A/N: I think that the first part of this (and originally planned to be the only part) is fantastic, but that sometimes when I get too dark, I can actually cause sadness within myself. This is the next step. This is when maybe there can be hope. This is when sometimes there's light in the darkness. If you're hoping to understand the beginning of this chapter, read the last two sentences of the previous one.

… or at least, that's how he had envisioned it. But when he heard that last click, nothing came out. He checked the chamber. Empty. He checked the magazine. Empty.

"You know," came a voice from behind him, gruff and irritated, "there are better ways to get rid of your troubles."

Gale jumped, looking behind him. "What the- Haymitch, what are you doing in my house!?"

"Saving you from killing yourself, apparently. I had to wait for you to go to the friggin bathroom before I could empty your gun out."

"How did you even know I was-"

"-In a dark mood? Let's just say I heard it through the grapevine. Caught a flight here to pull you out of your rut"

Gale couldn't decide whether to laugh or sob. "Yeah, sure. I'm alone, Haymitch. There's no grapevine!"

Haymitch slapped his head. "Idiot. You have so, so many people who love you. You chose to wallow in your misery. Do you think what you have done is any worse than what almost literally any of the rest of us have done? Wake up, you fool! Wake from this selfish and prideful delusion you've placed yourself under! You have people who surround you who would stretch their hands out to you if you'd just stop cutting those hands off when they try! You have friends who would hug you, and laugh with you, and cry with you! Somewhere up there, you have a creator who sees you with so much love in his eyes that you couldn't even grasp it!"

"I'm not okay, Haymitch! I'm not going to just change my mentality and somehow be fine!"

"I never said you would be! But instead of digging yourself deeper, maybe you could yell out to others for a ladder! Maybe you could stop bottling up your problems and understand that sometimes it's okay to not be great! You think being drunk actually did anything for me, Gale? Do you think I got sober just because I had to?"

Gale couldn't help a watery smile. "You, did, kind of."

"Well, yes, but I could have gone right back to it, kid. I didn't. And now I have Effie and three amazing kids who look at me with open mouths and obvious adoration, and I actually PRAY, Gale. And I'm finding happiness. So maybe, just maybe, give happiness a shot instead of giving your head one."

Gale burst into tears.

But tears are not always bad.

Sometimes, tears can heal.

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