The next morning was hardly any better. Not knowing what to say, Gale decided to keep quiet until Katniss asked him something directly. He got up, very careful and went to fix himself some breakfast. He looked over at Katniss. She appeared to be sound asleep. He decided he had enough time to go and get some more berries for her, thinking that would make her feel better. Hoping….

If I run, he thought, I can make it back here in less than an hour.

He made a small meal of left over nuts and some greens they'd collected by the water's edge. He emptied his pack of everything except for one water bottle and his knife, and jogged off in the direction of the berries.

Gale had to admit, the run felt good. He felt strong, alive, and less stressed. Plus, it was good for him to burn the energy. His body was invigorated. Gale didn't like relaxing much. Of course, he needed rest, but relaxation was something different. His large, muscular body was designed to do things, and while, Gale often didn't like what it was he had to do, like work in the mines, he did like doing things. If he wasn't, he got restless.

The run was far easier than he thought it was, and he made it to the berry patch in under thirty minutes, hardly out of breath. He carefully picked dozens of berries and put them in his pack, before taking a swig of water, and returning back to camp.

To be honest, Gale could have run for another hour. But he didn't want Katniss to wake without him, in case she'd worry.

Or celebrate, a snarky voice in the back of his mind chirped.

Well, he thought, but he couldn't entirely refute that thought. What had gotten into that girl, anyhow? But he supposed that's what he liked about Katniss…she was her own woman…unpredictable…

"Hey!" he said as nicely as possible as Katniss approached rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Gale got up and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not really."

"What? You've been sleeping like ten hours a night for the past week!"

"What? I'm not allowed to be tired?"

"I didn't say that – " But Gale stopped himself. He didn't want to get into it – especially since he didn't know what it was. "Hey, I've got a surprise for you!"

Katniss looked at him as if he'd just told her he had the Ebola virus. "I don't really like surprises." Her eyebrow arched.

"I remember the other day you said you wanted some berries, so I ran out to the patch and got you some." He smiled as he revealed the little pile of berries he'd picked for her that morning.

"Oh," She knew he was trying to be sweet. "Thank you," she said in a flat tone. She took the cloth Gale had folded the berries in and set it her lap and popped one in her mouth. Gale searched her carefully for any sign of pleasure. But no sooner had she swallowed the berry than she picked up the cloth again and set it beside her. "Excuse me," she as she got up, "I'll be right back." And Katniss got up and walked towards the tree line leaving Gale scratching his head.

As soon as she was out of sight, she fell to her knees and puked. She came out a few minutes later and thanked Gale for the berries, but he couldn't help but notice that she didn't eat them.

Later that morning, Gale suggested the two go hunting together, hoping that doing something old and familiar might be a nice change. Katniss realized that he was trying, and that she was being difficult, but she could hardly find room in her brain to think about Gale. She felt like there'd been a tornado in her head for the past day. Maybe hunting would be a way to get her mind off of her problem.

"You're awfully quiet," Gale said when they were out in the woods.

"We're hunting, Gale."

"But this is nice though, like old times?"

"When were the old times nice?"

He knew she had a point, but why did she have to be so difficult? Gale huffed, but kept quiet.

Katniss's leg was twitching, she was so impatient. She didn't want to be out in the woods. She could hardly focus on what she was supposed to be doing. She just wanted to be alone and had no patience for this. Part of her brain was telling her to be nice, Gale really was trying so hard. But she only lasted a few minutes.

Katiss saw something flash out of the corner of her eyes. She quickly drew her bow and arrow and pointed. Before Gale could even react she'd already released three arrows. Gale watched as three squirrels fell from the tree. Whatever else Gale was feeling about Katniss, she still could impress him.

Katniss hopped down from the tree and retrieved her kill. She picked up the three squirrels, "this should be enough." Her tone was matter of fact. Gale had been hoping to spend some quality time, but he couldn't argue with her. And to be honest, he wasn't so sure he wanted to spend too much more quality time with her anyway.

Gale took the squirrels from her and they walked back to their camp by the water. "Do you want me to help you skin them?" Katniss asked Gale. He wasn't sure how this became his chore.

"It's up to you," he responded, hoping this answer was best.

"I think you can handle it," she said, tossing the animals to Gale, "I'll be back in a bit."

Before Gale could even formulate a response, Katniss was gone.

Katniss went back to the woods and climbed back up a tree. She wasn't sure why, but for some reason she felt better there.

Okay, she told herself, let's clear our thoughts and think… But so many things were spinning around her head she could hardly focus on one. She only felt nauseous as she tried to calm her mind.

This probably isn't happening…

No, we have to accept that this is happening. We need a game plan…

Why? You'll get your period any day now…

Katniss, only the prepared survive. We need to face the facts…

What facts? You don't know for sure…

Have to account for all possibilities…

But none of these thoughts led anywhere. They just made Katniss feel dizzy and sick.

She didn't know how long she was out in the woods, but something finally moved her to return to the camp.

Gale had cleaned and cut the squirrels and was roasting them over a small fire. He stood up to greet her. Part of him wanted to ask where she'd been. Another part wanted to rebuke her for not telling him where she was going, tell her he was worried, he was curious. But he knew all of these lines of questioning would end in a fight.

He decided to forgo all those approached and focus only on the food.

"Hey," he began. But Katniss immediately cut him off.

"Why are you always eating!" She snapped.

"I'm…I'm…not…it's dinner." He defended, "and I haven't even started eating it yet." Gale was really getting tired of this. "Why are you yelling at me?" He demanded.

"Because I'm mad at you!"

"No shit, I've noticed, why?"

"Do I have to have a reason?"

"Yeah!" Gale said incredulously, "I think so."

Katniss opened her mouth for a comeback, but too quickly realized that Gale was right. Her cheeks burned as she felt ridiculous. This only made her more angry.

"Katniss," he rebuked her as she again opened her mouth to fight.

"Shut up," she snapped as she turned to walk away.

"Katniss," his voice was concerned, and also annoyed. But he was going to get to the bottom of this, "what's wrong?"

It just annoyed her, so didn't respond and kept walking.

Gale didn't like being yelled at, but he really didn't like being ignored. He jogged up next to her, grabbed her arm, and swung her around, forcing her to face him. He decided to work from the basics.

"You're angry," he began.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Trust me, it is. And you're angry at me?"

"Yes!"

"Okay. Katniss," he said evenly, he was trying to be careful, but she thought he was being condescending, "why are you angry at me?"

She thought about it for a moment, and started to feel bad about the way she was treating Gale. But then she didn't have the energy to feel bad about Gale and bad about the baby and bad about herself. So she started to sputter. "Because!" Gale held her stare. "I don't want to be out here,"

"Katniss, I know it's frustrating and it's hard, but – "

"If you'd just picked the right direction in the first place, we could be home by now! This is all your fault!"

Now that was mean. Gale could handle a moody Katniss from time to time, but she was never mean. Part of him wanted to react in anger too, defend himself, tell her he never asked her to go rescue him. Hell, the way she was acting right now, he wished she hadn't. Should have just let the Capitol have me, if you're going to treat me this way…And he really wanted to say that, but he didn't. He stopped himself, and thought, what on earth was causing her to act like this, he wondered. He'd never seen her like this before, except, maybe once….And then it hit him:

"Katniss," he called to her again, speaking delicately, "is it that time of the month?"

And as soon as he said the word month, it hit him again. Month. They'd been out there for three months. Katniss could see the realization dawning in his eyes. Hers implored him not to go there.

"Wait a minute,"

"Gale –" She begged him.

"Katniss," he was speaking slowly, his brain clearly turning over his thoughts, wanting to make sure he was certain before he spoke.

"Gale – " She desperately wanted to distract him.

"When's the last time you had your period?"

She couldn't meet his stare and tried to pull away. Her heart beat began to quicken, he tongue felt heavy in her mouth, and her eyes were starting to water even though she willed them not to. She turned, but Gale quickly reached out to her.

"Katniss – "

"Let go of me!" she screamed. She couldn't handle this. She didn't want Gale to know. She didn't know why. So many thoughts were spinning around her head, it hurt. This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, she was panicking. She was still trying to wriggle free, but Gale was too strong. Gale can't know, if he does…if he does, then it will be real.

And she collapsed crying when that thought hit her. If Gale knew, there was no more pretending this wasn't happening. No more hoping her period would start tomorrow. No way she could convince herself this was all just a bad dream. I don't want this to be real…

Gale sank to the ground with her, pulling her onto his lap

"Oh, Katniss," he repeated again and again, trying to comfort her.

"No," she sobbed, clinging to his shirt, face pressed to his chest, "No…"

"It's okay, Katniss," Gale said, trying to comfort her and for the first time really not sure if he could. "It'll be okay…"