Gale was trembling. He could hardly catch a breath. He took a few deep breaths. It did nothing to calm his nerves. He didn't think anything would. Not today.
Part four: Peace.
Gale POV
Breathe, Gale! In and out. It's simple. You have been doing it from birth. My body trembled with nerves. I couldn't believe today was the day. The day we got our happy ending. No, beginning, our happy beginning.
I tried loosening the collar on my suit. It didn't work, I didn't feel any less nervous. I looked to my friend Thom, he smirked, obviously enjoying my discomfort.
"Shut up." I growled.
"You'll be fine." Finnick said calmly. I looked at him pointedly. "Look we all experienced it. I had my freaking wedding in the middle of a war. At least you're getting yours on a nice, hot summers day." He was right of course.
"You're right. I know. Just, what if she doesn't show?" I asked nervously. The guys laughed. "Shut up." I growled again.
Just then my younger brothers arrived, along with my sister, Prim, and Annie and her little girl. Thom was my best man, Finnick the grooms-man. My brothers page boys. Prim, Annie, Posy and little Iris were maid of honour, bridesmaid, and flower girls respectively. All dressed in Lilac.
My mom followed the wedding party soon after. She loved lovely in a lilac dress to match the wedding colours. The guests where here. It was time.
Breathe, Gale. I reminded myself as the music started. The doors of the church opened and with a deep breath, Katniss came into view.
I swear my heart stopped beating. She was stunning. She wore a long fitted, strapless, ivory gown, with a little poof at the bottom, and a lace overlay. Her hair was pinned up to perfection, with a beautiful long veil falling down her back. Her make-up, simple and glowing. She walked down the isle slowly with her mom guiding her.
"Breathe, Gale." Thom said nudging me. I nodded and wiped away the tears that were escaping my eyes.
I never thought we'd have this moment. So many times I thought I'd loose her. Yet here we were getting married at last. Finally getting our happy beginning.
"You look beautiful." I breathed as she reached me.
"I'm in a dress." She scowled pulling a face. I couldn't help but laugh. "You scrub up well yourself handsome." She added smiling. I replied by kissing her gorgeous, soft, sweet tasting lips.
"Let's leave the kissing until after the I do's, shall we?" The minister said. We chucked and apologised simultaneously.
We turned to face the minister, and he began the speech. I could hardly concentrate on his words. I was too enthralled with the beauty of my wife to be. Soon it came to our vows.
"Katniss, my best friend. The only person who knows me better than I know myself. The only one whom I would be willing to spend the rest of my life with. I couldn't, and wouldn't want to, love anyone the way I do you. You are literally half of my soul. And I promise to love you with all I have for all eternity." I slid the ring on her finger and kissed it tenderly. She smiled beatifically before saying her own vows.
"My Gale, my rebel. There was a time where I thought I would never reach this point in my life. A time where I wasn't certain of anything, except for my feelings for you. They seemed to buried deep inside of me for so long, that when they finally broke free they took over. The moment I realised I loved you was the moment I realised that I had something else to live for. Something else to fight for. A love so strong that it changed my life. It changed the path that I was on, and made me fight for something I thought was a myth. True love. Because, Gale, from the moment we first met, it was true love, and that is something so rare that I will hold onto it with all that I have. I too will love you for all eternity."
I had to remind myself to keep breathing as she slipped the band on my ring finger. The minister announced us as man and wife, and I was finally able to pull her in for a kiss. All our love for each other pouring out into that one union.
"OK. Time to party." My best man, Thom announced. The crowed clapped and we reluctantly broke apart to join our family in the celebration.
#~# ~# ~# ~
An hour married. I still couldn't wrap my head around that. It had been such a long road to get here. I had been full of such fear that someone, somewhere was going to come and rip all that I worked for away from me. To take her away from me, that I hadn't actually slept for months.
Someone did try though, he tried. Thankfully Katniss didn't allow it to happen. She's loved me too much. Despite me still not totally believing that.
It was two weeks ago. Katniss and our families were milling around trying to get all the last minute things ready for our big day. All three houses full to bursting with decorations, dresses, suits, flowers, etc. With no more games and no more use for the 'victors' houses we sort of took over the village, and occupied three of the eight homes that stood in the small square.
Having not been sleeping well the closer our wedding got, Katniss decided that we would move into our house early. Knowing that all I really needed was the reassurance that she was right next to me. It helped, but only so much, as Katniss was surprisingly traditional and wouldn't sleep next to me until our wedding night.
On either side of our large four bedroom home, was our parents. Mum and my brothers to the right of ours in an equally big four bedroom home, and Ivy and Prim to the right, in their more modest, but still large, three bedroom home. It was bliss.
During the festivities, Peeta had managed to sneak into the house, where he found Katniss alone, going over the seating arrangements. That's when he pounced, he told her that he still loved her and begged her to run away with him. She tried letting him down gently, but he was so determined to win her over that he wouldn't listen. That's when I had came in with the rest of our family, and she had to forcefully and publicly tell him, that it was no use. That she chose me. It had always been me, even before the games had wedged a hole between us. It had always been me, throughout it all.
She felt awful for doing it to him. She in no way wanted to hurt Peeta, neither did I. But he needed a harsh reality to hopefully, finally move on.
He left after that, and Katniss began laying beside me at night until I fell asleep. I felt awful for doing it too her. But my anxiety and fear was a long running, deep routed thing. It would take me a long time to get over it.
Now he sat in the corner sulking. I knew why he was here. He wasn't ready to let her go. It annoyed me but I understood. I would probably have been the same if the roles had been reversed. He sat watching her trail a dance across the floor with her sister. Our sister. We were one family now. She unwittingly sashayed closer to Peeta's table. My anxiety got the better of me and I followed.
"There's my girl." I said happily grabbing her waist and pulling her flush with my body. Prim smiled and danced her way over to Posy.
"Your wife." She corrected and I could hardly keep the smile off my face.
"It still doesn't seem real." I said twirling her out and back to me again.
"Yet, it is." She smiled. I nodded and kissed her tenderly. "You'll get used to it. After all, you have me for forever now. You'll eventually get sick of me."
"Impossible!" I declared. She laughed. "The way I love you, forever is nowhere near enough time." I added.
"I dare say that we'd be together long after we've breathed our last." She replied. That thought pained me. "Many, many, many years from now." She added sensing my anxiety.
I nodded and held her close to me. Continuing to spin us across the floor I couldn't help thinking, the rest of our lives really wasn't long enough.
#~# ~# ~# ~
Yet, the rest of their lives they did have. Together right until the very end. Through, rebuilding the entire district of twelve. Three children Hayden, Juniper and Luca, one miscarriage of their beloved second daughter Starla. Countless nieces, nephews, and grand-kids, and the loss of both their mothers at old age, they remained totally in love. And at ninety six Katniss took her last breath, wrapped in a Gale's still strong arms. Less than a minute later he followed her, and they were reunited on the other side. Together really isn't long enough when it's true love.
# ~# ~# ~#
A.N. Hope you all enjoyed the ending.
