Saturday morning Korra found herself sitting at the kitchen table at Opal and Bolin's house. She stared absentmindedly into her coffee, stirring some sugar into it. She didn't pay any attention to the others around her, her mind lost to thoughts of Asami and Hiroshi. She wore a deep frown on her face, and carried a heavy sadness with her since their meeting. She blinked as a plate of food was slid in front of her.
She slowly looked up, blinking into the many faces staring back at her. She cleared her throat and sat up. "I'm sorry. What were we talking about?"
Kya exchanged a look with Lin, a small smile on her face. "We were wondering when you'd give us details about your hook up?"
Of course, Mako hadn't told anyone anything, leaving it to Korra, as it was her business. "It was fun, good times, don't think I'll see her again." She sipped at her coffee and pushed her plate aside.
"There's something you aren't telling us." Opal tapped a finger against her chin as she looked her friend over. "Was she horrible in bed?"
"Have a weird fetish?" Lin chuckled and shoved a forkful of pancakes into her mouth.
"Oh, I know, did she have an extra toe?" Bolin asked, peeking over the top of the fridge as he looked for milk.
Korra shook her head, and shrugged her shoulders. "What the hell, not like it matters anyway." She pointed to Kya and Opal. "You two remember that file I had to pick up, she's the daughter."
"What? You're kidding?" Kya leaned forward, her eyes wide in shock, then turned towards Lin. "The Wellness Check you sent Mako on."
"Ooh, what are the odds of that?" Lin shook her head and went back to eating.
"I hate it when you guys talk conspiratorially." Bolin slid into the chair at the head of the table.
"We've told you before Bo, sometimes we have the same patients, clients, and we're able to talk about them without actually talking about them." Korra gave him a look. All of them were under a Privacy Protection Agreement. They couldn't discuss a case outside of work, but like all things, there were loop holes. No patient/client names mentioned, no personal details, no policies broken.
"I know, I know. Still be nice if I knew what you were talking about." He smiled and turned to Opal. "Hey babe, if you don't have plans tonight, I was thinking you could swing by before my shift starts. I want to introduce you to one of my patient's daughters."
"Sure, I can do that, but why?" Opal gave him a confused look.
"I just think you and her would hit it off, she's dealing with stuff right now, got some upsetting news about her dad a few days ago. She barely leaves the room. I'm worried. Asami might benefit from having someone to talk to other than the regular nursing staff." Bolin took a drink of his milk.
Korra looked at him. "Asami? Fucking hell. This gets better and better."
"Care to fill us in kid?" Lin could see she was growing agitated.
"Kya's Wellness Check, turned into my Hotline call." She waved towards Bolin. "Which became Bolin's patient. He's becoming best friends with the woman who hates my guts, and thinks I fucked her because I had to Hotline her father!" She was standing now, and yelling. She hadn't realized how much she'd let this whole thing bother her. She'd had worse cases, cases she'd taken home and cried over, they haunted her less than this one did.
She pushed her chair under the table, and grabbed her jacket from the back of it. "I need to go." She ignored the protests of her friends and left, pointing her car towards the hospital.
Asami had dark bags under her eyes again, she hadn't slept much since the meeting with Korra. She couldn't bring herself to do so, she kept imagining what her father had gone through. Each time she closed her eyes she pictured the worse, and it progressed from there, it went from worst case scenario to the worst-case scenario. The one question that kept floating around in her head, what if Korra hadn't found him when she did?
She spent most of her time in her father's room, waiting for those brief few minutes he was lucid. The doctor had ordered his pain meds to be backed down, which meant when he woke today, there was a chance she'd actually have time to talk to him before he fell asleep again.
She reclined in the chair next to his bed. Her hand laid over his, a gesture more for her own comfort than his. The steady rhythm of the machines lulled her. She never even knew when her chin fell forward against her chest, and her eyes closed.
Korra eased the door to Hiroshi's room open, and slipped inside. The nurses had told her he was asleep, and she didn't want to disturb him. She spotted Asami in the chair next to his bed, also sleeping. Korra noticed the circles under her eyes, and frowned, Bolin was right, she didn't seem to be taking care of herself. She crossed to the small table next to the chair Asami slept in. Quietly she placed the vase of flowers on it, and a card. She wanted to let Asami know she was there to help, if the woman would let her.
She looked at Asami's sleeping form, something she wished she'd had the chance to do before. She reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from Asami's face, and smiled when the woman mumbled in her sleep. She turned to leave, giving a glance in Hiroshi's direction as she turned. She paused and looked back, his hazel eyes, appearing almost violet, watched her carefully.
"Mr. Sato," she stepped towards the bed, "do you remember me?"
Hiroshi scanned her face, a small, sleepy smile forming on his cracked lips. He nodded, and lifted a trembling hand, searching for hers. "Thank… you." His voice was rough, and he said the words slowly, like it was a chore to get them to roll off his tongue.
Korra took his hand in her own. "Would you like me to get your nurse? Or to wake your daughter?"
Hiroshi's eyes flashed from happy to sad, so fast, Korra wasn't positive she had seen the change. His face contorted as he fought to remain composed, but the tear sliding down his cheek released the flood gate. He tried to raise his hands to wipe at his face, but was too weak to do so.
"Here, I got you Mr. Sato." Korra grabbed a Kleenex from the side table. She dabbed gently at his face. "Shhh, it's okay. She's right here, she's sleeping. She came a long way to see you." She smiled at him and took a step towards Asami. Korra knelt down beside her and gently grabbed her shoulder.
Asami smiled in her sleep, her name floated into her dreams on the voice of an angel. Blazing sapphire eyes formed in her head, then a nose, and upturned lips. She liked that face, liked the wicked things those lips had done to her. She felt a tightness grow in her stomach. Suddenly, she jolted awake, and turned her attention to the woman, literally, of her dreams. "Korra?"
"Hey, sorry to wake you, but your dad is awake." Korra beamed at her, and stepped back to the hospital bed. "She's awake, give her a minute."
Asami scrambled to her feet, and flew to her father's bedside. She peered down into his soft eyes, they were crinkled at the corners as he smiled up at her. "Daddy?" Her voice broke with emotion. "I'm so sorry. I should have come sooner."
Hiroshi shook his head, finding the strength to raise his hand, and press it against his daughter's porcelain cheek. "I should have," he cleared his throat, wishing he had water, "apologized sooner."
Korra stepped back, eased herself to the door, and slipped back out. This was an exchange that needed to be done in private. She drew a deep breath once she was in the hallway, willing her own emotions to settle. Then walked happily down the hall, feeling lighter than she had that morning.
Asami and her father talked and shared tears together. She hugged him, careful of the wires and his hip, then stepped aside for the nurse that had entered to examine him. It felt good to have this start with him, to have a chance at more. She resumed her occupancy of the chair, the nurse fussing over her father. With a small smile on her lips she turned towards the bright arrangement of flowers. She looked around the room, she hadn't realized Korra had left. Then a thought occurred to her, had it not been for Korra, she may not have gotten a second chance with her father. She had the opportunity to let a grudge go, forgive, and move on. Perhaps she needed to do the same with Korra?