Peeta's POV

Annie's face was pinched in dissatisfaction. "... Go on say it." I told her as Katniss sat up, mouthing a quick sorry. I kissed her forehead as the silence settled in.

"... I can't believe you actually did it. I know you'll regret it some day." She said this with a distinct crack in her tone.

"No I won't Annie, I've wanted this for a while." I said wrapping my arms around Katniss. I wanted to hold her, I just wanted to feel her in my arms so I could attempt to make her feel better.

"You will, you'll regret it I know it." She was crying.

"Annie can you please get over it? Okay, it's happened and I'm going. Can't you support me?" I was angry. I didn't mean to be but I was. She was being downright unreasonable.

"When did this happen? When did you find out?"

"March, late March."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

I thought about my words before using them, "Because maybe I wanted to be proud. Maybe I wanted to be happy that something I'd dreamed about for so long was coming true. Maybe I wanted this more than anything. Maybe I didn't want you to try to talk me out of it."

"Peeta think about it, this is a big mistake. You won't make it. They'll walk all over you. And I know for a fact you haven't always wanted this."

"How do you know?"

"Because Peeta, I've been there your whole life. You didn't start wanting this until..."

"Go ahead Annie say it. Say that I changed my mind when Rye died. You'll be wrong but go on and say it."

"You never expressed interest before."

"Maybe you just didn't know about it. Rye sure as hell knew I wanted to do it. I think you're forgetting that Rye and I were best friends. He knew everything about me."

"This is a reckless and rash decision. You don't know what they'll do to you. What if you change?"

"What are we supposed to be doing if not changing Annie?"

"Peeta this is just too ill-advised, you didn't think it through."

"Why don't you just admit you want to be my mother Annie? I know you do. But guess what I have one of those. You don't need to take care of me Annie; I'm a grown ass man, and you're becoming someone else's parent. Be happy for me, this is a good thing."

"No Peeta it isn't."

"For the love of God Annie this is why I didn't tell you I knew this would happen."

"Why? Because you knew that I'd talk some sense into you?"

"No that you wouldn't understand. You wouldn't support me and you wouldn't listen."

"Maybe I don't understand, but maybe you don't understand either. What about your life here?"

"What life?"

"Your job, your family, your girlfriend?"

"My job has always been temporary you know that. And my family? Really?"

"Your dad had a heart attack not even a month ago."

"He's always supported this decision. One of the few I might add."

"What about Katniss? Have you even thought about her?"

"Katni-"

"I can speak for myself." She assured me though she still held on to my arms that held her close, "I've always supported him in this decision. I've always believed he'd make it and I will continue to support him as long as he needs my support."

"But you clearly need him now Katniss." She was right she did need me. The only person who could make me stay would be her.

"I'm going to get an appointment with a sleep doctor and see if there's any medication that can help me. It's just been one really rough day." That was for damn sure.

"What about your relationship?"

"Annie... You may not know how hard this is going to be for me to say this." She looked back at me, straight into my eyes and hesitated only for a moment, "...But I love him. I love him and I will continue to try at our relationship as long as he is in this relationship as well." I think I was too happy about her saying that. I held her tighter never wanting to let her go again. She smiled as much as she was able. You know that the hard times bring you closer to your loved ones. Well this bad time brought us together for good.

But when I looked back up at Annie I saw her giving us a look, "Go ahead Annie how long do you give us?"

"A couple of months. A year tops."

"It's not your place to question our relationship." I said harshly.

"You sound like a couple of love struck teenagers going to colleges across the country. You say you love each other and you'll be different than most couples, but you won't be. You'll realize how much time you wasted when you break up." That hurt.

"We will be different." Katniss argued.

"Katniss be practical he'll be overseas most likely, how do you think you'll feel when there's a crisis and he's not there or when you just want to be held at night at he's not there. Think about it really."

"I have and I know if he wants this then I should not stand in his way. Because that's what you do when you care about someone you let them go to follow their dreams."

"This is not his dream." Annie said.

"It is my dream and I'm going end of story. "

"There is a war going on Peeta you'll be killed."

"Annie what's the army for? War! That's why they're always hiring. If I get sent off to war so be it, that's my job now."

"This is stupid. You shouldn't go."

"I am going and nothing will change that."

"Really? Nothing?"

"Really!"

"Well then Peeta, have a good time in boot camp, I hope when you get killed it's quick and they actually have a body to send back to us!" She stormed back into the living room Finnick followed behind her.

"Well I haven't ever said this in my life... But I'm pulling the pregnancy card on this one." Katniss told me before turning around and fully sitting in my arms.

Johanna spoke up, "I'm proud of you Peeta, you'll do well." She said, "I should get going. It's late. I've got work in the morning."

"Thanks for coming Johanna." Katniss turned around.

Johanna nodded before leaving.

Katniss waited in my arms for ten minutes until Finnick came in, "I'm really sorry guys, can we meet up tomorrow or something? Sort this all out?"

"Sure Finnick." Katniss said. "Night."

"Night," He said leaving her room. He closed the door behind him.

"Katniss?" I asked softly. She burrowed herself into me and whispered softly.

"Yes I do. I do love you. I'm sure of it." She wasn't crying and the rustic hoarse element of her tone had edged off.

I pulled us both into her bed so we could fall asleep cling to one another.

She got herself an appointment with the sleep doctor the day I was flying out. I spent my last days in Seattle with her. I was afraid to leave her for six months, she just seemed so fragile. But I had to go. I did, I just wished that maybe I'd gotten another week.

Katniss POV

I had been in the middle of a meeting the day after my sleep study. That doctor must have given me ten different prescriptions. I was fine, I had been fine for days.

The meeting was going well. Until Rue came in, "Miss. Everdeen, there's a call for you." She said.

"Is it important?" I asked.

"It's from a number I don't recognize, they're saying they're a doctor of some kind. It's out of the area." I was still waiting for Prim's results.

Haymitch nodded to let me go ahead and answer it. When I picked up the phone I heard a silent but rhythmic breathing behind the phone.

"Miss. Everdeen?"

"Yes?"

"This is Dr. Schupner. I'm calling on behalf of your little sister. As you are her legal guardian we need to consult with you about her health."

I knew she was pregnant, "Alright."

"Your sister has just been diagnosed with a disease known as Ovarian Torsion, which means that your sisters ovaries have twisted. It's very rare and extremely difficult to catch. Most often it is associated with the symptoms of pregnancy, nausea, skipped period, and even faintness. The problem is hers have twisted so much they've started to burst. We need to get is and repair the damage done if she has any prospect of living." But I'm wrong quite often.

"Oh..."

"I will be emailing you some information and such for you to read up on but please, we need your verbal consent."

"Yes... Yes of course you have my consent." I said.

"Thank you. I'll be having the paperwork signed by her present guardian. I'll have an intern send you some information to read up on."

"Thank you." I said with a zoned tone. I hung up and walked back into my meeting. No one asked me anything. In my office I got some free time to read up on my sisters illness. It could be corrected, but it wouldn't be so easy from the sounds of it.

I didn't want to tell anyone, but I'd promised my darling boyfriend I'd never lie to him. Plus he adores my sister. I emailed him avoiding a phone call.

Finnick walked into our office near the end of the day, "You coming?" He asked.

I turned around and flashed a questioning look.

"Jo and I are headed to Billy's."

I needed a drink. So I went. It was just like old times. Drinking, laughing, making light of everything. I did tell them about my sister. Then we laughed some more.

When Johanna and I were thoroughly wasted, and Finnick hitting the point of hiccupping in-between each word it was Finnick who got a call.

"Hello?" He laughed before hiccupping. He accidentally put it on speaker.

"Finn, it's Annie. I need you to come home and drive me to the hospital." I sobered up at that. Suddenly I'd only drank one beer instead of... the several I had really drank.

"Sure thing sugar-plum what's the occasion?" He hiccupped again.

"The baby's coming." She said in a panicky tone. Yep I was sober.

"That's a good one Anne, hey I forgot, what's the square root of Canada?"

"What!?"

I took the phone from his hand, "Annie, it's Katniss, I'm coming to get you alright?"

"What did you do to my husband?" She wasn't really accusing me she was just pissed off. I would have been too.

"Hey Jo did it not me." I said.

"Si!" Johanna laughed.

"I'll kill that man, I'll kill him." Annie said.

"Stay calm Annie, I'll be down in ten minutes." I said hanging up the phone. I dragged Johanna and Finnick into the car and drove off to pick up Annie. It was amazing how sober I had become in just a few moments.

I dropped Johanna off before speeding to Finnick and Annie's. I grabbed her bag and tossed it in the back of their car before whisking the three of us off to the nearest hospital. We got Finnick on some drug we later renamed insta-bitch. It makes you skip all the fun parts of being drunk and gets you straight to the hung over part.

Annie wasn't far along so it gave Finnick enough time to drink twelve glasses of water and take a nap before getting the chance to spend time with his wife before the birth of their child.

Annie insisted I stay with them though I protested. But I was bound to lose. I mean when you're arguing with Annie while she's in labor? You'll lose.

They didn't allow me to stay for the actual birth but I was allowed back in right after. He was soft looking, wrinkly, he had Finnick's green eyes, and almost no hair. They named him Caleb.

That day describes my life well. Huge leaps and bounds, laughs in between. When everything seems to be falling apart, something comes along to show you that the world has enough room for love. That day love came in a crumpled soft package.

Caleb opened his wide eyes. He stared right passed his father and mother. He was looking at me. He looked curious. I was probably a curious sight to see. A girl swept up in a whirlwind of life before she was even thirty.

"Katniss, you wanna hold him?" Annie asked. I agreed reluctantly. Annie tried to tell me how to hold him, but I'd been holding babies since I was one. I took him in my arms and looked at his beanie covers head.

I cracked a meager smile. He attempted the same.

"Annie, he's smiling." Finnick said.

It was weird that a baby could understand me more than anyone in the whole world had ever understood. Caleb got me through the day, he really did.

Peeta POV

Boot camp... What can I say about boot camp that hasn't been said already? Maybe that I've made the best of friends than I ever thought existed.

My closest friend is a guy fresh out of college named Darius. He's lived in Texas his whole life, and isn't afraid to hide it. After our initial training during the first six months of our training we were granted a week-long leave of absence before our first PT test. I of course went home to my family.

My friends said they missed me and were glad I was back. But things had changed. Finnick and Annie were like, actually parents. Which was weird because I still saw them as the kids who snuck out of pep rally to find a not to shabby shed at Lowes. Don't let them tell you it was one time. It was more than once.

Johanna had gotten into a committed relationship with a fashion designer names Portia. Which I did approve of because Johanna was happy and giddy. And again that was weird as Johanna was always trying to be that girl who would smuggle vodka into Prom.

Cato and Clove became engaged and were married off by one of those Vegas drive thru chapels. I couldn't tell them I knew that was how they'd get hitched or Clove would have strung me up by my unmentionables. But I knew it.

My Katniss was much better when I next saw her though. She'd started therapy sessions after Caleb was born. She was light-years better than when I'd last seen her. Her smile was pure and innocent. She kept me in the loop more. She could tell me she loved me because she wanted to say it.

That alone was a wonderful feeling. You know, having an honest girlfriend is ten times better than having an attractive girlfriend. I got lucky my girl friend was and still is both.

I had to, of course fly back to Texas for my test. I was passed on to the next level of training which lasted twice as long. I took a full year of training with my now assigned regiment. Darius was a part of that regiment.

Darius was getting married I found out as our regiment was sent out to a simulator. We were put in a war setting for a month as our final evaluation. I stayed awake for a total of seventy hours at a time. I was broken so many times I'm not sure how I really survived.

I think it was my regiment, my closest friends. The people who had become more than brothers to me. And sisters.

We had one girl on our team named Paylor. She would still be able to kick my ass to this day. She reminded me of Katniss in a way, she never knew the phrase give up.

Back to the plot, I was going to be the best man at Darius's wedding.

I went with him to get his suit fitted. That was an adventure.

"Darius, did you miss a growth spurt?" I heckled him as he came out in pants that were too long and a jacket with sleeves covering his hands. He was short, I always brought that up.

"Shut it Mellark. I'll tell mommy." He joked about Paylor.

"That is actually frightening." I said as my phone buzzed with a message. It was yet another picture message. Katniss had sent me a lot of pictures recently. She was going to some event back in Montana and kept asking my opinion on things.

She'd asked me about her hair, her eye make up, her lipstick, that day had been a dress day. She'd sent me ten pictures of dresses but this last one was my favorite. It was yellow and looked like candle light. She was illuminated, purely beautiful. Everything, from her expression to her eyes seemed brighter.

Perfect. I typed.

"When do I get to meet your girlfriend!?" Darius demanded. He'd wanted to meet her for a while.

"I don't know." I said. I hadn't seen her in almost a year. Let me tell you three years of being in a long distance relationship is hard. Especially when the person you love is so wonderful it actually hurts you to not be with them.

"Well I want to meet her soon." He said as the tailor hemmed his suit. "Invite her to the wedding!"

"It's in a week Darius." I laughed.

"Enough time." He said.

"No, she's got another event back home."

"I will meet her. You don't shut up about her... Is she even real?" I showed him the picture she'd sent me. "She's cute, like baby cute." Darius was only a year older than me but he was convinced I was his kid brother. I liked that. It reminded me of Rye. He told me about how he'd struggled to finished college, and how his inspiration was joining the army. Twenty-nine and still going he liked to say.

His wedding came really fast. Even the ceremony happened quickly. Too quickly for anyone's liking. Especially Darius' fiancé Cecelia, or Cici. She earned the honorary title bridezilla. The practice dinner was not a pretty sight, I thought she was actually going to pounce the pastor when he was twenty minutes late.

But everything was okay. In the end everything went according to plan... Well sort of.

Almost everyone had gone. Darius walked up to me, "Cici and I are going to change. Then it'll be the send off." I nodded and watched as the lights came on. Chairs were being picked up food put away. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hi Peeta." I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Kat, hi." I walked outside. Though the day had been clear the night had turned windy, rain was coming.

"How are you?" She asked awkwardly.

"I'm good, the wedding went well." I said.

"Good... I'm... I'm glad." She seemed mildly upset.

"Kat, is everything okay?" She sighed, that wasn't good, "Kat?"

"I'm fine, it's just... I miss you terribly."

"I miss you to Kat. I miss you everyday."

"Really?" She asked.

"Of course Kat. I love you." I was a bit insulted that she'd question me.

"It's just we're so far away Peeta."

"I know that honey. But I'm always here for you."

"Are you? Do you even think about me some days?"

She didn't know this, but when we trained for a war simulation she was all I could think about, "I do Kat. I think about you everyday." I suddenly didn't like where this was going, "What is it Kat? You can say it."

I could feel her bite her lip through the phone, "I don't like this long distance relationship Peeta." It broke my heart to hear her say that, "I feel like it's just not working out, with you so far away and all. These past two years have been rough."

"I know Kat. I don't like it much either. But I still love you." I said trying to avoid her suggestion for a break up.

"I know Peeta." She sighed over the phone.

"I promise I'll visit you as soon as I can. I love you so much Kat."

"I know... That's why I'm here." I turned around and sure enough there she was standing in the middle of the parking lot. Her hood blown up by the rampant wind storm, but her smile shined brighter than the street lamps.

She wore the sweatshirt I'd sent her three months back, over the dress she'd sent me a picture of a week ago, the shoes she had me pick out everything she'd asked my opinion for. Her hair flew around messing up the style I'd picked for her. She laughed later she told me my expression was priceless. I believe it I wonder why my jaw didn't break.

I ran out into the empty parking lot and took her in my arms. "Oh god. Kat what are you doing here?" I asked before she kissed me.

"Clearly I came to be with my darling boyfriend." She said ruffling my already wind-blown hair.

"But how are you here?"

"I flew." She said putting her arms in the air as if she'd flown to me on the wings of love, rather than the crowded plane she'd told me all about after the fact.

"But why?" I asked, she kissed me again. It was wonderful to have her lips against mine.

"I'm here because this is where my heart longs to be," She smirked at me, "With you."

"I missed you so much."

"I missed you just as much." She assured me.

"What are you wearing?" I asked pulling her back to get a better look.

"You picked it." She laughed, "It's my reunion dress."

"How long have you been planning this?"

"A whole five months."

"Just for a little visit?" I laughed

"I was expecting it to be more than just a visit." She said with an astute sense of confidence and nervousness, "I'd follow you anywhere."

"Anywhere?"

She nodded, "I quit my job."

"You did what?" She shrugged, "But you love your job."

"Not nearly as much as I love you." She kissed me again.

"Does that mean..." She pulled out the little black box I'd given her two years ago.

"Should we do this right?" She asked handing me the box.

I took it smiling so wide you could likely see my happiness from space. She pulled off her hoodie and tossed it aside to an empty parking space.

"Katniss Everdeen," I asked getting on one knee, "Will you be my bride?"

"Yes." She leaned down and kissed me not waiting for me to stand.

Just then the rain came pouring down. I lifted her as I stood up. "Dance with me." She laughed in a demanding way.

"Inside?" I suggested.

"No I want to ask you to dance right here in the middle of this parking lot." She said walking out of my arms to stand directly in the light of the street light, "Right now in the pouring rain and thunder."

"While I'm standing right here in the best dress I own." She pointed down at her feet that were now wet like the pavement, " I don't even know how to dance, but I want to you to teach me.

"I want you to make every dream I never had come true because goddamn it I love you so much. I don't want to lose this feeling. And I want to know that storybook love exists. I want you to show me there is such a thing as happily ever after. I want you to lift me up. I want you to prove my papa wrong in every wonderful way you know how. So damn it Peeta get your ass over here, take my waist, and never let go. Dance with me now and forever. Show me it can be real."

"It is real Kat, my god it's so real." I smiled stupidly taking large steps before scooping her up in my arms. I danced with her just as she'd asked.

Her eyes glimmered a dark sultry silver as they reflected the sparkling asphalt. Her smile was wide as mine was.

Her nails had chipped yellow paint that was supposed to match the, now sopping, yellow dress she wore. The dress that reminded me of candle light.

I lifted her so high above my head I was sure she joined the stars. But that was a lie, she couldn't go back to the stars because she had already fallen and landed right in my arms.

"Show me the world." She said to me resting her head on my shoulder. She stood on her tip toes even in her heeled shoes.

I'd pick up where her family left off, "I'll show you more." I promised swinging her all the way around me. She was mine, forever. She'd always be mine. "You love me," I laughed to myself; remembering how she'd once vowed she'd never love anyone.

"Real." She whispered.

I felt her growing cold in my arms, "Get your jacket," And then I remembered my best man duties as the limo appeared in the distance, "Darius will be looking for me." She took me and kissed me instead before grabbing her soaked through jacket. I took her hand before leading her into the banquet hall, "You're beautiful in the rain, and under streetlights. Just in general really."

"Come on tiger, you can be lover boy later I believe you have a groom to send off on his honeymoon."

I'd been that groom soon. The thought made me giddy, "That I do. I want you to meet him, he's a great guy." We walked into the banquet hall that was now almost completely picked up from the wedding ceremony. Darius and his wife had changed clothes. Only their parents and the maid of honor remained to see them off.

"There he is my best man, and he picked up one of the guests! What would your girlfriend say?" He asked joking and yet completely serious.

"Darius this is my... Fiancé Katniss, Katniss, this is Darius."

Darius laughed like the Texan he was, "As one great man is married off another becomes engaged." He took Katniss's wet hand and kissed it, "A pleasure, may I say you've got this boy hanging on every word you say. I hope you deserve him."

"She does, it's me who doesn't deserve her. I didn't know I was getting engaged today, hell I didn't know she'd even be here." I kissed her cheek, "She's absolutely perfect. She knows how to time everything perfectly."

"Me? What did I do? I just showed up." I told me slipping in closer. Our cold wet bodies pressed close together. Stuck by our clothes.

"Are you kidding me? You did the most perfect thing all on your own. You made me the happiest man on earth after you'd scared the crap out of me."

"Except for me." Darius said to his wife.

"I scared you?"

"I thought you were going to dump me!"

"Me dump you!? Are you crazy? I told you I loved you."

"But you told Gale you loved him too and see how well that ended?"

"Well yeah. But you sir were my first and one true love. I have literally given you everything. You're my grand prize."

Darius laughed again, "You were right Pete, you don't deserve her. She's settling."

I shoved him all in well nature, "Darius go on your honeymoon. Go do whatever married couples do. Let me enjoy my soon to be wife." Katniss chuckled at me saying that.

"Will do." He winked at Katniss before taking Cici's arm. "I'm off to go be married!"

Cici laughed as he whisked her away.

After they'd been sent off I took Katniss to my home on post. I gave her a set of clothes to wear before we talked again.

"So where do we start?... Planning I mean." I asked.

"I say we take the Cato Clove route." She joked. I laughed before she spoke up, "I actually have that planned too, all you have to do is show up."

"You have it all planned?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Well, all we need to do is set the date, get bridesmaid dresses, and tuxes. Everything else I've got done."

"You're amazing." I said kissing her cheek. "When did you plan all this?"

"Well..."

Katniss POV Five Months Earlier

I was out getting lunch at a quaint little bistro when I ran into a semi familiar face.

"Katniss." He knew my name but I hardly knew his.

"Hello." I shook his hand.

"You may not remember me. I quite working at the firm you work for now about the time you were hired. But we did meet. I'm Cinna."

"Hi again." I said with a laugh, "How have you been?"

"Very well, I've opened my own design company."

"For software?"

"For clothes." He said.

"Oh, that sounds great." I said.

"It is. Very successful."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you quit?"

"I don't mind, it was just time for me to move on. I had to just start my own life." I nodded thinking about Peeta. Had he moved on without me?

"Um... Another question. How do you know when?"

"When what?"

"When it's time to... you know. Move on?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because..." I told him about Peeta.

"You love him?"

"More than anything. He's been there whenever I needed him."

"And what exactly is the problem?"

"I want to marry him, but he doesn't live here anymore. Do I go after him? Or should I just stay here?"

"Do you love your job more than you love him?"

That took me a moment, "I love him more." I decided.

"Life is chock full of choices Katniss. If you love him choose to love him. Don't leave yourself wondering. Choose what your heart wants."

"It's scary."

"So was moving out here."

"No that was freeing."

"Then let this be freeing too." He said.

"Now all I have to do is propose..."

Cinna laughed, "I can help with that."

And so for the next five months he sketched different designs for me. The reunion dress was his creation. He'd already designed my wedding dress and agreed to come for the wedding. He had steadily become a very dear friend of mine.

Peeta's POV

"You are amazing." I told her once she'd finished her story.

"When do you want to marry me?" She asked before I could kiss her.

"Now."

"How about in a month?"

"I'd like to have it in May."

"So two months from now, I'll be a Mrs." She laughed.

"You'll be more than that. You'll be MY Mrs."

"I'm already yours." She promised me. That's when I became so entranced with her I completely forgot where I was in space and time. All that mattered was us two. We were there and we were real. We were the only things that mattered in the cosmos. We were unbreakable. That day was the start of forever.

Hey! One last chapter until the end. You guessed it the wedding! I'm so excited. I hope enjoyed it. I love you and would love you forever if you took some time to read my original story link is on my profile! Thanks dear. I love you.