"Hey Lin, watch this!" Bolin slowed his pace until he was behind her with a look of mischief in his eyes. She could only brace herself for impact as Bolin propelled himself with a piece of earth and landed on her back.

"Yeesh, Kid, do I look like an ostrich horse to you?" She asked, though she didn't order him to get down, in fact she put his arms into a firm position around her neck and leaned forward slightly to keep him from falling before continuing to walk. He was silent for a moment or two, obviously debating weather or not his answer would be worth his mom's wrath.

"Yes."

"Excuse me?"

"Giddy up, ostrich horsey!" He laughed. If only her men could see her now. Speaking of which, they didn't see her now, did they? She scanned the area to make sure that there was no trace of law enforcement on the street.

"Giddy up? Oh I'll show you 'Giddy up'." She jumped up to the nearby zip line. Of course, those lines were supposed to be used only for police business, but Lin knew that despite what her officers might swear to in court, she wouldn't be the first cop that ever took their kid for a joy ride. Just as long as she cleared the path if anyone on duty came her way, nothing would be said.

"Woohoo, faster!" Bolin cheered. After using her cables to make a quick safety rig for the boy she sped up. The faster they went, the faster he told her to go. Brave little bugger, she'd give him that. The only problem with speeding up was that the ride was over too quickly for the little Beifong's tastes, "Let's do that again." he said when they reached the end of the zip line system.

"Come on, Kid," she wasn't even entertaining the thought, "we go the rest of the way on foot."

"Where we goin'?"

"My mom's house, Kid. And we're already late, so quick march." A small shove got the boy moving,

"We're gonna look for Mako later, right?"

"Of course." Like she could forget.

"If we find him, I'm gonna give him the top bunk and-"

"We'll decide that later." If she didn't stop him, he'd go on and on about his plans. And the more elaborate his plans, the more disappointed he'd be if they didn't find his brother.

...

"Surprise!" Bolin's jumped as a large group of people shouted at him.

"Happy birthday, Kid." Lin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's my birthday? Cool!" A collective chuckle was shared by the adults.

"Go on, play with your friends." The second Bolin saw Asami in the crowd the game began,

"I'll capture you and your avatar, Katara! My honor will be restored!"

"Not today, Prince Zuko!" Asami proudly declared before taking off with Bolin and the other children on her heels.

"Hey! Take it outside, kids!" Toph shouted at the children. The sound of raging rhinos steered toward the back door at the order. One last word could be heard from the 'prince' on their way out.

"HONOR!" Coughs, snickers and unapologetic bellowing laughter filled the air as everyone looked to former Firelord Zuko, who was trying to hide his embarrassment in the corner...and failing miserably.

"You're his favorite war hero, Uncle Zuko." She tried to save a shred of his dignity.

"Oh goody." he cleared his throat, "You were called into the station today?"

"Nice change of subject, Sparky."

"Yes I was, Uncle." she glared at her mom, why, she'll never know.

"Anything to worry 'bout?" Toph suddenly became serious.

"No, Mom. Rumors of a new triad trying to make it's mark on the city, but nothing concrete."

"Well, if there's nothing to do but wait," a hairy man jumped into the center of the crowd, "then let's eat. I'm starving!"

"You're always starving, Bumi." His sister sighed.

"I'm serious. I could eat a whole mooselion. Just like that time in the Southern Earth Kingdom. It's was raining, we hadn't eaten in three days-"

"Why don't we just call the kids back in?"

Knock, Knock

"Junior and Broodmare?"

"I told them to come." Jaws collectively dropped. And here they thought she was predicable. No, the answer to everyone's question was no. They hadn't made peace with each other just yet. She and Pema decided that they were even the night Jinora was born. Tenzin hadn't returned from fetching various family members, including the two waterbenders who where supposed to deliver the baby. At dusk Lin found the acolyte doubled over in pain near the bison caves. After carrying the woman to her bedroom bridal style (Pema tells anyone that and, prized airbender broodmare or not, she's dead), the frightened woman begged her to stay and be the hand-holder. So any pain Lin might have caused Pema had been returned in kind. The proof was in her ringing ears and throbbing hand.

Tenzin was a different story, she owed him a beating for what he'd done, and even then he was getting off easy. But instead of just taking his punishment like a man, he kept avoiding her in secluded areas and tried to renew their friendship in public places where he knew she had to play nice. Did he honestly think that she'd forget about it if he dodged her long enough? Chump. She was an earthbender, wait and listen. She'd get him. Then, and only then, would she even consider becoming acquaintances again. All that being said, family was family and unfortunately, Tenzin and Pema happen to be in the same one she's in. So they were both invited to any and all family gatherings. Damn the luck.

...

"Have you seen this boy?" Lin showed Mako's flyer to everyone passing by while Bolin did the same thing on the other side of the street. Soon it'd start getting dark, which was the time Bolin said that his brother usually returned, so they'd check as many alleys as they could before nightfall. She wanted to believe they'd find the kid, but she didn't get her hopes up, unlike his brother. They just had nothing to go on. Mako was just another street kid, no one would remember him, and most street kids hid from the police. She could, and did, catch a few and got them to talk, that was easy enough, but finding one who could lead them to Mako was more difficult than it sounded.

"Come on, Kid. Time to hit the alleyways." One after another, a failure. A seismic scan always told her the same thing. As the street lamps fired up, she said it was time for them to go. And as always, he begged her to check just one more. And as always, she did, "Just some guy rounding up animals."

"Really?" He ran into the alley before she could grab him.

"Bolin!" She quickly ran after him and grabbed him by the collar.

"Don't you ever run off like that again!" She spun him around and knelt down to his level, "Do you under stand me?!" he nodded frantically.

"So...whatdaya doin'?" he asked the man in the shadows.

"Trying to round up these fire ferrets." He grunted as a kit slipped through his fingers. Bolin caught the little animal,

"Aw, he's cute. Aren't ya, little guy? You gonna keep them all?" He asked as he handed the little creature to it's new owner while Lin watched cautiously.

"Well, yes." he put the kit in the cage with the rest of the litter, "At least until they're big enough to make a decent meal for my pythonaconda."

"You're gonna kill him?!"

"Bolin, don't be like that." Lin scolded, "You eat chickenhogs, a pythonaconda eats fire ferrets."

"And anything else it can fit into it's mouth." The man agreed,

"Could I at least have that one?" he pointed to the one he'd caught.

"Bolin..."

"Well, I do sell pets for a living so I'll tell you what. You give me five yuans and I'll let you have him."

"Lin...can I please have him? I'll feed him and everything. It is my birthday and you didn't get me a present and" he rambled on but lost her at present. Yes, as a matter of fact she did get him a present, she just hadn't given it to him yet. But... she had been back and forth whether or not to wait until he was a little older when he might appreciate it a little more. And now he was pouting and begging her to take a rodent into her house...he may be so excited she wouldn't have to see that heartbroken look tonight when they returned home and well...

"...and he's an orphan, like me." he just had to use that against her, didn't he?

"...I suppose it'll teach you responsibility." She pulled out five yuans and handed it to the pet salesman.

"So I can have him? Thank you, thank you, thank you." He gleefully took his new pet out of the cage.

"It's time to go home." she grabbed one of his hands and led him back to the street, "I can't believe I agreed to let you have that rodent."

"He's not a rodent, he's a ferret."

"Like I said, a rodent." The trip back home consisted of Bolin naming the animal, then deciding that a different name would be better...again and again and again until Lin wanted to shout 'pick something already!'. But she was proud to say that she held her tongue until they walked through the door, "Alright, Boy, here's the rules. One: you take care of him, you feed him, train him and clean him. Two: he doesn't step foot into my room or the library. If that thing gets on my bed or eats one of my books, I'll feed him to a pythonaconda myself. Understood?"

"Uh-huh." he clenched the kit protectively.

"Good, now find an old blanket for that thing to sleep on."

"He can sleep in my bed." Problem solved.

"No he can't."

"But-"

"I said 'no'. And first thing after breakfast tomorrow, you're giving it a bath."

"Okay." He sighed dramatically, opening up the closet to find a blanket, "We should build a fire to warm him up."

"It's a week away from summer. It's plenty warm."

"Well he might be cold."

"Kid." a tired moan escaped her mouth. She was already regretting this, "He's covered in fur, he'll be fine. Go play with him in your room." He wordlessly trudged up the stairs, still convinced that they should put the kit in front of a crackling fire. Lin rolled her eyes and headed to her small library, picked out a book and sat down. She used to lounge in front of a fireplace and read to her mom, 'Believe it or not' her mom would say, 'not all brutes are dumb'. She laughed because people described her as a 'wise thug' and she'd given birth to an 'intellectual brute'. They were quite a set. That reading habit evolved into a relaxing hobby, hence the library...with her job she needed something to calm her nerves a lot.

"Whatcha reading?" Bolin whispered after 'sneaking' into the room.

"Legends of the Earth Kingdom."

"Hmm...yeah, that sounds good." he flopped down next to her.

"What about the rodent?"

"He fell asleep, I can't play with him until tomorrow." Well if he was staying, she'd have to go back to a more kid friendly chapter. Koh the face stealer would likely give the kid nightmares.

"Alright." She flipped to the front page, "The first earthbenders were the badgermoles. These creatures taught the skill to a pair of lovers that were separated by a great war between their villages. After the lovers-"

"You're really nice, sometimes." Bolin grinned. 'Sometimes, thanks kid'.

"And you're really quiet, sometimes." she went back to the book, "After the lovers learned the art of bending, they created a-"

"Hey Lin?"

"Yes, Boy?"

"You're my mom now, right?" It sounded like an simple question, but to the chief it was anything but. She closed the book, there was no way they'd be getting back to it now.

"Kid, you're mom and dad are always going to be your parents." Maybe she should give it to him now, "Wait here." She retrieved the gift she had made for him, "Open it." Luckily she'd already gotten advice from several people about this inevitable conversation.

"It's-"

"Your family." She gave him a portrait of his family. She wanted to give him the picture in the police report, but that would be illegal, so she'd taken a picture of the picture and had an artist recreate it, "This is your family, and this always will be, you don't ever forget that. Got it?"

"Yes."

"We're family, too. And don't you ever forget that either. Got it?"

"Yes."

"You can have two mothers if you want, kid, but you always remember that this woman had you first and there's no way I can replace her." She needed to make this clear, "You know what replace means, right?"

"Uh-huh." He sniffed. He was trying to be tough, like she'd taught him. But in the end he hugged her and cried.

"It's okay, Kid."

"I miss them." he sobbed.

"I know." The tears lasted until he started to hiccup, "Come on, dry it up." She said softly...well softly for her.

"You'll be m-my m-mom, too?" He let her go and looked her in the eyes.

"If you want."

"O-okay, M-Mom." He nodded, holding out his hand. She nodded, and extended her arm.

"Okay, Son." They shook on it. And he tackled her into a hug.