Sorry about the wait here is chapter 2.

I wake up and turn to see Peeta's spot empty. I sit up and wrap myself in a housecoat before heading downstairs. The smell of my favorite breakfast -pancakes- wafts over me and I breath deeply. Peeta sets a mug of hot chocolate on the table seeing how neither of us like coffee. He jumps when he looks up and smiles.

"I will never get used to your hunters tread it's as if you fly over the ground," he says.

I grin as he wraps his arms around me.

"I smell pancakes!" I tell him.

He grins "I know it's your favorite and it's been a long time since I had them."

I kiss him "thank you."

He grins and goes to collect the plates as I sit down at the table and sip my hot chocolate. I look down at the ring on my finger for the first time really. I smile at it it's a simple gold ring with a small diamond on it. I grin I know Peeta got it because he knew I wouldn't want a big chunk of diamond. I run my thumb around it and grin broadly at it.

Peeta walks in and sets down a plate in front of me. I put two pancakes on my plate and drizzle syrup on them. I look up at Peeta after taking a few bits. He's chewing slowly staring at me. I give him a soft smile.

He scowls slightly "so today we are heading to Two."

"I can't help say I'm excited!" I say.

He grins "I want to meet Finn!"

"Same from what I heard he's just like Finnick," I respond.

We both look down at our plates talking about Finnick makes us both hurt. We both take a couple of minutes before talking again.

"I also want to see how my mother's coping," I say.

"I can't help hope it's better than you were," he says.

I scowl thinking "probably is. I mean I was all alone I was upset and had nothing to do but mope around in my grief. What does my mother have?"

"She's been training doctors in Two remember?" Peeta asks.

"Yeah hopefully they are keeping her busy," I say.

Peeta and I are sitting on a couch in the train car Haymitch sitting across from us.

"Look at us," he says "bunch of broken people!"

I smile "this reminds me of our train trips together. Effie, Cinna and Portia are missing though."

I stop. Oh Cinna we found his body in a cell under the mansion in the Capitol. He was killed being tortured. I can't help myself from tracing the pattern in my outfit that was carefully planned out by Cinna. Peeta tightens his arm around me.

I frown slight before sighing "we should call Effie get her to meet us in Two."

"Do you want to?" Peeta asks.

I nod and walk over to the phone and pick it up. I only wait a few moments before Effie is on the phone.

"Hello?" she says.

"Hey Effie it's Katniss!" I say.

She lets out a squeal of surprise "oh Katniss! I have missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too Effie!" I say.

"Did you get President Paylor's letter?"she asks.

I smile slightly "yes I did. Peeta, Haymitch and I are on our way to Two want to meet us there?"

"Of course!" she exclaims.

"Peeta and I have big, big news!" I say smiling as I use one of her statements that used to drive me insane.

Effie giggles "see you soon Katniss." she pauses before saying "I am glad your better."

I smile "thanks Effie."

"Good bye Katniss see you soon," she says.

"See you Effie," I say.

I hang up and look up at Peeta "she's coming."

Peeta grins "it'll be like old times."

I sit beside him "I think it'll be a bit better than old times."

"Oh definitely," Peeta smiles and kisses my forehead.

I grin at him.

We pull into the station at Two and step out onto the platform. Six people await us.

Effie, my mother, Annie, Finn, Johanna and Gale.

I smile at them.

Finn walks over to us on his little toddler feet. Peeta scoops him up and hugs him.

"Hey Finn!" he says.

"Hello," he says.

I can almost see Finnick in him. He is so identical to him that I gasp. Peeta looks at me and grins.

I smile at Annie and hug her "hello Annie how are you doing?"

She looks at me "who knows. I can't understand how any of us can deal with it."

I nod understanding her.

"But enough about me how are you?" she asks.

"Better," I say.

She looks at me with sympathy before turning to Peeta.

I turn to Johanna.

"Hey," she snarks at me.

She has never been one to be sympathetic for anyone. I have grown used to it and her snarkiness helps more than Annie's sympathy.

"Hey!" I say.

She grins at me knowing I have passed her test and she hugs me "hey brainless."

I smile at her "how have you been?"

"Better," she says.

I nod.

Johanna hugs Haymitch and I turn to Effie. She hugs me and clasps my hand only then does everyone notice my ring.

She gasps "no way!"

"Yep!" says Peeta as he puts an arm around me "we are getting married!"

I smile and kiss his cheek before turning to look for the first time at Gale and my mother.

"Hey," I say some what awkwardly.

My mother hugs me not speaking.

"Good to see you to," I say with an attempt to lighten the mood.

It doesn't work.

She looks at me her eyes streaming with tears. I whip them away.

"I missed you so much," she cries "I wrote but you didn't answer."

I nod "I know I didn't answer the phone or any of my letters. Even the ones from the doctors in the Capitol."

She clasps my shoulder "Katniss I could have helped you."

"No mom you couldn't have!" I say turning away from her "I lost my respect for you after dad died and since then we have never been the same. Peeta helped me when he came back."

My mother nods looking at the ground "I am so sorry! I never wanted to be a disappointment to you and your sister."

I sigh "Prim didn't see you as a disappointment. She saw you as a sick person. I just think I say you worse than that because I was left with the burden of feeding you guys."

My mother nods and tries to wrap her arms around me but I pull away.

"Please mom don't," I say.

She looks as though I just slapped her but nods "I miss her too you know."

I stare at her and feel fury surge through me "you never did anything for her! You think you are hurting well I started this whole thing to protect her! If I didn't love her I wouldn't have volunteered when her name was called. I would never have went to the arena. The games would have still been going on! Mom I failed her! I set out at the beginning to save her and I end up getting her blown up in a bomb."

Peeta is at my side instantly when I too start to cry. I hid my face in his neck as he rubs my back the way he knows will comfort me. He pulls me out and brushes the hair from my eyes.

"You alright?" he asks.

I nod "yes I'm okay."

He nods and gives my shoulder a squeeze.

I turn to Gale and stare at him he stares back.

Peeta pats my back "Annie has asked if we want to eat at her place."

"Sure if you are okay with that," I say.

He nods "I'll come find you when dinners ready."

He tells everyone to follow him and heads to where I guess Annie's house is.

I look after him gratefully.

Gale sighs "I never stood a chance."

"What?" I ask turning to him.

"When you came back from the first arena I thought I stood a chance against him. But I didn't."

I look at him. He gives me his usual soft smile which brings my smile I always saved for him.

Gale sighs "you didn't kill Prim I did."

I look at my feet this of course is true. His bomb design killed her and I know that.

I look up at him "you didn't mean for her to be there."

"I know but still. When I was working on those things. Causing the cave in here or coming up with bomb stuff with Beetee. You looked at me like I was a killer. I don't think you ever got this but you always said that you had to be in the games to understand. But I think you have to be outside watching your best friend die to understand as well."

I look up at him he walks over to a bench and I sit beside him.

"I was there sitting there watching you being cooked to die. I watched you be paraded in a really pretty dress holding hands with this random guy. Then I watched him declare his love for you. I see the game start you almost die from fire, dehydration,an explosion then you find Peeta who saved your life when I couldn't. I watch you kiss him and do all this stuff I had wanted my whole life. You to love me and kiss me. Then you came back and I thought okay maybe I had a chance. Then you got called to another arena. You came back and Snow started torturing Peeta. I knew that was it. I knew I was not the real thing just a substitue to Peeta. If Peeta would die you would be broken beyond repair. I would never be your lover just your hunting partner. I don't know I think I believe that if the games haven't called you away than maybe I would have been able to live happily ever after with you. They hurt you beyond repair. I knew I would never see the real Katniss Everdeen again so that was why I was fighting. Not because of watching the games or because of working in the mines. I was fighting because how I believed our future would have been and because you where how you were."

I look up at him he has tears streaming down his face and I place a hand on his knee.

Gale looks at me "I loved the old Katniss Everdeen and perhaps I love the old one but not in the way I loved the old you."

I smile "I love the new me better. I feel more complete. I miss Prim more than you can imagion but Peeta he helps me get over it."

Gale looks at me and takes my hand with my ring. He looks at it. He huffs and lets go.

"What?" I ask.

"He really does get you! I thought he would have bought you the most expensive one he could find which I knew you wouldn't have liked. But no he bought this ring the one I would have picked for you," Gale says.

I smile at him "isn't that good?"

Gale grins back "for you yeah. For me not really I wanted to be the one that put a ring on your finger."

I sigh "it would never have worked Gale. We both have so much fight that if we were together it'd be bad. I need Peeta and you need a girl who you are happy with that's not me."

Gale nods "perhaps. Want to go hunting with me?"

I give him a soft smile "maybe tomorrow. I want to go and eat at Annie's."

Gale looks a little hurt by this but nods "alright."

He glances at something behind me. I turn and smile at Peeta.

"Hey dinners ready," he says.

I nod and take his hand. Peeta looks at Gale.

"Did you guys sort stuff out?" he asks.

I nod and look at Gale "yes. I was wondering what we had planned tomorrow?"

"Nothing that I know of," Peeta says.

"Oh good then Gale we can go hunting tomorrow," I say.

Peeta doesn't seem to like this idea.

"Want to come Peeta?" I ask.

Peeta looks slightly surprised "I'm not that good at it you know that."

I nod "I can teach you. You never got a very good teacher."

Peeta grins "well if I'm learning from one of the best than I should."

I grin at him and kiss his cheek. Turning to Gale who doesn't look happy at having Peeta come.

"See you tomorrow Gale. Unless…." I trail off looking at Peeta.

He nods "Annie says your welcome Gale."

Gale gets to his feet. Peeta puts his arm around me and starts to walk to Annie's. I turn to make sure Gale's following. He is but not with the happiest expression.

We walk into Annie's house and I breath deeply. Seafood. Images of the Quell flash into my mind. Peeta, Finnick and I eating the crabs and fish together. I know I made a gasp when I entered because Peeta pushes me into a chair.

"Katniss?" he asks softly.

I shake my head "sorry." I look at my knees. Another image flashes into my mind but this one brings a smile to my lips. Peeta giving me the small pearl. Us joking with Finnick about how you could crush coal and make it into pearls something Effie had heard to be true in the Capitol. Of course it's not. If you crush coal and put it under a lot of heat and pressure then it after a long time turns into diamonds.

I look up at Peeta he's wearing a concern expression.

"Sorry."

He squeezes my arm knowing that I had a flashback "want to talk about it?"

I look at him "the seafood just reminded me of those days in the Quell with Finnick. Then I remembered you giving me that pearl and us joking around with Finnick about how you could change it into diamonds if we crushed it up."

Peeta gives a soft chuckle and kisses my forehead "want to go eat then?"

I nod "yeah."

He helps me to my feet and we go sit at the table. I sit across from Gale and Peeta sits beside me. I notice Beetee is sitting at the table as well.

I look at him and smile.

He smiles at me "congratulations to you two."

"Thank you Beetee how have you been?" I ask.

He shrugs "the weapons have been keeping me pretty busy. I have also been working on a few new inventions. Ones finished and I sent Plutarch a letter to come check it out. No reply."

I look at him "that's the one person who hasn't phoned or called. You think he's that busy?"

Beetee shrugs "who knows maybe he was poking at Paylor to get over with your pardon."

I shrug "how'd the other executions go after Snow's?"

Beetee gives me a chuckle "lot smoother."

I grin sheepishly at him "well she ordered to have my sister and me killed."

Beetee smiles "we were all taken for fouls. Peeta how have you been any flashbacks?"

Peeta shakes his head "not while I'm awake."

I turned to him since this is news to me "what?"

Peeta smiles at me "it's not that big of a deal."

Gale gives a light couch "maybe not to you Peeta. To Katniss I think it is. If you do ever lose control well we say what can happen."

I give him a glare but he doesn't seem to care.

Peeta stiffens beside me "I…"

I kiss him "don't listen to him. He's just grumpy."

I glare at Gale before turning back to Peeta.

"No he's right I..should do something like maybe wake you or go lock myself in the bathroom."

I sigh "or tell me in the morning that it happened. You always wake up when I have nightmares and stuff. Let me help you with this."

He smiles at me "really Katniss it helps when I wake up and see you sleeping peacefully it makes me calmer."

I turn back to Beetee who smiles at us "ah young love."

I sigh "it's a lot of work."

Peeta kisses my cheek smiling "we'll talk more later." he mutters to me.

I nod "good."

I have missed how it started but Gale's now talking to Beetee about his new invention. Beetee shoots him down.

"It's a surprise," he says.

I look at him suspiciously and turn to Johanna "so Johanna are you planning on heading back to seven?"

She shakes her head looking at me "no I don't have anyone I love there. At least here I can spend time with other broke, brainless victors."

I grin at her knowing that was pointed at me and turn to Peeta. He smiles at me.

"Maybe we could move here," I say to him.

He looks at me as though trying to see if I'm serious "I knew this would happen."

"What?" I ask.

"I knew that if we came here you would never want to leave," he says.

I stare at him. Maybe I even knew this that I wouldn't want to leave. Perhaps stay and raise our children here.

"Peeta if our plan really is to…." I hesitate "to have children.I don't want them to grow up on a graveyard."

Peeta beams at me "you want to have kids?"

I look at him "maybe some day. I wouldn't mind having them now that the games and war are over."

"Katniss if you will let me have kids. The one thing I've wanted since I was three. Even more your children then we can move anywhere you would like."

I smile at him and kiss him. He kisses me back. I mean it, having kids with Peeta would be different than having kids with say Gale. We would be there the whole time to help each other. Perhaps we could one day start a family. I think I could grow to like the idea. Now that I know they won't be taken away from me.