Author's Note: Well m'dears we are in the home stretch...or are we? remember there are 100chapters to this fic so we have over 20 chappies to go! But what do you think of what is happening so far? Lemme know!

Thanks go to RR and FH11 for the reviews...onward!

Chapter 72

Blocked

Ari POV

I wake and Gale has me in his arms...in his quarters...in his mom's bed!

Last afternoon's events run thru my head and I have to say it, as much as I love Gale he can be a devious guy.

Though, being in his arms in bed is nice. We never shared a bed to my knowledge, the only guy I slept in the same area with was Mav and he was across in the cave or he had me in his arms curled up protectively. Peeta and I slept in the same room but that was the hospital. Doesn't count. Gale did lay in the same bed with me to help me sleep in Twelve but he ended up on the couch when I had slipped off. I turn over to face my boyfriend.

I realize apart from me working on Gale's back in Twelve this is the first time I have seen him shirtless. His tanned skin is smooth and due to all the work he has done in his trainings he's wiry but well defined. I run a hand across his bare chest and he squirms a bit, my hands are cool I realize. He peeks an eye open.

"Hey" he says, "sleep well?" he smirks as I run my fingertips down his chest, "careful I'm ticklish"

I look at him curiously then just rest my head on his chest. "sorry, last time you were shirtless in my presence was back in Twelve" I don't know what else to say

"Anything change?" he jokes

"You're tanned" I reply, "and chiseled more"

He chuckles, "so is that a 'I like how you look'?"

"I've always liked how you look Gale" I say, "because this is what I look at" I touch his temple brushing a thumb close to his eyes as I stare into them, "that's where you are, though I'm glad you are in peek form"

"Have to! To keep up with you" he moves and it jostles my arm with sends a shock of pain where the stitching is pulled, "I'm sorry" he looks worried, "still hurting aren't you? Why didn't you stop us?"

"Because it needs to be done" I reply, "but can we stop at the hospital ward, so Makenzie can check me over?"

We walk in silence hand in hand just like in Twelve. With the propos video we made I guess he believes all requests to keep him solely for Katniss are off.

"You were having a nightmare" he finally says, "that's why I was holding you"

"You think you need to explain?" I smirk, "but thanks I guess that's why it stopped feeling real"

"They feel real?" he asks and I nod, "is it always about the games?"

"Sometimes, though it mixes with every other bad thing I've witnessed" I reply, "but my games always plays a roll, like a damned record"

We get to the hospital wing and Makenzie has me sit as she checks my wound. It's closed up but the stitches were pulled that's for sure. "you should be resting" she says rather stern, I know if I was alone like I was two years ago with only Maverick for company I probably would be still in bed. But Gale and I don't work like that.

"I'll try and keep her resting" Gale says but it doesn't enter Makenzie's ears she looking at me, she knows not even Coin can direct me.

"I'll try and take it easy" I reply

She takes off her gloves, "well in any case in a couple days you won't be able to rest" she smirks, "Plutarch has something he's planning"

I roll my eyes when my communicator and Gale's go off. Ziggy asking us to visit her lab.

Beetee is in front of a screen, typing insanely but every few minutes he swears takes a sip of some sort of drink and goes back at it.

"Zigg? What's wrong with Beets?" Gale asks

"We've run into a snag" Ziggy says, "something is blocking the path we use to send the feed"