DISCLAIMER: HG Characters do not belong to me.
A/N: So, I apologize the update came so late last night. I ended up being pretty busy over the weekend and I figured it was better to post late than not to post at all.
As for Haymitch, I always felt he was very team Peeta so, I figured he would not be happy with Katniss if she left Peeta for Gale.
Chapter 64-Lies, Love
Katniss didn't arrive back to District 4 until almost three days later, arriving on Wednesday evening at 8 pm. She gets off the train and sees her Mom waiting for her at the station.
Her Mom has a look of surprise when she sees Katniss get off the train in her Father's hunting jacket and says, "Your Father's jacket, you still have it?"
"Yeah, it was still back at the house, I started wearing it again when I returned. But I didn't bring it with me when I went to District 9. Peeta wanted to make sure I brought it."
"Come on, let's go, we can talk about your visit back at the apartment. Are you hungry?"
"No, they served dinner on the train so I'm good."
They headed back to the apartment, Katniss telling her Mother about the new construction she saw being built in District 12. Once they arrived back, Katniss told her about her visit with Peeta, Haymitch, and Greasy Sae, getting sad when discussing how badly she felt hurting Peeta the way she did.
"I don't think I will ever stop feeling guilty. I broke his heart Mom, he has nothing now."
"He will be hurting for a long time, but things will get better for him, each day that passes he will think of you less and less."
Katniss begins to have conflicting emotions. She doesn't want Peeta to stop thinking about her, eventually forgetting about what they had. A part of her wants him to remember the good times they had together and never forget. But another part of her realizes that she herself thought of Peeta less and less after a couple of months of being with the Sioux, to the point that at times, she hardly thought about him at all, focusing a lot of her attention and feelings, on Gale.
"I told him I didn't want him to forget about what we had."
"I didn't say forget Katniss, I said think of you less. I think for Gale that was how he was able to cope all those years ago, not being around someone helps them get over their sadness. Had you stayed in District 12, I think this would be a lot harder for him."
Katniss could not imagine under any circumstances that scenario happening. While she was sad to leave District 12, she knows if she wants to move forward with her life she has to leave the place she once called home behind.
She then tells her Mother about the boxes that should be arriving to the apartment. "Is it okay if I just keep the boxes in the spare room? Once my teaching experience has ended and I hopefully graduate and have a job I can move my stuff then."
"Sure, that's no problem."
Katniss spends Thursday and Friday with her Mother for she took off work in anticipation for Katniss's arrival. They went shopping for some of the supplies Katniss needs for her classroom and spent time at the beach. Katniss enjoyed the two days they had together before her Mother returned to work on Saturday afternoon, working a double shift until Sunday.
On Saturday morning, Katniss goes to the train station to meet Gale for he had arranged with Katniss to visit her for the day before she leaves for District 9 Sunday morning.
She smiles eagerly as she watches him get off the train, carrying only a backpack in tow. Once he is away from the crowd he heads over to where she is standing, trying to hide herself from view standing behind a column.
She goes into his arms once he is behind the column, holding him tight. While she knows their relationship no longer needs to be a secret, she doesn't want to provide Ceasar with any scandalous pictures of the two of them. She purposefully picked a spot where she will be able to see if anyone is watching her, for the column is near the side wall of the station in a corner. It even took Gale a few minutes to find her she had hidden herself from view so well.
"How was the ride?" Katniss asks once she finally moves away from his embrace.
"Okay, the train left at 7:30 pm last night, the bed was comfortable which was nice."
The train system in Panem had improved signicantly in the last the last year for people traveling long distances. While Panem had non-stop train service from district to district, the food and lodging accommodations were not the best. President Paylor had increased Panem's transportation budget to refurbish a lot of the trains and improve the quality of the food that was provided. Of course the price of the tickets slightly increased, especially for longer distances.
Katniss picks up her backpack off the floor and together they head to the hotel where Gale reserved a room. It was the same hotel he stayed at last time, again getting a room that had a balcony overlooking the ocean with a luxury bathroom.
Katniss is slightly surprised that Gale has gone back to this hotel, wondering if he is spending more than he should. She asks him about it once they set their backpacks down.
"I stay in this hotel when I come here for work, I've been here so much over the years I have accumulated enough points on my rewards card that I get reduced rates. Even though when I come for work I get reimbursed."
She nods in understanding and says, "We could have stayed at my Mother's, but, my room has a lot of boxes taking up space at the moment."
He looks at her quizzically and she explains how Haymitch and Peeta boxed up her stuff and how she sent most of it to her Mothers, and some of it to District 9. She tells him how she brought her hunting jacket with her along with her bow.
"I can't exactly wear the jacket here right now though, too hot."
"I didn't know you still had it."
"I only started wearing it again when I returned to 12. While on the train ride here it was the first time I ever wore it outside of the district."
He asks how District 12 looked, she filled him in as she had with her Mother and spoke about the new construction and about her visit with Greasy Sae, passing the message along that Gale was to write her more often.
He laughs and says, "Alright, I will make an effort to write to her…every three months."
"I will remind you of that" Katniss says playfully hitting him on the arm.
He then looks at her with a serious expression on his face and says, "So I take it you-ended things with Peeta?"
She immediately looks away, turning her head to the side and says, "Yeah, it was horrible."
He knows exactly how she feels, having done the same thing himself. While he only dated Dez for three years, Katniss had been with Peeta for seven, spending every waking moment with him. He couldn't envision how that conversation went.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She shrugs in response, still looking away from him and instead focusing on the waves she sees outside the hotel window. "I asked Haymitch to take care of him, make sure he is alright."
"I don't think you will have to worry about that, he and Sae I think will be checking in on him quite a bit I'm sure."
She looks at him in surprise and says, "How did you know Greasy Sae is close with Peeta?"
"She told me in her letters. She said that she had really grown to like him. She told me about how she and Peeta both looked out for you while you-worked through your grief." She sees he is apprehensive about his choice of words, not wanting to stir up any bad emotions concerning their past.
She continues looking at him as she says, "Peeta has a lot of support in District 12. I just, don't know if it will help."
"Maybe something will happen between him and Delly" Gale says trying to make Katniss feel less guilty. Katniss had told Gale about how Delly worked with Peeta in the bakery and how they had still remained close.
She makes a face and says, "I doubt that, I don't think he looks at her in that way."
"Well you don't know, he might."
"Trust me Gale. I know Peeta better than anyone. He doesn't."
"Why? Because he can only love you?"
She gets a look of annoyance on her face and shouts, "You're jealous!"
"Trust me Katniss, I'm not jealous. The fact that you are here with me in this hotel room with your stuff packed up at your Mom's apartment reassures me that you want to be with me. I think you are the one who's jealous. You don't seem to like the thought of Peeta with Delly."
"I just-think it's weird that's all."
"I think you would want him to be happy?"
"Of course" Katniss says in a tone that suggests his question is a silly one.
"Then don't be jealous."
"I'm not Gale!" she says raising her voice again.
"Okay" he says putting his hands up. "I believe you. I know it was hard for you to see him again and tell him goodbye. Like I said, for the first time since you went into the arena, I finally feel confident about us. No longer wondering how you feel about me, if you care for him more than me."
"Good. Do you want to go for a swim?" she asks changing the subject no longer wanting to talk about Peeta.
They change into their swimsuits and head down to the beach. It was the end of April and the water was much warmer than when they were last here. They get in the water and swim out until only their heads are above water. Katniss savors the feeling of the warm salt water while the waves bounce them around. It was moments like this when she wishes she could have stayed here for her teaching assignment. But then she reminds herself she needs to be where she is wanted and she was wanted in District 9.
Gale who had noticed she was deep in thought says, "You okay Catnip?"
She looks at him, his voice pulling her back into the present. She smiles brightly and says, "I was just-thinking about my teaching assignment."
"You'll do great. I have no worries" he says and playfully splashes her in the face. She begins splashing him back and jumps on his back, trying to dunk him under the water.
Needless to say it doesn't work and she remains on his back, with him giving her a piggy back ride back to the shore. He sets her down on the sand and she looks up at him with a look of pure happiness on her face. He hasn't seen her look this content in quite a while. Overcome with his own happiness he leans down and begins kissing her, right there on the beach in front of everyone.
She eagerly responds to his kisses, savoring the feeling of his arms around her. She knows they have attracted attention for she hears whistling and someone loudly shouting, "Get a room girl on fire!"
Gale quickly breaks away from the kiss, looking around in anger to see who shouted at her. Katniss quickly turns his head back to her and says, "Come on, let's go."
They head back to his room. Once the door is closed she says, "Now, where were we?" and leans up to kiss him sweetly.
He kisses her softly at first, then their kisses become more and more fierce, wanting each other desperately. He breaks away from her suddenly and says, "I need to leave."
"Leave?" she cries out, upset he has stopped kissing her.
He puts his hands on her face and says, "Yes, or else I'll end up making you take those damn morphling pills."
She doesn't want to ruin the moment and tell him that she takes the pills now to help ease her anxiety, no longer taking them for pain. Instead she says, "I'm not in pain anymore, I quit taking the pills. I've healed-everywhere."
"Are you sure?" he says staring intently into her eyes. It was driving her over the edge in desire.
"Yes" and she leans up for a kiss forcing her tongue into his mouth.
He bends down and places his arm under her knees, lifting her up and carrying her into the bathroom. He sets her down on the countertop and turns on the shower, setting the water to hot. He turns back to her and begins kissing her neck, she feels him begin to harden as he pulls her closer to him. She reaches down and pulls off his swim trunks as he begins pulling off her bathing suit. Their swimsuits now on the floor, he leads her into the shower.
She's startled by the hot water at first, needing a few seconds to get used to the water temperature on her body. Once the shower door is closed he scoops her up and places her against the wall. He kisses her as the water rains down on them, for the shower had two showerheads on each side, the two of them right in between.
She reaches her hand down and begins stroking him. After a few seconds he shifts her along the wall and moves her hand away and guides himself inside of her and begins thrusting deeply. She cries out in passion and he stops immediately and looks at her with concern, holding her in place.
"Don't stop" she says pleadingly. "That feels—so good."
He continues, setting the pace a lot slower, intently looking at her to make sure she is alright. She closes her eyes and tilts her head back while he moves inside her. She squeezes his shoulders, signaling for him to go faster. He begins thrusting deeper, like he did when he first started. She begins to moan as he goes even faster, her body being thrusted up against the shower wall over and over. She feels herself lose control as the water continues to rain down on them, making the feeling of him gliding in and out of her even more sensual.
She orgasms very quickly, never having come that fast in her life. Gale grins at her sheepishly as he sets back on her feet, she is unsteady and needs to hold onto him.
"I take it that was better than last time?" he says with his continued grin.
"Mmmhmm" is all she is able to say as he grabs the soap and begins applying it on her body.
After their shower ended, they end up on the bed. They make love three more times before finally collapsing in exhaustion, spending the rest of the day in his hotel room. She made love in positions she never had before, doing things she never dreamed of doing with Peeta. They lay in each other's arms, still naked under the covers. He strokes her hair while she lays on top of him, totally spent.
"Your scars look a lot better" he says softly.
She doesn't look up at him, continuing to stare at his chest. "Yes, my-my breasts finally stopped hurting".
He tilts her head up to look at him, his gray eyes staring into hers. "If my squad hadn't tied up Geffen's men and got them on the submarine when I found you, I would have killed them all. I lost it when I saw what he did to you."
She looks down and whispers "I knew you'd come."
She then looks up at him and sees him looking at her lovingly. She leans in and kisses him and rests her head on his shoulder, falling asleep quickly with her dreamcatcher hanging above them on the bed post.
