After the Gala, Asami stole Ana from me and took her back to her place, with a comment of, "Since it's now official, you two are not staying in the same house. Bring her stuff in the morning. Night boys." She tried to lead Ana away, but she broke away long enough to kiss me good night. "Good night my fire-bender," she whispered. "Good night my lightning-bender," I said back. As the two of them walked away, Bolin linked arms with me and we walked back to Air Temple Island.

When we got back, Bolin sat me down in a chair and demanded to know what happened between me and Ana. I told him and when I told him I kissed her (on purpose) he squealed like a little girl. He jumped around and nearly stepped on his fire ferret. I laughed at my baby brother. I stood up and unwound my scarf from my neck. "Hey, bro, I'm turning in. Night." "Night! Come here Pabu."

When I walked in my room, I pulled off my suit and hung it back up. Taking off my boots, I set them where I would be sure to shine them in the morning. I kept my undershirt on and pulled on a pair of old pants to sleep in. I laid back in my bed and stared at the ceiling and thought about the kiss with Ana. I loved the way her body fit against mine, and the way she kisses...I sighed and rolled over onto my side and stared at the wall. I longed to be with her so that I thought I could hear she voice whispering my name.

I sat up. Someone was whispering my name. I went to the open window and there, in the moonlight, was Ana. I reached out my hand and pulled her into my room. I sat her down on my bed and kissed her before she could say anything.

Her mouth tasted of cherries and chocolate and when her arms came up around my neck, I found myself shifting and pinning her to the bed. I felt her breath gasp out around my mouth but I kept kissing her, sliding my tongue past her teeth. I felt her tongue dance around mine and it lost myself in her kisses.

After a long time, I shifted off of my girl and laid on my side next to her. At some point, she had torn my shirt off and tossed it over to the opposite side of the room. She rolled over so she was facing me, her hand tracing the scars on my bare torso. "How did you get so many?" she whispered. I looked down at my stomach and sighed at the number of them. "Most of them came from when Bo and I were living on the streets. Some came from being a Pro-bender and others from fighting Equalists with the Avatar." Ana's silver-blue eyes came back up to mine. "Are you sure you're ready for...this?" I looked at her, wondering what she meant. Then I realized she was asking if I was ready to be with her, since Korra had pretty much burned me when I admitted my feelings for her. That had been a month ago, though. "I believe I am. But if something happens, I'll tell you if I need some time, ok?" She nodded and then cuddled up to me. I wrapped an arm around her and soon, she was asleep.

I watched her sleep, seeing the lines of worry and fear melt away and I saw Ana become almost like a normal 18 year old. The moonlight fell through the open window and it hit her side of the bed, like she was meant to be bathed in it. But what I saw instead was scars that I couldn't see in the daytime. They ran crisscross over her arms, her neck and I somehow knew that if she wasn't wearing pants to sleep in, I'd see them on her legs too. Ana...what did they do to you? I pulled the blanket up to cover her and pulled her closer to me. Soon, I was asleep too.

In the morning, I awoke to an empty bed. But there was a note in Ana's place.

Had to get back before Asami knew I was gone.

See you soon.

Yours,

Ana

I folded up the note and stuck it in my wardrobe. I pulled out some clean clothes and put them on. Then I went to wake up Bolin.

"No...too early...go away!" He rolled over and buried his head under his pillow. I sighed, wishing I had a better way of waking him up. Even after ten years I was still trying to figure it out. "Come on bro," I said zap- "I'm up I'm up!" he said, the back of his pants still smoking from the little spark of flame and I had given him. Pabu lifted his head and let out a small hiss. I raised my eyebrow at him and he laid his head back down.

Bolin couldn't get ready fast enough. "Come on bro!" I called, banging on the bathroom door. "I'm almost ready! Just two more minutes!" I sighed at the weirdness of my brother. He took longer to get ready than Asami and Ana combined. I knew there was something wrong in that, but I didn't voice it to my ego sensitive brother. After he finally was done, we headed to Asami's house.

"Welcome back, Master Bolin and Master Mako." The butler bowed us inside and we were greeted by the two girls. Ana rushed into my arms. I hugged her and kissed the top of her head. Finland and Pabu decided that they were friends and started chasing each other, Pabu chasing Finland. The four of us got a laugh out of them and then we went to the Pro-bending arena. Asami hadn't seen a match since the finals last year and she was ready to see some more action.

"Step right up folks, and let's see who can knock the man off his stool. The one who does gets a fabulous prize. So wants to play?" Ana walked over and with one zap of lightning, the man fell off his stool. And the stool fell with him. "Next time, don't let your set crew out after hours. They give away your secrets," She took the 20,000 yuans and we went inside.

"So, Ana, what are you going to do with the money?" Asami asked her once we had sat down. "I saw a thing in the paper this morning about a new Bending Academy opening up here in Republic City, aimed at benders our age. Enrollment for a semester is 5,000 yuans I would really like to attend. And since I live in town, I don't have to pay for housing, which is also 5,000 yuans. They don't only teach new ways of bending, but they also teach the history behind the 100 Year War. I think this would be a good opportunity. I've haven't gone to school since I was 11." Enroll? What would be the point of me then? Why would I be needed? She could learn from the teachers there...not me. "But regardless of that, as I am far behind my fellow Firebenders, I am still going to need Mako tutor me. I will need the extra help and practice." She looked over and me and smiled. I relaxed and reached over for her hand. "And of course I will help you. I will not stop helping you until you ask me too." Then we heard the ding of the bell and the games begin.

A some point, Ana got up to go get something to drink. She came back a few minutes later, drink in hand.

The two teams were very good, but soon one of teams began to show lack of endurance. The team couldn't keep up and soon they were knocked out of the arena. Ana groaned. "They had the perfect shot to keep themselves alive! Their Earthbender is their weakest player! He doesn't have a strong connection with his element. He couldn't bend those disks much beyond the zone his in! And the other two benders were leaving her to be knocked down but the other team didn't seize the opportunity to take her out!" She let out a growl and threw her popcorn down. "Calm down Ana," I said, and grabbed her hand before she herself jumped into the arena. I could feel her pulse, and it was racing like a fox-deer's after running from it's predator. "Ana...Ana are you ok?" She looked at me and her pupils were pin-pricks. And the whites blood-shot. Then she fell from her seat, convulsing. "ANA!" I grabbed her just before she hit the floor, but I couldn't keep a hold of her. Asami helped me hold her down so she wouldn't hurt herself or others. "Bolin! Go get help! Hurry!" Ana's eyes were wild and seeking. "Mako...Mako..." "Ana, I'm here." Her skin was hot, as though it were on fire. "Mako...Mako...they were here...they bought my drink...put something in it...said it would make it better...but it didn't...I feel I am on...fire...help..."