"Glad you stopped by," Mako told his brother. "But I think visiting hours are done. Pretty sure my trial is gonna start soon...if my lawyer ever shows up."

"Hm? Oh, right! Lin says you're free to go."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah, Varrick confessed to everything! Apparently he got tired of you snooping around so he had some Triad guys frame you for bombing the Cultural Center and stealing from Asami's warehouse."

"I knew it! But how'd you catch Varrick?"

"Tahno stopped him from kidnapping Raiko at his big mover finale", Bolin explained, and the smile Mako had might as well have slid on his face and shattered on the ground.

"Hang on, Tahno stopped them?"

Bolin didn't notice his disappointment. "Yeah, he told me before I came over here. Varrick had a bunch of goons dressed up as Northern soldiers, but Tahno took them all on and fought them off by himself! Come on, he's waiting with everyone else, he can tell you all about it!"

"Bo, wait!" His little brother had pulled him up by his arm and dragged him out of his cell before they were stopped in the hall.

"Mako, hold up a minute."

Bolin didn't want to be anywhere near this conversation. "I'm, uh, gonna go check on...something. I'll let you know when I remember what it is."

After he left, Lin stepped forward. "Listen, I just wanted to say-"

"Chief, you don't have to apologize."

"I wasn't going to."

Mako looked off to the side and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh. Well, I..."

"Mako, why do you think I asked you to become a cop?"

He thought back. "Because you had all those openings after, um..."

Lin didn't look pleased that he'd reminded her of a...not insignificant amount of cops being corrupt. "But I didn't put a help wanted sign in front of the police station. Why do you think I asked you?"

He didn't want to make things worse, so he stayed quiet and let her explain.

"You had a good head on your shoulders. Stayed calm under pressure, could handle your own in a fight. Seemed like you would end up becoming a detective someday."

"Thank you."

"At least, that's what I thought."

"Chief, I-"

She held up her hand, and he closed his mouth. "If you can't understand what you did wrong, then I don't see the point of even having this conversation."

"I know, and I wanted to come to you sooner, but-"

"You shouldn't have 'come to me' at all. You should've listened to what I told you and stayed away from this case."

"But I was right about Varrick!", Mako argued. "He really was behind the Cultural Center bombing and the stolen Sato shipment, then he framed me when he realized I was on to him."

"You need more than a hunch for a jury to convict. What evidence did you find?"

"Two-Toed Ping said a woman fitting Zhu Li's description paid them off to keep me distracted while Asami's warehouse got ransacked." He remembered that he'd only gotten that information under threat of toe removal, but he kept that to himself.

"A known Triad?", she pointed out, and Mako knew his omission didn't matter anyway. "The same one that said you helped them do it and planted evidence in your apartment? That sound like a reliable witness to you?"

"..."

"You got real lucky, kid," Lin told him, hand resting on her hip. "If Tahno hadn't stumbled across Lu and Gang stuffed in that locker, he wouldn't find out Varrick's trying to kidnap Raiko, and we don't find out he set you up."

"Lu and Gang got stuffed in a locker?"

"And I will deal with them, believe me." The anger was back again, but at least it wasn't directed at him this time. "Mako, did you think I didn't have Varrick as a person of interest in the bombing? That I didn't have people watching the harbor after that Sato shipment got attacked?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why do you think?" The question was rhetorical, but Lin still expected an answer.

"Because it wasn't my case."

"And it was designated top priority by the president," she added. "I don't share information on cases like that so it doesn't get leaked to the press. Even senior officers aren't kept in the loop, let alone rookie beat cops." Then she paused for a moment. "Mako, if you can't trust me or the decisions I make, then there's no place for you here."

"I do trust you."

"Got a funny way of showing it."

"I'm sorry."

"You swore an oath when you took this job, just like everyone else in this department, to do things the right way. People have had to turn in their badges for things like this."

"I know I screwed up, but please give me another chance," Mako begged. "I promise, I won't mess up again."

Lin pondered it for a moment. "...Alright."

"Th-"

"Listen. After your suspension is up, you will be on disciplinary probation. It will be over when I say it is over. You will report directly to me. You will follow my instructions exactly. And if you even get the paperwork on a parking ticket wrong, you're done. Understand?"

"Yes Chief."

"Good. Now get out of here, your friends are waiting."

When he entered the lobby, it was more than his friends. They were there, sure, along with some other familiar faces, but many he didn't recognize. They didn't matter to him right now, though. There was only one person he was focused on.

Asami walked up to him, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek. "It's good to see you again."

"You too." Seeing her smile again made Mako feel like all his worries could melt away, but he sensed a sadness in her face.

Then Tahno slid in to completely ruin the moment. "Hey there, 'buddy'. Got anything to say?"

Mako grit his teeth, and swallowed his pride. "Thank you, Tahno."

The waterbender leaned in closer. "Sorry, what was that? Couldn't quite hear you."

"Thank you, Tahno." He could feel the vein in his forehead pulsing, and uttering each word felt like a trial.

"Hang on, could you say that again? I want to get a microphone so everyone else can hear it too."? I want to get someone with a microphone so everyone else can hear it."

At this point, Korra stepped in. "Tahno, knock it off." Mako appreciated it, and he was glad she didn't still have hard feelings about telling her plan to Raiko, but they'd probably have to talk at some point.

"Alright alright, I'm done."

"Ah, it's good to have you back, Mako," Bolin told him, draping an arm around his shoulder while waving to the cameras in front of them. "Now we gotta go see Varrick."

"Varrick? What for?"

"You remember me telling you about Korra's Uncle trying to summon an ancient dark spirit that'll destroy the world in a few days?"

"Yeah?"

"Raiko still won't help us," Bolin explained, still grinning to the crowd. "And we're out of options."

"But-"

"You got a better idea?", Korra asked.

Mako didn't. "Fine," he groaned. "Let's go."

Lin directed them to Varrick's cell, but only Korra, Asami, Mako and Bolin went with her. Tahno stayed behind, more preoccupied with Ginger's mouth than saving the world, which he wished them luck with.

When he saw them on the other side of his cell, the businessman was...happy to see them? "Hey guys! Whaddaya think of the place?" They looked in, and if there was a better description of a "gilded cage", none came to mind. It honestly seemed like a better fit at the Sato mansion than a prison. "Varrick Industries built this prison, and I had this cell made special. I had a feeling I'd end up here one day." Then he turned to his assistant. "Zhu Li, c'mon, we got guests! Whip up a pot of that green tea I love!"

"Zhu Li's in prison with you?"

"Wouldn't it be weirder if she wasn't?," Bolin whispered to Korra, and Varrick echoed that sentiment.

"Of course! I don't go anywhere without my assistant. Do you?"

"We're not interested in your tea," Mako snapped. "This isn't a friendly visit."

Varrick seemed genuinely hurt. "Whoa, what's with the sour attitude? We're all on the same team, aren't we?"

"You threw me in jail!"

"Only to stop you from screwing up my plan to help the South! If it wasn't for you and the other blabbermouth brother, we'dve had an army weeks ago. We would've been partying on Ember Island having fruity drinks right now if you'd just listened to me!" Bolin looked away guiltily, but Mako's glare only intensified.

"Is that why you tried to kidnap the President?", Asami asked.

"I wasn't going to hurt him", he explained. "I just needed to start a war. Well, a bigger war."

"Wars: Famous for people not getting hurt," Korra noted, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Hey, I did some good things too. "Korra, who warned you about Unalaq? I did. Bolin, who tried to get you into the movers? I did. Asami, who saved your company? I did! Mako, who threw you in jail? I did! Oh yeah, I guess that was a bad thing."

"How can you say you saved my company?," Asami challenged. "You sunk a shipment of mecha-tanks and stole the rest from my warehouse."

"And I lost my fifth favorite ship doing it! Named her after my mom. Rest in peace, Rocky Bottom."

"So how did 'save' Future Industries when you almost bankrupted it in the first place?"

"Please, your company was circling the drain way before I came along. And not to name names, but I think we all know why." Asami's face crumpled at the reference to her dad, and Mako looked ready to reach through the bars and throttle Varrick. At least, if Korra didn't do it first.

"You also blew up the Cultural Center!", she reminded him. "Some of the artifacts in there were centuries old! Sacred!"

"Hm? Oh, that stuff was all fake. The real things are in my summer home. Great conversation starters."

"You-" For a moment, Korra was too furious to even utter a word. "You are going to build a new Cultural Center with all the original artifacts, or I'm going to use my Avatar powers to put you in a new cell the size of a shoebox!"

"Look, I'm truly sorry for the mess I caused. Let me make it up to you, take Zhu Li. My battleship, not my assistant," he clarified as the latter handed him a cup of tea.

"Hang on, you have a battleship?," Bolin asked. "...And you named it after your assistant?"

"Yup. They're both cold, heartless war machines. It's state of the art, and it's got all the stuff I took from Asami."

"You mean stole."

"Potayto, Potahto. Do you want the ship or not?"

They all looked at each other. "Well, it's not the fleet we were looking for," Korra admitted. "But it's probably the next best thing."

"All right!," Bolin celebrated, bringing Korra, Mako, and Asami together in a group hug strong enough to lift them off the ground. "Team Avatar is back!"

(-)

Tonraq emerged from the cave where he'd been hiding with his men, the icy wind smacking his face as he looked out at the city -no, the tribe- he now called home.

He heard the footsteps of someone approaching behind him. "Chief Tonraq, we can't wait any longer."

"They'll be here soon. We have to give Korra more time."

"That's not an option anymore. Our men don't have enough supplies to last another day."

"Did you send anyone to get more?," Tonraq asked.

"A scout, two days ago," the rebel told him. "He hasn't returned."

So at this point, it was safe to assume he'd deserted, or been captured. "Very well." Then he raised his voice to address everyone in the cave. "Ready yourselves, men. It is time to take back what is ours. Tonight, we take back our city!"

(-)

"Hey." Korra wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at the ocean on the top deck, but Bolin's greeting broke her from her trance. "Kya said you'd be up here."

"I wanted to give her a break from healing Jinora, but she said she was fine, that I should get some rest." Korra knew that she was lying about not being tired. In contrast to popular belief, healing could be a very taxing form of waterbending. And though the woman was probably only second to her Mom in terms of healing, Korra knew Kya had to be exhausted from caring for Jinora for as long as she had been.

"She might be right, though," Bolin told her while he draped his arm over her shoulder. "I mean, we're gonna need you at full strength for going up against Unalaq."

"I know." Korra reciprocated the affection, leaning against him and snaking her own arms around his waist. "I just..."

"We're gonna stop him and get Jinora back, alright?"

"I'm worried about my Dad." She felt guilty that he hadn't crossed her mind earlier. This whole time, while she'd been learning about Vaatu and the Spirit World, he'd been waiting for her to bring him help to the South. Not for lack of trying on her part, but she couldn't shake this feeling that she was already too late.

"C'mon. If he's anything like you, he probably took care of Unalaq and his army for us already." She gave him an amused sniff at his confidence, but the worry remained.

(-)

It was exactly as Tonraq feared: The Northern army had been waiting them out all along. All of the rebels were talented waterbenders, and they'd advanced into the city enough to establish a foothold, but their success vanished when they were beset by dark spirits. He thought it was a random attack at first, but when he saw his brother riding one through the streets, Tonraq knew it was a coordinated attack.

"Gather the men and fall back!"

"What about you?," the rebel asked.

Tonraq knew it was past time he faced Unalaq. "I need to end this, once and for all. Now go, before it's too late.!"

He charged forward, but almost immediately, a wall of ice blocked his path. Tonraq turned around to see who created it, but when he saw them, he didn't want to fight.

"Eska, Desna, this is between me and your father!"

"Leave him." The ice wall melted away as Unalaq dismounted the dark spirit. "He's mine."

Tonraq attacked first, sending a massive stream of water towards Unalaq, but he stopped it with an ice shield. After that, Unalaq retaliated with a massive ice block that knocked Tonraq back some distance, but still close enough to hear the taunt.

"I'm too strong for you, brother."

"Don't ever call me that again!," Tonraq yelled. "Not after what you did!"

"What I did?"

"You had me thrown in jail! You got me banished!"

"No," Unalaq dismissed. "You got yourself banished. I told you not to go charging into that forest, and our home was almost destroyed. If Father had let you come back, the damage would've been irreparable."

"Don't bring him into this!," Tonraq yelled. "You couldn't even let me come back to see him before he died!?"

Genuine disappointment replaced Unalaq's anger for a moment. "You really don't get it, do you?" Then he scoffed. "I should've known. You showed you hadn't changed when you let that oaf of an Air Nomad be her spiritual advisor."

"I don't see or hear from you for decades, and then you expect me to entrust you with my daughter like nothing happened?"

"He had to send his child into the Spirit World because he couldn't get in himself! At least under my influence, we could've spared the world of an Avatar that turned out like you! Impulsive, brash, acting without thinking with no regard for the consequences!"

"And what are you?!," Tonraq challenged. "An arrogant, pompous, man who betrayed his own family to become nothing but a false chief!"

"I am the true chief. And you will bow to me." Unalaq used the snow underneath him to slam Tonraq against another ice wall. He sent a stream of water at Unalaq, but the Chief caught it and created a circle around him, creating obstacles that his brother had to dodge. Unalaq attacked with another mass of water, and Tonraq countered with his own wall of ice, and from behind it he emerged riding a sheet of ice. He got past all the defenses, attacks, and got so, so close to landing a finishing blow.

But not close enough.

Tonraq almost had a hand on Unalaq, but he was blasted away by a pillar of ice, getting frozen to the ground when he landed, unable to defend himself against the next attack. Unalaq destroyed the surrounding ice structures they'd created, bringing chunks together with a giant mass of water, and all Tonraq could do was close his eyes and brace himself for the impact.

(-)

Mako knew he had to do this, he'd put it off long enough already. Bolin had told him where she was an hour ago, but now that he could see her, looking out at the ocean that was illuminated when the moon passed between the clouds, what to actually say felt like a mystery.

"...Can't sleep?"

"No." Asami didn't look at him, but from what Mako could see of her face, she was filled with the same dread as him. "You?"

"No," he admitted. "...I guess we should talk."

"Yeah."

Here it came. "...Asami, I-"

"You lied to me, Mako." It felt like a brutal accusation, but what she'd said was completely true, and he had no defense for it.

"You lied about everything." Asami's voice cracked as she talked, and now that she was looking at him, Mako could see how bad he'd hurt her. "About Varrick, about Bolin and Raiko, I just...why?"

"I'm sorry, I know I should have told you. But, after what happened when Bolin found out, I didn't want to lose you too."

"He came by earlier. Said that you had to tell because you were ordered to." Mako was glad he didn't have to explain that to her, but it still didn't make his decision to hide it any better. "When you were in jail...I'm sorry I didn't come see you."

"It's okay. Tahno explained why, I get it."

"And you told him about Varrick before me," Asami reminded. "How am I supposed to feel about that?"

"That wasn't how I wanted you to find out."

"Why couldn't you just tell me yourself?"

"It was already risky enough looking into him without you involved. I thought you'd be safer if you didn't know anything until I found something that could put him away."

Asami softened just a little. "Did you think he'd hurt me?"

"I don't know...maybe? And I didn't want to ruin your Future Industries deal either, I know how important it was to you."

"Not more important than you! I couldn't do anything to help you when you got arrested because I didn't know what was going on."

"But you said Future Industries was-"

"Forget what I said," Asami told him. "You're my family. You, Korra, Bolin, all of you." Then she paused to collect herself. "That's why...I think we should just be friends."

Mako knew it was a possibility, as much as he hoped it wouldn't come to this, but preparing for it didn't help at all. "Asami-"

"You were there for me when I really needed you, and I'll always be grateful for that. But, if this is what it takes to keep us together...if we can't trust each other...I don't want us to reach a point where I don't want you in my life anymore.

He wanted to beg for another chance, argue that he'd always trusted her, but then he realized...he hadn't. Mako hadn't trusted her enough to tell her the truth, and how could he expect her to trust him after that?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, caressing his cheek while a tear slipped down hers.

"I'll always love you, Asami."

"And I'll always love you." All the times they'd kissed before, it had been a display of affection or an act of comforting the other. But this time...it felt like a farewell. And sure enough, when their embrace ended, Asami walked away, leaving to mourn their relationship while Mako did the same.