It was still dark when they parted ways. Lin didn't know where her feet were heading, or what time it was for that matter. She could only feel the pain inside as she walked past blurry lights and streets she had walked her whole life, but now was barely able to see or enjoy.

Lin found herself in front of Hibiki's highrise. She had been walking in circles for hours, her feet blistering in her shoes.

Hibiki happened to be looking out the window when she arrived, and he was horrified by the state of her face.

Lin hadn't realized that she had been noticed, instead she was focused on the realization of what she had done to him. Lin had been no better than Tenzin had been to her. Even if he knew they weren't an item and that Lin was seeing other people, she still managed to mess it up. She felt stupid as she thought about the Gala earlier that night. The whole time she is lost in her thoughts, she doesn't see him frantically motioning for her. She is too overwhelmed with guilt and decided that she couldn't face him right now. He deserved so much more than her. She heaved as the cold air got caught in her throat.

So, she let her feet guide her into the streets, cars honking and people getting out of their vehicles in concern as she walked past them. Lin convulsed slightly as Hibiki screamed in crisis behind her in his car, having followed her. But it didn't really register in her head that he was actually there, so lost in her thoughts as she was.

She was already halfway to Air Temple Island by the time he had managed to get downstairs and to his car to find her. She was in such a daze, and he wondered how many cars had almost hit her? Her normally tidy hair looked crazed, and it was how he could spot her from afar. Hibiki pulled over, and ran after Lin, she was still fast in her dazed state.

"Lin, what's wrong? What happened to you?" He called out to her. But she didn't respond, didn't even turn around, just kept walking. He was extremely worried for her. He could only continue to follow her, and make sure she got to the Island safely.

Lin found herself heading towards Air Temple Island after leaving Hibiki's building. She felt so sluggish and emotionless. Could Lin even face them? She felt like she looked like a floozy, and she could only imagine what they would say.

On nights like these, Lin would hear her mother screaming at her. It boomed and echoed in her ears, making them ache as if she were truly there. Nothing she ever did was acceptable, not for Toph. Not for Tenzin either. He had never even bothered to ask if she would marry him; she remembered being in her 40's with no living kids and no support from him until he finally just ended their relationship. Almost like it had meant nothing to him in the first place.

She thought back to rescuing Su and her family from Kuvira, how her mother had said that she had forgiven her for all her garbage. Lin still mulled over what she could have done that was so horrible, besides being born, but that hadn't been up to her. Toph didn't even bother to hide her favoritism for Su. She was always too busy for Lin, never showing up both times she had been held captive.

Instead of heading to the docks to take the ferry over to the Island, Lin ended up on the beach. She took off her shoes and stood with her feet in the water. She wished that she could see it like she had used to; the water had always had a calming effect on her. She decided then that she wanted to be somewhere that felt safe, without the eyes of everyone on her, so she bent the sandy floor of Yue Bay up, creating a bridge. She ended up on the Island holding Aang's statue, too exhausted to continue. She stared up at the extremely blurred image of his face, of which she could only just make out some features as they were so large; she could feel the pit of fear in her stomach for the day when she wouldn't be able to look out and see Aang's face at all. She would only be left with the memory of his face etched into her mind.

Memories flashed of him, like him holding Yun An for the first time - despite not being able to actually see the meeting, she could remember his soft words and tears of joy. A breeze ruffled her hair, and Lin could almost feel him there with her, as if he was once more going to ask her to help him fling fruit pies at unsuspecting acolytes or telling her stories of Monk Gyatso.

Lin shivered as the wind turned chilly, her wet clothes from her walk through the bay which caused the cold to seep into her bones. Her body trembled as her limbs felt heavy, she knew she wouldn't be able to move even if she wanted to - which she really just wished this would be the end of the shit show that was her life.

She fell to her knees as her legs had gone numb. An apology fell from her lips, up to the statue of the man she had once known. She apologized for having failed him so many times - how she had only birthed twice and neither of them had been able to continue his legacy.

The sky spun as she fell to her hands. She heard her mother again yelling at her about her failures, how she should have surpassed her mother as an earthbender, and how she wouldn't have her kid embarrass her. She could remember how her younger self had sought comfort in books, writing, and drawing as Toph couldn't judge or tarnish something she was wholly blind to; she could destroy everything else in Lin's life, but she couldn't touch those.

She had always wished that she had a dad; someone to reach in and pull her out of the mess of everything, instead of stewing away in anger for years as no one, especially her mother, would listen. She just wanted someone, anyone to have listened.

Tenzin said that she wasn't alone anymore, but she couldn't accept his reassurance as she could never remember feeling completely secure or attached. She didn't know how that would feel. Lin was always alone. She could still remember her mother telling her that she had never been a victim, never kidnapped. Toph had not known what being bloodbent felt like, yet. When Toph was bloodbent at the trial by Yakone, Toph had softened her tone with Lin. It was the first time her mom hugged her since she had been very young. The softness didn't last.

Her mother would either be angry or throw 'if that's what makes you happy' in Lin's face. She didn't think her kid's needed her because Lin had learned how to bend before taking her first steps. Toph didn't need her parents, so naturally, she figured Lin didn't need her. Didn't need to be indulged endlessly.

Toph never was like that with Su; perfect Suyin hadn't been an unwanted mistake. Su could dream without being hit, and cry without being told to man up. Su never had to be eight-years-old and trying to figure out how to care for a two-year-old on her own. Never had to figure out how to keep her mom from ripping her confidence apart. Or to try and figure out how to deal with what had happened to her with no help.

Lin wondered who she had to be for somebody to see past her walls and love her endlessly. What she would have to do to not seek out pain and violence, just to feel alive.

Lin had no idea how she fully ended up laying out, or for how long. At one point she must have closed her eyes, but she couldn't remember. Her head was still spinning as she laid there. When she managed to look up again, she looked up at a fuzzy outline that she just knew would be Su. She also became aware that somehow a jacket had been thrown over her, one that smelt like cigarettes, fire whiskey, and a very familiar cologne.

"Lin, are you okay?" Su asked. She picked her sister off the ground, struggling slightly at the dead weight. Lin didn't respond. She just stared off, her eyes foggy. "Lin, can you walk?" Su asked again, receiving nothing again.

Su struggled to hold her up, as she looked back to Air Temple Island where Tenzin and some others were performing a two am meditation.

Tenzin had spotted the half-built earth bridge heading to the Aang Memorial Island, so when he saw Su flagging him down, he flew to her with Bumi following him. Tenzin, before his meditation, had received a strange call from a man claiming Lin had been hurt, but it wasn't until now that he realized it hadn't been a hoax. He was unnerved at seeing his ex looking half dead. So severely beaten, you couldn't look into her eyes thoroughly and she looked frozen in her still wet clothes.

Hibiki ran over, returning from the mainland where he had gone to make calls as there were no phone booths on the Memorial Island. He had laid his coat over Lin's body when screaming for help had proved fruitless, hoping it would keep her warm until he returned.

"She had walked by my house looking like this, beaten, but she didn't come when I motioned for her in the window. So I followed her when she left. I didn't know what to do. She wouldn't answer." Hibiki said. He was shaking with fear as he didn't know what happened, and didn't want to ever see anyone hurt, especially her. It made him feel sick with worry.

"She was just lying there, and I don't know what's wrong. She won't respond to my questions." Su fretted. She could hear how slow her sister's heartbeat was and how shallow her breath was; the only sign she was somewhat lucid was that she was blinking slowly. Su was pretty sure that her sister was dying.

"Let's get her to Kya." Tenzin finally said. He ordered Bumi to call Mako and Saikhan at once. His blood was hot with anger, yet Tenzin lifted her gently, holding her to his chest. He could just see her eyes behind her swollen eyelids, but she looked right through him as if he was transparent.

She wasn't present though, she was lost instead in the grips of Yakone and his affiliates. She wanted to move, but she couldn't control her body.

Su kept trying to see if Lin would make a reply. She was frightened by her silence and her raspy breaths. She was in just a thin coat over her clothes that would not have kept her warm enough for how cold the Island could get at night.

When they got on the island, Tenzin had Su get Kya, deciding to take her directly to a tub in the healing hut.

Hibiki decided to try and make some tea, but even on a good day, he was just a firebender from the fire nation who preferred coffee and considered tea to be 'hot leaf juice.' Pema noted his lack of knowledge while he struggled to find the spices that he recalled his mother had used. She decided to help him, assuming it was due to his celebrity status that he didn't know how to put leaves in a pot and boil the water.

Meanwhile Kya rushed over to the healing hut, sleep being the last thing on her mind. As soon as Su had woken her and told about Lin she was instantly worried. She ran inside, finding Lin already set into the tub with Tenzin beside her.

"She's freezing," Kya said when she touched Lin. Lin always had run cold, but this was ridiculous. She instantly began bending the water around Lin, checking on her and healing her. The earthbender was still staring off into nothing, not speaking. Kya frowned; besides her being cold and beaten, nothing explained her muteness or her catatonic state.

"I think it's mental," Kya sighed, explaining nothing physically was wrong, besides the beating to her face and body, which she had now healed that would prevent her from speaking or acknowledging their presence.

Lin, despite not reacting to her surroundings, realized she wasn't alone; she could feel their eyes on her. She just wanted to drift off and ignore them.

Mako and Saikhan had arrived faster than expected. Mako shot a dark and hateful glare at Tenzin. Bolin had filled him in on what the airbending master had done to his mo-boss, and he wasn't impressed to say the least.

Saikhan asked, "will she be okay?"

"You think she's breaking down," Tenzin asked Kya softly, not noticing Saikhan had spoken. Mako's glare was intimidating even for him, and he tried to focus on his sister instead.

"Yeah, she completely zoned out." Kya answered.

Su then entered, bringing the fresh clothes Pema had retrieved for her, while Pema brought out the tea. Hibiki followed them in and noticed the officers and wanted to cut to the chase with his side of the situation. Knowing he has had a rocky relationship with police, he hoped it would help him.

"We should lay her in a bed to rest and warm up," Kya said, unsure, for once, what to do. "I want the officers and Hibiki out though, there is too much happening in here and Lin needs peace and quiet."

Saikhan nodded, realizing they had just walked into chaos. Mako pulled Hibiki out aggressively by the arm with a tight grip, since he was the prime suspect.

"Ow, uh. What's that for?" Hibiki rubbed his arm, knowing there would be a bruise later.

"You admitted that you were the only one who was alone with the Chief, it is almost always partners that are responsible in any domestic violence case." Mako accused.

"Woah, I swear it wasn't me. I can go to the station, I'll answer any questions you need."

Mako's eyes narrowed. This reminded him of Hiroshi Sato, who had done the same thing; a common tactic of someone's guilt.

"Sounds like you have a guilty conscience to me," Saikhan looked at Mako, who nodded.

Tenzin had also left so that the three women could put Lin in dry clothes. He decided to talk to Mako and Saikhan, sweating a bit from Mako's intense gaze when he walked in on Saikhan and Mako giving Hibiki a hard time.

He interrupted them, wanting to offer some explanation. "Hibiki was truly distressed when he called me, and when we got to her."

"Doesn't mean he's innocent; a lot of people are distressed when they commit a crime." Mako steamed a bit; he was determined to solve this for his boss.

"I swear I'm innocent, I would do anything- anything for Miya," his little nickname for her. I think it may have been President Raiko, if I'm being honest." Hibiki had his hands up. "I don't know how you want help, but I'm wanting to help."

"Spill what you know," Saikhan ordered. He would never have believed it if it wasn't for the interrogation last night; he noted the sun beginning to rise with an internal sigh.

Hibiki intensely stared at the door Lin was just behind.

"She will never forgive me if I told you." Hibiki sighed heavily. "He holds her job over his head if she doesn't do what he wants."

"If it makes you feel better, she will come around…after a while." Tenzin looked up at Hibiki, knowing he clearly cared. He didn't like that they got together, but it was nice knowing that she had someone in her corner.

Hibiki worried his lip. He just wanted to keep her safe, but he also wanted to be able to talk to her again. He decided to spill, her safety more important to him. Every twisted detail of their relationship, including how long this had been going on; that he didn't know how she felt about these things, but it was clearly getting worse.

The three men's jaws were tight by the time he finished stumbling on the details clearly bothered. He reminded them Lin only gave him bits and pieces and ordered him not to talk; that she had said that if she felt abused, she would arrest him.

Tenzin took a breath so deep everyone around him felt the oxygen escaping the air. Mako had smoke coming out of his ears. Saikhan being the solid earth investigator type, processed all that had been said, and looked over to the other two.

"We now have a lot more work on our hands guys. We will have to be discreet when investigating and questioning them." Saikhan patted Hibiki's shoulder letting him know he did the right thing for her.

Pema approached the foursome shortly after, and asked if Tenzin could help them again with Lin.

"So to make tea, it's just water and the leaves….right, gonna make Lin more leaf juice." Hibiki said, slowly moving away from the two officers.

The three women noted marks all over her body, but silently changed her. They knew that some of the marks came from her work, but they couldn't help but wonder how many of them had been from something darker.

Tenzin came back to carry her up. Their eyes met, but there was no focus in them as if she was staring through was deeply concerned about her, especially now that he knew what a mess she was involved in.

When they got to the bed, Kya decided to waterbend her head to see if one more try would help bring Lin back to them. When she was done, Lin had tears flowing down her cheeks. She shivered and covered herself, not wanting to remember anymore.

Su asked, "Lin, what happened?" Her olive eyes sparking with concern.

After a few minutes, Lin confessed, "I can't do this anymore." Her voice sounding broken.

"It would help if you had a break, Lin," Tenzin said. He could tell Lin was drowning in her emotions and memories.

"Can't do that either." She rasped, closing her eyes.

"After this is resolved, we can go on vacation," Kya said, offering a small reprieve. Su nodded in agreement, despite her sister not being able to see her with her eyes being shut.

Tenzin put a gentle hand on her head, as he was beside himself with worry.

Pema stared at his hand with contempt, feeling this was like the Korra-Mako-Asami debacle. Had Lin not had enough men in her life?

"For now, you need to sleep and warm up. Let's hope you don't catch a cold for your sake; the temperature was low last night." Kya brushed her thumb across Lin's sharp cheek bone.

"Where were you last night before you came here?" Su asked, curious. She wanted some answers before they left Lin to rest.

"I just went home," Lin lied.

Su decided not to push for a better answer to that question. She asked what made her come out here instead.

"I don't know. I was walking. Then I got tired trying to earthbend over here because the ferry wasn't running. I don't know why."

"Why couldn't you move, do you know?" Su pressed.

"I didn't have any bones. They were just gone." Lin confessed, not realizing how it sounded and how she was spilling secrets she shouldn't share. She was too tired to notice.

Kya looked at her, worried, trying to meet her eyes. "Where did they go? Lin, how did you get them back?"

"Yakone and his goons took them. They were back when Su showed up." It was confusing, but it made Kya wonder where Lin's head was.

Tenzin was disturbed. He didn't want to ask why she didn't talk. He read what acts they had done and he didn't need to hear it.

"What year is it?" Su asked.

"Mmhm, 175." She responded, sounding more drowsy.

"And who is the President?" Tenzin asked, seeing where Su was going with this.

"Raiko." Lin began closing her eyes.

"Were you just remembering being blood bent?" Kya asked softly, thinking they should give it a rest, but she needed to know what her mental state was.

Lin had fallen silent, moving her hands desperately, trying to control the earth.

"We have everything under control for today. We're just going to be watching Tarrlok." Su said, watching her sister move her hands, bending a metal zipper. She was lost in the motion of bending.

"I want to be there. It's too risky," Lin murmured raspily, trying to open her eyes.

"If you rest up, I'll give Su the okay for you to go. I'll make you a yuzu blended jasmine tea in the morning." The waterbender replied, remembering she liked that tea.

Lin nodded, drifting into sleep after the reassurance.

Su held her cold hands, noticing how poor the circulation in her rough hands was and how weak her nails were. Kya had seen the bruises and bite marks on her hands and knuckles, she was pale with worry.

What the fuck happend in a few hours?

She stayed with her, falling asleep as well.

A few hours later, it was late morning when Lin woke. She noticed that Su was in bed with her. She didn't remember how she ended up in the bed with her, and was startled when her sister suddenly hugged her.

"You feeling better, Lin?" Su asked as she held her sister, noticing that she was warm now.

"Yeah, it was foolish," Lin said, embarrassed.

"It isn't. You've been through a lot. I wish you would tell me more; I do really want to be here for you, Lin." Su said, letting her emotions be open. She wanted to be close with Lin again.

Lin leaned into her sister instead of speaking, for once allowing herself a moment of comfort.

"Did you really go see Raiko last night? I saw the marks on you. Did he hurt you?" Su felt protective.

It reminded Lin of when some girls were bullying her. Su had made them regret it; and then their mother shamed her for letting her sister fight her battles.

"No," sighing, "he is married still, so don't get too excited about it." Lin said guiltily.

"I wasn't. I think you could do better," Su admitted.

"Okay, well, I'm going to shower now." Her walls had come back up and the moment was gone. Su was left feeling cold where Lin's body had just been