I Love You To The Moon And Back

Chapter 49: Mad

Peeta P.O.V.

I'm still sitting at Katniss' bed. I haven't let go of her hand since I've been here. I'm so mad at Gale. He shouldn't have kissed Katniss. He's her friend for God's sake! I don't trust him anymore. Nobody touches my Katniss. She's my girlfriend, and mine only.
I'm alone at this moment. Katniss' mom was her a minute ago, but she is off to the cafeteria, to get some coffee. It's 10:45 pm.
'I'm so sorry Katniss. I should have watched you. I should've never let you go without me knowing where you were. I'm so sorry', I say softly. Her hand is so cold. It's always cold, but not this cold. She's still so pale. I don't like seeing her like this. I sit a little closer to her.

'Come back to me, baby. Please', I say. Then Katniss' mom comes in.
'How's she doing?' she asks. I shrug. 'Same', I say. She sits down on her chair and looks at Katniss.
'You think she eh... Will wake up?' I ask. She looks at me. 'I don't know. I think so, but I don't know what sort of smack she had', she says. I nod.

I sit there for I don't know how long, when the doctor comes in. He checks on her and looks at me. 'Maybe you should go home and get some sleep', he says. I look at Katniss and shake my head. 'No, I want to stay with her', I say. The doctor sighs and places his hand on my shoulder.
'Listen boy-', he starts, but I interrupt him. 'I'm not going', I say resolute. 'Peeta...', Katniss' mother says. 'It's okay, I'll stay with her.' I sigh. I really don't want to go. But I stand up, anyway. I kiss Katniss' hand and leave. I know for sure I won't be able to sleep tonight anyways.

___________

The next morning, I wake up because of my phone ringing. I moan. 'I just got half and hour sleep!' I whine. I grab my phone and pick it up.
'Hello?' I ask in a hoarse voice.
'Hey man, Finnick here', I hear.
'What's up?' I ask.

'I was just wondering if you would go to school today, or that we should make something up for you', he says. I think. Oh yeah, school. I got that too.
'No, man. I want to stay with Katniss', I say. 'I understand. Annie and I will be visiting after school. Good luck, BreadBoy', he says. I chuckle light and hang up. I get out of bed, dress myself and drive off to the hospital.

'Hello Peeta', Katniss' sister Prim says when I come in. I look around. She's the only one here, besides Katniss. 'Hey Prim. Don't you have to go to school?' I ask. She shakes her head. 'No, I'm skipping', she says. I chuckle. 'Me too', I say when I sit down next to Katniss. She smiles sadly at me.
'How was her night?' I ask. Prim looks over at Katniss. 'Rough. She was restless and she had nightmares, we think', she says. I look at Katniss too and sigh. My girl...
'But, the doctor noticed something strange', she says frowning. I look at her, puzzled. 'What?' I ask worried. 'Well, he said that Katniss kept mumbling your name in her sleep, but she doesn't reply at incentives related to you', she says. I glance over at Katniss. 'What does that mean?' I ask. Prim shrugs again. 'I don't really know', she says. We remain silent.

After a couple of minutes the doctor comes in.
'Oh, well, hello Peeta', he says when he sees me. I nod at him. He checks on Katniss again. 'Hey...', he mumbles suddenly. I frown and so does Prim. 'What is it?' she asks. The doctor looks at her. 'How long has she been like this?' he asks. 'Like what?' I ask. 'So... Quiet', he says. I shrug and Prim thinks. 'For as long as I'm here', I say. Prim looks up with big eyes. 'She went quiet when Peeta came in, I remember', she says. I look at her, and then to Katniss. The doctor walks over to me.
'Well, Peeta, I think it's best for Katniss if you stay with her for a while', he says, smiling a little. I frown in confusion. The doctor sees it and continues. 'You're good for her. So simple is it. She's feeling better when you're around. It makes her calm. She can't handle any stress, and she feels restless when you're gone', he says. That makes me smile. Even in her coma she wants me with her...
'Oh, and I think it's also good for her for you to keep talking to her. The sound of your voices reassures her that you're here. That keeps her calm', he adds. I nod. 'I will', I say. The doctor nods at me and leaves. I look over at Prim. She's smiling at Katniss.
'What?' I ask. She glances at me. 'I knew it. I knew she really loved you. I've told her so many times. I knew that she needed you. And this is the evidence', she says. I smile at her and take Katniss' hand in mine.

'Hey, baby. I'm here', I say. I can't stop smiling now. She needs me. And I need her.
'I'll leave you two. Keep talking to her', Prim says. I nod when she goes through the door. I look at Katniss again. 'I love you, you know that? I love the way you make me feel when you kiss me. I love your beauty. I love the way you laugh and the way your eyes start shining when you're feeling good. I love the sight of you in the morning. I just... I love you, Katniss', I say. I look down at her hand in mine. 'Please, come back to me. I miss you. I miss your smile I love to see', I say. I sigh. 'You need me, but I need you too, baby.'

'She doesn't need you, Mellark', I suddenly hear. I look up and see Gale standing in the doorway. I stand up. 'Yes she does. The doctor told me himself. She needs me around. Then she's calm and she can rest and heal', I say. Gale walks over to Katniss' bed. He looks down at her, and then looks at me again. 'Why aren't you at school anyways?' I ask. Gale grins. 'I need to be with my girl', he says simply. I bite my teeth. 'Your girl?' I ask. Gale nods. 'Yeah. She may be calm with you around, but I bet she will be feeling much better with me at her side', he says. I frown. 'Why are you acting like this, Gale? She won't feel any better about you when you do this', I say. Gale looks down at Katniss again. 'I just love her', he says softly. I walk back to the other side of her bed. 'You and me both', I say. I look at him.

'But you should've never kissed her', I say. He looks up at me. 'You knew?' he asks. I nod. 'Surprised?' I ask. Now he nods. 'I thought that of you knew, you'd kill me. That's what I would do when somebody would do that to her if she was my girlfriend. That proves that I'd be a better boyfriend for her', he says. I sigh and sit down. 'I'd say we let her decide', I simply say. It would break me if Katniss leaves me, but I can't push her to love me. 'Why so unsure, Mellark?' Gale asks as he sits down at her other side. 'I see the way she looks at you, Gale. She loves you', I say sighing. 'She loves you too, Peeta. She wouldn't have bought you lingerie if she didn't', he says. I frown at him. What did he just say?
'How do you know that?' I ask. Gale looks at me. 'I bumped into her when she and that Amy came out of a lingerie story', he explains. I nod. He isn't sure that she bought something for me. Probably not, that's not like Katniss.

We stay silent for a long time. I know that I should talk to her, but I can't with Gale sitting here.
'I should talk to her', I say, trying to get him to understand the hint. But he just looks at me with a puzzled glance. 'The doctor says that she gets calm when she hears my voice', I say. Gale looks at Katniss. It looks like he's talking to her in his mind.
'Then I'll go', he says when he's finished. I nod at him when he leaves. I look at Katniss and kiss her hand.
'So, that was Gale. I hope you didn't hear our conversation. If you did, please don't be confused. It's okay. Just, follow your heart and your feelings', I say. I lean in and place a soft kiss on her cheek.

I keep talking to her for a long time, untill Prim and her mother come in. We have a little small talk, untill the doctor comes in.
'Peeta, we're about to get you a bed, and we're gonna check how Katniss' night will be, if you sleep besides her', he says. I nod. I'm glad I can spend the night with Katniss.

Some nurses roll in a bed and place it besides Katniss'. 'There you go', the doctor says. I smile at him. Prim and her mother stand up. 'We'll let you get some rest', mrs. Everdeen says. I nod. They leave and so does the doctor. I climb in the bed next to Katniss and caress her arm with my fingers.
'I miss you, baby. Come back to me. Don't leave me. I need you', I say, before drifting off.

*********

So, Katniss is still in coma... And what about Gales attitude?
Let me know what you want to read.
Love, -xxx-