this is what i came up with while working on the request from Jokermask18 about Aang and Katara and their relationship with Bumi. Personally, this was more difficult to write than i had thought, only because i had no idea what to write for it since i had pretty much finished the one before right before i got this request. I already had several ideas for several other stories, that ended up getting jumbled together so i'm not sure if i did the request any justice, but it was actually the first for a request i have ever written.

So, i hope this is okay, since i'm unsure about it, but i know it's not going to get any better for now.

Also, this chapter doesnt have much of a title. It's called Lawbreaker only because it was the closest thing i could thing of, but it doesnt stay so...lawbreakery and i just dont care to spend an hour trying to figure out a name that wont come until i'm done posting this anyway.

The metal room at the police station seemed to grow smaller under the unseeing eyes of the chief. She was sitting across from him, feet up on the table, which would seem weird to anyone unless they knew her personally. The handcuffs around the boy's wrists were looser than he suspected was usual for criminals, but he wasn't a criminal.

"Breaking curfew, breaking and entering, resisting arrest, and destruction of cabbages," the chief of police said, shaking her head and snickering. Her arms were crossed and her blank stare was fixed on him, making him squirm and try not to meet her gaze, but not give away his unease. Okay, maybe he was a criminal now.

"In my defense, I didn't see him there. He placed that cart deliberately in my path, and i already told you. Im innocent!"

"And talking back to the chief. Do you have a death wish?" she laughed dryly.

"Ah, you won't hurt me," he smiled at her.

The chief shook her head, "You're right. But I know who will," she turned her head to the door as footsteps could be heard down the hall. With a sigh, she took her feet off the table and stood, hands now behind her back.

The boy's smile turned into a frown of horror, "You can't do this! Please tell me you didn't-,"

"Oh, but I did."

"Traitor," he mumbled, and was met with the handcuffs tightening around his wrists slightly.

Toph shrugged, "It's your own fault kid. Twinkletoes isn't in town right now to let you off easy and I can't just let you waltz out of here like you own the place. She would've found out eventually so I don't see why now is any different from tomorrow."

"I might not live to see tomorrow!" Bumi hissed.

Toph shrugged again as an eyehole opened in the metal wall, and the eyes of one of the officers showed. "Chief, Master Katara is here."

Toph smiled a bit ruefully and nodded, "I know. Let her in."

The metal slid apart and in walked the master bender, eyes dangerously narrowed and a frown on her face. Toph walked up to pass her, "I'll leave you two alone for a bit. And Sugar Queen," Katara softened her gaze when she looked curiously at her long time friend, "I always need someone to throw rocks at…in case you are curious about a suitable punishment."

Katara smiled dryly at her, "I'll consider it. Thanks Toph."

"No problem. I've got paperwork to do, and a couple slightly more dangerous criminals to deal with, so I'll see you later."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Of course."

The door shut behind the metalbending chief, and Bumi scoffed, "She doesn't do paperwork!" Katara returned to her original glare. "Oh. Hey Mom." Bumi shrunk down in his seat and sheepishly smiled up at the master waterbender.

Katara crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes again, "It's called an excuse, and don't you dare try to use one. You're in a ton of trouble, Bumi. Your father's coming home tonight, and we will discuss punishment then, but I have half a mind to leave you here. What were you thinking?"

He tried to move his hands in defense, but found they were still handcuffed to the table. "I can explain!" he hastily exclaimed, as the waterbender stayed silent.

"That sounds like a good idea," the waterbender began. "And you better hope I believe you. Do you realize how stupid you were being? What if you had gotten hurt?"

"I would've been fine."

"I don't think so."

Bumi groaned, "How will you ever believe me if you don't listen?"

Katara sighed and pulled out the metal chair across from him, sitting in it and setting her lips in a tight line. When Bumi just looked curiously at her, Katara motioned with a hand for him to tell his side of the story. He blinked in surprise. Usually it was punishment first, and then talk, when she cooled off. But, he didn't argue with this change, and began sharing what had happened.

"Okay…" he started, giving her another curious look, "Last night I was really bored, but I couldn't sleep so I went outside. I was just going to sit around for awhile, but then I saw the new probending arena and wanted to check it out."

He glanced up at his mother, his eyes having drifted down to the table. She looked like she was restraining herself from commenting, but at least she was listening.

"I kinda stole Oogi and we flew across the bay," he could see Katara nearly interrupt, but she held herself back once again. "So, anyways, I was, um…just going to look around since no one was there and it was late and... I knew I shouldn't have, but you know what they say," he smiled and chuckled nervously, "Curiosity kills the catowl."

Katara closed her eyes and let out a breath through her nose before looking at him again. She motioned for him to continue. "So, I was walking around the building, since I wasn't going to go inside originally. I heard some voices and just had to follow them, and saw a couple people messing with one of the side doors, but I didn't think they would be burglars. I didn't know what to do because they saw me and I heard one of them say something about me and I ran."

"I knew they would catch me if I didn't do anything, so I got inside of the building by breaking a window and hid. Neither of them found me, and I was actually gonna come here to get help, but I saw more people and I thought they were more burglars so I ran. I can honestly say I did not think they were police. They really need to wear lighter clothes or something…" he looked thoughtful for a second and Katara had to remind him he was in the middle of a story.

"Right," he said, regaining his focus, "so I was running and running, and ran right into one of the officers, and when I tried to get away, they put these stupid handcuffs on me and dragged me here, where Aunt Toph has been laughing about it since."

Katara took another deep breath, "Is that all?"

Bumi looked thoughtful, "Well…there was this cabbage guy…Don't ask me what he was doing out so late with a cart full of them because I honestly can't tell you why he would try to sell them in the middle of the night, but other than that, yes."

Katara nodded before standing. The handcuffs on the table unlocked and Bumi rubbed his wrists as the door opened, Toph looking rather bored leaning against the door frame, there to tell them everything had been settled and they could leave.

"You believe me?" Bumi was dumbfounded. He never lied to her, unless absolutely necessary, but now was one of those times when truth was the only option. The fact that she believed him though was something that hardly ever happened.

Katara sighed and watched him stand, "Of course I believe you. Toph would have actually come in here by now if you'd been lying, but I know you wouldn't lie to me."

Bumi smiled, "Can we go home? That's one of the wierdest things that's ever happened to be and I'm tired. Those chairs are uncomfortable and impossible to sleep in."

Katara nodded, "Of course, but don't expect that we'll let you leave the house for a month after pulling this stunt."

Bumi sighed, "I thought you were going to wait to talk to dad."

"Oh, I will," Katara reassured him, "But either way, you're grounded."

"Great."

On their way back to the docks, Bumi walking right behind his mother, who was holding back giving him a lecture for his actions until they were on the island, he asked a question that made her stop and turn to look at him.

"Do you think I can learn to use a sword?"

He asked it so quietly that she wasn't sure if he had actually said it. But looking at his face, a mixture of curiosity and anticipation and nervousness, she knew she had heard right. She looked down at him, a thirteen year old boy who was going to make many mistakes and suffer any and all consequences in the next few years, just a couple years younger than when Sokka had started using a sword.

"Why would you want to do that?" She asked. It wasn't accusing or judgmental, but genuinely curious. She knew Sokka had been dying for her permission to train him, but neither had brought it up to the boy.

"I just don't want to have to run anymore," he replied, referring to his tale from before with a scrunched up nose. "If I was a bender I would've been able to stop them."

"Bumi," Katara sighed and knelt down in front of him, completely forgetting they were still on one of the rather busy streets, people making their way around them with annoyed exxpressions.

"-but I'm not," he continued, "and I want to be able to do something instead of always having to run."

"Bumi, it doesn't matter that you can't bend."

"It matters to me," he said, not looking her directly in the eyes. "I just want to try it. If I can't do that either, then I'll stop, but I really want to learn. Uncle Sokka can teach me, can't he?"

Katara sighed and closed her eyes, "You're still in trouble, but I will talk to your father and uncle about this and we'll see. None of us would see you any differently if you could bend. In fact, being a nonbender can be useful."

Bumi frowned, "How?"

"Your uncle saved us more times than I can count. He can't bend."

"Yeah, but Uncle Sokka's awesome."

She put a hand up to ruffle his hair, which he quickly knocked away, and laughed, "I'm beginning to think I shouldn't baby you so much."

"Ha," he scoffed, "You call grounding me for life several times a month babying me?"

Katara rolled her eyes but put her hands on his shoulders, "I just worry too much."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, "It's okay. Uncle said we'd all be dead if you didn't worry so much."

Katara laughed, "Then he should have also told you that he was always getting into trouble and I had good reason to worry."

Bumi looked thoughtful, "He said that too. He also said I act like him…Is this some kind of joke?" he looked slightly irritated.

She smiled at him, "I don't think it is. I'll just have to worry about you forever."

That night, after Aang had arrived home, punishment was discussed, and Bumi was waiting for the sentence that would come at sunrise, Katara lay in bed beside her husband, who was curiously watching her as she talked herself through her thoughts.

"I feel like this is my fault," she said.

Aang rolled his eyes and laughed, "We both know it's no one's fault Katara. He's just a teenager. We all did some pretty stupid things."

"I know, but…"

"Katara, stop," he said before she could continue.

"Still," she sighed. "I can't really help him, can I? He really thinks he needs to do something. He asked me if he could learn how to use a sword, and I know he really wants to, but…he's just so young."

Aang sighed and pulled her closer to him, "Then we should let him. After all, it give him less time to get into trouble if he was getting lessons."

Katara looked at him like he was crazy.

"Okay, after he's done being grounded. We've had this problem before haven't we?" he said, remembering the days when Sokka had felt useless. "He just needs a master to teach him. I know Sokka isn't exactly a master, but he knows enough to teach Bumi."

Katara sighed and leaned against him, a ghost of a smile on her face, "Fine, but only if I can add one more thing to his list of punishment."

Aang shrugged, "Okay."

"This is cruel and unusual punishment!"

"I never said I was the one who would be throwing the rocks. That would be cruel. I was talking about target practice for my star pupil. On the bright side, you're getting better at avoiding them."

"Really? I thought she was just getting better at missing!" Bumi yelled back sarcastically. He was met by the ground under his feet sliding so he would trip. "Do you not understand sarcasm?" He stood and tried to quickly dust himself off before the next wave of rocks came.

Toph looked thoughtful for a second and whispered something into Lin's ear. The girl grinned devilishly and Bumi stopped and pointed at her, "What did you just say! I don't like the way she's looking at me! Aunt Toph!" He gave a yelp as a baseball sized rock came whizzing less than a hair's length away from his face.

"It's all about intimidation kid! Next week we're working with the metal cables," Toph leaned back against a boulder, paying attention to her daughter's form as Bumi groaned. She had a smirk on her face and was trying not to laugh. "So, what do you think? You up for another training session with Toph?"

"I promise I'll never ever ever do anything so stupid ever again! Just tell her to stop! Please!" he begged. Toph, knowing he was telling as much truth as he could, shrugged.

"Fine," she said, loud enough for him to hear, and he stopped, letting out a long held breath of air. She then knelt down next to her daughter to whisper in her ear, "I say you should at least give him one more bruise. Sugar Queen wants to make sure he really won't do anything again. Strike when he'll least expect it."

Lin grinned again before aiming a rock at the unsuspecting boy.

Sooo, i wasnt sure what to think about this one. It was hard to fit a couple peices in, but i hope it's acceptable, because i dont think i can write anything Bumicentric for the next week or two after two stories in a row. On the bright side, i was able to get Katara in more than usual, though i still have a hard time writing about her for some reason. hmm. Oh well, tell me what ya think.

Another thing, this being so unimportant you can just skip over it since i doubt you would care anyway. I found out that writing out your secrets is very relieving. I saw one of those videos on youtube and spent a majority of a day just typing away, though it also turned out to be just things i've never told anyone, not just secrets, and i'm not about to make a video and put it on youtube, but it was nice to get things off my chest. I also see myself a bit differently when i look over them. Anyway, if you're ever depressed or just curious as to why you are who you are, write out sentences that share your secrets, whether you will share them with people or not.

That is all. Ciao.