Sleeping wasn't something Katniss did ever since she had returned to District 12 with Peeta and Haymitch after she and said baker had claimed a reluctant victory from the Capital. Katniss didn't care that she had ruffled President Snow's feathers in the process, all Katniss had been focused on was getting back to her sister and mother alive. And being able to take care of them for the rest of her life was an added bonus. She and her family moved into the newly furnished home and were still adjusting to the lavish changes. She still went out with Gale and trampled around the woods and out of bounds areas. They were still friends after all, but he avoided bringing up what he saw with Peeta because he knew Katniss shouldn't have to deal with the bloody complicated past.

Seeing Katniss in The Hunger Games was surreal for Gale. He had grown up with Catnip and the two had been rather close. There had been times when he wanted to cross the line, from friendship to something more but he often got the feeling that she would want to keep things as they were. So when he had to see her kiss the nobody, Peeta, it brought up feelings again and the only distraction from watching his best friend battle against death, was taking care of Prim. The two had grown to get to know one another better, trade stories about Katniss and how things in District 12 never really changed. Sure, Gale knew Primrose since she was just a kid but they hadn't spent a whole lot of time together but with Katniss gone, they began to rely on one another more.

As the morning turned into the afternoon, Gale and Katniss were turning to the Victor's Village after exploring the snow covered area around them. Even though she had enough food and was giving it to many of the people around her, Katniss still liked to keep her skills fresh. Gale could tell that archery was still a passion for her, which he was glad the Capital hadn't ruined for her. As the two slowed down as they entered the lonely selection of homes, Katniss noticed Gale glance toward where Peeta's home was. He was still trying to get used to his new leg and after she confessed her feelings for him were purely fabricated and not at all real, their relationship became strained and awkward. Katniss felt bad for using him though part of her knew that they were using each other. 

"Katniss, what should we do about lunch?" Gale asked her, trying to keep their attention away from Peeta.

"I'm not sure." Katniss answered, slipping her pack of quills and bow off her shoulders as they kept walking through the ankle deep snow to get to her home. Haymitch lived further down, but all three victors had some space between them, which was just fine with The Girl on Fire. "Maybe Prim's made something." She muttered, smelling the sterile air. She could detect something like stew but she wasn't sure if it was her stomach playing tricks on her mind. The two finished making it to their destination and upon entering, her mother greeted them by explaining that Prim had in fact made some strew and bread and that Gale was welcome to join them. She brought up Peeta but Katniss lied, "He's busy with his parents." She answered quickly and headed up to her room to put away her weapon.

Gale watched her leave and followed the older woman into the kitchen and saw Prim with Buttercup. "Hey." Gale smiled to her. "It seems really good." He said. Being out in the cold took a lot out of a person and he was happy to get a chance to try some of her cooking, it was something he knew she was trying to improve. "The announcement is tonight isn't it?" He asked her. The Capital would announce the details for the Quarter Quell and in a month the reaping would take place. Of course he and everyone else knew it was tonight but he didn't want to let the elephant in the room win. He pet the cat a little and soon Katniss joined him though she didn't say anything. "You should come out with us sometime. It could be fun." Gale told Prim. When katniss was gone, he did try to help Prim learn how to forage but it wasn't a natural talent for her, as it was for Katniss.

"You're getting tired of me already?" Katniss teased Gale though her smile wasn't entirely sincere.

"Maybe it's hard to get used to having you back." Gale teased right back.

"What if you invited over Haymitch and Peeta for tonight? We could have a potluck." Mrs. Everdeen asked Katniss while Gale reached over to dip some bread into the stew Prim had made. Katniss gave her mother a look and rolled her eyes. Gale could feel the room get more tense. "Peeta probably needs the company and poor Haymitch shouldn't be left alone, you know that."

"I'm not their babysitter." Katniss muttered bitterly and began to walk out of the kitchen. 

"Catnip," Gale started to say and looked to Prim for any help but ever since she got back from The Hunger Games, she had become more emotional. That was to be expected but Gale sometimes had no idea how to deal with her outbursts. Sometimes he'd watch her out of the corner of her eye and it would seem like Katniss wasn't even present in whatever they were doing or talking about. He couldn't imagine how hard it was to be Prim's position. "we're all curious about the announcement, we might as well try to have fun." He was sure his word choice was poor but he was trying. He hated how Katniss had come back, he blamed the pointless fighting for ruining such a good person. Hadn't the districts suffered enough?

"Fine. Whatever." Katniss said as she went into the living room, having stopped to at least hear Gale out. Her mother called both Peeta and Haymitch's homes and much to her delight, they both agreed to attend dinner and watch the announcement on tv. For the rest of the day Katniss took a bath, had some of Prim's stew, practiced with her bow outside in the back, and took a long slow walk around the district to calm her nerves. She knew she had nothing to worry about since she and Peeta had already won but she was still worried about Prim and Gale and everyone else she knew. It would be their last year to be reaped but something told her to not count injustice out yet. As everyone gathered in the living room with their dinner, Katniss kept tabs on how much alcohol Haymitch was consuming, as she didn't want him bothering Prim or passing or vomiting somewhere.

The Capital symbol came on, as did the usual patriotic music and Snow's face appeared. "Good evening Panem. It is once again time to declare the rules for the upcoming 75th Hunger Games Quarter Quell. This is a special occasion for us and we take it very seriously." He began to say, his holographic image flickering in the low light of the living room. Gale had finished his plate of food quickly but he noticed Prim nor Katniss had touched much of theirs. Peeta meanwhile was oddly quiet, but had brought a cake to the gathering, which was nice of him. "This reaping will include four tributes from each district. Two will be randomly selected as usual but the other two will be from a smaller pool, previous victors who have already won. It will be a brilliant spectacle to behold. The Reaping Ceremony will be held in a month and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Katniss' heart fell and so did her plate.

She couldn't believe it.

She had to go back, there were no other female victors except for her.

She looked to Peeta and then to Haymitch and then to her sister. How could she leave Prim again? And there would be twice as many people to kill or be killed? And half would be experienced? Her head was spinning and she felt like throwing up and screaming and crying and running. This was an obvious tact Snow had pulled and Katniss was slowly beginning to understand just how badly she screwed up. Looking down at the shattered china at her feet, she felt her heavy legs moving toward the door and she pulled it open before running into the darkness. She didn't know where she would go. Maybe run to President Snow and stab him in the heart? How could he do this?! Katniss ran out of the village but her heart had yet to function properly, forcing her to slow down and fall to her knees. She couldn't breathe but she could at least scream, so she did.

Gale felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. How could they demand Katniss to go back? And who would be by her side? A cripple or a drunk? He could tell the horror on Peeta's face said it all, he knew he was going to die. Gale wondered if Haymitch would be any better. Gale couldn't watch Katniss struggle again. He knew Primrose and her mother couldn't endure the agony either. He also knew that his fate as well as Prim's was still up in the air. After Katniss ran out, he felt the need to go after her but he didn't. He just slumped against the wall and excused himself into the kitchen. He rubbed his face with his hands and turned to quickly slam his fists into the marble counter when Prim came in after him, obviously shaken up to say the least. Gale had no idea what to say to the poor girl. Could they really handle another long bout without Katniss? "I'm really sorry Prim." He wished he was better with words and comfort but like Katniss, he was pretty awful.

"She'll be okay, we both know that." Gale said and pulled her into a sudden strong embrace. Maybe he needed hug, she probably did too but it seemed better than punching something until his fists bled. The dark haired boy was angry and scared and his heart went out to the Everdeens. It hadn't yet occurred to him that he and Prim might get involved in such dark matters. Katniss and Peeta had finally finished their tour and things had slowly died down. 

So much for a normal life.

"She'll come back and maybe you'll get two houses." He joked a little and pulled away.