Asami's POV

I didn't know what I'd say to Korra. For once I didn't have a plan. I suppose an apology would be a good place to start. I'd said some things to her that I wish I could take back, things that she had never deserved.

Walking into the Pro Bending training room, I couldn't help but remember the times I'd spent here, encouraging the Fire Ferrets while they practiced, listening as Korra and Mako bickered back and forth. That was before everything went so wrong.

"Excuse me, miss?" I turned to see a scrawny little man with thin rimmed glasses and salt and pepper hair. He was one of the refs if his outfit was anything to go by. "You can't be in here," he told me, gesturing for me to leave out the door I'd come in. I sighed.

"It's okay, Benji."

I'd know that voice anywhere. Korra.

The ref - Benji - simply shrugged his shoulders and left the room.

I smiled slightly at the Waterbender. When she didn't return the gesture I felt my stomach twist. I had really screwed up this time.

"What could you possibly want?"

Okay. I admit, I deserved that.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself. "I wanted to apologize...for what happened between us, the things I said." I shook my head at my own stupidity and jealousy. "And I'm sorry for sending your letters back, not returning you calls or emails..." I trailed off. Voicing it out loud, I realized how much of ass I'd been. Korra had tried to reconcile...and I had pushed her away.

She studied me for a long moment. And I took the time to take in her appearance. She was wearing a blue tank and black sweats, her hair now short and framed her more angular facial features. She looked older, tired. Her eyes once mischievous and full of life had somewhat dimmed, no longer as naive as they once were. She seemed almost...sad.

A scoff. "Go home." Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "I have nothing to say to you." She turned to walk away but stopped, her fists clenching at her side. "Actually, I do have something to say. You and your damn letters." She turned back to face me, her face an emotional blank.

"You know, every time I opened one of those letters, I used to get so excited. Even before I read them I was ecstatic," she revealed. "Just knowing that I had a friend out there who cared about what I had to say, who believed I was actually going to amount to something, made me feel important, like I wasn't just the Avatar."

I felt the guilt slowly gnawing at me again. I hadn't realized how important those letters were to Korra. I mean, I was always excited to find a letter from her waiting for me in our mailbox, or to see a text light up my screen but...

"And I'd listen to all your stories, all your shitty dreams-"

"I didn't know."

"Well then what the hell did you know!" She was yelling now, but even the fire in her eyes lacked its usual luster. "I wrote you letters. But did you answer them? No! If you had even looked at any of the messages I sent you, even just one, you would've known how sorry I was, how much I wanted to patch things up!" The fire in her eyes was blazing, but was soon being drowned by tears. "You would've known that Mako and I were having a baby..."

My eyes widened before flickering to her torso.

"If you had answered just one of those damn messages, you would've known that I... That I lost it..." Her voice lost its force at the end and she looked like it was taking all her strength to hold herself up.

"If you had answered...even just one..." She was sobbing now, emotionally spent. My hand was covering my mouth, my own tears spilling from my emerald eyes. My arm hugged my own stomach.

"Korra..."

What was I supposed to say to that? This broken Korra was something I wasn't sure how to handle. She roughly wiped her tears away, her eyes meeting mine.

"I needed you," she managed, her voice wavering. "I needed my best friend and she wasn't there."

My feet moved before I registered the action. Before I knew it, I had crossed the floor and wrapped my arms around the shorter woman. "I'm here now."

I felt her tears against my neck and heard her shuddering breaths as she returned the embrace, clinging to me.

"I was jealous of you," I admitted after a moment, my hand stroking her hair comfortingly. "Sometimes I was so jealous I couldn't see straight."

I gained no response so I continued.

"You did everything you said you would. You became a Pro Bender, a fully realized Avatar. You never once wavered in your beliefs, and I remember wishing I had your strength." I sighed. "And I know that strength will get you through anything."

There was another moment of silence, Korra's sobs slowly subsiding. Her shoulders sagged and she pulled away from me, taking a step back. "You were jealous of me?" she asked, wiping at her tears.

I nodded. "Yeah," I confirmed. "And I'm so sorry, Korra. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. But I'm here now." I stepped forward. "Do you think you can forgive me?"

The brunette studied me for what felt like an eternity, appraising my words and searching for any hint of deceit. I couldn't necessarily blame her for that, given my record. Finally, she gave a small smile and nodded her head. I grinned and hugged her tightly. She returned the embrace once again while I soothingly rubbed her back. I couldn't imagine how she'd felt after losing the baby...but Korra was strong. And though I knew it had taken its toll on the younger woman, I also knew she would be okay. Mako would make sure of it, and now so would I.

"By the way, I love the hair."

Korra chuckled, and after a moment my friend pulled away again as she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. I raised a brow at her.

"Asami, um," she began, as if unsure. "No offense but...did you gain weight?"

I blinked a couple times before laughing slightly at her nervousness, rubbing my swollen belly. Typical Korra.

"Well, not exactly," I answered. She raised a brow questioningly. "Congratulations, Korra. You're gonna be an aunt. That is...if you want."

The Water Tribe girl's eyes widened before they zeroed in on the hand that was rubbing my stomach. She cautiously stepped forward before kneeling down and pressing her ear to my enlarged midsection. She looked up at me, practically beaming.

"I'm going to be an aunt!"

I chuckled, watching as she pressed her ear back to my stomach. Korra would be a wonderful aunt, and maybe one day a fantastic mother. I could see it.

Mako's POV

I came home late after practically searching the whole city for Korra. Benji had informed me when I arrived at practice that she had left with someone, but he didn't know who it was, just that it had been a woman. I contacted the White Lotus right away after her phone went straight to voicemail. I searched everywhere I could think of in the city but there was no sign of her.

Normally I wouldn't freak out but after…after she lost the baby, Korra was a completely different person. She shut the world out and me along with it. I'd never seen her so heartbroken in my life. But after that night, the night when she'd come home drunk, she hadn't had a drop of alcohol. She carried the sonogram in her wallet, and I'd catch her looking at it sometimes. She still came home with bruises due to her insisting on competing in matches. She liked the thrill of it, that she could showcase more power there than she could in the ProBending arena.

I sighed as I threw my keys on the table in the living room before taking off my coat and throwing it on the couch, going upstairs. I was about to enter our room when I heard a thump a few doors away...in the nursery. I raised a brow at this, a flame appearing in my hand. No one had gone in that room for over two months and I knew Korra couldn't bear to even glance in its direction. This is why I was surprised when I found her in the middle of the floor, shopping bags surrounding her.

"Oh hey, Mako," my wife greeted, flashing me a huge smile as she got up to kiss my cheek. I blinked a few times, kissing her temple as I usually did before watching her walk back to her spot on the floor.

What was going on?

"Sorry it's a mess," she apologized. "I just came home from a, um, little shopping spree. My phone died, and when I got home, I forgot to charge it. Sorry."

"Korra, what's-"

"I saw Asami today!" Korra continued. "We talked and patched things up. Oh, and guess what?" I opened my mouth but she didn't let me reply. "I'm going to be an aunt!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Despite the fact that I had been fuming with worry before I saw her, I couldn't help but smile at her happiness. I loved seeing the old Korra, the woman I married, and it had been so long. I was happy Asami was back and I thanked the Spirits.

"So I'm guessing she's having a girl," I commented before sitting next to her, looking at all the pink baby things she'd gotten her best friend.

The Waterbender nodded excitedly at this, her smile still intact. "Yup, and I got her a few things already."

"A few?"

She rolled her eyes at me and I wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to me. My wife complied, letting out a sigh when I kissed the top of her head. I had missed having her close to me and I closed my eyes, appreciating the moment. After a while she pulled away and placed her hand against my cheek, her blue eyes looking into my amber ones.

"Mako," my wife whispered, but the way she said it made me focus my attention on her. "I'm so sorry for how I've been treating you. I haven't been fair to you. I shut you out without even thinking that losing our baby had affected you too," she added, her voice cracking at the end. "It wasn't your fault and it wasn't mine. Now I see that. Think you can forgive me?"

"Korra, there's nothing to forgive," I replied, cupping her face in my hands before giving her a kiss.

The Waterbender immediately mimicked my actions, deepening the kiss as she wrapped her arms around my neck, lightly fisted her hands in my hair. I smirked against her lips, putting my hands around her waist and she pressed her forehead against mine. I chuckled at this and before long she was kissing me again and unbuttoning my shirt.

I got the hint and picked her up causing her to giggle as we went over to our room. I sat her on the bed, our lips not separating as she pushed the shirt off my shoulders. Slowly I began to raise up her shirt, giving her time to back out if she wanted. However, she surprised me by taking it off herself before connecting our lips back together. I pulled away after a moment and she growled playfully. I smiled before placing my hand against her cheek. There was something I had to know first.

"Korra, are you sure?" I asked, my voice husky. My heart was beating in my ears. This woman would be the death of me.

My wife gave me a nod before intertwining our left hands together, showing off our wedding bands. I smiled at that, giving her cheek a tender kiss, silently letting her know I needed to hear it too.

"I'm sure."

Asami's POV

I sighed, shaking my head as I watched Korra try to put the crib together. For the last couple of weeks we had been inseparable, going out to shop for my baby and just catching up, like old times. She had helped me paint the nursery pink and helped me decorate with all kinds of knickknacks and toys. My best friend put up shelves and, with Mako's help, had put some furniture in. Now she was sitting on the floor, wooden pieces all around her, a manual in one hand and scratching her head with another. Too stubborn to ask for help.

"Korra, I told you, I can call the company," I tried again.

She waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine, I still remember when Mako and I put ours together…sort of."

The doorbell rang and I sighed in relief. Hopefully that was Mako and he would be able to talk some sense into his wife. As expected, it was indeed the Firebender who was outside. I greeted him and asked him to come in, telling him that Korra was trying to put the crib together. His lips twitched and he shook his head before I made a move to go upstairs once more.

"Asami," he called. I paused and turn to look at him. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you about what happened while you were gone."

I turned around fully, giving him my undivided attention. "What do you mean?"

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "After Korra lost the baby she…she wasn't herself for a long time," Mako began. "At first she was depressed but while I was away for matches she…she started to drink and fought in underground matches. She actually still does the matches."

For a moment I said nothing. What could I say, really? A lot of things had happened since I had been away, since I had chosen to ignore the only person who's ever cared about me. I swallowed thickly.

"Korra's an…alcoholic?" I asked in a whisper. I glanced back up toward the room, concern coursing through my entire being. I hadn't seen her take a drink since my return.

"No, it's not like that," he replied, drawing my attention back to him. "She hasn't had a drink since I got back but I've been keeping an eye on her just in case. I don't want her to participate in those matches but…it does relieve some of her stress so we've come to an agreement that she can do them twice a week." And in that moment he seemed to have aged, his amber eyes sad beyond anything I'd ever seen from him before, and I could almost see what it had been like for him. "I guess I just wanted you to know."

I rubbed my belly, thinking about what Korra must have felt when she lost her child. It couldn't have been easy, losing something so precious that way.

"What I want to say is thank you, for being there for her now. It's helped get her back on her feet."

I was about to reply when a voice cut me off. "Asami?" Korra called. "Is that Mako?"

"Hi, honey," her husband called back.

"Get in here! I need your help!"

We shared a laugh and went up the stairs to see Korra was still where I had left her. Mako sighed and shook his head, muttering something under his breath. I chuckled. These two were quite the pair.

"Do you remember how this thing goes?" she asked.

He sighed again as he went over, giving her a quick kiss before sitting down next to her, grabbing the instruction manual and trying to explain it to the brunette. I couldn't help but laugh as I watched them bicker back and forth, all in good fun, really. Mako was thankful because he thought I'd saved Korra when in reality, she'd saved me.

Korra's POV

I took deep, calming breaths as I warmed myself up for the first match of the night, bouncing on my toes and shaking my arms to loosen up. Though I knew Mako didn't really like me fighting it really did help me relax and he understood this which is why we agreed that I could do it twice a week instead of seven days a week. It's not like I could be here all the time anyways. Asami was back now and I was going to take care of her and my niece, seeing as that scumbag had not only cheated on her but wanted nothing to do with the baby. I could feel my blood begin to boil as I stepped into the ring.

Spirits help him if I ever got my hands on him.

I heard someone cheer my name and I smiled and looked up to where my best friend was seated in the stands above. My husband had told her about my side job and she'd decided she wanted to tag along. It's not like she hadn't seen me fight before but I guess she enjoyed the show. Even I could admit that the atmosphere was contagious in its excitement.

I went over to the fence and Chan offered me a water bottle and I took it as I cracked my neck. After that night when Mako had come home to find me drunk I hadn't had one sip of liquor. The big guy was surprised at first and tried to get me to take at least a shot but I politely declined and he eventually got the hint. Didn't suppose it mattered to him as long as I continued to bring in the crowds.

The bell chimed and I raised my arms as my opponent came forward. I smirked. It was the guy from my first fight and I guess he was here for the rematch. He slammed his fist on the ground but I formed several pillars and jumped on them before landing and sending a boulder at him. It made contact with his face, knocking him against the metal fence. I grinned, raising my arms and pushing forward so the wall collided with him and soon enough I was declared the winner.

Two matches later was when it happened.

I was jumping on my feet, trying to keep my muscles warm when suddenly everything started to spin. I staggered, grabbing my head as I tried shaking the feeling off, only making myself dizzier in the process.

"Hey kid, you okay?" Chan called.

I shook my head as I forced myself to stand and walk over to him. "I think I'm done for tonight."

He was about to tell the main guy when the bell rang and this huge mountain of a man, bigger than Chan, came in. I gulped before I turned to see him arguing with the guy, trying to get him to stop the match. Guess I was fighting.

The guy raised his arms, causing an earthquake and effectively knocking me off my feet as the dizziness returned. My jaw clenched and I stood, stomping my feet before kicking towards his head, making direct contact. I continued to do this but it only managed to tick him off and I knew I had to end this. Pronto. I managed to avoid his attacks before I got an idea. I slid through the dirt till I landed right in front of him slamming my hands on the floor. He grinned at me when nothing happened but soon enough the floor gave away and he was completely buried up to his neck in the ground. With one good kick he was done.

The crowd cheered and I waved, walking towards the gate, managing to get half way before I started to throw up.

Well that was one way to finish a match.

Asami's POV

Korra had been throwing up for the past hour. I'd gone to her latest underground fight, and I had to say she was a natural. But halfway through the fourth round I had noticed that her movements were a little off. She was unsteady on her feet and the giant had actually gotten a pretty decent shot at her. I'd gone down only to find her kneeling over on the ground, a puddle of vomit at her feet.

Chan, the guy who got her in the ring gave her a bag, helping her out the ring as I brought my car around. We went to her house and as soon as she was inside she ran upstairs and into the bathroom. I asked her if she wanted me to call Katara but she refused, saying she just had to empty out her stomach. Obviously that wasn't working out very well for her. Finally she came out, looking pale as a sheet and laying down on her bed with a groan.

"What did you eat?" I asked.

"Nothing that would cause this," she moaned.

I sighed, shaking my head before a thought came to mind. "Korra have you and Mako been…you know?"

My best friend blinked, a light shade of pink spreading across her cheeks. "Well…we are married."

I hummed before letting a smile appear. "Then I think I know what's going on."

"What is it?" she asked, sitting up.

"Korra, I think you might be pregnant."

I saw her stiffen before looking away and probably counting back. She gulped and looked at me, but instead of seeing her get excited she looked terrified. I frowned.

"Korra, what's wrong?"

"I can't be pregnant," she whispered.

"Why not?" Why wasn't she happy? She was going to be a mother.

"It's too soon…I'm not ready to have a baby. Not after…" She trailed off, and started to mutter something about needing to double check with Katara.

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay," I tried reassuring her. "You're going to be a mom. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"You don't understand! I don't want to go through this again! You don't understand what it was like to get so attached to something, and you're so close, then without any warning it's gone and you just feel so empty! You feel like it's your fault that your baby died, like it was penance for some stupid mistake you made…"

Korra looked ready to throw up, whether that was from her current sickness or just her overall feelings of turmoil I wasn't sure. I grabbed her hand, carefully pushing on her fingers till her fist uncurled and then placed it on my stomach, right where I could feel the baby's foot trying to escape.

"I understand your concerns," I told her. "I understand the feeling of wondering if this will last." Her eyes flicked up to me before she looked back down at her hand on my stomach. "I'll hopefully never have to understand the pain of losing this, this…miracle like you had to. But I acknowledge that it's still a possibility."

"If it happens again…" she started, almost to herself. "I know that if I lose this one too…"

"You won't."

"I can't go through that again, 'Sami."

"Korra, listen to me," I said, grabbing her chin between my fingers and making her look up at me. "It's not going to happen again. You can't think that way. Think about the little life you're carrying. He or she needs your love to thrive."

"But-"

"No buts." I was firm on the matter.

The Waterbender held my gaze before looking down where her hand rested on my swollen torso, a small smile causing her lips to twitch as she gently rubbed. I returned the smile before grabbing the hand again and placing it on her own small bump. She gulped nervously but slowly nodded, almost as if reassuring herself.

For the next couple of weeks she didn't bring up the subject again, and I didn't either. I'd decided on giving her time to sort out her thoughts, though the look of panic still crossed her face as the tiny bump started to grow more noticeable. It was the panic that allowed me to guess that she hadn't told Mako yet. I understood the reasons behind the decision, not wanting him to get attached like they both had last time only for every hope to be torn to shreds.

I personally thought all her worries were for not. Mako was such a good husband, and I knew that he would be a wonderful father as well, having raised Bolin practically by himself. At least he would have an interest in their child…unlike my baby's father.

Looking back on it now, I realized how stupid I had been, and how cruel and selfish of a person that slime ball had been. As if my experience with him when I was a teenager hadn't been enough. I'd hoped he would've changed but it's true what they say. Some people just don't change.

"Have you told Mako yet?" I finally asked one day as we walked around the mall.

Korra guiltily bit her lip, her gaze going to her feet. "I…I haven't had the chance."

"You're almost four months along," I reminded her. "He's going to start noticing."

"Not really," she replied. "I'm usually with you and when I'm home I wear baggy clothes. It's amazing what that will hide." She tried to smile and pull it off as a joke. I wasn't very amused.

"Korra," I started. "He has a right to know."

"I want to make sure that this baby is going to make it," she defended quietly.

"That's bullshit and you know it." She sighed. "You need to tell him."

"I will," she amended. "Just not now."

I huffed in frustration. "Spirits help me, Korra. Either you tell him or I will."

Korra looked up at me with wide eyes. "You wouldn't!"

"Try me."

She glared at me and quickened her pace. I sighed heavily, shaking my head and following her. We were almost to the exit when she stopped mid-stride, her hands turning into fists at her side. I furrowed my brow in confusion before coming to a stop next to her, looking for what had caused this reaction. My blood ran cold when I saw the cause.

Entering the mall was a very familiar Waterbender…his new wife attached to his arm. What happened next was a quick blur of movement. One moment Korra was next to me and in the blink of an eye she had walked up to Tahno and decked him in the jaw, and he fell to the floor.

Korra's POV

I was four months pregnant. Four whole months and I still hadn't told Mako. It wasn't from a lack of trying either. I'd start a conversation with him, intending for it to lead toward the possibility of having a family when he'd manage to distract me or I'd just chicken out. I knew he'd notice soon and would be upset because I hadn't told him but…I just couldn't bring myself to. I was so scared, terrified actually. I didn't want to get my…our hopes up. Not again. Sometimes though, I could feel him or her in me and I'd drop whatever I was holding, reminding myself that there was something inside me, something precious.

Asami had tried to reassure me that everything was going to be okay but she didn't know what kind of hell it had been. She didn't know how empty I'd felt when I'd lost the baby a few months back. My first baby. I had pictured it all, holding him in my arms and loving him with everything I had. She didn't understand what I'd lost.

I hadn't thought I'd ever really recover from that, but with both her and Mako's help I had somehow gotten back to square one. She had just tried to bring up the subject again, threatening to tell my husband if I didn't do it soon and I had started to storm off when something caught my eye.

My eyes narrowed and my jaw set, my hands turned into fists at my side. There stood the son of a bitch that had not only cheated on my best friend but had also basically abandoned his unborn child for his blonde she-snake mistress latched onto his arm. Anger bubbled up in my gut and the next thing I knew I was towering over a cursing Tahno as he held his jaw. That would be a bruise later.

"What the hell?" he yelled before looking up at me. As soon as he did, he smiled that oily smirk of his, amusement lighting up his eyes. His stupid blonde wife kneeled down next to him, checking him over but he pushed her aside, standing up on his own and looking down at me. "Well look what the owl-cat dragged in. To what do I owe the pleasure, Uh-vatar?"

Oh, how I hated the bastard, from his better than you attitude right down to that condescending sneer. "You sniveling, conniving little prick!" I growled. "How dare you show your face around here!" I didn't care if the other shoppers were looking at us, or if I was the damn Avatar, this guy had no right being within the same city, no, the same nation as Asami.

"I am a professional Pro-Bender," he answered with an unconcerned air, that crooked grin widening at my obvious distaste as he fixed his suit and hair. "And if I'm not mistaken, if you're here then…" The slime ball looked away from me and his eyes landed on the Sato industrialist who was making her way over to us. "Your little friend can't be far behind."

"Who is she?" the blonde asked, glaring down at me, if you could really even call it a glare. It really just made her face scrunch up in an ugly way. I really wanted to punch her too.

"That's my ex's best friend, babe," the prick replied, sounding slightly annoyed. "You know, the one I left for you."

He didn't even sound the least bit sorry for that, and I made a move forward when Asami grabbed the crook of my arm, stopping me in my tracks. Her green eyes were begging me to stop before she glanced down to her stomach then mine. I shrugged off her hand but stayed put. I didn't want to hurt her or the baby and this whole situation was not helping my temper.

"Think of the baby," she whispered so only I could hear, grabbing my arm once again. I looked down to her round stomach. She shook her head. "Both of them." I sighed but nodded.

"So, tell me Uh-vatar, what did I do to deserve such a greeting?" Tahno asked, drawing our attention back to him. "You know you'll be disqualified now, and you wont be able to give your little charity case any money." I wasn't going to be in the tournament anyway, and he seemed to forget that Asami still owned Future Industries, so money was no problem for her. But knowing all that didn't make the urge to deck him again any less prominent.

"Babe, I don't want to miss the show," his snotty wife whined. Well these two were just a match made in hell, weren't they?

"In a minute, babe. I have a point to make to these two."

I looked over at the wife. "Why'd you do it?" I asked his mistress. "I don't care how famous or rich he is, he's always going to be a dick."

She opened her mouth to reply but Tahno beat her to it. "Enough with the insults, will you? Don't you need to help your pregnant friend here?"

I could see Asami glaring at him from the corner of my eye and I was almost vibrating with rage. How dare he! "She's pregnant with your kid!" I hissed, jabbing a finger at him.

He scoffed, that slimy, disgusting, condescending grin covering his face. "Are you really sure it's mine?"

I'd had it.

I could take him verbally lashing out at me. I could even take him being with his little weasel-snake of a mistress. But I would never, ever, tolerate him insinuating that Asami had ever been unfaithful and slept around like he had. So once again, my fist connected with his face, and he grabbed his nose as blood immediately started to drip onto the tile floor of the mall.

"Korra, that's enough," Asami said, practically dragging me away from the scene.

"Babe, are you okay? Let me see."

"Go get a damn napkin!" Tahno snapped.

As my best friend pulled me away I started to feel something similar to a drum pounding in my head. I staggered, bringing my hand up as I leaned against the wall, trying to take deep breaths. The room started to spin and before I knew it, I was on the floor.

I could hear the echo of Asami's voice in my head but I couldn't make out the words. It was all a garbled mess. Too soon, my eyes lulled shut and I was out.