Author's Note: Getting close to entering the Capitol again...only 21 chapters remain. Feelings? worries? Sorry for the small chapter people btw
Thanks go to my reviewers DAK, RR and FH11 (and jmint who just finished the 69th)
Chapter 79
Knowing He Will be There
It's late after reflection when my door opens and Gale is standing in my doorway. He has a minor scrape on his scalp but otherwise he doesn't look bad.
"Bad run?" I ask as he comes in and slumps on my bed, I lay beside him and we grasp hands.
"Whoever thought of these tests was evil" he squeeze mine, "Boggs told me what you had to face, sorry that was harsh."
"You didn't know and you didn't know how bad it was" I pause, "but you did pass?"
"I passed alright, so did Katniss actually, Peeta goes in tomorrow"
I sit up, "what?"
"Yeah I had the same feeling" he sits up with me, "how has he been?"
I shrugs, "he's capable, but I have a feeling this has nothing to do with needing more men now" I stand and start to pace
"Talk it out," Gale holds me so I stop, "working on things on your own is the past we are a team remember, talk to me."
I sigh, "sorry"
"Don't be sorry Ariana, just talk to me, can we do anything?" he pauses, "can I help in any way possible?"
My mind goes over possible reasons, and only one persists. Coin will try and off Katniss and I that's why I'm in a command position, she wants me going headlong into some POD and hope I kick it. Katniss she has to play differently. I sit and have Gale sit with me.
"Peeta is fine, maybe not completely clear in his head sometimes but there are things that trigger and some things don't. Smell of burning flesh, he's told me of, sight of blood smell of roses, sounds of bees and wasps. Katniss is a big trigger but he's getting better with her, he won't go into fits" I add, "it's like he will go into himself, he'll be so still you think he's a mannequin or something, he's come out of these fits on his own, just make sure he isn't in any danger okay?"
Gale nods, "okay we should know our squads tomorrow, I'll make sure to get in Katniss' team"
"Knowing them they will use this as the longest propos known to Panem, so having a camera ready beau won't be refused" I tease, Gale smirks.
"Feeling better?" he asks and I actually do so I kiss him on the cheek, "what was that for?"
"For being you?" I reply, "can we promise when this is over we meet at a café in the Capitol? It's called Fiora"
He smirks, "sure, you're paying though I'm broke" he teases, "glad you're feeling better though, and you ate, don't do that again okay?"
"I won't" I tell him, something I promise myself because it wasn't just worrying him it was worrying everyone.
"By the way Mason failed" he adds, "they had it rain in her run and she went catatonic. Maverick raced in and took her out, he's been with her ever since." He pauses, "she grasped onto him for her life, over rain."
"could be something they did to her in the Capitol Gale" I mutter, "its okay, Maverick is great at listening and comforting people, he had to with me a few times, Mason is in good hands."
"Good because they were looking at me and I outright refused to, she kinda makes me nervous" he jokes.