The visit hadn't started off too great.
Johanna had to lead Gale through District 12, which clearly upset him a little. It had changed so much since his last time there, since his childhood, he had no idea how to get to Victor's Village from the train station anymore.
"I used to be able to walk to places with my eyes closed," he muttered. He had once known the place better than the back of his own hand, and now it was completely foreign to him. The district was modernized. The line between the Seam and where the merchants lived was gone. There were houses, stores, a hospital, a shiny new school building. The roads and paths were different too. And there were way more cars around than there ever were when he lived there.
"Well, times are a-changin', Hawthorne." Johanna replied simply, shifting her bag on her shoulder.
After they met up with Katniss and Peeta, after she was sure no one was going to kill anyone, she wanted him to show her where he grew up. She wanted to meet his family. She had seen Hazelle and the kids around a little bit during her visits to 12 and Katniss had told her about them some. But she wanted to meet them. They were the only family Gale had.
Gale seemed… off from the moment they stepped foot off the train. Not mad really, not sad, just… not Gale.
And it put Johanna on edge.
This was not the Gale she was used to. She hadn't known him back in his broody, angst-filled days the way Katniss had, the way she talked about sometimes if you listened carefully enough. No, Johanna new him as a carefully thinking, analytical, clever man who maybe didn't talk all that much and still had issues with not bottling up his emotions, but he was funny. He was smart. And he was protective, but not in a smothering way. She knew him as a guy who had a few demons and who put up with hers. And he wasn't sappy like Peeta, but he made it very clear that he cared about her. Johanna's Gale didn't look quite as droopy and weighed down at Katniss' did. Johanna wanted her Gale back.
It wasn't until they got near to the Village that things started to look familiar again to Gale. That part hadn't changed much, besides some fresh paint and renovations. But even the surprise of things being the way they used to be wan't enough to shake Gale from his funk.
He stopped just outside the archway and took a deep breath.
Johanna reached for his hand and squeezed it.
"Maybe this isn't such a great idea…"
"She misses you," she murmured. "I know she does."
He shook his head. "After what I did?"
"Gale…" she breathed. They had been over this. He had been over this with a psychologist. She knew it wasn't his fault though, she knew the guilt and the ghosts were strong and hard to get past.
He was silent as he glanced at the house he knew was Katniss'. There were primroses planted in front of the house. He hadn't expected anything else. And he knew she would have loved it.
Johanna tugged at his hand. "It's going to be okay,"
And so she lead him the few hundred feet to Katniss and Peeta's door. And then he let go of her hand and waited at the bottom of the stairs.
Johanna turned to him, a silent question in her eyes. He nodded. Yes, he was ready.
She knocked three times.
There were footsteps behind the door and then the door swung open, revealing a familiar face and braid.
"Johanna!" Katniss cried. "You didn't say you were coming!"
"Yeah, sorry. It was… sort of a last minute decision…"
"No, no that's totally fine! We missed you. Come in!" Katniss urged, opening the door wider. "Peeta's at the bakery, he'll be back later. I know he'll be happy to see you."
"Well," Johanna said, shifting her weight uncomfortably. "I hope you don't mind if I brought along a stray I found."
Gale stepped to the left, out from behind Johanna. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey Catnip,"
Katniss' face fell immediately.
A/N: Uh oh. Now what? Let me know your thoughts!