The Moon and The Earth

The New Moon Pt.1

Lin had made herself a set work schedule for the past few months and had done a relatively good job maintaining her routine. She did this for both her health and the health of her relationship with her wife, which was greatly appreciated by Kya. Unless something completely asinine happened during the day that absolutely demanded her attention, Lin left the station at 6 P.M. sharp every evening.

Today was no different. The Chief made sure everything was in order and even though she knew Kya was pulling a double shift at the hospital, she decided it was best to keep to her routine and left.

When Lin arrived home, she noticed some sort of package on the front stoop. She didn't think much of it, it was probably something of Kya's and when she parked the Satomobile she went to bring it inside.

As she peered into the open box, a hand flew to her mouth, eyes widening, and she froze upon seeing what was inside. After a stunned moment, she quickly unlocked the front door and took the box inside, setting it gingerly on the table. Lin stood shocked for another minute before remembering to breathe.

In the box, nestled in a heap of blankets, was a tiny baby girl. When the little one began to fuss, Lin immediately bent off her armour, trying to let it fall as gently and quietly as she could against the floor in her rush, and carefully picked her up. She gently rocked the baby back to sleep and hurried to the kitchen.

She seemed alright from what Lin could tell, and even though it had been a nice day, there was no telling how long the infant had been outside. Good weather was no excuse for just dropping the child off at the door, Lin thought. She began to spiral with anger for whomever had left her there and then sadness for the child until she realized what she meant to be doing in the kitchen and pulled herself together.

She called Mako at the station, knowing he would be at his desk doing paperwork even though she had told him to go home.

"Mako. I need you to come to the house. Quickly." Lin said as soon as he picked up the phone.

"Chief? What's going on, is everything alright?" Mako replied, she could tell by the worry in his voice that he was likely already standing and preparing to leave. Lin took a deep breath to ground herself.

"Yes, I'll explain when you get here."

"Alright. I'm on my way." He hung up and dashed out of the precinct.

Soon after, he knocked on the door and Lin half-opened it.

"Chief." Mako greeted, seeing her lessened the concern in his tone.

"I apologize for calling you like this, Mako, but um..." She pushed the door fully open to reveal the child in her arms. Mako stood staring dumbfounded at the baby until Lin continued.
"She was left on the doorstep, I found her when I got home. I need you to take us to the hospital to make sure she's okay."

Mako could only nod in response.

"Grab the keys from the table." Lin said as she stepped outside. Mako carefully walked around the armour Lin left scattered on the floor to grab the her house keys. Then he locked the door behind them and opened the passenger door of his cruiser for Lin.

He turned on the lights and sirens so they could get to the hospital as quickly as they could. The three of them coming in together made quite the spectacle. Mako escorted an armourless Lin through the emergency doors, which was already bizarre, but when the ER staff saw the child in the Chief's arms, the room came to a complete standstill, even patients sat staring.

"Someone go find my wife." Lin said in her usual gruff and demanding voice but she was noticeably quieter, trying not to disturb the little one she held against her chest. One of the nurses scurried off, presumably to retrieve Kya, and another approached her.

"Chief Beifong," The nurse greeted happily but was still timid and when Lin gave a nod acknowledging her, she continued.

"Would you like me to take the baby?" She asked while already reaching for the infant.

"No." The Chief said a little more forcefully than she meant to, making the woman flinch. She softened her voice before saying, "I've got her, thank you."

"Lin?" A frantic Kya asked as she entered the ER, her forehead creased with worry.

"I'm alright, Kya." She said turning toward her.

"Oh, thank the Spirits. They told me you were here and wanted to see me and I got so worried, I thought you were hurt! Hurt badly enough to consciously come to the hospital because, well, you never do. Is that a baby?" Kya spoke so quickly it would have given anyone who wasn't used to it whiplash.

The entire room continued to stare at the group until the Chief cleared her throat.

"Yes, can we do this somewhere a little more private?" Lin asked her wife quietly. Looking around, Kya nodded and led them a little ways down one of the hallways so there would be less of a chance of people ogling at them.

"I found her by the door when I got home." Lin said, quickly slipping out of her chiefly demeanor, and carefully handed Kya the baby who was starting to fuss again. "I knew Mako was still at the station so I called him to come get us."

Lin tried not to hover as Kya was working but she kept a close eye on her wife's expressions to gauge how the baby was. 

"Well, she looks like a healthy, chubby, little thing." Kya said happily while looking over the girl and did a once-over with her bending. "We should run a few tests just to double check but from what I can tell she's fine. Probably just a little hungry."

With that, Lin let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and sat in a chair against the wall. Kya left the room to get the baby a change of clothes and a bottle, and to also find a nurse to run the test samples to the lab.

"Mako, I need you to open an investigation to find the baby's parents. Safe haven laws state she should have been turned into a fire station or hospital. It's good someone felt she was safe at the house, however, it is illegal." She said turning toward him, her brow furrowed. "You can go home and start in the morning if you'd like, and um... Thank you."

"Yes, Chief. I'll get started right away." He replied and headed toward the door. He looked over his shoulder after crossing the room. "You're welcome."

Mako left, Lin suspected that he was going back to the station even though she had again told him to go home. Then the baby began to cry, not just the fussing like before, and Lin bolted up and over to her.

Kya had taken longer than she intended, being asked questions about other patients and curious staff pressing for information about the baby. When Kya returned, the nurse she had asked to check on Lin and the baby was leaving the room. Kya suspected that the Chief had told him they were fine and turned him away. They hadn't spent more than a couple hours together but Lin seemed quite protective of the child.

Lin held tiny hands in hers and spoke softly to the girl as her wife leaned against the doorframe and watched.

"You're alright, little Neoma. Everything's going to be just fine."

After a moment, Kya cleared her throat and stepped inside.

"Neoma?" Kya asked and Lin blushed a little.

"Um, yeah." She responded. "Just figured we couldn't keep calling her 'the baby'. She deserves a name."

"I like it, Linny. Here, do you want to feed her?" She asked handing Lin the bottle of formula anyway. Kya had many more questions running through her head, but somehow seeing Lin's calmness with the baby calmed her thoughts as well.

Lin picked Neoma up and began to feed the hungry baby, hesitantly at first, until the girl began to settle into her.

"I should get started on some paperwork for her so we can get those tests run quicker. Are you okay here?" Kya asked and Lin hummed in approval. She watched for a moment longer before leaving for her office.