Katniss and Peeta have been growing closer but there are a lot of things going around in the district that are weird, things that Katniss can't explain. Things are about to get weirder in the district.

I do not own the Hunger Games

December 80th Year AFR

District Twelve

The woods transformed into a winter wonderland. Fresh snow sat upon the branches.

Icicles sparkled in the winter sunlight and clinked prettily like wind chimes when the wind stirred. Katniss loathed the cold, but today she didn't mind because, in the winter, there was no place for bears, wild dogs, or lynxes to hide. There was also no way she would miss a Hybrid.

Gale walked by her side. Delly had given birth a few days ago and he said needed to hunt. Katniss thought he was here because he needed a break.

"So explain to me again how Posy and your mother moved in?"

Gale grimaced. "Junior got sick after Rye's wedding."

"Nobody was sick at Rye and Rayanne's wedding." Katniss couldn't believe Rye was married. It was impromptu. Rye came home last week and announced Rayanne said yes and he wasn't willing to wait and risk her changing her mind. In the span of two days, they were wed. People thought Rayanne was pregnant, but both Prim and Delly asserted Rayanne did not look pregnant. There was a bet currently between Gale and Delly.

"That Jimmy River's boy got him sick. So Junior spread it to the twins. Mom came over to the shop to check up on Delly and the baby. Somehow my mom convinced Posy to help with the twins and Junior, while she took care of the house and the rest of the kids. Before I knew it they moved in." Gale sighed heavily.

Gale's mother was a force to be reckoned with. There were two people who stood up to her. One was Madge's mother and the other was her own mother. Not even Haymitch dared cross Hazelle Hawthorne.

"I imagine Delly wants her out too."

"Delly doesn't want to be rude."

Katniss jumped over a fallen log. "Why were Rory's wife and Rooba's daughter there today?"

"Who knows." Gale pulled a hare from one of his traps. "All I know is that they arrived shortly before you showed up and they didn't look like they were leaving any time soon."

Katniss laughed, Gale was outnumbered by the women in his life. "Poor you, are you sure you want to be with me? I'm another female."

"Yeah, you're different though."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not like them," Gale said standing up from his trap.

"I don't understand?"

"Katniss, you're not a girly girl," Gale said.

"I'm a girl," Katniss looked down at herself.

"You never talk about hair and stuff. You talk about hunting, traps, and stuff that makes sense."

"Gale, just because I don't talk about it doesn't mean I don't like that girly stuff."

"Oh really, when was the last time you wore something that wasn't loose or patched up because it has holes in it?"

Katniss opened her mouth and closed it, she frowned thinking hard. "Gale, just because I don't dress like a girl doesn't mean I'm not one. I like pretty things. I like taking bubble baths until my skin gets pruney. I like braiding my hair in coronets. I like wildflowers and bright yellow dandelions."

Gale stood open-mouthed. "How come you've never told me these things?"

"Frankly, because they don't interest you."

"Do you discuss these things with your feller?"

Katniss tripped on a branch and caught herself. "Pardon?"

"You can't fool me Katniss, I've known you since you were this high," Gale held his flattened hand to a spot on his chest.

Katniss turned pink. "How?"

"I've seen you over the fence speaking to him. You look at him like he hung the moon."

"I do not," Katniss argued.

"Yes you do, and there's no denying you are seeing one another."

"Does anyone else know?"

"Just Delly and me, to be honest, but we know you're really private about that stuff."

"Do you think," Katniss hesitated. "Do you think Peeta-" Katniss said fidgeting with the strap of her game bag. "That may be, he might…" Katniss let the words drift unsure of how to ask Gale.

"Like you?"

Katniss nodded.

"I do," Gale said.

"Really?"

"Delly noticed Peeta looks at you like my brother Rory looks whenever he's with his wife."

Katniss grinned. "So you think Peeta is smitten?"

"Absolutely. Peeta only has eyes for you. I've never seen him look at another woman from the moment he stepped off that train."

Katniss smiled.

"I'm glad to see you're taking a chance, Katniss."

"It's scary, you know, sometimes I just can't wait to see him, and I want to see him more."

"That feeling doesn't go away."

"You feel that still with Delly, even after all of these years."

"Katniss, Delly's my person."

Katniss always heard people say that. She didn't understand what that meant.

"She's the person I trust. The person I know I can tell my deepest darkest secrets to. I look forward to seeing her every day."

"She's your best friend." Katniss had long accepted that Delly and Gale were a unit.

"Delly is more than that, I need her, Katniss. I don't know how to live without her."

Katniss had never needed anyone; she'd been self-sufficient all of her life. She didn't understand how someone could need anyone. Her mother said something to that effect about her father, and now Gale was stating he needed Delly.

Gale looked off into the distance, a smile slowly spread on his face. "There are three favorite times of day I look forward to. In the morning, I love waking up with Delly. The soft way the sunlight hits her face. She's so soft and beautiful. It reminds me of the first time I saw her, the way the sun hit her hair. In the afternoons, when I'm cooking dinner. I love seeing her with our family. She's an incredible mother, she's so patient with our kids. And at the end of the day, I love rubbing her feet, her shoulders. Sometimes I make baths for her, and that smile she gives me...it's better than ice cream on a hot summer day."

"What about the erm, physical stuff?"

"You really want to know?"

Katniss took in a deep breath, "Yea."

"Well at first, it isn't that great," Gale said.

"Everyone makes it seem like "IT" is amazing."

"It takes time for you to learn what your partner likes, but it helps when you're attracted to your partner."

"Peeta is very attractive," Katniss thought to herself.

"Delly is sexy. I can't explain it, but I just get turned on watching her walk sometimes. Or when she laughs and tosses her hair back revealing the curve of her neck. Or when she bends down-"

"Enough, Gale," Katniss said. "I get it."

"It's just that I desire to be with her and make her happy. I am sure that Peeta feels the same way about you, and maybe, just maybe, you're starting to feel the same way too."

Katniss nodded slowly.

They kept on going, checking the traps. Katniss shot down a few birds. "Junior is going to love hunting. When I got to the house he asked to come out with us."

"Delly said no."

"I remember when you wanted your brothers to come out here with you and they conveniently got the stomach flu. When you got back you discovered they were at the harvest festival stuffing their faces."

"Don't remind me."

"I never bothered with Prim; it was clear she had a thing for medicine."

"At least your sister followed in your mother's footsteps. I wanted one of my siblings to like the woods. Posy was my last hope, but instead, she wants to move to district seven and chop trees down."

Katniss laughed.

"Vick is a botanist and faints at the sight of blood, and Rory," Gale paused making several funny faces. "There are no words to describe him."

Katniss couldn't believe Gale was once a brooding boy who saw his shadow in every corner. He was funny and dispensed soulful advice about love. He still had a temper, but thankfully Delly knew how to navigate Gale and how to shut that valve off. "Rory has always been his own person."

"Rory is a weirdo."

"Gale, he's your brother."

Gale shook his head. "To be honest, my brothers could never keep up with you. Vick's useless out in the woods and Rory would be complaining about the cold, the heat, the rain, and just about everything in the woods."

Katniss snorted. It was true Gale's brothers were like her sister, neither of their siblings were adept at being in the woods.

"Besides, they were freaked out about the idea of a Hybrids in the woods."

At the name, Katniss stood straighter. Her eyes did a quick glance at her surroundings.

"So have you been able to track down the creatures we heard in the woods?" Gale asked.

Katniss blew into her hand. "No."

Gale nodded.

They were silent.

"Do you think they were Hybrids?" Gale asked.

"I think so, but I haven't run into anything since that day in the woods with you."

Gale nodded. "That was really crazy that day. You know I spoke to Madge in private."

This was news to Katniss. "What did Madge say?"

"She didn't think they were Hybrids."

"Did you tell her what you heard?" Katniss couldn't believe Madge was skeptical.

"I did and she said it could have been the storm," Gale said.

"Okay, what of the footprints?"

Gale shrugged. "She said another animal could have stepped on the bear tracks."

Katniss stared up at Gale gobsmacked. "So basically she thinks we made the entire thing up. I think you believe the same thing."

"I didn't say that," Gale said.

"But," Katniss prompted. She knew Gale had more to say.

"Madge told me we shouldn't travel that deep into the woods. She said there are animals that live out in those mountains that could be dangerous. One of those animals could have followed you and if you hadn't come through the fence when you did, you could have died."

"So you believe her. You don't think I saw Hybrids."

"I believe you saw something. And I know what I heard. Those prints were unlike anything I've ever seen."

Listening to Gale, it sounded as if he didn't think she was crazy. On the other hand, he does seem to have doubts.

"Which is why come spring, I'm going to bring a few other hunters with me to see what the heck we heard. If it was a beast as Madge suggested we will catch it or at least stun it and haul it to the Capitol."

Gale looked determined.

"What if you're wrong?"

"I don't think I am. I know you saw something enough to spook you, hell enough to scare me. I want to know what is out there and I'll sleep a lot better at night knowing that it can't get through the electrified fence."

"But." Katniss began.

"But nothing," Gale said.

"What if it's inside already?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Katniss said hesitantly.

Gale stared at her long and hard.

"Sometimes, I feel as if something is watching me from the woods by my house."

"Maybe some peeping Tom?"

Katniss hadn't ever considered that some person in the district was watching her. "You don't really think someone is spying on me, do you?"

"You never know, Catnip."

Katniss nodded and changed the conversation. Gale still had to shop for the upcoming holidays. He had things for his kids and Delly, but now he had his mother and sister still to shop for.

Gale's words stayed with her as they traded for gifts at the Hob. Later that night, Katniss stared out into the wintery landscape from her window. Things whirled in her brain. She knew what she saw wasn't a bear or a weird animal as Madge suggested.

Madge was wrong. Hunting had sharpened her senses. Katniss knew what she saw in the woods.

Hybrids.

And even if no one believed her, she knew what she felt and saw. The other thing she couldn't hide was that eerie feeling of being watched. Gale's suggestion could be true, there could actually be someone spying on her. In recent days, there had been a few new men moving into the district from the Capitol. They were quiet and kept to themselves, but Katniss didn't know them. And people from the Capitol were peculiar.

However, she wanted to feel safe in her home. She didn't want to worry about someone harming her in the space she felt safest. A cold wind slipped in through the cracks and she shivered. She grabbed her blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

It never hurt to be prepared though; the way she was in the forest.

Katniss sighed and went to bed. She had to make several deliveries in the morning. A smile crept on her face as she thought of her favorite client: blond wavy hair falling across Peeta's ruddy face, blue eyes that twinkled with mischief when he told her one of his childhood stories, and warm steady arms that kept nightmares away.

As she fell asleep, she hated to admit that there weren't enough blankets in the world that could imitate the warmth that radiated from his body.

The next morning, Katniss was chilled to the bone. She was eternally thankful that Peeta invited her in for some tea. She was warming up before heading out into the cold again. It was December now and everyone was in a festive mood as Parcel Day was tomorrow, and a few days away from New Years.

"Come on," Katniss laughed.

"Nope." Peeta shook his head, he was tight-lipped about his past, but from what she could glean, he didn't have a great childhood. Katniss surmised things were not easy for him in the Capitol; he spoke of hunger, he also spoke about losing his mother during the war.

"Biggest fear as a kid," Katniss said.

"How about you tell me yours."

Katniss glanced into her teacup. During the war when things got rough, the Capitol arranged for parcels of food, supplies, and simple gifts to be airdropped to the residents. Katniss recalled a time when Parcel Day held a different meaning. When a Tribute won the Hunger Games, the District was granted food gifts once a month for the entire year.

The cost of that token came at a high price, and it reminded her of the old days before the war when kids quaked at the thought of being Reaped on the 4th of July. That was her biggest fear grown up, now it was the Hybrids. "Getting Reaped."

"Reaped?"

"You wouldn't understand, you're from the Capitol. Capitol kids never had to go through the Reaping. I was a few months away from my twelfth birthday when my dad was drafted into the war. I had nightmares about it, my name being pulled out of the bowl. Having to go to the Arena and knowing the only way back home was in a pine box."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that," Peeta said.

"All of the kids in the district feared that," she whispered, looking into his eyes. "But that was replaced by the fear of the Hybrids."

"Everyone fears the Hybrids."

"I supposed you think it's silly," Katniss said. Her hands shook slightly.

Peeta placed his hands on top of hers. "We all fear something, Katniss. During the war, I feared losing my dad and Wheaton, who was old enough to fight. I lost my mom in a horrible way and the fear of losing someone else I loved has stayed with me."

"I guess the Capitol was heavily bombed."

"It was."

They stared at each other in comfortable silence. His large warm hands holding hers caused warmth to spread throughout her body and that tingly sensation of happiness.

"What's your biggest fear now?"

"Now, I guess I fear losing...I have so much more to lose…" he drifted off and the apple of his cheeks became pink. He bashfully looked away and let go of her hands.

Katniss brought the tea to her lips, and she revelled on how toasty her hands were after absorbing his body heat.

Peeta cleared his throat and said, "When the war was over, I used to pull pranks on my brothers. One time I stuffed a potato in Wheaton's muffler."

"Peeta Mellark, you did not!" Katniss laughed.

"Rye told me to do it actually and I did, not knowing it would damage his vehicle. I got in trouble, but it was funny when his car started to make farting noises."

Katniss laughed. Peeta was such a good man and she wanted to see him more.

A few days later, a town meeting was called. Only a handful of people were present at the meeting. They were discussing the number of Capitolites moving into the district. There were three families just this week, all widowed men or single men. Katniss wondered where they came from.

"Look I'm not one to say they shouldn't be coming here, but there aren't enough jobs here," Billy Robins said.

Leaf and Dusty Rivers, Jimmy's parents, nodded in agreement.

"There are plenty of mining jobs," Haymitch said, but his words were eaten up by the murmur of the crowd.

Katniss huffed. Billy Robins was always the same, only looking out for himself.

They were meeting in Haymitch's house in Victor's Village. The Mellarks stood at the back of the room. They were invited, for one, because of their charitable works within the district, two, because Rye was married to Rayanne from the Community Home, and three, they were from the Capitol. Katniss stood near them because she felt most comfortable in the back.

"I for one do not have any problem with the men moving here," Mrs. Anderson cleared her throat as she caught what she said, turning a bright shade of pink. "I meant to say Capitolite folk."

"Fern, all you're interested in is getting your daughter Alison hitched, and I'm here to tell you it'll be a cold day in hell when that happens!" Rooba said.

This caused laughter amongst the group.

Katniss couldn't help but chuckle. Fern Anderson needed to accept her daughter's decisions.

"Well, I for one welcome the extra income they bring," Clancy Cartwright stood up and stared at the people in the group.

Delly's brother Will stood up next to his tall imposing wife. He gripped his hat and said, "My wife is right. We're starting to finally see our district flourish. I think that the folk coming from the Capitol should be given a fair chance."

"Look, no woman here is more red-blooded than me," Tibia said, standing. She glanced first at Peeta giving him the once over, then at Peeta's father. "But sometimes I don't know if I can feel safe with all of the strangers around."

Another murmur went around the room.

"We've got to calm down. All of the people moving into the district have been thoroughly vetted," Maysie Undersee said. "Isn't that right Haymitch, Bonnie?"

"What Maysie said is right," Katniss' mother turned to Haymitch. "Haymitch even goes around checking up on the people who move here making sure they're adjusting. Our district is pretty small and remote. Moving here is a far cry from the bright lights and the technologies that exist in the Capitol.

"Graham, do you have anything to add?" Haymitch asked.

Mr. Mellark glanced at Peeta.

"I do," Peeta said, stepping forward.

"I can speak from my experience. A lot of the folk who are coming here had a tough time in the war. They had losses and paid a high price for the peace that we have now. A lot of them no longer have a place to call home."

Peeta stared at the sea of faces that were listening to his every word. "I understand the fear of the unknown. When we moved here, my dad and my brothers weren't sure what to expect, but this district has a way of growing on you. Sure, I was, erm pursued by a few of you…" this sent chuckles through the room when both Tibia and Mrs. Anderson turned red. "...but now you're a fine group of folks. My family and I couldn't be prouder to call District Twelve my home."

There was sudden applause from the group.

"Okay," Haymitch said, trying to calm down everyone.

Katniss couldn't help but look up at Peeta with pride.

Her mother clapped her hands to quiet everyone down. "Okay folks, is there anyone else who has any concern?"

From the side, Katniss caught Delly and Gale having one of their silent battles. Delly looked at Gale. She whispered something to him, but he shook his head. She gave him a hard glare and Gale hung his head. He slowly raised his hand.

"Gale?" Maysie acknowledged. "You have something to say?"

Gale stood, he looked down at Delly and she gave him that hard glare once more.

Gale cleared his throat before speaking. "Look, what Peeta said is all well and true. The Mellarks are honest, good working folk. That being said, we can't just become complacent. If the war taught us anything, it was to not rest on our laurels. The moment we got lackadaisical, we had to deal with an air raid or some catastrophe at the hands of those Hybrids."

Gale shot a look at Katniss. A murmur ran through the room like electricity racing through a darkened sky.

"Now I don't know about you, but I've got a growing family that I need to protect. Papers can be falsified with enough credit and we don't really know who's coming here."

"What are you trying to say?" Maysie asked.

Everyone stared between Maysie Undersee and Gale.

"I was told by one of our own that when they go to their backyard they feel as if they're being watched. So much so they don't feel safe in the sanctity of their own home." Gale stared at her. The din of people's voices grew as Gale stood there.

"I want to know who feels like that," Dusty Rivers said.

"Gale, you just can't make accusations without proof," Haymitch yelled over the crowd.

"We want proof," Tibia demanded.

"Yes, we need to know who?" Mrs. Leaferton said, banging her cane on the carpeted wood floor.

Gale tore his eyes from Katniss to glance down at Delly. They were having another silent battle.

"It's Katniss," Delly stood. "Katniss told Gale that she felt as if someone was watching her from the woods in her backyard. If Katniss Everdeen doesn't feel safe in her own house then none of us should."

"Is that so?" Maysie asked, looking over to Katniss.

Katniss lowered her head and nodded.

The entire room exploded in conversation.

Special Thanks to Norbertsmom for all of her help excellent beating skills.

Also after WW2 While rebuilding there was a lot of moving around in Europe you had refugees, you had the classes were mixing as society was forming into new norms. There were a lot of people in the smaller villages and towns that were threatened by the influx of new people coming in and there were not welcomed all of the time.