Um, who else was excited about that season finale? I was, although I can't help thinking that Korra's journey would have been extended: equipped with Airbending, but missing the other elements; her full spiritual growth; a journey into the Spirit World. But it was still really good...I can't wait to see what happens in Book Two.

So this will be the last oneshot. Anything else that I think about before Book Two will probably be a oneshot in and of itself. Thank you all for reading this. If you haven't already, and are whatever considers mature, please check out "Korra's Theory on Benders & Sex" and "Afterthoughts of the Night in the Morning".

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Aang

For as long as he had known Korra and had watched over her, he knew that the moment she learned something, she excelled at it. And there were several examples, but her connection with him and their predecessors.

For the first time in her life, Korra connection with him had finally broken through its cloudiness, and in her words, she was "a full Avatar". And he wasn't sure if it was because she was in a moment of peace or if she didn't know that she was still very strongly invoking his spirit, but he was very aware of all that she was feeling.

There was joy and relief. A blending of both: joy and relief at finally mastering her skills; joy and relief that she had saved everyone, his family, her friends; joy and relief at being home if even for a short period of time. She could see her parents, be smothered by their love like always. Her mom could make her favorite meals—she could eat breakfast and lunch and dinner all at once. Maybe she and her dad could go hunting, make funny faces at each other when they finished putting on their face paint and grab spears and just go. For Korra, who had always seen the appeal of freedom and had desired to have it outside of the isolation of The South Pole and the White Lotus Fortress, she was aware of the irony her contentedness in being home brought to her. In this very moment, she wouldn't mind being surrounded by whiteness and snow and cold for as long as she could.

But there was duty there too—for Republic City and the rest of the United Forces. A series of thoughts kept running through her head: Even though Amon—Noatak—had been defeated this time, he was still out there. He could always come back. And if not him, someone else. Just because they lost their leader didn't mean their ideals had changed. Another person could come and easily take his place...all it took was him or her proving that they were truly without bending skills and everything would repeat itself again, seemingly without having to take a breath. Even The Lieutenant could take Amon's place; he could be the leader just by appealing to those feelings of betrayal and...oppression. There hadn't been word on what was happening now; everything in Republic City could go on happening without stopping. And there were the other nations too—what if there were problems in the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribes, things she hadn't known about?

...Maybe she should talk to someone. Bumi? General Iroh? They had helped each other when they were fighting—maybe he could help her know more...

And there was love for this...Mako. He knew what that felt like spiritually—he had felt it plenty of times himself. An aura, a certain glow that colored a person's soul...It made sense that Korra would have feelings for a Firebender. She had just as many thoughts about Mako as she had about politics, self inquiries about trying to balance Probending and her Avatar duties and whether he'd even think them dating and being on the same team would be a good idea and how Tenzin might react when he realized that her and her...boyfriend lived so close by to one another. She'd have to deal with all of that later...once she got a little more used to the idea of him kissing her.

And beneath all those layers and thoughts was fear. Fear at the thought of losing everything she had just gained again. She hadn't forgotten how it felt those hours she had lost waterbending, firebending, and earthbending. Korra had likened it to someone coming by and cutting the strings to a group of balloons she had been holding. Or...something like that. She wasn't sure how it had felt for other people, but it had been so strong for her. And she didn't know if that was because she had had access to two other types of bending, but it had felt like half of her had been ripped away from her.

And she had everything back and she was a full Avatar—she could energybend and stuff, but...Noatak had been a bloodbender. A person didn't have to be as powerful as her to take her bending away, just more skilled. And what if...what if he had taught it to someone else?

What if there was someone out there who knew energybending too?

"I'm being paranoid, aren't I?" She looked up and over at him.

She was inside her old room, but not tired. And he was in a chair beside the vanity had had bought his wife once. In the few moments of privacy she had, she was seeking him out once more.

He smiled at her. "I don't think so."

She scoffed a little. "What do they think?"

The other Avatars. If she wanted, she could always ask them, feel them, and he told her so.

"I know I can, but I'd rather hear it from you."

They were very similar in thought to her. A chasm of thoughts filled with concerns and relief and fight and debates and solutions to problems. There was fear as well, fear that events could repeat themselves, that the Avatar Spirit could find itself at the mercy of someone who wished it to take it away again...and there were feelings of blame placed on him. For being so wanton with his energybending, for not truly thinking of the consequences of his actions, for not detaining the one named Noatak's father when he had the chance. But there were waves of relief and joy as well from Roku, Kyoshi, Krurk...so many others...

"Your concerns are theirs as well. But I believe that whatever you decide, you can handle the consequences. Both good...and bad."

"Knowing airbending and using the Avatar Spirit...doesn't make me an expert on this. ...I should go into the Spirit World and meet the other Avatars, right? Now that I can..." ...or still able to. The words she hinted but didn't think to speak hung in the air.

Aang looked up at her, his reincarnation that was like the daughter he had never had. Beautiful, impulsive, passionate, skilled, headstrong.

"I would really encourage it, but that can always wait until the morning." He stood and walked over to her and for the second time today rested his hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you decide, Korra, know that we all support you and are proud of you.

"You are the Avatar. You are the connection between the Spirit World and your world, but that does not mean that you are alone."

She smiled. "I know."

"Then you know we are right beside you. Always. Whatever you decide, we will support you. You are strong and capable of finding the solutions you feel are best. You are this world's and this time's Avatar. We all have faith in you.

"I have faith in you. And I will always stand at your side when you need me."

She smiled. "Thank you."

Near and Far