Prologue

Third POV

The wind howls and a thunderclap loudly as lightning flashes through the sky. It's been raining in Republic City for almost two days as there was a storm. But despite the noise you could hear a scream coming from an apartment down the road near the building of the Republic City police building.

"Deep breath, Lin," the older woman said to the younger woman propped up on the bed. "You're doing great."

"I— I can't do this," Lin pants, her face glistening with sweat, "Katara, I can't d—do this."

"Yes, you can. Just one more time and it will be over," Katara said encouraging.

"I c—can't... The pain is too much—" Lin bit her lips hard trying to keep herself from screaming, but the pain was too much and she could not stop the tears from blinding her vision.

Lin Beifong may be a police officer or Chief of the police to be exact and she already experienced all kinds of pain that her job may brought but she never felt this kind of pain in her entire life.

"You can do this, Lin. Just one more time just like what mom said," Kya said as she held her friend's hand for support while wiping off her sweat.

"N—no, I—" Lin stopped as a sharp contraction took her by surprise and she cried out gripping Kya's hand harder than she ever thought possible. The healer beside her grimace but bear the pain.

"Lin, just one more time and it's over," Kya squeezed Lin's hand.

Lin took a deep breath and with all of her might pushed one more time as an ear-piercing scream escaped her mouth and tears streamed down her cheeks. She panted as her back hit the bed and her body slumped tiredly.

Then seconds later a cry filled the room from a child and she turned her head and looked at the wall.

"It's a girl," Katara announced while smiling, out of her peripheral view Lin could see the older woman holding the crying newborn child, her newborn child for her to see. But she didn't look in their direction and only trained her eyes on the wall.

"Oh, she's so beautiful," Kya coed, "Look at her, Lin. She's very much like you. She got the color of your hair, your chin, your ears but mostly your eyes —"

"Stop," Lin said through her teeth, "I don't want to hear from her anymore, and please take her to the couple waiting outside. I know they are dying to meet their new daughter."

The newborn child continued to cry even though Katara tried to soothe her. The two healers look at each other and to the earthbender who is still not looking to her child.

"Are you already sure, Lin? At your decision? You know you can still change your mind," Katara said gently.

"Yes. So go ahead and get her away from me."

"Then please give her a name before you give her out," Katara said to earthbender .

Lin scoffed, "Why bother? And besides her new parents deserve to name her as they are the ones who will take care of her."

"You deserve much more to name her as you are her mother, Lin," Katara said.

"No. I'm not her mother," Lin snarled and muttered, "I don't deserve to become her mother."

"Why not? Of course, you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No. I don't," Lin said much stronger than the earlier.

Katara sighed and shook her head at the stubbornness of the woman.

"Then look at her, Lin, hold her. If not, you will never forgive yourself for not holding her or looking into her eyes."

Lin shook her head and refused to look at the baby. She couldn't know anything else about the baby she just gave birth to.

"Just please— please, Katara take the baby out of here," Lin said willing the tears in her eyes not to fall.

But Katara didn't and instead walked beside the earthbender. Lin turned her head and looked at the ceiling.

"Hold her, Lin, just once," Katara tried again.

Lin shook her head and closed her eyes, "I can't."

"Tell me, Lin. Why you couldn't? Why can't you hold her just for once?"

"Because I know if I hold her I won't be able to let her go!" Lin cried.

Lin knew if she held her child, she would never be able to let the child go and she needed to let go. She couldn't be a mother.

After the accident with Suyin, whom she failed to raise, Lin was afraid to become a mother. She also feared that her relationship with her daughter would end up like she and her mother, Toph. She got so much fear that she decided to give her daughter. Because she knew what was best for her daughter and what was best for herself.

Katara only smiled at her, "Is that such a bad thing," she asked taking a step closer to her bedside.

Lin looked at the older woman nervously, her eyes drifting to the child in her arms, "Katara..." she whispered.

"Hold out your arms," Katara instructed in a gentle, but stern tone.

Lin stared at Katara but did as she asked and watched as she lowered the infant into her shaky arms. Once in her arms, the little girl stopped crying almost immediately and opened her little eyelids to reveal soft emerald eyes.

As soon as Katara released the baby, Lin pulled her daughter closer unable to look away from the little infant in her arms. Lin stared into the baby's eyes and could no longer hold back the sobs that had been welling up in her throat.

This was her baby.

This was her baby girl.

Her daughter.

She smiled and then laughed as the tears fell down her cheeks.

"Hello," Lin said softly to the baby, "It's nice to meet you..."

Lin's breath caught in her throat. The idea of letting this baby go and allowing someone else to take her was enough to break her heart, but now the idea seemed to destroy her. And she knew in that moment, looking down into the baby's emerald eyes she was going to keep her baby.

Lin brought her forefinger to the baby's cheek, brushing the baby's cheeks softly, and whispered, "I will never fail you like how I failed Suyin. I will try my best to become a better mother. And I will love you and protect you with my entire life."

Katara smiled as she rested her hand on Lin's shoulder while Kya on the other shoulder as she pressed her lips to the baby's forehead, knowing she would do anything and everything in her power to keep the baby safe and never let go.

And just like that the rain outside stopped as the baby gave a small smile to her mother.

Author's Note

English is not my first language so I'm sorry if there were any grammatical errors or typos.