Gale shows up the next day around noon. I suppose it is good he came later because now he won't get suspicious seeing me throw up again. He asks me if I am feeling better, and I lie to him. I suppose I have gotten a tad better at lying because he doesn't question it.

"Why did you come back? What are you expecting? Tell me so neither of us has to get hurt more than we already are." I say, breaking up the silence that had fallen onto us

"I don't know, Katniss. All I know is you can't just leave your best friend and never talk to them again in just a second. To many things were left unsaid. It doesn't feel right to just let it die. I thought maybe, maybe now we would have healed enough to talk."

I bite my lip as I consider his words. Right now isn't a very good time, but I don't think there will ever be a good time. He is right. We were best friends. We took care of each other, and it was all gone in a second. I have mostly healed from the death of my sister. Whenever I think of her, it no longer takes all my breath away, or at least not every time.

"That makes sense. Do you want to go to the woods?" I ask him. That should be more comfortable. That was our place. He nods and we walk silently to the place we once knew so well. We sit down on the rock where we once sat all those years ago.

"I never expected an outcome like this. Would you say the odds were in our favor?" He asks me.

"Sometimes, I think maybe it wasn't too bad because if it hadn't happened, then I probably would have never ended up with Peeta. That's on the good days, though."

He nods in understanding and I am brought back to when he told me he loved me. I wonder what would have happened if that slip wasn't pulled on Reaping Day. Would my walls have fallen for him? I remember swearing I would never have children. Look at me now.

"How about you?" I ask, snapping out of my thoughts.

"You know. The odds weren't in my favor, but now Panem is a much better place, thanks to you."

"All I did was hold out some berries. I'm not the one to thank."

"You gave the people a hope." He tells me. I always feel awkward when people act as if I am the one to praise for the rebellion. I wasn't even able to help on my own; I was just a piece in Coin's own little game. I just let people decide I made a difference. I am not the strong person they think I am.

After that, we decide to hunt a bit. We fall back into our old pattern easily. We are a team again. Silently working, yet knowing the others exact movements. For a moment, I almost feel like I am that 16 year old girl again. We manage to gather a wild turkey along with several squirrels, and take half of the loot to Greasy Sae. She insists on making us wait and eat some soup in return, and it really does feel like we are two kids again. Gale and Sae make some small talk before we head back to my home.

"Are you staying at your mothers house?" I ask him as we enter.

"Oh, no. They have some rooms in the Justice Building."

"Oh. When are you going back."

"Tomorrow." Tomorrow? That seems so soon. I can't say I'm sorry though. It was nice to be with Gale again, but I know we can never have what we once did.

"What are you going to do when you get home?" I ask him.

"Keep working, spend more time with Rhine, I guess." He tells me. I ask him to tell me about Rhine and he tells me that she is around our age, with long blonde hair and green eyes. The way he describes her looks reminds me of Glimmer. Apparently, Rhine is very down to earth for being from District 1. He tells me she is very special.

"Are you going to marry her?" I ask him.

"If she wants to marry me." He says.

"Well, do you think she loves you back?"

"I think so. She says she does, and I believe her, but I guess sometimes I still worry that she isn't really mine."

"I'm sure she does." I tell him. I am glad Gale has also been able to move on. Again we lapse into a silence, but it isn't as awkward as the previous ones. I suppose I am glad we spoke, but I will also be glad when he goes back to District 2.

After a while, Peeta returns and places a kiss on the top of my head before seeing Gale. They greet each other, and I can sense Gale feels uncomfortable now.

"Well, I guess I better be leaving, bye Katniss. It was great talking to you. Bye Peeta. Good luck to the both of you." He says, and walks out the door. Gone from my life once again.

We settle down, talk about our day, and carry on as if nothing has changed.