Her Grandmother on her Dad's side was a whore. Everyone in District 12 knew her. She had three kids from three different men. First one was Ross Everdeen, he took his father's last name because he wanted nothing to do with his mothers ways as he got older. Plus his mother was still very young not even in her 30's yet.
Two years later his brother was born Jack Hawthorne, he also took his fathers last name when he got older. They both were children of a Seam man. Seam meaning poor, coal miners. They looked exactly like their father's dark brown hair, olive skin, and grey eyes.
Three years later their last brother was born Caleb Mellark. His father was a Merchant who owned the town Bakery. He also looked nothing like his Seam mother. He had his father's features. Shaggy blond hair, lighter skin and bright blue eyes.
Each boy went and lived with their father when their mother died in her late 30's, but they always kept in contact. They would meet out in the woods every Saturday despite it being illegal. They spent so much time out there that they all started creating weapons to hunt with. Caleb Mellark made too much noise to hunt so with his new-found skills he created weapons for his older brothers to hunt with.
They were inseparable. They did everything together in the woods, but when out in public Ross and Jack couldn't speak to their younger brother Caleb because he was from town and town people barely liked Seam people, but everybody knew they were all brothers even if they didn't look-alike, they knew.
The only thing these three brothers worried about was survival and The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games is where the Capitol picks one male and one female tribute 12-18 to represent their district in a fight to the death and there is only one Victor. The bothers' didn't want either of them to go into it and if one of them did go in they would go in ready. So they trained each others on how to survive and fight.
Over time as they each had gotten older and none of their names were called, Ross and Jack started working in the mines and eventually Caleb took over the bakery.
Jack was the first one to marry and have a boy named Gale. Caleb was second to marry and he married a Merchant girl who was nice at first. They had a boy a year after Gale was born naming him Rye.
Ross the oldest was the last to marry because it took a long time for him to get a Merchant girl to marry him. She was the daughter of the town healers and they had disowned her for marrying a coal miner from the Seam. A year later they had a daughter named Katniss at the same time as Caleb had his second son Peeta.
They kept their kids close to each other. Letting them know the meaning of what a family really is. Another 4 years later Ross had a set of twins which is very rare in District 12. First was a boy, her brother, Hagan with wavy blond hair and grey eyes and second to come was a girl, her sister, Primrose with wavy blond hair and blue eyes. Jack had another son a couple of days later naming him Rory.
After that no more kids were born. Ross's older daughter became more like him everyday and protected her younger siblings along with her many cousins. The first time her Dad took her out into the woods she was 6. He taught her how to shoot a bow and arrow and hunt. She was a natural at it like it was made for her hands only. Gale is good at setting traps and okay with a bow and arrow but he excels when an ax is in his hands. Peeta isn't good at anything that has to do with weapons, but he can fight with just his hands. Rye was good at throwing knifes and nothing else.
They practically lived in the woods with their fathers by their side. Peeta and her were only 8, Gale was 10 and Rye was 9 when one day they were out hunting with their fathers when a boy Gale's age came out into the clearing. He looked nothing like them in District 12. He had spiky golden blond hair and piercing icy blue eyes, the iciest she had ever seen. They all had stared at him and he stared back not knowing what to do.
The girl was the one who stepped up to him curiously and sized him up and down trying to sense if he was a threat to them, but he wasn't.
"Who are you?" She had finally asked him. He seem startled by her strong voice and looked her over with his eyes and then smirked.
"I could ask you the same thing." He said. She had scowled at him.
"Are you lost or something?" she asked him still scowling.
"No. Are you?" He replied back still smirking. She had wanted to smack that smirk right off that cocky bastards face.
"I'd watch it if I were you. She has a bad temper for an 8-year-old girl." She heard Gale say with amusement in his voice.
"Good to know. She's like a little Spitfire." The boy said. She growled at him already had lost what little temper she had and punched him square in the face. He fell back in surprise at how much a little 8-year-old girl could pack a punch. She had raised her bow and arrow at him, eyes blazing.
"Who. Are. You?" She had demanded again with her bow pointed at him. All he did was rub his chin and got up. He looked at her bow and then back at her. He liked this little Spitfire.
"Cato." He finally said holding out his hand. She looked at it suspiciously, but then lowered her bow and took his bigger hand in her smaller one and gave him a small smile which was very rare for her to give a stranger.
"Katniss." She had said. He smiled back, a real smile and looked over shoulder at the people behind her who looked shocked. Her Dad was the first one to get over it.
"I'm her Dad, Ross, and you my boy are the very first to actually make friends with her. As you can tell she isn't really nice around other people." He had explained and she glared at him and huffed. She knew it was true and it wasn't her fault she didn't trust people like that.
"Yea, she takes after her Dad and Uncle. By the way I'm Caleb her Uncle and these are my boys Peeta and Rye." Her uncle had commented. Peeta and Rye waved.
"If she can accept you then I guess your alright. I'm Jack and this is my son Gale." Her other uncle had said and Gale nodded at Cato. Cato had nodded back. Katniss turned to him.
"Where are you from." She asked him. He shrugged and smirked.
"Around." Was all he said. Then added, " Why are you out in the woods?"
"Answer my question first and I'll answer yours." She shot back with a smirk of her own. He's starting to grow on her even if they only knew each other for 5 minutes.
"Fine, I'm from District 2." He said realizing this little girl was something else.
"Then why are you here?" She asked him curiously.
"I believe you still have to answer my question." He said. She huffed.
"We were hunting." Was all she had said. He nodded.
"Aren't you a bit scrawny to handle a bow?" He teased her cocking his head to the side. He seemed to like getting her all worked up and frustrated. She just smirked not really bothered by his comment.
"Apparently not if I could knock you on your ass with one punch." She taunted him. He glared at her but still had an amused smile on his face.
"Point taken." Was all he said back as they both heard laughter coming from behind her. They looked and saw everybody laughing.
"You guys are so cute bickering. Looks like your going to have to watch out Ross because Cato here has his eye's on your daughter." Jack chuckled. Ross just shook his head.
"Watch it boy." He said halfheartedly. Cato held up his hands in surrender.
"Wasn't trying anything." He said.
After that encounter Ross took Cato under his wing finding a liking in the boy. Katniss and him bickered when they were together which was all the time before Cato had to go back to District 2. Oddly enough all that bickering they did made them become best friends and only saw each other in the woods when Cato was in District 12 which was every 6 months.
Cato had eventually met the other Everdeens Hagan, Prim and their mom. They all took a liking into Cato.
Cato started realizing his feelings toward Katniss when he was 12 but Katniss being only 10 was naïve and so young that he had to keep quiet about it. As Katniss got older she started feeling the same for him but he just didn't know it yet.
But Katniss pushed all thoughts of love behind her when her Dad and Uncle Jack died in a coal mining accident and she had to become the head of the house at only 11 because her Mom had checked out on them just staring off into space. Hagan and Prim were only 7 when it happened.
Cato had come back that winter, 5 months later, and found a very skinny Katniss in the woods at their spot crying her eyes out. This was the first time he had ever seen her cry, well in front of him that is. He went to her and pulled her close.
"Kat what's wrong?" He asked.
"Their dead Cato."She sobbed. He looked at her confused.
"Whose dead?" He asked trying to understand.
"My Dad and Uncle Jack... Their dead. I only have Uncle Caleb left. They died in the mine explosion 5 months ago and my Mom checked out into some deep depression." She finished bitterly. Cato's blood froze and he could feel hot tears stinging his eyes. He tried to be strong in front of her but he couldn't because Ross and Jack were like his father figures including Caleb. He felt crushed and started crying with Katniss. They clung to each other desperately thinking the other will disappear. When Cato finally pulled himself together he took Katniss face in his hands wiping away her tears with his thumbs.
"We're going to be alright." He told her softly. She didn't look convinced, but she wanted to believe him so badly.
"How do you know?" She asked in a small voice that didn't sound like her. He breathed deeply and then smiled at her.
"Because I love you." He confessed and kissed her. This was her first kiss so she didn't know what to do, but she didn't pull away from it. The kiss tasted like salt from their tears, but she didn't mind. When he pulled away he start apologizing which was something he never did.
"I'm sorry I just couldn't help it. I know your only 11 and I'm older. It's just something about you that draws me to you." He kept rambling. All she could do was laugh.
"Cato, shut up." She chuckled. He snapped his mouth shut nodding.
"I have feelings for you too, but I don't know if it's love yet." She confessed after a minute.
"It's okay, I understand." He sighed. She nodded not saying anything.
That day they spent all day in the woods and made bracelets for each other.
3 years later...
"Hey." Rye said noticing Cato.
"Hey" He said back. Katniss seemed to notice his defeated posture and asked him what was wrong.
"This is the last time you guys will be able to see me unless I win." He said not looking them in the eye.
"Why?" He heard Peeta ask him and he could feel Katniss, Rye and Gale staring him down.
"I'm going into the Games this year." He mumbled and he could hear the sharp inhale from all of them.
"Why?" Peeta asked again.
"Because I have no choice. You don't know who my grandfather is or what he could do if I don't." Cato explained finally looking up but he wished he hadn't because he could see Katniss 14-year-old self having silent tears run down her cheeks.
"Will you be able to make it home?" Gale asked. Cato shrugged.
"Don't know. Just - if I don't, don't forget me please." He said. They nodded except Katniss who had a scowl on her face now.
"Gale, Peeta, Rye can you give us some privacy?" She asked them still looking at Cato.
They nodded and went somewhere in the woods. When they were out of ear shot Katniss marched up to Cato and smacked him hard.
"Ow..what was that for?" Cato asked holding his red cheek.
"That was for giving up on yourself. This is not the Cato I know." Katniss said fuming. Cato sighed.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to get your hopes up if I didn't." He said looking into her grey eyes. She sniffed
"Your coming back to me." She said and lifted her wrist and took off the bracelet he gave her that said 'Spitfire'.
"What are you doing?" He asked confused as she put the bracelet around his wrist with the one she had given him.
"Like I said your coming back to me. You have to bring this bracelet back to me and I want you to wear it as your token." She said looking at him. He nodded.
"I'll come back to you. I promise." He said with determination.
"See this is the Cato I know." She smiled through her tears and hugged him. He hugged her back tightly not wanting to let go but did when Gale, Rye and Peeta came back into view.
"I'll see you guys later. Just remember whatever you see on that screen is fake and only for show." Cato said and went to give them a brotherly hug then left.
"So..does this mean he's coming back?" Rye asked Katniss.
"He's coming back." She said nodding and they went on hunting.
It was painful for her to watch him volunteer and go into the games. He had put on a cocky care-free act for the Capitol people and boy what a show it was. He ended up winning much to her relief, but she wouldn't see him until his Victory Tour which wasn't for another 4 months.
When the time came to see him finally she was excited like everybody else in her family except her Mom who just stares at the wall all day. Not many people in District 12 liked him because he was from a Career District and normally those Districts would kill their tributes. But Katniss knows Cato made sure to not even go near their tributes this year so the citizens didn't hate him that much.
It just shocked all of them even Katniss when they did Cato's interview after the Games and announced him as President's Snow grandson. Katniss was mad at first that Cato didn't tell her, but then she could see why. If she was in his shoes then she wouldn't want anyone to know that her granddad was Snow. He was an evil man.
So when everybody was at the Justice Building to hear the Victors speech that they hear every year Cato was nervous when he stepped out on the balcony. But nobody could tell only Katniss was able to notice from being around him for so long. After his speech was over everybody gave him a round of applause and that was it. Cato caught Katniss's eye before he went back into the building. He got her silent message.
The Woods
They met in the woods at night when everybody had gone to sleep. Katniss ran to Cato as he stood there and waited for her; That's just who he was. She wrapped her legs around his middle and arms around his muscular neck.
"Who knew you would have missed me this much." Cato teased. He heard her give a weak chuckle.
"I told you, you would come back." Katniss murmured into his neck. He hugged her tightly against him, the cocky façade fading now turning serious.
"For you. I came back for you." He said and pulled back to look at her face.
"I love you." Katniss blurted out for the first time with tears streaming down her face.
"I love you too. Always have." He said and kissed her. She returned the kiss eagerly. When he pulled away he had a sad smile on his face.
"This is probably the last time we will see each other. They want me in the Capitol for now on." He said. Katniss sniffed.
"Then let's not waste this time we have together." She said and took him by surprise when she attacked his lips while running her hands through his spiky smooth hair. He had to forced himself to pull away from her.
"Katniss are you sure?" He asked. She nodded.
"Please make love to me Cato." She had said and kissed him again but this time with much more force. He didn't protest as he laid her down on the woods floor and started taking off her jacket.
Once they were naked in the open woods Cato didn't waste anytime before slowly pushing into her virgin hole. Katniss felt sharp pains as she felt him slide in until he was in as far as he could go. Cato stilled letting her adjust to his size and Katniss held her breath until she couldn't feel the pain anymore. Once she was adjusted she slowly began to move her hips to test out if she was ready.
"I'm ready." She said. Cato nodded not being able to talk or he would lose his concentration on not blowing his load inside her. This was his first time to and he didn't want to mess up her's and his. He leaned down and started kissing her as he started to move in and out slowly creating a slow rhythm for them and massaged her breasts. All he could think about was how tight and wet and warm she was for him.
Their moans and groans got lost in each others mouths and they only came up for air when it was needed. Katniss could feel herself tightening up wanting to uncoil and let go. She is so overwhelmed with Cato's slow thrust making her see the true meaning of love-making that she lets herself go detaching her mouth from Cato's as she calls his name into the night sky.
It was all too much for Cato feeling her cum around him and he looses all senses with two quick thrusts he spills himself in her.
"Katniss.." He moans into her neck emptying his load inside her. Katniss shudder at the sensation feeling sensitive there now. He pulls out of her and moves himself so as he collapses on his back at Katniss's side. They both breath heavily trying to catch their breaths. Cato pulls Katniss close to him as his breathing slows down and wraps his arms around her naked body.
"Thank you." He breathes rubbing small circles with his thumb on her stomach. Katniss chuckles confused.
"For what?" She asks.
"For trusting me something that can't be returned." He says and kisses her neck. Katniss sighs feeling sleepy.
"Then thank you too." She says. Cato chuckles.
"Your welcome." He says and then adds, "Let's get dress so we can go." Katniss shakes her head.
"Why can't we spend the night in the woods?" She ask him not wanting him to go yet. Cato shrugs.
"I never thought of it, but I guess we can." He says after a minute of thinking. "But we should get dress at least. Only I can see you like this." He says with positiveness as he runs his hands over her still developing breast and then down to the rest of her body. Katniss nods and starts to get up too tired and sore to come up with something witty to say back.
They get dress and Katniss wipes the blood off between her legs with some Moss and then puts her underwear and pants back on. They move over to a base of a tree and lay down with Katniss on top of Cato. Katniss lays her head on Cato's chest where his heart is and lets the thumping sound of his heart pull her to sleep.
Cato watches Katniss sleep on top of him for a minute until he finally goes to sleep himself wonder how is he going to stay away from her for so long.
A month later, Katniss didn't think anything of it, when her stomach started to get fat. She thought she was eating too much, but when Gale pointed out that she was getting slow on one of their hunts and she was out of breath a lot he started to get worried about her. So he went to the only person he knew that would know what was wrong with her. He brought their uncle out in the woods one day when he and Katniss where suppose to go hunting. They met her in their meeting spot and Katniss looked at them confused.
"What are you doing here Uncle." She asked. Caleb looked her over with his eyes and knew right away what was wrong with her.
"Katniss do you get tired a lot more than usual?" He ask her ignoring her question.
"No," She lied. Gale scoffed at her.
"She's lying. Every time we go on a hunt she's always breathless when we get back or slow. Not like her usual self." He explained crossing his arms. Caleb nodded.
"Katniss, when was your last period?" He asked. Katniss looked at him disbelieving that he just asked something that is so personal.
"Uncle." She squeaked out looking embarrassed. Gale tried hard not to laugh because he never seen Katniss blush before.
"Stop being so modest Kat." Their uncle rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Katniss looked up at the sky trying to remember when her last period was, but she came up short. Was it 2 months ago? she thought to herself.
"I don't know." She finally sighed looking at him. Caleb sighed as well. He was hoping he was wrong when he knew what was wrong with her, but the facts prove it.
"Katniss, your pregnant." He just went for like ripping a band off. Katniss and Gale gapped at him with their eyes wide and mouth ajar.
"What!" Gale sputtered. Caleb rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger. It was bad timing as Peeta and Rye found them in the clearing.
"Hey guys...Wait what's going on?" Rye asked after getting closer to them. Katniss had ignored them coming out of her shocked state.
"That can't be right! I'm only 14. How am I suppose to provide for my family if I have to watch out for my baby?" She exclaims feeling like she wants to throw up because all of this is just too much for her. But she keeps the bile vomit down. Peeta and Rye are just confuses not knowing what they are talking about.
"Baby? What baby?" Peeta ask.
"Katniss is pregnant." Gale says throwing his hands up in the air like he can't believe it.
"Whose the Dad?" Rye ask after a minute.
"Yea Katniss who is the dad." Gale ask fuming already planning to beat the living shit out of this guy. Katniss looks at all of them and then looks at the ground gulping. She has to lie to them because she too scared to tell them just yet and that's a rare thing for her to ever be scared.
"I don't know." She says and finches at how bad it sounds to not know who you slept with. It makes her sound even worse than her Grandmother because at least she knew who the father of her child was.
"You don't know? How the hell don't you know who you fucking slept with?" Gale exclaims. Caleb puts a hand on Gale's shoulder.
"Calm down Gale. Maybe she's just too scared to tell us. I would be too if you were yelling at me like that." He reasons. Katniss is glad that her uncle is always calm and level-headed.
"He's right. It's not going to solve anything if you keep yelling at her." Peeta says. Gale nods and mutters a sorry to Katniss who nods.
"S,o Katniss who is the father?" Caleb ask calming. Katniss runs a hand through her hair.
"Cato." She says and holds her breath waiting for someone to react.
"I could have guessed that." Rye says after a minute. Peeta nods agreeing.
"Ok, at least I know him." Gale mutters crossing his arms then adds, " I still want to kill him though." Caleb taps the back of Gale's head telling him to knock it off.
"We'll help you raise the baby, right dad?" Peeta ask his father who nods.
"Yea, we will and since winter is coming up we'll keep you well fed as you get bigger." He says. Katniss nods relieved and hugs her uncle. He hugs her back petting her hair.
"Remember you always have family to lean on." He whispers. She nods and lets him go.
As the months go by Katniss stomach gets bigger to where it starts to show and people start gossiping at school about her turning into her Grandmother. Katniss stopped going to school after that because she hates being the center of attention. Her mom started to come around but not to her usual self all she did was continue her healers work not talking much.
Hagan and Prim couldn't wait for their niece or nephew to come. They help Katniss with everything when she got too big to do things on her own.
As more months pass and Katniss goes into labor Peeta, Her Uncle, Gale, Rory, Prim, Rye, and Hagan where all there. Peeta and Gale where getting their hands squished from Katniss's death grip as Prim and their mom delivered the baby. Katniss felt relieved when the baby was out. Prim announced it was a baby boy as she cleaned it up and wrapped it in a blanket giving it to Katniss.
Katniss smiled at him in through her tears. His eyes were grey with specks of blue and little blond hair on his head. She didn't have time to look at his other features as she yelled out in pain. The baby in her arms started crying and was taken away by her uncle.
"What's wrong with her?" Rory asked. Mrs. Everdeen looked up at them.
"Another baby is coming." Was all she said and went back to her task. Everybody was shocked.
"What?" Katniss exclaimed in pain.
This is one of District 12's disadvantages as because they don't have the equipment to check the gender of the baby or how many you're going to have. As the second baby started to come Katniss couldn't help but wish Cato was there with her, but her family was enough.
"It's a girl." Prim said cleaning up the baby, wrapping it in a cloth and giving it to Katniss. She took it eagerly wiping the sweat off of her forehead cradling the crying baby in her arm. She soothed her baby girl getting her to stop crying. She had brunette hair and icy blue eyes with specks of violet. Katniss couldn't help but think that she had her dads eyes. Caleb brought her other baby to her and she took it in her other arm now holding both her babies.
"Do you know what you're going to call them?" Rye asked quietly so he wouldn't disturb the now sleeping babies in her arms. Katniss nodded.
"His name is going to Skye. Skye Ross Valentine" She says looking at her baby boy.
"I like that name." Hagan comments.
"What about the girl?" Gale ask quietly looking at his precious niece.
"Raven Faith Valentine." Katniss says.
"Your not giving them your last name?" Prim ask. Katniss shakes her head.
"No, I want them to have Cato's." She says. They nod in understanding.
"We have a lot of work cut out for us." Gale mutters. Katniss nods with everybody else.
"We do."
And so the story begins about the life of a young mother Katniss Hope Everdeen.