Author's Note: Well dear readers, back in D13 and now she has to check on people, debriefs can wait right? :P

Thanks to my reviewers: EWD, JB, HL and Pandora (who is catching up :D )

Chapter 46

The Two Victors

She's lying so calmly and still I don't know if I should wake her. My close friend, what real girly girls would say a BFF or my 'girlfriend' is simply 'my sister' to me. My heart wins the debate and I go over to her and touch her shoulder.

She stirs at the contact and opens her eyes to the same blank bland walls I woke up to two years ago.

"Did you feel like right after your games?" she asks and looks at me

I smirk, "yeah" I reply, "how are you feeling?" I check her over; there is thin gauze around her hands and forearms from the plant cuts she had received in game. And one ear looks bloody.

"My left ear is still ringing" she says, "but I'm…okay" she backpedals when I look at her seriously, "Plutarch told me…I'm sorry we failed Ari"

I shake my head, "it's not your fault! I blame Plutarch anyway" I reply, "I'm sorry Tracker got caught too, Trace I'm so sorry"

Her face falls for a moment then becomes stony, "it's okay, we'll get him back, we have to" she looks at me and we mirror each other, but then of course her eyes lift to where Gale is standing against the wall, "bodyguard already?"

"You could say that" Gale says as he comes over, "Gale Hawthorne" he offers his hand

Tracer blinks, "the one you asked Peeta about?"

"Trace" I warn but she smiles benignly, and winks at me to signify she's is trying to get me to go for the bait

"I'm...her friend" Gale says, that pause, its strange like he wanted to say something but thought better of it again.

"Her friend" Trace looks at him then to me, "you and I have to talk" she says, "but not right now okay?"

I'm about to ask why when we hear screaming and crying coming from far off almost where the psych ward is.

"Who the hell is that?!" Trace looks shocked but Gale looks on edge and worried

"Gale?" I look at him and place my hand on his shoulder

He starts and looks at me, "it sounds like Katniss"

Tracer rolls her eyes, "oh…her" she sighs

Gale gives Tracer and none to friendly look and I feel like I am between two friends…like Buck and him and I shrink away.

"Have something against Katniss?" Gale asks

"Yeah she's as agreeable as a rattlesnake and maybe half as charming" Tracer says disarmingly

It seems to relax Gale, he smirks and rubs the back on his neck, "yeah…she can get like that I guess"

"And you're her friend?" she adds

"They knew each other growing up" I explain because Gale looks like he is gonna get stand-offish again.

"Ah that explains it" Trace nods as we all start at another wail permeates the room, Gale wants to check I know and I don't want to leave him alone yet.

"Why don't you two go check on her" Tracer says, "I'm not going anywhere until I get cleared"

I nod and Gale shakes her hand again and we head in the direction of the cries. Maverick's old room is now occupied by Everdeen. The orderlies are trying to give her something by injection, and she is crying and screaming and pushing and swinging at them. Obviously it's a sedative. Gale goes in and she jumps off the bed and runs to him.

"Tell them to leave me alone!" she orders him, "Gale tell me it's not true, that Twelve is still there! That you were teasing on the plane! Please Gale!"

He looks crestfallen and shakes his head gently, "I'm sorry Catnip, I wasn't lying I wish I were"

She sinks down and starts crying and Gale is on the floor with her, wrapping her in his arms and holding her, he gets the eye of one of the orderlies and nods him over.

A jab in her arm and Katniss is sedated. They have Gale pick her up and place her on the bed then they restrain her, and put a plastic bracelet on her; noting that she is a psych patient.

They see me and offer her chart before leaving.

Gale looks to where they leave then back at Katniss, stroking her plastered hair.

"Gale" I call him, "she isn't well" I look at him and he gives me the 'no shit' glance, "we'll have to talk to Makenzie about her, because if Heavensbee wants her he wants her stable and this outburst tell me she isn't stable at all"

"You a doctor too?" he has an icy tone to his voice

"I was…in the capitol while I was a spy, I delivered Tracer's baby and helped Peeta recover after his first games" I explain

"Anything you aren't?" he looks at me

I feel defensive and I know part of it is I didn't do anything wrong but I know another part if due to being put on the spot. "can we talk…away from her. She won't go anywhere Gale" I ask

We head for a small alcove and I sit with him. "I'm not into technology like Ziggy, I don't consider hunting a hobby, I can't bake like Peeta and other than making one dress when I was thirteen the idea of style is lost on me. I'm a quick study and medicine and law interest me, I worry about my loved one and after I saw you the first time when we were fourteen Gale I asked after you to Peeta when we wrote to each other. I know I haven't been open with you or Katniss or Peeta and I was the most open to Peeta, but it's because I want to protect you the same as you want to protect me"

He sighs, "I just feel you keep things from me" he looks concerned, "and I don't even know what we are!"

I don't understand and he seems to read me like a book.

"What do we call us" he points from me to him and back again.

"More than friends" I correct him when I realize what that pause was, "I guess…boyfriend (I point to him) girlfriend (I point to myself)? Is that...I mean that's the correct term?" I look confused, like I said I was a quick study but this whole emotional piece Gale has in spades I'm lucky if I have a small pair in.

He chuckles, "yeah, that's the right term" he scoots closer and I put my head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry I got grouchy, Katniss is almost like a sister to me, she used to be more until her games and she just changed…I'm glad though, I'm glad I met you" he pauses, "why am I 'sketch guy' and is Tracer Kingsly the start of a long list of people that knew me before I knew them?"

It's my turn to chuckle, "my little circle here, and Track and Trace….oh and Peeta I mean he knew first. He drew you once for me"

He nods, "no more surprises okay?"