Title: And Miles to Go

Author: SplishySplash

Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort

Pairing: Korra/Mako

Rating: This chapter is K, but this will be an M fic later

Disclaimer: I own noting.

Summary: Mako was the one to find her on Avatar Aang Island, not Tenzin.

He hoped he got there in time.

Mako ran up the infinite stairs on Avatar Aang Island looking for her. In his distraction with Asami, she challenged the leader of the Equalist Revolution. Fear sunk in as the silence mocked him, only the blood flowing through his ears and quickened paces.

He couldn't believe that she was stupid enough to do this. He hadn't been watching her like he should have, Korra had saved his brother and he had let her down. As Mako got to the top of the stairs he saw her crumpled up on the floor and for a brief moment his heart stopped beating.

He was responsible for this, the death of the Avatar, or worse the bending-less Avatar. Mako sprinted over to her. "Korra!" He yelled, hoping to wake her as he placed a hand on her warm skin. She was still alive. "Korra, wake up please!"

Her eyes fluttered open, lacking the normal spark and he feared the worst. "M-Mako?" She whispered, struggling to focus on him.

"I'm right here, Korra." He said and her eyes fluttered close. "Stay with me."

Korra took in her surroundings. She seemed dazed and confused. Had it really happened? He helped her sit up and she swayed a little so he tightened his grip on her. "Your bending?" He asked carefully.

Lazily she held her hand out and bended a small fire. "No, I'm okay." With a sigh, he pulled her into his arms and the tears fell freely against his neck. "I was so scared." It was a whisper, soft against his neck.

"It's okay, I've got you." He whispered soothingly as she trembled against him. He buried his face into her hair and vowed that he would kill Amon himself for turning her from a strong willed woman to a fearful child. "You're safe."

Footsteps could be heard entering the temple and she trembled against him as he held her tightly, protecting her with his body in case Amon and his chi blockers came back to finish the job. For their sakes, somebody was listening to his silent pleas, it was Tenzin, Tarrlock and the White Lotus. "Korra!" The master Airbender called out.

He looked at Mako for any indication that Amon had used his power against her. The young man shook his head and ran his fingers through her hair. She was quiet now, still crying into his neck. The Airbender gave a small sigh of relief and he knew that the fight didn't fare well, he could see the bruises on her skin where the chi blockers had got to her.

"What happened Korra?" Tarrlock asked with interest, rudely interrupting the silence.

Before Tenzin could say anything Mako glared up at him. "Not now." He growled.

Tarrlock glared back and placed a hand on his hip defensively. "Well we need to get word out to the press before morning. . ."

Mako shook his head. "She is not going to say anything, you rushed her into this and now look."

Tenzin had barely met the younger man, but he liked him. "I knew this wasn't a good idea, she needs to finish her Avatar training . . . "Tenzin added gruffly. "And at that point she will be ready to take on Amon if she has too."

"He's taking peoples bending away while she is wasting her time, what kind of Avatar is she anyway? Avatar Aang was a fully recognized Avatar by age thirteen. . ." barked Tarrlock as he began to stomp around the room.

She tensed in his arms and began to cry harder. She was a failure, to herself and to the world. She would never been Avatar Aang. She would never learn Airbending . "She was still young, Tarrlock." Tenzin roared protectively.

Mako wanted to punch the guy in the face. He was the reason she was feeling broken and crying in his arms. He turned his attention to her and whispered soothing words in her ear. He pulled back a little and her gaze went to the floor. "Look at me Korra." He said softly and like her normal self, she disobeyed. Softly he guided her chin to look at him, she flinched before pushing him away. Amon had done the same thing.

With a burst of strength she pushed back from him and scuttled backwards. He looked surprised as did everybody else. Mako scooted over to her and she couldn't go anywhere, she was trapped.

Her breathing grew heavy and the room stared to spin. The familiar faces turned into the Equalists and the metal benders. She struggled to get to her feet and stood defensively as they closed in on her, she bended the ground around her and a couple of them fell over, but in the blink of an eye her arms were pinned to her sides.

"Korra! It's Mako." He shouted, trying to bring her out of his hallucination. His hand cupped the side of her face and begs her to recognize him.

The masked man cupped her face. "I'm saving you for last. . ." it echoed through the room. "Then you will get your duel and I will destroy you."

She shook her head, her hair covering her face. "No, no, no!" She cried and struggled against his grip. With a well-placed hit of his hand into her neck she went unconscious.

"Korra, come on." He pleaded. Her breathing swallowed and her eyes rolled back into her head, her legs gave out and she collapsed. Mako caught her before she hit the ground, pressing his ear to her chest to make sure she was still breathing. "Korra?" He shook her gently, his voice breaking into a panic.

A hand went to his shoulder. "Let's get her home." Tenzin offered and gained a nod from the younger man as he scooped her up to cradle her to his chest. As they walked out of the temple, Tenzin glared at Tarrlock and stopped for a moment. "You will not see her without talking to me first."

The other man yelled after them as they walked down the stairs to the boat and the morning sun started to rise. Silently the two men sat in silence as one island disappeared from view and the safety of another one appeared into view.