See? I told you it wouldn't be long ;) Thanks for your patience!

A couple of things I wanted to address. Everyone is saying everyone is remarkably calm for what is happening...I should have addressed this in my notes from the last chapter but at this point, Katniss doesn't know what Peeta is thinking and all she wants to do is stay calm in front of their daughter. Pearl is their world and Peeta is determined not to say anything that might upset her. This is why he hasn't confronted her or why Katniss isn't throwing herself in his arms just yet.

This chapter was fun and emotional but not as full of anger as you might think. I tried to delve into Peeta's delicate hijacked mind as well as I could and found only sadness and regret with a little fear. Yes he is angry but I think he is more sad about his daughter than anything else. This is also ONE opinion. That's the beauty of fanfiction. It's open to interpretation and you are free to disagree.

I think this chapter captures Peeta's emotions clearly but I will admit there is not enough time to delve into Katniss's emotions so thoroughly; as much as I would have loved to do another chapter in her POV, it would be repetitive and I didn't want that. So I tried to show it with her words best I could.

This is the last chapter and then there is an epilogue. Thank you all for taking this crazy ride with me. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, I totally get that, but I hope the endgame is worth it to you.

Finally, beware, smut ahead! Hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

XOXO

My little girl is quite the conversationalist. Katniss is quiet while she sips her soup but Pearl keeps asking me questions until Katniss tells her to calm down and eat her dinner. She keeps shooting me wary looks, as if afraid I am going to explode any minute. I'm desperate for time with my daughter but at the same time, I need her to go to bed so I can talk to her mother alone. There is so much I want to ask her. So much I need her to know.

I'm pleased at how quickly Pearl has taken to me. Or maybe it's that she doesn't have a lot of people to talk to up here. I wonder how many times Katniss leaves this little cabin. Since that girl, Laura, was shopping for her, I have to ask if she ever goes into town. I hope so. This little girl is far too social to be kept cooped up in the mountains. Since I don't know how they have been living, I won't make assumptions but I notice certain changes to Katniss's appearance and wonder if she does get out and about from time to time.

Katniss clears the dishes and Pearl drags me off to see her room. It's a lot of pink but her bed is white with green trim and looks home-made. Katniss comes in behind me and asks Pearl if she's brushed her teeth.

"Go on and get ready for bed and then we can see if Mr. Peeta will read your book to you."

"Ok!" She runs off toward the bathroom and I watch Katniss reach into a drawer and pull out some pink pajamas. She drapes them over her arm and goes to the book shelf, pulling down an old book with a peeling spine.

"The Bear and the Bow," I read a loud.

"It's her favorite. She makes me read some to her every night. If you'd like to read it to her, I think she would like that."

"I would love to." She smiles and the smile reaches her eyes. I know we need to talk but all I want to do right now is carry her straight to bed. That smile is making me weak and pathetic…what happened to the determined, jilted father who came here to confront his ex-lover? Or did I just come here to beg for her to take me back? Beg is the wrong word. Convince? No, that's not it either. I sigh in frustration and rub my temples. Her hand on my arm makes me look back up.

"I know we need to talk," she says in a low voice. "And it's been killing me to sit there and not know what you are thinking about…well, all of this. But let me just get her to bed and then-"

"All clean," Pearl announces, showing both of us her teeth. Katniss steps away from me and nods.

"Good girl. Put your PJs on and ask Mr. Peeta to read your story." Pearl turns and grips the book, giving me the biggest eyes which just makes me laugh because I can imagine her doing it to her mother.

"Can you?" I already can't deny this girl anything.

"I'd be delighted." She jumps into bed and pulls the necklace off, holding it out to Katniss.

"Keep Daddy safe?" Katniss doesn't say anything as she tucks the locket into her pocket and kisses Pearl's forehead.

I barely get through two pages before she is asleep and Katniss chuckles softly.

"Never makes it to the end," she whispers as she turns the light out and shuts the door halfway. She puts a finger to her lips, takes my hand, and leads me down the hall.

Her bedroom is like the rest of the house: cozy and charming. She has several of my paintings set up, ones that I left behind in Victor's Village. Her woods were often my inspiration because I know how she loved them. They're perfect for this room here; the wood furniture and the green rug seem to be her home away from home. I can sense her watching me as I take in the room and I take a deep breath.

"Katniss-" but I don't say anything else; she's thrown her arms around my neck, her lips crashing down on mine. I reach around and pick her up, her legs wrapping around my waist and I back her against the door. She moans into my mouth, which makes me grow harder between her legs. I thrust my hips forward so she can feel what she's doing to me and she grips my hair in her fist. My eyes shoot open and I remember that I haven't seen her in over 3 years. We need to talk before anything else. I have so many questions and I need to focus.

Reluctantly I set her down and take a step back. I have to adjust my jeans for a moment; hell, as stated, it's been 3 years! Her eyes are darkened with lust and she looks confused.

"As much as I want you, Katniss, we really have to talk." Her shoulders fall and she nods.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just…I thought you were dead." Her eyes fill with tears as she reaches out to stroke my cheek.

"When I saw you I thought you were a ghost. I heard the news and it…it killed me…I mean, I blamed myself, as I sh-should have… But you're here…you're alive!"

"I am," I take her hand and kiss her palm. "I planted the suicide note and Johanna and Annie agreed to cover for me."

"Why would you do that," she asks in the barest of whispers, her eyes wide.

"Because I knew you couldn't really be dead," her head hangs and she looks ashamed. As much as I still love her, I can't help but get a little satisfaction from seeing her sad look. Does she think it was easy for me to see that news?!

"It broke me, Katniss but after I thought about it…I knew you were still alive. I had to find you. To make you see that you are my whole world, that I don't need anything but you. And I would go into hiding with you to prove it, if you wanted me. Both of you," I add.

"Peeta, you need to know…Pearl is…well, I'm sure you know she's…" she's shifting from side to side, looking extremely anxious.

"She's my daughter," I answer for her and her eyes fly back to mine, filled with tears. "I know. I had a long talk with Annie and Johanna. I may not have completely believed them at first but the resemblance is…wow." She nods miserably.

"I wanted to tell you, I really did…I tried to…but I just came to 4 and I saw you with-"

"You didn't see what you thought you did," I cut her off again. I wince at how cold my tone is. Her mouth slams shut and she looks even more confused.

"When you came to my house that night…you saw Delly and my brother, Whitley." Her eyes widen.

"He's… alive?"

"He made it out and escaped to 11. He hid there and helped fight in the war. We found each other when I left 12. He was coming back when I was leaving."

"Oh…wow," she says weakly. "I'm…really happy for them." She blinks back tears and she shakes her head.

"I tried to call you, Peeta. I wanted to tell you everything…to ask you to come back…but Delly answered and she… I never wanted to keep your daughter from you, honest I didn't. I'm just… so sorry Peeta. If I could go back and do things over, I'd do it all over again. Every bit of it. But Pearl is perfect and you are a part of that."

"Jesus, Katniss, three years though. You couldn't find a way to tell me in 3 years? How am I going to get back that time with my daughter? How am I going to explain where I have been? Do you realize how much this hurts? Do you even realize that what you did was WRONG?" I run my fingers through my hair and spin away from her. Looking into her teary eyes makes this so much harder. I could never stand to see her cry. Even getting back to myself in 13, seeing how much I was hurting her killed me. I've fallen so deeply in love with this woman and I know I should be more angry but all I feel is sadness and fear. What I wouldn't give to get that time back but what good is wishing for that now? She could tell me to leave and then I'd have to fight to see my daughter. She could tell me she doesn't love me and I'd have to fight to keep my heart together. I scoff to myself; as if it's been together since that night she told me not real. I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair again; I'm sure my curls are a tangled mess. I realize Katniss isn't the only one at fault here. Why didn't I go back and demand to know the truth? Why didn't I ever call her and not Haymitch to check on her after I left? As I traveled around Panem, I called him to ask him if he was eating enough and how the district was doing. He always knew I wanted to know about her. But why didn't I just call her one day instead?

Because I'm still a coward when it comes to Katniss. I was afraid of deeper rejection and I couldn't put aside my wounded pride to even be a friend. I've endured too much, both mentally and physically, to have been able to take care of a child. It scares me that Katniss raised her alone, in her fragile state but clearly time has done both of us well. As far as I can tell, Pearl is a perfect combination of the both of us and Katniss has done a wonderful job. I can't fault her for that, even though I wish I had some part of that. Katniss may still have some problems but she has pushed them aside so she can be a good mother. Granted I've only spent a few hours with them so I can't know that for sure but I now realize that I don't ever want to leave them. I want to make up for the time I've missed and help Katniss in any way I can. Whether that's just Pearl's father and Katniss's friend, or a man who is so much more to both of them...I can't leave them now.

"We both made some mistakes, Katniss," I start out in a shaky voice. I still can't look at her and I clear my throat. "I shouldn't have let my pride get in my way. I should have come back to you, no matter what you said. Johanna kind of knocked some sense into me. Annie told me how much you hurt after you thought you saw Delly and me. But you have to know that Delly was never…well, she was always pretty protective of me, but just because she was my best friend. I never felt anything for her. She didn't tell me you'd called but at that time…I don't know if I would have returned your call," I turn slowly and squeeze my eyes shut. "I'm sorry what you saw upset you…and that I couldn't explain. I'm sorry you've gone all these years thinking I had moved on. I haven't. I couldn't. You've always been with me, wherever I go."

"I couldn't blame you if you had," she sniffles. "I really hurt you."

"Yeah you did." She crosses her arms over her chest, like she does when she is in pain. I pull her hands down and hold them in my own.

"But I understand why you did it." I lean forward and press my forehead to hers. "And I think one day soon I can forgive you. If you can forgive me for being such a fool." She sinks into my arms and I hold her shaking body close as her tears wet my shirt. As she realizes what she's doing, she gasps and leaps backwards, wiping at her face. Katniss has never been one to show her emotions and she tries to keep her heart hidden as possible. I can't say I blame her, after so many people have left her. I can't stop my hand from reaching out and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Um…l-let me just get you something to sleep in and then we can get comfortable and talk some more."

"I left my bag in the entryway but I have a few things with me." She nods and I quietly step out into the hall. When I return and shut the door behind me, I see her setting two more items among the odd array of objects on the table. The locket and the pearl from the Quell rest at the front. Behind them, there is a blue ribbon, a rusty old ring, an old photograph, some sort of drawing that I suspect came from our daughter, as well as a few others. I suck in a breath and she turns back to me, glancing down at them and then back at me, looking wary again.

"Does she know about me?" She gazes up at me, her eyes stormy and her arms wrapped around herself again. She's put up her walls once again.

"She didn't for the longest time. I was going to wait to tell her when she was older but when the news came of your death, I started to slip into depression again and Pearl tried to pull me out of it. I was…a horrible mother, because I couldn't help myself and she didn't understand. I became my mother," I gasp, knowing that's always been her greatest fear. "It was staring into her eyes…your eyes…that helped pull me out of it. It was stroking her curls, like I would always stroke yours after a nightmare, that helped ground me. She reminded me that life can be good again. So I gave her the locket to wear and showed her what her daddy looks like. I told her he was always watching over us and maybe someday she would meet him. I couldn't tell her you were dead…she just couldn't understand why I was so broken so I hid it as best I could."

"She said you were sad because of a man," I say softly. "I think our daughter is too smart for her own good."

"She is so smart! She gets that from you," she says with a weak smile. "She's the smartest in her class at her preschool," she beams at this but her smile fades slightly. "She wears the locket but gives it back to me at night to keep Daddy safe. She keeps saying he'll come back to us." Her breath hitches for a moment and she reaches out, her palms pressing against my chest.

"I can't believe that she was right." I cup her chin and hold her gaze.

"You gave her my name?" She bites her lip and her eyes dart to the floor again. I move my hand to the back of her neck and try to recapture her gaze.

"Look at me." She looks back up but her eyes are filled with tears again.

"I thought of you every day," she whispers. "I dreamed of you holding us. Of the three of us in the meadow. I stared at your paintings and told her about you while she was in my belly. You were such a big part of her life already, I had to give her your name. I'm…I'm sorry that I didn't exactly ask but it wasn't right to give her the name Everdeen. She's Mellark through and through. I gave her a middle name, Rowan, after my father." Her words cause me the most exquisite pain. On one hand it breaks my heart to hear how much I missed and then remember that my daughter is already three years old. I've missed three years of her life and that's probably the worst thing about all of this. On the flip side, hearing her pour out her love like this is unlike anything I've ever experienced. I could never have imagined what it would be like to hear such beautiful words being uttered by Katniss Everdeen. I reach down and take her hands in mine, pressing my forehead to hers again.

"I love you Katniss. I have never stopped loving you. Since that day in school, when a little five year old me saw a little girl singing and I lost my heart to you. We have been through so much shit together but I never stopped loving you. Even after you tore my heart out, it still beats for you. And I know we have a lot to work on and talk about and learn about each other but I want to do that because I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you. You and that beautiful little angel in there. A perfect piece of you and me. I want to learn everything about her and what you like and what you've been doing all this time and what she likes to do and-"

"I just can't believe you did this," she cuts me off, biting her lip. "For me. After you found your brother again. And you…Annie said you opened a bakery. You had a life, Peeta."

"And it was incomplete without you," I say firmly. "I told you that years ago. I don't know what else I can do to convince you but I just faked my death so we could disappear together. I mean I don't even know how you have been living here in 2 without anyone knowing. And our little girl...I hope she goes out and socializes and has friends. I don't know how this whole being dead to the world thing works."

"It's been working just fine. Once people believe you're dead, they stop looking for you. Pearl has so many friends at school and she loves to go shopping. I keep my hair out of my braid but other than that, I guess people have just forgotten about the Mockingjay." She shrugs and I grip her shoulders.

"I haven't. I never could. But I'm willing to start all over, as whoever you want me to be, just so we can have a chance. So I can have a chance to be a father...and whatever...you want me to be. All I need is you, Katniss. All I want is you. Please don't tell me I did all of this for nothing. Please tell me you want me…that you need me too."

"Oh Peeta," she cries before she throws her arms around me and is kissing me again. This time, I don't stop her. I don't need the words; Katniss has always been better showing her feelings than saying anything. And right now, she's showing me how much she wants me. So I let her.

I carry her to the bed while she yanks at my shirt. She throws it to the side then moves down to the buttons on my jeans. She pushes my jeans and boxers down around my ankles and pulls me down onto the bed. I don't have any time to draw breath before she takes me into her hand and I fall back with a strangled gasp.

"Mine?" She asks shyly. My chin dips against my chest.

"Always," I breathe. She takes me into her mouth and my head falls back onto the pillows.

I don't even know if she's been with anyone since me but she's REALLY good at this. She takes me deep, swallowing when I touch the back of her throat. I grapple for her hair and squeeze my eyes shut, my teeth digging into my bottom lip.

"Oh my fuuuuuuuck," I whisper through gritted teeth. I don't know how hard Pearl sleeps but I'm going to pretend we're not doing this just a few feet away from our daughter. I need Katniss. Now. And you can call me the most idiotic, selfish man in the world if you want to because I know we should be talking and waiting and giving ourselves time to heal. I know I should put a wall around my heart so she can't destroy it as easily again and that I should be a responsible father and adult, for that matter.

My head knows all of this but I have always lead with my heart. And right now it's beating for Katniss. My head is screaming at me but I mentally swat those thoughts away and resolve myself to deal with them in the morning. Right now, all I want to think about is being with this woman again and showing her how much I love her.

As I feel myself getting closer, I gently push her away and she gives me a confused look.

"I can't handle that anymore. I need to be inside you and I know I'm not going to last long as it is." She leans back and starts to unbutton her shirt but I grip her wrist.

"Can I do that?" Her hands fall to her side and I slowly undress her, taking my time with her, savoring every precious moment. I reach around and easily unclasp her bra, gasping when she's revealed to me. Her breasts are larger than I remember, no doubt due to a proper diet and giving birth. I lower my head and circle her nipple with my tongue. She gasps and her head tilts back, her hands going to my hair. I tweak them both between my fingers and continue licking a trail down to her stomach. I push her onto her back, my fingers deftly working the button and zipper on her jeans.

When I have her in just her plain, cotton underwear, I take a moment to really look at her. The last time we did this was in her dark bedroom and it was heated and hurried. Not this time. I finally have her back in my arms, after pining for her for years. And I think she understands because she lays there and allows me to look my fill. I can tell she is uncomfortable at my scrutiny from the way she squirms; her scars have always bothered her. But I've never seen anything more beautiful.

I lick around her waistband and place a kiss on her hipbone. She jerks her hips upwards and I can see her arousal seeping through her underwear. Fuck she's gorgeous. I move down on the bed and spread her legs wide, draping them over my shoulders. She leans up on her elbows and bites her lip.

"Peeta." She sounds hesitant and I grin up at her from between her thighs.

"I promised you next time would be with my tongue," I smirk up at her before I place a kiss on her inner thigh. She gasps loudly, her legs flying in the air. I hold her down while I take my first taste and I'm fucking hooked. I lick around her folds, feeling her getting wetter. When I flick my tongue across her clit, she arches off the bed.

"Peeta!"

"Shhhh. Don't want to wake the baby," I say against her center. She whimpers until I hear her curses are muffled. I glance up and see she's covered her face with a pillow. Laughing, I reach up and tug it away.

"I want you to watch me, Katniss. Don't take your eyes off me. If you do, I'll stop." She nods, biting her lip and I go back to flicking my tongue over her clit. When I tug it into my mouth, her eyes flutter shut and I pull away; her eyes shoot open and she glares.

"Keep them open," I remind her before I go back to my slow torture. Her whole body starts to shake and she grips the blankets in one fist while her other is tangled in my hair.

"Peeta Peeta Peeta," she whispers repeatedly, between little gasps and curses.

"Come for me, Katniss. Come for me baby." Her orgasm takes her over completely and she shudders underneath me. I tongue her slowly until she's stopped trembling, and I move back up to her mouth. I tentatively dip my tongue inside her mouth and she reaches up and trails her nails down my back.

"God I need you, Katniss." She leans up and flips us over and I watch in amazement as she straddles me. She takes me into her hand and rubs me over her wet pussy.

"Mine?" I ask softly, looking into her eyes and taking her face in my hands.

"Only you." I kiss her as she lowers herself over me and we both hiss; I see her wince and I give her a moment to adjust. It's obviously been awhile for both of us and I'm surprised I didn't come immediately. And if she's telling the truth and I have no reason to doubt she is, she hasn't been with anyone besides me. The thought makes me feel powerful and desired.

She rises up and lowers again, very slowly. The feeling of being inside her is unlike anything I've ever experienced. The way her walls clench around me and the way her breasts bounce as she moves up and down make my teeth dig into my lip as my wide eyes focus on where we are joined.

"Oh fuck," I cry out. "Katniss!" I lean up to take her breast in my mouth while she rides me fiercely. She leans back, grinding against instead of going up and down and I know she's searching for friction. My thumb goes back to her clit and I'm determined to get her there. The thought of her coming around my cock makes me shiver. I rub my thumb over her quickly and her breathing speeds up as she grips my shoulders tightly.

"Come with me baby," I whisper against her chest. "I want us to finish together." She does a moment later and it's unreal. She squeezes me like a vice and I cry out and bite down on her shoulder as I come inside her.

"Oh my god," she pants, still holding onto me. Softening slightly inside her, I help her off me and we curl up together, grasping our hands between us. I reach out to push a strand of damp hair out of her face and her eyes search mine.

"Ask me again, Peeta."

"What?"

"What have you been wanting to ask me for years? Ask me again." It takes a moment, I'll admit, but once I figure out what she's referring to, my face breaks into a grin.

"You love me. Real or not real?"

"Real," she breathes and I feel my heart racing. Like it's going to burst out of my chest and jump right into hers. She's always owned my heart anyway. Now that I know she loves me too, I never want it back.

We slowly come down from our high and my hand freezes in its lazy trail across her back.

"Katniss…are you on birth control?"

"No," her eyes open and she looks like she was about to fall asleep. "I haven't been with anyone else, why would I use birth control?"

"I didn't use anything," I say uncertainly and her eyes widen. She bolts up and grips the blankets.

"Oh my god, Peeta! What if-"

"Hey, hey," I soothe her, pulling her back down beside me. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together, ok?" she relaxes in my arms and sighs.

"Pearl does want a little brother," she whispers as she falls back to sleep. I smile and nuzzle up to the love of my life.

Whatever happens, we're together now. We're not the same people as we once were. I don't think I've ever seen her smile so much as she was with Pearl earlier but it's a beautiful sight. I look forward to learning a lot more about her. About them both actually. I know it's not all going to be easy. Life has out us through the ringer and there's no way we can completely escape that. But hopefully now that we're together again and neither of us are fighting our feelings, things can be good again. And I can't wait to ask her that question, again and again, just to hear her reply.