In the next few months, District 12, along with most of the other districts, felt the unwavering pressure of the Capital harsher than they had felt ever before. Gale's whipping was the first of many to cross into the Everdeen household. Executions were also held above everyone's head, and so far, three residents had received the relief of the Peacekeeper's bullet. While fear and starvation kept everyone at bay, Katniss realized that a revolution was grasping at the seams, and when the moment occurred, no one in the districts would hold back their rage against the Capital.
With the 75th Hunger Games, and 3rd Quarter Quell close at hand, the entirety of the district seemed to be close to bursting. Miners were now being worked harder than seen in decades in attempt to reach new 'quota', now resulting in miners working 14 hour shifts 7 days a week. Merchants, too, felt the strictness as the majority of their products were now arriving to them damaged in some way, but were obligated to continue to purchase such products.
At first, Katniss thought that such harshness would result in the rebels attacking sooner, but quickly realized it would be quite the opposite. With everyone starving and being worked into exhaustion, not even Gale, who Katniss was sure would always have a fiery rage burning against the Capital, had the energy to scowl at a Peacekeeper.
"Patience," Haymitch would growl at her every time she came to his doorstep holding his laundry fresh from Hazelle's efforts. She would huff in his general direction, accept the coin and turn from his home, once again dejected in the lack of rebel plans the old drunkard had.
For the announcement of the 3rd Quarter Quell, all the miners were sent home early, only having worked a 10-hour shift. A coal covered, and exhausted Gale, stumbled into his home well before sunset to find the Everdeen's already in the crammed space, their mothers and Katniss preparing dinner while the younger children entertained themselves in the living room.
"Oh good, you got off early!" Hazelle beamed at her son as he stumbled into the house, and took his lunch tin from his barely clenched fist. She didn't need to state his early arrival, everyone knew the miners would be let out early for the mandatory viewing, but Katniss supposed it was something for Gale's benefit somehow, and let the question leave her mind.
Gale offered his mother a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and greeted Katniss and Mrs. Everdeen with a soft 'hello', before being shooed off by his mother to bathe. Upon his return from his bedroom, a now refreshed Gale was greeted rambunctiously by his siblings and an almost finished stew.
Dinner proved to be a quiet affair, in which everyone ate slowly as to best savor the little portions they all had. As soon as the last bowl was emptied, Hazelle was quick to bustle her younger children into baths and sending Prim and Rory to the living room to finish their homework before the mandatory viewing would begin. Mrs. Everdeen excused herself from the kitchen after Katniss volunteered to clean the dinner dishes, leaving the hunters alone, for a moment, in the bustling house. Gale, now that his family left the room, slumped back into his chair allowing his exhaustion to take over.
"Long day?" Katniss murmured as she began gathering the dishes.
"Long six months." Gale sighed, and his eyes drooped closed as if those three words took all the energy he had left. "Its not that bad, just tired." Gale added as an afterthought.
"I'm sorry."
Silence met her apology and she knew why; her apology meant far more than 'I'm sorry you had a long day', or 'I'm sorry you have to slave in the mines 6 days a week', but rather 'I'm sorry you are forced to give up everything that gives you life in order to keep your family alive but no matter what you do they still go to bed hungry every night because no matter how much you kill yourself it will never be enough'.
"Pikes would say I'm being a wimp." Gale gave a small chuckle, and it almost seemed genuine.
"Yeah, well I don't give a rats ass about Pikes feelings." Katniss shot back, and was rewarded in a genuine smile reaching Gale's chapped lips.
"I think you and Pikes would get along just fine." Gale shook his head thinking of his quick-lipped co-worker.
Silence elapsed the kitchen, gentle clinks of the dishes against the soapy water as Katniss washed the bowls being the only thing filling the small room. Gale, allowing the exhaustion fall over him, managed to fall asleep still seated upright in his chair, his deep breaths quickly filling the space and giving the environment a wonderful sense of calm, something Katniss hadn't realized she lacked in the last few months. With the dishes cleaned, and the kitchen reset for the morning, Katniss begrudgingly pulled Gale from his rest and into the living room, where their families were already gathered for the mandatory viewing.
Everyone could have almost believed it was a normal evening if it weren't for the moments of anxiety that energized around the room. Even Posy, who barely understood what was happening knew that tonight, things were going to be changed. Hazelle and Mrs. Everdeen, who had survived a Quarter Quell were the most anxious, and though they tried to hide their worry through folding laundry or mending clothes, it was easy enough to tell the fear that rippled through them silently. All too quickly, the Hawthrone's TV jumped to life, and President Snow entered their home.
The beginning was much like any other speech the president gave, talking of trails and misery and how the districts were lucky to have such a kind-hearted president like himself to oversee them. Then the envelope was opened, and a mixture of relief and horror filled Katniss' ears. Her family was safe for one more year, she didn't have to worry about Prim, Rory, or Vick, who was now of reaping age, and she had scathed through her last year of the reaping bowl. The already crowned Victors, however, were being sent once again, to the Hunger Games.
Hazelle was the first to react, pulling her youngest boys into a bone crushing hug, tears streaming down her face. Posy quickly joined the mix, and was gladly receipted by her mother's arms. Mrs. Everdeen, who was already seated next to Prim, pulled her daughter into a tight hold as well, prayers of thanks falling quietly from her lips. Unlike their mother's, the two hunters sat in their seats, stunned at what the just heard.
Not that many knew, but Haymitch, one of two victors District 12 had, was the rebel leader of 12, and a source of gaining outside communication. With him gone, and he certainly wouldn't be walking away from the Games this year given his age, and his lack of health, the rebellion that had been simmering in 12 for so many months, would either fall apart, or struggle to stand alone. They both vaguely knew that other the other victors played the same part for their districts that Haymitch played for 12, and while it was apparent that President Snow knew of this and found his own clever way to kill all of those involved in the matter of a few days, this left one of two choices for the rebels: attack organized with the help of the victors, or fall into disarray and let the rebellion crumble. With a quick look to her hunting partner, Katniss knew exactly which one he, and surly the other rebels, had concluded to: The rebellion had to strike before the Quarter Quell began.
Over the next few weeks, the feeling of rebellion drew close. Most of the Peacekeepers felt this too, and while many began looking the other direction, those who's loyalty stayed with the Capital became stricter. Haymitch, too, felt the panic the Capital felt, and Katniss noticed that his normal drunken stupor was clearly an act since the announcement, his normally alcohol stanched breath now hardly noticeable.
While her hunting trips became infrequent, she found the time to prepare the cabin in the event the rebellion struck. A small bag of valuables from each family, including some family pictures, her mother's herb book, and several books that Gale's father owned, was hidden under a floorboard with warm clothes, blankets and dried food. Rory, Hazelle and Prim were told the route in the event Katniss and Gale weren't able to lead their families to safety, and subtle markers were added to the trail to make it more apparent.
A month and a bit more time, found Katniss knocking on Haymitch's front door with fresh laundry in her hands once more. Like usual, he placed several coins into her hand before taking the laundry. The last few weeks, he had stayed mostly silent, the occasional 'tell Hazelle thank you' passing out before he retreated to his home. This time, he grabbed Katniss' wrist forcing her to grasp his words with a sense of fear.
"I feel a storm coming on." He muttered, slurring the words slightly to make an extravagant show of his 'drunkenness'.
"A storm?" Katniss questioned, the meaning in his words obvious, but Katniss attempted her best to play along with the 'Haymitch the drunkard' folly, "but the sky is clear, there's not a cloud in sight."
"I gotta make sure my windows are covered," Haymitch continued, "This is gonna be a nasty one."
And with that, Haymitch turned from the doorstep and into his house, banging the door loudly behind him, leaving a fear prickled Katniss to make her way home, her mind reeling with escape plans. Whatever was coming, it was happening tonight.
That night, she met Gale, fresh from the mines, at the elevators. While it wasn't unusual for her to greet him from a long day at work, he instantly saw the panic prickling around her movements. As he approached, she took the opportunity to launch into his arms, burring her face into his neck, making sure her hair covered her lips as she quickly whispered, "Haymitch warned me, somethings coming tonight."
As soon as she had pulled away, a bright, and very fake smile, covered her lips and a bit louder she murmured, "I just missed you a lot today."
Gale, ever knowing of the Peacekeeper's attention, returned a smile, and gave her a quick peck on the lips before pulling her into his side for the journey home. Thom, who was working in a different section that Gale today, found his way next to Gale, and easy conversation flowed between the two. To the outside ear, the mentions of the day's work and plans for a poker game were evident, and it was easy to over look the quick mentions of 'tonight' and 'be ready to play', a double meaning that Thom fortunately took note of. At the intersection to Thom's home, he broke from the two waving good-naturedly leaving the two hunters to fall into a silence of their own.
When the divide in the road led to separate the Hawthorne's from the Everdeen's, Katniss found herself needing one last kiss from him, just in case. When they separated, he gave her a smile that held warmth and promise before he pulled her into a tight embrace of his own.
"Make sure everyone stays dressed tonight, I'll meet you at the fence if something goes wrong." He promised, his warmth making Katniss wishing, not for the first time, that she could hold him just a bit longer.