Heeeeeeey Avatards!

So this is going to be a bit of a longer chapter, but hopefully it'll be worth your while. Please enjoy!

P.S., I do not own Legend of Korra, Avatar; the Last Airbender, or any of the characters in the following story except for the baby which will be in later chapters. If I did own the shows, it would be a lot less awesome…

(Sorry I forgot the disclaimer last time.)

Enjoy!

Korra suddenly couldn't support her weight. She collapsed on her bed. Nineteen. It was an appropriate age in the South Pole. But nineteen? She was so young, so inexperienced. She had so much more she wanted to do before being strapped down. Mako wanted a family, that much was certain; he had made it adamantly clear in the discussions they had had about it.

But now? So soon?

He had just become captain of a police force at the young age of 20, and Korra was the Avatar. They had their obligations. Of course, the world probably counted on something happening that week; neither of them were good at waiting or refusing something they wanted.

What would Tenzin say? He would be irate. Sure, it wasn't forbidden or necessarily frowned upon, but he had warned her all those years ago to wait.

Vulnerable. That's the word he used. She would be vulnerable. Vulnerable to the attacks. Vulnerable to the prosecution. Vulnerable to the gossip and tabloids. She couldn't risk that now.

"Korra? Babe, how are you feeling?"

The young Avatar was lightly shaken awake by a gentle hand. She peeked an eye out from under the warm covers. She stared back into two scorching eyes, the eyes that mesmerized her every time she looked at them. They were so trusting, so open, and so full of love and faith. Korra's own eyes began to well up. She has betrayed him AND his eyes. They wanted to protect her and hug her, to keep her safe, and all she did was make things worse, just like she always did.

Korra ducked beneath the blankets' dark warmth. She felt Mako sit down next to her and stroke her shoulder. Her shoulder didn't DESERVE to be stroked, if you asked her. She didn't deserve his comfort and his affection. She just cut BOTH of their young adult lives down by five years with this stupid baby. The word made her shudder.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Concern dripped from his voice. Spirits, why did he have to sound like that? Why did he have to sound like a loving, fatherly, protective husband NOW, after what she did to destroy their relationship? Now she HAD to answer' otherwise, she would be rude.

"I ate a plastic peach." Her voice was strangled with tears, but she held them back just enough so he wouldn't notice too much. She could just imagine his eyebrows cock in confusion. He would shake his head and wonder why the heck he married her, a crazy, sickly woman who hid her face and ate plastic fruit.

When he didn't say anything else and she knew there weren't any tears in her eyes anymore, she peeked out again. "I also had a glass of lychee juice."

Mako chuckled at that, and then gently pulled her up to let her sit up. He propped her up so she could lean against him. She sighed contentedly. Maybe he wouldn't freak out. Maybe if she just let the words fall out, he would nod like he always did when he was thinking, then kiss her on the forehead and tell her he couldn't be happier that they picked the worst time in the history of the world to have a baby.

Yeah, right.

"Korra?"

The Avatar snapped back to reality. Mako was searching her face expectantly for something, probably an answer to a question.

"Sorry, I wasn't listening."

"It's alright. I just asked you how you were feeling."

Korra groaned. "Like Naga dragged me around the city."

Mako chuckled. "What did you do here all day? I asked Bo to check on you, but he said he probably wouldn't make it."

"Bo didn't come by, no." Korra looked away slightly, trying to avoid answering his question.

"So what DID you do today?"

Damn.

Korra's mind flashed to the bathroom scene earlier today when she first felt the heartbeat of her child. She had known at that moment that there was something living and growing inside of her. It was a strange feeling. It was like she discovered an alien—unwanted, unexpected, and unidentified—had decided to take residence in her stomach.

"Oh, this and… that and… stuff."

"Sounds fun," Mako teased. "I'm going to go take a shower. We had to chase after some Triad goons today and it was not very pleasant in these uniforms."

He kissed his wife's cheek and slipped into the adjoining bathroom. Korra sighed. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as she hoped.

It had been a whole week since Korra discovered the news. Her health began to drain as worry set in. She would wake up before the sun with a sudden urge to throw up, and then try to release everything without waking Mako up. She didn't want him to worry about her, especially since she kept assuring him there was nothing to worry ABOUT. The guilt plagued her more than the morning sickness.

She knew she couldn't hide it forever; she was already showing signs. Her usually baggy pants were now getting tight around her hips, her shirts couldn't fit over her swelling breasts, and her stomach was starting to look more round than toned. It wasn't anything too noticeable, but her state of mind made her paranoid.

Bolin would stop by every day to make sure she was alright. He ran errands for her, got her groceries, and occasionally cooked dinner. Korra rarely ate the food he prepared, much to his disappointment, but she truthfully assured him it was simply because she was ill and she was sure to try some as soon as she got better. His frustration, however, was cured when Mako came home from work and slurped up everything in the bowl. Asami visited whenever she could, but her company was growing and she simply couldn't take the time she wanted off to visit her. Korra genuinely appreciated their help, but she couldn't pull herself out of the guilt.

To make up for the fact she was always working, Asami bought Korra a little present. She hid it behind her back, the gift tucked away in a white box with a silvery blue bow, as she approached Mako and Korra's apartment. She knocked on the door and was greeted with a weak grunt. Someone huffed and slowly shuffled their way towards the door, but a voice said, "I've got it, Korra. Just sit down and relax." Another groan ensued as the figure walked back to the couch. The door swung open and Bolin's eyes lit up at Asami's arrival.

"Asami! Come on in!" Bolin waved his hand to invite her in. Asami stepped into the humble apartment, glancing around at its charming features. Korra had just plopped herself down on the couch and began fumbling with the pillow behind her to make her more comfortable.

"Hi, Asami," she said absently before huffing again and throwing the pillow down on the side of the sofa, frustrated.

"You okay, Kor? You seem a little irritable today," Asami observed as she sat down on the couch next to her. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I am NOT irritable," Korra snapped at her with a grouchy pout on her face. When she glanced at the confused expressions on her friends' faces, she cleared her throat and her face softened. "I mean, I feel fine. Better than normal, anyway."

"This is actually one of her better days," Bolin mused to Asami quietly before being punched in the arm by the pregnant Avatar.

"So what brings you by this morning, 'Sami?" Korra leaned against the couch's armrest.

Asami's eyes widened. She had almost forgotten what she came here to do. "I felt bad about me not being around as much as I'd like," Asami began as she pulled the box out from behind her. "So I brought you something to make amends."

Korra's face lit up as the box was presented to her. She carefully slipped the ribbon off so she wouldn't rip it and pried the cover off the box. She impatiently threw the tissue paper aside. Her eyes
widened as she beheld the beautiful satin dress. It was a pale turquoise with black and sapphire blue trim. The sleeves were translucent and shimmery in the sunlight. It pointed just below her collarbone and had silver and black designs on the bottom of it, spiraling towards the bodice and fanning out onto the cloth above the chest.

Bolin nodded in admiration as Asami grinned smugly.

"It's going to look beautiful on you," she gushed. "I used the same size we used when we went shopping for Mako's initiation. I hope that was alright."

Korra spun around with the dress held up to her arms. She felt light and airy, like a real girl. She was sure it was going to fit perfectly, hugging her curves and flowing from her hips. Just wait until Mako saw her in THIS. She was sure to have him drooling in seconds—

Wait. The same size as before the initiation. She wasn't the same size as before. She was a whole size larger. The dress wouldn't fit; it would be too small! Then Asami would find out her dirty secret, then Bolin would know, then they would tell Mako, then it would leak out to the rest of the world! Then Mako would divorce her and she would be banished from Republic City and sentenced to live with
the rabburoos in the desert for the rest of her life!

Korra threw the dress at Asami and sputtered, "I-I don't really need it I mean I d-don't have anywhere to wear it and it would be absolutely awful if it went to waste so you wear it and I'm just gonna go to the bathroom and never come out nice to see you again Asami bye—" She was cut off with the slam of the bathroom door.

Asami glanced at Bolin and found a similar mixture of confusion and
shock on his face that she felt had crept onto her own features.

"What's wrong with HER?" Bolin furrowed his eyebrows. "I haven't seen her that nervous since her and Mako's wedding day."

"I don't know," Asami stood and looked in the direction of the closed bathroom door. "But I have the feeling I'm about to find out."

Korra leaned against the sink. The guilt was killing her. She couldn't keep this up much longer. Mako trusted her and she let him down. Why does everyone feel the need to be intimate on their honeymoon?! Why didn't she just use protection?! Why couldn't she have controlled her urges for a little while longer so they could talk about this?!

She snorted. Too bad she hadn't thought of all these questions before.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. "Go away I'm, uh…busy…" she lied lamely.

"Korra, I know you're not feeling well, but I think something else is up. Can you let me in?" Asami's patient voice leaked through the door. Another pang of guilt rushed through Korra's heart. She didn't want to lie anymore. She sighed. She couldn't avoid it forever, she knew.

"Korra?" Another knock.

The lock clicked and the door was reluctantly opened. Asami leaned on the wall opposite of Korra as she shut the door and relocked it.

"Where's Bolin?" Korra stalled with a nervous smile.

"In the kitchen making dinner." Asami's eyes didn't wander from Korra's face. "Now what's up?"

Korra sniffed the air. "I smell seaweed noodles."

Asami, undeterred, pressed gently. "I don't think you just caught the flu. I think there's something wrong."

"Nothing like seaweed noodles to make me feel better." Korra tried again. Seeing Asami was not amused, she sighed. "Alright, you got me."

"Korra, I'm really concerned for you. Bolin and Mako are, too." At the mention of her sweet husband, Korra looked away. Asami noticed. "It's about Mako, isn't it?"

For the first time since she found out, Korra cried. She collapsed onto Asami's shoulder, sobbing like a newborn. The shocked non-bender wrapped her arms around her friend and held her quietly.

"I've ruined his life, Asami. I've ruined it."

Asami, stunned at the words, waited quietly for her sobs to die down.

"He's a captain now. He has responsibilities. We're so young, so inexperienced! I've killed our relationship! He's going to hate me, if he doesn't already! His life is ruined because of me!" Korra babbled.

The words ran together like water on ink; everything was confusing and difficult to decipher. Asami had never seen Korra like this. There was fear in her trembling voice and hurt in her clenched eyes. Her mouth quivered even as she spoke, causing the words to be muddled and nearly incomprehensible.

Asami pulled Korra up a little so she could see her face. "Korra, I don't quite understand. How could you ruin his life? You guys just got married. I highly doubt you've done anything that will make him second guess—"

"I'm pregnant, Asami," Korra interrupted softly.

The Sato heiress's eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"I'm… pregnant."

Asami felt an impulsive laugh bubble up at the joke her friend must be playing on her. But when Korra looked her straight in the eyes and saw they were filled with regret and shame, she realized this was no prank. She glanced down at the Avatar's stomach and noticed her shirt rode up the slightest bit above the top of her pants. A look of understanding flittered across the non-bender's face.

"That's why you didn't want the dress! I was wondering why you gave it back; it's absolutely gorgeous so you can see why I—" Asami was interrupted by Korra's deadly glare. "Oh, right. Sorry. But I don't get why you're so depressed. I mean, you're married and have been for almost two months. Sure, the timing could have been planned better, but—"

"Don't you get it?!" Korra snapped angrily. "It was a mistake! This… baby," she gestured to her stomach. "This child, it was an accident; it wasn't planned at all! Don't you understand what that feels like?! To have to explain to your son or daughter when they get older that they were a blunder?! I didn't want it to happen like THIS, with me hiding my belly for a week and a half from everyone I love INCLUDING my own husband! He hasn't even hit his prime in his career! How can I expect him to care for a BABY?!"

A fresh batch of tears streamed over Korra's cheeks as she half-yelled, half-whispered at Asami. She shook her lowered head as sweat and tears dripped from her face. She turned and faced the mirror, staring into the face of the once confident and happy Avatar. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot from crying and her hair was in complete disarray. Her skin was paler than usual. She was a mess.

"I've ruined everything. Everything."

A small hand grasped her shoulder in a comforting way. The Waterbender placed her own hand on it, taking in its consolation. Warmth covered her hand and she gasped as she turned towards the source. She expected to see Mako home early from work, but instead stared at two piercing green eyes and a small button nose.

"If I know my brother, Korra," all traces of jocularity gone from Bolin's voice, "He's not going to complain. He's going to love you," he hesitated before placing another warm hand on her ever-so-slightly- swelled belly. "and this baby unconditionally."

"And there's nothing you can do to stop him," Asami added as she joined Bolin's hand on Korra's stomach. "The knot's been officially tied. You're just adding another string."

Korra gave her friends a watery smile as she covered both of their lowered hands with her own. For the first time since she found out, she felt she would be able to sleep through the night.

Korra's heart skipped when she heard the front door slam shut. This was it. She was going to have to tell him. He had probably had a long day at work, too. She knew being the rookie was hard. Guilt washed over her once again, but she quickly shook it off.

"The knot's been tied. You're just adding another string." It didn't seem fair that Asami stated it so perfectly without trying.

"Hey, babe."

Korra jumped when she heard Mako's voice behind her. She had been pretending to wash dishes for half an hour, trying to keep herself occupied until her husband got home. She had only ended up washing two plates and a bowl, but they were rubbed absolutely spotless.

A kiss landed on Korra's forehead as two strong, lean arms wrapped around her waist. "I'm glad to see you're up and moving. You looked so depressed this morning I almost stayed home."

Korra silently thanked the spirits he hadn't.

"I'm glad you're home." She leaned back into Mako's chest. She was rewarded with a quick kiss on the cheek. She inhaled the scent she had become so familiar with: smoky, like a candle that had just gone out, and gingery like cinnamon. She realized how much she had missed him over the past few days— missed waking up to his thin body curled up next to her, missed listening to the Pro-bending games on the radio with him, missed seeing him make funny faces at Tenzin behind his back.

"Me, too. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Korra shifted in his arms just enough to kiss his shoulder.

"How about we do something tonight? I happen to have the day off tomorrow, so we can be out as late as we want. And if we feel like doing…," Mako cleared his throat and lifted a smug eyebrow, "THAT later, I don't see a reason why we can't."

With a chaste kiss on the neck, he unraveled his arms from her and started walking towards the bathroom. He glanced back at the couch and saw a box lying on one of the cushions.

"Hey, what's that?"

Korra's eyes snapped to the dress in the half-lidded box on the couch and felt her chest tighten. "I-it's a gift, from Asami. She stopped by this morning while Bolin was here and gave it to me."

Mako lifted the light fabric out of the box and Korra watched as his amber eyes twinkled. An appreciative smile spread across his lips as he walked over to his wife and plastered it onto the front of her clothes. Her heart melted a bit as her looked her over, no doubt imagining the gorgeous material on her body. His eyes closed in a dream-like state and he shook his head in wonder.

"That woman has a real eye for fashion, doesn't she?" Mako stared at his wife as a proud grin stretched across his face. "It's going to look stunning." He handed her the dress and kissed her cheek before walking evenly to the bathroom. "You should wear it tonight."

Korra began to sweat. She couldn't wear that dress. She wouldn't be able to fit in it. But how could she explain that to Mako without telling him?

She couldn't. Crap. She sighed. Now would be as good a time as any.

Korra entered the bathroom just as Mako pulled the shower curtain closed. She hauled herself up onto the sink counter as a nervous pain settled in her stomach. She had been given a sufficient pep-talk this morning, but the inspirational effects of it were starting to fade. Just as she was about to hop off the counter and hide under her bed, Mako's voice interrupted her.

"Korra? You in here?"

Here we go. "Yeah," she replied softly.

"You okay?"

Korra pondered the question, then sighed loudly. "Mako, when would you want us to start a family?"

The room was quiet expect for the sound of the water clinking against the bottom of the tub. The silence was killing her when Mako spoke up.

"I'm not sure. I had always thought maybe after a year or two of marriage, but that might be a little long. Why?"

"So a year or two, huh?" Korra narrowly dodged the question, hoping to dance around the topic a little more. "What about a little shorter than that?"

"How much shorter?" Mako's voice echoed against the tile shower.

Eight or nine months?

"I don't know. Like, what if it happened by accident?" Korra avoided yet another question. She knew she sounded suspicious, but this didn't necessarily have to be done gracefully.

"An accident? You mean, like, unplanned?"

"Accidental, unplanned, same difference. The important thing is that you would love me and the baby no matter what, right? Like, even if it had the worst timing ever? Even if you just got a promotion and—"

The water in the shower creaked off and Mako stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist. His eyebrows were knit together in concern and his eyes were more serious than Korra had hoped they would be. His wet hair still had some soap in it and only half of his face was shaved. He stepped in front of her, their bodies aligned, but apart. Korra wanted to look away, but his ochre eyes locked onto her baby-blue ones in such a way that she felt she couldn't move them.

"Korra." His low voice wavered slightly before he inhaled and spoke again. "Korra, what's going on? What's with these questions? I…" He grasped her arms firmly. "Babe, talk to me."

No stalling this time. She couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Korra, please, what going o—"

"I'm pregnant."

Mako simply stood, gripping her forearms, staring into her eyes. He didn't move, didn't speak, just stared, and it scared her. He was searching her face with such intensity it was burning her. His wide, golden eyes grew.

"Yo-you're…" The word refused to leave his mouth and he was left gaping at her.

"Pregnant, Mako." Korra's eyes began to tear up. "I'm pregnant." Her chin fell to her chest as tears she thought had dried up began spilling out freely down her cheeks and into her lap. She kept repeating the word in a hushed whisper, trying to cry away the harsh reality that she had shattered the carefully constructed way of life they had decided to create together. She covered her face with her hands in shame.

Mako exhaled sharply. The noise only made Korra feel worse. She leaned her forehead into his chest. Tears dribbled down and fell on her fur boots.

"Please don't hate me. Please don't leave. I love you. I know I've wrecked your plans and I know I just forced you to let go of your hopes and dreams, but I wouldn't be able to live if you left me. I'm so sorry I killed your future—OUR future. Our lives are destroyed and it's all my fault. It's all my—"

Her words were cut off by a shaky hand resting on her stomach. She raised her head to look at Mako and found he wasn't even looking at her. He had his eyes glued to her belly. He stroked it lightly, causing her breath to hitch and her hiccups to quiet. He rubbed the spot on his wife that would soon swell and house a living connection of the two of them.

Mako gaped at her blankly. Then his face crumbled.

He rested his forehead on her stomach and stared at the floor. He breathed heavily in shock and sniffed. Korra, unsure of what he was thinking, remained silent. He remained there, frozen, for what seemed like hours, until his head came up to look at her. His eyes were full of tears. He stood slowly, feeling his knees crack like stiff wooden beams. His hands found hers and engulfed them.

"If you think for one moment that I would leave you…" his eyes shifted to look at her belly again as his voice cracked, "…or this—OUR child…" he made eye contact with her and gave her a wet smile, "…you would have to be the dumbest person on the planet."

Korra threw her arms around his neck and cried of relief. He wanted her, but not just her. Her AND the baby. THEIR baby.

Mako wrapped his arms around her protectively, letting the happy tears flow down his face. He was going to be a father. A daddy. A papa. He was going to have a baby with the most beautiful, talented, and amazing women in the world. He would make up for the time he lost with his parents. He would give everything he had—100 percent of him—to serve his children and his wife.

"Our baby," Mako muttered in a state of unquenchable euphoria.

"Yes," Korra placed their joined hands together on her stomach. "OUR baby."

The happy couple sat there for what seemed like forever. That night, they settled into bed with jubilation they knew they had never felt before in either of their lives combined. Korra fingered her wedding ring cheerfully before slipping it off for the night. She stared at it as her eyes began to close and she began to drift into her dreamland of pacifiers and cribs and baby toys. Now that she knew Mako was happy, she could be, too. After all, it was just like Asami had said.

They had already tied the knot. Now they were going to add another string.

AAAAAAAAAHHH! I had so much fun writing this chapter! I love sappy Mako. X3

So that's chapter two! I've decided to make this a 9/10 chapter fanfic. It's gonna talk about some of the issues that a pregnant avatar would face. Some of the chapters will be comical; others will be bittersweet.

Please fav, follow, and review! I love hearing from you all!

Third chapter, coming up!