"Whose is it Korra?"

The Avatar pulled a retort from her endless library. She had a hundred responses prepared for that question, built up over the past few months by the irritation that came from all the glances and whispers at her growing body but a surge of pain wrecked her midsection and all she could utter were curse words.

Bolin let the question fade and gripped her hand back. The pain finally began to ease and Bolin wiped her forehead. "Does it matter?" she asked, "He's not even here. All I have if you, as usual."

"Well, he's an idiot," Bolin said, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, "He doesn't deserve you."

"Spirits, Bo. You're - " another contraction hit and she called him words which would make the most grisly pirate blush, "Oh, you know what I mean."

"I appreciate the sentiments," Bolin said, "Why isn't Mako here?"

"Probably ear deep in Asami," Korra snapped. She didn't mean it though.

None of this would have happened if Mako would just have made up his damn mind about them. Or if she could just love Bolin, like he so obviously loved her. Korra would never have run into his arms, her passion would have fizzled and not grown into something more, and she wouldn't be having a bastard child.

Korra wanted to regret this. She felt like she should but she couldn't. She had felt guilty in the beginning. Then that fateful day, while meditating when she'd felt a tiny kick. Any negative feelings she had felt about her baby vanished. No, Korra didn't regret her child.

She just wished the father would arrive already. She'd sent a messenger hawk for him the minute the pain had started. Maybe he thought it was another false labor. She'd already had two. 'Don't be a jackass,' she thought, as their child kicked her in the liver, 'Just take my word for it this time.'

Two contractions, barely seconds apart. "Get the midwife," she begged Bolin. He jumped to his feet and rushed out the door. Korra concentrated on her pain. There was no way it could outdo her. The intense pressure built but she remains strong and it faded again. 'It's okay baby,' she thought, more for her own sake than it's, 'We can do this.'

The door opened and Korra snapped, "Get this baby out of me."

It wasn't the midwife though. It was Tahno. "I'll leave that to the professionals," he said, sitting in Bolin's chair, "You look pretty."

Korra couldn't see herself, thank the Spirits but the comment still made her bristle. She felt her sweat matted hair, clinging to her head, could see the pallor of her skin, and she had rushed her in her sleeping clothes. She looked like a lot of things today but 'pretty' wasn't one of them. Still, when Tahno reached over to brush her hair out of her eyes, she couldn't help but think he was being honest.

"I thought you weren't coming," she said.

"Come on Uh-vatar. Give me some credit here," Tahno massaged the back of her neck. She loved it when he did that. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Bolin came back with the midwife, gave Tahno a look, silently accepting what was obviously going on, before taking the chair on her other side and giving her his hand to hold again. Tahno saw this, sighed, and held out his own hand, "Come on Uh-vatar. Let me have it."

So she did. She arched her fingers and dug them into the sensitive webbing between his digits, deeper and deeper as her own pain raged. Tahno squinted an eye but made no other indication it hurt like hell. Korra let herself scream but that didn't help either.

"Fuck Tahno," Korra said, "Your kid has a massive head."

"Not unreasonable," he said, "I weighed nine pounds at birth."

"I was ten," Bolin added.

"This is not what I want to hear right now!" Korra choked.

"Should we leave?" Bolin asked, "We can go sit with Tenzin and the family outside if you need us to."

"No!" Korra said. Her own parents weren't there. They were still in the South Pole. She was a few weeks early. She didn't want to be alone, "Stay."

Pema would tell Korra later that her labor was quicker than most. "It took me eighteen hours to have Meelo! More for Jinora and Ikki." It only took Korra six hours but she wouldn't call the time quick. Pushing a melon through an opening the size of a lemon was anything but quick.

When it was over though, Korra forgot the pain. Her son was perfect and all she could do was marvel at him. He cried loudly, feed voraciously, and slept deeply in the moments after his birth, seemingly unaware of the three adults worshipping him. Bolin was tearing up next to Korra. Tahno was leaning over the mother and child, stroking their son's hair.

"Okay, okay," Bolin fanned his face, "I'm going out to tell everyone. A full head of black hair, really light eyes, an adorable nose. Oh Spirits! Momma Korra!" He ran off, crying openly.

Tahno leaned near her, "Would it be cliche," he asked, "if I said I loved you right now?"

"No," she said. The comment took her aback a little. Tahno had never openly admitted to being in love with her. Her response came easily though, "Because I love you too."

Tahno reached over and took the baby from her. Korra made a soft noise of protest but let him be taken. Tahno took the baby over the widow to get a better look at him, "You sir," Tahno said, "are one gorgeous creature. Takes after his dad."

Korra rolled her eyes.

Tahno played with the baby's hair for a second, "This is going to be impossible to work with," he muttered, "I'm going to go show him to everyone. Bolin's building them up. I'll give the people what they want."

"I asked Tenzin," Korra said, suddenly, "You can come live on Air Temple Island."

"Spirits," Tahno said, "Who doesn't live on Air Temple Island now?"

"I'm serious," Korra said, "I want us to be together."

"Really? You want me around all the time?"

Korra nodded. She really did. They had come together in a physical way but even before she had become pregnant, the Avatar had grown quite fond of her former pro-bending rival. He was bitter, sarcastic, and blunt, and she adored him.

"Well I was just waiting for you to ask. I'd like that Uh-vatar," Tahno glanced over his shoulder as he made his way to the door, "Korra, Tahno, and Tahno the second. The most stunning family in Republic City."

"That is not his name!"