Thank you everyone for your excellent feedback! And also thank you for being patient with me, I wanted to slowly build the storyline and focus on the character development as I had imagined. I was hoping to write and create a genuine relationship story rather than a one-shot smut piece. Thank you for reading, and I hope you all had a lovely holiday! -TMF

. . . .

Katniss stormed out of the dining hall still shaking with anger. She mentally cursed Gale for spreading even more rumors about her. She raced through the halls until she came to the main control room. Gale was bent over a machine on the far side of the room, focusing intently on the screen in front of him. Katniss cleared her throat pointedly as she strode into the center of the room. He noticed her out of the corner of his eye and a surprised smile spread across his face as he said, "Catnip…"

Without hesitating a moment, she struck the side of his face hard with her open palm. He recoiled instantly and crushed her wrist in his hand as he yelled, "What the hell was that for?" Her face was contorted in anger as she spit out, "We are not a couple."

A precarious look of fear flooded Gale's eyes as he realized what she was talking about. His ears faded to a bright pink before he swallowed heavily and asked, "Who'd you talk to?"

Katniss shook her head furiously and snapped, "It doesn't matter who the hell I talked to."

"In my defense—" he started.

"No, fuck you, don't even get me started," she interrupted. Katniss took a controlled breath before adding, "How could you lie to everyone like that? Why would you bring me into your twisted bullshit—"

"It's not bullshit, Katniss!" Gale countered. Katniss glared at him in bewilderment and opened her mouth to argue when Gale continued, "It's not bullshit and you know it Katniss. You and Peeta were together to save your necks in the games and to keep Snow happy! But it was always supposed to be you and me, Catnip. You know that!"

Katniss's jaw dropped slightly as Gale uttered, "If we were still in 12, you and me would end up together. It was always you and me until Peeta came into the picture…with him gone it's—" his voice trailed into silence as he looked up at Katniss.

She shook her head and explained, "That's how it used to be, Gale…don't you see that? There is no 12, there are no games…" She took a breath and gathered her thoughts before saying, "Too much has happened in the past few months…I'm—I'm not the same person anymore."

Gale shook his head and argued, "Of course you're still the same person, Catnip."

"For fuck's sake, Gale, would you quit calling me that?" she barked. He looked hurt as she said, "Before the games and all the fucked up shit with the capitol, I thought I was strong. I didn't realize how weak I was until I had no choice but to get stronger." She lost her train of thought momentarily and shook her head in confusion.

"I can take care of you, I could protect you!" Gale argued.

"I don't need someone to take care of me! I see the way you all look at me since the Quarter Quell! Everyone treats me like a goddamn kicked puppy and I'm sick of it. Don't patronize me," Katniss exclaimed. She realized she couldn't look him in the eyes; he looked too raw and gentle. "I don't want someone to take care of me…I can take care of myself." She watched Gale for several long moments before he finally spoke.

"I still love you."

She grimaced slightly before replying, "Too much has changed…I—I don't love you."

His face glazed over with disappointment before he asked, "Is there someone else?"

Katniss thought carefully for a few seconds before she realized what it was that she really wanted. She never wanted someone to take care of her; she needed someone to be real with her, someone to call her out on her own bullshit and drama and make her face reality. She needed a person that could make her feel strong and independent rather than soft and childish. Gale looked at her with pleading eyes as she wheeled around and walked out of the room.

Katniss hadn't realized until moments before that there was one person who had made her feel stronger and more empowered in the past few weeks than she had ever felt before in her life; someone who was able to comfort her without patronizing her, and someone who was able to make her feel at home even in a foreign place.

Johanna heard a fist ardently pounding on the door. She threw the last remnants of the throw pillow into the trashcan and scooped the knife off the floor before wriggling it back under the mattress. The thudding at the door grew louder. "Oh for fuck's sake, I'm getting there!" Johanna yelled. She strode over and unhinged the chain before pulling the door open. Katniss almost knocked her over as she charged into the room. Johanna hurriedly backed into the wall in an effort to get out of the way. Katniss pushed the door closed behind her and slid the lock into place before taking three giant steps to close the distance between them. Johanna noticed the slightly wild look in her eyes before spluttering, "What the h—"

Katniss grabbed Johanna's face roughly in her hands and crushed her lips to Johanna's, interrupting whatever thought Johanna had tried to say. Johanna felt Katniss's body press against hers, solidly pinning her to the wall. Her head was swimming as she felt Katniss's hand scratch softly at the nape of her neck. She responded enthusiastically and brought her hands up to tangle in Katniss's messy curls. Chills raced down her spine as Katniss gasped for air against her mouth, her hands still straining to pull Johanna even closer. Katniss's mouth frantically moved along her jaw, kissing every inch of skin from her chin to her ear. Johanna felt Katniss's teeth graze her earlobe as she heard Katniss whisper, "Johanna." Johanna's head was still spinning when Katniss brought her lips back to Johanna's. Questions raced through her head for several seconds before she struggled to pull away and ask, "Katniss?"

Katniss's mouth continued to roam down Johanna's neck, paying no attention to the fact that Johanna was talking to her. Johanna grabbed Katniss's face in her hands and brought her face back to her own before sighing, "Katniss?"

Katniss kissed Johanna once more before absentmindedly mumbling, "Hmm?" against her lips. "Katniss…" Johanna's voice trailed off as she struggled to find the words to ask any of the million questions running through her mind. She shook her head slightly and urgently pulled Katniss's mouth back to hers. Katniss's hands trailed down Johanna's shoulders and grasped at Johanna's waist, pulling her flush against her body. This time it was Johanna that pulled away, gasping for air. She ran her fingers through Katniss's long brown hair and whispered, "Say something."

Distractedly, Katniss's lips grabbed at the skin of Johanna's neck. It took Johanna every ounce of strength not to groan as she tilted her head to give Katniss better access. She pleaded one last time, "Katniss, say something."

Katniss's kiss grew softer against Johanna's throat and she slowly dragged her lips across the delicate curve of her jaw. Johanna felt Katniss's hands meander up her sides and over her shoulders before gently grabbing either side of face. Katniss brought her face back up and looked Johanna directly in the eyes before she whispered, "I love you."

. . . .