Reborn

"KORRA!" Mako yelled again shaking an unconscious Korra.

The Chief bowed her head and so did the rest of the metalbenders. The equalists turned to look at the fallen Avatar and bowed their heads as well. Asami hugged Bolin as a tear slipped down her cheek. He hugged her back and looked at his brother and Korra with sad eyes. "Wait" she said to Bolin. He looked at her. "What is it?" he asked. "I wonder" she murmured.

Asami walked over him. "Let me take a look" she said. Mako moved just enough to let Asami get close to Korra. She checked her pulse and put her head on Korra's chest. "Listen" she said moving out of the way. Mako put his head on Korra's chest. He heard a faint heartbeat. She was still alive.

"I thought-" he began.

Asami put her hand on his shoulder. "She's very hurt. We have to take her back to Air Temple Island". He nodded and gently picked Korra up and cradled her in his arms. The Chief approached him and said "I'll escort you".

Asami cut in. "We can use one of my father's satomobiles to get to the dock" she offered. The Chief nodded. "We need to stabilize her though" she said looking a Korra's bleeding back. Mako nodded and put her on a stretcher. Two medics bandaged her back and everywhere else she had any visible cuts, which they soon realized was most of her body. They hauled her outside where one of the Satomobiles was waiting for them. They placed the stretcher inside as carefully as they could. Korra still hadn't woken up but she was breathing. Barely. They made their way to the dock as fast as they could to take a ferry to Air Temple Island.

Korra was lying in her left side. It had been two weeks since she had turned herself to Lieutenant and she was still unconscious. The cuts on her back were really bad. They had gotten infected with the salt and they had to be continuously be removing the pus from them. Sometimes a cut would close with the pus in it and they had to reopen it. That was one of the few times Korra would show signs of being alive, she would yell but not open her eyes. She would also constantly throw up when Katara offered her a drink to ease the pain. Senna and Katara worked for hours on Korra, but she still would awaken. She was also running a fever.

Mako and Bolin had not been allowed to enter her room because Korra had to be without a shirt since her back was pretty beat up. Asami was allowed to enter once in a while to check up on her and inform Mako who would walk back and forth outside Korra's room and would only stop pacing when he'd hear her scream. Every time he heard her scream it pained him. He hated that Korra was hurt, and it was all because of him.

Another week passed and Korra still showed no signs of improvement. Senna walked out of the room, her eyes puffy with how much she had cried in the past days. "I don't know what else to do" she told Tonraq as he hugged her. He looked down, trying to hold back the tears himself. "You and Master Katara have done what you can for her" he said.

Mako looked at them anguish in his eyes. He turned around and left for the quad. Asami followed him.

"Mako" she said.

He looked at her. "What do you want Asami?" he said, annoyed that she had followed him.

"Korra is going to be ok. She's doing a little better. Senna and Katara are going to put a shirt on her so you can see her" she said.

"It's my fault, she's like this" he said looking down.

"No it's not" she countered.

"It is! If I would have let Lieutenant take me and told Korra how Amon died this would have never happened!" he yelled as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Do you not know who Korra is?" Asami snapped. "She is very protective of all of us. It didn't matter what you would have said, she would have still gone with him! Korra wouldn't let anyone get hurt but her!"

Mako looked down as Senna walked to the quad with her husband. "Mako" she said.

He slowly looked up. "Please do not blame yourself. Korra has said that she loves you more than her own life. She wouldn't want you to get hurt" she said going near him.

He continued to look at her as she put her hand on his shoulder. "You can see her now. The fever has gone down a little and she seems to be able to retain some of the tea in her as well".

Mako nodded and went inside. He almost turned back when he saw the state Korra was in. Her once dark skin was now a pale brown color. She had a shirt on but the back was cut off to be able to treat her wounds. Her stomach was completely bandaged and she was shaking with the fever she had. He sat on the bed where she would face him. He put his hand on her cheek, it was burning. He caressed her cheek and moved her hair out of her face.

He grabbed her right hand. It was bruised along the knuckles as if she had hit someone. A small smile formed in his lips, Korra WOULD hit someone with her bare fist, he thought. He put a wet cloth on her forehead and stayed by her side for hours. Another two days passed and there was still no improvement. He kissed the hand he had been holding and whispered into her ear "Come back to me".

Korra was still in the spirit world. She had not been able to get out yet. She didn't know why but she felt very week, as if her energy slowly leaved her body. She tried to walk around but found herself to be very tired after taking a few steps. She slumped to the floor.

"Avatar Aang?" she yelled. "Where are you?"

It took a few minutes but he finally appeared before her. "Korra? Why are you still here?" he asked.

"I feel so weak" she replied.

"Yes. I can feel it too. The cosmic energy is leaving your body" he said in a worried voice.

"Does that mean-" Korra began, but was too scared to finish.

Avatar Aang nodded. "The Avatar cycle will be broken if it all leaves" he said.

"No" Korra said. "It can't. The world needs an Avatar"

"The world still needs you, Korra. You have to find your way back".

Korra tried to get up again, but couldn't. She didn't have much strength left in her.

"Come back to me" she heard Mako say.

"Mako?"

"Go to him Korra. Follow his voice. Once you return the portal will be sealed and the cosmic energy will stop flowing out. Go" he repeated. Korra found the strength to get up and followed Mako's voice out of the spirit world.

Korra began to shake. Mako stood up and was about to go get help when Korra opened her eyes. They were glowing. She sat up and got off the bed. An air sphere began to surround and levitate her as she looked up a beam of white light broke through the roof. He looked across the room to the window and saw a similar light coming from Avatar Aang's Temple Island.

Katara and everyone came into the room. They all looked at Korra in awe.

"What's happening?" Bolin murmured.

Katara smiled and said "The Avatar is back". She looked over at Mako as the air sphere around Korra lowered once again. "You need to calm her down, before she hurts herself anymore" she instructed.

"Is she going to be alright?" Senna asked her. Katara nodded. "We should leave; she could feel overwhelmed with all of us here". They all nodded and followed her out. She turned to Mako and said "Let us know when she calms down, so we can check on her".

Mako nodded but didn't look at her. His eyes were fixed on Korra as her feet touched the floor. Her eyes were still glowing. He tried to get closer but was knocked back with air. He got up and slowly approached her once again.

"Korra, it me, Mako" he said. She didn't look at him but didn't send him flying again either. He continued to approach her. "It's ok. I'm right here".

She turned to look at him, her eyes continued to glow. "Korra, let me help you" he said. She continued to look at him but then closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were their normal blue and her body went limp but Mako caught her before she fell to the floor.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. "Mako" she said weakly.

"Shh. Don't talk" he said with a smile.

She smiled a bit but then turned her head away from him and began to throw up. Mako moved Korra around in his arms so she wouldn't throw up on either of them. "Sorry" she murmured. He kissed her forehead. "Don't be. I'm going to put you on the bed ok? I need to go get Master Katara and your mother" he told her. She grabbed his scarf. "Don't…leave…me" she said.

"I won't" he said and slowly picked her up and went towards the door. Asami and Bolin were outside. "Where's Korra's mom and Master Katara?" he asked.

"They went to get some stuff to heal Korra" Asami said looking at the weakened Korra. She had her head on his chest. Her eyes tightened, it looked as if she was trying to hold back something.

"I think Korra wants to throw up again" Asami said. Mako looked at her and shifted her again as Asami brought a bucket for her to throw up in. As soon as the bucket was near Korra threw up again. She cried as she did.

"Shh" Mako said again. "It's ok Korra. Bolin tell them to hurry, Korra isn't feeling very well". Asami moved Korra's hair away from her face.

"You're going to be alright" he told her. Bolin returned with Senna and Katara and they started to work on healing Korra again.

Another week passed before Korra woke up fully again. She had been talking in her sleep. Katara said that it was because of the fever. She would usually mumble unintelligible words but she would also say "Mako" and "Mom" once in a while. The only liquid that she would hold down was water, and even that she sometimes threw up. Mako asked why Korra had been throwing up so often and she said it was probably because Lieutenant had given her something. She and Senna tried various herb teas but after a while Korra refused to take anything that was not water. Mako coaxed her to drink a tea that would relieve her stomach pain and she drank it. She lay again on her side. The cuts in her back were not as bad as they had been. Mako and Senna never moved from her side. Korra groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Korra? Honey?" Senna said.

"Mom" she said, flinching at the pain she felt in her back.

"It's ok honey, we are right here" she replied putting her hand on Korra's cheek. Korra smiled a little.

"How are you feeling?" Senna asked.

Korra thought about it for a moment. She didn't want her mother to worry. She didn't know how long she had been out for but she figured it was a long time. She settled with "Tired".

"Korra I need you to drink something" her mother said holding a cup. Korra felt her stomach turn. She hated taking those teas, they made her feel nauseous and sick again. She tried to turn away but hurt herself in the process. A small yell escaped her.

"It's ok honey, you don't have to take it right now. Just please try not to make any sudden movements".

Korra closed her eyes and whispered, "Mako".

"I'm right here" he murmured sitting down in the bed and holding her hand. She opened her eyes and gave him a small smile. "Hey" she said.

"I'll leave you two alone" Senna said getting up. She kissed Korra in the cheek and handed Mako the tea. "Try to get her to drink it" she whispered. He nodded.

When Korra heard her mother shut the door she looked at Mako and said "I'm not…drinking that".

Mako chuckled. "It's so you can feel better".

"It makes me…sick…" she replied.

"Korra" he said. She looked at him. "Please". She sighed and let him give her the tea. She winced as it went down her stomach. Just because she had agreed to drink it didn't mean she still didn't hate it.

Asami and Bolin walked into the room, holding hands. Korra flashed them a weak smile. "So, you guys…are…together" she said. They blushed.

Korra started to laugh but gasped at the pain that came with it. Mako put his hand on her cheek. "Shh" he said.

"You look awful" Asami teased.

Korra smiled and said "Look…whose talking". They all laughed. Korra stopped midway as she began to cough. Mako quickly sat her up until she calmed down. He lay down on the bed and placed her head over his chest. She smiled again.

"We're going to leave you before you start choking again" Asami said. Mako growled.

"It's…ok" Korra said with a smile. "She's…just…jealous". Asami smiled back at her and got close to the bed with Bolin. "Get better soon" she said rubbing Korra's shoulder. "Yeah Korra, get better" Bolin repeated and they left.

"You scared me" he said after a while.

"How?" she asked.

"You look pretty scary in the Avatar State" he said with a chuckle.

She laughed a little. "I get…that…a lot".

"When you went into the Avatar State and you spoke. You looked and sounded different".

"Like if…it were…different…people…talking?" she asked.

"Yeah" he said.

"It's all…of my…past lives" she replied. They remained in silence for a long time until Mako broke it.

"What happened to you? When the light came out of you?" he asked.

"I-I don't…know…" she said. She really didn't. She couldn't really remember what had happened.

"It was like you were back from the dead" he whispered softly.

She stayed quiet for a while but then said "It felt…like…I was…reborn…"

"It was like if you were Korra. You came back" he said.

"I heard you…calling me…I had to…"

"Thank you" he said kissing her head.

It was night time already. It must have been past midnight and it was getting cold. She shuddered a little and Mako pulled a blanket over Korra until her waist, leaving her back bare. "Korra?" Mako said.

"Hmm?" she replied with her eyes closed. She was getting sleepy.

"I'm sorry" he said.

"What…for?" she asked confused.

"For lying to you" he said softly.

"You don't…need to…apologize…" she said. "You…did it…to protect…me". Mako remained quiet as his hand went through her hair.

"I'm…sorry" she said after a while.

He frowned. "Why are you sorry?"

"I went with…Lieutenant…and didn't...listen to…you" she breathed. Her chest was starting to hurt.

He sat her up and placed his hand on her face so she was looking at him. "Korra, you don't need to apologize. Just promise me, you won't put me or your parents through this again". She gave him another weak smile. He smiled back and laid her head back on her chest.

"I love you" he whispered to her as he continued to put his hand through her hair. Korra smiled and closed her eyes and fell asleep, feeling a little better.