Author's Notes: I would like first to thank everyone for reading! It was a great experience to be able to write this story, and I really hope everyone has enjoyed it!

P.S.

I finally got a new car! YAY! I'm not a fan of soccer mom cars. I missed my standard sports car :D. The damage done to my knees haven't progressed so nicely. I will need physical therapy for a while. I'm a little anxious to return to my second job, which will require me to drive down the highway I had my accident. It's not so much I'm scared, but when I'm going home its pitch black out there and not being able to see, well that scares me. It's actually hard to admit that, so wish me luck!

I'm hoping all the lawyer and doctor visits will slow down now and I can have time to write again. So keep a lookout for my other stories!

EM ;)

CH 13. THE FINAL CHAPTER

Korra

It had been several months since the incident at the Beifong estate. Both Kuvira and Ginger died that day. Ginger was eventually shot multiple times and killed, but not after wounding and killing several officers. No one expected her to be as skillfully trained as she was. The craziest thing was that she died laughing.

Hiroshi was buried a few days after and thanks to a very thorough Will he left she didn't have to make many decisions.

The company was left in the hands of Varrick and a private investor and in memory of the Sato family, they kept the original name of Future Industries.

What she had heard from Asami's fellow engineers was that the new CEOs were almost as good as Asami was at her job.

She actually found it interesting that so many people were so fond of Asami. No one seemed to have known the rash and exciting woman she knew, though. It was always business with them, but she seemed to have treated them nicely.

She was taken aback when she found out that she was one of Hiroshi's beneficiaries. He made sure that she would be taken care of the rest of her life. Apparently, he added this to his will right after Asami had told him they were getting married.

It warmed her heart so much that he viewed her as a daughter. If only they had gotten the chance to talk before he was abruptly killed. She would have loved to share her happiness with him.

She stayed in the small two-bedroom apartment she and Asami shared. Nothing had been moved since the night Asami proposed to her, except for a few dishes.

Asami room remained untouched, and she had even refused to retrieve some of her items from it.

Every day she entered the small apartment it seemed as if Asami would poke her head out of her room with her hair tied in a ponytail to say hi. Maybe, this time, she would have her glasses on and a smudge of ink on her nose from working on blueprints or a book in her hand that she was reading, but every time and every day now, she was greeted with silence.

Even the apartment next door was now empty.

Jun was shipped out the same day the incident happened. Korra didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

She wondered what happened to her especially since she failed her mission to keep Asami safe. She hoped Jun didn't get into too much trouble.

Even thinking of Jun's random humorous outbursts brought a smile to her face. She would so easily bring the playful side out of Asami, and she could see that Jun really made a difference in her life.

How she wished the apartment was still filled with the laughter and banter of the two women.

But all that was left was her.

A knock at the door forced her to let go of the small pillow Asami would occasionally throw at Jun.

Korra knew she probably smelled and looked like a mess as she walked to the door. Before she was able to go to work because she had hoped, they would find Asami alive, but as time went by those hopes slowly began to extinguish.

Once her hopes were gone entirely, she shut herself in her apartment only leaving for food if she was hungry enough.

She opened the door not caring who was there and turned around going back to her position on the couch.

"Korra..."

Mako's voice was soft and concerned.

She heard him shut the door behind him, but she didn't look at him. She knew she had been rude to her friend lately. She blamed Mako for being too late to save Asami and for not taking the shot the second Asami was on the ground.

She blamed him for everything even though she knew deep down it was not his fault.

He walked around the apartment picking up the trash that had accumulated since the last time he came by to check on her.

After he finished, he sat next to her on the couch his elbows on his knees.

"I think it's time Korra."

"Time for what?"

Her voice sounded hoarse because she still cried every night for Asami.

She knew precisely what Mako meant, but she couldn't bring herself to accept that Asami was dead.

She had since the beginning refused to hold Asami's funeral until they found her body, but they never did.

Mako sighed and took her hands into his.

"No one has found her in months and with how strong the currents are in the area we might never find her. I know you don't want to let her go, but we are all..."

She cut Mako off by pulling her hand away forcefully.

"You are all ready to give up on her! Well, I'm not! I believe she is still out there!"

Instead of getting mad at her Mako took her face.

"No, Korra, we are all ready to have closure. Asami wouldn't want to see you depressed and suffering like this."

His tone was soft and pleading as his eyes look deeply into hers.

"Maybe it would help if you leave this place maybe go somewhere new? You could go teach abroad. There are many people wanting to learn from you, and I have seen the offers from all the different Universities in your mail."

She turned her face from his hands.

"I can't leave her."

Korra slowly turned the ring on her finger as she looked away.

"I'm not asking you to forget her or to jump into another relationship I am asking you to work on yourself, to have goals and ambitions like Asami did. I'm sure she would have loved to know you that you became some successful professor. She would be proud if she knew you taught people that having the capability to be evil didn't always mean they turned out to be. That there is good in everyone and that everyone is worth saving like she was."

Korra didn't say anything back to Mako, but after a few hours he knew she wouldn't and said his goodbyes, but before he left she grabbed his hand.

It took all the courage she had and all her strength to say it without crying.

"Ok, Mako, it's time."

He nodded his head, and they begin to plan Asami's funeral.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

She had just left Asami's funeral and declined a ride back to her apartment. She walked down the warm sidewalk with the warm sun on her face, any other day it would have been a beautiful day, but today was the day she finally said goodbye to her love.

She turned the corner nearing her apartment when she saw a taxi stopped in front of the complex.

Raven hair sparkled in the sunlight and made her stop in her tracks. She stood there as she watched the taxi drive off.

"She's dead," Korra whispered to herself. It was the only way to get herself out of the trance.

There had been so many times that she had seen a flicker of Asami around the city and each time it stops her in her tracks, but it had always turned out to be a stranger.

She walked a little hunched over not wanting to see any more mirages of her love until she entered her apartment and noticed something was off.

The door was unlocked.

She walked in slowly almost afraid that someone had stolen all of Asami's belonging, but the apartment looked the same. Except...

Korra stood there in the doorway staring at the single white rose sitting on the center table.

She jolted quickly to it and found a letter underneath.

She opened it frantically hoping she would see the perfect handwriting she missed so much, but she was left confused when all she saw was a request for her to teach in Spain.

She turned the letter to see an address stamped on the back which she assumed was in Spain, and she felt herself smile so widely it nearly hurts when she saw the unmistakable handwriting...

"Don't give up on me," was written beautifully under the address.

She held the letter to her chest for dear life running and grabbing her phone from the counter with her free hand.

Could this be nothing more than a dream? Is she finally losing touch with reality? She decided to take a chance. She almost fumbles the phone as she dialed the number on the letter accepting the offer to teach in Spain.

ONE MONTH LATER

She was finishing packing up the last of her belongings as Mako walked in.

"Hey! I see you're almost done, but are you sure you want to take all of Asami's stuff too?"

She smiled to herself because she had kept the letter, and the reason for her sudden change of heart, a secret.

Her friends were so supportive they didn't ask any questions.

"Yeah. I'm not exactly ready to let go, and I don't want any of it thrown away."

He nodded in understanding and took the last box from her hands.

"Well, I think everything else has already been sent to the university?"

"Yeah, I am getting a big office, so they are storing my stuff there till I can find a place. I have a month before the semester starts so it should be enough time."

Mako stopped in the doorway.

"Are you sure you don't want me to join you? Even for a week just to make sure you're ok?"

She smiled again at her friend's big brother attitude.

"No, I think I will be alright."

She picked up her carry-on bag she would take to the airport and walked out the door, but not before she took one last glance at the apartment.

This place was where they had started over and where Asami had found herself. It was a place full of happy memories, and she hoped where this job would lead her will bring her the same type of memories.

As she took her last steps out of the apartment complex, Mako was seen handing her last box to one of the movers. She signed a few papers as they explain to her it will be sent to the school a few days after she arrived.

She handed the pen back to the mover and smiles warmly at him.

She turned towards the arriving taxi as Mako took a few steps to walk next to her.

"You will call me when you land right?"

She laughed punching him softly in the chest.

"Yes, big bro."

He smiled as he rubbed his chest, but then she surprised him as she lunged towards him throwing her arms around him.

Her voice began to crack as the tears started to fall.

"Thanks for everything Mako, for being there, for taking the blame, and for putting me back together."

She could feel his tears hit her neck as he tightened their hug.

"Don't thank me for that, for any of it. That's what big brothers are for right?"

They separated, and he wiped his tears with his sleeve and awkwardly looking away.

"Be safe, ok Korra."

She smiled at him as she nodded letting her tears fall freely.

She finally turned around placing her bag in first and then seating herself in the cab.

She gave the directions to the driver and waved goodbye to Mako as the driver began to leave.

SPAIN

She walked anxiously out when she was finally allowed to disembark the plane. She had finally made it to Spain.

She arrived at the arrival area where she watched families reunite. She didn't know why she was disappointed when she didn't see anyone she recognized.

She made her way out of the airport to hail a cab when she saw a strong woman propped up against a jeep.

Korra's smile broadened when Jun waved.

She ran to her nearly throwing her bag out into the street as jumped into Jun's arms.

"Hey! Chill Waters!"

She gave Jun a glare.

"No one calls me by my last name."

Jun raised her hands.

"Yeah, I forgot you mentioned that."

"Is she.."

Before she could finish Jun interrupted her.

"Save the questions for later alright? I have to escort you somewhere."

Korra just smiled and nodded as she picked up her bag and tossed it into the jeep.

The drive was quiet as Jun drove them through the small streets.

She looked at Jun with a confused look when they arrived at a garage and read the sign.

"Waters Auto"

Jun just smiled as she pointed to the open garage door.

Korra slowly exited the Jeep. She could barely walk as she made her way to the garage.

She could hear classical music coming from the entrance as she neared and when she was finally at the door she could see someone under a BMW.

She heard a quick, "Dammit," as the body slid on from under the car, but the woman wasn't facing her. All Korra saw was the raven hair and felt a blush as the woman began to remove her shirt.

Her blush was cut short when she saw the scars on her back. That when she realized all this wasn't a dream.

The woman turned to throw the shirt aside but stopped, their eyes finally meeting.

She heard her name leave Asami's lips.

"Korra... you're finally here."

Korra took off running towards the woman forcing her back to hit the BMW.

Korra was crying as she touched her face.

"Tell me it's you. Please tell me you're alive."

Asami leaned in kissing her lightly on her lips.

"I'm alive, Korra."

"How? How and why were you gone so long?"

Asami pulled Korra into her chest as Korra impulsively wraps her arms around Asami's waist.

Korra could smell the jasmine perfume that could only be worn so perfectly by Asami.

She felt as Asami's lips press against the top of her head as Korra held her tight.

Finally releasing each other Asami took one of her hands and began to lead her towards a door.

The door leads to a staircase that took her to an apartment above the garage. It wasn't big, but it was enough.

Asami took her to the table as she grabbed some warm tea.

"I know you have questions, but first let me tell you what happened after I fell and if you still have questions I'll answer them."

Asami

-FLASHBACK-

Her last thought before she almost lost consciousness was a selfish one.

But I want to live.

She wanted to fight the darkness and save herself, but she could no longer move. All she could do was stare at the moon as she sunk further and allow the ocean current to slowly take her away. Just as she was about to shut her eyes something obscured the light from the moon.

Asami watched as a hand reached for her, and with her last conscious move Asami reached back and felt a grip lock around her wrist.

Then everything went black.

Asami's eyes burst open as she began coughing out water. She felt the burning sensation in her chest, throat, and nose from the seawater. There was a sharp pain in her shoulder, and she was unable to move one of her arms.

She was so dazed and unaware she tried to fight off the hands that were trying to calm her until she felt the same two hands force back onto the sand.

Her vision finally cleared as she recognized Jun in the moonlight.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I reached you in time!"

She felt Jun's body press against hers as she began to cry.

"I didn't..." she said as she began to cough again," I didn't know a big army gorilla like you could cry."

She felt Jun get up and look at her with shocked eyes.

"You almost died!"

"But I didn't," she corrected.

She turned on her side as she coughed more water, and everything came back to her.

Her father's eyes as he took his last breath. The torture she endured at the hands of Kuvira and Ginger, and how the cuts on her body were beginning to burn from the salt.

She saw Jun lean over to grab her radio as she held pressure with her other hand on the bullet wound when Asami stopped her.

"I can't go back."

Asami tried to hold back the painful cries as she felt Jun apply more pressure against her shoulder.

"I can't face her like this."

"What are you talking about Asami!? You're alive that's all Korra will care about!"

Her body began to shake as she felt Kuvira's hands all over her again.

"I need to disappear."

She grabbed Jun's arm pleading with her eyes.

"Help me disappear Jun. I promise we will come back for her. I just can't have her look at me, so broken."

Jun nodded and drops the radio grabbing her cell instead and making a phone call. She didn't pay attention to the conversation as her vision kept going in and out as well as her hearing.

A few minutes passed when she heard running footsteps through the sand coming towards them. They placed her on a stretcher and began working on her quickly as they took her to a slick black boat. She turned her head and could see that not far from them were boats with searchlights searching for her in the black water near the cliff.

She turned her head away before she changed her mind and decide to go towards them. Towards Korra.

They dressed her in a fresh set of clothes and Asami hoped the darkness covered the evidence of what transpired in that room.

Asami felt as the boat slowed when they reached the docks of a small island nearby. The island held several army jets, and she was quickly transported to one and was in the air within an hour.

Finally, after they reached cruising altitude Jun came to her side. She knew she couldn't deny what Jun was going to ask and wouldn't be able to hide what Jun would see.

"Asami can I treat your wounds? You wouldn't even let a doctor look, except for your shoulder. Please, allow me to patch up the rest."

Asami nodded as she slowly began to remove her shirt, with Jun's help, to show the patterns of bruises, burns, and cuts covering her torso.

The pain of having them cleaned wasn't severe, but the flashbacks that came with touching each one broke her down into tears. Jun would occasionally drop things fearing she hurt Asami from her reflex to flinch away at any touch.

By the end, she believed Jun finally understood why she had to leave. She wouldn't have been able to do this with Korra. It would break her even more.

After being awake for hours Jun begged her to sleep, but she only agreed if Jun would sleep with her.

Her mind would go back to that room every time she closed her eyes and Jun was the only one capable of restraining her and listening to her screams without it fazing her. Jun was used to this type of thing.

She felt as Jun quietly shook her awake telling her they were about to land.

She wasn't sure where Jun had taken her, but she rose numbly from the bunk.

They had arrived at an army base in Spain.

She watched as Jun spoke to someone in a different colored uniform and as the man handed her a manila folder.

Jun made her way back towards her.

"Ok, Asami I pulled some connections and got you a Spanish passport and identification."

Jun handed the folder, and Asami opened it looking at her new identity and smiled as she read the name on it.

"Asami Waters."

She couldn't help but hug Jun as Jun's face reddened.

"I figured if you couldn't be Sato, Waters just seemed to be the perfect fit."

Asami released Jun, and she felt her eyes begin to water.

"I promise to get better, so I can see her again."

END OF FLASHBACK

"We ended up here, and I decided to open up a shop. It seemed to help me with the flashbacks and nightmares."

Asami began to play with her fingers as the silence grew between them.

"I still have a lot of problems, and I can't say I'm completely fine, but I believed I am at the point I can finally face you and not break down."

Asami wanted to say more to explain herself, but Korra reached across the table taking her hand.

"You don't have to explain. I understand."

"I know I put you through hell. I know I hurt you again."

"But you came back," she interrupted.

"I would go through it all over again if I knew I would get the chance to have you back."

Their fingers intertwine as they stare at each other but were interrupted by the sound of a bottle hitting the table.

They both look at Jun holding a bottle of Brandy and three shot glasses in her other hand.

"Ok, are we done with all the sappy crap? Cause it's time for the welcome home party!"

The night air was filled with laughter and shots, but as soon as Jun's head finally hit the table passed out, Asami decided it was time to go to bed.

She took Korra's hand as she led the woman to the small bedroom that would now be theirs. Asami hoped she had the strength to do what she knew must be done.

Korra

She followed quietly as Asami took her to a bedroom. As they walk in, the first thing she noticed was the desk full of blueprints. She let go of Asami's hand and walked over and began inspecting them in her drunken state.

She felt Asami's presence behind her and basks in it, but something caught her eye.

A model of a new car Future Industries had just come out with.

"How? You were supposedly dead already."

She felt Asami remove the blueprint from Korra's hands placing it back on the desk then lightly move the hair from her neck as Asami began to slowly kiss it.

Korra began to put two and two together.

"Varrick was given the CEO position of the company, but a private investor holds control of the company stock."

Asami nodded her head.

It was well known, and many tried to figure out who that private investor was, but it seemed that Varrick and his wife were good at keeping secrets.

"I'm the private investor," Asami whispered into Korra's ear. "I work from here and give my orders and ideas directly to Varrick."

Korra turned around to face Asami.

This woman was someone to be admired.

Asami brought their lips together, and their kiss slowly deepens.

Korra was slowly pushed towards the bed, and her hands find the rim of Asami's shirt, and she slowly began to remove it.

Her skin was still beautiful, but she couldn't help but touch the pink scar on her chest.

"Asami I don't want to push you," Korra whispered.

Korra looked up to see Asami with her eyes closed. A painful look on her face, but it quickly vanished as she opened her eyes looking at Korra lovingly.

"Can you do me a favor and touch each one? Take away that woman's hold she has over them?"

Korra looked up at Asami as her voice cracked.

Korra slowly and tenderly turned Asami and placed onto the bed.

Korra began by removing Asami's pants leaving her in just her sports bra and underwear. Korra could see every scar and burn across Asami's body and how tense she had become.

Asami's eyes were shut tight as Korra began to kiss each scar as she repeated, "I love you, Asami. I love you so much. You're safe with me. I love you."

One by one she caresses each scar and felt Asami's tense body finally begin to slowly relax.

As she finished the last one, the round scar of a bullet hole in her shoulder, she saw that Asami has fallen asleep. Her face was relaxed and serene as if she hadn't slept this deep in years. Korra curled up against her, holding her, and promising her she would never let go.

Asami

"Mornings are evil," Asami heard as she finally began to wake up. She couldn't help but lightly laugh at the phrase.

Asami felt safe when she felt Korra's strong arms still around her.

"You still say that every morning?"

Asami felt as Korra dug her face into her hair.

"Apparently."

"Hey, Korra?"

"Yeah?"

"This was the first night I have had without any nightmares."

She felt Korra's arms tighten around her.

"Good. I hope we have more nights like these."

She turned to face Korra, almost in a dreamy state.

"Forever?"

Korra leaned in and kissing her as she brushed a few loose strands of Asami's hair out of the way.

"Yes, my love."

Asami closed the gap and placed her ear against Korra's chest. She could hear the soft sounds of Korra's heart beating against her ear.

The peace Korra gave her allowed her to feel like she didn't need power or revenge to overcome the traumas of her life. All she truly needed was Korra and the warmth that always seems to surround her.

Her life might still be broken, but it was Korra who picked up the pieces giving each one a purpose as she turned Asami's shattered life into a beautiful mosaic. Her once empty world will forever be filled with emotions she never knew she would feel. Love, happiness, true friendships all the feeling and connections she watched enviously from the sidelines are now within her reach and will now and forever be a part of her life.

This day marked the beginning of her new life, her new happy life as Asami Waters.

The End