At some point we both find sleep, because when I wake up Peeta has rolled onto his back and has a morphling dip flowing through his veins. I never heard anyone come in the room; I don't remember the last time I slept so soundly. I sit up cautiously, trying desperately not to wake Peeta from the only sleep he has had in months. I stand up and take my shoes off, allowing myself to make a silent exit into the hallway. Just as the door shuts behind me I look up and see him. Gale.
"Gale", I whisper to his slouched, sleeping body. How long has he been sitting outside the room? All night? He doesn't stir at my voice so I shake his leg gently, and immediately he sits straight up.
"Katniss, are you alright? What's wrong?" He looks confused, and to be honest I'm not sure why.
"I'm fine, I'm just hungry..." My voice trails off when I realize Gale has been waiting all night for me to come and check on him. His arm rests in a sling and I can see that his shoulder has been bandaged even through his uniform. "How are you?" I sputter out.
He's hurt. It registers immediately across his face, and he opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out. He stands slowing and nods towards the elevators. We stay silent all the way to the dining hall, till I can't stand it anymore.
"Gale, I'm sorry I didn't come check—"
"Katniss, just don't. Please spare me the details; I can't compete with him."
This makes me angry suddenly, but I know I shouldn't be. Gale saved Peeta for me; he volunteered to save the boy who strived so hard to keep me alive before he even knew me. He should have known how I felt about Peeta, everybody else does. But I remember Gale and the woods, for years he helped me save my family and I helped him save his. My head begins to hurt and I don't want to talk anymore.
After we eat in silence, I avoid Gale and make my way back to Peetas hospital room. I'm walking slowly and tapping the wall with my fingers, when very faintly I hear my name. My pace quickens in its direction, suddenly I'm sprinting down the hall because it's Peetas voice screaming my name in such a panicked way I don't know what else to do.
I reach his door and try to enter, but it won't budge. I start pounding on the door, but there is no response from inside. I think I'm screaming back for Peeta when Boggs appears and rams his shoulder into the door and it flies open.
Three faces turn back and stare at us; one doctor stands over the sink and spits a mouthful of blood. Peeta is standing in the corner with his arms crossed and sweat pouring down his body.
"What's going on?" Boggs demands in a much harsher tone than I could have ever managed.
The doctor who spit into the sink wipes his mouth and glares at Peeta. While the female and younger male, seem to step back against the wall.
"We tried to hook him up to an accelerator, Coins orders." He adds abruptly, "We have to restrain him because it is likely to cause muscle strain or flares. The second he saw the restraints and needle he wouldn't let us near him, he elbowed me in the face."
At this point Peeta his slid down the wall and is losing consciousness. I brush shoulders with the doctor and kneel down next to Peeta. "What is the accelerator supposed to do?" I say quietly as I push his hair from his eyes, they are wide and terrified.
"Get him back into shape faster, it will—"
"It's from the Capitol, Katniss. It will work, but…he has to obey the doctors." Boggs steps in front of the three of them and kneels down next to me, the way he looks at me…his answer is honest.
"Peeta, they have to restrain so you don't hurt yourself. The medicine will make you better faster." I smile, and he struggles to focus on my face. "What else did you give him, why can't he stay awake?"
"It's a light sedative. It won't last more than an hour"
"Katniss…" Peeta reaches for my face but misses. I guide his hand to my cheek and kiss his fingers. "No more straps…I don't…please."
My heart sinks. They must have tied Peeta down when they tortured him, this infuriates me. I turn and stand so that I am face to face with this doctor.
"You cannot restrain him unless I'm here, he won't—"
"No, he will be fine. We just caught him off guard; take it up with Coin if there's a further problem."
Why does he keep mentioning Coin? Why is she so keen on Peetas recovery? I shake my head and look back at Peeta, who is struggling against all odds to stay awake. Boggs lifts him back into his bed and straps his arms down.
"How long does he have to be like this?" I say as I trace the strap against Peetas bruised forearm.
"Just for the hour he's under sedation, you'll see in a few weeks he will be good as new." Boggs smiles at me for reassurance, but I'm still wondering why Coin is so much more involved in my life than usual.
Boggs and the doctors leave the room and I focus on Peeta. His shirt is soaked with sweat, but he has been bathed. I rip his shirt at the sleeves and pull the rest over his head. His body is a shock to me. Pale and bruised everywhere, there are singe marks across his stomach and cuts that look cauterized. Once again I left Peeta in the hands of someone else and something bad has happened. He was alone and scared and I was nowhere to be found.
After an hour or so Peeta starts to stir, I am sitting on the edge of the bed still examining his fragile state when he stops my hand. The pain that reflects in his eyes could bring me to my knees; I have let him down again.
"Peeta, I am—" I remember the restraints and immediately undo them and sit back down. "I'm sorry I wasn't here, you looked so peaceful, and I just wanted you to sleep."
Peeta rubs his wrists and tosses his head back into the pillow when he noticed the new bruises from thrashing against the medicine. He doesn't speak to me though, just stares at the ceiling.
"Peeta?" My voice cracks as I finish his name, so I clear my throat.
"Do you really love me Katniss?" Peeta says to the ceiling.
Haymitch walks into the room holding onto several papers tightened into a ring that he holds in one hand. He stares at Peeta for a long time, then back at me.
"Katniss, they are sending you to District 2" He shuts the door, and leans against it.
"What? But Peeta just got back and he can't leave, I have to stay with him!"
"Not part of the deal, Sweetheart…You're the Mockingjay, and they want to take the mountain so they can claim 2. The rebels need you." It's coming from Haymitchs mouth but these are not his words. He locks his eyes with mine and looks down at the door handle, we are not alone.
"Haymitch, I can't—"
"I'll stay with Peeta, he'll be fine. You need to go to command immediately, the hovercraft leaves in a half hour."
He leaves the room, but I know he will stay right outside the door to make sure I go at the appropriate time, making sure I will receive no repercussions. I don't want to look back at Peeta, he is still waiting for an answer.
"Katniss." His voice is demanding, and I feel him push himself up with a quiet grunt of pain, he stands in front of me. "Answer the question."
I look at the ground for a minute? Five minutes? I don't know how long but I finally look up at Peeta. His head tilted slightly and those bright blue eyes pierce through me. I stand, wrap both my arms around his neck and kiss him. It takes a moment, but eventually his arms incase me. I kiss him again and again, slower and slower. One of Peetas hands reaches for my cheek and he strokes it with his thumb, I will not let this end on a bad note. My hands move from around his neck to both his cheeks, we are holding each other's faces while our kisses, so long and so deep are making my body ignite.
Our breathing gets heavier and I want to catch my breath, but I don't want Peetas touch to end. He is having a hard time maintaining his balance for so long, and he stumbles so his back is against the wall. He pulls me back against him, our bodies are so close and I feel so light headed, I'm scared I might faint.
Peeta turns us so it's my back that's against the wall and pushes himself against me, his hands leave my face and travel to my hips, and up the sides of my shirt. His hands rest on my bare back, I can't stand it—I really do think I might faint. Peeta breaks our kisses and rests his forehead on mine; his breath is hot and heavy, and quick, so quick. I don't notice right away but my rhythm is identical to his, he gives me quick kiss and goes back to catching his breath.
"I love you", I whisper to his lips.
So, I know it was slow in the beginning but I wanted to set it up for the following chapters! Please let me know if you like the direction it's going! At some point I may also change the rating to M! Review or PM if you still like it!