Later that night, after everyone is asleep, I walk to Katniss' door. I hesitate in front of it. I haven't talked to her since she stormed out on us at the mention of us being together. I knock. No answer.
"Katniss? You in there?" I ask. I push the door open to find her sitting on the edge of her bed staring out the window. I step in and shut the door so we wont wake anyone. "Katniss?" I ask again. "Are you okay?"
"I'm not sure. What do you think?" she turns to face me.
"Katniss, I'm sorry about what happened earlier. I convinced Haymitch not to present us and lovers, if that makes you feel better."
"I miss home, Gale. I miss Prim, and my mother. I miss our woods." Tears start rolling down her face at the mention of home. I go sit by her. When I sit down, she scoots closer and lays her head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her for comfort.
"I know. I do to. It will be alright. You will be home soon." Her head flies up to stare at me.
"What? I won't be home soon! I'll never go back home."
"Yes you will." I take her face in my hands so she has no other choice but to look at me. "You will go home. I won't allow you do die."
"If I go home, you die. Home isn't home without you." she wraps her hands around mine and pull them onto her leg. "I'm not going home unless you come with me. I refuse."
"Well, your not dying on my watch"
"How do you know I'm going home, and not you? What if I refuse to let you die?"
"I just know, alright?" I pull her into my lap. "Just promise me you wont do anything stupid in the arena?"
She grins. "Alright. I promise." she looks at me with what she calls her 'thinking face'. "Just as long as you promise me the same thing."
I laugh. "Alright."
"And one other thing," she says.
"Yeah. Anything."
"Stay here with me tonight. Please?"
"Okay." I say. She jumps up, pulling me with her. She pulls back the silk bed sheets. She gets in and I slide in after her. Once I pull the covers around me, I look down and realize she's staring at me. "What?"
"Ya know, your kind of beautiful."
"Kind of?" I say smiling. Then I do the only logical thing I can think of. I kiss her.