The steady sound of a hammer striking home, multiplied almost a dozen times, echoed through the air. The sound of a stereo cranked up did it's best to cut through the clatter, but it failed to do so, instead playing a chorus of drums and guitar in the background.

Korra tugged the bottom of her tank up and wiped at her face. The rag around her head was soaked through and had long since stopped stemming the flow of sweat from her brow. She labored under the hot summer sun, feeling a trickle of sweat slide down her back. She wasn't the only one soaked trough with sweat though. The other's around her were just as bad.

The day had turned into a scorcher, not a cloud in sight to block the rays of the sun from beating down on their backs. The men had long ago discarded their shirts and elected to work bare chested. Their bodies tinged pink from the mild burn setting in.

Asami and Opal made them all take frequent breaks. Making sure they drank, rested, cooled off, and applied a coating of sunscreen each time. Then, after their brief breather, they all shimmied back up their ladders and set back to work.

They had made good progress, finishing the frame of the barn before the sun had crested the tallest hill. The barn was coming together quickly despite their frequent breaks, a couple extra pairs of hands speeding the process along. Asami's guidance as an engineer paying off in organizing their usual chaotic work process.

They took a break for lunch, taking a longer rest and finding a place to sprawl in the shade. Korra stretched out on her back, her stomach full, and her eyelids growing heavy. Her head was pillowed in Asami's lap, and she smiled at the feeling of her wife's eyes on her.

"Stop watching me, creep."

Asami chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I'm admiring you." She stroked her thumb over Korra's cheek. "Even like this you're gorgeous."

Korra smiled and peeked up at her through squinted eye lids. "Are you trying to sweet talk me to get in my pants later?"

Asami snorted and leaned forward, brushing her lips teasingly across those in front of her. "Korra, you are by far, the most gorgeous woman I have ever laid eyes on."

Korra blushed, her heart giving a little stutter in her chest. After five years, her wife still found ways to make her heart skip a beat. "Thank you."

Asami smiled softly and nodded her head. "You're welcome my love." Then she wiggled her legs, bouncing Korra's head around. "Come on, breaks over."

Korra groaned and rolled over, wrapping her arms around Asami's waist. "No! Five more minutes."

Asami wiggled out of the embrace and jumped to her feet. "Come along Mrs. Southern. We have a barn to finish. Then," she reached down, grabbed Korra's hands, and helped pull her to her feet, "you're taking me dancing." She winked and started for the barn, adding a little sway to her hips as she went along.

Many hours later the sound of hammers had completely gone, and the stereo had been cranked. Everyone was freshly showered and crowded into the completed barn. Drinks in hand as they chatted and swayed to the music. The barn doors stood open, a nice cool breeze stirring through the air. Someone had taken the time to hang little twinkling lights in the few trees near the barn.

Asami leaned against the doorway, watching everyone mingle and laugh. She did this at times, pulled herself from the crowd to stand on the edge and watch. She had started doing it shortly after their wedding. Taking a minute or two to look out over everyone, over all those that had a place in her heart. She committed the moment to memory. Etched it into her brain, basking in the moment.

Yet, this time, as it had other times, she felt her mind wander. Not for the first time she had an inkling of a thought, of a gnawing need that something was missing. Which, in all honesty, left Asami spinning. She was happy. She was surrounded by people she adored, and who adored her. She had a wife that made her feel incredibly lucky and loved. But she felt like something was missing, like there was something else they needed or was supposed to be doing with their life.

She was so lost in thought she hadn't known Korra had joined her until she felt two strong arms slip around her waist from behind. She jumped at the contact, and barely contained the squeal of fright from escaping her lips. "Jesus Christ, Korra." She pressed her palm to her chest, feeling her heart pound underneath. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I called out three times. You were in your own little world." Korra urged her to turn and studied her face. "Come here." She tugged her hand and led her away from the barn and to stand under the twinkling lights hanging from the nearby tree. "Are you okay?"

Asami nodded and smiled. "Yeah, you just scared me."

Korra shook her head and placed her hands firmly on Asami's waist. "No, I mean from before that. I've noticed you getting lost in thought more than once, and I don't just mean today." She stamped the little bubble of insecurity down. She feared that perhaps during these times of thoughts, Asami was second guessing their relationship. It was something that, even after all this time, she still struggled with, silently.

Asami chewed at her lip, unsure how to express the thoughts and feelings she was having. How did one tell their soulmate that they felt something was incomplete about their life? How did she do that without worrying Korra? Without causeing Korra to fear it was something she had or had not done?

She noticed that she was taking too long to respond, and she could she the flash of worry in Korra's eyes. "I was just thinking. I do that sometimes."

Korra searched her eyes, knowing she was hiding something. She nodded and stepped closer, wrapping her arms snuggly around Asami's waist. She pressed her ear against Asami's chest and listened to the steady beat of her wife's heart. "You can tell me anything, you know that right? We can talk about whatever it is that's causing you to spend so much time thinking."

She paused to draw a steadying breath. "I know something's on your mind Asami. I can tell, and I'll be honest, my mind has conjured a thousand reasons why." She felt her throat constrict and burn, she gritted her teeth and willed the tears away. "They all end with you leaving."

Asami stopped breathing and flinched as the words hit her. She immediately grabbed Korra's shoulders and pushed her away to peer down into her face. She recoiled at the flash of pain and berated herself at the glint of tears. "Why would you ever think that?" As she waited for a response her mind sought out any possible instance where she might have done something to give Korra that idea, and there were none. She was utterly shocked that Korra, her beautiful, sweet, loving wife, would have this fear.

Korra sniffled and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry. It's just this stupid idea that I couldn't shake."

Asami took her hands and led her to the base of the tree. She sat down with her back against it and motioned for Korra to sit. She pulled her back against her chest, wrapped her arms around her, and rested her chin on her shoulder. "How long have you had this… idea?"

"Too long." Korra whispered, tracing her fingers over the hands resting on her stomach. "I have feared you'd realize you're far too good for me for a long time. That one day you'd wake up, see me as nothing more than some small-town rancher, and go back to the big city." She let the words tumble free as she confessed her fears to the night sky. She felt fear creeping at the back of her mind, but at the same time she felt liberated, and safe in the cocoon of her wife's embrace.

"You gave up so much to be here with me, and I was worried you'd resent me for it. Then I started noticing you withdrawing, and my mind started jumping to all these conclusions."

Asami sighed and planted a kiss to Korra's temple. "I'm so sorry baby. I never meant for you to think that." She gave Korra a squeeze and then kissed her cheek. "As for you thinking I'm too good for you, baby, I've often thought the same about you. You're so good and pure Korra. You're always there to lend a helping hand. You see the best in people. I spend my days wondering how such a strong and gentle soul fell for me."

Korra twisted to look at her. "How could I not fall for you? You're kind hearted, and so damn intelligent. A little stubborn at times." She smiled, her eyes twinkling in the low light. "Absolutely stunning, and you make me so unbelievably happy."

Asami smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Our brains have really ridiculous thoughts sometimes, and thinking I'd leave is one of them. I'm not going anywhere, at least not willingly."

Korra breathed a sigh of relief as her worry was checked firmly in place, at least for the time being. "Okay then."

"I suppose I need to share now." Asami settled back against the trunk of the tree. "For the last couple years, I've felt like something has been missing, or rather that there's something more we should be doing with our lives."

Korra tilted her head in thought. "Like helping someone?"

"Yeah, maybe." Asami shrugged and gave a heavy sigh. "It's just this nagging feeling there's something we're supposed to do, that we've got a calling we haven't answered." She sat forward and rested her forehead on Korra's shoulder. "I don't really know, it's hard to explain a feeling."

"Why didn't you say something sooner? We could have tried together to figure out what it was?"

"I wasn't sure how to explain it. I too suffered from a ridiculous thought, one of how you'd react." Asami pressed the small smile on her lips into Korra's neck.

"That bad?" Korra turned, kneeling in front of her.

Asami nodded slowly, her nose scrunched at her earlier thoughts.

Korra grasped both of Asami's hands with her own. "I think, this weekend we should talk about this more. Start spending a little more time discussing things with each other."

"A wise thought." Asami smiled and gave her a quick kiss to the lips. "For now, what do you say to sneaking home and cuddling till we fall asleep?"

"You read my mind babe." Korra stood and pulled Asami to her feet. They walked hand in hand towards their truck. Korra looked over at her wife in the moonlight and felt her heart swell. "I love you."

"I love you too Korra." Asami gave her wife's hand a squeeze before stepping into the cab of the truck.