I hope everyone enjoyed Linumi Week! I'm so sorry to everyone who has been waiting so long for the newest chapter of Wild Child. I'm afraid the portrayal of Bumi on the second season of the show was rather different than I'd imagined, so I lost some of my motivation. And now there are additional complications with the new information revealed about the characters' histories. Still, I want to give you this conclusion to the first season before I consider where to go next with this story. I might consider it complete, or I might go completely AU with it. Either way, I hope you have enjoyed reading it.

It was over. Amon was revealed to the Equalists as a waterbender, and then had fled with Tarrlok.

Lin stands on Air Temple Island with Tenzin and his family, and Korra and her friends. The war is over.

Lin lets her hands rest on Korra's shoulders, saddened.

"I can't believe Amon got you too." She tells the Avatar sadly, seeing the same emptiness in the girl's eyes that she felt in her heart. Hopefully, Katara will be able to help.

"Hey, at least you unlocked your airbending!" The earthbender puts in brightly. Everyone turns to glare at him, and even the ferret chitters at him disapprovingly.

"Bro, not the time." The firebender points out warningly.

"Right, right, I'll just stand over here… quietly… in silence." The boy says sheepishly, backing away and placing his hands over his mouth. Lin can't help but feel a bit of amusement, and wishes Bumi was here to enjoy the teenage drama.

As though on cue, several ships enter the bay. Tenzin and his family join them, leaving their family huddle.

"Who do you think it is?" Pema asks Lin quietly. The Forces banners hang from the ship.

"Do you see the dragon on the front of the lead ship?" Lin comments, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Yay! Uncle Bumi's here!" Ikki cries, recognizing The Dancing Dragon at the same time as her mother.

"Waaaaaahhoooooo!" Bumi yells from the head of his ship, clapping his hands together.

"Great, now I have to entertain my brother." Lin hears Tenzin mutter. She smirks faintly, remembering how much trouble Bumi always caused for Tenzin.

When he disembarks, Lin is the first person he approaches, scooping her up and spinning her around. Despite herself, a small smile blooms on her face as she wraps her arms around his neck.

"Linny my love, you're looking as gorgeous as ever." He declares playfully, setting her down. She rolls her eyes at him and his grin broadens. "Come on, admit it! You missed me." He urges.

"Not a bit, Sasquatch." She denies, smiling. "It's been almost peaceful without you around." He laughs easily.

"Peaceful, you say? That's not the way I've heard it." He waves his arms around wildly, gesturing to the peaceful bay. "I get here and all the fun stuff's already happened." He's pouting playfully, and even after everything that's happened she can't help but laugh. Now that he's got her laughing, he moves on to his brother, whom he pulls into a headlock.

"BUMI!" Tenzin roars.

"Baby T! Great to see you, little bro. Been too long." Bumi declares, grinning as he pulls back.

"Not long enough." Tenzin grumbles, straightening his clothes with a rush of air.

"Uncle Bumi! Uncle Bumi! Did you bring me anything? Is it cute and cuddly? Do you get to travel all over the world? Have you been to the North Pole? What about South Pole? Have you ever visited an air temple? Was it dirty there?" Tenzin's younger daughter jumps up and down as she asks question after question.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no." Bumi answers easily without hesitation. It takes the smaller girl a moment to even remember her questions, but when she does, she squeals.

"You brought me something? What is it? What is it?" All of the children perk up immediately. Easily, he hands out presents from the bag at his waist, while the adults watch fondly. Tenzin objects when Bumi gives Meelo a toy sword but Bumi waves him off while the boy swings the thing around wildly. 'Just like his father,' Lin thinks mildly. Tenzin's guilty look and Bumi's dark expression tells her they're thinking the same thing, but neither let on to the children.

Finally, the children stop bombarding their uncle, running off to enjoy his gifts, and Bumi glances around. A frown appears on his face.

"Why so gloomy?" He asks, confused. He looks to Lin, but she avoids his eyes. Amon took my bending. She wants to say it aloud, wants to confide in her best friend, but she can't bear to admit it aloud. She had not had to tell the others; they had understood the situation just fine. "Lin?" His voice prods her, sensing the attention on her, but she still can't speak.

"Bumi, maybe you and I should take a walk." She hears Tenzin say quietly, seeing him place a hand on Bumi's arm to guide him away from the corner of her eye.

"Yeah, okay, let's do that." Bumi agrees suspiciously. When they are out of hearing distance, Lin stands abruptly and heads for the house. Korra, Pema, and the bending brothers follow her silently.

"I'd best get the children packing." Pema says quietly, heading past them. "You four should do your own packing. It'll be cold in the South." The boys head inside, but Korra hesitates.

"Bei Fong?"

"Yes?" Lin asks curtly.

"Are you and Commander Bumi…close?" The girl asks hesitantly. Lin snorts at the clear supposition.

"Bumi and I are best friends. We have been since we were children."

"Oh."

"Lin?" She hears Bumi call before the girl can say anything else.

"I'll just…" Korra says, gesturing inside. Lin dismisses her with a jerk of her head, and waits. Bumi approaches at a jog, and she can see the worry in his eyes. She says nothing.

"Come with me." He says abruptly, taking her hand and leading her away. She allows him to drag her to the cliffs at the other end of the island. They'd often sat here as children, during times when neither really had the enthusiasm to play. They'd only discovered the spot due to her parents' preference for cliffs for serious talks.

Lin sits like she used to, slipping off her shoes and pressing her feet into the side of the cliff. Unlike every other time, the earth is silent to her. There's no sound, no vibrations. Bumi sits next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into him. She turns her head into him, burying her face in his neck. His beard tickles the side of her face, but she doesn't move.

"Mom's the best healer in the world. If anyone can fix this, she can." Bumi murmurs. "Don't give up just yet."

"I know." Lin agrees quietly. "I just…I've lost the only things left that tied me to her. The police force, my bending." She chokes on the word. Knowing he's noticed, she confesses. "I feel like something's missing. Like an arm or leg was cut off and I reach out to use it and it's not there anymore. Everything feels dead, because I can't feel the pulse there anymore."

She hears the tears in her voice, but she knows Bumi won't mention them. And he doesn't. He's quiet for a moment, and then he pulls back, reaching for her wrist. She lets him press her hand against his chest, feeling the thump of his heart. She can't help but dig her fingers into his shirt, feeling the vibrations his heart makes. It's a pulse that she'd usually feel through the earth, but feeling it at all is a relief.

And just like that, without saying a single word, he's made her feel better.

"Thank you." She whispers, pressing her cheek against his shoulder, hand still pressed against his chest.

"Any time." He murmurs. Then he pulls back again and gets to his feet, offering his hands to her. She rolls her eyes, but allows him to pull her up. He hugs her once more before grabbing her hand and leading her back to the others. She uses her other hand to wipe the evidence of the tears away. Halfway back, he starts making her laugh.

At the South Pole, Lin insists that no one tell Katara about her loss of bending until Korra is healed. The Avatar needs her bending a lot more than Lin does, and Lin doesn't want Katara to hold back in order to save some of her energy for Lin. They wait for hours alongside Korra's parents, as Katara labors fruitlessly.

Finally, Katara returns.

"I've tried everything in my power, but, I cannot restore Korra's bending." Katara announces sadly. Lin can't help herself, feeling irrational despite Katara's clear exhaustion.

"But you're the best healer in the world, you have to keep trying!"

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else I can do. Korra can still airbend, but her connection to the other elements has been severed." Lin can't help but feel dispirited, and Bumi is gone to get food so he is not here to cheer her up.

"It's going to be all right Korra." Tenzin murmurs to the girl who has just entered the room.

"No, it's not." Korra says angrily, leaving the house. Lin allows herself to slump as the firebender and Tenzin follow Korra.

When Bumi re-enters the room, he heads for Katara. Lin watches as his fists clench before he stalks over to her and leads her out of the room without another word to his mother. She sees Pema walk to Katara and turns away before she can see Katara's reaction. Instead, she follows Bumi blindly out into the courtyard.

"Linny." His voice pleads with her, and she raises her eyes to meet his. "It's going to be alright." She nods, but she doesn't really believe it. All her hope has fled with Katara's admission of helplessness.

"What am I going to do?" She asks him quietly.

"Actually, I had an idea about that. I want to…" He begins, but a soft roar causes both of their heads to snap to where Korra and the firebender are returning on the polar-bear dog. Korra is beaming, and Lin can't help but feel her heart jump. Tenzin, standing just out of earshot of Lin and Bumi, rushes forward to meet them.

"I did it! I connected with Aang! He restored my bending!" Korra is yelling, a beaming grin on her face and tears tracking her cheeks. Lin smiles faintly. Then, Korra spots her. "Chief Bei Fong!" Korra rushes forward, throwing her arms around Lin. Lin stiffens, startled. "He showed me how to give someone's bending back! I can help you, and everyone else in Republic City!" Korra exclaims. Lin is stunned, unable to respond.

"Tenzin? What's going on?" The others have reached the doorway, and Lin knows what this means. It's time for the Avatar to put on her first show.

"Korra," Lin murmurs, "you need to go to the pavilion. I'll join you in a moment." Korra looks to her, confused, but does so. Lin glances at Tenzin, who nods. Lin catches a glance of Bumi slipping off before heading towards Korra with a twinge of sadness.

Lin kneels before Korra, and feels the power radiating through her veins as Korra reaches the Avatar State. Then, she feels the first tugs of life under her feet and smiles. She stands, lifting several large rocks into the air. She can see the others staring in awe, especially the earthbender. She allows the rocks to settle before turning to Korra.

"Thank you." They bow, and Lin steps away.

"…so proud of you, Avatar Korra." Lin hears Tenzin say as she slips away after Bumi. She peels back her shoe, setting her foot on the icy ground for a brief moment before tracking his vibrations. She finds him quickly.

"Bumi?" She says quietly, watching as he moves through a sword set. He pauses, lowering the sword and turning to her.

"Hey. Everything okay now?" He asks. She nods and steps forward. He settles easily, eyes watching her.

"What's wrong?" She asks him, noticing his unnatural stillness and the darkness present in his eyes.

"Nothing. Just thinking about some things." He dismisses, shifting on his feet. "Ready to go?" She's confused for a moment before she smiles, remembering their tradition.

"I'd forgotten." She admits. He grins at her and grabs her arm, beginning to drag her off. "Shouldn't we…"

"They'll figure it out." He dismisses.

"What are you two doing?" Tenzin's disapproving voice interrupts them, and Bumi's shoulders slump in exaggerated despair. Lin rolls her eyes at her companion, turning to where Tenzin is surrounded by Korra, the two brothers, and the girl.

"Now that's a silly question." Bumi says mockingly. "Where do we always go when we're together in the poles?" Tenzin glares.

"You cannot be serious! The two of you are too old to be doing something so foolish! Lin has only just regained use of her bending! Lin!" The last is an exclamation when Lin pitches a rock at his head.

"Oh shut up, airhead." She scoffs. "Don't bring me into your brotherly squabbles."

"What are you guys doing?" Korra asked curiously.

"Snowsliding." Bumi said proudly.

"Err…" Korra said uncertainly. Lin rolled her eyes and turned away, heading off.

"Lin! Bumi!" Tenzin snaps, stalking after them. The children follow, but neither Lin nor Bumi pay them any mind. Bumi practically skips along at her side as they headed away from the compound and into the mountains. Tenzin follows along, grumbling about them getting killed.

"Oh, can it, T. Seriously, you suck the fun out of everything." Bumi complains finally. The two brothers begin to bicker, so it's a huge relief to Lin when they finally get high enough. She easily bends a piece of earth large enough for two and jumps on, balancing on her feet.

"You have got to be kidding me." The firebender says in disbelief as Lin looks toward the slope.

"That is awesome." The earthbender cries. Korra looks like she agrees.

"See you when we get back, kids." Bumi teases, hopping on behind Lin. The force of his movement sends the rock skidding forward on the ice. It pauses at the edge of the slope, and Lin leans forward slightly. They shoot forward, rock bouncing. The wind rushes past them, tugging at their clothes, nipping at their skin. Lin feels a rush of exhilaration, which is only heightened by Bumi's arms around her.

This is freedom. Not Tenzin's version: flying thousands of feet in the air, with nothing to catch you. Freedom is being surrounded by earth and snow, sliding down a mountain with Bumi. Freedom is Bumi holding her even though their feet are securely buried in the earth they're sliding on.

For the first time in years, she is home.