"...I don't know, I did a lot of things. It was three years, after all. I just wanted to heal, and to find myself again. It was…"

Mako wanted to listen to what Korra was saying. He really did. But somehow his mind kept wandering. He was annoyed at the Avatar- and a little hurt- because she'd written to Asami during her absence and not him. She wasn't the only one who was annoying him, either; Wu had tagged along with him, and the prince had been being his usual infuriating self. So when he had asked Mako to come to the bathroom with him, Mako had refused. He had to admit, however, Wu hadn't really done anything wrong. It was only because Mako was so irritated at Korra that he was more sensitive to Wu's behaviour than usual. Maybe I should have gone with him to the bathroom, Mako thought, as his stomach twisted guiltily.

"I think I'm going to go and check on Wu." he announced.

Both women looked surprised. Korra raised an eyebrow. "Boy, he sure has you on a tight leash." she remarked, smirking.

Mako's face burned. "Shut up." he snapped, sliding out of the booth and storming toward the bathroom. He was painfully aware of Korra and Asami laughing quietly behind him.

It had been three years since he'd seen Korra, and definitely a long time since he'd seen Asami, too. Things weren't going to just return to how they were before, but he'd hoped they would be smoother than this.

As he was approaching the bathrooms, Mako thought he could hear Wu's voice, although he couldn't tell what he was saying. But just as he was about to round the corner and go inside, he heard Wu start to cough violently. Alarms went off in Mako's head, and he picked up the pace. He entered just as the prince was collapsing. "Mako, help!" exclaimed Wu, although his voice was getting weaker. He had called Mako's name, but Mako doubted that Wu had actually noticed him there. "Wu… down! Wu… down…" He hit the ground, groaning feebly.

There was a man standing over Wu's motionless form. As Mako watched him, he put a small spray-bottle into one of his vest pockets. Probably knockout gas, thought Mako. "Hey!" he shouted, capturing the man's attention. Immediately, the man lashed out at Mako, and the ground under his feet shot up. Mako flew backward and hit the bathroom wall with a gasp of pain. Before he could get up, however, the man dashed for the door. "Korra!" Mako yelled, scrambling to his feet and running in hot pursuit.

Many people from other tables looked up as Mako chased the man through the restaurant, swerving around waiters and tables like they were running an obstacle course. "Korra!" Mako repeated. The Avatar was already on her feet. She bent a powerful blast of air at the man that sent him flying. He hit the wall on the far side of the restaurant and slumped to the ground. Mako, Korra, and Asami all raced over to him.

"Mako, what happened?" asked Asami.

"He knocked out Prince Wu in the bathroom." Mako answered. He grasped the man's collar firmly, and dragged him to his feet. "Who sent you?"

"Kuvira." the man spat. "All hail the Great Uniter."

Mako huffed in frustration, and threw Kuvira's agent back onto the ground. "Keep an eye on him." he told Korra and Asami. "I gotta go get Wu."

He headed back toward the bathroom, heart pounding. It's a good thing I went back to check on Wu, thought Mako. He hated to think of what could have happened if he hadn't gone back. As he went into the bathroom, the sight of Wu lying there, unmoving, hit him again. "What the hell would I do if you died?" Mako wondered out loud, confident that his companion was too out of it to hear him. He knelt down beside the prince and shook him gently, but urgently. "Wu? Wake up. It's Mako."

The dark-skinned boy didn't move a muscle. Concerned, Mako lifted him into his arms, and checked his vital signs. Well, Wu was alive, at least. That knockout gas must have been strong, he thought. Who knows how long he'll be out for?

Mako carried Wu out of the bathroom and over to where Korra and Asami were standing over Kuvira's agent. One of the waiters came up to them, looking nervous. "Can I help in any way?" he asked.

"Yes. Call the police station, and tell them that there was a kidnapping attempt on the prince." Mako told him. The waiter nodded, and hurried off.

"Is he all right?" asked Asami, glancing worriedly toward Wu.

"I think so. He's just unconscious." Mako answered. "Once the police come for this guy, I'll bring Wu back home and let him sleep it off."

"I'll come with you." offered Korra. "After all, this was supposed to be the reunion of Team Avatar. I do want to spend some time with you guys."

Asami nodded. "Yes, I'll come too. Besides, I want to make sure the prince is okay."

Mako smiled bleakly. "Thanks, you guys. I'm sorry today hasn't turned out exactly as planned."

"That's okay. Let's just be glad that Prince Wu wasn't kidnapped." Korra said, placing a hand on Mako's shoulder.

"Yeah." Mako replied, glancing down at the younger man. Despite the fact that he had Wu safely in his arms, the thought that he had been that close to possibly losing him still had Mako on edge. A dark part of him, deep inside, wanted to let his façade slip and set the entire restaurant on fire. He wanted to kill Kuvira and all of her supporters for wanting to harm Wu. Why was Bolin with them? How could his own brother be sided with the group that had almost taken Wu away from him forever?

"Are you okay, Mako?" asked Asami softly.

"I'm fine." lied Mako. "Just… tired."

xXx

It wasn't long before the police arrived. To Mako's surprise, Lin Beifong herself came. "You alright, kid?" she asked him in an uncharacteristically gentle voice as the other cops were shoving Kuvira's agent into the back of the Satomobile.

Mako was still holding Wu tightly in his arms; he refused to let go of him, just in case. "I'm fine, Chief." he said.

Lin gave his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. "I'll write up the reports for you, and talk to the prince's advisors. You just get him back to safety."

"I will. Thank you."

Mako clung to Wu for the entire ride back to the Four Elements hotel. Korra and Asami kept straight faces the whole time, which Mako appreciated. He knew that they didn't like the prince, and under normal circumstances, him clutching Wu like a lifeline would make them laugh. But if that was something they would all laugh about later, at least they knew to let time pass first.

Their group attracted lots of strange looks walking through the lobby of the Four Elements. The Avatar, and the unconscious Earth Kingdom prince, being carried by his harassed-looking bodyguard? Mako tried not to notice the stares as they headed up to Wu's suite.

When they were safely inside, Mako brought Wu into the bedroom. Gently, he removed the prince's jacket, and tucked him into bed. But when the firebender tried to leave the room to go and sit with Korra and Asami, he found himself unable to leave Wu's side. It was like there was an invisible rope tying the two of them together. He went back over and sat down on the edge of Wu's bed.

"I'm sorry." he said, although he was fully aware that the prince could not hear him. "I'm really sorry, Wu. I never wanted this to happen. I mean, sometimes you annoy me beyond belief, but… I never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I… I'm just glad you're safe. And I'm sorry. I know I've already said that, but… I'm just… so sorry."

His hands were clenched into fists. Just then, he heard a voice from behind him. "Mako, are you sure you're okay?" It was Korra and Asami. The Avatar had been the one to speak.

"I'm fine." he responded quietly. "But can we just… can we stay in here? I don't want to leave the prince… you know, in case someone tries to take him again."

Both of their expressions softened. "Of course we can talk in here, if it makes you feel more comfortable." Asami said.

He smiled bleakly. "Thank you."

xXx

Catching up with Korra and Asami was great. After three years, there was a lot to talk about. For a while, Mako was able to get his mind off of the kidnapping attempt, although every time he glanced over at the sleeping prince, the bitter reality of what had happened hit him again. The blinding, all-consuming anger that he had felt before was ebbing away, leaving behind a shaking fear that blurred Mako's thoughts and made it hard to listen to Asami talk on and on about the latest technology she was working on for Future Industries.

He talked, too, but his life had been rather uneventful for the past three years. Still, he told them about various experiences he'd had with Wu. The two young women listened patiently to all of his mundane stories about Wu doing this and that.

"So, you and the prince seem pretty close." remarked Korra at the end of a riveting story about Wu and his pyjamas.

"Well, we've been together for three years now." said Mako.

"You've been together?" Korra repeated, cocking an eyebrow. Immediately, Mako's face went hot.

"Not like that. I meant, I've been his bodyguard for three years. We… we aren't a couple."

"It's okay, Mako. We aren't judging you." Asami replied, smiling.

"That's great, but we aren't a couple!" exclaimed Mako hotly.

Before either of the girls could respond, a soft little groan came from the bed beside Mako. The firebender glanced down to see that Wu was stirring. His heart leapt into his throat. Korra and Asami looked over too.

"He's waking up." said Korra.

Wu blinked a couple of times, and then his olive green eyes opened. "Wh-Where am I?" mumbled the prince. He was slurring slightly; the drugs he'd been knocked out with hadn't fully left his system yet.

A smile spread across Mako's face; he couldn't help it. "We're at the Four Elements hotel, Wu. You're okay."

Wu's gaze travelled slowly up to his bodyguard's face. "M...Mako? Is that you?"

"Yeah. It's me. Don't worry, you're safe." Mako replied. His tone was swelling with relief.

With a bit of effort, Wu pushed himself up into a sitting position. He glanced around the room, and a look of wonder appeared in his eyes. "Asami? And the Avatar! What happened?" he asked.

Mako's smile faltered, and his stomach dropped a few feet. "You were knocked out by an agent of Kuvira's. He was going to kidnap you, but we stopped him."

The prince's eyes widened. "What!? I was almost kidnapped?"

"Yes. I… I'm sorry." Shame was filling Mako, like dark clouds filling the sky. He stared down at his hands.

"Why are you sorry?" Wu asked incredulously. "Mako, you saved me! I don't know where I'd be right now if you hadn't been there. Probably lying, dead, on the side of the road! So thank you." He put his thin arms around Mako, who was stunned.

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Asami piped up. "He's safe, isn't he? That's all that matters."

Mako nodded, although he couldn't bring himself to feel happy. "It's just… I was so worried." His voice cracked, and he stopped talking just in case he wavered again. Instead, he wrapped his arms tightly around Wu's small body. By the way the prince's grip relaxed, he could tell that he was surprised.

"Were you really worried about me?"

"Of course I was." He gave Wu one last squeeze before pulling away. "How are you feeling now?"

"So-so." said Wu, laying back down. "I think I'm gonna sleep for a bit longer… but… Mako, will you stay here?"

A smile spread across Mako's face. "Yeah. I'm not going anywhere." He placed a protective hand on Wu's shoulder, and a smile spread across the prince's face.

"You know what? This is just like old times." said Asami. When Korra and Mako looked over at her, she smirked and continued. "Mako's always pining for someone, but for once it's not one of us."

"Oh, shut up." Mako replied, but he laughed along with them. Asami was right; Wu was safe, and that was all that mattered.

end