~Chapter 10~

~The Police station~

11 years ago

Mako held his weeping little brother close as seemingly disinterest policemen walked back and forth. The two were unaware of the golden eyes watching them from across the room. Sozza, sharp eyed and the spitting image of her mother, waited patiently for her companion to finish her work so they could go to dinner. The spy sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Are they really going to just ignore them like that? They're so small and no one's even noticing them." She pouted. "Why are they crying? Where are their parents?"

Her companion looked up. "Oh, they're parents were kill a few hours ago by a mugger. We're waiting for child services to pick them up."

Sozza looked shocked. "Child services? They suck! I wouldn't let them watch my dog, if I had a dog, let alone comfort the poor things…. How can you just sit there and do paper work? There are kids needing comfort!"

The police officer looked up annoyed. "I don't like kids, remember? That's why-"

"Yes, yes, I've heard that story before." Sozza waved her hand. "But we can't not do something! They're so small. Can I at least go comfort the babes? You know before child services shows up and they inevitably runaway to leave on the streets to get recruited by a gang only to end up back here."

Her companion sighed. "Go, talk to them. I've got more paper work to do."

Sozza smiled. "Yes!"
"Just don't get attached!"

"I'll try not to babe." Sozza walked over and kneeled down by the boys. "Hi there, I'm Sozza Agidar can I sit with you?"

The older boy looked dubious but nodded. There was a few moments of silence before Mako spoke up. "So are you a cop?"

Sozza shook her head. "No just dating one. So what are your names?"

"I'm Mako and he's Bolin."

Bolin sat up to look at the strange women sitting next to them. "I'm five!"

Mako frowned. "You're not five you'll be five in a week."

Bolin pouted. "But the police guys said I'd have to grow up faster now that-that… we're alone." The little boy broke into a fresh new batch of tears while the older tried to hide his own tears with his scarf.

Sozza frowned and gently rubbed the younger boy's back just like her Aunt Mai did whenever she was upset. She looked up at the older who was trying his best to hold back his own tears. "And how old are you?"

"I'll be 8 in three months."

Sozza nodded. "You know it's ok to cry."

"But I have to be strong for Bolin." Mako was clearly holding back his own tears.

Sozza patted the free spot next to her. "I know you do, but right now, let me be strong for you and you can cry."

Mako gave her a wary look but moved to the other side and let himself sob. Sozza wouldn't know it until a few years later but from that point on both Mako and Bolin trusted her. They felt safe, like treasure being guarded by a dragon, something that at that moment they never thought they would feel again. The two boys fell asleep leaning against her when her companion walked over.

"You know they aren't going to let you adopt them. With who your mother was, what we are, what you do for a living all things that will make it very easy to reject your application." The police officer crossed her arms. "You're already attached aren't you?"
Sozza nodded. "Yes, I am." She looked into the green eyes of her lover. "They might not let us adopt them but they'd you watch over them until a 'proper' foster family was arranged. With who your mother was, they wouldn't dare oppose."

Sozza's lover frowned and looked away. "I don't know Sozza, this could end badly for all of us. Why not let the system function like it's meant to."

Just then a frazzled looking woman came stomping in headed straight for the two boys. "Sorry I'm late! This is the third pick up I've head today." She exhaled. "The last one wouldn't stop screaming and clinging to me, it was a mess. Are these the two orphaned brothers?" She took out a folder. "Marko and Bowling?"

"Mako and Bolin." Sozza corrected.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, lady it's been a very long day and I'm going to see them for max a half hour while I drive them to the orphanage and then they are just names on a paper." She tapped her watch. "Look can we get this over quickly? I've got two more cases to take on today."

Sozza's grip on the boys tightened as she gave a warning look to her companion. The police officer sighed. "Go see to your other cases, these two boys are going to be in my care."

The woman tilted her head. "Uh why?"
"Their parents were just murdered, there's reason to believe that they could be in danger. They will stay in police protection until the danger has subsided or a proper foster family is found."

"Uh fine." The woman handed her the file. "Just make sure these papers get to the right people."

"They will." Sozza assured.

"Good, because if that doesn't happen I'll have to take them in and I'd rather not see a child twice."

Sozza bit her tongue at what she wanted to say.

"If I have anything to say about you won't." The police officer finished filling out the top piece of paper and handed it to the woman. "Here you go. Now don't you have two more children to help?"
The woman took the paper and walked out the door.

"I'm not going to let them enter the system." Sozza looked her lover right in the eyes. "And I don't care who I have to bribe, blackmail, or kill to do it."

The officer chuckled. "Spoken like a true mother."

.o.

~Present Day~

The police station was still hectic after all the years that are passed filled with officers and people all trying to achieve something. Korra sat on a bench, in a somewhat less busy hallway, with Mako and Bolin by her sides. Asami hadn't arrived yet. Not that anyone was really minding her absence. They could hear Chief Beifong, Director Sozza, and Tarrlock arguing with each other through the wall behind them. It wasn't clear enough to hear exactly what they were saying but enough to figure out three very separate points of view on the matter.

Korra felt sick, she had been dragged here and then told nothing more. She wanted to go to Iroh's apartment and just curl up in bed but she couldn't as along as she was sitting here in this police station.

Korra was pulled from her thoughts as Asami walked down the hall and sat next to Mako sighing exhaustedly.

"You would not believe the hassle it is to find a parking space here. I guess too many impounded cars." She looked over and frowned. "Sorry I was trying to lighten the mood."

"Well thanks for trying." Korra gave a weak smile. "Really thanks."

"Oh! Don't thank me yet!" Asami rummaged through her bag. "I was able to get the waiter to box up a slice of cake." She fished out the small box. "I kept raving about it I thought you might actually like to try some."

Korra took the box and forced a smile. "Thanks Asami that's really sweet of you."

She smiled. "Don't mention it. I just hope it makes you feel a little better."

Mako gave Korra a sympathetic look while taking Asami's hand. "I hate what this guy puts you through. I mean I know it's not completely his fault but this is the second time he's been kidnapped by the Equalists in a month. Korra, I know that you like this guy but could there possibly be a chance he's not what he seems?"

Korra looked over at Mako dumb struck. "Are you saying you think Iroh is an equalist?" Her voice was strained as if fighting back tears. "Are you really saying that to me while we aren't even sure whether or not he's alive?"

Korra stood up shaking before running to the only place she could without incurring Chief Beifong's wrath, the ladies' bathroom. The young avatar felt weak and scared, the nightmares she had been having lately only seemed to be intensifying her feelings of dread. As the city lost control and Amon gained more and more power, the more helpless she felt. The idea of Iroh being kidnapped or dead pained her but the notion of the person closest to her betraying her petrified her.

She fidgeted with her wedding ring as she looked at her reflection. Korra turned away unwilling to watch the tears roll down her cheeks. If someone had told her six years ago that she'd actually be crying at the possibility of death she would have asked if they were of joy.

.o.

"Wow, even you Mako? I thought there would be more than one cool head left in this city, I guess it's not you." A stranger with bright green spiked hair looked down at them. "Pity."

Bolin looked up, his mouth still open ready to chew his big brother out. "Sota?" Bolin's eyes darted up and down taking in the son of a mob boss standing before them. "Why are you here?!"

Sota shrugged pushing his black hair back. "The Police dragged me in here to ask if I knew if my old man was helping the Amon and his marry band of Chi Blockers." He sneered. "Like my dad would have anything to do with those louses / especially after what happened to Zolt."

Mako frowned. "I didn't think you were in contact with your father. Did you two mend the bridge or something?"

"No, we're still estranged, but that doesn't keep the boys in blue for dragging me down here." Sota's green eyes glanced over at Asami. "Miss Asami Sato, what are you doing hanging around a guy like Mako? You can't be that desperate. There have got to be better men in this city."

Asami moved a little away from Sota. "Like you?"

Sota snorted. "Nah, not like me princess. I'm not the kind of guy you want at all. Well maybe you do if you're dating guys like Mako." He gestured to Bolin. "But if you want someone of real quality, date the other brother. Trust me sweetie."

Asami frowned and clung to Mako's arm. "I think I stay with the brother I have now."

Sote shrugged. "Fine with me, just trying to save you pain." He looked at Mako. "Oh, so I saw your mom walking around earlier, she seems quite agitated. Everything ok?"

Mako cringed. "Not exactly, she's pissed off Amon was able to capture Bolin and I didn't call her for help. She and I aren't on the best of terms right now."

"Mom?" Asami moved back. "But I thought your parents were dead. Didn't that scarf you always wear belong to your father?"
"Yeah, it did. They are."

"Sota's talking about our adopted mom." Bolin cut in. "You see Mako was seven when our folks were killed and the police brought use here. They were going to send us off to child services and mom, who was working narcotics at the time, stepped in and said she would take us in until a proper foster family could be arranged."

"Obviously, that never happened and we got a new family." Mako hesitated. "It's a little unconventional to say the least."

"Single moms aren't the unconventional Mako." Asami pointed out, her mind completely forgetting why they were in the police station in the first place. "I was raised by a single father for most of my life."

"Oh we have a two parent house hold." Bolin explained. "But trust me it's a little unconventional and since both parents are really involved in…current affairs, we're kind of not supposed to talk about them much."

"Which is fine by me." Mako crossed his arms. "They don't want to be in our lives anymore that's fine. Just wish they wouldn't chew me out every time I make a tiny mistake."

"We do want to be in your lives Mako, but it's hard with work at the moment and the fact during the sports season you elected to live in the stadium." Sozza sighed stepping out of Lin's office. "And forgetting to tell your mothers Amon kidnapped your brother is not a tiny mistake. That's a big one, my dear." She shook her head. "Look, I'm not here to drag that up now, Bolin's back safe and sound. That's all that really matters after all." She looked around. "I'm looking for Avatar Korra, have you seen her?"
"She went to the bathroom to compose herself." Asami answered looking concerned. "She's been there for a while now."

Sozza sighed. "I'll go in and see if she needs anything. Boys if you would escort your friend into the Chief's office and tell I'll be there in a moment, that would be appreciated."

"Sure mom." Bolin nodded.

Asami looked over at Mako and Bolin in surprise. "Your mom is that Lady? I've seen her at social events, isn't she Princess Azula's daughter?"

"Yes she is." Bolin chuckled. "And she's one of our moms."

Asami tilted her head. "One of your moms? I don't," She shook her head. "When this is all over Mako, I want you to give a detailed explanation of your family situation because I thought you two were broke kids from the street."

Bolin shrugged. "We're not but…"

"Bolin eats through our allowance."

"And Mako's too proud to call up the 'rents and ask for more." Bolin leaned over to Asami and explained in a forced whisper. "He's trying to prove he can stand on his own two feet. It's not going too well, he can't cook."

.o.

Sozza walked into the woman's bathroom. "Avatar Korra?" She looked around the room. "Korra? Are you in here?" She felt a cold breeze and looked to find the bathroom window flung open. "Oh, what dumb thing are you going to do princess?"

Suddenly she noticed the single shoe on the floor. She bent over and picked it up. "Or rather what dumb thing did someone else do?"

"Don't worry." Said a male voice behind her. "She's not alone."

.o.

Korra would call in tell everyone she was ok. She really would but she couldn't face it right now. She didn't want to hear any more of what they thought happened to Iroh or if he was an equalist or not. She just couldn't. Korra, missing shoe and all, walked through the city until she came to Iroh's apartment. Using the key Iroh had given her, she opened the door, locked herself in, and curled up in Iroh's bed. She yawned as Iroh's familiar sent put her at ease. She reached out to take the phone and call someone but was asleep before her hand reached the receiver.

A/N: thanks for reading! Please comment if you feel so compelled also the chapter titles no longer have a common theme, I ran out of cleave ones to put. Hope you enjoyed I'll see you later! ~ C.C.