Chapter 2:

5 years later-

"Hey Rue, How was your night?" Katniss asks sitting down at her desk first thing in the morning. Katniss' co-worker, Rue Stewart, was already at the design table looking at swatches for the fall collection. Funny how it was only March, yet in the fashion world they were already preparing for two seasons from now. "Oh it was great, Thresh and I went to karaoke at this hole in the wall bar down in Victor's Village. It was so much fun!" "Oh to be young again" Katniss laments remembering how when Peeta, Johanna, Finnick and herself first moved to the city they would go out any day of the week, close the bar down and still be at work bright in early, ready to face the day. "What's on your agenda for today?" Rue changes the subject, watching Katniss read through her post it notes left on her desk. "Same story different day, figure out how to spend and give Cinna's money to the most needy of charities but today is Peeta's birthday and I still need to figure out what I'm going to get him". Katniss worked at Cinna Designs as his personal and corporate social responsibility agent. It was Katniss' job to work with other organization to find ways for Cinna Designs to create some positive good in the world.

"Don't you usually know weeks ahead of time what you get him?" Rue asks, speaking as more of Katniss' friend than her co-worker. "Yes, I usually pick up on something he says in passing conversation and then surprise him with that but I'm drawing a blank this year" Katniss admits worrying her lip with the thought of not having anything for him. "It's just he always gets me such thoughtful gifts, I want to be able to do the same." "Hmm, well what about having Cinna make him something?" Rue jokingly suggests holding up a swatch of bright pink tulle. "I do believe that is his color." Katniss jokes, before turning back to her computer and getting down to work, all the while trying to rack her brain for a gift idea.

"Yes, on behalf of Cinna and Cinna Designs, I would like to donate five custom designed dresses to the silent auction". Katniss says into her work phone looking down as her Iphone begins to vibrate with Peeta's name and a picture of the two of them smiling in their hiking gear flashing on the screen. "Okay, thank you so much. We are so happy to be able to contribute, have a great day" She finishes, quickly switching from one phone to the next.

"Hey Birthday Boy! How's the big 3-2 treating you"? Ignoring the question, Peeta asks, "Are you looking at what I'm looking at?" "What?" Katniss returns, knitting her eyebrows together. Clearly, you haven't checked your email lately or else you would know what this phone call is about". "No, some of us are busy making phone calls all morning, I…Oh god, that is gutsy." Katniss comments staring at a picture of Finnick, Annie, and little Finn standing by a toilet with the title: Little Finn's first use of the big boy potty. "Bold for sure. I was eating my lunch". "Yummy, I don't remember the last time I got an email that wasn't kid related from most of our friends". "Me either, don't ever let me become one of 'those' people k?" "Sure thing Mellark, if I ever get an email from Daddy Peeta about housebreaking your kid, we are no longer best friends". "Ouch, house breaking? Really Everdeen? Meet in the lobby at 6:30 tonight?" Peeta asks looking over a storyboard for his new beer advertisement. As the Senior Art Director at one of the largest Advertising agencies in Capitol City, work did not stop, even on your birthday. "Yes, 6:30 so we drag ourselves all the way out to District 4" Katniss sighs before continuing "What do you want for your birthday anyway?" "A great girl that isn't crazy, religious, who is also not neurotic that happens to have long legs and big boobs?" He jokes. "Something I can find or buy with in the next three hours please?" "Umm, how about a kitchen aid mixer?" "You and your baking supplies but I must say excellent choice, more cheese buns for me. Consider it done".

"I'm sorry I couldn't get them out to a restaurant, I really tried. It's you just know easier with all the kids if just go to Finnick and Annie's'." Katniss tries to apologize while sitting in the cab on the way to Peeta's birthday dinner later that night. "Oh it's okay, I get it, the baby card, the easiest card to play. All parents play it." "Yeah but it's not just the baby card, it's also the district 4 card aka this soon to be 50 dollar cab ride". " It's technically two cards you know" "I know, you can't pull two cards!" Well, District 4 is supposed to be the new Capitol City" Peeta tries. "I hate district 4. Capitol City will always be the new Capitol City!" Katniss insists tilting her head to the side and looking up at him with a "you know better" look. "Always doll, at least Gale and Johanna will be there tonight. We haven't seen them since we went to see them at the hospital after Hunter was born". "Really? Has it been that long? No! They were at the Super Bowl par" "Nope, they bailed, Hunter was having a 'fussy' day". Peeta stops her. "Wow, your right! It's been too long. Tonight is going to be great! It's your birthday and we all are going to be together. What could go wrong?" Katniss replies trying to put a positive spin to the situation.

Stepping out of the cab after paying the $44.90 cab fare, Peeta looks at Katniss and with an evil grin asks "Dying a slow and painful death by disease or watching the love of your life die a slow, painful death by disease?" "Oh choice b. I'm living! Definitely b" Katniss doesn't hesitate to answer. "You would really rather watch the love of your life die a slow painful death?" Peeta asks stopping in his tracks on the street. "Don't give me your judgy look! I mean it wouldn't be awesome by any means but better them than me. I have a lot of living yet to do Mellark. So clearly, you would choose A? A slow and painful death, you would want to go through that?" "Well, technically I'd take the easy way out and make it quick" "Oh yea, how are you going to do that without breaking the rules?" "Accidently, on purpose increase the self distributed morphine drip." He states. "Your terrible, okay enough. I don't want to think about you dying on your birthday. What time is it?" Katniss decides looking down the street toward the Odair residence. "7:30" He answers looking down at his watch. "Ugh, do you think we're late enough, should we do a lap around the block? Go for a pre-birthday dinner drink?" Katniss suggests trying to stall. "I think 30 minutes late is late enough" He answers. "Fine, good thing it's birthday".

Once instead the Odair brownstone, Katniss and Peeta could hear from outside the door the happy laughter and excited screeching of one Finnick Odair Jr. Annie opens up the door with curlers still in hair, holding a handful of stuffed animals and an exasperated look on her face. "Hey guys! Happy Birthday Peeta!" She cheerfully greets. "If you can't tell, we aren't quite ready but come inside" she gestures opening up the door wider to let them pass. 'Finnick! Katniss and Peeta are here!" Annie calls up the stairs alerting Finnick that their guests had arrived.

As soon as they are inside, little Finn comes barreling down the stairs screaming "Uncle Peeta! Uncle Peeta! Uncle Peeta! It's your burfday!" Peeta easily scoops up Finn, covering him with kisses. "Hey buddy! It is my birthday! I missed you! You are getting so big. Can you say hi to Aunt Katniss?" He asks looking over at Katniss with a 1,000-watt smile. Peeta made being around children look so easy. Instinctively Katniss returned him smile reaching out to Finn. "Hi Auntie Katniss" Finn greets leaning across Peeta towards her to plant on a kiss on her cheek. "Hi my Finnie, where are your cloths little man?" Katniss asks looking at Finn in only his pull-ups. "Oh they are right here, someone decided they only will wear their spider man shirt, which is dirty but as soon as he heard your voices just didn't want to wear anything at all" Finnick says walking down the stairs holding 15 month old Aubrey. "Happy Birthday Man!" "Thank You! What's up bro?" "Oh you know, living the dream". Finnick tersely replies right before Annie interrupts with "Finnick, could you please stop standing around and help me by setting the table?" quickly throwing him an annoyed look while pulling the dishes down from the cabinet. "Sure, honey as soon as I finish getting Finnie dressed and put Aubrey somewhere she can't get into anything!" "Oh god, why is Finnie not dressed yet? Finnie, will you please, please do Mommy a favor and put on your pants!" Annie asks before turning back around to check the pasta cooking on the stove. "Hi Finnick, here let me take her" Katniss says gesturing towards Aubrey before taking the baby out of his arms and moving towards the kitchen to help Annie.

Depositing Aubrey in her pack and play, Katniss then begins opening the wine and

pouring very generous amounts of wine into the wine glasses. "Thank You" mouths Peeta knowing full well this was already going to be a long evening and only alcohol will be the solution to survive it. Knowing exactly what Peeta was thinking, Katniss continues her work on the wine, downing her own glass and quickly refilling it before anyone else sees. What happens to couples once they have children? Is the stress that much to turn even the best couple she's ever known (besides her parents) into a bickering mess? Katniss thinks, beginning to believe that her belief in the institution of marriage has been right all along.

"Katniss, sweetie please you don't have to help me. We volunteered to host tonight" Annie tries to insist while attempting to take the wine bottle out of Katniss' hand. "No, I want to help. You guys look a bit overwhelmed right now. Put me to work!" "We wouldn't be if Finnick could just be more efficient with kids and stop trying to be the good guy all the time. He is driving me fucking crazy lately" the usually calm and collected Annie whispers to Katniss before moving around the kitchen island to cut the Italian bread. Soon following the doorbell rings and Annie turns in the direction of the door. Looking at Finnick who clearly was involved in a conversation with Peeta and was obvious to the bell ringing. "Gale and Jo are here!" Katniss announces trying to avoid an eruption by Annie before it begins. Falling on deaf ears, the bell rings again. Clueless Finnick looks up from him position on the couch and as the doorbell rings again he asks "Hey Annie, did we ever get Peeta's gift?" "Are you kidding me?" Annie explodes. "You're asking me this now? Of course, I got Peeta a gift. I take care of everything around here. Do you not hear the doorbell ringing? Or Katniss saying Gale and Johanna are here?" "Oh really? Do you? How about you get the door if you do everything?!" Finnick fires back gesturing at the door and then her hair, which was still in curlers. "Your such an asshole sometimes, I can't even believe you! Get the damn door!" Annie yells breezing past him and up the stairs to finish her hair.

Katniss and Peeta exchange a quick look at each other while remaining silent before Peeta breaks the silence and asks Finnie to show him his room so he could put some cloths on the still basically nude kid. Finnick retreats to the front of the house as the doorbell continues to ring. Gale thinks he is so funny sometimes. Gale and Johanna enter the house with Gale carrying Hunter in his car seat carrier. "Hey Man" Gale greets walking in front of Johanna, making a beeline towards the kitchen. Hugging Finnick, Johanna adds "I'm sorry he felt the need to ring the doorbell 50 million times" as she rolls her eyes and follows in the same direction Gale passed moments before.

"Hey Catnip! Peeta. How we doing?" Gale greets the pair as he enters giving his cousin a kiss on the cheek and Peeta a quick handshake with his free hand. "Happy birthday! I have to admit up front Peet, I apparently forgot to pick up your gift." he continues. "Even though, it's only two blocks from his office and it was all paid, gift wrapped and ready to g. All he had to do was pick it up," Johanna counters giving him a dirty look. "Yup, I'm a total asshole, what can I say?" Gale sarcastically responds before saying "I will drop it off sometime next week to you at work. Maybe we could grab lunch or a beer after?" Gale replies tersely. "Must be nice" Johanna mummers under her breath. "It's tie, by the way, if you don't like just return it." She continues making her way over to Katniss and giving her a hug. "It's fine, thank you for the thought. I'm sure I'll love it" Peeta offers as Finnick and Annie both return from upstairs. Both looking much more happy and put together, Annie walks over to the stove, turns off the pasta and announces dinner is ready.

"Why don't we all take a seat?" Finnick asks gesturing towards the dinning room table.

It was going to be an interesting night.

Up next: Peeta's birthday dinner continues, plus Katniss and Peeta make a decision.

Author's Notes: Thank you to ItsAllInYourHeadMyDear for your kind review! I appreciate the encouragement! Also, to everyone that favorites and followed this story and took a chance on it based on one chapter- you all are the best as well! I hope you enjoyed the 2nd chapter as much as the first.