Lin woke up about another hour later to find Naga's head resting on her torso. She softly scratched behind the beast's ear to wake her. Naga lifted her head to look at Lin and rested her forehead on Lin's. They stayed like that for a moment and Naga straightened up to reveal a sleeping Korra near her hind legs.
Lin inwardly cringed. She didn't think anyone would bother come looking for her. With one look at the young Avatar, Lin knew she had been here for a while. She must have found Lin cuddling Naga. Lin hastily swept away the dried tears, and silently tried to crawl away without Korra noticing. Naga gave her a peculiar look and cooed. Lin sighed. "Fine!". She mumbled to the beast.
"Korra!". She called. Her voice was hoarse, and her body felt heavy. All she wanted was to get back to Republic City, and… and… She did not know what would come next. She was not the same anymore. She felt hallow, and empty, and without purpose, or hope. But all that could wait. Naga was right. Korra needed someone who she can relate to. Korra was important, she is- was the Avatar. But more importantly, unlike her, the girl is young and had her whole life in front of her. Korra should not give into despair.
Korra woke up with a start. She sat up rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, and turned to look at Lin.
"Lin!". She exclaimed. "You are awake!". She stated awkwardly. "It's getting too cold. Let's head to the house".
Lin was thankful that Korra chose not to make any remarks about the circumstances they were in, or their current surroundings. She gave Naga one last lingering look and a pat on the head, and tried to stand up again. With a yelp she could barely muffle, Lin fell on her knees, taking shallow breaths. The cloak she was wearing like a cape, fell from her shoulders, revealing an angry purple bruise that started under her right ear and ran down her shoulder blades and right hand. Korra hastily jumped to Lin's side, catching her midway. The moment Korra's hands came to contact with Lin's arms, Korra knew the former Chief was very ill. Lin was burning up.
"Lin, what happened to you?". Korra asked examining the angry bruise on Lin's neck.
Lin took a moment before she answered. "Amon's prisons were rough". She croaked.
"You also have a high fever. We need to get you to Katara as soon as possible". Korra said in a panicked voice. "Can you stand?".
Lin put her weight on her left leg and stood up holding on to Korra. "When did you get here?". She asked despite herself.
"A while back". Korra replied not looking at Lin. "I was looking for Naga". She added, leading Lin forward. "Let's get you inside".
They started to walk towards the house in silence. The house was not that far from the paddocks, but snow was falling heavily now, and Lin's pace was too slow. She was in no condition to walk. At this rate, her condition will only worsen by the cold south pole weather. Korra hesitated. She came to a halt and turned to Lin. "Chief, I think you should get on my back, you are in no condition to walk. It'll be faster this way and I can get us to the house before snow gets too thick". She said matter-of-factly.
Lin looked at Korra and sighed. "Can you manage?" She asked in a feeble voice. It was an indication of how weak Lin actually was at the moment, that she did not protest the idea of been carried.
"Yes". Korra affirmed. "It's not far from here". She said letting Lin hold on to her with the left arm and supporting Lin's weight.
"Thank you Korra!". Lin said clutching to the Avatar's shoulder with her good left arm. Her right arm dangling uselessly at her side.
"Don't get used to it Beifong!". Korra joked. She didn't like how hopeless Lin sounded, or how uncharacteristically meek she had been this evening so far. "I'm going to hold you to this one".
Lin heard herself let out a chuckle. Korra sure was handling things better than her, considering. With in just five minutes, they reached the neighborhood of Katara's house, and saw someone restlessly pacing the length of the front yard.
Seeing two figures emerge around the corner, Tenzin ran towards them.
"You found her!". He exclaimed, helping Lin climb down from Korra's back. "Spirits, you had me worried Lin!". Lin raised a brow at Korra. "I thought you were looking for Naga". Korra carefully bent down so that Lin could get down. "I was. I'm glad I ran into you!".
As soon as she stood up on her own, her legs gave away and she collapsed on to the floor, but Tenzin caught her just in time and helped her to her feet. "You are injured!". He said alarmed. "Let me get you to healing room, right away". He said bending down and picking Lin up bridal style. Again, Lin did not protest. Her head momentarily rested on Tenzin's shoulder, and Lin closed her eyes. However, a split-second after, Lin's head shot up and she blinked. Keeping her head firmly on her own shoulders, she turned to look at Tenzin, and nodded. "Thanks!". She croaked. Tenzin sighed. "Of course!". He mumbled. Korra watched this exchange with sadness. She observed how Tenzin wore a similar expression she had seen on Lin's face an hour earlier as Lin lay asleep. A mixture of pain beyond repair, but also relief.
Pema, Katara, Bolin, Asami, and Mako were gathered in the living room. They all stood up from their respective seats as Korra entered the house. Their expressions turned to surprise and quickly to alarm as Tenzin followed Korra into the room, carrying Lin. Lin's left arm rested on her knee, while her right arm dangled at her side.
"What happened? Is she OK?". Katara asked, hurrying towards her son.
"She has an aggressive bruise that has rendered her right arm useless, and she has a high fever". Korra said before either Lin or Tenzin could answer. "And she can barely walk".
"I'm fine!". Lin mumbled. Katara ignored her. "Get her to the healing room now. Let me take a look". She said to Tenzin. Then she turned to Korra. "Korra, I'll need your help".
Lin gave Katara a perplexed look. But Katara chose to pretend like she didn't see it for the time being".
Tenzin did as he was told. As he walked past Pema, he momentarily stopped to give her an apologetic look. Pema nodded and placed a hand on his back. "I'll get a set of new clothes for her".
"Thank you, Pema!". Tenzin said. He followed Katara into the healing room and sat Lin on the bed. Lin looked up and thanked him again. Korra, took the cloak that covered Lin's shoulders for Katara to take a look. Lin shivered as the layer of clothing was removed, and the chilly air hit her. Katara inhaled sharply, seeing the angry bruise.
"What happened Lin?" Tenzin asked before Katara could say a word. She was now bending low at Lin's side and taking a closer look at the bruise, assessing the damage.
Lin did not answer him. Instead, she talked to Katara. "How bad is it?". She asked feebly.
"You were electrocuted!". Katara stated. "And beaten".
"It is their strategy". Lin said hoarsely. "First, they tie the benders up and try to beat the information out of them. "I was laid on my left side and attacks repeatedly were to my neck and right side. it damaged the Armor". She explained. "If the bender still does not talk, they threaten to take away the bending".
Korra stared. It wasn't the brutality of what Lin had gone through that unsettled Korra. It's the matter-of-fact tone Lin was using to describe the whole thing. She sounded hopeless and defeated.
"Why didn't you ask for help any sooner?". Tenzin asked, raising his voice. "If Korra didn't find you-".
Lin did not bother answering, and she kept her head bowed and eyes closed, as surges of pain shot every now and then through her body. The hopelessness vibrated off Lin was driving Korra mad. It was almost like Lin had completely given up, as if she no longer cared about what happened to her, or to the world at large. She was done. Pushing aside the anger at the very thought, Korra quickly got her palm covered in water. Elbowing away the tense Airbender out of the way, Korra walked to stand by the other side of Lin. She reached out to hold Lin's face. Using her left-hand, Korra lifted Lin's face up. With her water gloved right palm, Korra covered Lin's forehead, and slowly moved to her neck, assessing her condition.
Lin instinctively knew it wasn't Katara who was checking her. She knew how Katara's healing sessions felt. Her eyes shot open to look at the healer. Her mouth fell open, and she stood up abruptly. Her weak physique responded in kind, and she stumbled, only to be caught by both Katara and Korra.
"Lin, be careful". Korra said, making her sit down on the bed. "You still have a raging fever, and you are going to need a lot of bedrest before I can restore your bending". She said looking Lin in the eyes, and slowly turning to look at Katara for affirmation.
A confused Lin kept looking at Korra. For the first time that evening, Korra saw some life creeping back into Lin's eyes. She didn't take her eyes off Korra as Katara answered.
"That's right". Katara confirmed. "I see you have not told Lin yet". She said turning to Korra, to which Korra shook her head. Then she turned to Lin again. "You will have to be physically fit for the Avatar to correct your disrupted chi flow. Otherwise, you will end up being gravely ill".
Lin didn't stop the tear that rolled down her face. But she did close her eyes and inhaled slowly. Her left arm came to rest on her knees, and she bowed her head and rested it in her left palm, her fingers pinching the bridge between her eyes.
Tenzin looked away. He had found Lin sitting in a cell under the arena after Korra defeated Amon. She had looked unharmed, except for the loss of her bending. She had not betrayed any sign of pain or grief until now. He could not fathom how she must have been feeling, and he, her first and best friend, had been oblivious and insensitive to it.
He turned to leave as Pema entered the room with a bundle of clothes. He had to stop and step sideways to let her walk up to the bed. Korra saw Tenzin hide his face from Pema as he walked out of the room, probably his eyes had tears as well. Korra could relate. Seeing Chief Beifong openly weeping was deeply unsettling. Added to the air of hopelessness and helplessness that vibrated off Lin the whole of this evening, it was painful to watch Lin sitting there, head bowed, and hidden in her hand, tears streaming down her face.
Pema standing in the middle, watched as Tenzin, his shoulders slightly shaking, left the room. Then she turned to look at Lin who just sat there, her face hidden in her hand, overwhelmed by the turn out of events, and at Korra, who wore an empathetic look as she had her eyes fixed on Lin, and finally, at Katara, who was running a hand through Lin's disheveled hair soothingly. She placed the bundle of clothes silently on the bedside cabinet and left the room, nodding to Korra, probably to find Tenzin.
Korra turned to Lin and Katara. "We need to get you in the healing pond". She said. "If you were beaten Lin, that bruise wouldn't be the only one. There might be internal bleeding".
Katara moved her hand from Lin's hair to her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes Lin. Tenzin was right. You should have spoken to me sooner. This looks serious". She said. Then she tilted her head, beckoning Korra over to help Lin stand up.
"Come on, up you get". Katara said to Lin, pulling her up to a standing position as Korra supported from the other side. Lin silently obeyed. Together they helped Lin walk to the pond, and Lin sat on the edge and removed her left shoe. She winced again trying to remove the other, so Korra bent down to help. Lin's right leg had yet another purple bruise that ran from her shin to the ankle. "Told you!". Korra said looking up at Lin as she tossed the shoe aside, smirking slightly, trying to lighten up the mood.
Lin did not reply. She tried to wiggle her toes as if to make sure that they were working properly. Then she carefully got into the pond, rested her head on the edge, and closed her eyes, shivering slightly.
Katara and Korra worked for about an hour as Lin lay in the healing pond without uttering a single word. She made sure to keep her eyes shut for the entire time unless she was asked to open them by one of the healers to be examined.
"There!". Katara said touching Lin's temple with tip of her fingers covered in glowing water. "We've healed and stabilized you for now. But your fever will take it's time to wear off. Pain from your right side will be subdued, but you are not to walk until tomorrow afternoon. You will be in bed".
Lin finally opened her eyes to look at Katara. "Thank you, aunt Katara!". She said quietly. Katara smiled at Lin softly. "Sweety, you should rest". She said bringing her palm to cup Lin's face. She walked out of the room asking Korra to help Lin get out of the pond and to bed. "I'm going to get a sleeping potion for you".
Lin got out of the pond with Korra's help. Korra bent away the water that was drenching Lin in one swift motion of her right hand, while she held Lin by the Left hand just in case.
"Those clothes are for you". Korra said pointing at the bundle on the bedside cabinet, as Lin sat on the bed again. "I'm going to go check on the potion. You need to take it right away, and it will put you to a restful sleep. It'll be good for your chi". She said walking out of the room and closing the door behind her.
Korra saw Lin gave her a slight nod before the door closed. She did not like this submissive Lin. It was deeply unsettling. When Korra went to the kitchen, Pema was already in there, brewing the potion, Katara at her shoulder, giving her instructions.
Korra collapsed into a chair. "That was worse than I thought. I hope her right arm will not have a lasting damage". Korra said to no one in particular. "She's been electrocuted multiple times. Those monsters!".
Katara turned to look at her. "There won't be a lasting damage. I made sure of that. My poor girl. I cannot imagine how she must have been feeling. How did you find her?".
The picture of Lin huddled in Naga's embrace flashed across Korra's mind once more. Lin's face, the expression of pain and grief mingled with dried tears, and how helpless she looked as she lay sleeping, tortured Korra's mind. She wished she'd never have to feel that kind of emotion in her life.
"She was near the paddocks". Korra said, leaving out the details. "Let me take that potion to her".
As Lin slowly drank from the steaming cup, Korra filled her in on how Aang restored her bending. She was afraid to be hopeful given all that happened. What if it didn't work out and Korra could not restore her bending.
"I'm so happy for you Korra". Lin said quietly for Korra's sake.
Taking the cup from Lin, Korra stood up. "Try and get some rest. You'll need it for tomorrow". She told Lin who sighed and nodded. It was for Korra's benefit than hers. Korra seemed to see through Lin's facade.
"Lin, I'm positive that I can restore your bending. Aang showed me how". She said a little forcefully. "I'm going to set things right. You have to trust me".
Lin nodded once more. A little convincingly this time.
"Will you be okay? Or should I send Naga to keep an eye on you?". Korra tried yet again, to lighten up the mood. Lin, without saying anything, looked at Korra, gave her a lopsided smile and averted her gaze.
It was Korra's time to sigh. "Lin", Korra said sitting back on the edge of the bed and setting the cup down. She got hold of Lin's upper left arm, which made Lin look up giving Korra her undivided attention. "Do me a favor and go back to being grumpy and abrasive. Hopelessness is not a good look on you. When you give off that vibe, it's deeply unsettling. I could use some normalcy after all that happened. You are one of the people I can always count on, no matter what. So please, Beifong, snap out of it? for me?".
Lin observed Korra closely. The almighty Avatar who sat before her is right now only a traumatized teenager. She needed her mentors and friends to be strong for her. And even though Lin had not realized it till now, Lin was clearly one of those people she counted on.
"I didn't realize. Sorry Korra". She muttered. "I'm just tired. I promise to go back to been cranky when you help me 'see' again". She said, her smile finally reaching her eyes.
Korra's hand, which was held on to Lin's upper left arm, flew around Lin's neck and she drew Lin into a lingering hug. "I'm going to bend you back to cranky as soon as you are up and about". Korra said with conviction. "That's an Avatar promise!". Lin winced as her injured neck was almost strangled by the Avatar, who was trying to comfort her. Nonetheless, after a moment, she returned the gesture.
"You are going to make a one fine Avatar". Lin said, giving Korra a pat on the back. "Even better, a good friend".