My Fire Was Fate With You

Kya quietly opened the apartment door, trying to stay silent in case Lin was sleeping. Kya had spent the past few days at Air Temple Island at Lin’s insistence. She hated not knowing how the earthbender was doing everyday, but if it helped reassure her, Kya would do it in a heartbeat. She frowned, remembering the events that led them here. 

Lin barged into the apartment, face full of worry. Kya stopped cooking and looked at the normally calm and collected earthbender close to breaking down. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Lin grabbed Kya’s hands and pulled her into a hug. “Amon and the Equalists are gaining power.” She sighed, eyes full of tears. “Kya, they attacked the arena and aren’t done yet. They’re out for blood. The Equalists took my metalbenders. I have to go after them. I’m resigning and letting Saikhan take over. You have to stay with Pema, things are getting too dangerous for you,” she said holding back tears. 

“Lin, I can handle myself. I can take whatever Amon throws at me, I want to be here for you,” she said stubbornly.

Lin’s tears in her eyes spilled over. “Please...I can’t lose you,” she said sobbing. “Please, go with Pema so I know that you are in less danger. If something happened to you…” Lin’s voice trailed off.

Kya could tell how deeply this bothered Lin if she was openly crying. “Okay, let me spend one last night with you. I want to sleep with you again, like we did a few weeks ago,” she said. Lin nodded, not trusting herself to speak without crying. 

The two women held each other tightly, afraid of what the future would bring. When Kya woke up in the morning, she had rolled onto Lin during the night. The two’s legs were intertwined and Kya’s head was on the police chief’s chest. Lin stirred awake and Kya was afraid she would be pushed away off of her comfortable perch on Lin. To her surprise, Lin pulled her in closer. “Please...stay safe for me Kya. If something happened to you, I don’t know if I could live with it,” she said. 

“You stay alive for me Linny. I need you,” the waterbender said, hugging the earthbender tighter. She felt an impulse to kiss Lin, but refrained from doing so, afraid of scaring her away. She got ready and looked back at Lin before she left. “You show them why you’re a Beifong,” she said, voice full of emotion. Lin gave her a simple nod, knowing neither of them could find the words to say. 

“Lin?” she called out quietly, not seeing the police chief. 

She heard rustling in the living room. “Kya? Why are you here, are you okay?” Lin asked, frantically looking her up and down. 

“I’m okay,” she reassured Lin. “I heard that you just got back from Tarrlok’s hideout. Tenzin said you were okay, but I had to come see it for myself,” she said, voice shaking. 

Lin wrapped her in a hug. “I’m okay. I’m still here,” she said quietly reassuring the waterbender tightly holding her. Kya simply tucked her head under Lin’s. The two stood there silently together, just enjoying each other’s comfort. 

Lin gently nudged her. “You should go back. If Tenzin or Pema wake up and you aren’t there, they’ll get worried,” she said gently. She didn’t want to push Kya away, but it’s what she had to do in order to cope. Kya nodded but gave her a tight hug before leaving. Lin wasn’t mad that she didn’t say goodbye, she knew if Kya started talking she would either break down and cry or not be able to leave. 

The next day, Lin helped look for Korra. She wouldn’t admit it, but she felt concern for the young Avatar. Finding her alive helped release tension Lin wasn’t even aware that she had. The group got back to Air Temple Island and Lin turned to leave. “Lin, rest here tonight,” Pema said, voice leaving no room for argument. 

Lin nodded, too exhausted to argue. Pema led her to a guest room and she collapsed on the bed. She was hoping for some dreamless sleep, but her dreams were never kind to her. In her sleep, she saw herself fail.  

Amon stood over Korra, taking her bending and leaving her to bleed out in the street. Tenzin was laying still on the ground crumpled, she didn’t need her years of experience to know he was dead. Pema was trying to shield her kids from the Equalists lunging at them with electric batons. Saikhan was wheezing behind her and she was too afraid to turn around to see the damage that caused him to wheeze wetly like that. Mako and Bolin stood over Korra, trying to simultaneously help protect Korra and fight off others. Asami’s car had crashed into a pole, her beautiful black hair shielding Lin from seeing the full damage to her, the pool of blood giving her more than enough information. Kya’s beautiful frame was broken, her wet frayed hair dragging across her face. She had two large burns on her chest from the electric shock that killed her. 

Lin was in so much grief, she couldn’t even find tears. Amon walked over to her, boots pounding against the pavement. “Look at you, great Chief Beifong. The city’s greatest protector. Yet, you let me win. The Council is gone, your beloved Avatar dead, and the Air Nation is coming to an end. You lost. You will never win,” he said crouching in front of her. Lin weakly lifted her head to glare at the smug idiot she would give everything to kill in this moment. 

He touched her face with his gloved hand. “I do have to thank you though. Without a horrible police chief like you, our movement might have failed. We thank you for allowing us to further our cause. Unfortunately, you cause more problems alive than dead. Trust me, this isn’t personal,” he said, bringing one of those electric gloves on her. 

The police chief woke with a start, panicking from her nightmare and unfamiliarity with her surroundings. She remembered helping find Korra and resting at Air Temple Island. She desperately tried to calm down and let her breathing slow, but it wasn’t working. She walked up and grabbed a small stone from outside. Star, circle, square.Star circle, square. She bent the earth, soothing herself with the repetitive motions and mantra. 

As soon as she was able to breathe steadily, Lin bent her armor on, the metal encasing her in calm. She wouldn’t admit it to herself, but the armor reminded her of her mom. Sometimes when she was upset, the metal felt like one of the rare hugs the blind earthbender gave Lin. She walked out of the guestroom, schooling her face into her signature calm mask. No one needed to worry about her, she would be fine.

Tenzin nodded at her. “Good morning, how did you sleep?”

“About as well as I can,” she said, grabbing some tea Tenzin had brewed. 

He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. “There’s breakfast on the table.” He joined her at the table with Korra and her friends. 

Pema handed Lin a plate of food and the chief gave her a rare smile. “Thank you Pema,” she said. Lin watched with amusement as Korra devoured her food, finally recovering. She felt even more tension melt away. When did you become so concerned with her? She couldn’t be mad at herself though, there were more pressing matters. The conversation turned to Tarrlok and his father being Yakone. Lin noticed Kya intently listening, and it seemed the healer was making mental preparation.

“I’m going into the city. I want to get a feel for what’s going on and I have some emergency shopping to do,” Kya said. She then simply turned and left. Everyone knew that she would be back soon, the question was how soon. 

Lin was about to offer to help with the dishes when Asami offered. She smiled at Asami, knowing the girl was much more than she seemed. Lin prepared to go to the station when Tenzin put his hand on her shoulder. 

“Hey Lin, I feel awkward asking but can you watch over Pema and the kids? With all that’s been going on, I’m just worried for them,” the airbender said awkwardly, as if he was afraid Lin would reject.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Of course I’ll help you airhead,” she said, turning to walk inside. She heard Oogi and Tenzin take off behind her, and she went to find Pema.

“Hey,” she said, walking into the living room where Pema was on the couch.

She tried to smile at Lin, but it came out as a grimace. “Hey,” she said, moving up to greet her.

“No, you rest. You look ready to pop any second now, you just relax,” Lin said, hearing Meelo and Ikki running around outside. 

Pema sunk into the couch with a sigh. “I just feel useless.”

“If you want to have a use, help me figure out my feelings,” she said with a smirk.

To her surprise, Pema readily agreed. “Tell me about them! I’ve been helping Kya out with emotions as well, so I’m basically the resident love expert,” she said.

Lin laughed, ignoring the jealousy that ran through her at the thought of Kya having feelings for someone else. “Well,” she sighed. “I’ve never felt like this before. Tenzin and I...it was okay but it wasn’t made to last.” She laughed. “I don’t know how we managed to stay together as long as we did, we were much better off as friends. With him, things were stable. I never felt any extreme highs or lows.”

“This is different. Everytime I see her, my heart stops. Whenever we touch, my skin feels like it’s on fire. I just want to hold her while we sleep and kiss her until I can’t breathe. I’ve never felt like this, especially for a woman and…” the police chief’s voice trailed off. “It’s scary, knowing that I care about someone that much,” she said, allowing vulnerability to come through.

Pema sighed. “Love is hard. It is scary to open yourself up to someone like that, but if you trust them, it’s the best decision you’ll ever make.” Pema’s mind shifted back to an earlier conversation and she connected the dots. These two idiots are pining over each other! 

 “Look-” Whatever Pema was going to say was cut off by a thud. Lin looked at the window and saw an Equalist airship. 

“Get the kids to safety!” she said, rushing outside to fight. Lin turned in concern as Pema let out a cry. “What’s wrong?”

“The baby’s coming!” she cried. Lin motioned at the Air Acolytes to help Pema with the birth. A streak of blue ran past Lin as Kya raced towards her sister in law. Lin smiled, knowing Pema had a fantastic healer with her now and a group of Air Acolytes to support her. She was happy she was able to see Kya before the action started and know she was alive. 

She rushed out and joined the White Lotus sentries in fighting off the attackers. She fought off as many as she could, but they kept coming. She thought she was done for when Tenzin’s kids swooped in and saved her. They continued fighting and eventually were able to push the Equalists back. 

As soon as they had finished, Tenzin swooped in on Oogi. “What! Lin how could you let them fight?” he exclaimed.

“I would have been done for if it weren’t for them. You raised some good fighters. Go, be with you wife,” she said with a smile. The airbender family had a sweet reunion with the new addition to their family, Rohan.

Tenzin turned to Lin as he grabbed some extra clothes. “I’m moving my family out of the city,” he said. “If Amon got his hands on them…”

Lin nodded. “I’m coming with you. No arguments. You are the last airbenders, I will die before I let Amon take your bending,” she said, helping Tenzin load up Oogi.

Tenzin sighed, reluctantly agreeing. “Korra, you need to hide. We sent word to the United Nations, we just have to-”

“Be patient I know. It’ll be hard, but I’ll try,” she said begrudgingly. 

Korra and her friends ran off to wait for reinforcements while Tenzin motioned for Oogi to go. Kya and the Air Acolytes helped the White Lotus continue to fight off the reinforcements, and when the time came, tend to the wounded. Lin watched Kya’s blue frame disappear as Oogi climbed into the clouds. She turned around, noticing two Equalist airships chase after them. 

“They’re gaining on us!” Lin yelled, voice full of concern.

“Oogi, faster! Yip yip!” Tenzin tried to usher the bison onwards, but it was too late. The Equalists flung a net towards them that Lin easily cut with her bending.

Looking at the airships and the frightened family, Lin made a tough decision. “Whatever happens to me, you will not turn around! You will not turn back!” she said, making sure they understood her. Tenzin gave her a solemn nod. Using Oogi’s tail, she propelled herself towards the airships. She fought as hard as she could, but eventually passed out from the electric shocks. 

Kya had ushered as many people as she could to safety. She quietly hid in one of the many bedrooms that faced towards the courtyard, determined to keep an eye on what was happening. She hated the sight of that Equalist airship on her father’s island, but she couldn’t do anything right now. She just held out, hoping that everyone had survived.

About half an hour later, an unconscious person was thrown to the ground. To her horror, she realized that Lin was the woman lying unconscious. She began to stir as Amon calmly walked off the airship. Kya kept her anger in check. No matter how badly she wanted to use the rain to stab Amon with ice daggers, she couldn’t risk it. Not with Lin’s life on the line.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the great police chief,” he said with a sneer. “If you tell me where the Avatar is, I’ll let you keep your bending.”

Lin spat on the ground in front of him. “I won’t tell you anything. Go rot in whatever trench you crawled out of,” she said defiantly.

Amon simply walked up behind her and pressed his hand against her forehead. With a look Kya found strangely dignified, Lin crumpled to the ground. Kya’s heart broke in two for Lin. She just wanted to reach out and comfort her, but she couldn’t risk Amon knowing her presence. The Equalists simply boarded their ship and left Lin to suffer in the pouring rain. 

Kya rushed out into the rain and picked up Lin. She knew Lin was too weak to move or even talk. She quickly bent the water out of Lin’s hair, feeling herself slip into healer mode. She assessed her for internal damage, happy to note that her physical injuries were minor. Her mental injuries, however, were significant, but Kya couldn’t focus on that right now. Kya was able to pry the metal armor off of Lin and placed it to the side. She wrapped Lin in a blanket and left her by a fire to help her warm up.  

While she waited for Lin to wake up, Kya made some tea and preparations. Thankfully, she had sensed something was going to go wrong this morning. She purchased two eel hounds that morning, in case an emergency escape was needed. She put some food, water, and warm clothes in two waterproof bags. Kya knew that she needed to get Lin to her mother in order to help heal her and make sure she was safe. 

Kya poured the tea into two cups and sat next to Lin by the fire. Lin stirred and looked up at her. “How are you feeling?” she asked. 

Lin scoffed. “I honestly feel like I should be dead. I’m worthless now,” she said.

“Lin, just because you can’t bend doesn’t mean you’re worthless,” she argued.

“I am! I can’t go back to my job since I was in charge of the Metalbending Police Force. I can’t do that if I can’t bend. Spirits, I’m not even a Beifong anymore! I let my mother down, my city down, and you down. I shouldn’t be alive, I don’t deserve it,” she said, feeling numbness take over.

“Lin Beifong.” Lin looked at her in surprise. She hadn’t heard Kya speak so with such intense emotion before. “You are worth so much. You are easily the most driven person I’ve ever known. You’re determined to make this world a better place in any way that you can. You’ve always held high pressure on yourself and strived for excellence.” She paused, deciding to take the leap she had been afraid to.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I didn’t fall in love with you because of your earthbending or your achievements. I fell in love with Lin Beifong, the amazing woman who’s the love of my life. I’ve been in love with you ever since I realized what love was. I loved you before you got those scars on your face and I’ll continue to love you, not matter what mental or physical scars you get. You are worth so much and yet you never see it. I love you Lin Beifong,” she said, voice full of tears.

Lin looked at her in stunned silence. “You’ve loved me for years?” she asked in a small voice. Kya nodded, afraid she had scared Lin off.

“Look you don’t have to feel-” she was cut off by Lin pressing her lips against hers. She melted into the kiss, feeling the pure love radiate from Lin.

Lin pulled away, face inches from Kya’s. “I’ve loved you since we were teenagers. I thought that what I felt with Tenzin was love, when really it was with you the whole time. I love you and I need you,” she said gently. The two shared another kiss, they were desperate for each other, like the other was oxygen they needed to survive. 

The two women just held each other in front of the fire. “I know we need to go, but for now can I just hold you?” Lin asked, voice breaking. Lin laid on the ground and Kya wrapped herself around Lin. She rested her head on Lin’s chest, like how they had woken up that morning before Lin resigned. Their legs were tangled in a mess. 

Lin looked down at the waterbender on her chest. “I love you,” she said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Kya smiled at her and gave her a kiss back. “I love you too.”

The two women sat there, watching the fire flicker. Lin ran her fingers through the waterbender’s long silver hair. The two women knew that they would have to leave before the night was over, but for now they just wanted to lay in each other’s arms.