I don't own any of these characters or the HG story.
First, I'm so sorry it has taken me this long to update. I came down with a bug two weeks ago and I just can't seem to shake it. If any one has a great natural remedy for sinus drainage and coughing pleasssssseeeee pm me!
Second, thanks again to all of you that are taking the time to read my story and for all of you that take the time to review, follow and favorite too! Thank you... thank you... a thousand times... thank you! This is what keeps me working on this story!
Guest: Sorry it took me this long to update. I can't reply to you because you review as a guest... otherwise I would have let you know I was sick and would update as soon as I could. But, thank you for your reviews and your reminders. They do keep me going!
Cassie: Thanks for your in depth and insightful reviews. I always look forward to your reviews.
Wolfskin: Thanks for your reviews and our little discussions. I actually will try to work that little bit of info into the story. Thanks!
CHAPTER 6: SPARKS FOR EVERYONE
Gale spent most of that night at their spot in the woods. Going over everything in his mind. He knew he had no right to be angry with her for turning to Mellark when he couldn't be with her. But he was angry with the Capitol for taking her away from him to play their sick games. Putting her in a position of living with fear because she couldn't protect the people she loved. And most of all for forcing her to be their love sick puppet. He was glad the Capitol would never rule their lives again. Now, she had the right to choose who ever she wanted. He just hoped that she could look beyond this... dependence... she was forced into with Mellark. To see him... her best friend... see him... for who he really was and man he hoped to be for her.
It was a few hours before the sun would come up so he made his way back to Katniss's house. He wasn't sure where he would stay but if he had to he could sleep in the woods. He was standing on her porch getting his bags when he heard her small scream. He went into the kitchen and saw her slumped forward staring into the fire.
Katniss turned to look at Gale. "I thought you had gone."
"No. I told you I wasn't going anywhere." He said with conviction and then asked with concern. "Are you okay?"
Katniss turned back to her fire. "Yeah. I'll live." She said flatly.
Gale stood there watching her. Then he swallowed hard and coughed. "Katniss... I'm going to go hunting in the morning. Would you like to come with me?"
The woods! Just the word brought back memories of swimming and hunting and sweet smelling air and a sense of forbidden freedom. She closed her eyes and whispered, "no."
Gale turned and went out to the front porch. No, he couldn't leave her… not now… not ever. He opened his sleeping bag and lay down to catch a few hours of sleep. He would stay here... close to her... just in case she needed him.
Katniss set staring into her fire seeing the remnants of her nightmare in the flames. The woods. She hadn't thought about the woods since she walked in her front door. How long ago was that? How long had she been sitting here in this kitchen… in this chair? She really had no idea.
Why hadn't she felt the pull the woods always had for her? She remembered feeling that familiar pull when she was on the train. She knew when they had crossed into District Twelve. She could feel it. For a short time she felt alive and free again. She could smell the clean fresh air and hear the familiar sounds. The woods... something in the depths of her soul sparked and started to grow.
Greasy Sae walked up onto the porch and stood looking at Gale asleep on his sleeping bag. 'Well apparently things went great after I left she thought. She walked into the kitchen and watched Katniss staring into the embers of the fire.
Greasy Sae put her hands on her hips. Under her breath she sighed, "This is going to be one long hard fight." Then she shook her head and set about making breakfast.
She went outside and gave Gale's foot a slight kick to wake him. "Breakfast is ready."
Gale rubbed his eyes and sat up. "Ok. Thanks."
When Gale came into the kitchen Katniss was seated at the table focusing on pushing the food around on her plate. Greasy Sae set a plate of food down and told Gale to sit and eat.
Gale didn't move from his spot by the door he just looked at Katniss. He would never expect her to just feed him. They had always shared things fairly never taking more then they gave to the other. People from the Seam were like that; they were proud and respectful of what others had and would trade an honest days work for whatever they needed. Last night he had chopped firewood replenishing the stack out beside the house and filling the wood boxes in the kitchen and living room. And his plan was to go hunting and bring food into the house and hopefully the Hob as well.
She finally looked up at him. She knew why he didn't sit down. She had basically refused her home to him last night and no one from the Seam would just expect hospitality from someone else. Even someone you considered a friend or family. People from the Seam didn't have a lot. So respect for someone's property and food was all you could give. She knew he would never ask and run the risk of her refusing him again. So he just stood there looking at her with that proud look she always loved.
Finally Katniss said, "Eat."
"Thanks." He said as he pulled out a chair and sat down to eat.
"I'm going to go hunting to help bring food into the Hob. Would you like to go with me Katniss?"
Katniss looked up. For one brief moment Gale saw a familiar spark in her grey eyes. "No."
"Okay." Gale got up and placed his plate in the sink. "I'll see you tonight."
After the door closed behind him Katniss turned to Greasy Sae. "Are you going to see Haymitch today?"
"Probably, this afternoon. Why?"
Her forehead furrowed into a frown. "I want to talk to him about something. But it can wait."
"Okkaay." Then with a hint of hope Greasy Sae said, "Well, you could always go check on him at his house."
"I'll talk to him tonight after supper." Katniss stood and returned to her chair by the fire. Instead of starting her fire again she wrapped her blankets tight around her body and settled in to stare at the ashes and remember the day she returned to District Twelve to see the destruction for herself.
Greasy Sae sighed and headed for the door. "I left you a sandwich and some fruit for lunch. I'll see you tonight." Sae waited for a reply that never came. She could see that Katniss was lost in her memories again. She turned and closed the door quietly behind her.
Greasy Sae headed for the Hob muttering the whole way. "Damn that stubborn girl. How are we going to get through to her."
She had thought that with Gale's return she would snap out of it. Maybe even go hunting with him. She knew she should accept the small victories: like her getting out of that damn chair, helping with the cooking, and eating. But... damn it... she wanted that girl back… the girl who came in with Gale to the Hob. Who was shy and didn't say much but had a spark of fire in those grey eyes. Who learned, with Gale by her side, how to stand up and fight for what she needed. She sighed, frankly, she would consider it a big victory if they could just get her to take a bath and wash her hair.
Greasy Sae smiled, "That's it! That's the next step. We need to get her to want to take care of herself. To take a bath and wash her hair." A new determination and a plan sparked and started to grow.
Gale went out to the porch and stowed away his sleeping bag. He unwrapped the bows he had brought with him and strapped on the quiver of arrows.
When he had gone to District Thirteen looking for evidence to clear Katniss during her trial for killing Coin. He had stopped by their rooms and pack up all the personal items he could find.
He was surprised to find both of their old bows tucked away in a closet in the Everdeen's room. He grabbed her book of plants, her father's old hunting jacket and her parents wedding picture. These were the things that meant the most to Katniss and he wanted to make sure she got them back safely. He would give them to her tonight. Well, all but her bow. He wanted to put both of them in the logs where they used to keep them and surprise her, if he could ever get her to go hunting with him.
Gale headed for the woods with a feeling of anticipation pumping through his veins. It wasn't a new feeling for him but not having the accompanying fear was. He loved the woods and felt alive here but before there was always the fear of being caught. Which meant a public whipping or worst. Of course, he had to admit, that the fear added to the anticipation. He smiled and jogged across the meadow and into the woods.
Gale arrived at the logs and carefully placed Katniss's wrapped bow in her spot and tucked her quiver of arrows back in the hollow of the adjacent tree. It was funny how just returning these bows to there original hiding places seemed to make things feel like they could be all right again. That District 12 will be rebuilt and the new government will be better for everyone and Katniss will find her way back to him. He smiled then headed for his old snare line. This was their pattern. Get the bows and then check the snare lines. There truly is comfort in familiar ways and things.
He stood there staring at the lines. They all needed to be reset and a few of them were torn down or completely gone. He figured the snare had been sprung catching an animal but since no one was here to check the line. A bigger animal must have eaten the trapped one destroying the line in the process.
Gale knelt down by the first snare. He reached out... then stopped... his hand frozen in midair. He couldn't make himself touch it. His insides began to twist into a knot and his hand began to shake. This... snare... these traps his father taught him. They had been what he had shared with Beetee. They had turned these simple tools he used for their families survival into weapons that would kill people. That would kill Prim. He felt the knot grow tighter as his anger began to rise and tears slipped down his cheeks falling on his clenched fists.
Gale reached down and tore the line from its branch. He went from bush to bush, tree to tree ripping them all down and yelling out his pain. "NO…. NO…. NO more!"
Once, he had all he could find he fell to his knees and slipped his knife out of its sheath and began cutting the line into small pieces. "No… these will never… ever… be used to take another life… I will never... ever... make another snare… or trap. Never!" He vowed.
When he was finished destroying the line he sat back on his heels and stared up at the blue sky. Fresh tears streamed down his cheeks and soaked the front of his shirt, as he was overcome with the memories of The Nut and all the people that had died that day. Of Prim and the way she and all those children had died. He fell to his side in the tall grass and curled into a ball. He was responsible for so many deaths. His ideas. His traps. Hot tears streamed down his face and anguished cries escaped his lips as he hugged his knees tight into his chest. Gale lay there curled up among the pieces of his snares and cried until no more tears would fall and his throat felt raw from yelling out his pain.
When he finally felt like he had pulled himself together he rolled over onto his back and squinted up at the white fluffy clouds drifting across the blue sky. He had not allowed himself to cry in years... he always had to be the strong and dependable one that everyone else relied on. The last time he had let himself cry like this was after his father had died.
He remembered that day like it was yesterday. Standing next to his mother and clutching the hands of his frightened little brothers as they waited with all the other anxious families. Waiting and hoping that they would be among the lucky ones and their husbands, fathers and sons would come out of the mines alive.
Slowly, agonizingly, time crawled on as men came out coughing and wheezing covered in dirt and blood carrying the injured to freedom. One by one families rushed forward to embrace them and carry them home. Finally, only a few families remained and each person knew in the pit of their stomachs that they would probably never see their loved one again.
It would be several weeks before they cleared the tunnel and recovered what was left of the bodies. During that time Gale would be the strength his mother needed and the security his brothers cried for. And during the Recognition Ceremony he would be the one to stand up for his family, in the square, and receive a certificate for his father's death and a few dollars compensation for the grieving family.
That is the day he went out to the far side of the meadow away from town to the last place he had talked to his dad. On that last day his dad had explained to him what it meant to be a good man. Gale had slumped to the ground and curled into a ball finally allowing the tears to fall. Crying for his father who everyone in town called a good man. A father that always put the needs of the people he loved before his own. Who was always so strong and held their family together. For his mother who would have their baby on her own and raise her family without the man she loved beside her. For his brother's who had spent so little time with their dad and the unborn child that their father would never hold and she would never know. He cried for himself because now he was the man of the family and he wasn't even sure what it meant to be a man.
Gale had laid there in the meadow until the sun was starting to set. He knew his mother would be worried about him and he still had to go to the Hob to trade for some food. He sat up and reached into his pocket taking out one of the handkerchiefs his father always carried - they were his now. He wiped the tears from his face and blew his nose. When he had come out here to the meadow he was a heart broken, frightened, lonely young boy but as he got up from the ground and started walking back toward town. He squared his shoulders and vowed to himself that with his last breath he would give everything he had to the people he loved and become the man his father would be proud to call his son.
Gale wasn't sure his father would be proud of him for the things he had done during the rebellion. But he knew that his father would agree they had to win the war. They had to. What would have happen to all of them? If they had lost what would have happened to Katniss? He thought about all those years he ranted about people banding together to defeat the Capitol. He never really thought it would happen. But it did. He knew the rebellion was their only chance for a better life. A life that... maybe Katniss would want to share with him. They could have a family and be happy together. But now he wasn't so sure. Maybe she should hate him. After all he was the monster that was responsible for killing so many people with his simple ideas.
He sat up and reached into his sack and pulled out the bottle of water he had brought along with him. He dumped some of the water over his face and downed the rest of it in a few gulps. He put the bottle back into the bag and took his father's handkerchief out of his pocket. He wiped his face and blew his nose then he got to his feet. He hadn't let himself feel anything about the war. He always told himself he was doing what had to be done… for everyone… like he always did. That he wasn't the only one fighting this rebellion. He knew it was time to deal with everything that had happened and everything he was responsible for. Katniss wasn't the only one with wounds that needed to be healed. The only thing is... he knew that she was the only one that could help him heal his wounds and he hoped he could do the same for her.
Gale picked up his bow, took a deep breath and headed deeper into the woods. It just wasn't the same hunting without Katniss beside him. When they hunted they became like one person with Katniss taking the lead and scanning to the front and left. And Gale walking a few paces behind and scanning to the back and right. If he was honest when ever they were around each other they acted like one person. They never had to use words to know what the other needed, they communicated through looks and actions. They could accomplish ten times as much when they were together.
After silently treading through the woods for half an hour he finally spotted a squirrel sitting on a low branch about twenty feet away. He drew an arrow and aimed his bow. After allowing for the wind he let the arrow fly. The squirrel turned and chattered wildly at him and scampered back up the tree. Gale laughed and said, "yep, Mr. Squirrel you're right... everyone's safe from me today." Gale walked over to see if he could find his lost arrow.
After he found the arrow he went back to the tree the squirrel was in and began to practice with his bow. He carved a quick circle on the trunk of the tree and walked out about twelve feet. Okay. Step by step. Draw the arrow and nock it on the bowstring. Spot the target and bring the bow up pulling the line back. Find my anchor spot and sight down the line to the tip of the arrow. Allow for the wind and slowly release the line. The arrow hit the tree about seven inches lower than the target spot. The squirrel chattered at him. Gale winked up at the squirrel. "Yeah, just keep making fun of me Mr. Squirrel. We'll see who is on whose table tonight."
Gale practiced for an hour with Mr. Squirrel commenting on each and every arrow. He was especially vocal with the shots that completely missed the tree… jumping up and down and chattering wildly. Gale barked out his frustration at Mr. Squirrel, "Look I don't need your help. If you would just shut up. I would probably hit my mark."
Gale jogged over to retrieve his stray shots. Muttering, "if Katniss were here she would fix whatever I'm doing wrong and then we would see who gets the last laugh."
Gale returned to the tree putting all his arrows back into his quiver and picking up his game bag. He looked up at Mr. Squirrel and pointed his finger at him, "hey funny guy. I'll be back."
The squirrel chattered his response and flopped down on the branch daring Gale to return.
Gale busted out into a full on belly laugh with tears leaking from his eyes. "You win! Your safe from me." He said between gulps of air and fits of laughter. Then he turned and headed for the lake. Shouting over his shoulder, "but you already knew that. Didn't you, Mr. Squirrel?"
Mr. Squirrel chattered his affirmative response.
Gale must have laughed for the next half an hour as he was treading through the woods. "Crap, if anyone saw me today they would think I had gone off the deep end."
He shook his head, "First, I am crying like a baby and now I am laughing like a complete idiot. Let's not even mention that I'm talking to a squirrel… and myself. Maybe, I should be locked up." He laughed.
He figured he would head to the lake and do some fishing. He had made a few nets and stored them at the lake when he was hiding in the woods with the survivors of twelve. So, if he couldn't shoot anything with his bow he could at least catch some fish.
He hadn't brought anyone down to the lake except Rory, Prim and Vick. This place was special. Special to Katniss and she had shared it only with him. He couldn't bring everyone down here to evade her spot. So, he had set up a make shift camp by the creek that was closer to the meadow. As it turned out they were only there for a few days. When Haymitch showed up with hovercrafts from District Thirteen looking for survivors.
Gale arrived at the lake close to noon and headed for the small cabin to retrieve the nets he had stored there. They seemed to still be in good condition. He striped down to his boxers and waded out into the lake to set the nets. He built a fire and then headed over to the other side to gather some plants and bulbs. These were the one's that Katniss had showed him were good to eat.
After heading back to the fire he waded back out to see if he had caught anything. He was happy to see six good size fish caught in his net. He took them out and stored them in the net he used for gathering his catch and grabbed a fat one to clean and eat for lunch.
He sat by the fire holding the fish over the flames impaled on a branch. He remembered the first time she had brought him here. It was the most beautiful place he had ever seen. She had shared with him the special memories of her father and the precious times they had spent together. And she kept them all here in this place. A place she would visit when she needed to gather some peace of mind and strength to go on.
Gale dropped the fish into the fire and jumped up. "That's it! That's what I need to do!" Gale smiled and bent over and retrieved his scorched fish. A spark ignited in his soul and began to burn bright. For the first time since he decided to come back to twelve he knew exactly what he had to do. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of this before. The woods! The woods... will save her and... maybe... him too.
He ate his scorched fish with renewed energy. Fishing for a few more hours he separated the fish he would take home from the ones for the Hob. He stuffed his fish in his game bag along with the plants and bulbs he picked. Threw the net over his shoulder with the fish for the Hob and set out for home.
He had a plan and he was a little ashamed of himself because it was based... loosely... on one of his traps. But, this time he wasn't using it to kill but to heal the one he loved. He just had to get Katniss to wander into it.
Thanks for reading!
Please let me know what you think of this chapter.
And if you have any ideas or scenes you would like me to work in... write me a review and let me know!