I know, I know. I have been so behind in posting, and I apologize profusely. Life has been so busy, and it is past two in the morning, but I told myself "I can't leave them without a chapter for another day! It is unjust!". So here I am. Soon, I will be sleeping, but until then, here is the latest chapter of History: Part II.

And, uh, well, I was going to add a part here, but I think I'll just let you read and see it for yourself.

(-)

Chapter 5

Vulnerable

Asami stared at the wall of the ice tent as the dim flames outside and the hidden moon above them illuminated the small opening to the shelter. She was awake, though her conscious state was groggy. From what she could tell, Korra was in the opposite state behind her; she was asleep, but the slumber was light. She hadn't been resting long, either, judging by the amount of time it took her to steady her breathing. The engineer, in the meantime, tried to piece through everything that sprung from what Korra had told her, too hell bent to stop her thoughts and too tired to succeed in burying it deep enough.

Come on, Asami. Relax. You need to rest.

Korra went to the Fire Nation. She lied to me.

Why do you think she lied to you? Her parents were right there when she was telling the story. She couldn't tell them she went to the Fire Nation. They would be way too suspicious. Besides, she told you the truth once she was alone with you and they were out of earshot.

That's true. But why even tell me? If she thought that I would be afraid of her and hate her, why bother telling me a damn thing?

Because she has a good heart and she's not deceitful; she's an honest person. And she's also not a good liar.

She fooled me once.

She did that out of protection for herself. But she came clean with you.

But I still don't know why. If she thought it would change things between us, why do it?

Because she wants to be honest with you. She cares about you, cares about what you think of her. She wanted everything to be out in the open, instead of you finding out about it later. You're important to her, and she's important to you.

Asami sighed and shifted. She brought Korra's right hand out from under the fur and twisted it in the dim light, examining the bruises.

Why am I afraid?

Do you think she's going to hurt you?

Korra would never hurt me. The sight of the flame rushing towards her when Kuru tried to backhand her again swarmed over her. She winced. Not intentionally, anyways.

So you are afraid that she's a Fire Bender.

No, I'm not. I – I don't know. I don't know why I'm afraid. If I did, I wouldn't be asking you about it, would I?

I guess you're right about that. But I don't think you're the only one who's afraid here.

What do you mean?

I think Korra is terrified. It took a lot out of her just to tell you that she went to the Fire Nation. You saw her eyes. Her posture. Her being. And everything that's been happening to her… it must be really confusing for her, not being able to remember or sleep without pain or nightmares.

You have a good point. I wonder what she's been dreaming about, and why all of this is happening.

She said one of her dreams was about you.

She did.

I wonder what happened.

Your guess is as good as mine. If it was a nightmare… I can't imagine the dream lasted long.

Maybe you can help her.

Help her? She paused for a moment to contemplate the claim. How?

You and I both know that you bring her peace and comfort. Help her sleep. Maybe then, it'll be easier for her to piece everything together.

Maybe. But… this feeling. It's weird.

Korra needs you. You might have to put it aside for now until she gets better. Until you both get better.

Maybe you're right.

She focused on the tan hand in hers. She caressed what skin she could access with her thumb.

Do you still love her?

I do. I don't think I couldn't.

Sure you could. A different perspective stepped in. You could bury it all. You could leave right now and just be done with them, with everything. But you won't.

No, I won't. If anything, I should be burying this irrational fear. And you're wrong, by the way. I couldn't just leave; I'm not strong enough.

Asami, look at everything you've endured in your life. You saw your mother die in your arms. Do you really think you couldn't summon the willpower to leave this person that you've hardly known?

Why are we even talking about this? I'm not leaving Korra.

Just consider your options. Are you willing to live the rest of your life in fear?

I –

She exhaled and lowered her arm back to the cold ground.

I just need time to figure it out. I'm not afraid that she's going to hurt me. Maybe… maybe it's just something else. Or maybe it isn't… Spirits, I don't know…

You've got plenty of time right now. Just stay up, piece it together.

No. I'm too tired. I need sleep. I need a fresh mind.

Then sleep.

I've been trying to do that. Your interruptions aren't helping!

"Asami?" Korra's voice was but a mutter. She shifted onto her elbows, her eyes only half open. "You okay?"

Asami looked over her shoulder and smiled. "I'm fine. Go back to sleep."

"You're not sleeping. Are you still cold? You can take all of the pelt if you want –"

"No, no. I'm warm enough." She rotated onto her other side and ran her fingers into the brunette's hair. "You've done a good job of keeping me warm."

Korra grinned, though the curve was soft and muddled with exhaustion. "I'm glad that I – that I did something right this time." She lowered herself back to the ground and stared at the peridots beside her. "Is there anything I can do to help you sleep?"

She looked away and shook her head.

"Something – something's not right. I can tell. Something you're not telling me." She stroked a loose lock of raven hair with her thumb. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Asami hesitated.

Maybe it would be better to just talk to her and get it out in the open.

Or maybe it would make things worse.

"Korra… I –"

Naga's head bolted up at that instant. Korra flipped to face her as Asami did the same.

"Naga, what's wr –"

The polar bear dog jumped out from the tent and barked before she could finish the question.

"Naga?" Korra pushed herself to her feet when several flashes of black passed the small hole that Senna had made for Naga.

A growl and several painful whimpers echoed into the ice structure by the time Asami crouched beside Korra.

"Naga!" Korra burst out of the larger exit just as the sound of her polar bear dog's body hitting the ground reverberated in her ears.

"Korra!" Asami yelled after her, following her out of the tent.

"Naga!? Naga, are you alright?" She sprinted towards her animal companion when several masked people jumped in front of her, blocking her path.

Asami was at her side, though she halted when she saw the familiar uniforms of the assaulters. "Strikers." She slid the parka off of her torso and tossed it aside, knowing full well that this was going to turn into a fight that she would need all of her mobility for.

Within mere seconds, they were surrounded by fifteen green-eyed strangers. Korra stopped dead in her tracks and switched into an offensive position without a second thought. "Who the hell are you?! What did you do to Naga?!" Her fists and teeth were clenched.

"Korra, what is going –" Tonraq's inquiry as he emerged from the tent was cut short when he, too, was cornered by what appeared to be twenty of the assailants.

Senna crawled out from the structure and stood behind her husband in a dazed shock.

Tonraq set his jaw and angled his arms, preparing himself to fight. He put himself between the Strikers and his wife. "What do you want with us?"

They charged on all four of them without warning or response. The Strikers moved with incredible speed. Some of them sent pulses to one of their hands, creating an electric charge from the glove they wore.

"Look out!" Asami spun around and parried a rapid jab from an attacker behind Korra. She slipped their movements with difficulty; they were quicker than any opponent or trainer she had ever fought before.

Korra was in a similar state, each of her thoughts as she avoided the blows being "shit, shit, shit."

Who are these people, these Strikers? Is that what Asami called them? How does she even know about them?

She ducked under a rapid kick and kept her distance from her aggressors.

Asami managed to sweep one of them after she rolled under another speedy shot. They didn't stay down for long and were replaced by two additional Strikers until they could rise.

Tonraq and Senna fought back-to-back, their ice tent long destroyed to provide them with Bending water. Senna's moves were more defensive, trying to keep the attackers away from her, while Tonraq charged them with full force. His brute strength was no match for their agility. While he kept the group fighting him on the defensive, he didn't land a single blow. His frustration was starting to build.

Senna managed to send a small blast of water over two of her pursuers before they could evade the attack. She froze them to the ground to keep them at bay.

Tonraq tried quick, more precise attacks, which countered his first attempt at mere power. When his water slashes failed, he resorted to hasty blows with ice-covered fists. He pivoted around one of the aggressors and slammed his solid hand into their face. The assailant smashed into the dirt, incapacitated. He slipped another that ended up sharing a similar fate.

The more seasoned Strikers picked up on their fighting patterns with ease. It wasn't long before they dodged and slipped past Senna and Tonraq's Water Bending.

It didn't help that their water supply was getting so low, either.

Tonraq rolled out of the way of another attack and tore down Asami's ice tent. He kept the solid form and shot sharp icicles at his pursuers.

They avoided the spikes and continued to close in on him.

Korra and Asami were sweating, struggling to circumvent the fast movements of the Strikers surrounding them.

Asami was making out a bit better than Korra, given her more advanced hand-to-hand combat techniques. She refused to take a hit and slipped every attack sent her way before turning her opponent's movement against them. It didn't take her long to pick up on their own pattern of attack, though her usual strategy of sweeping and flipping them into the ground wasn't proving useful; they just bounced right back up, ready to charge – whether it was with fists or their electric gloves.

The glow of one of the devices filled her sight with white, the weapon a bit too close for comfort as she rotated out of the way. She grabbed the wrist of that particular Striker and wrapped it around his back, forcing the glove against his own clothing. He shrieked from the pain until he was rendered unconscious. Asami released her grip and allowed him to plummet to the dirt – disengaged but breathing. He joined the other six Strikers that she had already taken down. Two more took his place. She spun on her heel to combat the two that were running towards her. She ducked under the first charge and slammed her knee into the groin of the second. She rotated again and shifted her stance, preparing herself for the three aggressors facing her.

Korra, on the other hand, wasn't exactly sure what she was doing. All she knew was that she was stepping around their attacks at a rate that she never would have expected. Her breathing was rapid. Sweat poured from her. She was starting to see red. The sight of her fallen polar bear dog would cross her peripherals after certain dips. It only added fuel to the fire. She took to the offensive, fending off the circle of Strikers around her. She kept moving, kept dodging. She twisted around one quick jab and reciprocated with a blow of her own. Though she couldn't see the blood, she was sure that she broke the person's nose. They fell to the ground, cradling their face from the attack. She didn't have time to celebrate as another kick came barreling her way. She took the brunt of the move, unable to clear it in time. She didn't let that slow her down, though. She rotated just as a hand shot towards her shoulder. She couldn't help but notice his form before landing a firm punch to the throat.

Why are their fingers pointed when they strike?

Tonraq drained water from the grasses nearby and used it to slam one of the Strikers into the ground. He froze them in place, their electric glove still glowing under the torso restraint. He rotated to face two attackers on his flank when he heard Senna yell in a quick burst. His eyes widened as he turned to his wife. He watched her body fall to the dirt under the dim light of the fire.

She didn't move afterward.

"Senna!" He tried to rush to her, using what little water he had to plow through the Strikers charging him.

But he was too slow.

Several quick jabs to his leg and he was on the ground. He continued to Bend at them, as confused and alarmed as he was in his vulnerable position. He managed to take another one down before their blows rendered his arms useless. His cheek was against the cold dirt, his pupils on his wife, who was looking right back at him.

"Senna," he muttered as he tried to extend his arm out to the woman he loved.

Why can't I move? What did they do to me?

He rotated his head so that he could see Korra and Asami; the Strikers that had been attacking the Southern couple rushed after the pair. His eyes broadened in horror as he watched, helpless to protect his daughter, his blood from the storming aggressors. He mustered all of his strength and attempted to move, to do something to help her. Nothing happened. He was as helpless to assist – to do anything – as a newborn polar bear dog pup. All he could do was stare at her as the men got closer.

Korra…

(-)

If you were wondering what I was going to put at the beginning of this chapter, it was me saying

"IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN."