Lovers In The Arena \\ Gale Hawthorne

Alternate Ending

Y/n's POV

(At the part where we're about to go on the stage for the interview)

It's almost time to go on stage when I see Haymitch come in.

"Oh hey Haymitch," I say

"Hi. I just want to say good luck" He went in to hug me, but he whispered:
"The capital is furious that you made them look stupid with the stunt you pulled with the berries. You're gonna be in huge trouble. But your only form of defense is that you were so madly in love that you can't even imagine a world without Gale. Okay, sweetheart?"

As Haymitch spoke I began to be very scared, my heart started to race rapidly. I didn't know that some berries could piss off the capital so badly. I finally said something.

"Okay," I said. "Are you gonna tell Gale?"

"I did already. Now go out there and be the crazy in love girl that you already are" I nodded. I already won the games, but now the most dangerous part of the Hunger Games has begun. I get lifted onto the stage where I see Gale.

The crowd is super loud right now, but I ignore them and run into Gale's arms. I haven't seen him in almost a week. We begin to kiss but after a while Caesar makes us pull apart.

The highlights of the games begin. This year they made them a love story. I see that ever since the beginning, Gale teamed up with the careers to protect me all along. I hold Gale's hand as we watch, we watched as Gale blew up all the careers supplies, and when Rue died, they cut the cameras when I started putting the flowers all around her. It must have been too "Rebellious" for the capital to handle.  

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After the highlights, President Snow came out and crowned us as the victors of the 74th hunger games. I could tell that Snow was pissed at me, that stunt with the berries really did make the Capital government look weak and stupid. Snow was looking mad and disappointed and I was scared. But when Gale reached out for my hand and intertwined our fingers it all comforted me.

After the 3 hour interview, we were taken back to the penthouse. I shower and change into pajamas, and I really want to see Gale in private because during the entire interview the entire country was looking at us and I want it to just be the two of us. I go to my door and see that it's been locked from the outside. Again, I'm the Capital's prisoner, locked in their building. I can't wait to just go home and try to forget all this. 

I crawled into my bed and tried to sleep, it was nice being in a real bed with nice warm covers and warm pajamas, and soft sheets, but the softest bedding in the world couldn't take my nightmares away. When I finally fell asleep my dreams were filled with Cato's screams, the mutts bright eyes staring straight at me, the careers chasing me, getting attacked by tracker jackers, President Snow threatening my friends and family because of stupid actions, and everything that happened in the past 18 days, it all came back, and this is when I realized, even though the games are over, they will never really leave me, they will be apart of me forever.

I screamed myself awake, but I don't think anyone heard me. I went into the bathroom and took a warm shower. Yes, it's three am. No, I do not care. I don't want to fall asleep again, I stayed in the shower until, even in the hottest setting, the water is cold. I got out, dried off, and changed back into pajamas. I just sat on my bed thinking about everything, crying a few times, I almost hyperventilated once, I think about how awful it must have been for Peeta and his family, and my mother to have to see all that. I wish that Gale were here to comfort me right about now, I need him, I need to be in his arms where I know I'm safe and nothing can harm me.