"No…" she rasped, every syllable scratching against her throat. Every blink erased the blurriness in her vision, but would only return moments later. A fresh trail of tears streamed down her face and landed on the silent earth, carrying every ounce of pain in each drop. Lin pushed herself up from the ground despite the heaviness forcing her down. She fought the resistance and found her bearings, making her way over to kneel beside the kids.

Lin closed her eyes and slammed her palms against the ground. 'Show me their heartbeats.'

The earth was silent beneath her touch.

Her eyebrows creased, jaw clenching as she shook her head.

No.

No.

No.

No.

Hovering over Kang, Lin placed her hands on his chest and pushed down at a quick and steady rhythm. Then she pressed his nose and attempted to push life into his lungs. Deep pants supplemented the rough chest compressions and rescue breaths. "Come on, kid," the earthbender huffed, studying for any spark of energy in the jade eyes. They were no longer the vibrant hue that matched hers. Instead, it had diminished to a silvery green. "I have to do your siblings, too."

"Do you want us to go back with you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Why?"

"MeiMei and I can go with you to…set some broken things back into place."

Lin persisted for another five minutes before the slight aches began to cramp in her shoulders. The slow, throbbing ache that began to roll in her muscles only nourished her ardor and determination. Two more rescue breaths and she wiped away the beads of sweat dripping down her hairline. She paused and gently slapped his cheek a few times. "Wake up, Kang."

His head only tilted further away from her limply.

Lin released a deep guttural groan into the skies and peered over at his twin. She moved over beside the young airbender, wasting no time in crossing her hands over the girl's chest and pressing down. Heat spread through her cheeks, pressure pounding through Lin's temples as she fought to provide life to the young soul.

"You know…even if she doesn't want us around, she deserves to feel loved. She deserves to know that she's wanted here. It doesn't matter if it's only for a temporary amount of time."

She blinked away the tears, instead channeling the raw emotions and adrenaline into each intense push. Now was not the time to falter when every second mattered. The force of her compressions increased, threatening to crack sensitive ribs. Lin silently prayed a string of apologies for any hairline fractures that might remain. A small noise caught her attention and Lin stopped, leaning closer and trembling fingers reaching for a pulse. "Areum? Areum, can you hear me?"

The young woman's half-lidded eyes never blinked, a detached gaze no longer rooted in the present. Her lips began to turn the slightest hint of blue, a distinct hue that Lin knew was not painted by the moonlight. The same silence in the earth was her answer no matter where Lin placed desperate fingers along Areum's pulse points. Lin choked back a sob, resting her entire weight on her knees. Fingers raked through her hair and she tightened around the silver locks, ignoring the tingling sensation prickling her scalp.

Lin scanned over the group, a painful clenching in her heart with the same dead response. The powerful presences embedded in these four had slipped away in an instant, leaving behind only a shell of who they were. Her throat began to close up again as her gaze returned to Areum. A shaky hand reached out over Areum's eyes, but the moment the edge of her fingertips ghosted over her eyebrows, Lin retracted her touch and pressed her palms against her eyes. Broken whimpers escaped through the cracks of her fingers as she slumped forward.

"Officer Beifong, it is custom that when we encounter a fatality in any case…"

"Yes Captain?"

"If their eyes are not closed, we must do it for them. Do you understand?"

"Affirmative."

"No matter how violent or tragic their death may be, they deserve some peace when they cross over."

"They're worth it," she confessed quietly between sobs, opening her eyes to the heavens. "They're worth the pain."

Maybe admitting it out loud will bring that wretched spirit back so it can reverse this mess. This couldn't just be the end for them, they have so much more of life to live. They're Beifongs and the bloodline is too stubborn to die easily, resilience flows through their veins. There's no way they're going to die this easily just because some spirit says she was too afraid to get hurt. Only a small gust of wind swirled around her to carry the confession into the night.

"Did you hear me?!" Her voice carried across the island, echoing against the stone walls. "I said they are worth the pain!"

Nothing interrupted the skyline of blinking city lights. The earth remained still and cold. Soft breezes continued to dance and twirl around the tree branches. Time carried on along with the souls who once stood by her side. No matter how hard Lin tried to hold on to them, they were already gone. Peering down once more, all of the ardent gazes had become jaded ones, awaiting their final closure. A grimace crossed the earthbender's face and she scrunched her eyes closed, arms wrapping around herself protectively.

An airy presence stepped beside her and Lin broke down harder at the sight of a red cape hovering at the edge of her peripheral vision. Her blood ran cold, heart at the edge of stopping after beating erratically. The overwhelming guilt internally consuming her kept her from meeting his eyes. "Tenzin, I'm so sorry…" she almost stuttered, voice frail and restrained. When she felt no movement, she continued, "I could have saved them, but I…" Lin fought the ache in her throat. "It's all my fault."

The familiar Twinkletoes presence didn't waiver and her blood began to boil. How could he just stand there while his own children laid dead in front of him?! Did he even realize what he was staring at?! "Flameo, Tenzin! Say something! Tell me how horrible I am for letting our kids die for no reason!"

"You didn't kill them, sweetie."

That voice sent chills down her spine, paralyzing her to the core and rendering her speechless. Lin twisted back to catch the face matching the voice. Jade eyes peered up and a soft gasp slipped out, gaze widening. "Aang?"

"It's been a while, Lin." He smiled and sat beside her criss-crossed, resting a loving hand on her back. "It's good to see you."

"But you're…"

Aang shrugged mischievously. "Alive in spirit."

Was she dreaming? Why was Aang here? How could she possibly see him? The more her brain attempted to reason and rationalize every sensation, the more Lin felt herself slipping and wanting to seek the comfort in front of her—whether it was a dream or not. Her lips pursed and twisted as another sob quickly crawled up. Recognizing the distress emerging in all of her mannerisms, Aang opened his arms and embraced the earthbender. Lin pushed her face into his shoulder to smother any wailing, whitening fists grabbing at his robes. "I should have done more to save them and now they're gone!"

"You didn't kill them," he repeated. Large hands rubbed up and down her sides. Despite the metal armor blocking the sensations, the comfort in his presence permeated through physical materials. "You did everything you could."

"But it wasn't enough!" she cried, pulling away.

"Why not?"

"Because I lost them anyway! Just like with my mom and sister, and Tenzin…it wasn't enough."

"Sweetie…" His hand settled on her shoulder, prompting her to meet his gaze, "you did everything you could and that is always enough."

"But—"

"Linny," the kind firmness in his tone shut her mouth immediately, "you've always done everything you can for others and that's one of the most special things about you." He grasped the edge of his cape and swiped at the hot tears streaming down her cheeks before dabbing gently at her eyes. "But you need to let go of the belief that it's not enough. You cannot control how others respond to the energy you give them. You can only control your own choices."

"It still won't bring them back," she maintained. Her shoulders slumped helplessly. "They're gone. I lost them."

Not a hint of skepticism coated his eyes, instead they only seemed to shine brighter. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," she hiccuped plainly. What does this have to do with anything?

"Then let it go, sweetheart."

"I…" Lin took a deep breath, processing the statement, eyes glued to the ground. "I don't know how..."

"Alright, let's try this." Aang smiled kindly. "Repeat after me: I am Lin Beifong and everything I do is always enough."

"I'm," Lin wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, "Lin Beifong and everything I do," hiccup, "is always enough."

"That was good. Try it one more time, and truly believe what you're saying."

Lin groaned wearily. "Why do I have to do this?"

"You trust me, right?"

"Enough."

"I never had you do anything without reason. Haven't I?"

A half shrug. "I guess."

"Alright. Let's try one more time, shall we? I am…"

Lin sighed, a softness crossing her face. "I am Lin Beifong."

"And everything I do is always enough."

"And everything I do is always enough."

"Good. Now keep saying it."

She obeyed, the mantra repeatedly filling the silence between herself and Aang. Her voice grew steadier, stronger, and more confident with every cycle. A light pressure gathered at the center of her forehead, right between her eyebrows and she surrendered to the unknown sensation. As she poured more emotion and belief into her words, an invisible weight she didn't realize she had been shouldering began to lift from her shoulders.

"Very good, sweetheart," Aang praised. As she opened her eyes, a few strokes of pink and orange began to sweep against the skies. "Now just do one more thing. What would you like to say to them? Without holding back."

"They can't hear me…"

"Shhh, if you could speak your heart without holding back, what would you tell them?"

"No holding back?"

Aang nodded, gently squeezing her wrist. "You're safe here, Lin."

The earthbender peered at their fallen forms, teeth digging into her lip.

"It's safe to speak your truths, Lin."

The last time she held back, the spirit left and ignored her demands. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat, sniffling softly. "I'm…I'm so sorry," she began quietly, eyes stinging with pain and guilt. "You guys probably know I'm not really…you know, the best at this kind of thing. But um…" Lin averted her gaze back to Aang who nodded encouragingly.

"I should have protected you better, but I was so clouded by my own pain that I didn't realize how much I could hurt you. No matter how difficult I might have been, I never wanted this for you. I never wanted you guys to get hurt. It's just…I was trying not to get hurt when it was time for me to leave. I knew since the first night that all of you were trying to include me even if I didn't belong here. You never did anything wrong, okay? You shouldn't have to pay for my pain just because I was stubborn. I didn't want to get hurt because I…"

Lin paused, taking another deep breath to even out her breaths.

"I should have told that spirit that I wanted to save you because I…I love you. I do care about you crazy kids, even if it hasn't been that long. You're worth the pain and I realized that too late."

She opened her mouth to say more, but nothing else could pour from her heart. Shifting her gaze back to where Aang sat beside her, all she was met was emptiness. No matter where she looked, there was no sight of the red and yellow robes to draw comfort in. As quickly as he made his presence with her, he was gone with the wind. But if Aang is gone, then could…?

Slam!

Slam!

Wait and listen, Toph always instructed her. Closing her eyes, she continued to wait and listen to the earth. For once, she wished seismic sense was wrong and that something was only blocking a heartbeat from reaching her demanding hands. Whatever hope Aang filled her with instantly disappeared with the gentle breeze that caressed her shoulders. Her heart clenched and she buried her face into arms, resting against her knees. She was right. Saying how she felt wasn't going to bring them back. 'It's too late,' her own voice announced. 'You're too late.' Despite the vulnerable position she sat in, it failed to muffle the loud sobs pouring from the earthbender.

"I love you…" she rasped, voice cracking.

"Us…too…" an exhausted gasp answered, loud enough to break through the distress and cause Lin's head to perk up immediately. The early rays of golden-pink sunlight engulfed the four and a green flash rippled across the sky. Warmth that hailed beyond the first touches of the sunrise radiated around the four. Awe filled Lin's eyes and as the brightest streaks of the light fully stretched from one side of the group to the other, she noticed the small twitches of life in their hands and feet. The woman crawled over to the youngest one. Areum's chest rose and fell sluggishly as her knuckles twitched.

"Areum?" Her eyes were still hazed and she didn't blink, but Lin inched closer and noticed hints of color returning to her face. Lin scanned the group and saw the gentle rise and fall of their forms, slowly filling their bodies with the first remnants of life. She pressed her hands into the ground again.

Thump…thump…thump…

Fresh tears poured at the corners of her eyes, a small smile and choked chuckle bubbling through.

"Mom…" a muffled voice called out.

Lin wiped at her eyes quickly, sniffling. "Take it easy, kid," she urged, checking over Kang moving on to Jin and Mei when she felt faint pulses responding back. Jin had been laying on his stomach, face practically smothered against the ground, so Lin gently rolled him onto his back to allow his lungs full capacity to accept a clear breath of air. A few specks of dirt were stuck to his cheek and she brushed it off mindfully. The oldest duo weren't awake, but the faint pulses speaking to Lin's touch gave her the answers she needed.

"Lin?"

"Tenzin."

He walked over, clutching his side and a slight wince on his face. Lin rushed over to him. "What happened? Are the kids okay?"

"I think they're okay," she answered. "I'll tell you later."

"You think they're okay?"

"Tenzin, please..."

He rushed over to them, checking them over and noting that they were all breathing and no obvious signs of injury inflicted on them. Lin knelt beside him to make sure that she wasn't dreaming about what transpired. Touching the ground, she sighed in relief at the familiar thumping beating back. Tenzin turned to her. "What happened, Lin?"

"I...they almost..."

His gaze was fixed on hers, mind filling in the gaps with answers that she wasn't giving. Noticing that she was on the verge of tears, Tenzin reached out to cup her cheek, thumb stroking over her flushed face. His eyes crinkled in worry instantly as he took in her red eyes, nose, and cheeks. "What's wrong?" Rather than provide an answer, she began to examine his torso for any injuries. Tenzin gently grasped it, pulling away from his body and interlocking their fingers together. "I'm fine, Lin. What happened to the kids?"

She stilled, avoiding his oblivious glances. "I'll tell you later. Help me get them inside," she answered softly. Steeling herself, hints of authority returned in her voice. "Can you do that?"

Confusion glossed his features, attempting to process her answer but he nodded. He could already sense that whatever distress she had seen or heard ran deeper than that. Prying any information when she wasn't ready would only aggravate the situation and her feelings, so it was best to allow her to open when she felt comfortable and ready. Whenever that might be, he'd be by her side to walk through it together. "Of course."


Lin and Tenzin settled all four of the grown set of children onto two large futons.

They leaned back once they finished, sitting at the feet of the futons and hands almost touching along the cool floor. Electricity ran up her arm, commanding her to inch closer and thread her fingers into his. Instead, Lin ignored the instinct and tore her gaze away from the sleeping group, stretching it to study the tatami-room. Minimalist with only shelves concealing whatever knick knacks, dark edges accentuating the symmetry and simplicity of the space. With little to almost nothing, it evoked a welcoming sense of peace and comfort that would only be interrupted with worldly decorations. If Lin and Tenzin had a room like this growing up, they'd probably play around and find a way to break something. Or just fall asleep while hiding from her mother when it was time to go home. "What room is this?"

"It's our family bedroom." Tenzin studied her curiosity, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We all sleep here when something traumatic happens. Like after we dealt with the Red Lotus."

Her eyes lowered to the mat. "I see…"

Silence fell over them and neither knew what to say to break it. Suddenly, Lin rose to her feet and walked past Tenzin, only stopping when a gentle hand held her wrist. "Where are you going?"

"Relax," she muttered wearily. "I just need some balm and bandages." When he refused to let go, she added softly, "I'm coming back." Lin rotated her wrist so that their palms met and she held his hand, squeezing lightly. Slowly, his grip loosened and then fell back to his side, nodding in understanding.

A few minutes later, she re-entered with a bowl of warm water, towels, bandages, and a small jar.

Nestling beside Meilin, Lin laid out the supplies and gingerly turned the young woman's face toward her. The blood had crusted already with a light coating of dirt around the area. Tenzin reached over, scooting closer to her. "I can help you—"

The raised hand cut him off and he immediately understood the unspoken message. I'm doing this. With no other gestures, he continued to sit at her side and observe. If she didn't need physical assistance, he could at least provide her with emotional support. Lin dipped a towel into the water until she could feel the wet warmth under her fingertips. Wringing out the excess water, she tenderly wiped away the dried trail of blood that managed to travel right below Meilin's jaw. As the warm towel finally touched the wound, Lin folded the towel to carefully dab the wound with a clean side. She worked in short dabs to keep her hands steady as her throat began to close slightly and eyes stung. She pressed the back of her wrist into her eyes to immobilize the stinging that began to prickle.

"Over my dead body, Mom."

Recognizing the sentiment, Tenzin placed a hand on her shoulder. Even through the metal, Lin comprehended the touch and glanced at him. All he offered was a simple nod and knowing smile. "Thank you," she whispered, voice almost cracking.

Once the dried blood and dirt finally revealed the true nature of the wound, Lin leaned forward, inspecting it from all angles. A swell of relief settled in her chest. The cut wasn't deep and likely wouldn't scar as long as Mei takes proper care of it for the next couple of weeks. Deep purple and red bruising surrounding the site gave it a much more painful appearance, a slight wince flashing across Tenzin's features as he patiently surveyed every step of Lin's care. Setting the bowl aside, Lin dipped her fingers into a traditional herbal balm that she remained devoted to. Her fingertips delicately tapped the balm across the cut, tenderly glossing over the bruise.

As the balm melted into the open skin, Mei made no reaction—not a wince, grimace, or even a shift in her spot. Lin paused and released a stuttering breath. This balm is known to cause a stinging reaction on any open wounds, and the lacking reaction from the young earthbender gave the impression of a permanent slumber. But the soft exhales grazing her forearm told Lin otherwise. Gathering her bearings to finish things off, Lin gently pressed the bandages across Mei's cheekbone, ensuring that the bandage protectively covered the cut and bruise. A few loose strands almost got caught underneath and Lin delicately pushed the long strands of ebony hair behind Mei's ear.

"Here." Tenzin gathered the supplies altogether. "I'll put this away," he offered, rising to his feet when he collected everything.

Appreciation clouded her gaze as he walked out.

When he returned a few minutes later, he found Lin inspecting something on Kang. As he moved closer, he realized that she was staring at the long, jagged scar running along the inside of his son's forearm.

"Triple Threats," he supplied quietly.

"They did this?" Her fists tightened and the growing silence left her displeased. She addressed him again. "They did this to him?"

Nodding, Tenzin exhaled deeply. "Yes."

"I only noticed it now…" she replied tightly.

"Lin…" He knelt beside her, resting both hands on her shoulder. "You should get some rest. It's been a long night. I'll bring you a fresh change of clothes."

She shrugged off his touch, crossing her arms across her middle. "I'm fine," she declared neutrally.

"I know you better than that, Lin. You'll feel more relaxed in comfortable clothes and sleep for a few hours."

"I know what I'm doing," she insisted weakly, avoiding his gaze and facing away so he couldn't see the slight twitch of her eye that would give away what he already knew. Her focus was trained on the steady breathing of the four sleeping. "Not like I haven't slept in my armor before."

"Come on, Lin." Tenzin wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I know sleeping in your armor is uncomfortable. It makes your joints stiff and then you have to do extra rounds of stretching to unravel the knots."

"I'm fine," she repeated, voice devoid of emotion.

A gasp fell from her lips as warm fingers turned her face to him. He stared into her eyes, studying her soul and with that one look, he shook his head. "Let's go change your clothes," he murmured. "You deserve to rest."

"No, I should—"

"Shh." The protests grew silent as soon as his forehead pressed against hers, noses brushing against each other. A few strands of hair fell over her cheek and he pushed it behind her ear to enhance his view of her. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Fine…"

He helped her up and guided them back to his room. Although this was technically their bedroom in this world, Lin couldn't help but feel out of place in a room that also belonged to her. Even if Tenzin was her husband, this other version of herself felt like a completely different person and her presence here felt like she was cheating on herself. She stood in the center, arms crossed, distantly observing the possessions decorating the space. A few rare meteorite rocks were on display on the shelves with a few books among them.

"Here." He extended out a neatly folded set of light green pajamas and she accepted it gratefully. "I'll step you so you can change."

"No, just…turn around."

"Alright."

As he faced away from her, it took a few moments until the creaking of metal unlatching filled the room. It landed on the floor with a few soft thuds and Tenzin waited patiently until the crinkling of clothes stopped. But all that was left was silence. Had she already put it on? That was insanely quick, but he wouldn't be surprised if she could dress in a matter of seconds. His Lin could dress quickly when she was on the edge of running late, but he'd never seen her dress within seconds out of fun. Except when they were almost caught in a compromising position, which happened more times than he'd like to admit. But those times were usually Lin's ideas, so it wasn't his fault they almost got caught christening the police motorcycle. An urge to turn around reared its head, but he dismissed it to respect Lin's boundaries. She may need a moment to—

A faint whimper instantly caught his attention.

"Lin?" The minor debate on whether to look or not was immediately tossed out the window and he reached for her. She was clad in the white tank top and trousers, head low as her arms shielded her abdomen. Her fists tightly clenched the pajamas and she allowed him to shift her into facing him. Out of instinct, his hands brushed over her arms, pulling her into his strength. She smothered each gasping cry by biting down on her lip. "Lin…"

"I'm sorry, Tenzin," she finally managed, swallowing hard.

"For what, Lin?" A thumb caressed her cheek, wiping the hot tears. Internally, he was grateful that she was allowing this level of intimacy and affection, but it also revealed a deeper level of inner distress than she was letting on. Either way, he wouldn't complain that she was allowing him in small ways to support her.

"I…I…" Salt water brimmed her eyes, voice trailing off. A thousand emotions were sketched all over her face and Tenzin instantly pulled her into a tight embrace.

Her hands trailed up to his chest, almost searching for warmth and his heartbeat. His lips ghosted over her hair, planting a soft kiss to the silky silvery tresses. A wandering hand slithered up her spine, tracing the bone through the thin fabric and finding purchase at the nape of her neck. "Let it flow, my love. I'm not going anywhere."

At his blessing, her walls came crashing down and a string of sobs poured into his chest. Silk absorbed the liquid grief, gluing the fabric to his skin but Tenzin failed to pay attention to that, instead all of his presence devoted to Lin. She encircled his waist, hands grasping up his back and digging into his shoulders. All Lin wanted to do was confess everything until the pain was gone, but no language could verbalize the sea of emotions descending on her. All she could feel was the painful swelling of her eyes and his warmth, his presence, his heartbeat throughout the emotional delirium. He was the rock she held onto as another intense wave of emotion crashed into her. Even if this dragged on for hours, deep in her soul, a voice informed her that he would not break under the pressure.

As the majority of it finally spiraled down, Lin shifted so her ear could drown in his heartbeat. The powerfully steady and deep rhythm instantly soothed her soul, as if it were whispering words of comfort and love to parts of her that hadn't heard it in years. Right now holding him and listening to his heart was enough, yet not enough. She needed more. She needed to feel. Lin pulled away slightly, gazing into crystal grey eyes. Spirits, she must look like a pitiful mess with her swollen face and dark circles or whatever. Yet all that radiated in his stare was warmth, concern, and…love.

Her heart skipped a beat the longer they stared into each other's eyes, words failing to materialize on their tongues. But with him…she didn't need to say anything. He always just knew. He just understood her more than anyone else in the world. Heat began to unroll in her chest, trailing down to her core. Everything around them began to disappear as she fell deeper and deeper under his hypnosis. The grey darkened in unison with her jade. A new need quickly manifested, replacing the anguish from minutes ago. Tenzin's hand slipped down to the lower half of her back, curious fingers toying with the waistband. She noticed him switching between studying her eyes and lips, tongue briefly skimming across his own. He pulled them even closer together, sealing any gaps between their bodies. A stranger would never be able to discern whether either body started or ended—two perfectly crafted soulmates.

Warm breaths dusted her cheeks and Lin only stood in her spot as Tenzin slowly leaned closer. Once they were inches apart, he paused, a hand drawing small circles along her back. "Lin," it was barely a whisper, but it was a line only for her.

"Hm?"

He leaned closer, centimeters apart now. "Can I kiss you?"

Whether it was her impatient nature or the near-numbness from an emotionally driven night, she had no idea what compelled her to grab his collar and forcefully tug him down. Their mouths collided almost clumsily together, the angling a bit misaligned as teeth gently clacked together as they gathered their bearings at being this intimately close again. Tenzin tilted his head to the right until they found the perfect angle, sinking further into the deep passion embedded in her kisses. His fingers dug into her skin, both hands sliding down to squeeze her ass possessively and earning him a breathy mewl. Her teeth caught his lip until he released a low hiss and as payback, Tenzin stole bits of her breath away as their tongues rolled in a passionate dance. Against both of their desires, he pulled away, gazing intently in her eyes.

"Tell me no and I'll stop. Tell me no before I can't stop," he said, voice husky with arousal and desire.

"Don't stop," she breathed, already seeking his touch on her again and he avoided her playfully. Her gaze deepened in his and her voice dipped into a sensual drawl. "Kiss me now."

Both met with equal ardor, her arms sliding around his neck as their fight for dominance continued. Lin's soft moan when his teeth sunk possessively on her lip finally symbolized her surrender, while a hand traversed over her firm curves and hips, then between their bodies to cup her breast. With one thigh between his legs, Lin pressed herself into his groin, feeling the hardness and rubbing against it with more firmness as he attempted to tease her chest.

"Lin," he growled, sending her into a haze at the dark huskiness in his voice. Without breaking apart, one second they were standing, and in the next, Tenzin pinned her down to the bed.

"Tenz—mmph—!" Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him closer. Hardness pressed against her inner thigh, her hips rising up to grind into him again. She leaned her head back when a large hand discreetly slipped beneath her flimsy tank top, exploring smooth planes of muscle before clutching her breast. Breathless gasps collided against his lips, raising an octave when a thumb flicked expertly across the hardening nipple.

Lin's hands fumbled with the buttons to his shirt when they were almost flushed together. Impatience quickly overcoming her senses, she ripped it open instead and exposed porcelain lean muscle. Tenzin's growl sent another hot wave of desire between her legs and he stretched her shirt above her head, carelessly discarding it over his shoulder. The greeting of the morning chill fused with arousal quickly hardened her nipples. A ticklish sensation dancing across her collarbone instinctively informed Lin to grant him unrestricted access to her neck. She moaned as his lips latched on to her pulse, sucking hard until the moans elevated into high cries. A moment of pleasurable pain simmered in the spot and he soothed the fresh mark with a loving tongue.

After bestowing her with a complete necklace of love marks, he expanded his territory to the valley between her breasts. Her heart hammered out of synchronization with his movements. Desire pulsed painfully in her groin and she clamped her thighs around Tenzin's body to alleviate the aching pressure, but only one thing would satisfy the carnal need. Wet warmth encircling her nipple pulled her out of any distracting thoughts, hands gripping the back of his head, ensuring her nails gently grazed the blue tattoo. Pleased hums vibrated into her chest in tune with her own desperate mewls. If that wasn't enough, warm fingers snuck below her waistband and found themselves curling inside her.

"Tenz—ah—!" Toes curled involuntarily with two fingers sliding in and out of her and pressing against the hood of her walls, but also the added sensation of his thumb circling a sensitive nub. She caught grey eyes studying her every reaction and twitch of a lip when his tongue and fingers worked magic in unravelling her heart and soul to him. Fiery passion consumed her from the inside out, knees arching up when his fingers stroked harder and pressed with more firmness. Whimpers cascaded into stammering breaths while a swirl of escalating pleasure collected and she prepared to welcome the white bliss until—

"Tenzin!" She glared down at him when fingers abruptly disappeared and tugged at her trousers instead of sending her toward an orgasm. Beneath her intense glare, he simply chuckled mischievously and he gifted her with a gentle nibble on her nipple. "I was about to—"

"I know."

Oh, so he wanted to play games right now? Maybe after the first round she'd be more relaxed to engage in his boyish charms, but now she needed to feel him—strong and hard pushing her until she was left screaming in pleasure. Both heard the loose fabric stretching as the loose pants and panties were peeled off the Chief of Police. She kicked them off and it fell unceremoniously to the floor. Lin was too far gone to care about any loose seams in her trousers, focus hyper fixated on the tight outline of Tenzin's erection straining against the confines of his own pants. She extended her foot against his groin, the ball of her foot massaging the hard length and drawing low moans from the airbender.

"Take them off," she demanded, pressing firmly before sliding up for her toes to curl at the edge of his pants.

"Impatient as ever," he mumbled, shoving them off and throwing them across the room with the rest of her clothes. Lin licked her lips at seeing him ready to please her. He stroked himself tightly and allowed the tip to stroke wet folds, evoking low moans from the couple. Tenzin lurched forward, crashing his lips against hers and grinding steadily against her. He hooked her legs over his arms and pulled them up as he slid the entire length of him against her slit. Dark eyes observed the way she writhed for his touch. "Are you sure?"

"I said don't stop," she answered with clear authority.

Her eyes rolled back and a soft gasp spilled from her as Tenzin entered her completely, uniting them as one.


The sun is already halfway to noon when Lin finally drapes herself over Tenzin's chest, both panting and hearts hammering in unison. Their activities had garnered enough warmth to avoid the morning chill. A thin layer of sweat glued them together and a few strands of hair messily to her eyebrows. Tenzin pushed it away, holding her close and rubbing her back soothingly. They savored the time needed to ground themselves as the desire to sleep loomed over their eyelids. Lin could already feel the ache from multiple rounds of passionately intense lovemaking, but she didn't care. At least she knew when that would fade, unlike the overwhelming emotions that exploded from her hours earlier. But right now, she didn't want to think about it yet and simply surrender to the exhaustion lodged in her body.

Tenzin kissed the crown of her head. "Sleep…"

Even if that's all she wanted, she made a protesting sound.

"You need to sleep."

"Not here."

"Oh…oh..."

Lin rested on her arms along his chest. "I thought you said we sleep together in the family room."

Realization replaced the sadness in his eyes and he nodded. "We do."

A weary half-smile crossed her mouth and she nodded back. "Well, get dressed then."

Before she could roll off, Tenzin held her in place. She peered at him confused, until he leaned up to press a firm kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, he smiled with a boyish charm and eyes widened when Lin returned the gesture. Except when she broke the kiss, she did so slowly as if savoring every touch, every moment, every sensation that arose from it.

Without saying an extra word, they dressed themselves and returned to the family room. Faint streaks of light snuck into the room, but weren't bright enough to be a distraction. The sleeping quartet were in the same position from hours ago, not moving an inch since Lin and Tenzin left them. Tenzin fetched an extra futon and blankets, setting it near the kids but with some distance. As they settled on the futon, he pulled the light blanket over them. He could hear her smug chuckle at his muffled yelp when her feet brushed against his. Lin laid with her back to him, facing the kids. Although he wanted to see her face while falling asleep, he was content sliding an arm around her waist.

His heart exploded when she held him tighter and snuggled closer as he spooned her.

"I love you," he whispered into her hair as he fell halfway into his own slumber.

He didn't really expect a response, but was conscious enough to catch the quiet voice.

"...I love you, too."