As always, I want to thanks everyone who has reviewed the first chapter. I'm happy to see you again on this story and hope you'll like it as you liked the prequel.

I have forgotten to specify before the first chapter that this story has 5 chapters, each of more than 1,000 words. So it's longer than the prequel. Yeah, I'm kind of proud to myself (some self-congratulation has never hurt anyone ^^).

Enjoy :)

Chapter Two

"Hi Katniss" says Gale.

I stare at him, briefly wondering if I'm still asleep. Last time I have seen Gale was a few minutes before I killed Coin. More than 2 years ago. Since then, I have had news from him from time to time by my mother. She meets him regularly as she moves from one district to another to help in the hospitals. She has given me his phone number once, but it was still too soon for me. Nowadays, my life is completely different. I do the best to leave the past behind. Gale belongs to the past. But here he is. In my doorstep.

"What are you doing here ?" I ask, my voice a little too harsh.

"I'm here for work. I have to check the new facilities of the factory. And so, I thought that I could come to see you. To say hi."

Gale smiles at me. I know I should say something, invite him to come in. Instead, I just stare at him. Gale's face hardens and he whispers :

"I guess it was a bad idea. I'm sorry."

He turns to leave. Finally, I'm able to, well, do something. I grab his wrist, which surprises Gale. His eyes travel between my face and my hand on his wrist. I now feel embarrassed by my gesture and let go of him.

"Would you like to come in ?" I ask, smile at him faintly.

He nods and follows me in the living room. We sit on the sofa. The silence lingers between us. We both look at everything on the room, except each other. A couple of minutes pass and finally, Gale finds the courage to say :

"I went at your old house but the woman there told me that you were living here now."

That's what I'd call to get to the heart of the matter ! I shouldn't be surprised though. Gale has always been a direct person.

"Well, I've never really get used to my house" I start, "and there were too many memories there."

Maybe I shouldn't have said that. I haven't seen Gale for 2 years and 10 minutes after our reunion, I refer to Prim. Really thoughtful Katniss, I tell myself.

Gale just nods several times. I can see the pain in his eyes, even though he tries not to show it. But I know him better than that. It's weird, after all this time I can still see through him. For instance, right now, I know that he have something else to ask but he just doesn't know how to bring the subject. Usually he ends up by telling frankly that's in his head.

"So you and Mellark ?" he asks. One point for me !

"Yes, me and Peeta" I simply answer.

Once more, Gale nods his head several times before he turns his gaze to me. He smiles and says : "That's good. I mean, he really loves you. And I know you enough to know that you wouldn't live with him if you didn't feel that way about him too. Anyway, I'm happy for you Catnip."

Hearing this stupid nickname brings a smile on my face : "Thanks Gale."

"I'm just curious about one thing," he starts and I can see that he is not sure if he should go on. But he does : "Is he back to normal ? I mean, does he still have mental breakindown because of the hijacking ?"

Why does he have to ask that ? I know that Gale is just worried for me but I really don't want to talk about it with him. If I tell him that from time to time Peeta stops seeing the reality and goes back to the one the Capitol has created for him, Gale is going to think Peeta represents a danger for me. This is not the case. Each time it has happened, I have managed to bring Peeta back to me. It doesn't matter that he yells at me, insults me or even threatens me, because he is not really himself at those moments. And anyway, nothing has happened those last 5 months. I really hope that's over.

Gale is watching intensely, reading my reaction. I try my best to compose my features and answer : "No, not anymore."

Before Gale can determine if I'm telling him the truth or not, we hear the door open, followed by Peeta's voice :

"So where were we ?"

"I'm in the living room, Peeta" I call and then add : "And we have a guest."

It would be awkward if Peeta enters the room without his shirt on. Or worse, naked since it is actually where we were.

Obviously, Peeta is very surprised to see Gale. They shake hands. Gale explains the reason of his visit. Peeta says he is happy to see him. Once the introductory chitchat is over, they both look at me as if it was my turn to speak. It makes me uncomfortable and I say the first thing that comes to my mind :

"Have you fixed Haymitch's sink, Peeta ?"

"I have. He was right, it was the same problem we have had a few months ago. By the way, I have invited him to dinner. Well he more or less has invited himself but…"

"He always does" I answer.

Peeta looks at Gale and asks : "You're staying for dinner, right ?"

"I don't know. I don't want to impose myself."

"You are not," I tell him. At this precise moment, I realize how much I have missed my best friend. The one from before the revolution, before the direct thread of the Capitol on our lives and even before the Hunger Games. "It has been so long since we last saw you. We have so much to catch up."

"Then okay, I'm staying for dinner. Thanks for the invitation."

A few minutes later, Gale excuses himself and goes to the bathroom. Peeta and I head to the kitchen. While I peel the potatoes and Peeta cooks the meat, he asks me :

"How do you feel ? About Gale's visit ?"

"I'm good. It's nice to see him again. As long as we avoid some subject…"

Peeta nods and goes on : "Have you told him that you're pregnant ?"

I don't think Peeta would appreciate if I admit that I have totally forgotten I was pregnant. And thanks to my magic shirt, Gale can't have noticed it.

Peeta reads my reaction and sighs : "You should have. If it slips into the conversation, you would have only yourself to blame."

"I know. I just didn't have the opportunity to tell him, that's all."

We hear a knock at the door and when I open it, Haymitch looks at me from top to toe, a big grin on his face :

"Happy to see you have found the way back into your clothes."

"Shut up Haymitch," I retort. "Gale is here, so no stupid sex jokes. Am I clear ?"

"Gale is here ?"

"Am I clear ?" I repeat again. This afternoon wasn't the first time Haymitch has walked on us. The following days, he showed an incredible imagination for jokes, puns and insinuations. On my side, I showed an incredible imagination for possible ways to kill him. Peeta convinced me it wouldn't be such a great idea to murder him. Now I regret it.

However, Haymitch manages to behave during dinner. Well almost : before we sit at the table, he leans toward me and whispers :

"Do we really have to eat on this table ? I have so many images flashing in my mind every time I see it."

In response, I glare at him and it silences him.

The evening goes just fine. Gale asks about the reconstruction of District 12, about the people who have come back, we ask about his job in 2, about his new life…

Before he leaves, Gale makes me promised to go with him in the woods the next day. I agree and we say goodnight.

As I close the door behind him, I tell myself : tomorrow I tell him I'm pregnant.