group where Lin was the captain and later raised in the rank under her tutelage. They're not friends who chat with each other to talk about the weather but they know each other enough to care.

"Don't you have better things to do than have a staring contest with me? Don't think I forgot about your failed capture of the hit and run suspect." Lin might have been too harsh with her words but she'd do anything to get him off her back.

Saikhan pressed his lips together before taking a step backward. "I'm just worried."

"Well, stop worrying about me and worry about the criminal who is still out there in the city and bring him here." Lin turned her body and waved him off.

Focusing on her work proved to be a problem when every now and then memories of last night flashes in Lin's head, making her blush and at the same time perplexed. The memories became more and more clear and less vague as the day stretched, interrupting her work everytime.

A knock from her door temporarily snapped Lin away from her thoughts. "What is it?"

Miro peeked at her room with a shaky smile. "Master Tenzin is here, Chief. He said he needs to discuss something important with you."

Lin felt her body run cold and a little lightheaded. She stammered, searching for words to say. "Tell him I'm busy."

Miro nodded before closing the door but a few seconds later he opened it again. "He said it's urgent."

Tenzin tapped his foot impatiently as Lin's assistance left once again to deliver his message to Lin. "Make him go away. I'm not up for visitation. I have more important things to do than to talk to him." Tenzin heard her say from the little gap of her door. Tenzin was deeply offended at her comment and watched as Miro returned to him with another rejection from Lin.

"I'll talk to her myself." Tenzin knocked three times on her door. "Lin." He waited and knocked again but still no reply. By now, everyone in the room is watching him with curious eyes. It's not everyday you see an airbending master inside the station.

"Fuck off, Tenzin." Finally a reply even though it's not the answer he is expecting to receive. Tenzin heard snickers around him and it took a lot of him and memories of his father teaching him patience to remain calm.

"If you don't open this door right now, I will forcefully enter your office." Tenzin warned, getting annoyed at the woman's stubbornness.

"Fuck you." Lin said behind the door.

Tenzin's ear turned red, embarrassed at her reply. He cleared his throat, his voice rising in embarrassment. "I'm coming in."

Lin slapped herself for not thinking of locking the door because Tenzin barged in without any invitation with her assistant in row. Lin glared at Miro, who stood at the back with shaking legs.

"I'm sorry, Chief. I tried to stop him but he insisted." Miro stammered.

Lin waved him before locking eyes with Tenzin. "Leave us." Miro nodded before hurriedly closing the door behind him.

"What do you want, Tenzin?" "What happened?" They asked at the same time. Tenzin's eyes widened before clearing his throat as Lin motioned him to speak.

"What happened last night? I-I don't understand." Tenzin stammered.

Lin closed her eyes, feeling like something was stuck in her throat. She had to look away and turned her attention to the plant in the corner of the room. "What do you mean?"

Tenzin rubbed his cheeks, growing annoyed at her answers. "You know what I mean. Me waking up naked, let alone in your house."

"You have a brain, Tenzin. You figure it out. I have more important things to do and if you please get out of my office." Lin clicked her tongue as she continued to avoid him.

"Lin-"

"It means that we had sex, Tenzin. Apparently, you and I got drunk and we ended up fucki-" Tenzin stopped her before she could continue by putting his hands over her mouth.

"Lin!" Tenzin said, looking horrified.

"Get away from me!" Lin pushed him away, slapping his hand from her face.

Tenzin stood in the middle of the room with wide eyes and mouth open. He's not stupid, he knows what happened but for Lin to confirm it was still shocking. He mindlessly sat on the couch, feeling sick in the stomach as he recollects his memory.

"Spirits, Lin!" Tenzin said in outrage, suddenly glaring at her.

Lin glared at him with the same fury. "Me? Are you blaming me? Did you forget that it is my fault as much as it is yours?"

"I know but still!" Tenzin's face contorted in many levels is stress. Lin would've screamed at him to get himself together if he didn't look at her with a fearful expression. "What are we going to do, Lin? What am I going to do? Spirits! What about Pema? Fuck."

Tenzin doesn't normally curse because of his nature so Lin knew that he was greatly distressed. "Tenzin, calm down, damn it!" Lin snapped but her voice was clearly tinted with worry as she looked at her friend.

"How am I going to explain this to my wife?"

Lin snapped her head to look at him. "Don't tell her! Are you stupid? She's going to kill us. Your wife can be quite scary, you know!"

"Then what do you want me to do? I can't lie to her. I've never lied to her before!" Tenzin quaked. "Lin?"

"I'm thinking!" Lin snapped at him. Tenzin cowered a little to his seat. "You don't have to lie to her. Just say that you fell asleep in my house or something. Just don't tell her what happened." Lin growled in frustrations, making sure to keep her voice down.

She paced around the room for a few more seconds, growing agitated as the time passed. Her head is pounding like someone is using a jackhammer in her skull and her stomach is twisted. It's a surprise that she hadn't puked on the floor yet as her stomach was churning the whole time.

A knock made her jump from their places. They shared a look as Lin gestured to him to shut his mouth. "Who is it?" Lin asked, doing her best to calm her voice.

"It's me, Saikhan." Lin rolled her eyes while Tenzin raised his eyebrows at her. Lin opened the door and let the deputy chief come in. "Here, take this." He handed her medicine and a glass of water.

Lin accepted the medicine begrudgingly and swallowing it down with the water. "Thanks."

"What is that?" Tenzin found his voice, his knees were still weak but he managed to walk forward without collapsing to the floor.

"Lin's sick. I gave her medicine but she's really stubborn." Saikhan said matter-of-factly, grabbing the glass from the woman's hand in the process.

Lin eyed her subordinate, her lips turning into a thin line. "Did you forget who you're talking to?"

Saikhan shook his head, almost mocking her. "No, Chief Beifong." Another glare from his senior sent him out of the office, leaving Tenzin and Lin alone once again.

"You're sick?" Tenzin asked worriedly, reaching up to feel her forehead but Lin saw it coming and blocked his hands before it could make contact with her skin.

"Hold up! I think you've reached your limit in touching me." Lin said which made Tenzin blushed.

"Oh sorry." Tenzin said sheepishly, stepping backward with his hands in his back. Lin shrugged before walking around her desk and sitting down to her chest in effort to resume her work. Tenzin sat in front of her, watching her as she resumed working.

They remained silent for a long moment, mauling over their faults and the possible consequences they will face. Lin is not a disgraced woman for starters but she's not new to having one night stand and she gladly left that point of her life a long time ago but this is different. Having sex with a married man is bad enough.

What's the rule for having sex with an old flame? Lin doesn't have the answer for that.

Tenzin, on the other hand, is a monk for spirit's sake!

Never in his life he imagined he'd wake up inside his ex girlfriend's house naked after so many years. He thought of his family, his wife. Guilt rushed in, making him dizzy from all the possible scenarios about how this will roll out. Then his eyes landed on Lin, the woman whom he loved since he was a boy, the woman whose heart he broke. She is his best friend and Tenzin was completely heartbroken when he lost contact to her after they broke up.

He is still beyond belief that Lin even agreed to be friends with him again after the pain he caused her and everyday, he always makes sure that he won't give her a reason to cut their friendship again but after this mess? Tenzin doesn't know what will happen.

"What will happen between us, Lin?" Tenzin asked quietly as he slowly looked up to see her looking at him with furrowed brows. "I just got you back and I don't want to lose you or our friendship again. I don't think I can handle it this time."

Lin dropped her sight, tapping her pen to the desk a couple of times before setting it down. "I don't know, Tenzin. I think it's better if we stopped being friends."

Tenzin stammered before closing his mouth. "No, Lin, please."

The woman sighed, running her fingers in her hair, slightly revealing the mark under her ear. Tenzin saw it and gave a surprise gasp. Lin snapped to look at him, clearly mortified. She quickly brought her shoulder up to hide and her neck, a little too fast that it hurt.

"Stop." Lin demanded, cheeks heating up. The airbender nodded bashfully, looking away to anything but her.

A couple of minutes passed before Lin finally found the courage to speak. "Look. I don't want to lose you too but what happened between us is not something easy to forget."

"We can forget that it happened, take it to our graves. Please, Lin." Tenzin begged. "It's not like this is our first time."

Lin winced at his words. "This is different. We were together back then and you're married now." Tenzin slumped back to his seat, forehead creasing. Lin contemplated for a minute about what he said before nodding. "If you promised that we won't speak of this again, maybe we can remain friends."

Tenzin sighed in relief, cracking a smile before touching her hand, still careful to keep a good distance. "Thank you. I will take it to my grave, I swear."

"Thank you for the sex or for remaining to be friends with you?" Lin tried to joke even though deep inside she was still feeling tensed and anxious for what happened. Tenzin's eyes twinkled before shaking his head in disbelief but Lin can see that he finds her joke funny. "Now please get out of my office. I'm seriously packed with work right now."

Tenzin nodded in understanding before leaping out from his seat and gave Lin a goodbye and reminded her to take a rest before leaving her office.

"Tenzin." Lin called out, a serious look on her face. "Take this to your grave or else I will personally be the one who will bring you to your grave."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tenzin grinned, his nerves slowly easing. "Bye Lin." Without looking back, he started making his way home to where his wife and children are waiting for him.

What he didn't know is that Lin was watching him from the windows of her office. It awakened feelings that Lin thought was long gone, dead, buried to the deepest hole. It scares her.

There was no mistaking what that was but Lin was surprisingly okay with it than what she thought it would be. Her thoughts weighed heavily on her shoulders but just like every other day, she would get up and fight it and she would survive for another day. She chuckled bitterly.

Is this what hit and run feels like? Lin doesn't know.

"Chief Beifong?" Saikhan bursted into her room, panting as he held on the door knob. Lin stared at him expectedly. "The suspect for the hit and run just showed up. My men are currently with her in case she runs. She's a woman and from what I was told, it wasn't just a hit and run, this is a second degree murder. The victim is apparently the suspect's husband's mistress."

"Well, I'd be damned." Lin muttered to herself.