Conversations

Aang folded down in front of Tenzin, who was doing his best impression of meditating. The young man tended to do this when he didn't want to be bothered. Aang mimicked his son's position, closed his eyes and sat quietly.

After about twenty minutes the father opened one eye and said "So Ten, are we going to sit here and pretend to meditate all day or do you feel like talking to me?"

"Pretend." the son said flatly.

"That's fine," Aang said, "but it may help to vent."

"I know you already know what happened. I know mother told you, she tells you everything. I wish Lin were like that."

"No matter how much we may want to we can't change people."

Tenzin finally opened his swollen red eyes "Did mother tell you? Did she tell you what she saw?"

"She did." Aang said casting his eyes to the wooden floor.

"Lin…she didn't even take that into consideration. She just made up her mind."

"So if the baby wasn't an air bender you would have been less hurt, or less angry?" the older man asked looking back at his son.

Tenzin's answer was quick "No. It's just…I don't know, it makes it seem worse to me."

"I think I understand." he said, "But I don't want you to put that kind of pressure on yourself."

"But father, we're the last of our race and, unless there's something you and Mother aren't telling us, you won't be having any more children."

Aang laughed, "Yeah, I think we're about twenty one years past that, but you're wrong about one thing, we are not the last. Your brother and sister carry just as much Air Nomad blood as you do."

"I know Father, it's just-"

"You feel a greater burden because you are the only air bender."

"Yes."

"Tenzin, I don't want you to take that pressure on yourself." Tenzin held his head down, "Look son, we never told you three this, but there were complications when Bumi was born and we were told that your mother wouldn't be able to have any more children. I didn't want to accept it. For a year and a half I dragged her, your brother and sister from one city to another trying to find an answer, but there wasn't one."

"Well there must have been, after all, I'm here." Tenzin stated.

"Yes, but it's not because of any of that. I had to accept that perhaps it was my destiny to be the last air bender. When I finally accepted that, you were there waiting for me."

Tenzin had a thoughtful look on his face "So, what you're saying is perhaps this happened so I could learn not to put so much pressure on myself."

"That's one possibility, but that's a lesson I wouldn't wish on anyone. I'm just saying that you can't put all that pressure on yourself. As for you and Lin, I think you need to talk about all of this and figure out what you're going to do because it's obvious that your plans for the future are drastically different."

"She knows how I feel Father." he said. Tenzin sat for a minute, mulling over rather or not to share the next piece of information, "I asked her to marry me you know."

Aang was startled, "When did that happen?"

"About six months ago…I made this."

Tenzin stuck his hand in his pocket and dropped the contents into his father's open hand. There sat a betrothal necklace made of black silk with a silver medallion. Across the center ran a darker silver, almost blue, arrow with three waves carved in the top and a silver Beifong boar flying across the center. It was the most intricate betrothal necklace Aang had ever seen. "You made this?" he asked his son, looking at the necklace in wonder.

"Yes."

"How did you do all this?"

"I wanted the different colors so I went to a metal smith to learn how to do the plating. I figured out how to carve it on my own."

"Wow. My son's an artist. I'm impressed." he looked up at Tenzin, "So, I'm guessing by the fact that you're carrying this around she said no."

"But she didn't, that's the issue. She said that we were still young and we had time." his father handed the necklace back to him and he tucked it back in his pocket. "I've been carrying this around with me for six months, waiting for her to tell me yes, but she never even mentions it. I'm starting to think she doesn't want to be with me."

"I don't know Tenzin, that's an answer you can only get from Lin."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

It'd been four and a half years since Kimi moved to Republic City and so much had changed. When she arrived, Katara scooped her up and took her along to train the new crop of White Lotus guard. She enjoyed it so much she joined the White Lotus and became a full time trainer in water bending, weaponry and strategies at their secret training camp outside of Republic City.

To Kimi's surprise a familiar face was sitting front and center in her first weaponry class. Philo, the guard from the Hall of Records, instantly caught her eye when she walked in. She struggled to keep her tough demeanor in front of the man who she'd seduced in order to help her sister and cousins sneak in.

After the class he approached her, determined to chew her out, but she apologized so quickly and so sweetly that he couldn't be angry. After assigning him to another class she took him out to make amends. A year and a half later they were married.

As she made her way up to Lin's apartment, she wondered if her little sister even wanted to see her. 'After what she's been through I'm probably the last person Lin wants to see.' she thought as she turned the doorknob.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Lin was sitting in her bed when her door opened slightly and Kimi popped her head in "Hey Sissy, can I come in?" she asked with a big, silly grin on her face.

Lin laughed, "Yeah, come in." she said as she placed her book at her side, "I'm surprised Sokka let you come up the stairs alone."

"Well, he had an emergency council meeting to go to." Kimi said as she and her very pregnant belly came through the door "Thank La for small miracles." She eased herself down on the foot of the bed, "So, how are you feeling?"

"Miserable. I haven't heard from Tenzin in two weeks and every time I try to leave, Mom stops me. Did you know she's paying the guys at work extra to watch the doors when she goes in?"

"She's just worried about you, Lin. Toph just wants to make sure you're doing well."

"I feel fine," Lin said, "I just miss Tenzin. He was so angry Kimi. I think he hates me. I think Sokka hated me too."

"Why would you say that?"

"He's barely spoken to me this entire time. He doesn't even come here as much as he used to. He's avoiding me."

Kimi smiled "It's not like that. Sokka hasn't been here much because he's been sticking around the house to keep me company. He's scared to death that I'll have this baby when he's not around. Philo and I told him that Philo will come get him when the time comes, but you know how Sokka is."

"I know, but I still think he's mad at me for trying to keep everything from Tenzin, you know, because it's so close to what happened to him."

"Yeah, I think that did hurt him a little bit, but he's also still trying to get use to the fact that the girl he raised as his daughter is dating his nephew. He was already saying he was living in Oogiesland, and now that he knows that you two had sex he's a little…..okay, there's no other way to say this, he's disgusted. It's just awkward."

"I can understand that." the younger woman said, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Plus he doesn't want to comment on the situation. He doesn't want either one of you to think he's on the other's side. Maybe you should come over to the house and talk to Sokka. I could tell Toph you're coming to help me decorate the baby's room."

"That would be nice." she said.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Bumi lay half napping in the sand while his brother swam, his hands propped his head as his wild hair splayed everywhere. It was the last day of his leave and he was enjoying his time at the beach with his brother while they waited for their sister and her family to arrive.

"Hey Boom, welcome home." a familiar voice said from above him.

"I've been home a month," he said curtly, his eyes still closed, "but I'm not the one you need to apologize to."

"I guess you're right."

He sat up and looked at her "You know, I'm going to say it, because Tenzy never would; that little plan of yours was pretty fucked up." Lin started to say something, but he held his hand up, "No, I get it. Your body, your choice and all that, but you didn't have to let my brother find out like that." she opened her mouth again and he stopped her once again, this time standing up "And it's not like he's just some guy you were messing around with, you two are supposed to love each other and you would keep something as serious as you being pregnant from him. It's just, it's just some fucked up shit." he finished before walking off toward home.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Tenzin emerged from the water and wiped the saltwater from his face. When he looked to the spot where his brother had been laying and saw Lin, he paused. The Air Nomad in him was screaming 'You don't want to deal with this. Go back and swim a while longer.' while the Water Tribe blood in him was saying 'She's got some nerve. Go tell her about her shady ass.' He looked back out at the water, then at Lin and decided to do something half way between the two ideas.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Lin watched Tenzin come up put of the water. She couldn't help but smile at the water dripping from his muscles as he wiped some away from his face. She almost forgot that he was angry with her, but him pausing when he saw her was a definite reminder.

He stood there for a moment, obviously trying to decide what to do, then he made his way to the beach. He sat down beside her and stared out at the water as if she wasn't there. They sat there for the longest five minutes of her life before she finally said something.

"I'm sorry you found out like that." she said, looking at his profile. His eyes tightened, "I should've told you from the beginning, but I didn't see the point in it when I had already made my decision." his mouth tightened, "Tenzin…I've missed you." she said quietly, drawing her knees to her chest.

They sat a while longer before Tenzin said anything. Finally, without turning to her he said "I'm leaving."

"Huh?" Lin asked straightening her back.

"When Father returned from his trip last week he said that the air temples were finally completed. Some of the acolytes have volunteered to go live at them and I'll be going to help get everyone settled."

Lin looked at the side of his face, it was still drawn tight. She wanted to yell at him, but instead she said, "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. A year, perhaps longer. It depends on how I feel when I reach each temple."

"Typical." she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" he asked, finally looking at her.

She looked at him "Typical air bender cut-and-run bullshit."

He looked back at the water "Fuck you Lin." he said calmly.

Tenzin rarely cursed, and he hadn't cursed at Lin since they were teenager, "What?" she asked shocked.

Tenzin turned and got nose to nose with her "Fuck. You. Lin." he said as stiffly as he could, "This isn't about you. Contrary to popular opinion my whole life does not revolve around Lin Beifong."

With that he got up and made his way back to the house leaving her alone on the beach with her head tucked in her arms, crying.

I know I said Thursday, but life interceded.

This one kind of just flowed out after finishing the last chapter. I had to add how Sokka felt about LinZin, I've been thinking about the fact that he couldn't of taken the relationship very well. And see, I didn't forget about Bumi being home.

Thanks to for Jordanalane for helping me out with an idea.