Mako had been married to the fully-realized Avatar Korra for nearly three years when she fell pregnant for the first time. She was a worldwide political figure at that time, but still at a stage where she had to assert her veto over matters between officials, and it was a sensitive period for her to be having a baby. Or, at least that's how she explained it to her husband, who was mostly concerned with making sure that she and the baby were happy, healthy and safe. Their relationship had been complicated since the wedding, with her traveling all the time, and his limited time off from working on the Republic City police force, so it was wonderful for them to be together for the short three months in which they became aware of the life growing at Korra's middle.

Once they were sure of it, Korra decided to remain at home and start preparing for the baby. She was at first apprehensive about the whole thing, wondering what kind of mother she would be, but eventually she overcame her worries and settled into a blissful happiness, which may or may not have been thanks to raging hormone levels. Together, they redecorated the whole apartment - not the attic at the pro-bending arena, but the one they'd bought after accumulating enough money from Mako's job and Korra's royalties for appearances at parties and such - in shades of pink and baby blue, and purchased a crib and put it together before Korra even entered the second trimester.

She was nearing the third trimester when something cropped up in Ba Sing Se that needed her attention. The corrupt interim regent that had been in charge since the death of the fifty-fourth Earth King, while his son studied and grew to take the throne, was now refusing to step aside for the young king, and making threats to the people in his lust for power.

Earth Kingdom officials pleaded for the Avatar to act, for three weeks until she finally considered it. The Fire Nation couldn't go to the king's aid after their history of invading Earth Kingdom territory, and the water tribes were much too far away to get there in time. She was the last resort. Korra decided to go.

"It's too dangerous," Mako insisted at a whisper, the night before she left, one hand resting on their child, feeling its warmth on his palm.

"I have a responsibility to the world," Korra replied, and smiled reassuringly. "It'll be okay."

Two weeks later, the newspapers rejoiced at the liberation of Ba Sing Se, and celebrated the coronation of the fifty-fifth earth king. Mako waited for his wife's return. When he met her at the pier - when he saw her face - he knew. She staggered off the boat, some cuts and bruises here and there, nothing compared to the lost light in her eyes. Mako stumbled backward, his mind racing.

White Lotus sentries carried a small box behind Korra, a box to bury. It was draped in a mourning black, and the Avatar's husband turned to stone. His child was dead. Korra approached him with her dull eyes falling on his, and reached for him. Mako stepped back, recoiling from her, fury writing itself on his face. He had warned her. He had been afraid of this, and now their baby was dead.

"I'm sorry," Korra whimpered, dropping her gaze again, "I'm so sorry," she raised an arm and wiped at her eyes, and she began to crumble.

A sentry helped the Avatar to the waiting car - she was weak after giving birth to her stillborn son - and Mako stepped to one side and watched as they carried the box past him. It was lidded, nailed shut, ready to be dropped into the cold, dark earth. He would never lay eyes on his child, on his precious, precious baby. Mako eventually got into the car with his wife and two sentries. Another car carried the coffin.

The next morning they were to bury their son, the sentries told Mako with a sour and apologetic expression. Bolin, Asami, Tenzin and his family all came around to pay their respects and give their support. Mako sat in silence for the evening, shell-shocked, still unable to believe how this had happened. Bolin was the last to leave, reluctant to leave the people dearest to him in such misery, but eventually did.

As Korra lay down beside him that night, Mako turned his back to her. She was quiet for the longest time, and he thought she'd gone to sleep, until he heard her start to cry, pushing her face into the pillow. He didn't turn to her - she knew he was awake, but he kept his back to her. She must have sobbed and screamed for hours until she finally fell prey to exhaustion. Mako climbed out of the bed, checking each millisecond to see that his wife was really and truly asleep. He went to the closet.

And packed his things.

Mako didn't attend his son's funeral, or at least, nobody saw him there. How could they, while he stood back in the woodlands and watched them lower that small box into the ground? He saw Korra at the front of the crowd, dressed in full black and still looking exhausted. He remembered a time when that would have drawn him to her, made him want nothing more than to hold her. But a part of him was being buried today, and that was the part of him that would have gone to her. People who didn't know her came to the funeral, and used it to slither up to her and ask for favors and appearances. She was too weak and too broken to say anything about it.

He took his things and left Republic City.

Mako had been married to the fully-realized Avatar Korra for nearly three years when she fell pregnant for the first time, and the last.