Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OC. All rights belong to Nickelodeon and Bryke.
She couldn't bear to tell him, to see the pain sear into his amber eyes, but denying him the truth would be far worse. Mizuki loved Korra like a sister, but what Mako would feel was something else entirely. Years of meditation only enabled her to deal with her own grief more easily. The first days after her fiancé Kaimu's death, she was destructive. She spent days in the tundra near the Northern Water Tribe, bending. She lashed out at the world, screaming, crying as the ice broke around her, the snow swirling around her in a mini blizzard, water slicing through the air. They feared she would cause destruction in the city in her rage and so she was sent back to her family on Kyoshi Island. She maintained some semblance of control because she didn't want to risk hurting her family. Those nights she cried herself to sleep, scream in her nightmares as she watched him drown in the deep dark ocean. She threw things in the house in a fit, but no one called her out on it. She knew her family understood this was something they could not help her with. Only when Tenzin visited and she learned how to properly meditate for the first time did she finally had a less destructive outlet for her grief.
"She's back," he smiled. That tinge of hope in his voice almost broke her heart. Bolin and Asami were still unconscious from their last battle, but they would survive. Korra refused to let anyone else get hurt and set off Amon for the final showdown he promised. She and Tenzin left the island for the city when they saw that flash of light of the Avatar State. Tenzin immediately set off on his glider while she promised Mako they would return with Korra. She hopped into the boat and used her waterbending, using the waves to catch up to Tenzin. When they found her, they realized the Avatar State was set off after she was fatally injured.
Her serene façade was shattering as Tenzin carried her in his arms and placed her on the bed. Of course it would be Tenzin who would bring her in her last moments. He was like a father to her, which only reminded Mizuki that Korra's real father in the South Pole does not know that his and his wife's worst nightmares have come true. Tenzin kisses Korra's forehead and leaves to give Mako and Mizuki time to say goodbye.
He sees her now and he screams her name. Fear, anguish, anger, she hears it all in his voice. "You're going to be ok, I promise." Denial. She knows the extent of Korra's injuries as a healer, but can she ruin the last moments of peace he has with her? "I owe you a date, flowers, and all that romantic stuff. I owe you so you cannot leave me now. We were meant for each other, you were right, you were always right. You're still the Avatar and I'm still an idiot."
Mizuki sees his tears and she feels intrusive. When she lost her grandparents, people she loved with all her heart and soul, she had her parents and siblings and they would mourn together. They could share stories and memories, each day made the pain hurt a little less. Mako knew that pain when his parents died and had to raise his little brother on his own. There was no time to mourn and to remain in the past was to risk a chance for a future. "I'm here, Korra, wake up, wake up, wake up…" The seams in her heart are tearing and she is drowning in memories now. Part of her is envious of Mako, he is by Korra's side, trying to comfort her and he gets his chance to say good-bye. Yet at the same time, could she have lived with that pain, that memory? She was not there in Kaimu's last moments, his final act of bravery, but she didn't have to see him die before her eyes. When Korra passes on, the world will mourn for her, but their thoughts would soon pass on to finding the next Avatar in the Earth Kingdom. The most painful grief will be shared by them because all of them were family.
"I love you," he is begging for her to open her eyes now, to see that beautiful shade of blue one more time.
"I love you, too," they gasped at the soft whisper of her voice. She tried to sit up, but was hit with a wave of pain. Amon did not go down without a fight and even Katara herself could stop the internal bleeding. Korra's pulse was weakening by the second. "I don't have much time..." she coughed up some blood and Mizuki cleaned her up a bit. "You have to go to the Earth Kingdom and find..."
"No, stop it! Don't talk like... like you're dying! I can't lose you..." He bent down and held her hands, trying to remain strong for her sake, but the tears still flowed.
She wiped his tears away, "I've done my job and the balance in this world has been restored. I can die in peace knowing all of you will be safe now."
"We'll find the next Avatar, you don't have to worry about that," Mizuki promised.
"Make sure the White Lotus does't lock him up, believe me, that was not a fun way to grow up. He's going to have a lot of fun learning bending from you guys, especially with Tenzin's kids." She smiled at the mental image of that. "Make sure he learns healing, too." Mizuki nodded, her own eyes flooded with tears now.
She gazed at Mako. "Promise me you'll teach him firebending. Don't be too hard on him, not everyone can be as good as me," Korra smiled.
"I promise." He would feel the heartbreak of teaching her reincarnation someday, but he could not deny her this last request.
"Thank you." She closed her eyes, "Mako, I'm so tired."
"I'm here, I won't leave you, Korra."
"I'll always be with you," her breathing slowed down and then it stopped completely.
Republic City was saved, but they would rejoice in their victory for another day. The ones you love never truly leave you because friendship can transcend lifetimes. But what happens to the ones who are left behind in this life?
A/N: Just wanted to get some of my angst out there. I just decided to extend it a bit from my first draft. This part is probably not going to be part of my full story I will publish later on. Always happy to read your reviews! Thank you, MeLoDyAnGeL and Sweatered5Hatchets.