Thank BG-13! :)

Korra's POV

After I called on Naga, we went directly to Air Temple Island. When we arrived, I hopped off her before I started to feel dizzy. I shook the feeling off and took my friend to her pen, changing clothes there. After hiding my bag there, I made my way back to my room. I tried to shake off the dizziness but then I started to feel lightheaded. When I got to the door, I knew there was something wrong. I looked at the puncture where I'd been shot and noticed it was starting to swell. That's when it hit me. The bullet was poisoned.

I forced myself to continue to walk until I got to Katara's room. I lifted up my hand to knock but my vision blurred and I collapsed on the floor.

"Oh, you're alive," a man said. I turned my head to look at him as he cleaned my stab wound. I felt my body shake here and there and I knew I had a fever. "Make sure you stay that way. The world needs its Avatar."

"How-how do you know who I am?" I mumbled.

"My name is Howl Sr. I'm a White Lotus sentry and I'm here to make sure you survive," he simply replied, checking the other burns I had on my body.

"Are you going to take me home?"

"Home?" he snorted. "No, you wouldn't stand a chance back there. You're going to stay here and I'm going to train you, make you stronger, smarter."

"I want to go home," I replied, shaking my head. I didn't want him to train me. I wanted him to do his job and keep me safe and take me home. "I'm the Avatar, you have to listen to me."

"Listen kid, you're not the Avatar anymore," Howl replied. "Not here anyway, so you arent going to get any special treatment from me. I know what you need, you're going to hate me for it. But maybe someday you'll be grateful." I tried getting up and getting away from him but I was just too weak. He scolded me and asked me to hold still. I shook my head.

"This is going to hurt," he warned. "I'm going to cauterize the wound."

My eyes widened at this and I shook my head. He wouldn't, he couldn't. I was the Avatar! He couldn't treat me this way! But I knew he could and he would when a flame appeared in his palm.

"You're-you're bending."

He nodded. "Yep. Once I heard you were being kept here I came undercover. I know I'm probably never going back home, but I needed to make sure you had what it takes to take down that nut job," he said. "Now hold still."

I let out a scream as I felt the skin around my cut burn. I thrashed against him but he wasn't having it, the flame in his hand grew and eventually I became too exhausted to fight him. My breathing began to slow and I allowed the blackness to consume me...and the pain to fade.

Katara's POV

I had just started to nod off when I heard a heavy 'thud' outside my room. I went over and opened the door. I sucked in a breath when I saw Korra laying on the floor, shaking violently. I kneeled down beside her and called for help. I couldn't move her by myself.

Howl was suddenly beside me and helping me move my former pupil to my bed. I nodded my thanks to him before examining the girl in front of me.

Her breathing was uneven, ragged. Her arm was slightly swollen and that's when I spotted the small puncture mark. What had she done this time? I looked over to Howl, who was hovering nearby, faint traces of concern on his face.

Under different circumstances I might have smiled at this. "I need water!" I told him. He nodded quickly and left the room.

I hoped he hurried, judging by the symptoms I'm guessing whatever Korra had been injected with was poisonous and fatal.

Incoherent sounds escaped the girl's mouth, unintelligible mutterings that I couldn't quite catch.

Howl came back with the water and placed it on the night stand. I took the water and moved it over the small cut. The water began to glow and I took in a deep breath before starting the healing session. It only took me a few moments to figure out that I was doing more harm than good. I placed the water back inside the bucket and looked out the window. Full moon.

I didn't want to. I had promised myself that I would never use that horrible technique again but I had to save Korra. It was the only option I had. I took in another deep breath before I started to work on the wound, separating the poisoned blood from the healthy. It only took a few minutes before I had removed the toxin and bandaged the wound. I told Howl it was fine for him to leave and he nodded, looking relieved. Korra's forehead was still sweaty and I wiped some of it away with a cloth as she began to mutter.

"I'm sorry, Mako," she mumbled. "I'm sorry I...killed your brother."

"Shh," I whispered. "You didn't kill him, Korra."

"I'll bring his murderer to justice," my former pupil continued. "I-I promise. I'm already…I'm already preparing for it."

I frowned at this. What was she talking about? After that she didn't say anything else and it wasn't until the next day that her shivering ceased completely. I notified Korra's parents of her condition and they were immediately by her side. Even in her sleep, the young girl's expression seemed controlled and even pained.

Asami's POV

"I see you're still living life to the fullest."

Korra looked over and smiled slightly when she saw me. She had been simply laying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was interesting to see her away from the window at least, but I wasn't about to let her just lay in bed all day.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, sitting up.

I leaned against the doorframe and shrugged. "I thought I might take you out to lunch, just the two if us. And Howl, of course." I saw Korra roll her eyes at the mention of her sentry. "Please?"

She gave a heavy sigh before getting to her feet. It was then that I noticed the bandage around her arm. I looked away before she noticed me staring at it. What had she done this time? I waited for her to get ready before heading to the docks. Howl followed closely behind and I could see the annoyed look my friend had until we arrived at Narook's. We sat down and ordered our meal.

I was silent for a moment. "Do you remember that time, a little bit after we met, when I took you to the racetrack?" I asked her.

A bittersweet smile appeared on her face. "How could I forget?" I smiled at the comment. "You really proved me wrong." After I'd let Korra ride with me she'd told me she'd had me pegged wrong. She figured I was prissy and your typical spoiled rich girl.

"You were more than you seemed, as well," I replied. I watched as something flickered in her expression. I recalled when I could read her thoughts just by looking at her expression. There were times, five years ago, when she had seemed to guard herself. These moments were few and far between but I'd seen them. Korra wasn't always the party animal she'd pretended to be.

"We both play the parts we're assigned," she said after another moment of silence.

I placed my hand over hers and her blue eyes met my green. "You know I don't expect you to play a part, right?" I never wanted my best friend to feel she had to lie to me. Though, I had the feeling she had been lately.

"Of course, Asami."

"Korra," I started. "You can trust me. You do know that, right?"

She sighed and looked away from me, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know." I couldn't tell if she meant or if she was just trying to placate me. And that fact hurt me.