When I wake up I am in a bed and my vision is fuzzy. What happened? I try to think of the moments before I was hit in the head but then it head starts to ache and I give up and go back to sleep.
When I wake up for a second time, Gale is there along with Prim, Haymitch, and Finnick. Wait they are all dead except or Gale. What is up?
"Katniss? Sweetheart? Are you ok?" Haymitch says.
"No, you are all dead but Gale. What is happening?" I say shaking.
"I know this is overwhelming but none of us really died. We all just went into hiding." Finnick replies.
"But- but why? Why didn't you tell me? I have been grieving all of you for years and you all were alive and- and safe just hiding! What next is my father alive? He never really died in the mine explosion…" I start ranting ticked of they all let me grief when not needed.
"No Katniss. But one other person did survive and went into hiding that you know." Prim says. Oh my gosh my little sister is now thirty three years old. She is tall at least five foot eight. Instead of her long blonde hair she had, she now has short black hair and her blue eyes have turned brown. What happened to my little sister? I look down at her hand and she has a wedding band on her finger!
"Prim, my goodness you've grown up on me. You're married?" I say crying. "Who's the lucky man, little duck well now swan?"
"Cato's younger brother, his name is Aden. We met in district thirteen and when I had to go into hiding I asked him to follow me. He is two years older me with blue eyes ad blonde hair. We have been married for three years. Just about the same time Haymitch quote unquote died. I needed a person to walk me down the aisle and you would've noticed if he was gone to long. So I ha to steal him from you." She says with a smile. "I've wanted to tell you but I just couldn't otherwise people would find out I was alive along with other people. I am sorry Katniss."
"It's ok. I love you and you'll have to have me meet him soon. Ok?" I say with a smile.
"Of course! And there is someone waiting to see you, he couldn't come with us because he was helping design his fiance's wedding dress." Prim replies.
"It can't be? Cinna! He is still alive. Oh my gosh but I saw him die right in front of me! How?" I ask rushing through each word.
"He was taken in as a prisoner during the games and during the rebellion. After about two years he escaped and found m. And I directed him to the hiding place." Haymitch says, "Now I think that is enough information for today, why don't you get some sleep, Sweetheart." He says with a wink.
"Um. I just woke up from sleeping how long? I think not besides I-I will just have nightmares and wake up in less than an hour. Wait before anything else what happened? All I remember is seeing you guys and then bam I'm out cold." I say frustrated trying to remember but seeing anything past that.
"Well, I would say you saw me and then just past out from my gorgeousness but what really happened was you were standing to close to an opening train car and it knocked you in the head." Finnick said then coughed, "Klutz." then coughed again with a smirk.
"You'll be fine sweetheart but if you don't got to sleep yourself I'm going to put this morphling here into this syringe and force you to go to sleep." Haymitch replies.
"You wouldn't." I say
"Oh but I would. Good night Sweetheart." He says then puts the syringe up to by wrist and I'm out cold before I can even say, you stink.
When I wake up, the clock next to my bed reads, 3:30 but doesn't say am or pm. I try looking through a window to see if it is night or day when I realize there is no windows in my room. Everyone from before is gone except Gale.
"Gale?" I ask hazily.
"Katniss! You're up. You don't know how close I was to knocking Haymitch out when he did that."
"Thanks, but Gale. We need to tal..." I say interrupted.
"No, like Finnick had to restrain me from punching him, because well you know he's pretty up there in age."
"Gale. We need to talk about what happened at the train station."
"Oh." Is his only response.
"I don't regret kissing you because at the time it felt right but now that I think of it, Gale, I am married and have two teenagers. If I didn't volunteer, I am sure we would have gotten married and lived together, but I did, and then Peeta and I bonded. Gale there will always be a part in my heart for you, trust me. But Peeta has to have a bigger part in there. I love you Gale, but it's just not enough. I'm sorry."
"I've always known. I just wanted to see if there was anyway I could be wrong about it. I am sorry I made us even more awkward. No matter what Katniss, you will always have my love." He says then walks out the door of the hospital room.
I sit in my hospital bed for what seems like hours but when I look at my clock it reads 3:47. Eventually Finnick walks into my room and is holding a hand full of sugar cubes, but what else. This is Finnick we are talking about.
"Hey, I had to restrain your boyfriend from killing Haymitch. I should get a payment for that you know. Hmm.. How about I find you distracting." He says with a smirk.
I think back to when he we were in district thirteen and go into my trance again.
_Flashback_
'Katniss, they won't let me go! I told them I'm fine, but they won't even let me ride in the hovercraft!'
I take in Finnick- his bare legs showing between his hospital gown and slippers, his tangle of hair, the half-knotted rope twisted around his fingers, the wild look in his eyes- and know any plea on my part will be useless. Even I don't think it's a good idea to bring him. So I smack my hand on my forehead and say, "Oh, I forgot. It's this stupid concussion. I was supposed to tell you to report to Beetee in Special Weaponry. He designed a new trident for you.'
At the word trident, it's as if old Finnick surfaces, 'Really? What's it do?'
'I don't know. But if it's anything like my bow and arrows, you're going to love it.' I say, 'You'll need to train with it, though.'
'Right. Of course. I guess I better get down there.' he says.
'Finnick?' I say. 'Maybe some pants?'
He looks down at his legs as if noticing his outfit for the first time. Then he whips off his hospital gown, leaving him in just his underwear. 'Why? Do you find this' -he strikes a ridiculously proactive pose- 'distracting?'
I can't help but laughing because it's funny, and it's extra funny because it make Boggs look so uncomfortable, and I'm happy because Finnick actually sounds like the guy I met at the Quarter Quell.
'I'm only human, Odair.' I get in before the elevator close.
_Flashback Ends_
"Only if I get a sugar cube, Odair." I say with a smirk.
He throws me a sugar cube and I catch it in my mouth. It's funny whenever I am around with Finnick, my immaturity comes back, even though I am my mother's age when I volunteered. I am thirty-seven yet am acting seventeen, catching sugar cubes in my mouth and flirting with Finnick.
"You know what, Finnick?" I say.
"What's that Katniss?" He replies smiling ear to ear, while throwing me another sugar cube.
"I, at thirty-seven, am acting more like a child then I did when I was a child."
"I know, we both had our childhoods taken away from us at early ages." He says with a frown. Then throws a sugar cube and hits me directly in the nose.
"Hey! What's that for?" I say laughing. Then I steal half of the sugar cubes left and start throwing them at him. Next thing I know we are having a sugar cube war.
"Wait, in order for this to be fair. Whoever wins has to do whatever the other person says for a whole week." Finnick says panting from all of our laughing.
"Ok. Deal. Better get ready to be a slave, Odair." I say smirking. "Wait before we start."
"What Katniss?" He replies grunting.
"Let's go down to the cafeteria to get the sugar cube bowl. Duh." Did I just say duh... wow, I think.
"Ok, sounds good, but Katniss, maybe some clothes?" Finnick replies smirking ear to ear.
"Why? Do you find this..." I strikes a ridiculously proactive pose, "distracting?"
"I'm only human, Everdeen." He replies.
"Real original, now come on we need to get sugar cubes so you can be my slave." I say smiling and throwing on my clothes over top the hospital gown, then we start running to the elevator to go on floor one.
"Katniss? What are you doing here?" The face I thought I never see again, but it wasn't my stylist it was someone I loved even more than that. Next thing you know, I am on the ground with my vision blackening and my hair feeling sticky from what must be blood. I hear faint shouts but can't make any of the out. I just hope I don't lose my memory again.