Korra and Noatak found Bolin in the lower floor, sitting alone at the living are table and sipping nervously out of a cup of lychee juice with his cheeks as red as Korra's borrowed clothes. Asami and Mako were nowhere in sight but the table was filled with all sorts of delicious lunch food that steamed and gave off mouthwatering aromas.

"Hey, Bolin. Where did everyone else go?" Korra looked around curiously, already taking a seat next to her friend while oblivious of his flushed face.

"Er…Somewhere private, I guess…" Bolin sipped more juice avoiding Korra's eyes.

"Why? Everything ok?" She looked a little worried. Perhaps her friends had changed their minds and decided Noatak was too dangerous for them to accept?

"Oh, um…yeah, of course! It's not like we heard anything weird or…I mean! Ah, they just went for a walk…" Bolin choked a little on the drink. "Mako was a little…irritated."

"What…?" Korra blinked, she appeared lost.

"I have told you multiple times that you are becoming very loud." Noatak answered her nonchalantly as he calmly took a seat beside her.

Korra suddenly understood and began blushing from head to toe. She looked at Bolin who was nodding a little embarrassed and rubbing the back of his head self-consciously, then she turned her attention to Noatak with her eyes going wide before she hid her face in her hands.

"Oh goodness! You all heard everything?" Korra's voice was practically panicked.

"No. No. Nope. Nuuuuuh!" Bolin exaggerated the last 'no', shaking his head and waving his hands in an X motion trying to placate her humiliation. "Just the nosier parts near the end…" He gave her a shy tentative grin.

"Ah! What am I going to do?!" Korra's face pressed comically to the table and she just wished she could earthbend a hole in the ground and let it swallow her forever. "This is so embarrassing!"

"If it's any consolation, we kinda guessed what was going on before, given how long you took so it wasn't such a big surprise." Bolin patted her back in what was an attempt at a soothing gesture.

Korra groaned, grinding her face into the wooden table and grumbling about how she wanted the floor to swallow her up and how she needed to apologize to Asami for acting like that in the friend's house. Noatak, on the other hand, looked completely unperturbed and silent as he watched her but behind the mask he was finding the situation quite amusing and was grinning at the thought of the firebender listening in, after all, what better way to make it perfectly clear that Korra was his than to have them hear her cries of passion.

"I can see now why you got pregnant." Mako's voice reached them from the door. "You really have zero self-control, isn't that right, Korra?"

Korra refused to look up at the firebender with her head still bonked on the table as she grumbled defensively but from what Noatak could see Mako wasn't so keen on self-control as he let on- his clothes were crumpled, the hair he was trying to smooth back was a mess and there were traces of dark maroon lipstick all over his neck and smudged on the corners of his mouth. Apparently Miss Sato was very good had placating her lover's wrath.

Speaking of Asami, she walked in seconds later behind Mako, looking perfectly composed and as beautiful as always despite the slight fading bruise on her jaw from the abduction, but there was a very mischievous little smile playing on her lips as she leaned on Mako from behind.

"Don't be mean, Mako." Asami slapped the firebender's lower back with delicate playfulness. "They were just under a lot of stress after all that information; they are entitled to blow off some steam."

"Right…Steam." Mako cocked a brow at the pair though he looked unable to be angry no matter how much he wanted to be which was why he opted for sarcastic instead. "Sounded steamy alright."

"For the love of Spirits! Can we just change the subject already?!" Korra's voice called out from the table top in a mix of anguish and humiliation that seemed to spark entertainment more than pity from everyone in the room. "Like, now! Immediately!"

"Sure, I'm starving. Shall we eat?" Asami practically skipped to the table, humming lowly to herself. She didn't look at all like a woman that had just been victim of a violent abduction, she was either very good at hiding her emotions or she was almost as good as Korra when it came to living in the moment.

Mako took a seat right next to the raven-haired girl who was facing Noatak, thus making the firebender face Korra who still had her face bashed to the table with humiliation, she seemed to have lost her appetite in face of the awkward situation but her stomach grumbled loudly and a little pitifully.

"Eat, Korra." Both Noatak and Mako spoke at the same time which prompted them to stare at each other. There was an unspoken understanding between them that came from recently earned respect and a mutual care for Korra's well-being but sparks still seemed to fly between them as they stared at each other suspiciously with both of them little uncomfortable.

"Yeah, you've been out way to long, I bet the baby is hungry." Bolin tried to lighten the mood and divert the attention from Mako and Noatak.

"Ok, ok, I'm eating." Korra complained at all the bossiness but sat up straight at last, scowling but with her dark cheeks tinted even darker with a blush.

Asami smiled at the Avatar trying to sooth her but as soon as Korra bit into the food, she stopped caring about the humiliation because her hunger just got worse and she barely stopped to breathe as she chugged down rice, egg-rolled vegetables, spiced fish wraps and fermented soup at the speed of lightening, she even downed half a pitcher of lychee juice before anybody else got to it.

Noatak, contrariwise, was merely watching her, making sure she ate, while refraining from the food, he had a feeling that removing the mask might make people uncomfortable and he didn't wish to draw any more attention to himself given the delicate situation of the group. He was, however, aware of the nervous glances the earthbender kept giving him as well as the curious gazes from Miss Sato.

"Could you please remove that?" Mako spoke with resigned politeness. "The mask makes some of us a little edgy." He gave Bolin a pointed glance.

"Certainly, if what is under it bothers you any less." Noatak slowly unbuckled the mask and removed it, setting the lacquered wooden thing on the table.

Mako didn't reply and Bolin breathed an obvious sigh of relief when the mask was off. Noatak didn't quite recall having done anything to the earthbender in his past as Amon that might warrant such trauma, but he had the impression that he had been one of Amon's intended gang victims during the revelation that Korra had botched. Now that he knew the young man, though, he realized that Bolin must have been caught in some cross-fire at the time since he was obviously in no way a gang supporter.

"You should eat too. You didn't leave Korra's side even for that, you must be almost as hungry as her." Asami attempted to be polite and indicated the food with an elegant hand.

"I apologize, I had not wished to offend by declining your hospitality, I am merely accustomed to periods of fasting." Noatak bowed his head lightly with formality but accepted the food before Korra could protest since she was already glaring at him in warning.

"My dad used to be like that too. When he got too obsessed or worried over something he would forget to eat, it happened so often that he got used to it." Asami seemed to be reminiscing with a blend of fondness and melancholy as she delicately handled her chopsticks to consume small morsels of rice.

"I can relate." Noatak replied simply. Hiroshi Sato and his downfall with Amon was definitely NOT a subject he wished to approach at the moment.

"Hey, Mako?" Korra was peering at the firebender with a mouth full off egg while the young man sipped on his drink. "What is that on your neck?" Korra used a chopstick to rudely point at a dark lipstick smudge on the side of Mako's throat.

Mako sputtered his drink a little and slapped his hand on his neck automatically, his fingers came back smudged and he instinctively wrapped his scarf a little tighter to hide the mark with some embarrassment and defensiveness.

"Nothing! It's a…a…" Mako's eyes darted around for a moment trying to find an excuse. "A bug bite. Yeah, that's it. No big deal. Finish your food." He commanded defensively.

"A bug…?" Korra silenced her question half-way through when she noticed the little grin Asami gave her.

"Probably the same type of bug that bit you, Korra." Asami teased and then proceeded to silently and discreetly snap her teeth at Korra in a mock mimic of a bite before settling back to her food with an amused smile on her darkly painted lips. The Avatar grinned with glee getting the message quite clearly, she planned on using that little tidbit as ammo later but for now she kept her mouth shut.

"Ah, a bug. Ok then." Korra chuckled slightly and returned to her food.

"Can I ask something?" Bolin suddenly put in, feeling a bit left out and wanting to steer the conversation away from poor Mako, as a good brother should.

"What is it?" Korra looked at her friend as she chewed down a piece of fish.

"About the baby…" Bolin began giving Noatak slightly shy but not uncomfortable glances.

"Bolin, do you really have to keep bringing that up?" Mako chided.

"No, it's ok. What is it, Bo?" Korra was curious now and ever since the visit to her parents she was beginning to feel more comfortable about the topic in front of other people.

"When is it supposed to be born?" Bolin looked at the Avatar curiously.

"Oh, um…" Korra hadn't quite done the math yet, as usual she wasn't thinking that far ahead mostly because it seemed scary, but before she could finish her mental calculations someone else replied.

"Next spring." Noatak's answer was immediate and certain.

"So you still have a whole season to go." Bolin looked at Korra. "I know I've asked this before but now that I know about…" He gestured to Noatak. "I want to ask again- what are you planning on doing about the rumors?"

"She's probably been hoping that stuff would work itself out." Mako gave Korra a knowing look. "Am I right?"

"No." Korra frowned even though he really was right, she had been following the advice of not commenting on the rumors and she hoped the press would just give up. "I just… I hoped the media would just forget about it."

"Korra, let's face it, even if you do manage to hide the pregnancy you can't really hide your child for the rest of its life. This is going to come out sooner or later, the only question is how and by whose terms." Asami spoke with a newly found corporate certainty.

"I knew I did well in suggesting you for Council, you're even talking like a politician now." Korra made a face at Asami a little playfully but it wasn't a cheeky gesture, just a companionable one that made the jade eyed woman smile.

"She does have a point, Korra." Noatak surprised her by taking Asami's side. "It would be best if you confirmed the rumors yourself on your own terms rather than let the press dig."

"Yeah, you know we'd support you all the way, Korra." Bolin smiled enthusiastically.

"And what am I supposed to say?" Korra snapped a little feeling her mood shift at the little spark of stress. "Should I just call up the reporters and say 'Hi, I just wanted to confirm that yes, I'm pregnant but no, you can't know who the daddy is. That's all!'"

"Exactly." Mako was the one to reply but even though Korra expected sarcasm, that was not what she got.

"Huh?" The Avatar looked at firebender a little dumbfounded. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Korra you are the damn Avatar! Confirming the rumors is the best way to get them to stop bothering you because a baby isn't just something you can hide but you don't have to say anything else, you are still entitled to privacy and I'd like to see anyone try to invade the Avatar's personal life." Mako sounded stubborn and protective.

"Yeah, they'd have to go through us first!" Bolin agreed immediately.

"It's not that easy. Her reputation is already damaged, if she avoids the subject like that, her status will suffer even further." Asami was attempting to get them to think practically.

"Who gives a damn about that, Asami? Whether people like it or not, I'm still the Avatar and that won't change. They've hated me before and I lived so why should I have to hide?" Korra was suddenly on the brothers' side since it felt like the best way to regain some freedom without exposing Noatak.

"I think that you are all forgetting the main issue here." Noatak spoke evenly, grabbing their attentions.

"Which is?" Mako was looking at the man defiantly.

"My identity isn't the biggest problem, the real issue is that right now the Avatar has many dangerous enemies that are just waiting for an opportunity like this, they just need a crack in her fame or a little sign of weakness in order to attack." Noatak had already quietly finished his meal and was now looking at all of them and speaking with his usual diplomatic tone. "If I could choose I believe the safest route for Korra to take would be to keep this a secret until the child is born but that might not be an option since it will soon become obvious and the press is already actively trying to prove the allegations."

"So what do you suggest I do then?" Korra was leaning back with her arms crossed, having already devoured enough food for two.

"I would suggest confirming the rumors with a premeditated story…" Noatak raised a hand to silence Korra before she could interrupt. "…But I recognize that you are not willing to lie. The other option would be to let the matter be confirmed through a proxy, someone who will have reason not to give details but will be credible enough to subdue the media. It would also help if the person was not too closely related to you so that it would not seem like a cover-up."

"Both of those options actually seem like good ideas." Asami looked slightly impressed. "The first one would definitely be the safest though."

"I am NOT going lie about the father!" Korra frowned further. "I will not lie about anything just to give those sea vultures a story!"

"Then you better pick someone to make the announcement for you and get ready for a whole new hail of speculation." Asami gazed at Korra sternly but compassionately.

"Like who? You, Asami? Tenzin?" Korra was still sounding snappy.

"No, we are too close to you to be objective." Asami shook her head apologetically.

"Chief Beifong." Noatak offered the suggestion.

"Yeah, right. Like she would help me on this!" Korra seemed skeptical.

"She already knows you are pregnant and she has been perfectly respectful of your privacy, I don't see why she would refuse to make the announcement; not to mention that her status practically guarantees that there won't be people defying her word." Noatak explained levelly.

"She already suspects enough about you! Besides, she's the Chief of Police, how would the Avatar's pregnancy be police business?" Korra kept trying to poke holes into the idea though she was mostly just reluctant to ask Lin for a favor.

"Exactly!" Bolin suddenly stood up pointing at Korra in enlightenment. "Nobody would understand why it is police business so they wouldn't want to get involved and risk getting into trouble!"

"That sounds far-fetched… so far-fetched that it might actually work." Mako grumbled a little reluctantly.

"No plan is fool-proof; it is merely a matter of evaluating the variables and predicting public reactions properly and then using it all to our gain." Noatak still sounded composed and level. "And having them believe you are more deeply involved with the police than you actually are may be a deterrent to your enemies."

"No offense, but the way you think about everything is kinda creepy." Bolin made an embarrassed face holding up his fingers to gesture to a tiny space between his thumb and forefinger in order to highlight his words.

"What did you expect from a master manipulator?" Mako rolled his eyes at Bolin.

"Mako!" Korra snapped a little offended even though Noatak himself agreed with the firebender completely. "Shut up!"

"What?! I didn't mean it like that! I just meant I'm glad he's on our side now rather than against us." Mako snapped out trying to defend his words.

"Let's just focus on what to do. Korra, are you willing to ask the Chief for help?" Asami immediately got between them to stop the argument and looked at Korra.

"I'll think about it." Korra huffed with her arms still crossed. "I'll tell you what I decide later."

"Alright." Asami agreed and gave Noatak a curious glance. "Is that all?"

"I was not the one who entered this topic in the first place." Noatak turned to Bolin.

"Yeah, that's all about this matter." Korra put in before Bolin could have anymore bright ideas.

"You really do need a plan for the long run, though." Asami was sympathetic and directed her words at Noatak. "You can't keep hiding forever or you and Korra will never have peace."

"I am aware of that, Miss Sato." Noatak's tone made it obvious that that was as far as the topic would go.

~~~~~~.:oOo:.~~~~~~

Korra hadn't been awake for more than six hours when they received a call from Tenzin who in turn had been given the number by Beifong. Korra had expected a repeat of the day she snuck out to see Noatak but Tenzin wasn't angry, he simply seemed worried and tired and was greatly relieved to hear that Korra was alright and unharmed as well as Asami. They made arrangements for Korra to return to the temple in two days since that would also be when Asami and the brothers would go home and resume their lives though under heavy security. Tenzin informed her that the Triple Threats responsible for the abduction had indeed been caught and faced heavy charges for kidnapping, aggravated assault and conspiracy but they were all refusing to expose why they had acted and whose orders they were under so all extra security would still be needed to avoid repeats.

After the long phone call, Korra decided to inform Noatak of the situation but she was surprised when Asami told her that he had left. She felt angry that he would leave without telling her and also quite lonely for the very same reason but from what the raven-haired woman had said it was only a temporary outing and he would be back by sundown, so Korra tried not to dwell on what he might be doing because when she did that the scariest things often came to mind and she had already decided to shove that to the back of her brain until it was strictly necessary. In order to distract herself from the wandering thoughts Korra asked her friend for a little tour of the safe-house because she just didn't want to sit still.

Half way through the tour she got bored and as much as she didn't want to stay motionless, she also knew she couldn't leave the house yet so she opted to make idle conversation and test the waters with her friends, since she really wanted to know if the news of Noatak's identity had made any difference regarding her relationship with each of her friends.

"Asami…Do you think I'm cheeky?" The question had been on her mind ever since Noatak mentioned it.

"Why do you ask?" Asami smiled as politely as ever.

"Something Noatak said." Korra shrugged casually, watching for her friend's reaction.

"Well, maybe not cheeky but bold or sassy." Asami still seemed to be in a good mood.

"Isn't it the same thing?"

"I guess it depends on the context." Asami looked at Korra as they crossed yet another wide stony corridor. "What exactly did he say?"

"Oh, um…I kinda called him mine and he called me cheeky Avatar and when I said I wasn't cheeky he said that anybody could confirm I was." Korra played with the tips of her hair a little self-conscious about the turn in topic.

"How cute." Asami had a hand to her lips trying to hold back a chuckle at how cute Korra looked.

"It's not cute!" Korra complained defensively. "Do people really think I'm cheeky?"

"I guess the people that don't really understand you could perhaps see you that way."

"Huh…" The Avatar seemed to be slightly surprised. "I guess I am full off sass."

"It's one of your charming points." Asami spoke encouragingly. "He seems to know just how to push your buttons." She bumped shoulders with Korra playfully as they passed right in front the bathing room that had supplied the delicious and yet mortifying moment from earlier.

"He does but you shouldn't underestimate my ability to push his buttons too." Korra was trying to rush ahead to get away from the humiliating memory.

"Really?" Asami paused. "I guess you're right I can see how you have him wrapped around your fingers without even trying."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Korra stopped trying to escape.

"Korra, the man wouldn't sleep, eat or leave your side until you woke up. He charged into a danger filled situation to save a woman he had no connection with just because you asked him for help, he watches your every move like a guard-hoghound and he willingly trusted his secret identity to the people who despised him the most in the past, risking his own safety, just to keep you happy and help preserve your relationship with us. If that doesn't prove you own him, then what does?" Asami opted to keep to herself the fact that she knew the man didn't take any risks without a secondary purpose but even though she could guess that he had his own reasons for everything he did, Asami was still convinced that the greatest reason was always Korra and his love for her.

"I…I never thought about it that way." Korra leaned against the elegant ivory stone wall, looking thoughtful.

"He makes it fairly obvious." Asami could have added that he probably made it evident for everyone to see and not doubt his feelings for Korra but she held back again.

"Just because you noticed doesn't mean it's obvious, 'Sami. Ever since…the war you have become very sharp." Korra grinned a little but she had been about to say 'since your dad fooled us all' and she hoped her hesitation wasn't obvious.

"It's not just me. Bolin and Mako noticed too." Asami leaned against the same wall, right next to Korra. "Bolin is probably still a little scared but he supports you no matter what you do and he doesn't even think twice about it. As for Mako…he worries a lot and I know he's still really suspicious after all the…experiences with Amon… but Noatak saved all our lives and he's made it obvious that he will do anything for you so Mako really is trying his best to accept this too."

"You think Mako and I will ever be able to see eye to eye about Noatak?" Korra looked away a little anguished.

"Yes, I'm sure in time things will be ok, Korra. So long as Noatak keeps treating you right."

"Asami, the situation between me and Noatak…as much as we try to act normal it's really, really, REALLY complex and messed up but if there's one thing I know for sure it's that he really does love me and everything he does is the best of reasons now." Korra was looking at Asami again and she seemed older and wiser than the jade-eyed woman had ever seen her.

"Korra, Amon believed he was doing things for the best and most just of reasons too." Asami had to quickly stop Korra before she could protest. "But I know what you mean and if you trust him that much then so will I."

"Thanks, Asami." Korra straightened up and once again attempted to run away from the embarrassing corridor that was still way too close from the bathroom. "So…"

"Korra…" Asami interrupted and stopped Korra from escaping but they stood together mid-corridor with the raven-haired woman suddenly taking on a more serious expression. "Has he really changed that much?"

"Asami…" Korra took a breath and looked right into the jade eyes of her friend. "Yes. You really have no idea of the pain he had to go through to change but he has, he cast away everything regarding the equalists so please just try not to think of Amon when you look at him, ok?"

"Korra, I don't care about that. I've said it before- you have all my support. It's just…" Asami looked away sorrowfully. "I wondered if Amon can die and bring forth Noatak, then maybe my father can become someone better too some day and throw away all that misguided hatred…"

"Oh." Korra suddenly realized what the conversation was all about and she wondered if Asami blamed Noatak for having corrupted her father. "Asami, you dad and Amon… I… I can't really make excuses and don't want to but…"

"Korra, I don't blame Amon for what my father became, he was damaged long before he met Amon and if anything it's the other way around because my father's resources were what turned the equalists into a military force but he's my father… I just want to know that there's still hope." Asami's eyes never steered away from Korra's but she seemed so filled with melancholy and anger that it hurt the Avatar just look at her.

"There's always hope." Korra smiled and impulsively hugged Asami, maybe a little too tight given her brawn, before pulling away calmly. "And even if your dad did horrible things, I'm sure he still loves you."

"No, Korra. My dad won't really be capable of loving anyone until he gets rid of all the hate that fills him." Asami was scowling in a very unladylike way but she clung to the hug with gratitude.

"At least you'll always have us, 'Sami." Korra didn't really know how to reassure someone on such a harsh topic, she wasn't as naturally sweet and supportive as Bolin, she wasn't as perceptive and charismatic as Noatak, she wasn't as level and sympathetic as Tenzin…But she was earnest and loyal and that helped as much as anything else.

"Thanks, Korra." Asami stepped away, composing herself very quickly and gave the Avatar a delicate smile even if it was a little sad. "I'm so proud to have you as a friend."

"Don't say that, you'll get me all flustered again!" Korra complained gawkily before smiling back. "But yeah, ditto."

"Shall we go find the boys before they make a mess?" Asami chuckled trying to lighten Korra's embarrassment.

"Sure." Korra nodded as they continued walking through the house unconcernedly. "Speaking of which…What's with the bug bite?" Korra laughed.

"Well, Mako got pretty hot-headed thanks to your little performance and we had an argument that escalated into…other things while I tried to calm him down. I guess it wasn't all just anger." Asami smiled mysteriously. "Let's just say we made some progress thanks to you."

"I am totally confused." Korra's brows where making that little V that they acquired whenever she was lost or frustrated. "Do I even want to know what you mean?"

"I doubt it." Asami seemed a little pinker than usual with each second that passed.

"Ok, so long as you're happy I don't want details." Korra waved Asami away in a silly shooing gesture.