Three Months Later…

"You seem really tense, Korra."

"Hmm? Oh. Sorry. I just suck at dancing."

Bolin laughed, giving her a gentle twirl. Her ankles crossed, and she let out a tiny yelp of embarrassment when she almost crashed over into him. As if that wasn't bad enough, that cursed dress Asami had forced her to wear wrapped itself around her legs, long and satiny and evil. Those wretched high heels would be the death of her. Despite Asami's assurances that she looked ravishing, the blue gown's satin curves hugged her with uncomfortable snugness, causing many of the gentlemen around the ball room to glance her way with thinly disguised sparkles in their eyes.

Bolin caught her around the waist with a soft chuckle, righting her.

"Sorry," she said again, her cheeks darkening.

"S'allright. Nothing like a winter gala to fry the nerves."

He didn't twirl her again, instead guiding her with smooth, easy steps across the dance floor. His emerald eyes looked down at her, his brow furrowing. "You sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine." Korra bit her lip, sliding her eyes away from his. "I'm just… remembering, is all. This is… the anniversary."

He frowned, and then his confusion cleared. "…Oh. Of the showdown."

Korra closed her eyes, hating herself for the way her tear ducts burned. Bolin slipped a finger under her chin, tipping her head up.

"Hey. It's okay." He paused. "I'm sure he would have loved to be here."

Korra sniffed, pulling her face away. She ducked her head, tucking it under his chin so she wouldn't have to meet those sympathetic eyes. Her throat clenched. She was grateful close dancing wasn't awkward with Bolin. After her clear definition of their friendship all those months ago, he was only too happy to slip into that zone. She let her arms drift around his back, hugging him tight.

His hand found her back, rubbing softly. "Shh. It's okay. It's over, Korra."

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter. For a moment he just held her like that, two good friends, close like brother and sister, and she took comfort in his embrace.

It had been three months, to the day. Three months since Noatak's death. Sixty two days since her world had been ripped in two.

The city had changed so much since then. Tenzin had taken Korra's request seriously, and had reformed the entire Council to favor the nonbenders. They had even appointed Gioshi as a councilmember, along with a non-Equalist woman who was a nonbender but sympathetic to Amon's cause. Altogether, the change had served to drastically reduce the friction in the bender-nonbender clashes throughout the city. Korra was being called upon less and less to right wrongs from the anti-bending radicals. She sighed, contentment and nostalgia tightening her throat. It seemed all they wanted, like Amon had said all along, was a voice.

Korra had thrown herself into her airbending training, trying with all her might to forget. She'd excelled more and more with each passing day, her fury driving her movements. Some of her friends had begun to worry, muttering that she'd become obsessed. Perhaps in a way, she had. She was obsessed with erasing her memories, clearing away the heartbreak… although, after three months had passed, she wondered if that would ever be possible.

Bolin sighed and pulled back. "Do you want a little break?" His eyes were understanding. "I'll go get you a glass of wine if you think that would make you feel better."

Korra swallowed, her throat clenching at his kindness. She hurriedly pressed her thumbs against the corners of her eyes, stopping the tears before they could come. "I'd like that," she whispered. "Yes. Thank you."

"Why don't you go sit down, and I'll be right back."

He brushed a tender thumb against her cheek, then moved off toward the refreshments table. Korra watched him go, her vision slightly blurry through the moisture in her eyes. She silently cursed herself. Why couldn't she bring herself to move on? Why, after a quarter of a year, did her heart still ache like someone had thrust an ice spike right through her chest.

Taking a shuddering breath, Korra moved toward the mostly empty sitting booths on the far side of the dance floor. Sinking onto the plush cushions, she closed her eyes and rested her chin in on the heels of her hands, massaging her eyelids. She swallowed hard. Oh, Spirits, she missed him. She missed the feel of his arms around her, pulling her close, his deep, comforting timbre against her ear, the feel of his lips on hers…

"Deciding to spare the poor toes of your dance partners?"

Korra froze at the voice. She didn't open her eyes, but she felt the cushions sink down next to her as someone took up residence beside her on the bench. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might explode.

"I'm a bad dancer," she stammered.

"Mm. Well, I don't mind. Allow me to teach you a thing or two."

Warm, strong hands slid beneath hers, lifting her to her feet. Korra's eyes fluttered open, and her heart dropped right out of her chest, forming a useless puddle on the floor somewhere beyond her feet. Her breath caught.

"Noa…"

The hood hid his eyes, but she could still see that familiar golden gleam. He was dressed in dark traditional Water Tribe clothes, the garb fitting loosely over his powerful frame. A soft smile tipped the firm line of his mouth as one of his hands trailed down around her waist, the other guiding hers to his shoulder.

"I don't know whether to be touched or disappointed to see you pouting over my absence." That deep voice. Oh, Spirits, she'd almost forgotten the impossible things it could do to her.

"It hasn't been exactly easy," she whispered. She followed him as she turned her about in a slow twirl, pulling her against him so that his muscled chest brushed her back. He held her so that her arms twisted in opposite directions, pressed close against her body, his chin brushing the top of her hair. She shivered.

"Mm. Nor has it for me." His deep voice rumbled against her spine, awakening that old curl of fire in her lower belly. "Waiting was difficult, biding my time for the precise moment to return to you."

"How," she whispered. "How did you survive?"

He chuckled, and she thought the sound would melt her. Slowly spinning her back around, he pulled her against him so that their noses were only inches apart, him leaning down to her level. Her breath caught once more, and she couldn't get it back this time.

"Allow me to get you a drink, and I'll tell you."

She nodded, breathless, and he entwined his fingers with her own, leading her off the dance floor. But instead of stopping at the refreshment table, he pulled her through the nearby door and out of the room, into the shadows of a hallway alcove. Korra's heart beat faster when he leaned close, pulling her against him. She realized how much she'd missed the smell of him. His cool, musky scent, reminding her of the wild spirit of the wind dancing out over the sea. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. For a long moment, they just stayed like that, soaking up each other's warmth, an increasing tightness growing in both of their throats. Korra felt her eyes begin to burn. She could have stayed like that forever.

"I don't know how it happened," he murmured into her ear. "The last I remember is you going into the Avatar State, just after Sakura slipped that blade into me. And then… darkness. I awoke in a field, on the outskirts of Republic City. I remember feeling confused and disoriented. I looked down at my chest but found no wound. There was not even a scar. I realized the Spirits must have healed me when you surrounded me and Sakura with that burning energy. I don't know why, or how.

"I wanted to return to you as soon as I came to. But I knew I had to wait. Now that Sakura was finished, I would have returned to being public enemy number one. My brother and I would both end up in prison, perhaps for the rest of our lives. Forgive me, but that wasn't a destiny I anticipated. So I returned to my headquarters and freed my brother. I turned the Revolution over to my second, Gioshi, and then I went on to disappear. Tarrlok and I left the city and returned to the Northern Water Tribe, where we parted ways. He returned to our home village in the far north, whereas I ventured south.

"I bided my time for my return to Republic City. I waited until the news of my death had died down, and the police force relaxed their defenses. It took longer than I'd expected. But finally, the city had calmed enough for me to return."

Korra looked up at him. It was hard to gauge his expression beneath the shadows of the hood. "But… you were free," she whispered. "Why did you come back?"

Before she could say anything more, his arms tightened around her waist, and he lifted her off the ground. He cut off her soft gasp with a crushing kiss, pushing her back against the wall. Korra's breath left her in a whoosh. Spirits, she'd missed this more than she'd even imagined. His tongue slid into her mouth, dancing with hers in a battle for dominance. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs moved to rest around his waist for support. His breath inside her mouth sent an explosion of fire tingling across her belly. His hands rose from her back to cup her face, the thumbs tracing the contours of her jaw and cheeks, soft and tender. Finally, he drew back, his reply a soft, breathless rasp.

"To take back what's mine," he murmured, a devious glint in his amber eyes.

"I like the sound of that," she breathed, and let him take her mouth again. The kiss muddled her brain, snatching all coherent thought away. After a delightfully disorienting moment, he released her lips, supporting her against the wall with his hands under her thighs.

"I have something for you."

She lifted her hands to brush them over the edge of his mouth. "What?"

He set her down, and reached within his robes to a deep inner pocket. Korra saw a strange warmth pass over his face as he pulled out a closed fist. "Well…" he swallowed, his throat working. Korra felt a thrill of premonition. "This is another reason I was took longer to return to the city."

He uncurled his fingers, and Korra felt all the breath leave her at what lay on his palm.

"Oh…" she gasped, sinking to her knees. Her eyes filled with tears. "Noatak…"

There, resting on his palm, was a traditional Water Tribe betrothal necklace. A shimmering blue sapphire stone hung from the soft black leather, gentle carved swirls and patterns tracing the indigo depths. Korra made out the faint symbol of equality etched into the stone's center.

平

Noatak knelt before her, taking her chin in one trembling hand.

"It's not the best carving," he rushed. "I spent a whole night on it. I know it's small, but the stone's all I could afford. And the etchings aren't perfect, I know—"

"Shut up and kiss me," she snapped, lunging forward. He stumbled back, surprised at the intensity of her kiss, but he kissed her back with equal passion. Korra's tears streamed down her face, wetting his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body flat against his, the curves of their muscles molding against each other. She tasted sweet and earthy, her primal scent filling his nose and making his head go light. Finally, he drew back, his breath in his chest.

"So is that a yes?"

Korra's face split into a wide grin. "What do you think?"

He drew her close, and unclasped the leather chain. Korra held her braided hair back as he slipped the loop around her neck, fastening it with slightly quaking fingers. The glistening sapphire stone rested in the hollow of her throat, fitting so naturally there he couldn't imagine ever knowing her without it.

"I thought you'd never ask," Korra whispered.

Then she drew him forward for another kiss, the two of them drowning in the warmth of one another, making up for all that lost time.