Author Notes: Thank you TheToasterMarketingBoard
Summary: Before we continue towards the future, let us first visit the past.
The ride back to Republic City had felt like the longest trip of Asami's life. Her airship was at capacity with the addition of the entire Air Nation and a Suyin's elite guard.
Suyin was unwilling to go back to Zaofu until she personally saw Zaheer behind bars. Asami was happy to have so many eyes on Zaheer, but the sheer number of people she needed to care for was starting to get complicated. The course was set to fly straight back to Republic City, with no stops. Best case scenario they'd be back in twenty-six hours. People would need to sleep and have a few meals in that time. The more Asami thought about it, the more it seemed a layover was unavoidable.
Asami got up from her seat in the cockpit to grab a map.
"Liang, can you think of any good places we could dock for a couple of hours to get some supplies?" Asami asked, looking at her vessel's captain.
"We could stop in Omashu, that city shouldn't be too affected by the recent events, Miss Sato."
"It will have to do. I'm going to take inventory. Please set the course to Omashu," the engineer said, placing the map in the captain's hands.
"Yes Miss Sato," he said with a bow.
Asami didn't need to check the inventory, she knew what they didn't have; everything. She just needed something new to distract her from thinking about Korra. She had been loaded onto the ship as soon as Zaheer was secured. Since then her room had been overflowing with concerned faces. Asami didn't want to add to the suffocation Korra was likely feeling.
The engineer knew if she really wanted to help, she needed to do her part in getting everyone home safe. Unable to bend, Asami found her management and technological abilities to be her best asset to the Avatar. Not that she felt she was being used. She wanted to help in any way she could. It was a feeling that had been growing stronger over the course of their search for the airbenders.
Asami closed the pantry door behind her as she stepped inside.
"Hey."
The engineer jumped, not expecting to find anyone inside.
"Sorry to startle you, but I needed to get away from the crowd," Lin explained as she relaxed back into a shelf.
Asami walked over to the clipboard hanging from a string on the wall. "It's fine. I was just checking inventory. We picked up a few more passengers than I originally planned for."
"Humph. That's for damn sure."
Asami pretended to check her list as she walked down the aisle. "So uh," she managed to stammer out, her mouth growing dry all of the sudden. "How is she... how is she doing?" Asami finished, keeping her eyes on her clipboard.
Lin picked up a can and examined it before answering. "Looks like hell, but I think she'll pull through. Our only healer is banged up as well, so the sooner we get back the better," she said, putting the can back on the shelf.
"We need to stop for supplies. We're going to Omashu. Perhaps we could locate a healer while we're there."
"A decent healer in Omashu... I dunno," Lin said, rubbing the back of her head.
"I know it's not ideal, but we need to restock our supplies and to empty the ship's septic tank. I'm willing to pay for the best healer they have."
Lin nodded. The two women made brief eye contact. The first since Asami entered the pantry. Lin broke it to stare at the floor again. "I'll take the boys with me and see who we can find when we land."
"Thank you."
"You can go see her too you know. You're part of the team."
Asami tapped her pencil nervously on the clipboard. "I don't want to impose…"
"It'd be odd if you didn't. Even I braved the crowd."
Lin pushed off from her spot and put a hand on Asami's shoulder. She met Lin's gaze again at the action. "I get it. It was hard for me to accept I was a part of the group and not just a bystander. But you are now, a hundred percent. The sooner you accept it, the easier it becomes. And when it gets too much handle you can sneak away to a closet from time to time."
"Thank you for understanding."
Asami waited until after the stop in Omashu to visit Korra. She needed to be sure everything and everyone she was responsible for was taken care of. By this time everyone was weary from their twenty hour vigil and more or less asleep somewhere on the ship.
Asami pulled a chair out next to a passed out Tonraq at Korra's bedside. She too appeared to be asleep or unconscious. Word had made it to the cockpit that even after the healer came, the Avatar continued to slip in and out. Asami couldn't tell the difference so she chose to believe her friend was just sleeping like everyone else.
Lin wasn't exaggerating about Korra's appearance. The bruises from her battle with Zaheer had fully come in, covering most of her exposed body.
"You do look like hell," Asami whispered, brushing Korra's cheek with a feather-light touch.
"Thanks," Korra said in a soft and scratching voice. Asami nearly jumped from her chair. "Korra?"
The Avatar took a few ragged breaths before answering. She didn't open her eyes.
"Thanks for being honest about how I look. I haven't seen myself, but I can tell they're sugar-coating everything."
"You should really thank Lin, she described your appearance that way first."
They both fell silent. Asami kept thinking about all she wanted to say to Korra. How worried she was, how happy she was that she's alive. Asami knew those things had been said fifteen times over already. She settled for instead placing her hand on top of Korra's. Korra didn't move or open her eyes. Perhaps she had fallen back to sleep, Asami thought to herself. She tested rubbing her thumb on the back of Korra's hand, ever so lightly. Unsure if Korra's hands were just as tender as the rest of her body.
Asami looked up from their hands when a glimmer caught the corner of her eye. A tear a trickled from Korra's closed eye, leaving a wet trail down her cheek. Apparently sensing Asami's gaze, Korra tried to turn away as best she could.
It broke Asami's heart to watch Korra cry silently. She wanted to wipe Korra's cheek, but feared acknowledging the tears directly would embarrass her further. So she continued her caress the back of Korra's hand.
"Do you want me to go?"
"No," Korra whimpered.
So Asami stayed by her side the rest of the ride home.
Two weeks since they landed back in Republic City Korra had sunk into further and further seclusion. Turning away all visitors she considered outside of their inner circle. She only let Pema assist her with any of her more personal needs. Even Mako, Bolin and Asami were getting dismissed sooner during their visits.
The three currently sat around the dining table at Air Temple Island waiting for Korra to be prepped for a new day.
Bolin's eyes darted between Mako and Asami. With Korra's growing distance came a similar feeling from his brother and friend.
Bolin tried to stay positive. Korra would recover and then everything would go back to the way it was. It had to, he thought, with a slight nod of his head. When they were traveling across the Earth Kingdom looking for airbenders they had so much fun. Well, before the whole Red Lotus fiasco and the Earth Queen getting murdered. Everyone was finally getting along, there was no drama. They all found their groove and worked together perfectly. He couldn't watch that all slip away now.
"It usually doesn't take this long, maybe I should go see if they need any help…" Asami said, getting up from the table. Mako mirrored Asami's actions.
"I'll come too."
Asami turned around and put her hands up in front of Mako. "No, you stay here."
The firebender scowled and pressed against Asami's raised hands.
"Korra's bathing and getting dressed, I doubt there is much she would let you help with," Asami explained, meeting his eyes.
Mako looked away and took a step back. "Right," he said in a soft tone. Asami tried to muster a sympathetic smile for him. They locked eyes once more before Asami turned and left.
The firebender let out a frustrated groan and shot back down to his seat next to Bolin. "I hate this. I hate that there is nothing I can do."
Bolin lowered his head. "I know…"
The earthbender sighed as he started to pick at a chip in the table.
Mako was up again and marching out of the room. "No, you don't!"
Bolin turned around to catch his brother and respond, but Mako was already out of the room. Bolin put his elbows on the table and let his chin rest his hands. "So much for keeping us together…"
Asami made her way through the hall until she came upon the closed door of Korra's room. She could hear Korra and Pema's voices. The engineer gave a knock before sliding the door open. The two hadn't noticed the knocking. Korra was on the floor and Pema was hovering over her.
"Need a hand?" Asami said playfully, immediately regretting her tone.
"Oh Asami, I'm glad you're here. Korra took a tumble while we were putting her pants on," Pema said, heading towards Asami.
"We're fine!" Korra hollered from her spot.
Pema put a hand on Asami's shoulder and spoke softly. "I can't lift her. We've been struggling for twenty minutes like this. I need your help, but you need to be gentle, verbally."
While the two spoke Korra continued to try and pull herself up onto the bed, only succeeding in pulling the blankets off.
"Korra we're coming. Just sit tight," Pema scolded as she watched the girl flop onto the floor for the hundredth time.
"I'm crippled, not a child Pema!" Korra barked back.
Pema sucked in a deep breath and ushered Asami over to Korra. "If we each take a shoulder, we should be able to get her up." Asami nodded in agreement. Each woman took a side of Korra and heaved. The Avatar groaned as they lifted her off the floor; each of her shoulder sockets made a loud pop.
Pema and Asami successfully got Korra onto the bed. She slumped down onto her stomach as soon as they let go.
"I can take it from here," Asami said, sensing Pema and Korra might need a break from each other. Pema nodded. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," she said before leaving. Asami gave Pema a smile and then turned to her friend on the bed.
Korra managed to pull herself a bit farther up the bed, but she was still facing away from Asami.
"So what else needs to be done?"
"Nothing, you can just go. Tell Bolin and Mako to come back tomorrow."
"I'm not leaving, and I doubt they will either," Asami said, sitting down next to Korra. "What, are you embarrassed about your fall? It's not a big deal Korra, we are all happy to help you while you recover. You would do the same for us."
"I don't think I'm going to recover."
"Korra that's not true."
"I thought you weren't going to sugar-coat things with me! Look at me! My legs don't work, I can barely feel anything!" The Avatar buried her face in the sheet.
"Asami, I think my body is broken…"
"No Korra you're badly hurt, but not broken."
Korra shook her head over and over into the sheets, letting out a sob.
Asami got up and left the room. Her departure was so abrupt Korra looked up from her wet sheets, a tear or two still falling down her cheeks. As quickly as Asami left, she returned to the room.
"Okay, I told the Bolin to come back after lunch with Mako. So now we have some more time to get you ready."
Korra didn't respond, but continued to keep her head up to watch Asami.
Asami put her hand to her chin as she looked around Korra's room. "I think a part of why you don't feel like yourself is because you're not wearing your clothes. I'd feel useless too if I spent days in my pajamas."
"It hasn't mattered, I don't leave the island," Korra said as she lowered herself back on her stomach.
"Still, it's an important part of your routine that has been broken and you need to get back in it." Asami opened up the Avatar's closet to retrieve her old daily outfit. She placed each piece out on the bed next to Korra.
"It's been easier for just Pema and I to do these clothes," Korra added, pulling at her loose nightshirt.
"Well until you can do this yourself, I'm coming over in the morning to help too. Now let's get you started for the day."
Pema finally felt her patience return after a couple dozen dishes.
She had four children so she'd dealt with all kinds of behavior, but Korra's despair was something she was having difficulty handling. It had been steadily getting worse. Just getting her to want to get out of bed was becoming a chore in itself.
Pema patted dry her hands and made her way back to Korra's room. When she opened the door she found Korra sitting in her wheelchair dressed in her day clothes. Asami was standing behind her brushing out her hair. They hadn't noticed Pema's presence, since they were turned away from the door.
Asami moved to the front of the chair and kneeled down to be eye level with Korra. She pulled forward two sections of hair. "How much do you leave out for your tails?"
Korra reached out her unsteady hands and took the sections of hair from Asami.
"Just a little less than this," the Avatar said as she tried to let loose some of the hair from her hands.
"Perfect. Now you hold them while I put up your wolf tail, Asami said, getting back up to her position behind Korra.
Pema decided they had it covered and left them alone. She was relieved when Asami arrived at Air Temple Island early the next day.
To be continued...