There's no place like home.

Korra looked around, the cold air of her tribe's lands filling her lungs. She looked at the clear gray sky. There were no discernible clouds, but the sky had a haze to it. It was beautiful. Korra tried to appreciate it like she used to, but the air felt heavy with failure. She still wasn't walking. She wanted so much to just get up. She wanted to push away from this wheelchair and go somewhere else, anywhere else. Naga whined, nudging Korra's hand. "Not now, Naga," Korra said impatiently. Naga whined again. "What?" Korra growled, feeling Naga's wet nose on the side of her hand.

Naga jumped up and put her paws on Korra's legs. She moved her head, clearly trying to get Korra to look. Korra turned her chair around and looked in the direction Naga was looking. There was some kind of shape materializing out over the harbor. It looked like a big white blob coming at her, tinted with green on the edges. As it got closer she recognized it. The green colored panels, the control booth, and the side propellers all came into view. It was the Future Industries airship!

"Naga, come!" Korra's heart leapt. Only one person used the Future Industries airship. She tried to calm herself down, sure her first instinct had been wrong. The ship was probably here on business. Maybe it was being used by an executive. Korra whipped her chair around and pushed it across the hard-packed snow. She guided her wheels into the sled she and her father had created. It was two sledges from a sled, with shallow grooves worked into them. Korra wheeled into the grooves, locked her wheels, and strained over the left side, then the right side, to tie it in place with the leather strips. Korra grabbed the harness connected to the front of her chair and threw it over Naga. Naga shook her head, working into the harness. "Go Naga!" Naga took off, running toward the docks where the airship would touch down. Korra could feel her heart pounding out of her chest.

The air ship was looming larger and larger, and Naga screeched to a halt as the ship began its descent. Tonraq and Senna walked up, arriving just as the airship touched down. The ramp dropped down, facing the Avatar and her family. Asami Sato stepped out, shielding her eyes as they adjusted to the snow. She dropped her hand, her eyes settling on Korra. Forgetting herself, Asami ran down the ramp, dodged Naga, and threw her arms around Korra, bending down to be on her level in the wheelchair. The wheelchair sledge slid back a few inches, only stopped by still being connected to Naga. Korra let out a small 'oof' as Asami crashed into her. Korra laughed in surprise. Asami stepped back, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Korra laughed. "No, I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

"I got your letter and thought it sounded like you needed your best friend."

Korra turned her head, looking at Asami with a confused look on her face. She looked over Asami's shoulder. "Okay, so where are they?"

Asami pretended to be hurt. "Alright, I'll leave." She turned away and started to walk away. Korra reached out, barely catching the tail end of Asami's jacket before she could get away.

"I'm kidding. I'm so glad you're here." A smile broke Korra's face, the first sunrise after a hurricane.

Asami looked at Korra's parents. "Tonraq, Senna, it's so good to see you."

Senna beamed, "we had no idea you were coming! This is such a pleasant surprised."

"I made sure this was a secret." Asami smiled down at Korra, "I thought Korra could use a surprise."

"You were right," Tonraq smiled. "We'll have the room next to Korra's made up for you. I assume you're staying with us for a while?"

"I would like to, if that's alright."

Senna grabbed both of Asami's hands. "We would be delighted if you would stay. You can remain here as long as you would like. We're going to go make sure dinner is ready. Katara is going to be so happy to see you!"

"We're so glad to see you Asami. We'll call you two at dinner time?" Tonraq called over his shoulder as he pulled Senna away. He kissed Senna as they walked away, an arm around her waist. Korra and Asami watched them, smiling.

Asami looked down at Korra. "I am so happy to see you," she breathed, walking a circle around Korra's sled set up. "This is genius."

"Thanks. My dad and I made it." Asami stopped in front of Korra. Korra met her eyes for a bit then looked away. "I can't believe you're here," she said to the snow by Asami's feet.

"I thought you could use a friend! Also, I'm kind of in charge of the company, so no one can tell me not to go." Asami smirked at Korra. "Now tell me, how are you?"

"Things are hard. I'm not making the progress I should be and I don't know why."

"What's Katara say?"

Korra sighed. "She says I'm stopping myself. She believes that I'm mentally keeping myself from improving. My mind is apparently much stronger than my body. That's what she tells me, anyways."

Asami nodded. "She's probably right. You're more stubborn than a flying bison."

"If I could bend right now, you should know, snowball to the face."

Asami laughed, "Come on, let's go inside. It's freezing out here."

"La, you are so pampered! This is the perfect weather." Asami put her hands on her hips and cocked her head at Korra. "What? It is."

"You know, I have half a mind to turn around and fly back to Republic City."

"You could do that, but then you'd miss out on the amazing cooks here. Also, you haven't even seen Katara yet."

"You're right. After dinner then."

"After dinner," Korra agreed.

"This is amazing," Asami gushed, picking the noodles up with her chopsticks and gracefully twirling the noodles before putting them in her mouth. Next to her, Korra was shoveling the food in.

"Thank you," Senna replied, watching Korra reproachfully. "Korra, I'm glad you're feeling hungry again, but could you please eat more like a person and less like Naga?" Naga raised her head, looking at Senna. "Sorry, Naga."

Korra groaned in response. On her other side Katara reached up and brought her hand down on the back of Korra's head. "You might not remember your past lives, but I feel like I'm with twelve-year-old Aang all over again."

Asami covered her mouth and laughed quietly. Korra glared at her with red cheeks. Asami took in Korra's face. Korra's cheeks seemed hollow, and the bags under her eyes were new since the last time Asami had seen her. Her eyes wandered absentmindedly to Korra's lips. Korra watched Asami's eyes, and Asami seemed to come back to herself suddenly. She looked away, embarrassed.

Asami cleared her throat. She looked around, trying to find a distraction. "Where's Naga?" Naga huffed behind her, annoyed at having been forgotten even for a moment. "Oh! Sorry Naga!" Asami pet her head in apology. "Sorry girl," she murmured again, happy for the distraction from Korra. She had missed her best friend of course, but for some reason she was feeling nervous. She shook the feeling, sure it was simply because she'd barely heard from Korra for so long.

Katara glanced between the two girls, missing nothing. Her gaze rested on Asami. "How long will you be staying? Korra has missed you so much."

"I'm not sure yet. I have no definite plans, I just knew it was important that I get here. I may just stay until I wear out my welcome."

Korra snorted. "Well, if that's your plan, it looks like you just moved in." everyone at the table laughed. "Katara, can I have the evening off, you know, with Asami here and all?"

Katara grunted in response. "When badger moles fly. Every day you don't work is a day you don't move forward. Asami is welcome to come with you while you train."

"She doesn't want to see that."

"Sure I do! I'd love to see what you've been doing." Asami smiled at Korra. "I can't wait."

Korra dropped her head on the table, smack into the leftovers on her plate of food. Korra murmured something about dying of embarrassment, while Senna glared at her daughter. Katara grinned at her makeshift family, feeling as if Asami's presence might make a positive change in Korra's recovery.

The hour after dinner found Korra, Katara, and Asami in Katara's healing hut. "Asami, you can help us today. We're going to get Korra into the healing pool, if that's okay with her?" They look at Korra, who nods.

"Okay, tell me what to do."

Korra pulled off her shirts, stripping down to her underclothes. She wheeled up to the water, and Naga nosed her way into the hut, taking her place by Korra's right side.

"Usually we just have Naga lift Korra for this part, but you can help today. Take a stand by Korra's left. You're going to help Naga lift her. Ready?"

Asami moved by Korra's side, opposite Naga, and nodded. Korra wrapped an arm around Naga's neck and put her other arm around Asami's neck. Korra's arm tightened, and Asami felt the muscles grow taught. "Ready," Korra said. Asami and Naga bothy lifted slowly and in unison. Asami had been braced for the heavy, muscle-laden weight of the Avatar, but something was missing. Asami put her left arm around Korra's waist, steadying her as Katara pushed the wheelchair out of the way. Katara stepped up, helping them guide her to the water's edge with her pants still on. Katara bends the water up to gently lift Korra from Naga and Asami, and Korra gently rides the healing wave into the pool.

"How long do you have to stay in here?" Asami asked after Korra settled in and Katara was moving the water gently around Korra.

"One hour, twice a day, every day." Korra sighed. "With physically exhausting nonsense after."

"That nonsense," Katara growled while bending the water, "has helped you make more progress than you could have made otherwise."

"Yes, we know how important my big toes are. People really gfet scared when they see the Avatar's big toes show up for a fight." The sarcasm in Korra's tone hung in the air. Katara paid Korra no mind. Asami had the feeling that they went through this every day.

"So, when's the last time Korra said anything positive?" Asami joked.

"If her mother is to be believed, she once said, 'thank you' as a child."

Korra hit the water with her hand, missing Katara but splashing Asami from the knees down. "Hey!" Asami exclaimed. "The was mean!"

"Boo hoo," Korra replied.

That night Asami laid in bed in the room next to Korra's. She tossed and turned, trying to settle in and sleep. She could hear Korra's steady breathing on the other side of the wall. She sounded peaceful. Asami's heart swelled just knowing how close Korra was. She had missed her best friend so much. It had been a great afternoon. She considered Korra's struggles, and the conversation with Katara. Her friend had suffering far more than she had let on. But that was Korra. It always had been, and probably always would be.

Asami heard sounds from next door, an unsettled change from the previously steady breathing. A small whimper escaped Korra. "No, please." The whimpers grew louder. Suddenly, Korra sounded like she was choking. Asami slid quietly out of bed and padded across the floor in her stocking feet. She slid open the panel separating Korra's room from the hallway. She crept in to Korra's room and slid her panel closed. Korra was tangled in her blankets. Her hair was messy and her forehead was shining with a thin layer of sweat. Korra's eyes were screwed shut like she was avoiding a bright light.

"No, Please!" Korra cried. She started choking like the air was being ripped from her lungs. Asami rushed to her side.

"Korra," She touched her gently. "Korra, wake up."

Korra shot straight up, gasping for breath. She clutched Asami's arm in a vice grip. Asami touched her back gently with her other arm. "It's okay. It was just a nightmare."

A tear rolled down Korra's face. "It was horrible. It was Zaheer. Every single night. I relive it over and over every night."

"It's okay. I'm here."

"I'm sorry I woke you. Usually no one hears me."

"Don't apologize. Talk to me."

Korra looked away, ashamed of her tears. "When everything happened, the air benders saved me. In my nightmare, they don't." It's only Zaheer and I, and I'm no match for him. He just, he takes the air from me. I'm choking, and no one comes to help. My lungs empty, and right before I pass out, everything goes black. The whole scene is gone. I'm nothing but the poison, and Aang materializes to tell me that he's disappointed in me. I'm glowing silver, and he says, 'You lost me. You lost us all. You should have tried harder.' And then I wake up." She let out a shuddering sigh. "I did let him down. Aang, Roku, Wan. They're all gone. I almost lost the Avatar entirely. I almost lost everything. Raava should have chosen better."

Asami had never seen Korra so low, not even when she lost her bending. "Korra, it's okay. Every Avatar has had their trials. These are just yours."

"No Avatar has ever lost their ability to walk."

"You haven't lost it. You've just misplaced it for now." Korra gave a halfhearted smirk. "What can I do? What do you need?"

Korra looked up at Asami standing by her bed. "Nothing, thank you. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Okay, good night." Asami gave Korra a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She went back to her own bed and laid down. She didn't hear Korra again.

The next morning the circles under Korra's eyes were as dark as ever. They suddenly made sense to Asami. Korra hadn't had a restful night's sleep since Zaheer. Every evening she tried to rest, and every evening she suffered through the night.

The following night was more of the same. Asami was sound asleep when Korra's fretting began. Asami quietly left her room and walked to Korra's. She opened Korra's door as silently as possible, stepped in, and closed it behind her. Korra was tangled in her blankets, her short hair a disheveled mess. Asmi watched Korra for a moment, wondering if she should just go back to her room. Korra tossed again and began to cry. Tears ran gently down her face into her pillow. Asami thought about how much the young Avatar needed sleep. She leaned over and rubbed Korra's shoulder. "Shhh, Korra, I'm here. It's okay."

Korra stirred. "Asami?"

"Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, go back to sleep. I've got you."

Korra grabbed Asami's arm, pulling it over her. Asami leaned uncomfortably over Korra. She laid down next to Korra instead, getting comfortable without disturbing her. Korra murmured sleepily. "Yeah, you've got me." Her breathing eased. Asami lay there with her arm around Korra. The bed was barely big enough for the two of them. Asami planned to lay there just long enough to make sure that Korra stayed calmly asleep, but Korra had a tight grip on her arm, and the comfortable warmth of Korra made her drowsy.

Korra awoke the next morning slightly confused. For the first time in months, she felt as if she had slept well. Her normal nightmares had been derailed by a calming dream. Asami was there, and she had held Korra while reassuring her. Asami had said, "I'm right here," and that had calmed dream Korra. That dream gave way to nothingness, leaving Korra peaceful throughout the night. She yawned and tried to stretch, but a warm weight held her in place.

For the first time, she noticed the arm around her waist and the curve of Asami against her. Korra felt her face heat up. So it wasn't a dream. Asami was here, holding Korra in place. Korra was trying to figure out how to gently wake Asami when the door to her room slid open.

"Wakey wakey grumpy! You're late for-" Katara looked down at the two girls in bed. "Well, good morning you two!" Katara smirked.

Asami jerked awake and seemed surprised to find herself in Korra's bed. She released her hold on Korra. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep here. Korra has nightmares."

"Now, now," Katara cooed, "The Avatar has always had great taste in women." She winked at Korra as Asami left the room, murmuring about getting dressed for the day. She hurriedly shut the door behind her as a bright red Korra refused to look Katara in the eye.

"So?" Katara said with a raised eyebrow as she helped Korra change and get ready for the day.

"So, what?" Korra snapped.

"You're so grumpy."

"I am not!" Korra snapped again.

"Suuurree you're not," Katara laughed, knowing this conversation would have to continue later.