Thank you so much for your continued support of this story. I read every one of your comments, even if I haven't had a chance to respond, and they mean so much to me. Thank you as always to Carolyn/arollercoasterthatonlygoesup for your beta work and for educating me on the difference between a dash and a newsfeed. ;)

Six weeks.

Lily and Peeta went home six weeks ago. After our talk in the meadow, Peeta made a serious effort to plan their return. By the next evening, he'd purchased plane tickets, cancelled the forwarding of his mail, and arranged a ride home from the airport with Finnick.

They were gone by the end of the week.

The night they left, I had a nightmare. Horrible visions of Prim's car exploding, scorching flames and smoke so thick I couldn't breathe. I woke in tears, my sister's screams still echoing in my ears. I wished that Peeta were here to hold me, until I remembered I'm not supposed to wish that anymore.

This was what I wanted to happen. No – what needed to happen. At least, that's what I keep reminding myself when I get weak.

Weakness comes in many forms. The instinct to send him a text when something funny happens, my fingers hovering over the keys before I remember that I shouldn't. The restlessness I feel on Monday nights, when we used to have our Skype sessions. The strange emptiness I feel in my own home.

I'd grown accustomed to living alone again, and now… The house feels so empty. There's no Lily giggling from her booster seat in the kitchen. No more baby toys popping up in the strangest places. No sounds of Peeta's heavy tread moving around upstairs.

I went through a similar mourning phase when Prim moved away, and another when she died. This feeling though, it's something different. Peeta is very much alive, and I know exactly where to find him. I'm just making a conscious effort not to.

We haven't cut all ties, of course. He still calls at least once a week, checking in and giving me updates on Lily. And we text back and forth sometimes, just short messages to say hello; have a nice week; hope things are going well.

But I scrutinize all of my interactions with him now, careful not to let things slip the way I did this spring. I'm friendly, but not overly. Interested in their lives, but I keep my distance. No one could accuse me of anything improper.

I've especially made sure to curb my references to him when I talk to Johanna. Every now and then she asks how "Blondie" is, or inquires about Lily, but I keep my answers to a minimum, and I never initiate conversation about them.

I won't make that mistake again.

I find myself scowling more than smiling as the weeks pass. The summer weather is unforgiving, which doesn't help my mood. It's the hottest summer on record in over a decade, and week after week goes by without any sign of it breaking. The air is heavy and stagnant, no breezes to help alleviate the torture.

The humidity makes everything sticky, and I start wearing my hair in a braid regularly just to keep it off my neck. My old house doesn't have central air conditioning, just a window unit in the bedroom. Cool showers help, but even in the short walk down the hall from the bathroom, I become coated in a new layer of sweat. I spend most of my free time holed up in my room, reading or watching movies while trying to escape the heat.

I'm a solitary creature, but the loneliness starts to get to me. I convince Madge to join me in an extra yoga class from time to time, taking advantage of the cool facilities while trying to center my thoughts. In exchange, she talks me into going to the beach with her, but the combination of the weekend crowds and the unrelenting heat make the trip short and unpleasant.

My one saving grace is work. Since I used all of my vacation time in the winter, I'm the only employee not taking time off this summer. I end up covering for nearly everyone else when they take their own vacations, which keeps me busy and distracted. I throw myself into the job, grateful for the long days to keep my mind occupied.

Peeta has been great about posting pictures and videos of Lily to Facebook. He never tags or mentions me in the posts, but something tells me he's doing it mainly for my sake. I check his page a couple of times a day, just in case my newsfeed doesn't alert me to something new. I don't want to miss anything important.

One evening before bed, I get out my laptop to check in. Peeta hasn't posted a new update, so I decide replay the last video he posted. It's Lily, sitting in her high chair, singing. Well – something that passes as singing for a toddler. She starts with a song that sounds like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", bobbing her head back and forth happily with the tune. Occasionally, Peeta picks up the words from behind the camera, his deep voice encouraging her along. When they finish, she claps happily, and Peeta gives a cheerful, "Yay!"

Peeta starts the next song for her, her face lighting up at the familiar tune. I smile again at his strong – though completely off tune – attempt at Lily's lullaby. She hums along, squealing and clapping occasionally, and harmonizing with him at the end. "Naa nah… love… you. Yay!"

The video ends. I wipe a tear from my eye as I stare at Lily's happy expression. She looks so much like Prim, but there's also something in her smile that has become all Peeta to me.

I scroll further down Peeta's page and catch a notification I hadn't seen before.

Glimmer Abbott added four new photos. Tuesday at 7:02 PM
Playdate with our besties! - with Peeta Mellark

I reread the post again, slowly absorbing the information. Abbott. I guess Glimmer's divorce finally went through.

I click through and study the photos carefully. The first is of Lily and another blond toddler playing in a sandbox wearing big floppy sunhats. "Lily and Charlotte soaking up the summer sun!" A close-up of each girl follows. Charlotte has a wide grin in hers, obviously hamming it up for the lens already.

I stare at the picture of Lily for a moment, overcome with her beauty. Glimmer must have an amazing camera, because you can see every last freckle on Lily's nose as it crinkles up in what I could only call a scowl. That's my girl, I think with a chuckle.

The last picture nearly takes my breath away. It's Peeta, sitting in a lounge chair with his eyes directed slightly off camera, probably at the girls. Despite all the pictures he's sent me of Lily, this is the first time I've seen him since he left. He's got a small smile on his face, but it doesn't reach his eyes. The shadows are back, and he looks exhausted.

I finally decide I've stared at the picture too long, so I close the browser and put the laptop away. I turn on my side and tuck into myself, trying to get comfortable and get some rest. I can only hope somewhere across the country, Peeta is doing the same.

Over the next few weeks, I check Peeta's page religiously. Glimmer posts a few more updates that give me an insight into their lives I don't get from Peeta's check-ins. Sometimes it's just a status update.

"Love spending time with good friends! - with Peeta Mellark"

But usually there are photos to go with it. One afternoon, she posts a beautiful picture of Peeta and Lily that I immediately save to my phone. Lily is sitting in his lap, holding a toy up to show him, and he's looking down at her with so much love in his eyes.

But there's one photo I could do without: a selfie Glimmer took of just her and Peeta. She's squeezed in tight, all cleavage and lipstick, and has one arm wrapped around him as she holds the camera with the other. Something about the image makes my stomach turn.

Finally, there seems a light at the end of the tunnel. The summer heat begins to cool and I finally feel like I can breathe again. And in August, I get a phone call that raises my spirits.

Annie is traveling on business and will be nearby in early September. We've kept in touch since I left Colorado, and I really enjoy her friendship. We make plans to meet for dinner and catch up. As excited as I am to see her, I can't help but admit a part of me is happy for this direct connection to my loved ones in Denver.

Annie's staying in Hartford, about an hour away from me, so we choose a restaurant midway between both of us. I arrive a little early, so I wait at the bar until she comes in, looking around hopefully until she spots me. We share a smile and I hop down from my bar stool to meet her.

"Katniss." She folds me into a hug. "It's so good to see you again."

"You, too, Annie." I give the hostess our name and she leads us to our table, a quiet booth in a corner.

"So how have you been?" she asks, sliding in and putting her bag down beside her. "Did you have a good summer?"

"I guess," I say with a shrug. "Work kept me pretty busy."

"Did you take any vacations?"

I shake my head. "No, I used up all of my vacation time this winter when I decided to stay longer in Denver."

"Oh, right," she says with a nod. "Do you… regret that now?"

"No," I answer without hesitation. "No. I'm glad I was able to spend that time with them."

Annie gives me a warm smile. "I'm glad you were, too."

We chat amiably over our drinks and meal. It's a comfortable reunion and we catch up pretty quickly.

Annie is a proud mama who shares stories of how big Dylan has gotten. Finnick's been taking him for swim lessons at the local YMCA and, like his father, he took to the water like a fish. "The only downside is he misses playgroup lately, since the classes overlap. But we try to have playdates with Peeta and Lily to make up for it."

The mention of playdates reminds me of my Facebook ... research. "Do you have playdates with anyone else?" I ask, trying to sound casual. "Like with Glimmer and her daughter?"

Annie rolls her eyes dramatically. "Please. That woman stooping to a playdate? No way. Not unless there's something in it for her."

I nearly choke on my bite. I grab my glass of water and take a big drink while Annie eyes me suspiciously. "Are you okay, Katniss?"

I look at Annie debating how to respond. I decide to confide in her. She's become a good friend, and she's one of the only people who knows Glimmer personally and can understand my concerns.

I tell her what I saw on Facebook: the playdates, the comments about Peeta, and the selfies. By now there have been three, each one more irritating than the last. "I don't know, Annie. It just worries me. Peeta and Lily have been through a lot this past year. I don't want to see anyone taking advantage of them. Especially after-" I stop, not sure how much to say.

Annie's been watching me talk, her lips pursed and a slight frown on her brow. "Especially after what?" she encourages gently.

I shrug, struggling with my thoughts. Annie seems to understand and places her hand on top of mine on the table. "Katniss, if it helps at all, Peeta is a strong man, and Lily is his number one priority, almost to a fault. He would never let anyone hurt her."

I mull over her words. Almost to a fault. "How is he?" I ask quietly.

She reaches for her wine glass and takes a sip. "He's okay. You know Peeta, he doesn't like to ask for help or bother anyone. Finnick and I try to have dinner with them a couple of times a month, and we offer to take Lily so he can have some time for himself. But he doesn't like to let that little girl out of his sight."

"I know." I remember his nightmares, his fear of losing her.

"Those playdates..." she begins. "I'm sure they're harmless. I think - it's like they're another way for Peeta to try to give Lily everything. Time with friends. Different settings. New experiences."

"With Glimmer," I add sarcastically.

Annie frowns. "I admit, I'm not fond of Glimmer either, but… do you really think she's a problem?"

I don't want to bring up old gossip, but I'm not sure how else to explain my concerns. "Do you… remember… that shopping trip we took?" Annie nods, waiting for me to continue. She listens with wide eyes as I explain Glimmer's conversation with Clove, her predatory tone when talking about Peeta.

"Wow," she replies when I finally finish. "I knew she was shallow and self-centered, but I didn't realize how conniving she was. Going after a man who'd just lost his wife? That's low."

I bite my lip. I told her almost everything, but I did leave out a few key details. "Well… she said… that …" I sigh, tired of holding onto these secrets. "That it wasn't a real marriage. That Prim and Peeta's whole relationship was a scam, and that they only got married because of Lily."

"Wow," Annie repeats. She sits back against her booth, her face sad but not really surprised.

"I just think…" I pick at my roll. "She must be pretty cold-hearted and evil to make up such ridiculous lies. Right?"

"That is strange," Annie agrees carefully. Something in her expression makes me wonder if she knows more than she's saying.

"Annie… you don't think it's true, do you? That it was all a lie? That they weren't really in love?"

"I wouldn't put stock into anything that woman says," she says after a moment. "From everything I saw, I am sure that Prim and Peeta loved each other very much."

"I know," I say. "When Prim first told me about Peeta, she gushed about him. Told me how wonderful he was, how much I'd love him… And Peeta's only ever talked about how special Prim was, too."

Annie nods.

"And… I'm sure he has been lonely since he lost Prim. I don't want Glimmer coming in and taking advantage of that loneliness. He deserves better than that."

"He does," Annie says with a small smile. "But I wouldn't worry about Glimmer, Katniss. Peeta's definitely not interested in her. And he knows how two-faced she can be. He's smart enough to be careful around her."

"Yeah?" I ask, relieved.

"Definitely," Annie reassures me. She reaches for the small menu on the edge of the table. "Now, I don't know about you, but I could go for some dessert. Want to share?"

With my mind eased, I feel a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. "Dessert sounds great," I say, leaning forward to look at the menu she's holding out. "But only if we get something chocolate."

Late the next evening, the sound of my ringtone pulls me from a deep sleep.

Disoriented, I first confuse it with my alarm, but finally, I realize the phone is ringing. In the dark, I fumble on my end table to find the phone where it's charging. I glance at the time before answering; it's after 3 AM.

"Hello?" I ask, my voice hoarse and raspy.

"Katniss? She's sick. Lily's sick."

"Peeta?" His voice is hushed and panicked. I sit straight up in bed, wide awake now, and turn on the lamp. "What's going on? Where – what do you –"

"She's sick! I don't know, the doctors are with her now. They made me leave the room. They said I was upsetting her and they needed to focus and do their work – but she's got to be so scared! She's all alone in there!"

"Shhh..." His voice is getting higher, and I know I need to help him calm down if he's going to be of any use to Lily now. "Peeta, it's okay. I'm sure the doctors are doing their very best. Who's there with you?"

"No one," he explains. "It's just us."

I think of him, all alone there in the waiting room. "Is there anyone local you can call? Maybe Finnick?"

"No, he's home alone with Dylan." I'd forgotten that Annie was still on her business trip, spending the rest of the week in Boston. "Besides, I wouldn't do that to him. And everyone else is asleep - like you probably were. God, I'm so sorry. I didn't think… I just didn't know who else to call."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm glad you called me, Peeta. We're family, remember?"

He doesn't answer. From the sound of his breathing, I assume he's pacing. I decide to distract him so his mind doesn't start to wander. "Why don't you just talk to me while you wait? Tell me what happened."

He sighs, and sounds like he's trying to compose himself. "I don't really know. She had a slight fever this afternoon, but she gets those sometimes, when she's teething or gets a cold from another kid in the play group. You know?"

I make a sound of encouragement, waiting for him to continue.

"But then, when I got her ready for bed, she was so listless! She could barely hold onto Lady, she was… her muscles were so weak. And she was burning up… I just … I got worried, I called the doctor and they told me I should bring her down to the ER just in case." He makes a sniffing noise. "And then when they had her on the table here, she started shaking and they said it might be a seizure? That's when I lost it and they made me come out here."

I can hear him breaking down, and my eyes well up for them both.

"She just looked so small, Katniss," he murmurs. "I don't know what I would do if-"

"No." I cut him off before he can even start thinking like that. "Hey – what's Denver like in the fall?"

"What?" he asks, clearly taken off guard by my sudden change of topic.

"The foliage. Is it like when you were in Boston? Lots of colors? I bet it's really pretty out there with the mountains and all."

"Uh. Yeah. It's… it's similar. I guess."

"Tell me about it."

"What?" he asks again. "Katniss, I don't understand…"

"Tell me about the colors, Peeta. I bet they're beautiful. The leaves will be changing soon. You'll have to take Lily out to see it all. She'll love it."

He's quiet on the other end of the line for a beat. "Yeah. She will," he softly replies.

I give him a moment, then prompt him again. "So go ahead. Tell me about the colors."

Peeta speaks for a few minutes about the autumn colors; the golds and reds and deep oranges exploding around you. He describes the way the leaves look as the sun hits them at dusk, how the mountains loom around you and the way a nearby lake reflects the bright colors back like glass.

"It sounds lovely," I breathe. It does. The way Peeta spins words, I can practically see it.

"It is," he agrees. "But honestly, there are lovelier sights back east. Nothing compares with the beauty of a New England autumn. Sometimes I think-"

Before he can finish, I can hear voices in the background. Peeta turns away from the phone for a moment to talk to them. "Yes, I – yes, thank you…" He lets out a sigh and moves back to the phone. "Katniss?"

"Yes?"

"She's stable, so they're letting me back in now."

"That's great news, Peeta."

"It is. I can't have my phone on in there…" he explains.

"I understand. Will you call me soon? Keep me posted? Any time of day."

"I will," he says. "Thank you so much, Katniss."

I hang up and lay back in bed. It's too early to get up for work, but I know I won't be able to sleep. My heart is thousands of miles away in a hospital room. And there's absolutely nothing I can do about that.

It's early afternoon before Peeta calls me again.

I'm home at my kitchen table when the call finally comes. I tried to work in the morning, but I was a basket case, checking my phone every few minutes. Finally, Johanna told me just to take off. She handed me a stack of paperwork that needed to be organized so that I could justify working from home the rest of the afternoon.

"Peeta! I was so worried!" I don't mean to let my emotions show, but my nerves have finally gotten the better of me. "How is she?"

"I'm so sorry, Katniss. They don't allow cell phones in the special care unit, and I didn't want to leave her. But we've moved to a regular room now. She's doing so much better."

"Thank god," I breathe. "What about the seizure?"

"They said they're really common when kids her age get high fevers. I just need to watch her as she gets older, and be aware in case it happens again. But her temperature's finally down, and she was able to eat some toast this morning. The doctors say she should make a full recovery. She's really going to be okay." He's tired, but I can hear the joy in his voice.

He fills me on the details of her illness – some apparently common virus I don't recognize – and the medications they've prescribed. Then he lets me "talk" to her. He puts the phone on speaker and I do most of the talking, but I can hear her laugh a couple of times. I'm just so relieved she's feeling better; I don't even mind the one-sided conversation.

Lily takes a nap shortly after, and Peeta moves to a quiet corner in her room. We talk for a while, chit chat mostly, but neither one of us seems to make an effort to hang up. I hate the fact that he's sitting in that hospital room alone; a part of me just wants to keep him company for as long as possible.

Peeta's describing Lily's lunch options when he stops to greet someone in the room. "Sorry, I should probably go," he says, returning to the phone. "Lily has a visitor."

"Finnick?" I ask, assuming he got a sitter for Dylan so he could check on Peeta.

"Uh, no," he says sheepishly. "Actually, it's Glimmer Roberts. I mean – Abbott."

"Oh." I wonder if that one syllable sounds as crestfallen to him as it does to my own ears. "Well, that's nice of her to visit Lily. I'll let you guys catch up."

"Katniss –" Peeta begins, but I don't let him continue.

"Keep me posted on Lily. Please let me know if anything changes."

"Of course. Thank you again, Katniss. For … for being there."

"You don't need to thank me, Peeta. I'll always be there for you and Lily. Always."

Lily is discharged later that evening. Peeta sends me an image of her sitting on his bed surrounded by stuffed animals. I smile and text a light-hearted warning that he just might run the risk of spoiling her. He sends back a teasing text that there's nothing wrong with a little chocolate cake for dinner now and then.

Over the next few weeks, we stay in closer contact via texts and quick phone calls; we even resume our video chats again. No matter what happened between us, it feels so good to have him back in my life again. It reminds me of this winter, before … well, before.

One Monday morning in early October, my phone lights up with a text from Peeta. I'm at work, so I quickly dismiss it without reading before Johanna can see. I excuse myself to the bathroom to read it in private.

Peeta (sent 10:13 AM): Happy Monday. :) Was wondering if you could skype tonight? There are some things I want to talk about.

What things could he want to talk about? Maybe there's something going on with Lily. Maybe she's been sick again? Or… I wonder if he wants to talk about this past spring; find out why I pushed him away, why I acted so distant for most of the summer.

Or maybe -

I have a sudden thought that turns my stomach: maybe he wants to talk about his relationship with Glimmer. What if they're dating now? What if he wants to give me the courtesy of telling me personally, since I'm Prim's sister?

I'm not sure I'm ready for that conversation.

I look into the mirror and realize I'm scowling. This is ridiculous. I have no reason to believe Peeta would decide to start dating Glimmer. Annie insisted he didn't have feelings for her, didn't she? I'm just going to have to trust that for now.

I push down my concerns and type back a quick reply. Madge and I have a yoga class tonight, so I ask him to call at 9:00. I shove my phone into my pocket, smooth out my scowl and head back to my desk to try to get back to work.

"How was yoga?" Peeta asks. I recognize his bedroom in the background and realize that he's reclining on his bed just like I am.

"It was good. Thanks." I brush my damp hair off my shoulder and tuck my legs into myself. "How was your evening? Did Lily go down without a fight?"

"More or less," Peeta chuckles. "She's definitely starting to show her stubborn side as she gets older."

I smile. "Prim never wanted to go to bed as a kid, either. Lily is probably afraid she's going to miss out on something interesting."

"Well, there are lots of exciting things that happen around here after bedtime," Peeta agrees. "Things like washing dishes and paying bills. Quite the nightlife she's missing out on."

"How have you been?" I ask with a chuckle. "Other than your exciting nightlife, of course."

He gives me a wry smile and shrugs. "I've been better," he finally admits.

"Well, it can't be easy, everything you went through with Lily in the hospital."

Peeta scrunches his eyes a bit and musses his curls. "Yeah, but... that wasn't really what I meant."

I straighten up. "Oh. Okay. So… what did you mean?"

He looks away for a moment, then turns his focus on the screen again. His blue eyes crinkle as he gathers his thoughts. "I meant… that things have been pretty lonely out here."

"Oh." My voice cracks in my ear. Something in his tone is making my heart race. This is it. He's been lonely, and he's decided to start seeing Glimmer. "Well, Peeta, it's been almost a year since Prim passed away. It's only natural that you'd feel that way."

He studies the screen, his eyes passing over my face. "So you understand then?"

I knew it. He's looking for my permission. I feel my cheeks flaming and can only hope the dim light in my bedroom is hiding it. "Of course. And I'm sure that… you and Glimmer have been getting closer these past few months. You're both young and single-"

"Wait – what does Glimmer have to do with this?" he interrupts, his expression baffled.

"I'm just saying… the two of you have been spending a lot of time together. It's understandable that you'd start to develop feelings for her-"

"Katniss, no," he interrupts again, both hands raised to stop me. "I do not have feelings for Glimmer Roberts."

I feel a smile come to my face, but bite my lip to stop it. "Abbott," I say softly.

"Whoever," he says with a laugh. "I can assure you I'm not interested in either one of them."

"You're not?" I ask. I'm not really sure why I need him to reassure me in this moment, but I do.

"I'm not," he says gently, cocking his head. "Would that really be okay with you?"

"Sure," I reply, fighting back the "no" inside me. "I just want you to be happy, Peeta."

"Hmm…" he hums, rubbing at the scruff on his cheeks. "Katniss… Did I ever tell you that autumn is my favorite season?" he finally asks.

"Autumn?" I repeat, confused. "Um, no. You didn't."

"That night at the hospital, when you got me talking about the colors and the foliage, it reminded me of a few things. How much I love this time of year. And how much I want to share it with Lily. It gave me something to cling to when all I could think about was how scared I was."

"That's great, Peeta."

"But, it also reminded me of something else." His lips quirk up in a shy smile. "It reminded me of how much I love just… talking to you."

"Me?" His words catch me off guard. I'm no conversationalist like he is. Why would anyone want to talk to me? "Why?" I murmur.

"Katniss, over this past year… you've become a really important part of my life. Of both of our lives," he adds quickly.

"You guys are an important part of my life, too," I agree.

"These past few months have been difficult. I know it's partly me adjusting to life as a single father. But it's more than that. I felt like… you and I built something. A real friendship. And then suddenly, it was gone. And I missed it, so much. I thought we made a great team," he says with a rueful chuckle.

"We do," I insist quietly. "And I missed it, too."

"And, other than Finnick and Annie, I don't have any real connections out here. No other family. I realized… I want a family for Lily. I want her to know you. Really know you. Not just visit with you once or twice a year, but have you in her life all the time. For the little things, like the school play, or her first haircut; and the bigger things, like when she gets sick or needs a woman to talk to as she gets older." His voice drops. "She already lost her mom. I don't want her to miss out on anything else."

My eyes well up as I nod mutely in understanding. I love Lily, with all my heart, and it's been killing me to be separated from her, too.

"So, I was thinking… since you've got a life and roots in Connecticut, and we've really got nothing keeping us in Denver… maybe it makes sense for us… to move out there." He pauses, a worried look on his face. "What do you think?"

"Yes!" I breathe happily, not even bothering to hold back my excited grin. "But – are you sure? You'd move all the way out here, leave Finnick and Annie, and Mags?"

His face relaxes into a relieved smile. "Definitely. I can still visit with them from time to time. But they aren't my family, now. You are."

My mind is racing with plans; I'll have to clean the house, move some furniture around to make room for Lily's crib again – but Peeta interrupts my thoughts.

"Of course, I want you to know that we won't impose on you again. I'll stay in a hotel until I can find an apartment for us. I don't want to cause any problems for you like I did this spring."

"Problems? No, Peeta-"

"Katniss, I insist. I know it doesn't look good, me coming in and mooching off of you, staying in your house and using your car like that… I don't want anyone to think I'm taking advantage of your kindness or generosity. And I won't be clingy like last time, I promise. I wasn't thinking straight, and I let my guard down too much. I won't let that happen again."

Is that what he believes happened – that I was bothered by him? That he was too clingy? When in reality, I know it was me who was becoming too dependent on him, too needy of his time and affection.

"Peeta, you were fine. I don't want you to change a thing. I just got scared, and worried too much about what people think. But you didn't do anything wrong, I swear. I want you and Lily to stay with me, at least until you find an apartment. Please."

He tries to argue with me, but I'm insistent. Finally, he begrudgingly agrees to stay with me, but for no more than two weeks. He tentatively makes plans to come out in a few weeks for the housing search, and he'll figure out the move of his furniture and personal effects sometime after.

"I hope you're really okay with this, Katniss," he says as we prepare to end the call. "Promise me, you'll let me know if I ever get to be a nuisance?"

"I don't think that's possible, Peeta," I reply honestly. "I'm really looking forward to seeing you both again," I add.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing you, too," he says. "Maybe we'll even get there in time for Lily to get a little taste of a New England autumn."

"Maybe," I agree with a smile.

We hang up with promises to talk soon about the details. For the first time in months, I'm excited about the future, and anxious to bring my family back together once again.

If you'd like to chat, you can find me on Tumblr: sothereff.