A/N – Hory shet, it's been a while since I've published a chapter. I guess I've been half slacking off and half worrying that my writer's block will ruin yet another chapter. But, I think this next installment will be a little bit better, since I had more time to think and write it. Just a reminder, the chapter following this will most likely be the last "serious" chapter. There's still a bit of humor in this, but there will be way more hilarity and fluff in future chapters.

Anyway, this chapter will mostly be Korra and Asami being hilarious and Tarrlok explaining the whole "boat go splodey" situation to them and Mako. The reasons behind their forgiveness that will be mentioned as well. If you've stuck with me so far, I greatly appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy Chapter 3!

I-I'm alive. I'm alive. Why am I alive!? His sky blue eyes snapped open, and he sat abruptly in his bed. Feeling his sore muscles tense, he clutched his side with a bruised hand and winced in pain.

When he was fully conscious, he immediately recognized the familiar atmosphere and homely feeling of the room. Air Temple Island. Tarrlok was alive. He was alive and on Air Temple Island. He held his head with his hands as all the memories came rushing back. The Equalist Revolution, the bitter reunion with Noatak. A single tear fell from his tired eye as he remembered the pain he had caused Korra and her friends. He didn't want to be alive. He didn't deserve it.

"I HAVE TO PEE LIKE A FUCKING RACEHORSE!" a frantic Korra scurried down the hallway.

Tarrlok let out a small chuckle. She's as hyper as ever. His smile faded as he recalled why he blew up his and Noatak's boat. I had to keep her safe, for once in my life. He was alive, and his is one chance at protecting her was gone.

"I feel so much better," he heard Korra from down the hall, followed by another girl's voice, which he recognized as Asami Sato's.

"People could probably hear you taking a piss from across Yue Bay, Kor."

"Yeah, well my Yue Bay was about to flood my pants. People were lucky to hear the sound of my majestic waterfall."

As both girls strolled past his room giggling, Korra stopped abruptly and stared at the very conscious Tarrlok, eyes wide.

Asami walked back to where Korra had stopped and waved her hand in front of her eyes. "Kor?" she stopped and turned to what they were staring at. She too, froze.

Korra ran across the room and leapt into Tarrlok's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. A large grin plastered on her face, she looked up at him and squealed, "Y-you're awake!"

He cradled her in his lap and chuckled, "Majestic waterfall, huh?"

"From what I hear it was glorious," Asami giggled from across the room. She came to the foot of the bed and smiled warmly. "Glad to have you back."

"Thank you, Miss Sat-"

"Asami," she corrected. She had a lot of built up anger towards Tarrlok after everything that had happened, but forgiveness was what she lived by. It was something that her mother had always taught her, and she held it very close to her heart.

"I don't think I have treated you with enough respect to earn that priviledge," his expression turned serious. "Whether it matters to you or not, I am truly sorry for what I have done to you and your friends," he smiled down at Korra, who was still in his lap, hugging him tightly.

Asami playfully punched him in the arm, "You bet your ass it matters to me. You helped end the Equalist Revolution, and that has to count for something."

"Asami, what happened? I thought I heard Korra yelling, " Mako suddenly appeared at the door, his expression changing from one of worry to relief.

Korra smiled brightly at her boyfriend, "He's finally awake."

"Now I know why she was squealing so much," Mako smiled warmly and shook Tarrlok's hand excitedly. "Glad you're finally recovering. These two wouldn't stop running back and forth to check on you and your brother."

"Yeah, until Iroh and this worry wart told us to go to bed," Korra pouted.

"Iroh. You mean General Iroh?"

"Yush. He and this "munchkin" are obsessed with each other, whether they admit it or not," Korra pointed to Asami.

"W-we are not! He's just a very good friend," Asami's face turned beet red.

"Girl, he calls you munchkin. Bullshit he's 'just a friend.'" Korra rolled her eyes and giggled.

"She's the shipping queen, Asami. There's no convincing her," Mako sighed.

"Well, she's not a very light shipping queen," Tarrlok chuckled as he scooped Korra up and handed her to Mako.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she teased, hitting him lightly on the back of the head. Mako just smiled and plopped in the chair next to the bed, sitting Korra on his own lap. Asami began laughing uncontrollably before sitting in the chair next to Mako's, wiping a tear from her eye. Korra sighed and flicked her in the forehead. Asami immediately cleared her throat and sat still, a smile still tugging at her lips.

"So how's my brother doing?" Tarrlok asked nonchalantly. He was still very bitter about what Noatak had done over the years, but there was no hiding that Tarrlok still loved his older brother dearly.

"He's doing much better now. Kya healed most of his injuries, as well as yours, but he's still gonna be sore for a while," Korra explained. Despite everything that he had done to her, she still cared about Noatak greatly. Nobody knew why, her least of all. "But, I've been wondering, Tarrlok. What happened to you two out there? How did you get hurt?"

"I guess I was just done running away. After everything I had done, we had done, I couldn't. I had to blow up that boat, and if he disagreed, he would have stopped me," Tarrlok's eyes darkened at the thought of his brother's bloodbending.

"You didn't have to blow up the boat! I know what's happened to you in your life. You reacted as anyone would," Korra pleaded.

"That doesn't mean it was right. It's not just because of what we did. We had to keep Republic City safe. We had to keep you safe. The only way we could protect you was making sure we could never hurt you again."

Korra just smiled, "I don't care what you did anymore. You helped stop the Equalists. Hell, you blew up a boat and nearly killed yourself and your brother to protect me. All that matters now is that you're both home. That you're safe."

She suddenly stood up and closed her eyes, placing one hand on his forehead, the other on his chest. Her eyes began to glow before she closed them again, letting her arms fall to her sides. Tarrlok lifted his hand and immediately, the water in the glass next to his bed began to float.

"My bending."

"You earned it," Korra plopped back in Mako's lap, him and Asami smiling softly.

Suddenly, Pema appeared at the door and motioned to Korra and Mako. Mako once again picked Korra up, set her in the chair in his place, and kissed her cheek sweetly, earning a blush.

Pema smiled and whispered in his ear, "He's awake."

"Good. Make sure they stay here. I want to talk to him first."

A/N – And thus ends the third installment of Tales of Republic City! I honestly think this chapter was a big improvement compared to the previous two. However, I'll get much better with feedback, so make sure to leave reviews for me! The next chapter will show a lot of bonding between Mako and Noatak (you'll see why), Korra and Noatak, as well as more Korra/Asami humor of course. Also, Tarrlok AND Noatak will be speaking in Chapter 4, not just one of them. xD Anyway, thanks so much for reading. Hope you enjoyed Chapter 3. xoxo –Vanisha