my bad. accidentally uploaded we good twice. this is my new chapter. i hope you enjoy and please r&r
It was two in the morning. Everyone was peacefully asleep in Republic City, apart from a four-year-old Lin, silently crying in her sleep as she clutched her stuffed badgermole to her chest. This crying didn't go unheard by the only other human being in the house. Toph pushed open the bedroom door, coming to sit next to Lin on the bed. She decided to place a hand over the young girls beating chest, trying to feel the discomfort she was in, only to find the strong organ to be beating fast and erratic. Toph let out a sigh. This had been the fourth night in a row that she had found her daughter in a state of terror. She always wondered what caused her daughter to have these nightmares but she only got silence from the young girl when she asked.
Not knowing what to do to help Lin, Toph moved into the kitchen, picking up the phone, she dialled the number for Air Temple Island, hoping to speak to the one person that may know what to do. A sleepy mumble voice came across the line. "Mm, hello?"
"Twinkle toes, it's Toph. Can I please talk to Katara?"
A moment of silence passed before the waterbender's voice spoke. "Toph? Are you okay? What's wrong?"
"Relax. It's Lin. She's crying in her sleep. I think she is having a nightmare and I have no idea what to do. The last time I woke her up, she totally freaked out and wouldn't sleep for the next twenty four hours. I'm stumped."
Katara pondered for a moment, trying to come up with a solution to help her friend. "I have an idea, but may require you to get a bit mushy."
"Katara, Lin is my daughter and I love her. I hate seeing her like this, so tell me what to do."
"Well-"
Toph entered Lin's room for the second time that night, finding Lin in the same position as when she left. Toph brushed Lin's cheek, causing her to stir from her sleep. So shaking someone isn't the only way to wake someone up. "Mum? What are you doing here?"
"Hey there badgermole. You were having a nightmare." Lin remained silent. Toph picked Lin up into her arms, along with her stuffed toy.
Lin leaned against her mother, still exhausted from not sleeping for an extended period of time. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to a place where you can have a good nights sleep and where you can feel safe." They entered Toph's bedroom and to Lin's surprise, she was placed onto the bed.
"I thought you didn't like me sleeping in your bed."
"Don't worry about me. This is all about you right now." Toph crawled in beside her, allowing Lin to clutch to her body. "Do you want to talk about it badgermole?" Again she was met with silence. "Honey, it's not good to keep these things to yourself. I know I always tell you to be tough and hard like a rock but sometimes it's okay to let our defences fall."
Lin buried her face into her mother's shirt, ashamed of what she had to say. "I'm afraid of the dark. I close my eyes and there is this monster and he's hurting you. But all I see is darkness. I can only hear your screams. His face is mangled, like he's had a hundred ice daggers scratch at his face. He was tall like three meters tall. And he took you away. I tried to save you but every time I got close he hurt me. I couldn't save you. I couldn't even save myself." Silent tears began to fall down the young girl's face, causing her mother's shirt to become damp.
"Oh Lin. I'm so sorry for being the crux of your nightmares. I truly wish you didn't have to have these dreams."
Lin looked up at her mother with hopeful eyes. "Can you fix it? Like you fix everything?"
Toph leaned down, burying her face in her only daughter's hair. "I wish I could but this is something only you have control over. I can help you but only to a certain point."
"What do I have to do?"
"Well I'm not too sure to be honest. You need to get mentally stronger, to the point where you can control your dreams. Maybe uncle Twinkle Toes can help. He's very good when it comes to things like this. For now, all I want you to do is close your eyes and sleep."
"But I'm afraid to sleep."
Toph pulled Lin as close to her as possible. "I will be here when you wake up. I will be here when you have a nightmare and I will always be here to protect you."
Lin rolled over onto her side, her mother following suit. They shared so many likenesses, that it included the same sleeping position. Toph's long, strong arm found its home on Lin's torso, allowing her hand to focus on Lin's heartbeat as it began to slow down to a steady rhythm. Toph soon followed Lin into the land of sleep, happy she had helped Lin find peace in slumber.