Author's note: Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. Feel free to come over and talk to me on my Tumblr (booksrockmyface) if you have any questions or concerns or want to fangirl/fanboy about anything in this fic. About seven chapters left if I follow the outline I put together.

Happy reading!

Chapter Seventeen

Finnick hugged Katniss when he walked in the door. She was a little shocked at first, but then remembered that Prim must have spoken to him the day before. He was a very physical person and thought hugging was perfectly acceptable. A day like this, Katniss didn't mind so much. Any other day she might have punched him.

"Thanks." She said as she stepped back.

"They're always here if you need them." He said, pulling Peeta into a bear hug and pounding his back. "Next time you skip out, let me know. I was forced to eat two whole servings of Annie's meatloaf."

"I'm sure that was so hard for you." Peeta chuckled. He turned to Annie. "Next time, though, I will be eating two servings myself." He kissed her cheek and gave her a gentle hug. "Hey, Finn." He ruffled the boy's hair.

Katniss ushered them into the living room. "I think you've met our uncle Haymitch before. He's been to a few of Prim's swim meets."

Haymitch stood and shook hands with everyone.

"And this is his wife Effie." Katniss said. "And that's everyone."

"Gale and Madge really couldn't make it?" Haymitch asked as they all took their seats.

"Gale is finally proposing to Madge tonight." Katniss said. "I am expecting my phone to start going off any time with either him freaking out about asking or her freaking out because he asked." She chuckled and slipped her hand into Peeta's. He squeezed it gently and leaned into her.

They settled into small talk for a while. Katniss watched as everyone else spoke. She caught her sister's eyes across the room. She sat with Finn on one side and Jason on the other. She smiled at some story the boy was telling her, but her eyes were as sad as Katniss felt.

She stood and made her way to the kitchen to take the roast out of the oven that she'd started earlier. Annie followed and asked if she could help.

"Not really. Peeta made rolls and an apple pie and even did the green beans. I stuck this sucker in the oven and then stood back and watched the rest of the cooking. He wouldn't let me lift a finger." She smiled.

Annie squeezed Katniss's arm. "You okay?"

Katniss nodded. "I've had my moments today, but I'm fine right now."

"Good. If you need to escape, just do it. No one will question it."

"Thank you." Katniss leaned against the counter. "Did you ever lose a parent?"

"I've lost both." She leaned against the opposite counter. "My mother was never really well after I was born, some complication I don't know. I never understood. She died when I was two. Then my dad drank himself into liver failure when I was still in high school. I emancipated myself and was on my own until I met Finnick. It's partly why marrying him was an easy choice. I had no others."

Katniss watched Annie for a moment, suddenly recognizing the similarities in her and Annie.

"Prim told me a lot over the years. About how you're more a mother than a sister, even before your mother's death."

"Mom didn't give me much of a choice." She reached behind her and took out several plates. "I didn't have much of a childhood because of it."

"I understand." Annie took the plates from her and sat them at the table. "I went wild when I got older and my dad was in his cups."

"Wild, huh?" Katniss asked.

"Yeah. Let's just say, it's extremely lucky that Finn is an only child." Annie chuckled. She leaned in. "But between you and me, Finnick and I are hoping to expand our family soon."

Katniss smiled. "Well, I wish you the best."

"Thank you." Annie giggled.

They walked into the living room to see Finnick had captured everyone's attention with some tale of one of his classes that day.

"This little jerk has the audacity, the audacity, to look me in the eye and say that he doesn't have to follow my rules because his dad wouldn't allow it. And then I tried to make him run laps and he refused. I tried to make him sit out in the bleachers and he refused. I tried to send him to the principal's office and he refused. I swear if I could get away with it, that kid would have been strung up somehow, I don't even know."

Annie combed her fingers through his hair and pulled his head back. She kissed his forehead. "There's one in every year, isn't there?"

"At least one." He took her hand. "Dinner smells delicious, Katniss, by the way."

"I put a roast in the oven." Katniss said. "Peeta did everything else."

Peeta smiled shyly. "Well, you were a very good cheerleader."

Prim snorted. "Yeah, it's a wonder anything got done. They can't keep their hands off each other."

"Is that so?" Finnick asked. He turned and eyed his friend. "He barely held her hand the last time we were all together."

"I guess I don't tease them enough." Prim said with a chuckle.

"Must not." Finnick said.

"Food is ready." Katniss said.

Everyone gathered in the dining room to fill their plates. They sat around the living room.

Effie asked cheerily, "Can we say a blessing?"

Finnick paused with a fork to his mouth. He sat it down and folded his hands before anyone else followed.

Effie said a few words of thanks and then smiled around the room. "Thank you. I never feel right eating a meal without a little thanks to the Lord."

Finnick smiled kindly. "I dated someone once with a super strong faith. I had to go to church with him and everything. It was fun sometimes. Until the preacher started talking, of course. But they had some really good music. That was the best part."

Haymitch chuckled. "Sometimes the music is the only reason I go, too."

Effie gave him a shocked look. "Haymitch!"

"Come on, Effie, you know that that windbag sometimes goes on too long." He argued.

"And you space out." Katniss pointed out. "I do it too. I get that from your side of the family."

He chuckled affectionately. "Yep. Me, your mom, your grandma."

"Must have gotten my focus from the Everdeens." Prim said.

Peeta smiled encouragingly at his girlfriend. "You have plenty of focus on the things that matter." He cut his eyes to Prim and then back to Katniss.

She nodded and mouthed, "Thank you."

He patted her knee.

The rest of the meal passed with Finn dominating the conversation. He was just as charming as his father and knew how to work an audience. Everyone was captivated.

Near the end of the meal, Prim suddenly went very still. Then she grabbed her chest and started gasping for air. Peeta moved forward quickly and grabbed hold of her hands.

"It's a panic attack." He said. "I need you to focus on my voice. We're going to start breathing slowly, okay?"

Prim nodded as she continued to gasp for air.

"Okay, breathe in." He demonstrated. "And out." He showed her. He continued to breathe in and out. The rest of the room was silent and Prim started to calm down.

Finally she breathed normally. Tears streamed down her face. She looked around the room in embarrassment and ran from the room.

"Please excuse me." Katniss said as she stood and followed her sister. She opened the bedroom door and watched Prim sobbing on her bed. Katniss closed the door and stretched out with her. "It's okay."

"I made a fool of myself in front of everyone." Prim sobbed.

"Maybe. But we're all a bunch of people who care about you." Katniss kissed Prim's temple. "Want me to send them all away?"

Prim shook her head. "I just need some time."

"Take all the time you need. You'll be fine." Katniss kissed her temple again and sat up. "Mom and Dad would both be really proud of you."

"You too." Prim wiped her eyes. "Could you just tell Jason I'll text him tomorrow? The rest are your friends."

"Haymitch and Effie are family."

"They are. But I can't face anyone. Not after that."

"Okay." Katniss walked back into the living room. She called Jason over and told him what Prim had said.

He nodded and left without a backward glance.

Finnick asked, "Is Prim okay?"

"She'll be fine." Katniss said. "It's been a long day for her."

He looked around the room. "We can help with dishes." He started gathering plates and Finn followed.

After everything was cleaned up and put away, Katniss and Peeta bid everyone farewell. Katniss checked on Prim who was sound asleep and then joined Peeta in her bedroom.

"Is Prim okay?" Peeta asked when Katniss came into the room.

"I think so." She changed and stretched out beside him. "You've been great with her today. Especially with the panic attack. That's never happened before and I wouldn't have known what to do. So thank you."

He trailed his fingers down her cheek. "I'm just glad I can be here for you both."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "Do you think we're going too fast? Haymitch voiced his concern."

Peeta thought and shrugged. "Everyone makes their own time. Annie and Finnick barely dated two weeks before they were married and had only known each other casually for a short time before that. If you think it's too fast, I'll back off. But if you want to keep going, we will."

She nodded. "I like having you around."

"And I like being around." He pulled her close and kissed her softly. "Are you okay?"

"I am for now. There were a few times I thought we'd made a bad decision inviting everyone over because I just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. But it was nice having everyone around, knowing that they all care."

"They do." He kissed her again. "I do."

She pulled him over on top of her. "I love you. And you don't have to say it to me again unless you want to, but I need you to know how much I appreciate all you are and all you have done for me and for Prim."

"Of course." He looked down at her, examining her features. Then he slowly lowered his head and placed a soft kiss in her forehead, followed by each of her eyes, the tip of her nose, her cheeks, her chin, and finally her lips. He lifted his head and smiled down at her. "Love has been difficult for me all my life. But I know what it feels like to love, even if I'm not sure it's returned. I feel this connection to you. I feel like it's right. And I never want you to mistake my lack of saying how I feel as proof that I don't feel that way. Because, as it stands, you are the greatest thing that ever happened to me. And I don't want to screw this up."

She brushed her fingers over his face. "Then we won't." She wrapped her leg around his waist and trailed her hands over his back.

"Would you mind if I take control this time?" He asked tentatively, uncertainty in all his features.

She smiled. "You have before."

"Under your complete direction. I want to just..." He lowered his mouth and kissed her deeply.

She melted underneath him and slipped her hands under his shirt. He tensed and broke the kiss a moment. She gave him a concerned look.

He nodded. "I'm fine." He pressed his mouth to hers again in a hard kiss. He lowered his mouth to her neck and sucked hard.

She moaned beneath him and pulled at his shirt. "Please, take it off."

He sat up and pulled her with him. He allowed her to take off his shirt and then removed hers. He watched her face as he reverently touched every inch of her torso.

Katniss's breath caught in her throat. She felt Peeta's adoration through their skin. He laid her back on the mattress again as he kissed her lips. His hands still roamed over her body. His lips moved across her jaw and down her neck, licking gently at her pulse point.

She moaned and kneaded his skin. He hummed against hers as he planted soft kisses over every inch of her chest and stomach. She combed her fingers through his hair and whispered about how good it felt.

He brought his mouth over hers once more. "Katniss." He whispered.

"Peeta." She smiled against his lips.

He made love to her slowly, whispering her name sweetly and telling her how beautiful he thought she was.

She dug her fingers of one hand into his shoulder and the other in his scalp as she grew closer to her release. He lifted his head and watched her face as she met her climax. She smiled in her release.

And then she covered her face with her hands and started crying. "I'm sorry."

He pulled her hands away from her face. "You don't need to apologize." He kissed her softly and moved away.

She sniffed and watched him.

He smiled and kissed her cheek as he cuddled close. "Want to hear a secret? I didn't even tell Finnick this and I told him pretty much everything."

"What?"

He wiped at her tears. "I cried after you left that first time."

"Really?"

He nodded and trailed his hand down her body. "The way you touched me and treated me... I've never felt so valuable. Like I meant something. You didn't pity my make me feel like I was useless. I was something to you."

She took a shaky breath. "You mean quite a bit."

"You mean quite a bit to me, too."

She curled into him. "I love you."

"I love you." He whispered so quietly neither of them were sure he said it.

"You tell Finnick everything?"

Peeta chuckled. "Yeah. He's my best friend. And he knows stuff."

"So you told him…everything?" Katniss asked softly.

"Yeah." He grinned. "Even that gasping, whining, moaning thing you do. He says it's perfectly normal, by the way."

She shoved his shoulder with a giggle. "You're mean."

"You still love me."

She rolled over and pressed her back into his chest as she pulled his arms and the blanket tighter around her. "I do."