Note: Yay for getting back on this fic like a total boss! Totally excited for what everyone thinks. Some parts, I admit, are clumsy, but overall, I think you readers will love it. Thanks for reading!

Korra sat at the balcony of her room. The sun was already set, and she hadn't left to go see Noatak. Instead, she touched her betrothal necklace and contemplated if everything really was a mistake like everything always was.

"Korra?"

Behind her stood Iluq. She was already dress for her evening with Chu, but she wanted to stop by Korra's room before she met with Chu. Korra always left before this time of day.

"Oh. Hey Iluq," Korra said.

"You're sad," Iluq said.

Korra got up and closed the curtains to the balcony. She turned on some of the lamps and sat on her bed. Iluq joined her and stroked her cousin's hair.

"If you loved someone, and something they did made you feel… uncomfortable, what would you do?" Korra said.

Iluq scratched her head and clasped her hands. She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"I can't tell you," Iluq said.

"That's fine. I didn't expect you to. Anyway… I need you to look at something for me," Korra said.

Korra grabbed the piece of paper in her pocket and handed it to Iluq. Iluq smoothed the crumpled note out and read the paper.

"This makes no sense," Iluq said.

"Figures," Korra said.

"Where did you get this?" Iluq asked.

"I found it. Randomly," Korra said.

"Oh."

"Is something wrong about it?"

"No."

"Oh… okay."

"It's Desna's. You should give it to him."

"Huh?"

"This is his handwriting."

"Oh… Well… could you write down what this says? I'm still not really good at reading Ancient Water Tribe."

Iluq nodded and gestured for a writing utensil. Korra grabbed a pencil and handed it to Iluq. She wrote in small delicate strokes beneath each character and then handed Korra that paper. She tapped the paper and looked at Korra.

"This is the closest to what the lettering on this paper is. Desna will be searching for this," Iluq said.

"I'll be sure to give it to him. Maybe… don't tell him I had it," Korra said.

"That's fine," Iluq said.

At that moment, the door opened, and Chu popped into the room. He made a small wave to Korra and winked at Iluq.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," Chu said.

"Not really. In fact, I have to go. Can you two cover for me?" Korra said.

"Of course Avatar Korra, we would be very happy to," Chu said.

"Thanks."

Korra took her parka and placed the note back into her pocket. She went back to the balcony before Iluq interrupted her.

"Remember to give Desna his note," Iluq said.

Korra opened the door to Noatak's apartment. She looked around and didn't see him at the table reading the newspaper. Instead, she heard the shower running. Korra sat on the settee and paged through whatever newspaper Noatak had read last while he was still in the shower. She normally didn't have the patience to read through the entire paper and usually read whatever Noatak circled or underlined.

The room filled with a warm front of vapor when Noatak finished his shower and opened the door. He leaned against the bathroom doorframe wearing only a towel hung low at his hips. He smirked at Korra who had dazed off reading the paper.

"I thought I heard you come in," Noatak said.

Korra woke up and smacked her head. She combed her hair and rubbed her eyes. Noatak glided to her and gave her a warm kiss.

"Hey…" Korra said.

"Hey," Noatak said.

"I got that note translated," Korra said.

Korra sat up a bit to grab the piece of paper and handed it to Noatak. He unfolded it and nodded. He gave the note back to Korra and settled onto the settee beside her.

"It's in code. Just like we suspected. Give it to Ingyu," Noatak said.

"What will he be able to do it?" Korra said.

"He was very good at cracking codes when we were younger. So you might as well try," Noatak said.

"Cool… I'll visit him tomorrow… Hey… guess what Iluq said about that note?" Korra said.

Noatak moved to kiss Korra again and kissed her on her neck. His hands were at her waist, slowly moving up below her tunic.

"What did she say?" Noatak said.

Noatak nipped at Korra's neckline.

"Well… she said… Oh!" Korra said.

Noatak's hand was underneath her shirt and fondling her breast. He looked up at her and made a smug smile. Korra reached to take his hand off of her breasts and onto her lap.

"Desna wrote that note!" Korra said.

Noatak's eyebrows knitted as he sighed and scratched his head.

"Did Iluq tell you?" Noatak said.

"Did she tell me what?" Korra said.

"Never mind… I can't really tell you if she hasn't already. It's not in my place to tell you," Noatak said.

"What's going on?"

"I am held by a promise to the princess to not tell anyone what is going on."

"But what if she's in trouble?"

"She shouldn't be. Chu is probably a good deterrent."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not, but it's not in my place to be indulging in secrets that aren't mine to have. Ask her yourself if you want to know. She'll tell you."

"Okay… I ruined the evening… Didn't I?"

Noatak kissed Korra and sat back.

"Far from it. I was thinking about you when I was in the shower beforehand, and I haven't been able to get you off of my mind," Noatak said.

"What's been going on with you?" Korra said.

"I don't know. Maybe it's you… making me feel like a young man again," Noatak said.

Noatak reached for Korra again and nuzzled her neck. She pushed him and turned away.

"Stop it. You're scaring me. The training and the sex…" Korra said.

"You told me that you liked it," Noatak said.

"I did. At first… but now… Yesterday you bloodbent someone, and you almost killed him," Korra said.

Noatak gritted his teeth and stared down at Korra.

"That man almost choked you to death!" Noatak said.

"I don't need to be saved!" Korra said.

"And what was I going to do? Let you die?"

"No! But the bloodbending!"

"Is that your problem? You would rather die at the hands of a bloodbender than be saved by the hands of your bloodbender lover?"

"That isn't what I said!"

"Say it Korra! Say that your lover is a bloodbender!"

"Fine! You're a bloodbender! And that… that scares me sometimes. Last night… I didn't see you… I saw Amon."

They sat on the settee in silence. Noatak got up, not even looking at Korra.

"You're pregnant. That's why I did it," Noatak said.

Noatak went into his room and closed the door. Korra followed Noatak into the dark of his bedroom. She stripped of her clothes and huddled into bed with him. They lay back to back while Korra cried.

"Is it true?" Korra said.

"Yes," Noatak said.

"We were always really careful…" Korra said.

"Sometimes it doesn't always work," Noatak said.

"How long have you known?"

"Just yesterday."

Korra kicked Noatak.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Korra said.

"You were preoccupied by that man and his death… I didn't think it was appropriate for me to bring the subject up when all you wanted was comfort," Noatak said.

"Thank you…"

"Why?"

"For thinking about me like that."

"I do it because I love you."

"I know…"

Noatak turned and braced Korra to his chest. He kissed her back and neck while he groped at her breasts. She felt him as his fingers drifted down to her stomach.

"This is how I wanted to tell you. Before I made love to you," Noatak said.

"So tell me," Korra said.

"Korra… we're going to have a child," Noatak said.

His hand moved further down between her legs.

"Please…" Korra said.

Noatak kissed her neck and started to rub her clit. The movements were sleepy, more suited for when they woke up than before they fell asleep. Korra made little whispers about how much she loved Noatak. He kissed her ear and whispered back as he worked Korra in a quiet pleasure. He rocked against Korra, waiting patiently for her to take in the sweetness of it all. Noatak pressed his nose in Korra's hair and smelt the subtle mix of sea bell lilies and honey.

"Oh Noa…" Korra said.

The shallow breaths and little mewling filled the room. The swell of pleasure in Korra's body seemed to be like the gradual waves of the seas that hit upon rocky shores. Even Noatak's fingers moved like the tides. They were born from water, and they made love like the water. Even as Korra lost herself in the pleasure, she felt the calm of Noatak's hand gently caressing her thigh with her hand as his other hand worked in circled and teased her pearl into a dizzying passion.

"Korra… you're so beautiful," Noatak said.

His deep voice soaked into Korra as she writhed under his hand- undulating and panting. She grabbed his hand and held it here as she felt her body pulse and bliss overcame her. Noatak whispered as she closed her eyes and smiled. Korra held his hand as he positioned himself behind her. He kissed her as much as he could as entered her, thinking about how wonderful it was to be joined with the one he loved. Their bodies pushed and pulled together in their quiet and tender manner. Korra grasped his hands as they held tightly to her hips. She was his anchor to reality as he fell deeper into pleasure. Noatak buried his head in the crook of Korra's neck while he made his deep thrusts, filling her with his seed. Korra only parted so she could hold onto Noatak and placed her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat and the echoes of his body.

"I'm sorry I'm not a better man for you," Noatak said.

"What do you mean?" Korra said.

"We're not married yet. We're already expecting a child. I work as a fisherman, and you're a member of the royal family. I'm a bloodbender, and you're the Avatar. And some of those things… those are things I have a hard time controlling," Noatak said.

"It's okay. Some of those things, I understand, and the others… it's going to take me a very long time before I can be okay with it or even know how to deal with it. I just… I just don't want to see you lose yourself like you did," Korra said.

"Thank you… for being honest with me," Noatak said.

Korra smiled and held Noatak's hand. As he closed his eyes, he thought about Korra and their child. He smiled and thought about his brother and his mother… even his father. A calm reached his mind and pervaded with the thought of the future. Strange, he thought. He never used to think about the future like he did now, but with Korra, the future was always there.