"I'm getting married today."

"You're getting married today," I laugh, adjusting her veil. Wren turns around and bites her lip. "What?"

She hesitates. "What if this is a mistake?" I frown and she senses my concern. "Not that I'm getting cold feet!" She says hastily, turning back to face the mirror. "We're just so young."

"Wren," I sigh. "You two are perfect. I promise. It's going to be great, and you're about to have the best day of your life! Laugh a little, and try not to let the nerves get to you. And definitely don't trip down the aisle."

She glares at me. "I wasn't worried about that until now!" I snicker and she rolls her eyes. "Are you sure I look okay? Is it too much?"

I hand her the bouquet and shake my head. "It's perfect. You look perfect, you look beautiful. He's going to go into cardiac arrest when he sees you." Wren blushes.

"Gale will probably have an aneyrusm when he sees you," she laughs and I shake my head.

"Don't talk about me right now. It's your day, girl. Rock it." She smiles and pulls me in for a tight hug.

Her father opens the door and I take that as my que to leave. I hurry down the hall to Finn's room and knock. The door opens and I see Finn's smiling face. "Madge, I'm so ready to do this. I'm, oh god I can't even describe it. I'm so excited. We're going to be married!" Always the happy one. "I just can't, god," I laugh and he grabs my shoulders. "We're going to be legally binded forever, just us, doing life together. That's all I've ever wanted." I smile and my eyes fill with tears. "No, you can't cry now! You can cry when she walks! I know I'm going to."

"You guys are going to be the best married couple." I fix his bowtie. "You ready?"

I follow him down to the reception hall where we're lining up. Wren isn't allowed to leave her room until Finn is in the wedding hall. As it's a pretty small wedding, it's just me and Wren's younger sister in Wren's part of the bridal party. Finn's best friend and his older brother stand next to us, but will walk in behind us. One of them has the rings that will bind them together and I can't help but smile. I get handed a bouquet of flowers for myself and I take a breath. Finn gives me a thumbs up from the front of the line and I grin. This is about to happen.

The wedding procession happens slowly and I follow Finn's Best Man down the aisle. Once I'm up at the front, my eyes immediately search for Gale, who's sitting in the second row. He smiles and does a quick up down of my body and his smile grows. Finn's fidgeting at the front, wringing his hands. And then the doors open again, and oh god, the smile on his face is so light and happy it's like the sun itself hit him. My eyes fill with tears again and Wren's sister nudges me.

"Are you crying?" She whispers, a grin on her face.

"No!" I say quickly and then, "yes."

"So am I." I bite my lip to keep from laughing. The ceremony passes quickly and Finn can't seem the comprehend the person standing in front of him. He says 'hell of course' instead of 'I do' and Wren can't even get it out properly when the time comes. I look towards the room to find Gale staring intently at the soon to be married couple and then back at me. He winks and I blush and turn back to Wren and Finn just as the priest pronounces them husband and wife. "You may kiss the bride!"

I laugh and I clap and I hear a wolf whistle from the crowd but all I can see are the smiles on Wren and Finn's faces. I almost start crying again when she reaches over and wraps her sister and I in the biggest hug. "Don't cry on me now, Madge! You're not allowed to do that! I'm allowed to do that!" We laugh together and wipe our tears together and try to keep ourselves together through picture after picture, and finally, we're released into the reception hall where the guests are waiting. My feet take me to Gale and he smiles widely at me, his hands coming to reach mine when I reach out for him.

"Hey," he laughs, kissing my check.

"Hi," I say brightly, looking over at Finn and Wren taking their seats at the table across from us. Gale helps me sit and then we start to eat.

Later, after all of the toasts, and the cake, and the weird District 2 wedding ritual that I'll never understand, the dancing begins. Wren pulls Finn onto the dance floor and he's still staring at her like she's the greatest woman he's ever seen. And to him, she is. A few minutes later, the families join the dancing, and soon, me and Gale. He holds me close as we sway on our spot.

"You were definitely crying," he whispers, and I huff.

"Of course I was! My best friends just got married Gale! If I wasn't standing up there I probably would've been sobbing my eyes out!" He grins and bends down to kiss me. "Don't tell me you didn't get watery eyes."

He then rolls his eyes. "Oh, I did. But only when you walked down the aisle. Almost as if you were the one getting married." I look up at him. "You think that'll be us one day?" He looks over towards Finn and Wren who are talking to their parents.

"Yeah," I say, looking back up at Gale, who's eyes are shining, "I do." And when I catch the bouquet later, Finn slaps Gale on the back loudly and he doesn't stop smiling the rest of the night.

A Year Later

I collapse onto bed after walking in the door. I just finished my second year of schooling, and I'm completely enrolled into the education college at the university. I start student-teaching in the fall, and I'm already so excited. I hear the shower turn off and then a few minutes later Gale emerges from the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist loosely. He smiles when he sees me. "Hey," I smile back. "How was your test?"

I shrug and sit up on my elbows. "Alright, I guess. Harder than I thought but I'm done! I'm free for three whole months!" Gale laughs and goes into the closet to change.

"Proud of you!" I hear and I grin. "What time are Am and Tabitha dropping off Jackson?

I look at the clock on the bedside table. "Thirty minutes, I think?" He reappears from the closet and dries his hair a little more with his towel before hanging it back up. We usually get Jackson at least once a week so that the parents can have their time together. He's eighteen months now, and is growing fast. Gale nods and falls onto bed as well, hovering over me. He attacks my face with kisses and I laugh and finally kiss him for real. "I like seeing you with him. Does something to me."

"Does something to you?" I ask through our kisses. He nods and nibbles on my collarbone.

"Yeah. Definitely. Are kids an option?" I don't think there's anyone else. His proximity is distracting me. I push him off quickly and he sits up. This is a very real conversation and I don't need him distracted with my neck. His brows furrow.

I look at him quickly, and then my hands. "You're the only one I could imagine having children with, Gale." I whisper, suddenly feeling very shy. "And now that there's no threat of the Reaping or the Games or another war, it'd be nice to raise kids in a good place."

He raises a brow. "Kids as in plural?" I make a face and he grins. "It'll be nice to know that their names won't go into a pot to be picked from." He murmurs as he dips back down to my neck. "How many?"

I fist my hands in his shirt and suck in a short breath. "A few. Not just one. Not too many." I force out and he sucks on the spot behind my ear that he likes so much.

"Good," he breathes and I let out a whine when he pulls away. "God, that sounds amazing. You have no idea."

6 months later

It's the middle of my junior year when things get hard again. Gale comes home one day with that look that I know only means nothing good. I've grown accustomed to it. It's the look that says "I have to go away again".

"No," I say tiredly and he nods sadly. "How long? Where?"

He sits on the couch and I scoot so I'm in his lap. "District Four. Big unrest there, been happening for weeks now and we're just starting to send our men over." He grunts as his finger rubs circles on my hip.

"How long," I repeat, my voice shaking.

And when he looks at me with the saddest eyes, I know it's going to be long.

"Two years," I tell Wren sadly, looking up from the tea that's been sitting on the table for an hour. It went cold a long time ago. She gives me a look of pity and I shake my head. "I knew what I signed up for when we started dating. It's literally in his job description. I just didn't except it to hurt this much each time."

"Two years is a very long time," she whispers and I nod again. She swallows thickly and then takes in a sharp breath. "You graduate in a year and a half."

I nod and swallow the lump that's been building since I got here earlier this morning. "He'll miss it." I say, and then rest my head in my hands. Surely, he must know this. He's had it on the calendar since he got the date for it. The person who's been the most supportive of me during this is not going to be able to see it all end. Wren is silent for a few more seconds and then finally sits down in the chair next to me and takes my hands.

"He will," she whispers, "but we won't. Me and Finn, we're gonna be right there. Your friends from school, Macy and Ricky and Jasper are gonna be sitting down there with you. And Gale's family, oh I'm sure they'll make a huge racket when your name is called." I give her a watery smile and she gives me a hug. "I know it's not the same, but we're gonna try damn well to make it the same."

Finn comes home from work within the next hour, and in that time my tears finally fell and I cried and I cried. His eyes immediately sharpen. "What'd he do?"

Wren shakes her head. "Nothing. Just has to go again."

And with that, Finn sits right down next to us and lets me cry some more.

A year and a half later

It's graduation day. The sun is shining, school is out, and the leaves are blooming on the trees. And trust me, I'm ecstatic that I'm here, I really am. But I miss Gale. It's been a year and a half and he has no idea when he'll be coming home. We video chat monthly and send letters, but it really isn't the same. He knows I'm sad and I know he's sad and it just hurts. I try to be upbeat and happy when we talk, but I know he knows. My attacks have gotten worse and it's hard for me to focus when I know that he's putting his life on the line every day to protect Panem. And I admire him so greatly for that. I just miss him.

There's a knock on the bedroom door, and then Hazelle pokes her head in. She smiles when she sees me in my black graduation cap and gown. Hazelle and the kids travelled from District 12 to 2 so that they could see me graduate and I'm grateful. It's a tight fit with everyone in our house, but after tonight they move to a hotel in the center of town. I kind of like having them all here. It makes it feel less lonely. "You ready?" I try to smile and nod. She comes in and adjusts my cap. "I know you're upset he isn't here. I know he's upset too. Don't let that stop you from having a bad day. You're graduating! All of your hard work is finally coming to an end. And you've already got a job for the fall, Madge. You're allowed to be proud of yourself." I nod quickly and swipe the tears from my eyes. She smiles. "Let's go."

Wren and Finn meet us at the place where I'll be graduating and Tabitha shows up a few minutes later. Gale and Amos are on the same tour, so she and I have been spending lots of time together trying to work through it. Little Jackson grins toothily at me and I give him a little wave. "See you guys soon!" I say, quickly following my fellow graduates to where we're supposed to meet. I find Macy and Ricky and together we laugh about all of our times and everything that's happened in the last few years. Macy's working in the same school I am, except she has 1st grade and I have 5th grade. Ricky's working in the high school and Jasper is going back to school so he can work up to the Overseer of the District School Systems. I'm gonna miss seeing them every day.

"We've had some wild rides," Ricky laughs, "Remember that time we ran from the cops?"

"That happened multiple times." Macy says, glaring at him. "Usually your fault." Jasper, always being the late one, comes scrambling in to the room.

"Am I late? Did I miss it?"

"Obviously not, dumbass," I laugh, patting his cap, "or we wouldn't be standing there." We all look at each other and laugh, and soon enough we're lining up. I'm the second to last. We have a pretty small graduating class, as many people that were my age were wiped out during the war or just chose to not return to school. I hear the music start and then we're being led to the room and oh god, Madge do not trip. For the love of everything that is holy, do not trip. I repeat this to myself over and over again as I follow the people in front of me.

Soon enough, I'm sitting. I listen to the speeches, I laugh when I'm supposed to, and I cheer for my friends when they get called. Jasper points out to me and I laugh. Soon enough, I'm standing up to go to the stage. My legs wobble and once again I tell myself to not trip.

"Margaret Undersee." I hear my name and that's about all I hear. Everything goes dull and I can't hear because I'm too focused on getting across that stage. I'm handed my diploma and I find that I can't stop smiling to save my life. I get a picture taken of me, and then I'm being led back to my seat. Once I open it, I find my name and my level of skill and smile even more. There's another speech by the Dean of the university. He congratulates us on our achievements. Tells us we did good, and really, we did. We turn our tassles. I'm a college graduate.

And then, it's over. We're led outside and it's a happy chaos. People are laughing and smiling and taking pictures and all I can do is look for my friends and my family. I stop to take a quick picture with my three friends and find that we're all so excited we can barely stop talking. Macy gives me a tight hug. "We need to work on stuff this summer! Go into the school and get everything set up." She hops a little on her feet and I grin. She's the only other person in the world who will understand why the smell of pencils and paper and new classrooms are important. "Of course! Wouldn't miss it for the world." I take another few pictures, one with my favorite professor and then my mentor teacher. And then I'm off again to find my family and my friends.

And when I find them, it's the happiest moment of my life.

Posy reaches me first. Her arms grasp around my middle and she laughs and I laugh. Rory and Vick nearly cause me to topple over, and Hazelle, oh Hazelle gives me such a motherly hug that I almost start crying. Almost. Finn and Wren attack me and scream and shout, and Jackson tugs on my tassle as Tabitha watches fondly.

"We're proud of you," Hazelle finally says amidst the craziness. "And I know he is too." I nod and she holds up her camera. "Picture time!"

I roll my eyes but let her take pictures of me with Gale's siblings and with Wren and Finn and Tabitha and Jackson. Finn puts on my cap like it's his and Wren takes my diploma. "Wow, you're official now." I laugh and nod my head as Hazelle shoos them from me.

"Okay, one by yourself now! With your diploma!" I smile brightly and she grins, snapping a few pictures.

"Let me see!" I laugh, reaching towards the camera. She bites her lip and hands it to me and I go to look at the picture. But the picture is not just of me. There's a man in the picture, wearing a formal army uniform, making a funny face and giving me bunny ears. I whip around so quickly my hair hits Hazelle.

And there's Gale. Standing in front of me, a small smile on his face. My jaw drops and then I'm jumping at him and I'm crying and he's laughing and oh God, he's here. He kisses me and lifts me off the ground and wipes at my face. "When did you get here!" I demand, poking his chest and he grins.

"Right after you walked inside."

"So… so you saw it all?" I look up and he nods, and oh my god, I'm so in love with this man.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Gale says quietly, smiling broadly.

I turn back around to my family and scowl. "Did you all know about this?"

"We knew two months ago, Madge." Wren says.

"And you didn't tell me! That's fake, Wren. Really fake." She holds up her hands and points at Gale.

Gale bends down and kisses my head. "I wanted it to be a surprise. None of them were allowed to say anything to you about it."

I pout and cross my arms. "Well it worked. No one wanted to enlighten me on this piece of information." Hazelle holds up her camera again and we let her take pictures of us and for the first time in a while, I allow myself to be happy.

Later that night I understand why Gale's family is staying at a hotel now. I laugh when he pulls me into the house after bidding goodnight to his family and giving a promise to see them tomorrow.

"Eager much?" I laugh as he kicks his shoes off.

"Madge, you have no idea. God." He grins as my heels come off and I drop a few inches in height. "Forgot how short you are." I frown.

"Am not."

He nods and sucks on my bottom lip. "God," he groans when I tug him closer by his pants. "It's been so long. I've missed you."

I nod quickly, "I'm right here. I'm all yours." And with that, he hoists me up by my rear and carries us off to the bedroom.

After we've finished and are laying in a tangle of sweaty limbs, his fingers rub on my hip. He draws different things, but I'm too out of it to figure out what they are. "What are you thinking about?" He whispers, kissing the top of my head.

"You," I say, looking up at him. "Always you." He grins and bends down to kiss me again. We stay there for a minute, before he pulls away and rolls to the other side of the bed. "What?" I whine, missing the feeling of his body against mine.

"I got you something." He says shakily and I raise a brow. There's something small wrapped in his fist when he rolls back and I sit up. He glances down at my body and then throws a shirt at me. "You're distracting. Put that on."

I raise a brow. "You've never been particularly upset about me being naked."

"Oh, trust me, I'm not upset about it." He says, grinning at me. "I'd rather have you clothed for what I'm about to do." My brows raise even higher if possible. And then, he opens his hand and there's a ring. A beautiful, diamond ring. "I said that we'd get married the moment you finished college, and not a second later." My throat closes up and I look up at him. "I mean, obviously if you still want to get married, then we'll have to wait a little because we can't get married right now, my mom would be so mad—"

"Gale," I whisper pulling him back down to me. I raise a brow and he stutters trying to continue.

"And I know I should be nervous about this because I don't want to fuck it up, but oh, Madge, I know this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm supposed to be with you and do life with you and just live. So," he holds up the ring shakily and stares at me intently, "if you'll take me, I want to marry you."

Part of me wants to smack him on the head and the other part wants to cry. I settle for attacking him with kisses and shoving him a bit. "If I'll take you? Dammit, Gale, I've been naked in a bed for five hours with you, what do you think?" He snorts and slowly puts the ring on my finger. I stare at it for a second.

"Do you like it?" He asks, and I nod profusely. "I love you. I love you so much, you don't even understand."

I sniffle and then turn to him to kiss him again. "I love you too, Gale. I really do." He kisses down my neck and lays me back down on our bed and soon enough my shirt is gone again and we celebrate.

1 year later

We got married on a bright, sunny, January day. All of our people were there, and for the first time in a long time, we were both able to just relax and have fun and be together. We had an eight month long engagement to give us time to get our finances in order and for me to start working at the school. They were some of the best months of my life, honestly. I was getting married to the man I've been in love with for 6 years, I have the job I've always wanted, and friends who love me almost as much as Gale does. Now, however, oh now, I'm freaking out.

My hands move around the house straightening everything in sight. I just need something to do. School's out, so I don't have anything school related to do just yet so instead I try to do little household things. The card I got for Gale sits in an envelope on the counter and I keep eyeing it as if it's going to explode on me. I know it won't. I'm just nervous.

I hear the car pull up into the driveway and I nearly throw up. I go back into the kitchen and start putting the dishes up, just so I have something to do with my hands. The door opens and closes quickly and then I hear Gale hanging his coat up. "Hey," he says and I turn around quickly giving him a smile. "I need to talk to you." I raise a brow and he shakes his head. "Nothing bad, I promise. Let me go get changed and then we can talk." I swallow and nod as he walks through the kitchen, kisses my cheek, and goes back to the bedroom.

My hands are shaking. What does he need to talk about? How do I tell him that what I have to say is much, much, much more important? I've been holding a plate in my hands for several minutes when he comes back. "Babe, you okay?" He asks and wraps his arms around my middle, giving me a hug. I jump a bit and he frowns again.

"Yeah," I force out, "Just tired." He nods and helps me finish putting away the dishes. When we're done, we sit down at the table and he looks at me. "Everything okay?" I ask, looking at him intently.

He nods and then gives me a small smile. "Yeah. Everything's great. Really, really great." I raise a brow and he reaches across to take my hands. "No more tours. I asked to be removed from the tour list last week and they gave me permission. Now I'm just working in special defense. I'm not leaving again." My face splits into a smile and I lurch across the table to hug him and he laughs. "I wanted to make sure it was final before I told you." He kisses me quickly and smiles. I move so I'm in his lap and he smiles again, kissing my neck. "Now I get to be here with you. All the time. We can move out of the military section. Closer to Am and Tabitha and Wren and Finn." I laugh. I've been wanting to move out of this blasted neighborhood for months now.

"I got something for you." I tell him breathily and he pauses. "Nothing big, you didn't forget anything." I peel myself from his lap and reach for the envelope with shaking hands. "Here." I hand it to him and go back to my seat watching as he raises a brow. "Open it!" I urge, biting my lip to keep from smiling.

He starts to open it finally, and then stares at the front reading it. I thought it was a clever card. The front says, "What is a dad?" And the inside just says, "You. You're a dad!" He looks up at me in confusion and then opens the card. A picture falls out of it. He reads the card. Looks at the picture. "Happy Father's Day, Gale." I say. He looks from the card, to me, to the picture, to my stomach, and then everything clicks.

"Wait," he forces out, "wait, Madge, is this what I think it is?"

"What do you think it is?

He lets out a shaky breath and stands before walking over to my chair and crouching down in front of me. "Are you," he looks at me and then back at my stomach, "are you pregnant?"

I nod and for a split second I think he's mad. And then, the most beautiful smile graces his face. Tears fill my eyes and his hands reach out and cover my stomach. "Oh," his lips find mine and gives me a sloppy kiss, but neither of us care. He laughs and he cries and he looks down at my stomach, "oh I don't want to hurt it." I shake my head and he kisses me again.

"You won't," I laugh tearily and he wipes my face. Gale reaches for the envelope again and the picture and we look at. I got an ultrasound three days ago, while Gale was at work. I wanted to know for sure. He wipes under my eyes again and pulls me so I'm sitting in his lap on the ground.

"How far along are you?" He whispers, his eyes not leaving the picture.

"Twelve weeks." I reply and he looks at me, joy filling all of his features. I laugh. "I have to go back in a few weeks. By then they'll be able to see more, fingers and toes and all of that fun stuff." My husband looks back down at the picture and then noses into my neck.

"Can I come?"

I roll my eyes. "Yes. The only reason you didn't come last time is because I wanted to do this."

He puts one of his hands back on my stomach. I'm only showing a little bit. I'll be showing much more by the time school starts up. "I knew something was different," he murmurs, "you were acting weird. And eating pickles. You hate pickles. And the sex was phenomenal," I shove him before swiping under his eyes and he sighs. "Hi baby," my chin quivers again as I hear him talk. "I'm your dad, and that's your mom, but you know her already. We love you so much." He whispers and I smile.

"I… I know we're young." I tell him, "and that we only got married five months ago and—"

He cuts me off. "I don't even care, Madge. It feels like we've been married for years. We're gonna be just fine."

I nod and kiss his cheek quickly. "You remember that time you told me that the minute you found out I was pregnant you'd get yourself off of the tour list?" He laughs and nods his head. "Right in time."

He turns my head so he can kiss me properly. "Dad's intuition, I guess." He jokes.

"Your mom's going to die," I tell him as we sit by the laptop. Hazelle finally got a video chat device back in 12 so we can call them whenever we want. "Like, literally die of happiness."

Gale laughs as the thing turns on. "Either that or she'll immediately want to come here and help. Don't know which would be better." I make a face and he kisses my cheek. The last week has given us both lots of kisses and happiness. Wren started crying when I told her and Finn demanded that we name the baby Finn no matter what the gender is. Amos and Tabitha literally didn't even look surprised, just happy that their kids would have someone to play with besides each other. Gale talks to the baby every night, even though we don't really know if it can hear us.

The machine finally turns on and I can feel my nerves returning. They aren't as bad as when I told Gale, but they're still there. I chew my lip and he takes my hand as the machine connects.

Hazelle's the one who picks up. She smiles brightly at us. "I didn't know we'd be hearing from you guys!"

Gale laughs and looks at me. "We actually just had a question for you." I say quickly and Gale smiles.

Her brows furrow just like Gale's do and she moves so she's sitting at the kitchen counter. I can hear Posy running around in the living room screaming at Vick. "Posy, Vick," Hazelle yells back, "keep it down! Sorry." She says apologetically and Gale shakes his head. "Now, what was it you needed to ask?"

Gale looks at me again and takes a breath. "Yeah, we just wanted to know if you wanted to be called Nana or Grandma Hazelle?"

She raises a brow. "Do I want to be called… Oh. OH!" She looks between us quickly, and then, "Oh Gale! Madge! That's wonderful, oh my gosh!" My hands cover my mouth to keep myself from smiling and all Gale can do is laugh. "Oh my goodness." She smiles again and wipes under her eyes, "I, oh I wondered!"

Gale laughs as we hear Rory start talking in the background. "Oh, can I tell them?" She asks, her eyes shining brightly at us. Gale looks at me and I nod. "Kids? Oh I have something to tell you!" It goes quiet in the living room and then, "Madge's pregnant!"

It's silent for another two seconds until, "WHAT?!" from both Rory and Vick and suddenly there are three new faces on the other side and I'm crying again and Gale's laughing at his siblings. "That's awesome!" Vick says, looking at me and grinning.

Rory looks at me. "How far along are you?"

"Thirteen weeks."

"So like halfway, right?"

"No, not quite." Gale laughs and then reaches behind him to find the ultrasound picture. "This is what Madge got at her appointment. You can't really see much, but there's the head, and the torso and…"

The family watches in awe as Gale talks. Hazelle finally gets a word in. "When are you due?"

"December 16th," I tell them and she glows.

"Ma we have to go." Vick says seriously, looking between us and his mother. "When the baby is born, we have to go!" I smile and cover my face again.

Posy shouts, "Yes!" Then she turns to Rory. "You owe me a dollar."

"What?" Gale says.

"We had a bet. I said that you'd have a baby within 6 months after you got married, and he said no. Cough it up!"

Gale rolls his eyes and throws one of his arms around me. "Can't believe my family made bets on us. Can you?"

I shake my head and lean into his shoulder. His hand rests on my stomach. I'm showing a little bit. Not much, but it's there. He loves it. Kisses me and it every night before we go to sleep.

Hazelle finally gets the screen back from her kids. "Do you know the gender?"

I shake my head. "I can't decide if I want to wait or not." She nods. "I guess I like the element of surprise, but also not."

"I want to know," Gale pipes up, "want to know if I'm getting another Hawthorne man or a girl that has as much sass as you." He pokes my side and I shove him a little bit.

Gale's family on the other end smiles. "Well, whatever it is, you're going to love it. Not as much as you love Madge though." Gale smirks and gives me a kiss while Rory rolls his eyes. "Gonna breed like rabbits."

"Yea, and so what?" Gale asks and Rory grins.

"Happy for you. Really." They've come a long way since the war. We all have, honestly. Gale and I are married and expecting a child, for Christ's sake. No one thought that would ever happen, but here we are. And I'm happy. I'm truly, completely happy. And I can't wait to have the baby, even if I know getting there is gonna be a process. But with Gale by my side, I know we can do it. Whether it's a boy or a girl or twins or whatever life throws at us. We can do this.

(It's a boy).

(Hazelle goes by Nana).

(I love my life).

A/N: Yes I know it's been two years but I said I wasn't giving up on the story and I didn't. Short and sweet, just something to finish it off. Thanks for the ride.