Kuvira didn't cry, at least not while Korra watched, or as she held her. The lie that they had told their family was that they had been offered a research scholarship with Varrick Industries, an experiment had malfunctioned and taken the young man's life. Kuvira let the families pain wash over her. Her mother screamed and begged and Kuvira couldn't bring herself to speak. Months had passed since Bataar's death, his cremation, his ashes scattered over Republic City and yet Kuvira remained in this strange zen like state. For someone who was supposed to fall completely out of orbit without him she was completely placid. Korra searched her demeanour for grief or anything that displayed her pain. Every day that passed was a painful one, and she found herself hard pressed to take any joy from constantly being shoved away. She was a wall, she wanted dearly to help, to heal her as she had learned from the best.

Asami was unbearably distant too. She attended business trips after all night meetings alone, she came home to Naga and no one else, and after Bataar Jr.'s death coming back to the facility was unthinkable to her. Still, Korra had a job to do and despite everything she took comfort in it's routine.

Korra jumped back into the orange-coved room, flanked by Bolin and Mako, still hot and hooting having pulled sixteen people out of a bus crash in Florida. Zero casualties, sixteen extremely grateful cheerleaders from U of FC. Korra rolled her eyes as she folded her modified electro shock glove into her jacket pocket. Asami would be glad to hear Korra always had it near her, in recent months, it made her feel safe. At least if Asami's twelve years of Shaolin Kung Fu wasn't by her side, her 50,000 volts would suffice.

She searched the facility with a sweeping glance. Her eyes caught Kuvira in a domineering pose over Varrick, the man which slightly shrunken he was pointing a finger to her chest. Once their leader in battle, now she was too reserved to think about missions. She hardly left the lab, often Korra caught Varrick and Kuvira whispering in hushed tones.

Whenever she did Varrick would lose colour in his face and Kuvira would brave a smirk. Malachite eyes cloudy and shielded. Korra placed a hand affectionately on her cheek and trained her clear blue gaze on them, imagining an eternity of pain behind the veil. The older woman softened a bit, raising her hand hold her against her.

"Tell me what you're not saying." Korra urged.

"It's nothing."

"And yet Varrick is peeing his pants over there."

"You wouldn't understand right now Korra."

"How can I understand if you don't even try to make me." Korra traded her cheek for her shoulder, turning her towards her. "A little empathy goes a long way."

"The only way you could empathise would be if Asami was killed in front of you." Kuvira's voice had a mournful edge to it that was difficult to stomach, "If you walked her to her death do you know what thats like?"

"Wow." Korra stepped back. "Just wow." She felt a flicker of the idea reach her vision, Asami's red lips pale, emerald eyes glazed over unmoving. She felt her heart stop as it burned her in a flash.

"I'm sorry." Kuvira backtracked, reaching for Korra's hand and bringing it to her lips. "I'm just so out of it. I feel like I'm missing a limb…He was the best man in my life you know? There's not a moment I don't think of him." She clumsily tangled her slender fingers through Korra's, ears still ringing with the image of her Familiar's demise. Kuvira leant down and kissed the corner of her mouth. Korra shook her head briefly, until Kuvira parted her lips and began to speak again. "I've been working on something. Continuing Bataar's work, his dream. With Varrick he wants to hold off testing it but…"

"How can you dive right back into that?"

"We got it right this time, people could save themselves, think of how much better this world would be?"

"It's never that simple, Kuvira,"

"Korra, just trust me," Kuvira squeezed on her hand, the facility faded and warm air buffeted the pair on it's roof. Korra and Kuvira had been here before to admire the city, it was a pleasant place and Korra loved any place she could stand and point out the Future Industries Tower from. Were she to turn she could have traced the horizon and isle that was Yue Bay. However there was the more pressing concern of the machine thrumming on the rooftop. It was about a foot shorter than Korra and as wide as she was tall. It had half an orb on its top, glowing and raging a cloud of angry pink flaring beneath the glass.

"What is that?"

"We've made some adjustments. It should be able to cover the entire city."

"With what?"

"Everyone out there can share in with what we have."

"What happens when their bodies reject this? Varrick says they need the perfect host, not everyone is compatible. What happens when they're exposed?" Korra could hardly describe the rolling storm of deep emotion that crossed Kuvira's face.

"Then they won't exist."

"Kuvira this is insane." Kuvira clutched at her chest, or rather her shirt pocket, steadily she had been cracking apart Bataar's glasses within the fabric.

"So is this. Bataar's ashes are scattered within the limits. When the energy hits them I won't have to feel this anymore. This'll turn him into what he was always meant to be. Like us. Or he'll be wiped from time. They all will."

"What about your mother? Varrick? Asami? If they're incompatible?"

"They won't feel a thing." The Malachite began to clear, and Korra began to decipher the mad swirling typhoon of grief behind it.

"And Varrick helped you with this?" Her free fingers combed through Korra's locks, twisting, bringing their foreheads together and willing her to understand. "Evolve or die?" Korra had a hand on Kuvira's wrist, tugging free, winding her fingers in the glove of her own pocket. Desperately seeking comfort as her girlfriend unravelled before her.

"I removed his choice." Korra took a stumbling step back, she replayed the last few weeks in her head. The hushed tones. Varrick's unusually withdrawn nature. She had assumed it was because of the death.

"Where's Zhu Li, Kuvira?"

"Safe I swear. When this is over it'll be perfect." She leaned forward taking Korra's wrist from her side and forcing her hand to her lips. "Everything will be okay."

"I can't let you do this 'Vira. You're not thinking straight."

"You're not thinking at all!" Kuvira teleported back to the console, flicking switches and touching receptive screens. Korra lunged, clutching her shoulder with the electric glove in a surprise attack. Kuvira crumpled, but it was too late. Already the orb was peeling open from its centre. Bolts of bright light came surging out.

Asami had buried herself in work. Currently with Naga keening at her heels she tinkered with the prototype of the latest Future Industries hybrid engine.

She felt the oxygen inexplicably thin around her, Naga barked, and her heart skipped a few beats involuntarily. She had begun to learn the tell tale signs that Korra was about to appear, and closed her eyes for the inevitable crash.

"Asami you have to leave." Korra tugged her from the couch and her engine nearly smashed into Naga if the beast hadn't teleported to the door, wagging her tail and eyeing them curiously.

"What the hell?"

"I don't have time to explain, you have to get out of the city! Please."

"Korra, Korra calm down." Asami took Korra's hands and her fingers skated over the glove, "Who did you use this on?"

"Kuvira. She's trying to share the ray with the city. It'll either turn you into a teleporter or erase you."

"You can't be serious." Asami blanched, head whirling as she watched Korra dive for her purse.

"I don't have time for this." She then dove back and grabbed her wrist. They were in New York, Central Park, their joined family holiday from seven years ago was the furthest thing from Asami's mind as Korra let her go. She didn't think she just grabbed her as she teleported back to the roof.

"Asami don't do this." Korra reached for her but she made a move to simultaneously step over Kuvira's unconscious body and inspect the machine. She gazed at the ray and followed its course up, watching the magenta beam spread and palm into a dome above the city.

"It's forming a barrier before it fills the air." She swiped its console which immediately shut her out, "it's the tertiary stage we have to worry about."

"Asami come on!"

"Korr-" The heiress felt a hand latching onto her leg and it pulled her so her cheek collided with the machine. Kuvira roused teleporting them away from her machine and flinging Asami into the fire exit door. The engineer flew into action, aiming a trained round house for Kuvira's head on instinct, she jumping behind Asami who felt her presence and kept her leg high and swinging. Her heel ricocheting off of Kuvira's shoulder. Incensed, Korra tackled her, lunging and Jumping catching her legs together. She was bucked off, ploughing into Asami and Kuvira returned to the beam.

Asami was wiping the blood from her eyes that smeared from her cheek and tugging the glove from Korra's hand. In a surge of adrenaline and blood Asami leapt. Sensing it Kuvira dodged, graceful and disciplined, caught in close quarters with the engineer and her lightning emblazoned fist. They tangled and fought with equal discipline and skill and Korra realised with a confused satisfaction that Asami was holding her own against a supernatural being.

Korra circled the machine in a quick succession of jumps. It was impenetrable. Korra laid her palms flat on the metal, feeling it shivering and writhing minutely beneath it. She aimed a few well aimed kicks at the machine the panels came loose. She fed her hand into the rattling seams and tugged.

The beam started to shift and break, swelling and striking at random points in the city. Korra screamed but kept her grip as she felt blades of energy teem through her.

Kuvira was finally caught off guard, Asami's glove found home on her throat. Jaw set, tears in her emerald eyes, leering with cathartic calculation. Behind each punch had been a memory of every kiss, every caress every glance Kuvira and Korra had shared and Asami was made to witness. Her strength came from her anger, and her anger from her longing. She loved Korra and was finally able to show it in this primal and furious act. Kuvira writhed and went limp, unconscious and beaten.

All that could be heard were Korra's grunts of pain and strain. She was trying to jump with the machine that fought against her. Iron split into shards and as she pressed it shifted. Asami heard it's barbs penetrate her stomach before Korra knew what was happening. She ran for Korra, wrapping her fingers around the metal and trying to pull Korra away only she resisted. Arms around the Water Tribe woman she watched helplessly as Korra reached for the beam, fingers touched light and they were enveloped. Pink gave way to gold, and that gold was submerged with the pair in a dark pool.

Ethereal light screamed around them, blinding and then it was absorbed, dissipating and trickling like snow underwater. Asami felt Korra finally relinquish her hold on the machine, but with the undeniable coppery taste of blood on her lips she realised that there was not much else Korra could do as they sank. Under the weight of the contraption they soon hit the bottom. Asami's stinging eyes caught guppies, and the moon pouring over them under an archway and instantly she knew where Korra had taken them. She struggled to manoeuvre Korra from the machine, but she would not budge and she was slowly being crushed.

Asami gasped at the pressure and began to choke. Her vision faltered and her lungs screamed for air. For a moment their was nothing but the girl in her arms, and some part of her was content with that.

And then glowing almonds appeared above her. Blue, angelic beams of light pouring out of a pair of jewel-like eyes. Short chestnut hair surrounding her head like a halo, muscles sculpted and contracted, pulling the water around the machine, and tugging it up and over. Crooked smile breaking her face, she swam down to Asami, and placed a gentile kiss on her red lips, before disappearing in a flash of green and gold.

Exhilarated Asami pulled at Korra, hooking her arms under her shoulders she kicked madly to the shore. Blood stained the sand where Asami dragged her. She took off her belt and jacket and clamped as much pressure as she could on the wound.

Her blue eyes were open just a crack but seemingly dark and unseeing. Asami moved close pumped her chest until she gasped, lolling back into the sand, unable to lift her head or open her mouth to even scream in pain.

"Korra please." Asami pitches forward lowering her lips to Korra's ear, "you need to get yourself to a hospital. RC General do you remember? Like when you had your accident." Her shivering was slowing, and despite the heiress' hand clamping tightly onto hers she was losing touch alarmingly fast. "You can't do this to me again. You have to do this." She bend her neck so her forehead touched hers, desperate to connect, "You do this and everything will be okay. Everything will be okay… I will have you all to myself. We will be the endgame for all time, I promise…" She couldn't stop her lips from seeking home on Korra's. She craved but a sliver of the happiness she once knew, and Korra had to know that this was how she felt and for the first time, she said it out loud. "I love you. Korra."

This was the moment Korra's eyes opened, blue and glowing for the first time in her life. Asami's hard grip was returned and the sopping wet grit and blood they had been sprawled on was replaced by shattered tile and blinding tungsten lights. Again Korra went limp, but like white blood cells sensing disease the nurses, doctors and orderlies of Republic City General Hospital dove into help.

Asami hugged her knees tight for a while numb as she watched them carry Korra away. Only returning to cogent thought when a nurse tried to tend her own wounds.

The surgery took hours, and thanks to Future Industries' wall of lawyers Asami was free to watch every agonising second after her head was bandaged and cheek sewn up. Despite the time she still couldn't feel a thing. Not being family she wasn't allowed to sit by Korra unconscious and when she did rouse a full day later, she asked for no visitors.

Asami could hardly bear it. She had given everything to Korra, and now it seemed she'd ruined everything in her haste. She couldn't go home. Not without knowing if that one sliver of hope had been snuffed out yet. So she kept her chin high, made no eye contact and paced through the hospital wards in search of her best friend.

In the sea of styrofoam white and pale green Asami felt the blue orbs catch on her skin, the moment she saw her, pain and sensation finally began to filter through. She pushed the door open, but could go no further. Watching Korra raise herself as agony twisted her features, from lying to sitting.

"I'm sorry-" she began. Korra raised a hand to silence her. She made eye contact for a moment, and then lowered her gaze as if looking at Asami was too much to bear.

"Don't…You were amazing. I just…" Korra swallowed as a myriad of things left unsaid swept through her, where to start and what to say at that moment completely alluded her.

Asami hugged herself tight, the sulphuric scent and bright white walls burning her eyes as she waited for Korra to continue. Worse was the flashing memories of Korra swaddled in hospital clothes once again, hair pooling limp and still blood soaked at her shoulders. The girl turned herself, wincing with her mouth as she clutched her bandaged wound with her hand. Asami raised her hands by instinct, to catch her, to begin coddling her as had become her instinct.

"Don't." Korra urged, toes touching tile. She stood, arching her back as if trying to crack a joint that wouldn't go. She stifled a whimper, and took one step. Determined blue orbs latched onto Asami's eyes. She was caught in her stoic glare and couldn't help but tense. She couldn't tell if she was furious, sad or just in pain. Yet she kept walking, and Asami felt like she should be shrinking.

"I know what you're going to say." She faltered under Korra's watch, closing her eyes, opening them, looking anywhere but directly at her. "This isn't the time." she continued with weak trembling lips. Korra took another step, leaning heavily on a dolly that any moment was going to slip and dump her on the ground. "That you just need me to be your best friend." The Water tribe woman stood straight and found her balance, aiming her third step in line with her feet. "and I will be I swear. For anything you need. I just can't help the way I feel. You're just so kind and, and brave I couldn't help but-" The side Korra's free hand graced her numb cheek, wiping tears she didn't know she'd leaked.

Korra reached and grabbed the shirt at Asami's waist in a tight fist as she wiped, the heiress was sure this was a move to balance herself until she spoke.

"Did you really mean what you said?"

"Which part?"

"All time?"

"I… yes. You're the only person I want to…"

"Want to what?"

"Don't toy with me like this Korra, it's hard enough-"

And with that Korra put all her strength into her toes, and brought her mouth over hers. Asami was too tired to pretend like this was a first kiss, innocent and quaint. Her fingers combed into Korra's locks hungrily, rosewood lips pressing to hers in a searing kiss. She felt a release in her chest, and let out a whimper of pure delight into Korra's mouth. It was a true expression of all her longing and want. Korra reciprocated gladly, laughing against her as joy bubbled through her.

When they finally parted, Asami's breath was swept away by the way Korra's eyes held her. Nothing else mattered. She was perfect.

Might do an epilogue but this will be the last for a while. I'm serious this time.