A/N: It is a prequel to "In Isolation" which is a prequel to "Lives Forgotten". All can be read independently and still be understood.

Trigger Warning: Chapter contains moderately graphic descriptions of sex. (There is a rated T version if you don't like that kind of thing.)

Chapter 1: Reservations

The harsh of the bay was a constant comfort to the Avatar. He was the last airbender until thirty years ago when his second son and last child was born. The Avatar, Aang, loved meditating with his native element, air, swirling around him, enveloping him in what felt like a large warm hug. He loved it even more when his airbending son meditated beside him, but alas, the young man hadn't had time for the elder in recent years. His priority was, not surprisingly, a young lady.

This young lady lived in the city. While she was not opposed to being on the island, or surrounded by wind, that was if she were standing on a cliff, she was opposed to the only two methods of getting to the island. She was an earthbender, a prodigious earthbender in her youth and now a legendary master in her prime. She was one of seven people in the world who were proficient with seismic sense and absolutely despised flying on her boyfriend's sky bison, and riding the ferry over choppy waters just to get to the island.

So, the Avatar's son moved onto the mainland and into his lady's apartment, tucked away in the city, shielded from the harsh, yet comforting winds of the bay to be with her every single day.

The Avatar was not at all disappointed in the new arrangement. While marriage did not seem very important for either party, he didn't mind. They were together and happy, and that made him happy. At this point, the son was the strongest airbender the world, and his girlfriend, arguably the strongest earthbender in the world. The Avatar had full confidence in their decision-making and trusted that they would fulfill their destiny together when they were ready.

His son, and his son's girlfriend's children would be powerful, Aang realized almost as soon as they had announced themselves as a couple. They would have the blood of all four nations, even if they didn't realize it. The Avatar's son had within him the blood of the most powerful waterbender in Southern Water Tribe and arguably the world, and the blood of the Avatar hailing from the Southern Air Temple. His girlfriend had the blood of the most powerful earthbender that ever lived, the inventor of metalbending from Gaoling, and one of the most brilliant inventors to ever come from the Fire Islands. It brought a smile to the Avatar's face every time he thought of the grandchildren they would bring forth into the world. He never said anything to them, but he knew it would be their destiny.

While the wooden floors of the meditation pagoda rendered the Avatar's own seismic sense useless, it did not impede his airbending. He felt the air being pushed around him ever so slightly as the young lady approached his resting form.

"Uncle Aang. I'm sorry to interrupt but Aunt Katara said you'd already been out here for a few hours. I just wanted to talk to you about something and was hoping to get back to the city, to Tenzin before he returned home from work so I could make him dinner, or something," the young lady said softly. Her voice, though cold, coarse, and unyielding when she dealt with vagabonds in her line of work, sounded smoother than water rippling over smoothed rocks in a stream when she spoke to him or anybody in his family. "May I join you?" she asked politely. This young lady was always so much more polite, thoughtful, and eloquent than her crass, rash, and somewhat impulsive mother that became the Avatar's friend way back when the 100 Year War was still happening.

"Of course, Lin. What is it, my Sweet?" the Avatar asked the young lady opening his eyes and moving over to give her space to sit beside him

Lin sat, crossing her legs in the full lotus position just like him out of habit and leaned her head against his body as he draped an arm over her shoulders, naturally. He held her the same way he had been since she was a girl barely four-years-old. Often times, she came crying to him about how her mother yelled at her for not 'trying' during her earthbending training. She never knew her father since he died while she was still in her mother's womb, and it hurt her mother too much to ever speak of him, so the Avatar became her only source of pure safety.

"It's about Tenzin… and me…" Lin began to say slowly. Aang turned to look at her. She seemed troubled. Her voice was shaky and her heart was beating through her armour rather quickly. Her eyes were glistening with tears that she was trying, in vain, to keep from falling.

Aang nodded for her to continue.

"The papers…" she started, hesitating.

Aang could already tell where this was going, and he sighed, but said nothing and let her continue.

"The papers say I am the last hope for the Air Nation and I…" Lin sniffled. "I'm just afraid… Tenzin… He said that I should just ignore the papers. That they're just… just written by jealous young hussies who want to steal him away from me… He says he can wait… He says he WILL wait for me... but…."

"Wait for what?" Aang interrupted her.

"You know what," she said turning to face him with big fat tears in the corners of her eyes, and trails of dried tears marring her sweet face.

"To have children?" Aang confirmed.

She nodded and closed her eyes, letting them fall down her high cheekbones and smooth skin before turning back to gaze upon the orange horizon.

"I know he needs them… and I want them… I do… but I am not sure I will ever be ready to…" she said faintly.

"Lin, I won't rush you either. Your feelings are valid. You're only human and you have every right to be afraid, but you are Lin Beifong. You are stronger than steel, tougher to break than the element you bend, and shine brighter and more beautifully than diamond. At this point you need only ask yourself one thing. Why are you afraid?"

"Well…. maybe because I am Chief of Police now,"

Bullshit, Aang thought to himself with his arm still around her. He felt her heart skip a beat like it did every time she lied to him.

"You have been chief for six years, now and you've always been okay. What changed?"

"Nothing… It is just… babies are so… needy and vulnerable and… and… weak. What if… what if the triads come after them… and take them hostage… to get to Tenzin, or me. They wouldn't be able to defend themselves like I couldn't when I was five and they came to take me. I am not sure I could endure such a thing," Lin explained.

"Lin, dear, listen to me. Nobody would dare come neaer the grandson or granddaughter of the AVATAR while he is still alive. And Besides, you are not your mother,"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nobody will mess with you. Now, ordinarily I would not speak ill of her, but these are mere facts. Toph was a great chief of police, and an excellent earth and metalbender, but she was still reckless at times, and occasionally impulsive. You, on the other hand, miss nothing. The Triads know that and you know that. Now, with that in the air, I can say with one hundred percent certainty that a hostage situation is not your primary concern. Remember, you can always be honest with me, Lin," Aang reminded her.

Lin took a deep breath to process and accept what the Avatar said. Aang didn't mind. He waited patiently while she said nothing for a long time. It didn't matter; he knew she'd speak when she was ready, just how she would have children when she was ready.

"What if... what if my children are earthbenders... what if I fail everybody?" Lin asked.

"Lin, there is nothing wrong with having earthbenders," Aang informed her.

"But Uncle, what if I have ONLY earthbenders?!" Lin asked. "What if Tenzin stops loving me? What if I can't help him rebuild the Air Nation? Aunt Katara told me how birthing Tenzin nearly killed her. She told me you guys had to stop, that it was far too risky to try again. What if after one child, I can't continue and he has to leave me?"

"Lin, listen to me, you are so much younger than Katara was when she birthed Tenzin. You're stronger and will have the greatest healer in the world by your side every step of the way. I may not be a prophet, but with all of my avatar wisdom, I can tell you with complete confidence that you WILL have an air baby eventually."

"But how do you know?" Lin demanded skeptically.

"Do you know how Tenzin got Oogi so many years ago?" Aang asked.

"Yes! You guys have told us the story at least a thousand times!" Lin replied with a brusque air of annoyance.

"Well, I am going to tell you again. When I came to fetch Tenzin to get his bison, he insisted you come along. You two were inseparable since the day you were born. When Tenzin learned to walk, he refused to go anywhere unless someone carried you along. He refused to leave your side, and when you began to learn to walk, he would hold your hand and guide you across the various terrains on the island…"

"I don't see how any of this is justifies your confidence in my ability to birth airbabies," Lin interrupted frowning.

"Let me finish, you impatient little badgermole," Aang scolded. Lin harrumphed and folded her arms, still leaning comfortably against his body.

"He insisted you accompany us to the pasture where the bison grazed. He wandered around hopelessly offering his apple to any and every baby bison he came across, but was rejected every time. Then, one baby bison took notice of you. You were frightened at the time, would you believe it? Do you remember being truly terrified of Oogi? The bison wouldn't stop smelling your five-year-old belly. He must have sensed something inside of you... some potential for greatness for he did not leave you alone even after you screamed and cried, earthbent a rock at him to prove you couldn't be friends for. He ignored your antics and remained standing before you, obsessed with your little baby belly. You convinced him to accept Tenzin's apple, effectively bonding them for life, the three of you hugged. Tenzin said 'I guess this means we'll be together for life,' and you added, 'All of us,' and with that, the baby bison licked you a third time." Aang said. Lin still did not looked convinced.

"But what if I don't have an airbender the first time?"

"Then you can try again. Not immediately, of course. Your body will need time to recover, but that's fine. You have time, Lin. Don't let this fear stop you from living life, and giving life," Aang said putting an arm around her touching her flat stomach. "I know you, you don't back down from challenges and you don't give up when things are rough, and Lin,"

"Hm?"

"It's okay to cry," Aang said tenderly.

"Thank you, Uncle Aang,"

"No, thank YOU, Lin for sharing your qualms with me," Aang replied.

Tenzin was late coming home. He must have gotten tied up with some pesky councilmen. Lin didn't worry. She knew they were all stressing at City Hall over the upcoming elections. She pulled out a bowl and made a serving of the water tribe dish she cooked for him before putting the rest of the leftovers in the icebox. She debated reading a book, listening to the radio and going to bed when something caught her eye. It was a photo set on the mantle above the fireplace. Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang had given it to Lin and Tenzin on their anniversary. The family always joked the two had been subconsciously dating since Lin was conceived. The photoset included seven pictures. The first was Tenzin kneeling on Toph's birthing bed inspecting Lin curiously. The second was when they were five and four years old. Aang had taken the two toddlers to the Autumn Winds Festival. The next they were thirteen and twelve and awkward as ever. Tenzin pretended to be indifferent and Lin pretended to hate him. The fourth was when they were nineteen and eighteen. They were attached at the hip. Lin in uniform and Tenzin a councilman in training. The next, Lin was chief of Police, and Tenzin was standing in his new mastery tattoos, both of them were beaming.

Lin made her decision. She went to the cabinet in her kitchen and pulled down her container of moon tea. It was nearly full. She had just replenished it last week. She looked at it and sighed before carrying it over to the fireplace. She hesitated one last time as Tenzin came inside.

"Lin! What are you doing?!" Tenzin demanded as a wave of protectiveness overwhelmed him. He dropped his belongings and ran over to pull Lin away from the "dangerous" fire.

"Relax, Baldy!" I'm fine! I'm just thinking…" Lin said shrugging his hands off of her shoulders.

"About what?" Tenzin asked oblivious to what she was holding. "Am I in trouble again?"

Lin smiled. "Why do you always think it is about you?" Lin asked.

"Because I know you, and you're always mad at me," Tenzin replied with the same goofy grin he shared with his father.

"That is not true!" Lin insisted, turning back to face the fire. She pulled the tin of moon tea out from where she clutched it against her chest so he could see.

"Don't you need,"

"No, I don't. Not anymore, at least," she said opening it. She used her metalbending to lift the container over the flames in the fireplace without getting burned and poured the dry leaves into the blaze creating tiny embers, lighting up the place. She turned to Tenzin nervously but avoided his eyes.

"You could get pregnant without it." Tenzin reminded her.

"I know, and… I want to…" she said looking down, feeling his gaze on her body. "I—" She looked up directly into his blue-grey eyes. "I'm ready."

She was shaking with anticipation and angst.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" He asked with his thumb on her bottom lip, his face mere inches from hers.

"Certain," Lin replied affirmatively.

"You're not being pressured into this by the papers or my father…"

"Tenzin, please! I don't want to have to beg you for this,"

"Alright, I believe you. But Lin,"

"Yes?"

"Please know, that no matter what happens, I will always love you," Tenzin said, running his thumb along her sharp and beautiful jawbone as his own lips came down upon hers.

The sex felt different this time. There was more passion and more purpose. Lin swore she never felt Tenzin push so deep into her until that night when he almost made her hurt. Her body trembled slightly as she struggled to keep her earthbending under control for the first time since she was ten years old. Tenzin on the other hand didn't bother calming the winds he whipped up around them nor did he notice that in creating those winds, he was stealing air from Lin, making her slightly dizzy, and weak.

"Tenzin, please, I can't- take much more...," Lin gasped gripping into the back of his shoulders, struggling to breathe and endure his thrusting.

With one last push, he filled her completely, making her cry out in genuine pain as he released his seed, flooding the inside of her body. He was panting while she struggled to catch her breath again. He lowered himself onto her body and kissed her toned abdomen, just above the belly button while rubbing circles on her hips that he nearly crushed in an effort to hold her still for fucking.

She let go of his shoulders and tried to turn her over, to curl up and sleep but he held on and crawled up her body to face her again. "Thank you, Lin, for everything," he said kissing her on the lips before falling beside her, wrapping one of his long strong arms around her rather delicate looking waist that was always hidden by her police armor.

Aang sat with his arm over his son's girlfriend. She was crying again and needed his shoulder now more than ever.

"Uncle Aang, even if Tenzin still loves me, the world will turn against me if my son isn't an airbender. I will be seen as a selfish little earthbender. They will accuse me of 'legacy digging' as if I didn't already have big enough shoes to fill with my own mother's statue standing above me every morning!" Lin ranted to Aang one beautiful evening as they watched the sun set over Republic City. Lin was four months pregnant and had become rather emotional as of late.

"The world won't turn against you! Did they turn against Katara when Bumi was born a nonbender? No. Did they give up on her when Kya was born a waterbender? No! They won't turn against you, Lin. Besides, it doesn't even matter what they think. You must understand that you are loved by us, your family, and we are all that matter right now," Aang said.

Katara kicked everyone including Tenzin out of the birthing room. All Tenzin knew for the next eight hours was the periodic tremors that shook the entire island every time a contraction hit his Lady. Finally, the tremors ceased. Tenzin let out a sigh of relief. He knew the ordeal was complete, yet could not find the energy to move a single muscle in his body despite having done absolutely NOTHING compared to his lady.

"What are you doing out here, Son?" Aang asked sitting beside Tenzin on the front steps of the main house on Air Temple Island.

"Thinking," Tenzin replied with his elbows perched on his knees, his eyes looking downcast at the ground before him."

"About what?"

"My son," Tenzin replied with a sort of melancholic tone in his voice.

"He is a beautiful boy, strong and healthy…" Aang, ever the optimistic one, began to say.

"Mom says he's an earthbender," Tenzin said sadly.

"So?" Aang asked, a little disappointed in his son for not loving his unconditionally.

"My son, is an earthbender," Tenzin breathed.

"And my daughter is a waterbender," Aang reminded him.

"Sorry, Dad. I just don't k now what to think?"

"What is there to think? Do you question Lin's loyalty to you?" Aang asked.

"What? No! Of course not! How could you-"

"Do you love Lin?" Aang asked.

"Yes! Father, she is my entire world! How could you even ask such a thing?"

"Is Lin an airbender?" Aang asked.

"No, but—tenzin began to question again.

"Then I think your path is clear, my son. You love Lin and you will love her son, YOUR son just as much. Go to them, now. Your absence has already been noticed," Aang ordered his son.

"I'm sorry." Tenzin said miserably.

"I am not the one you should be apologizing to," Aang said simply.

Tenzin took a deep breath pushed the door to the birthing room open slowly to find his lady with a small bundle of green and orange resting on her chest. Even covered in sweat she was beautiful, maybe even more so than before. His mother vacated the bedside chair for him and departed the room with a smile. Tenzin sat down while his father closed the door and backed out.

Tenzin took his wife's limp left hand with his right. She was sleeping. Then he reached over with his left to peel back a bit of the blanket covering the baby. He saw a small mushy face and his heart melted. Those tiny lips, those big cheeks, those tiny ears and tiny eyes almost instantly replaced Lin as the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. This was HIS baby too.

"Tenzin," he heard her faint voice say.

"I'm here, Lin," Tenzin said leaning close to her face, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"I'm sorry," she sighed closing her eyes. Tenzin turned to the unmarred side of Lin's beautiful face in time to see a tear roll down her cheek running into the swear in her hair.

His face fell and is heart broke for her. "What?" He asked. "Why? What is there to be sorry for? We have a beautiful healthy baby boy! I know I couldn't be happier!"

"But... he's an earthbender. The first time he cried, he caused the earthquakes. I tried..." she cried holding onto her son as if she expected Tenzin to bolt right there and make their son all she had left.

"Lin, listen to me, my love, my Earth, my anchor," Tenzin said reaching up to cup her face. "Are you an an airbender?"

"No," Lin replied crying.

"And do I love you, to the world and back?"

"Yes,"

"I love him in the same way already, Lin, for he is yours, and he is mine. Both of our blood runs through his tiny veins and I could not be more grateful and happy that he came out healthy and is here with us now!" Tenzin said kissing her head.

She wrapped one arm around his, holding it to her chest as she kissed him back with tears in her eyes.

Tenzin could feel the worry radiating from her body and felt terrible for being the cause of most of her fears and anxiety. He would have to prove his love for his son.

A/N

I was thinking about a review someone wrote to one of my other stories (either "In Isolation" or "Lives Forgotten") about how Aang was still alive for the birth of my first three Linzin Baby OCs and how they thought Aang would not have been able to keep the existence of his grandchildren a secret because he would be too excited and proud that he wouldn't be able to contain himself. So, I thought I would write a prequel to my prequel to sort of explain how/why Aang agrees to not talk about his grandchildren to anybody. He did it to protect Lin. Lin does not wanting the triads to find out about her having a vulnerability (a baby), and Lin is afraid the world will accuse her of "wasting" Tenzin's time for her own pleasure if she does not start having airbending babies immediately. Basically, the load of external pressures and internal notions of destiny and legacy are crippling both Lin and Tenzin with anxiety, fracturing their previously formidable bond with each other.

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think if you have time to write something! :)))