Rose on Fire

Chapter 49

(Peeta POV)
After I ask Annie if she would like to join us for the funeral, she agrees and goes back inside to pack for the trip, and get Finn ready. I go to check on Katniss and Gale, I know that they knew Greasy Sae more than I did, Greasy Sae was the one that actually brought Katniss and I together. She started to invite me over more and more as Katniss got better, she started to slowly stop coming to check on Katniss, causing me to move in pretty much full time. I wish I could have thanked Greasy Sae for that. I turn the corner coming into Katniss and I's backyard, which makes me smile thinking about it now we are finally married, our wedding in the forest wasn't really much of a wedding because we didn't know what to do, we just kind of ate and fell asleep. I bring myself away from my thoughts, and look at what's in front of me, I turn the corner to see Katniss and Gale kissing. Before I do anything I look at Katniss, she's not kissing back, Gale is forcing her into the kiss, Katniss is trying to pull away but Gales to strong. I take action grabbing the back of Gale's shirt scarring him and making him let go of Katniss, I bash my fist against the side of his head. My mind starts spinning, I punch him again, his body goes limp telling me he's unconscious.  I keep thinking, did I do the right thing? What will Katniss thing of this? Then I think, he had his chance, Katniss could have easily picked him over me, she could have pushed me away and choose him, but she choose me. I go deeper into thought, he could have moved down here to comfort her, but instead he moved to district 2 far away. I don't want to think to badly of the guy because I know he help Katniss survive, but look what he just did to her. I let go of Gale, I look up to see Katniss tears in her eyes, she's shaking, she closes her eyes, tears stream down her already tear stained face. I walk toward her, I kneel in front of her, I wipe the tears from under her eyes. She looks up and makes a half real half fake smile before saying,"You're always trying to make me feel better." She gives me a hug and then leaves to go check on Annie and Johanna. I look over at Gale then I go over to him, grab the back of his shirt and start dragging him back to the funeral. Johanna sets down the tombstone thing she made, the walks over and slaps Gale across the face making everyone laugh just a little. Gale slowly wakes up so we can start. Johanna and I carry Greasy Sae carefully into the grave. We then start to shovel the dirt back into its spot. Once we finish, we immediately start on our way to 13, but not before picking up Cressida and Haymich. For Haymich Johanna and I had to tie a rope around both his arms and his torso, and drag him behind us.  He plays with an empty beer bottle as we drag him along filling it with dirt, then smashing it against a rock 5 minutes into the trip. Katniss looks down at the ground and stays silent as we walk, it's only 5:30 AM and it feels like it's already over, but has only just begun.