A/N: Hello my lovely readers! I realize that the gaps between my updates are getting bigger and bigger... I'm really sorry for that. Believe my, if I could stay home from school and write all day I'd do it in a second, but that's just not possible :/

But I'd like to say thanks again to everyone who reads this because if you are reading this that means you still stick with me and this story despite my terrible updating habits - so thanks for that!

I'd especially like to thank my regular reviewers: Amethyst3232, daisyfields, Ellenka, barbarella-1980, kattomas, Norbert's Mom & Clara Meliza :) All of you are awesome and you have no idea how happy you make me :)


Chapter 12

Hazelle clutches the mug of tea in her hands so hard; Gale is surprised it doesn't crack. You could almost assume it was her own daughter sitting there on the cornucopia, waiting to be released from that nightmare called the Hunger Games.

Well, most people actually think Katniss is family now – the daughter of Hazelle's brother, Gale's cousin – that's what they told the reporters.

To proctect Katniss, to help her keep the star-crossed lovers act up, Hazelle had explained. It makes sense; Gale completely understands what a smart move it is – but that doesn't mean he has to like it.

A small part of him is still mad at Katniss, still not sure how he feels about her, about Peeta, about this whole situation. And, more important – he has no idea how she feels about him.


Tonight's the big finale, mandatory viewing, of course. They show close-ups of Cato being torn apart by the mutts. Blood and gore splatter the cameras. It's almost worse than the year when the tributes had to bludgeon each other to death with those maces.

Posy buries her face in Gale's shirt, sobbing, and he strokes her hair, his own eyes pinned at the small, flickering television screen.


Posy is long asleep when Katniss shoots Cato – a perfect shot, as always.

Hazelle smiles at Gale when the cannon sounds.

"They're coming home, Gale. They are really coming home!"

But of course it isn't that easy; it never is. Claudius Templesmith's booming voice dooms the star-crossed lovers, takes the last bit of hope for a happy ending away.

Gale isn't surprised. In fact, he expected nothing better from the Capitol. Snow probably never intended to allow two tributes to live.

Katniss pulls out the poisonous berries and Gale just prays that she will make the right decision.


Turns out his mother was right again in the end: They are really coming home. Both of them.

The Hawthornes watch the final interviews in the square, along with what seems like the majority of District Twelve's population.

Gale can't remember if he has ever seen Twelve's citizens that cheery – well, maybe that's because he hasn't been alive to see another tribute from Twelve win.

No there are even two of them, young, attractive Victors, united in love. Drama with a happy ending; exactly what the Capitol audience loves.

Gale can't believe that District Twelve is actually falling for that. How can they let themselves be charmed by the Capitols lies? Aren't they smarter than that? It makes Gale angry. He has to muster all of his self-control not to grab the man standing next him, to shake him and yell at him and demand to know if he really doesn't realize how terribly wrong all of this is.

Madge is smiling at him from across the square. He won't come over to her and she knows it. Katniss is coming home and nothing will be like it was when she was away between Gale and Madge. That is over once and for all.


Katniss is throwing kisses and holding hands with Mellark again as soon as she steps out of the train. She looks beautiful, unbelievably beautiful, but also painfully different from what Gale knows. Somehow artificial, manufactured, forced into shape to please the tastes of the audiences.

Gale turns on the heel and roughly shoves his way through the crowds, silently praying for the fence to be not electrified. He needs to go to the woods, needs to think, to make up a plan. He just hates being unprepared, but until now he had now idea what to prepare for.

Now it's clear.

Katniss Everdeen won the 74th Annual Hunger Games – but Catnip died in the arena.


Gale avoids facing Katniss for as long as possible. He skips the teary welcome hugs the rest of the family has to endure in front of the cameras and refuses to attend the official Victory Banquet at the mayor's house, although Madge offers to get him an invitation.

The prospect of free food is tempting but Gale is too proud (or too stubborn) to go and play nice for the cameras and a bunch of people he can't stand just because of the buffet.


It's Sunday, a week and a half after the Victors' return when Katniss finally confronts him.

The weather is warm and Gale is taking a rest from hunting at their place, the rock ledge surrounded by blackberry bushes, when he suddenly hears a bustle in the hedges behind him. He knows it's her because she's the only person in the District who is able to sneak up on him.

Gale mentally prepares to yell, to throw accusations at her head, to fiercely demand answers. He wants to know if she likes him as a friend – or even more than a friend – or if she just used him because of his hunting partner qualities. He wants to know what was going on between her and Mellark in that cave and how much of it was real. He wants her to give him a good reason not to walk out of the woods right now and never speak a word to her again.

But when Katniss steps onto the clearing seconds later, all of Gale's anger is gone.

The make-up is washed away, she's wearing her old, worn boots and her father's hunting jacket and her hair is braided in the usual way - she almost looks like her old self again.

The two of them stare at each other in silence for what seems like and eternity and Gale has forgotten all of the things he wanted to tell her just seconds ago. When Katniss finally speaks, her voice is shaking.

"I hated it, Gale. I hated every second of it, but it was necessary. You understand how that is, having to do something you don't want to do, don't you?"

Gale doesn't trust his voice and him and her always got along better without big speeches, anyway, so he just opens his arms and allows her to bury her face into the rough fabric of his shirt.

After a moment, bows down and whispers into her ear: "I'm glad you are back… Catnip."


A/N 2: Yeah, short chapter, I know. BUT, the good news is, there is going to be another one tomorrow (and that is a promise!). So look out for that :)