Oh man, this got out of hand length-wise. Okay. So there's been a couple things that Harpalyce has written lately on Tumblr (search the lieumon tag on her page) where Amon is captured and put through a LOT of sexual abuse at the hands of the metalbending police. He eventually gets out of the city with his Lieutenant, but Amon is very, very broken. It's incredible stuff, and SO intense, and just a few days ago she put up a possible sad ending to the story, where the Lieutenant poisons Amon, then himself to stop the police from taking them back to the city. It made me cry. I couldn't stop reading it and it made me incredibly sad EVERY SINGLE TIME, and finally I decided to write a possible happy ending to the situation. Someone put up a headcanon a while ago that Asami was pregnant when she and Mako broke up (I can't find the original post), and that got mashed up with this. I've written over 10,000 words today. My hands are tired.
Asami had just been starting to worry that she was late when she also began to worry that Mako might have feelings for Korra. By the time their relationship had fallen apart, she was certain that she was pregnant. It was a while before she could really admit it to herself. It was easier to grasp at straws and hope she'd made a mistake. It was stress, that was all. She'd heard that sometimes affected things. Maybe her stomach turned sometimes in the mornings and she had trouble keeping down some kinds of food, but that was just her mind playing tricks on her. When she missed her second period, she couldn't lie to herself anymore.
The worst of it was that she had nobody, absolutely nobody she could talk to. Mako- That was out of the question. She would not go crawling back to him, and what could he do for her anyways? He didn't have money and she didn't need money, and he even if he'd leave Korra to help support her, that wasn't something she wanted. Even if Korra had warmed up to her lately, Asami wasn't going to pour her heart out to her about how her boyfriend had actually gotten her pregnant. Maybe she could have talked to Bolin, and he definitely would have been the most sympathetic of the three, but she couldn't help feeling like there was no way he'd be able to keep the secret from his brother.
Who was left? She didn't have any family but her father. Should she just show up at his jail cell, tell him in front of the guards and whoever else cared to hear that, surprise! He was going to be a grandfather! Almost anyone else she could have turned to was tied so much more closely to Korra than to herself. It had taken Korra so long to even be pleasant to her- If Korra forced them to make a choice, who would pick Asami Sato over the Avatar?
It was an unhappy secret she couldn't share with anyone. It wasn't even just her own reputation. That had taken enough damage lately, but it wasn't all that was at stake. Future Industries was still struggling to find its feet again, and she knew just how fragile the situation was. Another scandal, especially one tied to the Avatar and the Avatar's boyfriend, might be enough to ruin everything. She delayed and delayed going to see a doctor, even just for vague, unspecific advice. Her picture had been all over the papers for weeks, and if anyone guessed that she might be hiding something, that would be enough for all the journalists to run with the story.
She avoided Mako. It wasn't difficult. He was busy with his new job with the police. Korra always had her training to keep her occupied, and Bolin was trying to put together a new pro-bending team. When they saw each other Asami paid lip service to wanting to meet more regularly, but it was good that they couldn't be around often. She spent a lot of time in her office, poring over papers and records and spending long nights working to rebuild her company. Her free time she spent curled up alone in her bed, trying to lose herself in books and forget what she had to face in real life. She wished she had even one friend that she could turn to and talk to, but that just wasn't an option.
Another missed period. She slept poorly and there wasn't a day she didn't feel exhausted. Sometimes she cried now. There couldn't be any mistake. She was going to have a baby. She visited her father at least once a week, but she'd never been able to bring herself to tell him. The city was in an uproar. She'd heard bits and pieces through Korra about what Mako had exposed in the prison. Even though she was shocked, acted shocked, it was difficult to feel anything too deep. The riots in the city seemed like they were happening in some other world. It was impossible to forget, even for an hour, what she was going through. She stood in front of a mirror every day, looking from every angle for some sign of the changes that had to be coming. There was no baby bump yet, but her breasts were growing. They ached and hurt, and even if her stomach was still flat, she couldn't tell if she was imagining that her clothes were tight and uncomfortable.
At least that was a good use for some of her money. Looser clothing was purchased, mixed with more fashionable choices so nothing would look unusual. Her stomach was starting to show now. How fast would it grow? How long could she hide it? How could she hide it? Another month. She saw Korra and Bolin sometimes, but she made every possible effort to avoid Mako. It was too hard to see him now. Her father seemed to understand something was wrong, but how could he ever guess what it was? They were never left alone and she never was able to nerve herself up enough to tell him in front of his guards.
It was easy to hide her stomach under heavy winter coats, even though it was barely autumn, but it was almost impossible for her to ignore it herself. She could feel the change in her body when she moved and bent. It was a constant reminder and one that she couldn't escape. People sometimes asked if she'd gained weight, and she was able to just laugh it off as the stress of running the largest company in Republic City, but that lie wouldn't hold for long. Future Industries was doing better now. What if... she left? What if she ran? Not forever, but just for a while. When her mother had been alive, they'd gone to stay in a house in the countryside every summer. It had been years since they made the trip, but- Surely she deserved a break. The company was stable enough that she could direct it from a distance.
It was impulsive, and she definitely hadn't taken the time to think it through, but she did it. It took too long, weeks more, to get her affairs in order, but everyone who saw the dark circles under her eyes and the way her shoulders slumped agreed that she deserved and needed a rest. The company could run without her right there. The hardest part was convincing everyone to let her make the trip alone. They wanted to send along a driver, a cook, a secretary, someone to clean- She refused it all. She held her ground and said her goodbyes, careful to lean forward and keep her hips tilted back when she hugged everyone. Korra made her promise to write soon and waved as long as the Satomobile was in sight.
Driving had always been something she'd enjoyed. She'd been convinced to take a Satomobile with a roof because the weather could be uncertain for such a long drive, but she let down the windows to feel the wind in her hair. It was when she'd cleared the city limits and the road was lined with trees and farmland instead of buildings that she burst into tears. It was quieter sobbing after that first flood, but she cried for a good hour or two, glad that she didn't need to worry about anything more than keeping the vehicle on the road. Some of it was relief, some of it was worry for the future, and some of it was everything she hadn't been able to express back home.
Eventually, Asami just couldn't cry anymore. She still sniffled to herself, but her eyes felt red and sore and swollen. The sun was high now, and the light stung, but she pressed onward. This Satomobile was better than any of the ones they'd had when she was a child. If she kept this pace, perhaps she'd make it by dinnertime. She pulled over eventually for a homemade lunch that Pema had packed for her. She planned to stop in one of the towns along the way to buy food, but Pema had pressed it into her hands this morning. Well, the way her face had to look now, it was better to just eat alone and get on her way.
The sun was just starting to touch the horizon when she pulled into the long gravel driveway. There was an old weather-beaten 'for sale' sign in the grass. She'd have to pick that up later. Future Industries didn't need money quite so badly as it had at first. She parked outside the garage and pulled her suitcases from the trunk. Even though it was late in the year, it was wonderfully warm. There was no need to worry about hiding things here, so she slipped out of her too-heavy coat and left it draped over the side of the vehicle. The garden seemed surprisingly well-tended. Had they paid someone to maintain the grounds? She couldn't remember anymore. Everything had so, so many details and it was impossible to keep track of even the things she had to remember. She left the first suitcases outside the front door and started to go back for more when something caught her eye.
Was that... a light? It was! There was a light on inside? Why would there be a light? Asami's first thought was robbers, and she ran back to the Satomobile, rummaging for the Equalist glove that she always kept on hand these days. She didn't go back to the front door. She pressed herself against the wall and edged around to the back. A few deep breaths, and she reached for the door handle. It wasn't locked. She could hear muffled noises from in the house now. One last moment to steady herself, and she threw the door open, stepping in to fill the space, glove ready and sparking.
Of all the people she could have seen, she wasn't expecting the tall man with dark hair. He was pushing someone behind him and striking a defensive stance before his eyes registered who she was. Her glove dropped and he slowly straightened. "Asami?"
She took a tentative step forward. "Uncle... Lieu? Or- I guess that isn't really your name. Lieutenant? Or something else?"
"No." He shook his head. "I've been Uncle Lieu to you for long enough. But Asami, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, you know. Some rest and relaxation, getting away from the stress of the city and all that."
He was looking down at her stomach. "Asami, now why exactly do you need rest and relaxation away from the city?" She opened her mouth to lie and stopped. He was looking at her with astonishment written all over his face. "Oh, Asami."
She threw herself into his arms sobbing out an explanation of everything. Mako, Korra, her father, the company, everything she hadn't been able to talk over with anyone for months and months. He led her gently over to a sofa, sitting her down and putting an arm around her shoulder as she wailed into his chest. She was dimly aware of someone slipping away from the corner of her eye, but she couldn't spare attention for anything but Uncle Lieu's quiet reassurances and questions as she cried. Finally, she was able to pull back, scrubbing at her face and mumbling apologies.
"Stop. You have nothing to be sorry for, nothing at all. I'm amazed you've been able to hold on for so long all by yourself. No wonder you came out here."
"But what about you? How do you even know about this house?"
He shrugged. "Your father used it as an Equalist meeting point regularly. Why do you think he stopped your summer visits? We needed somewhere to run to-"
"We? Uncle Lieu, you disappeared after the riots, and the papers wondered- I think I saw him. Before. Was it Amon?"
"It is." He sighed. "Asami, I know what you must think of me. Us. But if you'd only seen what they did to him- Please, just give us a head start. Don't let them take him again. We can leave tonight, in an hour even. If you'll just wait until we've gone to make the phone call-"
"Uncle. Uncle. Don't. I'm not going to throw you out. This house is large enough for three people, of course. You can stay here as long as you need to."
She didn't think she'd imagined the tension draining from his shoulders. "You don't know how good that is to hear."
"But where is Amon? That was him behind you, wasn't it? Where did he go?"
He sighed. "I assume you heard the stories?"
"I saw the pictures too. It was awful."
"It was worse than that. I could hear- I could hear what they were doing to him. Night after night after night. That Mako boy of yours let me see him once, but that was all. Eventually they got sick of hearing me yelling." He gestured at a small red scar at the base of his neck. "You're lucky. If you'd shown up when we first got here, I was hardly able to talk louder than a whisper. But, Asami, you didn't know Amon before and I know you don't have any reason to care for him- But no person deserves that. They broke something in him."
"What do you mean?"
"He's different. He's stronger now, but I don't know if he'll ever really recover. He jumps at shadows and loud noises, and I think he'd be happy never leaving the house again. He can go days without going any further than the garden." He rubbed his forehead. "Those first few weeks... It was bad. I don't like to remember. I wasn't sure if I could save him."
"If it's like that, will it be alright for me to be in the house? It might take some time, but I'm sure I could work something out-"
"Asami. We are absolutely not going to throw you out of your own house. Besides, Hiroshi and I have been telling Amon stories about you for years. I'm sure he practically thinks of himself as another uncle, and I can't think of a better person to help him adjust to company again. It might be difficult at first, but if you have no objection to our staying here, we would be unendingly grateful for your hospitality."
"Of course. I'd be happy to have you. Uncle Lieu, I can't tell you how good it is to have someone I can talk to-"
He pulled her close. "Oh, Asami, no girl should have to go through something like this alone. Don't you worry, we'll sort it all out. For now, though, let's get your things in here." She started to stand and he waved her off. "I'll take care of it. If you drove from Republic City this morning, you deserve rest."
Once all of her bags and suitcases were inside, he groaned theatrically and leaned against the wall. "Were there any of your worldly belongings you didn't bring with you?"
That startled her into a laugh. "I do need everything to run Future Industries while I'm out here."
"Well, just let me get Amon and we'll start moving out of the main bedroom, and you can put your things in there."
He was already walking off before she reached out to stop him. "Wait! I don't want that room."
"Asami, even if you've decided to let us take up residence in your own house, we are not going to take all the nicest things. Amon and I can use one of the smaller bedrooms."
She shook her head. "I mean it. That's always been my parents' room and I don't want it. I'll take my old bedroom, upstairs." She paused and flushed. "Oh! But does that mean that you- You and Amon-"
He blushed. "Ah. Yes. It- It isn't the same as it used to be, before. But I don't plan to let anything separate us again."
"Then I'm definitely taking my old room. You have the only bedroom large enough to sleep two comfortably."
"Thank you." There was a distant noise from back in the hallways and they both turned to look. "Let me find Amon. I need to tell him all the news. Don't carry all these bags upstairs. You need to be taking it easy."
As he walked off, Asami sat down at the table and began to sort through her things. This for the bedroom, this for the study, oh, and this needed immediate attention- She was piling files and records around her on the ground when Uncle Lieu came back, leading Amon behind him. The scars from Mako's photos were perhaps a little faded now, and even under the clothing he certainly looked more fragile than he'd ever been as the leader of the Equalist revolution. Uncle Lieu guided him across the room, and even when he was standing right in front of her, his eyes hardly seemed to focus. He whispered a few quiet greetings and thanks, then pulled his arm away and slipped back the direction he'd come from. There was the sound of a door closing in the distance.
"Better than I would have expected," Uncle Lieu sighed. "It should improve, just please try to be careful around him. Now then, let me take your suitcases upstairs and then I can make us some food. You must be starving by now."
"Don't take these papers and bags. I need to put them in my father's study." He started to object and she cut him off. "Uncle. I'm not so delicate that I can't manage that."
"One thing, then. Please try to make sure you don't leave anything on the floor. Amon doesn't see well, not since the explosion."
By the time she'd arranged the workspace to her satisfaction, she could smell dinner cooking. When she came into the kitchen, Amon was standing at her uncle's elbow. He flinched away when she came close, and she turned and walked over to the table to sit and listen. It was hard to catch Amon's words, but Uncle Lieu spoke loud enough for her to hear and occasionally threw a casual comment her way.
"Asami, all your bags are in your bedroom, but I didn't know where you wanted things to go so nothing is unpacked."
"That's fine. But are you sure you got the right place? There are several bedrooms up there."
"This is just a guess, mind, but I'm fairly sure it was the room with the bright pink motor diagrams on the walls. Any explanation for that?"
She blushed. "I wanted pretty paintings in my room when I was little, but my father didn't want to hire anyone to do it. My only condition was that I wanted something pink, I kept bothering him until finally my mother made him do something about it- I guess he painted what he knew."
Her uncle laughed and she thought she could even see a half-smile on Amon's face. "I'm not surprised he never shared that story."
"I think it annoyed my mother, but I always liked it. Nobody else I knew had a room like mine."
Amon still seemed uncomfortable with her there, so after dinner was done she walked upstairs to unpack. She hardly got anywhere, though, before wandering through the room looking at all the little things she'd forgotten she ever owned. There was a notebook filled with a child's drawings. Pictures of animals, flowers, her and her father with mother as a spirit watching over them. Less than ten years ago, she'd been that child, and now she was about to be a mother. She slammed the notebook shut and shoved it under a pile of papers. The novels- Now that was something she could enjoy. She pulled out an old favorite. The cover was bent and faded and the spine seemed almost ready to fall apart, but she curled up on the bed, starting right at the beginning and diving into the familiar story.
She must have fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes, she could see pink skies through the branches of the tree outside her window. She was still in yesterday's clothing, but someone had pulled a blanket over her and turned out the lights. Her novel was on the bedside table with a bookmark carefully placed where she must have left off. Nobody answered when she called out the door, so she walked across the hall to the bathroom and took a slow, hot bath. When she finally wandered downstairs, there was a rice and an assortment of grilled vegetables kept warm between two plates on the kitchen table. She was just finishing the meal when the door opened and Uncle Lieu walked in with bags of groceries.
"Good morning. I'm guessing you slept well, then?"
"I'm sorry. There was so much I meant to get done last night."
He waved her off. "You're here for rest and relaxation, aren't you? I meant to get into town and back before you woke up, but it took longer than I expected." He sighed and took a seat at the table. "Now, Asami, this isn't going to be the most pleasant conversation, but it needs to happen. What are your plans? What are you going to do?"
"I- I don't know. I have no idea."
"Do you want to keep the child?"
That was an easy question at least. "No. It would be too painful with Mako and Korra. And I don't think I can spare the time to be a good mother. And- And- I just don't feel ready-"
"Shh," he soothed. "You don't have to keep the baby if you don't want to. There are plenty of options."
"Yes, but how can I do it without people knowing it's me? If the papers hear about this, I don't know what I'll do. I don't want anyone to know, ever!"
"Not even your friends?"
"No! Don't you see? There isn't any way for me to tell them without it all just hurting worse. I want it to be over, and I want to be able to pretend it never happened."
"Have you at least been to see a doctor to be sure you're doing well?" She mutely shook her head. "Asami."
"It's not just me," she mumbled. "It's Future Industries. And the Avatar's reputation too. I haven't even been able to tell my father. I got away from the city before anyone could guess."
"What were you planning to do once you got here? Spend months alone in this house, deliver the baby by yourself, drop it off somewhere, and go back to the city?"
That made her laugh. "Well, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound like a good idea at all. I don't know. I thought perhaps I could hire someone in town to take care of the house and cook. And I was going to find a doctor eventually. I thought maybe I could disguise myself by cutting my hair or- or something. I just had to get out of Republic City. I couldn't handle it anymore."
He leaned back and sighed. "At least we can sort it out now. If nothing else, I can bring the baby to an orphanage. Nobody should be looking for me in a place like that. If we were able to socialize more, perhaps we'd be able to find a local family that wanted the child, but that isn't a very likely option as we're situated now." He gave her a sharp look. "I'll let you skip the doctor's for now, but only because it's such a short drive into town. If there is any sign of trouble, we're going there and you will not argue with me."
"Uncle Lieu!"
"Are you going to put keeping the secret before your own safety? Because I certainly won't."
"But-"
"I know enough medical basics to take care of little problems, but I know when to defer to superior training. I want to respect your wishes, but I refuse to risk your life. Agreed?"
"Uncle-" He raised his eyebrows without saying a word. "Fine."
They both looked up as Amon silently slipped in through the door. He flinched and began to turn, but her uncle took a few quick steps to his side, taking his arm and talking in a low voice. He gently led Amon forward to take a seat at the table, pulling various fruits and vegetables from the bags he'd brought in and asking Amon his opinions on lunch, dinner, tomorrow's meals and holding them close for the other man to peer at. Watching without a word, Asami could see how Amon gradually relaxed, leaning into her uncle's side and speaking more confidently as he went on. After a few minutes, she stood and walked off, leaving them alone together.
For the first time in a long while, the Future Industries work felt like more of an engaging challenge than a painful chore. She didn't realize how much time had passed until she saw that at some point Uncle Lieu had left a plate beside her piled high with fruit and fresh bread. When she finally picked up the telephone to call the interim director, the man seemed surprised she was already at work and pleased at how much better she sounded. During dinner, Amon slipped off with his meal barely touched, a hand on the wall to help him feel his way. Asami tried to apologize to her uncle, but he waved her off. They didn't want to make her eat alone if they could help it, and Amon would hopefully get better with time. Uncle Lieu collected Amon's plate and left to follow him. Asami started to clean the dishes that had been left behind before her uncle returned and took over the job.
"Uncle, you have to let me help some around the house. I can't make you do all the work."
"You're doing enough work already. I don't have much to occupy me but sitting around the house all day, so it keeps me busy."
"Do you have a job in the town or anything?"
He shook his head. "Not now. Maybe when Amon is doing better. I don't want to leave him alone all day if I can help it. There were some savings that Hiroshi left here to be used in case of emergencies, and I'm making it stretch as far as I can. That way I can be right here when Amon needs me."
"Oh! Uncle Lieu, you should have told me. I can help."
"Asami, no. You've given us enough already."
"Not if I'm here and you're spending your money on me. I want to help."
They settled into a lazy routine together. Amon never sought out her company, but he avoided her less. She didn't feel so much that she was keeping him away from her uncle just by being there. Once when he took an ugly fall on the staircase and she reached him before her uncle could, he let her help him to his feet and over to a soft couch. Of course when Uncle Lieu arrived, Amon reached out for him, but he hadn't flinched away from her either. The day after that, Amon was the one to bring a plate of food into her study for lunch.
Her days passed in work for Future Industries and writing to her friends and family back home. She tried to make some hints in her letters to her father about running into an old adoptive relative, but she was afraid to be too explicit. Hopefully it would be enough for him to guess that his friends were alive and safe. Uncle Lieu was happy to drop of her letters downtown any day she didn't feel up to driving herself.
As the months went on and she got bigger, she spent some of her evenings trying to figure out how to make alterations to some of her clothes. It was a struggle. She'd never learned more than the basics of sewing and it had been years since she'd even picked up a needle. She hadn't ever expected Amon to lean in close to see her work and quietly suggest a change in her technique. She'd been surprised enough that she forgot not to be loud, and he shrank back against her uncle's side. When Uncle Lieu had a supportive arm around him, Amon managed to explain that he'd been taught to alter and repair his own clothing since he'd been a child.
His help was a relief, but it was hard to see him leaning so close that his nose almost brushed the cloth just to be able to see what he was doing. She'd slipped a special request in with her other mail and in just a few days, a package was waiting for her in the postal office in town. Neither her uncle or Amon had expected it when she put a box of different reading glasses down in front of him and told him to find the pair that worked for him best. Probably nothing could fix his eyes at this point, but it helped. He didn't tell her himself, but Uncle Lieu said Amon had been sure he'd never read again, and just being able to pick up a book to pass the time was something he'd always be grateful for.
Amon talked to her sometimes now, but he tended to wait for her uncle to begin and lead the conversations. She was about eight months along and the three of them were passing a cold evening working in front of the fire when she began to catch the edge of a whispered conversation between Uncle Lieu and Amon. There was something about 'we discussed this' and 'I know you can do it,' but she couldn't hear most of what they were talking about. Finally Amon turned to face her and she pretended not to notice that he took a few minutes to nerve himself into whatever it was he wanted to say.
"Asami?"
She looked up and smiled. "Yes?"
"The baby." He paused and she waited expectantly. "Had you changed your mind about keeping the baby?"
"No. I'm still sure."
She saw his hands were shaking. Her uncle carefully wrapped his arms around Amon from behind, pulling him back again his chest. "Would- What if you knew someone who wanted the child?"
It took a long moment for her to understand. "Oh. Oh! Yes! Oh, Uncle, I never would have guessed. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have raising my baby. Of course!"
It was one of the first times she'd seen a genuine smile on Amon's face. They hardly had eyes for her anymore, only for each other. They sat forehead to forehead, Amon's arms around her uncle's neck until he broke away to bury his face in the other man's shoulder. Uncle Lieu held him close, smiling at Asami over his back.
"Thank you. Asami, there are no words- Thank you so much-"
After that, she could tell that Amon was making even more of an effort to adjust to her presence. Sometimes he would even talk to her when her uncle wasn't there, and even if he wouldn't go into town with them to shop for baby clothes, he was happy to sit with them and look over the day's purchases, folding and sorting them and talking over the rest of the things they'd need in the next few weeks. In the evenings when the baby moved, she let them touch her stomach and feel the kicking of tiny feet.
It was difficult to remember that Republic City existed sometimes. She couldn't focus for long on more than this quiet existence, the birth that might be only days away, and the two men who would be parents to her child. Once the baby was weaned, she could go back to her normal life, but that was still months off and she was far enough from the old days that she sometimes forgot that this wasn't how things had always been. Her letter-writing slipped, certainly. It was almost painful to be talking to people who she should have been able to tell all the happy details, but be unable to even give a hint of what was about to happen. Her mind ran in circles, wondering when the baby would be coming, wondering if today was the day, wondering if it was time yet.
When it was time, Asami decided she actually hadn't been ready at all. It started slowly, but as the contractions came harder and faster, she got more and more worried. She'd commonly heard contractions compared to menstrual cramps, but they were worse than anything she'd ever experienced. Once they were certain she was going into labor, Uncle Lieu and even Amon helped her to one of the smaller bedrooms and arranged her comfortably on the bed. The passing of the minutes had never taken so horribly long. Amon sat beside her and held her hand as her uncle boiled water and prepared everything he'd need to take care of her.
By the time he came back, she was in pain and couldn't hide it any longer. Amon was trying not to show it, but every time she couldn't help crying out or her hand clenched on his, he flinched away. Uncle Lieu took one look at him and sent him away to the other side of the house. Amon tried to protest, but her uncle told him that forcing himself to stay and watch while Asami was in pain would only hurt him in the long run. Her uncle gave him a last reassuring kiss and shut the door firmly behind him.
She'd been trying to just endure and wait for it to be over, but it kept getting worse. She'd expected to be embarrassed about stripping in front of her uncle of all people, but when it came down to it she was just desperate for someone, anyone who understood medicine to get the birth over with. Her water had broken, which was as far as her knowledge reached. When her uncle asked her to get off her back and onto her feet she snapped, "What?"
He, at least, was calm and collected as her persuaded her that it was easier to give birth squatting than lying down. By that point she was so desperate for anything to make this easier that she actually listened. She leaned on his shoulders and pushed down and tried not to scream and screamed all the same. He kept up a constant, soothing murmur of encouragement. It hurt, it burned, it was worse than anything she'd ever lived through, and the contractions rippled across her stomach while she cried and clung to her uncle and prayed for it to be over. She didn't believe him at first when he said he could see something. But she could feel it, and then it was the head, the shoulders, and then he was reaching down easing the baby away. He let her collapse down on the bed, lean back against the pillows and shut her eyes.
"It's a girl, Asami," he whispered. "It's a perfect little girl."
She was crying still and trembling with exhaustion as she reached out. She could hear a thin wail as her baby cried for the first time. As soon as he'd gently cleaned the worst of the mess away, he set her down in Asami's arms, nestled against her chest.
"Asami, may I get Amon?"
She nodded without words, letting her head fall back again. She lay there just holding the baby, feeling her nursing. Her uncle was back in minutes, and she smiled up at the two men as they came in. Amon seemed to want to come closer, but stayed pressed back against the far wall. Uncle Lieu whispered to him for a moment, then turned to Asami with a careful arm around his shoulder. "It's the blood."
Her voice was hoarse and raw. "Is- Is the blood normal?"
Her uncle started to speak and paused. "Some blood is. I don't know how much exactly. I've never had much experience with childbirth. Are you in much pain?"
She shrugged helplessly. "Less pain than before, but still some." Amon took a tentative step closer, still holding one of her uncle's hands in his. "Amon, you don't have to-"
He took another step, pulling on his glasses and bending down to peer at her. "It seems fine, for a first-time mother. It will help with the pain if you see a healer, but there's no danger." As soon as it was said, he pulled away, back to the wall again.
"Uncle, Amon. Would you like to see the baby?" Both their heads shot up at that. She held out the child to her uncle, as he came forward, stooping down to tenderly take her into his arms. Amon stepped out to meet him and they both bent over the baby, forehead to forehead, whispering too softly for her to hear.
Her uncle turned to her. "What are you going to call her?"
She shook her head. "She isn't going to be mine. Don't you think her parents should name her?" She had to laugh at the smiles on their faces.
Uncle Lieu carefully handed the baby off to Amon, then came back over to the bedside. "Now, Asami. I think it's time we drive you to a healer."
"Uncle, no! Amon said it would be fine."
"There's no reason to take unnecessary risks now. And even if you can heal on your own, wouldn't you rather be done healing tonight? The baby's eaten and is sleeping, and we can be back in less than an hour. Asami, I don't want anything to go wrong now. Let's make sure that you're really safe."
She relented. She moved to stand and leave, but the stabbing pain in her stomach made her gasp and stiffen. Her uncle gently helped her into a warm coat, put shoes on her feet, and then collected her up in his arms and turned to leave. "Amon, love," he murmured. "When we get back, why don't you tell me what we'll be naming our baby girl?" Amon's answering smile was radiant.
The ride into town was harder than she'd expected. She felt every little jolt and bump in the road, and she only got more and more anxious that the healer would recognize her as the heir of the Sato family. But the woman had nothing for her but delighted congratulations and assurances that if anything ever seemed wrong with her baby, she shouldn't hesitate to bring her into town, even in the middle of the night. The ride home was much easier and she was able to join in her uncle's excitement over the child and the future. When they got home, they found Amon sitting in front of a low fire with the baby cradled in his arms. He looked up and smiled at the sound of their footsteps, even if his eyes couldn't focus on them.
"Tunerk," he said. "Because she is a gift."
Uncle Lieu sat gingerly on the sofa next to him. They whispered together and exchanged looks that said more than words ever could. Asami sat and watched and smiled, only stepping in to take the girl away to feed her when she woke and began to fuss.
The next few weeks were a happy blur. Taking care of a baby was a lot of work, certainly, but it was easier when there with two men on hand perfectly willing to jump in and help given half an opportunity. It was a quiet, domestic way to pass the time, and just seeing her uncle and Amon with their new child was enough to brighten any day.
The first hint that something could be wrong was when she heard the sound of a Satomobile coming up the driveway. Her head shot up and she saw the blood drain from her uncle's face. When she looked out, the red scarf was unmistakable, even through the Satomobile window. "Mako," she whispered. Amon took a moment longer to understand, but then he started to his feet, clutching Tunerk close to his chest. Uncle Lieu stepped up to him, dropping a quick reassuring kiss on the top of Amon's head, but Asami could see the mounting panic in his face.
"The back door," he blurted. "It's what we were trying to do when you arrived."
"No, there's snow on the ground. You can't take her out in that cold and your footprints will show. Upstairs. Quickly!"
Her uncle took the baby in one arm and guided Amon with his free hand. Asami's heart pounded at the slow pace Amon had to take on the stairs. There wasn't time! She looked around the room, shoving anything that would look suspicious out of sight. She could hear laughter and talking outside the door, but had to take a moment to stop and calm herself before she could force herself to smile and let them in.
"Mako! Korra! Bolin! What are you all doing here?"
Korra laughed. "What do you mean what are we doing here? This is just about all I talked about in my last letter. It wasn't easy to find a couple days where all of us could get out of work and come out to see you." Letter? Had she gotten a letter? She had, she remembered reading it and setting it aside to answer later, but she couldn't recall anything it had said. Korra waved a hand and grinned. "Asami? Anyone there? Didn't you get the letter?"
"Oh! Yes, I did. I just must have forgotten- It isn't easy to keep track of dates out here."
Bolin caught her up in a bear hug. "Not a problem, I hope? We've missed you!"
Even Mako was able to smile and put a friendly hand on her shoulder. Asami tried to steady herself. "Oh, not a problem! No! It's wonderful to see all of you. I'm afraid, though, that I've hardly got any food in the house. Do you think you might all be able to drive into town and buy some things while I tidy up? I'd be ashamed to show all of you this place right now."
They all agreed without hesitation. Her mind was racing. If she could get them out of the house, then rush Uncle Lieu, Amon, and Tunerk into town- There had to be an inn where they could stay for a few days. But how could they feed the baby? And if she drove them into town, how would she have time to hide the signs that there were four people living in this house? She was so distracted that it took her too long to realize that two people, not three, had headed back out the front door. It wasn't until the Satomobile roared to life that she realized that Korra was still standing in her house, laughing and talking.
"Korra, weren't you going to go shop for food?"
"Nah. I've been sitting for too long already today. I'm going to help you clean up. Where do we start?" There was a faint noise from upstairs, and Asami couldn't help looking up. "Asami? Is there someone else here?"
"No, no, it's just these old houses, you know. Always creaking and such. Every night."
She tried to force herself to smile and act normal as they talked and tidied up. "Have you put on a little weight? It must be nice to just sit back and relax in the country like this. I'd have a hard time keeping up with my training out away from everything like you are."
"Oh- I guess, yes. I expect I'll be back to normal soon, though."
"Do you have any idea how long you plan to stay out here? We miss you back in Republic City."
"I'm not sure. Perhaps three or four months more, though."
Korra talked on for some time about their mutual friends, nothing much new that hadn't shown up already in her letters. Asami went back to worrying and trying to plan, but suddenly realized that the other girl had stopped and was staring at her chest. "Korra? Is something wrong?"
"Uh, Asami, is that normal?" She looked down. There was a large, growing wet spot right there on the front of her shirt. She stammered and stuttered and tried to think of something plausible. "Is that... milk?"
If there had ever been a good time to lie, this would have been it. But her mind was blank. How could she explain this away? She couldn't. Her face was bright red and she couldn't meet Korra's eyes. Her hands were starting to shake and she still couldn't find anything to say. Korra was counting something on her fingers. When her head shot up, her face was pale. "Oh, Asami! Was it-"
Her eyes were burning, but she was desperately trying not to cry. She didn't trust her voice, so she could only nod. She didn't know what to expect from Korra, but the other girl pulled her into her arms. "Asami, I am so, so sorry! All these months- Oh, Asami, you should have told me!"
"I- I didn't want to put you in that position-"
"And that's why you came out here? All by yourself, though! Asami, you should have told me!"
"You aren't... angry?"
"It's not your fault, is it? You shouldn't have had to go through this without anyone's help." She looked around expectantly, as if expecting a baby to materialize out of thin air. "Well, where is he? Or is it a she? Was that the noise from the second floor?" She turned for the stairs, but Asami caught her arm.
"Wait! That isn't all."
"All? What else is there?"
"It's not... just me and the baby. And, ah, I need you to stay calm. Please."
"Calm? Of course I'm calm!"
"Korra, there are two other people in the house with me. And you know them."
If it hadn't been so serious, she might have laughed at the look on Korra's face as she explained as quickly as she could.
"You're joking."
"I'm not. But Korra, I am begging you to leave them in peace. You know what happened back in Republic City. All they want is to stay here and stay secret. What they did to Amon- He's a different man from what he used to be. When I got here, he was scared to death of me. And they love my daughter. They'll be better parents to her than I could ever hope to be."
"I want to see them."
"You have to be gentle. You have to be, Korra. And please, please, you have to keep the secret."
"Asami, Mako's job is to keep the law. My job is to keep the law."
"Your job is to keep the balance. Korra, you know what they've been through. They deserve to find some peace. Please."
"Maybe. Maybe. I still want to see them though, and then I'll decide."
Asami took the lead up the steps, gently knocking on doors until she heard Uncle Lieu answer her from inside. "Uncle, I'm coming in. Korra's with me, but nobody else. Don't worry."
She opened the door slowly. Her uncle stood with Amon sheltered behind him, the baby held carefully in his arms. Amon couldn't really see them at this distance, but his head snapped around at every small noise and she could tell he was pale. Her uncle shifted with every step Korra took to stay between her and the two behind him. She moved between them.
"Korra, hold on. You wanted to see the baby. Please, you promised to keep this pleasant." She took the girl from Amon's nerveless hands and held her out to Korra. Korra's glare melted away as she started cooing and making faces and saying little nonsense words. "She's still too young to do much of anything-"
"How old is she?"
"Five weeks tomorrow."
"Oh, Asami, she is just perfect. What did you name her?"
"Amon named her. Tunerk."
Korra's head shot up. "Gift." After a moment she passed the baby back to Asami. "Lieutenant. I'd like to talk to you about some things."
He straightened. "As you wish. But let's take this discussion somewhere else." He turned to Amon, whispering into his ear and giving him a careful kiss before easing him back to sit on the bed. "Asami, will any other room do?"
She nodded. Before following him and Korra out of the room, she pressed Tunerk back into Amon's arms and gave him a quick reassuring hug. His shoulders were shaking. "I'll do everything I can. I promise"
When she got out into the hallway, she saw that the other two hadn't even managed to make it into one of the side rooms. "Avatar, I don't know what you intend to do, but we'll never go back to the city. Never. You can't force us."
"You broke out of prison and took a dangerous prisoner with you!"
"Dangerous? How dangerous is he? You're the one who took his bending and left him helpless. None- None of what happened would have been possible if he'd had his bending. You have to see that."
"What about the law?"
"If you'll only leave us here, you'll never hear from us again."
"But if you'll only come back to the city to stand trial-"
"Avatar, there is nothing, nothing you can do to make us to go back there. How dare you even ask that? I will kill Amon myself before I let you take him again. Even knowing he was dead, even knowing that is was my doing would be better than knowing he was back in your power again. If you had any humanity, any at all, you wouldn't take him back to that place."
"Korra," Asami cut in, "They just want to live here. They only want to stay here together. Amon isn't what he used to be. He's not a threat."
"Do you have any idea how badly they broke him? In those early days, there were times he asked me to kill him." Her uncle's voice broke. "Just let him have this."
Korra groaned and rubbed her temples. "Then what do you want me to do? And what about Mako and Bolin? How long do we have before they get back from the town? Mako will never agree to this, you know."
Asami's mind was racing. "Then Mako can't find out." She shut her eyes and concentrated. "Korra, we need a reason to send you back home. Right away."
"Right away? That drive took all day!"
"Korra, I'll do anything. Do you want money? Or I could give you a Satomobile-"
"No, stop. You shouldn't have to do that. Fine. Fine. What reason do we have for going home? A message?"
"That won't work. I could have just used the telephone."
"What about a package?" her uncle suggested. "Something too urgent to send by the regular mail."
"Yes! I got a phone call, just now. Future Industries needs some documentation and they need it immediately. I need you and the boys to take it back home for me and deliver it to my offices."
"I'm only agreeing to this because I'm not the one who has to drive home through the night. And I'm still not happy with this!" Korra sighed and glared at Uncle Lieu. "If I hear anything suspicious from you, anything at all-"
Asami ushered her away before the situation could deteriorate. She practiced what she'd say to Mako and Bolin, reminded Korra over and over not to mention the baby, and circled through the downstairs rooms looking for anything that might suggest there were two men and a child living in the house. It was a difficult conversation when the boys came back. Korra was only half-heartedly helping her, but Asami managed to make her apologies and shoo everyone out of the house with the precious package in tow. She watched until their Satomobile had turned out of the driveway and onto the road, then waited some minutes more before going upstairs to tell her uncle and Amon that they were safe.
The next few months passed surprisingly quickly. She wanted to return to Republic City and get her old life back, but she also wanted to stay in the quiet countryside as long as she could. When Tunerk was weaned, there was nothing holding her there any longer. There were only a few small matters left to take care of. On the last day, she left a small envelope on the kitchen table before she went to say her goodbyes. She cried a little to be leaving this all behind her, but promised to visit regularly. She'd be back to see them at least once a year, if not more. It wasn't easy to say goodbye to her daughter, even if Tunerk wasn't precisely her daughter anymore. Her uncle made her promise to drive carefully since it had been so long since she made a trip of this length, and even Amon had a hug and some soft words for her. As she drove away, she smiled to think of what they'd find when they went to the kitchen to prepare lunch. The deed to a rich family's summer home, a house they had to be very familiar with by this point, and the authorization to access a bank account down in the town. The short note explained just how much money would be fed into it at regular intervals, but it was more than enough to support a family of three. There would be more she could do for them in the future, certainly, but this made a good start.