A/N I know how it's gonna end :D Let's just say, there will only be five chapters left :/

Chapter 25

It had been months since their little rift and the attack of the camp, but everything was slowly shifting back to normal. The summer sun had come and gone, the winds of fall brushing against the exposed cheeks of guards. The guards didn't constantly watch Korra now that they knew the threat was gone, which gave him and Korra more freedom and less fear. Korra's bland room was the same, but now it came with him in her bed, exhausted from a night on duty.

The few moments they had were gentle and intimate. Though Korra was addicted to the passion they had induced on his birthday, they hadn't done anything that drastic since. Howl had been positive that they would be caught and he would be forced to quit, but nothing happened. He knew that Korra was grumpy that she hadn't had her turn yet. Still, he withheld it for as long as he could, waiting for the right moment for the guards to fade away almost completely.

His first day off, he went in to town. What had felt like ages staring at the same bland snow all day disappeared as he walked through stall after stall. He wanted to get Korra something for her patience (which he was surprised she could maintain) and, since they were both off that night, maybe try something again. He smiled, picturing her beautiful gaze holding his as they both cried out in release.

Howl spotted the stall where he'd gotten Korra's first gifts, back up and in action. His feet subconsciously started towards it. The old woman sat in a wooden chair with a penguin by her side, her crooked grin wide as he walked forward. "Good morning," She said. Howl noticed that half of her teeth were missing. He gulped, glancing over the beautiful necklaces on display. Jewelry? Jewelry for Korra? He wasn't sure that she liked jewelry. Then again, he hadn't known if she would like the carvings either.

She would love a necklace, he thought as he held one in his palm. The stone was made of moonstone and had light carvings of the Water Tribe insignia on it. It hung by a dark, deep ocean blue choker. He pulled his glove off and ran his thumb over it. "You've got a special girl?" The old woman croaked, her voice scratchy and slow.

Howl's head rose. "More than you know." He said with a smile, shifting through his pocket and pulling out the leather wallet. "How much?" He questioned as he fingered the crisp, pink bills.

"For you? Twelve yuans." Her white braid fluttered with the icy wind as she placed the necklace in his hand. Her fingers were bare. She must be crazy, Howl thought as he tucked the necklace deep into his pocket. "Have a nice life, young man." She gave him another crooked, toothless smile as he started away. His gloveless hand roamed in his pocket, feeling the carving over and over again.

As he walked back towards the polar bear-dog sled, he noticed that a lot of the older women were wearing the chokers around their necks. Each carving was different though, hand carved. He wished he knew how to chisel a moonstone like they seemed to know, but he settled on buying one rather than taking up lessons he would (hopefully) only need once in life.

Back in the camp, Korra's thoughts plagued her mind. Tenzin had come after she'd recently passed her firebending exam in front of the four Lotus leaders and Katara. He seemed much older and she had no doubt that the airbending kids were winding the old man down. His beard had grayed and thickened, wrinkles formed deep under his eyes once more. Pema, his wife was pregnant again. She was much younger than Tenzin, Korra had noted, from the lack of her graying hair and her still full of life smile. The young woman reminded the Avatar of her mother.

However Tenzin had brought grave news. Republic City, the place she had dreamed about for years, was too dangerous for her to go to, and too in danger for Tenzin to leave. He had his duties on the council and couldn't move from his home in the city to the South Pole like all of the rest of her masters had done. He had explained that he wouldn't be able to do anything until the hubbub in the capital calmed.

It also meant her training was at a standstill. She couldn't leave the compound without a guard accompanying her and none of them were going to do so. Except maybe Howl, but that was a different story. Her dreams of finishing training and leaving the ugly South Pole to envision all of the colors were so close that she could taste them, touch them, before they had rudely been ripped away by a certain old man with a grumpy attitude. Why couldn't she just go with him? She could definitely help with the kids when Pema wanted her to, she would be in Republic City, she would be learning airbending… and she would be so much closer to freedom.

She had to leave. She'd managed to sneak out before, but Howl had always been on duty. Wait, Howl. Howl would come with her, right? They would ride on Naga like they always did and catch the next boat to Republic City. Howl… Howl would love it there. Surely he missed his home? Surely he missed true warmth? Surely he would sacrifice his job for their relationship…right? Right?

An unruly growl arose from Korra's stomach and she sighed. She wasn't hungry; her stomach and head and body just hurt from thinking too much. Her feet hung over the cliff side edge, dangling above massive, jagged spikes. Her gaze was on the sky, pale blue invading her mind as little, fluffy cotton ball clouds blocked the sun bit by bit. She was exhausted, but her mind wouldn't shut up long enough for her to rest. To be honest, she needed advice. Howl's advice. Howl's touch. They hadn't even kissed in the long summer months; her training was so severe and his stupid job.

Her eyes were almost closed when she heard footsteps in the snow. Naga moved from behind her and raised her shaggy head. She waited for her friend to attack, but was surprised when she lay her head back into the snow. "Sitting a little close to the edge, don't you think?" Howl's masculine voice filled her with relief. Then again, it filled her with confusion.

A certain thing had stayed in her mind ever since the attack on the camp. This is your dream, not mine. What had he meant by that? What had he truly meant to say? Had it been the truth, that this really was her dream and not his? Or had he been so delirious from pain that he hadn't been thinking clearly? Either way, she moved away from the cliff edge and back to him. Thank the Spirits they were alone, she needed him desperately. Her body burned as she walked up to him and draped her arms around his neck, her cold nose touching the pale, exposed skin on his neck. He hummed softly at her movements, making her head vibrate slightly. It tickled.

Now that he was hear, she was nearly fully awake, and she knew what she wanted. "You. Me. Bed. Tonight." It had meant to come out seductively, enticingly, but it ended up sounding more like a strained whisper than anything sexy.

She was just about to place her lips on his collarbone when he cleared his throat. "I think I have duty tonight, Korra." He whispered, his hands resting on the small of her back. Korra froze, her mouth hovering over the bones in his shoulder, just centimeters away from pleasing him. Her heart dropped. So now he was avoiding her? This day just kept getting better and better. Now her stomach didn't hurt and her head wasn't jumbled like it used to be. Everything painful pointed to her heart and squeezed, choked, killed the only thing she was using to stay alive. But everything, even the pain, was clear.

Korra untangled herself slowly, her gaze finding interest in the ground. "I forgot." She admitted, much to Howl's disbelief. He kissed her forehead and smiled, his fingers still wrapped around the choker in his pocket. When would be the right time to give it to her? Now? When they were alone completely? Or maybe in the morning, when she was just waking up? "We should get back to camp."

He could hear the upset in her voice so he laced his arm with hers as they walked to Naga. She clung to him like a flying lemur to the branches of a bulberry bush. Even when they were riding towards the camp, her fingers were lightly intertwined with his. Howl knew there was an insanely ridiculous smile on his face while he thought of the necklace and how great it would look on her.

Sitch was just getting off of duty as they rode into the camp. Howl gave Korra's hand a squeeze before jumping off the dog and running over to his friend, giving the man a warm smile. Korra blinked as she watched the friends talk, a small plan formulating in her head. She had to talk to Sitch, but she had to do it while Howl was occupied. Thankfully, their shifts weren't together, although she did feel bad for what she required Sitch to do.

She watched as Howl and Sitch parted; Howl heading towards the barracks to change, she guessed, while Sitch started for the mess hall. Instantly, she unsaddled Naga, gave her a kiss on the nose and a promise she would return, and raced after the man. Korra barely had time to catch up with him before he was completely in the hearing distance of other guards. She grabbed his arm just as he reached for the door and yanked him inside. "Whoa, um—"He blabbered, his lips moving a million miles a second and not making any sense. "Look, I think you might have a thing for guys in uniforms, but I'm not—"

"Shut up and listen." She ordered, pushing him against the metal wall that encased her bedroom. Sitch blinked, his eyes wide with intimidation, before he nodded in acknowledgement. "I have to leave."

"You what—"She slapped her hand over the man's mouth before he could cause any more attention than they already had. The last thing she needed was rumors to get to Howl that she and Sitch, his other best friend, had been getting it on by Korra's room. And she didn't want to get Sitch fired.

"I have to leave, because I have to master the four elements and face my destiny." She whispered. "But I can't do that with Howl on guard tonight. He loves me, but he loves his job more. I can't bring him along." She whispered, slowly pulling her hand away from his mouth. The man's eyes were flickering from side to side, squinted as if her were thinking of what she'd just told him. Finally, a spark lit in his eyes and he hung his head in defeat.

"So what do you need me to do?" He asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. Korra sighed and stepped away from him. Ever since she'd mentioned Howl's name, she could only picture him upset. "Avatar?"

"I need you to be on the post by ten tonight. I'll have Howl by then and by…three, I guess, I'll be out of here." Her lips shook as she spoke, out of sadness she guessed, but she paid no attention to it. Sitch's harsh gaze softened a bit, his features lightening in the dusk.

"I might lose my job."

"I might lose my sanity. Which would you rather have?" She questioned, placing her hands on her hips. Sitch's mouth screwed up, like he'd eaten a sour lemon. Finally, he hung his head again and nodded. "Thank you so much Sitch. You have no idea—"

"Go." He nearly spat. "Before I change my mind."

It was nearly ten when she climbed onto the wall, her gaze spotting Howl's stretched out feature sprawled along the sentry. She nearly ran, her fingers shaking from both happiness and depression. Howl seemed shocked that she was there, but she wasted no time. Their kisses grew desperate, their tongues battling for supremacy. Howl's fingers were desperately trying to break through the thick parka for acceptance, so needy that she pulled away first. "Come," Was all she said, and like an abandoned polar bear-dog on the tundra, he came.