READ ME

Hey guys I am SO sorry for not updating sooner, my life has sort of been going in a whirlwind lately and I haven't gotten much time to settle down. I took some of you guys' advice and will not be starting another story until I finish one of them. I do think you guys misunderstood Unexpected Romance though—its completed :/ I left it with a hopeful-mysterious end with Mako obviously about to propose to Korra, Bolin and Korra both healing from their lost friend. And once I finish Waking Up with a Smile and I find out which story I want to start on, I am thinking of re-writing Unexpected romance with basically the same aspects…. Just better writing. I have put Showbiz on hiatus (dunnno how to spell that) and I am am also Beta-ing for a new writer Vintagehappy on her story Bad Reputation (go check it out) so yes, I have been very VERY busy lately and I hope you guys all read this :3 I am definintely contemplating a somewhat teen wolf crossover (and by crossover I mean LoK with smexy werewolves and hunters and… (what's our favorite AU? HIGH SCHOOL)) so please PLEASE give me you guys' feed back on that and GO CHEC OUT THE POLL ON MY PROFILE TO WETHER YOU WOULD READ IT OR NOT!

Also, I forgot was Korra's mom's job was so I made it a lawyer :/

Mako was nervous.

At least, that's what I could tell from his expression. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to yell and scream and hit him. He's nervous? He's upset?! My mother is dying. My family is the one who betrayed me. And He's nervous.

And why?

Because he's meeting my parents.

Again, I'm hit by the sudden feeling to hit him. But I don't. Because I know that he's trying his best to be strong for me right now; not to mention that old saying, "it's the though that counts" is on repeat in my mind. And even though his nervousness is pushing me off the edge, it's also really freaking adorable.

As we pull up to the hospital in Albany, I see my dad's police cruiser, along with about 3 more. I'm starting to wonder if I was the last person in town to know about this. Now don't get me wrong, Albany is a big town. About 97,000 people live here, but that's nothing compared to Manhattan's population of 1 million. I groan as Mako jogs around the car to open my door for me, not quite sure if I want to go in. But Mako's dragging me, unintentionally, obviously thinking I'm just too numb to walk on my own.

As we get into the hospital, Mako puts his arm around my waist, and I hug his mid section; to shield myself away from the whispers of doctors and patients, all of who are saying the same things.

"Oh my god, Mako Anderson just walked in with that brunette from the Fall Gala!"

"They're still dating? I thought he cheated on her…"

"Code MVP! Code MVP! What do we do if he needs medical treatment?! Do we put him before others? Does he go to the Right Wing or the UC?!"

Mako gives me a small smile at the last one, enjoying the young doctors expressions of nervousness. "Hi, I'm looking for a Senna Melenoski." I say kindly, having practiced in the car.

The woman's eyes go wide and she stutters out a reply of "J-just let me ch-check… Sir." And with shaking hands, she scrolled around on her computer and clicked rapidly. "Um, y-yes sir, she would b-be in the cancer wing, b-but she has requested family-only."

"That's us." I snap. "Korra Melenoski, daughter, and he's coming too so just lead the way." I say, not missing Mako's look of triumph. The woman looks like she's about to die of either anxiety or nervousness. She doesn't bother getting my ID and instructs an intern to lead us to the cancer wing. The intern looks shaky himself, and I think I'm just now realizing how much effect Mako could have on his- or anybody in America's- career. If Mako decides he doesn't like this hospital and starts telling people that, then this hospital's business would go downhill very quickly.

But honestly, I didn't have the time or the focus to think about it at the moment. I just had the same mantra running through my head, 'mom, mom, mom'

When my father first comes into view, he looks relieved. But then his expression morphs to fear, then anger. I'm about to just push him aside and demand to see my mother but I stop when I hear his fuming question. "What the hell is he doing here?" He says in a dangerously low voice.

I almost blanch and hesitate, remembering how I had previously told my father that nothing would come of Mako and I. "Mako drove me here after you called me and told me that you and mom have been lying to me for years… About her life!" I say, my voice rising. I try to focus on Mako's hand, slowly tightening around my arm but still rubbing my arm in a soothing way, trying to calm me down.

My father's jaw is tightened and his fists are clentched so hard that his knuckles are turning white. "Korra that was a hard decision that your mother and I made together- we were only trying to protect you."

"Protect me?! Is that why you two both suddenly decided that it was okay for me to leave Albany and go to New York? To 'protect me' from a disease that I don't even have?!" I say, my voice nearly screeching.

Now my dad has never been a real big family man. He declined the Thanksgiving and Christmas invitations from his brothers and sisters and wasn't home much- same goes for my mom. And I guess you could say I was lonely for the majority of my childhood, but by the way my dad was staring at me now… it made me feel like he wishes he was there more. And I get that now that his wife- my mother- is dying that he wishes that we had happier times together, but I know that if we went back in time he would still choose going to work over staying home on a Saturday. No guilt shines in my eyes though the feeling is still there, deep in my stomach.

Mako's hand is firm now, no longer rubbing my arm, and I tighten my arm around my waist, the warmth now comforting me as I know it comforts him. My dad's eyes follow my arm and he scowls. "And what? You're just her knight and shining armor… for the day? Is she your newest idea of fun? I tell you this mister 'billionaire-playb-"

Surprisingly, Mako's nervousness has seemingly passed and his (as my father so eloquently put it) 'Mister Billionaire mode came out. "Mr. Melonoski, I can tell you that my intentions with your daughter are completely pure. And I'd rather you give me the benefit of the doubt before you jump to the conclusions that the tabloids give you." Mako says in a stern way that makes my dad stop short and pale a little bit. Having delt with the tabloids before, I can see my dad contemplating Mako's statement, and as I see him thinking up a response I cut him off.

"Listen, we'll have time for this later… but right now I need to go see mom." I say, releasing Mako's arm and giving his cheek a quick kiss while whispering, "I'll be back soon. Stay calm and I'll be back before you know it." I give him a meaningful smile as he nods understandingly and sits in one of the chairs sitting across the blurred glass of my mother's room.

"Mom?" I whisper hesitantly as I see her form, rigid and tense.

She gives me a tight, guilt-ridden smile. "Hey, baby."

I feel tears stinging at her defeated tone- not one I'm used to hearing in my mothers voice. After all, she was a ruthless lawyer who hardly ever took no for an answer and I'm not surprised at all that she thought she could fight off death. If anyone could, it would be her… but that's not possible.

I go over to the chair next to her bed and relax in it, hoping that my position will relax her also. Realizing that there's nothing hostile about my position she obviously relaxes, like she was holding her breath. I let out a breath and rub my forehead. "Why… why didn't you just tell me? I would've… you know that I would've stayed home and- and helped you and I-"

"Sweetie.." My mom interrupts. "That's exactly why we didn't tell you." She says in the gentle tone that can only be interpreted as motherly. When she meets my confused gaze she clarifies, "If we had told you, you wouldn't have gone off to college, gone with Gavin, had any fun in the place you worked so hard to get to!" She said in a loud whisper, a smile widening across her face. "You wouldn't have met that hottie out there or had a regular college experience at all!" I started to protest but she stopped me. "Honey, I know your father and I didn't give you the most loving… involved childhood that we should've but… but we loved you every step of the way and we only want what's best for you."

I feel the tears in my eyes and I bite my lip, "I love you too- I love you guys too" I say getting up to bury my face in her shoulder as she wraps me in a hug. "And my childhood was great, mom. Y'all did the best you could and it was great." I lie easily with a laugh. She laughs to but there's something off about it. I don't say anything though, knowing it must hurt, and letting this good time go on for as long as it can.

"How about you get your father in here for a second, go save that hunk of yours he looks terrified!" She says teasingly.

"okay." I whisper with a smile of my own. I walk out the door and nudge my dad softly. "She wants you." I say, bitterness still in my tone. I walk into Mako's awaiting arms and let him hug me, the feeling of his nose digging in my hair making me giggle. It's only when I here a desperate scream of "DOCTERS!" and erratic beeping that I stop.

Everything seems to go in slow motion after that.

An army of nurses rush into the room that my mom is staying in and a couple of doctors behind Mako and I are sprinting in after them. I watch as the lady behind the reception desk drops her clipboard in the mess of it all, the metal clinking loudly and her frightened scream following.

I don't notice I'm running towards the room until a nurse yells "Hold her back!" and I feel someone dragging me back against my will as I watch my mother shaking violently on the bed. I don't even notice it's Mako until I hear him begging me to calm down. I tear my eyes away from where my mother has since gone still and there's an electric buzzing surrounding the room, signifying the charge paddles. "Charge to 300!" I look at Mako with horrified eyes as I beg him- or at least that's what I think I'm saying- to understand that she needs me. "Damn it! Charge to 400!"

I hear a silence and then a beep… followed by another and another. I look back to the room where I see my father sagging with relief, along with the rest of the nurses and doctors in the room and I let myself fall into Mako's chest. I feel myself saying something along the lines of "oh my god" and I see my dad doing the same. We make eye contact for a solid 5 seconds and I know that our fight is over.

After experiencing the worst few seconds (because apparently it was only a few seconds- not the hours it felt like) of my life they rushed my unconscious mother into surgery, my father coming out into the waiting room where Mako was sitting on a couch with me, cuddled into him as far as I could be. My dad gives me a look and I nod, knowing that I need to leave, knowing that the next time, those charge paddles ma not work and I know I can't be here for that.

I give him a bear hug, tell him I love him and to tell mom I love her and that I'll call them and Mako and I leave.

Well, actually, we don't even leave Albany. I convince him to take me to a local diner that Gavin and I used to practically live at. Convincing him didn't take much I just had to give him the classic puppy-dog face (or in my case the 'my-mothers-dying-and-I'm-your-anchor-so-give-me-wh at-I-want' face) So, once again in the booth I burrowed as far as I could into his side, going as far as wrapping his suit jacket around my body. I didn't miss the adoring smile he gave me when I did that either, and I thanked God that he liked cuddling. Cause while some people need a rock in their life… I just need a cuddler.

On our way back to New York I held Mako's hand tightly and wrapped his jacket around me, having stolen it at the diner. The diner, actually, wasn't a great idea seeing as every single person there knew about my mother and felt the need to express their sorrows as if she was already dead. I even resulted to having Mako glare and growl at everyone who came too close to our table. Mako asked me to spend the night at his house I said no and he looked so upset that I actually relented and told him that he could stay at mine, but only because he was a good boy today. I texted Gavin and he said that he was still out on his… 'date' but that he'd come home right then if I wanted him to. I texted him back and told him that he should stay and have fun, seeing as I had Mako with me. And as we got into bed, doing nothing but sleeping, for the first time in a long time… I felt safe.

Well that's 2,500 words for ya ;) I know not enough for how much I owe but I promise that I will have another chapter for either this, blue eyed angle, or waking up with a smile- you guys' choice.

So in the reviews/PMs just say this exactly

I want you to write a chapter for _(enter story of choice here)_.

And then your comments for the chapter :3