Story: In Another Life

By: Pigy190

Summary: Five years after the rebellion, Katniss gets a surprise visiting telling her Gale has been trapped in the Nut. She mulls over her past and relationship with Gale on her way to wait outside the Nut with the Hawthorns. Inspired by Katy Perry's "The One That Got Away". Gale/Katniss

Disclaimer: The lyrics belongs to Katy Perry and The Hunger Games and characters belong to Suzane Collins. If they were mine something like this would have happened in the books.

A/N: Just a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone after I listened to "The One That Got Away".

In another life, I would be your girl

We keep all our promises, be us against the world.

And in another life, I would make you stay,

So I don't have to say you were the one that got away.

All this money can't buy me a time machine, no

Can't replace you with a million rings, no

I should've told you what you meant to me, whoa.

'Cause now I pay the price.

I slip out of bed and pull on my pants and a shirt. Someone is pounding at my door non-stop. I know it's not Peeta; he would just let himself in. The only person I can think that it would be is Haymitch, though usually by now he would have let himself in as well.

I get to the door and rip it open. "What?"

Instead of Haymitch or Peeta. Rory Hawthorne stands before me. "Rory. Hi." I haven't seen Rory since District 13. I've been avoiding the Hawthornes since they came back to District 12. After I shut Gale out of my life and realized Rory was in love with Prim, I couldn't face them.

Rory stares at me a second then swallows hard. "The Nut re-collapsed. He's stuck inside."

I feel my legs give out and land hard on the floor. "Can they get him out?" I whisper.

Rory clenches his jaw. "They don't know."

I stare at the floor. "Are you going to go?"

In District 12, it was traditional for families to go to the mine after a mining accident and wait for their family members to be come out – or in some cases for everyone else to come out and the Peacekeepers to yell "that's it".

"We can't afford it," Rory answers. "I just thought you should know."

He turns and starts to walk away. "Wait," I call out. He turns back to me. "I'll pay." I tell him.

His eyes go wide. "Are you sure?"

I snort softly. "What else am I going to do with all this money? Buy a time machine?"

Rory tenses. "If only," he says softly.

I know he's talking about Prim. Instead of acknowledging his words I force myself to get up and walk towards him. "Let's go tell your mom to get ready."

He nods and we walk down the path towards the old Seam. Most families have rebuilt nicer houses where their houses used to be. Old habits die hard and all that.

Rory pushes open the door. "MOM!" he yells.

I hear Hazel drop something in the back room. "Goodness, Rory! Don't yell," she scolds. She walks into the entry way drying her hands on her apron. She still does all the laundry for the Seam. Old habits. She stops when she sees me. "Katniss."

I try and force a smile. She reminds me so much of Gale. "Hi, Hazel," I say softly.

She smiles. "It's good to see you."

"I'm going to pay for you to go," I say without preamble, after all, what do you say to the woman you've been avoiding because you broke her oldest son's heart? "All of you," I add as Posy comes into the room, investigating all the excitement.

Hazel's eyes tear up. She rushes forward and hugs me. "Oh, Katniss, thank you." I hug her back, feeling a bit awkward. The only people I've ever truly hugged are my mom, Prim, Peeta, and Gale.

"Katniss!" Posy exclaims tackling my legs. She reminds me so much of Prim it hurts.

Rory fixes me with a hard look. "You're coming too, right?"

I shake my head. "You have to come," says Hazel. "I can't let you pay for us to go without you."

"He would want you there," says Posy. I cringe internally.

I take a deep breath. "Fine." Guess I'm going to District 2.

-[break]-

I walk up to Haymitch's having finally escaped the Hawthorne's. He ran out of liquor last week, so he's out back raising his geese.

He raises an eyebrow when he sees me. "I'm going to District 2," I blurt out.

Haymitch drops the bag he's holding. "What? Why?"

I sigh and perch on the fence. "The Nut re-collapsed. Hazel won't let me pay for them to go unless I go as well."

Haymitch comes and sits beside me. "Does this mean you've forgiven him?"

"It's been five years," I answer.

"So you've forgiven him?"

I shrug. "His family should be there waiting."

Haymitch picks up the bag and comes to stand by me. "Have you told Peeta?"

I shake my head. "He's happy with Delly. No need to have him worry about me."

Neither of us bring up last week, when he had a moment and threw a knife at me. I haven't been to see him since. He always come to me and apologizes once he's snapped back. The episodes are getting longer and longer again. It caused our breakup two years ago.

"Be careful, Sweetheart," Haymitch warns.

I ignore him, not wanting to get into any sort of mentor/mentee conversation. "You'll water my Primroses?"

He raises his eyebrows at me again. "Yeah."

I hop off the fence and head towards my house to pack. "Don't forget to call Dr. Aurelius!" Haymitch yells after me. I wave my hand in acknowledgment. Maybe now Dr. Aurelius will let me stop therapy.

I get home and quickly throw some clothes in a suitcase. I don't really care what I'm bringing, I don't actually plan on seeing Gale. Haymitch was right, I haven't forgiven him. I haven't forgotten.

I slam my suitcase shut and head towards the train station.

The Hawthornes are already standing there as I walk up. "Is being on a train scary?" Posy asks me.

I shake my head. "It's really cool," I tell her. "It's like being in a hoovercraft, only you're on the ground and it's more comfortable."

Posy's eyes get wide. She stares in excitement as the District 2 train pulls in.

I walk over to the ticket counter and buy two adult and three youth tickets. We get on the train and head towards our compartments. The trip to District 2 is over night. Rory and Vick are in one compartment, Posy and Hazel in another and I'm alone. We go to our compartments to put our luggage away. Memories of a different time threaten to invade my mind so I hurry out of the compartment to the dining cart. There are few people on the train. Not many people from District 13 go to District 2. Even those that have friends or family that are trapped in the Nut aren't headed there. No one outside of District 12 has ever dealt with a mining accident before. It's not ingrained in them to wait for their loved ones the way it is us.

Posy, Vick, Rory, and Hazel join me soon after. Posy's eyes are wide with amazement. Even with the nicer house, she and the rest of the Hawthornes haven't seen anything this extravagant. I have more money than I know what to do with, so I bought us first class tickets.

Dinner passes quickly. Posy, Vick, and Rory eat themselves sick on the rich food. Before I know it I'm back in my compartment. This time, I have no escape from the memories.

Memories of a different, simpler time. Of a time before Gale left. Before Prim died. Before Peeta was hijacked. Before the revolution. Before my fake romance. Before my first reaping. A different life. A life in which I didn't bother thinking of things such as romance. A life in which Gale and I hunted together. Where I am his and he is mine. Where we kept our promises to keep each other and each others families alive. When it was just us, Gale and Catnip against the world. My heart clenches as I remember. He promised to take care of Prim and then his bomb killed her. I know he didn't mean to. I know he would never hurt Prim on purpose, but he did. Or did he. I never did find out if it really was his bomb.

"Does it matter? You'll always be thinking about it. That was the one thing I had going for me. Taking care of your family. Shoot straight, okay?" His last words to me echo in my mind. I did shoot straight. I shot Coin, after agreeing to put the Capitol children through their own Hunger Games. Did that make me any better than Gale and his bomb? I voted to kill other people's sisters and brothers because they were born in the Capitol. Something they didn't change. No. I was just as bad. Caught up in the moment of vengeance. Of getting back at the Capitol. The rebellion cost me everything. I wasn't Catnip anymore. Catnip would have made Gale stay. Catnip wouldn't have let Gale get away.

I shake my head, trying to get rid of my own thoughts. I've been avoiding thinking about the end of the rebellion since I got back to District 12. I hunt in different areas than I used to. I avoid any areas that remind me of Gale. Because deep down I've always known if I were to face the facts, I was just as guilty as Gale. More so, because I knew what the games were like. I knew what it was like to lose the one thing that meant everything.

I get up and decide to go to the dinning cart again to see if they have any hot chocolate. Sitting in my compartment isn't going to get me any sleep.

Luckily, the dinning chart has 24 hour service. I get my hot chocolate and curl up in a booth, pressing my forehead against the window. I watch as the dark landscape flashes by, without really seeing anything.

I hear someone sit down across from me. "What's keeping you awake?" asks Rory.

I keep looking out the window. "Ghosts of the past," I answer.

Rory takes a sip of whatever he's drinking. "It wasn't his bomb you know. Not really." I don't say anything. I like Rory and all, but I don't want to talk about Prim with anyone. "He and Beetee scrapped the idea after he saw re-run footage of you two bringing down the hoovercrafts attaching that hospital. Your words were true. 'If we burn, you burn with us'. He didn't want to kill innocent people that were just trying to help. No matter what side they're on."

I close my eyes to block him out. I see Prim turning into a pillar of flame and open my eyes again. "Then were did the bomb come from?"

"Coin had someone else manufacture it in secret. But it wasn't really the double exploding bomb like we originally thought. It was two different sets of bombs, set to go off at different times. A mockery of his idea, but not what he intended. Kinda like the Capitol and the Jabberjays."

I turn my head to look at him. "How do you know all this?"

He presses his lips together in a thin line. This isn't easy for him to talk about either. "Gale called me about two years ago to tell me. Originally he told me what he told you, that they didn't know. He knew he'd thrown out the plans but he didn't know if maybe it was the same thing. I was angry and didn't want to talk to him."

Silence falls between us. I don't know what to say. I know he and Prim liked each other, but I didn't know how deeply their feelings ran. "He told us not to go," Rory finally breaks the silence. "He made me and Vick promise not to join the army. He made Prim promise not to leave District 13. I begged her not to go, when she told me, but she was stubborn."

I flinch when he says Prim's name. "And now she's gone." the words leave my mouth before I can stop them.

Rory sighs. "Yeah. She's gone. But he's not. You can still be happy."

He gets up and leaves. I sign and follow suit. Obviously no matter where I go, I'm going to be haunted by the past.

I strip down and curl into the bed in my underwear and let the train lull me to sleep, just like I did then.

A loud knock wakes me up. For a moment I expect to hear Effie's thrill about a "big big day"; instead Posy yells through the door about the amazing breakfast waiting on me. I roll out of bed and get dressed in the same clothes as yesterday. I didn't ever get to go hunting, so they're not dirty.

I walk to the dinning cart and sit next to Posy, avoiding Rory. Posy jabbers on about how amazing everything is and how she can't wait to see a different District. 13 was awful.

We stay in the dinning cart until the train pulls into the train station and District 2. A few more people have joined the train over night, but not many.

We get our luggage and head towards the hotel next to the train station. I get up two rooms and we put our stuff away.

We immediately go back outside and head towards the Nut. Everywhere we go people turn and look at me, pointing, muttering. I feel like yelling at them. Yes, I am the Mockingjay.

The path to the Nut is closed off. "No one but evacuation personal allowed," a security guard tells us.

I sigh. "I'm Katniss Everdeen. And this is Gale Hawthorne's family. We just want to wait where the survivors come out," I explain. "It's a tradition in District 12 to wait at the entrance to the mine after mining accidents."

The guard tells us to hold on and goes over to his car to radio in the request. Even though it's been five years since the rebellion, I, as the Mockingjay, can get by with almost anything.

The guard comes back. "They're going to rope off and area for you and anyone else that wants to wait," he tells us. "A guard car is going to come get you."

"Thank you," says Hazel. We wait in silence.

The car gets to us and we quickly pile in. I thank the guard again and then we're off to wait.

At the entrance we get ushered over to a roped off area. They tell us that they've almost reached the survivors and that they should be up in a few hours.

They've been down there for three days now.

I sit down on the ground and pull my legs up to my chest. I hate sitting and waiting. The last time I did this I got the news that my father was dead. Vaporized in the mines. Almost ten years later and I'm waiting for my best friend. Because despite everything, that's who he is. And I love him. I am still his. And now I might never get to tell him.

I have all the money I could ever ask for, but it's useless. I can't buy a time machine and change anything. All I can do is sit and wait and hope that Gale will come out of the Nut alive and still be mine.

Time passes slowly when you're waiting for something. We've been sitting here for three hours now, but it feels like days. We've been joined by a few more families and spouses of those trapped below. Posy finally manages to piece together a full story of what happened by talking to different people. There are fifteen people trapped in the Nut. Gale and the other supervisors were going down to see what information and technology could be salvaged when the entrance supports collapsed. An examination shows they were most likely tampered with. Whether or not the person intended to trap the supervisors inside or just re-seal off the Nut is still unknown. Most likely though it was the latter. Many people are speaking out against using the Capitol's old military technology. They're scared.

I stare at the entrance waiting fo something to happen.

Suddenly there is a commotion inside the entrance. A guard comes out and yells for the medics. I'm not surprised to see my mom rush forward. She's one of the best medics New Panem has. People start coming out. I stand up.

First the seriously injured get carried out on stretchers. There are seven. Posy squeezes my hand so hard it goes numb. None of them are Gale. We breathe a sigh of relief. The families of those on the stretchers weep. A medic comes over to tell us none of them are critical and all should survive. One woman hits her knees and starts muttering thanks under her breath, tears streaming down her face.

Next come the evacuators. They get cleared by the medics, climb into a car and drive down the path. Presumably to go eat, shower, and sleep.

Next come two security guards carrying a body bag. Posy sags against me. Rory clasps my other hand. Vick and Hazel hang on to each other. A guard comes over and asks for someone. I don't register the name. Only that it's not Gale. He's alive.

Finally the rest of the survivors come out. Gale looks just like I remember him. Shaggy hair black, scruff on his face, dirty, torn clothes. He looks over to where were standing then stops in shock. His grey eyes go wide. I'm not sure if its because his family is here or because I'm here.

The guards stop trying to hold the families back as they rush forward to embrace their loved ones. Hazel lets go of me and runs towards Gale. He catches her in a tight embrace. Posy, Vick, Rory, and I stand frozen. Children always stand back until the family member gets brought over to them. Gale lets go of Hazel and they walk toward us. I give Rory and Posy a slight push and am thankful when they understand and step in front of me. Vick joins them. Gale embraces them each in turn.

Hazel, Vick, Rory, and Posy go to the medic tent to see if they can help out. I have no where left to hide. I take a deep breath and look Gale in the eyes for the first time in over five years.

He gives me a weak smile. "Hey Catnip."

I make a sound between a laugh and a sob and basically throw myself at him. He catches me and holds me tightly. "Thank you for bringing them here."

I press my face into his chest and don't respond. I can feel tears running down my face. Gale rubs my back until my tears subside. "I'm sorry," I say against his chest.

He tightens his hold on me. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

I pull back slightly and look him in the eye. "Rory told me about the bomb. I shouldn't have doubted you. I knew protecting Prim and your family were your top priority. I just lost sight of what was truth and was wasn't."

Gale gives me another weak smile. "We all did." I know he's thinking about the bomb and him having us collapse the Nut.

Now is my chance to finally tell him how I feel. I open my mouth but no words come out. My throat is suddenly too dry to form any sounds. "I've missed you," Gale says softly.

Instead of answering I tilt my head up and press my lips against his. At first he stiffens, then he kisses me back. My arms go around his neck, one hand entangling itself in his hair.

I don't know how much time has gone by when we finally break apart breathing heavily. "I love you," I tell him.

He swallows hard. I can tell he thinks I've only kissed him because he's in pain again. "What about Peeta?"

I shake my head. "We ended two years ago. It was never meant to be."

Gale finally gives me a true smile. A smile that I return without hesitation. It's the first time I've really smiled since Prim died. "I hate to break this up, but I do need to check him," my mom says.

I blush and pull away from him. "Hi, Mom," I say. "Mrs. Everdeen," says Gale.

My mom smiles at me. "It's good to see you again, Katniss. You too, Gale."

I smile back at her. We might not be good at helping each other cope in hard situations, but that doesn't mean we don't love each other. Losing Peeta and Prim made me realize exactly what she went through when my father died in the mines and I can't hold it against her anymore.

She quickly checks over Gale and then gives him the all clear, warning him to hydrate well, and eat small meals. I give her a hug and promise to visit some time before getting into the car with the Hawthornes.

Gale wraps his arm around me as the car drives away from the Nut. I turn towards him and give him a peck on the lips. "I love you," he says.

I grin. "I love you, too."

I may not be the same girl I was seven years ago before my first Hunger Games, but I'm not the broken girl from the Rebellion anymore. That girl is from another life.

I'm finally healing.

A/N: So I was going to make the ending fit more with the song, but I really hate sad endings. So my ending turned out sappy. I may re-write the ending to my original idea and add it as a second chapter.

REVIEW and lemme know what you think!