My little girl is in wide-eyed wonderment as she watches the districts zoom past her on our train ride, little fingers pressed against the cool glass of the window, heavy eyes fighting off sleep to fill in the last of wonder she can absorb. There's a heavy silence in the air. Caia is just an innocent child but she can aptly feel the tension radiating through my body. I think back to the phone conversation with my mother just hours before.

"Gale, there's something we need to talk about. I think you should come home."

"Mom what's wrong?" The panic in my voice is palpable.

"Gale honey this is not something I want to discuss over the telephone. Please come home. We need you here right now."

"Is everyone okay?" I prod.

"Everyone is fine. But we will all be much better once you're here."

I sigh, a heavy, burdened feeling settling into the pit of my stomach that I know won't go away until I get some answers. "Can I come out tonight?" I ask.

"Of course. The sooner the better. And Gale?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Can you please bring Caia with you? We're all dying to see her."

The repercussions of bringing Caia to District 12 threaten to choke me, but when my mother is calling me out of the blue and asking me to come home with her granddaughter, there's not many reasons I can say no.

"Sure, Mom. We'll catch a train out tonight."

I snap back from my reverie and catch my daughter, wide eyes blinking rapidly to stave off sleep before finally giving in and coming to a rest on the pale skin below. Her sleepy head rests against the window and I grab the soft blanket from next to her and tuck it around her, placing a kiss to her forehead and sitting back down in my seat to gather my thoughts.

It's nearly three am by the time we meet District 12. A warm glow emminates from the bulbs overhead, softly illuminating the deserted station. I carry a still sleeping Caia in my arms, our bags in another, and begin the short walk from the station to my old family home. Being back here is bizarre. The district has rebuilt everything since the rebellion and even though it all looks slightly different, it's still exactly the same. It has the same air, the same feeling, and a thousand memories all rush through me at being back here. By the time I get to my mother's house I am completely overwhelmed.

She's waiting up for us, of course. Fire warming the cozy house, fixed up in the extreme since I grew up here as a child, pot of tea on the stove, she ushers us inside and takes Caia from my arms.

She stirs delicately and her lip quivers when she wakes up to find herself looking into the eyes of a women who is a stranger to her.

"It's okay hunny. It's just Grandma."

Caia's eyes search the room for me and I give her an encouraging smile and nod.

"Hi, Grandma."

My mother's eyes are alight with pride and joy at her first and only grandchild being back in her arms. "Hi my sweet. I've missed you. Why don't we get you to sleep. You and Posy are going to share a bed tonight."

She lifts Caia from the couch and I follow them to Posy's room where Caia crawls into the bed with her. I press a kiss to her forehead.

"I'll be just down the hall if you need me."

She nods a sleepy head and is back asleep before I can even walk out of the room. Back in the kitchen my mother finally stops to take stock of me. Her warm and familiar hands find my cheeks, flushed with cold, and her eyes scan over my body.

"You're looking well," she says with a smile. "I see someone's been getting more than their fair share of a decent meal," she jests, patting my stomach playfully.

I smile sheepishly. "I'm happy, Mom."

Her returning smile is genuine. "That's all I ever asked for with you." The embrace she offers me is warm and full of happy childhood memories, safe in these arms. "We've missed you, Gale. So much. And Caia. She's so big now! And does she ever look like her mother."

I falter. "I know. She reminds me of her every day. How is she?"

The silence to my question means nothing good at all. "I don't see her much, really. I try to stop by every once and awhile but when she's having a bad day she won't see anyone. She just sits in that house all day long."

"And Peeta lets her? Just sit around and mope for six years?!" My voice is louder than I intended.

"Gale, Peeta has tried absolutely everything to get Katniss to snap out of it. Nothing has worked."

My breath is heavy in my chest. I am filled with so many emotions I can't even pick out which one is the most prevalent. There is an overwhelming desire to help her that has never left me since we were children. There is horror that a woman I once loved has let herself get this far into a hole. Pity, that she couldn't pull herself from it. Guilt, at not being able to be the one to save her, at being the one who added to her pain. I am physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Why don't you get some sleep," my mother offers. "Rory and Vick are both in Rory's room tonight so you can have Vick's."

I nod, fighting the urge to break down. "Thanks, Mom." I kiss her cheek and head off down the hall, crawl under the covers, and am asleep before my head hits the pillow.

HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG

I am awoken early by the sound of hushed whispers and giggling from the foot of my bed.

"You wake him up!" One voice says.

"No you do it!" Replies the other.

"Okay I'll do it," concedes the first.

I hear little footsteps creep up and approach the side of the bed and a feather light fingertip touch the tip of my nose. I stop faking sleep and make a sudden motion, pretending to bite off the finger close to my mouth.

Caia screams and pulls her hand away, giggling and laughing with Posy at the end of the bed.

"Daddy!" Caia calls. "You were faking!"

I scoop her up into my arms and press kisses into her hair. "Yes I was. Your aunt Posy is teaching you bad tricks!"

I look to my sister, so grown up now at almost twelve. Had the rebellion not happened, this year would have been just another sibling to worry about being reaped into the hunger games. I am all the more grateful for the way things turned out.

"Posy," I say, placing Caia on the floor and walking to my sister, pulling her in for a hug. "I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Gale," she replies. "Come on, Mom says breakfast is ready."

The table is set and there are four plates of steaming food waiting for us. This is a sight I never thought I would see in this home in my lifetime.

"Where are Vick and Rory?" I ask.

"They both had to work today, unfortunately. But they'll be home later."

I nod and shovel a forkful of waffle into my mouth.

"And what are your plans for the day?" My mother asks knowingly.

I sigh. I think she knew the answer before I did. "I think...I think I'm going to have to go see Katniss."

Hey guys! Please please pleeeeease review! Good criticism, bad, any form of feedback is welcomed and definitely helps keep writers motived to keep going! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to writing more soon.