Author's note: This chapter includes Everthorne sex. For this version I have cut it away. If you wish to read the full version, please make your way to AO3. All the info is the same there.

Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think. You can come chat on Tumblr, I don't mind. I'm booksrockmyface.

Much thanks to my beta Everlylark for being so supportive of this project and helping make sure everything comes through as far as these complex relationships are concerned. I hope you all see it as well. Go check out her stuff!

Happy reading!

Chapter Four

Gale had the whole night planned to perfection. Ten years was a great milestone in a marriage and he wanted to mark the occasion with a romantic night on the town. The fact that sex would be the end cap of the night played only a very small part.

Their love life was something of a snoozefest. Not that he complained too much. The main reason they barely did anything was because Becca usually made her way to their bed and he hated making her go back to her own as much as Katniss did. So they had agreed to birthdays and anniversaries, three times a year guaranteed.

Gale considered himself pretty good at it. At least Katniss never said anything different. And there were several nights in their first year of marriage, before Sam was born, that she initiated just as much as him, more for Gale's pleasure than her own. Katniss had never really had a high sex drive, something they had both come to terms with after much frustration on both their parts. But if Gale kissed her enough and touched her in all the right places and was patient, she would get in the mood eventually. And it made the whole situation that much better.

He stopped off at the drugstore for a small package of condoms. While there, his phone when off with a text from Madge.

Have fun tonight. It read.

Definitely plan on it. We should hang out soon. He added the second as an afterthought.

Her response took a while, but her words were pointed. With your wife around?

Gale typed quickly. I'm going to talk to her soon. He promised.

I've been hearing that for five years. Her next text countered. I just don't want her to ever think anything's been going on. We need to lay it all out. There is nothing to be ashamed of here, Gale.

Gale sighed. You're right. You always are. I'll talk to her. Good night, Madge.

He turned his phone on silent and headed home to get ready. Madge really was right. Soulmates. That was a conversation he just wasn't ready to have with Katniss. He was comfortable with their life. They had their girls. They had a routine. And they just worked well together.

His connection with Madge complicated their relationship, but he tried to ignore it. It was hard to do when they were all together. She worked as head of social media and she was usually around when they had big family functions because the Hawthornes claimed all their employees as family.

Gale walked in the door to find Katniss walking down the stairs in a tight green dress. It went all the way to the floor, hugging her hips and enhancing her breasts. A pair of black shoes peeked out from the bottom. He let out an appreciative whistle and pulled her into his arms. "You're hot."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Am I? I wasn't so sure anymore."

"You always will be to me." He pressed a kiss to her lips, but she pushed him away.

"You'll ruin my lipstick." She protested.

"You can reapply." He kissed her again, longer this time.

She smiled when he finally pulled away. "Get ready. You made a big deal about those reservations when you made them."

"I'll be down in thirty." He kissed her once more and bolted up the stairs two at a time.

It took him only twenty minutes to get ready. Katniss had laid out his suit on the bed for him, complete with a green tie to match her dress.

He came down the stairs, still struggling with the tie, to find Katniss standing at the bottom with a long package.

"I didn't think it would be smart to bring this into the restaurant." She explained with a smile.

He took it and walked into the living room to sit down. He slowly opened the package to find a new bow. He grinned and marveled at the sleek black weapon. As he looked closer he noticed there were words along the length of it in canary yellow, his favorite color.

"That's the girls' names." He observed. "In their own writing. How did you do that?"

She smiled, always eager to explain her process to him. "I had them write it on paper, then I transferred it to a stencil, and then I painted it on. That's the right shade of yellow, isn't it?"

He looked up from admiring the bow and nodded. "Yeah, that's perfect."

She smiled and rubbed his leg. "I put the names there so that you could see it when you shoot. Remind you to aim true. Do you like it?"

"I love it, Katniss. Thank you." He kissed her again and laid a small box on her lap as he pulled away. "You're always better at this gift thing than me."

Katniss smiled as she opened up the box. "You just think differently about gifts than I do." She lifted the bracelet out of the box and let out an impressed sound. "Oh, Gale, it's beautiful."

"My mom said diamonds were the gift for ten years." Gale said as he reached out to fasten it around her wrist. "They're the same cut as your engagement ring."

"They are." She admired it as it glistened on her wrist. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her again and then stood. "Reservations!"

She laughed and stood quickly. "Feed me, husband!"

"In good time, wife." He responded as he led her out of the house.

They ate at The Capitol, the hottest restaurant in town. It was well worth it. A live pianist played quietly a few feet from their table and Gale smiled when he heard Katniss singing absently.

He caressed her hand as they waited for their meal. He knew touching her should help her get in the mood. It didn't always work, but he hoped with the atmosphere and the significance of the day.

Katniss rested her hand on his knee and leaned close. "There's a couple over your shoulder, older woman with a younger man. What do you think? Actual loving couple or is he waiting for her to kick the bucket?"

Gale snorted and casually looked over his shoulder to see the couple in question. It was a game they played sometimes, observing people and making up their life stories. "He's waiting for her to die." He turned back to his wife. "But she's been slowly poisoning him. Like her last three husbands."

She giggled. "Never been caught."

"But she will be this time." He chuckled and looked off to his side. "What about that busty blonde over there? Who is she waiting for? Daddy or... daddy?"

Katniss threw her head back and laughed so loudly she got a glare from the neighboring table. "Definitely the second one. And her daddy is some big investment banker with five ex-wives and half a dozen kids."

"Paying through the nose in child support." Gale added.

"For sure." She giggled again. "And she's going to tell him she's carrying twins tonight."

The waiter came by with their main course and they suspended the game as they ate.

Back at home after their meal, they quickly shed their shoes and made their way up to their bedroom. Gale unzipped Katniss's dress and kissed her shoulders as he slipped it down. He held her close and pressed his nose into her hair. "I love you." Was that desperation he heard in his own voice?

"I love you." And was that uncertainty in hers?

They finished undressing and climbed into bed. He felt her hesitation almost instantly and pulled away. "We don't have to."

She pulled him back. "You know it takes me a while sometimes."

He nodded. "I also know that sometimes it doesn't happen at all."

She shrugged. "So if it doesn't, it doesn't. But I want you to have a good time." She smoothed her hand down his arm.

He shook his head. "I'd feel like I'm taking something that isn't mine."

She shrugged. "Just because I don't climax doesn't mean I didn't have a good time." She tugged on his arm. "Come on. It's kind of a tradition now. It's our sexaversary."

He snorted and kissed her again. He could feel her trying, but he knew it wasn't working. With a sigh, he pulled away. "You don't want it."

She shook her head. "But I was trying for you."

He trailed his fingers over her cheek. "We should take a break for the minute."

She nodded. "We should." She rolled out of bed and walked to her dresser. Pulling one of his old shirts on, she said, "I do love you."

"I know." He responded. She was saying it a lot tonight. Did she suspect something about Madge? Or was it just the atmosphere of the night.

"I'll make us some warm milk." She pulled on her pajama pants and slipped out of the room.

Gale found an old pair of sweatpants and followed.

Katniss stood at the stove, slowly stirring a pot of milk. She looked up with a contrite smile. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "You're not feeling it. I won't push it."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with me. It's just never really been something I wanted very often." She looked up. "I really am sorry."

"It's fine, Catnip. You know it is." He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Besides, there are better things we could do."

"Sleep alone in our bed for the first time in eight years?" She asked anxiously.

He laughed. "We could definitely do that. And I'm making you breakfast in bed in the morning."

"I like the sound of that." She stepped out of his arms and poured the milk into two mugs.

Sitting down at the table, Gale asked, "Do you ever...?" How was he going to say it? Maybe now wasn't the best time. "Never mind."

Katniss swallowed and sat her cup down. "Do I ever what?"

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Do you ever think about our marriage and how we've progressed?"

"Sometimes." She sipped her milk thoughtfully. "Some days it's great and others it's like..."

"It's like friends occupying the same space." He finished for her and nodded. "So what do we do to fix it?"

She shrugged. "What do you think?"

"Make more time for us?" He suggested. "Not just birthdays and our anniversary."

"More sex?" She asked with a sideways grin.

He laughed. "Well, I won't say no if you offer."

She downed the last of her milk. "Let's go try again." She held out her hand and pulled him to his feet. "Our marriage can just be friends with benefits."

He laughed and pressed her against the wall. "Does that mean all the things I like or all the things you like?"

"You like more than me." She bit her lip as she trailed her fingers down his bare chest. He was so ready for whatever she wanted. "We have all night to figure some things out." She grinned and tried to move him out of her way.

He shook his head and pushed the loose pants off her hips.

Her eyes grew big in shock. "Right here?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

Katniss scoffed. "Because the condoms are upstairs. And we agreed on two babies." She said, holding up two fingers for emphasis.

Giving her a wicked grin, he dropped to his knees. "My mouth doesn't need a condom." He pulled her leg out of her pants and hooked it over his shoulder. Still smiling, he pressed his mouth into her warmth.

Gale rolled away and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That was fun."

She laughed and threw her arm over her eyes. "It's always fun." She turned her head and watched him.

He grinned and slipped his hand into hers. They just stared sleepily into each other's eyes for the longest time as their bodies cooled and their hearts slowed to normal rates.

Katniss rolled over after a while and began to draw slow circles in the middle of Gale's chest. It was the same spot every time and he never got a clear answer as to why it was there that she always rested her fingers.

She spoke softly, "My favorite memory of these last ten years is the day I told you we were having Sam. Do you remember?"

"Of course I remember." He rolled into her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "You'd been sick for days. And we thought it was food poisoning. And then my mom pointed out that it was more like pregnancy symptoms."

"I wasn't sure I wanted her." Katniss admitted softly. She looked up into his face with uncertainty. "But the look on your face when you saw the positive test..."

He smiled and kissed her hard. "I wouldn't trade any of this."

"I know you wouldn't." She leaned her forehead against his. "We should get some sleep."

He grinned. "Yeah, rest up. I'm going to take you again in an hour."

She snorted and rolled out of his arms. "Okay, stud."

Gale reached out and rested a tentative hand on her hip. Unless it was the girls, Katniss preferred distance when she slept. But she didn't push him away this time.

Katniss was in the dark again, but there was air flowing around them. A little fire burned close by and she felt someone there holding her. Familiar arms told her she was loved. In secret.

She looked over her shoulder and saw familiar eyes. Egypt, her mind told her. Where their love was forbidden. He was promised to the pharaoh's daughter. And she was a slave.

His hand cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply, that electric feel surged through her body and the rope in her chest was tight and short.

He pulled back and whispered, "Aida."

"Radames." She whispered back just before she woke up to the feel of Gale's lips on her shoulder.

"What's that mean?" He asked, still kissing her flesh.

"It's a name." She said groggily.

He smiled against her skin. "You want to do some roleplaying?" He asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

She shook her head and rolled into his arms, kissing him deeply. The dream was starting to fade, but the desire she felt in it was still there. It was a desire she rarely felt and it frightened her as much as it invigorated her. And she wanted to ride the wave.

They made love quickly and explosively. Afterward Katniss collapsed on Gale's chest.

It took a while to regain her senses. Katniss's senses, not Aida's. Her mind fought against the slave girl's. That woman was having a secret affair. She was having sex with her husband.

She looked up at her him. His eyes were closed and a smile played on his lips. She rolled away and examined him some more at a slight distance. A strong brow curved into an almost delicate nose. His eyelashes were insanely long. Someone once lamented that it was a shame her husband had such long lashes and she didn't, but Katniss didn't mind having short eyelashes. Especially since he'd passed those eyelashes onto their daughters, so she thought it so much the better.

Her hand moved to his face where she gently traced the line of his strong jaw. A muscle worked under her finger and she reached to cup his cheek.

He opened his eyes slowly and asked softly, "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" She asked as she moved closer and wrapped her body around his.

He turned his head. "You look at me every time like it's the first time you've ever seen me."

"It feels like the first time." She lied lamely. Really it was because she was trying to differentiate the dream from reality. She'd had that dream before, but never experienced the electric shock or the pull of the rope until after meeting Peeta. It always seemed real, but never so much as this time.

He shook his head. "The first time, I bit your lip and we fell off the bed. And I distinctly remember leaning on your hair more than once."

She laughed. "You fell off the bed because you were trying some ridiculous porn move. I stayed firmly on the mattress." She kissed his cheek. "And I distinctly remember that after it was all said and done, I looked at you and got to see this bit of you that no one else gets to see." She trailed her fingers down his chest and back up. "That you're actually really sweet when you want to be. And loving and kind." She dropped her voice. "And a really good lay."

He laughed heartily and rolled over, pulling her to his chest. Gale's fingers traced over her spine. "I am, aren't I?"

"This is the part where you're supposed to say, 'So are you.' or, 'You're firecracker in the bedroom.'"

He laughed. "More like a time bomb. It takes forever to even get you primed, but when you come, watch out!"

She laughed. "I can accept that." She watched him a moment and asked, "Does it still bother you? That I take forever?"

He shook his head. "It's all part of it now." He kissed her forehead. "You can sleep a little longer now. I think I'm satisfied enough."

She laughed again. "Good to know."

Rolling over, she pulled his arm over her waist and pressed her back into his chest. Gale rubbed his thumb slowly back and forth against her stomach and it was soothing. But Katniss was brought to her dream all the same. Different hands moved over her body. Somewhere in her mind she knew that the Radames in this dream was the same person who was in the other one. That he was Peeta.

It was all so confusing. How could she ever understand it herself? And how would she ever explain any of this to Gale?