Katniss
Watching Gale fall apart like this brought Katniss back to reality. While he was talking about running away she had been overjoyed, imagining a life with him, but now she saw that could never happen. She was part of the Test, 'and you can't run away from the Test' Katniss thought bitterly. She cleared her throat "Gale" she said, he was still looking at her expectantly, "Listen to me, we can't run away, you know what they'd do to us – what they'd do to Peeta and Prim" she added in a whisper.
"But you'll die out there!" Gale croaked out, fresh tears pouring out of his eyes as he clutched her hand, slowly bringing on a feeling of numbness. The numbness spread all over her body, enveloping her emotions, and finally her heart. Katniss pulled her hand away as she stood up to leave, "Don't say that!" she screamed, "I won't die, I can't leave Peeta and Prim on their own. I will come back and everything will be fine. Just fine" she said, her voice breaking on the last word.
Gale stood and brought her into his arms, embracing her in all his love and warmth. "I'm so sorry Katniss, I shouldn't have said that. I know you won't die – you're a fighter" he said, planting a kiss onto her forehead.
Katniss felt a tingle of electricity shoot through her as his lips touched her forehead, and she closed her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek. "I'm so scared Gale" she whispered, "I don't want to die, I'm so scared!"
"I know" he replied, voice barely audible above Katniss' heart-wrenching sobs, "Just remember who you are. You're my Katniss, and my Katniss is the strongest person I know. You're going to go out there and you're going to win – for me, for Peeta and Prim, and for your parents. And when you come home we're going to get married, and I swear that as your husband, no harm will ever come to you again. Please don't cry Katniss, don't waste your tears on this awful game. Save them for tears of happiness when you become my wife." He said, voice angelic as he tried to soothe her.
Katniss looked up into his eyes, and her breath halted. "You're serious!? You want to marry me, Gale?" she asked in a small voice as her heart began racing.
"Yes I want to marry you. I want to have your children. I want to take care of you…" he trailed off as his face darkened, "I have to go in there Katniss - instead of you. I need to protect you and I can't do that if you're in there."
Looking into his eyes, Katniss saw the burning passion in which he wanted to protect her with. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose to try and make sense of all this. She couldn't let Gale step forward for the test. He couldn't risk his life for her, and she couldn't watch him kill or be killed. No way.
"Gale" she said, as she opened her eyes. But there was no one there. "Gale?" she said again, seeing if he was near. "Gale!" she screamed, realising where he'd gone. He'd gone to step forward for the Test.
Without a second of hesitation, Katniss set off at a run, her destination clear in her mind. She raced through the woods, her hair getting caught in the tree branches. "Aaargh!" she screamed out in frustration, as she ripped her hair out of her scalp. She had to get to him before it was too late. She couldn't let Gale be a part of the Test.
