I DO NOT OWN THE LEDGEND OF KORRA OR ANY CHARACTERS OR IDEAS FROM THE SHOW!
Korra turned, trying to make her way around the corner without being spotted. She had stopped in a rather small city on her way to the Fire Nation capital from her village in the South Pole, and had been bombarded by refugee Equalists who were looking to take revenge for her ruining their mission. She had sent Naga away, hoping the people would only follow her. She peeked around the corner to see the large group spreading out. She wasn't going to last long if she didn't move to a new hiding spot. Even then, she would only last so long against the southern weather. She took a breath and started to make herself a tunnel, using her earth bending. She slowly made her way a way to the north, hoping they hadn't gotten there yet. As she came to the surface, she found several Equalists looking at her. In a moment, she was pulled from the tunnel.
Korra twisted and pushed herself into the air and out of the hands of the enemy with air bending before pulling the snow up to create a wall from them. She turned and started running, checking over her shoulder once in a while to see if they had gotten through. She needed to get out of there. She needed to get to help, and needed to tell the others about the refugee camp. There were too many to think they wouldn't try to rise up once again. Looking back at the path, knowing no one was following her she caught her foot making her fall and tumble. Skidding across ice and snow she didn't have time to stop herself when she slammed into a wall of rocky ice knocking her unconscious.
"What do you mean she never got there?" Lin half yelled. "She was supposed to leave the South Pole almost two weeks ago." Mako looked between the chief, now his boss, and Tenzin who was standing worriedly in front of her.
"My mother said she and Naga left two weeks ago and they were headed up to the fire capital." Tenzin told her. "Reports from Akane said she never got there."
"Korra's missing?" Mako asked as he walked closer. Worry slowly slipping into his mind for his girlfriend. The two adults looked at him. They knew how he had reacted the last time Korra had gone missing and worried that a second time would make him uncontrollable.
"She probably just stopped along the way and lost track of time." Lin shrugged. Over the last six months since her bending had been given back she and Korra had become closer. She looked at Tenzin hoping he would agree and look into it but she felt her heart quicken when Tenzin shook his head.
"We checked into all the villages and cities she would have stopped along the way. She never made it to any of them." Tenzin informed her.
"Then what are you doing here?" Mako asked as fear filtered into his body. "We have to go find her!" At the sound of Mako, yelling Bolin and Asami walked in. They were the only two to know of Korra and Mako's relationship. The only two who knew why he was reacting so badly to the news.
"We will find her, Mako." Tenzin said softly. "We need to plan before we charge. Exerting all of our energy will do no one any good."
"It doesn't matter. She's out there somewhere alone. What if someone caught her off guard? She's been missing for two weeks! Anything could have happened!" He felt the fear coursing through him. He had never felt this worried and afraid for anyone besides Bolin and that only furthered his anguish.
"Bro-" Bolin tried to stop Mako before he caught himself too deep. "We'll find her." He said putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. He and Korra may not have had a relationship like Mako and her but he did love Korra, even if it had changed into the love for a sister. Mako looked at him angrily about to argue when he saw how worried Bolin and Asami both were.
"She should have had someone with her." He mumbled before he turned. "I'm going to see if Naga found her way here." He said before he left the four alone. Bolin and Asami looked after him worried as Tenzin and Lin exchanged glances.
"What was that about?" Lin asked. She was used to Mako controlling his emotions and his words, she hadn't seen him this upset before.
"He's worried." Bolin said before walking after his brother to see if he could help. Asami gave a sad look before following.
"I'll see if Akane can get any information from that region." Tenzin told Lin before he left.
"Mako!" Bolin called as he followed his brother out of the police station and into the city streets. "Mako, let me help." He said as he finally caught up to him. Mako glanced at him but said nothing as he continued to look around. "I love her too." Mako stopped and looked at Bolin as he grabbed his arm. "We all do. Let us help look around and work together to get her back. She's like a sister to me, and I know you love her. Let me help look for anything that can help." Mako paused. He hadn't realized just how much Bolin cared for Korra. He nodded, accepting his brother's help as Asami found them.
"Thanks, Bo." Mako said softly before looking away to scan the streets.
"What can we do to help?" Asami asked making Mako looked between them. Taking a breath to calm his racing mind he thought.
"We need to spread out. If something happened to Korra, Naga would try to find her way to someone for help. It doesn't sound like she went back to the south pole so she might have tried to get to us. Check the parks, the harbors, and any entrances to the city. I'll check some of the spots inside the city and then head over to the island to see if she is there." The two nodded and the three were off in separate directions searching for any little sign that Naga had come to them looking for help for her best friend.
After three hours and coming up empty Mako headed to the temple, pray the entire way that Naga was there or there was news of Korra. She closed his eyes as the ferry took him over and he thought about Korra and the last time he saw her nearly a month ago.
"Mako, I'll be fine. I don't need a baby sitter. Besides, I have Naga." Korra smirked as she placed her hand on the polar bear dog's head. Mako shook his head. They had been together for five months, still not used to the fact that they were boyfriend and girlfriend they tend to act just as they always had. Although the two would allow themselves to fall into each other's arms, stand closer to each other and to kiss when they were alone more often, they still were the same old Korra and Mako, if not a bit more protective of each other.
"I know Korra, but this isn't like before." Mako tried but saw her look away. "You're being a child." She crossed her arms and glared at him with an angry pout.
"I am not. You're being an overprotective jerk." She argued.
"You're the one not being realistic."
"You're the one thinking I can't take care of myself. I am the avatar." She told him in a matter of fact tone of voice making him furrow his brow and glare back at her. "No one is going to mess with the avatar."
"Like Amon didn't mess with you?" He shot back making them both freeze, looking at each other. Even though it had been several months and everyone's bending had been restored, Amon continued to be a sore spot for many people, including Korra and Mako. Korra half growled as she turned and stomped away leaving Mako feeling even angrier with her for walking away.
"You think they know they're both being children?" Asami asked as she and Bolin stood out of the way watching the two.
"I don't think they care." Bolin watched Mako turned and storm off in the opposite direction. "Mako's always the one to worry and take care of me." Bolin shrugged. "He wants the same for Korra."
"Yeah, but Korra isn't a kid or someone who really needs someone to protect her like he wants to do." Asami said as they turned and walked back to the temple. "They're both going to have to give somewhere." Bolin nodded wondering if his brother would be able to let up his worry and let Korra be stubborn at times like this.
As the sun sank in the sky, everyone went to the docks to see Korra off. She was to go home and visit her parents and Katara before going to the fire capital to visit with fire lord Akane. Bolin and Asami stood in line with the others talking with Korra, as Mako stood off to the side watching, still angry about their argument earlier. He watched as Korra bent hugging all of the children with a bright smile telling them she would bring them something back before she said her goodbyes to Tenzin and Pema. The air bending children then took their attention making Korra smile before moving on to Bolin and Asami.
"Be safe, Korra." Bolin said, hugging her tight. "Don't get caught in anything and make us come save you." He smirked.
"Don't make me have to come back and see the fire ferrets name in the trash." She grinned before the two laughed. As the two calmed down Asami reached out and pulled her into a hug. Even though Mako had chosen Korra over her, Asami still felt like an older sister and one of Korra's closest friends.
"Make sure you let us know when you get there. And be careful, even the Avatar can get caught in nasty things once in a while. Besides if I have to hear Mako say I told you so, you're really going to regret it." The two young women laughed before hugging again. "Take care Korra and remember what I told you." Asami said softly so only Korra could here.
"I will. Thanks Asami." Korra said remembering all the words Asami whispered as she held the weeping, fearful Avatar who had been awoken by dreams of Amon attacking all over again. Asami nodded with a smile before glancing at Bolin who turned away, acting as if he wasn't paying attention any more.
"You and Mako are good for each other. Don't let something stupid get in the way, especially the day you're leaving for so long to go so far away." Asami said softly before walking away, leaving Korra and Mako looking at each other.
Korra walked over to him, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked up at him defiantly. Slowly her blue eyes softened and she felt his amber gaze melting into her. "Look Mako…" She trailed off as she looked away. Mako stepped closer with a sigh making her look at him.
"Korra, I know you can take care of yourself, I know you don't need someone watching over you, I just don't want to see anything happen like with Amon and I definitely don't want to go through what happened with Tarlock again." He told her making her look at him, not sure what to say or do. "I know you're going to argue with me and be completely stubborn over having protection, so just be careful."
"I will Mako, you know I have Naga with me and I can use all four elements now. I'll be safe." She felt his one hand reach out resting on her hip as he moved closer.
Mako rested his other hand gently on her cheek. The two didn't care who saw them, didn't care if Tenzin and the others found out about them. At that moment there was only them on the dock. "I love you Korra." He told her before he ducted his head and kissed her. "Don't go and do anything stupid."
Korra smiled as they looked at each other. "You know me, Mako."
"That's what I'm afraid of." He smirked before she gave him a quick kiss and backed up.
"I'll see you guys in two months." She called out making everyone stop fussing over the energetic air bending children to look at her and wave good-bye. Korra and Naga climbed onto the ship and she turned waving at the others. She couldn't help the bright smile that settled on her face as her and Mako's eyes met. It was still so new but it felt so right. Like this was where she belonged for so long.
"You find anything?" Mako heard making him open his eyes to see Bolin and Asami waiting impatiently at the dock as they pulled up. He shook his head looking worn and more worried than earlier.
"Naga didn't make it here." Mako told them before they headed for the temple. "Maybe Tenzin found something while we were looking." The three made their way to Tenzin's office where they found the old air bender hanging the phone up.
"You find anything?" Bolin asked hopeful.
Tenzin shook his head sadly. "There's nothing. No one has spotted Korra or Naga since they left the South Pole."
"How could that be? I thought she was taking a ship everywhere?" Mako asked wondering what happened.
"She decided to travel with Naga, she told my mother she wanted to see the world and travel like my father and the others had." Tenzin explained and he saw the anger flash across Mako's face. "She's an adult and the Avatar. We can only offer our help. If she chooses not to accept it that is her diction."
"She should know better. She can't just walk around and not expect problems." Mako said before he spun on his heels and was gone.
"What is going on with him?" Tenzin asked Bolin and Asami. "He was more controlled when Tarlock kidnapped her." The two looked at each other and shrugged. "If you two have information, I need to hear it. If he is too connected and unable to contain himself he may only cause more problems for Korra rather than help her." Again, they looked at each other.
"I'm going to see where he went." Bolin commented before turning on his heels and leaving quickly with a glare from Asami. She turned and looked at Tenzin who was waiting patiently.
"Look, no one is really supposed to know but Bolin and I found out by accident." Asami started. "When Korra lost her bending Mako told her how he felt and she ran off. Korra said after she got her bending back she told him she loved him and they've been dating ever since."
Tenzin looked shocked as he stood up quickly. "What?!"
"They didn't want anyone to know so no one made a big deal out of it."
"How did you two find out?" Tenzin was trying to figure out how he had missed Korra and Mako beginning to date.
"Mako told Bolin, since they're brothers and I found out one night when I was helping Korra with a nightmare." Before any of them could say any more his door, flung open and Lin walked in.
"Any word from Akane?" She asked quickly.
Tenzin sighed as he retook his seat. "Nothing. She is going to send ships out to look but so far General Iroh and my brother are both coming up empty." He looked at Asami. "Perhaps it's time we join the search."
"I'll stay here and hold down the city. I'll let you know if any reports come in or if Korra or Naga show up." Lin told him.
"I'll take Asami, Bolin and Mako." Tenzin told her.
"Mako is one of my men. We need him on duty for now."
"He needs to come with us." Tenzin said calmly. "Go tell Mako and Bolin that we will be leaving shortly." Asami nodded and left hearing Lin arguing.
"You cannot just take officers when you feel like it-"
"Lin, this is something he needs." Tenzin stood up and Lin looked at him, wanting more information. "Were you aware that he and Korra had started dating?" Lin furrowed her brow and shook her head. "Asami just explained some things to me and this is something that no matter what, we're not going to be able to stop him."
Lin paused before she gave a nod. "I'll straighten it out at the station." She said softly before the two walked out to find the young adults.
"Where's Mako?" Tenzin asked Asami and Bolin.
"He took off." Bolin said.
"We need to leave in a little while. Go find him."
"I know where he'll be." Bolin said looking towards the girls dorms.
"I'll go." Asami volunteered. "It might help coming from me." Bolin nodded before he and Lin began getting things set as Tenzin worked things out with the council and his family. Asami knocked on the door to Korra's room before opening it and seeing Mako standing at the window. "Mako?"
"I just wanted to see if they had slipped in." He said. "I'll go back to work in a few minutes."
"Actually that's why I came. You're not going back." Mako turned and looked at her quickly. "We're going to help look for Korra. I hope you don't mind but I had to tell Tenzin the truth. He wouldn't have let things continue if he didn't know about you and Korra."
Mako shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Let's go." He pushed from the windowsill and they walked out to find Oogi ready to go. "She left the water tribe and never made it to the check points. So she has to be close to the South Pole."
"She's been missing for two weeks; she would have made it to warmer climate." Asami told him making him shake his head.
"She knows the south; she would find a way to hide out." Mako told them.
"She would freeze to death if she didn't have somewhere to go. Mako, the poles are freezing." Bolin said worried. He watched as his brother nodded, with a determined look on his face.
"That's why we need to find where she hid out. Naga would have helped keep her warm and she would have used her fire bending." Mako said. He and Korra had only been dating for a short amount of time but he knew her well enough to know what her habits were. "She's going to be somewhere in the south."
"We'll go to the village and see where she went. We'll try to retrace her steps." Tenzin said before the group said good bye and they were off.
"Mako." Katara said as she stopped in front of him. "She hasn't found her way anywhere near safety. She would be hiding and you may not even know she's there." Mako nodded as he grabbed the reigns to the Buffalo Yak and jumped up onto its back.
"You three spread out but not far. Traveling in the cold temperatures can be difficult if you don't know what you're doing." Tenzin told them. "Make your way around each of the islands, I'll take Oogi and search from the sky. Send up a flare if you find her." The three nodded before they were on their way to their separate boats and were off to the surrounding islands. Mako only glanced at Bolin and Asami as he separated off, determined to find Korra.
Bolin ran around, his heavy jacket pulled tight around him as he made his way over to his boat to check the next island. Tenzin headed for the southern air temple hoping that Korra had made it there, while Asami tried her hardest to find any sign of her friend. Mako pushed against growing storms. He knew Bolin and Asami would have met up with Tenzin to get out of the storm but that meant Korra was still stuck in the storm. He saw light from up ahead from a fire. He climbed from the buffalo yak and walked it against the harsh weather, towards the fire. As he got closer, he heard yelling before flames shot up and the wind picked up and swirled for a moment.
Mako froze watching before he saw someone stumbling from the light and into the blizzard with ten people following. "Korra?" He wondered before flames twisted and ice rose to block their path but she could not hold it long as she turned and started stumbling her way farther. Suddenly a group of people came from the blinding weather to attack Mako, frightening the buffalo yak. Suddenly Mako twisted and spun out of reach to see three people in Equalists attire. Quickly twisting around and knocking them out of the fight he took off running after the other group. If the three that attacked him were Equalists then more than likely, that was Korra running from a larger group in the middle of a storm.
"Leave her. The storm and the water will take care of her." He heard one call above the wind. He watched as they turned and started back towards camp. "We'll fish the body out when the storm breaks." Mako's heart sank. Fish the body out? He took off running out to find a cliff. Trying to see through the storm, he could only see the waves below.
Quickly he jumped into the freezing cold water. Fighting past the painful chill that ran through him, he dove deeper to see Korra. Grabbing her, he pulled her to the surface where they were both sputtering water. He could feel his body going painfully numb and he knew he had to get to shore and find some shelter until they could be rescued. He pushed to a small ledge and pulled them both from the water.
"Mako…" He heard her whisper.
"I'm here Korra." He told her and held her close. Looking around he knew there was no way they would be able to make it out so he put his hand to the ice and started melting it to create a small cave for them. Once inside Mako started pulling his jacket off. He threw it to the side and lit it on fire before pulling Korra's off and laying it beside the fire to dry. "Korra." He said leaning over her with a hand on her cheek. She was shivering and her lips were so blue. "Open your eyes, Korra. Come on." He begged as he leaned closer. "Don't do this. You already put me through hell trying to find you."
"I guess I am pretty dangerous." She said as his teeth began to chatter. Mako leaned down kissing her before pulling her to him and holding her close. "I guess you were right." She shivered. "Asami's going to make….me regret you being right." She tried to laugh but winced in pain. The cold weather and the freezing water had taken their toll on her body.
"Sh. Korra don't talk." He said as he tried to hold back the shiver in his voice before he saw her open her eyes half way and look up at him.
"You're really here?" She asked making him furrow his brow. "You're really here…. not… not just a trick?"
Mako held her tighter. She must have been so cold and exhausted that she had begun to see things while she was missing. "I'm really here…. I'm here. You don't… don't have to worry anymore. Relax, Korra. When the storm is over Tenzin and the others will find us." He told her as he felt the cold biting into him even more.
"S-so cold." She stammered as he eyes closed again.
"Korra don't go to sleep." He said as he shifted her closer. "Stay awake." However, she was unconscious again. Mako could only sit in the tiny cave and hold her tight, praying they would make it out and both be all right.
Mako jumped hearing his name called he saw his jacket had burnt out long ago and he could feel the chill of the artic seeping even farther into his body. He looked down and saw Korra was still shiver, unconscious in his arms and her lips were becoming blue and her skin was reddening from the freezing temperatures. "Mako!" He heard again before he realized it was his brother's voice.
"Bo." He croaked. "Bo!" He managed to yell. Hoping they heard him because there was no way he would be able to move without help.
"Mako?" He heard.
"Here!" He managed before he felt all the energy in his body leave. He only hoped they would find him and Korra before there was no time left.
It only took another few minutes before Bolin crawled into the cave with Naga's head peeking in then turned to the opening. "They're in here." He said before looking at his brother holding Korra tight in his lap. "Mako." He said afraid as he moved closer. "Mako, answer me."
"I'm okay, Bo." Mako croaked. "Get Korra out."
"What happened?" He asked as he pulled his jacket off and laid it over Korra and Mako.
"She fell in the water right after the storm started…" Mako was trying to force himself to continue. Help was here, he just needed to stay with it a little while longer. "She's freezing, get her out of here." He told his brother before Bolin nodded and pulled Korra into his arms and made his way back out as Tenzin pushed in to Mako.
"You should have sent the flare." He told the younger man.
"You wouldn't have seen it in the storm and…. And…" Mako paused catching his breath.
"Save it until you're rested." Tenzin reached out and helped him move out of the cave and onto the back of Oogi where Bolin was with Korra. Mako saw Bolin piling on the blankets, trying to get Korra warm as he spoke to her softly with Naga lying beside her. "Oogi, back to the water tribe." The bison was off as Tenzin covered Mako and saw Bolin trying to get Korra to wake up.
"Come on Korra, just wake up for a bit." Bolin whispered. "You're safe now. Just let us know you're okay." Korra did not respond as he tried to rub her arms through the blankets. "Come on, don't do this." He choked as tears went to his eyes. He looked over at Mako whose eyes were drooping. "Mako." He said watching his brother pull out of Tenzin's grasp and move closer to Korra.
Tenzin only watched as Mako reached out a shaking hand and grabbed Korra's. "Korra, wake up. You're…. you're scaring Bolin." He whispered in her ear. He could not hold it anymore and he let his body droop against the saddle and let the darkness take over him. Just as he was about to slip unconscious he felt Korra's hand twitch in his making him give a little smile before he was gone to the world.
"Mako!" Bolin yelled. He felt his heartbreak as Korra would not respond and his brother had just passed out in front of him.
"They'll be okay. We're almost to the village." Tenzin told him. The two looked to see the smoke from the fire pits coming closer and closer. "They'll be alright." He repeated.
"Bolin! Tenzin!" Asami yelled as she and the others ran to the flying bison.
"They need to get looked at." Tenzin said as he lifted Mako up and made his way into Katara's house with Bolin holding the limp Korra in his arms. Asami watched tearful as her friends were carried past her, looking like death. Bolin laid Korra on the bed across the way from Mako and he was pushed from the room. The door slammed and the three were left with Korra's parents wondering if they would be alright. Bolin turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder and saw an extremely worried Asami.
"They didn't look good." She whispered.
"They looked worse when we found them." Bolin told her. "Mako was holding on for us to find them and Korra was nearly blue." He looked back at the closed door. "He was holding her when we found them. He looked so scared…"
"I'm sure he was afraid for her." Asami nodded.
Bolin shook his head. "He's never looked like that before. Never. Even when we were little and living on the streets in winter. He would give me all the blankets and jackets and he wouldn't have anything but he never looked afraid, and he never looked that bad." Bolin was feeling his fear rise higher and higher as his throat tightened and tears came to his eyes. Suddenly Senna was holding him as the tears over flowed.
"He'll be okay." She whispered as Asami let several tears slip from her eyes.
"They both will." She heard Tonraq say as he walked closer.
Tenzin nodded. "If there is one thing I have learned about those two it is that they are both extremely stubborn. They're not going to let this get in the way of arguing over the next trip." Asami laughed softly and Bolin chuckled but never pulled from the loving hug of Korra's mother.
The group took seats and sat for a few minutes all praying and hoping the two would be all right. "He was so worried about her." Bolin said breaking the silence. "He made me take her and start warming her up. He used his own jacket to keep them warm and try to keep the cold from her."
"He would do anything for her." Asami said and gave a small smile. "And Korra would do everything for him."
"That's how love goes." Senna smiled with a small nod. Tonraq and the others looked at her. "You think I wouldn't have known my daughter was in love?"
"They were trying to keep it a secret." Bolin said.
"There are no secrets between mothers and daughters." Senna smiled and her husband looked at her. "Don't be like that Tonraq. I think he has more than proven himself."
"Nearly freezing to death to save her does give him a few points." He shrugged thinking of his little girl being with the young man. Senna leaned her head on him and they all fell silent waiting for any news. Suddenly the door slid open. They all jumped to their feet as Katara walked out with a small smile.
"I was able to heal Mako. He is awake but he did suffer mild hypothermia." Katara told them.
"What about our daughter?" Tonraq asked impatient.
"I was able to heal her as well but she has suffered a longer exposure to the cold. She will need to be in bed and heal a while longer. She's still asleep, but is warming up. If you're quiet you may go in." All but Tenzin and Katara went into the room quickly and she looked up at her son. "Would you like to see them too?"
"I'll wait until they're healed more before I speak with them." Katara laughed softly making Tenzin look at her.
"They deserve to have a happy life, no matter if she is the Avatar or not. Your father and I had a difficult time trying to sort things out; he had been told he wasn't allowed a family. The avatar duties were more important but even the avatar needs happiness in their lives."
"She's too young to be balancing her happiness with her duties." He told her making her shake her head.
"Tenzin. You should know better than to doubt women and their ability to balance. She may be young but she knows where she is needed and when, just as your father did. She knows she needs to be able to separate when she is needed and he understands she has her duties. He may not like the fact she has to leave so often and alone but he understands and won't stand in her way. Leave them have their happiness and duties. After all you can't stop love." She smiled making him roll his eyes, remembering the story of his mother and father's journey that had been told to him and his sibling since they were small children.
"I will, mother." He told her before he walked closer to peer into the room.
"Bro, you need to heal more." He heard Bolin telling Mako. Looking over he found Mako trying to get out of bed. "Mako."
Tenzin walked in and over to the two brothers. "I can't just lay here." Mako said softly. Bolin looked to Tenzin for help but found a small smile on the old air benders face.
"It's difficult to be away from someone you love. Especially if they are hurt." Mako looked at Tenzin before the air bender reached out and helped the young fire bender to his feet. "You can see her and then you need to rest." Mako didn't listen. He was too concentrated on getting to Korra. "Bolin makes sure he gets back to his bed." Bolin nodded and took over holding his brother's weight.
Asami watched, as Senna stood from Korra's bedside to let Mako sit. They heard him murmur a 'thanks' before Bolin sat him down and stepped back. Korra was still cold and had a blue tint to her lips yet. Slowly he reached out holding her hand with his as he looked over her features. Asami put her hand on Mako's shoulder making him look at her as she pulled him into a tight hug.
"You do anything like that again and I'll tell Korra to kick your ass. I don't care if you have a million I told you so's." Mako smirked as he nodded. "You had me and Bolin worried sick." Mako looked at Bolin who was standing close by still afraid something might take a turn for the worse.
"Sorry." He said softly. "If I hadn't followed and pushed through the storm she wouldn't have made it." He said looking back at Korra.
"Well you saved your girlfriend." Bolin said making Mako look at him. "Now it's time you let someone take care of you." Mako smirked and shook his head.
"I don't need someone to take care of me, but thanks for taking care of her when you found us." Bolin nodded.
"Anytime, bro." Bolin looked at Korra and smiled. "Besides I told you before we left. She's like a sister to me. I can't let my sister get hurt without me trying to save her." There was a silence before Bolin reached out to Mako. "You going to let me take care of you for a change?"
Mako smiled at his little brother and nodded. "I'll let you know when I need to go back to bed."
"Asami, would you mind helping me?" Katara asked making Asami nod. She left to help the old water bender before Senna kissed her daughter's head and pulled her husband with her.
"Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I hope you continue to make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble." She pulled Mako into a hug and smiled as Tonraq put his hand on his shoulder before following his wife.
"I'm going to see if they need help getting anything set since it looks like we'll be here a while." Bolin told his brother.
"I'll let you know when I'm ready." Mako told him as he looked back at Korra, not even noticing as his brother slipped from the room. "Korra." He said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you faster."
"You saved me from freezing to death." She croaked out making him jump. She gave a sly smile and she cracked her eyes. "Thought nothing could scare you, Mr. cool under fire." She teased.
"Nothing except for you. You're such a pain. Always getting into some kind of trouble, never listening and then making everyone else run to save you, Avatar Korra." Korra tried to laugh but wound up coughing. "Careful." He said as he helped her turn as she coughed. "Master Katara said the cold hit you pretty hard. You're gonna be laid up for a couple days."
"And look at you, all perfectly fine." She scoffed as she rolled back.
"I'm not really. The cold hit me hard. Diving into the water was what hurt us the most but we're safe now." He said as he used what strength he had left to lean down to her. "Don't you ever scare me that bad again. I thought I lost you."
"I'm sorry." Korra told him as she pulled her hand up to rest on his cheek.
"I told you before. I can't imagine life without you. Avatar or not, I love you, Korra." He saw tears run from the corner of her eyes. She was always tough but he knew she still had her sensitive side like any other woman and he loved that about her. She was not someone she wasn't because of him, or because of her title.
"I love you too Mako." Korra told him as she looked up into his amber eyes. "Next time I'll take my personal protector with me." She grinned. "I'll tell Bolin when I travel again that he's going with me."
"You won't have to worry because I'm going with you." Mako pushed his lips to hers for a loving kiss. He could still feel the cold on her lips and skin but he needed to know she was all right.
Pulling back, he saw her looking at him thoughtful. "Mako, you have your job as a police officer. You can't just take off to follow me and my avatar duties." She shook her head.
"Korra, Bolin is pro-bending, we're helping at the temple and Chief Bei Fong will let me help when I'm there for extra cash. I'm not going to chance losing you again. It's happened too many times and I don't think I can take it anymore. I'll be insane before you're done traveling."
"Mako-." She was about to protest but he could hear the fatigue in her voice and see it clear on her face.
"We'll talk about it when we're both better." He stopped her argument and saw her nod. "Go to sleep." She didn't have to be told twice as her eyes slid closed and she was back to her dreams. Mako pushed himself up and stumbled to the door. He opened it making several people jump. "Bo." He said before his brother was at his side, helping him to stay on his feet.
"You need to sleep, Mako." Bolin told him and saw him nod. Bolin slowly walked his brother to the bed and watched as he quickly fell asleep, head turned to be able to see Korra as he drifted off. "Night bro." he whispered before slipping quietly from the room.
Three days later Senna and Tonraq walked to the house Katara owned and found Bolin, Mako laughing before Mako shoved his younger brother with a grin, remembering when they were children, and Bolin could make the best of the worst situations. Bolin chuckled as he stumbled back a step before they heard the door to the house slam.
"What are you two doing out here?" Korra asked as she made her way down the stairs to the brothers.
"What are you doing out here?" Tonraq asked making the three look at her parents. Korra smiled as she hugged her parents. "You're looking much better."
"I'm feeling much better. Master Katara says I'm nearly completely healed from the hypothermia." She explained as the brothers glanced at each other. Senna watched the two curious.
"How are you feeling, Mako?" Tonraq asked the younger man.
"I was given the all clear." Mako smirked before looking at Korra beside him. "Korra's the one taking her good old time getting better." Korra stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms. "Very mature, Avatar." He said sarcastically making her roll her eyes.
Bolin elbowed his brother making him turn. "I'm going to check on the others and see if they need anything." Mako nodded, he had told his brother about wanting to quit the police force to travel with Korra, to give her more protection than she had on her own. Bolin knew the two needed to talk about it, especially after the last few days of them skirting around the questions and comments about his work in conversations.
"Dear why don't we go see if they have everything they need to make dinner for the night?" Senna said making Tonraq look at her confused but shrugged and started towards the house with his wife and Bolin.
"Korra." Mako said as she started following her parents. He reached out pulling her back around to him. "We need to talk."
"Mako…" She trailed off not wanting to have this conversation.
"No." He shook his head. "We need to straighten this out before things get complicated. I'm going to tell chief Bei Fong I'm going to quit the force and help out when I'm in the city. I can't let you go out without someone there to help you."
"I don't need help." She said stubbornly. Mako sighed trying to think of a way to make things appeal more to her. Korra watched as his eyes searched hers before he shook his head with another deep sigh.
"Look, Korra. I know better than anyone that you can take care of yourself but with the people after you right now, I think it would be better to have someone with you. I can't stand to be stuck in the city wondering if you're alright, if someone attacked you… I can't stand it when something happens to you. I was going out of my mind when Tarlock took you; you can't imagine what I'm going through now." Mako reached out putting a hand gently on her cheek. "I love you Korra, I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you like this last time and no one was there to keep you alive."
Korra looked up into his eyes. She wanted to argue she wanted to push away and tell him to stop being protective, to stop acting as if she was some child that couldn't do anything but she knew that's not what he was doing. It was still new for her, having someone want to be there through everything in her life to help her and hold her when things became too much and she couldn't hold them under her tough exterior. She looked away. She did not want to need him or anyone else with her, but she truly was afraid that something would happen again and no one would be there to save her then.
"Mako, you can't leave the police. You've worked so hard to get there and you're really great at it. I don't want to be the reason you leave a job you like. All because I can't protect myself against a couple of people."
"They weren't just a few people. Korra they were Equalists, all of us have problems standing against a few, you stood against a good fifteen of them and got away. Besides, I would rather be with you, knowing you're safe. Spending time together like we used to when we pro-bended." He smiled at the end and she could not help the small smile that crossed her face as she looked down. Mako reached out tilting her head back up to look at him. "Korra, you are the more stubborn, nerve wreaking, frustrating, big headed person I know."
"Well you're not so bad yourself, city boy." She joked back. "I think we work well together. You're Mr. Cool under fire and I'm the avatar." She grinned before Mako shook his head with a sigh and pulled her into a hug. "So you're really going to quit and travel with me when I need to?"
Mako pulled back and gave a little nod before kissing her forehead and pulling her back. "I can't just let the Avatar run around all alone, now can I?" He laughed making her pull back with a bright smile on her lips. "You should go back in before the cold gets to you again."
"I know how to take care of myself." She crossed her arms and gave a little glare. After a minute, she turned on her heels and started for the house. "I'm not going in because you said to." She clarified making Mako smirk as he followed her in. He knew that being with her constantly was the right choice.
He knew he had at one point felt a connection with Asami to form a strong friendship underneath a relationship but once the feelings of attraction wore that's all they were left with their friendship. He realized that while Asami was beautiful, smart, and perfect for him he would never be able to accept perfect again. Once the Avatar stepped into his life things had turned upside down and now he could not accept anything less than crazy. Anything less than Korra, his Avatar.