Author's note: It has been far too long since I wrote some Gale/Annie goodness. And in the spirit of the changing of the seasons, here is some autumn fun with the Hawthornes! Let me know what you think.

Happy reading!

Falling Leaves and Family Togetherness

"You said you'd rake the leaves two days ago, Finn." Gale said, looking out the window.

"I know I did, Dad." Finn sighed. "I got a lot of homework."

"Maybe." He nudged his son's shoulder. "Go on and do it while your mom and I finish dinner."

Finn sighed again and pushed himself off the couch.

"Can I help, Finn?" Maggie asked.

"I don't see why not. Pearl, you wanna come, too?"

She looked up from her blocks and grinned. "Yes!" She ran for the door and tugged on the end of her coat. "Help, my coat! Gotta help Finn!"

Annie chuckled and lifted the coat down. "Your brother is being very nice letting you come out with him. Stay out of his way, okay?"

Pearl and Mags both nodded as Annie helped with zippers and Gale helped tie shoes. They were all very soon out the door into the back yard. Annie stood at the window and watched a few minutes before she went back to the stove.

"I don't want Finn to leave." She said softly.

"He's just sixteen. He'll be here for at least a couple more years." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "And then we're stuck with those silly girls of ours."

"And the new one."

He stepped back. "New one?"

She looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Surprise. I've been waiting for us to be alone all afternoon and the girls were all over you..."

Gale looked into Annie's eyes that were still so full of anxiety all these years later. He cupped her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She whispered.

They kissed again, but were interrupted by a high-pitched squeal outside and their son's deep laughter. Pearl and Maggie were in the middle of a pile of leaves giggling while their brother laughed hard. He was holding onto the rake to keep himself upright.

Annie pressed her face into Gale's shoulder. "He sounds so much like Finnick."

"He's like his father in many ways. I notice you just staring at him sometimes."

"It's harder as he gets older. He's always looked like Finnick, but he sounds like him now, too." She stepped back and walked to the stove. She turned off the burners. "This can wait a bit. Let's go play."

For the next several minutes, they all took turns raking the leaves into piles and jumping in.

"More bigger, Finn." Pearl demanded.

"Finn is making it as big as the leaves will go, sweetie." Annie explained.

"More bigger." She demanded with her bottom lip stuck out.

"My dad used to tell me that when you stick your lip out to pout, you'll get caught in a fish hook." Annie teased. "And you look like you would be delicious battered and fried."

"Yes." Gale added. "With some tartar sauce. Yum."

Finn joined in. "Pile some cole slaw on top of her, too. 'More bigger.'"

Pearl began to cry. "Would you really eat me up?"

Annie scooped her up and kissed her cheek. "I'd never let anyone eat you up, Pearlie. But there's no reason to pout. There are only so many leaves in the yard, thankfully. And they are all piled as big as they are getting. We'll go eat some real food, not little girls, because I'm starving and I'm sure the rest of you are too. And then we'll burn these leaves and roast some marshmallows. How does that sound?"

There was a chorus of agreement and they all rushed inside to get out of the chill of the District 2 autumn evening.

After dinner was eaten and cleaned up and marshmallows toasted, the children were sent off to bed. Gale stayed outside minding the embers of leaves and twigs.

Annie asked Finn to listen for his sisters and then joined her husband. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. "Are you cold?"

"I am. But I'm fine. I've been colder."

"Hearing that makes me sad." She said softly.

"It's all in the past. That was my life when Snow ruled. It's better now." He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I have you and our kids and a job that I don't mind doing. A job I chose."

Annie gently scratched Gale's back. "We have some great kids."

"We do."

"You haven't said much about my news."

"We're having another baby? Are you absolutely sure?"

"This is the fourth time I've been through this. You and I both said we wanted another one. We've been trying." She grinned and brushed a kiss across his lips. "And I really like trying."

"Me too." Gale sighed. He chuckled. "I don't want to tell the kids yet."

"I don't either. The girls won't get it until I start showing anyway. And Finn always gets… despondent."

He nodded. "It'll be our little secret then."

Annie giggled. "A fun secret. A good one."

They shared another kiss.

Gale stepped back. "I think this is all burned down." He stomped out the last of the flames and picked up the water hose. "I'm going to watch it a few more minutes, though. Keep the bed warm, huh?"

She patted his back. "Will do."