[Sometime before Aang started talking, Katara had pulled away, though she kept her hand on his shoulder.

Ate meat.]

I'm sorry that you had to experience that, and especially that you have memories of something that violate your principles, but... Aang, you're never without me. I'll always be your friend, even if Luceti finds a way to separate us. No matter where I am, or what they do to us, I will always, always care about you.

[Even a more regular Katara may have said 'love.' But this is a Katara who is in love with someone else, and a Katara whose Aang had disengaged from his affection for her - and is therefore settling on a more neutral word.]