Hey y'all! Hope this chapter finds you safe and well. So here we are, the last chapter before we jump ahead to the present canon timeline of the Hunger Games. I'm so excited and I hope that I'll be able to get that chapter out in a timely fashion for you guys. If not, then I hope to get it out as soon as I'm able to. Also, BTW, I will be referring to Cato as Val from now on up to a certain point in which the names will then become an important part of the character journey he goes through. Hope you guys won't be too thrown off by it, especially when I reach the point where I start switching back and forth between them.

Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just "It's bad." I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I'm always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.

Thanks for continuing to read this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y'all.

Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC's that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or the movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies.

Warning: No beta, we die like Rue.

Chapter 4: ...But Maybe Some Still Can

Chaos theory suggests that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.

It's the Butterfly Effect.

Everyone and their mothers know it at this point.

Change one thing, no matter how small it may be, and something else, probably important, most definitely big, will change in return.

Well what happens when that change doesn't do anything besides shift the course of events?

What happens when a butterfly's wings flutter and a typhoon is not formed but a storm that was supposed to occur today, happens next week?

What happens if, no matter what you change, no matter how hard you try, all you're doing is delaying the inevitable?

Even though Cato Evans, now Valerian "Val" Everdeen, entered the lives of the Everdeens in District 12 through the butterfly effect in District 2 and changed things for the better...some things can never be changed.

Only delayed.

~ 3 Years Later ~

Val could only grit his teeth as he tried, and failed once again, to get his mother to eat something, anything. The sad bowl of soggy oats grew sadder and soggier the longer it went uneaten.

Katniss watches from the side with a dark look in her eyes. She looks as if she's about to say something potentially biting but decides against. Instead, she quickly ushers a worried Prim out of the room and away from the sight of their catatonic mother.

It was only just a month ago that their father passed away from an unexpected (lies) mine collapse. The Peacekeepers had been exceptionally lazy and hands off with the citizens of the Seam, tending to stay more near the District's Justice Building and occasionally patrolling the Town as long as a Seamer was not within sight.

It helped...but not enough.

The entire Seam had an oppressive atmosphere weighing its residents down. But this past week, the weight had been almost crushing. Even the dull gray tones that seemed to dye everyone's metaphorical vision was more dull and depressingly gray.

It's been a long time since so many people have died. Especially from something that could have been prevented through better mine inspections via the Capital.

But those from the silver city had better things to do than to wonder about the mines from which a dying source of fuel came from so said the elders of the Seam who would continue to silently curse their oppressors for the oppression no one has ever been able to successfully overthrow.

However, the weight of this particular disaster was much heavier than usual because of the loss of their father. Val never realized it, but the Everdeen patriarch was a much bigger figure of influence on the Seam community than their family realized. When he was alive, he provided food and supplies through the hub, company for the downtrodden who were forced to wander to the Everdeen's apothecary doors, and raised moral through the songs he sang with his beloved daughter Katniss.

Now he was gone.

And he wasn't coming back.

Just like his dad.

Just like back then.

Except this time, the Capitol couldn't be bothered to lift a hand to pull the trigger this time. And somehow, that made it feel so much worse.

Val sighed, finally admitting defeat. He puts the bowl on the table besides his mother. She'll eat when she is ready, if she'll ever be ready. He walks to the sink and as he begins to wash the few dishes they had, his thoughts start to wonder.

He never realized it until just now but his mother has slowly started to shift back into Mrs. Everdeen in his mind the longer she stayed catatonic. The image of the gentle mother reverting back into the kind stranger the longer she continued to not see the silent tears and worrying glances from Prim, and choose to not hear the pleas of Katniss who begged her do something, to do anything, that would show she was still present and willing to be a mother to her children.

Val finished washing up the dishes and began to slowly dry them. His mind racing with a thousand thoughts per second as he came up with plan after plan to keep his family alive.

He had already taken out tesserae four times much to the horror and anger of his younger sisters. Katniss tried to sneak off behind his back to do the same before he caught her and expressly forbade her from ever doing such a thing ever again.

He no longer had as much time to traverse through the forest to hunt and forage. Though it wasn't like it would make much of a difference, not when a forest fire that had occurred earlier in the month had sent much of the wildlife fleeing and burned many edible plants away. He had to make sure that the Peacekeepers had no reason to come by their door and break apart their family despite the hands off attitude they've been adopting. And while Katniss would be all for going into the forest on her own, both she and Val weren't confident enough in her ability to navigate through the dense woods alone, especially since Capitol patrols had seen a recent uptick for unexplained reasons.

The Hub was a no go as well since they were not the only ones suffering from the tragedy. Many of the patrons who frequented the trade center stopped as they worked in an attempt to keep their heads above the water. They couldn't afford to help the Everdeens no matter how much they wanted to, not if they didn't want to drown themselves.

Val sighs again as he places the last dish away in the cupboards. He can only stare at the meager amount of grain and oil from tesserae that barely filled two shelves. The last of the dried meat and plants gathered from the last hunt already long been consumed.

He was glad that there was still enough food to ration but he couldn't help but frown as he recalled the appearances of his sisters. Prim had never looked so hopeless before with her hollowing cheeks and tear-ridden eyes and Katniss' anger and bitterness added another sharp edge to her already thinning frame.

"Val?"

He turns in response to the timid call and sees Prim standing by the doorway. Her gaze alternates between him and her catatonic mother. He quickly walks over and turns her away, gently leading her out of the small kitchen and towards the equally small bedroom.

The two situate themselves on the bed, Val sitting against the creaky headboard and Prim curling up against his chest as he holds her close. Katniss is nowhere to be seen.

"What's up, Prim?" Val asked once she settled down.

Prim stays silent as rain continues to pour outside, adding to the depressing mood that had become the new norm in their home.

After listening to the rain for a bit, Prim finally asks in a quiet voice, "Are we going to be okay?"

Val looks at her, trying to be as reassuring as he can without accidentally revealing his doubts, "Of course we are. What makes you ask that?"

"It's just because..." Prim goes silent as she tries to figure out the right way to word her response, "Mom just sits there all day no matter what we do. Katniss is so angry all the time and I never know if it's because of mom or dad. And you look so tired from trying to keep us well fed and safe that I'm scared one day, I'll look away for a moment and you'll be gone, just like dad."

Val holds Prim closer as the last of her words are choked by a sob.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's gonna be alright. I'm not going anywhere. I wouldn't dream of doing that to you. And as for mom and Katniss...they need time. Time to process. Time to mourn. Time to move on, just like I was given time to do the same when my family died."

Prim only nods at his words and cuddles further into his arms as if they'll be able to shield her from the horrors of the world, or at least, let her pretend that things were still all right. That her dad wasn't dead, that her mom was still her mom and Katniss wasn't angry enough to try and burn the rest of the world down because of how unfair it was.

The two continue to lie there on the bed, letting the sound of the rain slowly lull them into unconsciousness.

Just before Val closes his eyes, a thought jolts him awake.

"Wait a minute. Where's Katniss?"

Prim is silent but it's not the melancholic, sad silence of before. This time it's a silence that's tinged with a bit of guilt and as much defiance an 8-year-old little girl can muster.

Val stares at Prim with a frown.

"Prim."

She's still silent. Val is not amused.

"Prim. Where is she?"

Prim tucks her head in his chest and mumbles something he can't understand. He sighs.

"You wanna try saying that again?"

Prim lifts her head up, a sheepish yet guilty expression on her face.

"Katniss went out to try and sell some old stuff that we don't use anymore, like my baby clothes."

Val groans, "Prim..."

"Oh come on, Val. You do so much and you never let us help you. What did you think Katniss was gonna do?"

"Well I don't know what she thought but I assumed that she would have enough common sense to not go out in the rain trying to sell old things that no one would ever have a use for if we don't have a use for it."

Prim can only pout with wide puppy eyes. Val's resolve to continue this non-argument crumbles, as it always does whenever Prim so much as looks at him with those sad yet hopeful eyes of hers.

"Alright fine," Val admits defeat. Prim cheers by smiling brightly, a great feat considering her sunken appearance, and proceeds to try and squeeze the life out of him.

"But," he says, interrupting Prim's death by hug attempt, "if she's not back within the hour, I'm bringing her back home whether she's sold anything or not."

Prim nods frantically in agreement before attempting to sink him into the couch with her meager weight as if to preemptively stop him from making any attempt to go get Katniss after the time limit was reached. Thankfully for her, Katniss arrives back home if the loud slam of the door was any indication.

Prim slides off and rushes out of the bedroom to the kitchen. Val stretches out, trying to work out the soreness and fatigue that had yet to be relieved. He slowly follows Prim only to rush out when he hears her cry out with an emotion that has his heart racing in worry.

He runs through the doorway and is greeted with the sight of Prim crying as Katniss holds her close in comfort. Their mother still catatonic but a sign of life seems to spark in her eyes. Confusion floods him until he looks to his left and sees the two loaves of bread on the table. He freezes at the sight. The loaves, though slightly burnt and just a bit wet, were fresh, like just out of the oven fresh.

He slowly walks over to examine the bread. Katniss and Prim watch him, gauging his reaction as he holds a loaf of bread and looks at it in fascination.

The two girls hold their breath as he places the bread down and he slowly turns to them.

His mouth twitches with the hint of a smile, "I guess we're having bread for dinner then."

Katniss and Prim continue to stare at him, their eyes wide and pleading for something that Val had continually denied them. At least up until this point because Val could feel his non-existent resolve crumble before the combined might of their puppy eyes.

He sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat, "And I guess we'll also be taking a trip to the forest tomorrow."

Katniss and Prim cheer and fall into his arms for a hug. No one says anything as tears are shed and smiles are had. For the first time since the tragedy, hope had returned to the Everdeen home and damn was it good to have it back.

And thus all was right in the world as fate managed to right itself and return to the original tracks that had been laid out.

Of course, that doesn't mean the destinies of the Everdeens were set in stone. In fact, some cosmic force out there decided that it wanted to have the last laugh. After all, just because some things can't be changed, that doesn't mean nothing can be changed. Because some things can be changed, especially for the better.

All it needs is a little...push.

Val stands by the gate of the schoolyard, waiting patiently for his sisters to be released from their classes. He had promised them the other day that he would take both out to the forests to go hunting and gathering.

Despite the fact that until recently, both had been rather sparse, he had a good feeling about today. Whether it's because of the bread Katniss brought back, though she had yet to tell him the full story about it, or just the bright Spring day that graced them after a week of depressing rain, who cares. Not him. He's just happy that his family's happy and on the road to recovery.

Val spots his sisters exiting the school building. Prim is excitedly chatting Katniss' ears off who indulges her with a smile. Katniss stops and looks off to Val's left. Val frowns, confused, and follows her gaze.

His sight lands on Peeta Mellark, the baker's boy, standing by a nearby tree. The sun shines on the boy's wheat blonde hair and makes the dark bruises on his face stand out starkly against his pale skin. He raises an eyebrow when he sees Peeta look up and stare like a dope. Following his gaze, Val's eyes land on Katniss who has just picked a yellow dandelion from the ground and is smiling brightly at it before gazing up at the sky with hope clear on her face.

Val rolls his eyes up and closes them. He breathes in and out steadily in order to stem the over protective elder brother instincts that begged him to go give the shovel talk to a kid who probably doesn't deserve it given his appearance and mother's reputation.

Once he's managed to push his irrational instincts down, Val walks over to where his sisters still stand, marveling at the dandelions that the two have both begun to pick.

"Ready to head out?"

The two girls startle but turn to him with a grin.

"Val!" Prim shouts out and goes to hug him.

Katniss just walks over with a grin, "Of course I'm ready. I've been waiting weeks for you to let me go back."

Val frowns with guilt growing in his chest until its growth is abruptly stopped by a harsh punch to the arm courtesy of Katniss.

"Hey! I don't need you feeling guilty over this Val. Prim and I know you were just doing what you thought was best. Doesn't mean I agree with it, just that, we're not gonna hold it against you. You're supposed to be our big brother. I'm pretty sure it's in the job description," Katniss says with a cheeky smile.

Val smiles back. Then a thought occurs to him and his smile takes on a devious edge. Katniss watches him warily. She knows this expression doesn't mean anything good coming from him.

"Soooo..." Val drawls out, "I see you have an admirer."

"What?" Katniss yelps, ready to protest only to stop and blush at Val's amused grin. He tilts his head over towards Peeta's direction and she follows where he's directing. By chance, she locks eyes with Peeta only for the boy to turn away with a blush. She frowns. Val frowns at that.

"Katniss...what's going on between you and the baker's boy?" Val asks. Katniss looks away, suddenly hit with a bout of shyness that was very uncharacteristic of her.

"Katniss..." Val says with a tone of warning, trying to coax answers out of her.

When she starts to pout, Val pulls out the big guns, "Is there something going on between you two? Do I need to pull out the bow and a forest speech?"

Katniss flushes, "There's nothing going on between us."

Val raises a skeptical eyebrow.

Katniss pouts and relents, "Okay fine. You remember the bread I brought back last night?"

"Yes? Why?" Val responds, his brows furrowing with confusion.

"Well...IkindagotthebreadfromPeetaafterhismomthrewmetothecurbfortryingtosellsomeofPrim'sbabyclothesandIguesshetookpityonmecauseheapparentlydeliberatelyburnedsomebreadinordertogiveittome."

Val blinks at Katniss' word vomit, "You maybe wanna try saying that again? Slower this time?"

Katniss blushes but complies, "I got the bread from Peeta after his mom threw me out for trying to sell her some of Prim's baby clothes. I felt really bad after that and kind of just sat by a tree while it rained when there was a bunch of yelling and Peeta came out with some loaves of bread that were really burnt. His mom was yelling at him before she went back inside. Then Peeta ripped some of the really burnt pieces off before tossing the loaves at me. And then he went inside."

Val blinks again, "Wow...that...is a lot to unpack."

"Yup..."

"Do you know why he did it?"

Katniss scowls at that, "I guess he pitied me or something. Thought I was some kind of charity case and he might as well help the poor Seamer out like the good Townie he is."

Again, Val blinks and quickly glances at Peeta who's back to looking at Katniss like she's some goddess who hung the moon despite the fact that she was just a jaded 12 year old with a mouth on her if you ever said the wrong thing.

"Peeta...the baker's boy...pitying you..." Val says slowly as Katniss nods along, "Wha- Katniss. That boy is over the moon for you. If you two weren't 12 year old brats, I would've expected him to drop down on one knee and propose to you with those loaves of bread."

Katniss blushes at that while Prim giggles with delight.

"Katniss and Peeta sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-" Prim starts to sing before Katniss covers her mouth.

"That's enough out of you little duck," Katniss says as she lifts her hand off Prim's mouth.

Prim only giggles, "Oh come on Katniss. Peeta's such a nice boy and he always looks at you like you're the most amazing girl in the world. I'm only 8 and even I can see that."

Katniss scowls again, "Well you need to get your eyes checked, both of you. No way a Townie would ever help a Seamer out of the goodness of their heart."

Both Val and Prim roll their eyes.

"Well why don't you just go talk to him and find out?" Val asks.

Katniss looks at him like he's gone crazy.

"Oh come on Katniss," Val says exasperated, "The boy took a beating just to give you those loaves of bread. I highly doubt he would risk getting hurt just because he pitied you. And the least you can do is say thank you."

Katniss scowls even harder. Val is no longer having any of her attitude but before he can make a move, Prim pushes Katniss in Peeta's direction. Guess Prim had even less of a tolerance for Katniss' response towards the boy who let them have a free full meal for the first time in weeks.

"Go," Prim says, her voice taking on a commanding tone not dissimilar to the tone their mother's takes when dealing with especially stubborn patients.

"But-" Katniss tries to protest.

"Go" both Prim and Val say as both are just not having it anymore.

Katniss throws her hands up with a groan before walking over to Peeta like an inmate marching off to death row. Val turns to Prim with the feeling of pride swelling in his chest, "You're gonna be a great healer some day, little duck."

Prim giggles and hugs him, "Quack!"

The two watch as Katniss seems to stumble over her words while Peeta grows more flustered at the fact that his crush was speaking let alone even standing before him. It looked like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

And now Val feels like he violated some sort of older brother code by potentially matchmaking his little sister with a boy who apparently has had a crush on her ever since she first started school cause he found her singing voice pretty. Huh. Does this make Katniss a siren? Should he start looking to break them up before they've even started, not to protect his sister from heartbreak but to protect Peeta from getting eaten alive by Hurricane Katniss?

Eh. Not his problem. She has Prim for all that girl talk and womanly intuition stuff. He's never gonna touch that let alone go near it even with a 30 ft pole. He had his own problem to deal with anyways. And that problem unfortunately started with a G and ended with a -ale.

Val leads his younger sisters deeper into the forest, on the path to the lake where their father always foraged for edible flora and went fishing for the catch of the day. He also thought it would be a good way to relax after all that they've been through.

He and Prim had taken to teasing Katniss about her newfound friendship with the baker's boy after their not too subtle push. Val will forever remember how red her face became and still is as Prim smiles while teasing her about when the wedding will be...and now he's gotta shut that down.

"Alright Prim, I think Katniss has had enough."

"You're no fun Val," Prim pouts.

Val only laughs and brings Prim in for a hug as a grateful Katniss tries to get her blushing under control. The light atmosphere around the trio is interrupted when a branch snaps behind them. Both he and Katniss whirl around with their bows drawn as Prim ducks behind them, only to come face to face with Gale who his hands up in surrender.

"Hey Cato. Long time no see," Gale says sheepishly, "You guys mind lowering those bows? I'm really attached to my face…and my life."

"Gale?" Val shouts in surprise.

"You know this guy, Val?" Katniss asks.

"Yeah," Val says as he lowers his bow, Katniss following his example, "We met when I was still living in the forest by myself and he was the only friend I really had. He even helped me out getting food. Really knows his way around traps."

"Awww, you're such a flatterer Cato," Gale says with a grin.

Val flushes, much to Katniss and Prim's amusement, "It's ah...Val now."

"Alright then Val," Gale says, emphasizing the name, making Val flush even harder, "Haven't seen you in a few years...What've you been up too?"

Val glances at Katniss and Prim who are smiling way too widely at him. He rolls his eyes and nudges them along the path down to the lake, "Why don't you two go ahead and I'll catch up?"

"Okay Val," Katniss says, emphasizing his name just like Gale did much to his displeasure, "Don't be too long though. You promised that we'd go swimming later."

Val nods and the two girls bounce away, giggling silently between them like they were privy to some secret Val had just told them. Girls...he'll never understand them.

"Sooo..." Gale drawls out.

"Sooo..." Val drawls out in return.

"You're with the Everdeens and your name is Val now. I'm assuming they adopted you?"

"Mhm..."

"And you're certainly looking better than the last time I saw you."

"We literally just avoided starvation last night, Gale, so I highly doubt I look much better than before when I at least had a steady food supply," Val deadpans.

Gale rolls his eyes, "I meant you're looking happier now, more content and less weighed down you little shit."

"Hey! Language!" Val retort teasingly, "I've got two little sisters who don't need to hear anymore of that kind of language. Katniss already has quite the mouth on her. She doesn't need more examples to follow."

Gale snorts. The conversation seems to end there, leaving the two in an awkward silence.

"So I guess I'll be seeing you around then? Hopefully sometime that isn't three years later?"

Val sighs, "I'm really sorry about that Gale. I just got so caught up in having a family again I completely forgot about you. And I'm really sorry about that."

Gale only nods in understanding, "No I get it. If I had my family torn away only to get a new one, I would also get so caught up with them I would forget about other things, like you did. My family will always come first and I would do anything for them."

"Like taking out tesserae right?" Val says, with a bitter smile.

Gale nods, "Yeah. My dad also died in the same collapse as Mr. Everdeen. Took it out 5 times and I've been trying to go out trapping as much as I can before I have to go into the mines. You?"

"Just 3. And we only recently started going out hunting again, but I've still got another 4 years before the mines just like you," Val responds.

The conversation ends with the awkward silence returning again.

"See you later?" Gale asks, as he starts to move away towards where Val was assuming his traps were.

Val starts to nod before a brilliant and horrible idea lights up in his head, "Hey Gale."

Gale turns back, "Yeah?"

"What if we, oh I don't know, helped each other out? Just like old times?"

"You mean like becoming hunting partners again?"

"Yeah. Except this time, we're not just helping each other but also our families. That way if anything happens to either of us, we know our family would have support to rely on."

Gale smiles, seeing through Val's intentions, "Is this just another way of saying you're sorry and asking if we can keep being friends?"

Val frowns slightly, "Are we still friends?"

"Of course we still are!" Gale says as he throws an arm around Val's shoulders, "And as your friend, you need to properly introduce me to your sisters this time."

"Of course," Val says with a smile, before his overprotective brother instincts kick in, "But if you make any moves on them..."

"Ugh no way, of course not, it'd be like I'm dating my siblings," Gale recoils at the thought.

Something in Val relaxed at Gale's response. What that something is, Val is still denying any attempts at internally analyzing it. For now, he'll just enjoy the bright spring day with his sisters and his newly reunited best friend. Best make his time with his loved ones last while he still can.

After all, he never knows when it can all end, especially with the Capitol and its threat of the games still very much a real presence ready to make that other shoe drop.

Especially once they get comfortable enough to let their guard drop.

Wow. Originally I wanted this chapter to just be an exploration of how even though adding Cato doesn't really change much, it still changes enough to make a difference. I didn't expect it to get away with me and start having so much focus on the beginnings of budding relationships that DIDN'T involve a love triangle.

On that note, I always hated the love triangle troupe of YA fiction, like, what's even the point? There's already enough relationship drama between two characters, why do we even need to add a third person? It just creates shipping wars and always annoys me on how one of the two main conflicts the main protagonist needs to focus on is the YA conflict they have to dismantle and which partner they're gonna stick with at the end of the day. And it also always made me angry how you know the girl is gonna only stick with one based on how the author writes one guy and thus the other guy gets a character assassination just so the fans don't get all up in arms when the girl finally chooses. It's pointless and it's stupid.

Maybe that's why I like Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan so much cause even though it's a harem anime formula, the main guy actually chooses a girl, the relationship between them grows despite other girls' best attempts, and then he chooses to fight for her when given the option to. It's sweet and it makes for good drama and a breath of fresh air after yelling at so many harem protags to just CHOOSE SOMEONE ALREADY I DON'T EVEN CARE IF YOU CHOSE A GUY JUST CHOOSE OH MY GOD! Anyways, now that we're all caught up on pre-canon stuff, it'll be time to jump into canon stuff next chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one!