Merry Christmas!

This is a little something that I wrote for norbertsmom in the secret santa fic exchange over on tumblr. She has become a friend over the past little bit and I'm forever grateful that whenever I have, usually in a panic, reached out to her for help, she has always been there. Thank you!

I also need to thank sohypothetically and dianaflynn for beta-ing. You two rock and I hope that you had a wonderful christmas!

Now, as some of you may or may not know, I set my stories in North Carolina. (you write what you know) but this is a BIG basketball state. I'm not sure if the Wolfpack (State) would have stopped in a bar in Blue Devil country (Durham) to have supper before going back to Raleigh, but this team did and had a good time ;) Who wouldn't with Katniss and Jo both pouring drinks?

and for my dear readers... merry christmas! i hope it was the best one yet!

"I thought you were ready!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Prim walks in adjusting her bra. "I thought you didn't want to go."

Katniss sighs." I don't. I'm figuring the sooner we get there and you can meet this guy- what is his name again?"

"Cato. Cato Hadley. He went to Chapel Hill, and now he is doing his residency at Duke. I think I overheard him saying that he wants to be a surgeon, but isn't sure if he wants to specialize. But Delly, well you know how she can talk to anyone? He was helping her with a patient and she mentioned me, and they started talking and she off-handed said that he should ask me out. Then he said well you do it. So she did, and here we are," Prim says in a rush, finishing up with a goofy smile. "He is so cute."

"Well, the sooner we can go, the sooner it is that I can meet him, make sure he is good enough for my little sister, even though he is going to be a surgeon. The sooner I can come back home. Let's go little duck."

"Oh God, Katniss. Please don't call me that tonight."

"Buy my drinks and I'll keep my mouth shut."

"If that is what I have to do to get you to cooperate, then it's a deal."

Katniss huffs impatiently while Prim locks their front door. "You know Jo is going to give you a hard time for meeting someone at the restaurant."

Prim steps up beside her and links her arm through Katniss'. "No she isn't. Jo and Haymitch are going to be relieved that I'm at least wanting to date again. I wouldn't even call it dating, more like a getting to know you meal."

"If it's a getting to know you meal, then why do I have to go too?"

"Because even though you are grumpy, I still value your opinion."

Katniss scowls. "I am not grumpy."

"Oh, ok," Prim says, "You keep on telling yourself that. He's bringing a friend anyway."

"You didn't tell me that."

"I didn't? I thought I did. Oh well. You can stay and eat with us, and then say something came up at work and go. It's not a big deal."

The restaurant is only a five minute walk from their house so they are there in no time. Katniss opens and door and Prim goes in first. They are both confused when they see Prim's best friend, Rue hostessing. "How are you?"

Rue rubs her baby bump and smiles. "Thresh Junior has figured out how to jump on his tired mama's bladder—"

"Wait, I thought you were only coming in to do paperwork." Katniss interrupts.

"I am. But it's Friday night and Jo asked me to watch the front until that new girl, Glimmer, comes in at six." Rue motions towards the menus and asks, "Are you two eating, or just drinking?"

"Eating," Prim says. "We are supposed to meet a couple of guys."

Rue's eyes grow big and she smiles excitedly. "Who are you meeting?"

"Do you remember, Delly? The blonde who comes with me sometimes?"

"Yeah, I remember her, Rue says.

"Well, you know we got that new batch of surgical residents last month? She said last week that one of the super-cute ones was asking about me. I jokingly said something along the lines that she needs to fix me up. Delly tells me that I'm meeting him and a friend of his here tonight."

"Just be careful. Don't let it turn into something from Grey's Anatomy. You don't need all of that drama." Rue says. "Have you even talked to him?"

Katniss laughs and says, "No. they just share meaningful glances when they pass each other in the hallway." They all giggle together and Prim swats Katniss' arm. "Is Jo working?"

Rue nods, and Katniss turns and spies her friend at the bar. Haymitch owns the place, and Jo is the manager. Ever since Katniss and Prim turned sixteen, they have worked here doing everything from washing dishes to bartending. Jo still calls Katniss to come and work when she is shorthanded. She walks over, steps behind the bar, sets her purse in the cabinet and pulls out a bottle of Seagram's seven and gets a can of 7-up. "It must have been a hell of a day for you to be reaching for that," Johanna quips.

"Not really. Prim is here to meet someone from the hospital. I'm here to make sure he isn't a serial killer."

Johanna bursts out laughing. "Why would a serial killer waste all that time to become a doctor?"

Katniss scowls at her and says, "So he can cut up his victims better. I'm just glad that she is over Rory."

Jo pops her rag at her. "It's not Prim's fault that the poor kid figured out he was gay after they had sex for first time."

Katniss tries not to laugh as she runs her fingers through her hair. For once, she's left it hanging in soft curls to her waist. "That was awful. Prim cried for two weeks."

They hear the office door close, and Haymitch comes around the corner. He first gives Jo a sweet kiss on the lips, and then winks at Katniss. "What are you doing back here? Are you coming back to work?"

Katniss takes a long drink and smirks. "Prim is meeting a man."

Haymitch's gaze flits up to the doorway where Prim and Rue are still giggling. He grunts in approval, and heads in their direction. "Is he finally ready to settle down?" Katniss asks.

Jo shrugs. "He won't talk about it. Half the time he acts like I'm only with him because I feel sorry for him. The other half I think he expects Effie to come running back." She grabs a shot glass and gets the tequila. She pours herself a shot, and drinks it fast. She pours another, and this time, gets a lime out of the fruit for cocktails. "Do you want one, brainless?"

"Sure. No one should drink alone, and that includes you." Katniss slams her shot back and looks up to find Prim staring at the both of them impatiently.

"Why are you drinking?" Prim demands.

Katniss nods at Jo. "She is on the way to having a pity party—" a slap on the arm from Jo interrupts her. Katniss scowls at her, and continues, "And I'm either joining her, or keeping her from it. We haven't figured it out yet."

Prim asks Jo, "is Haymitch still being an asshat?"

Jo rolls her eyes and grumbles, "Why does everyone know my damn business?" Jo takes another shot and says, "Yes, he is a son of a bitch. What about you little Everdeen? Did you finally realize that Rory is happy with Gloss, or whatever his name is?"

Prim glares at Jo, which makes a tipsy Katniss burst out laughing. When she can breathe again, Katniss says, "Prim, be nice to Jo. Jo, quit picking. Prim, one day, you will meet the one perfect for you. Jo, if you don't want to deal with Mr. Moody over there, then leave. It just sucks because you would have to find a new job." She pauses to take a drink of her Seagram's. "What time is Cato supposed to be here?"

This time, Jo snorts. "What kind of name is Cato?"

Prim steals Katniss' Seagram's and takes a sip. "Shut up, Jo." Prim takes her phone out of her purse, and squeals when she turns it on. "He just texted. They are on the way."

"Oh great, now we can get this over with." Katniss rolls her eyes.

"Shut up Katniss," Prim says. She walks back over to where Rue is watching them from the foyer.

Katniss leans against the back bar and watches as the evening crowd starts coming in. Katniss even helps Jo while Prim naturally falls into helping Rue seat customers. When Prim greets two very blond men; she wonders if this is who Prim is meeting. It's confirmed when Prim brings them over to the bar.

"Katniss, this is Cato Hadley. Cato, this is my sister, Katniss."

"It's nice to meet you," he says.

She doesn't have a chance to say anything when the other blond man steps around Cato. She can't help but to notice curls that fall gracefully over his forehead like an angel placed them there. It's his Carolina blue eyes that get her attention. Her heart does this strange trippy thing, and she can only wonder if this is what those three dollar Harlequins that used to sit beside the cash register at the grocery store says 'her heart aflutter. She can see his lips moving, but it's not until he holds out his hand to take hers that she snaps herself out of her daze. She slides her hand into his, and her breath catches when his touch sends a bolt of electricity up her arm.

She looks at Prim, who is standing there looking at her funny. Katniss gives her a confused look, and her attention is brought back to the man who still has a hold of her hand. Her silver eyes meet his Carolina blue ones and she can't remember what she is going to say. It seems that he is speechless too when she hears Prim say, "Katniss? This is Peeta Mellark. He is another resident at the hospital."

"It's so nice to meet you," Katniss admits. She gestures behind her to the bar. "Would you two like anything to drink?"

"Do you have any of the local beers?" Peeta asks.

"Actually we just started carrying Wicked Green's. I have Lady Red, and some Green Man Brew. Or do you want something else?" Jo asks behind Katniss.

"I want the green, and I know Peeta likes the red." Cato offers.

There are high top tables in the bar area behind them and Prim nods towards them. "Do want to sit here, or go sit at in a booth?"

Cato and Peeta look around and Cato shrugs. "We can sit here," Peeta says.

Katniss nods towards a table next to the wall, and Prim goes back to Rue. Peeta and Cato wait for Katniss to sit down first, and then they sit on either side of her when Prim comes back with menus for them. Cato looks confused. "Prim, I know you work at the hospital. Katniss, do you work here?"

The sisters laugh. "The owner, Haymitch, is an old family friend," Prim explains. "We started working here when we able to."

"We've done everything from bartending to washing dishes," Katniss adds.

"My parents have a bakery. I worked many hours for them growing up," Peeta says. "I know how it is having to be able to do everything."

"Well, my family didn't have anything like that when I was a teenager and through pre-med." Cato adds, "I did boring jobs like working at a video store and some at a nursing home."

"Why did you want to be a doctor?" Prim asks Cato.

Before he has a chance to answer, Jo interrupts. She nods towards the beers the guys are nursing. "Would you two like another beer? Katniss, Prim, what do you want to drink?"

Peeta, Prim and Cato all ask for a sweet tea, while Katniss gets a diet Pepsi. Jo leaves and Cato leans over to say something to Prim. Katniss looks down to fiddle with her napkin, Peeta whispers and his low tones in her ear makes her want to melt, "he noticed her the first shift we ever worked."

She whispers back, "That's sweet. She noticed him too—"Prim and Cato's laughter interrupts them. "When did all of you start your residency?" Katniss asks.

"Oh, I did med school here at Duke, Cato came from Chapel Hill. But I've officially graduated and I'm ready to be a doctor," Peeta says humbly. "Do you do anything else besides working here when Jo needs you?"

"I'm a conductor for the railroad." In the couple of years she has been working for the railroad, Katniss is used to people's surprised reactions when they find out what she does but the look of pure joy that radiates from Peeta's face makes her happy. She can't help but to laugh. "You must like trains."

"I love trains. We had tracks by the house, and I would always run outside to watch the trains go by. If I didn't become a doctor, I wanted to be a conductor."

"It's a good job, I was able to help Prim get through nursing school."

He surprises her when he takes her hand. "I'm glad that you did. She is one of the best nurses on the floor." She feels that funny thing in her heart again when he drags his thumb across her palm. They both look up to Cato and Prim staring at them, speechless. Katniss jerks her hand out of his grip, and looks down at the table, fiddles with her napkin.

Jo returns with their drinks, and takes their orders for dinner. Katniss chooses to ignore the funny look that Jo and her sister give her, and instead finishes her very watered down Seagram's and 7-up. Katniss startles when Jo sets down a plate of nachos and queso on the table. When Prim looks at her in surprise, Jo says, "from Haymitch." And turns and walks away.

Thankful for the distraction, Katniss digs in with everyone following. Peeta, Cato and Prim start talking about hospital stuff, and Katniss is thankful when Jo brings them their plates. Jo sets the shallow bowl of lamb stew served over wild rice with flower rolls in front of Katniss. She breathes in the aroma and smiles. It's her favorite ever since Tax, the chef, started working for Haymitch two years ago. She picks up her spoon and happily brings a bite of the tender lamb and heavy cream broth to her mouth. She closes her eyes as the flavors explode across her tongue as she chews.

"What are you eating?" comes a voice close to her ear.

She opens her eyes, and even though she knows that he is so close, she still jumps in surprise. She swallows what is in her mouth and takes a drink of the tea sitting close by. "It's Tax's lamb stew. It's his recipe." She nudges the bowl towards him. "Do you want to try some?"

Peeta dips his spoon in the bowl, and brings it up to his mouth. Katniss can't help but to love the way his eyes light up as he tastes the stew. He hums as he chews and she smiles, knowing how good it is. He grabs the same glass of tea that she just drank out of and she starts to protest, when it dawns on her that it's his tea. Horrified she brings her hands up to cover up her eyes. "That is good," Peeta agrees.

"I'm sorry for drinking your tea."

"Thank you for letting me taste your stew. I wished I would have ordered that," he admits.

Katniss glances at his face, and she can tell that he is serious. She quietly stands up and without a word, slips into a door beside the bar. As Jo watches, she sneaks over to the warmers that have the night's soups and stews. Getting a small bowl, she prepares Peeta some and takes it back out to him.

They eat in silence, while Katniss is oblivious to the looks that Prim and Jo exchange over her head. All of her attention is being claimed by the blond beside her.

She keeps on stealing glances at him while they eat, and she catches him glancing back at her. It's one of those moments that she has only read about, or seen in the movies where everything fades and all they can focus on is each other. It's Jo stomping through the bar cussing that what breaks the spell.

Jo stops at the high top table between Katniss and Peeta. "Are you working tomorrow, brainless?"

"No, I'm off until Monday. What happened?"

"The new girl, Glimmer just quit. I don't have anyone else to come in, and Rue can't stand up all night," Jo sighs, "can you work the bar tonight?"

Katniss sets down her spoon. "Of course I can. Do I have time to finish eating?"

"Yeah, of course you do." Realization blooms across Jo's face. "Oh, shit. All of you had plans didn't you?"

Prim shakes her head. "We had talked about going to a movie, but it's ok if Katniss can't come."

"Trust me, we understand last minute interruptions," Cato quips.

Katniss looks at Peeta, and it does something to her heart when she sees disappointment on his face. "I guess you aren't going to the movie then?"

Her hand finds his where it's resting on the table. "I should stay. I owe Haymitch—"

"I understand about owing." He shrugs. "I wouldn't be here without some help over the years."

Before she has a chance to say anything else, it looks like at least twenty college-age guys come in the door. Katniss figures Rue must have heard that she volunteered to help, when she shoots her a "come help me" look they have perfected over many years of working together. Katniss picks up the napkin that was resting in her lap and sets it beside her bowl. "I guess it's time to get to work."

Prim stands up too and follows her to the bar. "Do you want me to stay and help, too?"

Katniss grabs an apron and ties it around her waist. "No. You go and have fun. You have been working so hard lately, you deserve it."

"You deserve it, too," Prim says softly.

Katniss glances at her. "Hey, it's ok. They're not serial killers as far as I can tell. You'll be safe. Cato seems nice. Do you like him?"

Prim nods excitedly. "I think so."

"You better get out of here." Katniss nods towards the front.

Prim turns and sees all of the young men who both of the sisters just noticed are wearing basketball warm-up suits with the logo of North Carolina State Wolfpack on their chests. "Are you sure you want me to go?"

Katniss smirks. "Sweet sister of mine, the day I can't handle a basketball team in my bar is the day I need to stay home. They are probably on the way home from something." One of the players makes it to the bar. Before he has a chance to order, Katniss asks, "What are ya'll doing in this neck of the woods?"

He is joined by his team mates. "We had a meeting about the conference coming up after Christmas."

Before she can say anything else, Haymitch comes out of his office. He looks at Katniss, and then at the team on the other side of the bar from her and grunts. "Don't be starting any Duke verses State bullshit in my bar. Who is under twenty-one in here?" About half of the team raises their hands. "Everdeen, pay attention."

"I am, old man."

The rest of the team arrives, blocking Katniss' view of the rest of the restaurant. That's fine, she muses. Prim, Cato and Peeta have probably already left. Soon, they have everyone seated, menus handed out, and drink orders taken. She doesn't have a chance to look up when the normal Friday evening crowd starts to filter in.

It's several hours later, when is she unloading the last of the bar glasses from her little dishwasher, that she looks around and sees him. She checks to see if Prim and Cato are still there, but doesn't see them. She finishes with the glasses, and offers him a shy smile when he approaches the bar. He sets some flowers down on the bar and claims on of the stools.

Katniss straightens up and wipes her hands off with the towel tucked in at her waist. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sweet tea." He admits sheepishly.

She simply smiles, and sets the glass in front of him. "Did you go to the movies?"

"I did. Prim and Cato were trying their best not to make me feel like a third wheel." He fiddles with the stems that poke out the bottom of the wrapper. "I can't stop thinking about you."

She opens the cabinet and takes out her purse. Emptying the pockets in her apron, she blindly crams her tips into the bag. She takes off her apron and throws in the hamper with the bar rags. "Jo! I'm leaving!"

Jo comes around the corner from the office. Katniss doesn't miss her small smile. "I'll see you later, brainless."

Katniss crosses the floor towards the door. She stops and looks back at Peeta watching her like a lost puppy. "Are you coming with me?"

He stands and comes after her. He stops halfway and goes back for the flowers. Jo can hear Peeta ask Katniss as they walk out the door, "Where are we going?"

Jo can see her smile. "There is a steam engine from the 1904 sitting in my yard at the tracks. Wanna go see it?"

Even from across the restaurant, Jo can see the grin that spreads across Peeta's face. Jo can't help but to smile as she watches them go out the door, happy that her friend might have found someone.

Please tell me what you think!