Regrets (Complete)

Chapter Fifteen

It had been nearly a week since the rescue. Those days had gone by in a complete blur that Rei was still trying to comprehend. She had lost the only mother she had ever known but in the process had found a family she didn't even know existed. Things had been awkward and weird but she wouldn't have traded it for the world.

They were all gathered on Air Temple Island. Everyone had basically set up camp on the island for the last week while Lin recovered and Rei got to meet her family. The day after the rescue Master Katara had shown up and Rei had the dawning realization that the master waterbender and world famous healer was her grandmother.

"Typical that Sugar Queen shows up after the fighting is over."

"It's nice to see you, too, Toph."

There was a moment when Rei didn't know what to say, watching as the healer took turns hugging her children and grandchildren but she needn't have worried because Katara walked right up to her, taking in her appearance with a warm smile.

She looked to Tenzin and then to where Lin was sitting on the couch before returning her gaze to Rei.

"I'm sure you're having a difficult time processing all of this."

She gestured around the room.

"But it'll get easier with time. And you'll never have to go through it alone. May I?"

She tilted her head as she held out her arms cautiously. Rei could feel her nerves calm at the comfort of her words and quickly closed the gap between them and let Katara wrap her arms around her. It was definitely a warmer experience than she had had with her other grandmother. But she was okay with it because Toph's reaction to the whole situation made Rei laugh and was a welcome contrast to general awkwardness with the others.

Korra and Asami left the day after Katara arrived, heading back to the Fire Nation to finish the trip they had been on before Lin had called for their help.

Lin.

There hadn't been a moment for them to spend together alone and while Tenzin was starting to get somewhat annoying with his hovering, Rei almost got the feeling that Lin was avoiding her. She would catch her staring in her direction but if she acknowledged it any way the impossible to read earthbender would quickly find something else to do.

She couldn't imagine how she felt and wasn't sure she even wanted to be a mother but Rei couldn't stop thinking about the moments they had been together in that horrible torture room. She had sounded so scared when they threatened to hurt her. And even through all of her bindings and injuries Rei was certain she had felt the ground tremble when she had screamed for them to stop. She just wanted to talk to her but she also didn't want to push her too hard by stepping over some unknown boundary.

On the complete opposite side of the Beifong spectrum, Toph wasn't concerned with kind of boundaries. They had been back for only a few hours, Lin still recovering from her injuries, when the renowned earthbender decided to test Rei's skills. She scoffed when Rei said she didn't know how to metalbend but seemed to approve when Rei managed to block the large piece of earth she aimed at her head.

Rei wasn't sure what came over her but she moved her hands in a crude motion and shot a rock out at the old woman. She deflected it easily but smiled wickedly.

"Attacking the greatest earthbender in the world and best police chief Republic City has ever had takes guts."

Rei felt her stomach drop, nervous she may have overstepped in some way.

"Maybe you do have my genes, after all."

"Of course she's a Beifong. She's the spitting of image of Lin at that age."