The rating of this story is M as a precaution, but I have no idea how mature that content will get. I was vastly upset that Gale was not discussed in the epilogue of the last book, and that he didn't seem to get his own happy ending. This is my attempt to remedy this. Several significant original characters will be introduced. I would greatly appreciate feedback, and I hope you enjoy.

Gale walked down the uneven roads of District 2, tired and wiping summer sweat out of his eyes. Dust particles still drifted through the air at the site of The Nut- even though the explosion happened nearly two years ago- and made his throat and nostrils burn. The decimated mountain was still unsettled. That was something he could relate to.

Unsettled.

He had a prestigious job working for President Paylor, a house much like those in the Victor's Village back in District Twelve, and food, safety, and peace not only for his family, but for most, if not all, of the citizens of Panem. But he still felt like he didn't belong here. Like something was missing, or that he was thrust into this position to hold its place until someone more qualified came along. It was times like these that he wished he could've gone back to what was left of District Twelve, even if did mean seeing Katniss living life as half a person and falling deeper in love with Peeta.

Shaking away the melancholy thoughts and pain in his chest Gale swiped again at the perspiration at his brow. He spotted a group of people not too far away, walking a little too closely to the condemned ruins of The Nut. There are a handful of children, about eight or nine of them, surrounding a girl who stands tall and confident. She has ivory skin that seems to glow under the rays of the sun, and chocolate brown hair in natural, loose corkscrew curls that is gathered to sit on one shoulder. One particularly small child rests on her hip, while another clings desperately to her free hand. Others freely run around her in sloppy circles.

Gale steps forward and off the road, blocking their path. "Hey, you! You can't-"

"Save your breath. No matter what you say, I'll just nod politely and wait until you leave to disregard it." It's not said coldly, harshly, or even defiantly. It's just matter-of-fact. Gale's eyebrows knit together and he finds himself at a loss of words. Her eyes shift away from a careful watch on the children to land on him, revealing sparkling pools of hazel.

He smiles slightly at the genuine concern in her eyes. Not for the warning that died on his lips, but apparently for the kids tugging at her clothes. Though, obviously his smile is so rusty that she construes it as a smirk or a grimace- maybe even a snarl- because her mouth turns down in to a frown.

"What? Am I supposed to be intimidated by you or something? Impressed? Well you can take your pretty face and your poorly concealed gun and move right out of my way. These kids have to be back by five. The route we usually take is blocked off because they're repairing the road. So you can either let us pass, or be held accountable for the worried parents who have no idea where their children are." Her words lacked heat and hostility, and the weight of them rested heavily on her bravado.

Gale's eyebrows shot up and a laugh escaped. "I wouldn't want to face a mob of disgruntled parents. I guess the only viable option would be to escort you past the rubble." The girl's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Not to suggest that you couldn't safely transport the kids yourself."

"Fine," she conceded with feigned indifference, the softening of her features giving away her relief. "Grab a kid or two."

Hoisting a child of about four years old onto his back, Gale allows a giggling girl near the age of ten to slip her hand into his. The other four children walk a close distance in front of them as they work their way around the debris.

"Hello," the girl at his side chirps, swinging their locked hands cheerfully. "I'm Stella. I recognize you from the television. You're Gale."

"Yes," he confirmed, still unused to the attention that the rebellion had gained him. Unsettled.

The little girl next to him paid no attention to his discomfort. "My mom talks about you all the time. She says you're very clever and brave. I think you're handsome." She blinks up at him innocently- A little too innocently to be entirely believable.

"Um… Thanks."

"That's my sister," she tells him out of the blue, pointing to the girl with the beautiful hair that's trying very hard not to laugh at her sister's antics. "She's clever and brave, too. Do you think she's pretty?"

Gale faltered in his step, which made Stella's older sister throw her head back in a hearty laugh. Her curls bounced, a few falling into her face. Yes, he did think she was pretty.

Stella didn't wait for an answer, but prattled on. "A lot of boys think she's pretty. She doesn't have a boyfriend, though. Mom says it's because she's so intimidating. I think you'd be a good boyfriend."

"Stella!" Her sister's hands flew to cover her face, but not fast enough so that Gale didn't notice the pink tinged cheeks.

The little girl smiled smugly and tilted her chin up in triumph. "You can't get mad; I'm just expressing my opinion. Mom says that now that Panem is liberated no one can make us keep our opinions quiet. Not even you, Nox."

"Your mom says a lot, doesn't she?" Gale asked in good humor, deflecting the topic of conversation. A smile threatens to curve on Nox's lips, despite the fact that she rolls her eyes and picks up her pace.

"Yep!"

Nox looks over her shoulder at Gale, a wry expression on her face. "Stella takes after her, if you couldn't tell."

It seemed like Gale was smiling more today than he had in an entire year. And so what if it was maybe because Stella's straightforwardness reminded him of Prim, or even Katniss when he first met her? It also wouldn't be a complete lie to say that watching the sway of Nox's hips as she walked contributed to his good mood.

He quickened his steps enough to catch up to her, but not too much so that he was dragging Stella along. "So," he began with a facetious glint in his eye. "All these kids yours?"

"Oh, of course," she said with another melodic laugh. It was similar to Stella's giggling, but with a maturity to it. "I get around a lot. I'm quite busy, as you can see."

Stella piped up from between them, not one to be ignored for too long. "Nox looks after children while parents work. I help after school ends."

"I only look after a handful," Nox amends shyly. "I'm the youngest caretaker at the daycare center; not many people are comfortable with an eighteen year old managing a large group of kids. I do my part, though."

"They seem happy enough, and they're alive." Gale shrugged. "You're doing an okay job from the looks of it."

Nox's eyes sparkled in pleasure. A 'thank you' went unspoken in the air, but understood between the two of them.

It didn't take long for the group to reach the daycare center, where parents were already arriving to retrieve their small children. Nox fondly watched them run off in all directions, leaping into a father's arms or wrapping stubby arms around a mother's legs. Even Stella had wandered off somewhere, leaving the two alone.

She turned her full attention back to Gale. "Thanks for the escort," she said appreciatively, before her lips contorted into a wolfish grin. "Soldier Hawthorne."

Gale groaned and let his head fall forward. "You really don't need to call me that. I'd rather you didn't."

"Good," Nox gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Because I wouldn't be able to take you seriously."

"I can't even take myself seriously sometimes," he admitted huffing a laugh. "Like I'm a kid playing soldier or something."

Nox's eyes danced with amusement. "Well there are plenty of kids here that do that, feel free to join in. Although most of them pretend to be you, so I guess you've made an impression. Don't sell yourself short."

"Made an impression on everyone but you, you mean?"

"Hmm?"

Tongue-in-cheek, Gale continued. "Yeah, you said something about not being impressed by me. I do recall an allusion to my pretty face?"

"Funny," Nox commented dryly. "Don't you have real work to do, Soldier, instead of tormenting poor, helpless young women?"

Gale snorted indelicately, beginning to descend with backwards steps. "You're welcome," he shot back ironically. "See you around."

With that he turned his back on her and began to make his way back through the wreckage of The Nut. Gale still felt that ever present pang of something missing, but today felt like a small slice of home. Bickering back and forth, clever and well-aimed taunts, and an underlying appreciation. He could almost close his eyes and imagine it had been Katniss he was talking to.