Tarrlok's POV

I had to admit, I'd never seen my brother so…lost before, so broken. Korra's disappearance had taken its toll. Noatak had taken to eating very little and barely sleeping, choosing instead to focus all his energies into finding his daughter. Looking at him now, he really did seem like a father grieving for his child. I knew he blamed himself, that he feared she could be hurt, or worse, being tortured somewhere far from home. He wouldn't rest till she was back here, where she belonged.

He sat there on her bed for a long time, holding the ragged plush toy in between his hands, along with a couple of photos from when she was younger. My hand rested on his shoulder, trying to convey that everything would be all right, that we would find her. She was alive, and we knew that the Sato girl was with her. Those two always had a knack for getting each other out of a tight spot.

After a moment, he stood, taking the plush and pictures with him as he exited the room. I ran both hands tiredly through my hair. Despite the situation, and how obviously it was affecting him, he was still trying to keep up appearances, fighting with his emotions every time a messenger came with no news. It was killing my brother not to have his 'little one' home.

The thought caused a smile to slide on to my face. It seemed so long ago but I could still remember how the name had come to be.

Korra had been just a toddler, only two I believe, and already running around and exploring with an exceptionally adventurous spirit. It had become a chore to keep up with her whereabouts, and my brother would often ask myself or a nurse to make sure she didn't get into any trouble while he was away or in a meeting.

It was the rainy season, and Hiroshi had left the door open when he'd come to talk to us. We had failed to notice this. A while later I caught a glimpse out the window of the toddler playing outside in the rain. My brother had immediately bolted out the door, returning a moment later with a soaking wet toddler, who started to sneeze. Mr. Sato had tried to continue the conversation but Noatak had dismissed him, his attention completely on the child.

I grabbed a towel from the cabinet, giving it to him to wrap around the as he took her to the bathroom to clean her up, get all the mud off her. Unfortunately, later it became obvious that she was starting get sick. She was incredibly fussy and made the most pitiful whimpering noise and her forehead was hot to the touch.

We'd taken her to the medical wing and they'd prescribed some meds. Noatak had taken her back to her room and laid her down in the crib, finally having gotten her to go to sleep. However, later that night, around three in the morning, she started to wail. I'd sat up in bed and tiredly made a move to get up but stopped when I heard footsteps. I figured my brother was already up and going to check on her.

I stood anyway and walked next door to the child's room just as he reached into her crib and picked her up. "There, there little one," he said, lifting the fussing toddler into his arms, making sure to wrap the blanket tightly around her.

I raised a brow. "Little one?" I leaned against the door frame, watching with some amusement. "That's one I haven't heard."

"Well she is the youngest child here," Noatak dismissively defended, rubbing gentle circles on her child's back. "I think she likes it."

"Is her forehead still warm?"

He shifted her in his arms and pressed the back of his hand to her temple, nodding somberly. He walked over to the table next to the crib and tried to give the girl her meds. Korra squirmed, not wanting to taste the horribly grape flavored syrup. After a while though she gave up and opened her mouth, making a face at the taste. I couldn't really blame her.

He handed her sippy cup to her, which she took before handing it back to him after a moment. He sighed. He walked around the nursery with her in his arms, gently swaying and bouncing till her eyes drooped closed. Then she started to whimper and cry, waking herself back up. I walked over to them and smiled, causing Korra to shyly press her face against the revolutionist's neck, hiding from me.

"You can go back to bed, brother," he said, still watching the girl. "I'll stay here with her."

I watched the two of them for another moment before nodding and leaving the room.

I woke early the next morning and walked back to the nursery to check on them. Only they weren't there. I frowned before checking my brother's office, and again finding the room empty. I started to feel worried when I went to the med wing and the doctors said they hadn't seen either of them. I was about to head towards Lieutenant's room and wake him up when I noticed my brother's door was slightly ajar.

Carefully I opened it and smirked at what I found. My brother lay on his back on the bed, somewhat sitting up against the headboard, fast asleep. And Korra was resting on his chest, her tiny hand fisting into the material of his shirt, a small pout on her lips. Noatak's hand lay on her back, holding her close to him, ever protective in his sleep. I shook my head and quietly closed the door, leaving them to rest.

Not without getting a picture, of course.

Korra's POV

The day after my 'incredible' Earthbending feat, after I had involuntarily revealed what I truly was, what I could be capable of, everyone had wanted to question me, had wanted to start my Avatar training. I slept in later than I normally would. My body was used to rigorous and brutal workouts, but the unfamiliar movements and strain of Earthbending had left my muscles sore and aching.

Asami didn't leave my side, and she made sure that no one disturbed me before I was ready to come out and face the world. I smiled at her, rubbing my eyes to get the bits of sleep out of them. She chuckled at this and poked my side, earning a glare from me which only made her laugh harder. The normalcy, the sense of home was so vivid that I couldn't help but smile.

Afterwards I was stuck in a tent once again with Bei Fong and General Iroh. My surrogate sister sat next to me, poised and trying to reason with the two Benders. I'd wished they would've just left me alone. But of course they had other plans. Especially the Earthbender.

"How long have you known you're the Avatar?" she'd asked. I didn't reply. She didn't stop. "Why didn't you tell us who you were?"

Iroh jumped in. "Your training should start as soon as possible. The faster you master the other elements, the sooner we may be able to end this war."

These points kept coming up but I never answered them, never replied. I'd already given them my answer the day before. I wanted nothing to do with this Avatar business. I wasn't here to help the Benders win, I was here to bring them down from the inside… I had to keep reminding myself of that.

Across the room, I saw the other Firebender observing the scene. He didn't say a word as he curiously studied me. Our eyes found each other and I looked away, crossing my arms over my chest. The rebellion leaders were still rambling on, asking different variations of the same things. I was so tired of this endless interrogation.

Finally, it seemed that the general had enough. "Why do you refuse to help us?" he snapped. "These are your people who are suffering everyday because of that madman! The Avatar is supposed to help those in need, to bring peace and balance!"

Lin scoffed. "She's scared."

I stood from my seat, the chair scrapping and falling back from the sudden movement. My jaw clenched and I glared at the Earthbender. She had wanted to get under my skin and she had finally succeeded. I blamed my pride for that. Asami put her hand on my shoulder to try to calm me, to make sure I didn't do something reckless. But I shrugged her off.

I'd had it with the Chief.

"I'm not scared of anything," I told the woman evenly, biting back the growl that had threatened to come out. "But my reasons are my own, and therefore none of your concern." I stood up a little straighter and turned to walk out of the tent, heading toward the desolation that was on the outskirts of the underground Bending safe haven.

I needed to get away. I had been running from my title, my so-called birthright, all my life. And it was starting to catch up with me. I didn't know what to do, or how to react. This was so far out of my comprehension. It was getting the best of me, and I feared what would happen if I finally just snapped.

Once I thought I was far enough away, I leaned against the cave wall and sat down, bringing my knees close to my chest. I hated what I was, what I was 'destined' to do. Why had the Spirits chosen me? Why did Amon's daughter have to be the very bane of his cause? The Spirits were sick and twisted, and must've had a wretched sense of humor. What had I done in my life to deserve it? As if my mother being murdered to protect me hadn't been enough…

Gravel crunched and I looked up to see the Firebending brother. He stopped a few feet from me, hands buried deep in his pockets. I huffed in frustration, looking away from him. What did he want?

"You here to interrogate me too?" I asked, my tone bitter.

He sighed, moving and taking a seat next to me. "I'm only here to check on you." Slowly, I looked back over to him, raising one brow, encouraging him to elaborate. He chuckled lightly. "I think I might be one of the few people here that might understand."

"What do you mean?" I asked dubiously.

"Your reasons for not wanting to Bend," he replied. "You've obviously been through something in your life. And it's scared you to the point of reluctance."

My jaw flexed, my eyes narrowed and my fists clenched. I was so sick of people thinking I was scared. Being scared meant being weak, and being weak was never an option. Not to me. "I'm not afraid of anything," I repeated.

Mako shrugged indifferently, as if he was accepting my answer but knew the truth. "Look, if you don't want to talk to me about it, fine. I understand that." He stood, dusting off the dirt on his pants. "But maybe you should talk to Katara, or Asami…anyone. Holding things inside you… in the end it never helps."

I studied him, not sure what to make of him. This was the first time I'd seen him like this, the first time we'd had a conversation that hadn't turned into an argument. The way he talked about it… it was as if he knew the feeling. And that's when I remembered what Asami had told me about the Firebender, about his parents.

"I'll see you later," he said, leaving me sitting there.

I couldn't help but think that perhaps he was right. I'd been bottling my emotions, my fear of the raw power I possessed for so long. Maybe… maybe I should talk to Katara about it. I sighed, shaking my head, and knowing I might regret this later, walked toward the elder Waterbender's tent.

Katara's POV

I sighed as I finished up my letter to my children, informing them about the new Avatar and asking them to return to the camp as soon as they could. I was sure Tenzin would agree with Iroh, and want to start her training as soon as possible. The thought made me release a heavy breath. The teen had little to no interest in being the Avatar. I had known the minute I met her that she was special, but I hadn't even thought to assume that she was my late husband's successor. They were so different.

Aang had been gentle, caring, and if we were being honest, a bit of a push over. Korra was strong, hard-headed, protective. Yet…they shared similarities when regarding their title. The last Airbender had lied about who he was and ran away from his title, and it seemed the young Waterbender had done the same. Neither of them wanted anything to do with who they were.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard someone come in, and I smiled when I saw it was the teen. I gestured for her to have a seat, but she hesitated, lingering in the entrance. She took a deep breath and walked over to me, taking a seat beside me. She was nervous, whether it was about Iroh and Lin's plans I wasn't sure. The Earthbender and Firebender had 'politely' asked me to stay out of their way in regards to Korra, saying that the Avatar was Rebellion Leader business.

"Did they give you a hard time?" I asked. Korra shrugged. "I'm writing a letter to my children," I told her. "Would you like to meet them?"

The teen looked at me curiously before nodding her head. I reached inside a drawer and pulled out a picture frame, smiling fondly at the old photo before gingerly handing it over to Korra. She studied the image. Tenzin had only been five months old when the picture was taken, Kya four and Bumi eight. After a moment she handed it back to me and began to wring her hands together, looking everywhere but at me.

I could tell she wanted to talk to me, why else would she come here? I decided I would need to keep the ball rolling. "Do you have any siblings?"

I saw a flicker of something in her eyes, her thoughts probably going to the heiress. Their bond was strong, stronger than most actual siblings. "No," she answered quietly, knowing I had been referring to blood relations. "Dad never remarried after my mom died."

"Hmm," I hummed. "Is it alright if I ask you about him?"

Korra looked hesitant, seeming to mull over the question, debating what she should reveal. "He's a well respected man," she finally said. "He's taken care of me mostly by himself since Mom's murder. I… He used to read to me at night when I was little, it helped keep the nightmares away. But he was busy a lot and couldn't always do that." She smiled slightly. "He bought Naga for me, I think as his way to make up for it." Her face turned somber once again. "I've done everything I can to make him proud, follow his ideals…but…"

"But what?"

She bit her lip. "I know he loves me," she told me quietly, but with certainty, making sure to clarify that point. "But sometimes I can't help but think I've let him down, that I wasn't all he'd hoped I'd be."

I placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled when she looked at me. Korra was a brilliant young woman, and already showed natural and hard-earned skill when fighting and Bending were concerned. "I don't think you could ever let him down," I stated genuinely. "I may not know him, but if he was able to raise someone like you, and if what you've revealed to me is true, then I'm willing to bet he cares a great deal for you. And he'd support you however he could."

One of her hands rubbed the other, an unsure gesture. "I never wanted to be the Avatar," she whispered. "I never wanted to Bend… My mom died trying to protect me…"

My hand moved to cover hers, giving it a tight squeeze of reassurance. In some aspects our stories were very similar, and I found myself empathizing with this girl before me. I looked over at the picture. "You know, my husband, the man in the picture, was the Avatar before you," I told her. The teen's head snapped up, her eyes wide and flickering with different emotions. "He didn't want to be the Avatar either, even managed to run away for a hundred years. But…then he realized just how out of balance the world had become in his absence, and he decided to do what was necessary to fix it."

She looked down to her lap, brow furrowed before she shook her head. "He sounds like a good man," she said, but I could tell that hadn't been what she wanted to say, though the words were sincere.

"Korra," I began, placing one hand over hers. "I know that being the Avatar isn't something you wanted. But perhaps… perhaps you should consider the training."

"I promised my father I'd never Bend, and if I had to, it would only be water," she answered. "I've already broken that promise once. I can't do it again."

I nodded in understanding, because I did understand. This notion had probably been engrained in her since she was a child, that Bending could only lead to trouble. "I know this is something you don't want to do," I replied. "But you've proven that you do care, or else those children would no longer be alive." I received no reply to this as she looked away again. "But it's because of children, just like them, just like that little Firebender girl, that I'm asking you to at least consider the possibility."

I could see a flicker of something in her expression at the mention of the Firebender girl. She took a deep breath, and I watched as emotions warred against each other in the visible changes in her continuance. I smiled reassuringly, letting her know I didn't expect an answer now. "Just think about it."

The teen sighed. "I will think about it," she replied, standing to leave the tent. She stopped at the opening, looking back over her shoulder at me. "But I can't guarantee anything."

I smiled after she left, shaking my head with a chuckle. Aang had said the same thing.

Asami's POV

Korra was laying down on her cot, one arm behind her head as her other hand fiddled with the necklace around her neck. She was thinking hard about something, that much I knew. She only ever messed with that thing when she was nervous or anxious or just arguing with one of her own personal demons. I sighed and walked over to her. She lifted her legs and and then set them in my lap once I'd say down like she always did, her attention still on the ceiling.

"What're you thinking about?" I asked curiously.

"Hmm?" She pried her gaze away to finally look at me and I repeated the question. "Katara's asked me to consider starting my Avatar training, master the other elements."

I nodded. "Are you going to?"

"I don't want to," she said. "I've already broke the promise I made to Dad nine years ago when they burned down the camp and scarred his face."

I flinched at the memory. I remembered that day well. Hard to forget the day your mother perished.

"I cant break that promise again."

"Korra, you were born to bring peace and balance to the world."

She scoffed and shook her head. "It was a mistake. Amon's daughter isn't supposed to be the Avatar. I shouldn't be able to Bend in the first place. All it's brought to the world is pain and suffering."

I took a deep breath. I'd hoped that the past couple of weeks spending time in the camp would've helped her realize that not all Benders are evil. I'd gone as far as to keep hidden the fact that Amon was looking for her. Korra needed to start her training, bring balance and put an end to this revolution.

"Korra-"

"Give me one good reason," she challenged, sitting up. "Just one."

What could possibly get Korra to change her mind? I had to admit, I was coming up blank. And then my gaze rested on the amulet hanging around her neck. This was a low blow, but I needed Korra to see this from a different perspective.

"Your mother."

She hadn't been expecting that answer. Her eyes widened ever so slightly and her body went rigid. "What?"

"She gave you that necklace, right?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "That means she knew what you were, and she supported it. She was fine with you being a Bender, with you being the Avatar."

"Please..." she started, her voice barely above a whisper. "Don't use her to make your point."

"I'm just connecting the dots," I replied, my voice just as low. "Why else would she give you that necklace?"

Korra turned the necklace in her hand, tracing the engraving of the elements with a finger. Our mothers were a touchy subject. Except, she had never known what it was like to have one, and I knew that was a feeling she craved. She always wondered what it would've been like had she not been killed protecting her.

Korra shifted, hugging an arm to her side. "The nightmares got really bad when I was thirteen," she said. "And they just kept getting worse and worse. I asked my dad to take my Bending." My eyes widened. "I never wanted to be this, 'Sami."

I looked at my sister, and I felt my chest tighten at this new revelation. I'd known that the beginning of our teenage years had been hard on Korra but I hadn't realized the extent. When she would spend the night, I'd wake up to her screaming and I'd hug her and tell her it would be all right. I wouldn't go back to sleep till she did.

I wrapped an arm around her and she leaned her head against my shoulder. I didn't really know how to reply.

"I didn't know it got that bad," I decided upon. The words were foreign on my tongue. I'd thought I'd known everything about Korra. And then it turns out I had missed something like this. I didn't like this.

"I'm sorry for what you've gone through, Korra. But I know is that you were chosen to be the Avatar for a reason. You just have to find it. And maybe by beginning your training, you will be able to figure it out."

Korra heaved a heavy sigh, her eyes closing in defeat. "Do you really think I should?" She was tired of arguing with me.

"Mmhmm."

With another sigh she shrugged. "Fine. I'll train. But... Not with fire."

I said nothing to this, knowing this was an inflexible rule that I'd never be able to change her mind about. So I celebrated the one victory I did have.

Baby steps, right?