Zhu Li was eavesdropping.
She knew it was dangerous but she didn't care, she needed to know what had happened on the train. If Varrick had succeeded. If he had succeeded to destroy the weapon and was now on his way to Republic City or if he was here. If he hadn't succeeded and was now working on the weapon, somewhere around here.
She held her breath and Baatar approached his fiancée.
"Kuvira," the man with the glasses said and kissed the young woman.
"Baatar, my love," said Kuvira, without any emotion as always. "I suppose everything went well? Varrick brought the spirit vines here safely and is now working on the weapon?"
Zhu Li nodded and pressed her ear harder against the door. Of course he did. He was a genius.
"I'm afraid not, dear," Baatar answered though. "They exploded."
Zhu Li's jaw dropped. They exploded again!?
"They exploded?" Kuvira asked, finally showing some sort of emotion. "Well, but he's still able to make a new one in time. Right?"
"Well ..." Baatar hesitated. "He was in the very same carriage as the vines exploded."
Zhu Li's lips started trembling. No ...
"So he's -," Kuvira started.
"Yes. But don't worry, I can build -"
Zhu Li pulled away.
Her heart was racing, aching, breaking. Her breath was going fast, her hands were shaking. All of a sudden she couldn't control herself anymore, tear after tear fell out of her eyes, streamed down her cheeks. A strange noice escaped her lips, a mixture between a whimper and a howl.
Varrick.
Her beloved ... dead. Without knowing what Zhu Li had felt for him, he had simply left the world.
Zhu Li, leaning against the wall, slid down.
Varrick.
That stupid, stupid man had left her. Forever.
Zhu Li buried her face in her hands.
If she only hadn't left him ...
Now she was alone. Without any hope to ever see him again.

Later that night she tried to sleep.
She had cried for hours and now she simply couldn't cry anymore.
She stared at the ceiling.
"What would you do, love?" she whispered. And almost, as if he was next to her, she heard his voice.
"I would tell you to do the thing."
Zhu Li couldn't help but smile.
"You mean - manipulate the weapon that Baatar is building?"
Zhu Li rolled to the side and closed her eyes.
"Yes. Stupid, little Zhu Li."
When she imagined his voice, it was like he was really here.
It had been been like only yesterday, Zhu Li, almost falling off the train. Varrick, hoping her so she wouldn't fall. He had succeeded to pull her up again as she had called him weak.
Then she had been on top of him, astounded that he had saved her.
His hands had gently cupped her cheeks. Their eyes had been locked. Her breath had stopped, he had been so close to her. She had been about to kiss him, as he had ruined the moment. As so many times before.
If she only had. Then he had at least known. Now he never would.
Zhu Li sobbed.
"I love you, Varrick." Something he would never hear. Never know. Another tear had escaped her eye; it dropped onto her pillow. "Rest in peace."

Her joy had been unbearable as she found out he had faked his death.
It had been right after Bolin, Opal, Lin and Toph had rescued everyone. Zhu Li didn't talk about Varrick and no one talked about Varrick to her. She was thankful for that. She didn't know how she would react, she would probably start crying. Which wouldn't be too horrible either, they had all known about her feelings for him. Or at least about her loyalty.
But then Bolin said something, that took her breath.
"Let's head home, guys. Korra will be thrilled to see y'all. Ha, and let's not even start of Varrick!"
Zhu Li's face fell and she looked at the earth bender. "What?"
"That guy's been missing you madly. He even dreamt of you." Bolin was beaming at the young woman, who didn't quite get the sense of his words.
"Varrick ...?"
"Don't you remember him?" Bolin asked startled. "Former boss, quite a crazy guy, talks a lot -"
"More than you?" Toph chipped in and Opal giggled.
"Do the thing ... does it ring a bell?" Bolin seemed as if he hadn't heart Toph's light insult.
"Yeah of course," Zhu Li closed her eyes. "Ten years of loyalty and not a single thank you. At least not when someone was with us. Of course I remember him."
"Then -" Bolin started and Zhu Li looked at him.
"But he's dead."
"Dead -," started Bolin, his face falling too.
"He's not," Lin answered. "Killing that devil isn't easy. He faked his death and Bolin was with him."
"Oh! Ohhh!" Bolin seemed to remember. "Right! You were with Kuvira as it happened. Yep. We both faked our deaths." Bolin was proud that at least this plan had worked out.
"But - the spirit vines -," Zhu Li started.
"They exploded!" Bolin was excited all of a sudden. What an adventure. "But you know, I'm an earth bender, I bended a hole into the earth and wham! As the train exploded, we were safely under the earth."
"So - Varrick is alive?" Zhu Li could only whisper.
"Alive as one can be. All the way to Republic City he's been annoying me with you. Not that you're annoying, only his stories are. Zhu Li is stronger than you, Zhu Li makes better tea than you ..."
Zhu Li was touched. "Varrick ... missed me?"
"I'd say missing is not the right word," Opal said. "More like ... mhh ... craving."
Zhu Li leaned back. He had missed her ...
"Yes. That's good. He needs to tell you simething important too, so torture him until he tells you."
But Zhu Li couldn't listen to Bolin's words anymore. Tear after tear streamed down her calm face. Her outsides were cool but her insides were dancing. Screaming. Singing with joy.
He's alive, he's alive, he's alive.
Zhu Li was grinning broadly and the others watched her in awe.
She loved that man.
God knew why but she loved him. And he loved her too.

The young assistant was shaking as Bolin indirectly told her to come in.
"And look who came with us too."
The man's eyes widened as Zhu Li stepped into the room. Her head was hanging down and she was staring at her fingers.
"Zhu Li ..." Varrick's voice was filled with softness.
"Hello, Varrick," Zhu Li said quietly. "I came here to apologise. I shouldn't have said all those things about you. You mean the world to me and I feel horrible about the things I've said. I hope you can forgive me."
Varrick couldn't believe it. She was back, his Zhu Li was back. His hand was shaking as he reached out for her cheek. "Don't be so hard on yourself," he said gently and for a few wonderful seconds he thought of caressing her soft cheek. But no - the kid was here! Instead of doing what he really wanted to do, he slapped his hand on the brown haired girl's shoulder. "Apology accepted!" he shouted. "Now be a good assistant and help at the assembly line!"
Zhu Li's head shot up, her eyes filled with anger all of a sudden.
"No!" she yelled. "I am not your assistant anymore! If you want me around, you finally have to start treating me like an equal!" She poked her finger into his chest, hoping he would not only hear but also understand her words! With boiling blood she turned on her spot and escaped the room. He was such an asshole ...! How could she have thought that he had actually missed her, her as a person. Her assisting, her endlessly tea brewing and her huffs while scratching the callus off his feet, sure. Those he had missed without a doubt.
But herself, her voice, her character, her looks? Zhu Li snorted. She had been such a fool.

"There, kid. I told you she was coming back."
Bolin facepalmed again. "Varrick - Don't get me wrong but that was horrible."
"Horrible? What do you mean, she's back after all!"
"Yes. But." Bolin groaned. "She's angry at you. Has she ever lost her mind like this before?"
"Now that you say it... no. Never happened before."
"Then ... don't you think that you made something wrong? Just a tiny bit?"
"Do you think so?" Varrick pretended to think. And then he could hold back a smile. "She returned to me ..."
Bolin sighed. "Yes. She returned. Now go and apologise. You didn't treat her the way she deserves."

You didn't treat her the way she deserves.
This sentence was holding him awake. He turned and turned again but he wouldn't find any sleep. Also the fact that Zhu Li was here, very close to him too, made his mind and heart go crazy.
After he noticed that he wouldn't be able to find sleep until he heard her sweet voice again, he stood up. He slipped into his robe and tied the belt in front of his tummy.
And then his excursion started. He looked into every room until he found her, a tiny, little body, slumbering peacefully.
In the first room was Bolin. Varrick smiled, he loved that kid.
Second room - Mako. Ha. How funny that guy was.
In the third room was Asami, his former business partner. That girl was both too smart and beautiful for her own good.
And then he opened the fourth room.
His face softened once again as the moon light fell on the face of his beloved.
He closed the door, approached the bed and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Zhu Li," he whispered and shook her a little.
But the woman didn't move. He grinned.
"Wake up, my love."
No reaction.
So he bent down and his lips close to her ear he whispered, "Zhu Li, do the thing ..."
And Zhu Li's eyes fluttered open.
"Varrick ...? Which thing ..."
"Moving a bit so I can sit down next to you," Varrick said and Zhu Li sat up, letting him take a seat on the bed. Right next to her.
Her heart was racing, was she dreaming? Or was he really here?
"Oh, my good girl. I heard what you did." Varrick wrapped his arms around her slim figure. "You fool. Kuvira could have let you killed."
"I didn't mind. I thought you were dead."
"Me? Because of the explosion?"
Zhu Li nodded and Varrick caressed her cheek.
"You thought I was dead and that's why you wouldn't have cared if you had died too?"
Zhu Li nodded again.
"Wow," Varrick said. He was speechless. Did Zhu Li maybe - maybe feel the same for him as he felt for her? "But hey, everything turned out great. I'm still alive, you're still alive ... and we're together again."
"Yes," Zhu Li said and closed her eyes. "I couldn't sleep over there ... thinking you were dead ..."
"I won't die, not without you. We're helpless without each other."
"You are helpless without me," Zhu Li mumbled. "Not the other way round."
But she lied.

The next day she woke up and became excited at the sight in front of her:
Varrick, very very close. He had been sleeping next to her all night long.
And the best: he had gotten rid of his robe and was only wearing water tribe blue boxer shorts ...
The young woman's eyes went up and down his chest. He was truly a nice sight.
Zhu Li thought back of the last night. What exactly had happened?
She remembered that they had cuddled. Talked. A lot. But he hadn't told her what she had wanted to hear, no apology, no love declaration.
They had cuddled, which was more than enough for the beginning, though.
Zhu Li sighed and reached to the night stand, where her glasses were resting. She put them on and stood up. For a while she just looked at him, not sure if she should wake him or not.
But then a knock at her door did.
"Zhu Li? Have you seen Varrick anywhere?"
Bolin was looking for him. Varrick's eyes fluttered open and the first thing he saw as he looked up, was a beautiful, sleepy Zhu Li in green, silky pyjamas.
"Morning, gorgeous," he mumbled and Zhu Li's cheeks blushed.
"Bolin is looking for you."
"Ay," Varrick simply said and Bolin knocked again.
"Zhu Liiiiii?"
The girl rolled her eyes and grabbed Varrick's robe. While slipping into it, she walked towards the door and ripped it open.
Bolin almost fell inside, he had leaned against the door. His eyes widened as he saw no one else than Varrick inside Zhu Li's bed, shirtless. And Zhu Li was wearing a robe that was way too large for her.
Bolin started to beam. "Congratulations!" he shouted and Zhu Li shushed him quickly.
"It's not official yet. Do you understand?"
Bolin nodded effusively.
"Of course. A secret relationship. Ohhh!" His eyes darted between the earth girl and the water man. "Varrick, we need your help, the hummingbirds still won't fly."
And with that he closed the door, leaving the two alone.
"Hummingbirds?" Zhu Li asked as she crawled back into the bed.
"I'll tell you later," Varrick answered. "First I need to tell you got gorgeous you look with my robe on. And then I need to -"
He pulled the girl close and placed his lips on hers.
It was both a shock and a relief.
Zhu Li hadn't expected it, that was why the kiss was over before she could react.
She was like paralysed, staring at him with her eyes wide open.
"Varrick ..."
"Let's go, eh? We have a world to save."
He winked at his former assistant and got out of the bed.
Zhu Li sank back into her pillows. If they defeated Kuvira now, everything would be perfect.