The first thing that Lin noticed out of place that morning was the sun. It was up and shining while she was still in bed. Her mother never let her sleep this late- she'd been told that the day she mastered metalbending she could choose her own practice hours, but until then Lin was subject to Toph's schedule.

She hadn't so much as moved a coin.

Lin wiped her youthful eyes and slid out of her small bed with her favorite stuffed badgermole in hand to pull the door open, which took some effort from her angle. She walked into her parent's room first, finding it empty. Fear began creeping across her body at their absence and she dropped her stuffed animal, sprinting down the hallway and into the living room with an urgency only a lost child could employ.

Halting at the edge of the room, she finally spotted her mother sitting at the kitchen table. Toph's feet were in front of her on the seat, legs folded inward with her arms wrapped protectively around, head perched on her knees looking contemplative. The abnormality of this morning caused an uneasy feeling to settle in Lin's stomach as she watched her mother, who didn't seem to notice her presence.

"Mama?" Lin ventured quietly, afraid she may not get any response.

Toph's chin lifted from her knees quickly, looking just past Lin.

"Hey baby! Good morning!" Toph greeted her with a cheerfulness that didn't ring true. Lin stepped forward, tentatively. Toph opened her arms toward Lin, "Come on up here with me!"

Lin ran forward, climbing into her mother's lap eagerly. Toph squeezed her daughter tightly and Lin hugged back. They remained this way for almost a full minute.

"Mom," Lin whispered, just at her ear. "Whats wrong?"

Toph swallowed and pulled Lin back, holding her out so they could face one another and with a broad smile assured her, "Nothing is wrong, kiddo! I have a great idea though, how about some ice cream for breakfast?"

Lin narrowed her eyes at her mother, skeptical of this suggestion, but unwilling to pass on the offer, "Ok."

"Ok!" Toph nodded enthusiastically, setting Lin in a nearby seat and standing. She reached into the deep freezer, pulling out a small paper box containing the sweet treat. She placed the entire package before Lin, then opened a drawer and sent a spoon sailing across the room, landing before her daughter with a dinging sound.

Lin looked to each side, waiting for a rational adult to come in and stop her, but found only her mother who appeared to be a suspiciously chipper accessory to this culinary crime. Lin dipped her spoon in, gouging out a scoop that was much too large for her small mouth. She continued nonetheless.

"Why aren't we practicing?" Lin asked, chin dripping with the overflow of melting cream.

"I thought we could take a day off," Toph replied from beside her. She leaned down, coming face to face with Lin and giving her a another smile, "What would you say if I told you that you could come down to the station today? You can be my deputy!"

Lin's face split into a grin, causing nearly everything in her mouth to pour out. The mess went unnoticed by Toph.

"Do I get a badge?" she asked.

Toph nodded, "I'll have the guys bend one for you!" Lin wiggled in her seat with excitement. When Toph straightened herself out, thankful to have avoided the painful news she would have to break eventually, Lin spoke again.

"Where's Dad?"

Toph's face fell. She wasn't ready to tell her that Mo had left. She was still hopeful that he might return, but knew that was about as likely as her sight miraculously developing. She decided another attempt at evasion was in order.

"Hmm?" she asked as she made her way out of the room. Toph was in her bedroom, bending on her uniform before Lin had a chance clarify herself. Having suited up, she turned to leave her room, nearly tripping over one of Lin's stuffed badgermoles. She pulled the plush animal to her chest and hugged it tightly as a few enterprising tears slipped down her cheeks against the will of their creator. It was a moment of panic- a rare instance of weakness for the earthbender. It wasn't Mo she cried for. It wasn't even the idea of Lin going without a father. It was the sudden pressure she felt. The crushing knowledge that she had to do this alone. The overwhelming feeling of responsibility to her daughter was heavier than the armor she wore. Her daughters' health and happiness depended solely on her ability to provide a home, a meal, a supportive environment. Parenting was one area in which her confidence was not endless. And for the first time in her life, Toph Beifong felt truly disabled.

Disabled, but not helpless she reminded herself. With a quick wipe of her face she returned to the kitchen, having reapplied a plasticine smile across her face.

"Ready to fight some crime, baby girl?" she asked.

Lin dropped her spoon and threw her hands in the air.

Toph arrived at Police Headquarters fifteen minutes later than usual. Striding through the lobby and to her office, she didn't notice the looks from her subordinate officers or from the poor souls that found themselves awaiting bail in low-security communal cells. The hustle and bustle of the station sounded normal, so she pressed onward with her young daughter gripping her hand happily.

It wasn't the fact that she had brought her daughter to work that drew their attention, so much as the state she was in. Without Mo's assistance, Lin left the house looking somewhat like a street urchin. Her blind mother failed to notice her extreme case of bed-head which was aided in wildness by the cream Lin had managed to get in her hair, or the two different shoes she wore, or the sticky mess that remained smeared across her face.

"Penga- catch me up," Toph demanded of her student-turned-officer-turned-secretary as she passed her desk. Penga hopped up from her seat, grabbing a stack of papers and following Toph into her office.

Toph pulled her chair out and instead of sitting in it, picked Lin off the ground and placed her there.

Penga slid to a stop when she saw the little girl, "Oh. You brought your daughter...?"

"Yeah. Can you get her something to draw with?"

"Uh...sure," Penga agreed, looking past her boss at Lin, "Hi cutie," she waved at the little vagabond. Lin simply pushed against her mother's large desk, giving herself a spin in the chair. "Um. Chief Beifong? Are you sure you want me to brief you with...delicate ears in the room?"

Toph shrugged, "She's alright."

"Ok, well...we had an overnight call from a frantic wife. Says her husband had been bloodbent," Penga said quietly, worried that she might scare the young girl who continued to spin merrily.

"Second time this week," Toph exhaled, frustrated. "It's not even a full moon."

Penga shrugged. "He went to the hospital- healers say his injuries were consistent."

Toph nodded, "We got someone down there to interview him?"

"Yes."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Nothing big- a couple domestic disturbance calls," Penga offered with a shrug, "the only real pressing issue is the press, they got wind of the alleged bloodbending and they have been calling all morning."

"Tell them we have no statement at the moment. I meet with the council tomorrow- after that and interviewing the victim we can schedule a press conference. Until then we say nothing- got it?" Toph told her sternly.

"Got it," Penga agreed as she turned to leave. Suddenly, she turned on her heel and spun to face her boss again, "Oh and Councilman Sokka called twice this morning. Wants to know if you are available for lunch."

Toph felt her skin flush suddenly at the mention of his name. Her desire to tell him yes was equal to her desire to tell him no. She wanted to see him, but did not relish the idea of explaining what happened with Mo last night. She wasn't ready to admit her failure to anyone just yet.

"I will call him, thank you," she said finally, though she had no intention of doing anything of the sort. She figured if he really wanted to have lunch with her he would have to come by in person to request it.

He did.

It was only a minute past noon when Penga appeared at the doorway again, "Councilman Sokka is here to see you," she announced.

Toph's head snapped up from where she had been kindly pretending to be impressed by Lin's illustrations of cops, robbers, and various other scenes.

"Sokka!" Lin shouted in celebration as he came through the door, looking tall and strong as usual, but there was something that darkened his features too. Something out of place that disappeared when he laid curious eyes on Lin.

"Bones!? What are you doing here?" He smiled at her and looked over at Toph who stood beside her daughter, solemn-faced.

"I'm helping," Lin told him happily, straightening the oversized officers cap she wore that threatened to extinguish her head like a candle snuffer.

"I can see that," he laughed as he advanced toward Toph's desk, "did Mom hire you to do the police sketches?"

Lin shook her head and held up a picture, "No, I'm drawing people. This one is me, and Mom, and Dad," she swapped it out for another, "This one is me and Kya."

Sokka eyed it critically, shooting a look at Toph who stood to the side with her arms crossed, quietly. He looked back at Lin's drawing, "What's going on over here?" He asked pointing out two forlorn figures that were huddled under the green grass.

"That's Tenzin and Bumi," she explained, "I bent them under ground because no boys allowed."

Sokka laughed- he was also close enough now that he could see the disheveled state of the little girl.

"What's going on, Toph?" He questioned finally.

Toph shrugged, "The department is a little low on money and I can pay her a quarter of what I would pay a regular forensic artist," she joked.

"No really, what is she doing here?"

"I'm helping," Lin repeated, annoyed that he didn't seem to take her answer seriously the first time around.

Toph deflated and grabbed Sokka's arm, leading him out the big doors of her office.

"Penga, can you do me a favor and keep an eye on the Deputy?" Toph asked, jerking her head at Lin as they exited. Penga nodded and then smiled demurely at Sokka.

Toph dragged Sokka down a hallway and into the interrogation room typically used for grilling criminals to the point of confession. Bending the door closed behind them, she began her own act of contrition.

"Mo left," she sighed.

"Left?"

"He moved to Ba Sing Se with his girlfriend," she elaborated.

"His what?" Sokka shouted in complete surprise, "When did this happen?"

"He left last night," Toph explained. She rubbed her neck awkwardly as she admitted, "I've known about the girlfriend for awhile now though."

She was grateful that she couldn't see his face, which she assumed was full of judgement. Sokka never understood why she stayed with him in the first place and now that it was revealed he had been with someone else- Toph probably appeared desperate and pathetic. Her friends couldn't understand where she was coming from. They had things like soul mates and happy families- things Toph felt she was never destined to have.

She felt the weight of Sokka's arms closing around her, "I'm sorry, Toph" he whispered gently. They clung to one another in silence for a moment before he spoke again, "Must be something in the water."

Toph pulled back, "Hmm?"

She heard Sokka gather a breath, "I got this from Suki yesterday." He held out a piece of paper somberly and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Sokka..." she led, waiting for him to catch on.

"Oh, right," he chuckled sadly before unfolding it in his own hands and taking a moment to stare at Suki's fine brush strokes. "She uh, she broke it off."

In Toph's mind, this news was far more shocking than her own. She'd expected Mo's behavior, but always assumed things between Sokka and Suki were a constant stream of happiness and sunshine. This time she reached out and touched his shoulder.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Actually, I am," He replied with a hint of sad amusement, "I guess we've been growing apart for awhile now. She didn't say anything in this letter that I haven't thought before. I think I will always care about her, you know? When I read this yesterday I was... disappointed more than anything. I thought we could make it work."

Toph gave him a small punch, "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"Yeah," he agreed as he rubbed his arm at the point of impact, "why bother when I've got you here to do it for me." They both laughed at that.

Coming down from laughter on a sigh, Sokka smiled at his friend, "On the bright side, Lin seems to be taking the news pretty well."

"Funny you should mention that," Toph replied with reluctance in her words, "I haven't told her yet."

Sokka slapped his forehead.

"I know, I know," Toph hastily provided, "I just don't know how to tell her. I have no idea what I'm going to do with her during the day! I mean- I gave the poor kid ice cream for breakfast. I'm not cut out for this shit, Sokka!"

Sokka reached out and took her hand, "Shh. Toph? Toph relax. You are a great Mom," he told her quickly as he squeezed her hand. "I say after work today, we go over to Air Temple Island and talk to Katara. She stays home with the kids- I'm sure she will have no problem adding another. And then, I say we consult some adult beverages about our horrible days."

Toph smiled, "I can get behind that last part."

Sokka nodded proudly at his idea, "See? Not so bad. If there is any issue with Katara taking her during the day we will figure something out."

"What's with all this 'we' stuff?" Toph asked, amused.

Sokka shrugged, "I said I would have your back, didn't I? Even though that was a long time ago, when 'Bones' was nothing but 'Cells' I still mean it."

Toph smiled, her first genuine smile of the day, "Thanks, Sokka."

"If you want to thank me, you will come with me to lunch. I am starving," he replied.

"Yeah, ok. Let's go grab Lin before she takes over my job."

Explaining her situation to Katara and Aang proved to be an easy task once Toph had told Sokka. It helped to have him at her side, supporting her as she asked for Katara's help with Lin. Katara wasted no time wrapping her arms around Toph and reminding her that she didn't even have to ask- they were family. Aang was astounded and looked as if he might cry. He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of someone leaving their family when he was so dedicated to his own.

They ate dinner together that night and afterward sent the children off to play. The four adults remained at the table, picking at their fruit pies and discussing the day's major events in low voices. Sokka poured out drinks for himself, Toph, and Katara who shrugged at Aang as she accepted the cocktail.

Katara had just finished ranting about Mo when her youngest son walked past them, arms full of old bed sheets. "Uh, honey. What are you doing?"

Tenzin paused, "Building a clubhouse," he answered seriously.

"Need some help?" Aang asked brightly.

"We don't need you, Dad!" Bumi shouted in response from the other room. Aang threw his hands up in resignation as Tenzin continued about his business.

"I hope Lin feels as strongly as Bumi," Toph commented sardonically as she sipped her drink.

"When are you going to tell her?" Katara asked when she was sure Tenzin was out of earshot.

Toph shrugged. It would have to be soon, clearly.

She stalled for a further three hours while they continued to speak, finding comfort in changing the subject to Sokka's letter. Aang and Katara were sufficiently distracted by this turn of events and Toph was grateful to have the spotlight off her own problems for awhile. The past twenty four hours felt like and eternity of self-doubt and stress.

When the bottle went dry, so did the conversation. Sokka rose to collect Lin and found the little girl huddled next to Tenzin in a rather elaborate blanket fort, faces passive in sleep, hands entwined. Aang was so excited by this scene that he hauled the cumbersome camera he had been gifted by Teo's father out of the shed and snapped a photo, careful not to wake them.

He needn't have worried. Even as Sokka dismantled the structure and extracted Lin from its covering, she continued to sleep deeply. She didn't wake even as he shifted her in his arms to rest her head along his shoulder.

She finally stirred when he handed her off to Toph at the end of their ferry ride. Lin's eyes fluttered and her lips smacked before she dozed off again quickly against her mother's breast.

"Goodnight, Toph," Sokka smiled as he kissed the metalbender's cheek.

"Night Sokka."

Upon arriving home, she settled Lin into bed and went about her evening routine. She washed, hoping that her worries would circle the drain along with the dirtied water. The heat from her bath did a marginal amount to relax her muscles, but they were tightened again upon exiting the bathroom to find Lin wide awake.

Toph fastened the robe around her waist and slipped into the bed next to her daughter.

"Hey kiddo- you're supposed to be asleep."

"I'm not tired," Lin replied with a yawn.

"Is that so?" Toph asked with a laugh, drawing Lin against her side for a cuddle.

They were silent for a few minutes, allowing enough time for Toph to relax, feeling the comforting weight of her baby at her side. Toph hovered above sleep, sinking slowly.

"Is Dad ever coming back?" Lin asked suddenly, waking her mother fully. Her voice was meek, fearful.

Toph let out a breath, "I don't think so, baby," she admitted in a whisper. Lin was quiet. Toph brushed Lin's hair back to press a kiss against her cheek and was startled when her lips picked up a hint of moisture.

"Lin, come here," Toph sighed, feeling the prickle of unshed tears in her own eyes. She shifted her daughter to rest against her chest and Lin let out a small squeak before shaking against her mother with quiet sobs.

"Its because I told," she cried against Toph's robe.

"No, it's not," Toph argued sternly, lifting her daughter away to speak with emphasis, "You did nothing wrong, you got me?"

Lin only whined and Toph drew her back in, whispering words of assurance.

"We have each other, Lin," Toph told her with as much positivity as she could muster.

"What if you leave too?" Lin asked with a sniffle.

"That will never happen, baby girl."

"Never?"

"Never ever," she confirmed, "Never ever."