Author's note: Second chapter in the same day! The next one may not get to you until late this week or even next weekend. Thank you all so much for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing. It's all appreciated.

Trigger warning for some talk of child abuse.

Happy reading.

Chapter Two

Peeta packed up the last of his things and looked at the clock to see it was well after eight. The last parent had just left and he was sure no one else would be coming by this late. He stepped into the hall and reached to lock the door when he felt someone tap him on the back.

He turned and looked down to see Finn, Annie and Finnick's eight-year-old son. "Hi, Peeta."

"Hey, Finn. Where's your dad?"

"He said he was going to close up the gym." He held up the keys. "I get to start the car."

Peeta ruffled the boy's hair. "I'll walk out with you."

"Mom said you met Katniss." Finn said they headed for the front door.

"I did. Do you know her?"

He nodded.

Peeta asked. "Do you like her?"

Finn looked up. "Do you like her?"

"No." His voice was about three octaves too high. He cleared his throat. "She's pretty. And she seems nice."

"She usually is. To me anyway."

"Hey, kid." Finnick called. "I thought you were going to start the car."

The boy called back, "Peeta was gushing over Katniss Everdeen."

"I wasn't gushing." Peeta said.

Finnick laughed. "Right. Annie said you were practically drooling."

"I wasn't drooling. It was a completely professional interaction." He said.

His friend nodded. "Anyway, you and I should hang out tomorrow. Get a beer."

"I have some stuff to do." Peeta said vaguely.

Finnick watched him a moment and then shrugged. "Well, we're doing a thing at our place for the swim team and their families Saturday. You should come. It's potluck. Bring some bread." He grinned. "I think Katniss will be there."

Peeta groaned. "Okay, I'll be there. And I'm bringing a giant loaf of pumpernickel."

Finnick made a face. "No one likes pumpernickel."

"I like pumpernickel." Peeta said with a grin. "I'll think of something else. And I'll make the hamburger buns."

"I love the buns you make!" Finn exclaimed.

Peeta ruffled his hair again. "Then I'll definitely bring plenty to satisfy your hunger." He bid them both farewell and then got into his car and headed home.

His phone rang as he walked into his house. He looked down to see his mother's number flash across the screen. He sighed and pressed the green button. "Hello, Mother."

"Peeta, why haven't you answered my calls?" She demanded. "I've been trying for hours."

"I was working. It was parent-teacher night. What do you want?"

"I'm sick, Peeta. Breast cancer. I'm scheduled for a mastectomy next week."

He paused a moment and then nodded to himself. "Okay. And?"

"And I thought you should know."

"You want my sympathy, Mother? Do you really?"

She scoffed. "I am your mother, Peeta. You should care what happens to me."

"I should? When? When did you care for me? I got infections from the cuts on my back from the strap you used to beat me with when I spilled milk on your second-best table cloth. And all you did for me was drop me at the hospital and told me not to tell them who I was or how I got the cuts. I was barely four. I'm sorry you have cancer. But right now, I'm too tired to pretend like I care." He hung up without saying goodbye and slid the phone across the coffee table. He covered his face with his hands.

Maybe that was harsh. He felt guilty for all of a minute as he worried over his mother's health. But then he remembered the incident he'd just relived for her and a million others that still lived in the recesses of his mind. She had singled him out, maybe because he was the youngest and she was tired and she didn't even plan to have him. Whatever the reason, it didn't make sense to him that a parent could treat their child that way.

He went to bed a short time later. He had plans the next day to go to his favorite spot to paint. The fall colors were in full-force and he was determined to catch them. It was part of a series he'd started in the summer.

There was another artist at his spot. A female with blonde hair leaned over a sketchpad and drew furiously with a colored pencil. She lifted her head and examined something. It was then that Peeta recognized her.

"Hey, Prim." He called as he sat down his things. "Do you mind if I join you?"

She looked over and smiled. "Hi, Mr. Mellark. Don't mind at all."

He sat up his things and examined his surroundings. "So what brings you out here so early, kid?" He picked his direction and started mixing paint.

"Katniss had to be in pretty early today. I'm a light sleeper, so I got up and made her some breakfast while she got ready. And I couldn't get back to sleep." She went back to her sketch. "Then I took a drive and remembered hiking here with some friends this summer and remembered thinking how pretty it would be in the fall."

"I had the same thought." He showed her a picture on his phone. "I already painted it when it was green."

She took the phone from him and looked at the picture. "That looks so cool, Mr. Mellark. Do you ever sell your stuff?" She handed it back.

"I've sold a few. Most I donate to charity auctions." He didn't elaborate on which charities. It wasn't his student's business.

They both worked in silence for a long time. As the sun reached its peak in the sky and began its descent, Peeta realized how hungry he was. He opened the bag he'd brought with him and broke off a chunk of the loaf of bread he'd made earlier in the week. It was a little stale, but definitely still delicious He offered some to Prim.

"No, thanks." She closed up her sketchbook and put her colored pencils away. "I promised my uncle I'd spend the afternoon trying to bond with his obnoxious wife."

Peeta chuckled. "Well, have fun with that." He went back to work.

Prim asked, "Did you and Katniss have a good conference?"

"We did." He sat his brush down and looked at her. "She told me about your mother."

She nodded.

"You don't have to talk about it, but if you ever want to paint about it, it definitely helps. I know from experience."

"Did your mom selfishly take her own life, too?" She asked harshly.

He shook his head. "No." He didn't elaborate. "A lot of people have it rough. But not all of them have a good outlet. You and I do. So if you feel down, open up that sketchbook or pull out your paints. You'll feel a lot better."

She chewed her lip and nodded. "Could I show them to you?"

"You can show me anything. And you can talk to me about anything. I may not be a counselor or a therapist, but I can assure you I know a thing or two about loss and a tough childhood."

She smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Mr. Mellark." She walked away.

Peeta went back to work on his painting for the rest of the afternoon. As he finished for the day, he decided to make himself a lamb chop for dinner. It had been a while since he'd made an involved dinner.

He packed up his things and headed for the grocery store. He decided on baking some banana bread for the potluck at Finnick and Annie's. The list in his head was growing so large he decided it should probably be written down.

When he took out his phone to make the note, he saw that he had several texts from Annie. All of them asked where he was and if he really was going to bring hamburger buns and if he was making anything else.

He answered, "Sorry, painting all day with my phone in the car. I'm making hamburger buns and banana bread. Any other requests?"

She responded quickly. "Sounds good. You have dinner?"

"Making a lamb chop. You guys want to join? You always seem to be feeding me." He pulled into the parking lot of Capitol Grocery and found a spot close to the front.

"Sounds great! The Finnicks say 'Yes, please!' very enthusiastically. My last kids should be gone in an hour and a half."

"Then I'll have a fantastic meal ready for consumption in two hours. Bring your appetites."

Peeta picked out a bunch of bananas that had the perfect amount of spots. He wandered through the vegetables until he found the right ones to pair with lamb chops and that he knew Finn would eat. He wasn't a big fan of green things. He always liked buttery mashed potatoes, Peeta remembered. And some steamed carrots with a touch of sugar would probably be appreciated.

"And rice pilaf." He said aloud, suddenly inspired. He looked around nervously as he continued on to get the rest of his ingredients.

He finished out the journey at the butcher counter. He rang the bell for service and was greeted by Katniss.

"Hi, Peeta." She smiled kindly. "How may I help you?"

"Do you have any lamb chops? I need enough for four."

"I do, but they're really fatty. I tried trimming them down and they are very miniscule." She made an apologetic face. "They are good for appetizers, but not so good for an entrée. Unless it's just a couple people, then you could probably make it work." She clamped her mouth shut and blushed slightly. "Sorry. Sometimes the quality of the meat here gets me a little upset, no matter how much I try to be on top of the orders." She looked down at the case. "We have some really great steaks, though." She pointed to the cut in question. "A nice cut, perfect marbleization. Just a little oil and salt and pepper would be perfect for these."

"Then I'll take those. Four of them." He calculated. "No, wait, three. Those are pretty big cuts, I can divide one of them for Finn and Annie."

Katniss nodded and wrapped up the cuts. She looked into his cart. "Roasted potatoes or mashed?"

"Hm? Oh, mashed. Finn likes mashed. Finnick said he could eat his weight in them half the time." Peeta chuckled. "And some steamed carrots and rice pilaf. Do you think that will go well with the steaks?"

"As much as I love a good rice pilaf, I think you may not have a winner on your hands where a kid is concerned. Prim wouldn't even touch a rice dish that didn't have sugar and milk in it until recently. What about mac and cheese?"

"I make some good mac and cheese." He chuckled and took the packages of meat from her. "Thank you for the advice, Katniss." He lingered a moment and asked, "So are you going to be at the post-swim meet gathering at the Odair abode?"

"Yes." She smiled. "I promised to bring some drinks."

"Good. Do you like banana bread?"

"I love banana bread."

"Then I'll be sure to save you some." He started moving away. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." She turned to the next customer.

Peeta made it home and started cooking before he remembered that he had neglected to tell his guests about the change of menu. They didn't seem to mind and they showed up a short time later ready to eat.

Peeta sat out a plate of crackers with cheese and pepperoni piled on top. Finn took the plate and disappeared into the living room to eat the appetizer.

"I hope you cooked enough." Annie said. "He's started to eat everything."

Peeta chuckled. "I hope so, too."

Finnick asked, "So what did you do to pass the time today?"

Peeta walked into the other room and came back with a small canvas. He showed off the small painting he'd done that day. "What do you think?"

Annie took it. "Wow, it's great. You really should try to sell these, Peeta."

He nodded. "Maybe. I don't know. That CASA fundraiser's coming up. I told them I'd get them a few pictures. And the RAINN thing."

Finnick clapped him on the shoulder. "It's all well and good to help them out. But you have talent that is worst of more than a silent auction."

"I do it for the kids. I have to give back."

"You have to help yourself, too, Peeta." Annie said. "We all get that you had a very bad childhood and you want to help the way no one was able to help you, but you can't just paint for them for the rest of your life."

Peeta nodded. "We'll see." He poured the mac and cheese into a bowl and handed it to Annie. "Time to eat."