Here's the next chapter! Please do leave a review and let me know what you think.
The letters came once every two months after he left. She told him the tedious news, like the birth of the first child of the first child to be born on Air Temple Island (a little girl named Pema) which had caused Uncle Aang great joy, and the important news, like her and Tenzin's break-up. His letters alternated between telling her about his various romantic mishaps with female cadets and new fighting techniques that he'd learned.
Seeing him at Ursa's wedding made it clear that letters weren't the same, but it was the best they could get. She knew, even, that he would re-sign when his contract was up. She could tell from the way he spoke about everything that he loved every minute of it.
He didn't manage to make it to her eighteenth birthday party; he'd wanted to get a temporary leave to come home but he'd gotten into a fight with another cadet and hadn't been allowed.
He was the first to know (outside of her mother, who had to know since she was given a stone list of possible future cadets) when she was accepted into the Republic City Police Training Academy. When she graduated at the top of her class, he surprised her by attending her graduation. His contract was up, so he had the free time before he had to make a decision as to whether or not he'd go back.
"I still don't know if I'm going to." He told her, just as he had six years ago. She rolled her eyes at him.
"You will." She repeated, just as she had then. He grinned, recognizing the memory. "So how long are you here for, Private." She teased. His grin widened.
"Mom spread that around, huh?" She rolled her eyes.
"Of course she did. Did you expect her not to brag?" He shrugged, grin sheepish, and she laughed, shoving him playfully with her shoulder.
They talked and laughed, sneaking away to spar once the formal graduation got boring. Lin refused to use her bending on him the first time they fought, refusing to use an advantage that there was no way he could learn. When he beat her easily, she changed her mind.
"I'm out of practice fighting someone competent." She teased, covering. He laughed.
"No, you were holding back." He gave a challenging grin. "Come on, Linny, don't hold back on me." She gave him a devilish grin.
"Just remember, you asked for it." She teased. The second time, the fight lasted longer. They knew each other too well, even with the time apart. They could anticipate each other's moves and block before the hit could land.
Lin had no idea how long the fight lasted, but by the end of it, dusk was settling and they were both panting with exhaustion.
"Truce?" Bumi gasped.
"Truce." She agreed, both of them immediately dropping to the ground. Suddenly, they heard applause and turned to find many of her classmates and all of their family that had attended watching them. Her father stepped forward, pride in his eyes, carrying two mugs of water.
"Slowly now, you two." He cautioned with a grin, as though they were children again and had just finished a practice session. Bumi started laughing and Lin couldn't help but join in.
"Thanks, Dad." She said once she had managed to get her laughter under control, taking the mug from him. He crouched down on his haunches next to them.
"I have never been more proud of you two than I am today." He told them seriously, glancing from one to the other. "Lin, you've just started taking the steps to follow in your mother's footsteps, but I know that one day, you'll be a better chief of police, and an even better warrior, than she is. Don't tell her I said that." He added quickly, causing them to laugh. "Bumi, you've already completed six years of service with the army meant to defend not only the Republic of Nations but the entire world. You're following in the footsteps of everyone who fought in the Hundred Years War, especially your grandfather and myself. You're a wonderful soldier, and one day I'm sure you'll be leading your own troops into battle. But the true reason I'm proud of you is because our skill is not determined by how well we fare in battle against those lesser than us, but in how well we fare against our equals. The display that the two of you just put on shows just how skilled the two of you are, and the fact that it came to a draw speaks even more highly of both of you, that you could not outmatch each other."
"Thanks, Uncle Sokka." Bumi said seriously. Lin nodded, and her father smiled.
"Well, of course I deserve the thanks." He said, with a wink. "I am the one who taught you how to use a sword to start with." Lin couldn't help but laugh again, and Bumi grinned.
Bumi did end up going back, just as Lin had said he would. This time, Aunt Katara had forced him to say a proper goodbye, which had been converted into a dual party for his leaving and for Lin's graduation. The older generation had left fairly quickly, leaving the younger generation to change the music and drag out the alcohol. Bumi and Lin stuck close together, sniggering at each other as others came up to flirt.
As Bumi got steadily more drunk, Lin found his personality wasn't much different from normal. He joked and laughed, just more and louder than usual. He was also very touchy, not that she really minded when he kept his arm slung over her shoulders or around her waist. If she moved away, his arm was right back when she returned to his side. She didn't drink much, but the more she had to drink, the more she leaned into him, smiling and laughing at his jokes. By the end of the night, she, Tenzin, and a drunk but still laughing Bumi had sent off everyone who was still sober enough to get home and assigned rooms to everyone who wasn't. Tenzin had then wished the two of them a good sleep and headed to his own room. She glanced at Bumi, who was grinning at her cheerfully, and rolled her eyes with a faint smile. She sat on the rug sleepily and Bumi curled up next to her, tugging her closer. Feeling his warmth surrounding her, she allowed sleep to overtake her.
Time passed. Letters kept Lin updated on Bumi's life among the 2nd Division of the United Forces, and his mother kept her updated on his commendations, of which he received many more than most men with his tenure. She knew that Aunt Katara did the same for her, telling him as she quickly ascended the ranks of the Police Department. Each letter from him that came after a promotion teased her about her newest title.
Her mother would crow that Lin was a natural, but straight afterwards would tell her not to let it go to her head or arrogance would make her sloppy. Indeed, Lin found that she easily navigated aspects of the job that others found impossible. She quickly gained the respect of the older officers for being as good as her mother. No one was brave enough to comment, as her father had, that she might one day be greater than her mother.
He kept her updated on his missions also, though he was only able to talk about the ones they'd finished for fear of the mail being intercepted. She, likewise, kept him updated on the cases she took and solved. He told her that the 2nd Division worked alongside the 1st, which was commanded by Princess Ursa's husband. She told him about how she'd been assigned to training with Harold, her mother's second-in-command, and related the tale of her running away when her father had announced the birth of his child.
He was able to visit twice more in the next six years. Once was for the birth of Iroh, Ursa's son, when the Royal Family brought the child to Air Temple Island. The 1st and 2nd Divisions were, officially, assigned as guards, but most knew that it was to allow the Prince and Bumi to visit and see the child. Lin found that she got along much better with the Princess than she had when they were children, though she thought the girl was rather prissy.
The second time was just four months later, when Bumi was severely injured in combat and sent home to rest. He told his visibly frantic mother, and a furious Lin, that he had been completely healed, but that his entire ship had gone down and that his Commander felt he needed the time to recover mentally. Indeed, Lin could tell that whatever had happened, and he refused to speak of it, it was traumatic for him. His eyes, normally a light gray, darkened like storm clouds, and his usually easy-to-come grin was forced. She spent every free moment she had with him, but neither of them suggested a spar. Instead, she took over his task of cheering someone up, teasing him and encouraging him to banter with her. She coaxed him into childish games, and splashed him with water as they walked along the beach.
The first time he teased her about how childish she was for a Police Sergeant, she hugged him fiercely in relief. He was grinning again for the first time that night, and she could see that everyone on the island was joyful.
Unfortunately, his recovery also meant his return to the Forces. Lin managed to delay for another month, but then he had to either sign the contract for another six years or leave the Forces.
"Losing the ship only made it more real how dangerous those attacks can be." He told her in confidence one day. "What if it had been a civilian city instead of a Forces ship? Thousands of lives could have been lost. It's why I have to go back; I have to defend those thousands."
"I know." She told him, because she did understand. He wanted to save thousands of civilians; she wanted to save hundreds of citizens. He was just doing it for strangers rather than the people they'd grown up with; somebody had to and he was the best.
Immediately after he resigned the contract, word came through Aunt Katara that he had been promoted to Lieutenant. It was only a year later that she was promoted to Lieutenant and they exchanged jokes that they were the same rank now, though the police and Forces ranking system was different. At the same time, Tenzin began training under Uncle Aang to learn how to become the Air representative on the City Council. Uncle Aang said that he wished to retire, and she could see how worn down he was, but would make sure Tenzin had a good grasp of the position before he left. Normally, the training took about five years, but despite his relatively young age, she didn't think Uncle Aang would last that long.
Three years later, Lin had been promoted to Captain and Tenzin had officially taken over his father's duties. Uncle Aang settled in for a quiet retirement on Air Temple Island with Aunt Katara fussing over him. It was then that Lin was surprised by Tenzin asking her out again. She hesitated, remembering the failure that was their last attempt at dating, but he scoffed at her and reminded her that they'd been teenagers. Finally, she agreed, and their relationship began again.
She'd been on dates over the years. Nothing noteworthy, but she hadn't been lonely. With Tenzin, though, she was able to be more herself than she had been able to with anyone else besides Bumi. He'd grown up with her, and he knew her personality already. She didn't have to explain things to them and they didn't have to go through the awkward question and answer stage. She didn't have to meet his family, or have him be intimidated by hers. She was happy.
Five years later, she was proven wrong about Uncle Aang's strength when they celebrated her promotion to Assistant Chief of Police with Harold's retirement. It was a surprise to everyone when Bumi waltzed in with a grin on his face.
"You guys threw me a party? How thoughtful!" He teased. She laughed and threw herself into his arms, hugging him fiercely. His mother was next, and then the whole family was hugging him.
"Actually, it's Lin's party." His mother informed him.
"Why not make it both?" Her father asked cheerfully, clapping him on the shoulder. "They've shared parties before."
"What are we celebrating?" Bumi asked.
"Lin's newest promotion." Tenzin said stiffly.
"Again? Haven't they run out of those yet?" He demanded, scooping her up and spinning her around.
"Not just yet," she informed him, laughing. He shook his head.
"I should've joined the police force." He said mournfully. Everyone laughed and the party continued.
Eventually, Bumi found out that she and Tenzin were dating. He cornered her easily.
"Haven't you tried this disaster with T already?" He commented curiously. She rolled her eyes at him.
"We were teenagers, Bumi."
"So everything's alright with you two, now?" He asked suspiciously. She rolled her eyes, wondering how he seemed to know that something was wrong. She and Tenzin had been fighting more lately, but it would pass.
"Everything's fine." She insisted, lying. He searched her eyes, but he didn't have seismic sense and she could fool even her mother on occasion. He nodded and let it go.
The next time she saw Bumi, the occasion was not quite as festive. A year later, Uncle Aang passed away quietly in his sleep. Aunt Katara sent word of a family emergency through one of the Acolytes, and Lin met her parents at the docks. They exchanged worried looks, and rode the ferry together in silence. Tenzin met them as they got off, and the tear tracks on his face told them what had happened. Lin moved forward and placed a hand on his arm, but he shrugged her off and headed up the stone steps. Her father wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and the three of them followed him. Aunt Katara met them at the doors and explained what had happened. Tenzin was nowhere in sight.
"I had Tenzin go and check. Appa must have died around the same time." She told them. She felt her father shudder, and saw the tears tracing her mother's cheeks. Her father stepped forward and wrapped Aunt Katara in a hug, and Lin watched helplessly as her aunt broke down. "He was so tired." Aunt Katara whispered, clearly not intending to speak out loud. "Being in the iceberg so long wore him down. He was one hundred and sixty five years old, even if he only looked sixty five on the outside."
"I know." Her father whispered. "We all saw how tired he was."
"And now it falls to Tenzin to carry on as the last airbender." Lin shuddered slightly, knowing what was expected of Tenzin. Children. The one topic she had tried to avoid bringing up with him. She wouldn't be able to avoid it now. He had to have children; to carry on the airbenders. She didn't want children; she was too much like her mother to truly want children.
They moved inside, Tenzin still absent, and sat down. She sat silently, listening to her aunt and her parents grieve. There was a lot of crying, and Lin let her own tears fall, unashamed. She had been close to Uncle Aang, who always had a kind word or a sneaked sweet. He had been there for her, listening quietly as she spoke about her problems with Tenzin and always giving her advice that made everything better, until the next time she came to see him.
Time passed, probably only an hour or two. They heard a ship come into the harbor and walked out to see a heavily pregnant Kya being escorted by her husband. Aunt Katara went to her daughter while Nanuq hovered around the two. Then Kya started crying and Lin turned and walked away. She headed to the cliffs, and sat with her legs dangling over the edge, letting her tears fall.
"Mom sent a wire message to Bumi." Kya's voice came from behind her. Lin turned in surprise. "She figures him getting here in time for the funeral is important enough for the extra cost."
Kya collapsed next to her on the ledge, and Lin stiffened. She is not good at being comforting.
"Don't look so stiff, Linny. I'm not going to collapse on you." The elder woman joked. Lin eyed her warily. Being six years her senior, Kya had never really spent much time with Lin. Kya had already been bending by the time Lin was born, and most of her time was devoted to that as Lin grew older. By the time Lin was old enough to be of any importance to her, Kya's head was already devoted to boyfriends. The only real interaction Lin had with her distant pseudo-cousin was through Bumi's pranks or family parties and dinners, and that had ended when the woman had moved to first the Southern and then the Northern Water Tribes, and been married.
Kya sat in silence, however, and Lin relaxed when she realized she would not be required to make conversation. They sat there for an hour before Nanuq came to usher Kya back inside and to announce dinner.
Over dinner, Aunt Katara and her parents proceeded to regale their quiet audience with tales from the war. Normally, the younger generation would groan and leave the room, having heard the stories so many times before. Today, though, no one said a word of complaint as the elder generation bid their brother and husband goodbye.
Metal on metal caused them all to pause and head outside. Lin smiled faintly as she saw the airship setting down on the bay and Bumi getting out. He said something to someone inside the airship and then headed up the stairs. The airship rose and took off, sending hair flying in the wind it caused. He met them at the top of the stairs, face grim. He tried a smile.
"I got your letter and the Commander said I should have the fastest transport possible." Aunt Katara shook her head and wrapped her arms around her son. Bumi hugged her back, settling his cheek on the top of her head. "Sorry I'm late, Mom." He murmured.
"That's just fine, dear. You're right on time." She said, pulling back. Lin stepped forward and let his arms wrap around her, but he pulled back quickly.
"Is there any dinner leftover? I'm starving." He said. Aunt Katara ushered him inside and set a plate before him. He sat silently as the stories continued, gradually moving from the war to stories from the war to later, Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang's wedding and the birth of their children. The formation of Air Temple Island and the beginning of the Air Acolytes. Lin heard of her and Bumi's initial rivalry from the adults' point of view. Happy and sad, serious and funny, Uncle Aang was remembered that night.
The next few days were spent announcing his death to the world. Reports of the new Avatar soon came in from both the tribes, and the White Lotus tracked each false claim. Republic City honored him by beginning to build a statue of him in the bay, welcoming newcomers to the city. Tenzin was a rare sight, even to her, as he prepared to give Uncle Aang's body back to the earth, which would be used to bring forth new life, in true Air Nomad custom. With the death of the Avatar, Toph and Lin found themselves busier than ever, so that if Lin wasn't working, she was sleeping. On her day off, she went to Air Temple Island, splitting her time between Aunt Katara and Bumi, as Tenzin was still preparing Uncle Aang's body, and Tenzin's own spirit, for the funeral.
Two weeks after his death, Avatar Aang was laid to rest in a field which had been devoid of life. His body would support new life here.
A week later, Bumi announced that he had to return to the Forces. His mother accepted this calmly, announcing that she, herself, would be heading to the Southern Water Tribe in anticipation of the new Avatar's need for a waterbending teacher. It was then that Tenzin finally exploded, accusing Bumi of cold-heartedness in leaving so soon after their father's death and his mother of using the new Avatar as an avoidance of grief; the new Avatar, though they may have his father's spirit, would never really be his father.
It was Kya who snapped him out of it, while the others merely stood in shock. Kya dragged him off, and when they returned he apologized profusely, stating that his grief had gotten the better of him. Aunt Katara embraced him, but Bumi merely nodded. Bumi left that day, having been picked up by his Division on the way to their next mission. Aunt Katara waited another week, unsure of leaving due to Tenzin's reaction. Kya scoffed at her mother's overprotectiveness and decided that she and her husband would escort their mother to the Southern Tribe, nearly forcing her mother onto the boat.
And so, one by one, the Avatar's family spread to the different corners of the world.
Kaani was born that winter, to Kya and Nanuq. She received a letter from the waterbending, introducing her to her new niece. It was then that she understood why Kya was sending her letters. Everyone expected that now that Uncle Aang had passed, Tenzin would marry her and they would begin popping out airbenders.
She started to avoid Tenzin, not wanting the subject to come up. If it did, she would have to tell him her views on children. If she could only avoid it for a bit…
What? She'd miraculously start wanting children? She now wished that she'd asked Uncle Aang about her views on children when he was alive. Instead, she began meditating, wishing that he'd give her the answer she sought.
But time moved on with no answer from Uncle Aang. Eventually, she could no longer avoid Tenzin, and naturally, the subject came up as she had feared it would. She tried to dance around the subject, but she refused to lie to him. So she told him the truth; that she didn't want children and probably never would.
He'd blown up; the first time she'd seen him really angry in the year since Uncle Aang's funeral. There'd been an explosive argument, and he had retreated back to Air Temple Island. She had written a letter about the matter that was both scathingly angry and desperately lost, and sent it to Bumi before she could change her mind.
No response came.
For months, she waited for a response to her letter, even after she and Tenzin had managed to patch things up. The air around them was tense, both waiting for the next blow-up, but they were together and that was what mattered.
A letter finally arrived in the third month, telling her that he was sorry he hadn't responded, and that his Division had been escorting the nine-year-old Prince Iroh on a tour of the nations. It had been top secret, and none of the members of either the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Division had been allowed letters in or out for fear of word leaking. He sympathized with her, arguing that most everyone had at least an idea that she didn't want children, though they'd never mentioned it since she'd never brought it up. He asked her for an update. She responded promptly, and their correspondence began again.
Life was easier with Bumi to confide in. He couldn't really solve the problem, since the problems were solved by the time he received her letter and she got one in reply, but she was able to vent to him.
Two years after Uncle Aang's death, her life went into a tailspin that she couldn't pull up from.
Tenzin announced that he was leaving her, and began dating an Air Acolyte named Pema, who was coincidentally fifteen years younger than herself and sixteen years younger than him. She had overreacted, she could admit that. Her mother had told her off for attempting to put the poor girl in jail on nonexistent charges. Tenzin must have informed his family of her behavior because Kya stopped writing. Letters from Bumi came fewer and farther apart.
Two years later, Tenzin and Pema announced their engagement. Lin did not attend their wedding. A few months later, Katara wrote to announce that the new Avatar had been found, a Southern Water Tribe girl named Korra. Katara also mentioned that Bumi had been promoted to Captain the year before, and that his duties were more time-consuming now that he had a whole ship to command. That comforted her a little, in the hope that it was just being busy that kept him from writing.
The next year, her life took another downturn with the death of her mother.
The street gangs had become more active since the Avatar had passed, and they were getting bolder. Mrs. Sato, wife of Hiroshi Sato, inventor of the Satomobile, and mother of Asami Sato, a six year old girl, had been murdered in her home after a robbery gone wrong. Lin and her mother had led a team against the Agni Kai Triad, who had been identified due to their policy of firebenders only.
They were able to take down all of the members of the gang except one, who escaped after striking a blow against Lin's mother. Perhaps is Katara had been there, Toph might have been spared, but Katara was in the Southern Water Tribe with Korra, and no other healer in the city was skilled enough to save her.
She and her father knew how her mother wanted to be buried, and it wasn't in Republic City. She was informed that she was now first-in-line to be the Chief of Police, but asked for time to think about it. Instead, she focused all her attention on preparing for the journey they would take, and keeping her father going.
Bumi showed up for the send-off. He carried a pack over his shoulder, and when he climbed into the boat, Lin said nothing. Her father started rowing, but he quickly grew tired and Bumi took over. If Lin closed her eyes, she could almost remember the first time she'd taken this trip. The glares exchanged between herself and Bumi, Bumi's choppy rowing, her mother and father teasing and laughing, long before they'd married. They'd spent thirty years together before their marriage, and had twenty-eight years of married life. Fifty-eight years together. Lin felt a tear fall down her cheek. Lin had had thirty-eight years with her mother. There were times when Lin hated her, and times when her mother was the only person she wanted around. Lin hoped that she could be half as strong as her mother, and she swore to herself that she would preserve the legacy her mother had left behind. Her eyes flew open when the metal boat hit the rock below. She immediately moved to help Bumi carry it to shore. When they were far enough up, Lin covered their boat the same way her mother had thirty-two years before.
They buried her in the Cave of the Two Lovers, Oma and Shu, with the badgermoles that lived there. Similar to an Airbender funeral, they buried her without wrapping of any kind, letting her rest with only earth surrounding her.
Lin snapped at Bumi and her father as they continuously tried to comfort her. Uncle Aang's death, Tenzin's betrayal, for it was a betrayal to begin dating a woman-child the same day that you broke up with your childhood friend and long-time girlfriend, Tenzin's marriage to the instigator of said betrayal, and now her mother's death had all hardened her. She pulled back from the pain, retreating and lashing out when it followed her. In the depths of her heart, she knew her father would not live much longer, and Bumi would soon be leaving again. Eventually, he too would find love and she would be left behind as nothing by a childhood friend once more. Better, she thought, to guard herself now.
Her father watched her sadly, allowing her the space to lick her wounds. He had too much experience with her mother to truly try to press her. Bumi, though, he reached forward and hugged her to him. She struggled against him, beating his shoulders and arms with her fists. She was not so far gone as to use her bending against him.
"Linny, Linny, Linny." He crooned in her ear, over and over again. Eventually, exhausted, she gave up and let the tears come, sobbing against his chest. He kept up his crooning, rubbing soothing circles in her back.
Bumi was not something that she could guard against. He took her walls and cast them aside, finding their weakest point and sending them crumbling down. They sat and talked seriously, speaking of Uncle Aang, Tenzin, her mother, her father. He spoke of his wish to eventually retire and open up the sword-training school her father had once dreamed of but had to give up to do his duties to the Council.
He convinced her to speak with her father, and she found herself talking to her father about his first wife, Suki, and the child he lost. She confronted him about his loss of will to live, and of his inevitable death within the next year or so. They mourned the loss of her mother together.
In the end, she returned from the trip more at peace with herself. Her father would die within the next year, but it would be a relief to him after losing her mother, his dearest friend and truest love. Bumi would return to the Forces, where he would write to her constantly over the years though their visits would be few and far between. Tenzin would, over the next twelve years, have four children with the woman-child he married, the oldest three proven airbenders. A new trouble would arise, the Equalists, and the Avatar would return to Republic City to deal with it.
And she would deal with it all as it came. Because she was Lin Bei Fong, daughter of the greatest earthbender in the world, Chief of the Republic City Police Force, and protector of the peace her parents had fought so hard for.