Chapter 24- Without You

Gale was certain that he would not let anything happen to Madge.

Madge was ready to protect Prim and Gale with her life.

Prim was desperate, ready to be rid of him once and for all.

Hours had passed and a knock came to the door. Gale opened the door, smiling, only for the employee to punch him in the face, storming into the room.

Madge yanked a lamp from the table and held it like a bat, prepared to smack him in the face. The villains' face, a wicked smile, within a moment, Gale straightened, a wicked smile on his face as well.

"And here I thought and hoped you would be dumb enough to come here." Gale laughed and a violent trembling radiated through his muscles as he lunged at Richard. He landed a fist soundly in the midst of his voice-box. He was coughing and catching his breath as Madge came and smashed the ceramic lamp across his head. It broke, forcing Richard to collapse, bleeding, on the floor. Prim was on the phone with the front desk of the hotel. She hung up, calling 9-1-1, alerting them to the foul intruder who needed medical attention. In her tussling with the phone, she knocked over a candle lighting the curtains, which blazed, doing no serious damage to the room or their belongings.

All at the same time, as cops, firefighters, and medics were arriving at the hotel, chance had it that the young couple were arriving as well. Katniss, upon seeing the fire, feeling the fear sweep over her, passed out. Peeta leaped to catch her, praying that nothing serious had happened. He was carrying her in his arms, when she came to her senses again, confused, feeling as if she were drifting, or perhaps, flying. She felt his arms, caught his scent, heard him singing in a low voice to her.

"I've grown accustomed to her face,

she almost makes the day begin,

I've become accustomed to the tune,

she whistles night and noon,

her smiles, her frowns, her ups, her downs,

are second nature to me now.."

She felt tired, so very tired, afraid if she said anything, that he might stop singing. She felt as if she were being laid down, perhaps on a bench. Suddenly, a mass of voices was around her as people were exiting the hotel due to the fire.

"Katniss!" Prim's voice broke through the crowd and Katniss attempted to sit up, Peeta helping her, steadying her. "Prim," she said softly, "You're okay. I saw..." She woke up all the way remembering the fire, the danger, the reality she was in. Gale, Madge, where were they...

Looking around, she saw Richard coming out on a gurney, in handcuffs, and Gale sitting on the curb, medics putting a bandage on his head. Everything in her head pulsated, as she attempted to stand, the medics finished with Gale and he saw her. He smiled, a smug smile- one of immense satisfaction.

"What happened?" she, Prim, and Peeta all asked at the same time. Peeta chuckled. "You first."

Prim smiled weakly. "He got to our hotel room. He was wearing a uniform and everything. Gale opened the door and Richard decked him. Gale came back up and hit him in the throat, only for Madge to break a lamp over his head. Now, he is done. Caught, wounded." She smiled for a second, then frowned. "What did you do to her, Peeta?"

Katniss chuckled, as her head felt less and less groggy. She smiled at Peeta and said, "Nothing. I just saw the fire, the-" Madge and Gale walked up, looking a little concerned.

Katniss continued, "The everything, and it was too much. Did you burn all of my new stuff, guys?"

"Prim knocked over a candle and set the curtains on fire," Gale said, quickly pointing fingers. Slowly, people began to work their way back into the hotel and the manager was half relieved, half engrossed in a mixture of grief and desire to fix this grievous oversight. Their bags had been retrieved and placed into the second biggest rooms in the hotel.

"Ms. Hightower," he said to Madge, "My deepest apologies. The young man was already working here a few days once you had contacted us." He shook his head. "I hope your new accommodations meet your needs."

Peeta pulled Gale aside, as Madge and the manager talked about the events of the night, just as Prim and Katniss were talking. "So, I am going to need a new room key and another... five or so minutes with Katniss. This CANNOT be the end to our first date." Gale laughed.

As the group started to move off, Gale gave him the new key, winked at Katniss, and herded Madge and Katniss into the elevator, away toward the new rooms.

"So, the villain is caught and captured, the weather is nice, and I need another.. minute or two with you. Will you accompany me on a walk? I still have a whole seven questions left." He smiled softly, and she simply nodded, slipping her hand into his.

The wind whipped around them, softly rustling through the trees at the entrance of the hotel.

"4," he said softly, mimicking the night surrounding them. "Did you enjoy your time with me tonight?" He felt his breath catch, waiting for her answer. She stopped walking and he turned to face her.

"Peeta, I just... I loved tonight." She looked up, a single tear rolling down her cheek. She lifted the hand that he wasn't holding to his face and smiled. "Please.. don't let this be the last time we.." She sniffed, looking down. Truly, as should be, the weak and vile person who had tried to break her had been broken. The person who made her feel as if she could fly was in her arms, and if it was up to her, she might never let him go.

He leaned forward, touching his forehead to hers. "Katniss, the end is what we make it." He lightly kissed her forehead. He whispered, "Really though, you loved it?" The happiness seeped into his voice. She nodded, looking up at him again. He dropped her hand, picking her up and whirling her around. "Katniss, let me make it abundantly clear. Tonight was amazing for me. Possibly one of the best nights of my life," he said, out of breath, setting her down.

She looked at him, so gentle, blushing and dear, that without thinking about it, his hands were on her face, his lips on hers. He wasn't intending to do so, she drew him in, stunningly beautiful, so unsure about his feelings still, in a way that made her so precious to him.

He stopped and backed off one inch, his arms moving out of their own accord to encircle her, as hers did to him. "Katniss," he whispered. "Stop me if I do anything that-" She cut him off this time, saying, "Peeta, just shut up and kiss me already."

Now that, he could do.