This is it. Be warned, I was not brief… The chapter is again longer than it has any right to be.

oooooooooo

Chapter 7

Sitting in a little cell, chained to the floor, Bumi should have felt angry. Angry at whoever really killed all those people. Angry at whoever planned it all. Angry at himself for being stupid enough to be framed this easily. He also had grounds to be sad. Sad because he'll never attend another family dinner. Sad he'll never wear his red United Forces jacket again. Sad he'll never again get to see Izumi wear it. And there is always regret… Regret for dragging people he loved into this with him. Regret they'll all have to see him beheaded tomorrow. Regret for not spending more time with them while he still had time to spend.

But he didn't feel any of that. Weirdly enough, he didn't feel anything at all.

When joining the army, the drill sergeant told all of them if they were going to stay, they ought to pick their last words sooner rather than later. It was intimidation, but some of his colleagues actually did it. Bumi never did. He figured he'd die doing something rash and stupid, so his last words were going to end up being either Oops or a string of curses. Both seemed appropriate now as well.

Then unexpectedly, around two in the morning, the door to his cell opened revealing eight Earth Kingdom soldiers. He'd been jailed in the City Hall and was supposed to be guarded by a combination of soldiers and Republic City police to make sure there was no incident until his trial at noon.

But the bastards couldn't even wait till then, could they? They were going to kill him right here and now, to not take any chances. Bumi snickered to his fate slightly and then stood up to face them. They could slit his throat just as well if he was standing, but at least they'd know he isn't afraid.

Oh, yes, fear… He should have been feeling that too.

"We're moving you," one of the soldiers said. "Come quietly."

"Why? Don't want to dirty the floor here?" Bumi asked as another soldier stepped forward and detached his cuffs from the floor.

"You'll get what's coming to you at the trial. Our job is to keep you here till then."

Bumi started walking down the hallway, while the soldiers surrounded him. Some of them carrying bows, others swords.

"So what exactly is happening?" he asked and got completely ignored. "It concerns me, man. Don't you think I should know?"

"The policemen that were supposed to be guarding you with us tonight just disappeared."

"What, all of them?!"

The man nodded. "That means someone is either planning to free you or kill you, and we're here to stop either."

Now Bumi was scared. He didn't even want to consider it being Lin risking everything again. He liked the idea of it being Izumi even less. But who else…

The group rounded a corner and after a few steps froze in shock.

"Azula?" Bumi asked seeing the woman casually strolling the corridor like it was her damn house they were intruding in.

"Ma'am, you are not allowed to be here." The soldiers raised their swords and readied their bows.

"You're not going to shoot a Fire Nation princess, are you?" She raised her hands slowly.

"Don't come any closer!"

"I wouldn't dream of it. I came to talk." She smiled. But it wasn't one of the warm smiles she gave Zari. No. This could chill a man's blood.

"We cannot permit you to speak to the prisoner."

"Oh, you misunderstand… I came to speak to you."

The soldiers exchanged glances, but kept the weapons drawn. Bumi knew she was too far to attack with any kind of precision, while one arrow from them could end her. What was she doing?

"Earth Kingdom's best and bravest, are you not?" she started. "I bet there's even some Dai Li amongst you…"

The people didn't say a word, but judging by body language alone, Bumi was sure there were at least three.

"Come, come now… You all know who I am. Some of you may even know this…" Azula's smirk widened. "Where does the blue dragon sleep?"

Before Bumi had time to make sense of what Azula just said, two of the soldiers answered in one voice: "Under the sea."

Then the two of them, a man and a woman, proceeded to kill every other soldier there, taking advantage of the fact they were as confused as Bumi was. He didn't see the man fire the arrows, but he did see the last soldier's throat get slit. As for the woman, he saw all of her kills. She was a metalbender and forced the soldiers' own swords to end them. By the time it was done, Bumi was crouching on the floor, protecting his head with his hands and screaming.

"What? What?! Azula, what in the world?!"

"They're called sleeper agents, Bumi. And you should be grateful to…"

"Ming."

"Gen." The man put out his hand. It was bloody. Bumi got up on his own and Ming immediately bended his cuffs off.

"So you know them?" Bumi's breathing had still not recovered.

"Not personally." Azula shrugged. "They were sent to join the Earth Kingdom army as teens, to then blend in, rise through the ranks, put themselves in positions where they might be of use and await my command. I didn't know their identity, nor did they know each other's. It was all put in place before I gave up the criminal life, but it seemed a shame to get rid of such valuable assets before using them at least once."

Bumi looked back at the two spies. They were calmly standing to attention, awaiting Azula's next command.

"But why here tonight?" he asked before a terrible thought struck him.

"If I wanted to kill you, boy. You'd be dead." She rolled her eyes at how obvious he was. "I told you kids I wanted to help. This is me helping." She turned to Gen next. "Take the bodies and follow me. She can't stand them."

She?

Then Azula started leading them away and whistled loudly. A moment later, Katara appeared at the end of the hallway. She hurried towards her son.

"Mom?" Bumi was still confused as she hugged him, then pulled his head down so she could kiss his forehead. "You're working with Azula?"

"She's a mother too. She understands. Toph's helping also."

"She took care of the policemen."

"Yes, but they listen to her. Not one was hurt. Azula's methods are less… gentle." Katara took a second to look around, taking in the splatter of blood. As long as it wasn't her son's, she didn't care tonight. "She also has a ship ready to take you to Whale Island. People she trusts to take care of you and keep you safe there. But we have to hurry…"

She tried to pull his arm, but he didn't budge.

"Does Dad know about this?"

"You know your father… I'm not going to sit cross-legged while they kill my son! No matter what he did."

"You still…" He shoved her hands away. "I didn't do it! I didn't! That's what Lin was trying to prove…"

"It doesn't matter now… It's to late to prove anything. It's time to go."

"It matters to me, Mom! Do you think I did it?"

"You signed a confession, I don't think they'll care if-"

"Mom!"

"No, I don't think you did."

He didn't know if he believed her. Hearing her say it didn't make him feel better as he'd hoped.

"Now can we go?" she asked.

"What kind of life will I have there? I won't be able to see any of you… Izumi and Iroh… I wouldn't be a soldier anymore… That wouldn't be a life."

It was the same offer Izumi gave him. But it still wasn't enough. Bumi would never settle for it.

"Sweetie, it's the only kind of life we can get for you right now…"

"You would all be in constant danger and I would be a coward." He sighed. "If I disappeared from the city tonight everyone would blame Dad. The people would never trust him again. The world would suffer. I'm staying, Mom."

"You know…" Tears collected in her eyes. "You picked a fine day to start acting like your father…"

This time he hugged her.

"I love you." Bumi never felt like his father liked him all that much. Aang loved all his kids equally, sure, but he liked Bumi the least. It wasn't just the bending issue, even though it didn't help… There was like a wall between them for as long as Bumi could remember. And every year they both worked on making it thicker. Because of all of that, Bumi felt like his mother loved him just a little bit more fiercely than his siblings. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make her cry.

Katara called Azula and her soldiers out. The woman could immediately sense the plan was failing right in front of her.

"Staying, are we?" Azula looked meaningfully at Bumi. "Like you're set on breaking my niece's heart tonight… Listen, I've seen enough manly sacrifice nonsense in my life. Don't be an idiot, take help when you need it."

"Not if it hurts others," he said.

"Bumi thinks everyone will think Aang freed him." Katara wiped her cheeks.

"So what? Let them gossip." Azula scuffed.

"They'll never trust him again." Katara said.

"And if he just watches his son killed? They'll think he's incompetent!"

"I'm staying," Bumi repeated. Yeah, it sounded right.

"We can take you by force, you know," Azula said. Bumi spared a glance at the two soldiers listening in. He doubted he could take one of them on a good day…

"No, it's his decision," Katara said. "How do we explain this?"

Azula rolled her eyes and turned to her soldiers. "You will bring him back to his cell and claim the killed soldiers supported different queens and started brawling. You did what you had to stop them…"

Ming and Gen turned to each other and proceeded to injure one another just enough so it was believable.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Ma'am." Ming told Azula finally.

"I thank you for your devotion, but you'll be in more danger after this than ever before. You know each other now, which means if one of you is captured and tortured you both go down. Work together, look after one another, your lives are one now."

"Yes, Ma'am." Gen nodded.

Katara and Bumi said another short goodbye and he was led back to his cell. When Ming secured him there, he asked the two of them to stay with him till morning. He just couldn't handle the silence anymore because now he was feeling things again. Feeling all of it.

He listened as they explained both of their parents met working for Azula and her husband. The two of them were then born, raised and taught as part of her organization and as teenagers they were each singled out as especially talented and offered this mission. Bumi envied the two of them, stealing glances of each other, like children with a crush. Your lives are one now… He wished he was especially chosen for something… Bending or being extra smart like Zari or Su, he would even settle for a decent singing voice. But he was chosen for this, by whoever was responsible, and he'd be damned if he wouldn't take it tomorrow with dignity.

oooooooooo

"I'm coming with you." Tenzin repeated, like the last fifteen minutes didn't happen.

"I told you, they're expecting a single cop. Toph's daughter. And that's me. We're in no position to go around breaking their rules."

Kya and Izumi pretended that they had something of the upmost importance to check in the other room. Neither of them was getting in the middle of this.

"It's way too dangerous for you to go alone," he continued.

"We don't have time to argue with them… We only have until noon." She regretted saying it immediately. Like he needed reminding his brother was being executed today. She placed a quick kiss on his lips and started walking away. He caught her hand.

"I'm coming with you, Lin. I can't lose you, too."

And what was she supposed to say to that…

Half an hour later, they were casually strolling the streets of the most dangerous neighborhood in the whole city. Given her work, Lin was a frequent visitor, but right now, she felt naked without her uniform or her badge. Tenzin insisted on bringing his staff, that's how she knew he was taking it seriously enough. She wasn't sure which one of them took the other's hand first, but they'd been holding hands since they crossed the border to Terra Triad territory.

The meeting place Zari agreed upon was simply the most comically shady location in the whole city. Three minutes to the agreed upon time and they were standing in a small, dark parking lot, only accessible by a narrow, forgotten alley.

"You think they'll show on time?" Lin asked, just to break the nervous tension. This was officially their last chance.

"They're criminals. I think being late is just part of the image," Tenzin said, then heard a deep, raspy voice from the alley.

"You don't get to be as rich as I am, boy, without keeping a tight schedule."

Lin recognized the man immediately. The leader of Terra Triad. His name was Yi, but everyone simply called him the Unagi. She used to hear officers talk about how be deals with traitors, by trapping them inside the walls of his house with his bending and leaving them there to rot.

"Sir, good mor-" Tenzin begun.

"No, no, no… I don't know who you are… I was told I'll be meeting with one person." He raised one finger in the air to make the point. "Lin Beifong, the Lil' Chief."

Lin grimaced. She hated that nickname more than all the criminals in the city combined.

"I… She… She was hurt." Tenzin's brain was scrambling for an excuse. "If she got attacked, she-"

"No one who has an audience with me gets jumped." The Unagi threw his cigarette down and stepped on it. "I was going to ask what happened to her face, but I didn't want to offend the lady." He changed his focus from Tenzin to Lin. "Who did it then? One of my guys? My competition?"

"It wasn't a triad member," Lin said.

"Who else would dare slam a cop like that?" He looked around and focused on Tenzin. "It wasn't him, was it?"

"No, I would never! No, no, no… No." Tenzin shook his head violently.

"It doesn't matter." Lin touched her bruised lip. "And I'm not a cop anymore."

"She got it from an interrogation," Tenzin said and got a glare from Lin.

"Spirits…" The Unagi smirked. "And they call us criminals…"

"We're here because we've been told you have information that could help us." Lin was desperate to change the subject.

"I do. But I also have a question… When I tell you, what are you going to use it for?"

"To save my brother!" Tenzin blurted.

"In that scenario, what's in it for me?" Unagi asked meaningfully.

"You tell us, we use it to ruin the Triple Threat Triad, by going after those responsible." Lin said.

"Very good, Miss Beifong. If I help you, I don't want you to stop at helping your friend keep his head, I want you to make the people involved pay. Can you do that?"

"And take out your competition?" Tenzin asked.

"We can." Lin said.

"So much like her mother…" The Unagi laughed slightly. "This is the first interesting thing that happened here since she retired, so I guess I should be grateful… I got another question for you now, Lil' Chief, why is Terra Triad number one?"

"Connections in the Earth Kingdom. You can get people and drugs into the city more easily." Lin remembered listening to a seminar about it.

"That's half the reason, yes. The other is that we own more dirty cops than the rest of the triads combined… Most cops are still Toph's metalbenders and we share a homeland. If you're going to sell out, better go with your own people…"

Lin hated hearing this. Thinking one of the people she trusted with her life and worked side by side with could be a liar and criminal. And since her mother left, it was even easier without her truthseer skills.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lin interrupted. He didn't seem to get mad.

"Those cops we don't own, we sometimes follow," he said, and Lin and Tenzin shared a terrified look. "If we catch them doing something they're not supposed to, we buy them with our silence." Then he whistled and a scrawny teen boy walked out of the shadowy alley. "This is Yan. He was tasked with following around Chief Hong."

The boy looked absolutely terrified at the name mentioned. He generally left the impression that he'd rather be sitting comfortably at whatever safe house the Unagi had left him in.

"Come on, tell them what you saw." The man put his hand on Yan's neck and gave him a gentle squeeze.

"What does Hong have to do with it?" Lin asked.

"Weeks ago, I followed him into Triple Threats territory…" Yan spoke so quietly that listening to him was a strain. "And I figured, he'd go to a strip club, like they all do sometimes, but… He rounds a corner and suddenly he's meeting with a leader of Triple Threats."

"You don't mean…" Lin couldn't believe it.

"We couldn't own Chief Hong," the Unagi said. "Since he was already bought and paid for…"

"Which of their leaders?" Tenzin asked. The Unagi was pleasantly surprised at how much of this he was following.

"The earthbender," Yan said. "They call him Saber-tooth on the streets, cause he breeds-"

"Illegal moose lions, yeah, I know…" Lin interrupted.

"Anyway, he tells Hong that very soon the King will be assassinated and that he'll need to investigate it. Saber-tooth then says to blame it on the Avatar's son. Whatever it takes. And I have pictures, since I was ready to catch him cheating on his wife." Yan pulled out a stack of photographs. Lin couldn't believe what she was seeing, the kid caught them exchanging money and everything…

"Next, I made a stupid move to get a better picture and they saw me," Yan continued. "I ran away and told my brothers everything so we could find a way to let the Avatar know, but then… A week ago, my brothers sent me to buy a pack of cigarettes and when I came back, they were… I was stupid enough to wear my work uniform while following Hong. He found them because of me…" Tears of anger filled the boy's eyes. The Unagi patted his shoulder. Lin was sure he enjoyed the boy's anguish. Another soldier for his army. One who'd fight the Triple Threats mercilessly and feel like he still owned the old man something.

"They're going to pay, Yan." Lin told him.

"I had a different kid following Hong the evening of the murders," Unagi added. "She lost him for the time period the brothers got killed. It was Hong, no doubt."

"Alright, but who killed the King?" Tenzin asked a valid question.

"Does it matter?" Unagi scuffed. "It only matters who ordered it."

"Yeah, Hong and Liyang have to pay." Yan said, finally in normal volume.

"Who?" Tenzin asked.

"Saber-tooth."

"His real name is Qi," Lin said, remembering another boring briefing.

"Yes. Qi Liyang. It's his family name. I did my research." Yan didn't understand the expression on Lin's face. But Tenzin did. She had something.

"What is it, Lin?" he asked.

"I know that name… I'd have to check, but…" She turned to him, ignoring the others. "Princess Luli. She was nobility before marrying the King's son. Luli Liyang. If she's related to the Triple Threats' leader, then maybe she's involved in the assassination too."

"But her husband was killed…" Tenzin turned to her as well, so they stood like they were alone.

"Maybe something went wrong," The Unagi suggested. "Plans fall apart. Maybe the bitch just wanted her husband dead. No one ever came as close to killing me as my first wife."

Lin thought about it. "If only the King was killed, Luli and her husband would have been King and Queen. She wasn't planning on fighting his little sister. That's why the prince was stabbed so messily, it was an accident that he was there!"

"But why in the world frame Bumi? They could have made it an accident…" Tenzin said.

"Maybe… Maybe Saber-tooth wanted something in return. Maybe he has something against Bumi or the Avatar…"

"You're looking at it wrong," The Unagi cut in. "It's business. This chick wanted the King killed and her brother wanted the Earth Kingdom to hate the Avatar and Republic City. We're already having shipment problems because of the beginnings of civil war. Imagine if the Kingdom cut all ties with the city, cause of the Avatar."

"Terra Triad falls. Triple Threats are the strongest," Lin concluded. "We have it, Tez! But Princess… Queen Luli is on the committee deciding Bumi's punishment."

"We need to stop it." Tenzin readied his glider.

"We need to collect as much evidence as we can now," Lin said. "You fly to the station and find Jun. Show him one of the photos of Hong taking bribes and he'll help you find a document linking Saber-tooth and Luli."

Tenzin nodded and flew away.

"I'm glad it's all working out," The Unagi said, looking at the sky where Tenzin disappeared. "You know, if you ever get tired of being treated that way for doing your job better than anyone else, we could find a place for you. Like we did for your sister."

"I'd rather die." Lin muttered.

"Harsh. You wouldn't have to do anything immoral, you see… You're such an asset, I'd set you up with a little team and your only job would be to get in the way of other triads. So you'd be doing the same thing you do now, just with no laws to hold you back and all the resources you could ever want. What do you say?"

"No." Lin was embarrassed because imagining it in her head didn't seem so bad. But she snapped out of it in less than a second.

"The offer is here, whenever you get tired of being beat up for doing your job."

She ignored him and started walking away. She stopped at the end of the parking lot and turned around.

"Yi!" she called him. "Thank you. But when all this is over, even if I don't get my job back, I'll do anything and everything to bring your whole operation down."

"I look forward to it, Lil' Chief," he said, lighting another cigarette.

oooooooooo

Bumi didn't hear much during his trial. Trail… If it could even be called that. He wasn't even given an attorney, which was maybe fortunate, since after confessing he didn't have much of a defense either.

The majority of the event was Chief Hong slowly reading out the contents of Bumi's signed confession while the crowd loudly disapproved. Of Bumi's supposed actions, not of the sham that was the event… Bumi noted the anger and hatred on their faces, but it didn't bother him much. There was only one face he looked for in the audience and it was Izumi's.

When he found her eyes at the back of the crowd, he suddenly wanted the stupid thing to last for hours… He was glad she wasn't crying, he didn't think he could handle that. She was back to being dressed like a princess, sitting down and holding hands with his mother. He was glad to see it since their relationship never really recovered from that time she married someone else and had his kid. Kya was right next to Katara, but she was covering her face and turned away from him. Probably couldn't stop herself from crying. Toph was next to her, patting her shoulder. Aang was nowhere to be found... But what surprised Bumi most was that Zari, Lin and Tenzin were also missing. He allowed himself the smallest ping of hope. What is they'd found something that could stop this? But what if they were just risking their lives for him again?

An officer turned Bumi's head from the audience to the committee. Guess, he should at least look like he was listening and didn't already know what the outcome would be.

He made an effort to study every person in the committee individually. He knew only the two self-proclaimed queens. His friend's wife, Queen Luli, conducted herself gracefully through the whole ordeal, despite being heavily pregnant, as well as, being seated in the same room as her husband's supposed murderer. The other, child Queen Hou-Ting, had a different approach. She glared angrily at Bumi throughout the entire event probably wishing they'd skip the formalities and just kill him already… By the look she was giving him, Bumi thought she might ask to do the deed herself.

Then the verdict was delivered. Bumi was pronounced guilty and his death penalty was to be carried out immediately. Every last shred of hope he had, was killed on the spot. Everyone walked a short while to the place dedicated for the execution. Bumi almost laughed at the fact that the verdict came only ten minutes ago, but everything for the execution was already prepared.

The location was a surprise, though. They led him to a small pier, where at the end stood a man with his long sword drawn. Easier for waterbenders to clean the blood here, he realized. There were worst places to die…

He was at least given the chance to say his goodbyes. Kya was the first one to run to him and put her hands around him.

"Where are they?" Bumi asked.

"I… I don't know. They left a while back and… I think they're just embarrassed they couldn't find anything," she whispered into his ear.

"I love all of you for trying." He kissed her cheek. "Take care of them for me, little sis."

And that was it, she started crying again.

"Dad wanted to come." Katara flashed a quick, sad smile. "He was just afraid with the Avatar state and all… He loves you so much. And Uncle Sokka, his ship got caught in a storm and he was forced to stop half-way. He wanted to be here more than anything."

"It's fine, I'm glad you're here." Bumi hugged her. He was sure seeing Aang would make it worse, but he still wanted him to be here too. He also wished he could put Tenzin in a headlock and rub his bald head one more time.

He moved to Izumi next, who was patiently waiting her turn, when a soldier started pulling him back.

"Time's up!"

Then one of Azula's sleeper agents, Gen, walked by and accidentally tripped the soldier over his foot. He started apologizing, giving Bumi enough time to run to Izumi and kiss her.

"I love you," she said, pulling away.

"You can do better than me." He smirked, and she couldn't help but smile too. "I'll miss that smile, though."

"Idiot." She punched his chest slightly. "If you'd listened to me, you would've been half-way around the world by now…"

"But could you love a man who runs?"

As they were dragging him away, he mouthed "I love you too."

He spared another glance at the queens and noticed Zari standing next to young Queen Hou-Ting. He seemed to be telling her something, but she didn't seem to be reacting in any way. Bumi almost wanted to scream for him to let it go, that it was too late.

Before he could even get his mind around it, he was kneeling at the end of the pier, his back to the crowd. He was asked for his last words, but right now they were I love you to Izumi and he knew he could never top that. He just quietly watched the horizon and then closed his eyes.

Then there was a sound of something whipping through the air followed by the clang of the executioner's sword on the ground. Bumi's eyes shot open as he turned and found every eye there focused on Lin at the edge of the crowd. She drew back her cable and ran into the open followed by Tenzin and her friend Jun.

"You're executing the wrong man!" Lin yelled. "And I can prove it!"

Chief Hong quietly signaled him people to remove her from the gathering, and the officers swarmed her in seconds. Good.

"Chief Hong is working for the Triple Threat Triad!" she shouted and showed one of the photos from the Unagi to the closest officer. They stopped trying to arrest her and all shoved in to see it for themselves.

"We will have order!" A member of the committee screamed but the chatter of the crowd was too loud.

"He knew about the assassination and he killed three people to cover it up!" Lin said. "The people who're really responsible are his boss, Qi Saber-tooth Liyang and his sister Princess Luli Liyang!"

Now Luli's face showed some emotion. Fear.

The photos circling around reached Hong and, realizing he was finished, he tried to take one last desperate strike at Lin, but Toph closed him in a pillar of earth.

"You don't understand! I did nothing!" he pleaded.

Toph leaned in so she was close to his face and murmured, "You're lying."

"Can you really prove it?" Queen Hou-Ting asked, after getting an approving nod from Zari.

"It's all here." Lin rushed to present the stack of documents in her hands to the woman. The whole committee looked through them and Luli got desperate.

"Soldiers, protect your queen! We're leaving!" she called, but no one answered. She'd helped kill their king and they weren't about to ignore that.

"Take her," Hou-Ting said, realizing everyone was looking to her for what to do. "Find her brother. The Avatar's son is innocent."

Lin breathed out in relief and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She didn't even realize she was smiling ear to ear until Tenzin took her hand and she saw he was doing the same. After exchanging a few more words with the Queen, Zari ran to them.

"You did it!" Bumi came too, followed by Izumi and Kya.

"You doubted it?" Lin asked.

"Honestly, I was beginning to wonder…" He touched his neck then lunged forward, pulling both Tenzin and Lin in a hug. "You too, Little Prince." He pulled Zari in by his shirt.

oooooooooo

Further down the shore, hidden by some trees, Suyin watched the whole thing. She couldn't make out most of what was being said, but the fact that they were successful was unmistakable. She watched with a smile as all her friends exchanged hugs and felt a little tug in her chest for not being there.

She stole on more glance at Zari's goofy smile and disappeared into one of the streets. The plan was, she'd go back to the ship, but for some reason, she felt she was done hiding for a while. She wouldn't come home, no, but maybe it wouldn't be terrible if she just said a quick hello to Lin. Her sister was having a great day, so why not… And Su wanted to apologize for giving her those scars for months.

She found Lin easily enough, but the hard part was getting her alone. She followed her down a street to where their mother was putting Hong into a police car. Toph had temporarily seized control of the police force and was intent on punishing the now former chief.

"You have a minute, Chief?" Lin called. Su hid behind a wall. She was sure there were enough people around to fool her mother, but she couldn't risk Lin seeing her.

"Come for I've told you so?" Toph signaled the driver and the car full of policemen drove away, leaving the two of them alone on the street.

"No. I just-"

"You've done good. Is that what you want to hear?" Toph crossed her arms.

"I came to tell you something. While working Bumi's case I looked at the photos of the victims. All of them… Mom, Kanto's among them. He's dead."

Toph turned to her violently. "You're sure?"

Lin wished she could show her mother the photo, but it would mean nothing to her. "Yes."

"Well, thanks for telling me." Toph turned and started walking away. She made it a few steps, then stopped cold. "How did it happen?" Her voice revealed she was at the brink of tears. This day was a lot.

"I just have the photo. But it looks like he was stabbed. From the back." Lin walked to catch up to her mother who was still standing frozen. "Mom?"

"The one time he's not in on the scheme and he…" Toph let loose one tear and Lin hugged her. She forgot sometimes her mother had a whole relationship with Kanto, unlike her. They hated each other now, but she didn't want him betrayed by his own men. Lin was over the grief already, but she was sad again, for her mother this time. And she was glad she finished what her father started with his last stand.

Su watched them in silence, unmoving. This was a family moment, but just for the two of them. She didn't belong there now, so as soon as she found her calm, she walked the other way and looked for Zari.

She found the Prince standing with his bare feet in the sea, looking into the horizon. He was so handsome, it was unfair. She walked into the water too, but in her shoes. He noticed her but kept quiet. They stood like that for a few moments.

"You engaged?" she asked.

"Nope." He paused. "But I offered. In exchange for Bumi's life I offered to marry the Queen as soon as she came of age. But she turned me down…"

"Is she insane?"

"If you don't want me then I don't want you. It's surprisingly mature of her." He still stared at the horizon, not at her.

"You know, Bumi would cry if he knew what you were willing to do for him."

"That's why he'll never know. Just like they'll never know how much you helped."

"I think you should tell him."

"That I made my first marriage proposal today and got rejected? No, thank you."

First? Su panicked suddenly, but he wasn't… He wouldn't… She looked at him, but he wasn't moving.

"I have to go," she said suddenly.

"We can set sail in the evening if you so wish. But I was looking forward to-"

"No, I need to go. Away from you." Now he looked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"How are you always just so happy, and confident, and at peace?"

"I don't know what you mean…"

"Look, I ran away because I wanted to find myself, because I'm not all settled like you. I wanted to see the world and to do all that, I think I need to stop seeing you. I don't know if that makes any sense, but…"

"Okay." He looked back at the sea.

"Okay?"

"Okay." He smiled. "I still have some pirate friends. They could get you wherever you need to go. On the down-low."

"What?" he asked after she chuckled.

"It's just hilarious hearing you say down-low. Since you're such a dork…"

Before she could finish her thought, Zari stepped forward, cupping her cheek and pulled her into a kiss. But not like their other kisses, deeper, hungrier. Then he stopped, just as she was beginning to melt into it and leaned to whisper into her ear.

"Go. Have your adventure… I know you're coming back to me."

And Su wanted to say something snarky in return, but he was right. One day when she'd seen enough, she'd come back and see this thing between them through. While she considered a response, Zari already broke the contact, took his boots and paced away from her on the sand.

oooooooooo

In just a few hours, Saber-tooth was apprehended, Hong started confessing to everything in hopes of getting a deal and Lin brought in Kaji, the girl that stole Bumi's knife, to testify. With all that overwhelming proof, Bumi was finally going to get an official pardon.

Izumi stood next to him, holding his hand for support, as one of Hong's officers signed and stamped all the necessary documents. Meanwhile, Tenzin, Lin, Kya and Jun waited by Lin's desk. She was arranging her things back into the drawers, clutching the document that gave her her old job back.

"Lin, can I… Talk to you?" Jun asked, not really making eye contact. Tenzin noticed and pulled Kya into an unrelated conversation.

"Yeah?" Lin stopped moving things and focused on her friend.

"I… Look, I'm really sorry for telling on you… I should have just talked to you, asked you what was going on. When I thought you were covering up for a murderer, I just felt… I don't know. Awful. I did everything wrong. And just so you know, I wouldn't have let him keep hitting you."

"You were just being a good cop. Because that's who you are." She smiled. "We're good."

"If only I knew, you were also being a good cop, like always." He hugged her briefly.

"Look at it!" Bumi interrupted them all, running to them waving his release papers. "Punishment is lifted, name is cleared, head is firmly attached to shoulders… Let's go eat!"

"That's a good idea." Kya said.

"Can't we just get some take-out to the apartment?" Tenzin asked. "It's been a big day for everyone."

"Sure." Lin said. With the corner of her eye she noticed Jun leaving. "You too." She grabbed his arm.

"It seems like a family thing, I wouldn't want to intrude…" He slipped on his jacket.

"Nonsense," Kya waved him off "I want dumplings, alcohol and embarrassing Lin in the academy stories. You're gonna provide the last one. Who can handle the first two?"

"I guess, I can use my newfound freedom to get us some food," Bumi said. "But first… Lin could you do me a favor and stand on that chair?"

"What?"

"Indulge me."

Lin rolled her eyes but climbed up onto her office chair.

"Attention Republic City Police Force!" Bumi yelled and every single person turned their heads towards him.

"You trying to get arrested again?" Lin whispered.

"This is Detective Lin Beifong and she is truly the best cop you've ever had and could ever hope to have. Watch out, since she will be running this place one day. Mark my words!"

Lin didn't think she was ever that embarrassed and was thinking of jumping down when Jun started clapping. Then Tenzin, then Kya and soon the whole room. She still didn't feel like she deserved it. If only they knew how much she needed each of her friends to do it.

Soon after, everyone except Bumi went to Lin and Tenzin's apartment, chatting about where Zari could have gone, while Bumi headed to Kwong's on foot. He never knew he could enjoy just simply walking down the street that much. He was almost half-way there when he heard a sky-bison land behind him.

"Son?"

Today Bumi wished that wasn't him. He didn't answer, he just kept walking.

"Bumi?" Aang caught his shoulder.

Bumi turned around without a word and Aang pulled him into a hug.

"You're sure you want to be seen with me?" Bumi was the one to pull away. "Might ruin your Avatar reputation…"

"That's not funny… I'm sorry, I wasn't there, son, but I was so relieved to find out you proved your innocence."

Bumi did detect relief in his father's eyes, but he'd selfishly hoped it was because his son was alive, not because he wasn't a murderer.

"Because you believed it?" Bumi shook his head. "Some strangers tell a few lies and you believe I was capable of that?"

"If you were innocent, then why didn't you come to us?" Aang's voice got a hint of anger. "How was I supposed to know when you acted like a guilty man would?"

"How about knowing by knowing me?" Bumi matched Aang's anger twofold. "I knew that if I came to you, you'd have given me over to people who were trying to kill me! You would have done it for your honor, but you would have still done it…"

"That's hardly fair-"

"You know what the funniest part of all of this is?!" Bumi rubbed his face in frustration. "These people, their whole plan was doomed from the start. It depended on you wanting to save me from losing my head over something I didn't do and ruining your reputation in the process… But little did they know, you'd never do that. You'd never put any of us before your duty to the world."

"Do you even understand duty?" Aang asked. "You're a man already and I don't think I've taught you the meaning of the word…"

"I'm a soldier."

"A soldier who's gotten punished in almost every way the army knows how… And every time, there's a reason, and you think it's more important than your duty…"

"Don't make this about me…"

"Duty means ignoring what you want and what would make you happy. I helped as long as I was allowed to, I looked for you, I pleaded mercy with everyone in that committee…"

"You should have pleaded justice!" Bumi tried to control himself, but it was getting harder. "But you decided that what's best for the world was me dead."

"Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest thing to do." Aang said, calmly, and after a week hiding under the floor Bumi felt that. "But I would never abuse my power and go against the world's wishes. Even though it killed me to sit at home, while they carried out your punishment-"

"Almost executed me!" Bumi yelled. "Do you understand family, Dad?!"

He immediately knew he shouldn't have said it. Not to his father who never met his parents. His father who had his whole generation taken away from him. His father who was for a while the last of his culture.

Aang got teary, but Bumi just kept going…

"Tenzin and Kya and I, we all do. You know how? Because Mom taught it to us, every day she was there, and you weren't!"

Bumi took a deep breath. He'd gone too far.

"I just wish you'd see that being a monk like you is not the only way to be a good man" he added.

"I know that."

"There's more than one way to be a good man, and I'm not like you, but I am doing my best. I hope you see that…" Bumi came to a surprised stop when Aang pulled him into a hug again.

"I do."

"I know that you always did your best." Bumi hugged back only shortly.

And just like that they were okay again. Not okay, exactly, but better. The two of them would always be complicated…

Aang pulled away and put his hands on Bumi's shoulders. "I told your mom I'd get you home for dinner."

"I'm sorry." Bumi took a step away. "We're eating at Lin and Tenzin's tonight. And I just need… Some time. I'll come some other day."

And with that he walked away. He felt insanely guilty, but pushed it down. He was going to celebrate his freedom with the people who helped him get it back, people that trusted him.

He'd forgive his parents in time.

oooooooooo

"She's your aunt?" Su asked, leaning over the railing of the Zari's ship, inspecting the dark-sailed brig that was approaching them with speed.

"Not technically… It's like when you call the Fire Lord Uncle Zuko." Zari gave a hand signal to his first mate to prepare for peaceful boarding of the other vessel. The woman started shouting orders.

"And you're sure she won't mind?" Su picked up her small suitcase and mentally prepared for stepping onto her first real pirate ship.

"Are you serious? The Captain went a day and a half off-course for this…" Zari spotted a familiar face on board the other ship and couldn't wait for the boarding to be complete. He ran right for the railing and jumped from one ship to the other, using only a little boost from his blue fire to make the jump.

"Zari?" the older woman, wearing the captain's hat asked.

"Aunt Shi." Except for a few new scars and some gray hairs, the woman looked just like he remembered her from his childhood. Although, the ridiculously big hat and the streaks of blue paint across her face were new and unexpected.

Shi hugged Zari so hard she knocked the air out of him for a few seconds.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be taller than me, kiddo," she said before stepping away to take one more long look at him.

She was comparing him to his dad, he realized. She'd only come out of it disappointed… Zari didn't remember his father's face, but he'd seen photos. His mother had exactly two of them. One of just his father when he was young, looking serious as ever, taken for some con his parents were running at the time. And the other one of the three of them when Zari was barely a toddler. He didn't really know where his mother kept them, but he knew that whenever he asked to see them, she was never more than five minutes from them.

He'd even asked Azula if he looked anything like his father, because in his eyes he didn't. He still remembered what she said. When you're focused on something, like a firebending move or a Pai Sho match, truly focused, it's like I see his face and not yours.

"So what's with the war paint?" he asked, grinning.

"Terrifies young captains…"

"Like myself?"

"Nah, boy. You have the sea in your blood." She smiled at him. "Now tell me… How's that mom of yours?"

"Good, she's helping my uncle run the country…"

"I bet she's just happy to have people bowing again, calling her Princess and whatnot… She move on from your dad yet?"

Zari shook his head, wanting to take as little part in that conversation as possible.

"She's a waste of pretty, that one… But was a damn fine queen." Shi's eyes caught glimpse of Su finally making it onto the second ship. "Is that my guest?"

"I'm Kanna." Su used a fake name like her and Zari discussed. He trusted Shi, but Suyin Beifong would be too good of a hostage to risk it. Her great-grandma's name seemed appropriate.

Shi shook the girl's hand. "No, you're not." Her words made Zari and Su exchange a worried glance. "I'm not your mother, but I'm not stupid either… Now I don't know who you are, young lady, but if your boyfriend thinks he invented helping pretty, noble girls run away from home, he is dead wrong. That's exactly how we all met Azula back in the day…"

"Shi…" Zari tried to gesture for her to stop.

"Bye, Zari." Su leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"I'll write to you when I write to Shi," he said as she was walking away.

"And she'll write back. I'll make sure of it," Shi added, seeing Su wasn't going to.

"Now for the matter of money-"

"Don't insult me, boy!" Shi interrupted Zari. "Are we not family? She'll stay for as long as she likes, then we'll drop her off anywhere she likes. And I'll keep her out of trouble… Most trouble. And well away from handsome young men."

Su giggled at the face Zari made.

Shi said goodbye to the young prince by hugging him once more and then he was off to his own ship. Su watched with the Captain as Zari's ship detached and moved further and further from them.

"Come on, Kanna," Shi said. "I'll show you to your room. And tell you about the time we found out Zari was a firebender at the worst possible time…"

oooooooooo

After everything that happened, Bumi took some damn well-deserved leave to try and enjoy life again. He made peace with his parents, at least on the surface, then spent a few months on the South Pole training with his uncle Sokka. The man insisted there was nothing he could teach him anymore, but Bumi didn't care. Those old rooms were where his uncle gave him advice all through his childhood. Where he taught him how to be a warrior and how to be a man. It was a comforting place for him, with its good food, good company and traditional Water Tribe stories every night by the fire. He even helped a bit with the training of young boys and girls which felt incredibly more satisfying than his actual job.

When he arrived at Ember Island a few months later, he looked like a new man, having cut his hair and let his beard grow out. Iroh recognized him nonetheless, since the boy jumped into his arms as soon as Bumi stepped off the ship.

"Mom said she wasn't sure you were coming…"

"Well, your mom should know I would never miss your sixth birthday, for anything." Bumi let the boy down, then showed him his thick bag. "I have a little something here for you from the Pole, but nothing till tomorrow, you get that, little Prince?"

"Shh, Bumi. No one here knows who we are." Iroh looked around suspiciously. It made sense, since both him and his mother were dressed rather modestly. Izumi looked so beautiful he was beginning to suspect her usual royal clothing just distracted from how gorgeous she really was.

"Welcome." She stepped forward and gave him a little peck on the lips.

"Gross." Iroh cringed. Bumi made a silly face at him and the Prince responded by sticking his tongue out. Then he ran back to a group of boys who were playing in the shallows.

"Hear that? We're gross…" That was maybe one of the weirdest things Bumi said that got him a kiss from the Princess. Then they held hands and walked back to the beach house.

At that moment Bumi promised himself he'd do better by Izumi and her son, but he did that countless times before. People didn't really change overnight, even if they really wanted to. One thing did change that night, though. And a year later they returned to the island with Iroh and their baby daughter.

oooooooooo

Huh, here. Done.

Any thoughts on it, hit me with a review, I am dying to know.

And thanks for giving up your time to read this :)

Now for some comments of mine…

The last two scenes are like post credits scenes. I was debating with myself whether to put them in or not, but if I just keep them on my computer, they're not doing any good, so HERE.

The stuff about Zari's father and that pirate captain are more or less references to my story 'The Unrivalled Expert in Human Nature' which is about Azula and Zari's dad meeting and getting from there to… Well, Zari.

I don't think I mentioned this, but the Princess/Queen Hou-Ting in this story is the old lady Earth Queen from LoK. I didn't know her name before, so I thought I'd put it out there. And yes, she is awful, but she's a little kiddo here and she was on the good side… Still not giving her Zari though… Azula would go on a murder spree and I'd be tempted to join her.

And, Luli is my OC (obviously), but Prince Wu said the Queen was his great aunt, so Luli's baby in this would be Prince Wu's mother or father. Yay, references…

Also, I hope I did at least alright with all the clues and the mystery. It's not usually my thing so be gentle.

And I also recently read somewhere that it's freaking CANON that Izumi has Iroh and a daughter and I'm like… Bumi?! A Bumizumi child?! Yes! And I'll probably mention her in a story in the future where I'll give her a name and everything.

But I'm sadly not planning any more stories featuring ALL the Gaang kids, at this moment. They're already so big and it is chaotic business.