DISCLAIMER: HG characters do not belong to me.

A/N: I saw a couple of comments asking about Dez and Peeta. Both will return, to give a little teaser, there will be a confrontation conversation between Dez and Katniss and Peeta and Gale, so stayed tuned for that!

This chapter will introduce you to a new character and is a Katniss centered chapter, Gale will follow in the next chapter so you will see what is happening with him.

Chapter 66-McKenna

When Katniss arrived in District 9 on Monday, it was 6 pm. Her train arrived an hour early. She saw her guards waiting for her when she got off the train to escort her to her housing unit. She was annoyed to see them though she knew they'd be there. It had only been just over a month since her kidnapping and she knew Paylor and Gale were not taking any chances, especially since it sounded like they were not able to gather much information from Geffen's men despite their interrogations. She was pleased to hear from the guards that they were only there to escort her from the train station, for the ride was a long one. One of the guards informed her that her housing unit was within walking distance of the school. Gale had given Katniss a new distress watch that was synched to Paylor's security office so it was decided that guards were not needed as long as Katniss stayed in town.

The car ride there took almost two hours. The drive was a scenic one, for she saw a lot of farms and open land. She knew she was approaching her destination when she started to see buildings and homes appear, driving into a small town. It was dark by the time she arrived at her new home, a building that held six small apartments. Her unit was on the third floor. The building had three floors with two units on each floor. She already had her key, it had been mailed to her before she had left District 4. Once she walked inside, she saw her boxes from District 12 had arrived. She saw an envelope placed on a small desk with her name on it. Inside was a card welcoming her to Harvest Moon, the name of the town she was in with instructions to the school with the room number she was to go to.

After her suitcases were unpacked she walked around the corner to a small market and bought some food. Her apartment had a small kitchen and since PES paid for the apartment she was responsible for all food and other expenses. She called Gale once she arrived back and chatted briefly before going to bed, not wanting her phone bill to get too high.

The next morning Katniss woke bright and early and arrived to the school a half hour early. She was informed while escorted to the classroom that she had arrived before the teacher did.

She looks around the room, seeing the small desks in front of her. She sees the teacher's main desk in the front and sees a small desk off to the side, she assumes is hers. She knows she will be teaching a grade 3 class, most of the children in the class between the ages of 8-9. She's excited because she likes that age group, not too little but not too big and it was her favorite age when Prim was little.

Continuing to look around the room she hears footsteps and sees a woman walk in, not looking much older than herself. Katniss guesses she's about 30 and notices she has auburn hair and bright green eyes. She looks flustered and says, "I hope you are not always this punctual, you are going to make me look bad."

Katniss just stares back, not knowing how to respond to that comment. She's glad she took a morphling pill before she left, because she was already feeling anxiety, not knowing what to make of this woman. The woman then smiles and says, "Hello Katniss, I'm McKenna Greenleaf and extends her hand for Katniss to shake. "I'm not going to pretend like I don't know you are, it was big talk around here that the mockingjay was going to do her teaching experience here."

"I'll bet" Katniss says feeling suddenly out of place.

"But I don't care about all that. I mean, I watched you in the arena, I had to along with the rest of Panem. I watched you during the rebellion, I thought you were very brave back then. But the way I see it, that's all in the past, all I care about now is, teaching you to be a good teacher."

Katniss smiles at her as McKenna says, "And the first thing I'll be teaching you is to not be chronically late like I am. I am not a morning person, despite being a teacher."

Katniss was feeling more calm, she wasn't sure if was because she had quickly taken a liking to McKenna or because the morphling pill was kicking in.

"So, today is May 1, and you were supposed to be here a month ago."

Katniss quickly gets a look of unease on her face, not knowing how much to say in response or what McKenna knew. "Yeah, I was um-on a medical leave. It was excused by PES."

"Oh I know that. PES told me to have you make up the weeks, graduation is what-August 31?"

"Yeah."

"Well then I have until August 24 to work with you. Most of your classmates will be done by the first or second week of August depending if the school they teach at takes a one or two week break by the midpoint. This school does a one week break. I have to turn in your final grade one week prior to graduation."

The students start arriving in the classroom before Katniss could respond. McKenna whispered to her to take her seat at the desk and that for the first week she'll be observing before beginning lesson planning next week.

That evening Katniss called her Mother and told her all about her day and what she thought of Harvest Moon so far. She told her how she really liked McKenna even after only a day. After their conversations finished she then called Gale and spoke with him for just a few minutes, he explained that he probably won't get a chance to speak with her again for a few days for he will be going out of town for work. She realized after she hung up with him that her anxiety and sadness had risen by this news.

She becomes angry at herself. She felt as though she was slipping back into the person she was in 12, her entire world revolving around her boyfriend. She didn't want the kind of relationship she had with Peeta for her and Gale. She knew one of the reasons his relationship with Dez wasn't as perfect as people thought was because of her dependence on him. She didn't know why she had become so anxious hearing he was going away. She knew it wasn't because she questioned his loyalty to her. She was aware that women would always be flirting with him, she was used to it. While it might have concerned Dez, Katniss never feared it. She knew there wasn't anywhere else she wanted to be than here at this moment. For once she put herself first. She struggled trying to figure out within herself what was bothering her about the fact that he was going to be gone.

She had to take another morphling pill in order to sleep for her mind continued to race due to her conflicted emotions.


For the rest of the week, Katniss observed McKenna and took notes, prepping herself for next week. McKenna explained that usually a person observes for two weeks before beginning, but because Katniss was on a limited time schedule, she would have to begin next Tuesday, May 8-her birthday.

When Katniss woke up the morning of birthday, she was nervous but eager. While getting ready she thought about her birthday a year ago with the tribe. How she made a promise to herself when she turned 27 that she wanted changes in her life. Well, things had definitely changed. She left her life in District 12 with Peeta behind her for good, while she didn't have a job she was training for one, and she was now in a relationship with Gale. While she was beyond happy to be with Gale, she still had a lot of unresolved feelings about their relationship, due to the circumstances of how they ended up together.

She continued to push the thought of Geffen and what his men had done to her from her mind. She had no nightmares since that first night she spent with Gale, and she refused to talk about what happened with anyone. Her Mother quickly got the hint not to ask her about it when Katniss snapped at her the first day she was at her apartment recovering. She didn't know if her Mother figured she didn't need to discuss it with her because she had Gale to talk to. She didn't need to talk about it because Gale brought her comfort, she felt safe with him and knew he would do anything to protect her. He had risked his freedom for her when he killed Geffen, and ever since the day she awoke in the hospital room, things between them were never the same. She knew she had gotten him back by the way he looked at her when she woke up, he was hers again. She felt it in the way his emotions radiated from him. Words were unspoken, but even while pumped full of morphling, she was very aware of what his kiss meant.

The reason she had unresolved feelings, was because she didn't want to have the conversation with him about why he did what he did. She knows the reason he finally decided to be with her was because she almost died, but she needs to hear from him why. And she knows she needs to tell him the truth about her anxiety. About how she lied to him telling him she no longer was taking the morphling pills. She's scared anticipating his reaction, she knows he does not tolerate lying in any way, shape, or form. She hopes his love for her will make him more understanding.

She looks at the bottle of morphling pills and she sees she does not have many pills left and will most likely be out of pills by the weekend. She has no refills. She knows she cannot ask her Mother for another prescription, for her scars, bruises, and cuts have completely healed. Asking for another prescription would give her secret away. She takes out one pill and swallows it with a glass of water. Telling herself she needs it to help get through today, but that she won't take one tomorrow.

When she gets to the classroom, she sees a large package sitting for her at her desk. She has arrived before McKenna as usual and opens it, eager to see what it is. She sees inside a smaller box that is wrapped tightly, and sees tons of school supplies in the large box. She had brought school supplies with her but wasn't able to get quite everything she needed. Her hospital bill was higher than expected and she had to use money she had budgeted to pay for that instead. Now she had everything she needed and then some.

She opens up the small box and unwraps a framed picture. It is a picture of a tree, but instead of green leaves the leaves are red and forms a heart at the top of the trunk, with red leaves blowing away from the heart shaped tree. The saying, "The way to LOVE anything is to realize it may be lost" is written beside it.

She sees a card inside the small box as well and sees it is a birthday card. Inside she reads: Happy Birthday Catnip! When I saw this picture I immediately thought of you, because it expresses my feelings perfectly. I hope you have a great day today. I love you.

Pods forever,

Gale

She tries not to cry, touched by his thoughtfulness. She places the frame on her desk. She quickly places the school supplies with her other supplies in the back of the room.

When McKenna comes in she notices Katniss's cheerful mood and asks her about it.

"Well, today is my birthday and I got a really nice gift from my boyfriend."

McKenna wishes Katniss a happy birthday and asks what it is and Katniss shows her the picture and tells her about the school supplies and how she didn't have everything she needed.

"Yeah, I noticed you were missing some stuff, I didn't want to say anything" McKenna says.

"Well, now I have anything, thanks to-"

"Gale Hawthorne." McKenna says in a matter of fact tone.

Katniss had not told McKenna about their relationship, only telling her that she had a boyfriend. She wasn't sure if District 9 was up to date with Capitol gossip but figured McKenna most likely knew.

"Yes" Katniss says with pride in her voice.

"I'm a sucker for Panem Daily and Ceasar's articles. I always found him very-entertaining. I think he's losing his touch though, he is more suited for TV interviews."

"Yeah he is" Katniss says laughing at McKenna's confession.

"I really liked the sex one. That was a good one."

"WHAT?" Katniss says alarmed.

"His article last week, it came out-last Friday I believe. It was titled, "Katniss Everdeen's steamy romantic weekend!" and was about the two of you being spotted in a hotel in District 4. The article said you two were heard having loud passionate sex." McKenna laughing as she tells it.

Katniss wants to run away and never show her face to anyone in Harvest Moon again. She came here to be away from the Capitol's obsession with her personal life, but of course she being the mockingjay, everyone continues to be interested in what and who she is doing.

McKenna sees the look of distress on her face and says, "Wait-that was true?"

"It must have been the hotel staff, we had to-have them change the sheets. I was afraid they would tell Ceasar. But to know that they were hearing us having sex-"Katniss says feeling her privacy had been violated in a way that was unfathomable.

"I don't think it was staff person. From the article it appeared it was a hotel guest that heard the two of you. Were the walls thin?"

"No, but, we did have the door to balcony open, it was pretty hot that day."

"Did you go outside?"

Katniss thinks back and realizes that she and Gale did go outside on the balcony. After they gotten out of the tub and before he called housekeeping they had gone out to the balcony after they got dressed. She had gone out first and he came out after, she remembered how he had playfully grabbed her butt startling her while she looked out at the ocean. She remembered how they had made out on the balcony before heading downstairs. Whoever had heard them most likely had seen them out on the balcony. While she doesn't remember seeing anyone out there that day, she knows she was pretty focused on what she and Gale had been doing that day, not being as aware of her surroundings as she usually was.

She tells this to McKenna who says, "Yeah, most likely that's how Ceasar found out."

"I'm so embarrassed."

"Why?" McKenna says surprised.

"I want people here to take me seriously. I don't want them reading gossip articles about me. What if it effects their view of me?"

"Look Katniss, there's a lot of people who don't read Panem Daily. And the ones that do, they like me thought that article was all gossip with no truth to it. I'll be honest, you don't seem like the type of person to be obnoxiously loud in the bedroom."

"I never used to be."

McKenna smiles at Katniss and says, "It sounds like the sex was pretty amazing then."

"It was, I never experienced anything like it. Gale and I, we were always very intense in our feelings about things. It was why I used to think he and I were not a good match for each other. But I've realized since being with him, our intensity is quite explosive in-other ways."

"Sounds like you two make a perfect match. And the fact that he's gorgeous doesn't hurt either right?" McKenna says winking at Katniss.

Katniss blushes and says, "No, it doesn't."

"I'm sorry that your privacy was invaded like that. You always seemed like such a private person. I know this is upsetting. I think Ceasar is going overboard because you had been out of sight for eight years. I won't tell any of the teachers the article is true."

"Thanks" Katniss says appreciatively. Upsetting wasn't the word to describe how she was feeling. Knowing that not only was another Panem Daily article written, but one that exposed one of the most intimate moments of her life with the person she loved was beyond devastating. What if her Mother or Hazelle saw the article as well? She didn't want to think about it.

Despite this she somehow managed to have a good day on her birthday. Her first day of teaching went well despite her nerves and McKenna offered constructive, yet gentle criticism telling Katniss what she wanted her to work on for tomorrow.

When she got back to her apartment she saw two cards for her in the mail. The first card she opened was a birthday card from her Mother with some money inside. The second was a birthday card from Peeta. She sees a drawing inside the card, a drawing of the meadow. Their meadow. On the back of the drawing she sees he had written: Just a little reminder of home. I hope you are doing well. I am trying to adjust. I wish I could say it is getting better. But your happiness is what is most important. The bakery continues to do well. I hope you have a great birthday. Love, Peeta.

She puts the drawing up on her bulletin board above her desk and puts both cards on the desk beside the card Gale gave her. She starts to feel sadness thinking about Peeta being lonely. She still feels guilty for her actions and begins crying. She cries out of sadness for Peeta, for realizing all of Panem knows about her and Gale's sex life, and cries because she is so close yet so far away from the tribe, longing to see them again. She develops a massive headache from crying so hard and ends up taking three morphling pills and passes out on her bed fully clothed. She is out cold and sleeps through Gale's phone calls that night, missing them.

A/N: So the picture Gale gives Katniss is based off a real picture I have in my house. I felt the saying was very fitting to this story and wanted to incorporate it in this.