After the Rebellion

Gale Returns

*Gale's POV*

I walk in and see Katniss hugging Peeta. I get that she loves him, but I still love her. When they see me, Peeta puts himself in front of Katniss, protecting her from me. They must think that I'm back to carry out my threat of coming back after their happiness. It was an empty threat. I would never want to hurt Katniss, and I know that if I tried to take her away from Peeta, or if I hurt him in any way, that she would be hurt. I love her too much to hurt her.

When I saw her body connected to tubes and bandaging on her neck, I could tell that she was hurt. And I was pretty sure that Peeta had caused it.

"Gale, go away," Peeta said. He tried to sound intimidating, but I wasn't buying it.

"Did you do that to her? You must have. A nurse already told me that she was asphyxiated. That she was choked. You had another flashback and hurt her. She can't speak because of you!" Rage was building up inside me, and just as I was starting to get on a roll, I couldn't think of anything else to say. I wanted to say how horrible a husband he made for Katniss. I wanted to say that he was an idiot for not being able to control his flashbacks. But that's the thing. If he were any other person, I'd be able to say that he was a terrible husband, but he's Peeta. He was hijacked, and that's that.

"Gale," a husky voice said. Peeta looked behind him to look at Katniss. He whispered something to her and handed her a board and marker. She wrote for a few minutes and handed her words to me.

'You know that Peeta can't control his flashbacks. I was caught off guard so I couldn't help him. Don't blame him for hurting me when you've hurt me even more. You remind me of my father, and remembering his death hurts. You tried to take me away from Peeta before the Quarter Quell. You knew that I started to love him. You had to know that. And worst of all, you designed the bomb that killed my sister. You have no right to judge Peeta. Please, just leave.'

Tears started to escape my eyes, and I didn't want Katniss to see. I handed her the board back and walked towards the door.

"As you wish, Catnip." I walked out of the room, turning back only once when I was about to walk out if the hospital. This was the last time that I would ever see my old hunting partner.

A/N: Sorry that it's short! I just hate writing in Gale's perspective, and I really thought that it would be longer than that... I hope you guys are at least sort if enjoying your school year so far, or whatever it is that you're doing. I'll try to write another chapter within the next couple of days for you guys!