Disclaimer – I don't own the hunger games or any of the characters written into this fan fiction, nor am I making any money from writing this fan fic.
Starts the day after the epilogue in mockingjay, after the family playing in the meadow.
Katniss Everdeen did not believe that her life could get any worse, considering what she had been through just 20 years beforehand. She had two beautiful children and a husband who loved her more then the earth itself. Waking at 6am had become a daily routine for the family, which also included 'uncle' Haymitch who by some small chance had stopped drinking and dedicated his time to his killer geese and the two children who gave him hope of a better future. Just like every morning, both Haymitch and Peeta had left before the children woke to simply go for a walk in the woods and enjoy their freedom of being able to. It also gave Katniss a chance to wake, turns out she isn't a very good morning person. On this morning however, she woke when a very loud bang went off, similar to the cannons which went off when somebody died in the hunger games. Knowing immediately that something was wrong, Katniss made a dash to her childrens bedroom, both son and daughter still fast asleep, oblivious that something disastrous may have happened in district 12. Slipping her boots on, Katniss did the unthinkable and left the house with both children out of her sight. Running down the path Katniss could tell that something was seriously wrong. The air smelt different, as though something close had burnt to the ground not long ago, over the treetops in the forest, smoke was rising and she knew the worst had happened. Dropping to her knees, Katniss felt herself fall apart. She had lost everything so long ago and Peeta had helped her glue herself back together. Now, on a walk, Peeta and Haymitch had managed to set off one of the remaining pods the capital had left surrounding district 12. Hearing her son crying for her, Katniss stood and composed herself. She would not turn into her mother. She was not going to cry, she was going to be strong for her children and continue to keep them well looked after and fed.
By 7pm that same day any trace of hope that her husband Peeta or Haymitch may walk through the door had vanished from Katniss' mind. Her daily routine was not the same without Peeta, however she managed and the children knew not to ask questions. After weeks of Katniss being on auto-pilot, her daughter of just 6 years old now, decided that something should be done. She had watched Katniss use the phone before, her mother rang people to order things which she needed such as clothing and certain food. However the child had no idea who to call. While Katniss was bathing the son, the daughter tried ringing somebody. First she dragged a stall over to the counter so that she could reach the phone, then by climbing on carefully she was high enough to see a large piece of paper with 'emergency contacts'. Grateful that her father had taken the time to teach her to read, she slowly and carefully typed in the first number on the page, who had no name, but would be very surprised to hear from Katniss' daughter.
Ms. Everdeen didn't ask for much in district 4 where she had decided to settle down after the war. She wanted peace and privacy, and a house with a garden so she was able to plant her primroses. She no longer worked with medicine, and her money came from selling her potted plants. It had been a good 15 years since she had heard of the girl on fire, and longer still since she had heard from her. Katniss went mad after her sister had died and her mother would not watch that happen. Not after Katniss had to watch it when Ms. Everdeens husband died. In the last ten years Ms. Everdeens leg has started to play up and she now totted around her garden like the crazy old lady the children of district 4 believed she was. The children here did not understand, they had not been taught of the war, of the heartache Ms. Everdeen was going through at the loss of both of her daughters. They did not understand why every slice of apple she ate was cherished and savoured as they had never felt the hunger which district 12 once had. It is not understood anymore, why older people dislike the hunger games being talked about. Fortunately for these children who are staring at Ms. Everdeen, they will never go through the pain of knowing someone who is going to their death.
She know, that if she was ever contacted by anybody in district 12 that she would not be persuaded to go back. She had decided to live in district 4 which was far enough from 12 for her to forget everything. She was aware that few people went back to 12, Haymitch went to look after Katniss, Peeta returned as he was no longer needed anywhere else. No information had been given to her of Katniss' condition, her daughter could have been killed by the capital Peeta and she would not know. She did not wish to know, she was waiting to die peacefully and alone.
District 2 had treated Gale well in the last 20 years, he had aged nicely and was big and strong enough to carry everything which is asked of him. He still works around the nut, the giant mountain which held most of district two. His beauty and good looks had gotten him a fair share of women in the years, he had not stayed with a single one of them for longer then 3 months. Truth be told, Gale Hawthorne was scared to commit to a relationship in case it was going to end like his first love did. Badly. His friendship with Katniss was called short after a plane, unknown to Gale, had killed her sister with fire, the very thing that Katniss was known for. Work was Gales reason for living now, but he still craved comfort at the loss of his best friend and the only person who understood him more then he did himself. 20 years passed, everybody in district 2 had forgotten about the war, or tried their best to. Gale hardly got asked about Katniss anymore which was fine by him. The less he heard of her name the less his heart would ache every time. It was true, that Gale was helplessly in love with a mad girl, it had worked for Finnick though right? The truth was, Gale would have gone back to district 2 with Katniss if he wasn't worried that she would shoot him straight out of the world. He had been sent to district 2 by Coin before the execution had happened, still Gale saw Katniss in all her glory, pull the bow to end Coins life. And then also after, shouting his name, but by then he was long gone. Already halfway to district 2 in fact.
The worst part for Gale was not saying goodbye. Not telling her that he was unaware the parachutes were going to be dropped and by that he means that he did not know Prim was going to die. Of course she wouldn't believe him. But it would have been nice for him to say. He didn't have her number, and didn't wish to have it, Gale was aware Peeta was going to be returning to district 12 and the thought of the capital mutt ripping Katniss apart and killing her was too much for him to handle. So he stayed away, stayed far away in district 2 and went on with his life of being overworked for not enough money. He was allowed to hunt in district 2, without risk of getting whipped or killed which is why he stayed. 2 hours a day devoted to what he loved best was the reason he stayed away from district 12 and all that he knows there.
Peeta Mellark never understood the turns which his life took. All he was aware of was that he was incredibly happy now. He had the woman of his dreams, two beautiful children that were half his and half Katniss' and a father figure which he had believed he'd lost when his own father had died. Haymitch was never believed to be much more then an alcoholic to most people, but once he had no access to alcohol and they had the children he became a totally different man. A man who Peeta would happily leave his children with for the night while himself and Katniss went for a walk and a romantic picnic in the woods.
Waking up that morning extra early, Peeta was surprised to see that Haymitch kept his promise and was also awake and waiting for him outside the house. Pulling on clean clothes and his tightly fitted boots, Peeta rushed out of the house to meet him. Haymitch had what was a large basket covered in a blanket which he had kept overnight for Peeta so that Katniss didn't find out. The pair of men started off on their walk to set up the romantic picnic which Peeta intended to share with Katniss. The men were chatting away, talking about how Peeta wishes for another child when the grown men, both of which have been in the hunger games lost their way. When your in crowded woods, to men who are not used to it, every tree looks the same. Guessing the safest way to go would be back on themselves, they begun, however it was the total opposite way. They continued, taking care this time to keep an eye on where they are going, not noticing that a large open space within the thick trees would mean something is wrong. Peeta smiled to himself, believing they had found the perfect place to have a picnic and stepped forward, right into the capitals pod.
Hey, im really sorry about only sending a little bit before, it was meant to send all of this but i have no idea what happened to it! Hope you all like it, im sorry i killed off two of the mains, but i didn't want them anymore =P
