Note: I am so sorry I hadn't been able to update sooner. I have been so busy with college lol :3 but yay I finally got out chapter 14. It took me a little while because of all of the transitioning and emotions and what not, but I really ope that I covered it well. It was a bit difficult. The next chapter I write should be the last chapter. :p Hopefully you guys will like that one because I'm going to have a bit of fun with it.

Once this story is done, I might write a second part to it that follows Book 2 of the series. I'm not sure yet, but let me know what you guys think about that hehe. Either way I might write it, I'm not sure…..errrr…Oh yeah! I was also thinking about maybe writing a collection of random MAKORRA scenes which will, i promise you, include smut and lemon and fluff and all of that stuff. That's something I'm thinking about doing.

Thanks for all of the reviews guys :3 Love it!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Legend of Korra.

Korra had thought it had been nice to put aside her current issues and get some fresh air with Mako. He was right. She did need to get out, but, not long after, she had been able to see the icy shore of the South Pole. Her happiness had been short lived and all of her burdens weighed her shoulders again.

As the shore drew nearer, she could think of nothing more than to step back as everyone began to crowd the front of the ship to get a view of the dock. Then that sinking feeling began to take over. It was as if some sort of dark devastation had anchored itself deep into the pit of her chest. All of the happiness that she had experienced earlier had no longer mattered….

Korra was just an empty shell of what used to be the Avatar.

Mako was some sort of lost hope.

That watertribe girl?…..She was gone.

While everyone crowded the front of the ship, Korra stealthily slipped away to make sure Naga was ready. That was all she wanted to do, and after that, she just stayed down there. Somehow Naga was one of the only links to her inner-self, the watertribe girl that she had been. Naga was as close as she could get and Korra wasn't gonna let that go.

Once they had arrived at the wharf, Korra exited the ship in silence. She didn't wait for anyone. She just walked, keeping Naga close at her side her with a hand on her harness. Looking around at the white snowy landscape, she could feel the essence of home…..but she just didn't feel like she completely belonged there anymore. All of the warm memories of her past left her as cold as the icy air of the South Pole….as cold as the gust of wind that nipped across her face and crept down the neck of her parka at that precise moment.

She paused to gaze at the unique and familiar Watertribe buildings.

"Wondering off on your own again, hu?"

Korra recognized Mako's voice in an instant, but she never turned around to look at him. "You're always there, aren't you?"

"As long as you don't mind me here." He took a breath and glanced back at the dock. "We should wait for the others." He looked at her again and shoved his hands in his pockets. With all of this open terrain, he really didn't want her to go meandering about. Finding her would be a pain, and keeping her in one place was already a pain in itself. He hadn't liked how she randomly slipped away when they had neared the dock earlier, but he had let her be. He knew that she needed her space. Plus, there hadn't been many places for her to disappear to while on the ship. So, he knew that she had most likely been safe.

The others had finally caught up to Mako and Korra, and they all traveled together to meet up at Katara's home. Her house hadn't been too hard to find. Leaving Naga outside, they each went up the staircase one by one and entered Katara's home. Korra was the first one in, and hung her parka on the coat hook. The first thing she did was run to her parents, Tonraq and Senna, the two other ties to her past. She had missed them so much. Being in their embrace smelled of home to her, something she had missed. She did her best to hold back on the urge of breaking down on them and took a breath, taking a step back and turning toward Katara.

Katara's wise eyes met her gaze sorrowfully and she opened her arms for a hug. Korra trudged over to the old woman with a sad smirk on her face and hugged her tightly. The tears burned at the corners of her eyes. They threatened to fall, but she never cried. She just held on tighter to Katara, the woman who had taught her everything about her waterbending….everything about her native element.

Katara rubbed Korra's back in small comforting circles. "It is good to see you, Korra." She said quietly. "You have come a long way."

"It's good to see you too, Katara." Korra slowly pulled away from her embrace to allow Tenzin to greet his mother.

"Mother." He gave her worried eyes due to his concern for Korra and leaned down to hug her.

"I will do my best, Tenzin." She pulled away and touched the side of his face before looking around at the others in her home. "I take it these are friends of Korra?" She softly smiled at Bolin, Mako, and Asami, already recognizing Beifong and Pema. "It is nice to see you here too, Lin. Pema."

"And you too, Katara." Beifong gave a slight bow of her head.

Pema smiled. "Always a pleasure."

Katara nodded and reached out a hand to Korra. "How about we get started now, shall we?"

Korra ducked her head dolefully and followed Katara into the back room. Katara closed the door behind them and gestured Korra to the back of the room where she usually did her healing. There were two turquoise pillows on the floor and some healing equipment.

Korra walked over to the pillow and sat down.

Katara followed and sat on the pillow in front of Korra. Noticing the way Korra stared down at the floorboards, she cleaned her hands in a small bucket of water and decided to break the silence. "I cannot guarantee that this will work, Korra, but I will do my best." She dried her hands on a clean towel.

Korra smiled weakly. "It's ok, Katara." Although she had said that, she definitely did not feel ok.

Katara stood once more and walked over to a chest to grab a few more pillows. She lined them up with the pillow that Korra was sitting on and returned to where she had been sitting. "For starters, I'm going to need you to lie down on those pillows and relax."

Korra did what she was told and lied down on her back. "I hope this works…"

"Me too. Close your eyes." Katara leaned over and held a hand inches above Korra's forehead. Korra closed her eyes and the process began.

The relaxing was easier said than done, in Korra's opinion, but she had known that Katara only said that so that Korra would relax her mind and not stress for the time being….but she couldn't. As much as Korra wanted to hope, she couldn't help but have a bad feeling about it all. Something about the healing process was taking a lot longer than it normally should. If this didn't work, everything Korra had worked for or hoped for was over. As much as she didn't like it, she knew it was.

The exhilaration of bending would be gone…

Katara had tried her best. She had tried every method that she could think of. Anything!….. anything to bring Korra's bending back, but whatever Amon had done to critically sever her ties to the other elements could not be fixed. She couldn't connect the pathways or redirect the chi. Korra's bending was gone, and this time Katara knew it was for good.

How could she possibly tell Korra that she would no longer be able to bend? Korra was so strong, yet so fragile at the same time. The news of her permanent loss of bending would shatter her from the inside out. How could she tell that to her student? Korra had been an excellent waterbender, just as she had been with every other element.

Korra noticed a sudden stillness in the air and opened her eyes. "Katara?" When she looked up to meet her gaze, her heart clenched painfully at what she saw. The look in Katara's eyes was not happy and Korra didn't like it. She refused to believe it. This couldn't be happening to her. She instantly sat up on her palms. "Katara?"

Katara lowered her eyes. "I am sorry, Korra."

"It worked, didn't it?" The pain she had felt on the ship hit her all in one moment and her chest tightened as she anxiously watched the expression on Katara's face, waiting for it to change to something more uplifting….hoping that she had mistaken her apology for something else…

Katara sighed and pursed her lips. "I did everything that I could, Korra."

"No…" Her eyes widened. Pain struck her to the very core and her body tensed. "Maybe you forgot one other method. Did you? There has to be another way, right?…"

Katara gently touched Korra's hand as it tightly bunched into one of the turquoise pillows. "I have tried everything. I am sorry, Korra. I will give you a minute to yourself while I take a step outside to talk with Tenzin."

Unsure of how to react or feel, Korra relaxed her hand and loosened her shoulders slightly. "It's ok, Katara." She said quietly. Though deep inside, she hurt and flared with anger for hurting so much. She wanted to fume because she wanted to cry….because she couldn't be that frivolous Avatar anymore with the careless grin on her face. She could never completely be Korra…

Katara gave her a sad smile before standing up and leaving the room.

Korra rubbed a stressful hand over her face and stood up, wandering toward the middle of the room, not quite sure of what to do with herself. She sat down on a turquoise rug and crossed her legs.

Now what?

It was really over now, wasn't it?

Whatever barriers she had used to stifle the pain were threatening to shatter again. Katara was the greatest healer in the world, yet not even she could restore Korra's bending…..This really was it….there was no turning back now. This was the end.

Korra was no more than an airbender….

Due to a loss of patience, Korra suddenly stood and headed for the door. She couldn't be in there anymore. She needed to get out. She wanted to be alone. For once, she didn't want to be reminded of the past….for once, not a damn thing mattered anymore.

She walked through the door to the front room and everyone was staring at her. They all felt sorry for her… She could tell, and she hated it. It was just one more reason to walk out and be alone.

Tenzin adjusted Meelo in his arms and gave Korra a look of confidence. "It's going to be alright, Korra."

Her brows slanted hopelessly as the pain threatened to seep through. "No…It's not." And that was the truth. It was about time she admitted it to herself. It was not ok anymore. She was not Korra. Without looking at anyone, she quickly walked over to grab her parka, brushing by Mako carelessly and exiting out the front door.

That was it. Nothing was ok anymore.

She slid her arms into her parka and made her way down the stairs. Nothing mattered anymore. It was all over….everything…

As she started to make her way toward Naga, she heard the sound of someone trying to catch up to her.

"Korra, wait!"

She stopped and glared at Mako from over her shoulder. "Go away." She stated coldly. He was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now. She didn't want intimacy. She didn't want romance. She didn't want anything! She wasn't herself anymore, everything was over, and she just wanted to be alone.

"I will, but I just want you to know I'm here for you…" Mako knew that she needed her space. He had already experienced that from the time they had been in the underground to the time they had been on the ship. He could tell when she needed her space. All he wanted to do was reassure her. She was going through a lot and he wanted to be there for her.

"No. I mean, go away! Back to Republic City!" She gestured toward the coastal region and crossed her arms without meeting his gaze. "Get on with your life…"

Mako cringed internally. She was being so rash. She was never so blunt with him. Had he done something wrong? Didn't she get that he was only focused on her now? Didn't she know that she was all he cared about? He was confused. "What are you talking about?" He frowned.

Her frown slightly deepened. "I'm not the Avatar anymore. You don't need to do me any favors." She turned and continued to walk toward Naga. What good were they together anyway? She wasn't the Avatar. She was just an airbender, and everything was done. It was OVER….everything was over. Didn't he get it? She couldn't be that girl she had been anymore and she failed as the Avatar. She saved one city and failed the world.

Mako frowned. She was just being ridiculous. Before she could continue any farther, he reached out a hand and grabbed her shoulder to stop her. "I don't care if you're the Avatar or not." He boldly stated.

She stopped, curious as to what he was getting at. She slowly turned around to face him.

He sighed and shyly looked off to the side. "Listen…When Tarrlok took you, I was losing my mind at the thought of never seeing you again." He gestured toward himself and met her hurt oceanic gaze. Then he looked off to the side again, feeling slightly timid. He needed her to understand how serious he was. He wanted her to know how much he truly cared and what she meant to him. With a rapid increase of his heart rate, he decided to lay it all out. This was the truth. "I realized that… I love you, Korra." He took a step closer, dying to take that painful look out of her eyes, and touched her face.

Her eyes softened and she touched his hand in hesitation. With the sudden mix of emotions she was feeling, she found it too hard to meet the burning intensity in his amber eyes. She needed to be alone. She needed to think. Her eyes abruptly turned away as she pulled his hand away from her face. She hated to have to back away from the one person she truly cared about, but she was overwhelmed. This was too much. She took a short breath and hesitated. "I can't." She immediately tore away from his presence and bolted toward Naga, hastily jumping onto her back and riding away toward the ocean. She just couldn't think about Mako when she was too busy worrying about if she would ever be herself anymore and how she would ever be able to fulfill her duties as the Avatar again…

After hearing the small quarrel between Mako and Korra, Tenzin decided to come out side for a moment with Mako. He approached him with a bit of concern. He knew the firebender cared for her dearly, but he also knew that Mako was probably very confused. "We need to be patient with her. It will take time for her to accept what has happened."

Mako slumped his shoulders and lowered his eyes. Tenzin was right. Though, it amazed him that such an impatient girl required so much patience as an individual. He found it to be ironic, yet he also found it frustrating. His patience was always a bit sketchy when it came to Korra. She turned his world in all sorts of directions. A lot of times he couldn't even think straight, like right then. He couldn't think of anything but Korra and how she might be feeling. Somewhere deep inside himself, he knew he was going to end up looking for her in the end…

Note: Well I really hope that you all enjoyed that. Let me know what you guys think :) I'm not sure when I will have the next chapter up only because I'm very busy with getting my college stuff organized but it should definitely be by this week or next week.

Questions/Comments? feel free to state your opinion :3

"One does not simply pop in on the Earth King."