It was one hot summer night, when Little was sitting on her window seal seeking a cool breeze. Unable to sleep she day dreamed of The Rebellion, looking through the book her mother had given her a few months ago when she first found out the truth about her parents and the war. She could hear her parents chatting on the porch just below her. "So I got a visit today at the bakery." Peeta, Little's father said catching Littles attention.
"Who came by?" Katniss asked. Little could hear her mother's rocking chair creek as she rocked back and forth.
"Haymitch."
"Haymitch?" She questioned. "He goes in there every week." She asked pushing for answers.
"He came in with news from the Capitol." Little noticed her mother's rocker stopped rocking. "What do they want this time?" she said flatly. Every year they want to do an interview. They always ask to see the Little Mockingjay and her adorable little brother. Katniss swore the Capitol cameras would never set foot in her home after the death of Snow. She couldn't have her home tainted again.
"They want us to come down to the Capitol. They are unveiling a monument that has been in the works for the past few years to honor the victims of the bombs. Next month is the seventeen year anniversary of the bombing."
"I know Peeta." Her mother snapped. "You don't have to remind me." She could hear the hurt and bitterness in her mother's voice. Thoughts of Prim flooded her mind. She tried her best to push all of that away and out of her mind. It took several years, and with a ton of help from Peeta, Katniss had eventually started to forgive Gale. Especially after hearing his wife had died after giving birth to their daughter Milly.
"I am sorry, Sweatheart. I know this is a touchy subject for you. We don't have to go, but the Capitol wants to know how their Mockingjay is doing." He attempted to reason with her.
"I don't want to go, they can't make feel guilty either." Katniss walked out into the front lawn. Little ducked behind the wall still able to hear her parents, but not wanting them to see her eavesdrop.
"I know, we don't have to go." Her father took Katniss in his arms. He whispered something in her mother's ear that Little couldn't hear and judging by the fact that her father got a punch in the arm meant that she most likely didn't want to hear what tease he whispered in her ear. Peeta chuckled rubbing his arm.
"If we went, how what would we do with Little and Darren? I Don't want them anywhere near those Capitol cameras." Katniss returned to Peeta's embrace done sulking from Peeta's dirty comment.
"Haymitch could keep an eye on them."
"An eye?" Katniss looked up at Peeta quizzically. "I trust him with our children, but not in the Capitol." Peeta laughed knowingly. Haymitch loved Little and Darren like his own grandchildren and he was very much a part of their family, they even called him Grandpa.
"OK, well I know Gale will be there and you know his whole job involves protecting. I can guarantee if you were to call right now and make a few demands they would do anything to get you in the Capitol. Even letting you hand pick a team of body guards to protect our children and to keep them out of sight of any Capitol cameras. Gale is far more trust worthy than Haymitch, besides I think Haymitch wanted to visit the Capitol." Peeta sits on the steps with Katniss allowing Little come out of hiding.
"Ok, they can come with us but only if we can make absolutely sure our children will be safe and out of sight of cameras."
"I am certain they will be." Peeta kissed Katniss's forehead. "Let's go to bed." He smiled at Katniss.
"Gross!" Little mouthed to herself knowing her father. She sat back on her window seal thinking about the Capitol and what it would be like to see it. She had only heard stories about it from her parents.
The next morning she heard her mother talking on the phone using a stern voice she only hears from her mother when she is upset or scolding Little or her brother.
"I am off to the Bakery kids." Peeta kissed Darren on the forehead before setting his coffee cup in the sink.
"Wait, Dad. I am coming too." Little jumped from her bar stool that sat by their kitchen island. It's where they all eat their breakfast every morning.
"Come on then." He chuckled as he held the back door open for her. "Bye, Darren, love you son. Tell your mother we will be back for lunch at two, today." He smiled as Little took off out the door. "Love you too, Dad." Darren waved them off from the porch.
"Is it true we are going to the Capitol?" Little couldn't help but ask as she walked beside her father. He looked down at her with one eye brow raised at her.
"Were you eavesdropping last night?" he asked sternly. Little hung her head.
"I didn't mean too. It was just hot and you were talking loud enough for me to hear. I'm sorry, Dad." Little had a problem with letting her curiosity get the best of her sometimes. Her father chuckled at her.
"I think I can forgive you, this once." He patted her back with a chuckle as they walked together to the bakery. "Yes, we are going the Capitol, but only for a few days." Peeta told Little about what he remembered the Capitol to be like as they walked. Little was grossed about by some of the people Peeta described and also very curious. He opened the back door to the bakery for his daughter. "Morning, Bleith." He greeted the old man that typically opens the bakery for her dad. "Mornin'" he said with what little teeth he had. "Mornin', Little M." He always called her Little M and Little never understood why he wouldn't just call her Little like everyone else. "Morning, Mr. Bleith." She rushed over to the box full of cookies that were too hard to sell. She never minded that they were hard they were just as good and sweet. "Just one ,Pearl." Her father said as he pulled on his apron. She rolled her eyes, choosing which one was always the hardest. She typically worked with her father in the bakery during the time school was out. Some days she would be her mothers' hunting partner with Darren in the mornings then spend the afternoon with her father. She loved it when her mother would let her shoot her bow and arrow. She wasn't as good as Darren was nor was she as good as her mother but she could at least hit a bird when he flew by or a deer as it trotted in the woods. She preferred to throw a knife if she could. Haymitch taught her that skill. Some days when she was bored she would sit on his porch throwing knifes at random targets. They could duel to see who could hit the smallest target. But her favorite place to be was in the bakery with her father, watching as he would knead the bread or decorated cakes. She loved making the flowers that her father put on some of the cakes. That was her job at the bakery, make all the flowers for the pastries.
A month later, Little stood on the train platform holding Darren's hand waiting for the train to pull up so they can board and make their way to the capitol. "Here it is." Darren pointed excitedly at the train as it came into sight. "Oh it's so cool!" he bounced with excitement as it came to a stop in-front of them. They waited until the doors opened and Gale Hawthorn stepped out to greet them. "Uncle Gale!" Little loved to see her Uncle Gale, because that meant Milly was with him.
"Hello, Little, Can I even call you that? You are getting so big." He hugged Little. "Darren you are growing up to be such a man already." Gale shook Darren's hand. "Thank you so much Gale for doing this for us." Katniss hugged him. "It is my pleasure." He said politely as Katniss let go. He shook Peeta's hand. "Besides, Milly was missing her best friend." He chuckled. He watched as Little's eyes brightened in excitement.
"Milly came too?" she asked.
"Yes, she is in the dining car waiting patiently for you."
"Mom, Dad may I…" Little started to ask, if she could go see Milly.
"Let's wait till we actually get on to the train." Peeta laughed at her eagerness. They boarded the train and placed their bags in their rooms. Little was excited to see that Milly and she got their own room on the train while Darren had to stay with their mother and father.
"Milly, did your dad ever tell you about his life in District 12 with my mom?" Asked Little, as they lay in their bed that night.
"Not a lot, just that they were hunting partners and that he use to call your mom 'Catnip' because she thought that was what she said her name was. Why?" Milly turned on her side to face Little who was laying on her back.
"I was just curious." Little said softly. Milly started giggling again.
The next morning Gale informed them that they were going to make a stop in District Four to pick up Annie and Junior Odair. "They were requested to come too sense Finnick died in the Capitol." Gale sipped his orange juice. The breakfast was quiet between the adults there was a heaviness that settled in when Gale mentioned the death of Finnick Odair.
"I am glad they will be joining us, we haven't seen Annie sense Darren was born." Peeta finally broke the silence.
"Finn, my goodness, must be seventeen already." Katniss turned and looked at Peeta.
"Yes, seventeen." Peeta confirmed.
"Don't even think about it Milly." Gale said not even looking up from his morning paper. Milly rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. Little giggled knowingly, Milly was a flirt.
"Is he cute?" Milly asks Little in a whisper. Little smiled and nodded. Milly let out and excited shriek. She was two years older than Little and three years younger than Junior.
"Aren't you a bit young for him?" Little asked
"Love knows no number." Milly responded with a smirk.
Little and Milly sat on a sofa chatting when they felt the train slow. "Oh, we must be stopping." Milly stood and walked to the window. She shrieked in delight when she saw the train station come into sight.
"Really, Milly." Little rolled her eyes at her friend.
"I think I see them." Milly pressed herself more into the window.
"See who?" Darren asked as he walked into the car. The door shut behind him with a click.
"Ms. Annie and Junior, Milly has a crush on Junior."
"bleh, gross." Darren joined Milly's side at the window.
"They are coming!" Milly quickly steps away from the window and sits next to Little again. "act nonchalant." She smoothes her shirt over her, recently growing, chest
"Ok." Little laughs trying to act nonchalant. They feel the train move with a small jerk as it moves away from the train station in District Four. They can hear the voices as walk down the hallway into the sitting car where Milly, Darren and Little sit.
"This is where the young ones have been hiding away all day." Gale says as the door opens. Ms. Annie walks in with wide eyes.
"Oh my goodness, Katniss!" Annie is surprised to see how young Katniss looks.
"No, mom, this is Little, Katniss's daughter." A tall, tan, Junior corrects his mother from behind.
"You are right. Good heavens you look just like her." Annie steps closer to Little arms extended for a hug.
"Thank you, Ms. Annie, I will take that as a complement. It's good to see you again, and you Junior." She smiled politely at Annie as she pulled away from her hug.
"This is my daughter Milly." Gale introduced his blushing daughter.
"Hello, Milly." Annie hugged Milly as well. "Darren!" she noticed Darren shyly sitting on the sofa. "How you have grown." Darren stood and walked into her embrace, politely.
"Thank you." He said softly
"Let me show you were you can put your bags. We will be in the Capitol in a few hours." Gale pressed a soft hand on to Annie's back. Little took a step back to allow room for them to pass, but Milly stood still smiling broadly at Junior. He stepped around her with a wink causing her to giggle.
"Oh my, he is more than cute, Little." Milly gushed softly as Gale, Annie, and Junior walked into the next car. "I think I am in love." She sighed.
"Oh, please, Milly." Little,lightly, pushed her friend. Junior was more handsome than she remembered. Maybe it was because he was almost a man, but his green eyes seemed greener against his tan skin and blonde shaggy hair. Too bad he was seventeen.
