The Adventures of Kiran and Karah Part I: Earth, Fire, and Pro-Bending

Chapter 4: Home Sweet Home Part III

Bolin finds his brother in the guest room, his face filled with shock as he stares at mass of his nephew in the bed. After the ordeal at the arena and being thoroughly examined for injuries at the temple, he had rushed over after receiving a message from his older brother. Bolin spots his brother in the chair beside the bed, he notices the blank stare Mako gives his son. After being relieved of his shock, Bolin speaks up.

"Mako...? How-?"

"Its my fault Bo," Mako interrupts his younger brother as he gestures towards the bed. Bolin notices the appearance of his distraught brother. Mako's face is tear stained, his eyes are blood shot from crying. His thick, black hair that has grown over the years is dishevelled.

"Mako stop blaming yourself for spirits sake, its not you fault!" Bolin's slightly irritated tone angers Mako.

"I should of fought harder in finding him Bolin! I should have been there when it happened, when Korra..." He chokes up after a while of dead silence. He reaches for his son's scarlet red scarf near the bed, his hand grasps it tightly. His rough, calloused fingers graze over the stitching of his son's name as he revisits an unpleasant memory.

Flashback: 7 years ago

The sound of heavy foot steps echo throughout the drive way. Mako busts through the front door, five of his men trail behind him but stop suddenly at the sound of small sobs and whimpers. After taking in the scene in front of him, Mako's face pales as unpleasant chills run down his body. Karah's body is bundled up near her mother, a fairly large pool of blood settles underneath both of them as Korra comes in and out of consciousness.

His blood runs cold when he realizes that his son was no where to be found. He can't help but think the worst as he observes the room. There was glass everywhere, holes occupied the plastered wall on the left side of the living room near the kitchen and the couch and carpet were burned.

Karah looks up at the sight of her father, her whimpers intensify as she grips her mother's blue sleeveless shirt. With his fatherly instincts kicked in gear, Mako rushes towards his daughter. His hands tremble slightly as he engulfs Karah in a tight and comforting embrace. He pulls back to look in his daughters frightened green orbs, noting how shaken up she was.

"Hey princess, you see those nice men over there?" Karah eyes the men in uniform that her dad had mentioned before nodding her head.

After noting the slow and uneven breaths his wife released, he chokes back a dreadful sob.

"I need you to go with them okay, sweetheart? They work for daddy, and that means there going to take good care of you for a little bit. Get you cleaned up." He tries his best sound strong and confident for Karah.

He sees the hesitation in her eyes before adding, "I'll make sure mommy's okay, don't worry sweetheart. Daddy will take good care of her." Although there was still a small hint of hesitation in the little girls eyes, she knew her daddy never broke a promise. Never. Reluctantly, she strides over to the officers near the front door. One of them, a tall man with brown hair and brown eyes picks up the girl.

Feeling good enough about the man being trustworthy, she clings to his neck like a life line. As they exit the home, Mako rushes to Korra, he cradles her head in his lap as he checks her pulse. It was deathly faint. Korra shocks him as she coughs suddenly, blood pours out of the water-benders mouth as she directs her blood shot eyes towards her husband.

"N-N-Nilak...?" A dreadful feeling spreads throughout Mako's body after hearing how hoarse his wife's voice was.

"He's still at Asami's with Mei. Korra where is our son? Can you tell me what happened baby?"