Footsteps echoed dangerously in the sprawling concrete labyrinth. Fluorescent white lights cast dim, haunting shadows behind the team of seven as they moved swiftly down the corridor. Occasional screams bounced off the walls, impossible to pinpoint the source. Gale shuddered at the sound as he followed Boggs down a non-descript corridor. He could have sworn they'd been here before, this whole place looked the same. Dark, wet concrete, unremarkable and bleak, the monotony only broken by the sparse cell doors.

Boggs stopped, raising his hand to signal for them to stop. He pulled out a small gadget with a holographic screen, checking the location of the flashing beacon. A quick glance at the hologram told Gale that their target was close. Boggs flicked his raised hand forward and the squad advanced. A few minutes later they stood outside a cell while one soldier picked the lock with apparent ease. They door swung open with a gentle push and a whimper escaped the shadows. A torch was shone into the cell and Annie Cresta cowered in the corner, coving her face with her emaciated arms. Gale recognised her from the 70th Hunger Games. She was the one who won because she could swim. The one everyone called the 'poor, mad girl'. The squad moved on leaving two soldiers to attend to Annie. They found Johanna Mason next who seemed to be passed out. Her head was shaved and her clothes were sodden as if she's just been swimming. Gale stood outside the last corridor, aware of his vulnerability as the soldier unlocked the door and hurried back to the previous cell to help with Johanna. A thin beam of light cut through the darkness in the cell, illuminating golden hair. Gale walked forward, placing each foot with care, afraid what sound might do. Peeta lay sat huddled tightly against the wall, a constant stream of nothings flowing from his mouth. Gale crouched in front of him, searching Peeta's face. Various cuts and bruised peppered his pale complexion, his blue eyes were vacant and unfocused. Gale tentatively reached out, placing his hand on the baker's forearm. Peeta flinched slightly at the contact but kept staring blankly at the wall. "Peeta," Gale said softly, "Peeta, it's me, Gale. We've come to take you somewhere safe. Away from the Capitol". Gale sighed as Peeta's expression remained vacant. He paused for a minute before gently slipping his arm behind Peeta's back and the other under his legs. He then lifted Peeta, carrying him tenderly out of the cell. Gale noticed how light Peeta was and how easily he could feel his bones.

The squad regrouped for a quick head count and gear check. With four of the seven squad members now carrying someone their movements were slower and more cautious. Gale could feel Peeta's slightly uneven breath on his neck as he continued to speak in tongues. After checking the hologram it was apparent that they were almost out. As they moved off once again Gale became aware of the silence. Peeta had stopped speaking and was staring at Gale with big luminous eyes. He then let out a small sigh and closed his eyes, nestling his head into Gale's chest and clutching limply to the front of his shirt. Gale looked down at the baker, sadness welling up in him. The Peeta he once knew was now falling apart in his arms.

Gale thought about the past six months, so much had happened. He remembered how he'd watched Katniss and Peeta enter the 75th Hunger Games, teaming up with a motley crew to make it to the top 8. How the hovercrafts materialised above District 12, releasing countless firebombs onto the innocent. How he'd led the survivors to the meadow and been rescued by District 13. His home, his everything had been destroyed that day. He was thankful that he at least had his family. After rescuing Katniss from the area, she'd been distraught when the Capitol captured Peeta. Gale had watched as she retreated into herself, sadness forming a protective wall even he couldn't break through. It hurt, not being able to comfort her and knowing that she cared so much for his competition.

How could he think of Peeta as his competition? How could he think so harshly? The blonde boy had lost everything and still Gale felt his selfish feelings creeping up on him. This is why Peeta was, fundamentally, better than everyone. He was always so selfless.

Medical staff flooded the landing bay as the hovercraft touched down in District 13. On the way out of the prison the squad had been intercepted by some Peacekeepers. After a lengthy fire fight, they managed to get away with a few wounded, including Gal who had taken a bullet to the shoulder. Carrying Peeta was agony as they slugged their way toward the awaiting hovercraft.

Then they finally reached District 13, gale was sweating profusely under the pain, the salt seeping into his wounds and making it worse. He watched as the tributes and some of he soldiers were whisked away in stretchers. He followed, allowing himself to be guided to a hospital bed by a nurse. They cut away his shirt, exposing his toned, glistening body. Gale heard screams of joy from the other side of the ward. "Finnick!" some girl shrieked, "Finnick!" He guessed it was Annie. He wondered if Katniss would greet Peeta like that and felt the familiar sting of jealousy. Soon a more instese sting came from his shoulder and he gritted his teeth as the doctor started to fish the bullet out of his shoulder with a pair of long tweezers. He saw Katniss walking toward him, happiness swelling inside him. A nurse pushed her away, however, closing the curtain that surrounded the bed. Gale yearned to go after Katniss but the pain soon clouded his vision and he groped listlessly for a something to steady himself on as he felt himself fall. Just before he slipped from consciousness he heard a great commotion. So the star-crossed lovers are reunited, he thought as his vision went black.

The ward was dark and silent as Gale slipped out of his bed and through the curtains. He had to see Katniss for himself, see what had happened. From what he'd been told, Peeta wasn't the same. Hijacked, they said, something about distorting memories. As a result, Peeta had tried and almost succeeded at killing Katniss.

Gale parted the curtains surrounding Katniss's bed, taking a moment to look at her still figure. He crept forward, examining her for injuries. His breath caught when he saw the large bruises that encompassed her neck. Gale slowly reached out, touching them, every so lightly. He didn't know what to say. What could you say to someone who'd just been attacked by a loved one? Gale glanced up at Katniss's face, both pair of grey eyes locking onto each other. They stayed like that for a moment, sharing what couldn't be put into words before Gale leant forward and placed a light kiss in between Katniss's eyes. A hint of a smile played at the corner's of Katniss's mouth and Gale slipped back to his bed.

The next day saw Gale being discharged from the hospital. He sat with Beetee in Special defence working on traps of war derived from those Gale used when hunting. As Beetee sketched ideas and ran simulations Gale couldn't help think of Peeta. The poor baker had had his memories twisted into horrible visions. Gale expected he should be happy that Peeta was no longer competition or sad since he couldn't compete with Peeta's woes. Instead gale felt somewhat empty as he kept thinking about all that the blonde boy had been through. "what are these?" said a hoarse voice, pulling him from his thoughts. Both men turned to see Katniss standing in the doorway, er eyes scanning the papers that scattered the desk. She walked forward and both Beetee and Gale explained some of the various traps. "That seems to be crossing the line," said Katniss reproachfully. I thought about how the majority of our plans relied on human emotion and psychology. "So anything goes? I guess there isn't a rule book for what might be unacceptable to do to another human being".

"Sure there is. Beetee and I have been following the same rule book President Snow used when he hijacked Peeta," said Gale. As he said those words, Gale realised that the emptiness he felt was just the unadulterated lust for revenge.

"You're leaving?" Gale said, "to where?"

"District 2," Katniss replied, "I can't be the mockingjay and see Peeta like this".

"At least let me come with you"

"No, you have to continue your work here. You're needed here".

"And what about Peeta, doesn't he need you?"

"It's best if he doesn't see me, he functions when I'm not around". Sadness weighed heavy on Katniss's words as she turned to leave. "I'll be safe, don't worry". Gale watched the hovercraft leave for District 2, hating that he wasn't on it. He turned on his heels, striding out of the terminal. He had to see Peeta himself.

The blonde lay on his bed, his hands fidgeting at his sides, bound by leather restraints. His eyes flicked around he room and he absentmindedly bit his llip. Gale had barged into the observation room and demanded to see Peeta, much to the specialists' annoyance. Against their advice he slowly opened the door, slipping in and closing it carefully. Peeta didn't look at him, instead focussing on a point on the wall next to him. Gale moved to the foot of the bed, observing the younger boy. He's put on some weight and looked more like the District 12 Peeta. There were dark rings under his eyes, however and something about his behaviour was off. "Peeta" said Gale "Peeta, it's me Gale". This earned a quick tense of a fist from the baker. "How are doing?"

"Do you still love the mutt?" asked Peeta coldly

"What? What mutt?" said gale, taken aback by the venom in Peeta's voice.

"That Capitol creation Katniss, do you still love her?"

"The Katniss I love isn't a mutt"

"So you do love her? Because you can have her". Gale stood, stumped by what Peeta had said. What had happened to the wide-eyed boy in love? There was silence for a while before Peeta spoke again. "It doesn't hurt anymore," he said. His voice had lost the cold edge and you could almost hear the old Peeta speak.

"What doesn't hurt?"

"Thinking of you"

"What do you mean?"

"It used to hurt when I thought about you. How the person I loved would never truly be mine because of you. Now it's stopped hurting and instead I don't know how I feel anymore". Gale cringe inwardly at the child like placidity in Peeta's voice.

"I don't know how I feel about you either," Gale sighed.

Gale visited Peeta everyday, even for only a few minutes. He didn't know why but he felt he needed to. He found it tourturous, sitting there while the blonde you used to know battled with himself. Some days they wouldn't speak and other days they'd end up yelling at each other, Gale storming furiously out of the room. He couldn't see any improvement in Peeta's condition. Every time he went into that room he felt some emotion swell inside of him that felt close to utter confusion. He felt it everyday, ever-present as he went about his business. He had to find out what it was.

Gale lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering why he felt this way. It was a couple of hours past midnight and sleep had not yet come. He sat up, looking around at his nondescript room. Light filtered through the bottom of the door from the hallway and dimly reflecting off the white walls. He got up, shouldering a jacket before slipping out into the corridor. He easily made his way to Peeta's room, having been there so often he knew the route off by heart. He stopped in at the observation room, turning off the camera's which recorded every detail of Peeta's life in District 13.

Peeta stirred as Gale sat down by his side, slowly undoing the restraints that held him to the bed. He was either unafraid or beyond caring, he wasn't sure. Peeta's eyes focused on Gale, his features taking on a more lucid look. He propped himself up on his elbows searching Gale's face. Gale's eyes remained downcast for the duration of the long silence that stretched between them. "I feel just like you," said Gale, turning his gaze onto Peeta's bright blue eyes. "I feel that confusion that wells in your stomach and makes your chest". Gale looked doqn again, unable to hold the baker's gaze any longer.

"I don't know what it is but it grows every time I see you," whispered Peeta. Gale looked up again, allowing himself a few moments to swim in the Peeta's sky blue eyes. He then hesitantly leaned forward, closing his eyes as his lips came in contact with Peeta's. He felt Peeta tense before slowly relaxing. Gale opened his eyes, pulling back and biting his lip. He could see it, a spark of warmth had returned to the baker's eyes. He stayed with Peeta until he was asleep, securing the restraints when he heard him snoring lightly. Gale made sure to turn on the security/ observation cameras again before returning to his room.