"...Don't be a stranger."
I manage a half smile at him as he walks away after Gale nods and shakes his hand. After Plutarch disappears into the building, that's when something feels wrong, so terribly wrong. An icy pit where my stomach is supposed to be. I can't catch my breath. The others must notice as well; Gale reaches out and puts a protective hand on my arm. Haymitch begins ushering us to our hovercraft when we hear it. The soft whirring sound of a hovercraft. And it's not ours. "Everyone get to cover!" Gale yells as it clears the tree tops. It must be a Capitol straggler. This one is armed to the teeth.
The few people mingling around outside scream and scatter, running for the buildings. It begins strafing the ground and rooftops with gun fire, cutting some down, while we sprint to our hovercraft. To weapons. I know my Mockingjay bow is there and I also know I have one of Beetee's explosive arrows left! Gale propels me forward as fast as he can. Even after everything, he's still trying to protect me. I can hear Haymitch running, falling behind, then his voice cries out. "Look out!" Gale and I risk a look backwards at the same moment and see the Capitol ship looping around, heading straight for us. It's terrible guns cut through the air, tearing up the ground behind us, getting ever closer. We don't have a chance in the world to outrun it. I look up at Gale and see the realization, then the grim determination mixed with sadness on his face when he tackles me to the ground, enveloping me with his arms, tucking my head down, covering my whole body with his. I feel him jerk, hear him as he cries out, the hovercraft soaring past us and keeps going. I feel something warm on my body and know it's his blood. A strangled scream escapes my body as I crawl out from under him, cradling his head in my lap. Haymitch skids to his knees beside us, dirt kicking up onto Gale's shuddering chest.
My vision blurs as my eyes fill with tears when I meet Haymitch's grey ones, and he shakes his head. I know what his unspoken words mean. Gale is going to die.
Rebels come running out a nearby building, one of them wielding some sort of rocket launcher. He shoots and it homes in on the hovercraft, destroying it in a loud, dazzling explosion. The smoking pieces fall to the ground while I sit brushing Gale's dark locks off his forehead with a shaking hand. "It-It's b-better...this way," he gasps.
"Shhh..." I whisper, not understanding his words as he groans, my tears falling onto his face.
"It's my f-fault...she's...dead."
I gasp involuntarily, knowing exactly what he means. Prim. For only the second time in my life I see his own eyes fill while he makes a huge effort just to keep breathing. "...Besides...I know who you...c-can't survive without," Gale chokes out. His tears mix with mine, running into my hand and I remember him saying that. That night in Tigris' shop. He is wheezing now, and coughs, a tiny trail of blood runs down his chin. Haymitch grips Gale's hand tightly and places the other on my shoulder. He's almost gone. "I'm sorry."
An image flashes into my mind. Gale standing near me, a ghost of a smile on his face as I show off my first snare kill to him.
I firmly grasp Gale's other hand and sniff hard. "There is nothing to be sorry about," I say in a tone that leaves no room for doubt. My gaze flicks down to his chest and I see his blue shirt is almost covered in dark patches, the pool beneath him ever spreading. "I'm sorry. I had no right to blame you for Pr-...what happened to her. It wasn't your fault." My voice cracks at the end. Haymitch's hand tightens on my shoulder and I hear him sniffle. But I'm not done. "You've been my best friend for so long. The one who always understands. Always been there for me. I...I love you, Gale."
Another image. Gale was laughing. Really laughing as I'd glowered at him, covered in mud from tripping into a huge puddle twice the size of me. He was still laughing even after I'd tossed a wad of mud at his chest and his infectious laughter had made me join in.
My shoulders shake as I sob, unable to bear the fact that I am losing him forever. Gale's grey eyes intensely fix on mine, but his voice is growing weaker when he says, "I want you to make a good life now, Catnip." His name for me only worsens my pain. "Peeta still loves you... You just have to make him remember." His voice grows fainter. "I...love...you..." His eyes lose focus on me, gazing into the sky.
Our first kiss. In the alley. He had caught me by surprise, cupping my face in his hands. ...I had to do that. At least once... Then he was gone.
Like now. His strong chest was no longer rising and falling. "Gale?" I ask in vain, fresh tears running down my face. "Gale? Please, no. Come back. I need you! Gale!" I sob. My fingers tangle in his hair, run over his face while Haymitch closes his eyes and whispers, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry."