Cinnick charged past his father, latching on to Callan's legs and causing the young man to topple backwards, catching himself on a table.
"What's the surprise?" Johanna asked as Peeta walked into the room. Peeta glanced at Katniss, who smiled in turn.
"Well it's two things actually. One is more of a question, anyways. The first thing is Peeta and I have decided to move here, into one of the houses in the Victor's Village. We cleared it with the district mayor." The individual district governments were one of the few things still functioning, and sporadically throughout the nation, too.
"That's spectacular! It'll be great having familiar faces so close!" Annie said, grinning radiantly, and sincerely for the first time in a very long while. Callan set his jaw, slightly put off. Looking at Johanna he could tell she was thinking the same chronically-pessimistic way he was. District four generally had some poor sentiment about the Mockingjay. Her presence here could endanger the family.
"Now the question… We'd…well, we'd like to know if Johanna would be Cinnick's godmother…and Callan be Prim's godfather." Peeta said cautiously. Callan imeidietly looked at his mother, wondering if she would feel offended by being skipped over, but she was beaming at him.
"They discussed this with me already…I could not even raise you by myself. I would never be able to protect a child who isn't my own."
"And I could?!" Callan barked in alarm. Johanna was staring at Cinnick in shock, before nodding.
"I ….I would be flattered to raise Cinnick, but what would ever be the reason?"
"Shut up, Johanna." Katniss sneered at her old friend. "You know, I can see it. Callan knows, too. I'm no hero to either side, just a mutual target to most of them. I'll lay low and hopefully be okay, but should anything happen…" She broke off as Primrose gazed at her. "Prim, go upstairs with your brother and settle in." She said brusquely. Prim looked at her strangely.
"Why settle in? We're only here for a day." She muttered. But she was already leaving with Cinnick behind her. Peeta picked up their bags and followed them up the stairs.
"She's wise beyond her years," Annie remarked. Katniss nodded grimly.
"My sister, Prim, was as well." Katniss stared blankly at the stairs where her family had just ascended, and Callan turned his back and was helping Johanna prepare dinner, as Katniss spoke again. "War is coming,"
"It's here. Been here for years, since we met," Johanna said bleakly, glancing over her shoulder as she diced a tomato. Katniss sighed.
"Yes but it's worsening. Suddenly there are several different groups of rebels and government supporters. None are all too pleased with me, and to find out I've moved here, we could be in danger." Katniss said sullenly. "I don't want the children getting hurt, or Peeta."
"Being blunt," Annie said, looking Katniss in the face hard, she continued. "They won't hurt Peeta, nor will they touch your children. The rebels are the ones around here, not supporters, and they're so opposed to all government ideals, killing kids is too similar to the Games, and the events in the Capital Circle that killed your sister, and others. Prim and Cinnick will be safe. As for Peeta, I doubt they'll hurt him. He had nothing to do with the over throwing thirteen. You shot Coin, which was better for all, but it crumbled any government that could have been stabilized. You're who they will kill."
Callan had never heard this sort of blunt pessimistic truth from his mother in his life. He turned.
"But…we…you can't die." He struggled for words, then burst out "yes, things are getting worse. Change is coming. The kids can't stay with you. They'll live here. You and Peeta will move into your house, and I'll stay there too, for added protection. Johanna will protect here."
They gawked at him, and Katniss's voice came out shaky as she said:
"But that's not the only problem," Callan turned, and saw that the woman had her hands gently over her stomach, her face distressed.
"Surprise." Peeta said grimly.