A/N: Okay, I am so SORRY for not updating sooner. Ive had this on done for a while but my computers being stupid and won't let me upload it. I've also been a little preoccupied reading Quite Peculiar by Julia456, it is a quite addictive Leviathan Fic that is barking brilliant. Good thing I finished it this morning otherwise I don't think I'd ever be able to read anything else!
As always READ AND REVIEW! It makes me smile all day whenever I get a review!
Disclaimer: (Can't remember if I did one last chapter *sheepish grin*)
Do you actually think I'm Suzanne Collins? I'm flattered.
For a hunting trip that started off really poorly, it turned out pretty well. A wild turkey, seven squirrels, three rabbits and a couple of wild dogs, Katniss and I had a little incident where we ended up in a tree with dogs snapping at our feet, just like old times!
When we got back she asked me if I wanted to go to the newly rebuilt Hob, Greasy Sae and some of the others moved into what used to be the Justice Building. Katniss tells me it's almost as rundown as that old warehouse was. I tell her I'll go and trade the game for whatever she needs, if she wants to go talk to Peeta. He still doesn't know about the baby of course.
"Are you sure?" she asks, "I can talk to him later."
"No, go ahead. This is when Finn usually takes his afternoon nap." I say, looking at the sun high in the sky, "Sometimes Annie even takes a nap with him and with all that she's done today; I'd be surprised if she didn't. Come on when are you going to get another chance to talk to him alone?"
"Well, I guess you're right." Katniss says hesitantly.
"Don't worry about me." I tell her taking her game bag. It's the same worn out old thing she's had since we were kids. "I'll be fine; it'll be nice to see everyone again."
"Okay, I'll see you back home then." she says.
"Okay, good luck with Peeta."
"Thanks." and with that she walks left, back towards the village, and I walk right, towards the building that used to stand for everything I hated about life. Now, it was a miracle it was even standing. The firebombing of Twelve had done a number on the Justice Building, nevertheless, there it stood, just off of the square where all those reapings were held. I can still hear Effie Trinket's voice, reverberating through my head, "Primrose Everdeen", and then a year later, "Katniss Everdeen". Her ridiculous capital accent doesn't make me laugh anymore, for all it brings is dread.
Technically the Hob isn't a black market anymore, without the restraining laws of the Capital in place, most of the business that is conducted there is perfectly legal. Of course some isn't; it still attracts some shady characters, so I made sure not to let my guard down. No it wasn't a black market, just a... regular market, I guess.
"Gale, is that you?" called a familiar voice from within one of the stalls. Greasy Sae. "I haven't seen you since we were in Thirteen."
"Yeah, I live in Three now." I replied, feeling slightly guilty for not visiting sooner. Holding up the game, I said, "I came back to visit Katniss and Peeta."
"That's good, she's been acting a little funny lately. Her last batch of squirrels wasn't exactly up to snuff."
"That's why I'm here." I told her. I didn't mention the pregnancy though, I wasn't sure if Katniss wanted people to know yet. "These are a little better." I said, dumping the bag on the counter, "Let me know what you want."
About an hour later I walked out into the square, double checking the list Katniss had left me, detailing everything she wanted to trade for. I think I have everything, there wasn't much on there. Since Katniss hunts and Peeta bakes, they really don't need much food. All that was left in the game bag was a rabbit, a squirrel and a handful of berries along with some new shoe laces for Katniss' hunting boots and a new doorknob for the bathroom. Apparently Katniss had accidentally broken it because she was in such a rush this morning.
It was eerily peaceful, walking through the streets of Twelve. I was perfectly okay, that is, until I walked passed our old house.
It was burned almost beyond recognition, like the Justice Building, it was a miracle the thing was still standing.
There was the willow tree Posy used to play under, charred and dead now. On the tiny, little porch I could just make out the washboard my mother used to do the townspeople's laundry. When I think back, I can still see her hands beet red from all the scrubbing. It killed me to just sit there and do nothing while she worked her hands raw, but there was nothing I could do. At least until I met Katniss in the woods, her mother really was a lifesaver, whether Katniss acknowledged it or not.
"No one's been in there since they burned down Twelve." I jumped to find Haymitch Abernathy standing next to me. For a drunk, he could be pretty stealthy.
"They wanted to tear it down and build a new house there, but Katniss wouldn't let them." he continued, "Said they couldn't because it belonged to someone else. The District Council couldn't make up it's mind, as usual, so they just left it here."
I never really liked Haymitch very much. Katniss acted friendly enough towards him; well, as friendly as Katniss could be. He still gave me the creeps though.
"Go in there, kid," he said looking at me, "If anything survived the fire, it'll be in there. I got to get myself some more booze." I couldn't tell if he was full out drunk or stone sober, it was definitely one or the other.
When I could no longer hear Haymitch stumbling through the street I took a deep breath and walked towards the house.
I had thought the place was grim and depressing as a child, what with all the coal dust settling over everything. Now there was the layer of coal topped off with even more ash.
When I pulled on the front door the rusty old hinges finally gave way and the whole thing fell from the wall. I propped it up against the side of the house, careful not to break anything else.
I stepped into the kitchen and the pain hit my like a brick. The room was teaming with memories, reminding me of how simple life used to be. There on the mantle, covered in dust was a picture from my parents wedding.
Guilt enveloped me when I saw my mother's face. I hadn't talked to her in over a month. After the war I decided my life was going to be different, I was going to start over. I moved in with Annie, in order to keep my promise to Finnick and Mom and the kids moved to district Four, because they, like many, weren't ready to return to Twelve. And we hadn't spoken since.
I took the picture, dusted it off, wrapped it in an old worn out blanket and gently slid it into the bag. After we leave Twelve, I'm going to visit my mother.
A quick survey of the kitchen told me there still wasn't any food in the house. Every last scrap was usually eaten and anything left after the attack would have been eaten by animals.
I raided the kitchen drawers and found several good knives that I slid into the bag. Why waste? That's when I saw the bed in the corner, the one that I shared with Rory and Vick. It had been getting tight the past couple of years since they were both growing. Now they both had their own beds and Posy too.
The lumpy old mattress was covered in a layer of coal and soot, but seemed to be intact. I wonder if it's still there?
I took a deep breath and stuck a hand under the bed. It took a little searching but eventually I pulled out an especially long and extremely sharp hunting knife. I had slept with it within reach ever since Katniss had told me that the President had personally threatened to kill me. At the time I didn't let her know how badly it had scared me, but the truth was it had really freaked me out. Then of course I got whipped, if that didn't scare me half to death I don't think anything would.
I stuck my hand in between the mattresses again and found an old, beat up, leather wallet, my father's wallet. Even when he was still here, it was never very full, but he always said that 'a man is never a man without a proper wallet'. He believed that the few things we have should be safely guarded, especially money. So when he died, naturally they gave his wallet to the man of the house, me.
But the wallet wasn't what I was looking for; I wanted what was in the wallet. As always, there was no money in it, all that was in the wallet was a picture.
It was of Katniss and I, maybe a little more than a year after we had met. It was probably the only picture I have ever seen where we were both smiling. It was back before we had both taken out so much tesserae, I think my name was only in the Reaping nineteen times. We had just come back from an extremely successful hunting trip on which we had accidentally stumbled into a berry patch full of strawberries, the Mayor's favorite. We brought the berries to the Mayor's house and his daughter Madge answered the door with the brand new camera from the Capital she had received for her birthday. Before Katniss and I had even realized it, she took a picture of us laughing hysterically. I loved that picture, Katniss just looked so happy. She was never that happy anymore.
I had kept that picture with me constantly when she was in the games. I told her she could do it, she could win, and most of the time I believed it, most of the time. It killed me to think I might never see her again. Everyday I'd go down to the mines and count the minutes until I could get home and see if she was still alive. But when I finally sat down in front of that blurry tv screen and saw what was happening to her, I couldn't escape to the woods fast enough.
I put the picture back in the wallet, folded it and stuffed it in my pocket. I looked around the house one more time before I ran out the front door. I couldn't take these memories anymore.
