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"The two of us together again, there's nothing we can't do!" Amon exclaimed, wind blowing in his hair, the salt of the air filling his lung. Standing on that boat, no longer constricted by his mask, no longer having to hide who he really was, he felt, free freer then he ever had before.

"Yes, Noatak," his brother answered. He was not concerned at all by the tone of his brother's voice, his mind still processing all that had happened within the day. It took a second for him to realize that he had been called his true name,

"Noatak," the word felt alien yet welcoming on his tongue, "Hmm," and he smiled, for as quant as it was it felt right, and the conversation felt like the most real one he'd had in a lifetime, "I had almost forgotten the sound of my own name."

In his strange newfound euphoria he did not notice Tarrlok place an electrified glove on his hand. He did however sense him unscrew the lid of fuel tank, and he knew right then what his brother wanted to do.

"It will be just like the good old days," with those words Noatak realized he was at a crossroads. Time seemed to slow to a crawl and he found his thoughts racing faster then ever before. He could attack Tarrlok, or he could use Waterbending to protect himself to save his life. Then what?

If he went back to Republic City he would be hunted down like an animal. He could take a boat, to somewhere far away, start a new life. Then the Avatar popped into his mind, and knowing all the stories of their kindness he could ask her for forgiveness. He could start a new life helping her make the world a better place. To really make a difference like he had dreamed of when he was a child. They could become friends; maybe, somehow, they could become something more.

His fantasy, his new life with all those friends around him seemed so beautiful. But it was plagued by fear that he would do something wrong, fear that he become like his father if he had any children, then they would suffer as he had suffered.

He could ask the Avatar to take his Bending away, as a true sign that he had changed his ways, to make sure he never descended into darkness again. Then she would see just how sincere he was, how much he needed her, depended on her for his redemption.

Yet how could she even bare to look at him, knowing he had taken part of her Bending away from her? Why would she, or anyone else for that matter, ever care for such a disgusting creature such when there were so many people who were better then him in every way? Even if she did find a way to regain her Bending she'd never really trust him, and he'd never really be one of their friends.

In the end he could see that no matter what he did his life was always meant to end with suffering. But why, he'd only wanted to help people, to have them as equals, why did he have to die when so many other criminals lived?

He realized the why didn't really matter though. He had to die one way or another, and it was better to have a quick death then to live the rest of his life ostracized and unloved, always running the risk of doing something terrible again.

He shed but a single tear, as he thought about he and his brother, that perhaps, in some other world, some other time, that they found friendship somewhere, even love. At least the Avatar, Korra, and her friends would find a happy ending in their legend; at least there was no doubt she would find love.

Tarrlok electrocuted the tank, and their lives were over in an instant. There would be no grave for either of them, not a single mourner for their loss, and no one to ever know the final bitter moments in their lives.