Chapter Eleven

When Korra felt she was quite done with all this crying and feeling sorry for herself, she wiped her eyes dry with the palms of her hands and steadied herself. Naga whined and nudged her owner with her wet nose, and Korra scratched her under the chin.

"It's alright, Naga. I'll be alright." Korra kissed her on the forehead. "As long as I've got you, I'll manage somehow."

She pushed her shoulders back and inhaled deeply, stretching. She'd missed the island, as much as she hated to admit it. The air was cleaner out of the city, even if it was only a short distance away. Something about living with airbenders, probably.

"Korra?"

Speak of the devil.

"Jinora?" Korra wondered aloud. "Is that you?"

Indeed it was, and the two young airbending girls tumbled into the cave, gusts of wind in their wake.

"Korra!" Ikki cried and hugged the older girl around the knees, while Jinora waited for Korra to reach an arm out to her, then hugged her as well.

"Ikki, Jinora, what are you doing here?"

"Someone came looking for you!" Ikki announced, looking up at her without letting go.

"We wanted to see you, too, so when he left, we hoped it was our turn," Jinora elaborated.

"He?" Korra asked, raising a brow in confusion.

"I don't think he said his name," Jinora said. "But he was tall, and very handsome. He knew you and Naga. Is he your boyfriend?"

"Don't be silly," Korra chided her, at the same time feeling a pang in her heart. "I don't think he likes me very much at all right now."

"He said he made you angry." Ikki said in her usual quick, matter-of-fact speech. "Are you still angry? Did he make it better? He also said he knew where you've been. Can you tell us? Please?"

Korra chuckled. "He did make me angry, but I made him just as mad. And I didn't even know he was here - he didn't talk to me."

"But he must have seen you," Jinora said, confused. "We left him right here."

Korra's heart quickened to know he'd sought her out, though she was a little annoyed he hadn't actually talked to her.

"Why wouldn't he talk to you?" Ikki asked.

Korra leaned down, and said conspiratorially, "I'll tell you a secret. Boys are stupid sometimes and don't make any sense. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise." All three girls burst into giggles.

"Korra?" Another voice called her name, this one much deeper and older. Her head snapped up and saw Tenzin standing in the mouth of the sky bison cave.

"Tenzin!"

"Daddy!" The younger girls seemed much more excited to see the airbending master than Korra. She eyed him cautiously, all too aware of the way they last parted.

"Girls, I need to speak to Korra alone, please." The protested at his request, but eventually left them alone, making Korra promise to visit them again soon and not to disappear again.

"I've heard rumors of a new probender in the tournament. A waterbender, a brother to the Avatar." He studied her, but she met his gaze evenly, her chin held high, without saying anything. "You and I both know the Avatar does not have a brother."

Korra's insides tied themselves in knots. He was going to expose her.

"I don't need to ask why. I just want to ask if it's worth it."

Her gaze didn't waver. "Yes. It's been worth every moment."

He sighed heavily. "Then I supposed I have nothing more to say."

Korra blinked. "Really?"

"It hasn't been the same without you around here, Korra." He raised his head to smile gently at her. "And that made me think. You've always been headstrong. It was wrong of me to try to hold you back."

Korra was stunned. "I-I don't know what to say."

"You're a strong girl, Korra. You'll find your way no matter what stands in your way, and I've decided you don't need me to be yet another obstacle."

"Thank you," she said genuinely, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from returning. "It means a lot to me to know you don't think I'm a failure."

"Oh, I never thought you were a failure," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "I just didn't know what kind of teacher you needed. I thought you needed strict guidance and discipline for your training to take, but I can see now I was wrong."

Korra couldn't take it anymore, and flung herself into his arms. "I'm sorry I ran off. I was angry and just needed to get away."

Tenzin wrapped his arms around her, his hold fatherly and warm. "I understand. You're becoming a young lady, striking out on your own. I'm proud of you."

She pulled back to look him in the eye, withdrawing and wrapping her arms around herself.

"Not many are strong enough to fight in the probending tournament, and even fewer girls would have the gall to try."

"So you're not going to tell on me?" She asked, hopefully, biting her lip.

He smiled knowingly at her. "I believe you've met my brother. He was in his fair share of schemes as a boy, and I learned long ago not to get involved or make things worse. Somehow he always managed to find his way out of trouble, something he got from our father. I think you have the same talent. Besides, it'd do the city good to see how strong the Avatar truly is."

—

Korra had dinner with Tenzin's family for the first time in weeks, and her heavy shoulders felt lighter by the minute.

"Oh, by the way," Tenzin's wife Pema said as her children - and Korra - enthusiastically ate dessert. "An invitation came for you while you were gone, Korra."

She swallowed quickly, coughing a little, "An invitation?"

"It seems there's a party being held in honor of the two final teams in the tournament, and they'd like you to attend."

Korra placed her spoon down quietly, glancing at Tenzin. He held his hands out and shrugged.

"I don't suppose there's any way I could get out of it?" She asked weakly.

"Why don't you want to go? You love probending," Ikki asked around a mouthful of ice cream.

"Do you remember that boy that came to the island earlier?" Korra asked by way of explanation.

"The handsome one?" Jinora chirped. "Is he a probender?"

"Firebender for the Fire Ferrets."

"Oooh," both girls cooed. Tenzin's youngest, Meelo, used his airbending to make the lanterns flicker. "I'm a firebender, too!" He announced proudly, his mouth still full.

Korra gave them a sardonic look. "No, not oooh. Bad. We never talked, remember? I think he's still mad at me, and he's sure to be at the party."

"Korra," Tenzin chided gently, "I thought you were done with running away from your problems."

She pouted, then heaved a loud sigh. "Plus there's the whole matter of all the Fire Ferrets being invited as well," she said pointedly.

The children looked confused, but Tenzin just chuckled. "I'm sure you'll figure something out."

She wasn't so sure, so later that night, Korra called Asami. "Asami? I need your help again. And this time, you're really going to need to work your magic."

Adjusting his collar nervously, Mako asked his brother if he'd heard from Korra. The third member of their team hadn't been back to the apartment since she left after the last match, and Mako hadn't seen her since the cave five days ago. The Fire Ferrets had been invited to a fancy party partially in their honor tonight, and he still didn't know if she would attend.

"I thought I told you," Bolin said from the couch, where he was shining his shoes so vigorously they could be used as mirrors. "An airbender girl brought a note by the other day. Korra said she'd meet us there. She was invited as the Avatar as well."

Mako's eyebrows rose. "She's going as both Korra and Kor?"

"Guess so. The note didn't say much. I could've sworn I told you."

"No," he frowned. His hands felt clammy at the thought of seeing Korra again tonight. He'd thought of nothing else since he'd seen her, and realized how much a part of his life she'd become. He missed her.

And he wanted her back.

He tied his scarf with a determined hand, and said, "Ready to go?"

"Ready as ever! Let's hit the town!"

—

They were greeted with applause and cheers as they entered the city hall's banquet room, which Bolin simply ate up, waving and grinning at his fans. Mako was too distracted with trying to locate Korra to even notice.

He frowned when he couldn't find her. A light hand touched his shoulder and he spun around expectantly. His face fell when it wasn't who he was looking for.

Asami laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you. You don't have to look that upset, though."

Blushing slightly, he regained his composure. "Sorry, I'm just - "

"Looking for Korra," she interrupted with a sly smile. "Believe me, I know all about it."

"You talked to her?" He asked impatiently.

She laughed again. "You could say that. And don't worry, she'll be here. Soon, I think. Since she's the Avatar, they wanted her to make an entrance, so you might as well go be social until it's time."

Social was the last thing he wanted to be. "Thanks," he replied grumpily.

"It'll be worth it, trust me." She winked at him and slinked off to chat with important looking people that Mako didn't know. A few girls braved approaching him to tell him how they loved listening to him on the radio, as well as to ask where Kor was.

Mako did his best to be polite, giving vague answers, but eventually the girls detected his lack of interested and sulked off, leaving him alone and going to Bolin, who was all too pleased to entertain them. It was rare for women to be invited to anything having to do with probending, but it seemed someone wanted to shake things up this time. A corner of Mako's mind registered the fact that there were more female fans than he expected, but he brushed the thought aside, thinking that he shouldn't be so surprised.

Korra had been a fan, after all. He doubted that any of the girls there could even possibly be anything quite like her, though.

Then, finally, the lights dimmed. Mako turned as the great, ornate doors at the back of the hall slowly swung open, revealing the petite, brown-skinned girl he'd been waiting all night to see.

His jaw actually dropped when he saw her. She was wearing a stunning, shimmery gown that clung to her curves like a second skin, and her hair hung around her shoulders in gentle waves, an opal ornament pinning half of it up. She wore light makeup, save for the berry pink lipstick highlighting her plump lips curved in a shy smile, as well as something around her eyes, enhancing their color and shape. Those ocean blue eyes glowed as they looked out at everyone, and to top everything off, she was encircled by a halo of water, rock, and fire.

A hush fell over the crowd as they took her in, and Mako heard Asami whisper beside him - when she'd sidled up to him, he had no idea - "And that's what we call an entrance. I told you it'd be worth it."

Mako couldn't tear his eyes away, watching as Korra bent her elemental ring into new shapes as the crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed then into a small bowl so she could move about the room freely. Everyone applauded her, duly impressed, and she was immediately surrounded by admirers of her own.

He tried to make his way to the crowd, but couldn't manage it without rudely shoving people aside. As much as both he and Korra might have enjoyed that (no doubt she'd be amused by any lack of propriety) he restrained himself.

Instead, he waited. All night, he waited for the perfect moment to get her alone, but as soon as he thought there'd be a chance, someone else would snatch her up.

"Where's the rest of your team, captain?" A low voice asked, breaking into his thoughts and sneering on the last word. Tahno. "Did the little runt finally chicken out?"

The waterbender stepped in front of Mako, blocking his view of Korra, flanked by the other two Wolf Bats. Mako scowled.

"He had other things to take care of."

Tahno laughed, and his teammates joined in, a slight beat behind. He grinned in amusement, asking in a mocking tone, "Other things? Did he have to ask his mommy if he could stay out late with the big boys?"

Mako bristled. "Big boys?" He spat. "I wouldn't flatter yourself. You seem to keep forgetting who won in your little street fight."

Tahno's eyes narrowed. "Beginner's luck," he said coldly. "We'll see who's really the bigger man in tomorrow's match, won't we? Unless your little pet doesn't show."

"He's no one's pet. And he'll show."

Tahno sauntered off and Mako let out a deep breath. What was Korra's plan tonight? Kor needed to make an appearance, but Mako couldn't see how she'd get away long enough. Even now, an older gentleman was talking her ear off as she nodded politely, clearly not really listening.

He caught her eye for the first time that night. Then, to his delight, she smiled hesitantly, tilting her head slightly to the door to the kitchens, where trays of food and flutes of champagne were continuously being brought out. He nodded, his heart racing and climbing up into his throat.

Unlike Korra, he was able to melt into the crowd and slip into the kitchens without drawing attention. All the servers and cooks and helpers in there were so busy, they barely noticed him, but Mako felt awkward just standing there, waiting.

He spied the pile of dirty dishes growing in the sink, and when he didn't see a washer, he took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work. He couldn't remember how many times he'd worked this job as a boy, and something about the familiar motions calmed his nerves.

Then the kitchen went oddly silent, followed by an unmistakable voice asking, "Ah, sorry, is the bathroom through here?"

Mako slowly turned to see Korra standing there, looking a bit sheepish as one of the servers nervously gave her directions and the others stared at her. She thanked him, her eyes sliding to meet Mako's. She looked him up and down, taking in his slightly damp shirt and his soapy hands, and smiled.

His stomach flipped over, and she walked towards him, her hips swaying from side to side in a way he'd never noticed before.

"Maybe you can show me the way? I'm terrible with directions." She widened her eyes slightly, motioning for him to play along.

"S-sure," he stammered, drying his hands on a nearby towel, grabbing his coat and quickly leading her out another door before anyone questioned who he was and what he was doing there.

He could feel her presence behind him, her eyes like warm coals on his neck, as they walked down a dimly lit corridor. He didn't know where he was going, but the dull roar of the party gradually faded away.

Then… they were alone.

AN: Sorry for the slightly shorter chapter this week, it's been crazy busy here. I'm also going to have to take a short hiatus while I take care of some other stuff, but it should only be a week or two. You can follow my tumblr for more info, the link is on my profile. Thank you for understanding and thank you for all your fantastic reviews! I love hearing your guesses about what's going to happen next!