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Here is the next installment...enjoy!
Chapter 6
When I wake I am surprised to find Katniss lying beside me, with her face just inches from mine and her arm wrapped snugly around my torso. I have to pinch myself to convince myself that this is not a dream. I then wonder when she arrived here and how long she's been asleep. I wrap my top arm around her waist and pull myself even closer to her so that our bodies are touching. She shifts slightly but it wasn't enough to rouse her from her sleep. I hold onto her like she's mine and kiss her forehead.
'This is how it should be.' I think to myself. 'Me and her, safe in the woods, together.' My eyes struggle to fight the tears from forming when I think about how I have to leave her here. I fight through my emotions. The last thing I want her to do is to see me cry. Instead, I think about how lucky I am to have her beside me. I take in her peaceful expression and how beautiful she looks in this moment. I think about how close our bodies are to one another's and how our lips are only an inch or two apart. With a simple movement my lips could be on hers. I could kiss her without her ever knowing, finally being able to feel the softness of her full pout. It would be too tempting and I don't think I'd be able to stop myself. I would surely wake her and have to face the consequences of my actions.
Besides, she's married with a kid. Morally it's wrong for me to even think about it, but my brain can't help but go there. There's no hurt in it really. They are just thoughts, not actions. Everyone has thoughts like these, all that matters is that you don't act of them, which I have no intention of doing, so it's fine that I fantasize about her ripping my clothes off of me and me doing the same, finally realizing our carnal need for each other. I imagine what it would sound like to have her moan my name as I thrust myself deep inside her. My imagination has gotten the best of me and I can feel my arousal pressing against her thigh. I peel myself away from her and adjust myself before standing up.
I quietly make my way out of the house and remove my shirt and pants before diving into the lake to cool down. My body cuts through the water as I propel myself from side to side to redirect my blood flow to other appendages. When I've finally gotten myself under control, I return to shore and locate my clothing. I slide my underwear away from my body and then dress myself in my dry garments. I return to the cabin and find her still sleeping soundly. I lie next to her with only a few inches between us. I hate to wake her but my curiosity of her appearance is gnawing at me.
"Katniss." I whisper, sweeping a few loose strands of hair off her forehead. Her eyes flutter open and she greets me with a small smile. "What are you doing here?"
"I didn't get to say goodbye yesterday. I didn't want to miss you before you left."
"I'm glad you're here." I murmur.
"Me too." she replies. She's quiet for a while before she speaks again. "Gale, what's it like out there?"
"No." I tell her. Why would I gloat about my life in the woods, a reality for me that she will dream about for the rest of her life? That would be cruel.
"Please."
"What good would that do?"
"Since I can't physically go there with you, I was thinking that you could take me there with your words." I find her statement ridiculous. Everyone who knows me know that I don't have a way with words, her included. Words have never been my friend; they have betrayed me on many occasions. They abandoned me on every time that I came close to telling her how I really felt about her. I'd plan out my sentences for days and when I finally was alone with her, they flew from my head.
How was I supposed to use words alone to paint a picture of the woods for her in her mind? Her eyes remain hopeful as she looks to me, waiting for my agreement, mimicking the way Posy would look to me when she wanted me to read just one more story when it was past her bedtime. I wonder if all girls have this look readily available in their arsenal, willing to be used when need be.
"Close your eyes." I instruct her. She does as I say and I scoot closer, my head propped by her ear. I begin describing the route you have to go to get there even thought she has never traversed that far into the woods. After that I describe every detail I can about the area around my house: the small meadow with the willow tree in the middle, the stream with its rocky banks, the heights of trees that surround everything, the wildlife. When I stop, her eyes slowly open.
"You did a nice job with that." she says with a smile. I'm glad she thought I did. I really tried hard.
"Thanks." I reply. We then spend the next hour filling each other on our families. Prim is doing well and has managed to be spared from the Reapings. She only has two left to go. I update her about my siblings, making sure to tell her about the hunting skills that Rory and Vick have mastered and how much Posy has grown.
"You should see Rory's bow skills. He'd give you a run for your money." I say with a laugh.
"Bring him next time and we'll see if that's so." she says mock glaring at me. My body stiffens. Next time. Those are words I'd never considered. Her face grows more serious after seeing my expression change. Her eyes are wondering what could possibly be going on in my head.
"I wasn't planning on coming back." I murmur.
"Never?" she asks, hurt.
"What good would it do? Don't you think it would be better to just leave it like this?"
"Gale, you're a part of me. I need you."
"I feel guilty enough leaving you this one time. I can't go through that kind of heartbreak over and over again." I tell her, hoping she'll understand.
"Well then I guess it's a good thing I got you this." she says, reaching into her pocket. She places the long chain over my head and lets the pendant fall to my chest. I reach for it and realize it opens. Inside is a picture of her, smiling. "Something to remember me by."
"I could never forget you." I admit. She takes my hand in hers weaving her fingers between mine.
"When I came home and saw your house, I though the Capitol did it to punish me for the berries." she quietly reveals.
"I'm sorry." I say, kissing her hair. "I needed to make sure we wouldn't have any Peacekeepers on our trail."
"You could have told my mom…or left a note. All this time, I thought it was my fault your were dead."
"I had to be thorough."
"I wish you would have waited a day." she says, her eyes teary. "I would have gone with you in a heartbeat. Life could be so different."
"How?" I ask, wondering if she has considered what we could be to each other.
"It doesn't matter now." she says wiping her eyes and sniffling.
"What do you intend on doing?" I ask.
"Keep pretending that I'm happy." she says with a sigh.
"I don't want to leave you sad. Tell me what I can do to make you happy." I say to her.
"Hunt with me. One last time." she says with a weak smile.
"I'd love to." I say bringing her closer to me. She leaves the cabin while I change into some more appropriate clothes and then we are walking back to the edge of District 12 to retrieve our hunting tools. They are still there, nestled in their little hiding spots. I set a few snares out of habit along my old snare route before we venture deeper into the woods. Katniss shoots at a rabbit about 20 feet away from her, missing it completely. Her cheeks flush a bright red as she lowers her head towards the ground. The Katniss I remembered would have never missed that target. I walk to her and sling my arm around her shoulder.
"Next one, Catnip." I encourage her. I begin to walk, towing her along with me to a new section of forest. I remove myself from her to scan the area for life. There are a couple of birds in a tree not far away from me. I pick up a stone from the ground, showing it to her as I nod to the tree. She readies her bow with an arrow before I throw the stone at the branch on which they rest. Her arrow takes down the larger of the two. I look back to find her with a wide smile on her face. There's the Katniss I know and love. The girl with the sharp eye and straight shot. She finally looks alive again; strong just as I remembered her. I run to the bird and bring it back, holding it by the arrow.
"I believe this is yours." I say dangling it in front of her. She takes it from, the smile still on her face as she removes the arrow and places it in her bag. We fall into our old pattern of hunting and soon both of our bags are filled with game. We return back to the lake house and prepare a meal using the game we shot and the plants we've gathered.
"Why'd you stop hunting?" I ask her as we sit down to eat.
"What makes you think I stopped?"
"You missed a shot in the beginning. You never missed that shot."
"It made me miss you more." she reluctantly admits.
"I'm sorry…for everything." I apologize for what seems the millionth time. It doesn't ease the guilt that's eating away at my insides.
"It's fine." she murmurs.
"No, it's not fine, Katniss. What the hell was I thinking, leaving you here?" I ask, pulling my hair in frustration.
"You did what you thought was best for you."
"And what about you? You're right; I left you here. All those times we've talked about being a team and I just left you. How can you even stand to be in the same room as me?" I shout before hunching over. She kneels close to me and swirls her hand in circles on my back. "You must hate me."
"I don't hate you." she coos to me.
"Katniss, I heard what you said yesterday."
"I don't hate you." she repeats herself. "I am angry with you for leaving like that but I understand. You had your family to think about. You knew my family would be fine since I was named victor."
I don't dare tell her about my own selfish reasons for leaving. Admitting that would reveal my true feelings for her. Before I can think too deeply about that, she interrupts me.
"I should be getting back soon. Peeta's worries if I'm in the woods for a long time."
"Stay just a little longer." I beg her as I take her in my arms. I need to feel the warmth of her body next to mine one last time.
"I have something for you." she says, pulling herself away from me. She locates a bag in the corner of the cabin, one I hadn't noticed before. She places the bag in front on me and kneels beside it. "Things for your family. I picked up some things from the shops in town…stuff you probably can't get out in the woods." she says.
"Catnip, you didn't have to do this." I say with sincerity as I rifle through the bag. Some of the contents include candy bars, bakery bread, medicine, new clothing, among other things.
"Tell them hi from me and that I miss them." she says.
"I will." I can feel my chest tighten as I realize that goodbyes are in order. She stands and I follow suit. She closes the gap between us and wraps her arms around my torso.
"Goodbye, Gale." she whispers.
"Goodbye Catnip." I say, returning her hug. After a few seconds, she removes herself from me and heads toward the door. I involuntarily step towards her.
"No, stay here. Don't follow me." she says with sadness in her eyes. I walk a few more steps towards and can feel the hurt emanating from her. She walks back inside the doorway and places her hands on my chest, slowly backing me up to the stone wall.
"Stay." she commands me, not removing her hands from me until I nod my head. She quickly leaves and I heed her warning. I choose to count to 200 so I won't be tempted to track her. I then collect my things. I can't stay in these woods any longer.
I begin my journey from my old home to my new home, where my family awaits.
Don't worry, this isn't the last you've seen of Katniss and Gale together. Next chapter will involve Gale's journey home and him dealing with his current situation. Expect a Gale/Hazelle convo for sure.
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