imperfect fit ; an everlark au based off of 'the selection' series

s i x t y - n i n e

It's Gale who lifts me from the back of the truck and hurriedly carries me to a tiny room. The space is smaller than my bathroom and holds two slim beds and a dresser. There are little notes and photos on the wall, which gives it some personality; but otherwise it's barren, not to mention incredibly cramped with Gale, me, Officer Boggs, Peeta, and Rue filling every square inch.

Gale lays me on a bed as gently as possible, but my arm continues to throb.

"We ought to get a doctor," he says. But I can tell he doubts his own words. Getting Dr. Aurelius would mean either telling the absolute truth or making up an outrageous lie, and neither of those options are things we want.

"Don't," I urge weakly. "I won't die from this. It'll just be a bard scar. We have to clean it up." I grimace.

"You'll need something for the pain," Peeta adds.

"She might get infected. That alley was really dirty, and I touched her," Rue says guiltily.

A silver of fire burns across the wound, and I hiss. "Tig. Get Tig."

"Who?" Peeta asks.

"Her head maid," Gale explains. "Boggs, get Tig and a medical kit. We'll have to make do. And we need to do something with her," he adds, nodding his head at Rue.

I watch Peeta's worried eyes finally move from my bloody arm to Rue's troubled face.

"Are you a criminal? A runaway? You're quite young." Peeta says.

"Runaway, but no one's looking for me."

Peeta considers her words. "Welcome abroad. Follow Boggs down to the kitchen and find Clare, she works down there, and tell her you'll be working with her on the prince's command. Instruct her to go to the officers' wing immediately."

"Clare. Yes, Your Majesty." Rue gives him a deep curtsy and follows Officer Boggs from the room, leaving me alone with Peeta and Gale. I've been with both of them all night, but this was the first time it's just the three of us. I can feel the weight of our secrets filling up the already restricting room.

"How'd you make it out?" I ask.

"August, Georgia, and Micah heard the gunshots and came running," Peeta says. "He wasn't kidding when he said they'd never heard us." He pauses, his eyes quickly distant and sad. "Micah didn't make it."

I turn my head away. I didn't know a thing about him, but he died tonight for us. I feel as guilty as if I'd taken his life myself.

I go to wipe a tear away, forgetting to use my left arm, and cry out.

"Calm down, Katniss," Gale says, forgetting to be formal.

"Everything's going to work out," Peeta promises. I nod, putting my lips together to avoid crying anymore. What a waste. We're quiet for what feels like a long time, but maybe it's the pain stretching out the minutes. "It's wonderful to have such devotion," Peeta says suddenly.

At first I think he's talking about Micah again, but Gale and I look over and see him gazing at a space on the wall behind me. There, beside several pictures drawn by one of his younger siblings, is a note.

I'll always love you. I'll wait for you forever. I'm with you, not matter what.

My handwriting was a little sloppier a year ago when I'd left that note by my window for Gale and it's surrounded by silly little hearts that I would never put in a love letter now, but I can still feel the importance of those words. It had been the first time I'd put them in writing, afraid of how much more I felt those things once they were on paper. I also remembering the fear of Mom finding that note surpassing any other worry about the enormity of knowing, without a doubt, that I loved Gale.