Mockingjay: What If......

Chapter 3-Katniss

I'm worried about Gale. He wasn't at dinner tonight. I saw him talking with Beetee earlier, but I didn't want to interrupt them. I didn't see him at all after that. I considered asking Plutarch or another official if they've seen him, but I thought better of it. I decided to go see Hazelle and ask if she knows where he is.
When I reach the Hawthorne's quarters, I don't hear any noises inside, but I knock anyway. There's no answer, but the door's unlocked so I go in. I hear quiet sobbing coming from Hazelle's bedroom. "Hazelle?" I call out, "are you there?"
"Katniss?" She sniffs, "come on, I'm in here!" She's sitting on the end of the bed, and her eyes are red from crying.
"What's wrong?" I ask, "did something happen?"
She could barely speak. "President......Gale.......treason..."
I was confused. "Is Gale okay? Where is he? What happened?"
She was finally able to speak. "President Coin had Gale arrested for treason. It couldn't be true Katniss, could it?" She began sobbing again.
I comforted her. "I'm sure this is only a misunderstanding. I'll go down there first thing tomorrow morning and get this whole thing cleared up."
She spoke again. "I suppose I'll just have to trust you with this one. I know you'll do whatever's best for Gale."
I couldn't make any promises, but I hoped she was right. I would go home now and think for a while, toss around some ideas.
I got ready to leave. "Good night, Hazelle."
"Good night, Katniss."
The next morning, I got up and headed to the entrance to the main dungeon. When I asked to see Gale Hawthorne, the receptionist told me that he had been moved to the high security prison and the visiting hours were 2-4 pm. Hoping to get in early, I headed down to the entrance. The guards there said they were under strict orders that no one was to see Gale outside of his family and high ranking officials. I was considered an official, but I would only be allowed in at normal hours.
I walked back to my family's apartment and found only Prim there. I wandered aimlessly over to my bed and sat down.
Prim spoke first. " What's bothering you, Katniss? And don't say its nothing. I can tell you're really worried about something."
"It's Gale, Prim."
"What about him?"
"Coin arrested him for treason."
"What? Impossible! Is there evidence?"
"She doesn't need any," I grumbled, "She's the president."
"What do you think really happened?"
'"I have no idea. I'm going to rest a little before I go down there to visit him."
"Well, I'm going to go help mom now. Good luck."
That afternoon, I went back to the prison. Four guards escorted me to Gale's cell. I couldn't help but cry out.
"Oh, Gale, what have they done to you?"
The floor of Gale's cell was covered in blood. Gale was lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious. His back was oozing blood, his entire body seemed to be covered in it. "Please Gale, wake up! Please? For me?"
He finally spoke. His voice showed how much pain he was in. "Hey, Catnip. Anything for you." He attempted a smile. He tried to sit up, but grimaced in pain and lowered himself back to the floor.
"What happened Gale? I mean what really happened."
"I could never tell you."
"You have to, Gale! I need to get you out of here!"
"This is for your own good, Catnip. I could never put you in danger."
"Gale, this is not about me. Your family needs you!"
"Katniss," he said, "you need to promise me you'll always be there for my family, even when I'm not." I could tell that he was serious, and his meaning was clear.
I responded with determination. "I am not letting you die here Gale! Next to my family, you are more important to me than anyone!"
He sighed. "What about Peeta?"
At last I see what this is about. "So that's it. You're so jealous of the boy I loved, you're going to let yourself die in torture!"
"Katniss, you did love me. You know you did. What happened? Why did you change your mind? And do not say you met Peeta!"
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
"I never thought I had a chance with you. You were two years older than I was. I figured even if we were in a temporary relationship, you would eventually fall for some older girl. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I never could've forgiven myself for that. But now...."
He didn't even let me finish. "Now there's Peeta, a boy who's had a crush on you since the first grade. Any love you had for anyone else in the past no longer matters. You were going to get married, Catnip!"
"Gale, I told you, we didn't have a choice! Snow was threatening you! He was threatening our families! What was I supposed to do?"
"Well now Coin's threatening me. What are you going to do this time? You can't marry lover boy and make this better."
"Gale, I know if you would just tell me what was going on I could fix this!"
"Catnip, I'm trying to protect you!"
I was angry now. "I'm not just some little girl you have to protect, Gale! If you really loved me, you would tell me what was going on!" With that I stalked out of the room, guards right behind me.
When I got home, I laid down on my bed and cried for hours. When Prim came home, she tried to comfort me. Finally, she coaxed me into telling her what had happened. After I told the whole story, I cried more. I finally spoke again. "Prim, how can I choose between two people I love? They both mean the world to me! I would never do anything to hurt either one of them".
"Well, you can't stay indecisive forever. If I were you, I'd make a decision soon. You may not have much time." With that, Prim walked out of the room.
It was late, but I didn't sleep that night. Or the next, or the next. Each day I visited Gale, each day he got worse and worse. One day he could barely speak. I didn't think he could hold on much longer.