25. Remember

"Hey," The girl said with a smile as she bounced on her heels beside him, "Remember me?"

"Yep," He said shortly, frowning into the water, "You're the one who brought me here and managed to make me a prisoner, thank you for that, by the way." He heard a huff as she sat down beside him.

"Look, that wasn't entirely my fault; I brought you here so you could be healed, I didn't know the elders would react like that." The girl said in that matter-of-fact voice that almost killed him as thousands of memories of that voice assaulted his mind. He couldn't help but chuckle lightly, the vibration causing the chains to rattle, making him lapse back into seriousness.

"I didn't need to be healed," He couldn't help but spit back, "I needed a way home."

"What home?" The girl asked, ignoring his hostility, curiosity colouring her tone, "I found you in the middle of the snow bank, there's no homes for miles around, unless you count this place." She waved a hand to encompass the building they now were in the courtyard of and Mako smiled at her voice; she was unimpressed even now, as a child.

"My home, as hard as this is to believe, is very far away and I've been... sent here, somehow and I need to get home before anything happens, here or there. And, no," He murmured, looking into the girl's bright blue eyes, "I wouldn't call this place a home."

"Well, seeing as you think like that, I think we could be friends," The girl grinned, revealing two gaps in her smile and held out her hand, "I'm Korra." Mako smiled softly and took the girl's tiny hand, feeling his heart stutter.

"I know; I remember."

26. Blood

"Take your hand away, please," He glared at me and I sighed, "You know you have to; your brains are not going to fall out just because your remove your hand. It might feel that way, but believe me, apparently you have more brain cells than that." I grinned at his face, but he peeled his hand away and I managed to get a look at the gash. There was a lot of blood, I had admit, but it didn't seem that bad.

"You gonna fix me up, doc, or are you gonna just watch me bleed?" The rough humour in his voice startled me, and I met his amber eyes with a guilty blush; I nodded and moved back to the table, retrieving the bowl.

"This might sting a bit, the water-"

"I know," He cut across me with a pained look in his eyes that wasn't from his wound, "I've been healed by Waterbending before." I didn't question where or when, these types never really answered me, and he especially was closed off when you got personal with him.

"So," I said, bringing up the trails of water toward his head, "What did you do to get this great ugly thing?"

"You trying to distract me, Doctor?" The amusement was even more pronounced now, and I could bet my blush was too.

"Figured that would be better than having to feel every second of this; the wound's quite deep. Besides, it would help if you marshalled your thoughts, for the reports and all that." He nodded slightly with a small smile.

"I got caught with a stray piece of earth some bender tried launching at the forces as we retreated. I was providing cover for their escape with some civilians when I was caught." I nodded, secretly surprised that I got that much out of him; he clammed up after that, but I didn't push him as I finished healing him.

"Captain," I couldn't help but blurt as he moved to leave, and I cursed my inquisitive tongue as he turned, "Um, if it's not too much, can I ask who healed you with water before?" His eyes flashed sadly and he bowed his head; I expected he'd leave so turned back to my work. I was truly shocked when I got a reply.

"My girlfriend, Korra, healed me once."

"The Avatar?" I knew I should've stopped, but I couldn't; he nodded stiffly, his lips thinning; I bowed my head, "Thank you, Captain, for trusting me with your tale." He nodded again and started to leave the medical tent as I moved back to the table containing my papers.

"Call me Mako, doctor," He said before he left and I turned to him for the last time. I couldn't say anything, my shock having fully taken my voice, the trust he had in me now reaching a level I had never got to before with these men; he must have seen my surprise because he smiled once last time, "You remind me of Korra, Doc; you deserve my trust and my honesty. She'd never forgive me if I never extended my hand to you." And then he was gone.

As I wiped the blood from the fingertips, his blood, I once again processed all he told me; Mako, Captain of the United Armies had been in a relationship with Avatar Korra? The same Avatar, who was now missing, and in certain circles, presumed dead, and who Captain Mako now searched for, using the powers of all the Nations. Somehow, it made his actions easier to understand: he was looking not only for the world's saviour, but his lost love also.

I no longer saw a soldier, but a haunted, driven, man.

27. Kiss

It was just a kiss, she told herself; nothing but a meaningless touching of the lips.

"Man," She groaned, her head falling back against the cold stone of the pavilion, "I sound like some sort of scientist with word complications."

"No," A voice said, making Korra yell out and whirl around, fire licking at her fists, "You sound like a crazy person." Jinora informed her, hopping over the balcony's ledge and seating herself on it. She said nothing as Korra relaxed, shooting a glare at the girl as she let the flames go out and slump against the stone again.

"You really shouldn't sneak up on people, Jinora," The Avatar warned the teenager, "Especially those talking to themselves and have control over the elements." The Airbender just rolled her eyes at Korra.

"Not my fault you're freaking out over Mako and aren't being aware of your surroundings." Korra started spluttering, trying to make some sort of excuse which Jinora just sighed at, "Give it up Korra; you come for a visit and everything's fine and peachy, until you go into town. Suddenly you land here, not waiting for the boat obviously and when we asked, you ran away. And then, I found you hiding out here, talking to yourself. Korra, what happened?"

"He kissed me," She whispered and the teenager's eyes widened in surprise, nearly falling off the ledge in surprise, "After all that has happened," She said, her voice rising to an indignant shout, "After all that he did to me, he kissed me, and then thought everything would be okay." Her voice trailed off, and she slid to the floor.

"Korra," Jinora whispered sadly, jumping down lightly to put an arm around the woman she'd started to see as an older sister, "Korra, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Jinora," She said briskly, standing and taking Jinora with her, hastily wiping her eyes, "It was just a kiss. Doesn't have to mean anything, and trust me, it won't." She walked away from the pavilion, leaving the young Airbender behind to watch the Avatar persona come up as she entered the Air Temple. Jinora shook her head sadly and turned to face Republic City, where she was sure Mako was holding his head in his hands and cursing his past mistakes. Including breaking Korra's heart all those years ago.