This is it, thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. Please leave me with your final thoughts, I'd love to know!

XxXxXxX

We look into each other's eyes as the pastor speaks.

"The love of this union came from the beginnings of friendship and trust." I can hear Haymitch give a snort which makes me chuckle quietly as I remove my hand from Peeta's to wipe a stray tear. "It is astonishing how a friend can become a lover and a lover can become a life-long partner. In each other, you have found this." He takes a deep breath before finishing the service. "Now, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss."

The tears are streaming fully now as I laugh and cheer, watching the couple embrace in front of us.

They turn towards us and the small crowd as the pastor finishes, "I am happy to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Haymitch Abernathy."

I step forward and hug Effie while Peeta shakes Haymitch's hand. "I am so happy for you both." I whisper in her ear.

As we pull back from our embrace, Effie wipes the abundance of tears from my face. "Oh sweet Katniss, I am so glad you are here."

"She wouldn't miss this for the world, right Sweetheart?" Haymitch says as he steps between Effie and I and pulls me into his arms.

He releases me after giving me a squeeze and I smile. "What and miss this big, big, big day?"

We all laugh as we stand together, Effie gives us a look of reprimand but there's a light to her eyes and she knows we're just teasing. We stand for another moment before the tears start to fill my eyes.

"Oh, quit blubbering." Haymitch chastises.

I scowl in mock offense, but laugh anyway. "I really can't, I'm just so happy for both of you."

Effie gives me another hug before the couple leaves us to great the rest of their guests. Annie is there with her son, Finn. My mother is here, Betee, Joanna, other Victor's and stylists (old friends from the years of the games), and other friends from town and the Capitol.

We head to the green at the center of Victor's Village. There's a canopy tent with thousands of twinkling lights hung from it. Everything is white, Effie has really outdone herself. The brides dress however, is not at all like you would think Effie would wear. Her dress is simple and elegant; it fits to her soft curves and trumpets at the knee, the bodice is decorated with exquisite beading. It's her hair that really says Effie, it is coiffed and curled in a mass atop her head.

Effie and Haymitch's reception is fantastic. Everyone dances, eats, drink and smiles. It's getting late and the crowd moves into a slow song, Peeta has just finished dancing with Annie and he kisses her cheek before returning to our table.

Peeta lifts my bare feet off the chair beside of me and begins to rub them as he sits down. I groan in appreciation, "That feels so good."

Peeta gives me a huge grin, "Are you ready to go home?"

"Do you think they will mind?" I ask, glancing at the couple in time to see Haymitch lean forward and kiss Effie while they continue to dance.

Peeta shakes his head, "Nah, they'll understand."

We make our rounds to say goodbye and end with my mother.

I give her a kiss on the cheek. "Are you going to stay here for a bit longer?"

"Yes," she says, thoughtfully, "I think I will."

I nod and give her arm a squeeze before Peeta puts his arm around me and leads me towards our home. When we get up to our room Peeta helps me out of my dress and I slide into the comfort of my bed. It's only a few moments before Peeta slides in behind me. His face in my hair, chest against my back, and hand over my swollen abdomen.

"How do you feel?" he asks quietly in my ear.

I'm half asleep already, in the two minutes since I lay down. "Exhausted mostly." I can feel him smile against my hair.

"I guess that's what eight months of pregnancy will do to you." Peeta is rubbing his palm over my belly and I can feel the kick his touch elicits.

"Don't I know it." I exhale slowly.

"Are you sure that you're all right?" he runs his hand down my arm.

I stretch as much as I can, holding my stomach as I shift in the bed. "It's my back really, it just aches. Must be from being on my feet all day."

Peeta begins to rub my shoulders and lower back. "It was a good day."

"Mmmm." I hum in enjoyment. "They looked really happy."

I hear him murmur in agreement. I think he continues to speak but his massage relaxes me into unconsciousness.

Somewhere around two in the morning, I bolt upright. Peeta senses my movement and is immediately sitting up beside me.

"What's wrong, Katniss? Is it the baby?" his voice is groggy but he's urgent with concern.

"I-it's okay, Peeta." I put my hand on his shoulder. "Will you go get my mother, please? I think the baby is coming."

He nods and leans forward to press his lips to mine before bouncing off the bed and into the hallway.

When Peeta returns with my mother, I am pacing the length of the bedroom. She smiles at me reassuringly. "Hi honey, how are you feeling?"

I give her a shaky smile in response. "Nervous." I say bluntly. "It's early, isn't it?"

Mom shrugs a little. "It is, but not so much to worry about."

We decide not to wake the others until the morning. This is what we've been waiting for and what my mother came back home for. The waiting continues though; my mother checks me regularly to see how I'm advancing and otherwise she sits at the rocking chair by the window, humming. Peeta is anxious, but is so caring while we wait. He rubs my back and feet through each contraction.

Just after dawn when my water breaks, mom sends Peeta to collect some supplies. She comes to sit beside me. We sit quietly for a moment as I brace for a contraction.

"I wish she was here, mom." I say quietly as the pain subsides, "I'm trying to keep myself focused on what I need to do but… it hurts so much that she isn't here."

My mom reaches out and takes my hand in hers. "I know Katniss, but you can do this. She's here with us."

I nod and give her hand a squeeze. I look shyly from her eyes to our hands, clasped on the bed. "Mom…" I begin slowly. "I was wrong."

She smiles a little at that. "About what?"

I can feel the tears prick my eyes, my mind trying to form the words I had been meaning to say since the I returned from the first games. "To treat you the way I did, when we lost dad…"

"Oh Katniss." Her eyes fill with tears as she pulls me into her embrace. "No, Katniss, it wasn't fair to you or Prim to leave you the way I did."

I shake my head and pull back to look at her. "But I understand… I can't imagine my life without Peeta, but if I had to, I could slip away just like you did. I'm sorry that I couldn't understand that and I'm so sorry for how I treated you."

"Katniss, there is nothing to be sorry for." She brushes my hair back over my forehead, it's such a soothing, motherly gesture and I accept it completely. "You were strong for us when I couldn't be. You are going to be an amazing mother."

XxXxXxX

By ten am, my contractions are coming quickly and it's time to bring my child into the world. Peeta sits beside me on the bed, holding one hand in his as I squeeze and rubbing my back with the other. Peeta murmurs encouragement in my ear, I can hear the smile in his voice. He's been a doting father-to-be for the past eight months and I cannot wait to see him with our child in his arms.

Near the end, I'm lay back against him, to exhausted to continue. "Peeta, I can't... I'm just so tired."

"Yes, you can Katniss. You're the strongest person I know, you have got to do this." He says but I can hear panic in his voice as he looks to my mother for help.

"Katniss!" Her voice is strong and urgent, like I have never heard from her before and she immediately has my attention. "I need you to push. Prim would want you to." She pauses and at my nod, "Ready? One… two…"

On three, I push and yell with all I have. Tears brim my eyes as I fall back into Peeta's arms. I hear a cry from the foot of the bed and sob at that unbelievable sound.

"You- you did it Katniss." He says softly, his voice cracks with emotion and I know how proud he is.

After a few moments, my mother carries the wrapped bundle to the head of the bed.

"Congratulations, I'd like to introduce you to your daughter." There are tears in my mother's eyes as she hands me my baby. "You were great, Katniss."

Peeta has his arm around us and reaches forward to caress the top of our daughter's head. She coos and snuggles into her blanket. "She's gorgeous." He says, beside me before kissing my cheek. "Like you."

I smile as I look from him to her. Our daughter. "She's perfect."

After feeding her, we sit together for a long while; a sleeping child in my arms and me in Peeta's arms.

"What should we call her?" He asks, peeking over the blanket to see her sleeping face.

I think for a moment, and then I look at him. "What about Violet?"

Peeta smiles and places a quick kiss on the tip of my nose. "I think it's perfect. Violet Prue Mellark."

In this moment, here with Peeta and Violet, I finally know that everything in my life led me to this. Her life is worth every pain, every joy and every sorrow that I have ever felt in order to bring her this life.