A/N: Gale learns of the mission to District 2. Thanks for reading! I think this relates to a few requests I've gotten about seeing different characters, so thanks all for the thoughts & ideas.

Posy had been particularly clingy that morning, refusing to let him go before he'd walked her all the way to her school classroom. Normally Gale rushed off to training immediately after breakfast. This morning when their schedules were printed onto their arms, he'd been surprised to see his training sessions had been replaced with extra time working with Beetee in Special Defense. He didn't mind, and knowing Beetee wouldn't be nearly as strict as the commanders in training, he'd humored Posy and taken her to school, even though it meant being late to Special Defense. Beetee seemed to live in Special Defense, and probably wouldn't be aware of the time anyway.

Gale was happy to be working with the district 3 victor. The guy might be eccentric but he was smart, and Gale found Beetee actually valued his opinion and helped him look at problems in new ways. They could discuss strategy and tactics for hours and Gale would leave every time feeling energized about the war effort.

"Sorry I'm late," Gale muttered as he hurried into Beetee's work area.

The old inventor's head swiveled to the door, tilting back so he could peer at Gale from under his glasses. Beetee was easily distracted and one of his many nervous habits was checking the traffic when people were coming and going.

"Ah Gale, you're here," he exclaimed anxiously. "I hope you're ready to put on your thinking cap! I believe we've got some real doozies to puzzle out today."

Gale paused, wondering if Beetee had invented some new headwear he expected them to wear. "Thinking cap? You want me to what?"

"Oh, no no my boy, it's just an expression we have, must be a district 3 saying. Although I have had some ideas for that ... but my first few tries didn't work out," Beetee sighed.

"So did you want to work on how we can take over those tunnels into the Capitol?" Gale asked. He and Beetee had talked about the tunnel problem briefly during their last meeting, and given that almost all the districts were won, he had found the question Beetee had posed of gaining access to the Capitol on his mind. It was one of the major reasons the rebellion in the dark days had failed. Troops trying to attack the Capitol had been easy prey for the Capitol's airforce.

Beetee gave Gale a thoughtful look under his glasses before jerking his head into a nod. "The tunnels. Yes, that's right. We believe the real problem with the tunnels is in the air though. The Capitol has us outpowered with their airforce based in 2."

"Right," Gale agreed. "So if we come up with a reliable way to take out those hovercraft ..."

"Or?" Beetee asked. It was just like Beetee to give this kind of leading response, and Gale knew it meant he had started seeing the problem from a different perspective.

"Or what?" Gale asked in return.

"Or - or we take control of their airforce," Beetee replied.

"In district two?" Gale asked.

Beetee confirmed the guess with a quick nod.

Gale nodded thoughtfully. "Instead of swatting at individual bees, we control the hive?"

"That's exactly it!" Beetee agreed excitedly. "Even if we find a way through the tunnels the Capitol will still have the upper hand. This we know. Our forces in the streets of the Capitol would be - what did you call it? A sitting duck. As long as they have that air force."

Beetee was right. If the Capitol's airforce could be taken over by the rebels, it would mean a lot for the rebel troops. Gale felt his heart pick up its pace, wondering if he was interpreting what Beetee meant correctly. He pressed Beetee, "So what's going on in District 2?"

Beetee answered, "District 2 is the last holdout beyond the Capitol. The rebels haven't had any luck against the central forces though. They're looking for some help. What do you think?"

"Do you mean a mission?" Gale asked eagerly.

"Plutarch's calling it an on-site consultation. They want our best team. I could really use you there, Gale."

A mission to district 2 to take out the Capitol's air force? Gale was stupefied. Katniss had said she didn't want to interrupt his work with Beetee. Well now his work was going to take him to her. What more could he ask for?

Realizing he hadn't answered his mentor yet Gale said hurriedly, "yeah, of course. I'm in. When do we go? For how long?"

"We'll be leaving in two days. Not a lot of time for us to prepare. I've requested all the specs but all the attacks so far have failed. We should go over some background before the trip. Can't say how long yet, that'll depend on what bright ideas we come up with!"

Gale spent the rest of the day with Beetee, learning about district 2 and its impenetrable mountain fortress. Beetee focused their last few hours on the computer systems the Capitol used in district 2. Beetee was a whiz with those systems and considered it the key to victory, but Gale had so little understanding of the technology involved that most of it went over his head. By the end of the day he was worried that Beetee would be disappointed if he couldn't contribute to the mission.

Gale's thoughts were racing as he headed to the dining hall. He couldn't wait to go to district two, to be in on the assault on the district fortress, and not least of all to see Katniss.

He missed her. It had been almost two weeks since she left, and he wasn't used to being away from her so long. It had happened before, but only for the Games and the Victory Tour, when she was being broadcast straight into his home by the Capitol. That was a different brand of torture than this complete absence. He knew Haymitch had talked to her, but the guy didn't have much to say on the topic.

With his break from Katniss and the Mockingjay team, he'd had more time for his family, too. He smiled remembering their visit to the Hummingbird Room in Special Defense. He knew his Ma wouldn't be happy about him leaving on another mission. Beetee seemed to understand and had given him tomorrow afternoon off, to spend with family and take care of things before the trip. Hopefully that would help placate Hazelle. Gale loved his family but right then he just wanted to throw himself into the war effort and help the rebels win.

Gale had to admit another reason for looking forward to the mission. He couldn't wait to breathe the fresh air of district 2. He hated being stuck underground all the time. If it weren't for his work with Beetee, Gale would be unhinged by now. The work gave him something to focus on and helped him feel like he was still doing something for the war. Just thinking of the crisp clean air brought a lightness to his gait.

As he approached the cafeteria, the hallway grew crowded with people heading between their work, their home, or their dinner. With his thoughts on the mission, he didn't notice her come up behind him until a voice hummed in his year, "Hey Handsome." He didn't let his surprise show. Turning, he wondered whether it was her stealth or his distraction that allowed her to sneak up on him. Her brown eyes pierced his as he took in the victor's appearance.

He'd seen her in the hospital - first the night before he was released from the hospital, when he'd gone looking for Katniss, then again on one of his follow-up visits. She looked slightly less skeletal than when she'd been rescued, though the district 13 uniform still hung off her tiny frame. A light fuzz of regrowing hair clothed her scalp. Her wild look still reminded him of a caged animal. "Going somewhere?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he questioned, untrusting.

Conspiratorially Johanna answered, "You don't look completely miserable. So tell me gorgeous, you taking a field trip out of this hole?"

She must have heard something about the mission. She was perceptive, but she barely knew him. "Bad habit, listening in on other people's conversations," Gale said, ignoring the question.

She rolled her eyes. "We're in a war and you're worried about eavesdropping. So innocent."

Grunting, he asked her, "So what are you doing here? Did someone let you out or did they just leave the cage door open?" Over her shoulder he noticed his brothers coming down the hall. He caught Rory's eye and looked back to Jo as the boys headed in his direction.

Smiling wickedly she said, "Let me out? What fun would that be?"

As Rory and Vick caught up to Gale, she cocked her head to the side and looked at the boys, who at their young age were already as tall as her. "Innocence. It never lasts," she said to them, before walking off down the hall.

"Who was that?" Rory asked.

"Tell ya later," answered Gale. "Come on, dinner time. Where's Ma and Posy?"

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! :)