Destan Kao was a tall man of 6'5". He had dark hair like his brothers, but instead of having it styled like several of the men of the island, he had it finger combed and cut short enough so it wouldn't get in his bright blue eyes. The boy had grown up handsome, she'd give him that, but she would always picture the fourteen year old little boy who had begged her to stay on Orta.

She hadn't, obviously, and the thoughts Destan brought up were not appreciated, especially since she was worrying about her mother. To think about the year Lin was most ashamed of, and would make her mother so disappointed was not something she wanted to think about when worrying about her mother's safety. Yet, they came anyway.

"Uncle Destan," Kao smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were back," Destan spoke, "And wondered what it was that was so important that kept you from visiting." Kao looked down ashamedly, "But, I heard what you were talking about just then, and I want to let you know that I want in."

"Are you sure?" Lin all but blurted out curtly.

"Yes ma'am," Destan replied.

Lin watched Kao study the map, going over what she had just said, and then a light lit up her green eyes that had just a hint of blue in them. "Will you take the South Entrance with Mako and Azule? There needs to be more than just firebending for our defense there." Kao asked, and Lin mentally gave the girl a nod at such a smart move. Lin was growing more and more impressed by the girl's maturity in the situation, because back in Republic City she was much more child-like.

"Of course," Destan nodded.

"Now," Korra interjected awkwardly.

"Yes, Korra?" Tenzin asked.

"Are we still going to attack in two days, or are we going to attack tomorrow like Chief Bei Fong suggested?" Korra asked.

Everyone looked to Tenzin, who looked to Kao, Dimitri, Troy, and Azule. "This is technically your old foe, you four," Tenzin told them, "What do you think we should do?"

Lin watched Dimitri, Troy, and Azule all immediately turn to Kao. Kao was now glaring at the map with her fist clenched angrily, "We attack tomorrow," She told them, "as soon as it gets dark." Kao then stood and went to walk off. The girl's three friends from Orta nodded and looked back at the group around them, their expression solemnly saying, "Well, you heard her."

The group around them then slowly nodded, and before anyone else could say anything Bolin was out of the café and after Kao. Soon everyone but Lin and Destan were left at the table.

A few seconds of silence past, and then Destan finally broke it, "It's been a long time, Lin." He spoke seriously.

"Yes, it has." Lin agreed.

"Why are you here?" he demanded, his demeanor switching in an instant.

"Because that man attacked my city, and I'm not let him get any further." She snapped out, just as angry.

"You lived here for less than three mon–"

"I meant Republic City, Kao." Lin spat out. Destan raised an eyebrow in confusion, and then looked down at the uniform Lin was wearing.

"Well, you've definitely moved up in the world," Destan commented almost snidely, "Chief Bei Fong." Lin stood then, and left the café.

"Just run away from the problem again, Bei Fong," Destan called after her, "It's what you're good at isn't it?" he grumbled the last part, but Lin still heard it.

The sad part was: Lin wasn't definitely sure if he was completely wrong. The memories she was reliving in her head from her time here and what she did after made her question herself, and it made her angry.

At dinner that night, Lin had decided to keep the baby, and to have it in Gao Ling. She couldn't face the disappointed look that would surely be in her mother's eyes. So, for the next nine months, Lin remained in Gao Ling with her grandparents, them agreeing to take care of the baby after she returned home to Republic City.

Then, after nine months, four days, and twelve hours Lin gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Lin didn't get to name her; she didn't even hold the baby girl. She didn't stay long enough to. As soon as she was cleaned up Lin was out the door and to the docks, no matter how much pain her lower regions and legs were in. She never inquired on how the baby progressed nor its name, but she did know that two years later, Dour found out about the baby and her grandparents ended up in a nasty custody battle that they lost.

The baby was taken from Lin's grandparents and sent to live with Dour on Orta. Where Lin can only imagine that she became a nasty, spoiled, manipulative brat that she didn't want anything to do with, or so she had been thinking for the last almost nineteen years.

X

"Hey, Kai, wait up!" Kai heard from behind her as she walked away from the café. She stopped and looked behind her to see Bolin running to catch up with her.

She waited, and he quickly arrived at where she stood. "What's up?" she asked him trying to hide the glum that she was feeling as they started to walk again.

"I wanted to see if you were alright," he told her. "You seemed to change moods so quickly while we were in there, I didn't know what was real and what wasn't."

"What do you mean?" she asked with a small bite of venom in the words.

Bolin put a hand on her shoulder, effectively stopping her. He turned her to look at him and he made sure he was looking her in the eye before he spoke, "You are the bravest, smartest, and the most incredibly talented girl I have ever met and been able to call my best friend!" he exclaimed cheerfully, and she gave him a small smile. Then his face fell to a more serious one, "Being your best friend though, I can tell when you're upset, and you're upset now." He made sure she knew he was being extremely serious.

For what felt like an eternity, they stood like that. Just staring into each other's eyes, trying to convey all the emotions they were feeling right then to each other. Waiting, to see who would break the silence first. "Do you want to talk about it?" he whispered.

"N-not right now," she stuttered out, blushing softly, hoping he wouldn't notice how her cheeks were reddening.

"Oh," Bolin remarked sadly, "Ok."

"It's not that I don't want to talk to you," she spoke softly, "It's that if I were to talk about what's bothering me right now, I would break down." She looked up at him with eyes that were pleading for him to understand. "We can't afford that right now," she told him, "Not with what's about to happen."

Bolin didn't fully understand it. Yet, he didn't want to push her to do something she didn't want to, either, scared that it would only push her away. He was worried about her though. He was scared that she was hurting herself more by keeping everything bottled up inside her rather than letting it all out. He was worried it would come back to bite her during the battle they were about to go into. Yet, he just nodded as if he understood and then followed her back to the Bainbrydge estate, not knowing that his worries were well founded.