Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.

A/N: Okay I know it's OOC but it's been twenty years, people change. I'm not sure where Katniss and Peeta live after Mockingjay so I'm just going to go with her old house in Victor's Villiage. If I'm wrong sorry.

It Was Always Him

Gale POV:

As I walk through District 12 twenty years later I can't help remembering things I'd rather not remember, like District 12 being on fire, or Katniss's long black hair. I felt pathetic that it's been twenty years and I was still not over my childhood hunting partner, but I couldn't help thinking about her when I know I have no right to. I wasn't planning on visiting Katniss but somehow my feet ended up taking me to Victor's Villiage. I wonder if she lived in the same house.

I walk up to her family's old house and knock. I feel like running the other way once I do it, but I stay there and stand tall. When I hear footsteps approaching I take deep breaths to calm my racing heart. What shocks me is the person who opens the door, It's Peeta. He still has the blonde hair, stocky build, and blue eyes. As a matter of fact it looked like he hasn't aged at all. In his arms he's holding a boy that looks like he's about three with blonde hair and grey eyes. The grey eyes look very familiar but I can't remember where they look familiar from. Behind Peeta a young girl, maybe 6 years old, has long black hair put into a braid and shocking blue eyes. I immediately know these are Peeta's children with the blue eyes and the blonde hair but who's the mom?

I suddenly wished I came to visit Katniss at a different time, a time when Peeta wasn't visiting too. I see the shock register on his face, then his face becomes more calm, like he decided I wasn't going to try anything.

"Gale." He nodded curtly.

"Peeta." I nodded back.

The little boy waved at me energetically and said, "Hi my name's Matthew. Some people call me Matt though. Uncle Haymitch calls me Matt." Uncle Haymitch? I was surprised Peeta let little children near the drunk.

Peeta looked at his daughter and said, "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

She looked at me shyly and said, "Hello my name's Lily. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm guessing you want to see Katniss." Peeta said questioningly. I nodded. He bent down and whispered something into the little girl's ear and she took off running down the hall.

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before I heard Katniss say, "Peeta who is it?"

He bit his lip and replied, "I think you should come see for yourself." I heard her walking down the hall and suddenly she came into view with the little girl peeking around her back. First, I saw shock register on her face, then anger. Great, an angry Katniss, exactly what I wanted.

The first thing she said was, "Peeta why don't you take the kids to Haymitch's house."

The girl, Lily, smiled and Matthew cheered, "Yay we get to play with Uncle Haymitch!" I ignored the look Katniss gave Peeta, the look that clearly said trust me.

"Please come right back though." She added while he grabbed Lily's and Matthew's hands, and then it hit me. Lily's and Matthew's mom was Katniss. I got a sick feeling in my stomach and suddenly I wished that I never even came to District 12.

I waited until Peeta walked out of the house and then asked her, "Why?"

She glared at me and challenged, "Why what?"

"Why him?" I continued. I needed to know why she chose him.

She was silent for a moment before saying, "He completes me. He stops my nightmares. I love him Gale."

I felt my heart breaking but I had to know one more thing. "I thought you loved me."

"I thought I did, but I didn't know what love was. I thought it was being able to trust someone or being able to tell someone everything, but it's so much more. It's when you wake up and they're the first person you think of. It's when you cry just because they're sad. It's when you know someone has flaws and you love them anyways. Love has a different definition for everyone. Mine...I don't even know how to describe what I think love is, but it's not you." She stared at me sadly after this. I was about to say more, but Peeta walked in.

Katniss looked relieved that he was here, but I certainly wasn't. He walked over and wrapped his arm around Katniss's waist comfortingly. I decided I didn't care if Peeta was there. I wanted Katniss to know how I felt.

"What kind of dad let's a drunk like Haymitch watch their kids." I sneered. Peeta looked like he was about to punch me, but Katniss was the one who defended his action.

"You don't know anything Gale. You haven't been here in twenty years! Haymitch is great with the kids. They love him if you didn't notice. Haymitch watches them whenever we need a babysitter." She glared.

"Why would you need a babysitter, you don't work." I said.

She blushed but answered anyways, "When Peeta and I want the house to ourselves for a night." Peeta was blushing just as much as Katniss and I was regretting asking that question.

"Gale please, I love Peeta, not you." She avoided my gaze. Peeta was looking awkward, and I knew what I had to do. I had to get over Katniss, or at least act like I wasn't in love with her anymore, because how she described love was how I felt about her, and she obviously didn't feel that way about me.

"What are their full names, your kids?" I asked. Katniss's and Peeta's eyes both brightened. The look in their eyes showed just how much they loved their kids.

"Lily is six. She's very shy, but she loves to paint. Her full name is Lily Rue Mellark." Peeta answered brightly. I was going to ask why Katniss didn't name her Primrose, but I realized she wouldn't be able to handle the daily reminder. I felt a pang of guilt when I thought of the bomb that killed Prim.

"Matthew is only three but he's already so talkative and energetic. He loves chasing rabbits. His full name is Matthew Finnick Mellark." Katniss continued. In that second I hated Peeta. He had everything I wanted. He had Katniss, a family, and Katniss's love.

"I have to go." I said as I checked my watch. I didn't really have anywhere to be, but I had to get out of that house before I started crying. Neither of them stopped me as I stormed out of their house, and I was thankful. When I got outside I noticed Haymitch playing with Lily and Matthew. He lost weight and he looked like he got younger instead of older. As Haymitch pushed Lily on the swing she squealed in delight and Haymich laughed. He actually laughed.

Haymitch laughing is what made me realize just how pathetic my life really was. Even Haymitch was happy. I walked away from Victor's Villiage and told myself I was over Katniss. She was happily in love and she had kids.

I told myself I was over her, but really I knew I would be thinking about her for the rest of my life. There were so many what ifs going through my head. What if Katniss never got reaped? What if I never designed the bomb that killed Prim? What if I came back to District 12 after the rebellion? As I kept walking I realized something. Katniss never loved me. She might have loved me as a friend, or maybe even a brother, but that was it. There was never anything romantic between us. It was always Peeta. I thought bitterly. She always loved him. I was just too blind to see it.