One though cascaded through his mind as he watched the light flicker and fade from the eyes of his parents laying in front of him.

Please, no...it can't be...stop...stop this!

"No! Mom...Dad! You can't leave us! How am I suppose to take care of him? How am I supposed to raise him! Don't leave us alone, please...please!"

His small, quivering hands reached out and gently shook the chest of his father who did not stir.

"Daddy, please...I can't take care of Bolin by myself...We need you. I...I need you!"

His eyes flooded over with tears as he looked to his fallen mother, her dark hair covering her bloodied face. Crawling to her, he took her hand and felt the tears spilling onto the ground.

"Mommy...please...tell Dad he has to wake up and be there for Bolin. You both have to get up! I can't do this all on my own! Please!"

Nothing but silence greeted his pleas and he began to feel his whole body shaking. Then, from the darkness, laughter rose up like a poisonous tendril. It snaked it's way around Mako until he looked up to meet its creator. Standing above him, eyes aflame, was the man who had destroyed his parents, and the young boy's life all in a few short seconds.

Anger flooded into him like a broken dam, currents rushing uncontrollably. Mako stood and lifted his fists, prepared to fight as hard as he was able to avenge his parents. But the attacker only laughed at him and punched him in a flash, sending him flying.

When Mako landed, he gasped, the air knocked out of him. He kneeled and coughed, doubled over in pain. Then, without warning, the attacker grabbed his hair and pulled Mako's face up to his. In a gruff and low tone, he whispered to him.

"What? You think you can fight me, brat?"

The attacker tossed Mako to the ground where he rolled onto his hands and knees. As quick as his anger had come, it was gone now, replaced with immeasurable fear. His whole body shuddered and as hard as he tried, he couldn't move.

The attacker leaned down and grimaced at Mako in a cruel, evil fashion.

"Don't act brave, brat. I can see you shaking and crying."

The attacker laughed again, causing Mako to shake even more as he raised his eyes to stare at the man's face.

"Tell you what," the man sneered. "I'm an understanding guy, so I'm going to give you a choice: You can either stand up and face me like a man, or you can run away with your tail between your legs. But, be warned..."

The man's hand shot out and grabbed the collar of Mako's shirt, pulling his face towards the attacker's.

"If you run away you little runt, I will find you someday, and I will destroy you, your friends, and any family you have left, just like I did your parents."

The man then released Mako and stood, taking a few steps away. The air was tense and Mako tried to think. If he fought, then he might lose, and Bolin would be left alone. But, if he ran, then this man's threat would haunt him and hang over his head. One thing he did know was that he had to move. He tried to coax his muscles into moving, but they wouldn't listen.

In the end, Mako's fear eating away at him was his deciding factor. As much as he wanted to protect his brother, he was terrified to die.

As soon as the attacker turned his back on Mako, the boy felt his limbs gaining control once again. Without thinking twice, he stood and stumbled slightly before sprinting as fast as he could away from the man and his parents' bodies.

The only thing that rose up in the cold air besides Mako's strained breathing was the same laughter that would haunt the boy for the rest of his days...

Mako awakened from his dream gasping, trying to quickly gain a grasp on reality. He pushed aside the dream and it's horrible memories that had been dredged up with great pain. Sweat caused the sheet he slept under to cling to his exposed chest like a second skin. Slowly and with unsteady hands, he peeled it away and then swept his hair back from his face which had also clung to his skin by sweat.

"It was only a dream, Mako..." He tried to reason with himself as he sat in the darkness. Only a soft, diffused light from the sliver of sun on the horizon held any light in the loft. As Mako looked around trying to steady himself, his eyes immediately fell onto his brother's sleeping form next to him. The boy was wrapped up in the sheets, hogging them now and smiling, his face peaceful.

"Geez, he's so carefree, even when he sleeps," Mako joked as he stared with love down at Bolin. He was glad though that his brother wasn't plagued with dreams from that awful night. It was bad enough that he himself had to deal with it. Hell, he dreamt about it almost every night, constantly haunted by the gruesome images and haunting laughter.

No Mako, stop thinking about it. It's over now, Mako reprimanded himself in his mind. Slowly and gently, he untangled himself from the sheets and stood, stretching his long arms over his head as his muscles bulged from underneath his sweaty skin.

As he walked over to the couch to grab his shirt, his stared at the sliver of sun and sighed. He could forget the dream in time, but the one thing he knew he could never forget were the attacker's last words.

"If you run away you little runt, I will find you someday, and I will destroy you, your friends, and any family you have left, just like I did your parents."

At the time, all Mako could think about was himself. He had been a scared child, only wanting to survive, but he hadn't thought about the repercussions of his hasty decision. He had acted on selfish intent. Now, instead of being rid of the attacker and Bolin being safe, Mako lived in fear that one day, the man would keep his promise and rob Mako of the only thing he had left in his life...the only thing he had left to love.

His eyes unconsciously drifted back over to his brother concernedly.

No...he wouldn't let that happen. He wasn't just a scared little kid anymore. He knew how to hold his own in a fight. And worst case scenario...

...Worst case scenario fighting him is that I die...But if I die, I'll take that bastard down with me so he can never harm Bolin.

The heavy thought weighed on Mako as he pulled his shirt over his head. Yes, he would be ready if that man ever returned. However, before any of that could happen, Mako knew that he needed to prepare things so that Bolin could survive without him if needed be.

Glancing once again at the golden sun, Mako knew that it was time for him to head off to work. He grabbed his boots, slid them on, and then walked back over to the bed. Staring down at Bolin, Mako couldn't help but smile at the boy's innocence.

"Don't worry, Bo. No matter what happens, I will always protect you, no matter what I have to do."

He paused a moment more before heading down the stairs.

No matter what...