PLEASE READ IMMEDIATELY, IMPORTANT A/N: I am so sorry for the week-late update everyone! So, I had thought I lost my jump drive, which by the way contains every chapter for this story and others and this update. I finally found it today, and finished this up in class. I am terribly sorry to hold off the ending for all of you. Alright, you can skip the next part and go to the actual chapter now. SORRY AGAIN.
Aww! Some of you are so sweet(: I got a anonymous reader who didn't want Madge and Gale together. SORRY, bug influence. Guess what? I've laid out a plan for the sequel! I'm going to post it soon, but I have decided those updates will run every other day. High school life is just too busy to keep up with. (Blame my damn teachers..!) So, here is the ending! I can't wait to start the sequel, you have no idea! SO EXCITED. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! I love each and every single one of you random strangers! ;) This is the last chapter. We just cleared 200 reviews, and a ton of hits. Thanks for your support, and again sorry for the late update!
We walk with Gale to his new home in Victor's Village with smiles and floods of words. Prim bounces around with Rory, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the different flowers and homes. The peacekeeper in front walks stiffly as if there is a stick up his ass. I snort out loud, but cover it up with a cough. Posy is clutching my fingers while filling the space between Gale and I. Madge holds onto his free hand with a look of content. Posy acts as if he never just went into the games, and in the end watched a little girl get blown up in front of him. She instead fills him in with everything he has missed.
"We ate cake last night Galey! It was so good too!" That seems to catch his full attention.
"How?" he stutters while looking me in the eye, "we could never afford cake. Well until now." Madge leans in front of him to give me a grin.
"Peeta hired me at the bakery. Violetta was kicked out for good, and they needed another set of hands since his older brother isn't working for them much anymore. Rory has been doing great with hunting, so he does a bit extra while I work. The cake was a specialty for celebration." He looks at Rory quickly, looking proud of his younger brother.
"It had your pin on it too Galey!" Posy says with a cheeky grin. I nod, and the peacekeeper brings to a stop in front of a mini-mansion sized home. A wide white deck stretches around the front with careful wood designs carved in the railing. A moderate sized swing hangs under the shade of the roof. The house is painted in a light green, covered in purple flowers that snake up the trellis on the sides of the walls. Everyone looks at it in astonishment.
"This is your new home Mr. Hawthorne. All your things are already in the home. Congratulations on your victory." The peacekeeper says tightly, handing him a pair of skeleton keys. Gale's face pales a lot when 'victory' is mentioned. I see Madge squeeze his hand in a relaxing way. He slowly moves up the steps to the door, slipping in the key. It opens with an inaudible click, and a fresh pine smell wafts out. Just as his feet begin to touch the floor of the hallway, Posy flies out of my grasp and races inside.
"WE'RE RICH!" I hear her squeal, and Hazelle frowns. Madge even chuckles a bit at the remark and we all make our way in. Dark cherry wood lines the floor boards, with soft colors accentuating the walls. Empty picture frames hang, waiting for faces to fill the space. A wide living room sits to our left, complete with a fluffy couch, loveseat, and two chairs. Plush beige carpet cushions the floors, with smooth polished coffee tables. Posy is running through the room towards the hall. We watch her race towards another room and hear water. Madge pulls Gale ahead lightly, and we all follow quietly. Inside reveals Posy standing at a sink playing with the water. A perfect cake sits on the counter, decorated like the woods. It's even complete with Katniss flowers, primroses, and a few other familiar plants.
"Did you make this?" Gale asks, turning towards me. I shake my head, and quietly step up to observe.
"Peeta is the only one who can create beauty like this. I'm getting better, but I'm not that good…"
Madge smiles slightly, and clears her throat. "I hope you don't mind, I ordered the cake two days ago through Peeta as a secret. I figured it would be something nice for you." I think back to when Peeta asked me to bring some examples of plants. I just brought the book over to him. That's why he needed it. Prim and Rory are whispering, and speak up.
"Mom? Can we get our rooms now?" Rory asks, backing to the doorway.
"Sure. Let's figure that out now." It turns out; there are three floors of house. The second floor contains four rooms, one master, and three guests. They all are overly large in size. Posy asks to get hers painted with princesses and castles. I laugh at the question. We decide to ask Peeta to paint the walls. Rory and Vick get the other two rooms, and Hazelle gets the master. With just Madge, Gale and I, we head up to floor number three. Most of the floor is open, finished with a couch and few other relaxing items. One bedroom lies at the back of the room, and Gale decides to call it his.
"I have to get to work; I had a short break for today…" My voice breaks the silence. Madge sits on the edge of his bed with a soft smile. Gale's eyes are glimmering with that scared side, and slight serenity. "The blue irises, tomorrow morning?" I ask quietly, knowing that we are being listened to. He nods in return. "See you around Madge." I call over my shoulder heading downstairs. I walk to Rory's new room, and see Prim and him lying next to each other on the wide bed staring at the ceiling. "I'm heading to work, need anything?" Prim sits up, and shakes her head.
Her voice rings out quietly. "Tell Peeta I said hi." I give a nod in return, and head downstairs.
"Bye Hazelle!" I shut the door, and jog to the bakery. I skid through the front doors, to see Rye look up. "Ay Katpiss." He grins like a fool, and looks down.
I flick his ear as I pass, "You're such an ass Rye." He laughs loudly, and I glare at him over my shoulder.
"Hey baby." I hear someone whisper seductively in my other ear.
I turn to respond, but Peeta catches my lips before. "Give him a show." I break away to whisper, and he pins me against the wall. I moan loudly, and lick his lips.
"You guys suck!" Rye cries out, and I laugh.
"Technically, I lick." Peeta replies casually, making me go bright red.
"So you guys have been busy?" Rye shrieks, causing me to go even brighter shades of red.
"None of your business Rye." Peeta replies and we go back into the kitchen. I run into the bathroom to change into work clothes, and wash my hands. Peeta is already making up dough for nut bread. He points to a bowl. "Just finished rising, can you shape them into loaves?" I smile and start working immediately.
.0.0.0.
Prim sleeps cozily in my mom's side which I am thankful for. I pull on my leather jacket, and tie the knots of my shoes quickly. I tiptoe downstairs, grabbing a cheese bun for breakfast. I make way to the gate and slip under successfully without being caught. Jogging the slightly worn path, my feet lead me to the rock hidden behind the blackberry bushes. Blue irises surround the front, our code for this spot. Gale sits on the rock quietly, and I clear my throat.
"Morning." He stands, and I fling myself into his arms. "I missed you so much. I'm so glad you came back." I look up into his eyes. Ghosts and sorrow fill them. I curse myself for saying something so stupid. "I'm so sorry Gale."
"She was so young. She didn't deserve to be blown up. I should have died and saved her. It's my fault." Never once in my life have I heard Gale sound so broken. I grab his face roughly, forcing him to look me in the eye.
"Don't blame yourself. The Capitol clicked the button for that bomb. It was their fault. They took her life, not you." He nods, and sits on the rock.
We sit in silence for a bit, and I notice that isn't the only thing on his mind. "What's going on in your head right now?" The new look he gets scares me a lot.
"Everything is wrong. The Capitol knows about your family. He knows everything, Snow does. He paid me a visit before I left. Everything is so wrong Catnip." I look away, afraid of the next answer for my question.
"What did he say?"
"A rebellion is beginning. Since I displayed my feelings for Madge, it saved me from being blown up instead of Rue. We have to get married on the Victory Tour if I want to keep your family alive. But that isn't even the worst of it. He told me the plans for the Quell. He said that all victors are being mixed in with the regular reaping pool. It won't affect twelve though, since he already picked out the tributes personally." A tear escapes his eye.
"Who are they Gale?" I whisper.
"It's my entire fault. My rebellious acts lead to this." He whispers quietly.
"Who are they Gale?" I ask with more strength, standing up shakily.
His dark grey eyes meet mine, and he shakes his head sadly.
"Mr. Peeta Andrew Mellark and Ms. Katniss Dahlia Everdeen." My vision goes black with the world at his words.
And there is the end of Cracking a Stone Heart. Thank you to all of my readers, especially the ones who reviewed! You guys made me so proud to be the author of this story! The sequel will hopefully be up within the next few days, and the posting schedule will lean more towards every other day for my school schedule. 39 days of school left, and then we have all summer for more fanfics! I will post one more A/N containing the news of the sequel's name, a short summary, and CSH's song playlist. (For those of you interested in what the hell I was listening to!) THANKS! Leave me your last reviews for this story!