Disclaimer: Nope, just a fanfiction writer. I would be richer, if I did.
Story: They washed up onto her island and she's charged with secretly healing and taking care of them. In that time, they get under skin and she can't seem to get them out. In the midst of trying to keep peace, their intensity makes her feel like running away.
Set after episode 1x12 "Endgame".
Spoilers: Up to episode 1x12 "Endgame."
Warnings: Just in case…Cursing and violence for now…hm, just in case since I'm usually writing it, bit of crazy humor, perverted humor, morbid or sarcastic humor, and maybe some sexual situations…
Pairings: Tarkorralak (Tarrlok/Korra/Noatak)

Jezebel
Chapter One: Red Dawn

She doesn't know how to take the two bodies that wash up onto Air Temple Island. She stares at them blankly, feeling the world crashing around her and not knowing how to take this new turn of events.

Amon and Tarrlok are both alive –barely –and she had the luck to be the one to find them.

She knows what she has to do and she ends up rushing the two unconscious men to the temple grounds and getting them help. Tenzin and Pema work on stabilizing the two, and she realizes that the injured men cannot be known to be alive and this will have to be kept a secret between the three of them. So Tenzin and Pema work together and Korra does her part to heal them with waterbending, knowing they can't bring in outside sources to help.

However, even with their work and knowing that even bringing others in, nothing can be done for certain things for the two brothers.

Tarrlok, with the brunt of the damage, has a damaged ear and irreparable damage to his right leg.

And he is blind.

Amon on the other hand, must've been farther away from the blast. He has less damages and burns to himself, but there is something she senses wrong with him and she won't be able to find out until he is awake. Regardless, she has managed to fix and heal all of the bruises and minor cuts, and some of the broken bones. The rest will take time and repeated sessions to heal all the way.

They're stable and alive. But they're broken, she knows. Perhaps, not even by the outside. She's not so sure of their mental state…

She's even less sure of herself when Tenzin charges her with taking care of the brothers. She'll have to go back and forth between the temple grounds to this little sanctuary that Aang had built on the island, slightly away from everything else and hidden from sight, not meant to be seen or found so easily. She uncertainly accepts the responsibility, but she wishes she could run away instead.

When she's walking around restlessly that night, her legs aimlessly leading her around, she catches sight of Mako and he's looking back unsurely at her. She frowns and turns away, walking back the way she came.

He's still with Asami. He's working out their relationship and the two have talked. He is an uncertain teenage boy and she doesn't tell Asami about the confession or the second kiss. She wouldn't do that to the other girl and she will back down yet again, and ignore the painful squeezes of her heart.

So she walks away literally this night, because she has no time to indulge Mako in his insecurities and uncertainties. If he continues to doubt himself this way, there is nothing she can do to convince him of anything –not when she has to serve the world and the people also…and first and foremost. She cannot coddle him when she has duties, and she cannot be selfish and focus on him when there are others in need of her.

She is the Avatar. And right now there were two injured men that were counting on her, no matter who they are or used to be.

It is no wonder, then, that her legs lead her straight to Aang's secret sanctuary, where the two brothers rest by the waterside. She enters silently and goes into their shared room, their separate beds on either side of the room and lying below the opened windows. The moonlight shines on them and she is shocked to see them so different from what she knows of them.

Amon, free of his mask finally, looks strange without it and even a bit vulnerable. His pale skin, so different from his brother's, is disturbed by the off-white bandages wrapped around him to help keep him together.

Tarrlok on the other hand, does not look like the proud man she was used to. In fact, he looks small and childlike –innocent like she'd pictured him as he told his story to her in his wooden cage. Her heart clenches and reaches out to him, and she even physically does so. The tips of her fingertips touch his jaw and then trace up to his unbound hair, brushing it behind his ear. She'll need to cut it, with some of it already damaged or just plain burnt off.

She takes her hand away and backs off slowly, watching the two warily even in their sleep. She escapes the room and heads into the living area, settling onto a couch and burying her face into her hands.

The morning shines bright and early and she groggily awakes. She checks on the men. Still sleeping peacefully, these two fractured brothers, and she clinically takes care of their hygiene, bandages, and sets about for another healing session. She has a feeling that the two will be less than cooperative, and she'll get a headache from this, about her helping them in anything, once they awake.

Both she and Tenzin are pretty sure the two won't wake up for at least another week, so she thinks it's fine to head up to the main part of the island.

It is there that she finds Asami gazing quietly at the ocean from the cliffs she used to cry frequently at. Beautiful emerald eyes look tired and the other girl's lovely face is drawn into a resigned look. Korra frowns and walks to the new President of Sato Industries, now that her father is gone, and sits quietly next to her. She doesn't say anything or prod, but sits by her side, willing to listen if Asami wanted to talk.

"He told me," Asami says suddenly and Korra doesn't have to be a genius to know what she's talking about. "Well, not like he meant to. He actually blurted it out when we were arguing," she says, chuckling bitterly.

Korra cringes and doesn't know what to say to that, except Asami continues on before she could try.

"I don't blame you for that one either. When you're at your down point and a confession like that comes from someone you think you love, when you suddenly get on a high, a kiss is meant to happen, you know? I…I'm sorry he could say such a thing and then take it back so easily," Asami looks at her finally. "How has it felt having to watch him and I all this time, and especially now after he actually said 'I love you' to you?"

"The same way you've been feeling having to watch him waffling between us now," she smiles sadly at her.

"Painful," Asami admits and their hands reach out and grab each other's, squeezing in comfort.

"I'm sorry for kissing him either time, and that he's treating you so horribly and for being part of the cause of why."

Asami shrugs tiredly. "You didn't know me at first. You had no obligations to me and if you're really in love with a person, you could at least try to fight for them if you think there's a chance. And you knew him first. And I told you about the second time. As for the way he's been treating me? Has nothing to do with you. Maybe you're a reason, but it's not your fault. It's Mako's own damn head messing with him and therefore affecting us."

"Love is so troublesome," Korra rolls her eyes.

"And so is guys," Asami finally laughs genuinely in enjoyment. "Then again, boys are said to mature slower than girls."

Korra smiles a bit. "Which is why you go for an older guy," she jokes.

Asami sort of falters and looks at her, her mouth opening to say something but then seems like she's about to change her mind. Instead, she goes on.

"About Councilman Tarrlok –"

Korra becomes uneasy and looks at Asami, pleading with her eyes not to finish her question, statement, whatever it was. Korra isn't ready for it.

Asami changes her words immediately. "Anyways, Mako may be young and inexperienced, but it still doesn't excuse him or his behavior. He's old enough to know better, and been around to be street-wise enough about this. I don't deserve this. You don't deserve this."

The two of them hold their hands tighter together.

"You know, I think I might try to steal Bolin away from you, if you don't mind," Asami thinks aloud. "He's a sweetheart. I know he likes you, but all of us know you don't feel the same."

"As long as you treat him well I'd like to see him happy and to have someone for once," Korra's smile grows wider at the thought. Bolin has been so good to her, that it makes her unhappy to know that being unable to return his feelings hurt him so much. Asami was kind and generous. The two deserves each other. "Though, unlike him, at least try to break up properly with Mako, won't you?"

"I have courtesy," Asami raised her eyebrows, and the girls share another smile.

"You know, Mako's kissed you twice now, while he's been with me," Asami glowers, glaring at the ocean waters. Korra swallows nervously, wondering if it is now where the other girl will be angry. "That counts as cheating. I think I deserve to pay him back."

Korra blinks, unsure what Asami means. How on earth would she do that to Mako –find some guy and kiss the hell out of them? It is only a second later that she catches Asami's drift, feeling a pair of soft lips touch against hers and then Asami is pressing against her and molding her lips to Korra's. It's strange and slightly uncomfortable, but she's both in a bit of shock and understanding, so she merely stays still and allows Asami to kiss her thoroughly.

It's a little bit ironic and funny to realize that Asami kisses better than Mako.

When the older girl pulls back, Korra sees emerald eyes dart over to somewhere over her shoulder and she turns slowly to see Mako frozen and glaring at them. Asami merely smiles at her and so she nods, before the Sato Industries President stands up and leaves them behind, brushing pass Mako coldly.

Korra doesn't say anything about the move, of the obvious timing Asami had taken to kiss her in front of her boyfriend, because Asami deserves her piece.

She wonders why Mako is still there and not going after his girlfriend, because despite the obvious outs between the two, they are still together currently. Mako opens his mouth but she shakes her head, getting up herself as she dusts herself off.

"I'm sorry, Mako. Not right now. I have to go help the city," she says formally and brushes pass him like Asami had.

There are no words either of them has to say to the young firebender.

She goes through the city meticulously, helping out wherever she could. She works tirelessly the entire time, because she is the Avatar and these are her people who need her. In the days passed when Amon had been at large, she's forgotten that part a bit and has been lukewarm in duty at certain times. She knows she is fully focused about her title…but there has been times in the past where she knows she has faltered and forgotten it. She refrains from thinking about a certain firebender, and remembers the screams and pleading of the people left behind in this aftermath.

The Equalists had a point, she acknowledges, but their destruction of the city has made their movement a moot point and many have become disillusioned, especially with the lie of their leader. And the violence their group has perpetuated has not brought many friends to their cause, not as many as Korra had actually believed they had.

She remembers when she first returned to Republic City after getting her bending back. She held a huge event, restoring as many people's bending as she could. Then she settled on allowing any other benders to approach her whenever, while she was out and about in the city and helping to restore it back and help everyone recover. If they still had trouble, they were to try scheduling an appointment with the Council Page, who she had taken in after Tarrlok's escape. She is even planning another event this weekend, hoping to get the rest of their bending back.

But to that end, those that had been in gangs, she had not done yet. Though she had given the go ahead for all Equalists to be forgiven, she had also made sure that their actions would be punished. The people that were harmed, everything that had happened…she knew something had to be done. They helped destroy the city, so they would help restore it. And the benders in gangs were also part of the cause, to which is why she had also sentenced them to the same punishment. They all had to prove themselves and serve their time giving back to the community, benders and non-benders alike.

She is glad there are benders volunteering to work alongside them.

Somehow along the way, with the Council still recovering, she has moved into a position to lead over the city and assigned herself all the work that comes with the responsibility of making the city work. Somehow, despite how young she is, she has started already doing the work of the Avatar, without even noticing. All the work, the diplomacy, and paperwork even…

This has become her routine and in a way she's happy about it –she needs to see and do things to feel like she is actually doing her job as the Avatar and that she is doing everything she can for Republic City.

She hates feeling like a failure, and she doesn't want to remember the recent times she's felt like that.

It's time for her to continue restoring bending to those who have lost it, and Korra does so diligently. After this, she will work hard on fixing the city, at least physically, and tomorrow she would work on the people. For now, at least she can do this much.

And when she's done with that, she trudges home to the island on weary feet. She takes a quick shower, eats a salad, and then knows she has to make a trip to check on the two brothers under her care. She stealthily avoids everyone and makes sure she isn't seen as she travels from the top of the island to the base, and searches out the small little beach that held the sanctuary that hid the two brothers from the world.

She enters the quiet abode and breathes in deeply, smelling vervain and sage, two of Tarrlok's favorite smells and that she's always associated with him. It's relaxing and she sort of drifts off into memories where she and the former councilman had once gotten along and been a good team. An abrupt noise to the room that held Amon and Tarrlok disrupt her recalls, and she rushes into the room, not sure if she wanted it to be intruders so she didn't have to deal with the brothers, or the brothers being awake so she didn't have to worry about anyone knowing of their continued existence or trying to cause harm to them.

Korra is faced with the latter option, both brothers sitting up in their beds and gazing at the door where she now stood. The radio is crackling static beside Amon's bedside and she just knew she should have taken it out of the room.

"You can give back bending," Amon croaks out.

"Give me mine back –"

" –Take mine away."

The two brothers' voices overlap, but she hears them clearly. And though Tarrlok is trying to demand, there is no mistaking the desperation in his voice. And Amon's is flat, unaffected…and almost dead.

The brothers have awoken to this new world.

She keeps awakening to truths about everyone and everything.

Started 6/27/12 –Completed 6/27/12