Again…BG-13 is just awesome

Mako's POV

Neither Azula nor Korra were moving and I was getting worried. I didn't know which one of them had been shot. However, my attention was pulled away when Jet began shooting at me. I ducked and then started to struggle with him for the gun. He fired a few shots in the air and I kicked him until he let go. He ground his teeth in frustration as he fell on the floor.

Azula crumbled to her knees laughing hysterically while clutching the side of her stomach. Korra threw the gun over the side of the building before clutching her side as well. The monster looked at her and started to laugh even harder. I felt my heart stop when I saw Korra's shirt stain red from her wound. Jet made a move towards her and I did the unthinkable. I had one rule. Only one. And that was to never take a life. But Korra, my Korra was in danger so I fired the gun.

Jet didn't stop though. I fired again, and again, until he fell onto the floor. It was four shots. Azula got up and pushed Korra to the side of the building. I ran and managed to clutch her hand while grabbing onto a piece of rope that happened to be hanging there. Azula fell onto the lake, the current was strong, but somehow she got out. I gritted my teeth together both at the fact that monster got so damn lucky and because the rope was ripping. Our combined weights were too much for the old rope.

I saw Korra look up at me her eyes conveying a message. I shook my head.

"No, Korra," I pleaded. "You can't," I added choking slightly.

Tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

"I'll always be yours," she whispered before letting go of my grip.

I yelled in frustration as I kept holding onto her, the rope almost giving out. Her hand slipped from my grasp and I screamed. I was going to dive in after her when I felt a pair of arms pull me up. I thrashed against their hold trying to dive in after Korra.

"No!" I yelled. "Saver her! Save her!"

Asami made me look at her, tears in her eyes.

"She's gone Mako," she whispered. "She's gone."

I buried my face in my hands as and began to sob. I looked up and I saw that it was raining. At that moment I cursed god, I cursed myself and I cursed that monster. Korra had been taken from me. I wouldn't see her again and that made the pain inside my chest even more unbearable than before.

"KORRA!" I screamed.

Korra's POV

Funny thing, dying. It's not as bad as they lead us to believe. There's no pain, at least nothing unbearable. It's actually...serene, I guess you could say. Peaceful. Sort of like you're drifting in the ocean right after a terrible storm, not knowing where you'll end up or who you'll meet. And as I'm falling, down toward the bay, I can't help but feel some relief at the fact that the whole 'life flashing before your eyes' thing is total bullshit. I don't want to relive all my mistakes...and I don't want to see all the good times either. If I see all the times I've shared with my parents, Mako and the others I know my biggest regret will slap me in the face.

So as I fall, I'm glad that Mako will get to continue to live his life. And I pray that he gets a second chance at love. If anyone deserves it, it would be him.

I feel my back hit the water and my last coherent feeling before I'm dragged under the surface is...bliss. Utter bliss.

Iroh's POV

Korra was gone. That was all Bolin had managed to say through the ear piece. I froze and Lin stopped in her tracks as well. She gave me a confused look before realizing what was happening. I asked them for their position and they told me where Azula was. The Chief and I arrived shortly after and found the mad woman laughing at some sick unseen joke. She was clutching her stomach which was bleeding but she gave no indication of being in pain. Lin turned her on her stomach and handcuffed her.

I thought I heard someone close by, but when I turned to look, no one was there. Not long after Asami and Bolin came to meet us holding Mako up. Of course, Lin wouldn't know who they were because they were all masked, but even through the mask I could see the pain Mako was going through. I placed my hand on his shoulder and he nodded at me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered so the chief wouldn't hear.

Lin's POV

Saikhan and the rest of my men were returning from the bomb threat. It had been a hoax, well, no surprise there. We were walking by the lake when Iroh stopped. I saw the look on his face and I knew what it meant. Korra hadn't made it. He explained that she had fallen into the river, and judging by the current, even an expert swimmer wouldn't be able to get by that. His…comrades arrived shortly after I arrested that…thing, since she didn't even deserve a name.

"Chief," Saikhan said through the radio. "Jet's dead."

I sighed. I knew that, but with his death…the city's hope died with him too.

"They can't know what he did," the leader of them said.

I looked up.

"You can't hide what he did," I countered.

He shook his head.

"We can't let that…" he stopped glancing at the monster who was still laughing. "Joker, win."

"She won't."

"Republic City needs a hero, not a vigilante."

"Korra was a hero," she said.

He visible winced at the mention of her.

"But she isn't with us anymore," one of his companions whispered. "And no one knew what she represented."

"They only hero they knew was Jet," another added. "He was supposed to clean the city of scumbags."

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain," their leader said. "I can do this, because I'm not a hero. Not like Jet was before he became this…or like Korra."

I shook my head.

"I killed Jet," he confessed. "I killed all those people who he killed."

"No, you can't. You're not a monster."

"I'm whatever the city needs me to be."

"They'll hunt you."

He nodded.

"You'll hunt me," he agreed. "You'll condemn me, set the dogs on me. Because that is what needs to happen. Because sometimes the truth isn't good enough. Sometimes the people deserve more. They deserve to have their faith rewarded," he finished getting onto the back of one of his companions motorcycle.

Iroh and I stood there as we watched them leave.

"I don't understand," Iroh began. "Why are they running?"

"Because we have to chase them."

"They didn't do anything wrong," he countered. "They saved the city!"

I chuckled a bit.

"You should be with them," I said.

He cocked his head to the side and I nodded. He grabbed his motorcycle and I smiled as they left. Saikhan was by my side.

"You let them go?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"Why?"

"Because they are the heroes that the city deserves, but not the ones it needs right now...but we'll hunt them... because they can take it... because they aren't heroes... they are silent guardians, watchful protectors...in these Dark Times..."