"And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
"I'm fine baby, how are you?"
Well I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that..."
"Home" | Gale's POV
Day 4,
Today we got to train out on the military course today. Tough but alright. I miss you and love you, a lot.
G.
Day 98,
Flew over Airagusta, planned our route. Hot plane, stuffed with 13 of us. Love you a lot.
G.
Day 301
Saved a child from a burning building in Airagusta last week. Thought of Linden. Hug him for me.
G.
Day 742,
Same day, in and out. Found people buried under ruble. Love you.
G.
Day 988,
How's Linden? I miss your voice.
G.
Day 1002,
I'll be home soon. I've met a lot of new people, but I never stop thinking of you.
G.
Day 1095,
I'll be home today. I love you so much!
G.
XX
I clutch the handful of unsent letters a little closer to me as the train hit's a rough spot along the track a head, threatening to send them flying across the cabin. The guys would never let me live it down if they read them, calling me every name in the book for not sending them to my wife. She use to send letters to me, they came few and far between though over time. I pick up that stack of letters, sitting in the empty seat next to me. Her handwriting was the hardest thing to look at-
Year 1, March 19th
"I hope your first month went well, and safely. Please be safe Gale, please. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to write, Coping is hard. Linden's missing you I think. He never stops crying now. It's okay though, Prim has moved in and helps me at night. She misses you too, we all do. Please don't do anything stupid. I love you too much to loose you. I miss you.
Katniss."
April 20th
"I hope you are still being safe. I guess I should fill you in on stuff. Posy started first grade at school. She hates it, but it keeps her focused on something else than constantly asking about you. Rory went on the field trip down to the mines, he hasn't mentioned anything about it. Vick and Prim are good. I'm not sure whose better at being a mother, me or Prim. Linden smiled for the first time. I don't think I have ever smiled as wide as I did... since you left. I wish you were here to see him smile. It's the sweetest thing, Gale. I love you, come home soon.
Katniss."
June 13th
"How is everything going? I'm scared to death for you, Gale, since the war has officially started in Airagusta. Please write back, if you can. I guess I should fill you in like before. We were all safe from the Games last month, don't worry. I had a nice birthday too, Hazel cooked for me. I found a job of sorts, hunting hasn't been going good. Nothing's been biting and coming into my line of arrows and Rory won't come with me to the woods. He doesn't talk much anymore. And you know how Prim is in the woods. I hate my job, but it keeps us all fed and alive. I miss being home with Linden at night. He's doing good, gaining strength. I show him our wedding picture all the time. He's learning who his Daddy is. Love you.
Katniss."
Year 1, January 23rd
"I can't believe next month you'll be gone for a whole year. It will be Linden's 1st birthday too. He can pull himself up now and take a step or two, wobbly legs still. He looks just like you. He calls me 'ma-ma' now. It made me cry a few months ago. I can't get him to say 'da-da' at your picture yet, but I'm working on it. Linden loves Buttercup, he likes to pull his fur. Poor cat. Love you.
Katniss"
August 8th
"I'm sorry I haven't wrote. I guess I've been in a funk lately, and quite busy. Linden walks now, and likes to pull the table cloth, and everything off the table, to the floor. The house is now fully child-proof. I started a second job, haven't hunted in months.
Katniss"
Year 2, May 9th
"I'm sorry I haven't wrote in months. Two jobs, two families to care for and a toddler can keep you busy. Linden's second birthday was amazing, Gale. Darius threw him a little party in the backyard. General Miles bought a small cake from the Mellark Bakery. We sat Linden on the table next to it and he fell right into it, smearing frosting everywhere. I wish you were there to see it. I haven't laughed that hard since you left. You won't believe how big Posy is now, or how tall Rory and Vick are. I had a good birthday yesterday. I love you.
Katniss"
December 17th
"I think this is the coldest winter yet. Firewood is scarce this year. I've been burning anything unused in the house to keep Linden and I warm. Prim moved back in with our mother, she's not doing well. Rory has shut down much like my mother did. Posy and Vick keep to theirselves next door. Hazel watches Linden for me while I work. He's getting so big, Gale. I miss you.
Katniss.
For a whole year I never heard from Katniss. It was hard to panic about someone when you are so distant from them, both physically and mentally. It was only two months from today, the day I come home, that I finally received a letter from her. There was something in her words. Not cold, but… plain. Unlike the Katniss I know-
Year 3, December 9th
"I'm sorry it's been over a year. I still think about you, too much maybe. This year has been hard. I've been trying to get Linden and my mother to spend as much time together as possible. I'm not sure if she'll see next winter. Prim's the towns healer now, I can't believe she's fifteen. She as tall as me. There's so much to tell you, but I guess I'll see you soon.
Katniss."
That was the last letter I received from her. I kept them all under my pillow every night, sitting up for hours with the dimly lit candle, staring at her handwriting. Remembering how good it feels to be in her arms. I missed everything about her, the way she smelled (always incredible), the way she smiled, maybe rare, but every time she did, it was like seeing the sun for the first time. I missed her voice most of all. Raspy and deep but always telling me what I needed to hear, rather it was what I wanted to hear or not. I thought I could handle it, being away from her for a few years. I quickly has realized it wasn't as easy as I thought it to be. Seeing her scream my name as I boarded the train that day had torn me to shreds like I never thought something could. Seeing my baby in Prim's arms, knowing he should be in mine. I realized how selfish I was, to not even attempt to turn this all around. To plead to General Miles to take my name off that list, instead of just asking nicely. I knew it was too late. I'd deal with any guilt the best I could. I had always wanted to be a hero. I thought by signing up for this, I'd not only be a hero to the woman I'm in love with, but to others as well. I quickly realized that sometimes getting what you want is not it's all cracked up to be. Dreams do come true, and when they do, sometimes it spits right back at you.
Maybe constantly worrying about Katniss is one of the many things that kept me awake at night in the bunker. As her letters became fewer and fewer, I had to force myself not to panic. Busy, that was all she was. But of course, my mind flooded with ideas that she no longer loves me. Wrapped in the arms of another man. But the day I nearly shot my Commander dead with a loaded gun in my hand, because I wasn't focusing, I had to stop myself from worrying about those things, even if they were true.
Constantly thinking about Linden was a whole other thing. Ever since I was young, seeing my father with Rory and Vick… and Posy, I knew I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be a father. I wanted to make a child, who was mine, laugh at my silly faces or my stupid jokes. That I wanted to share a parental bond with the person I'd fall in love with… Katniss. I never told her about any of that when we were just friends. She'd go on rant after rant about how much she did not like small children, and how she'd make a terrible mother (just the opposite) and despised the idea of bringing a child into the world that we live in. I agreed, but in a different way. Hearing the news that she was pregnant that night filled me with so many emotions that I thought I could never experience at one time. Joy but terror, and longing for things not to be the way they were. Not at my wives unexpected pregnancy, no, I never felt my happy in my entire life, but that I didn't just come from the Justice Building, signing my name to be gone with three years. The years my son would be growing into a little boy. The years Katniss would, no doubt, need me the most. And I was still selfish afterwards. That's what breaks me down to shreds in a way I never though I'd ever be. But knowing that only in a matter of moments I'll see her face, plead my apologizes to her, kiss her and our son… that's what keeps me strong. Katniss has always been a strong, independent woman. She's taken care of herself, and I plea to whatever god or creature that I must, that she's forgiven me. She was so quiet about everything before I left.
The train hurries along for another thirty minutes or so before the conductor comes over the intercom, telling us we will be arriving in District 12 in roughly ten minutes. Ten minutes until I see her, and my son. I wonder what they both look like. Three and Twenty are big numbers to take a toll on looks. I'm sure, I know, that Katniss is as beautiful as ever.
I stuff the letters from Katniss back into my bag, stuffing the unsent letters I wrote in too. It was too hard for me to send them… to write them. After all I've put her through, only a sentence or two was all I could muster up to write? I knew it was not enough… so I never sent them. Another thing to ask her forgiveness for.
I watch as the other men around me do the same, collecting their stuff and bags, eager to get off to see their loved ones. A train that left full now sits half full. People died in the war, a lot. The Districts were left unharmed nearly. A few raids here and there, but mostly on the Capitol and the career Districts. The war was fought on Airagusta soil, where both men, women and children met their death. The war is not something I want to relive… or retell, not right now. I know I'll have to, I owe it to Katniss. What will she have to say to me when I see her? What will Linden think of me? Will he know who I am? Will he let me hug him? Or will he do what I picture in my dreams, run towards me, screaming Daddy? Of course he won't, I'm a stranger to him. All he knows is his mother… my wife.
I look out my train seat window as the tops of the buildings of District 12 come into far view, the next three or four minutes seem to three or four years, and I should know. We pass the few buildings that the track crosses. The District looks the same, untouched since the day I left. The streets (that I can see) are empty, no doubt, the entire District is waiting at the train station. Finally, when the station and mass crowds of people does come into view, my heart begins to beat out of my chest. Fear, anxiety, happiness, joy… again, emotions I never that I could feel at once, but several unexplained. Fear? Why fear? I don't have time to answer as the train slows down to enter the station. I'm practically pressed against the class, searching every face I see for the face I want to see the most. The people who don't have loved ones coming back, are standing around the station, but not on the platform. Still, a large amount are though, that do have loved ones returning. Alec, the man I shared a bunker with sits behind me, waving eagerly and crying loudly, spotting his family.
It's as though I see the sun, honestly, for the first time. I spot her in the crowd, as though a spot light is shinning on her and all time has stopped. I see a little boy, clutched to her legs through her long, black, floor length skirt. She's wearing my favorite color on her, a dainty button up sweater. Showing just a tad bit of cleavage, maybe it's my own eyes there though. Her smile is small, but there. I smile a wide long, matching exactly what Alec is doing next to me. I think she see's me, because she waves, trying to get the boys attention to my train window.
When the train comes to a final stop (at which I never take my eyes off of them) and the doors open, it's as though a flood has escaped the train. We all head to the door at once, jumping off. It takes me a few seconds to disembark, with my slight limp. The suns warmth feels good against my skin, but that 's what I care less about. We both meet eyes at the exact moment. She crying, bawling again, just like I left her three years ago. She opens her arms, and despite my limp, I drop my bag and run as though my laugh depends on it… maybe it does. My sanity at least? We smack into each other as she takes a few steps to meet me. In one second her arms are around me, mine around hers, our lips dancing together to their own beat. It's as though everything around us vanishes, leaving only the two of us. This moment has never felt so good.
Nothing has ever felt so good...
" Let me go home, I've had my run
Baby, I'm done, I gotta go home
Let me go home, It'll all be all right
I'll be home tonight, I'm coming back home "
A/N - There it is ladies and gentlemen! The Epilogue, in Gale's POV. Deep breath. First, let me take care of "review" business from the last Chapter...
THANK YOU to mysance, tickle ur peach, Bailey, FireworkRR75, .94, Kailinaaragon, THG4ever3 and sugarxxcubes for reviewing Chpt. 37! Bailey - I will talk about the next installment in just a bit. FireworkRR75 - Thank you for your sweet words! I did get a little teary, yes. But since I am writing the story, I know one what is coming and two, as a writer, I try not getting attached to any of the characters, does that make sense? Hopefully. Kailinaaragon - ... I LOVE reading your reviews! They crack me up (in a good way)! And to everyone else, your kind words mean more to me than I could ever express! XO
About the Epilogue: First off, the song lyrics mentioned about are "Home" by Micheal Buble. The song is older but currently one of my favorites to listen to and obviously, very inspiring for this part of the story. Almost EVERY word in the song can heavily relate to Gale in this chapter. Look the song up on youtube, I was listening to it WHILE I was writing this Epilogue, helped me a ton. Second... as you can see, it was from Gale's POV! This was my first, very first, time writing from Gale's perspective, so please, stick with me. It's so hard from when I'm use to writing in Katniss' mind set, to quickly switch to Gale's, then back to Katniss' with the letters. In was like character war in my head... With this Epilogue, I really tried to give you a sense of both Katniss and Gale's emotions with being apart and the whole ordeal, not necessarily filling you in on the war, Gale's life/role in the war and Katniss' life back in 12, ect. I could have... and now I just might...
About the 3rd Installment: Is there going to be one? I could eaisly end the story here... but I'm NOT! Not when I have pages of papers with story plot, ideas and new characters written down, waiting to be turned into a story! To be honest, I did not end No Sad Goodbye's the way I had intended from months ago. If was going to be a cliff hanger that would leave you hanging so bad, that I KNOW Kailinaaragon would have hunt me down, murdered me and displayed pictures for you all to see xD... BUT, that doesn't mean that that "cliff hanger" is not going to happen, it WILL, just not has a cliff hanger but instead... in a NEW installment! So the answer is, YES! Now the question is, WHEN. Well, to be completely honest, I would love to review my notes, add any more ideas (ect) to it, and write a few good chapters before posting the first one. I have **HUGE** plans for this next one, and want to do it right and make sure the plot will line up. All I can say about the 'plot' right now is... there's going to be some CRAP going down between a certain "married" couple and maybe a few other... people. So, I do not have the official date that I will be posting it, still have to come up with a name and a cover photo at least. So PLEASE look on the Facebook fan page for the updates, I will not just disappear for a few weeks/months then suddenly post it. I WILL keep YOU guys updated! I'm thinking I should have a name and cover photo by next week, at the latest. Don't hold me to it though, please.
SO... That's it for "No Sad Goodbye's"! And this really isn't a goodbye, but it is an ending on this installment. I would like to thank anyone and everyone who has and did review my story. Honestly, words can not, in any way, tell you how much your words mean to me. Whenever I'm in a writing.. "funk", I click on my reviews and they make the worlds difference. You really don't know the power behind those reviews. Second of all, I would like to thank all my readers, rather you reviewed or not... I know you're out there (I'm guilty too!). Thank you for letting me entertain you! Thank you to the 122 Followers, 81 Favorites and almost 50,000 reads! I'm blessed! So blessed! THANK*YOU
Well, until next time...
Macayla XOXO
Keep up to date with the next installment's name, cover image and release date by my Facebook Fan Page, link is located on my profile.
*New Image is now up as my profile picture, so don't be alarmed.. it's still me ;)