I don't own the Hunger Games…surprise, surprise. No copyright infringement intended.

Gale's POV

I deftly sneak into Katniss' room while she sleeps and lower myself onto her bed. Gently brushing the hair from her face, I am free to stare into her sleeping face, peaceful for the first time since I've been back. My movements halt as she starts and opens her eyes, blinking once, twice, before she fully realizes that I'm there. "Gale," she whispers. "I want you here with me. Hold me tonight, please?" Her voice is small and pleading. I climb into her bed and she snuggles against me. Instantly, my body reacts to her presence.

Her voice comes again. "Gale, I've waited so long for you to come to me. Are you going to make me wait even longer now?" With that, she faces me and lifts her eyes to mine, drawing her face closer and closer until, tentatively, she presses her lips to mine. I can't hold back and I instantly deepen the kiss, pressing my hand to her lower back and seeking the hem of her night shirt. Slipping my hand underneath, I begin to draw slow circles on her back with my fingers. She melts into me, gripping my neck to pull herself closer. As we kiss, she weaves her hands into my hair and I groan into her mouth. She feels so right. I move my hand around to her front and press my palm against the flat planes of her stomach. She shudders with pleasure and throws her leg over my hips. I know that she can feel how badly I want her, but I don't want to rush this moment. I slide my hand slowly up until I'm touching the underside of her breast. She pauses momentarily, but then wiggles her body so that my hand is moved farther up to a much more satisfactory position. I lean to kiss her breasts through her shirt and, again, am rewarded with gasps of delight. She works her mouth against mine, responding eagerly to whatever I do.

I can tell that she's never kissed Peeta like she's kissing me right now, so I decide to return the favor. I trace her lips lightly with my tongue and nip her lower lip playfully. She groans with pleasure and I begin to move down her neck, placing kisses everywhere I can find. Her collarbone is particularly appealing and it's easy to see that I'm doing everything right. Her soft moans increase and she begins to move her hips against mine in a way that is sure to drive me crazy. I pull away from her momentarily to shift myself so that she is laying directly under me and the little circles her hips were making against mine can't end this all too quickly. I slide her shirt slowly over her head and watch as she turns bright red under my stare. I don't see what she's embarrassed about though—to me, she is stunning.

I rise again to lift my shirt off and I can see her eyes widen with satisfaction. She runs her hands over the muscles in my arms, my stomach, and slowly winds her fingers around the waistband of my pants. She knows what she wants to do, but she's unsure of whether or not she can go through with it. Her hands still for a moment and I pause, looking down to watch her take everything in. My breath catches as I realize how perfect this moment is. I've wanted this for so long and it's unbelievable that it's actually happening.

Breaking her stare, I dip to kiss her on her neck behind her earlobe and she suddenly bucks up into me. "Ah," I thought. "I'll visit that spot again." Grinning, I work my way down her neck again, eliciting the sounds that I'm dying to hear. I catch her hand, still on my waistband, and draw it below so that she is gripping my bare hip. Her other hand leaves my neck and follows. She pauses, unsure of what I want her to do. I lean down and whisper in her ear, "Whatever you want to do, Catnip. I'm all yours." She exhales and her breath hitches as she slowly moves her hand towards…

My head pops off the pillow. Katniss is knocking loudly on my door, saying something about going down to Peeta's shop to buy some bread and cheese rolls. "Do you want to come with me, Gale? Or are you still resting? Has District 2 made you soft? You never used to sleep this late," she teases.

Unfortunately, there's nothing soft about me right now, so I yell, "Hey, go without me. I'm a mess and I don't want to make you wait until I'm cleaned up. I'll just see you back here, ok?"

"Mmmkay, well get up and put yourself together. I want to take you around town. I'll be back soon." I hear her steps retreat down the hall and mentally curse her for knocking at that moment. I fall back onto the pillow and close my eyes, trying to reclaim any last vestiges of my dream. Perhaps staying here with her is going to be harder than I had previously anticipated.

I lay in bed until I hear my communicuff beeping from the pile on the floor where I had deposited my clothes and belongings the night before. Easing up, I grab it and press the speaker to answer. The familiar steely voice of the command robot greets me. "Captain Hawthorne, urgent message from Command. Press to receive." I press the side button and am greeted with a slew of insults from Jayvon regarding my whereabouts. "…I don't know what you think you're doing, man, but you need to get back here. Blaze was not playing around this morning when he figured out you're MIA." Trion Blaze, the only person in Special Weaponry that is higher up than I am, cuts an intimidating figure. I make a mental note to shoot him a communicuff message that my grandmother died or something and I had to come home stat. I'm not a liar, but somehow, I never have qualms about lying to him.

After I shower and dash off a message to Command, I make my way downstairs and fix myself a meager breakfast of toast and strawberry jam. Idly, I wonder if these strawberries came from our patch in the woods. I feel a pang and realize how much I've missed this place.

I wander through Katniss' home, touching paintings and ornamentals, trying to regain a sense of who she is. From what I can see, it really doesn't seem that she has changed much. Endured too much, for sure, but changed? Jury's still out.

Bored with trying to discern Katniss' identity through her things, I decide to walk to the square and meet her at Peeta's shop. The bakery stands roughly where it used to, so I was able to find it with little difficultly. I pause outside momentarily, watching the easy way the two of them interact. Peeta was working on frosting a cake and Katniss was happily perched on the counter, a cheese bun in her hand and purple frosting smudged on her forehead. I take it she tried her hand at decorating.

Peeta makes a joke and her laugh rings through the store and into the street. I stride in and the shock on her face is noticeable. Peeta's face clouds over, but he hides it and bends to finish his work.

"Gale! How did you know where the bakery was?" she asks.

"It's not too far from where it used to be. I just hoped that it would be close and took a chance. Is that a cheese bun? I'm starving!" I snap the bun out of her hands and take a huge bite. For a moment, her face looks like that of a child who has just had her toy ripped from her. She recovers quickly, but not quickly enough for me.

"Peeta, when do you think you'll be done with that cake?" she asks him, turning her attention from me as a punishment. "I need to take it by Madge's so we can set up for Delly's birthday." Wait-so Madge survived? I was almost positive she and her whole family were demolished during the bombing. I listen closely, trying to ascertain who's still alive and who is not longer here.

Katniss solves the problem for me. "Madge and Delly live together now," she said. "After Madge's family died, Delly really helped take care of her. It's Delly's 20th birthday party tonight and Peeta's been gracious enough to bake this amazing cake."

"I should be done by 3 and I'll bring it over then, " said Peeta. He glares up at me. "I suppose you'll be at the party as well?" he asks grimly.

I look at Katniss, unsure of whether or not she would want me to attend. "Well," she sighs, "you might as well come with me. Peeta-I'll see you later tonight. Come on, Gale. There's something I want to show you." She waves to Peeta and beckons me to follow her.

We walk through town, sharing small talk. At one point, she trips over a break in the roadway and I grab her hand to steady her. I don't let go. I can feel her resisting at first, but she slowly becomes more comfortable and allows her hand to relax into mine.

She brings me the fence, no longer charged and climbs lithely through our usual opening. I follow wordlessly and together, we make our way to our rock. This is it, I realize. This is her attempt to bring us back together—back to what we used to be. Sitting down gingerly, she looks up at me and I realize that she's waiting for me to sit down next to her. I lower myself, giving her a chance to direct me to sit on the ground if she would like, but she says nothing, so I land right by her. The space on the rock is narrow, so we're sitting close.

I open my mouth to say something to her, but I realize that I've said my piece. I've told her everything she needs to know, and now she has to come to me.

She looks up at me and our eyes find each other. We study each other for a moment. How long can we just stare at each other, I think. She opens her mouth, but instead of speaking, we crash into each other, pulled together like magnets. Her mouth is all over mine, enveloping me in her scent and her kisses. I hold her to me and promise myself that I'm never letting go. One of her hands braids itself into my hair and the other snakes under my arm to my back so that she can pull me closer. I press her back against the rock and arch her back with my arm so she fits flush against me. We kiss for what seems like an eternity until finally, I pull away, cradle her face in my hands, and press a long, lingering kiss to her mouth. She moans and pulls her head away, resting her forehead on my chest. We're both panting, neither prepared for what we just did.

"God, Gale," she breathes, "where the hell have you been?"

"Doesn't matter," I respond, "cause I'm here now."