Author Notes: Thank you TheToasterMarketingBoard for editing!
Suyin's stomach began to flutter as she saw Ba Sing Se come into focus in the view from her window. The rising sun blew out the sky so she could only see the city's silhouette.
Suyin couldn't wait to be with her son and share with him the exciting news that his little sister was getting married. Suyin, of course, realized that Jr. would not be able to attend the wedding, or likely any of his sibling's weddings, but she tried to keep that notion separate.
Suyin also had some proposals for new structures in Zaofu that Baatar Sr. wanted to get his son's opinion on. They both wanted Jr. to feel included in the family, as much as he could while being in jail. Ultimately, these were all little things and Suyin had much bigger dreams for her son. She wanted to find that one thing Jr. could do in jail that would give his life true meaning. She just hadn't figured out what that might be yet.
Suyin got up from her passenger seat, hoisted her satchel over her shoulder and moved to the bridge. "Captain. I'm starting to think the capital is going to want us to drop off the platinum somewhere other than the upper ring. I will confirm when we touch down, but I wouldn't plan on landing for long."
"Yes, Ma'am. I had a similar thought myself," the captain replied with a nod of her head.
Suyin sighed. "I'm looking forward to that rail system being finally being finished. Personally, flying my gift is costing as much as the platinum itself."
"I'm sure the representatives will be grateful for the expedited delivery."
The aircraft eventually reached the upper ring. After a bit of a shaky landing, they touched down. When Suyin exited the ship she was greeted by a somewhat familiar-looking male staffer and an Earth Kingdom guard.
"Welcome. And who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" the man asked, bending his body into a slight bow.
"Suyin Beifong, head of the metal clan. My son is Baatar Beifong Jr."
"Wouldn't go around bragging about that," the guard muttered, shifting on his feet.
"Suyin Beifong, how can we accommodate you?"
"I am here to deliver the platinum the council requested."
The man smirked. "Of course. You know, we were expecting you to stick around for the government meetings last time you were here."
"I was never invited."
"You left so soon after landing, we didn't get the opportunity."
Suyin readjusted her shoulder bag that had begun to slip. "Well, I'm here now and plan on making a proper visit. Do you know if the platinum should be unloaded here, or is there an offsite location?"
"It's for the railway project?"
"That's what I was told."
"Yes, and it should go to the storage facility outside the rings. I'll have someone accompany your crew," the man said, looking around the airfield as if trying to locate someone now.
"Is Prince Wu on the premises? I would like to speak with him as well."
"He should be..." the man muttered absently as he continued to focus on the airfield.
Suyin tried to position herself into his field of vision but it couldn't tell if she was successful. "Great. However, I would first like to visit my son."
"Pen here can escort you," the man said with an absent-minded flick of his hand. "I'll notify the Earth Kingdom council you have arrived."
"I never got your name," Suyin started, but he was already walking away from her towards the airship.
"This way," Pen muttered, pointing his staff towards the obvious entrance into the palace.
Light peeked into Korra's eyes, after an indeterminate period of darkness. Her vision blurred, then began to focus on two faces she didn't recognize.
"Lift," a deep male voice commanded to the other.
Korra felt her body be lifted, but not moved. Something made a scraping sound beneath her. Then she was rested onto it. Her fingers felt what was below, and it was a rough canvas material.
"Bolin?" she called out.
"I'm here Korra. They're going to take you to the hospital," Bolin said, moving closer to the stretcher. The two medics began hauling Korra to their vehicle. Both were exceptionally large in stature, one darker skinned with dark hair, the other fair with brown. Bolin followed, looking particularly small beside them.
"Will you ride with me?" Korra murmured.
Bolin looked behind him. Lin was speaking with Bo and some other police officers. "I think Lin was going to…"
"Don't leave me alone with her, not now," Korra pleaded meekly.
The medics loaded Korra into the ambulance and were strapping her down.
"Ready to go," one called to Bolin.
Bolin made a cone around his mouth with his hands and hollered. "LIN I'M RIDING WITH KORRA!"
Bolin hopped in the back, and each medic closed a door. "Quick! Tell the driver to go!" he commanded.
The black-haired medic banged on the wall and the vehicle took off.
"Phew!" Bolin sighed, relaxing into the bench he was seated on. "Thanks, fellas."
"How long was I out?" Korra asked.
"Not too long."
"Did Bo break my leg anymore?"
"He actually did a good job setting the bone. Made getting you out of there a lot easier," the dark haired medic replied.
"We'll have to thank him," Bolin said, thoughtfully touching his chin. "Hey, Korra, did you end up finding the picture?"
Korra clumsily reached into her shirt and pulled out two photos. "Just in the nick of time. Make sure the family gets them."
"Avatar Korra, please try to limit your movement," the brown-haired medic urged.
"I got it," Bolin said as he leaned over to grab the papers from Korra. He held out the two pictures for himself. "What a handsome family. I wonder what happened to the husband. Maybe she sent him to go get something out of a dilapidated building too? You're not her first victim."
"That was really dumb of me," Korra moaned.
"Those words are going to be candy to Lin's ears," Bolin mused before bowing his head down. "I egged you on, I'm just as responsible."
"Don't blame yourself. I made the choice."
"How's the leg feel?" Bolin asked.
"Like so bad, I almost can't."
"The drugs should be starting to kick in as well," the dark-haired medic offered.
The four sat in silence for a while. The brown-haired medic kept shifting in his small seat. Once it became apparent to everyone he was anxious, he finally spoke. "Um, Avatar Korra I know this may not be the time to say this, but I read the Republic Magazine article this morning…"
Korra's head reactively snapped to look at Bolin, but she quickly swiveled back to face the medic speaking to her. She could only muster a grimace due to the pain.
"I think what you and Miss Sato are doing is so brave."
"Thank you…" Korra said, squinting to read the name on his shirt patch. "Xavier."
Xavier turned and fumbled in a bag and pulled out a magazine. "When I heard we were coming to your aid, I grabbed my copy and was hoping maybe you could sign it?"
"What did I tell you-" the dark haired one started but was cut off.
"Of course," Korra offered with a smile.
"Avatar Korra, please do not feel obligated in any way, especially given your circumstances."
"My leg's broke, not my hand," Korra said, motioning for the magazine and pen. "Honestly, I'm a little relieved to be talking about it…no one's mentioned it all day, so I've just been wondering how it's being received."
"It's a great article. And the picture of you two on the couch holding hands, so, so cute. You would have to be made of stone to not be moved by this article. Your story touches so close to home for us." Xavier said, motioning to the other medic. "Jon Yuen and I had feelings for each other a long time before we spoke of it."
"Whoa, you two are together?" Bolin chipped in.
Jon Yuen let out a long sigh and nodded. "We are not open about it with others though."
"But we want to change that. We've wanted to for a while, but now after seeing your article, we might finally have the courage to." Jon Yuen reached out and took Xavier's hand as he spoke.
"Aww guys," Bolin sighed, bringing his hands to his chest.
Pen flipped through his ring of keys to find the one that opened the door leading into the palace dungeons. Once in they walked down a long stairway to another doorway that was staffed with a few other guards. One was standing by the door into the hall of prison cells while the others were engrossed in a Pai Sho match.
"Visitor for the professor," Pen muttered to the guard keeping the door. He leaned in closer and whispered. "His mommy."
Suyin scowled but pretended she did not hear the last remark.
They were let in through the next door into a long hall of cells. About half of them were full, but the people occupying the cells were rough looking, Suyin noted. Muscles, scars and the occasional missing eye or fingers.
Repeat offenders, Suyin thought to herself.
At the very end of the hallway, she and Pen came to her son's cell. Compared to the rest of the prisoners, Baatar Jr. did look professorly, with his glasses and slender form. The bridge of his glasses was being held together by some crude adhesive.
"Can we have a private room for our visit?"
Pen shook his head.
"He's not a bender, what's he going to do to get out?" Suyin argued.
"Too high profile a prisoner. Can't have another Kuvira incident."
Suyin started to form words of protest but thought better of it. "I understand."
Pen gave a curt nod and said, "I'll be outside," before leaving.
"Mother…" Baatar Jr. murmured, getting up from his cot. He slowly walked towards the bars of his cell. When he reached the door, he grasped the platinum rods. Suyin covered his hands with her own.
"Baatar," Suyin breathed. "What happened to your glasses?"
Baatar Jr. unconsciously touched the broken bridge. "Just an accident."
"I'll get another pair made for you."
"It's fine, these still work."
"Nonsense. It's no trouble." Suyin reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out a roll of papers.
Baatar Jr. let out a long sigh and stepped back a bit from the bars as he watched his mother fight with the twine binding the papers.
"Your father is working on a few new buildings. Some to replace lingering damage from…" Suyin trailed off.
"You can say it, mother. No one is going to burst into flames if you mention her."
"And you heard about what happened?"
"She's really gone?" Baatar Jr. asked, trying his best to look like he didn't care.
"She is." Suyin cleared her throat. "Your father is most interested in what you think on his proposal for the new library. He wants it to be more than just a building that stores information, but to create a place that would be welcoming and encourage people to work and read inside."
Baatar Jr. reached out for the papers and Suyin fed them through the bars. A sudden thud and clanking of keys startled them. Suyin dropped the papers and they rolled by Baatar Jr.'s feet.
"No passing items through the bars!" Pen hollered as he charged towards the pair. A few of the other prisoners hooted as he marched past them.
"The professor's in trouble!"
Suyin whipped around to face Pen before he was on top of them. "I can't give my son paper?"
Pen's face hardened.
"Paper," Suyin repeated, reaching back to Baatar Jr. He shakily reached down to get the role of papers at his feet and passed them to his mother. Suyin thrust them over to Pen.
The guard reluctantly took the roll and started to roughly unroll the papers and gave them a shake.
Suyin's eyes narrowed as she watched the loafish guard manhandle every inch of her husband's architectural drawings. Pen gave the papers one last shake before shoving them back to her.
"He can have them, but next time all gifts must be approved first," Pen said gruffly before walking away.
Suyin sighed and attempted to smooth out the papers before passing them to her son. Baatar Jr took them, laid them on the bed, and took a seat next to them.
"I have some exciting news; your baby sister is getting married."
"To Bolin."
Suyin smiled. "I know he's a bit of a putz, but he is a good man."
"Better than most," Baatar Jr. sighed. "Where are they having it?"
"They haven't decided. I, of course, would like it in Zaofu, but Republic City seems to have become Opal's home."
"I hope this place never feels like home… then again, I'd hate to feel like a stranger in a place for twenty years…"
Suyin felt her body being pulled towards her son, but it was stopped by the bars between them. She wrapped her hands around the bars and rested her forehead between them. Silently she watched Baatar Jr. idly flip through his father's draft drawings.
Pen eventually came back and told Suyin the visit was over. He escorted her fully out of the prison area, but once she was outside that last door, she was on her own. After a few minutes of wandering, she regained her bearings and made her way to the main halls of the palace.
"Suyin," a man's voice called out. Suyin turned around to see a familiar looking face, but couldn't put a name to it. The man caught up to her. "I heard you came through on the platinum. A much appreciated contribution. We were just going into a meeting about the rail system. You should be a part of it."
"Yes, thank you. Will Prince Wu be there?"
"Probably. It's this way."
When the pair walked into the meeting, it was clear that it had already been going on without them; and that Wu was not in fact there.
"Geng, so good of you to join us," one of the statesmen called out sarcastically.
"Sorry, got a little caught up this morning."
A male representative from Omashu leaned back into his seat and snorted. "Get your massage after business hours next time, alright?"
Geng blushed and bowed.
The representative from Omashu then turned to Suyin. "And Suyin Beifong. We heard you plan on sticking around for a little while this visit? We'd like to have Zaofu play a part in these formal discussions about our nation's future."
Suyin's face was starting to feel hot, as acid-laced words formed in her mind, but she resisted the impulse and flashed a smile. The two late arrivals then took their seats and the meeting continued.
A mousy woman walked over the man standing at the head of the table, and originally leading the discussion before Suyin and Geng entered. The woman unrolled a scroll of a map and the man started pointing to locations. "To expedite completion I've drafted a proposal of remote villages we can pull up the railway lines from, and feed them back to the mainline."
"Sorry, why pull up the track that is already laid at these villages? If they're remote like you say, I'm sure having a rail system will improve their conditions and access."
"Kuvira's uniting rail system is something we can all get behind despite its creator. But Kuvira's rail network was too ambitious and spread the resources too thin. I doubt she would have kept all of it functioning once her mission for global domination was over."
"We don't want to take on the burden of upkeep that these more remote villages won't be able to maintain for their portions of the railway. The remote villages can access the trains by nearby capitals. We've tried to make sure there is a central hub for them."
Suyin squinted to get a better look at the map being held up at the other end of the table. She could see main states' capitals like Chin, Goaling, and Omashu with stars checked to their train stations, then all the villages on spur lines crossed out.
"A hub. What you're proposing would require at least a day trip just to get there."
"Mrs. Beifong-"
Suyin jumped out of her seat, so swiftly it pushed the chair back, making a loud screech. "Is there anyone here who's representing an area whose railway is being taken away?"
Suyin eyed the room. No one raised their hands or made any movement. She stayed standing until she was sure she had made eye contact with everyone present, then sat back down. "Continue."
Asami's heart was still racing when she and Lin made it to the door of Korra's room, despite the insistence of the nurse downstairs that everything was okay. She didn't bother knocking and opened the door, finding Korra resting on a bed with a large man sitting on a chair beside her. They were both engrossed in conversation.
"Then a big chunk with meat got thrown and they gobbled it up before we even got a chance to-"
"Korra?" Asami interrupted.
Korra turned to the door, her face a little bruised but excited. "Asami! And Lin..."
"Here I am worrying about you…" Asami started, holding a hand to her chest.
Jon Yuen was lurking near the door and leaned down towards the new arrivals. "The pain medicine we administered has taken effect, and Avatar Korra appears to have a low tolerance."
"Don't hesitate to start cutting back on it. We need Korra to feel the consequences," Lin muttered.
"She will be most uncomfortable if it fully wears off. We will be sending some home with-"
"Got it," Lin said, cutting off Jon Yuen.
Asami put a hand on Lin's shoulder and ushered her back towards the door. "Lin, I know you're upset with her, but why don't you let me take it from here today. You can come by the temple and chastise her tomorrow."
Lin nodded. "Very well. I want it to sink in, and I doubt anything will stick while Korra's high as a kite."
"Thank you, Lin."
"Good luck," Lin said, closing the hospital room door behind her.
"Asami, come sign Xavier's copy of our magazine!"
"Xavier?"
At the sound of his name, he smiled and waved. "Oh my goodness, your girlfriend is adorable, and my new best friend."
"Is she now?" Asami said, quirking an eyebrow.
Korra motioned Asami to come to her bed, then patted the space next to her. Asami obeyed and sat down.
"This is Xavier and by the door Jon Yuen, they took care of me. Now I need you to sign their magazine as a token of our gratitude. I signed every page, but you can just do it on the cover and next to our picture."
Asami took the magazine and inspected the cover. "I actually hadn't seen this yet. We look intimidating."
"I think it's great, it's like you're daring the reader to find fault," Xavier chimed in.
"Here," Korra offered, putting the pen clumsily in Asami's right hand. "Sign the cover."
"Okay, okay." Asami signed and then flipped to their article.
"Aww, this picture gets me every time I see it. It's so cute. Look at you two staring into each other's eyes like that interview person isn't even there…" Xavier sighed.
Asami jumped a little, noticing the large man was now hovering over them.
The door slowly opened, and Bolin crept in clutching a bag of snacks. His skin was pale. "I ran into Lin downstairs. She's not planning on coming back, is she?"
"No, she's saving the lecture for tomorrow, children," Asami said sarcastically.
Bolin held his free hand in the air and looked towards the ceiling. "May that woman never have children!"
Asami let out a little snort. "I think in her mind we all are. And soon she really will be your family."
Bolin dropped his sack of goodies. "You're right! I never thought about that!"
"Aunty Liiiiin!" Korra giggled.
"Take your rice crackers," Bolin grumbled, tossing a bag at Korra.
"Mmm."
"Want anything, Asami? Guys? I just grabbed a few of everything so I got plenty," Bolin asked, holding up some of the snacks from the bag on the floor.
Jon Yuen held up his hand. "Can't on the job, but thank you."
"I'm good Bolin," Asami said, sneaking a peek at Korra's legs. She had a blanket across her middle but her two legs were exposed. "So, it looks like Korra's got her cast done, can I take her home today?"
"I believe so, I can go confirm with the doctor," Jon Yuen offered, rising to head towards the door. Xavier got up and followed. "I'll come too."
Bolin noisily kicked the bag of snacks towards an empty chair near the entrance. He started examining the packages in his arms, tossing the ones he didn't want back into the bag on the floor until he finally selected the one he was going to eat. Bolin looked up from his snack and noticed the other two were watching him. "Don't mind me."
Asami shook her head and looked back to the cast on Korra's left leg. She reached out and very gently brushed her fingers on the plaster-caked fabric. "So, was this your attempt to get out of having to answer to the public about our announcement?"
"No, just a bleeding-heart case gone wrong," Korra said, between crunching on her rice cakes.
"She was rescuing the only picture left of this family's father," Bolin offered. "The woman was going to throw herself into the rubble to save it if we didn't intervene."
"It made me think of you, what if something happened to your home… your parents are dead, all you have left are pictures."
"No picture is ever worth a living, breathing human. I would choose you over those pictures every time."
Korra bowed her head. "I'm sorry."
"Besides, I don't want to face the public alone, so you need to stick around a little bit longer to make coming out worth my while."
Korra chuckled as a few tears snuck out from the corners of her eyes. She looked up and could see Asami's eyes were also glassy with tears.
The door creaked open and the room's attention turned to Jon Yuen.
"The doctor says we can send you home." Xavier trailed behind him pushing a wheelchair. "You'll have a weekly visit from a healer to help mend the bone and check the cast. You have to be careful not to get the cast wet. When you bathe it will have to be out of the tub."
Xavier stopped at the foot of the bed, positioning the chair for easy access.
"No," Korra murmured.
Jon Yuen cocked his head, "Huh?"
"I'm not getting in that," Korra said, loud enough for everyone to hear her.
"Korra, you just need it to get around temporarily. You can't put pressure on the leg while the bone heals," Xavier urged, patting the backrest of the chair.
Korra shook her head and wriggled her body backward in the bed as best as she could. "Please, please don't make me."
Asami took Korra's hands, which were balled up grasping the sheets on her hospital bed. "Korra, this isn't like what happened to you before. Your leg will heal, and you'll be up and walking again in no time."
"But what if I don't…" Korra whimpered, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. "What if I never walk again and I'm completely useless to everyone?"
Asami put a hand to Korra's chin, forcing the Avatar's eyes to hers. "You were never useless, Korra. Never. Not even in your darkest moments in the South Pole. And even in the enormously unlikely event you never walk again, that means nothing to me because you will always be important to me and I love you no matter what."
Korra's lip quivered and she whispered, "Okay."
"It shouldn't be too long, Avatar Korra. It was a big break, but remarkably clean," Jon Yuen said, moving towards Korra. Xavier was right behind him.
"Okay, let's get you up."
"Is this how we should help move her at home?" Asami asked, walking around the bed to get a better view of the two medics.
"Yes, we recommend two people help her up, for balance. That right leg is going to have to do a lot of extra lifting, so this helps to minimize that. But if there's no one else around, hold her on her left," Jon Yuen said as he hoisted Korra from her seated position on the bed. She was lifted onto her right leg, an arm around the two men's broad shoulders. As soon as she was up, she went limp and slipped out of their grasp back onto the bed.
"Korra please," Asami urged.
Korra made a frustrated noise, before lifting her arms up to accept the help again. Jon Yuen and Xavier successfully lifted Korra again and helped her hop to the chair. Once seated Korra deflated and folded her hands onto her lap.
Bolin came up behind her and grasped the handles. "Where to, madam?"
Korra mustered a soft chuckle.
"Can you please let us out in your most discreet exit? I don't know how fast word has traveled that Korra is here, but I do not want her to have the face any press in this state."
"Yes, we can have you leave where the ambulance drops off, around back."
Asami moved towards the door, fishing her keys from her jacket pocket. "Great, take her down and I'll meet you there with my Satomobile."
"I'll go with you!" Xavier said rushing to follow her. "To make sure they let you back there."
Jon Yuen nodded. "Great. We'll get Avatar Korra discharged."
The elevator in the hospital was old and slow. Asami noted this was one of the few older buildings that had survived the many destructive events of this city.
"I feel like we got off on the wrong foot back there..." Xavier started.
Asami waved him off. "Oh, no you're fine."
"I just want you to know we will not betray Korra's trust or anything like that. She was quite chatty in the ride here, but that's because we have a lot in common."
Asami cocked her head curiously.
"Jon Yeun is my boyfriend. Your article means a lot to us, and I know it's going to impact a lot of other people who have been afraid to be honest about themselves and who they love. You two are very brave for putting yourselves out there for this."
"Honestly, we didn't feel like we had much of a choice, but thank you."
It took a while for Suyin to track down Prince Wu. He was no longer staying in his room at the palace but had moved into a small home in the upper ring. The many people she spoke with said he was expected to arrive at the palace for the afternoon meetings, but Suyin didn't want to wait.
The outside of Wu's home was very fitting, Suyin noted. Ornate, in true Earth Kingdom-excess decorative style, with a small fish pond out front. She rapped on the door with the badgermole-head knocker and was eventually met by a stocky looking young man with shaggy black hair held back by a headband, who reminded her instantly of Bolin.
"Yeah?" Tu asked, leaning against the door.
"Hi, I'm," Suyin stammered, distracted by how much he looked like her son-in-law to be, and how unexpected a jockish-looking guy answering the door was. "I'm Suyin Beifong, I wanted to speak with-"
"Hey, are you related to Opal?" Tu interrupted, pushing off the door and leaning in.
"Yes, I'm her mother."
Tu slapped one of his large hands to his head and let out a chuckle. "Oh man, I'm Bolin's cousin, Tu! We're gonna be family!"
Suyin forced a smile. "Oh, wonderful."
"Like, small world, huh?" Tu turned inside the house and called out. "Hey, Wu! Got a Beifong here to see you!"
"Just a minute," Wu shouted back, drawing out the last word in his sing-songy voice.
Tu put a hand on Suyin's shoulder and urged her inside. "C'mon in."
Suyin sat down on the loveseat in the front room of the home. Prince Wu glided into the room in a long gold and green kimono. His hair was wet, and his face a little flush from what Suyin assumed was a bath.
"Suyin Beifong, what brings you back to the Earth Kingdom?" Wu asked, sitting in a chair next to the love seat.
"Many things. Sorry to visit you at your home, but I wanted to speak privately."
Wu nodded. "I understand. I had to move out of the palace as soon as I could, I felt like there were eyes and ears all over that place after the Kuvira incident."
"So, you've noticed the atmosphere there."
"I try to make as few waves as possible and let those who are more in charge run things. I just do my job and leave," Wu said with a wave.
"That's what I'm afraid of. I feel we're practically inviting another Kuvira to come to fill the void. You know I was originally asked to lead the Earth Kingdom?"
Wu frowned. "Queen Hou-Ting's next of kin wasn't the obvious choice?"
"The Earth Queen was unmarried with no children and no direct relatives in her court. So, any potential heir would be an unknown person with likely no experience in leadership. The hope with you was to get you seated on the throne to thwart Kuvira's aggressive moves. What happened after wasn't fully planned, but someone or someones would have likely ended up whispering in your ear and ruling through you."
Wu carefully crossed his legs, adjusting the fine fabric. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"Be honest, you never wanted to rule."
"That's not true, when I was first told I was going to, I was pretty excited. I had all these visions of wealth and elegance. I had visited my aunt before at the palace. May she rest in peace. She lived like what I imagined a queen would. And she commanded respect." Wu thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "I now know it was fear, but still. It was a chance at a kind of life I had never imagined for myself. I wonder, had Kuvira not been a factor, how it would have panned out?"
Suyin leaned back into her seat and sighed. "I could write the book on Kuvira what-ifs. She urged me to take the position. It was my refusal that set everything into motion with her. If only I had known that was the final thread that would unravel everything between us…" Suyin said, sitting up straight as she leaned towards the young man. "Wu, I am sorry for not having confidence in you before, and now I am going to need your support. I'm going to propose an election. The Earth Kingdom needs a leader whose responsibility is to look out for the wellbeing of all her citizens. We need a president of the Earth Kingdom."
"And you want to be that person?"
Suyin grinned. "If the citizens of the Earth Kingdom will have me."
The drive from the hospital was fairly quiet, even with Bolin in tow, until Asami took an unexpected turn.
"Hey, the docks are that way," Bolin murmured from the passenger seat.
"I'm not taking Korra back there tonight, she deserves a little rest before the sea of well-wishers and lecturers."
"I'm not going there alone, I guess I'll sleep at my place tonight. I can catch Mako up to speed on today's events."
After dropping Bolin off at his apartment, Korra and Asami made the short drive back to her apartment in silence. It was a bit of an awkward struggle getting Korra out of the car alone, but Asami figured it would be best if the two of them figured out how to do it sooner rather than later. Asami turned over her keys to the parking valet of her apartment building and moved to push Korra's wheelchair inside.
Asami flexed her grasp on the handles of the wheelchair as they rode up in the much newer and faster elevator compared to the hospital's. She looked down at Korra. Her head was slightly dipped down, her hands fidgeting in her lap. A wave of anxiety and helplessness washed over her as she was reminded of the last time she saw Korra this way. The elevator stopped, and she quickly got them into her apartment. She pushed Korra all the way into the bedroom and parked the chair beside the bed.
Asami bent down in front of the chair to be at eye level with her girlfriend. "Can I get you anything?"
Korra shook her head and played with her hands. "Why don't we just get into bed," Asami said, standing up and extending her hands for Korra to grasp. They hoisted her up and Korra hopped to the bed until she could sit down. Asami sat beside her, and soon as she was seated Korra wrapped her arms around her middle and cradled her head in the crook of Asami's neck.
"What am I going to do with you, my brave and reckless hero?" Asami sighed.
To be continued...