Chapter XXX: Confessions Part 2

Saltrall was shocked and surprised at first, but he soon recovered and started kissing her back. He put his hand on her cheek and that seemed to snap Korra out of a trance. He eyes shot open and she pulled away and scooted away from Saltrall.

"Ohmygod Ohmygod Ohmygod!" She said frantically, turning away from him. "I'msosorryIdon'tknowwhatcameoverme-"

"Korra," Saltrall interjected, but she kept rambling.

"youprobablyhatemenow,andItotallyunderstand-"

"Korra!" He tried again, but she kept incoherently trying to explain herself. He rolled his eyes and turned her head and kissed her deeply.

Korra's eyes widened again but this time she didn't pull away. After a few seconds it was Saltrall who pulled away. They were both panting softly.

"I don't hate you, I could never hate you." He said softly, trying to comfort and calm her.

"But-but-but," She stammered, "I kissed you, just out of nowhere, how can you NOT hate me?"

Saltrall blushed a little and smiled. "Because I love you, Korra."

"You... do?" She asked, calming down a little and blushing heavily.

Saltrall nodded and stood, walking over to the console. He pulled the lever and the TARDIS took off. He didn't know where they were going, but he knew they needed alone time. He sighed and stared at the large array of dials and meters in front of him.

Korra stood and walked over slowly. She walked up the steps and stood behind Saltrall. Saltrall was still bent over the console, his head down with his eyes closed. He didn't know Korra was there until she wrapped her arms around his midsection and placed her cheek against his back.

Saltrall sighed and gripped the edge of the console.

"I'm sorry that's how you found out because I'd been meaning to tell you for a while." He said dejectedly.

Korra frowned when she heard how sad he sounded.

"I know you just did that because it was the heat of the moment, I've seen it happen before," he said, "hell, it's happened to me before."

"But it wasn't," Korra said softly, unwrapping her arms from around him, making him finally look in her direction.

"I was terrified, I was tortured, I wanted to curl up in a ball and die," Korra said, her voice shaking as she fought back tears, "All I could think was 'any second Saltrall will bust through the door or a window and save me,'"

Saltrall stayed silent, listening to her confession.

"And when I saw..." She gulped, "another Equalist come in I thought I was done for," She said, failing to stop her tears as she sniffled, "I thought I'd never be able to tell you how I really feel."

"Korra..." Saltrall said softly, turning to face the crying Avatar, "When I saw how scared you looked when I walked in while I was disguised both of my hearts broke," he hugged her and she hugged back, crying softly into his shoulder.

"I hadn't felt so... sad in years, I had a plan, but when I saw the fear and the tears and the pain, I just... I just threw it away and saved you as fast as I could."

Now it was Saltrall's turn to fight the tears, letting one make it's way down his cheek. Korra looked at him and rubbed his cheek.

"Don't you see you big dork?" She asked softly, knowing that now was the time to say it, "I love you too."

Saltrall looked shocked and blushed. "Really?" Korra nodded and replied, "And here I thought I was making it more obvious."

"Well I mean, what with Mako and all, I-I-I just assumed-" Saltrall stammered, wiping the stray tear away as Korra put a finger over his lips and kissed his cheek.

"Of course I do, it's just," She sighed and looked down, "I don't know what to do."

Saltrall nodded and leaned against the console. "I think I know," he said.

Korra looked at him, "Really?" She asked, a small, hopeful smile crossing her lips.

Saltrall nodded, "It pains me to say this but I don't think it's right for us to be together."

Korra's small smile faded, "O-oh," she said, not expecting that response, "Why not?" She asked, voice quivering.

"Because I'm over 37 times older than you, for one" He said.

"So? You look barely 27!" Korra replied, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"That doesn't change anything, you're still only 17." Saltrall replied before he rubbed his face, "And what about Mako?"

"I don't even know anymore! I care about him, but I think deep down I've always cared about you more," Korra replied, her tone fully desperate. She walked over and hugged him.

Saltrall didn't react for a couple seconds before he slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm not saying never, Korra," He said, making her look up at him, "I'm saying not now,"

She looked away and nodded, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered, rubbing her back and closing his eyes.

"I understand," She whispered back before sniffling, "but, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything," Saltrall replied, looking at her when she looked up at him.

"What if it's only in here? In the TARDIS?" She asked, a fresh hope glint of hope in her eye, "just the two of us."

Saltrall thought about it. "How would it work?" He finally asked.

"I don't know, I just want to do it." Korra replied before frowning and looking away again, "never mind, it was a stupid thing to ask."

"No it wasn't," Saltrall replied. Korra didn't look at him and he sighed. "Korra, please, we both need to think this through, this has been a rough couple hours."

Korra still didn't look at him or say anything in reply. Saltrall kept rubbing her back and thinking before he came up with something else to say.

"They didn't do anything else to you... did they?" He asked softly.

Korra pulled away and let out a shaky breath. "They took me to a different place first."

Saltrall felt his hearts sink again. "What do you mean?" He had another, more worried thought, "How... How long did it take for me to rescue you?"

Korra shook softly, "At least three hours," she said, "Probably more, I couldn't tell you."

Saltrall turned away from her.

"I'm so, so sorry," He said, not able to bring himself to face her, "I had no idea I took so long, I-I thought I got there ten minutes after you were taken."

Korra looked at him, his back turned from her, "To answer your question, no, they didn't do anything else to me, just shocked and beat me for hours."

Saltrall slammed his hand on the console suddenly, making Korra jump.

"Dammit!" He shouted, "I should've been faster, I could've stopped them. Just one time! Let me get there in time!" He said before punching the console and sliding to the floor.

Korra walked over quickly, trying to comfort him. "You did everything you could," she said, rubbing his shoulders.

"That's what they said after Giorgio died, and Zenkath too." Saltrall replied, putting his head between his knees and wrapping his arms around his calves.

Korra suddenly realized what he meant. He wasn't just upset that he couldn't keep her safe, or keep her from being tortured, he felt guilty that he let another person he loved get hurt.

"Saltrall, please listen to me," She said softly, still rubbing his shoulder before crouching next to him. He didn't move.

"I'm still here, you did save me," She said,"You didn't mess up, or fail, you succeeded."

"But I let you get hurt," He replied, still not moving.

"But I'm okay, Saltrall, thanks to you."

Saltrall lifted his head up and looked at her. "But..."

She kissed him softly to keep him from talking.

"You saved me, that's all that matters." She said, rubbing his cheek, "I'll never forget what you've done for me, or anyone else, you've done so much more than you needed to, not just for me, but for Tenzin, Asami, Makoa and Bolin, you're a hero, Saltrall. You're... my hero."

Saltrall thought for a second and managed to smile softly.

"I... I guess I did save you," He replied, eyes softening as he began to forget the memories that had just haunted him.

"You did," Korra replied, realizing she was helping him forget his nightmares, at least for now, "You saved me, that means you aren't a failure or anything else, don't think about your failures, think about your successes."

He nodded a little, the thoughts of his fallen friends coming back, but this time he managed to push them away.

"You're right," He said, leaning against her softly, letting go of his legs, "I failed then, I'll always have to live with that, but I can also live with the fact that, just this once, when it really mattered, I didn't fail."

Korra smiled and stood, helping Saltrall up, "Good, that's what I want you to think about from now on."

Saltrall hugged her and she hugged him back.

"Thank you, Korra, so much," He whispered into her ear.

"That's what friends and loved ones are for, to help each other," She whispered back.

After a few minutes Saltrall finally, reluctantly, pulled away. He smiled a little and rubbed Korra's cheek.

"You wanna know something, Korra? I think you're a damn good Avatar." He said, making her blush and look away.

"But I have a lot to learn," She replied.

"That may be so, but you're smart, I know you'll be just fine."

She smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Saltrall."

"You're very welcome," He replied before turning to his console.

"Unfortunately, there's a real world out there, one that needs us." He said, "Go sit on the couch, I'll take us back to the sewer."

Korra frowned a little but nodded and moved under the railing and sat on the couch as Saltrall pulled the lever and sent them back to the real world.