Thank You For Saving Gale Kiss
Katniss felt someone shaking her as she came out of a deep sleep. Her cheek stung from where she had slept on it for most of the night, asking the hard wood of her kitchen table. Turning away from where Gale lay healing on the table, she looked up to see Peeta staring at her with sad eyes.
"Peeta, what happened... I'm sorry..." she tried to apologize, remembering how frantic she had been over Gale's whipping and how she had kissed him before he went under the morphling drugs.
Peeta just waved it away. "I know. There's nothing to explain. Let's get you to bed."
He supported her as they began to climb the stairs. Katniss suddenly stumbled from fatigue and Peeta caught her against him. When she swooned again, he simply picked her up, bridal-style, and carried her to the door of her room. The pair stared at each other for a moment.
"Thank you," Katniss whispered.
"For what?"
"For saving Gale." And before she lost her nerve, she closed the gap between them and kissed him tenderly. Peeta held it for a moment before they broke apart. "Good night," she whispered. And Peeta set her down and watched her enter her room.
