Nightlock

Katnip

We sat in silence for a while until Gale clears his throat, "do you really love him".

I hear a slight knot in his voice.

"Do you really think I'd be here if I didn't? You know how I felt about you back then but there's no way I could lose Peeta, I would never abandon him, not after all it took to get him back, yes Gale I'm not going to deny there's feeling between us, there always will be but this is my life now".

Gale smirks at me,"so you do have feelings then, I new I wasn't coming here as a lost cause I KNEW IT!", he gets to his feet and sits on the edge of the sofa next to me.

"If you love him, if your 'happy', why would you try and kill yourself? Go on Katniss, you tell me, who was there to stop you? Not little bread boy, you don't realize how much better off you are with me".

"The images got to much for me Gale, it's nothing to do with Peeta, I couldn't stop my myself, it was a stupid selfish act I know but Peeta was trying to help me, I was just too fast for him, his leg always slows him down".

"he's useless Katniss, you need a real man, not half a boy with a wooden leg, how is someone like that ever going to protect you, care for you fully, you know you need me, stop kidding yourself, he's still a broken mutt, whether you like that it or not. How can you live with a capitol invention, its disgusting.", he looks across at Peeta who still seems to be sleeping un-stirred.

I had listened to more than enough, "GET OUT" I scream, pulling myself to my feet and pushing Gale towards the door, he grabs me in a strong embrace and holds me there, frozen I can't push him anymore, I'm fighting both the urge to punch him in the face and fold into his arms, it's been so long since I've felt him, no matter how much I hate him, he's still the boy I grew up with, who helped me become who I am today, or who I was before all this.

"what do you think your doing, get off her now". The authority in Peeta's voice stuns me, I've never heard this deep growl before, "are you listening? GET OUT".

Gale drops his arms and walks towards the doorway, "katnip, you know what I mean, you know I'm right, I'll be waiting for you", he slams the door behind him.

I'm still stood, mouth open when Peeta takes me in his arms and we sink to the ground.

"I heard what he said Katniss, all of it, he's right, I'm not good for you, I'm broken..I think you would be better with Gale, if you moved to district 2 with him and started a new life, well maybe you might get better, I mean properly better, you can't risk another episode like this, I can't let you drift away from me".

He pulls himself away from me and slowly walks upstairs, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

There is no doubt in my mind that I still have feelings for Gale, however little they are, his dark eyes still enchant me the way they always did but I have a new life now and there is no way I would risk loosing Peeta for him, I know he may be broken but so am I, there are no winners from the games just survivors, we have to try and survive together, no matter how hard it is.