AN: Follow up from the previous chapter. It was only meant to be a two shot, I guess it will be a three shot after all!
After she had slept all through the night once she had taken that long overdue shower, it were the first sun rays that woke Asami up the next morning. She got ready and took the first ferry back to the mainland. Before she had left the Temple, she had stopped in front of Korra's room. The memories of the night before replayed in her head. She had smiled to herself and decided against her own feelings to enter the Avatar's room. She knew how much her friend hated the early morning and had hurried to the docks to get the ferry back to the City.
Work had piled up on her desk. Many documents needed to be signed. Phone calls were needed to reassure some business deals. Remembering some people that she was still waiting for contracts.
She was hunched over a few more designs when she couldn't suppress a yawn. Asami looked at the clock and gasped at the time. Oh… wow… it's already passed Ten… She quickly got up from her seat and walked over to the window. Her eyes set on Air Temple Island. Her fingertips touched the glass gently. Too bad… I wanted to go visit Korra today… She felt her heart clench in her chest and she sighed deeply. Tomorrow then. And with that, she turned around and left. Locking everything behind her and headed home for the night.
Sleep didn't came easy that night for the Heiress. The young Avatar was constantly on her mind. Her feelings for the Southerner was something she couldn't deny any longer.
You should tell her how you feel.
She scoffed to herself. She's healing. She needs to recover. This isn't the time for me to confess my feelings for her. She's already got enough on her plate as it is. She slowly turned on her side. The curtains were closed, but through the small slit, she could still see Air Temple Island. Asami swallowed hard and a shiver ran down her spine.
You can keep coming up with excuses but telling is the only solution.
I can't! What if she rejects me? She closed her eyes. That she likes girls doesn't mean she likes me.
What better way to find out then to tell her how you feel? Yes, she can reject you. But then at least you'll know. At least you'll know if she feels the same way.
She growled in frustration and turned around. Her back to the window. Deep down, she knew the voice was right. At least she'll know if Korra would answer her feelings or not. Not knowing was worse.
Somewhere between her internal struggle, she fell asleep. She was far from ready to wake up when her alarm had gone off but managed to get out of bed anyhow. Once she had gotten a shower and dressed properly, she went back to the factory. She had informed her secretary that she wouldn't stay too long and that she'd leave the office around noon to visit her friends at the Temple.
"About that Miss Sato, Senna called. She said it was urgent."
"Thanks Ling. I'll call in my office." She said and closed the door behind her. Urgent…? Perhaps they found any more members of the red Lotus? No… the Lava bender and Water Bender were dead… Zaheer was locked up. She shook her head and sat down. Calling to the temple.
"Hello, this is Pema?"
Asami smiled to herself. "Hello Pema, it's Asami. Senna called m-" Before she even finished her sentence, she heard Senna's voice on the other end.
"Asami? Is that you? Please, you have to come over." The seriousness in her voice made Asami's skin crawl and the Heiress felt her blood freeze.
"What's the matter? Is Korra okay?" Panic rose in her chest and a lump formed in her throat.
"She's been in her room since last time you were here. She won't come out and she doesn't want anyone to enter. Please... " A sob broke from the other woman and Asami felt sick to her stomach.
"I'll leave immediately. Don't worry. I'll be right there." They said their goodbyes and in record time, Asami arrived at the docks. She was at the island within the hour. Pretty much all of Korra's friends waited for her at the docks. Senna and Tonraq helped her off the ferry once it docked.
"Thank you for coming so soon…" Senna said. Her eyes red from crying no doubt.
"She didn't want us to enter her room." Tonraq said. His eyes showed concern for his only daughter.
"It's okay, I'll go see her right now." Asami said and reassured everybody. The entire group moved from the docks and to the temple instead. Asami continued on her own and gave Senna and Tonraq a reassuring smile.
She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it. Opening the door successfully and as silently as possible. Once inside, the smell of urine greeted her. She closed the door behind her. The only sound was a soft click.
"W-who's there!?" It was Korra's panicked voice.
"Korra? It's me… Asami…" She stepped deeper into the small room. The smell became stronger with each step. She looked around. The entire place was a mess. When her eyes got used to the dark room, she saw Korra in one of the corners.
"A-asami…?" Her tone showed disbelief and Asami heard her shuffle a bit. "N-No… please… d-don't…"
"Korra, I'm here for you." She whispered but it was loud enough for Korra to hear. "Remember? I promised to visit you…" She slowly but surely got closer to the young woman. Finally, she could see the state her friend was in. Korra had pulled her legs as close to her body as her state would allow. A dirty blanket covered her lower body.
Korra looked at the Heiress in disbelief. Her eyes. It shocked Asami what she saw in them. Those beautiful, bright blue orbs showed a terror like no other. Dark bags under her eyes showed that she hadn't really had any sleep ever since Asami had left. She kneeled down next to her friend. Tears burned in her own eyes but she tried hard to keep them at bay. She rose her hand and carefully cupped Korra's cheek. She flinched and pulled back. Shaking her head. "No… no…!" She started to cry and buried her face in her hands. "No! Please…! Don't hurt me!"
"Korra… Korra please." She took a gentle hold onto Korra's wrists. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help you." She said and carefully pulled Korra's hands away from Korra's face.
The Southerner looked at her. Tears never stopped coming. "H-He… he said… that too… t-that he'd help me…" She whispered and a heartbreaking sob followed. She wrapped her arms around Asami's neck and sobbed. Pale arms wrapped around her damaged body and held her gently. A comforting hand rubbed over her strong back. It took a few minutes before Korra was able to utter a few more words. "H-he… hurt me... " She sobbed. Her entire body trembled. "It… it still hurts…"
Korra didn't need to say out loud who had done this to her. Or what he had done. She knew exactly who had done this to her friend. To the woman she loved and the hatred that boiled from deep in her heart seemed to overwhelm her. Korra's soft voice was the only thing that prevented her from storming out right at that moment. "P-please… w-will you stay…?" She asked carefully.
"Your mom and dad are outside… they are worried…" She said and pulled back only slightly to look the Avatar in the eye. Her pale hand cupped Korra's cheek and this time, she didn't flinch or pull away. When she mentioned her parents, she looked away in shame.
"I… I can't… tell them… what happened. Or about... " She swallowed hard and shook her head. Her eyes shut.
"Let me explain it to them. They will understand. They love you Korra."
She shook her head again. "N-no one loves me…! He said that… I'm just a f-freak… I'm… abnormal. He wanted to cure me… help me become normal…" She started to shake violently from the memories.
"Korra… listen to me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Your parents love you. Tenzin and pretty much the entire Air Nation love you. Bolin loves you."
Korra looked at her friend. The weakest of smiles on her lips. "And… y-you?"
Asami felt a blush crawl on her cheeks. "Korra… yes… I love you…" The thumb of her hand gently stroke her tanned cheek. "I'd do anything for you… you know that."
Korra moved forward and wrapped her arms once again around her friend. Seeking her comfort and affection. "Love you too…" She mumbled and let out a deep sigh. "Will… you help me with this too…?" She felt a bit stupid for asking but did it anyway.
"Yes… I'll help. I'll always be here for you Korra…" Asami held her friend tightly against her own body and she sobbed. "I'm so sorry… I'm sorry I didn't..-" She felt guilty. Had she just stayed with Korra that night, nothing would've happened.
"Not y-your fault Asami…" Korra whispered and let out a deep sigh in relief.
The two women stayed like this for a while until Korra eventually pulled back. "I…" She looked at Asami's clothes that were now dirty. "Oh… I'm sorry… I… I guess I need to… get cleaned up." She did a weak attempt to wipe away some of the dirt on Asami's outfit.
Asami gave her friend a warm smile. "Let's get you cleaned up… I'll take you to my room and you'll stay there from now on."
Korra nodded shamefully but Asami knew the look on her face more than anything. She gently took hold of her friends chin and made her look her straight in the eye. "You have nothing to be ashamed of." She said with power in her voice and kissed Korra's dirty forehead before she let go. "You hear? Nothing." She helped to wrap the dirty sheet around Korra's body. Covering her up completely. She even had a hood to keep her head from curious eyes. Only Asami could see her face and she smiled weakly up at the Heiress.
Once Asami had picked her friend up, she opened the door and walked out. The sun bright. "Shield your eyes…" She whispered before she stepped out completely and Korra did as she was told. The moment she was outside, she saw the group that had accompanied her to Korra's room, still waiting outside. Tonraq, Senna and even Naga, were about to run towards them but Asami gently shook her head and brought Korra to the room next door. Her room. Walking straight to the small bathroom that was attached to it.
She finally saw the extent of Korra's injuries and vowed that he would pay for what he had done to her. She helped Korra clean her body. Scrub away the dirt and the disgusting feeling that he had caused. Clean, refreshed and with new clothes, Korra was carried to Asami's bed. She wore a white top and simple linen pants. The engineer sat down on the edge of the bed and covered the Avatar with her bedsheets. "I'm going to talk to your parents now…"
Korra's eyes widened in fear. A tan handed took a firm hold onto a pale wrist. "Don't…! Please I…" Asami's other hand cupped the right side of her face.
"I'm not going far. But they need to know… they are worried about you. I'll have Bolin stand guard outside and lock the door. Only I have the key. You're safe Korra." Her thumb tenderly stroke Korra's cheek. "You're safe… he's never hurting you again. I swear."
Reluctantly, Korra let go and nodded. "O-okay… will… will you be back soon?"
Asami gave her a warm smile. "I will... " She got off the bed and slowly walked to the door. Giving her friend a last reassuring smile before she walked out, closed and locked the door behind her. She walked over to the group, pulled Bolin aside. Even though she didn't explain to him what had happened to Korra, he knew. Just from the look that Asami gave him, that it was serious. He immediately ran to the door. Used his bending to create a spot for him to sit and didn't move and inch. Naga joined him even without being told.
Asami then asked if she could talk to Tonraq and Senna alone. The Southerners nodded and the others retreated back to temple grounds for the moment. Finally, once they were with the three of them, Asami started to talk. Once she was done, Tonraq held his wife. Comforting her. "M-my poor baby…!" Senna sobbed and wrapped her arms around her husband's frame.
"Who did this! Who's the one responsible for what…" Emotions stopped him from going on.
Asami swallowed hard. "Look around Tonraq… who's the only one not here…? Who's the only one who isn't here to visit Korra?"
Tonraq looked at the Heiress and his sadness turned to pure hatred and anger. A deep growl tore from his throat when he said his name. "Mako…" He let go of his wife and wanted to leave. Asami stopped him and shook her head.
"No. Korra needs you more right now. She's scared. In pain. She needs her mother and father. To assure her that they love her. No matter what." Tonraq seemed to calm down even though he was still seething with anger.
"We can't let him get away with this!" He roared.
"Who says that we will…?" Asami said, a curious eyebrow up. "I love your daughter…" She suddenly blurted out. "Like, love -love- your daughter. How you love your wife. I'd do anything for her."
A deep frown formed on his forehead. He took a few deep breathes to calm down further. The frown gave way for a warm smile. "I'm glad to hear that Asami." He said, his deep voice full of genuine happiness. Senna had dried her tears and smiled at the Heiress too. "But what will we do about, him...?"
"You leave that to me… I'll make sure we'll be able to… show him how we feel… before we hand him over to the police."
Tonraq shook his head. "No… if I see him, I'd probably kill him on the spot…" He put a hand on Asami's shoulder and gently squeezed it. "Senna and I will stay with her… she won't be alone."
It was Senna's time to speak up this time. "We'll enter the room with you. Show her our love and assure her that no matter what, we'll always support you both. Afterwards… you can go… and hunt down the monster who did this to her." She let out a deep sigh before she continued. "We'll tell Bolin and the others what happened once you're gone…"
Asami couldn't agree more. She and the Southerners went to the room where Korra was in. Bolin and Naga moved aside and Asami opened the door. Assuring Bolin that everything would be explained to him later. He nodded and sadly patted Naga's head. Who let out a soft little whine.
Tonraq and Senna were shocked when they saw their daughter. The young woman cried when both her parents embraced her fiercely. Holding her close and comforting her to the best of their abilities. Asami was pulled into the hug as well and she held her friend while they cried. They spent several hours there. Chatting about pretty much anything and everything. Asami had told everybody about the newest contracts they had received. Tonraq had shared some stories of how Naga got into trouble in the city. Constantly running off in search for food.
Later, when it was time to let Korra get some rest. Asami decided it was time. She told Korra that she needed to leave for a short time and even though it was hard on her, she let her friend go. She knew that Asami had a life on her own. What she didn't knew… was that, once the Heiress had stepped off the docks, she entered her car. Opened the small compartment where she kept the car's papers, and took out her electric glove. She looked at it and activated it for a couple seconds. Letting the electric sparks play around on her fingers. Once she turned it off again, she took a firm grip on the wheel of the car and pushed in the gas as deep as possible. Racing off into the city with shrieking tires.
"Hunting season is open…"