Collapsing (adj.): in the process of falling apart; alternatively, giving into overwhelming pressure.

2 hours later

Republic City, Residential District

7 months, 3 weeks after the fall of the Red Lotus

"Careful."

"I know."

"Careful."

"I know."

"Just a little more—"

Zap!

"Gah!" Barry threw down a pair of tweezers and gave his roommate an accusing look. "You see? I told you nagging would just spaz me out!"

Mako just snickered and held a hand over his eyes. "Which is why it's so fun to watch."

"This game is rigged," Barry pouted, arms crossed.

"Or maybe," Mako started with a grin, leaning down to carefully pull an object from a u-shaped gap in a board and lay it on the table, "this is something you're just not good at."

"Impossible," he deadpanned jokingly.

"Besides, how can someone rig a board game?"

"I dunno, but Asami's kind of a super genius, so I wouldn't put it past her."

Mako chuckled. "Fair enough." His smile flattened a little. "So are you nervous?"

"About what?" he asked distractedly, lowering his tweezers to the board again.

"About tomorrow?"

"Huh?"

"You know…the gala."

Zap!

Barry gave Mako a glare, to which the firebender held up his hands and grinned. "My bad. You can have a redo of that one."

The younger man sighed as he tossed down his tweezers. "It's fine. Just a party, right?"

"Right. Except a little birdie told me that you're going with the Avatar."

Barry arched an eyebrow. "Bolin?"

Mako nodded once. "A little birdie also told me that might be a bit complicated for…emotional reasons. On both your parts."

He froze, giving Mako a long look. "I'm guessing we're talking about a different birdie?" he asked, attempting to inject some levity into a suddenly uncomfortable conversation.

The detective just smirked. "Nope."

Barry stared at him openmouthed. "Is it that obvious?"

He chuckled. "To everyone but you and her, evidently." Another bubble of laughter. "You know, I've only seen you around each other for a week, and I could already see the signs. Bolin's just more sensitive to this kind of stuff. He picked it up in around two seconds flat during that lunch we had yesterday."

Barry snorted and stared at the ground blankly for a few seconds before something occurred to him. "Wait…on both our parts? Meaning—"

"Meaning he noticed you were on edge around each other, more on her part than yours though."

"Oh," he muttered, deflating.

They were silent a while.

"Barry, you remember what I told you when I first found out you knew each other?"

He just looked at him.

"Be gentle. I still hold to that. Strong as she is…her heart's a delicate thing. It's the one part of her that can be hurt easily."

Barry nodded slowly.

Mako sighed. "Apart from that, I hope you're a good dancer, because I doubt she'll slow down for your sake."

"Huh?"

A chuckle came from the firebender's throat. "Korra's natural talent for bending forms gives her incredible coordination. That carries over into dancing." At Barry's sudden tension, he smirked. "So just take care not to get stepped on. Or steamrolled over. She gets really into it."

Barry managed a snicker. "Good to know." Another long silence passed. "Anyway, I'm kinda beat."

"More like whipped," Mako muttered under his breath.

The CSI arched an eyebrow. "What was that?"

He grinned innocently. "Oh, nothing. Good night, Bear."

Barry eyed him suspiciously but said nothing as he walked into his room and passed out seconds later.

Next day

4:30 PM

Air Temple Island

"Breathe, Korra."

"Don't start with me, Asami." Despite her petulant response, Korra followed the advice and took a deep breath that was intended to calm but only served to make her slightly lightheaded. "The sash is a little loose, don't you think?"

Asami suppressed a chuckle. "It's fine. Trust me, you're gonna be a knockout."

"I'm not trying to be."

"Oh really?" she asked in a teasing tone. "Sure there's not someone you're trying to impress?"

Korra let out a long, drawn-out groan.

"Honestly, Korra," Asami laughed. "You're too easy."

A firm glare was leveled in the woman's direction.

Asami just shrugged, not fazed in the least as she finished her own preparations, putting in a pair of diamond drop earrings and a light layer of red eye-liner that offset her eyes. "Trust me, I'm gonna be the least of your problems tonight."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I'm gonna have to deal with socialites, industrialists, politicians and all manner of eww tonight."

"I hope you're not including your date in that last bit."

"No," she answered flatly. "And he's not my date. Just my escort. And, when need be, a distraction."

"Ouch. Wonder how he'd feel if he heard you call him that."

"Hey, his words, not mine. Though the exact phrase he used was 'pest repellent.'"

Asami chuckled. "That sounds like Barry."

A series of rapid knocks resounded against Korra's door.

"As does that."

With one more glance in the mirror to make sure everything was in place, Korra took a deep breath and rose from her seat, catching Asami's reassuring smile in the corner of her eye as her hand closed around the knob. The moment it opened, she was greeted to a sight that sent her brows shooting upward and jaw dropping a bit. Back turned for less than a second, Barry faced her with a close-mouthed smile, clad in a pressed black tux, his auburn hair slightly shined and shoes glossed to perfection. After a few seconds of uninterrupted silence, Asami interrupted.

"Well, hello Barry Allen. You sure clean up well."

"Thanks, Asami." He held out his arm to Korra. "Shall we?"

Feeling heat creep up her cheeks, Korra blinked a few times and looped her arm through his, following him down the stairs to her car. When she made for the driver's seat, he gently nudged her away and into the passenger side, climbing behind the wheel with rather uncharacteristic nerves. Korra's ocean blue eyes narrowed.

"You've never driven before, have you?"

He chuckled. "Not with a passenger, no."

"Why do I suddenly feel tight-chested?"

"Relax. You really I'd let anything happen to you? Even if we do crash—which we won't—I'll take care of you. You know that."

Korra sighed. "I'm more worried about the car than me. Not like I have the cash to afford another one."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, my reaction time in a car is just as fast as when I'm on foot."

"As a matter of fact…it does."

He smirked. "Good."

Korra was silent a long while, taking a moment to breathe in the cool sea air as they drove across the recently raised earth bridge. Not surprisingly, after closing her eyes and taking a few breaths, the Avatar felt her nerves easing, a cool serenity settling into her bones. What felt like seconds later, she was being gently shaken awake. A sharp breath entered her lungs as her eyes snapped wide open, filled with Barry's face just six inches from hers. A series of rapid blinks preceded a knee-jerk reaction that sent her escort flying out of the car on a gust of air.

A loud yelp left the CSI when he hit the ground, Korra's eyes flying wide open as she scrambled to get out of the car, nearly planting herself on the ground when her foot caught on the door.

"Barry?! Barry, I'm so sorry!" Korra rounded the front of the car to see his immobile form, mouth lolled open, eyes closed. She approached him carefully, chest tightening as she crouched. "Barry?"

His eyes snapped open suddenly, causing her to jump as a grin spread over his features. "Gotcha."

Korra huffed and smacked his shoulder. "Jerk."

He just chuckled and got to his feet as she did the same. "Come on. You gotta loosen up, or tonight's gonna be miserable."

"It's gonna be miserable anyway." Korra followed him closely, allowing him to lead her toward the City Hall, banners of her hung in front of the doors. "I've already accepted that."

"Don't. Tonight's gonna be great. Just wait." He gave her a long look and a reassuring smile as they stopped in front of the entrance, a few scattered guests still flowing inside. "You trust me, right?" He extended his arm.

A deep breath entered her lungs as she took him in, smiling and tall and firm, like an anchor. Because he is. Always has been. And with a smile coming to her face, Korra took his arm and followed him inside, without a moment's hesitation. As the massive doors opened, she felt completely untouchable.

Barry had to admit, Korra was taking it all surprisingly well, even had a small smile on her lips as they entered the large space, every other step occupied by one well-dressed guest after another. He spotted Bolin and Mako from across the room, the former giving them an enthusiastic wave, a pastry—or several—stuffed in his mouth. Barry let out a small chuckle as he returned the wave and made his way toward them.

"Avatar Korra," a familiar voice said from the side.

Evidently, Korra recognized it too, because she sighed and schooled her features into something far more pleasant than she was probably feeling. "President Raiko. A pleasure to see you again." She stuck her hand out politely.

He shook it once. "Likewise…though I am rather surprised you attended, since you've managed to stay out of the public eye for the last seven months." Was Barry just imagining it, or was there a note of accusation to his tone?

Korra arched an eyebrow and smirked, a dangerous glint in her eye. "And miss out on my own party? Not a chance."

Raiko cleared his throat. "Yes, well…I'm sure the public will appreciate seeing more of you. That is, of course, if you'll be resuming your Avatar duties anytime soon."

Barry heard the unspoken bait in that statement, noticing more than a few passersby halting in their tracks and eavesdropping not-so-subtly. Probably journalists. Bloodsucking leeches.

Korra noticed, the glint in her eye only intensifying. "If I do, trust me—" she leaned in closer and lowered her voice, "—you'll know."

And with that, she pulled Barry away from the president and through the crowd, snatching an hors d'oeuvre from a passing waiter and popping it into her mouth, chin held high. The sight of her practically strutting across the ballroom sent a snicker bubbling up his throat.

"What?" she asked curiously.

Barry shook his head. "Nothing. Just enjoying the show."

Korra rolled her eyes, grinning. "I don't particularly like him. In case you didn't notice."

"I did, actually. And I'm a little surprised at how outspoken you've been so far. Considering the circumstances—"

"Considering that I really don't want to be here, I'm going to do my best to have fun, and to hell with people and their agendas. After all, tonight is for me, right?"

Barry smiled and nodded, his arm tightening around hers. "Right."

"Korra, Bear!" Bolin greeted noisily, enveloping them both in a massive bear hug as he lifted them off the ground. "You made it!"

"Well, someone made a very good case," Korra said, sending Barry a pointed look.

"Who, me? Pssht, I wouldn't miss this for the world." He sent her a similar look, a sly grin coming to his face. "I mean, really, how often do any of us get to see the Avatar in her natural element, stepping on insects and snarking people to death?"

"Just wait, Barry," Bolin laughed. "She breathes fire, too."

Mako shook his head at his brother's description, but, as Barry noticed, didn't disagree. "Hang around us much longer, and you'll get used to it."

"Not sure I want to," Barry admitted. "Though…tell me, you've known her for around two years now, yeah?"

The brothers nodded.

"Is it still funny when she gets like that?"

Bolin nodded enthusiastically.

Barry grinned. "Then I still wouldn't miss it."

"So this is where the party's at."

The four turned at the new voice, Barry's eyes widening slightly as Asami strode toward them with Cisco and Caitlin in tow. He caught the young woman's eye and gave Mako a slight nod. She returned a reassuring wave, smiling at the firebender.

"Mako, I don't believe you've been introduced. Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon. They're two specialists from Future Industries' R&D division. I invited them along tonight."

"Pleasure to meet you two," Mako said, smiling as he shook each of their hands.

"Likewise, man," Cisco replied, grinning in his typical manner. "We've heard tons from the boss-woman."

The firebender arched an eyebrow and shot Asami a look. "Really? Like what?"

"Like how much you like to pry," the tycoon replied with a smirk.

Decked out in a floor-pooling black dress with a low-cut neckline and slitted sleeves, it was hard not to stare at Asami, though, Barry realized with a glance around the room, that was probably the point. The uncommonly gorgeous woman was gaining quite a few stares from the room's occupants, both envious and desiring. He knew without a second thought that getting a date was the last thing on her mind. Like him, she was serving as a distraction. The more people focused on her, the less they could bother Korra.

Asami caught Barry's knowing smirk and looked at him as he gave her a conspiratorial wink, a smirk of her own blossoming as she asked Bolin about his recent endeavors. Barry took the group's moment of distraction to really look at Korra. Surprisingly, she didn't look all that different from her usual state of dress, save for a long skirt instead of her usual pants and the back of her hair put up in a covered top-knot. It looked like…her. It surprised him how much that detail made a difference in what he felt when he looked at her.

A month ago, she'd been dressed up to go out in a multicolored frock and asked him his opinion on her state of dress. To be honest, he hadn't had one, so defaulted to a rather bland but acceptable answer. The reason, as he now knew, was because he hadn't seen the dress as something she would wear…at least, not for her. But this…this was all Korra, and that made it perfect. Evidently, she noticed him staring before he could look away and blushed slightly as she cleared her throat and arched an eyebrow.

"See something you like?"

The question so completely caught him off-guard, Barry was stunned into silence for several seconds, forcing himself to ignore Asami and Mako's knowing sighs and Bolin's poorly suppressed giggles. Instead, he just said something stupid.

"Care for a dance?"

Immediately, Korra's eyes lit up and several gasps came from their present company as Barry internally groaned. In response, the Avatar pulled on his arm and half-dragged him onto the dance floor.

Asami sighed and shook her head with a smug smirk, arms crossed as she turned back to the others. "Anyway, we're gonna float around for a bit, see if the menu's up to par. Cisco, Cate."

Her two employees nodded and said their goodbyes to the pro-bending brothers, following Asami to a less populated section of the room.

"Is everything in place?"

"Yep," Cisco responded, pulling a small device from his jacket pocket. "Got this earpiece linked into the police band. If anything comes up tonight, we'll know about it."

Asami nodded. "Good." She looked back toward Barry and Korra, the former somehow managing to stay on his feet as Korra practically yanked him in circles across the dance floor. A small frown came to her face. "Much as I'd hate to interrupt this…Snart is still out there, and given what happened the last time the police tried to apprehend him, Barry may be the only one who stands a chance of stopping him." A moment of silence. "Cate, you have everything you need as far as medical supplies are concerned?"

She nodded. "Out in the van. Just to be clear…we are allowed to actually, you know, enjoy the party…right?"

Asami chuckled. "Of course. I'm well aware that all work and no play makes for some very unhappy employees—and employers, I might add. Tonight is for all of us to just take a moment and relax. Just…be ready to get to work if the need arises."

Caitlin actually smiled and nodded. "Right."

Ten minutes later found Asami deftly floating away from two potential suitors and toward a table littered with glasses of champagne. Unable to help herself from taking one, the woman held the edge of her glass to her lips when someone brushed against her arm from the side.

"Oh, excuse me."

Asami turned to find an older man, middle-aged with dark brown hair and intensely blue eyes. "No, excuse me. I wasn't paying attention." She smiled for effect.

He returned the gesture and nodded, cocking his head slightly as a curious look came to his face. "You're Asami Sato, correct?"

She blinked. "That's right."

"Owner and CEO of Future Industries?"

Asami chuckled. "Last I checked."

"Then you're exactly the right person to bump into." The man extended his hand, smiling. "Malcolm Merlyn, Merlyn Global. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time, discuss a few potential investments."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What sort of investments?"

"I hear your R&D department is performing research into…sonic technology, interpreting and using sound waves for various applications, and I'd very much like to get a closer look at that. We can discuss the specifics at a later date, certainly, but…I would be grateful if you consider Merlyn Global as a potential partner in the development of this research. My own scientists have been experimenting as well, and I think it would be…beneficial for us to merge resources."

Intrigued, Asami cocked her head. "An interesting proposal, Mr. Merlyn. Why don't we talk about it over some champagne? I'm sure we can come to an understanding."

A smile slowly spread over his features. "I'm very glad to hear that, Ms. Sato."

So glad that's over.

Barry breathed an audible sigh of relief as the last song came to a halt, his dance partner following suit as she chuckled, face flushed slightly with exertion.

"As I live and breathe…Barry Allen."

Barry turned toward the familiar voice, eyes widening and face splitting into a grin. "Eddie!" He let go of Korra's arm to clasp the blonde man's and give him a pat on the back. "Long time no see."

"A year, actually," Eddie said in a lightly reprimanding tone, smiling slightly. "Not since your…incident."

"Y-Yeah…right." Barry had the sense to look sheepish. "Sorry about that. It's been crazy at work, I'm always busy."

"No excuse."

The CSI nodded slowly, grimacing as he looked down. "I know. But hey, we should get some coffee sometime. Tomorrow maybe."

Eddie grinned, his blue eyes lighting up. "I'd like that."

Barry kept smiling for a few more seconds, remembering the girl at his side and clearing his throat. "Excuse me, where are my manners? Korra, this is Edward Thorne. Ed, this is Avatar Korra."

"Please," the man said with a smile and an extended hand, "call me Eddie."

She smiled back and returned the shake. "Any friend of Barry's is a friend of mine."

"Good to know, since you'll be meeting another in about…" Eddie stood up on tiptoes to look over Barry's head, "two seconds."

Barry turned around, scanning the crowd for familiar faces when his eyes alighted on a rather short blonde woman on stiletto heels. His jaw dropped as his eyes widened when she closed the distance, sun-rivaling smile plastered to her face.

"Felicity?" he asked in disbelief.

She grinned. "Hey Barry."

He looked between her and Eddie. "Y-You're here with—"

"Yep."

"So…how long have you two been…you know—" He motioned between them as she drew up alongside the taller man.

"Oh, we're not," she assured him. "Just a friendly night out on the town."

Eddie shrugged. "I got invited because of my government research, and since Felicity was in town…I decided, what the hell? I believe her words of acceptance were, 'A chance to rub elbows with the mookety-mooks of Republic City? Absolutely.'"

Felicity fixed him with an offended look. "I did not say that."

Barry pursed his lips and shrugged. "It does sound like something you'd say."

She just snorted in a very unladylike fashion and turned her attention to Korra. "Wait…is this—this is Korra, as in Avatar Korra?"

"The one and only," she replied.

"Oh. My. Gosh. I am a huge fan," Felicity exclaimed, motioning wildly with her hands. "What is it like being able to bend all the elements at once? Do you ever get them mixed up or confused?" She smacked her forehead. "Duh, of course not. They're all completely different styles of movement."

Korra shot Barry a look, to which he just shrugged and let his shoulders shake with silent laughter. As Felicity continued to shoot off question after question, Eddie stepped in.

"'Scuse me, Felicity. I don't mean to interrupt, but…I've been itching to dance all night, and my partner is…less than enthusiastic about it. So…" he gave Korra a pointed look, then turned to Barry, "do you mind if I steal your date for a dance?"

Barry looked to Korra, who shrugged slightly, then turned back to Eddie. "Not at all."

Eddie took the Avatar's hand with a smile, then escorted her to the dance floor and out of their immediate vicinity.

"Korra seems nice," Felicity said suddenly, smiling. "And pretty, like really pretty. Congratulations."

Barry blinked rapidly. "Oh, we—we're not together. She's just a friend."

"Uh huh." Felicity looked out onto the dance floor absently. "Could've fooled me."

The CSI rolled his eyes and sighed.

"But onto another topic—I finally graduated."

"From the doctorate program?"

She nodded.

Barry laughed. "Congrats. Yeah, I heard about that. Felicity Smoak, top scientific researcher of the Ba Sing Se University's class of 171." He shrugged with a sigh. "Sorry I couldn't come to the graduation."

"Well, to be fair, you were kinda busy, you know…getting struck by lightning and all." She shifted from one foot to another, a conspiratorial smirk coming to her face. "Though I am surprised you didn't contact me after, considering how close we were growing up. Didn't call, didn't write, didn't…race over to see me."

Barry stared at her blankly for a few seconds, the knowing smile on her face finally registering as his jaw dropped. "How do you—"

"We have a mutual friend. Specifically, a mutual billionaire friend…who's fond of pointy objects." She tapped her index fingers together for emphasis.

The boy's jaw dropped some more. "You mean you—"

Felicity nodded slowly.

Barry huffed out a disbelieving breath. "How long?"

"Pretty much since he got back. Oliver was…" She grimaced. "It wasn't good. Let's just leave it at that."

"I bet. Stuck on a deserted island for five years? Would do a number on anyone, especially the kind of person he was when he first disappeared."

"Oh, the island was tough…but it was far from deserted."

Barry blinked hard.

"I'll tell you about it another time. Bottom line is, I know…pretty much everything."

He nodded slowly.

"How are you holding up?"

Barry smiled slowly. "Why don't I tell you over coffee? Sometime tomorrow maybe?"

"Eh, tomorrow won't work. Got way too much work to do."

He grinned. "Your boss keeps you busy, huh?"

"Mhm."

"He better pay you handsomely."

"Oh, he does…in all sorts of ways." Felicity waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Barry coughed repeatedly, face burning up. "Okay, thank you. TMI."

Felicity just giggled and slapped his arm. "Gosh, you are so easy to embarrass."

He snorted and crossed his arms. "You're one to talk."

"I am. And I know it."

They kept smiling, Barry shaking his head slowly as he just enjoyed the atmosphere for a while. A throat cleared behind them.

"Hey Bear," Korra said, disengaging herself from Eddie, "can I talk to you?"

"Sure," he replied, stopping when Felicity tapped his arm with one hand while the other linked with Eddie's arm.

"Don't be a stranger," she ordered firmly.

"I'll second that," Eddie added.

"And I will third it," Barry replied. "Trust me, there will be a lot of…reconnecting in the next few days, okay?"

"Fair enough. See ya Bear."

Barry nodded in response and turned back to Korra, who was frowning slightly. "What's up?"

Her head shook. "Not here."

"Okay," he said, taking her hand as she led him into one of the side hallways and closed the door behind them. "Now what's up?"

Korra turned to him slowly, sighing. "I overheard the beginning of your conversation with Felicity."

He shrugged. "So?"

"When she congratulated us for being a couple—"

"I denied it. Which is true."

"To which she replied, 'You could've fooled me.'"

Barry stared at her, pursing his lips. "And?"

Korra blinked hard, eyebrows furrowed. "Barry, you said tonight wouldn't bring any of…that into focus. You said nothing would happen."

His temper was starting to thin. "I said I would never bring any of that into focus. As for anything happening along the lines of…you know…" he shrugged, "how am I supposed to control that? And besides, you said yourself that things are different now, that everything's changed between us. You just never specified how much."

"Barry, that should be a no-brainer. I still haven't even figured out how I feel about you, much less the details of having a relationship in the condition I am now."

"It's been a month since you've known, Korra. A month that I've waited for you to make a decision."

"And you think that's enough time?"

He snorted and shrugged his shoulders. "It took you all of two weeks to figure out how you felt about Mako."

Korra's eyes narrowed and tone sharpened. "Oh yeah? And look how that turned out." She sighed hard. "Look, Barry…no matter how I feel, the world needs its Avatar back. Even if I wanted to, I can't be in a relationship right now."

"Then just say no!" he yelled, finally snapping. "Okay?! Stop—stop dangling maybes in front of me! Say that you don't feel anything for me, that you have zero desire whatsoever for us to be more!" He heaved a few heavy breaths as she stared at him in stunned silence, hurt written in her features. "Can you?"

When she pursed her lips and didn't respond, he snorted.

"That's what I thought."

Korra gulped and looked away as footsteps reached Barry's ears.

"Barry, we need to talk."

He whirled toward the source, snarling slightly. "Cisco, now is really not a good time."

The engineer, accompanied by Asami and Caitlin, blinked hard, gaping slightly. "Dude…Snart's back."

That stopped Barry in his tracks.

"He has the diamond. Cops spotted him heading for the monorail out of town."

"If he gets out of the city," Caitlin said, "we'll never find him."

"And considering the way things went the last time the police tried to apprehend him," Asami began.

"I'm the only one who can stop him," Barry finished, voice quiet. "Fine."

Caitlin held out a duffle bag. "We brought your suit."

Barry took the bag and turned into a lightning-rimmed blur as he put the red suit on, clad seconds later in his thermal-resistant uniform. His right hand went up to his ear and tapped the lightning bolt covering it.

Cisco's eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, you—turned your earpiece off. How are we gonna talk to each other?"

Barry fixed Korra with a cold look, then shifted his gaze back to his team. "I don't feel like talking right now." With a flash of golden lightning, he was gone.

Asami watched the whole exchange with a slightly gaping mouth, noting how Korra slunk off into another secluded hallway before turning to the other two present. "You should go after him."

"You heard him, boss," Cisco said.

"He wants to do this alone," Caitlin added.

Asami rolled her eyes. "Of course he said that. He's hurt and upset and frustrated. Those three make a very dangerous combination for someone who's about to run into a fight. He's not thinking straight, and as his teammates, it's your duty to safeguard him when that happens."

Cisco shrugged. "So? He's the fastest man alive…and besides, you're part of that team too. Why can't you go after him? You know, considering you're the only one of us with actual field experience?"

Asami's brows furrowed. "I'm also extremely high-profile, unlike you two. I'll be missed here, and if it ever gets out to the press that I went missing at the same time the Flash confronted Snart, it'll look suspicious."

Both employees looked ready to concede that point.

"Besides," she said flatly, "if I had a yuan for every time the Avatar told me to back off, I'd never have to worry about Future Industries going bankrupt ever again. Cisco, you created Snart's water suppressor. If anyone'll know a way to stop it, it's you."

After a few seconds, a massive grin spread over Cisco's features. "I have something that might help."

Asami nodded. "Good. Get it ready and get to the train station as soon as you can. Barry's counting on you."

The pair headed off toward the van parked outside, Asami moving for Korra's last heading.

Korra stared blankly at the tiled floor for a few minutes, blinking every so often, but otherwise not moving at all.

Did breaking up with Mako ever hurt this much?

She honestly couldn't remember. Apart from the fact that it had happened over a year ago, the breakup itself wasn't particularly highlighted in her memory. Briefly, she wondered if that was because the memories themselves were too painful to be recalled, and therefore blocked out by her mind in an attempt to shield her. It didn't matter.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

Korra blinked and gulped hard, slowly turning to face the source of the soft voice, finding Asami looking at her with a mixture of sympathy and frustration.

"Why are you doing this to him? What has he done to deserve that kind of madness?" She threw her hands up. "And why do you insist on denying yourself what you clearly want?"

Korra just frowned and looked despondently at the ground.

"It wasn't a rhetorical question," Asami added after a few seconds.

The waterbender looked up slowly, fists tightening as she finally found her voice, albeit at a whisper. "Because I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

Korra chuckled humorlessly. "These days, what am I not afraid of?" She leaned heavily against a nearby wall. "Zaheer, the Red Lotus, pain, loss." Korra sighed. "Vulnerability." She traced a pattern on her forearm. "Seven months ago, I knew what true helplessness feels like. And now that I do…I just can't let go. Can't let go of the reins, of my control. I feel like if I leave myself open like that…it'll kill me."

"To the wrong person…yeah." Asami drew closer and laid a hand on Korra's shoulder. "But this is Barry Allen we're talking about. There's isn't an insensitive or cruel bone in his body. And you know that, so that's still not the real reason."

The Avatar thought about it for another minute or so. "I…I have nothing to offer him." She looked up, eyes red and stinging, gulping past the lump in her throat. "All this time…these months I've known him, Barry's been the strong one, always taking care of me, keeping me safe, helping me heal." Her head shook. "I can't ever pay him back for that. Right now, I can't fight, can barely bend. I'm not the Avatar; I'm barely a functioning human being. And if I do this…I'm afraid that one day he'll wake up and realize he chose the wrong girl."

Silence enveloped the hallway for a few moments before Korra realized Asami's hand had left her shoulder. She looked up just in time to see her open palm smack into the side of her face. Korra's head snapped back, cheek stinging, to stare at her friend in shock.

"What was that for?"

"To knock some sense into you," Asami replied agitatedly, "since the rational way isn't working. Newsflash, Korra, this is Barry freaking Allen. He doesn't care what you are, only who you are. You know something? Did you ever consider the fact that he never knew you before the wheelchair? Before the Red Lotus? He never knew the kind of person you were before you were crippled, which means all he has to base his opinion on is who you are now." She jabbed a finger into Korra's chest for emphasis. "And he likes who you are. He likes you…not the Avatar." Asami's head shook. "And if you think he'd ever leave you because of that…then maybe you don't know Barry Allen as well as you think you do."

Korra stared blankly at her until she left and returned to the ballroom, turning her eyes to the ground as her brows furrowed.

"Nobody worth knowing loves you because you're the Avatar. Maybe a better way to put it is: no one loves the Avatar. They love you."

Her lips parted as her eyes slowly rose.

"They love you."

An exhausted sigh left her lips as she slumped back into the wall, brooding for a few more seconds before rejoining the party.

Republic City, Central City Station

The Flash sped past two metalbending cops as they attempted to capture Snart, the thief returning fire with his water gun and freezing a girder supporting the ceiling over their heads. It shattered under the weight, dumping hundreds of pounds of concrete on the officers. They found themselves on the ground next to a concrete pillar twenty feet away in the blink of an eye. When they regained their footing and gave chase once again, Snart was gone, already having hopped onto a train headed out of town. A streak of golden lightning followed it.

Barry crashed through a glass window in one of the train's cars, having seen Snart's blue-clad figure heading for the front from outside. He stopped right in front of him, staring at the thief, whose hood was up, gun held at the ready.

"There's nowhere to run!" Barry shouted.

Snart ignored the comment. "I didn't see you before." He smirked. "Your mom know you're out past your bedtime?"

The Flash smiled malevolently. "If you wanted to get away, you should've taken somethin' faster than a train."

Snart just smiled. "That's if I wanted to get away."

Barry's smile vanished.

"I've seen your weakness—at the armored car, then at the warehouse. See, while you're busy saving everybody, I'll be saving myself."

Immediately, he pointed the gun downward and shot the liquid into the flooring, the concentrated stream punching tiny holes through the weakened metal and freezing the moving discs below. The sound of screeching metal filled the air as Barry covered his eyes from the glare and Snart made his way to an exit door.

"Good luck with that!" he taunted before leaping out.

Barry could feel the train's movement start to destabilize, the frozen discs disrupting the vehicle's entire motion as they refused to turn. In the moment after Snart exited the train, he knew the whole thing was going to derail in seconds. There had to be dozens of people on it, all about to die horrible deaths. Not if I'm fast enough. He hadn't been in the warehouse, and an innocent cop had died as a result. That wouldn't happen this time. It couldn't. He was the Flash, the fastest man alive. He was speed itself.

The moment his car came off the tracks and decoupled from the cars in front, everything slowed to a crawl, glass shards and dust filling the air as everyone's feet left the ground. The Flash took a moment to assess the situation, mind working at lightning speed as he calculated his exact path, then bent his knees slightly. Lightning danced in his eyes for the hundredth of a second before he moved.

Flash. Flash.

Two passengers were deposited outside as the front car's left corner hit the ground, the car immediately behind it smacking into its side, its rear lifting into the air as it too came off the tracks.

Flash. Flash. Flash.

The front car was completely cleared as he moved onto the cars behind it, streaking through one aisle after the next, taking two people per run, one on each shoulder, and rushing them outside.

Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash.

The second car completely upended, its body pointed toward the sky. The Flash ran alongside it as it started to flip back down, spotting its last occupant, a woman, suspended in the middle, spinning midair. He sprinted in through the back entrance, running up its wall and to the ceiling as he approached her, right arm looping around her waist as he leapt off a seat and toward the exit. He was outside in another split-second, depositing her in a safe location before running back in for a final check.

Satisfied that everyone was out, he didn't notice the train car about to land on him until it was almost too late, and then he sped up considerably, running past the falling metal deathtraps and their impact points. He stumbled on the last step, the vibrations from the simultaneous collisions throwing off his running pattern and causing him to fall forward. A few heavy breaths left his lungs before he started to push himself up.

Only to hit the ground again when a burning cold hit his lower midsection, a massive chunk of ice encasing his abdomen as he slowly turned his body upward. His eyes widened as several pained breaths left his body, the malevolent figure of Leonard Snart approaching, sights trained on the prone Flash.

"Pretty fast, kid…but not fast enough." The thief stood there for a few seconds, cocking his head. "Thank you."

"For what?" he choked out.

"You forced me to up my game, not only with this gun, but with how I think about the job." He shrugged and smiled. "It's been educational." His finger tightened around the trigger the moment an electronic whirr sounded from behind him.

"Drop it," a new voice said.

Barry looked behind Snart to see Cisco and Caitlin, the former holding some kind of weapon, the latter a cylindrical storage container of some type.

"This is a prototype water suppressor," Cisco threatened. "Four times the size, four times the power—which means that where that thing can give bruises, this one'll cut you right in half."

Snart smirked and turned back to Barry. "I was wondering who you were talking to."

"Hey!" Cisco shouted. "Unless you want a taste of your own medicine, I'd back the hell up!"

"Your hands are shaking," Snart said flatly. "You've never killed anyone."

"There's a first time for everything, Captain Cold."

Snart grinned, looking every bit on the verge of laughing as his head reared up.

"I will shoot you."

The thief sighed and waited another second before lifting his gun. "You win, kid. I'll see you around." He gave the Flash one more long look before turning and walking away toward the flaming wreck.

"Hey," Cisco called, "leave the diamond."

"Cold" snorted. "Don't push your luck."

When he was out of sight, Cisco powered down the device and turned toward Barry. "Couldn't shoot him if I wanted to. This is actually the Future Industries vacuum cleaner—" he chuckled, walking toward Barry, "—with a lot of lights and buzzers."

Caitlin, ever the worry-wart, rushed over to his side and waterbent the ice and water away. "Let's get you warm."

Barry let a smile spread over his features. "Thank you…both of you."

Cisco grinned and took his hand. "Anytime, bro. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but…don't you have a party to get back to?"

Barry's smile vanished as he let out a groan while Cisco and Caitlin hauled him to his feet. "Yeah…much as I may really not want to be there…I kinda have to. At least to see it through." He gave them a glance. "You two can get back, right?"

They nodded in tandem, Caitlin adding, "Of course," with a smile.

Barry had to admit, it looked good on her. "All right then." A long breath was exhaled. "Off I go."

Ten minutes later, he was back at City Hall, dressed back up, his suit stashed somewhere safe as he walked into the ballroom, searching absently for Korra. His search was interrupted when a brunette woman with a decidedly predatory look approached him.

"Well hello handsome," she purred. "Where have you been stashed all night?"

Barry laughed nervously. "Uh, I'm…sorry, you are?"

"Lia."

"Lia…"

"Just Lia. You?"

"Barry," he reluctantly replied, barely suppressing a shudder at the way she was sizing him up. He frantically looked around for Mako, Bolin, Asami, anyone in a position to rescue him. Which was when he felt manicured fingers on his arm.

"Come here often?"

"N-Not really," he stuttered, face flushing as she got closer and closer.

"That's a shame. If you did, it wouldn't have taken so long for me to find you. I mean, how can a guy like you be all alone? Tall, handsome, firm."

He nearly jumped when she put a palm on his chest, instead chuckling uncomfortably and drawing back a few steps.

"What do you say we grab a few drinks after this, see where it leads us?"

"I uh…I-I really appreciate the offer," he lied, "but I'm uh, I'm beat. Probably gonna go straight home after this."

"Lia" pouted. "Aww, nobody's too tired for a few drinks. Come on." She leaned in closer and whispered huskily, her hands on his forearms. "I'll make it worth your while."

This time, he did shudder, forcing his hands not to vibrate at superspeed as every nerve in his body screamed "escape." Suddenly, movement in the crowd caught his eye, and his eyebrows furrowed when he saw them parting into an aisle. His jaw dropped the second he found the reason.

1 minute earlier

Korra had knocked back her third glass of champagne, and was working on the fourth when Asami strode up alongside her.

"Think any about what I said?"

Korra glanced at her and nodded. "Though I'm not quite sure what I'm gonna do. I pretty much ruined things already…and even if I didn't, Barry's gone to fight Snart…" she snorted, "and given the way we left things, he's probably not coming back."

Asami looked past her. "Oh? Then who's that?" She nodded toward a side entrance, leading to a balcony.

Korra turned to follow her line of sight, eyes brightening as she started to move in Barry's direction. Which is when she saw her. A dark-haired woman…short, scandalously clad…probably zero upper body strength. She didn't care. All that mattered was that that…thing was touching Barry. Was coming on to Barry. And as dark blue eyes narrowed in anger and a scowl plastered itself to her face, she decided that was absolutely unacceptable.

Bolin spotted Korra as she headed toward the pair, speaking to the patrons nearest him. "Attention, good people, we have a homicidal Avatar in transit. Clear a path."

And they did. Even the ones that hadn't heard him gave the Avatar a wide berth the moment they caught sight of her and the deadly look on her face. The last person to catch sight of her…was Barry. Later, she would decide that his reaction was probably the second best thing she experienced that night. At the moment, it didn't matter how utterly terrified he looked, either as she rapidly closed the distance or grabbed the arm of that hussy and practically tossed her aside despite her protests. It didn't matter when he tensed up, hands rising slightly as if expecting a blow.

It didn't matter, because as soon as she was within range, Korra's hands locked around the back of Barry's head and pulled it down as she smashed her lips into his with complete abandon.

A startled noise came from the back of his throat as the entire room fell utterly silent…except for the occasional shattering of dropped glass, and the flashing of cameras seconds later. The kiss lasted a full ten seconds before Korra pulled away, breathing heavily, eyes dark and narrowed as she stared at Barry, and he back at her, openmouthed. He was the first to break the silence.

"I-I got nothin'."

Korra smirked. "That's a first." The smirk faded instantly as she turned to her left, facing the woman she'd tossed aside, who was staring at them with unabashed shock. "Barry's not interested, but he's far too polite to say so, so I'll say it for him." She leveled a death glare at the woman. "Shove off, bitch."

No sounds of protest—or any kind—came from her. The reporters, on the other hand, were clicking away with abandon. Korra sighed as she prepared to face them.

"Just stand there and look pretty," she ordered, smirking in satisfaction when Barry gulped and nodded. Korra slowly turned to face the press, standing erect, with her chin high as her arm linked with Barry's. "Before any of you say anything, know this: I am answering only the questions I've anticipated are on everyone's minds. I am Avatar Korra, the same who, nearly eight months ago, was rendered crippled by the escaped criminal Zaheer. I've since recovered the use of my legs and am planning to resume…some of my Avatar duties in the near future."

She sent a pointed look to President Raiko. "As for the other question on your minds—this—" she pulled on Barry's arm, "—is Barry Allen. He is a crime scene investigator with the Republic City Police Department…and he is my boyfriend."

A second after the startled murmurs started, she caught sight of Mako's gaping expression, Asami's knowing smile, and Bolin's arm-pump and whoop of, "Score!" She also noticed the hand Bolin held out to his brother, the way Mako numbly dropped a small bag of yuans into his palm, and how a nearby Chief Beifong said, "I better be getting a cut of that."

Korra shifted her attention back to the reporters. "Any further questions can be forwarded to my address at Air Temple Island." She began to pull Barry toward the balcony exit, stopping mid-step to look back at the journalists. "Oh, and they may or may not ever be answered." Without further ado, she half-dragged her new boyfriend out into the cool night air, taking a breath more hearty and free than she had in a long time.

A broad smile stole over her features as she closed her eyes, opening them seconds later to face Barry, who still looked more than a little discombobulated. Korra gulped slightly. "You okay?"

When he didn't answer, only stared blankly at her, she pulled his head down again and gently pressed her lips to his, pulling away a second later.

"Is this okay?"

Barry's lips twitched a few times, his lack of response starting to worry her. Finally, he took a breath. "Before I answer that…can I ask you something?"

She nodded slowly, heart in her throat.

"Is it…is it sad that I'm eighteen…and you'd be my first girlfriend?"

Relief hit her like a freight train as she laughed. "Is it sad that I'm almost twenty and you'd only be my second boyfriend?"

He mock pouted. "Guess we're both just a couple of sad saps, aren't we?"

Korra's arms curled around his neck, fingers lacing together as his hands rose to her waist, expression perfectly serious as her half-lidded eyes stared into his. "I can live with that."

Suddenly, something changed in Barry's face, every trace of levity gone as he returned her look with equal intensity. And then his lips were on hers, that same urgency and desperation as their first time there in all its glory, though this time there was nothing to interrupt them. A resounding hum of enjoyment came from Korra's throat as she leaned into him fully, angling her head to deepen the kiss, her eyes closing to savor every feeling. Let it never be said that inexperience curtails passion, because Korra could say unequivocally that Barry Allen was by far the most passionate kisser she'd ever known.

When they finally broke apart, no words were exchanged, only a contented silence as gentle smiles were plastered to both their faces, their right hands coming together as Barry looped his left arm around her shoulders, both turning to face the bay. As Korra leaned the side of her head into Barry's chest, left hand holding the one on her shoulder, she closed her eyes for a second, then opened them to take in the full moon and starry night.

It was beautiful.

His right hand's fingers laced through hers, arm tightening around her shoulder.

It was perfect.


Musical Inspirations:

The Flash Season 1 - Going Rogue: confrontation at the station/train derails/fastest man alive; Eddie and Iris: answering questions to end of chapter