Hey everyone! This is just a one shot idea I had to get into the spirit of Valentine's day. I thought it would be adorable I mean, I love all Holidays and I really get into them! So, what I was thinking that throughout the year, on every major holiday (except St. Patrick's Day—I'm not Irish) I would post a one shot holiday story of what the characters are doing on that day! I think it would be really fun and each story will be about different characters (but they will all be Hunger Games characters) and I will do my best to update on the exact holiday, but sometimes I might forget! But anyways, this story is taking place the February before Katniss goes into the games, so Katniss and Peeta really haven't met yet! Anyways, enjoy! :) And Happy Valentine's Day!

Gale's POV

Today is Valentine's day! I have been saving for weeks so I can afford Katniss's Surprise that I am planning. First I head into the bakery to buy her a cupcake. When I walk in, I notice Peeta is behind the counter. I say "Hello" and then go on looking to see what they have that I can afford. I see two small chocolate cupcakes with white frosting and red and pink hearts all over it. Perfect I think.

"I will take one of those heart cupcakes" I say to Peeta and I hand him the money. He nods and goes back to get a box for it. I had considered buying both but I have to make sure I have enough money left over to buy the rest of the stuff.

When Peeta comes back in, he grabs one of the cupcakes and puts it in the box, then he grabs the other and puts it in too. I start to protest and tell him that I only wanted one, but he stops me.

"These ones are old and stale, we are making some of the exact same ones now so you can just take them both. Besides, not many people want just one cupcake." I nod and thank him.

The cupcakes didn't look at all stale or old to me, but what do I know about cupcakes? Next stop is the Hob. I enter and walk straight to Lisa, a young woman I once saw selling old ice skates.

"Hey Lisa." I say

"Why hello Gale! How may I help you?"

"I was wondering if you were still selling those ice skates that you had a couple days ago?"

"I am." She says. "But I will be honest, I don't even know what to do with them."

"That's ok." I say, "My dad had an old pair as a child and I wanted to have another pair to give to my mother for her Birthday!" Lie. Lie. Lie. Ice Skates were very rare in District 12 because there were no lakes to ice skate on, but a few families still had some that their great great grandparents had before the Capital took over. My father had been one of those people and he taught me to ice skate before he died. I had always wanted to teach Katniss to ice skate, but my father only had little skates that he bought at the Hob for me when I was little and a large pair that were for men. Those fit me now, but they would never fit Katniss. So when I saw Lisa selling women size skates the other day, I thought I would buy them and teach Katniss to ice skate!

"Gale, that is so sweet." Lisa cooed. "So how much are you willing to pay for them?"

"Name your price." I say going into barter mode.

"15 coins. After all, they are antique." She tries to argue.

"5 coins." I shoot back.

"Gale, now let's be fair. 13 coins?"

"Look at the shape they are in. They will barely last 5 years. How about 7 coins?"

"If you throw in a squirrel you have got a deal." Lisa quickly says.

I pretend to ponder for a minute. "Deal" I say. I smile this is gonna be such a great day.

After I pay Lisa, I check to see how many coins I have left. I originally had 27 and then spent 3 for the cupcake and 7 for the skates so I spent 10 and I have 17 left. I was surprised. I thought that I would have to at least pay 17 for the skates, and I didn't expect that I would have any money left over, but because I do, maybe I can get one more thing for Katniss. I start walking around trying to find something she might like.

I stumble upon an old merchant woman that I have never seen around the Hob. She looks scared out of her wits, this is definitely her first visit to the Hob. She is holding something that looks like silver in her hand. I approach her. "Hello, what is it that you are willing to sell?" I ask.

She holds out the silver object in her hand. It is a necklace with a small silver heart pendant with shiny things on one side.(A/N: To see a picture go to my profile and click the link that says 'Valentines Special Necklace') "It was a gift from my husband when we got married, he died a couple days ago and now it is just a painful reminder. Somebody told me to come here to sell it, but I don't even know what to do." She sighs.

"I might be interested in it. Umm, is it real silver?"

She nods. "And the crystals on the side," She points to the shiny things. "Are real diamonds."

It is very pretty and I think Katniss would like it. "How much for it?"

The old woman smiles. "Well, what would a young man like yourself want with something like this?"

I start to blush. "I have a big Valentine's Day surprise planned for my best friend, and I have some money left over to buy her something else and I think that might be just perfect!"

The old lady laughs. "I have a feeling you want to be something more than friends with this girl?" She asks.

My face turns even redder than before. "How do you know? You don't even know me?"

"A mother's intuition." Then she leans closer to me and whispers. "And I'm old, so I know some stuff. But you can't tell anyone that I'm old. Because I mean I don't show it at all."

I laugh. "You remind me of my mother."

"Well then she must be a lovely woman. But back to this necklace. I don't know much about bartering, but how much do you have?"

"I only have 17 coins. I know it's probably not nearly enough, but I could also bring you four squirrels and a turkey a week for a month! And I could have my mother wash your clothes for free and—" The woman cuts me off.

"How about you pay 15 and we call it even"

I am shocked. Something like that is easily worth 50 coins and she is going to sell it to me for 15? I mean I know it's the Hob and stuff here is cheap, but that's low even for Hob standards!

"Miss, no I can't. That's just—no, it's worth a lot more than that, and I'm not going to cheat you, especially when it probably has a lot of meaning to you."

The woman laughs. "Actually, let's make it 13 coins, because you called me 'Miss.'"

"No, I am not a cheater. I would never cheat anyone, especially not a woman, especially not when her husband recently passed."

"Please?" She says. "I know who you are, and I know what you do and what you have been through. You are Gale Hawthorne? Aren't you? "

"Yes, I am. But how do you know me?"

"I was friends with your grandparent's. Not very close, but for some reason I was interested in your family. Your father took so many risks, hunting in the woods and all that. I don't know, I was always curious. That was of course back when I was younger, but I still recognize you." She sighs. "Now Gale, you lost a father when you were 14, you became the main provider for your family, your 3 younger siblings and mother! You were probably sad but you still did all that. I don't know anyone else who could handle all that!"

"Katniss could." The woman gave me a funny look. "the girl I want to buy the necklace for, her name is Katniss. Her father died in the same mine explosion that mine did. Her father also took her in the woods to hunt. He taught her to use a bow and arrow. Katniss was 12 when her dad died. She had an 8 year old sister. After her father died, her mother went into depression and all she did was sit and cry in her room. She did that for about a year. That entire time, as a 12 year old, Katniss went into the woods alone, hunted with a bow and arrow and kept her family alive. What she did was harder than what I did. At least I had my mother, someone to comfort me. Katniss had no one and she was younger. She is much braver than me."

"Gale, it doesn't matter. You were brave too. And you deserve happiness. And it sounds like Katniss does too. So, you are going to get this necklace for 13 coins, or I am going to give it to you for free, it is your choice."

I hand her the 13 coins. "Thank you!" I say. "You don't know how much this means to me. You are so kind. If you need anything, please come to my family, we can help."

She smiled. "Thank you, Gale, but I don't think I have much time left. And I had promised myself that I would do one good deed before I died, and now I have! Good bye Gale." And with that the woman left the Hob. That woman knew everything about me and did so much for me, and I didn't even know her name.

After I went back home and picked up all the food for today, I ran to the woods to meet Katniss. Talking with the old lady had made me late and I didn't want to miss Katniss, because some days, when one of us was running late the other would just walk the snare line alone, and if Katniss left, that would ruin the whole surprise!

Luckily when I got to the rock, Katniss was still there.

"Hey Catnip!" I shout. "Sorry I'm late!"

She laughs. "That's ok, I understand that all your girlfriends wanted a Valentine's Day kiss."

I scowled. "I don't have any girlfriends."

"Sure" She said and laughed. Was it just my imagination, or did she sound relieved after I said I didn't have a girlfriend?

"Well, let's go Catnip, we've got a long walk if we want to make it to the lake before lunch time!"

"Wait, why are we going to the lake? We never go in the winter I thought?" Then she noticed the big basket with the food and her gifts that I had tucked under my arm. She tried to peek under the top. "What's that?"

"Oh nothing." I said and started walking. I grinned as I heard her run to catch up.

"Aww come on Gale! What's in there?" Katniss begged.

"You'll just have to wait and see I guess!"

She scowled at me but continued to walk next to me. I could see the gears in her head working to figure out what I had planned, but if I knew Katniss—which I do—I know she will never figure it out!

When we finally reach the lake house, Katniss gasps. "The trees are so beautiful with all the snow on them! And the lake with the delicate layer of snow on the ice is just picture perfect." I have to say that it is beautiful, but not as beautiful as the girl standing next to me. I wished I had thought to ask Darius to borrow one of his cameras. If I had one, I would have taken a picture of me and Katniss standing in front of the lake with all the trees surrounding us. It would have been wonderful! But I can't think about stuff that could have been, because I still have my surprises for Katniss!

"Should we go inside the cabin and warm up? I think we have some wood in there right?"

She nods and starts walking in. I follow closely behind so I can see her reaction when she walks in.

When she opens the doors she gasps. "Gale, did, did you do all this?"

I smile and nod. I watch as she takes everything in. The small used to be empty table is now filled with a red table cloth, a candle, plates, silverware and a vase of roses.

Then she looks at me. "Gale what is in the basket?"

"Oh, some turkey, strawberries, corn, bread, cupcakes and a surprise."

"Why did you do all this?" She asked. "This probably cost a fortune how did you afford it all"

"I've been saving" I say and smile. "Now sit down and let's eat!"

She laughs and sits down. After I have spread out all the food we both dig in. After we have eaten all of the main courses, I pull out the cupcakes.

"Look Catnip, I baked!"

She laughs. "Oh my! Gale Hawthorne, I can just see you in the kitchen with your apron on making heart cupcakes!"

I laugh. "Well, it could happen, someday."

She takes a bite of her cupcake. "Mmmhhh so moist and perfect! Did you buy these fresh? You know I easily would have eaten the old stale ones."

That's funny I think, Peeta said these were old. I go to take a bite of mine and see that Katniss is right, these were baked this morning. "Huh, that's funny, I only paid for one but Peeta said these were old so he just gave me two!"

Katniss laughs. "I guess you have got yourself another admirer!" Katniss jokes.

I laugh too. "Nah, I think you are the one who found an admirer!"

"Yeah right" Katniss says.

She looks down into her lap. "You really don't see yourself clearly do you? You think so low of yourself." I say quietly.

Katniss doesn't look up, but I wait for her to respond. She finally says "Well, you said something about a surprise? Let's see it!" She looks up and smiles.

"Ok" I say. "There are two, do you want the big thing or the little thing first?"

"The big thing, obviously!" She says.

"Ok." I say and laugh. Then I pull out the ice skates.

Katniss gasps. "Gale are those…?"

"Yup" I nod. "Lisa was selling them at the Hob." I pull out my own skates. "These were my father's. He taught me how to skate when I was young. We used to go out on the river, but the river never fully froze so we fell in almost every time we did it, so we only did it when it got super cold and the river was as frozen as it could get. Then, you showed me the lake, and I had always wanted to teach you to skate, like you taught me to swim, but I never found any ice skates that would fit you. But now that I have, I am going to teach you!"

"Thank you so much Gale, you don't know how much this means to me!" She comes up and hugs me.

"Shall we go try these out?"

She nods and follows me out.

After I have finally laced up her skates and mine, we walk onto the frozen lake. The moment we step on, Katniss falls, but luckily I catch her.

"Easy" I say. "Now, you don't want to walk on the ice, you want to sort of glide. That's why there are the sharp things on the bottom."

Katniss nods, looking more frightened than I have ever seen her. But she starts to attempt to skate, but she gets out of control immediately and starts to lose her balance. I laugh.

"It's not funny Gale!" She says while laughing.

"Here" I say. "Let me help you." I put my hands on her waist and guide her around the lake slowly, after a while, she leans her head into my chest. I can't help but notice how right it feels to have her this close to me. The way her head fits perfectly into the crook of my chest is just strange, but wonderful. I have known Katniss for four years, but I have never held her like this, and I like it so much, that I'm afraid I won't be able to let go. I lean my head down so my chin is in her hair, and I take in her scent, she smells like the woods, strawberries, and…cinnamon? That's a smell that I have never noticed before.

We keep skating around, and it is taking all of my self-control to not kiss her. I really wish I could tell her how I truly felt but it could ruin our friendship, so I control myself. We keep skating like this for a while, I guess I'm not really teaching her to skate today, but this is better than I even imagined, but then I notice that she is shivering.

"You cold, Catnip?"

She nods. "Just a b-b-bitt." She shivers.

"Let's get you inside the cabin and warm up. Don't forget you have another surprise." I wink and let go of her waist even though I don't want to. Instead, I grab her hand and lead her off the ice and back into the cabin.

We take off our skates. "Catnip, why don't we just leave our skates here in the cabin so we don't have to lug them all the way over here again?"

"That's a good idea! We can put them on this shelf next to the fireplace!"

We put our skates on the shelf and then head over towards the small fireplace and start to build a fire. After it is built, we roast some chestnuts and make some leaf tea. We move the small couch so it's as close to the fireplace as it can be without starting on fire. After everything is ready, we both sit on the couch with our chestnuts and tea, just sitting there quietly, but it isn't an awkward silence, it's a comforting silence.

Finally, I say. "So, are you ready for your final surprise?"

She nods eagerly. "Do you even have to ask?"

I laugh and walk over to the basket I brought. "Now close your eyes." I say.

I watch as she closes her eyes tight. "No one's looking!" She shouts.

"Now promise me you won't peak?" I yell back.

"PROMISE!"

I pull out the necklace and walk towards her. "Now hold out your hands."

"Oooo" She says. "it fits in my hand!"

"This is the small gift, remember?"

She starts to blush. "Oh yeah"

I gently place the necklace in her hand with the heart facing her. "Now….OPEN!"

Her eyes flick open, and for the fourth time today, she gasps and blinks 50 times as if she is waiting for it to disappear. "Gale…" She breathes. "This—this, I don't even know what to say! What—where—how? This has to be worth a fortune! Gale no, I can't accept this! You have done too much for me already! This is just ridiculous! You have spent like 100 coins on me and it's just—NO! Your family is starving Gale you can't buy me this I mean you have 3 siblings! I—" I cut her off.

"Catnip, calm down, it wasn't that expensive, I bought it from an old family friend for very cheap! And I want you to have it, so sit down and let me put it on you!"

"Gale, but—"

"Ahh, no buts! Let me put it on you!"

She sighs and turns around to let me put it on. It looks beautiful on her!

Katniss looks down at her chest where the necklace hangs. I can see her admiring it.

"Thank you! It is beautiful. You have made this day wonderful and given me so much, but I still haven't given you your surprise!"

'WHAT?' I think to myself! I had no idea that she had gotten me something. My face must have registered shock because Katniss starts to giggle and runs over to her hunting bag.

"Now close your eyes." I do as she says.

"Closed!"

I hear her walk towards me and place something on the floor in front of me. I open my eyes and see a knife. But it isn't just a normal knife like the one I have now; this one is made of silver or some kind of precious metal, and has intricate carvings all over the handle. And the blade of the knife has one smooth side and the other side has ridges on it to help it cut more easily. This is a very expensive knife and I have no idea how she could even afford it.

"Catnip, where did you get this? How did you get this?"

She laughs. "That is my secret!"

"No, this probably cost you a fortune!" I say. I can't believe she bought this for me! How did she even afford it?

"Gale, do you even see how much you bought me? We are even now!"

"Fine!" I say while scowling. "Thank you so much! This means a lot to me!"

"No, thank you! You have given me an amazing day that I will never forget! And I will never take this necklace off!"

"I'm glad I could make it special!" I say. "But you are the one who made my day special!"

Then, Katniss does something unexpected. She leans in and kisses me on the cheek. I don't know for sure but I could have sworn I heard her whisper 'I love you'

So I whisper it too. "I love you too, Catnip, I love you too"

SO what did you all think? I don't know if it's my best work or not, but I had to rush to finish it because I really wanted to post it right on Valentine's day, so sorry for any mistakes you find! Please review and tell me what you think, because honestly, reviews make my day! :)

Ok, The next Holiday Special will be April Fool's Day and it will be Prim and Rory doing a trick on their families, so if anyone wants a sneak peek just PM me or review! :)

*****IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE*****

Also, I can't decide if I should change the name of this story to 'Holiday Specials' and then have each holiday just be a different chapter within the story 'Holiday Specials' OR if I should have each holiday be its own story! Please drop me a review or PM to help me decide what to do! I will just do whatever the majority says so PLEASE HELP ME because I can't decide what would be easier for you guys and I really want to do whatever you guys think would be best! And don't worry you guys have until March 31st to tell me what to do! :)

Happy Valentine's Day! 3