[IC] A Symphony of Elements

[Genkai]

Asami Sato almost didn’t want to come with the others to visit Katara, as at this point she felt very little connection to the group. Even as a non-bender, she felt out of place but she had done her best to defend her city and those she thought were her friends. The only person who stuck by her side had been Bolin, her so-called boyfriend’s brother and even she hardly knew much about the earth bender. Asami couldn’t help but feel herself slowly drowning in the current circumstances. Her father was missing and not acting like himself, the company was in ruins and she felt as thought she didn’t fit in anywhere. The coldness of the snow around her wasn’t much comfort either. The woman cradled her chin in her hand as she just sat around the small living room which somehow managed to accommodate such a large gathering.

There were Korra’s parents, Bolin, Mako, herself, Tenzin and his family, Katara, Chief Beifong, and one or two others who were aids to Master Katara. It seemed Bolin had been tasked with looking after the children which he seemed to do with ease. As for Asami, she couldn’t wait to get back home and sort things out. Sure, they seemed daunting but even that mess would be better than sitting in a pot of hideous tension. Asami took another look around the room. Everyone was keeping silent or speaking in hushed tones. Korra had rushed out about fifteen minutes ago and Tenzin had said that she should have some space. It wasn’t as if Asami would jump up and try to console her. Some of Asami’s anger wasn’t just aimed at Mako, it was also aimed at Korra, someone who Asami thought she had befriended and could trust. The girl even helped the Avatar with her pro-bending aid, of course Asami knew now it was a ploy from her father’s devious mind but still, Asami’s gesture was out of good faith and not deception.

Releasing a heavy sigh, she got up and refilled her cup of tea. All she could do was drink and wait for night to fall. Katara and her aids soon left to prepare a meal and not wanting to be rude, Asami decided to go see if she could help her host. She cradled her hot cup of tea and let herself into the back part of the small home. “Would you care for any help? I don’t have anything to and I’d like to keep busy, to well, keep my mind of things.” She admitted. “I’d still help though, I mean, if I was doing something else.” Asami added gently. Katara declined her offer politely and mentioned that she could help Bolin with the kids. That idea didn’t sit well with Asami. Kids could be really annoying and pry into touchy subjects without even meaning to and the last thing she wanted was to lash out at an innocent kid. As she exited the kitchen to go back to her seat in the corner, it seemed Mako wanted to speak with her.

“What is it?” She asked him, her eyes narrowing slightly. The raven haired girl wasn’t sure if she could deal with Mako in the present. He had rejected her and cheated on her and couldn’t even own up to it. And if he did? It’s not like the pain would magically disappear. How could she trust his words after everything that had happened?

- - -

Unlike Asami who felt a bit useless and out of place, Bolin was content in his current situation. He was happy to play with Tenzin’s children. He loved kids as he was pretty much one in a bigger body. And he was also happy to help out. He liked keeping them content and out of the way, as it meant the adults could deal with the trouble back in Republic City. That was his home, the only place Bolin had ever known and he was determined to help rebuild it. He wasn’t sure how yet, aside from his earth bending skills in general but he would find a way. The kids were so upbeat and friendly, which meant they either didn’t know about the damage in the city, or they had already forgotten about it. They had narrowly escaped death under the hands of Amon who aimed to also take away their bending. Even Bolin knew that would be detrimental to the world. Air benders were important to the world, their skills had to be passed down and preserved.

While air and earth were opposites, he could still appreciate bending as an art. It was cool and the kids were already pretty good at it. When Korra had stormed off, he wanted to go after her but he was advised against it and Katara just said she would make a big dinner to warm up the stomachs of everyone, even if the mood itself was still sensitive and hollow. Bolin listened to the girls talk for a bit which he began to tune out. His attention moved from Tenzin and Lin and Pema, to his brother. Mako had always been there to look out for him, while Bolin dated girls and was sociable, Mako kept his distance, always saying that there were more important things than flings. Bolin just liked some friendly company but had always wished his brother would date more. Whether Mako would admit he knew about his fanclub or not, Bolin just wanted his older brother to be happy. The last thing Bolin wanted was to become a reason why his brother never dated.

But then Korra came along and Bolin was starstruck from the very moment he saw her. He thought she wasn’t just beautiful but funny and smart and really good at bending. It just so happened that she was also the Avatar but he was sure he’d still like her if she wasn’t. And sadly, that might be the case, as Amon somehow took away all of her bending, save for her air bending which she had just suddenly tapped into. He got up and said he’d go look for Korra since it was dark now and the last thing he wanted was for Korra to feel alone, not when she had a huge room of people who supported and cared about her. Bolin grabbed a jacket and hurried out into the cold. Small wisps of snow circulated through the air as he jogged along until he found Korra just standing, her eyes glowing. “Korra!” Bolin called out to her and slowed his pace, while still nearing her with caution. “It’s freezing, come on, everyone’s worried about you.” He said over the wind.

He reached out and tapped her shoulder, hoping she knew he was there. The boy was scared, not for himself though but for Korra. The cold wasn’t it though, he was just scared that she was losing herself as a bender and he just wished he could really help her. “Please!” He pleaded.

- - -

A lot had happened ever since Avatar Korra rolled into Republic city and stirred up trouble. Lin Beifong was the ex-Chief of the police task force in the city. She had used her mother’s technique of metal bending and improved upon it. There was now a special division of bender who utilized it and got around with great ease. Lin was a stern woman of few words unless she felt the need to bark orders at those around her. Under her hardened exterior was someone who had suffered loss, had endured love and had combated dark criminals of the city’s underbelly. She was a proud woman, she had a lot to be proud of though. From her mother’s legacy to the one she was making herself, Lin had very little regrets to haunt her in the wee hours of the morning when she couldn’t sleep. The silver haired woman had regrets though, she wasn’t perfect and sometimes the thoughts of Tenzin, her past love would keep her up, would beckon her to the bar where she’d shoot the breeze the locals.

When she wasn’t pushing her past, burying it deep down where it belonged, she was training. She wasn’t as young as she used to be, clearly, and so she had to keep up her stamina and strength. One of the perks of not being tied down with a family or loved ones, was that she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. The woman could train early in the morning without worrying about waking anyone up. She could go out to eat and not deal with picky eaters. Overall, she liked to tell herself that her life was going well, even if it was sometimes a pretty little lie. Lin still had feeling for Tenzin, the married man, and they were deeply rooted and hard to evade when there was little to distract her after the workday had concluded. Tenzin was a great man and she missed him. She missed them. And yet here she was, supporting him and his family, the woman he left her for, the one who took him from her. On top of that, she had lost her bending in order to protect said family.

That wasn’t one of her regrets however. Lin Beifong did what she did because she wanted to. Not because she cared about Tenzin but because it was the right thing to do. She didn’t have her badge when she took on Amon on her own, nor did she think such an action would win Tenzin back. Lin wasn’t a fool, she was just someone who knew what choices to make, even when times were tough. So she lost her bending, the biggest connection she had with her mother. And it hurt so badly. Lin knew she could survive without her earth and metal bending but it just felt a void inside of her, once which was even bigger than the one Tenzin had left in her. Now she felt even more vacant, haunted and lonely. With her bending gone and her job nonexistent, there wasn’t much that the woman could look forward to when she got back to the city. Yes things needed to be rebuilt and she would help without a doubt but she just wished she had someone who cared, the way Tenzin’s family cared for him.

Speaking of which, the air bender pulled her aside after Bolin had made his leave. “I’m sure the Avatar will be fine, she’s a strong woman.” Lin said, attempting to assure the girl’s mentor. “You did your best.” She offered Tenzin a bit of a smile even though it was hard to manage.

[SoleAccord]

In the aftermath of the battle for Republic City, somewhere deep inside Mako wished that they still had to continue fighting only so he wouldn't need to accept what a true idiot he had been. Amon was beaten back, those in the city were no longer under threat of the Equalist movement that was still on the run with countless supporters rounded up by the Fleet, thanks to General Iroh's intervention and efforts. One would believe this was the ideal time to be happy that at last they could have peace, but it was peace that gave time for Mako to think, and all he thought about was his stupidity. Looking back on his relationship with Asami now, it was truly genuine. From the very moment they crossed paths he was starstruck by her beauty, the natural fragrance surrounding her perfect form, and that sweet voice that told you she couldn't do any wrong. And somehow, along the way, he had forgotten just why he fell in love with that selfless Sato, and set his sights more on the Avatar, Korra, instead. He had all this time, both on the trip to the southern water tribe, and during Korra's attempted healing, to consider everything. After Korra had raced out in defeat, Mako had been the first to get up and attempt to console her, but it was Tenzin who encouraged him to give her some time by herself. At first Mako was going to ignore that suggestion, but he had gathered himself long enough to consider that being what Korra would need. Time. Besides, what was his plan going to be? Something as stupid as saying he was in love with her, as though that would suddenly make things alright?

Standing here beside the doorway Korra had run off through, he had found his eyes reaching to Asami at times he felt she wouldn't notice. If it weren't for Bolin and the kids playing, he felt he might go insane with the way things were. Still, it was mostly just him and her there thinking about how things had gotten. She wouldn't say it up front, but she had to have felt the same deep down. There were things he had to say to her, face to face, and not avoid the issue. His brother revealing that Korra and himself had kissed was, sadly, the best thing for them both. If it wasn't for that, he'd still be neglecting Asami. Yet there was something about Korra that Asami just couldn't emulate, and Mako felt that to be the best explanation for why he looked at her the way he did only after he fell in love with Asami. Where Asami was proper, enjoying the much finer things in life given her expensive background, Korra was much more accustomed to living on little like he and Bolin had. It had also helped that she was able to compete with him in the ring of Pro-Bending, but Mako had dismissed that. He wasn't so petty that Korra's bending was a prime reason he liked her, even if the Avatar was pretty incredible at it. But, then again ...

Grumbling, Mako smacked his forehead lightly. Being left alone in such a tense home was beginning to make him go crazy. All he knew was that hurting Asami was never the intention, but he had succeeded in doing so. The only thing left to do now was to make it right, and unfortunately Asami was the one who was forced to make that conversation happen last time. Thankfully a shift in the air resulted as Asami stepped into the kitchen, the first time she had moved in some time. With her gone, he pulled himself from the wall he had learned against and began to consider his strategy for this. No matter how he approached, Asami more than likely wouldn't want to hear it from him, but he had deserved those negative feelings. All that was left to confront her, and by the time she had stepped out he had reached out to her quietly. "Asami." he seemed hesitant, but if you had a girl like her upset with you, cautious was always advisable. Of course she didn't seem thrilled to speak with him, but nonetheless she was willing to look at his stupid face and give him the time of day. What was left now, was expressing himself. Taking a deep breath, the expression he wore was long overdue and described his mood perfectly; honest, deep regret at how things had come to this.

"I was wrong, for everything ...I gave Korra so much attention and care, and in return I pushed you aside. To make it all worse, I stood in front of you and pretended that I wasn't hurting you whatsoever." Well, that was part of the issue down, but his nervousness was beginning to make his throat seize up. His eyes averted, and his right hand found itself behind his head awkwardly. The last time he had been this nervous had to have been the first time he laid eyes on her, and at this moment he wished he could go back and do it all over again. Do things right. "I'm a jerk, and the biggest idiot on the planet for ever taking you for granted ..and I want you to know how sorry I am, and how much I wish I could take all my mistakes back. Of course, I can't." by then his eyes had met hers again, long enough to let her know that he meant every word if the pain in his voice just wasn't letting her know that enough. "I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me for how stupid I was ..and maybe when that day comes, we could be friends again. I'd ..I'd like that, a lot."

With that being said and done, Mako took a step backwards, but kept his eyes on her to read her lips. If she had nothing to say to him, and he'd understand, then he'd return to his part of the home and leave her be. Of course with him apologizing, perhaps she had some words for him to hear, given he had been deaf and blind to her pain all this time.

-~-

Upon Bolin's touch and a silent plea, Korra had regained her mobility and her awareness had fully returned to the physical world. Gasping in surprise at returning with a wealth of new knowledge, Korra had looked around to find that she was once more just beside the cliff with nothing awaiting below her but bitter cold waters and regret. Prior to hearing Bolin's voice in the Avatar State she had suddenly leaped into, her pain was at an all-time high. The best healer in the southern water tribe and a great mentor, Katara, was unable to undo what Amon had brought upon her. Taken from her was the bending she had known how to access all her life, and with her failure to protect herself she had robbed the world of a useful Avatar. Without her bending she was dead weight, and all value in who she was appeared to have just evaporated with her power. And for a single instant, when she had stood up from having kept her head down for so long, and peered down at the waters roughly crashing against the cliff, she had contemplated the saddest thing imaginable. A willing sacrifice to bring forth a better Avatar the world deserved, while she drowned in the cold abyss of her failures. An Avatar without bending was no Avatar.

That was what she had believed, anyway, until her body had seized up and her mind moved forward where her body had remained behind. There they had stood out to her, countless Avatars, her past lives had gathered to her and in the very center was Aang himself. The previous Avatar reached out, as they all had, assuring her that what made the Avatar was much more than the power they wielded in the form of mastering the elements. At that point, she had found the spiritual side she had neglected and failed to understood. All of them had assured her that this wasn't the end for her, and with Aang's touch he had restored her ability to bend. At first she had been understandably incredibly excited and happy to no longer be worthless in her own eyes, but Aang had revealed to her that instead of restoring her powers up front, they had merely only allowed her to relearn them once again. Though she recalled the teachings of all three, to 'master' them meant more than just wielding them as she did. They could all agree, and even Korra herself, that she still had so much more to understand about what made her who she was. Her self-esteem no longer to the point of leaping from that cliff, the previous Avatars had parted one by one, leaving only Aang before her. With this gift, her bending capacity was once again able to be met. So much emphasis was given about her friends as well; Bolin, Mako, Asami. Korra was told to keep them all close, and she was quick to argue that she had, though deep down she knew the only close one at this point had to have been Mako.

..And when it came down to it, even that had felt empty. To Korra this had originally been about doing what was necessary as the failed Avatar, but to Aang this was about doing what was right. They saw through her eyes, and they had all lived long enough lives to fully understand. Some of which never kept the friends they had made, and they didn't wish to see Korra lose those she held dear in favor of restoring her strength. Just before Aang had begun to fade, he had encouraged her to pass on her gift to Lin. At first Korra didn't understand what that meant, but Aang seemed assured that figuring it out wouldn't take long, as long as she had gone to see her. As his image began to disappear bit by bit, Bolin's voice had recaptured her. By the time he had tapped her, she had once more left the cosmic space she was in, and by the time she was out again she had unknowingly been crying. Two minutes later and she might not have been standing here. Korra had fallen to her knees, and begun to cry and laugh at the very same time.

"Bolin ..you ..you have no idea how happy I am to hear you right now!" Standing back up, she had wiped her eyes with her left sleeve and threw herself at him, squeezing him tightly in a desperate embrace. That dead weight on her shoulders had lifted, and she had been given a second chance at both being the Avatar, and living itself. Whistling, Naga who had remained idle even after Bolin had showed up hustled over and boldly balanced herself on her hind legs, grabbing Bolin and Korra, and hugging them both as well. Even Korra's dearest friend could tell that something glorious had happened, but was unable to perfectly understand what. As long as Korra was happy, that was good enough for her. With that, she laughed harder, finding joy in these new circumstances. She'd learn how to bend once more, and she'd especially restore the faith in her friends.

"Come on, let's go back! I'll explain everything then!"

-~-

With the exception to Korra's new pain at the loss of all but one element she had tapped into, and with some noticeable tension between Mako and Asami that Tenzin couldn't describe, the elder air bender was content. With Bolin, all three of his children were thriving, trying to find happiness with the fighting finally ending. Beside him was his wife, Pema, who was truly exhausted after the recent events. In her arms was his newborn son Rohan, nestled peacefully in her arms. This was the ideal ending he wanted for himself, where there was no more fighting, no more evil in the shadows, and all he'd need to worry about was who wet their bed and punishing whoever ate cookies before dinner. Call it boring, but he was a man who had begun to stood by this kind of life when he had married Pema. These children have changed his life, and he was thankful he could sit beside his beloved and share this one more time. The consequence of his family being happy was that his ex-lover, and who he had once upon a time expected to be the mother of his children, Chief Lin Beifong. Her sacrifice had allowed this family to be happy and unharmed, and while he was content with how things were, he knew he owed her a private word. What she had done for him surpassed anything he could ever say, but unfortunately there was very little he could do for her physically as well. Would his word be enough with her life changed forever? He had sat there and thought about it to the point he could no longer stand it, and muttering a quick word to Pema in her ear, he parted from her side with a kiss and moved to Lin, who had been just as quiet as Mako and Asami seemed to have been. With Bolin leaving his children, he allowed the young man to step out and grab Korra, who surely didn't want to miss a southern water tribe cousin. Bless his mother for trying to bring some life here again.

"Lin, may we speak just a moment?" he muttered. She had appeared to comply, and he had led her just outside as the children had resumed to playing without Bolin for a while. Parting the doorway, he had guided her down the long steps until their feet had both hit the snow. He wasn't certain why he had stepped so far outside with her, but believed it came down to expressing himself fully. In what he figured he might do, Tenzin held doubts that Pema could really object to such a thing given she was the reason both her and the entire family was not harmed, and at the cost of a gift she held her entire life. It seemed that even in such times as these, Lin was still trying to comfort him. She believed that Korra was his primary concern, and she'd be right, but this was more about her now than it was him or Korra. And he couldn't believe it when she had said that he had done all he could. In such a terrible time for Lin herself, she was still making sure he was emotionally stable. That was a quality that, admittedly in their issues as a couple, he had forgotten about.

Turning to face her, Tenzin studied her, his eyes locked on hers. He had made his decision the moment he had taken her outside, and before he had nervously considered backing out of it he had chosen to embrace Lin in a hug with warmth Tenzin hadn't given since they were in love so many years ago. Words alone could not possibly display just how he had felt about her after this fight, and though he knew nothing he'd say would bring her bending back, it would at least show her that her sacrifice was never going to be forgotten. "If it wasn't for you, my family might be injured, or much worse. There's so little I can actually say to show you how much I value you as a friend, so instead ..this is what I've chosen." It seemed like very little, but from Tenzin it had meant much more. Through it his gratitude could not simply be heard, but felt through this action. His eyes were closed tightly, hoping that it would mean something to her, because it had meant the world to him. "I owe you a debt I don't think I can ever truly repay."

Parting from her just a moment later, he smiled warmly at her, a smile he didn't believe he had given her since they were once an item.

"Meelo called you a hero that day ..and I couldn't agree more."

[Genkai]

Mako was slow to let the words flow freely from his lips. She didn't blame him though. She was rightly upset with him and he was probably struggling to make a proper attempt at mending their burned bridge. Asami listened to him start off by saying how he had given Avatar Korra so much attention and in turn had distanced himself from her, his girlfriend. Asami wouldn't have minded Mako showing concern for his friend but the way he also had treated her, right in front of her, was undeniably cruel. Mako had pretty much given Korra everything in his heart while Asami was forced to stand on the sidelines and watch as if nothing was wrong. But with the unrest rising in the city, nothing was going right and then Mako's betrayal came out of Bolin's mouth and it changed Asami's perspective even more, giving it more chill and isolation. And then her worries only grew as Mako doted over Korra while giving Asami the cold shoulder.

The boy rubbed his neck awkwardly and she waited to see if he would continue. He stated the obvious but at least he knew he was wrong. Asami had spent so much time, putting herself through misery, trying to discern what she had done wrong to have Mako pull away, when in fact it might not have been her fault, but his own and Korra's. When Mako had adverted his gaze momentarily, she looked sideways at the floor under their feet. Presently, it was the only thing giving her support. Mako said he wished he could take his mistakes back and then met her gaze again. Her eyes were cold but held patience. He was speaking and she would still give him the respect he deserved, no matter how little that truly was. The fire bender ended his small admission of guilt by expressing interest in someday being friends again which she couldn't help but dwell upon. He took a step back and she raised her head slightly.

"I have a lot to think about." She told him. "In regards to any relationship we may have in future, be it friends or something else." It wasn't her intention to imply they would ever become something but she wasn't one to slam the door in anyone's face, even if they had harmed her. And while she hated Mako at the moment, she could still think back to the more calm days in their relationship and recall that he was a good man with a good, albeit misguided heart. "But...thank you for apologizing to me at least." She picked her words carefully and then headed off to cool down with her now lukewarm tea. She hadn't actually accepted his apology of sorts but she did hear him out and that was a big step. All she could do now was make the most of the peace and quiet. Soon however, Bolin came back with Korra. The pair seemed in better spirits and Asami found herself hoping that things could finally come together, for anyone. Korra or Bolin or herself.

They had all been through so much, after all. If happiness and solace could be found anywhere, Asami would be grateful. The dinner was soon completed and everyone gathered around a large table to eat. It was decided they would head back in the morning and try and assess the damage they had left behind in haste. Asami felt a knot tighten in her stomach as she thought about the state of her family name and the man who had vanished in the fray. Her sleep that night was restless and left her quite tired when dawn broke. The hours spent riding were long but even then, she didn't get any rest. As they landed at the dock and everyone stretched, she saw the car she had left, was still waiting for her. She pulled out her keys and looked over to see Bolin and Mako looking a little lost. Reluctantly she decided to take pity on them but before she could, Korra offered Bolin a place to stay on the island though when it came to Mako, there was some awkward silence so Asami jumped in.

"You can stay with me." She told Mako and looked to Korra, wondering if the Avatar wanted some distance from the fire bender. If anyone deserved that, Asami felt like she needed it more than Korra. But Asami considered the state of Korra and shrugged a little. "At least for a few days. I'm sure a lot of people have been left homeless after the devastation, this could be your new start." Asami considered and walked towards her car and got in. Mako and Bolin said their goodbyes and she was soon joined by the last person she wanted to be around. She quickly put her guard back up and her demeanor went from inviting and cautious to cool and determined. The drive home took far too long but once she got there, she felt like she could finally breathe again. Thanks to Mako having been over before, she felt no need to offer a tour of any sort. So she headed inside and found only one maid and one butler had stayed behind. "Mako will be staying here for a few days, I'd like it if he stayed downstairs, out of my sight." She instructed and continued to her room, hoping to get some rest there.

- - -

Much to his relief, he was able to snap her out of her state. When she sank to her knees and began to cry, Bolin crouched beside her. He pulled her into him, trying to keep her warm and secure. He had never seen a girl cry before, let alone someone as strong as Korra. He knew she was going through a lot and he didn't judge her for the breakdown. Everyone was predicting it would happen, and they just wanted to be able to show their support. Korra was a stubborn person but Bolin knew that this set back wouldn't keep her down for long. He had faith that this would make her so much stronger. How? He wasn't sure, but he just knew that she would be okay. "Hey, it's alright." He tried to offer her some consoling. Then some laughter reached the earth bender's ears and he blinked a few times. "Huh?" While it was good to hear his friend laughing, he wasn't sure what he did to make her cry and laugh simultaneously.

Korra said she was happy to see him and they got back to their feet. A wide grin soon spread across his face. Whatever he had done, even if just by being there, had somehow made her happy. And that in turn made him very happy. "Heh well-" He was cut off by her then throwing her arms around him. A bright flush of red flew across his cheeks. Yep, he didn't care if he was now a popsicle, he had Korra and that's all he needed. He missed being around her, joking and hanging out. And of course he missed hugging her too. If anyone needed one at the moment, it was definitely her. He laughed and held onto her tightly. "You are so amazing, so incredible!" Bolin exclaimed. He let out a noise when Naga soon joined their hug. The two ended up toppling to the snow while still laughing. It felt so good to laugh. Bolin playfully pushed Naga back when she began to lick his and Korra's faces.

They climbed to their feet and Korra was quick to suggest they head back. "Oh yeah, there's dinner!" He was starving and it was likely Korra was as well. They got on Naga and headed back. The route wasn't long and before they knew it, they got off the faithful beast and headed inside, smiles still stuck on their frostbitten faces. "Look what i found!" Bolin declared proudly and then gestured to Korra. Everyone seemed pleased with her return and Bolin caught his brother's eye. Bolin wasn't sure what to say or do though. Thankfully the meal was soon ready and everyone sat down to get some much needed fuel back in their bodies. That night, Bolin was quick to fall asleep. It seemed that being out in the snow could tire a person out, especially one who wasn't used to high winds and freezing temperatures. The dreams the boy had consisted of him earth bending, him being on a nice toasty beach someplace and then one of him and everyone in a jungle.

Clearly his mind wanted him anywhere but the snow infested tundra. With morning giving everyone a new day, a new beginning, they all packed up and said their goodbyes. Bolin was excited to get back to the city. During the way back, the kids were content with them just chatting. They couldn't rough around or anything due to obvious reasons. When they finally did land, Bolin was quick to jump down. He then used his bending to launch himself into the air from the use of a massive stone pillar. He then landed on his feet and let out a cheer. "Oh it's so great to be back home! Earth bending, I've missed you!" He began to kiss the ground but then stopped when he was getting odd looks. He then wondered if it was a bit inappropriate to do around Korra and Lin. "S-sorry..." He rubbed his head and then it dawned on him. Where would he and his brother go now? Parts of the city were destroyed, including the arena. They could go back with Korra but that could be weird.

He looked around but Korra thankfully offered them a place, well him. He looked to Mako, not sure what to say. After the drama, things were awkward and he wasn't sure if he could just go without Mako. But then Asami out of nowhere offered to house Mako for a bit. Bolin smiled in gratitude and turned back to Korra. At least he had her, and Pabu of course. And Naga. "I sweat I'll help out." He said to Tenzin and Pema. he then tagged Korra and they hurried onto the boat to take them across the bay. He waved to his brother and Asami, but he was certain they'd be in touch really soon. Now that Bolin was home, he wanted to put his bending to good use and rebuild the city. He wanted to do more. The war had opened his eye to the world's issues and he had been in a bubble for too long. Now it was his time to find his own place in the world and start doing something besides acting like a kid.

- - -

Words of comfort weren't her strong point. Her mother was the same way. Lin wasn't bothered by that disability of sorts. She was fine with keeping her distance. Sometimes emotions could get the better of her but she was thankful for having the discipline to stay calm under pressure. And being outside with Tenzin, was an interesting sort of pressure. She had to be careful with what she said. They were friends, they had a history. And even so, there was a lot of distance between them. Before Avatar Korra came along, she had been able to limit her interactions with Tenzin and his family. But then they were pulled together and Lin had to deal with a lot of feelings and issues that had been brought back to the surface. She just hoped things could go back to normal. She knew Tenzin was happy with his growing family. They meant the world to him and she had no regrets in sacrificing herself to ensure their safety.

But she figured it would be better for her sake, if she went back to being on her own. If she saw Tenzin too often, it would only bring back feelings and would remind her of the bending she had lost. The bending that made her mother, the most stubborn woman in the world, proud of her. Tenzin had guided her outside. Normally she would have protested his handling but she knew his heart was in somewhat, the right place. "I've just lost my bending, I'm not dying." She still couldn't help but smirk at him as they stood in the snow. She wasn't sure why he felt the need to give them some distance. The words the air bender felt compelled to speak were foreseeable to her, she wasn't sure why Tenzin would want to step outside for a simple thank you that was coming.

His eyes met hers and her gaze slowly melted. She had been expecting an unnecessary amount of sappy words from Tenzin but rather than that, she found him embracing her. Her eyes went wide and she froze. Hugs weren't her thing. Children weren't her thing. Heartfelt speeches weren't her thing. But it seemed old habits were hard to break, as Lin had once again made an exception for Tenzin. While her first and most natural instinct, for her, was to smack him in the face and make a snide comment, she didn't. Instead she decided to just give in. Of course, if she had smacked him and mocked him for acting so girly, it would have sent her spiraling back to the days when they were a couple, when she didn't mind holding his hand around town. She would have quickly thought back to the days when she let her guard down for him without question, when they made each other laugh when nothing else could, when their parents were being too much to bear.

She slipped her arms around him and let out a bit of a defeated sigh. As much as she would loathe to admit such a thing, Lin did a need a hug. She was alone. When she would get home, no one would be there to greet her. No one would be there to ask how she was. And no one would worry if she never showed up. Tenzin had so much and she was glad to have helped preserve those who he looked out for, but who also looked out for him. The man said that this choice was something he decided upon rather than words themselves. She smiled softly, a hint of pink coming to her face. She would of course say it was the pesky cold, and nothing to do with the embrace or his words or his warmth or the fact that she would have traded her bending for a day in the past where nothing was complicated. Where Tenzin was hers again and where she was his. "You don't owe me anything." She said quietly. Maybe in a way, this whole loss would help even the scales, that it showed she still cared about him, even after all this time, even when she appeared to have given up on their romance long ago.

They pulled away and she resisted the urge to get at least one playful smack in. "Nonsense." She dismissed the compliment. "I'm just glad you and your family are safe. I just wished I could have helped Korra." She considered solemnly. The two went back inside and soon Bolin had returned with Korra, both seemed rather cheery. The dinner commenced and Lin couldn't help but watch Pema and Tenzin. While Lin was no fool to go sniffing around someone else's man, the moment with Tenzin had thrown Lin for quite a loop. The following day, Lin headed back with the others and was content to be left alone with her thoughts. As they got back to Republic City, she turned to Tenzin and said that she would be busy with the rebuilding of buildings, ensuring everything was safe, along with the workers and volunteers. "There is much to be done. I hope I can count on your assistance when everything has been settled." Lin said to Tenzin. She glanced to Bolin and thought about asking him to help but it seemed like he'd be a willing volunteer. With nothing else needing to be said, she headed off.

[SoleAccord]

She had a lot to think about, that much was true. Mako had expected a much more swift and well-deserved response, a slap to the face or maybe a really cold turn of the shoulder against him. The heiress to her father’s industry had surprised him with her chosen words; he never expected immediate forgiveness and would’ve been a fool among fools to have thought something like that was ever possible. Her response did show him however that she was willing to forgive him sometime, perhaps not soon, but sometime in the future. A final thanks for the apology she more than deserved, Mako caught himself staring at her back for a lingering several seconds before he could peel his gaze away. Turning around himself, he would make his way back to his part of the room and rest quietly until dinner had been completed.

In time, Korra had returned inside with Bolin, Tenzin, and Lin accompanying her. With the smile Mako wasn’t certain he’d ever see again surely taking everyone by surprise, dinner had become almost pleasant for everyone with the tension of Korra’s bending trouble no longer a considerable focus. She had revealed that in what she described as her ‘lowest point’, she had met with the previous Avatar and in turn the others even before him! He didn't know what to make of that, but was thankful that Korra would no longer be in a deep depression like everyone had feared. Bolin had especially expressed how happy he was to hear this news, and seeing his little brother smile and laugh like this made Mako questioned what he was thinking trying to come between that before. Women, right?

There was the question of how Republic City would recover, but the majority of the adults in the room agreed to save that kind of thinking for another day. By the next morning they had all said their goodbyes and left the tribe, the route back to Republic City being one of peace, but with the subtle undertones of concern. Amon was beaten back, but if he ever came back would they be ready? It wasn’t exactly the best time for him to think that way, not with the already bad situation he put himself in with Asami herself. As they rode there, he would glance at her out of the corner of his eye while Bolin and Korra spent their time with the kids. If it wasn’t for the sounds of their laughing, he might’ve gone insane from the ride. The tension for him was so thick he probably could’ve cut into it like warm butter. All things considered, it could have ended up considerably worse during the trip, but for the most part everyone was collected and calm ..except for himself and his ex.

Setting down at the docks, Mako was one of the first to dismount with eagerness. The trip made him stiff, and it would do good to move his body around. He found it strange how frightful he was to move around Asami, but supposed that that was the after effect of being dishonest about his feelings. Her gaze was both pleasant and painful at the very same time. As everyone moved to collect themselves, Mako moved to join beside Bolin and discuss their options for housing. It went without saying that given the invasion against the City, their own housing was obviously going to be in rough shape. This left a few options, but none he expected they’d be able to take. The irony was that the first option he expected not to be possible, Korra had jumped up to take. Offering Bolin housing, Mako was both grateful and surprised at the jumping. As he thought about it now, her no longer depressed state may have actually enabled her to make that call without concern. He had expected Korra to invite both of them, yet for some reason she seemed to hesitate, causing a very awkward pause in the discussion.

In a turn of events he couldn’t have possibly predicted, Asami had chosen to act before Korra and offered her home to him. Mako was clearly the one to look at her in flattered shock, but Korra too appeared a little surprised at the offer while Tenzin appeared very content with how things had turned out. Now, all that was left was to say goodbye for now. Cheerful to be back as made obvious by his worshipping of the ground on their arrival, Bolin was already racing to the boat to take himself to Air Temple Island. “Be good Bolin!” Mako called out to his little before. Just before he turned to join Asami at her Satomobile, Korra had met his gaze and he had naturally held his onto hers for a single moment. In that moment, he figured he understood as much as she did why this might’ve been for the best, and they both parted the gaze at the very same time. Joining Asami in the car, he buckled himself up and turned to express his thanks, yet the appearance on her face gave hint that perhaps his opinion on her selfless action wasn’t wanted. His modest smile faded in seconds, and his gaze moved to the buildings they had passed in silence.

As they had returned, Mako waited until the moment she had placed it in park to try and say something to her. “Hey, so—“ she had already shut the door behind her, not that his voice was loud enough to catch her attention. Quick to step out himself, he hurriedly followed behind her, yet by the time he was in earshot of her again he was watching her do her complete best not to face him. Informing the butler that he would be staying here, the firebender felt his heart sink with the final four words muttered. At that point Mako had no voice left to speak out with, feeling hurt that such a thing could even leave Asami’s mouth. Instead he held a hand up to the butler, not needing him to relay the message Asami had clearly left him. All he did now was watch her, his eyes tracing her form as she moved further and further away from him.

Left to his own devices, Mako made his way to the living room and took a seat on the couch both exhausted and with a mind racing like Satomobiles on Asami’s own personal track. It hadn’t occurred to him just how alone he felt without the others here; Bolin was always beside him but since he was staying with Korra he would have Asami thanks to her own kindness, but kindness that felt more like a mercy. She spared him the embarrassment of having to ask Tenzin personally if he’d have a little more space available, and in return kept him here with the coldest of shoulders to be met with. Karma wasn’t something he tended to think about, yet in a way this all seemed to make sense to him. What goes around, comes around, and this was a message Asami deserved to send him. With nothing to keep him company but his own thoughts, he had soon just shut his eyes and drifted off into sleep. After an unknown amount of time but supposing it to be at least a few hours since arriving, the smell of a meal roused him quickly enough. Peeling open his eyes with the numbness of his emotions and the emptiness of his stomach, Mako didn’t imagine food would improve his mood, but it’d at least stop the grumbling. Picking himself up, he made his way to the kitchen not to find a butler or a maid preparing dinner, but Asami herself.

She appeared entirely focused on the task at hand, but even so Mako found himself hiding most of his body behind the doorway frame and just watching her. At least like this he could watch her, and not have her look back at him in complete disgust. It wouldn’t be too bad an assumption to think that preparing her own meal might be a way of just staying active and getting her mind off of things. Her father was part of the Equalist movement and that was obviously a large hit on the company she’d inherit, and it meant she’d need to rework the image. Then there was him, the guy that broke her heart and tried to pretend his feelings for her weren’t wavering when it came to Korra. Thinking back to how they looked at each other that time, there was definitely something they needed to discuss, but Korra seemed to need more time. Now that he thought about it, she looked at him at dinner last night too. Something was definitely up.

When it had appeared that she was wrapping up her meal of what looked to be chicken and pasta, he knocked on the frame of the doorway. Perhaps she had noticed he was there at some point, or maybe she didn’t, but it was becoming more and more irrelevant. “Hey, do you think we could talk while we eat? If there’s, you know, enough, and if you’d want the company.” Mako had stepped out from his idle position behind the doorway. He didn’t know what exactly he could say now, none of this was always planned and he was beginning to think that planning any of it to begin with was silly. Some things were more meaningful when you didn’t know what exactly to say, but he was becoming aware that if things stayed like this they couldn’t bear it.

“I know that if I keep giving you space and you keep trying to ignore me as much as you possibly can, we’ll both break down. This isn’t us, Asami, at least not what we were. I’d appreciate sitting with you, if you’ll let me.”

~-~

The ride back to home was an awakening and thrill Korra hadn’t experienced in some time. Aang and the rest of her past lives had saved her from making the biggest mistake of her life, and it was all she could do now to remain atop Naga and not scream and shout to the heavens. It might’ve been embarrassing but if you had a second chance to do everything over again, Korra was willing to bet anyone would’ve considered doing the same thing! Well, at least Bolin, who she was thankful for coming out to make sure she was alright. Truth be told if it were any other face other than her parents or Tenzin, the Avatar didn’t expect the thrill to be the exact same. It wasn’t all sugar and rainbows though; Aang and the rest did talk to her about the seriousness of her attitude towards the people she had called friends, and it had dawned on her that if she had seriously considered taking that dive off the cliff she would’ve left so much unanswered for.

Naga had taken a sharp turn and skid her way inside the home, stopping just in front of Tenzin and Lin and accidentally getting a large amount of snow on both parties. Normally she might’ve been more apologetic about the incident, but she dismounted Naga with Bolin who introduced her. Returning to them now in such a drastically different attitude, Tenzin was the first to wonder what the abrupt change in personality was as he cleared the snow from Lin and himself with a burst of air, but Korra was quick to promise that she’d explain a little about everything over dinner. By the time it had come, she was nestled between her mother and father as she informed everyone about what had occurred, being very careful not to mention her suicidal contemplation. Amon’s removal of her bending was easily reversed thanks to Aang, but he encouraged her to relearn all that she had gained in terms of knowledge as she grew up. This meant that while he had the power to return every single bit of understanding she had in bending, that to take lessons once more to master her craft. Korra didn’t divulge the information, yet had a feeling he requested this based on the friends she had split apart. Her grasp of water was so natural she wouldn’t need a teacher, but earth, fire, and later on air once again would need to be taken. If this meant what she suspected, then she’d need to start with Bolin. There was at one point during the feasting of this fine cuisine that Katara was complimented on a few times from multiple parties where her gaze met Mako’s, but she didn’t let it longer for more than a second or two. The attraction was still there, but her new perspective on what she had caused told her that she wasn’t ready to face him yet.

After a peaceful rest, the young Avatar said goodbye to her parents and Katara, assuring both parties she would be fine and that there was no longer any reason to worry. The ride back to the city was a thrill, helping Bolin keep the kids entertained much to Tenzin’s thankfulness. Once they had set down, the issue of housing came to mind. Knowing that Mako and Bolin’s home was in bad shape, the idea of housing them had come to mind. “Hey, we’ve got some room. You can join us, Bolin!” at the tail end of that offer Korra had only then just realized how awkward and rude that had come off. Taking in Bolin but not Mako seemed like it’d have a negative effect, but Bolin hadn’t actually refused and Korra was worried she was off to a bad start. They both looked to him, not certain of what to say. In a particularly surprising display, Asami had offered him a room to stay in, and the entire situation was swept up immediately. The optimal thing to do was to thank Asami for the offer, but nothing had come out, because at that moment Mako had given her a glance as if asking her what was that all about. There were once more no words for this, but a returning glance to him, only broken by Bolin quickly tagging her and rushing to the boat. Instinctively she smiled, still on a high about her new situation, but ran off after him without a wave of goodbye to the others.

Crossing the bay with Tenzin, Bolin, and the others, she watched as Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo ran by to get back to their true home. Pema and Tenzin brought up the rear and took care of Rohan who was in Pema’s protective grasp. This only left Bolin and Korra, as well as Naga who emerged from the water and shook herself off, thankfully out of range of the two of them. “Hey, about that thing with Mako. I just want you to know that I think we’re okay, but it’s not the best time for me and him to talk right now. And besides, I need you to help me out with some earth bending exercises!” She was careful not to make implications that would cause dramatics, and was hoping Bolin would pick up on that too. All she needed was a good friend beside her right now, and she’ll deal with the heavier stuff later. Before the two could make their way up to get Bolin’s new room fully prepared, Tenzin was already heading back down.

“Tenzin, everything okay?”

Offering a quick explanation as to where he was going, Korra and Bolin assured him that they’d keep an eye on the kids and help Pema with Rohan whenever possible. Watching him go by after speaking of inviting Lin over for dinner, Korra was tempted to comment on how early it was still, but held her tongue. It seemed that Tenzin must’ve felt like he owed her significantly, but she wasn’t willing to dive into the details with her own relationship issues currently ongoing. “I wonder if thing’s will be the same after all this.” She found herself muttering out loud.

Somehow, she thought she was forgetting something. Something important …

~-~

“You helped more than enough already, Lin. I only wish I had made the decision that you—“ Tenzin ceased his sincere discussion of sacrifice to hear Naga shuffling towards them with Korra and Bolin atop her. Even form a distance Korra’s smile was positively radiating from that distance. He was in such awe that he hadn’t actually reacted much to anything until Naga’s skidding halt blew a pile of snow against him and Lin. Quickly removing it with a short controlled gust of air, he immediately questioned the state of Korra’s mind. “Korra, what happened? You’re different.” Promising to explain at dinner, he brought Lin back inside with Korra and Bolin leading the way. Explain she did, sitting beside her parents and telling them of what she had seen. His father, Aang, had reached out to her at a time like this to aid her. The ‘lowest point’ Korra had mentioned, must have been her gateway to reaching out spiritually to her former lives.

Tenzin was naturally interested to hear more about his father, but knew that that paled in comparison to how different Korra had acted. After a more relaxed night with Korra’s condition somewhat corrected with a greater explanation, he’d need to reintroduce her to air bending eventually, but until that time she would need to educate herself on earth and fire like she told them all she intended to. A ride to Republic City later, and Tenzin dismounted just as Bolin did a comical leap in the air, much to the delight of the kids. Helping Pema down and tickling Rohan gently, he encouraged the kids to make way to the boat as Korra, Bolin, and Mako had a particularly strange stare-down. He had only managed to catch the tail end of what was happening; Korra had offered a place for Bolin on the island, but Mako was excluded from that for some reason. He didn’t ask why, figuring it was between the young men and women themselves. Asami had offered Mako housing, leaving Korra looking somewhat relieved and Bolin clearly thankful. “That was very kind of you Asami, thank you.”

Lin had come to his side, informing him that she would be the one to make certain that whatever order was left within the City would be maintained. There was also the matter of buildings in rubble and people needing assistance. It was a lot to concern herself with alone, and Tenzin praised her strength like never before. Were he to lose his bending, he wasn’t sure he could brush off his father’s legacy like this. Still, if it was between his bending and his families safety, he’ll lose his bending a thousand times over in exchange. “I understand Lin, don’t overwork yourself.” Her outgoing desire to make sure all was settled made him feel some form of guilt for not doing the exact same. The difference between them both was that she had a sense of duty, and his sense of duty couldn’t always beat his concerns for his family. “I’ll be with you as soon as I can.” With one final assurance, he watched her begin to walk off before rejoining his family on the boat.

Stepping back on the island, he watched his kids hurriedly ascend the steps while he remained by Pema’s side with Rohan. With Korra and Bolin here, they’d certainly prove to be a big help for Pema and himself with the next few days already proving to be long. The city needed rebuilding, and the council needed to be formed together once again. Civilian unrest was likely to be large, but that wasn’t a worry for his wife nor his children. As he made his way to the top of the stairs, he held onto Pema and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. “I need to go out, Lin will likely need help and with Korra and Bolin both here you’ll be better taken care of and safe.” Pema had told him that he had just returned and could afford to sit down for at least a little while, but Tenzin shook his head in disagreement. He had to do his part, and could rest when he returned. “You wouldn’t mind if I brought Lin back for dinner, would you? It’s difficult to explain—“

He cared about her. Pema said the words clear as day, and he couldn’t possibly refute that. Lin’s bravery reignited a spark he hadn’t felt in quite some time. There was always a measure of respect between them, but inspiration to be more active in this rebuilding process couldn’t help but occur. “I do care for her, yes. I know I probably don’t need to justify it, we’re quite beyond that. I can’t help but somehow feel that it should’ve been me in place of her.” Pema had a few choice words about that, but Tenzin was quick to silence her with a kiss to her lips this time. Assuring her he’ll be back by the time dinner is prepared, he descended the steps and passed by Korra and Bolin, the former curious as to where he was off to.

“I’m off to help Lin oversee things in the city, and to bring her back for dinner. If you two could, please help Pema with the kids when possible. I’ll be back soon.” And that was that. He bid them both farewell and took another trip to the mainland. There were quite a few sites he could check for Lin, and it would’ve been a few tries before he was finally able to catch up with her at last. “Lin!” he called to catch her attention, joining beside her on the operation she was overlooking. Getting here showed him just how damaged the city was, and it would take quite a lot of work to bring it back to its former glory.

“From the way things look, you could use a little help sooner than expected. Any news of the council? Are they all right?” The former police chief likely must’ve heard something in the short time she had been away, he’d wager it was only about half an hour across the city to successfully find her. He had seen much on his way there, much pain and despair, and some displeased looks were cast at him. Tenzin understood their feelings well enough, but no apology could change this.

Only Action.

[Genkai]

As soon as she returned to her room, she felt a little bit safer, a little better more at home. And yet she knew she wasn't home. It was an empty shell of what had been her home, years ago. Asami walked around and looked over her things, nothing was out of place. Nothing had been stolen or touched and yet she felt so alien in her room. It was her room and yet she didn't feel like herself. So much had changed since the last time she was in it. War broke out, people were hurt, some killed. Her father had pushed her away and the city had almost fallen to its knees. Asami sat on the edge of her bed. On top of everything else, her heart had been damaged, so damaged. She met a boy named Mako, he stole her heart and ended up breaking it. And he didn't even have the common decency to give her back all of the shards. He had still possessed some. Asami closed her eyes, a deep restlessness rattling inside of her stomach.

For a while, she sat and tried to clear her mind but memories kept interrupting her. Deciding it was time to get dinner started, she got up and headed straight for the large kitchen. Asami may have had servants but she wasn't too lost in the kitchen, she could get by well enough. She decided upon making some chicken and pasta. It would provide comfort as well as energy. She would need to go over to the headquarters as soon as possible, probably tonight. She grilled some chicken and seasoned it as it cooked on a small griddle. She then popped some pasta in boiling water, thankful she wouldn't need to fuss with making it from scratch. If she did, she'd likely make a huge mess. As she was finishing up, she found someone watching her. The feeling of eyes wasn't a difficult thing to detect.

Of course it would be Mako. She looked up and he finally spoke up. She hated being watched, sure she was in the public eye a lot but Mako lurking wasn't the same as strangers eyeing her at dinner or at a store. He asked if they could talk while they ate. Asami wasn't sure if she wanted to. It would probably throw her appetite off. She picked up the plate she had made for herself, quite set on the idea of brushing him off but she stalled. "Fine...make yourself a plate." Asami narrowed her eyes and walked off to sit in the living room. She sat down and when Mako joined her, she looked to him, "You said that this isn't us, ignoring each other. That's a pretty funny thing coming from someone who ignored me while fawning over someone else." She couldn't help but point out to him. That comment really ticked her off. She couldn't believe he'd whine about a few hours of silence when she had to sit by the sidelines while Mako kept pushing her away. "I hope you know I understand that Korra is the Avatar but you kissed her and never told me. So from where I stood, back when you wouldn't leave her side, it came off as pretty awful."

If he wanted to talk, she would gladly let everything out. She deserved to. And if he wanted to explain himself, she'd listen but she wasn't going to be a victim anymore.

- - -

As they disembarked, Korra brought up the thing with Mako. He swore he'd help out, and he would. And if part of that meant helping a friend with earth bending, then so be it. He gave a nod to her, "Nah, don't worry 'bout it, Korra. Mako and I will hang out together soon." To be honest though, he and Mako had rarely been apart for very long but Bolin had a feeling things would be alright. Before much else was exchanged, Tenzin seemed to be getting back to the mainland. He mentioned that he'd be going out to talk to Lin. Bolin didn't have much to say on the matter though it seemed to push Korra back into a more thoughtful mood. She muttered something which Bolin managed to catch, as soon as Tenzin left, he turned back to the brunette. "Life's never been the same since I met you!" He smiled to her. "What I mean is, change doesn't always have to be bad. You came and took the Fire Ferrets and everyone else by storm!"

"And you saved the city, it was awesome! And now you can finally focus on yourself. You've been so wrapped up in helping me and Mako and everyone else. Maybe this change is for you." Bolin suggested with an enthusiastic arm gesture to her as if she was the best thing since sliced bread. To him, she was though. His declaration may have been a bit fast in terms of summing things up but a lot of it didn't really matter now. It was in the past and Bolin liked to keep things where they belonged. It was a hard concept for the boy to grasp but the war had done something to him. Before, he had been so wrapped up in just goofing off and taking things in stride but really all he had been doing was looking at things too positively. He didn't think about the gangs or rebels. And now he was hoping he could see things and people for as they truly were.

Korra was a friend. Mako was his family. And everything else could be sorted out over time. "Come on then." He tapped her shoulder. "Let's see what we can do about helping out around here, then we can get started with some earth bending." Of course he knew she might not be able to do anything right away, nor did he know if he'd be a good teacher to her. Still, they had to try. That was the point of change wasn't it? They continued toward the main house and helped set things back up as they once were. The kids were kept busy cleaning so that left Korra and Bolin to get to training. Bolin felt a little weird having to teach the Avatar earth bending, she already knew it. Bolin wasn't sure if he'd be any good but he was sure they could have some fun, somehow. "So uh you already know how to earth bend, yeah...it's like about brute force. Taking things head on!" He tried to relax a little. This was just Korra, He could talk to her right? He then lifted a medium sized slab of rock from the ground.

"See if you can move this, take your strength and turn it into bending." He stood by her. He wasn't sure if it was the right approach but with earth bending, the right approach was the most direct one. You couldn't hold anything back, you couldn't shy away, you had to just go for it!

- - -

While Tenzin had said he'd met up with her soon, she waved a hand. His place was with his family. It's where he belonged. And she belonged to the city, regardless of rank or title. Lin, without her bending, wasn't exactly as useless as the ruffians would like to believe. She may not be a spring chicken but she was more fit than most around the city. And she knew it so well, knew every alley and corner, knew every sign and every shortcut. She first went to the station and city hall. She was quickly put back in command of everything which was a no brainer. Lin then gave out orders for where people should patrol for crime and where people needed to set up stations for injured. There was the bigger task of construction and making sure order was restored to the city as soon as possible. Someone who may have been an alley would be Tenzin. He was on the council, after all.

Lin decided to go toward on of the rougher parts of Republic City to make sure things weren't too overrun. When she got there, she saw things were pretty bad. Many buildings were in ruins and people were either looting or crying on the sidewalk. She had taken two officers with her to help get some work done on the buildings but it all seemed rather hopeless. Lin wasn't one to give up though. Turning, she heard Tenzin. A small feeling echoed inside her heart for a moment before she quickly shut whatever it was, down. "They're scattered it seems, for now I can't waste my time hunting them down, I thought I'd leave that job to you." Lin told Tenzin. "An air bender isn't going to be too much help, what we need is earth benders." She said and folded her arms. Of course he may be able to help with lifting stone but she didn't think it would make that much of a difference. His diplomatic skills could be used elsewhere.

She motioned for him to come with her as she decided to check out one of the back alleys of the area. "This place was a great nesting ground for young criminals. Hopefully with the destruction, we can make it into some a little less barbaric." Lin mentioned. She looked around and heard someone calling out, a girl. Lin hurried down the alley and saw a young woman running out of a building. There were two fire benders chasing the woman who was carrying a bag. Lin was quick to assess the scene. It looked like the fire benders weren't Triad related but were still attempting to rob or even murder the woman for whatever food or goods she had. Of course the woman could be a criminal as well. Acting rashly wouldn't get Lin anywhere. As soon as the three saw Lin and Tenzin, the woman called out for help and said the two men were trying to take her food. The two men quickly turned to Lin and Tenzin and began to fire bend.

That answered that mystery. Lin ducked down and ran off to the left placed her hand on the brick wall. It was a force of habit for the earth bender. With a few seconds of delay, she bent backward to evade a blast of fire, before she aimed a strong side kick to one bender who had tried to light her on fire. Then she grabbed the back of his head and slammed him into the wall, face first and twisted his arms behind his back. "I'm going to have a lot of fun writing up this report. Robbery, attempted murder on a woman and a police offer. And evasion of arrest." She smirked, growling into his ear as she pulled out her handcuffs and locked him up.

[SoleAccord]

Mako felt he had made some personal progress by Asami agreeing to share some dinner with him, but wasn’t counting any chicks before they were to hatched. He allowed her to step out herself before he entered inside and got a plate of his own. Just judging by the aroma of her meal he was certain it would be delicious, any he’d need any boon he could get to not mess this up further. With a modest amount of chicken and pasta on his plate, Mako had accompanied Asami into the living room. At the very instant he sat down, his former lovers punches weren't pulled. She spoke of the irony of his words, and it burned him inside to be unable to refute them. The fire bender wasn’t certain of when, but he had given up on being completely correct in anything. As expected of the guilty party, Mako frowned in response, and listened to her speak of Korra and the unfortunate truth that Bolin had revealed.

“Well, that’s the thing. Korra being the Avatar wasn’t exactly what drove me to doing such a thing.” He was quick, very quick, in continuing without her finding a pause large enough to interject. “But no matter the reason, it doesn’t make it right. I know what I said in the kitchen was bold, and you’re right, it really was rich for me to say that kind of thing. The truth is, me talking to you like this is for my benefit as much as I hope it’ll be yours. I can’t take the silence.” The feelings he had of her probably didn’t mean much to the Future Industries holder, yet Mako was truly surprised with how long she had to put up with his sudden disinterest. Things weren't going to get easier any time soon, but they couldn't possibly get any worse.

Peering down at her dinner, Mako dug into it with heavy interest in putting something into his stomach. What he had expected was a bland taste as a result of his anxiety towards this conversation, but the textures and flavors he was feeling brushing along his tongue did almost ease the awkwardness of all this. To think that a few weeks back they would have been much closer on this couch, and she’d still love him.

Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat to catch her attention, but kept his eyes averted.

“This may be bad timing, but this has to be the best meal I’ve had in a long time. No offense to Tenzin’s mother.”

~-~

Bolin had always seemed to know just what to say to cheer a girl up, but perhaps unintentionally knew what to say to make her feel just as guilty as she was happy. Just when things were starting to look up for her in her mind, she was being reminded every time she heard him, or looked at Mako, and even thought about Asami, just how much she had screwed things up for what was humorously referred to as ‘Team Avatar’. The meeting with Aang did more than just restore her potential with channeling the power of water, earth, fire, and air. It was a reminder of how she nearly decided to leave this world so soon, when she had so much more to do, and needed her closest friends to forgive her at last. Weakly smiling, the Avatar’s cheeks turned a light pink. “Thanks.” Was all she could manage before her cheeks tightened up too much from this flattery.

Letting him lead the way, the first order of business was ensuring that Pema was taken care of entirely and keeping the kids as content as they could manage. With a little Rohan to take care of, the hands of the mother were certainly full, and the responsibility was now doubled for Tenzin himself. After the chores were taken care of and Pema thankfully allowed them to do what they pleased before dinner, Korra had returned outside with Bolin who was prepared to help her relearn some crucial lessons. Earth bending was a considerable test of one’s boldness and inner strength, and just so happened to be the second of the elements she had learned. If it was going to be as easy then as it was now, she’d soon find out. With the slab of earth just in front of her, Korra bent her legs evenly and took a deep breath before seeing her own inner victory before her. She would move this earth, relearn fire, properly come to master air bending, and in the course of that right all the wrongs she had committed.

With that inspiration in mind, she thrust her arms forward, fists balled. It wouldn’t be very surprising given her nature as a bender, but that earth ran itself through the ground quickly with minimal chance of stopping. A precise stomp of her foot caused a sudden interception of the fast-moving slab of earth, as a pillar similar to the one that launched Bolin in the air almost an hour ago appeared below the first slab. Effortlessly the pillar launched that slab into the air and across a long distance, before finally it crashed into the sea. Thankfully, no one was sailing by at that period.

“YES!” Korra pumped her fist into the air in victory. No matter how minor it was, it had meant that her second chance wasn’t just an imagination any further. If she kept up like this, it would be almost as if she had never lost anything to begin with. “I could do that all day, you got anything harder in mind, teacher?” winking at him, Korra relocated her hands to her hips in ultimate confidence.

~-~
Always the serious one, but in this situation Tenzin couldn't fault her for being serious as matters were nothing but serious for the city now. She had confirmed that the rest of the representatives were scattered, and given the Equalist movement being at its strongest mere days ago going into hiding wasn’t exactly a surprise. He would believe that perhaps they had gotten somewhere safe and hadn't been caught by Amon, but the resources of the Equalist leader were at their peak before Korra had managed to beat him back somehow. Their safety had to be the concern for him, as the more brutal matters were for Lin now. Getting them together was to be the priority. Speaking the honest truth of his uselessness in matters such as clearing streets of rubble and debris, her mention of earth bending brought Bolin to mind. Perhaps tonight, something could be arranged to keep the young man busy.

Following her motion, Tenzin followed her quietly towards one of the cities plentiful back alleys, making mention of how a criminal element originated from locations such as this. He looked around as she did, but couldn’t maintain his serious demeanor at this sudden stakeout. “Oh come now Lin. What exactly are the odds of some criminal element just happening to pop—“ a sudden scream, and the appearance of a young woman being chased and harassed by two young men who appeared anything but innocent in this situation. “I take it back.” Tenzin ate his words quietly, the woman taking notice of the pair and requesting help. Tenzin beckoned her over to them and urged her to get somewhere safe, which meant that they were to deal with her attackers personally.

“Alright. There won’t be any stealing on our watch, so just surrender yourselves quietly and-“ cut off once more, Tenzin sought to avoid combat because a trip as long as the one he had still hung on him like the slimy saliva of a bison’s tongue on his face. Lin was physically stronger than him and had the stamina to manage criminal activity with ease, and this entire fight was beginning to convince him that perhaps he should’ve taken a nap first. He had unintentionally followed Lin’s movements and duck low to the ground, avoiding the long trail of fire that soared over his head. “Lin, I’ll handle—“ Today just seemed like ‘Let’s not let Tenzin finish his sentence’ day, as not a trace of hesitation were in her moves. The gentlemen in him wanted to handle these ruffians himself but the dominant spirit of Lin would always prevent her from letting a man defend her. The rules of survival and sex didn't apply to her, and shame be to those that ever tried to force it. Maybe, just maybe, he could thank her focus on the task at hand instead of chiding him for forgetting who she was. So enthralled in her physical ability and experience, Tenzin had almost forgotten that this was a team effort. Lin was by no means weak, but her lack of bending may still pose a problem in this situation.

Having jumped atop one and swiftly dealing with him, Tenzin brought his attention to the other who still stood, and having watched as Lin quickly dealt with his partner, he had decided that it was every man for himself. At least that made this much easier on him. Bringing one hand hovering over the others, Tenzin quickly rotated the top one and generated a sphere of air similar to the ones his children rode. Instead of rapid transportation however, this was launched from Tenzin and sped along the ground. Coming around the fleeing assailant, Tenzin manipulated it to return towards him, hitting the thug square in the gut and knocking the wind out of him. With enough force to send him flying back just at Tenzin’s feet, he shook his head at the downed criminal. “Don’t try that again.”

This brought him back to days in their youth, whether sparring against one another or dealing with unruly punks Tenzin found that Lin and himself had always held some uncanny ability to work well, even after being apart for so long. Reminiscing wasn’t the best thing he could be doing right now, as he had originally come here with an invitation. Clearing his throat as he watched Lin take pleasure in cuffing the unruly criminals, he rubbed the back of his neck and casually placed a foot on the thug he had downed. The little punk thought he was clever, subtlety moving his hand to perhaps attempt a lucky blow towards Lin or himself. The soles of his feet rid him of such thoughts.

“Lin, might I ask what you are doing tonight? It’s really nothing important, but ..it’d be nice if you could ..” In typical Tenzin fashion, when it came to Lin he was always struggling to find the proper words for requests. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, and his eyes didn't remain in one position for too long “Would you like to have dinner with me and my family this evening? And before you say anything I didn’t come here for a wrong answer.”

[Genkai]

Had the primary reason for his attraction to Korra, been because of her status of Avatar, Asami may have been slightly more forgiving. May have, been the key word. Asami may have been able to stomach the idea that Korra's powerful role in the world would be what had piqued Mako's interest but to learn that he was interested in her for other, more deep seeded reasons made her uncomfortable. She almost wished Make had been shallow enough to turn his head for the Avatar, because that was something Asami couldn't change or compete with and in a sense, she'd be relieve of duty in trying to figure out the complexity that was the male mind. But instead, he liked Korra as Korra. And Asami wasn't Korra, not even a bender. What was a girl to do? She was so ordinary and plain, miles away from anything Mako knew and yet Korra could somehow interest Mako and relate to him better than she could within the time they had dated. Had Asami been fooling herself all this time?

Going back to her plate, she started to eat as Mako continued to talk, admitting that what he said was pretty rich and that this would benefit him and hopefully her. Talk wasn't as cheap as some people thought it was. Asami sighed at her food, knowing she had to eat but somehow the will to put food into her mouth was failing her. They went back to eating in strained silence. She was about halfway through when Mako spoke up and express how much he liked the food, even though they had fine meals where they once were. "Thank you." She smiled. It was small but sincere enough. Then she realized she might have been better off saying that he was welcome but she decided against adding that bit. She glanced back at her plate, her fort pushing pasta around aimlessly. With all the stress of her company and family and friends weighing down on her, she found her stomach too unsettled to stomach anything else. Rising from her seat, she picked up her plate. "If it means anything to you..." She started to say.

"I do want us to be friends again, I know it would do us much better to be on the same side again and it may be selfish in saying this but...i don't have many people on my side anymore and while I'm still upset at how things turned out, it would be stupid to burn bridges between us completely." Asami said carefully. Now whether or not she still saw him a romantic light, had yet to be seen. Anything that was there, was now clouded by his actions with Korra and Asami wasn't ready to begin to wonder if she'd ever feel as safe with Mako as she once did. She had cared so much for him and wanted to keep him safe and happy and then he left her and Asami couldn't be so forgiving, could forget how much it hurt to be given the cold shoulder. She tried to remind herself of how bad it felt, and how Mako, despite how much a jerk he was, didn't deserve too much suffering.

Heading into the kitchen, she washed her plate and began to clean up, finding it a good distraction for her head. Asami saw Mako soon enter and she felt her defenses going back up. In her mind, she somewhat decided that for now, she had done enough opening up. With a timid weary heart, the girl quickly left and went up to her room. As she was nearly up the stairs, a servant approached her and said someone had sent her a letter and handed it to her. Asami opened it and saw a brief invitation from two people named Xano and Xana. It didn't say much except that they knew of Future Industries' plight and that they wanted to help her, and that they also knew which prison her father was located in, having been caught for treason and several counts of murder. Her heart stopped, the note didn't leave any contact information and just said that they would be in touch with her soon, to help.

Asami felt her knees begin to shake as she grabbed onto the bannister. "Did you see who dropped this off?"

The woman shook her head and Asami slowly eased herself down on the stairs, her long legs dangling down the next few stairs below her. She hadn't a clue where her father was, having jut gotten back to the city, she didn't know where to start looking. Going to the police would have been a foolish idea, since her father was one of the main antagonists behind the rebellion. Asami looked back down at the small note, reading it over several times. She found it difficult to breath. Xano and Xana? She hadn't heard of them before and she was pretty knowledgeable when it came to her father's clients and supporters. Of course now, that might not matter anymore. She looked up to see Mako approaching her. She debated as to whether or not to mention the letter but he seemed concerns and she didn't have anyone else to turn to, even just to vent. "I think I may have a clue as to where my father is. Two investors have come forward offering help." In truth it did sound a bit suspicious but what else did she have to go on?

"They didn't give me much reassurance but right now they're the only ones who can help me sort out these problems and I have to see my father..." She licked her lips thoughtfully, her heart still pounding furiously against her chest. "Not just for the sake of the company but...for my sake. I need to know why he did this. When Bolin was with me, when we were fighting him...we seemed so far away from one another he's all I have." She knew Mako would understand wanting to hold onto the only family you had left, no matter the issue. Of course Asami was even more guarded with her father than she was with Mako. Her father had been outright lying to her for so so long. Whereas Mako was just confused and pushed her away. Her father on the other hand, used her and tried to attack her and other innocents. She may never forgive him but she couldn't let him slip away either.

Looking to him, she leaned over and slipped an arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder.

God, she needed a hug right now.

Bolin gave good hugs.

Then again, so did Mako.

He was always warm and that wasn't just because of his fire bender status.

Standing up after a while, she kept the letter grasped in her hand. "I'm going to get some rest." She muttered and pushed her hair back over her shoulders. There was still daylight left to burn but for now, she needed to be alone. Asami headed up her room and when a few hours passed and the sun had just set, she went down to the hallway to start a nice hot bath. She ran the water and sat by the edge, the door closed despite needing to let some of the steam out. Asami removed her clothes and had slipped into her robe when she let her mind wander from the idea of meeting her father, to reclaiming her newly acquired company, to what to make for dinner or if she should go out, to what to do about Korra and the others. 'Baby steps.' She told herself as she ran a hand under the water, making sure the temperature was just right, which it was.

- - -

The boy watched Korra was the same high level of interest as he always had. When they were training at the Arena or out on the town, his eyes always watched her with delight. He wasn't so much admiring her physical beauty as much as just everything around her. Everything she did, everyone she spoke to, everyone she came in contact with, every time she spoke, he just loved to soak all of it up. Korra was more than the Avatar to him, to him she was a breath of fresh air. She was so different and so bold, she was amazing in different ways. She wasn't perfect, he knew that. She wasn't always polite or worried about what others thought of her. She was a real person with problems of her own. She was funny and great to be around. He was never uneasy around her like when he sometimes went out with other girls or fans. Korra made him feel so grounded, like he was set in place.

And he liked being there...

In the present, with her.

When Korra took to stance and began to build up mental strength to move the slab of rock, he held his breath.

'Come on Korra, you can do it.' Bolin silently urged her. Of course he'd make his cheering vocal but for now, considering this was her first attempt, he wouldn't bother her. Bolin watched Korra move again and this time, something happened. Something actually happened! He wasn't sure what to believe, except for that Koraa was beyond incredible. He thought she'd do well but not this well. He was happy for her, as this amount of progress was the best outcome they could have hoped for. It could give her the encouragement she needed and validate her skills as bender, not just an Avatar. "Way to go!" He cheered, waving his hands in the air like he was some spectator at a Pro Bending match. He grinned and looked back to where the rock had been launched into the water.

He let out an impressed whistle and looked back to see Korra grinning just as much as he was. "Heh, you want something more challenging? Okay then." He nodded and thought for a moment, putting his hand to his chin. He then got an idea, "Okay how about this? I'm gonna bend a cube around you and close the walls, it's your job to bend them away or break out of them. Got it?" He told her as he stepped back. It had been a while since he could feel sturdy ground under his feet. being up north was not something he enjoyed mostly because water and slick ice were annoying to bend and getting under it all, to the actual soil was really hard. Bolin felt like this not only helped Korra, but it could also help himself. He flexed his hands out, fingers summoning forth the strength around them.

With a few rumbles, the ground around them shifted and Bolin willed the rock to shift and make six slabs of rock. They were all two week thick and They were six foot tall and six foot wide. He pushed his arms forward and let out a few grunts as the earth cube was formed around Korra. For now, he could only guess and say they were about a foot away from Korra who was in the middle of them. It took a look of will power not to lose focus or to worry about the girl inside. He was her friend and a friend could be worried but also restrained. Korra was reaching out to him as a friend for help. He was sure that if Lin or Tenzin could help, she would have asked them. But she was with him and it was his job to make sure that her skills were relearned and polished.

"How you doin' in there?" He asked, his voice strained but still warm and filled with amusement.

Now he began to carefully inch the slabs of thick of earth inward, closing the small prison around Korra. He waited, controlling his breath as he soon kept them moving inward, shrinking the space. As the cube began to shrink, he felt his own worries getting the better of him. He knew his hold would weaken if he kept distracting himself. Korra was fine and if she wasn't, she'd tell him and he'd immediately stop. But low and behold, the girl managed to break free of the prison and leave a mess of rubble around them. His smile brightened though he supposed he should act more remorseful that he didn't get her that time. Still, he couldn't help but feel so proud of Korra, despite knowing how careful he should be around her. But when he looked at Korra, he didn't see someone who led him on or broke his heart or how damaged lives.

No.

He saw someone who was just trying to find her way. Bolin saw Korra's faults and understood them. He knew what she did wasn't necessarily right or good, but he wasn't about to hold her accountable for actions made when her life was spinning all around her. The rebellion and events leading up to it, had made everyone a little crazy. Sure, he told Mako he liked Korra and Mako said Korra wasn't really girlfriend material and so Bolin tried to ask her out, only to have Mako make a move soon after. But why should he remain mad at two people he cared about? He knew Asami was hurting, he could see it in her face. He wasn't sure what she was doing about it but he was sure she and Mako were talking about it. Did that mean he and Korra should talk about their issues too? He had brought he cakes and flowers and cheered her own, he liked hanging out with her but he knew his actions toward her were a bit one sided, perhaps misguided.

Even so, Bolin wasn't angry at Korra. He was a bit angry at himself for pushing too hard, for thinking she'd think of him anymore than a friend. She had enough to worry about and dealing with him wasn't necessary. He really liked her but he just needed to accept that as amazing as she was and as amazing as he was, they just weren't amazing together, despite his personal opinion on the matter. "Darn, really thought you'd lose it there...well good job." He rubbed his neck. The past wasn't where he wanted to be, Bolin was an optimist. He couldn't say in the past when it was so dirty and so negative. He wanted to look forward. Republic City was saved and Korra was okay, his brother was okay and everything would soon become better than just okay. For the rest of the time, he and Korra trained with various earth bending games and techniques and by the end of the day, they were called in to get ready for dinner.

Food sounded real good right about now.

- - -

While she trusted Tenzin with her life, there was no way she'd sit on the sidelines and let him have all the fun.

To her, this was fun.

Lin heard the familiar wisps of air being manipulated around her. She felt the familiar breeze of Tenzin air bending. He rarely did it, as he wasn't one for fighting or conflict because somehow he believed that more action could be taken with words, rather than punches. But sometimes people spoke in different languages and the best language to speak when dealing with moronic criminals was with a forceful fist or some heavy duty earth bending. Since Lin was unable to bend, she would readily rely on her physical skills to get the job done. But of course, she'd concede to the idea that having a skilled and trusted companion like Tenzin was reassuring. As much as she hated to admit she enjoyed working with someone, if she had to work with someone, it might as well be an old friend, she knew he'd take care of her if the situation called for it. And he knew, she'd take care of herself and him, if the situation called for it.

They knew each other well enough that fighting side by side, had long ago become an old natural custom.

The woman watched out of the corner of her eye as Tenzin used one of his usual tricks to send an assailant flying who had tried to flee. She could commend the idiot for having the balls to run when he knew it was hopeless, but bad news for him, he was dealing with Tenzin and herself and as to be expected, Tenzin took care of things quick enough. Her lips curved up in a half smirk half smile as she turned her attention back on the man she was making eat bricks. When the rest of her team finally arrived, she lectured them for thinning out and taking so long to get to her, despite her orders which did make them spread apart to cover more ground. No matter though. She couldn't be bothered with what she said a half an hour ago. As she was helping Tenzin with the one he caught, the air bender began to prattle of a limp offer to which she was barely paying any mind to.

Tenzin rubbed his neck, a habit he got from his father obviously.

She would often roll her eyes when he did that.

Despite his passive personality, she didn't like seeing such a man stumble over his words like a child.

Tenzin was a great man, strong and wise. He shouldn't need to be so nervous or weary of things or people and somehow when they were together, both her and Tenzin seemed to nearly revert back to their youth. She'd drag him around on various adventures and he'd try to squirm out of them because he had to train or that they were children of important people and as such, they needed to be more careful about their actions. Lin, as a young girl, would often wish Tenzin would be more assertive and step out of the shadows. He wasn't just a son of the Avatar, he was his own person. Perhaps being Toph's daughter made her more stubborn and rebellious but Lin found it easy to not give a crap about what others thoughts. Well, most others. She did care what Tenzin though. On many instances, she'd make an attempt to be less arrogant and loud mouthed when they walked around as teenagers.

Old habits would die hard of course, Lin would hear someone comment about them or their family's history and she'd snap back into her usual self, earth bending the idiot across the street while Tenzin would shake his head and try to help the person who had insulted them in the first place, who would be earth bent into the opposite building across from them. Lin couldn't help herself though, she knew what she wanted and she said it without hesitation. Tenzin's big flaw was that he was too thoughtful and stuck in his own head. it was hard to even tell when he was enjoying himself, he didn't smile much which she thought was a shame. Then again, she wasn't one for dishing out giggles and grins either. 'I wonder what happened to us back then to make us so hardened.' She knew though. Lin looked back to Tenzin as he finally got what he needed to say, out. She arched a brow, more interested thanks to his last comment.

'It seems he's got a backbone after all, maybe fighting does him some good after all.' She mused and sighed, placing her hands on her hips. It wasn't much use, considering Tenzin wanted her to say yes. "Dinner with your family? Don't you think we've all spent enough time together for a while?" Lin asked him. Why appeal did it have to her, to spend another few hours with his children and the woman he left her for? Plus probably Korra and her earth bending friend. Lin felt so old all of a sudden and wondered how Tenzin kept up with everything. Of course he was entrusted to take care of the female Avatar, but Lin wasn't sure it was fair to give such an immense task to Tenzin. Besides, it wasn't as though he was in touch with the youth of today. At least she knew the streets and what stupid kids were up to these days. With the rebellion over, she hoped things would settle down and go back to normal.

"Alright fine, but only because you actually had the balls to pretty much make me go. If you had just asked, I would have said no because I have better things to do." Lin told him. Why not reward him for actually being gutsy enough to twist her arm? Smiling, she finished signed the papers which needed to be signed. "See you tonight then, thanks for your help." She flashed him a rare smile as she rested her hand on his shoulder and headed off to get back to work. Lin went back to rounding up possible criminals and helping the locals deal with any trouble. When the sun was about to set, Lin headed back to compound to get into a hot bath. She briefly considered just bailing on Tenzin and his family but she knew he was extending a kindness and she couldn't push him away, as much as her brain was telling her to do so. She got dressed in slightly less formal wear than what she wore around the city, and headed off to the port to grab a ferry to the island.

She had on simple black pants and a green top. She even brought along a bottle of wine since it seemed customary or something. She wasn't one for parties or dinner dates but she at least figured a bottle of wine would be good enough. And since they had a newborn son, she was sure some alcohol would be right up the parents' alley. Lin arrived and headed up to the main house. She was greeted by Tenzin, as well as his rambunctious children. Meelo seemed in awe of her even still, and she just politely said her hellos and headed inside, handing the bottle to Pema who passed it along to a servant to open it. From the smell and look of the dining room, they were ready to eat. She spotted Korra and Bolin enter and Bolin greeted her with a wave. Lin glanced back to Tenzin, really wishing she wasn't there at the moment. Small talk was not her thing, if anything, it was one of Lin's awkward weaknesses. "Despite having been overrun with enemy benders and nearly destroying everything, your home looks nice..." Lin commented.

[SoleAccord]

Well, she was at least thankful for his compliment, but it wasn’t doing anything to stop the beating of his heart in his chest threatening to escape and flee for dear life. He felt like he was just floating in open waters covered in shark bait and one wrong move would inspire a frenzy to tear him apart. He felt like this once before, back when he was just getting to know her. Mako was struck from the moment his eyes met her, and his heart had beat fiercely. Looking back to when things were easier, he was even amazing himself at how much of a scumbag he became. It was a blessing to hear from Asami’s own lips that she didn’t want to break the bond she had with him entirely. Because of Mr. Sato’s decision to side with Amon in the destruction of this city, it was true that the Sato name and company had very little sway these days. As for Mako, well, he was just a guy now. Pro-bending would likely be gone for some time while the rebuilding came and outside of that he had very little sway except in her own heart now.

It would be more than enough for him.

Consuming the rest of his meal beside her in thought, when she had stood to take care of her plate he had quickly finished the rest of his own and stood up to follow. Giving her a head start to clean her dish up, he had stepped inside hoping that there was some chance he could keep this going. Quietly moving to join close beside her, it didn’t take a detective to see the pace had been picked up by leaving the kitchen. Mako’s eyes kept to her back until she was out of sight, and with a feeble sigh he turned to properly wash his dish. Asami had a knack for getting his hopes up and then lightly stepping on them before running off again. Heh, with a summary like that, he couldn’t help but smile a little at the receiving end of all this. He agreed with himself – this was a well-deserved thing she was doing, and he’d have to live with it for the time being. At least he knew that the bond they shared wouldn’t be completely destroyed.

Resigning any remaining intention to stretch his luck with her for one day, Mako had dried off his plate and returned it to the appropriate drawer before stepping out and taking a long glance at the front door. It had been a long trip back and he wanted to allow Asami as much peace of mind as he could, but there wasn’t much a man like him could do today. Instead of running off, he’d instead think to tomorrow morning and what his plans would be. Between the ruins of a proud city and the crime and desperation of its citizens, Mako believed that he was much more the enforcer type than a builder. That seemed tailored towards Bolin more than anything. Settling on his flexible early morning schedule, he turned and headed upstairs, the murmurs of Asami upstairs hadn’t drawn his attention. His eyes were focused on the stairs entirely for the first several steps, surprised to see that Asami had chosen to sit down near the apex with some sort of item in hand. Normally this wouldn’t have been out of the question, but she seemed a little pale, almost as if she had just seen some kind of ghost.

“What’s wrong?” the firebender asked, stopping beside her and peering down at her note. With a quick explanation, Asami had summed up the details of her letter. His immediate reaction was joy; this would be the second wind Asami would need to help Future Industries recover. It was only until Asami had kept talking that this appreciation turned into some concern. Of course as the supportive ex-boyfriend he was thrilled that Asami had the chance to bounce back, but who would provide her this huge opportunity without cost? It was all so strange to absorb, but he knew better than to take this away from her, at least right now. Asami was brilliant, but could she be overlooking the idea that this may just be some kind of prank or …heck, maybe just a scam? Looking from where he stood to what he could see from the letter it looked professional enough, but it just wasn’t enough to settle him down. Then there was Mr. Sato and Asami’s need to confront him, only this time he didn’t have the opportunity to brutally injure her or worse. Maybe they all needed a little closure about everything.

Going to see Korra about their …lustful interest in each other was going to be part of his agenda, Asami wasn't the only one who needed to clear the air..

“I get it Asami, you don’t have to explain anything to me. Just know that I’ll be there if you need me.” Mako reassured her that he was to once again be that shoulder she needs, but of course he’d need to prove this through his actions. Words were all too useless for him alone now. With her arm coming around him and her body pressing against his, heat began to rise in his cheeks. This scene was familiar, but he mutually brought both arms around her and squeezed her snugly. His breath would creep around towards her neck, the temptation to kiss her there building like Bolin’s hunger in a buffet. Asami had wisely not allowed this to last long, probably knowing as well as he did what would occur if she did. Announcing her wish to rest, Mako nodded his head in response and quietly wished her goodnight. With her natural fragrance around him, the young man turned away and headed towards his own room for some alone time himself.

Jumping into the bed and smashing his face into a pillow in the process, Mako turned himself over and stared at the ceiling to plot just how things would come together for him. Two more apologies to make, and an ex-girlfriend to win back over.

Tomorrow was another day.

-

“Piece of cake.” Korra’s immediate response to Bolin’s next challenge was playfully provoking. Once he had chosen to step back, Korra stepped back herself by lightly hopping on the tips of her toes with eagerness. The thrill of bending had returned to her and her natural talent was beginning to shine through once more. Bolin’s lessons would serve as a good refresher course, and he wouldn’t be as boring as the older teachers she happened to get. If she could take on the Equalist movement, then pushing some earthen walls would be child’s play. Feeling the ground shift from Bolin’s manipulation, Korra sucked in air through her teeth and began to take a couple deep breaths in preparation. Raising the walls up, she was successfully temporarily imprisoned and it was her job to get out.

“Alright, easy.” Assuring herself that the task at hand was just that, she jumped and outstretched her arms on either side of her. Upon landing, Korra imagined what would have been an epic collapse and push of the walls that surrounded her, coupled by a wide-eyed Bolin in disbelief that her prowess had returned as though it had never left her. The reality of the situation was that …well, nothing happened. Having closed her eyes to focus, she opened them once more and looked around in disappointment and disbelief. The skills that came with earthbending were obviously here, but the slabs didn’t part whatsoever, and what’s worse is that Bolin had asked her how she was doing. This was an utter embarrassment!

“Uh, you know …just …just not wanting to scare you with my …my skills! Ehehehehehe…” A horrible cover, but Bolin wouldn’t know any better, he believed in her right? Well, it wasn’t going to matter now, but she didn’t want to surrender after all that confidence earlier. Once more she drew in air and once again tried to force the walls to part, but they didn’t so much as shake with the walls enclosing on her. “What in the world? Why can’t I—“ her body seized up, the color of her eyes changing as the voices and experiences of every Avatar before her hit her all at once. It was only an instant, but by the time she was returned to her senses the walls that were daring to trap her even further had halted by her will’s demand. Once more attempting to shift these walls of powerful earth back, her final attempt had seen her succeed, the walls falling over. Korra opted not to launch them far, there were risks after all, like hitting a certain earth bender teacher.

Seeing Bolin ahead of her, she stepped over the wall and placed her hands on her hips, leaning forward and smirking at him. Of course he was sweet about the entire thing, which only strengthened what the temporary contact with her past lives told her.

‘Don’t forget them, Korra’

It was really spooky, but they were trying to teach her a lesson in that temporary restriction. She had the privilege of having her strength restored, but this time she couldn’t forget about everyone who had been with her along the way. As she saw things, if she struggled to make things right with Bolin, her earth bending might suffer as a result. Fair? Debatable, but given how she’s acted and how she’s been with everyone who wasn’t named ‘Mako’ it seemed like the most just thing to do, even if it was a pain in the butt. “Maybe next time, teach.” Winking, together the two had spent more time in the sun and just being themselves. A little seriousness here and there …well, okay, it was Bolin and herself alone, so there wasn’t much seriousness at all. At the very least he was serious about helping her get back into the flow of things.

By the very end she was panting, exhaustion represented by a light sheen of perspiration on her brown skin. Her chest heaved, demanding more air and an opportunity to rest after the exercises grew a little more intense for her. Opportunity to excuse themselves from training for now was delivered by Pema, calling them in about dinner. Joining beside Bolin, she patted him on the back and headed inside for preparations to be made.

-

It was true that Lin had seen plenty of his family already, not to mention having personally made a sacrifice for them, but at a time like this he didn’t want Lin to be alone. Of course he knew that he couldn’t do this forever; Lin would inevitably need to bear the burden of a life without a gift she had known her entire life and there was nothing he could do to prepare her for that. When confronted with that fact, he shared her pain because he felt equally responsible for her doing what she had done for them all. If it were him who made that sacrifice and Amon stole his power away from him …well he didn’t believe himself strong enough to handle that. Avatar Aang’s son, the only airbender he had, losing his gift when there was still so much to teach his children. There was a lot of pain in that alternate reality, but unlike Lin he had a family by his side to see him through it.

Thankfully she was merciful enough not to stress the issue and had agreed to see him tonight. Feeling like a young man again with Lin agreeing to date him, the skipper within had been kept in check. Should his excitement have slipped, he might’ve clicked his heels together in midair! “Excellent! Well, we’ll see you tonight! And don't even think about blowing me off... US off.” It might’ve been his imagination, but Lin may have even smiled at him. Turning on his heel and returning home with a little swagger in his step, the strangeness of his enthusiasm was beginning to surprise even him. He wouldn’t deny that Lin was still a special figure in his life, and his feelings weren’t going to conceal it for him. She’d come by, enjoy a dinner with the family, and be on her way once again. So, for tonight, he’d avoid thinking about what she’d come home to.

Making his return he was pleased to find that Pema had somehow rallied the troops that were his children to help clean the home. Shards of broken glass and small sacks of rubble were still being removed but all in all everything was coming together very well. Even Meelo, the most hyperactive of his children, was containing himself and quickly seeking some questionable areas to dust. Jinora had stepped into the room and, upon seeing her father, rushed to him with a great hug. Ikki and Meelo had soon followed, with Pema stepping in to greet him with a kiss. Returning it, he looked down at little Rohan who was beginning to tucker out, yet had just enough energy to smile at his father. It was almost as if Amon’s movement never took place, and he desperately wished it hadn’t.

“It’s good to be back …so, what was the bribe for them this time?”

“Chocolate chip cookies.” Pema responded, to which the kids smiled knowingly.
“Ah, a classic. Lin will be joining us this evening and …where did Korra and Bolin go?”
“Korra said she’d take over for me, and Bolin’s been a big help too. They’re helping prepare in the back.”

Tenzin’s eyes widened in surprise. Of course Bolin was a well-mannered young man and it was only natural that Korra sought to help out but he had never pictured Korra to be the one to take such charge.

“Korra? As in Avatar Korra? In front of a stove?”

“HEY!” Korra responded in the back, prompting the entire family to laugh. If the heat of the kitchen wasn’t so warm, she might’ve fumed a little, but for now she was carefully frying some shrimp. Eying the stove closely, she was determined not to mess this up, especially since Bolin had suggested she could sit this one out and let him take it over. Heck no. This was a new start for her, and she wasn’t so sheepish that she’d let Bolin do this. As strong and amazing as she knew she was, cooking was an unknown for her, but she had seen Pema and her mother do it enough that she had some idea of what she was doing. Okay, there were directions and it wasn’t like she was doing this out of natural talent, but there had to be points for her trying, right?

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up! Everyone's a comedian!” Oh, they could laugh, but she’d have the last one in the end when they’ve never tasted something so good.

Avatar Aang give her strength.

With the evening’s inevitable arrival, Tenzin had seen the dining room set up neatly. The shattered windows and doorways due to the ferocious attack were repaired in an orderly fashion and due to Korra and Bolin’s efforts and Pema’s watchful eye dinner had managed to be completed without a hitch. With the kids having already washed up, all that remained was Lin to arrive. Just as the thought was passing in his head, he could hear her approach and preemptively opened the door with Pema joining beside him. Bolin and Korra were almost prepared setting the table, and the guest had just arrived with what appeared to be wine in hand. With the kids squeezing around their parents to greet Lin warmly and Meelo showing intense self-control to not leap onto her and ask her to show him some of her moves, Tenzin would say that tonight looked promising. Lin being Lin had complimented their home despite the obvious struggle, and urging Pema and the kids to the table while the servant prepared the wine he straightened his clothes.

“Yes, well, we had a little help with that. Some people bribe with money or rare goods …thankfully the kids still work for a batch of cookies.” Sizing Lin up, the airbender had to take into account how different she looked when she shed her casual attire, more ‘armor’ than casual but it suited her. Crime could occur anywhere at any time and Lin made sure to dress for every possible occasion. He suggested she try heels in their youth, and even today he could still feel the old bruise on his head. Closing the door behind her and guiding her to the dining room, the kids were already watering at the mouth, and Pema had thankfully helped joined Korra and Bolin in fixing their plates as well as their. While Tenzin had made sure Lin settled down beside Pema and himself, Korra was catching an eyeful of a Chief Beifong she had never seen before. She began to wonder if Tenzin ever tried to get her into heels…

“Who’d have thought you’d wear something other than your work uniform.” Korra grinned, hoping that Bolin was equally surprised that she had gone that route. If she was entirely unaware of the situation everyone was in, she’d suggest that Lin was on some sort of special date. A little dinner with a family could bring out such a nice change of clothes, and Korra pondered what a romantic dinner for two would do for her.

“The green does help bring out your eyes Lin, you’re …well, you’re not a criminal catcher right now, that’s for certain.” Tenzin hadn’t really taken such close notice of Lin in a very long while, and in all honesty he felt like she was almost a stranger in that attire. With the children digging in and Meelo thankfully not being too messy, Korra had looked between Lin and Tenzin, almost expecting something to happen with that compliment. Beside Bolin, Korra had leaned in to whisper to him, grinning widely.

“Think she’ll try to arrest Pema again?”

[Genkai]

It was hard to believe but throwing Tenzin a bone for once, after so long, felt sort of nice.

Lin nodded when Tenzin mentioned the help they had around the island. She was sure the kids were eager to help get things back to normal. She had little experience with them but who didn't love a little nudge with some money or in this case, sweet. She also had a feeling that Bolin, being a proficient earth bender, would be able to help out if anything was really out of place. Fighting down the urge to offer her own services, she had to remind herself that she was no longer a bender. She thought back to her mother and how being blind wasn't a big obstacle, but both women sharing a love of earth bending, did make the connection rather strong. Lin kept telling herself that this loss wasn't that bad, that if her mother had lost her bending, she would keep her head high and continue to help people.

The ex-officer headed into the dining room where everyone had settled. Tenzin didn't need to fawn over her but she held her tongue for the time being. She supposed it was his parental urges that sometimes made him overreact to certain things, like her losing her bending. She wasn't a child, she could fend for herself and still protect Republic City without him making a fuss. She looked over at the Avatar when Korra mentioned her attire. Lin's lips curved up into a sly smirk but before she could muster up a retort, Tenzin chimed in. The woman wasn't sure what to make of his comment but remained silent as the food was distributed to everyone. What she speechless? It had been a long time since she had ever dressed even remotely casual.

"You might want to consider a change yourself." She told Tenzin. "You know fashion has changed since you hair hair." She smirked at him, throwing a joke his way.

Meelo couldn't help but pipe up, "Daddy had hair, on his head?!"

"A long time ago." Lin replied thoughtfully.

Bolin who had been happy to help out with Korra and Pema, was just happy there was food. He was a fan of anything and right now, his mind was in the present. He could think about Mako and perhaps Asami but right now, he had great company. He didn't want to spoil anything. As the meal progressed, Korra leaned over and asked if she'd try to arrest Pema again. Bolin snickered and looked back at the adults. While he wasn't the best at picking up unspoken cues, he could tell there was something weird going on between the three of them. "Hah, they are on an even playing field now, I'd still bet on Lin kicking some ass." He whispered back. Of course he didn't think Lin would be that rash, not anymore. But it was someone else's history and he did not want to get mixed up in anymore drama. "Oh!" He sat up. "Chief Bei Fong, I was thinking about signing up to be an officer. Maybe someday being able to be a metal bender like you."

He stopped himself before he mentioned that she wasn't one anymore. He wasn't that stupid. Lin looked up and glanced around the table, "You're a good bender from what I've seen. I can put in a good word for you. We're going to need a lot of good men on the streets." Lin told him. This caused the boy to grin even broader. She wondered if his brother would be interested as well. He had street skills but he was a bit wild, which she saw first hand. His emotions could get out of hand but for now, having Bolin interested, would be an asset.

"Thanks. You think we can go to the station tomorrow?" He couldn't help but ask with earnest.

"Sure." She nodded and the meal went back to its usual pace. As things winded down and the kids went off to bed, Lin got up to speak with Pema. While Lin wasn't sure what she would say to the woman, it was clear that the tension from so long ago, still remained. Rather than find Pema in the kitchen, the mother was elsewhere, resting. It seemed she had become quite weak after eating. Lin sat beside her and remained quiet.

"I need to thank you for what did for my family, Lin."

"There's no need-"

"I know we're never going to become friends," Pema sighed. "The fact is you and Tenzin have a history and as much as I can try to ignore it, I can't. Neither can he and neither can you. What you did for us, seemed to bring him back to the past when you two were...together." She looked to Lin, her face slightly red. "I'm not sorry for I did, you know he wasn't happy and you two were already over. If one of you had fought, maybe things would have been different. Even so, I should have waited, should have not been so immature in how I got Tenzin." She considered. "I didn't know you so what I thought I was doing, was saving him. I didn't consider your feelings."

"You loved him, I can't blame you much for that." Lin said quietly. The appeal of the quiet mild mannered air bender wasn't something she'd want to hate Pema for seeing. "I know you make him happy, you should know that." She said. "I don't know if I was ever able to. Maybe we were too different, trying to rebel and get out from behind the shadow of our parents..."

Pema grabbed Lin's hand and shook her head, "I don't think that was it, from what he's told me, you two were in love and maybe it's been so long and buried so deep that it's hard to remember the romance. I'm not sorry for being with him, Lin. I'm just not. I am sorry for being thoughtless about it. You saved my life and my children's lives and his too, I know my words hold very little value these days, but I am very thankful and while it's hard to see you two together, I know it would make you both a little happier. It would be wrong of me to deny that." Pema admitted. Lin nodded, not sure what to say. She wasn't aware of how jealous Pema was when it came to her and Tenzin. Lin wasn't sure how to accept the apology of sorts. She got up to go but Pema held her back, "I mean it, he misses you, and the kids love you, you're welcome to visit anytime."

"Thank you." Lin smiled. The woman headed back out and saw Bolin and Korra talking with Tenzin outside. From what she could hear, Bolin was telling Tenzin about the training he and Korra had done together. She headed down the stairs and looked across the bay. "I better be going. Thanks for dinner." She told Tenzin. She then told Bolin to meet her at the station at nine tomorrow morning.

"Awesome! Thanks." He cheered and glanced to Korra as it seemed like she had remembered something. "Hm? Everyone okay, Korra?" Bolin asked her.

[SoleAccord]

Instinctively bringing a hand atop his head, Tenzin cleared his throat and ran that hand to his beard, stroking it in minor embarrassment. Fashion wasn’t his strong suit; it would take help from Pema, Korra, and even Asami to help get his daughters dressed properly. None of this short-skirt and bare midriff nonsense would be the style his children would be known for. Avatar Aang’s grandchildren, he’d silently add in his mind and he took pride in his children and the legacy they’d leave in the world. Lin would know better than anyone that Tenzin was a man of close ties to the air acolyte style of clothing. The world was changing, but traditional style must still have some representation in the age they were in.

“No need, I am quite satisfied with my fashion sense …AND my lack of hair thank you very much!”

Korra stifled a small fit of laughter; Tenzin, deep down, probably wished a little bit of the hair growing around his chin. Nodding in quiet agreement with Bolin’s assessment, Korra did see them as equals now. Lin’s resignation couldn’t possibly last that long, she was way too tough to just remain unemployed in the field of law enforcement, and had too much belief in the law to remain a vigilante. Just the thought of Lin running around Republic City in some costume taking out criminals in the dead of night was a pretty awesome image, they might even make a comic out of her exploits. Her thoughts of Lin being a masked vigilante were temporarily put aside with Bolin’s sudden announcement of hope to be an officer. That had taken Korra by incredible surprise, but somehow she figured that sooner or later this would be a thing.

Bolin had, in the nicest way Korra could put it even in her head, always been in Mako’s shadow. He was an accomplished Pro Bender like his brother, but Mako just …had this air about him that made him always seem in such control. Bolin had his charm and bravery, and he was one of the most loyal friends she had ever had, and in a way this request would prove that he was ready to get out there and be his own man. Not Mako’s brother Bolin, but just Bolin, and he deserved to be somebody without someone else’s name coming up in conversation. Korra smiled at the exchange he had with Lin and had clapped quietly in support. She was proud of the man he was becoming, or rather the man he always was and she was just too wrapped up in her own idiocy to see it.

“You’ll do great, I know you will.” Korra bumped shoulders with him, and the talk of Bolin becoming a crime fighter had brought interest to the kids. It took a lot of looks from Pema to keep Meelo in his seat and not do a bunch of action-related moves that might involve breaking something. Ikki encouraged it by trying to give Bolin some nicknames to use when he was on patrol. Jinora …well, she had questions, a lot of questions, and Tenzin had to cover her mouth with his hand at one point for her to realize how much she had gone on. Tenzin loved his children, but when they got talking it was difficult to stop them sometimes.

In time dinner had passed; the children had gotten their cookies for good behavior and were preparing for bed, leaving Tenzin, Bolin, and Korra together. It seemed that Pema and Lin wanted some time to talk to each other personally, which initially had Tenzin concerned, but Korra had assured him that the last thing Lin would do is start a fight.

“So Bolin’s training is indeed helping you?”

“Totally. Not that learning earth bending or fire bending was difficult, but it helps to have a teacher that can help guide me in the proper direction. Basics and all, right?”Korra nudged Bolin with her elbow and winked. She wasn’t a student who enjoyed the simple things and had learned more by doing, something Bolin had picked up on. Less talking, more action.

Lin’s approach had Tenzin’s attention drawn, and with a quick word of thanks she proceeded towards the dock for the ferry. The instinct of escorting a female, no matter how capable, was rooted into Tenzin’s brain. Lin was a friend and much more than that once; even if she could beat anyone she wanted to without her bending this late at night, he felt that after everything he owed her at least one more act of courtesy before they resumed their lives as though nothing was wrong.

“Hold on a moment, I’ll come with you. Just let me tell the children goodnight. Wait right there!” Tenzin had hurried by Korra and Bolin, to which Korra had suddenly been jolted in the brain. Over the course of dinner and Bolin’s announcement, she had almost forgotten what exactly she needed to do with Lin, and for a single moment she had a very unique sense of realization plastered on her face. Eyes widened slightly, she heard Bolin’s question of concern and she looked to him, smile creeping up on her face. Placing her hands on his shoulders, the Avatar moved closer to him, shaking with a little late night excitement.

“I’m about to make someone’s night, no big deal or anything.” Releasing Bolin, she spun around on her heel and hobbled down after Lin, who seemed to be contemplating whether she should listen to Tenzin or just leave. “Chief, I’ve got a surprise for you.” By now she might ask: What surprise could the Avatar possibly have in store for her? Or ‘Oh great, a surprise, I LOVE surprises’ with a realistic amount of sarcasm oozing into her brain. Lin was a pretty tough woman, but even she had to jump for joy after this. Coming in front of her, Korra took a deep breath and closed her eyes, reopening moments later both ominous and glowing. The Avatar State was something she was going to have to get used to, and luckily for Lin she would remember it as the one thing that returned to her the bending Amon had stolen from her.

A right thumb to the forehead and a surge of strength would flow through her veins, strength locked away by Amon’s cruelty and awoken once more by the Avatar. Everything Lin knew about bending in all forms and her ability to do what she had been born capable of had returned, fresh in her mind. The feel of the earth beneath her feet would be cathartic, and what was once lost would now be returned.

Lin Bei Fong was a bender once more.

Taking a step back and releasing her state, Korra brought her hands to her hips and tilted her head to the left, giving a very knowing look to Lin.

“Don’t lose it again, got it?”

[Genkai]

Having Korra's support was great. Bolin couldn't ask for anything else but to see that bright brilliant smile of hers. He couldn't help but feel a bit more proud since she was supportive of his new direction in life. She nudged him as they discussed Korra's training that had taken place a few hours ago. "You'd think training the Avatar would be nerve-wrecking but it's like we're just friends, having fun and bending to push ourselves. In fact, it's probably better we're not doing anything too serious. I don't think I could be very strict but hey, becoming a cop will help me improve in that end huh." He said, thinking back to Tenzin's hardships when it came to getting Korra to air bend. From what he heard, nothing worked until she relaxed and began to pro-bend. After Tenzin headed off, leaving Lin in a huff, Korra snapped out of her daze. "Huh?" He blushed a little out of old instinct perhaps. She said something which didn't make a lot of sense to him before she let go and moved over to the slightly agitated older woman.

Lin was muttering something under her breath about how Tenzin was being ridiculous and treating her like a helpless child that she didn't take note of the Avatar's suddenly realization. Lin kept her arms folded as she looked down at Korra, already mentally drained for the night. "And what might that be?" She asked. Korra then entered the Avatar State and pulled her down, pressing her thumb to her forehead in a similar way Amon had done in her freshest of nightmares. She stood up and uncrossed her arms once it had ended. She could feel her bending, it was back. A very broad sincere smile came to Lin's face as she looked over at a speechless Bolin. "Watch it, I can still destroy you with my finger, kid." Lin warned though her mood was already soaring high. "Thank you, Avatar Korra." She bowed her head.

"That. Was. Awesome. So Awesome!" Bolin cheered and hugged Korra and then tried to hug Lin but she quickly used her earth bending to push him away with a flurry of rocks and sand. The boy shook the dirt and dust off him, still grinning. "Wow, I can't believe it." He was quite happy for a fellow earth bender to get their bending back of course. But he was also happy for Korra who seemed to be getting the hang of things. He was hopeful that this would be a new beginning for everyone. Tenzin soon appeared and Bolin ran back to the girls. "You won't believe what Korra did-" He began to say before Lin smacked him in the back of the head. "Ow!" He whined and glanced between Lin and Tenzin, not sure what was going on.

"Let's go." Lin suggested and headed for the dock, putting a hand over her mouth to hide her smile. She was impressed with Korra. If she was still the brat she first met, Korra may have not given Lin her bending back without wanting something stupid in return. And yet she did it like an adult would. Lin hoped Korra was maturing and listening to everything Tenzin had to offer, he had wisdom and Korra needed that more than anything else. She couldn't believe she had her bending back, it was an incredible feeling and she felt like she could bend anything! Tenzin seemed curious as to what Bolin was on about but when they got back to the boat, Lin brushed Tenzin off as they headed back to the mainland. She would show off her bending soon enough. Just act normal.

"You think since she got her bending back, she wouldn't need Tenzin to take her home." Bolin noted and put his hands behind his head and looked back at the house, it was time for bed. "You think she would want him to though? Doesn't sound like her." Women were complicated and he didn't waste any more energy thinking about it. He wasn't sure what else to say. The day had been a good one. Long, but good. He thought about Mako and how he was. He would hopefully see him the next day after he met up with Lin. "Anyway, night Korra. Good job today!" He waved and headed off to the male section of the housing so he could get some sleep. Pabu would surely be waiting for him, after having explored and frolicked around the island while Bolin was busy with Korra and Tenzin's family.

Meanwhile, Lin and Tenzin just got off the boat after a silent ride across the bay, her trying to her hide her smile.

She wasn't sure what to tell him. He probably wanted to know what she and his wife had been talking about but it wasn't any of his business. Lin Bei Fong did think it was sweet, but still annoying, that he wanted to make sure she got home okay. Even with her bending back, she couldn't help but be a little selfish and want his time and attention focused on her. After all, before Korra crashed into the city on a whim, Lin and Tenzin didn't see much of one another. That was how life ended up for them, after every fight, kiss and inside joke. Was it so horrible to find it hard to go back to avoiding one another? With any luck, things would go back to the way they were and she wouldn't have to think about him as much as she had been lately. He had his family and now she could get back to work.

As they came to her front door, she moved from his side and turned to the door. She fished her key out and paused. They weren't teenagers anymore, time had made fools of them both. "Thank you for dinner." Lin told him and put the key back away, not opening her door. "I'm glad you...and you're family are safe...and happy." Lin smiled and bent the earth to create a a thin cylindrical platform to push her up to the third story of her home. "Night." The woman gave him a wave and jumped into her own window and turned on the light as the earth made pole then turned to a light dust which the wind blew away. She could remember sneaking home in the dead of night after making trouble around the city with Tenzin, bending earth but Toph still figuring it out, so of course Tenzin would need to be the one to help them sneak around.

Those days were so long ago but now they were so fresh in her mind.

She got to bed that night and had a good night's rest, happy to have her bending back. When she woke up, she put on her uniform with pride. Lin headed down to the headquarters, knowing that Bolin and possibly even Korra would be down at city hall where the police headquarters were. She grabbed a quick breakfast from a street cart, happy to support local hard working people, and decided to go by foot, rather than use earth or metal bending as transport. It also served as a way for Lin to check out what still needed to be done. A lot, in all harsh honesty. But now she could actually do things with everything instead of just part of her. She went into the back of the HQ and was reinstated without question.

The rest of the week went by smoothly, much to the Chief of Police's surprise. The city began work on rebuilding and Mako decided to join the police. She went to work to train the batch of new recruits but due to the city in dismay, most of the training had to be done on the job, in the field. Bolin was picking up the trade rather well. Mako was too, though he had a handicap since Bolin could eventually learn metal bending and join a special squad. At the moment, Lin was finishing some paperwork. It was a slow Saturday evening and everyone was getting ready to head home. "Good work you two." She said as she walked over to her office. Bolin gave a salute and nudged his brother, just glad to have Mako around again.

"Hey, I hear Korra and Asami are at Crest Bakery, we should meet up and make sure there isn't some fight about to break out." He laughed. Though he was concerned about the two women, he was sure they could find a way to bury the hatchet. Both Korra and Asami were proud women but also kind.

In the morning, Asami had been paid a visit by Korra who suggested they have a real face-to-face talk. Asami agreed and the two decided to meet at a nice bakery in the afternoon. Asami wasn't sure how things would go, but she was interested in talking to Korra about the issues she had. Asami was learning to be more warm with Mako but she still had her reservations and at the root of them, was Korra and her relationship with Mako. So Asami got dressed and headed into the city and found a parking spot close to the bakery. She sat outside and enjoyed a cup of coffee and a scone. When Korra showed up, Asami offered to treat Korra, mostly since Asami was sure Korra didn't have much money on her. And it could serve a purpose of a peace offering, though in Asami's mind, the one offering something should be Korra. "Let me start off by saying that I thought we were friends."

"I never had many growing up, most people wanted to use my connections so finding sincere friends became a near impossible task. I wanted to help Mako and his team and I was honored to be able to help you as well." She told Korra. "I never thought I should be concerned about you and Mako, you were friends and I wanted to respect that...I didn't know he had feelings for you. And when everything spun out of control, he stayed by your side but...he became someone very unattractive...he became angry and spiteful and I didn't know who he was anymore, because he was so focused on protecting you. I tried to tell myself it was just platonic but...you two kissed and hid it from me. I had to take that into account." She glanced down at her empty cup.

Asami felt anxiety bubble in her chest, "I don't blame you for his actions toward me, him pushing me away...but I do have to blame you for kissing him and hurting me and Bolin in the process, you two ignored the consequences just because of the revolution and it's time to deal with it. I'd like for us to move on, if that means you and Mako pursuing a relationship..." She trailed off. "I just want everyone to go back to getting along, for a while, we were all good friends." Asami smiled slightly and looked back to Korra. Meanwhile, Bolin was heading out of the government building, an arm swung around Mako's shoulders. The sun had just begun to set and he was ready to eat and find the ladies. Lin brushed past the two brothers and seemed like she was heading for the pier, using her metal bending to get her in that general direction more quickly.

[SoleAccord]

“You’re laughing, but that’s what I’ve been worrying about.” Mako replied, smiling with slight uneasiness. Like Bolin, Mako had also been in good spirits today; he was securing his place on the force in spite of no chance to ever learn metal bending, and things between him and Asami weren’t terribly tragic any more. The problem was that the situation between Korra and Asami was partly his fault, and so he felt like this kind of talk shouldn’t have taken place without him being there. There’d be a lot of love in burying this hatchet and knowing where they all stood, but his duty to Republic City had come first. The Chief was already pretty impressed with his work and Bolin was making quite the strides in taking this job. Mako was slowly starting to accept that soon enough Bolin might not need him anymore, and a big brother always wanted to feel needed.

Well, almost always.

Patting his brother’s shoulder, he nodded towards the doorway and was beginning to consider how poorly a conversation between both ladies could possibly go. From what Bolin told him, enthusiastically, Korra was in full swing with understanding her bending and had been in good spirits. Mako in turn informed Bolin that he was together with Asami on the road to repair, but damage control like this wasn’t going to be cured in a week. Stepping out of the department and embracing the warm glow of the sunset, Mako stretched out his arms and yawned before rubbing his head sleepily. Rest was in order, but only after he made sure Korra and Asami weren’t tearing each other’s heads off. Glancing at his brother, Mako was ready to proceed to the Bakery in question until Chief Bei Fong had taken off in quite the hurry, making off for what he suspected might’ve been the home of Tenzin. He didn’t say anything, didn’t ask questions, and only hoped that whatever illness was affecting the family there would pass soon. Having his own issue to worry about, he returned focus to Bolin.

“Korra’s proud, but so is Asami. I’m hoping for the best, but it only takes one wrong sentence to ruin everything. Trust me.” Mako wasn’t exactly smooth when Asami confronted him about Korra, and while he knew Asami could handle herself in woman to woman discussions …Korra was a little different. There was a lot more raw instinct and the filter was pretty much missing from the Avatar; she said what she wanted to, and nothing tended to change that whatsoever. Still, it wouldn’t do him any favors to start freaking out about it. Right about now they were likely having a nice meal and talking to each other like ladies.

“So …you and Korra?” The firebender wasn’t exactly sure where he was going with this, but crushes didn’t just evaporate, even after your heart was broken. Korra was spending some quality time with Bolin, and that might prompt Bolin himself into reawakening feelings he might’ve buried away a long time ago. His little brother had a lot of heart in him, and he’d want nothing more than to give it to a girl he really liked.

~

‘Okay Korra …no big deal, just going to go talk to Asami …after basically killing her happiness…I can do this’ All the confidence from the morning had seemed to evaporate a little as she was finally getting around to do this. Riding atop Naga, Korra had specifically requested she ‘take her time’ so she mentally prepares herself for the amount of feelings she was about to endure. Unfortunately Naga hadn’t gone as slow as she thought, and just outside of the Bakery they agreed to meet was Asami. Dismounting Naga before she had gotten too close to the scone Asami was eating, Korra pat her on the back and asked her to behave, and the big girl began to wander about. Joining beside Asami, Korra was surprised she was willing to treat her; the Avatar wasn’t exactly a paying job, but for her service she hoped maybe she could get something on the house here. It was a long shot, and there wasn’t a huge company filling her pockets, yet thankfully she didn’t need to make that call. Quick to grab a couple banana nut muffins inside for a very good price, Korra had returned to join beside her and as soon as she took her seat Asami had started them off.

She was honest and straightforward, making Korra shift in her seat slightly from it. She was never quite used to being called out like this, yet in spite of how badly Korra had messed up Asami was still keeping her composure. Quietly chewing on one of her muffins, the Avatar’s eyes averted to Naga sniffing passerby’s and some were brave enough to pat her on the head. Not even that amusing sight could free her from the reality of her situation. Once Asami had concluded, Korra looked over at her from the corner of her eye, thoughts going back to Mako and the first time they had kissed. A blush had come to Korra’s face and she had to look in the direction opposite of Asami to hide it.

“W-well …that’s a lot. About Mako and I, you shouldn’t have to worry about it anymore …I think.” Korra truthfully didn’t know of her stance with Mako now; ever since dealing with Amon she hadn’t been focused on her feelings for him and was instead more concerned about her bending. Well, the bending was back, and now she could worry about the next big threat to her; teenage romance. Korra glanced at Asami, blush still unfortunately active. “He’s a great guy. We didn’t hit it off right away but he came to respect me. About the time you and him started dating, Bolin and I spent a lot of time together and he was convinced I was trying to make him jealous of it. One thing led to another and …our lips just kind of …met.”

Asami didn’t likely wish to hear the details on how it made her feel, so Korra would glide over that part and instead took another bite from her muffin and chewed quietly for a few moments. It was odd to say, but to get all of this out in the open was starting to feel nice. Asami had plenty of reason to dislike her right about now, but she could honestly say she was getting comfortable getting this out in the open.

“It was amazing, Asami. I can’t really get around how it felt and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit attracted to him. He wasn’t the aggressor with our kiss …I was.” With that Mako could at least be absolved of a fraction of the anger he would have gotten from Asami; Korra was the one who put herself on the relationship map and Mako’s confusion only intensified when they were together. And then there was Bolin …

“Bolin showed up and the rest is …well, you know the rest. We didn’t do anything else from there. I want us to all get along too but Mako is …well, do you still love him?”

~

Things had gone so wrong in such a short amount of time.

Pema and Meelo had fallen ill to something no one is capable of identifying properly, not even the best doctors in the city! Tenzin was slipping and if he wasn’t with his family, he was alone to gather his thoughts. As of now, sitting within one of the island’s meditation spots, particularly the one he used for helping teach his children the importance of it, Tenzin sat idle with his eyes firmly shut and his mind attempting to be still. Nothing could fight the worst case scenario biting at him; Would Pema and Meelo come through? As a faithful husband and a proud father he had to believe that it was true, but if no doctors could discover the cause of this sudden illness then there was only the pain of ‘waiting’. The youngest son of Avatar Aang was hurting within, unable to eat or sleep and currently unable to be in there for Pema and Meelo. He needed time to compose himself so they may not see the hurt in his eyes, as long as he could believe things would work out then it would comfort them.

Unable to resume his duties until this had passed, he had effectively taken a leave of absence as the council attempted to watch over the city but with new talk of a Republic City united by a single person rather than a group Tenzin couldn’t even pretend it mattered right now. The city, as much as he hated to say it, could burn for all he cared. All he desired was his family healthy and happy, and he’d do anything to see it be that way forever.

His face was worn, signs of lack of sleep evident by bags under his eyes and with how slow he tended to walk. Effectively he found himself growing weak alongside his wife and child, but the doctors assured him that it wasn’t contagious. In fact, Pema and Meelo’s case was the only one within the city, and they hadn’t gone anywhere but within it for the past several days. As strong as Tenzin believed himself to be, should anything happen to those two he didn’t believe it possible for him to bounce back. Even his mother, Katara, was on her way to try and assist. More and more though he began to let that horrible thought slither itself around his mind: Pema and Meelo aren’t going to make it.

Body tensing, Tenzin inhaled a deep breath and resumed his silence. His family needed him, and he needed to stop sitting in the mud, climb out, and join them hand in hand. Standing up, he brushed his robes off and wiped his face, slightly moist from idle tears. The air bender began to make his way back to them with a confident look about him.

[Genkai]

Bolin had plenty of faith in Korra and Asami, they would be able to patch things up. After all, before "the thing" happened, they had been getting along fine. Bolin was sure that Korra wouldn't be hurting Asami, it's not like Asami was the one at fault anyway. Yet on the other hand, he didn't see Asami as the type to attack Korra either. Sure, both ladies were stubborn and proud but the earth bender was confident that they'd keep things pretty civil. "You worry too much, bro!" Bolin laughed again. "They'll be fine, they'll gush about shoes and skirts and whatever else girls talk about." Boys? Erm, maybe that wasn't a good topic for them. As they continued to walk along through the streets which were almost looking as they once had a month ago, Mako mentioned Korra.

"Wha-what about us?" He tried playing innocent but he knew the shoe didn't fit him. Bolin knew what Mako was getting at. "I don't know, I think we're better as friends, I think that's what she needs now: a friend..." He shrugged a little. "I tried and I failed, it's no big deal. I can't hold a grudge for how Korra feels, well in this case...doesn't feel." He frowned a little. She and Bolin hadn't talked about it, Bolin wasn't sure if bringing up the past would help Korra or not. He was hurt but he wasn't angry or spiteful. He was trying to move on while keeping his personal feelings in check. He didn't want to get hurt again, not when he hadn't finished recovering. "She's a great person, well I mean she does have her flaws, she can be a bit thoughtless and rash but...I still think pretty highly of her, I wish I could help it."

- - -

It would take Asami quite some time before she fully trusted Mako and Korra but the first step to rebuilding any relationship, was trust. Even just a little bit could go a long way. Asami took note of the blush still looming on the Avatar's face as she began to conquer the nasty topic of Mako and everything that had recently happened. She listened as Korra began to explain how Mako and Korra didn't have a great first encounter but soon warmed up to one another. Fire could be tricky. Korra took a bit of her muffin before continuing. She admitted the kiss had felt amazing which made Asami's eyes narrow. Not because of the kiss per say at the moment, but that Asami couldn't even remember the last time she and Mako had kissed. And she wondered just how amazing hers used to be.

The girl then continued to say that she was the one who instigated the kiss and that Bolin happened to find them and the rest tapered off. Korra then asked how she felt about Mako and Asami folded her hands across her chest, sitting back a bit. "I don't know how I feel about Mako or you for that matter." She said. "Mako and I are on...slightly better terms but as far as my feelings go, they're very conflicting and my heart says one thing while my mind says another." She said. "I just I knew why you did what you did. You knew I was with Mako. And you know Bolin had feelings for you. I mean, Mako knew how Bolin felt and it just doesn't make any sense to me...why you two would be so selfish and hurtful to those closest to you." She glanced off and pressed her lips together.

Asami had already decided she wouldn't get a straight answer from Korra or Mako, neither of them could really make logical sense as to why they kissed, aside from attraction. While the topic of Mako was making her even more anxious and upset, Asami knew the air hadn't really been cleared yet. And they wouldn't fix everything over one tiny meal either. "Look, what's done is done. You two kissed, I think we can all agree it was a mistake." At least she hoped Korra saw it as one. "But thanks to it, I have to wonder what was wrong with me, why I wasn't good enough for Mako after everything I'd done, I suddenly had to keep proving myself to him and to you. To be honest, how I feel about Mako isn't your business until we're friends, if we're friends...I think the best thing is to deal with us and forget about the guys."

- - -

Lin heard about Meelo and Pema's state of condition, as well as Tenzin's leave of absence from the council. While work was keeping the woman busy, she knew she needed to see the family and make sure they were alright. She had stopped by her own home to pick up some food she had made in the morning. Once she got what she needed, she was quick to make her way to the pier. The boat reported that it wasn't taking anyone over, due to the family's request. But she and Korra and a few select others were given the "okay" so Lin was quickly taken over to the island. She hadn't seen Tenzn since their last visit when he walked her home. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to help but she knew the gesture might do something. Once she arrived on the island, she quickly sought out Tenzin. She knew his usual haunts and found him getting up from one of the meditation plots.

He wiped his face and dusted off his robes and she caught up with him, no longer hanging back. As much as she wanted to make a joke about him being too emotional, she couldn't bring herself to do it. "I'm sorry I haven't come sooner." She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Lin meant it, she was sorry, even though she wasn't great with feelings, she knew she should have been a more supportive friend. "I brought some things." She held up the package which contained a nice hearty stew her mother used to make, as well as some books for the kids who could probably use a distraction, as well as a small blueberry cake. "If you want to get some rest, I can look after them." Them being the kids or the two who were ill. She really wasn't sure what to say. Most would say that everything would be alright but she wasn't one for false hope or empty words. She didn't know the future so she couldn't lie and predict it.

[SoleAccord]

“If you can’t help but feel that way, then there’s definitely something still there Bolin. It’s just a matter of confronting it together.” Mako was the last person to give his brother advice for dealing with his feelings for the Avatar, but that level of confusion was something the both of them shared. He loved Asami deeply but had yet to really understand what drew him to Korra. The qualities she had were easy to name, as were the flaws, but what necessarily drove him to leave Asami so harshly? The easy answer would have merely been ‘hormones’ which would lead any male to try to get with as many women as possible, and that wasn’t the answer he was looking for. Hoping it wasn’t down to DNA coupled with instinct and instead wishing for it to be a lot less complicated and perverse in sound, he’d need to do what Korra and Asami were doing right now. An outlet for the talk was right beside him, but Mako himself knew he was the root cause of the misfortune Bolin and Asami had dealt with.

“I don’t know what went wrong for me. First Korra kisses me, and I started doubting my feelings for Asami the minute I saw how happy you two were. I’ve never been the jealous type, so nothing really adds up.” Maybe, just maybe, he relished in the thought of the Avatar wanting to know him and be close with him. No, perhaps instead it was just the fact it was a girl itself, and not just any girl, but the Avatar. He didn’t eat up the fame as well as Bolin, but something just triggered in him when he saw those two so happy, and he didn’t like the feelings that emerged from it. They were going to be together a lot more when it came to working for the police force, and as brothers they should perfectly understand what’s going on in their heads. That little pep-talk during the pro-bending competition simply wasn’t good enough for him anymore, and it never should have been good enough for Bolin.

“You though,” Mako glanced to Bolin again, before once again diverting his vision to the streets ahead. They were all but clear and those fortunate enough to still have transportation were speeding by. This pocket of the city was the very least wounded as a result of Amon’s war. “You’ve always been a magnet for girls. I never thought Korra in particular would have wound you up like that …I guess you wanted to get pretty serious, huh?”

-

Asami was starting to push into what Korra called her ‘tolerance’, and it was no secret that she could be impatient when it came to sitting still and listening to something for long periods of time. She had failed as a friend, she knew that much, but the situation with Bolin was …delicate. Bolin was a great guy and she did wrong him, but there was just that nagging in the back of her head that urged her to clear the air with it once and for all. Patience was a virtue she still had to grasp and tightly. So taking a silent deep breath, the Avatar used her ears rather than her mouth and took in the rest of what Asami had to speak on. To better keep silent she had eaten larger portions of the muffin she had eaten to better show self-control. Asami had a right to speak about her feelings, especially after what had happened to the relationship she’d describe as ‘perfect’. Hot young pro-bender meets gorgeous daughter who would inherit a powerful company, where did the Avatar from a modest little pole down south come in on that perfect picture?

Then it was starting to come down to Asami looking back at her own faults, and even though Korra had some jealousy to her she wasn’t sure she could think of a legitimate one to use against Asami without spite behind it. Rich, beautiful, sweet, and that’s ignoring her usefulness in a dangerous situation. Unfortunately Korra wasn’t comfortable enough to really talk about how Mako really made her feel deep down, because like Asami she was confused as to what ‘went wrong’ with all of this. Maybe forgetting the guys wasn’t a bad idea after all, but Asami hadn’t exactly hurt either of them, she did.

“Well… I’ve messed up, we know that. Getting my bending back changed things, helped me stop myself from making a pretty big decision. You don’t know what I was willing to do to stop feeling so hopeless and worthless Asami, and I hope I never have to go through something like that again.” It might have made more sense to her now that until she cleared everything with the boys, she couldn’t just ‘forget’ about them after all. That still left Asami’s relationship too, and she was the only ‘girlfriend’ Korra ever had.

Well, unless Naga counted, but this wasn’t really the time or place to get into specifics.

“I did hurt Bolin, I did make Mako confused, and I did destroy your otherwise happy, perfect relationship. I’m sorry, and I’m going to make sure I fix things for everyone, and I can’t rest until I do.” Without even being aware she had finished her muffin right on time, and had resisted the urge to try and put the Bolin situation to rest. Maybe with a level head she could try to clear it now, at least a little. “And in all fairness I had no idea Bolin was that ...well …I just wasn’t thinking about him like a boyfriend. As far as I was concerned, the term ‘date’ meant ‘hang out’ at that point. I’m new to the whole relationship thing. So, I don’t know, maybe try to ease up on that subject a little bit?”

Korra frowned and stared at the ground beneath her. Acknowledgment of hurting Bolin was one thing, and they had a great time together, but it was hard enough looking back to the moment she broke his heart without being reminded of how great he was to her.

“I’m not the first girl he’s ever looked at anyway, at least I shouldn’t be. So I messed up, but how was I meant to know how far he’d go on a single night together? And then Mako confronted me …” Holding her head in her hands, Korra began to groan as all her thoughts began to overlap. It was her fault, but not all her fault, but sort of all her fault. There was no ground she could stand on and she knew full well she had her part in this.

She was starting to wish Amon showed back up to distract all of them again.

~

The presence of Lin had been pleasant in such a harsh time, but Tenzin regret to feel that it didn’t change anything for him. The same concerns were present, all that her presence here meant was that she cared and wanted to aid him however she could and it was certainly enough for him. He only wished he was more presentable than he was now, clearly exhausted with small bags under his eyes didn’t quite sell just how exhausted he was across all fronts. His emotions were up and down, sleep was an afterthought these days, and the girls were in distress as well. Rohan was also difficult to keep an eye on, and Pema had grown so weak she could no longer safely hold him for extended periods of time. In response to her hand on his shoulder, Tenzin placed his own on her hand in a gesture of thanks. Lin’s presence was not unwanted and because of their close history he felt he could open up to her unlike any other person, exception being his own mother.

“Thank you, Lin. I'm glad you could find time to come.” Expressing gratitude for her thoughtfulness, the airbender would examine her care package and find that all items could certainly be useful. Jinora was the reader, and could do with a good distraction. Ikki enjoyed her share of food and would love a good meal and a dessert to go with it. The first response was to refuse any help, but the reality of his own weakening state of mind and body was overwhelming that possibility. He DID need Lin, having already refused the aid of the air acolytes and promising to call on them should he need anything. This was his family, and it was his responsibility to take care of them. Leading her inside, what was once usually bright and lively was now dim and silent. Ikki and Meelo were no longer running around playing together, Jinora wasn’t going over what she had read recently, and Pema and Rohan together weren’t …

A buildup of tears were felt, but did not leave the ducts within his eyes. Not in front of Lin, Tenzin promised himself that much. Now to distribute the meal Lin had brought, and it was perfect timing as well. No one had eaten since breakfast, and Tenzin hadn’t eaten at all despite encouraging his daughters to.

“I apologize if the welcome isn’t as lively as usual, but as you might have guessed their condition hasn’t improved. Still unable to identify what is causing them to feel so weak and drained, still …still powerless to do anything myself. Mother is coming, but I fear not even her skills will be enough to fight what’s afflicted Pema and Meelo.” Inhaling sharply, Tenzin had moved to get the children for a meal, but had discovered that Ikki had already entered the room and looked to Lin immediately. Being able to do little more than offer the Chief a wave of the hand, Tenzin’s youngest daughter hurried over to her father and hugged him tightly.

“Mommy wants to see you, she said it was important.”

“I’ll go right now, and you can help Lin get the table set up to eat. Where’s Rohan?”

“Jinora’s reading to him in her room.” Tenzin could smile at that thought. Jinora was adapting to the role of big sister well, and had begun to take over most of her mother’s duties when he wasn’t there. Making sure everyone was able to eat, drink, the simple things that he shared with his wife as parents. Hugging his youngest daughter tightly, Tenzin quietly nodded to Lin with a quiet assurance that he would return shortly, leaving Lin and Ikki alone.

Ikki’s usual bubbly personality had dimmed as a result of the sickness afflicting Meelo and Pema. She did not share her father’s immediate ability to hide emotions, and was quite clearly unhappy with the way her life was changing. Mouth dry and eyes half-shut, she had made the approach into the kitchen and with a little help from a generating air ball, reached up high to retrieve the bowls they’d use for the soup.

“How’s your life going?” The tone was surprisingly bitter, as opposed to the slight cheer of hugging her father. It seemed that Lin’s presence was not exactly the jump for joy by all parties in the home.

[Genkai]

Bolin wasn't really pleased with his own emotions either. Korra had hurt him, she didn't mean to but that didn't make his heart ache any less. He knew things were difficult for Korra and he wanted to support her as best he could. His feelings were hard to ignore but he was trying to push them aside because they were what got him into trouble the last time. He didn't want to get hurt again and he needed to move on. That was logical, it made sense. It just wasn't what he wanted and it made things incredibly difficult for the earth bender who was trying to find the line between supportive friend and supportive possible boyfriend. But he didn't want keep letting his hopes get high and ultimately crash and break in front of his feet. "I dunno, bro." He shrugged as Mako said something must still be there.

His brother continued to talk about how he saw Korra with him and how weird it made him. The two brothers continued to walk. It was their usual mode of transportation before having met Korra and Asami so it wasn't a big deal for either fit pro bender. Bolin glanced around to see people rebuilding but with the sun slipping away, most people were taking a break and enjoying what peace they had. He glanced to Mako as he then mentioned how he was a big ladies man and how he attracted a lot of female fans and how Korra was a surprise. "What? Come on, you know how awesome she is, when I first met her, it felt like sparks were flying!" He smiled though it fell a little as he thought about her a little bit more. "I thought we got along really well and I thought I had a shot but you sort of changed that." He shrugged and glanced off. Thanks to the training at the police academy, Bolin was learning to advocate more for himself.

It was a challenge but he couldn't be a wimp and chase down bad guys. While Mako was his brother and he loved him, Bolin couldn't deny he had some anger pent up against Mako, as well as Korra. "I know it's not your fault you two got so close but," He sighed and looked back to Mako. "It was just really low to hear you say you weren't interested one day and then the next you change your mind and kiss her!" His tone wasn't angry or spiteful, it was passionate and clear headed. "It wasn't cool at all. You knew how I felt and regardless of how she didn't like me back, you still shouldn't have kissed her. If you told me you liked her, I would have tried to stay away but instead you did the opposite of what a friend, a brother would do, you got close to her and hurt me and Asami." Bolin said. "You were selfish Mako...you've taken care of me for so long that I don't blame you for wanting someone else, for being selfish but...it hurt. I love you, you're the only family I've got but...I'm going to try and take care of myself so you don't have to worry so much and so maybe you can enjoy dating or whatever."

He really wasn't sure if what he said made much sense but Bolin wanted to try and make sense of why Mako acted so horribly. Was it possibly because Mako needed something new? It still didn't make what he did right. But Bolin didn't want to keep talking about the past since it couldn't be changed. "I don't really know if Korra and I can ever be together, if it's gonna make you weird then I don't want to risk it. I care about both of you but not so much that I'd want to push one of you away." He said. He looked up and saw the bakery coming into view. He knew Mako felt bad for what he did but he just needed to get things off his chest. It was time both of them grew up and took responsibility, not just for themselves but for their city and future.

- - -

Perhaps if Korra had spent less time fooling around, she may have noticed how Bolin looked at her and how Mako really didn't. All Asami could really do was listen to the Avatar own up to her mistakes. It was better than denying them and pushing them under a rug. Bolin was a great guy. Having living in the city, Asami knew how rare and precious that was. She didn't have much pity for Korra who managed to grab the attention of not one good guy, but two. Even so, Asami knew how hard things were for Korra when she had lost her bending. Asami didn't think she'd be able to handle bending, let alone having it taken from her. The most she could relate to was having her mother killed and now her father locked up for turning down a horrible path.

It was apparent that Korra had very little experience with guys.

To her knowledge though, from what she had been told, Bolin bought Korra cute gifts and complimented her on a daily basis, how could the boy be anymore obvious? "I guess to me, his intentions were obvious, Bolin I mean. You wrote him off as a friend right away? It doesn't really matter now though. Bolin has been around many girls. You'd expect Mako to have flocks of women but he usually pushes them away and it's Bolin who has the fanbase. I mean he's funny and handsome and sweet, girls around here are probably jealous of you for more than one reason." Asami noted. "But considering your lack of knowledge, you can't be blamed too much for not seeing the signs, sadly Bolin who is usually upfront with women became sort of a puddle of jelly around you...I'd still advise you learn a little more about boys and girls before you try doing any real dating."

It was weird to think someone as good looking as Korra really had no idea how to really flirt or date. Then again, Korra was rather masculine in most situations, it wouldn't do her harm to tone things down a little so she was more approachable. "Maybe I should take you shopping sometime..." It was slightly random, considering the topic at hand but she really didn't want to talk about poor Bolin or Mako anymore. "While blue looks nice on you, I'm sure your skin would look great in something olive or cream colored." She smiled a little. She looked up to see Mako and Bolin walking across the street. She figured it would be time to go or maybe they could all go over to her house for some dinner. "Hey guys." She stood up and looked to Korra.

"See Mako, I said they'd be okay! He thought you two would be pulling each other's hair out or something!"

Asami rolled her eyes and smirked. "Oh you just missed our cat fight..." She folded her arms. "We were rolling around and everything."[/b] She said sarcastically. "How about you two come back to my place for dinner?" She asked, changing the subject. Bolin grinned at the mention of food and looked to Korra. He'd love to go but only if she wanted to, it would be bad form to leave her all alone, after all. Asami was a little weary of Korra and Mako together but she had Bolin at least, in case things got out of hand. They had all been friends once, hopefully it wasn't impossible to try again.

- - -

He looked awful.

As she expected he would.

It still didn't make her feel any better. His anxiety and stress were easy to pick on. She was close enough to him to empathize without much strain on herself. She could feel his weakened mind and body and she really did wish she had come sooner. "Of course." She nodded when he placed his hand over hers and said how he was glad she came. Lin followed him inside and observed what everyone was doing. She could relate to them, having lost her mother herself. Lin was in a dark place after that incident but it was Tenzin who helped pull her out of it and she hoped the kids would also come out without too much damage. Tenzin spoke to her as the two of them went to unpacking the items and such. Lin glanced to Tenzin a small smile taking form.

"You don't need to explain anything to me." She pointed out to him, a little insulted that he felt the need to apologize about appearances and such. Soon though, Tenzin was summoned by his ailing wife which left Lin alone with the kids. It wasn't a comfortable situation under normal circumstances but she was here to make life easier for Tenzin and the kids, even if it meant making life difficult for herself. Lin finished getting the bowls ready and looked down to Ikki when she spoke up. Lin was silent for a moment because she hadn't expected such a sour, near sarcastic question to be asked. Tenzin's children were always polite, well almost always. It was annoying but at the moment, she'd rather be bombarded with drool and sticky fingers than deal with them in their darkest hour. It brought up memories of losing people they loved, Aang and Toph and Sokka and everyone else.

"I'd be careful, you're starting to sound like me." Lin said as she moved from the kitchen, into the dining room. She set the bowls down and helped set the table. Giving them some normalcy would help, rather than not. "I'm not doing that well actually, my best friend's family isn't doing well..." She said as she moved back into the kitchen with Ikki. Lin could tell the young child was struggling to accept everything as it was. And it was hard. An unknown disease that seemed to be draining the life out of two of her family, made no sense at all. When things are usually preventable, this wasn't. The only upside was that it didn't seem contagious which made the police woman rather intrigued. Other cases were slowly popping up but there was no connection. If it was just Tenzin's family, it would seem more deliberate. "Why don't you rally the others and I'll go make sure your parents get something to eat? I'll be right back."

She grabbed three bowls carefully, and went off to see them. After going down a long hallway, she found the master bedroom and pushed her way in gently. "You need to eat something and as you know, I don't like taking no for an answer." She said as she set the bowls down on the bedside table. She saw Meelo laying beside his mother, as it seemed logical to let them rest in the same room. Lin saw how sick they looked and if she didn't know any better, she would say Tenzin looked almost as awful. "Is there anything I can do?" She asked. She would discuss later with Tenzin, about the idea of him getting aid for sleep. If he got rest she may feel better about informing about three other cases of the same sickness infecting those in the city. For now, she had to follow leads herself without making a fuss and getting the family worked up.

[SoleAccord]

Every ounce of criticism to his handling of the situation with Korra was irrefutable, and while it aggravated Mako that he couldn’t erase his past mistake he found himself growing proud that Bolin was saying how he really felt and not holding back. His brother had always been the softer of the two of them, and it was growing increasingly obvious that that wasn’t going to happen any longer. The earth bender was becoming his own man, and was standing on his own now. The only thing Bolin had to understand was that he was sorry he hurt him, and that he’d always be there. When listening to him speak of Korra it was pretty obvious that those feelings were not disappearing very fast. At least Mako could be thankful that it was coming now rather than later, especially in front of the girls. With Asami on the mind and their future together still in question, he had his own issues to attend to without being so concerned over Bolin. Habits like that would be the hardest to kick.

“I hear you bro, but I can’t say I’ll be enjoying dating any time soon. I messed up with Asami, not just you, and I’ve got to fix that.” Without a new threat to Republic City and to Korra, the only challenge among them all now was keeping together. Mako gave his little brother a glance, debating on encouraging his pursuit of Korra after everything they had gone through. His gaze was softer than usual, because while he had no right to tell Bolin what to do with his feelings he was also the last person who should be commenting on Korra’s worth was a girlfriend. They did kiss, did share that moment of nothing but lust together, but what of the emotional connection that was necessary? Bolin was a good man and wouldn’t hurt Korra like he himself did Asami, and as his older brother he’d always believe in the good that he kept in his heart. “I don’t think it would be that weird, I’m over it Bolin, and Korra should be too. Play the field and see what comes, maybe in time she’ll be the one coming to you, just don’t try too hard, because it may not work the way you want it too.”

Mako was speaking from experience; Asami’s heart was broken and forcing her to forgive was never going to work for him. By ‘playing the field’ he only meant to continue as usual and be yourself, allowing good things to come in time. Unlike Mako, Bolin didn’t break anyone’s trust and so earning Korra’s admiration could come so much easier once she took notice to how strong and dependable Bolin was prepared to become. Bringing his attention forward once again, the ladies they were meeting came into view. Crossing the street to come together, Bolin remarked on how well off the two appeared. Surprisingly, Korra and Asami looked reasonable in spite of the rift that would’ve come thanks to his stupidity. He smiled at Korra, and Korra returned it as well. Maybe ‘Team Avatar’ was going to come back sooner than he realized.

“Yeah, looks like it. You were right.” He commented on Bolin’s confidence in the ladies resolving their problems, as well as Asami’s sarcastic comment on the tossing and tumbling on the ground. The invitation to have dinner was a great idea, and Mako had no doubt in his mind that they’d both want to come along again. He presumed to know his little brother enough to know full well that he wouldn’t say no, and Korra should be happy to come too. The moment he took a longer look at Korra though, Mako felt his presumptions of his friend may have been wrong, as her expression noticeably took a turn for the worst. “Korra?”

~-~

The day had finally come, the day her father had dreaded her entire life; Korra had begun to notice the men in her life and, not surprisingly, had trouble understanding them. Asami would likely prove to be the most significant ally she had when it came to the dating front, because there was no way you grew up a beautiful and powerful woman without having some eager hot guys with well-off families approach you. The only responsibility Korra had in her life growing up was mastering the elements and understanding what it meant to be the Avatar, and so she was late in the ‘game’ of love, obvious enough when failing to really accept Bolin or leaping onto Mako for that kiss.

“It’s just that Bolin could’ve had any girl he wanted and Mako …he had that …that fire to him. No pun intended. He didn’t just want any woman, and that was special, Bolin wasn’t really shy about women until …me.” They didn’t get off to a great start, and in spite of her attraction to him they had remained just friends until the jealousy with Bolin kicked off. What kind of an older brother got upset when his little brother spent time with a girl? And what kind of a girl kissed an older brother when the younger one apparently had some feelings for her? She was still young and had time to learn from these mistakes, and one day she could hopefully laugh at the circumstances surrounding the ‘falling out’ among her best friends. The conversation was progressing slowly, and Korra looked rather solemn about everything. It was then that the subject took an interesting turn, one that the Avatar wasn’t prepared for; shopping.

Her head shot towards Asami, nervous discomfort plain on her face. Holding her hands up and shaking her head, Korra wasn’t sure she was willing to entertain the idea of being dolled up in a fancy dress. “Wh-whoa, whoa, wait a second. You think I could pull off anything you can wear for fun? And I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I don’t exactly have the ‘body’ to pull any dress off …do I?” It had finally happened: she was beginning to crack under the pressure of ‘looking good’ for boys. What would go good with her skin? Wasn’t what she wore enough? Busy visualizing herself in a dress and attending some fancy party, Asami’s greeting to Mako and Bolin had brought her back to reality. Coming to a stand and brushing herself off in case any crumbs had sat idle, her gaze went to Bolin and Mako together, both of which looked well. According to Bolin there was some fear in Mako that Asami and herself couldn’t have an adult conversation, which prompted Korra to cross her arms and laugh with Asami’s sarcastic retelling of their epic cat fight. Past that, dinner invitations had come around, and from that point on Korra’s expression fell. Dinner sounded fun, being together with them was some much needed catharsis, yet there was someone she couldn’t forget.

“I may need to pass on that, guys. I should be there for Tenzin.” Korra didn’t believe that the situation with Tenzin and his family was one big secret; Bolin was more than aware and Asami and Mako were likely to have been informed as well.

“Any sign of improvement since that examination?” Mako asked.

Korra had shaken her head, confirming that there had been no amount of progress to Pema and Meelo’s condition. Mako had looked from Asami and to his brother, as if asking them for their piece on the subject itself. Korra took it upon herself to whistle for Naga, who had immediately halted her idle staring at a food stand just across the street and hustled to Korra’s side. Just as she was about to mount her, Mako had halted her.

“Korra, you’re no healer ...you should let people qualified handle that situation, right?”

“It’s not about healing, it’s just about being there to support him. I’m the Avatar, and Tenzin’s family is practically my family too. Besides, he seems to think I can do something, maybe I can try contacting Aang and he’ll have a solution.”

“If Aang could help, wouldn’t he have come to you already?” Korra had glared at Mako, prompting him to shut his mouth and double back. His argument wasn’t to make Korra feel bad, it was only to try and remove her from such a rough environment, if only for a little while. He was going about it poorly, he knew this, but the point he was making wasn’t wrong either. “I’m sorry if I’m going too far—“

“You are, and while I can appreciate your attempt at making my helplessness be a good thing, I can’t just go out and have fun knowing that they’re getting worse. Bolin can stay, but I have to be there.” Korra had climbed atop Naga without interruption this time, looking to Bolin and wanting to know if he’d like to spend time with Asami and his brother. She was growing red in the face and it was beginning to show clear as day. Even if Mako made some sense, it didn’t make it easier on her. “Look, it’s fine, maybe I’ll come by later if I have time, you guys have fun.”

“Korra—“

“What!?” she snapped, irritated.

Mako was at a loss for words, and his standing with Korra seemed to be dwindling by the second. The situation with Tenzin and his family was a stressful one, and though Korra wanted to be there as support, she had been there all week. It was morbid, and perhaps it was insensitive to even think of, but Mako believed a little time away would be good for herself. It wasn’t that she’d forget what was going on, it’s that she wouldn’t grow depressed and can still live her own life. Her duty to the city and as the Avatar was without question, but this appeared to be becoming so personal to her that he was now looking to Bolin for some insight. If Bolin agreed with this course, then he’d remain silent, but if he disagreed and wanted Korra to spend a little time elsewhere then it’d be appreciated all the same.

~-~

Ikki might have laughed at Lin’s comparison between them were the situation much less dire for her family; immature as she might be compared to Jinora, the girl was still able to understand how bad things were getting. Korra couldn’t do anything, the healers couldn’t do anything, and Ikki was beginning to fear that her grandmother Katara was going to be powerless too. How could no one figure out what it was that was making her brother and mother so sick? Lin being here didn’t hurt matters but Ikki had grown resentful of her in spite of this, if only because the fear of Tenzin replacing her mother with Lin was a very real concern. Her attitude lessened when she referred to her daddy as ‘best friend’, and for the sake of her heart she hoped that was all it would become. Without a fuss, Ikki would go to inform Jinora, who was taking care of their baby brother, about food being prepared.

Tenzin looked at Meelo resting peacefully beside Pema, and the two of them had shared a kiss and brought their foreheads together. At the sound of approaching footsteps he had parted, looking to Lin helpfully bringing bowls up with what she had prepared. With a silent nod of thanks, Tenzin would gently nudge Meelo awake and hoped the smell of food would invigorate him enough to sit up on his own. He had awoken with a few moans uttered from his throat, and with help from Tenzin he had managed to sit up Pema and Meelo both and scoot the bedside table closer. They were weak, but luckily they could still manage to eat all the same and keep it down without struggle. Lin’s question of what more she could do was quietly dismissed by Tenzin; there was something she could do, but this wasn’t the time for it. All that mattered now was that his wife and son could enjoy a meal.

“Not at this time Lin, but I thank you for this. I’ve asked the acolytes to steer clear for now and give my family some space.” His curiosity was getting the better of him now, and though he’d want nothing more than for Pema and Meelo to continue without worry, perhaps it’d be better if they heard this from Lin herself, should she indeed know the answer. “Actually, you could help me by answering a question. I was wondering if there has been another case of this unknown illness emerging anywhere else in Republic City. At first I suspected an epidemic, but I’ve shown no signs of what they display, nor have Jinora, Ikki, and thankfully Rohan.” Pema had to be the most hygienic woman in the family followed closely beside Jinora. Meelo’s immune system was never in a huge struggle, the occasional cold was nothing to worry about. The entire family had been closely linked, but only two were afflicted. The question had kept him up at night: What had they done to deserve this, and why wasn’t he the one to bear this illness himself?

“Anything you’d be able to tell me would be much appreciated, I just want to be able to wrap my head around this.” For now, Pema and Meelo were all ears but remained silent and enjoyed the delicious meal Lin had brought them. Were it not for her, it would likely be himself preparing dinner, or forgetting to do so in his troubles and Jinora or Korra saving the day in that regard. Surely his old friend, his ex-girlfriend, would know how anxiety got the better of him.

[Genkai]

Bolin knew it might do him some good to go out and play the field a little. It was something the earth bender hadn't done in a long time, not since he crossed paths with Korra. Since then, all other girls faded in comparison to the energetic warrior. Bolin knew he and his brother could resolve things, and they were. Being in the academy together was doing some good, allowing both to train but also bond the way they once did when it was just themselves surviving on the streets. The brunette male was learning to stand up for himself and speak up when he needed to. if he wanted to make Republic City a safer place, the place he loved, then he knew he would need to take some of Mako's stubbornness and put it to use in his own way. Seeing Korra was great and Asami as well, considering he hadn't seen her since they parted ways a couple days ago. He hadn't yet asked too much about how the living arrangements were going but he got the sense that so far, Asami and Mako were slowly adjusting.

Seeing Korra bumble with her words in regards to shopping and playing dress up made Asami relax a little easier. Asami didn't see why Korra couldn't admire her own body, it was toned and had an exotic tone, Korra also had abilities to go along with her looks, she wasn't just some doll like some people Asami had been forced to associate with at dull parties. With the addition of the men, Asami let the conversational topic drop for the time being as the idea of began to circulate. Asami had hoped a dinner would help the four of them catch up but it seemed Korra was still pretty consumed with the events taking place with Tenzin and his family. Asami had heard rumors of course but she wasn't sure what to believe. It was a very emotional topic and she didn't want to get Korra upset after all the progress that had been made between the two females. "It's fine, we can do it another time..." She tried to interject as Mako supposed that someone with healing qualifications should get involved, not herself.

Bolin was beginning to feel the tone change as well. He moved over to Asami, out of the way as he could already sense tension sparking between the two. The earth bender scratched the back of his neck as Korra yelled at Mako, as he said if Aang could help, he likely would have already. Even though he was trying to be more vocal and speak up for himself, he was no fool and kept his mouth tightly shut as Korra snapped at Mako and things slowly began to wind down. Bolin took the cue and held up a hand, as if trying to physically brush away the stress circulating around the group. "H-hey hey...Korra, Mako is just trying to help get you away from a situation that we all know is troubling you. Mako, Korra might be feeling a tiny bit helpless at the moment and your intentions might have come up a little bit insensitive. Let's focus here. Guys, Asami is offering to make us a big amazing dinner and let us swim in her pool and have gallons of ice cream! I think we should go and have fun like the good old days."

"I wasn't really offering that specifically..." Asami tried to correct him, more amused than anything else.

The boy then leaned over to Mako and Asami since they hadn't been around Korra and Tenzin's family and didn't know the real gloom that hung over the island. "Listen, she's really under a lot of pressure. When I'm not training at the academy, Korra and I are cooking and cleaning for the family. I really think she could use a distraction but not if it's going to cause a fight. She should come on her own and not feel guilty about it." He said quietly, putting his hand over his mouth. Asami looked back over to Korra and figured it would be best if she and Mako made a trip to the island soon and bring some supplies. "You know," He then spoke up loudly now so Korra could hear him. "We did see Lin heading towards the harbor, I'm sure she went to visit Tenzin now that things are settling into a routine. I bet she's looking after everyone just fine!" The boy was probably laying it on a bit thick but he wanted Korra to worry less, or try to at least. Asami gave Bolin a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder, he was a great guy.

"Korra, if you'd like to go back and make sure things are alright, you're free to join us later on." Asami offered as she moved to where the Avatar stood and pulled her into a hug which surprised herself. "If you don't, I understand and so does Mako...regardless, I'll stop by tomorrow and see what I can do to help, it's the least I can do when they offered me safety in my own hour of need." Letting go, she walked back to where the brothers were and motioned for them to head towards her car. Bolin looked between Korra and the pair, not sure if he was free to go or not. Sure, Korra had said he could but he wasn't sure. Still, he knew he needed to step back and be his own man so he gave her a smile before he jogged off to catch up to Asami and Mako. Asami started the engine after Bolin got in the back seat and drove off toward her mansion. it would be nice t have a guest again. It wasn't that Mako was boring or anything but it still felt empty, lonely, with just the two of them and a handful of people who came and went, Once they arrived, the trio got out and headed inside, out of the darkness.

- - -

As the silver haired woman stood there, she felt useless, as if her bending had never been returned.

Lin looked off, not one for emotional situations. And this situation reeked of emotions, old and new, some that resurfaced and some that were being given new life. Lin was surprised by Tenzin's question, more that he'd ask it so openly in front of Pema and Meelo but she understood that time, perhaps, wasn't on their side and information was better than none. The woman knew her words needed to be selected carefully, she didn't want to give false hope, nor did she intend to paint things to be bleak and hopeless. The middle ground was delicate and nearly impossible to strike. "There are four other cases much like yours." She started to say and took a step closer to where Tenzin was with his family. "At first they weren't looked into because we had so many other matters to address but when the third came to our attention, we quietly collected a few medics who could collect data and pin point any connection, so far the links are weak due to the lack of information coming in." Lin wished she had more information for them, she truly did.

She could feel eyes on her. Usually it didn't bother her, she was in a position of power, authority, people looked to her for protection and for once she could not offer it. Lin was determined to get to the bottom of things before more people were targeted. "So far those afflicted are benders so it is possible that someone might be acting on Amon's behalf despite his apparent defeat...if you ask me, biological warfare seems rather clever for any of his mindless followers. If we have a serial killer, I would bring in more detectives to work on the case but as I said, information isn't plentiful. I'm sorry." She said solemnly. If she had any breaks, she would tell Tenzin of course. If his family wasn' the one being targeted, she may have brought him in to consult with possible ideas but she couldn't ask that of him now. No. In her mind, she hadn't had much of a success with her visit to Tenzin. She wasn't much help and she felt useless. She hated it.

"I better let you get some rest now, that includes you too Tenzin." Lin said. If she needed to stay and do some babysitting, she would stomach the pain to help her friend. If the acolytes weren't around, she could always spend the night making sure no one came near them, even though she had put out an order at Tenzin's request, to prevent people from visiting the island unless otherwise permitted. Lin turned and headed back out to the kitchen area. From the look of things Korra and Bolin were gone for the night. She knew Bolin could still be in the city with his brother but Lin wondered if she should bring the Avatar into the investigations. Things were still very early, even though people were suffering. Information in this situation couldn't be easily obtained like in other cases that plagued the city. This was different and she had a bad feeling about it all. The metal/earth bender stepped outside and saw the moon making its appearance, it was a small silver in the sky, but still beautiful and poignant like anything else. Lin rubbed her face and let her hand trail down to her shoulder to rub it tiredly, wishing she could have a drink.

[SoleAccord]

It was only due to Bolin’s quick intervening that Mako and Korra both had ceased their conversation, addressing both of them equally and doing his best not to take sides in this matter. It made Korra rethink her attitude; Mako was right, just as Bolin was, in trying to get her away from the issue with Tenzin. It wasn’t comfortable, but who she was meant more than how she felt. Not every duty as the Avatar and even a teenage girl was going to be comfortable, but whatever insecurity she might have felt in the presence of Tenzin was paling in comparison to how the elder airbender must have felt knowing there was so little he could actually do about his families health. Cooking and cleaning were tasks Bolin and herself had been sparing him from to stay close to the family, but if there was any way of helping save his family from whatever was causing them so much grief, she wanted to help be the one to find it. Mako himself agreed with Bolin on Korra’s feelings, understanding the situation she was in but believing that staying there and stressing about it wasn’t going to help anyone, least of all Tenzin. Korra and Mako exchanged glances at one another, both appearing very apologetic, and brought focus on Bolin’s enthusiastic recollection of the old days with Team Avatar.

“It does sound nice.” Korra mentioned, to help ensure everyone she was prepared to calm down and think this over, this time much less aggressively. Mako didn’t deserve to be lashed out at, it would only serve to put her back on restoring the bonds between her friends. Bolin was showing a level of maturity about this that Korra didn’t expect, taking charge of a situation he’d normally be the first one to back out in. Heck, Asami of all people might have been the first to intervene in the past. Through her very eyes Bolin was really growing up into something amazing, but she wasn’t sure how to define him differently. Looking stronger and more assertive, there was still that humorous Bolin deep down. That made Korra smile a little, until he had brought Asami and Mako into a huddle. Staring at them with curiosity and minor annoyance at how she was left out, Korra placed her hands on her hips and looked to Naga. Her oldest companion licked her chops and was beginning to get a little restless. “Don’t worry, you’ll get to eat soon.” She muttered, patting her on the head.

“I know, I know.” Mako whispered back to Bolin, not out of annoyance, but out of full understanding for what Korra might have been going through. His little brother would know more than he himself would about the full specifics of the situation back at home, and there was no reason not to take his word for it. It was quite obvious everyone here was in agreement about her coming along, but only if she was willing to. Pressure was the last thing she needed. With Bolin mentioning Lin’s departure, Mako wished he had mentioned that sooner. The Chief was a tough woman but he could have sworn he saw some signs of distraction throughout the day, evident by people needing to repeat themselves. If Lin was focused on something other than the job, then you knew something serious was going on.

“…” Korra had managed to forget Lin was a friend of the family too, but it still felt very long to just leave and have fun while this was happening. What if something bad happened and she could help? Lin was a strong woman and one of the greatest earth benders she had ever known, but there were some things she couldn’t do herself. Asami seemed to understand and had made an approach, surprising Korra with a hug. Returning it in appreciation, Korra nodded in agreement to those terms and without words had wished everyone a farewell. Giving a nod of the head to Mako, and then to Bolin, Korra had watched as her friends had gone off to have fun she didn’t believe she could afford at the time. Mounting Naga once again, Korra had begun to race towards Air Temple Island to do what she could.

The ride back to Asami’s was quiet and the time was spent in deep thought for Mako; things might have been easier to discuss if Korra was here but for now they would need to make due. Arriving and stepping out with the others, the topic of this sickness was heavy on his mind now and there was no use keeping his thoughts to himself.

“I can’t be the only one who finds it a little weird, right?” Mako began, hoping to get the attention of the pair as they entered Asami’s home. Having spent enough time in silence, it was better to brainstorm with them than just stand around in thought. They were here to back him up as much as he was going to back them up, and bouncing ideas across them could help Korra more than just wishing she was there. By the time she did come around, if she did come around that is, they might have something to talk to her about. “Republic City is in bad shape, and I know the Chief is doing her best to help keep the peace, but I’ve heard some things. What’s happening to Tenzin’s family isn’t isolated to just him, there are a couple others showing the same symptoms and I can’t help but think that maybe this might be Amon’s endgame.” Amon had failed to destroy Korra’s ability to bend and not only were most, if not all, of his followers put away but he had been shown to be a fraud the last time anyone had seen him. The make-up on his face to simulate that ‘scarring’ was just a lie, and he had made a hasty retreat. “Call me crazy, but what if he made some kind of disease or a virus to wipe out benders? Lin can’t do this by herself, I think we should find her tomorrow and ask her to let us in on everything. We've proven ourselves before, she can’t deny we’d be useful in the investigation.”

~-~

Lin’s explanation had brought a disgusting sense of happiness to him, something that he was growing incredibly ashamed of. To know that there were others who had to see their family suffer and bear the burden of being utterly useless, like him, made this easier. At the same time he found that pleasant sensation appalling and completely unlike him. Supposing it was just a cruel side effect of being a fearful parent and husband, Tenzin would have to ask Lin something she would be all too quick to refuse once her full analysis was given. As the details were given to one half of the family, the other half being Jinora Ikki and little Rohan had entered the room. Ikki had the bowls on the table earlier in hand and moved to sit beside her father while Jinora came to sit on the edge of the bed. There was no need of offering an explanation to anyone in the family, as now they were hear to understand the predicament in full detail. They were not alone in this troubling time. To allow Jinora time to eat herself, Tenzin had reached over and beckoned her to hand him his son. Jinora had done so, taking one of the bowls Ikki had brought up. Eating together, all but Tenzin that is, everyone’s eyes were on Lin as she continued.

Tenzin believed, fully, that this was the act of someone diabolical. A disease with no unknown origin that only happened to afflict benders, and so far in small amounts. Amon seemed likely, yet something was telling him that it couldn’t be so easily figured out. He didn’t appreciate the idea of ‘praising’ whomever did this by admitting its cleverness but would not hold it against Lin for doing so. In the back of his mind Tenzin was in agreement with that sentiment; this was a clever attack, and whomever launched it was watching carefully. The information provided by Lin had given him much more to go off of when he had time to think, but her departure from the room didn’t mean it was over for him. Eating and resting could wait, and his concern and stubbornness would not allow him to do either of those things until the time was right. Quietly telling Pema and his children that he’d return, Tenzin would step out with little Rohan in his grasp and would head to the kitchen area, and after that just outside to meet with her while attention was given to the skies above.

“Before you say anything, just know that I promise I’ll get some rest after I ask something of you. I have a feeling you won’t agree to it, but it would be foolish not to try.” Coming beside her, Tenzin’s tired eyes focused on Rohan who appeared sleepy yet content. Jinora had fed him prior to Lin’s arrival, and though his family was together he naturally feared the worst. Proving a kiss to the forehead of his newborn son, Tenzin’s eyes traveled back to Lin. “I would like to follow this matter closely, and that means being your partner in the investigation. I may lack the experience you do in law enforcement and investigations, but this has become very, very personal. My family isn’t safe until we find the truth of all this, and if it really is Amon’s doing …” his voice trailed off, a tired rage overwhelming his parental concerns. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for the sake of his families safety, and should this really be Amon’s doing he wouldn’t be allowed to escape a second time. They had to find what was responsible for this; Lin was good, very good, but Tenzin wouldn’t be left on the sidelines while someone else did what was going to be his job.

[Genkai]

Though Asami couldn't consider things between Korra and herself entirely healed, she could still understand the strain the girl was going through, which was why Asami was trying to be nice and accomodating as she used to be before all the drama had taken place. Having Bolin and Mako would be interesting. Bolin was always great company and he might be able to add a different dynamic to her and Mako, who were getting better but still had a ways to go before they'd be fully fine with the past. As they entered her home, Mako spoke up about what was going on in terms of the odd illness. The majority of people were unaware of what was happening but for those unfortunate enough to be suffering, Asami was certain they needed answers. "That's a good idea." Bolin spoke up before Asami got a chance. The earth bender turned around to her and covered his mouth, hoping he hadn't interrupted her or spoke out of turn. "I mean..." He knew he should ask how her company was going but all the topics they had seemed so depressing.

He hated it.

"I hope I can help in some way." Asami spoke up now. "Maybe I can work on manufacturing some kind of medical device." Of course the status of her company remained undetermined. She had been in contact with Xano and Xana and they said they could help invest money in her company and revitalize it, which was great but she was still concerned about them. They claimed they knew her father in the past and even gave their condolences when he was missing but she hadn't heard from them in about two or three days. For now she had to try trusting them, though the connection to her father still kept her on the fence. She loved him, as she remembered him as the man he was, not the one he had become. As the phone rang, one of the few servants left called Asami over into the study. She headed over and picked up the phone. "Hello, this is Asami Sato speaking..." On the other end was Xana, she told Asami she would be picked up tomorrow morning and they'd finally meet in person. "Alright." To be safe, she considered bring Mako but ultimately decided against it.

After more details were briefly discussed, she hung up, still not feeling entirely satisfied. Still, Asami would go and get more answers. She just didn't know that by this time tomorrow, she'd realize her bending skill and be reunited with her father. As she rejoined the boys, she saw them talking about the house and whatnot, even though Bolin had been a guest before. "Sorry about that, it was business." She just said lightly. "Anyway, I'd love to hear what you've been up to." She said to Bolin since she hadn't gotten a chance to catch up with the guy. The trio then moved into the kitchen so they could get comfortable and catch up. Asami made them all tea as Bolin talked about Korra and how much fun they were having with training and the air bending kids. He purposefully neglected to mention the touchy topic since he knew it could be a downer. As they talked, Asami tried to figure out what to make.

"How about fried rice? Mmm...oh! With chicken! And Mako can grill it." Bolin suggested as they had tossed around ideas as to what they wanted and didn't want. Asami mentioned that just because he was a fire bender, that he didn't have to cook the meat. "I know but he does it pretty good." When they were out on the street and had to scrounge up anything to make for a meal, Mako did a good job of making sure they were safe and fed, sometimes not well, but they managed and were closer thanks to the struggle. Looking back. Bolin knew he was immature and didn't see the big picture but he wanted to be a better man and step up. "I can try though, how hard can it be?" He joked a little as he drank some more of his tea. Even though he was busy with training, he still got to spend time with Korra but this get together was the first time he actually missed her presence. Training kept his mind at bay but he wondered if he should have gone back with her. He didn't want her to feel alone but he also respected her choice and knew that it didn't have to be his too.

Asami glanced to Mako and smiled, "Actually Mako and I had steaks last night and he showed me some tricks with grilling them. I think chicken fried rice would be fine." She said as she began to take out the chicken, rice and assorted vegetables.

- - -

Lin was getting ready to go when she sensed Tenzin coming out.

So she turned and watched him move over to where she stood, where the breeze could hit them. She was getting tired of lecturing him as she spent the majority of her day lecturing bad guys and rookie cops and trainees, still it seemed Tenzin at least knew she wanted him to rest. And he needed it. His request made sense but she didn't want him getting involved. He couldn't be another casualty. She refused to lose him. If keeping him safe meant pushing him away, she would do that. "You're personally invested in this matter." She pointed out. It was risky to have someone so personally involved in the case. She wanted to decline his request and take him down a few pegs if that was what needed to be done. She couldn't sleep well knowing that Tenzin was putting himself at risk when he was better served by his family's side, keeping them safe. Lin was tired. It had been a long day and she knew Tenzin was in even worse shape than her. "I can't rely on someone who may end up jeopardizing the case and any possible leads because they have a vendetta and take risks without thinking about the big picture."

While Lin wasn't trying to question Tenzin's judgement or frame of mind, she didn't want him acting without rational thought. "If you and I do this, it needs to be off the records. I need to trust that you won't put your family in front of this case if we uncover something, I can't risk it." What she almost said was that she couldn't risk him. She couldn't risk him getting into a fight without her doing things properly, even off the books. Whatever and whoever they found, had to be brought to justice properly. In all her time that she knew the man beside her, she never knew him to be rash or hot-headed but she needed to be cautious. But most importantly, she didn't want anything to happen to him. Not just for the family's sake but also her own. "You understand my reluctance in getting you involved?" She asked him and turned so she was facing him directly. Lin was prepared to risk her life and her job but Tenzin was a husband and father. They would be out at night, doing things on their own, it could cost him more than his council seat.

"If you do, then I'd happy to have you by my side, patrolling the city like old times."

[SoleAccord]

The agreement of Asami and Bolin both meant the world to him, and Mako was certain that if Korra was here she’d be behind him as well. Whether they would be recognized for it or not, the three of them helped Korra save the city and could help do so again. Asami’s suggestion was wise and considerate; Future Industries needed a positive image and product to help make a strong return to the people, Asami and her proposal could not only help her save her company, but also Republic City. There were some issues that would be in the way of that, yet the fire bender was confident in his ex-girlfriends abilities and he believed she’d find a way. With a phone being heard in the distance and Asami being called to answer, Mako had joined Bolin in observing the house they’d been in all this time. Having expected the conversation to be about Korra, Mako was surprised that Bolin had not turned to that subject again. In time Asami had returned to them and not being surprised that business was the center of her conversation, the trio had moved to the kitchen after Asami had inquired what Bolin had been up to.

An explanation of life with Korra and Tenzin’s family was given with all signs pointing to good times until that sickness had fell in. With dinner becoming the next topic, Bolin had suggested that he grill chicken to go with fried rice, leading Mako to actually consider it. He knew showing off wouldn’t get him anything at this point, but it would take his mind off of other real problems and have some fun with a simple task. Asami met his face, and Mako’s had met hers. Recalling last night’s dinner event and retrieving the necessary ingredients, Mako moved to join her, remembering the smile on her face after that first bite. “Yeah, it sounds nice, let’s do it.” Mako looked over his shoulder to Bolin. “You should’ve seen her face too, it was almost like she never had a steak so good in her life. I thought she was blushing once the taste first hit her.”

Flavor hitting idle taste buds was an incredible experience and Bolin of all people would know what it was like. His humble bragging only served to keep the mood light and relaxed during a time of fear and overwhelming concern. Tonight Asami won’t need to worry about the future of her company and Bolin could also think about something other than Korra. This wouldn’t last forever, so he’d need to make it all count. The ingredients gathered, Mako moved to retrieve a skillet from a nearby cabinet. Getting the stove heated, Mako had decided that perhaps this was Bolin’s time to shine. Having cooked for most of his life to keep his brother fed, it couldn’t hurt to see Bolin try his hand in the kitchen with a little help from Asami. “Let’s see what you’ve got then, Bolin.” Mako gestured to his own position beside Asami. As much as he’d like to remain close by her like that, Bolin’s role as the passive little brother was diminishing. They were both working their way into law enforcement. In spite of him being the youngest of the group, there was no denying that eagerness to grow up, and it was something Mako wasn’t going to deny him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you don’t burn anything.”

~-~

Lin was right to be concerned for him. Tenzin was growing concerned for his own mental health recently, but his health would always be the last thing on his mind when it came to the safety and security of his family. The air bender did not deny that his emotions were at a critical point. Lin’s fear of him jeopardizing the case, however, caused his jaw to tighten. All of what she said was true and taking him on was a large risk, not only for her to be able to do her job, but for him to come out of this trial with his mind together. Peace and pacifism were but two traits of the air nomads, yet even his father, for all his happiness, was capable of being incredibly frightening once pushed. It was his turn to be the ill-tempered one and Lin more than knew that he was stubborn. With his heart set on something, failure was never the option. What would come next shocked Tenzin: Lin was willing to keep this off the records, and was putting her career at risk for his own personal satisfaction. His footing shifted slightly, his entire body turning to face her. This was a gesture from Lin Tenzin had not fully expected. Her job meant everything to her, and if the wrong people heard this conversation she could likely lose it.

Tenzin’s head nodded, eyes widened with surprise. Reluctance would be the first thing on his mind too, were the positions reversed. If he were the Chief, and she the emotionally distraught wife with a sick family, would he also take this risk for the sake of friendship?

“I fully understand the risks you’re taking, and I—“Tenzin’s sentence was abruptly interrupted by a loud sneeze, not that of a humans but moreso a beast. Looking past Lin, Tenzin’s eyes narrowed, already suspecting who it was. At the very edge of the home rested an eavesdropper. “…Korra, is that you? Come on out!”

There she was, the Avatar, reluctantly stepping out of her hiding place and scowling over her shoulder as Naga followed, fish in her mouth. Now she was caught in the headlights like a small creature, one of those headlights had to be the most frightening women she had ever come across, and the other from her mentor and friend. Crossing her arms, Korra stuck out her tongue at Naga, causing Naga herself to lower her head in a disappointed gesture.

“I thought I heard something beforehand …how much did you hear?” Tenzin asked, face stern with disappointment.

“Not much, not much …something about …you getting involved in something ‘off the books’....okay,everything.” Korra had to put it bluntly, Tenzin's gaze was far too fierce to try lying.

“Something you shouldn’t have been around to listen to.”

“Yeah, sorry, but I didn’t mean to.” Korra rubbed the back of her neck and hung her head, clearly apologetic. “I was just coming up and I heard talking so I got curious, I’m sorry—“

“I don’t want to hear it Korra, I expected something so childish out of Ikki or Meelo. As the Avatar, I thought you would have respected ones privacy.” Tenzin’s tone was that of a father and a teacher expressing disappointment in someone they put great hope in, and no one growing up liked a tone like this. He was exhausted and wanted to put his concerns for his family to rest, the last thing he needed was to scold the Avatar like she was a little girl. And speaking of the Avatar, she had arrived alone with Naga and it was getting late. Tenzin’s eyebrow raised inquisitively. “Where’s Bolin?”

“With Mako and Asami. I was going to go with them, but I thought you might ...you know …need me around.” Korra shrugged her shoulders and smiled weakly.

“That won’t be necessary. Lin here has helped me enough for tonight and I think I’ll be helping my family get to bed. Feel free to go back to Asami’s and perhaps see if you could stay the night.”

“Wait, stay the night? I know I shouldn’t have listened in, but you don’t need to send me off like this. I can help you.”

“It’s not me sending you away, I simply don’t need help tonight. This is an opportunity for you to get out of the house for a while, so go, enjoy yourself.”

Korra’s gaze sunk, not certain if Tenzin was really wanting her to ‘have fun’ while his family was in such bad shape, or if it was just a cover to get her away from here. Turning around, Korra patted Naga on the head and gave one last glance at Lin: They both knew what she was doing was risky, but if Korra had the right to say anything to Lin at that very moment, it’d be that she hoped she knew what she was doing. Korra wormed her way around ‘official’ business too against Amon, but Lin had a much greater role in law enforcement and had to consider what it would mean if someone were to find this out. So, guiding Naga away from the area after she had finished her trout, Korra had left the area and this time Tenzin had not taken further risk. Rohan still tucked in his arms and not distraught by his tone in dreamland, his gaze fell to Lin and he nodded his head. “I’ll deal with her later, I should get back to my family now. We can speak on this matter tomorrow after I’ve gotten some rest. Be safe, Lin.” Tenzin bowed his head to her. Were this any other time, in any other circumstance, a handshake or a more verbal means of saying goodnight would have been given. Tenzin returned inside, much on his mind, and would finish his meal in peace and make certain everyone had gotten prepared for bed. It was going to be one of the hardest nights of his life, and it wouldn’t stop for him there.

~-~

Korra’s fist was balled over Asami Sato’s door. With the ride back over here in silence and guilt, she should have been looking forward to being able to come back and spend time with everyone, but Tenzin’s attitude and disappointment was just so fresh in his mind. Taking a deep breath and putting on a smile, she’d hide her fears and try to salvage tonight as best she could. Asami may not appreciate the last minute request for her to stay the night, but it was clear Tenzin wanted a night away from her. She knocked on the door three times, making sure Naga was taken care of and allowed to roam in the ‘back yard’ of this estate.