Hello, again. I'm so sorry this took so long. (I'm still not completely comfortable with the editing, but I know I need to get something posted. Your critiques would be especially appreciated for this chapter, if you have a minute to message me. But I digress.) Actually, I just moved into my new apartment, so life's been crazy on my end.

Not to suggest that you all aren't the most important people in my life, of course.

PLEASE READ THIS NOTE: I know this chapter may feel rushed, especially compared to previous ones and what is yet to come. However, I didn't want, "Another God-Damned High School Fanfic."

Because they are nauseating.

And they are all the same.

I understand the importance of this age, though, so I'm going to give highlights instead of, "Please, Lord, Don't Let It Be Another Teenage Angst AU."

That's just more bearable for all of us.

And on that note, I give you chapter five!

Disclaimer: I still don't own these characters, but they are on my Christmas list.

After her first day of secondary school, Lin hurried out the door. Seeing her best friend waiting, she ran up with a smile.

"I missed you!"

The perkiness in her voice was disconcerting, to say the least. "You saw me yesterday."

She gave an exasperated sigh and pushed him away. "Well, we haven't gone to school together in a year."

"But I picked you up every day."

"Fine! I'm not even a little happy to see you! Go away! Is that better?"

He shrugged. "It's a bit more characteristic."

"You're a jerk."

"How was your day?"

"Pretty good, actually. You?"

"Relatively uneventful."

"Your glider or mine?"

"Mine, I need the fresh air." He reached into his pack and pulled out a device of Sokka's creation. It folded into thirds and fit easily into Tenzin's school bag, so he didn't have to tote a full-sized glider all day. It worked well enough as school transportation.

With a sharp snap, the body and wings unfolded. Locking his right hand and foot in place, he turned to his friend. "Ready?"

She nodded and jumped on his back.

They had perfected this technique years ago. Lin slipped their school bags onto the back of the glider, wrapped her arms under his, and held onto him with her legs, piggy-back style. He jumped in the air, hooked his feet into the footholds, and flew them home.

The first time they tried this, Aang laughed. He told Tenzin that he never flew anyone on his glider because it felt too strange, with the balance adjustment and all.

Tenzin never had that problem. He actually preferred flying with Lin. No matter how many hundreds of times they flew, he cherished every one. Every time he pushed them off the ground, she dug her fingers into his shoulders and gave a short gasp. Almost immediately, she relaxed against him and perched her head next to his.

He prayed she'd never notice, but he always took the long way home. The very long way.

He always thought it was interesting how people were drawn to Lin. Having grown up with her very closely, Tenzin knew how aggressive and confrontational she could become without a moment's notice. Nevertheless, something about her was undeniably magnetic. Even so, Lin was never especially close with any students in her grade. She related much more easily with people older than herself.

By the end of the first week, she would meet Hito and Ame, sit with their well-liked circle every day at lunch, and introduce them to Tez.

By the end of the month, he would notice the way people liked to dote on her, hanging on her every word and doing her little favors. Lin would come to see Ame as a sort of older sister, who would tease her about Hito's particular attraction to earthbending girls.

By the end of the year, Hito, who was in his grade, would become a dear friend of his, as would Ame. Lin would grow two inches. Bumi would be promoted to Captain in the United Forces. Ame would graduate. Although their efforts would go continually unnoticed, boys would fawn over Lin.

And it would bother him.

"That's impossible."

"Evidently not."

"How'd you even get one?" he asked excitedly.

"I bought it."

"But they're so expensive."

"Yeah, they are."

The radio had just become commercially available, and Lin was the first to order one. She and Tenzin sat cross-legged on the floor of her living room, admiring the package that arrived moments ago.

"Can we turn it on?"

"Go for it."

They began twisting dials and knobs until they could hear music chiming through the speakers.

"Ok, that's pretty cool."

She bit her lip before mentioning, "You know that stadium they finished a few weeks ago?"

Tenzin rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me, the whole concept is obscene. Using the art of bending for such barbaric entertainment? It's revolting."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"Well, they're going to start doing live broadcasts of the matches. I was wondering if you'd want to come over and listen with me." She brushed her hair back and didn't meet his gaze.

He felt like an idiot.

Lin laughed at his expression. "But based on that last comment, I'm guessing you're not very interested."

"I mean… I could come over."

"I don't want to make you or anything…"

"Do you, um, do you think anyone else would join?"

"I don't know. I didn't really plan on it."

"When's the next match?"

It became a new tradition, and they could completely justify not telling anyone else about it.

Months later, they were in their familiar spots. She stretched along the couch, and he sat on a cushion on the floor.

The announcer made Lin cheer, but Tenzin paid no attention to the voice. He loved the competitive glint in her eyes. This game meant less than nothing to him, but he loved to see that smile.

She glanced over at him. "What?"

That brought him back to reality. "What?" he returned.

"Why are you looking at me? Do I have something on my face?"

"Yes."

She covered her nose with her hand. "Where?" she demanded.

He touched his left cheek, and she mirrored. Then the other. Then nose and chin and eyes.

"You're a jerk." She smacked his arm.

The announcer spoke for another moment, and she groaned, "You've got to be kidding me!"

"What?"

"We just lost!"

"Who?"

Her irritation vanished, and she gave him a taunting grin. "You have no idea what's going on do you?"

"… What?"

She laughed. "Why do you even sit here with me? You hate this game." For the first few weeks, she tried unsuccessfully to explain the rules, but he continually paid no attention. She eventually gave up.

He gave a shrug. "Someone has to babysit you. Speaking of, it's past your bedtime."

Lin laughed and swatted his arm again. She lazily flicked two fingers, making the dial on the radio twist, seeking a new station. Once she found a clear source of music, she stopped.

"I love this song," she sighed, lying back down.

It was fun and jazzy and soft, all at the same time.

"Why don't our parents like this music?" she asked.

"I'm flattered that you think I have all the answers to your random questions." He began tapping his fingers on the sofa in tune with the beat, and Lin took his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Kya taught me how to read palms."

"Spirits, Lin," he groaned, "you don't actually believe that nonsense, do you?"

"Shhh!" She held his hand in both of hers, examining it intently.

"I'm losing so much respect for you."

"Wait," she giggled, "you'll make me lose my focus."

He rolled his eyes and turned his head the other way.

"Ok… this one," she traced her finger along a crease in his hand, "this one means you have pretty big hands."

He laughed at the seriousness in her voice.

"And this one means you should give your pretty earthbending friend a cupcake tomorrow."

"I guess the spirits want me to make some new friends, huh?"

She kicked his shoulder, and he laughed harder, turning to face her.

"So Kya taught you that?"

"Well, I've deviated somewhat from her interpretations." She slid off the couch and sat next to him, still holding his hand in hers.

"I like your hands."

"Thanks?"

"No, I'm being serious." Not letting go, she tucked herself under his arm and rested against his shoulder. He laced his fingers through hers and ran his thumb along the back of her hand.

"Yours are alright."

She smiled and nuzzled closer. "You're so mean to me."

"I get it from you."

"Shut up."

With a smile, he kissed the top of her head, relishing the smell of her hair.

"Tez…"

They could hear the front door loudly open and shut, and Lin pounced back on the couch.

Lin loved when her mom didn't have to work. They'd wake up early and spend the day by their lake, just like when she was a little girl.

Lying in her bathing suit, Lin glanced over at Toph anxiously, biting her lip.

"What's up, buttercup?" yawned her mother. "Don't look so surprised. I can hear you fidgeting. What's on your mind?"

"Um… can I talk to you about something?"

"That's just vague enough for me to say 'yes.'"

"So… I kind of… what if…"

"Any day now."

"There's this guy-"

"No, there isn't," Toph cut in sharply.

"But-?"

"You're sixteen and too young for that nonsense."

"I know, but-"

"Lin, listen to me, actually listen. You are way, way too young to get involved in any of this. Do you know what happens as soon as these little birds start chirping in your ears? Nothing good, squirt, I can promise you that. If you need to go down that road, do it when you're older. Way older. Right now, you're only going to get hurt. Believe me, at this age, no boy really cares about you. You can't trust them; you know better than that."

"… You have lots of guy friends."

"Of course I do, and that's all we are. Friends. Don't let yourself get involved with anyone."

Lin nodded. "I'm going to swim around a bit."

"Sounds good."

She jumped in the cool water, swam to the middle of the lake, and let herself sink.

She learned a long time ago that this was the only place her mother couldn't see her cry.

On Monday, he was waiting for her again.

"You won't believe what Hito did today in history," he began with a grin.

"I don't need you here," she snapped. "Contrary to what you like to think, I'm not a child. I can buckle my shoes and walk home by myself."

"What?"

"I'm not your helpless baby sister."

"Ok…?" his eyes shifted, trying to figure out what was going on. "Well, anyway, we should probably be getting home, so-"

"It's not my home. It's yours. Maybe I want to go to my home."

"I mean, that's fine, we can-"

"No. You don't have to do everything I do. You don't have to go everywhere I go. Spirits, Tenzin, give me some breathing room. You're an airbender. You should get that."

"Well, I guess I'm sorry, then." Faster than she could think, he snapped out his glider and flew home.

Alone.

The fast way.

Without her.

On Friday, Aang couldn't stand it anymore. His youngest had been miserable all week. He arrived home alone, did his homework and chores, and remained unusually quiet. And for Tenzin, that was essentially silence. Not having Lin around was like missing one of his own children. He had to ask.

Just before dinner, Aang knocked on his son's door.

"Come in."

Tenzin was sitting on his bed reading a book with a distracted look on his face.

"Hey, how are you?" he asked with forced nonchalance.

Tenzin glanced up from his book. "I mean this with all the respect I owe you as the Avatar and as my father, but go away. You suck at this."

"Yeah, it was worth a shot," Aang sat at the foot of his son's bed. "Do you want to talk?"

"I'm not sure."

"I might be able to help."

His son smiled. "I know you ended the Hundred Years War, but this problem might be a little out of your hands."

Aang laughed. "I promise that it's nothing I haven't dealt with before. Have you met your brother and sister? You can't possibly throw a new punch at me. I've been doing this dad thing for a while."

Tenzin set his book on his nightstand. "Lin's mad at me."

"Are you sure? Because with her it's kind of hard to tell," he gave his son a reassuring smile that was not returned.

"Believe me, I know."

Aang knew that was true. Those two knew each other too well.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. On Monday I went to pick her up from school, and she just went off at me."

"How?"

"She just yelled at me. About how I'm apparently suffocating her, and she doesn't live here, and I'm not her brother. It was weird."

"That's exactly what she said?"

"No."

"Then what did she say?"

"She told me that I think she's some… helpless little girl. That she doesn't need me, and I should leave her alone."

That sounded more likely.

"And you haven't spoken with her since?"

"No, why would I? She wants 'breathing room,' so I'm giving her plenty."

Aang gave a small smile. His son could almost be Bei Fong stubborn when he wanted.

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you she's not really mad at you?"

"No."

He nodded. "Well, if you need me, you know where I am." He stood and opened the door. "Love you, kid."

"You, too, Dad."

Aang walked over to the bay and waterbent his way across before using airbending to quicken the trip on land. He knew not to bring the glider for this errand. When he reached Toph's estate, he hurried past the butler at the door and hurried down to Lin's room.

He didn't have to knock.

"What do you want, Uncle Aang?"

He opened the door and walked inside. Her room suited her perfectly. The walls were forest green, the curtains and blankets were cream. She was sprawled across an elegant canopy bed. A tea set rested on a small table, and a line of finely embroidered fans hung across one wall. A bookshelf overflowed. There were flowers, vases, and tapestries depicting earthbending maneuvers tastefully arranged, and one corner was dedicated to personal training equipment. Punching dummies, gloves, straw mats.

Even though it had been less than a week since he'd last seen her, he wanted to scoop Lin up like a child and carry her back home.

"Not much, what's new with you?"

She gave him a side-eyed glare. "You really suck at this."

Spirits, you two are one person, aren't you?

He had a lifetime's supply of heart-to-heart talks with Lin's mother to know not to beat around the bush.

"I spoke with Tenzin earlier."

Silence.

"He thinks you're upset with him."

Silence.

"He's really been beating himself up; I hate to see him like this. The same goes for you, Lin."

She crossed her arms and legs and looked up at him, so he walked over to sit at the end of her bed.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

"Not really."

"Have you spoken with your mother?" She looked down.

Ah, there it is.

"Lin, I'm not going to push you to talk if you don't feel like it, and I don't know what Toph told you… but as similar as you two may be, understand that you are not your mother. What works for her might not necessarily be the best course for you."

She chewed her lip and brushed her hair needlessly back.

"He's going crazy without you, Lin. He misses you. We all miss you."

"I was so mean," she confessed meekly. She looked like little girl he used to swing up on his shoulders. "He shouldn't want to even think about me," she mumbled into her knees.

She peered up at him, more scared and shy than he'd ever seen her. He met her gaze, and they both knew.

Aang gave her a warm smile. "It's ok."

"I don't know what to do."

"I'd start by straightening everything out between you and your best friend, and then I'd wait to see where it goes from there."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"Not even Katara."

She scooted over to her uncle and gave him a tight hug.

When they arrived back at the island, Lin felt a wave of uncertainty. She couldn't explain it. They had fought, argued, and teased more times than she count, but this was different. She had no idea how to approach Tenzin.

"Just knock on his door," Aang supplied, "You can come down for dinner when you're ready."

She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs. At the door, she suddenly froze. What if he never wanted to speak to her again? What if he hated her now?

The door swung open, and Tenzin stood with a startled expression. "Lin, what are you-?"

She threw her arms around him and held him close. Without hesitating, he returned the hug.

"I'm really sorry," she murmured.

"It's alright."

"I don't know what I was thinking, and I didn't want to make it worse, so I just didn't say anything."

"Don't worry."

"Are we ok?"

"We're always ok."

"You're sure?"

"I mean, bare minimum, we're ok. Hungry?"

"Starving."