Deep In The Meadow -Gale Hawthorne-

I Love You

Leilani Everdeen

I vomited into the toilet, I'd been feeling nauseous, my mother came running in. "Oh Leilani, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Mother asked, pressing her cold hand to my forehead. "No fever." Mother said and I vomited again, she rubbed my back soothingly.

"We'll get you checked out, come on." Mother said and I nodded, she sat me down and checked me over. "Could you be pregnant?" Mother asked and I looked up at her, fear flooding through me. I didn't want kids, I didn't want to bring them up in a world like this. "N-no." I whispered, she nodded, I stood up, fear flooding through my body. "Gale, b-broke up with me." I whispered and mothers eyes widened.

"Delly Cartwright told him I cheated on him with A-Alyx Mellark." I said and mother sighed. "He'll come to his senses soon." Mother said and I bit my lip. I left the house, I needed air, I went to my only safe space, The Meadow. I sat down on some rocks by the lake, throwing stones into the water.

I heard the snap of branches and turned around instantly, it was only Gale. I sat back down and threw another rock into the water. "Leilani, I'm sorry." Gale whispered, sitting beside me. I threw another rock into the water, watching it skim across the surface, one, two, three times before landing in the depths.

"You believed her over me, Gale." I spat, I was angry and he couldn't just think a sorry would fix this. "It's just, I've been working in the mines and not spending time with you... I, I just got jealous." Gale admitted and I finally turned around to look at him. "I've been helping your mother with Posy, Rory and Vick. How could you think I'd have the time to cheat on you with looking after my mother and Prim as well." I said and he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm just stressed, okay?" Gale snapped and then sighed, coming over and wrapping his arms around me. "I'm sorry, please forgive me." Gale whispered, his lips pressing a kiss against my hair. I turned around and looked at him, pressing my lips to his, he softened at the contact and wrapped his arms around my waist, squeezing gently.

My hands wrapped around his neck and climbed onto his lap. "Next time I won't be so forgiving." I whispered against his lips. "You can't resist me." Gale whispered and I let out a soft chuckle, kissing him again. Gale and I made love next to the lake, it was slow and passionate, we dressed ourselves and made our way back to The Seam, hand in hand. Hazelle and the kids were already in our house, her and my mother preparing dinner, Hazelle looked at us with a smile. "All ok?" Hazelle asked and I nodded, Gale pressed a kiss to my head. "Gale and Lei kissed!" Posy shouted, running to me and holding up her arms, I picked her up and spun her round making her giggle.

Rory and Vick had the tv on, the games were already in motion, I sat down with Posy on my lap and stared at the tv. "Is Katniss still alive?" I asked and Rory nodded. "Yes, she's hidden in a Cave with Peeta." Vick said and I let out a sigh of relief. "Attention tributes," Claudius's voice rang through the arena. "Two victors will be allowed to win from the same district! That is all." I looked at Rory with my eyes wide. "Katniss might come home!" I gasped, Gale's eyes were glued to the screen, Peeta had developed a fever, probably from the cut Cato had left on his skin.

Haymitch had sent some medicine for him which Katniss administrated with a needle, she was almost killed in the process by Clove, I smirked at my sister knowing how much this repulsed her, she pressed a kiss to Peeta's lips, I know I shouldn't find this funny as she was literally fighting for her life but whenever mother and I would help someone's burns from the mines, usually down to the bone and Katniss would always run out of the house grimacing.

"Are you sleeping tonight, Lei?" Posy asked sleepily from my arms, I looked up at Gale who nodded. "Yes." I whispered and she hugged me tighter if that was remotely possible. "So there's only Foxface, Cato, Thresh and Katniss and Peeta left?" I asked and Gale nodded. "She has a real chance." I gasped and he nodded, I placed Posy down on the sofa beside Rory and hugged Gale tightly, he picked me up and spun me around.

I hugged mum and Prim tightly, no one from district 12 had ever made it this far. "C'mon kids." Gale said and Posy jumped on Gale's back, I said goodbye to mum and Prim, walking back to the Hawthorne house. I put Posy to sleep and said good night to Rory, Vick and Hazelle.

"Posy asleep?" Gale asked and I nodded, he got up and grabbed my waist, pulling me close to him. "I'm still sorry, Leilani. Delly got into my head." Gale whispered and I rested my forehead against his, cupping his face with my hands and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. One of his hands remained on my waist and the other found my hair, bringing me closer.

I straddled his waist as his hands trailed to my bum. Tingles shot up and down my body as Gale touched me in various places, our kisses becoming sloppy. "I-I love you." Gale choked out and I pulled away, my lips parted as I stared at him. "What?" I whispered softly and Gale looked at me. "I - love - you." Gale said slowly and I kissed him fiercely, as though our lives depended on it. "I love you, too."