Return to the Sea (Gale Hawthorne x OC)

Chapter 11

I swear to myself when I've noticed almost all my knives are gone and my spear no where to be seen. I take out my braid and run my hands through it, something I do when I'm agitated. Then the weight of my bracelet makes itself know. I look down and see the gold chain, making my blood boil more.

"Hey, you sure your okay?" I hear Finnick's voice from beside me.

I grab him and push him up against the metal of the cornucopia. I hold him there with my forearm.

"It's all your fault! If I wasn't allied with you, I'd be away from you and all the threats you attract! I could've killed from the distance. But no! You've brought me into this mess and now I have to clean it up with no weapons!" I yell in his face.

I let go and turn back, I see everyone looking at me, shocked by my outburst. I ignore them and go around picking up the left over knives I can find, putting them in the holster. Once we get everything we need from the cornucopia, we head back to the beach.

When we get to land, I go and sit against a tree, taking a knife and tossing it, catching the blade every time.

"So besides Brutus and Enobaria, who's left?" Katniss says while playing with the sand.

"Maybe Chaff, just those three." Peeta answers.

This time Finnick speaks up. "They know they're out numbered, doubt they'll attack again. We're safer on the beach."

"So what do we do, we hunt them down?" Johanna sasses.

I chuckle. "Sounds good to me."

Then we hear a child-like scream. "Katniss! Help me!"

"Prim!" Katniss screams.

When she stands up, that's when I hear his voice. My head shoots up in the direction Katniss took off. When I hear his scream again, I'm sprinting into the jungle.

"Triton!"

I can hear the other's footsteps behind me but that just makes me push faster. I here Prim's cries for help and Triton's horrid screams. I stop behind Katniss, searching for any sign of Triton.

"It's all your fault!" Hero hisses.

"Ceto!"

"You should've been the one to go, not Hero!"

"Help!"

All the voices start to get overwhelming and I about miss Katniss shoot an arrow at a Jabberjay.

"Katniss! You ok?" Finnick appears.

"Finnick!" Annie's voice cries.

Finnick begins to run towards the screaming and Katniss and I try to stop him, telling him it's not her.

"It's a Jabberjay! They're playing tricks!" I stop in front of him.

"How do they get the sound? Jabberjay's copy."

Then I hear a male's scream. I don't recognize it but Katniss sure does.

"Gale." She whispers.

Then the Jabberjays all come swooping down at us, Prim's voice, Triton's screams, and Gale's pleads all surrounding us. Marshall stands in front of me and yells at me, Dele by his side doing the same thing. Hero standing behind them just laughing at my suffering.

I can't take it anymore that I about crumble to the ground when Katniss takes my hand, pulling me with her while Finnick follows. The hallucinations and Jays follow us, giving me a headache. Then the Jays start pecking at us.

When we see the others, they're telling us something but we can't hear. Katniss let's go of my hand and runs into a wall sort of thing. Finnick and Katniss try to break through the force but I just stand back, knowing that if the Capitol wants us here, they'll keep us here to suffer.

I walk to a tree, Johanna following me, still keeping an eye on Finnick. I drop to the ground, shaking with fear. Fear that Triton is dead. And fear of myself.

I pull my knees to my chest and let the tears fall. Hero still laughing at my suffering and Marshall and Dele cursing me out. A Jabberjay lands right next to me, Triton's voice coming from it.

I keep repeating, "It should've been me" over and over.

After what feels like days, the screaming stop and the birds go away, I can't say so much about the hallucinations though. I didn't notice I was staring off into space, still whispering those four words until Johanna kneels in front of me.

"It's ok, shhh. It's over." She brings me into a hug, whispering reassuring things in my ear.

When my breathing starts to calm, she lets go of me and goes over to make sure Finnick is ok. My hands still shake as I can't get Triton's screams and cries of help out of my head.

"Your fiancé's right. The whole country loves your sister. If they tortured her or did anything to her..." Johanna shakes her head. "Forget the districts. There would be riots in the damn Capitol."

"She's right." I croak. "Snow wouldn't dream of hurting little Prim. And Annie's to innocent for them too."

Finnick glances at me then to Johanna as she starts cursing at Snow and I can't handle it so I block her out. Beetee helps me up then Finnick. Katniss walks over to me, wrapping her hand around mine making me feel young again but I don't care. It's comforting.

When we reach the beach again, Finnick goes into the water. Katniss, Peeta, Beetee, and I sit under the shade of the vines and bushes. Katniss jumps from something, turning around to Johanna with two coconuts filled with water. She hands Katniss one and the other to me.

"Thank you." Katniss says.

I take small sips, not really thirsty but knowing that it's just from the shock. Johanna sits next to me, looking out toward the water.

Katniss then turns towards us. "Who's Annie?"

I smile slightly. "Annie Cresta. I volunteered for her."

"She won 4 years- 5 years ago." Johanna adds.

"Is she the one that went a little..." Katniss trails off.

I nod my head while Johanna continues speaking. "Mhmm.... Love is weird."

Then Gale comes to mind again. "Who's Gale?" I whisper.

Katniss looks at me again and smiles. "He's my best- cousin. Yeah. You guys would get along. He's strong and uses his mind like you do. He's also quiet and doesn't speak as much unless it's a snarky comment or something smart like you."

I nod my head knowing she was going to say friend. Best friend. Not her cousin.

"I have a plan." Beetee finally speaks up.