You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope (On Hold)

Chapter 9

After a few seconds of processing Gale's actions I had begun to return the favor but only for his benifit. Once I had grown tired of trying to return the favor to the same standards as him I just retracted my lips from his enough so that I could but my face in the crook of his neck and snake my arms aroud him so that he would accept the embrace and do the same back, which was sucssesful because seconds after we where soaking up eachothers warmth while awaiting news of my sisters condition.

A few minutes past of Gale and I embracing each other when sae walked out from her kitchen into the ally in which we where situated sitting on a crate, she walked over to Gale and I placing her hand on my left shoulder which was still damp with Prim's blood and knelt down infront of me "She's gonna be okay, but you need to bring her home so that she can rest I gave her sleep syrup so that I could take the arrow out without hurting her, so she will probably sleep for a while longer." she stated with nothing but sadness and remorse present in her voice. "So I can bring her home now?" I asked quietly with a hoarse tone to my voice. "Yes Katniss, you can." she replied compassionatley "Thank you" I replied holding back the tears and walking back through the ally and into sae's kitchen where I saw Prim laid out on the kitchen table sleeping peacefully with a bandage wrapped around her shoulder countless times.

After being briefed by sae about changing her bandages and carrying her home the correct way so that I can't hurt her I borrowed a blanket from Sae and wrapped it around Prim being sure to keep her away from the cold in her condition, I scooped her in my arms while Gale protested telling me that he would carry her but i felt that I had caused this I had to take care of her. I eventually got him to accept my decision and follow me home on our fifteen minute treck from the half rebuild seam to our home the victors village. Upon our arrival home we where greeted by the presence of Peeta digging a hole in the center of the patch of grass outside both our houses. When Peeta turned his head after hearing the sound of Gale and I's footsteps on the path he observed the situation and started approaching us at a slow and weary looking pace. 

"Is Prim okay?" he said with his eyes glazing over her in my arms.

"She's fine we just got into a bit of an accident." I stated not wanting to tell him that I had shot my sister because of my own stupidity.

"Oh, okay." he sighed while walking away getting back to work.

And with that I turned around to see Gale waiting at the top of the steps after having unlocked the door allowing our entry. When I had scaled the steps up to my house I immediatley brought Prim upstairs to the safety of my room because I wanted her to have for space as my bed was bigger so it could accomadate her injury better than her own as it is less spacious than my own. After laying her under the covers and tucking her in as best I could considering her wound, I sat down on the floor against the wall watching her like a hawk reasuring myself that she was in fact just asleep not gone forever. When I had finaly settled into my cold hard spot on the floor leaning against the wall I began to think which I shouldn't have done because I started thinking about my worst memory. Losing Rue in my first games, which then had a knock on affect of me starting to cry silently about the fact that I had infact scared Prim for life and done the opposite of what I have always intended to do, I had hurt her Prim, my little duck. 

After many hours of wallowing in my own self-loathing, Prim began to become more and more active in the bed which could only mean one thing she was having a nightmare "No Katniss no, I'm sorry!" She half shouted with terror in her voice but her actions and words have frozen my body but not my mind what was I doing what was I about to do to her Prim my little sister. Within seconds of thinking about her words she had shot up from the bed and winced in pain and let out a faint low scream of pain and I think a little terror was involved in the cause of it too. After wittnessing her actions I was putting one hand on her back and the other on her chest so that I could slowely lower her down back to the comfort of my bed after successfully doing so I began "It was just a dream Prim it wasn't real I promise I would never ever intentionaly hurt you and you need to know that." I said reasuringly while staring straight into her eyes and running one hand through her hair like I used to when she was younger and had woken up from a nightmare.

"I'm so sorry Prim." I paused while holding back tears "I really really am." I continued letting a few flow.

"It's okay Katniss, I should have..." She started to blame herself which I wasn't allowing it was my fault and my fault only so I interjected not allowing her to say another word.

"No Prim it was not your fault in any way and you have to understand that, it was my fault no one elses not yours not Gale's no-ones." I replied sternly while burning a hole in her eyes with mine.

With that said she attempted to lift her arms but was quickly defeated by the pain I had caused in her left shoulder.

"No Prim you need to lye down you can't lift your arm it will hurt your shoulder."

After correcting her I did what she intended on doing before being stopped by her wound, I wrapped her in my arms not daring enough to let go of the warm and loving embrace we had formed together.