How did you know?

by Spirit_wolf19

Summary:

Asami seeks out help from an unlikely adversary, Chief Lin Beifong, to make a special dinner for Korra.
During their time together, though, secrets are revealed.

What kind?

Well, you'll just have to read to find out.

Notes:

Hey everyone, this is my first story. Had help editing from AdamantiaDark and my beta readers. I hope you enjoy it!
Let me know in the comments your thoughts

Chapter 1

The office was relevantly empty. There were only Mako and another detective alongside Lin still doing paperwork in the late afternoon. Lin was trying to understand the chicken scratch writing of a report about an attempted theft in Avatar Korra Park by a rookie officer when she heard the main door to the bullpen open. She lifted her head slightly to glance through her door to see who it was and was surprised to see Asami. She watched as Asami made her way to Mako’s desk and sat down in the chair next to it.

 

“Hey, Asami, what brings you here?” Mako asked, sitting up and putting down his pen, giving her his full attention.

 

“Hey, came by to see how you are doing and if by any chance you know how to cook any southern water tribe cuisine? I know it’s a long shot, but I had to ask,” said Asami as she leaned her elbow on the desk and her other hand in the air.

 

“I’m good. Swamped with tracking down a hit-and-run and filling out three theft reports.” He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.  “And like you suspected, I don’t know any water tribe recipes, heck, I barely know more than three recipes to feed myself. Most days, I get take-out or eat at Air Temple Island, and if I’m lucky, Bolin might invite me over for dinner if Opal has cooked something,” he said while rubbing the back of his neck. “Did you ask Pema?”

 

Asami dropped her head forward and sighed, “Yeah, I did, and shockingly Katara never taught her any water tribe dishes. She only knows Air Nation and Earth Kingdom recipes. I even went to Narook’s to ask for their seaweed noodles recipe, but they refused to give it even after I offered them a good amount of money.”

 

“Well, restaurants are pretty private about their cooking techniques, and they wouldn’t want someone getting their hands on it to open another shop and steal their customers,” he shrugged. “Why do you need a recipe so bad? Why not just get some take-out?” he cocked his head, looking at her confused. 

 

Lin shook her head slightly while looking over her paperwork after hearing his questions. She may not know the young woman well, but even she could guess as to why she was seeking out help.

 

Asami lifted her head and looked at Mako with a raised eyebrow “Because my girlfriend, Korra, who’s from the southern water tribe, has been traveling through the fire nation for the last month on Avatar business, and she’s coming back on Friday. I was hoping I could surprise her with a home-cooked meal since I know she’s been missing the South, it’s been a while since she last visited. I thought it would be a nice surprise to make her something that reminded her of home, " she said softly, looking off to the side. “But I can’t seem to find anyone who can help me, and I don’t want to get takeout 'cause it’s just not the same as a home-cooked meal,” she said dejectedly. 

 

After hearing how down Asami was about her situation, Lin started to contemplate on if she should help her or not. She wasn’t a fan of hanging around people who weren’t her family, but over the years, she’d gotten to know team Avatar, and she could confidently say she preferred Asami’s company out of all four of them. She thought back on the promise she’d made to Kya a while back. 

 

 

“Promise me you’ll try to reach out and connect to other people while I’m gone, don’t hole yourself up in your office. I mean, I know you’re an introvert, but try a little. I worry about you when I’m gone.” Uttered Kya as she rested her left hand on Lin’s shoulder while tilting her head slightly to catch her eyes.

 

She smiled at her softly, making Lin blush and turn her head as she grumbled. “I’ll try.”

 

 Hearing that, Kya smiled a little brighter. “That’s all I can ask, I’ll see you soon, Lin.” she squeezed her shoulder, then turned and boarded the boat.

 

Lin stared after her till she disappeared inside and then reappeared on the deck. They waved at each other. She stood on the port looking out towards the sea until she could no longer see the boat.

 

 

Lin shook herself out of the memory and exhaled deeply, deciding it was time to attempt connecting with someone. That someone being Asami. She lifted her head, put her pen down, and called out, “Sato, my office!”

 

Asami, startled by the call, sat up straight from her slouched position and turned her head towards the chief’s office but didn’t move.

 

“NOW, Sato, I don’t have all day,” Lin said as she rubbed her temple.

 

Asami quickly stood up and made her way to Lin’s office while giving Mako a look of confusion. Who in return shrugged his shoulders, being as lost as her. When Asami entered the office, Lin lifted her head and shut the door with her bending.  

 

“Sit down,” she gestured to the seat in front of her desk. Once Asami had sat down, Lin folded her hands on the desk.

 

“I hear you’re looking for someone to teach you water tribe recipes?” Asami tilted her head, slightly bewildered by her question. 

 

“Yes, I am. Do you know anyone who could assist me?” she inquired while straightening her spine and raising a brow. 

 

“I do. Me.” Lin stated as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. The eyes of the girl across from her went wide in bewilderment. 

 

“You? I mean, no offense, Chief Beifong, but you don’t seem like the kind of person who has time to cook, and specifically water tribe cuisine…” Asami queried, not truly believing the woman in front of her.

 

“I know I may spend most of my time here at the station, but on my days off, I cook enough to sustain myself for a week, so I don’t have to worry about food during my shifts. Also, I spent a lot of my free time as a child on the island, helping Katara in the kitchen, so I learned a thing or two about how to make southern dishes.” Lin said, making a dismissive gesture with her hand.

 

“Oh, I… I didn’t know that,” the Sato girl said while gazing at her in astonishment.

 

The chief shrugged “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,” she smirked before leaning forward to grab a pen and paper. “These are the ingredients you’ll need to get for Friday,” she wrote down on her pad of paper before tearing the page and handing it to the woman across from her. “I’ll bring the rest of the components that we’ll need from my kitchen because it would take too long to import them.”

 

Asami looked at the paper and then up at Lin with a soft smile “Thank you, chief.”

 

Lin nodded “No problem, kid. I’ll see you on Friday at noon sharp at your place.” Then she grabbed her pen and got back to her paperwork.

 

“Yes, I’ll see you then.” The heiress stood up from her chair and pocketed the list. She understood that the conversation had reached its end, there was no reason to drag it out, especially when both women were very busy. As she reached the door handle, she turned slightly back towards Chief Beifong and said, “Have a good rest of your day, chief”

 

Lin, now focused on deciphering the reports in front of her, just grunted and raised her hand in acknowledgment. She watched from the corner of her eye as Asami walked through the bullpen, waved goodbye to Mako, and then proceeded to exit the building. She could tell just by watching the girl that her spirits had been raised after finding someone to help. Lin just hoped she didn’t regret helping her later.

 

 

---

 

 

After pocketing her car keys and securing the bag with the missing ingredients, Lin braced herself mentally, hoping she wouldn’t regret this by the end of the night, before ringing the doorbell. A couple of moments later, Asami opened the door, looking stressed but relieved at the same time.

 

Lin raised her eyebrow and asked gruffly noted. “You seem stressed.”

 

Hearing that, Asami sighed heavily and dropped her head “That obvious, huh?” She looked up and moved out of the way to let the chief in, who just nodded in affirmation. “I guess I want this meal to turn out good since this has been the first time we’ve been apart for so long, other than her recovery in the south.” She explained while walking further into the house, with her guest following, after closing the door. “And I'm freaking out about the dang tablecloth and what to wear.”

 

She stopped abruptly when a hand landed on her shoulder.

 

“Easy, kid. Take a deep breath.” The elder instructed. Asami closed her eyes and took some deep breaths, centering herself. Once she opened her eyes, Beifong checked in on her “Feeling better?”

 

“Yeah, sorry for rambling,” the heiress said shyly, rubbing the back of her neck.

 

“Don’t worry about it.” The chief patted her on the shoulder and then dropped her hand “How about we start by you showing me the kitchen.” Lin smiled softly, nodding towards the girl to lead the way.

 

Asami nodded her head and turned to lead the way to the kitchen. They left the grand foyer, walking down a hall that led to a swinging door. “As you can see.” Sato swung open the door. “This is the kitchen, and through this door is the dining room,” she said as she opened the door on the other side of the room.

 

 Lin looked into a dining table that could fit ten people, with three different tablecloths and two sets of plates scattered around. She looked at the CEO while raising her eyebrow in an ‘Are you kidding me look.’ 

 

Asami raised her hands in surrender “I can’t decide, okay? I was hoping you would have a suggestion?” she asked hopefully.

 

Beifong shook her head “Kid, you’re trying too hard, keep it simple.” She looked around the kitchen. She took notice of the island that was in the middle, which seemed to have comfy stools. “Have dinner in here, where you’ll be able to sit across from each other and talk normally without having to use a telephone.” She recommended.

 

The younger one contemplated the idea before nodding her head “You’re right, I'll get the tablecloth and plates to set it up while you get comfortable. I’ll only be a moment.” She then walked back down the hall they had come from, muttering to herself.

 

Lin looked around the kitchen. It has a warm, inviting, spacious layout, filled with a sharp scent of incense. In the middle was a large island table that could seat four, crafted from rich hardwood with a smooth polished surface. The island served as both a functioning workplace and a meal spot from what she could tell, with its comfy bar stools tucked neatly underneath. Surrounding the island, there’s sleek cabinetry in the same wood tone as the islands. The countertops are made of elegant marble, providing more than enough space for meal prep. From what she can see, the kitchen is well equipped with modern appliances and has large windows to allow natural light to pour in. With the help of the natural light, it causes an airy atmosphere by highlighting the countertops and island with a golden glow. 

 

 After studying the kitchen, Lin turned towards the counter closest to her to deposit the bag with the last ingredients they needed. She then lays her wallet and keys on the far side of the counter closest to the door, in front of the bag that held the seaweed bread. 

 

Asami walks back into the room with her arms full and deposits the silk tablecloth on the counter and a set of fine China along with it. The chief went over to help her set up the island quickly so they could prepare the food before it got too late. Once they were done, the young woman grabbed a red and blue candle holder to display in the middle of the island as a finishing touch.

 

“So, what now, Chief?” inquired Asami as she looked at the older woman for guidance.

 

“First of all, since we’re not out in public, you can call me Lin, but don’t tell Korra, cause if you give that girl an inch, she will take a mile,” instructed Lin as she pinched the bridge of her nose with a smirk on her face. “Second of all, let’s start with making the Yue mooncakes. We’ll need to make the lotus and taro paste, the sweetened water chestnuts, and then the dough.” She said as she pointed out each ingredient on her fingers. “Once we finish that, we will combine everything and add some jam to bring it all together. When that’s in the oven, I’ll teach you how to make sea prune soup.” Lin said as she turned to pull out the special cake cutter and shaper tools.

 

“Ugh, okay…” Asami trailed off as she looked at her, a little lost and overwhelmed. Beifong, noticing this over her shoulder, smiles slightly at her.

 

“Don’t sweat it. Baking is like science, while cooking is more about the feeling.” Lin looked off into the distance with furrowed eyebrows. “at least that’s the hippy nonsense I was fed when I started, so we’ll see how it goes.” She shrugged.

 

Asami giggled softly “At least I’m good at science, so that should help…hopefully”

 

Lin hummed thoughtfully as she finished unloading the bag. She then turned to face the heiress and declared. “Alright, enough lollygagging,” capturing her attention. “Get out a pot and a pan,” she ordered as she watched the girl search for the cookware.

 

 The chief could feel through her bending that the kitchenware was in the cupboard under the gas stove. She watched as Asami looked around, opening cupboards and missing what they needed. “You don’t cook often, do you?” Lin inquired.

 

Asami hearing the question dropped her head and looked at her bashfully. “What gave it away?”

 

“Well, the pans are under the stove, and you are looking into the cupboard that holds the pasta maker,” said Lin with a soft smirk on her face as she pointed toward the stove. “And before you ask how metal bender remember”

 

The Heiress smiled and nodded her head in defeat. She walked over and got the cookware out. Beifong walked towards her to start the baking process.

 

The chief, over the next hour, explained and guided the young woman through the baking process. Then helped her make the broth for the stew that needed to boil for the remainder of the afternoon. Once the prep work was all done and all they could do was wait, Asami asked if Lin could walk her through the process of some other simple water tribe cuisine.

 

After a while, it was almost time to add the sausage to the broth and take the Yue cakes out of the oven. Lin instructed the CEO to remove the mooncakes from the oven as she tended to the soup.

 

“Asami, when you're done there, can you slice the seaweed bread, then put it in the oven to warm it up?” Lin asked as she added the last of seasoning to the sea prune soup.

 

“Sure thing,” said the heiress as she took the Yue’s mooncakes out of the oven. Once she put them on the cooling rack by the window, she passed behind the chief to grab the bread bag. “So, how did you know which bakery made authentic seaweed bread?” inquired Asami as she pulled the bag towards herself, not paying attention to what was in front of it.

 

Lin was staring at the soup while stirring, making sure it looked right since it had been a while since she last made it. “When you’ve lived in this city as long as I have, you learn a thing or two about all the hidden food places,” she said gruffly with a small smile as she thought of how and with whom she uncovered those spots.

 

The CEO, not watching what she was doing as she listened, knocked over the chief’s things. The sound of objects falling on the ground made them both jump slightly. Once she realized what she’d knocked over, she dropped the bag on the cupboard and crouched to pick it up while apologizing.

 

Lin, after turning her head slightly to see what had fallen, just turned back to the stove while waiving Asami off, explaining it wasn’t a big deal.

 

What she didn’t realize was that her wallet had fallen open, and some things had fallen out.

 

As Asami was picking up a few bills and cards that had fallen out of the wallet, she noticed on the floor a picture that was upside down that had an inscription on it. She picked it up and brought it closer to her to read the cursive writing. She quickly looked over her shoulder at Lin to make sure she hadn’t noticed, only for her to be looking contemplatively between a bag of fire flakes and the soup. Seeing she was occupied, she refocused on the words. They were slightly faded, but she managed to understand what it said.

 

‘We are always with you,

even from afar,

love your family ‘

 

The heiress, thinking it was a picture from Suyin, flipped it over, expecting to see the Beifong clan, and was shocked to see a stranger and Kya hugging the chief. She stood up slowly to study the photo closer since it was faded and wrinkled from being pulled in and out of the wallet.

 

Studying the background, she figured that the picture was taken at one of the poles due to the snow on the ground and the iceberg floating in the ocean. She then focused on Kya, who was wearing a blue parka, which she remembered seeing her with the last time she visited the south. The healer had her arms wrapped around Lin’s waist and her head leaning against hers. Beifong had her arm around Kya’s shoulder, pulling her toward her as if trying to use her as a shield from the cold.

 

Asami couldn’t blame her if she were cause the south is always cold, even during summer.

 

She refocused her thoughts back to the picture and away from the weather of the south.

 

More specifically to the other person in the picture. From what she could tell, the other person was taller than Lin, and if she had to guess, was about Kya’s height. They were wearing a blue parka like the healers, but it had green stitching and some design on their chest that she couldn’t make out. She noticed that her right arm was around Lin’s shoulders while in her left hand, she held a spear. Just as she was about to focus on the person’s face, she felt a hand land on her shoulder, making her jump.

 

“Hey kid, you, okay?” Lin asked softly, concerned as she turned Asami towards her so she could get a good look at her face. She’d gotten concerned after hearing only silence ever since her stuff fell.

 

She studied the heiress’ face, noticing she looked guilty, almost like a little kid who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar before dinner.

 

She raised an eyebrow at Asami, who then looked away from her questioning eyes and down to her hands. Lin followed her eyesight and felt her blood run cold when her eyes landed on the picture she’d kept hidden in her wallet for 10 years.

 

She reached out and snatched the picture and her wallet from Asami’s hands. “WHAT THE FLAMEO are you doing going through my wallet!!” demanded Lin coldly while trying to get her wallet back in order as fast as she could while glaring at the woman in front of her.

 

Asami looked down at the floor while trying to sputter out an apology and an explanation as to how the picture ended up in her hands. But finding it difficult while the chief of police glared at her. She’s gone up against investors who try to undermine her every decision but can’t seem to look the chief in the eyes. She started to anxiously fidget with her fingers as she tried to explain.

 

“I…I’m sorry…I didn’t… I didn’t mean to...everything just fell out,” as she gestured to the floor “I was just picking stuff up and … and came across it.” She looked up at Lin.

 

When Asami’s light green eyes were lined with unshed tears of panic, they locked momentarily with Lin’s, and Beifong felt her heart squeeze. The girl quickly looked away.

 

“I didn’t mean to snoop. I just... *hiccup* ...got curious...” she softly trailed off.

 

The chief, after seeing the tears in the young woman’s eyes, softened, knowing she meant no harm. And just like that, she remembered Asami was just a young woman, a kid compared to her, even though she could hold a conversation better than most adults. She knows the young Sato wouldn’t have gone through her wallet looking for dirt, not like Korra would have. Even though she knows Korra would only snoop to have something to taunt her with. That girl, at times, was too curious for her own good. Apparently, the Avatar has never heard the phrase curiosity killed the catgator.  She should probably tell her that next time she sees her, maybe she will think before she acts and won’t be such a pain in the ass.

 

Lin shook herself out of those thoughts, knowing she had to focus on the now and not possible future conversations with the avatar. When she focused back on Asami, she noticed how she had her eyes closed with her head towards the ground, and she seemed to be prepping herself for a tongue lashing.

 

The chief took a deep breath, trying to get her agitation under control. It wasn’t Asami’s fault the picture fell out. She noticed how the girl tensed up and thought back to something Kya had said.

 

“We can’t hide forever, Lin, at some point, the truth will come out. Let’s make sure it’s on our terms and not someone else’s”

 

Beifong let her shoulders drop from their tense defensive spot and released her breath slowly.

 

“Listen, kid. I know you did it on accident…and huh… I’m sorry for yelling,” Lin tried apologizing awkwardly. She never really was good with apologies. “I know you’re not Korra…” she trailed off with a smirk on her face, trying to bring some humor to the situation.

 

Asami looked up at her, shocked, but by the time Chief trailed off, she couldn’t help but giggle a little.

 

“It’s okay, Chief, I know I crossed a line, I’m sorry.” She then turned fully towards Lin and smiled a little. “But you’re right I’m not like Korra, I only date her,” she said with a smirk, while the older women chuckled softly.

 

Beifong waved off the apology “What did I tell you, kid, call me Lin when I’m not on duty,” she said, smiling slightly at the heiress. She then dropped her wallet back on the counter after putting the picture in her back pocket. Then, she walked back to the stove to check on the soup. “I don’t know how you stand to be with Korra sometimes, but … I’m happy for you guys.” She refused to look at the other woman while saying that.

 

Asami got back to getting the bread out of the bag to prep it for dinner “Thank you, Lin” She started to slice the bread but kept wondering about the picture and what it meant. She stayed silent for a few minutes as she cut and put the bread on the baking pan and then into the oven while periodically sneaking glances at the chief.

 

Who, at that moment, was getting the puffin seal sausage out of the fridge to grill it. As she was heating the pan, Lin could feel the insistent gaze of the young Sato but had decided to see how long she would hold out before asking about the photo. Just as the pan had started to reach the required heat, the girl spoke.

 

“If you don’t mind me asking, who are they to you?” Asami asked. When Lin looked over her shoulder at her, the young girl’s face looked shocked but also curious. When she noticed the chief looking at her, she tried to placate her by saying, “Only if you want to say something, of course. I…I won’t force you.” The older women nodded, turned back to the pan, and added the sausage.

 

Asami was slightly disheartened, thinking she wouldn’t get an answer but also understood why since Chief Beifong was a very private person. She went over to the sink to start on the dishes.

 

Lin smirked softly, letting the girl think she wasn’t going to say something, even though she didn’t want to. She knew it would make Kya proud and be a good practice run for when they finally told everyone else.

 

“It’s a picture of my family” Asami froze when she heard Lin’s voice but quickly went back to washing the dishes knowing that bringing too much attention to her would possibly make her close off.

 

Beifong, not hearing a response from the young girl, decided to continue.

 

“I’m guessing you recognized Kya?” Lin asked while looking at Asami from the corner of her eye when she saw her nod her head, she continued. “She’s my wife, and the woman on my other side is our daughter”

 

To say that Asami was shocked is an understatement. She couldn’t believe the chief had a kid and a wife, and no one knew about it. “But how?” she asked, perplexed.

 

Lin smiled softly at the young girl before adding some herbs to the pan, stirring the soup, and flipping the sausage. “We’ve been married for 18 years, but I’ve been helping Kya raise her kid since she was 5. The girl is 27, and before you ask how she came to be, know that’s a conversation you’re going to have to have with Kya,” she said while looking pointedly at Asami and pointing the wooden spoon at her. The girl raised her soapy hands in surrender with a soft smile on her face.

 

“I figured the age and numbers aren’t making a lot of sense to you,” she said while looking at the young woman.

 

Asami nodded thoughtfully “If my calculations are correct, weren’t you still with Tenzin then?” Beifong looked at her, unimpressed

 

“First of all, how the flameo do you know when I was dating Tenzin?”

 

The heiress raised an eyebrow and stated, “From who else, Korra.” as if it could have been anyone else. The chief took a deep breath to calm her frustration while eternally planning how to kill Tenzin and Korra without getting caught.

 

“Of course, who else?” she said sarcastically. “Anyway, you need to understand that Kya and I have been close friends since we were teenagers. We lost contact with each other when she went traveling, but when she came back into my life…. I was going through a hard time. Tenzin and I had just broken up, and she was dealing with raising a rambunctious 5-year-old. We essentially helped each other out through some difficult times. We were there for each other when we each needed a friend. And after a while, we just ended up together.” Lin said softly while smiling, getting lost in memories.

 

Asami finishing up with the last of the dishes, smiled at Beifong, she could tell from what little Lin had shared that she cared about Kya deeply. Who would have thought that there was someone who could make the woman of steel soft? As she was about to ask more about her secret life, she smelled something burning.

 

“Um, is something burning?”

 

Lin looked perplexed at the young woman when suddenly her eye grew wide, and she turned toward the pan with the now slightly burnt sausage. She pulled the pan off the gas stove while grumbling under her breath.

 

“Thankfully, it’s only a little burnt, we can still use it in the stew,” she stated after checking it. She looked over at the Sato girl, noting that she had just finished with the dishes. “Come over here and keep an eye on the soup as I cut this up then you can add it.” She said while indicating with her head towards the pot. In the meantime, Beifong moved over to the cutting board to slice up the meat.

 

As Asami stood in front of the stove, she gathered the courage to ask the chief more about her life, even though she was not too sure how smart that was to do while she was holding a knife. 

 

“What led to you guys keeping your relationship a secret for so long?

 

Lin paused her cutting momentarily before resuming “At first, we kept quiet about our situation to avoid the press figuring out about Kya’s kid at the time because she wanted to keep her out of the spotlight. Not because she was ashamed but because she wanted to spare her daughter from growing up in the shadow of the avatar Aang. Especially since she’s his first grandchild.”

 

The heiress hummed in understanding, “I get wanting to keep her out of the spotlight, I wish my father had done the same when I was younger.” Lin nodded in agreement and squeezed the girl’s shoulder before she continued explaining. 

 

“After we had gotten together, at that point, we had gotten used to keeping it a secret, and it didn’t help that at the time, I was getting a lot of death threats from the triads and some crooked cops.” She saw Asami’s shocked and concerned face upon hearing that. She felt one side of her mouth go up, noticing that. “It was during my first few years as chief I was cleaning out house and implementing new rules of reform to the police department, and many weren’t happy about it. Kya, at the time, was very concerned about my safety, but all I cared about was theirs. I couldn’t let anyone find out about them cause then they’d be used against me in some way. During that time, I prohibited them from visiting the city, we only conversed through letters, and it was hard” She felt Asami lay her hand on her shoulder in comfort. She shot her a grateful smile before handing over the sausage.

 

The CEO added it to the stew and started mixing while Lin removed the bread slices from the oven and cleaned up the last of the dishes.

 

“When all that had passed at that point, we had been doing it for so long…  we were just comfortable in our little bubble. Also, back then, not many people would have accepted their chief of police being married to a woman. So, it worked out for us.” She finished while shrugging.

 

“That must have been hard. I can’t imagine being away from Korra like that. It’s been hard this past month with her in the fire nation.” She stated while looking at Lin sadly.

 

“You do what you have to to protect those you love.” The older woman shrugged and looked at her with melancholy.

 

Asami wanted to change the subject to something happier and noticed she didn’t have a lot of time before Korra arrived, so she decided to ask about the picture.

 

“So…” Lin looked at her expectedly “When was that picture taken?”

 

Beifong huffed softly as she pulled the said picture out from her back pocket. She held it in her hand and gazed at it fondly before handing it over to Asami.

 

“It was taken about 10 years ago after she graduated from warrior training. I wasn't supposed to make it because I had an important case holding me up that I couldn't get away from, but I managed to solve it a couple of days beforehand. I got on the earliest ship I could to the south and made it in the nick of time. They were both overjoyed that I had made it, and I was so proud of her. Katara's the one who took that photo," Lin said as she smiled softly at the memory.

 

“That sounds like it was a very special moment for you guys! I’m glad Katara was able to capture the memory.” The chief hummed in agreement. “Does anyone other than Katara know about you guys?” Asami inquired, while also thinking it was odd that Lin hadn’t mentioned her daughter’s name yet, but decided to focus instead on the picture.

 

She refocused her attention on the stranger, who she now knows is Kya’s and Lin’s daughter. They had rich chestnut brown hair that was sectioned into five braids, one big one on top and two small ones on each side of their head. The small braids, from what she could see, were adorned with some beads or traditional elements that contrasted beautifully with their striking heterochromatic eyes. One a light blue and the other a soft green that draws you in and conveys a sense of tranquility. Her eyebrows are full and expressive, except the left one, which has a diagonal scar going through it.  She could tell even under the thick parka that she had a slightly muscular build that was complemented nicely by her strong, defined jawline, which gave her an air of confidence in her appearance. She had high cheekbones that gave her face a sculpted appearance and a slightly crooked smile that gave her a joyful air. Her overall appearance blends strength and femininity smoothly.

 

As Asami studied the photograph, Lin sighed and explained who knew their secret.

 

“Well, as you can imagine, Kya couldn’t keep the pregnancy hidden from Katara, so she’s taken up a pretty important role in our life. By helping us raise her and keeping this all a secret. Bumi found out about 20 years ago when he went for a surprise visit up south, and he was quite surprised to find a seven-year-old opening the door and calling out for her mom, who then turned out to be Kya.” Lin smirked “I’m quite glad I wasn’t there for that conversation”

 

Asami cringed while chuckling “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be there either”

 

“Fire Lord Izumi knows since she was the first- and only person Kya called when she found out she was with child. Oh, and my deputy chief knows, but he figured it out on his own about 8 years ago. Which is convenient for me since he can cover for me anytime I have a family emergency.”

 

“What about the tribe?” The heiress wondered while tilting her head sideways towards Lin.

 

“Well, they know but at the same time don’t. I’m guessing Korra’s parents must have explained to you that in the water tribes, you can be who you are, they don’t care as long as you don’t flaunt it?” she waited till the CEO nodded her head “Well that’s how they dealt with our situation, they knew we existed, but didn’t pay us any mind which worked in our favor. It was hard at times, but it was the best possible outcome.”

 

Asami contemplated what she was told and gave back the picture. She watched as Lin looked longingly at the picture before putting it away.

 

“What’s her name?”

 

Lin acted a fool by looking at her questionably.

 

“Your daughter’s name. What is it?” The heiress repeated while turning to face the chief.

 

“Nunya,” Lin said while crossing her arms.

 

“Nunya, what?” Asami wanted to know if she had taken the earth bender’s last name or not.

 

“Nunya business,” the chief stated with a smirk.

 

Asami was left in a state of shock and a stuttering mess. Not expecting the abrasive Lin Beifong to make a joke. “Wha…what?”

 

Lin shook her head softly while moving around the young woman to turn off the gas stove. “I get to keep some things private, kid,” she said while looking at her from the side of her eye as she stirred for one last time the sea prune soup before putting on the cover. “Alright, the food is ready, and Korra should be here in 10 to 15 minutes. It’s time for you to get ready, I’ll keep the food warm in the meantime.” Beifong stated after looking at the clock above the entry door and noticing the time. She then proceeded to try and shoo the heiress from the kitchen to get ready.

 

But Asami wasn’t about to leave without asking one more question.

 

“One last thing, and I’ll go,” she exclaimed while turning to face the other woman with her arms raised placidly.

 

Lin groaned to show her fake annoyance when, in reality, it felt good for someone who wasn’t blood-sucking leach (reporter) to be interested in her life.

 

“What is it, Miss Sato?”

 

“I’m curious, you don’t wear a ring nor a betrothal necklace, do you have a certain piece of clothing or accessories that you wear that signifies your marriage?” inquired Asami lightly, not wanting to pressure her.

 

Beifong smirked at her “Who said I don’t have a ring?” she asked rhetorically as she reached for the platinum necklace hidden under her green button-up.

 

When the necklace came free of the shirt, hanging off the end was a platinum ring.

 

“I have this ring, which, as you can see, has the same design as Kya’s necklace. I can’t wear it on my ring finger during work hours and in public without raising suspicion, so instead, I wear it on my neck, that way, I always have it on me.” She said while showing the young girl the ring.

 

“Also, that way, it’s closer to your heart, that’s…sweet” Asami’s remark made Lin’s eyebrows raise almost to her hairline, making her realize she may have been a little bit too vulnerable. 

 

She immediately set her face into her famous scowl and stuffed the ring back under her shirt.

 

“Right off you go,” she grumbled as she turned back towards the stove, there was nothing else to do, but she sure was going to act like there was so the conversation could end.

 

Asami realizing that the older woman had closed off, decided to leave her be. She left the kitchen and walked through the mansion till she reached her room. There, she quickly changed into a red-fitted dining dress. That accentuates her waist, flowing into a graceful A-line skirt that skims just above the floor with heels on and that has a slit that starts mid-thigh. The neckline is a daring off-shoulder shape that beautifully frames her collarbones and shoulders, adding a bold, sensual touch.

 

Once she was done adding the last finishing touches to her makeup, she checked herself in the mirror before deciding she was acceptable and returning to the kitchen.

 

She found Lin finishing putting away the last of the dishes from the drying rack. The chief, feeling her arrival through the tiled flooring, turned to face her.

 

“Looking good, Sato,” the heiress blushed at the chief’s complement.

 

“Thank you, Lin.” The older woman nodded her head while she leaned against the sink with her arms crossed. After glancing at the clock, she decided it was time to go.

“Well, food is ready, tables set, and Korra will be here soon, so I best be going on my way,” Beifong said as she headed to pick up her wallet and keys.

 

Once Asami heard her, she quickly made her way to the plate full of Yue cakes and grabbed on her way a cloth wrap.  She then placed 4 of the 12 Mooncakes in the center of the wrap, then brought the corners together, and tied them off, making a small bag. She then turned towards Lin, who was standing by the entrance of the kitchen and headed towards her.

 

“Here, take these,” as she handed the bag to Beifong.

 

“No, I couldn’t they’re for your meal,” she said, and she took a step back.

 

Asami rolled her eyes and thrust the bag into her arms “There a thank you for all your help”

 

“Oh,” Lin exclaimed as she looked at the bag, mystified “No problem, kid, glad I could help,” she said awkwardly.

 

The heiress smiled softly at the chief’s awkwardness and watched her nod, then turn to head out when she was struck with one last question. 

 

“Lin, sorry, one last thing,” she called out, making the other woman stop in her tracks in the middle of the hall and angle her head towards her in acknowledgment. “Why doesn’t Pema know how to make water tribe dishes? Shouldn’t Katara have taught her? Since, you know, she’s her daughter-in-law and all?” she inquired.

 

Lin smirked smugly “Let’s just say Katara wasn’t happy with Tenzin and how he handled everything but was especially miffed with Pema’s role in it all. So as a sign of displeasure and pettiness, she vowed to never teach her any water tribe meals.” She said, chuckling lightly. “Truthfully, I would have thought she’d given in by now, but Katara’s stubbornness beats all else.” She shook her head, breathing out a few last chuckles.

 

“Friendly advice,” she said while looking intently at the young woman. “Never cross a woman from the Water tribes. Otherwise, you’ll regret it.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” The CEO said as she smiled in acceptance at the other women.

 

Lin nodded, knowing that her advice was heard, and turned to head toward the main door to leave. When suddenly, she heard the door open, and in walked the Avatar.

 

“SAMI! I’M HOME!” yelled Korra as she closed the door behind her and dropped her rucksack onto the floor beside it. She turned and scanned the room and stopped when her eyes landed on Chief Beifong.

 

“Chief? Everything okay?” she asked, her face conveying concern as she looked around nervously, trying to spot Asami.

 

As Lin went to answer, Asami laid a hand on her shoulder and stepped up next to her so Korra could see her.

 

“Everything’s okay, Darling. No need to fret.” Sato placated while smiling at her girlfriend softly. “Chief Beifong is here because she was helping me with dinner,” she sent a grateful smile to the older woman.

 

“Oh, okay,” The avatar said distractedly as she stared at the heiress, captivated by her beauty.

 

 She shook herself out of her daze and crossed the room to take Asami in her arms and give her a soft kiss. Not letting herself get too carried away since there was someone else present.

 

Lin, not being one for public affection, shied away from the couple and tried to make a discrete exit.

 

The couple separated, gazing at each other while basking in the sense of reconnection and warmth. Before they could get too lost in each other, and Lin exit the door.

 

“Wait, why was Chief helping you with cooking and not Goro?” asked Korra while shooting confused looks between both women.

 

“Because Goro doesn’t know how to make dishes from the South, but Beifong does,” Asami explained while nodding her head toward the older woman and turning Korra towards her. “She taught me how to make Yue cakes and sea prune soup for tonight.” She said proudly while smiling. 

 

Korra’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “I didn’t know you could cook, chief,” she said in disbelief.

 

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, kid,” Lin stated gruffly while she put on her overcoat.

 

Korra wanted to know what she meant by that, but knowing she wouldn’t get anything out of the steel-lipped Beifong, she decided not to push. She looked toward Asami while Lin was opening the door when she was hit with a thought.

 

“Sami, how did you know that those were my favorites? I don’t remember mentioning it to you ever.” She inquired, perplexed.

 

“Oh, I didn’t. Chief Beifong told me what ingredients to get, and then we just made the food.” Answered back Asami while shrugging.

 

The avatar was left perplexed and turned toward the Chief but noticed that she had already exited the mansion. She left the heiress’s embrace and chased after Beifong.

 

By the time Korra had exited the house, Asami had an idea of how Lin knew.

 

Once outside, she looked around for the metal bender's car. She found her opening the driver’s door and jogged towards her while calling out.

 

“Wait, Chief! How did you know?”

 

Lin turned to look at her, keeping her right hand on the top of her door while raising an eyebrow at the avatar, indicating for her to elaborate.

 

“The meal you made with Asami, how did you know it was my favorite?” she asked again, stopping a couple of feet from her. Knowing that only a handful of people knew, that being her parents, Katara and Kya.

 

Beifong looked at the Avatar with a smirk and answered back, “Simple Avatar, my wife told me.” Stunning Korra, so that she froze in place while her brain miss fired trying to make sense of what she said.

 

Lin took advantage of the Avatar’s astoundment, got into her car, and proceeded to drive away.

 

While going down the driveway, Korra regained her senses and started to call out to her. Though her words were lost in the distance, swallowed by the hum of the car as it drove away.

 

Knowing she could chase after her on her air scooter to get the answers she wanted but also not wanting to leave her girlfriend, she decided to put her curiosity on hold. She would hunt Chief Beifong down tomorrow and demand answers.

 

She turned to head inside and found Asami waiting by the door.

 

“I’m guessing you have questions about what she said.”

 

Korra looked at her girlfriend while tilting her head to the side, just like Naga does at times. “Yeah…, wouldn’t you?

 

The heiress shrugged and headed inside. She turned to look at the avatar over her shoulder before saying.

 

 “Well, I did” 

 

“What do you mean you did?!?” As she walked through the doorway, confused.

 

“Well, why don’t you meet me in the kitchen and find out” Asami walked towards the kitchen door before turning and winking at Korra and disappearing behind the door.

 

All that could be heard from the Sato mansion after the door was shut was the thumping from the avatar’s feet as she ran after the heiress, calling out her name.

 

 

---

 

Lin shook her head at the avatar’s antics.

 

On the drive back to her apartment in the downtown district, she thought about her day with the heiress and all the paperwork that was most likely piling up on her desk. But she had to admit that she enjoyed the day even though she would have to go in on Sunday to make up for the missed hours.

 

After parking, she made her way into her building, waving in greeting to the doorman, Michi, who’s worked there for the last decade. He was a man of a few words and enjoyed keeping to himself, not that Kya couldn’t grapple him into a conversation every chance she got.

 

“Evening, ma’am,” he said while tipping his hat towards her.

 

“Evening Michi, any mail come for me?” she asked as she passed his desk.

 

“No, mam, have a good rest of your day,” he said with a small smirk before going back to his book.

 

“You as well,” thinking it was a little odd that he smirked but decided to ignore it. She climbed the stairs till she reached her floor and went to her apartment door. She put her key in and turned to unlock the door.

 

But the door opened after the first turn, meaning it was unlocked. Now alert, Lin made a blade out of her metal bracelet because she remembered locking it before leaving this morning. She opened the door and stepped into her open-concept living area that flowed into the kitchen, scanning around to see if she could see anything odd. She then quickly removed her shoes and used seismic sense to check the rest of the house.

 

The moment Lin detected the heartbeat in her room, she recognized it. This was a heartbeat she knew better than her own.

 

It was Kya’s. 

 

Lin felt disbelief and slight hesitation as she retracted the blade and closed the door, going to the kitchen table to drop the bag of Yue cakes. She then made her way down the hall to their bedroom.

 

The moment her eyes landed on Kya, she was overcome by a wave of joy and relief. The older woman was sitting on the chaise lounge sofa reading a book. She must have felt the chief’s stare on her cause after a moment, she looked up, locking eyes with her.

 

The smile that graced Kya’s face brought a feeling of warmth to Lin’s chest.

 

As the healer got up, Lin walked over to her and embraced her. As they embraced, a calmness and a sense of homecoming overtook them. They knew that every time they were apart, they missed the comfort, the simplicity of being together, and the small details. Small details like their scent, the sound of their voice, and their touch that ground them in the moment, filling them with a sense of peace.

 

As they pulled away, Lin cradled Kay’s face in her right hand, rubbing her thumb along her cheekbone while they gazed at each other. Before, the chief pulled her down into a slow, soft, and tentative kiss, trying to savor the feeling of being close again. But as they melted into each other, the kiss deepened, growing more passionate. Their hands pull each other closer, yet the kiss doesn’t become hurried, just more intense, filled with the longing that spoke of everything they couldn’t say while apart. When they ran out of air, they pulled apart reluctantly, leaning their foreheads against each other, keeping eyes closed with mouths slightly agape, trying to let their minds process.

 

“Hello, wifey,” Kya said as she leaned slightly back to smile softly at Lin before laying a quick kiss on the tip of her nose “Miss me?” 

 

Lin was left with a small, goofy smile as she responded, “Always, dear, always,” while tightening her arms around her partner.

 

After relishing in the glow of their reunion, they sat on the sofa.

 

“Not that I’m not happy to see you, but weren’t you supposed to come at the end of the month?” Beifong asked as she held the healer’s hand.

 

“Well, I managed to work out all the paperwork with the healing hut and convinced my mother to move back to Republic City. Meaning, as of next month, I will officially be the head of the free clinic, and my mother will be back to living on Air Temple Island.” Kya revealed with a proud smile “But hopefully, she will be able to come and stay with us on occasion to get a break?” she asked tentatively while looking and playing with Lin’s fingers.

 

Lin reached out and grasped her wife’s chin, lifting her head “Hun, that is great news!” she said with a smile while squeezing her hand “And of course, Katara can stay with us.”

 

The Chief thought over her day and how it was nerve-racking telling Asami but also how good it felt not having to hide for one day.

 

“You know if we told our family, she could live with us full time?” At that suggestion, Kya’s eyes grew wide from shock. 

 

“Lin, are you sure?” she asked while scanning her partner’s face. Lin’s face pinched up slightly before grunting and shrugging her shoulders.

 

“I think it’s time. We’ve been living our lives in secret for over 25 years, and I know for a fact Badger Mole would like to officially meet her family.” She said plainly, “And I'm not saying let’s scream it from the rooftops, so everyone knows, just the family”

 

“I think that would be a great idea, but what brought this on?” Kya was more than thrilled and a little nervous about this idea, but mostly, she was curious about Lin’s change of heart.

 

“I had an interesting conversation with Asami Sato today about our family while helping her cook, and it made me realize that we can’t hide forever. I think now would be a great time to tell everyone since we are in a somewhat state of peace, and I don’t think we will find a better time to do it.” She said while looking at Kya earnestly.

 

“Firstly, you're explaining later on why and how Asami got you to cook with her,” the healer demanded as she gave the police chief a stern look. “Secondly, I think that’s a great idea, and we should go tell our firefighter right now before you change your mind,” Kya said with a teasing grin, and she got off the sofa and pulled Lin towards the front door.

 

As they passed the kitchen, the bag on the table caught the healer’s attention.

 

“What’s that?” she asked as she came to a stop.

 

“Yue cakes”

 

“Oh, celebratory cakes, bring them along,” she commanded as she dragged a more than willing yet grumbling wife behind her. Said wife, grabbed the bag before she was out of reach.

 

They put their shoes and coats on to fight off the cold breeze of the late fall season. Then made their way down to the chief’s car and toward their daughter’s house in Dragon Flats.

 

On the drive over, Lin filled in Kya about how and why she helped the Sato girl. The healer would coo and tease but also congratulate the younger woman for being more social without her help as they passed over Kyoshi bridge while listening on low to the evening news.

 

When they reached the apartment complex that just so happened to be a few blocks away from Future Industries (the slight irony was not lost on Lin), they parked and made their way up to the fourth floor. When they reached the door, Lin knocked with three solid hits to make sure it was heard throughout the entire apartment.

 

They heard a crash and then some cursing. Lin, getting concerned, slammed her hand against the wall next to the door to get a sense of what was going on. Only to retract her hand while shaking her head and chuckling. She turned towards Kya with an amused grin.

 

“That noise was her falling off the couch,” the police chief told her wife, who started chuckling.

 

They could hear the rushed footsteps coming toward the door before it was opened. Lo and behold, their daughter who had some type of brown stain on her shirt while holding a book in one hand and the other the door.

 

“Hey Maya, we’ve got some surprising news, mind if we come in?” Kya said with a smile as she held up the bag of Yue cakes as an offering, knowing her kid never said no to food.

 

The taller woman smiled brightly at the sight of her parents and ushered them inside before giving them hugs. She was excited about the prospect of spending an evening with her mothers. Maya made sure they were both inside before closing the door, eager to hear the news they wanted to share with her.

 

 

---

 

Notes:

I hope you guys liked it, just wanted to add that I chose the name Maya because, in Hebrew, it is thought to mean water, while the Romans claimed that Maya was the earth's mother and goddess of spring. And thought it would be a good representation of Kya and Lin and also of Maya heterochromatic eyes.

Chapter 2

Notes:

Hey everybody, sorry for the late update, but holidays and exams got in the way. This chapter is a long one. Hope you like it!

Lin was brought to wakefulness by the sound of birds chirping outside her window. She grumbled softly while rubbing her right hand against her face, thinking that she never used to have birds to wake her up before Kya added all those damn plants to the balcony that attracted them. She may complain eternally about the early wake-up call every morning, but she doesn’t regret letting Kya make the balcony into a garden cause she loves to watch her fret over it as she drinks her coffee in the morning. 

 

She went to move her left hand to stretch but found resistance. So she opened her eyes and looked over, only to find her wife using her arm as a pillow. 

 

Her arm had gone numb at some point in the night, but all Lin could think about was that the sight before her was worth the thousand-prick needle feeling. 

 

Her long silver hair was all over the pillow from tossing and turning; some strands had fallen over her face. The sheets had pulled around her lower back, showing off her beautiful dark skin in the morning light. 

 

Lin turned on her side slowly to avoid disturbing her before reaching out with her free hand to lightly push back the fallen hair behind Kya’s ear. Her hand hovered over her wife’s face, her fingertips just above her skin. She couldn’t decide if she wanted to stare at Kya’s soft features in the early morning light or trace them to appease that small part of her that thought this was all a dream. Even after all these years, she still had a hard time believing that Kya loved her, but it was these small moments as she gazed upon her that made her realize how lucky she was. 

 

She finally gave into that small part of her and started to lightly trace her wife’s features. Starting at her cheekbone, moving under her eye, going up the bridge of her nose and over her eyebrow, then tracing the line of her jaw till she reached her chin. Lin paused as she stared at Kya’s lips before tracing them with her thumb. 

 

She lifted her head to check the time and noticed it was 10 minutes before their alarm went off. Lin decided that maybe her wife wouldn’t mind being woken up a little before the alarm. 

 

She moved her hand down Kya’s neck till she reached the middle of her back. She started to lightly trace the healer’s spine while she leaned forward to brush her lips lightly against Kya’s. 

 

At the first touch of their lips, Kya hummed softly, the left side of her lips turning up into a soft smile. 

 

When Lin pulled away a little to gaze at her sleepy wife, said wife whined at the loss of contact. Kya, with her eyes still closed, leaned forward to continue the kiss. 

 

Lin chuckled softly at her partner, who, instead of kissing her lips, ended up kissing her chin in her sleepy haze. Kya opened one eye before groaning and burying her face in the chief’s neck. 

 

“Shut up, I’m tired,” she grumbled. 

 

Lin smiled before pulling her closer and kissing her forehead. 

 

“What time did you decide to wake me up today?” Kya mumbled in her wife’s neck. 

 

“6:25, and before you issue any complaints to me, take it up with your birds,” Lin huffed playfully.

 

“You ‘d think after so many years you’d be used to them by now,” Kya commented grumpily. 

 

“You know I’ve always been a light sleeper.” She said as she continued to trace her hand over Kya’s back, enjoying the softness of it. “If I remember correctly, you used to appreciate it any time Maya would get up in the middle of the night to come to find us after having a nightmare, and I’d be able to warn you in time so we could get dressed. Since there was no need to scar the poor kid or make her ask questions as to why her parents were sleeping naked.” Lin leaned back to give Kya a pointed look with a small smirk on her face. 

 

The healer gave Beifong a half-assed glare before shushing her and cuddling back into her. 

 

“I still appreciate it, and you make sure I wake up early enough before work to have time to cuddle.” She placed a kiss against Lin’s collarbone before leaning back to look at her wife and teasingly saying, “Who would have thought that the unyielding Chief Beifong loves to cuddle?”

 

“No one will ever believe you if you told them.” She said gruffly before pinching Kya’s side, making her jump. “On that note, time to get ready,” as she tried to detangle herself from Kay’s grip. 

 

Emphasis on the work tried.

 

Kya tightened her grip and pulled Lin closer till she was able to lay on top of her, nuzzling into her. “The alarm hasn’t even gone off yet.” 

 

Once she finished her sentence, the alarm started to go off. She glared at it with all her might, hoping she could be a combustion bender for 5 seconds so she could explode the traitorous machine. When she turned her gaze back to Lin, she was met with a smug look, which she did not appreciate even though she thought the eyebrow raise combined with those scars was hot. 

 

“Shut up,” she grumbled as she rolled off the chief to cuddle up to her pillow instead. 

 

Lin sat up and turned off the alarm, chuckling softly at Kya’s antics. “And they call me grumpy, they should meet you in the morning,” she said with a smirk as she looked over her shoulder at her wife. 

 

Who responded by giving her the middle finger. Lin shook her head as she stood up, then leaned down and placed a kiss on Kya’s shoulder while mumbling against her skin, “I’ll get you coffee, grumpy pants.” 

 

She pulled away and made her way to the dresser to get clothes for a shower. She took a quick shower to help her wake up, then got dressed in gray sweats and a white tank top. She then made her way to the kitchen and made two cups of coffee and two plates with toast with butter and jam. Once the coffee was ready, she took one cup and made her way back to their bedroom to wake up her wife. 

 

Once she walked into the room, Kya smelled the coffee and slowly sat up and leaned against the headboard while making grabby hands towards Lin. The chief sat down on the bed by the healer’s hip and handed her the coffee. 

 

Kya enjoyed the first couple of sips of her coffee with her eyes closed before she sighed in contentment. 

 

“Thank you, love,” the healer said as she gazed over the coffee cup at her wife with a loving look. 

 

Lin smiled at her softly and squeezed Kya’s hip before getting up and heading towards the door. 

 

“After you get dressed, meet me in the kitchen I made breakfast,” Lin said before exiting the room. 

 

She sat at the table, reading yesterday’s newspaper and sipping her coffee. A moment later, Kya joined her, dressed in blue with her hair tied up in her usual ponytail. They enjoyed each other's company in silence as they ate. 

 

Kya reached out and grasped Lin’s hand, rubbing her thumb across her knuckles to grab her attention. Lin gave her a questioning look. 

 

“You ready for today?”

 

Lin took a deep breath before turning her hand and interlocking her fingers with her wife’s. “No, but it’s time we told everyone. I know Maya would like to meet her cousins. She’s only ever seen them from afar.” 

 

Kya smirked softly “You and I both know damn well that if she’s ever in a room with your sister, she’s confronting her about how she’s treated you. Our daughter is very protective of you .” She said, tilting her head while smiling softly at the woman across from her. 

 

Lin pulled her hand away and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t need her to protect me,” she said, disgruntled while glaring out the window. 

 

Kya smiled at her earthbender before getting up and collecting the dishes to put them in the sink. “You know, I wouldn’t mind seeing Maya rip Suyin a new one. Since her mother never did, maybe her niece should,” she threw over her shoulder as she started washing. 

 

As Lin went to respond, the phone rang. She made her way over to the phone, but not before turning towards her wife and proclaiming, “This conversation isn’t over.” Kya nodded while throwing her a teasing look.

 

The metal bender lifted the phone off the receiver and put it up to her ear before gruffly saying, “Chief Beifong”

 

As she heard the information being relayed to her through the phone, her face hardened before giving out a few orders and saying she’d be there shortly. Kya, seeing the change in her expression, finished up with the dishes and looked at her with concern. When Lin looked at her and said, “Get your water skin there’s been an explosion at one of the warehouses on the edge of Yue Bay and old Cranefish town, the fire has spread to an apartment building. We need to get there as soon as possible.”

 

Kya nodded in determination as they both headed to the bedroom, the chief to put on her armor and the healer to get her med kit and water skin. 

 

Once ready, they raced down the stairs to the chief’s car before heading off towards the location of the call.

 

---

 

The screech of truck tires was drowned out by the sound of crackling flames and screams. You could barely hear the boots hitting the ground, followed by doors slamming shut, over the sound of chaos unfolding by the docks that morning. The smell of sea air combined with burning wood and metal assaulted the firefighter’s senses.

 

Basic orders had already been relayed over the radio before the fire department had reached the location of the blaze. Nonbenders were pulling off hoses from the trucks to attach to fire hydrants. Water benders were removing the seal on top of the 10-ton water truck so they could have easy and immediate access to water to attack the fire until the non-benders had set up to take over. Firebenders ran to surround the buildings to contain the flames so they wouldn’t spread to neighboring buildings. The few earthbenders the force had were trying to guide people away to a clear and safe location away from the chaos. 

 

All this happened as the captain of the fire brigade studied the flaming buildings, trying to find the best way to attack. She knew she couldn’t waste time coming up with the perfect plan, but she would settle for the quickest course of action, which, in her mind, ended up with the least amount of casualties. It only took the firefighter a couple of moments before making up her mind and reaching for her radio. 

 

“ Alright, listen up! I want all rookies guiding victims away from the buildings and setting them up 60 feet behind the trucks. That’s where triage will be set up once the healers arrive. I want earth benders around the building to secure it to make sure it doesn’t collapse! From trucks 19 and 21, I want rescue teams made of a water bender and a fire bender entering the structures and retrieving possible trapped victims. Everyone else works outside to control and put out the flames!

Am I understood?!”

 

The captain released the radio, waiting to hear back from the lieutenants of each division to make sure her orders had been heard loud and clear. Over the radio, she could hear various voices answering back. 

 

“Roger that, Captain Maya” 

 

Maya nodded her head to herself. She could see everyone moving into the positions she had relayed over the radio. They worked like a well-oiled machine, and they’d work even better when the police force showed up. The slight sound of wires whirling through the air and then anchoring to the tops of buildings could be heard, meaning they’d show up any moment. They’d help with crowd control and keeping pesky reporters away as they worked and, more importantly, from the victims. 

 

As Maya observed the scene, seeing if new instructions needed to be given, her eye caught one of the rookies trying to sneak into the side of the warehouse. She knew she was too far away to physically reach him in time before he was lost in the black smoke of the structure, so instead, she reached for her radio again and called out. 

 

“KAOSU, Don’t even think about it! You enter that structure, I’m coming in after you, and that means I’m coming for your badge, boy! Make your next choice wisely.” She growled through the radio menacingly while stepping towards the rookie. 

 

He froze in place, giving just enough time for his lieutenant to run over and drag him away from the entrance of the blazing depository. He was being brought to Maya as his lieutenant chewed him out. She knew this rookie was trouble. He kept trying to play the hero every time they went out for a call, endangering himself and others. Personally, she wanted to fire him, but the chief hadn’t signed off on it yet. 

 

As the boy was brought in front of her, she could hear the screech of tires against the asphalt behind her. 

She also noticed from the corner of her eye that a rescue team exited the front entrance of the apartment building with a very distressed-looking pregnant woman. Maya smirked, knowing where she’d re-assign him until the chief got here, and he became his problem. 

 

When he was a foot away, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

 

“Captain,” said the lieutenant as he pushed the rookie forward. 

 

Maya nodded her head towards the lieutenant, dismissing him. 

 

“Listen, Kaosu, I know you want to help, but taking action without communicating puts us all in a tough spot, especially when you’re entering a structure I have no rescue teams in. If anything happened to you in there, it would be on my head since you entered a warehouse that we knew was empty. We must follow our protocols and orders in these situations so that everyone is on the same page and ensures everything goes smoothly.” She got in his face while poking a finger against his chest. “So I never want to see you try to pull that shit again otherwise, you’re going to be out of a job. Do I make myself clear?” She growled.

 

She could see under his look of shame and a bit of defiance in his eyes. She was internally begging him to do something. But as Kaosu opened his mouth, the two rescuers with the pregnant woman interrupted him. 

 

“Cap, she’s gone into labor, and she needs immediate medical attention, and we need to get back inside to help trapped victims in apartment 3c,” the waterbender said with a look of slight panic in his eyes. 

 

Maya turned her focus on them before saying, “Get any equipment you need from the truck to get the victims out. If you need further help inside, relay it over the radio. Kaosu will take the women to the healers and stay there to help anywhere they need.” 

 

The two benders left to get the equipment they needed while the rookie was spluttering, trying to come up with an excuse not to go with the pregnant woman. 

 

“But Cap I “ 

 

“But nothing. I want you working in triage for the rest of this call, and I don’t want to see you till we are back at the station,” Maya grunted lowly so that the other women wouldn’t hear her while glaring at him “You're dismissed.” 

 

Kaosu clenched his jaw, nodding tensely before guiding the woman to the healers. The captain took a deep breath to center herself before focusing back on the scene in front of her. She decided that once the chief arrived to take over command, she’d join the other in the building to help with the rescue attempts before it became unsafe. 

 

“I see I’m not the only one who has to deal with uncooperative rookies,” commented someone gruffly behind her. 

 

Maya whirled around to put a face to the voice, only to come face to face with her mother. Chief Beifong. The captain smiled slightly before responding.

 

“Shockingly, no, you are not, but you seem to have better luck raining them in” 

 

“Hmm, might be the years of experience or knowing how to run a tight ship,” the chief said while shooting her a pointed look.

 

Maya shrugged before looking at her mischievously.

 

“Mmm, no, I think it’s the intimidating scars, know where I can get some?” 

 

Lin was taken back slightly by the question, not expecting her daughter to ask something like that out in the open. She quickly surveyed the area around, making sure no one was eavesdropping before responding and deciding to continue their little game. She lowered her voice so only Maya could hear her. 

 

“Unless you have a rowdy delinquent younger sister that I don’t know about, then you’re outa luck, kid.” Lin shrugged while trying to fight back a smile. 

 

“All out of those, it seems, I guess I’ll just have to figure out another way to be intimidating,” the girl said with a mischievous smile.

 

The chief hummed in agreement while she surveyed the scene before her. Her metal benders were helping guide people away from the structures and setting up a perimeter to keep nosy spectators back. As she was about to offer assistance in securing the stability of the apartment complex, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something blue descending from the sky. She turned her head to see what it was, only to realize it was Avatar Korra as she landed a few feet away from them.

 

Once Korra made sure her glider was closed, she jogged over to Chief Beifong, having spotted her from above.

 

“Hey, Chief, heard about the fire over the scanner and thought I’d come to offer some assistance,” the avatar said while looking at Beifong, who just raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “If you want it, of course,” she added, knowing she’s supposed to stay out of these situations unless they ask her. As the Chief had pointed out a few times during some meetings they had at city hall.

 

Lin nodded slightly, approving how Korra offered to help instead of jumping into it, also making a mental note to tell Asami to stay off the police scanners.

 

“Appreciate the offer, Avatar, but I’m not in charge of this scene. That would be Captain Maya. She’s the one who will tell you if your assistance is needed or not,” The metal bender said while gesturing over towards her daughter, who was being relayed information about the conditions inside the complex through her radio.

 

“Captain Maya, how can I help?” Korra said as she came to stand in front of the firefighter.  

 

 The older water bender looked the Avatar over, trying to think where to assign her, when she remembered that her teams inside were complaining about the smoke in the building being too thick and deterring them from working. They couldn’t see with all the black smoke, but by the spirit’s will, she now had an Airbender in front of her.

 

“Avatar Korra, I have enough benders as it is, but I don’t have an airbender. I need you to pull the smoke out of the building without removing the oxygen cause that would kill any remaining victims inside. Can you do that?” she said while looking at Korra expectantly.

 

“Are polar bear dogs Indigenous to the poles?” Korra asked while smirking.

 

Both Beifong women crossed their arms, raising their eyebrows, and gave the Avatar unimpressed looks. Korra, seeing the looks she received, cringed away before turning and muttering. “tough crowd, sheesh,” before opening her glider to find a neighboring building to start bending out the smoke.

 

At that moment, Fire Chief Angran arrived on the scene. He walked up to the Beifong women while relaying over the radio that he was there and that he was now in charge.

 

“Chief Beifong, how’s crowd control going?” he asked before turning to his captain “Maya, go put on your equipment and join the teams inside.”

 

Maya nodded before jogging over to the trucks.

 

“Crowds are being held back. Some reporters have tried to sneak through the barricade, but my officers are holding them back.” Lin stated while looking around, making sure no one was trying to get her attention. She could see a light sheen of ash covering the ground and more falling.  She’s made a mental note to have her officers checked for ash inhalation when they were done here.

 

Lin’s head whipped around to face the complex when an explosion was heard. She could feel the vibration from the blast reverberating through the earth.

 

As she finished tightening her respirator mask, Maya’s heart started pounding against her ribs when she heard over the radio, “Structure’s unstable! The boiler exploded, knocking out one of the main columns, I don’t know how long we got before it goes down!”

 

The captain didn’t hesitate. Through the dense smoke hidden inside the building, she knew there were two kids trapped. Her gut clenched at the thought of the firefighters leaving them due to the chief’s command for an evacuation. She could hear Chief Beifong commanding her men to help hold up the building. She knew that would give her enough time to do something. She bolted for the crumbling doorway, the inferno’s heat hitting her like a wall. As Maya entered, she had to push through the team’s exiting.

 

“Maya!” Chief Angran’s voice cracked through the radio, sharp and commanding. “Wait for the building to be stable!”

 

“Those kids don’t have the time,” she snapped into the radio before plunging inside the burning building.

 

Inside, it was a nightmare. The walls groaned under the fire’s assault as the ceiling cracked and dust fell. Her breathing echoed loudly in her mask, every breath hot and harsh. She gritted her teeth as she climbed the stairs to the third floor. Thankful that the Avatar removed most of the black smoke so she could have a somewhat clear view of her path.

 

When she reached the designated floor, she started looking for apartment 3c. She found the door, but a chunk of the ceiling blocked it. Maya could see where the rescuers had tried to break the stone but were unsuccessful. When she heard a whimper, she tried to see if there was another way to get through the door.

 

“Hold on, I’ll get you out!” she called out as she banged against the door.

 

She could feel the heat radiating through her gear as she tried to cut with an ice blade a portion of the door that was visible. The blade was melting faster than it was cutting due to the heat. When suddenly, she heard a voice shout behind her.

 

“Maya!”

 

She turned and saw her mother in full Chief mode. Her figure loomed in the stairwell, framed by swirling flames without any protective gear. The only thought that went through Maya’s head at the sight of Lin was that Kya was going to murder them both.

 

“Get out of here! It’s not safe!” she barked, trying to kick a hole in the door.

 

“Not without you!” she growled, charging towards Maya before moving her hands and lifting the stone.

 

Lin moved the stone to the opposite wall as the captain kicked down the door. She ran in, finding the young boys huddled up under a table. Her gloved hands grasped the trembling boy’s bodies as she pulled them out and into her arms. Thankfully, they were small enough that they both fit against her. They clung to her desperately, coughing so hard she could feel the shudder through her gear.

 

The building groaned around them. The blast of a horn could be heard from the outside trucks, indicating they had to get out now. Lin ran to the captain’s side, looking around for another exit. When it hit her, she wrapped one of her cables around Maya’s waist.

 

“We are jumping out the window! So, hold on to those kids for dear life!” the chief yelled out as they stumbled towards the window due to the shaking building.

 

Maya didn’t question it. She watched with bated breath as her mother knocked down the outer wall that had the window. Not caring since the building was about to collapse on them. She glanced up, noticing the growing crack forming above them.

 

“The ceiling’s going!” the firefighter called out.

 

“Jump! Now!”

 

Together, they jumped out. The roar of the fire was deafening now, and the floor trembled as the ceiling buckled and fell.

 

With her free hand, Beifong sent her cable to the opposite building to slow down their rapid descent. Once her cable was secure, she could feel the strain on her shoulders from the added weight of three people. She swung them away from the collapsing building and safely lowered them behind the trucks.

 

Once they were securely on the ground, the sobbing boys were handed off to the healers. Lin looked towards her daughter. Maya tore off her helmet, gasping for air, her lungs burning slightly even through the filtered mask.

 

“You’re insane, you know that?” Lin said, her tone half admonishing, half proud as she rotated her shoulders, trying to shake off the stiffness.

 

The water bender turned to her, sweat dripping down her face. “Yeah, well, so are you.”

 

They stood there in silence, watching the dust settle, and the fire devour what was left of the building. Both knew they would get their ears chewed off by the silver head water bender of the family for their reckless behavior later. For all the destruction in the last hour, they’d managed to save two lives, and that’s all that mattered.

 

 

---

 

 

They stood near each other at the bow of the ship, gazing at the sunset as they crossed Yue Bay to Air Temple Island, enjoying the silence and stressing over the conversation they would have at dinner. Kya turned her head, scanning the vessel, ensuring no one was paying attention to them before grasping Lin’s hand. She rubbered her thumb along the back of the metal bender’s hand while glancing at her out of the corner of her eye.

 

She could detect the tension in her wife from a mile away. From her rigid posture to her clenched jaw and furrowed brows, she could tell Lin was overthinking every possible outcome. She wanted to avoid Lin working herself up to the point of shutting down and refusing to talk to anyone. So she decided to try and soothe her racing thoughts.

 

“You know, everything is going to be okay, right?” she said while looking at her wife. “I mean, sure, some might have a big reaction to the news,” giving her a, you know who, look, “but all that matters is that we make each other happy, and if they can’t accept that,” she shrugged while looking at the setting sun trying to hide her fear at that possibility. Before turning towards Lin, “Well, all I’ve ever needed is you and Maya,” she said softly, looking at her lovingly.

 

Lin turned her gaze away from Kya’s eyes towards their hands. She turned her palm over to clasp her wife’s hand and squeeze it.

 

“Thanks, I needed that reminder,” she said while glancing at the healer.

 

The water bender hummed while watching Air Temple Island grow closer. Lin studied her for a few moments, puzzled at how calm she was. She couldn’t understand how Kya wasn’t freaking out just a little bit.

 

“How come you’re so calm? I mean, we are telling your brother, it’s not like we are telling Su.”

 

“At least not yet,” interjected Kya with a teasing look.

 

“Our roles for stressing should be reversed,” the chief said while giving the healer a pointed look, which translated for her to knock it off and be serious for a minute.

 

Kya huffed before looking at her wife innocently.

 

“I did some calming meditation at the hospital,” she said simply.

 

Beifong, catching the slight acceleration in the healer’s heartbeat, turned to face her to better study her reactions.

 

“Kya,” she said in a reprimanding tone with a raised eyebrow.

 

The healer sent the chief some fleeting glances, unable to look her in the eyes. She saw from the corner of her eyes as Lin let go of her hand to cross hers over her chest. She could feel her wife’s intense gaze burning into the side of her head until she couldn’t take it anymore.

 

She threw her arms into the air, exclaiming.

 

“Okay, Fine, I may or may not have smoked half a joint before I left the hospital!”

 

“Kya! Lily weed! You know that’s illegal. You could get arrested.” Lin hissed, affronted by her wife’s choice of destressing.

 

“Well, then arrest me, Chief,” the healer said with a mischievous look while lifting her arms toward the officer. “But if you do, you better arrest yourself as well since you smoked some on our honeymoon on Kyoshi Island.” She stated with a smirk.

 

Lin’s eyes grew wide as she glanced around before leaning forward and whispering defensively while pushing Kya’s arms down to her sides. “That was different. It wasn’t illegal there”

 

“Sure, Chief, sure, but just so you know,” she leaned down to peer under her lashes with a sultry look “You can arrest me any time,” she stated before winking at her dumbfounded and flustered wife.

 

She turned around and started walking towards the exit of the boat, adding an extra sway to her hips. When she didn’t hear footsteps behind her, she turned to look behind her. Finding her wife staring at her ass.

 

She smirked, putting her hand on her hip, before calling out, “Quit your daydreaming, Chief, we got a dinner to get to.”

 

Shaking Lin out of her daze. She walked over to Kya, but before she could pass by her, Kya whispered breathily in her ear, “You can always take a picture later when well… I’m wearing less clothing”

 

Lin turned, taken back by her boldness and locking her pale green eyes with Kya’s teal ones. The world seemed to stop. For a moment, neither moved, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. Her gaze was dark, tracing her wife’s face with an intensity that made Kay’s pulse stutter. Lin saw as she took a stuttering breath, she felt encouraged by the healer’s reaction. The chief raised her hand to graze it against Kya’s hip to tease her. The healer felt exposed under her wife’s intense gaze, and yet, she couldn’t look away. As Lin gripped Kya’s hip to pull her against her, the ship's horn blared, signaling the arrival at the island.

 

They jumped away from each other. The horn brings them back to reality. Lin dropped her hand from Kya’s hip as they both took a step away from each other. They scanned the vessel to see if anyone had observed their moment before looking at each other sadly.

 

“Sorry baby girl, continue this later?” Lin said softly.

 

“Always,” Kya whispered back while looking at her softly.

 

Beifong smiled at the healer before raising her hand, indicating to the other women to walk ahead of her. Kya nodded in thanks before heading off the boat with Lin a step behind her.

 

“And people say chivalry is dead,” commented the healer, glancing at Lin

 

The other woman hummed, “Only if you allow it to be”

 

They continued in silence, walking off the dock across the sand and up the ungodly number of stairs. They took advantage of this quiet moment as they trekked to think about the impending conversation but also to reminisce on old memories they’d made on the island over the years. They were reaching the top of the marble steps and could hear the air kids playing in the courtyard. The sound of children playing pulled at something in Kya.

 

“I wish Maya could have come tonight.” She sighed as she looked at the officer before turning her gaze towards the temple. “She would have loved to explore the beauty and hideouts of this place along with her cousins.”

 

“Hmm, true, but I think she’d have liked getting lost in the library with Jinora more,” said Lin as she sent a small smirk toward her wife.

 

“True, very true”

 

“But you know that she couldn't come due to them investigating the reason for the fire this morning, there was one death and ten injured. So, city hall is coming down hard on them for the reason why.” She explained as they crossed the last step and entered the plaza.

 

“I know. I just hope she gets to rest soon because she is pushing close to 35 hours on shift.” Said Kya as she looked out of the corner of her eye at the chief of police “She must be trying to break your record,” she said before bumping her with her shoulder and walking off, gaining the attention of the air kids as she called out to them.

 

Lin knew that was her wife’s way of avoiding her rebuttal to her supposedly overworking. Which she knew she did at times, but there was just so much paperwork that she lost track of time, not that she would admit that. They’ve been having this «dispute» for years, but they both loved it.

 

Beifong watched as the healer was almost tackled by her nieces and nephews and was trying to fight back a smile at the sight.

 

She was pulled away from the sight when she felt Tenzin walking towards her.

 

“Lin, I wasn’t expecting you tonight,” he said as he studied her, not anticipating her to be there in civilian clothes and not her armor.

 

“Kya invited me when she saw me at the fire this morning,” she said while shrugging her shoulders and looking around, fighting the urge to stare at her wife. “It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and I thought it would be better if I came willingly. Otherwise, she would have been at my apartment or, worse, my office pestering me to come,” she commented with a slightly fake tone of disapproval.

 

A hand clamped down on her shoulder, making her abruptly turn to face Tenzin, who was chuckling at the image Beifong had described.

 

“That sounds like her. I’d have paid good money to see her drag you out of your office, no one ever could.” He trailed off while gazing at her with a reminiscent look.

 

She took a step back, clearing her throat and shaking off his hand. He got that look on his face rarely, but whenever he did, it made her feel uncomfortable. Wanting to change the subject, she asked him how the Air Nation was developing and if benders were still being sent out to help the Earth kingdom. She knew the kingdom was slowly switching over to democracy and would one day become the Earth Republic. But until that happened, as Tenzin informed her, the air nomads would continue providing aid.

 

Their conversation was cut short when Pema called out from the main entrance that dinner was ready. Everyone made their way inside. The kids ran ahead on their air scooters to get the best seats, in their opinion, as the adults went to the kitchen to grab the food and bring it out to the private dining hall.  

 

Once all the food had been placed on the two tables that had been pushed together to fit everyone, they took their seats. Lin was unsure of where to sit. Usually, she took up the last available seat, but with them essentially coming out tonight, she was stumped. Thankfully, Kya caught her eye and indicated with a tilt of her head for her to take the seat next to her. The chief sent her a grateful smile before kneeling next to her wife. Team Avatar walked into the room, dragging in sand from their training session on the beach while arguing about who won the final match.

 

Pema sent an exasperated look towards the sand they were leaving behind them before shaking her head and turning to put food onto Rohan’s plate. Lin gestured toward Bolin and Korra as they sat down, catching their attention.

 

“If you’re going to train on the beach, you should learn the basics of sand bending to stop dragging it through the temple.” She said with a scolding tone while she bent the sand into a ball and then deposited it in one of the vases on the wall with a swish of her hand.

 

Pema sent her a grateful look before focusing back on her youngest. The kids looked at Beifong with embarrassed smiles on their faces.

 

“Could you teach us, Chief?” asked Bolin while leaning around Mako to send her a hopeful look.

 

“Yeah, Chief, could you?” the avatar asked, looking like a hopeful polar bear dog from the other side of the table.

 

“I’ll have to see when I’m free,” she grumbled while running a hand over her face.

 

“She’s free Sunday,” said Kya offhandedly before sticking a dumpling in her mouth and smirking at her wife. Knowing damn well, she would put it off until they forgot about it.

 

Lin turned with her signature scowl and glared at her, feeling a slight ting of betrayal for her offering up her day off.

 

“Now, how would you know that?” inquired Tenzin, cutting off the metal bender before she could say anything.

 

“Yeah, how do you know Linny’s schedule?” questioned Bumi while trying to fight back a smirk but failing.

 

“Don’t call me that,” the chief growled, leaning over the table towards him only to receive a dismissive hand gesture from the retired commander.

 

Kya laid a hand on Lin’s thigh under the table to calm her.

 

“Simple, I overheard Assistant Chief Saikhan mention it at the scene today when things were calming down,” she mentioned casually before taking a drink of lychee juice.

 

“Hmm, interesting,” hummed Bumi as he sent Kya a look over his glass, and she sent one right back.

 

“You shouldn’t share that type of information so flippantly, Kya, you could endanger someone,” scolded Tenzin.

 

Everyone sent him weird looks, not seeing the danger of sharing a day off.

 

“Honey, I see no harm in what she said,” Pema placated while laying a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Yeah, Tenzin, don’t get your robes in a knot, it’s not like I’m sharing it with any reporters.” The healer said with a shrug.

 

Tenzin grumbled at them, in his opinion, careless behavior. The metal bender just shook her head before her attention was pulled to her glass, where the liquid had been removed to spell ‘please’ over her plate. She looked towards the avatar with an unimpressed look.

 

“Could you teach us?” she asked again, making the water shake to emphasize their plea.

 

She stared at her, contemplating if she truly wanted to spend her Sunday with the team avatar. She felt the healer squeeze and rub her thumb along her thigh. Signaling that it was up to her and wouldn’t force her to do something she didn’t want to.

 

Lin sighed before responding gruffly, “Fine, Sunday at 9 am sharp on the beach, we’ll start”

 

Bolin and Korra cried out in joy, fist-bumping the air and thanking her, she just grunted and waved them off. Asami sent the chief a grateful smile from across the table before engaging the Avatar in conversation to take the attention off her.

 

Lin knew there was a reason she liked that kid.

 

She clasped her hand with Kya’s under the table as the conversation picked up again around the table. She listened to Bumi’s exaggerated story of his last adventure while she ate the food before her and conversed a little with Mako over his latest cases.

 

Halfway through dinner, an acolyte interrupted them.

 

“Master Tenzin,” he said, bowing his head towards the table from the doorway, gaining everyone’s attention. “Sorry for the interruption, but there’s someone here requesting to speak to Chief Beifong urgently,” he finished, turning his gaze towards Lin.

 

Beifong nodded her head, squeezed Kya’s hand, then let go and stood up. She looked around the table until she landed on Tenzin and Pema.

 

“Pardon me, I’ll be back in a moment,” she excused herself, tilting her head in acknowledgment towards them.

 

She turned and followed the acolyte to the courtyard. Once they reached there, the acolyte indicated with a hand gesture towards the person who was waiting for her. She walked out into the yard to find her daughter standing ramrod straight, in her uniform, a satchel across her shoulder, with her shoulders locked and squared like a soldier bracing for impact. Her jaw was clenched so tightly that a faint muscle twitched near her ear as her eye flickered over the landscape, unable to lock on a location for long as if something was going to jump out from the trees.

 

“Captain Maya, how can I help you?” Lin asked when she was three feet away, gaining the young girl's attention and making her jump at the sound of her voice.

 

Maya turned to face the metal bender with a look of surprise before composing herself with a shake of her head.

 

“Chief Beifong,” her voice cracked, the tension catching in her throat when she addressed her mother. Clearing her throat and noting the few acolytes walking around the courtyard, she made a request. “Can we speak somewhere privately?”

 

Lin nodded, leading her to the meditation pavilion, knowing through Kya that at this time of the evening, it was usually empty. Once they arrived, she faced her daughter, giving her a moment to gather her thoughts.

 

“Alright, spit it out,” she said when Maya was taking too long.

 

The captain sighed before reaching inside her bag to retrieve a file. “My men and I concluded our report on how the warehouse fire started.” She said, then handed over the folder, “You’re not going to like it”

 

The chief opened it and speed-read through the document. The further she read, the harder her face became, her signature scowl molding into place. Her grip tightened on the papers, crinkling them, before raising a hard look towards the captain.

 

“How positive are you about these findings?” she pressed, not wanting to believe what she was reading.

 

“Beyond a doubt, our findings are sound,” Maya responded with pure confidence.

 

“Walk me through it,” Lin demanded, but when she saw her daughter send a pointed look at the file that explained everything in detail, she just shook it towards her before saying, “Explain it to me so I can understand how you reached this...” she exhaled “this conclusion.”

 

“We searched through the warehouse for an hour before determining that the generator by the guard’s office was what started the fire. With closer inspection, we noticed that the blast marks, instead of being on the inside parts, were on the outside. We searched to see if there was some sort of accelerant around or on the generator but came up with nothing. That’s when we called in an expert to confirm our hypothesis. After he analyzed the evidence, he also concluded that well…” Maya paused, clenching her fist and raising to meet her mother’s stare. “The explosion was caused by a combustion bender.”

 

The Chief took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and becoming tense as the captain.

 

“So, you’re telling me that there is a combustion bender in Republic City?” All Lin could think about was that she knew the peace they were having lately was too good to be true, and this was proof.

 

“Yes,” Maya replayed before grimacing, “But that’s not all”

 

Beifong pinched the bridge of her nose and released an annoyed sigh “Of course it’s not, lay it on me”

 

The captain smiled apologetically before retrieving another document with the RCPD logo stamped on the front. “I passed by your office hoping to catch you before you left, but instead ran into Saikhan, and he gave me the autopsy report to give to you about the security guard’s body that was found at the scene. Or more specifically, the coroner’s evaluation of the bones.”

 

Lin raised an eyebrow at her choice of phrasing before opening the document. As her eyes scanned the report, they fell onto the pictures taken at the scene. Even after 35+ years on the job, she wasn’t immune to the horrors she saw, and this one was one of them. The guard’s skeleton was lying among the debris, wearing burnt remnants of a uniform, missing the flesh from the body. He was sitting in a pile of burnt something, she had an inkling of what it was but was hoping she was wrong. She was no expert, but even she could tell this was weird. The photos brought her a feeling of unease and made her nauseous, making her think she might be revising the sweet rice sometime tonight.

 

When she reached the part of the file where the coroner logs the cause of death, she found the reason unknown, which perplexed her and set off warning flags in her mind. She raised her eyes, locking them with Maya’s.

 

“What do they mean unknown?” Lin said in a grave tone she hated not having answers, especially when it came to the cause of death.

 

Maya shrugged, running a hand through her hair, pulling slightly, “they don’t know. They can’t decipher how he died,” she said while turning to look at the bay towards the city.

 

“No shit, I can read that much” She had never been given a reason for death unknown, and it was putting her on edge.

 

The young captain walked over to the wooden railing, gripping it. She studied the city skyline, all the lights that could be seen in the night sky. All those lights symbolized a person, and tonight, there would be three less. Two due to smoke inhalation, and the last death, still undecided.

 

Lin noticed the faint sheen of sweat glistening on the back of her neck, her once neat bun now messy from pulling on it, and her knuckles turning white from clutching the railing too hard. She took a step towards her, wanting to comfort Maya somehow. She could see this was affecting her daughter. Before she could, the captain looked at her over her shoulder and spoke.

 

Maya’s voice was low and uneven, each syllable trembling under the weight of what was to come.

 

“They…have theories.” She sighed heavily, turning to face the chief and leaning against the pavilion. “The body had no flesh, which doesn’t add up with what we know happened at the fire today”

 

“I remember you mentioning once that a body to disappear in a fire takes up to several hours, depending on the person”

 

“Correct, the fire was put out an hour and a half after we arrived on the scene, but we first managed to put out the flames in the warehouse, then the apartment building. The damage on the skeleton, as the autopsy report mentions, is cracked bones and burn marks due to the flames, but”

 

“The burn marks are even all over the bone, and they should be uneven if this occurred naturally.” Lin realized, looking at the woman across from her with wide, calculative eyes. She was trying to figure out the puzzle.

 

“Yes, so that only means”

 

They both said at the same time, “The flesh was removed before the explosion.”

 

“But how?” the chief wondered “How could that be possible? I’ve never heard of bending like that.” She was truly perplexed.

 

“This is where the theories come in,” Maya commented while rubbing the back of her neck, looking nervous. “At first, they thought it was blood-bending, but that’s impossible since if you removed blood from a body, they would look like a dehydrated fruit.”

 

“Do I even want to know how you know that?” Lin asked, giving her daughter a questioning look.

 

The captain ignored her question, continuing to explain the theory the fire investigator team had devised.

 

“Earth benders don’t have a form of sub-bending that affects the body,”

 

The chief continued her daughter’s thought process, “Air benders remove the oxygen from the body, essentially suffocating them so that only leaves…” they both came to the same conclusion while staring at each other.

 

“Fire benders,” they said at the same time.

 

“We believe that they have discovered a new form of bending that melts the flesh off the bone and leaves no trace behind. Had this been done with a blade, there would have been marking left behind on the bone. A scrape, a nick, something should have been there, but in the report...” Maya gestured to the papers clutched tightly in the chief’s hands.

 

“There are none.” Lin realized as she read over the file again.

 

“Yeah, but this is all speculation for now until there’s proof”

 

“Fantastic,” grumbled Beifong as she dragged her hand down her face, imagining the all-nighters she would have to pull to figure this out.

 

“Chief Angran said he’d pass by your office tomorrow around noon to go over a game plan on how to deal with this situation and the press,” Maya said, crossing her arms and resting her weight against the railing while she watched her mother lean against one of the support beams.

 

“Good, it’s better if we get ahead of this, then let the press write their rendition of the events,” Lin uttered, looking out toward the bay before turning her gaze back to her daughter to check her over. “How are you after today? No injuries, right?”

 

“I’m good, no injuries, just tired,” she said, sending her a small smile.

 

“Hmm, sure, liar,” Lin commented, nudging her shoulder, pulling a chuckle out of the young woman. She would have pushed the issue but heard footsteps coming towards them. “We’ll continue this conversation later”

 

Maya was confused until she heard a twig snap, then nodded her head. They stood out of their leaning positions, waiting for the person to appear. The captain handed over the bag to Lin so she could store the files and take them home with her later.

 

A moment later, at the entrance of the pavilion appeared a hesitant Pema.

 

“Sorry to interrupt, but people were getting concerned and thought it was better if I came to check instead of Bumi,” she said, sending them a hesitant, soft smile.

 

“Thank you, Pema.” Lin nodded toward her.

 

“Excuse my interruption to your dinner. I didn’t mean to barge in on your meal, but I needed to talk to the Chief,” Maya said, stepping forward and bowing he head. “I’ll be on my way and let you get back to it.” She nodded goodbye to them both before living.

 

Lin watched as her daughter walked away. She wanted to stop her and make her stay, especially with the news they wanted to share tonight, but she knew it wasn’t her place.

 

As the captain was about to pass by Pema, she felt a touch on her forearm.

 

“Have you eaten?” the acolyte asked, looking at her concerned. She could see the exhaustion in the girl’s eyes and posture. She’s taken notice that on days like this, first responders forget to take care of themselves and figured the captain may as well.

 

“No, mam, but I’ll eat once I get home. No worries.” Maya responded, not wanting the woman to worry, but at that moment, her stomach growled.

 

“Oh no, young lady, you are joining us for dinner. And before you make some excuse, your stomach agrees with me. So come on, don’t make me get the avatar.” She declared before turning and heading back to the temple.

 

Maya was left confused until her mother clasped her hand on her shoulder, gaining her attention.

 

“Come on, let’s not anger the woman who can wrangle Meelo. Also, I want you here, and neither of us needs Korra coming out here now, so let’s go.” Lin said, squeezing her shoulder before heading in with Maya following behind.

 

They followed Pema until they reached the private dining hall. Once there, they introduced the captain to the rest of the table’s occupants. Pema noticed that Kya perked up at the sight of the young woman and took note of it, filing it away for later.

 

Maya sat next to Ikki at the end of the table closest to the door, with Tenzin and Pema seated at the other end, facing the entrance. On the Master Air bender’s side sat Meelo, Bumi, Asami, Korra, and Jinora, while Rohan, Kya, Lin, Mako, and Bolin sat on the other side.

 

She was offered different dishes to try, with Ikki explaining each one of them. The captain was impressed yet concerned with how long the young Airbender could talk about dumplings, mung bean and tofu curry, noodle soup, rice, and sweet rice without breathing. She would think that even an Airbender would need to breathe, but this young girl proved her wrong.

 

The firefighter sat and listened to the conversations going all around her. She listened as Ikki teased Jinora about their father not allowing her to go on missions alone with her boyfriend, instead sending him with Opal. Who she then learned was Bolin’s girlfriend as he gushed about her while stuffing his face. Mako nudged him to remind him of his manners to swallow before talking.

 

Lin and Kya were trying not to laugh at their daughter’s wide-eyed look as she took in the information being fed to her by the most talkative people at the table. They sent each other small smiles before focusing back on their conversations.

 

Korra listened intently to Bumi’s crazy retelling of one of his stories as the rest of the adults either ignored him or made fun of him, like her mom. Maya was fighting back a smile at her mom’s actions. Her mother caught her attention and rolled her eyes at the sibling’s behavior.

 

The captain felt like she was being watched, looking around the table as she took a drink of lychee juice. She found the Sato girl studying her. When they locked eyes, she saw shock and recognition cross over Asami’s face as she gasped. Maya was perplexed at the heiress’s reaction, before she could question it, her attention was drawn to the other side of the table.

 

“So, Kya, what brings you to town?” questioned Tenzin, wanting to figure out the reason for her unplanned visit.

 

“What? Can’t I pop by to see you and my niblings?” The healer shrugged innocently while tickling Rohan’s neck. The young Airbender, giggling, shied away, trying to find refuge in his mother’s arms.

 

“Under normal circumstances, yes, but you only stop by because you want to see one of your ‘girlfriends’ in the city, or this is a place you use to crash between traveling or mom sent you.” He spits out bitterly, giving her a pointed glare. “So, which one is it this time?”

 

His hurtful words took Kya aback. She felt as if she had been slapped. She saw Lin tense next to her, so she squeezed her hand, trying to calm her. The healer knew that with living in the south, traveling to Republic City to be with Lin, and then around the four nations depending on where her help was needed. It didn’t leave much time to visit Tenzin and his family, not that he was ever very warm towards her when she was around. Though she knew if she delved into this topic, it would lead to a fight in which her brother would high tail it out of there like a true Airbender.

 

“Well, you will be happy to know I’m not visiting,” the healer announced proudly, gaining confused looks from around the table.  “I’m moving back to Republic City. I was offered the head position at the free clinic I helped set up after the Earth Empire attacked the city, and I’ve decided to take it.”

 

The chief squeezed her hand and smiled at her softly as everyone around the table started to congratulate her. Bumi stood bounding around the table to pull her into a hug, ruffling her hair to annoy her. Making others laugh as Kya swatted at him, grumbling about her ruined ponytail.

 

As she nodded her head in thanks toward Team Avatar and tried to fix her hair, she noticed her younger brother. Who had yet to say anything, only staring pensively at his plate. She raised a questioning brow in his direction as she secured her ponytail.

 

Pema noticed her sister-in-law’s look and turned to her husband. She took notice of his faraway look and laid a hand on his bicep.

 

“Tenzin, dear?” the acolyte spoke softly, trying to gain his attention

 

At the sound of her voice, he was shaken out of his daze and turned with furrowed brows and an intense look towards Kya.

 

“What about mom? You have a responsibility to take care of her! You can’t just leave her!” he demanded

 

The healer felt her brows shoot up to her hairline at his words before meeting his look with a glare of her own. She could see from the corner of her eye as her wife’s jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. She was sure if she looked down at the table at Maya, she would find a similar look on her face. Not wanting this to turn into a fight, she caressed Lin’s hand, trying to calm them both, before responding to her idiotic brother.

 

“Mom isn’t a child who needs to be watched. She is a grown woman who is more than capable of taking care of herself.” Leaning forward on the table, leering at him. “She is Master Katara, the greatest water bender ever known, helped stop the 100-year war, was one of the founders of this city, and built water-bending schools here and in the south to pass on our cultural traditions. Even though she’s up there in age, if she heard the way you were speaking, she would kick your ass to the moon and back without breaking a sweat, just to prove a point.” She bit out.

 

“Language, there are children present,” Bumi proclaimed while covering Rohan’s ears, forcing a grin while his eyes jumped between them, attempting to break the tense atmosphere.

 

His younger siblings ignored him and kept glaring at each other. The tension between the two was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

 

“You...you can’t just leave her up there! Just because you want to be selfish and decided to move back here for whatever reason or whomever!” he spat out, his face becoming red from his anger.

 

“HEY!” Lin growled out as she slammed her fist on the table.

 

Bumi, at the same time, standing up straight, said disapprovingly, “Now that was uncalled for.”

 

Kya raised her hand, silencing them. She took a deep breath, calming herself, thinking about how she should have smoked the whole joint and not only half of it.

 

“I’m not leaving her, unlike you, who barely visits once a year.” Sending him a pointed look. “She will be moving back here at the end of the month.” She said, sitting back on her heels.

 

“What?”

 

The healer rolled her eyes at her brother. “After discussing it, we both decided it was time to move back. Unfortunately, Mom’s not getting any younger, and she would like to spend time with her grandchildren. And it works for me, too, since I get the opportunity to run my own clinic.” She shrugged while looking around the table at said grandkids. She smiled at each of them before facing Tenzin.

 

Pema, noticing her husband's shock, took over. “That’s lovely news. We would be more than happy to have both of you here. But unfortunately, we don’t have room for both of you unless you're okay with sharing. At least, until the end of the year, cause then a part of the air benders will be dispersed to the rest of the temples.”

 

Kya smiled at her before waving off her concern. “No worries. I already have a place lined up.” She said as she glanced at Lin.

 

The acolyte noticed the glance between them and wondered just how close the chief and the healer were so that they could share a space for a long period. Ever since the spirit canon took out a good portion of residential areas two years ago, people have been having a difficult time finding places to live. Construction has been delayed due to triad involvement and a need for extra security protocols. She hopes that her hunch is right and that they can stand being around each other.

 

“And where would that be exactly?” Tenzin butted in sarcastically, wanting to confirm that his sister was trying to get back with one of her exes.

 

“With my wife,” Kya replied as she played with her betrothal necklace and smirked at her younger brother’s dumbfounded face.

 

The whole table went silent, apart from a few gasps. Before, all chaos broke loose, and everyone who was out of the loop was demanding answers. Ikki, being the most persistent one of all, talking a mile a minute. Kya was pretty sure she was going to end up fainting soon from lack of oxygen.

 

 She could see Bumi sitting casually munching on dumplings and sending her a thumbs up when he noticed her gaze. Asami and Korra were whispering amongst themselves, and Maya was observing everyone with a guarded look while tracing with her pointer finger the rim of her cup. Pema looked like she was having an epiphany that she couldn’t yet believe. While Tenzin, who was trying to get a word in, could not with all the noise. The healer could see his face turning red, and the vein in his forehead started to make an appearance. She knew that at any moment, he would blow and thought it best if he did and got most of his frustration out before she revealed more.

 

“ENOUGH!” Tenzin yelled, and the room fell silent.

 

He took a couple of deep breaths before turning towards his sister.

 

“How is that possible? You’ve never been in a long-term relationship. Is this some sick joke?!”  he started interrogating her.

 

Bumi, noticing that Tenzins words were making his sister annoyed he, decided to intervene.

 

“Oh, like you don’t already know?” the commander asked sarcastically while grinning like a madman.

 

“Oh please, enlighten me,” the Airbender inquired dully, giving him an unimpressed look. “Who is her wife?”

 

At that, everyone was focusing on Bumi, who was grinning and staring across the table.

 

“Me.” Answered a gruff voice, making them turn with shocked expressions, “I’m Kya’s wife. We’ve been married for 18 years, and we have a kid,” while pointing to the end of the table at Maya, who lifted her hand in greeting, fighting the awkwardness she felt from the attention on her.

 

Tenzin’s jaw dropped as he looked from his sister to his ex and, finally, their child, who was the center of attention for the kids. He blinked several times, trying to comprehend what he had just heard. It felt as if his brain was misfiring.

 

Asami was smacking Korra’s arm as she whispered triumphantly, “I knew that was her! I told you! I thought it was her once I saw her eyes! They are the same as the picture!” she was grinning with joy.

 

Korra nodded her head and grabbed her girlfriend’s hand, stopping her from hitting her again so she didn’t develop a bruise. She studied the firefighter at the end of the table who had yet to say anything.

 

“Eighteen years?!” Tenzin sputtered, getting over his shock. “And… and a child?! How is that even possible?! Why didn’t you ever tell me?! Does mom know?!

 

Kya folded her arms, allowing herself to lean against Lin with a smug look now that everyone knew. “Because it was none of your business, little brother. And I wanted to avoid judgment. Also, you never asked.”

 

“I would never have judged you,” he said hurt.

 

Everyone looked at him with various looks of disbelief. When he met their gazes, he thought over his recent behavior and realized that what he said was hog monkey shit. He would have judged and tried to fix her ‘mistakes”. He grimaced at his realization, but before he could apologize, anger flooded through him as he realized his sister married his ex, has a child in her 30s, and from the shit-eating grin on Bumi’s face. He was the only one in the family not to be let in on this secret. He clenched his fists and jaw so hard that his teeth started to grind as he stewed.

 

Pema looked torn between calming her husband and the excitement the shocking news brought her. “Oh, my goodness, that’s incredible!” she said, wiping her face of the food thrown at her when Rohan lifted his arms in excitement. “Lin, why didn’t you ever say anything over the years?”

 

The chief shrugged, her cheeks flushed by the attention the news had drawn. “It was never my place to tell you," she replied, gazing gently at Kya.

 

Asami raised an eyebrow, her analytical mind already piecing things together. “That’s why you ran into the building today, after Maya, before the fire chief could even take a step. It makes sense now.”

 

Korra nudged her girlfriend and grinned. “Guess the tough Chief has a soft spot after all.” She then turned towards Maya, “Can you tell us embarrassing stories about Linny?” she asked teasingly.

 

Lin scowled at Korra and growled out. “Don’t push it, Avatar,” pointing her finger at her menacingly.

 

The avatar grinned wider in response. The chief knew that kid would be a menace now that she knew, but she still felt warmth spread through her, knowing now she wouldn’t need to keep lying about and to her family. Well, most of her family. She still needed to tell Su, and she was dreading it. But before she could be pulled down the lop-eared-rabbit hole, she was distracted by Ikki.

 

Who had recovered from her shock and was now buzzing on the floor with curiosity. She looked about ready to take off and start flying like Zaheer. “Wait, wait, wait! You mean to tell me that you’ve been married this whole time, and none of us knew? How did you even hide it? And Maya, does that mean you’re half Beifong and half water tribe royalty? That’s so cool! Do you metalbend? Can you waterbend? What’s you’re favorite-“

 

Lin raised her hand, silencing Ikki with a glare. She could tell her daughter was getting overwhelmed by all the questions thrown at her by the nervous look on her face. “One question at a time, kid.”

 

Ikki took a deep breath and, as calmly as she could, still very excited, faced Maya and asked. “So…?”

 

The Captain sent a glance to her parents, who just nodded encouragingly. She faced the young Airbender and shrugged. “Pretty easy to hide something if you keep it in plain sight unless someone is looking for it, no one will notice. Yes, but no. At the same time, since Tonraq is the chief now, that makes us, I think, past ‘royalty’?” she looked towards her mom, who nodded. “And I'm a waterbender.” She concluded as she bent juice from the pitcher, making it swirl around in the air before depositing it in her glass.

 

Ikki and Rohan squealed in excitement at the display, and Maya smiled softly at them. Korra fake pouted at them, complaining, “You guys don’t get excited when I do stuff like that.”

 

Ikki waved her off while Meelo responded, leaning over the table to look at the Avatar.

 

“Please, we’ve known you for 6 years, we’ve seen what you can do. Maya, on the other hand, we have not, and I need to figure out her skills to see where she fits in my army.” He said while studying his new cousin.

 

Korra feigned insult seeking comfort from Asami, who just rolled her eyes and patted her shoulder. While Maya looked perplexed, whispering in disbelief, “Army?”

 

Kya and Lin chuckled at the kid’s interactions. Tenzin, seeing this, couldn’t hold it any longer, he felt like he was going to blow. He abruptly stood up, gaining everyone’s attention. “I’d like to speak with you both in my office.” Before leaving the room.

 

The couple looked at each other in concern before the chief stood up and reached a hand out to help her wife stand up. They followed after Tenzin, not before signaling to Maya to stay put.   

 

---

 

The air in Tenzin’s office was tense as Kya and Lin entered, the door closing behind them with a definitive thud. The Airbender stood by the window, hands clasped behind his back, shoulders rigid. He stared out at the bay, refusing to turn to greet them when they entered, Lin’s lips pressed into a thin line. She hated drawn-out confrontations.

 

The couple exchanged a glance that spoke of their shared exasperation and preparation for the coming argument. The chief, ever the pragmatist, crossed her arms and leaned slightly against the wall. The healer, on the other hand, stayed standing tall, her expression calm but ready.

 

When Tenzin finally turned around, his face was etched with a storm of frustration, hurt, and confusion. “Why?” he questioned, his voice softer than they expected. “Why didn’t you tell me? I’m your brother, Kya. I thought we were closer than this.”

 

The healer sighed, rubbing her temple as she took a step towards him. “Tenzin, it wasn’t about excluding you. It was about living our lives on our terms. Lin and I didn’t think it was necessary to announce our relationship to the world, let alone the family. Mom knows because she helped me give birth to Maya and then saw our relationship flourish. And Bumi, well, he found out by accident.” She shrugged.

 

“But eighteen years?!” the Airbender pressed, his voice rising as he took a step forward. “You have a child together, Kya. Do you know how it feels to realize that I’ve been oblivious to such a significant part of your life?”

 

Lin’s patience finally wore thin. “Tenzin, with all due respect, it’s not like you’ve been around to ask. You’ve been busy running the Air Nation and managing your own family. And frankly, it’s none of your business who Kya chooses to marry and tell about it.”

 

Before the Airbender could reply, he hesitated, narrowing his eyes as he faced Beifong. “Lin,” he said, his voice softer yet tinged with a different kind of pain, "Years ago, you told me you didn’t want kids. But, now, here you are, married to my sister and have a daughter with her. Why didn’t you ever want children with me?” He asked before his gaze flickered to his sister, being overcome by a feeling of resentment. “What does she have that I don’t?”

 

The questions hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. Lin blinked, taken aback, her arms loosening from their crossed position while Kya’s eyes widened slightly. For a moment, the room fell silent except for the distant sound of the waves crashing against the island as they tried to gather themselves.

 

Finally, the Chief sighed, crossing her arms tighter around herself defensively. “Tenzin… those are not simple questions to answer.”

 

“Try,” he said, his voice almost pleading. He needed to know why he wasn’t good enough, but his sister was.

 

Lin glanced at Kya, who gave her a subtle nod of encouragement. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “At the time, I didn’t think I could be both the Deputy Chief and a mother. I thought I could only give my all to one or the other and…I didn’t want to end up like my mother. I didn’t want to put my career on hold, especially when I’d worked so hard to get to where I was, and a kid would have derailed my chances of becoming Chief. But…” She hesitated, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze. “I did try. For you.”

Tenzin’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Lin’s voice softened, though her tone carried an edge of vulnerability she rarely let show. “I went to the healers. I wanted to prepare myself for motherhood. But... in the end, it didn’t matter. Due to an injury, I had gotten when I was a beet cop, I can’t have children.”

Kya’s hand found Lin’s, squeezing gently as she leaned on her shoulder to give her strength. The Chief continued, her voice firmer now. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to feel trapped or pity me. I knew how important expanding the Air Nation and its legacy was to you. So, I kept it to myself to come to terms with the news so that when I was ready to tell you, I would be able to be there for you. And eventually, we would both move on.”

Tenzin looked stricken, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find words. “Lin… I had no idea.”

Lin’s expression softened slightly, though her eyes remained guarded. “It wasn’t something I wanted to share at the time. I closed myself off, throwing myself into my work until I could accept it. But by the time I was ready, you had run out of patience and left me for Pema. Our relationship was done. So I saw no use in telling you.”

Kya stepped forward slightly, obstructing her brother’s view from her wife, her voice gentle but resolute. “Tenzin, this isn’t about blame or guilt. It’s about understanding. Lin and I have built a life together. A family, against all odds. And so have you built yours. None of this changes the love we all have for the people in our lives.”

Tenzin flinched at her words but then exhaled deeply, walking towards the nearest chair and sitting down heavily on it. “I feel like I’ve spent so much of my life focused on the future, on legacy, that I forgot to think about the people around me. Lin… Kya… I’m sorry. For everything.”

Lin let out a soft breath as a weight lifted off her shoulders she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “We’ve all made choices we thought were best. What matters now is that we move forward.”

The Airbender nodded, his expression calmer now. “You’re right. Both of you. And I’ll try to be better. For you, for my niece, for everyone.”

The three of them sat in silence for a moment, the tension slowly dissipating. Finally, Tenzin stood and extended a hand to Lin. She took it, shaking firmly, before he turned to Kya, who pulled him into a brief, tight hug. When they let go of each other, he looked at her curiously.

“I don’t mean any disrespect, but how did you guys end up with Maya?” he asked, looking between them.

Kya smiled shyly as Lin smirked at her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders.

“Well, you see, Airhead, I think that’s a story for another time.” The healer sent a fleeting glance towards the door. “All I’m going to say is that she was a happy accident from one of my travels.” She concluded before dashing out the door.

The chief chuckled at her antics before meeting Tenzing questioning gaze. She raised her hands in surrender. “It’s not my story to tell. She’ll tell you when she’s ready.” She then proceeded to leave the room to find her wife, with the Air Bender following after her.

As they left the office and returned to the dining room, the sound of laughter and chatter greeted them.

Maya and Korra were showing off their water bending, trying to outshine each other by making complicated shapes with the juice for the awestruck air benders and Bolin. In comparison, Bumi was regaling everyone with another exaggerated story.

Tenzin passed them, entered the room, and sat next to Pema after placing a kiss on her forehead while the other two lingered by the entrance.

Kya leaned into Lin, her voice low and teasing. “See? Not all family dinners have to end in disaster.”

The metal bender smirked faintly. “This one’s not over yet.”

But for now, the warmth in the room, the laughter, the acceptance of their family was enough. Tomorrow would be another day. For now, they had dinner to get back to, in which Kya was going to sweep the floor with the younger water benders to show off.

Notes:

Dang, that was long.
So, I've decided to continue this, what was once a one-shot, and make it into a story. I have lots of ideas and hope you guys stick around to see how this story unfolds. Tags will be updated with each chapter. And about updates. I'll be updating once a month or every other month.
Let me know what you guys think!

Chapter 3

Notes:

Hey everyone, back for another chapter! This one's a little shorter than the others, but I hope you all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on how investigations work, so this is my best guess based on what I've seen on TV. Hopefully, it's still entertaining!
Also AC=Assistant Chief

A knock echoed through Lin’s office, pulling her attention away from the listings in her hand. She sat up from her relaxed position, quickly reorganizing the budgeting reports she was supposed to be reviewing, slipping the papers she’d been holding beneath them.

 

When another knock came, she glanced over her desk, making sure nothing appeared out of place before unlocking the door.

 

Saikhan pushed it open with his shoulder, stepping inside with two cardboard boxes stacked in his arms. With a huff, he dropped them onto the corner of her desk, shoving some of her papers aside to make room.

 

Lin let out a low grunt of annoyance at his blatant disregard for her meticulously ordered workspace. He could have easily set them on the chair in front of her, but no—her second-in-command loved annoying her. After years of working together, he knew how much she valued an organized space.

 

The only people allowed to disrupt that order were her wife and daughter.

 

And, of course, the Avatar—who had been upending Lin’s life in various ways ever since they first met in that interrogation room. At times, Korra reminded her of the avalanches in the Southern Water Tribe: overwhelming, unstoppable, sometimes reckless, but ultimately a force for change. Trying to control her was impossible.

 

Lin exhaled and refocused on the boxes, now taking up space on her desk. She narrowed her eyes at them before flicking her gaze to Saikhan.

 

“Are you trying to tell me to retire so you can move into my office?” she asked dryly.

 

Saikhan barked out a laugh. “Please. We both saw how that went last time I took over as Chief.” He cringed at the memory before shaking it off. “These,” he said, patting the boxes with a smug grin, “are the files you requested. Just arrived by train.”

 

Lin straightened, his words snapping her to full attention. For the last twelve days, she had been reviewing the information Maya had given her—digging into the warehouse incident, the security guard, and any possible leads. But this... this was what she had been waiting for.

 

She had sent out notices to every city in the Earth Kingdom, requesting case files with two key details:

1. Unknown cause of death.
2. A fire sparked by an explosion.

It wasn’t much to go on, and she knew most of what she received would be irrelevant. But asking outright about combustion benders? That would only make people jumpy. And they didn’t want the press to catch wind of it, otherwise, public panic would follow. So, as agreed with Chief Angran, this investigation would remain strictly confidential until they had something solid.

 

Lin got up from her chair, stepping in front of the boxes as Saikhan leaned against her desk. With a flick of her wrist, she bent a small blade from her vambrace and sliced open the top box. Just as she was about to reach inside, movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention.

 

Saikhan had snatched a pile of papers from her desk.

 

She barely had time to register which papers before he brought them closer, his brows raising in surprise.

 

“Well, well. Did you finally get sick of that old apartment of yours?” he teased.

 

Lin’s jaw clenched. “Give that back,” she hissed, dropping the file she had just picked up and reaching for the pages in his hand.

 

Saikhan, ever the pain in her ass, stepped back out of her reach and made his way toward the couch. Perching on the armrest, he casually flipped through the papers and let out a whistle.

 

“Never thought I’d see the day you’d be looking to buy a house.” He glanced up at her with mock disbelief. “Won’t you feel lonely walking around in a big place like this? I mean, I know you’ve got Kya and the kid, but one lives across the bay, and the other...” He gestured vaguely.“... across the ocean.”

 

Lin crossed her arms, unimpressed. “We have more important things to do than discuss my personal life,” she deadpanned, nodding toward the actual case files on her desk.

 

“Oh, come on, Lin! This is way more interesting than digging through cold cases.” He shook the papers in his hand for emphasis.

 

Lin scowled, but Saikhan—knowing her all too well—pivoted to the one tactic that had ever worked on her: negotiation.

 

“Tell me why you’re suddenly interested in real estate,” he said, squaring his shoulders, “and I’ll make us a fresh pot of coffee before we start working. Deal?”

 

“No.”

 

“How about fresh coffee, lunch on me, and I’ll take over morning training with the cadets for the rest of the week?” He offered, hoping this offer would take.

 

The chief turned back towards the boxes, not responding.

 

He sighed, but before he could push further, Lin exhaled through her nose, her stance shifting just slightly.

 

“... Kya’s moving back to Republic City,” she admitted at last.

 

Saikhan blinked. “Oh.”

 

Lin shrugged, facing him before walking over to him. She took the papers from his loosened grip, flipping through them herself now.

 

“We need a place that’s ours,” she continued, her voice quieter but firm. “Not just mine.” She hesitated a moment before adding, “And something big enough for Katara, too. Either a place with enough guest rooms or that has a guest house on the property.”

 

Saikhan let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he pushed off the armrest. “Never thought I’d see the day,” he muttered.

 

Lin shot him a sharp look. “See what?”

 

He smirked. “Chief Beifong, a family woman.”

 

She glared, but he was already turning toward the door. “I’ll get the coffee.”

 

Lin huffed, setting the papers down. “Call Chief at Angran and request an investigator to be sent over. We could use all the help we can get.”

 

 

Saikhan nodded with a smirk before exiting the room and making his way to the cafe across the street.

 

Lin’s gaze flickered back to the files on her desk—the two separate aspects of her life laid out in front of her.

 

One was a mystery waiting to be unraveled.
The other? A future she was excited and willing to build.

 

She picked up the first file from the case box, settling back into her chair.  Waiting patiently for her free meal and for whoever Angran would send over.

 

She’d let Saikhan have his fun. Once he came back, they’d have work to do.

 

 

---

 

 

“Sensil village doesn’t have any mentions of explosions, but the death is peculiar,” Saikhan said as he read through the file in front of him.

 

“What do you mean?” Lin asked as she studied the board in front of her.

 

After her second in command had returned with food and refreshments, they had dragged in a bulletin board and gotten to work.

 

“They found two bodies tied up against a tree with their flesh partially melted off. They assumed it happened from long sun exposure and scavengers.” He lifted the page, reading the rest of the information. “Apparently, they were soldiers of Kuvira’s army, so they never really looked into the murders.”

 

“Makes sense. I heard a rumor that that the law enforcement in the earth kingdom wouldn’t investigate any cases revolving people who were involved with the great uniter’s army.” Lin grumbled, knowing most of those soldiers deserved to rot in prison for what they did but not to be tortured while their assailants got off scot-free.

 

“I mean, can you blame them after what they did?” He inquired as he glanced up from the paperwork at her.

 

He noticed her tense posture, the muscle in her jaw becoming more visible as she clenched her teeth.

 

“No, I can’t,” she ground out, glaring at the board. “But that doesn’t mean I agree with how they’re handling things. There’s a reason why a judicial system was implemented.” She finished while giving him a hard look over her shoulder.

 

Before Saikhan could respond, a knock sounded from the door. He stood up and opened the door enough to see out, but no one could see in.

 

“Sorry to interrupt Assistant Chief Saikhan, but the fire investigator has just arrived.” The rookie announced nervously when he saw the door open.

 

The AC observed the young man in front of him. He could tell that he was a recruit fresh out of the academy. Nervousness radiated off him in waves, but the wandering of his eyes revealed his curiosity – he was trying to sneak a peek into the chief’s office.

 

Saikhan squared his shoulders and said in a rough voice. “Let them in, then return to your post.” 

 

The boy stood to attention, gesturing to the person behind him to step forward.

 

The second-in-command felt a flicker of amusement pass through him when he saw who the fire department had sent. He let them in before closing and locking the door. He watched as Lin’s posture relaxed slightly when she recognized who it was.

 

“So... what strings did you pull to come here, Captain Maya?” he inquired, adding emphasis to her name as he retook his seat.

 

The firefighter chuckled before responding, “None old man, I was enjoying a bowl of seaweed noodles in the station when I was given orders to report here for duty.” She noticed her mother shaking her head at their antics, causing her to smirk slightly. “And so here I am. How can I help?”

 

“The case files arrived, and we need your help deciphering what was done by combustion bending and what wasn’t. Also, possible causes of death, natural or unnatural.” Lin stated, her gaze going between the boxes, the board, and Maya.

 

“You know I’m not a medical examiner, right?” The firefighter asked as she sat down in the chair next to Saikhan, who handed her the file they were working on before she joined them.

 

The chief sent her an unimpressed look. “I know you’re not, but you are considered a doctor, so you’re the best we’ve got. I’m not bringing Kya into this unless I have to. So, let’s get to work.” Lin’s tone left no room for argument.

 

And so, they did. For the next four days, the three of them would spend hours poring over the case files.

 

At one point during those four days, they had a map brought in and attached to the back wall so they could mark the villages in which similar attacks, like the one on the docks, had occurred. Trying to find a pattern between all the information they had.

 

In those four days, they barely left the station. Just long enough to grab a bite to eat, a shower, and a change of clothes before getting back to work.

 

The only sane one of the three was Saikhan. He would leave every night and return home to his wife, only to find the Beifongs still in the office the next morning.

 

On the fourth day, he decided enough was enough. When he left to pick up lunch, on his way back, he stopped in his office and called Kya. Informing her that the Beifongs would be likely pulling another all-nighter.

 

The AC could hear the concern yet slight annoyance in the healer’s voice as she asked.

 

“Can’t you tell them to leave the office or drag them out with you when you leave?”

 

He let out a sigh of defeat before responding. “I’ve tried, but you know Beifong women, they don’t move unless they want to.”

 

“True”

 

They stay in silence for a moment, contemplating what to do. Then it hit him.

 

“Why don’t you come and get them?  They always seem to listen to you.” He heard Kya take a breath, preparing to shoot down the idea, so he rushed through the next part of it, hoping to change her mind. “I’ll clear the floor and sneak you in from the back entrance. You’ll be in and out of here undetected.”

 

She hadn’t expected the idea to appeal to her. Usually, she’d just call and nag Lin until she’d come home or when she got injured and the need for a healer was necessary. That was when she could force Lin to come home under the pretense of doctor’s orders. But this idea would work much better than the rest if they managed to pull it off.

 

“What time?”

 

Saikhan opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a couple of papers to look over the shift schedule, searching for a time that would be easy to clear the office without raising suspicions.

 

“From 1 o’clock to 2, I should be able to clear the office for you to sneak in and out without anyone noticing.” He glanced up at his office door when he heard voices outside and lowered his voice. “I’ll meet you at the back entrance and escort you upstairs so no one will question you. Then you’re on your own.”

 

“I’ll see you then.” She chuckled before hanging up.

 

Saikhan felt pleased with himself, even though once Lin found out, she’d drag him to the training grounds to remind him why she was chief. Still, he knew that both she and Maya needed rest. The whole station was on edge due to the crankiness of the metal bender and her daughter.

 

As the second-in-command walked back to the chief’s office with the takeout bags in hand, he thought that a few bruises would be worth the calm that would settle over the station once Lin had a good night’s rest.

 

 

---

 

 

Late that night, the city streets were quiet, with only the occasional rustle of wind stirring the shadows. Inside the precinct, everything was still, save for the soft hum of the fluorescent lights above.

 

Kya crept through the office, passing desks—some organized, some covered in files. Her footsteps were barely audible as she approached Lin’s office door.

 

She knew she wasn’t supposed to be there. If one of the detectives decided to return early, it would be hard to explain what she was doing sneaking around late at night. However, when Assistant Chief Saikhan had called her earlier, she knew the reward outweighed the risk. It had been three long nights without her wife, and she was done with it. It was time she brought her two stubborn idiots home.

 

Thankfully, Saikhan had let her in through the back entrance and promised to watch for any stranglers. He’s been as invested in the case as Lin and Maya, but unlike them, he went home to his wife every night.

 

The healer wasn’t about to let her family sacrifice another night over some case they could easily pick up again in the morning if they knew what was good for them.

 

When Kya reached the door, she pushed it open and froze for a moment at the sight before her.

 

Maya was slumped in a chair in front of Lin’s desk, her legs sprawled out in different directions. One of her hands clutched a file, precariously balanced on her chest, while her other arm supported her head, which lolled back against the backrest. Her face was calm as she slept, and the soft, rhythmic sound of her breathing filled the room. Making the atmosphere of exhaustion more prominent.

 

Once she was able to pull her eyes away from her daughter, they fell upon her wife. The great stone-faced Chief Beifong. Who, with one glare, could make men cower under her gaze was now passed out on her desk. She had fallen asleep leaning over her desk, her arms crossed under her head resting against a stack of papers. Strands of her steel gray hair had escaped her usual neatly pinned hairdo, framing her face like a soft halo of disarray. It was a rare sight to catch Lin, the composed and meticulous woman, looking so vulnerable and at peace in her sleep outside of their home.

 

Kya felt her heart aching in affection at the sight before her. A soft smile graced her lips as she made her way towards her wife as quietly as possible.

 

In recent days, every moment away from Lin felt like an eternity. She couldn’t understand why, but being apart during the nights troubled her more now than when she lived in the South. Since they now shared a home in the same city, she yearned to relish the warmth of her company and the peaceful moments they enjoyed together before sleep.

 

The healer stood by the Chief’s desk, looking at her wife’s serene face. A slight discomfort flickered in her expression, yet there were no signs of stress like furrowed brows or clenched jaws—only profound fatigue.

 

Kya’s fingers longed to tuck away the loose strands of hair that brushed against Lin’s porcelain skin. Supporting herself with one hand on the desk, she cautiously reached out, aiming not to disrupt this gentle moment, and tucked a few errant hairs behind her wife’s ear. She traced the curve of her cheek, savoring the softness of her skin beneath her fingertips.

 

At the feeling of her skin, she couldn’t resist and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss against Lin’s temple, her lips brushing against the smooth surface of her skin. She let her lips travel across the chief’s cheek and up to her ear, where she whispered, “Wake up, Love.”

 

Lin’s eyes fluttered open slowly, her pale green eyes blinking against the dim light of the office. For a moment, her gaze was clouded with sleep, but as soon as she focused on Kya, a soft, amused smile tugged at the corner of her lips.  

 

The healer noticed that as her wife regained consciousness, she was attempting to mask her confusion, her eyes racing around the room to understand her surroundings.

 

When the metal bender realized she wasn’t in their bed at home, but in the precinct, more specifically her office, she pushed herself up so quickly she nearly bumped into her wife.

 

Kya chuckled softly under her breath, not wanting to wake the other occupant in the room just yet. She laid a gentle hand on her wife’s shoulder, rubbing her thumb along the side of her neck, where there was no metal from her uniform to cover her skin.

 

“It’s okay, Love. Don’t worry. No one’s here. It’s just us.”

 

Lin blinked, looking around the dimly lit office. Her eyes settled on Maya, still fast asleep in the chair.

 

“What time is it?” The chief murmured groggily while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

 

“1:30 am,” Kya answered, her voice turning firm. “Saikhan called me. He let me in to get you.”

 

The metal bender’s brows furrowed as she looked at her wife. “We can’t just leave yet. We still need to find something for the case. It’s– “

 

The water bender cut her off, her tone taking on a more commanding edge. “No, Lin. Tonight, you and Maya are both coming home to get a good night’s rest. You’ll come back tomorrow at noon with a fresh set of eyes.”

 

The chief opened her mouth to protest, but the healer wasn’t having any of it. With a playful smile but a deadpan look in her eyes, she added, “If you don’t come back to the house with me now, you’ll get no sex for a month.”

 

Lin’s mouth snapped shut as she stared at her wife in disbelief.

 

Kya only crossed her arms and raised a brow to her in challenge.

 

The chief held her gaze, trying to see if she was joking, but when she didn’t find any humor in those teal eyes, she sighed before relenting. She pushed her chair back and stood. She stretched and cracked her back, wincing at the stiffness in her body from sitting for so long.

 

“Fine,” Lin muttered as she gathered the scattered files on the desk.

 

The water bender stood there, watching her, with a smirk on her lips. Her gaze lingered on the chief as she moved with practiced ease to organize her desk. There was something about the quiet strength in her movements that made Kya’s heart flutter. The way the metal benders’ hands moved so efficiently, the steady focus in her eyes, even as she was clearly exhausted–it was so beautiful to the healer.

 

She felt relief that her wife surrendered and didn’t attempt to see if she could withstand a month without her. Kya understood she wouldn’t manage it, at least not for the whole duration. She would inevitably long for her partner.

 

Heck, as she watched her now, she could almost feel the warmth of Lin’s touch on her skin. The way it felt when they held hands or when her wife’s fingers brushed across her body in those intimate, unspoken ways. The healer’s chest tightened, her thoughts momentarily drifting back to the evening before these damn files showed up where they shared one of those moments in their home.

 

Kya blinked, shaking herself of those thoughts. This wasn’t the time or the place to get lost in the small, delicate things she loved about Lin. She had work to do. Get her two benders home before the weight of duty called them back.

 

With a small inaudible sigh, the healer shifted her attention back to their daughter, who was still dozing away in the chair. She hesitated for a second, feeling a pang of tenderness towards Maya, knowing that she usually was a light sleeper, but for her not to have woken up so far meant she was exhausted. Even though she wanted her to rest, she knew it was time to wake her and move her to a comfortable bed because there was no way she was letting her daughter sleep in the precinct for another night.

 

Just as she started to make her way around the desk to approach the firefighter, Lin, who was quietly organizing, reached out and grabbed a crumpled piece of paper from the desk. With a mischievous smirk, she threw it towards Maya, tossing it just right so it would land softly on their daughter’s face.

 

Maya jerked awake with a startled gasp, attempting to stand abruptly, but her sleep-riddled mind caused her to kick her leg out, knocking her chair back and sending both her and the chair crashing to the floor. The noise echoed in the quiet office, and Kya couldn’t help but let out a muffled laugh. Lin’s smirk widened at the sight of their daughter slumped on the ground, grumbling. Kya reached out and playfully flicked the back of her wife’s ear in mock disapproval.

 

“That wasn’t necessary.” The healer whispered with a slight grin, though she was having a hard time suppressing her amusement as she went to help her daughter up.

 

As the younger woman stood up shaking off the last dregs of sleep, she muttered groggily.

 

“Ma! What the–?” A yawn interrupted the end of her sentence.

 

Lin sent her a playful smirk while crossing her arms with a knowing look.

 

“Time to get up, badger mole. We’re leaving.”

 

Maya groaned before leaning down and righting up the chair while sending an annoyed look towards her mother.

 

“Can’t we just stay here? We’re going to be back again in the morning either way. Why waste the time and energy?” she whined, her voice still thick with sleep.

 

“Because I said so. Now pack up little cloud were going home.” Kya stated as she picked up the files that had fallen out of her daughter’s hand.

 

The firefighter looked at her wide-eyed, having just realized her mom was also in the room with them. After sending a fleeting glance towards her mother, whose only response was a shrug, Maya dropped her shoulders in defeat and started to gather her things.

Kya, not wanting to mess up any of the files, decided to help by cleaning. She picked up the blanket and pillow from the couch and put them back in the closet. She couldn’t understand how neither one of them thought to sleep on the couch instead of those uncomfortable chairs. When that was done, she went and leaned against the door, waiting for them to finish up.

 

She observed Lin and Maya meticulously clear, store, and secure the final papers in the filing cabinets. Despite the late hour and their lingering fatigue, the atmosphere between them felt warm and familiar.

 

As they put on their uniform-issued trench coats, Lin looked over her shoulder at the map, unable to shake the feeling that something was still unfinished. As she studied it, a memory from a couple of years ago crossed her mind: a map with similar markings that had been set up at city hall.

 

She took a step unconsciously towards the map, contemplating if her recollection might just be turning into the lead they’d been searching for. Before she could delve further, she felt a light touch on her shoulder. Turning, she locked her gaze with Kya.

 

“Don’t,” she said, her voice light but firm. “Write a note and come back to it tomorrow.”

 

Lin shot her a brief, irritated look, but when she saw the exhausted expressions on her family’s faces meet her, her shoulders sagged in defeat. She walked over to her desk, grabbed a pen, and scribbled down ‘Look into the Earth Empire’ on a pad of paper. Before making her way back to the healer’s side by the door.

 

Together, the Beifong family left the precinct, stepping into the cold night air. It was time for rest–real rest. If Maya stumbling into her parents’ apartment, flopping down on her bed, and passing out was any indication. Lin and Kya shared a tender smile as they removed their daughter’s boots and covered her with a quilt. Once that task was complete, they quickly got ready for bed.

 

The chief knew that tomorrow she would be able to return to the case with fresh eyes, but for tonight, she was going to enjoy being home and holding her wife as she fell asleep.

 

 

---

 

 

The early afternoon light shining through the window lit the Chief’s office in a steady glow. Lin sat behind her desk, enjoying a rare moment of calm in her typically hectic day. Saikhan stood by the window, gazing over the civilians walking in the plaza. Maya leaned against her mother’s desk, arms crossed in a way that mirrored the Assistant Chief. The three of them discussed the case, bouncing ideas off each other while they waited for the files to be brought up.

 

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation before it creaked open. The police department archivist stepped inside, carrying a thin folder. The nervous young man wore glasses and looked hesitant as he approached the chief’s desk.

 

“Chief Beifong,” the archivist began, with his voice trembling slightly, as he placed the papers on her desk. “I’m afraid I have bad news regarding the case files on the Earth Kingdom, more specifically Kuvira.”

 

Lin’s eyes hardened, having a feeling she wasn’t going to like the sound of this. Kuvira–the Great Uniter, as the woman called herself– had threatened and hurt her family, her home, and her city. The mere mention of her name was still a sore subject and made Lin’s jaw tighten. She leaned forward in her chair, not noticing how Maya had tensed at the mention of the ex-dictator’s name as she waited for the news to hit her.

 

The clerk clasped his hands together to stop his nervous fidgeting as he took a deep breath.

 

“The files…have been transferred,” he said, carefully meeting the chief’s stare. “To Zaofu, under Suyin Beifong’s care. By order of President Moon.”

 

A long, chilling silence swept over the room. Lin’s hands curled into tight fists on the desk, her knuckles turning white as her breath shortened. Saikhan turned to face her, his face hard with a glimmer of caution in his eyes. While Maya, now standing up, tightened her grip on her biceps.

 

When the chief spoke, it was low and controlled, but the anger simmering under the surface was unmistakable.

 

“What did you just say?!”

 

The archivist looked down at his hands, stuttering as he struggled under the weight of her glare.

 

“I…I said that President Moon personally handed the files over to Suyin Beifong after the trial.  Claiming…it was to facilitate further cooperation between our government and Zaofu.”

 

Lin took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, trying to keep her cool. “Cooperation, my ass,” she muttered under her breath, her fingers drumming on the desk. The anger was rising, but she refused to let it explode, at least not yet. She leveled her gaze at the clerk.

 

“Get. Out. Now.” She ordered, her voice stern and final.

 

The archivist scurried out of the office as fast as his legs could carry him, clearly wanting to be as far away from the chief’s fury as possible.

 

The door clicked shut behind him, and for a moment, there was only silence.

 

“I should have known she would have done something like this,” Lin muttered, rubbing her temples.

 

Maya huffed, shaking her head in disbelief. “How could you possibly have known.”

 

Lin slammed her fist on the desk and stood abruptly. “Because she’s my sister! I should have known she’d go behind my back and do whatever she wanted.” She started pacing around the room, the others watching her without interrupting. “She didn’t even ask! This is ridiculous. Those files should never have left this station. Especially without my knowledge.”

 

Saikhan stepped forward, sensing that the Chief was about to lose her temper again, his tone firm but gentle. “Chief, I understand your anger, but don’t let it cloud your judgment. We must figure out what to do next.”

 

Maya shot the older man a glance, then nodded her head. “You’re both right. It’s a slap in the face, Chief, but we can’t let our emotions take over right now. We need to decide what our next course of action will be.”

 

 Lin’s lip curled slightly in frustration as she grabbed the back of her chair, but she nodded her agreement. “I know. What bothers me most is that Zhu Li just handed them over without consulting me. Those files hold sensitive information, and now they’re in Zaofu.”

 

Clearing her throat, Saikhan asked. “What does this mean for the investigation, then? Do we request Suyin send them back?”

 

Lin’s eyes narrowed. “No, it will take too long. Su will try to drag the process out till I'm forced to go myself. I might as well cut that time in half and just go to Zaofu, then continue the investigation there.” She paused, letting the weight of the decision settle upon her. Her and Suyin’s relationship had improved, but she couldn’t stand her sister at times. “Knowing Suyin, she’ll use this as some excuse for family bonding. I can already hear her– ‘Oh Lin, I haven’t seen you in forever, you must tell me everything!” Lin mocked her sister’s voice before grumbling under her breath.

 

Maya smirked at her mother. “Well, I’m coming with.” She held up a hand when her mother went to interrupt her. “This is my case, too, and I'm not going to let you deal with your sister alone.”

 

Lin gave her a small, tight smile, already feeling the stress of the upcoming trip.

“Fine, but no fighting, we’re going for the investigation, not to bring up the past.” She shot her daughter a pointed look, who nodded in agreement.

 

Saikhan walked towards the door. “I’ll start preparing for your departure, Chief. When are you leaving?”

 

“Tomorrow,” Lin stated, receiving two raised eyebrows from her daughter.

 

The Assistant Chief nodded but hesitated by the door. “I’d recommend bringing an extra healer with you as an extra pair of eyes.”

 

The chief glowered at him, but he didn’t back down. She pinched her brow in frustration.

 

 “Call the hospital and ask them to send down anyone available.”

 

Lin knew Saikhan wouldn’t call the hospital, but her wife, who would be more than happy to tag along. She was always up for an adventure, even if it was work-related. Lin was pretty sure that the only reason he suggested it was to ensure someone would make sure she took care of herself.

 

 Sometimes, she hated that bastard.

 

Once the door shut, Maya sent her mother a teasing grin.

 

“So, family trip?”

 

The chief scoffed at her daughter’s tone, knowing damn well this wasn’t going to be a fun trip. She motioned for Maya to help gather the files they’d need to take with them.

 

As they worked in silence, Lin thought about what would await them in Zaofu. The tricky family dynamics, the conversations she needed to have with her sister and possibly an ex-dictator if her hunch was right.

 

All she knew for sure was that she needed to get those files.

Chapter 4

Notes:

Hey everybody! Sorry for the late update, work got in the way. I tried to finish and upload the chapter a couple of days ago, but I didn't have enough time while on a work trip in Germany :/
Anyway, here's the chapter! Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments :)

Lin sat on the bed in her cabin, her metal-steel boot tapping impatiently against the airship floor. The hum of the engine was a constant reminder of the journey they were on, but it was the nervous knot in her stomach that kept her from fully relaxing.  They’d been in the air headed towards Zaofu for four hours now, and her anxiety was reaching its peak.

 

 It had been over a year since she last saw her sister. After Kuvira’s trial, they’d gone their separate ways, busy trying to rebuild their respective cities. Their communication had been sparse, an occasional letter sent here and there. And now, as she headed towards Zaofu, she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Forced family bonding time, most likely, but she’d have to somehow push that to the back burner. Because she had questions, and anger simmering under her skin, but most importantly, she needed answers.

 

Her sister had gone behind her back to have the Earth Empire’s and, more specifically, Kuvira’s criminal files moved to Zaofu and out of Republic City. Those files belong in her station, not Suyin’s hands. Especially now that they could be holding crucial information for her ongoing investigation.

 

Lin had already walked around the airship four times. Gaining glances of concern and annoyance from the crew members with each pass she made.

 

Unable to stand their looks, she confided herself to her quarters. She would have gone to Kya’s or Maya's room, but it would have raised suspicions. She would have waited in the sitting area for one of them to hopefully come around, but then she wouldn’t have been able to talk to them comfortably. So here she was, sitting alone in her room, seething with anxiety.

 

The metal bender wished there was a training room on board so she could work out this anxiety without destroying the airship. Maybe she could find one of the crew members to tell her where she could get a decent drink on this thing.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Lin didn’t even have to raise her head to know who it was. She could feel her wife’s heartbeat through the floor, which brought a smile to her lips. 

 

“Kya,” Lin sighed, her voice quiet, relief washing over her as she felt the steady heartbeat.

 

“Can I come in?”  Kya asked gently.

 

With a swift motion, the chief unlocked the door and opened it just a bit. The healer then pushed it wider and entered, balancing two steaming cups of tea. She glided across the cozy room to set the cups on the table by the bed. Turning, she gently placed her hand on Lin’s cheek and leaned down to kiss her temple before sitting beside her.

 

Lin closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the feeling of Kya’s thumb caressing her cheek. After a moment, the waterbender let her hand fall between them and grasped the chief’s hand in hers. She rubbed circles into the metal bender’s palm, calming the storm swirling inside her mind.

 

“You’ve about worn a hole into the airship with all your passing these last few hours,” Kya joked softly. “What’s on your mind, Love?”

 

Lin took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts.  

 

“I’m angry, Kya. Su… She went behind my back to President Moon to move the files to Zaofu and out of Republic City. Neither of them even thought of consulting me. I should have known she’d do something like this, but I thought she had changed. I was wrong.”

 

Kya’s gaze softened “You weren’t wrong to believe in her. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding, or she did do it but hopefully not with malicious intent. Though if she did, know that you don’t have to handle this alone. Maya and I are here for you. Be that as coworkers or your family.” She finished placing her chin on the chief’s shoulder, studying her reaction.

Lin released a breath, turning her head, she placed a lingering kiss on the healer’s forehead. “I know, thank you.” She leaned against Kya, speaking almost shyly. “I think for now, coworkers will have to do until I’m ready.”

 

“I can work with that,” Kya pulled away slightly, smirking playfully. “I’ve always wanted to flirt with the Chief of police.”

 

The metal bender rolled her eyes at her wife, giving a mock scowl in an attempt to conceal a smile. She knew for as long as they stayed in Zaofu, the water bender would seize every opportunity to tease her.

 

“Chief Grumpy,” the nickname made Lin look at Kya with a raised brow, “don’t feel pressured to tell Su about us. I know that’s another stressor for you, but for now, you don’t owe her an explanation. Just focus on solving this case, and we can deal with everything else later. Okay?”

 

Lin nodded in agreement as she let out a deep breath, finally feeling the tension leave her shoulders.

 

“What would I do without you?”  the metal bender spoke softly, her voice full of appreciation as she stared into the teal of her wife’s eyes.

 

Kya smirked, her eyes glinting with playful mischief. “You’ll never have to know.”

 

The chief’s heart skipped a beat at the teasing tone of the water bender’s voice. She let her eyes drop to her wife’s lips before looking back up to her eyes. She raised her right hand and placed it gently against the side of the water bender’s neck, pulling her in to capture her lips in a kiss. It was gentle at first but soon grew passionate as the world outside the cabin faded away, leaving only their shared warmth and beating hearts as Lin pushed Kya onto her back.  Her hands traced the healer’s body over the fabric of her dress as she kissed and nipped down her neck.

 

The breathy moans Kya released were driving Lin crazy along with the nails that were digging into her back under her tank top. Her hands reached to untie the knot of the waterbender’s dress when a sudden knock on the door broke the spell.

 

They both froze, lifting their heads to look towards the door, hoping they heard wrong.

 

“Chief, we’re arriving in Zaofu in 10 minutes. Prepare for departure!”

 

Lin let her head fall onto Kya’s chest as she growled in frustration, muttering. “Fuck, Maya, of all times to interrupt.”

 

Kya giggled softly, equally flustered as her wife. She withdrew her hands from under the chief’s shirt and gently ran them through Lin’s hair, her touch soothing despite the interruption.

 

“It’s okay,” the healer said with a slight smile. “We can continue this later. Good thing you locked the door. Right?” she asked with a slight hint of panic in her voice.

 

“Chief?” Maya’s voice called through the door, concerned when she didn’t receive an answer from her mother.

 

Lin flicked her wrist, locking the door, preventing her daughter from entering as she called back. “I’ll be there shortly!”

 

The chief waited, glaring at the door until she heard the firefighters’ retreating footsteps.

 

She sighed, letting herself lie on her wife, before looking up at Kya, an annoyed look on her face. “I’m going to kill that kid for interrupting us,” she muttered, though there was no real malice in her voice.

 

Kya laughed again, a soft, melodic sound that made the metal bender smile despite herself. “No, you won’t,” the healer teased. “You love her too much.”

 

Lin huffed as she tried to scowl, but her lips tugged upwards into a reluctant smile. “Right,” she grumbled, before pushing herself up.

 

She hovered above her wife, taking in her disheveled form, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. Knowing that if she kissed the water bender’s lips she’d get lost in her again. So, she compromised with the soft skin of her cheek before pushing off the bed.

 

She stood up, as Kya sat up, both straightening their clothing and trying to compose themselves. Lin raised her arms shoulder height and called her armor towards her. The metal wrapped around her like a second skin. Once secure, she went to grab her bag and quickly shot a glance towards the water bender, who was biting her lip. She raised a brow in question.

 

“I love watching you put on your armor.”

 

Lin rolled her eyes. “You’ve seen me put it on a million times.”

 

“And each time is hotter than the last,” Kya said, leaning back on her arms and giving her a sultry look.

 

“Quit looking at me like that, otherwise we aren’t leaving this room and then my sister will find out about us.”  The chief groaned out, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

 

“Alright, alright. I’ll stop for now.” The healer raised her hands in surrender. “Let’s get out of here. We can’t leave Maya alone to meet Su.”

 

Lin huffed, “I don’t think she’d walk out swinging.”

 

Kya looked at her in disbelief.

 

“Okay, fine she might. Let’s go.” The earthbender looked concerned as they made their way out of the cabin, with a laughing waterbender trailing behind her.

 

They walked through the airship, Kya popping into her room to get her rucksack for a moment before they met Maya at the hatch. They only had to wait a moment as they were secured to the dock before the door was opened and a ramp was raised to it. 

 

“You guys ready?” Maya asked.

 

Lin raised a brow at her daughter. “As I’ll ever be. You?”

 

“I won’t be punching anyone if that’s your concern.” The firefighter smirked, before controlling her expression.

 

Kya smiled in amusement, shaking her head, while the chief sighed and thought, «That will have to suffice,» as they made their way down the ramp.

 

A familiar voice rang out as they stepped off the ramp, full of warmth and cheer.

 

“LIN!”

 

The Chief rolled her eyes, turning to see her sister, Suyin, approaching her with open arms. Before she could protest, the matriarch hugged her tight and attempted to lift her off her feet.

 

At first, Lin stood rigid, but then, with great reluctance, she patted her sister’s back, while her lips pressed into a tight line.

 

“Su… it’s been a while.”

 

“Too long!” the matriarch laughed, pulling back but a hand on her older sister’s shoulder. “How are you? It’s been too long since we’ve had a proper family visit.”

 

Lin tensed slightly at the word ‘family’ but managed not to react further. “Busy. We’re working on a case. That’s what brought us here, so this isn’t exactly a vacation.”

 

Su sent her sister a teasing smirk. “Always work with you, huh?” She raised her hand from the chief’s shoulder with a dismissive wave. “No worries, we’ll figure out a way to incorporate some fun on this trip.”

 

Lin scowled at the statement, knowing exactly what that would mean.

 

Suyin’s sharp gaze shifted to Maya and Kya. “Speaking of which…” She gave Lin a curious look. “I wasn’t expecting you to show up with company.”

 

The chief inhaled deeply before gesturing between them. “Su, this is Maya–Captain of the Republic City Fire Department. And you know Kya, she’s here as the head healer for the investigation.”

 

Suyin extended her hand towards the firefighter, “It’s lovely to meet you, Captain.”

 

Maya’s expression remained unreadable, her smile polite yet distant. She reached out and took her aunt’s hand with a grip firmer than necessary, devoid of warmth. When she felt Su flinch at her grasp, she couldn't help but smirk internally.

 

“The pleasure’s all yours,” The Captain said flatly. “Though I wouldn’t exactly call this meeting ‘lovely’. Perhaps ‘necessary’ is a more fitting word, given the circumstances.”

 

Suyin’s brows raised slightly at the response but didn’t comment. 

 

Kya, standing beside her daughter, noticed the tension and stepped forward to pull Su into a warm hug, effectively breaking the moment.

 

“I’m glad to see you outside of a clinic.” The healer teased, remembering the last time she’d seen Suyin was when she had to heal her from a concussion and a variety of other injuries after she’d been tossed around in a mecha arm.

 

Su laughed lightly before pulling away and looking over the water bender. “You look well rested compared to then.”

 

“Well, unlike these two, I haven’t had to pull any all-nighters,” Kya said teasingly, nodding toward her wife and daughter, who stood stiffly with their arms crossed over their chests.

 

She felt a genuine smile take over her face at the sight. They may not share blood, but their mannerisms were eerily similar at times.

 

Lin huffed, rolling her eyes. “Well, the sooner I can have access to those files, Zhu Li gave you, the sooner I can sleep, then leave.” She grunted out while glaring at her sister.

 

 Suyin, undeterred by her older sister’s glare, simply waved her hand nonchalantly. “We’ll get to those pesky files you radioed me about in due time. But for now, how about I show you to your rooms? So you can freshen up before dinner.”

 

Maya’s lips twitched as she glanced at her mother, who looked ready to refuse. She had been warned that Su would attempt to coerce the chief into family time, before their arrival, but they couldn’t afford distractions. If reporters caught wind of the unexplained deaths occurring around the Earth Kingdom, things would spiral out of control quickly.

 

The older metal bender voice cut through the air, sharp and unwavering. “Su, we’re here to solve a case, not to catch up. Dinner will have to wait.”  She leveled her sister with a look of annoyance. “You know as well as I do that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”

 

The matriarchs’ smile faltered briefly but quickly recovered. Her gaze shifted between the three women in front of her. “I know, I know.  But you’ve been traveling all day–surely you can take a little time to relax? My city has everything you could possibly need to unwind.”  She emphasized the last part, her voice smooth. When she noticed the captain open her mouth to interrupt her, Su turned her gaze to her sister. “Everyone will be joining us for dinner. My kids are especially excited to see you and I’m sure Korra will be happy to hear you’re here.”

 

Maya’s brows raised in surprise, hearing her mother curse under her breath.

 

“The Avatar is here?” the firefighter asked.

 

“Yes, she arrived this morning with Asami. They caught a ride with Opal.” Su said with a pleased smile.

 

Kya observed the twitch in Lin’s jaw, realizing that the young metal bender’s evasive behavior was affecting her wife. She needed to separate the sisters before metal started to fly and a fight broke out, in which her daughter might either join the fray or be the one to initiate it. And adding Korra into the mix, who had been persistently trying to confront the chief and inquire about their relationship, wasn’t going to help her stress.

 

So, she took a deep breath, and stepped closer to Lin, mischief glinting in her eyes. She placed her right hand on the metal bender’s shoulder, drawing her attention. Then, with a playful voice, said, “Come on Chief, it wouldn’t hurt to rest a bit. To wash off that airship smell. And if you need help, I’d be more than willing to lend a hand...” Her voice trailed off suggestively before perking up, “In a healing capacity, of course.”

 

Lin tensed momentarily, her eyes flickering between Kya’s teasing teal eyes. The blatant flirting caught her off guard. A faint flush crept up her neck, but she quickly regained her composure.

 

 “I’m fine,” she ground out, turning away, acting as if her wife’s flirting didn’t affect her. “And I have work to do.”

 

Kya shot a pointed look toward Maya, noting Su’s attention was now focused on Lin’s pink-tinged ears with amusement.

 

Maya exhaled through her nose, dropping her shoulders in defeat. She looked away towards the hills and muttered, “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to take a breather and regroup. The files aren’t going anywhere.”

 

Lin barely resisted snapping her head towards her daughter to glare at her for giving in. Instead, she let out a long-exaggerated sigh. She knew it was better to listen to her wife than fight her on this. “Fine,” she muttered, voice strained.

 

Kya’s grin widened. She could see the pleased smile on Suyin’s face as she started to usher them towards the tram that would take them to the Beifong estate.

 

After they settled themselves inside, they were off. The matriarch enthusiastically pointed out landmarks through the monorail windows as they passed them by. She explained the amount they had managed to rebuild and improve the city after the Great Uniter had stripped it of its platinum.

 

 As Lin sat on the bench, she tuned out her sister’s voice and thought about how she could take advantage of the dinner to subtly question Kuvira. Knowing Su, she would undoubtedly have both the ex-dictator and Bataar Jr present to showcase how well she was handling their house arrest.

 

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a gentle nudge against the side of her armor. Turning, she found Kya peering at her in quiet concern.

 

The healer glanced towards Suyin, taking note that she was caught up in explaining the history of her city to a very disinterested Maya. Then, with a small smile, she refocused back on her wife and spoke softly so as not to be overheard.

 

“You, okay? Did I overdo it back there?”

 

Lin’s lips twitched into a faint smile at her wife’s concern. She appreciated that Kya was checking in. Sure, over the years, she had gotten used to the healer’s casual flirting in public, but she had a reputation as a flirt, which helped as a good cover story. Though this was the first time she had done it so openly in front of Su.

 

“Just thinking. And you were fine–just wasn’t expecting you to come out the gate swinging”

 

Kya chuckled, “Had to get your attention somehow.”

 

Lin shot a quick glance toward her sister, making sure her attention was elsewhere before replying, “You always have it.”

 

She was pretty sure Kya would have kissed her if the tram hadn’t come to a stop and jostled them.

 

Lin sent her wife a lingering look that promised they would continue this later, before scowling, grabbing her bag, and following Suyin toward the estate.

 

 

---

 

 

Lin scowled at her reflection as she added the final metal accents to her Zaofu robes when a knock came from the door. She turned as it opened, seeing her wife step into her room.

 

“I see the twins managed to convince you to change,” Kya said thoughtfully, closing the door behind her.

 

The healer took in her wife’s new attire. The soft green fabric of the clothes flowed around Lin, they were a stark contrast to her usual metal uniform. The robe made her seem more at ease, its refined quality and subtle metal detailing reflecting the sophisticated yet grounded nature of Zaofu.

 

The chief let out an annoyed huff, “It was this or Su would have been on me all night about not embracing relaxation,” she said while making air quotes with her fingers as she mimicked her sister’s voice. “Apparently, I need to wear this monkey suit to seem relaxed.”

 

Kya smiled, her eyes softening at the pout on her wife’s lips–one Lin would deny being there. She stepped closer, her eyes flicking over the earthbender’s appearance with admiration. Even though she knew the metal bender felt uncomfortable, it didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy the view.

 

 “Well,” She teased, “I think you look good. Different but it’s not bad. I like it.” She stood in front of the metal bender, reaching out, brushing her hand over the smooth fabric, and adjusting the small clasp near the chief’s collar. “But I prefer you in your armor, where you're more comfortable.”

 

Lin smiled bashfully, her hands settling on her wife’s waist.

 

 “You sure? Don’t like relaxed Lin?” she asked, exasperating her name with a raised brow.

 

Kya looked down at her softly as she caressed her cheek. “Positive. And this is you being forced to relax. I much prefer the version of you, after work–– sweatpants, tank top, sitting on the couch with me in your arms, drinking fire whiskey Izumi sent you, and listening to the dramatic detective serial you supposedly hate on the radio.”

 

The chief chuckled dryly, “It truly is awful though. They get half of the facts wrong!”

 

The healer shook her head slightly in amusement before moving closer, a breath away from the metal bender’s lips. “That may be so, but you like criticizing it with me.”

 

Lin rolled her eyes before closing the distance between them.

 

She mumbled against Kya’s lips “I do,” before relishing in the warmth of her wife’s soft lips.

 

After a moment, Kya pulled away from the kiss, gazing into the pale green eyes she loved, enjoying the peace between them. Then, with a knowing look, said, “We better get to dinner. Otherwise, your sister will come looking for us.”

 

Lin grunted, annoyed that the moment was over but knowing it was best to go now rather than later.

 

“Is Maya waiting outside?” the earthbender asked as they made their way toward the door.

 

Kya tensed for a moment, sending her wife a guarded look.

 

“Su requested that tonight be only family. She offered to have Maya’s dinner brought to her room, but she refused and is out exploring the city.”

 

The words barely left Kya’s lips before Lin’s expression darkened. Her fists tightened, her shoulders going rigid, jaw clenching. For a long moment, she was silent. When she finally spoke, her voice was controlled, cold with underlying fury peeking through.

 

“Of course she did,” the metal bender muttered, nostrils flaring. “Typical.”

 

Kya sighed, knowing where this was heading. “Lin––”

 

“She’s part of our team for the investigation, and I know for a fact it won’t only be family tonight. Su only excluded her cause Maya made a dig earlier during their introduction.” The Chief snapped, her voice low but sharp. “She should be there. And not only because she’s our kid.”

 

“I know.” Kya’s voice was calm, but firm as she tried to defuse her wife’s anger. “But you know how Su is, she hates being dismissed, and this is her way of getting back at Maya.”

 

Lin exhaled harshly through her nose, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Where is she now?”

 

“Out looking for a bookstore she heard about, most likely. Said she’d eat while out.”

 

The chief huffed out a laugh as she sent her wife an amused look, “Well, she’s going to have more fun than us tonight.”

 

Kya smirked. “My thoughts as well, that’s why I told her to bring us back a book for our suffering.”

 

A twinkle flashed in the waterbender’s eyes as she turned towards the door. When her hand landed on the doorknob, it dawned on Lin as to why her wife looked so pleased with herself.

 

“You asked her for a steamy romance novel, didn’t you?!” the earth bender hissed, bewildered.

 

Kya paused, cracked the door open slightly, and glanced over her shoulder, a teasing smile on her lips. “Maybe. Now, let’s get to dinner before we’re late.”

 

She winked as she glided through the door with a subtle spin––her movement almost ethereal, like a leaf caught in a gentle breeze, effortlessly teasing.

 

“KYA!” Lin called out, exasperated.

 

“Remember, no fighting!” The healer called out over her shoulder as she walked down the hall.

 

Lin shook her head as she grumbled, “No promises.”

 

Before following her wife towards the dining hall.

 

 

---

 

 

 

The dining hall was filled with the low hum of conversation as Lin sat quietly between Suyin and Kya. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the faces around her. Korra, Asami, and Opal sat on the left side of the table, while the twins, along with Huan and Bataar Jr were seated across from them. The noise of the room barely registered to the chief. Her focus was on the three empty seats at the table.

 

The one next to Su, she presumed was most likely for her husband. The other two, at the end of the table, were for Kuvira, who had yet to arrive, and for Maya, who had been pointedly excluded from dinner. The matriarch claimed to have her reasons, but Lin knew Suyin was using her daughter’s comment from their first meeting as an excuse to keep Maya from the gathering.

 

It was petty, but the metal bender couldn’t say anything without her sister learning about her daughter and her wife. And she wasn’t ready for that yet.

 

Su had tried to engage Lin in conversation, but the older metal bender had nothing more to respond with than grunts and growls.

 

Lin wasn’t in the mood for small talk, especially with her sister. The only reason she had agreed to come to dinner, was so that she could talk to Kuvira.

 

Her gaze moved across the table, briefly catching the eyes of Bataar Jr. He sat with a guard positioned behind him, but despite his house arrest, it seemed more like a vacation for him rather than a punishment. The Chief frowned. A single guard trailing him wasn’t the kind of security she would have assigned. He might be a non-bender, but he was the second in command of a dictatorship that had cost the lives of hundreds. He should be under tighter supervision.

 

And yet there he was, sitting comfortably as if nothing were amiss. Lin’s eyes narrowed slightly as she observed him. He seemed unnervingly at ease, especially considering the last time she had spoken to him, he was chained to a table in her interrogation room and things had been far from civil.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted when Bataar entered the room, apologizing for his tardiness, closely followed by the chef. Said chef held a tray of Earth Kiddom delicacies on his shoulder. The clatter of plates being set down briefly interrupted the conversation as he began to explain each dish’s inspiration.

 

Lin sent a pointed, exaggerated look towards Kya, who only rolled her eyes playfully in response.

 

Conversation resumed once Suyin approved the meal, and the chef left them to it. The clinking of silverware echoed through the room as everyone dug into their food.  The Chief barely acknowledged the food before her, still waiting for Kuvira to arrive.

 

But, when, after a few moments, no one else came through the doors, her frustration deepened. Especially at the lack of concern.

 

Lin leaned over towards Su, lifting a questioning brow.

 

“No Kuvira?” her voice remained calm, but there was a hint of impatience beneath her bored tone.

 

Suyin froze momentarily. Her expression shifted, a subtle flash of pain flickering across her face before quickly masking it. “She won’t be joining us,” she said quietly, her voice lower than usual, a clear sign of how upset she was.

 

The chief continued to stare at her, hardening her gaze slightly, waiting for her sister to elaborate.

 

The matriarch tried to ignore her sister’s prodding look, but in the end exhaled a sigh before reluctantly explaining, “She lashed out a couple of days ago–– attacking one of the guards. Now she’s in isolation.”

 

Lin let out a frustrated breath, muttering, “Great.” 

 

She should have known the positive reports she’d been receiving about Kuvira were too good to be true. She’d rather Kuvira had lashed out after her visit, but now, there was nothing she could do, other than get through this dinner.

 

Suyin not wanting to comment further on the topic, turned to her husband to discuss the reconstruction of the city domes.

 

Lin didn’t care for the topic. In her opinion, she didn’t think that resources should be wasted on the rebuilding of platinum domes, but not her city, not her problem. She shifted her focus to Kya, who was in the middle of a conversation with Korra.

 

From the corner of her eye, the Chief noticed how Bataar Jr would glance up whenever Kuvira’s name was mentioned. She could understand his interest, given the history between them, but she wasn’t about to dwell on that tonight. She had more important things to think about.

 

Asami took notice of Lin’s growing frustration and decided to pull her into a conversation about the new residential areas her company had just finished building.

 

The older metal bender welcomed the distraction from the young heiress, it helped pass the time.

 

By the time dessert was served, Lin had started to grow restless. She turned towards Su, her voice lowered but insistent. “About the files. When will I get access to them? I need to go over them– or at least copy them.”

 

Suyin didn’t look up from the moon peach cake on her plate. “This isn’t the time to discuss it, Lin.” Her tone dismissive, before expertly steering the conversation in a different direction, drawing Wing and Wei’s attention to her.

 

The Chief clenched her jaw in frustration, it rose to the point in which she unconsciously bent the fork in her hand without using her bending. The momentary physical release didn’t help calm her. She was getting tired of being brushed off. These files were crucial to her investigation, and she had been patient enough.

 

Before Lin opened her mouth to voice her anger, she felt Kya’s hand gently slide onto her thigh beneath the table, squeezing to remind her to keep her cool– for now.

 

Opal’s voice cut through the tension. “Aunt Lin, can you solve a debate between us?”  she asked, a smile on her face, as she gestured between herself and Asami.

 

Lin nodded, recognizing and appreciating her niece’s attempt to lighten the mood.

 

The Airbender and the heiress exchanged a look before Opal posed her question. “Which form of transportation is better: Airships or bison?”

 

The Chief smiled slightly at the two women. “Airships are more convenient and less smelly, especially over long distances. No offense, Opal. However, I personally prefer using my cables to swing between buildings. There’s nothing like it.”

 

Kya chuckled lightly, her eyes meeting Lin’s in a soft nostalgic glance. Both remembering the spring, they had taught Maya how to use water whips to swing from buildings during a rainstorm, when she was a teenager. It had been a fun, daunting yet chaotic, family experience. Even though all three of them ended up sick for a few days afterward. They exchanged a quiet, fond smile over the memory.

 

Korra and Asami smirked at each other, catching the soft look momentarily being exchanged between the older couple. Had they not known about their relationship, they wouldn’t have caught the moment.

 

Opal was trying to defend her bison, but everyone knew that she had the smelliest and snottiest one.

 

Korra was recalling the time Juicy had sneezed and covered her in snot. Claiming it was the most disgusted she had ever felt. Asami was cringing at the memory, she had refused to go anywhere near her girlfriend until she was clean.

 

Before Lin could comment further, Suyin suddenly excused herself from the table, rising abruptly. Lin’s gaze trailed after her retreating form. Sensing that this would be the perfect opportunity to corner her and get some answers, she decided to follow.

 

Without hesitation, the metal bender stood, excusing herself as well. She noticed Bataar looking conflicted, his eye jumping from her to the doors his wife had just disappeared through as if he was thinking of a way to stop Lin. But with one harsh glare from her thrown in his direction, his mouth shut tight with an audible click.

 

As she pushed in her chair, Kya caught her eyes. Lin could see the quiet warning in her wife’s gaze, a plea to avoid escalating her conversation with her sister into a physical altercation.

 

The Chief hesitated, but only for a moment. She knew her wife hated seeing her hurt, but at this point, she had run out of patience with her sister. If she had to force Su to give her the answers, she would.

 

Her footsteps echoed off the polished floors as she strode through the estate, her frustration fueling every step.

 

 When she reached Suyin’s office doors, she knocked, waiting to be let in. When she didn’t hear anything, she used her seismic. Detecting her sister sitting behind her desk acting as if she hadn’t heard the knock.

 

Lin tried the handle, only to find it locked.

 

Her lips pressed into a thin line, as her annoyance grew. ‘So that’s how we’re going to play it, huh?’ Lin thought.

 

 

With a sharp flick of her wrist, the metal lock groaned slightly before bending inward with a sharp click. Lin shoved the door open.

 

The sudden movement startled Su, making her head snap up. The pen in her hand poised over a document froze, her expression showed irritation before masking it as the chief stepped inside her office, closing the door with a deliberate slam.

 

Suyin exhaled sharply before setting down her pen and folding her hands in front of her. “Lin,” she greeted cooly, her voice sharp barely concealing her annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

 

The Chief didn’t waste time. “You know damn well why I’m here. I want answers.” she said, crossing the room with powerful strides until she stoond in front of her sister’s desk. “Now.”

 

The matriarch leaned back in her chair. “About what, exactly?” she inquired, feigning boredom.

 

“You took files, Su. Without going through the proper channels.” Lin stated bluntly.

 

Suyin barely reacted. “There was no reason for those files to remain in Republic City.” She spoke smoothly, her tone casual. “Kuvira is under my house arrest, making her my responsibility. So, it’s only logical that I should have full access to all information regarding her.”

 

Lin scoffed, folding her arms. “She was tried and convicted in my city. The original documents were meant to remain at the station, while copies were to be provided to you.” She took a deep breath, rubbing her temple, struggling to rein in her anger but failing. “But NO! You had to go behind my back and take them yourself, and now I had to come here to retrieve them.”  She shook her head, pacing in front of the desk.

 

“Would you have given them to me if I asked?” Su asked, tilting her head with a raised brow.

 

The chief threw her arms in the air. “I would have given you a copy! As is procedure.” She leveled a glare at her sister. “But no, you have to be a pain in my ass and break the law. As usual.” She muttered.

 

Suyin merely sat there unfazed watching her sister pace in front of her desk. Then, with a flippant gesture, she commented, “It’s not that big of a deal, Lin”

 

The Chief’s head snapped towards her sister, eyes burning in disbelief. “Not that big of a deal?!” Her voice rose. “You know those files aren’t freely given out because of the risk of them being alt–” She froze as her words trailed off. The pieces in her mind clicked together.

 

Her eyes narrowed on her sister. “You wouldn’t?”

 

The matriarch raised a brow in question. “Wouldn’t what?”

 

Lin took a step closer, her stomach twisting. “Tell me you weren’t planning on petitioning for an evidential appeal in five years after tampering with the files so Kuvira and Bataar Jr could be released.”

 

Silence.

 

Su refused to meet her eyes.

 

The chief’s hands clenched into fists. “Su,” she growled low, practically begging her to deny it.

 

Suyin didn’t. She sent her a flitting guilty look before casting her eyes out the window.

 

Lin felt as if she’d been punched in the gut. “Are you serious?!” she asked, voice thick with disbelief.

 

The matriarch exhaled, her tone suddenly raw. “Lin, you don’t have a daughter. You couldn’t possibly understand the pain I feel as a mother.” She shook her head slightly.  “Bataar Jr has adjusted well, he’s taken to house arrest beautifully, but Kuvira…” she swallowed, her face creasing with pain. “At first, she read to pass the time, then took up gardening. But in the past year, she’s become a shell of the person she used to be. And I can’t watch her like this.”

 

Lin let out a bitter, humorless laugh. “Su, she’s an ex-dictator who tried to kill us! She kidnapped and imprisoned you!”

 

“She’s still my daughter!” Suyin snapped, slamming her hands on her desk as she stood abruptly.

 

Lin had had enough. She matched her sister’s stance, slamming her hands on the desk and leaning in. “Hog Monkey Shit! She’s a daughter to you when it’s convenient.” She shot back, her voice razor-sharp, cutting. “You cried to the world during the trial how hurt you were by your daughter’s actions so they’d pity you. Not because you actually cared.” Her lip curled. “You never referred to her as your daughter the first time I came here. She wasn’t in any of your family photos or in attendance at your perfect family dinners. So, explain to me exactly how she’s your daughter, Su.”

 

The matriarch searched for words before she opened her mouth, but Lin didn’t let her speak.

 

“The only reason I ever found out was because Kuvira told Korra, who then told me.”

 

Suyin’s expression hardened as she crossed her arms. “I had my reasons,” she snapped, her tone defensive. “You couldn’t possibly understand the challenges a mother has to face.” She sneered, glaring at the chief.

 

Lin growled, her eyes a blaze of white-hot fury. “Oh, get off your high eel hound, Su,” she spat, pushing off the desk. “I understand them better than you.”

 

Suyin blinked in shock at the venom in her voice and choice of words. “What do you mean?”

 

The Chief cursed under her breath, dragging a hand through her hair. This wasn’t how she wanted to tell her sister, but– flameo, when had anything ever gone according to when Su was involved? She took a deep breath before meeting her sister’s questioning look.

 

“The captain you met today?” Lin said, her voice low and firm. “The one you excluded from dinner due to your pettiness?” She met Suyin’s confused gaze. “She’s my daughter. And unlike you, I have always made sure she knew I was there for her. That I am proud of her. She never had to doubt if I loved her.” she took a deep breath, trying to block out the dark memories. “I was there while she recovered from injuries, from the guilt of watching her coworkers die in front of her– because of Kuvira.”

 

Suyin’s eyes widened from shock and the weight of her sister’s words sinking in. Her voice shook slightly. “You never told me…”

 

Lin scoffed, glaring at her sister. “You weren’t someone I wanted to tell.”

 

“Why?” The matriarch’s voice wavered.

 

“Because here you stand–thirty years later–still breaking the law. Still making excuses. How could I ever trust you with something like when you always put yourself above the law without caring who you leave behind to suffer the consequences.” She spat out as she pointed an accusing finger at Su. “My question is– when are you finally going to get what’s coming to you?”

 

Silence suffocated the room. The tension between the two sisters as they stared at each other was thick enough that you could cut it with a knife.

 

For the first time, Suyin looked ashamed. She averted her gaze, unable to hold her sister’s any longer.

 

 The chief, without a word, turned on her heel and walked towards the door. Her footsteps echoed in the tense silence. When she reached the exit, anger still simmered beneath the surface, so she yanked it open and then slammed it behind her with a force that shook the entire office. The exhaustion that overtook her once outside weighed down on her as she made the trek back to her quarters, hoping to run into her wife along the way.

 

On the other side of the door stood Su in stunned silence. She had flinched at the slam of the door. Had she not felt her sister’s anger through the floor, the slam gave it away. She let her body lean against the desk and gripped it tightly, her mind racing with the weight of Lin’s words. She knew she had fucked up, and this wasn’t the first time. She would need to do something to make it up to her sister. Otherwise, she might not get another chance, and the overwhelming guilt she was feeling would grow unbearable.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

It was a crisp, relatively quiet morning. The distant sounds of Wing and Wei power disk match carried through the morning air as Maya walked down the hall to her mother's room. She had already tried her mom’s room, but after receiving no reply, she figured her parents were together–especially after last night’s fight. She had heard her mother and aunt’s raised voices coming from the matriarch’s office when she had returned but couldn’t decipher their words. She had decided to leave them to it, knowing she’d be filled in if needed, come morning.

 

The walk wasn’t long, but she enjoyed it as the sunlight filtered gently through the guest quarter’s windows, warming her skin. In her hand, she clutched a book wrapped in brown paper–something she had bought from the bookstore last night with the help of a very kind clerk while exploring the city. She hadn’t minded being excluded from dinner but knew her mother would be annoyed. Hopefully, the book the healer requested would take her mind off it.

 

As Maya neared the chief’s room, she noticed a cardboard box sitting outside of the door, a small, folded note resting atop it. Curiosity sparked her interest, but first, she had to tease her mother and then she could focus on the mysterious package.

 

With a slight smirk, she leaned against the doorframe and knocked.

 

After a brief pause, the door swung open, revealing Lin in her usual white tank top and gray sweats. Her stoic expression was firm on her face, though at the sight of her daughter, it softened into a soft smile.

 

“Morning, Ma,” Maya greeted cheerfully, “I’ve got a delivery for Kya Beifong. Know where I can find her?” Her tone was teasing as she held up the wrapped book.

 

At the sight of the package, the Chief’s smile disappeared, being replaced by a scowl. She let a deep sigh escape her lips. “Why do you both take pleasure in torturing me?” she muttered, eyeing the firefighter with exasperation, though her tone revealed a hint of long-suffered amusement.

 

Maya chuckled, shaking her head. “Don’t blame me. Blame your wife. She’s the one who wants books like this, and I wouldn’t be a good daughter if I didn’t do her bidding.”

 

From behind Lin, Kya glided into view, drawn by the sound of voices. She wrapped her arms around her wife’s shoulders, perching herself comfortably against her, as a sly smirk danced across her lips.

 

“What did you find?” The healer asked eagerly, her voice filled with playful curiosity. She ignored Lin’s grunt of complaint as she looked expectantly at their daughter.

 

Maya shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck in uncertainty. “Not sure. The bookstore clerk recommended it.” She handed the book over, watching as Kya eagerly accepted it, then pressed a kiss to Lin’s scared cheek before disappearing into the room to unwrap it.

 

The young waterbender smiled at the soft smile that had appeared on her mother’s face after the kiss. The firefighter knew that Lin didn’t mind their teasing, in fact, she secretly enjoyed putting on an act of mock annoyance.

 

Catching her mother’s gaze, she nodded toward the cardboard box sitting on the floor to the side of the door. “Want me to bring this in?” she asked, tilting her head in question.

 

Lin’s brows furrowed in confusion as she glanced down at the package, only now realizing it was there.  After a beat, she nodded and opened the door further, allowing her daughter to step inside her room.

 

The water bender carefully lifted the box, before carrying it with ease into the room.

 

The chief closed the door and followed closely behind her daughter. Her gaze flickered momentarily toward Kya, who had already buried herself in her new book, in a chair by the window. The earthbender shook her head fondly at her wife.

 

Maya placed the box on the foot of the bed and stepped aside as her mother reached for the note.

 

Lin’s finger brushed against the paper, before grasping it and pulling it towards her. She could feel her daughter peering over her shoulder to sneak a peek at the note. She internally cursed her daughter’s towering height before quickly reading the message.

 

Lin, here are some of the files

I believe this will help solve your case.

I know this isn’t much, but it’s a start.

I’m sorry.

Sincerely, Su.

 

The Earth Bender’s expression shifted from surprise to doubt. As she and Maya opened the box and started to pull out the files, spreading them across the bed. They organized the documents neatly, realizing from the dates printed on the outside of the folders that they were dated the Earth Empire’s first year of operation.

 

Once they were done, they stood in silence, staring down at the files covering the bed.

 

Lin felt a flicker of relief that her Suyin had given her some files, but she knew it would be like pulling teeth to get the rest. Taking a deep breath, centering herself. Knowing for now she had won one battle but there were many more ahead.

 

Kya, finished reading the description of her new surprisingly graphic novel, took notice of her wife and daughter standing silently studying the contents on the bed. She stood, stepping closer to Lin’s side, scanning the files with curiosity.  

 

“I guess we have a lot of reading material to go over, huh?” The healer mused, her voice light with a hint of apprehension.

 

Lin nodded, her expression serious as she contemplated the time it would take to go over all the files. She glanced toward her wife and smirked slightly.

 

“No time to read…” The chief studied the black cover held in the healer’s hand, trying to read the title. “Sunstone, though.”

 

Kya’s lips curled into a grin. “There’s always time for that, especially when it’s mostly drawings. But I’ll hold off for now.”

 

Lin’s brow raised in question, already knowing she would regret asking. “Drawings?”

 

Without another word, the healer simply flipped the book open to a random page and held it out. She watched as multiple emotions morphed across her wife’s face. Confusion to shock and then to sheer disbelief. The chief sputtered struggling to find words.

 

Kya watched, biting back laughter, as her wife’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

 

 Lin’s wide eyes darted over the pages, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. A sharp inhale passed through her nose, lips pressing into a tight line as a deep crease formed between her brows.

 

Finally, she managed to choke out in a tight voice, “What the fuck am I looking at?”

 

Her head snapped up towards Kya, who was fighting a grin, obviously enjoying the earthbender’s reaction far too much. Lin could already imagine the teasing comments her wife was forming in her mind, but before the healer could get a word out.

 

A sudden realization struck like lightning.

 

Maya. Bought. The. Book.

 

Lin’s sharp, pale eyes snapped toward her daughter. Just as Maya caught a glimpse of the pages. Instantly paling as her expression transformed from curiosity into sheer, unfiltered horror.

 

“I–” Maya squeaked, raising her hands in surrender and taking a step back. “I didn’t know! The clerk recommended it! I didn’t even open it!”

 

The chief took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to compose herself. “You–” she exhaled sharply, dragging her hand down her face before pinning her daughter with a look. “You bought this!?”

 

The young water bender, looking as if she wished to have been born an earth bender to sink into the floor, shook her head rapidly. Blood rushed to her cheeks. “For Mom! I thought it was just some romance novel! I didn’t know it was…” She trailed off while gesturing helplessly towards the pages the healer still held open, refusing to look directly at it.

 

Kya, in the meantime, was outright grinning, her amusement growing as she flipped through the pages. “Oh, it’s romance, alright.” She tilted her head as she examined the artwork. “A very… intimate romance.”

 

Maya groaned loudly, covering her burning face with both hands. “I can’t believe I bought my mom porn.”

 

Lin looked at her disapprovingly. “I can’t believe you bought porn without realizing it.”

 

The captain dropped her hands, revealing her tan face that still had a hint of red from embarrassment as she looked at her mother desperately. “How was I supposed to know?! I just asked for an adult romance novel– like she told me to!” She pointed a finger toward the smirking healer. “And in my defense, it looked classy!”

 

Kya, clearly enjoying herself, took a step closer to Maya and clapped her on the back. “You exceeded my expectations, little cloud.”

 

Lin shot her wife a dry, unimpressed look. “Do not encourage this.” She growled.

 

The healer only laughed, moving out of reach from the chief swat, flipping through the pages with keen interest. “Oh, don’t worry, Chief Growly. I’ll make sure to give you a full review later.” She said, winking at the earthbender.

 

Lin let out a long-suffering sigh, ignoring the heat in her cheeks, as she turned back to the case files on the bed. “I hate both of you.” She muttered, shaking her head as she reached down grabbing a folder.

 

Maya, still mortified, muttered. “Trust me, not as much as I hate myself right now.” She leaned down, picking up a folder and using it as a makeshift shield, “Can we just get started and pretend this never happened?”

 

Lin nodded, walking over to a chair to get situated. While her daughter walked to the other side of the room and sat down on the couch. Both burying themselves in research.

 

Kya chuckled, thoroughly pleased as she watched them attempt to theoretically distance themselves from the situation. She shook her head fondly as she picked up her own folder. Then, made her way over to her bag and placed the book inside before sitting near her wife, for what promised to be a long afternoon.

 

They read through reports for hours, making notes when things jumped out at them. Time slipped away unnoticed as they poured over every detail, analyzing the information and comparing it to what they already knew.  

 

The morning awkwardness faded as they lost themselves in the paperwork.

 

 Korra had stopped by wondering if either of them wanted to spar but had been turned away kindly by the older water bender. At first, the avatar protested until Kya let her peek into the room. Only for her to see the chief and captain standing in front of a map, comparing notes and attaching strings to pins. They were so engrossed in their discussion that they hadn’t even noticed her presence. Taking the hint, she had promptly left, leaving the three of them to it.

 

Around midday, lunch had been brought to them, courtesy of Opal. The Airbender debated on whether to ask her aunt about her mother’s odd behavior that morning, figuring it was due to their conversation or fight the night before. But after remembering how her last attempt at meddling in their relationship had gone, she thought better of it. Instead, she had promptly left after depositing the tray in Lin’s hands.

 

By mid-afternoon, Maya could see the fatigue settling into both her parent’s faces. Her body was starting to become sore from all the sitting she had done, and no doubt her mother’s felt the same discomfort.

 

Kya, noticing her daughter’s restless stretching of trying to get comfortable, decided it was time for a change. She couldn’t stand sitting still and being inside this room anymore.  She stood stretching her arms high above her head, her back cracking audibly. A content sigh escaped her lips.

 

“How do you two do this? I’m starting to feel claustrophobic in here,” The healer said with a hint of playful exaggeration. Placing a hand on her hip and turned toward her wife with a hopeful smile. “How about we take this outside?”

 

Lin, immersed in the file on her lap, circled some words, then looked up, opening her mouth to protest. But the healer held up a hand to stop her.

 

“I’m not saying we stop working, Love.” Her tone was warm and persuasive. “I’m just suggesting a change of scenery. Some fresh air would do us all some good, and we can still work.”

 

The chief hesitated, her brow furrowing as she considered the idea. Her gaze flickered over to the bed, taking note of the unread case files. If her calculations were correct, they had only managed to get through a third of them.

 

Maya chimed in, her voice laced with uncertainty, but with underlying excitement that broke through the earthbender’s thoughts.

 

“I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to get some vitamin D, Ma.”  Her gaze flickered longingly to the window.

 

Lin frowned, her fingers tapping lightly against the folder in her hands. They still had so much to go through. But one glance at her wife’s hopeful expression, paired with Maya’s restless shifting, was enough to tip the scales. With a heavy sigh, she dropped her head slightly and began gathering the files. “Alright, fine. Packet it up let’s go. But we’re not stopping working.” She grumbled pointedly at her wife, who looked a little too pleased with herself.

 

Kya beamed as she led them out of the room. She made a quick detour to her room before meeting them at the estate entrance. She exited the home, waving her family over to follow her as she led them away towards the tree line.

 

As they walked across the estate grounds, Lin shot her wife a questioning look at the towels in her arms.

 

“Why the towels?” the earthbender inquired, eyeing them skeptically.

 

The healer merely shrugged, a secretive smile playing across her lips. “You’ll see.”

 

The trio ventured into the tree line in silence. Lin was scanning the area for any potential threats as Maya admired the beauty of her surroundings.

 

Kya stopped when they reached a small clearing, waiting for her family to take in the little serene lake in front of them. The water’s surface shimmered under the afternoon sun.

 

“Wow,” Maya exhaled.  

 

“What is this place?” the chief asked, surprised, she didn’t remember Su ever mentioning this.

 

Kya turned to them with a proud smile. “This is the reason the estate was built here. Thirty years ago, I ran into Suyin as she was starting the construction of the city. One day, while exploring we found this lake, and she loved it. Claimed she would build her house near it so her future children could come and swim here. But,” She said while laying out the three towels she had brought. Then gestured around.  “as you can see life got in the way and she forgot about it.”

 

“But you didn’t,” Lin said softly, looking at her wife warmly.

 

Kya shook her head gently. “No, I didn’t,” she spoke staring into her wife’s pale green eyes.

 

Maya rolled her eyes at their cuteness and sat down, leaving the towel in the shade for her mother as she spread out the files.

 

Lin broke eye contact and sat down, picking up the file she had been reading. When Kya didn’t join them, she looked at her questioningly. She blinked.  Her wife had just finished removing her dress. Living the healer in a swimsuit, she had clearly changed into when she dipped into her room.

 

Kya winked at them, mischief glinting in her teal eyes. “I’m going to leave the detective work to you guys for a bit.” And before her wife could protest, she was off–bare feet running across the grass as she sprinted to the water’s edge and dove in with a graceful splash.

 

The chief shook her head at her wife’s antics, smiling as she watched her swim around. She could see from the corner of her eye Maya looking longingly toward the lake. She knew the firefighter would sit and go over the files with her until they collapsed unless she said something.

 

She pretended to focus on the papers in her hands, but through the earth, she could feel the firefighter’s restlessness growing.

 

After a few moments, she could tell that the captain wouldn’t be able to get any work done. So, with a dramatic exhale, the chief said. “Go swim, Maya. I’ve got this.”

 

The captain looked at her mother, hesitating, wanting to make sure her mother truly didn’t mind.

 

Lin waved her hand, lifting the earth beneath her daughter, forcing her to stand.  The lopsided grin she received reassured her it was the right choice.

 

Maya quickly stripped off her sleeveless shirt and forearm wraps, leaving her in her chest binding and harem-styled trousers that gather at the ankles. With the removal of her wraps, the tattoo she received on her right forearm a decade ago from completing warrior training is on display. The deep blue ink stood out vibrantly on her tan skin.

 

Lin caught a glimpse of either Tui or La on her daughter’s arm as she dove in after Kya. It had been quite a few years since Maya had started wearing her wraps all the time, and the chief had almost forgotten the tattoo existed. Her wife had a similar tattoo on her left calf, different, but the wave pattern technique was the same. She watched as her wife and daughter swam and splashed at each other, their laughter filling the air, before getting back to work.

 

The water benders had been diving and exploring the lake’s depths when they stumbled upon a cave opening. Excited, they signaled to each other to surface, knowing they’d have to inform the metal bender before investigating further.

 

They broke the water’s surface, bringing the chief’s attention towards them. Kya pushed her long silver hair out of her face before turning alongside her daughter toward the figure situated in the shade.

 

“We’re going to check out a cave we found!”  Maya called out, her eyes brimming with excitement, “We’ll be back soon.”

 

Lin gave them a thumbs up, her focus on her notes as she yelled back in a firm but light tone. “Don’t bring back any animals!”

 

The water benders chuckled before diving back in.

 

The chief watched with a small smile as they disappeared into the lake's depths. She knew this little outing and swim session was getting them a bit sidetracked, but she thought it was worth seeing the joy on their faces.

 

Lin glanced down at the files in her lap, the weight of the investigation pressing down on her mind once more. She wasn’t sure what else she could find in these documents other than a few mentions of some cities people had been killed in, nothing concrete as of yet. But she wasn’t going to lose hope just yet, she still had two years of paperwork to sort through once she got her hands on them.

 

At the same time, the water benders formed air bubbles around their heads as they slowly entered the cave. Darkness enveloped them to the point that they could barely see the person in front of them. So, they made their way through by keeping a hand on the rocky wall.

 

The cave was lit up with a soft blue glow as Kya healed a cut she got from one of the sharp rocks. They could see the algae and fungi that covered parts of the wall and some small fish swimming around. Before the light could go out, they noticed that the cave took an upward incline.

 

Maya signalled to her mom asking if she wanted to keep going.

 

The healer nodded her head and pushed forward.

 

As they ascended through the tunnel, they started to see a faint orange flickering glow shining through the water's surface. The duo looked at each other in confusion and swam closer cautiously.

 

They emerged in a cavern, stalactites hung from the ceiling as lit torches lined the wall at the entrance, cast eerie shadows on the stone walls.

 

“What is this–” Maya started to ask but was interrupted by Kya pulling her under the water, silencing her.

 

The captain tried to swim back up, but the healer’s grip prevented her, keeping her in the shadows. She sent the older water bender an annoyed look, only to see Kya pointing to the entrance where two figures were walking past, shifting like dark silhouettes.

 

Though their figures were distorted, the Zaofu uniforms were unmistakable. The green robes, the metal chest armor with shoulder pads, forearm guards, and helmets were characteristic of the metal clan guard attire.

 

Once the duo was sure they had passed and weren’t coming back, they surfaced, keeping an eye on the mouth of the cave.

 

Maya wiped the water off her face as she looked at her mother and whispered. “What are guards doing down here?”

 

Kya frowned, not taking her gaze from the entrance. She could still hear their boots scraping against the stone floor as they gradually faded, their appearance unsettling her. “I don’t know, but whatever the reason, it can’t be good.”

 

“Then maybe we should figure it out.”

 

The captain’s suggestion made the healer’s head whip towards her with an incredulous look.

 

“Are you crazy? No, we’ll go back and ask Lin or Su about it.”  the older water bender hissed, her eyes flickering between the cave's mouth and her daughter.

 

Maya sent her an unimpressed look, “Yes. But we don’t have time to do either of those things.” Sending her a small cheeky grin and raising her brows, she said, “You can’t tell me you're not curious to find out what Suyin is hiding down here?”

 

Kya shrugged, “of course I do, but it’s no–”

 

“Then it’s decided.” The firefighter interrupted before grabbing onto the pool's edge and pushing herself out. “Let’s uncover the dark secrets of Zaofu.” She said sarcastically.

 

The healer studied her daughter's determined expression, knowing the firefighter would go on without her if she didn’t join. She exhaled a sharp breath of defeat and pulled herself out of the water. She stood next to her daughter, leveling her with a look, “If we die down here, you’ll have to deal with Lin in the afterlife.”

 

Maya chuckled as she ran a hand over her braids, “You got yourself a deal. Now how about we go explore?”

 

With quick, practiced movements, they covered one arm in water, knowing it never hurt to be cautious. The cool sensation of the water sliding across their skin grounded them and gave them a sense of ease.

 

They moved stealthily through the tunnel, going in the opposite direction of the guards. The eerie silence was broken only by the sound of the crackling fire from the torches wrapped around them like a shroud. As they traversed, they tried avoiding stepping on sharp rocks under their bare feet.

 

The deeper they ventured, the more often they encountered blotches of dark, dried liquid on the ground and lines on the wall as if traced by fingers. The sight of what they presumed was likely blood, along with the scent of copper in the air, created an unsettling atmosphere.

 

Their eyes met in silent understanding. Something was off here, but neither spoke, not wanting to draw attention to themselves. With their hearts pounding in their chests, they cautiously moved toward the bend in the passageway. Turning, they found a large, fortified wooden door, new yet weathered. It stood starkly against the natural stone of the cave wall, like a sore thumb.

 

Kya motioned to Maya, signaling for her to check it out as she kept watch.

 

 They moved closer, taking notice of a small opening in the door that gave them a glimpse inside. However, when the captain tried to see what lay beyond, she couldn’t. It was too dark to make anything out.

 

The healer reached over and grabbed one of the torches mounted on the wall nearby before she leaned in, holding it close to the small opening. The flickering light illuminated the interior, a wooden floor smeared with bloodstains that had soaked into the cracks. She followed the stains, to a new pool of blood that had accumulated under a foot. She swore under her breath.

 

Kya looked towards her daughter, eyes wide, her voice an urgent whisper. “There’s someone inside– injured.”

 

Maya’s eyebrows shot up, shock overcoming her face before settling into a determined expression. “Let’s get them out.” She said, already moving towards the lock.

 

She extended her arm towards it, planning to use her water bending to freeze the lock and force the door open. Her mom’s soft touch on her forearm made her pause, the water stopping an inch away from the lock. The firefighter looked at the healer, confused.

 

Kya smiled before tilting her head. “Look.” Pointing to the keys hanging beside the door.

 

The captain blinked, a sheepish grin crossing her features as she realized her oversight. Quickly grabbing the keys, she unlocked the door with a soft metallic click. As she pulled it open, the creaking sound it made, reverberated throughout the quiet tunnel.

 

They froze for a moment, listening for any rushing footsteps or shouting. But when none came, they released a breath of relief.

 

Maya knew they wouldn’t have much time before someone noticed them. So, she took the torch from her mom, who decided to stay by the door and keep watch, and stepped into the room.

 

Inside, the room was small, dark, and damp. The torch she held was the only source of light. Maya moved carefully, avoiding any form of puddles on the floor, as she made her way inside.

 

The captain’s breath caught when the torchlight illuminated the body of an injured woman chained to the floor. The woman’s body was bruised and bloody and seemed very still, her long, wet hair obscured her face.

 

The firefighter’s gut tightened as she knelt, gaze locked onto the woman’s chest, searching for movement, hoping for a sign of life. Then she noticed it–a faint rise. The woman took shallow breaths, indicating possible rib fractures.

 

A wave of relief washed over her, the woman was alive.

 

Then, her gaze moved upwards, stopping at the hidden face. She slowly reached out, pushing the tangled, wet hair aside. She studied the battered face in front of her, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind trying to tell her something.

 

Maya froze. Her breath hitched when it hit her. The silence shattered with a single, shocked whisper–

 

“Vira?”

Notes:

Alright, so I know what you're thinking: "Who the heck is Vira?"
Well, you're just going to have to wait and find out!
Mwahahaha!
Sorry, but cliffhangers are my guilty pleasure.

And if you're curious about the tattoos, more will be revealed later on. But I decided to add a bit of my own lore. In which tattoos were rooted in an ancient South Water Tribe tradition that vanished during the Hundred Year War, only to be revived during the time of peace after Aang beat the Fire Lord. Neat, right? But anyway I promise, you'll get the full scoop later on in the story, so hang tight!

Now for the not-so-great news... I won't be able to update until June (Thanks a lot, exams!). If I get lucky, I might sneak a chapter in before then, but no guarantees. Fingers crossed!

Before you grab your pitchforks and come after me for leaving you on this cliffhanger, I'll make my grand escape. Until next time! (Cue dramatic exit, stage left)

Chapter 5

Notes:

Hey everyone, I'm back!
Exams are done, and I managed to pass the ones I took –woohoo! I jumped back into writing as soon as I finished, but then ended up with salmonella poisoning (10/10 do not recommend), work's been keeping me busy ever since. That being said, I'm super excited to finally share this chapter with you. Hope you enjoy it!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Content warning:
This chapter contains descriptions of physical abuse, hallucinations, and emotional trauma. It includes references to drowning, panic attacks, and visible injuries. Reader discretion is advised.

If I missed a warning, feel free to let me know in the comments!

The woman stirred at the sound of a name she hadn’t heard uttered in a decade.

 

Vira.

 

The syllables floated through her like an echo of a past life. Of waterfalls, books, stars, and a clearing in the forest. When things were easier, all she had to worry about was training, working, and finding time to sneak away to the mountains.

 

Her eyes fluttered open slowly, but the word remained blurry. Shadows danced across the wooden panels, and the flickering light from the fire pierced her senses, forcing her to flinch. She shut her eyes tightly, desperate to escape the assault on her vision. Her head throbbed viciously with sharp, rhythmic pain, a cruel reminder of the concussion clouding her thoughts. She struggled to recall how she ended up back in the cell. The last thing she remembered was her head being forced underwater and hands holding her down.

 

She shook her head, trying to shake away the memory, but immediately regretted it when a wave of nausea overcame her. Sharp, searing pain gripped her ribs and left leg, each breath was a battle. The deeper she tried to inhale, the worse it got. Her lungs felt like they were burning, the raw sensation crawling through her chest as if shards of glass scraped against her insides. She could feel the blood trickling down her leg where the bone had pierced through the skin. The pain radiating from there was steady, distant–as long as she didn’t move, she could pretend it wasn’t there.

 

When she managed to open her eyes, her vision was altered. In the firelight, a vague silhouette of a person knelt beside her. Her mind processed information slowly, trying to decipher what was real and what wasn’t.

 

Once it did, the panic hit her like a high-speed train.

 

“No–please–don’t–” She gasped, scrambling backward until the chains tethered to her bruised wrists were yanked taut. She cried out in pain as her back hit the wall. Pain exploded from her ribs and leg. Tears started to stream down her face as sobs escaped her lips. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t let the guards break her again, but after all the pain she had been through and the state she was in, she knew she wouldn’t last a minute with them now.  Her voice was hoarse as she croaked.

 

“I-I know I deserve it,” she croaked, voice hoarse. “But please… I can’t. No more. No more…”

 

She repeated it like a mantra, as she pressed herself harder into the cold, wooden wall. Her body trembling, her breaths shallow and quick, each one a struggle. She tried to force herself to stay calm, to stop herself from flinching with every movement, but her body was uncooperative.

 

The figure before her hadn’t moved.

 

Maya knelt, frozen, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces at the sight before her. Her old friend– the girl she used to train with, laugh with under the stars- was now a ghost of herself. Reduced to this trembling, broken shell of herself that could barely speak.

 

 This wasn’t the fierce, proud woman she remembered. This was a ghost– shaking in her chains, pleading for mercy, she claimed she didn’t deserve. And she’d be damned if she was going to leave her there.

 

The firefighter slowly reached out instinctively.

 

But the moment her hand moved, Vira flinched violently, curling in on herself with a whimper.

 

Maya’s breath caught in her throat as she recoiled. Feeling as if she’d been burned, a wave of guilt crashed over her.

 

“Shit.” She whispered, cursing her own carelessness.

 

Slowly, she placed the torch beside her, letting its gentle flame warm the otherwise cold air around them. The firelight cast shadows that danced across Vira’s haunted, tear-stained face.  She raised both hands, palms open.

 

“Vira,” she whispered, voice trembling. “Vira, it’s me. Maya. Remember?”

 

The woman’s her tilted up slightly. Her fern green eyes, bloodshot and full of disbelief, met the captain’s. Her breath hitched, before a sob escaped her throat.

 

“No,” she croaked, “no, you're…you’re not real. You’re… you’re just another hallucination.”

 

Maya felt the words like a bolder to the gut.

 

“Vira,” she choked out, tears burning in her eyes. “No, I’m real. I’m right here.”

 

Vira stared at her for a moment, a tear running down her cheek. She lifted a shaky hand to wipe at her eyes, the chains clinking softly, before shaking her head and turning away.

 

Maya wasn’t sure how to convince her she was there other than to show her. She leaned forward slightly, slowly so as not to spook her again, letting the torchlight catch her features. The firelight outlined the left side of her jaw, the slope of her nose, the tilt of her brow, and her blue eye.

 

“I’m real, Armor Girl.” She repeated, softer this time. Hoping that mentioning the old nickname she would tease her with, would make Vira believe her. “You’re not imagining this. Me.”

 

Vira turned towards her sharply, shock covering her features. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She swallowed, her breathing coming out in short, painful gasps. “I-I’ve seen you before. In the corners of the room. In my dreams. I–I can’t–” Her voice cracked. “I can’t trust this.”

 

“I know.” Maya’s voice wobbled with the weight of her words. “I don’t blame you. But please, just–” She released a breath. “Let me show you.”

 

The other women looked at her with a guarded look but didn’t react.

 

The waterbender, seeing this, slowly extended her hand. Watching how the other woman would react, as it hovered above Vira’s.

 

“Please,” she whispered.

 

Vira hesitated, her eyes flickering down to the outstretched hand hovering above her own. Then, tentatively, as if she were fighting every muscle in her body, she lifted her trembling hand.

 

 The moment their fingers brushed, Maya’s breath caught in her throat, as she could feel how cold the other woman’s skin was. She gently guided her hand toward her chest.

 

Vira’s breath hitched at the feeling of warm, solid skin. Having expected the person in front of her to be an illusion, her fingers moved, feather-light, tracing the curve of Maya’s collarbone, neck, jaw, and cheek. The familiar slope of her nose. The faint dip at the centre of her brow. And then–

 

She froze.

 

Her fingertips brushed over a small scar that cut diagonally through Maya’s left eyebrow.

 

Her hand trembled as it lingered there. 

 

“Maya…” Vira whispered, her voice barely audible but full of wonder. Her gaze finally cleared enough to focus and lock on Maya’s heterochromatic ones.  She would recognize those eyes anywhere. Hope bled into her disbelieving gaze.

 

“You got that,” Vira choked, “from hunting a yak. When you were a teenager.”

 

A shaky laugh escaped the waterbender's mouth, her eyes full of tears. “Yeah. Thought it was dead, but it was only unconscious.  It got me good with its horn before the others took it down.”

 

A broken sob escaped the woman’s throat, half sob, half laugh.

 

Maya smiled ruefully, reaching out slowly to gently cup Vira’s cheek. She’d flinched but didn’t pull away. The firefighter’s thumb softly brushed away the fresh tears.

 

“Had I known you were down here. I would have come sooner.” She said softly, watching Vira lean into her hand.

 

They stared at each other for a moment, the weight of old memories, regrets, and things left unsaid hung between them.

 

“How about we get you out of here?” Maya asked while tilting her head.

 

Vira hesitated, glancing away as she contemplated it. She stared into the darkness she’d grown used to, feeling the familiar feeling of the chains weighing down her broken body. She was going to refuse, afraid this was another trick.

 

But as she went to open her mouth, she hesitated.

 

What else did she have to lose?

 

She nodded.

 

Maya smiled slightly and got to work.

 

 The metal key clicked softly in the locks, one by one, and the cuffs fell away from Vira’s wrists and ankles. Her limbs trembled with each release. She stared at her red, ridged wrists as if the cuffs themselves had tried to carve her sins into her skin. Her fingers trembled as she reached out to touch them.

 

“Maya, hurry up–someone’s coming,” Kya warned, her voice urgent.

 

Vira stiffened at the sound, placing her hands against her chest as if to shield herself.

 

Maya, noticing her reaction, spoke softly, trying to calm her down. “It’s okay. It’s just my mom. She’s here to help.”

 

After taking a deep breath, she gave a barely perceptible nod.

 

“Can you walk?” the water bender asked.

 

But at Vira’s head shake of denial, her eyes dropped to the woman’s leg and inhaled sharply. The bone had broken the skin, and a trickle of blood could be seen escaping the wound.

 

“Okay, stupid question,” Maya mumbled, shaking her head at herself. “Can I carry you? After I’ve somewhat secured your leg.”

 

After a long pause, the scared woman studied the firefighter hesitantly. Then, finally, gave a reluctant nod.

 

Maya smiled in relief before reaching down using an ice shard to rip her right harem pant leg from the knee down.  She then tore the fabric into four pieces. Using the one to gently wipe away blood and clean the area as best as she could without doing any healing, since they didn’t have the time. She covered the wound with another piece before looking up.

 

“I’m going to need to bind your legs together to immobilize your leg,” The firefighter said, but once she saw the fear on Kuvira's face, she knew the other woman wasn’t okay with that. “I promise once we get out, I’ll untie them. Okay?”

 

“Okay,” the earthbender whispered.

 

Maya moved as quickly and calmly as she could so as not to scare the other woman, as she secured her legs together. She tied the last two strips, one under the knee and the other around her ankles.

 

Once secured, she checked in one last time before slowly slipping her arms beneath her old friend’s battered body. She placed one hand on the middle of her back and the other under her knees, then as gently as she could, lifted her.

 

The whimper Vira released broke Maya’s heart. She leaned down and whispered, “I’m sorry,” as she carried her out of the cell, trying to avoid jostling her much. “I’m going to get you out of here. I promise.”

 

As they stepped through the door, Kya waited for them, looking stressed. She could hear the steps coming closer and feared they would be found out. She turned to face her daughter as they stepped into the light.

 

“Maya, we need t–” the healer’s eyes widened as she got a look at the woman in her daughter’s arms. “–wait, this is Vira?! Kuvira is Vira! The Great Uniter?!” Her voice sounded strangled at the end.

 

Maya flinched at the sound of her mom’s voice. Knowing she’d screwed up by not mentioning it before this moment. She nodded in confirmation, slightly fearful of verbally answering.

 

Kya stared in stunned silence, trying to wrap her head around it. “You’ve been talking about this girl on and off for the last decade, and you never thought to mention she was Kuvira?!”

 

The young water bender looked down at the woman in her arms. She was trembling, but Maya didn’t know whether it was from pain, fear, or even shame.  

 

“I didn’t think it mattered at the time.” Her voice was quiet but firm as she started walking back the way they’d come. “But right now, she’s a woman who’s been abused, and if you don’t want to help her for her past mistakes. Then stay here.” She said, looking over her shoulder at her mom with a conflicted look.

 

Kya blinked as she let out a huff. “Did you really think I wouldn’t help?” she asked, already walking over to join them. “I may not like her, but I was the one who healed her after her attempted invasion, when everyone else refused.  And I’ll always help people no matter who they are.” She said, sending a pointed look towards both girls.

 

They smiled at each other before walking down the tunnel, trying not to make too much noise. But all was for not as a male voice yelled out.

 

“HALT!”

 

They both looked behind them at the guards who were quickly approaching. The daunting sound of the sudden clatter of boots hitting the rock floor and metal on metal rang in their ears.

 

Maya tightened her grip on Kuvira as she felt her mom pushing on her shoulder.

 

“RUN!”

 

Kya yelled as she faced the upcoming guards. The healer flung her arms out, using the water they had brought to build a wall of ice to shield them from the incoming metal cables. 

 

 “GO!”

 

She shouted over her shoulder.

 

 The firefighter hesitated before taking off running down the tunnel, murmuring apologies to the girl in her arms for every jostling step. She could hear the clash of metal hitting ice coming from behind her as she took the turn.

 

Kya stepped backwards as she bought them time. When the guards cracked the ice, Kya braced herself. Once they broke through, the healer threw icicles to distract them. As the guards tried to evade the ice shards, she used the remaining water to slick the floor beneath their feet with a sheet of ice. As they fell, she took the chance to get out of there.

 

As she ran, she repeated the same mantra over and over in her head. ‘Get to the pool’

 

She didn’t slow down while taking the turns, running into jagged cave walls, which scratched at her skin. Before pushing off and running back to the pool, muttering the same mantra under her breath, “Get to the pool,” hoping the girls got out okay.

 

When she entered the cavern, she saw Maya standing at the edge of the pool and felt like pushing her in for waiting for her. But as she approached, she noticed Kuvira shaking uncontrollably in her daughter’s arms. Standing beside them, she could see the uniter’s lips moving in a desperate whisper.

 

“No…not the water… please… Not the water.” 

 

Kuvira was on the verge of hyperventilating. While her daughter looked on helplessly.

 

Kya placed her left hand on Maya’s shoulder and moved her right hand in front of the uniter’s face, snapping her fingers to break her focus on the water’s surface. “Hey. Hey – look at me.”

 

The Earthbender’s eyes fluttered toward her.

 

“I don’t know what they did to you down here,” Kya said gently, “but we’re not them. We’re here to help.” She looked toward her daughter before looking back. “You trust Maya, right? Then trust me, just a little longer. Please.”

 

Vira glanced between the women and the water, her body still trembling. She took a deep breath before giving the smallest nod.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

They stepped into the water and submerged themselves as quickly as possible before Kuvira could change her mind. As the water fully covered their heads and Kya made air bubbles around their heads, the guards entered the cavern.

 

Metal spears sliced through the air, piercing the water’s surface in the hope of hitting the forms of the escapees. But the waterbenders were already propelling themselves down the underwater tunnel with powerful bursts.

 

Once outside the cave, they kicked their legs with all their might to get to the surface. They emerged into the afternoon sun, the cool breeze hitting their faces. They swam until they could get their feet pressed against solid ground.

 

Lin, who had been lounging against a tree, going over the paperwork for the construction of the railway, looked up at them with a small smile on her lips. That quickly vanished at the looks of panic on her wife’s and daughter’s faces. She stood up, about to call out, when the file in her hand slipped through her fingers and onto the dirt. The sight of her daughter, soaked, cradling an unconscious and injured woman, was not what the chief was expecting.

 

She strode into the water, barking out. “When I say don’t bring back an animal, that includes people!”

 

Kya threw her hands into the air and called back, “Well, we weren’t going to leave her down there!”

 

Lin huffed as she reached them. Her face hardened when she got a look at the woman’s face, lying on her daughter’s shoulder. “The Uniter?” she demanded, appalled, until she got a look at the rest of her. At the sight of her, the chief softened slightly. “What the flameo happened to her?”

 

“I don’t know,” Maya said wearily as she stepped onto dry land. “But she needs a healing pool. Now.”

 

Kya used her bending to remove the remaining water from their bodies before reaching down to pick up her dress and pull it on. She locked gazes with her wife, pleading with her not to fight them on this, a silent conversation passing between them.

 

Lin’s jaw clenched. She knew that normally, there were steps that needed to be taken to secure the victim, the crime scene, and the evidence, but in this situation, she had no jurisdiction. She huffed, knowing this was going to cause a mountain of paperwork, as she leaned down, stuffing the files into Maya’s bag.

 

“Get her to my room, I have the biggest tub.”  When no one moved for a moment, the earth bender barked, “Go!”

 

They moved quickly through the trees, making their way back to the guest house.

 

Kya kept shooting glances towards Kuvira as she muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, about the possible injuries the unconscious woman had. “Concussion. Fractures and possible internal bleeding.”

 

As they approached the tree line, Maya said with a strained voice, “The guards aren’t on our side.”

 

 Lin cursed under her breath and retracted the soles of her shoes, tracking the movement around them.

 

They managed to get back to the chief’s room without any of the guards noticing them.

 

Lin cursed the lack of security as she opened her bedroom door, though a small part of her was grateful for it all the same.

 

Kya hurried in first, heading straight to the bathtub to turn on the water. Maya followed right behind her, hot on her heels, and gently lowered Vira into the tub. They were careful not to let the water level rise further than the earthbender's waist, wanting to avoid triggering another panic attack. 

 

Lin stayed by the door, arms crossed, watching closely. She observed Maya’s hands as they untied the bindings around the uniter’s legs, then shifted to Kya as she examined for head trauma.

 

When the older waterbender discovered a nasty gash on the back of Kuvira’s skull, she summoned water to the wound to begin easing what was most likely a concussion. She turned to her daughter, who was standing there frozen, eyes fixed on the girl in the tub. Kya had taught her basic healing, but it had been a while since they had reviewed how to treat broken bones. Maya’s reaction, however, was one of shock, not due to a lack of knowledge. 

 

“You need to clean the wound. Flush it out gently with lukewarm water.” The older waterbender instructed as she pushed some of Kuvira's matted hair aside to get better access. She took note of Maya moving to gather the water, then turned her head towards her wife.  “Lin, I’m going to need you to get in here soon and help us realign the bone.”

 

The chief simply nodded, trying to make sense of this. The Great Uniter now sat in her bathtub, unconscious, injured, and bloodied. With signs of months of abuse littering her body, and it all happened under her sister’s watch. Clenching her jaw, she thought about the times Su had broken the law, but in this case, she truly hoped she wasn’t involved.

 

She shook herself from her thoughts, deciding to confront Su later. Right now, she needed to stay alert.

 

Her eyes narrowed when she spotted dried blood on her wife’s forearm.

 

“Either of you hurt?” She demanded, worried.

 

“Just a few scrapes and bruises from the cave walls. No need to fret, Love.” Kya answered, her tone light, though the exhaustion in her voice was evident.

 

Lin studied her for a moment, then shifted her gaze to their daughter. She had shaken herself out of her shock and was now focused on healing, yet worry was etched into the lines of her face.

 

With a frustrated huff, the earthbender turned towards the door, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I can’t believe you guys managed to get into trouble in less than twenty-four hours.”

 

“A new record, I’d say,” Maya commented off-handedly as she finished cleaning the area around the wound.

 

Lin shot her a glare that would make her toughest officers shake in their boots.

 

Maya simply rolled her eyes and gestured for her  to come over and help.

 

The chief grunted, stepping into the bathroom, but stopped when she felt two sets of steps approaching in the hall. She turned, her hand grasping the doorknob and easing it partially closed.

 

Kya shot her a questioning look.

 

“Lin?”

 

“Someone’s coming.” She said quietly, making her way to the door.

 

The waterbenders tensed, exchanging worried glances.

 

Maya knew the leg wound could wait, while Kuvira’s concussion couldn’t. She indicated to her mother to keep healing, then stood, taking up a defensive position between them and the door.

 

A moment later, Korra’s muffled voice sounded through the room, closely followed by a knock.

“Chief? You in there?”

 

Lin froze for a moment, her frustration with the whole situation simmering at the edge. She stomped over to the door and yanked it open.

 

Shocking the young couple on the other side of it with the suddenness, making them jump.

 

“Oh– hey. Uh, do you know why the guards are acting weird?”  The avatar asked, brows drawn together as she leaned against the doorframe. “Some of them are out searching for something, while the rest look… kind of lost.”

 

Lin narrowed her eyes at her but said nothing. Then, without warning grabbed the front of her shirt and hauled her roughly into the room.

 

“Woah, damn, Chief!” Korra stumbled into the room. She shook her head as she straightened up, tugging at the now stretched-out collar with a grimace. “You didn’t have to stretch out my shirt like that. If you wanted me inside, you could have just asked!” She huffed out.

 

The chief rolled her eyes. “Your shirt’s fine.” She snapped. “We have bigger problems than that.” Her gaze shifted to a wide-eyed Asami, who had just closed the door. “I need you to find Opal. Tell her to bring her bison outside my window. We’re leaving.”

 

Their brows furrowed, exchanging confused looks.

 

“Leaving? Why–” Asami started to ask, but was sharply cut off.  

.

 

“You stay here,” Lin ordered, pointing at a confused Korra. “Don’t let any guards through that door. Got it?”

 

“Chief, what’s going on?” Asami pressed, voice uneasy. The older woman’s odd behavior threw her off.

 

The chief didn’t answer. Instead, with a simple flick of her wrist, she manipulated the metal handle of the bathroom door and forced it open.

 

The sight that greeted the young couple left them speechless, their mouths agape.

 

Inside, the rest of the Beifong family were kneeling around the tub. Kuvira lay slumped in the water, unconscious and ghostly pale. Blood oozed from her wounds, mixing with the dirt, coming off her body, staining the water brown and red. Hand towels soaked in rust-colored liquid littered the floor, contrasting vividly against the stark white tile.

 

“What–what happened to her?” Korra whispered, her eyes wide as she watched Maya place a roll of gauze in the metal bender’s mouth.  

 

Lin sighed, the weight and feelings of the situation sat heavy on her shoulders. “A lot. One of them will explain it to you.” She nodded at the others and made her way to the door. “I need to talk to Su.”

 

As she walked out of the room, she heard Maya call out to the avatar to come help her.

 

 Asami followed closely behind her, footsteps light on the marble flooring. They walked in silence, their steps echoing in the corridor.

 

Lin’s thoughts were a mess. The idea that her sister might be complicit in this made her stomach twist painfully. She knew Su was capable of many things, but hoped this wasn’t one of them, because… well, she wasn’t sure what she would do,  only that it wouldn’t be pretty.

 

She stopped suddenly, reaching out and grasping the engineer’s wrist. Making the young woman stop in her tracks and turn towards her, startled.

 

“Asami.”

 

“Yeah?” Her brow furrowed as she waited.

 

“Make sure you get them out of here. Don’t wait for me.” Lin instructed, “Kya knows where to go.”

 

Asami hesitated, her mouth parting in protest, “I can’t just–”  

 

“You can and you will.” The earthbender cut her off, voice firm, steel threading through every word. “I don’t trust this. For everyone’s safety– leave.”

 

The engineer looked away, torn. She wanted to argue, not wanting to leave Lin behind, but she understood the stakes.  When she felt a hand settle on her shoulder, she looked towards the older woman.

 

“If it makes you feel better,” the chief spoke her voice not as stern, “send Opal back to get me once you're safe. I’ll be here, waiting.”

 

Asami searched her face, at the sight of the resolve etched into the earthbender’s face, she nodded in defeat. “Okay. Be careful.” She said, sending her one last worried, fleeting look, before turning and heading to find Opal.

 

The chief gave a brief nod in response, then watched the young woman walk down the hall. She didn’t know what she was going to find out when she confronted her sister but one thing she knew for certain. No one would be escaping the repercussions for this, not even her sister.

 

 

 

 

 

Running the back of her hand across her forehead to wipe away the sweat from the humidity, Kya observed her work. She had just finished reducing most of the swelling around Kuvira’s parietal lobe, though she knew it would take a few more sessions before it fully healed. 

 

When a thunderous crash rattled the entire building.  

 

All three waterbenders immediately leaned over the tub, covering Kuvira’s body with their own, shielding her in case the ceiling gave way.  Dust rained down from a freshly made crack overhead, but thankfully, nothing else.

 

They didn’t pull back until the tremors subsided. They slowly sat up, scanning around the room.

 

Only to flinch at the sudden roar heard from outside, the room.

 

Korra was the first to stand, exiting the bathroom to investigate the noise. Only to find just beyond the window, Opal on Juicy’s back, with asami perched behind her in the saddle, both looking rattled. Her girlfriend frantically waved her over, making her quicken her steps.

 

“Asami? What’s going on?” the avatar asked, once she pushed open the window.

 

“We need to go, now.” The CEO stated urgently, glancing over her shoulder towards the rising sounds of chaos.

 

KRNNK…BOOM…CRACK…

 

“A fight broke out. Lin and Su are trying to keep the guards back, but it’s not easy. They don’t know whom they can trust. We don’t have a lot of time. We need to get out of here– now!” Asami flinched at the smashing sound that echoed closer this time.

 

Korra’s eyes widened. She nodded, turning abruptly to go get the others, but Kya and Maya were already emerging from the bathroom, carefully carrying Kuvira between themselves.

 

The older waterbender met her stunned gaze with a tired shrug. “We heard Asami. Thought it would be best not to waste time,” Kya said, before huffing. “Well, don’t just stand they like a cat deer caught in headlights! Help us!”

 

Maya laughed breathlessly as she watched the avatar rush over and take her mom’s place to help her carry Kuvira to the window. She could have done it on her own, but even with Korra’s improvised metal splint, any wrong bump could set it out of place. So, it was safer for her to be moved by two people.

 

Kya grabbed her waterskin and satchel, stuffing her new book into it, before vaulting out the window and onto Juicy’s saddle. She turned, bracing herself on the edge as she and Asami reached down to grab the uniter and pull her onto the air bison.

 

In their haste, they accidentally bumped Kuvira’s broken leg against the saddle. Causing a strangled groan to escape her throat. Her brow twitched as they got her situated, head rolling slightly against the curved rim–her eyes fluttering open, glassy and unfocused.

 

“Hey! Stay with us, alright?” the healer urged, lifting the uniters’ head to get a better look at her.

 

Only for the woman to go limp a second later, slipping back into unconsciousness, becoming dead weight in the saddle. 

 

“La’s fins,” Kya cursed. She shot a look over the edge towards the two waterbenders. “Hurry up! I need to get her to an actual healing pool!” 

 

Korra airbent herself into the saddle, landing next to Asami with α light thud. Maya then stepped onto the ledge, grasping the windowsill, and leapt on.

 

“Ready?” Opal asked from the front, glancing back at everyone, tensing slightly when her gaze lingered on Kuvira for a moment.

 

At the Avatar’s thumbs-up, she tightened her grip and cracked the reins. “Yip yip!”

 

 

 

Juicy grunted, his tail swinging before he lurched into the sky.

 

“Look out!” Asami cried out, pointing to the guard who’d just rounded the corner below, hands sweeping up boulders from the earth and launching them toward them.

 

Korra raised her arms, pulling a massive slab of earth from the ground to use as a shield against the projectiles. The boulders slammed into it, the impacts vibrated painfully through her shoulders, making her groan at the strain it put on her arms. 

 

“Faster, Juicy!” Opal urged, making the bison rise faster into the air.

 

The guard, noticing his boulders were failing, changed tactics. He thrusted his fists down, jagged earthen spikes protruding from the earth. Then he aimed and hurtled them toward the bison’s body.

 

Korra dropped the battered slab, letting it slam into the ground. Then swung arms out, blasting the spikes aside with quick bursts of air. But one got past the Avatar’s defense, grazing the back of Juicy’s right front leg, making him let out a bellowing cry as he leaned dangerously to the side.  

 

Opal pulled on the reins, trying to straighten him out as she yelled over the wind, “Steady, boy, steady!”

 

Curses were lost in the wind from the passengers as they held on for dear life, while the airbender tried to realign her bison.

 

Maya held onto the saddle with one hand, while the other was tightly wrapped around Kuvira’s waist. She looked over the edge, below them, the courtyard had devolved into total mayhem. Guards fought each other, some were confused, striking their comrade by mistake as others went for the kill. Her eyes narrowed on the guard by the building, drawing his hand back, a metal spike suspended in the air aimed directly for Juicy’s head.

 

“OPAL! LOOK OUT!” she yelled, watching as he released the projectile.  

 

For a split second, it was soaring through the air, but it didn’t get very far, as two thin metal wires whipped out from behind the building. One wraps around the spike, yanking it out of its path and driving it into the ground. While the other one wrapped around the guard’s torso, slamming him against the wall with a dull crack, knocking him out.

 

As the bison soared higher above the Beifong estate, Maya looked down, only to find that the person at the end of the wires was Suyin.

 

The matriarch’s eyes followed their escape, not being able to pull her gaze away from Juicy’s form at least until a sheet of metal came barreling toward her back.  

 

A pillar shot out from the earth, blocking its path before it could wrap around Su. The startling sound of metal hitting the earth made the younger Beifong turn around.

 

“Su! Focus!” Lin’s distant voice cut through the chaos, yelling at her sister while fighting off two other guards.

 

Suyin threw them one last look before running back into the fray of battle, which had expanded over the courtyard. It had become a swirling mass of stone and metal, the Beifong siblings dodging attacks, and covering each other's backs, as guards turned on each other, not knowing who they could trust. The lines between friend and foe had blurred.

 

The twins came running from the training grounds to join the fight using their power discs and metal cables as weapons. Huan could be seen guiding Baatar through the rubble of the fallen dining room wall, deflecting objects thrown their way.

 

Maya’s heart raced as she watched the chaos below. Her instincts urged her to jump in and assist. She couldn’t abandon her mother, who was bleeding and fighting for their escape, when she could help. 

 

“Mom,” Maya called out, her voice strained as the wind whipped around her. “You got Vira?”

 

Glancing up, Kya instantly recognized the look on her daughter’s face. She was never one to sit by while others fought. With a resigned sigh, she nodded and moved closer, adjusting her grip on Kuvira’s shoulders.

 

At the sight of her mom’s nod,a grin spread across Maya’s face. “I’ll meet you at the sanctuary.” She said, before releasing Kuvira’s waist and standing up. 

 

Korra reached out, trying to grab on to her and pull her back down. “Wait– Maya! Sit down. You’re goi–” 

 

However, before the avatar could finish her sentence, the firefighter had

 Already vaulted herself over the side of the saddle. 

 

Korra lunged after her, ready to jump after the other woman, only to be yanked backward by her shirt collar. She landed on her back, with an undignified yelp, the air getting knocked out of her lungs. She pushed herself up on her elbows glaring at the older water bender. 

 

“What is with you and Lin stretching out my shirt?!” She demanded.

 

Kya rolled her eyes. “Your shirt’s fine, drama queen.” She said while guiding soothing water across Kuvira’s chest. “Maya knows what she’s doing.” 

 

“She’s not an airbender!” Korra protested, worry covering her features as sprang up to the saddle edge. 

 

“No,” Asami breathed, eyes wide, her voice portraying her bewilderment as she peered down.  “but she’s…not…falling.”

 

Korra leaned over the side to see what her girlfriend was talking about. Only to see Maya running/gliding on wisps of water she pulled from the air towards the ground. 

 

“By the spirits, how is she doing that?” Korra asked. 

 

Kya let out a fond huff. “The method is called mist stepping. Some trick she picked up from reading some journals.” She smiled, remembering the first time Maya had shown her and Lin the technique she had learned during her travels as a teen. At the look of confusion on the other women’s faces, she shrugged. “Maya will explain later.” 

 

The healer glanced up, noticing the avatar’s eyes darting over the chaos below, shifting slightly,  clearly itching to follow. She sighed, knowing that if she didn’t say anything, Korra would be the next person to join the fight. 

 

“Korra, don’t even think about it.” The healer warned, her tone brooked no argument.  

 

Korra whirled around and demanded, “Why not?”

 

“Because I need you to get us into the sanctuary. And besides, the Beifongs can handle it.”

 

Korra pouted but didn’t argue, leaning into Asami’s side.

 

Kya turned and called out over the wind. “Opal, head for Ba Sing Se!” 

 

The airbender nodded, adjusting the reins slightly, steering Juicy northeast. Concern for her bison and family’s wellbeing weighed heavily on her shoulders. 

 

As they soared away, leaving the estate behind, they watched as Maya’s silhouette bounded closer toward the ground, to the waiting chaos below with wisps of water swirling under her feet. 

 

---

 

 

Maya’s heart raced as she neared the ground, yet her mind was calm, her body guided by instinct. She called forth the moisture in the air, shaping it into solid steps beneath her feet as she descended quickly.

 

No one had taken notice of her yet. But she had seen one of the guards stalking her mother through the chaos, a blade extended from his gauntlet, his eyes locked on the chief’s unprotected back. 

 

During battle, even with her seismic sense, her mother couldn’t track everything happening around her in the madness. 

 

Wind tore past her, cooling Maya’s sweat-slick skin. Making her hair and clothes stream behind her as she hurtled toward the ground, hoping to intervene in time. 

 

At the sight of the guard raising his blade.

 

Maya’s instincts kicked in. 

 

Without thinking, she launched off the last step, calling water to her hand, shaping and freezing it into a spear. The cold bit her palm as she drew back her arm, aiming for the guard. The moment the ice spear was fully formed, she threw it with all her strength. 

 

The spear flew through the air, piercing the back of the man’s armor straight with a sickening crunch. He stiffened before collapsing.

 

Lin spun around at the sound of his body hitting the earth, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of Maya landing on the ground, then stumbling into a roll to avoid a flying rock.

 

When she got back up, she was a few feet away from the corpse. Maya walked over, grasped the spear’s icy shaft, and wrenched it free without hesitation.

 

 

The chief raised a brow, her expression a mix of surprise and pride. “Thanks for joining the party.” She drawled, her voice dry but warm. 

 

She ducked under a flying rock and sent her cables whipping out, wrapping them around the assailant and throwing him into two more people. 

 

“Of course. Couldn’t let you guys have all the fun.” Maya grinned as she stepped up beside her mother. 

 

Together, they wove through the battlefield. Maya, with a sweep of her arms, drew water from the central fountain and sent it crashing forward in a wide sweeping arc. The wave surged over a part of the courtyard, sweeping a cluster of guards off their feet. The sound of their matel-clad bodies could be heard as the breath was knocked out of their lungs.

 

Lin and a few loyal guards, not washed away, stepped forward, entraping their stunned opponents in earthen prisons.

 

 

They remained close, exchanging subtle head nods as they moved in perfect sync through the chaos. Their years of training were paying off, disabling rather than killing their enemies where they could. 

 

As the fight raged on, Su rallied the remaining loyal guards around them. As one, they managed to push them back and trap the traitors in earthen prisons. Although they had won, the courtyard was littered with rubble and bodies, some of which were injured, others deceased.

 

Su fretted over Wing and Wei, fussing about their cuts and bruises. They tried to brush her off, embarrassed by her display, but she was having none of it.

 

Lin and Maya watched from a short distance away, breath labored but otherwise whole.

 

Standing next to each other, surrounded by the blood and destruction, they thanked the spirits, that they had managed to make it through relatively uninjured. However, both knew Kya would fuss over them once they saw each other again.

 

“Did you manage to talk to Su?” Maya finally asked, her eyes glanced toward her aunt, her shoulders tense. 

 

Lin exhaled sharply, “No. We were interrupted by one of the guards looking for ‘two suspicious water benders.’” She shot her daughter a look. “When I started asking questions. She panicked and blew out the living room wall, starting the fight.” 

 

“Fantastic.” The firefighter muttered. 

 

The chief hummed in agreement. Her eyes caught sight of her sister retreating into the estate. 

 

“I’m going to try again.” She stated simply. 

 

“What do you need me to do?” Maya asked, looking down at her expectantly. 

 

Lin thought about it for a moment. “Talk to the guards. See what you can learn.” 

 

The firefighter nodded, already scanning the courtyard for someone to talk to. When she found a target, she started to make her way towards them. Stopping for a moment to call over her shoulder, “Good luck.” 

 

Lin let out a dry scoff before muttering, “I’m going to need it.”

 

Before making her way toward the estate for her second attempt at confronting her sister. 

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of The Secret Side Of KyaLin