AN: Takes place after episode 7, so spoilers up through then.

Korra was strong.

But even strong people break sometimes.

Her friends had only been staying on the island for a few days before Korra received a letter from home. These letters came pretty regularly, even though Korra was not the greatest at replying in a timely manner. But it didn't matter, her mother had written her weekly when she was at the compound, and now wrote her about every other week.

Usually the letters were frankly pretty dull, but Korra was glad to get them all the same. If nothing else, her new friends taught her to cherish the fact that she even had parents.

So when Pema brought her letter, Korra ripped it open immediately, even though she was in the middle of a pai sho game with Jinora. Ikki and Meelo were cheering (though what they found to cheer about in pai sho, Korra was still confused about), while Mako and Bolin played their own game (which wasn't really pai sho so much as a made-up game, since they didn't really know how to play) and Asami read one of Tenzin's history books.

"Good news from home?" Mako asked, looking over at the girl. Things had been a little tense between them ever since Korra accused his girlfriend's father of being an equalist and he accused Korra of acting out of jealousy. Still, he was making an effort.

"Yeah, my mom writes every couple weeks," Korra replied, her eyes scanning the letter quickly. "Sounds like the penguin sledding festival was a hit this year," she smiled fondly.

"Penguin sledding festival?" Bolin repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, we have one every year," she answer distractedly, still reading. "Pretty much ever since Aang married Katara and joined the tribe."

"That sounds amazing," Bolin exclaimed. "Put that on my list of things to do when I visit the South Pole."

Korra looked up, blinking. "You're going to visit the South Pole?"

"Well yeah, someday." He said, shrugging. "I mean, you're from there. I couldn't call myself your friend if I didn't want to visit where you came from. Besides, it sounds awesome, and I've never been out of Republic City."

Korra felt an odd lump in her throat, and she tried to swallow it down, forcing a smile instead. "Thanks, I'll definitely have to take you sometime. That means a lot to me."

Bolin just grinned at her and turned back to his game.

"It's your move, Korra," Jinora prompted.

"I'm almost done, hold on," she made a move anyway, since she didn't have much of a strategy planned out. It made things more interesting for Jinora, who planned things out to a T, though she got annoyed when she couldn't predict Korra's moves.

Korra read the rest of the letter silently, said, "Sorry Jinora, can we finish later?" then got up and left the room.

Everyone watched her go, confused. Though her face betrayed no emotion, her shoulders were slumped and she walked too quickly for things to be alright.

Mako and Bolin exchanged glances and Asami looked up from her book in concern. "Should someone go talk to her?" she asked, finding a bookmark and setting her book down.

"Wait," Mako motioned for her to stay. "I'll go. Jinora, why don't you come teach Bolin how to play while you wait for Korra to come back?" She happily agreed and Mako left quickly to find the water tribe girl who was so far from home.

He had a feeling he know what was in that letter.

Korra walked until she was sure she was out of earshot, then broke into a jog, then to a sprint. She ran out of the main building, up to the guard station, where she knew she would be alone. The guards were all at dinner, except the ones patrolling, and left their office unoccupied for a short time.

She forced the door open –unnecessarily, since there were no locks on Air Temple Island – and slammed it shut behind her as she fought to catch her breath.

Uncrumpling the letter from her fisted hand, she read again:

Korra, sweetheart, I can tell from your last letter that things are getting difficult for you, even if you didn't come out and say it. You don't know how much I wish I could be there with you, even though I'd probably hinder more than help. So I guess all I can do is remind you how much your father and I love you, and that we'd do anything for you, all you have to do is ask. Even if you don't ask, we'd do it if we knew you needed it. Because that's what parents do.

We love you so much, our strong, crazy girl. I'm sure you'll figure things out and keep working hard, but never forget that we're here for you.

She didn't know it was that set her off, but Korra's heart suddenly felt too heavy for her chest. She felt like she couldn't breathe, all she knew was that she had to get out of that room where Asami sat, who'd just been betrayed by her father, and where Mako and Bolin sat, who had been without parents for ten years.

She felt guilty, and she felt overwhelmed, and she felt trapped.

The last thing she felt was strong.

Every little thing she'd done wrong since she'd come to Republic City assaulted her memory. Every thing she didn't know, or never thought about before: needing money to survive and living without someone to take care of you, the possibility of living without bending and how those born without felt weak, breaking someone's heart without even meaning to.

Wanting something so badly, but wasn't for you.

It all came crashing down at once. She sank to the floor, and just this once, let the feelings consume her and the tears come.

And other the other side of the door, Mako listened.

He'd followed her, and though it took a moment to find her, she'd never been a quiet girl. He could tell she was trying though, and that scared him.

When he heard choking sobs as he passed the guard station, he knew it was her. He knew it was her, but he didn't know what to do.

He didn't know when things got so messy. He cared about her, that was undeniable, even though he was getting worse and worse at showing it.

He didn't mean to hurt her, though he knew he did. The instant she looked at him with that sadness in her eyes, he'd known. He was just so used to protecting what was his without worrying about who got hurt in the process that he didn't think. He knew better than to accuse Korra of acting out of jealousy, and he knew better than to act so petty, but he did it anyway.

And when Korra told him that Asami needed him more than she did, he knew she was right and that there would be no easy way out of this. Someone was going to get hurt, and it looked like that someone was going to be Korra, over and over again. Most of the time, it would not be the fault of circumstance but his own stupidity.

That realization was the only thing holding him back from going to comfort Korra now. He was too ashamed of himself, and too scared of how she would react, afraid of making things even worse.

So he leaned against the wooden door, and listened to her cry in the darkness, hoping she could find the strength she needed without him.