"Ummmm." Tenzin mumbled as he was caught by his daughters. "Well, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the island?" Tenzin countered.
"Aren't you suppose to be at work?" Sora asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No. I mean yes. I mean you didn't answer my question." Tenzin fought back.
"You didn't answer ours." Ikki reminded him. Her eyes then widened. "Aunt Lin was here when we came here." Ikki swallowed a lump in her throat. Sora's pupil's dilated with realization. "Rohan said you love Aunty Lin." She looked up to Lin who was wearing a straight poker face. She then glanced to her father who looked ashamed. She didn't need an explanation to why her mother left now. "You asked mom for a divorce, and she found out you were with Aunty Lin, and she left. That's what happened, wasn't it." Ikki had to clarify. She had to know she wasn't crazy and that it wasn't in her head.
"Ikki," Lin put her hand on the young girl's shoulder, who immediately shoved it off.
"Don't touch me!" Ikki screamed. "You're the reason my mommy left! You're the reason my parents aren't together anymore!" Ikki now had tears streaming down her face. Sora's face tightened and she twirled around to face her mother.
"I thought you said it was over between the two of you. You lied to me! And Jade, Kuzon, and Haru!" Sora yelled at her mother with clenched fists. Ikki then pointed to her older sister.
"You knew! You knew and you didn't tell me!" Ikki screamed.
"Ikki, you have to believe me I thought they were over. Mom said she ended it." Sora defended herself.
"No, you're all liars! I don't ever want to see any of you again!" She took out her glider and dashed to the balcony. Sora raced after her, but saw her jump in to midair and soar away. Sora clenched her jaw and turned to the people who she now refuses to call her parents.
"I can't believe you! You broke up a marriage!" Sora yelled at Lin.
"I didn't mean to Sora. Sora, sweetie, sit down. Let's talk about this and find a solution. Please," she begged her daughter. Sora turned to Tenzin.
"And you. You left her, impregnated her, and began to play with her feeling again." She cried.
"Sora, that's not true. I love your mother. Please let's talk about this." Tenzin pleaded.
"No. Neither of you can tell me what to do. I'm eighteen, I don't have to listen to either of you. You're not my parents." Sora yelled in the heat of the moment. Without any hesitation she leaped of of the balcony and used for air scooter to take her to her favorite place in the world. The ice cream shop.
Jade and Jinora were about to leave the ice cream shop when they crashed into a brown haired girl running away to fast. Jinora rubbed her head and was about to mumble an apology when she saw her other older sister.
"Sora?" Jinora questioned. "What are you doing here?" Sora looked like she was about to burst in tears.
"Sora. Calm down." Jade came to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "Tell us what happened." Through tears Sora explained to them what had just taken place.
"Ikki found out Lin and Tenzin were having an affair, she ran away, and I don't know where she is. I lost her Jade. I can't find her. I don't know where she is." Sora cried uncomfortably.
"My dad had an affair with Aunt Lin?" Jinora whispered.
"I'm so sorry. We thought they ended it a while ago." Jade said to Jinora, resting a hand on Jinora's arm.
"Were you ever going to tell me?" Jinora asked.
"Mom said that she ended it. I didn't see the point of saying anything if there was nothing happening anymore." Jade explained.
"Okay, that makes sense." Jinora took a deep breath and hugged Sora's back. While rubbing Sora's arm she whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, we're going to find her. I can use my spirit projection to track her down." Jinora explained. Sora swallowed and nodded, while wiping the tears off her face.
"Let's go to the spirit wilds. There's more spiritual energy there." Jade suggested.
"Why not the spirit portal. There has to be more than enough there." Sora countered.
"The spirit portal sounds like a better idea. Let's go." Jinora said. The three sisters then ran to the portal. There weren't that many people there today- surprisingly. There was only a couple tourists and a small group of airbenders meditating.
"Okay, so start meditating and do your thing." Jade ordered in the nicest way possible- which isn't that nice. Jinora sat in a mediation position and looked up at Sora.
"Don't you want to try do to it? Two airbenders are faster than one." Jinora suggested.
"I've never been the most spiritual airbender. I leave that to Kuzon. He's almost, or just as, spiritual as you." Sora explained.
"Really? Nice to know." Jinora smirked. She then closed her eyes and then focused her energy on Ikki. She went around the entire city and air temple island. She finally found Ikki in an alley with a knife close to her neck. Jinora was then pulled out of her meditative state by fear. "Ikki! Alley! Knife!" Jinora gasped. She gasped for breaths. Jade held on to her sister and calmed her down.
"Jinora you're safe. Tell us what happened. You're safe." Jade reassured her.
"But Ikki isn't" Jinora mumbled. She then looked up to her older sister. "I saw her in an alley with a knife close to her neck."
"Did you see anything else. Did you see please. What did they look like?" Jade's questioned bounced off Jinora.
"No I didn't see anything. I can't go back in their. My spirit is too scared right now." Jinora pleaded.
"We're not forcing you too. We'll just have to find another person who can find her that way." Sora counselled her sister.
"What about Kuzon?" Jinora suggested. "You just said yourself, he's just as spiritual as me. He can find her."
"Okay, fine." Jade agreed reluctantly. She knew it was a long shot to get her brother to help with something like this. He still doesn't want anything to do with Tenzin or his other kids. "We're going to have to hurry though. His class at Kyoshi University ends soon and it's all the way across the city."
"Then I guess you'll have to get on my glider." Sora smirked. Oh no, what did I get myself in to. Jade thought.
"Holy s***! Never put me on this thing again!" Jade screamed at the top her lungs as her, Sora, and Jinora soared through the air to get to the University.
"Stop being such a baby." Sora nagged. They landed in front of the building just as Kuzon was getting out. Kuzon saw his sisters and at first used his notebook to cover his face, in hope of getting away without being noticed.
"Kuzon!" He heard Jinora screamed. She ran over to her older brother with a worried face. "We need your help. Ikki is in trouble and we don't know where she is." Jinora began to plead.
"If you don't know where she is, then how do you know she's in trouble." Kuzon countered. He began to walk away when he was shoved by his little sister.
"I know because I saw her with a knife close to her neck. I tried my spiritual projection but once I saw the knife I got so scared that I was pulled out and I can't go back in. Please Kuzon, we need your help. If you care for Ikki at all you'll do this." Jinora begged. Kuzon sighed and then looked at Sora's face. He was lost into a trance in Sora's big, round, brown eyes. Those eyes can make him do just about anything. She doesn't even know how much she had him wrapped around his finger. Throughout all his life he could leave Haru, Jade, his mom, and this city. But he could never leave Sora.
"Please Kuz, please." Sora begged. Kuzon groaned and gave in.
"Fine," he huffed. He then sat down on the ground into a lotus position.
"Shouldn't you go to a more spiritual place?" Jinora suggested.
"I don't need a spiritual place." Kuzon said. He then glanced at Sora and she understood. She sat across from him and held his hands in her own. He then closed his eyes and went into a meditative state of mind.
"I don't get it. How is he doing with this least amount of spiritual energy?" Jinora asked Jade who was now standing beside her.
"Airbenders who are born as twin- or in our case, quadruplets- have a much more spiritual connection to each other and the world. Sora is like Kuzon's spiritual hotspot. It doesn't work the other way around, but whenever Sora in near Kuzon can even time travel if he wants to." Jade explained.
"Kuzon can time travel!" Jinora exclaimed shocked.
"Oh yeah. His spiritual projection can go to the past and not have anyone notice that he's there. He even see Grandpa Aang defeat Firelord Ozai. He didn't figure out how to see the future yet, but it's on his bucket list." Kuzon then snapped open his eyes and stood up.
"She's in triad territory with the some triads." Kuzon explained.
"What did they look like?" Jade questioned.
"Sketchy. They all wore a red amulet around their neck and a mask over their face." Kuzon described.
"Pedestroma." Jade muttered under her breath.
"What?" Jinora questioned.
"I know where we need to go, but we need backup." Jade explained. "Kuzon, you brought the car?" Jade asked.
"Duh. What did you think I was going to do. Fly here?" Kuzon said.
"Okay, let's all hop in. I need to call back up." Jade ordered. As they all got in to Kuzon's car, with Kuzon as the driver, Jade made a call on her police radio. "Mako, you there? Over." Jade said into the radio.
"I'm here over." She heard back.
"Ikki is taken hostage by the Pedestroma's gang. Meet me at Ocean Port avenue in the alley with backup. Over." Jade ordered.
"On our way. Over." She heard back form Mako. They raced through the city to their destination. Jinora glanced over to Kuzon's face. It was soaked with worry and concern, but most of all fear. They parked near the alley. Jade motioned to them to not make a sound and to walk slowly. Jade stood in front with her metal bending coils ready. She peered over the side of a old building to see Ikki pinned against the wall with a knife at her throat.
"What's the account number?" Jade heard one of the men holding up Ikki say.
"What account number? What account? I don't know what you're talking about." Ikki said in fear.
"You live with her. You eat with her. You're with her all day and you're telling me you don't know the number for the bank account?" Another man questioned.
"I don't know who you're talking about." Ikki cried.
"Maybe this will freshen up your memory." The first man started. The knife was about to pierce her face when he was blown away by a gust of air.
"LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!" Kuzon shouted with a powerful voice. He ran towards the men and began to beat them up.
"RCPD, put your hands up!" Jade ordered. At that moment Mako and the back up arrived in the police cars. It took two police officers to pull Kuzon off the men. Kuzon then shrugged them off and wrapped Ikki in his arms. He kissed the crown of her head as she sat in a ball position on the floor with Kuzon sitting next to her, pulling her into his lap.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked worriedly. Ikki nodded and snuggled closer into her brother's chest. Jade was arresting the men when one of them got out of her grasp and shot lightning at her. Jade was about to get hit when she was shoved out of the way. Jade didn't know who shoved her until she fell on the ground. She looked over to see Mako clutching his side.
"Mako!" Jade yelled. She rushed to his side and screamed, "officer down. Officer Mako down."
About an hour later everything cooled down. Mako was hit only in the hip and after a little bit of healing from the on call waterbending healers he was fully recovered. Ikki was pulled into question to find out what happened and the two men were arrested and pulled into questioning. Turned out that when Ikki ran away she was walking by herself down the street and was taken by the two men and that's when everything went to hell. Luckily she got away with out a scratch.
By the time Lin got there Jinora, Jade, Mako, and Kuzon were talking with some officers, and Ikki was wrapped up in a shock blanket with Kuzon holding her in his arms. He never left her side. Lin's first reaction was to see how Ikki was doing after their last encounter.
"Ikki, thank Rao." Lin said in a worried tone. She pulled Ikki into a hug and was surprised to find her returning her. They stayed like that for a while until Lin heard Ikki sniff and pulled away. She cradled her face in her hands and kissed her temple.
"I'm so sorry, Aunty Lin." Ikki cried. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left things like that. I should've stayed and talked about it with you. Please forgive me." Ikki sobbed.
"There's nothing to forgive. I was being selfish. I promise not to do that anymore okay. I'm just glad you're safe." Lin sighed in relief. When Sora left, Lin ran out of the apartment and looked to everyplace she could think the young air bender can be. Kuzon held Ikki in his arms and smiled at his mom. Even though he doesn't agree with all her choices she's still his mom. "You're taking care of your sister?" Lin clarified. She got a nod in reply. "Good." Lin then marched over with her hand behind her back to her officers to see if there's any new information in the Pedestroma case.
Ikki drank in the warmth her brother was providing. "Thanks Kuzon," she muttered to the older airbender. He sighed and kissed her head again.
"No thanks necessary." He replied. "But don't you dare tell anyone that I'm being nice to you." He warned. Ikki giggled and rolled her eyes.
"Sure. I wouldn't want to ruin your jerky rep." Ikki commented.
"Hey, my jerky rep is how I get the ladies to come home at night." Kuzon replied with a wink in a joking matter. Ikki laughed a little louder this time and then stayed silent. Just enjoying the warmth and security she felt in her brother's arms.
When Tenzin, Lin, and all the kids got back to the island it was nearly sundown. Rohan, Meelo, and Haru had questions about what happened and Jinora briefly filled them in. They even told them about Lin and Tenzin having an affair. They all began shouting so Lin demanded they sit down in the private living room so they could discuss it.
"How could you two do that!"
"Is this why mom left?"
"Mom, you said it was over between you two!"
"This is unbelievable."
"What did you think was going to happen? You and Lin making mom leave and then getting together. Did you think we were all going to be one big happy family?"
"Enough!" Lin shouted. Accusations and questions were thrown across the room by the children. "Listen I know what we did was horrible. It was unforgivable, and inexcusable. But let's make one thing clear," Lin started. Everyone in the room held their breath to hear what's coming. "This is entirely my fault." Tenzin was shocked by her statement.
"What? No it wasn't. Lin, don't be absurd." Tenzin countered.
"Yes it was. You were the married one. I should've known to stay away. And my kids told me to stay away, but I didn't listen." Lin looked at Jade and the two caught each other's eyes. "You were right." Lin said with a lump in her throat. She then turned to her ex-lover and spoke in her cold, harsh police voice. "Tenzin, thank you for your generosity and hospitality, but our apartment is fixed now so our presence here is no longer needed. Also, to salvage our professional relationship I think it is best that we don't talk outside out work. Jade, Sora, Kuzon, and Haru are eighteen and old enough know to make the decision if they want you or their other brothers and sisters in their life. It is entirely their choice, but for the a while in the time being let's keep our families separate."
"Lin-" Tenzin begged.
"We need some space." She cut him off. Lin walked out of the Air Temple with the quadruplets reluctantly following her. Surprisingly Kuzon was the most stubborn on leaving. Not wanting to leave Ikki's side. Tenzin then raced after her and caught her by her wrist when she was outside. "Kids, give us a second. I'll meet you at the boat." She told them. They nodded, with surprisingly no hesitation.
"Lin, please. Please don't go. We can figure this out. Please. I just got you back, I can't leave you again." Tenzin cried.
"You're not leaving me. I'm leaving you." Lin whispered with a single tear running down her cheek.
"We can work this out. We worked too hard to get back to each other." Tenzin pleaded.
"Tenzin, we can't," Lin whisper/sighed. "We've done this before, we can do it again. It'll be like it used to be. With me always being rude and cold to you, and you doing your councilman work and working at the Air Temple."
"But I just got you back. It was so hard doing that." Lin tried to turn away, but Tenzin gently yanked her back. "Lin, I love you." He said. "I love you, I love our kids, and I do want us to be a family." He sobbed.
"I love you too." Lin cried. "I want us to be a family too, but I can't be selfish anymore. I need to not only think of my kids, but yours and Pema's too. I love them as much as my own." Lin explained. "It's what's best for all of us." Tenzin had more tears falling down his cheeks as he looked into Lin's beautiful emerald green eyes. He let go of her wrist and cupped her face with both his hands. He kissed her chastely on the lips. Lin didn't pull away. Wanting to savor the feeling of him for the last time. Because she knew this had to be the last time. Her hands covered his own the they stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. She then slowly pulled away and sniffed from crying. "I need to go." She said.
"No," Tenzin pleaded.
"I need to go now." Lin said as she literally ran away from him. Leaving Tenzin standing their with a broken heart. Lin met up with her kids at the docks, she caught the boat just before it was going to leave it's last ride for the night. Tenzin stood there in the darkness watching the love of his life and four pieces of his heart sailing away from the island. He clenched his eyes shut and whipped away the tears. Little did he know that Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Rohan were standing close to them and they heard everything.
It was late at night as Mako's apartment when he heard a knock at the door. He groaned and got out of his bed and shouted on his way to the door, "I swear if that's you Bolin I will arrest you." He opened the door to see Jade leaning against the door way.
"Not Bolin. Do I look like a noodle loving male earth bender to you." Jade said with her sarcastic flare.
"No," you look like the most brave, courageous, and gorgeous girl I have ever seen. He wanted to say but he kept his mouth shut after, "no." "What are you doing here at," he looked at the clock on the wall, "one am?" She brought out a box of fire chocolates from behind her and handed it to him.
"I didn't get to give this to you earlier, and I didn't want to give this to you at the office. It's a thank you present. For saving my life. It doesn't give you justice, but I know Fire Chocolates are for some reason your favorite thing to eat." Jade explained.
"There is a very good reason. It's because it's the most delicious thing ever made, they melt in your mouth, and take away your troubles." Mako defended, making Jade giggle. "Thank you," he finally said. "It wasn't a big deal."
"Not to me. If it hit me it would've hit me right in the center of my chest. Would've been game over for me. The healers said so themselves." Jade debated.
"Well, you're welcome. But to be fair, you're really worth saving." Mako told her.
"Maybe to you." Jade doubted.
"You are." Mako pressed. "You're loyal, brave, confident, courageous, and smart. It would be a real shame for the station to loose you."
"So saving me was just taking one for the team?" Jade questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Not even close. You're the best partner I've ever had. You're book smart, street smart, a fantastic metalbender, compassionate- even when you don't try to be-, and just about the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." He blushed at the last two traits he told her.
"Oh," Jade stumbled for words. "Well, it'd be a shame to loose you as a partner too. You're intimidating- but in a good way-, fierce, an amazing fire bender and lightening bender, and also the most gorgeous guy I know." Jade complimented him back.
"Why thank you." Mako replied, noticing the light dust of blush across jade's high cheekbones. "Do you want to come inside. For maybe a glass of water, and a couple chocolates." He said gesturing to the box. Jade thought about it for a moment.
"Umm, sure." She shrugged. She let out a shaky exhale on her way inside, praying that Mako didn't hear her. She sat down on a chair at the table and thanked Mako when he gave her a glass of water. They both took a drink of water and ate a piece of chocolate. "I see what you mean. These are really good." Jade praised in a subtle tone.
"Yeah, they somehow make me forget all my troubles." Mako agreed.
"I want to know why these are your favorite chocolates." Jade told him. If Jade was one thing it would be direct.
"Promise not to laugh?" Mako asked. Jade nodded. "Before my parents died, my mom would always buy these chocolates whenever there was a special occasion. Either it was a birthday, or I got good grades on my report card. When she died, whenever I ate them it reminded me of her. They make me feel safe and loved, I guess. It probably sounds stupid-"
"It doesn't." Jade cut him off. "We all have something that reminds us of our parents. Just because my dad's alive doesn't mean that I knew him or wish that I could see or be with him. And whenever it was a windy day, or whenever I ate a fruit pie, I thought of him. I thought about him in a good way. In a way where I don't remember he left my mom pregnant to raise four kids on her own. It's not the same thing, but I see where you're coming from. You're actually the first person I've told this too. Not even my siblings know."
"Well, I feel very honored. Thank you for trusting me with that. If it's any constellation you're the first person I've ever told about why I love these chocolates so much. Not even Bolin knows. He was too young to remember." Jade placed her hand over top of Mako's.
"Thank you for sharing that with me." Realizing what her hand was doing she quickly pulled it away and stood up. "I should probably get going. We have work in the morning." She told him.
"Let me get the door." He said at the same time as her. They touched the doorknob at the same time and felt a spark of electricity run through their bodies. They turned around to face each other. It was as of a magnetic force finally broke loose as their lips crashed together. They finally felt, for the first time, that feeling you hear about in books. Of two people destined to be with each other and their first kiss is like an explosion. Like two puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together. Mako licked Jade's bottom lip, asking for entrance, which she gladly allowed. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist. They walked, never disconnecting their lips, to Mako's bedroom. Mako's legs hit against the bed. He slowly pulled away and opened his eyes to see Jade's open too. "Do you?" He asked. She nodded.
"Do you?" She asked him. He nodded. He lifted up her shirt and pressed light kisses along her neck and shoulder with her lips running over the bra strap. Jade let out light moans as she pulled away and took off Mako's shirt as well. She looked into his eyes and rubbed his neck his her hands. She kissed across his chest as her hands wandered around his broad shoulders.
"Have you ever?" Mako asked with scrunched eyebrows and a concerned face.
"Oh yeah," Jade nodded with both her eyebrows raised. "Have you ever?" She questioned with her eyebrows now knitted together.
"Definitely." Mako reassured her.
"Okay then," Jade concluded. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and pulled him in to a deep kiss. Mako let his arms go lower and picked up. He turned around and delicately laid her down on the bed.
"You're so beautiful." Mako mumbled against her collarbone as he kissed around her neck, shoulders, and collar.
"So are you. So Beautiful." Jade sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair. He looked back up to her and saw truth in her eyes, and she saw the same in his. He kissed her again on the lips as she wrapped her legs around his waist. They carried on into the night. Two pieces of the same work finally put together. With nothing breaking them now.
A/N: What! I finally updated. Sorry for the wait guys. But I have a rule. Either write something well, or don't write anything at all. I loved writing this chapter and from this point on in the story I have it all figured out. I hope you like the chapter. Don't forget to comment and vote!