Return to the Sea (Gale Hawthorne x OC)

Chapter 30

I sit on a doc and watch the sunset. The yellow, orange and pink fading away, welcoming the purple and blue. The waves crashing and the breeze bringing in the salty smell. I close my eyes and enjoy the calming things around me.

"Ceto. You need to wake up."

I jump and turn around only to see no one. I slowly stand up and scan my surroundings. Then, something pushes me making me stumble backwards into the water. I try to swim above the water but it's as if something keeps pulling me down. I struggle to free myself from whatever is pulling me, only to fail. It drags me farther and farther. I start to get light headed and close my eyes.

"Wake up, Ceto."
***
(3rd Pov)

Johanna and Annie sit next to a pale Ceto. Each holding one of her hands. She's cold to the touch. Silent tears run down Annie's cheeks while Johanna just sits there and hopes the young girl will wake up soon.

The heart monitor that's hooked up to Ceto goes silent for the third time.

"Doctor! Doctor!" Johanna yells.

Three doctors rush in, one being Katniss' mother. They tell the two girls they need to leave. Reluctantly, they do. Annie watches from the doorway, hand clutching onto a wedding band around her neck. Johanna closes her eyes, refusing to let the tears loose and appear weak in front of Annie.

A few minutes later, the three doctors walk out, and the sound of the heart monitor beeping again makes Johanna sigh in relief.

"How are we gonna tell her?" Annie's small voice rings out.

Johanna shakes her head. "I don't know. I truly don't know."
~~~
(Ceto's Pov)

I stand in the kitchen and cut up some vegetables that consist of mushrooms, cucumbers, and zucchini. My mom cuts the fish dad had caught this morning with Triton. I look up when I hear dad enter the kitchen. He goes over to mom and kisses her cheek and wraps his arms around her from behind.

I smile at their sweetness but it quickly fades when my parents fade into me and a brown haired boy.

"Gale?" I whisper.

"Wake up!"

I jump as I hear the loud yell. Then there's pounding on the door. I make my way over to the front door and open it, only to see no one. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion and take a step outside. Then the door slams shut behind me. I turn and bang my fist against the brown door. Suddenly, I'm pulled back and everything passes me in a blur.

I start to get dizzy and darkness soon takes over me.

"Wake up! Ceto!"
                                   ***
(3rd Pov)

Katniss looks to her left to see a lifeless Ceto hooked up to machines. The only thing reassuring that she's still alive is the beeping of the heart monitor. She looks peaceful despite the scratches and bruises lining her face and arms. She doesn't have her usual scowl on her face, just a somber look.

"What happened?" She asked.

Hamitch looked over to Ceto and sighed. "When the bombs hit, she seemed to be the closest to them. She got blown back, hit her head pretty hard. Now she's stuck in a coma."

"Has anyone stayed with her?"

"Yeah." Hamitch nodded. "Johanna and Annie. They left not to long before you woke up. Johanna made sure Annie got some sleep and she went and got some food. Gale..." Hamitch shakes his head slightly. "He's not...he's not quite in the right place."

"Triton?"

Hamitch lightly tapped Katniss' leg. "Why don't you get some rest. You have a long day ahead of you."

***

Katniss was free to leave her bed meaning Ceto was the only patient left in the room. Annie and Johanna weren't there due to doctor's orders.

(Ceto's Pov)

'Wake up.'

'Wake up, Ceto.'

'Ceto!'

'Wake up!'

I slowly open my eyes but the blinding light makes me close them. I open them again  and slowly adjust to the light. I look around confused, then I realized, I'm in a hospital bed. I slowly, and very painfully, sit up. I take the needles that are hooked into my arms out and tear the patches off that lead to a heart monitor making it dead line.

The door slams open to reveal two doctors and a worried looking Annie behind them. A shock look crosses all their faces once they see me. Annie let's out a sob and rushes to me, wrapping me in her arms. I smile and wrap my arms around her small frame and lean my head on her shoulder and whisper soft reassuring words while she cries into in my shoulder.

I look up to see the doctors have left and replaced by Johanna standing there with a smirk and glistening eyes. "Look who decided to wake up. You gave us quite the scare."

Annie pulls back and I notice the necklace with a ring hanging from it.

"You got it." My voice comes out hoarse and dry.

She smile and nods. That's when I feel the weight of something around my neck. I look down to see the shark tooth there and look back up at Annie.

"He would've wanted you to have it."

I nod as my eyes sting with tears. Then the door opens again and Gale walks in. His grey eyes meet mine and I can see the bags under them. He rushes over to me and gives me a tight hug, being mindful of the injuries, and kisses the side of my head.

"I thought I was gonna loose you. I'm so sorry." He whispered.

"It's okay. I'm okay."

He leaned back and I wiped his tears away with my thumb. I looked back behind him to see Peeta, Katniss, and Hamitch. One person was missing though.

"Where's Triton?"