Twenty Years Later

by Fate's Second Apprentice

Time changes people and places. Twenty years after the revolution Panem is a different place. Watching Peeta and Katniss as they raise their kids as well as Gale in district 2. I'm planning for them to have kids so a bit of teenage romance as well as couple time with Peeta and Katniss because I like to think that even twenty years on they still need each other. Long story!

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was bunch at the Hawthorne house. Though technically not related the children of the Hawthorne's and the Mellark's considered themselves cousins in every way except from calling them that. It was during this that the phone went off. "Would you get that Lilac, darling?" Hazelle asked looking up. Even old as she was, skin rough from years of hard work Hazelle was still as young as ever. She watched as a child that felt like her granddaughter hurried to the phone on the wall. Lilac pulled a chair over and climbed it, she picked it up and answered.

"Hello. Hawthorne residence, laundry of all shapes and sizes, and everything in between, how may I help you?" Lilac chimed with a smile. Even at the age of five she was the best phone girl of the business. "Yes…yes…she's here…of course!" With a squeal Lilac hurried over the Hazelle and handed her the phone. "A man want's to talk to you, says he know you." Hazelle smiled slamming the bread pan onto the bench and lifting it up. The bread was dark and covered with sultanas, prepared by Peeta an hour before.

"Thank you, darling." She picked up the phone, "Hello? Hazelle here."

"Mother? It's been a while. Can we talk?" Hazelle froze in surprise. It had been almost five years since she had had a call from her eldest son, another twelve since she had seen him. He must be a middle aged man by now. He's missed so much.

"Mother? That's sounds distanced. Call me Mum Gale, or don't call me at all." There was a silence on the phone and Hazelle realised how that must have sounded after so long. She began to talk again but the voice continued on the other end of the phone.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy…are you doing anything later? I'm staying in the district; I was hoping to talk…face to face. Catch up…"

"You're in District 12? Right now?"

"Yes…I-"

"Of course I'm free Gale! I haven't seen you for so long. But first, have I got any grand children? Hmm…Gale, this is a serious matter." She said laugher in her voice.

"Yeah…about that…well, I guess if you come over you can find out?"

"This afternoon you say? Where are you staying, the Old Queen's Head?"

"Mmhmm." He said in acknowledgement. "Room 20, can you come alone?"

"Well, I'm with everyone right now, so I think we can all come over." There was a silence. "Gale is there something wrong?"

"No...No…It's fine. If they want to, they can come." He said, his voice resigned, "I'll see you then. Thank you for everything." The phone went dead and Hazelle frowned. Walking over to the phone holster she slid it away. Turning back to the bread she took it out to the living room.

"Who was that, Mum?"

"Gale, Gale, just called. He's back. Gale's back."