Thank BG-13!

Bolin's POV

It was so weird being out of that cell. I had been in there for years and now it seemed unreal how much the city had changed, how much everyone had changed actually. My brother had seemed a little brooding than usual but as soon as he started talking, he was different and I liked it. I hated to think that he had suffered in my absence, thinking I was dead. Heck, I thought I had died too when I got stabbed. I could remember seeing the horror reflected in Korra's face, how much she had begged for Amon not to hurt me.

When I woke up, I was in a ship, my torso bandaged and chained to the bed I was in. I still had the scar to prove that what Korra had seen was true. I could already imagine the hatred in my brother's eyes when he had seen her again, and the pain in hers. The Water Trieb girl had been…difficult at times I guess you can say. I knew the real Korra, the one that cried with me once when she was a little buzzed, telling me about how she'd never be anything like Avatar Aang.

I was just finishing the thought when the door cracked open and I got a glimpse of a dark skinned girl. I made a face as I sat up, wondering who it was, but as soon as she walked in, I found myself smiling. It was my best friend, Korra. She bit her lip and rubbed the back of her neck, her gaze not meeting mine. I frowned at this. What was wrong?

"Korra?" I called. She flinched at this but nodded, letting me know she had heard me. "Korra, what's wrong?" I asked quietly.

It was silent for a moment.

"Why did you call for me?" she finally whispered. I could hear the guilt, the sadness, the shame in her voice.

"Because you're my best friend," I answered like it was obvious. "Why wouldn't I call you?"

My former teammate flinched at this. "Bolin, I-", Korra stopped when her voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."

I frowned, raising a brow. "For what?"

"For everything you went through," she replied. "For telling you to go with me that night, for laughing at your dreams, for being a bad friend, for not fighting harder to save you, for-"

"Korra," I said cutting her off. Her eyes slowly rose to meet mine. "Stop apologizing for something you didn't do."

"But I did," Korra countered. "It was my fault you were locked up for five years, it was my fault you were stabbed, it was my fault Mako suffered so much because you were gone."

"No, it wasn't," I told her gently. "It was Amon who did everything. He's the one that stabbed me, he's the one he locked me up, and he was the one that tortured you in that prison."

Korra flinched at that, hugging the arm that had a long fingerless glove. While I had been getting a physical test and being treated for my dehydration, I had asked the nurses and healers about her and they had given me the rundown. They told me about how she changed, how she wasn't anywhere near the person she had been, and how not everyone saw that the change wasn't all that bad.

"I know what happened to you," I continued quietly. "And I know that you have blamed yourself and still do, for what happened to me. But it wasn't your fault, and you can't live with a guilt that isn't yours to carry. I'm here, I'm alive, and it's thanks to you."

Her head snapped up at this, surprise evident. I smirked at this. I wasn't the same either. I had grown, I was the gullible boy I had been and I wasn't stupid.

"I know it's you who hides behind the mask," I said. "Did you really think that I wouldn't recognize you? I knew it was you the moment I turned and saw that mask. I knew you'd never give up looking for me, and that you would find me." I stopped there, motioning to a stack of newspapers on the bed. "You're quite famous you know."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Korra replied. But the waver in her voice told me that I was right. She was the Blue Spirit.

"You don't have to lie to me," I reminded her gently. "I was your secret keeper, remember? I was the one you cried to saying how you weren't good enough to be the Avatar."

"I'm not," she whispered lowering her gaze. "I'll never keep the legacy I had before me. I'll never be like Avatar Aang."

"You're right," I admitted. She nodded her head at this. "Because you're Avatar Korra, not Avatar Aang, not Avatar Roku, you are Avatar Korra. You need to stop comparing yourself to all the other Avatars. They are nothing like you and you are nothing like them and it isn't a bad thing. You hide behind that mask because you're afraid of what people will think about you and because you don't want them to see the real you, the part that wants to help, to bring peace and balance."

She let out a hallow laugh at that, shaking her head. "That's not what the Blue Spirit does," the Water Tribe girl replied. "It kills; it does what everyone is afraid to do. Imagine if they found out it was me? The people of the city hate me already. They'd want my head after finding out who hides behind the mask."

"And that's your problem, you've been afraid your whole life," I answered. Her jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed slightly. I knew being afraid wasn't something she liked admitting to, but it was true. "That's why you hide behind a mask, because it is easier than confronting the problems as Korra, am I right."

"You don't know anything about me."

"But I do," I countered. "I know that you have a good heart, you always have, and I know you want to help. But you have to stop being afraid. You aren't going to fail; you've already done so much. The healers that were with me say they admire the Blue Spirit for what it's doing. Hiding behind the vigilante and being the Avatar…it isn't all that different, it's only a mask that separates the two."

Korra stared at me, her eyes watery and I smiled at her. Maybe I was finally getting through to her. I knew she would be a great Avatar since I met her, and I wasn't wrong.

"Now come here and give me a hug," I added spreading out my arms.

Korra let out a laugh shaking her head before coming close to me. I wrapped my arms around her and she returned the embrace, feeling her shake at the suppress sobs. I sighed and smiled as I rested my chin on her shoulder. After a moment she pulled away and wiped away the tears that managed to escape.

"You know when I escaped the first time, I found out about your disappearance," I admitted. "I didn't know you were being kept at the Boiling Rock until now. I wanted to look for you and tell you I was fine but I got caught and well…"

"Amon took your Bending, didn't he," she asked quietly. I nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing," I replied with a smirk. "It isn't all that bad." But if I was being honest, I missed my Bending, but I'd never admit that to Korra or Mako. They had an eternal guilty conscience and I didn't want them to worry.

"I have something for you," Korra said after a while, digging into her pocket. I smiled as she pulled out a familiar green belt. "You dropped it when Amon-when you fell off the ship."

"Thank you," I replied. "I thought I lost it. My mom made it for me for when I was older. I started to use it when I started to Pro Bend."

Korra gave me a small smile and I let out a loud yawn, my eyes drooping. I heard her chuckle at this and I laughed too. It wasn't long after that my eyes lulled shut and I drifted off to a deep sleep.

Korra's POV

Words couldn't describe how happy I was that Bolin was safe and sound. The cheerful Earthbender had been extremely happy to see me when I had entered his room. I had been happy too but…the guilt had been gnawing on me, making me feel so…undeserving for having him ask for me. Bolin had asked me to come closer and as soon as I had he threw his arms around me, hugging me tightly. I returned the embrace letting a few happy tears escape me. He surprised me even more when he thanked me for rescuing me.

I had frozen at that before telling him I didn't know what he was talking about. Bolin sighed and revealed he knew it was me who hid behind the mask. Somehow he had known that I would become vigilante, something more than the person I had been. He knew his 'death' would change me and admitted that he had tried to escape to try to find me and put my mind at ease. That's when he had found out about my disappearance and had been caught before he could get to the city. Amon had taken away his bending as punishment.

After a few minutes of talking I noticed his eyes begin to droop and before long he was out for the count, snoring loudly I might add. I chuckled at this, running mu hand through his hair before getting up and quietly closing the door behind me.

"Korra?" a voice asked. My jaw clenched and I turned around, forcing a smile. "Looks like the Spirits felt merciful and decided to return Bolin to his home, unharmed," Hiroshi said. "The Chief of Police says that he was rescued by the vigilante?"

"Yes, he was," I replied, trying to remain civil.

"Has he said anything about his ordeal?" he continued. "Has he identified any of his captors?"

My jaw clenched and my hands fisted in my sides. He had some nerve. "No."

"Hmm," Hiroshi hummed. "It's too bad." I could hear the relief in his tone, the satisfaction.

"They'll get what's coming to them," I replied my eyes slightly narrowed. The industrialist eyed me curiously, hearing the threat in my voice. "I'm just glad Bo is home, where he belongs."

"We all are," he finally answered. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend.'

I nodded. Of course he did. I watched as my best friend's father left, glaring at his retreating figure until a voice pulled my attention towards them.

"Korra," Mako repeated. I turned to look at him. "Is Bo okay?" he asked quickly. He must have seen something on my face that made him panic slightly.

I nodded. "He's fine," I replied. "Are you okay?"

He blinked a few times before sighing. "Yeah," the Firebender answered. I raised a brow at this. "Trust me Korra, now is not the time."

"Is something up with you and Asami?" I asked. "I haven't seen here around?"

"She said she'll drop by later,' he replied. "But to answer your question…its actually about you and me." I frowned a little at this. What was he talking about? "Asami broke up with me," Mako revealed. "And yesterday, when I asked her why she said that because you and I belong together."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," the Firebender replied. "She walked out on me."

"I just want you to be happy," I said quietly. "It's what I've always wanted."

"Can you please go and talk to Asami for me?" he asked.

"And say what?"

"Say that there's nothing between us," Mako answered. "That you are not still in love with me."

I opened my mouth to speak but then closed it. I shook my head. I couldn't lie. Not anymore.

"I can't do that," I finally said.

He frowned at this. "Why not?"

"Because it wouldn't be true," I whispered. His amber eyes looked at me, his surprise evident. "And I have enough lies in my life already," I added before leaving.