53 Afterward

It was an hour before midnight when Tenzin and Pema returned to her apartment. When they entered, all the lights except for a couple of glow crystal powered sconces were off. They stepped into the dull light and Pema closed the door.

"Well, I had a good time." she said as she pressed her back to the door, still holding onto the doorknob.

"I did as well. We should do it again." he replied, giving her an easy smile.

"That would be nice."

The two stood there for a few seconds, just looking at each other. Then the last person Tenzin would have considered thinking about in a moment like that popped into his head. He heard his mother's voice.

…maybe that's how you should approach your love life. You need to do what feels natural to you.

So he did. He snaked an arm around her waist and gently pulled her into a kiss.

Pema was surprised. She'd never taken Tenzin for the spontaneous type. At first she let her hands drop to her sides, but soon enough she had one hand laid on his arm and the other on his cheek. That's when the cat calls started.

"Wooooooooo!" Zarra called from her bedroom door causing the couple to drop their heads and blush madly.

"Ow baby!" a second, similar voice called out.

Tenzin turned around to see Zarra and a thoroughly identical young woman standing next to her grinning brightly. Pema stepped beside him "Tenzin, this is Zarra's sister Zana."

"Nice to meet you Zana." he said, not entirely sure which one he was talking to.

Zana recognized the look of confusion on the man's face. She waved "Hi," she said happily "nice to meet you, Professor Hotness."

"Zana!" Zarra called out at her sister.

"What?" Zana looked at her sister, then over to the door at a thoroughly red Tenzin, then back at her twin "Hey, that's what you guys call him."

Tenzin looked at Pema who was now equally red-faced. "Professor Hotness?" he asked quietly.

"Aw, take it as a compliment. An accurate one if you ask me. I mea-"

Zarra clamped her hands around her sister's mouth. "I'm sorry. She doesn't know how to control herself sometimes."

Tenzin laughed "I know how it is. You should meet my brother one day."

Zarra smiled and Zana pulled her sister's hand away from her lips "If he looks anything like you It'll be my pleasure."

Tenzin's eyes stretched and Pema placed a hand on his arm "Okay. On that note I think it's time for you to go."

"I think you're right." he said as he reached behind him and opened the door. He nodded toward the twins "Goodnight ladies."

"Goodnight." they sang back.

He stepped into the hallway and Pema moved to the slightly cracked door. "I'll see you later." he said with a soft look in his eyes.

"Okay." she answered.

He leaned in and gave her a light peck on the cheek "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." she echoed softly as he turned and headed down the hall.

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

Zarra and Zana lay propped up against each other sighing dreamily as Pema told them about her night out when they were interrupted by a very loud, very aggressive knock at the door. The young women jumped.

"Shit. Who is that knocking at your door this time of night like the damn police?" Zana asked with a frown on her face.

"I don't know Zana, but I'm going to tell them about their ass." she slung her door open and there stood Officer Lin Beifong.

"Well damn, it is the police." Zana said to Pema.

"Hello officer." Zarra said in as polite a tone as she could muster at midnight "How are you?"

Pema turned around and was shocked to see it was Lin who was at the door "Do you live here?" Lin asked Zarra in an abrupt tone.

"Yes." she answered.

"And who else?"

"My roommate Pema, and my sister stays here on occasion. Why? What's wrong?"

Lin stepped in and looked around "We've been having reports of prostitution in the area and I have reason to believe that you three are the reason for those reports. You're all under arrest."

Pema jumped up "That's not true and you know it. You're just mad because I went out with Tenzin."

"Oh, is that who I saw leaving here a while ago?" Lin said nonchalantly, "All I know is I saw a man leaving the home of three young, scantily clad young woman late at night."

"You've been watching our apartment?" Zarra asked.

"I was on a stake out. I told you, we've has reports. Now come with me, let's not make me have to do this the hard way."

Pema stepped forward "Well, that's how you're going to have to do it because we aren't going anywhere. None of us have done anything!"

Lin smiled "That's just fine girly. I'd love to add resisting arrest to your report." she shot her cable out but before they could land Pema jumped out of their reach and landed on the other side of a coach "Oh, a fighter huh."

"Why are you doing this?!" Pema yelled "You don't have any evidence! You're just taking it out on me and my friends because you and Tenzin broke up! That was months ago and it had nothing to do with me!"

Lin's face contorted into a scowl "Oh, I have plenty of evidence. Two young girls, only one works at a low paying job and they're living like this. The money has to be coming from somewhere."

"My auntie bought me this apartment." Zarra contended "And my parents furnished it."

"I'm sure." Lin said stepping in to take another go at Pema.

"Oh, it's true Linny." a voice said from behind Lin "Now why are you here roughing up my girls?"

Lin turned around and her eyes stretched at the sight of her old nanny "Aunt Ty Lee, she's crazy." Zana called from across the room "She's trying to say we're prostitutes."

Ty Lee gave Lin a disappointed look "And why do you think my girls are whores?"

"She's angry at me Ty Lee," Pema said coming from behind the chair "I went out with Tenzin tonight."

"Ah. I see." the older woman said.

"That has nothing to do with anything." Lin snapped.

"Well then," Ty Lee said "Why don't I escort my nieces and their friend down to the station and we can straighten things out there with Toph."

Lin frowned and exhaled roughly "That's not necessary Ty Lee. I believe I made a mistake."

Ty Lee hugged her "Okay Linny Pinny. I'll come see you and your mom tomorrow." she said in her usual bubbly way.

Pema walked defiantly to the door as Lin stepped back. As the younger woman started to close the door the officer stopped it with her foot and said "He'll never really love you. The only reason he's not with me is because I won't bow down and do what he wants. Never forget, he will always love me."

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

Pema was in less than a good mood as she walked down the corridors of city hall. She wasn't her usual happy self. She dropped off and picked up files with a basic 'hello' and went on to her next destination.

Unaware of the young woman's disposition, Tenzin decided that he would make it his business to find her after he took Sokka the stewed sea prunes Katara had sent to him. After he dropped the Water Tribe treat off to his uncle he approached the door with the intention of looking for Pema when she swung the door open.

"Tenzin." she said shortly as she passed him and went t to his uncle's desk "I have a few more files for you Councilman Sokka."

Tenzin looked at the young woman with confusion as his uncle said "Thank you Pema."

She turned and walked out of the office without giving Tenzin a second look. He followed her into the hall "Pema. What's going on?"

"I'm working."

"No, I mean why are you being so short with me? I thought we had a nice time last night." he said as he sped his pace to keep up with her.

"Oh, last night was great," she said still walking quickly "right up until the point where the twins and I were almost arrested for being harlots."

"What?" he asked stopping in his tracks.

She stopped and turned to him "My friends and I were almost arrested for prostitution last night and we would probably be in jail right now if Zarra and Zana's aunt hadn't shown up when she did."

Tenzin was outraged "Who was it? I'll talk to To- Chief Beifong and make sure they are reprimanded."

Pema pursed her lips and cut her eyes at him "I'll give you one wild guess." she said as she crossed her arms.

Tenzin looked at the way Pema was glaring at him and it was all too clear "Lin."

"Ding ding ding. Give the man a cookie." Pema said as sarcastically as possible, then she turned to walk away.

Tenzin grabbed her arm and she snapped him a nasty look "Pema, I'm sorry Lin did that and I promise you it will never happen again. I'll make sure it never happens again."

She pulled away from him "Whatever." and she walked away.

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

Tenzin barged into the police chief's office "Toph, do you have any idea what Lin did last night?"

"Well hello to you too Gramps." she said crossing her arms on the top of her desk "I was getting all the information right now."

A head popped out from around one of the two large chairs that sat in front of Toph. "Hi Tenzin. Long time no see." she said as she popped up and hugged him tight.

"Hello Ty Lee." he said "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came to town for a surprise visit, but I got the surprise when I walked in on Linny trying to arrest my girls."

"You're the aunt who saved the day?" he asked in shock.

"Yep. I helped raise the girls. I know they're a little wild, but I never thought they'd be accused of being whores."

A sullen voice came from the other chair "I don't know how else to say I'm sorry Ty Lee. I didn't know they were you're nieces."

Toph slammed her hands on the desk "You'd better thank the spirits those were Ty Lee's nieces or this department would be in deep shit right now Lin. Do you know how many people are waiting for us to fail, especially since I made you my second in command? This could have turned into a fucking disaster, and all over what? Tenzin going out with some girl? You've got to let it go."

Lin sunk into the chair "Yes Chief." she said quietly.

"And you will do your level best to stay away from Zarra, Zana and especially Pema. And if you get a report concerning anything on that block you will hand it over to Saikhan or take someone with you. Is that clear?"

"Yes Chief." Lin said begrudgingly.

"And you are on administrative leave for one week."

That was too much. Lin jumped to her feet "But Mother-"

"Beifong, stand down or I'll make it two weeks."

Lin balled her fist at her sides "Yes Chief."

"Okay, now that that's settled you and Baldy Junior can get the hell out of my office so I can catch up with my old friend."

Here's Zana. She and Zarra will be around a little , this thing is winding down.

Up next all the fun of Aang's 65th birthday (a few chapters) then a one year skip, so you know what that means...I don't want to do it, but you know.