4Okk…so here I am again..I don't like to keep ppl waiting…so this goes out to first two reviewers…Hungergamerchick27 and xXB-A-C-O-N Spells LOVEXx! Thanks you two…and thanks for showing me I spelled Peeta wrong..I knew something felt wrong about it…probably not gonna fix the first chapter tho but fix it in the rest…well here we go..I don't own the hunger games
Chapter 2
"Do you want me to finish up the dishes for you?" It shocks me to see Gale volunteer so quickly.
"You dry and I'll wash." He sets to doing the task I gave him quietly and I try to figure out what he is thinking. "Prim and Finnick like you." He nods but doesn't say anything. We finish in silence and I dry my hands.
"Do you know where I can stay at tonight? I haven't got anywhere to go but I promise I will find a place first thing tomorrow while you and Fin are hunting." I think for a second to see if this is really a good idea. He took care of my family while I was gone and he needs help. No matter if we aren't best friends anymore or not. I owe him.
"We have an extra room. I'll show you where it is. Follow me." Gale falls in line behind me and I stop at Prim's room to make sure she is brushing her teeth for bed.
"I'll be in here to sing you asleep in a minute. I just have to show Uncle Gale his room." She dances to her bed and plops down in anticipation.
"You sing again?" I nod and make sure Fin is in bed. Peeta isn't there yet but you can see it won't take long before he is asleep.
"Daddy will be in to tell you a bed time story. Be nice this time and don't tell him to get mommy to sing for you. His stories are decent enough and I'll sing for you tomorrow while your sister has to listen to his boring stories." A smile breaks across his face and I close the door.
"Boring? I thought I did so well though." Peeta wraps his hands around my waist and we begin to walk again.
"You are boring compared to my singing but they must share me. If only there was two of me." He laughs and kisses my forehead.
"I'm afraid the world can't take two of you. Where would all the animals hide? The girls in the world would have broken hearts because all the boys would follow your twin."
"Gale is staying the night in the spare room. He will find a place in the morning. Besides the kids like Uncle Gale. Prim said he's beautiful." I watch his eyes roll and I turn around to see Gale laughing quietly. A real smile.
"I knew you would offer our home. Don't you always even though I'm the one portrayed as the nice one. Did Prim tell you about what happened today?" My face pales again. I can stand my blood but others disgust me.
"She is just like Primrose. I miss her so much." I lean my head on his shoulder and he rubs my arm.
"I do too but that's why we have Prim." Gale clears his throat as Peeta kisses me on the lips and I look over my shoulder. I smile and he actually smiles back.
"Please you two, get a room." I roll my eyes and open the door to the extra room. He steps in and sighs in relief at the bed. I wonder if it has been a month since he has slept in one.
"The bathroom is downstairs. Feel free to use it whenever and remember that I have the woods tomorrow." I say goodnight and follow Peeta to our room. We get ready for bed but part so we can tuck our children in. I go to Prim's room and lay with her in bed.
"What song tonight?" Prim lays her head on my stomach and I sigh. I'm glad that Peeta talked me into this. The old scares still haunt me some nights but they ease when I wake up and see their smiling faces.
"The usual." I smile and sit up slightly to make sure it sounds just the way she likes it. A mockingjay lands on the outside window and I smile. He is my biggest fan.
"Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise.
Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings
Them true
Here is the place where I love you"
Prim is asleep and I kiss her forehead. I make my way out of the room and as I turn away from the door I run into Gale. I jump slightly but regain my composure.
"I can't believe you can still make all the birds go quiet. That was beautiful." I smile at him and we walk back to the room.
"Practice. When we are outside she likes me to sing a fast tune and let the birds pick it up so she can dance to it. She says she can't dance to mine because she just wants to sit and listen but the birds aren't as good as me." He nods and I push my door open slightly.
"I'm going to take a bath. I need a good one." I leave him staring after me but I close the door. Peeta isn't done with his story. It always takes him longer to make them sleep. A few minutes later he comes in and kisses me passionately.
"He wouldn't let me start telling my story until he stopped hearing your voice. I guess you win. You are less boring than me." I give him a half smile and lay on his chest.
"Do you think I should have done it?" He knows right away what I'm thinking about. We have been married so long it doesn't take much.
"Yes, because even though you won't admit it he is still your best friend. He didn't drop the bomb Kat. It wasn't his idea and no matter how you spin it, it never will be. Forgive him. The kids need their Uncle Gale in their lives even if I hate the idea but he won't live here right? I change my mind if he does and you can stay mad." I laugh and know he's right.
"He'll find a house but I wonder if he'll tell the kids he's not their real Uncle." I feel Peeta relax as he eyes began to droop.
"Don't you see it? He is their real Uncle. He already loves them. You can see it in his eyes when they make him laugh. I think he should be welcome here as long as he doesn't try to steal you from me." I laugh and let my eyes close. It will be a tough day tomorrow when I teach Finnick how to use his bow and probably end up helping Gale find a house close by. I drift to sleep and before I close my eyes I know it will be a nightmare night.
Gale lingers by the door as the end of the conversations comes to an end. He never knew that Peeta would actually stand up for him. He did like the kids because they reminded him so much of Prim and Katniss together. He wouldn't try to take Katniss away from her family because it's too perfect. He walks to his bed and lies down. He can hear Katniss's song play over and over again in his head. He falls asleep to the sound of her voice.
Gale bolts up as he hears a muffled scream from Katniss's room. He begins to head for the door but he stops abruptly. He knows those screams. When she was in the hospital he heard them constantly. She was having nightmares. He wants to comfort her so bad but he knows that Peeta is there for that when he hears the whispers from the room. Instead of feeling deep jealousy for her it turns out to be relief. He loves her and it is clear she feels the same way.
I sit up and clutch Peeta. It was a new excruciating dream. Sleep wouldn't come again tonight. My father dying, Prim rushing to his side when another bomb goes off, Peeta being tortured, my kids fighting in the Hunger Games, and Gale being killed by the arrow I aimed at President Coin.
"A dream Kat. It was just a dream. Your kids are right down the hall and I am right here. Everyone you love is safe." He knew exactly what to say because of coarse he has done it many times.
"I won't be able to sleep after that one. It's almost five now anyway so I'll just go hunting and I'll be back at seven for Finnick." I kiss him and change quickly. He used to hate it when I left with no reason but now he knows that it's my therapy. This is how I escape from the cruel world around me.
I bound into a nice tree and quickly climb to the top. I raise my bow with the arrow in the quiver and prepare it so it can be ready in a moments notice. Three weeks after I came back to District 12 my bow that Beetee made me appeared on my doorsteps. I never knew who brought it to me but I've had my suspicions over the years. I lean back against my tree and relax. The smell of the woods totally engulfs me and I don't notice the disturbance at first. Two men come into the clearing and I sit up quickly. There is something about them that I can't place but I've seen them before. They begin to speak in hushed tones.
"How do we know she's not in here listening to us?" The little man is glancing from left to right and is very finicky in general. I manage to hold back my laugh.
"She was in here yesterday. I told you I seen her walk in here." This man was a shocking eight feet it seemed. I couldn't believe they were talking about me.
"Payton said she could be here at anytime though. If she is we're going to get caught and then she'll know the President is looking for her." The bigger man slaps the smaller one.
"Pull it together Eric. If she is she doesn't need to hear us and Payton doesn't want to kill her so I see nothing wrong about following her to see her mental health." Eric stands on his tip toes to show he is as big as the other man and I see it has an undesired affect when he laughs instead.
"Jim if she is alive and well like everyone says then I'm sure she has good mental health. We don't have to see her to make sure." Jim begins walking again and I jump to another tree quickly.
"I want to see her myself. My dad talks of her all the time and I heard she is beautiful anyway. Why pass up the opportunity?" I jump down at that exact moment and stop in front of them.
"What do you want? I'm Katniss but I'm sure you already know this. Why is President Payton looking for me?" They jump back and reach for their weapons but I raise my arrows. They stop because I'm sure my reputation has proceeded me.
"She needs a favor from you. I don't know the exact mission it is but it's important nonetheless." I lower my weapon and sigh. I don't deal with that part of my life anymore but I always liked Payton. The thing would be securing my safety. Maybe people still hate me for killing Coin but did Payton need help?
"Is she in trouble?" Jim relaxes when he sees I pose no immediate threat. Eric however takes at least three steps back before Jim lays his hand on his shoulder.
"You can say that. I'm not really sure of the exact problem at hand but I think it's a pressing manner. We weren't supposed to tell you this but we have to leave and tell her of your mental health. How have you been?" I narrow my eyes at him.
"Tell her I said hello and if she needs me to come herself. I'm not leaving until we speak privately." They look as if there is more to say but I cut them off quickly. They leave without another word. Eric was too frightened to say anything else. I run home with a new fear in me. Will this affect my family?