The noodle shop was loud and crowded, but Mako was tuned into his thoughts where it was quiet and he was all alone. He silently lifted his cup of hot chocolate to his lips, took a sip and set it back down. He just felt so empty. And it wasn't just today that the feeling surfaced, it had been happening a lot lately, as if he was in a state of depression.

After Korra's battle with Zaheer, she hadn't been the same. Not only was she crippled physically, but mentally as well. Almost dying at the hands of a revolutionist wasn't something someone could walk away from unscathed. Mako couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she was facing.

A few week after the battle, after she had attended Jinora's ceremony, Korra, along with her parents found it best that she go back to the South and give her a break. They hoped Katara could heal her, even though Korra told them she wouldn't ask for her help.

Though none of them voiced this, Mako couldn't help but feel as though they were hoping to get Korra away from reminders. Reminders of the past. Being in Republic City, where there was action at every turn, it must have been hard for Korra, knowing she could do nothing.

So, off Korra went, and though Mako was saddened that Korra was leaving, he knew it was for the best. Besides, she would only be gone a few weeks. She was going down there to take a break, and recuperate. She would only be gone a few weeks... right?

With heavy hearts a trio of friends, along with Tenzin and his family watched Korra half-heartedly smile at them as she sailed away with her parents and Kya.

"Get better soon!" Mako had said.

As weeks rolled by Bolin and Asami wrote to Korra constantly. Mako, on the other hand, wrote one letter. It was only a few weeks right? He missed her, but he would see her soon. And hopefully she would feel better.

Soon, the few weeks turned into months. And months turned into years. Mako frowned. Why hadn't she come back yet? It was only supposed to be a few weeks. But it had been 2 years. Mako had sent countless letters for the first few months, never asking why she hadn't come back, a question he desperately wanted to ask. After a few months, never receiving any letters from her, he finally gave up, angry at her, angry at the world, angry at everything.

He knew she had written to Asami. He knew (even though Asami never said anything). He had been at lunch with her, as she exuberantly described all of her new ideas. She excused herself after awhile, leaving Mako to stare at an empty plate, and a glass half empty, or half full, of water. As he stared across the table, something caught his eye. A piece of parchment stuck out of Asami's bag. He knew he shouldn't be looking in Asami's bag, but he couldn't help but make out the "i" in Asami's name written neatly on the parchment. He instantly knew it was Korra's handwriting. Before he could let curiosity take over, and actually take the letter, Asami came back and apologized for leaving him on his own. Mako only half-smiled telling her it was okay. They were good friends and he tried not to be hurt that Korra wrote to her and not him. He tried.

"Mako, are you alright?" Asami had asked.

Mako quickly excused it as tiredness.

Finally. After nearly three years Korra was coming home. He could barely contain his excitement. He did anyways.

Maybe, just maybe, things would begin to turn out better for him. After being stuck with Prince Wu, things had taken for the worst. He had pretty much lost his job (being a pawn in Raiko's game), and he had to watch over a goofy brat that was supposed to rule the Earth Kingdom. Why he had to watch over him when he wasn't an Earth Kingdom citizen, Mako had no clue. But, regardless, sometimes Mako felt more like a babysitter, and less like a bodyguard when it concerned Wu.

As excited as he was, he couldn't help but be a little bitter, and angry though. She had been gone for 3 years, and never had any contact with him. She never wrote him a letter. Yet, she wrote Asami.

All of his excitement turned to worry in an instant. Tonraq had arrived to Republic City, and Korra was no where to be found. Apparently she was supposed to be in Republic City six months ago.

No one, not even her parents knew where she headed off to. She was by herself, not even taking Naga with her, who was her best friend. Alone. She was alone. The thought made Mako sick to his stomach.

"Excuse me, mind if I sit here?"

He swore it sounded like Korra, only a bit older. But he knew he was just hallucinating. He didn't know when Korra would return, when he would see her again, if ever. He had seen Korra everywhere lately, only it wasn't Korra. When he caught a glimpse of blue, or someone had brown hair, Mako immediately thought of Korra, and then realized it wasn't her. Man, she really did sound like Korra though. Mako didn't bother to glance at the approacher, "Yeah sure go ahead. I hope you don't mind broody men."

Wu stirred next to him, as Mako read the daily news.

Avatar Korra, no where to be found! Where could she be? Perhaps in Zaofu? Several witnesses have claimed to see the young Avatar in Zaofu, but no one knows for sure. The reports were made a merely two days ago-

The woman sat down, "No, to tell you the truth I fell in love with a broody guy," she chuckled. "He was really good friend, well more than that, but it didn't end very pretty. Anyway, I'm gonna meet up with him sometime soon, and it's been a really long time, so it'll be great to see him. What do you think I should say to him?"

Mako sighed, and rubbed his temples. "I don't know, why are you asking me?"

"Look, bub, I just asked for your opinion. No need to get in tizzy."

Wu studied the young woman sitting across the table from Mako. She kind of looked familiar.

Mako scowled from behind his newspaper, "Whatever. It depends on how long it's been since you've seen him."

The newspaper was beginning to irk the woman. If the man didn't put it away soon, she might burn it for him. Instead Korra hummed in thought, "Well what would you say to someone you haven't seen in about three years?"

Mako's heart stopped. Three years. It had been three years since he had seen Korra. Painful feelings surfaced as he recalled how many times he had written Korra, and how she never responded. He scowled again.

"I would apologize."

"Apologize for what?" the girl inquired.

"Well if you guys are good friends, he obviously cares about you and was hurt for you being gone for so long," Mako reasoned, thinking about his own situation.

"Oh, I see," she said as she frowned slightly.

Wu coughed and two pairs of eyes stared at him.

"Sorry, carry on."

The young woman looked at him, as if trying to decipher a puzzle.

Wu observed her beauty. He wiggled his eyebrows at the woman.

"Aren't you a lovely dame."

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Then she gave her attention back to the young man.

"Well anyway, thanks for the advice, but, if you'll excuse me, I need to get on my way. I have places to go, people to see. It was nice talking to you...newspaper boy."

The woman got up and considered holding her hand out to offer to shake his hand, but then remembered she was on a tight schedule. Besides, he was busy reading that dang newspaper. Oh, how she wanted to burn that newspaper. She didn't.

She sauntered towards the exit as she heard a gasp from the guy who hit on her, no doubt. Finally figured it out, huh? She smirked. That's right, I'm back.

Mako tried reading the newspaper article... again, but failed, because Wu elbowed him.

Annoyed, Mako placed the newspaper down and glared at Wu, "What?" he asked, annoyance dripping at his words.

"Mako look! Isn't that the Avatar?"

Mako scoffed and considered looking at his newspaper again, but part of his optimistic side kicked in and he looked ahead, really hoping it was her. Even though he knew it wouldn't be her. He looked anyway.

The woman adorned short brown hair, tickling her toned shoulders. With a perfect athletes body. She wore Earth Kingdom (er, excuse me, Earth Empire) clothing, that clashed, yet complemented her tan skin. He guessed she had Water Tribe heritage. She was beautiful no doubt, but he knew it wasn't her. Korra had long hair, that she almost always wore in a ponytail, and Water Tribe clothes.

The hope that fluttered inside him diminished and his heart dropped.

"No, Wu, it's not the Avatar. Finish your food so we can go."

He almost picked up his newspaper to read again, when he heard the young woman laugh. He looked up again and saw her bent down at the level of a child. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he didn't need to. Could it really be her? That was her laugh. That was Korra's laugh.

Without realizing it, Mako stood up and advanced toward the woman. Wu looked after him in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

Mako didn't know what he was doing. It was a long shot, but he may as well see if it was really her or not. The way she laughed... it stirred something in his heart.

The woman turned slightly as if she sensed he were approaching her.

Blue.

Her eyes were blue.

He suddenly felt the urge to cry.

Korra.

It was Korra.

Korra glanced down and then back up again, as if just realizing what she saw. She smiled as she started to walk up to him. The young boy ran back to his mother.

As they neared each other, Mako pinched his arm, just to make sure it wasn't a dream. He wasn't dreaming, right? He wasn't.

He didn't know what to do or what to say. Should he be mad at her and not hug her, should he yell at her, because, Spirits, she hurt him so much. Or should he just embrace her. Three years was a long time after all.

He decided to do the latter as she came up to hug him. He opened his arms and enveloped her in a hug.

This wasn't a dream.

"This is real," Korra said quietly, as if she was reading his thoughts.

As Wu approached the two, they reluctantly released.

Her beautiful features graced Mako. She was gorgeous. Drop dead gorgeous. She was still the same ole Korra, but he could see she was more mature, and goodness, she was beautiful.

His eyes moved to her hair. It was different. But it was a good different. And, spirits, he really wanted to brush the strands out of her face, just so he could remember this moment forever.

Apparently he did just that. His hand rested at her cheek as he realized what he had just done.

Wu coughed once again.

Mako dropped his hand. "Oh, um right. Uh, Wu this is-"

"Oh please, I know who she is. She's the Avatar. As beautiful as the sunset, darling," Wu said as he grabbed Korra's hand and kissed it.

Korra looked at him surprised.

Mako glared at him. Wu's smile dropped.

"Korra, this is Prince Wu."

"King Wu, actually! I was coron-"

Korra bowed slightly to Wu and then turned back to Mako, "Mako, it's been so long. I missed you."

"Yeah it's been about three years," Mako said wistfully, with a sharp edge in his voice.

It either went unnoticed or Korra just chose to ignore it, "Actually, it's been two years, eleven months and twenty-eight days, but who's counting right?" she smiled.

Goodness. How he missed her smile.

As upset as he was, he couldn't ruin this moment. He still couldn't believe she was here. He had missed her.

He wanted to know why she never wrote back to him, and why she was gone so long. He wanted to know everything, but he would press those matters to her later. He would save it for another day. All he wanted to do right now was to hear her angelic voice.

He smiled back.