Disclaimer: I own nothing

Katara lazily lay on the grass and enjoyed her moment of peace. Away from Sokka's constant sarcasm and away from Aang and Toph flirting with each other. Katara raised her finger and started to absent mindedly play the water. It wasn't fair she thought as she started to sculpt shapes with the water. The world was going to hell hand basket and everyone but her was able to push the trouble's from their mind and enjoy the time they had.

Katara was tired of being the mother of the group, she was tired of being the responsible one and she was tired of helping the Avatar. Sure she loved Aang like a little brother and she would do anything to protect him but she didn't want to have to grow up as fast as he will. Katara is well aware of the fact that she will never be able to go back to her life at the South Pole, but she didn't want to live with the images that would be burned into her mind. The pain and suffering that she would help cause in order to protect the world. Katara let the water fall with a thud, tired with the effort of controlling the water and her emotions.

"You know for someone who is supposed to be a master waterbender that really wasn't impressive feat."

Katara's entire body stiffened when she heard that overly confident, arrogant voice. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her at her weakest when she was supposed to be at her strongest.

"Are you going to respond anytime this century, Katara?" She tilted her head slightly when she heard him call her by her actual name. It wasn't that she didn't know it, it was that she just thought he didn't know it. "Are you okay?" He asked in a voice that seemed foreign to her, it was almost as if he was concerned.

"Why do you care, you're the enemy, remember?"

"Not tonight, I'm not."

"Do you honestly believe that you can change from being the enemy by day to a friend by night? It's one or the other."

"Look I'll explain myself to you later, but first I want to know what is wrong with you. I've seen you power and to see you struggle to keep a simple strand of water under your control is frightening. What's wrong?" Katara looked at him and tried to decide if she could confide in him. Her mind screamed no but her heart screamed yes, heart won.

"It's the 5 year anniversary of my mother's death." This news came to him like a swift kick in his gut. He moved over to her side and gently placed a hand on her shoulder as a means of comfort.

"I'm sorry," he replied in a soft voice as she leaned back grasping for him as if he was her rock tying her down to the real world.

" I just miss her, ya know. It just gets hard when I start to think that I might be causing people to lose their fathers or possibly mothers in this war in order to help Aang restore peace. I mean I know its better to have peace in the world and save millions of lives rather than risk that a child is without a parent. But I'm without a parent so I know how it feels and I'm just doubting myself a lot and my brother is not helping. I doubt he even remembers that mom died today and nobody else will understand, except Appa, but talking to a bison really doesn't help. And I'm sorry for dumping this all on you but-" halfway through Katara's speech the tears started falling so he gently wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"Katara would your mom want you to stop doing what you believe is right?"

"But I don't know what I believe is right!"

"Yes you do. If you didn't know what was right then you wouldn't be helping the Avatar in the first place."

"Ya think?" she asked timidly.

"I know." This got a small smile from Katara. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, thanks for listening and letting me dump all of this on you."

"Anytime." He gave her a soft kiss on the side of her head and began to walk back into the forest, away from Katara and the Avatar.

"Wait," she called out. He paused momentarily, "You never told me why you weren't an enemy tonight."

"I forgot my mantra."

"What's your mantra?" It seemed to any observer that she was asking this to thin air for her had already disappeared into the forest but she caught his answer.

"Azula always lies."