I don't own anything

"Sokka, I'm sorry if I upset you."

Aang waited, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He really hoped that Sokka would accept his apology. He didn't like being left in the cold like this.

Sokka didn't reply. He picked up his boomerang and started off across the large field, heading towards Appa. This gave Aang an idea. A great prank. Maybe then he'd get answers.

Aang conjured up a small ball of air between his hands and gently coaxed it in Sokka's direction. He carefully maneuvered it until-

"HEY!"

Sokka's boomerang flew out of his hands and drifted across the field propelled on a "mysterious" gust of wind.

"What's wrong?" Katara's head poked out of the tent, then seeing her brother's plight, bolted out of the tent, pulling her shirt over her head as she ran towards Sokka, shouting over her shoulder to Aang, "Bring it down. Hurry!"

Aang smiled in the way only a twelve-year-old prankster could and brought down the weapon.

It landed right in his hands.

He waited until the siblings had jogged across the field to him to start speaking. "Okay, so I caught the boomerang. Does that mean I get to ask a question? Or maybe repeat one?"

Katara frowned. "What are you talking about, Aang? Just give Sokka back his boomerang!"

Aang flipped the blade lazily through the air. "You see, Sokka never answered my question from last night."

The infamous temper was back. "Just give me the boomerang, Aang! I don't care about your stupid questions!"

"Yeah, well, I do. So tell me why you like this boomerang so much. Straight answer, no dodging. And one more. Tell me about this Waterbending stuff."

Sokka was angry. "And why should I do that?"

Aang put on his best Little Boy face. "'Cause ya loovvee me."

Katara tried to stifle a laugh, but she didn't quite succeed. She received a "look" from Sokka.

"Fine. You want the story, I'll give you the story. I was ten. Dad gave me the boomerang. He left for the war. I have never seen him since." Sokka's voice started to loose its edge started to get quieter. "I don't know what happened to him. He could be dead. I have no idea. I don't care, either." Sokka spat the last words out with such venom that both Katara and Aang were taken aback, but they didn't dare speak to him. Sokka was to far for help.

"He abandoned us. He left a ten-year-old to take over the care of an entire tribe. He left me to take care of Katara." Sokka's voice was sad now. "You guys have no idea how hard it was-how hard it still is. Katara, when you fight, I can just hear dad's voice going 'Protect her, Sokka." Over and over again until I think it will drive me insane. And I can't."

Katara came over and put her arms around Sokka. She wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how. She had already known all these things, of course, but she hadn't heard them. Out loud.

Aang stood to one side, watching them and knowing it was his fault that they were so, for lack of a better word, sad.

But Sokka wasn't done yet. "I wish I could help you, Aang. You've become like a brother to me-" was that a wink? Hinting that he knew something? "But I can't. Last time I promised to do something, I lost my mother. I'm not losing anything else."

Aang nodded, thinking that he didn't deserve Sokka's regrets.

I know, the Waterbending thing. Wait. Patiance is a virtue. Review?