The ferry docked itself by the wooden planks of Air Temple Island. The blue waves cashed against the water transportation and occasionally made the small ferry rock side to side. Lin gripped her hand on the metallic railing of the small ship and grumbled. She hated traveling by boat and would often do everything in her power to avoid such a trip. The only time she would go was when it was absolutely necessary and her situation required some guidance. Not to mention Pema practically begged the chief to come over to witness how much Opal has been improving at her air bending skills. Su herself had even pleaded for her attendance. It was a good opportunity to seek for some answers.

When the captain gave her the go-ahead to climb off, Lin jumped onto the sturdy docks and placed a hand on her stomach over her metallic uniform to steady the churning fluids she was feeling. She breathed in and out very slowly and walked to the main building. No one was occupying the outer yards which made Lin believe the island's air benders were training out back or roaming inside.

That didn't matter at the moment as she just needed to talk to Su or Pema. Whoever she found first. Passing the vegetation gardens and Meelo's new pet lemur, Lin walked along the main hallway and walked passed a few closed doors. Everything seemed vacant and a bit too quite. After all, this place was filled with people and a couple of noisy kids with some pretty reckless teenagers. It's never this quite.

Just when the chief was stepping out to the back property a huge whirl wool of air nearly knocked Lin on her behind but she kept her feet grounded in place and she readied her cable wires. The wind momentarily blinded the older woman but once the wind was done and over with she took a fighting stance but it was immediately slackened. Tenzin and his whole family which included Kya and Bumi, along with Su, Opal and the Avatar (still in her wheelchair but shooting a small smile at Lin) along with her gang of friends and the rest of the island's air benders were all standing closely together with some of the most idiotic grins Lin has ever seen. And- wait . . . were those her police officers as well?

Spirits, how absent minded had she been to not even notice that some of her men weren't even at the station?

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIN!" They yelled.

Lin's thin eyebrows knitted together as her jaw slackened to some degree. Her arms fell limp at her sides as she looked around the back yards. It was nicely decorated but not too extreme. A few streamers were hung here and there and lanterns were lit and scattered around the out skirts. There was a large table of food and sweets to the side with a few presents stacked on top of each other.

It was her birthday? Lin didn't remember her own birthday? Well, it's not the first time it's happened but she was always being reminded of the occasion by a few people or just by the date alone but she completely forgot about it this year. And who could blame her? With everything that's been going on with the city and her personal life, she's barely had enough time to even check up on her own sister.

Being in such an awkward situation, Lin stood stiff as a board with her arms hanging loosely and her eyes wide and confused. This wasn't what she wanted when she agreed to visit but she supposed that she should've suspected this from Su.

Lin's younger sister stepped forward from the crowd with her hands folded at her front and a look of astonishment on her face.

"Lin," She spoke in warning, "please tell me you didn't forget your own birthday."

The older woman said nothing in regards of Su's plea, instead she thanked everyone for remembering in the most mono toned voiced she had and dragged Su to the inside of the temple. The guests seemed a bit disappointed that they couldn't get much of a reaction out of Lin but they did expect something like this out of their chief of police. The longtime chief never liked to express her feelings.

"What's up with Beifong?" Mako asked as soon as the large crowd broke apart to enjoy some parts of the party. He and his friends stayed together as they tried to puzzle together the chief's behavior.

"Well," Korra softly spoke, "she's as tough as nails and isn't the most sensitive person. Su had to suspect this when she started to plan the party."

"At least she didn't go off on anybody with her metal cables." Bolin said. "That would've been bad."

X

"Lin, if you're trying to rip my arm off just for throwing you a party, you are succeeding!" Su yelled and tried to free her arm from her sister's grasp. She wasn't paying any attention as to where the eldest Beifong sister was dragging her off to because she more focused on the pain coming from her wrist.

It wasn't until they reached a balcony far away from the others when Lin finally released her hold on Su and began to walk further out to see the amazing view of her city. The city she was slowly losing bit from bit. Oh spirits, she was losing her own self. Her hands tightly held the wooden railing that separated her from the crash waves hundreds of feet below. Green eyes became pink with tears filling their vision. Lin quickly shut her lids and squeezed her eyes to not allow the damned tears to escape. Her lip quivered but she clamped her teeth down to stop the obnoxious habit. She'd be damned if anyone, including Su, saw her like this.

A gentle hand rested on top of Lin's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "Lin?" Su said. "Are you alright?"

Lin, in reply, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and gave a loud sniffle. She shook her head, making her greying locks move with her movement. "No," Lin said, trying to make her voice as clam and steady as possible. Su tilted her head and scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

The chief breathed in and out heavily and turned to her younger sister. "I need some advice." Then Lin went on to tell about her problems and spill her very soul to the only person she felt that could help.

Su stared and didn't respond or even comment on what Lin said for the longest time. She stared with a blank look on her face. What could she say? She wanted to say some words to comfort her sister but what on earth was she supposed to say to something like this? Lin never mentioned anything about her situation before. So why was she saying anything about it now?

"Lin, why are you bringing this up?" Su asked.

"Because," Lin breathed in and out, "that very problem is coming to the city."