A/N: Whee, it hasn't been two months!

Okay, in all honesty, I've had this chapter ready to go for like two weeks, but Wednesdays are crazy for me with my current timetable at school, so I kept forgetting to update. And then I remembered I said I would keep to the regular update day and I thought "never mind, next week" - and then the same thing happened. Life, man.

So, instead of keeping you waiting another week, here I am updating on Thursday, and I think that henceforth I shall change my update time to the WEEKEND so we don't have a repeat of this. That said, please don't expect an update this weekend, but keep a lookout for next weekend! I will do my best to get the next chapter out by then. Hoping to gradually decrease the time between updates until we're back to weekly, or at least fortnightly (note to people getting married: it's quite lovely, but life does get SIGNIFICANTLY busier).

Thanks very much to my patient and ever-awesome reviewers: BlackDragonMaster, Sharpe, FireLordAziz, MagatsuIza, Atea1793 (thanks for the correction), devilfiredog18, Emma, StevenBodner, Guest, and new reviewer Xive Lanrete (cool name btw!).

Time check: Mid-autumn, 177 AG (3 years and 2 months after Book 4)

69. Lost your balance on the tightrope; never too late to get it back

"Mako, it's here!"

Bolin hurtles through the door with the envelope held aloft, the crisp whiteness of it almost glowing in the late afternoon sunlight — which seems appropriate, given the pivotal importance of the news it bears.

For the past month, while he's been suspended with pay (as per protocol), RCPD's Internal Affairs division has been meticulously conducting a review of his conduct during the Korozo investigation. Lin had had to open his sealed police priors from his time with the Triple Threats (they are sparse, but they do exist) — but as a counterpoint, both Xien and Juno had submitted glowing character references, and Korra had used her Avatar card to weigh in as well. IA had had one-on-one interviews with nearly everyone in the Triad Squad — including several with Minsu, who'd squirmed his way through a slightly hopeful but otherwise objective account of when, how, and why he'd allowed someone with such a personal connection to work the Korozo case. The final hearing was conducted last week, and he'd been informed to expect an official written notice of the verdict today.

Now that it's here, he finds that he's almost unwilling to open the envelope Bolin offers him. This one piece of paper has the potential to completely change his future; a negative outcome nearly doesn't seem worth the end to his limbo.

Korra, though, has no such qualms. With a return of the impatience characteristic of her younger years, she unhesitatingly snatches the envelope from Bolin's palm and sears the edge off with a razor-thin streak of flame. Her control is so precise that the thin slip of paper she pulls out is not even singed.

"'Sergeant Mako'," she reads, "'with reference to RCPD case number #IA320'— screw that — 'the Office of Internal Affairs hereby finds you not guilty of the murder of Agni Kai triad Korozo, and acquits you of all charges associated with bending force against a person of interest in an RCPD investigation.'"

"Yes!" Bolin whoops, while Asami smiles widely.

"'After a thorough review of your encounter with Korozo on the night of 18th September 177 AG, we have deemed the disappearance of Korozo as insufficient evidence for a confirmed death — but take note that you are barred from participating in any subsequent action undertaken to locate him, either by the Triad Squad or other departments.'"

He nods; he'd expected as much — but there's half the letter to go yet.

Korra continues, her initial jubilance fading somewhat as she gets to the second half of the notification. "'Furthermore, upon analysis of your conduct during the Korozo investigation, it has been decided that for your defiance against established RCPD protocol, the following penalties will apply:
1. A temporary demotion back to Detective, with the corresponding adjustment in pay.
2. The demotion will take effect immediately, and continue for a minimum of two (2) months.
3. Reinstatement of the rank of Sergeant will be enacted following a suitable recommendation from Sergeant Juno upon a performance review."

Bolin exhales in sympathy. "Oof, that's a bummer."

But it could be worse, he thinks, but doesn't say.

Asami says it for him, and additionally points out that from a superior's perspective, some form of discipline for rogue agents is necessary to uphold the rules. Korra argues the point, claiming that the special circumstances ought to excuse a completely understandable lapse in clear thinking.

He lets their debate wash over him, turning to stare out the window at the setting sun. He can't help but feel that an era is over, an epoch in his life reached. It's an emotion that's oddly misplaced, given how he's had no real closure with Korozo (Juno and Minsu's case against him has been closed pending a potential sighting) and hasn't actually resolved any of his trauma about his parents' deaths.

So why does he feel like he's made it across some kind of tightrope?

"Do you think you can move forward and still be a good cop, or has this incident shown you that you need to tap out?"

He's finally managed to right himself after losing his way in his personal journey. Would returning to the RCPD — where he'll continually have to face demons like Korozo and his triad history — drag him off track again? What if Korozo really is still out there somewhere, and he encounters him again — perhaps not under RCPD jurisdiction this time?

The conclusion of the Internal Affairs review marks an end to the tumultuous two months he's endured, from the burning intensity of hunting and confronting Korozo to the agonising uncertainty of his suspension. He now stands at a crossroads. He could choose to see his demotion as a sign that he needs to exit, and remove himself from the possibility of losing his balance again. Or he could view it as a fresh start and a second chance to prove his strength and resilience of character.

"You're not the kind of person you fear becoming."

If he resigns from the RCPD, would that be the right choice for his journey, or would it simply be another form of avoidance (something he's been actively trying to correct)?

Korra finally notices that he hasn't said one word since the letter arrived and turns to look at him. "Mako, what are you thinking?"

He looks at his friends, and observes their expressions. Bolin is triumphant, beaming widely — he'd never thought this whole affair was going to have anything other than a happy ending. Asami's cool, calm composure — she'd always believed that he would have some amends to make, but would ultimately come through unscathed. Korra, passionate as ever, who never wavered in her conviction that they would deal with whatever happened, even in the moments when she wasn't sure IA would rule in his favour.

"I think," he says, "that there's still a place in the force for Detective Mako."

A/N: This chapter's song is 'Innocent' by Taylor Swift, which seems appropriate given that Taylor Swift just released her new album. It wasn't planned, but I'll take serendipity wherever I find it.

What WAS planned was the message of the song about a mistake that was made, and coming back from it. The lyrics 'Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days?' 'Wasn't it easier in your firefly-catching days?' are about the simplicity of a past life, 'before the monsters caught up to you'. Mako 'did some things [he] can't speak of' and 'at night [he lives] it all again', but his 'string of lights is still bright' because 'who you are is not where you've been' and 'who you are is not what you did'. He isn't 32, but he is 'still growing up' and he now knows 'today is never too late to be brand new'.

I also like 'Time turns flame to embers' because of the fire reference, and 'You'll have new Septembers' because the Korozo incident would've happened around September by my timeline.

Let me know your thoughts!