When Katara learned that she could find and confront the man who took away her mother, the normally peaceful waters inside of her had turned into a roaring fire. She couldn't just sit still. Her mind flashed back into that time when she looked at that horrible man and her brave mother, and she would never forget those eyes. Katara would do something.
Katara and Zuko went to Aang so that they could travel on Appa and told them about what they were going to do. Aang was concerned about what she might do once they found him, and he was hesitant to let them go and started trying to talk them out of it. Katara began lashing out and showed a little of that fire within her.
"Katara, she was my mother too," Sokka chimed in. "But, I think Aang might be right."
"Then you didn't love her like I did," Katara retorted.
"Katara…"
Aang gave her some more advice on revenge and forgiveness, but Katara and Zuko were adamant.
"It's hard to forgive," Aang tried to tell them.
"It's not just hard," Katara growled, "it's impossible."
Katara was just about to storm off when she got a good look at Sokka with tears forming in his eyes. She realized what she had said and guilt immediately welled up in her gut.
"Sokka, I'm sorry," she gasped as Sokka ran off. "I didn't mean what I said!"
Katara ran after him and wished she could have controlled her anger a little more. Behind the rock, Sokka was crying with his head in his arms and Katara couldn't contain her guilt any longer.
"Sokka," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."
Sokka didn't react right away, but he eventually sniffled and brought his head up. He didn't look at his sister though.
"You know," he choked out, "I don't know how small I was, but I was playing with my boomerang. I couldn't hit my target a single time," he chuckled. "You know how I was. But I got so frustrated that I threw it down and said that I wouldn't ever use it again. Mom came over and said something that I've never forgotten. She said that it would always come back… just…" Sokka had to cry for a while. "Just like she would."
Katara cried and took her brother on the shoulders who was crying again. They stayed like that for quite a while, unable to stop crying and thinking of their mother.
"But she never did," Katara choked out, "did she?"
"Actually, Katara," Sokka looked at her, "I think she did."
Katara frowned in confusion.
"No," Sokka smiled, "I know she did." He looked deeper into his sister's eyes. "Through you, Katara."
Katara cried some more and thanked her brother. She didn't feel as if she was worthy to be thought of that way, but it made her feel honored.
"And as much as I loved her," Sokka took Katara's face into his hands, "I love you."
"I love you too, Sokka."
"When you find the man who did this," Sokka took off his hands and looked down, "I know you'll do the right thing."
Katara was silent, unsure that she really could.
"'Cause when have you ever done the left thing?" Sokka poked his sister's face.
"Sok-ka," Katara whined, "we were having a moment."
They smiled at each other and burst out laughing, and they laughed for a long time. Eventually, they both got up, and Sokka knew that Katara would get up in the middle of the night to steal Appa with Zuko. All he hoped was that she wouldn't do the left thing.