Lin's POV

I'd been out of town the day before and upon my arrival back in my station I found that everything was in chaos. I walked in to find my officers slacking off, while people complained to Saikhan about Councilman Tarrlok. I sighed in irritation about the complete incompetence I was surrounded by.

Everyone jumped into action once I started barking orders, and I watched them scurry to do their damn jobs. Saikhan cringed, asking to be dismissed. I denied the notion, noticing that he had done absolutely nothing while I was away.

I grabbed the log sheets, taking a seat when I recognized some of the names present.

I scowled as I read through the reports of Korra's crash and the arrests of her and her three friends. I frowned, noticing that the Waterbender had come out of it with a concussion and no arrest. I looked up at Saikhan with narrowed eyes.

"Where is Korra?"

I saw the man swallow. "I don't know."

"Bullshit!" I snapped, slamming my fist on the table. "Korra's friends were arrested but she wasn't. She had a concussion, which almost reassures me that if I call her home she won't be there." He flinched at my tone. "Now, where is she?"

"Councilman Tarrlok asked me to redirect her to him if she had any questions regarding the arrests," he began, trying to stand his ground. "I was just follo-"

"The only orders you follow are mine!" I growled. "Now take me to the boys' cells since Ms. Sato seems to have been bailed out all ready. I expect you to apologize to her and her father. But that is only the least of your problems."

He nodded before taking me to the brother's cell. I walked in and they sat up, cringing before grabbing their heads, having apparently moved too fast. They still hadn't fully recovered from the accident. I asked the Metalbender to leave us as I crossed my arms, brow raised. Just because I was bailing them out didn't mean they wouldn't get an earful.

"What you did was reckless and incredibly stupid," I started. However, seeing as it is within the Avatar's right to keep the peace I'm willing to let it slide this time." The brothers sighed in relief. "But if you create chaos in my city again you'll be spending the next few years in this cell, understand?"

They both nodded.

Having got that out of the way, I escorted the teens toward the exit. "Where's Korra?" the younger of the two asked. "And Asami?"

"Ms. Sato was bailed out by her father," I answered. "And if I know Korra she's probably out there digging herself a deep grave. That's why I'll need your help to find and stop her."

We had just stepped outside when a car came to a screeching stop in front of us. My eyes narrowed when I recognized the man in the driver's seat. Amon. I was about to launch an attack when he pulled a familiar girl in front of him, using her as a shield. I froze when I noticed she wasn't moving. No. This couldn't have happened.

"Good morning, Chief Bei Fong," the masked man said with a chuckle. "I'll be seeing you soon."

He tossed the girl out of the car and onto the ground before the car pulled away. I started to go after him, throwing the metal cables to wrap around the bumper, stopping their escape. He wasn't going to get away. Not this time. I ground my teeth together, my feet digging into the ground.

"Chief!" one of the brothers called. "Korra's in bad shape, she needs a doctor."

"She isn't breathing!"

"Shut up, Bo! She's breathing, see." A pause. "Chief!"

I looked from the masked man to the girl laying unconscious in front of the police station steps. My jaw flexed before I let go of the vehicle, running to the aid of the unconscious girl, taking in the various lacerations on her face and arms, the blood that still spilled from her arm and had stained her shirt. I checked her pulse, noticing how dangerously low it was. I looked to the boys, seeing the concern on their faces.

"We need to get her to Air Temple Island," I said before yelling at someone to get a vehicle and have a boat ready to take us there.

When we arrived, Katara was ready for us, having been informed of our arrival and the girl's condition. Tonraq took her from the Firebender's arms and took her to the healing room, leaving the rest of us outside. I growled. Amon had done this. He had put her in this condition and I would hunt him down if it was the last thing I did.

For the next few hours we paced back and forth, waiting for any news. The Sato girl eventually arrived, practically demanding to be informed of the Waterbender's status only to be told what we knew: the cuts were deep and it would take hours to heal. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Katara emerged and I knew by the look on her face it was far from good news.

"How is she?" the raven haired girl asked before any of us could.

"We've managed to heal most of her wounds," the elder began, her eyes were the saddest I had seen them in a long time. "She has a lot of bruising and some internal bleeding."

"And?" I asked. That wasn't all. I could tell there was more.

She lowered her gaze. "I'm afraid that her connection to the elements has been severed."

I felt my blood run cold. "What?" I asked. "But you're the best healer in the world."

"There was nothing I could do," Katara answered sadly. "She'll be waking up soon. I don't want too many of you in the room with her. I don't want her overwhelmed."

I a deep breath before nodding and following her parents inside the teenager's room. Senna and Tonraq instantly went to her bed, looking as torn as the Waterbending elder and I couldn't blame them. The news had killed me inside as well, and seeing the pale teen in front of me wasn't helping. She had an IV connected to her and oxygen tubes under her nose. It was only a few seconds before her eyes opened tiredly.

"Mom…Dad?" she croaked.

"Shh, don't force yourself," her mother soothed. "Everything is going to be okay."

"How…how did I get here?" Korra asked. "I remember fighting Tarrlok and then…" Her breathing increased as realization hit her. "My-my Bending…I lost my Bending."

She looked to be close to breaking down, she moved her hand to grasp her hair when she suddenly froze and looked down at her arm. I furrowed my brow before moving to see what had caused this. The sight made me sick.

On her arm, bleeding through the bandages, was a word. Amon had actually carved a word into her arm.

Nonbender.

"Korra," I tried, noticing her starting to hyperventilate. "Don't move."

She started to panic, taking the test tubes out of her arms as everyone tried to calm her. Despite her Bending being taken the girl seemed to still have her strength. I wrapped my cables around her, not missing the disapproving looks of her parents.

"Get her a sedative!" I snapped.

Katara did as I said and soon enough I felt her struggling less and less as Senna held her in her arms, rocking her back and forth gently. I had to look away when I heard her heartbroken sobs, her heart wrenching, agonized screams of complete and utter loss, the pain not coming from physical wounds but the ones inside. Her Bending had been everything to her and now it was gone.

I watched as her parents soothed her and she fell into a slumber before I went outside and ordered a group of my best officers to guard the island.

Amon had just made a fatal mistake. And I would make sure he paid for it.

Mako's POV

It'd been a week since Korra had her Bending taken by the revolutionist. The screams of sorrow and pain when she woke up had been heartbreaking, and I could still hear them, echoing in my head. I heard her parents trying to soothe her, telling her everything was going to be fine, but they all knew it wouldn't. Most importantly Korra knew.

Asami had made a choked sound behind her hand when she heard they'd had to sedate her to calm her down. Now, a week later, she refused any company. Her parents, of course, tried and so did Katara and even Asami but she wouldn't budge. She seemed unmoved by their pleas.

I had wanted to see her but I knew myself and I knew her. If I went in there and said the wrong thing, all hell would break loose. But when I found Asami outside her room, two trays of food next to her, reading a magazine something in me sort of snapped.

"Is Korra-"

"She's in her room," my girlfriend replied.

I straightened, trying to control my temper. "And you're just sitting here reading a magazine with two trays of food that she hasn't touched," I replied. I scoffed when she didn't reply. "What is she doing?"

"I don't know," Asami answered. "I've read to her, I've talked to her, I've even begged. She won't answer."

I took a deep breath, turning to leave before turning back around and snatching the magazine away from her. The raven haired girl stood, the blaze in her eyes meeting my own. I'd had it.

"What's the point of you coming over and staying with her if she's going to be in her room by herself?"

"I can't make her come out here."

"She's dying in there, Asami," I pressed.

"Then you do something!" she snapped before taking back the magazine and sitting down.

I touched the bridge of my nose before taking a deep breath. She was right. I should do something. So bracing myself I knocked on the door, unsurprisingly receiving no answer before going inside and praying to the Spirits she was descent. I wasn't, however, prepared for what I found when I opened the door.

All the furniture in the room was destroyed. The chairs had been broken against the wall before being bashed on repeatedly, traces of blood smeared on them. I closed the door behind me, noticing the dresser on the ground, the drawers scattered around, broken as well. The only thing that hadn't been touched was the bed where Korra laid, curled up in a ball facing the window.

I stepped further in until I was next to the bed, taking in the lacerations on her knuckles. She didn't acknowledge my presence, her hair out of its usual wolf tails. For a moment I considered going to get her parents or Katara to heal her hands but I was done feeling sorry for her. The whole house was filled with the feeling of grief, loss, pain, and some tinge of anger. Everyone could feel the emotions swirling in the air.

Her reaction was almost instant. She grabbed onto the sheet, pulling it towards her, still trying to ignore me, but I wasn't having that. With one swift pull it was off her and I grabbed her wrist, making her stand up.

"Enough of this, Korra," I snapped when she tried resisting.

"Leave me alone, Mako!"

"If your parents weren't so clouded by grief they'd be ashamed of you laying around feeling sorry for yourself," I continued, dragging her towards the door. "But I'm done feeling sorry for you."

"I said leave me alone!" she continued to shout, kicking and screaming as I led her through the hallway.

"Mako," my girlfriend called after me.

"Stay out of it, Asami," I barked, continuing toward the courtyard with a fighting ex-Bender.

I could feel the looks the monks, the Airbending children and Korra's parents were giving me as I dragged her outside, ignoring her nails as they dug into my skin as she tried to break loose. But I had been serious. I was done watching her wither away and watching everyone else do nothing to stop her.

"Let go!" the ex Waterbender cried before biting my arm.

My hand instinctively retracted before I grabbed her again and tossed her into the shallow pool behind the spinning gates. She gasped, the chilled water no doubt sending a sudden shock through her system. I rubbed the spot where she bit me, glaring at her. She had actually bit me.

"I am not going to watch you sit and rot anymore!" I yelled after a moment.

"What the hell do you care!" she snapped at me, standing up. "Why are you even here? I'm not the Avatar anymore, you don't have to do me any favors."

"I don't care if you're the Avatar or not," I answered, lowering my voice. "You're my friend and I'm not going to watch you die."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

I narrowed my eyes at the challenged. "I'll knock some sense into you if I have to."

"You wouldn't."

With no warning I threw a fire ball that barely missed her head, causing her to fall back into the water before she got back up on her feet, eyes blazing in anger all over again. At least now I had her attention. She came at me and I simply stepped aside and watched her fall.

"Is that all you got?"

Her jaw clenched and she stood once again, going into a defensive stance. My lips twitched as I realized that I was getting through to her, without her actually knowing. Korra launched a kick at my head that I easily side stepped before kicking her feet out from under her. By this time, everyone in the house had come out to see what was happening and although I saw the worried expressions of Korra's parents, they made no move to stop the match.

Our sparring continued and we unconsciously began to move farther and farther from the main house. I had to look back occasionally to make sure I didn't fall off a cliff while blocking and returning the darker girl's hits. When we reached the edge she stopped, putting her hands on her knees as she panted, exhausted not only from our sparring but from going so long without food no doubt.

"Stop while you can, Mako," she said between breaths.

"I could say the same," I replied, trying to catch my breath. She said nothing and I sighed before trying again, making my voice sound gentle. "I can't begin to imagine how you feel Korra, but doing what you're doing, isolating yourself…it isn't helping you and you are not only hurting yourself but everyone who cares about you as well."

"I'm not the Avatar anymore. I'm no longer anyone's responsibility."

I sighed, shaking my head. "But you are still a daughter," I persisted. "A pupil, a friend. You aren't dead, so don't act like it."

She shook her head and I let out an annoyed huff before looking down at the waves that crashed against the rock. Korra thought she wasn't the Avatar because she couldn't Bend anymore, but there was still a part of her that made her the Avatar. I met her gaze before taking a step back, making her straighten.

"Mako, what are you-"

I reached the end of the cliff and felt myself fall before a hand reached and grabbed onto my arm. I looked up and saw her trying to lift me back up. She grit her teeth and I realized that she must still feel weak from having her Bending taken. But I had to prove a point. She had once pulled me up while in a match, she could do it again.

After a moment I felt her pull me up and I was back on the cliff with a panting Korra next to me, looking as if she wanted nothing more than to toss me halfway across the island. I couldn't help but chuckle and she swung her arm at me, clipping my chin. It hurt and when I licked my lip I tasted blood but the smile wouldn't leave and she tried hitting me again but I held her wrist.

"What's so damn funny?" she snapped.

"That's the stubborn Korra I know," I replied.

"What are you-"

"You say you aren't the Avatar yet you just lifted me up without any of your old strength," I explained. "Not to mention I could have easily dragged you down with me." She stared at me. "That was something only the Avatar would do, Korra. Being able to Bend doesn't define that, it's doing things like that that do."

"Why did you do this?" she asked, pulling her hand out of my grasp. "Why are you still here?"

"You're my friend," I answered. "You were living like you had a death wish, Korra. I had to push you over the edge in order to pull you back."

"Did you really have to push yourself over the edge?"

"What can I say, I'm committed." She looked away and I gently made her look at me, her tired blue eyes meeting mine. "You tried to bury a part of yourself that you can't hide," I continued. "And you just proved that the old Korra is still there, and it's time for her to come back."

She didn't answer for a moment before flinging herself at me, hugging me tightly as she tried to suppress her sobs. I froze for a second before slowly wrapping my arms around her, soothing her as she broke down.

Looking past her, I could see the crowd of her friends and family watching us, each with varying expressions of relief. Senna was almost in tears, looking seconds from collapsing with the emotion.

These sobs Korra had unleashed were different. They were of someone who was lost, but had found themselves. And for once, I had done something right with her.

Korra's POV

For the past couple of days I had been recovering from my…death wish. There really was no nicer way of putting it, especially considering that was exactly what it was . My parents, friends and family had been relieved when Mako had finally gotten through to me. I had to admit it was an incredibly stupid way of doing so. The idiot could have died but…I was grateful. He had brought me back and I will forever be thankful for that.

We were currently sparring, as we had done ever since. He was basically the one that was with me twenty-four/seven, making sure I ate and even accompanied me to my healing sessions. Asami, on the other hand, had started avoiding me. I could see the looks she'd give the Firebender and I. Not to mention they had been arguing a lot lately, probably because of all the time he spent with me. I tried telling him I was fine but he wouldn't have it.

"You know, my parents can babysit me too," I teased as I ducked a kick.

"I'm not babysitting you," my teammate replied, launching a fire attack. I had insisted on him not holding back despite not being able to Bend. I wouldn't allow my body to slack off just because of recent events. Not again. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Relax, mother turtleduck. I'm fine. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

"Given your track record, I find that hard to believe," he answered with a smirk. It was all good natured, easy banter.

I scowled before kicking his side causing him to grunt in surprise. I smiled triumphantly but the moment of victory didn't last long. He launched a kick to my face and I barely managed to block it with my forearm. I hissed at the contact, my other hand clutching at it. Mako immediately stopped and came over to me, practically demanding to see what was wrong.

"You've been scratching it, haven't you," Mako asked as he sat me down, getting the first aid bag Katara had given him. He always kept it within reach when we hung out. I sighed before nodding. "It could get infected."

"It itches," I muttered, looking away.

Truth be told I hadn't been able to look at the injury - that word- since I'd first seen it. Every time I tried I could feel my heart rate accelerate and I figured I might as well not torment myself. So I kept it wrapped most of the time.

"There," my teammate said after bandaging it. I nodded my head in thanks, cradling my arm in my lap as I leaned against the pillar. "Do you want to talk about," he asked quietly after a moment.

I swallowed thickly. "I-I don't know," I whispered.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I just want you to know that I'm here."

I nodded my head with a heavy sigh. "After I found out Saikhan threw you guys in jail, I went looking for Tarrlok," I began. "He-he said he wouldn't let you out unless I agreed to join his Task Force. We started arguing and one thing led to another and before I knew it we were fighting."

I paused, closing my eyes tightly as I remembered that night. I had been drowsy, the concussion fogging my vision. If I had waited for Bei Fong…if I had called home…maybe I wouldn't have lost my Bending. I took a deep breath before continuing.

"I was about to win when he Bloodbended me and then," I stopped, remembering what had happened next. I felt Mako put his hand over mine, giving it a squeeze. "Amon came…he's Tarrlok's brother."

"What?"

"Amon called him 'little brother,'" I explained. "We fought and I was losing at first but then I gained the upper hand and I had him. Tarrlok tried helping him but I knocked him away. I felt a shock go through my body and I fell and...you know the rest."

"So those two are brothers?" the Firebender asked. I nodded and he let out a disgusted scoff. "It actually isn't all that surprising." A pause. "You're going to tell Bei Fong, right?"

I flinched and looked away. "I-I don't know."

"Why not? They hurt you."

"Because there was someone else there that day. The person who shocked me."

"Do you know who it was?" he asked.

I hesitated before nodding. "I think so, I could be wrong-"

"Who was it?"

I bit my lip. "Hiroshi Sato," I whispered, looking up at him. "My best friend's father."

Mako's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief, then he looked contemplative. "Are you sure?"

I nodded my head. "It was him. I think it was him. I don't know, Mako."

"That would explain the equipment in Asami's car," the Firebender deducted. I had thought about those prototype bombs as well. "He's an industrialist, he could be making their weapons."

"But I could also be wrong," I countered though I was sure it had been him I saw. "My memory..it's blurry."

"You need to tell Bei Fong."

"This is my best friend's father we're talking about," I countered, getting frustrated.

"I know, Asami's my girlfriend," Mako reminded me. "But he could have killed you Korra. And if he's been helping Amon…he could have done other things too."

I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "I don't know what to do."

The Firebender threw an arm around me, trying to comfort. I sighed as I leaned my head against his shoulder. Hiroshi was my best friend's father. But Mako was right. If he was involved, he could hurt other people. I pulled away, taking out my cell phone and dialing Lin's office number. He smiled at me and I took a deep breath as she answered.

"Chief of Police."

"Lin? I need to talk to you."