Mako went back to the house with the kids to let the adults know what Korra had decided. He didn't know how he'd tell her parents. They would be as heartbroken as he and the children were but it had to be done. The kids went inside and sat on their father's lap while he broke the news.

"Korra left," he stated with a sigh.

"What do you mean Korra left?" Zuko asked, walking by the room. His niece, Sozi, was still in a coma. Katara said that since the spirit had inhabited her body for so long it had physically weakened her and would take longer for her to heal.

"She said she needed time away because of everything that's happened."

"But she has Avatar duties!" Tenzin cried.

"I can't believe Korra would just get up and leave her kids," Opal said surprised.

"It is very irresponsible of her to leave, especially after recent events," Lin continued.

"You guys just don't understand Mom," Karah snapped. The adults turned to look at the little Firebender who had gotten off her father's lap. "Mom needs closure. Why can't any of you see that? She didn't leave us because she didn't love us. she left to have time to think."

"If she loved us she wouldn't have left," Mac mumbled. His twin glared at him.

"You think it was easy for her to watch as everyone risked their lives for her? To see you risk your life, or mine? Do have any idea how helpless she felt? Everyone has a limit. Mom may be the Avatar but she's still human. You need to understand that," she continued before storming out.

Everyone stood dumbstruck by the child's words. It seemed she understood her mother more than anyone there, and they had known her for a long time

"I agree with Karah," Katara stated as she went into the living room as well. "Korra needs time to heal. You understand this, Mako?"

The Firebender nodded. "I love Korra. I know she wouldn't leave unless she had to. I trust her judgment," he simply said before leaving the room after his daughter. Mac looked at his crying grandparents and decided to follow his father.

"Karah?" Mako called as he knocked on the door of Korra's old room.

"Yeah," she answered, wiping away her tears.

"I'm very proud of you for what you said," he told her as he sat next to her. The little Firebender hugged her father as she broke down.

"Mac," the Firebender called, holding out an arm. The little Waterbender ran up to him and held him tight, sobbing as well. He missed his mother and she had only been gone a few minutes.

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Korra finally settled down on a plain and laid down in the tall grass. Naga curled herself up as soon as she had taken off the saddle. The Avatar lay there thinking about the decision she had made. She sighed deeply and rolled onto her side only to find a pair feet. Startled, she jumped up into a defensive stance until she realized who it was.

"Oh, it's you," she said sourly, turning away from the Airbender.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"I'm doing what's best for my family."

"Are you?"

"If you came here to convince me to go back then save your breath, Aang. Nothing you say will change my mind," she said, avoiding his question.

"How could you leave them? They need you."

"No, they need to be with someone who can protect them. And that someone's not me."

"And leaving them alone is your way of protecting them? Korra, there are many dangers in the world you live in."

"What's more dangerous than having the Avatar as your mother?"

"Korra," the Airbender began, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Being the Avatar is not easy; I understand that. I was a parent too. But isolating yourself is not going to help you."

"Oh now you're a parent?" she asked sardonically. "You should have known better than to possess one of my children! He could have died!"

"Your children knew the risks and accepted them. I would have never have agreed if the situation wasn't so dire," he calmly responded.

"They're children!" Korra yelled. "My children! How could you risk their lives? You should have known better than that! Do you have any idea the emotional pain I went through when I awakened to find him in coma? Do you?"

The Airbender said nothing.

"I didn't think so! You're the reason I'm feeling this guilt that's eating me alive!" she continued to yell.

"Korra, I may not know what you've felt, but understand that you're the reason you feel so guilty. I have nothing to do with it. They have nothing to do with it. You are falling apart because you've lost faith in yourself."

Korra took in her past lives words. She didn't know if he was right or not, but she couldn't let him hold her back. "Go away," she ordered. The Airbender gave her a nod and disappeared.

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A few days later

Sozi finally woke from her comatose state. Zuko smiled and embraced the child as soon as he saw her moving . The little Firebender smiled and hugged her uncle. He told her how sorry he was for everything that had happened and how proud he was of her strength. He assured her she was nothing like her grandmother and that everything was going to be ok.

Soon after she went outside and found Karah watching as her brother sat on the highest point of the island, looking out at the bay. Her uncle had informed her of Korra's absence and she couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Karah," she whispered. The little Firebender took her gaze off her younger brother and looked at her friend. She gave her a small smile.

"Hey, you're awake."

Sozi nodded. "Listen, I wanted to say I'm really sorry for the way I acted before. I know I wasn't myself but I felt like I had to apologize."

The twin smiled before giving her friend a hug. "Don't worry about it," she replied, looking back at her brother.

"He really missed her," Sozi whispered. Karah nodded.

"My brother doesn't understand that Mom had to go. He thinks she left because she doesn't love us, but that isn't the case," she explained.

The little Firebender nodded. "I know. I may not have gotten to know Korra, but I know she just needed to get away. Think I can talk to him?"

Karah hesitated. Her brother had been on the edge since their mother's departure, but she ended up giving her a nod. "I'll leave you two alone," she added, heading inside.

Sozi went up to the little Waterbender. He looked away from the bay to see who it was. His eyes hardened. "Mac, I'm-" she began.

"If you hadn't of came here none of this would have happened," Mac stated as he glared at the Firebender in front of him. "My mom would still be here, with us, if you hadn't come and ruined everything!" Sozi flinched and stared at the ground, wringing her hands together guiltily.

"I know," she whispered. "And I'm so sorry." She hadn't wanted any of this to happen. And now, because of her, a family had been torn apart.

Mac wanted to yell at her but the fire in his stomach had dimmed and he suddenly just felt so tired. Yelling at this girl wasn't going to make his mother come back. This realization made him sigh heavily.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, hugging his legs.

Sozi sat next to him and hesitantly wrapped an arm around him, fearing he'd shove her away. He didn't. Instead the little Waterbender returned the embrace as he let tears fall down his face.

"It's going to be ok, Mac," she soothed. "Korra is going to come back". He grabbed the ring that hung from his neck and held it tight.

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Days turned into weeks. And weeks turned into months. But Korra still didn't return. Hope diminished as each day passed. Mako tried not to isolate himself from his children, though he was tempted. Korra was everything to him. He hated the thought of her never returning.

For the first eight months he and Mac sat at the highest point of the island, waiting for Korra to return. But then one day Mac stopped going. The Firebender tried to talk to him but the boy avoided him. He had given up. Mako watched as the sun set once again. He remembered what his wife had told him once, what felt like a long time ago.

"I'll always come back to you. Don't ever forget that. No matter where I'm at or what's going on. I'll always find my way back."

The Firebender stood up and walked to the very edge. "Come back to me," he whispered as a tear slid down his cheek. A strong wind blew past and carried his words.

Korra sat in a meditative stance as she had been doing for the last few months, trying to clear her mind. She felt a lot better but there was still a hole in her heart; one that she couldn't fill no matter how hard she tried. The Waterbender sighed as she lay on the floor, looking at the door across the room from her. She had been meaning to open it for some time now but it never quite felt like the right time.

With a groan she stood and took her Airbending stance in front of the huge wooden door. She pushed her hands forward, sending a blast of air into the funnels and the door slowly opened. When she stepped inside she noticed there were a lot of statues. Then it hit her.

They were the statues of all her past lives. She looked at each one till she spotted a familiar face. Aang. Korra stood in front of his statue and clenched her fist.

"Why?" she asked out loud. "Why me? Why did you choose me to be the next Avatar? I could've had a normal life. I wouldn't have had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I would've been a good mother. A good wife. My life is ruined because of what I am."

Korra looked down at the ground, imagining what her life would've been like if she had never been the Avatar. She slowly sunk down to her knees as she continued. "When I was younger I was so eager to be the Avatar. I saw it as a gift. But now I see it for what it really is. A curse. A curse that I'll never be rid of," she finished as she broke into a sob.

She looked up to find a familiar figure. "I want to be alone."

"Then why did you call me?"

The Avatar said nothing and looked down. He kneeled down and raised her chin so she would look at him.

"Korra, being the Avatar is not a curse. It may feel like that sometimes but you were chosen because you were deemed worthy of the title. The cycle never makes a mistake. You have been a great Avatar. But most importantly a great friend, a great wife and a wonderful mother," he told her sincerely.

The Waterbender looked away and pondered the man's words. He placed his hand over her heart and memories rushed to her; from when she was a child to now. Slowly she began to smile as something inside her clicked. Wind blew inside the temple and encircled the Avatar

"Come back to me," it seemed to whisper.

Korra opened her eyes and smiled at the Airbender. "Thank you," she whispered before getting up and running out.

"Where are you going?" he asked knowing the answer.

"Home," she replied with a grin.

* in the next chapter *

Korra comes home...how will her family take it?

Be ready for the next chapter and don't forget to vote and comments

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