Info: This story starts with Katniss shooting Coin, in Gale's POV. I know it doesn't seem like it in this chapter, but this is a Galeniss story. This is what I think MJ should have been at the end, which will be more evident in coming chapters. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games. If I did, Katniss would be with Gale.

If You Love Someone

Defeated. That's all I felt when the Peacekeepers held me down as I was going to give Katniss her final wish. She had killed Coin instead of Snow, and started screaming my name. She wanted me to honor our unspoken promise to one another, to shoot each other instead of getting taken captive alive. And despite her feelings towards me for the connection to Prim's death which she would never forgive, despite the fact that she didn't shoot me when I was taken captive not very long ago, I was going to do it. Because I still love her, and though it would destroy me to kill her, I would never deny her anything. But the Peacekeepers, four of them, held me down to the ground as soon as they saw me pull out a gun. They took away my gun, handcuffed me, and took me into the President's mansion shortly after Katniss was taken God knows where.

Once in the mansion, I was placed in a guest room, unhand cuffed, and locked in, presumably with guards right outside the door and certainly plenty of cameras watching my every move. I should worry about myself, but all I could think about was Katniss. I can't say I'm surprised she killed Coin, she never liked her, but I am curious why she would do it then, when her number one enemy from the beginning was such an easy kill. Her revenge for everything that had happened to her was finally right in front of her, and she chose not to take it. I can't imagine what everyone else is thinking the reason she did it is. If I cannot figure it out, I doubt anyone else can. I just hope they won't execute her for this. I don't think I could live if she was dead.

Three days pass, with my only contact being one of my guards bringing me in small meals three times a day and leaving without a word. I ignore the guard every time, not even bothering to look up from my place by the window, where I am all day everyday, just contemplating everything in my life. The man I have become is someone that I'm not proud of, despite being relieved that the Capitol is no longer in power, that innocent (or in the Careers case, mostly innocent) children will not die every year in the Hunger Games. While the country has gained plenty, I have gained little personally. I can't even be sure that I wasn't responsible for Prim's death-the guilt that I may have killed the girl that was like my little sister, that was the reason the girl I love kept going in the first place. The guilt has been eating me alive since. I can't sleep, and when I do, it's only nightmares of the death and destruction of everyone I love and all those people I didn't save in the bombing of District 12. To be honest, I hate myself; no wonder Katniss will never forgive me. I can't forgive myself.

On the fourth day of my 'holding', or whatever it is that I am locked up in here with no contact to the world is called, the door opens at the usual time for my first meal. As usual, I don't even bother to acknowledge it. But this time is different-someone starts speaking to me.

"I should have known you would never deny her anything." Haymitch claims. Haymitch- of course he would be the one to interrupt my silent brooding.

"I still love her, even though she will never forgive me and doesn't love me back. I'd do anything she wanted me to." I say because it's true. After all, I don't really have anything to lose by telling the truth anymore.

"And attempting to kill someone you love is going to help that?" he replies.

I don't reply. What's the point? Haymitch doesn't have anyone he loves anymore; he cannot possibly understand. After a minute, I ask because I have to know.

"What's going to happen to her?"

"Don't know yet. There's a trial soon, but we're pushing to just send her back to 12. Since the war is over, she's not really needed for that anymore, and I know she wouldn't want a part of running the country." he informs me.

"Oh." is all I can think to reply. I'm just relieved that they aren't going to kill her. And all she would really want was to go home, despite all of the bad memories and lack of people in 12.

"Don't you want to know why I'm here?" Haymitch inquires.

"Not really, but I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway." I answer coldly.

"While Katniss will not be a part of running the country or have anything to do with the new government, apparently you will. They sent me to inform you that you will be sent to District 2 to help rebuild and reorganize it for this new Panem of ours."

"And I don't get a choice in this matter? What about my family?" I spit out. I thought being ordered around was done when the Capitol fell-apparently some things never change.

"Your family will meet you there, and your job will be more than enough to support you and them. And your train leaves tomorrow morning."

"Fine." At least my family will be with me. Honestly I really don't care what the job is as long as it supports them; it can't be worse than the mines. And I'm kind of relieved that I'm going tomorrow, even if it isn't District 12 I'm leaving for. The Capitol is not a place I will miss, Snow or no Snow, "Can I tell Katniss goodbye tonight?" I ask not because I want to do it, but because I know it may well be the last time I see her. Though I will always love her, and never forget her, I think both she and I will need the closure.

"No," Haymitch replies gruffly, "She's being held without contact. No one is allowed to visit her until her trial is over."

I start to argue, to tell him that I have to tell her goodbye, but he cuts me off.

"Boy, even if you could, saying goodbye wouldn't help her. If it were just me, I would let you, but the board felt it wasn't appropriate seeing as you were going to shoot her. I'm on orders to not even allow you to write her a letter, because they don't want her doing anything rash since she won't forgive you for your part in Prim's death. Sorry." He explains not meanly, and appears to feel bad for me. Though I'm angry at the board, him, and myself, all I can feel is a defeated sadness. I'm not even allowed to write to my best friend, who will never forgive me for my part in designing weapons whether they did have a part in Prim's death or not. She probably wouldn't even read a letter I wrote anyway.

Since Haymitch sees that I'm not going to argue with this information, he turns to leave me to brood some more. When he's at the door though, he stops and looks at me before speaking, "I know this is hard, but if you really love her, set her free. If she comes to you, she's yours, but if she doesn't, then she never was. Let her figure this out on her own."

His face is full of sadness and understanding, and somehow I think he had to follow that very advice himself at some point in time. Huh. Maybe Haymitch does understand what I'm going through. With that, he closes the door and leaves me be. Sighing, I go sit back by the window to think of our conversation until the next morning, when the guards open the door to take me to the train station. To my new life in District 2.

A/N So this is my first non-one shot, and I hope you like it so far. This story will mostly be in Gale and Katniss's POVs, but Haymitch and even Peeta will have a POV later on. The next chapter will be up sometime next week. Please review so I know this doesn't suck!