Hunger Games 1. Prologue

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides 

_**Prologue**_

It was a long shot. Suicide even.

But, it was Peeta's last chance to say something.

Katniss would be leaving first thing tomorrow morning on a plane to Paris.

He had loved her since the first time he saw her.

The Everdeens had moved to his small town a year ago and she had come barreling in—with her coal colored hair and cool grey eyes to steal his heart. He watched her from his porch as she mowed her lawn and passed her in the hallways of their high school as she stood in front of her locker talking with her friends.

She never said hello when he walked by.

However, Katniss was a different person when she played with his little sister, Prim. She would dance with the toddler in her arms and he would watch Prim's curls bounce as she giggled.

He tried to ignore the way Katniss' skirt would swirl just high enough when they danced.

On nights, however, when he closed his eyes and that image flashed in his mind—his hand would wander down to his suddenly hard shaft…

That wasn't why he loved her though.

It was the small things.

Like the way he could speak to her just about anything.

They would chat about the classes they were taking or how he was doing in his Chemistry class while eating bowls of mac and cheese with Ritz crackers, their favorite topping, by his kitchen counter. Prim would sit in her high chair throwing Cheerios at them until Katniss picked her up.

But, Katniss would always come back to let him finish his rant or to give him a piece of advice.

It was pathetic the way he would light up at any mention of her—all his friends said so.

Then, there was the last fact; the most pathetic one—

"Peeta?"

He looked up to see Katniss at her open window staring at him worriedly.

"Hey, Katniss."

"Why are you sitting in my tree? Is everything okay?"

Peeta suddenly realized how weird this probably looked; her neighbor was sitting in her tree and looking into her room.

"Yeah, everything is fine," he told her. "I just wanted to say goodbye."

She looked at him for a moment before sticking her head out the window to look around their quiet neighborhood. "Get inside—I don't know how long that tree will last with you balancing on it."

Quickly, he stuck out his lanky leg and felt for the floor of the room before scrambling in. Katniss closed the window as Peeta looked around her nearly empty room; most of her things were already packed in the labeled cardboard boxes

Her room was dim except for the projector light, sitting on her floor, showering her ceiling with constellations. Soft music played from the clock radio on her bedside table.

"Nice room," he told her and stuffed his hands nervously into his pockets.

"It was." She looked around sadly before turning to him; they were nearly the same height. "Is it weird that I'm sad about leaving this place even though I've only lived here for a year?"

Peeta shook his head. "Of course not. You've made friends here."

"True," she mused. "I thought we already made our goodbyes. It was really nice of your mother to cook a goodbye dinner for me and I'm going to miss watching Prim. If I ever come back, she probably won't remember me."

She sat on the floor of her room and he followed suit sitting across from her trying to quiet his nervousness by picking at her carpet.

"So, you wanted to say goodbye?"

"Yes—and something else." He took a deep breath before meeting her smoky eyes. "Katniss, I love you."

"Peeta—"

"—And I know that you're leaving tomorrow but I can't let you leave without you knowing how I feel."

"Peeta—"

"—I just want you to know that I won't forget you."

Her eyes softened at his words and she placed a hand over his. He tried to stop the pounding of his heart in his ears.

"Peeta, I hope I didn't do anything to lead you on," she started. "You do know that it would have never happened for us. I'm eighteen—and you're fourteen. I'm your babysitter."

He was well aware of this fact which made his situation even more pathetic.

"You _were_ my babysitter," he insisted. "And technically, you weren't really babysitting me. You were watching Prim."

"That doesn't change anything," Katniss told him. "Nothing was going to happen between us."

"It doesn't matter," Peeta murmured. "I just needed you to know how I felt." He gave her a smile. "I won't be fourteen forever, you know. I'll look for you then."

She was silent for a moment before finally meeting his eyes once more and grinning. "That's a good way to look at it." She looked over at the clock behind him. "You should get going before your mom checks your room."

Peeta nodded before standing up.

She stood up pulling down her Panem High School t-shirt suddenly aware of its shortness—it barely reached her knees.

He held out his hand for her to shake. "Goodbye, Katniss."

"Good luck, Peeta." She took his hand and shook it.

As Peeta pulled his hand away, he could see something hesitate in her stance.

"Can I ask you something?" she suddenly said.

"Sure."

"Have you ever been kissed?" Peeta shook his head.

Then, she was leaning forward to press her lips to his in a chaste kiss.

While for her, it was probably a millisecond; Peeta savored the moment, taking in everything he could. He would always remember the softness of her lips and the light floral scent in her hair.

And the soft, sad words of the song that played on her clock radio:

"_All along we've known the way these conversations end  
You can't deny the shore its tide or sermons their amen  
It's just as well we tell ourselves there's not so much to lose  
But I would trade ten thousand days for one more hour with you…"_

She pulled away slowly and gave him a smile.

"Something to get you through the rest of high school."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this first part! We will be doing a flash forward in the first chapter—about ten years actually!

Song-"Tides"-Hey Marseilles

Next: Chapter One-Katniss


	2. Chapter One: Katniss

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter One: Katniss**_

_Ten Years Later…_

It felt good to be out of the city.

New York was full of pollution from the taxis, and from the mess that she was desperately trying to escape.

Here she was—Katniss Everdeen, formerly Katniss Everdeen-Snow—twenty-eight, divorced, and coming back to her hometown for her ten-year high school reunion.

She had just finished checking in to her hotel; the only one in town, and was now walking around the neighborhood that she used to live in.

Katniss knew that she stuck out in the warm autumn gold around her, her dark cocoa hair plaited neatly in a single braid and wearing an array of textured black—leather pants, silk shirt, suede boots—all topped off with a soft fur cape on her shoulders.

The few cars that drove down the street slowed at the sight of her. Some of the children playing in their yards stopped to stare as she tittered down the street with the thin heels of her boots.

"Katniss?" She turned to see a pretty, golden-haired woman rushing towards her. The golden waves surrounding her heart-shaped face bounced as she approached Katniss. The woman stopped in front of her, beaming and radiating a simple yet soft beauty against Katniss' hard-edged looks. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me…" Katniss replied slow and unsure. "I'm sorry. I don't—"

"It's me! Madge Undersee!"

The memories of a sunshine-haired beauty came to her mind; they were on the booster team, and had even arranged a charity fashion show together—the one that got her the internship in Paris.

"OH MY GOD!" Katniss threw her arms around the woman excitedly. "MADGE! I can't believe it's you!" She pulled away to get a good look at the woman. "How are you?"

"I'm great," Madge informed her with a huge smile. "Went to college nearby, got married, and popped out four kids—"

"Holy shit," Katniss breathed out in shock. "That's a lot of offspring. Who did you end up marrying?"

"Me." She turned to see Gale Hawthorne, her lab partner and prom date, grinning at her. "Hey, Catnip."

Katniss laughed at his nickname for her. "GALE!" The man pulled her into his arms, lifting her feet off the ground. After he put her down, Katniss smacked his arm in-between her chuckling. "You know I hated when you did that!"

Gale went to his wife, planting a quick kiss on the top of her head, before turning back to their friend.

"So, you're back for the reunion, huh?" he asked as they all walked up the pathway to a large white house to their left. "It looks like everybody is in for a surprise. No one thought you were going to show."

"Have a seat, Katniss," Madge told her as they reached the front porch.

Gale pulled out one of the chairs on the small round table for Katniss to sit on, before pulling one out for his wife, and then joining them.

"Why didn't anyone think that I would come?" Katniss asked him curiously.

"We all read about how big you had become," Madge told her. "Starting your own line, marrying the heir to the Snow fortune, and then opening your own flagship store in New York. Why would you want to come back to small town life?"

"That happened four years ago," Katniss informed them, her eyes darting out onto the street. "Things have changed. The business turned out great—the marriage not so much." She sighed and turned back to the couple. "We got a divorce."

Madge placed a hand over hers, the woman's eyes swimming with concern. "I'm so sorry, Katniss."

She gave Madge a trembling smile. "It is what it is. Cato wanted one thing and I wanted another."

The ringing of a bell caught her attention and Katniss turned just in time to see a young girl on a bicycle, her two blonde braids flying behind her. The girl suddenly turned, her icy blue eyes flashing in curiosity as their eyes met.

The girl looked back to the road, her legs pumping faster to speed up on the bike.

Madge turned to Gale. "Can't you do anything about her?"

"I can only give her so many citations, sweetheart," her husband responded. "Prim is just going through a rebellious phase—"

"Prim?" Blonde curls and happy giggles flooded Katniss' memories; the feeling of being pelted with Cheerios—Prim always threw them at her when she wanted attention. "Primrose Mellark?'

"I forgot that you used to take care of her," Madge said in sad remembrance. "She's all grown up now. More grown-up than she should be." Sitting back, she looked over at Katniss. "It's been hard on her and Peeta since—"

"Peeta? He's still here, too?" She remember the shaggy-haired boy and his shy smile. "I would've thought that he had taken off by now."

"I supposed you didn't hear," Gale told her gravely. "Mr. and Mrs. Mellark are gone."

Katniss looked at him in shock. "What?"

"It was horrible," he said. "I had just started at the police force when I got a call about a robbery at the Mellark's Grocery. When I got there, they had already been taken away. It was a botched robbery according to the surveillance and we caught the perps—but, it was too late. Mr. and Mrs. Mellark were dead and Peeta was coming back home from college to take custody of his sister."

"They're doing fine," Madge continued though she sighed quietly. "Just lately, Prim has been a little… lost. We all try to keep an eye on her, but there is only so much we can do."

Katniss sat back taking in the story, her mind recalling the look in Prim's eyes as she rode passed them.

Prim was broken inside, and she could certainly relate to that.

She felt exactly the same way.

* * *

The street was silent as Katniss walked back to her hotel. Madge and Gale had offered to walk her home, but it was a short walk from Panem High to the hotel room, where she had a bottle of wine and a Snickers bar waiting for her.

It had been a fun night.

She had run into a few old acquaintances and remembered most of them. Almost everyone was married with a child or two. The Hawthornes seemed to be the winners of the baby race with their four. She had met the children that afternoon as she met up with the couple to go to their reunion—three boys, Jordan, Ryan, Kieran—all the spitting image of their father, and Meredith, their only daughter and the only blonde in the family besides her mother.

Her heels clicked against the pavement; the only sound on the still street. Katniss wasn't used to complete silence. She often fell asleep in her lonely penthouse listening to the sounds of taxis honking and found the noiseless hotel room that she stayed in overwhelming.

Stopping to tighten the belt of her trench coat, Katniss looked up to find herself staring at her old home. It looked exactly the same—soft white with a bright red door. She turned to her left to see the large tree next to her old bedroom window.

She could almost hear the sound of the branches scraping against the glass, and the movement as a young boy shuffled quickly into her room—

"The house is on sale, you know." She turned to see Prim standing next to her, her eyes roving over Katniss in her Burberry coat and Manolo Blahniks.

She was startled at the young girl's sudden presence. "What?"

"You looked really interested in the house," Prim informed her, twisting a tendril of her long blonde hair around her finger as she spoke. She pointed at the 'For Sale' post on the lawn adjacent to them. "I think you could get a good price for it—you look like you could afford it, though."

"I wasn't thinking of buying," Katniss said after a moment. "I used to live here—a long time ago."

"Oh?" Prim suddenly said interestedly. "Did you know the Mellarks?"

She could tell that the teenager was sizing her up, trying to find out what she wanted from Katniss and if it was advantageous to her. So, she feigned knowing who Prim actually was for the moment.

Katniss looked over at the porch before nodding at the girl. "I did." Walking to it, she could hear the girl following her. When she reached the steps, she sat down and removed the stilettos from her aching feet before staring into Prim's eyes. "I knew your parents, your brother, and even you."

"Well, I don't remember you," the young girl replied as she sat down next to Katniss. "No one ever mentioned someone like you living here." She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly in her black tee-shirt and plaid skirt. "You're so fancy."

"You'll freeze in that outfit," Katniss said. Standing up, she quickly removed her coat and handed it to Prim. "Put this on before you get a cold!" The young girl wrapped the trench around her shoulders.

"If I could get a cold, you'll probably get pneumonia wearing that thing," Prim told her as she eyed Katniss' black wrap dress. "It's pretty, but, it's not made for this kind of weather."

"Thanks," she replied as she sat down next to Prim again. "I designed it."

Prim looked over at her impressed. "Wow."

Katniss smiled softly as she met Prim's eyes. "Thanks." Leaning back against the steps, she rested her elbows against the floor of the porch. "I used to babysit you and your brother after school." Her eyes flitted back to the window of her room. "You would throw Cheerios at me and sometimes I would dance around your kitchen with you in my arms. It made you laugh."

"I don't remember any of that," Prim said, disappointment in her eyes. "Also, Peeta seems way too old to have had a sitter."

"I never really baby-sat him," Katniss continued. "I'd help him with his homework or we would make dinner together, macaroni and cheese with—"

"Ritz crackers," Prim finished for her. "So, that's where he got the idea."

"What do you mean?" she asked the girl.

Prim fiddled with the tips of her hair as she spoke, "I love macaroni and cheese, too. When Mom and Dad died, I didn't want to eat anything. Food just didn't taste like anything those first few days." Prim's eyes filled with tears. "Then one night, Peeta came to my room with a bowl of macaroni and cheese—with Ritz crackers on it. We ate the whole bowl together, then we cried together right after."

Tentatively, Katniss placed a hand on Prim's shoulder, her own eyes watering at the story. The girl didn't pull away at contact which Katniss took as a good sign.

"I'm so sorry, Prim," she said, her voice choked. "Your parents were really great people. The evening before I left for Paris, your Mom made me a goodbye dinner—she was a great cook." She sniffled remembering the woman with Prim's bright hair and kind, cerulean eyes. "And, I had this huge fashion show that I was coordinating with Madge Hawthorne once, and your Dad built the runway for me. He didn't even charge me for it."

"They were those kind of people," Prim replied quietly as she looked down at her hands. "The good always go first."

"PRIM!" They both looked up to see the sandy-haired man rushing towards them. Prim shot up and ran towards him throwing herself in his arms. "Don't run away from people's houses like that! Do you know how scared I was when I got a phone call from Rory's mother that you ran off from their house? You scared the crap out of me!"

"I'm sorry," Prim murmured into the man's chest. "I just didn't feel like being at that party—I hated it there! I know that you want me to start hanging out with kids my age, but, I just felt really out of place." Pulling away, she turned to look at Katniss. "I was going to come home, but I ran into—"

The man turned to the woman on the steps, his blues widening as he noticed her presence. "Katniss?"

She stood up quickly, embarrassed being caught barefoot and sitting on her old porch.

"That's me." Katniss looked the man over. He had short hair, a shade darker than Prim's, brushed backed neatly, revealing deep blue eyes and a strong jawline. He was tall; though she knew if she wore her heels, they would be about the same height. The man looked nervously at her, smoothing down his fitted navy sweater to reveal a strong chest and a broad upper body through it. "Who are you?"

His lips broke into a handsome grin. "It's me—Peeta Mellark."

* * *

How do you like it so far?

This is the first time, I think, that I've made Prim Peeta's sister in opposed to Katniss' sister.

I believe that we will switch between Katniss and Peeta POV's throughout this particular story.

As always, greeting, reviews and comments are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3!

Next—Chapter Two: Peeta

Till then, JLaLa


	3. Chapter Two: Peeta

Hope you're enjoying so far!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Two: Peeta**_

The phone rang shrilly through the lonely house.

It was the first time in a while that Peeta had the house to himself.

Prim had gone to Rory Hawthorne's house for his birthday; he hoped that she was having fun. His little sister had altogether retreated into herself this past year. Maybe she had been since their parents died, but Peeta was just too wrecked himself to noticed.

Placing down his students' worksheets, he went into the hallway where the phone sat on the long table next to their stairs and picked it up quickly, "Hello?"

"Peeta? It's Hazelle!" He could hear the distress in the woman's voice and the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up. "Prim ran off a few minutes ago! Rory told me that one of their classmates said something about what she was wearing and Prim got upset. I'm sorry—"

He ran a hand anxiously through his hair. "—I'm going to look for her. Call my cell phone if she comes back."

"No problem, Peeta," she agreed. "I'm sorry, my dear."

"It's alright. This has happened before," he assured her tiredly.

Hanging up quickly, Peeta grabbed his cell and keys from the living room before rushing out the door.

* * *

Looking around the street, Peeta recollected all her usual spots—the local 7-Eleven…the playground at Panem Elementary…the soccer field near the outskirts of town…

A movement in front of him caught his eyes and he zeroed in on two figures sitting on the porch stairs of a house for sale.

One of them was Prim, but the other person he couldn't make out…

He ran towards the two. "PRIM!" Prim jumped from the porch and was in his arms immediately. A relieved sigh escaped his lips and he tightened his hold on her. "Don't run away from people's houses like that! Do you know how scared I was when I got a phone call from Rory's mother that you ran off from their house? You scared the crap out of me!"

"I'm sorry," Prim said as she pressed her face against his chest, her voice full for regret. "I just didn't feel like being at that party—I hated it there! I know that you want me to start hanging out with kids my age, but, I just felt really out of place." Prim turned to look at the woman. "I was going to come home, but I ran into—"

His eyes went to the woman sitting on the porch, her lithe figure in a black dress while her stiletto heels were set next to her. Her hair was onyx-colored, resting on her shoulder in relaxed waves; while her graphite eyes roved over him, trying to recollect where she had seen him.

He, however, could never forget Katniss Everdeen.

"Katniss?" Peeta called out to her.

She got up from her seat, the skirt of dress swinging around her long, tanned legs. Her head tilted as she peered at him quizzically. "That's me. Who are you?"

He couldn't help but let a smile rise on his lips. It had been a long time since he had seen anyone from his past—especially when that someone had given him his first kiss.

"It's me—Peeta Mellark."

Katniss suddenly rolled her eyes, a grin growing on her lips. "I should've known." Her amused eyes went to Prim. "You don't look like someone who would just go off and hug any random boy."

Prim shrugged. "Sometimes I do—if the mood hits."

Peeta looked down at his little sister. "Who exactly have you been hugging?"

"Chill, big brother. I was joking." Prim tugged at his arm. "Can we go inside? I'm getting cold."

"Of course," he told his sister. He met her eyes and Prim squirmed under his stern stare. "We need to have a talk."

"I should be getting back to my hotel," Katniss told them suddenly as she slipped on her heels. Reaching down, she grabbed the coat that lay on the porch and quickly threw it on. Tying the coat belt around her waist, Katniss gave them a warm smile. "It was great seeing you two."

"Wait—" Prim stepped forward. "You should come in for coffee or something!" She turned to her brother. "I made her stay out here in the cold, and Katniss even gave me her coat. It was fancy one, too."

Peeta's eyes met Katniss' and his mind suddenly flashed to that night in her half-empty room; she was in her Panem High t-shirt, her small smile similar to the one she was wearing now.

Katniss was as beautiful now as she was in high school. However, he could see the weariness in her eyes, and the sadness behind the tired grin that she gave them.

He nodded after a moment. "Of course, you should come in," he told her. Prim went to Katniss and took her hand excitedly. Peeta smiled at the woman. "It's nice to see you back."

"Thanks, Peeta." Prim pulled her ahead as they made their way towards the Mellark house.

He followed behind the two, watching the graceful sway of Katniss' hips.

* * *

As they entered the front door, Katniss' eyes widened, "Whoa—time warp. It still looks the same in here."

Peeta shrugged as he looked around the house. "We just haven't been in the right mindset to redecorate." He looked over at Prim. "Get in your pajamas and come back downstairs—I need to talk to you."

Prim huffed before going to the stairs. "Fine."

Katniss stifled a laugh as she watched his sister stomp up the steps. "She's different from when I babysat her."

"Well, when you were babysitting her, Prim would be happy just waving a spoon around." Peeta went to her. "Let me get your coat for you." Katniss undid the belt and shrugged the coat off her shoulders. Quickly, he caught it and brought it over to the coat rack, next to the front door.

"Would it be okay if I took off my shoes?" she asked him suddenly. "My feet ache. For some reason, all the old high school football players thought that it would be fun to pass me around as their dance partner."

"Sure. Get comfortable." She looked gratefully at him as she bent to take one heel off followed by the other. He watched her, trying not to peek down the opening of the v-neck of her dress. "They are nice shoes, though."

"For $600—they shouldn't hurt this much." Katniss placed the shoes next to the stairs, letting out a happy breath. "Much better." She made her way down the hallway besides the stairs and was halfway down when she turned to look back at him, her eyes teasing. "I thought you were going to make me coffee or something."

He snapped out of his stare—caught up in her sway once more.

"Sorry," he said apologetically as he joined her side to walk down the hallway. "It's just really weird to see you here."

Katniss turned to him, her brow raised. "Oh?"

"I knew that Panem High was hosting the reunion, but, I didn't think that you would come," Peeta told her as they entered the kitchen. She went to the island in the center, her hand moving over the granite counter with familiarity. "I heard that you had gotten very successful these last few years. And, you got married."

"And divorced," she added quietly, her mouth twisted bitterly; she rested her elbows on the island as he went to grab mugs from the cupboard. "Let's not forget that enjoyable little tidbit."

Peeta turned to her as he closed the cupboard. Bringing the mugs to the island, he met her sad grey eyes—inside them were still remnants of the girl she once was. The girl within her was the one that was broken, disillusioned by her ideals of what love was.

The woman in front of him, however, was strong. Katniss knew who she was—she always had and it was what made him lo—admire her.

Even damaged, she was still standing strong.

"I'm sorry," he told her as he placed the mugs on the island. "You must have loved him a lot."

"I still do in a way," Katniss replied. "He was my husband for four years—three of those years were good ones."

"And the fourth year?"

"I wanted a baby—and he didn't," she said. "I think we went into the marriage wanting two different things. Cato wanted us to see the world, drink wine in Tuscany, dance in Spain, walk the streets of Paris, and go to every pub in London—the life of a socialite and all that it entails." Katniss' lips tightened. "All those places are great, but I had seen the world. I wanted—" She looked around the cozy kitchen. "I wanted this."

"You wanted a house full of sad memories?" he asked.

Katniss shook her head. "I wanted a family—like yours." Her eyes went back to him, her fingers moving over the granite again. "I always loved your house. It felt more like a home than mine was." She looked around the kitchen. "I always loved Jean's taste."

"Yeah, Mom always had a sense of style," Peeta remembered fondly. His mother had an interior design degree and had owned a small home wares store in town at one point. "Prim has it, too."

"I could tell," Katniss mused. "Prim seems to carry herself like a little adult. There's very little child left in her."

"Not since the accident." His eyes went to the granite—his mother had spent weeks meticulously going through catalogs before finding the right kind. He could almost hear his father's good-natured grumbling over the cost of it. "There's little left of the boy that you knew, too."

Katniss reached over, her hand taking his.

"No, he's still there," she assured him. "Prim told me about you making her macaroni and cheese with Ritz crackers." Katniss gave him a small smile. "No grown man I've come across lately likes mac and cheese, especially the way we had it. This tells me that boy is still inside you. Don't become bitter, Peeta. You have a lot more to give."

"So do you," he told her. "Children aren't so bad. Maybe your husband didn't realize that."

She shook her head. "Cato is still very much a child himself. Even his father thinks so; he admitted to spoiling his son after his wife died. My father-in-law and I actually get along very well. In fact, it's the reason that I have such a short time here—I get my brand in the settlement and all rights to my designs as well as ownership of the flagship store. I have to go back and iron out all the details with my lawyer."

"Happily ever after comes with a price, doesn't it?"

Katniss chuckled. "It sure does." She glanced at the doorway leading back to the front entryway. "I wonder what's taking Prim so long."

"Oh crap," he said. "I better go check. For all I know, she could be sneaking out her window to one place or another. Have a seat in the living room and I'll bring her down for some hot chocolate."

Katniss nodded. "Sure. I'll meet you two on the couch." As he reached the doorway to the kitchen, she called out his name and Peeta turned to her. "You're doing fine. Prim is a great kid—very smart and sweet. And, she loves you so much."

"I know. Thank you for seeing her like I do." She smiled shyly at him before he rushed out of the kitchen.

* * *

As Peeta walked upstairs, he turned to look at the pictures of his family that hung on the wall next to the staircase. His mother insisted that they take one every year during Christmas.

"_Why?" His father would ask every time they went to the studio at the nearby Sears to take the photo._

"_Because, Robby," his mother would respond with her hands on her hips. "Everyone wants to see the wonderful children that I've raised."_

That would placate his father enough. If it didn't, then their mother would just peck him lightly on the lips to end the conversation.

Their last picture was at the top of the stairs. Peeta was on the verge of graduating college; Prim was ten at the time. Their smiles seemed to be the brightest in this picture—as if somehow, they had all known what was in store for them.

He had just returned to his dorm for his last semester when he got the call that changed his life.

Apparently, criminals don't give a shit about families during the holidays, especially when they decide to rob someone before New Year's.

Peeta had been the one who had identified his parents at the coroner's office. He had been the one who had watched the surveillance tape; First, they got his father as he tried to defend his wife. Then, his mother after she gave them the money, before pressing the panic button under the register—her last act of rebellion.

His father always told him that his mother was the bravest woman he knew; it was the reason he married her.

At the top of the stairs, Peeta made a left towards Prim's room. It was the closest to their parents' room at the end of the hallway—convenient for their parents when Prim was born. They had quick access to her and luckily, he was not awakened by her cries.

He wasn't surprised when he saw their bedroom door opened.

Making his way to the double doors, he peered inside and found Prim asleep on his parents' bed. His little sister's face pressed into their mother's pillow; Prim once told him that she was afraid of forgetting their mother's scent.

Losing them had nearly killed him.

But, it had actually killed Prim.

The child he knew was gone, replaced with a somber young girl with sky eyes who barely recognized herself. He understood a lot of the reason that Prim felt so desperate to escape people and situations; she didn't want a friend who felt sorry for her, just as much as he didn't want neighbors trying to help him raise his sister—they didn't want to be those 'tragic' Mellark children.

They wanted something that was real.

They just weren't quite sure what that something was just yet.

Quietly, Peeta went to her and lifted his sister from the bed. She nestled herself against him, comforted in his presence.

As he got to the doorway, Peeta turned once more.

"Night, Mom. Night, Dad," he whispered into the empty room.

Turning, he headed down the hallway and into Prim's room. She still slept in the canopy bed that their parents had gotten her for her tenth birthday—their little princess.

Carefully, he laid her down and placed her soft comforter over her. Prim had put on her pajamas before heading into their parents' room, so, he didn't have to wake her to change.

"Goodnight, Princess Prim," he whispered into her ear.

Peeta always had bedtime story duty as a kid because he was the only one who would act out the storybooks, much to his little sister's delight. Her favorite stories were always the fairy-tales, especially Sleeping Beauty.

"_Why do you like this story so much?" he asked when he was sixteen and Prim was four._

"_Because if I was stuck in a nightmare like she was, it wouldn't be so scary if I knew that eventually my true love would wake me up," she had replied in a matter-of-fact tone._

It was sad to know that Prim felt trapped in a nightmare. There was no Prince, for now, to awaken her from it.

All she had was her toad of a brother.

Prim's tired eyes opened slightly and focused on him.

"Good night, King Peeta," she mumbled as her eyes began to close once more. "Don't keep your Queen waiting."

Peeta pressed a kiss to his little sister's forehead before walking out, and closing the door behind him.

* * *

Taking two steps at a time down the stairway, he quickly made a turn into the living room.

"Sorry—"

He stopped in his tracks seeing Katniss asleep on the couch—her legs curled and her pretty face turned to the side. Her skirt rode up slightly exposing the garters holding up her nude thigh-high stockings. His face began to burn thinking of the nights he had fantasized about Katniss.

As a boy, Peeta had wanted to sweep her off her feet. Now, as a man, he just wanted to make her smile the way she used to.

Carefully kneeling before her, Peeta shook her gently. "Katniss, wake up. Do you want me to drive you to your hotel?"

She pressed her face into the pillow in a similar fashion to Prim.

"It smells like home, honey," Katniss mumbled, her eyes still shut. "Can't we stay here for now?"

Peeta chuckled softly at her term of endearment, sure that her mind was still at home with her former husband. She shifted in her sleep, her legs curling further into her.

It was getting cold in the house. Taking the blanket that lay on top of the sofa, he covered her sleeping form and turned off the light next to her.

"Yes, dearest," he whispered and before Peeta could stop himself, his lips went to her hair inhaling the scent of daisy as he bid her goodnight. "Stay as long as you like."

* * *

A little back-story into the lives of the Mellark children. Their parents have been gone for about two years at this point. At this point in the story, Katniss is 28, Peeta is 24, and Prim is 12.

I actually posted this story on Tumblr, a week ago, and almost intended to not post it on any other sites, but I changed my mind!

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are welcome on Tumblr, AO3, and FF.

Next: Chapter Three-Katniss (in New York)

Till then, JLaLa


	4. Chapter Three: Katniss

Thank you so much for your follows, favorites, and reviews on both FF and AO3!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Three: Katniss**_

_Upper East Side, Manhattan_

"I want to make sure that you've gone over the settlement contract," Johanna, her lawyer and best friend, said to her. "Do you understand exactly what you are getting in the divorce?"

Katniss turned to her and nodded, "Of course. I've known for months."

Johanna gave her a half-hearted smile before looking down at the settlement papers once more.

The two women sat together at the long meeting table; the judge—a man resembling her father-in-law—at the head of it. Beetee Latier, the Snow family lawyer, sat across from the two women, his pen tapping indicating that he was getting impatient waiting for his own client, her ex-husband.

"I'm so sorry, Katniss," Beetee told her quietly. "I told Cato what time this was and everything—"

"It's okay," she replied understandingly. "We all know that legal proceedings like this aren't things that he usually attends."

Katniss often worked with Beetee since she was Chairwoman for the Snow Foundation; she assisted him in distributing the foundation's earnings. Her husband was not the kind of person who liked to sit in a boardroom. He believed that she had the family's best interests at heart, and would make the best decisions, so he left it all to her.

"But, Katniss," Beetee responded. "This is your divorce. This is important. After this, you are no longer Katniss Everdeen-Snow."

"Doesn't matter." She took a quick breath and gave him a miserable smile. "Because, I will always be Katniss Everdeen."

The knock on the door caught their attention. When it opened, Katniss was surprised to find that it was her father-in-law, Coriolanus, entering the room. He gave her a nod as he shook the judge's hand, then Beetee's.

Sitting down, her father-in-law looked to her and Johanna. "I apologize for the wait. There was traffic in Midtown—"

Reaching into his pocket of his suit jacket, he produced an envelope and handed it to Beetee.

"The signed divorce agreement from Cato, and the contract giving Katniss all rights to Everdeen Couture as well as all designs that she created for the fashion line during their marriage. The ownership rights and deeds are also in the envelope." He met her eyes and sighed. "I have paid for this year's property tax—"

"You didn't have to," Katniss suddenly interrupted.

"It is what you deserve, my girl," her father-in-law replied affectionately.

"Katniss," Johanna said as she moved the opened folder in front of her. "You'll need to sign where I've put the arrow stickers."

Katniss took the pen that her friend held out and began to sign. It was only three pages, but as she stared down at her signature on the last page—the sudden realization of what had just taken place hit her.

Her marriage was over.

Everything that she had gone through with Cato—the vows, the laughter, the arguments, the tears—was all for naught in just three signatures.

Katniss wished that it was that easy.

"Excuse me," she said shakily, before escaping out the door.

* * *

When Katniss emerged from the ladies' room, she found Coriolanus waiting for her on a nearby bench.

Walking over, she sat next to him and gave him a trembling smile. "So, where is Cato this time? The Bahamas? Venezuela?"

"I got a phone call from him early this morning while he was on a plane to Rio." The man shook his head before turning to her, his gentle eyes filled with regret. "I'm sorry, Katniss. This was never your fault—I was just not that good of a father to begin with."

"Cor." It was her nickname for him as she had gotten into the habit of never referring to him as her father-in-law during board meetings. "You have been nothing but a supportive father to both of us. I can't thank you enough for your kindness and patience, while I learned how to be a part of this family as well as a part of the business."

Katniss looked to him, not bothering to hide the tears in her eyes.

"I was just stupid to think this marriage meant something to him. I was too caught up in his smile and his charm—the way he was able to be so carefree. Because, I've always wanted to be that way. But, you know what? I can't be—it has never been in me to not care," Katniss told him as her eyes drifted to her lap.

Cor lifted her drooping chin, his thin lips curving into a sad smile behind his soft-white beard.

"Have heart, my dear," he said to her. "Your life is just beginning." Her now ex-father-in-law handed her a silk Gucci handkerchief and she accepted it gratefully to wipe the corners of her eyes. "Just remember to try to keep me in it, okay?"

Katniss nodded before her forehead fell brokenly against his shoulder.

* * *

"Here." Johanna held a glass of scotch out to Katniss. "You need this."

Walking over to the large window overlooking Central Park East, Johanna let out a low whistle at the gorgeous view of full-blown autumn in New York. The clink of her stilettos echoed in the large living room. "And, you get to keep this?" She looked over at Katniss with a sly grin. "I've seen people come out of their marriage with much less, and some of them were married longer than you."

"Did they ever lose what I did?" Katniss asked from where she sat.

Johanna joined her on the structured sofa, removing her navy blazer as she did. The crisp white living room was pristine; the only indication of disarray being Katniss' Chanel flats tossed beside the sofa.

Her friend shook her head, her chocolate bob moving against her sharp chin.

"You were a special case," Johanna replied and she put an arm around Katniss' slumped shoulders. "Did I ever say how sorry I was that I wasn't there that day?"

"You had no clue. And, neither did I," Katniss said, quickly gulping down the scotch. The feeling of alcohol coating her insides gave her some reprieve from the ache in her chest. "None of us did—until the accident." She put the now empty cup down on the clear glass coffee table. "Tell me what to do, Johanna."

Johanna laughed at her friend's request. "You're joking, right?"

Katniss shook her head. "I don't know where to go from here," she replied somberly. "And it scares me that I don't care as much as I should about what the hell happens to me."

"Oh, Katniss…" Johanna slapped her hands against her lap. "Put your head here." Katniss tilted her head in confusion. "You stopped paying me once you signed the papers and walked out of that private court room. I'm going to be talking to you in the best friend capacity now."

Katniss sighed before putting her head on Johanna's lap. "You know I can see up your nose, right?"

Johanna flicked her forehead. "How old are you?"

"Okay, okay…" Her hands went up in surrender and she smiled up at her friend. "Oh, wise one—advise me."

"Close your eyes," Johanna instructed. Katniss did what her best friend asked. "Now, tell me. Why did you fall in love with Cato?"

"Because he was so carefree and fun—I wasn't," she admitted truthfully. "I wanted to be that way, though."

"Oh, come on," Johanna said from above her closed eyes. "There must have been a time when you were carefree and fun—when you felt open to all of life's possibilities. Go back there."

Katniss opened her eyes and looked up at Johanna's umber pair. "Why?"

"Because maybe, once you go back, you'll realize that you really didn't need Cato," her friend advised her. "That person that you wanted to be was in there all along—she just needed you to find her."

"Can I ask you something else?" Katniss said and Johanna nodded. "When does the hurt stop?"

"It doesn't." Johanna reached to wipe the tear that rolled down her cheek. "It is the human condition to feel pain, but it is how we deal with it that puts us apart from each other. Time will show you just how strong you are, Katniss. I promise you that."

* * *

That night, Katniss wandered her lonely penthouse. It had been her first home with Cato.

She could still remember him carrying her over the threshold, excited to show her the huge space that they would make into their home. She had hoped that the reason for such space was because he wanted to fill it with children.

Cato preferred to fill it with people.

People who loved to drink and dance; people who wore tight dresses and loved to press against her husband; people who loved to rifle through their personal photographs and send them to Page Six of _The New York Post_.

She was able to ignore most of the photos.

However, it was a photo of him with his arm around one of her friends, Glimmer, which she was unable to ignore.

The photo had been taken on their third wedding anniversary. She had spent the evening waiting for him at home, dressed and ready to go to their favorite restaurant—a small French bistro that reminded them of their first meeting in Paris.

By the time Cato arrived, she was in bed—the tears on her pillow long dried away as she felt him shift into their bed. He whispered champagne-laced apologies into her ears, over and over, until she let his lips descend onto hers.

In the morning, cold-harsh reality hit her as she opened her paper and saw the photo. Cato and Glimmer looked comfortable together sitting closely in the trendy club, like they had done this before with one another.

The glass was broken. Finally, Katniss had seen her marriage for what it really was—a joke. A crafty way to distract the press from the unseemly behavior of the heir to the Snow fortune.

At that point, Katniss had been heavily involved in the Snow Corporation. She was Chairwoman of their foundation, Head of the International Division, and owner of Everdeen Couture, which was funded and therefore affiliated with the Snow name.

Her husband's publicist, Clove, was a crafty bitch.

Katniss knew that the woman always held a torch for her husband—so much that she was willing to tolerate his marriage to Katniss and accepted his affairs. She had even participated in a few of them with Cato.

The photos—featuring her husband, Clove, and Glimmer—were the ones that had her escaping the city and back to her hometown.

The positive part of her marriage was the experience Katniss had gained learning from her father-in-law. Cor had taken her under his wing. It had been reluctant at first—her father-in-law had expected his son to grow up now that he was properly married; Katniss was expected to watch from the sidelines.

However, whenever she showed up to a function or a meeting that Cor was running, Katniss proved to be a formidable partner. She was smart, knew how to carry an intelligent conversation, and understood a good amount of business having studied the economics of the fashion industry in Paris.

Her father-in-law started inviting her to board meetings, thus beginning her education on how to run an empire.

Maybe their friendship had somehow caused the divide between Cato and her father-in-law to widen. She would never know now—nor did she care to acknowledge her ex-husband's pettiness. It was useless to wonder.

Instead, Katniss sat back down on her couch staring out onto the lights of Manhattan. She used to feel excited to see the life teeming around the sleepless city.

Now, she felt lonely and isolated in the penthouse. She had spent months decorating it and making it a proper home for herself and Cato.

Despite this, as she sat looking around, the penthouse felt emptier.

"_There must have been a time when you were carefree and fun—when you felt open to all of life's possibilities. Go back there."_

Johanna's words resurfaced in her mind and Katniss laid back on her couch, closing her eyes, as she tried to imagine the place that her friend was describing to her.

It was only a matter of seconds when her eyes snapped open.

She knew where to go.

* * *

_Three Days Later…_

"You're back."

Katniss turned to find Prim standing next to her, wrapped up in a navy coat. She smiled at the young girl, who stared curiously as they stood on the sidewalk.

"You're not wearing gloves. It's freezing," Katniss said to her as she pulled the pair off her hands and handed them to Prim. "Here, take these."

"So, what are you doing here?" Prim asked as Katniss' eyes wandered back to the house in front of them. The young girl slipped the gloves onto her small hands. "I heard someone bought it."

Katniss nodded in acknowledgment. "I know."

"So, do you know our new neighbors?" Prim pulled on the gloves so that the tips hit the tops of her fingers. "Are they crazy New York friends of yours?"

"Actually, there is no 'they'." Katniss turned to her, a grin on her face. "There's only a 'she'."

Prim let out a laugh as she realized what Katniss was telling her. "You're kidding!"

Katniss shook her head, a chuckle escaping her own mouth, as she pulled the keys from the pocket of her fur-collared coat.

"Nope," Katniss told her as she put an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Took your advice and got a good price for it—your crazy New York neighbor is me."

* * *

Away we go…

Small town life is about to get a little more interesting.

As always, greetings, reviews, and comments are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3!

Next—Chapter Four: Peeta (and the subsequent reaction to finding out that his new neighbor is his former crush)

Till then, JLaLa


	5. Chapter Four: Peeta

Y'all are awesome for being so supportive! Thank you so much!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Four: Peeta**_

"So, you have just finished reading your first play," Peeta said as he walked up and down the aisle of his classroom. He held up his copy of _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_. Getting to the front of the class, he leaned against the front of his desk. "Thoughts?"

The class remained silent and he groaned silently to himself. Fourth graders seemed perpetually shy, especially when it came to the horrible fear of speaking in front of their classmates.

"Come on, people!" He called out encouragingly. "You have nothing to say about the visit to the chocolate factory? The Oompa Loompas? The Golden Ticket?"

Finally, Posy Hawthorne raised her hand. "Do you think that there was some sort of tracking device in the Golden Ticket?"

"Why do you think that?" he asked curiously.

"I think that it's totally weird that the tickets ended up with four rotten kids and one good one," Posy replied. "Maybe it was planned all along so that Charlie would get it."

Peeta nodded and then looked around the class. "Very interesting point. Anyone else have a thought on this?"

"But, how could Willy Wonka know which kids were rotten and which were good before he put the tickets in the chocolate?" Aidan Odair, the son of his best friend, asked.

"Another interesting thought," Peeta mused.

"Mr. Mellark?" Posy called out again. "Your sister is outside."

He turned to see Prim waving at him excitedly from behind the door window.

This time, Peeta let out an audible groan—why was she not in school?

Quickly, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket: _Four Missed Calls_.

"Who's the smoking hot chick next to her?" Rye, another student, suddenly asked from his seat.

Peeta looked up to see Katniss standing next to Prim, a bright smile on her face. She gave him a wave and he couldn't help but slowly wave back, a smile growing on his face.

Katniss had somehow found her way back to Panem.

He couldn't lie and say that he wasn't disappointed when he woke up that day to find her gone from their house. They had very little time to talk, but he had enjoyed their time together. Being with her had brought him back to a time when his life was far less complicated—when Peeta was just a boy in love with a girl, who happened to be his babysitter.

The class continued their excited murmuring at seeing the beautiful, dark-haired woman standing next to Prim.

"Class, take a ten," he told them as he went to the door. Turning to the class, they immediately stopped their animated chatter. "When I get back, we're going to discuss the themes of the story. So, be ready."

He stepped out of the classroom and closed the door on his students' groans.

"Look who's here!" Prim said to him with a grin.

"Prim, why aren't you in school?" he asked immediately.

Katniss looked to his sister. "You didn't tell me that you were ditching school!"

"Katniss, it's Friday," Prim replied off-handedly. "I figured you knew why I wasn't in school."

"You're going back," Peeta told his sister.

Haymitch was going to kill him—this was the third time that Prim had ditched school in the semester. Her principal had been as lenient as he could, but he couldn't keep Prim protected from punishment anymore; even though Haymitch had been his father's best friend and their loss had been just as hard for him.

Peeta looked over at Katniss. "I hate to ask you—"

"I'll walk her back to school," Katniss assured him and her slate eyes narrowed as she looked to his sister. "We'll have a nice _chat_ while we walk."

"Oh, joy," Prim said under her breath. "It's going to be fun having you as a neighbor."

Peeta didn't bother to hide his surprise as he turned to Katniss. "What?"

"Katniss bought her old house!" Prim told him cheerfully.

"So, you're staying?" he said.

She nodded, her eyes dancing. "Seems so." He watched her lips rise into a pretty smile as she put an arm around his sister. "We'll talk later. Right now, I better bring this young lady back to school, and then go take a look at my house." Katniss suddenly let out an excited laugh. "I have a house!"

He grinned at her delight. "It's good to have you back."

"Thanks." Katniss gave him a quick salute and peeked into the window to wave one last time at his class. The class returned the wave enthusiastically, especially the boys. "We'll see you later, Mr. Mellark. Enjoy the rest of your class."

* * *

The phone rang right after he had sent Prim to her room. She had grumbled as she usually did, but Prim took her punishment and seemed rightfully ashamed about it.

Peeta picked up the phone quickly, already knowing who the caller was. "Hey, Haymitch."

"Hey," the older man greeted him. "Can I come over?"

"Of course," he replied.

"Well, open the door then."

Peeta hung up and walked over to open his front door. Haymitch stood on the porch, hands in his pockets and his grey eyes heavy. The man never really enjoyed coming to the house, too many memories.

He loved Prim and Peeta, however, and tried to make time for them when he could. Being principal of Panem Middle School kept him busy; it seemed that lately the only time he came over was to talk about Prim's wayward behavior.

Haymitch walked in, taking in his surroundings. "The house looks good."

"I've kept it clean," Peeta replied and he nodded his head towards the living room. "In there?"

The man shook his head. "Kitchen—I need a drink."

Together, the two men made their way down the hallway to the kitchen. As they entered the room, Peeta went to the fridge and pulled two beers out for them.

Twisting the cap off of one bottle, Peeta handed it to the man who stood at the island. "Just like you like it."

Haymitch chuckled, the tenseness in his face breaking. "Yeah—free." Taking a quick swig, he looked to Peeta, the seriousness returning to his eyes. "Peeta…her teacher wants her suspended—"

"It's only been three times!" He protested, though he knew the argument was moot. "She's having a hard time fitting in—"

"I know that. But, I can't keep covering for her," Haymitch replied wearily. "It has been hard on all of us, especially you kids. You have to see that Prim is flailing about—and there has to be a reason why."

"How could she not be? Nothing in our lives feels real or whole anymore," Peeta argued. "She's getting older and becoming a young woman—I have no idea how I'm going to deal with that. I don't know anything! All I know is that I love her, and I'd do anything to stop the pain she's feeling…" He twisted the cap off his own bottle and took a sip to cool himself off. "Are you really going to suspend her?"

"One more chance, Peeta," Haymitch warned and he went to his pseudo-son. He patted Peeta's arm. "You're doing fine. Other people at your age don't have the responsibilities that you have and you've done what you could."

Nodding, Peeta wiped his eyes quickly. "Thanks."

"Now, tell me," the older man said, a sudden smirk on his face. "Who the hell is Katniss Everdeen?"

* * *

Later that evening, Peeta knocked on his sister's door. Peeking in, he found her sitting on her bed with open notebooks all around her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Looking over my journals trying to figure out when I changed," Prim replied, her eyes fleeting around the open books. "I don't want to keep getting you in trouble."

She looked up at him with tears swimming in her eyes. Blinking, the wet droplets fell against her porcelain cheeks and he quickly went to her, an arm going around her quivering shoulders.

"I just don't know why I can't seem to fit in," she sobbed against him. "All the other girls talk about boys and the clothes they're going to wear for the parties that I'm not invited to. And, it all seems so pointless."

"You've dealt with something that no girl your age should ever have to go through," he replied as his hand went to brush the tears from her cheeks. "And, not everyone is into clothes, or having crushes. You run on a different clock—that's okay. Anyone who is worth knowing, and who wants to be your friend is going to take the time to know you."

"I do care about clothes and boys—just not as much as they do," she told him slowly. "I mean I like Katniss' clothes. It's really cool when she tells me about her designs." Prim looked down. "And, there is one boy, not a whole bunch of them…" She looked up at him, her cheeks suddenly red. "That's not important now."

"Oh, geez—you don't have a crush on a movie star, do you?" Peeta asked with a grin. "It's not that guy who played Thor, is it? Or, his brother—the one that dated Miley Cyrus? All the girls in my class have their pictures on their binders!"

Prim giggled as she shook her head. "No. The guy I like is someone closer to reality."

Peeta nodded. "Just as long as you don't run off and get married!"

She shook her head. "You first. Then, I'll consider committing to someone for the rest of my crazy life."

"Agreed," he said. "Now, for punishment—I'm going to have to walk you to school now and be there to pick you up. Haymitch gave us one more chance. I don't care how vapid or stupid you think school is—you will not be suspended."

"I can take care of myself!" his sister protested.

"I know that. However, you have no respect for rules. I won't have you ruin your chances to have a good education. Mom and Dad always wanted you to go to college. I won't fail them," he told her. "Do you understand?"

Prim nodded, "I understand."

"I'm going to head over to Katniss'," he told her as he stood up. "Apparently, she made an impression on Haymitch."

"Katniss walked in wearing a fur-collared coat, leather leggings, and thigh high stiletto boots—of course, she made an impression," Prim said with a smile. "She argued my case, though. And, in front of Miss Cartwright, who wasn't very happy about it, especially since she's been desperate to get rid of me."

"I'm sure that's not the case," he replied. Though he knew that Delly Cartwright always seemed to take her personal issues to work, especially when it came to anything connected to him. "I have my cell, but I won't be there too long. So, don't get any ideas about sneaking off—"

"This is the only place I feel that I belong," Prim replied, her cerulean eyes serious. "Why would I leave it?"

He placed a kiss on the top of her sunny head. "I love you, kid."

"I love you, adult," Prim replied with a smile. "I'll be right here when you get back. Say hi to Katniss for me, and thank her for my gloves."

* * *

"Hey, Peeta," Katniss greeted him from her open front door, her smile wide. "Come in—you're my first visitor!"

Entering, he looked around the house; it was very similar to his own. The walls, however, were painted a stark white and the floor was hardwood. Boxes were piled into her living room as well as in her dining room on the opposite end.

"I just got my stuff moved in this afternoon after I dropped Prim at school," she told him, her eyes wandering around the mess before meeting his eyes. "So, what's up?"

He shook himself from his stare before responding, "Just wanted to say thank you for helping me out with Prim today—" He held out a bottle of wine, flustered as he looked at her lovely face. "—and to properly welcome you to the neighborhood."

Katniss grinned playfully and went to take the bottle. Hooking her arm with his, she led him out of the entry way.

"Come in, my friend," she said to him as they walked down the long hallway. "Wine and good conversation are always welcome." Entering the kitchen, she went into an open box on top of a stack of moving boxes and pulled out two glasses. "I need to find my cork twister thingy." Going to another open box, she produced it and handed it to him. "I'm sure I have some crackers or something around here…"

Peeta plunged the twister into the cork opening of the bottle and began to twist it in. "I don't need any of that," he assured her. Pulling the cork out easily, he poured some wine into both glasses. Walking over to where she stood by the boxes, he handed her a glass.

"It's good," Katniss said after a sip. She suddenly turned to him. "Let me take you on the tour."

"What?" After putting their glasses on her island, he was dragged out of the kitchen. "I'm pretty sure I know how your house looks."

"But, I'm going to change to stuff," Katniss told him. "My decorator is coming all the way from New York. I'm going to have to calm Effie down once she sees this place—"

"Effie?" He turned to her with a smile as they looked around the simple living room. "Interesting name."

"Yes, Effie is a very interesting woman," she replied. "She helped me decorate when Cato and I first moved into our penthouse. She's been like a crazy Aunt to me." The light in her eyes dimmed a bit. "Broke her heart when I told her that I was moving."

"I'm sure that she'll be happy once she sees what she has to work with," he told her. "What else did you want to do?"

"I'll show you my ideas." Katniss took his hand. "Let's go."

They turned to walk out of the living room and he tried not to think of the soft hand holding his. How many times had he wished that he could hold her hand like this when he was a kid? Too many times for him to count.

And, it was almost unbelievable that Katniss was there leading him up the creaky stairs of her home.

Wait—what?

"Where are we going?" he asked her nervously.

"My room; that's where I put my blueprints and sketches for the house," Katniss replied easily and she looked over her shoulder at him with a grin. "I'm sure you remember where it was."

"Somewhat." Was he starting to sweat? "You're going to stay in your old room?"

"Yup." They reached the top and she led him down the hallway. "I couldn't stay in what used to be my parents' room. It would be too creepy thinking what they probably did in there."

Opening the door to her bedroom, Katniss walked in as he remained in the open doorway.

"Plus, I get a good view of the neighborhood." She pulled back the thin curtain to reveal the tree next to her window. "And, I never know who's going to end up coming through."

He let out a laugh as his cheeks warmed. "I'll never live that down, will I?"

Katniss shook her head as she looked to him. "To tell you the truth, it's probably the most romantic thing that anyone has ever done for me."

"Then, I'm flattered," he told her as he met her gaze.

The two went silent before Katniss cleared her throat. "So… have a seat on the floor. No bed yet—I ordered something, but it's going to take a day or two." She knelt down on the hardwood and then patted the space in front of her. "Come, sit."

Slowly, he sat across from her on the cool floor. "Seems like we've done this before."

"There's no carpet for you to pick at," she replied softly, her eyes suddenly darting down shyly. "You're stuck looking at me."

Peeta let his eyes wander over the woman in front of him. She was wearing her charcoal hair in a loose bun on top of her head, showing off her heart-shaped face and smoke eyes, shaded by long jet-black lashes. She had changed from her outfit from that afternoon. Now, she sat before him in a heather-grey cowl neck hoodie and distressed jeans.

It was the most casual that he had ever seen her.

And, it was the most beautiful.

She looked like the girl he remembered, except for the eyes. They were still down-trodden.

"You never mentioned anything about moving back the last time you were here," Peeta said. "Any reason why you decided to return?"

"I had just finished signing my divorce papers," Katniss began to tell him. "I got everything I wanted and more. In the end, it didn't feel good at all—and I was just sitting in that lonely penthouse wondering where everything went wrong." She gave him a bitter smile. "My best friend Johanna asked me when I felt the most carefree and happy."

He raised a brow at her. "And, you came up with here?"

"Believe or not, I did," she said. "I left this place believing in possibilities. I guess I'm hoping I'll get it back."

"I congratulate you," Peeta told her. "It's not easy leaving your life in hope of something better." He took a deep breath, before looking up at her once more. "And for what it's worth, I'm happy you're here."

Before he could react, Katniss was leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

As she went to sit back, his hand suddenly grabbed hers and Katniss stopped mid-sit, her face inches from his.

The electricity hung in the silent air and for a moment—they were back to that night.

The heat that he felt remained, and it had only grown.

It scared and excited him at the same time.

After all this time, Katniss still had an effect on him.

His cell phone suddenly vibrated and he reached into his pocket to see Prim's smiling face on the screen. "It's Prim. I should go." Sending his sister a quick text, he stood up from the floor and held his hand out to her.

Katniss looked at him dazed for a moment before she finally stood and took his hand. "Of course."

"Have to get up early," he told her as they left the room. "I have to start walking Prim to school and pick her up after. It's the only way I can make sure she's going. She's already on thin ice."

"Why don't I walk her to school and then I'll pick her up after?" she suddenly suggested. "If you want, she can even stay with me after school; if you need to stay late at work or something. I'll even make sure she does her homework." Katniss smiled at him as they made their way down the stairs. "I mean, I helped you before, so it wouldn't be any different."

As they got to the front door, Peeta looked at her, genuinely curious. "Why are you doing this?"

Katniss opened the door for him. "Prim is like a little sister to me," she said to him.

He stepped onto the porch before turning to her once more. "And, what am I to you?"

She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes unreadable, before shrugging, "I'm not sure."

* * *

Some Everlark for you—enjoy the slow, quiet burn; these two have a bit to go.

Oh, and my dear, troubled Primrose—she's an enigma all her own. It's a hard time—stuck between girl and woman.

Haymitch will be back—not sure when. He was actually quite impressed by Katniss during their first meeting, because he actually sees how good she is for Prim and Peeta. He's quite the shipper of Katniss and Peeta—though in a very subtle way.

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Chapter Five, Katniss—Manhattan comes to the small town of Panem.


	6. Chapter Five: Katniss

Thank you for all of your feedback!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Five: Katniss**_

"You're fucking joking, right?"

Katniss chuckled at Johanna's words. "I'm afraid not."

"How could you not tell me that you moved out of Manhattan?" Johanna's voice bellowed from the speaker phone. "This is something that one would tell their best friend—and lawyer!"

"I've only been here for a few days," Katniss replied easily as she leaned against the kitchen island where the speaker sat. "The house I wanted was a hot commodity and I had to jump on it. I still own the penthouse, so I'll come to Manhattan when needed."

"It's not that, Katniss," Johanna reasoned. "I'm worried about you. You've never been this impulsive."

"The person you know wasn't," Katniss said. "But, the person I _was_—she never second-guessed herself and was all the more happy for it." She sighed. "I'm going to be okay, sweetie. If you're so worried, Effie is coming this weekend along with my design team. We're going to have a little moving party-slash-company meeting."

"Count me in!" her best friend replied excitedly. "I can't wait to see this house that you just _needed _to buy."

"It's not just the house," Katniss replied hesitantly. Prim and Peeta's faces flashed quickly in her mind. "There are people here that I've missed."

"People, huh?" She could hear the grin in Johanna's voice. "I'll have to meet these…people."

Katniss looked up at the clock above the kitchen doorway. "I have to go! It's 2:30."

"So?"

"I have to pick Pr—someone up," she told Johanna. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Who is someone—"

"Goodbye, Johanna!" She hung up quickly before her friend could ask any more questions.

Sighing to herself, Katniss quickly went to the front door to grab her coat. She didn't want to be late picking Prim up for the first time.

* * *

"So, you're the designated warden, huh?" Katniss turned to see Haymitch walking towards her, a smirk on his lips.

She gave him a nod in greeting. "I thought that Peeta might have some after school things that he needed to do," she informed him. "And, I'm not really working at the moment. So, why not?" The bell rang from inside the building. "Plus, I really like Prim."

"Girl seems to like you, too," Haymitch told her, his eyes turning to watch as the crowd of kids started to exit the building. "And, the boy…"

Katniss' eyes remained on the children emerging from the school, though her thoughts wandered to the previous evening as she and Peeta sat in her room. It had reminded of her _that_ night—the one before she took off for Paris. She could almost hear the soft music playing in the background.

She wasn't lying when she had told Peeta that it had been the most romantic thing that anyone had ever done for her.

Even compared to Cato's grandiose gestures when they had first met.

Her ex-husband had pursued her relentlessly after their first meeting in a patisserie near Sorbonne, where she had been taking classes at the time. There were flowers delivered daily to Yves St. Laurent where she was interning. He would wait outside her apartment every morning to walk her to the Metro, offering evenings of expensive dinners.

The more she ignored, the more he pursued. Cato always wanted the things that he couldn't get.

However, she realized much later that once he got them, they became worthless.

While the pursuit had been flattering, Katniss preferred quieter, simpler gestures.

And, it had always touched her that though Peeta knew nothing would come out of his declaration, he wanted her to know that she was loved—that was just the kind of boy he was.

That sweet, quietly affectionate nature that Peeta possessed was still there. Katniss could see it in the way that he looked at Prim.

There was also the way that he looked at her—it was a different sort of quiet.

The type of quiet that made her stomach twist whenever their eyes met.

"Katniss!" She looked up to see Prim rushing towards her, a huge grin on her face. "You came!"

"Of course I did!" She put an arm around the girl and smiled down at her. "Did you learn anything today?"

Prim shook her head, her blue eyes serious. "Absolutely nothing that will prepare me for the real world."

"Glad to know that the school that I've been working so hard for has no effect, whatsoever," Haymitch grumbled good-naturedly, his eyes twinkling at the young girl. "You really have your father's bluntness, Primrose."

Prim went to the man, her hand reaching to squeeze his. "Thanks for noticing."

"We should get to my house," Katniss said to her. "You have homework. I have to work on some blueprints for the house."

"PRIM!" They turned to see a gangly boy about Prim's age rushing over to them. He reminded Katniss of someone she knew; his olive skin and dark eyes vaguely familiar. He stopped in front of them nervously, his eyes focused on Prim, before looking behind to where Haymitch stood. "Hey, Mr. Abernathy."

"Mr. Hawthorne," the man greeted the boy kindly.

Katniss snapped her fingers in sudden remembrance. "You're Rory Hawthorne! I used to babysit you, too!"

"My brother mentioned that you were back in town," the boy said to her with a bright smile. "I hope I wasn't too much trouble."

"You were a good kid." Katniss looked over at Prim, who was waiting expectantly for Rory to finally talk to her. "I'm going to ask Haymitch something really quick. Just come over when you're ready."

Quickly, she went to the older man, whose lips were curved in a grin. "You're not very subtle, Katniss."

"Prim doesn't need her old babysitter staring over her shoulder," she told him. "And, I could tell that she didn't exactly want me around." Katniss peeked over to see the two talking animatedly, her young friend's smile wide. "They're very cute."

"They're all cute at this age," Haymitch told her. "Then, they grow up, and are ruined."

She sighed to herself. "I know what you mean."

* * *

"So, what was Rory talking to you about?" Katniss asked as she walked onto her porch with Prim in tow.

"He wanted to apologize for the party," Prim replied, looking down at her shoes. "And, he wanted to make sure that I had the notes for the classes that I missed." Katniss opened the front door and the young girl rushed in. "No big deal."

She closed the door behind her and turned to Prim. "It's okay to like Rory. He's a nice boy."

"Well, nice boys don't like girls like me," the young girl grumbled. "I'm just a bit off; I don't like the music, the books, or the shows that other girls like. Even my clothes are different—half my wardrobe is black, or some degree of it. I'm not exactly the person you want to be standing next to."

"You're gorgeous. And, black is universally popular!" Katniss argued. "Who doesn't enjoy wearing black? I mean, I do."

"On you, it looks decent," Prim said as Katniss took her bag and led her into the living room. "I mean, my brother looks at you like he could care less if you wore a lampshade on your head. I, on the other hand, look like a yellow-haired Wednesday Addams."

They sat on Katniss' plush, chocolate couch; the only piece of furniture she owned.

"I happen to like Wednesday Addams—and I like you," Katniss told her affectionately. "So does Rory."

"Whatever," Prim said as she opened her book bag and stared inside at her textbooks. "You know what I don't like?"

Katniss looked to her. "What?"

Prim held up her bible-thick textbook. "Geometry."

"I think I can help you." Katniss reached under her sofa and pulled out her sketch book. Opening it up, she revealed a hand-drawn layout of her living room. "Let's look at angles through an interior design eye…"

* * *

Katniss opened her eyes as she heard the soft knocking on the door.

Sitting up slowly, she turned to see Prim curled on the opposite end of the couch fast asleep. Putting a blanket over the girl, Katniss stood up and quickly went to the entryway.

She knew that it was likely Peeta, and her hand immediately went to smooth her hair down. Briefly, Katniss wondered why it was necessary to fix herself up.

Opening the door, she was greeted with Peeta's handsome smile. "Hey, Katniss."

"Hey, Peeta." Katniss felt her lips rise at seeing him. "Late afternoon?"

He walked in, closing the door behind him. "Yup. One of my kids used an inappropriate word in his essay about _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_," he explained. "I needed to have a talk with his parents."

"Putting it down, huh?" Katniss said. "What exactly was the word?"

"He described Veruca Salt as a 'psycho bitch'."

"That will do it," she said with a nervous laugh. Did she always sound like an idiot? "Prim is taking a nap. We finished her geometry homework, but we fell asleep during her reading assignment."

"Thanks for doing this," he said to her. "If there is any way that I can repay you—"

"Actually, I was wondering if you would come over this weekend and meet Effie," she suddenly said. "My design team, too." Katniss looked over at him, suddenly anxious about her request. "You and Prim are a good chunk of the reason that I've been able to assimilate so well—and I can't thank you enough. Also, I really want my best friend, Johanna, to meet you."

"Oh. She's coming, too?" Katniss nodded and he sighed. "I have a lot of people to impress." Peeta met her eyes, his smile warm. "But, for you—I'd do anything."

* * *

"Katniss, darling! You look fabulous!" She was in engulfed in Effie's hug; her nose catching the scent of Chanel No. 5 as her surrogate Aunt embraced her. "Turn around. Let me get a look at you." Katniss twirled slowly to show Effie her outfit—a simple peach smock dress with an A-line skirt. "A little skinny, but still very pretty."

"Thanks, Effie," she replied. Looking at the car parked on the sidewalk, Katniss turned to the woman. "Was it really necessary to come in a limo? I don't know if you've noticed, but it's a little more low key here."

"Cinna and the rest of the team couldn't fit in a regular car!" Effie explained. The chauffeur opened the door and Cinna, the manager of her design team, stepped out of the car followed by his assistant, Portia. Flavius and Octavia rounded out her team, both jumping excitedly out of the vehicle. "So, of course we had to come in this!"

Katniss smiled placidly at her decorator. While the ride was a bit ostentatious, it really was very Effie as well as her team.

Her eyes met Cinna's and she was suddenly rushing towards the handsome, smartly dressed man.

"CINNA!" She threw her arms around him and he quickly wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground.

"Baby girl!" The chocolate-skinned man grinned as he put her back on her feet. "We missed you!" He looked up at her house. "So…these are the new digs, huh?"

"I know it's a little big for one person," Katniss replied. "But, it was my home and the memory of it never left me."

"If you love it, then I'm sure we will," he assured her.

"I can't wait to take a look around," Effie said as she rushed to the front porch.

Katniss went to greet the rest of the team with hugs; all of them were thoroughly impressed with the size of her home.

"It has a lot of potential," Portia said with a grin. She took pictures of the house, along with the neighborhood. "We can post these on your Instagram."

"And, it will make a great family home," Flavius added. Octavia elbowed his side, eyeing him pointedly as he spoke. The man in the horn-rimmed glasses quickly caught his faux pas. "Sorry about that, Katniss."

She shook her head. "It's really alright," she assured him. "Life goes on."

"Remember, Katniss—you are fabulous," Octavia said with a warm smile. The curvy woman smoothed her auburn hair as she spoke. "Also, you are now a very desirable bachelorette. Trust me—I've had to turn down a few dinner invites for you, already."

"Thanks, love," Katniss replied as she kissed the woman's cheek. "I guess we're just waiting for one more—"

Before she could finish, the squeal of tires caught everyone's attention: Johanna had arrived.

Her best friend parked her black Jaguar in her driveway, abruptly breaking an inch away from her garage.

Throwing open her car door, Johanna stood up quickly with a bottle of champagne in her hand and a huge grin on her face.

"Hey, bitches," Johanna greeted as she slammed the door shut and marched towards them in a tight leather jumpsuit.

As everyone greeted her best friend, Katniss turned to look across the street just as Peeta and Prim stepped onto their porch. Peeta waved to her as Prim grinned brightly; her hair in a neat plait that showed off her delicate features—she looked unbelievably like Jean.

"Who is that gorgeous man?" Katniss turned to see Cinna standing next to her, a small smile playing on his lips.

"That is Peeta," she said, her voice constricting as his name came from her lips. "I used to watch him and his sister, Prim." Katniss put her index finger to her lips, her eyes going quickly to Johanna and the rest of the team drinking champagne on her front porch, before looking to the man again. "I was his first kiss."

"I don't think he's forgotten," Cinna remarked as he watched as Prim and Peeta crossed the street towards them. "I mean, look at him."

Katniss tried to remain calm as they got closer, a serene smile barely holding on her lips. "What do you mean?"

"His eyes have been stuck on you since he stepped onto his porch," he told her. "The light in them? It's all for you, girl."

"Katniss!" Prim rushed to her excitedly throwing her arms around Katniss' waist. She wrapped her arms around Prim and pulled her close, finding comfort in her young friend's happiness.

"Hey, sweetie," Katniss greeted her affectionately and her eyes looked to see Peeta watching them. "Hey, Peeta."

Peeta grinned at her bashfully. "Quite a crowd that you got going here." His eyes went to Cinna, who was watching them curiously. Peeta gave him a smile, holding his hand out to the man. "Peeta Mellark."

Cinna shook his hand, his own lips holding a bright grin. "Katniss was just telling me all about you. I'm Cinna, the head of Katniss' design team." He looked over to Prim. "And, this is your sister—Prim, right?"

Prim nodded shyly and held her hand out to the man, who shook it gently. "Primrose Mellark."

"Nice to meet you, sweetheart," Cinna said affectionately. He turned to look at Katniss. "You know what? She would look great in the canary coat that just came out. We should get pictures of her in it for the marketing meeting."

Katniss shook her head. "I don't think so—" She could see the rest of the group rushing over as she was speaking to her friend. "—and I think that Peeta won't be very happy with anyone taking his sister's photo—"

"Now, who are these lovelies?" Effie said as she rushed over, her smile bright and her heels clicking against the walkway. Behind her, Johanna and the rest of the team stood—their eyes focused on the golden-haired siblings.

"Effie—actually, everyone," Katniss started with a smile. "This is Primrose Mellark." She placed a hand on Prim's shoulder and the young girl waved to the team. Then, her eyes met Peeta's—his own staring into hers steadily. "And, this is Peeta." Her other hand went to his shoulder and his hand briefly reached to brush hers in support. "…Prim's brother."

Peeta gave them a wave—a bright smile on his lips. "Hello."

"Hello," the group echoed, their eyes roving over the good-looking man in the jeans and fitted t-shirt.

Cinna cleared his throat. "Why don't we all head inside and Katniss can take us on a tour of the house?"

Katniss had never been so grateful for Cinna's interference—the man deserved a raise.

"I can help," Prim said suddenly. "Katniss' house looks a lot like ours."

Effie went to Prim, hooking her arm with hers. "Lead the way, darling." She looked over at Katniss. "She looks like a blonde Brooke Shields—she would photograph perfectly—"

"We'll talk about that later," Katniss interrupted before turning to Peeta. "Sorry."

"No problem," Peeta said to her, tenderness in his voice. He looked over at Prim who was talking to the woman excitedly. "I don't think I've seen her like this in a long time."

"We're happy to make her weekend," Cinna said, a sudden glint in his eyes. "So, what can you tell me about Katniss as a teenager?"

Peeta met her eyes as the two men began to walk ahead. "Well, she was considered the teen dream to some boys…"

Katniss stopped to watch the group walk into her house. It was strange to see how easily her old and new life seemed to intermingle.

Johanna was suddenly knocking into her side as her arm went around Katniss' shoulders.

Her best friend grinned at her, the slight buzz evident on her lips.

"What?" Katniss said as they began to head into the house.

"Hot commodity, huh?" Johanna winked at her. "I suddenly get why you moved here."

* * *

A little after sunset, Katniss stepped out onto her porch. The streetlamps were beginning to slowly turn on—the light just beginning to grow in their glass cases. Inside, the house was filled with the laughter of her friends as well as Prim and Peeta, who were quickly becoming part of the group.

There had been no meeting that day. The team was so enchanted with her home that Katniss was sure that no one would pay attention, anyway. However, Effie had already stuck color swatches onto the walls of each room that were going to be tested within the next few days.

Everyone, including Prim and Peeta, helped Katniss' decorator pour over the numerous catalogs that she had brought along—to pick furniture, housewares, and even paintings.

They were all inside watching Prim walk around in Octavia's heels. Her young friend and her assistant apparently shared the same shoe size. Prim had a knack for walking in them, and quite gracefully at that.

Cinna was convinced that she belonged on the runway; she was just at the right age to begin training.

Katniss had looked at him skeptically before excusing herself. As much as she loved her team, the group could get overwhelming.

Sitting down on the porch bench, she curled her legs under her and stared out into the stillness of the street. She enjoyed the peacefulness of it all. For a moment, Katniss wondered what would've happened if she had remained in Panem. Would she still have been as successful? Would she have to find her way to the top a different way?

Or, would she have married Cato?

She faltered in her thoughts. It was pointless to wonder about lost chances.

The front door opened and Peeta stepped out. Closing the door behind him, he gave her a soft smile as he walked over.

"Good evening," he greeted quietly as the laughter of her team came from within the house. "They are really enjoying themselves. Prim loves them, too—I haven't heard her talk this much in a while. It's just like when Mom and Dad were here—she was a regular chatterbox."

Katniss patted the spot next to her. "Sit," she told him softly. He went quickly, sitting in the space next to her. "What are you doing out here?"

He held up his phone. "Haymitch texted me to ask if he could come over for dinner. He gets lonely sometimes, you know. He and my Dad used to play pool in the garage every weekend. So, when he passed on, I started to play with Haymitch instead. I'm pretty bad at it, but we have good conversations while we play. He's heading over and should be here in a few minutes." Peeta looked over at her. "Why are you out here?"

"I love the quietness of the town," she told him. "It's strange because I used to love the street noise in Manhattan. It used to be my companion when I was lonely." Katniss turned to him. "Is that weird?"

Peeta shook his head. "How about now?"

She smiled at him, her head finding its way to his shoulder. "Now, I'm not alone. I have Prim and my team." Katniss blew out a soft breath; the feeling of their shoulders pressing and hands barely touching caused her stomach to twist. "I have—"

"Me," Peeta finished for her. "You have me."

Katniss lifted her head off his shoulder and turned to see that his usually bright blue eyes had turned navy in the evening light. She look over his face; the strong brow, the sculpted lines, and the square jaw with just a little bit of a shadow growing.

"You have a little beard coming in," she said, her thumb reaching to brush his scruffy chin. His jaw fell easily into her touch.

"I told you that I wouldn't be fourteen forever," Peeta whispered, his warm breath against her fingers.

"Katniss?" She looked over at her open front door to see Effie stepping out onto the porch, a soft smile on her lips. "We were thinking that we should order some dinner, but we weren't quite sure where to call."

"I have some take-out menus at our place," Peeta abruptly offered, just as his phone buzzed. He looked across the street to see Haymitch at his porch and he waved to the man. "I'll grab them and bring them over."

"Invite Haymitch to dinner, too," Katniss told him and Peeta nodded, before rushing over to meet his friend.

Effie closed the door behind her and slowly walked over to sit in the spot that Peeta once occupied.

Katniss looked to the Effie, waiting for her to give the advice that she never usually asks for.

"Peeta is a nice man," Effie finally said as she met Katniss' eyes.

"I know," she responded. "Too nice for someone like me." Her eyes looked to the porch floor. "Effie, I chose wrong before—I won't again."

Her surrogate Aunt pulled her close and Katniss found herself wrapped in Effie's arms, her head resting against the woman's chest.

"That doesn't make you a bad person, Katniss," Effie told her softly. "Honey, you didn't deserve any of what was given to you. However, you have dealt with it, with a grace and dignity that is beyond anything I've ever seen—and I'm proud of you."

Katniss smiled up at the woman. "Thanks, Effie."

"Not all men are bad, you know," the woman said to her. "They might even surprise you."

The sound of a door closing caught her attention. Katniss' gaze went to Peeta, who was stepping out onto his porch with Haymitch beside him. Her stomach twisted seeing his smile as he walked towards them.

"I know," Katniss found herself telling Effie. "You'd be surprised how special they can become to you in only a short time."

* * *

This chapter turned out a lot longer than I expected.

Oh gosh, how I love a motherly Effie. Katniss' extended family is turning out to be very interesting.

I don't have much to say except that I'm enjoying these tiny moments between Katniss and Peeta. They always seem to be a little on the brink, don't they?

As always, feedback and reviews are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3. I love reading your words!

Next: Chapter Six, Peeta—the continuation of the weekend invasion.

Until then, JLaLa


	7. Chapter Six: Peeta

Thank you for your amazing comments!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Six: Peeta**_

Peeta rushed over to his front porch where Haymitch stood expectantly. "Hey, Haymitch."

His friend gave him a rueful smile. "Hey, Peeta." The man looked across the street to where Effie's limo was parked. The driver had disappeared for a break having walked to the main part of town. "Looks like Katniss has some fancy company over."

"Katniss' design team and her interior decorator have come for the weekend," he informed the man. "Prim is over there right now, impressing them with her walking skills." The two entered the house and Peeta looked to his friend. "Katniss invited us for dinner, so I'm going to grab some takeout menus."

"I guess I better wash up then," Haymitch told him. "Don't want to scare off Katniss' friends." The man made a turn and disappeared into the half-bath next to the kitchen.

Peeta walked into the kitchen, going into a drawer and pulled out a stack of take-out menus inside.

"_You have a little beard coming in…" _

He could still feel the light brush of her fingers against his chin—his thoughts wandered to the memory of her head on his shoulder and the smell of her floral perfume.

Peeta tried to tell himself that what he was feeling was only residual from his teenage crush on the woman.

Tonight, however, as they sat out on the porch and Katniss had reached out to him, he realized that they were looking at each other as a man and a woman, not as a babysitter and her former charge.

What he was feeling wasn't just something from the past. This was something new—and quite real.

"You okay?" He looked up to see Haymitch staring at him from the kitchen doorway. "I was calling your name for a while."

Peeta gave him a weak smile. "I'm fine, just a little tired. It's been an overwhelming day. Katniss' friends are a cool bunch, but very fast-paced."

"Sounds like fun to me." Haymitch walked over to him, a smirk on his lips. "You and Katniss looked pretty comfy sitting there on her porch. Looked like you've been doing that for years—like an old married couple or something."

Peeta turned to the man. "That's all in your head," he told Haymitch abruptly. "We better get going."

Haymitch nodded in agreement and they made their way towards the front door in silence. They stepped out and Peeta locked the door quickly before they began to make their way across the street.

Katniss and Effie sat on the porch with Effie's arms around the younger woman. Peeta could see the look in Katniss' eyes from a distance—soft and sad—reacting to whatever Effie was telling her.

However, when Katniss met his eyes, a smile brightened her beautiful face.

He and Haymitch reached the top of the porch as the two women pulled away from one another.

"Who's the chick?" Haymitch suddenly asked.

Effie stood up, smoothing down the navy blazer she wore before approaching them. Her heels clicked sharply against the wood and she stopped in front of Haymitch; her eyes cool as she looked him over.

She held out her hand. "The chick's name is Effie Trinket," she informed the man.

Haymitch shook her hand, lingering his hold on it before finally letting go. "Haymitch Abernathy."

Katniss joined them, turning to Peeta with a smile. "Are those the menus?"

Peeta nodded holding out the stack to her. "Here you go." She took them and gave him a grateful smile.

"Effie," Katniss began, her hand going to Effie's shoulder. The older woman snapped out of her stare down with Haymitch to look at her young friend. "Why don't we go and check on everyone? Also, we can take a vote on what everyone wants for dinner."

Effie gave her a smile and hooked her arm with Katniss'.

"Come along," the woman said and the two headed towards the front door. Katniss looked over her shoulder and winked at the two men. "That man called me a chick…"

Effie opened the door and marched into the house, dragging Katniss in with her.

Peeta turned to Haymitch. "Is that what you do when you like someone?" he asked incredulously. "You insult her two minutes into meeting her?"

Haymitch shrugged as they make their way to the open door. "Why the hell do you think I'm single?"

* * *

Peeta slowly unraveled Prim's braid as her head rested on his lap. His sister had fallen asleep after a long evening of walking up and down Katniss's living room in Octavia's heels.

Needless to say, Prim had the time of her life.

It made him happy to see her so excited about something. Prim had told him all about the work that Cinna was doing at Katniss' company; how the man and Katniss collaborated in designing her line. He was also an executive in the Marketing department, so Cinna ran the meetings and approved all advertising.

Perhaps his young sister had a future calling in the fashion world. Cinna was already seeing her model for Katniss' company in his head.

But for now, she was only twelve, and dreaming of a world outside of Panem.

"She's really cute."

Peeta looked up to see Katniss walking into the quiet living room, a plate in her hands.

The team had found their way into the kitchen when the food had come and had remained there for after-dinner drinks as well as dessert. Haymitch fit in well, discussing politics with Johanna and Cinna, though his eyes often went to Effie who stood by the kitchen island ignoring him.

"All tuckered out," he replied as he continued to undo Prim's braid. Peeta met Katniss' eyes as she sat beside him. Prim had taken the rest of the couch space, her legs horizontal over the rest of the couch. "I think she's going to have to build a tolerance if she's going to be on the runways one day."

"Prim has all the time in the world for that," Katniss told him. She presented the plate to him, a cake slice on it. "I brought you dessert."

He smiled gratefully. "Thanks. I'll work on it after I settle Prim into a better sleeping position. Don't want to get cake in her hair."

Katniss sliced into it before spearing a piece onto the fork. She held the fork out to him.

"Here," she said, a shy smile on her face. "It's a _really_ good cake."

Slowly, Peeta opened his mouth so she could place the fork inside. Closing it, Katniss slid the fork out from in-between his lips, leaving the delicious-tasting piece in his mouth. Their eyes remained on each other, his thoughts suddenly wandering to the thought of tasting her lips.

Were her lips still as soft as they were last night? She had kissed his cheek, and it was barely a moment.

All Peeta knew, however, was that he had wanted more.

"Good?" she asked.

He nodded, slowly swallowing the piece.

They remained silent as she continued to feed him. He watched her, taking in her appearance. Her wavy hair was loose, resting against her graceful shoulders. The peach dress complimented her tanned skin and he recalled how soft her skin was as their shoulders pressed against each other on the porch.

How was it possible to feel calm and excited at the same time around her? Just sitting with Katniss as she fed him comforted Peeta to no end. But at the same time, there were moments when he felt his heart race at the nearness of her.

"Finished," Katniss finally said and she placed the plate on a stack of magazines next to the couch. "What did you think?"

"It was good," he replied with a smile "I think I could make a better cake, though."

She rested back against the couch. "You bake?"

"For some of the bake sales at Prim's school," he replied. "And for her birthday—ever since my parents' passed. My mom used to make her a lemon buttercream cake. Prim called it 'sunshine cake' because my mom would dye the batter and frosting so the whole cake would be yellow."

"Sounds good," Katniss replied. "Maybe, you could teach me how to make it one day. Prim's birthday is coming up, right?"

"In a month," he told her. "Anytime you're ready, come over, and we'll have a baking session."

Katniss nodded, her lips wide in a closed-lipped smile. "Oh!" Her thumb went to the corner of his mouth, swiping it quickly. "You had a little bit of frosting."

"That was about the worst come-on I've ever seen." They looked up to see Johanna leaning against the open archway. She approached the two, sitting on the arm rest next to Katniss. Johanna eyed her friend, exasperated. "My goodness, you're rusty."

"What can I help you with?" Katniss asked her, obviously annoyed.

"I think I pissed Effie off," Johanna replied sheepishly, though a smirk dangled on her lips.

"What did you do?" He asked the woman curiously.

"I was just trying to help Haymitch out," she told them. "I mean, he was striking out hard and fast with Effie. So, I might've pretended to flirt with him or something like that…" Johanna looked up, suddenly interested in the ceiling.

Katniss looked at her warily. "What is 'something like that'?"

"I might've sat on his lap," Johanna replied, her tone light. "Put my arm around him, whispered in his ear. It was going good—until Effie broke her wine flute in anger."

Katniss hurriedly stood up. "I should go check on her." She gave him an apologetic smile before rushing out of the room.

Johanna quickly sat in the now empty spot next to Peeta and gave him a sly smile.

"Katniss was your first kiss, huh?" He looked at her in surprise. "Cinna told me after his third glass of chardonnay."

Peeta nodded reluctantly, unsure of how much to share with the woman. "She was. I was fourteen, she was eighteen. Katniss was leaving for Paris the following morning. So, I climbed up that tree next to the house to her window—and she let me in."

"That sounds sweet," Johanna replied. "It's nice to know that there was a time when her life wasn't so disenchanting."

He adjusted Prim in his lap before looking to the woman. "What do you mean?"

"She's been through a lot," she told him, her eyes clouding. "Cato was a spineless little shit who was a bad husband and would have made a horrible fa—"

"Hey, Peeta?" They looked up to see Haymitch walking in. "We should probably go. After I helped Effie out with her cut, she kicked me out of the bathroom. I think that's my cue to go."

Johanna gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, Haymitch. I guess I took it too far."

The man shrugged and gave her a half-smile. "It is what it is."

"We should go, anyway," Peeta said from where he sat.

Haymitch quickly went to Prim and lifted her off of Peeta's lap. The young girl wrapped her arms around the man's neck as she continued to sleep.

"I'll walk you out," Johanna offered and the three made their way to the entry way. She went to Prim and kissed the girl's forehead as she slept, then kissed Haymitch quickly on the cheek. "I'll talk to Effie, okay?"

"Thanks, sweetheart," Haymitch replied gratefully.

"Furniture is being delivered tomorrow," Johanna informed them as she opened the front door. "Effie has a good hook-up in the city. Maybe you can all stop by again."

"Sure," Peeta said with a smile. "Thanks, Johanna."

Johanna kissed his cheek, the smell of her opium perfume dancing in his nose. "It's been really nice meeting all of you—makes me a lot less worried about Katniss living here."

"She'll be alright," he assured Johanna as they walk onto the porch. Suddenly, Peeta turned to the woman. "Was Katniss really in love with Cato?"

Johanna leaned her head against the front doorway, her eyes peering at him for a moment.

Finally, she responded. "She loved him. Katniss wouldn't have stayed as long as she did if she didn't."

Peeta nodded in understanding, the unexpected sting of her words catching him by surprise.

"That's true," he replied half-heartedly. "Good night." Quickly, Peeta made his way over to Haymitch.

"Peeta?" He turned to Johanna once more. "She loved him, but Cato never loved her. He loved what she did for him." She gave him a sad smile. "And, if there is anything that I want for Katniss, it's for someone to love her. I mean really love her—the good parts, the bad parts—because it's what she deserves."

He took in her words before replying, "I don't think that's going to be a very hard feat for a lot of people."

* * *

The next day, Peeta was just about to head over to Katniss' when the doorbell rang to the house. He rushed to the door since he was alone; Prim was already across the street with her new friends.

The ringing continued, the person on the other end pressing the button incessantly. "COMING!"

Opening the door, he was greeted with the smiling face of Finnick Odair, his best friend. Next to him was Annie, his wife, and a very sullen Aidan.

Peeta smiled at them as he stepped out onto the porch, his eyes immediately going to his student.

"How did they get you to come all the way to your teacher's house?" he asked Aidan.

"The threat of cruel and unusual punishment," Aidan replied with a grin, identical to his father's.

"We just wanted to say hi!" Finnick protested, though his eyes went across the street.

A series of trucks were parked on the block. Several delivery men were moving furniture into Katniss' house as Effie walked around yelling instructions to each man. Her eyes zeroed in on Peeta and she gave him a wave before following a pair of men who were carrying a large painting.

"Or, you were being nosy," Peeta said to his best friend with an easy smile.

"We were just curious," Annie told him gently. "Madge was telling me how she ran into her old high school friend, Katniss Everdeen, just a few days ago—and now the woman is moving back home. You can't help but wonder why someone would leave New York for Panem."

"Fair enough," Peeta replied before giving her a kiss in greeting. "Prim is already at Katniss' house."

"Peeta?" He suddenly noticed Annie's guilty eyes. "While I was talking to Madge, there was somebody else with me and—"

"Hey, everyone!" They all turned to see Delly Cartwright coming up his walkway and Peeta bit back his groan.

"Sorry," Annie muttered quickly to him, before giving Delly a smile.

His relationship with Delly began in college; they went out, on and off, for the first two years. When their junior year came, the two agreed to break it off as they were both busy doing their own thing.

However, a week or two after his parents had passed, Delly had come back into town and immediately came to visit him. One thing had led to another and the two shared a brief night together.

Peeta admitted to doing it for all the wrong reasons and he had explained that to Delly. She, however, had thought that it was the beginning of a new relationship for them. The break-up had been bad as Delly did not take rejection well.

Prim believed that the woman, who was currently her teacher, was taking it out on her. Though, he hoped that it was not the case, Peeta would not put it past Delly to hold a grudge.

However, as she approached them, Delly gave him a bright smile.

"Hey Delly!" Finnick said carefully. "How's it going?"

"I was just getting some coffee in town and saw the trucks coming in," Delly said as her eyes went across the street. "That's a lot of stuff for one person." Peeta could hear the bite in her words.

"Well, Katniss is remodeling a practically empty house," Peeta informed her pointedly.

"PEETA!" Prim was running towards them, her hand holding Katniss' who followed behind her. The two stopped in front of the group and his sister beamed at everyone. "You have to check out the stuff at Katniss' house—so cool!"

Katniss stepped forward, her slate eyes bright as she smiled at everyone. Today, she was in a pair of dark skinny jeans, a white v-neck t-shirt, and a long charcoal cardigan. A light blue scarf completed her outfit. She looked relaxed and pretty and he couldn't help but grin seeing that Prim was wearing an identical scarf.

"Hi, I'm Katniss Everdeen," she started, her poise confident. "I hope that the noise wasn't bothering you. It's only for today. Then, I promise, the deliveries should be done!"

"Annie Odair." The woman stepped forward and shook Katniss' hand. Annie beamed at her, then looked to her husband and son. "My husband, Finnick and my son, Aidan."

"It's nice to meet you," Katniss said.

"Wow—you're even hotter in person," Aidan suddenly said, his wide green eyes glued on Katniss.

"Aidan!" Finnick looked at his son in warning, before turning to the woman. "Sorry about that."

Katniss laughed and shook her head. "It's alright." Her eyes went to Delly. "It's nice to see you again, Miss Cartwright."

"Delly, please," Peeta's ex-girlfriend insisted in a forced smile. "We're not in Haymitch's office anymore."

He went to his sister trying to ease the suddenly tense air. "I like your scarf."

"Katniss gave it to me," Prim told him excitedly. "We were just waiting for you to come over when Flavius and Octavia started to fix Katniss' closet. They said it went with my eyes!"

He nodded and kissed her forehead. "Makes them even bluer."

"Johanna set up a breakfast for us," Katniss informed them. "You're all welcome to come."

"We'd love to," Finnick suddenly said with a grin and then winked at his son, who was still gaping at the woman in front of him. He looked over at Katniss. "Lead the way, gorgeous."

Annie elbowed him with a smile on her lips. She was used to his flirtatious nature. She followed with Delly marching next to her.

Peeta and Prim were left on the porch as the group followed Katniss to her house.

"This should be fun," Prim remarked with a wry smile.

"Tell me about it," Peeta replied before putting an arm around his sister's shoulders and walking across the street.

* * *

"Are you hiding?"

Peeta turned to see Katniss approaching him from the entryway of her kitchen. He turned off the faucet to her sink and grabbed a paper towel from the new holder.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked her with a guilty smile.

"No one really likes doing the dishes," Katniss replied as she hopped onto the kitchen island. "You seemed keen to do them, right after everyone finished breakfast." Peeta walked over to where she sat, and leaned against the granite counter. "Is it Delly?"

He nodded shame-faced. "She had a hard time letting go after we broke up. It doesn't help that she is Prim's teacher."

"It's hard to think that you had a girlfriend," she joked. "A serious one, at that." Katniss let out small chuckle. "And, she reallyhates me. How many times can someone passive-aggressively insult my home?"

Peeta bristled at her words. "We weren't serious. She just happened at an inopportune time."

Katniss hopped off the counter and turned to him. "I'm sorry, Peeta. I was just joking." She took his hands in hers. "Obviously, there is an unpleasant history between you two. I know all about bad relationships—I mean, I just left one."

"I didn't love her like you loved him," he replied softly. "I don't think I've loved anyone like that."

"Maybe it's better that you wait for that kind of love," Katniss told him. "Because when you have it and it's good, you feel like you're on a high that's never going to fade. But when it's bad, Peeta—there are days when you just don't want to wake up."

Pressing his forehead to hers, Peeta looked into her wounded eyes. "What did he do to you, Katniss Everdeen?"

"One day, I'll tell you," she whispered, her body taut against his.

"No," he told her firmly. "You want to have a new start? Then, stop hiding. If we're going to be friends, we have to stop keeping things from each other. I'm not a kid anymore—and you can't protect me."

She stared into his eyes before nodding.

"Okay," Katniss relented. "Come back tonight and we'll talk."

* * *

I'm not super happy with this chapter.

It's just a weird transition chapter with the intermingling of the small town folk and city folk, but I think it was fun. We finally meet Annie and Finnick—yay! But, then there's also Delly—not so yay. We probably won't see them till a little later. I love that Aidan is enamored with Katniss; she has that effect on people.

Poor Haymitch—he's having a bit of a struggle with Effie, but we'll see where that goes.

Anyway, we're going to get into Katniss' story in a bit. It's a good way to start our next part of the story since Katniss is fully moved into Panem now.

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are welcomed on Tumblr, FF and AO3.

Next: Chapter Seven: Katniss—her story.

Until then, JLaLa


	8. Chapter Seven: Katniss

Thanks for all of your awesome feedback—keep it coming!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Seven: Katniss**_

"Okay," Katniss replied. "Come back tonight and we'll talk."

Peeta was right.

As much as she wanted to forget everything that happened during her last year of marriage, Katniss knew that the subject would come up eventually. Also, Peeta was reaching out to her and as much as she tried to tell herself that he was still a boy—he wasn't.

He had grown up on her—and Katniss was attracted to who he had become.

On the other hand, friendship was something more important and meaningful to her than attraction; because her friends were her family and had been there for her at the worst of times.

Pressed against Peeta, however, friendship felt like the last thing on her mind.

"Are you alright?" he asked her softly.

"Honestly, I'm afraid." Katniss met his concerned eyes. "I'm worried about what you'll think of me after you hear everything. Because in some way, I like that you still see me as the girl I used to be."

His arms were suddenly around her, pulling her close, and she pressed her cheek to his chest feeling his steady heartbeat. Her own arms wrapped around his waist and Katniss leaned into his embrace.

She felt safe with him. That kind of feeling was real and meaningful to her.

"We're trying to be friends," Peeta told her. "We have to accept all of one another, the good and the bad, because that's the next step to lo—" He stopped abruptly. "—to a new beginning."

"I guess you're right." She pulled away and gave him a smile. "So, being friends with you means I'll just have to accept Delly's petty little comments."

He put an arm around her and grinned. "That's my girl."

Katniss put her head on his shoulder as they walked out of the kitchen. "You totally owe me a story about her."

* * *

"We thought we lost you!" Cinna said as they entered the living room.

Katniss lifted her head from Peeta's shoulder and looked at the group in her crowded living room.

Her new grey L-shaped sofa was occupied by Annie, Finnick, Delly and Effie. On the matching loveseat were Flavius and Octavia, who were busy typing on their laptops. Portia and Johanna stood by her newly curtained window, drinking martinis, as they chatted quietly.

Prim, Aidan and Haymitch sat on the floor next to her coffee table, stacks of her origami paper on it. The three were diligently folding paper flowers.

"What's going on?" Katniss asked as she went and joined Prim on the carpet.

"Prim was just showing me how to make these beautiful paper flowers," Cinna began excitedly as he held up one of the origami flowers. "And suddenly—it came to me!" He beamed at Katniss. "PAPER DOLLS!"

She smiled at his exuberance. "What?"

"The theme for our next runway show!" He explained. "We'll use paper flowers for the walls and for the arch before the runway!" Cinna went to Prim and lifted her chin, smiling fondly at the young girl. "And, all the models will be doe-eyed and pretty, just like this young lady."

"Sounds perfect," Katniss agreed and she put an arm around Prim. "What do you think?"

"It sounds so cool!" Prim replied with a beaming smile. "I wish I was there."

"Maybe you will be," she said to her young friend.

"She has school," Delly suddenly informed them from her seat.

Katniss looked over her shoulder and gave the woman a tight smile. "Well, I'll just have to arrange a way to make sure Prim sees it," she replied. "After all, she was the muse for the show."

"Haymitch," Peeta called out from the archway of the living room. "Can I speak to you real quick?"

Haymitch looked over at Katniss. "Am I in trouble?"

She shrugged and smiled at the man. "Depends on who you ask." She glanced over at Effie, who was nursing a small pink drink in her hand as she typed on her phone with the other.

"True enough," Haymitch grumbled as he finished the last fold of the flower he was working on.

Standing up, he made his way over to Peeta, but not before dropping the paper flower onto Effie's lap.

"That was one smooth move," Cinna remarked from his spot on the floor. "These Panem men—they know where it's at."

Katniss looked over at Effie who was toying with the makeshift petals, a slight smile on her lips, before turning back to her friend.

She thought of Peeta's strong arms around her and the feeling that his touch seemed to create. There was no doubt; he had an effect on her. She wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, just yet.

"They sure do," Katniss finally replied before her eyes went back to Prim as she finished another paper flower.

* * *

It seemed much too soon for Katniss to see her design team leaving.

"Don't worry," Portia assured her. "Cinna and I will take care of everything in the office. Your Internet connection was just set up. So, we can e-mail or Skype you if there are any issues. I'm also having a meeting with the managers at the flagship store tomorrow." She pulled Katniss in her arms. "When you're ready, come visit, okay?"

"Of course," Katniss replied as they pulled away. "I'll miss you."

"Oh, honey," her friend said sadly. "It'll be hard going into the office and not seeing your pretty little self at your desk, but you need this. It's been a hard time for you—and it's best that you stay here until all of the hoopla dies down."

Katniss bit her lip. "Has there been much?"

"Not much," Portia told her though Katniss could see that she was lying. "You divorced a major Manhattan socialite. Yet, somehow you've come out on top—Cor has given you much more than people think you should be getting in the settlement."

"Well, they don't know what I've been through," she said quietly.

Cinna approached the two women, putting an arm around each one as they began their walk to the limo.

"Flavius and Octavia have already begun looking into the space for the show," he told them, an excited smile on his face. "I should have a stage layout for you later this week." Cinna turned to Katniss as they reached the limo. "I'm going to miss you."

"If needed, I'll fly back," Katniss told him and the man embraced her. "Thank you for being here."

"Of course, baby girl," he replied fondly before he and Portia stepped inside the limo. She had already said her goodbyes to Octavia and Flavius who were already settled in the car.

"I talked to Haymitch." She turned to see Peeta standing behind her. "He's going to stay with Prim this evening while we talk."

Katniss heard a soft chuckle and looked over Peeta's shoulder to see Effie talking quietly to Haymitch.

"Looks like they made up well," she remarked with a grin. Katniss watched Haymitch lift her friend's chin gently with his hand. "The beginning is always the best part, isn't it?"

Peeta nodded in agreement as he looked over at the couple. "If anything comes of this, we can say that we were there to see it all." He turned to look at her, his sky eyes suddenly concerned. "Do you still want to talk?"

Katniss turned to him anxiously. "Just don't think any different of me afterwards, okay?"

Immediately, he pulled her into his arms. "Never. I'm always going to think of you as the teen dream, Katniss."

She smiled against his shoulder, content in his arms, until Finnick wolf-whistled at them from Peeta's porch. Annie and Delly stood next to him, his wife grinning at the two, while the other woman stood with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Aidan and Prim sat on the porch steps talking animatedly as her young friend played with a paper flower in her hand.

"I should get back to them," he told her. "I have to talk to Prim about tonight and stop Delly from gossiping all over her teachers' lounge."

"Have fun," she replied and pressed her lips to his cheek.

Peeta touched the spot, his cheeks darkening at the contact. "What was that for?"

Katniss grinned. "If Delly is going to gossip, then we might as well give her something to talk about."

* * *

"Right on time," Katniss said as she opened the door for Peeta, later that evening.

"Being a teacher makes you a little more punctual." He stepped inside and looked around the house. "Effie is unbelievable! This place looks completely different!" Peeta looked up at the black chandelier hanging above her entryway. "I never noticed that before."

"You wouldn't," she told him with a grin. "It's one of those things that doesn't really have an effect until it's on." Katniss went to the switch next to the stairs. "It's pretty cool. I can adjust the light, too." She turned the switch to slightly dim the lighting.

"Everything looks great," Peeta said to her.

They went silent for a moment, staring at one another. Peeta had changed into a t-shirt and jeans, while she had slipped into a pair of black yoga pants and her cowl neck sweater.

It seemed like they had each dressed for a long evening.

"We should go upstairs," she finally told him.

"Upstairs?" Peeta repeated, his voice cracking a bit.

Katniss took his arm, entwining it with hers. "We always seem to have the best talks there." She looked to him as they walked up the stairs, taking in his stiff form. "If you're uncomfortable, we can always go to my study."

He shook his head. "No, this is your story. We should talk where you're comfortable." They found themselves at the top of the stairs and she led him to her door. Quickly, Peeta opened it for her. "After you." Katniss went in and he closed the door behind them.

Peeta looked around and gave her a smile. "It looks exactly how I imagined it. Comfortable, yet…chic."

The whole room was made up of blacks, whites, and greys—her dark wood canopy bed being the centerpiece. She watched as Peeta explored her room, his eyes roving over the matching dresser with the flat screen above it. He looked over the photos that hung around the room; some of them were her old sketches that Cinna had archived for her.

He went to her vanity, made of glass mirrors. Octavia had arranged it meticulously.

Picking up her atomizer, Peeta sniffed it and turned to her with a smile.

"You still wear the same perfume," he remarked softly.

Katniss nodded as she settled onto her bed, her back against her headboard. "Yes, there are some things that are still the Katniss Everdeen that you knew." She patted the space next to her. "Get comfortable."

Peeta went to the other side of the bed, settling beside her and he took her hand. "Where do you want to start?"

"What do you want to know?" she countered.

He thought for a moment before responding, "How did you and Cato meet?"

"I was living in Paris," Katniss started. "I was finishing my last year at Sorbonne, living in a small apartment near school and there was patisserie that I always frequented. One day, I walked in and was ordering my usual when this Mercedes just parked in the front of it."

She laughed to herself. "God—I remember thinking, 'What a douche', seeing the car. Then, Cato walked in." The laugh faded from her lips. "I passed him just as he was coming in. He made a complete turn and started to follow me out. He followed me all the way down the street asking for my name. I just ignored him and went on my way to class."

"Sounds romantic," he remarked. "Very Parisian, actually."

"It was a very Parisian romance," she said. "No one had ever paid that kind of attention to me. It was exciting. I mean, who doesn't want to get swept off their feet in the City of Love? At the same time, I knew I had to be careful. For a few weeks, I kept him at arm's length. He came to that patisserie every day, inviting me to dinner or giving me flowers."

"Sounds too good to be true." Peeta looked over at her. "When did you finally give in?"

"He strong-armed my boss at Yves St. Laurent into letting me off early, one weekend." She twisted a tendril of her hair around her finger remembering the dinner they shared at a restaurant along the Seine. It had been a beautiful view and Cato made her laugh with his stories about the trouble he would get into. "He took me to dinner—it was the first time in a long time that I had fun. I had spent a lot of my time in Paris at school, or at my internship. Cato was refreshing and carefree. I wanted to be just like him."

Peeta's eyes met hers. "That makes sense—who wouldn't be swept off their feet?"

"It was great—for a bit," Katniss admitted as she took a deep breath. "We dated for a year. He was always traveling between New York and Paris, or wherever he wanted to go at that moment. When I finally completed my time at Sorbonne, Cato proposed and I accepted. It wasn't a big ceremony—" She reached over and pulled open the drawer on her side table to take a small box out. "—but, he gave me this."

Handing Peeta the velvet box, she watched him let out a soft whistle as he opened it. Katniss knew how amazing her engagement and wedding bands looked. She had been enchanted seeing the two-carat diamond in the elegant setting—it had belonged to Cato's mother and was custom-made.

Katniss remembered the look in his eyes when he slipped the diamond ring on her finger. Because even now, a part of her still believed that moment was when Cato had truly loved her—that small snippet of time in Paris.

"We kept our marriage a secret until we came to New York," she continued. "He wanted to surprise his father."

Her husband had been excited to introduce her and, as she sat down in a trendy Manhattan restaurant, her eyes met her father-in-law's. They were cool and calculating. If only she had known why Cor was so wary of her—Cato had brought other girls to meet him before.

"When Cor found out that we had eloped, he was surprised, but happy," she explained to Peeta. "I didn't know anything about Cato's past—of the other women—and how many of them had sat across from Cor in that restaurant. I, however, was the only one who Cato had ever introduced as his wife."

"It looks like you were getting on well with your father-in-law from the start," Peeta said to her. "Did it cause any jealousy between you and Cato?"

"Not at first." Peeta handed back the velvet box and she looked at the shining diamond before swiftly closing it. "Cato was too busy showing me all of the wonderful things that Manhattan had to offer. The week we returned was the week he bought our penthouse—and that's when I met Effie. She was my first friend in New York."

She smiled to herself remembering her first meeting with the woman. Effie had come in—light hair in a tight bun and wearing an impeccably fitted black suit. She had taught Katniss all about how to turn the industrial-looking penthouse into a comfortable home for her and Cato.

"I must have looked like such a newbie," she told Peeta. "But, Effie was very supportive and Cato was impressed with her work."

Tiredly, Katniss laid her head on Peeta's shoulder. She was getting into the later part of their marriage—the part that she had tried so desperately to move on from.

"Back to your question," Katniss said. "Cato was happy that his father and I were getting along so well. Our first year of marriage, I actually attended a few board meetings that Cor ran. It's how I found out that he owned a textile company."

"Thus began your clothing line." Peeta's thumb caressed the top of her hand. "It's really impressive—everything you've done. Cinna told me all about your company. I know how much you worked for it."

"I approached Cor about starting my own line around our second wedding anniversary," she told Peeta. "Cato and I got into a huge fight. He didn't understand why I needed to add more things to my list. I had already started sitting in on board meetings with his father. I was also assisting with the Snow Foundation on donation distribution. Cato had never really contributed to his father's company. He was content with spending the profits, rather than helping in creating them. During our fight, I brought that up—and he walked out."

"Do you want to keep going?" Peeta suddenly asked, his eyes roaming over her face. "You don't have to—"

"No." She lifted her head from his shoulder and turned to him. "I can't go back now."

He nodded after a moment. "So, Cato walked out?"

"He did," Katniss said. "Most of that year and the beginning of our third year, Cato was out and about. It was then that I met Clove, his publicist." Her mouth twisted just saying the woman's name. "She had been one of the girls that Cor had met before. My father-in-law didn't necessarily approve of her. Clove was more about promoting herself in oppose to promoting the client."

"She sounds like a bitch," Peeta retorted.

Katniss snorted. "Clove really was—and she hated me. The first time we met, she talked all about how she had been the one who had suggested all the restaurants and places that Cato took me to in Paris." Her eyes suddenly filled. "And, she had no morals; especially when it came to humiliating me. Clove always wanted me to know my place—to know that she was there first—and she wasn't going to go away. The worst part was that Cato never stopped her."

"What an asshole," her friend seethed and she couldn't help but chuckle. It was strange to hear Peeta curse; it seemed like he never had a bad thing to say about anyone.

Until now.

"Around this time, I was at the pinnacle of my career. I had just met Cinna, who was actually a co-director in the textile company that Cor owned. I also met Johanna, who became my contracts lawyer—she was there to help with negotiating retail space and creating proper agreements for my clothing line to be sold in department stores. And, she was there, along with Cinna, to attend happy hours with me."

Katniss stopped. It was time to talk about _that_ year—the fourth year.

"The fourth year of my marriage started badly," she told Peeta. "I waited for my husband to show up to celebrate our anniversary and he didn't come home until very late. And, I was so tired—so tired of fighting and at the same time, so tired of being ignored. When Cato crawled into our bed, I let him kiss me even though I was angry. I just didn't want to fight anymore."

A choked sob escaped her mouth and pressed her hand to her lips.

"The next day, there were pictures; pictures of Cato and a woman named Glimmer, who was a friend of mine. They were together at a club." Her eyes closed and the images of her husband pressed against the woman ran through her mind. "It was our anniversary and he spent it with her. This girl was supposed to be my friend—but, I was so fucking naïve."

Katniss let the tears escape her eyes—the humiliation coming back full force. She remembered walking down the street of her penthouse, unable to face the newsstands, fearing the pictures of her husband practically being straddled by that woman.

"You weren't naïve," Peeta told her, his blue eyes angry. "You were married to the man—you loved him. Marriage is about trusting someone and being protected by them. You weren't being protected Katniss, and that wasn't your fault."

"I was pregnant, Peeta." It came out softly—almost disbelieving of her own words.

She had been in shock when the pregnancy test came out positive. She and Cato had been together a handful of times during the end of their third year. Most of the time, he was gone—probably with someone else.

"That one time…during that anniversary that he was late for!" Katniss looked at him, her hands almost shaking. "When I found out, I couldn't believe it—I even made Johanna come with me to my obstetrician."

Peeta's lips were twisted in a frown. "And your husband's reaction?"

"I almost didn't want to tell him," she admitted. "I just couldn't trust him anymore. Finally, one day I told him over breakfast. Cato just sat there staring at me for the longest time. There was no happiness in his eyes. There wasn't any angriness, either. He just looked at me like I had trapped him."

Katniss wiped her eyes hastily.

"Eventually, I told Cor—and he was overjoyed." She laughed through her tears. "Just like a proud grandfather would be. I was so scared, Peeta. I cried a lot during my first trimester, mostly because Cato never came to any of my appointments. It was always Johanna, or Cinna, and a lot of times, it would be Cor. He kept on assuring me that Cato would change—that 'once a father holds his child, everything becomes different.'"

Turning away from Peeta, she reached into the drawer again. This time, she pulled out a photo—a sonogram photo—and handed it to Peeta.

"This was her—my daughter," Katniss whispered.

Peeta met her eyes, his own disbelieving. "Was?"

She nodded, her lips trembling. "Was."

"What the hell happened?" he asked in a quiet voice. "What happened to her?"

Katniss closed her eyes. "I was five months pregnant." Her voice shook as she spoke. "I had just come home and I heard them. Cato, Clove, and Glimmer—in my house—in my bedroom!" She began to sob, her face falling into her hands. "I JUST LOST IT!"

She could feel Peeta's hand on her back. "What did you do?"

"I started throwing things—anything, really—at them. They were in my bed, and there was a camera. And, there was _my_ husband…" Katniss looked at Peeta, her eyes so full that she could hardly see them through her tears. "…and he did nothing."

She felt her throat constrict just remembering the image of Cato in-between the two women, both clad in practically nothing, and Clove's triumphant smile—as if she was telling Katniss she was there, and she would remain there—always between Katniss and her husband.

"I don't know how, but I ended up back out on the street—with Cato chasing after me. We started screaming at each other in the middle of the Upper East Side, not bothering to give a shit who saw us."

Katniss stopped. "Then, it happened—I fell. My lower back hit the concrete somehow."

Peeta turned to her. "Did—did he push you?"

"I don't know," she admitted shamefully. For months, Katniss had replayed that moment over and over in her mind. "I was screaming and waving my hands around. He was in my face, practically doing the same thing. The next thing I know—I'm on the ground. My mind just went blank. So, I hailed a taxi and ended up staying at Johanna's. She was out of town for the week, but she had given me her key."

She found herself in Peeta's arms as they laid back on her mattress.

The memories triggered something in her, causing her to shake horribly. Katniss knew this feeling all too well—this horrible feeling of not knowing if she would ever be happy again.

"I woke up the next morning," she continued, her head against his chest. Her hand gripping his tightly. "I had a noon board meeting with Cor and some of the executives of the foundation. I thought I was fine, so I got ready and headed to the meeting. Halfway through the meeting, I began to feel faint. My father-in-law immediately cancelled the rest of the meeting. I was insisting that he continue when my water broke—"

She felt Peeta's sharp intake of breath, but she continued on.

"I cried the whole way in the ambulance with Cor holding my hand. He kept on telling me that my daughter would receive all the medical attention we could get. He would fly the best doctors in—all the specialists we needed. All I kept asking for was Cato—and he never came." She buried her face in Peeta's chest, another set of sobs hitting her, and she could feel him tightening his hold on her.

"NOTHING COULD SAVE HER!" Katniss burst out. "It didn't matter how much money we had! When I finally pushed her out of me—there was no crying…there was nothing but stillness." Her heavy eyes met Peeta's. "She had dark hair. She was beautiful. Cor said that she had his wife's nose."

The nurses had let Katniss hold her daughter—her baby was so light in her arms. Her skin was paper-thin and snowy, her lips rosy. Her daughter—her little Snow White. However, no kisses would wake her princess. No matter how many Katniss had given her, her little girl would never wake up.

She had apologized to her daughter, over and over, for not taking better care of herself and for letting her anger get the best of her. She had apologized for Cato—because she thought that maybe, one day, he would be sad for losing her.

And, when she let Cor hold his granddaughter, Katniss watched the old man weep and pray for the child, asking his deceased wife to watch over the little girl.

It was the first time that she had seen her father-in-law look so small.

"Cato never came to visit me in the hospital," she said through her tears. "He was in Portugal during our daughter's funeral. When the pictures of Cato, Clove and Glimmer hit the papers, I filed for divorce—with Cor's blessing."

Slowly, Katniss sat up and looked down at the man before her. She felt nothing but emptiness.

"Now you know," she choked out. "I am not the same girl that left Panem and I am not the teen dream. I am nothing but the mother of a dead baby and the ex-wife of a man who had so little respect for me that he fucked two women in the same bed that we made our daughter in!"

Peeta sat up, gripping her shoulders, his blue eyes torn.

"You are anything but nothing. You are everything!" He stopped, gasping for breath. "You are everything, Katniss. To Prim—and to me."

Her hand reached out, covering his mouth, to silence him.

Katniss looked into his wet eyes, navy in the darkness. Peeta was upset, for her and for the situation.

She, however, had learned to repress her pain—to push it out of her heart.

However, it had left her even more alone—until she came back to Panem.

And, the emptiness that she once felt, slowly filled with the sound of Prim's laughter, and the tenderness in Peeta's smile.

"Why don't you kiss me?" she suddenly asked. Her hand fell from his lips. "I know you want to."

Peeta stared at her for a moment before starting towards her. She closed her eyes in anxiousness, sadness, and anticipation—they all felt the same at the moment.

Instead of his touch against her waiting lips, she felt his forehead press against hers gently.

Slowly, her eyes opened and met his blue pools.

"Because, you're not ready," Peeta answered in a hushed voice. "When I kiss you—it's not just going to be a kiss. It's going to be _the _kiss. The one that we can never come back from."

His words broke something in her—and she sagged against him, her head falling back onto his chest. Slowly, Peeta laid them back down and she wrapped her arms around his waist. His hand went to her hair and he ran his fingers through her tendrils.

They laid there wrapped silently in their own thoughts.

"Katniss?" Peeta finally called out.

"Yes?"

"What was your daughter's name?"

His hand found hers in the darkness and he brought it to his heartbeat.

"Helena."

She remembered the tears in Cor's eyes when she had told him his granddaughter's name.

"She was named after Cato's mother and for the heroine in the Shakespeare play _A Midsummer's Night Dream_," she explained brokenly. "Helena is the only character in the story whose love was ever truly constant."

"That's beautiful," Peeta told her.

Katniss nodded in agreement. "Now, Cor and I both have a Helena to mourn for."

* * *

I'm burnt out—so only two things.

So, Katniss' divorce took awhile—a lot of this took place when she was twenty-seven. It took a bit of time for them to track Cato down once Katniss filed for divorce and for the official paperwork to go through.

The name, Helena, was always what I intended to name Katniss' daughter—it just kept on repeating in my mind.

Once again, hellos, comments and reviews are always welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Chapter Eight, Peeta—the aftermath.

Until then, JLaLa


	9. Chapter Eight: Peeta

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Eight: Peeta**_

Peeta opened his eyes when he heard the high-pitched beeping from his phone.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the phone and read Haymitch's text: _'I just woke up on your couch. Everything okay over there?'_

He responded quickly: _'On my way back—everything is good.'_

Turning, Peeta was greeted with Katniss' pretty face, eyes closed, and looking much calmer than last night.

It seemed unreal—the whirlwind romance and wedding in Paris, her climb to the top of the fashion world, her ascension in her father-in-law's company, and the disintegration of her marriage.

And, Helena.

He would always remember the look on her face as she talked about holding her stillborn daughter; so broken, and on the brink of hysteria. How much her life had changed in the time that they were separated—it was daunting to think that she had faced all of it alone.

Peeta was angry for her. He wanted to tear Cato limb from limb.

Katniss sighed in her sleep and the angry thoughts dissipated as he stared at her weary face.

Instead, his mind went to _that_ moment last night.

The moment he knew that his own feelings were reciprocated. Peeta could see it in her eyes, but he could also see fear.

She was not ready. So, he would wait until she was.

Katniss was worth it. Now that he had a chance, there was no going back.

Leaning down, Peeta pressed his lips to her forehead. Her eyes fluttered as she slowly woke up, her gaze going to him and her lips rising in a soft smile.

"I guess we overslept," he told her quietly.

"Guess so," Katniss replied, her voice still hoarse from crying. "I should get up, too. I have to bring Prim—"

"Don't worry about it." He gave her a smile. "I'll take her today. You should rest."

"I'll pick her up, then." She sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her close, almost onto his lap. "Thank you for talking to me—actually, making me talk. I tend to push people away."

"Honestly, why wouldn't you?" He met her tired eyes as they pulled away. Katniss had been through an unbelievable amount of pain. "It's only natural after experiencing what you have that you would keep people out."

"It's nice to know that you know my story," Katniss replied. "In time, I'll talk to Gale and Madge about what happened. Haymitch, too—especially if anything happens with him and Effie." She looked at the watch on her bedside table. "You better get going. You have to get ready for class."

Peeta nodded. "Lie back down and get some sleep." She raised a brow at his instruction, but followed anyway. Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the cheek smelling her familiar perfume. "I'll see you later."

Standing up, Peeta turned to leave the room.

"Peeta?" He swiveled back to her. "Did you mean it?"

"What?"

Her eyes bore into his. "You said, 'When'."

Peeta was confused for a moment until he realized that she was talking about his declaration last night.

"Yes, I meant it," he told her, his voice wanting. Peeta watched her shift in bed. "Also, I don't think I'm the only one who wants to be kissed."

* * *

Closing the door, Peeta made sure that he had locked the doorknob before walking down Katniss' porch steps. He still had two hours before he had to wake Prim up and a little time to explain to Haymitch the reason for his lengthy stay at Katniss'.

Though he was pretty sure that the older man would just heckle him about it.

"Peeta!" He turned and stiffened as he saw Delly rushing towards him in her running gear. She gave him a tense smile seeing the direction that he was coming from. "Up early, huh?"

Peeta nodded, his eyes avoiding hers. "Yeah—early. I really have to get home and get ready for the day—"

"I don't think that Katniss is very good for Prim," Delly said suddenly, her eyes going back to the house. He was willing to bet that she was hoping Katniss would hear. "I mean, the woman is so fast-paced and all about her city life. Look at her friends! She is practically brainwashing Prim to leave for New York once she can!"

"Funny. I don't remember asking you for any advice on how to raise Prim," Peeta responded snidely. Delly's eyes widened hearing the bite in his words. "Is my sister going to school regularly? Yes. Is she getting her homework done? Yes. That is all because of Katniss. Prim has been in your class for the last semester and has ditched numerous times. You tried to have her kicked out of your class, Delly!"

"She mouthed off to me, Peeta!" The woman argued back. "I can't have that in my class. I'm the teacher and if any of the kids see me letting one student get away with it, they will _all_ take advantage of me! You're a teacher, too. You should understand that."

Peeta hated to admit it, but Delly had a point.

"I'll give you that," he told her. "Just don't question my decisions, Delly. I've always known what is right and wrong for myself and Prim. I'll see you later, okay?"

He walked past her when she reached for his arm.

"Peeta, I care about you and miss you," she told him, her eyes pleading. "It isn't fair. I came back home for you! Now, that_ she _is here—I'm not even in the picture!"

Her blue eyes went cold as they went to the window of Katniss' room. He suspected that Katniss might be listening in and that Delly wanted to make sure that she was.

"You were never in the picture." Peeta backed away from her towards his house. "Katniss always was."

* * *

When he entered his home, Peeta found Haymitch putting his jacket on in the entryway.

"Sorry…" he told the man sheepishly.

Haymitch shrugged and gave him a smirk. "I get it. Those Uptown girls can get to you. I happen to be into the older version of your girl."

"Yeah, well, it looked like Effie was into you, too." Peeta chuckled seeing the man look down at his feet. "Treat her nice—she was Katniss' first friend in Manhattan, you know."

"Didn't know that," Haymitch responded. "I guess we can talk about it…next weekend."

Peeta grinned at the man. "Next weekend?"

"You know when she comes back to finish Katniss' house and we go to dinner…" Haymitch's voice trailed off, his slate eyes brighter than usual.

"Wow. I wish I had your game," Peeta replied.

"You were at Katniss' house all night," the man said. "What were you doing?"

"Sleeping." Peeta looked him straight into his eyes. "Before that, she told me her story. About her husband, her marriage, and what happened in New York." He felt his fists clench at the thought. "It's something."

"I can tell." Haymitch took in Peeta's stiff shoulders, tight fists, and heated cheeks. "You look like you want to hurt someone."

"One day, Katniss will tell you and you'll understand." Peeta took a deep breath to calm his rising anger. "Just don't ask Effie, either. She probably won't want to talk about it."

"From what I know, Effie was never a big fan of Katniss' husband." The man let out a gruff laugh. "Called him a 'whiny little frat boy'. He was always making Katniss do all the work—he hired Effie to keep her busy so that he could do his own thing. In the end, Effie really fell for Katniss. Thinks of her like her own daughter."

Peeta smiled at his words. "It's nice to know that there was someone looking out for her there."

"I suppose that you'll be looking out for her now," Haymitch said.

He met his friend's eyes. "If she lets me."

* * *

The week passed quickly.

Prim had officially been going to school for a month straight, much to everyone's delight. Her grades had gone up and she had taken to studying with Rory Hawthorne, who would often walk with Katniss and Prim on his way home.

"I just walk a few feet back," Katniss informed Peeta that weekend. They sat in her covered living room. Painters had come in and started working on the house. The living room was being painted light grey along with her bedroom. "I don't listen in, but when I happen to, their conversations sound harmless."

"I guess I'm okay with that," Peeta grumbled and Katniss chuckled at the frown on his face. He understood that his sister would be a teenager in a few weeks, but Peeta wasn't exactly overjoyed to see potential dates already vying for her.

Katniss scooted towards him and put an arm around his tense shoulders. "You're so upset! Prim is just turning thirteen."

"Well, I remember being thirteen." He turned to meet her eyes. "You don't know what goes on in a boy's head at thirteen!"

"I remember you at thirteen," she informed him with a smile. "I had just moved here."

"Oh, yeah…" He rested back against the cushions of her sofa as he recollected the memory. "You just moved in and my Mom invited you to my fourteenth birthday party. I remember blowing out my candles and seeing you at the entryway of the dining room."

He had wished for something completely different.

Then, Peeta looked up and from behind the smoke of his birthday candles there Katniss was—arms crossed, hair in single long, dark braid—as she leaned against the archway of the room, a smile on her beautiful face.

"I think I might've wished for you," he told her.

"What a line," Katniss replied softly and she pressed her forehead to his temple. Her lips brushed slightly against his ear and he shivered at her warm breath on his lobe. "Speaking of birthdays, can I ask you for a favor?"

If she kept talking to him like that, he would probably sign his house over to her. "What?"

"Will you teach me how to make Prim a cake?" He turned to look at her and she gave him a mock pout, trying not to grin. "Please?"

"You are pathetic," he told her with a roll of his eyes. "Of course I will."

They heard the shuffle down the stairs and Prim entered the living room along with Effie, who had donned a pretty fuchsia dress for her date with Haymitch.

"What do you think?" Prim asked them excitedly. "I told her to wear her hair down."

Katniss stood up, her eyes looking over her friend.

"You are something, Eff," she told her. "It's the first time that I've seen you with your hair down, I think."

"Well, there's a first time for everything, my dear," Effie replied in a nervous voice. "Prim was pretty good at convincing me." Her hand went to her shoulder-length blonde locks. Her worried eyes looked to Peeta. "From a man's perspective, what do you think?"

He smiled fondly at the woman as he stood up. "I think that if Haymitch doesn't try to kiss you—he's a damn moron." The doorbell rang and he looked into Effie's light eyes. "But, really—" He lean forward and kissed her cheek. "You look very pretty." He winked at her. "Why don't you grab your things? I'll let Haymitch in."

"Oh, my bag is upstairs!" Effie turned to rush up the stairs.

"Wait! I'll do a final check with you!" Prim followed the woman.

His eyes met Katniss' and they chuckled watching the two. Katniss took his hand as they walked to the entryway.

"I'm not really sure who's going on this date now," she told him when they reached the door.

"If I had my way," he told her. "Prim wouldn't be dating anyone till after college."

They opened the door to find Haymitch standing on the porch.

"I didn't know you would be here," the man grumbled at Peeta. He nodded at Katniss as he stepped inside. "On the other hand, when are you not here?"

"Shut it!" Peeta grinned at him. "You better be taking Effie somewhere nice."

"It's Panem," Haymitch replied exasperated. Peeta could see that the man was trying to hide his anxiety. "There's only one nice restaurant here. Hopefully, it's good enough."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Katniss assured him easily. "Just don't keep her out too late."

Haymitch nodded at her. "Of course—"

His eyes went behind her and his mouth melted into a grin.

Effie was strolling down the steps clinging to Prim's hand, a beaming smile on her face.

"Why don't we let you two work out your plans?" Katniss suddenly told Haymitch. "We'll be in the living room. Just close the door when you leave."

She went to Effie as the woman reached the bottom of the stairs and kissed her cheek quickly, whispering in her ear. Katniss took Prim's hand and led her to the living room.

Peeta turned to the man. "Have fun. Treat her nice. Give her your jacket when she pretends to be cold, and all that other shit."

"Manners, Peeta," Effie admonished him as she approached.

He smiled and kissed her cheek once more. "Give him hell, Effie."

Quickly, he turned and went to the living room where Prim and Katniss sat on the couch. He could see that his sister was attempting to not peek, her body bouncing in her seat.

"You're much more of a romantic than I thought," Peeta remarked as he sat next to Prim. "I'm not sure I like it."

"I just want to peek really quick…" Seeing her excited eyes, Peeta nodded in permission. She practically jumped from the couch to hide behind the archway of the room. "They're holding hands!"

Katniss met his eyes. "You're so in trouble once she starts dating."

* * *

Katniss was not good in the kitchen.

Peeta learned that the following weekend when he had attempted to teach her how to make a cake.

She owned every kind of cooking machinery, courtesy of Effie. Unfortunately, she had no idea how use any of it.

"I think it's time to give up now," she told him with a frown. Katniss looked into her third attempted batch of frosting, which was now too runny to even put on the lopsided cake that they had made. "How can it be so difficult to do this? There are only four ingredients!"

He went to where she stood at the counter, next to the mixer, and peeked inside of it. "I don't know. I watched you and everything! You're an anomaly, Katniss." Peeta took her hand and kissed her sugared knuckles. "How this happened is a mystery." He tried not to laugh at the disappointment. "How sad—Katniss Everdeen is bad at_ one _thing."

She pushed herself onto her new marble counter, sitting next to the mixer, and removed the bowl. Dipping her finger into the bowl, Katniss tasted her thin frosting.

"Don't make fun." She glared at him. "And, it doesn't even taste that bad!"

Peeta approached her carefully, moving into the space in-between her hanging legs. "I was just joking." He reached up to wipe the powdered sugar off her cheek. "I think it's really nice that you want to do this for Prim. It almost feels like—"

He didn't want to continue. Because to him, it felt like Prim almost had a mother again.

However, that was the last thing that Katniss needed—to be burdened with the thought of having to mother an almost teenager, especially with everything she had been through.

Then, there was whatever was happening between them.

They were almost always at that brink, teetering on that invisible line between friendship and more. They talked freely like they did when they were younger. She advised him when needed. The only difference was that now he was doing the same for her.

Katniss was the closest thing he had to a partner.

She cared for Prim and for Peeta. They told one another things that they wouldn't share with anyone else.

"Like what?" she asked him, her smoky eyes imploring.

Peeta met her eyes. "It almost feels like you're her mother," he told her truthfully. "At the same time, I don't want Prim to forget Mom."

"She won't, Peeta," she replied and gave him a small smile. "Jean is here, all the time. Look at Prim—she looks exactly like your mother."

"I know." He had tried to ignore the subtle changes in Prim. The slow melting of baby fat from her face revealing the contours of his mother's delicate face shape as her body slowly caught up to her long limbs. "It hurts sometimes to look at her."

He looked down, the painful memories suddenly rising from his mind. "You know—I can't even walk near the old store." He closed his eyes, the past playing back. "They wouldn't even let me touch them at the hospital—the police needed to collect evidence. And, it's been so long that I can just barely remember Dad's laugh, or even the way my mother's hug felt."

She drew his head against her chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

They remained that way, wrapped up in their own thoughts, and wrapped in each other.

And, wrapped in that ever persistent hunger between them.

The pain, the anger, the sadness, the want rose inside him unbidden and it scared him.

Something was triggered by her closeness and he ached—in so many ways. His hold on her tightened and she reciprocated, drawing him more against her, until she was almost hanging off the counter, her legs slightly resting around his hips.

He was suddenly hard, his cock painfully aroused. It was the worst time for this to be happening.

Her hips shifted and he could feel the slow movement against his groin as she pressed her core against him. She stifled her moan, burying her mouth against his shoulder. The slight noise caused him to push his jeaned member onto her heat, eager to hear the noise escape her lips once more.

She didn't disappoint, another moan tumbling from her lips, the warmth of it teasing his skin through the thin shirt he wore. The sound of it, so wanton, that he found himself hooking one of her legs around his back to draw her even closer. Her other leg went slack and she balanced almost off the ledge, anchored only by the frantic movement of their hips.

He was so close, he could almost taste it.

Peeta's lips dragged against her shoulder, the tank top she wore allowing him more access to her sweet tasting skin. He groaned as she pushed into him, the leggings she wore not disguising her arousal as she pulsed against him.

So close—as always, they were hovering on the brink.

The doorbell rang—and they jumped apart. Katniss landing on her feet as he moved away.

Their eyes met, breathing harsh.

"I'm sorry," he suddenly said, shamed.

Katniss shook her head. "Don't be." She smoothed down her long hair. "It's probably Prim, back from her bike ride."

She rushed out and he could hear quick steps towards the door, escaping the mess they had left in her kitchen.

* * *

So, I didn't think that it would end this way.

These two are a little weird. I'm almost wanting to make them kiss each other at this point.

Delly is a bit of a pill, isn't she? God, she is such an underhanded little bit—you know what I mean.

We'll see how Haymitch and Effie's date went in the next chapter.

It went well, just so you know.

Next: Chapter Nine, Katniss—Prim's Thirteenth Birthday


	10. Chapter Nine: Katniss

Thank you so much for your awesome comments—keep 'em coming! I know that I don't get to respond (sorry!) but I read and enjoy all of your feedback!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Nine: Katniss**_

_The movement of his hips against hers_—_slow, harsh, and pulsing. _

_She had never felt this want with anyone—not even Cato._

Katniss' eyes snapped open. Another dream.

They've been happening—since the incident.

Slowly, she sat up; fully aware of the throbbing between her thighs and the rapid beating in her chest.

She had to stop this. It was making it weird for both her and Peeta.

Lying back, Katniss took a deep breath trying to calm the ache.

Instead, her hand suddenly went to the waistband of her pajama pants.

No. She wouldn't do it—not again.

She was _not _going to touch herself thinking of Peeta Mellark. It was wrong on so many levels.

But really, was it?

The memory of him hard against her came quickly. The fire between them was obviously there.

Katniss, however, was unsure if they were ready to act on the feeling and deal with the consequences.

Frustrated, her hand trailed back to her waistband.

Just once more.

* * *

"What's up with you and my brother?" Prim asked.

The two walked slowly along the street, heading towards Katniss' house.

Katniss turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"Ever since last weekend, you've been acting weird," the young girl responded, her hands deep in the pockets of her navy coat. "So has he. Every time I ask about what happened, Peeta starts stuttering. It's like I asked him how babies are made."

She smiled, amused at Prim's words. "Have you ever asked him about how babies are made?"

"No," Prim replied with a grin. "But, I did ask once about the girly magazines under his bed."

"Well, most boys have those kinds of magazines under their beds," Katniss told her. She looked over at Prim, suddenly interested. "How long ago was that?"

"Maybe a year ago." Prim met her eyes. "Do you think Rory has those magazines?" She quickly looked down after asking. "I mean, it's not a big deal—"

"All boys are curious," Katniss said to her. "I find, however, that when they find the right person, those magazines tend to be thrown out." She put an arm around her young friend. "I think Rory doesn't—unless Gale or Vick gave them to him."

"I guess so," the young girl said unsurely.

The two stepped onto Katniss' porch and she reached into her pocket for her keys.

"Peeta threw his magazines out," Prim suddenly said. "Right around the time that you moved back."

* * *

Prim was in the kitchen looking through the fridge when the doorbell rang.

Quickly, Katniss went to the door and was greeted with Peeta's nervous smile. "Hey."

"Hey back," she replied. Stepping onto the porch, Katniss closed the door behind her. "Can we talk?"

Peeta nodded easily. "I've been waiting for this," he said and took her hand leading her to the porch seat. Sitting down, their eyes meet. "I'm sorry about last weekend."

"You are?" Katniss was surprised by the sound of hurt wrapped in her voice.

"No!" He shook his head. "I just meant that I'm sorry that I made it awkward between us." Peeta turned to look out at the street, a sigh escaping his lips. "The actual act…let's just say that it wasn't unpleasant." His eyes pleaded with hers. "Just don't stop talking to me, please."

"Of course not. Just, here's the thing, Peeta. The reason that I've been acting like this was because—" Katniss let a breath out, almost hesitating at her next words. "—I liked it. I'm not supposed to. I'm supposed to be focusing on fixing up my house and my work. Not the way that you feel against me, as good as it was."

She could feel her cheeks heating up in remembrance.

"We both have things to focus on," he replied. "I have Prim. You have work. But, I can't keep ignoring this, ignoring you." His hand reached for hers once more. "Because, you're special to me and you're special to Prim."

"So, what now?" Katniss asked.

"We both think about what we want out of one another," Peeta said, his voice tight.

Katniss looked down at their joined hands. She thought about how right it felt—like they had been doing this forever. "What do you want?"

Peeta pressed his forehead to hers. "I want you."

The front door opened and Prim stepped out giving them a grin as they separated slowly. She met her brother's eyes. "Did you ask her?"

Katniss looked over at Prim and then to Peeta. "Ask me what?"

"If you wanted to come over for dinner," Prim replied with a smile. "He wanted to make up for being so weird around you."

Peeta turned to her, a bashful grin on his lips. "Well, now that Prim has strong-armed you into it—did you want to come over tomorrow night for dinner?"

Katniss nodded. "Of course."

Standing up, he went to Prim, putting an arm around her. "I guess we better get home and start planning on what we're going to make."

"Better make it a good dinner," Prim told her brother, a smirk on her face. "I told Katniss about the magazines that you used to have under your bed."

* * *

"I can't believe you," Madge said to her, a grin on her face. "Right on your kitchen counter!"

Katniss pushed the cart along the aisle of the small grocery store. She grabbed a box of cookies from nearby shelf and opened them quickly.

"Yes," she replied as she reached into the box and pulled out a cookie. "What kind of person does that?"

"Simple." Madge reached into the box and took a cookie. "A horny one." She took a bite and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Or, maybe you like him. Maybe you see an actual relationship happening with Peeta."

"Am I in the best spot to be starting something?" Katniss asked her.

"You tell me," Madge replied. "You like a man who you can speak freely to, are attracted to, and who you have a wonderful friendship with. You also love his sister." She took another cookie from the box. "Not to mention, you totally dry-humped him on your counter."

Katniss let out a laugh. "My God, Madge! You're just as bad as my friend, Johanna. How does Gale live with you?"

"Why do you think we have so many children?" she retorted easily. "I suspect that one of my children was conceived on our kitchen counter." Her eyes went back to Katniss. "There isn't really any doubt that you like Peeta. It's more of—what are you going to do about it?"

"That seems to be the question of the day." Katniss sighed. "Now, help me pick something to bring over for dessert tonight!"

Passing a refrigerated shelf, Madge grabbed a canister of whip cream and handed it to Katniss.

Katniss glared at her friend, who waggled her perfectly-shaped brows.

"Very funny, Madge."

* * *

"So, what did you think?" Peeta asked Katniss.

He sat across the table from her while Prim sat at the head.

"It was delicious," she replied. "It's been awhile since I had macaroni and cheese." Her lips rose in a grin. "Actually, the last time was during your Mom's farewell dinner for me."

"I suggested it," Prim said smugly. She looked between the two. "It seemed like the one thing that you shared when you were younger. I mean—I can't remember if I liked it or not."

"No, you were more into chucking Cheerios at me," Katniss told her fondly. "I would dance with you in my arms to entertain you. You had the biggest bunch of curls and chubby cheeks."

Prim forked some macaroni with an impish grin. "I've come a long way from that."

"Speaking of coming a long way," Peeta suddenly said. "Your birthday is coming up. I was thinking that we should have a party. " He gave his sister a hopeful smile. "Nothing big, just a few kids from the class—"

Prim placed her fork down and met her brother's eyes. "No."

"Why not?" he asked. "I promise I won't be too in your face. It would be nice, Prim."

"No," she said again, her voice wavering.

"You only turn thirteen once," Katniss told her encouragingly. She met Peeta's eyes briefly. "I'll be here—"

Prim stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly on the hardwood of the dining room floor.

"I said no." She was shaking furiously, her usually pale cheeks turning bright red. Prim looked from her brother to Katniss. "You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't we understand?" Katniss asked gently, her eyes meeting Prim's.

"I'm not going to have a party—because no one is going to show up," Prim told them, the tears spilling forth unabashed against her porcelain face. "NO ONE LIKES ME!" She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "THE ONLY PERSON WHO TALKS TO ME IN CLASS IS RORY! SO NO! I'M NOT HAVING A STUPID PARTY!"

With that, Prim turned and rushed out of the dining room. They listened silently as she stomped angrily up the stairs and winced when they heard the slam of the door.

Katniss looked across to see Peeta throwing his napkin on his plate. She could understand his frustration and realized that this was probably one of the first times that Prim had ever resisted his suggestion.

"I'll clean up," he told her as he stood up and picked up his plate before taking Prim's. Katniss watched him disappear through the opposite door to the kitchen.

Toying with her food for a moment, she found that her appetite had disappeared, instead replaced with a heavy ball in the pit of her stomach.

Finally, Katniss stood up and took her plate into the kitchen.

Entering the room, she found Peeta at the sink; his shoulders slumped dejectedly as he washed the dishes. Putting her own plate on the island, she approached him and quickly wrapped her arms around his waist. Peeta started to tense, but Katniss pressed her cheek to his back and she felt him relax after a moment.

She wanted to comfort him—to make the hurt go away. Was this how it felt to really care for someone? Katniss wasn't so sure. All she was sure about was that she wanted both Peeta and Prim to be happy.

After Peeta finished washing dishes, his hands covered hers.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Peeta turned to face her and she could see the hurt in his eyes. "I pushed too hard, didn't I?"

"You want her to be happy because you love her," Katniss told him simply. "Maybe it wasn't the best idea. Right now, Prim isn't exactly bonding with anyone in her class."

Peeta let out a gruff laugh. "You're right. What the fuck was I thinking?"

"You were thinking that you might be able to help," she replied and took his hand. "Because you're always trying. It's one of your more redeemable qualities, Peeta. You just have to realize that not everyone is as easy to approach as you are. I know I'm not—and right now, maybe Prim isn't."

"Then, what do you suggest?" he asked her. Katniss peered at him suspiciously and he gave her a reassuring smile. "No, really. I am open to your ideas."

She thought for a moment. What would a thirteen-year-old like?

Not just any thirteen-year-old, but Prim.

Prim, who was bold, sassy, and sweet. Prim, who seemed so much wiser than a lot of the people around her—

"What would you think about taking her to New York?" she suddenly asked. "For the weekend?"

"You think that she'd go for it?" Peeta looked unsure. "I can't afford a trip like that. I do think I have enough to send Prim—"

"Of course, you're coming, too," she found herself telling him. "You both can stay at my penthouse. And, Effie actually owns a small plane." Katniss met his eyes. "I think if we can convince a certain principal to come with us, she would be more than happy to send it over—with her in tow, of course."

Peeta smiled at her in agreement. "I think it could work."

His hands went to her shoulders and she shivered at the contact; his eyes suddenly dark with want. He leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek. She closed her eyes, almost hoping that he would move his lips closer to hers.

Instead, Katniss felt his warm breath at her ear. "Thank you."

She swallowed shallowly as she opened her eyes. "Why don't you go upstairs and talk to Prim about it? Tell her it was your idea and that I agreed if she felt up to it."

"You sure? I don't think that she'd believe that I came up with this," Peeta said to her.

"You won't know till you ask," Katniss responded with a grin. "Go on. I'll finish up."

Peeta nodded before disappearing into the hallway towards the stairs.

Two days in Manhattan—with Prim and Peeta.

She was in for some trouble.

* * *

It didn't take much convincing on Katniss' part to get Effie to lend her the small plane.

"Will you be coming along with the plane?" She asked Effie as they spoke on the phone. "I was thinking that you could get Haymitch to come with us. Seeing as your date went so well and all... "

Effie giggled offhandedly. "I don't think you need me to convince him, but if you insist!"

That is how she found herself several thousand feet in their air, a few days later.

Effie and Haymitch were ensconced in the back seats of the plane. Prim sat across from Katniss, peering out her window excitedly. Peeta sat behind her and Katniss could tell by his soft, shaky humming that he was nervous.

Unbuckling her seat, she walked to the back to where Effie and Haymitch sat. The back of the plane had a small couch area, so the couple sat side by side.

She gave them a smile. "Effie, is your bar stocked?"

The woman nodded. "Of course, my dear."

"Getting a little nervous on the plane?" Haymitch asked, his arm around Effie.

Katniss shook her head. "No, I'm used to this." She nodded her head towards Peeta. "But, he isn't."

"Get him a double," the man replied. "It's the first time that he's ever been out of Panem since college."

Nodding, Katniss walked behind them to the small bar area. Grabbing a bottle of scotch, she poured some into a glass and quickly replaced the cap.

She passed Haymitch and Effie once more on her way back down the aisle. "Have fun, you two." She looked over at Prim, still peering out the window. "Not too much—Prim sees everything."

The couple nodded, amused at her warning words.

Continuing her walk down the small aisle of the plane, she stopped where Peeta's seat was and knelt down next to it.

Giving him a smile, Katniss held out the glass. "For your flight fright."

"Is it that obvious?" He took the glass gratefully. "It's all the rumbling." Peeta sipped quickly from the glass. "Planes never seem this loud in movies."

"Katniss, how much longer?" Prim asked from her seat.

She looked at her watch. "We've been in the air for about an hour and a half, so about five to ten minutes?"

"I think I might need another one of these," Peeta said, his eyes anxious as the plane shook slightly.

Sighing in mock-exasperation, she sat in the seat across from him and held out her hand.

He looked over at her, his own lips twitching in amusement. "You going to hold my hand for the rest of the trip?"

Katniss beamed, seeing the color return to his face. "Do you want me to?"

Peeta took her hand. "Yes."

She squeezed his hand in agreement. "Okay."

"Now, I'm getting excited about this trip." The plane shook slightly from turbulence and Peeta winced. "Actually, not quite yet."

* * *

"LITTLE DOLL!" Cinna quickly swooped Prim into his arms. "How are you?"

Next to him, Johanna stood in a finely cut blazer and tailored pants, both coal colored. The stilettos on her feet were sharply heeled. "Katniss!"

Peeta let go of her hand and she was rushing towards her best friend. The two women embraced elatedly.

"Holding hands, huh?" Johanna whispered in her ear. "That's practically necking in Panem, isn't it?"

"Who the hell says that?" Katniss replied. "Did you get my text?"

Johanna nodded before looking behind her at Peeta. Her eyes went back to Katniss'. "Behind those sweet baby blues, who would've known?"

"Tell me about it." Katniss turned to her friend. "Any news?"

Her friend nodded and handed her a pair of sunglasses. "Besides the fact that I was excited to see you, there is another reason why I came with Cinna to pick you up. There have been some developments." Putting an arm around Katniss, she nodded once. "Brace yourself."

"What—"

They walked out of the automatic doors of baggage claim and immediately she was assaulted by camera flashes.

Now, she understood the need for the sunglasses.

Worriedly, she turned to see Peeta and Prim being moved away by Cinna to the limo in front of them. Haymitch and Effie followed closely behind. Her eyes briefly met Peeta's and she nodded to let him know that she was okay.

"GET IN!" Johanna yelled into her ear. Katniss jumped into the tinted-window Sedan and Johanna followed quickly, yanking the door closed. Cameramen tapped at the window, and she could her name being called. "GO! NOW!"

The car lurched quickly from its parked spot and Johanna smoothed down her hair.

"That was close," Johanna said breathlessly before turning to her. Reaching for her bag, she pulled out her tablet and handed it to Katniss. "Cato took some rather unsavory pictures in the Bahamas and everyone is dying to hear your comments on them."

Quickly, she turned on the tablet and found the pictures in full display in front of her—Cato on a yacht, his finely chiseled body on display with Glimmer laid out next to him. Her bathing suit left very little to the imagination. Most of the pictures were of them smiling at one another.

The last one had Glimmer straddling her ex-husband. Her mind flashed back to her and the old photographs—the ones in her bedroom—and she felt something inside her tense.

_Goddamn triggers_.

Katniss' throat suddenly closed.

"Katniss!" She looked over at Johanna. "You've gone white." Her friend handed her a bottled water. "Drink." Johanna's cellphone rang and she picked it up swiftly. "Cinna…yeah, she saw them. Okay…okay… we'll meet you there." She quickly closed her phone and turned to Katniss. "We're meeting them at the store."

"How long has this been going on?" Katniss asked after a moment. She leaned back against the cool leather seat.

"Pictures were released yesterday morning," Johanna informed her.

"Clove knows how to do her job," she replied with a sigh. "I'm only here for two days. Prim and Peeta can't be involved in any of this."

"We've planned this as well as we could," Johanna continued. "If anyone asks, Haymitch is your Uncle. Peeta and Prim are family friends. All of you are here for a quick trip for Haymitch's birthday—we can't give them more fodder as to why you've brought someone not related to you. The press gets _one _picture of you, out on the town, to quench their appetites. Cinna will deal with the PR."

The car stopped abruptly in front of her store and she looked up at it from behind the tinted window.

As she stepped out, Katniss removed her sunglasses staring up at the gleaming white building that was her flagship store.

After Helena, building this store had been the only thing that had kept her going.

"Wow." She looked to see Peeta on her left and Prim on her right. Their identical blue eyes shining as they looked up at her store. Peeta met her eyes. "Cinna had a talk with us on the way here. I'm sorry about the pictures."

"I'll live," Katniss replied. She turned to Prim. "What do you think?"

"It's gorgeous." Her young friend took a breath. "I can believe that this is all yours."

Katniss took Prim's hand and then took Peeta's hand.

"Katniss, the cameras—"

She looked over at him, her chin trembling. "You weren't the only one who was afraid of this trip."

* * *

"So, what did you think of the store?" Katniss asked Prim as she sliced the carrots for the stir-fry that she was preparing.

She had not been able to bake a cake, but she could make a decent stir-fry for Prim's birthday.

"It was beautiful!" Prim gushed from where she sat on the counter. "I love the wall of cubbies displaying the purses." She was grinning from ear to ear and it warmed Katniss' insides to see how happy her friend was.

Prim had dealt with much more than she should have in her young life.

"Did you pick out your birthday present?"

"Yes," Prim replied excitedly. "Cinna said that he would throw in a pair of shoes from him. Do you think that Peeta will let me get heels?"

The doorbell rang and she looked to Prim. "Why don't you ask him right now?"

Katniss had sent Peeta on an errand while she was preparing dinner. She had commissioned a cake from a nearby bakery for Prim, all yellow, since they were unable to make one on such short notice.

Peeta was picking it up and she had given him a cardkey so he could let himself into her private elevator. However, she wouldn't be surprised if he had a hard time with it.

Prim jumped down from the counter and ran to the door. She could hear the girl's excited steps and laugh to herself. There were times when Prim acted like she was a little adult and then there were times when she had enough excitement for ten children.

"Prim! Can you tell Peeta to—" She turned to find Prim entering the kitchen with Cor following close behind her. "COR!" Katniss wiped her hands quickly and rushed over to the man. He engulfed her in a tight hug. "I've missed you! What are you doing all the way uptown?"

"I was just finishing up some work with an associate nearby, who mentioned that you had returned shortly for a visit," he told her with a kind smile. "I'm sorry if I've bothered you—"

"No, of course not!" Katniss said. She looked over at Prim, who was hiding shyly by the doorway. "First, let me introduce my friend, Primrose Mellark. Today is her birthday and I was preparing dinner for her."

Cor turned to Prim, his tired eyes shining on her. "You, my dear, are quite the beauty. Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, sir," Prim replied timidly.

"Please don't call me, sir," Cor said, good-naturedly. "It makes me feel old, when I feel far from it."

"What should I call you?" the young girl asked.

"You can call me Cor, like Katniss does," the man suggested. "Unless you have any other suggestions."

"Can I call you, Pop?" Prim suddenly asked. "Once a really long time ago, our grandfather came from the Netherlands and that's what I called him. You look like him. He's gone now; but, it's kind of nice in some way to have someone like him back in my life."

"Pop it is then," Cor replied, his voice sad.

Katniss watched him gaze at Prim. She wondered if he was thinking of Helena.

She would've been old enough to be forming words by now.

Quickly, she took in a breath to stop the tears from starting.

"Katniss? Prim?" She heard Peeta call out from the entryway. He entered the kitchen, boxed cake in his hands, and gave everyone a smile. His eyes went to Cor and he gave the man a friendly smile. "I didn't know you had company, Katniss—"

"I am Coriolanus Snow." Her father-in-law stepped forward and held out his hand.

Katniss went to take the cake from Peeta so the two men could shake hands.

"Peeta Mellark." He shook hands with the older man. "Katniss talks about you all the time. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Please, call me Cor," the man said. "I was just passing through to say hello to Katniss—"

"Why don't you stay for dinner?" Peeta asked. "It's Prim's birthday and we have a lot of food—"

"I don't want to intrude," Cor told them.

Katniss could see that he was on the verge of relenting. She could see how lonely he must have been; they talked sporadically on the phone and through texts, but the man was running his empire alone now.

"Come on, Pop," Prim urged. "There's cake and everything!" She took his arm, her eyes pleading. "Please say yes."

"I think that you're going to have to agree, Cor," Katniss told the man with a grin. "It's hard to say no to the Mellarks."

Cor looked to her once more and she nodded to let him know that he wasn't a bother. He looked grateful to not be alone for the night.

He clapped his hands and then put an arm around Prim. "Well, alright then." He smiled softly at the young girl. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, Primrose?" The two left the kitchen as Prim launched into a quick summary of her life.

Katniss looked over at Peeta. "Are you scared off yet?"

Peeta went to her and kissed her cheek; her eyes closed briefly at his touch.

"Not in the slightest."

* * *

"I brought you a little digestif," Katniss told Cor as she joined him out on the balcony.

The balcony was the one thing that Katniss missed while in Panem. She had a great view of the city with Central Park laid out before her.

"What did you bring me?" he asked with a smile.

"Brandy. Your favorite." She handed him the glass and Cor took it gratefully.

Standing next to him, Katniss looked out. The breeze was mild and the street surprisingly quiet.

It was peaceful and she once again felt wrapped in the company of the city. She was never really alone in New York.

"Prim is very charming," Cor said to her. "She looks a lot like Cato's mother—her coloring, I mean. Helena had very icy looks like your young charge. However, their personalities do not reflect it at all."

"I'm glad that you like her," Katniss replied and she took in a breath. "She has become a big part of my life."

"I like Peeta, too," Cor continued. "A good man—he has a very old soul. I can see it in his eyes. Circumstance, I suppose." The older man turned to look at her, a small smile on his face. "He's in love with you, you know."

She turned to him, shocked. "Peeta isn't—he's just grateful that I've been there for Prim—"

"Don't lie to yourself, Katniss." He looked at her with serious eyes. "The way he looks at you is enough to confirm it. And, if I'm correct—you are well on your way to falling for him, too. If you haven't already—you always had a very good poker face."

Her eyes went back to the park in front of her. "I can't afford to fall for anyone."

"Why?" Cor asked. "Because my son broke your heart? I assure you, Katniss. Your heart was too strong for him to break."

"I know. I never knew heartbreak until I lost her." She could feel her lips quivering, and the tears threatening to fall. "But, I think if I let him—Peeta could very well break my heart, too."

"_La Douleur Exquise_—the exquisite pain of not having something that you know you want," he responded. "Stop fighting your heart, Katniss. You're only causing yourself unnecessary hurt and you don't need any more of that."

"And, if I were to bring this man into my life? What would you think?" she asked him.

"I want you to happy, Katniss," Cor stated firmly. "It did not happen with my son. I will never forget that—and the one time that you were happy as his wife—that chance was taken from you. Peeta might be the one that can make you smile again." He lifted her chin gently to meet her watery eyes. "I saw it tonight, my dear. That old you—that happy you. That's all I can ask for."

His eyes went serious once more.

"It will not be easy for you both. I think, however, that you and Peeta see that the possibility of being together is worth it."

* * *

"What do you think?"

Prim bounced out of the dressing room to where Katniss and Peeta sat in the small lounge area.

She did a little twirl for them in her new dress. The top was light silver, almost white, and shimmered as she moved, while the skirt was a white-layered tulle. Prim looked like she was floating as she moved, her steps light and graceful.

"You look like a princess," her brother said in a hushed voice.

Katniss stood up and led her to the round platform in front of the three-way mirror.

"You are beautiful," she said to Prim, her hands went to her shoulders. "I have something for you." Reaching into her pocket, Katniss pulled out the small silver wreath necklace. "My mother gave this to me when I was your age and I wore it to all my special occasions—dances, fancy parties…"

The one exception had been her wedding.

"Now I want you to have it. Every girl should have a nice piece of jewelry." She clasped the necklace around Prim's long neck and then kissed her cheek. "Happy Birthday."

Prim touched the necklace carefully as she stared at herself in the mirror and quickly turned to wrap her arms around Katniss.

"Thanks, Katniss," Prim said against her. "You're the best."

She closed her eyes and kissed the top of Prim's head.

When Katniss opened them, she found Peeta's eyes on her from the reflection of the mirror.

Cinna, who had been in the upstairs offices, joined them.

"Let's go pick out some shoes for you, Prim," he told the young girl. Meeting Katniss' eyes, Cinna looked at her almost apologetically. "Don't be mad, okay?"

She put her hands on her hips. "What?"

"GORGEOUS!"

Katniss turned to find Marvel, one of the models of her line, rushing towards her. The man had often flirted with her, but kept it at bay, since she was married.

Now, she was trapped.

Marvel quickly lifted her in his arms. "I didn't know that you were here until I saw it in the papers." Placing her down, he kissed her cheek, his eyes roving over her. "Out of Manhattan life has done wonders for you."

"Thanks, Marvel," she told him weakly. Turning, Katniss quickly pulled Prim to her side and then waved Peeta over. "This is Primrose Mellark, and her brother, Peeta."

Marvel lifted Prim's hand to her lips and kissed her knuckles. "Mademoiselle." Her young friend blushed; Marvel could be charming when he wanted to. He straightened up and held his hand out to Peeta. "Nice to meet you, Peeta. Will you be joining us for dinner?"

"What?" Katniss asked.

"Cinna and Effie are having a big dinner and they invited me," he informed her with a jaunty grin. "You'll be sitting next to me, of course."

Of course—it was the PR photo that was planned for her. The one that Johanna told her would have to happen to keep the press away from her for the weekend.

From a PR standpoint, it was the perfect situation to put her in—sitting next to a model, who looked almost identical to her husband. Marvel was taller and leaner than Cato, but they shared a similar charming smirk.

She looked over at Peeta, who looked almost crestfallen. "Please say you're coming."

He shook his head. "I have to make sure that Prim goes to bed early since we have an early flight out tomorrow," Peeta said to her. He gave her an encouraging smile. "But, you should go—we'll be fine."

Marvel threw an arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Then, it's settled. You're mine tonight."

* * *

"You look beautiful," Marvel whispered in her ear. He placed his hand on her shoulder, his hand moving over the intricate beading of the back of her gown.

Cinna had chosen the sleeveless raven gown with the deep-v neckline for her. He had also curled her long ebony hair and combed it out into waves à la Veronica Lake.

It was all lovely; but, wasted on someone like Marvel.

Katniss turned and gave him a weak smile. They had been at this dinner for two hours and she felt like she needed to take several showers just because of Marvel's leering.

Outside, cameras flashed on the dinner that included Cinna and Portia along with several of her colleagues at Everdeen Design. Johanna sat on her opposite side talking to Octavia.

On the other end of the table sat Effie and Haymitch who were the "it" couple of the night. They cut an impressive figure—Effie in her long canary gown and Haymitch in his nicely fitted black tux.

Katniss felt separated—alone in the crowd and her mind went to the look in Peeta's eyes when Marvel declared that she was his. He was hurt and she understood in a way. She had felt this way seeing the way that Delly looked at him sometimes—like Peeta belonged to her, just because of their one-time tryst.

"Try to look a little happier, Katniss," Johanna said quietly to her. Her eyes met Katniss'. "You're not even here, are you?" She shook her head. "Then, where are you?"

"With Peeta." The words fell from her mouth. "Sitting on my front porch, just listening to nothing."

Katniss realized that she didn't belong in this world. It had stopped being the most important part of her life.

It wasn't what she wanted anymore.

"Get out of here," Johanna suddenly urged.

She kissed her best friend on the cheek. "Thanks."

Standing up, Katniss gathered her wrap and Marvel put his hand on her arm to stop her.

"Where you heading off to?" he asked, his blue eyes bright and his cheeks flushed from alcohol.

"Restroom," she told him quickly.

Turning, Katniss rushed to the back of the restaurant towards the restrooms and went into the small corridor, searching for the back exit. As she passed the restroom doors, Katniss saw the green exit sign and turned to follow it.

She stopped when she saw that the door was blocked.

Haymitch and Effie were in each other's arms, her friend resting her head on Haymitch's shoulder.

How safe, how loved, and how happy they both looked just being with one another. She found herself realizing how much she wanted the same.

And, it was all within her grasp—if they would just get out of her way.

Effie spotted her and the two pulled away. "What are you doing, Katniss? You're supposed to be socializing."

"Please let me leave," Katniss pleaded with her. "I don't want to be here—and if Marvel looks at me again like he's ready to have me for dinner, I will throw up. This isn't where I belong."

Haymitch approached her and lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "Where do you belong, sweetheart?"

She met his eyes boldly. "With Peeta."

Nodding, Haymitch went to the door and pushed it open for her. "Take our car."

Rushing to the open door, she quickly kissed them both on the cheek. "Thank you!"

"Good luck, Katniss." Haymitch smiled at her. "Not that you'll need it."

* * *

"_I'll wait, I'll wait  
I love you like you've never felt the pain,  
I'll wait…  
I promise you don't have to be afraid,  
I'll wait…  
The love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me…"_

Katniss quietly entered the music-filled penthouse. She had forgotten that she had installed a surround sound system for the home. It had been used regularly when Cato threw parties.

Now it was rarely used, except for tonight.

She picked up the tail of her skirt so that she wouldn't bother Prim, who was probably sleeping. The beading was impressive, but it could be a little noisy.

Looking around, Katniss found the living room empty and so she continued to walk through the room in search of Peeta.

It didn't take very long; the doors to the balcony were open.

There Peeta stood, looking out on the city.

Walking over, Katniss stepped onto the balcony to join him and he turned to look at her, surprised to see her in front of him in her full regalia.

She looked to him. "Hello."

Peeta stared in awe. "You look beautiful."

"You were avoiding me before I left, so I didn't get to show you the dress," she replied quietly.

"Aren't you supposed to be out on the town with Marvel?" he asked in a hurt voice.

Katniss shook her head, a small smile crossing her lips.

"Oh, Peeta. How could I possibly even look at that man? I have a perfectly good one right in front of me." Carefully, she approached him, her hand reaching to cup his cheek. "You said we needed to find out what we wanted out of each other—and you're right. There's a catch, however."

She was faintly aware of his arm wrapping around her waist to pull her closer.

His thumb caressed her chin, briefly teasing her lips. "What's the catch?"

"We are." Katniss pressed into him. "We've been dancing this line, not really being able to cross it. Because we're scared of what will happen after."

"And, now?" His forehead pressed to hers.

"I say that we make the leap," she told him. "There's something about you, Peeta. You just never seem to leave me. At that restaurant, I wasn't even there. I was here—with you. Where I belong."

"Marvel said that you were his tonight," Peeta said, his voice quiet. "He was wrong. You're supposed to be with me." She could feel their rapid heartbeats as they pressed closer into each other. "No one else but me, okay?"

Katniss shook her head and smiled. "No one else but you."

Peeta lifted her chin and she followed his movement, held captive by the look in his eyes.

"You going to let me kiss you now, Katniss Everdeen?" he whispered against her slightly open mouth.

She nodded and her eyes slowly closed as their lips met.

* * *

How badly do you want to hurt me now?

I know, I know. There is a kiss though—so yay for that!

I've already started the next chapter, which starts directly during the kiss.

Good news—I got a job!

Bad news—I'm not too sure how this will mess with my writing, though I'm sure that I'll stick to once a week for chapters.

Drabbles will probably be put on hold.

"Little Do You Know" is sung by Alex and Sierra—it's pretty much what I've been listening to on repeat.

As always, hellos, comments, and review are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Chapter Ten, Peeta: The continuation of the kiss


	11. Chapter Ten: Peeta

Posting this because tomorrow I start my new job—I might need some cheering up, and reviews do that!

The characters of The Hunger Game Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Ten: Peeta**_

Slowly, it began—the light brush of his aching lips against her soft ones.

Katniss responded eagerly, delicately moving her mouth over his in exploration. He felt the electricity in his body as she leaned into his embrace, small gasps escaping her mouth.

Briefly, he remembered their first kiss; so small and innocent.

This was the polar opposite.

The kiss continued to grow, his lips passionately studying her lips as he carefully brushed his tongue against hers. A moan escaped Katniss' mouth and she pressed against him in hunger.

Pulling Katniss closer, he let her take over—her lips moving languidly against his.

When she bit his lower lip, Peeta nearly came undone.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart and he wrapped his arms around her, feeling her shiver against him.

"You're shaking," he said to her. "You must be freezing."

Katniss met his eyes, a grin on her lips. "It's not because I'm cold."

* * *

"_Uptown girl  
She's been living in her uptown world  
I bet she never had a backstreet guy  
I bet her mama never told her why…"_

Peeta opened his eyes at the sound of the music. Sitting up slowly, he looked out the window in front of him to see the sun rising over the city. It was beautiful to see the saturated orange soaking the concrete streets.

Getting out of bed, he went to the door and followed the music. It wasn't all over the house, but coming from the kitchen. He heard the sound of laughter and followed the noise.

At the doorway of the kitchen, Peeta stopped and took in the sight before him.

It was Prim and Katniss, both at the stove and in identical pajamas, singing along to the Billy Joel song. Katniss was flipping pancakes and Prim stirred the batter as she sat on the counter next to the stove. His sister was using the wooden spoon as a microphone.

"_And when she knows what  
She wants from her time  
And when she wakes up  
And makes up her mind…"_

For a moment, Peeta saw the life he wanted.

A life where Prim was happy and carefree. A life where he would wake up every morning to Katniss and his sister having fun together.

Prim hopped off the counter and Katniss took her hand to twirl his sister. It reminded Peeta of the times when she had danced with a toddler Prim in her arms.

As she made her final spin, Prim spotted him at the doorway. "PEETA!"

She ran towards him and threw her arms around his waist. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head tenderly.

Prim was the most precious part of his life.

"What are you doing, little duck?" he asked, his voice rough from just waking up.

"Making breakfast before our plane ride back," she explained with a grin as she pulled away. "Katniss was teaching me how to make lemon ricotta pancakes."

Peeta met Katniss' eyes and the memory of last night filled his mind. The woman's cheeks had gone scarlet at his stare and her lips rose in a smile.

"Why don't you wash up, Prim?" Katniss suggested. "We're pretty much finished here."

Prim nodded, rushing out to clean up for breakfast.

He met Katniss' eyes and smiled. "Lemon ricotta pancakes? You've been holding out on me."

She approached him, her smile widening. "Just one of my many talents." Taking his hand, Katniss led him inside the kitchen, stopping at the island, and turned to him. "Did you sleep well?"

Peeta wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close and her hands ran up his forearms, sending a shiver down his spine.

Not to mention, it caused certain other morning situations to arise.

"I did," he said, his throat suddenly dry at her motions. "But, I get to wake up to you—and that trumps sleeping anytime. And, yourself?"

"I had a hard time last night," Katniss said, her arms wrapping around his neck. "You see—I kept on having this recurring dream where I kissed a man on a balcony…"

"It wasn't a dream." Peeta pressed his forehead to hers. His mouth quickly brushed over hers and she gasped, her body falling against his. "I remember that we had several kisses on your balcony." She rose on her tiptoes and her lips lightly danced on his chin until he was throbbing for her. "What are you doing to me?"

"I'm about to kiss you," she told him with a grin. "Now, will you let me?" Peeta grinned, hearing her repeat his question from last night.

Their lips met eagerly and a groan escaped him as he tasted lemon against her tongue.

This was no dream—he was kissing Katniss Everdeen.

And, she was kissing him back.

"Are the pancakes ready?"

They pulled apart and turned to see Prim grinning at them from the doorway.

"Um…" Katniss looked over at the stove and then back to his sister. "…YES! Let me just get the rest of them onto a plate." She met Peeta's eyes and smiled. "Grab some plates and I'll meet you at the table."

Going to the cupboard, he quickly grabbed the plates and then some forks from the drawer below it. He gave Prim a smile before leading her out of the kitchen towards the dining table next to the living room.

"Do you want to grab the placemats?" Peeta suggested.

"Was I hallucinating or did I just see you and Katniss kissing?"

He met Prim's eyes and she smirked at him.

Peeta nodded, his eyes darting down to the table. "Yeah, you did."

Prim clapped her hands excitedly and jumped. "FINALLY! I won the pool—"

"The pool?" He looked over at his sister, who was suddenly interested in smoothing the placemats that she had taken out of the nearby cabinet. "Primrose Mellark—explain."

"I didn't start it," she told him guiltily. "It was Haymitch! They wouldn't even let me in until I threatened to tell on them."

"Who exactly are 'they'?"

"Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Johanna, Portia, Octavia, Flavius…" Her voice trailed off. "That's all, I think."

"How much did you win?" he asked her.

Her eyes went back to the table.

"$600," she mumbled and his eyes widened in shock.

He went to the put the plates on the mats. "Prim, how did you get the money for the pool?"

"It was Haymitch's birthday present to me!"

"You're giving the money back." His sister nodded, a small groan escaping her mouth. "Prim, you're too young to be gambling. Not to mention, you're betting on me and Katniss—"

"I was pretty sure that it was a done deal," Prim argued, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "Is she your girlfriend now?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly.

"Do you want her to be?" Prim asked carefully.

Peeta didn't hesitate in his answer.

"Yes, I do."

* * *

"Why did we think that this was a good idea?" Peeta asked. He was carrying a sleeping Prim in his arms as Katniss unlocked his front door. "There is no way that we are going to get her to go to school this afternoon."

"At least you got a substitute for your class," Katniss offered as she opened the door for him. "Call Haymitch and see if you can have him talk to Delly. If anything, you can speak to her personally. Goodness knows that she's not exactly loving me."

"Sounds like a good idea," he replied as he shifted Prim. The girl groaned at being disturbed. "Sorry teenager, but you're getting heavy."

"Am not," Prim replied tiredly.

"So, you're awake?" Peeta asked. There was a muffled response. "Can I put you down?"

"No," she muttered and buried her head in his chest.

He relented with a sigh. "Just this last time." Peeta looked over at Katniss. "I'll be back."

Easily, he walked up the stairs and down the hallway to Prim's room. The door was already open and he was able to place Prim on her bed without bothering her in her almost comatose state. Sitting on her bed, Peeta removed her shoes and then helped her under her comforter.

When he pulled the blanket to her chin, Peeta found his sister staring at him.

He grinned down at her. "Are you alright?"

"Tired," she said to him. Her eyes suddenly watered as she smiled up at him. "Thanks, Peeta."

"For what?" His hand went to push her hair from her face.

"For letting Katniss take us to New York," Prim said. "I know that you didn't come up with the idea on your own. But, you didn't have to say yes to it and you did."

"I just want to make you happy," Peeta told her, his voice suddenly thick. His sister was a teenager now. It was a hard concept to grasp. "We've been lucky to have each other through everything. Because, not everyone gets that—and I'm really proud of the person that you're growing into. You're smart and independent. I'd like to think that I had a little something to do with it."

"You have everything to do with it," his sister replied softly.

Peeta swallowed the lump in his throat. "Love you, Prim." He kissed her forehead. "I hope you had a great birthday."

"I did," she told him. "Now, you should go downstairs before Katniss changes her mind about you."

"Do you think that we could work?" he suddenly asked her.

Prim thought for a moment before nodding.

"I think there is something real there," she told him truthfully, her finger to her chin. "You're both adults who are willing to make it work, but it's not going to be easy. We saw her life in Manhattan and that was only a weekend. Imagine if you got married or something."

"I think you're moving a little fast," Peeta intoned with a smile. "But, I will definitely keep that in mind. Now, go to sleep."

She nodded and closed her eyes. Tucking her in once more, he stood up and went to the door.

"Peeta?" He turned to see her smiling tiredly at him. "Love you, too."

* * *

He found Katniss lying across the couch, her eyes closed. She had once again wrapped herself in the blanket that she had used her first night in the house.

It seemed so long ago. Yet, very little time had passed.

Quietly, Peeta sat at the edge of the couch and leaned down to kiss her awake. She moaned into his mouth, letting him explore her mouth with his tongue. Her arm hooked around his neck to deepen the kiss.

After a moment, they pulled apart gasping for breath and he grinned down at her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to let it get that far," he told her sheepishly.

Katniss shook her head with a grin. "Don't be sorry," she told him as she sat up. "Peeta, I made my choice. I hope you made yours."

"I wanted to talk to you about that." Peeta settled next to her. "I meant what I said. No one else but you. But, do you want to do this?" He swallowed nervously. "To be with me? To be my girlfriend?" He felt his cheeks heat up at his question.

Katniss was far from being just a girlfriend to him.

She curled her feet under her bottom, her lips curling into a small smile.

"It's been awhile since I've been anyone's girlfriend, Peeta," she said softly. "But, I'd like to be yours." Katniss took his hand and he let out a relieved chuckle. "Do I get a pin or a letterman jacket, or something?"

"Nope. All you get is a boyfriend, who's a decent cook, and his rambunctious teenage sister," he told her. "I also have an extensive library of pre-teen literature for my class, if you're interested."

Laughing, Katniss put her head on his shoulder. "I'll take it all, then." She sighed after a moment. "There is something that you should know, Peeta."

Reluctantly, Katniss lifted her head to meet his eyes.

"Once the news about us gets out—there will be people, actually reporters, who are going to want to take your picture, or interview you," she started, her eyes worried. "It is up to you whether you want to talk or not. I have no say on this—"

"I don't want to talk," Peeta told her vehemently. "This is our relationship—no one else's." Katniss stared at him worriedly. "I believe in our privacy and that we should let everything happen at its own pace as it has so far." He knew that trust was hard for Katniss and he was determined to make her believe in him—to believe in the possibility of them. "I will tell you that I'm worried about any of them getting to Prim."

"So am I," Katniss admitted and her lips pursed in a thin line. "I can talk to Johanna and Cinna about preparing a statement if needed." She turned to him nervously. "This is my life, Peeta, and it will be yours, until the dust settles with the divorce. I hope you're ready."

"It will be _our_ life," he told her in finality. "All you have to do is let me in it. We will be okay." Lifting her chin, Peeta brushed his lips against hers, reveling in the thought that he could kiss her freely. "Am I at least allowed to do that?"

She sighed against his mouth in content. "Sure."

He gave her a smile. "And, will I have to worry about someone popping out of a bush if I do it in public?"

Katniss nodded in concern. "It's totally possible." Moving onto his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You'll just have to distract me."

She ran a hand through his hair and his eyes closed, enjoying the feel of her caress. "How?"

"Like this," Katniss whispered. He felt her nip at his ear and he hissed as sharp, pulsating pleasure shot through his body. "And, this…" Her lips went behind his neck and his jaw dropped in a tortured moan. "And this."

Her mouth finally went to his.

* * *

Finnick's reaction was just as he expected.

His best friend socked him in the arm, a bright grin on his face. "You sly dog!"

Peeta was going over his lesson plan with the man at the Odair home. Finnick had been his mentor when he first started teaching. He had taught Peeta the ropes when it came to handling the tween generation and, over time, their relationship had bloomed into a friendship. He had also come to know Finnick as someone that he could go to for advice about anything besides just his students. The man had seen it all and he was just hitting his mid-thirties.

Annie walked into the kitchen to where the two men were drinking their coffees. "What is going on?"

"Peeta kissed Katniss," Finnick told his wife.

The woman clapped excitedly. "Oh, yay!"

"Wow, she's applauding kissing," her husband remarked with a grin and Annie smack his arm lightly. "I wonder what she'll do when you finally have sex."

Peeta felt his face go hot at the thought of being with Katniss in_ that_ way.

They had come close and his mind wandered to the memory of pressing her against her kitchen counter, the heel of her foot digging into the small of his back as her hot core pressed against his erection.

He had wanted her badly. Now that he had a taste of her, the feeling had only risen ten-fold.

Annie snapped her fingers in his face. "You okay there?" She sat across from him. "You were looking a little dazed."

"He's probably reliving the kiss," Finnick told her. "It's not every day that you get to kiss your teenage dream on the balcony of her penthouse."

"Oh my God, you kissed Katniss in New York?" Annie's eyes went wide and glazed as she pictured the moment. "That's just too romantic."

"WHOA! You kissed Katniss?" Aidan walked into the kitchen just as his mother sighed. He went up to Peeta and held his hand up. "You are the man!"

Peeta chuckled good-naturedly and high-fived the boy. "Please don't mention this to the class."

Aidan shook his head as he went to the fridge.

Opening it, he pulled out a Gatorade and a string-cheese. "No one would believe me if I did." Aidan turned to him. "By the way, is there going to be a pop-quiz tomorrow?"

"Can't say," Peeta replied.

"Doesn't matter, because he better be reading," Annie told him before turning to her son, her eyebrows raised. "Right, Aidan?"

"Of course, Mom," the boy replied before kissing her cheek. "I'll be upstairs trying not to listen to your conversation."

Heading out the doorway, the three waited as Aidan ascended the stairs before talking again.

"Now that you two are together, I supposed that we should officially interrogate her," Finnick told him. "I mean it's only right that we make sure that she's good enough."

Peeta crossed his arms. "Are you kidding me?"

Finnick shook his head, amused at his friend's annoyance.

It wasn't that he was worried about Katniss making a good impression, because he was sure that she would. She had already met the Odairs once before and they all seemed to get along.

Peeta worried that it would be too much on her at this point. He respected her need for privacy, especially when it came to her past.

Annie and Finnick always meant well, but they could get…inquisitive.

"Give us some time, okay?" Peeta finally said. "This is new to both of us. Also, there are some things that Katniss had to deal with in regards to her divorce. Manhattan wasn't exactly a leisurely trip for her." The couple looked at one another and he knew that they were beginning to worry on his behalf. "She warned me before we made it official—that there might be people coming around and asking questions."

"Is this something you really want?" Finnick asked him, his sea-green eyes serious.

"I want her," Peeta told them. "And, I'm willing to see where this goes."

The couple looked to one another once more, silently communicating, before looking to Peeta.

"We understand," Annie finally said. "Both Finnick and I would really like to get to know her. So, please invite her for dinner this Friday. If she says no, we won't be upset. Finnick and I care about you, Peeta. We're sure that Katniss is great, but give us a chance to be her friend, too."

"I'll ask her," Peeta relented. "I'm sure she'll say yes. Just please—let her come to you about her past."

"Of course," Finnick told him sincerely.

"There is one last thing, "Annie declared. "Who is going to tell Delly?"

* * *

"It's up to you," Peeta told her, later that evening. "Finnick and Annie won't be upset if you don't want to."

Katniss gave him a smile, her chin resting on his shoulder as they sat on his couch. Her slate eyes peeked up at him through long lashes and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Of course. I want to come," she said. "They're important to you and I want to make a good impression."

The doorbell rang and they heard the rushing of Prim's footsteps down the stairs.

"I GOT IT!" Prim shouted as she reached the bottom.

Instantly, Peeta was getting up to see who Prim was in such a rush to see. He was surprised when Katniss suddenly pushed him back down into his seat.

"What?" he asked.

Prim opened the door and then shut it behind her quietly.

"It's Rory," Katniss informed him. "He asked if he could drop off Prim's birthday present while we were walking and Prim said okay."

"Shouldn't I be out there?" Peeta argued as he attempted to stand up once more.

Katniss pushed him back down, this time straddling him to prevent him from getting up to bother his sister.

"It's just a gift, sweetheart," she told him, her hands going through his hair. His eyes closed feeling that familiar shiver that often came with Katniss' touch. "Nothing is going to happen out there on that porch." His hands went to her waist and she shifted, her core resting against his now rising erection. "Now, you have something else to worry about."

"What?" he asked, his eyes opening to look up at her.

Today, she had worn her hair in a neat plaited braid; it rested against the exposed part of her off-shoulder burgundy sweater, with thick black leggings completing her outfit.

"Me," Katniss replied with a grin. "On top of you."

"Yes, I'm definitely at a disadvantage." She pressed his forehead against his and grinned. "You're beautiful. You know that, right? And, I might just fall for you." The smile on her face fell slightly and he frowned at her reaction to his words. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "It's nothing."

"No, it's not," he responded. "We agreed to always talk to each other."

"You said you might fall for me," Katniss said softly. "And, what if I'm already there?"

"Are you?" Peeta asked, his hand reaching for the end of her braid.

The door opened once more and Katniss pushed herself off his lap to sit back next to him. Prim walked into the living room, her eyes bright and her cheeks red.

Katniss gave Prim a smile. "So, what did Rory give you?"

Prim held out her wrist, showing off a woven bracelet with her name on it. She bowed her head to cover her red cheeks. "It's a friendship bracelet," she informed them. "He made it himself—with some help from Posy."

Reaching to hold Prim's outstretched hand, Katniss examined the bracelet before beaming at his sister.

"It must have taken him days," Katniss told Prim, a teasing grin on her lips. "He must really like you, Prim."

His sister shook her head. "I don't know…maybe. Would you mind if I walked with him to school tomorrow?"

Katniss met his eyes. "You should probably ask your brother."

Prim look to him, her eyes hopeful. "Peeta?"

He nodded; a tight-lipped smile going to his lips.

"I guess so," Peeta said reluctantly. "It is a pretty nice bracelet."

"Thank you!" Prim leaned down to kiss his cheek and then hugged Katniss quickly. "I'm going to go do my homework before you change your mind!" She rushed out of the living room and ran up the stairs.

Katniss chuckled as he put an arm around her shoulders. "You just made her evening."

"Yes, that was exactly my plan—to hook up my sister with Rory Hawthorne," he grumbled. "He better not try to hold her hand!"

Peeta cringed at the thought, remembering days of sweaty palms, and the discovery of the female physique.

"He might," Katniss warned. "But, Prim is a smart girl—she knows what feels right and what doesn't."

Peeta nodded. "You're right." They fell into a companionable silence. "Katniss?"

"Hmm?"

"You don't have to respond," he started. "But, I see myself as more than just falling for you."

"You told me that you loved me once," Katniss replied her hand reaching up to join their fingers. "I'm sorry that I didn't take you seriously."

Peeta met her eyes. "Believe me when I tell you—I'm not sure if I ever stopped."

* * *

"Mr. Mellark—that hot chick is outside again," Rye called out.

His class collectively looked at the door to see Katniss behind the window of it.

"My brother says that she's your girlfriend," Posy told him—and the class, loudly. "Is that true?"

"Did he?" Peeta asked and the young girl nodded. Looking at his watch, he saw that there was five minutes until the bell rang for the day. Going to the door, he grinned at Katniss before opening it to let her in. She look at him curiously. "Your gorgeous face is distracting my class." Peeta winked at her and nodded his head over at the students. "Come in."

Shyly, Katniss entered the room, her stiletto boots clicking against the wooden floor. She was wearing a long olive coat and dark jeans. Underneath the coat, he could see a fitted white Henley shirt peeking out. She had worn her hair down, letting it fall in waves around her face.

"You look nice," he told her quickly before turning to his class. "Class, this is Katniss Everdeen."

Katniss waved quickly, her cheeks pink from his words, and smiled, "Hi."

"Katniss is the designer and owner of Everdeen Design, which is headquartered in New York," Peeta informed them. "Her flagship store is in Manhattan and her line is sold in many of the major department stores. She lived in Panem for a year before she graduated and has since moved back. Did anyone have questions for her?"

Many hands shot up, but Rye was the one who called his question, "So, are you Mr. Mellark's girlfriend?"

Katniss turned to him. "Should I answer this question?"

He shrugged. "It's up to you."

"We're involved," she replied, after a moment. "So I guess you can say that I am Mr. Mellark's girlfriend." Katniss turned to grin at him. "Did I mention that it's totally cool that they call you, 'Mr. Mellark'?"

He chuckled at her words. "Anyone else?"

"Do you have a junior clothing line?" Missy, the class president, asked. She looked at Katniss' outfit in admiration. "My sister wears your clothes and they're super cute—she's an editor in San Francisco."

"I don't at the moment, but it's actually not a bad idea," Katniss said with a grin. "I'll talk to my partner about it."

"Anyone else?" Peeta called out. The class shook their heads, most of them still focused on Katniss, who was leaning back against the front of his desk. "Now that you've quenched your curiosity about Katniss, I have your assignment for tomorrow." The class groaned. "Begin _Island of the Blue Dolphins_, because we will be discussing the first chapter." The bell rang and everyone jumped from their seats. "Have a good afternoon!"

Everyone gathered their things, tossing them into their backpacks, and quickly said their goodbyes to Katniss and Peeta. Aidan passed him with a grin before waving at Katniss and pulling Rye out the door to stop him from ogling Katniss.

Finally, it was just Katniss and Peeta.

Katniss turned to him, her eyes shining at him. "There's something about seeing you teach a class."

He approached her slowly, meeting her stare, and leaning down to kiss her once he was close enough.

Putting an arm around her shoulders, he walked her to the classroom door. "What?"

"I don't know," she replied as they reached the doorway. "I remember tutoring you, and now you're a teacher. I guess I'm proud of you."

They walked out and Peeta closed the door behind him, locking it before turning back to her.

"Maybe you're the reason that I became a teacher," he told her as they walked down the empty hallway. "You always want to be like the people you admire, right?"

* * *

"Prim asked if she could study with Rory," Katniss told him as they reached the front porch of her house. "I remember Hazelle—from when I went to school with Gale, and she said that she'd drop Prim off when they were finished."

Peeta groaned. "Study dates—it begins."

"I know; I was a little bummed myself," Katniss replied as she fished her keys out of her coat. "I was used to spending my afternoons with her." She opened her door and took his hand. They walked inside and Katniss gave him a teasing smile before she closed the door behind her. "I guess I'll have to settle for you."

"So how long will Prim be at Rory's?" he asked as she fidgeted with her coat buttons. Walking behind her, Peeta helped her with her coat and his hand swept back her hair to press his mouth against her neck.

Katniss fell back against his chest. "I think she said about five?" She tipped her neck revealing her rich, soft skin and he groaned tasting her. "Did you want to stay for dinner?"

"Sure," he replied into her neck. Pulling away, Peeta quickly hung her coat at the rack next to the door. "What did you want?"

She looked at him in a daze before answering, "Pizza? Is Gino's still open?"

"Yup, except that the place is run by his daughter and her husband now," Peeta informed her. "I think there's a menu in the stack that I brought you when you first moved in."

Together, they went to the kitchen. When they entered, Katniss went to the counter drawer to hand Peeta the menu.

"Order whatever you usually order," she told him as she pushed herself onto the counter.

"It works out," he told her. Picking up the phone on the counter, he dialed the number. "Prim and I get what you used to order for us."

"Double pepperoni and mushrooms?" Katniss asked. He nodded as he waited for someone to pick up and she grinned. "That's my man."

Leaning back against the corner, Peeta ordered and went over Katniss' address with the person on the line. He was halfway through confirming the order and her home number when he felt her teeth nipping roughly at his ear.

The shiver that it caused shot straight to his groin and he was hard, his pants tightening instantaneously. Peeta bit his lip, grunting out in agreement as the woman on the phone told him the total.

Hanging up, he turned to her. "What was that?"

"You started it," she argued. "You don't just mess with me in my entryway, then all of sudden walk away to order pizza!" Katniss wrapped her arms around his neck as he walked in-between her legs closing the space between them. "Once again, we find ourselves in a familiar position."

"That was torture," Peeta told her. "I couldn't sleep for a week thinking about you." He didn't want to mention the nights that he had woken up hard and aching to feel her grinding against him. Peeta had gone back to those days of having his hand wrapped around his cock as images of Katniss spiraled through his mind.

Katniss pushed a little more off the counter, her pelvis pressing to his hard length.

She met his eyes challengingly. "Can I tell you something?" Katniss asked and he nodded. "After that last time, I would wake up afterwards dreaming of you." She moved a hand off his neck and put it to her own—to the spot he had sucked on just a few minutes ago at her entryway. "And my hands…" Her hand trailed to the space between her breasts, down her stomach, and finally in between her legs where his own erection stood. "…would find their way here."

"Is this really happening?" Peeta moved a hand behind her neck as he looked into her eyes.

She had just admitted to touching herself to the thought of him and the image was almost enough to make him come on the spot.

"This is real." Her lips danced over his, her tongue darting out to meet his. "Peeta, how many women have you been with?"

"Not many," he told her. "My prom date, some girls in college, and Delly." Peeta wasn't very knowledgeable when it came to sex. His first time had been short and clumsy, his college encounters were sloppy and he could barely remember what happened because they were all during drunken college parties.

And, Delly had been a mistake.

"How about you?" Peeta asked, his voice tight.

"No one in high school since I was busy moving." Her hand went to the top of his pants. "In Paris, I had a few lovers." She easily undid the top button. "They taught me a few things." Katniss lowered his zipper and her mouth moved over his. "I can teach you, Peeta."

Dragging Katniss tighter against him, Peeta pressed his mouth to hers in a bruising kiss. She responded eagerly, her tongue pushing into his mouth and her legs wrapping around his waist. Her hands traveled down his front and into his pants.

She wrapped her hand around him and he almost keeled over the sensation. Her hand moved along his cock, her head falling against his shoulder, the vibration of her moans causing all the blood from his head to rush to his groin.

"I want you," he whispered dizzy against her ear. "More than anything."

Katniss pulled away and looked into his eyes. "I never wanted anything as much as I want this." She kissed him softly. "Not just the physical stuff—but the rest of it."

Peeta looked at her wide, dark eyes, her lips—swollen by his kisses—and her mussed hair.

This woman was everything he had ever wanted since he was a boy.

He was a goner. "Katniss…"

His lips went to hers once more, this time gently, though laced with the eagerness of the previous kisses. Katniss pulled away for a moment to pull her shirt over her head. It fell to the ground, landing by his feet.

She sat in front of him, her skin smooth, and gleaming in the soft light that filtered through the windows. Reaching behind her, Katniss unclasped her lace bra, letting the straps fall down her shoulders and as she straightened her back, the bra fell and joined her shirt on the floor.

Katniss was naked, from the waist up, in front of him.

"You were right here," Katniss told him softly. Her index finger pointed to her collarbone. "Keep going." His lips went to the spot and he kissed across her delicate collarbone as he worked down to her the tops of her breasts. "You can use your hands, or your mouth—or both."

"Show me," he told her, his voice shaking with need.

She took his left hand to put it to her breast and he could feel the pebbling of her nipple under his palm.

"Now your lips," she instructed, her voice tight. "And your tongue."

His mouth went to her other nipple, closing his lips around it, and circling with his tongue.

She arched off the counter as he did, her hand going to his cock once more.

The temperature of the room rose, the air filling with their moans, as they moved with one another. Somehow along the way, his free hand had found its way inside her jeans to push his fingers inside her pulsating wetness. The hand not around his aching shaft, balanced her taut body against the counter as she rode his fingers.

For every push, she pulled, until they reached a rhythm that worked for both of them.

"OH, FUCK!" Peeta had bitten on her hard nipple and she bent up, her back going rigid in pleasure. "AGAIN!"

He did it once more, alternating his motions with his tongue. Peeta felt her hips quicken and her hand moved against him, desperate to give him his release.

Peeta moaned against her. "This is incredible."

He felt the fingers being gripped as the beginning of her climax approached and his mind went to the thought of what it would be like to feel his cock sheathed within her soaked cavern.

It was what pushed him over the edge.

His hips jerked as he came and she wailed as her own orgasm came crashing; his fingers held captive inside her throbbing core.

Her head fell against his winded chest, her own breath thin.

"That was…" Peeta felt himself go blank as he tried to find his ability to speak.

"I know…" Katniss agreed.

There were just no words.

Slowly, Katniss pulled her hand out from inside his pants; his cheeks heated seeing the mess on it.

"Sorry," he said embarrassed as he zipped up hastily.

She grinned and shook her head. "It's alright."

Her finger suddenly went to her mouth to taste.

And, he almost fell apart once more.

He went to the sink to wash up when the doorbell rang.

"Must be the pizza," he told her. "I'll grab it."

"Hey Peeta?" He turned to see her looking worriedly at him. "We're okay, right?"

Going to her, Peeta kissed her soundly and pulling away, he lifted her chin.

"Thanks for the lesson," he whispered against her mouth. "Can't wait for the next one."

Katniss grinned and he set off to the entryway.

Smoothing his hair down and making sure that he wasn't too disheveled, Peeta reached into his pocket for his wallet as he opened the door.

The camera flash came quickly.

"What's going on?"

A woman with sharp eyebrows and platinum-blonde hair appeared in front of him, along with a photographer. She gave him an overly bright smile.

"I was looking for Katniss Everdeen, but you are even better." She held out her business card. "My name is Cressida Smith and I'm a reporter for _The New York Star_. Could we talk for a moment?"

* * *

The media comes to Panem and it's not all good.

I almost think that I disappointed you with the continuation of the kiss though I hope it was all you wanted. Also, I think I made up for it in other ways.

Some of you have asked about Katniss' parents. They will appear at one point and there will be an explanation as to their lack of appearances.

I like the thought of Katniss "teaching" Peeta—don't you?

Music: "Uptown Girl"—Billy Joel

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Katniss, Chapter Eleven—the media invasion of Panem.

Until then, JLaLa


	12. Chapter Eleven: Katniss

Thank you for getting me to 200 reviews! You really made my work week!

The characters of the Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Eleven: Katniss**_

Running her hands under the cool water, Katniss finally let out a breath.

Had that really just happened?

She had just rode Peeta's fingers into completion—the memory of his drawn out moan echoed in her mind. The pleasure of hearing him come caused her stomach to twist; she enjoyed it. Katniss enjoyed watching his face contort in pleasure as she touched him. She enjoyed hearing him fall apart.

And, she enjoyed the taste of him against her fingers.

Shaking the thoughts out of her mind, she dried her hands and went to join Peeta at the entryway. As she walked into the hallway, Katniss could hear a muffled argument and she stopped to hide against the stairs.

"I don't want your card," Peeta told the person curtly. "This is private property and if you don't vacate this porch immediately, I _will_ call the authorities."

"Mr. Mellark," the woman with the posh accent replied snidely. "Talk to me or not, your picture will be in the paper. Why not make it easier on yourself and tell me about your relationship with Miss Everdeen?"

"No comment," Peeta told her in finality. "You have about one minute to leave—"

"No need, Mr. Mellark," she said. "I'm going."

Closing the door behind him, Peeta turned to see Katniss approaching him.

"I'm sorry," she told him immediately. "If you've changed your mind—"

"Stop," Peeta said as he pulled her into his arms. "I've made my choice. You think that some camera flashes are going to scare me away from you? You have to have more faith in me, Katniss."

Immediately, she realized how scary it felt to trust anyone. It seemed almost easier to just let Peeta go on his merry way—to save him the drama.

And, to save herself the hurt.

"I know," she told him, her words muffled in his chest. "Understand that the people who I was supposed to trust—they turned out to be…not so trustworthy. So, it's going to take awhile for me." She met his warm eyes. "If you're willing to wait."

"I'll wait for you—always," he whispered before their lips met in a soft kiss. The doorbell rang once more. "Now, I think that's the pizza."

Peeta went to the door and then suddenly turned to her. "But, hide—just in case."

* * *

Katniss was awakened by the sound of the numerous beeps on her cellphone.

Sitting up, she picked up the buzzing phone from her bedside table: _Five Missed Calls_. Looking through the log, she saw two from Cinna, two from Johanna, and one from Effie.

She called Effie first. Her surrogate Aunt answered immediately.

"Katniss! Are you alright?" Effie asked, worriedly. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked by the newsstand near my apartment and saw Peeta's photo!"

Immediately, her spine stiffened. "What?"

"His picture is on the front page of _The New York Star_—"

"Effie," she interrupted. "I have to call you back."

"Of course, love," Effie told her. "I'll be coming down next weekend. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"Thanks, Effie," she said, her voice shaking with sudden anxiety. "I'm going to call Cinna and Johanna—they've been blowing up my phone and it's probably because of this."

"Call me if you need anything," the older woman said. "Give Peeta and Prim my love."

"Of course," Katniss replied before hanging up.

Quickly, she dialed Johanna's cell phone number. "Jo—"

"I'm already on it," Johanna told her. "I won't be able to take down what's gone to print; but, I've already had the picture on their site taken down—"

"JOHANNA!" Katniss took a deep breath to calm herself. "What picture?"

"I'll send you the screenshot—hold on." Johanna left her phone for a moment. "You should be getting a picture message from me."

"Okay, hold on." Katniss found the message waiting for her.

For a moment, she considered not opening it.

But, then she thought of Peeta and how she wanted to keep him and Prim safe from the scrutiny of the media. It was best that Katniss was prepared, so she could take care of them.

Because without trying, she had come to love them.

Opening the message, she saw the picture of Peeta—eyes wide in surprise and mouth opened in shock from the sudden flash of the camera.

The title written on top of the photo glared brightly at her: _**IS THIS THE NEW MR. EVERDEEN?**_

Katniss quickly got back on the phone. "Oh, fuck."

"I agree," Johanna replied with a sigh. "Do you think that Peeta's already seen this?"

"It's only six in the morning," Katniss said to her. "I'm not sure that he's awake."

"I'm assuming he didn't spend the night," her friend replied. Katniss' silence was her answer. "Because, right now—until you and Peeta make a decision on how you want to approach this—you should refrain from any sleepovers."

"We haven't done that, yet." Katniss could feel her cheeks warming. "At this point, we never will."

"Talk to him," Johanna urged. "I'll call Cinna and let him know that you're okay. Once you two have decided on how you'd like to proceed, then we'll contact the media."

"What do you suggest?" Katniss asked.

Johanna went silent for a moment. "I think you should think about making a joint statement that we can present to the papers."

"Okay." Getting up, Katniss looked at the window at the calm, empty street. She had a feeling that it wouldn't be empty for long. "I'm going to Peeta's."

* * *

Nervously, Katniss knocked on Peeta's door. Around her, the neighborhood was silent—not a sound coming out from any of the houses. However, it didn't stop her from looking around to make sure that no one was spying on her.

The door opened and she found herself looking at a tousled-haired Peeta. He gave her a sleepy smile and walked onto the porch to press a kiss to her lips.

"Morning," he greeted her. "You're a little early to pick up Prim." Peeta quickly caught her serious expression. "What's wrong?"

She shifted on her feet worriedly. "Can we talk inside?"

Putting an arm around her, Peeta led her into the house and close the door behind her.

"You're shaking," he said and pulled her close. "Was there someone bothering you again?"

With her head against his chest, Katniss wrapped her arms around his waist. It felt so good to feel his warmth on her cheek and to feel his heartbeat against his ear.

"No," she finally told him and pulled away to hold out her phone to him. "Johanna sent me a picture message. She managed to get the online version of the picture off the internet, but the print version is on newsstands as of this morning."

Peeta looked at the photo on her phone screen, his face expressionless. They stood in deafening silence, her eyes pinned on her boyfriend's face as he stared at his photo.

"Say something!" she said frustrated.

Finally, he looked up at her and chuckled. "This isn't even the worst photo that I've ever seen of myself," he said to her. "'The New Mr. Everdeen'—what a name."

"Why aren't you more upset about this?" Katniss asked as he took her hand and brought her into the living room. "Johanna and Cinna are going crazy with the PR over this."

"Because, it isn't a big deal," he replied. Plopping onto the couch, he tugged her hand gently and she landed in his lap. They were face to face, lips only a breath apart. "It is only a big deal if we make it that way."

"I wish I could think of it that way," she said to him. "I remember how humiliated I felt when those pictures of Cato showed up in the papers." Her arms wrapped around his neck. "I never want you or Prim to feel that way. Because I—"

She went still on his lap.

Peeta grinned at her. "Because you love us," he finished for her. "Don't try to deny it, sweetheart." Leaning forward, he brushed his lips against hers. "I can only hope that you'll love me in a different way, one day."

"How do you know that I don't already love you that way?"

His eyes went melancholy as he looked to her once more.

"I would know—I would feel it, and know that it's real."

* * *

"No statement," she told Cinna.

"Katniss—"

"We want to keep everything as normal as possible."

She and Peeta had talked more about it after school had ended for the day.

Once again, Prim had gone to study at Rory's house. Her brother had only agreed to let her go after Prim promised that their next study session would be at the Mellark house.

Prim had grumbled but agreed to the request.

"I understand, I really do," Cinna said. "At the same time, I know Clove. She is likely to strike hard and fast. It is best to go on the offensive so she knows that you shouldn't be one to mess with."

"We know," Katniss told her friend. "However, there's Prim to think about and the children that Peeta teaches. We have to be the examples. We have to show them that they have to be the better person when it comes to a bad situation."

"You're becoming quite the little soccer mom," her friend joked. "Next thing I know, you'll be baking muffins for the PTA meetings."

"Please. I can't cook for shit," she replied. "Even Peeta will admit to that." Katniss sighed. "Just understand that we can't go and make rash decisions in anger. We need to think what is wise for the three of us."

"It's nice that you have people who care for you, Katniss," Cinna said to her.

"I know. That's why I will do whatever it takes to protect them."

* * *

The week went by quietly after she had asked Cinna and Johanna to release a statement saying that she would not be speaking about her private life, or the individuals involved. The _New York Star_ had been told by Johanna to cease the reprinting of the photo or they would be sued for slander.

However, the damage had been done.

Peeta's name was out there.

But, he took it with an easy-going attitude that almost unnerved her.

"I still don't understand," Katniss told Madge as they walked towards where the row of schools stood. Madge was picking up her three sons and she was meeting Prim. "He's just so cool about it all."

Panem Elementary and Middle School stood next to one another with Panem High School right across the street. Katniss carried Meredith, the tiny blonde daughter of her friends, in her arms. The toddler rested her head against Katniss' ivory sweater—her blue eyes staring out at the scenery.

"Is it so hard for you to understand that Peeta wants to be around?" Madge told her. "You might not like it, but he is a good counterpart to you. You feel awkward around crowds and he is charismatic with people. You worry and it's really no skin off his back. The best part is that both he and Prim want you with them. They don't care if you're some big socialite. To them, you are just Katniss."

"KATNISS!" She turned to see Rory rushing towards her, anxiousness in his charcoal eyes. "You have to come with me!"

She quickly gave Meredith to Madge. "What's going on?" she asked Rory worriedly.

"It's Prim," he explained as they walked into Panem Middle School. "She went to use the restroom before class ended and some people followed her. They were standing outside her stall. One of our classmates, Rue, found out and told Miss Cartwright. Now, she won't let Prim leave the restroom, even though she told her that you were probably waiting."

Turning the hallway, Katniss found Delly standing in front of the wooden swinging door with the Women's Room sign. Around her, cameras flashed and the woman crossed her arm, her chin up as they asked her question after question.

However, a cameraman spotted Katniss quickly and they rushed over, questions hitting her rapidly:

"_What do you think of Cato reportedly being 'heartbroken' over your new relationship?"_

"_Is it true that you used to babysit the man that you're now connected to?"_

"_Do you think that it's wise for you to be involved with anyone?"_

She glared at the group. "I don't know what paper you are connected to—but, if you don't leave, you will all be hearing from my lawyer!" Katniss reached Delly, who stood in front of her. "Move, please. I need to check on Prim."

Her voice was calm. However, Katniss could feel the heat rising in her body.

"I'm just trying to protect her, Katniss," Delly replied stiffly.

"Did she ask to leave?" Katniss asked.

"Why would she ask to leave?"

Behind her, Katniss could feel the cameras poised and ready. They wanted to get her heated. They wanted the ball-busting Manhattan socialite Katniss Snow—not Panem's Katniss Everdeen.

"Because, she knows that I was waiting for her," she told Delly simply. "Prim counts on me to be here."

"She did ask to leave." A pretty mocha-skinned girl emerged almost out of nowhere. Her eyes met Katniss'. "Prim kept saying that you were waiting for her—that if Miss Cartwright kept her longer, then you would probably come for her."

Katniss met Delly's eyes, her own reflecting steeliness. "Get out of my way, Delly."

Delly moved aside and she pushed pass her to enter the girls' restroom. There were twelve stalls, all closed.

"Prim?" she called out.

A feeble voice replied, "In here."

Hastily, Katniss looked under each stall until she saw the familiar boots that Prim had worn to school.

She knocked and the door flew open, Prim flying into her arms as she burst into tears against Katniss.

"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, KATNISS!" Prim sobbed. "BUT, THEY WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Katniss' knees sank along with the rest of her as she held onto the trembling girl.

"I know, sweetheart." Katniss kissed the top of her head. "You're so strong. I dealt with this last year and I couldn't handle it. But, you—you are special." She felt the tears roll down her face seeing Prim so distraught. "And, I'm so happy that you're my friend, Prim."

Katniss rocked Prim against her. Slowly, the sobs subsided and became occasional whimpers.

"I don't like them asking so many questions," Prim told her shakily. "They kept asking what happened to Mom and Dad. Or, if Peeta was a good brother—and if I ever got punished by him. The way they talked sounded—"

Katniss looked at her young friend. "Sounded like what?"

"Like they wanted me to say something bad about Peeta." Prim looked up at her. "Why would they do that?"

She thought for a moment before answering. "Because bad news sells newspapers. I wish there was a better reason, Prim—but, there isn't. It's the way of the world." Separating from the girl, she lifted Prim's chin. "You handled it perfectly. I'm just sorry that this happened. I never wanted to expose this part of my life to you and I hope you're not mad at me. Because, I love you and want you to be part of my life."

"I love you too, Katniss," Prim said softly. "When it's you, me, and Peeta—I feel like my family is whole again."

Katniss wiped the tears from the corner of Prim's eyes and kissed her forehead gently.

Helping Prim stand up, Katniss gave her a smile.

"You ready to get out of here?" she asked.

Prim nodded, her eyes resolute. "I'm ready."

* * *

Peeta was furious.

No, he was livid.

"I'm calling Delly!" he told Katniss as he paced the floor of his bedroom.

They had just tucked Prim in for the night after a quiet dinner. None of them had much of an appetite and Prim fell right to sleep after Katniss had hugged her for a full five minutes.

"What will that do?" she asked him. "It will only be more fodder for the papers."

"Katniss, you don't understand—she forcibly withheld my sister," Peeta argued. "I'm her guardian and gave you permission to take care of her. After that bell rang, Prim should've been allowed to leave—and she wasn't."

She looked up at him from where she sat on his bed. Peeta had a point and she knew that Delly was keeping tabs on the girl, but not for the right reasons.

"Okay, I get it," she relented. "However, Delly _wants_ you to confront her. For personal reasons and now, for financial reasons. If you say something to her—I guarantee that it will be in the papers and that she will get a stipend for it."

Peeta sighed as he sat next to her. "So, what do we do?"

She went behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm sorry. This shouldn't be happening." Katniss kissed his neck, inhaling his aftershave and tasting sweat. "And, I will do everything in my power to stop it. I should just do an interview."

He turned to meet her eyes, his lips almost touching hers. "Is that possible?"

Katniss nodded. She had done a few small interviews for _Vogue_ and _Elle_. Once, she even did a recorded interview for an online magazine during Fashion Week and she had managed to stutter through it.

After, she swore she would _never_ do another interview again.

However at this point, Katniss wouldn't hesitate after seeing Prim in tears and Peeta so angry.

"It is," she told him. "I've done one before. Not a very good interview, but it helped get my brand out during Fashion Week. I usually let Cinna do all the televised interviews. He's much more charismatic and he represents Everdeen Design better than I can."

"If you do it, I'll be there," he offered. "I'll stand right behind whoever interviews you—just pretend you're talking to me."

Katniss was touched by his words and her lips went to his gently.

"I know you don't believe me but I do love you," she found herself saying.

She knew that she loved him from the moment those last words left his mouth.

He had offered her something that Cato never did—support in the hard moments.

Katniss knew how people saw her—as a ball-buster and her husband had played into the part well. However, he had punished her by flouncing his women in front of her. So, Katniss always knew that she was always a replaceable part of his life.

With Peeta, she knew that she belonged. They had grown in the short time they had been together. They had gotten to know one another as adults with pasts and it had made them stronger.

The man in front of her was the one who she had fallen in love with—the former image of the boy he was had long disappeared from her mind.

Peeta took a deep breath, his blue eyes glowing. "I've waited a long time to hear you say that."

"I know," she replied, her eyes filling as his hand reached to caress her cheek. "You don't have to trust me, but you just have to know."

"Come here," he beckoned and Katniss turned to face him, straddling his lap as she did.

Once she was settled, Peeta reached forward, his hand weaving through the strands of her hair to cup the back of her head. Pulling her gently, his mouth covered hers and her hips moved instinctively against him as his tongue caressed hers hungrily.

God, he knew how to kiss.

His hands rested on her hips as his fingers danced under her sweater sending shivers running through her body. Katniss loved the vibration of his moans on her lips and he pulled away to bury his face into her neck.

"We should stop," he said breathlessly. "If we don't, I might just fuck you right now. I don't want our first time to just be that—I want more."

Katniss smiled. "So, there's going to be a first time?"

Peeta's eyes widened in shock. "Hell yes!" She laughed and kissed him. "There is definitely going to be a first time."

"Good to know." Her hand reached to push back his hair revealing his sculpted cheeks. He was a very handsome man and she thought of the photo that had been circulating of him—it had not been flattering. "Peeta, I have an idea."

"What?"

"You should do the interview with me," she suggested. "I want people to know who you are. You're my boyfriend and we shouldn't hide what we are. Maybe then, we can get the press off our backs." Her anxious eyes went to his. "Also, I don't want to do this alone."

Peeta didn't hesitate to nod. "Of course."

"Really?" She beamed and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you!"

"Were you really that bad during your interview?" he asked with a grin.

"Look it up on YouTube." Katniss felt her cheeks go hot. "Or, you can ask Effie—she's blunt about it. I should also warn you. Cinna and Portia will want to style you and Effie will work on your etiquette. Johanna will probably go over what you can and cannot say."

"You owe me," he told her.

Katniss kissed him thoroughly, her hands caressing his back. She kissed, nipped, and pulled at his lips as her tongue danced against his. When she pulled away, she could feel him pulsating with hunger.

Her mouth went to his ear and she bit his lobe. "Can I sleep over?"

"Didn't Johanna say no to sleepovers?" he asked in a tight voice.

Her hand reached to the waistband of his jeans and she easily unbuttoned the top of it.

She met his eyes as she unzipped his jeans. "Well, Johanna doesn't have to know."

* * *

The next weekend, Effie arrived along with the rest of her team to prep for the interview, which would be the next day.

"KATNISS!" She was engulfed in the older woman's arms. Pulling away, Effie looked at her worriedly. "You look like you haven't been sleeping—and you're little bit too thin for my taste."

"I'm okay," Katniss assured her. "I just miss you and the team. You should come more often." She looked over at where Haymitch waited at the archway of her living room for Effie. "I know certain other people would be happy to see you, too." She kissed the woman's cheek. "Now, go greet him properly."

She watched Effie rush to Haymitch and throw her arms around his neck. The man easily lifted the petite Effie off the ground.

"Such a storybook romance, those two." Katniss turned to see Johanna grinning at her. "Hey, doll." The two women embraced and Katniss felt the tears draw up from her eyes smelling the familiar musky perfume that her friend wore. "How's everything been going?"

"Hell," she replied as they walked into the living room. Portia was already hanging up a selection of outfits on a collapsible rack as Cinna measured Peeta. Prim was looking through the makeup case that Portia had brought with her. "Peeta almost reported Delly for forcibly holding Prim after school had ended."

"Wow—badass Peeta, right there." Johanna grinned at her. "I have a lot of respect for your boyfriend. So, did you break my rule and sleep over?"

"Maybe once or twice," Katniss replied.

Truthfully, it had been the first time that she had stayed over at her house since the whole incident.

"Did you let him sleep over in any certain places?" Johanna asked, her dark eyes dancing. "Like maybe your vagina?"

"No!" Katniss looked over to make that Prim wasn't listening. "We're waiting on that kind of sleepover."

"Okay, fair enough." Johanna smirked. "But, he slept over in your mouth."

Katniss remained silent.

"You naughty girl," her friend hissed in her ear. "Aren't you glad that I taught you how to control your gag reflex?"

"Manners, Johanna!" The two women turned to see Haymitch and Effie standing behind them. Effie looked at Katniss. "I hope that you at least made sure that Peeta reciprocated."

"I shouldn't be hearing this," Haymitch told them.

"Relax Haymitch, Peeta only kissed me," Katniss told him, her eyes calm.

"Oh, thank goodness."

Johanna rolled her eyes at the man. "She's lying." She put an arm around Katniss and look to the man. "Yes, your dear sweet Peeta only kissed her." Johanna grinned at Haymitch. "But, you weren't really paying attention or listening."

"What do you mean?" he asked the woman.

"I'm going to teach you a little bit about questioning a witness," Johanna told him. "First thing—look for the telling things on the person's face. For example, Katniss' lips twitch when she lies and they did when she answered your question."

Peeta had joined them to greet Effie and Johanna with hugs. "What's going on?"

"Nothing important," Katniss told him.

"No," Haymitch told them. "I'm very interested in hearing this." He looked to Johanna. "Go on."

"Wait," Katniss interrupted and then met Cinna's eyes. "Will you?" She looked over at Prim.

"Hey, Prim." Cinna stood up and went to the girl. "Why don't we go pick out what we're having for dinner?"

"I get it—grown up talk," she said with a smile. "Don't be surprised if I order steak for myself and liver for the rest of you."

Prim left quickly with Cinna in tow.

"Okay, continue," Haymitch told Johanna.

"Second—you have to listen in order to ask the right questions," Johanna explained. "Yes, Katniss said that she only kissed Peeta, but the lip twitching told me something else." She looked over at Katniss. "Katniss, has Peeta only kissed you?"

She nodded as Peeta took her hand. "Yes."

"On the lips?"

Katniss nodded once more. She had a feeling that Johanna had something up her sleeve.

"_Only _on the lips?"

Images of Peeta's mouth suckling on her peaked nipple as his fingers thrust into her assaulted her mind.

"N-n-no," she stuttered as another image of Peeta in-between her legs rushed to her head.

"Oh good Lord, it's that interview all over again," Effie muttered.

"Was it somewhere below the belt?" her best friend continued.

Shamefully, Katniss nodded. Johanna could always read her like a goddamn book.

"That was more than I needed to know," Portia said from where she stood steaming one of Katniss' dress choices.

"Me, too," Haymitch agreed.

"I'm not doing this to unnerve any of you," Johanna told them. She looked at Katniss and Peeta. "I'm doing this to prepare you." Her eyes went to Katniss. "I love you, Katniss. However, your speaking skills aren't the best." Then, she turned to Peeta. "You look readable and your first instinct will be to protect Katniss, so your anger might get the best of you."

"She's right," Peeta said. "We should be prepared."

Katniss sighed. "So tell us what to do."

They were in for a long night.

* * *

"Remember, what I said," Effie said. "Take deep breaths and think before answering your questions. Also Katniss, keep a smile on your face—you saw how much you do frown during last night's recordings."

"I'm aware," Katniss said as Portia brushed powder on her cheeks. Next to her, Peeta was adjusting the jacket of the charcoal suit he wore while Cinna fixed his ivy tie. She gave him a tense smile. "Why green?"

He turned to meet her stare, his own eyes nervous. "What?"

"Why did you and Cinna decide on a green tie?"

Peeta took her hand. "Because it's your favorite color."

"You remembered?"

He smiled at her. "I never forgot."

The doorbell rang and Effie jumped excitedly. Cinna had offered their exclusive interview to Caesar Flickerman, who hosted a popular talk show on an entertainment network that Effie loved.

"I'll get it," Johanna said, her mouth in a straight, firm line. She was dressed in a structured black business suit and high Manolo heels. She was in charge of negotiating with the producers over the questions. "Everyone, calm down."

Prim and Haymitch sat in the dining room, hiding from the hub-bub. Katniss had asked Cinna to make sure that Prim had something to wear—in case. She wore a beautiful white dress with a canary cardigan, her hair in a single braid.

"You look beautiful," Peeta told her as he stared at her rose-colored dress that had been chosen for her. Cinna and Portia had argued over this dress and a periwinkle blue one when Peeta had pointed out that Katniss glowed in the rose dress. "Don't be nervous—if you want, I can speak when needed."

She squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

"Katniss, Peeta," Johanna called out. "This is Caesar Flickerman." She presented the bronzed man in the navy suit to them. "Caesar, this is Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen."

He shook both their hands, his smile bleach bright and wide. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." Caesar looked to Katniss. "My wife is a very big fan of your line."

"Then please come to my show next season," Katniss offered. "Front row, of course."

"I knew that I would like you!" Caesar exclaimed with a joyful clap. He looked to Peeta. "Beauty and charm—you're a lucky man."

"Just a few of Katniss' wonderful attributes," Peeta told him with a gracious smile.

Around them, the cameras were being set up around the living room. Katniss kept a tight hold on his hand. In turn, Peeta placed his hand over hers. Caesar's makeup team came to get him camera-ready, leaving them to take a breath.

Peeta leaned over, his lips brushing her ear. "I can feel you shaking."

"I have so much adrenaline running through me," she replied. Katniss could feel the tingling through her body. "I don't know how I would have done this if you weren't here."

"Just breathe," he whispered. His lips met hers briefly. "I'm here."

"You two are adorable," Caesar remarked suddenly, his smile firm on his face.

"We're all set up," the director called out. "Caesar, are you all set?"

"Of course!" The man reponded.

"Quiet on the set!" Everyone went silent. "IN FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE…ACTION!"

* * *

"So, you two had a very interesting beginning," Caesar continued. "Tell me about your first meeting, Peeta."

Caesar had begun the interview with some preliminary questions asking about Katniss and Peeta individually. He had talked about Katniss' rise in the fashion industry and her philanthropic work with the Snow Foundation.

Then, Caesar had asked Peeta a little about himself and about his life in Panem. They talked briefly about his parents' passing and how he had taken guardianship of Prim right out of college. Peeta had been charming and made Caesar laugh when he told him about the perils of teaching the tween generation.

Now, the following segment of the interview was all about them.

"Yes, I agree. We had a very interesting beginning," Peeta started. "Katniss moved to Panem during her senior year. I had just turned fourteen the first time I saw her. I was blowing out my candles during my birthday party and when I looked up, Katniss was leaning against the doorway of my dining room."

"So, it was love at first sight for you," Caesar responded.

Peeta shook his head. "I was fourteen, Caesar," he continued. "I knew nothing of love. Maybe, I just fancied myself in love."

"It's a shame," Katniss suddenly said. She looked to Peeta with a teasing grin. "If I had known that you were so fickle, I wouldn't have given you your first kiss."

"Ah! So, we are getting down to the nitty-gritty!" Caesar leaned forward, his eyes trained on the couple. "Katniss, tell me about this first kiss."

"I had received an internship to work for Yves St. Laurent and was doing some last minute packing before I left for Paris, when I noticed Peeta sitting in the tree by my bedroom window," Katniss told Caesar. "Of course, I was surprised but I was also worried because I was afraid the tree would give way. At fourteen, Peeta was all arms and legs, you know." She smiled at Peeta, her hand giving his another squeeze.

"And, of course like all impulsive teenagers, I had to blurt out that I loved her," Peeta continued. "At the time, however, I thought that it was all or nothing when it came to my feelings. The kiss was innocent—but really, it is every boy's dream to kiss that one girl that they're crazy about."

"That is just very sweet," Caesar told him. "I know that there are a lot of boys and even men, who can relate to this." He looked to Katniss. "And, so you return to Panem and meet Peeta again—what was your reaction to seeing him once more?"

"I actually didn't meet Peeta first," she said. "I was first reunited with his younger sister, Primrose. She didn't recognize me, because she was only two when I was babysitting her. I was talking to Prim right in front of this house when Peeta came looking for her—and that's when I saw him for the first time."

"And, Peeta—your first reaction to seeing Katniss?" Caesar asked.

"Still beautiful. But, there's was something very sad in her eyes," Peeta said quietly. "I didn't know any of what she had gone through. When Katniss finally did tell me—about her marriage to Cato, and everything that had happened with her in Manhattan—she was afraid that I would see her as something damaged. But, she isn't."

"Well, after all is said and done, how do you feel about her?" Caesar asked.

"Katniss is the strongest woman I know." Peeta turned to her, his eyes suddenly nervous. "And, she probably won't believe me, since this is the first time I've said it—but, I'm in love with her."

* * *

Can I just say that you have been so awesome and patient with me, and that I love you?

Thank you for all your well-wishes with my new job. I'm tired, but I'm happy. Also, I'm definitely all about keeping to this once a week update, though drabbles will be slow.

I hope you liked this chapter because this is definitely a very interesting transition for Katniss. I like that she is the one who admits her feelings first in oppose to Peeta. Also, this relationship between her and Prim is just beautiful.

I know I didn't get to Katniss' parents yet. Have patience—they're coming.

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are always welcome on Tumblr, FF and AO3. They kept me going last week during my first few days of work!

Next: Chapter Twelve, Peeta—reaction to the Caesar Flickerman interview and Peeta's 25th birthday.

Until then, JLaLa


	13. Chapter Twelve: Peeta

Thank you for the love! Hope you're enjoying so far!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twelve: Peeta**_

As soon as he heard the words come out of his mouth, Peeta immediately regretted them.

Not that he regretted saying that he was in love with her.

It was more the fact that he had just blurted out his feelings on a show that would probably be viewed by most of Manhattan, along with some of the other boroughs of New York.

Looking over at Katniss, Peeta could see her trying to keep the smile on her face though her eyes were completely devoid of emotion. He could feel the heat rising from the collar of his shirt as they held hands and looked at one another.

Caesar, however, saw no difference. He looked to Katniss and gave her a smile.

"And you, my dear?" the host asked. "Do you see yourself building a future with Peeta? Do I see wedding bells in the midst?"

"CUT!" The yell came from Johanna, who had been watching from the archway of Katniss' living room. She went to the producer. "I stated—no marriage questions."

Caesar, who was getting touched up with powder, gave the couple a repentant smile. "I apologize."

Katniss turned to Caesar and gave him a hasty smile. "It's alright. In fact, I needed a break myself. So, I'm glad we've stopped filming for a bit. Excuse me." Quickly, she stood up and made her way out of the living room leaving Peeta alone with the man.

"I think she is a little overwhelmed with the cameras," Caesar kindly remarked. "Such a charming woman; but some people just don't enjoy the spotlight."

"Katniss is definitely one of those people," Peeta replied. Standing up, he gave Caesar a nod. "I'm going to go check on her."

"Don't take too long—lest, my producers come looking for you."

Peeta gave the man a final nod before leaving the room. He had a pretty good idea where Katniss has disappeared to.

Going to her front entryway, he ducked under the tape that blocked the production crew from accessing the second floor. Making sure that he wasn't being followed, Peeta went up the stairs and made his way to Katniss' bedroom.

Knocking softly, he pushed open the door and found her sitting on her bed; her back was to him as she looked out the window. Closing the door behind him, Peeta rounded the front of the bed and sat next to her.

Peeta waited for her to speak. He knew that she was processing his words.

"Was that for the camera?" she suddenly asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Katniss turned to him and he could see the pain in her smoky eyes. Peeta knew what she was thinking; that it was all a sham.

"No. Never," he told her. "I didn't mean for that to come out!" Katniss let out a hurt gasp and he shook his head immediately. "Katniss…I am in love with you."

Meeting her eyes, Peeta reached forward to cradle her delicate face in his hand. "What I meant was that I didn't want it to happen that way. The first time I said that I love you shouldn't have been in front of camera. It should have been in private—like after we've made love for the first time, or during a romantic dinner. Not like this." He bowed his head in regret. "Tell Johanna to make sure that they scrap that from the segment."

"Peeta…" His eyes went to hers instantly. "Say it again."

He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"I want you to tell me that you're in love with me in the room that you first said that you did," she told him. "You said you would know when I really did love you—" Her eyes darted downward shyly. "I guess I feel that same way. There's something inside me that knows that your words are real." Katniss smiled softly. "But, I need to hear it again. Just you and me—in this room."

With his hands still cradling her beautiful face, Peeta leaned forward to kiss her softly. He watched her eyes flutter closed letting her long lashes brush against his face.

"I'm in love with you, Katniss Everdeen," he whispered against her lips.

"Again," she demanded quietly, her eyes opening to look into his.

"I'm in love with you," Peeta told her once more. "I know you feel it—and I know that it's scary, but it's real, and right in front of you. And, it isn't going away."

Her mouth crashed onto his and Peeta pulled her onto his lap. She was unabashed in her kiss, her lips soft and tongue teasing. She sucked against his lower lip—something that he had never experienced except with her. As they pulled away, Katniss bit his lip sending a jolt of pleasure right to his cock.

"Do we have to go back down?" he asked as his hand went to her cheek and she let out a soft laugh.

"Hell yeah, you have to." They turned around to see Johanna at the doorway. She looked at Peeta and smirked. "You have five minutes to calm that raging erection and then get back down there."

* * *

After the interview, the weekend went quickly along with the camera crew and Caesar Flickerman, who had excitedly told them that his announcement of their interview had already been retweeted a few thousand times and rising.

The producers were predicting high ratings and had told them that the show would premiere in a week. Johanna would go through the final cut and would call them on Friday.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Katniss asked the following Monday. She stood with him outside of Prim's classroom, her arm around his sister, who was nervously twirling her hair. "It might just cause more trouble for Prim."

Peeta firmly shook his head. "We have to. I refuse to let her get away with this—to let her cause Prim anymore trouble." He knelt before Prim and lifted her chin. "School is supposed to be a safe haven for you. I want it to stay that way and so far, Delly has proven this theory wrong."

"I know," Prim replied. "But, I want to stay in school. I want to finish this year with Rory and Rue. I can't hide from her, or anyone else who doesn't think I belong—just like you and Katniss can't hide your relationship from the media." She looked to see Rue and Rory coming down the hallway towards them. "I'll be at Rory's house and will be home for dinner."

After kissing them goodbye, Prim joined her friends and disappeared out the door.

"You ready?" The couple turned to see Haymitch, a grim look on his face. "This isn't exactly how I pictured my weekend ending."

"Just think that you'll have Effie to come home to," Katniss told him.

Cinna, Portia, and Johanna had left via Effie's plane—sans Effie, who was currently on an extended vacation and staying at Haymitch's house.

He nodded before knocking on Delly's classroom door and then entered the room.

Peeta took Katniss' hand. "Together?"

She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Together."

Walking into the classroom, they found Haymitch and Delly talking quietly. His ex sat at her desk, a frown deep on her mouth. He led Katniss to the front row of desks before sitting down next to her.

Haymitch sat in a chair by Delly's desk, a notepad on his lap. "So, Peeta has asked me to mediate this meeting between you two."

"If this is between Peeta and me—why is Katniss here?" Delly suddenly inquired. "She isn't Prim's guardian."

"Because I have reasonable cause to form a complaint against you," Katniss replied, her eyes hard. "Peeta gave me the same responsibility that he gives you when taking care of Prim. However, once that bell rings—the responsibility to protect Prim is in _my_ hands. I don't take that lightly. Keeping her trapped in a bathroom, instead of kicking those reporters out of the school, was just wrong."

"They shouldn't have been here in the first place!" Delly argued. "You put Prim's wellbeing in jeopardy because of who you are. As long you are who you are—she won't be safe!"

Peeta could see that Katniss was furious. "DON'T YOU DARE! I love Prim—and I would never jeopardize her safety!"

"LADIES!" Haymitch suddenly called out. "No one should be accusing anyone of not caring about Prim's safety." He turned to his friend. "Peeta, state your case."

"This has nothing to do with anything other than my sister," he told them.

Looking over at Delly, he met her eyes steadily. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he had been with her.

Peeta had grown since they had been together. He wasn't the boy that she remembered and Delly certainly wasn't the girl that he had once known.

"I trusted you as her teacher, Delly," Peeta continued. "She should feel secure to be taught by you and, like you said, we are both teachers. That means that there is a certain kind of standard that is expected from our students. Prim doesn't feel safe with you. But, she wants to continue her education and finish up this grade with her friends."

"What do you want from me?" she asked in a clipped voice.

"I want you to keep your feelings to yourself," he told her. "Because, not a lot of this has to do with Prim. I will be asking to see her work before and after you have graded it. I don't want to do that." He shook his head. "But, I can't trust you, Delly."

For the first time, he saw a modicum of emotion on Delly's face. "You don't mean that."

"I didn't want it to come to this." His eyes remaining on hers. "I was more than angry that you wouldn't let Prim leave that restroom, or get Katniss to come for her. Prim's friends handled the situation better than you did. Instead of being bitter over my relationship with Katniss, you should be doing your job. Not to mention, thanking her for not allowing me to report you to the school board."

"Delly," Haymitch said. "While it hasn't been reported to the school board, it has been put in your record." He looked at the woman and shook his head. "We can talk about this later during your disciplinary meeting." The man looked between them. "This meeting is over. Delly, come with me."

Standing up stiffly, Delly followed Haymitch. Not once did she look at the couple as she walked out of the room.

"Do you think that Prim will be able to handle this?" Katniss asked him. "Handle her time left with Delly?"

"She's stronger than we know," he responded. Peeta loved the fact that Katniss loved Prim like she was her own. "That's because of you—you've made Prim believe in herself."

* * *

"She wasn't happy," Annie said as they sat around the Odair's dining table. "At the same time, I think that Delly really needs to sit down and realize that all of this is not good for her." She looked at Peeta and Katniss. "None of this is your fault."

"I'm not trying to go against her," Peeta said. He understood that, as a teacher that she needed to run her class her way. However, Peeta drew line when he felt that she had stopped being a teacher and started being his ex. "This is about her and not knowing how to draw the line. There needs to be boundaries when it comes to being Prim's teacher and being my ex."

"So, Katniss—enough about this," Finnick said as he handed Katniss a glass of wine. "How are you dealing with living in Panem?"

"It's been great," Katniss replied as she took Peeta's hand under the table. She looked to him, her smile bright. "Here—I feel like I'm really home."

Annie met his eyes and gave him a smile. She liked Katniss and he let out a small breath of relief. She and Finnick had been the older siblings that he never had, and it meant that they both liked Katniss.

"What are your plans for Peeta's birthday?" Annie unexpectedly asked her.

Katniss turned to him in sudden realization. "Your birthday is coming up!" She smacked her forehead, looking crestfallen. "Oh God—I completely forgot. I'm such a dick."

He put an arm around Katniss to comfort her. "It's not a big deal. Even I forgot that it was coming up."

His girlfriend looked at him in shock. "Peeta, you're turning 25! It is a big deal!"

"She's kind of right," Finnick told him. "You're turning a quarter century old."

"And, you've got a lot under your belt for only turning 25," Annie added with an amused grin. She looked to Katniss. "I'm sure you'll plan something great for him."

Katniss looked worried, though she gave his friends an assuring smile. "It's going to be perfect."

* * *

"How could you not tell me that your birthday was coming up?" Katniss asked as they walked home, later that evening. "And, Annie remembered before I did—she must think I'm an ass." She gave him a pout. "I'm a horrible girlfriend."

Peeta stopped and turned to look at her. She was wearing a navy coat and her raven hair lay in soft waves against her shoulders, though most of it was covered in the ivory knit cap on top of her head. Her grey eyes glowed in the darkness of the evening and the biting cold caused her cheeks to turn scarlet.

He took her hand to pull her close and she let out a surprised yelp, which he quickly muffled as his lips covered hers. His hands traveled to tangle themselves in her thick hair, her cap falling off in the process.

Her hands reached to unbutton the pea coat he wore and soon he felt her hands reaching under the green sweater that he was wearing. The coolness of her fingertips on his heated skin caused him to groan into her mouth and he ripped his lips away from hers to move them against her collarbone.

"We have to stop," he told her as her hands began to work on the button of his jeans. "Not here—" Katniss licked behind his ear and his eyes rolled back as a heated tremor ran through his body. "I can't do you against this tree."

"Especially since it's in front of _my_ house."

Slowly, they turned to see Haymitch and Effie in front of them. Haymitch smirked as Effie crossed her arms with a stern stare.

"Peeta, dear," Effie said. "Zip up your fly."

He turned quickly to zip his fly up and hide his flaming cheeks.

"I didn't realize that this was your place," Katniss replied as she fixed her mussed hair. She turned to look at Peeta. "You never mentioned that little tidbit as we were walking."

Haymitch reached down to where her knit cap lay on the concrete. Standing up, he held it out to Katniss.

"I think he was a little distracted," Haymitch told her. "As were you."

"I was going to call you, anyway," Effie said to Katniss. "Johanna got the final cut early—and sent it to you. I've been CC'd on the email as was Cinna."

"Can we see it?" Katniss asked.

Effie looked over at Haymitch. "Can we borrow your television?"

"What's mine is yours, sweetheart," he replied and Effie kissed his cheek, before leading Katniss into his house.

Peeta grinned at him. "She's getting comfy. Maybe you should ask her to move in."

"I've already asked her," Haymitch replied. "She hasn't said anything just yet."

"These relationships are all very new for all of us," Peeta told him as they walked towards the open front door. He looked over at Haymitch. "You're worried that she'll say no, aren't you?"

The older man quickly disappeared through the door. That was enough confirmation for Peeta.

* * *

"Nice digs," Katniss said as she looked around Haymitch's living room. "Very cozy."

"Are you kidding?" Effie replied, her eyebrows raised. "There's a lot of beige; but, I can work on it." She looked over at Haymitch. "If you want me to."

"You have to answer my question," Haymitch told her.

"Now is _not _the time," Effie said as she met his stare.

Going to the television above the mantle, she took the USB that she had taken from her purse and inserted it into the television. Taking the remote, Effie set it up and Caesar's face immediately appeared on the screen.

"You two look great!" Effie told them as the camera panned out toward the two of them on Katniss' couch. "Katniss, you don't even look nervous at all."

"I might not look nervous; but, I bet I sound like a complete idiot," Katniss said, her eyes on her lap. "I cannot watch this." He could see her shaking hands in her lap. "This is just too embarrassing."

Placing a hand over hers, Peeta gave her an assuring smile. "I don't know what you're talking about." He watched her on the screen as she talked to Caesar about the charities that the Snow Foundation had funded. "Look at yourself, Katniss."

Hesitantly, she looked up and he put his lips to her ear. "Look how you glow—how radiant you are. The way you make Caesar smile." Peeta squeezed her hand. "People are going to love you."

She squeezed his hand back. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Together, they managed to get though the rest of the interview. Peeta could see how well they worked with one another. If he was talking and lost his train of thought, Katniss always found a way to draw the conversation back. If Katniss faltered when it came to a subject, he was there with a quip to entertain Caesar.

The only part that was difficult to watch was the part when Peeta admitted to being in love with her. He regretted that the first time he said it was in front of a camera and not a private moment between the two of them. It was something that he felt that he could never make up for—Peeta had ruined what was an important moment to them both.

And, he felt ashamed.

"Excuse me," he stammered, before getting up and rushing to Haymitch's half-bath close to the kitchen. Inside, Peeta turned on the faucet to run his hands under the cool water to put his hand to the back of his heated neck.

There was a knock on the door. "Peeta?" Opening the door, he peeked outside to see Katniss smiling warmly at him. "You okay?"

"I feel horrible." Shaking his head, Peeta stepped out into the hallway. "Nothing I do will erase that moment."

"It doesn't matter." Katniss took his hand as they walked back to the living room. "You were brave—not a lot of people can admit how they feel in private, let alone in the public eye. You did it and it was to me." She stopped before the living room entryway and turned to place a kiss on his lips. "No one has had ever done that for me."

"Thank you for having my back," he told her as brought her hand to his lips.

"That's what we do," Katniss replied. "We protect each other."

* * *

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Peeta opened his eyes to see Prim standing before him, a tray in her hands.

Sitting up, he grinned at his sister. "What is this?"

Setting the tray on his lap, she sat next to him. "Lemon ricotta pancakes—I don't think they're as good as Katniss', but I think you'll like them. Oh, wait!" She placed a candle in the middle of the short stack before lighting it with the lighter from their kitchen. "Make a wish."

Peeta closed his eyes getting ready to blow out the candle—and the brief image of waking up to Katniss came to his mind, as he blew it out.

"I can't believe that I'm twenty-five," he told his sister. "It seems like twenty-five happened a long time ago."

"I certainly didn't help," Prim said to him. She held out a wrapped package for him. "But, I'm trying every day to make it up to you. Happy Birthday." Opening the package, he revealed a black leather journal. "I remember that you used to draw when you were a kid—maybe you can get a little bit of that back."

He put an arm around Prim and kissed her forehead. "I love it—and I love you."

"I love you back," she replied, her voice catching. Suddenly, Prim gave him a sly smile. "There is one thing that I was wondering."

"I knew there was a catch," he replied. "What?"

"Can I sleep over at Rue's tonight?" Prim asked. A glint shone in her eyes as she clasped her hands in hope in front of him. "Katniss wanted to take you out tonight—and we're going to go out for a family dinner tomorrow, anyway." She suddenly smacked her forehead. "I wasn't supposed to tell you!"

He chuckled at her exasperation. Prim was never good with secrets.

"Just be home by tomorrow afternoon if you sleep over Rue's," he told her.

Prim threw her arms around his neck. "THANK YOU!" She kissed his cheek. "This is my first sleepover."

It hurt to think that there were girls who excluded his sweet sister from simple things like a sleepover; he hoped that her newest friend was trustworthy.

"Just promise that tomorrow, you'll spend some time with me."

Prim hugged him again. "Of course, there's no place I'd rather be." She unfolded his napkin. "Now, eat your pancakes."

* * *

"Honey?" Peeta closed the front door behind him. He looked into her living room to find it empty. "I need help; I managed to get this tie on." His hands fiddled as he turned into the entryway again. "But now, I'm not sure if the tie is straight—"

Peeta stopped at the sight before him.

Her dining room table was set up.

Two lit candles in rose-gold holders stood tall in front of white plates with folded cloth napkins placed on them. Walking closer, Peeta saw the meticulous work in her table setting—forks and knifes were arranged perfectly, along with wine and water glasses.

"What do you think?" He looked up to see Katniss walking in from the kitchen holding a roast. She grinned as she placed the roast adjacent to the candles. "Happy Birthday, Peeta."

"You look amazing." She was wearing a form-fitting, sleeveless black dress. The square neckline was elegant exposing a bit of her cleavage and her long legs were accentuated with gold heels. Peeta reached to touch a wavy tendril that laid against her shoulder. "More than amazing."

"I meant the table," Katniss replied with a laugh. "But, thank you." She reached forward to wrap her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his lips. "You look very nice." Her eyes looked over his grey suit and red tie. "I think you did fine with the tie."

Pulling away, Katniss gestured to the seat. "Relax while I get the rest of dinner." She disappeared through the door that led to the kitchen.

He sat down in front of the setting. "You cooked?"

"Are you insane?" she responded as she walked out with a bowl of mashed potatoes in one hand and a bowl of string beans in the other. "I want to keep you around, not kill you. I got help." She placed the bowls on each side of the roast. "Oh! One more thing." She rushed into the kitchen and then returned with a bottle of wine. She handed it to him. "Twenty-five—just like you."

He looked at everything she did; the table, the meal—tears suddenly filled his eyes.

Peeta hadn't eaten this meal since…

"How did you know?" He asked as she sat in the chair next to him. "My mom always made this for my birthday."

Katniss took his hand. "Prim and Haymitch—I wanted to do something special. I forgot that it was your birthday and I felt horrible. After getting the meal idea from them, I asked Annie and Madge to teach me how to make the roast."

"How did it go?" he asked.

Under the candlelight, her olive skin glowed and her eyes shone. She tossed her hair over her shoulder as she told him about her failed attempts—both of her mess-ups were at Madge and Annie's houses, being eaten by their families. Prim had helped her with the string beans and potatoes and he was surprised when she had revealed that she made a cake with Haymitch and Effie's help.

"Haymitch knew the recipe and Effie is actually very talented in desserts," she informed him. "Her family owns a bakery chain in Boston and so she grew up around pastry chefs."

"This means a lot," he told her. "It's been so long since I've had this meal—and it makes me feel like my parents are here."

"It's hard to turn twenty-five alone," she replied, her eyes suddenly clouded.

"Did you?" he asked and Katniss nodded. Squeezing her hand, Peeta met her eyes. "Then, this can be your birthday dinner, too. For the ones I wasn't there for. Happy Birthday, Katniss."

She pulled his hand and encased it between her own hands. Her eyes closed as she placed gentle kisses on his knuckles. "Happy Birthday, Peeta."

* * *

"I finally have the sudden need to go to Rue's house," Peeta told Katniss, a slightly drunken smile on his lips. "Prim knew that I would be hung over."

"Prim has an amazing ability to know things before any of us do," Katniss responded, her own grin wide from the alcohol. "Cinna actually told me that she has a third eye for picking up on trends—he swears that everything that she thinks is cool is in _Women's Wear Daily_, a week later."

"Maybe she will end up being a model," he told her. "Leave Panem behind; leave me behind."

"Sweetheart…" Katniss said, seeing his somber face. "Prim would never leave you behind—" Standing up, she went and sat on his lap. "Also, you have me if you get lonely."

"How long will that be?" he suddenly asked her. The alcohol made for a good truth serum.

"How long will you want me?" Her own eyes were serious as she looked down at him.

"Forever." His hand went to cradle her chin and he looked up as his thumb brushed her lips. "Can't you see that?"

She nodded and he could see her swallow nervously. "I forgot your birthday present." Quickly, Katniss got up and Peeta heard her rush up her stairs.

Oh God, he had managed to fuck up.

He revealed too much and much too soon. It had just started lately—this dream of waking up to Katniss every day of his life. They were accompanied by dreams of giving her his grandmother's engagement ring and watching her walking down an aisle in a dress that she designed by herself.

And then, dreams of their children—of waking up to small hands prodding him and opening his eyes to large grey eyes and blonde curls of a toddler who resembled his mother.

"Peeta?" Katniss called out from upstairs. "Cinna brought your gift; but stuck it on the highest part of my closet!"

"I'm coming!" he said as he stood up.

He just had to apologize for his words—Peeta never meant to rush her. He had a strange way of letting his words get away from him whenever she was around.

"Listen, Katniss," he began as he walked into her room. "I'm really sorry for what I said."

Peeta stopped as his eyes took in everything in front of him: candles bathing the room in soft golden light, the low music in the background—and her.

"I didn't mean to trick you," Katniss said as she lit a candle and turned to him, the open silk robe she wore revealing the lace black demi-bra and matching boy shorts underneath. "I just didn't want to seem like I was expecting anything." She approached him as she let the robe fall to the ground. "What do you think?"

His throat was dry, but he managed to choke his words out. "You're still wearing your heels."

Katniss laughed at his nervousness and, without breaking her stare, she took her heels off. "Better?" Her hands went to his suit jacket and she helped him slip it off his shoulders. "You're nervous."

"Aren't you?" he asked, his voice constricted.

Katniss shook her head.

"Sit," she commanded and he sat on her bed. Going to her knees, he watched her remove his shoes slowly before standing once more. "I know what I want." Her hands went to unravel his tie and her lips brushed against his. "But, what about you?"

His hands went to each side of her waist and moved them down to rest on her hips; he could feel her tremble.

"I want you," Peeta told her, their eyes meeting. "Like I said—forever." Katniss nodded as she pulled his tie off and tossed it to the ground. "And you?"

Her hands worked on the buttons of his collared shirt. "I'm not here just for this, if that's what you're asking me." He felt her warm hands move against his chest as she pushed the shirt off him. Katniss leaned down to kiss him and they were quickly lost in the sensations of their lips moving roughly against each other. Her tongue teased his open mouth. "I'm in love with you, Peeta. I want forever—I want always. I want it with you."

He looked to see tears springing from her eyes and he reached to cup her face. "Don't cry, Katniss. We're lucky to have found each other again."

Katniss nodded as her hand went to his chest to push him back onto her mattress. On his back, he watched her reach behind herself to unclasp her bra before carefully straddling him. His hands reached to cover her breasts, his thumbs brushing against her nipples and as he did. Katniss moaned grinding her still-covered mound against his pelvis.

"I'm supposed to be taking care of you," Katniss said breathlessly. Her fingers were on his pants, unbuttoning and unzipping. She grasped the waistband and he raised his pelvis to help her pull off his pants along with his briefs.

He heard the pants hit the bedroom floor, before her lips went to his once more. She kissed him slowly and steadily, her lips not missing any part of his own. He could feel his cock twitch as her mouth moved to his jaw before traveling down to his neck.

"This is torture," he gasped as her lips danced against his broad chest.

Katniss looked up at him, her lips perked in a smile. "But, the best kind of torture," she replied. "Now, move up a little more." Peeta followed her instructions so that he laid across the bed, instead of slightly off of it. "Good boy."

He raised his brows. "Boy?"

She got off him, her eyes dark as her hand went to his firm cock. "No. Not even close." Her hand moved slowly up and down his length before she leaned down and wrapped her mouth around the tip of him.

"Oh God…" He watched Katniss take him in her mouth, the sensation overtaking his body. She had done this to him before and it was the sight of her saliva on his glistening tip that always seemed to get him. "Please, end this right now—I'm not going to last very long."

Katniss sat up and kissed him roughly, her own eyes needy. "Tell me what you want."

"I want you," he told her as he watched her remove her last remnant of clothing—her panties. "I want to be inside you—I want to fuck you." His hand went in-between her legs and he slowly pushed his fingers inside her. Katniss groaned at the sensation, her eyes closing and her mouth falling open as she rode his hand. "Then, I want to make love you, over and over."

"Yes…" she said in drawn out moan. Suddenly, she was hovering above his cock.

Slowly, Peeta watched her sink down onto him, inch by inch, as every fiber of his body came to life.

He was on fire, burning in pleasure as they moved against one another.

Katniss was beautiful; her cries echoing in his ears as his hands guided her onto his cock. Her muscles gripped him, hitting every ridge and sending a shock of desire every time she descended onto him—again and again.

He pushed up on his elbows in an attempt to move over her and Katniss' hand went to his shoulder, pushing him down firmly.

"No," Katniss commanded, her slate eyes bold.

That look in her eyes was enough for him—Peeta grasped her hips roughly, moving his own to meet hers.

"OHH!" Her eyes widened at the sudden shock of him hitting her deep. She stared down at him, her eyes feral, before her lips descended onto his and her hips begin to piston hurriedly. Katniss ripped her mouth from his, "OH FUCK!"

"You want to come, baby?" Peeta asked, his voice coarse. He hadn't realized how loud he had been until he felt the dryness of his throat. She nodded as she bit her lip, almost drawing blood. Sitting up, he looked into her lust-filled eyes. "Wrap your legs around my waist."

She followed and his hands went to her bottom to push her deeper into him. Katniss cried out, her arms going around his neck to anchor herself. She was at the perfect position—her swollen clit against his coarse hair and her breasts close to his mouth. Peeta took her nipple in his mouth, using the tip of his tongue to move around the peak.

"PEETA! I'm going to—" He bit her nipple and Katniss fell apart, her orgasm taking over and he felt the grip on his cock—his hips pushed up as he came, his load coming in strong spurts to coat her insides.

"Katniss…" he gasped. His body sticky with sweat against her own.

There were no words.

Her head was against his shoulder, her lips kissing his skin. "I know."

* * *

"Don't go," she said sleepily, her arms around his neck. Katniss pulled him in for another kiss. "One more hour."

"If I stay any longer," Peeta told her. "We'll never get out of here."

They had woken up just two hours before, naked and with his morning erection greeting her. It didn't take very long for him to hook her leg over his hip to drive into her as they awoke. After that, they had another short break before he had her once more.

The morning sun was rising, spreading a warm glow into the room. The candles had all extinguished leaving a scent of smoke and sex inside the bedroom.

"I have to shower before Prim comes home," he told her. "Do you want to have breakfast at my place?"

Katniss nodded lazily as she sat up and smiled at him. "It's been a good morning, hasn't it?"

Peeta nodded back, lifting her chin to kiss her. "Yes, it has been."

Together, they got up to start the day. He got dressed quickly, leaving his tie off and his jacket. Katniss threw on a pair of dark leggings and after putting her bra on, she pulled out a hooded hunter green sweater and pulled it over her head.

"I'm starving," she said and took his hand. Grabbing her phone, Katniss looked through her messages. "Johanna just e-mailed to tell us that our episode of Caesar's show got huge ratings—she doesn't know who is more excited—her or Caesar. I know it's not us."

Together, they walked down the stairs. "Maybe now, we can get some peace and quiet."

"Seriously," she agreed as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "Did I tell you that I love you today?"

Peeta shook his head and smiled. "No, but you showed it—many, many, many times over…." He kissed her. "Have I told you that I love you today?"

"No, but you can show it later," she replied as she opened her front door. They walked onto the porch and Katniss closed the door behind her. "I would love some ice cream."

He pulled her close and kissed her. "Anything else?"

"A back-rub—my lower back is killing me." Katniss grinned through her pain. "You got to love the after-sex back pain." Her eyes suddenly went to something behind him. "Oh my God."

He turned to see a dark Jaguar parked in front of her house. A woman stepped out of the passenger's side in a cream colored suit, dark glasses on her face, and blonde hair covered by a wide-brim hat. Beside her was a tall dark-haired man in a navy blazer and khaki colored turtleneck, dark corduroys completing the outfit.

Peeta peered at the older couple and the woman suddenly looked to him and gave him a smile. He recognized her immediately.

He turned to his girlfriend, "Katniss—are those your parents?"

* * *

I honestly didn't think I would get this done. Work has been grueling and it's been a little crazy here in life as well as in San Francisco.

Finally—they've done the deed. I know some people were waiting for it and I hope it was somewhat decent.

I know that there are probably a lot of questions—about Delly, about Haymitch and Effie, and about Katniss' parents—but, we still have a lot of story to go. All will be answered in time.

Thank you for your patience, kindness, and reviews. Your feedback gets me through the hard days.

As always, hellos, comments, and reviews are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3!

Next: Chapter Thirteen, Katniss—the return of the Everdeens.

Until then, JLaLa


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Katniss

Thank you for all your feedback! It has been AH-MAH-ZING!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Thirteen: Katniss**_

What were her parents doing in Panem?

The last time that they had come to see her was under much more difficult circumstances. She had not been in the right frame of mind—having just lost Helena a day before.

Cor had explained her coldness towards them as shock.

Not to mention, her parents had not spoken to her since she had married Cato. They had been hurt, understandably, by her elopement. Her mother had big dreams of planning her wedding and her father had been looking forward to walking her down the aisle. She was their only child and they had high expectations for Katniss.

Getting married so young was not one of them.

Since then, Katniss had not been able to approach them. So, she compensated with other things—money, designer gifts, a house in the Hamptons, and even the Jaguar that they had driven to Panem.

She imagined that they had seen Caesar's show—that they had seen her with Peeta and saw her declaring her feelings for another handsome blond.

"Mom, Dad…" she managed to sputter out as they all met on her pathway. "What are you doing here?"

They walked towards her and she could see how they had aged. Behind the bright smile that her mother had given Peeta, Katniss could see the exhaustion and worry on her face. Her father's grey eyes roamed anxiously over her.

"We saw your show," her father said slowly. "We were worried."

"Yes," her mother agreed softly. "You didn't even call us after the official divorce."

"Honestly, I didn't think that you would care," she replied indifferently. "I thought that you would just gloat."

Her father looked pained. "Why would we gloat, Katniss? We love you. The only reason we were worried was because your marriage was so rushed. We didn't even meet Cato—not once; before or during your marriage."

"And then the baby!" Her mother suddenly interrupted. She looked briefly at Peeta. "I didn't mean to say anything."

"Peeta knows about Helena," she informed them.

Her mother nodded quickly. "We wanted to check on you, and get to know the young man who you're involved with. Maybe this time, it could be better."

Peeta stepped forward. "I don't know if you remember me." He held out his hand to her father first. "Peeta Mellark, sir."

Her father shook Peeta's hand slowly, his grey eyes looking over the young man. "My wife and I remember you." His lips pressed into a wry smile. "You look quite different from before."

Peeta gave him a smile. "It's been ten plus years." He looked to Katniss' mother. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Everdeen."

"Kate, my dear," her mother replied and Katniss was surprised to see her mother hug Peeta. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents. They were wonderful people." She quickly brushed her wet, ocean-blue eyes. "I would like to meet your sister. She was just a baby when we first met her."

"We—Katniss, Prim, and I—are going to dinner tonight for my birthday," Peeta informed them. "I would love for you to join us." Katniss turned to glare at him and he ignored her pointed stare. "I'm on my way home to wait for Prim. She slept over at a friend's house and we are going to spend the day together, but I'm sure that she would love to meet you. Prim admires Katniss and would love to get to know her parents."

Katniss' parents looked to one another before her father nodded. "Of course, Peeta. We'd love to join you."

Peeta smiled at them. "I'll see you then." He turned to Katniss. "Haymitch wanted me to give you some paperwork. Do you want to come get it now, or pick it up later?"

She looked at him before nodding. Looking to her parents, Katniss handed them her keys.

"There is coffee and some leftovers from dinner, if you're hungry," she said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Her father took the set of keys and they headed to her porch. Wordlessly, she and Peeta walked across the empty street onto the porch of his house. She didn't know how to feel at the moment—there was just blankness.

However, as Peeta unlocked the door and they entered his home, Katniss found herself turning as he closed the door to shove him against it.

"WHAT THE HELL, PEETA?" She breathed angrily at him. "You invited them to dinner? Like we're some fucking happy family?"

Peeta unapologetically met her gaze. "You never mentioned them when you told me about your marriage and Helena. They look upset, Katniss." He stared at her evenly. "Calm the fuck down and realize that they're not against you! I'm not either."

Angrily, Katniss slammed her lips against his. Pulling away, she rushed to undo the button of his pants. Pulling the zipper down, she reached for his now rigid cock and began to move her hand along it, enjoying the feeling of hard velvet on her palm.

"Don't tell me what to do," she growled.

Peeta ripped the zipper of her hoodie down and his hands went to the cups of her bra to yank them down—his fingers reaching to pinch at her already aroused nipples.

"Don't act like a child," he scolded, his own eyes beginning to burn with arousal and anger. Reaching inside her leggings, he cupped her arousal in his hand as his finger plunged into her wetness. "This is what happens when two people are involved with one another." Stepping away from the door, he wrapped his arm around her waist and turned her so her own back faced it. "They meet the parents."

Gently, Peeta pressed her to the wood of the door as the hand that played with her throbbing core left it to pull down her leggings. Hurriedly, Katniss pushed them off as Peeta lifted her leg and plunged into her roughly.

"I love you," he told her against her neck. "I just want to know you in any way I can."

Katniss moaned in agreement, her mind dizzy from having him inside her. His hard length moving and hitting every sensitive nerve in her body.

"Yes…" she replied as her eyes rolled back. "God, I love you…" Peeta reached to move his fingers to her clit, the rough pads of them brushing against the bundle of nerves. Katniss could feel the oncoming wave of her orgasm approaching and her hips moved on their own accord as she rocked against his pelvis. "AHHH!"

Her hands gripped at his back as she felt his hot cum inside her and his hoarse voice repeating her name into her shoulder.

Finally they sank to the ground, both sitting back against the door, breathing heavily.

Katniss looked over at him. "I suppose you're right," she finally said breathlessly. "Doesn't mean that I'm not mad at you, though."

"We're going to be mad at one another sometimes," he replied, his eyes soft. "But we're going to love one another always—and, in the end, that's all the matters to me."

* * *

The knock came softly as Katniss zipped up her dress. She hoped that Peeta would enjoy the red-orange dress that she wore. He mentioned once, when he was much younger, that his favorite color was orange.

Katniss had never forgotten because he continued to tell her that it was not just 'orange', but more of a 'sunset orange'.

She had always found that description quite beautiful.

Her mother peeked through the door and gave her a smile. "May I come in?"

She nodded after a moment. "Sure."

Entering, her mother looked around the room before sitting on the bed.

"You did a wonderful job decorating," her mother remarked. "It doesn't even look like the room I remembered."

"That was more than ten years ago," Katniss said in a quiet voice, her finger reaching to twist a tendril of her hair as she sat next to the older woman. "I'm not quite that high school senior anymore."

Her mother looked her over. "I can see that." Katniss watched as her eyes watered. "Katniss, I know that we didn't react well to Cato before. But, we accepted him as your husband despite how angry we were. We were being selfish—because we didn't get what _we_ wanted."

"I bet you were very happy to see how wrong I was in trusting him," Katniss bitterly replied.

"Never!" Her mother shook her head vehemently. "Never once did we want you to suffer. We love you, Katniss. You are our daughter and we hated to turn the pages of our paper to see your unhappy face splashed all over it, or another photo of Cato running around with _that_ woman." The blue eyes of the older woman turned frosty at the thought of Katniss' ex-husband. "Your father wanted to kill Cato—but, we knew that you needed to find your own way."

"I was embarrassed," Katniss admitted. "I didn't want you to see me like that; as this wife who just let her husband run around. So, I chose to ignore it, and ignored you in the process." She wiped her suddenly damp eyes. "And, I thought that once Helena came—that we would all just become the family I wanted us to be. Cato would be the husband and father that I wanted him to be." Katniss sniffled. "Obviously, that just went to shit."

"I'm sorry that happened to you," her mother told her softly.

Katniss heard a creak and turned to see her father approaching. He sat next to his wife and gave Katniss a sad smile.

"We were hurt that you never told us that you were pregnant," her mother continued. "And, that you didn't want to see us after you gave birth to Helena. Coriolanus told us that she looked very much like you."

"She did," Katniss told them. "And, I feel like a part of me died with her." She met their eyes, her own blurred with tears and her throat wet. "Mommy, Daddy…I never meant to hurt you."

"We know, sweetheart," her father said kindly. "The day that you told us that you got married—I was disappointed, I'll admit. We wanted to go all out for you. You're our only baby, Katniss. You might not know this; but, we thought we would never have children. We had tried for so long before you came."

"I didn't know," she told them. Her parents turned to one another sadly. They would've understood her pain more than anyone could have at the time. Yet, Katniss had refused to let them in.

"You were our miracle," her mother said. "And, we wanted to always have you for ourselves. We just stopped to realize that you had to share your time with someone else. We had nothing against Cato—until we found out what kind of person he was."

"We're here because we want to start over with you," her father told her. "We watched your interview and you're not the same woman from before. You look happy with Peeta."

Her mother took her hand carefully. "We want to be part of that—and we want to get to know your young man as well as his sister. We want to be a family again."

"It's just up to you, whether or not, you choose to have us in your life," her father said.

She looked to them, meeting their hopeful eyes, before nodding slowly.

"I think I can try," Katniss said, her voice thickening. Her father reached to cup her cheek and she let herself lean into his comforting warmth, as the tears began to fall. "Because I missed you both, so much."

* * *

"So, Prim—what grade are you in?" Katniss' mother looked at the young blonde in adoration. The two almost looked like they were related—much more similar than Katniss and her.

"I'm going to be in eighth grade soon," Prim replied as she twirled the spaghetti on her fork.

They all sat at the round table of the small Italian restaurant in town. Katniss watched as her mother continued to talk to Prim about her schooling and what she liked to do for fun. It was nice to see her young friend so enthusiastic about her school life. It had been far from ideal with the whole reporter incident and the situation with Delly.

"Peeta, what grade are you teaching?" Katniss' father asked her boyfriend, who was sitting next to her.

"Fourth," Peeta told him. "It's a very interesting age—not quite kids and not quite teenagers."

From under the table, Katniss felt him take her hand. He could tell that she was nervous. Maybe both of them were in some way.

However, Peeta hid it much better.

"I bet you're excited about this birthday. Twenty-five is an important age," her mother told them. "I mean, I married Ian when I turned twenty-five—"

"Mom, can we just hold off on the marriage talk?" Katniss said, the heat rushing to her cheeks. "We haven't been together that long—"

"It's fine," Peeta told her in an assuring voice, before turning to her mother. "My parents were around the same age when they got married. However, I think that marriage will come at the right time." He looked over at Katniss and smiled. "Nothing like that needs to be discussed at this point."

"Here, here…" her father agreed. "You're still a young man."

Katniss grinned, glad to see them getting along so well.

However, a pestering thought niggled at her head.

Why did it bother her so much that Peeta didn't feel the need to discuss marriage?

And, why was she so disappointed about it?

* * *

"You're upset," Peeta said as they sat on her front porch. His arm lazily draped around her shoulders.

Once upon a time, they sat with one another at the same spot—as friends. This time, it was different. Peeta had just reacquainted himself with her parents, who were inside with Prim as she charmed them with stories about her life in Panem.

"Why would you say that?" she asked him, her neck craning to look up at him.

"You're playing with your hair," he responded. "I noticed that you only do that when you're upset about something."

She unfolded the tendril that she was waving around her finger. "It's nothing important."

"Katniss…" he began in a warning tone. "I have ways of getting it out of you—none of them appropriate while your parents and Prim are around."

Grinning, she sat up to kiss him. "I might just make you wait, then."

"I'm serious." Peeta lifted her chin, concern evident in his blue eyes. "You're hiding something from me."

Katniss let out a slow, nervous breath before meeting his eyes. "You're 25."

"Thus, the birthday dinner," he replied with a playful laugh.

"I'm 28 and, by the beginning of next year, I'll be 29," she continued. "I can't help but think that we'll want different things as we hit these milestones. That worries me." Katniss took his hand. "I love you, Peeta. But—I love the thought of children and commitment, too. You're 25 and the thought of marriage is so far from your mind—"

"Wait a minute," he said to her. "Who said that?"

"You did. To my father—only hours ago."

"I said that marriage will come at the right time," he stated. "I just thought that you weren't ready to think about marriage at this point—after the divorce." Peeta looked into her eyes. "And, we don't need to discuss anything because we already promised—we want forever." He brushed her lips softly. "I'm 25, but that doesn't change my thoughts on you and our commitment. I've already made up my mind. I want you, and no one else."

She laid her head back on his shoulder. "And, children?"

"Enough to keep Prim busy with babysitting duties," he told her. "She'll never date."

"She can always invite dates to our house," Katniss replied with a smirk.

He bristled at the thought. "Not funny."

* * *

Katniss' parents wove their way quietly back into her life.

They spent a lot of time wandering Panem and reacquainting themselves with some of the people that they did remember. Her mother often had tea with Hazelle, Gale and Rory's mother, whom she had known when they previously lived in Panem. Her Dad hung out with Haymitch and would sometimes share a brandy or two at the man's house.

Her parents even had dinner with Haymitch and Effie whenever her interior decorator was in town.

While things were all well and good, Katniss' parents still worried about her. Her mother took one look at her fridge and freaked out over the lack of food inside of it. Her father spent his time at her house, fixing one thing or another, and showing her how to fix minor house issues.

"Mom, Dad," she began as they walked through the aisle of a local grocery store. Her parents insisted on stocking her fridge, especially since they had decided to cook dinner that evening and had invited Peeta and Prim. "I can take care of this. You didn't have to come with me."

They stood, flanking each of her sides, with content smiles on her faces.

"You always liked to go grocery shopping with us," her mother told her and put an arm around her. "You were always grabbing for cookies whenever you rode the cart and throwing them in when you were in high school."

She let out a chuckle. "I'm a designer now. I have to try and control myself once in a while. I can't eat my way in cookies!"

"What do you think that Peeta and Prim would like for dinner?" Her father asked. "Beef or chicken?"

"They'll be fine with anything," Katniss told him. "Peeta is the cook between us and I'm not trying to poison either one of them."

Her father nodded and set off to go choose the evening's protein in the butcher section.

"What about the dinner that was in the house when we first arrived?" Her mother asked into her ear. She looked at Katniss with a cheeky grin. "Peeta said that you prepared it—the night before we arrived."

Her cheeks went red. "Mom! Can we not talk about this? We're in a grocery store."

"I'm just teasing you, Katniss," her mother responded. "Just because you've grown up—doesn't mean that you're not allowed to laugh." She smiled lovingly at Katniss. "And, you should laugh, because it is the most beautiful sound in the world to your father and me."

Katniss felt the tears spring to her eyes. It had been an emotional time for her. She was happy to have her parents back. They had not rushed her to talk about her past, or about Helena. They had understood that she would come to them.

"You know what?" Katniss suddenly said. "I think Prim would love your potato gratin. Peeta and I love to eat macaroni and cheese. Prim is pretty much over it."

"Good idea." Her mother set off to get the ingredients.

Distractedly, Katniss moved along the grocery aisle and her arms reached out to automatically open up a box of cookies. Reaching into the box, she didn't realize that she was walking into someone until she heard the clank of their carts.

"Sorr—" Looking up, she met the woman's hard eyes. "Delly."

"Katniss." Her voice was soft, but sharp. "I can never get away from you."

"I'm not exactly trying to run into you," Katniss replied, her own voice hard.

"You've ruined everything," Delly suddenly spat. "Who the hell do you think you are? Peeta and I were getting along just fine—until you came along! We were getting somewhere!"

"Peeta is a grown man," Katniss responded. "If he wanted to be with you, then he would've have been with you already." She met Delly's eyes steadily. "I did not steal him from you. Get that through your head!"

"No wonder your husband left you—you're nothing but some little succubus who goes around destroying lives," the woman said in a seething voice. "You destroy everything around you until there's nothing left—I've read Cato's interviews. You used him to get into his father's company and you pushed him away, until there was nothing he could do but go to other women for the love that he needed from you." Delly walked over to her. "You destroyed him and eventually you'll destroy Peeta."

The blood drained from her face. "What interviews are you talking about?"

Delly grinned triumphantly. "The ones that hit _People_ and _Vanity Fair_'s websites today." She walked up to Katniss. "Is it true that you didn't even spend your last anniversary together because you were so busy 'entertaining' his father's board?"

Katniss shook her head, the tears beginning to form. "That's not true. If it was true, we—" Her voice caught. They had conceived Helena that night—so, they had spent their anniversary together.

She would never tell Delly that, however.

"You step away from our daughter." Her father went immediately to her side. "She has been harassed enough."

"And, if you ever come near her again," her mother continued. "I will rip you limb from limb."

Delly almost squeaked, her cart rumbling as she turned to rush away from them.

Her father immediately cupped his daughter's face. "Katniss—"

She began to sob against his hands. "Dad…" Her mother enveloped her in her arms. "Mom…"

"It's okay, Katniss," her mother said as she rocked her. "It's okay to cry. Sometimes, you have to let it out."

"Yes, my love," her father said as he wrapped both Katniss and his wife in his embrace. "You've been strong long enough."

* * *

Katniss awoke to strong arms wrapping around her waist. "Peeta."

His lips smiled against her ear, his voice soft in the darkness. "How did you know it was me?"

"Your scent—the aftershave you wear and the scent of sugar," she replied quietly, feeling his heartbeat against her back. "How did you get up here?"

"Climbed through your window," he told her. "Like Romeo."

"Or, like a fourteen-year-old Peeta Mellark." She turned to face him, her eyes stinging from her crying jag. "I'm sorry that we canceled on dinner."

"Your mother told me what happened," he told her, his blue eyes cold. "That's it—I'm filing charges against Delly. She is sick."

Katniss nodded. "My past will always haunt me—Cato, Clove, Glimmer—they're always going to be there. Even Helena haunts me, sometimes."

"It's okay, it's over now." Peeta pulled her against him and she laid her head against his chest. "The truth is out there and one day—when you're ready—you will tell the world of Helena and of what happened with Cato. Cor, Effie, Johanna, and everyone else will corroborate your story. You didn't do anything but love a man. He just happened to be the wrong man."

"I ended up with the right one, anyway," she replied. Pushing herself up on her elbow, Katniss looked down at him, her hair flowing down and resting against the white shirt he wore. "I love you, Peeta Mellark." Her lips rose in a soft smile. "No one else."

He smiled contently as he looked up at her, his board chest rising and falling calmly. "I love you, too."

Katniss laid her head back down, nestling it in the space in-between his shoulder and chest. "Tell me about our children," she whispered into his soft shirt.

She felt the low humming against her as he inhaled. "Don't you want to know about our wedding first?"

"No—my mother will plan it and my father will give me away," she told him. "It's all they've ever asked of me—to be involved."

"Fair enough," he told her. "So—our children. I'd like a girl, first."

Katniss snorted. "Aren't you tired of being surrounded by girls?"

"No, it's a blessing to be around all of you," he told her simply. "Our daughter will have dark hair like yours. Prim will braid it when it's long enough and play dress up with her. She'll try to do with it our son—but, he'll be stubborn like me and refuse."

As the night wore on, she listened to Peeta describe their first two children—as if they were already there.

And as she closed her eyes, she dreamt of them.

They were playing together in the front yard of the Mellark house, their daughter and son, her with the dark hair and him with the blond curls.

Then, there was the third one—the little toddler—crawling towards them.

The one who looked like Prim and Peeta's mother.

* * *

She knocked on their bedroom door before opening it quietly.

Her parents sat up in their bed, her father in his reading glasses and her mother in the familiar cream robe that Katniss had bought her as a Mother's Day present long ago.

"Am I bothering you?" she asked at the open doorway.

Her father placed the book he was reading on his lap and shook his head. "Of course not, sweetheart."

Her mother patted the space next to her as she moved closer to the middle. "Come and sit, Katniss."

She approached them with a box in her hands—the same items that she had shown Peeta long ago, resting inside.

Sitting at the foot of their bed, Katniss opened the box and pulled out the lone sonogram photo of Helena.

Placing the photo on the comforter for them, she met their eyes; her own eyes beginning to water.

"I'm ready to talk."

Her parents looked to one another before nodding.

Her mother placed her hand over Katniss'.

"Then, we're ready to listen."

* * *

It's a rather short chapter—but that happens from time to time.

A lot of people seemed very anxious about the Everdeens—they're not as bad as they seem. They've only been doing what they thought Katniss wanted of them, despite the fact that it hurt them in the process.

Katniss is starting to daydream to herself about the whole marriage and baby thing. There's a little bit more that has to happen before they even get there—I mean, if they do…

Delly will get hers—trust me.

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are welcomes on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Chapter Fourteen, Peeta

Until then, JLaLa


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Peeta

Wow, all of you are amazing! Thank you for your support!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Fourteen: Peeta**_

_Four Weeks Later…_

Katniss had a beautiful back.

Smooth and unblemished, the straight line of her spine moved whenever she shifted in her sleep. The dip of her slim waist was prominent and his hand went to the curve, moving along her skin until he reached her bare hip under the comforter.

"What time is it?" Katniss asked sleepily.

"It's four," he replied and she turned to him, a soft smile on her face. "Prim won't be back until dinner. There's still time if you just want to hang out a little longer."

"Hang out? Is that what we're calling it now?" Sitting up, Katniss leaned forward to kiss him quickly. He melted quickly at her touch. She had a strange effect on him—that ability to make him fall apart by the simplest gestures. "It's funny how Prim conveniently has a whole bunch of homework after school."

"The newest substitute is a bit of a slave driver, according to her," he told her jokingly.

"Well, my mother always had high expectations in everything," Katniss responded wryly.

Kate had become Prim's new substitute teacher since Delly's transfer to another school district. After her argument with Katniss at the grocery store, both he and her parents had lost it. The words, the harassment, and the unfair treatment of his girlfriend and their daughter would not be ignored despite Katniss' protest.

Peeta had hired Johanna as his attorney. In turn, she promptly sued Delly citing harassment along with piling on a restraining order. Delly Cartwright was now ordered to stay fifty feet away from both Katniss and Prim. He could not trust his former girlfriend any longer—there was something unhinged about her words and behavior.

However, this left Prim's class without a teacher.

It was then that Kate had stepped in with her teaching degree and credentials. She had been a teacher before her family had moved to Panem and had intermittently taught in some of the cities that she traveled to with her husband.

"Prim enjoys her," Peeta said as she settled her head on his shoulder. "Also, I think Prim somehow understands that you're feeling a bit…crowded."

"Ever since I sat down and had that talk with my parents, they have been a bit overprotective," she replied with a laugh. "And, when I mean 'a bit', I mean that they're _this_ close to putting me in bubble wrap."

"They mean well because they love you."

Peeta looked to her and she shifted over to straddle him. Immediately his cock sprung to life, hard at the thought of how close he was to being inside her once more.

"It just leaves a lot less time for us to be alone," she told him wrapping her arms around his neck. "And, I get so lonely at night…" Her hand found its way to his length and Peeta felt her tease the tip of him against her wet slit before plunging onto him. Her eyes rolled back as she moved against him slowly. "I hate to sneak around like this…yes…"

His hands found her hips to guide her slowly up and down along his turgid member and the coiling of pleasure inside him built as they moved. Peeta loved watching her when they made love—her eyes would go from a lighter slate to the color of glowing coals and the sighs that escaped her swollen lips were the sounds that haunted his dreams.

"I find it kind of exciting…" His mouth went to her ear. "Also, our time is much more precious." She grinded against him and a shock of desire shot up his spine. He pushed up deeper and Katniss cried out. "Did I ever tell you that I love hearing you when we're together?"

Katniss groaned, her mouth biting into his shoulder. "Like this?"

"Yes," he continued breathlessly, feeling her tightening around his pulsating cock with the beginning of her climax. His movements became harsh and erratic in the grasp of her warm, soaked sheath.

"PEETA…" Katniss called out unrestrained—his name echoed in his bedroom and he pulled her closer as he came, pushing up roughly as he filled her. Katniss fell against him, her breasts against his chest and still hard nipples brushing against his skin causing shivers to move along his over-sensitive skin. Her eyes met his and her hand went to his hair. "Why is it always so wonderful to be with you?"

"Because we love each other," he whispered against her. "It's not just this—being here with you that I love. It's waking up to you." Her lips fell into a smile. "It's seeing you with Prim at the kitchen table or sitting together on the front porch of the house."

Her head tilted as she watched him speak and Peeta saw her eyes suddenly go serious, the playful light now gone.

"Peeta—do you want to move in together?" she asked bluntly.

It took a moment for the question to sink in. "What?"

"Me, you, Prim—in one house," Katniss continued slowly. "You and I waking up together."

"That's a loaded question to ask someone at the moment," Peeta replied. "I mean—we just made love. I'm still inside you."

Her face fell and Katniss quickly moved off of him. "You're right. It was a stupid thing to ask—"

"No, it's not that," Peeta said as she leaned down to pick up the shirt that she discarded to the floor. "Katniss—stop!" She stopped and turned her shoulder to look at him. "I want you to be sure of what you're asking."

"Of course, I know what I'm asking you," she huffed. "I'm perfectly capable of making a decision. I love the thought of waking up to you and spending time with Prim. We can have it if we want—all of that."

"With that come the questions of marriage and family," he said. "And, I'm afraid that it will become too much for you. We haven't been together that long—less than six months—"

"Six months in only a few weeks," she told him with a sigh. "Peeta, maybe this hesitation isn't your concern for me but for something else. I've learned to trust my gut—because I've gotten in trouble when I didn't." She pulled on the jeans that were thrown to the ground. "I love you and I love Prim, too."

Sitting next to him, Katniss took his hand. "I think you're afraid that this has to do with Cato. This is not about Cato and me. With him, I hesitated and I held back. Looking back, I see that there was a reason for what I did." Katniss kissed him gently. "With you, I'm scared—but I don't doubt us. Maybe you shouldn't either."

* * *

"Where's Katniss?" Prim asked later that evening.

Placing the bowl of salad in front of her, Peeta went to his own seat. "At her house."

"Did you fight or something?" She took a piece of chicken from the plate next to her before scooping some salad onto her plate.

"Why?"

Prim gave him a smile. "Because you're looking less moony after your 'alone' time."

"How do I usually look?" he asked curiously.

"Like your head exploded and Katniss had to put it back together again." Prim stuck her tongue out at him before going back to her meal. "So, what's going on?"

"Can I ask you a serious question?" he suddenly said to her. Prim put her fork down and nodded. "What would you think if Katniss came to live with us?'

His sister tilted her head in thought for a moment. "Did you ask her?"

Peeta shook his head and grinned. "She asked me."

"I have to admire her for that. That took guts," Prim responded. She rested her elbows onto the table, pushing her plate back as she did. "Do you think that it was easy for her?"

"What?"

"Getting the guts to ask you that—after everything she's been through?" Her sister continued. "After her ex-husband, you'd think that Katniss wouldn't be into moving in with anyone at all." Prim pointedly looked at him. "But, she chose you—she chose us."

"And, I was a complete ass." Katniss had done a completely brave thing. She had risked the scrutiny of her friends, her family, and the overall public by asking him to move in—and he had practically acted like the idea was the worst thing in the world. He rested his head in his hands, letting the regret seep in. Peeta looked to his sister. "You do realize that it will be a big change for both for us."

"I'm thirteen, Peeta." Prim responded. "My life is nothing but big changes." She took her fork, spearing pieces of lettuce leaves onto it. "But it's been awhile since we've had a good change."

"I know." He look to her once more. "Do you think it's too late to beg her for forgiveness?"

Prim shook her head and placed a hand over his. "No, because Katniss believes in the idea of us. So do you, but you're scared. You're young and it's completely normal. I think that she's scared that you both want different things—that maybe you're backing out on the relationship."

He remembered the conversation that he had with her on his birthday. The age gap issue was definitely one thing that bothered her. Peeta, however, had never given it a thought.

Because when he was with her, numbers were inconsequential. Together in their room, it was just them—safe and sound from the world.

That's all he wanted for Katniss: to be safe, protected and loved—by him.

"Why don't you just talk to her?" Prim suddenly said exasperated. "Pull that whole climbing up her tree thing that you always do and beg her to come live with us." She took the bowl of mashed potatoes. "Because, you're ruining my meal."

Standing up, he kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Prim replied with a grin. "Now, let me eat in peace."

* * *

"We really have to stop running into each other like this," Katniss said as she let him in through her window. "That tree is older than we are, you know."

Peeta grinned sheepishly, admiring her legs in the knee-length pajama top that she wore.

"One day, I'll learn how to use your front door." Katniss sat on the bed and he walked over, sitting beside her and taking her hand. "Did I tell you how much of a dick I am?"

"Not lately," she replied with an impish grin. "But, it never hurts to hear it."

"I was scared," he told her, his eyes looking to their joined hands. "I've never lived with anyone—in that way."

"Neither have I," she said. "I mean I shared an address with Cato but we never actually lived together. I paid for the bills, decorated, cooked, and cleaned—for myself." Katniss looked over at him. "This would be new for me, too."

"We would have to shop for groceries together," he told her. "And do laundry. Every Saturday, I go for a jog and try to get Prim to come with me. Don't be surprised if I'm shaking you awake to join me. On holidays, Prim and I take a trip upstate to visit our parents' graves—dad gets yellow roses and mom gets white hydrangeas."

"I'm aware of that," Katniss replied. "I have a cookie obsession and tend to open the boxes while I'm grocery shopping. I hate to iron and would rather throw my clothes in the drawer than fold them. During that time of the month, I blast music really loud on my iPod while I'm showering to cover up my groans over the cramps. On Christmas, I watch every version of "_Little Women_" and when Helena's birthday comes up—I will probably be a basket case."

"We have a lot to learn about each other," Peeta said quietly. He put an arm around her and pressed his lips to her temple smelling the floral shampoo that he spent nights dreaming about. "But, if I get to wake up holding you every morning—then I'll be okay."

"If you kiss me awake, then I'll be okay," Katniss replied, burying her face in his neck. "What about Prim?"

"She'll have to worry about two people bothering her if she doesn't get home on time," he told her. "I don't think she'll mind too much. In fact, she was sort of the one who knocked some sense into me." Peeta turned to kiss the top of her head. "Do you want to do laundry with me for the foreseeable future?"

Katniss chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Do you want to fund my cookie obsession?"

"Yes, and if you want every weekend, I can make you a batch of cookies," Peeta said. He felt the smile grow on his face as she moved onto his lap and kissed him. "I'll take that as a yes."

"More like a hell yes," she murmured against his mouth. "I love you."

"I love you—and sometimes I can't believe that I get to kiss you," he told her. "Or, that I get to look into those eyes."

"Lucky you. You get to look at them whenever you want—as soon as I move in. You get to look at them all red after a hangover or completely puffy when I get allergies." There was a sudden knock on the door and the two jumped apart. Katniss turned to him. "Hurry—hide!"

Quickly, Peeta rushed to her closet. He could hear Katniss' hurried footsteps and her deep inhale before opening the door.

"Hey, sweetheart," her mother said. "Where do you keep your extra toothpaste? We just ran out."

"I think there should be another box in the hallway closet," she told her mother in a rushed voice.

"Alright…" Kate drawled. "You okay? You're a little flushed."

"Just—uh…doing some sit-ups before bed," Katniss replied.

It was the worst excuse Peeta had ever heard. He almost slapped his own forehead in exasperation.

"Well, goodnight darling," Kate said and he could hear the woman kiss her daughter. "Oh—and when Peeta comes out of your closet, he's welcome to use the front door to leave. He seems to have a lot more trouble climbing up that tree of yours—your father heard him grunting as he climbed it."

* * *

"Moving in together," Finnick repeated as they walked down the street towards the Peeta's house. "That's a big step. Practically like being—"

"Married," Peeta finished for his friend. "We just had that conversation with Katniss' parents, last weekend."

"Are they worried?"

"No, they're actually excited," he told Finnick. "They're all for us getting married. In fact, they suggested that we do that before moving in together."

"And your reactions?" Finnick peered at him in curiosity.

"Katniss was indignant," Peeta said. "And, I was not altogether bothered by the thought." He turned to his friend, the two stopping on the sidewalk. "You should have seen the look on her face—like a deer in headlights."

"You two are the weirdest couple I've ever met." Finnick shook his head at him. "You freak out over moving in together and now she's freaking out over marriage. Clearly, you two want these things—why are you so damn stubborn?"

"Because it is all happening so fast for us!" he suddenly burst out. "I'm used to just teaching and taking care of Prim. Katniss is used to running a business and sitting in board meetings. Now, here we are trying to learn how to be in a relationship and how to cohabitate. I want to be with Katniss and she wants to be with me—but, why does there have to be a time limit?"

"How does she feel?" His friend asked.

"Exactly the same way. When we get married, it will be on our own terms," Peeta informed him. "She's the one, Finnick. I want the wedding, the marriage, the children—but it has to be real and not because there is some invisible timeline that we need to hit."

"As long as you can keep that in mind, then you two will do great," Finnick assured him. "You're both sensible people." His friend suddenly stopped before turning to smile at Peeta. "She's really moving in, isn't she?"

"I thought we cleared this up," Peeta said.

Then, Finnick pointed across the street at his house, where Effie's limo was parked on the sidewalk and Johanna's car was in his driveway. Annie and Katniss were sitting on the front porch along with Cinna and Portia, wine glasses in their hands.

"Welcome to the wonderful world of cohabitation," Finnick joked before putting his arm around Peeta and leading him across the street.

* * *

"They wanted to do something nice for us," Katniss said, later that evening. Effie had insisted that they wait at Annie and Finnick's house until everything was complete. Now, they stood on their front porch contemplating whether they should enter—afraid of what they would see. "They didn't touch anything else other than our room—and Prim's room." She rushed through her last words. "Effie, Cinna, and Portia consulted her, of course."

Turning to him, Katniss led him over to the seats of their front porch. She looked him over for a moment, biting her lip anxiously as she did.

"You're mad, aren't you?" she finally asked.

"This is _our _house as of today," he began.

Katniss had sold her home to her parents for the same price that she had bought it. Johanna had set-up the contract and had come to have the Everdeens sign the agreement. She had also come to negotiate the terms of Katniss and Peeta's living arrangement, including the joint account set-up for household expenses, as well as Katniss' agreement to split the annual house tax payment.

It had been a long day of reading contracts as the mystery decorating occurred.

"I just want to make sure that it is still us in there," Peeta continued. "How am I supposed to know what the perfect union of us would be if someone else decorated our bedroom?"

"Well, we go in," Katniss said. "We go upstairs and we look around. Then, we decide what stays and what goes—together." She turned to him. "Nothing is set in stone. I told them that nothing else was to be touched. None of the other rooms—especially your parents' room."

He brushed her chin with his finger. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she replied softly. "It means a lot to all of us that we preserve what we have left of them. When we're all ready, we look in the room, okay?"

Standing up, Peeta opened the door and held out his hand. "Come on. Show me our new house."

Excitedly, Katniss stood up and took his hand.

Inside, he looked to find nothing had changed and it comforted him immediately. His mother's rustic chic décor was still intact. Together, they walked up the stairs and Peeta turned to see the reassuring smile of his parents as they passed the last Mellark family photo.

"Let's check out Prim's room first," Katniss suggested and they made the turn to the teenager's room. Soft music played through the closed door and she gave it a knock. "Prim?"

"Come in," his sister called out.

Opening the door, Katniss let him enter first so he could get a thorough look at the room. The first thing he noticed was that Prim had kept the canopy bed that his parents had bought for her. However, it had been repainted in a silvery sheen giving it a more modern look. His eyes followed to the teal accent wall in the back of the bed where three hand-drawn fashion illustrations were hung above her headboard.

Prim gave him a smile. "They're Katniss'. Cinna brought them over to see if I liked any of them." She looked over at Katniss. "Is he okay?"

His girlfriend sat on the bed and put an arm around Prim. "Peeta is still processing."

"I can see," Prim responded with a playful grin. "I did a lot of the choosing myself—Cinna just sat down with me and talked about ideas that might be fun for the runway show instead of telling me what I should do. So this room is pretty much all me—the 'me' of the moment, anyway."

"If anything, Cinna was probably trying to get ideas from you," Katniss told her. "You're his muse."

Prim met his eyes. "I really like it, Peeta. I know you're worried but we're going to be okay."

He nodded, his anxiousness ebbing away as he watched his sister show Katniss the sketchbook that Cinna had given her. Together, his two girls went through Prim's sketches and Katniss took a pencil to write notes into the margins for his sister.

Katniss looked up at him. "I think I might have found my heir apparent to Everdeen Design."

"Let's get her to eighth grade before she takes over your empire," Peeta responded.

Standing up, Katniss hugged Prim quickly. "Goodnight sweetie. I'm glad you like your room."

"I'm glad you're here," Prim told her. "It's nice to have another girl in the house—to get tampons from and sync my cycle with. You know…the usual chick stuff."

Katniss snorted; a bemused smile on her lips. "Looking forward to it."

Peeta went to kiss the top of her head. "Goodnight, Prim."

"Enjoy your new room," his sister replied. "Just not too much—thin walls."

"Oh, this is going to be very fun for me," he said before closing the door behind him. Katniss waited, her arms crossed, anxious to know his thoughts. "It was a nice room. It definitely perpetuates how much Prim has grown."

"You're used to seeing her surrounded in pink," Katniss said as she took his hand and led him to the closed door of their room. "So, I told Effie that we wanted to keep the room neutral—nothing too girly, and definitely comfortable."

Opening the door, they stepped inside together.

"Holy crap," he breathed out as he looked around.

"I agree," Katniss said, her hand still gripping his. "I waited to see the room with you and I have to say—Effie went above and beyond."

The room was perfect.

The walls were warm gray but the room was balanced with neutral accents—linen colored curtains that dragged lazily on the floor, the fluffy white bedding with patterned throw pillows, the soft chocolate quilt draped over the comforter and the butterscotch padded headboard crowning their bed.

"Wow," he said as he reached over to touch the vintage wooden trunk at the end of their bed. Extra brown and cream quilts sat on top of it. "This is amazing."

"I can't believe that they got all this done," Katniss added as she touched the dark oak side table with the grey shaded lamp. A small vase of burnt orange flowers sat next to the lamp. "I guess this must be my side."

Peeta went to his side table with the identical lamp. Curiously, he opened the drawer to the side table and looked inside.

"This must be Johanna's work," Peeta said as he looked at the contents of the drawer.

It was filled with condom packets.

Joining him, Katniss looked in and laughed. "I think this is Johanna's way of telling us that she's not ready to be an Aunt."

Peeta looked across to the long dresser where two tall white candleholders stood to each side, both lit with burnt orange candles. Picture frames stood along the top of the dresser and he went to examine each one, his eyes filling as he looked at them.

The picture of him with his parents during his high school graduation sat in beautiful new wooden frame. Beside it, a picture of Peeta holding a newborn Prim—a nervous smile on his adolescent face. It followed with various pictures of Prim. There was also the one of them together during his college graduation—one that Haymitch had taken. Then, there was one that he hadn't seen before.

It was a picture of the three of them: Katniss, Prim and himself. It was obvious that they were unaware of the photo. The three of them were in Katniss' store in Manhattan; Prim's eyes were bright with wonderment as she looked up at an object not at the camera viewpoint while he and Katniss smiled at one another.

"Cinna can be very sneaky sometimes," Katniss said as she joined him. She picked up the photo and looked at it fondly. "But, Portia is a better photographer." Her eyes met his shyly. "Do you like the room? I did ask for one more thing."

"What?'

She picked up a small remote on top of the dresser and pressed the power button. "You seem to really like the surround sound speakers in my penthouse—so I had them put it in our room. Also, Effie changed the door—it's soundproof so no one can hear anything outside of it."

The soft piano filled the room. He turned to see her watching for his reaction to it all. Katniss had done everything in her power to keep the life he had known intact. Yet, he found himself excited at the newness of it all and the idea of the quiet intertwining of their futures.

"Say something," she demanded impatiently, her eyes tense. "I'm going crazy over here!"

Peeta held out his hand, an easy smile rising on his lips. "Welcome home."

She took his hand and he pulled her close wrapping an arm around her waist as they swayed to the soft embrace of the music.

"_You lift my heart up when the rest of me is down  
You, you enchant me even when you're not around  
If there are boundaries, I will try to knock them down  
I'm latching on, babe, now I know what I have found…"_

They danced, silent in their own thoughts.

How quickly his life had changed.

And, he couldn't be more grateful for it—and for her.

There was a sudden strange pounding underneath their feet and they pulled apart.

"What was that?" Katniss asked. She grabbed the remote and turned off the music so they could listen to the noise.

He heard the familiar ring of the doorbell. "Someone is at the door."

Going to the bedroom door, they stepped out to hear the incessant ringing. Prim had peeked out and he looked over at his worried sister. "Just stay up here." Prim nodded before going back to her room and closing the door behind her.

Together, he and Katniss descended the stairs. Moving his girlfriend behind him, Peeta looked over to see her jaw tighten as she stared at the door.

He shared her same worry—the reporters were possibly back.

Opening the door slowly, Peeta pulled it open relieved to see Effie and Haymitch in front of him. "Holy fuck—you two scared us!"

"Language, Peeta!" Effie warned them before rushing over to quickly hug him then Katniss. "I know that you're getting comfortable in your new home but we have some news."

Peeta looked over at Haymitch, who was grinning over at the woman.

"We already know, Effie," Katniss said impatiently. "You've finally said yes to living with Haymitch."

"Not that!" Effie excitedly held out her hand to show them the bright emerald ring on her finger. "WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"

* * *

Bet you didn't see that one coming. I just made Elizabeth Banks' dream come true—there's going to be a Hayffie wedding.

I will tell you now that the next chapter will take place _**two months later **_from this chapter_. _We're going to see how these two are coping with living together, along with the upcoming nuptials.

Also, there will be a trip back to Manhattan…

Hope you're enjoying so far—I think this is about the quickest step that they've taken, but it will be their last big move for a while. Though I will say there are quite a few people who are going to wonder why they aren't getting married yet.

We will not see Delly in the next chapter—as certain people might make an appearance.

As always—hellos, comments and reviews are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Oh yeah—the song playing as they danced in their new room was "Latch (Acoustic)" sung by Sam Smith.

Next: Chapter Fifteen, Katniss—two months later—an engagement party, a Manhattan trip, an unexpected visitor.

Until then, JLaLa


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Katniss

Wow, I'm overwhelmed by your support! Thank you so much!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Fifteen: Katniss**_

_Two Months Later…_

"How is it going?"

Katniss looked up from her sketch to see her mother looking over her shoulder. She gave the woman a smile as Kate sat down beside her daughter, a cup of tea in her hands.

"I think it's going well," Katniss replied as she went to her tool case and grabbed a rendering marker. "The positive part of the whole thing is that Effie is a very involved bride. She has a very clear vision of what she wants." Uncapping the marker, she began to shadow along the edges of the designed dress. "The negative part is that Effie is a very involved bride—" She put the cap back on the marker. "—so this is my fifth sketch."

"At least you'll be able to communicate better while you're in Manhattan," Kate said with a grin. "Especially since you are Maid of Honor and her dress designer."

"Don't remind her," Peeta said as he walked into the kitchen. He went to kiss the top of Katniss' head and she smiled as he joined her at the table. "It's been a real joy being awakened at all hours of the night by a flood of texts from the future Mrs. Abernathy."

"How about you, Peeta?" Her mother asked. "Are the Best Man duties getting to you?"

"My duties consist of one simple action: supply rum to the groom when needed," he told Katniss' mom.

The front door slammed and Prim rushed in, her cheeks red and her smile bright. "Hey everyone!" She looked around and met Katniss' eyes. "Can we talk real quick?"

"Sure. I'll meet you upstairs," Katniss replied. Prim nodded and rushed to hug her brother and then Kate, before bouncing out of the kitchen.

"I should go anyway. Your father is probably back from his golf game," Kate told them. "When are you planning to fly to Manhattan again?"

"The engagement party is in a week," Peeta said. "It's perfect because both schools are on Winter Break. We're flying out early Monday so we can take in some sights and Katniss can look in on the store."

"Also, I'll be spending some time with Cor," Katniss added. "He wants me in on the quarterly review meeting."

She had been e-mailing her former father-in-law frequently to check on the man. The interviews that Cato had done for _People_ and _Vanity Fair_ had backfired, causing many to question the Snow heir and, in turn, it had caused many to question Cor. There had been a bit of stock fall and the man had taken it as well as he could.

Katniss, however, knew that Cor was suffering.

"You're a good daughter," her mother said and kissed her cheek. She went to Peeta and hugged him goodbye before leaving the kitchen.

When the front door closed, the couple turned to one another.

"I better go upstairs," Katniss told him with a smile and stood up.

"Wait!" Peeta called out. She stopped and he took her hand, pulling her gently towards him. She sat on his lap and gazed down at his handsome face. "I haven't kissed you since this morning!"

"Well, we can't have that," Katniss said before leaning down to kiss him.

She was immediately lost once their lips touched. Peeta wrapped his arms around her waist to press them together in the small chair. He teased her mouth open, his tongue snaking in to caress her own and she crossed her legs to stop the heat building in-between her legs.

Katniss reluctantly ripped her mouth from his. "I should go. Prim is expecting me up there."

He nodded and she stood up, smoothing down her t-shirt dress. "Why do you think that she doesn't want me up there?"

Peeta looked hurt and she reached to caress his rough chin. He had intended to shave that morning, but their morning kiss had turned into him thrusting into her against the bathroom sink.

"Don't be upset," she told him softly. "It's probably a girl thing and Prim will tell you when she is ready."

"Okay," he responded and then reached to squeeze her hand. "Did I ever tell you that I love having you here?"

Katniss kissed him once more. "No, but you've shown me every day since I've moved in." She winked at him. "I'll be upstairs."

* * *

Knocking on the door, Katniss turned the knob and peeked into Prim's room. "Can I come in?"

Prim, who had been sitting on her bed hugging her pillow, quickly jumped off the bed and widened the door for Katniss. "Come in! Sit!"

"What has gotten you so excited?" Katniss asked as she sat on the bed. "Did you do something bad?"

"Always," the teenager responded with a grin as she joined her friend. "Anyway, I need some advice." Her cheeks brightened before she met Katniss' eyes. "Rory asked me to the Winter Dance."

"That's great!" She hugged the beaming girl. "When is it?"

"This Friday," Prim informed her. "The thing is, I haven't responded yet. I told him that I'd ask you and Peeta and call him after. Also, I don't know if I'm the right girl to be going with Rory. I'm not exactly winning any popularity awards—a lot of the girls in class are wondering why he even hangs out with me and Rue."

Katniss saw that Prim was still feeling very insecure about everything that had occurred. Kate reported there were some girls that were still a little catty towards Prim in class. Young girls were competitive and they didn't respond well to Prim's sudden but unwanted attention.

"Other than what a few little bitches—" Katniss' hand went over her mouth immediately. It was hard to see Prim as just another teenage girl. "—sorry about that, I mean _young girls_ think. What do you want?"

Prim chuckled. "I know what the word 'bitch' is," she said to Katniss. Prim picked a sudden invisible piece of lint on her thick leggings. "I want to go. I really like Rory."

"Then, say yes," Katniss urged her. "I think you'll have a good time. Then you and Rory can go from there—slowly."

"Yes, because you and my brother are such fine examples," Prim snorted. She stopped and looked to Katniss. "But, I'm really glad you're here. I don't think that Peeta has smiled as much since—" The young girl looked away and Katniss could see the tears forming. "—anyway, we're happy that you've joined our crazy little house. Thanksgiving could have gone better but—well, it happens."

"I told you that I didn't realize that you needed to thaw the turkey before putting it in the oven!" Katniss protested. Her anger dissipated at Prim's inability to hold in her smile and Katniss let out a laugh. "Okay, I'll admit. I can't cook or read a recipe."

"We had pizza and I like pizza," Prim offered. "Also, the pumpkin pie was good."

"Come on, the pie looked like garbage," Katniss said.

"But, _good _garbage," Prim pointed out. "It was a fun Thanksgiving. I think Mom and Dad would've loved being there."

"They were there, honey," Katniss said. "Your parents and Helena…" Her mind drifted to the light little girl that she once held—she would've been two at the beginning of the upcoming year. Katniss took a deep breath before smiling at Prim once more. "So, you'll call Rory?"

Prim nodded. "Do you think that Peeta will be mad?" she asked.

Katniss shook her head. "He was a little upset that you didn't want him in on our conversation," she admitted to the young girl. "You're growing up and I know that it's getting harder to tell him things. But, he just wants to be involved."

"You're right," Prim said with a nod. "Thanks for the advice."

"Of course," Katniss replied and kissed the top of the teenager's head.

There was a shuffle from behind Prim's door and their eyes met.

Getting up, Katniss went to it to listen; she looked over at Prim with a sly smile.

"How long do you think that your brother has been listening on us?" she asked loudly.

"Not too long," Prim replied. "I'm sure that he didn't hear our pillow fight and our discussion on tramp stamps."

Opening the door, Katniss peeked out and found Peeta attempting to walk quietly toward the stairs. He turned at the noise and looked at her guiltily.

"I just came upstairs and wanted to check that everything was alright," he told her shamefully. "How did you know I was by the door?"

"Your steps aren't quiet," Katniss told him. "Come on! Prim wants to ask you something." She went to him and took his hand. "Just remember that you attempted to spy on her—and this would be an awesome way to make up for it."

"Am I going to be unhappy?" he asked as they made their way back to Prim's room.

"Depends," she replied, her hand entwined in his. "How do you really feel about tramp stamps?"

* * *

"So, Prim is going on a date," Peeta said as he joined her in their bed. "I don't know how to feel."

"She was nervous about telling you," Katniss replied as she worked on Effie's sketch. "You know how it was at that age: the sweaty palms, the wondering if you should hold the person's hand…"

"Yeah, well…I wasn't into a lot of the girls in my class," he told them. "I don't think that I looked at a girl—until you."

She looked over at him, her eyebrows raised. "You already have me in the bed. I don't think that you have to worry about getting in good with me." Her phone beeped and Katniss groaned. Looking at the text, she turned to him. "Ranunculus or orchids?"

"Huh?"

"For the engagement party," she explained. "Just pick one—because Effie will just disagree and pick what she wants."

Peeta laid back on his pillows. "Then, why ask you?"

"I suppose that it's because she wants me to be in on everything," she told him.

"Just say both—orchids for the centerpieces and ranunculus for the overall decoration," he said after moment.

"Good idea." Katniss typed on her phone and then placed it back on her side table before turning to him. "Okay, back to Prim. I know that you were upset that she didn't go to you first."

Peeta shook his head. "I guess I just have to understand that she's a girl and you're a woman, so there are certain subjects, like boys, that need to be discussed," he muttered. "I still want to be part of her life. I want her to talk to me, too."

"You are going to be part of her life," Katniss reasoned. "You're going to be there for the everyday things and I find that those tend to be important in the end."

"What about you?" He looked over at her. "Aren't you going to be here—for the everyday things?"

Katniss settled back at his words. "Are we here once again?"

Peeta put an arm around her and she settled her head on his shoulder. She inhaled taking his scent in; he smelled of chalk and the bare trees outside their window.

He turned to press his mouth to her ear. "Aren't we always here?"

"Of course, I'm going to be here." Katniss brought her head back and met his eyes. "Remember, I'm going to need you there for the children and all." She saw his cheeks turn scarlet. "Are you blushing over children? You know how they're made, right?"

Leaning forward, Peeta captured her lips between his. She responded, her chest falling against his as he pulled her close. The heat that had formed in-between her thighs during their last kiss had come back full-force and she found herself aching to have him inside her.

This was a new sort of feeling—this hunger that Peeta had created inside her.

With Cato, it had been…satisfactory. Despite his prowess, her ex-husband lacked care when it came to the opposite sex. They hardly kissed on the lips before anything and it was over quickly.

But, Peeta—he was different.

He was all about exploration and learning, stuck in his teacher ways. The man took his time to learn every part of her body, to know when to be rough and when to be gentle. He could spend hours—and he had—just dragging his lips against her burning skin until she was begging to be taken by him.

"I know perfectly well how they're made," he said against her mouth. His own mouth went to her neck, sucking against her pulse point. "I can show you."

Pushing the comforter off her hurriedly, she straddled Peeta. His hands were already unbuttoning her shirt, his mouth going to kiss any skin exposed in his undressing as she scrambled to untie the string of his pajama pants.

Easily, he lifted his hips to push the pants off his hips and Katniss didn't bother to remove her panties, instead pushing the offending piece of cloth between her legs and plunging onto Peeta's eager cock. She held onto him and he drove up into her; their mouths meeting in a sloppy kiss as they grinded roughly against one another.

"Oh…fuck…" The moan fell against the ear that her mouth was pressed against. "More…."

_BEEP!_

"What the hell is that?" Peeta's mouth moved away from a peaked nipple and he met her eyes.

"Effie," she replied breathlessly, her hips still moving languidly against his. "Probably changed her mind about that whole flower arrangement."

"The Maid of Honor is off for tonight," he told her with a smile.

His mouth peppered kisses along her plush breasts and she threw her head back when his tongue swirled against a sharp peak.

_BEEP!_

_BEEP!_

_BEEP!_

"I officially hate Effie now," Katniss said as the phone began to vibrate with an incoming call from the agitated bride.

"Don't answer," Peeta said. "We're in the middle of something."

"She'll keep calling," she argued before she bent to grab the phone. Peeta kept a firm hold on her hips. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, we're finishing this," Peeta told her. "Now, answer her."

Katniss picked up quickly. "Hey Effie!"

"Katniss, darling! I wasn't bothering you, was I?" Effie said cheerfully over the phone.

Fuck yes, she was bothering her.

"No, Peeta and I were just getting to bed," she replied to the woman instead. Peeta shifted, rolling underneath her pelvis and a shot of pleasure hit her. "Uh…is this super important?"

"Honey—it's MY wedding. Everything is important," the woman said. "So, I've decided to nix ranunculus and orchids—it's white baby roses, all the way!"

"Sounds perfect…" Peeta continued to worship her breasts, his mouth latched onto one nipple as he cupped the other one. "A-A-Anything else?"

"I was just thinking for the party," Effie continued, unaware of what was going in-between Katniss' legs. "You and Peeta should match—or color coordinate, at least. Maybe you can both wear an off-white or Peeta can wear a silver tux and you can wear black. What do you think?"

She raised her brows at the suggestion. "Peeta in a silver tux?"

"No!" Peeta said against her. "Not silver!"

"Peeta isn't into silver, so maybe he'll do a black tux and I'll wear silver," she told Effie quickly as Peeta went back to kissing her now pulsating skin.

She could still feel him rock hard inside her and he grinned wickedly as he brought his fingers to her clit.

"OH FUCK!" Katniss suddenly cried out as his fingers circled the bundle of nerves.

"Are you okay?" Effie said worriedly.

"Oh fuck…uh, I'm just so damn excited about this party," she responded weakly. Peeta struggled to keep his laughter in and she clamped a hand over his mouth.

"We all are, but there's no need to curse, love," Effie reprimanded her.

"Sorry," Katniss said. "I should probably get to bed, too. So, we'll see you in a week, okay?"

"Have a good night, my dear," Effie said. "And, tell Peeta that while I'm glad that he's treating you well—sex during an important bridal conversation is considered a faux pas."

* * *

"It's perfect," Katniss said as she put the last pin into Prim's hair. "Let me get the hairspray." She reached next to her on Prim's bed to grab the aerosol can. "Close your eyes."

Prim grinned and closed her eyes, her hands covering her glitter-lidded eyes. Katniss got up to spray the back of the young girl's hair, starting at the side braided bun, and then working her way towards the front.

"I think that we have everything." Katniss sat back on the bed. "Now, do a little twirl for me."

Prim opened her eyes and grinned before doing a little spin. The glittered pumps clicked against the hardwood of Prim's bedroom and the tulle skirt danced around Prim's legs as she moved.

"The dress is really lovely on you," she said to the young girl. "I'll be sure to get a lot of pictures to show Cinna and the rest of the team. Don't be surprised if your photo is displayed at our next meeting."

"I wouldn't mind too much," Prim told her.

"We should go downstairs. Peeta is probably pacing the floor and wondering if you're going to come down looking like some teen version of Jessica Rabbit or something," she told Prim as they walked out of her room.

"Who's Jessica Rabbit?" Prim asked.

Katniss sighed and shook her head. "This generation knows nothing about good cinema."

Together, they walked arm in arm down the stairs where Peeta was waiting at the foot of it. He smiled at her quickly before his eyes zeroed in on Prim.

"My God, Prim. You're beautiful," he said in awe. "And, so grown up."

"Just for tonight," Prim replied. "Then, after I wash off all this makeup, I'll be back to your black-wearing sister."

"Prim, I've always thought you were beautiful," Peeta told her with a smile. "Since the day you were born—but, this is the first time I've seen you as a beautiful young woman."

"Big brother, you're such a sentimentalist." Prim rushed to hug him and Katniss watched Peeta embrace his sister, closing his eyes as he did. "But, I love you for it." The doorbell rang and slowly the two pulled away. "That's Rory."

"I'll get it," Katniss offered. She could see that the siblings needed a moment. Going to the door, she opened it and found Rory looking very nervous in a grey blazer and tie. "Come in, Rory."

Katniss widened the door for him and Rory quickly shuffled into the house. He froze when his eyes went to Prim, who was standing with her hands clasped together as she waited for his reaction.

"Wow," Rory said, his grey eyes wide as he stared at Prim. "You look…just…wow."

Prim smiled, her cheeks suddenly red. "Thanks. You look nice, too." Her eyes went to his hand, gripping a clear plastic box with a white orchid inside it. "Is that for me?"

The boy looked confused for a moment and his eyes followed Prim's quickly to the box.

"OH YEAH! Gale helped me pick it out," he told her. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want—"

"No, I want to," Prim told him. "I'll be the only girl there with a corsage. It'll make me unique."

Katniss watched the exchange. How innocent it all was. It had been so long since her own first date. She had been Prim's age and now—she couldn't even remember the boy's name. Katniss could only hope that Prim's love life would go better than hers.

She felt Peeta reach for her hand and their eyes met before he kissed the tops of her fingers.

"We're going to get going now," Prim suddenly called out.

"Wait!" Katniss went to the hallway table and grabbed her digital camera. "I need to take pictures!" Quickly, she posed Prim by herself by the stairs taking a quick set. Then, she brought her back to Rory. "Now, let me get one of the two of you."

The two friends stood next to one another and smiled.

"Act like you like each other," she insisted. "Put your arm around her, Rory!"

"I would, but Peeta is looking at me strangely," Rory said, his eyes behind Katniss.

She turned to see Peeta suddenly interested in his feet.

"Honey, can you please not glare at Prim's date?" she asked. "I'll give you an extra special treat if you let me take a decent picture."

"Gross," Prim said from where she stood. "We're going to be late and Mrs. Hawthorne is probably freezing while she waits in the car."

"Okay, okay—Rory, wrap your arms around Prim's waist," Katniss said and the two posed quickly so she could get the photo. "Perfect!"

"I'll be home by ten," Prim told them before she hugged Katniss quickly. "Thanks for the dress—and for being so cool about all this. Take care of Peeta—he looks very tense."

"Of course," she told her before Prim went to her brother.

Soon, the teenagers were walking out of the house as Peeta and Katniss waved goodbye. Reluctantly, Peeta closed the door behind them.

"You could've been nicer," she told Peeta.

"I was as nice as I could be to the boy who's taking Prim on her first date," He replied as he sat at the steps of the stairs.

Katniss joined him and took his hand. "You've known Rory since he was a kid."

"I was about their age when I first met you." Looking into her eyes, his deep blue eyes caused her to suddenly feel the air was leaving her lungs. "So, the whole age thing is inconsequential to me. I met 'the one' when I was their age—and so it can happen very easily with Prim."

"Now, how can I be upset about that?" She replied in a thick voice. Her hand went to cup his cheek. "You're a very good brother, Peeta Mellark—and one day, you're going to be a great father."

"And, you're going to be a very adoring mother." Peeta told her. "A bit overzealous with the picture taking, but still great."

"You keep teasing me like that and you won't get your treat." Her hands went to the buttons of the black shirt dress that she wore. Stopping halfway, Katniss looked over at him to show him the jade colored corset. "Do you like it?"

Peeta nodded, his eyes on the bodice. "I will never question any of your parenting skills ever again," he said.

She stood up. "Good to know," Katniss replied with a grin. "Now, come up and help me out of this thing."

* * *

_Manhattan, New York_

"The dress is perfect," Effie gushed as she looked at Katniss'_ seventh_ design. "And, Cinna just finished my dress for the engagement party. I'm so excited!" She quickly threw her arms around Katniss. "Thank you for being here!"

"Wow—Effie, this is a great show of emotion," she replied as she rested her chin on Effie's shoulder. "I'm really glad you're happy."

"It's not just that, "Effie told her. She sat back and folded her hands in her lap. "I just thought that I wasn't going to find him—the one. And, I had resigned myself to that. Then, Haymitch was there and I realized that all the waiting was worth it."

Katniss let a smile grow on her face. Effie had transformed in front of her—she was almost glowing.

It was amazing how love could do that to a person.

"What's going in here?" They both looked up to see Haymitch and Peeta entering the living room of Effie's penthouse. The two women pulled apart and Effie went to greet her fiancé.

"Katniss just showed me my dress," Effie told him excitedly. "It's perfect."

"Honey, you know that you'd look good in a burlap sack or a paper bag," Haymitch told her good-naturedly, an arm wrapping around Effie's tiny waist. "I would prefer the latter since it's easier to rip off."

She smacked him on the chest, her pale skin coloring. "Haymitch…"

"Like those two don't understand sex," her fiancé said. "You were the one who told me that they were in the middle of it when you were freaking out over flowers."

"EFFIE!" Katniss looked over at her friend. "I thought that you were over that!"

"Priorities, Katniss," Effie responded in a breathy, posh voice. "Make my wedding the highest one."

"I told you not answer your phone," Peeta said to his girlfriend.

Katniss glowered at him. "You're not helping."

"Moving on," Effie said. "How much did you get into storage?"

"All of it," Peeta reported. "I have to say, Effie. You have some nice shit."

"Language, please!" Effie scolded before turning to Katniss. "He is going with you to Cor's office, isn't he? You better make sure that he has it together."

"Cor likes Peeta," Katniss told her. "And, he's really excited to show Peeta the offices." She looked over at Peeta in his fitted black shirt and jeans. "You better go and change."

"Yes, dear," Peeta said with a smile before heading down the hallway.

"You want to go help him get dressed?" Haymitch suggested with a smirk.

"Do you really want to marry this man in a month?" Katniss asked Effie.

"I'm selling this place and gutting his home out," Effie replied. "I'm sure as hell marrying him." She looked up at her fiancé. "And, I love him."

Haymitch pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Katniss swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled. "Well, I can't argue with that."

* * *

Peeta blew out a nervous breath. "Do I look alright?"

Katniss turned to him and smiled. He was wearing a charcoal suit and a crisp white shirt, a red tie knotted around the collar. His blond hair was brushed back neatly and he had shaved leaving his creamy skin neat to display his firm jaw.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You look very handsome," Katniss whispered against his mouth. "And, you're going to be fine. Cor and I are just very excited to show you the offices. I spent a lot of time here and it's where I learned to cultivate my business."

"I just want to fit into your other life," he told her worriedly.

"You, me and Prim in our home," she began. "That is my life." Katniss thought of the two months that she had been living with the Mellarks—of being given her own shelf space in their bathroom, of making breakfast with Prim as they sang jukebox songs, and of waking up with Peeta's arms around her. "There is no other life but the life I'm sharing with you."

Peeta reached to cup her cheek. "And, there you go—making me fall in love with you all over again."

"You really are a very attractive pair." Katniss turned to see Cor standing at the front desk, his grin bright, from the open elevator door. "Welcome back to Manhattan."

"Cor!" She rushed towards the man and embraced him. "I've missed you!"

Katniss felt the rumble of chuckling against her and she took in the familiarity of Cor's presence; the thick laugh, the wool suit, and the warm wood scent.

"You've become a sentimentalist," he told her. Cor looked to Peeta with an amused smile. "Is this _your _doing?"

Peeta shook his head. "She tells me that I'm the touchy-feely one," he replied, his own grin easy.

"Well, the change is good," Cor declared and looked at her once more. "She has never looked so pretty—and so happy."

"I'm right here," Katniss told the men. "No need to talk about me like I'm not."

"Don't be upset, my dear," her once father-in-law said. He went to Peeta and shook his hand. "It's nice to see you again, Peeta. I understand that you're here for Miss Trinket's engagement party, also."

"I am the Best Man to Katniss' Maid of Honor," Peeta informed the man. "Haymitch is a friend of mine and was a good friend to my father. Also, he is the principal to Prim's school."

"And, where is Primrose?" Cor asked. He had been enchanted with the young girl during their last visit.

"She is with Cinna and the rest of the design team," Katniss informed him. "They've taken her sight-seeing and are going to do some work on her bridesmaid dress."

They began to walk through the glass door leading to the offices as the two men talked easily. She was greeted by many familiar faces, many that she would be seeing in the board meeting that was coming up. She quickly introduced them to Peeta before they went on their way.

"So the office at the end is my office," Snow told Peeta. It was all clear glass so Cor's panoramic view of the city was nicely displayed along with his built-in bookshelves and the giant oak desk on the walk-up platform. "It's good for the employees to see me just as hard at work as they are." They made a turn and then got to her office door. "This is Katniss' office."

Turning the knob, Cor pushed open the door and let them enter the room first.

"Wow," Peeta breathed as he took in her cream furnishings along with her own giant desk on its stair platform. Her office looked a lot less like a regular office and more like a comfortable living room. She also had her own panoramic view of Manhattan. "This is beautiful."

"I wanted it to look less sterile," Katniss replied with a smile.

Cor's phone beeped and he pulled his phone from his pocket. He quickly viewed the message and then looked back at the couple.

"I'm afraid that I'll have to take this in my office," he told them. Cor gave her a nod. "I'll come back for you in fifteen for the board review."

"Sure, we'll be here," Katniss assured him before he left quickly, typing on his phone. She turned to Peeta. "What do you think?"

Her boyfriend smiled at her. "Can I say that you look incredibly sexy standing in this office?"

Katniss walked over to him, hands on hips, resting on the fabric of her emerald sheath dress.

"Really?" She could see the heat in his eyes as he watched her approach him.

"Something about you—in that dress with those heels…" Peeta said in a constrained voice. He looked over at the panoramic window. He shook his head and then gave her a shaky smile. "Never mind."

Katniss took his hand. "What?" He refused to speak so she pulled along with her, up the steps, and to the wide window. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Peeta took a shallow breath, burying his face into her shoulder. "Are you going to tell me?"

"You and me—pressed against this window," he told her after a moment.

"Who's pressed against the window?" Katniss asked him, her hand reaching to run down his firm thigh.

"You." Peeta tightened his hold on her. "Skirt hiked up…heels on."

Katniss turned to him, her own core now burning at his words. Together, they went to her desk and she pulled out the chair for him. "Have a seat." Peeta sat in her chair as she sat on top of her desk facing him. "While I'm pretty sure that someone would see us here, there is a window similar to this—in my bedroom."

"I never noticed that the last time that we visited," he said in a soft voice. She slipped a heel off and ran her foot up the front of his pants where she could feel his hard length.

"Then, I will have this meeting," Katniss told him. "And, after we will go to the penthouse—and I will show you that window."

Prim would not be home till later that evening. The team was surprising her with a skating session at Rockefeller Center.

So, there was time.

Hopping off the desk, Katniss placed her hand on the arm rests of Peeta's chair, leaning forward to let him have a peek of the lacy bra through the opening of her dress.

"You can fuck me any which way you want—against that window," she promised. "As soon as this meeting is over."

She leaned over and kissed him softly, biting his lower lip, as she pulled away.

Peeta opened his eyes and grinned, his hand reaching to caress her cheek.

"God, I love New York," he said and she socked him on the arm. "And, you!"

Laughing, Katniss sat on his lap. "I love you and New York, too."

* * *

"Thank you for coming," Katniss said as she shook hands with the last of Cor's executives—a new guy named Seneca Crane. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"And you, Miss Everdeen," he replied, his eyes roaming over her. "How long are you in town for?"

"Katniss will be in town for a week or so for an engagement party," Cor said as he joined them. "She and her fiancé are playing Maid of Honor and Best Man to the couple."

"Your fiancé?" Seneca repeated, suddenly disheartened. "In business, like yourself?"

"A small-town boy," she informed him. "We were friends before."

"Congratulations," the man said before quickly leaving the meeting room.

"Sorry about that," Cor said as they walked out of the room. "You looked trapped—and I found the fiancé defense would be the best one."

"I never know what to do in those situations," Katniss replied. "Men finding me very irresistible after I've ripped them apart for such poor numbers."

"Power can be very enrapturing," Cor responded as they walked down the hall back to her office where Peeta was waiting. The man suddenly turned to her. "The message that I received before the meeting—it was Cato."

She stopped, suddenly cold. "What did he want?"

"He is not happy with my need to be in your life," he told her sadly. "Cato feels as if I've betrayed him—that you're a bigger priority than he is. We've had this argument before."

"I'm sorry," Katniss replied and hooked her arm with his. "This shouldn't be your issue." She scowled. "Cato can be such a boy sometimes."

"I know, but he is my son—and he is that way because of me," Cor said regrettably.

"He is not that way because of you," she told him firmly. "I do understand if you need to lay a little low for a while and not be seen with me. However, I'd like you to come to dinner at the penthouse while Peeta, Prim and I are still here."

"I would love that." Cor gave her a smile. "You're a good girl—you've always been one."

They opened the door to her office and found Peeta chatting with Beetee at her desk. The two men looked up at their entrance and smiled.

"Katniss!" Beetee greeted her happily. "You look wonderful!" He went to her and gave her a hearty hug. "I was just speaking with Peeta here about some of the charities that we are considering for the foundation. You didn't tell me that your young man was such a humanitarian."

"It's nothing," Peeta spoke suddenly. "I was an intern for one of these charities and I know a few of the executives that Beetee mentioned."

"That can be very valuable when we are reviewing each one," Beetee informed her and Cor. "Maybe Peeta should consider sitting in on a review counsel with Katniss and I."

She smiled and nodded before Beetee went back to Peeta to ask his opinion about another charity.

"It looks like Peeta might've found his place in the company," Cor remarked. "A lot like you did."

* * *

"I know that you weren't for Prim doing any sort of modeling," Cinna told her and Peeta, the next day.

They were visiting her flagship store along with Prim, who was downstairs in the main area. She and Peeta were sitting in Cinna's office along with Portia, who was flipping through her tablet. Her friend and co-designer sat at the desk looking anxiously at the couple.

"It's not like I'm unwilling to look into it," Peeta told the man. "But, she needs to finish school and get into a good college. Then, she is free to choose what she wants—I won't stop her if she decides to pursue a modeling career. I just want her to have options."

"I totally understand that," Cinna responded. Portia nodded at him and he went to his own computer. "But, look at this."

He turned his computer screen toward them to show them one of the pictures that Katniss had taken of Prim before the winter formal. Due to the quick shutter time, she had taken several photos of the young girl. Cinna and Portia had taken one of the photos and doctored the background to look like she was standing on a high-rise with the Manhattan skyline behind her.

In the photo, Prim was looking away—her elegant profile displayed; but, her body was turned to the front showing the pretty and whimsical look of her dress. Katniss understood the concept perfectly—fantasy in the reality of city life.

"She looks beautiful," Katniss told them and then looked to Peeta who was still staring at the photo. "Honey?"

"Oh God…she looks like Mom," he breathed out, still a little shocked from seeing his sister in that capacity. Peeta looked to Cinna, his eyes serious. "So, what do you want to do with this?"

"We were thinking of launching an advertising campaign featuring Prim as our brand ambassador," Portia explained for Cinna. "This particular photo would be for our current winter line. Then, after the spring show in February, we'll have her do another shoot—and we could do it in Panem, if needed, with her in our spring line."

"We're going to call the photo sets, '_Whimsy in the City'_—a homage to all the beautiful dreamers," Cinna told them. "We advertise in all the big cities: Manhattan, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles—I mean, the possibilities! If it goes well then the advertisements go global—" The man excitedly looked at the couple. "We can have a major ad in Paris—and a billboard in Piccadilly Circus!"

"Wow," Katniss said in surprise. "You've really thought about all this." She took Peeta's hand. "But, this is all up to you. Not us."

"Call Prim here," Peeta suddenly told them. "I need to talk to her."

Portia jumped up from her seat. "I'll get her." She put her tablet on her seat and rushed down the hallway.

Peeta looked to her and Cinna. "And, Prim's compensation?"

"She would be contracted, of course," Cinna explained. "We'll start small—25,000—for the year."

"That's small?" Peeta asked in shock.

"A big contact can go up to 500,000 and up," Katniss told him. "We're testing the waters—and we haven't done any major advertising, so we're budgeted for a big advertisement push."

"You wanted to see me?" Prim said breathlessly. Portia followed in behind.

"Your brother wanted to talk to you," Katniss told her and stood up. She looked to Cinna. "Let's give them some privacy."

"Katniss," Peeta called out to her. He met her eyes seriously. "You should stay—you're part of our family, too."

Slowly, Katniss sat back down as Cinna and Portia quickly left the room, closing the door behind them.

"What's going on?" Prim asked as Katniss stood up and went to sit in Cinna's chair.

"Have a seat, love," she told the young girl. Katniss looked over at her boyfriend. "Why don't you start? If Prim has questions that you can't answer, I will."

Peeta nodded before looking to his sister. "Prim, do you like the thought of modeling?"

"I never thought I would," Prim admitted. "But, being here and learning about the industry is exciting to me. Also, the ideas that come out of Katniss and Cinna's heads—I mean, seeing the design go from paper to an actual model—it's awesome. If I get to be a part of that, I would be proud."

"Cinna wants to feature your photo in a major advertising campaign," Peeta explained. "You would take photos every season and they would be featured in most of the major cities." Katniss watched Prim take in her brother's words. "The reason I'm even considering this is because it would pay for your college education—you would have options."

"Prim, do you have any questions?" she asked the girl carefully.

Prim looked to her. "Can I see the advertisement?"

Katniss nodded and turned on the screen to show Prim the image that Cinna had pulled up. She stared for a moment at her image before sitting back against her chair.

"It would be better if the background was actually night instead of sunset—and if the skyline was more of a hand drawing of the city—it would give it a little more of that whimsy that Cinna is trying to capture."

"I'll note that," Katniss said. "How did you know the theme?"

"That's the theme?" Prim looked between them and Katniss nodded. "It's just what I saw."

Prim really did have the eye.

"So, what do you think?" Peeta asked his sister.

"I'd like to have the chance—and there would be less of a financial burden on our backs," Prim told them finally, her eyes bright. She looked at her brother. "I think I could do this."

After a moment, Peeta nodded. "Okay, I'll allow it," he told them. "But, you have to keep your grades up—and you cannot ditch school anymore—like never ever."

"I haven't ditched school since Delly," Prim told him. She jumped up and hugged him. "Thank you! I love you!" Then, she went to Katniss and kissed her cheek. "I'm so excited!"

Prim rushed to the door and tore it open. The couple heard her running and the sound was quickly followed by the excited screams of Cinna, Portia, and Prim.

"You've made her really happy," Katniss said to her boyfriend. Standing up, she rounded the table and went to sit on his lap.

"You've made us very happy," Peeta replied before pulling her in for a kiss.

* * *

"Do you think that there are enough heaters?" Effie asked Katniss anxiously.

The bride-to-be looked beautiful in her white Grecian maxi dress, several slinky folds draped elegantly around her slim body. The only problem was the tense look on her face.

"Effie, the party is going perfect," Katniss assured her. "Look around. Everyone is having a great time."

"But, we're missing two heaters—and the band is too quiet—and the food looks funny," the bride told her.

"You're missing your engagement party, Effie!" Katniss suddenly burst out. She put an arm around the woman and pointed her champagne glass at Haymitch, who was talking to Peeta in his black tuxedo. "You have a man who loves and adores you. Don't waste your time over these little things—and enjoy this time. You never thought that you would have this moment."

Effie suddenly hugged her. "Thank you, sweetie."

She chuckled at the suddenly emotional woman. "Now, go and spend some time with Haymitch!"

Katniss watched Effie rush over to her fiancé and the man quickly planted a kiss on her lips.

"Things you never want to see your principal doing." Katniss turned to see Prim grinning at her.

She was wearing the same dress that she had worn to her winter formal and the one that would be featured in the first ad for '_Whimsy in the City'_. Prim had already been photographed several times throughout the night by many of the society photographers at the event.

"This must be an eye opener for you," she said to Prim. "Grown-ups have lives outside of work, too." Putting an arm around Prim, they walked around the perimeter of the elegant ballroom of The Plaza. "Are you having fun?"

"I'm in this fantastic dress at this gorgeous hotel," Prim started. "I can't drink and there's no one here that's my age." She gave Katniss a grim smile. "It's totally fabulous."

"We can go after Peeta and I make our speeches," Katniss assured her. "I really want to get into a pair of sweats and out of this dress."

"I love it," Prim told her as she looked at Katniss' one-shouldered silver dress, with an array of metallic panels on its bodice. "Very futuristic."

"Not to mention, the woman in it is very beautiful." They turned to find Peeta beaming at them. "How are my favorite girls doing?"

"Bored," they chorused together.

"Good. I'm glad that I'm not the only one," Peeta said in relief. "I need out of this penguin suit and we need to make a trip to Gray's Papaya. The food looks funny."

The band cued up and Katniss looked to her boyfriend. "That's us." She downed her glass and Peeta did the same.

"Here." Prim handed them another set of champagne glasses—now filled. "Break a leg."

"Good evening, everyone," Johanna said into the mic. She was playing Master of Ceremony—and was playing the part very well in her form-fitting dress. The woman winked at the crowd. "Like my dress?" There were several wolf-whistles and claps as she posed provocatively. "Anyway, I would like to call the Best Man, Peeta Mellark and the Maid of Honor, Katniss Everdeen up to the stage to make their toasts!"

Everyone clapped as Katniss walked arm in arm with Peeta. There were several photographers clambering to take their picture as it was their official debut as a couple. They had held off as long as they could but Cinna, with Effie and Haymitch's permission, agreed that they tell the press their relationship status at the party.

Peeta went first and gave the crowd a charming smile.

"Good evening, everyone," he began. "My name is Peeta Mellark and I am Haymitch's Best Man. Haymitch has known me practically since the day that I was born. You see—Haymitch was a great friend to my parents. When they passed on, he did everything in his power to make sure that both my life and my younger sister Prim's life didn't change despite what happened." Peeta looked over at Haymitch and Effie, who stood in the front of the stage. "And, for that I can't thank him enough. Also, Effie, thank you for being the spark in his life—because he sure as hell needed one." He raised his glass. "To the happy couple!"

Everyone applauded and Peeta turned to her to give her an encouraging grin.

Going to the mic, Katniss gave everyone a nervous smile.

"Hello, everyone," she said in a shaky voice. "As some of you know, I'm an awful public speaker—so, I'm sorry." The crowd chuckled at her words. "My name is Katniss Everdeen and I am the Maid of Honor." She looked down at the couple and grinned. "My first friend here in Manhattan was Effie. I was very daisy fresh and I think she could tell. However, Effie saw the potential in me—because that's the kind of person that Effie is; she sees good in all people. That's a hard thing to say in such a cynical town as Manhattan." The crowd laughed. "So you know that Effie is one-of-a-kind." Her eyes met Haymitch's and she smirked. "And, Haymitch was smart enough to see all of this—you, lucky son of a bitch." She raised her glass amidst the laughter. "To Haymitch and Effie!"

There was a riotous applause and she went to Peeta, who wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You did great," he assured her.

"So did you," Katniss told him. "You're quite the public speaker."

Peeta winked at her as they began to walk off the stage.

"I HAVE ONE MORE TOAST!" A voice called out in the crowd.

Katniss froze—she would know that voice anywhere.

She could feel the blood drain from her face as the crowd parted and Cato, with his roughish grin and designer tuxedo, strolled forward.

He met her eyes and winked. "Hello, Katniss."

* * *

Yeah, I'm just going to leave it here…

First off, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that y'all have an awesome one. I know I'm going into a turkey/lumpia coma.

Second, I wanted to say that I am thankful for each and every one of my readers—you have been so wonderful and supportive to me. I love you guys!

And, if you feel the need to yell at me for this chapter—feel free, because it's Thanksgiving break and I have no life.

Pictures for all dresses can be posted on Tumblr per request so message me!

Hellos, comments and review are welcome on FF, AO3 and Tumblr.

Next: Chapter Sixteen, Peeta—Cato's back—enough said.

Till then, JLaLa


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Peeta

Wow, the response to last chapter was overwhelming! Thank you so much!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Sixteen: Peeta**_

Peeta felt Katniss' entire body freeze as Cato joined them at the bottom of the stage.

He had seen Cato before—in newspapers and magazines, where he had been featured peddling his fake tragedy as Katniss' spurned husband. Up close, the handsome smile and magnetizing cornflower blues were real. However hidden underneath, Peeta could see the angry strain on the man's lips and the coldness in his eyes.

"Aren't you going to kiss me hello, Katniss?" Cato asked in a teasing voice.

Peeta's girlfriend didn't move. Instead, she remained still as she glowered at her ex-husband.

Behind them, Peeta heard Johanna's enraged voice calling for security.

"No?" Cato approached her and, leaning down, the man went to press a kiss to her lips. Katniss turned quickly and he missed, instead getting her burning cheek. "Always the cold fish, Katniss."

She suddenly whipped around to look at him, her grey eyes icy hot with fury. "Why are you here?"

"To congratulate the happy couple," Cato told her with ease. He looked over at Effie and Haymitch, who had joined them hurriedly, away from the party. "Don't worry, Eff—my little present more than compensated for my party crashing."

"We don't want your present," Effie told him in a haughty voice. Behind her, Haymitch placed a hand on his fiancée's shoulder. "We do not want you here."

"Alright, alright…" Cato said, holding his hands up in a mocking surrender. "I just came to wish you well and say hello to my ex." He suddenly looked to Peeta and smirked. "I also wanted to introduce myself to the new Mr. Everdeen." Cato held his hand out to him. "Shake my hand, Peeta."

"Get out," Peeta fumed, his eyes never leaving Cato's. He began to feel the anger humming through his body, rushing through and heating his bloodstream. "You're not welcome here."

Cato laughed. "I will always be welcome here," he told him. "Remember that—I have money and power." He walked passed Katniss and moved in on Peeta. "And, I had_ her_ once, too." His eyes flitted to Katniss. "Did you ever look at the small of her back? At that scar?"

Peeta knew of the blemish that Cato was talking about. He had seen it many nights when Katniss had fallen asleep naked after a bout of lovemaking. Often, Peeta would trace his finger over the small crescent shaped scar, intent on memorizing every part of her, before succumbing to his own exhaustion.

The man put his mouth next to Peeta's ear.

"We got a little too rough once," Cato told him. "And, I accidentally put a little dent in my beauty—it happens in the Game of Love. But, it must bug you that the parts that you've touched have been touched—by me. And those lips that you're kissing—I've kissed them, too. And, that part that you fuck, I've fucked it too—"

And, Peeta saw red.

When he blinked, Haymitch was holding him, twisting his arm back to keep him in place. Cato stood a little further, his eyes amused as he watched Peeta writhing in anger.

"Calm down, son," the older man said into his ear. "Security is coming."

"Cato!" Katniss suddenly called. "You want it out?" She marched toward her ex-husband. "Let's have it out."

"I would love to," Cato responded, his lips twisting in an angry smile. "We need to have a discussion—about my father."

"I know that you don't want me to see him," Katniss responded." Because youare a child—a petty little child who is jealous because his father would rather deal with _anything_ else that isn't a sad attempt to get attention—"

"You bitch—" Cato lunged at her but not before Johanna jumped in front of the two.

"Touch her and you will never see the light of day in whatever jail I send you to," Johanna said firmly. "Now, you can get out or you can be led out—in handcuffs. Make your choice."

Cato moved away but not before he looked to Katniss. "This isn't over. We are going to have it out."

Katniss stood firm, her eyes burning. "Oh, I'm looking forward to it," she sneered. "Be careful, Cato. I'm not the girl you married—not by a long shot."

* * *

The trip home had been silent. Katniss had suddenly shut off, her eyes blankly staring out the window as she gripped his hand. Prim sat across from them in their limousine and Peeta's sister glanced worriedly at her surrogate sister before meeting his eyes.

The party had ended awkwardly and with a lot of camera flashes in their direction. There was no doubt that this confrontation would be in many gossip rags the very next day.

Johanna was in for a long night. She would be sending out notices to all newspapers and magazines stating that any picture reproduction of said event were forbidden for purchase or distribution. Any publication with the photos would be slammed with a lawsuit.

Effie and Haymitch were upset for them, less concerned with the ruined party and more concerned for Katniss, who had basically went into an unresponsive state. Prim had sat with Katniss in a backroom until everything had been settled.

As they rode up the elevator to her penthouse, Katniss' phone began to ring. She handed him the phone, her eyes suddenly breaking in emotion.

"It's Cor," she told him in a choked voice. "I can't talk to him right now."

Peeta nodded and as the door opened to the penthouse, he picked up. "Hi Cor. It's Peeta."

"Hello, Peeta. I suppose that Katniss isn't in the right state to speak," the older man began. Peeta could hear the anguish in his voice. "I just spoke to Cato—and we had words. Tell Katniss that when she's ready to speak, I will be here."

"Will do, sir," he replied. "We'll speak to you soon."

"Of course," Cor said anxiously. "Take care of her."

Peeta hung up after saying goodbye and walked through the front door. He found Prim sitting on the couch; her shoes tossed to the floor as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Locking the door, Peeta joined her on the couch.

"She went to her room," Prim reported. "Just kissed the top of my head and told me to rest before walking off." Her eyes met his worriedly. "That man… I don't understand how they could've been married to each other. He's like poison! I mean I could see Katniss falling apart in front of us."

"People change. In turn, so do their relationships," Peeta told her. "I know that Katniss was very young when they were together. In fact, she wanted to be like him."

"Like him? He's a dick!" His sister burst in shock.

"I would usually be upset about the cursing—but, Cato _is_ a dick," he told her in agreement. "One day, you'll understand what love can do to a person."

Prim shook her head. "Love is weird."

He stood up and kissed the top of her head. "Go to bed. I'm going to check on Katniss."

"Bed her well," Prim replied with a salute.

He turned at her words. "Primrose!"

"I'm thirteen," she said as she stood up, her eyes rolling in exasperation. "I know that you're not exactly brushing each other's hair in bed."

* * *

Peeta found her staring out her window; the same floor to wall window that he had taken her against just a day ago. She had followed up on her promise and he could visualize the memory of her; skirt hiked up to her hips, heels on, with her heavy-lidded eyes watching his own.

Then, that horrible prickling feeling of jealousy hit and Peeta couldn't help but wonder if she had ever been with_him_ against that same window. Katniss looked over at Peeta, her arms crossed, before turning back to stare out.

"We never did anything like that," she said stiffly.

He approached her. "Did what?"

Katniss turned to Peeta, tears in her eyes. "What I did with you here," Her eyes went to the window. "I wasn't that way with him. That's why Cato called me a 'cold fish'." She blinked and a set of tears fell from her suddenly broken eyes. "And, before you ask. The bed we sleep in—I've never slept with him in that bed. Johanna, Cinna and Effie had it replaced before I came home from the hospital—after Helena."

She broke in front of him.

Immediately, Peeta pulled her into his embrace, promising himself that he would do anything in his power to protect her from Cato. Katniss acted so strong that it wasn't easy to forget that she was just as fragile as others, even more so at times.

But, Peeta loved that about her; that there were so many layers to her beautiful character and each layer that Katniss let him see—he had fallen in love with.

"Shh…you're alright," he whispered into her hair. "I'll keep him away…I'll protect you—always."

Katniss looked up at him, her face drenched in tears and her hair matted to her forehead.

"The thing is that I don't think you can. It was inevitable that this happened," Katniss sobbed. "I just don't want them to take you away from me."

"Who?" he asked. "Who would take me away?"

"Them…Cato…the media…this life…" she told him in a tired whisper. "I want to keep our life—the life I have with you and Prim in Panem. The one where we can sit out on our porch." Her voice broke. "When Cato appeared, I saw it all falling apart."

"Katniss," he called to her softly. "The things we want the most—sometimes, we have to fight for them."

She pulled away slowly and met his eyes. "Are you going to fight with me?"

"I will fight with you and for you," he told her. Katniss bit her lip to stop the tears. "Come here." Peeta embraced her. "It will be okay, even if it isn't right away. One day, we will be okay."

"I don't know if I say this enough," She pressed her face against his chest. "But, I love you."

"I love you, too." Peeta kissed her forehead and he sighed. "You know, I would've hit him—if Haymitch didn't stop me."

Katniss let a smile crawl onto her face. "I have to admit, that would've been great."

They laughed together for a moment. Peeta watched her slowly come back to life in his arms. He realized that yes, their life together would be difficult, but Katniss was worth every moment of difficulty if he got these few seconds of happiness with her.

She was it for him.

"You look like you could use some sleep," Peeta finally said. "Turn around." Katniss followed and his hands went to the back of her gown. Slowly, he pulled the zipper down exposing her bare back, inch by inch, until he reached the end of the track and the dress fell to the ground in an elegant heap.

His eyes went to the small crescent scar at the small of her back and slowly he went to his knees to kiss the scar that Cato had created.

Because, Peeta loved every part of her, even the scarred parts.

Katniss turned as he rose to his feet, her eyes gazing into his. Slowly, she cupped his face in her hands and his eyes closed as their lips met. Peeta could taste the tears against her lips but he could taste the sweetness of her, too.

Peeta scooped her up, their lips still melded into their kiss and he walked back to their bed to lay her down. He pushed his shoes off and turned to go grab something for her to wear other than her underthings.

"Wait—" Katniss sat up, her eyes suddenly alarmed. "Where are you going?"

"To get you something to wear," he assured her with a soft smile. "I'm not leaving."

"Let me help you," she told him.

Going to her knees on the bed, Katniss began to unbutton his white dress shirt. He watched her, intent on the task beforehand, and imagined a future of coming home to her—of them undressing one another just so he could see her bite her lip like she was doing now. Her hands went to his bare shoulders to push the shirt off.

Then, her hands were at his belt and Katniss unbuckled him easily before undoing the waistband of his pants. She met his eyes as she lowered the zipper and moved the pants off his hips so he could step out of them.

Her hands went to his face once more as she tenderly gazed at him.

And he knew there would be no sleep tonight.

* * *

"I understand if you don't want me to be your Maid of Honor," Katniss said to Effie, two days later.

"What are you talking about?" Effie asked her in confusion. Beside her, Haymitch placed his hand over his fiancée's in concern. "You don't want to be my Maid of Honor?"

From where he sat next to Katniss, Peeta could see that Effie was crestfallen.

"Of course I do," Katniss replied. "But, have you seen the papers? You were so excited to have your party in the society section. Now there is nothing but the interviews about our confrontation with Cato."

"That doesn't matter to us," Haymitch interrupted. "You didn't ask to be harassed by that fucking turd."

"Haymitch, we're in The Plaza…" Effie warned him as she stirred her tea. "Manners, please."

"Plaza or not—these two are like family," Haymitch argued with her. "And, I will be pissed if I want to."

His fiancée sighed. "I can't deny that Cato was being an ass—actually, a giant ass-hat." Her hand reached over to Katniss' and she gave it a squeeze. "And, we're all a team—aren't we? So I'm not letting you go—you were actually my first friend in Manhattan, too. My heart would break if you weren't my Maid of Honor."

"And, the party was nothing," Effie continued. "The wedding in Panem and everything that comes after it—_that's _important." She breathed out shakily and tears sprung to her eyes. "I'm sorry!"

Peeta grabbed the handkerchief from his jacket pocket to give to her. She smiled gratefully before dotting the sides of her eyes.

"If it means so much to you, I won't step down," Katniss told her. "Just don't cry, Effie! I've done enough of that yesterday."

"No…no, I'm fine," Effie told them and she looked over at her fiancé to give him an assuring smile. "I've been so out of sorts lately with the wedding." She took a sip of her tea and took a calming exhale. "And, I'm pregnant."

For a moment, Peeta couldn't process her words and all of sudden, he watched Katniss jump from her seat in a joyful cry.

"You okay there, son?" He looked over at Haymitch, who was holding in his grin.

"Did I just hear that right?" Peeta asked.

"Just so you know, I'm not marrying her because I knocked her up," Haymitch said to the younger man. "We found out two weeks ago and she's already at the beginning of her third month."

"Holy shit!" Standing up, Peeta went to Effie and kissed her cheek. "Sorry for cursing, soon-to-be-mother."

"I'll make the exception," Effie replied with a beaming smile. "I just about said the same thing when the test came out positive."

He went to Haymitch who was being hugged by Katniss. The two pulled apart and Peeta immediately embraced the man.

"I'm real happy for you," Peeta told him. "Mom and Dad would've been, too."

"Knowing them, they're probably the ones that broke the condom," Haymitch replied with a smirk.

* * *

"I want us to go over this statement together," Johanna began as she handed Peeta and Katniss a copy of the document. "This will be sent out to the papers today via an official statement from my firm." Their friend looked between them. "Also, I was wondering if you were averse to doing a media recording here in your penthouse. We can post it onto YouTube or another communication circuit."

"Why?" Katniss asked, her eyes suddenly worried. "I mean you know how I am, Johanna—"

"I can do it," Peeta found himself saying and he took Katniss' hand. "If you want."

Katniss looked to him gratefully. "Thank you."

"What we're striving to do is to show that despite the situation that happened, your relationship is going strong," Johanna informed them. "Cato has been spouting a lot of so-called concern about your safety, Katniss." She looked at Peeta. "And, he's portraying you as having some sort of negative control over his life."

"This is ridiculous," he responded in frustration. "You heard what he said to her—"

"_We _heard him," Johanna emphasized. "But, we were also very good at keeping people from hearing the words that were being spoken and keeping the pictures out of the papers. Clove is very good at creating a story where Cato looks plausible—and I hate to say, but sometimes he can sell it."

"So, you're saying that we use Peeta in that same way?" Katniss asked her and Johanna nodded. His girlfriend turned to him, concern laced in her eyes. "What do you think?"

"If it helps calm everything down, then I'll do it," he responded.

Peeta had no problem with speaking to the public and cared little of how he was perceived. His parents had taught him to have confidence and he had carried this belief in himself for as long as he could remember.

It was how he got the nerve to admit his feelings to Katniss as a kid, knowing full well that nothing would come of it.

His concern was making sure that both Katniss and Prim's lives were not disrupted.

Cato had decided to mess with what he loved—and Peeta would not have it.

"May I borrow a pen?" Peeta asked and Johanna pulled one out from her suitcase. He looked over the statement.

A lot of it was a fair statement of the events that had taken place the night that Cato had come to the engagement party. There were also a few lines about asking the media to respect the situation. He wrote in his corrections then marked where he could emphasize on some points as well as removing anything unnecessary.

He handed his copy back to Johanna. "What do you think?"

Johanna read over it quickly. "Better—much more to the point. Do you think that you can say this on camera?"

He nodded and then looked at Katniss. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course—always," she replied in a soft voice, her eyes lit.

Peeta kissed her firmly before looking back to Johanna. "Let's get ready."

* * *

"Hello, my name is Peeta Mellark and I am making the following statement in response to several media reports written about myself and Katniss Everdeen," he began, his back straight and shoulders firm as he sat with Katniss on her couch.

Johanna wanted the statement to be personal and for the media to see how well suited they were. He had been dressed in a charcoal crew sweater and jeans and his hair had been brushed back, but not styled. Peeta looked to Katniss, who had been dressed by Cinna in a soft green cowl neck sweater along with a pair of leggings. They had pinned her hair back to display her wide, grey eyes and simply made-up face.

Katniss gave him an assuring nod before he continued.

"The reports refer to what was supposed to be a confidential occurrence with Cato Snow, Katniss' former husband during a private event." He looked into the eye of the camera that was being controlled by Portia who would also be in charge of editing. "Many of these reports have implicated myself as treating Katniss in a way that would cause her former spouse concern for her safety. This isn't the case."

Peeta stared imploringly into the camera.

"I have never treated Katniss in any matter that has caused her harm." He placed a hand over hers. "In truth, she knows very well on how to defend herself. Katniss is her own person—independent and willful. She cannot be coerced and during the incident with Mr. Snow—he had attempted to do so—to her and to myself."

"We are not people who can be strong-armed," Katniss added and he turned to look at her in surprise. In front of them, Johanna urged her friend to continue. "Peeta and I believe in respect for one another and those around us. Unfortunately, my former husband does not carry these same values. It is upsetting to know that he is slandering someone that I love and care for—" Her eyes went to his and she smiled softly at him. "—very much." She took a quiet breath. "I hope that we can all move on from this and continue our lives in privacy." Johanna nodded once more for her to finish. "Thank you for your time."

Portia stopped the camera and gave them a thumbs-up.

Immediately, Peeta turned to his girlfriend proudly. "You were perfect," he told her. "I thought that you didn't feel comfortable speaking."

"You were there for me during Caesar's interview," Katniss replied. "And, this is about the two of us. We have to stick by one another for this to work, right?"

"Exactly," he replied and kissed her gently. "I'm proud of you."

"You were the one who made me look at myself, Peeta," she told him in turn. "I would have never been brave if you had never shown me that I was all along. You're always the teacher, aren't you?"

"It all looks great." Johanna stood in front of them with a bright smile. "Portia will do edits tonight and this will go out tomorrow morning."

"We really appreciate you doing this," Katniss told her best friend. She jumped up and hugged the woman. "It really means a lot to us."

"Katniss, I'm proud of you," Johanna replied as they pulled away. "You have a voice and you should use it—especially against Cato." She grinned playfully at the couple. "Because, Peeta and I might end up going to jail if he tries to mess with you again."

Peeta watched Katniss nod, her eyes suddenly faraway.

"There's no 'if'—Cato will try to mess with me," she told them. "But, I'll be ready."

* * *

"I've brought some wine," Cor said as Peeta led him into the living room. The man gave him a bright smile as he presented the bottle to him. "I co-own a winery in Tuscany and my business partner often sends me a few bottles to hand out to clients. I thought that I would send you home a little tipsy and ready for the New Year."

"Thank you, sir," he replied. "We appreciate it. Katniss and Prim are just finishing up in the kitchen."

Cor looked around the living room. Katniss and Prim had done some shopping the day before and a lot of the new home decorations were placed around the large room. They had placed small Christmas trees on both sides of the mantle. Mink throws were folded neatly on the couch and on the table behind it were framed photos that Prim had chosen—one of Katniss' parents, one of the design team as well as a picture of Johanna and Katniss.

There was also one more photo and Cor went to pick it up—it was a photo of Katniss, Prim and himself taken during Haymitch and Effie's engagement party.

"You all look very lovely together," Cor remarked sadly, almost to himself, as he put the photo back down. "And, Katniss looks happy—leave it to my son to ruin it." He quickly snapped out of his blue reverie and gave Peeta a smile. "By the way, Beetee was very impressed with you. He says that you have a good eye and you both seem to be on the same wavelength when it comes to comprehending charities and non-profits."

"I've learned, especially with teaching, that it's important to be able to read people, even if it is just through their writing," Peeta told him. "Children can be fantastical liars, you know."

"COR!" Prim was rushing over to the older man and she hugged him happily. "It's so nice to see you!"

Cor grinned at her. "Aren't you that model who is the new face of Everdeen Design?"

"Yes—but I'm just Prim to you," she told him. "Katniss and I have just finished cooking—well, more like heating up." The two walked to the dining table as Peeta followed behind. "She's not a cook—and has a hard time admitting it."

"I do not!" Katniss called out as she walked out of the kitchen carrying the roast that both she and Prim had been heating for the last hour. Peeta rushed over to take the tray from her and she gave him a grateful smile. "I can admit my faults just fine." Going to Cor, she gave him a hug. "I'm glad that we were able to see one another before we left." Katniss gestured at the table. "Have a seat, Cor."

Peeta placed the roast in the center of the table before going to help Katniss to her seat. Prim had appeared, back from the kitchen, carrying two bowls—one with red potatoes and the other with string beans.

"You did a wonderful job with the heating," Cor joked as he placed his napkin onto his lap. He looked around the table. "I appreciate that you allowed me into your home. I know that it hasn't been an easy week for you."

"It hasn't," Katniss admitted. She looked at him then at Prim before smiling at Cor. "But, we'll be okay."

* * *

"My driver should be down in the front," Cor assured the couple as they stood next to the door. "Don't worry about me."

"We're walking you down," Peeta told the man. Katniss was already grabbing their coats and she handed him his olive peacoat to throw on. "You never know who might be down there."

There was a knock on the door and Cor turned to them with an amused smile. "You see? That is the driver—he's probably wondering what is taking me so long."

Katniss went to the door. "Just tell him that the two lunatics that you were having dinner with insisted that you drink a glass of wine with them." She quickly opened the door and the smile that had been on her face dropped immediately. "How did you get up here?"

"That's not very nice."

Peeta stiffened hearing the sneering voice at their doorway.

Joining Katniss, he found Cato standing in the hallway. Their eyes met and the man smirked at him.

"You again." Approaching Peeta, Cato stumbled a little before getting in his face. "You thought you were pretty clever releasing that joint statement. Like you're her goddamn husband or something—but you're not. If it were up to me, this fucking bitch would never be able to marry again." Cato sneered at his ex-wife. "You ruined my life, you little cunt."

"You're drunk, Cato," Katniss said steadily. "And, Peeta's sister is asleep—I won't allow you to bother her. Go home."

"But, this is my home," he told her, his eyes drunk but furious. "I bought you this place—so we could have all of our children. You couldn't deliver though, could you?"

Katniss shook her head. "You never wanted children, Cato," she argued. "You only said that to get me to forgive you. You said a lot of things to convince me that what we had was something special—but in the end I wasn't anything to you."

"You were a goddamn tease," Cato responded. "You ignored me—and that only made me want you more! You and your game playing, Katniss!"

"I'm not playing anymore, Cato," she continued calmly.

Peeta was amazed at the way she handled her ex-husband—like she had done this so many times before. He wondered how many times Cato had come home inebriated and spouting hateful things at his then-wife.

The thought filled him with rage but he knew Katniss could handle this.

This was her fight.

"You're always playing the game," he countered. "Always balancing and making sure everything was in your favor. You made everyone love you and you made me worthless." Cato looked to Peeta. "She'll do it to you, too; make you feel like you're the answer to her prayers and when she's done, she'll turn into a frigid little bitch and you'll go to anyone for something warm on top of you."

"You're wrong," Peeta replied. "I knew her long before you did and she did nothing but make my life better since the moment I met her."

Cato shook his head in denial and Peeta could see the man in front of him faltering. "Did she tell you about our baby? How she was too busy to even sit down to become a proper wife that she went and lost our daughter?"'

"I lost our daughter because I was stressed out from finding you in bed with_ two _women—" Katniss was turning scarlet with rage and Peeta could see her struggling to hold it all in. "—in the bed that we created her in! YOU DID IT! YOU'RE THE REASON!" She sucked in an angry breath. "AND YOU WEREN'T THERE WHEN I PUSHED OUR DEAD DAUGHTER OUT! SO FUCK YOU, CATO! FUCK YOU FOR TAKING THE ONLY GOOD THING THAT WOULD'VE COME FROM OUR MARRIAGE!"

The seal was broken—Katniss had finally let out years of repressed anger at the one person who deserved it.

"Enough." Cor stepped out from behind the door.

In the ruckus, Peeta had forgotten that the man was there. Prim had also stepped out of her room and was now hiding behind a wall close to the hallway where her bedroom was, her blue eyes full of apprehension.

"You have had your word, Cato," Cor said to his son firmly. "Now it is time for you to leave."

Cato shook his head in disbelief seeing his father in front of him. "Even now, you're still taking her side. She isn't even your blood."

"Katniss never needed to be," his father responded in a hard voice. "I could see from the beginning that this girl was someone who worked hard and was intelligent. She was someone who had a good head on her shoulders and could be trusted. Finding people like that is much more valuable than hoping to depend on people who will always leave you empty."

"Unbelievable," Cato spat. "No wonder you were willing to give me half my inheritance for her."

"What is he talking about?" They all looked to Katniss, who had pulled herself together to join the father and son.

"Oh, you don't know?" Cato scoffed and looked over at his father, who remained silent, before looking to his ex-wife. "He paid a pretty penny for me to sign those divorce papers." He went to Katniss. "I was perfectly happy keeping you attached to me—keeping you from marrying again and such—but, dear old Dad couldn't stand for his precious Katniss to suffer. So, he gave me an advance—half of my inheritance for my damn signature."

"I would do it again," Cor stated. "No more, Cato. I have had enough—and I take fault for indulging you after losing your mother. But, I will not take fault for the cruel person that you have become. You've been given half of your inheritance. Use it wisely, because the next half isn't coming to you until I'm buried in the ground. All of your other luxuries—your credit cards, your bank account—belong to me. And you no longer have access."

"You don't mean that," Cato seethed. He looked over at Katniss. "You have to have everything, don't you? Even my own father, he never took my side—always yours!"

"Don't be a child," Katniss in a quiet, steely voice. "You forced his hand and you forced mine at one point—but not anymore. We deserve better than what you've given, especially your father. If you're smart, you will leave now and not upset him further—or I will have you escorted off my property."

Cato took one last look before retreating down the hallway and back to the elevator.

Peeta went to her and Katniss blinked her tears back. "Did I do good?" she asked in choked voice. Everything that Cato had thrown at her had suddenly come rising up and Peeta saw her wavering.

"You did good, baby." He pulled her into his arms. "And, I am so, so proud of you."

Katniss fell against him and over her shoulder; he could see Cor watching them.

Approaching the couple, the older man placed a hand on Katniss' shoulder and her head rose from Peeta's chest to meet the man's eyes.

"You did very well," Cor told her in a gruff voice. "And, I could not be prouder."

* * *

Peeta joined Cor out on the balcony of the penthouse. Katniss had taken Prim back to her room.

The teenager had been confused from everything that had happened and Katniss had promised to always treat Prim like an adult; so she felt that it was time for Prim to learn about her marriage. They had been in the room for several minutes when Cor had retreated to the balcony for a cigar.

Cor met his eyes as he took a puff. "This is going to be a trip that you won't forget," the man remarked.

Peeta couldn't help but chuckle at his words. "I have to say that it has been memorable, but not just for the drama," he replied.

Peeta thought about all of the other events besides Cato's return—Prim's new job as brand ambassador to Everdeen Design, Effie's pregnancy announcement and Katniss' own sudden declaration of her feelings on camera.

Resting his elbows against the thick stone railing, he looked out at the city. "I imagine that my life with Katniss will be full of memorable events."

"I felt the same way about Helena," Cor responded. "And, I thought we had time to create those memories—and then we didn't. The pain doesn't get better as you get older—it just becomes easier to forget because the pain has become part of you."

"Are you alright?" Peeta looked to the man. "I can't imagine how difficult it must be cutting yourself off from the only remaining link to your wife." He took a heavy exhale. "I don't know how you could do it."

"One day, when you have children with Katniss—" Peeta colored at his words and Cor laughed seeing his face. "—and knowing Katniss, she'll want a truckload—you will understand. This will be good for Cato. I've been holding on too tight—trying to keep him safe. In the end, it only made him feel invincible from his mistakes."

Cor took another puff of his cigar. "As much as you don't want to see them fall, sometimes they just have to. Remember that, Peeta—especially when you have the little one who has Katniss' big grey eyes and you just want to give her the world. Don't give her the world; give her the tools to create her own."

Peeta nodded and after a moment turned to the man. "I know this probably won't make sense right now." He took a nervous breath. "But, may I have your permission to marry Katniss?"

* * *

Heavy duty chapter—and trust me, Cato isn't quite gone.

I am also announcing another time jump—which is one month from this chapter and taking place around Haymitch and Effie's wedding.

Bet you didn't see the little Hayffie bundle coming, did you? If you look at the previous chapter, there are clues. Before you ask, I see Effie as being in her mid-forties with Haymitch being in his early fifties—so this could totally happen.

I listened to a lot of the Mockingjay soundtrack while writing this, especially 'Katniss' Nightmare', because I happen to think it's a very beautiful arrangement and fitting for this heinous chapter.

As always—hellos, reviews and comments are welcome on Tumblr, FF and AO3.

Next: Chapter Seventeen, Katniss—One Month Later—New Year, New Life—and the Hayffie wedding.

Until Then, JLaLa


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Katniss

Thank you for your support! You are all so wonderful! I hope you find this a much calmer chapter.

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Seventeen: Katniss**_

_One Month Later…_

"Stand still, doll," Katniss told Prim. The young girl stood impatiently on the round platform as Katniss rested on her knees to fix the hem of the teenager's skirt. "Trust me. You don't want this to be dragging on the floor."

"I know," Prim agreed. "I've seen enough YouTube videos of Bridesmaids fails to scare me from ever going through this again."

"Well, what about your brother and Katniss' wedding?" Cinna teased from where he sat by the sewing machine. "You're not going to stand with them?"

Katniss tried not to blush at Cinna's words. The thought had crossed her mind; it couldn't be helped—with all the wedding talk around her. They were a week from Haymitch and Effie's wedding and her team had descended onto Panem once again to assist as well as participate in the event. With that came the perpetual wedding talk in their home and also the many inquiries about her own relationship.

"I'm going to be Peeta's Best Man," Prim declared, her hands on her hips. "So, I'm going to wear a tuxedo."

"Structured menswear. That's very in," Portia remarked as she steamed Katniss' bridesmaid dress.

Katniss' maid-of-honor gown had been the most difficult dress for her and Cinna to design. Effie wanted her to stand out—yet, Katniss did not want to divert attention away from the bride.

They had gone with the latest trend—ombre. The sweetheart bodice was a dark, inky blue, which was one of the wedding colors. However, as it got down to the skirt, the color slowly morphed into a snowy white. The design stood out but, at the same time, was simple and elegant.

"Good idea, Prim," Cinna said. He looked over at Katniss and held out Effie's dress. "What do you think? Is it let out enough?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Katniss told him.

"Yeah—and don't even think about asking the blushing bride," Johanna told them as she entered the den, now the team's fitting room. She plopped down on the couch next to Katniss and Prim. "I tried to ask on Katniss' behalf, so we could get some measurements—then she started crying."

"Wow, I guess that's what happens when you're impregnated by Haymitch," Prim joked. "You become an emotional wreck."

"I think that's all women," Katniss said. "I mean when I was—"

The memory suddenly hit her: her hands on her swollen belly as she waited alone at another doctor's appointment for Cato, who was once again missing—the feeling of fear and loneliness overwhelming her when she needed someone…_anyone_ to be there.

"You okay there?" Johanna suddenly asked.

"Uh…yeah." Katniss stood up abruptly and gave everyone a small smile. "I'm just going to grab some water." She looked to Prim and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "I figured out the hem, so you can change back."

Prim gazed at her with worry. "Katniss—"

"I'm fine," she assured her surrogate sister. "Just give your dress to Cinna and I'll work on it tonight."

Quickly, Katniss walked out to escape the suddenly dwindling air of the room.

* * *

It was late into the evening as Katniss worked on Prim's hem that Peeta and Prim approached her.

Her team had quietly retreated to their hotel, except for Johanna, who was staying in one of their guest rooms. Her best friend had disappeared to have dinner with the soon-to-be-wed couple and to give Katniss her space.

Johanna understood her friend's need to be alone—she had been there for a lot of Katniss' prenatal appointments and shared in her joy when they would see that little heartbeat on screen. Katniss' best friend had been looking forward to becoming an Aunt though she was admittedly inept when it came to children.

They both were—and it was a heavy blow when Johanna had arrived at the hospital to find Katniss cradling her stillborn daughter with her tear-stained face and catatonic stare.

The knock on the door came softly.

"Come in," Katniss replied before going back to her stitching. The door opened and she looked up to see Peeta along with Prim, who was carrying a tray of food. "Did I miss dinner?"

"No. We thought that we would eat up here with you," Peeta told her as he went to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "How is it going?"

"I'm pretty much done," she informed them with a tired smile. Looking between the two, Katniss placed her hands on her lap. "What's going on?"

"I told Peeta—about this afternoon," Prim started nervously. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Oh sweetheart," Katniss said and gave the girl a smile. "You didn't do anything wrong. I can get like this sometimes."

Prim set the tray down on the table next to Katniss before sitting down on the couch. Peeta held out a hand to his girlfriend and together they joined Prim.

"I'm going to tell you something that I told your brother before I moved in," Katniss told her. Peeta took her hand and gave her an encouraging nod. "I am this way because the day I delivered Helena is coming up—her birthday, I guess."

"When?" Prim croaked out.

"Two days after my birthday," she replied softly. "You know, sometimes babies can be early and still survive. Cor had told the doctors to call anyone they could to give Helena the highest probability of survival—but, it didn't matter because she came out and her heart wasn't beating."

Peeta kissed Katniss' hand and she looked over to briefly touch his cheek. He had been wonderful and supportive even when she had chokingly told him that she didn't want to have a birthday celebration.

"And, it hurt because I hoped…I thought maybe we could celebrate our birthdays together," Katniss continued as she hastily wiped away her tears before meeting Prim's eyes. "So, it is hard for me to be reminded about being pregnant because I felt her. I saw her heart beating and even now it's still difficult to understand how that life could just be snuffed out in only a matter of hours."

Prim's face crumpled. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you or remind you," she told Katniss. "Sometimes, I talk and don't think."

"How could you have known?" Katniss replied and put an arm around her. "A lot of people can't recognize their own triggers."

Prim looked at the couple in confusion. "Triggers?"

"Words, things, places—pretty much anything that can bring back a negative feeling," Peeta explained. Prim still looked unsure. "Let me give you an example: when we were in Manhattan, Effie introduced me to a man named Plutarch Heavensbee, whom she used to work with. When we shook hands, I caught a whiff of his cologne—and it was the same as Dad's." He gave his sister a sad smile. "And, I was brought back to the last time that I smelled his cologne."

"Oh," Prim said to herself. "Do the feelings eventually go away?"

"Sometimes," Katniss replied carefully. "And, sometimes they might linger. The point is you didn't do anything wrong." She pulled Prim close. "In fact, living here with you and Peeta has been the happiest that I've been in a long time, despite everything that we've dealt with."

"And we've had a lot to deal with." Prim laid her head on Katniss' shoulder. "Do you want us to leave you alone on Helena's birthday?"

Katniss shook her head and looked to Peeta before placing a kiss on the top of Prim's head.

"No. I want to be with family," she told them.

* * *

"You were really great with Prim," Peeta said as they lay in bed that night. "It's hard to explain all of this to her and not get a little choked up."

"No, _you_ were great with her." Her head rested on his chest and she tilted her head to meet his eyes. "I wouldn't know how to explain triggers and what can happen when they occur—but you…" Katniss pushed up and brushed her lips against his. "You were perfect."

Peeta grinned as she pulled away. "I'm a teacher. A lot of my job is explaining." He sat and she followed suit, their eyes on one another. "Have I kissed you today?"

"Once," she replied. "We've been busy. I've only just kissed you a minute ago."

"Come here," Peeta beckoned.

She went to him, her arms entwining around his neck, and her leg going across his lap to straddle him. Once Katniss was comfortably on top, she leaned toward him so their lips could meet.

Peeta was ruthless in his kiss; his lips moving roughly over hers, his tongue taunting and teasing the inside of her mouth. Katniss could feel the wetness building in-between her legs and she pushed onto his member, hard underneath his pajama pants. His hands moved up her waist and onto her breasts where he cupped her, teasing her nipples into hard peaks.

"How do you do that?" she asked him. In only a matter of seconds, Peeta could turn her into a completely different kind of person—the kind that craved nothing but having him inside her; the kind that wanted nothing but to have him fuck her until she was falling apart and spent from the most intense climaxes that she had ever experienced. "Why do I want you so much?"

"Because you love me and want me just like I want you," Peeta told her as she lifted her shirt over her head. His mouth immediately went to her breasts. Her head fell back at the jolt of his tongue circling her sensitive bud and his fingers went to his mouth, wetting his thumb and index finger, before bringing them to her other nipple. "You want me inside you—fucking you until you can't move."

Peeta was always brilliant with his words.

"Yes, please!" Katniss tightened her hold on his neck, grinding against his cock as she did. He moaned into her ear at her motions. "Do it, Peeta…"

His mouth went onto her shoulder, nipping until he reached her neck where his tongue tasted her glistening neck. "Tell me what you want me to do." He bit her earlobe and she screamed against his shoulder. "And I swear I will do it."

"I want you to fuck me," she told him, her mouth going to his ear. "I want you to take me from behind—hard." She felt a pool of wetness hit her already soaked panties as she nipped at his ear. "Because it feels so fucking good to come around your cock, Peeta. And, it feels even better when I can cause you to come undone."

She was just as good when it came to her words.

Katniss had never been dominant; but she loved the glazed look in Peeta's eyes whenever she initiated their time together. She could almost see him coming apart when she told him what to do to her.

Peeta's hands were immediately pulling at her lace hip-huggers. "Take these off and I'll do it." He kissed her, pulling away with a suck of her lower lip. "I can't wait any longer…" His eyes met hers. "…I need you."

She felt the same way; she needed him—in so many ways.

Quickly, she pushed herself on her knees and yanked the lacy panties off, throwing them onto her floor as Peeta scrambled to removed his bottoms and his shirt. When their eyes met again, they roamed over each other's bodies.

Peeta was broad, but built of strong muscle. He had a hard chest and a slight pack of abs. Her eyes went to his firm thighs and to his cock, jutting out straight, long, and thick. She licked her lips at the sight of him and his eyes flashed with want.

Only Peeta could create such a hunger.

"Turn around," he commanded softly.

She complied, turning slowly, and getting onto her hands and knees. They had done this before—their first time leaving them both exhausted to a point of dehydration. Katniss could hear him approaching, his movement causing slight creaks on their mattress.

"Lovely," he remarked from behind her. Katniss felt his tip at her dripping slit. "How did say you want it?"

She turned to him, her heart beating in excitement as she gasped for breath. "Hard."

Peeta plunged into her fast and rough. Katniss arched, keening in pleasure, and her eyes rolled towards the back of her head as he hit her deep. She could feel him at her lower belly in that area between pleasure and pain. If he kept at this pace, it would be over for her quickly.

"So good…" Peeta moaned reverently.

The sound of his voice, thick and honeyed with lust, spurred her on and Katniss sank onto the mattress on her stomach. Peeta's body dropped gently with her, his chest against her back with their legs scissored between each other's. His cock was still fully inside and she could feel his groin against her buttocks.

She pushed back against him and Peeta let out a tight yelp. "OH FUCK!" They had never done it this way and she turned slightly to meet his blue eyes, manic with desire. "What the hell was that?"

"What?" Katniss repeated her motions feeling her own muscles beginning to contract at the feeling. Her clit was pressed into the mattress and when she reared back, the friction against the nub caused her insides to coil. "This?"

"You keep that up and I won't last," he told her eagerly.

The thought that control was in her favor only made her repeat her motions harder and faster this time. The desperation in his voice and the taut way that he gripped on their bed sheets only let Katniss know that they had reached a new point of sexual exploration.

Her hips began to move on their own accord, in and out of Peeta, as his moan shook in her ear. He sounded starved—even frantic.

"OHHH!" Her orgasm hit unexpectedly, her insides quivering with pleasure and the feeling hit her lower half before spreading through the rest of her body immediately.

"KATNISS…FUCK!

Peeta had joined her, hissing as he came with a sharp, tight breath and she felt him, her still-pulsating cavern suddenly sticky with his hot seed.

They fell onto their mattress, breathless, and still quaking by the intensity of their climaxes. Peeta peppered her back with kisses and she grinned against the sheets of their bed.

"I thought you were just going to kiss me," she told him with a laugh as they carefully settled upright.

"Well, we can do that for the rest of the night," Peeta told her and she turned to rest her head back onto her pillow. Their eyes met and he kissed her gently. "How do you do that?"

She grinned at him. "Do what?"

"Always manage to surprise me," he said to her, his hand going to her cheek and she turned to kiss his palm. "Every time I think I know you—you do something completely out of left field, and I just fall for you all over again."

Katniss met his eyes, suddenly exhausted. She smiled sleepily at him. "How else am I supposed to keep you?"

"What do you mean?" Peeta asked. He peered at her and her eyes shot downward. "Oh—I get it. I'm not going to go looking for it anywhere else, Katniss. Cato was wrong to say any of that to you."

"Then, why am I so locked away and scared?" Katniss responded. "I just want it to be us here—forever. I want to put us in a place where no one will ever find us."

"We can't hide from the world," Peeta said to her. "—like we're ashamed of us."

Katniss nodded in agreement. She knew his words were true. "I know."

"I wished for you when I was thirteen," he told her with a smug grin. "Why shouldn't I want to show people that wishes can actually come true?"

She laughed and then kissed him once more. "And, there you go making me fall in love with you again."

* * *

"You look tired," Johanna remarked as she sat with Katniss at the table in the Mellark kitchen the following afternoon.

"I'm fine," she assured her best friend.

"You know that your other wall is right next to the den?" Johanna started as she took a sip of wine from her glass. "I was in there making a phone call last night and I couldn't help but notice the noises coming from your room…" She grinned at Katniss. "What exactly are you doing to Peeta? I swear that he sounds like he's dying—but, in the best way possible."

Effie came running into the kitchen, barefoot—and in her wedding dress. She looked at them worriedly.

"Do I look like a whale?"

The woman looked nothing like a whale—Effie was actually incredibly stunning in her dress. It was capped sleeved with a mesh neckline and white flower embroidery along the bodice. She and Cinna had reworked part of Effie's skirt to gather at her ribcage to hide the small tummy that began to burgeon. The rest of the skirt fell elegantly ending with a graceful, floor-dragging train.

Katniss went to Effie. "You look incredible," she assured her with a smile. "No one is going to notice the little one in your belly."

"It doesn't matter too much if anyone does," Effie replied. "I just want to cause Haymitch to go speechless."

"He definitely will," Johanna said. "You're gorgeous—and your knockers are huge. He's going to be speechless—one way or another."

"I knew that there was something different…" Effie put a hand to her hip, her fingers tapping against the dress. "I mean, sometimes when I'm talking to him, it's almost like he's distracted."

"Are you usually topless when you're talking to him?" Johanna inquired with a grin.

"No, but I've been doing my laundry and the tops seemed tighter," Effie told them thoughtfully. "I thought that I was just doing laundry the wrong way. I'm kind of stuck with what I have, until I find an acceptable alternative."

"Uh…Effie?" Johanna went to them and placed a hand on Katniss' shoulder. "I don't know if you've realized it—but Katniss is a designer. You can use that to your advantage." Then, she looked to Katniss. "And, this could be a whole new branch that you can look into."

"Holy shit, why didn't I think of that?" Katniss burst out.

A line like this could bring her a whole new demographic of women. She and Cinna could actually create a ready-to-wear line that could be brought to a more specialized store—maternity stores.

"I don't have to be the one who has to come up with the designs," Johanna told her. "I can help you find some stores that you could pitch the idea to—when you've started a collection."

"And, you could maybe even transition it into baby wear—or even a home collection," Effie said excitedly. "I can help you with that."

"My God, the way you both think—you two could rule the world," Katniss mused with a smile.

Effie suddenly went pale and she covered her mouth.

"Hold it in," Katniss told the woman and she turned to Johanna. "Grab the train."

Together, they ran to the half-bath next to the kitchen. Grabbing a towel, Katniss threw it around Effie's shoulders to cover the bodice. She knew that the woman wouldn't forgive herself if she messed up her wedding dress because of morning sickness…actually, afternoon sickness.

"We got you," Katniss assured Effie as she wretched into the toilet. She rubbed the woman's back. "That's a good knocked-up bride…"

Johanna snorted as she held Effie's shoulder length hair in a ponytail. "I bet that you never thought that this would be one of your Maid of Honor duties."

"How is it possible to feel so bloated yet throw up everything you eat?" Effie asked miserably as she straightened up.

Katniss took the towel to wipe her friend's glistening forehead. She had remembered that feeling fondly and it filled her with joy to watch Effie in bloom. At the same time, there was the sharp pain of remembrance.

"You're sick because your body is adjusting and that's a good thing," Katniss told Effie. "It means that you're creating a home for your baby to grow healthy until he or she comes out. So think that every time you're sick, it's just you getting rid of the bad things in your body."

"What's going on here?"

The three women turned to see Peeta and Prim peering in through the open door of the bathroom.

"You know the usual countdown to the wedding stuff," Johanna said. "Dress fittings…discussions about the wedding night…keeping the bride from throwing up on her wedding dress."

Prim shook her head at the three women. "I'm never having a baby."

* * *

"How do I look?" Peeta asked as he stepped into their bedroom.

Katniss turned to take a look at her boyfriend and her lips widened into a grin. "You look perfect." She went to him and straightened his black bow-tie, checking under the collar to make sure that it was secure. "I bet you can't wait to get that thing off, though."

He yanked at his collar. "Yes, Effie is a bit of a sadist, isn't she?"

"Maybe, that's why Haymitch loves her," she responded and Peeta blanched.

She chuckled as she went to check her hair, which was piled in a poufy bun to the side of her head; a silver leaf fascinator clipped it in place. Taking a can of aerosol hairspray, she went to the mirror in the corner of their room and sprayed one more layer to keep it in place.

"That was more than I needed to know," Peeta told her. "The fact that they procreated is bothersome enough."

"Things happen in the heat of the moment," Katniss replied. She went to grab her dress in its garment bag by their closet. Unzipping it, she carefully took her dress and laid it out on the bed.

"In all the craziness, I didn't even realize that you were in this." Peeta went to her and wrapped his arms around her bare waist. His hands went to Katniss' rib cage on her navy bustier. "What is this?"

"Well, this is a bustier," she told him. "Keeps the girls up; I'm turning 29 and gravity is going to be taking my breasts down soon." Turning to meet his eyes, she grinned. "You have your torture devices and I have mine."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Peeta replied. "I did not see gravity taking anything down the last time we were together."

Katniss kissed him quickly. "That's really sweet—now, can you help me into my dress? Effie needs us there in thirty minutes."

Quickly, she shimmied the dress up and Peeta helped with the zipper. The hem was perfect and Katniss turned to him.

"Now, how do I look?"

His mouth fell open as he looked her over and Peeta took her hands in his. "You are beautiful."

And, the way Peeta said those words; so earnest—it caused tears to suddenly fill her eyes. She knew that even years from now he would still mean those words.

"Thank you," she told him before kissing him gently.

His eyes were still closed when she pulled away. "For what?"

"For looking at me that way."

* * *

Immediately as they entered Haymitch and Effie's house, they all dispersed. Peeta went to the downstairs den where Haymitch was while Katniss and Prim went upstairs to Effie's dressing room.

"This house looks completely different," Prim said as they walked up the stairs. "Effie sure does work fast."

The whole house was no longer beige, instead painted a soft grey-blue. Effie had also changed the furniture in the living room; still comfortable but a buttercream color in opposed to its original dark blue.

"She'll have to set-up house quickly with the baby coming," she replied. Katniss turned to look at Prim, in her own navy dress with its sweetheart top and lace halter overlay to cover her bit of cleavage. Peeta had drawn the line on having his sister look so exposed despite that floor-skimming skirt. "By the way, you look really pretty."

Prim turned to her, her eyes bright with excitement. "Thanks. I feel so grown-up." She patted the front part of her hair, braided into a headband as the rest of it fell down her back. "Rory is coming. Haymitch said I could invite him, seeing as Madge and Gale are coming, too."

"I think he's going to like that dress—"

One of the doors burst open and Johanna stepped out in a navy fitted dress with three-quarter sleeves.

"YOU'RE HERE!" She rushed over to the two. "She's sick again! Cinna and Portia don't know what to do and neither do I!"

They walked in and found Effie sitting at her vanity; her face the same shade as the silk white robe she was wearing. Cinna was opening one of the windows and Portia was combing out the bride's hair. Beside them was a small trash can with tissues piled on top.

"How long have you been sick?" Katniss asked as she put her purse down.

"Since this morning. It's part nerves and part fetus." Effie shook her head and dabbed her eyes. "I can't do this. It's too hard."

"Do what?" Katniss asked as she knelt in front of the bride.

"Be a wife, be a mother," Effie told her, her eyes watery. "I have lived in Manhattan my whole life. I was raised on Park Avenue; right next to Tiffany's and had my debutante ball in the Waldorf. How can I leave it?"

"You can leave it because you love Haymitch," Katniss told her gently.

Effie nodded. "That's true—but I can't have this baby," she continued. "I can't even do the laundry! I thought it was the washer, but it's really because I can't work the machine. Also, I don't like messes and babies make a mess. And, I don't know anything about raising a child!"

"You will learn," Katniss assured the woman. "Plus, Haymitch is great with children."

"He is," Prim said as she went to them. "He was always there for me and Peeta. Mom and Dad said that the first time that Haymitch met me—I peed on him and he didn't even bat an eye."

Effie let out a choked laugh. "You're right. Haymitch is very sweet with you both and he talks about you both like you were his own."

"It might take a while to adjust to being a mother; but when your baby comes—I just know that you're going to fall in love," Katniss told her and sighed. "I know I did."

Prim took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Effie reached over and cupped her cheek. "You would've been a great mother, Katniss."

"And, one day—I will be," she replied. Katniss turned to Prim, who was staring at her curiously. "Why don't you grab Effie some saltines and ginger ale?"

Prim shook herself out of her reverie and stood up. "Sure."

"We ran out of the Saltines and we don't have any ginger ale," Effie told them.

"I can grab it," Johanna offered and she looked over at Prim. "Want to ride in a Jaguar?"

Prim nodded excitedly. "Sure!"

"I'll grab my keys downstairs and meet you out front," Johanna told her before leaving the room.

Prim turned to Katniss and suddenly hugged her. In turn, Katniss embraced the young girl tightly.

"One day, you and Peeta are going to be great parents," Prim whispered in her ear before pulling away and rushing out the door.

* * *

Peeta knocked on the door just as sunset came.

They had just zipped Effie up and Cinna was arranging her veil—a teardrop shaped fascinator that rested atop her head, its delicate netting grazing her eyes.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"We just finished jumping around in our underwear, so you're safe," Johanna told him as she fixed Effie's train.

Peeta walked over to Effie, his mouth rising in an amazed grin. "Effie, you are something."

The bride leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, my dear. You clean up nicely yourself."

Peeta blushed at her words and he winked at Katniss, who was helping Prim arrange Effie's bouquet.

"Anyway, I came here as Best Man to give you this." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a delicate silver chain bracelet. "This is from Haymitch. It was his mother's and now he says that it's yours—as the lady of the house and all."

"Oh…" Effie exhaled as she held out her hand and Peeta put the bracelet on her wrist. "It's lovely."

"My God—that's so sweet," Portia said in tears as she took pictures of Effie, her hands shaking as she held the camera.

"I swear if you make me cry—" Cinna started though his lips began to tremble. He turned away. "Damn it!"

Standing next to Prim, Katniss could hear her sniffling as she looked down at the white ranunculus bouquet.

Even Johanna was brushing tears away, albeit quickly so no would notice.

Peeta looked panicky and Katniss rushed over to him. "I think this is about all you can handle."

She took his hand and led him out into the hallway.

"So now that you've gotten a glimpse into my duties—how are you doing?"

"The groom is now nursing a small portion of rum to calm himself down," Peeta replied with a crooked grin. "We did the man thing—smoked cigars, played chess, talked about life. That followed by the panic attack about the impending baby. Don't worry—gave him a pep talk and reminded him that he's mad for Effie. Then, he started talking about her boobs and that's when I gave him the rum."

"It sounds like you pretty much had the same day as I did," Katniss remarked. "We have a half-hour left and then we will be relieved of our duties. Life will go back to normal."

Peeta reached over to place a hand behind her neck. "What is normal, anyway?" Tilting his head, he kissed her gently and she felt her breath escape her lungs.

Pulling away, Katniss chuckled. "I'll see you under the archway, weirdo."

* * *

"Remember to walk in sync with the music, Prim," Effie warned as they waited in the den of the house.

They would be entering the backyard of the house and through the large white tent where the wedding was taking place. Prim would be entering first as junior bridesmaid, followed by Katniss, and then finally Effie.

"What is the song?" Prim asked nervously.

"I have no idea," Effie told them. "I gave Haymitch one job and that was to pick the song we dance to and the song that I walk down the aisle to—which are apparently the same song."

"Holy fuck, Effie," Cinna said as he fixed the train of her dress. Behind him, Portia took photos of the bride's now straightened train. "What if he's into hair bands or something?"

"Then we will adjust," the bride replied firmly. "Can't do anything about it now." She met Katniss' eyes. "You ready?"

"Are you?" Katniss asked with a grin.

"I wish I could drink," Effie said. Her hand went to her abdomen before she looked to Katniss with a soft smile. "Funny how life works out."

As the music began, Katniss placed a hand on Prim's shoulder to let the young girl know to begin her trek down the aisle.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out onto the soft white carpet to begin her own walk.

Effie's vision for the ceremony was impeccable; walls of white flowers surrounded the guests as well as behind the oak archway, thick candles on tall silver holders stood along the aisle glowing softly as she marched passed them.

Looking forward, Katniss smiled at the crowd as well as for the photographers, her bouquet hiding her shaking hands. She looked to see Prim already waiting on the bride's side of the archway and Prim gave her an excited grin.

Her eyes went to Haymitch, looking very handsome in his dark suit. Their eyes met and he nodded at her with a closed-lip smile. She could see him trying to quell his nervousness, his hands clasped behind him.

Then, Katniss' gaze went to Peeta and she found that he was also watching her, his eyes unwavering in his stare.

And, for a moment she felt like she was floating towards him.

That she was the bride—_his_ bride.

Katniss joined Prim before turning to watch Effie enter as the violin and guitar duo continued the quiet strains of 'Here, There, and Everywhere'.

Effie was radiant, glowing with happiness and of course, with child. Through the thin, woven tent, the moon shone through; catching the sparkling, silk petals that Katniss and Cinna had meticulously sewn onto the gown's bodice and along the top portion of the floor-dragging skirt.

Looking over at Haymitch, Katniss watched him stare at his approaching bride—awed by her. For a man with such a deadpanned stare, she could see everything that he felt for Effie in his eyes.

Katniss thought of her own wedding—with just her and Cato—and he had not looked at her that way. Cato had looked like he won a prize—and in a way, he had. He had won a trophy to tote around and then put away when he got tired of it—a trophy that he discarded as soon as he found a shinier object.

The thought brought tears to her eyes—this thing in front of her was love. What she had was pure bullshit.

And, she wondered if she would ever have the chance for someone to look at her the way that Haymitch looked at Effie.

The bride reached the front of the aisle and Katniss reached forward to take her bouquet giving Effie a teary smile.

As she turned to the officiator, Katniss could feel someone's stare on her.

She knew it was Peeta.

* * *

"You look like you were getting a little emotional."

Katniss met Peeta's eyes as they danced. She was not a dancer by any means and had warned Peeta that she was extra clumsy when she wore such high stilettos.

However, the couple was forced into the dance; instead of tossing the bouquet, Effie had handed it directly to Katniss. In turn, Haymitch tossed Effie's garter to Peeta as he walked past the younger man.

"It's a wedding," she told him as they moved. "Of course, you get emotional."

"Was your wedding like this?" Peeta suddenly asked.

"Not by a long shot." Katniss laid her head on his shoulder. "Because when I walked down the aisle, Cato didn't look at me the way that Haymitch looked at Effie."

"And, how was that?"

Katniss pulled away to meet his eyes. "Like she was the end and the beginning." She gave him an anxious smile. "Does that make sense at all?"

Peeta nodded, his eyes fastened onto hers. "It makes perfect sense."

Her mouth suddenly went dry at his stare.

"KATNISS! PEETA!" She turned to see her mother and father waving at the two. Her father took a picture of them dancing before gesturing them over.

"We should check on what they want." She began to pull away when he caught her hand and Katniss turned back to him exasperated. "What?"

"We're going to talk about that look," Peeta told her. "Whether you want to or not."

* * *

However, both she and Peeta had forgotten about the talk.

Right as they were talking to her parents, Katniss suddenly had to assist Effie who had fallen under another bout of sickness. She along with Prim, Cinna, and Johanna practically carried the bride and her dress to the nearest restroom.

Then, as the night wore on, Haymitch had too much to drink and Peeta, along with Katniss' father, had to bring the man up to his and Effie's room. The bride was already there, passed out from exhaustion and throwing up the small bit of wedding cake that she held down.

All and all, it had been a successful wedding.

Her design team stayed for another day before heading back to Manhattan. She had pitched the maternity line idea to Cinna and he was excited to see where it could go. Katniss would begin her sketches with Effie's input, once the woman returned from her week-long honeymoon with Haymitch.

When Fashion Week came and Katniss returned to Manhattan for the show, she and Cinna would look over her work. Also, Prim would have her first photo shoot as their new brand ambassador during that same week.

And before Katniss knew it, her birthday had arrived.

She opened her eyes that morning to a singular thought—she was one year to 30.

A groan escaped her mouth.

"Is there something that you want to share with the class?" She turned her head to see Peeta beaming at her.

"I'm 29," she pouted at him. Peeta scooted closer and Katniss flipped towards him. "Do I look more sophisticated?"

"Do you still like macaroni and cheese?" he asked and she nodded. "Still a kid as far as I can tell."

Katniss laughed as she put her head onto his shoulder. "I don't want to be a kid—because what we are doing half the time—would be illegal."

Peeta looked down to where she rested against him. "And, what's that?"

"Kiss me happy birthday and I'll tell you," she responded.

Peeta nodded and got up. Going to the foot of the bed, he sat on his knees in front of her and his palms went to her outer thighs. Reaching under her long t-shirt, Peeta slowly pulled her panties down her bare legs before tossing them aside.

Unhurriedly, Peeta went onto his stomach and parted her legs. Katniss hissed feeling the cool air suddenly hit her throbbing center.

Pushing herself onto her elbows, she looked over to where his head was perched between her legs.

"W-What are you doing?"

He smirked at her. "Kissing you happy birthday."

* * *

The rest of the day went quietly. After her birthday orgasm, she spent her morning with Effie as they went over her latest designs for the maternity line.

The older woman was wearing her latest sample; a jersey wrap-around sweater that could expand as she grew. When Effie couldn't close it, she could wear it as an open cardigan.

Her pregnancy sickness had finally subsided but she told Katniss that she taken to falling asleep at the drop of a hat.

Katniss left the Abernathy home to pick up Prim as Effie passed out on her buttercream couch. Her surrogate sister had been gone by the time that she and Peeta had emerged from their room since she was now biking to school with Rory and Rue.

Together, they went to pick up Peeta. His class greeted her happy birthday and she got a very tight hug from Aidan—that Peeta interrupted quickly.

"Is this really the kind of birthday that you wanted?" Prim asked as they had dinner that night.

"This is one of the best birthdays I've ever had," Katniss assured her. "Because I'm not alone this year."

The doorbell rang and Prim shot up from her seat to take their plates. "Why don't you grab it, Katniss?"

Katniss put her hands on her hips. "What are you up to, Primrose?"

"That only works if Peeta says it to me," Prim retorted.

Peeta put an arm around her and gave her an assuring smile. "I'll go with you."

Together, they went to the door and Katniss turned to him suspiciously. "You know about this?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

She rolled her eyes and opened the door, letting out a yelp when she saw the person on their front porch.

"COR!" Katniss threw her arms around the man. "What are you doing here?"

"It's your birthday," he responded with a grin. "And, then it will be Helena's—Peeta and Prim thought that you could use a little more family when you visit her."

* * *

Did I mention how awesome you all are? Your support has been great—and I love reading your reviews.

Somebody asked if I watched Mockingjay; I have—three times.

Also, I had a reviewer who is asking about "One"—the last two chapters are with my beta, Chelzie. I plan to work on the epilogue once we've got the latest chapter posted. Honestly, I have no timeline on when it will come out…

I'm pretty sure that some of you are wondering about Peeta asking Cor's permission and not Katniss' parents. I think he asked for the distant future (you never know with me, however) and since Cor is such a big part of Katniss' life, Peeta wanted to include him.

Cor is becoming a part of Prim and Peeta's life, too—which will play into later chapters.

I love a good wedding and Effie is such a cute bride! She is going to be an interesting mother—because she is constantly wrestling with her old and new life.

The instrumental to "Here, There, and Everywhere" was posted on my Tumblr and can be reposted on request.

This is one of those chapters where I'm feeling very critical about myself. I've read it at least three or four times before my husband got his hands on it.

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Chapter Eighteen, Peeta: Coriolanus Snow in Panem, Helena's birthday—and some painful memories resurface for Prim and Peeta.

Until then, JLaLa


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Peeta

Thank you so much for your comments and feedback!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Eighteen: Peeta**_

"I hope you won't be upset, but I invited your parents over too."

Katniss turned and threw her arms around his neck, her lips going to his.

"I don't mind," she told him as they pulled apart. She gave him a smile, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's nice that they'll really get to meet one another. Their first meeting was not during the best circumstances."

The doorbell rang as Prim was leading Cor into the living room and they turned together, their arms linked.

"I got it," Peeta told them and quickly opened the door to find Ian and Kate waiting on the porch. He gave them a smile. "Just in time. Cor just got here."

He widened the door and Katniss' parents walked in. Kate gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before going to the door. Katniss' father patted his shoulder, and he could the see the tension in the older man's eyes.

"Mom, Dad," Katniss began. "You remember Cor."

"Of course," her mother said and went to the man with a bright smile resembling Katniss'. "It's nice to see you again."

Cor went to her and took her hands. "It is under much better circumstances, my dear." He kissed her cheek before going to Ian. "It is also very good to see you again."

"Thank you for taking care of our Katniss when she needed it," Katniss' father said with sad smile.

"Of course. Katniss is very dear to me." Cor's eyes were suddenly heavy. "She's about all the family I have now."

"That's not true," Prim told him softly, placing a hand on his arm.

"Prim is right," Katniss' mother added. "You'll always have a place here with us."

"In fact, we were wondering if you wanted to take a tour around the town," Ian suggested to the group. "The reason we first moved to Panem was because I was working on the town's budget. Luckily, I was able to get it all on good track. Also, I got to know the town's history and such because of having to work in its municipal section."

"I would really love to check out Panem," Cor said and then turned to Prim, Katniss and Peeta. "What do you think?"

"Let's go!" Prim said with a smile. She looked over at Cor. "You'll need a coat! It's freezing out there."

"I think I might have something in the house," Ian told him. However, Katniss' father was built tall and slim. Peeta doubted that anything he had would fit the hearty man.

"I think we have something here," Peeta said to them. "I'll be right back." He squeezed Katniss' hand before letting go and rushing up the stairs.

He went down the hallway where Prim's room was and toward their parents' room. It had been months since the door had been last opened. The previous time he had been in the room was to carry Prim to her room when she had fallen asleep on their parents' bed.

Since Katniss had come to live with them, Prim had stopped going into it. Perhaps she was worried about what Katniss or any of her friends would think, though Katniss understood their pain more than anyone.

Slowly, Peeta opened the door and the scent of his mother's perfume caught his nose immediately. He was surprised to feel the burning of tears rising from his eyes. Even now, the hurt was still painfully fresh and Peeta's chest constricted as he closed the door behind him.

He had never taken up Katniss' offer on going into the room together. Peeta wasn't sure if she was ready—or if he was even ready to relive everything that happened those months after the murder of his parents.

Taking a deep breath, Peeta headed towards his parents closet, flipping the light switch on before walking in.

"Oh God," he breathed out, his nose filling with the scent of his parents.

The memories of being held by them entrapped him and his eyes were suddenly blurred with tears. His hands reached for the jacket that Peeta needed to get for Cor; dark green and made for someone with a much bulkier figure, like his father.

The scent of sandalwood hit him—his father's cologne—it was still heavy on the jacket.

He was suddenly back to that night; getting the call from Gale to come back home because there had been an accident at the Mellark Grocery.

His friend would not elaborate, but Peeta already knew that something was wrong. When Peeta returned to Panem, he went right to the hospital expecting a doctor to speak to him. Instead, Gale and another officer sat him down to explain what had happened during the robbery.

And, that his parents were dead.

First, his father—and then his mother.

He had screamed. He had cried. Peeta could still hear Gale begging him to calm down so the doctors wouldn't have to sedate him.

But, he couldn't be calmed and so Peeta was sedated.

And, he had woken up to a completely different world.

Officials would not let him touch his parents at the coroner's office as they were considered crime scene evidence and were to be looked over for prints. The last time he saw his parents was through a glass window, eyes closed and so very pale—they no longer looked real.

It was strange to see how death could make the human body look like nothing but a shell. The life and color in them was gone. Everything that he had loved about his mother and father no longer inhabited those bodies.

His father looked like he was asleep, but his mother had a gash on her head—the blood caked on her blond tresses.

Peeta remembered as a boy running his hands through those tangled tresses, twirling pieces around his small finger, and smelling sunny scents of flowers as he buried his face in his mother's hair.

Haymitch, who had been visiting family during the holidays, had found Peeta in the coroner's office weeping as he held his father's shirt—trying to absorb that scent of sweat and sandalwood into his memory.

He had told Prim about triggers and he had told Katniss that smelling Mr. Heavensbee's cologne had triggered him to the last time he had smelled his own father's cologne.

What Peeta didn't tell them was that while he could smell the scent of sandalwood that last time—he also smelled the cloying scent of blood along with it.

"Peeta?" He turned to see Katniss and Prim at the doorway of the closet. His sister's eyes met his anxiously. "You were taking a while—we got worried."

"I-I'm fine." Peeta held up the jacket and gave them a trembling smile. "We should go."

Katniss and Prim went to him. His sister wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her head against his chest. Peeta curled an arm around her, kissing the top of her head as he did.

He turned to Katniss and she wiped the tears from his face.

"You seem so strong, Peeta. Sometimes, I forget that you're suffering, too." She put her head to his shoulder as he curled his other arm around her waist.

"We should go before they come looking for us," Peeta told them in a choked voice.

"They can wait a few more minutes," Katniss replied. Prim tightened her hold on his waist as his girlfriend wrapped an arm around his neck to pull him close. "You need this."

* * *

Katniss held his hand as they started down through their neighborhood.

The Everdeens had proudly showed off their old home as Prim had pointed out the infamous tree that Peeta had climbed to claim his first kiss.

"You've never mentioned this story to me," Cor joked with the couple.

"We had a very humble beginning," Peeta replied with a small smile. "Honestly, I thought that I would never see Katniss again. So it was all or nothing for me."

"Seems like it was worth the risk," the older man said before Prim hooked her arm with his. She was Cor's official storyteller. "How about you, young lady? Do you also climb trees like your brother?"

"I used to—to sneak out of places like school," Prim replied as they continued down the street. "I don't get along with a lot of people in my class. I only have two friends; Rue—and Rory." She stuttered a bit saying the latter name. "They're good friends, though."

"They are a very good team," Kate told Cor. "The three of them look out for one another and they all do very well in class."

Everything continued on peacefully as they walked. However, Peeta was emotionally exhausted which Katniss seemed to sense. She took care of him the best that she could; she would squeeze his hand, and adjust the red scarf he wore whenever a gust of wind hit the group.

Little by little, Katniss brought him back to life once more.

On their walk, they visited Haymitch and Effie. The bride looked exhausted, but was glowing. Peeta marveled at how different she looked in her wrapped sweater and leggings, unlike the first time he met her in her fitted suit.

Cor offered his congratulations to the couple. Effie had even made Cor feel her much larger baby bump. She had told them that it was still too early to know the sex, but they weren't sure if they really wanted to know.

"At our ages, we don't get many surprises—besides this little one," Haymitch said to Cor with a smile.

His brow furrowed suddenly and he turned to look over at Peeta. Haymitch realized whom Cor's jacket belonged to.

Peeta nodded once to confirm and the older man nodded back giving him a gentle smile. It was just as hard for Haymitch to see life moving forward without his best friend.

They left the Abernathy home and headed down towards the main part of town. Ian took over this part of the tour explaining what he had done while he was the auditor for Panem's budget. Kate and Prim were discussing the upcoming books that were on the syllabus for the class.

Peeta and Katniss walked silently ahead of the group, arms interlinked, with Katniss' head on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Katniss asked him softly.

"I honestly didn't think that I would take it as bad as I did," he replied. "Mom and Dad are gone. I reconciled myself with that fact. But then, there are little things that bring me back—like Prim's laugh or even the way I drink my coffee; just like my Dad."

"Cream and two sugars," his girlfriend suddenly said and he turned to her with a smile.

"Those things remind that they're not really gone," he explained. "And, I remember all over again."

Katniss suddenly stopped.

"Are you okay?" Peeta saw that she was staring ahead. "What—"

The breath was sucked out of him.

They were standing in front of his parents' store. He never realized how he had avoided this path through town for so long.

The building looked so different.

The crime scene tape was long gone as well as the flowers that had lined the front after the death of his parents had been announced. No one would buy the space—it was too much of a painful memory for everyone who had known it as the Mellark Grocery.

"Peeta, I'm sorry," Ian said as he reached the couple. "I completely forgot where the path led—"

He gave Katniss' father a pained smile. "It's alright. I haven't been here in years and honestly, I had forgotten, too." Peeta looked back at the building, silent and unused. "This isn't their store anymore—not the way I remember it, anyway."

Cor approached him. "Come along, my boy," he told him. "It's best not to dwell on what's no longer there."

Peeta nodded and taking Katniss' hand, the group turned to walk away from the rubble that was his past.

However as they walked, a sudden chill overcame him.

Peeta turned to look back—and he found Prim still standing in front of the building.

He placed a hand on Katniss' shoulder to stop her from moving before rushing over to Prim.

Stopping next to her, Peeta could see her staring at the storefront; her blue eyes blank.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Prim—"

His sister had snapped, her hand suddenly reaching to the graveled path and throwing a rock at the building. It barely grazed the building. This only seemed to set her off even more.

Prim continued swiftly, her hand picking up anything that she could on the ground in front of her. Breathless, angry squeaks escaped her mouth and her usually pale skin was now scarlet. Adrenaline and anger had taken over her body as she raged at the building—and he was helpless.

His sister had suddenly run out of ammo and she took the knit hat off her head, throwing it ahead of her, followed by the hasty removal of her gloves, which were also launched.

Prim began to cry—short bursts of sobs erupting from her lips, and she reached into her coat, suddenly finding her phone in a pocket.

She readied herself to throw it when Peeta snapped out of his trance—and his hand went to her wrist.

"LET GO," he demanded.

Peeta pressed his forehead to his sister's. He met Prim's torn eyes, filled with anger. Behind them however, he could see how choked with pain she was. It was breaking his sister, gnawing into her small frame and clawing at her bones to find a way to her heart—her one strength.

"Stop this," Peeta sobbed. "Please, Prim. There's nothing that you can do anymore. Destroying this building won't destroy whatever you're feeling inside."

She lowered her arm as she looked to him.

"Why…Why did it have to be them, Peeta?" she asked, her voice tiny and on the edge of breaking.

He pulled her into his embrace and Prim fell apart against him, her body wracked with sobs.

"I don't know, sweetheart." Peeta clung to her shaking body and he looked over her shoulder to see Katniss watching them. "I don't know."

* * *

"I feel so helpless," he told Katniss that night as they lay in bed.

Peeta had practically carried Prim over his shoulder and away from the storefront. The Everdeens, as well as Cor, had followed behind him. As they walked through the town, he heard Katniss speaking gently to Prim trying to calm his sister down.

"So do I. Prim—I've never seen her like that." Katniss reached over to run her fingers against his scruffy chin. "But, how about you? What can I do for you?"

He met her eyes in the darkness. "Stay."

"I'm not going anywhere." Katniss patted the spot on her pillow and he shuffled forward, resting his head next to hers. "I want to be here. This is just a bad time for our little family. We'll get through it—and we'll be all the stronger for it."

Peeta loved her assured nature. Katniss seemed to know the best ways to put him at ease. She was the same way with Prim.

"I love you, Katniss," he told her. "I feel like I need ten hundred lifetimes to show you how much."

"I know that you love me—in this lifetime, and any other that comes after," she replied, her hand going to his cheek.

Peeta closed his eyes, his hand resting over hers. When he opened his eyes once more, Katniss' graphite eyes were on him.

"Do you believe in past lives?" she suddenly asked.

"I don't know…maybe," he replied. "Why?"

"Because your eyes have always been familiar to me." Her hand brushed his hair from his forehead. "I thought maybe it was because we knew each other in the past."

"I think I understand," he replied. "Because holding you, kissing you, and even just being in this bed with you—it's like finally coming home. Like, I've been on this long journey and you were my destination." Peeta laughed to himself. "That's dumb, isn't it?"

Katniss shook her head. "No, a lot of people believe that they have soul mates." He could see her cheeks turning scarlet even in the dimness of the room.

"Is that what we are?" Peeta asked with a grin.

"If I believed in that kind of thing—I think we might be," she told him.

"Do you think we were married in our past lives?" Peeta found himself asking.

"Maybe—or maybe we stood together in war, or we saw each other once and spent the rest of that life searching for the other," Katniss theorized. "Or, maybe we were just two trees with their roots entwined. Or dandelion seeds floating in the air together."

"Dandelions, huh?" Peeta took her other hand underneath their comforter as he gazed into her eyes. "Well, dandelion girl—are you going to float in the wind with me?"

"What kind of question is that?" she asked him, her eyes bewildered.

"When you figure it out," Peeta told her, his face suddenly warm. "You can answer me."

* * *

In the morning, Peeta awoke to find Katniss' side empty.

Slowly he rose to his feet and throwing on a sweater, Peeta opened the door in search of his girlfriend. The guest room door across from their own bedroom was still closed so he knew that Cor was still asleep.

Walking to the stairs, his ears perked hearing the sounds of quiet talking coming from his sister's room. Slowly, he tiptoed down the hall and stopped at the wall next to the open door.

"Katniss, I don't know what came over me," his sister said in a heavy voice. "I just feel so mad—and sad—and it's all so confusing to me. Is this normal?"

"Of course," his girlfriend replied. "You've lost your parents in such a senseless act of violence—and they never deserved to go like that. You have every right to be angry. Just don't let it eat away at you. Because the Prim that your brother and I love—we'd hate to see her go away."

"I know," Prim said quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you—there's just something else."

"What?"

"I got my period." It came out in a whisper.

"Oh, sweetheart—is this your first time?" Katniss asked her. There was a moment of silence. "That might explain a little bit of the mood swing. Do you have everything you need?"

"We had a health class and they gave us some…um…supplies," Prim told her awkwardly. "How long will this thing be?"

"Depends," his girlfriend replied. "Sometimes, it can be short or it can last the whole week."

Peeta heard Prim huff. "Being a girl blows."

"The good news is that this means that you'll get to have children one day," Katniss informed her.

"And, if I don't want children, can I just skip the whole period ordeal?"

"One day, you might change your mind," his girlfriend told her. "One day, you might see bringing a child into the world as the best part of your life." He could hear the wistfulness in her voice. "So don't close yourself off to it just yet."

"Fine," Prim replied moodily. "Do you think Peeta is mad at me?"

"I don't think so," Katniss told her. "If you're worried, you can probably ask him—since he's probably listening outside the door."

He stepped into the room, hands in his sweater pockets, and gave them a smile.

"How did you know?" Peeta asked his girlfriend.

"Your footsteps are still loud," Katniss replied with a smile. "I guess you heard the good news." She looked to Prim. "Your sister is a woman now."

He wasn't sure what to do so his hands came together into an awkward clap.

"Uh…yay." Peeta gave his sister a weak smile, his enthusiasm failing him. "Should we go out for breakfast or something?"

Prim stared at him, her eyebrows raised, before letting out a laugh.

"You just applauded my period—I think that's celebration enough."

* * *

When Peeta finally got downstairs to start breakfast, he found Cor already in the kitchen, dressed in a comfortable pair of slacks and a green sweater. He sat at their table sipping a cup of coffee giving Peeta a smile as he entered.

"I hope you don't mind," Cor said to him. "I already started a pot of coffee."

"I apologize that we weren't up on time," Peeta replied. "Mornings here are a little casual." He still wore his sweater and pajama pants.

"No, it's fine. I'm just used to being up this early and ready for work," Cor told him. "It's actually quite nice to be here. There's no rushing to be at the office—and the place wasn't silent when I woke up in the morning." He sighed and looked to Peeta. "How are you?"

"Better," Peeta replied as he poured himself a cup of coffee, joining the man at the table. "It's difficult realizing that they're not coming home."

"I imagine," Cor said. "I know it's not my place to say, but maybe the reason that you're having such a hard time is because there is such a constant reminder of their presence. Your home is a relic to them—their room remains untouched, as if they're going to come walking in through the front door."

"I know they're not," Peeta told him.

"Then, why do you keep their room like they will?" The older man questioned. "One day, when you have children—what will you tell them about the room down the hall?"

"I just don't want to forget them—and I don't want Prim to, either," Peeta said. "I'm starting to forget all the little things and I feel guilty about that."

"You will never forget them, Peeta," Cor replied. "Because you _are_ them—you're born from your mother and father, so it's like they never died. That's the wonderful thing about children—you find comfort that a part of you will still be in this world even when you aren't." He looked around the kitchen. "Also, the truth is that Katniss will never be part of this home if you only relegate her to your bedroom."

Peeta sat back taking in the man's words. She had the room next to their bedroom as her space to work on her designs. Other than that, he had never seen her go into any other room. She had been very careful to respect his and Prim's home.

But, it was her home, too.

"You're right," Peeta replied. "It's like I'm treating her like she's a guest here—and she's so worried about invading any other space. We can't live like that. Neither could our children."

"Children?" Cor suddenly said. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" He pointed to his left ring finger with a grin. "Should I take out my tuxedo anytime soon?"

"I don't know," Peeta replied with a smile. "Though, I think that's the nice part. I know that it's going to happen one day, but I just have to wait for the right moment." They could hear Prim and Katniss descending the stairs, their laughter ringing through the wintry air and warming his insides. "I guess I should start breakfast—bacon and eggs alright with you?"

"Yes, please." The man grinned as Peeta stood up and went to the fridge. "It's been a long time since I've had a real breakfast." Katniss and Prim entered the kitchen, still in their pajamas. "And with such beautiful women."

Prim looked to her brother. "Did you really have to tell him that I became a woman today? Does everyone in the world need to know that I got my period?"

Peeta scoffed at her. "I didn't tell Cor—but, you just did."

His sister pulled out her chair next to Cor, and sat down. She put her head down in humiliation.

Cor looked at her sympathetically. "I'm not very sure what one does in this situation." He looked over at Katniss. "Should I give her money or something?"

Prim turned her head slightly. "That might help."

"Prim!" Katniss scolded.

His sister turned to Katniss. "You're no fun."

* * *

On Helena's birthday, Peeta awoke to find Katniss already sitting up in bed, her feet turned to the floor as if she was preparing herself to get ready. However, the slump in her shoulders told him otherwise.

Slowly, he sat up and wrapped his arms around her shoulder from behind, his lips going to her temple.

"Morning," he greeted her gently. Peeta looked at the object in her hands. "What's that?"

"Her hat," Katniss replied in a soft voice. "I didn't know that they made hats for preemies." She met his eyes. "She was buried in a much prettier one. I crocheted it myself."

"Oh, sweetheart..." He sighed against her hair. "None of this was your fault. It just happened—as life usually does, with no rhyme or reason. But, I'm here, Prim's here and so is Cor."

"I know." Katniss turned to give him a smile.

Gently, she stood up, going to the closet to pull her clothes out for their visit to see her daughter—a simple dress and overcoat—both black. Peeta followed suit, getting up to take his own clothes out—a dark grey suit and white collared shirt.

They didn't speak the rest of the morning, going through the motions of getting ready.

Prim was ready without argument, wearing a dark navy dress and grey coat while Cor had donned his own dark suit.

None of them felt like eating breakfast.

Cor had hired a limousine to drive them to the cemetery which was about three hours away from Panem. Katniss' parents would be joining them and as they walked out of the house, the couple was already waiting by the car—both dressed in black.

The trip was completely silent. Katniss stared out the window with her hand entwined in Peeta's.

Prim had fallen asleep halfway through the trip, her head falling against Cor's arm.

"Sorry," Peeta said quietly. "I'll wake her—"

"Don't," Cor told him and he adjusted himself so Prim's head was in a more comfortable position against his arm. "It will be a tiring day for all of us. At least one of us is resting."

The cemetery was on a series of large hills with winding lanes among them. Peeta felt himself tensing up as they passed the rows of gravestones.

Katniss remained still before she finally asked the driver to stop at the small flower shop open in the cemetery. Cor went out for her, settling Prim against Peeta first before stepping out. His sister roused from her nap quickly and looked out at the setting before them.

Cor returned with bunches of baby roses—all white.

They traveled onward, going over another hill, before finally stopping in front of a non-descript section of headstones.

Once again, Cor stepped out of the car and rounded it to open the door for Katniss, who walked wearily to the site, ahead of the party. Peeta as well as Katniss' parents followed Cor's steps. He had done this before—being one of the only people who had been there when Helena was buried.

They walked down toward the middle—and only then were they able to pick Helena's grave from all the others. It was the one littered with bouquets. Katniss went to it immediately, looking through each set of flowers, while clearing space for their own sets of flowers.

"Who are the flowers from, honey?" Katniss' mother asked gently.

"From Johanna as well as the team," she replied with a sad smile. "Haymitch and Effie even sent a bouquet." She stood up and turned to Cor, tears in her eyes. "There's nothing from Cato."

"Forgive him. He is still angry at both of us," Cor responded in an achingly sad voice.

He went forward and placed his set of roses in front of the headstone.

"Hello, my love. It's your Grampy. I've come with your mother as well your grandma and grandpa—your mother's parents. Also, we brought two other visitors; Primrose and Peeta—who are also family to your mother and me."

He reached for his handkerchief quickly and wiped his eyes.

"I hope that where you are—you are not alone. Somehow, I think your Granny is with you." He looked up for a moment. "Helena, I hope you're with our granddaughter—and that you're happy. We miss you—myself, and even Cato. Just watch over us, okay?"

Stepping back, he let Katniss' parents go forward and they placed their bouquet in front of the stone. Kate traced her hands over the engraved name: _Helena Everdeen-Snow_ and she covered her mouth to stifle her cry. Ian removed his glasses, wiping his eyes quickly.

"Hello, sweetheart," Katniss' father said in a choked voice. "I'm sorry that we never got to see you. Your Mommy tells us all about you—about your beautiful dark hair and your rosy lips. She tells us how you used to move around in her tummy—" He suddenly let out a choked sob.

Taking a deep breath, he waited before continuing. "Your Grandma and I are very happy that in those few months—you made your Mommy so happy. We love you, darling."

They both stepped back as Kate cried in her husband's arms.

Finally, Katniss stepped forward, her knees going to the slightly damp grass as she placed her bouquet in the very middle.

"Hello, baby," Katniss began in a soft voice. "I hope you're doing well—wherever you are. You would've been two this year. You would be walking and speaking by now. I often think about what your first words would've been. Maybe it would've been your favorite food or animal. Maybe it would've been 'Mama'."

Katniss' voice cracked and she wiped her eyes quickly.

"I'm doing better and we've opened the flagship store, which is nice," she continued. "We're doing well and Uncle Cinna is doing great things with the line. Your Aunt Johanna is still kicking lawyer butt—no prospects on the marriage front—but like she says, 'You have to kick ass while there's still ass to be kicked' and she seems very content with her life."

Katniss smiled softly. "Your Aunt Effie got married. She met a nice man named Haymitch and they live in Panem—where I live now. They're even having a baby."

She choked out the last few words.

"I…I try not to get upset—but sometimes, it's not fair…that you never got the chance to breathe. When I see children around your age, I see you in them—and I wonder what kind of child you would've been. Would you be curious? Or quiet? Maybe you'd always be laughing."

Katniss cried out. "Forgive me, baby. Forgive me for being so petty and jealous of other people's children. Forgive me for being angry—for not being strong enough to leave your father sooner. Maybe you knew that you were coming into such a shitty situation—that you would constantly be put in-between two arguing parents. If you had survived, I would have tried my hardest to be civil to your father, even after leaving him. I would have made an effort to keep your home life happy."

She blinked; two large teardrops falling along her face and hitting her folded hands.

"And forgive your father—because I know somewhere deep inside him—he's hurting just as badly as I am. Maybe, that's why he is so angry with me," Katniss reasoned quietly. "He would've loved you…even if he never loved me."

Peeta went to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him, giving him a bittersweet smile.

"This is Peeta," she said. "I'm in love with him, you know—and he would've loved you like you were his own."

"I would have," he agreed and took Katniss' hand as he knelt next to her. "And, I would've done all the fun things that Daddies do with their children—with you. Like going to the park or playing games, and teaching you how to read or write. But, I would've done the other things, too. I would've stayed up all night to sing you to sleep when you cried, or taken care of you if you were sick—I would've been there, Helena. I would've been a good father to you."

Prim sat by Katniss' other side. "And, I would have been a good Aunt. I would've braided your hair, or sang you to sleep. I would've danced around the kitchen with you, like your Mother used to do with me." She took Katniss' other hand. "But, it wasn't meant to be—just as Peeta and I weren't meant to have our own parents with us. Maybe they were meant to be up there to take care of you—until we were all together again."

"I'm happier, baby," Katniss said. "Because…I'm not alone anymore—and maybe you had something to do with that. And, it's time for me to let go—to not be angry anymore and to move forward. But, just because I do—that doesn't mean that I've forgotten you. It just means that I've stopped believing that I'm meant to be alone forever. I love you, Helena—you are my first baby. There might be other babies; but you are my first—always."

* * *

That night as they lay in the darkness, Katniss went to him, her head going to his chest and her hand on his heart.

"Thank you," she whispered into the still air.

"Thank you," Peeta replied.

"For what?"

He kissed her hair. "For thinking I would've been a good father to Helena."

"One day, you will be a good father to our children." She pressed her lips to his shirt. "By the way, I also had flowers sent to your parents' graves—a set from you and Prim and another set from me."

Peeta looked to her. "You did?"

"Yellow roses for your father and white hydrangeas for your mother, right?"

He nodded, tears spilling from his eyes. "Thank you."

"It's what we do—we take care of each other," Katniss replied simply. "Also, Cor wants to have your parents' store torn down—if you agree to it. I think Prim's breakdown really did something to him."

It had done something to him, as well.

It had made him come to the realization that he and Prim needed to let go—that there was nothing left of their parents in that building.

It was nothing more but empty space.

"Okay," he finally agreed.

They lapsed into another silence.

"Katniss?"

He turned to meet her eyes.

"Tomorrow, I think we should start clearing out my parents' bedroom with Prim. We can figure what she wants to keep and what I want to keep. There are also some things that I'm sure that Haymitch would want. The rest can go to our storage. Maybe, Effie can redecorate the room to keep busy before their baby comes."

Katniss pushed herself up to look at him. "Are you sure?"

Peeta nodded. "It's time to move forward—Prim and I are not going to forget them because they're inside us both. We can't keep the house as a shrine either. This is our home." He cupped her cheek and smiled tenderly at her. "This is _your_ home."

She nodded after a moment before laying her head back on his chest.

"Yes," Katniss suddenly said.

"What?" Peeta replied in confusion.

"You said that when I figured out what you meant, I could answer. My answer is yes."

* * *

My heaviest chapter—leaving me very emotional and very burnt out. I would love your feedback.

I'm sorry if this chapter is so angsty—I was listening to Ingrid Michaelson's song, 'Open Hands' on repeat.

I wanted to announce my biggest time jump for the next chapter—which is six months later from this chapter.

That would be right on time for the birth of Haymitch and Effie's baby. I have the baby's name picked out already.

Prim's graduation and her moving up into the eighth grade are also around this time. We will also be seeing how 'Whimsy in the City' is doing, along with Prim's summer shoot.

Did anyone figure out what Peeta's question really meant?

As always, feedback and reviews are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3. Or, if you feel like dropping me a hello—I love to talk to new and old readers.

Next: Chapter Nineteen, Katniss—Six Months Later: Prim graduates, the birth of the Abernathy baby, and the return to Manhattan—you never know who might show up.

Till then, JLaLa


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Katniss

Thank you for your feedback for the last chapter! I know that it was hard one, but let's move on to better things!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Nineteen: Katniss**_

_Six Months Later…_

"She can't wear that."

From the doorway of their bedroom, Prim looked to Katniss for assistance.

"You made the dress, Katniss," the teenager said in frustration. "Convince him."

"What exactly is wrong with the dress?" Katniss asked her boyfriend.

She opened their closet to pull out a pair of Manolo Blahniks. It had been months since she put a pair on and as she slipped them on, Katniss winced at the sudden tightness.

Now, she remembered why she stopped.

Peeta met her eyes from where he sat on the bed in his dress pants and collared shirt.

"Her…stuff is showing," he replied simply.

Katniss turned to him. "Stuff?"

She looked over at Prim, who stood watching them in her periwinkle dress. The dress had a square neckline, capped sheer sleeves, and a knee-length A-line skirt. On Prim's feet were the pair of silvery heels that Cinna had given her during their last visit to Manhattan—a freebie from her photo shoot.

"He means my breasts," Prim informed her bluntly. "Because Peeta just realized that they're there." She looked at her brother, her hands on her hips. "They've been there for a while, Peeta."

"Well if I've noticed, then others will notice," Peeta argued back. He looked over at Katniss. "Sweetheart?" He pouted at her, his blue eyes darkening as he roamed over her body in her wrap dress.

She shook her head at him—now was definitely not the time.

"Do not put me in-between this," Katniss said to them both. "Prim, put on a cardigan for the ceremony. Peeta, the neckline is not exposing anything that can't be seen if she had a tank top or a t-shirt on."

Prim grumbled in agreement before leaving their doorway.

Katniss sat next to Peeta on the bed. He was fumbling with his dress socks and when he felt her movement on the mattress, he glared at her.

"Traitor," Peeta said crankily.

"Are you seriously mad at me?" she asked, her lips in a closed-lipped smile. "Honey, she can't help it if the boobs are there!"

"I know." Peeta laid back on the bed as he looked to her. "She's already been noticed by the ad campaign. I don't want her to grow up too fast—get into the wrong crowd and such."

Katniss laid back and took his hand. Pushing herself onto her elbow, she leaned down to kiss him gently. His free hand reached out to weave a tendril of her hair around his finger.

She loved the way he looked at her—like she was the only person in the world.

"Prim has a good head on her shoulders," she assured him. "She can read people like a book so she knows how to weave the real friends from the fake. You've taught her how to handle herself."

He grinned up at her. "You always know how to say the right things," Peeta replied as his hand went to the nape of her neck.

Gently, Peeta pulled her down to kiss her. Her chest pressed against his and his arm wrapped around her waist to pull her close against him. She could feel her heart begin to pound and the always constant pulsing in-between her legs whenever he touched her.

There was a knock against the doorway.

They both looked up to see Prim smirking at them. "As much as I would love for you to create my niece or nephew—I have to graduate."

* * *

"Congratulations, you two," Haymitch said with a grin. "She made it to eighth grade."

"But, now she isn't here for you to watch her," Peeta replied with a grimace. He watched as Prim stood in a circle of her classmates, Rory on her left and Rue on her right.

Katniss could see that her surrogate sister was definitely a little more popular now. However, she also knew that Prim was always watchful and aware that a lot of her popularity was for her success as Everdeen Design's brand ambassador. She only really hung out with Rory and Prim even if she was invited to many more events.

The ads for 'Whimsy in the City' did phenomenally well and business had gone up more than 25% in department stores. The flagship store had also doubled in business. Plus, she and Cinna had signed on to have two more department stores sell her brand.

At this point, Katniss felt that there was a possibility of bringing another new facet into her brand: maternity wear.

"Haymitch!" They turned to see Effie walking slowly towards them, her large belly moving ahead of her. She was wearing one of Katniss' designs—a grey shift dress and a long black ruffled cardigan—along with a dark green infinity scarf. She gave them a tired smile. "Sorry, I missed the ceremony. It took me five minutes to just sit up and then I had to put on clothes that didn't make me look like a house."

Katniss put an arm around her. "You look beautiful—and obviously you've made your baby very comfortable."

"A week overdue!" Effie shook her head despondently. "I think if I pinch my nose and push hard enough—he or she will just shoot out of me."

"Hang in there, Eff," Peeta told her sympathetically.

"Oh, what do you know?" The woman spat at him. "All you have to do is stand there and watch us get fat, miserable, and weepy. Do you know how long it's been since I've seen my feet?" Effie practically charged at him. "Do you?"

"N-N-No," Peeta said, his blue eyes wide with fear.

Effie was not one to be trifled with.

"Sweetheart," Haymitch said and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kate made those macaroons that you like." He kissed her quickly on the cheek. "Why don't you go grab some before these hungry teenagers take the rest of them?"

Effie nodded, gave Katniss a smile and then glared at Peeta before walking to the table.

Haymitch turned to them, his eyes on Peeta. "My God—don't anger it!"

"Sorry, I had no idea," Peeta said. "I didn't mean to make Effie so angry."

"That is _not _Effie," Haymitch told them. "That is the giant pile of hormones and fetus holding my wife hostage." He shook his head. "She has not slept—so I don't sleep."

Katniss looked over at Effie who was chewing on a macaroon as she spoke to Kate. Her other hand was on her swollen belly, caressing it gently. For a moment, Katniss wondered how it might feel to be that pregnant—to be on the cusp of labor.

Something tugged inside Katniss' chest—and it wasn't pain.

It was longing.

"Have you spoken to her obstetrician?" Katniss asked Haymitch.

"Yeah, we have an appointment in two days," he informed them. "It's likely that she'll be induced. Here we were worried that she would be early."

Effie's family had a history of pre-mature labor and so her second trimester was spent in bed. Once the third trimester came, she had been given the okay for limited movement.

"Hey everyone!" Prim rushed over to them with a grin.

"Hey graduate!" Katniss hugged the young girl. "How does it feel to be moving to the big building?"

"Like walking a block up," Prim retorted. She went to hug Peeta and then Haymitch. "Wow—Effie is huge."

"Please, if you care for me at all, you will not tell her that," Haymitch begged wearily.

"I won't." She looked over at the woman. "But, you should probably stop her from telling everyone about how she's going to yank that baby out of her." They turned to see a group of Prim's classmates gathered around Effie, their eyes wide and their mouths gaping open, as she talked. "Most of the guys probably have blue balls now."

"How would you know what 'blue balls' are?" Her brother asked.

Prim gave him an innocent smile. "Health class?"

* * *

Two days later, Katniss stood in the doorway of the Master bedroom.

It had been months since they had cleared out Jean and Robby's room. Prim had been given her mother's jewelry box and the vintage fur coat that had belonged to their great-grandmother. Peeta had his father's favorite ties and the cufflinks that he had worn when he married Jean.

Haymitch had taken some of Robby's old books while Peeta and Prim had given Effie their mother's knitted quilts for the baby along with some of their old baby clothes. The remaining things had gone to their basement while the furniture had been donated to charity.

There had been other changes around the house. Most of the framed photos along the stairs' wall were taken down, except for the last Mellark family photo.

Prim had picked photos of the three of them to hang instead. Some of the pictures had Haymitch and Effie in them; the one from their wedding hung at the bottom part of the stairs, while the other photos featured Katniss' design team and even Cor—most of them were taken during their time in Manhattan during Fashion Week.

She and Peeta had decided against moving into the room. It just didn't feel right and they were happy in their own room. Prim was also fine with staying in her room.

Thus, it left them with three empty rooms. The room next to Prim's was a guestroom with a bathroom next to that room. The room across Katniss and Peeta's bedroom was another guestroom while the room next to them was the study that Katniss was currently using as her sewing room.

So, the Master bedroom was the only unused room. They had repainted it white and ripped the old carpet out, leaving the floor as a simple hardwood.

Yet, she couldn't help but feel like there was something missing.

Quietly, she walked into the room and then sat down on the smooth floor. Her eyes roamed the blank space trying to pinpoint what was needed.

The room was comfortably warm, softening the hardwood, and Katniss found herself laying back to stare at the ceiling.

"What are you doing?"

She pulled her head up to see Peeta in the doorway with a handsome grin on his face.

"Just brainstorming," she replied before laying her head back once more.

Approaching footsteps vibrated against her back and Peeta was suddenly lying next to her.

His hand found hers easily and she turned to look at him. "Hey dandelion."

"Hey," he greeted back softly, his eyes searching hers.

Katniss still remembered their long ago conversation—his off-kilter marriage proposal and her answer. Now, it was just playing the waiting game. She had never been one to anticipate something like this. More and more, her hope seemed to heighten at the thought of him giving her a real proposal.

However, Peeta seemed to have forgotten it completely.

"Something is off about the room," she told him. "Do you feel that way?"

"Maybe we're just not used to the emptiness," Peeta replied. "It doesn't even look like their room anymore. But, that was the point, I guess."

"Do you regret cleaning it out?" Katniss asked carefully.

He shook his head. "No, it was meant to happen," Peeta told her. "I'm just glad that you were with us."

"I think your parents would be okay seeing the room change for something better." Katniss looked around. "Maybe it should be a library?"

Peeta shook his head. "I don't need any more books. Also, we have the three shelves downstairs." He stared up at the ceiling. "How about a rec room?"

"That's exactly we need—a rec room for Prim to take her friends into," she said with an amused grin. "I thought you wanted her to get away from boys."

"Suddenly, the thought of 'Spin the Bottle' being played in this room is making me sick," Peeta replied. "Did you ever play that game?"

"Yes—and I had to kiss someone with braces." Katniss chuckled at the memory. She was Prim's age and the boy shook so much before the kiss that she was worried about him getting sick. "I think that boy almost threw up after kissing me!"

"I have a hard time believing that anyone would want to throw up after kissing you." Pushing himself up on his elbow, Peeta looked down at her. "Because any girl that I ever kissed—she didn't compare to you." He leaned down to place kisses along her jaw and she arched as an ache shot up from her core. "You ruined me, Katniss." His blue eyes smoldered, almost burning into her. "I don't know what I would have done if you didn't come back."

"You would've found me," she replied simply. "I have no doubt about that. We would've found each other."

Leaning down, Peeta gently pressed his lips to hers. She responded immediately; her mouth opening slightly to allow him to taste and to roam her mouth with his tongue. His hands brushed against her, imprinting his hot touch on her needy skin and she groaned against him, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer against her, almost desperate for him to sink into her.

This kiss—this was the kind of kiss that she had waited her whole life for.

Begrudgingly, they pulled apart to actually breathe and he pressed his forehead to hers, both of them gasping.

"Katniss, I've been wanting to talk to you…" Peeta looked at her nervously. "Do you remember what we talked about a few months ago? About the dandelions and the trees—about soul mates?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes?" Her mouth went dry in anticipation.

"Well—"

_RING!_

_BEEP!_

She reached into the pocket of her jeans just as Peeta did the same to read the messages on their phones:

_Come quick—Effie is in labor. –H_

* * *

After picking up Prim from the Hawthorne's where she had been studying, the three of them quickly drove to Panem hospital. It was a medium-sized brick building closer to the town borderline. She had only been there once—when she broke her ankle during her one attempt to try-out for the pep-squad.

However, she knew that this place was a different place for Peeta.

This had been the place where he found out about what happened to his parents.

She took his hand and he turned to her.

"I'm okay," Peeta assured her. "I'm here for a better reason."

Walking into the entry way, they found Haymitch pacing, already in scrubs. He rushed over to them, his smile bigger than they had ever seen.

"We're really glad that you're here," he told them. "They've given her a little something for the pain and we're bringing her into the delivery room in a few minutes—but Effie wanted to make sure that she saw you."

"I want to see Effie first!" Prim said and Haymitch took the girl's hand to lead her down the hallway towards his wife.

She and Peeta followed quickly behind and their eyes met, her boyfriend grinning in anticipation. Finally, they watched Prim and Haymitch walk into the last room to the left.

Hurriedly, they went to the room. Inside, Prim was hugging Effie who was sitting up in bed, her face buried in the young girl's sunny hair.

"Does it hurt?" Prim asked worriedly as they pulled away.

Effie reached out to caress Prim's cheek. "Just a little bit at first—but, I'm okay now," the woman reassured her with a gentle smile.

It occurred to Katniss that Prim had also been reliving some bad memories of this hospital.

Katniss went to Effie and hugged her gently. "You ready to become a Mommy?"

"Not one bit—but no one is ever ready," Effie said to her. She took Katniss' hand and looked over at her husband, who nodded. "Haymitch and I were wondering if you wanted to be the baby's Godmother. If it brings back any bad memories, we understand."

She shook her head. "No…no! This is a good memory and I want to be the baby's Godmother! Effie, you're like my second mother—and you were there for me during that difficult part of my life—so I know you'll be there for the good parts, too."

"You're going to be a mother someday, Katniss. I mean, you already are in some way," Effie told her. "I'm going to be there, too. Me, Haymitch, and little no-name that's about to come out."

Haymitch placed a hand on Peeta's shoulder. "You, of course, will be Godfather."

Peeta smiled gratefully. "I know that it would've been Dad if he was here, but I'll gladly take the role." Going to Effie, he kissed her cheek. "You're going to do great."

Effie reached to cup his cheek gently. "Sorry I was so mean to you."

"It's okay," Peeta told her easily. "I tend to put my foot in my mouth sometimes."

There was a knock on the door and a nurse walked in. "We're about ready to transport you to the delivery room, Mrs. Abernathy." The nurse, with her greying hair and weathered face, gave Katniss, Peeta, and Prim a smile. "Is this the rest of your family?"

Effie nodded, her hands resting on her stomach. "Yes, they're pretty much our other children."

Two men walked in and unlocked Effie's bed to begin her move. Haymitch quickly went to her side.

"You okay there?" he asked his wife.

Effie beamed. "Just about to become a mother—and yourself?"

"On the cusp of being a father." Haymitch leaned down to kiss her. "I love you—you know that, right?"

"I think I've known since you walked up Katniss' front porch," she replied as they began to move her bed out the door.

The transport team moved Effie out leaving Haymitch and the three of them in the empty room.

"You better get over there," Prim said to Haymitch suddenly as her brother put an arm around her. "You have a baby to meet."

Haymitch looked to them and nodded before beginning his exit.

Suddenly, he stopped at the doorway and turned to Peeta.

"You know, even if your father were here, I would've chosen you."

* * *

The sound of an intercom page woke Katniss. She started looking around the unfamiliar surroundings and realized that they were still in the waiting room of the hospital.

Next to her, Peeta remained asleep with Prim's head on his lap as she used his jacket as her pillow. She was also passed out, her arm over her eyes to cover them from the harsh hospital lighting.

"You all fell asleep about an hour ago," a voice said.

Katniss looked across from her where the nurse who had checked on Effie was sitting, looking through her phone.

"First you, then your husband, and then his little sister," she informed Katniss.

"He isn't my husband," Katniss croaked out, her throat dry. "Just my boyfriend."

"Well, he certainly looks at you like you're his wife," the nurse said with a grin. "Your friends are still in delivery—and I'm on my break. I'll check on them as soon as I'm finished."

"Thanks," she replied. "I'm going to take a walk and grab some coffee. Will you let him know if he wakes up?"

The nurse nodded. "My name is Sae, by the way."

She stood up and shook the woman's hand. "I'm Katniss Everdeen. I'll be back in a few minutes." Sae nodded before going back to look at her phone.

Katniss stopped suddenly.

"Sae?" The woman looked up at her. She gazed over at Peeta. "How did he look at me?"

"Like you were his end and his beginning," Sae replied simply.

Katniss stared at her in shock. "What did you say?"

"I know it sounds silly—but it was something that my husband used to say to me," the nurse said. "You okay? You look grey."

Katniss nodded shakily, the words repeating in her head. "I'm fine—that's just a lot of meaning in one look."

Sae smiled. "But, it's what I saw."

* * *

Babies were strange creatures—the same and different, all at the same time.

Katniss looked through the window of the nursery at the rows of newborns in front of her. There was an array of blues and pinks; some of them were crying while others were asleep. Some of them were awake; their identical eyes all staring up curiously at the new sights around them.

Helena would have been a curious one. Katniss could feel it in her bones sometimes.

Her daughter may not have lived, but Katniss could feel her inside. Sometimes when an inexplicable joy rose up from seeing something new or something just breathtakingly beautiful, Katniss knew that it was her daughter reacting from deep within her.

The thought filled her with such joy and pain. Every time Katniss felt like this, she wished that she could see it on Helena's face. Then, the sad memory of seeing those still rose-colored lips flashed in her mind.

How she missed that tiny face.

"Hey." She turned to see Haymitch grinning at her. "She's not in there."

Katniss' lips split into a smile. "She?"

"We have a little girl. 7lbs, 4oz and thankfully, she looks completely like Effie," he told her with a proud grin.

"Congratulations." She went to embrace the man. Haymitch stiffened in her arms but patted her shoulder, eventually falling into her hug. "I'm sure that she'll get your humor though."

He chuckled. "God-willing."

Putting an arm around her, they began to walk to the waiting room. Sae passed them and offered her congratulations to Haymitch before winking at Katniss.

"What was that about?" Haymitch asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

In the waiting room, Peeta and Prim were still asleep so Katniss gently shook them both awake.

Prim sat up slowly and stretched her arms over her head.

Peeta, however, took a little longer to awaken, so Katniss brushed her fingers against his hairline.

His eyes fluttered before finally opening and he gave her a sleepy smile. "Hey."

"Wake up, sweetheart," she whispered. "Come and say hello to your Goddaughter."

His eyes widened and Peeta straightened to see Haymitch with Prim. The two stood waiting for them.

"Goddaughter?" Peeta met Haymitch's eyes, his smile brightening at the news.

They all rushed over to Effie's room where they found the new mother sitting up in bed with the pink bundle in her arms.

She looked up at the sound of their footsteps.

"Come in," Effie called quietly.

Prim rushed over, her blue eyes sparkling in anticipation. Slowly, Effie unraveled a bit of the blanket to show them the baby.

"She's so pretty," Prim said and her hand went to touch the ivory skin. "I think her hair is going to look like yours, Effie."

Katniss could feel her heart beat out of her chest as she went to look at her Goddaughter.

Round, expressive eyes greeted her and she could see that slight grey developing in the newly opened irises of the little girl. Her hair was light and in time, Katniss knew that it would become that same rich gold as her mother's. Tiny pink lips pursed up as Prim touched her full cheeks.

Her goddaughter was beautiful.

"She's perfect," Katniss finally said and she was surprised to hear the wetness in her voice.

"I'll agree with that," Peeta added as he approached them. He grinned over at Haymitch. "She looks like Effie—thank God."

"Hattie," Effie told them with a proud smile. "Her name is Hattie Jean Abernathy."

Peeta looked between the couple. "Jean?"

Haymitch nodded at him. "If that's alright with you and Prim?"

"Hattie Jean," Peeta repeated. He went to Effie. "May I?"

Effie nodded before carefully letting Peeta take the newborn from her arms.

Peeta was seamless in taking Hattie from her arms. It was as if he had done it many times before. He looked over at Prim.

"I remember the first time I held you," Peeta said to his sister. "You were just as small and just as precious." Prim beamed at her brother. "And, Mom told me that you had been fussing the whole time—but you calmed down for me. Like you knew that I was afraid and you were telling me that it was going to be okay."

"It's going to be okay," Prim repeated softly. "You look good like that Peeta."

And, there was that longing tug inside Katniss again.

* * *

"I can't believe that Effie is a mother," Johanna said as she looked through Katniss' digital camera at the pictures of the newest Abernathy. "Did you make that hat?" She pointed at the small magenta knit cap on Hattie's tiny head.

Katniss grinned as she looked at the picture of Hattie being held by Prim. "Yes, and she loves it, by the way."

"It's crazy what can happen in only a few months," Cinna said as he sat next to Katniss in her office. "They had the fastest courtship."

"Courtship?" Johanna snorted as she continued to look over the photos. "Well, when a gentleman caller comes a callin'—you have make sure that you're open for business. And, Effie obviously did since she was quite pregnant during her wedding."

"These designs look great," Cinna said as he looked over the vellum sheets with Katniss' sketches for the maternity line. "You were busy—there are over 50 designs here. We can make our decisions by the end of the week."

"There is one more thing that I wanted to show you," Katniss said as she pulled out another portfolio and handed it to Cinna worriedly. "You can tell me if you hate it or not."

Johanna handed her the camera. "Look at this picture of you and Hattie!"

Hattie was reaching up to touch Katniss' braid in the photo. She was only two weeks old but the little girl already seemed to have a very strong personality.

Haymitch and Effie were her parents—so, Katniss wasn't that surprised.

"She has a thing about textures," Katniss said as she glanced over at Cinna who was still looking over her portfolio. "If Peeta doesn't shave, she is reaching to touch his face."

Katniss loved to watch Peeta with their goddaughter. He adored her and vice-versa. Also, she had to admit that Peeta seemed naturally paternal.

"Texture seems to be the natural theme in these designs," Cinna suddenly said to her with a grin. "You want to get into babywear?"

Katniss shrugged. "Hattie seems very enamored with using this part of her senses. Don't you think that we could use that for the clothes? Minky cloth pockets or maybe embroidered stitching along the neckline for the onesies?"

She took one of the designs as she explained her idea. "I guess my concept is 'discovery from the start'—teaching children to use their senses. I figure we can use the five senses as our age blocks. Newborn and infant wear can be the 'touch' thus the textured onesies, hats, and mitts."

Cinna's jaw dropped. "You are a freaking genius."

Katniss stared over at him. "I am?"

"I could kiss you!" Cinna continued in excitement.

"I wouldn't go that far," Johanna said with a smirk. "Seeing as you're same-sex oriented and Peeta is probably not too keen to share his muff with anyone."

"Muff? Aren't those hand warmers?" Cinna asked in confusion.

Johanna chuckled. "Yeah, but they could warm your mouth too, sometimes."

"What?" Cinna turned to Katniss. "I don't understand."

She glared at her best friend before meeting Cinna's eyes. "It's probably for the best."

There was a knock on her office doorway and they all turned to see Peeta standing in front of them.

"Prim is downstairs with Portia," he told them, his eyes on Katniss. "They're going over her photo shoot wear. I mean, right after, Prim is done giving someone her autograph."

"That is adorable," Cinna gushed. "That means the campaign is doing well!"

Peeta approached Katniss, planting a kiss on her lips. "What's going on?"

"Showing Cinna the sketches for the maternity and babywear line," Katniss informed him.

"Also, discussing your muff," Johanna added with a wicked grin.

"What?" Peeta asked.

"It's best to ignore it," Katniss responded off-handedly. "Cinna loves the idea."

"I thought he would," he replied proudly. Peeta looked at his watch. "We have to get ready for Cor's party."

"Oh, yeah!" Katniss stood up and kissed both Johanna and Cinna goodbye. She looked to her best friend. "Do you want us to just pick Prim up from your place or do you just want to hang at our place?"

"She can sleep over at my house," Johanna told them. "Might as well let her stay over and get her rest since the photo shoot is in the morning."

"Thanks, Johanna," Peeta said gratefully. "You know how long these things can run."

"You're welcome," she responded.

"Do you have a name for the line?" Cinna suddenly asked.

Katniss nodded. "Yes. I want to name the line—Hattie Jean." She took Peeta's hand. "She was my inspiration."

Cinna suddenly grimaced. "Gross."

They all turned to him.

"What?" Johanna asked.

"I just got the muff reference."

* * *

"That dress," Peeta whispered in her ear. "It is amazing."

She blushed at his words as she looked him over. "You cut a pretty good figure yourself—Cinna did a great job picking that suit out."

"I am really feeling this Armani, too." Peeta straightened up as they entered the floor of the hotel. "And, I'm really feeling my date."

"Well, you can feel me later," she promised with a wink. "As soon as you're done schmoozing."

"For the love of God, let's get this over with," he told her. "The sooner we're done, the sooner I can unzip you."

Peeta helped her walked down the marble steps as she was barely teetering on the platform heels that Cinna had found for her in a Brooklyn vintage shop.

The dress that she wore was gorgeous: emerald green with a boatneck line, long sleeved with an A-line skirt that hit the ground in a slow waterfall. Katniss had parted her hair to the side so that it fell across her face à la Veronica Lake.

"There's still the bathroom of this hotel," she retorted with a grin. A waiter passed them and she took flutes from his tray. Handing one to Peeta, Katniss took a sip from hers feeling the cool bubbles hitting her throat.

"Don't tempt me," Peeta told her as he wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her side close to his own.

"Katniss! Peeta!" They turned to see Cor rushing over with them along with Beetee. She rushed into her former father-in-law's arms. "How are you?"

"We're doing well," she said to him. "Proud godparents to Hattie, of course."

"Effie had her baby?" Beetee said as he leaned over to kiss Katniss' cheek. "I'll have my secretary send her some flowers."

"Maybe send some scotch for Haymitch," Katniss suggested with a grin. "He needs it."

"Ah yes—every new father's salvation." Cor chuckled. "A shot or two usually calms the nerves."

The rest of the night was spent taking photos for different society pages and business magazines. She spoke to a few of Cor's employees about her profit increase since 'Whimsy in the City' came out. The advertisement had paid for itself, really.

Peeta was being shuffled around with Beetee, who had taken him under his wing. The two often worked the charity crowd together, gathering information to see which ones that the Foundation should look into as well as talking up the ones that they were currently funding.

Her boyfriend was handsome, charming, and intelligent. He got along with both sexes and both were captivated with him. Everyone liked Peeta and it wasn't difficult to understand why. He was easy to speak with and had a trusting smile.

"So, how does it feel now that Cor has made Peeta a shareholder in the company?" Beetee asked her later that evening.

Cor suddenly coughed and Peeta turned a shade of red that Katniss had never seen.

She turned to both of them. "I don't know." She took a sip from her champagne glass. "This is the first time that I've heard about this."

"I'm sorry," Beetee suddenly sputtered. "I didn't realize that you were unaware—"

She cut the man off quickly. "It's alright—" Katniss turned to Peeta. "Outside, now."

"Katniss, my dear," Cor started worriedly. "I didn't mean—"

"I will speak with you later," Katniss assured her former father-in-law. She looked to Peeta. "Let's go."

Together, they stiffly walked to the balcony and Peeta opened the door for her before walking out, closing it behind him.

She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, partly due to the sharp air and partly due to anger.

"You're freezing," Peeta said and removed his tuxedo jacket to place it on her shoulders.

"How long have you been a shareholder?" she asked him.

"Since February," Peeta admitted.

"Do you know how much of a risk you're taking?" Katniss turned to him. "If stock in the company falls, you could lose_ all_ of your money; Prim's college fund, your house…" She shook her head. "You have a _lot_ to gamble with. This isn't just your life. It is your sister's life! It is OUR life!"

"I KNOW THAT!" Peeta erupted at her. "I'm an adult, Katniss and this is _my_ decision. I believe in Cor's company—and I've been working with Beetee to create a smart financial plan. I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to money."

"You could've fooled me," Katniss scoffed. "You're risking so much—and I worry."

"If I didn't take a risk, I would have never gotten you to notice me," he replied. "Does every fourteen-year-old climb the window to their crush's bedroom? Or, does he question himself as he stands on her penthouse balcony before kissing her once more? Every risk I have taken has been worth it because it has brought me nothing but luck—it brought me you."

Peeta went to her, his hands going to cup her face. "Please don't be mad, Katniss. Because, I don't want to spend our night fighting." Peeta's mouth went to her ear. "Give me a chance to beg for forgiveness. Can I take you home now and explain myself before going on my knees to beg you not to be angry with me?"

After a moment, Katniss relented. "Let's go."

* * *

They undressed quietly in their bedroom at Katniss' penthouse.

The place was completely silent, surrounded in darkness. She was fuming. Peeta was being completely irresponsible. He wasn't earning the income that she and Cor were, so if he lost out, then it would impact him much more.

Katniss was also worried. She didn't want him sucked into that life—a life where money made the world go round—the fast-paced life that she had wanted to leave. Though she loved her job, it was the only reason keeping her from actually leaving Manhattan for good.

She felt him move behind her. "Do you need help with the zipper?" he asked, his mouth against her ear.

Katniss shivered and she hated herself for it. Because she knew the game that Peeta was playing. He knew what spots made her arch against him and where to nip with his teeth to make her moan.

If she let him, Peeta would make her come until she couldn't remember her name.

"Sure," she replied in a hard whisper.

"Katniss…" Peeta began. She felt the cool metal go down her back as he unzipped her. "I'm sorry if you were caught unaware. Cor approached me before and I should have consulted you first. I wasn't stupid about my decision and I read over the terms of the contract before signing."

She turned and shrugged the dress off her shoulders. "And, what money did you use?"

He stared at the sight of her in her nude colored bra and barely-there panties. Her dress showed every bump so she couldn't have anything too clothed.

Peeta met her eyes. "My trust fund—it wasn't much."

Katniss shook her head. "I never wanted this for you," she replied. "I wanted us to have a peaceful life in Panem. If this doesn't work, you will be tied to this for the rest of your life. It is not a big thing for Cor to lose a million or so—but it is a huge deal for you."

"And, it is not a big thing to Cor if he gains a million or so—but, it will be a huge deal for us," he responded. "It will be money for Prim to go to school, for me to get you the ring and wedding you deserve, and money for our children." He took her hand and gazed into her eyes. "I never forgot what we talked about all those months ago, Katniss. You, my dandelion girl, deserve the best and that's what I want to give you."

"Don't you know, money or not, you are the best?" Katniss told him. "I don't need money. We have enough of that. I don't want the big wedding or ring. I want the wedding where the man I'm marrying is actually looking at me. There could a thousand people or there could be ten people and all we would see is each other."

"I'm sorry." Peeta lifted her chin with his fingers. "I never meant to throw you for a loop. Please forgive me—and don't be mad at Cor. I honestly think that he's worried that you'll never speak to him again."

"I'll call him in the morning on the way to Prim's photo shoot," she told him with a small smile.

Peeta nodded, that sweet smile growing on his face. Quickly, he scooped her up in his arms to lay her gently across their bed. She watched him slowly undo his tie in front of her. His tuxedo jacket had been discarded earlier during their argument. He continued, his hands deftly going down the buttons of his shirts, before he peeled it off.

Katniss sat up and made her way to the foot of the bed where he stood. Her hands went to his chest and he inhaled sharply at the contact. She could see the storm in his cornflower eyes as her hands traveled down to touch his abdomen and towards the belt of his pants.

"You are beautiful," he whispered.

Looking up as Katniss undid the button at his waistband; she saw that he was watching her. There was that usual hunger in his eyes that came with being half-naked in front of one another.

But, there was also love there.

"You made me beautiful," Katniss replied as she pulled his pants off his hips slowly.

Peeta stood in front of her, firm and beautiful, and her lips went to his. He sighed into her mouth and his arms reached to wrap around her waist. Katniss could feel him, hard and pulsing, against her covered mound.

She pulled away to step off the bed. Peeta sat against the edge of it, his cock jutting out as he followed her movements. Slowly, Katniss reached behind her to unhook her bra before taking the little bit of cloth on her nether region and pulling it slowly down her legs.

Katniss chuckled softly as she stood up. "I still have my heels on."

Peeta took her hand to lead her to him and she straddled him, her knees on each side of his hips.

"Keep them on," he told her in a tight voice.

She sheathed herself around him and a moan escaped her mouth feeling his fullness.

"Why?" Katniss asked breathlessly as he tightened his hold on her waist to draw her against him. His mouth went to her nipple and she hissed at the contact, her hands going to his hair.

"Because after we're done here—" She followed his gaze to the floor to ceiling window. "—we're going over there."

* * *

_The room was soft yellow._

_Katniss sensed the soft breeze from the open windows, where sheer white curtains danced, as she walked into the room. Looking down, she could feel the softness of the cream carpet against her feet._

_When she looked up once more, Katniss was surprised to see that the room had suddenly filled with furniture—white furniture with gold detailing. Her hand touched a white dresser with gold knobs and she went to open the drawer when there was a shuffle behind her._

_All of a sudden, the room had more furniture—cribs. _

_The same white as the dresser and Katniss was walking towards the middle room where they stood._

_On the headboard to her left in between the leafy filigree design was the letter__** R**__ in a pretty cursive; the other headboard to right sported the same design but with the letter __**J**__._

_She was almost there, so close to seeing them…_

"_Katniss?" Turning, she saw Peeta standing in the doorway to the room, smiling at her. "Are they awake?"_

_She was suddenly confused. "Who?"_

Katniss awoke with a gasp.

Quickly, she sat up and turned to find Peeta fast asleep, his bare legs twisted in the sheets. Katniss looked down, realizing that she too was naked.

Outside, it was still dark and she sat back against her headboard trying to recover from the sudden awakening.

What a night.

What a dream.

Her hands suddenly went to her bare abdomen and flashes of her dream came rushing back. The yellow room, the soft carpet under her feet—and the cribs with R and J on the headboards…

And, Peeta at the doorway asking if '_they_' were awake.

The room was familiar and she searched her mind to where she had seen the layout of the room—the walk-in closet and large windows. Peeta at the doorway with a long hallway behind him.

It came to her unexpectedly.

She realized what the Master bedroom was meant to become.

It was meant to become a nursery.

* * *

So, there was a lot more that was supposed to happen in this chapter; but I felt like this was good place to stop.

I'm glad a lot of you got the dandelion reference in the last chapter and if you didn't—I think it was cleared up here.

I love the name Hattie—don't you?

As for the last part of this chapter, I'm just going to let you stew over that.

Hellos, reviews, feedback, and questions are always welcome on Tumblr, FF, and Ao3!

Next: Chapter Twenty, Peeta—the photo shoot, Katniss and Peeta run into someone unexpected, and Peeta asks for Cor's help.

Until then,

JLaLa


	21. Chapter Twenty: Peeta

Thank you for your feedback, follows, and favorites. It's much appreciated.

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty: Peeta**_

Slowly, Peeta awoke.

For a moment, he was confused by his surroundings until his eyes adjusted and he saw the Manhattan skyline in front of him.

What he also found was that Katniss' side of the bed was empty. His girlfriend was standing at the window; a dark silk robe wrapped around her slender body as she stared out. He could tell that she was deep in thought by the stillness of her stature.

Sitting up, Peeta went to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Katniss turned to him, a tired smile on her bare face. "Morning."

"Good morning," he replied and kissed her. Peeta could see the dark circles under her slate eyes. "Did you get any sleep?"

"I had a dream," she told him simply before turning to look out once more.

Peeta tightened his hold on her protectively. "A bad one?"

Her hand reached out to slight Peeta's rough cheek before her lips went to his. "No."

Her expression was mysterious and his curiosity was piqued. "Do you want to tell me about it?" She turned to him, her smile soft, and shook her head. "Is there any way for me to get it out of you?"

His hands went to unravel the ties on her robe and it opened easily revealing rich olive skin. He was aching to touch her and almost shakily he placed his hands along her waist. Katniss sucked in a breath at the contact.

"Do you really think that you can get me to tell you my secrets?" she teased quietly. Shrugging off her robe, it fell to the ground leaving her naked in front of him. The sun from the window hit her skin, making it glow, and immediately he felt himself hardened at the sight.

Katniss was radiant.

And every day, Peeta couldn't believe that he was waking up to her.

"Peeta?" His eyes met her concerned ones. "You've been staring at me for a full minute—are you alright?"

"I'm more than alright." Peeta reached to cup her face. "It's just sometimes I can't believe that you're standing in front of me—that I'm waking up to you."

Katniss chuckled and shook her head. "You're still not getting anything out of me."

Quickly, Peeta scooped her up and she screamed, her arms reaching around his neck to hold on. Walking over to the bed, he laid her down gently.

Peeta removed his boxers. "Just because I can't get anything out of you—doesn't mean that I can't try."

* * *

_Central Park, Manhattan_

"Prim, tilt your head down just a bit," Portia instructed as she held the camera to her face.

While she wasn't a professional, Portia's degree had been in Fashion Photography. Also, Peeta's sister was comfortable with the woman so Katniss felt that it was best for Portia to continue as Prim's sole photographer.

"Prim looks beautiful," Katniss said as they walked towards the two on the photo set. "And, she's a real trooper for wearing a coat in this heat."

Prim was wearing a fitted navy peacoat along with a black A-line skirt and cranberry stockings. Heeled ankle boots and light pretty make-up on her young face completed the look.

According to Katniss, the whole concept was simple, comfortable chic. Prim had a lot of say in the designing as part of her duties. The response had been good for 'Whimsy in the City'—this particular line being affordable for teenage girls while still being trendy, thanks to Prim's input.

"She can handle it," Peeta assured his girlfriend; their hands clasped together as they got past the barrier.

Johanna was standing aside from Portia and Prim. She turned and gave a smile when she heard Katniss' boots clicking towards her.

"Morning, lovebirds," she greeted. "Did you have a good rest?"

Katniss blushed but nodded. "It was…enlightening."

Johanna met Peeta's eyes and winked. "Enlightening, huh? Teach her something new?"

"She's teaching me," he retorted with a grin.

For example: that morning, Katniss had taught him that morning sex with her in control was by far the best way to start a day.

"PEETA!" His sister rushed towards him and hugged him. Pulling him away, she did a little twirl. "What do you think?"

"Beautiful," he replied. "You look so grown up."

"I'm dying for some ice cream," Prim told him with a pout.

And, his grown-up theory was thrown out in the breeze.

"Well, we started pretty early," Portia said as she joined them. "So, we'll be finished in an hour."

"Katniss—" They found Cinna rushing towards them from the small trailer parked at the end of the set, a black outfit in his hands. "We have a problem."

His girlfriend's brows furrowed. "What?"

"The black jumpsuit," he replied. "I'm not sure if I'm feeling the plunging neckline on Prim."

"I'll take a look." Katniss went to the table next to them and began rummaging through the pile of accessories.

Peeta looked over at Prim and Johanna. "I wanted to talk to you both about something."

Prim met his eyes. "Sounds serious."

"Is this a 'put a ring on it' kind of serious?" Johanna asked.

He nodded almost imperceptibly and Prim clapped her hands over her mouth in excitement.

Johanna turned to Cinna and Katniss. "Well, she's busy right now. Here's our chance—WE'RE GOING TO GET PRIM SOME ICE CREAM!"

Quickly, they walked away from the set. Johanna and Prim stood on each side of him; their arms linked with his as they dragged him away.

He was almost regretting talking to them about this.

However, it had been on his mind for months; ever since Helena's birthday and their conversation about soul mates. He had never believed in theory. But, looking at Katniss that night as they discussed tree roots and dandelions; Peeta had suddenly realized that he didn't want to wait anymore.

He wanted Katniss to be his forever.

"I think there is an ice cream cart around here," Johanna offered as they made a turn. She looked at him almost anxiously. "So, how long have you been thinking about this?"

"Since Helena," he replied. "Maybe longer—maybe since I saw her sitting with Prim on her house porch." Peeta turned to his sister. "What do you think?"

"I think that we're ready," Prim told him, her blue eyes serious. "Katniss is pretty much my sister—and now I can't remember a time when she wasn't part of our lives." She put her head on his shoulder. "And…you've loved her since you were fourteen—I think you've waited long enough."

Then, Peeta turned to Johanna. "You're quiet."

"I guess I'm just scared for her," Johanna said. "It's nothing against you. Just Katniss being married—it brings back a lot of memories—of her first marriage. Back then, I was always afraid of getting a phone call that something had happened to her when she was married to Cato."

He looked at Johanna, concern in his eyes. "Was it that bad?"

They sat down at an empty bench and Johanna nodded—her eyes faraway.

"There was a point when it was. Cato was out a lot—with other women—and she was alone. When he was there, Cato was cruel to her. I heard them once during an argument. He would call her names, tell her how replaceable she was, and how cold she was; that no one really cared for her. Sometimes, I think she really believed him."

Johanna looked at Prim and Peeta, her eyes shining.

"But, Katniss is so quiet and brave. Back then, I never knew what was going on in her head or how she was handling it." Johanna took a deep breath. "After Helena, I wondered if one day I'd get a call telling me that she decided to take a dive onto the concrete or something."

"I understand that you're worried about her," Peeta said. "And maybe you won't believe that everything will be okay until five…ten…or fifteen years into our marriage. I still want to take the chance. I hope that you'll support her—whether she says yes or no."

After a moment, Johanna nodded and gave him a shaky smile. "I'm going to try, I really am." She took a deep breath before looking over at Prim. "Why don't you grab that ice cream?" Johanna nodded her head at the cart standing a few feet away.

Prim got up, squeezing Peeta's shoulder before making her way to the cart.

Johanna watched his sister walk over. "Do you know when you're going to ask?"

Peeta shook his head. "I just think that it's best to be prepared."

They went silent.

Peeta knew, in some way, that Johanna would be resistant. She had been there for Katniss in her darkest moments and would always worry that Katniss might find herself back in that place.

"She doesn't like diamonds."

Peeta turned to Johanna, hearing her sudden words.

"So, I would look into the other precious gems when you make your decision about her ring. She would look good in just about any ring finish—but, I think white gold would be best. Something vintage, one-of-a-kind would be nice—maybe with a story."

Peeta chuckled. "A story?"

"Tell her that the ring belonged to an empress or that whoever wears it will always be lucky—something like that," Johanna continued with a small smile. "You can always send me a picture if you see something."

Peeta sat back and smiled at her. "Or, you can be there when I find the perfect ring."

"I'd like that."

"You know that when I marry her, Katniss will have me and Prim when there are dark days," he told her. "And, so will you."

Johanna went silent. After a moment, she sucked in a choked breath and nodded. "Thanks."

* * *

_Midtown, Manhattan_

"What took you three so long this afternoon?" Katniss asked curiously.

Peeta helped her out of the Sedan that they were using for the evening. His girlfriend's dress was ruby colored, sleeveless, and with an abundant skirt. It took himself, Cinna, and Johanna to help her into the car.

They were at another event of Cor's for the foundation. Peeta had found his niche with the charitable crowd; it always helped for them to see a younger face to assure them that the contribution was in good hands. The charities that they were working with were ones that both he and Beetee felt passionate about.

This party was a thank you for the donors' support as well as a way for Cor to see that his foundation was in good hands.

"Prim had more than one ice cream," he replied as they finally closed the door to the car. "We didn't want to have a mess on her clothes; so we had her sit down in case." Katniss nodded in acceptance of his reason. "You did a great job with the jumpsuit—the fur in front of the opening was perfect."

"And, it kept Prim from showing her lady parts," Katniss teased. "I know how you feel about that."

"It's bad enough that I have Rory coming around the house," he grumbled. "But, those skateboarders wolf-whistling at my sister…"

She laughed. "You didn't need to try to chase them!"

''I would've caught them," Peeta argued. "Stupid skateboards."

Katniss turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oh, sweetheart—I'm sure that you would have." She tilted her head towards him closely and Peeta ached to taste her lips. She smiled at him teasingly. "You are such a protective man."

"I know Prim doesn't need it, nor do you, but I just can't deal sometimes," Peeta told her. "I can get protective over my family—because you two are the only family that I have."

She looked at him warmly. "One day, we won't be."

Peeta stared at her suddenly glowing eyes and bright cheeks. "What do you mean?"

"KATNISS! PEETA!"

They turned to see Beetee rushing towards them.

"You two look great!" The man kissed Katniss' cheek and shook Peeta's hand. "Everyone is already inside."

"We ran a little late with Prim's shoot," Katniss explained apologetically. "I had to add something onto an outfit. So, we're fashionably late."

Beetee led them into the lobby of the building. "Or, you're just late for fashion's sake."

They all walked further inside and Peeta looked up at the ornate ceiling and grand chandelier. Persian rugs ran under the dark upholstered furniture where some of the guests were sitting with drinks. Across the room was a large brick fireplace, roaring with fire, and above the mantelpiece was an old portrait—he suspected it might have been whomever owned the building.

"What is this place?" he asked Beetee.

They entered the main hall and were greeted by a crowd of people around them. Some guests were dancing while others remained on the side mingling. There was a bar at the far end of the room. Katniss gripped his hand and he reached over to pull her closer, entwining her arm under his own. She met his eyes and smiled softly.

"It's a mansion that belonged to one of the first millionaires in New York. Now, the place is used for events and such," Beetee explained. "Oh, there's Cor!" He led them over to the older man, who was talking to a stately looking woman with dark skin wearing a plum dress. "Look who I've found!"

Cor's face lit up at the sight of them.

"I was wondering if we were going to see you tonight," he told the two. "I know that photo shoots run a little longer when a certain fashionista-in-training is involved."

"When she's being groomed to take over Everdeen design, then it is nothing but the best," Peeta joked as he patted Cor's shoulder. "Also, with Katniss knee-deep in starting the Hattie Jean line, she might need Prim sooner."

"Yes, because nothing is scarier than a thirteen-year-old at the helm of an empire," Katniss retorted as she leaned forward to kiss Cor on the cheek.

They all turned to the woman in front of them, who was talking to Beetee. She had wide dark eyes and a bright smile. Her brown, almost-burgundy hair was cropped close to her head, emphasizing her long elegant neck which Beetee seemed to be admiring.

"I'm being rude," Cor abruptly said. "Katniss, Peeta—I'd like to introduce Grace Seeder—our latest donor to the Snow Foundation. She just finished a stint with Google in California and decided to move to Manhattan after receiving an employment offer from Trump, himself. Also, after some persuasion by Beetee." The woman let out a small chuckle as the words caused Beetee to bow his head in embarrassment. "Grace—this is Katniss Everdeen, my daughter and her fiancé Peeta Mellark."

Cor had long forgotten that they were not engaged at all. It looked good for business for them to come together as a unit; involvement with one another could not give potential clients or donors the assurance that an engagement could.

"Everdeen? As in Everdeen Design?" Grace asked as she shook hands with Katniss. "I just spent an obscene amount of money at your store during my last visit here. My niece is waiting for me to ship her some clothes from your newest line—the one with the pretty blonde girl on the ad."

"My sister, Primrose," Katniss said with a smile. She turned to look at Peeta. "Actually, soon-to-be my sister—Prim is Peeta's younger sister."

Grace looked to him with an impressed smile. "You must be proud."

"I'm proud of both of them, Miss Seeder," Peeta told her.

"Please, call me Seeder," the woman replied kindly. "I never felt like Grace suited me—or being a Miss."

"Peeta is one of my shareholders and works very closely with Beetee as well as our donors," Cor said.

He swore that there was a glint of pride in the older man's eyes.

Over the past few months, he and Cor had grown close.

First, by their mutual love and concern for Katniss. Then as time passed, their mutual interest in humanitarianism—they both believed in the greater good. He and Cor understood that any person, big or small, could have a gigantic effect on society as well as the rest of the world.

So their shared idea was to promote individualism, education, and empathy for those in need. That was what the foundation was about and that was why Peeta believed in what they were doing.

Peeta looked over at Katniss, who was watching the couples dancing on the elevated dance floor to the music of the live band. Her eyes were wistful and he watched her sway in tune to the music in her beautiful dress.

God, she was gorgeous.

Pressing himself closer, Peeta put his lips to her ear. "Did you want to dance?"

Katniss looked over at him. "Depends," she replied. "How well of a dancer are you?"

"We danced at Haymitch and Effie's wedding," he offered on his own behalf. "I thought I did alright."

Katniss smiled at his words. "We danced for a minute and then my parents called us over. Then, it was followed by the worst wedding night ever."

"Give me a chance." Peeta turned to the group next to them. "Would you all excuse us? I'm going to take Katniss out on the floor to prove that I'm a decent dancer."

Cor, Beetee, and Seeder chuckled before nodding in permission.

"You'll need practice," Seeder told them with a grin. "For your wedding!"

The group shooed them away and he walked with his girlfriend towards the dance floor.

"You must think you're clever," Katniss said as they stepped onto the floor; her smile was radiant and his heart raced at the sight of her.

Peeta twirled her around him before pulling her flat against his body; he wanted her to feel his heart beating as they danced.

"I just wanted to hold you." Peeta tightened his hold on her waist. "Is that so wrong?"

Katniss shook her head, her cheeks pink. "It's just that I'm a little embarrassed. I'm actually a shitty dancer."

Peeta snorted as she placed her cheek against his. "Here I was thinking that you were going to dance me around the floor! You were just bluffing."

"That's the tactic—you can never let them know that you're sweating." He sighed feeling her breath against his ear. "Conviction is one of the keys to convincing people about your cause."

"What's the other key?" He twirled her and closed his eyes, hearing the swish of her skirt as they continued their dance.

"Passion," Katniss replied simply. He pulled away to meet her eyes. "You have to love it more than anything else."

And suddenly, they were no longer talking business.

"I do," he promised her. Not caring if anyone was looking, his hand reached to her thick curls and Peeta pulled her close before closing the gap between them.

Peeta could taste the champagne in their kiss, feeling drunk at the brush of their tongues.

"I do," Katniss sighed into his mouth as they pulled away.

"To what?" he asked as their eyes met.

"To everything."

* * *

After their dance, Snow had asked for a turn with Katniss. He obliged, persuading Seeder to join him on the floor. The evening continued and after Beetee danced with Katniss, they all settled at their table for a light dinner.

Cor had made his welcome speech, looking magnanimous, as he spoke at the podium. He had thanked the attendees as well as the staff. Finally, he had offered Peeta a thanks for partnering up with Beetee and talked about his contribution while joking that his only form of salary was permission for Katniss' hand.

The crowd laughed and Katniss had eyed him bemusedly. She had no idea of his asking Snow for permission to marry her months ago.

"Did you want something to drink?" Peeta asked Katniss as they walked off the floor after their latest dance.

"Sure," she replied as they sat back at their table.

"Champagne?" he suggested.

Katniss shook her head, her face slightly paled. "Maybe water—or a ginger ale?"

Peeta looked at her in concern. "You feeling okay?"

She waved him off. "Of course! Just tired, that's all."

Kissing the top of her head, Peeta stood up. "I'll be back with both." Heading to the far side of the room, he called for the bartender. "A pinot, a ginger ale, and a bottled water, please."

The bartender nodded. "Right away, sir."

"That's a lot of drinks for one man." Peeta turned to see a petite dark-haired woman with pale skin and dark eyes in an ebony fitted dress. She sipped her cocktail demurely before giving him a smile. "You're Peeta Mellark, aren't you?"

Peeta nodded. "How did you know?"

"Well, Mr. Snow has been bragging on stage about his up-and-coming soon-to-be son-in-law," the woman replied. "Also, I caught him talking to a few folks about you. He says that you have the personality to be a great humanitarian. That's quite the compliment."

"It's flattering," he replied as he looked around for the bartender once more.

"I heard that you were a teacher, too," she continued. "I wanted to be a teacher once. Is it a difficult job?"

"Depends on the grade sometimes," Peeta informed her. She was getting too close for comfort. "Do you know where the bartender disappeared to?"

The woman looked around before shrugging. "Must've run out of something you needed." She took another sip from her glass. "What grade do you teach?"

Peeta suddenly felt wary. "Fourth."

"No kidding!" Her hand went to his arm. "I wanted to teach fourth grade, too! It's the perfect age because they're at the height of development."

He nodded in agreement. "That what I thought, too."

The woman's eyes went over his shoulder and her ruby lips moved up in a smirk. "Hello, Mrs. Snow."

Peeta turned to see Katniss staring at the woman. "Hello, Clove." She went to him. "You know as much as I do that I don't go by that name." Her eyes narrowed. "Though, I know that there were many who were eager for the title."

Clove fumed at her jab. Suddenly, her lips spread in a malicious smile as her hand went to move down his arm.

He cringed and stepped closer to Katniss.

"I can take a Mellark as easily as I can take a Snow," Clove told her in a soft, sharp voice.

"No, you can't," Peeta told her. "Because you don't measure up—" He looked down at Clove in disdain. "—in so many ways."

Clove faltered but recovered quickly. "Cato says that she as stiff as board in bed," she informed him. "He even let me watch a tape of them once." Peeta felt a wave of disgust from hearing the glee in her voice. "We spent an entire day analyzing all her moves—and then we recorded over that crap with our own session. Does she still moan if you run your hand down the small of her back?"

"ENOUGH!" Katniss yelled. "Do you think that I'm afraid of you? I'm not. Bring back this message to Cato: I'm not afraid anymore. If he wants it all out, then I can lay it bare—but can he?"

She stepped to face Clove, towering over her.

"Cato went to you because you promised him the moon—just for a chance to pretend to be his. He's known all along that he couldn't measure up to his own expectations, much less his father's. So you poisoned his mind—made him blame everyone else but himself for his shortcomings. Anything or anyone, including his wife that went above and beyond him—he needed to punish."

"I don't worry about Peeta—because he stronger and smarter than Cato. He can see a falsity in an instant," Katniss continued. "And even from across the room, I can see that he was as disgusted with you as I am."

"You fucking bitch—" Clove reached out with her hand swinging.

Katniss caught it easily. "Don't fuck with me, Clove. I'm not Cato's wife anymore." She yanked the woman's wrist so she could pull her closer. "Because Cato's wife would hesitate at kicking your ass—but I won't."

"You wouldn't risk the PR," Clove responded in shock as Katniss released her.

"I would—and follow it with another interview with Caesar—to tell him about Helena. How the shock of finding you with my husband and another woman, in _our _bed, caused her death," Katniss countered, heat in her eyes.

She was suddenly ten feet tall, strength and fire radiating around her.

"That's not true!" Clove seethed.

"Isn't it?" Katniss said with her hands on her hips. "Look at it from the public eye—a married man, his publicist, and some trampy socialite—caught in bed by his pregnant wife."

"You wouldn't risk being exposed again…" Clove replied weakly. She looked frazzled by Katniss' sudden tirade and her eyes looked nervously at the people around her for assistance.

Katniss, however, stood strong. "I will protect what family I have—and Helena would've appreciated that."

* * *

"My God," Peeta whispered as he unzipped her dress, later that night. "I have never been so turned on."

Katniss turned to him, letting her gown drop to the carpet in an undignified heap, and raised her brow at him. "What are you talking about?"

Peeta swooped her up into his arms and she let out a high-pitched scream at the sudden motion.

He chuckled as he lay her gently onto their bed. "Keep it down—wouldn't want to wake Prim up."

"You know that she is chocolate-wasted after her night with Cinna and Portia," Katniss replied with a smile on her pretty face.

They had found the three in Prim's room of the penthouse, the television turned on as '_The Devil Wears Prada_' played, passed out with chocolate bars and popcorn littered around them. She and Peeta had placed blankets over them and dimmed the lights before going to their own room.

Peeta sat next to her, admiring her olive skin against the cream bra and panties that she wore. She was an angel personified and he loved that part about her.

But then, there was the fire that had come out earlier that night—and seeing the spark in her graphite eyes had caused fire to run through his veins. The need for her was overwhelming and that part spoke to him, too.

"I'm proud of you," he told her.

"I didn't do anything," she replied. "I just did what I should've done a long time ago." Her hand reached for his. "I only did it because you're mine. I'm done with Clove thinking that she has some sort of ownership over me—that she can take what she wants from me." Katniss grinned up at him. "I wasn't going to let her take you from me."

Peeta leaned down to kiss her gently. "You know that I wouldn't have fallen for that, right?"

"I know—but it was funny to watch her squirm."

They both chuckled and as the laughter faded, Katniss reached up to brush her fingers against his face.

Her eyes went heated and dark. "Now that you have me—what are you going to do with me?"

Slowly, Peeta stood up, removing his cufflinks and placing them on the dresser.

"I'm going to spend the entire night showing you my admiration for your prowess," he declared. His hands went to unbutton his shirt. "What do you think?"

Peeta turned to find Katniss fast asleep and he smiled to himself.

The tiredness of the argument must have taken its toll on her.

Smiling to himself, he continued undressing until he was only in his boxers and white t-shirt. Going to Katniss, he took off her heels before helping her under the plush comforter of their bed. Then going to his side, Peeta quickly slipped under the covers.

Immediately, Katniss moved closer to him and he pulled her against him.

"I love you, Katniss," he whispered against her hair. "Will you marry me?"

There was no response from the woman deeply asleep next to him.

So, he spent the rest of the night asking her the same question in several ways.

* * *

_**Two Days Later…**_

_Tribeca, Manhattan_

Peeta stepped out of the private car and looked up at the large brick building in front of him. The text message had been mysterious and his curiosity was piqued.

"Is this the right place?" Prim asked as she joined him on the sidewalk.

"Should be," he replied as he put an arm around her. "Do you know what's going on?"

His sister shook her head. "Are we on time?"

"You're right on time." They turned to see Johanna walking over to them. Next to her was a pretty, red-haired woman in a fur-collared navy peacoat. "Glad you found the place."

"Where are we?" Prim asked.

"My studio," the woman answered with a grin. She held out her hand to Peeta. "Lavinia Lewis."

He shook it and gave her a smile. "Peeta Mellark," he told her. "And, this is my sister, Primrose."

"I know her well," Lavinia replied. "Tell me Primrose, how do you like the chain necklaces that you wore during your last photo shoot?"

"I love them," his sister breathed. "I've been trying to convince Cinna to let me have one."

"I can make you another set," Lavinia told her, her dark eyes sparkling at Prim's excitement. "I'm a jewelry maker you see—"

"The _best _jewelry maker," Johanna suddenly interrupted and the women looked at one another. Johanna's cheeks went scarlet as Lavinia quickly squeezed her hand.

Lavinia turned to them once more. "Anyway, we're just waiting for one more—ah, here he comes!"

They looked to see Cor walking over to them with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Sorry that took so long—I forget that some of these specialty coffee shops take a little longer," he told them with a grin. Cor was dressed warmly in a thick coat and red scarf that contrasted brightly against his bright-white beard. "Shall we head into your studio, Miss Lewis? Prim, I got you those chocolate cookies that you enjoy so much."

Prim rushed over to Cor, their arms entwining, as they entered the building with Lavinia leading the way.

Peeta looked over at Johanna and she gave him a small smile.

"I heard what happened at the party," she told him. "And, it made me realize that Katniss has changed. She would have never done that if Cato was still around. I've seen her cower to him and Clove many times. You did that for her—you lit that spark in her. So, I know that she will be fine and, as her husband, you're only going to continue to bring out the best in her."

"Thanks." He reached out and embraced her. Johanna fell into it easily. "You're a good friend to both of us."

"Hopefully, I'm not steering myself wrong and you'll actually design a ring worthy of our Katniss," she joked as she linked their arms. They walked towards the building. "Vin had a gem guide to help you out in case you're too brainless to figure it out yourself."

Peeta looked over at her, grinning slyly. "Vin, huh? So what's up with that?"

They began their walked towards the entrance and Johanna gave him a mock scowl.

"Don't make me sock you."

* * *

So, I detest the word 'filler'—and though some might perceive this chapter as a one of those—I like to see it as 'character development'.

After all, we see very little Peeta and Johanna interaction while they're two of the significant people in Katniss' life. Also, Johanna was there for Katniss' first marriage so it's pretty much like she's suffering just as Katniss has.

Clove is a little bitch, isn't she? She uses her PR skills well in the way that she approached Peeta—all of it is a staged way of getting him to trust her so she can use it to her advantage.

This next chapter will take place, _**three months later**_—right before their year anniversary.

So, yeah—you make up your own thoughts on what could happen…

As always, hellos, comments and feedback are welcome on Tumblr, FF, and AO3!

Next: Chapter Twenty-One, Katniss—the unexpected.

Until then, JLaLa


	22. Chapter Twenty-One: Katniss

Thank you for all your wonderful feedback!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-One: Katniss**_

_Three Months Later…_

_Katniss was walking down a long corridor; a bright light in front of her. _

_There was no sound around her. In fact, there was no one around her. _

_As she continued down her path, her ears perked up at the faint sound of sobbing._

_It was coming from the light. _

"_Katniss." She turned to see Peeta smiling at her. "They're waiting for you!"_

"_Who?" The crying was getting louder—so loud that she could barely hear the words that were coming from Peeta's lips. "Speak louder!"_

"_Robin…James…they've been asking about you," Peeta continued. He tilted his head curiously at her. "You think that you would remember your own children."_

_She stared at him in shock. "What?"_

_Peeta's eyes narrowed in concern. "Katniss? What's wrong?" His hand went to brush her face and she was immediately filled with warmth. "Why are you crying?"_

_As Katniss began to speak, she realized that nothing was escaping her mouth but silence._

"_Katniss?"_

* * *

"Katniss?"

Her head shot up as a loud gasp escaped her lungs and Katniss turned to find Peeta next to her, his blue eyes brimming with worry.

"What happened?" she asked after she regained her voice. Looking down, Katniss saw that she drooled all over her latest sketch. Groaning, she crumpled the piece of paper. "Oh man…I have to start all over."

"It's almost two in the morning," Peeta told her gently. "You need to rest, sweetheart. I know that you and Cinna are pushing for a winter promotion for Hattie Jean but you need a break—or at least a full eight hours of sleep."

"I know," she told him with a frown. "I just had this idea—then another one came… and before I knew it, you were waking me up."

"You seemed like you were having a bad dream," her boyfriend replied with a small smile. "I almost considered kissing you awake, Sleeping Beauty."

"Well, I'm perfectly awake now." She looked back at her sketch. "This needs to be a dark shade of blue." Katniss looked to him. "What do you think?" She stood up and let him sit in her chair before sitting in-between his strong thighs. She reached for her pencils. "I'm thinking it might look better in cobalt."

"I didn't know that there were so many shades of blue," he remarked. Katniss shivered, feeling his warm breath on the outer edge of her ear. "I wonder where my blues would be."

Katniss turned to look at him, examining Peeta's sweet eyes, before going to her pencils.

She held up three pencils, comparing each one to his irises, and then picked out the middle pencil.

"This one," Katniss said with a triumphant smile. "This one is your eye color."

Peeta grinned indulgently. "What's it called?"

"They're numbered—this one is number 12." She lined a bit of her design with the blue. "But, I'm going to call this color 'Peeta Blue'." Katniss brushed her lips against his and Peeta responded eagerly, cradling her head in his hand to deepen the kiss.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart, breaths heaving as they stared at one another.

"I've missed you in our bed," Peeta told her in a thick, yearning voice. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too." She pressed her lips to his chin before peppering his jawline with kisses and ending at the dip of his neck. "Is Prim asleep?"

Peeta nodded. "Went to bed early—Spanish test in the morning."

Making sure that the door was closed, Katniss turned to straddle Peeta. His arms immediately reached around her waist, drawing her closer, and pressing her center against his firm groin. Her mouth went to his, eager to taste what she had been missing.

It had been awhile since they had been together. Katniss has been so busy with the Hattie Jean line while Peeta had returned to teaching his new fourth grade class. Their evenings were usually with Prim, who was panicking over the sudden influx of new work in eighth grade.

"I've forgotten how you taste," she told him as they pulled away. His hands were already unbuttoning the front of her pajama top while she was reaching to yank his shirt off. Her mouth went to his bare shoulder and she bit him slightly. "Tastes good…"

Katniss shrugged off her open top for Peeta; just in time for his lips to greedily go to her puckered nipple. She cried out, wrapping her arms around his neck to steady her aching body. Her body was calling to him; every sensation traveling down to her core and causing the wetness to pool between her thighs.

"Pants off—now," she told him.

Peeta heartily agreed, standing up with her legs still wrapped around him. He helped her gently to her feet before quickly undressing.

Katniss stared at Peeta in all his nude glory. He was beautiful—broad, hard, and golden. Her hand went to his chest and she could feel the rapidity of his heart underneath her palm.

"Sit," she instructed quietly. Peeta followed eagerly; his long, thick cock beckoning her. She licked her lips eagerly, looking over at the boy sitting in the chair. "You look ready."

"God, yes," he told her in a tight whisper, his blue eyes filled with longing. "Please, Katniss…"

How could she deny him?

Approaching him, Katniss wrapped her hand around his length and Peeta hissed at the contact. He was hot underneath her hand and she moved her grip along him enjoying the feel of hard velvet. His eyes darkened and he looked pained by the anticipation.

"Don't worry, baby," Katniss whispered. "I'm just steadying you down."

She straddled him, bending her knees to brush her slit to wet his tip. Just that little part of him against it caused her insides to tighten and her need to be wrapped around him grew—there would be no more waiting.

Inch by inch, Katniss let his cock enter her. She savored the sensation of being filled by him and a breathy groan escaped her mouth. She looked to Peeta, who was slack-jawed at the feeling of slowly entering her soaked sheath.

When she was—finally—fully on his lap, the couple let out a sigh.

Peeta met her eyes, his arms around her waist once more. He leaned forward, his cock hitting her deep and she cried out.

"Move," he told her firmly.

Katniss followed; desperate to echo that sharp but enjoyable pain of him hitting her cervix so intensely. Slowly, they built up their movements until they had found their pace and Peeta's strong arms tightened to steady.

"God, I've missed this," she said as she bit his ear. Peeta groaned, his eyes looking to hers, before their lips crashed against one another and she twirled her tongue along his to taste. "I need more…"

Instinctively, her feet planted themselves flat on the seat of the chair next to Peeta's moving hips.

"FUCK!" she cried as he hit deeper and Katniss threw her head back at the intensity. Peeta's mouth went immediately to her aching nipples, alternating his tongue between each.

"I can't hold on, Katniss…" His mouth went to her shoulder as he began to move erratically within her, desperate to finish.

Her body was on fire—that slow burn beginning to coil in her core as she felt the stirrings of her orgasm overtaking her. Her own body moved rapidly against Peeta's and her clit grinded against his coarse center.

"PEETA!" Her orgasm swiftly overtook her, wrapping Peeta's cock harshly within her tight cavern.

"AHH!" His mouth went to her shoulder, his moans vibrating into her skin as he filled her; his hips pistoning up and the pleasure coursing through her nerves. "Oh God…it's been so long."

Katniss nodded in agreement as she pulled away. "I agree—let's not do that anymore."

Peeta chuckled and his hand reached to brush a sweaty tendril of her hair away from her face.

"Deal," he told her softly. "I have to say though, that was intense—in a good way."

"I really do miss you." Her eyes suddenly misting. "I know it's been awhile since we've been together."

"That's not anyone's fault." Peeta looked up at her lovingly. "We've been busy. There's a lot of pressure on you with the line and I've had to start on my new class plan. So, it has been a little crazy since we've come back from Manhattan."

"As long as I'm next to you when I wake up in the morning; then I'm good," she responded. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he told her with a smile. Katniss nodded before getting up to dress and Peeta followed suit with a groan as he stood up. "I'm getting old."

She snorted as she pulled her panties on. "Please. You're still perfectly in your prime."

When they were finally dressed, the couple went to sit on the couch of the den. Katniss settled back against Peeta's strong chest and closed her eyes, exhaustion taking over. She could tell that Peeta was drifting off by the tired sigh escaping his lips.

Her dream suddenly filled her mind. The long, lonely corridor…the sobbing from the bright white light…Peeta telling her about her children…

"Peeta?" she called out softly. "Do you know a Robin…or a James?"

He chuckled quietly. "Prim must have been showing you our parents' things for her project."

Katniss turned to him. "What project?"

"Her genealogy project," Peeta said. "She's been looking through our parents' papers along with our grandparents' things."

She heard her heart pounding in her ears. "What does that have to do with the names?"

"Robin is Mom's middle name and James is Dad's middle name."

* * *

Two nights later, Katniss awoke once again from the same dream. Only Peeta wasn't there—and there was just sobbing.

She shot up in bed, gasping and crying as she did.

Something was wrong—horribly wrong.

"Katniss?" Peeta sat up; turning on his side lamp before turning to her. "Are you okay?"

"Can we check on Prim?" she asked without thinking.

Peeta nodded and she scrambled out of bed, her heart still racing. It had been a long time since she felt this way and she couldn't figure out what it was—but it scared her.

Together, they left the room and traveled down the dim hallway to Prim's door. Opening it, they peeked in to see that Prim was fast asleep, her mouth hung open in a slight snore.

"See?" Peeta said as he closed his sister's door. Putting an arm around Katniss, he led her down the hallway back to their room. "She's alright. Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

"I've had this dream," she explained with a sigh. "Of walking down a hallway—there was a bright white light and there's someone crying." Katniss stopped herself from telling him about the children. "This time the dream seemed even worse and I just have this ball of anxiety in my stomach—so bad that it makes me queasy."

"Maybe you're coming down with something," Peeta told her, worry in his eyes. "Prim says that you're not eating a lot at breakfast and you haven't been sleeping well. How long have you been feeling like this?"

"I don't know…" Katniss searched her memory. "A few weeks? A few days? It comes and goes…"

Peeta opened the door as a loud beep emitted from Katniss' phone.

Rushing over to her phone, she saw that Johanna had called five times in the last few minutes. She immediately called back and Johanna picked up immediately.

"Katniss?" Her best friend's voice sounded hoarse. "You need to come to Manhattan."

Her insides froze. "What happened?"

"It's Cor," Johanna told her. "He's had a stroke—and it's severe."

"Oh God." The queasy feeling was happening again. She took a breath and turned to Peeta, who was watching her. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

"There's one other thing," her best friend said. "In his advanced directive, Cor gave you Power of attorney."

* * *

_**Manhattan, New York**_

_New York Presbyterian Hospital_

It took a two hour emergency flight using Effie's plane to finally get to Manhattan. By the time Katniss had arrived along with Peeta and Prim, the sun had already begun to rise in the city. She was exhausted and, along with Prim, had cried throughout the plane ride.

Peeta had let her cry against him but she could see that this was hurting him as well. He had become very close to Cor over the course of the year.

"Katniss!" Johanna rushed over and the two women embraced. "Beetee is with Cor's doctor right now. They should coming back in a few minutes."

"Where is Cor?" Katniss asked her.

"In the ICU. Let me take you," Johanna told her. "I can have them let you and Peeta inside and I'll stay with Prim."

Katniss nodded before walking over to Peeta and Prim, who were waiting for her in the set of chairs at the end of the hallway.

She met Peeta's eyes. "Johanna is going to take us to the ICU." Peeta nodded and she turned to Prim. "Prim, for now, I need you to stay here—"

Prim shot up from her seat. "But why?"

"Because—" Katniss struggled to think of the right words. In the end, it seemed to be the best to tell her the truth. "—I'm not sure what I'm going to see in that room. Or, how I'll react when I do see Cor. I'm going to have to make some serious decisions and that scares me. So, I need you to be here. When I know more, Peeta and I will come to get you."

After a moment, Prim nodded and went to hug her. "Kiss him for me?"

Katniss nodded. "Of course, sweetheart."

Peeta kissed his sister's forehead before joining Katniss. He took her hand and met her eyes.

"You ready for this?" he asked. His lips were pale and his eyes rimmed red but he stood strong beside her.

"If you're with me, I will be," Katniss replied softly.

However, she felt horrible. Her head was pounding and her stomach churned. Katniss felt hungry yet nauseated at the thought of digesting anything.

"Come on, lovebirds," Johanna gently beckoned.

Together, they made a turn onto a long still corridor walking towards a bright, white door.

_The sound of sobbing…_

Katniss swayed at the realization—she was in her dream.

Or her nightmare.

"Katniss?" Peeta looked over at her. "What's wrong?"

She turned to him. "It's my dream, Peeta." Katniss looked around, her eyes filling. "The corridor…the brightness in front of me…" She felt her throat constricting. "It's happening."

"Are you alright?" Johanna asked. She looked around. "I know that this place doesn't exactly bring out the best memories."

Katniss sucked in a breath at the realization. She had completely forgotten about this hospital—that she had been in its maternity ward—about two years ago.

Peeta put an arm around her. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he whispered into her ear.

Beetee suddenly appeared before them, his dark eyes grim.

"Katniss." The man went to her and the two embraced. "Thanks goodness…"

"What happened?" she asked Beetee as they walked to the door at the end of the hallway.

"We were in the office going over our quarterly numbers," Beetee told them as he picked up the phone, next to the door, to let them into the locked ward. "It was about eleven, closing in on midnight, when we stopped. Suddenly, he just began to complain about a headache. I called for help and he started to seize."

The door automatically opened and they walked inside.

Katniss couldn't feel her legs as they went towards Cor's room.

This man was like a father to her and now…she didn't know what was going to happen. And, he had given her a huge responsibility—a responsibility that should have been Cato's.

"He's right in there," Beetee told them, his eyes going to the closed door next to him.

"I'm going to speak to Beetee for a moment," Johanna told them. "Cor had some other important documents besides his directive that we need to chat about. I'll be in the waiting room with Prim." She hugged Katniss and then Peeta.

Together, the couple walked into the large room.

Cor was lying in his hospital bed, almost unrecognizable. His pallor grey and his body completely still. The room was completely silent except for the machines recording his vitals and the machine pumping oxygen into his body. There was a mask over his mouth and tubes were protruding along the bed, connected to covered parts of his body.

"Oh God…" Katniss went to her father-in-law. Her hands went to touch his warm, dry skin. "Cor—I'm here." She felt the tears welling in her eyes seeing him so weak before her—for he had always been her guidepost. "Come back." Her lips went to his forehead. "Prim wanted me to give you a kiss."

She was relieved that they had decided to keep Prim from seeing this. The person in this bed was very different from the man that her surrogate sister knew.

"Cor, it's Peeta." Her boyfriend went to Cor's opposite side. "Everything is okay—you've got the best medical attention and we're all here."

There was a quiet cough and the couple turned to see an older man with peppery, dark hair in a white coat standing close to the door. He approached them steadily.

"You must be Mr. Snow's family," he said softly. "I am Doctor Henry Aurelius."

"My name is Katniss Everdeen," Katniss replied before nodding her head at Peeta. "My fiancé, Peeta Mellark." The two men shook hands.

"I was the doctor who treated Mr. Snow when he was first admitted last night," Dr. Aurelius continued. "As soon as we stabilized him, we brought him to get a CT scan after his associate explained his symptoms."

Katniss looked at Cor. "What is happening to my father?"

"Your father suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage," Dr. Aurelius explained. "It is a form of a stroke—most cases are fatal or the person suffers an irreversible impairment."

Katniss looked at the man as Peeta joined her side. "Which case is my father?"

"Your father was resuscitated once during his ride over and the CT scan did reveal the cerebral aneurysm that I'm referring to," the doctor told them. "There is no brain function that has been recorded since his admittance. I'm sorry."

She felt it then—the horrible, gasping pain of her sobs overtaking her body. The doctor and Peeta led her to the chair that sat next to Cor's bed.

"I'm so sorry, Katniss," Peeta said as he wiped his eyes. He pressed his forehead to hers as he knelt in front of her. "Cor was a good man."

"Miss Everdeen," Dr. Aurelius said to her. "I understand that you were given Power of attorney and this includes medical matters. Your father's prognosis is not good—and you will have to have to make a decision on how we should continue with his treatment—if we should continue."

"I can't believe this is happening!" Katniss cried. "We just saw him a few months ago—I just talked to him three days ago. And, now this…" She met the doctor's eyes. "Has his son been notified?"

"I was not aware that Mr. Snow had a son," the doctor replied. "I can have the staff contact him—"

Katniss shook her head. "I will contact him."

Though Cor had given her the right to make his medical decisions, she felt that it was only right to contact her ex-husband so she could make an informed choice.

Dr. Aurelius nodded. "It is best that you begin to call the people that are significant to him."

"How long do we have, doctor?" Peeta asked, his voice thick.

"I don't know," the man said. "Death, like life, comes at its own pace."

* * *

_Three Hours Later…_

"Cato, it's Katniss." She paced furiously along the hallway, her phone on her ear. "This is the twentieth call I've made! Your father is in the hospital. For fuck sakes—I know that you two were on bad terms but—" She bit her lip to stop her tears. "He's dying, Cato. You are his son—and he needs you."

She hung up and wiped her eyes before sitting in her seat.

"Katniss?" She looked up to see Prim standing before her. The girl sat next to her and took her hand. "You alright?"

She gave Prim a weak smile. "I'm trying. I'm just frustrated because Cato won't answer and I'm reaching my limit. I might have to call Clove to get the message to him." Prim blanched at her words. "Exactly."

Prim searched her eyes, unconvinced of her mental state. "You can talk to me—I'm good at keeping secrets." Prim gave her a small smile. "Even from Peeta."

Katniss wiped her eyes and smiled at the teenager. "Thanks." Her lips trembled. "I don't know what to do, Prim. How do I make the right choice?"

"You and Cor were very much alike," Prim said gently. "Imagine being in his shoes and having the ability to whisper the decision into his ear. What do you think he would whisper to you?"

Katniss thought for a moment. "That there was no need to prolong what seemed to be inevitable. That I wasn't even in that body anymore and didn't want him to suffer as he watched me deteriorate."

Prim nodded. "You just answered your own question."

She put an arm around the young girl. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know how to feel," Prim told her. She and Peeta had taken Prim into the ICU to see Cor after talking to the doctor. The girl was solemn as she looked at the man lying in the hospital. She didn't cry; she simply sat next to Cor, her hand holding his. "I feel like he isn't even inside that body anymore." Her young eyes looked so much older. "It's thinking about the time spent with him that hurts."

They turned at the sound of footsteps and found Peeta walking over to them, cups in his hands.

"Hot chocolate." He handed the cup to Prim and he pulled out a bag of small crackers to give to Katniss, before handing the other cup to her. "Chamomile tea."

"Thanks, babe," Katniss replied with a tired smile. "You didn't get anything for yourself?"

"I had a little cup of coffee in the cafeteria," he explained before looking to her. "Any luck with Cato?"

"No," Katniss replied before taking a sip. Her stomach felt better immediately feeling the liquid hit her stomach. "I might have to call Clove."

Peeta gave her a small smile. "Let's keep that as a last resort."

"Katniss." Her insides froze hearing the voice. She looked over to see Cato walking towards them; Beetee behind him. The older man look irritated at her ex-husband.

Standing up slowly, she went to her ex-husband.

"I got your…calls." He looked disheveled, nervous even.

"I called twenty times, Cato!" She bristled looking at the man before him. "Where the hell were you?"

"I was in a club until early this morning," he told her simply. "I'm sorry."

Cato looked uncomfortable and out of place in his dress pants and half-opened dress shirt. He still smelled of alcohol and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Go get some coffee and wash your face," Katniss said after a moment. "Then, we're going to see your father."

* * *

Dr. Aurelius left the room after he had explained Cor's condition to Cato. Her ex-husband remained quiet, staring at his father as the doctor talked. Katniss could see that he was confused or still pained by the thought of his last conversation with Cor.

They remained silent before Cato looked to her, sadness in his sharp blue eyes.

"So what have you decided?" he asked her in a tight voice.

"I haven't made a decision," Katniss explained. "I wanted to wait for you before doing that."

"Why?"

"Because you're his son." Cato looked torn at her words. "Despite everything, Cor still loved you."

"I gave him no reason to," Cato said to her. "I wasn't involved with the business, I spent a lot of time drinking, and I treated you, the daughter he adored, like crap." He sat down in the seat, next to his father's bed.

"Just because the people we love aren't around, it doesn't stop us from loving them," Katniss explained. "I mean I never knew Helena; I held her in my arms." She wiped her suddenly wet eyes hastily. "I knew nothing of the person that she would've become; but I was still desperately in love with our daughter."

"I am a shitty son," Cato replied, his own voice breaking a bit at his admittance. "And, I would have been a shitty father."

Katniss shook her head, giving him a half-smile. "You would've found your way—and you would have loved her; even if you never loved me."

Cato's eyes shone with tears. "I did love you once."

She nodded in understanding. "I know—me, too."

His eyes went to Cor and Cato reached over to take his father's hand. "Even at my worst, Dad still loved me. I just couldn't face him because I couldn't stand to see the disappointment in his eyes." He stood up and leaned down to kiss the older man's forehead. Turning to her, Katniss could see the tears running down his face. "Do you think he felt that?"

Katniss stood up to join him at Cor's side. "I'm sure he did."

Cato stared at Katniss before finally nodding. "Have them draw up the papers. I'll sign them along with you and I'll have to talk with Clove about releasing a statement to the papers."

"Sure," she replied quietly. "I'm sorry, Cato."

"It is what it is," Cato told her quietly. "I'm going to talk to Beetee about the statement for Dad's employees."

Katniss nodded once more before Cato left. She looked over at Cor before carefully sitting along his bed. Her hand reached to touch his warm cheek and memories of herself with her father-in-law engulfed her. And, she thought of how supportive he had been towards her and Peeta, how much he loved Prim, and how he had always advised her to rise above her pain.

"Cor, will you say hello to Helena for me?" Katniss asked. "Tell her that Mommy misses her. Also, tell her that I know that she is in good hands with you." She felt her body begin to shake with sobs. "And, tell her that her Mommy and Daddy will be okay."

A choked wail escaped her mouth. "I already miss you, Cor."

Katniss let her face fall against his still chest as the sobs wracked her body.

The sobbing in her dream—she recognized—was coming from her.

* * *

The funeral of Coriolanus Snow was at the end of the week.

It did not take very long for her former father-in-law to pass on—about a day or two. He was surrounded by those he loved as he took his last breath in the early morning: herself, Cato, Peeta, and Prim along with Beetee and Johanna.

The news frenzy had begun the day after Cato made the statement regarding his father's passing. Clove had not agreed to do the statement. The publicist was annoyed by the fact that he had not invited her to the hospital and refused to help him.

Cinna and Johanna took over—guiding her ex-husband to write a statement.

She had gripped Peeta and Prim's hands as she watched Cato, on television, speak to the reporters outside the hospital. He looked worn out with dark circles under his eyes.

His life would become much more complicated now. Cor was no longer there to bail him out and the realization had hit him hard.

Beetee would be taking over as Chief of Operations for the company until Cor's will was read naming his successor. It was obviously not going to be Cato and there was speculation that it would be Katniss. She would refuse, opting to give the position to Beetee, if necessary.

The day of the funeral, Katniss was at her breaking point.

She could barely hear the minister's words as she stood alongside Peeta and Prim. Her boyfriend had been nothing but patient with her. He, along with Prim, had taken the week off from school and work but both were required to return at the beginning of the following week.

The couple had spent the night before in one another's arms as she cried against Peeta. When her tears subsided, he was there with comforting lips to lull her into submission. They had made love gently before she fell into a sated sleep.

Prim had become her caretaker and cook; learning to make her favorites for breakfast. The young girl enjoyed being able to use the kitchen tools in Katniss' penthouse kitchen.

Katniss ate heartily, her anxiety now ebbing. However, because of Prim's delicious meals, she had gained some weight—not a noticeable amount; but enough for her to have a little bit of trouble getting into her black dress for the funeral.

The cemetery was filled with people. Cor had been loved; he was an entrepreneurial genius, a beloved boss to his employees, a supportive friend, and a wonderful father.

Peeta, surprisingly, had delivered the eulogy at the church.

He had been wonderful, having worked on the speech with Beetee and even speaking briefly with Cato about what her ex-husband wanted to be said. He had told the crowd about Cor's giving nature—not just with the public but with his loved ones. Peeta spoke about Cor's welcoming spirit to himself and Prim when they became part of Katniss' life. Also, that Katniss' happiness was one of the most important things to him.

It all didn't seem real, seeing Cor's coffin in front of her—or feeling the rain hit her face.

She could feel Prim and Peeta at each side of her, steadying her, and she was grateful for them both.

Her eyes went to Peeta, who stood stoic, and she squeezed his hand. He responded by giving her a sad smile. Once again, he and Prim were burying another parent—of sorts. She looked over at Prim, who looked drawn and pale, before putting an arm around her shoulders. Prim rested her head against Katniss and wiped her eyes quickly.

The coffin was being lowered and her stomach turned thinking that this was it.

Cor was really gone.

"Katniss?" Prim looked at her worriedly. "You look sick."

"I'm fine," she assured her though her body was protesting.

The rain fell steadily as everyone began to go back to their cars to avoid the downpour.

Except for one person: Cato.

He stood alone, drenched in his black suit, and staring at the plot in front of him. No one had greeted him during the church ceremony, knowing of his estrangement with Cor, opting to speak to Katniss or Beetee instead.

Clove had not shown up to the funeral nor had Glimmer, both fearing backlash for their association with the man.

Katniss felt a pang of sympathy for her ex-husband. He was now completely alone.

"Here." She looked to see Peeta holding out his umbrella for her to take. He nodded over at Cato understandingly. "Prim and I will be in the car when you're ready."

Kissing her quickly, Peeta along with Prim left her to speak to her ex-husband.

Carefully, she approached him, umbrella in hand. Cato seemed unaware of her moving towards him until she lightly cleared her throat.

He turned to her, his eyes full of anguish. "Hey."

"Hey," Katniss replied softly. "You should get going. It's pouring out here."

"What do I have to go home to?" Cato muttered. "There's nothing but beer bottles and a bed in my apartment."

"It won't be this way forever," Katniss assured him. "You're smart like your father and you're charming like your mother—at least that's what Cor told me. You will find your way in this world."

Cato stared at her for a moment. "Alone?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Maybe one day, you won't be. But, for now, you have to give yourself the chance to find out."

Carefully, Katniss went to him and pulled him into arms, her umbrella hitting the grass. He didn't deserve forgiveness for everything he had said or done—but, he was Cor's son.

It was what her father-in-law would have wanted her to do—to forgive.

Tentatively, Cato returned her hug.

"You smell different," he remarked as they pulled away.

"I'm different," Katniss replied. "I'm happy now." She looked down at her feet. "You have my number—if you need to talk."

Cato nodded once more picking her umbrella up to give it to her.

With a final smile, she turned away to go to her car.

"White tulips."

Katniss whipped around back to Cato. "What?"

"They mean forgiveness, purity, and serenity—everything I wanted of Helena." Cato gave her a sad smile. "I had them planted on her last birthday. They should be in bloom by your next visit."

Her eyes filled. "Thank you."

* * *

Once they arrived back in Panem, Katniss slept.

Being in the rain had caused her to catch a cold and she was violently sick from stress. Peeta practically carried her once they landed home.

She remained in bed after the funeral; her mother spent her days off to take care of her.

Peeta spent his nights holding her after her dreams. They consisted of nothing but blank white space.

Katniss missed her father-in-law; he had been the only one who was there when Helena has passed.

Losing him was like losing her all over again.

A few days after Cor's funeral, Katniss awoke with her stomach rumbling. It was the first time that she wasn't feeling woozy and she was starving.

It was already late and she turned to see that Peeta's side was empty. Carefully, she stood up and waited to make sure that she was steady on her feet. The bedroom door was open and so Katniss walked into the hallway in search of him.

She could hear Peeta and Prim talking in her room.

Quietly, Katniss approached the bedroom and she could her Prim's soft sniffles.

"I feel like such a little jerk," Prim said to her brother. "I'm thirteen and crying like a baby."

"It's okay to have a nightmare," Peeta replied tenderly. "It's only natural. We've all been through a lot. Cor meant a lot to all of us. And, you loved him like a grandfather."

"I did," the young girl said, her voice choked with tears. "And, I can't cry—not in front of Katniss. Because, she's hurting worse than any of us."

Katniss felt her stomach drop. She never thought about how much pain Prim and Peeta were going through. They were supposed to be a family and she had never seen them suffer in front of her.

Peeking inside, she saw Prim and Peeta sitting on her bed; the teenager wiping her tears on her pajama sleeve.

"Katniss just needs time to mourn herself," Peeta said with a sigh. "This has taken a lot out of her. The line is being pushed back and they'll have to figure out who will be the Chief Executive for Cor's company. So, she will have a busy few months ahead of her." He gave Prim a small smile. "And, we're going to be there for her, right?"

Prim nodded. "Of course—always." She met her brother's eyes once more. "But, what about your anniversary?"

Katniss saw something flash in Peeta's eyes. "Well, it's still a month away. We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

She had forgotten that their anniversary was coming up, being so involved with everything else.

Her hand went to the doorway and she knocked against it.

Looking in, Katniss gave them a smile. "Just woke up and was feeling hungry—for once."

"Hey, honey," Peeta said with a bright grin. She had failed to see the dark circles that had grown under his eyes over the past few weeks and her heart ached. "I can whip something up. What do you feel like eating?"

She shrugged as she walked into the room. "Anything."

Her eyes went to Prim, who was watching her worriedly, and she immediately joined the two on the bed.

"I'm sorry," she told them. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you needed to hide from me. We're a family and we shouldn't be hiding from one another." She took Prim's hand. "You should be able to cry in front of me or talk to me about anything."

"Even about Cor?" Prim asked quietly.

Katniss pulled the young girl into her arms and kissed the top of her head. "Especially about Cor."

"I miss him," Prim whispered against her chest. "I almost started crying at school seeing somebody eating one of those chocolate cookies that Cor used to get me."

"It's okay to miss him," Katniss said to her. Her eyes met Peeta's and he took her free hand. "I miss him, too."

"I never cry this much," Prim said with a soft laugh. "I must be moody because of my period or something."

Katniss chuckled. "Yeah, we're prone to those days."

Something suddenly clicked inside her.

She had _not_ been prone to any of those days—in weeks.

The constant bouts between nausea and hunger, always falling asleep at her desk, and the sudden emotional outbursts; it all made sense now.

She was pregnant.

* * *

So did this chapter go the way that you expected it to?

Huge changes for all—especially Katniss and Peeta…

At this point, I'm not sure where we are in terms of chapter count. But, it is still awhile.

I appreciate all your reviews, comments, favorites and follows—it means a lot to both me and my husband. As always, they are welcomed on all media (Tumblr, FF, and AO3).

Next: Chapter Twenty-Two, Peeta—the anniversary…and Cato.

Till then, JLaLa


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two: Peeta

Wow! Thank you for bringing me to 500+ reviews—you are all amazing!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Two: Peeta**_

_RING!_

Peeta's eyes opened as Katniss' cellphone rang; her bedside was empty so he stretched out to grab the phone from her side table. "Hello?"

"Oh…Peeta?" He bristled hearing the voice on the other line—Cato. "Hey man—sorry to wake you. Is Katniss around?"

"She's not in bed," Peeta replied with a roll of his eyes. "Can I take a message?"

"No. I'll just call back," Cato told him, seemingly unaware of his intrusion. "Have a good day."

"You too."

Peeta hung up quickly before laying his head back on his pillow. He took a deep breath to calm his rising annoyance.

It had been two weeks since Cor's funeral.

Peeta empathized with Cato on the difficulty of losing a parent. He even understood Katniss telling Cato to call if he needed to talk.

Peeta just didn't realize that he would be calling so much.

"Let me guess who that was…" He turned to see Katniss in their doorway. She closed the door behind her and gave him an amused smile. "Was it someone who was married to me? Blond? And, definitely not as a handsome as you?"

"Nor does he have my animal magnetism," Peeta added with a grin. Katniss rounded the bed and crawled onto her side. He pulled her close and kissed the tip of her nose. "Honey, I think it's time to break up with Cato—again."

"I know," Katniss said with an exasperated sigh. "I just feel really bad for him. He's all alone in Manhattan. I remember when I first got into Cor's company; it was scary." She gave him a smile. "But, you have been so patient with him constantly calling and I really appreciate that."

Katniss pushed herself up onto her elbow. Leaning down, she kissed him gently and Peeta could taste the mint of her toothpaste.

Drawing her lips away, she stared down at him tenderly. "I love you, Peeta. You have been unbelievable about all this."

"I better be getting a kickass anniversary present," he joked.

Her expression suddenly changed and Katniss bit at her lower lip. "Did you want to get your present early?"

He looked up at her curiously. There was a light in her eyes that caused butterflies inside his stomach.

"Sure," Peeta replied after a moment.

Katniss lay back on her pillow, facing him. "Peeta, I—"

Prim suddenly burst into their room in her leotard, her blonde hair gathered in a bun. His sister had a weekend ballet class that she had just started attending. It was supposed to help her with her posture and her pose movements whenever she did shoots.

"PEETA! I'm late for my class!" she told him. "You have to drop me off!"

_RING!_

Katniss looked at the screen and sighed. "It's Cato again. If I don't answer, he'll just keep on calling…"

Peeta nodded as he stood up. "You can't keep him waiting then."

Katniss' eyes clouded and her mouth trembled. "Peeta…"

He took another calm breath. There was no reason to be annoyed with Katniss—even though she had no backbone when it came to Cato.

Going to her side of the bed, Peeta kissed her forehead. She looked disappointed by the action.

"Did you want anything while I'm out?" he asked.

Katniss gave him a small smile. "Maybe a peppermint tea?"

"Sure." Peeta turned to Prim, who was watching the exchange interestedly. "I'll just grab my keys and coat."

Looking over at Katniss, he saw that she was already on the phone.

* * *

"You didn't have to be so angry with her," Prim remarked as they drove down the main street of Panem. "It's not her fault that Cato is like some lost puppy."

"But, it is her fault for not having boundaries with him," he argued back. "Cato can't keep calling her over every little problem. She's not his wife anymore—"

Prim sighed. "I know." She turned to him. "Speaking of 'wife', what is going on with your anniversary?"

"It is still happening," Peeta assured his sister. "I'm going to make dinner and you're going to be conveniently at Rue's when I ask her." His eyes met Prim's nervously. "You think she'll say yes?"

Prim chuckled at his question. "Don't be a dummy! Katniss loves you. Sometimes, I catch her just staring at you and smiling to herself. She looks down as if she thinks that you'll catch her, though."

He reddened at her words. "Okay." Stopping the car in front of the dance studio, Peeta turned to her. "Call me when you're finished."

"I'll just walk home with Rue," Prim told him. "We're going to the café nearby and grabbing hot chocolates with some of the other girls."

Peeta nodded. "Have fun." His sister kissed his cheek before jumping out of the car and rushing inside the studio.

He was happy to hear that Prim was making more friends. She had been lonely for so long.

Peeta stopped at the café that Prim would be going to and grabbed Katniss' peppermint tea. She had been feeling better but had told him that her stomach was still sensitive since her bug.

Since her recovery, it had been a busy time for both of them. He was still getting to know his new class, which now included Jordan Hawthorne, one of Gale and Madge's boys. Katniss was still working on the Hattie Jean line though she and Cinna decided to push the premier to spring.

Prim had gotten a job as baby-sitter to Hattie so Haymitch and Effie could have alone time. The little girl was growing up to be quite the beauty with her big grey eyes and light hair. She had inherited Haymitch's easy-going nature as she rarely cried. However, she liked things a certain way like her mother.

During Prim's last babysitting gig, Hattie had fussed when Prim had not buttoned-up her tiny sweater all the way up. It took her, Katniss, and Peeta almost two hours to figure out that she just wanted her pearl button in its proper place.

In-between all of this was Cato's constant calling.

The man was attempting to be better; especially since he had recently fired Clove as his publicist and had cut all ties with Glimmer. In revenge, the two women had done very candid interviews with Caesar Flickerman about their relationship with Katniss' ex.

Because of her duty to Cor, Katniss had attempted to assist Cato. However, it seemed that her ex-husband had truly been spoiled. He had no idea how to run his own life. Beetee was trying to help Cato on his end; but the man was still dealing with running the business.

The will reading had not yet taken place as there were recent revisions that needed to be looked at.

At present, there was no one named as head of Snow's company.

So lately, Peeta had been fielding phone calls from Cato, or listening to Katniss talk to him about what he needed to do for himself.

It was ridiculous, really.

However, Katniss assured him that as soon as she found Cato a new assistant and publicist; he would be out of her hair.

It was almost at the tip of his tongue to tell her that Cato could interview his own damn employees.

Maybe it was time to talk to her.

Parking the car in their driveway, Peeta purposefully made his way into the house. He knew that Katniss was also feeling the effects of Cato's intrusion on their lives.

When Peeta finally got to their bedroom door, he took a deep breath, ready to speak his mind.

"Katniss—" He slipped inside the room. "Can we talk?"

Katniss was fast asleep, curled up in a fetal position. She had taken his pillow, her face pressed against it—as if she had fallen asleep to his scent.

Sighing, Peeta placed her tea on her side table and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

Talking could wait.

For now, he just wanted to lie back in bed and wake Katniss up with a kiss.

His eyes went to her phone, next to her cup of tea.

Right after, he put her phone on silent.

* * *

"Who is the prettiest baby?" Prim cooed as she held Hattie in her arms. The infant stared up at his sister, a gummy smile on her porcelain face. Her hands reached to Prim's face and Hattie joyfully gurgled.

"She is all Effie," Peeta remarked as he joined his sister. Hattie turned at the sound of his voice. "Yes, darling—you're exactly like your mother—all smiles."

Hattie blew a raspberry at him and a wisp of a smirk played on her lips.

"Never mind," Peeta told her. Hattie held her arms out and he picked her up carefully. "That was your dad."

The baby clapped her hands before settling against Peeta.

"So, how is it going?" Prim asked him. She curled her legs against herself on the sofa and grinned. "It's almost your anniversary."

Peeta looked over at the archway to make sure that Katniss wasn't nearby before meeting Prim's eyes.

"Lavinia just sent the ring." He beamed at his sister. "It's perfect—and that final detail that Cor suggested? It was perfect."

Prim sniffed and Peeta could see that she was fighting tears. "I miss him; but I'm glad that Cor was there to help."

He nodded in agreement. "Me, too." Peeta looked down at Hattie, who was now fast asleep. "They're really sweet when they're so little, aren't they?"

"Yes." Prim went to wipe the drool trickling down Hattie's chin with her burping cloth. "It wouldn't be so bad to have one of these in the house." She looked up at him. "Do you think that you'll want to have kids right away?"

Peeta couldn't help but blush at her question. He had never thought about it fully—though the thought of making kids came to his mind constantly. Would he be ready for fatherhood when the time came?

Then, his mind went to a child with Katniss' dark hair and his eyes—and a thrill ran through him.

"If Katniss is game," Peeta told Prim after a moment. "I wouldn't mind children right away." His eyes went to Hattie and he pulled her closer against him. It felt right. "Actually, it would be exciting. I know that Katniss is very career-driven, though."

"She would drop all of that for children," his sister declared. "You have to have faith in your fiancée, Peeta."

"Katniss isn't my fiancée…yet," he told her anxiously.

Prim giggled. "It's really cute that you're so nervous."

There was a sudden rush of footsteps descending the stairs and Katniss entered the room, her cellphone at her ear.

"Okay…okay…" Her lips were tight. "Okay, thanks."

Hanging up, Katniss sat across from them on the thick coffee table. She looked relaxed in her leggings and loose cowl neck sweater; her wavy hair resting on her shoulders. However, her face was tense as her eyes went to them.

"That was Beetee," she informed them. "The will reading is this weekend."

Peeta felt something sink inside him.

"The whole weekend and on Monday—I promised that I would help interview personal assistants-slash-publicists—with Cato." Katniss met his frown and even though he couldn't see Prim's face; he knew that she was probably grimacing. "After this, that's it. I've already told him that he needs to start doing things on his own. Hopefully, we will find the right person."

Peeta looked into her eyes. "And if Cato doesn't?"

"Then, he still has to do things on his own," she replied quietly. "I promise." Her eyes went to Hattie in his arms and Peeta watched her eyes soften at the sight. "You're needed in Manhattan, too."

Peeta looked at her curiously. "For what?"

"You and Prim—there's something in the will regarding you."

* * *

_Snow Corporation, Manhattan_

"Thanks for coming in," Beetee told them.

"How has it been?" Peeta asked the man. He, along with Katniss, followed Beetee to the meeting room where Cor's lawyer was waiting.

"Busy," Beetee admitted. "However, I'm learning a lot." He looked over at the couple. "I have to warn you. Cor's lawyer is a bit of a pill—a very no nonsense kind-of-woman."

"What's her name?" Katniss asked.

"Alma Coin," Beetee answered. "You probably know her."

"I do." Katniss turned to him. "She handled mine and Cato's divorce; she worked with Johanna to divide assets."

Peeta nodded as they entered the room. "I'm not really sure how these things go. I'm not even sure why I'm here."

"You're here, Peeta, because Cor thought that you were an important asset to us," Beetee said with a sincere smile. "Also, you and Prim gave him the assurance that Katniss would never be alone again."

By the look in his eyes, Peeta could tell that Cor had told Beetee about the ring and the proposal.

As they sat in the meeting room, Peeta's eyes met the woman's across from him. She was silver-haired with gleaming light eyes and tight, thin lips. Her pale coloring contrasted heavily with the black pants suit that she wore.

The woman stood up quickly and held her hand out to him. "Alma Coin."

Peeta shook it firmly. "Peeta Mellark." Her eyes looked over him as if she was memorizing face to name.

She turned to Katniss. "Miss Everdeen: it's always a shame that we see each other under these circumstances. My condolences on your loss."

"Thank you," Katniss told the woman as she sat down. "I thought it would be a long while before I would have to attend one of these."

Coin nodded. "We are expecting one more—"

The door suddenly opened and Cato walked in hurriedly, dressed neatly in a charcoal suit and red tie.

"My apologies on my tardiness." He patted Beetee's shoulder and then Peeta's as he walked past them and went to the empty chair next to Katniss. He gave Coin a smile as he held out his hand. "Cato Snow, ma'am."

"Alma Coin," the woman responded tersely as she shook his hand. "I remember having a much more difficult time trying to contact you."

"I know," Cato responded, his eyes suddenly heavy. "Circumstances have changed."

Coin nodded once more before reaching into the suitcase next to her and pulling out a tape recorder. She pressed the recording button before looking to them.

"This is actually not done very much anymore," the woman explained. "It was at Mr. Snow's request that we all gathered together." Coin opened the portfolio in front of them. "After this has been read, each benefactor will receive their own copy."

Clearing her throat, the lawyer began to read:

"_This is the last will and testament of Coriolanus Snow. I, Coriolanus Snow, being of sound mind, declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. I revoke all wills and codicils previously made by me…_"

Beetee was named the Chief Executive Officer as both he and Katniss had expected. The man looked surprised seeing as he had known very little about leading a corporation except for the few weeks that he had taken Cor's place. Katniss, of course, would still have a chair on the board. She had also been given Cor's entire share of the company. Along with her own shares, she would be a thrice-wealthy woman.

Cato was given the rest of his inheritance along with Cor's home in the Upper East Side. Peeta had almost expected him to be perturbed by what he was given. However, Cato was collected as his portion was read.

A lot of the Cor's estate was given to various charities, funds, and organizations that he was affiliated with. All his artwork in his current house would be donated to various Manhattan museums.

Finally, Coin called out Peeta's name:

"_I devise, bequeath, and give the monetary amount of five-million dollars from my personal funds to Peeta Mellark for his endless support to the Snow Foundation. I also devise, bequeath, and give the monetary amount of two-point-five million dollars from my personal fund to Primrose Mellark. This will be placed in a trust fund under her name and will be released in full to her on her twenty-fifth birthday."_

The words suddenly fell from Peeta's mouth. "Excuse me?"

"Did you have any questions, Mr. Mellark?" Coin asked.

He felt his mouth go dry but swallowed his shock. "When was this last will written?"

"Around three months ago," Coin informed him.

Katniss took his hand, tears in her eyes. "It's what you deserve, sweetheart. Cor loved you and Prim like you were family."

He felt his own eyes film with tears. Just three months ago, Cor had been helping him design Katniss' engagement ring; that ring was now nestled inside the drawer of his side table.

And, now they were sitting at his will reading.

Suddenly the hot pain of losing the man, who was his pseudo-father, hit him all at once. Peeta had been so focused on Katniss when Cor passed away and then by Prim, who was also mourning her pseudo-grandfather that he never thought how much it was hurting him.

The money was complete bullshit.

"I don't want it," he suddenly told the lawyer.

"Peeta," Katniss called to him. "Cor wasn't very good with showing people how he felt—I guess this was his way of showing that he cared for you and Prim; that he cared about us."

"But—"

This wasn't the way that Cor showed that he cared.

Peeta knew that Cor cared when he stood beside him as he picked out the gem for Katniss' ring, when he suggested the distinct setting and when he told Peeta about the night that he had proposed to his own wife.

The man, three months ago, was able to recall what he had for dinner before he proposed to Helena.

Now, Cor was gone.

And, Peeta had only those few precious hours as a remembrance. That was worth more to him than the money.

"I know he meant well," Peeta said finally. "But, it doesn't seem right or real to take that amount. Because, there were some things that I did share with Cor that were special and the money just seems… inconsequential."

Beetee met his eyes. He was the only one who knew what was going on.

"If I could suggest something," Beetee interrupted. "Why don't you give half to the foundation? I know that there were a few charities that you were interested in that didn't meet qualifications—you can give some of it to them. The rest? Just let it sit for a while and you might find that you might want to use it on something. Maybe something for the school that you're teaching at."

Peeta nodded numbly.

Katniss' hand was suddenly at his cheek, her grey eyes filling in worry. "Honey, are you alright?"

Standing up, Peeta looked around. "Yeah, sure." He gave her a quick kiss. "I just need a minute."

He left before anyone could protest.

* * *

When Peeta returned, he found the meeting door open—with only Katniss occupying the room. Tears ran down her face as she read from an unfolded paper.

Folding the letter, Katniss wiped her eyes before turning to him.

"Hey." He approached carefully. "Are you alright?"

"Cor left me a letter," Katniss told him. "He's left me money—for his future grandchildren." Her face crumpled again. "If only…"

Immediately, Peeta was by her side. She stood up and made him sit down before plopping herself on his lap, burying her face in his neck.

"If only—what?" he asked her quietly.

She pulled her head up to meet his eyes and her hand went to his hair. "Peeta, I'm—"

"Katniss?" Cato stood in the doorway. He looked away seeing them in such an intimate position. "Oh—um—you said that you wanted to see the resumes for the candidates that I was interested in."

"Damn—you're right," she replied and then looked to Peeta. "We've pushed the interviews to tomorrow. That way we can get back to Panem by Monday. I hate having to leave Prim for the weekend even though she's with my parents."

"Me, too," he agreed. "How long do you think that you'll be?"

Katniss looked over at Cato. "Have you ever done a phone interview before?"

Cato tilted his head at her. "A what?"

"Fuck…" Katniss muttered before meeting Peeta's eyes again. "I have no idea. You can wait for me in my office or you can take the car and wait at the penthouse. Then, we can go out for dinner."

"I can wait for you at penthouse," he told her. "I'm going to let Prim know that she's a millionaire—when she turns twenty-five."

"Then, we can start teaching her better money habits," Katniss replied with a grin.

Peeta gave her a kiss. "Agreed." Something suddenly niggled at him. "You were going to tell me something before—" He nodded at Cato, who waiting expectantly. "What was it?"

"I'll tell you at dinner," Katniss replied, her smile bright and he felt that flutter once more. "I promise."

* * *

Peeta awoke to hear Katniss shuffling into their bedroom. He looked at the clock before turning to look over at her.

It was nearly ten.

"You're late," he told her with a sigh.

"I'm sorry," she apologized as she sat next to him in the bed. "We went through the resumes and narrowed them down to five candidates. Then, we had to call them and do phone interviews. I have to say, Cato is not good at them—"

"Just stop." He was exhausted hearing about Cato's lack of function in the real world. "You can't baby him, Katniss. Cato is an adult and he's not impaired enough to learn how to do a phone interview."

"I'm sorry," Katniss replied, her grey eyes suddenly flaring in irritation. "I'm just trying to do the right thing."

Peeta got up from the bed. He went to the window and looked out at the city. Was this how the rest of their lives were going to be? Her constantly making sure that Cato was okay?

He turned to Katniss, who remained on the bed. "Right thing? The right thing would have been letting him see you do _one _phone interview and then letting him do the rest! HE IS NOT A CHILD!"

"I KNOW THAT!" Katniss suddenly yelled. "THIS IS WHAT COR WOULD HAVE WANTED ME TO DO!"

Peeta could not see anything but hot, white jealousy in front of his eyes.

"DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT CATO DID TO YOU?" he asked her. "DO YOU REMEMBER HOW HE TREATED YOU? HOW HE TREATED COR? YOUR CHILD?"

Katniss shot up from the bed. "I DO REMEMBER—I REMEMBER NOW, MORE THAN EVER!" Her lips trembled and her voice shook with tears. "But also, I remembered that Cor taught me to forgive." She wiped away the few tears that fell down her face. "I'm not going to stress out about this. This is not good for us. This is not good for me…" She took a deep breath. "Maybe you should stay in Prim's room tonight."

"Fine." Peeta fumed as he stomped out of the room, determined to hold his stance, despite everything.

He spent his night listening to her crying and telling himself that he was doing the right thing.

* * *

His eyes opened to find Katniss at his doorway.

"I'm doing the interviews with Cato today," she informed him, her voice hoarse with tears. "I've asked Beetee to sit in on all of them—"

Sitting up, Peeta met her eyes.

"Listen, Katniss. I'm sorry that I yelled," he said. "But, I'm not sorry about what I said. I understand that you feel guilty that Cor passed on and that he never talked to his son. You didn't decide to cut ties with Cato—Cor did. I don't think that he was sorry about it. Also, it was Cato's choice to not talk to his father. You can't make up for their mistakes."

"I know that," Katniss replied quietly. "I just want everything to be okay—and now I feel like everything is so out of whack." She looked down at her feet before meeting his eyes once more. "Are you spending the rest of the day here?"

"Actually, I think I might just go home," he replied. "I have nothing for me here. This isn't my life. This is yours. My life is in Panem with Prim in our home."

Katniss bit her lip and he felt his heart clench at the hurt in her eyes. "I didn't mean to yell. There's just been a lot of things on my mind and I let my temper get the best of me. I don't know what you think but I don't want you to believe that Cato is still somewhere inside my heart. Because, he isn't." Her eyes were so full of crystalline tears and he felt his own insides quake. "But you—you've been there since you climbed that tree and came into my room when you were just a kid. Remember that, Peeta."

"I'm not that kid anymore," he told her. "And, I can't climb this high rise to get you."

* * *

"Excuse me?" Peeta looked up to see a red-headed woman with large, dark eyes looking at him. "I'm not sure if I'm on the right floor."

"What company are you looking for?" he asked.

"Snow Corporation," she replied. "I have an interview in ten minutes—with a Cato Snow?"

Peeta nodded. "You're in the right place."

The woman sat next to him. "Are you interviewing, too?"

"No, I actually have to sign off on something and I'm just waiting for a friend of mine to bring the papers over," Peeta informed her. "So, you're interviewing to be Cato's personal assistant and publicist?"

She nodded. "Yes, I worked at a PR firm in Los Angeles for about two years and have been working as a personal assistant for one of the Hiltons until recently."

He held out his hand to her. "Peeta Mellark."

"Finch Bradley," she replied and shook his hand. Finch toyed nervously with the loose wave of her copper hair and her eyes went to his luggage. "Are you taking off after this?"

"Yes, I'm going home—live in a small town," he told her. "I was never a city boy."

"I was always a city girl," Finch said with a friendly smile. "Used to the fast pace and quick to learn. I'm originally from San Francisco and actually lived in a foster home in the grittier part of the city. Got a scholarship to UCLA and graduated with an Economics degree and minored in Communications."

"Impressive," Peeta told her. "Why did you decide to go into Public Relations?"

"Well," Finch began thoughtfully. "I guess it's about being able to spin the viewpoints on people that interest me. I lived near Hollywood and you always hear about one story or another. I always wanted to know how exactly these stories came about and whenever or not they could be disproven."

"And, if the person that you're representing is not exactly the greatest person?" he continued. "What do you do then?"

"I think I'd know better than to get myself into a situation like that," the woman replied firmly.

"Peeta." He looked up to see Cato walking towards them. His eyes flitted over briefly to Finch. "Miss Bradley?"

Finch stood up quickly and held out her hand. "Finch Bradley." She gave Cato a direct stare as she introduced herself and for a moment, Cato seemed taken aback.

"Cato Snow." Cato turned to him. "Peeta, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Peeta stared at him warily before nodding.

Cato's eyes turned to Finch. "Miss Bradley, I will be right with you. Feel free to grab some water or coffee from our break room. It's down the hall and to the left."

Finch smiled agreeably as she looked at Cato.

"The papers are in my office," Cato informed him as they turned and made their way through the private door.

"You have an office?" Peeta replied.

"As of this morning, I do," the man told him as they walked into his office. It was medium-sized, similar to all the other employees, and much smaller than Katniss' and Cor's offices.

"How did that happen?" Peeta asked as Cato closed the door.

"I used the rest of my inheritance money—and bought Katniss' chair in the board." Cato sat down in front of him. "She wasn't very keen on having to attend meetings anymore—and she has her own business to run. Plus, Katniss has you and Prim. She has her own life—she spent about two hours reiterating that to me this morning."

"Okay…so what did you need from me?" he asked Cato bluntly.

Cato sat back in his chair. "What are your intentions towards Katniss?"

Peeta stared at him. "Are you joking right now?"

The man in front of him shook his head. "No, I'm serious."

"Who are you to question me, Cato?" Peeta leaned forward. "I know how you treated her. The first time she told me about everything—I wanted to kill you."

"I know how I treated her," Cato replied. "And, that's why I'm questioning you. Because she didn't love me like she loves you. If you started to treat her like I treated her—_that_ would kill her. She died a little inside when Helena passed; that's what Dad used to lecture me about. But you and your sister brought her back to life—he told me that, too."

"When did he tell you that?" Peeta asked in a tight voice.

"That first time that you came to Manhattan," Cato recalled. "Dad would check on me. Throw me into a shower and try to get me to eat breakfast—if Clove wasn't around. He knew that you were different the first time that he met you—that you were better." Cato's eyes bore into his. "Are you better?"

"I'm in love with her," Peeta said to him. "And, she loves me back. That makes me better."

"Then, why are you leaving?" Cato asked.

"Because, I don't belong here anymore and I think Katniss needs to resolve, whether or not, she's ready to give up this aspect of her life." Peeta met his eyes solemnly. "She needs to stop being Katniss Snow, or I can never ask her to be Katniss Mellark."

Cato's brows rose in surprise. "You're going to propose?"

Peeta shrugged. "She might not want me right now. We slept in separate bedrooms last night. Doesn't exactly solidify an engagement."

"Katniss will forgive you," Cato told him. "She's selfless—too selfless for her own good." He stared at Peeta thoughtfully. "Don't give up on her."

"I don't plan to," Peeta replied. "I plan to beg her to forgive me as soon as she comes home—if she comes home."

"Katniss knows that her life isn't here anymore," Cato offered. "I'm not helpless and I plan to prove it." He reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled out a folder. "The transfer papers from Beetee."

Peeta quickly read over them before signing off. He looked up to Cato staring at him. "What?"

Cato smirked. "Just wondering what Katniss sees in you."

"I'm desperately in love with her," he replied. "I hope she can see that." Peeta closed the folder and held out his hand. "I'm finished."

"Congratulations," Cato told him.

"She hasn't said yes," he said.

"She will."

Standing up, Peeta went to the door before turning once more to Katniss' ex-husband.

"You should hire Finch, by the way. She looks like she might just whip you into shape."

Cato chuckled. "It was nice seeing you, Peeta."

* * *

_Panem_

"You're a moron," Prim told him morosely. She tightened her hold on his arm as they walked through town. "How could you get into a fight with her?"

"It wasn't that difficult when Cato was in every free part of our weekend," Peeta replied half-heartedly. "Now everything is a mess…"

His sister gave his hand a squeeze. "She's going to come home tomorrow. Tell her that your caveman selfishness got the best of you. Beg for her forgiveness—and don't wait anymore, Peeta. You've spent a lot of your life on hold because of what happened with Mom and Dad. Stop waiting and propose to her!"

Peeta smiled at his sister's mock-aggravation. "You really love her, don't you?"

"I really do—and I want her to be my sister," Prim answered as her eyes lowered to the ground. "I want it to be real now."

"Me, too," he agreed as they continued their walk.

They both went silent as they strolled arm in arm. Katniss had contacted him to let him know that she was coming back to Panem in the morning. He would be in school by then but he planned to talk to her right after he got home.

Peeta missed her—it had been only a day since he had left Manhattan but their bed felt empty without her. He realized that he had forgotten that there was a time when he had not woken up with her pressed close to him.

And, he hated it.

"It looks completely different," Prim suddenly said.

Looking up, Peeta realized that they stood where their parents' old store once was.

Since Cor had the space torn down, it was nothing but an empty lot. It had been cathartic for him and Prim to not see it anymore. The building had always felt like the dark cloud that loomed over their town and over them.

"It's better," he told her. "Maybe someone will buy the space and it can become new again. A fresh start—for all of us."

He could see the beginning of growth poking out of ground where the store once stood.

In time, the store would be erased from the memory of the town. Panem's children would remember nothing of what had happened long ago in this very space.

Prim inhaled sharply as she stared at the space. "A fresh start…"

Peeta put an arm around her and they stared at the space until their tears dried.

* * *

A light touch awoke him and Peeta's eyes fluttered open to see Katniss sitting next to him on their bed, tears running down her face.

"Katniss." He sat up. "What's wrong?"

"I missed you." Katniss wiped her eyes. "And, I messed everything up!" She began to sob and his heart broke at the sound. He never wanted to hear her in so much pain.

Peeta scrambled out of the blankets and pulled her into his arms.

"No, baby," he told her. "I messed up—because I was a jealous idiot. I trust you, Katniss; but, I got scared of losing you. I'm so sorry…don't cry."

"Can we start all over?" she asked against him.

"Of course." Peeta pulled away to look into her shining, slate eyes. "A fresh start." His eyes went to the champagne bottle standing on his side table. "What's that?"

"Cato gave it to me—for you," Katniss informed. "He told me that it was the champagne that his parents drank for their first anniversary or something like that—he also said that you'd get the gesture."

This was the moment.

From the deepest part of his heart, Peeta knew it.

Tonight, he was going to ask Katniss to be his wife.

"Katniss, I had this whole thing planned out," he said suddenly as he inched off the bed and onto his knee. "But—life as always—never goes the way we plan."

Peeta pulled open the drawer of side table and took out the velvet box.

"Oh my God…" Katniss breathed. She was suddenly on her knees in front of him.

The box, in his shaking hand, rested between them.

Her eyes closed as Peeta pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth.

"So, dandelion girl—" His mouth brushed against hers and Katniss gasped. "—are you going to float in the wind with me?"

Her eyes opened and she looked at him, her eyes shining. "Make it real."

Peeta met her eyes unafraid. "Katniss Everdeen—best friend, childhood crush…" She let out a watery laugh. "…soul mate, love of my life—will you marry me?"

She threw her arms around his neck. "Yes."

As he drew his mouth to hers, Katniss sobbed in happiness and he found himself in the same state, their faces shining with tears.

They pulled away and sat back on the bed.

Peeta opened the box revealing her ring. It was oxidized white gold, darkened to match her smoky eyes; the gem was a gleaming pearl. The setting had been Cor's idea—a crown that wrapped around the delicate white pearl.

"This ring was made for you—one of a kind—and created by the people who love you the most." Peeta slipped the pearl ring on her left ring finger. "Me, Prim, Johanna, your parents…and Cor."

She stared at the ring in shock. "What?"

"Before Cor passed, we had this commissioned—and your parents gave the final approval on the design last month," he told her. "Pearls are unique, naturally beautiful—like you. Cor suggested the setting—to always remind me that you are my queen—and to not take that for granted."

Katniss laughed through her tears. "That is so him."

"Johanna says that they have fertility powers," Peeta also told her sheepishly. "Her not-so-subtle jab that she's ready to become an Aunt." He grinned at her and turned to her still-shocked face. "What should we do first? Should we wake Prim to tell her the news or open the champagne bottle?"

"How about I give you your anniversary-slash-engagement present?" Katniss suggested as she shifted onto his lap.

He grinned up at her. "Sure."

Taking a breath, Katniss took his hand and placed it against her abdomen.

Underneath his palm, Peeta suddenly felt the roundness of her stomach and that familiar feeling of butterflies filled his own stomach.

And, the realization hit him all at once—all this time, that feeling was their baby calling to him.

"I'm going to be a Dad," he said in a choked whisper.

"Yes." Katniss nodded in agreement, her smile soft. "Are you happy?"

Laying her back against her pillow, he kissed her tenderly; his mouth wandering to her jawline, down to her neck, across her collarbone, and finally down to her stomach—where their child grew.

"I'm going to make sure that the door is locked," he told her with a grin. "And, then I'm going to show you just how happy I am."

* * *

Oh God, this chapter was really difficult for me. But, I hoped you enjoyed it.

Also, I'm happy that we can rejoice in toastbabies!

A lot of readers have been wary of Cato—for good reason. However, I think that he is legitimately trying to be a better person. I almost think that both Katniss and Cato are trying to do what Cor would have wanted them to do—learn how to put the past behind them and be better.

So does anyone know who Finch actually is?

I'm taking a week long break after this chapter. There are a few RL issues that I'm dealing with at the moment and it's taken a toll on me. There will still be an update on 'We Go Down', however, as I'm already working on it.

I have posted a picture of the ring on Tumblr; but feel free to message me and I can repost it.

As always, comments, reviews, and just a general hello are welcomed on Tumblr, FFn, and AO3!

Next, Chapter Twenty-Three: Katniss—the engagement/baby announcement


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three: Katniss

Hello, readers! Thank you for your patience. And, so you're not waiting to find out—Finch is Foxface.

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Three: Katniss**_

Katniss opened her eyes feeling the vibration against her abdomen. Slowly, she looked to her bottom half where she found Peeta's mouth pressed against where the slight swell was. He was murmuring against her, unaware that she had just caught him speaking to the fetus.

Her hand reached to his messy hair. "Telling the baby secrets about me?"

Peeta pressed his ear to her belly as he met her eyes. "No, just introducing myself. Telling him or her that we're excited and all."

Katniss slowly sat up and Peeta went to place a pillow against her lower back. "You're really okay with this?"

He joined her, resting back on his pillows. "Aren't you?"

"I'm a little freaked out," she admitted. "Since I found out, I've been trying to find the right time to tell you for a few weeks. Now that it's all out in the open, it feels—well…real."

When she realized that she might be pregnant, Katniss had switched into her organized mode. Her first task being that she take a pregnancy test.

It had been a daunting task because there was always a risk of someone finding out if she bought a test in Panem. So while Peeta and Prim were at their respective schools, she had driven five miles out of town and bought several pregnancy tests in a nearby town's pharmacy.

She had taken all _five_ of them in the privacy of their bathroom—all of them were positive.

Katniss couldn't believe her eyes as she stared down at the tests on the bathroom counter. She had dreams about this happening.

Now, this was her reality. There was a baby inside of her.

Since then, Katniss had been careful to not let the secret out until Peeta knew first. No one had noticed her aversion to caffeine or even lemon ricotta pancakes, which she usually gobbled up. She had read something about cheese not being good for pregnancy and didn't want to take the risk.

"And you've been keeping this a secret for how long?" Peeta asked carefully.

"Since we got back from Cor's funeral," she replied quietly. "Are you pissed at me?"

Peeta shook his head. "Actually, I kind of feel like an asshole."

She chuckled at his words. "Those weren't the words that I was expecting to come out of your mouth."

"I mean, we were fighting in Manhattan after the will reading about Cato," he recalled, obviously upset. "And, I left you! I left my pregnant fiancée! I AM AN ASSHOLE!"

"I wasn't your pregnant fiancée yet," she told him.

Katniss quickly straddled Peeta and her hands reached to cup his face.

"You didn't know." Her lips went to his. "And, I wasn't helping either. I was so focused on doing what I thought Cor would want of me that I never thought about how upsetting it was for you that I helped Cato out."

"Maybe it was the mother in you that was helping him," Peeta reasoned gently.

"Why do you even want to marry me?" she asked. "Anyone else would tell you to run for the hills."

"Because I wasn't truly living until you came back into my life, Katniss," he told her, his eyes gazing into her slowly-filling ones. "I was just stuck somewhere in-between—and you pulled me out of it." He kissed her fully on the lips, pulling back only to look into her eyes once more. "You brought me back."

Katniss blinked her tears back. "Now who could argue with that?"

"So should we tell Prim about the engagement or the baby first?" Peeta asked her.

"Well—" She couldn't finish her response. A sour taste filled her mouth and her stomach was suddenly rumbling badly. "—oh!"

Pushing off him, Katniss rushed out of the room biting back the need to vomit before she got to the bathroom. She opened the door and found Prim approaching the much-needed room.

"Katniss?" Prim called out in confusion.

She ran past the teenager and pushed open the bathroom door. Falling to her knees, Katniss opened the toilet lid just in time for the acidic vomit to erupt from her mouth. She retched badly, her stomach contracting as it pushed out the contents of last night's dinner of stale crackers and tea.

"Oh my God." Prim stood at the doorway in shock. "Has the virus come back?"

Peeta emerged from behind his sister as Katniss sat back. Grabbing a towel from the rack next to the sink, he dampened it with cool water before kneeling by her and pressing it to her sweaty neck.

"Not quite," she responded breathlessly to the teenager.

Prim joined them on the floor of the bathroom and grinned at her. "Then you must be pregnant."

Her soon-to-be sister was observant. "How'd you know?"

"No lemon ricotta pancakes," Prim replied, her bright eyes dancing with excitement. "Now can I hug you or are you going to barf on me?"

* * *

The engagement news was no surprise to Prim. She had been there to see the ring designed. However, she marveled at its beauty being displayed on Katniss' finger.

"Do you feel different?" Prim asked as they walked back to the house. Her sister insisted that she pick her up after school so they could 'hang out'.

"Not really," Katniss replied, her hand going to her small tummy underneath the navy t-shirt dress and thick stockings. She wondered how long it would be until she couldn't fit into her clothes. "Tired, nauseated, and I don't like certain food—but I was feeling like that before I knew I was pregnant so it could be the pregnancy or it could be stress."

"Oh, okay." Prim's eyes went ahead of her. "Are you scared?"

"A little," Katniss confessed. "I remember bits and pieces of when I was pregnant with Helena and I get scared that maybe it might go the same way."

"I don't think it will," Prim assured her.

Katniss noticed the faraway look in her sister's eyes. "How do you feel about all this?"

"Honestly?" her sister said. "A little overwhelmed." They stopped and Prim turned to her. "This isn't because I'm not happy about the engagement or the baby. I am. It's just strange to go from only me and Peeta, then to the three of us, and now there's going to be four." She met Katniss' eyes. "A year ago—Peeta and I were alone. I guess it scares me because change for us has never been positive."

Katniss pulled Prim into her arms, kissing the top of her head.

"Listen to me," she began. "I'm not going anywhere." Katniss grinned as she held up the band on her finger. "I've got the ring to prove it. And, we've had a lot of not-so-positive changes—but I think we're going to be owed something good. I'm going to have this baby and marry Peeta—and we will be an even better family."

Prim nodded after a moment as they continued their walk. Katniss put an arm around her to pull her close.

"Are you going to do the wedding first? Or have the baby?" Prim asked her.

"Well—" Katniss suddenly felt the acid rise from her throat and she ducked behind a tree to throw up her small lunch. She looked at Prim, who had turned green. "—I really need to get used to that."

"Me too," Prim agreed.

"Katniss!" They both looked up to see Effie and Haymitch rushing towards them. Effie's face was creased with concern. "Are you alright?"

"And what is with this tree?" Haymitch asked, his arms wrapped around Hattie, who was already reaching for Prim. "We always catch you doing all sorts of crazy stuff near it." He suddenly smirked. "Or against it."

Katniss looked across and realized that they were right in front of the Abernathy house.

She sighed and laid her head back against the tree.

"Might as well tell them," Prim said to her as she bounced Hattie in her arms.

Effie and Haymitch looked to Katniss curiously.

"Peeta and I are engaged." She held up the ring for them.

"We know that!" Effie told her with a smile.

She took another deep breath. "And…I'm pregnant."

Something high-pitched escaped her friend's mouth as Effie threw her arms around her and bounced against her.

Katniss looked to Haymitch with a smile. "I think I might've gone deaf."

"Imagine being there when she gave birth," Haymitch told her.

His wife looked to him and glared. "Be careful or I might not let you near me to have another one. Now call Peeta and tell him to come over." She linked her arm with Katniss'. "We have a lot to discuss."

She looked at Effie, worried about the glint in the woman's eyes. "Discuss what?"

"The wedding! I'm going to be coordinating it, of course," Effie started as she pulled her towards the house. "I'm thinking fall—barnyard chic…Prim will look lovely in burgundy."

She felt herself getting woozy at the rush of words coming from Effie's mouth—and it had nothing to do with the baby. "Burgundy?"

"Yes, burgundy—or mahogany! It's the latest color," her friend continued. "And, I'm going to be working on the nursery…the latest in baby furniture, of course. Imagine the magazine covers—" She waved her hand out dramatically. "—_Katniss Everdeen-Mellark, the newest 'It' mommy_…"

She helplessly let Effie drag her into the house.

* * *

"How you feeling?" Katniss' mother sat next to her on the couch. "Less nauseated?"

"A little dizzy," She replied as she looked up at her mother. Her eyes then went to the bump in front of her. She felt like she had just woken up with the pooch—and it had only been three days since she told Peeta. "I don't remember feeling like this with Helena."

"Every pregnancy is different," Kate replied as she took the washcloth on Katniss' forehead. "When is your appointment?"

"This Friday," she said with a sigh. "I'm a little nervous. We might be able to hear the baby's heartbeat. And, we'll actually know how far along I am." Katniss ran her hands over her stomach gently. "I can't believe that I'm having a baby…"

She met her mother's eyes and was surprised to see tears in them.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

"It's just that the first time…we weren't there," her mother said in a tight voice.

Katniss slowly sat up. She never realized how badly she had hurt her parents. Losing Helena had taken precedence over everything during that part of her life. She had been angry, as well as hurt, over everything.

She wanted this time to be different. Because it was.

Katniss reached to take her mother's hand. "I'm sorry that I pushed you away. But, now it's going to be different—" She put her mother's hand to her swell. "—this time you're going to hold this baby in your arms. We're all going to be a family."

Her mother looked at her hand where under her palm rested her grandchild. "I'm glad I'm here."

"Me too."

The front door opened and shut.

"Hello!" Her father had returned from having to run a morning errand. He came into her living room beaming at his daughter. He kissed her forehead and patted her belly. "Look what I found."

Her father rushed out of the room and then came back carrying a large white bassinet.

"I can't believe we still had it!" Her mother gasped as he placed it on the coffee table. "It's still looks the same."

"What is it?" Katniss asked as she reached to touch the delicate lace.

"It's your bassinet," her mother said in a hushed voice. "Now, it's the baby's."

"And I even found some of your old clothes," her father added with a happy smile. "Though it's not going to stop me from getting a few more things for my grandbaby."

"Your father was still in the Army when you were born—and we were stationed in Cuba when you were still a baby," her mother told her. "So, we couldn't carry a crib around. You slept in this—and you were always so content to be in it." She smiled to herself in remembrance. "You were the loveliest little one."

Her father smiled affectionately. "You still are."

* * *

"Peeta?" Katniss pulled on the cardigan that she had laid out on the bed. It was similar to the one that she had made for Effie when she had been pregnant except that she had changed the collar. "We're going to be late for our appointment!"

She stepped out into the hallway and found her fiancé leaning against the open doorway of his parents' room. Katniss walked towards him and the sudden flash of her dream came rushing back to her.

_Soft yellow…sheer white curtains…gold knobs…_

She joined Peeta in the doorway. "What are you looking at?"

"I was thinking," he started as he stared into the room. "What if this was the nursery?"

Katniss turned to him in shock. It had crossed her mind since it had been that way in her dream.

However, she had assumed that they would just use the den next to their room and turn it into the nursery. It was simple enough to house a crib, changing table, and dresser. Plus, the baby would still be sleeping in their room for awhile—inside the bassinet that her father had set-up for them.

"It's a little large, isn't it?" she replied with a smile. "Sweetheart, babies are tiny."

Peeta put an arm around her, drawing her close.

Looking into the room, she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know," he mused thoughtfully. "But in time, the baby will get bigger and this room would make a good playroom—or could fit another bed—in time." Peeta rushed the last bit of his words.

Katniss met his eyes. "I think it's a little soon to be thinking about another kid—" She took his hands and pressed her lips to his knuckles. "—but, I think that this would be a good place to put a nursery." Peeta wrapped his arms around her waist and she grinned, leaning back against him. "Soon you won't be able to do that—I feel like I've grown in just a few days."

"You are fine," he assured her, his lips pressing against the curve of her neck. "This just means that you're doing something right. The baby is growing—getting ready to get the largest room in the house."

She looked to him. "Do you think that Prim will be alright with this?"

Katniss remembered her sister's words from just a few days ago. This was overwhelming—their family was changing at a hyper-fast pace and she didn't want to cause Prim any more anxiety.

"It was her idea," Peeta told her. "And I agreed—this house isn't a mausoleum anymore. It's _our _home. And this should be our child's nursery."

He beamed at her, and Katniss couldn't help but wrap her arms around his waist. She loved his exuberance and joy. It was different being in a relationship with someone who loved her as much as she loved him; someone who was looking forward to going to appointments and was excited to see their child.

The thought was daunting.

And, Katniss wasn't used to _not_ being alone, especially when it came to this.

She was scared.

* * *

"Miss Everdeen, I'm just going to begin with a few questions before you get started on your appointment with the doctor," the nurse explained with a kind smile. She looked down at her clipboard. "When was the first day of your last menstruation?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Katniss replied sheepishly. Between Cor's funeral and the will reading, followed by the drama between her and Peeta—she had never thought to keep track. She wasn't completely sure if she had her period prior to that, either.

"No problem," the nurse replied as she noted it on her paper. "And were you on any birth control?"

"I was on the pill," she told the woman. Her eyes went to Peeta, who was sitting in the chair next to her. "But, I stopped as soon as I realized that I could be pregnant."

"You would be surprised on how birth control can fail sometimes," the woman intoned as she wrote down her notes. "Some of them have to be taken at the same time every day and if you miss one, this happens." She looked cheerfully at the couple. "You both look surprisingly calm."

"Shouldn't we be?" Peeta asked, suddenly nervous.

The nurse chuckled. "I've seen some parents…freak out. One father actually passed out when he found out about birth control failure rate."

"That's not going to be me," he told her assuredly.

"Never say never," the woman responded. She turned to Katniss once more. "Any other children? Miscarriages? Still-births?"

Katniss took a sharp breath. "One still-birth."

The nurse gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry. That must have been difficult. But, it helps for the doctor to know. We can keep track, do some testing if you feel it is necessary—just in case."

"Specialists said that it had nothing to do with me," Katniss told her. "Just a random act." She felt Peeta squeeze her hand and he gave her a smile. "It's been two years since Helena."

"That's a beautiful name," the nurse told her as she scribbled onto notepad. "I think that we've got everything finished here." She reached into a cabinet and pulled out a cloth gown and folded sheet. "There's a restroom right next to you if you want to change in there, but there is also the dressing curtain." She pointed her pen at the barrier behind Peeta. "The gown opens in the back and you're just going to put the sheet on your bottom half once you're seated on the exam table."

"Thanks," Katniss said.

"The doctor should be coming in a few minutes."

Quickly, the nurse exited the room and closed the door behind her.

"This isn't scary at all," Katniss joked as she went behind the dressing curtain.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Peeta responded. "But, I've been freaked out since we walked into this room and I saw the poster of the woman's anatomy during pregnancy."

Katniss quickly took off her clothes and threw on the dressing gown. "What scares you?" She walked out from behind the dressing curtain and went to Peeta, who helped her step up onto the exam table.

"The fact that your body is going to stretch at an unimaginable rate," he explained, his blue eyes anxious. "I know that women have been doing this for millions of years—but men have watched it for around the same amount of time. I'm hoping I'm not the only anxious one."

"I think it was around the 50's that men weren't even in the delivery room," she told him with a grin. "They were out in the waiting room passing out cigars. So you can always do that if you want."

Peeta shook his head and stood up. "I'm here—and I'm staying here." His hand went to her small belly. "I want to get to know the kid before he or she comes out."

Tenderly, he kissed her as her hands cupped his face.

"I think that is the reason that you are here." They turned to see an older woman with grey hair wrapped in a bun at the doorway. She smiled gently at the couple and her bright eyes turned to look at Peeta. "I remember you. Your sister is Primrose, right?"

Peeta tilted his head, looking over the woman. "You're…Mags."

The woman looked delighted that he remembered her.

"You were just a young boy when I met you—but a curious one," the doctor replied. She looked to Katniss. "I delivered Primrose. Peeta was the first one that held her—besides his parents. Peeta was also the first one that Primrose peed on."

"Amazing," Katniss said with a chuckle.

"And now I am here to take care of your little baby," Mags said with fondness.

"You have an amazing memory," Peeta told her with a smile. His eyes clouded for a moment. "I guess you heard about my parents."

Mags went to Katniss' fiancée and patted his cheek. "I was two counties away when I heard. Such a tragedy—but you have done well from what I've heard. I delivered your friend's son, Aidan."

"Yes, Annie and Finnick were the ones who suggested that we come here," Peeta told her. "This is my fiancée, Katniss." He beamed as he introduced her to the woman with the kind eyes.

"It is nice to meet you," Mags told her. "Just call me Mags. It was the name that I was going by when I was doing home births and it followed me even when I got my doctorate."

Katniss immediately felt at ease and lay back on the table when Mags instructed her to.

The woman felt at her lower half and belly. "And, we are not sure how far along we are?"

Katniss shook her head shamefully. "I just noticed that I haven't gotten my period for two months."

Mags looked at her thoughtfully. "You're looking a little fuller than I've seen for just eight weeks so we might be looking a little further out into your first trimester." She went to the machine on the opposite of Katniss' table. "Let me take a look using the sonogram."

Washing her hands at the nearby sink, Mags put on gloves before returning to the couple.

"I'm going to use the vaginal camera first," Mags informed them as she took the long camera wand and wrapped it with a protective barrier. "Katniss, my dear, I just want you to lay back, take a deep breath, and relax."

Katniss nodded and followed the doctor's instructions. She took a deep breath and felt the sudden pressure of the camera entering her. Turning, she looked at the screen as Mags looked around her birth canal.

"Everything looks good," Mags remarked with assurance. She went to turn the knob and the sound of galloping filled the room. "Heartbeat is perfect."

Katniss turned to Peeta. "You hear that? Perfect."

He looked at her in awe before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You're amazing."

"Hold on, parents," Mags suddenly said. Her brows furrowed as she turned the camera to search. "Something is going on…"

Katniss felt her heart freeze. "What's wrong?"

"Wait…" Mags stared at the screen in concentration. Her face flooded in relief. "Just as I thought."

"What?" Peeta asked as he looked at the screen and the round objects on it. "Are we looking at the baby bottom-up?"

"No…we're looking at twins," Mags said to them with a bright smile.

"Oh my God." Katniss couldn't breathe. "Twins."

_Leafy filigree…the initials R and J on the white cribs…_

It was happening—her dream.

"Katniss?" She looked over at a grey-faced Peeta. "That nurse called my bluff…"

Katniss sat up. "What?"

Then, Peeta passed out.

* * *

"Hold that still." Katniss made sure that Peeta was holding the ice pack to his head.

It had taken a few minutes to get him back on his feet and he had to leave in a wheelchair after Mags gave him the okay. They were finally outside of the medical building as her fiancé made sure that he was alright to walk.

In his hands were their first pictures of the twins—both healthy at ten weeks.

His eyes were glued to the photo as were hers.

Finally, Katniss spoke. "So…twins."

Peeta nodded. "Yeah…twins."

She looked over at him in concern. "Are you okay?"

Katniss was apprehensive. She had never seen Peeta so pensive and he had been so thrilled at the thought of one child.

Two children had _really_ thrown him off.

"I know that you weren't expecting two children," Katniss said to him. "And, it is a surprise—but I'm happy and I think that we can handle it. Yes, there will definitely be a lot more accommodating and it actually works that we're using the master bedroom—"

"Katniss." Peeta took her face in his hands. "I was surprised…surprised enough to almost have a concussion. But that doesn't change how I feel."

Her lips rose in a bright smile seeing the excitement return to his eyes.

"You're having my children." Peeta kissed her gently. "And, this is not going to be like last time—" She opened her mouth to protest. "—I know you were thinking it."

"Maybe I was thinking that…a little," she finally acknowledged. "I just want this time to be different."

"I know it's going to be," Peeta assured her as he looked at the picture, his chest puffed out a bit and a smirk on his lips. "Twins…I really just got you, didn't I?"

She snorted. "Get those cigars,_ Dad_."

Carefully, Peeta stood up. "I'm going to get the car and we'll pick Prim up to break the news." He leaned down to kiss her, his eyes staring into hers. "I didn't think that I could love you any more, Katniss."

"Same here," Katniss replied with a grin. "Though, I might change my mind when I can't move."

Peeta walked towards the parking lot. She watched him to make sure that he was steady before looking down at her stomach.

It was no wonder that she felt a little bigger than she thought—there were two.

"Robin…" Her hand went to one end. "…James." Her other hand went to the opposite side. "Hey kids. It's me—Mommy. I'm a little freaked out so bear with me." She took a deep breath. "Just know that we're going to try our damn best and we're not going to be perfect. But, your Daddy and I—we're going to love you like crazy."

There was no response from the belly—but she felt her heart ease as she finished speaking.

"Katniss!" Looking up, she found Peeta stepping out of their compact car—they werereally going to need one with more seats—to open the passenger door for her.

Standing up, she began to make her way to him—

_BEEP_!

Katniss looked at the screen of her phone as she made her way to the open door.

It was a text from Johanna.

Opening the message, she let out a yelp.

"Shit!" Katniss looked down at her stomach. "Sorry kids. I'll try to curb the cursing before you come out."

Peeta looked at her in alarm. "What's wrong?"

She held out her phone so he could read Johanna's first text: '_Is this true?!_'

The next text was a photo message—a picture of her from Cor's last event on the front cover of the 'New York Post' along with the caption: '_Katniss Everdeen—Manhattan's newest Mommy!_'.

* * *

It's not my longest chapter and I did warn a few people—this was fluff.

Fluff to me, anyway.

Also, I feel like they deserved a little relief.

We're getting to the end. I don't outline, but I usually just feel it in my bones when it's getting there. And, I can feel it coming.

As always, hellos, reviews and comments are always welcome on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next, Chapter Twenty-Four: Peeta—dealing with '_Manhattan's newest Mommy_!'.

-JLaLa


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four: Peeta

Thank you so much for your reviews, follows, and favorites!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Four: Peeta**_

The quiet knock came in the early evening, right before dinner.

Peeta opened the front door to find himself face to face with Hattie's cheerful face. She was chewing on her fist and he tried not to laugh at the sight of the drooling baby.

"Hi Effie," Peeta called out.

Hattie's sweet face was quickly gone from his view and replaced with Effie's anxious one as she stepped in front of the door.

She had been hiding next to it; just in case Katniss answered.

Peeta knew that Effie wasn't ready to have the door slammed in her face—again.

"Hi Peeta," she said in a quiet voice. "I thought that I'd bring her with me—to soften the blow."

"Katniss is taking a nap." Peeta looked into the living room where Katniss was snoozing on the couch. She had a penchant for falling asleep at the drop of a hat. "Why don't we talk outside?"

Walking onto the porch, he joined Effie and Hattie on their bench. Hattie reached for him and instinctively, he took the little girl from her mother to seat her on his lap. She stared up at Peeta, her fingers going to her mouth.

"How mad is she today?" Effie asked anxiously.

The whole thing had been a simple mistake.

Effie, in her excitement, had called her assistants in Manhattan requesting every catalog with nursery-themed layouts as well as catalogs with baby furniture. The press had caught on due to a tip-off from one of her assistants—who had since then been fired.

The news had been online within the hour and in print by the next morning.

Immediately after Katniss had gotten the message from Johanna, she had been…upset.

Actually, upset was an understatement.

Katniss was pissed.

She had calmed down enough for them to pick Prim up and tell her the good news about the twins. His sister was surprised, but seemed happy by the news. However, it had been interrupted by the juggernaut of phone calls from Effie, who was apologizing and Johanna, who was asking her if she wanted to give the press a response.

Katniss had told Johanna and Cinna, who would also be fielding the press, to respond with 'No Comment'.

Which was basically an affirmative to the pregnancy question.

Effie had come to the house after they arrived from picking Prim up—and had just gotten the door slammed in her face. Katniss was tired, upset, and dealing with the realization that she was carrying two babies in her stomach.

That was two days ago.

"I have to say, Eff," he began. "You're persistent."

"I don't plan on backing down," Effie declared firmly. "I love Katniss and I never meant for any of this to happen." Effie turned to Peeta, her eyes watery. "I'm just really happy for her—for you. You both deserve this." Her face fell. "But, I hate that she's mad at me. Though, I can understand why."

Peeta adjusted Hattie in his arms before turning to her. "Why?"

"Because, she wanted this moment to be just for you, her, and Prim," Effie explained. "The press can be tough, too. And, Katniss is scared that if something happens—her pain is just going to be fodder for them. There were days that she wouldn't come out after she lost Helena. The press wasn't helping with all the photos of Cato with Clove and Glimmer. She never really got to mourn. Instead, Katniss would just have to pretend like none of that ever happened and paste a smile on her face."

"It wasn't fair." They looked up to find Katniss at the doorway. "I never got to just sit and be sad. And, it's happening all over again; it's difficult to have to hide that I'm happy or scared or confused by all of this!"

Effie jumped up from her seat and went to his fiancée. She placed her hands on Katniss' shoulders to steady her.

"You don't have to stop yourself from feeling anything but happy," Effie said to her. "This is your moment, sweetie. I'm sorry that I was so careless. I was just so excited about you having a baby—"

Katniss smiled at her. "Babies, actually."

Effie let out a squeal and pulled his fiancée into her arms. "_Please _tell me that I can still work on their nursery!"

"I was just going to tell you that I had a concept for the room." Katniss crossed her arms, her lips trying not to rise at Effie's exuberance. "But, no one but you helps out. Johanna mentioned last night that your assistant came crying to her about being fired—and she told the girl that she was lucky that you weren't really there or else she would be finished in Manhattan."

"Well, of course—I can be very unforgiving," Effie sniffed. "You must get that trait from me." The woman took a deep breath. "But, that's all in the past. Now, why don't you show me the nursery?"

Katniss turned to Peeta, her smile soft seeing him with Hattie. "Will you two be okay?"

"We'll be fine," he assured her.

Effie pulled Katniss into the house, talking quickly as she asked Katniss about her color preferences.

His eyes met Hattie's. "Do you think I'll be a good dad?"

She gurgled, taking her hand out of her mouth to press it to his cheek.

"I guess that's a yes." Peeta stood up and kissed the top of her head. "Let's get you some cheerios. I know that Prim used to like them when she was your age."

* * *

After Effie and Hattie left, Peeta found Katniss laying on the floor of the nursery—in the dark.

"What are you doing?" he asked at the doorway.

She continued to stare up. However, she pointed at the ceiling.

Peeta walked into the room curiously, staring at his supine fiancée before joining her on the floor.

He looked up and breathed out in amazement. "Wow."

"I know," she agreed and took his hand. "My Mom found it among all the other all things they had in storage. Some of the lights need to be replaced—one of the dippers is missing."

"I remember being under the same sky with you about ten…eleven years ago?" He looked over at her, seeing the outline of her burgeoning stomach in the dim room. Their eyes met and Katniss smiled softly at him, her finger reaching to brush his chin. "Sometimes, I can't remember a time when you weren't in my life."

"Maybe, we just prefer to not remember a time being without each other," she told him with a small smirk.

"I could see that." His eyes went back to the stars above them. "Or, I guess I just missed you that much."

Katniss giggled. "I have that effect on people."

"You really do," Peeta whispered into the air. Despite the quietness of his words, she heard him and squeezed his hand.

"I told Effie about my concept for the nursery," she suddenly said. "Specifically, I asked her to keep this here for the babies."

"I like that idea," he replied. "It would be nice to tell them that I fell in love with you under the stars."

The image of his fourteen-year-old self emerged in his mind and Peeta wished that he could tell that boy to hold out hope—even during the hard moments of his life.

Because, there were times when Peeta thought that he wouldn't be okay: the nights when he would hear Prim crying in her room for their mother or when he would wake up to nightmares of his father's blank eyes.

He would've told that boy that for awhile—life would be hell.

But to wait for heaven to come; she would be back soon enough.

His eyes went back to the stars. "Katniss?"

She caressed the top of his hand with her thumb. "Yes?"

"What do you think of one day getting married underneath the stars?"

Katniss turned to him. "I think…" Her lips rose into a smile. "…that would be perfect."

* * *

"I'm impressed," Finnick said to Peeta. He looked at the sonogram, his ivy-green eyes fascinated. "Twins!" He shook his friend's hand and kissed Katniss' cheek before handing back the photo. "You really went for the gold."

"I don't think we were trying for the gold," he replied. "I don't think we were trying for anything, really."

"You're going to love Mags. She's great and she'll get you through the pregnancy," Annie told them.

She sat down at the table and handed a glass of water to Katniss, who had been feeling a little queasy. They had just learned that she had an aversion to the ground beef, which their friend was prepping for dinner. It had been thrown out right away as Katniss rushed to the bathroom.

"She made me feel very comfortable during my pregnancy and encourages questions," their friend continued. "I almost asked her to come live with us because I was seriously scared of doing something wrong."

"And, she'll take your calls—all hours of the night," Finnick said. "I freaked out because I thought that Aidan was allergic to the formula we were giving him. Turned out I was making the formula the wrong way."

Aidan and Prim entered the kitchen. They had been playing with Aidan's new Wii and went to the fridge to grab some sodas.

"You excited, Prim?" Finnick asked with a grin. "Looks like your brother and Katniss are filling up the house."

"Sure," Prim responded curtly. She opened a can and took a sip from it before almost rolling her eyes. "Thrilled."

She walked out before any of the adults could respond. Aidan shrugged at them before following her out.

Peeta looked over at Katniss, who was caressing her stomach and staring at the spot where Prim once stood. She was obviously upset.

They had noticed that Prim seemed a little distant for the last few days. She didn't want Katniss to walk her to school anymore and spoke very little to either of them during dinner. After dinner, Prim did her own dishes and disappeared into her room, locking the door.

Katniss had suggested that maybe this was getting overwhelming for her. One baby seemed manageable, but two had thrown both of them off. So they could imagine that was maybe why Prim wasn't taking it so well.

She did not realize that she was hurting Katniss—who was already feeling very out of her element. His fiancée had been trying to stop the endless torrent of phone calls from invading their home.

However, the press was beginning to get hungry.

And, Katniss was getting to the end of her first trimester and was beginning to show. She wasn't ready to reveal herself just yet.

Peeta quickly stood up. "I'll be back." He went to the living room to find Aidan sitting on the couch. "Where did she go?"

Aidan pointed to the sliding door in the room. "Outside. She said she needed air."

He looked out to Prim sitting on the old swing that Finnick had put up for Aidan a few years ago. His sister was pushing herself using the tip of her foot for leverage.

Sliding the door open, Peeta walked out and slid the door closed before walking the few paces to get to Prim.

"Hey," he started nervously. "It's cold out here. Why don't you get inside?"

"I'm fine," Prim mumbled as she looked down at the ground.

Peeta sighed. "You know you can't keep ignoring me."

His sister looked up at him, her blue eyes frosty. "Who's ignoring who? Since_ your_ babies announced themselves—you haven't paid attention to me at all!"

"That's not true," Peeta replied. "Katniss and I have always been here if you had anything to tell us. You just haven't been speaking to us."

"I told you both that I was going to try out for the school play," she told him. "I even asked if you would rehearse with me!"

His mind searched for when she had told him about it and it came to him quickly—about a week ago when Effie had come to do some measurements for the nursery, Prim had told him about the annual play. It was going to be _Romeo and Juliet_; she was nervous about memorizing the lines and he had promised her that he would help her.

_A week ago_—he fucked up.

"I'm so sorry, Prim." Peeta knelt in front of her. "I never meant to make you feel like you were anything less than special to me—because you are. I know that it's been hectic with the twins and you're probably overwhelmed."

Prim suddenly swiped at her eyes. "I was fine with one…but two?" She looked down at the ground as she gripped the swing's ropes on each side of her. "You'll forget about me. And, if they're both girls? Two cute little babies against one of me—I can't compete with that."

"There is no competition—you are special in your own way," Peeta replied. His hands went to cover hers. "You are my sister—my one and only piece of what is left of our parents. That makes you so precious to me." Slowly, he stood up and her eyes went to his. Hers were filled with scared tears. "I know that this is different for you. It's different for all of us."

"You're getting everything you want, Peeta," his sister said to him. "I don't see a downside."

"We're just as scared." They both looked up to see Katniss in front of them. She went to Prim and gave her a sad smile. "I'm even more scared because I don't want you to hate me or to hate them. Because, I love you so much. You're my sister, Prim. At least I hope you'll let me be your sister."

Prim looked down. "I love you, too," she replied quietly. "I don't hate you, Katniss. I just don't want to be ignored."

"Neither do I," Katniss told her. "I was hoping that you would ask me to help out with costumes or something for the play."

Prim looked up at her. "You were?"

Peeta's fiancée smiled. "Yeah, but you were so upset with me and your brother." Katniss looked over at him. "But, I don't mind playing second fiddle to Peeta. I know that you were hoping that he would help you out."

"We're all going to have to adjust," Peeta told Prim. "I'm sorry that I forgot. I'm not perfect and once in awhile, you're going to have point these things out to me. But, don't ever feel like you're not special to me. That's the farthest thing from the truth."

"Talk to us, too," Katniss urged. "Because sulky Prim is not as fun as the Prim who talks about everything and nothing."

"Alright," Prim relented. She stood up and went to Katniss, who hugged her tightly. "I really do love the babies, you know."

"I know they're going to love you. Maybe at times—more than their uncool Mom," Katniss replied with a watery laugh.

Prim turned to go to Peeta and he found himself engulfed in the scent of daisies coming from his sister's perfume.

When did she start wearing perfume?

Soon, Prim would be in high school, then college—time was so, so precious with her. His arms tightened around his sister.

"You're holding on a little tight, big brother," Prim joked in a teary voice. "Ever plan on letting go?"

Peeta kissed the side of her head. "No."

* * *

"So, this is very important," Effie said to them.

"Hmm?" Katniss was sitting on an old rocking chair that her father had brought for the nursery. On her lap was a large sketch pad.

Peeta was sitting, running lines with Prim by playing the Nurse to Prim's Juliet. Yes, his sister had gotten the female lead which meant that she would be acting out a teenage romance with a lot of kissing, an elopement, and a suicide.

"So do you really have to kiss Rory?" he asked Prim.

His sister nodded, her eyes serious though her cheeks were spotted with red. "Yes—but all for the play!"

"I guess." He went to shuffling through the book when he found another scene that made his stomach churn. "Oh, damn it!"

"What is it?" Katniss asked.

"There's a S-E-X scene in this play," he told her.

Prim snorted. "I know how to spell and read, Peeta. And, it's more of an after S-E-X scene."

"You're very out of your element," Katniss told him with a smile. "But, I promise to keep you from jumping on stage whenever she has to pretend to have S-E-X, okay?" She turned to Prim and held up her sketch of the long maroon dress. "Does this dress look like a dress that you can pretend to drink poison in?"

"EVERYONE!" They turned to a red-faced Effie. "I need your help!"

"What has got you so worked up?" Katniss asked as she sat back in her chair.

Effie held out the paint swatches. "Buttercream or Butterscotch?"

"They both look the same," Peeta told her. He stood up and took the swatches from their friend.

"Not true," Effie argued. "One has a tinge of gold."

"This one kind of matches my hair," Prim said as she took the swatches from her brother and held the butterscotch swatch to her head. "Actually, wouldn't this be cute if I had this lighter one as a highlight?"

"That looks very pretty," Katniss told her with a smile.

"There will be no highlighting of your hair." Peeta took the swatch from his sister. "It's bad enough that I'll have to sit through a play where my sister makes out with the guy that she's kind of dating."

"It's Shakespeare," his fiancée replied.

"It's smut," he told her. Going to Effie, he handed her the paler yellow. "Buttercream."

"Finally, somebody is paying attention to how this nursery is going to be handled," Effie said before sticking the swatch to the wall. "Painting begins next week."

"I'm beginning to regret complaining about not getting enough attention," Prim suddenly said to her brother.

He put an arm around her. "You asked for it."

"And now you must pay the consequences," Katniss said. She pushed herself up from her chair to join them. She gave Prim a small smile. "Let me show you the fabrics that I want to use for the balcony scene."

Prim smirked as she linked their arms. "Will it give me boobs?"

"We'll work with what you have." The two left the nursery to head over to the den next to their bedroom.

"She seems a lot more relaxed," Effie said to him. "When's your next appointment?"

"We've hit the three month mark," he informed her. "So, we've scheduled something for next week."

"Lovely," Effie told him. "Can I go over Katniss' concept with you?"

He nodded and Effie began to explain the layout. Katniss wanted the room to be airy as if they were outside in the sun: soft yellow paint, white-wood furniture, sheer white curtains, and cream carpeting. They were going to put a plush cream couch with a trundle bed in the likely chance that they ended up sleeping in the nursery.

"She seemed very set on the furniture," Effie continued. "Especially the cribs."

He turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"The detailing—white furniture with gold accents—the dressers will have gold knobs, the changing tables will have posts with gold at the top, and the cribs—there's going to be a leafy filigree with the first letter of the babies names."

Peeta was surprised. "She knows the babies names?"

He didn't think that she was thinking so far ahead. On the other hand, there was something in her eyes that seemed very set about things—like Katniss knew these babies even before they happened.

Then, he remembered a conversation from awhile back; right after they had made love in the den/sewing room:

"_Peeta?" she called out softly. "Do you know a Robin…or a James?"_

_He chuckled quietly. "Prim must have been showing you our parents' things for her project."_

_Katniss turned to him. "What project?"_

"_Her genealogy project," Peeta said. "She's been looking through our parents' papers along with our grandparents' things."_

"_What does that have to do with the names?"_

"_Robin is Mom's middle name and James is Dad's middle name."_

"Let me guess," he said. "Are the letters 'R' and 'J'?"

Effie nodded, her lips growing into a grin. "How you know?"

He put an arm around her. "Fatherly instinct."

"PEETA! EFFIE! COME QUICK!"

They looked at one another before running out of the room towards the den. They found a panicked Prim on the floor, holding a limp Katniss in her arms.

Peeta fell to his knees before them, taking Katniss' hand to check her pulse. "What happened?"

"I'm calling 9-1-1," Effie informed them as she held her cell to her ear.

"We were talking and all a sudden, she wanted to sit down," Prim said. "Before we could get to the couch, Katniss just started to sink and so I went down with her." She began to cry, her eyes staring at his fiancée's growing belly. "I didn't mean to be jealous! Please don't go, babies!"

His arms were suddenly reaching to bring Katniss onto his lap. "Baby, wake up."

No response.

His eyes began to fill. "Come on, Katniss…wake up…"

Somewhere away from them, he could hear Effie speaking to the emergency operator.

His hand went to Katniss' full stomach, his lips against her ear.

"Robin…James…stay with us."

* * *

Who wants to kick me in the face? Probably everyone.

Thanks for your patience. First week of work went great and I have a feeling that this place is a keeper. As I adjust to the schedule, I am still diligently working on this fic and on "We Go Down"—so don't worry.

I know that this was a short one but I feel it was quite effective.

The italicized section comes from Chapter Twenty-One.

As always, hellos, comments and reviews are welcomed on Tumblr, FF, and AO3.

Next: Chapter Twenty-Five, Katniss—the continuation of…whatever happened to her.

Till then, JLaLa


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five: Katniss

Please don't kick me for the last chapter!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Five: Katniss**_

"_Robin…James…stay with us."_

Peeta's voice echoed in her head. She hadn't realized that she had told him their names.

Slowly, Katniss opened her eyes, still feeling the heaviness in them. She could hear the sound of beeps as her sight adjusted and found herself looking at Peeta, who was gripping her hand as he slept in the chair next to her.

"Peeta." Her voice came out hoarse. "Wake up."

Her fiancé shot up, his eyes widening seeing her awake and alert. "Thank God!" He stood up and went to her, pressing a kiss to her chapped lips. "How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty and a little woozy," she said in confusion. "Where am I?"

"The hospital," he told her. "You passed out at the house."

Katniss remembered feeling dizzy as she walked with Prim towards the den—the feeling only worsening when they got to the room. Then, she remembered nothing.

"The babies." Her hand went to the stomach. "Are they—"

Peeta shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "No, they're fine." He pointed to the machine next to her. "That's measuring their heartbeats—and Mags did an ultrasound when we first got you here."

She burst into tears, her hands rubbing at the bump. "F-F-For a moment, I thought…"

"Me, too," Peeta said in agreement. "Just makes them even more precious now, doesn't it?" He cupped her tear-streaked face in his hands, his forehead pressing against hers. "I love you so much. Please don't scare me like that ever again."

"Baby, I would never do that intentionally," she assured him. "Trust me when I say that the next time I want to be here is to deliver these children." She leaned forward to kiss him. "I love you. I'm not going anywhere. Neither are they."

"Robin and James," he told her with a smile. "I figured it out."

Katniss pressed her lips to his once more. "So you did."

There was a knock on the door and Mags entered the hospital room. Her face brightened seeing that Katniss had awakened.

"Katniss—glad that you've joined us in the land of the living," Mags said. "Gave us a good scare—especially your young man here." She went to the fetal monitor, reading from the charting tape that slowly printed out the babies' heart rates. "Looking nice and steady."

Mags went to her and took her hand. "This happens sometimes; the veins constrict from the vast amount of blood pumping through you and you can faint. It's normal for pregnant women." She looked over Katniss with concern. "But, I had your blood drawn—you're anemic and your blood pressure is a bit high. You'll have to start taking the prenatal vitamins with iron. Also, with the risk of what happened during your previous pregnancy, I'm going to recommend that you go on bed rest."

Katniss looked at the woman in shock. "Bed rest? For how long?"

"Let's get you to the five-month mark," Mags said. "Also, I'm going to recommend that you see me every two weeks—and no traveling." She looked sternly at Katniss. "I know that your work requires that you go to Manhattan from time to time but things have to change. You're going to be a mother."

Katniss sighed. "I understand."

"I'm going to release you tomorrow," the doctor said. "I just want to do an observation for tonight. No arguments."

"Thanks, Mags," Peeta said with a grateful smile.

"You up for some guests?" The doctor asked her. "I have a very concerned Aunt in the lobby. Primrose has become a very beautiful young woman. She looks like this one model I've seen…"

"It's probably her," her fiancé informed the doctor. "Prim models for Katniss' junior line."

"Good to know that I delivered a celebrity!" Mags joked. "I'll send her in."

The doctor disappeared out the door and the couple turned to one another.

"Bed rest," Katniss finally said. She sat back in the hospital bed despondently. "Well, I didn't expect that."

There was still so much for her to do; she needed to work on the Hattie Jean line and 'Whimsy in the City' and Cinna wanted to do another shoot with Prim for the upcoming holiday season.

"I can see the wheels in your head turning," her fiancé remarked with an amused grin. "I know what you're thinking—you have work to do. But, that's why you have Cinna and Portia to help. Everdeen Design will not fall apart without you. The Everdeen-Mellark babies need you now."

She crossed her arms. "Don't pull the 'twinsie' card on me!"

Peeta chuckled before leaning over the rail of the hospital bed to kiss her. His unshaven face tickled her chin and she giggled as her arms wrapped around his neck to deepen their kiss.

"COME ON!" They pulled apart to see Prim and Mags at the doorway along with her parents. Their sister glared at the two before looking to the adults next to her. "Do you see what I have to put up with? They're like this _all_ the time!"

"I see," Mags remarked. She went to the couple, her eyes suddenly guilty. "There was something else that I forgot to mention."

Peeta looked to her doctor, suddenly anxious. "What?"

"During this bed rest period, I'm going to recommend that you…abstain," Mags told the two.

"Seriously?" It burst out of her mouth. "You're sticking me in bed and I can't even do anything fun in it?"

"I'm afraid so," Mags said, her lips turned up in a small smile. She looked at the couple, "Welcome to Parenthood. There are a lot of sacrifices to be made."

Peeta eyed her small bump, his hand reaching to caress it affectionately. "You two better be cute as hell."

* * *

Katniss glared up at her fiancé as he helped her out of their car.

"Mags said that I could walk small distances! I'm pregnant not incapacitated," she told him. Katniss rounded the corner towards their walkway as Peeta followed her hurriedly. "It's just some stairs."

Peeta looked over at her as they reached the porch. "I understand that," he replied. "But, I can't help but be cautious. I'm going to be a husband and a father. I'm going to be putting on the big boy pants."

She snorted, her eyes going right to his crotch. "I think your big boy pants are the reason I'm pregnant."

"Well, can this big boy pretend carry his fiancée across the threshold?" he asked indignantly.

Katniss looked at him for a moment before reaching into her pocket and taking her keys out. She unlocked the door and turned the knob to push it open.

She turned back to Peeta with a shy smile. "Okay then…carry me over this threshold."

There was no warning as Peeta suddenly went to her and scooped her up with ease. She screamed in shock before quickly wrapping her arms around his neck to anchor herself.

"You okay there, little mother?" Peeta asked with a confident grin. "You looked worried for a moment."

Katniss rolled her eyes at him. "It's the realization that after all this wedding practice—there will be no practice honeymoon."

"Ah yes," her fiancé mused. "I'm sure I can find other ways to entertain you."

After kicking the door closed, Peeta began to walk them up the stairs. She watched him for any looks of distress at having to carry her two-fetus self. He seemed perfectly fine as they reached the top floor and continued to their room.

Peeta winked at her, his smile playful. "Will you please knock on the door for me?"

She tilted her head at him. "What are you up to?"

"Knock on the door, please," he simply repeated.

Looking to the door, Katniss knocked twice. After a moment, it opened but only slightly and not enough to see who was on the other side.

She turned to Peeta as he moved the door with his foot. "So help me, if you let Prim ditch school for my hospital release—"

"SURPRISE!"

Her head whipped around to find Johanna, Cinna, and Portia—all lounging on the bed. The three rushed over to the couple excitedly.

"I can't believe I had to find out that you were knocked up by some shitty newspaper!" Johanna told her.

"Sorry," Katniss replied as Peeta walked her over to the bed. Stopping in front of her bedside, Portia and Cinna hurriedly pulled the comforter back so she could lie down. Johanna sat down on Peeta's side next to her. "I was just getting out of my first doctor's appointment when I got your message!"

"Well, anything else you want to tell us, Queen Katniss?" Cinna asked as he sat at the corner on her side, a cheerful smile on his lips. Portia lounged on the opposite corner next to Johanna's feet. "You adopting some kids too? Just like Angelina and Brad?"

She shook her head before turning to Peeta who sat in the plush chair in the corner of the room.

"Did you tell them?" Katniss asked and her fiancé shook his head. She looked to her best friend and design team. "Did Effie tell you anything?"

"Nope. Ever since you gave her the cold shoulder, she's been silent," Johanna informed her with a pout. "She always had the best stories! You ruined her for us!"

"Peeta just told us that your doctor put you on bed rest and that he thought that you'd need us," Portia said. "He knew that you were worried about the lines."

Katniss turned to Peeta. "Come here." Her fiancé complied and got up to sit next to her. "There's a little more to this story." She looked around at her friends. "We're having…twins."

"HOLY SHIT!" Cinna suddenly yelled. "I mean—wow!" He stood up to hug Katniss and shake Peeta's hand. "You're going to have some gorgeous babies, you two."

"And just think—we'll have two models for the Hattie Jean Line!" Portia said with a grin.

"No wonder you two got pregnant!" Johanna was looking through Peeta's side table drawer. "All these condoms—" She grabbed a bunch and held them out. "—perfectly wasted!"

"Seriously? That's all you have to say?" Katniss asked her in disbelief.

Johanna thought for a moment. "Can I have the rest of the condoms?" Katniss' eyes widened at her friend's words. "I'm kidding!" She reached over to pull her friend into a hug. "I'm really happy for you. You've wanted this for such a long time." Then, Johanna crawled over to Peeta and hugged him. "Congratulations on your most righteous sperm."

He raised a brow at Johanna. "Thanks?"

"But, really," her friend said to Peeta, "You've wanted this for a long time, too."

"I did," Peeta agreed.

"And, you deserve it," Johanna declared. "Especially since you got my girl the new 'it' ring." She looked to Katniss' hand to stare at the pearl ring. "Vin really knows what she's doing."

"Vin, huh?" Katniss teased her friend. "You two seemed pretty comfy from what you told me during our last phone conversation."

Johanna glared, all the while, turning a deep shade of red. "Don't make me sic your children on you."

* * *

_One Week Later…_

"Are you sure that you don't mind?" Katniss asked Prim as they played Monopoly on the bed. "Your whole weekend will be devoted to the line."

"No, I'm actually excited." Prim moved her top hat piece past 'GO'. "Two hundred, please." Katniss, as banker, pulled two hundred dollars from the cash holder and handed it to her sister. "Cinna showed me the pieces last night during dinner."

"Sounds perfect." Katniss looked up at Prim as she took the dice and began to roll. "Hey Prim—can I ask you something?"

Prim met her eyes as Katniss moved her car game piece towards Place on the board. "What's up?"

"Are you mad—because of the babies?" Katniss asked. "I know that you talked about it with Peeta. But, we really didn't get to talk. I've always treasured our conversations. It's our thing."

"I'm not mad…maybe a little jealous," Prim admitted. "I'm used to being the only kid in your life. Now you're going to have two more—and I don't want to be forgotten." She looked down shamefully. "Is that bad?"

"Come here." Katniss pushed the game board aside and Prim scooted closer to her on the bed. "You were the first baby that I ever danced with and you'll always know that. And, just because I might dance with another one or two—it doesn't mean that I've forgotten you." She turned and kissed the top of Prim's head. "I love you, Prim and I don't want you to resent me."

"I love you, too," Prim said quietly. "It's scary, though. To feel like we're becoming a full-on family—it's been a long time since I've been in something like that. I've forgotten how it feels."

"It'll be a lot louder." Katniss laughed nervously. "I'm scared, too. But, I know I'll be okay because I'll have you and Peeta with me." She took Prim's hand to place it on her slightly grown abdomen. "And, they're going to need you, too. You know…when I'm driving them insane. They'll want to talk to their cool Aunt Prim."

"I promise that I'll tell you what they say," her sister told her with a slight smile. "Actually, maybe not everything. If you have girls, I probably won't tell you if they get kissed because it's likely that Peeta will never let them out of the house."

"Fair enough." Katniss turned to Prim. "Speaking of kisses, you haven't been practicing with Rory too much—have you?" She shook her head and sighed. "I don't know if I want to know either. I might get out of bed just to strangle him."

"You know if anyone is going to be initiating the kissing it's going to be me," Prim retorted, a smirk on her pink lips. "And think—it's all for the craft."

Katniss pursed her lips, trying to hide her grin. "Sure. The _craft_."

"I wish you could come to the play," Prim said. "Truthfully, I'm a little nervous."

"Do you want to go over your lines?" Katniss asked. "I think I'll be a better 'Nurse' than Peeta and a much better 'Romeo' than Cinna."

Since Katniss had been unable to get out of bed for long amounts of time, Cinna and Portia had taken over making everyone's costumes. Everyone in Prim's school was thrilled that professional designers were going to be working on their wardrobe.

Though some of the boys were a bit embarrassed as they got measured—especially Rory.

"I'm okay," Prim assured her. "But, could you ask Peeta not to sit in the front row? It's going to be difficult making out with my 'husband' Romeo if he's glaring at us."

Katniss chuckled. "I'll definitely try, though he did discuss bringing a water gun to cool it off, if needed."

Prim buried her face in a pillow to stifle her groans. "This is going to be bad, isn't it?"

"I don't think so," Katniss told her. "Go look in my closet."

Prim sat up, an excited smile on her face. "Why?"

"Just go!" she insisted and Prim was jumping across the bed to go to Katniss' closet.

"AHH!" Her sister rushed out holding the hanging costume. "It's beautiful!"

"I think it's my best work yet." The costume was peacock blue, made of crushed velvet and silk as its underlay. The square neckline would display Prim's cleavage just enough yet kept that subtle tone of innocent beauty. The sleeves were long with a delicate ivy pattern burnt into the fabric. "Don't let anyone see it until you get on stage. I want the audience to be as awed as Romeo. Also, wear your hair in a long, braid to the side—and you can put white daisies in between your strands. You will look very pretty."

Katniss felt her eyes begin to water and quickly she turned away.

Prim was at her side immediately. "What's wrong?"

"I just hate to be missing this," she told her sister. "You're getting older and soon you'll be a freshman then driving and then prom—before I know it, you'll be leaving for college."

"Sis, I'm only thirteen," Prim assured her. "There's time." She placed a hand on Katniss' stomach. "And, the babies will be here to distract you."

"It's not the same," Katniss told her affectionately. "The time between us—this 'sister time'—it's different. It has been since we met each other again." She kissed Prim's forehead. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Prim wrapped her arms around Katniss. "You're crazy hormonal—but, I crazy love you."

Katniss laughed and tightened her hold on Prim. "I crazy love you." She wiped her eyes as they pulled away. "Now put that costume back in the closet before your brother sees it and let's finish this game of Monopoly. I think I was about to land on the last railroad."

* * *

"So, how's everything in Manhattan?" Katniss asked as she opened a bag of candy corn.

She used to hate candy corn. However two weeks ago, she had a craving so intense that she almost cried. The following day, Peeta had ordered the specialty candy online and it had just arrived at the house.

The first bag was already been polished off when Johanna had come to sit with her.

"Beetee is doing well and has caught on quickly," Johanna informed her best friend. "Also surprisingly, Cato has been doing quite well. He sits in on meetings and has been training with Beetee to learn the ropes. The two don't see eye to eye often, but at least Cato is doing something. Finch has been a great help to him."

Katniss looked to her in confusion. "Finch?"

"Cato's assistant," Johanna told her with a smirk. "She's been very good for your wayward ex-husband."

"I'm glad." Katniss sat back against the headboard. For years, Cato had been floating around, unsure of where to go or what to do. It took her years to realize that she could not help him find his way. "He needs someone to guide him. I'm happy for him."

Johanna whipped around to her, eyebrows raised. "Really?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked as she popped another piece of candy in her mouth.

"Because Cato was a turd!" The woman responded indignantly. "He made your life miserable."

"But we have to suffer to see the good around us," Katniss told her. "If anything, Cato made me realize that." She smiled softly. "I'm happy, I'm in love, and I'm having twins."

"I'm really proud of you," Johanna said and took Katniss' hand. "You've grown so much."

"Not quite." Katniss placed her hands on her stomach. "But, I will soon enough." She turned to Johanna. "Thanks for sticking around. You're going to be a great Godmother."

Her friend looked over at her. "I get to be Godmother?"

"If you want," she said. "Peeta and I have talked about it."

Johanna snorted before leaning down to speak to Katniss' burgeoning stomach. "You kids are screwed!"

* * *

"So, we're really excited to see you both," Peeta whispered against her. "Uncle Cinna and your Aunts Johanna and Portia just left to go back to Manhattan. You've both grown since they first came and next month, we'll be finding out whether or not you're boys or girls."

"God help them if they're girls," she told him. "Prim is suffering enough."

"And, if they're boys then we'll have a higher chance of them peeing in our faces!" Peeta joked.

"Don't forget what else is happening next month," Katniss said, a playful smile on her face. "Your birthday. You'll be twenty-six. Did you imagine that at twenty-six, you'd be the father of twins and engaged to your babysitter?"

"First off, you weren't _my_ babysitter," he protested. "You were Prim's—I was too old to need a babysitter."

"I still remember you with acne," Katniss retorted with a snort.

"Well, I still remember you in your cheerleader uniform." Peeta sighed as his eyes closed. "My God, the thoughts my pubescent mind had about you."

"Oh yeah?" Katniss looked over at him curiously. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Not without having to take a cold shower for about three hours," her fiancé replied as he let out a groan. "Oh, this is going to be a long six months."

Leaning towards Peeta, Katniss nipped at his ear and he shuddered against her.

"Well, it doesn't have to be," she told him.

"What do you mean?" Peeta asked in a tight voice.

Her hand grazed over his pajama bottoms and she delighted in hearing him let out a shaky breath.

"Just because we can't do anything together—" Her hand reached under his waistband to grasp hard velvet. "—doesn't mean that I can't do anything to you."

* * *

Thank you for your patience. I know that a lot of you were waiting for this chapter. It's been a crazy week for me and…I've struggled with the chapter.

But, I'm happy with it now.

There's going to be a time change in the next—just in time for Peeta's birthday and for the sex of the babies to be officially revealed. To me, James and Robin are unisex names. So yeah…

As of the next chapter, we will be three chapters to the end. Can you believe it?

Hellos, reviews, and feedback are always welcome.

Next: Chapter Twenty-Six, Peeta—in which Peeta turns twenty-six.

Till then, JLaLa


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six: Peeta

Thank you for your awesome support as we get to the last few chapters of Tides!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Six: Peeta**_

"This sucks," Katniss declared as she sat in their bed. She put her hands to her now prominent stomach. Peeta swore that every time he blinked the belly got a little bigger. It had only been a month since his fiancée had been put on bed rest and the babies had grown significantly. "I won't get to see Prim make out with her boyfriend in front of you!"

"Is that really your motivation to want to get up?" he asked her with a smile. "To see me writhe in horror as I watch my sister up on stage as she marries Rory and has to pretend sleep with him?"

Katniss shook her head and let out a disheartened sigh. "Just more things that I'm missing out on." She met his eyes, her greys suddenly filling. "Prim is growing up at a rapid pace—and I'm missing out on a big moment."

"This is only one thing," he assured her. "There will be a lot more events for you to cry over in Prim's life." Peeta sat down on the bed next to her and gave her a kiss. "Our children are also growing at a rapid pace—and I feel a little bit left out on not being able to feel them like you can."

"Oh don't worry—you'll get your chance to bond with the babies." Katniss grinned. "It's called diaper duty."

"Gladly—since you get the grand job of pushing them out into the world," Peeta replied before kissing her once more. "I better get going—Haymitch and Effie are saving me a seat in the front row. You have everything?"

"Phone." Katniss held her cellphone up. "Remote." She pointed to the small silver remote. "And my laptop." It lay next to her on his side of the bed. "My parents will be having dinner with me, too. Go. Have fun and tell Prim to break a leg."

"Will do." Peeta stood up and gave her a final kiss before turning towards the door.

"Peeta?" He looked back to her and Katniss frowned at him. "Give it to me."

Feigning innocence, Peeta shrugged at her. "What?"

She held her out. "Your right pocket—I know it's there."

"Damn it!" Peeta reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the small water gun. He gave it to her, trying not to grin. "How did you know?"

"I'm on bed rest and we can't have sex," she told him. "Trust me—I stare at that area _a lot_."

* * *

"_Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,  
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;  
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,  
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss_."

"My God…she's brilliant," Effie proclaimed. "It's like watching the next Meryl Streep."

"Honey, I think you're taking it a little far," Haymitch told his wife with an amused smile. "I mean, this isn't exactly a huge production. Tybalt is going through a voice change."

"Well, it doesn't matter," she said haughtily. "Prim clearly steals the show." Effie looked over at Peeta. "You must be proud—and Katniss did a beautiful job with the dress."

"She really did," Peeta replied as he watched Prim on stage in her luminescent blue dress.

His breath had been taken away when his little sister emerged from backstage in the dress, her long skirt trailing elegantly as she walked. Prim had braided her long hair so that it rested against her shoulder and inserted small daisies in-between. She was the perfect picture of romantic innocence.

When had she grown up?

And, it no longer mattered that Prim was up there kissing Rory, who was a passable Romeo. Because up on stage, Prim was no longer his little sister. She was Juliet—and she was brilliant.

Their parents would've been proud.

"To think," Effie whispered to him. "One day, you might be watching your children on this stage."

"_Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!  
Give me my sin again_."

Peeta took in a breath as Rory kissed his sister—again.

"Does anyone else have the urge to kick Rory in the groin?" Haymitch suddenly said.

* * *

"Prim!" Peeta rushed over to where his sister stood backstage. Prim was beaming as she met him in the middle. "You were great!" He handed her the bouquet that he had picked up before the play started—pink tulips, a favorite of hers. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, big brother." She hugged him. "Couldn't have done it without you."

Rory suddenly joined them, giving him a nervous smile. "Hey Peeta." He turned to Prim. "You were perfect."

"You weren't so bad yourself," Prim told him affectionately. She looked to her brother, eyebrows raised. "Despite the heckling in the front row."

"That was Haymitch," he protested good-naturedly. Peeta looked to his sister's…friend. "You weren't bad. There were a lot of moments when I didn't want to hit you for pawing my sister onstage."

"Jesus Peeta!" His sister responded with a grin. "It was the play! If I wanted to make out with Rory to make you mad, I'd do it right now." She looked over at her Rory. "Close your eyes."

"While that would be a sweet, sweet death, I'd rather not," Rory told his sister.

"Yes, we've had enough of the 'Star-Crossed Lovers'," Rue said as she strolled over in her costume. She smiled at Peeta. "Please tell Katniss, Cinna, and Portia that these costumes are gorgeous." She twirled in her burgundy gown. "I might never change clothes again."

"Actually, Katniss was really bummed about not being able to come." Peeta looked at the three conspiratorially. "What do you think about having the cast party at our house?"

* * *

"Was it really necessary that I change out of my PJ's to come to the living room?" Katniss asked as she and Peeta walked down the stairs. "Also, I thought you would be with Prim."

She was quickly silenced as they entered the living room to see a makeshift stage.

"What is this?" Katniss asked as Kate stood up to help her daughter to the couch.

Ian went to him. "That is the best improvised stage that I have ever constructed."

"Well, I think it's nicely done for something made of curtains, tent supports, and rope," Peeta told the man gratefully. "It looks great."

"This is a sweet thing that you're doing for Katniss, son," the man told him. "She's been feeling very left out lately."

Peeta warmed at the man referring to him as 'son'. It had been so long since he had a father.

"I appreciate it…Dad." He looked over at Ian anxiously. "Is it weird that I'm calling you that?"

Ian shook his head and grinned. "It feels right."

"Peeta, can you explain why our extra sheets are hanging in front of us?" Katniss asked with a grin.

He sat down next to his fiancée. "I know how much you wanted to see Prim's play. So, Prim and I thought that we would bring the play to you."

Katniss looked to the makeshift stage once more. "You're kidding."

"Nope," Peeta said. "It's going to be a condensed version as most of the cast has to be home by ten, though."

"I'm asleep by then, anyway," Katniss replied excitedly. She turned to the stage. "Let's start."

Ian dimmed the lights and the prop spotlight was moved by one of the stage hands, dressed in black, as a redheaded boy in a navy costume stepped out from behind the curtain.

"_Two households, both alike in dignity  
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene…"_

* * *

"Thanks for doing that," Katniss told him with a small grin.

He had just returned from dropping off Prim's classmates to their homes.

"I didn't want you to miss out and neither did Prim. Family events are important," he told her. Slipping into their bed next to her, Peeta put an arm around his fiancée. "And, I just want to make you happy."

Katniss kissed him gently. "I'm marrying you and we're having twins. Trust me—you've made me plenty happy." Her lips went to the spot behind his ear that caused him to go hard. "Now, may I make you happy?"

"Oh God…" His mouth fell open at her easy seduction. "I cannot wait to make you happy after those babies come out."

"I know," she whispered into his ear. Her hand was already moving slowly up and down his cock as he felt the intense ripples of pleasure pulse through his body. "Let me tell you what we're going to do." Katniss bit his lobe and Peeta almost came undone. "First, I'm going to take off all your clothes and put my mouth…"

* * *

_Two Weeks Later…_

The phone rang while Peeta was in the kitchen making dinner.

Katniss had gone back to bed for a nap after her latest appointment with Mags. Everything looked great, according to their doctor. The babies were healthy and growing as was Katniss, who had gained more baby poundage from their last appointment.

His fiancée didn't seem perturbed as she had told him that she looked about the same when she was pregnant with Helena. Also, because the twins were small, they about equaled the same weight of a regular fetus—for now. Mags warned that as they got to the later weeks, that would change.

Their next appointment would be in two weeks—just in time for his 26th birthday.

He quickly picked up the phone not wanting to bother Katniss' nap. "Hello?"

Johanna's cheerful greeting rang loudly into his ears. "Hey, blue balls!"

"Hey, Johanna," he replied with a rueful smile.

"Surviving?" she asked. Peeta could tell that Johanna was smirking through the phone. "Or, are your nights spent in the bathroom getting rid of your raging erections?"

"We are perfectly alright," he informed her. "Though my balls aren't much blue as they are black—as in dead from disuse."

"Wow…that's pretty graphic," another amused voice sounded on the phone.

"Did I mention that Cinna is on the line?" Johanna told him.

"No—" Peeta grimaced at his words. "—Hey Cinna."

"Is the woman of the house around?" Cinna asked. "As well as our little model?"

"Prim is upstairs doing her homework and Katniss is taking a nap as I finish dinner," he informed them.

"Wake her. It's kind of time sensitive," Johanna told him. "And get Prim."

"Okay, but it better be something really good," he told them.

Turning off the stove, he took the phone and headed up the stairs.

Going first towards Prim's room, he knocked on her door and opened it to peek inside. His sister was sitting on her bed, books out in front of her and her laptop opened with Rue's face on its screen.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Homework with Rue," Prim replied.

"Hey Peeta!" Rue said through the screen.

"Hey Rue—" He waved at the screen then turned to Prim. "Cinna and Johanna are on the phone. They want to speak with all of us. Finish up with Rue and then join us, okay?"

Prim nodded. "Sure."

Closing the door, Peeta walked across the hallway and headed to their bedroom, his ear still to the phone. He could hear Johanna and Cinna talking to one another, hearing the words 'time negotiation' and 'site'.

As he entered their room, Peeta found Katniss still fast asleep—a hand on her stomach and the other across her eyes.

Sitting next to his fiancée, he put a hand to her shoulder. "Katniss…wake up."

She slept soundly unaware of his attempt to wake her.

"I think you're going to need to break through that sleep barrier with a little more force," Johanna cackled.

Prim had quietly joined him, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.

"Katniss..." He shook harder to no avail. "Wake up…" Nothing happened and Peeta could feel Prim's laughing eyes on him. "KATNISS!"

His fiancée started, letting out a snort, as she roused, "NOT AGAINST THE FRIDGE, PEETA—TOO COLD!" Her hands batted him away as Katniss finally shot up. Her eyes immediately went to a red-faced Prim. "Sorry…"

The sound of laughter erupted from the phone as Peeta turned the speaker mode on.

"Another dream?" he asked with a smile. Katniss had told him about the increasing sex dreams that had come with her pregnancy.

Some were arousing while some were…strange.

Like the one where his thing was a chocolate éclair.

Katniss turned to him, her eyes guilty as she wiped the drool from her mouth. "At the grocery, next to the Lean Cuisines."

"More than I needed to know," Prim told them. She looked to her sister. "Are they all that weird?"

"Most of the time." Katniss sat back as he adjusted the pillow behind her. "What's up?"

"Johanna and Cinna wanted to talk to us," he told her. Peeta picked up the phone. "You're on, guys."

"Thanks, Peeta!" Johanna called out. "By the way, Katniss told me about the chocolate éclair dream—ate the whole thing, didn't she?"

"Dinner is getting cold," Peeta told her, his cheeks red.

"Anyway," Cinna said. "We were approached by the editors of _Twelve_—it's a lifestyle magazine, owned by Caesar Flickerman—about having a feature photo shoot with the three of you."

"Why?" Katniss asked.

"Well, you're a prolific designer, Katniss," Cinna told her. "And, Prim is an up-and-coming model while Peeta was very involved with Snow Inc. while you were staying in Manhattan. People want to know about the Everdeen-Mellarks."

"We also thought that this would be a good opportunity to officially announce your engagement and pregnancy," Johanna continued, "They're hoping for an answer within the next two days since they want this to be next month's cover story."

"First off, how would we do a photo shoot?" Peeta asked. "Katniss is on bed rest."

"We thought we would do it at the house," Cinna said. "The place is great—and we wanted to do some great natural shots. For the cover, we had a great concept where you three are really going to be glammed up. I've already designed your dress, Katniss."

"It kind of sounds like you've already accepted the offer," Prim told them with a small smile. "I mean I think it's a good idea." She looked to Katniss and Peeta. "I'm willing if you are."

"We were going to make the announcement, anyway," Katniss mused. She looked over to Peeta. "What do you think?"

"I think it would be nice to have some pictures of us to put in the nursery. Also, we haven't had an official family photo of the three of us. I say we do it."

"Great! We're going to e-mail the official contract to you after I've worked on a few of its terms," Johanna said. "Then, we'll be coming by next weekend with _Twelve_'s photography team."

"We're so excited," Cinna added. "We've been fielding the pregnancy question for weeks—and it's getting a little irritating."

"We understand," Peeta told them. There was a loud grumble and he looked over at Katniss, who was rubbing her belly. "We better go—babies are hungry."

"See you in a week!" Johanna said. "Sweet éclair dreams, Katniss!"

His fiancée took the phone and hung up promptly.

* * *

The weekend came quickly for Peeta as his students were in the middle of preparing for their first big test on _The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe_, which was their summer reading book. They had spent the week reviewing the ongoing themes, characters, and the moral of the story. He also explained that they would need to write at least two paragraphs about a character of their choice for the exam.

Since the test was in the middle of the week, Peeta had spent the latter part of it correcting papers as the kids were anxious to get their grades by that Friday. So, he and Katniss spent Thursday afternoon and evening in bed as Peeta corrected papers and she napped.

Overall, everyone had done well. Peeta handed everyone's papers back on the expected day and rushed home just as Johanna and Cinna were pulling up sans Portia, who was watching the store with Flavius and Octavia.

"THE PROUD FATHER!" Johanna rushed over and threw her arms around him. They had become much closer since they had worked on Katniss' ring together. "Right on time. How's our girl?"

"Let's see about today," he told her as he hugged Cinna.

"She's been testy?" Cinna asked as they headed up the driveway.

"That's a good way to put it," Peeta replied easily. "Also, the cravings are strong."

"Are they weird ones?" Johanna asked. "Is the candy corn craving still happening?"

"No. Now, it's caramel apple lollipops or tootsie rolls," he informed Cinna and Johanna. "But our local store doesn't carry them, so I go to another store two towns over."

"You're a good man," Cinna said with a grin.

The door opened and Kate stepped out, a frown on her face. Peeta recognized it instantly—Katniss was upset.

"What happened?" he asked as they stepped onto the porch.

"You know how Mags told her to monitor her weight to make sure that it went normally?" Kate said and he nodded. "She's upset because she gained two pounds. Apparently, Katniss can't take your photos tomorrow because she thinks she looks hideous."

"She'll change her mind when she sees this dress," Cinna proclaimed confidently as he held out the garment bag that he brought with him.

Kate gave him a smile. "Dear God, I hope so. Because if it doesn't—she'll rip you apart."

* * *

Cinna had been lucky because Katniss loved the dress. She refused to let Peeta see it because she wanted to surprise him tomorrow.

So as Cinna made the final measurements and Katniss tried it on, he went to the store where Katniss' favorite candy was. She had given him that doe-eyed look before asking him and Peeta had fallen for it.

On the other hand, he would do anything for her, Prim, and the twins.

Johanna also apparently had a craving for margaritas, so he made his way towards the alcohol aisle.

He was in the middle of replying to Prim's text about getting milk when he collided with someone. "I'm sorry—"

"Peeta?" Looking up, he found himself face to face with Delly Cartwright.

It had been months since Peeta had seen her. Since she had left town after the restraining order, Delly had all but disappeared from their lives. He could see that she had changed. She had lost some weight and there was a weariness in her blue eyes.

"Delly," he said after he had recovered from the initial shock. "I didn't know that you lived around here."

"I don't," Delly replied. "I teach an English class in the community college and was just doing some last minute shopping for dinner." She held up her basket. "How is everything?"

Peeta took a breath before replying, "Good—great, actually. Prim is doing great. She's been modeling for Katniss' line and she was Juliet in the school's production of _Romeo and Juliet_. As for me…" He hesitated, but Delly looked at him expectantly. "…I'm going to be a father in a few months and then a husband, eventually."

Delly gave him a shaky laugh. "Wow…a lot of big changes for you."

"All great ones," he told her. "How about you?"

"Well, I've been teaching that college class like I told you," she started. "Also, I've been going to therapy to deal with my issues and well…" Delly met his eyes. "I'm really sorry, Peeta. Everything I did was wrong—to you, to Katniss, and especially to Prim. There were a lot of things that I was angry about and I took them out on you."

"I'm glad you're getting help," Peeta told her after a moment. He felt almost numb at the sight of her. Their last meeting had been full of anger and hateful words. Now, it seemed like a lifetime away.

The woman in front of him was not the same.

"Delly—" A dark-haired man joined them and put an arm around her. "—found that salad dressing that you were looking for." He turned to Peeta and gave him a smile. "Hello."

Peeta returned the smile. "Hello."

"Thom," Delly said. "This is Peeta."

Thom's eyes widened and he held out his hand. "Nice to meet the man behind the name."

"So you know…" Peeta looked to Delly. "…about everything?"

"Yes," the man replied. "I'm actually a teacher at the school that Delly is working at. We met a few years ago and have been friends for awhile."

"It just recently…changed," Delly told him softly. "I'm happy, Peeta."

"I'm happy for you." A beep came from his phone and Peeta gave them a final smile. "Better go—the babies wait for no one."

"Goodbye Peeta," his ex said before turning and walking away with Thom by her side.

Quickly, he went to the checkout lane and paid for his things, still shocked by the encounter.

When Peeta got home, the house was quiet. In the living room, he found that Cinna had set up a rolling rack with all the garment bags hung up. Next to it was a steamer which he would be using in the morning. Their friend had also brought along his cases of cosmetics and hair products for Prim and Katniss though Peeta found them unnecessary.

They were beautiful without the makeup.

Upstairs, Prim, Cinna, and Johanna were asleep while an episode of _Grey's Anatomy_ played on his sister's television. He turned it off before dimming the lights and setting Prim's alarm for them.

After closing the door, Peeta headed over to his bedroom and entered it quickly to not bother Katniss. She was already fast asleep, the light of the moon hitting her pretty face through the curtains.

Undressing to his t-shirt and boxers, he slipped into the bed next to Katniss. The motion woke her and she turned to give him a sleepy smile.

Her hand reached up to caress his chin. "Hey."

"Hey." Peeta leaned down to kiss her. He felt incredibly grateful for having her. After seeing Delly, it only made him realize how much his life had changed for the better since Katniss had come back into it. "You know what I was thinking?"

Katniss grinned. "What?"

"How I can't wait for these babies to come," he told her. "And, how incredibly lucky I am that you came into my life."

"That's a lot to think about during a grocery trip," Katniss said, her brow furrowed. "Everything okay?"

Peeta contemplated telling Katniss about his encounter with Delly, but something told him to wait.

He would tell her—just not tonight.

Leaning down to kiss her, Peeta gave her a smile. "Everything is perfect."

* * *

"You look great," Cinna told him as he worked on Katniss' hair. "T-shirt and jeans—they work for you."

"I think they'll pretty much work for anyone," he replied as he adjusted the burgundy V-neck. "Is this really supposed to be this low?"

Katniss turned to him and winked. "A little chest never hurt anyone, babe."

There was a knock on the door and Johanna walked in with Prim in tow. Following them in was a young man with hazel eyes and an array of piercings—the most prominent one being the ear gauge on his right ear. Two men wearing matching grey shirts and torn jeans flanked his sides.

"Katniss, Peeta, this is Messalla," Johanna told them. "He's the photography director for _Twelve_ magazine—and he is Cinna's cousin."

"Not that it would affect my ability in any way," Messalla assured him and Katniss as the man shook Katniss' hand and then his. He gave Cinna a smile. "Hey cousin."

"What's up, young blood?" Cinna replied easily as he wrapped a piece of Katniss' hair in a large-barrel curling iron. "Finally got away from Cressida?"

"Wasn't that the reporter who first came to Panem to try to get a story on us?" Peeta asked his fiancée.

Messalla nodded, his eyes serious. "She was my former boss but we parted ways amicably. I was looking into more of a photojournalism route. She was more about print." He nodded his head at the men. "My photography team: Castor—" He looked over to the dark-haired man with a thick beard who gave them a jaunty smile. "—and Pollux." Messalla presented the man with the tied-back hair and deep blue eyes.

"So now that we're all acquainted," Johanna interrupted. "I want to go over some parameters. As Katniss is on bed rest, we're going to have to do a lot of the shoot in here. Also, frequent breaks will be needed as Katniss' bladder is currently the jumping ground for twins."

Messalla nodded before looking to Katniss and Peeta. "Do you plan to reveal that you're having twins in this editorial?"

Peeta looked to his fiancée. "Are we?"

"Might as well," Katniss replied with a smile. "I don't think that anyone is going to believe that this is one baby." She moved her hand from her now prominent bump.

Messalla managed to keep his composure though Peeta could see a small smile peeking out.

"Also, we're going to be announcing _this_ bad boy," Johanna continued as she held up Katniss' left hand which displayed her engagement ring. "However, the couple has yet to set a date as they are currently occupied with the impending additions to the family."

"Duly noted," Messalla said as Pollux handed him an iPad. He took down some of his notes before looking up at Johanna once more. "And, who is the designer of the ring?"

There was a knock on the door and Lavinia entered with a bright smile and a blush on her cheeks. She waved to him and Katniss before joining Prim, who was gaping openly at Messalla in admiration.

"She just happened to walk in," Johanna said, her voice a little breathy as she looked over at Lavinia. "Lavinia Lewis—she owns a jewelry studio in Tribeca."

Castor took a quick photo of the jewelry maker.

"Vin—I mean Lavinia—will be contributing the jewelry for the magazine photos," Johanna added.

"Looks like Miss Katniss is all done," Cinna declared as he ran his hand through her hair to loosen her curls.

Castor and Pollux went to his fiancée, each one taking out their cameras to peer at her through the lens. He could see that both of them were blushing after they finished their camera tests.

Katniss was beautiful. Her hair fell in loose waves against her shoulder and her grey almond-shaped eyes were accentuated individual lash extensions on each of her real ones, which Cinna had painstakingly put on. She wore peach lip gloss with matching blush.

Her clothing was casual, but pretty. Cinna had made her a grey, cashmere knit sweater that fell off one of her shoulders and laid smoothly over her bump. She wore lace shorts and her feet were bare—her toenails painted a deep red.

Peeta went to his knees in front of his fiancée. "You probably realize this—but you're beautiful."

Katniss grinned. "Well, it only really matters to me when I hear it from you."

He pushed up on his knees to kiss her and was surprised when a flash went off in their face. Turning, he found Castor backing away.

"Sorry," the man said sheepishly. "Candids are always very successful."

"Katniss, Peeta," Messalla called out. "Why don't you go over to the window?" He looked to Katniss worriedly. "I want to get a standing shot and then we'll have you back in bed quickly."

Katniss stood up easily despite the belly—it had grown once more in only a matter of days.

"I'm actually glad to be out of bed," she told the man as they walked over to the window.

Messalla looked them over before moving them a step forward.

"Peeta—hands on each side of Katniss' belly," the man instructed. "Now, chin up. Katniss, straighten your shoulders…" Messalla went to Katniss and adjusted her sweater. "Okay, good. Now, look at each other and smile."

Their first shot happened quickly and Peeta let out a breath. Katniss smiled up at him.

"I have to give Prim some credit," he told Katniss. "This is not easy."

His peripheral vision went to behind the photographers where Vin and Johanna were talking, their eyes on one another and their hands just barely brushing. Cinna was beginning to work on Prim as his sister looked starry-eyed at their photo director.

"Looks like someone is in love," Peeta remarked and Katniss looked off to the side towards her best friend.

"Then, it's about time," Katniss replied. "Johanna has been in an array of relationships, but they never seem to stick. I think Vin is different—very steady and confident, unlike the others that Johanna's dated."

"It's not surprising that Johanna picked someone who is like her favorite person," Peeta mused. "Vin is steady and confident—like you."

"Johanna has good taste," Katniss replied. Her hands went to cup his face. "I just want her to experience the same joys as I have."

"PERFECT!" They turned to see Messalla beaming at them. "That was the shot. Pollux, come show them."

The quieter of the photographers rushed over and presented them with the photo.

He and Katniss were grinning at one another, their profiles backlit by the natural light filtering through their curtains. Katniss' belly was displayed beautifully against the cashmere. She was holding his face in her hands and the hand in front of the camera showed off her engagement ring.

"I love it," Katniss told them. She kissed Messalla and Pollux on their cheeks before going to check on Prim.

Messalla turned to him, a slight tint on his fair cheeks. "I can see why you're marrying her."

* * *

As the day wore on, everyone found their rhythm. Katniss' shoot went smoothly as most of it was in bed and in a small part of the nursery.

The first few shots were of Katniss in a jean t-shirt dress that was part of the Hattie Jean line. Her hair fell on her shoulders as she placed a hand on her tummy. She was glowing in each photo and the photographers had easily fallen for her.

They had all taken a quick break when Katniss' bladder signaled it.

After that, the crew headed to the nursery as Katniss had a wardrobe change. The nursery was three-fourths done as some of the furniture had not yet arrived, but the room was now painted a soft buttercup yellow.

Katniss, with the assistance of himself and Cinna, came into the nursery. Her hair was now in a thick topknot, high on her head and her grey sweater was now replaced with a loose boatneck cream sweater, around her neck was a coiled silver and gold necklace.

"I haven't been in the nursery lately," Katniss breathed as she looked around. Her eyes met his. "My dream is actually happening."

Peeta pressed a kiss to her head as they walked toward the middle of the room. Somewhere behind them, a camera clicked but he had gotten used to it by this point.

"You've dreamt of this?" Peeta asked her.

"Yes, and I told Effie about it," she told him as she looked around. "It's real. Robin and James—they're coming."

Then, Katniss burst into tears.

Everyone rushed inside but she waved them away. "I'm fine!"

Peeta helped her sit down on the carpet. He looked over at his sister, whose hair was up in rollers.

"Grab Katniss a bottled water, sweetie," he said to her. Prim nodded once before rushing down the hallway.

"I'll go grab my makeup kit," Cinna said from the doorway.

"No!" Messalla suddenly said. "We can work around this." He looked around before his eyes went to the bookshelf only recently placed in the nursery. Walking over, the man looked through the small selection before pulling out a teal-covered book with the title: _Are You My Mother? _He knelt in front of them and handed the book to Katniss. "Hold it in front of your face."

"What?" Katniss asked in a hoarse voice.

Messalla gave her an assuring smile. "Just hold it in front of your face—we can focus on the belly and the jewelry. The book is a good contrast against the walls. Mothers are allowed to be a little bit more emotional especially when they're eager about their children. So, we can keep going if you want."

Prim arrived and handed her sister the bottled water. Katniss smiled gratefully at her before taking a sip.

Finally, she nodded. "Let's finish this last one. Then, we can get the cover done."

"After you've eaten," Messalla told her.

"After I've eaten," Katniss repeated with an amused smile.

Peeta gave his fiancée a kiss before standing up to join Messalla. "That was handled well."

"My wife is pregnant," he told Peeta with a grin. "This happened during her shoot."

"Oh man…my sister is going to be heartbroken," Peeta said as he looked over to where Prim was talking to Katniss on the carpet. "She has a bit of a thing for you."

"It's the piercings," the man explained. "Everyone likes a little rebellion in their lives."

* * *

_One Week Later…_

Fingers danced over his face and Peeta opened his eyes to see Katniss' grinning down at him.

"Happy Birthday," she whispered before placing a kiss on his lips.

"Is that today?" he joked, his voice still rough from awakening. "Must have forgotten in my old age."

"You're 26, not 86," Katniss told him. "Even then, I have this feeling that you'd still remember."

There was knock on their door and it opened slightly. "Can I come in? Or, are you doing something that you're not allowed to do?"

"Come in, Prim," he called out as he sat up with Katniss.

Prim pushed the door open and she entered the room, a tray in her hands. She gave him a smile as she set the tray with the plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of him. "Happy Birthday!" Leaning down, Prim gave him a hug. "You don't look a day over 20."

"Don't take it that far," Katniss said as she swiped a piece of bacon from his plate. "Or, I'll look like a cradle robber."

"You kind of are," Prim joked. Katniss stuck her tongue out at the teenager. "I'm just kidding. If anything, Peeta had an unhealthy interest in his babysitter."

"She wasn't _my_ babysitter," he protested. "She was yours."

"Keep telling yourself that, big brother," Prim said as she rolled her eyes.

There was a beep from Katniss' phone and she picked it up quickly. "Johanna said 'Happy Birthday' and that the pictures are out. She's sending the proofs now."

"I'll grab my laptop," Prim told them. She rushed out the door and they heard her pounding footsteps as she went to her room.

"So how does it feel to be a year older?" Katniss asked him.

"About the same as being 25—just add in two babies and a fiancée." Peeta put an arm around her shoulders. "Does it feel better that right now I'm just three years younger than you?"

"Worrying about the age difference is a little pointless now that I'm pregnant with your children," she told him.

"That's true—" Peeta gave her a kiss. "—it's just that I'm feeling pretty good seeing as my birthday wishes have been coming true."

"Well, what are you wishing for now?" she asked Peeta.

"I'll tell you when it happens," he replied before turning to the tray in front of him. "I better eat this before you and Prim steal the rest of my bacon!"

* * *

The cover was picture-perfect. The preview of it on _Twelve_'s website was already in the millions and climbing.

Cinna's concept was end-of-the-night glamour.

He, Katniss, and Prim were dressed elegantly as they all sat back against the headboard of their bed. However, each of them were supposed to look a little mussed—as if they had just spent the night partying.

Cinna put him in a deep-black suit and white button-up. Then, the man pulled his collar up and placed a red bow-tie around it so that it rested on his shoulders. He had Katniss wearing a beautiful silver dress, made of silk and tulle. However, Cinna had mussed her hair a bit to make it look like she had just rushed onto the bed. Prim was put in an ice-blue gown, her usually straight hair was abundantly curly and sticking everywhere.

Messalla had asked for attitude from each of them. Thus on the cover, Peeta was sporting a haughty half-smile, Katniss, who was in the middle, wore a smirk accentuated by the dark-berry color on her lips, and Prim looked stoned-face though her eyes beckoned at the reader to look at her.

His 26th birthday came and went. He had gone to school to find that the kids had put up a banner for him before giving him a framed class picture as their present to him.

When he returned home, Peeta was surprised to find a bottle of wine for him and a bouquet of flowers for Katniss—from Cato. The man had apparently seen the pictures before anyone else. Katniss wasn't surprised as she had told him that Cato had people who knew him well in Manhattan media.

It was a congratulations to them both as well as a birthday greeting—from what he said on the card.

The day after his birthday and before their appointment with Mags, Peeta had found himself driving an hour out of town.

He hadn't been to this place in almost a year—it hurt too much.

The last time he did was with Prim and Katniss. His sister cried after they left and Katniss held her as she whimpered, 'Mommy' in her sleep. Peeta had driven away from the place as quickly as he could.

Now, he found himself wanting to see them again.

Walking to the side-by side headstones, he looked at the names: _Robert James Mellark_ and _Jean Robin Mellark_.

"Hey Mom…Dad…" Peeta dug his hands into his pockets. It had gotten colder in the last few months. "Yesterday was my birthday—my 26th—and when I blew out the candles, I made two wishes." His eyes traced over the day of their deaths. "One of them I knew wouldn't come true—but it just came out before I could even think about it."

He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Prim is doing great. She has a lot of friends, though she mostly hangs out with Rory and Rue, and was even the lead in _Romeo and Juliet_." He shook his head, grinning to himself. "I know…it's strange to think that our Prim is in a play where she has to make out with a guy. I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. Katniss helped me through it."

"And, Katniss is doing great, though she's very impatient about finding out the sexes of the twins." He looked up. "I'm sure you know whether they're boys or girls, though I have my own preference, and I'm sure you already know what that is."

He shuffled on his feet.

"I miss you both." Peeta swiped his tears away. "But, I know that you're probably with Cor and his wife, Helena—heckling us. Little Helena is probably there and I'm sure that you're all taking good care of her. Watch over us—but, not too much though. I'd hate for Prim to be angry because her potential boyfriends mysteriously disappear. She'd blame me first!"

Peeta sighed, letting his breath out slowly. "I have to go—doctor's appointment. But I'm sure you know that, too."

Turning, he walked towards his car. Suddenly, Peeta found himself turning once more to the gravestones.

"Also…I love you both."

* * *

"Now here is head one and head two," Mags explained as she moved the wand over Katniss' stomach. Shifting the camera, she turned to look at one of the spines. "Lovely and strong…" She moved it over to look at the others' back. "…just as perfect." Then, she showed them the rapid heartbeat of one followed by the other. "Both very strong."

Mags turned to them, her eyes amused.

"Any other questions?" she asked.

"You know what _we_ want to know," Katniss said from where she laid back on the exam table. "But, what I'd like to know is whether or not I'm off bed rest."

"I think we can give you limited mobility, though I would still hold off on the personal time," she told them as her eyes went to Peeta sympathetically. "Hang in there; four more months, though I predict it might be earlier."

Peeta met her eyes, concerned by her words. "Earlier?"

"Sometimes twins arrive a little earlier or Katniss might be too big so we'll need to induce labor," Mags told them. "When we get there, we'll figure it out."

"So…" Katniss looked at the woman expectantly. "Boys? Girls?"

Mags grinned before picking up the wand. "Ah yes—" She placed some jelly onto Katniss' abdomen before moving it over one of the babies. "Katniss, Peeta—meet your daughter…" She moved the camera to their other baby. "…and your son."

Katniss' hand reached for the screen. "Robin and James."

"You already know their names," Mags remarked with a grin. "Nice to get a head start."

"Peeta?" Katniss looked over at him, her eyes sparkling. "You've been quiet. You're not going to faint again—are you?"

Peeta shook his head, his eyes stuck on the picture of their son and daughter. His own eyes were damp as he turned to place a kiss on Katniss' lips.

"I told you," he whispered into her ear. "My birthday wishes have a knack for coming true."

* * *

Oy—that was long chapter.

The book, "_Are You My Mother?_" is written by P.D. Eastman

Yay! One of each and we are getting to two more chapters toward the official end—not counting the epilogue.

The next chapter will be another time jump—_**three and a half months**_ later.

Next, Chapter Twenty-Seven: Katniss—who is definitely tired of bed rest.

Until then, JLaLa


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Katniss

Thank you for your fabulous feedback and support! After this—one more chapter and the epilogue…

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Katniss**_

_Three and A Half Months Later…_

The nursery was done.

Katniss walked into the soft-yellow room and looked around at the work that Effie had painstakingly done. The last addition had been the cribs: white with gold, leafy filigree framing the letters 'R' on one and 'J' on the other—just as it had been in her dream.

A small breeze swept through the room. They had opened the windows to let that beginning-of-spring air into the room. It smelled of sunshine and hope and as she took in a breath of it, the little ones in her belly reacted; their tiny feet kicking up in excitement at being able to feel a tiny bit of what their mother was experiencing.

She had indeed grown with the twins—Robin and James being around four pounds each, respectively. They about equaled out to one baby; Mags had told her that was quite normal for twin fetal development.

Now, there was nothing to do but wait.

Katniss, however, felt a bit anxious for several reasons—one being that she was practically a house.

She no longer walked, she _waddled._ And when she did walk, it was only for short distances before her feet would begin to hurt. It happened toward the end of pregnancy with a lot of women, her obstetrician explained. However, Katniss was not used to just sitting. Her previous life had consisted of going from meeting to meeting, hopping on planes, late nights during Fashion Week, and running the board for Snow Inc.

This was a far cry from that.

Second, the whole birthing experience freaked her out.

Annie, who had recommended Mags, assured her that it would be alright. She had a good doctor—and drugs were always readily available.

However, it was the options that had gotten her so flustered. Did she want an epidural? Though most second-time mothers in her Lamaze class were totally for it, some had a negative reaction—either with incessant shaking or feeling cold.

Comfort was important to Katniss, but having a needle shot in her spine scared the shit out of her.

There was also natural childbirth—which Effie had originally opted for—and had at the last minute completely changed her mind. The gravity of pain was not something that her interior decorator had expected.

Sitting down in the rocking chair that had been moved into the room, Katniss rested back carefully and her hands reached to caress her belly.

In the end, she figured that there was nothing for them to do but wait and see.

There was a knock on the doorway and she looked up to see Peeta standing there grinning at her.

"What are you doing up here?" he asked as he approached. "Hiding?"

Katniss shook her head. "Just needed a minute before we went down to the craziness." Her fiancé knelt before her and reached up to kiss her tenderly before placing a kiss on her belly. "Are we ready for them?"

"You mean do we have everything ready?" Peeta asked. He looked around the room. "We have the diapers, the Diaper Genies, wipes, clothes and cribs, ready and available for their comfort. They won't want for anything." The man kneeling before her eyed her carefully. "But, I have a feeling that you're not asking about physical things."

"When they come—are we going to be okay?" she asked him nervously. "I know we have all the material things, but I'm scared of what will happen afterwards. Are we going to survive—me and you?" Katniss met his eyes. "I mean, this all happened so fast."

Peeta took her hand. "The babies?'

"Everything." Her hand reached to caress his chin. "I mean, I just turned thirty—and everything just seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. I came to Panem for a high school reunion—now we're about to have twins!"

"I agree. It's scary how everything just happened," Peeta told her. "I didn't expect to ever see you again, but I always thought about you." His blue eyes gazed at her, full of awe. "And, I knew from the moment that you came back into our lives—I couldn't let you go. I had to say my piece and let you know that someone was in love with you longer than you ever realized."

Katniss brushed away sudden tears. "We've become a couple of saps, haven't we?"

Peeta chuckled in response. "I like to think that the babies have made us a little less cynical about things." He held out his hand to help her stand up. "But, I can't wait for them."

"Even though they ruined your hard-core reputation?" she asked with a snort.

"I was never good as a brooder," he replied.

"I like you better when you smile." Katniss pressed a kiss to his lips. Pulling away, she groaned. "I really don't want to go down there."

"It's a baby shower," Peeta said as he put an arm around her. Leading her down the stairs, they made their way down the hallway towards the back of the house. "You think that you would enjoy being spoiled and pampered."

As they reached their sunny backyard, the couple was greeted with the abundance of white and yellow—from the multi-tier cake with delicately carved fondant to the blooming, yellow centerpieces on the crisp white table clothes. The servers were all in white tuxedos as they offered non-alcoholic beverages to their many guests while a table full of presents stood on the far end of the yard.

Dandelions were the theme—Effie had been inspired by the color of their room.

Also, dandelions meant hope, rebirth, and new beginnings. The decorator-turned-party planner felt that it was completely them.

And, she was right.

"About time!" Effie came rushing towards them along with Haymitch, who was carrying Hattie in his arms. "This is not our party!"

Katniss smiled at Haymitch. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, someone needed to watch over this little princess," he grumbled though his eyes looked affectionately at his daughter, who was wearing a bright yellow tutu. "And, Effie said there was cake."

Katniss let out a laugh and the babies kicked at the sound. She brought Peeta's hand to where the motion was and his eyes went wide at the excited movements.

Haymitch met her fiancé's eyes and then hers. "Pretty cool, huh?"

* * *

"Should I be bothered by the fact that I got _three_ breast pumps?" Katniss asked as she sat at a table, a piece of cake dangling from her fork.

The baby shower had winded down until just a few guests lingered—mostly close friends and family—while the catering crew began their cleanup.

"No, it just means that you have big knockers," Johanna replied. Her best friend eyed her chest in the long white dress that she wore. "I mean seriously—how does Peeta not stare at those things for hours?"

She adjusted the subtle v-neckline of the linen dress. "They're not that big."

"They're pretty epic," Cinna, who had been sitting next to Johanna, told her. "And, you did go up two cup sizes."

"These are going to be full of milk for the two mouths that I'm going to have to feed!" Katniss protested.

"Just be sure to wear a bra when you finally get to do the dirty," Johanna told them.

"What do you mean?" Katniss asked curiously.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Cinna said as he edged closer to Johanna.

Johanna snorted at seeing their interest. "Supposedly, when you come—and I'm assuming that you do every time because our boy, Peeta, is that good to you—you let out milk..."

"So, it's supposed to just squirt out of me without me being able to stop it?" Katniss asked.

"Happened to a friend of mine," Johanna told her. "Milk _everywhere_…headboard, the wall above it, and all over the sheets—try explaining that to your housekeeper."

"Hope Peeta likes milk baths," Cinna remarked.

"What's a milk bath?" They looked up to see Peeta and Prim standing before them—the latter had been the one to ask the question.

"Nothing that you need to think about for a long time," Katniss told her.

"Especially if Peeta can help it," Johanna muttered, smiling to herself.

"This is one of those adult conversations that I'm not supposed to understand, isn't it?" Prim said with a smile. She placed a bottled water next to Katniss. "Keep hydrated. We still have to look through the presents and start the 'thank you' list."

"So, Peeta—are you lactose intolerant?" Cinna asked with a wicked grin.

Peeta shook his head in confusion. "No." He sat down next to Katniss. "Unlike a lot of people, I actually enjoy drinking milk."

Johanna winked at Katniss. "Yeah well, you seem like an avid milk drinker."

* * *

"We have the leather-bound baby books from Cato, courtesy of Finch…two cashmere baby blankets from Beetee," Prim said as she typed up the list in her laptop. "And, last on the list, Rue and her parents got you three sets of BPA-free baby bottles." She sat back on the trundle bed of the nursery, next to Katniss. "You have generous friends, sis."

Katniss looked to her little sister and grinned. "And, why would you say that?"

"The two Tiffany rattles that came from Seneca Crane, the board member," Prim replied. "And, the Dolce and Gabbana baby bag that came from Dolce and Gabbana."

"You're right," she responded. Prim laid her head on Katniss' shoulder in mock-exhaustion. "I do have generous friends." She looked over at the teenager. "How are you doing?"

"I'm alright," Prim said and placed her hand on Katniss' stomach. "How are you doing?"

"I'm excited, scared, and then a mixture of both," she told Prim. "I'm not sure how the whole 'giving birth' process is going to be and it freaks me out a bit."

"I can say that my anxiety about walking my first runway is nothing compared to what you're probably feeling," her sister replied with a smile. "It's going to be a lot more fun around here, though."

"And a lot louder," Katniss added.

They went silent for a moment.

"Hey Prim?"

Prim lifted her head from her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Are you happy?" she asked her sister. "I mean, with all these changes?"

"Of course," Prim told her with a grin. "Why?"

"I always want to make sure that you're okay," Katniss replied. "I mean I feel like I've taken care of you your entire life. Remember—you were the first baby that I've ever danced with."

Prim caressed Katniss' belly affectionately. "It looks like we get to have a whole dance party now." She gave Katniss a reassuring smile. "I am happy. For a long time, I wasn't. But, since you came—life has gotten significantly better for Peeta and me."

Her eyes watered hearing Prim's words, "Really?"

The teenager turned to her, "Katniss, you have no idea of the effect that you have on people."

"Same for you, Prim," she said. "You're going to do great things. I can feel it in my bones. And, Peeta and I are so unbelievably proud of the woman that you're becoming."

Her little sister chuckled, lightness in her eyes. "Do I get a prize?"

Katniss thought for a moment. "You get to give Robin and James their middle names." She adjusted herself, her current sitting position becoming too uncomfortable. "Peeta and I have discussed it—and it feels right."

"How do you know I'm not going to give your kids crazy middle names?" Prim joked.

Katniss elbowed her lightly. "You're a model about to walk her first runway. You are the epitome of style. So I have no doubt that my children's middle names are going to exemplify that."

Prim wrapped her arms around Katniss' shoulders. "I love you, Katniss. Thank you for having so much trust in me."

"I love you, too. And, since Peeta and I have so much faith in you," Katniss started. "We're going to trust under Johanna and Cinna's care that you are going to behave in Manhattan. It took a lot of persuasion on my part to get your brother to let you go."

"This is good for you, too," Prim said with a sly grin.

Katniss quirked an eyebrow at her. "How so?"

"I'm gone for a weekend," her sister replied. "And, it about two weeks or so—you could be parents. Here is your chance to have a little baby-moon."

* * *

"Is this some sort of strange _Survivor_-themed weekend where I'm going to have to hunt for our food?" Katniss asked as they got out of their rented car. She looked at the cabin that they were parked in front of. "Because, I left my bow at the house."

Peeta grinned at her. "You have a bow and a set of arrows?"

"They were in my closet at the house," Katniss informed him. "It was something that my father and I liked to do during the weekends—go to an archery site and just shoot."

"Look in the trunk," her fiancé told her.

Going to the back of the all-terrain Jeep, Katniss opened the trunk to find her bow and arrow set resting along with their other bags.

Peeta wrapped his arms around her shoulder and kissed the side of her head. "I thought that you would enjoy getting some of those baby nerves out while we're out here. Also, maybe when you deliver, you'll be a little less angry at me."

"Thank you," she told him. "It's been awhile since I've had a chance to shoot. There aren't exactly any wild animals in Manhattan."

"Of the furry persuasion, anyway," he replied. "Here, you might run into something like a bunny or a squirrel." Taking their bags, Peeta led them onto the porch and pulled out the key. "Finnick said that we're not too far out in the woods to get Wi-Fi and there is a landline so we can still watch Prim's show this evening. Also, he had cable and everything put into the place after Aidan was born."

"I never really imagined Finnick having a cabin," Katniss said as Peeta opened the door. "He doesn't seem very outdoorsy."

"'Mr. Tommy Hilfiger teen model?" Peeta snorted. "No, this cabin actually belongs to Annie. She lived with her family in a small cabin in Northern California. They farmed their own food and everything."

"Wow. Opposites _do_ attract." She stepped into the cabin and gasped. "This is gorgeous."

The cabin was long and spacious. Right next to the door was their bed; a California King with warm-red flannel sheets and a strong wooden bedframe. Across from the bed was a stone fireplace with a wide-screen television hanging above the mantle. The open door next to the fireplace was the bathroom and a little further into the cabin was a small kitchen with an old-fashioned stove with a vintage-looking fridge.

"Annie said that she came up last night and set up the place," Peeta told her as he placed their bags next to the small armoire by the front windows. "She said that the sheets are new and so are the pillows. There are also some groceries in the fridge—" He turned to her, a playful light in his eyes, "—just in case you weren't in the mood to hunt for a squirrel."

Katniss sat down on the bed. "I can actually shoot a squirrel between the eyes." Pushing her shoes off her feet, she settled down onto the bed and met Peeta's eyes. "So what does one do on a baby-moon?"

He rounded the bed before removing his own shoes and sitting next to her. "Well, we can't do_ that_. I'm sure that there are other things that can help you relax."

"Like what?" she asked him.

Crawling to the end of the bed, Peeta gently placed her feet on his lap. "I'm sure that you're exhausted with having to carry the kids around." His voice was gentle as he began to massage her feet. The feeling of his strong hands on her aching muscles immediately calmed her system and she lay back on the soft pillows. "I want to take care of you, Katniss. You've given me so much already."

She smiled, her eyes beginning to droop. "I didn't do anything." Katniss looked at the man before her. "You, on the other hand, have given me my life back. I was so alone in Manhattan, stuck in that high-rise and just waiting for something to happen—so I can just feel something again. Because I think when Helena died, part of me died with her."

Peeta looked up from where he massaged her feet. "I think I understand. I felt like that after my parents died. Like my life had been put on hold—and then I saw you."

"And, suddenly your heart started beating again," Katniss said in a tight voice.

He smiled. "How did you know that?"

She smiled back. "Because I felt that same way."

* * *

When Katniss awoke, the sun was beginning to set and the cabin was empty. She sat up, feeling a lot more refreshed, and went in search of Peeta. The back door was open and slipping her shoes back on, Katniss walked out onto the back porch where she found Peeta, jeans rolled up revealing his muscular calves, standing ankle deep in the quiet lake in front of them.

"I had no idea that we were this close to the lake," she said and he turned to her, a fishing pole in his hands. "Catch anything?"

Peeta shook his head. "It's been quiet. Also, there's another cabin across the way that just took their boat out. I think it might've scared the fish." He beckoned her over, a playful smile on his lips. "The water is not too cold."

She crossed her arms. "I'm not so sure."

"Come on, I'll help you roll your leggings up," he offered. "It might help your feet."

After a moment, Katniss nodded. Her feet had been pretty achy but there was an extra twenty pounds on her front so no one could blame her. She tentatively walked to the shore and removing one shoe, dipped her toe in. It wasn't too bad.

After helping her with her leggings and removing her shoes, Peeta held his hand out to her. "Hold on to me."

She placed her hand in his before walking slowly into the lake. When she was ankle-deep into the cool water, Katniss looked out at serene lake. The darkening sky reflected off of it and behind the tree-filled hills across the way, she could see the orange sky where the sun was beginning its descent.

Looking over at Peeta, she saw the remaining light warming his face and accenting his strong jaw. His eyes remained staring straight ahead and his lips rested in a content smile. He was so different from the boy she knew. Yet, that charisma, that youthful sweetness that made Peeta…well, Peeta was still there.

"You look happy," she suddenly said.

He squeezed her hand. "I am."

They remained in the water until the sun set before returning to the porch and Peeta turned on the yard light. She sat down on the porch bench drying her feet with a towel that he had grabbed from inside the cabin.

"Are you too tired for a walk?" Peeta asked and she shook her head.

Katniss was remarkably energized. She didn't know if it was being outdoors or the magical foot rub but she felt incredibly relaxed for the first time in about two months. Mags advised her on her limited mobility, but the further Katniss progressed into the pregnancy, the more assured her doctor was about her movement. While she had still advised them to remain abstinent, Mags was not adverse to light walking.

"No," she told him with a grin. Katniss looked down at her loose green flannel shirt. "Will this be too cold?"

"I can grab a jacket for you if you want," he told her.

"I have one in my bag," she replied. "My dad lent it to me since we were going to be outdoors. It's his old hunting jacket."

"So, it's not couture?" Peeta joked and she shooed him away before continuing to dry her feet. When he returned, Peeta handed her the dark brown jacket and a pair of her boots with socks stuffed into the shoe holes. "I'll help you get the boots on."

Katniss chuckled as he went on his knees. "I can't even see my feet."

He placed the socks on each foot and smiled up at her. "They're very pretty feet."

"Pretty swollen," she retorted as she threw the jacket on.

After helping her into her boots, Katniss stood up and Peeta put an arm around her. "Are you comfortable?"

"Where are you taking me?" she asked curiously when she saw that he had brought a flashlight.

He gave her a mysterious smile. "A place that Annie and Finnick thought we should check out."

After locking the door, Peeta took her hand and led her towards the cluster of trees to their right. The flashlight was bright enough to see only few feet in front of them so she stood close to Peeta as they walked.

"Peeta?" she whispered nervously. "Couldn't we have checked this place out tomorrow? When it wasn't completely dark?"

Her fiancé shook his head. "No, it has to be right now—while it is dark."

"Peeta—" She gave him a mischievous smile. "I'm not going to give you head in the forest."

"As wonderful as that sounds, we're too close to the next cabin for that to happen," he responded as he led her out into a clearing. "Also, that isn't why I brought you here." Taking out a blanket from the front pocket of his sweater, Peeta unfolded it and then turned to her. "I need you to close your eyes."

"Because I trust you, I'm going to," Katniss told him.

She closed her eyes as Peeta gently guided her. He whispered in her ear that she was going to kneel down so she could lie down on the blanket. Carefully, her fiancé steered her until she was lying on her back.

Katniss heard him shuffle as he joined her on the blanket. She suddenly felt the twins fluttering in her stomach; they were reacting to her excitement. Caressing her stomach with one hand, she took Peeta's hand with the other to let him feel their children.

"They're waiting, too," she told him, her eyes still closed.

"Okay," he told her quietly. "You can open your eyes and quell the kids' excitement."

Taking a deep breath, Katniss opened her eyes—to stars.

Nothing but beautiful bright lights in the velvety blanket of inky blue. The sky was wide and magnanimous above them.

And, lying in the forest clearing with her fiancé by her side, it felt like they were the only people in the world.

"This is magical," she whispered into the quiet. Peeta had turned off the flashlight so they were surrounded in nothing but darkness and the protectiveness of the stars.

"It's perfect," Peeta added. Pushing himself up, he turned to his side to look down at her, his blue eyes glowing. She reached up to cup his cheek tenderly. "Do you want to marry me?"

She flashed the pearl ring at him. "I am marrying you."

"I mean, do you want to marry me…here?" He looked up at the sky before gazing at her once more. "One day, underneath these stars?"

Her eyes dampened and Katniss nodded. "It's what we wanted right?"

"I want to marry you," he told her. "And, it can be in the middle of nowhere for all I care. What matters to me is that at the end of the day, you will be my wife. But, I think about that first night—that first kiss. Being underneath these stars gives me that same feeling that I had that night."

"And what feeling is that?" she asked.

Peeta kissed her and then her stomach. "Hope."

* * *

Hand in hand, they returned to the cabin.

Katniss went to nap as Peeta prepared dinner. Johanna promised that she would be sending her a link for Prim's show to stream. This was the first show that Katniss had very little participation in; Cinna had really pulled out all the stops.

Katniss had no doubts that she was looking at the future CEO of Everdeen Design—if he wanted to be.

She awoke to Peeta setting down a tray on his side of the bed. He had prepared macaroni and cheese which was the only thing that the kids always seemed to crave. Apparently, she and Peeta's love for the food had transcended into the womb.

"I'm so glad you made this," Katniss told him gratefully. "I had a dream that I was swimming in a tub of it."

Peeta joined her on the bed. "Sounds sexy." He sighed as he stared at her longingly. "Actually, everything you do is incredibly sexy."

"Which is sexier—the out-of-control gas or the weird cravings?" she joked.

"The cravings," Peeta responded in amusement. "Have you ever seen yourself devour a gherkin? The memory of that alone could probably get me off."

"We're almost there," Katniss promised him. She felt his pain. The pregnancy had reached the point where she was about ready to pull the kids out herself. Her back ached constantly as well as her feet and she felt about ready to blow. "I'm really feeling the effect of two kids using my stomach as a playground."

"I could understand that," he agreed. "But, I'm sure that it is ten times worse than I'm probably thinking."

"It is." Katniss looked up at the television. "Is it all set up?"

"I set the laptop up for streaming and her show is about to start," Peeta told her as he opened the link that Johanna sent so they could watch the show.

"I'm excited," she admitted. "The runway set is supposed to be gorgeous."

Cinna had constructed a forest with a dark blue backdrop. It was supposed to look very much '_Into The Woods_'-esque—enchanted and fanciful. The models were supposed to look like Cinderella as her gown slowly constructed then deconstructed.

Prim would be wearing Cinna's centerpiece gown; a soft pink chiffon number with a high-low train that ballooned in the back. It had taken a lot of convincing on Katniss' part for Peeta to agree on Prim wearing the number since the opening in the front was a _very _high.

"Look! It's starting!" she called out as the screen went dark and the soft orchestral music began.

As the room slowly lit up in a glowing blue light, the first model emerged, her hair loose in soft waves and her makeup light. As the models walked, Katniss could see that a lot of them were very similar-looking to Prim—large eyes and strong brows with sweet smiles.

When Prim emerged, it was like looking at a different person. Her hair was down in soft golden waves and her make-up was done flawlessly. Their little sister looked ethereal. Prim strutted down the runway, smile soft and steps confident, as if she had done this a million times.

"Wow." Katniss looked to see Peeta staring up at the screen. "She looks unbelievably like our mother." He turned to her, eyes shining. "There's a picture of Mom in one of the albums during her prom. Prim looks very similar to that photo."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Prim showed the photo to Cinna," Katniss told him. She watched Prim stop at the end of the runway and look over her shoulder to give the cameras a smirk. "That smile is definitely all Prim though. It's strange to think how different she was two years ago."

"Two years ago, she wasn't smiling like that," Peeta said as he sat back and stared at his sister's transformation. He turned to Katniss. "You really changed her life."

"Peeta, that girl was always there." She took her fiancé's hand and gave it a squeeze. "She just needed time."

"No, you brought her back," he responded.

Katniss looked back at the screen as she watched the models walk. She thought about how she had loved the excitement of running a show and seeing her work come to life—how she, Cinna, and Johanna would always toast at the end of each of her shows.

It had been a nice life.

But, she also remembered coming home to an empty house. Cato would be gone, celebrating with one of the models he met while not watching her show. When they had separated, the house was still empty, and the large blank space of Helena's death had made her lonelier than ever.

Her nights after her shows would be spent standing in front of her balcony window…just waiting.

Katniss was never sure of what.

Until one day, she came back to Panem and her life changed when she saw a little girl on a bike.

"No, she brought me back," Katniss told him. "And, she brought me you." Her phone rang and she looked to see Prim's face on the screen. Picking up quickly, she put the phone on speaker mode. "Hey supermodel!"

"HEY SIS!" Prim called out excitedly. "The show was so fun! Did you know that everyone gets dressed in the same room—even the guys?"

Katniss chuckled though she quickly stopped after seeing Peeta's grey face. "That's great…"

There was a pause before Prim spoke once more, "I'm on speaker, aren't I?"

Peeta coughed. "Yes, Prim. You definitely are."

* * *

"Did you have a good time?" Peeta asked as he sat down in the driver's seat.

Katniss looked back at the cabin before turning to him. "I did. I think the next time that we're here will be even better."

Starting the car, Peeta began their drive out of the forest. Taking her hand, he steered the wheel with his other hand as he sang softly to the music.

For a moment, it was completely peaceful.

Then, the sharp pain came.

"Ow…" she breathed out, her hand going to her stomach.

Peeta turned to her. "Are you okay?"

Katniss nodded and then another sharp pain came. She realized that when she woke up in the middle of the night because of the side pain, it wasn't because she had overexerted herself.

She had been having contractions.

"I think…" Katniss let out another slow breath. "…it's time to go to the hospital."

* * *

Mags burst into her room; a bright smile on her face. "What did I tell you? Early."

"I was just about to push them out myself," Katniss responded with a tired smile.

She had been in the hospital for the last few hours.

When they had arrived, Katniss was already dilated but her water had not broken. The nurses had put her in a gown and had her shuffle around the hospital trying to get the sac to break.

It was only when her parents arrived that it had happened. Nothing beat the look on their faces as she grinned at them and the splash of water had hit the ground.

"Mags, how long do you think we have?" Peeta asked from where he stood holding her hand.

"It's just that we were really hoping that Prim would be here," Katniss told her doctor. "She would be heartbroken if she missed this." She looked at Peeta, her eyes worried. "I can hold them in!"

"Babe, I don't think that you can hold them in," Peeta responded. "When they're ready to come, they're going to come."

"But we didn't wash the rest of the baby clothes—and I didn't pick out their leaving-the-hospital clothes!" The epidural had given her relief from the pain, but she was exhausted and hormone-driven. "I'm going to be a bad mother…"

"Katniss, these kids aren't going to care what clothes they're in," Peeta reasoned with her. "They're going to be happy because they're going to be loved and adored."

"Well, it looks like we're at the cusp," Mags reported from where she sat in front of Katniss' open legs. She quickly removed the gloves she wore and went to toss them into the receptacle by the sink. "Robin and James are ready. Hopefully, Prim will be here in time—"

"OH MY GOD!" They looked up to see Prim, smoky-eyed and in a pair of teetering heels, at the doorway. She met their eyes and grinned. "What a greeting." Rushing over to them, she hugged her brother and then kissed the top of Katniss' head. "Got a nice view of your dilated hoo-hah."

"That's not going to scar you for life," Katniss joked as she looked up at her sister. "Glad you could make it."

"Cinna and Johanna literally plucked me off the runway and took me directly to JFK once your parents called," Prim told her.

"You're going to be an Aunt soon," Peeta told her, an excited smile on his lips. "So, I suggest that you get out of the couture and into some scrubs."

* * *

They were perfect.

Katniss looked at the little girl in her arms. Robin had her dark hair and when Katniss kissed her cheeks, she could clearly see Peeta's smile. In Peeta's strong arms was his doppelgänger, James, who had been crying before his father decided to take him on a little walk around the room.

He went to the bed and sat beside her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," she told him. "…for just having pushed two children out of my body." Leaning forward, she looked at James' sleeping face. "Looks like our little man is pretty comfortable."

"Robin looks pretty content herself," Peeta remarked. He met her eyes. "How the hell did we get here?"

Katniss laughed. "What do you mean?"

"How did I, Peeta Mellark, end up with the beautiful Katniss Everdeen?" he asked.

"I guess climbing my window when you were fourteen worked out in your favor," she responded. "Still one of the best moments of my life." Katniss looked down at the newborns in front of her. "Though this might be the top moment."

Leaning over, he gave her a kiss. "I would agree with that."

Katniss looked at the man in front of her, unshaven and exhausted, and smiled. "I love you."

He grinned tiredly. "I love you, too."

There was a knock on the door and Mags emerged with a pale-faced Prim following behind. "Look who I managed to rouse!"

Prim had been fine during the labor.

When Mags asked if she wanted to see the baby's head as Katniss crowned, the young girl had agreed-then, passed out immediately.

Two nurses dragged her out as Katniss delivered Robin.

"Hey guys," Prim said somberly. "Sorry…"

Katniss smiled affectionately at her sister. "It's alright."

"It looks like it's a Mellark trait to pass out during big events," Peeta joked as he went to his sister with James in his arms. Kissing her cheek, he led her over to the bed where Katniss sat with Robin. "Come meet your nephew and niece."

"I can't believe they're here!" Prim exclaimed. She sat next to Katniss, who put Robin into her Aunt's arms. "She looks just like you, Katniss!"

Peeta placed James in the crook of Prim's other arm. "James looks like Dad to me."

"He looks like you and Daddy," the teenager said in amazement. She looked between the couple. "Thanks for messing up with your birth control and having these wonderful babies."

Mags let out a chuckle as she wrote in Katniss' chart. "That's quite an endorsement for botched birth control."

"So Aunt Prim," Katniss began. "Have you decided on their middle names?"

Prim turned to her. "I was just thinking about how you were giving the babies Mom and Dad's middle names. You didn't have to—but you were really set on it." She looked down at the babies that lay contently in her arms. "Now it's like we have them back."

"Even before they were here, they were already Robin and James," Katniss replied, remembering her dreams.

"Actually, they're going to be…" Prim looked down at her niece. "Robin Viola and…" Then, she turned to her nephew. "James Sebastian."

"Viola and Sebastian?" Katniss repeated thoughtfully. "How did you come up with that?"

"They're from Shakespeare," Peeta told her. "From the play _Twelfth Night_—Viola and Sebastian are twins and the main characters of the story."

"I thought that we would stick with a Shakespeare theme," Prim told her. "Seeing as there is a Helena in our family, too." She met Katniss' eyes. "What do you think?"

Katniss looked up at Peeta, who nodded and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, before she turned back to Prim.

"They're perfect."

* * *

Fluff, fluff, twinsies…life is grand for the Mellarks.

One more chapter, which will take place, _**one year later**_.

I hope you're enjoying the end…

Next: Chapter Twenty-Eight, Peeta: The Wedding

Till then, JLaLa


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight: Peeta

This is the last official chapter of Tides before the epilogue so I just wanted to extend my thanks. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of both me and my husband's hearts. This was a story that we both loved working on together.

The characters of The Hunger Games trilogy do not belong to me.

Tides

_**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Peeta**_

_One Year Later…_

Peeta awoke to an empty bed.

Sitting up, he looked around to see if there were any traces of his fiancée, but found nothing. Their bedroom door was ajar, so slowly getting out of bed Peeta went to it and walked out into the hallway.

Peeta could see that the nursery door was open. Quietly heading down the hallway, he passed by Prim's closed door. His sister was exhausted as she had just returned from walking a runway for Everdeen Design as well as a show for Chloé two days ago.

Not to mention, she had midterms coming up.

Peeta heard the sound of quiet giggling as he reached the doorway of the nursery.

Peeking inside, his heart leapt at the sight.

Robin and James were perched on Katniss' lap, one baby on each thigh as she rocked them in the chair that had become a godsend. It was the twins' favorite chair and they never cried if they were rocked on it. The two babies rested their heads on Katniss' chest, light and dark hair contrasting beautifully against his fiancée's white top.

"I can't believe that they're one," he found himself saying out loud.

Katniss looked up and grinned. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"It's 6 a.m.," Peeta responded.

She looked down at the twins that were beginning to snooze in her lap. "Not to them."

Walking over to her, Peeta sat down on the floor in front of the trio. Robin, their daughter, peeked out at him from underneath her long, dark lashes and was suddenly scrambling off of her mother. She reached for Peeta and he gathered her into his arms easily, smelling spring in her tuft of raven hair.

"Happy birthday, little Robby," he whispered into her ear.

"Ba…" came the soft, delighted sound from their daughter's lips.

"Da?" Peeta looked up to see James now reaching out to him.

"Oh, you too?" Katniss looked at their son, giving him a playful pout. "I guess we know who the favorite is!" Nevertheless, she placed James into the free space in Peeta's lap.

"Little Jamie," He said as he looked at the boy staring up at him with Katniss' beautiful grey eyes. "How does it feel to be one year older?"

James smiled up at him, a small tooth emerging from his young gums and adding to the array of baby teeth. They had the hardest time when he had begun teething. On the opposite end, Robin had taken it all quietly, only crying when she had cut her first tooth.

"Goo…" The little boy replied.

"I think that Jamie is going to be the first to talk," Katniss told her fiancé. "I can see him trying to form actual words."

"Well, don't be surprised if our little Robby surprises us all and starts before him," Peeta replied. He looked at Robin, who was reaching over to take James' hand.

Katniss chuckled. "She'll probably speak first just to tell him to shut up!"

It was common knowledge that Robin was the leader between the two. She had a way of calming her brother when he was in tears just by a stare or a tender hand pat. They had that special way of communicating as all twins do.

"You look kind of lonely sitting in that chair," Peeta said looking up at her. "Why don't you join us on the carpet?"

Robin's suddenly drowsy eyes looked up to Katniss. "Ma?"

Katniss was already sliding down from the chair onto the floor. "Wait—there's still a little time, so we can do this." She crawled over to where the star projector rested by the door and pulled it forward. "We can count the stars to sleep."

After turning on the machine, Katniss went to join him as he cradled their children. Robin immediately reached for her mother who easily engulfed the little girl in her arms.

Together, they all laid back to look up at the constellations spread over the ceiling.

"It's amazing," he said quietly. "I swear that we were just looking at these stars and you were on the brink of having these two. Now, here we are—and it's their first birthday."

"Crazy how time passes," Katniss replied before turning to him. "Keep blinking and it will be our wedding day."

Their wedding was set for next month. Now that Fashion Week was over and they were celebrating the twins' birthday later that afternoon, it was time for them to set their minds to wedding mode.

Effie was already frantic with planning. Cinna and Johanna would be coming to stay for a month to help with prep and to keep Katniss from strangling her favorite decorator-turned-wedding coordinator.

"I don't want to blink—not yet," he told her as he patted James, who slept on his chest. "Right now, I just want to stay in this moment with you and our children as we look at the stars." He reached for her hand with his free one. "Will you allow it?"

Katniss adjusted Robin who was snuggled into the crook of her arm before leaning forward to kiss him tenderly.

"I'll allow it."

* * *

"Mom, you're a lifesaver." Peeta kissed his future mother-in-law on the cheek. "The cake is beautiful—and the kids are going to love it."

"And, they won't know or care that it's gluten-free," Kate declared with a grin. "Katniss' friends are hilarious. God forbid that they don't have a healthy dessert!"

"Well, you know those Manhattan folks," he told her with a grin. "Always following the next big thing."

"You talking shit?" They turned to see Cinna and Johanna grinning at them. Cinna rushed over to him. "You'll thank me, my brother, when you try on your custom-made suit." He hugged Peeta. "How are you?"

"Exhausted, exhilarated, but overall great," he replied.

"You're looking every bit the DILF," Johanna said as she sauntered over and flicked at the drool cloth over his shoulder. "Fatherhood is looking good on you. You're even growing a little beard and everything!" Her hand went to his scruffy chin. "You must give Katniss rug burn."

He went bright red and she winked.

"What do you mean?" Kate inquired.

Cinna put an arm around Katniss' mother. "Just ignore her. Being in a relationship hasn't softened her one iota."

Johanna scowled at her friend before pulling Peeta in for a hug. "But, really. You look great." As they separated, she smiled at him. "Where are my Godbabies?"

"Being changed by their mother and Aunt," he told her. "Let's go see them." The two linked arms and together they went toward the front of the house to go upstairs. "Where's Vin?"

"Finishing up the wedding bands, but she'll be here tomorrow with a shitload of presents for the twins," Johanna said. "She's really stressed out because she's such a perfectionist about getting the bands right."

"But, that's why you love her," Peeta said.

Johanna didn't reply, only nodding in shy agreement.

She looked over at the wall by the staircase. The last picture with Peeta's parents still remained, but right below it was a recently taken family photo of himself and Katniss along with Prim and the twins. Messalla had taken the photo which had been the New Years' cover for _Twelve_ Magazine.

He was in a tuxedo, Katniss in a fitted black sequin gown, and Prim in a _very_ form-fitting silver dress, which he had originally protested against, but relented after receiving pouts from both his fiancée and sister. They were in the Manhattan penthouse and there was confetti everywhere.

The three of them smiled at the camera as the twins snoozed on the couch—Robin in a sweet silver tutu and James in a navy velvet blazer.

It was fun shoot, and it showed. The stock for the magazine had risen due to the overwhelming sales and Messalla who was now Creative Director.

As they reached the top of the stairs, they made their left down the hall and towards the nursery.

"I think that she's picking the pink." They heard Prim declare.

Katniss protested, "No, Robby is going for the yellow."

At the doorway, he found his two girls sitting on the floor with his two children. James was already wearing his corduroy pants and green flannel as he sat next to his sister, who was still in her diaper. His daughter was carefully touching two dresses—one pink and one yellow.

"Oh, get on with it!" Johanna suddenly shouted. "Ro had enough fashion icons for her lifetime. Just pick one that she can get cake on!"

"JOHANNA!" Katniss jumped up, her white maxi-dress flowing along her lithe body as she ran over to her best friend.

The two embraced and he could see Katniss' eyes brighten joyfully at the sight of Johanna. They had spent a few months apart because he and Katniss were rearing the twins. Johanna had suddenly been pulled into one of the biggest cases in Manhattan which involved some money laundering in the Upper East Side by some shady politician.

However, they spoke on the phone and Peeta would conveniently disappear when they did.

"I missed you, little mother," Johanna said affectionately. "Now, why are you torturing my Godchildren?"

"We're not torturing them," Prim told her as she stood up with James in her arms. "We're giving them free will to decide what they should be clothed in."

"Speaking of clothes, you are looking very stylish," Johanna responded as Prim performed a twirl. James clapped in happiness at the motion. "And, I can't believe that Peeta let you wear something so short."

His eyes suddenly zeroed in on the length of the A-line skirt that Prim wore. It _was_ a little short—she couldn't bend down without exposing something. However, his younger sister had suddenly sprouted upward. She was now the same height as him, so he could see how any dress could be a little short on her.

"What do you think?" Prim asked him nervously.

Peeta looked her over. Besides the baby-blue dress, she was wearing white tennis shoes and her hair had been put up in a topknot.

"Are you wearing shorts under there?"

"Of course, big bro," his sister replied with a grin. "I'm not Johanna."

"That was one time!" Johanna retorted, who was sitting on the floor and changing Robin into a pink dress with bunny pockets. His daughter played with the skirt as she stared up at her Godmother. In turn, Johanna looked down and kissed her Goddaughter's cheek. "Your family is crazy."

Robin simply blew a raspberry.

* * *

"Why is there no vodka?" Haymitch asked as he surveyed the party along with Peeta.

Effie had decided to hold the party outdoors just like it had been for their baby shower. They had pitched a huge white tent where the food and drinks were. Outside, his father-in-law had rented a bouncy house which several of the neighborhood children were jumping in.

"Because it's a party for one-year-olds," Peeta replied with a grin.

"That's why we need a grown-up table," his friend replied. However, his eyes watched Hattie carefully as she and the twins played a few feet away from them. Ian, his soon-to-be father-in-law, sat on the grass rolling a ball to each of the babies. "And by grown-up table—I mean bar."

"You seem a little cranky," he told Haymitch.

The man turned to him suddenly. "Don't tell—but Effie's up-the-duff." Haymitch looked at his wife, who was talking to Katniss, Johanna, and Cinna. "We just found out two weeks ago."

"Must be something in the Panem water." Peeta looked over at Annie, who was sporting her own baby bump. She and Finnick had announced over Christmas break last year that they were having another little one. Aidan was thrilled over being an older brother. "Are you unhappy?"

Haymitch shook his head. "I'm not, but Effie is very nervous. We weren't expecting children, but then Hattie came along. Then, we were okay. But two? We're not young anymore."

"Yeah, but you have us," Peeta assured him. "Prim loves to babysit Hattie. Also, Katniss and I have learned a few tricks about handling two babies."

"I guess you're right," Haymitch grumbled. His eyes went to Hattie and Peeta could see the warmth in the man's eyes. "And damned if we don't make cute babies." The two-year-old spotted her father and scooted on the grass to push herself to her feet. "Excuse me—looks like my sweetheart is waiting for me."

Peeta watched Haymitch rush towards his daughter. It had not been too long ago that his father's friend had been all alone with just himself and Prim as company. Now here he was with a wife, a daughter, and another one on the way. He could imagine that his father was chuckling at how everything turned out.

"Funny how things change." He turned to see Katniss at his side. "Did he tell you their news?"

Peeta nodded. "It's funny how things stay the same."

"Like what?" his fiancée asked.

"How I feel about you," he replied. "You still make me breathless."

Katniss took his hand. "Well, save your breath. We have to help our children blow out their candles."

* * *

The party had been a success.

They had all remained unscathed and the twins had gotten through their first birthday celebration with ease. There had been some hiccups; Peeta's father-in-law had gotten the wrong candles and they wouldn't blow out. Also, Robin had gotten excited and kicked her bare foot into part of the cake.

But, it had all been forgotten once he and Katniss helped their children blow out the candles. The twins loved being the center of attention and had both clapped along as everyone applauded them. Prim had taken dozens of photos and Cinna was using Instagram to keep Katniss' fans informed about the twins' milestone.

Peeta tiredly gathered the remaining cups to bring them into the kitchen.

As he passed the doorway leading to the front hallway, Peeta stopped at the sight in front of him.

His sister had Rory's face cradled in her hands as she kissed him goodnight.

Peeta tried not to bristle at the couple. But, he remembered just turning fourteen and getting his first kiss. Prim seemed a little too familiar with Rory's lips…and it bugged him.

Placing the cups on the counter, he walked out into the hallway to where they were. "Ahem." Slowly, the couple drew apart; Rory's face was beet red while Prim remained calm. "I think it's time for you to head home, Rory."

Rory nodded. "Yeah, I have to head over to Gale's real quick before heading to my house, anyway." He gave Peeta an embarrassed smile. "Great party, Peeta." Peeta gave him a curt nod and Rory looked to Prim. "I'll call you tomorrow."

His sister grinned. "Okay." Walking inside the house, she began to close the door. "Goodnight."

After Prim closed the door, she sighed against it before turning to her brother.

"I don't know how to feel about this," Peeta told her.

"You were fourteen once," Prim replied, her blue eyes serious. "If I recall, you're marrying the girl who gave you your first kiss."

"I think that's the scary part about that." He looked over at the closed door. "You were getting a little too serious for my blood." Peeta took his sister's hand. "Let's talk."

He led her into the living room where Prim plopped down on the couch.

She gave him an easy smile. "I'm sorry that you saw that, but I'm not sorry that I did it." Her eyes looked to his. "This is the first time in almost a week that I've been able to hold Rory's hand, let alone kiss him."

Despite the frown growing on his lips, Prim continued.

"My life at fourteen is a lot different than yours was, Peeta. You didn't get that chance to see where things would go with Katniss. But, I get that chance to see if anything comes out of this whole thing with Rory. I'm not saying I'm going to marry him. But trust me enough to know that I'll learn if it's real or not real between us."

Peeta went over her words, his slight anger simmering down.

Finally, he spoke, "Every day you amaze me." His hand went to lift her chin. "And, I couldn't be prouder." Peeta took a deep breath. "While I trust you to make the right decisions, I'm your big brother and I'm going to worry."

Prim put her head on his shoulder. "I can understand. For a long time, all we had were each other." She looked up at him and smiled. "You're never going to lose me, Peeta. No matter where we go or who comes along—this was our mother and father's house. It's the place where I feel safe and loved because Mom and Dad are still all over this place. They're even in that nursery and in Ro and Jamie."

"The house does feel a lot different," he said to her. "It feels…"

"Alive," Prim finished for him. "You did it, Peeta. You made it happen."

"I didn't do anything," Peeta assured her.

"You took a chance and got the girl," his sister said bluntly. "And, you changed our lives—but in the best way possible." Prim looked down at her lap, deep in thought, before continuing. "Now, I'm not saying that I'll follow the same path, but it's a nice thing to aspire to." She took his hand. "Are we okay?"

He squeezed her hand. "We're okay."

"So now can we talk about more important things?" Prim asked.

He raised his brows at her. "Like what?"

She grinned at him wickedly. "Like your bachelor party?"

* * *

_Two Weeks Later…_

"I have to say," Cinna said as he worked on Peeta's jacket sleeves. "I make a mean tuxedo."

"I'd have to agree." Peeta looked upon the burnt-velvet sleeves of his black jacket. The intricate pattern followed throughout the jacket with the lapels being made of a silk. "So, what's the name of your line?"

"Magnus Cor." They turned to see Prim enter the room in her own black tuxedo. Her form-fitting pants were cuffed at her ankles and she wore black heels. Underneath her jacket, Prim wore a white button-up with a black bow-tie. "After Cinna's dad and Cor, of course." She did a little twirl; her light hair flying around her. "What do you think?"

"Looking beautiful, 'Best Woman'," Cinna answered with a grin. "Portia did a great job on the fitting."

"I'm feeling very sophisticated," Prim replied as she adjusted the front tie at the waist of her jacket. She gave Peeta a smile. "Do you like it?"

"You look beautiful," Peeta said. "Are you walking Johanna down the aisle?"

"No! I'm walking in with you!" Prim answered and took his hand. "We're doing this together."

He squeezed back. "Agreed." Leaning forward, Peeta kissed her cheek. "Now get back into your normal clothes. We have somewhere to go."

"Where?" Prim asked him.

"Just let Katniss know to get Robby and Jamie ready, too," he continued. Seeing the look on his face, Prim nodded before walking out of the den.

"Where are you going?" Cinna asked as he clipped the hem of Peeta's pant leg.

Peeta slowly let out a breath. "We have to go see some important people."

* * *

"Be careful," Prim said as she stood in-between Robin and James. "You don't want to mess your clothes up before you see Grandma and Grandpa."

Robin looked up at her Aunt, her blue eyes serious before looking down at her burgundy coat. James gave his Aunt a confident smile before kicking up the dirt in front of him.

"If I ever saw two polar opposites, it's these two," Katniss said as she held James' other hand. "Jamie, be careful. I know that you don't like to look messy."

James slowed his movements before giving his mother a cheerful smile.

"I feel like it's been a lifetime since we were here," Prim remarked when they got to their destination. Taking the bouquets from her tote, she went to each stone, placing white hydrangeas and yellow roses in the appropriate spots. "Hi Mom. Hi Dad. It's Prim."

Prim looked at the gravestone bearing their parents' names. "I know that it's been awhile since I've been here. For a long time, I'll admit that it's been difficult. Part of me still hasn't let go of the fact that you're not going to come back. Like I'm still waiting for you both to walk through the front door—but I'm trying. I really am."

"Mom…Dad…" Peeta stepped forward. "The last time I was here, we were just finding out what the twins' sexes were going to be—and you pulled through. You gave me my birthday wish." Katniss, along with Robin and James, joined him. "These are your grandchildren: Robin Viola…" He leaned down to kiss his daughter's dark hair. "…and James Sebastian." Peeta kissed the sunny head of his little boy.

"The first of many grandchildren," Katniss added with a small grin. Peeta winked at her in agreement. "Jean and Robby—Mom and Dad. Thank you for leading me back to Peeta and Prim. Somehow I feel like it was more than a high school reunion that brought me here. I think that you saw that I needed your children as much as they needed me. I couldn't be happier—because I'm not alone anymore. You let me into your family—and we'll never be alone again."

Peeta knelt down to lead Robin and James forward. The twins put their own flowers on the headstones in front of them. Katniss had let them each pick out a flower that they wanted to place and the twins had picked, out of all things, dandelions. The bright yellow color seemed to fascinate them.

After they were finished, the twins turned and began their run, hand in hand.

"Your children!" Prim exclaimed with a grin before running after them.

"You think they heard us?" Katniss asked. "All of them?"

They would be making similar trips to see Helena and Cor within the week.

Peeta looked over at his fiancée. For a moment, he thought he saw the girl in the night shirt as he crawled through her window. Katniss had that light in her eyes that he had first noticed when he was just a boy.

He realized that she was happy.

"I know they heard us," Peeta assured Katniss before taking her hand. "We should go before—"

There was a loud wail in the quiet cemetery and the couple turned to one another.

"Robin," they said in unison, hearing the throaty cries of their daughter.

"I don't remember being such a crier when I was kid," Katniss joked as they walked over to Prim and the children. "She must get that from you."

Robin was already recovering from her fall by the time they reached the children and Prim. Their little girl was sitting on a bench, her brother's hand in hers, as they drank from their sippy cups.

"And, that ability to just bounce back—she gets that from you, too," his fiancée continued before pressing a kiss to his lips.

* * *

_One Week Later…_

"This place is awesome," Prim said as she stepped out of the car. She looked over to where the couple stood. "No wonder the twinsies decided to come out after you left. It was out of protest!"

"I have to admit," Peeta said as he walked up the steps with James in his arms. "It looks just as beautiful as it did when we first came here." He turned to see Katniss cradling a sleeping Robin in his arms. "You okay, sweetie?"

"Yeah," Katniss said though she was grimacing. "Robby just seems to turn into a sack of bricks whenever she sleeps." James let out a small giggle and his mother grinned at the sound. "Oh, you must think that it's funny that Mommy is practically weightlifting your sister!"

"Let me help," Peeta offered. "Just toss her over on my shoulder."

"Peeta! I will not toss our daughter on your shoulder," Katniss retorted. "She's a baby not a sack of flour."

"I'll help," Prim told them and took Robin from her mother. The teenager let out a breath. "Wow, she is heavy."

"Kind of reminds me of when I was pregnant with them," Katniss informed her. She walked to the porch of the cabin to unlock and open the door. "Let's get them in for a nap."

"You really sell the whole 'don't have twins' thing, Katniss" Prim said before she walked inside.

Peeta stopped at the doorway to take Katniss' hand. "Want to run away?"

Katniss smiled at him. "What?"

"Don't take your shoes off yet," he said before going back into the cabin.

Little had changed from the last time they had come to the cabin except that Annie and Finnick had set up a small bed for Prim and a crib for the twins. The Odairs had rented out a cabin about ten minutes away since they were coming to the wedding. On the opposite end of their cabin, Johanna along with Cinna and the rest of the team were staying at a larger place, though many of them wouldn't be arriving until later in the evening.

"Can you watch the kids for a while?" Peeta asked his sister. "I think I need to take the bride for a walk."

"Sure," Prim replied. The kids were already knocked out on their bed. "I'm just going to enjoy the delights of this California King and some bad television with these two."

"Thanks. I owe you," he said before closing the door.

Outside, Katniss waited for him. She was in a pair of dark jeans and a simple fitted tank top. It had been warm on the way up so she had removed her flannel jacket, an Everdeen Design that was inspired by their last trip.

"Did I mention how you don't look like a woman who's had twins?" Peeta told her as he joined her on the porch.

"With all the workouts that I've had to do, I better look like a woman who fits into her wedding dress," Katniss replied. They walked down the steps and into the familiar forest. "Effie is not only a hardcore wedding coordinator; she was also the meanest fitness guru! But, it's worth it because the dress—" She stopped before walking into the thicket and gave him a smile. "You're not making me tell you about the dress."

"I know I'm not supposed to see it but forbidding any talk of it at the bachelor/bachelorette party was kind of crazy," he told her.

They had decided on a joint party as most of the men and women involved were married. Johanna, Maid of Honor, was not keen on having a male stripper and Peeta's Best Man was Prim, who wasn't even close to an age where they could go out to a bar or a club. However, Johanna and Prim had come up with something better.

The two had rented out an old warehouse in Brooklyn and had filled it with every sort of game imaginable: rock climbing walls, trampolines, laser tag, arcade games, and best of all—a dodge ball arena. It had been men-versus-women and while his team had a good running start, Portia proved to have very good aim.

It was during their dinner of carnival food, which Katniss could only have a little of, that Effie forbid anyone from talking about the dress.

His sister as well as his mother-in-law had seen it that day and both had come back from the fitting in happy tears.

"Another Effie rule—I think a lot of that was baby hormones," Katniss said as they reached the clearing where their wedding would take place. "Wow. I can't believe it's been a year." She pulled him to the center and yanked at his arm to make him sit down.

Together, the couple lay back to look up at the open circle of sky bordered by the long branches of the trees surrounding them. A small breeze funneled through the leaves around them and Katniss let out a loud laugh.

Peeta turned to watch her, dark hair flying along with the leaves and her smile wide.

"I think this place has some sort of magic," Katniss said once the breeze subsided. "Every time I'm here, I feel like I'm a kid again."

"Well, don't grow down on me now," Peeta replied. "We've finally caught up age-wise. Plus, we have a wedding to attend tomorrow night."

"I know." Katniss was suddenly on top of him, her dark waves curtaining their faces. Their lips brushed, slightly, against each others. "And, I can't wait."

* * *

"Am I doing this right?" Peeta adjusted the dark bowtie in front of the mirror.

Haymitch walked over to him. "Let me take a look." The man secured the knot before adjusting the bowtie and making sure it was centered. He then took Peeta's suit jacket, which hung next to the mirror and helped Peeta put it on. Finally, the older man looked him over once more and nodded. "You look like a man ready to face his destiny."

"Thanks, Haymitch," he replied and the man nodded, his grey eyes serious. "Thank you for being here."

"I know I'm not Robby but I wanted to say that I'm proud of you," Haymitch said in quiet voice. "Just like a father would be proud of a son—that's the kind of proud I am. You've grown into the man that your father always knew you would be. The only hard part was that you had to do it without him."

"But, I have you," Peeta told him. "So, it's like he's still here."

"Same with you." Haymitch pulled him into a tight embrace. "I'm real happy for you and Katniss."

"I can't believe that I missed out on Haymitch being mushy!"

They turned to find Prim in her tuxedo; her long hair falling in tight waves. Her eyes were lined with a smoky onyx liner and her usually pink lips were now a dark berry.

Walking over to them, Prim looked her brother over and then pulled him close.

"You're a groom," she whispered in his ear.

"And you're a Best Man—I mean Woman," he replied in turn. Pulling away, Peeta looked at the young woman in the dark suit and high heels. "You look unbelievable."

"Wait till you see the bride," Prim informed him with an excited smile. "You'll swear that you're having an out-of-body experience."

There was a knock on the cabin door and Effie stepped in wearing a long navy-blue gown and Hattie, in a plum dress, as her arm accessory. "The sun is just about going down. It's time." She stopped at the sight of Peeta, her light eyes filling. "Oh, sweetheart—you look very handsome."

Hattie reached to touch Effie's face. "Mama! No cryin'!"

"She sounds incredibly like you, Effie," Peeta said and went to the woman. He kissed her cheek. "You know that Katniss would've never let herself fall for me if it weren't for you."

Effie smiled, a blush rising in her cheeks. "How so?"

"You had faith in her. You knew that she still had it in her to love," he told the woman. "And, you liked me from the beginning, so that worked in my favor."

"Well, I love you now," Effie said and kissed his cheek. "Go marry our girl—and give me some more adorable children to dress up." She looked to her husband. "Sweetheart, it's time for us to get down there."

Haymich nodded before looking to Peeta and Prim.

"Have a nice walk," he said before reaching over and hugging the two.

"We love you, Haymitch," Prim said. "Thank you for always watching over us."

Pulling away, Peeta could see the mist in his greys. Haymitch turned to leave before they could see if the tears would actually come to fruition.

With the closing of the cabin door, it was just himself and Prim.

"You nervous?" His sister asked suddenly.

"A little," he responded and blew out a breath. "I know I shouldn't be."

"It's okay to be." Prim linked their arms as she led him to the door. Opening it, his sister let him walk out before joining their arms once more. "Husband is a very different role from boyfriend, fiancé, or even father."

"When did you get so life smart?" he asked her as they made their way.

"I think it was the day that Katniss came to Panem," Prim said as they made their walk into the forest. They could hear the keys of a piano as they approached the clearing. "Seeing you two together, thinking about everything that's happened since she's come into our lives has taught me that there are always possibilities to grow and heal."

They stopped as they reached the beginning of a long white carpet. Effie was waiting for them and when she spotted the siblings, the woman gave them a trembling smile.

"You two look fabulous!" Effie kissed both their cheeks. "I hope you like everything I did." Her blue eyes sparkled under the low glow of the Christmas lights that were strewn about the trees.

"I'm sure I'm going to," Peeta told her. "Thank you for everything."

"Of course, darling," the woman said in a hushed voice. "Now go—the bride is waiting to make her walk for you."

Peeta looked to his sister. "Together?"

Prim placed her hand over his and gave him a teary smile. "Together."

The clearing had been completely transformed.

White Christmas lights were wrapped around the trees as tall, golden candleholders led them down the aisle. Cherrywood benches were filled with their guests—about a hundred or so, though there were many that were clamoring to come.

In front of them, the wooden archway was wrapped with white flowers and as they approached, the officiator, an older man with round glasses, gave them a serene smile.

"How did Effie manage to get a piano into a forest?" Prim asked as they made their way next to the arch. The smile on her face remained in place as there was an array of flashes going off in their faces. Messalla was walking around speaking into a microphone as Castor and Pollux took photo after photo.

The two men waved before heading to the back to await Katniss' entrance.

"Effie has a series of connections," Peeta told his sister as his eyes looked to the back of the clearing where Katniss would be entering. His chest was pounding. "Katniss gave me one job and that was the music. So I asked Effie, being the wonderful woman that she is, and she made it happen."

"I'm so hiring her for my first wedding," Prim joked.

"First wedding?" Peeta snorted at her words. "Bless the man who takes you on."

The banter relaxed his nervous body and he was sure that Prim had done it for that very reason.

The two turned as Kate walked down the aisle with Robin and James, both in white. Robin was looking down at her white lace dress in fascination as James, in his tuxedo, smiled up at the shining candleholders. Their eyes lit up as they saw Peeta and he waved to them as his mother-in-law led them to the front seats closest to him.

His eyes then went to the Johanna, who was making her way down the aisle in the black gown with the lace capped sleeves and the sweetheart neckline. Her dark hair was twisted in a chignon and secured with bright-white flowers. Johanna walked down the aisle confidently and as she passed Lavinia, she gave her partner a wink.

The Maid of Honor smiled brightly as she made her way towards them.

"Looking good, Mellark," Johanna said as she got to her side of the arch. "But, I think you're about to have your breath taken away."

And, Johanna was right.

Katniss entered the clearing on her father's arm and he suddenly let out a choked breath at the sight before him. The two walked down the white carpet aisle to a slow instrumental of a Disney song that he had heard Katniss singing to the twins a few weeks ago.

Her hair was down, split down the middle, and flowing in thick wave of ebony. Her dress was long-sleeved, mermaid-style, and made of delicate lace with a deep v-neckline that ended down at her midriff. She was ethereal, floating down the aisle to the delicate piano music.

Their eyes met and Peeta could see that there were tears in her eyes. Ian kissed Katniss and then reached forward to embrace him.

"Take care of her, son," the man said in an overcome whisper.

"I will," he assured his father-in-law.

Turning to Katniss, his hand reached out to take hers.

"Katniss…" His words caught in his throat as he stared at her. "Wow."

His bride let out a joyful laugh. "Same to you."

* * *

"Okay everyone!" Johanna tapped at her champagne glass to get the guests' attention. For a moment, the guests continued to talk amongst themselves as Katniss' best friend stood in the front of the mic. "SHUT UP NOW!"

The crowd went silent.

She smiled and brushed a stray hair off her forehead. "Before we get to the dancing and everyone gets drunk or, in the twins' case, sleepy." Her eyes went to her Godchildren who were snoozing in Peeta's arms. "I wanted to say a few words about our beautiful bride, Katniss Everdeen-Mellark."

Cinna let out a loud whoop from where he sat in the crowd of round white tables.

The reception was being held in the back of the large cabin that Cinna and Johanna had rented. The cabin had also been the place where Katniss had gotten ready that afternoon for the wedding.

The yard was spacious enough to accommodate the long white table that the wedding party were sitting at, along with the twenty tables for the guests as well as the dance floor that separated them. The caterers were using the house's kitchen for food set-up and distribution.

Effie had done a meticulous job and had now put down her coordinator gloves to relax with Haymitch. They sat at the table closest to the wedding party as Effie rested her head on her husband's shoulder.

"Since the moment I met Katniss, I knew that there was something very special about her," Johanna began as she looked at her friend. "She was that special mixture of innocence and knowledge, poise and vulnerability, but most of all unbelievable strength. Katniss had been through things that I would never wish on anyone, but what always amazes me is that she was able to persevere. However, there was always that one thing that seemed to be missing inside those grey eyes of hers."

Her eyes went to Peeta. "And, then Peeta came along. As I watched them stumble along together, I slowly started to piece together what had been missing inside Katniss all along—life. People always see Katniss as this fashion designer or businesswoman but Peeta brought out so much more in her. She became the girlfriend and the confidant—she became a person with life. Someone who woke up for something that was more than just dollar signs and, in Manhattan, that's a rarity. I couldn't be more honored to be your best friend."

Johanna raised her glass.

"To Katniss—for having that spark inside her and to Peeta for lighting it. Cheers!"

The crowd echoed her final word and Johanna went to them. She kissed Katniss on the cheek and then went to Peeta to press a kiss to his own damp cheek.

"You did good," he told Johanna.

"So did you," the woman replied.

There was suddenly another loud whoop from Cinna and his eyes went to where Prim was now standing.

"Hi everyone," Peeta's little sister started. "As you all know, I'm Prim—Peeta's sister and the Best Woman." The crowd let out a raucous laugh and Prim livened up, striking a pose for them.

After the crowd settled, Prim turned to look at him, her blue eyes filled.

"Peeta—every day you amaze me." Faintly, he remembered that he had told her those very words. "Your humility and your kindness, your strength and your wisdom—and most of all, your ability to just love unrepentantly. We lost our parents at a very young age and I watched my brother take it all in. I watched him learn to become a man all on his own. Not to mention, Peeta had to deal with helping me grow up."

She took a long inhale before continuing. "And so when Katniss came along, I told myself that my prayers had been answered because I had prayed for so long that Peeta would have someone that loved him the way that he deserved to be loved."

Her eyes went to Katniss.

"Katniss, thank you for finding your way back to us," Prim said in a tight voice. "For meeting my eyes as I sped down a sidewalk. For giving my brother his first real kiss. For helping us become a family again—and for giving birth to the coolest niece and nephew that a girl could ever have. I'm looking forward to more of them." His sister let out a watery laugh. "I love you both so much." Prim raised her glass. "To Mr. and Mrs. Mellark."

Everyone echoed their cheers and Prim rushed over to them, giving them each a kiss before mumbling that she needed to fix her makeup.

His eyes went to Katniss, who was beaming at him. "Hey."

"Hey," he echoed. "You happy?"

His _wife_—he still couldn't believe it—nodded at him. "And yourself?"

"I'm pretty damn content," Katniss told him. "Though I can't wait for the honeymoon."

"One night alone." He sighed in agreement. "Completely quiet."

"I hope not completely quiet," his bride said, a small smile grazing her face.

He leaned forward, still cradling each of the children in his arms. "Come here."

Katniss obliged, their lips brushing lightly before she tilted her head to deepen their kiss. There was the clinking of glasses and he felt Katniss wrap a hand around the nape of his neck to anchor him closer, her tongue teasing his.

As they pulled away, Peeta felt the heat emanating off his body. "I'm holding you to that kiss, Mrs. Mellark."

Katniss nodded, her smoky eyes staring into his. "I was hoping you would, Mr. Mellark."

Johanna and Prim were suddenly behind them. "Before you continue your provocative talk, please remember that the cameras catch everything," the Maid of Honor said wickedly. She pointed to Castor and Pollux, who were standing to the side.

"Also, please refrain from exposing my niece and nephew to this grossness!" Prim added as she took Robin from Peeta. She handed her sleeping niece to Johanna before carefully taking James. "No need for them to know that their parents are complete horndogs!"

"Well, little sister," Katniss started. "They'll have to understand that without that grossness—they wouldn't exist."

"Touché…" Prim kissed Katniss on the cheek. "You two have a first dance to get going."

The sounds of a slow song began to pour out of the speakers that were set up in the corners of the reception area.

Standing up, Peeta held out his hand, the brushed white-gold ring on his finger gleaming. "May I?"

"You may." Katniss took his hand before standing up. Her own finger sported an identical band next to her engagement ring.

Together, they rounded their table and went to the center of the floor. Katniss tilted her head to listen to the song.

"What's wrong?" Peeta asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Katniss met his eyes. "I don't know this song."

"How could you forget?" He pulled her closer so that he could whisper in her ear. "It's the first song that we kissed to."

"No, it isn't," his wife protested as they moved in graceful unison. "There was a guitar playing in the song that we kissed to."

Peeta shook his head. "I knew it was crazy that I was waiting for you in that tree. But, I couldn't let you leave without you knowing how I felt." His lips went to her ear. "So, you let me into your room and you were wearing your Panem High School shirt. There were boxes packed up and the only things that you seemed to have left in your room were your bed, your star projector, and your clock radio…"

"I remember now," Katniss said with a grin. "You were so sweet. No one had ever said that they were in love with me—and something inside me knew that it was real—your words. It was the most romantic thing that's ever happened to me." She pulled away to meet his eyes. "Until now."

Peeta kissed his wife as the words to the song echoed in his ears.

"_All along we've known the way these conversations end_  
_You can't deny the shore its tide or sermons their amen_  
_It's just as well we tell ourselves there's not so much to lose_  
_But I would trade ten thousand days for one more hour with you…"_

* * *

I'm just a little overwhelmed with emotion right now. I really can't believe that this was the last chapter.

Thank you to everyone for sticking around. Not many notes since I'm a little floored by all this writing.

Songs:

The instrumental that Katniss walks down the aisle to is "If I Never Knew You" from the Pocahontas soundtrack.

"Tides"-Hey Marseilles

Next: The Epilogue, Katniss—Four Years Later

Till then, JLaLa


	30. Epilogue: Katniss

Oh, the end of another Everlark story. I'm just bringing all the goodbyes…

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Please check out the last bit of notes from myself and from my husband, who beta'd!

Tides

_**Epilogue: Katniss**_

_Four Years Later…_

_Upper East Side, Manhattan_

There was a poke on her shoulder.

"Mommy…" came the soft whisper and the scent of strawberry jam. "Mommy?"

"Hmm?" Katniss managed to sleepily croak out.

Then, there was a slight pressure on the bed followed by another poke on her opposite shoulder. "Mommy…wake up." A little hand carefully played with her braid and she tried not to grin.

James was always very gentle. Ever since he was baby, there was that sweet quietness about him.

"Katniss." Her eyes opened slowly and she found Peeta staring at her, an amused grin on his lips. Spooned against him was James, whose own eyes lit up to see her awake. "_Your_ children need you."

"Children?" She looked over to see the approaching lump under the comforter of their bed. "I only see one of our little ones. Now…where is the other?"

There was a giggle and a little dark-haired head popped out from the top of the blanket.

"I'm here, Mommy!" Robin informed her in her boisterous voice. She crawled to the middle of the bed, next to her brother. "We wanted to tell you that we made breakfast!"

She met Peeta's eyes and he held up a part of the comforter to show her a red hand print.

"Let me guess," their father said. "Peanut butter and jelly?"

"YEAH!" The twins threw their stained hands up; peanut butter on James' and strawberry jam on Robin's.

Peeta got up from their bed. "I got it." Rounding the bed, he placed a kiss on her lips. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Her hand went to the scruff on his chin. "Letting it grow out?"

"I thought you liked it." Peeta winked at her. "Isn't it how we ended up with this one?"

His hand went to her slight swell.

"It was a contributing factor," Katniss informed him and gave him a sly smile. "But, I'm not too crazy about the rug burn."

Peeta snorted at her words. "I'll shave after I clean up the kitchen," he told her. "Try to get some rest." His eyes went to the twins. Robin and James sat together, talking quietly to themselves. "As much as you can."

He kissed her once more before leaving for the kitchen.

"Mommy?" Robin crawled over to her, nestling herself against Katniss' chest. "How high are we?"

"We're on the top floor of the building of what was Mommy's old home," she told her little girl. Robin listened intently. "And, I think we're on the twelfth floor."

James crawled to Katniss' other side to rest his sunshine head on her.

"That's pretty high," her son mused. "But, I like our house better."

"I know." She kissed the top of his head and then kissed Robin's. "But, it's going to be your Aunt Prim's nineteenth birthday and we're throwing her a party at Mommy's store!"

"Don't worry, Jamie!" Robin assured her brother. "We can dance with each other and eat lots of cake!"

She smiled seeing the closeness of the two, so much like Prim and Peeta. Robin always seemed to know how to make her brother feel better while Jamie had that special way of calming his sister down right before she melted down—and he had done so on more than one occasion.

Robin had inherited Katniss' fiery temper.

"Okay…" James nodded sleepily and she watched his smoky eyes disappear between closing eyelids.

She turned to see Robin let out a small yawn and quickly, her little girl succumbed to her tiredness.

Katniss followed quickly, her arms holding the twins close while her hand rested on the small bump that was her and Peeta's third child.

* * *

"YOU'RE HERE!"

The scent of daisy perfume surrounded Katniss as Prim hugged her excitedly. As they pulled away, she admired her beautiful sister. Tall and long-legged, Prim was every bit the international model with her glowing skin and bouncy, golden hair.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Katniss asked as the two hooked arms. "Are classes going well?"

"They're great!" Prim answered as they walked toward the meeting room of Everdeen Design. "I've even started helping out at some of the smaller fashion shows in the city. I'm busy but it's actually pretty cool to be backstage and not on the runway."

"You bored being dressed in couture?" Prim stuck her tongue out at Katniss as she opened the door to the meeting room. "I bet traveling has gotten to you, too."

"It has," Prim said. The two sat down on a white couch and Prim looked to her, bright blues glistening. "And, I miss you, and Peeta, and the twins." Her eyes went to the small belly that Katniss sported. "I don't want to miss this one's childhood."

"Don't tell anyone," Katniss said with a grin. "Your brother wanted to be the one to break the news. So pretend you don't know!"

"You asked for cookies," her sister replied. "And, you never eat sweets—unless you're hormonal or pregnant. Plus, your boobs are bigger."

Katniss looked down at the neckline of the printed wrap dress that she wore. "Do they?" She met Prim's eyes and smiled saucily. "Well, your brother will be happy."

Prim blanched at her words. "Gross."

"So, you wanted to talk?" Katniss sat back, a hand on her stomach.

Her sister let out a small breath as she fidgeted with the emerald skirt she wore before meeting Katniss' eyes.

"I don't want to model anymore," Prim finally said. "It's been great, but I want to do something more."

Katniss nodded. She suspected over the last few months that her sister had been unhappy. When she wasn't attending Parsons, Prim would be on the road doing a show or magazine shoot. During school breaks, she would be off in another country and had even missed last Christmas with them in Panem.

"It's understandable. You're turning nineteen and want to try new things," Katniss said and took her hand. "And, you've worked hard." She sighed. "We should've put our foot down a long time ago about this whole thing."

"I wanted it," Prim responded vehemently. "But, the traveling and being away from my family—" Her eyes filled with tears. "And Rory…" She let out a breath. "It's not worth it anymore."

Katniss put an arm around Prim and pulled her close. "You miss him, don't you?"

Her little sister wiped her eyes. "Every day."

Last year when Prim had not made it back to Panem, Rory finally had it. He understood that her life was busy but there was no chance for their relationship to move forward with her being away so much. The break-up had been over the phone since Prim was in Paris.

She and Peeta had stayed up that night to console Prim via Skype.

"You know that quitting won't get him back, right?" Prim nodded in understanding. "I want you to be really sure about this."

"I am," Prim assured her. "This is more than just Rory. This is about me wanting to go back to a normal life. I want to go to school and live in my own place. Have friends."

"You have me and your brother," Katniss offered. "I know we're not exactly drinking from kegs but we're here if you just want to talk or hang out."

Prim put her head on Katniss' shoulder. "I know. You both are my best friends, right now."

Katniss kissed the top of her head. "Hah."

Her sister looked up. "What?"

"That's pretty sad if we're your best friends," Katniss joked and Prim swatted her arm. "You need to have girlfriends that you can go shopping with and who you can bitch about me and your brother to."

"Oh, Katniss—you know I'd never bitch about you." Prim cracked a smile. "Peeta, on the other hand…"

The two broke into a fit of laughter. It felt good to hear Prim laugh. Katniss had known that she hadn't been particularly happy and she wanted to do everything she could to help her.

"So, we should announce your retirement," Katniss finally told her. "And, find you a replacement for 'Whimsy in the City'."

"Also," Prim started. "I wanted to talk to you about a job."

Katniss looked to her sister curiously, "A job?"

"Yes." Prim looked around the office. "A job here."

"Of course," Katniss told her. "I didn't know that you were interested in design."

At her words, Prim reached into the tote that she had brought with her and pulled out a large black folder. Handing it to Katniss, she sat back and waited nervously.

Opening the portfolio, Katniss was greeted with a drawing of a stunning emerald gown; sleeveless with a slight sweetheart neckline and flowing down into an elegant a-line skirt that skimmed the bottom of the page. Along the upper section of the skirt, there were several intricate accents that flowed down and faded mid-skirt.

"Those are supposed to be metallic line beading. I wanted it to look like tinsel," Prim informed her. She flipped through to the next page to show Katniss another drawing. This time, the gown was more streamline; pure white with a high slit and a halter-top. The neck fastening was thick with several pearls sewn in. This one was more a mixture of innocence and slight sexuality. "I wanted to show that I had a broad range when it came to design."

"These are exquisite, Prim," Katniss told her sister. She flipped through the rest of the book, looking at each dress. Most of them were eveningwear, but there were some made for daytime formal outings. "You've created your very own line. I bet you already have a name for it."

Prim nodded and there were tears in her eyes. "Jean Robin."

"It's perfect," she responded and looked to Prim. "So you want to start your own line and run your own team?"

"More than that," Prim told her. "I know that I was given an amount of money in Cor's will and I want to use it—to buy stock in Everdeen Design and to become your partner."

Katniss was taken back at her words. Prim wanted to be her partner. Her mind suddenly recalled a young Prim jetting down the street on her bike, bold and unafraid. That's how she always was and instinctively like that first time watching Prim, Katniss was worried that she was going too fast.

At the same time, she knew that Prim would work hard and would be successful. It was not possible that she would fail.

Katniss' hand went instinctively to her stomach. What would this mean for her family? If Katniss accepted Prim's offer, she would have to spend a lot of her time in Manhattan. Cinna had been a Godsend as well as Portia with managing the HQ and flagship store. So, three years ago, she had made them her partners at Everdeen Design. What would it be like with a fourth member on her team?

"That isn't going to work," Katniss suddenly said.

Prim stared for a moment before nodding slowly in acceptance. Katniss could see that she was disappointed.

"I understand," her sister said after a moment. "I guess I'm not quite ready to do this and you're busy—"

"No, Prim," she told her. "It's not going to work with a fourth person because I'm ready to move on." Katniss rested a hand on her growing belly as her other hand took Prim's. "So, I'm going to be signing over the company to you and stepping down. You aren't going to be a co-partner of Everdeen Design. On your birthday, you're going to become Head of Everdeen Design."

* * *

"MONSTERS!"

Katniss watched Robin and James run over to their Aunt. Their laughter rang out in the cool, crisp air of the sunny, yet snow-filled park. She laughed seeing her two children in their puff jackets being engulfed in the faux-fur coat that Prim wore.

"They look like two marshmallows." She turned to Peeta next to her. Giving her a quick kiss, he put an arm around her as they walked toward their sister and children.

"But, they're our marshmallows," Katniss responded affectionately. She turned to look at him. "You look very handsome today." Her hand reached to caress his hairless chin. "I especially love you all cleaned up for me."

Peeta wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close. Katniss stared into his blue eyes, warm even in the coldest weather. In her burgundy pea coat, she could still feel the heat of his touch spreading throughout her body.

"If you keep looking at me that way, I'll be sure to shave every day," Peeta told her. His hand reached to the nape of her neck and he drew her close so that he could brush his lips against hers.

The next kiss was warm and wet, tasting of hot chocolate and smelling of aftershave. Katniss sighed against her husband. She could not imagine a time when he wasn't by her side and wondered how long ago, they had spent years apart.

Separating, their eyes met and her lips rose as he breathed out, cool puffs escaping his mouth.

"Amazing," he said to her. "You are amazing."

"Not quite," Katniss said. She took his hand to place it on her stomach. "But, this baby is amazing." Then, turning to their children and Prim, she covered his hand with hers. "And, they're amazing."

Peeta put an arm around her once more as they walked over to Prim and the twins. "Who knew that at 31, I would be married to _the _Katniss Everdeen—the teenage dream."

"Not to mention, you put your babies in her," Katniss said. "And, I can't believe that I'm married to Peeta Mellark, the youngest superintendent in the history of Panem County—and the hottest."

"Who said that?" Peeta asked nonchalantly.

"Someone said it during one of those county galas," she told him with a sly smile. "I was putting lipstick on in the restroom while a bunch of teachers were gushing over the hot, new superintendent. One of them said that she actually wanted to reach into your pants to give you a lesson in hand jobs." Katniss smirked, thinking of the memory. "She was actually sitting at our table, right across from me."

Peeta snapped his fingers. "Now I remember—green dress and big hair, right?"

"Yes. Then, I got jealous and decided to do you in our car." Katniss looked down at her stomach. "And, that's how we ended up with this little one."

Peeta chuckled. "I'll have to send that woman a fruit basket when we're back in Panem."

"PEETA!" Prim rushed over to her brother and threw her arms around his neck. He caught her easily, twirling her before setting her back down on her feet. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course! I only have one sister—and she just happens to be extra special," Peeta told her tenderly. "Not only is she the toast of the fashion world," He kissed her forehead. "She's smart, brave, and incredibly blunt. And, I love her for it."

"Katniss' second pregnancy has turned you into a huge sap," Prim told her brother but pulled him into a hug, nonetheless. "Did Katniss tell you the news?"

Peeta looked to his wife. "What news?"

"Prim got a job," Katniss replied simply. "And, I am…leaving."

* * *

"Do you think that this is right thing?" Peeta asked her as they got ready for bed. "Prim is only just turning nineteen."

"You weren't there for her pitch," Katniss told him. "She put down a good case for herself. I also had no idea that she had been interning as Cinna's assistant for almost a year. He's already been slowly working her into the company while Portia has been teaching her about our customer baseline and profit margins. Prim is already working on the budget for the next fiscal year."

"But, can she handle it?" her husband responded as he pulled back their comforter. "That's a lot of stress on someone her age. She should be studying for her finals, not worrying about fabric production."

"I want to."

They turned to find Prim at their open doorway. She approached them, sitting down at the foot of their bed.

"I know that this is coming out of nowhere to you, but I've known for a while that this is what I've wanted to do," their sister told them earnestly. "I think I can do a lot of great things for Everdeen Design."

"You have to understand, Prim." Peeta sat next to her. "I'm scared for you. Running a company is not exactly what a lot of people do at your age."

"But, I'm not just any person," their sister responded. "I've always known that I was going to do things to my own rhythm—and, that it was okay to do so. I'm still going to go to school. I'm just going to have a different kind of after-school job." Prim gave her brother a self-assured smile. "Come on, Peeta. Look at all those boys in Silicon Valley inventing crap like Facebook. Don't you think that if any girl could equal or surpass that kind of a success, that girl would be me?"

"Damn," Peeta muttered after a moment and shook his head at their sister. "You are incredibly convincing, Prim."

Katniss suppressed the chuckle that almost escaped her mouth. Their sister was incredibly clever.

"You have to promise that you'll keep your grades up," Peeta told Prim. "And, that you'll come home from the office at a reasonable hour—and from the campus. Also—" Katniss watched her husband's gaze turn solemn. "—that you'll come home every holiday. Just because you're going to be running a company, it doesn't mean that you forget where you came from."

"Of course, big brother." Prim's eyes were shining with unshed tears. "All I've wanted to do was to make you proud of me. You've sacrificed your moment to be that regular college kid and gave me that chance. Now, it's my decision to do it all—school, work, and everything else in-between."

"Okay then." Peeta sighed. "You're going to be the head of a major company—just another milestone." He looked to Katniss and held out his hand. "I think you inspired her."

Katniss shook her head and took his hand. "Prim will find her own way. I'll just be there to help."

There was a knock on their doorway. Robin and James stood side by side in their pajamas—which were on backwards.

"I think you have those on the wrong way, you two," Prim said as they walked over to the bed.

"No." Robin climbed onto the bed and plopped herself on her father's lap. "We like them this way."

"Yeah," James added as he went to Katniss, his arms wrapping around her hips and his golden head pressing to her growing stomach. "More comfy."

Prim snorted as she smiled at the couple. "Looks like you have future trendsetters in your hands."

* * *

_Snow Corporation_

"This is swanky," Katniss remarked as she sat down at the long glass table in Johanna's office. "I didn't think that you'd ever leave your firm."

"Well, Beetee was offering a much nicer package for his contracts lawyer," Johanna said to her best friend as she placed a cup of tea in front of Katniss. "Where are Prim and Peeta? And, my Godmonsters?"

"Prim and Peeta are taking a walk with Beetee," she informed the woman. "And believe or not, the twins are with Cato and Finch in his office. Once they saw that Mrs. Snow was a redhead, they were fascinated and needed to touch her hair. It's a good thing that Finch is so good-natured about it."

A little after the twins turned three, Katniss had been surprised to receive a call from her ex-husband. Cato had been dating Finch for almost two years and had decided to propose. He wanted to warn Katniss should she get a phone call or two in regards to it.

It had been strange to hear him so giddy and excited about it; for Cato had never been that giddy when they were together. However, Katniss understood how being in love with the right person could really change your life. She had known since Finch had joined the Snow Corporation that she had been nothing but a positive influence on Cato.

So, Katniss congratulated him and wished him the best—because she sincerely meant it.

Six months later, the photo of the new Mr. and Mrs. Snow was published in _The New York Star_.

"Is it weird to see him playing with your kids?" her best friend asked. "I mean…after Helena?"

She shook her head. "No. In fact, it was kind of nice—made me think that if Helena had survived that he would've stepped up. We would have separated but he would've been there for her. I know that now."

Johanna smiled sadly at her, squeezing her hand. "That's really good."

Katniss nodded. She had made her peace a long time ago.

"Also, it was kind of funny to see him tripping balls as James opened his drawers and Robin braided Finch's hair," she continued. "Especially with the little Snow on its way."

Johanna snorted and chuckled. "I'm sure it was for you." Her best friend cleared her throat. "Onto another subject—how is Prim doing with all of this?"

"I think Prim needed the walk and talk with Beetee. He'll be a good person for her to go to for advice on the fly," Katniss said. "But, she's nervous—as she should be."

"That just means that Prim wants to do well," Johanna assured her. She squeezed Katniss' hand. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well for someone who is about to delegate her company to a nineteen-year-old," she responded and placed her free hand on her stomach. "And, who is going to have three children."

Johanna guffawed at her words. "It wasn't Peeta's fault that his horny, jealous wife couldn't wait to jump his bones." She shook her head at Katniss. "And, in the parking lot of his office…the parents of the Panem Unified School District would shit themselves if they knew what you did to their young, virile superintendent."

"Oh please," Katniss responded with a scowl. "It was during a gala thrown by those parents—and they were all jones-ing for my man!"

"Don't get her angry. She's likely to kill us all!" The two women looked to see Cinna and Portia at the doorway. Her co-partners grinned at the agitation on her face. "We're just joking with you." Cinna went to her and kissed the top of her head. "We're all actually very proud that you went rogue and decided to mess around in your car."

"Though, I'm never going to ride in it the next time that I'm in Panem," Portia told Katniss after giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Okay, okay…" Johanna held her hands up. "Let's all stop embarrassing Katniss. She's going to have a hard enough time explaining to the little one how he or she came to be." Reaching into the open briefcase on the table, she handed Cinna and Portia a packet as they sat down. "These are the new contracts, each detailing your current duties, and the new duties that will be given to you once Katniss leaves the company."

The two look through their respective packets, signing where Johanna had marked.

Cinna suddenly stopped to look up at Katniss in shock. "This is too much."

Katniss shook her head. "This is not enough," she assured him with a smile. "You and Portia have contributed so much to the company and you've been loyal associates and friends. Also, you're going to be taking Prim on and helping her to find her way. That is a lot."

"We're happy to do it, Katniss," Portia told her. "Cinna and I have always seen potential in Prim. She's always had a keen eye on trends and has been innovative when it comes to ideas. Every meeting that she has sat in on, Prim has had idea after idea. Half of the spring line was her contributions."

"And, she hasn't been overdoing it?" Katniss asked worriedly. "She's still so young."

Cinna shook his head. "We've made sure that she has the time to do her work for her Parsons classes. But, Prim loves being at the office. While the other kids are out at the clubs, she's sitting at her desk just sketching away with a content smile." He gave Katniss an affectionate grin. "I see a lot of you in her. She's young, but so were you. And that drive and work ethic—you taught her that. You should be proud of the person that she's grown up to be."

Katniss bit her lip trying to quiet her emotions. Yes, she was afraid for her sister but hearing those words assured her that Prim would be alright.

That it was okay to focus on what was always the most important part of her life—her family.

There was a knock on the door and Prim entered along with Peeta. "Hey guys. Are you ready for us?"

"Of course," Johanna called out. "Come in."

Prim went to sit in-between Portia and Cinna while Peeta went to her.

"We're just finishing up with the revised contracts for Cinna and Portia," Johanna said after everyone had settled down. She pushed a closed folder in front of Katniss. "This is your agreement to transfer your company share to Prim, which includes stocks as well as your title for Everdeen Design. You will remain employed as a consultant as needed."

"Katniss, I thought I would be using my money to obtain my stocks," Prim told her.

She shook her head. "No, sweetheart. It's what I want to do. Clean break, really," Katniss told her with a nervous smile. "That way, it is really like I'm gone—even though I'll be there if you need advice."

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" Prim asked. "It can be the four of us."

Katniss looked to Peeta, who reached over to squeeze her hand. He had also told her that it was okay to not leave. But, she felt for a long time that her life was no longer in Manhattan—it was in Panem with Peeta and their children. While she would miss certain things about the big city, Katniss could no longer see her future there.

There was a slight fluttering within—and she looked down at her small belly.

It was the first time that their child had moved.

At that moment, Katniss knew that it would be okay.

Signing the contract, she slid it to her sister.

"No," Katniss said. "It's your turn now."

* * *

_Brooklyn, New York_

"Am I all done now, Aunt Katniss?" Hattie asked.

"Almost, love," she responded as she finished braiding the long blonde hair of her goddaughter. Katniss wrapped the tie at the bottom and then kissed the top of the little girl's head. "There you go. All done!"

Hattie swung her hair in delight and the skirt of the navy dress swirled around her legs. "I LOVE IT!" She turned to Effie. "Look Mommy!"

"That looks adorable, sweetheart," Effie responded with an adoring grin. "Now you and Robin look exactly alike!"

"Now we can be triplets!" Hattie rushed over to the other side of the large living room where Robin and James sat at the play table, each child drawing on a piece of construction paper. "Look at my hair!"

Robin was enthusiastic while James simply gave his friend a smile.

"Boys and hair—it's just never going to happen," Katniss remarked with a shake of her head. "Where's Haymitch?"

"Zara had a doctor's appointment. Haymitch volunteered to take her since he knew that we would be busy," Effie said. "It's on their way home, anyway."

"It's hard to imagine Haymitch as the father of two girls," she said to her friend.

Effie laughed. "You've been saying that since Zara was born—and she's almost five now!" The two women looked over to where their children played. "Funny how things work out. I mean, I can't believe that Hattie is seven and the twins have just started first grade." She looked at Katniss' burgeoning stomach. The bump had noticeably grown in only a few days. "And, you're having another one!"

"Did you ever think that when you came to Panem that you would end up married with two girls?" Katniss asked.

"Not really. Also, I honestly thought that you would get bored in Panem and come back home to Manhattan," Effie replied. "But it turned out that it was the other way around."

"While you found your way to Brooklyn," Katniss added as she took a sip of water.

The Abernathy Family had found themselves moving to Brooklyn after Zara was born. Effie's business had doubled since she had gained such popularity in party planning. Her decorating business had since expanded to event planning and it seemed to be the most prudent that they lived closer to Manhattan.

"That I did." Effie looked over at the children who were all giggling with one another. "And, we couldn't be happier." She turned to Katniss. "Let's go over Prim's party."

Prim's birthday would be on the rooftop of Katniss' flagship store. It was black-tie and exclusive to their clients, family, and friends. It would also be where they would be officially announcing Katniss' stepping down and Prim's new position in Everdeen Design to the press.

"There will be an announcement to our shareholders on the Friday before the party," Katniss relayed. "I'm sure that many of them will be letting others know."

"AUNTIE KATNISS!" A ball of energy with dark hair and grey eyes rushed over to her.

"ZARA!" She responded as the little girl crawled on her lap. "I thought you went to the doctor?"

"I did," Zara said cheerfully. She held up a stethoscope to her Aunt. "Look—I got a present!"

"We owe the doctor a hundred dollars," Haymitch said as he walked in. He went to his wife and gave her a quick kiss. "How you doing, Katniss?"

"Just party planning with your wife and grooming the next head of Everdeen Design," she told the man. "And yourself?"

"Just being the principal at one of the newest progressive schools in Brooklyn," he told her with a grin. "Not to mention, dealing with the numerous women in my life."

Zara was already hopping off of Katniss' lap and rushing over to the other children. James stood up to give her his seat.

Haymitch shook his head at the sight. "Look at that—a mini Katniss and Peeta right there."

Katniss tilted her head at the two. "Yeah, James does look a lot like Peeta…the hair and the face shape."

"And, Zara—those big grey eyes, that dark hair…" Effie mused as she watched the kids. "We could end up related."

Haymitch snorted. "And, you want to have another one?"

Katniss laughed at his words. Her hand went to the bump tenderly.

"Well, I can't do anything about it now!"

* * *

"Tomorrow's the big day," Peeta said as he put a sweater over her shoulders.

"Yes, it is," she replied as she looked out at the sight before her. The streets were mostly empty and the air was still, but chilly. "Prim did well."

The shareholders meeting had gone as well as they had hoped. Prim was professional and courteous. She had presented herself as a formidable asset to the team and took the time during the Q&amp;A to explain her ideas for the upcoming fiscal year.

"So, she really isn't our little girl anymore," her husband said quietly.

"I know," Katniss told him. "But, you have three other kids who are at your beck and call." She turned to him. "Not to mention, you have a wife who is going to need you to entertain her since she won't be running a business anymore."

Peeta lifted her chin and every part of her came alive at the look in his eyes. "Don't worry. I will find plenty of ways to entertain you." His arm snaked around her waist and drew her mouth to his.

She loved the taste of his kiss; part chocolate from the piece he had shared with Prim and part red wine which he had during their dinner of macaroni and cheese—the whole family's favorite food, including the baby inside her.

"Is this part of the entertainment?" she asked as they pulled apart.

Peeta grinned at her. "Definitely part one." He looked around. "You know this is the first place that I really kissed you."

"I thought I kissed you," Katniss said with a smile.

"We'll call it even," her husband responded. "Now, where were we?"

"You were going to entertain me," she replied.

Putting an arm around her, Peeta led her off of the balcony.

"Okay then," he began. "I showed you part one." His mouth went to her neck and her knees nearly buckled at the twisting sensation in her center. "Now, I'm going to show you part two."

* * *

Katniss looked to Prim. "You nervous?"

Her sister nodded her head. "How about you?"

"A little," Katniss responded. "But, you know me. I was never good with speaking in public."

Prim took her hand. "You look good, though."

"Thanks." Katniss turned to her sister in her white halter dress dress. "You look very beautiful. Who created that fabulous gown?"

Her sister blushed slightly, her eyes lowered in shyness. "I did."

"Oh, and looky here—" Katniss held out the wide skirt of her emerald-colored gown as she grinned at Prim. "—you made my dress, too!"

"Do you really like it?" Prim asked as they walked down to the front of the store, arms linked and in unison. "I saw you in it while I drew it." She turned to Katniss. "I'm naming it after you."

She squeezed Prim's hand. "Thank you."

They turned to look at the flashing lights at the front door. Cinna and Portia were already addressing the crowd of reporters. The rumor about her stepping down had already surfaced once the shareholder meeting had finished up the day before.

Cinna and Portia were addressing the worries about Everdeen Design's stock should it plummet after her departure. Their reasoning was that the company still thrived with Katniss not as heavily involved in the business since her move from Manhattan years ago.

Her two former co-workers were much better at handling these questions than she was.

"I bet that you're excited to be handling the press," Katniss joked as they made their way behind the podium set-up. There, Peeta and the twins were waiting for them. She went to her husband to fix his tie. "You look nice."

"You look nervous," Peeta told her bluntly. He lifted her chin and kissed her lightly. "But, the gorgeous kind of nervous."

"Come on guys!" Prim hissed as Robin and James covered their eyes. "No one needs to see that."

"Well, _that _is how your niece and nephew got here," Peeta responded. "Plus, little bun right here." He put a hand to Katniss' swell. The little one in her stomach was fluttering frequently now.

After they returned to Panem, she would have her appointment with Mags to find out the sex of the baby.

"I would now like to turn the podium over to Katniss Everdeen-Mellark for any further questions," Cinna suddenly spoke.

Her feet were suddenly carrying up the stairs and towards Cinna, who stood at the podium. Beside him was Portia, who was clapping furiously with the rest of the crowd.

Katniss turned and found herself staring into the numerous camera lens. She looked down at the written speech that she had prepared, just in case, before meeting the reporters.

"Good evening," she began. "Thank you for coming. I'm sure that there have been numerous rumors about my role as Head of Everdeen Design. I would like to put these reports to rest." Taking a deep breath, she quickly glanced over at Peeta, who stood behind her along with the children and Prim. He gave her an encouraging smile. "So tonight I would like to announce that I will be stepping down from my position, but will continue to serve as an advisor to my co-heads, Cinna Alexander and Portia Allen as well as the new head of the team."

She gave the audience a shaky smile.

"Are there any questions?"

Johanna, dressed in a one-shouldered number, stepped up to field questions. She pointed to the front. "You in the dark navy suit!"

"Mrs. Everdeen-Mellark? John Sully from _Women's Wear Daily_. Any reason that you are stepping down?"

Katniss took a breath before replying, "I love fashion and for a long time, it was my whole life." She paused for a moment. "But as I started to venture into other avenues, I realized after a while that it stopped being the only thing in my life. I had my children and got married." Her hand went to her stomach and several flashes went off. "I want to move forward because I've already reached every goal I've ever set out to achieve in the fashion world. To put it simply—I want more."

"Next question," Johanna said. "You." She pointed to a woman in a sharp business suit.

"Ariana Oates from_ Elle Magazine UK_," the woman said in a posh accent. "Can you tell us about the new head of Everdeen Design?"

"The new head is someone that I've known for a majority of my life," Katniss said, her lips growing in a proud grin. "She has been in the fashion world since she was thirteen as a model and has continued to educate herself beyond the runway. Cinna has often turned to her for her keen sense of style and Portia works with her on our budget as well as input on how we can tighten the brand and our mission." She smiled at the crowd. "She also designed and oversaw the team who created my gown for tonight."

Stepping away from the podium, Katniss placed a hand to her hip and slowly turned each way to show off Prim's gown. She could see the furious scribbling on notepads and the cameras slowly angling from top to bottom.

Going back to the podium, she looked to Johanna who then turned to the crowd. "Last question—you!"

A small, squat man called out, "Claudius Templesmith—_Vogue Magazine_. Mrs. Everdeen-Mellark, the question on everyone's minds is—who is the new co-head of Everdeen Design?"

"Good question," Katniss responded with a grin. "I would like to introduce the newest member to the Everdeen Design team—" She turned to Prim before looking to the crowd. "Miss Primrose Mellark."

There was uproar as Katniss finished saying Prim's name. There was clapping but there were also many who were shouting questions. She knew there would be. Prim was one of the youngest people in Manhattan to be running a company. This fact was especially interesting as it was in the fashion industry.

Prim took a deep breath before walking forward, her steps confident. She hugged Cinna and Portia, then walked up to the podium and hugged Katniss tightly.

"Thank you," Prim told her simply. Katniss nodded, the tears suddenly rising from within as she stepped back to where Peeta and the children stood. Robin and James rushed over to hug her waist.

"You look so pretty, Mama," James told her, his grey eyes gazing up at her in adoration.

"Can I wear that dress when I grow up?" Robin asked, her dark ringlets bouncing with her.

"I bet if you're really nice, Aunt Prim will make you one," she told their daughter before she looked to Peeta. "It's over." The bittersweet sadness welled up in her and Katniss gave him a sad smile.

Her husband kissed her softly. "Sweetheart, it's far from over."

They turned to watched Prim address the crowd.

"Good evening," Prim started. Katniss was amazed at how poise their sister was. She looked so grown up with her blonde hair smoothed and brought to a large bun at the nape of her long neck. Her makeup was clean, with long dark lashes and red lips. "My name is Primrose Mellark. Many of you may have seen me as a model for Everdeen Design as well as for a number of other designers including Chloé and Marc Jacobs. For a long time, I knew that I loved fashion. I love the way that fashion has a way of effecting our lives in so many positive ways. It is an industry that is diverse, creative and fun. We find beauty in all shapes and sizes and our overall goal is to make every person be the best that they can be through clothing. That statement is something that I have always believed in—that we want to be the best selves that we can be."

Prim looked around the room, meeting everyone's eyes boldly.

"I know that I am young. But, age should never be a deterrent in doing what you want," she continued. "I learned that from my brother and from Katniss." Prim looked to them, a smile in her blue eyes. "They have always taught me that the world is open to anyone who is willing to take it by the hands. I believe that I can bring that determined spirit to Everdeen Design and further it beyond anything this industry has ever known. I was raised to value innovation, creativity, and overall passion in what you do. My late parents endeavored to teach myself and my brother that these factors often lead to success and overall happiness in one's self."

There was a sharp intake of breath and she turned to see Peeta's eyes damp at his sister's words.

Taking his hand, Katniss lifted it to kiss his knuckles.

"Why don't we bring the kids to bed?" she suggested.

Peeta lifted Robin into his arms as she took James' hand as his other hand rubbed at his eyes.

"Shouldn't we stay for Prim?" he asked her.

Katniss looked to their sister who continued to speak to crowd.

Prim looked perfectly in control.

She shook her head before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"No, she's going to be alright."

* * *

"Katniss! Peeta!"

They turned to see Prim rushing towards them along with Rue, who had flown in for the rooftop birthday from San Francisco where she was going to school.

The couple hugged Rue hello before turning to their sister.

"How did it go?" Peeta asked anxiously.

"It went as well as it could," Prim told him. "There were a lot of questions about my experience and what I would bring to the table. But, I think I'd rather show them rather than explain it to them." She kissed her brother on the cheek. "Thank you for believing that I could do this."

"Just because I did, it's not going to make me any less worried," Peeta informed her. "Though, I think you're going to do great." He pulled his sister into his arms. "I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of you, too," their sister replied, her voice choked.

"You two are a bunch of saps," Rue suddenly interrupted and stuck her tongue out at the two. Katniss laughed at the girl's expression. "I almost don't want to give you your present, Prim."

Prim whipped around to her best friend. "You have to! I made your backpack for you!"

Rue snapped her fingers in annoyance.

"Damn. It is a first edition design from Prim Mellark. My present is not nearly as cool!"

"Geez, Rue! What am I—a bag of socks?"

They turned to find Rory in a black tux standing before them, grinning from ear to ear, his eyes focused solely on Prim.

"RORY!"

Prim was already running to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her easily and the two spun gracefully before Rory placed her back on the ground.

Katniss had to admit—they made a beautiful couple with their captivating contrast of dark and light. Rory had grown just as tall as Gale and in heels, Prim was just about equal in height. He had brushed his dark hair back to neaten his appearance but there a slight bit of scruff coming in along his strong jawline. It was strange to see it on a boy who she had babysat as a child.

On the other hand, she just handed off her company to a girl who used to throw Cheerios on her.

"Wow," Rory said as he looked Prim over. "This dress is very you—bold, beautiful, and leaving you wanting more."

"Down boy," Peeta interrupted as he went to shake Rory's hand. "I'm still in charge of who stays and who goes at this party."

Rory smiled sheepishly. "Yes, Peeta." He gave Katniss a kiss. "You look wonderful. Gale and Madge say hello."

"We'll see them and the rest of their bunch when we get back," she told him.

"What are you doing here?" Prim asked, her blue eyes glowing.

There was no doubt that time had not diminished the feelings that the two had for one another.

"I'm transferring over to NYU. Just put down a deposit on a little apartment in Brooklyn that Haymitch found for me," he informed them though his eyes remained on Prim. "Also, it's close to my Mom's place."

"Your mom is moving, too?" Prim asked.

"Well, she's going to have to," Katniss told her sister. "It'll be difficult for the newest 'Whimsy in the City' ambassador to travel back and forth. You remember how it was!"

Katniss nodded her head at someone across the room and they all looked to see Posy, now fifteen, chatting with Cinna and Portia. The pretty dark-haired girl waved at the group before going back to her conversation.

"Talk about a mini-Katniss," Rue remarked. "Was that the angle that they were going for?"

"I think that they wanted to show that, in some way, I would always be around," Katniss said to her.

"She's been modeling in small shows," Rory said before meeting Prim's eyes again. "You're her idol."

"Did you want to go…talk?" Prim suddenly asked as she took his hand.

Rory nodded, a small blush creeping on his chiseled face. "With you? Always and yes."

The two walked away leaving Rue alone with Katniss and Peeta.

"I think I'm going to go and have Cinna introduce me to that cute model from the Cor Magnus line," Rue said. She kissed the couple goodbye before adjusting her golden dress and walking over to Cinna, who was now talking to the young man.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Mrs. Mellark," Peeta said as he met her eyes. "You think you'll be happy waking up to this face about five…ten…fifteen years from now?"

"Always," she told him. "In fact, let's go home so we can get in bed and wake up to each other."

"Will there be anything happening prior to the waking up part?" Peeta asked eagerly.

Katniss winked at him as she pulled him toward the exit door of the roof. "Oh yeah—definitely."

* * *

_Three Days Later…_

"Remember to listen to your parents," Prim said as she knelt before James and Robin. "Also, make sure that you don't stress your Mommy out because she has to rest and take care of your little brother or sister."

"Yes, Auntie Prim," the two said in unison.

"Now come here and give me a hug!" She engulfed the two kids in her arms. "I love you my Robby and Jamie!" Prim pulled away to give them kisses on the cheeks. "I'll see you soon."

Together, the three went to Peeta and Prim dove into her brother's arms. "Take care of them."

"Of course, little sister," Peeta said as he held her tight. He kissed her forehead before pulling away. "Remember to pace yourself. Get enough rest, but have fun. You're still young." He looked over to where Rory stood, his hands being tugged at by the twins. They had wandered over to Prim's on-again boyfriend and were now using him as their personal climbing tree. "And…not too many sleepovers."

Prim turned scarlet. "Peeta!"

"You run your own company, you run your own life," he told his sister. "But, I'll always be here when you need me and even when you don't."

Prim hugged him once more. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Peeta said in a tight voice.

Finally, Prim turned to Katniss. "Thank you for everything."

Katniss wrapped her arms around her sister. It would be a long time before she could fly over to see everyone, including Prim, as it would be too dangerous for her to fly as she got later into her pregnancy.

"You did it all yourself." Katniss lifted Prim's chin as they pulled apart. "But, thanks for sitting with a lonely woman on a porch many years ago."

"It was my pleasure," Prim replied as she wiped her eyes. "Why am I crying? I'm going to see you in three weeks for Christmas!"

"Because when you leave us, you're in charge of yourself," Katniss said to her. "But, I think that you've known how to take care of yourself since the day I ran into you."

"I'm always going to need my family," her sister told her in a thick voice. "Katniss…you were the one that made our family whole."

Katniss didn't want Prim to see her tears, so instead she kissed her sister's forehead.

"I love you," Prim whispered into her ear. "Thanks for sitting with me on that porch and giving me your coat."

Peeta approached them solemnly as Robin and James flanked his sides.

"We better go. We still have to get through security."

With a final kiss to Prim and a hug to Rory, the Mellarks turned to go towards the security gate.

Katniss knew that Prim and Rory were watching them leave and she knew that she couldn't look back to them—and to Manhattan.

That wasn't her life anymore.

Her eyes met Peeta's before looking to her children who smiled brightly at their mother.

They were her life now.

"You ready?" Peeta asked as he took her hand.

"Yes." She entwined her fingers with his. "Let's go home."

**FIN.**

* * *

First…

Mr. JLaLa's notes:

Like you, I'm saddened that we have reached the end of Tides. It's been one wild ride, hasn't it?

I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being so receptive and supportive of my wife's passion. It's an even greater honor to be recognized by you and I'm happy to be of service to her as well as to all of you.

The part that excites me the most is how you all react to the story. To know that my wife's words can make you laugh, cry, be angry or surprise you speaks a lot to me of how incredible she is as a writer.

Thank you all!

And, now me—JLaLa!

First off, thank you for your support.

This story was the first one that my husband and I ever worked on together—and we're so happy with how it turned out.

There's so much more that I could go into, but I think that for now it is the end.

I will let you guess what the baby's sex is—but it's already somewhere in the story. ;)

As always, your hellos, feedback, and reviews are always welcomed.

With love, JLaLa


End file.

Hunger Games, Hurt-Comfort, Romance