Slide Away

s e v e n

"G-Gale . . . your . . . how . . . "She stumbles over her words, tears falling down her already red face.

A faint smile appears on my face and

one

of

those

cute

choking

sounds

falls

from

her

lips.

"Hey Catnip."

------------------------------ Katniss's POV ---------------------------- 

"Hey Catnip."

I never thought in my life that I would be so happy to hear those two words. I couldn't feel the tears falling down my face until Gale's hand caresses my face softly, whipping them away. My hand places of his holding it against my cheek and I let out a small sob. He was awake, it was real.

"Hey don't cry, Catnip." He smiles slightly. "Hey, it's okay."

I drop my head against his chest another sob falling from my lips as his arms wrap tightly around me. He was awake. Gale was awake. I can't let my smile show through my tears as I let my self let down my guard. I relax into his arms taking it in, His arms were around me and I was safe again. I sit up quickly glaring at him.

"What happened to never leaving me!" I almost scream, my hands finding his face. Caressing it carefully.

"Aw, have you missed me?" He chuckles.

That's my Gale.

"N-No . . . I just . . . you . . ." I stumble over my words and my best friend grins. How long has it been since I've seen him smile?

"She's missed you more than you know, boy." I look over my shoulder to see my mother walking into the room a smug look on her face. Out of every time for my mother to completely calm it was now?! Gale just woke up from a coma and she is just chill!?!?

"You were right," I say looking back to Gale. "You never know how much you love someone till their gone."

I wrap my arms around him and he does the same. I rest my head against his chest and block out everything around us. It was just us. Gale and Katniss. I had waited what felt like forever for this. I had waited for so long to be back in his arms and hear his voice.

"I missed you," I admit. I've missed you more than I can say out loud.

"I missed you too Catnip." He whispers.

We stay like this for a long time just holding each other and that was fine with both of us. I never wanted Gale to let go again, I wanted him to keep me in his arms forever. I knew he never wanted to let me go.

Peeta and Haymitch left and Hazelle showed up with the kids after about an hour. Prim, Posy, Rory, and Vick all jumped on top of Gale, crying and hugging him. Hazelle waited till the kids finished embracing their older brother. She had to wait a while because no one wanted to let go of Gale and I don't Gale wanted to either.

"I missed you bubba," Posy says.

Gale smiles and kisses his sister's forehead, "I've missed you to little flower."

"Jesus Gale, you scared the crap out of us." Rory's face was red from crying and Gale sighs, pulling his brother back into a tight hug.

"I know." He says. "I'm sorry."

Hazelle and I stood by Gale's bed smiling at the kids. Gale found an opening in the tangle of kids and wrapped his free arm around his mother, closing his eyes.

"Hi" Hazelle breathed, placing a carefully hand on the top of his head.

"I missed you Ma."

I watch the tears fall down Mrs. Hawthorne's face as she takes a shaky breath.

"I've missed you, baby." She whispers back after a moment.

  Later that night I laid next to Gale, my head on his shoulder while Posy laid on his chest. Rory and Vick curled into Gale's other side. My mother had the night off so she and Hazelle went out to have some fun with Haymitch and Effie. I offered to "babysit" the kids while they did this.

Gale plays with my hair, his breath can be felt on the top of my head and it sends chills down my spine. I watch all our siblings sleep peacefully, as Gale's arms stay around them. I sink into his embrace, burying myself in his side. I had waited so long for this. For his arms to be around me, to hear his voice. 

"I could hear you." He whispers to me. "The whole time, I was able to hear you."

My grey eyes meet his as I look up at him.

"I heard you and Ma, and our siblings. Everyone was talking to me and I couldn't say anything back."

"You heard me tell you that It was okay to let go?" I ask in a hushed tone.

"At that time I wanted to go, but . . . "He trails off.

"But what?" I ask. 

"I was standing there, Catnip. I was standing there in the hall listening to you cry and beg them to save me and I just couldn't." He shakes his head. "Everything came back to me. How much I loved your smile and laugh. How much I wanted to be able to hold you in my arms. How much I wanted to kiss you and tell you I loved you. "

I feel the tears starting to form in my eyes and I try my hardest to push them away. I bring my head up and press my lips against his. I kiss him and he kisses me. And for those few seconds, that our lips were connected. It felt like he was kissing me for the first time all over again.

"I love you Gale and I'm so sorry" I whisper.

His hand caresses my face and he shakes his head once more as if you say, Don't be sorry.

"I'm sorry, I started that argument and it was wrong of me to just leave like I did." He says.

"To be fair, you were kidnapped and hijacked." I smile slightly.

A faint smile appears on his face, "Making excuses for me now Catnip?"

"I've been doing it since day one." I scowl.

He chuckles and I snuggle back into his side, my head against his shoulder. I sigh as his arms tighten around me. This was my Gale. He was awake and I was in his arms.  We are both quiet for a long time and I close my eyes.

"I love you, Gale." I murmur as I start to feel myself drift away. 

I swear I can hear the smile in his voice, "I love you too Katniss."