Chapter Text
NOW
Asami pulled the black parka out of her carry-on bag. The jacket, which Senna had recommended, was rated for the coldest of cold and she would need that once she exited the airport. What am I doing? The question had played over and over in her mind, as she told her father she would be working remotely for the summer, as Mako dropped her off at the airport, as she went through security, as she waited to board, and as she hurtled through the air toward the Southern Water Tribe.
Asami tugged her zipper up until it was securely under her chin and caught sight of the reason she had traveled thousands of miles to the cold tundra. Senna. Waiting patiently for her. As Asami approached the mother of her best friend she took her in.
Senna’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, the purple bags under her eyes were evident even on her caramel skin, and she looked fragile. To Asami, Senna looked like she was carrying the weight of the world and Asami knew that her daughter was her world. What am I doing here? The thought, slightly altered, but still the same sentiment she had been feeling since she agreed to come to try to help Korra.
Asami wanted to run. What am I doing here? Echoed through her mind as she grabbed her suitcase from the baggage carousel. What am I doing here? As the arms of a woman she had watched break down so many times when it happened wrapped her in the tightest of embraces. What am I doing here?
Senna’s embrace broke the spell. It felt so familiar, not quite the embrace she had been wanting for the past month but close. I am here because I want to help her. I’m here because I love her. The new mantra forged a blazing path to the forefront of her mind.
THEN
Nine days. The nine longest days of her life. She thought back to when her mother had died. The days that had followed had seemed long but they were nothing, nothing , compared to the nine days her best friend was missing.
On the first day, Asami laid in her bed. She wasn’t sure how or when she had been deposited in her childhood bedroom and she didn’t care. She had fainted when she saw the red lotus on the folded sheet of paper that had been placed on her pillow. The scant information she knew about the terrorists flashed into her mind and that was enough to bring her down for 18 hours. When she woke, she couldn’t face the world.
On the second day, she left her room. Determined to find Senna and Tonraq and to gain as much information about the current status of the case as possible. When Asami arrived at the Southern Cultural Center she took one look at Senna and broke down. Asami had wanted to be strong but Senna’s eyes were the same wonderful shade of cyan as Korra’s and too much for Asami’s heart to take.
Senna held Asami as she blubbered and tried to apologize.
“I’m...sorry.” She managed to choke out between sobs. “I...I-I sh-should have been...I should have been there.”
Senna stroked Asami’s hair. “They would have taken you too, or worse. This is not your fault. There’s nothing you could have done.”
Asami stayed wrapped in Senna’s arms crying until she could cry no more. When she refound her strength she was ready to hear the details. There wasn’t much to learn but it did make her feel hopeful.
As Asami drove back to the Sato Estate, she couldn’t stomach the idea of going back to the apartment, she kept repeating the facts to herself.
Korra’s blood was not on the blanket. It was the blood of a man named Zaheer, a leader in the Red Lotus organization. Korra had fought. She may be injured but she is alive. No one in the apartment complex saw anything.There are leads but they cannot share them at this time. The police are doing everything they can to find Korra.
When she arrived at home she bypassed the front door, instead opting to go through the back gate and head into the workshop she shared with her father. Asami knew any attempt at sleep would be futile so she felt that she should put her running mind to use. She pulled out her drafting materials and closed her eyes. The only thing she could see was the splintered wood of the doorframe to their apartment.
Did no one hear that? I know Korra fought but I know she would have called out for help. Did no one care enough to see what was going on? What if the police were alerted instantly, as soon as the door was broken down? That’s it.
Asami opened her eyes. Laser focus guided her hand as she drew various parts to what would ultimately be a system that ran throughout a residence with monitors, alarms and the ability to alert what she hoped would be a new division of Future Industries who could instantaneously contact the police at any sign of trouble. She would need to ask her father about this but she was sure he would be supportive.
By the time she was done the light of morning was breaking through the windows of the workshop. Asami looked at the time and rolled her eyes. As much as she wanted to head to the Southern Cultural Center to wait for news with Senna and Tonraq she needed to go to class.
On the third day, Asami went to class. She didn’t hear anything her professors said but took notes based on what was being shown via the projector, she sat and stared blankly at her almost complete junior project during her assigned lab time, and she managed to eat a few bites of the food set down in front of her by Opal during lunch.
When she could finally extricate herself from campus, she went to the Southern Cultural Center and sat with Senna. Tonraq sat stoically by the phone, eyes red and swollen, the silence that permeated the room wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the silence of people who had nothing to say. So they sat together with their worry.
When Tonraq and Senna were ready to turn in, Asami headed back to the estate with promises of a call if there was any new development. Arriving home, Asami once again went straight to the workshop where she was greeted by her father.
Hiroshi was leaning over Asami’s drafting table, looking at the plans for the security system Asami was designing. He looked up when he heard Asami enter and was heartbroken by what he saw.
His beautiful daughter, who was usually so vibrant and full of life, looked broken. Her bright emerald irises were a light shade of green, verging on gray, the whites of her eyes were red and underneath them were dark purple half-circles that showed both her deep worry and lack of sleep. As Asami made her way toward him, he began to walk to meet her.
Asami was quickly wrapped in the arms of her father. This simple action coming from the man who loved her more than anyone in the world, released a torrent of tears and a wave of sadness she was unprepared for. Her knees buckled but her father held her up. Hiroshi was determined to be the strength his daughter needed. He knew that he could never make up for not being the most present father but in this moment he vowed he would be better. He would be there for every presentation, every graduation, every moment his daughter needed him.
Wrapped in her father’s arms, Asami could feel herself being moved toward the couch in the corner of the workshop. Hiroshi laid Asami down on the couch and pulled up a chair to sit next to her. He reached over and grasped her hand.
“Asami, you need to sleep.”
“I can’t. I have to finish my plans and make a presentation to give to you to establish a new division of Future Industries, and I need to finish my junior project and I have three papers to write, and I have to go into work at some point to ensure that production of the new hybrid Satomobile is going smoothly and I -”
“Asami, please. You will get whatever you need for the system you are designing, I will personally see to that. From the looks of it, it’s brilliant and I don’t see how the board could say no to it. You school work can wait, I’ll make some calls and let them know you will be taking time off. As for work, I do not expect to see you there anytime soon. You are to take all the time you need until you feel ready to return.”
Asami gave her father’s hand a gentle squeeze and she nodded. “I will agree to everything you just said except for taking time off school. I don’t want any special favors just because I am Hiroshi Sato’s daughter.”
“Okay.” Hiroshi said as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. He rose from his chair and motioned for Asami to get up. “Come on, you’re going to bed.”
Asami felt like a little girl again as her father pressed the covers around her body. He had waited patiently as she had readied herself for bed to make sure she got in bed. He told her goodnight and slipped out of the room leaving the door ajar. Asami fell asleep almost immediately.
The fourth through seventh days followed a similar pattern to the third. Asami would wake, head to her classes and then plant herself at the Southern Cultural Center to sit with Senna. She would hold Senna’s hand as they sat, worrying, waiting and hoping that today would be the day. Sometimes, Senna would be asleep when Asami arrived, so she would work on her school work until Senna awoke then make sure both she and Tonraq ate some dinner (Senna and Tonraq would make sure she ate as well) and head home to finalize the security system project.
On the eighth day, Asami went to her father’s office before heading to the Cultural Center. She found Hiroshi pouring over her plans and proposal for Future Industries' new Home Security division.
“Dad?”
“Oh, Asami, I didn’t hear you come in. All of this is perfect. I’ll present it to the board Monday.”
Asami smiled, a rare sight during the last week and it made Hiroshi feel better even though he knew this tiny shred of happiness wouldn’t last.
“Thanks. But that’s not why I wanted to talk.”
Hiroshi motioned for Asami to have a seat and waited for her to settle.
“I wanted to...I know you just...I can’t go back to that apartment.”
Hiroshi nodded. He had expected this but had wanted to be sure it was what his daughter wanted.
“Okay, we will sell it. Do you want to remain here, at the estate?”
Asami frowned and began to think. When Korra is found she will most likely be whisked away to the Southern Water Tribe.
“I think that would be best for now.” Asami conceded.
Hiroshi nodded and made a note on his calendar.
“Do you think we could also hire someone to pack everything up? I don’t think I can do it and I don’t think Senna and Tonraq have the time. I want everything to be as easy as pos-”
“Asami, you need to calm down. I will take care of everything, you go do what you need to do.”
Asami stood and crossed to Hiroshi’s side to give him a hug. “Thank you.” She said before letting go of him and heading for the door. “I’ll be -”
“-at the Cultural Center if I need you. I know, sweetheart.”
Asami’s day at the Cultural Center passed much like the others she had spent there. The trio were joined by Mako, Bolin and Opal who brought them lunch and she managed to finish up the written portion of her junior project. Time passed slowly but soon night fell and she returned to the estate.
She woke with a start. The ringing of her phone pulled her from an uneasy sleep and into reality. She looked at the time, 03:48, before realizing it was Senna calling. A chill ran down her spine and she felt more awake than she had in the last eight days.
NOW
The blast of cold air that assaulted her when she stepped out of the airport almost made Asami turn around. Senna noticed Asami flinch and chuckled while looping her arm through Asami’s and pulling her close.
“The car is not too far.”
“Car?”
“It’s the South Pole not the Stone Age, Asami. How did you think we traveled?”
“I...Korra...she said she couldn’t drive because it’s the tundra.”
Senna looked at Asami with raised eyebrows and smirked.
“I now realize that I’ve been played.” Asami said with a frown. She would have blushed if her face wasn’t already red from the cold.
“Korra doesn’t drive because she refuses to learn. She says it’s too difficult. I thought you would’ve taught her by now.”
Asami was taken aback. Does she know?
“What? Why?”
“Because your father invented the best selling car of all time.”
“Right,” Asami huffed out, “Korra never said she wanted to learn and I didn’t want to be pushy.”
“Well, maybe while you’re here she can learn.”
“I can try. But I make no promises.” Asami said with a laugh.
“Here we are.” Senna said, pointing to a nearby car.
Not just any car. My car. Asami put her bags in the back seat.
“Is this new?” Asami asked, sliding into the passenger seat.
Senna started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
“Oh, yeah. We’d been needing a new car for a while and were looking at several other models but Korra told us we would love this one. We weren’t sure how she knew since it wasn’t available until two months ago but somehow she was right, we loved it.”
A giggle escaped Asami’s throat and she couldn’t help the wide grin that lit up her face. Senna looked at her with confusion.
“What?”
“I designed this car. I had the only drivable model.”
“You. Designed this?”
Asami nodded.
THEN
“Senna?”
“They got her.”
“They got her?” Asami repeated back in disbelief.
“They’re taking her to Republic City Hospital but there will be no visitors allowed until the police are done doing...whatever it is they need to do. But I wanted you to know Korra is safe. I’ll give you more details when I have them.”
When the call ended, Asami let out a shaky breath. She didn’t know when she had started crying but she knew they were tears of relief.
Later that day Senna called Asami again, somehow, even though Korra was safe, Senna’s voice was more broken than before.
“Asami, she won’t speak. To anyone. She doesn’t want visitors, especially not me or her father. The only thing she said after answering the police’s questions was ‘Is Asami safe?’ They had threatened to stay and wait for you if Korra didn’t stop fighting and cooperate. Do you think you would be willing to try to see her?”
“Yes.” The word escaped Asami’s throat before Senna finished her question.
“Okay. I will add you to the list of approved visitors.”
“Thank you.”
“Asami, she’s not the same. I have to warn you of that. It’s going to be difficult to see her as she is.”
Asami took a deep breath before entering the hospital. She took another deep breath before walking past the officers posted outside the wing of the hospital Korra was in and yet another deep breath before opening the door and crossing the threshold into Korra’s room.
Looking at the figure in the bed took her breath away. Korra was sleeping. Curled up in a ball, trying to fold in on herself as much as she could. One arm under the pillow, the other outside the blankets over her side. Usually this sight would make Asami feel happy; her best friend sleeping peacefully. But this was different.
Korra had a bandage on her forehead that showed some blood seeping through, a black eye that was mostly healed but still evident, and a split lip. Her brow was furrowed indicating she was in pain severe enough to be making her slightly uncomfortable. Asami couldn’t look at her face any longer so she moved to her body. She could see that the nine days Korra had spent in captivity had eaten away at her body. She’s thinner. And then Asami noticed her wrist. There was a small bandaid on it but otherwise the skin of her wrist was raw and turning a deep purple.
The information written on the white board above Korra’s bed indicated to her that there were more injuries she couldn’t see and that knowledge was enough to take the air from her lungs.
Asami wanted to leave but she knew if she did she would never come back. She willed herself into the chair next to Korra’s bed and sat. She stared at the opposite wall until she began to feel her eyes start to droop. She hadn’t gone back to sleep after Senna’s first phone call, so she leaned back into the chair and let sleep take her.
“You have to eat.” The sound of the nurse’s voice drew Asami from her slumber. She kept her eyes closed to see if Korra would say anything. Hearing no response and an exasperated sigh from the nurse Asami decided she would intervene.
“Leave it here. I’ll make sure she eats.” Asami said as she sat up straight in her seat; looking the nurse in the eyes, full business mode on. The nurse rolled her eyes and walked out of the room. Asami looked at the tray of food left behind and saw indistinguishable gray lumps and something that might have been puffin-seal sausage.
Without consulting Korra, she took out her phone and pulled up the app for Narook’s, selected one-click order favorites and tapped the soonest available delivery option. She double-checked to make sure she had changed the address to the hospital and watched the order status carefully so she could meet the delivery person in the lobby.
When the delivery driver was five minutes away, Asami quickly made her way to the lobby, and snuck past the nurses’ station with the food she was guessing Korra wasn’t supposed to have. When she came back she gently placed the container of seaweed noodles down in front of Korra.
“Thank you.” Korra whispered and picked up the chopsticks from the untouched hospital tray. Asami sat back down in the chair and removed her container out of the bag.
“I’ll put the gray stuff in the containers so they think you ate whatever that is.”
Korra remained silent. She said thank you for the noodles, I think that’s better than what Senna and Tonraq have gotten. Asami ate her noodles and moved to the side of Korra’s bed to reach the tray and dispose of the now cold food. When she was finished with that she scooped up Korra’s empty container and hid the bag behind the chair.
They sat in silence again. Asami didn’t want to make Korra uncomfortable, so after a couple of hours she decided she would head out.
“I’m gonna go home.” Asami said, moving to get up.
She was stopped when a tan hand grabbed her arm and gently pushed her back. Asami looked at Korra. She was wincing from the movement but her blue eyes were begging her to stay.
“Okay. I’ll stay, but I need to call my dad to bring me some things.” Asami grabbed the bag from behind the chair and shoved it into the nearest trash can as she made her way to the lobby to call her dad.
Hiroshi was in the midst of putting the final touches on the presentation he was going to give to the board tomorrow. He had decided that Asami should be the head of the division since it was her plan to begin with. His thoughts were interrupted when his phone began to ring.
“Hey sweetheart. How are things at the hospital?”
“Okay, I guess. Senna is right, she’s not speaking but she wants me to stay so I was wondering if you could bring me some things.”
“Of course. What do you need?”
“Can you bring my laptop and the blueprints for the security system?”
“Anything else?”
“No. I’m okay other than that but I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Give me about an hour. I’ll call you when I’m almost there.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you soon.”
“I love you, Asami.”
“Love you too, dad.”
When Asami got off the phone she noticed Senna and Tonraq making their way into the hospital. When Tonraq spotted Asami, they quickly joined her in the lobby chairs.
“How is she?” Tonraq asked.
“Quiet. I got her to eat. I had to sneak in Narook’s but she ate.”
Relief washed over the faces of Korra’s parents.
“Has she said anything?” Senna asked tentatively.
“She said ‘thank you’ when I gave her the noodles. But nothing else..”
Senna nodded at that. “Well that’s better than nothing.”
They sat there for a few minutes before Tonraq got up to head to Korra’s room. Senna said she wanted to give him time with her on his own since she had had the opportunity to be with Korra while she made her statement to the police.
Upon hearing this Asami couldn’t help herself. “Senna, what happened to her...while she was gone?”
“I think that’s something Korra should tell you. I know you feel like you will be able to help her more if you know but it is really something that she will tell you when the time is right. She wasn’t pleased that I was there when she had to tell the police. She doesn’t want us to know because she thinks we will look at her differently.”
Asami nodded. She understood. When her mother had died of cancer she didn’t want people to know. The people she did tell treated her with pity and kid gloves and she had detested it.
“I would never look at her as anyone other than Korra.”
“You and I know that but Korra will take a little convincing to believe that.”
“Well, then. Can I ask why it happened?”
Senna’s face took on a seriousness Asami had never seen before. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“This isn’t the first time the Red Lotus tried to take Korra but it is the first time they were successful.”
Asami’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Korra doesn’t remember the other time. She was five. Tonraq had just been elected governor and the Red Lotus was displeased and attempted to kidnap Korra in order to force Tonraq to resign. Thankfully our security forces were able to stop them.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would a terrorist organization try to take your daughter over politics?”
“We didn’t understand that either. Until now. Unulaq, Tonraq’s brother, orchestrated both kidnapping attempts to try to usurp power in the south.”
Asami was quiet. This was too much information to take in at once.
“Does Korra know?”
“She was the one who gave police his name. He wasn’t there when they rescued her; they’re still looking for him. That’s why there’s so much security for her.”
Asami didn’t know what to say so she just nodded. Her own uncle.
She and Senna sat there for a few more minutes before Asami finally said, “Senna, you should go up there. Tell her I’m down here waiting for my dad and that I’ll be back up soon?”
“Oh, you weren’t on your way out?”
“No. I told her I was going to go home and she grabbed my arm and put me back in the chair.”
Senna gave Asami the smallest of smiles. “I’m glad she wants someone around.”
“I think want is a strong word. More like she is tolerating my presence because I got rid of the nurse who was being a nuisance.”
“You might think that but she hasn’t stopped me or her father from leaving.” Senna said as she stood. “I’ll let her know you’ll be up soon. Thanks for staying with my girl.”
Asami watched as Senna headed toward the elevators.
NOW
Korra had seen her mother leave the house but didn’t know where she was going. She hadn’t asked, not because she didn’t care but because she still didn’t feel like speaking. She only spoke when absolutely necessary - in therapy and to ask for more food. Korra had also noticed several large boxes arrive in the last few days and had seen her father carry them to the bedroom next to hers.
She assumed the boxes contained the supplies she needed to complete her coursework from the end of the semester. Her parents had ordered her a new desktop computer since her laptop had been destroyed. Korra tried to push the image of the smashed laptop out of her mind unsuccessfully.
Her breathing quickened and she began to do the exercise she and her therapist, Katara, had come up with to ground herself when this happened. I am home in the Southern Water Tribe. I am safe. Three things I see...book, stove, refrigerator.. I am home in the Southern Water Tribe. I am safe. Mug, milk, coffee pot. I am home… She heard a car door slam. And then another.
Korra looked at the time. Weird. Why would dad be with mom if he has meetings all day. She sighed and stood up from the table, making her way to the stairs. I don’t feel like dealing with them right now. She thought to herself.
She was halfway up the stairs when her mother opened the door. Senna was talking to someone, not her father.
“...you’ll take a left. I made sure I put plenty of wood on the fire before I left so we could get you warmed up quickly.”
Korra heard the zippers of two jackets. She was torn. On the one hand she didn’t want to see the look of concern her mother was always wearing whenever Korra was near, but she couldn’t think of who could be visiting that couldn’t stand the weather. Her curiosity won out.
Walking slowly back down the stairs, Korra first caught sight of Senna hanging up a black parka. Black? Most everyone around here wears blue. A few more steps and
Korra froze. She saw a pair of boots being handed to Senna. Boots she would know anywhere. Asami.