Lin was currently reading the report from their ongoing investigation about the Shadow Pang but she could not apprehend a single word as her mind kept coming back to her assistant who was currently on leave as she needed her body to recover from the accident two nights ago.

The accident was still a mystery to the Police. They have two scenarios in their mind. The first was Chang got in or formed his own Triad after leaving the Police Department and then ambushed Yuze seeking revenge and the Equalists joined in the fight hoping to get many benders with them. The second one was Chang and his group of gang were fighting the Equalists and Yuze happened to walk by and got caught in the middle of the two sides.

But what doesn't make sense is how everyone was dead and only Yuze survived.

Some think it's Yuze who got every single one killed but she too was in bad shape, besides there's no one capable of having that power. Wiping out almost two dozen groups of people at once and nearly shutting down the whole city's electricity power.

Others conclude that a machine or tools that were related to flame or electricity had been thrown to the crowd, and Yuze being a skillful and great firebender herself managed to protect herself. But that theory also doesn't make sense.

And there is Yuze who she got no words from. Lin doesn't know what happened to her assistant or how is she. All she knew was that the firebender had been discharged from the hospital and Tenzin escorted her home.

She sometimes wanted to call Air Temple Island to check on the younger woman but she feared that a certain someone she still held a grudge would answer the telephone.

Lin sighed and gave up understanding the report. It's no use. She closed her eyes and massaged her temple, trying to ease the headache starting to form. She very much needed her tea now but the person in charge of making her one was currently not active at the moment.

That's when her telephone decided to ring. She took a deep breath before she picked it up.

"Chief Beifong."

"Chief, turn on your radio and go to channel 80.8,"a voice from the other line said with a hint of urgency in his tone.

Though confused she did what he said and was greeted by Amon's voice.

"... city to stop worshiping bending athletes as if they were heroes. I am calling on the councils to shut down the bending arena and cancel the finals or else there will be severe consequences."

Once the announcement was over. Lin turned off the radio and got up picking her key up in the process. She made her way towards the exit of the building, and her officers greeted her but she barely regarded their presence as she was in a hurry.

"Boss!"

Lin glanced to her left and saw her assistant who was supposed to be resting in bed at the Air Temple Island walking up the stairs, coming towards her. Her eyes narrowed at the younger woman, her eyes catching the bandage around Yuze's head and the split in her lip. Her eyes went down to the firebender's right leg where she knew a bandage was and concealed by the younger woman's pants. A sudden rush of anger came flowing through her veins, not for the woman in front of her, but for someone who did this to her assistant.

Lin calmed herself cause there was somewhere she needed to go first. She continued walking down the stairs, "What are you doing here, Yuze? You were supposed to be resting."

Yuze followed her, "I'm already recovered. I can even kick some ass."

Lin shook her head, "Go home, Yuze."

"Oh, come on, I just got here."

The Chief of Police walked around her satomobile, opening the door to the driver seat. She looked at her assistant, her gaze piercing, "As your boss, I'm telling you to go home and rest," then she went inside.

Lin inserted the key through the ignition when she heard the door from the passenger seat opened and closed. She took a deep breath, "I told you to go home."

"Nope."

Lin glanced beside her and sighed. She started the machine, "You are so stubborn."

Yuze grinned at her way, "Like boss, like assistant."

Lin rolled her eyes.

Lin retracted the cable that had just busted the wooden gavel Tarrlock was holding. Everyone turned to see the Chief of Police and her assistant standing at the doorway.

Yuze let out a whistle, "That's an awesome aim," then she leaned closer to her boss to whisper, "What are we doing here again?"

Lin ignored her assistant's question, "I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with the Avatar."

"You do?" Tarrlock asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, you do?" Korra asked.

"I'm still confused."

Lin, once again, ignored Yuze. It's not her fault that her assistant doesn't know what's happening. She wasn't even supposed to be here. The woman was just too stubborn and tugged along without knowing the context.

"I expected this kind of cut-and-run response from Tenzin, but the rest of you?" Lin waved her hand towards Tenzin who was glaring at the younger woman beside her, who openly ignored it, "Come on. Show a little more backbone. It's time that the benders of this city displayed some strength and unity against these Equalists."

Tenzin sighed and shook his head. He will deal with Yuze later. He turned his gaze at Lin, "We must prevent the conflict between benders and non-benders from escalating into all-out war! The council is not changing its position, Lin."

"Now, just a moment, Tenzin. Let us hear what our esteemed Chief of Police has in mind," Tarrlock said. Tenzin threw her hands up in the air and crossed his arms.

Yuze eyed the councilman and narrowed her eyes. She could sense the man was planning something— her eyes went to her boss who stepped closer— and she could feel her boss falling for it.

"If you keep the arena open, my metalbenders and I will provide extra security during the championship match. There's no better force to deal with the chi-blockers. Our armor is impervious to their attacks," Lin said.

"Are you saying that you will personally take responsibility for the safety of the spectators in the arena?" Tarrlock asked. Tenzin looked at Tarrlock, furrowing.

'Oh, so that's what he is planning?'Yuze thought her brows furrowing.

"I guarantee it."

"It is hard to argue with Chief Beifong's track record. If she is confident her elite officers can protect the arena, then she has my support. I am changing my vote. Who else is with me?" All the council members, but Tenzin, raised their hands. Tenzin looked back to them and shook his head, "Good luck in the finals," the Fire Ferrets cheered. "And good luck to you, Chief Beifong."

"A word, please, Lin," Tenzin said as he passed by Lin, "And Yuze we will having a talk later after the game."

The Chief of Police followed him with her gaze then went to her assistant who just nodded, "I'll wait for you outside the meeting room."

Lin nodded and followed Tenzin.

Yuze took a deep breath as she shook her head. Her eyes caught the back of the exiting representative of the Northern Water Tribe, "Damn politicians."

The firebender stretched her body before she started walking towards the door, exiting the room.

"Yuze!"

The said woman whipped her head to the side and saw Korra and two other guys she presumed were her teammates.

"Korra," she greeted but she stepped back when the Avatar walked towards her scowling, "Woah, what did I do wrong?"

"What 'what did I do wrong'?" Korra put her hands at her waist, "Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be resting?" then her eyes narrowed, "Don't tell me you are planning to go to work today?"

Yuze put an innocent face, "Well..."

Korra threw her hands up in the air in exasperation.

Yuze tilted her head as her attention went to the two boys behind her, "Who are your friends, Korra?"

Korra blinked "Oh, right," she moved her body aside, "Yuze, they are Bolin and Mako, my friends and teammates," then she turned to her friends, "Guys, this is Yuze, my Firebending Master."

Bolin tilted his head, a look of confusion on his face, "But you look young."

Yuze laughs at the younger man's comment, "That's because I'm young."

Bolin's brows furrowed, "How does a person as young as you train Korra?"

Korra face-palmed at her friend's question while Mako was only eyeing Yuze. The firebender raised an eyebrow, "How do Katara, Zuko, and Toph who was the same age as the Aang, train the Avatar?"

Bolin raised a finger and opened his mouth before it closed again, "You've got a point."

"Okay, guys, I leave you here for a moment. I need to talk to Tenzin and Beifong," Korra said and all of them nodded.

"You look familiar."

Yuze turned her gaze to the other guy. Her heart began to beat fast as she thought the worst but she didn't let it show, "Oh? How?"

Mako furrowed as he tried to remember where he saw the older woman then his eyes widened as he pointed at the woman, "You're the Blue Phoenix!"

The firebender felt relief coursing through her as a laugh came out of her. It's been a while since she heard that nickname.

"Yuze, let's go"

The three of them saw a scowling Chief of the Poice walk passed them.

Yuze shook her head as she chuckled, "It's been a while since I heard that nickname," she smiled at the two younger men, "It's nice meeting you two. I hope I can chat with you longer but duty call."

Yuze bid her goodbye which the other two gave back. The firebender followed her boss.

"Mako, what's Blue Phoenix?"

Yuze chuckled as she kept up with her boss. The older woman glanced at her from the corner of her eyes before looking ahead again, "Blue Phoenix?"

"Oh, you heard it?" Yuze asked.

Lin nodded, "So?"

The firebender laughed, "I'm too lazy now to explain it to you," she looked at her boss, her eyes gleaming, "You can ask Firelord Izumi if you're desperate enough to know."

Lin directed her officers with her hand when Tenzin came up to her from behind, "How is the security sweep going?"

"Fine."

"They have checked every stand?"

"Yes."

"And you have enough officers to cover all points of entry?"

Lin took a deep breath as she turned her head and looked at the Airbending Master, "I have the skies, the bay, and every nooking cranny of this place covered," she crossed her arms as she looked ahead, "Now leave me alone and let me do my job."

"Lin," Tenzin stepped closer beside the woman, "With so much on the line, it would be nice if we could help each other out. At least for one night."

Lin glanced at her former lover and her face softened, "Like old times?"

"Like old times," Tenzin said his eyes softening.

"Okay," Lin breaks the eye contact, "I'll try to be less abrasive than usual."

"I would appreciate that."

The two former lovers observed the officers in comfortable silence when a voice they very much knew spoke.

"Oh, you two look so cute."

Lin scowled while Tenzin sighed as they turned to the one who spoke. They saw a smirking Yuze with Jin walking alongside her.

"You two have finally closure after the break-up?"

"Yuze," Tenzin chided the younger woman.

"What?" Yuze looked at them innocently, "Peace and closure are the ones this world needs the most," then she glanced beside her, "Now, when will you Tenzin and Lieutenant Jin have your own closure?"

Tenzin looked at the Lieutenant and nodded though his eyes were hard, "Lieutenant Jin."

"Master Tenzin," Jin greeted back and nodded back but it looked so stiff.

The two men looked at each other as if they were sizing each other up. Lin noticed the tension in the air and groaned as she threw her hands into the air before she walked away from the two men.

The two men noticed Lin walking away.

"Lin, where are you going?" Jin asked the Chief of Police.

"I'm hungry, I'll go out to eat," she answered without looking back. Then she motioned to her assistant to follow her.

"See you later!" Yuze waved to the two men.

The two men were left in an awkward silence. Then they looked at each other before they looked away and walked to the opposite side.

"You're beauty and charisma are really something, no, Beifong?" Yuze chuckled as she took a bite at her steaming pork bun, "I mean, Tenzin..."

Yuze's voice faded as Lin watched the father singing his child to sleep.

~Before you go to sleep
Say a little prayer~

Lin leaned down to the crib as she lifted her crying child into her arms as she continue singing.

~Every day in every way

It's getting better and better~

Her daughter's eyes opened revealing the soft emerald orb that was the same color as hers.

~Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful,

Beautiful girl~

The child in her arms gradually stops crying. Little hand reached her mother's cheek making the woman smile. She took the little hand to hers and kissed it making the little one laugh.

~Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful girl~

"Beifong?"

Lin blinked and she came back to reality. She turned to her assistant, "Yes?"

Yuze stared at her, concern was evident to her eyes, "Are you alright? Why are you crying?"

Lin's hand went to her cheek and true to the younger woman's words there was indeed a tear sliding through her face. She immediately wiped it out, "Yes, I am."

Lin could feel her assistant's eyes on her so she decided to change the subject, "So, how did you become students of two Firelords?"

Yuze knew her boss didn't want to talk about what was running through her mind so she decided to fulfill the older woman's unspoken wish, "My adopted mother was Firelord Izumi's attendance and as I'm still a little and my mother had no one she could trust me with, she will take me with her when it's her shift to tend to the Firelord."

Lin listened attentively to Yuze's story. Something in her makes her want to know the younger woman more.

"With me always in the palace, I become friends with Prince Iroh. He assigned himself as my babysitter," Yuze chuckled as she reminisced the time the Prince would play with her, "That time Princess Ursa was not still that's why Prince Iroh insisted on watching me."

Yuze took a bite of her pork bun and washed her throat with water before she continued. Lin doing the same as hers.

"One day, while we were playing I accidentally tripped into a rock causing me to fall to my face. The impact was so hard it hurt so much and I cried my heart out," Yuze chuckled, "Apparently, while I was crying I unconsciously changed the color of the torches hanging around me from orange to blue and Firelord Zuko witnessed it."

"Wait, how old are you when that happens?" Lin asked.

Yuze smirked as she raised her three fingers making the older woman's eyes widen in shock but there's also amazement in there and oddly enough there's a pride swelling in her heart.

"And then what?"

"Firelord Zuko tried to make me produce my fire and usually orange flame would come out, even Azula and Izumi started with that color, but I started with a blue flame. That's when Lord Zuko and Firelord Izumi knew I was a prodigy at a higher level than Azula."

Lin hummed when a question suddenly formed to her mind, "You are adopted?"

Yuze nodded, "Yes. My biological mother left me with my adopted mother, never coming back," she looked up at the sky, "That's why I'm here in this city in the first place," she turned her gaze to the woman beside her, "I've got a news she was last seen here in Republic City."

Lin's eyes softened as she put her hand on the younger woman's shoulder. Maybe because of empathy or it's her guilt from losing her child that has taken over her to say the next words, "Don't worry, Yuze. I'll help you find your mother."

Yuze smiled at the older woman, "Thank you."

Then Yuze went back to her bun and hummed happily. Lin watched the younger woman with the corner of her lips curling up ever slightly before she also took a bite of her own pork bun.

Then all of a sudden Yuze sneezed and took out her handkerchief. Lin was about to comment on how Yuze sneezed when she noticed the handkerchief.

Lin's heart stopped as she gazed at the familiar embroidered on the handkerchief.

"Am I doing the right thing, Katara?"

"Oh, you have a talent in it, Lin. The way you embroidered your daughter's name is such perfection."

"Where did you get that?" Lin asked quietly her eyes still locked on the handkerchief.

Yuze followed where her boss was looking, "Oh, this?" she raised her handkerchief, "I just cut it out from my blanket when I was a baby. My adopted mother said that it may be the only thing I'll ever get a connection with my biological mother."

Lin's breath became shaky, "Do you—" she swallowed the lump in her throat, "Do you have any idea what's your mother's name?"

Yuze nodded, "Lian. Her name is Lian."

" WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!"

"Chief, Lian took your child with her."

It felt like the air had been knocked out of her lungs as she glanced at the young woman beside her

'It— It can't be— Is it possible that she is my...'

Yuze nearly jumped out of her seat when Lin suddenly stood up, "Let's go, Yuze. The game will be starting in half an hour."

The firebender stared at her in confusion as she noticed the change in her boss' action nonetheless she followed her.

"I'll just go to the washroom," Lin said the moment they reached the Arena.

Yuze nodded watching her boss disappear around the corner.

Lin mindlessly went inside the washroom. She directly went to the sink and washed her hands. The rubbing of her hands got more forceful every second passed until she couldn't take it anymore and the floodgates of her emotion opened.

She gripped the edge of the sink tightly while her other hand went to her mouth, stifling the sob coming through her mouth.

It can't be just a coincidence, right?

Lian.

The handkerchief.

It can't be, right?

Now that Lin thinks it off, there are so many similarities between her baby and Yuze. Between herself and Yuze.

The emerald eyes.

The stubbornness.

The mannerism.

And the way Yuze seems to brought her motherly instinct that no one had ever brought out.

Everything.

Then her eyes widened at realization.

Her long-lost daughter has been finally found.