They skidded to a stop and Bolin found himself stumbling into the back of the world's most gifted bender. Korra was panting slightly from the effort, and the earthbender instinctively reached out to steady her. At the last second he retracted his hand and eyed her warily. He wasn't exactly sure anymore where he stood in terms of the girl and whether he even had the right to offer her comfort.

They stopped just outside the compound. A stories high wall of ice encased the fortress, and White Lotus guards were posted at twenty-four points around the perimeter. Bolin sucked in a breath, imagining what they'd have to fight through to get inside when necessary. The place had seemed much more welcoming the night before with people with candles awaiting the avatar (Who never actually arrived.) Korra granted him a sympathetic glance. "You too, huh?" she asked.

He nodded once, unable to elaborate verbally. As an earthbender, Bolin was a huge fan of steadiness and security, but for the first time in his life he realized that in excess these things could be quite frightening. "How are we gonna break Asami out of here?"

The avatar tried blinking back her fatigue as she spared him a smile. "I've got it covered. Just wait here for a minute."

"Awesome. What's the plan?"

But she was already bending a twisting wave out of the snow banks that lifted her up to the nearest guard tower. The White Lotus Sentry on duty was casually nursing a cup of coffee as her gazed lackadaisically out at the training fields below. A wry smirk played its way onto Korra's face as she stepped into the small alcove. "HOWL!" she exclaimed, causing the young man to drop his drink.

"What the - Korra?" he looked at her with an expression of blended disbelief and mild annoyance. The Avatar took confident sultry strides towards him, channeling energy from the most alluring of her past lives.

"I'm back. Missed me?" She walked past him now to man the post he held moments ago. She leaned over casually, letting him get a good look at her ample curves. Being the tomboy she was, Korra was not expected to resort to feminine wiles to get what she wanted, but in her world of powerful women there were many effeminate role models after whom she shaped her craft.

"I thought you were missing," he said, "Councilman Tarrlok almost had us all imprisoned in the side of a mountain for losing you."

She scoffed, "Tarrlok can be such an extremist at times," grinning, she fingered the White Lotus insignia on his uniform and felt his body temperature rise a few degrees. "Your division stayed here in the South Pole the whole time. No avatar hunt for you guys, huh?"

He gave the girl a quizzical look. "I think I've done enough of that for one lifetime. Its fruitless work you know. I know firsthand the current avatar is only in love with her bending." Even as he spoke the words, she inched her way closer and he casually put an arm around her shoulders. For only the third time since they'd been in acquaintance, she didn't shrug out of his grasp.

"It's a shame," she giggled lightly. "I bet you're the only one who could have found her this time."

Howl leaned down into the slightly younger and more substantially shorter girl's ear, caressing the tip of it with his lips. "I know why that is – it's because he can't keep his eyes off her." Korra's heart skipped a beat, and started back abruptly, leaving blood pumping erratically in her eardrums. He always had this effect on her - teasing her lightly, leaving her very essence in a tizzy before catching himself and stomping away murmuring irritably about her tender age. This time though, he wasn't recoiling.

He lightly squeezed her shoulder, remembering how stiff it got sometimes and she sighed. Korra was sure now that she'd have married him. He would have been her destiny, had she never left for Republic City. Had she never stumbled into that pro-bending arena, desire would not have branded her soul. She was utterly consumed by Mako's flame, and now nothing and no one could replace it. Even now, in the presence of her past beloved, she wanted nothing more than to get this mission over with so she could return to his side.

"Howl, can I ask you something?" she asked, not too sweetly, but with a slight purr for persuasion.

He chuckled, only appearing halfway disappointed. "I knew there had to be a catch," with the avatar there always was, "What do you want?"

Korra's eyes shifted around cautiously, even though she knew they were completely alone. "Do you know where they're keeping Asami Sato?"

The young man seemed shocked for a moment. "How is she of your concern?" The Korra he knew wouldn't be caught breathing the same air as the prim and proper heiress turned prisoner.

Korra shrugged. "Friend of a friend...or something of that variety. Anyway, where is she?" By now she deduced that he knew. He hesitated, but only for a second. She would have her way, one way or another, and he preferred she not get maimed in the process for strolling into the wrong top secret area.

"Down below," he was practically whispering into her brown hair so possible onlookers would dismiss it as a lovers embrace. "She's in the sublevel holding cells for questioning. It's high security, no one's allowed without clearance, and the place is crawling with metalbenders."

"You have clearance, don't you Howl?"

"Korra, I-"

She stood on her tiptoes and places a peck on his cheek. "Please? You know I wouldn't involve you if it wasn't important to me." As usual, he was lost in her cerulean eyes, and though he knew he was swimming in poison he couldn't keep his head above sea level.

"Alright, alright, I'll get you down there for old time's sake. Try not to threaten any semblance of peace left in the universe."

"Me? Never," she declared, stepping off the edge of the tower and bending more snow up to meet her. She landed in a contradictory elegant heap next to Bolin as Howl made his way down the latter.

"Who is that?" the green eyed boy asked, masking the defensive notes in his voice when he saw the man emerging. She had been gone an awfully long time if she was just going to get someone.

"Bolin, this is Howl, one of my oldest and most trusted friends. Howl, this is Bolin, a friend I met in Republic City. He's a pro-bender."

They looked at each other, both not quite glaring, but neither quite willing to start a dialogue with the other. Korra sighed - testosterone. She thought Mako had enough calculating silence for the entire male species. "Bo, Howl is gonna help us find Asami," she said carefully. She didn't want her guard to get wind of the breaking out part anytime soon.

"How's he gonna manage that?" He asked, clearly unimpressed. Howl reached into his pockets and fished out a set of master keys. He had access to just about any room on the entire compound.

"I believe these will do the trick," he said. "Unless you have any better suggestions."

"Korra or my brother Mako could have melted the bars with firebending," he didn't want to be shown up by a side character. This guy would probably just be an extra of Korra's exploits were ever to be televised.

"It would be best not to directly incriminate the avatar, and I'm assuming that your brother isn't here at the moment so..."

"Keys it is!" Korra exclaimed. She nudged Bolin gently with her elbow. "And Iet-quay about the Ako-May," she whispered in broken Pig Latin. Spirits willing, she would set things right with Asami without having to answer any compromising questions about the night before. However cosmically fortunate they happened to be, the avatar never seemed to have much luck with these things.

"Just spit it out girl!" A metalbender yelled in Asami's face. "Do you want to rot in here forever?" Asami sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. She was in a cell, a metal cell in a metal chair behind a metal desk with a metalbender. This was one of those times where self-defense training would do her no good whatsoever. Her sharp wit, however, might help her.

"I would, if there was anything to tell besides the fact that all of this has to be some kind of smear campaign against my father!"

The cop's hearty laugh bellowed from his chest. "Your father?" If he's such a good guy, why hasn't he had someone get you out by now? Or came to get you himself?"

"He can't! Your people have him locked up in the city!"

"Of course, and if he ever manages to get out It'll be Amon driving the getaway car. Sick partnership, no? And I heard they've been doing a lot more than plotting together, if you know what I mean."

Asami's green eyes were ablaze with disgust. "You people are animals! Don't you dare slander my father in front of me!" Had she been another girl, she would have spit in the man's face.

He slammed his hands down on the table, making her flinch involuntarily. He stared at her unblemished face with the cold hardened eyes of a veteran. "Start cooperating girl or you might find out exactly what kind of animal I can be," his voice was low and harsh and the threat behind them were not at all lost on her. "I'll be back in twenty, and then I'm gonna be expecting some answers. Got it?"

He left the room and once his footsteps were out of earshot Asami released a slow shuddering sigh. She wouldn't cry, wouldn't show any signs of weakness, not here where she'd be eaten alive. But in her heart of hearts she was frightened and weary - just in need of a shoulder to lean on, one shoulder in particular.

She missed Mako terribly. When her father suggested she represent Future Industries at the summit she'd jumped at the opportunity, because she knew he was going. He seemed a little off to her lately, in a haze, and she figured he was just stressed about the tournament. She figured she would surprise him by showing up at the avatar's compound, only he never showed up himself. She knew that she had no right to be mad he made plans when he had no idea she'd be there, but for some reason the thought of him spending a night with Korra, anywhere, left her feeling unsettled.

Asami wouldn't hold anything against him though, if he got here soon. She sent Bolin after him nearly two hours ago and they still weren't back. She held the more vulgar officers in the highest contempt, but couldn't deny the damage skilled metalbenders could inflict on her if they chose to do so. Mako was her protector. She'd confessed to him once before that he made her feel safe, but that did no good if he wasn't here to defend her. What could possibly be important enough to make him leave her to the wolves?

In the midst of her lamentations, Asami heard a key jingle in the door and her back tensed in fear. The officer wasn't to be back for another fifteen minutes. The black and white analog clock on the wall was her only link to reality, and it was maddening. The doors were slid to the side and in walked, not her oppressor, but Avatar Korra, along with Bolin and some man she'd never seen before. A torrent of emotion surged through her, momentarily exciting her, then leaving her drained. She was ecstatic, grateful, relieved, and yet bitterly disappointed.

Surprisingly enough, Korra was the first to approach her. "Did anybody hurt you in here?" she asked in a soft, coaxing voice she would have found condescending under different circumstances. "You seem frazzled."

She managed to smile. "I'm fine," she said, "But if I'm still here when the guard gets back, not so much. Thank you for finding me." It may have been a trick of the mind, but she would bet the entire Sato Fortune that the avatar was carrying her boyfriend's scent.

"Don't worry Asami," said Bolin, "We're busting you out of here!"

"What?" Howl looked at Korra questioningly. Korra wore a deadpan expression.

"We'll we can't just leave her here alone with some rookie cops, straight out of the academy. She doesn't even have access to a lawyer. Her rights have totally been infringed on. This is not how things are run in the United Republic, and as the avatar I retain the authority to keep her in my custody until these issues are dealt with." Everyone in the room looked at Korra as if she'd spoken a long forgotten tongue.

"What was that?" Bolin asked.

"Me justifying a prison break with what I learned in those awful political books Tenzin had me read."

"Korra, what about the meeting?" Howl asked. "Wouldn't it make more sense to do this after you give your input on important issues, not that it makes much sense at all."

The avatar looked at the Sato girl and felt conflicted. The last thing she needed was yet another mark against her credibility. If no one trusted her, she wouldn't be much help to anyone. Asami sighed, feeling more like a nuisance than she was comfortable with. "It's alright. A few more hours in this place won't kill me."

"Now that that's settled, let's get out of here before something regrettable happens," Howl quipped. He would do anything for Korra, but he'd prefer not lose his job in the process.

"I'm staying with Asami," Bolin declared, "Someone should in case anyone wants to try something funny." Asami looked up from her desk and for the first time truly noticed the younger of the bending brothers. He as well could step up as a man when required to.

Something inside Korra bristled at this. Was her sweet Bolin also to fall at the feet of the beautiful cyclist. He was the only one who she could have on a tangible level. "What if you get captured too? How would you justify being in here?" He could get hurt if things didn't go right, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Bolin's eyes softened. "I'll be alright. I'm an earthbender. I'll say I'm an apprentice sent for on the job training. Even if I get caught, someone should look out for Asami. She shouldn't be stuck here with no one on her side."

She sighed, once again being boxed into a frame that didn't fit her dimensions. She was being molded like clay or gelatin into the role of the helpless non-bender. Though slightly put off by notion, she couldn't help but agree with her friend. Someone should be looking out for her, but he wasn't there. "Where's Mako?" she questioned, finally.

The room turned so quiet that you could hear the sound of ice melting just to be frozen again by the frigid climate. Korra stopped, her hand on the door, ready to slide open the bars. She said nothing, and Bolin didn't dare contradict her silence. After years of practice he could always recognize when his brother was unwell, but still didn't see how he ended up in the avatar's igloo.

"He's...in my house," she knew how bad it sounded, but nothing could be done.

"I knew that much," Asami admitted. "What I meant to ask is, why didn't he come?"

Korra didn't turn around. She was afraid her face would reveal more emotions than her mind deemed necessary. "He's sick."

"And that stopped him?" It wasn't that Asami wanted him to overexert himself while he wasn't well, quite the opposite actually. Knowing his personality, she was just shocked he didn't try to come anyway, even though she would have probably lectured him for doing so. She wished the other girl would turn around so she could see what she was thinking, what crucial thing she was leaving out.

Meanwhile Korra was trapping her irritation under a tarp of feigned indifference. She squeezed the door's handle tightly, while subconsciously thanking the spirits that she didn't know how to metalbend yet. This was the girl who was in a relationship with the one she wanted. She didn't ask how he was, or if he was alright, just why he didn't come to get her. This kind of selfish thinking was one of the avatar's greatest pet peeves. Korra didn't see that she was being tested. She swung the door open. "No, I did," she revealed, strolling out with Howl in tow. The heavy clang of metal on metal signified the start of a fierce rivalry.

Mako was not an idiot. In actuality, numerous of his exploits proved him brilliant. He found the location of Amon's revelation by looking at flyers, he taught himself how to bend lightning when he figured it would get him a job, and as a child he even outsmarted the leader of the infamous Agni Kai Triad. All of that aside, he was also prone to making questionable decisions when those he cared about hung in the balance. That was why he was here, following the tracks of Korra's snowbending to wherever the police were keeping Asami.

He knew arguing with the avatar when she was set on a decision was nonsensical. He'd long since made a habit of letting her think he was going along with her wishes, and then doing whatever her originally intended. It often made for fewer arguments, and a higher mission success rate, seeing that Mako was usually right. This however was not one of those times.

The road blurred in front of him. Patches of white snow would turn lucid and fade to nothingness as he tried to make sense of the surrounding wilderness. He didn't feel the cold anymore. He'd long since numbed himself to the temperature. His natural firebending heat did nothing to relieve the effects of the inclement weather. He was periodically sweltering, and then chilled to the bone, and yet he kept going. He felt that he wronged Asami, and rescuing her would help relieve some of the guilt - he'd been feeling way too much of it lately.

His cough had returned with a vengeance, and he thanked Agni that there was nothing around for him to burn down. There was only snow - the maddening ivory powder would be the end of him. He was sure of it, but still he pressed on. Korra was sure to find a worse way to kill him if she ever found out about this stunt. Besides that, at this point, turning around required a level of energy Mako no longer possessed. Though it pained him to admit it, Korra had actually been right about something. Only Avatar Aang's wisdom could have improved her horrendous track record.

The meeting hall was as elaborate as a royal pantheon. The ice sculpted ceiling was stories high, making the place imperative to sneak attacks. A long table was in the center of the room, and seated at the head was none other than Councilman Tarrlok. Diplomats and entrepreneurs from the four nations looked around skeptically - this windy politician was way ahead of himself. Surely someone much older and more renowned should have the place of honor. They all stared somewhat skeptically but none had the gall to actually approach him. At last, when Master Katara entered, it became too much to bear.

Tenzin rose from his seat and stormed over. "This is ridiculous! Tarrlok, get up! You won't withhold this event with your self- importance."

The old woman looked to the northerner with narrowed eyes. "My son is right, get up. You are not worthy of that spot." Tarrlok rose petulantly, averse to angering one of the esteemed elders.

"Mother, please sit," Tenzin encouraged. She shook her head, and stepped back modestly.

"It is not my place," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. At this point, Korra came crashing through the entrance, catching the eye of all the people in the room. Howl stood inconspicuously by the door. He knew what his place was in her world.

"I'm not late, am I?" she questioned breathlessly.

"No dear, for once you are right on time," Katara informed. Korra bowed quite unceremoniously and took a seat next to Commander Bumi of the United Forces. It was her designated spot in these meetings.

"So, the chair wasn't for the avatar?" Tenzin whispered to his mother. Katara smiled wryly.

"That would have been a better choice than me, but not what I had in mind."

"Then who-"

"Where is Firelord Zuko?" she interrupted her son to question one of the attendants. She was a bright eyed curly haired young woman of about twenty-three, and had been sworn into service to the White Lotus shortly after her birth.

"He sent a wire saying that he and his grandson, General Iroh have been delayed a few days," she informed. Katara looked around, there were too many people missing from the table. This could be dangerous to the meeting's final outcome.

"We cannot start a meeting about possible war without our general, and surely the insight of Firelord Zuko cannot be missed on such an important issue. Also, some of the witnesses of Amon's terror and the representative of Future Industries have not been accounted for. A firmly urge that this meeting be postponed until we are whole. Division is the equalists' tactic. It will not be ours."

Representatives from the Northern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and Air Acolyte Association nodded in unison. "It is true," said the wise old earthbender. "We must be impenetrable like the walls of Ba Sing Se, indivisible like the founders of Omashu! I strongly agree with Katara's statement."

"Do we have the Avatar's approval?" Bumi asked from next to her.

"Huh?" Korra was amazed they actually cared for her opinion. It always seemed that she would only be used as a weapon. "Um, yea of course," she cleared her throat and tried to sound more professional, "I mean, we will commence the conference in three days' time, giving all parties an opportunity to weigh in on the issues."

"Well put Korra," Katara complimented. "That being said, it would only be prudent to have the Sato heiress released from holding immediately. See to it," she winked at her former student, knowing she probably saved the teenager a world of trouble.

"Well," Tenzin said, stricken by the sheer power of his father's legacy. "I believe we are dismissed."

When descending to Asami's cell for the second time, Korra was accompanied by none other than Lin Beifong who was more annoyed than surprised by the presence of Bolin in her holding facilities. "I should have known you'd have been here already," she said to Korra. "The security around here is primitive at best - unless they've decided that they work for you." The waterbender tensed. She didn't want Howl in any trouble because of this.

Asami surprisingly was wearing Bolin's forest green coat. It consumed her like dough would the roasted pork in a dumpling. The boy, who was supposed to be standing guard, leaned against the wall, dozing off. "Bolin," she said, "Get up. The cavalry's here. At least I hope that's what this is."

"The door's open princess," Lin informed. "Now walk, before I find my better judgment and get the order repealed." With this, the world's greatest metalbender took her leave. Korra held back a yawn. This was the final stretch. She could practically feel the blankets closing around her like the tender lips of a spring orchid. And hopefully a certain someone would be feeling well enough to show her some of the world class cooking Bolin raved about.

"Well, I guess you guys can go back to your rooms. Everything's been done legally so you won't have any trouble anymore-"

Asami rose. "Korra, I'd rather come with you to see Mako, if that's okay." She spoke civilly, but her voice gave an obvious challenge.

Korra sighed, "Look Asami, frankly I'm exhausted. Can we do this another time?"

"Not really, I promise I'll be out of your hair soon enough. I have to come if I ever want to see my snowmobile again."

"Fine," she gave in, unable to find a gracious way to decline.

"Awesome! It'll be a regular party," said Bolin, trying to kill the spark of mutual jealousy in the girls that would be sure to start a fire.

At the compound's gate Howl waited with Naga. "You looked too tired to bend your way back," he explained. Korra gave the warmest smile she could muster, and honestly she meant it.

"Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes. See you around."

He nodded once. "Anytime, Korra," Howl hesitated for a moment, "...When you come back, I have to ask you about anything." By now she was on Naga's back with Bolin and Asami.

"Sure," she said, oblivious to her friend's intentions, oblivious to just about everything that wasn't sleep.

As they rode, she was tempted to nestle into Naga's fur and drift off. "Home, girl," she whispered to the animal. "Make it snappy," she joked. Naga was three fourths of the way to Korra's igloo when she stopped abruptly and started sniffing around at the snow. Korra petted Naga's neck to calm her. "You know the way home. Come on, girl. We're almost there. We haven't been gone for that long."

Still the polar bear dog kept resisting. She veered sharply left and then sat, making Asami slide off her back. Korra stifled a few sniggers. "Good one Naga, but what's the big idea?" When Naga only barked and pointed her snout ahead, Korra dismounted. Whatever disturbed her pet and loyal friend would evidently take priority over the ride home. A few yards ahead, Korra found that she'd stepped into a puddle of water. This was peculiar because at this time of year, all water this far inland would be frozen solid. Her sleepy eyes were pried open by reality when they caught sight of a patch of red.

Korra was on her knees in a flash, her heart seized by fear felt like it was being prodded by lightning. He was lying face down as if he'd simply collapsed in that spot. She turned over the body and took in the ashen quality of his skin. She brought her ear down to his lips and found that he was barely breathing, alive but not by much. "Mako," she whispered breathlessly, feeling some warmth re-enter her body. He was alive, so her sanity would continue to be. "Blessed Yue, he's an idiot!" she cursed loudly, some of the initial fear giving way to anger.

She pulled his head onto her lap and started rubbing some of the heat back into his limbs with miniscule firebending. Bolin and Asami rushed over shortly after hearing her yell. "W-what happened to him?" Asami's voice broke. Too much had already happened, and in too little time. Her views of her father, the law, her place in the world have been distorted. And now seeing her strong protector looking so weak and defenseless (let alone in the arms of another woman) was almost too much to bear.

"Is he alright?" Bolin asked, feeling almost a decade worth of suppressed fear creeping up on him. Losing Mako, like he lost his parents had always been the fuel of his nightmares.

"Yea, Bolin. He was just making a snow angel," Asami drawled. It was a broken sarcasm, driven not by meanness, but the need to know if her brain was still functioning. Her feet were stitched into the ground, her eyes unable to leave his pale face. She was paralyzed, but she still had her snark. She was still here.

"Bo, get Naga," Korra demanded softly. It was the only useful thing she could say at the moment, and she couldn't bring herself to leave Mako's side.

Once they finally reached the igloo Bolin placed his brother on the couch leaving Korra to bend the water out of his clothes. "Are there any more blankets?" Asami asked.

"There are a whole bunch on my bed," the avatar replied, distractedly. "Wait, what for?"

"He was just exposed to the elements for Agni knows how long. We have to get him warmer," she snapped. Korra sighed. This was exactly why she hadn't wanted her around in the first place.

"One blanket is enough. He's burning," she replied dismissively. The last thing a firebender cold needed was more heat.

Asami came over to the couch and pressed her hand to his forehead. "What the - this is bad. Korra, how's his fever supposed to break if he's not warm enough?"

"It isn't supposed to break. If he ever managed to get hot enough for that, he'd be dead. I'm trying to bring it down," she explained. "Bo, can you bring me a bowl of water and a towel?" The earthbender was thankful for a ticket out of this situation. He wouldn't be back for a good while.

Mako coughed harshly in his sleep and Asami winced. "Has it been this bad the whole time?"

Korra shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "He was almost better this morning, but then this happened..." Asami was put out by her irritated tone.

"You're not blaming me for this, are you?"

"Did I say that?" Korra snapped, worry and fatigue shaving her patience like ice for a snow cone. She still sat in a chair she brought next to the couch bending every drop of moisture out of his attire. It was mostly a distraction at this point.

"You didn't have to," the heiress pointed out. Korra rolled her eyes. She didn't know how both Mako and Bolin stomached her pretentious attitude, but she would not.

"Then why'd you ask?" There was a pause.

"Where's the phone?" Asami asked. "I'm calling a doctor." She didn't want to sit here with nothing to do but feel inferior while her boyfriend was suffering. Korra almost laughed at this, but it came out as more of a scoff.

"No you're not. What Republic City doctor do you think is coming all the way down to the Southern Water Tribe?"

Asami crossed her arms, indignantly. "Any, if I pay them enough."

"You can't - the police already froze your father's assets. Besides, there's not much your doctors can do for a firebender cold."

"A what?" Asami's face was deadpan. Her father often joked about strange bender superstitions, but this was over the top. "No, don't repeat it," she stopped Korra who was about to explain. "That's a funny way of putting it, but there's no such thing. He probably has the flu or something."

Korra turned around to give the other female her full attention. "Well, I don't know what healer you trained under, but last time I checked, when someone has the flu they tend not to sneeze and cough up flames."

Asami rolled her eyes. "If you were any kind of healer he'd be better by now!" she chastised haughtily.

"Well if you were any kind of girlfriend he wouldn't have been sick in the first place, so I guess we're even!" Korra reprimanded coldly.

Asami laughed mirthlessly. "You seem to be under the impression that he listens to a word I say. Sorry I'm not the all-powerful Avatar like you."

"Don't you let the money talk for you anyway?"

"You don't know anything." Korra wasn't the only victim of Mako's pride. Earlier in the week Asami thought he was a bit off. She suggested he take some time off work at the power plant to rest, but he wouldn't hear any of it. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't take handouts from her (that weren't pro bending related). It was one of the things she liked about him.
She had asked him if anything was wrong, and he said he was, "Just tired." She tried so hard to get inside his head, but it always seemed like Korra already made a home there.

"Sorry, instant omniscience doesn't come with the avatar package okay."

"Yeah? Well omnipotence didn't come with the mansion, so you can stop implying that." They both laughed in spite of themselves, then Asami sighed. "Korra, I try so hard not to dislike you, but you make it so difficult?"

"How's that?" The avatar questioned. She also thought that under different circumstances they could be great friends.

"Oh come on, you had a boyfriend and another girl was taking care of him like this, how would you feel about it?"

"I knew him first. You expect me not to be worried about my friend?"

Asami ran her hand through her hair. "Not in that way you act like..."

"Like what?" Korra prompted.

"Nothing." Asami bit her lower lip. The blue eyed girl acted like he was already hers. "You just seem really...protective."

Korra shrugged. "It happens." She knew the argument was far from over, but they were willing to let it go for now.

A/N: This may be the penultimate chapter, depending on how the next one plays out. I tried really hard to keep Korra and Asami in character, and I can honestly see them saying most of the things I wrote if properly annoyed. I apologize in advance for any typos (I wrote most of this in the wee hours of the morning lol) Please let me know what you'd like to see more of in the next chapter! R&R to tell me what you think! Thanks!