"Katniss will pick whoever she thinks she can't survive without." Gale's words ring through my head. He wouldn't say something so cold and harsh unless it was the truth. He's always known me best, after all. If he's right, then who is it that I can't survive without? It seems to me that I've done a fair bit of surviving with both of them over the years. With Gale in District 12, and with Peeta in the arena. At this point and time, though, being without both of them would beneficial to me. But I know I can't do that, for their sake and mine. Because the war won't last forever, and I need to decide what to do when it ends.

When I agreed to be the Mockingjay, I knew that it was going to be difficult. I knew that I would face death, war, famine, and treachery. What I didn't know was that I would choose between two people that I love very dearly. But I know who I choose, because I already chose that person long ago. I pad over to Gale's sleeping form.

"Gale," I whisper. His eyes snap open immediately.

" Katniss. What is it?"

" I heard you and Peeta talking," I say almost angrily, "about me." I wait for him to take it all in before I continue. " At first, I couldn't believe that you would say what you did, until I figured out it was true." Gale gives me a look of slight puzzlement before he speaks.

"Are you talking about the 'surviving without' conversation?" I nod, not surprised by his reaction. Gale has never been one to be embarrassed when his private conversations are heard.

"Yes, that's the one." I say. " I woke you up because I had to tell you this before we move on in the morning. Before another on of us gets killed." He nods, blank faced. " I've already chosen between you and Peeta, Gale."

"Really?" Gale asks with surprise. " Katniss, it might not be a good idea for you to choose now. The war might kill one, or both of us."

"It doesn't matter, Gale. I've already chosen you. I love both of you, but in very different ways. You are very different people, after all. You are the fuel to my fire. Your anger at the Capitol has shown me that. Peeta is the water to my fire. He calms me down, thinks rationally, and acts as the mediator. But in this war, and afterwards, I don't need to be calm, I need to be full of fire. That's what you bring to me, Gale. You're what I need." Finished with my speech, I look at Gale. He's smiling.

" I love you, Katniss, you already knew that." His smile turns into a frown. " But what about Peeta? He will never fully recover if you aren't with him."

" Peeta isn't himself anymore, if you haven't noticed," I say harshly. " He tried to kill me recently. I highly doubt that he still loves me, even though your talk seems to suggest otherwise."

"We'll figure it out later," Gale says quickly, then yawns. "You should go to sleep, soldier Everdeen. You are the Mockingjay, and we have a war to fight." He pulls me into the crook of his arm, and I sleep. The first soundless sleep I have had in a long time.