[And the smile stayed, tone light and mocking as she intentionally misunderstand's the other woman's meaning. And dropped her hand once the apple is taken.]

Stop me from getting us back home? At the cost of you staying here, too. I'm flattered. I didn't realize I was so much a threat to your little...

[One hand comes up to her chin as she- purposefully- searches for a word.]

Happy family. But here and the real war have so very little to do with each other, don't they? Why, the Avatar isn't even here.

[Said with confidence, though she's watching Katara closely. Waiting to see if, somehow, the boy had been here, hidden all along. His team did so love to prove her wrong by yelling about the 'truth,' after all. She may just let it slip.]