I lied. Here's another chapter. I won't be able to update until after monday though (for real this time). Enjoy!

Almost two weeks had passed since the gala and Asami hadn't had any opportunities to talk with Korra, though that was because Tarrlok's task force completely monopolized the young Avatar's time. Asami had, however, fallen into a happy rhythm with Mako. She cared for him, and he her, though they never talked about the elephant-koi in the room.

Mako was either oblivious or ignoring the fact that their pain didn't match up, but then again, Asami hadn't seen him get hurt recently, so there was always the slimmest chance that he really was too tough to notice her physical discomforts. But being with Mako was fun, and it made her feel happy. So they started dating, comfortable in teen bliss. Which is how they ended up taking a carriage ride around Republic City's finest park one night.

As Mako helped her into the carriage, she couldn't help but admire his lithe, yet muscular form. He slid in after her and their thighs brushed. Mako grinned, a blush dusting his cheeks, and Asami giggled. Without a word, the carriage driver seated above them started off, steering them down the twisting cobblestone path running through the park. Once they shared a moment to point out a few familiar buildings in the glowing city skyline, Asami turned to Mako and said, "I know it sounds weird to say this, but I'm really glad I hit you with my moped."

"Uh, me too!" Mako let out a wheezy laugh and scooted closer to her so their sides pressed together.

Asami traced the trim of his trademark red scarf and frowned a little. She asked him about the scarf she'd gifted him last week. He was quick to assure her that while he loved it, he could bare to part with the one currently around his neck, as it was his late father's. "I feel like it keeps me safe," he finished.

"I'm so sorry." They didn't need to be soul mates for Asami to understand this kind of pain. "I lost my mother when I was very young." The carriage interior faded, replaced by the view of the sheet in the hallway, the overturned vase of flowers.

Mako's hand found hers and gave it a warm squeeze. Reflected in his eyes was the same lingering shine of loss. Without really thinking about it, she leaned into Mako's embrace. He was, of course, warm, and she pressed her face into his shirt, the fingers on her right hand idly playing with Mako's red scarf.

Thoughts of her mother swirled in her head. Mako was here. Mako understood what this felt like better than anyone. "You make me feel so safe," she whispered.

His chest rose and fell steadily beneath her cheek. "I'm glad."

The carriage rattled onward, over the cobblestoned path. When the driver turned on to the bridge spanning the park's stream, the wheels caught a little on the upraised stones, jouncing the pair together. Mako wrapped a steadying arm around her in response. Asami tilted her head up and kissed under her jaw. This was nice, the close, warm intimacy they shared, but Asami sighed.

"Do you ever think about…?" She shook her head. "Never mind."

Mako lifted her chin up so he could meet her gaze. "What is it, Asami?"

She traced the curve of his face and tried not to frown. "I like you." Heat settled across her face. "So I don't want to ruin this."

Dark eyebrows shot up to his spiky hairline. "What do you mean?"

Asami chewed the inside of her cheek, then shrugged. "Do you think we're soul mates?"

A quiet moment followed, punctuated only by the whir of the carriage engine. Mako's eyes studied the view outside. As the silence stretched, Asami tore her gaze away from Mako's flat expression and watched the trees pass by the windows, the glassy stream surface reflect back the city lights in a rippling blur of gold and orange. The carriage passed a couple, hand in hand, laughing lightly and walking like they didn't want to reach the end of the park path. Mako shifted beside her, so she met his gaze again.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I'd like to be, because I like you, too, but…" Deep lines on either side of his lips carved into his face.

Asami exhaled slowly. So he had his doubts, too. "I know what you mean. This is nice," she squeezed his arm. "But it also feels different."

"Yeah." He frowned. "Does it bother you? Being together if we're not…"

Asami kissed him light enough that her lipstick didn't smudge. "I really do like you. I keep hoping that maybe our connection just hasn't clicked yet."

"Me too," Mako said, playing with a strand of her hair. "So, where do we go from here?"

That was the question. "See where it takes us?"

Because there was no way that could backfire, she thought dryly. If one of them found their match while they were dating, it would hurt the other. Maybe fate was being cruel to her and Mako. It took her mother, his parents, so why wouldn't it make their love lives difficult, too?

"Okay. We could do that." His answering smile was so brittle, Asami wished she'd never brought the whole thing up.

"Okay." She nodded nonetheless, and curled into his side for the rest of the carriage ride, his body welcome warmth to the sudden chill of the late night seeping into her chest.

The park's entrance gate came back into view a few minutes later. Mako got out and helped Asami step down. Her feet had barely touched down when a dull stabbing sensation spiked between her right shoulder and clavicle. She stumbled forward and by the time Mako steadied her, it was like nothing happened. "Are you okay?"

Asami fingered the collar of her jacket and frowned. Here was the proof, settling between them now. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Mako caught the emphasis and his hands slipped from her. "So your soul mate…" He didn't bother to finish his sentence.

She nodded. Her mouth was drier than the Si Wong desert, so her words half stuck in her throat when she spoke. A few feet away, parked on the street, her father's driver waved to her from beside the slick, black satomobile. Mako walked her to the passenger door, scratching the crown of his head.

"Hey," Asami said, touching his arm lightly. "I had a good time tonight and I know that what just happened kind of confirms that we're not…but I'd still like to see you, if that's okay. I don't know when I'm going to meet my soul mate, and neither do you, so maybe we can just have fun hanging out until then? No commitments."

Mako's troubled face smoothed out. "Sure. I think I'd like that." He bent down to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth before opening the car door for her. "Goodnight, Asami. I had a great time, too."

She smiled at him and slipped into the car. As the driver pulled away from the curb, she watched Mako round the opposite corner, heading back towards the still lit up arena. When he was completely out of site, she sagged in her seat and gently touched the spot where it felt like she—or rather her soul mate—had been stabbed. "Where are you?" She wondered aloud.

The bolas came out of nowhere. One second, Korra was stretching her stiff arm muscles and thinking of calling it a night and swimming back to Tenzin's. The next, her legs were bound, her back slid over the tiled ground as she was dragged too quickly into the darkness of a shelter on Avatar Aang Memorial Island. By the time her brain caught up to what was happening, and she sprung up with a fiery sweep of her legs, she realized she was surrounded by over a dozen masked figures.

The flames died out, but the red circles of chi blocker goggles glowed a little bit longer before fading into pitch darkness. Korra threw a couple of fire punches, lighting up the cavernous room, her heart beating a little harder as the orange light revealed a greater swarm of equalists than she originally realized. This was like her nightmare all over again, only very, very real.

No matter how many bouts of flames she tossed, she couldn't cover herself completely and was overwhelmed by an attack behind her. Quick strikes all over her back shut her down. It didn't hurt so much as it made her feel foggy, drained, to the point where she could barely shout in surprise as she fell to the floor. Arms and rope brushed her, forced her into a kneeling position.

Korra craned her neck around slowly, her heart thundering in her chest, but was blinded by a sudden burst of light around her. The room lit up enough for her to see the imposing figure in front of her, flowing out of the shadows heading straight for her.

Towering above her, in that stark, bone white and blood red mask, piercing her with steely eyes, was Amon. So he heard her challenge after all, though the coward used his army of chi blockers to take her out first. She would be enraged if she weren't so terrified by his looming hand, his grave promise to come for her, to take down Republic City's bending elite and then strip her of her powers.

Her body wouldn't respond to her, or maybe it was fear that locked her joints, stilled her muscles. Amon let go of her face, made to turn as if leaving, but then reared back and struck her hard with two fingers in the deltoid muscle of her right shoulder.

Korra felt the scream die in her throat as every inch of her body slackened and the darkness swallowed her whole.