A/N: Here's the latest chapter. R&R please and don't forget to send your love to BG-13, best Co-Author EVER

The heiress smiled at the Firebender, happily accepting the cup of coffee from him. Korra had been discharged from the hospital just a few days ago and although she was currently staying in the mansion, the engineer had not mustered enough courage to see her yet. When she was awake, that is. She'd bring the younger woman's favorite food and stay with her while she slept before slipping away to her company.

"How are you?" he asked as he sat across from her. He'd come by her office to get her to take a break, and she'd been more than happy to oblige.

"I'm fine," the ravenette answered easily, taking a sip of the coffee. "Korra's finally-"

"I'm not asking about Korra," Mako interrupted. "I'm asking about you."

Her brow furrowed, looking baffled by the distinction, almost surprised. "I... I said I'm fine."

"Asami," the soldier began gently, putting his hand over hers. "You do realize it's okay for you not to be okay." Still no response, the heiress' hand curled into a fist under his grip, and emerald orbs looked down into her mug. "This situation, it's hard. But I think at some point, you have to take care of yourself too."

"No. I know," the heiress responded quietly but quickly.

"You love Korra. Everybody knows that." He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. "Taking time to evaluate yourself, how you're holding up, your own mental wellbeing, won't make that any less true."

A moment passed between the two and the soldier could see the turmoil in the engineer's gaze when she finally met his. He watched as the heiress physically deflated before him, shoulders sagging, the color seemed to seep out of her person, the tired bags under her eyes even more apparent. He knew she partly blamed herself, just like he did and just as the Chief did. But they also knew the blame was not entirely on their shoulders, that Korra had been the one who had made the choice to try and pull the trigger.

Somehow, that last part didn't feel so much like a comfort.

He squeezed her clenched fist, his eyes fully understanding. "How are you, Asami?"

Asami had never looked so uncertain as her eyes began to shine. "... I don't know."

Korra let out a sigh before pushing the plate of food away. Her appetite had grown since her discharge from the hospital, much to everyone's relief. Her father had spent a few days with her, reassuring her that she was not alone and that he would be keeping track of her progress. Senna, on the other hand, had decided to stay a few more days and look after her only child. The former soldier mostly slept, complaining about a headache and given the length of the seizure it wasn't unusual, or so the doctors had said.

"How are you feeling?" the older woman asked, tucking brown strands behind her daughter's ears as her head rested in her lap.

"A little tired," Korra answered. "I haven't seen Asami," she stated quietly. Not that she was surprised.

"She's at work right now. She usually visits when you're asleep," Senna replied, one hand rubbing soothing circles on her little girl's back.

The younger woman hummed in response, the most content she'd been in a long time. She had missed her mother. She was just sorry that the circumstances surrounding this moment were so grim.

"Do you remember that time, oh, when you were about ten years old and there was a this huge storm?" Senna began suddenly. "You came running into our room and I asked you what was wrong and you said you were just worried about us. You said you wanted to be there just in case we got scared."

The Bender's lips twitched in response, nodding her head. "It was a very bad storm," she defended, though both her and her mother knew that Korra had been the one scared of the storm.

"Your father was out like a light and I was only up because you'd come marching in with plans to be our savior."

Korra chuckled in response, looking up at her mother. "I thought your memory was supposed to get worse the older you got."

Senna raised a brow. "You calling your mother old?"

Something of a chuckle escaped Korra's throat. "No. Never."

The mother laughed in response, shaking her head before letting out a sigh. "Some days I feel old. I think I've gotten a few grey hairs since..."

"Since the Incident," Korra finished for her. Since the explosion. Since she'd lost her team. Since the people she loved had almost lost her.

"Korra..."

"I'm sorry...that I make you worry," the former soldier answered quietly, closing her eyes.

"Honey, it's my job. I'm sure you could have a boring desk job somewhere and I'd still worry," her mother answered. "It's just what being a mom means. We worry, we love, we do what we can."

Korra sat up, studying the woman before smiling for the first time in days. "I love you, Mom."

The older woman wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her tightly against her. "I love you too, sweetie. Always will." She smiled as the younger woman nuzzled against her shoulder. "I'm going to have to leave soon."

"I know."

"But I don't want to leave you alone."

The former Colonel sighed and nodded in understanding. "I'm not alone. I have Asami and Mako."

"You haven't talked to them."

"I will."

"Honey..."

"Mom," Korra said, sitting up and placing her hand over her mother's. "I'm going to be okay."

Senna managed a smile and hugged her daughter to her, kissing the top of her head. She silently prayed to the Spirits, to Raava herself, and wished she didn't have to leave. But she had to. And she had to believe that Korra really would be okay. Eventually.

It was late at night but as usual the light in the kitchen stayed on as the heiress typed away in her laptop. Though her father was back in town and took care of most of the company's business the engineer still had to do her part. She sighed as she took a sip of her coffee leaning back against her chair. Senna had left earlier that day to the South Pole, though everyone could see she wanted nothing more than to stay. The mother had asked the heiress to look after her daughter and keep her updated in her progress which the emerald eyed woman had obviously agreed to.

"Hey..."

The engineer blinked in surprise before looking up to meet a familiar cerulean gaze. "Hey... You came out."

The former soldier nodded. "Yeah." Silence. "I'm sorry."

Asami shook her head, lowering her gaze as she felt tears well up in her eyes, knowing what the younger of the two meant. "I've never been so scared. I heard the gun and..."

Korra could feel her vision blur, a knot forming in her throat. "I'm so, so sorry."

"No. No. Don't apologize. I understand."

The Waterbender looked up at her long time friend."You... Understand?" she asked.

A nod. "I understand that things can pile up, and the world can feel like it's bearing down on you with all its weight. I know I was part of the problem. I wasn't there for you. I'd... Abandoned you." The engineer could feel her stomach twist as she said the words, the guilt gnawing at her."You're dealing with a lot... And I..."

Korra shook her head."No. It wasn't your fault. I pulled the trigger." She flinched at the words, lowering her gaze once more. "You can't blame yourself for something I did." It had been her. It had been something she'd chosen to do. She didn't want her family blaming themselves for any of this. It hurt. Everything hurt. But it wasn't their burden.

The heiress stood and walked over to her long time friend, slowly and gently wrapping her arms around the shorter woman, tears streaming down her face. "I want you to do something for me. If it ever gets that bad again, I don't care if we're fighting or it's the middle of the night or even if I'm in a meeting, if it gets that bad again, please, tell me. Talk to me. Or if you want, Mako or your parents... Just please... Don't..." She had to stop, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Korra gripped the heiress' jacket tightly, nodding her head against the taller woman's shoulder as her own tears escaped to freedom. Despite it all she still had her best friend, and Spirits knew how much she needed her right now.

The room was eerily quiet. To the former soldier it felt like she had been sitting there for hours. Mako had dropped her off a few minutes ago before heading to his physical therapy appointment. He had told her he'd pick her up after her session was over. It had been a long time since Korra had been here. Since the joint session with Asami, if she remembered correctly.

Tenzin studied the younger woman, watched her fidget in her seat, her eyes wander around. He could see the black around her eyes, proof that she hadn't had proper sleep in a long time. Not that he could blame her. She had been through a lot in a short amount of time. So he waited for her to make the first move, because he knew she would.

"I, uh, I tried to kill myself," the Waterbender began breaking the silence. "I'm lucky, really lucky to be alive right now and I get that." Yet the way she said it, didn't sound convincing. She sounded twice as tired as she looked.

He hummed in response. "You've been through a lot, Col-"

"Korra. It's just Korra," she corrected. Her hands clenched momentarily before relaxing, leaning forward and rubbing her face with her hands.

Tenzin blinked. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's fine. It's just..." The woman sighed shaking her head. "My team died, my best friend blames herself for what happened to me, my mom is upset-"

"Korra, you almost died," the Airbender interrupted. "This is about you. My job is to help you. So how are we going to do that?"

The younger woman bit her lip, her eyes watering. "...I don't know," she finally whispered.

The attack had come out of nowhere. One moment they were treading up the mountain and the next they were on the floor dodging bullets. No. That's not how it had gone. The grenade hit first. The Colonel had been lead, talking to Ben as usual while Julie, Joey, Manny, and Amy hung out behind. Her second in command had suddenly stopped, tilting his head to the side.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

The Colonel had looked around. She didn't hear anything, and told Ben he should probably get his ears checked. Her soldiers snickered, teasing their comrade. It was only a few yards forward that their laughs turned into screams. When the grenade hit they all took cover, yelling at each other from their positions.

Everything was blurry. There were too many sounds. Too many screams. There was pressure on the Colonel's chest. She could hear the bullets flying, hear the thud of the bodies as they fell, hear their screams of agony. They were gone in a matter of seconds. All of them. Except her.

"We died for you, Colonel," she heard Amy say.

The former soldier knelt on the floor, gripping her hair with her free hand, the other gripping the handle of the knife in her other hand tightly. Their voices. She couldn't get their voices out of her head. They called out to her. Reminded her of her failure to protect them.

"Maybe you could hear it this time, Colonel."

She slammed her hand against a nearby surface, her breaths coming in heavy pants. Why didn't she hear it? If only she would've heard it...maybe...

"Korra?"

Her head shook, jaw clenching. That voice wasn't there. It didn't belong to any of them.

"Korra, I need you to put the knife down," the voice persisted.

The knife. Her hand. She shook her head. No. This was the only weapon she had. This was the only way she could defend herself. They were coming. She knew they were.

"I should have heard something," Korra whispered to herself.

Bullets were flying past her. Another grenade. A second hit. She looks down, saw the lifeless eyes of her comrades, of her team, of her family. It's was too much.

She screamed as she kneeled, raising the blade of the knife to her throat. It would be over soon. If she could only...

Something wet slaps against her cheek. She thinks it's her tears but it's moving. Her brow furrows, eyes slowly opening to be met with the brown eyes of a familiar fluffy ball of white. It takes a moment, a moment of confusion and pain and sadness before she drops the knife, listening to it thud against her living room floor.

Asami is there, her eyes are filled with tears, hand covering her mouth and muffling sobs. Someone else comes inside. Mako. He must have been outside. The former soldier's mind cleared and she realized what happened. She came to get her things but there had been a large noise...

Her eyes begin to water before looking up at her friends. "I need help," Korra finally choked out.