Hello everyone I am sorry for the long wait for the continuance of this story. As everyone knows life takes a lot of time and mine is taking its toll. I have had a lot of ups and downs these last two and a half years. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching my little pumpkin grow, but during this time I also lost my father. In my joy and the trials of being a new parent, I have had writer's block. In my grief, I have finally had the inspiration to write again. On with one of the final chapters of this story.

Chapter 9

Days after the meeting, Cato and Katniss are sitting in their quarters enjoying time with their three children before Cato has to leave to observe his assigned districts for reconstruction.

"Katniss, my love"

"Yes Cato. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. I just don't want you to get your hopes up about going back to 12. We don't know how much damage was done. I don't want you upset about anything."

"Cato, I am pregnant with twins again. Hormones and stress go together when situations like this arise."

"I know but just in case please think on a different district that you might be happy in."

"Ok love."

Katniss sits and thinks about what she and Cato had talked about and she could not think of anywhere but home in twelve. Where papa was. He had been such an important figure in her life. When he passed away, it left a huge hole in her heart and her life. She loved being in the woods with papa, hunting, swimming, picnics, and many other things that included the whole family. She wanted her babies to see papa's willow. Play under his tree and swing in his branches. She could pretend that the branches are his arms and the leaves as his fingers protecting and holding them and the leaves as if he were tickling them making them laugh. It wouldn't be the same if they were in a different district.

Then she thought about the reality of the situation. Snow was so furious that the tributes had escaped and had turned against him. He would have done anything to harm them even if it meant the extreme.

She called her new brother Finnick and asked him to come for a visit.

"Hello Kitty. What's new?"

"Cato wants me to think of other districts to settle in if my home is not in habitual. Is there something that you can tell me about all of them? I also want to know if we can have willow trees planted and if they would survive."

"Well there are three districts that are suitable for willow trees. District 7, District 4, and the Capitol. The others are just rocks."

"Well, Gale has decided to move to District 7. I think he just wants to be near the woods but not in the District that caused us so much hurt and pain. Finn, what's it like in District 4?"

"It is a beautiful District as you have seen. We are by the sea, but if you go further into the district there are trees as well. The scientists in the capitol were able to do something to our land to make it to where the soil can accommodate trees like willows. We have a grove of willow trees."

"Ok. Thank you Finn."

Katniss then called for Prim to come to visit. Primrose has been so busy with her medical training. She has been working so hard that she is about to be on the same level as their mother. There are also some areas in the medical profession that she has surpassed their mother. Katniss has never been more proud of her little duck.

"Hey Katniss! How are you feeling today? How are my nieces and nephews doing?"

"Well the ones who are being baked are moving around and keeping me up all knight. The others are growing so fast. Sammy is such a good help for being so little. Clara is teaching him how to take care of all the little ones. We are going to miss having her around all the time, but Chris wants to let Cato be a brother to her instead of a caregiver. Ellie is going to love having her around."

"So why did you call me away from the medical ward? You do know that I am supposed to be the on duty supervisor at this time of day, Right?"

"Yes, I know. I needed to talk to you about where we go from here. You see Cato wants me to prepare myself for when we go home, but he is not sure if we will be able to go back to District 12. Did you want to go to the Capitol with mom and Bran or did you want to go with me, Cato, and the kids?"

"You know that I do not want to be with mom. Especially after what she did when she married MY boyfriend's father. Besides, I want to be close to you and the babies."

"Even if it's not in District 12?"

"Even if it's not in District 12. We can open the new hospital anywhere as long as it is habitable."

"Ok Little Duck."

"Are you ever going to stop calling me Little Duck?"

"Never!"

Prim leaves and Katniss sits and thinks some more. Prim is on board with wherever she decides to go. Now all she has to do is wait for the reports on all of the districts to be turned in and then she would be told the conditions of all of the districts and she would then have to make a decision.

Meanwhile….

Cato and Gale are on the outskirts of District 12 when they come across some wildlife that have recently became diseased.

"Cato something is not right. Look here. This deer looks like it has been cooked from the inside."

"Gale don't touch that. We need to get away from here. (Pointing at the deer) See here. This is what it looks like when Presidents decide to play with bombs that contain radiated material. We have to come back with suits after we have been cleared by medical personal. Katniss is going to be heartbroken. She really wanted to come back to D12. This place is in habitual. We won't be able to save anything."

"What about the willow trees? There are two willow trees that my Aunt and mom married my dad and Katniss's dad under. They carved all of our family's names on those trees. I was going to carve my growing families names on the tree for the Hawthorn's. It is tradition."

"Nothing is salvageable. I am so sorry."

"This is going to break the family's hearts."

Cato gets on the phone:

"Uncle Brutus, District 12 is in habitual. We cannot let anyone near this district. The radiation is too bad. Gale and I have been exposed. Have a room ready for quarantine for Gale and me."

"You got it son."

They return to District 13 and are put in a room with a communication window. A heavily pregnant Katniss walks up to the window. She puts her hand up against the glass. Cato matches her movements.

"Cato, seeing that I cannot touch you, I take it that we cannot go back to District 12."

"No, but before you ask. Gale already informed me of your family's tradition. Nothing can be salvaged from the district or the area around the district. I am so sorry Katniss. We will start new traditions in whatever district you decide."

"Well I guess I better tell Prim. She said that she would follow us and set up a hospital wherever I choose and I have picked the district. I would lie to go to District 4. I think Finnick has been away from family for too long."

"No need to tell me I am already know. I will let mother know and we will get started on setting up the perfect site for the hospital. Since I am in charge here for basically everything."

At the end of her visit with Cato, Katniss turns to go to their quarters. She was devastated that she was not able to go back to her home, her woods, her safe haven.

That night Katniss called for her sister and Finnick to visit her at home for she had news. They were to go to district 4 and start to build the hospital. Finnick had other things in mind and couldn't wait to handle this himself.

After they had left with Rue in tow, Clove was sitting with Katniss while Peeta went to check on the guys. Katniss is now visibly upset.

"As if he hasn't taken enough from us, he had to take our homes, our traditions, our physical memories of our past. When will it end."