There was dust billowing in the air of Republic City; the Anti-Bending movement had finally taken action, instead of parading around and hosting rallies, and Korra knew Chief Bei Fong was pissed. She had even personally invited her, Mako, and Bolin to the scene of the riot. Speaking of, it was getting very bloody very fast. Anti-Benders fought dirty, Korra thought as a huge metal spike narrowly missed her back.

"BOLIN! GET AWAY FROM THERE!" The Avatar heard Mako scream to his brother, and turned just in time to see an entire apartment building collapse on the two boys.

No.

No...

NO!

Suddenly, a haze of brightness covered her vision, and a feeling of complete and utter fear of the unknown hit her as she had a vague feeling of rising up into the air. Her long brown hair whipped around her face, the strands coming loose from her hair ties. The blue-white light was pouring from her eyes, staining the pathways a pale cobalt. A roar sounded from deep in her chest, and she shot her hands forward, pulling air and fire and earth and water together in a large ball of elemental destruction, hurling it toward the building she thought had just murdered her very best friends. People dove out of the way, huddling behind statues and trees and fountains as Korra blasted away at the fallen structure. While she pounded the stone, a tunnel was opening up near her, or where she would have been if she were on the ground. A battered, but very much alive, pair of Bending Brothers climbed up out of it, Bolin closing the dirt as soon as his sibling was out.

Then they noticed her.

Mako, with a petrified look on his face, rushed to her and shouted her name again and again over the roaring that was the Avatar State. Korra turned, a snarl on her face until she recognized him. The glow then faded, along with the ball of elements. The rocks dropped, the water splashed to the grass, the air spun to a stop, and the fire dispersed. Korra seemed to fold in on herself as she crumpled to the ground, straight into Mako's waiting arms. She blinked her eyes open and stared with wonder at him, marveling at the fact he was alive.

"I thought you were dead," she murmured, tracing over the planes of his face with her long-fingered hands.

"Obviously, I'm not," the firebender stated gruffly. "You scared us there; was that the Avatar State Tenzin talked about?" Korra simply nodded, feeling too weak to do much else. She hugged herself to him, reliving the immense and terrifying feeling that came with the uncontrolled power she'd discovered. She thought about how she felt now, with Mako's arms around her, and tucked herself closer.

"If I go Avatar-crazy again... Please... Just hold me." Korra curled into his chest, clutching at his distinctive red scarf.

"I'll never let go," he whispered softly, kissing the top of her head.

He never did.