Trigger Warning: Inspired by 9/11.

Not so short, short backstory: I lived on Long Island, NY when 9/11 happened. I was only 5 years old and just starting Kindergarten. I wasn't personally in NYC when 9/11 happened, but my father was, as well as many Long Island residents (many people commuted into the city everyday for work, many working in the towers). Everyone was affected by it, everyone knew at least one person who was in the city for 9/11.

I remember getting ready for school when things started going wrong. At one point, my mom and I stopped getting ready and watched the news instead. I remember watching both towers fall while my mother was on the phone with our next-door-neighbor, crying and yelling at her to watch the news and find out where her husband was (he worked in the towers, only to survive because he had gotten a coffee across the street). Some people didn't believe the towers were actually going down, including my neighbor, when it first started because everyone was in disbelief. "How? It can't possibly be true. The towers didn't go down after the bombings, how could they go down now?"

I don't remember the details of the rest of the day after that, I was too young for people to keep me informed on what was happening. I was told to watch TV but not to turn on news (though I was a kid so all I wanted to watch was nick) but I remember watching TV at my Aunt's house when my dad finally walked into the door. We had no idea where he was for over a day and if he still alive. All communication was down and all transportation was put on hold, leaving thousands of people to walk miles to get home. My dad had slept on the pavement like so many others for the night. I can remember when he walked in, he was in tears and he smelled of smoke and had ash on him. He walked over and hugged me so tight, continuing to cry, and he didn't let me go for a while.

I can remember there was smoke in the sky for the next few days as it traveled from the city out to the ocean. I wasn't in 9/11 but after hearing so many stories over the years, I know what it is was like. As I got older, I put the pieces together and fully understood the memories I had of that day and just how much of an impact it really did have on my life. I think the hardest part was, and still is, when my dad took me and my brothers to a small fair that the town had quickly thrown together. I remember looking up at my dad as we were walking back to the car and I said, "I can't wait for the fair to be back next year!" with a big smile on my face, but that wasn't the case. My dad knelt down in front of me, faining the best smile he could, "The fair won't be back next year. Do you remember how Daddy almost didn't come home?" I nodded, "This is for all the little girls whose daddies didn't come home." It hit me hard, even at a young age, and it's stuck with me ever since.

With 9/11 approaching, I have some unpleasant feelings arising and I guess writing this was a way of dealing with it. I do get really, really pissed off when people make jokes about 9/11. It's not a joking matter at all. With living on the west coast now where not as many people have been affected by 9/11, I've been exposed to a lot of people joking around or bringing it up casually like it's nothing. I remember even being in classes and it happened more than once where professors made references to 9/11 without warning. It's always painful and I can't believe that they don't say anything before they put pictures of it on the big screen, they always gave a warning back east. I understand not many people have been affected here, but there are people and it hurts like hell when you do stuff like that. I almost lost my dad that day.

Kyalin Week 2014 Day 6: Stubborn

(Lin)

It started off like any other day in Republic City, tourists were busy in the streets while citizens headed to work. The city's council was already in City Hall working hard with the Chief of Police discussing new ways to keep the city safer. But then it all started when the council had stopped for a short break.

Being exhausted after being up late with Kya, Lin decided to make her way across the street from City Hall to grab a quick coffee from a local vender, only to look up when she heard a plane fly overhead, where planes weren't authorized to fly. Her body tensed and fear struck deep within her, something wasn't right. Then she saw something drop out from the plane. Her eyes widened and she quickly pulled the vender down next to her behind the cart, bracing both of them for the explosion.

(Kya)

Kya was at their apartment, cleaning up with the radio playing when she heard a loud blast echo through the air. Running to the window of the apartment, she looked out and saw smoke and dust rising into the sky around downtown Republic City. The radio was interrupted and a reporter spoke with fear in his voice, "Republic City's City Hall just bombed, please stay indoors until later notice."

The reporter continued to speak but Kya couldn't hear it, she was frozen in place. Her heart skipped a few beats and her eyes widened in disbelief as tears started running down her face, the name, "Lin," barely escaping between her lips as she continued to watch the smoke rise up.

(Lin)

Groaning, Lin opened her eyes but found she couldn't see much through all the smoke and ash. Looking to her side, she saw the woman she had pulled down shaking with tears running down her face, "Are you okay? Are you injured?" Lin asked, wincing as she stood up.

The woman didn't respond, obviously paralyzed with fear, but as Lin tuned back in with the earth, she was relieved when she saw the woman had no lethal injuries. Leaning down, Lin took the woman's scarf and covered the woman's mouth and nose with it, "Breathe through that and don't take it off until you leave the area."

Nodding the woman looked up to Lin with shock etched into her eyes but she took the end of her scarf and ripped it off, handing it to Lin.

"Thank you," Lin said as she tied it around her head and began breathing through the material, "if you can, try walking out of the area but if you can't, the police and medics should be arriving."

And with that, Lin started running back to City Hall, only to find it up in flames. She was about to run inside to grab the surviving council members when the roof caved in and the building collapsed. Lin stood there a few minutes, staring at the destroyed building, thinking of all the council members now dead inside, while chaos ran rampant behind her.

The sound of children and adults wailing in pain brought her back to the present. No longer relying on her vision, she relied on the earth to guide her. She knew she had to do something to help the city she so desperately wanted to keep safe but the problem was, she had no idea how to help right now. She felt hopeless in the situation as she felt the presence of several bodies lying lifeless on the ground around her. Lin had been Chief for years but nothing could prepare her for what she was witnessing.

Now that the initial shock had worn off, Lin's mind raced as she tried to conjure up an idea to help the survivors. She could feel them scattered over the area, some in grave condition while others with minor injuries. 'Move the survivors into one building then go to the police station.' Moving quickly, she scanned the area for a building that hadn't been too heavily affected by the explosion and after seeing that the bank was still intact, she quickly got to work.

One by one, she helped the survivors into the bank, acting like a crutch for some and carrying many into the building. She smiled when she saw waterbending survivors working together to heal others inside while firebenders bended flames away as they guided earthbenders through the smoke and dust outside to gather more survivors and bring them to safety. You could say all you'd like about the citizens of Republic City but they were as tough as nails. Loyal to their city, they stuck together to get through this tragedy.

Lin must have helped close to a hundred people before her own body starting giving out. Walking one last survivor into the crowded building, she announced she would be leaving to get more help. Many people thanked her as tears streamed down their faces, promising they would never forget what she had done for them.

Walking out of the bank, she could still see many people who needed her help but she was useless to them now. The best thing she could do now was get to the station and send in her force. She hoped it would be enough.

Walking a few blocks down through the immense pain, she made it to the station, proud to see many of her men already heading out. Stumbling through the entrance and using the wall to hold herself up, she walked to Mako's office. She could already hear him yelling to someone over the phone but she'd have to interrupt, "Mako, open this goddamn door!" she shouted.

A few seconds passed but the door opened as Mako's eyes widened in disbelief at the woman standing in front of him, currently covered in ash and blood and leaning against the wall to keep herself from falling, "Chief! I can't believe it, you're alive! What are you doing here?"

Putting a heavy hand on his shoulder, "I'm putting you in charge of this operation. It's a huge mess out there, you'll need to call in Korra and bring all the healers with you. After you reach Korra, you need to shut down all transportation in and out of the city. There are survivors in the city bank, make sure they get home safe. I would stay and help but I need to get home to Kya."

"Will do Chief but shouldn't you see a healer before you go?" Mako asked, obviously worried for the woman.

"No, get them all downtown, no time to waste," Lin said sternly, "Kya can heal me at home."

Mako nodded and Lin wished him luck before they parted ways.

(Kya/Lin)

Kya sat on the floor, holding her hands together close to her chest as she looked out in the general direction of City Hall. Tears continued to flow down her cheeks as the pain in her chest ached. It had been hours now and Lin still hadn't made it home. She was starting to believe that Lin had actually been killed but there was a piece of her that still held onto the hope that Lin was alive because Lin was too stubborn to die.

Kya wondered if Lin was still out there, maybe she had made it back to the station and the only reason she hadn't come home was because she was too busy helping the survivors. There would be no way for Lin to let her know she was still alive now that all communication and transportation had been shut down. The city was at a complete stand still.

So Kya sat there, continuing to stare out but her attention was brought to a sudden halt when she heard a hard thump hit the front door then followed by soft knocks. Her heart raced as she walked to the door, every part of her being begging for it be Lin, only to pause for a moment before opening the door. What if it wasn't Lin, what if it was one of her officers coming to let her know Lin was gone?

Her second guessing had proved to be wrong because when she finally opened the door, Lin fell on top of her, knocking both of them to the ground. Using the door to keep herself standing probably wasn't a good idea on Lin's part.

Kya laid there, wide eyed, with Lin on her for a few seconds as the initial shock wore away. "You're alive," Kya cried as she held Lin in her arms, "you're alive!"

Lin started crying now, tears mixing in with the dried blood and ash on her face. Nodding, she wrapped her arms tightly around Kya, pulling her close. "I'm home," she whispered.

It only took a few seconds before both women were sobbing, clinging to each other, terrified to let go. Kya continued to repeat the words, "you're alive," as Lin repeated, "I'm home," until they both finally believed the words to be true. They stayed there for what could have easily been an hour. No one could possibly begin to explain the emotions they were feeling as they held each other close. One relieved to see the other alive while the other bitterly happy to still be alive and be back at home, holding her loved one in her arms after this horrific day.

"I love you so much," Lin cried as she moved up on Kya to share a passionate kiss. The kiss was long and well needed and it seemed as if both women weren't going to pull away anytime soon until Lin gasped, arm moving to clutch her abdomen.

Kya's eyes shot wide open and quickly moved to hold the injured woman as she sat up. "You're hurt!" Kya exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Calm down," Lin groaned as she sat up in Kya's arms, "I don't think it's anything major, I was able to get some survivors to safety before I stopped by the station on way home."

"You did what?"

"Kya please, I couldn't just leave, there were people dying," suddenly Lin was hit with a memory of listening to the people around her wailing for help. "I can still hear their cries," Lin whispered, looking down as more tears ran down her face.

Kya looked at Lin with worry, hand going under her chin and gently tilting up her head while the other ran through her hair, "That's one of the things I love and hate about you," Kya laughed lightly, "You could be on your death bed but you'd still be looking out for everyone else." Kya gave Lin a quick kiss before looking into Lin's eyes. Kya had never seen Lin so emotionally tormented in her whole life, "We will get through this together," she promised. "Let's get you into the tub now so I can wash and heal you."

Lin nodded, "I don't even want to know what I look like right now."

"I'll make sure you don't see any mirrors then." Kya stood up with Lin in her arms and carried her towards the bathroom, a question coming to her mind, "Hey Lin, how exactly did you survive?"

"I went to get a coffee across the street," she smiled bitterly, "A cup of coffee saved my life."

Kya gave Lin a crooked smile as tears continued to run down her face, "You're telling me that the most stubborn ass police chief who never takes a break, even during her breaks, went out to get a cup of coffee and that's what saved her life?" Kya let out a small laugh in disbelief.

Letting more tears flow, Lin tucked her head in the crook of Kya's next, "That would be correct."

"Was it good?" Kya asked.

"The best."