Stretched out on a linen deck chair, Katara let her legs soak in the warm sun while hiding her upper body in the comfortable shade of a beach umbrella. In the chair beside her was her older brother, someone she thought she knew through and through. In light of recent news, she was second guessing that thought. She glanced at him, following his gaze to Toph who was at the water's edge applying sun lotion to her impatient daughter's back. Lin was shifting her weight from side to side, eager to get into the water where the older girls had already started playing mermaids. Katara smiled as she spotted her own daughter shoot out of the waving ocean and dive back in with a fishtail of water covering her lower half.
Her eyes drifted back up the beach to Sokka again, watching him watch them. She leaned to one side and pulled her sunglasses down her nose a bit.
"What?" he asked, catching her stare.
"So..." she led.
"So...?"
"You and Toph..."
"Me and Toph," he replied.
"Are you just going to repeat everything I say?" Katara finally asked with a sigh. He shrugged, so she continued, "What's going on there?"
"What do you mean?"
She gave him a withering look and pushed her glasses up, "When did this start and how come we didn't know about it?"
Sokka sat up on his chair with a smirk, "There you go, being specific isn't so hard, is it?"
"Will you ever grow up?" Katara asked with a scowl.
"Probably not," he told her seriously.
She gave him a pointed look, "Then you two are perfect for each other."
Sokka laughed at that, sure that truer words had never been spoken.
"So says the woman married to that guy," he said smugly pointing toward the ocean where Aang had suspended himself on a funnel of water in the middle of the three little girls, holding a trident he'd fashioned from sea water. "I am King Merman! Hear me, Mermaids! You must recover the sunken treasure for my MerKingdom!" he announced in a voice far deeper than his normal one.
Katara sighed, "Yes. I have four children," she admitted, smiling adoringly at her husband just as he tossed a small sack of nearly worthless yuan coins into the waves. The girls all dove under the water, racing to find it.
"You guys have an eye on her?" Toph asked, slightly nervous as she made her way back to the deck chairs. She was always on edge near the water and her fears were magnified anytime Lin was out of her 'sight.'
Sokka squinted up at her as she approached, "why don't you just go in with her?"
"I don't swim, dummy," Toph retorted. Sokka turned his head and waggled his eyebrows at his sister conspiratorially. Jumping up, he ran at Toph full speed, grabbing her around the waist and hoisting her into his arms with a playful grunt. He continued, quick as he could toward the water as she screamed in protest, hitting his shoulders frantically.
"Put me down! Put me down! I will kill you," she told him as he laughed through her assault. They entered the water and Toph yelped when she felt the water climb to her midsection.
"I'm not kidding, Sokka," she warned in a panicked voice, scrambling to climb his body.
"Toph, relax. I've got you," he assured with a light laugh, "you trust me, right?"
"I did until you dragged me out into the ocean against my will," she quipped quickly, locking her legs around his waist. The water was nearly at her shoulders when she finally stopped struggling. They were quiet a moment and Toph could hear Lin a short distance away shouting something at Ursa. The water lapped against her shoulders again and she was beginning to see the appeal. It was cool and kind of serene out here.
"Not so bad, huh?" Sokka asked, leaning in to kiss her. The moment their lips met a wave crashed over him, directly in her face. She hacked and coughed in its wake.
"Fuck this trip," she deadpanned, wet hair hanging in her face. Sokka roared with laughter.
Their time at Ember Island that year had a lightness to it. It was a playful atmosphere and the entire group seemed to collectively exhale a breath they'd been unwittingly holding in for the past year. Things seemed to be easier this year as if everything were falling comfortably into place after a period of strain. Often as they went on in years, the gang would look back on this trip as holding a particular zeitgeist, a spirit of a time that could never be recaptured, but forever recalled with fondness. That is not to say there weren't a few awkward moments or adjustments happening.
After the third day, Suki returned to the Fire Nation Capital. She assured that it had been part of her plan all along, but Sokka knew her well enough to realize she was fibbing. He walked her to her waiting carriage and gave her a lingering hug, channeling his intentions through his loving, platonic touch. Their parting was as friends and each of them found a smile spreading across their face as they moved slowly moved away from one another.
The fourth night, they group gathered on the beach to celebrate Lin's fifth birthday in true Fire Nation fashion. There was a bonfire and plenty of spicy foods set out for their enjoyment. Lin was in heaven as hired entertainers hula-hooped with flaming hoops and exotic looking people breathed fire to the sound of applause. It was certainly the most extravagant birthday she would ever have and Zuko was happy to provide his friends with the royal treatment. Ursa joined in with the entertainers, waving her hands rapidly in the darkness as fire streaked in the wake of her motions. She spelled out all the kids' names and made different shapes as children and adults both cheered her. Bumi began requesting words and the kids all giggled after he whispered in Ursa's ear and she wrote "butt" in blazing orange light. That put an end to festivities as Katara reminded them all to mind their manners. Mai was amused by their immaturity and sat by, explaining all the goings on to Toph, with whom she found a somewhat kindred spirit. They certainly mothered the same way- gentle sarcasm tempered with true understanding and love.
Their daughters shared a special rapport as well. At age nine, Ursa was quite literally a firecracker. Full of energy and ideas, very self-assured and well aware of her position in life. Without fail each year, the trip began with Ursa butting heads with Lin, who was four years her junior and yet equally as self-assured and stubborn. The two girls would jockey for top spot with one another for the first few days but by the end of the week, would have to be separated forcibly as they had discovered they were two sides of the same coin.
"I don't want to go," Lin pouted after breakfast on their last day in the Fire Nation.
"Yeah, life is tough," Toph agreed, "You're going to have to return to your high-profile, high-stress job as a woman in a man's world. Living your life as a single parent, balancing the demands of raising a child while blind and... oh wait that's me."
Lin crossed her arms and scowled as butlers sauntered passed her with their luggage.
"Can Ursa come stay with us?" she asked as she followed her mother from the room.
"Yeah, why not trade in a palace for a guest room in Republic City," Toph told her airily over her shoulder as they made their way to the courtyard to join the others.
Appa stood in the center of the courtyard as stable hands doted on him and saddled him up with a fascination in their eyes- it wasn't often they got to handle an endangered species.
Kya and Ursa who were the same age stood together in a hug, looking loathe to let go. Bumi was busy chasing Tenzin around with a small bag of snapping firecrackers, throwing them at his feet with a 'pop.' They were easily dodged by the young Airbender, but the commotion was enough for Katara to reach out and confiscate the bag from her middle son with a scowl.
"That's enough boys. Time to go everyone," she announced, pointing specifically to Appa's tail so that Bumi knew any other form of boarding would be a punishable act.
Lin ran to the older girls and wrapped her arms around them as well.
"I'll write you both everyday," Ursa promised in her most sincere voice. Mai rolled her eyes and leaned in to Toph, "Oh right, but practicing calligraphy 'hurts her hands.'"
"We'll write you too!" Lin returned and Toph let out a small laugh.
"I'd love to read these letters," Toph snorted, "' Ate animal crackers. Played tag, nap time, rough couple of days,'" she joked.
With final hugs the visitors boarded Appa's back for their return trip to Republic City. Toph took Sokka's arm for assistance and Sokka didn't miss the stupid grin on Aang's face as he watched them.
"Until next time, Fire Lord!" Aang called out with a smile, "Yip yip!" and Appa kicked off the ground. The Fire Lord's summer home retreated in the distance until the Island itself was but a small speck on the horizon.
It didn't take long to get back into the routine of things when the gang returned. Toph and Lin's bending practice resumed with its previous rigor in the early mornings after which Toph would drop Lin off at Air Temple Island and head into work. Headquarters was bustling and every cop on the beat was aiming to make a name for themselves by finding a charge that might stick to Yakone. Unfortunately, they each failed time and time again. The evidence fell short of their ambition and Yakone would be free to run the city's underbelly. Occasionally, officers would hear a barrage of curse words and the sound of objects being thrown around violently from behind the closed door of their Chief's office after she'd begrudgingly had to release him. Luckily for Toph, there was a wonderful change in her life that helped to calm her temper when it flared and that was the presence of Councilman Sokka.
Outside of work, they fell into a happily domestic routine. Often times, Sokka would be the one to retrieve Lin from Katara's care and bring her home before Toph was out of work. The three of them would eat dinner together at least four nights a week. Sometimes Sokka would stay over, other times he would go just before Lin's bedtime, but his presence was appreciated by both girls.
It wasn't long before the cool air of autumn settled over Republic City, shooing the summer out like an unwanted guest and leaving a frost on the trees each morning. With the change of the seasons came another big change: school. It would be Lin's first year in class and Toph decided on enrolling her at Yu Dao Preparatory, if only because that is where Aang and Katara had enrolled their own children.
"Almost ready, baby girl?" Toph called down the hallway.
Lin came sprinting out of her room with an eager smile, bag of school supplies in hand. She was wearing a brand new tunic for the occasion, one she'd saved for this day specifically with green and gold hues. When Aang told her that the colors brought out her eyes, she knew she'd chosen well. They linked up with Aang's family before entering the school house. Katara gave Lin a quick freshening up, fastening her dark curls into a sensible shape with pins.
"There we go. Never looked more beautiful," Katara smiled at her, "What do you think?"
Katara turned Lin to face the group and Aang's jaw dropped in a playfully exaggerated manner, "Where did Lin go? I could have sworn Lin Beifong was just here, but now I can only see this refined young woman! Excuse me, miss? Could you tell me where Lin went? She's a little girl, about your height," Aang joked.
Lin giggled, "I'm right here!"
His eyes popped and he laughed, "Lin? Wow! You look great! I almost didn't recognize you now that you're old enough to be in school!"
She laughed again and Toph pat her head, "You look great baby."
"Mooom," Lin whined, "You can't even see me."
There was an awkward silence when a sad look crossed Toph's features. The moment lingered and Lin wished she could take back her hurtful words and put them some place they couldn't embarrass her.
"Well, who is ready for day one?" Aang asked enthusiastically, breaking through the tension.
"Me!" Tenzin proclaimed, raising his hand. Kya and Bumi made dull cheers as well and the group moved forward.
Once inside, Kya made her way down the hallway with a sense of purpose and familiarity. Bumi insisted he could make it to his class alone, but Aang escorted him there regardless. Katara and Toph led the youngest of their group into the room designated for Year One students. The room was laid out with several tables and plenty of friendly decorations covering the walls, many with encouraging phrases scrawled across them.
After a brief orientation, the parents said their farewells. Some children clung desperately to their legs as they made an effort to depart. Lin attempted to wave Toph away casually, teasing Tenzin when she saw him tug on Katara's skirt with wet eyes.
"Not gonna miss me, huh?" Toph joked, as Lin pushed her way out of a hug.
"Mom," Lin told her in a low voice, "I'm too big for baby stuff."
"Hugging your Mom isn't baby stuff, Lin," Toph countered with an amused laugh. Lin huffed in exasperation. "Ok, ok. I get it Ms. Independent!" Toph sighed, standing, "Be good. Got me?"
"Got you," Lin confirmed, taking off to find her seat.
Toph turned to exit the room with Katara who had extracted her skirt from her son's clenched fist. They were met in the hall by Aang who was being escorted by the principal.
"As always we want to thank you for choosing us," the principal was telling him with a soft smile.
"The kids love it here," Aang shrugged. With a bow, the principal departed.
"Are you ok?" Aang questioned looking up at Katara and Toph, both of whom had tears in their eyes.
"I'm fine," Toph insisted, wiping her eye.
Katara sniffled, "My littlest baby..."
In the classroom the teacher, Ms. Tong, suggested they play a getting-to-know-you game in which the children would have to color code facts about themselves and then fill in missing spaces when they found another child that matched them.
The kids ran around the room, comparing their sheets of colored paper with identifying facts on them. Tenzin linked up with another boy that also had a sister, Lin met a boy that had no siblings like her. On their teacher's prompt- they would scramble around again, attempting to spot similarities like this and Lin found a girl called Yi who was also an earthbender. They colored beside one another happily until a chubby girl joined in.
Yi and the other girl looked at one another and whispered conspiratorially, then with a mischievous eye, Yi spoke.
"What's wrong with your Mom?" Yi asked Lin, looking quite pleased with herself. Next to her, the chubby girl giggled behind her hand.
Lin looked up at them, confused, "What do you mean?"
"She looks weird."
Lin's eyes narrowed, "She's not."
"She doesn't even look at people when she talks," the chubby girl provided. Lin had stopped coloring, her fist clenching around the stub of colored wax in her hand. She was caught between the urge to cry and the urge to hit someone. In all the time that she daydreamed about coming to this place, she hadn't considered being singled out in this way. She always thought it was a wondrous building where sophisticated, older kids like Kya went to read books with substance and play on elaborate swing sets.
"It's because she's blind," Tenzin argued defensively from behind Lin.
"Shut up, Tenzin!" Lin screeched hotly. She didn't want him talking about it anymore than she wanted these girls commenting on it.
"Gross," the chubby one said, "is that contagious?"
"No," Lin responded quickly, "you can't catch blindness, stupid."
"You're stupid," the girl volleyed back.
"You're stupid," Lin returned just as she felt the weight of a hand on her shoulder. It was her teacher's hand, strong and commanding.
"Lin," she began sounding disappointed and full of judgement, "we don't use mean words like that in here, understood? I expect better from the daughter of our Police Chief."
She almost argued, but thought better of it. Though, she did pause to wonder how exactly her teacher knew that Toph was the Chief of Police.
"They started it," Tenzin supplied for her, pointing at the girls righteously.
"I only know what I heard and what I heard wasn't very nice," the teacher replied looking at each of the kids, "I think it would be nice if you apologized to Karuna." The teacher looked at Lin, hopeful and bright.
So, Lin sucked in her pride and prepared to lie about something to the devious little plump girl she now knew was called Karuna.
"Sorry," Lin grumbled.
"And Karuna, its customary to gracefully accept an apology..." the teacher intoned.
"Apology accepted," Karuna chimed happily, stepping forward to wrap Lin into a hug. Lin remained with her arms at her sides, scowling as their teacher made a pleasant sound from beside them.
Toph made it a point to be the one to pick Lin up from her first day of school. She stood side by side with Katara, in her uniform waiting patiently outside as small children filed past them. All the kindergarten children walked outside in a single line, holding hands.
"Awww," Katara cooed when she spotted them, "Here they come. Tenzin and Lin are holding hands!"
Toph smiled and waved in their general direction.
"How was the first day guys?" Katara asked as they broke from the line and approached. Tenzin bounced on the balls of his feet, showing off his finger paintings with pride. Lin went to Toph's side and clung to her pant leg, quietly.
"Let's go," she insisted.
"Are you ok, Lin?" Katara asked, when she saw the solemn expression on her face.
Lin nodded as Toph bumped her daughter with her hip playfully, "Whats wrong kid?"
"Nothing," Lin replied.
Mother and daughter walked the streets back to their home and in hand. It was mostly a one-sided conversation. Toph asked questions and Lin replied with grunts and shrugs. She didn't know how to tell her mother that school was not what she expected. How would she feel if she knew Lin had been teased because of her disability? Lin looked up at her mother and caught a ray of light as it glinted off her shining badge. Suddenly that badge held a new meaning for Lin. People knew her mother. She was famous and Lin was going to always be known as the Chief's daughter, obligated to behave as such. As they turned a corner the light shifted, planting Lin firmly in the coolness of her mother's shadow as they walked.