Not real.

Chapter Ten: When The Captiol Is No More

*Katniss*
I'm in that place again. Between dreams and reality. There's a faint beeping sound and I wonder what Kora has hooked me up to so that they can torture me again. Maybe I should just stay asleep. Maybe they'll assume I'm in a coma or something. Then the pain would stop...suddenly I remember throwing the knife into Kora's back and the image makes me cringe. But just like when I heard about Snow's death or when I killed Coin, I feel no regrets and no remorse. Her plan was to murder thousands of innocent people for sport. And though killing human beings gives me some guilt I know that it had to be done. She would have been killed anyway, eventually.
So if I'm not in the torture chamber or the control room... Where am I?
I threw the knife at Kora and then...wait why was there a knife? She was fighting someone, I couldn't make out who it was and I was losing consciousness again. But some part of me knew I had to stop her. And then the knife just fell at my feet, and with every last ounce of energy I had I killed her. And then everything went black again. Now, I can die peacefully I remember thinking to myself. But then,there's a familiar pair of arms holding me and I remember a voice
"I'm here now Catnip..." So that's who it was.
   As if on cue my eyes flutter open. And I find myself in a hospital bed. Guess my injuries were worse than I thought. It's not a Capitol hospital though. The walls are a calm beige color and it looks homey save the IV tubes hooked up to my arm.
   And then I see him. His head rests on the side of the mattress and both his hands are occupied by one of mine. He's holding my hand so tightly I begin to worry if he's having a nightmare or something. I return the grip and use my other hand to run my fingers through his hair. It's already messy anyway and I can't stop myself from thinking how handsome he is even with bed head.
   He sighs, waking up. His hands gently start to warm my cold one when he realizes his grip is being returned. His eyes fly open and look straight at me. Making sure that I'm alive and awake. I can literally see the relief flood his face before he pulls me into a hug that almost suffocates me.
   His protective arms feel like...home. And I start to cry. I remember how much I missed him not only while I was imprisoned but even before I went to district two. And I feel so bad that I went because it's probably what put a target on the Nut in the first place. Yet, I'm so glad that I didn't give up on him.
"It's okay, it's okay Catnip, it's over. I'm here." Gale reminds me over and over.
I'm sure he knows that I have no intention of letting go for a while. I need him. I need to know that this is not some trick played by the Capitol. So I stay in his arms for a long time before he pulls away.
   He brushes the tears from my cheeks.
"Don't cry Catnip." He whispers, and I trap his hand against my cheek. I close my eyes and take my first real breath of freedom. The Capitol has been obliterated and I'm no longer a slave to fear. Maybe to guilt and nightmares but I know now that I won't be alone.
   I notice, as I run my fingers over Gale's arm, the bandage going from his wrist to his elbow. I trace the white fabric with a soft to touch and then reach for his other hand. I can see the deep cuts that his handcuffs made, and his knuckles are healing from punching glass. My fingers brush over every injury that occurred while we were apart.
   "You really should stop hurting yourself like this." I say sarcastically.
He replies pretending to be offended.
"So this is what I get for saving your life? Well, MOM, I'll make sure to keep that in mind the next time your life is being threatened."
I smile and look down at my hands.
"Hey, I haven't seen one of those in a while." He smiles back at me and I punch him in the arm.
"And there's the Catnip we all know and love." He laughs at my glaring at him.
"But thank you Gale. For saving me."
He looks at me straight in the eyes and says "I promised myself that I wasn't going to let you die. Even if it was for me to escape."
I look away from his deep grey eyes, ashamed that he knew all along that my plan was not to survive.
"Hey." He puts a thumb under my chin forcing my gaze back to him.
"We're hunting partners. It's our job to protect each other right?"
I nod and he takes my hand.
"You okay?"
No. Truthfully I'm terrified. Now that everything's over what if Gale wants to go back and improve the Nut? Get lost in the work...I don't want him to leave.
And honestly I don't know if I want to be only "hunting partners" for the rest of our lives. I don't know what feelings I've developed for Gale, but they're definitely different. I need HIM to survive. He's the one I can't survive without.
This thought brings more tears to my eyes. Gale notices and puts his hand on the back of my neck, begging me to talk to him.
"Now that everything's over are you going to go back to work in Two?" I say in a surprisingly clear voice.
"I was thinking about it." He answers truthfully, and my heart sinks.
"But I think Beetee can handle being in charge without me. I have to come home."
The tears that once meant potential heartbreak turn into pure joy and I jump out of my hospital bed and throw my arms around him. Grinning, he returns my embrace without hesitation.
He's coming home.