(A/N: I do not own any part of the Hunger Games trilogy. The only thing I own is bits of the plot that I'll be incorporating into the story. Thank you for the reviews and favorites, xoxo.)
"Haymitch?" Peeta rushes to his side. He's drenched in blood and some other liquid; alcohol maybe? I can't bring myself to move, so I just stand there open-mouthed.
"I'm fine. And close your mouth, sweetheart, you're going to catch flies doing that." My mouth snaps shut but I can't stop staring at him. "What happened to you?"
"It's not what happened to me, it's what happened to him." Haymitch steps aside and for the first time I see Gale behind him, passed out on the walk way. Instinctively I take a step back, and Haymitch gives me a questioning glance. "Don't worry, Sweetheart. He's fine." That's not what I was worried about at all, but the only thing I can really think to do is nod. Haymitch picks him up, and Peeta and I both step aside to let him through. I feel Peeta's arm come around me and pull me tight against him. He's glaring at Gale as if he's just faking being passed out and will spring up and harm me at any given moment.
Haymitch tosses Gale down on the couch.
He backs me up into the room until I stagger into a sitting position on the couch.
"I've missed you, Katnip." He's way too close to me, and my hands instinctively come back up to shield my child. His hand comes up to my face and I turn away from him, but he forcefully takes my face in his hands and forces me to look at him. "I think you know you've missed this, too." I'm about to respond when I feel his lips, hard and cool against mine, so different from Peeta's soft, warm kisses that I've become so accustomed to. I try to pull away but his grip on my face tightens and he pins my against the couch, his knees on my thighs. He groans.
"You've filled out so nicely," he comments, crushing me against the back of the couch.
I flinch as the flashback goes through my head. I feel tears spring to my eyes, and Peeta kisses my forehead. I look over and Haymitch is watching us.
"Sweetheart?" I think Haymitch realizes for the first time that something about this isn't right.
Gale's groan from across the room brings us back into the reality that he's still there, on our couch.
"He's not… Welcome here." I'm not looking at Peeta, but I can tell that he's saying this through clenched teeth. I just nuzzle my face into his neck and try not to cry.
I don't like having Gale around, I don't like the way it makes me feel. But was my friend once, and seeing him in such a state is killing me. I sigh. "Peeta… Peeta we can't just throw him out onto the streets."
"Why not? After what he did to you I should get a time machine and throw him into the Games." I flinch at the mention of the Games and also at the mean tone in Peeta's voice.
"Peeta, he was my friend."
"Yeah, well he's a real good friend, isn't he?" Peeta and I have separated now and each have a firm stance with our feet planted on the ground. My arms are crossed over my chest while his hands are balled into fists at his sides.
Then Haymitch: "Don't fight! You two are only going to make this worse."
"Don't fight, Katnip. It'll only make it worse." He forcefully throws me into the wall across the room, and I crumple into a heap on the floor. I pick myself back, feeling a steady ache growing in both my back and my stomach and I cry out as I see blood beginning to gather around me on the floor.
Gale's footsteps are picked up vaguely by my ears as I focus on where the blood is coming from. I look up at him with pleading eyes. "Gale, please stop this and help me to my mom." I beg him. "I can't lose this baby," tears pool in my eyes. He smirks wickedly at me.
"I'm just helping you out. You didn't want kids anyways."
I fall to the ground and pull my knees up against my chest. All I hear is the sound of Peeta and Haymitch leaping into action to be at my side. Peeta pulls me into his lap and rocks me gently back and forth; Haymitch lays a hand on my shoulder.
"What's going on?" Haymitch asks Peeta this time.
"Gale came into our house…" I look up at him, giving him a warning glance. This isn't how I want Haymitch to find out. "unexpected." He bites out. I look away from him. There's no way he's going to be able to stop himself from telling Haymitch about what happened.
"Peeta…"
"No, he has a right to know about this, Katniss, we can't just let someone like Gale run around. Think of all the other women out there."
"Peeta, this is not your right to tell him."
And Haymitch, "What did I say about fighting? You guys need to get along for five seconds and explain this to me, now."
"What did I say about fighting?" He lets go of my throat and I breathe loudly. His face is not amused and he forces 3 fingers into me. He lingers inside me for a moment before pulling his hand back, dripping with blood. "You're ready for me," he smirks. He unbuttons his pants and pulls his length out. I look up at him one last time before he slams into me. The area is extremely sensitive, especially where Peeta hasn't even made love to me since the day I found out that I was pregnant. It's so different than the way Peeta feels. It's so rough, so painful. I feel tears pour down my face as he pulls out and slams back in again. The motion is repeated for what feels like hours before he finally releases himself into me. He pulls out, blood and his own residue clinging to his manhood and he smiles at me. He unties me, and pushes me to the ground. My stomach is clenching with pain and I curl up into fetal position on the floor. "If you're lucky, I won't be back." He says. He kicks me hard in the abdomen before he straightens up and walks out the door, leaving me bleeding and broken on the floor.
I start shaking uncontrollably and I'm vaguely aware of tears pouring down my cheeks. Peeta starts crying, too, when he realizes why I've been acting so strange tonight.
"You're remembering, aren't you?" He cries out and holds me close to him, stroking my hair and kissing my cheeks. Haymitch looks at the both of us with wide eyed horror.
"Sweetheart… Did he…?" He can't bring himself to say those last words, whatever they may be.
Did he what? Did he rape me? All I can do is nod. I'm not even sure if what he's asking is what I'm assuming, but I just sit there and nod. Peeta stands up, and helps me up. Then Haymitch pulls me into his arms, and I feel like I have the comfort and protection of an uncle. I just stand there and sob into his shoulder while he rubs my back and tries to calm me down. "So what do we do?"
"We should at least make sure he gets looked at… Can you call my mom?" Peeta nods reluctantly.
"I will call her, but I don't want him here." Haymitch pulls away from me and starts walking over to Gale. He nods, and understands Peeta's not wanting Gale in our home. I'm still shaking as Haymitch is dragging Gale out of the house, tossing him over his broad shoulders.
Peeta just holds me in his lap and rocks us back and forth. "It'll be okay, Katniss, we'll be okay. Everything is okay."
But who is he trying to reassure, himself, or me?