A/N: For those who were hoping for a big reveal this chapter... Well, I got you this MINI REVEAL! Wooo! High fives all around? No? Aw, maybe next time...

Sidenote: I have no plan for this story. None of this was plotted out. Literally, the story is taking me where it wants to go based on the general ideas I have for a plot. But, even if I start writing a chapter one way, it often changes as I write, because that's what it tells me to do. So, I follow it. Unfortunately, this means that there will sometimes be a detail or two that doesn't match up right away, but I promise, I'll tie it all together as I go along. Subtle hints often become bigger hints, and it's fun like that ;). Enjoy!

Oh! And a HUGE thank you to Jazzii for making some fabulous fanart for this fic! You can find it on facebook at /jazziiart

CHAPTER 10

The dirt kicked up under the tires and she made her way down the path. It was late, but Bolin had been right; the only way she could find out what was going on with Korra was to give her the chance to explain it herself. Plus, she missed her time at the garage, so there's that.

While pulling into the lot, she saw a familiar sight. A beautiful caramel woman in sweatpants and tank top was sitting on the ground, slumped over to the side as her head lulled against the wall. 'Okay, that's just impossibly adorable' Asami thought to herself as she scanned over the girl while pulling into the bay. The door had been left open, of course, so she glided the vehicle right in.

She stepped out of the car and walked over to the girl, who must have been in a deep sleep because the sound of an engine passing by hadn't made her stir in the slightest. Even in sleep, her features were beautiful. She looked peaceful, content, but with a little line between her eyebrows, likely indicating that she was thinking about something when she drifted off. There was a slight drool spilling from the corner of her parted lips, which made Asami laugh a little. It was too stinkin' cute.

The usual bag of deliciousness was on the ground, a death grip clinging to the top. Asami crouched down and brushed a few fingers across the vice grip. "Korra?" Her voice was soft before speaking a bit louder, attempting to wake the girl, but also wanting to let her sleep at the time time. "Korra?" The girl didn't move. Being closer to her face, the lawyer's perceptiveness finally noticed the bags under the woman's eyes. 'She's not sleeping… I should let her rest.

Slowly, she pried the bag from the hand holding it, taking special care not to wake the woman. Once freed, she stands, opens it and looks inside. A sticky note could be seen and she reaches in to pull it out. The words hit her like a ton of bricks.

I always keep my promises.

Asami's hand dropped and she cocked her head, looking down at the woman and giving a soft smile. Stepping over the legs that were stretched out across the ground, she settled down next to her and leaned against the wall, carefully wedging her shoulder under the slumped head. Opening up the bag once more, she took out the sandwich and fruit and began to eat while looking out at the dusk ridden sky.

The purple overcast above the tree line transitioning into a darker blue with small orbs glowing high in the sky was absolutely beautiful, but now as much so as the girl next to her. She stole glances to her right as she ate, watching the full chest rise and fall steadily with every breath. A little tan nose scrunched up and a hand moved to brush at it. Asami laughed, absolutely smitten at the adorable unconscious gesture.

Suddenly, a little snort escaped and the head on her shoulder rolled off and lunged upward. Wide eyes looked all around, trying to grab some sense of clarity. She looked at Asami, a stunned expression planting itself on her face. "Uh – Hi?"

Crimson lips curled into a smile. "Hi." She raised her food in an offering gesture. "Hungry?"

Blue eyes shifted to the meal held in front of her, then back to the emerald orbs locked onto her. She grabbed the sandwich and leaned back into the wall, shifting once again to look at the sky. Asami leaned back and looked out as well, a comfortable silence blanketing over the two as they passed the clumsily wrapped food back and forth.

Once finished, the trashed was crumpled into a ball, which Korra proceeded to toss into a trashcan a few feet way, but missed. "Damn… poor shot."

Asami giggled. "It was a good attempt, at least."

She shrugged. "Oh well." Blue eyes turned and met emerald once more, holding for a few moments. "I waited."

A warm smile responded in kind. "I see that." Asami held up the post-it. "I got your note." Korra nodded and looked away. "I'm sorry, you know."

Chocolate locks whipped in the air as she snapped back to attention. "What? You have nothing to be sorry for! If anyone should be sorry, it's me."

Shadowed eyes closed and onyx hair shook. "No, I shouldn't have pushed you. I let previous experiences get the better of me and I ran away. I disappointed you and I didn't mean to."

Tanned fingers grazed under her chin, enticing her eyes to open. "You could never, ever, disappoint me. It's my fault. I should have just been honest but…" Her words drifted off as shoulders tensed and her hand pulled back before clenching in a fist and dropping to her knee. "It's not just about me, Asami. Other people can be… affected. It's not that I don't trust you, I –"

"Hey…" Long fingers grasped the clenched hand soothingly, which melted into the touch, fingers slowly intertwining. "You don't have to tell me. It's not my business, especially if other people are involved. Just know that, whatever it is, I'm not going to judge you, and you can talk to me about anything… when you're ready."

Korra breathed in and out deeply, her head bowing to place her forehead on Asami's shoulder. "I don't know what it is about you," she began, speaking into the woman's arm. "I've never felt like this before. Every time I see you, I just want to tell you about all the things that weigh me down." Soft lips kissed the top on the woman's head and held steady there, breathing in the scent of sweat and lavender. "I was so… entranced, the day you arrived. You were so gorgeous and so sure. I was almost jealous, until something clicked, and instead I told myself that instead of wanting to be you, I wanted to have you." Fingers from a free hand moved to cling to the arm she spoke into. "And, oh goodness, did I want you."

Asami's free hand graced the side of a tanned cheek with a soft touch, her thumb tapping underneath the chin, requesting the head to lift from its resting place. As it did, her lips darted into dark, luscious ones that instantly kissed her back delicately. The kiss held for an infinite time, both women breathing in deeply though their noses, their eyes closing, and heads tilting. If the spark could be seen it'd be like fireworks taking off into the night sky.

They pulled back, foreheads pressing to one another. "I want you, too," Asami breathed out heavily. The body beside her pulled away entirely, swiftly jumping up and bending down to scoop the other woman up in strong arms. Like lightening, they sped towards the bay, Asami landing on the trunk of her car, never having a chance to collect her thoughts about what was happening, even as hungry lips crashed into hers again.

Tongues sprang from their enclosures and wrapped themselves in one another. Rough hands spread a pair of knees apart so that hips could settle between them, bringing the bodies closer in their entirely. Hands roamed and faces meshed, the body on the trunk scooting closer to the edge as thighs wrapped around a sturdy waist. Fingers tangled in hair, clang to necks and scratched against skin. It was hot and fast, each woman melting into the other.

Excited hands of the woman standing released their grip, her upper body tearing itself from the embrace as she leaned back. One hand reached up and began to play with a sensitive earlobe. The two looked at each other and smiled. Nimble fingers danced around athletic biceps, enticing the tanned woman to flex, causing both to laugh, their smiles growing even more as they gazed into one another's stare.

"Not like this," Korra started. "This isn't how I pictured it. And, if it happens, I want to do it right. I want to give you everything, because that's what you deserve."

The lawyer smiled brightly and leaned in, stealing another soft kiss. She looked determinedly into the other woman's eyes, trying to gauge what was going through her mind. "I don't need everything, Korra. I just need… something. Something that I can hold on to, that tells me that this is more that what that little, pessimistic voice in the back of my head tells me it is."

Korra nodded in understanding. "Okay." She stepped back and offered a hand, helping the beautiful woman down from her gigantic, mentally fabricated pedestal. "I think there's at least one thing I can share with you." Their hands remained held and Korra began to pull them towards the door to the back of the garage.

They stepped outside and walked across the lawn to the last hut. A lock was on the door and the caramel beauty pulled a set of keys from her pocket, releasing the hand encased in hers in the process. As she unhinged the metal clasp, she tuned back once more, looking into the serene face of the woman by her side.

"I'm more than this place. Much more. But, I faltered a few times in the past, and now I'm trying to make up for it while still doing what I think is right to help anyone I can. Do you understand?" she asked pensively at the end, worry etched across her face. An amiable smile and squeeze on her shoulder from a hand that reached out to her reassured her that it was okay. She nodded and moved to open the door.

As they stepped in, a light switch was flipped and florescent bulbs began fluttering to life. There were books and papers stacked and strewn across multiple desks. A table in the center was covered in notebooks and diagrams, even a few large models. A bed was in the corner with dusty sheets that looked as though they hadn't been touched in some time. There was broken glass on the floor and shreds of paper tossed about. Several lamps were knocked over with their bulbs broken and cords ripped from the wall. Several billboards and white boards hung off the wall, one showing the scribbled word FAILURE.

Korra walked around the room, kicking some of the glass and running her fingers through a layer of dust on one of the desks. She looked deep in thought, her brows furrowed and edges of her lips pointed down. Her stature looked stiff and defeated, her chest still as she obviously held her breath as she took in the room, likely reliving the memory of when the room was torn to shreds.

Asami took a few steps in, placing her palms on the center table and looking around the hut before returning her attention to the girl she was with, who was showing signs of internal distress. "Was this yours?" she asked lightly, trying to avoid forcing any kind of pressure to answer the question.

The woman froze in place, apparently realizing that she wasn't the only one in the room. While staring at the floor, she spoke up. "It was. I lived here."

Asami reeled back for a moment, confused at the statement. "I thought you lived in the gym?"

"I do. But, I live here first, several years ago." She paused and walked towards the bed, eventually sitting down and leaning her elbows on her knees. Her head lowered into her hands, her fingers rubbing against her temples. "I rented this hut from the garage's previous owner. I was going to school and didn't have much money, so I wasn't able to afford living in the city. He basically let me live here for free, so long as I helped with basic tune-ups and what not. That's how I learned that poor excuse of a basics conversation that I gave you on the day we met." She chuckled at the thought. "I was an awful so-called apprentice, but I tried, and he didn't seem to mind."

Asami moved around the table, leaning against it on the other side, crossing her arms and legs in the process. "What were you going to school for?"

A sad expression rode to look at the woman. "Isn't it obvious? I was a medical student." Her gaze returned to the floor. "I wanted to be a doctor my entire life." She shook her head. "That's not right. I mean – I wanted to help people my entire life, and being in the medical field seemed like the way to go. I even had the perfect mentor."

"Who was that?" Asami asked out of curiosity.

"Her name was Katara."

The name rang an instant bell, having heard it earlier that day. 'So Bolin meant what he said. There is a connection…'

"She taught me so much, about the logistics and anatomy of the human body, about compassion for people, about healing in general. It became my ultimate calling, and I excelled at it. Everything I was had been poured into learning everything I could so that I could take care of anyone who needed it." Water fought to cascade around the edged of her lids, and the sight broke Asami's heart. "But, it was stripped away, and I was… broken." Tears washed over the barriers that held them back, emotions overwhelming her ability to hold back anymore.

In a couple quick strides, slender arms made their way to the tear-ridden woman, wrapping around her comfortingly as a few whispers of "shhh" were lulled in her ear. A gentle hand stroked down soft hair and a muscled back, all the while tense hands wrapped around a pearly forearm and sobs were let go into a reassuring shoulder. They stayed that way for some time, letting the shakes of sadness subside on their own.

Once the sobs stopped and the girl calmed down amidst the soothing rocking of Asami's embrace, the raven-haired woman spoke up once more. "Why don't you come stay with me tonight?"

A puffy face disentangled itself and looked into concerned jade irises with absolute conviction. "I can't do that. I'm fine here on my own. And, I wouldn't want to give you the wro–"

"You wouldn't be giving me the wrong idea," she cut in quickly. "That cot of yours is uncomfortable. I know, I've slept on it. And this this…" She bounced for a moment on the spring mattress. "This can't be good for anyone's back."

Distraught eyes admired the cheerful smile being tossed her way. "Really, I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking," the woman stated matter-of-factly. "I'm inviting. And I'm only inviting to sleep, that's it." She stood up in front of the downtrodden woman, grabbing under her arms to help lift her to her feet then grabbing a still slightly shaky hand in hers. "Come on."

They walked out and Korra locked the door behind them. After pulling the car from the bay, the two locked up shop and then went on their way into the city. The caramel woman watched her companion drive almost the entire way, just silently staring, reveling in the woman beside her. Jade irises occasionally stole glances when her eyes teased away from the road, a small smile permanently fixating itself throughout the ride.

About twenty minutes in, they finally pulled into the underground parking garage of a large apartment building in the financial district of downtown. The two walked side by side into the elevator, riding it to the main floor before switching to another elevator, Asami quickly shooting off a couple of greetings to the security guards. Rising up in the lift, their hands somehow managed to find themselves once again, and a bell dinged upon their arrival on the top floor. Exiting, complete awe struck the previously upset woman as she took in her surrounding.

The penthouse suite was absolutely stunning. Everything looked as though it was new with a heavy coat of shine covering each little detail. The theme was modern contemporary, and colors were an elegant mixture of dark and bold. Large windows lined the outside walls giving a spectacular view of the city from above. The large room was clean and organized, as if no one even lived there. The only exception being the kitchen area of the vast open concept, it being covered with swarms of take out boxes, wine bottles and coffee cups.

"I'm sorry for the mess," Asami stated quickly as she began picking up the empties and tossing them into a trash bin. "I swear, I'm not usually this messy."

Korra laughed loudly and moved to assist in the clean up. "You call this a mess? Did you not see the room I showed you earlier?" The two glanced at each other for a moment tensely. "But, I see why you enjoy my little lunches so much. When was the last time you had a real home-cooked meal?"

Pointed shoulders shrugged at the comment. "Never? Or at least, I wouldn't even be able to tell you, because I can't remember the last time I did."

"You really should take better care of yourself…" she trailed off, coughing lightly at the end.

The slender form turned to the woman, aggressiveness in her features. "And what about you, Korra? Who takes care of you?" she asked, a little louder than intended.

"I take care of myself just fine," she stated in returned.

"Really?" Asami asked with a sarcastic undertone. "I saw how upset you were when you were talking to Aang, the day I found you huddled up on the floor. And I see how sad your eyes look when you return from spirits knows where. I also see how you cling to me when we're together, like I'm the last person in the world who could ever give you any comfort."

Reddened checks over dark skin turn away before releasing words with a hint of guilt. "I'm sorry if I'm too forward."

Asami stepped toward the woman, their fronts just lightly touching. She moved her hands down strong arms then clasping against limp fingers, bringing the woman's hands up to her chest. "You're not too forward. In fact, I like it." She squeezed a little tighter. "I told you we'll talk about it when you're ready. But in the meantime," she paused, bringing the hands up to her lips as she pressed soft kisses against them, "let me take care of you, like you do for me. You showed me a part of you today, something personal, which is more than anyone has ever done." More kisses pressed against the small hands. "That's enough for me. I trust you, and I want you to trust me."

"Asami…" was all the woman managed to get out, stressed and strangled as the weight of the words bore down on her.

"I want to hold you tonight," she continued. "I want to lay against you and share my warmth with you. I want to paint idle circle across your skin with my fingertips as you drift to sleep in my arms. Is that okay?"

This time, the solemn business owner brought the ivory hands to her own lips, closing her eyes and lingering at the touch. Opening her lids to look back into those brilliantly rich green spheres that shine brighter than anything she'd every seen, she whispered, "sounds perfect."