Downtown Republic city was in ruins, Baatar watched as the colossus exploded and as a new spirit portal opened up in the heart of downtown. Dusk gave way to night, his aunt Lin returned to the Future Industries tower. She told him that he was under arrest, which he had expected he was as equally responsible for the attack on Republic City as Kuvira was. He went in a daze as his aunt led him to the elevator the ride down was in silence. Baatar stood quietly as his mother argued with her sister about his arrest, she promised she would do all she could to get him out. After all he had been blindly following Kuvira out of his love for her and nothing more.
His first night in the metal cell was uneventful, he laid away for most of the night, every time he closed his eyes, and all he could see was a flash of purple and white light before everything exploded around him. Baatar spent a month in jail before he was released his mother had pulled a lot of strings for him. But his punishment was far from over; he was tasked with community service to Republic City. He was to help with the clean up from all the destruction caused by the weapon he built and to help rebuild. Baatar was to remain in an apartment in the city through the duration of his community service. He went through the motions of his daily life work hard on clearing the crumbled buildings go to his apartment sleep and repeat. He had lost his drive to do anything, the woman he had loved tried to kill him all for what? The once bright architect was long gone, in its place was a broken man that continued on only because he felt he owned it to all the people who were hurt or killed in the process of Kuvira's quest for a united Earth Kingdom.
Weeks went past, from his aunt he learned that Kuvira had kept asking to see him, but he refused to go and see her there was nothing left to say. Four months he received news from Avatar Korra that made his heart hurt. He had asked if she was sure and the Avatar had assured him that there was no doubt multiple healers had checked. After that he didn't know what happened he only knew that he had somehow made it back to his apartment, his parents were waiting for him there, they knew too and probably so did the rest of him family. They discussed what was going to happen for the most part his mother did the talking while his father gave him sympathetic glances. After his parents left him to his thought, he made a call.
Four more months passed Kuvira continued to ask to see him but he refused, it was the Avatar that made him go see her. Baatar protested and so did his mother but the Avatar said he needed to; it would give him closure and help with the healing process. So now he sat waiting for the guards to bring Kuvira in. He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to see her but there was no arguing with the Avatar. He folded his hands in his lap and stared down at them, the door opened and he looked up to see his former fiancé being escorted in. Baatar took in Kuvira's appearance, her hair hung in a lose braid, dark circles rimmed her eyes but what drew his eyes to her was the swell of her stomach. The guards sat her down at the table across his and left, leaving the two alone.
They sat in silence neither one knowing what to say. It was Kuvira who spoke first, "Baatar, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I shouldn't have fired the canon it wrong," Baatar continue to listen to Kuvira but her words fell flat on his deaf ears he didn't care how sorry she was, it didn't matter the reason why she did what she did. Quietness engulfed them as she finished talking, sighing Baatar met her eyes, "Don't…don't give me reasons why you fired at me, don't tell me you knew firing the cannon was wrong because if really meant it you wouldn't have fired in the first place." Kuvira opened her mouth to speak but Baatar held up his hand. "I don't want to hear it, I don't care anymore. I don't want to be here, the only reason I am is because Avatar Korra made me come, to "heal" she says but I don't think I can heal from this. I don't want be here, I don't talk to you, I don't want to look at you. No matter what you say or what I still feel for you it's all irreverent, your wrecked us."
Baatar and Kuvira stared at each other, he watched as her cuffed hands went to her belly. "What will happen when…"
"After the child is born it will be released into my custody since you will not be able to properly care for it." Baatar stood and turned to go.
A month later he received a call in the middle of the night it was his aunt Lin, she told him that Kuvira had gone into labor four hours ago and had asked for him to be there. He didn't know what brought him to the hospital that night. On the maternity ward he met up with Lin, she informed him that Kuvira's labor was progressing fast and was getting close to delivering, "You should be in there with her, she's scared." Baatar nodded, walking to the door he pushed it open. Inside he saw Kuvira lying on the hospital bed, she was breathing heavily, her eyes squeezed hands gripping the railing.
Baatar walked over to her bedside taking her hand in his. She looked up at him, he nodded it was all he could do. For two hours he stayed by her side letting her squeeze his hand when contractions hit and when it was time for her to start pushing. He didn't let go of her hand even after their child came into the world, she let of his hand, arms reaching out to the newborn. The nurse quickly wrapped the baby in blankets and head for the door. From the corner of his eye Baatar saw Kuvira lean back into the pillows; she was too exhausted to protest. Baatar quickly left the room as well.
An hour later Baatar sat in the hospital nursery rocking his baby, it was a girl and she was beautiful, his parents and siblings would come in the morning. He had received the conformation he needed at date and time had been set.
Three days later Kuvira was led into a different part of the prison; it had a window and was set up as a living room. "Courtesy of Avatar Korra." The guard told her as he uncuffed her and left the room. Kuvira sat in one of the arm chairs, she didn't know what was going on. The door slid open revealing a different guard, she expected him to come in but he stepped aside. Kuvira immediately stood up when she saw Baatar walk in with a bundle in his arms. "Our daughter." He said as he handed the baby to her mother. Kuvira held her daughter close, for the first time a long time she was so happy. She didn't know how much time passed, Kuvira got to hold her daughter, play with her, feed her and change, her. Baatar had remained in the room but sat on the couch staring out the window. It wasn't until Avatar Korra came in did Baatar stand, he held his arms out for their daughter. Kuvira willingly gave her back to her father who gave the child to the Avatar who stepped out of the room. Baatar turned back to Kuvira, she noted tears were in his eyes something was wrong. "I'm giving her up for adoption."
"What why?" Kuvira felt tears of her own pooling in her eyes. "Baatar please don't do that, don't cast her aside, I know you hate me but don't take your anger and spite for me out on her." Tears were falling freely. "Don't you love her?"
"I'm doing this because I love her." Baatar moved and took her hands in his. "Let me explain, I'm not doing this out of spite from you, I'm doing this to give her a better chance in life."
"But.." Her voice was shaking.
"Kuvira when she's older she will be scorned by people because of who her parents are, her mother in jail, her father being constantly watched. I don't want her to be hated on because of our mistakes it wouldn't be fair to her."
"Why did you let me see her?" Kuvira sniffed.
"You deserved to have some time with her like I had the last three days." Baatar reached back and knocked on the door. The avatar came in she handed their child back to them and stepped back. Kuvira held her child close to her chest tears streamed down from both their eyes. Baatar wrapped his arms around Kuvira pressing a kiss to her head. This was the hardest thing they even had to do. The avatar stepped closer telling them it was time. Baatar moved to kiss his daughter on the head, Kuvira brought her up close to do the same. Reluctantly she gave Korra her daughter and watched as Korra retreated from the room. Looking up at Baatar, Kuvira collapsed on the ground, Baatar sat down and gathered her in his arms. She sobbed into his chest, Kuvira listened as he cried as well.
Out of all the bad things they had done, their daughter was the one pure thing that came out of all this destruction. As Baatar held Kuvira he thought to himself, that this was all for the best, she would have the best chance in life without them, sure she would know their names one day but it would not affect her, they would be just names to her. He wanted the best for his little girl and this was it,
Good-bye my love.
The end.