DISCLAIMER: HG Characters do not belong to me.

A/N: So the next chapter came sooner than I thought, had some down time while I was gone. And I started working on the rough draft of the future chapter of Galeniss first being together (key word future chapter-but we are almost there-but still have more story to tell). I think you guys are going to like it, at least I hope so! Thanks as always for the reviews.

Chapter 47-Broken Promises

Katniss planned to stay in her room for the rest of the night. She had a lot of studying to do. Plus she felt it was best to keep her distance from Gale and Dez. After about an hour of studying she heard Gale return, turning the TV on.

At around 10 pm she decided to go to bed, she could still hear the TV going though it was faint. She wondered when she woke up the next morning if Gale would be sleeping on the couch. When she did wake the next morning, before going into the shower, she saw the couch was empty. After she was finished getting ready, she heard silence walking past their room into the kitchen.

She didn't know what to expect later this evening when she returned.


Gale needed the long walk with Harper to clear his head. He was furious with Dez. While he was slightly annoyed at her behavior towards Katniss at dinner, what angered him was her blatantly not eating his mother's food. He knew his mother noticed, as did Katniss. Dez had not gained back any of the weight she had lost since he had been gone. He felt that she had broken her promise to him that she would put her health first. He has noticed that since Katniss has been staying with them, she is eating even less. He figures she is probably losing even more weight. He thought tonight however, she wouldn't be so obvious. She loves his mother food-at least she did.

Katniss figuring out that Dez doesn't eat only complicated matters more. He could hide it from his mother, it is harder to hide it from someone living with them. His mother had asked him if Dez was alright before they left, he tried to brush it off saying she wasn't feeling well. If they go to another dinner with her blatantly picking at her food, his mother would figure it out-sooner rather than later. Her parents seemed pretty oblivious to her recent weight loss-he guessed they figured she was losing weight due to wanting to look perfect in her dress. While Gale doesn't hate Dez's parents, he doesn't care for them. He found them to be superficial and at times uncaring. While they treated Dez like gold, he saw favoritism in the way they treated Dez versus her siblings. Dez was the oldest, yet her parents treated her as if she was the youngest. It was because of their superficial nature they couldn't see what was happening to their daughter right before their eyes. And that bothered him-a lot.

After dinner he tried to get her to talk to him, tell him what was bothering her, but she wouldn't. That pissed him off even more. He refused to talk to her on the train ride home and wouldn't talk to Katniss either, not wanting to add more fuel to the fire.

When he returned home he decided to watch TV. He turned down the TV at around 9-not knowing when Katniss planned to go to bed. He was relieved she didn't come out and try to talk to him. She always did know when to keep her distance for the most part.

At 11 pm he decided to go to bed. Knowing he would have to go in their room eventually. He brings Harper in with him after taking him out one last time for the night.

He sees Dez curled up on her side in their bed. She doesn't say anything when he comes in. He can't tell if she is pretending to sleep or not. He quickly strips off his clothes down to his boxers and gets into bed, trying not to disturb her. He's about to reach over and turn off the nightstand light when he hears Dez say, "I didn't know if you would sleep in here tonight."

"Well, I can't sleep in our guest bedroom right now can I? And I don't want to sleep on the couch."

She sits up to face him. He sits up as well, leaning back on the headboard. She's sitting in the opposite direction, her back away from the headboard. Looking at each other face to face she says, "I don't think she'd mind if you slept in that room with her."

"Quit being a jealous brat. I don't know why you are so threatened by Katniss."

"She wants you back Gale, she's trying to take advantage again. Saying she doesn't know which District will have her as a teacher? She can work in any District-and she knows it. She wants to be here, with you in 2."

Gale didn't think for one second Katniss wanted to spend the rest of her days in District 2. For one the District was too close to the Capitol, for another, while there was a lot of land to hunt here, the area he lived in was a city.

"Do you not remember me saying that Katniss pretty much told me her break up with Peeta was temporary? You're right about one thing, she does take advantage. But you are wrong about her wanting me back and her wanting to live in 2, the people here are not her style."

"Why didn't you talk to me on the way home from your Mom's?"

"Because I'm upset with you."

"Why? Because of what I said to Katniss?"

"No, not that. Because you are not making an effort to get better."

"You don't know how hard I've been trying! I'm sorry that I don't love food as much you and your family does. I have always been thinner than most people Gale I told you that."

"And I've told you about my family's history, for you to sit there and pick at my Mother's food is insulting. What I had to go through to once get food on the table-how many times my name was in the reaping bowl-you will never understand."

"Gale" Dez says trying to reach out to him, he pushes her hand away.

"Go to bed Dez, it'll pass."

"I don't want you to be angry with me."

"Then remember what you promised."

"I have!"

"When was the last time you had your period?" He knew this answer to this but he wanted to hear her say it. She hasn't had one since he returned.

She looks down in response-not answering.

"Don't think I don't notice these things, your parents might be clueless, but I'm not" he says before reaching over turning off the light.


On Monday Gale ends up working later than usual. Taking an unexpected trip to the Capitol and not coming home until 8 pm that night. When he gets home, he sees a note from Dez saying that she has gone to her parent's house for a visit. Katniss in her room as usual. He decides to knock on the door.

"Come in" he hears her say.

"Hey" he says. He sees Harper sleeping on the bed.

"Hey" she says brightly.

"I see you've allowed Harper to take over your room."

"He's too cute to yell at, Buttercup was ugly and easy to yell at."

He laughs, happy to see she's taking such a liking to Harper. At times he feels guilty for leaving Harper home alone all day. He's glad on days when he works late like this Katniss is here to help out.

"Did you eat?"

"Yep. I just ate some left over stuff you had in there-I hope that is alright."

"Of course. I will probably grab something quick. It is a hot night tonight, do you want to grab some ice cream with me?"

"Yeah, ice cream sounds good right about now."

"Great, we can take Harper and sit outside. I'll be ready in 15 minutes."

They go to the place they went to last week, getting a table outside so they could sit with Harper. They dig into their ice cream.

"I will leave directions for you to get to my Mom's house tomorrow" Gale says.

"Ok-you are not stopping by?"

"Probably not, I am going to try to take Dez out for dinner."

Katniss nods, not saying anything. She decides to listen to Gale's advice and stay out of it. He surprises her by saying, "I can tell by the look on your face you want to say something."

"You made it clear I was to stay out of it" she huffs.

"I want to know what my friend is thinking." Again his words surprising her.

"Alright, I think taking her to dinner is a waste of money. I think the most I've seen her eat since I've been here is half a sandwich-if that."

"No one ever said you weren't observant."

"Part of being a hunter I guess, you should know."

"Yes."

She decides to take a risk by saying, "I'll be honest, when I stand next to Dez, I feel overweight, and I know I'm hardly even close to being overweight. She doesn't look healthy Gale."

"Does she remind you of the people you saw in the Capitol?"

"Yes and no. She's obsessed with her appearance like they are, but in the Capitol, they loved to eat, they would just drink a concoction that would make them throw up."

Gale had heard about this when first beginning to work as a government official. While it might have taken him a while to get used to the women of District 2, he knew there was no way he could ever date a woman from the Capitol.

"Why are you asking me what I think?" Katniss says confused.

"I just wonder what other people see."

"Are you angry at what I said?"

"No, I know when I ask you what you think, I will get the truth."

"Despite my feelings on how I see Dez-is she okay Gale?"

"No-she's not. When she's stressed, she won't eat. I've been trying to get her to gain back the weight she's lost since I got back but she won't."

"She's stressed because of me?" Katniss says accusingly.

"This has been going on before we became friends again, but, I think this last time, the reason she won't gain the weight back is because you are here yes."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No. I don't, but I promised Dez if things became too-crowded I would ask my Mom if you could stay with her."

"So that's what I'll be doing, going over there?"

"Let me see how dinner with her goes tomorrow, is that ok?"

"Whatever Gale" she says in a very displeased tone.

"Katniss please, don't make me take sides."

"Isn't that what you're doing anyway?"

"No, if Dez had it her way, you never would have been staying here."

Katniss is surprised by this, she figured it was a mutual decision between the two of them.

"I didn't know that."

He nods. "I think you can understand why she's apprehensive."

"I think I've shown I can be trusted, I'm in your guest room pretty much every waking moment."

"I know, and I appreciate that you are giving us our privacy."

Katniss snickers loudly. "Even when your privacy is in my face?"

"Besides that one time, did you ever hear anything before?"

"Well-no."

"Okay then. I don't want to hear another word about that time you heard us. Because Dez and I have had sex quite a few times since you've been here. Don't tell me I'm not being respectful of the privacy you have given us. And like I said, it is my apartment."

She gets an embarrassed look on her face, Gale openly admitting he's having sex with Dez frequently. She knows this, but it is still hard to hear him say it. She can't deny what the dreams she's had for the last few months mean-she wants it to be her in his bed.

She nods silently in response.

"I don't want you to have to go, I really don't. But-I feel you may need to go to my Mom's to help make things right with Dez."

"Will I still see you?"

"You know you will."

She smiles in response. He can't help but notice how vibrant her smile was, he hasn't seen her smile that brightly since he told her they could be friends again. It conflicts him.

They walk back to the apartment with Harper, managing to move on from their earlier conversation. They walk through the front door of Gale's apartment in laugher, reminiscing about their trading days back in the hob, when they see Dez sitting on the couching-waiting for them to return.