CHAPTER TWENTYFIVE: Picking Up

"Finally, you are powerless," Amon said, using his blood bending to bend us, hurt us. Sweat dripped from my brow, but I was unable to make any noise. Korra got to her knees, crawling towards him. I wanted to shake my head. Too late, Korra.

She tried to bend, but fell.

"Amon."

A silence.

"Everything the Avatar said was true. Isn't it?! I just saw you blood bend her." Amon made no move as his right hand man, pulled his mask off and stepped on it. "You traitor!" He pulled out his rods. "I dedicated my life to you!"

He ran at Amon, only to snap into the air.

"You served me well lieutenant."

Bones cracking. He was flung into boards, hitting the floor and remaining unmoving. I fought against the grip he had on me, clawing my way towards him on my stomach. Amon turned and went to Mako, forcing him on his knees, while Mako fought to raise one of his hands. As Amon reached out blue electricity left Mako's fingers, hitting Amon.

He yelled in pain, flying to the far wall. Mako shot bursts of fire at him and ran to Korra's side. Suddenly free of Amon's blood bending I rose shakily to my feet and advanced on Amon.

"C'mon!" Mako yelled to me. I paused glancing over my shoulder, as Mako hurried to the door with Korra in his arms. Hesitantly I followed, running after them and down the hall.

"Mako?" Korra muttered weakly. "My bending . . ."

"Everything will be okay, we just need to get out of here." Mako grunted in pain suddenly, Korra flying from his grasp to the floor and I felt my knees forced to the ground. Mako flew backwards and I could hear his body slamming into the walls. Wincing I fought to move.

Korra open your eyes!

I turned, fighting my body to move as Amon towered over Mako.

"I'm impressed. No one's gotten the better of me like that," he murmured. "It's almost a shame to take the bending of someone so talented." Mako's body was contorted awkwardly, painfully bent backwards. "Almost."

"Korra!" I screamed. Slowly she lifted her head, as if in a daze. A gasp tore from her lips as she laid eyes on Amon and Mako.

"NO!" A spiral of wind swept down the hall, knocking Amon backwards and away from Mako. I scrambled to my feet, watching him warily as Korra approached. She blasted him with another gust, knocking him threw the glass window and out into the bay. I ran forward, watching as his body splashed into the water. Korra and Mako joined me. The people down below gasped as Amon shot up into the air, in a water tower. His gaze landed on us and then swept to the people.

"The Avatar was telling the truth!"

He scowled, glancing around quickly before returning to the water. Mako shot fire at him, but he escaped. Korra turned to Mako, letting him wrap his arms around her. My eyes widened.

Tahno.

I took off running down the hall.

"Lani?!"

I ignored them, rushing into the room where Amon had cornered us. Skidding to a halt against the far wall I began to push boards and pull canvas, looking for Tahno. Was he alive? I knew that Amon's Lieutenant probably wasn't. The crunching had sounded bad.

Then I saw his hair. Lifting another board I flung it to the side and sank to my knees beside him. He was curled away from me, facing the wall. I pulled his head into my lap and brushed away his dark hair. I place my hands on his cheeks.

"Tahno? Tahno can you hear me?" I asked gently. Biting my lip I lowered my head to listen to see if he was breathing. A small puff of air in my ear. He was alive. I drew back, kissing his lips lightly.

"C'mon Tahno, open your eyes," I begged. "Please."

I pressed my lips to his brow and lips again. "Please."

He stirred slightly, grumbling. "Lani . . ?"

"Yes!" I breathed with a sigh of relief. "I'm here."

His eyes suddenly opened, glancing around frantically. "Amon?"

"He's gone. Korra revealed what he really was and he fled."

He sighed with relief. "The Avatar?"

I frowned, biting my lip. "She lost her bending, but I think she still has airbending."

He was silent. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I laughed. "You?"

He grimaced slightly. "I think I might've broken something."

oOo

We stood on the docks. Tenzin and his family were together, Korra with her friends and Tahno was speaking with his family. We were watching a battleship sail into the bay. Korra hardly spoke at all, merely accepting Tenzin's comforting hand on her shoulder and grasping my hand tightly.

"Yay! Uncle Bumi's here!"

I looked up to see a man standing on the side of the ship let out a wild call, jumping around.

"Great," Tenzin sighed. "Now I have to entertain my brother." I couldn't help the smirk that grew on my face. I glanced over at Tahno, finding that he was still speaking with his parents. I followed Tenzin to the dock as Bumi jumped down from the ship and grabbed his older brother in a tight hug.

"Tenzin!" he greeted happily.

"Bumi," Tenzin replied without the same cheer. Ikki, Jinora and Meelo jumped around his legs, exclaiming as he swept them into hugs as well. His wild gray hair added to his rather . . . interesting personality. He finally turned to me, his eyes curious.

"So this is our little sister, eh?"

"Bumi," Tenzin said, "this is Lani."

"At least I'm not the baby anymore, hm?" he gave Tenzin a wild smile and grabbed me, pulling me into his arms. "Nice to me you, Lani."

I pulled away, with an almost shy smile. "Thanks . . . Bumi." He laughed and slung his arm around my shoulders. I smiled to myself, he wasn't nearly as bad as Tenzin made him out to be.

oOo

We sailed on Bumi's ship to the south pole. The trip only took five days, but we all went. Bumi made it his responsibility to make his nieces and nephew smile and laugh and cause as much trouble as possible. It drove Tenzin up the walls, making his face an interesting shade of red the entire trip.

Bumi on rare occasions, did act mature. But it was only for a moment or two. He was very skilled at Pai sho. But I spent most of my time with Korra, standing on the deck of the ship and watching the water fly by. She didn't really say much. When we did talk it was in short spurts.

"So you stole his wallet?" Korra asked with some mild amusement. Her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"Yes. I knew it was a mistake, but- well, it happened."

"And he blackmailed you into being around him."

" . . . yeah. But it was before I knew who he really was, and before you met him."

Korra snorted.

Sometimes Mako would join us, and I would leave them alone. Tahno had taken to sitting and watching the waves not far away. I would place my hand on his shoulder and stand silently by him. He had broken a few ribs, much to my relief.

His family had decided to stay in Republic city. And Zei had been very unforgiving towards Tahno over what had happened. I knew Tahno didn't really care for his step-brother, but somehow I couldn't shake the feeling that it actually bothered him.

"Do you think that the Avatar can get her bending back?" he asked quietly. In the distance was the south pole, a great mass of hard packed ice that I called home. Tahno was shivering in his thin jacket.

"Katara will do whatever is in her power," I replied kissing the side of his head. He turned and pulled me into his lap. His lips pressed against mine, arms holding me close to him. I pulled away and offered a smile to him, tracing his lips with my fingers.

"Do you miss it?" I asked.

His brows drew together. "Miss it?"

"Waterbending."

His gaze drifted to the white horizon. A soft melancholy in his eyes, that made my eyes sting with unshed tears. "Always."

One more chapter . . . I think I might cry. Thank you to all my readers and reviewers! I'd respond to your reviews right now but my email isn't cooperating and I'm too lazy to just look everything up. I've been writing nonstop. I need a break. Still, I can't believe this is over. :'(

R&R!

~filimeala