"Where the hell are you taking me?!" Monica cried as one of the equalists half dragged her down a long darkened hallway. There were doors on either side made entirely out of metal. At the end of the hallway they took a left then stopped in front of a cell on the right. Another man opened the heavy iron door while the other pushed Monica inside. They shut her in and then the hand cuffs holding Monica's hands behind her back were released. "You had better come back here!" She shouted. "The first chance I get, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Monica slammed her right foot into the metal door. Pain shot up her leg, forcing her to regret her rash decision as she sat on a dirty cot at the back of the cell.

Monica took off her boots and rubbed her ankle. I won't be here very long anyways. Bolin is gonna get Leah and Lin and maybe even Korra and then they'll save me… They wouldn't let Amon take my bending.

Monica felt hot tears stinging her eyes and spilling onto the floor. What if they didn't save her? She would lose her ability to bend and then she would have to return home. No longer able to create art… or even perform all the healing techniques that Katara had taught her. She would probably never see Bolin again ever…

"AND THIS GODDAMN CELL IS DRY AS A BONE!" the water bender cried out defiantly. Wait a minute…. Monica gasped in realization as she stared at the tiny pools of water on the floor. "My tears!"

Monica gathered her tears off the metal floor and walked over to the door. With some effort, she began sawing the miniscule amount of water at the eye slot until she could open it from the inside. Pulling the slide back, she bent her water out into the hall and began sawing at the lock on the door as well. After 5 minutes of effort there was a click and thud as Monica broke through the lock on her door.

"Yes!" She yelled in triumph until she remembered that she was still in an enemy jail. Crap… Monica pushed the door open and started creeping down the hallway in the direction she had come from. She had made it about 20 feet when there was a slam behind her. Twirling back around, Monica saw that her cell door had slammed shut. I must not have opened it wide enough…

"Hey you!" An equalist ran around the corner at the end of the hall and made her way towards Monica. "How'd you get out?!"

Monica turned on her heel and ran as fast as her legs would go. I have to get out of here!

{At the same time at Leah's apartment}

"LEAH! Open up! Hey! Are you home Leah!?" Bolin yelled as he ran down the hall of the apartment toward Leah and Monica's apartment. The earth bender pounded his fists against the door and continued his tirade. "Leah! Come on we have an emergency and you were closest! Open U-"

The door flew open and Leah's fist grabbed onto the collar of Bolin's shirt. "Aren't people even allowed to sleep in peace anymore?" There were dark circles under the metal benders eyes and her long hair was disheveled.

"You do realize its noon, right?" Bolin asked as he took in her appearance.

"Do YOU realize that the city has been in chaos so my sister has been running me ragged at all hours of the night? This is the first chance that I have gotten to sleep… In any case…" Leah replied with a yawn as she tugged him inside the apartment like a rag doll. "You were yelling about an emergency?"

Bolin landed on the couch with a thud as Leah put him down. She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, waiting for an explanation. Even if her loose pajama pants and shirt weren't intimidating, Leah was just as commanding as her sister.

"Monica has been taken by the equalists!" Bolin said as he sat up. "They ambushed us at the park and you were the closest. Please help me find her, she's our friend…" Bolin said as he jumped to his feet and put a hand on Leah's shoulder. She looked thoughtful for a minute before she looked him in the eye.

"I can find her and bring her back, but you are gonna have to stay here." The metal bender said as she headed for her bedroom, suddenly more energetic.

"But I want to help too. Two Earth Benders are better than one and those equalists are bad dudes." He said following her. She stopped as she placed her hand on the door knob to her room.

"Bolin, tell me something. If Monica is only a friend to you, how can I expect you to be of any help to me when it really comes down to it? Monica is practically like a sister to me now, besides the fact that it's my job to protect the citizens of Republic City. I will fight to my last breathe to bring her back."

"Are you saying that I would leave her there to save myself?" Bolin asked incredulously.

"I'm saying it's a possibility. Other than friendship, you have no other ties to Monica. She isn't special enough to you that you would sacrifice yourself in her stead. That means that you will be a burden to not only me, but to Monica as well." The metal bender replied without turning around to meet his gaze.

"I would never leave Monica with those guys! I've been there and it's scary, she's probably terrified…" Bolin said, his voice rising. "And how do you know that she isn't special to me?"

"You wanna prove it?!" Leah replied as she turned around to face him. "If you show me that she really is that important to you, I will bring you with me."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Bolin asked confused. What could she be up to?

The metal bender turned and walked to another door farther down the hallway. She disappeared inside and reemerged with a large frame. She turned it to face him ad Bolin found himself looking into his own eyes. Paint had been applied to every corner of the canvas and it showed every detail and feature of the earth benders face. The painting was beautiful…

"That's one hot dude… Wait… Why do you have a painting of me Leah? Do you have a crush on me or something?" Bolin asked as he tried to sort the whole situation out. What did this painting have to do with Bolin's loyalty to Monica? Or whether or not she was truly special to him or not? The truth is, over the past few months while Monica had been in Republic City and they had been becoming friends, Bolin had started to feel something he had ever felt before. He was happiest when he was with the water bender and he constantly felt the need to protect her from the dangers of the city.

"Are you really this dense? When have I ever painted in my life Bolin? I'm a metal bender, remember? Who do you know that paints? There is someone out there who would do anything they could to be by your side and make you happy, do you feel the same about them?" Leah asked, her voice daring him to make a decision.

"You mean…. Monica painted this?" Bolin asked, recognizing the gentle strokes of water color that made up his face. "So she…"

"She loves you Bolin. All she wants in the world is to make you happy, even if she doesn't say it. What about you? What does your heart tell you?" Leah asked, taking the painting back and putting inside her friend's room.

{Back at the equalist's dungeon}

"You are quite the spirited young woman, aren't you, Water Bender?" Amon said as he entered Monica's new cell. She was tied up and gagged so that she would be unable to move and sat on a chair in the middle of a small dark cell. Her previous escape had been brief when more equalist body guards appeared and used Chi Blocking moves on her arms and legs. Monica turned her head and stared at the wall, refusing to look at her captor.

Of course I am! She thought. Who would sit there and just let you take their bending away?

"Unfortunately for you, today you will become a normal human and discover what it feels like to have to do things without the use of this ungodly power." Amon stepped closer and turned her head to look at him. "And now, you shall be cleansed. Take her up to the stage." Amon walked away and Monica couldn't help feeling relieved. She had a little more time for her friends to show up and save her. Why do I have to be so dependent? Why do I have to be saved?

"Come on," one of the equalists said as they chi blocked her limbs again. "We've got to get her upstairs." Two other equalists stepped in and picked her up between them. They talked about how it was just gonna be another routine rally to get the masses on their side and how dull it was going to be while they waited for it to start. They entered a dark room and the two men holding her tied Monica to a stockade like structure on a platform. Light's turned on somewhere ahead of her behind a large curtain. The water bender hung her head and tried to compose herself. If she was going to lose her bending, she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her upset. She could hear the steady thrum of Amon's deep voice as he made a preliminary speech to his followers on how the benders of the world were evil and needed to be cleansed so that equality could rise.

"Ladies and Gentleman" Monica heard Amon address the crowd. "Tonight I have a very special treat for you. I am going to cleanse the world of two more benders and bring us that much closer to equality!" The curtain lifted and Monica could see that there was another girl tied next to her. Her eyes were wide with fear and she was quietly thrashing against her bonds.

"Bring the bender forward." Amon commanded and the equalists untied the girl. Dragging her over to Amon, they dumped her on the ground before him. "And now I cleanse you of your impurity…" The girl's head straightened as he placed his thumb to her forehead. She gasped, then fell to the ground unconscious.

"And now for our other guest. She is quite the spirited young woman; she's been fighting fate ever since she arrived in our care." Monica scanned the audience frantically. Where are you?! The equalists untied her as well and began carrying her over to Amon since she had no use of her legs. "And now I will cleanse you of your ability." As the masked man went to place his thumb to her forehead a rock whizzed through the air and smacked him in the wrist. There were gasps of horror in the crowd and Monica looked over toward a clearing in the middle of the crowd.

"Get away from her!" Bolin cried out as he used his bending to ride a current of rock to the stage.

"It's the benders! They are oppressing us!" Some people in the crowd cried out. Monica saw Leah swinging from the rafters with her metal cords. She dropped onto the stage and used her bending to shove the equalists away from the water bender with slabs of stone from the floor. Bolin scooped Monica up and removed her gag.

"We're here to rescue you!" He cried out over the commotion. He hugged her tight to his chest and ran for the exit. Leah ran after them, creating blocks whenever an equalist tried to stop them. Non-bending citizens ran for the exits and paid the rescue party no mind as they pushed their way through to the outside air.

"Hold on tight to her Bolin!" Leah said as she parted the citizens in the street with more blocks. "We need to get her home!"

"How did you guys find me?" Monica asked while her friends continued their getaway.

"There was another equalist rally in the park looking for recruits. We convinced the guy to tell us where it was gonna be held." Leah replied as they turned another corner and hid behind a dumpster in an alley way.

"It couldn't have been that easy for you two, our gang is pretty famous." Monica sighed. Bolin placed her on the ground beside him and Leah kept the lookout for any equalists or Amon.

"I was hoping that the equalsts would go underground more when we captured Sato." Leah confessed. They sat silently for half an hour before she added "I think it's safe to go home now. Can you move at all yet?"

The water bender tried her arms and legs and they could move but were weak. "I can move them alright enough." She replied as she tried to drag herself to her feet.

"Don't strain yourself, Mo. I'll help you." Bolin said catching her as she slipped. "I can carry you or you can hold on to my shoulder."

"I'll walk" Monica replied determined. Since when had Bolin started calling her Mo anyways? She put her arm over his shoulder and they started heading back to the apartment.

"I'll go on ahead and get the bath ready." Leah said as she ran ahead.

"Wait! Wh.. Oh never mind…" Monica said under her breathe. Her friends were acting really strange. And Leah was acting too happy to go and start a bath.

About half way to the apartment Bolin suggested that they rest. He helped into another alley way and they sat catching their breath.

"I was really scared you know." Bolin said out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?" Monica replied as she turned her head to look at her friend. His face was illuminated by moon light and she had to turn away when she felt her cheeks blushing.

"I thought I was going to be too late. I was captured by them before and it was a terrifying experience. I didn't want you to feel the same thing… He didn't hurt you did he?" Bolin asked as he cracked his knuckles.

"Who?... Oh Amon? No. I was scared because I tried to free myself and they caught me again, but he never touched me." She murmured.

"Good. Or else I'd be the one without bending." He said tilting his head towards the ground and shading his face from view.

"What do you mean?" Monica asked. How would that have happened?

"I know I haven't really showed it Monica, but you're special to me. If Amon had hurt you I'd march right back down to that rally and kick his ass. I don't wanna see you hurt, and neither does Pabu."

"Well that's kinda dark of you." She commented. "But sweet. Thank you, I'm glad we're friends."

The earth bender shifted his position and looked over at Monica. He had his arms around his knees while he sat, but there was something in his gaze that Monica couldn't puzzle out.

"Leah showed me the painting." He blurted out as he pushed his face farther down to his chest so Monica could only see his eyes.

"Which paint… Oh my God, you don't mean!?" Monica felt her face flare up with a violent blush and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "She didn't… Please tell me this is a cruel joke…" She whispered as she buried her face in her knees.

She felt Bolin take her hand gently. "I think it was a beautiful painting. You captured my hotness perfectly." He said with a chuckle. "I'm sorry that I'm so dense. I realize that I can be kinda goofy and aloof sometimes, but I'm glad that I met you."

"Really?" Monica said as she lifted her head.

"Really." Bolin replied and then he kissed her gently. Monica was caught off guard and she felt the kiss like a shock through her entire body. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take you out to dinner again sometime soon too."

Monica nodded as she caught her breathe. "I'd like that…"

"Now let's get you home" Bolin said as he helped her to her feet. Her muscles had recovered most of their strength and she didn't need to lean on Bolin anymore. "Leah can be pretty scary when it comes to you, you know. She's like a mother Platypus Bear!" Monica laughed and they walked the rest of the way back holding hands.