so i was reading a story today about the wife of a deployed soldier and their two kids and it inspired me to write a one shot based roughly on what i read and how many stories are similar to theirs.

shout out to every wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend, partner, mom, dad, sister, brother, child and any one else who has a loved one in the military for the strength they have; and a huge thank you to everyone in the military who basically defends my right to even post a one shot like this.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump. Thump thump thump.

I hear him hopping up and down the hallway and I sigh, mentally reminding myself that at just 5 years old, hopping on his one good leg is not something I can necessarily yell at him about. He knows how to attach his prosthesis but insists, "Hopping is way more fun".

I can't really be upset that he thinks that way about his missing limb. It would be freaking adorable actually if it wasn't 6 in the morning. Sitting up in bed I smile to myself before taking a look at the framed picture on my nightstand. My husband beams back at me, his eyes shining and crinkling at the corners. I quickly brush my fingers over his photographed face and remind myself that he is calling us tomorrow night over Skype.

It's not as good as having him here, but I knew the deal when I married a military man, and I'll take whatever I can get.

Looking towards the crib in my room I lean over to peer at my six month old to see if her older brother's shenanigans have woken her up, but by some miracle she is sleeping like a rock. A soft smile plays on my lips as I take her in. She looks so much like her father while she sleeps.

Throwing my robe on I exit my room and lean against the door frame with my arms crossed, grinning as my son tries to hop from one floor tile to the next. He must not notice me at first because when he finally does turn my way he falls flat on his butt in surprise before bursting into a giggle fit.

"And what exactly are you doing mister?" I ask, laughter evident in my voice.

"Trying to beat my record!" He exclaims before pushing himself up to try again. Before he can jump one more time I swoop towards him and pick him up, holding him like a baby.

"Mommy! Put me down!" He tries his hardest to sound stern, but when I begin to tickle his side he dissolves into a fit of laughter that I can't help but join in on. His blue eyes are shining, his dark hair falling into them, and I begin to carry him towards his room, not once loosening my grip.

"Baby, did you forget how to put your leg on?" I ask when we finally reach his room. Setting him down on his bed I go to get it from its place next to his nightstand.

"Nope! See it's right here!" He proclaims pointing down to his good leg before bursting into another round of the giggles. Snorting I kneel in front of him and grab his stump from where the doctors had to amputate his right leg when he was only eight months old.

"Har har, you are such a comedian." I say and he only continues to laugh as I go about attaching his prosthesis. When he was born and had one leg nearly only half the length of the other it had been my worst nightmare. My sweet baby boy, how could he live a normal life? It had worried me endlessly, and when the doctors had suggested amputation the first time, I had thrown up. Peeta had calmed me, just as he always does, and we both realized that Jason would never know the difference. How could he really miss something he never really had? That was the logic my mother had used and at first it had made me so angry I had seen red, but looking at him now, watching me through his dark lashes as I put his fake leg on, I understand what point she was trying to make.

He doesn't know any different from this fake leg, and he's easily one of the happiest children I've ever encountered in my life. I don't think I had ever really seen him sad or upset until the day that Peeta left, but that was a rough day for all of us. It's been a rough year actually but Jason is determined to make me smile every day. He is his father's son after all.

When I'm all finished I stand up and place a kiss on the top of his head. When he remains silent I sit down next to him on the bed and begin to run my hands through his curls.

"What is it bunny?" I ask and I hear his 5-year-old sigh as he leans against me.

"Nothing. I miss Daddy is all." I feel the familiar pang in my chest when Jason admits to me that he misses his Daddy and I remind myself to be strong for him, instead of crying.

"Me too baby, but we get to talk to him tomorrow night." I squeeze him tightly and feel him nod.

"Do we really have to go to Uncle Gale's house tonight Mommy?" He asks and I can't help the single laugh that escapes me at his abrupt change of subject.

Gale isn't really his biological Uncle but he might as well be. Jason didn't inherit mine or Gale's love of hunting and when he saw us skinning a deer in the garage a month or two ago it really shook him up. I told him he never had to do that if he didn't want, but now he's afraid he'll have to anyways because he's the "man" of the family while Peeta is gone.

"Yes baby, we are going to go see Uncle Gale and Aunt Madge tonight. They invited us over for the weekend and you can play with your cousin Sally. You guys always have fun right?" I peer down at him and watch the excitement play across his features. He's off his bed in a flash, rummaging through his toy box.

"Oh yeah! Sally is going to love my new Iron Man toys! I need to pack them!" I watch as he hauls out his child sized Iron Man rolling suitcase and begins to fill it with toys to show his cousin.

"Okay, but don't pack too many. Sally has toys too you know." He shoots me an annoyed look and I roll my eyes as I exit his room. He really is his father's miniature.

When I finally get back into my room, a bottle of formula ready to go, I peer into the crib, and am greeted by a pair of grey eyes that match my own.

"Good morning love." I say and smile when she gurgles at me in response. Reaching over to smooth down some of her unruly tufts of blonde hair I can't help but chuckle when she begins to flail her arms and legs, a sure sign she is done being in the crib. Picking her up I cradle her to my chest and sit in the rocking chair next to my window to begin to feed her. She snuggles against me and begins to feed, her eyes watching my face as she drinks her breakfast.

"You have what your Daddy has always called the "Everdeen stare". He always told me when we were dating that it was what won his heart when we met." She doesn't break her stare and I sigh as I begin to rock the chair.

"You'll meet your Daddy soon, I hope. He was so excited when we found out about you nugget; he cried so much I thought I was going to have to make him breathe into a paper bag. Your brother was really confused, and thought I had hurt Daddy somehow. It would have been funny if they hadn't been both freaking out on me."

I ramble as she eats, as is our morning routine. When she finishes I burp and change her, before gathering up the baby bag, the small suitcase I have packed for Jason and I, and my purse. Setting her down in the car seat I keep in the house (she prefers it to her crib most nights) I pick up my cell phone to give Gale a call.

He picks up after a few rings and I can hear Sally squealing in the background.

"Catnip please say you are on your way and that you aren't backing out again. Madge will be so pissed."

I roll my eyes even though I know he can't see me.

"Gale, calm your tits. I have the kids ready and I was calling to say I should be on my way soon. And tell Madge that when she has to raise two kids under the age of six on her own she has every right to be mad when I cancel weekend trip plans but until then she can just shut the hell up."

I hear him chuckle darkly.

"I will absolutely not tell her that. It's just important to her that you come up and see us this weekend. Me too."

I sigh.

"Yeah yeah. I don't get why it has to be me that comes to you but I guess by now I should just be used to how weird the two of you are."

"Hey! We are not weird, we are just going to be really busy and we can't make the trip to see you soon. Plus we figured it might be good for you to get out of the house."

I smile through the phone.

"Well as long as your hearts are in the right place I suppose. But you have to promise me to not torment Jason about hunting this time. He is scared shitless about it."

I hear him make a sound of distaste from his end.

"Yeah, just like his Dad. Too much like work I guess."

I begin to play with the end of my key ring and shrug.

"Yeah I guess."

"Alright Catnip, we'll see you soon okay? Love you."

"Love you too Gale." I say and hang up the phone, making my way towards the door.

"Jason!" I yell out once I reach the front door, keys in hand. He comes barreling out of his room, suitcase of toys in tow, coming to an abrupt stop in front of me, sending his sister into a giggle fit.

"You ready to go?" I ask, and he nods enthusiastically, any fear of dead deer gone from his mind. I jerk my head towards the car and he understands immediately, but before making his way he grabs the bags sitting next to me, insisting that he can carry them so I can put Lucy in her car seat.

Once they are both settled and Jason is actively trying to entertain his baby sister we set out on the road. It's only an hour-long drive, but by the time we arrive both children are asleep in their car seats, and before I wake them I take a quick photo with my phone. I know these pictures will mean the world to Peeta when he sees them, and when he arrives home I plan on having them all in an album waiting for him.

Madge comes outside, having heard us pull in and comes to my side as I start to unbuckle Lucy from her car seat.

"Hey stranger" She whispers to me, a grin on her face, and I bump her hip softly.

"Can I?" She asks, indicating that she would like to hold Lucy and I gently hand her over, thankful for the help. Moving to the other side of the car I open the door in order to get Jason out to play with his cousin.

Nudging Jason's leg to wake him up I smile softly. His eyes flutter open and he rubs them briefly before smiling back at me.

"Hey buddy. We're here." He immediately tries to get out of his car seat before realizing that he is still buckled in. His grin becomes somewhat impish as I laugh at his eagerness, but he remains still as I unbuckle him. He quickly scrambles around me and out of the car when he is free of the straps leaving me looking at a now empty seat.

My eyes meet Madge's from across the bench seat of the car and I cock my eyebrow when I notice the tears that have formed in them. I'm about to ask her what's wrong when I hear a sharp intake of breath come from Jason.

"DADDY!"

Whipping around I turn to see my son running full speed across the yard to the front door where Peeta stands, a grin on his face and tears running down his cheeks. My hands clasp over my mouth almost immediately as I watch Jason launch himself into his father's arms.

He's here. He's home. I can't believe it.

I hear Jason's muffled sobs in Peeta's shirt and before I have any idea what it is that I am doing, I feel my legs carrying me across the yard at full speed until I'm standing in front of my husband who is holding our son like a lifeline. Hot tears are spilling down my cheeks as I reach out to grasp his face, to make sure that he's real and this isn't a dream I'm having.

When his eyes close at the contact of my palms I lose it, sobs escaping me embarrassingly loudly, my hands slipping down to the collar of his shirt as he pulls me into his side.

I can't even think. All I can do is smell him, feel his warmth. He's home. He's safe, and he is here, where he should be. No more Skype calls from unknown locations, no more waking up in the night searching for him only to be reminded that he isn't here. He is finally home and I am never letting him go again.

I hear the sound of a camera going off somewhere behind us, and Madge walks up, laying a hand on my back. I turn myself in Peeta's arms, not willing to break contact with him. She has tears pouring down her face, and Lucy is in her arms looking slightly confused as to what the commotion is all about. Taking her in my arms I turn to look at Peeta, who has set Jason down next to us and is beaming at me.

Looking between my face and Lucy's Peeta kisses me soundly on the lips for a long moment, resting his forehead against mine and looking at the baby between us in my arms.

"Holy shit Katniss. She's even more perfect in person." I laugh through my sobs and shake my head in agreement with him.

"Yeah I think we did okay." I say and he kisses my forehead.

"Can I?" He asks and I nod, carefully handing him his daughter for the first time, and he looks at her in complete awe.

"Hi Lucy. I'm your Dad. Sorry I haven't been here, but I promise I'm staying here with you now." He kisses her on the top of her head, and she squeals in delight, her arms waving wildly, bringing on a fresh set of tears from us both. Jason clings to my leg and I bend down to pick him up. As Peeta shares his first moments with Lucy, our five year old whispers in my ear.

"Mommy he came back to us."

When Peeta looks up a moment later and grins at Jason and I, I can feel my heart practically beating out of my chest. I bury my nose in the top of Jason's head and smile.

"Yeah he did baby. Yeah he did."