"Can you say Mama?" Lin asked as she was feeding Lei and Lian. It was high noon, and she and Katara had just finished cooking lunch for the acolytes. Lin pureed some sweet squash, the twins' favorite, and was trying to engage the babies in conversation.

"Don't rush them," Katara smiled from her corner.

Lei sent some squash flying overhead. "I'm just really excited to hear them say a real, proper word," Lin said, wiping her son's mouth clean. "I've read somewhere that babies can say simple words like Mama and Papa at seven months."

"Some children take longer – your husband, for example. Did you know that Aang and I thought he was mute? He didn't talk until he was a year old – even then it was all babbles and gibberish. You might not remember it, but Tenzin didn't talk straight until he was four," Katara recalled.

Lian was enthusiastically drumming her high-seat with her wooden spoon, seemingly enjoying the noise. When Lin took the spoon away, she began to cry. "Oh, I'm sorry darling! Mommy had to take the spoon away so she could wash it up," she consoled. "Stop crying, honey."

"Pap-pa," Lei blurted out. Amused with the sound he made, he kept on repeating it. "Pap-pa, pap-pa, pap-pa!"

Lin and Katara looked at each other in surprise.

"Mother, did you hear that?"Lin asked, astonished.

Katara walked over to her grandson. "What did you say, buddy?"

Lei cocked his head to one side, clearly confused with the attention he was suddenly getting. For a moment, he looked at his mother and grandmother, seemingly discerning what it was they were trying to tell him. "Pap-pa."

Katara clapped her hands in delight, while Lin promptly scooped her baby boy up and peppered him with kisses. "Oh, you dear, dear creature!" Lin exclaimed, dancing around the dining room with the baby in her arms. "You precious little child! You just lifted up Mommy's spirits today!"

"I am certainly glad to see your mood improve," Katara told her. "Did Tenzin say anything to you before he left for work?'

Lin replaced her son onto the high chair and playfully pinched his rosy cheeks. "I – I sort of asked him to leave me alone for a while, Mother. If he's all high-strung and I'm still quite upset, I feel like the conversation won't go anywhere."

"Quite right – does your mother know?"

Lin shook her head, gasping when Lian spilled puree down her own clothes.

"Let them get dirty," Katara said when Lin moved to clean the mess up. "They're kids – and they're having a great time. That's why I keep telling you to feed them first before your bathe them – anyway, as I was saying, does Toph know?"

"I didn't tell Mom. I actually don't see any sense in dragging her into this because this… thing is between Tenzin and me. And you know how Mom overreacts. I don't want her beating up my husband," Lin chuckled.

Katara nodded. Lin, at least, demonstrated more tact in handling the situation. Actually, Katara was quite surprised that Tenzin was the one whose temper flared – growing up it was always Lin who had to keep her temper in check. She smiled to herself, remembering the time when she and Aang were newlyweds. While it was true that Aang was the most patient of all people, sometimes Katara got on his nerves (especially when she was pregnant) that he would fly off somewhere far just to loosen up. Katara had no doubt the same was happening to Lin and Tenzin. "You know what the best thing about being married is?"

"What is it?"

"It's great to find that one special person to annoy for the rest of your life," Katara laughed.

Tenzin tapped the end of his glider on the pavement. Before him lay roses, asters and daisies, daffodils – a vibrant profusion of vibrant yellows and reds and pinks – and yet he couldn't choose a single one. For one thing, his wife wasn't too fond of flowers, and Tenzin couldn't remember the last time he got some for Lin. The clock tower chimed five. Tenzin sighed. He would either have to buy flowers to temper Lin's mood, or he would have to face his wife's wrath head on. It was his fault, anyway.

"Councilman Tenzin, I noticed you've been having – er – trouble – choosing; would you like me to assist you?" the florist finally asked.

Tenzin looked up. "Yes, please."

The florist led him inside. "We have an assortment of blooms fit for any occasion – might I ask –"

"I need to say sorry to my wife," Tenzin told him hurriedly.

The florist nodded knowingly – it was quite obvious he transacted with more than a handful of apologetic husbands in his line of work. "Might I recommend white roses?"

"She's not very fond of flowers, actually."

"Well, Captain Beifong must have some flower that she likes, right? Perhaps something from her wedding bouquet," the florist wondered aloud. "Most men that come here purchase roses – I've never encountered a woman who doesn't love them to some degree."

Tenzin swept his eyes around the interior of the shop. "My wife… she had sunflowers in her hair when we got married – come to think of it, I recall her choosing them herself – hang on, do you happen to sell potted plants here as well?"

"As a matter of fact, we do!"

Tenzin broke into a smile. Flowers rarely last a week, and he wanted something that Lin could see and touch for a long time – perhaps even when their children have grown – and a potted plant was a perfect gift. The florist handed him a potted sunflower, no more than two feet tall. "It's small," Tenzin observed.

"Oh, this is a pygmy variety. They don't grow more than three feet tall and they're perfect as potted plants," the florist observed. "They just need well-turned earth and lots of sunshine. I think your wife will love this."

"I'll take it."

Dinner was a rather stiff affair, Tenzin found out, as Lin was very quiet and quite out of touch (for him at least). He gave her the little potted sunflower the moment he came home, but he was disappointed to see her wordlessly put it on the window ledge of their room, without even so much as a second glance.

"Lin, honey, will you be going to work tomorrow?" he asked her cheerfully, spooning out fried bean curd onto Lin's rice bowl.

"No."

"That's great, because I took the day off as well! It's a good thing –"

Katara laughed awkwardly. "Why don't you two go outside for some fresh air? I'll call you when dessert's ready. Wouldn't that be a great idea, Aang?"

"Yes – that's right. I'll take care of the babies for now. You go outside and – er – talk. It's been a very busy day," Aang agreed. Lin didn't fail to notice him looking quizzically at Katara, though – she knew that there was no fruit pie waiting to be served, and that this was Katara's way of making her and Tenzin talk things over.

Silently, she made her way out of the dining room, with her husband behind her.

The sea breeze was cold on her skin, but she felt colder still. She felt Tenzin's arms wrap around her, and she couldn't help but relax and rest her back upon his sturdy body.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"What happened, Lin? Dad refused to tell me anything."

"Do you really want to know?"

A/N: I'm back!