Telling Mako everything up to that point was taking its toll and she had done her best to keep it together, all over a life she knew wasn't real; yet it felt just as real as the one she had lived. Including what he already knew and what she was dreading talking about.

The thought was there and she tried to wipe it off and she even nodded to his offer. She put her hand on his and squeezed. Just that contact, knowing that he was right there and none of it was real should have been enough for Korra to let it drop.

But every time she ran up and slid from stopping too soon, falling back onto the ground; to where Bolin was tied and bound next to-

"Amon left you there." she said through the tight knot in her throat that had been growing since she started answering his question. "Bolin was next to you." Being forced to watch, she remembered what Bolin told her after they were in a better state to talk.

"Mako, you weren't," she took in a shuddering breath and tried to clear her throat to speak clearly. That ultimately failed, her mind wouldn't clear and the image of his body contorted, misshapen and broken wouldn't leave her mind and she brought bother her knees up to her and buried her face in her arms.

This was a weakness she didn't want to have from a life she didn't want to know about, and worst of all he was right next to her, so it just felt stupid to be like this over it. No matter how real it was to her.

Worse was that she couldn't even hold him to reassure herself that he was there. That was the whole point of them talking, so they could continue what they had been doing. Simply being friends.

"I'm sorry. It's, I know it's not what happened."