"Lin, stop! Wait!"

Lin reached her Cabbage Corp. truck and furiously yanked the passenger's seat door open. Her fury could be felt by Tenzin who was running a few meters behind her. The eighteen-year-old metalbender just walked out of Tenzin's nineteenth birthday and pre-tattooing party after seeing him dance with a Northern Water Tribe princess. Jealousy surged through her body as she recalled his gleeful face when he danced with his crush.

"Lin what's the problem?" he asked her when she pushed him aside.

"Get out of my way!" she yelled and strode past through him. He caught her left arm and gripped tightly.

"You need to control your temper, Lin," he snapped. "I don't know what's happening in that head of yours. Tell me why you suddenly walked out in the middle—

"I said get out of my way!" she yelled again, avoiding his question, and intensified her scowl a hundredfold trying to get away from the grip of the airbender. Her right hand reached out to Tenzin's hand that was gripping her left arm to try to loosen his hold on her. Tenzin's confused look was drilling through her which made it difficult to breathe for her. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Because you're my best friend," he answered sincerely. She winced at his answer and then softened her expression as tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

"Right," she snapped. "I am your best friend. I am JUST your best friend. You promised me that you'll dance with me first before any other girl in your stupid party."

Tenzin's hold on her loosened and then her arm was free as his hand dropped on his side. "I know that but you know I have this crush with Tala and I thought you'd understand if I dance with her first because you're my—

"Best friend?" she supplied and cut him short. She looked hurt and the tears fell from her eyes. "That's all you'll ever see me, Tenzin. Your best friend! The one who's like your little sister, one who accompanies you to boring meditations, one who enrols for you in that stupid political science course in the university, your best friend!"

He looked shocked and raised his voice, "Lin you're being stupid!"

"Yes I am! I am being stupid. I make stupid mistakes and you know what? I made a stupid mistake of falling in love with my best friend—

"Honey, we're nearing Republic City," Lin jolted awake as Kier's hand shook he arm. She was in the private compartment in the train bound for Republic City. Her dream was so vivid this time and she tried to remember the boy's name once again. Like all the other dreams, she forgot it again but she was sure that if she'll hear it, she'll surely remember it since his name's been hanging at the tip of her tongue lately. She looked at Kier who was reading a book seated across her and she grabbed his free hand.

"So where are we staying?" she asked.

"In my apartment near that famous hotel, Jing Hotels," he answered without looking at her, his attention concentrated on the book. She nodded and gazed out of the window. She smiled at the beautiful sight that met her eyes as they passed by the countryside field after field. Half an hour passed, Republic City Main Train Station was in sight and a few more minutes later, the train came to a complete stop. Kier did not get up from his seat and waited until the other passengers have disembarked. When he saw the other empty compartments, he then rose and took his and Lin's luggage and placed them on one of the carts that was waiting by the platform. He then led Lin out of the busy train station, walking briskly to avoid people from seeing and recognizing her. Kier searched for one of his servants and when he spotted him, he immediately ushered Lin into the waiting car at the open parking area in hopes that no one recognized. Little did he know, Lin spotted someone Kier tried so hard to avoid as she closed the car door by her side.

Lin looked in awe as the man in orange robes and blue arrows landed softly and twirled his wooden staff. She rolled down the tinted windows by her side to have a clearer look and smiled at the short moment their eyes met before the car accelerated, leaving behind a small cloud of dust and a bewildered airbender.

Tenzin could not believe what-who he just saw. He was certain that it was Lin who rolled down the tinted window of that black car and smiled at him the sweetest smile he ever saw. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Was it just his imagination? Or was it really the woman he was searching for, for the past three years? She looked like her except the woman had an innocent look on her face and her signature scowl was not on display. It must have been just a figment of his imagination, he thought; a result of his nightly dreams about her.

He entered the train station and waited for Kya's train to arrive from Ba Sing Se. When he heard the clang of the bells of the train, he immediately approached the platform and waited. He spotted Kya making her way out of the train and met her halfway. She smiled but when she spotted his confused expression, her face contorted in a concerned look.

"Tenzin, what's wrong?" she asked when they stood facing each other amidst the sea of people bustling around them.

"Oh, nothing," he lied and smiled, attempting to hide his real feelings. "Did you have a nice trip?"

"I did, but please tell me what's wrong," she insisted. "I'm worried."

He motioned her to follow him out of the station and to the open parking lot. They both heard Oogi's grunt when they reached the clearing and waited for the bison to land. Tenzin looked at Kya and decided that she should know who he just saw, or who he thought he saw. They immediately got on the bison as soon as it landed.

"I think I might have seen Lin," he confessed as they sat comfortably on the saddle. "Oogi yip yip!"

Kya gaped at him and then softened her expression. "Are you sure? Where?"

"Just before I went to meet you," he answered. He told her what happened, how he saw her smile so sweetly at him, her innocent look and his certainty that it was really Lin Beifong adding, "I'm very certain it was her. I'd know her anywhere."

The older bender placed a comforting hand on her younger brother and sighed. It wasn't only Tenzin that was worried about the whereabouts of this metalbender. Kya had been to Ba Sing Se not for leisure but to check on the Beifong manor, inquiring if the household has any news about Lin. "I hope you are right, Tenzin. I hope you'll see her again."

Tenzin rose and sat on the bison's head and grabbed its reins and looked at the clear sky before them. He concentrated on flying Oogi but seemed so lost in thoughts about the woman he just saw earlier. It was very disturbing. If it was Lin, why didn't she say something? There's no reason for her to ignore him, or was she ashamed that her bending was taken? There were a million questions in his mind, all pointing towards Lin. When he spotted a clearing below them, he landed the bison to Kya's surprise. He handed the reins to Kya and got off. "I'll see you at dinner," he said and Kya tossed his staff at him. "I need to clear my head."

"See you," she replied. "Oogi, yip yip!"

Kier and Lin finished arranging their things in the former's apartment and they sat on the bed in silence. Lin looked at Kier and said, "Did you notice those strange looks some people gave me back at the looby?"

"No," Kier lied and shifted in his seat. Lin could tell that he was somehow lying but dismissed the though completely.

"Oh…it might've been my imagination." Kier nodded and waited for her to say something more. "I think I should take a walk to clear my head."

Kier's head snapped up to meet Lin's gaze. "A-are you sure? I should come with you."

"There's no need for that," she snapped, somehow feeling impatient at Kier's very protective character.

"I think I should come with you," he insisted.

"I said no," she snapped again, her voice higher this time. Kier flinched at her change of attitude and Lin, realizing this, breathed out and looked away. "I-I'm sorry, Kier, but I really need some time alone." With this, she grabbed her purse and head out of Kier's apartment, leaving the doctor in anxiety.

Tenzin walked for almost an hour and his feet mindlessly led him to an apartment complex near Jing Hotels. He sighed as he caught sight of the building and dropped his gaze, continuing to walk. His mind wandered again to the face of the woman and unconsciously thought about those green eyes, Lin's eyes. He crossed the street and walked some more and his vision was clouded again by that sweet smile, contoured cheeks—

"Ouch!" he heard a woman yelp and he was suddenly on his buttocks. He got up and brushed his robes, twirling in doing so, trying to look at the stranger he just bumped into. "You should have been looking where you were going," he heard a slightly irritated voice.

"I am so sorry, ma'am…" his voice trailed as the stranger's face came into focus. He was speechless at the sight and he only found his voice when the woman he bumped into snapped her fingers.

"Mister? Are you alright?" she asked.

"Lin, it's you."

A/N: I hope you liked it guys. Review!