Anthony Brandt wrote, "Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."

Korra's POV

After the first couple of weeks of work, Mom started to pack more and more food for lunch until I had four different things to eat. A fruit of some sort, a granola bar, yogurt and whatever food she cooked. Of course it all came in sets of two and Asami seemed to have no problem eating it all, but I was already behind a few granola bars and a couple yogurts. I sighed as I finished the rest of my lunch. It had been surprisingly a slow day. All we did was catch up on paperwork, something I had always hated.

My best friend pulled up a chair next to mine, setting down the food she had warmed up and a bottle of water. I still couldn't understand how she could eat so much. She had eaten the yogurt and granola bar an hour ago.

"You have three yogurts in the fridge," she commented as she took a bite.

"Yeah and five granola bars in the drawer of my desk," I muttered.

"You're going to have to eat it all."

"I'm already full."

"Full of bull," Asami answered with a pointed look.

I glared at her but she wouldn't back down and I sighed, knowing I wasn't going to win this argument. She smiled and got up to get me two yogurts. I groaned. I really did not want to eat anymore.

"If I throw up, it's going to be your fault," I grumbled as I opened one of them up.

"I'll take that chance."

She meant it. She'd rather have me throw up the food than refuse to eat it. I mean I got that Mom and her kept complaining that I was thin but I didn't really feel like it. Or maybe I had just gotten used to it.

"I need to tell my mom to stop packing me so much food," I said after a finished one of the yogurts. My stomach felt like it was going to explode.

"She's just worried."

I frowned. "Worried?"

"You've lost a lot of weight, Korra," Asami began. I sighed. Same old discussion. "She wants you to fill in a little."

"My weight is fine," I defended.

"You know that's a lie. You're thinner than I am."

I scowled at her. Again, there was no use arguing with her because she'd find the way to win, not that I couldn't but I just wasn't in the mood. Finally I finished the two yogurts and groaned as I leaned back against the chair. Now my stomach was really going to explode.

Mako walked in to the cafeteria, calling over Bei Fong and Rossi. I couldn't help but notice the smile on his face. That was odd. He hardly ever smiled, something we shared in common. Must be good news.

"I just talked to the Director," he began. "Our weekend officially starts now."

"Woo-hoo!" Asami cheered. "Everyone is meeting at my place for our vacation pool day?"

I raised a brow at this, though the rest of the members nodded their heads. What was she talking about?

"Great, I'll see you guys in a couple of hours," she continued. "I need to talk to Varrick about how the company is doing. It's been a while since I've asked for a status update."

"Wait," I said. "What's going on?"

"Every time we have an early weekend everyone goes to Asami's place," Mako explained. "We all just relax and hang out." He shrugged. "Something fun to do."

"Fun?"

"Ignore her," my best friend said, throwing an arm around me. "She doesn't know what fun means."

I elbowed her and she laughed. Everyone started getting their bags and I did the same. At least I would be able to get some time with my mom during the day before Asami dragged me out of my house.

Eska's POV

I had been trying to get a hold of Korra for weeks. I couldn't really blame her for not answering. For years, I had known what kind of monster my father was and what kind of hell he'd put my younger cousin through every night but I'd never done anything to stop it. I remember when it first began, how I'd hear her cry and I could hear things thrown around in her room and I'd ask my mother about it but she'd either ignore me or simply say my father was disciplining her. But deep down, I knew what was going on. I had always known.

Up till this day I could hear her screams echoing in my ears and I couldn't sleep. The guilt gnawed at me as each day passed till I decided to pick up the phone and try to talk to her with little success. I stood outside the Federal headquarters, trying to find a way to get her to see how sorry I was, how much I regretted my lack of action.

Korra was fourteen and my twin brother, Desna, and I had been fifteen. By the sounds of her screams from the night before, my father had been more brutal than usual. I could remember noticing at times she couldn't get up from bed and I could hear her cry and whimper in pain. This had been one of those days. She had been too in pain to go to school and when we got back I asked my brother to accompany me to her room to give her her homework but it was just an excuse to see how she was doing.

As we approached her room I could hear her whimper and when we went inside I found her bandaging the cuts on her sides before trying to reach the ones on her back. The moment she noticed us, she covered herself and wiped away the tears, not wanting us to see her cry.

I closed my eyes when tears threatened to fall and I placed the worksheets on the bed before going over to where she was and picking up the wet cloth to clean the lacerations on her back.

"Leave me alone..." she said trying to turn way from me.

"Korra... Please..."

"She doesn't want our help."

"But..." I began sharing a look with my brother and then one last time attempted to bandage my cousin. Korra resisted at first but flinched at the movement and stilled.

"I'm sorry " I whispered as for the first time I got a close look at what he did to her.

Her back was filled with cuts. Some already scars, but others scabs and others fresh. Then there were the bruises, the blotches of red, purple, green and yellow that covered her body. My father was indeed a monster.

After going through all the checkpoints I finally reached her office and for a moment I stayed outside, looking at how much she had grown since the last time I had seen her. She was a bit taller and that was saying a lot considering how short she was compared to my brother and I. She also looked tired, so very tired and I could imagine that she had her own nightmares that she endured. Finally I took in deep breath and knocked on the door.

She looked up and her change in demeanor was instant. Her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed slightly before she grabbed her backpack and left her office.

"Korra, wait," I called as I went after her. "Wait!"

"I'm running late, Eska," she answered, not sparing me a glance. Not that I deserved one.

"I've been calling you for days."

"I have nothing to say to you."

We were finally outside and I grabbed her arm. She turned to look at me, her eyes like stone and I slowly let go.

"I'm sorry," I whispered when all other words failed me.

"You're sorry?" she asked with a scoff. She shook her head. "I'm going home to my mom. I don't have time for this."

"I'm sorry for what he did to you," I said when she turned, causing her to stop. "I'm sorry for not doing anything to make it stop."

Korra let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, I'm sorry too."

"It was never because I didn't care, Korra. I was afraid and I-"

I didn't get to finish. My younger cousin turned around to look at me, her jaw clenched and I regretted my words. "You were afraid?" she questioned, anger in her voice. I didn't say anything, I couldn't. "What the hell do you think I was?"

"I didn't mean-"

"But hey, it was you or me and you decided to save your skin and ignored me when I cried for help in the middle of the night."

"I'm sorry, Korra," I repeated trying to put every ounce of sincerity into the words.

"Yeah, well, sorry doesn't cut it, Eska," Korra answees "It won't change that because of that thing, I cant be with men. That I can't even stand having them near me."

I didn't say anything. What could I say really? She had been a child, younger than me.

"Why don't we make a deal," she said after a moment. "I'll pretend you don't exist and you do the same. Shouldn't be too hard for you. You've had plenty of practice."

She turned around and left. I let her.

Mako's POV

I sat in a lawn chair, watching my team enjoy our vacation pool day. Ever since I could remember we've had this team bonding experience, but it all depended on the weather. When it was hot like it was now, we'd have a pool day, but when it got a little cooler we'd have a baseball game of sorts. Usually just catching and throwing the ball, depending on who we played with. Last time we had made two teams with a group of high school students. It had been a fun day.

Lin was next to me, muttering about how she was too old for this but she would still come every time. Rossi was asleep on the beach chair, the newspaper in his hand. I laughed and shook my head before looking at where the rest of the team was. Korra was sitting on the side of the pool, her legs in the water with a t-shirt similar to mine and some shorts. She laughed as Asami splashed her and I couldn't help but smile. She hadn't been as uptight today as she usually was, not that I was one to talk.

"Hotch, get inside!" the heiress yelled, swimming closer.

I laughed and shook my head. "No, I'm fine."

"Come on! Stop being such a loner and get in!"

I sighed before looking in the Water Tribe woman's direction. "I'll get in when she does," I answered, gesturing to her.

Asami laughed. "You obviously don't know Korra," she replied, swimming away.

I frowned and moments later the darker woman dove in with perfect precision before coming up, sending me a playful wink. I blinked before looking over at Lin who snorted.

"They played you," she said, trying to hide her smile

"Shut up," I grumbled before getting in as well.

The two team members ganged up on me, splashing me with water, laughing as they did. I scowled at that before heading after the youngest member, managing to isolate her so that I could return the gesture. She laughed, squirming as she did before diving underneath and I followed. Korra looked at me and I did the same. She didn't swim away and despite the situation, there was comfortable sense around us.

Asami approached us, poking her best friend's side causing her to open her mouth and release air bubbles. I smiled as I went up to the surface, laughing as those two fought with each other. I pulled myself up to edge and Korra followed, glaring at the techie.

"How long have you two known each other?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.

"A long time," she answered. "Since I was nine, Asami was twelve."

I hummed in response. "You went to the same school?"

Korra looked over at me, brow raised and I knew I was pushing it. She didn't talk much about her personal life, again, something we had in common. The youngest team member shook her head and for a moment I thought she wouldn't answer my question.

"Yes, we did," Korra replied. "I skipped two grades so we would see each other all the time but never really talked. I was kind of a loner, I mean I was nine and I had skipped two years, should have skipped a third but they didn't want to overwhelm me."

I nodded.

"One day after school the kids in my class thought it would be fun to beat me up," she continued. I raised a brow and she laughed, nodding her head. "Yep, I was bullied. But that day it was different. Asami was just walking out of the classroom and she saw them corner me. She drove them off, threatening them with the inventions she made during our break." She stopped, looking at the heiress who smiled back. "We've been friends ever since."

I smiled at her and she did the same. "You're lucky to have such a good friend."

Asami nudged her. "She'd be lost without me." The words were said in jest but I saw something pass between the two, a look of knowing, a sharing of some inside secret that the rest of the world wasn't aware of.

I didn't push for an explanation.

Asami's POV

I was on my way to the kitchen when I passed the bathroom and froze. Korra was putting on a dry shirt when I spotted them. Bruises. Her side and back were covered in them. I stormed inside, turning her around. She tried to push me off when I went to lift up her shirt but I succeeded. She shut her eyes, knowing and preparing herself for what was coming. My eyes narrowed angrily.

"What the hell is this?" I hissed as I let go of her shirt.

"It's nothing."

"Where have you been going at night, Korra?"

Ever since she got back she would ask me to watch over her mom for an hour or so she could go work out at the gym. I had agreed. but now, seeing the blotches of green and purple, I knew that wasn't were she she'd been going.

"I told you, I go to the gym," she answered. "Sometimes I box and-"

"Cut the bullshit, Korra," I snapped. I pinched the bridge of my nose as I tried to calm myself before speaking again. "Have you been seeing, Unalaq?"

I saw her jaw clench before she looked away. That was a yes. Was she freaking serious? After everything he had done to her, she-

"It's not because I want to," she said quietly.

"Do you have any idea what he could do to you? I mean look at you, you're completely covered in bruises!"

"He'll kill another kid if I don't do as he says!"

I stopped. "What?"

Korra leaned against the bathroom sink, letting out a deep breath. "He's the one that killed Lilly, and all those other girls," my best friend revealed. "If I'm not his punching bag…he'll kill another girl and I can't let that happen."

"And I can't let him do this to you," I answered. "Korra, he can hurt you or take advantage-"

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't know what I'm exposing myself to?" She stopped, closing her eyes to calm herself down. "I know what he can do and I'm working on making a case against him, I just need time."

"How much more before he breaks a rib or two like he did before?" I asked. She didn't say anything. "I know you don't want him to hurt those girls but maybe if we brought it up to the team, they could help."

My best friend shook her head. "I'm not ready to talk about that. Not yet."

"Korra," I began gently. "You and your mom just got each other back. Don't let him ruin this for the both of you."

She took in a deep breath, nodding her head. "I just need more time."

Her tone was pleading and I sighed. There would be no changing her mind.

Korra's POV

After spending some time at the pool and then being chewed out by Asami, I was finally home. I hadn't wanted to go to the 'vacation party' but my mom had insisted that I needed to get out more. With reluctance I had gone and for the most part it had actually been fun. My best friend and I had swam and joked around as if we were kids again and I even had a descent conversation with our team leader. I was actually surprised that I had told him what I had, I hardly ever talked about my childhood since it wasn't really a happy one.

Mom and Asami were baking cookies and my best friend had allowed me to help with the batter but when it came to the actual cooking part, she'd sent me off to the living room. I made an annoyed sound and mom laughed, kissing my cheek. But I did as I was told, flipping through the channels before I heard I knock on the door. My hand went to my gun as I stood and looked through the peep hole, raising a brow.

I opened the door to reveal our team leader, but he wasn't alone. In his arms was a little ball of white. He asked if he could come inside and I nodded, letting him in.

"What's this?" I asked, gesturing to the fur ball.

"Well they have different names but they're usually known as puppies," he answered, rubbing the back of its ears. The tiny pup leaned into the affectionate gesture, raising its head.

I raised a brow. "Didn't know you had a sense of humor."

"Didn't know you had one either."

My lips twitched at that before going back to the subject. "So you came here to show me a puppy?"

"Well, actually, to see if you wanted her," Mako admitted. "My neighbor's dog had a litter and she's the only one left. She was going to take her to the pound but figured you could use a four legged friend."

"Dogs don't usually like me," I told him.

"I call it the Morgan effect," Asami said, coming over and petting the pup. "Happens with babies too." I elbowed her but she laughed before taking the ball of white and giving it to me. "She'll take her."

I opened my mouth to protest but Hotch beat me to it. "Sounds good, I'll see you both on Monday," he said, turning around to leave.

"Wait, I don't-"

But he was already gone. I let out an irritated sigh and my mom came over to see the fur ball, gently petting its head before going back to the kitchen. I sat back on the sofa, the mutt on my lap. She looked up at me curiously, tilting its head to the side, her big brown eyes studying me. This was odd. Dogs couldn't stand me, and as Asami had pointed out, neither did kids, but this pup hadn't barked at me once, not even a growl.

"What are you going to name her?" my mother asked as she set a plate of cookies on the coffee table.

I shrugged. "I'm not really a dog person."

"Well you are now," Asami answered grabbing a cookie.

"Why don't you keep her?" I asked. "I didn't want her."

"Mako gave her to you."

I scowled, watching as the ball of white went over to my mom's lap, wagging her tail when she scratched her belly. I sighed and grabbed a cookie as well, happy to have the little beast off me. Soon after Asami called it a night though she assured me she'd be back tomorrow.

"Have you thought of any names?" Mom asked again.

I looked at the pup who found her way to my lap again. "Naga?" I said after a moment.

The ball of white looked up at me, as if the name had caught her attention, and my mom chuckled. "Looks like Naga it is."

Soon after my mom decided it was time for her to hit the sack and I went to my room and changed. Mom kissed my temple and then went into her own room. I collapsed onto my bed, exhaustion finally catching up with me. I heard the door opened and looked over my shoulder to hear scampering of little paws. I groaned. Maybe if I ignored her, she'd go back to my mom's room.

The little fluff ball attempted to hop up on my bed, managing to latch on only to end up dangling off the edge and falling back to the floor. She whimpered, and I turned over so that I was facing toward the wall. Another whimper and a yip. Quiet. A moment went by before I heard the sheets shuffle as she tried once more to jump up on the bed. Then a loud thud as she fell again.

I sighed when I heard yet another whimper. Damn mutt. I turned back over and reached down, picking the little white pooch up and setting her at the foot of my bed. I watched as she walked in a circle before laying down. I huffed. Great. Problem solved.

I laid back down and snuggled into my pillow, happy to have hope of finally getting some sleep. I was almost out when I felt the bed move and felt something warm against my torso. I opened an eye to see that Naga had curled up next my stomach, head down and eyes shut, looking comfortable.

I released a long breath through my nose, fighting back a smile. Whatever.

Lin's POV

I had just gotten home when I heard a knock on the door. I growled. All I wanted was some peace and quiet and to enjoy the days I was going to have off. I was surprised, however, when I saw that Opal, my niece, was at the door, luggage bags next to her. I opened my mouth to speak when she lunged herself at me, hugging me tightly. I rolled my eyes before returning the embrace, knowing she was all about sentimentality. And I couldn't really dislike her for that, no matter how much of a hugger I was not.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you," I began as she came inside, shutting the door behind her. "But what are you doing here? "

Opal bit her lip and I took the moment to get a good look at her. I hadn't seen her in a couple of years and she had grown, her features no longer that of a child but of the young adult she now was. She had cut her hair and her skin had darkened some, probably because she spent all her free time outdoors.

"I left home," she finally whispered.

"You ran away?" I asked. She nodded. "Why?"

"I wanted to come to the city to enroll at the university," Opal began. "Mom wanted me to stay in Zaofu. So I came here to see if I could live with you."

I let out a long sigh. Su and I weren't exactly the closest siblings. We were distant, if it hadn't been for Opal that reached out to me at the age of thirteen I would have never even met her. I rubbed my temple, trying to figure out what to do before picking up my phone and dialing her mother.

"Lin?" she asked sounding worried. "Opal is missing and I-"

"I know," I said, cutting her off. "She's with me."

"What? What is she doing in the city?"

"Doing what she wants to do, attend Republic City University."

A sigh. "I told her I wanted her to stay close to home."

I scoffed, if Opal was anything like Su, telling her to stay home hadn't gone well, as evidenced by her showing up at my door. "You're one to talk," I answered. "You left the first chance you got. Besides Opal is a good kid, she won't get into any trouble here."

"She's still a child," Su tried arguing.

"Opal is eighteen and can legally do what she wants. But if she's going to be living with me, there will be rules."

"Living with you?"

I saw my niece's eyes light up and she was practically vibrating in excitement. "Yes, she'll stay here. Mom and I will make sure she has everything she needs."

"But, Lin-"

"No buts. Now I'm going to let her talk to you. Make it quick."

Opal hugged me tightly again and I sighed. I had no idea why I agreed to all of this.

Zuko's POV

I was at home, drinking my cup of coffee when the phone rang. I sighed, hoping it wouldn't be a case and smiled when I recognized the number. I had been married three times but only had children with my last wife, a daughter named Aangela. I had once been the leader of a powerful nation and though I enjoyed the time I had served I had thought it would be best to let my child take over, breaking the family tradition once more.

My father, Ozai, had been imprisoned for crimes against humanity and though my uncle, Iroh, was to take over he had given me the chance to make a difference compared to my father's atrocities. Though he had been my biological father, he never really acted like one, going as far to burn the left side of my face when I had been a boy. My uncle had been the one that I had been closest to and he was a fair and wise man. I learned much from him.

Shortly after Aangela took over the Fire Nation she gave birth to a son, and named him after the only grandfather she had known, Iroh. My grandson and I were very close and I missed him. He had his own job back at home, doing what the Sato tech did here with us and I hoped that one day he would be able to join the team.

"Hey, gramps," he greeted.

"Hello, Iroh," I answered. "How's your mother?"

"She's good. Misses you though, you haven't come visit in a long time."

"I know." I felt guilty about this, but we were only a five member team. "I'll visit soon."

"Or maybe this time I'll visit you and stick around." I chuckled at that. "I'm being serious, Mako put in the paperwork for me and his recommendation."

I didn't know what to say to that. Hotch and Iroh had been friends for years, having gone to the same university and played on the same college football team. I never thought he'd actually want him or anyone else to join.

"I mean I know you guys already have a tech person but I'm also a former military strategist. I can help more than you think."

"Mako never mentioned anything to me."

"He wanted to see if the paperwork would through first," my grandson explained. "But now that it has, I think it'll only be a couple months."

I smiled. "It would be good to have you here, Iroh."

It would indeed.

Mako's POV

I didn't stop the smile in my face as Jack, my son, ran into my arms. I lifted him up, kissing his temple before going inside my sister-in-law's home. For almost two years now Jack had been living with his aunt after my wife's unexpected death. Murder actually, by the hand of a man who was no longer breathing the same air as the rest of us. My job, something Hailey and I always argued about, always seemed to get in the way and because I loved my son I figured he'd be better off living with Jessica.

"Daddy!"

"Hey buddy," I greeted. "You're getting so big!"

"I'm gonna get big like you daddy."

I chuckled at that, taking a good look at him. I came by every night, spending time with him and reading him his bedtime story as his mother had since he had been born. I missed her often but I knew my son was starting to forget her, not that I ever could. He was her spitting image. Jack had dirty blonde hair, my skin color and blue eyes and my brother's button nose. He hugged me tightly before showing me some of his drawings as he usually did. I smiled and told him how pretty they were and after some time I took him into his room, tucking him in to read to him.

It was only moments before his eyes closed and his breathing evened out. I combed his hair before kissing the top of his head, leaving the night light on before closing the bedroom door quietly. Jessica was in the living room already, waiting for me.

"He fell asleep already?" she asked.

I nodded. "It looked like he was tired."

"He's been having soccer practice. Don't forget that tomorrow you have to take him to his game."

I nodded. "I won't."

We stayed in comfortable silence before she spoke once again. "Mako, I know you said you needed time before taking Jack home, and you know I love having him here but…" My sister-in-law paused, trying to find the right words. "Hailey would want him to be with you."

"I know," I answered quietly. "But…I can't. Not yet."

"You've always been a great father," Jessica persisted. "You won't let him down."

I nodded before standing up. "I'll pick him up tomorrow in the morning."

Jessica sighed but nodded. My son needed someone to be there for him, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to. He was all I cared about in this world, and I was protecting him from his work-a-holic father.

"Happy families are all alike. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Leo Tolstoy.