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"Korra, have you lost your mind?"

Tenzin's eyebrows arched so high up in his bare forehead Korra thought they might disappear into that blue arrow tattoo. He clapped a hand over his eyes, rubbing his palm down the bridge of his nose in frustration.

The two of them stood out in the Air Temple courtyard, along with Lin Beifong, Mako, Bolin and Asami.

"Korra's thought this through," Asami put in, defending her. "She's a grown woman now, Tenzin, she can make these decisions for herself."

"I don't think either of you fully understand the gravity of the situation." Tenzin thrust his hands behind his back, pacing the courtyard, his maroon and gold robes billowing out behind him. Finally, he threw his hands into the air. "Do you understand the implications of such an alliance? The dangers?"

Korra crossed her arms over her chest. "I know, Tenzin. But like Asami said, I've thought this through."

Tenzin barreled on, ignoring her. "And how can you trust him at his word with what he said about Sakura? She's a responsible and successful young woman whose generosity is the only reason you'll get to play pro-bending again." He exhaled an impatient breath, and was about to continue when Beifong held up a hand.

"Korra," she said calmly. "You can't simply take Amon at his word about Sakura. He said she's a bloodbender, but what other bloodbenders outside of Yakone's line are powerful enough to bend outside the light of the full moon?"

Korra fought to keep her voice level. "Because," she replied. "Sakura is Yakone's daughter."

The silence was palpable. Korra waited. Bolin finally broke it.

"Well that…" He swallowed. "That makes her real powerful then, doesn't it?"

Korra nodded. Mako, scowling, took a step toward her.

"I don't understand, Korra," he said. "You said all Sakura wants is revenge on Amon. Why not just let her take him out and go? It'll do us all a favor. Why are you risking your neck for this guy? You know he wouldn't do the same for you."

"He just might," Korra snapped without thinking. Asami glanced at her, biting her lip. Tenzin arced an eyebrow. Korra kicked herself.

"I mean," she said quickly. "I'm the Avatar. I can't just let a monster like that destroy people. Not when I can stop it."

"Hmm," Mako said. "Last I heard, you were referring to Amon as the monster."

Korra stomped up to him, thrusting her nose right up into his face. "And?"

He was unfazed by her proximity. "You sure he counts as a human being?"

Korra wanted to slap him. But before she could think of a retort scathing enough, Tenzin cut in.

"I have to agree with Mako," he mused. "Amon has made it clear from the beginning he'd like nothing better than to tear you apart. This whole thing could be a trap. Why do you care if Sakura takes her revenge on him, but leaves the rest of the city alone?"

"Why do I care?" Korra's voice was pitched dangerously low. Asami shot her a warning look. "I care because as much as he's hurt me in the past, people change. I no longer see him as a monster. A new monster's reared her head, and I'm going to face her with as much ferocity as I ever gave Amon. Even if I didn't trust him, I take my visions from the Spirit World seriously. I saw Sakura, and I saw what she could do." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I know it sounds crazy. I'm still a little freaked out myself. But I can't do this alone. I need you guys to stand behind me on this."

The five of them watched her with drawn expressions. Finally, Tenzin said, "We will always be behind you, Korra. But please, help us understand…"

He trailed off, struggling to put his need into words. Mako spoke for him, his face screwed up in frustration. "Help us understand why you'd actually want to help this—this brute."

Something inside Korra snapped. "Why would I want to help him?" she shrieked, lunging impossibly closer to Mako. She felt Asami's hand grip her arm.

"Korra," her friend warned.

But Korra was in over her head. "Because—because I love him!" she blurted out.

The silence hung on the air. It lasted a good three minutes. Then Lin gave a soft snort.

"Well, this throws a wrench into the game."

It was as if she'd uncorked a tsunami. All of sudden everyone was talking at once.

"What?" Tenzin exploded. "Korra, this is no joking matter—"

Mako bellowed, "Are you completely out of your—"

Bolin squeaked, "Hwaaaaaat? Korra, that guy is bad news!"

Asami said nothing. Just moved to stand beside Korra and with an unseen movement, reached down and clasped her hand. Korra clung to her friend for all she was worth.

"Korra, I don't know what to say to you right now," Tenzin confessed.

Korra hung her head. "I don't know what to say to me either," she mumbled. "All I know is what I feel is real. I'm sorry I kept it from you for so long. I feel… a lot better getting that off my chest." She risked a glance up at her airbending teacher's face. To her relief, it was not flushed with anger, only drawn with weariness.

"I'm sorry, Tenzin," she whispered.

To her surprise, instead of shouting at her, Aang's son crossed the distance between them and drew her against his chest, resting his chin on her head with a soft sigh. Korra felt tears prick her eyes. She hugged him back as tight as she could.

"It happened after you returned from Tarrlok's cabin, didn't it?" Tenzin asked her.

Korra nodded. He sighed, deeper this time. "I'd had a feeling something had changed in you."

Korra sniffed, pulling back from him. "Amon saved me from him, Tenzin," she whispered. "From Tarrlok. After the Equalists captured me… he risked his whole position just to set me free."

"The Equalists captured you?" Bolin echoed, his voice unusually high. "Why didn't you tell us that?"

"I was worried things would get…" Korra bit her lip. "Complicated."

"Like this isn't complicated," Mako growled.

Lin crossed her arms over her metal vest, her face steely. "And what does this man feel toward you?" she demanded.

Korra hesitated. "I don't know."

"From what I know," Asami whispered from beside her. "He feels the same."

Lin rounded on her. "You knew of this situation, Sato? And you said nothing?"

Hiroshi's daughter held her chin high. "When someone entrusts me with a secret, I keep it."

Lin glared at her, but a grudging respect glimmered behind those silver eyes. She finally sighed and turned to Tenzin. "So, what happens now? You're her honorary father for the time being."

Tenzin lifted his hands, looking like a zebra-deer caught in the headlights of an onrushing satomobile. "I have no verdict on the matter. This is entirely in Korra's hands."

Bolin stepped up, gnawing his lower lip, but put a hand on Korra's shoulder. "If you're sure about this, Korra," he sighed. "I'm with you. Heck, you could decide you wanted to marry a platypus bear and I'd still back you."

Korra laughed, some of the tension easing out of her as she reached out to throw an arm over her friend's shoulders. "Thanks, Bo. That means a lot."

Mako was still scowling, but with incredible reluctance, he walked forward, stopping just in front of the three of them.

"Look," he started. "You may be the most bullheaded, stubborn and idiotic girl I'm ever going to meet, but you're still my friend. And if this is your decision… I'll stand by your side." His voice lowered. "But I'll swear to you right now, if Amon so much as lays a finger on you, I'll roast him where he stands and scatter his ashes in the pro-bending swimming pool. Got it?"

Korra smiled, a little regretful at the way she'd treated him the past few days. After all, he'd only been worried about her. She reached forward, around Bolin's neck, and clasped his hand.

"Thank you, Mako," she whispered. "I'll remember that."

"If you kids are all done with your little saccharine cuddle party," Lin snapped. "I think it's best we start planning our next move."

Korra let go of her friends and moved toward Tenzin. She looked up at him one last time before heading in to follow Lin toward the Air Temple.

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" she pleaded.

Tenzin sighed, and placed one tattooed hand on her shoulder. "Korra, you're a grown woman now, like Miss Sato said. I can't coddle you like a child anymore. You've got make your own decisions. No, I'm not mad at you. I'd never be mad at you for making a choice you truly believe in." He stooped to look deep into her eyes, scanning her down to her very roots. Unlike before, Korra didn't feel like she had to pull away and hide from that penetrating gaze. "I just want to make sure," he murmured. "That you're doing this for the right reasons. Forgetting his past transgressions, and simply looking at his heart, is he a man who's worthy of you?"

Korra remembered what Noatak had said before, that he wasn't worthy of her. It was that statement alone that told her everything she needed to know. With a soft smile, she nodded.

"I think he's more worthy than he knows," she whispered. "He's a man with a passion for equality, of all people. All he wants is fairness and justice. Where's the wrong in that? True, his methods in the past may have been questionable, but we can help him turn that around."

An idea suddenly sparked in her brain, and she looked up at Tenzin with newfound excitement. "Hey, you've got a pretty strong voice on the City Council, right? Why don't you put in a word for the nonbenders of the city? They've got no voice in the management of this city, and they make up more of the population than us benders. That's hardly fair."

A frown crossed Tenzin's features. "I had never realized that before." He straightened, dropping his hand back to his side. "I will do as you say, Korra. You just might be on the track to ending this war."

Korra grinned, and dove forward to wrap in her biggest bear hug yet. She felt his hand settle on the top of her head, just like her dad's used to when she'd hug him.

"Thank you, Tenzin," she mumbled into his chest. "For understanding."

"Thank you, Korra," he said back. "For enlightening me."