Pema handed a tray laden with thin broth, several bland crackers, and a glass of water to Jinora. "Sweetheart, take this to Mako. He's in the nearest guest room, okay? I'll be there in a moment."

She watched as her daughter nodded and turned away, biting her lip. Korra and Bolin had brought a dizzy, pale Mako to the island last night and begged Pema to help him. Obviously, she didn't turn them away, but it still didn't feel right to have him here when he should be at home.

Shaking the thought away, Pema opened a cupboard filled different medicines and rifled through them until she found the bottle she was looking for. Quickly, she walked through the halls, passing a worried Jinora and entering the boy's room.

"Oh, dear…"

Mako looked worse than he had last night. He was shivering and sweating, his eyes just barely open and flitting about wildly. He was no longer simply pale in the soft light provided by the window, but translucent. Pema almost dropped the bottle in shock as she saw the extent of the sickness, and quickly busied herself with measuring out the correct dose.

"Mom?" a soft, rasp broke her train of thought and Pema whipped around to stare at the boy in the bed. He was watching her with delirious eyes, "Mom, I'm sorry…"

Pema couldn't help herself. "Why are you sorry, dear?"

"I tried… so hard…" he cut himself off to cough harshly into the pillow, "To care for Bo."

"Wha- What do you mean?"

Mako didn't pay any attention to Pema's confusion and continued speaking, "I'm sorry, Mom… I just…" more harsh coughs broke through his sentence, "I had to do something…"

"Sweetheart—" Pema moved to give him the medicine and quiet his delusion, but he pushed her hand away weakly.

"When… When you and dad died… I worked for… for the Triads, Mom…"

Pema squeaked softly as her bottom lip began to quiver and tear filled her eyes. What had these boys been through? She pressed a hand to her mouth and tried to feed Mako the medicine again. He refused her silent request once more and grabbed her hand tightly. His eyes were panicked as he whispered, "I can't let him starve, Mom."

"Dear… Dear, please just drink this, and we can talk about Bolin later, okay?" Pema asked quietly, quickly. She raised the spoon to Mako's lips, and, finally, he accepted it. She brushed the damp hair out of his face and set another cold compress on his forehead before rushing from the room, followed by a quiet, "I miss you, Mom."

Once she reached the kitchen, Pema collapsed in a chair and wept.