Exercise Extreme Caution

Summary: Sequel to Road to Recovery. "You all keep acting like I'm still recovering from what Zaheer did, but I'm fine. I'm the Avatar, and even though many people don't agree, the world needs me. I'll prove it to you." Korrasami. Set after series finale.

Prologue

"How many times do I have to tell you that everything is fine?" Korra asked with an edge. She was seated opposite of Chief Lin Beifong in Republic City's Police Station. She was wearing a deep scowl and glaring up at the Chief of Police who didn't even bat an eyelash at the intense glare she was receiving.

"Apparently, a lot to make sure you keep believing it yourself," Lin said dryly.

"I just…" Korra cleared her throat. "I just want to help. I don't like being idle."

"I know, you make that very clear," she answered with a small eye roll. "Sometimes being idle as a good thing." She shifted in her seat before clasping her hands together on her desk. "There are times where I wish I could just sit at home and-"

"You have hobbies?" Korra interrupted; a look of surprise flashed across her shallow features. Her eyes lit up a bit, highlighting the dark bags underneath them.

"I do things outside of police work, yes," Lin said with a frown.

"Interesting."

"I didn't call you here to make fun of me," she snapped.

"I know, I just threw that in." Korra smiled. Lin let out an exasperated sigh. "Although, if I'm only here for a lecture, I'm leaving." She pushed her chair back and got up out of her seat. She let out a low moan as she swayed a bit on her feet. Korra raised a hand to her forehead before closing her eyes tightly.

Lin was up and out of her seat in a flash. She placed a hand on Korra's shoulder and planted her feet on the ground, using her solid stature to keep the Avatar upright. She felt a shudder pass through the younger girl before she was roughly pushed away. Lin bit the inside of her cheek before taking a step back. "I need you to go to the interrogation room for me," she said quickly. "There's someone in there that I need your help with cracking. He's an important figure in the Earth Nation case, and I feel you'd be successful," she said.

Korra eyed her closely with a frown. Lin held her gaze and remained stiff as the Avatar scoured every inch of her face. "Okay," she finally said. "I can do that." Korra smirked before cracking her knuckles. "Give me a few minutes. I'll see what I can do."

Chief Lin Beifong stepped around Korra before heading down the hallway. She would stop momentarily whenever she would catch a new recruit goofing off at his desk. She'd send them back to work with a harsh glare and a low growl. Korra bit back a laugh as she followed the older woman to, what she called, Interrogation Row. It was a stretch of the building with nothing but interrogation rooms.

"He's in here," Chief Beifong said before opening one of the doors. "Good luck," she muttered as Korra stepped into the room.

"What do you mean?" Korra asked while turning around. Her eyes widened in shock as Lin pulled the door shut. A second later she heard a light clicking sound. Dread washed over her body as she reached out and tugged the door handle. "Lin," she called. Korra took a step back before lifting a hand. She closed it into a fist and twisted it to the right. The metal of the lock shifted a bit, but didn't pop open. "What?" she gasped.

Korra tried to unlock the door with metal bending one, two, three more times before giving up with a loud shout. She rested her forehead against the cool door. "Sorry, kid," came Lin's muffled voice through the door. Korra softened a little bit when she heard the apologetic tone in her voice, but was instantly filled with rage a moment later. "I was asked to do this. It's for your own good."

"What are you talking about?" Korra demanded. She was greeted with the sound of creaking metal. With every passing second it seemed to get quiet and quiet. "Lin, come back." She banged a fist on the door and winced a pain shot up her arm. She cursed under her breath before rubbing the ache away. She immediately tensed up when she heard movement from the opposite end of the room. "Who's there?" she demanded.

"Hey," Asami said gently as she took a step forward out of the shadows. She watched as Korra's eyes widened. The Avatar took a small step back before snickering bitterly.

"I should have known," Korra grunted. "I should have known you'd be the one behind this. Why can't you just stay away?"

"Because you don't want me to."

"Yes, I do."

Asami couldn't help but half-smiled before crossing her arms over her chest. She held her gaze at Korra, eventually forcing the Avatar to look away. Her chest heaved with every breath she took. "I know that feeling. You don't want to hurt or worry anyone else so you keep everything inside.

"I don't need a lecture," Korra seethed. "How could you possibly understand what I'm going through?"

"A day hasn't gone by where I don't crave a drink."

"This has nothing to do with you and your stupid problems."

Asami had to bite her lip to quell the fire that was rising. She desperately wanted to defend herself and forcefully help the Avatar, but she couldn't. She knew it would have been counterproductive. So, she took a cleansing breath and counted to five before feeling her body relax. "Go ahead. Keep insulting me and my past, but I'm not going to leave," Asami said firmly. "I have plans to sit in this room with you for as long as it takes. So you can kick and scream and throw a tantrum, but we're not leaving until we talk."

Korra sent her a harsh glare. Asami shrugged before taking a seat on the floor.

"Let me out!" Korra roared before slamming her shoulder in the door. "Someone, let me out of here." Asami watched as the Avatar continued to throw herself against the door, banging her shoulder harder and harder. She didn't comment when she noticed the girl swaying on her feet, wincing, and grabbing her injured arm.

"Korra, that's not helping anything," she said quietly.

"Shut up, Asami," Korra snarled. Asami blinked and nodded slowly. It wasn't the first time in the last few months that she had received the harsh command but it still hurt every time. Korra's voice started to crack with each call and desperate plea.

After a few more seconds, Korra collapsed against the door. She pounded her fists and let out a wail before slumping to the ground. She grabbed at her hair and cried. Her breakdown caused Asami to become misty eyed but she kept her distance across the room.

"Okay," she exasperated. "I'm sick. Is that what you want to hear?" she demanded.

"No, but it's a start," Asami said gently. She cleared her throat, trying as hard as she could to remain as calm as possible. "Please, just let me in. Let me into your mind and your world. I want to help."

Korra got back to her feet before shuffling away from the door. Asami watched as she positioned herself against the cool wall opposite of her, before slowly sliding her back down the wall and sitting on the floor. The Avatar pulled her knees to her chest before wrapping her arms around them and lowering her head. "You're about eight months too late," Korra muttered.