Part Ten: Life in the Aftermath

A/N: Hello everyone! The story is coming to a close. This chapter will probably be one of the shortest ones, and the last one before the Epilogue. All things Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins.

We grew back together slowly; Cato had his construction work, and I had my hunting. We had both been scarred, physically and emotionally, after everything we had went through. Eventually they sent Prim's body back to District Twelve where we held a small funeral for her. The entire District had showed up, along with some members of District Thirteen, Finnick, Annie, Johanna, and the Hawthornes paying respects to her. I had been numb through it all; picking out the casket, the flowers… it had all been too much for me. Cato had stayed by me through it all, keeping me in the world of the living.

It had been a beautiful ceremony; a primrose spray over the pale pink casket, District Twelve's song of mourning as we wander through the streets to the cemetery:

"Oh Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder,

Consider all the worlds thy hands have made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder.

Thy power throughout, the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul! My Savior God to thee;

How great thou art, how great thou art.

Then sings my soul! My Savior God to thee;

How great thou art! How great thou art!"

It's snowing, my hunting plans derailed at the sight of the fluffy white rain. I stare off into the roaring fire, sipping at a cup of mint tea. It's Christmas time, and Effie and Johanna insisted Cato and I decorate the house for the holidays. So now as I sit here, I can see the glittering ornaments sparkle from the fire light. Cato had only conceded on the agreement that the ornaments had a woodsy theme, thinking it would bring me some kind of comfort. I sigh once more before noticing the small box wrapped in gold paper to my left. I make a face, grabbing the box and note attached to it:

TO MY KATNISS, I CAN ONLY HOPE YOU'LL ALWAYS BE MINE.

I pause to look over the gift before opening it. And when I realize what it is, I make my way to the medicine factory, the ring glittering on my finger when I reach him.

He gives me a quizzical look when my mood registers on his face. I look into his ice blue eyes, my own grey ones filling with tears.

"Do you know what it's for?"

I nod once, wiping the escaping tears off of my face. He watches me intently, searching for an answer in my features. But, he won't find one there. I throw my arms around his neck, reaching up on my tip toes to kiss him full on the lips. There's this feeling, a burning sensation that starts in the base of my stomach and engulfs itself throughout my entire body. I pull myself away from him, a smile spreading across my features.

"Yes, a million times over."

The wedding was simply beautiful. We married in the meadow, which was a mass grave for my people covered in beautiful plants and wild flowers. Haymitch had given me away, with me dressed in a simple white sundress and white ballet flats. We had a traditional toasting after, with Effie, Haymitch, Finnick, Annie, and their newborn son Finn, my mother, Johanna, and the Hawthornes. I was truly happy, and so was Cato. He was everything I could have ever hoped for, and everything I truly need.

So that night, as we lay together in our bed, our bodies melded together from passion, he asks me the same question I ask myself on a daily basis:

"Do you love me, Katniss, real or not real?"

I look up at him, and smile before answering: Real.

It took me several years before giving into having children. Cato had wanted children, but it seemed almost impossible for me to feel the same desire, the same safety to do so. I had been terrified finding out I was pregnant with our first, the fear coursing through my body like the fire bombs that had destroyed my Prim. But the sheer happiness and joy that Cato exclaimed, was worth every shred of fear in my body. Annie had tried assuring me, that every bit of it was worth it.

"Katniss, you find so much hope in that small child, knowing that it is part of you, half of you, and a symbol of the love that you and Cato share."

I knew she was right; even with her issues, Annie had more sane moments than not since Finn was brought into the world. I still found it hard to enjoy the happiness in life, afraid it could be taken away at any moment. But that's when Cato would assure me that everything was okay in the world, and I had nothing to be afraid of.

It's a girl. Our first child is a beautiful and healthy little girl. The midwife hands her over to me, wrapped in a thin pink blanket, a mop of black hair stark against the blanket. I feel a rush of new emotions wash over me as I stare into the tiny pink face: elation, contentment, happiness, and pride, everything a new mother should feel when they look at their child. Cato kisses the top of my head as we stare into the new life that we created. She had my dark hair to contrast against her father's pale skin that she inherited. She had my mother's lips, her father's nose, the shape of my eyes, and the same dimples that Prim once had.

"What should we call her?"

My mind ponders as I look at my precious daughter; it was a tradition in Cato's family to name the children after the Greek and Roman times, while my mother and father had chosen to give us names from nature.

"Athena… Athena Violet Martin."

We smile in contentment at the name, watching our darling Athena fall asleep in my arms.

"Brainless! Come down here and see what I have taught Thea to do!"

Johanna yells from the living room, where everyone has gathered to spend Christmas this year. I come down the stairs, a burp rag in one hand and a pacifier in another watching the small Victor from Seven make funny faces at my daughter, and Thea trying to mimic them.

"I see you have found your perfect soul mate then."

Finnick laughs from the couch, watching as my daughter recognizes my voice from across the room and bounces excitedly. I smile at her; every fear of having her has ebbed away every time I look at her. Her pale porcelain skin is unmarred; her dark hair has a slight wave to it like my own. But her eyes, her eyes are that of her father's. A pale shocking blue, a warm flicker of fire behind the ice, something that she had inherited from both of us. I feel a pair of hands snake around my waist, and I turn to see Cato smiling at our little girl.

"She's perfect isn't she?"

I smile, and nod, watching her crawl over to Finn, who is keep his mother busy by trying to knock all the ornaments off the tree.

"She is… She is wonderful."

Cato kisses my cheek lightly before going over and joining a conversation with Haymitch and Finnick, while Johanna, Effie, and Annie fawn over the small children in the room. I had never quite imagined my life like this: surrounded by a loving husband and family, a beautiful daughter that brings light to my life. I reminded myself every day that life can be good, and nothing could take away the happiness I found within my daughter and husband.

Shortly after The turned three, Cato and I welcomed our second child to the world.

"It's a boy!"

I can still hear Cato yelling in amazement that we finally had a son; our son. And when the midwife placed the screaming newborn in my arms, I couldn't help but to laugh at the little life we had created. He was Cato, through and through. The tall muscular build, the chiseled features that were the markings of a District Two career. But his eyes, his smoky grey eyes that mirrored my own and olive skin tone were the only thing that set him and his father apart. Cato and I had agreed right away on his name:

"Apollo Abraham Martin."

I smile at the memory, knowing Cato had named him for my father.

As time went on, our children grew, and so did we. It was shortly after Thea had turned seven that I discovered our family would be growing once more. Cato and I were in complete shock that I was expecting; I wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore, but this baby was more than wanted and welcomed. Thea had welcomed the prospect of having another brother or sister, overjoyed at the thought of having a little sister to play dress up with, while Pol (pronounced Paul) showed a mere indifference to the idea. It was only when Thalia Primrose was born, did he truly understand the concept of having another sibling.

Cato and I watched and raised our children grow up, seeing them get an education, have careers, and find love of their own. Thea had married Finn, Annie and Finnick's son and moved to District 6 so they could be closer to both sides of the family. Apollo had gone into the military, moving to District Two and making his father and I proud by serving his country. Then, there was our Thalia. Since the day she was born, I had seen nothing but Prim in her entire being; her beauty, and grace, the healing hands that many had sought after. She had moved to District One to go to nursing school, something that Prim had always wanted to do. I was proud of my children, and everything they had accomplished. I was truly happy with my life, the one Cato and I had created together. And nothing, and no one, could ever take that from me.

Shortly before our 45th wedding anniversary, Cato had been diagnosed with cancer. The doctors had said it had been from the training back at the Academy, along with the high amounts of tracker jacker venom from his hijacking in the Rebellion. We stayed strong through it all, and I stayed with him to the very end. It killed me to lose him, but the day after our 50th wedding anniversary, my darling Cato went to heaven, where I'm sure he is with his family and Prim.