A/N Big thanks to Beetlebum101 for this chapter. Give a round of applause guys :]

Asami

I flopped down onto the sofa, knowing full well I would never get back to sleep. If I ever catch the person who set off that fire alarm, I'll wring their neck.

I let my head fall back against the cushion and pinched the bridge of my nose. I thought I would have longer to sleep before I had to worry about work again. Clearly the universe had other ideas. I stood and moved towards my stereo, turning on some relaxing music, consciously making sure it wasn't too loud. I tried to focus on other things but nothing worked so I did what I'd been trying so hard to stop doing. I went to the window and lit up another cigarette. I had been doing so well with trying to quit until about a week ago. That's another check in the column of this-job-was-a-bad-idea.

I looked to my right and saw that Korra's window was open. The slight breeze outside was blowing my smoke in the opposite direction so I was sure it wouldn't bother her. I couldn't help but think back to earlier when we were both standing outside, looking far from our best. She looked ridiculous in long shorts and a tank top that she couldn't possibly have been sleeping in, but that didn't seem to stop me staring at her. I know she was staring at me too – I caught her. Normally that would have bothered me but this time it didn't. I wasn't ready to think about what that might mean.

"Did you like it there?" She asked me, regarding New York. I paused before replying and even when I did, it wasn't much of an answer. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I even had a feeling of contentment somewhere.

A smile pulled at my lips when I remembered the bagel. Korra well and truly got me with that so-called fakon. The way her face lit up when she explained how special it was made me laugh; partly out of relief that she hadn't fed me kitten meat and partly because she just looked so perfect in that moment. I had never taken the time to fully realise it before. I had been too busy trying to keep her at arm's length and trying to be the one in control of all our interactions to notice.

I really wasn't lying when I said it was the best bagel I'd ever had.

I stubbed out my cigarette on the outside wall and flicked it away, taking one last glance towards Korra's still-open window before closing my own.

Turns out I did manage to fall asleep again and was awoken by my phone ringing on the coffee table in front of me. I groaned and reached forward from the sofa. A quick look at the screen suddenly made me feel wide awake. It was my boss, Varrick. Oh, this can't be good.

"Varrick, good morning," I greeted, trying to sound as upbeat as possible.

"Asami, would you mind telling me why you have scheduled a meeting with the Chicago office without my knowledge or consent?" He barked out, bypassing all pleasantries. I took a steadying breath.

"It was a last minute decision yesterday afternoon; I just hadn't got around to–"

"A last minute decision?" He interrupted. "You don't make those kinds of decisions, Asami. You're not on the East Coast anymore. I run things here."

Varrick was, without a doubt, the most incompetent person to ever be in charge of anything, never mind a branch of a multinational company. Everyone knew it except for him but since his grandfather created the company, nobody could say a thing to him. I'm pretty sure my job was created because of his ineptness. His personality had been the sole reason for us losing clients and I was spending the majority of my time doing damage control.

"I know that," I said, slowly, feeling my temper bubbling under the surface. "I just thought that–"

"You're not paid to think!" He roared at me, taking me by surprise. "You're paid to do exactly what I tell you, like a good little girl. Is that clear?"

I clenched my jaw and felt my face heat up with fury. "Crystal clear," I replied in a very low voice.

"Oh, and don't bother coming in today. Nothing you have in your diary for today is important enough to justify me paying you the overtime." He hung up without another word but I continued to stand there with the phone to my ear, my jaw clenched. My grip on the phone tightened until it became too much and I screamed out, launching the phone at the opposite wall, watching it shatter into pieces.

My breathing was heavy and there seemed to be a deafening silence all around me. You're paid to do exactly what I tell you, like a good little girl. I knew Varrick was an arrogant, misogynistic pig but I didn't realise he was quite that bad. I began pacing around my apartment, tugging at my hair in frustration. Maybe I could get another transfer? I had been lied to about this job from the start. Maybe I could play that up and ask to be moved back to the East Coast. I collapsed onto the sofa and held my head in my hands. This is such a mess.

Tap, tap, tap.

I straightened up at the unexpected noise. It took me a moment to realise it was coming from the front door. I'm not sure anybody had ever knocked on my door before. The gentle knocks sounded again.

"Hello?" A quiet, concerned voice sounded. It was Korra. "Asami, are you okay? I heard… noises." I shot to my feet and stood stupidly in the middle of my living room. Of course she heard me. I had yelled, thrown a phone against the wall and then stomped around. Damn it.

"Asami?" She said again. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I didn't know what to do. Maybe if I just ignored her she would go away. "I'm not leaving until I know you're alright."

So much for that idea.

I crept slowly towards my front door and toyed with the idea of just opening it and letting her in. I couldn't do that, though. I just couldn't. I reached out and let my fingertips rest against the wooden barrier, trying to figure out what to do.

"You… You don't have to open the door but just let me know you're alright. Please," Korra said again, her tone almost begging. She sounded different than I had ever heard her before.

"I'm alright," I finally replied, quieter than I intended, my voice not co-operating. There was a long pause and I was beginning to think she hadn't heard me, but then she spoke again.

"Are you sure?" Her voice was just as quiet as mine had been.

"Yeah, I just…" I swallowed hard, feeling my throat tighten. "I just broke a glass and overreacted." Silence fell between us once more.

It stretched on too long. "Korra?" I tentatively asked.

"Okay," was all she said, before I heard the rustle of her clothes and the tell-tale sound of her apartment door opening and closing.

My head fell against my door and I couldn't stop the tears that sprung to my eyes. I let myself slide to the ground and took several deep breaths, trying to calm down.

What the hell is wrong with me?

A/N Thanks for reading.