To clarify something: When Peeta decided to marry Katniss, he realized it was time to put his past behind him and his surname is one of those things. He wanted his life with Katniss to be just theirs and he was no longer proud of having the Mellark name. He preferred to be an Everdeen. I hope that helps with some confusion many of you have had.

Epilogue

Katniss came into the living room where Peeta was grading papers. "Hey, do you know nursery rhymes?" She sat beside him on the couch.

Peeta looked up from his grading. "Nursery rhymes?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about them. Randomly. While washing the dishes. You know the one with the baker?"

"The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker?"

She shook her head. "Patty Cake." She started clapping her hands. "Patty cake, patty cake, baker man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can. Roll it and pat it and mark it with a B and put it in the oven for baby and me." She smiled.

"I always liked the itsy bitsy spider." He said.

Katniss shook his arm. "Think about what I just said."

Peeta thought a moment. Then he shook his head. "I'm too tired, Katniss."

"Well, get used to tired." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Say the last half of the thing again."

"The baby part?" He asked. Then his eyes grew wide. "The baby part?"

"The baby part."

"Baby? Katniss?"

She laughed. "You're usually much better with the words, Peeta."

He twisted her around until she straddled his lap. He cupped her face. "Are you sure?"

"I took three tests. All positive. And do you know how expensive those things are?" She rested her head against his. "I'm sure."

He kissed her deeply and pulled her hard against his chest. "This is so great."

"I'm nervous." She admitted softly.

"Me too. But you raised one kid pretty well, so this one will be a breeze."

She chuckled. "I doubt a breeze. But we're going to be good parents, aren't we?"

He nodded. "We'll do our best. And we have good examples of how not to be."

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you, too." He sat her on the coffee table and dropped to his knees in front of her. "I promise you, Katniss…" He leaned down and spoke to her stomach. "I promise you, Baby, that you will have a great childhood. A real childhood."

She combed her fingers through his hair. "Definitely." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

Katniss was in labor for several excruciating hours. And the delivery was just as arduous. But their daughter came into the world screaming and healthy. Peeta held her close and wouldn't let her go except for her first feeding.

He walked around the room, staring at her tiny face and telling her all about their family.

Katniss tugged on his arm as he passed. "Hey, she's mine, too."

He chuckled. "She's just so perfect, Katniss." He handed her over. "Don't you think?"

"I agree." She smoothed a finger down her little cheek. "She's got your nose."

"Your chin." He kissed Katniss's temple.

There was a knock on the door and Prim poked her head inside. "I understand I'm an aunt."

"Come in." Peeta hurried over and pulled her inside. He leaned over and lifted the baby out of his wife's arms. "Iris, this is your Aunt Prim."

"Iris?" Prim asked as she took her new niece out of his arms.

Katniss said, "She was a strong woman, even though she didn't show it in the end."

Prim nodded. She smiled and swayed back and forth. "She's so cute. Hi, pretty girl. Aunt Prim is going to spoil you rotten. As soon as I finish college and med school, of course." She sighed. "Uncle Haymitch and Effie are going to love you." She kissed the baby's forehead and passed her back to her father.

The door opened again and Finnick stepped through. "We can come in, right?"

"Please do." Katniss said. "Come meet Iris."

Finnick looked out the door and he and Finn came through the door. Finnick said, "Mags ran off and Annie chased her and now they're having a bit of a time out." He leaned over the baby. "Oh, lookie there, another pretty Everdeen."

"Isn't she, though? She looks just like her mother." Peeta grinned.

"She does." Finnick said. "Your nose, though."

Finn said, "She looks like a baby." And slumped against the wall.

Finnick ruffled his son's hair.

Annie stepped through the door with Mags on her hip. "That was a long three minutes." She walked over and gathered with the others around the bundle.

"Look at the baby, Mommy!" Mags said.

"I see, sweetheart." Annie sat the girl on the floor and then perched on the bed. "How are you, Katniss?"

"Definitely been better." Katniss said with a tired smile.

"Oh, she's a trooper." Peeta said as he handed the baby to Finnick. "She should probably rest soon."

"I'm fine." Katniss assured him.

"We won't stay long." Annie assured them. "We just wanted to meet the little one before too many others."

"What's her name?" Finn asked.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged a smile. Katniss said, "Iris Anne."

"Iris Anne Everdeen." Prim said. "That's a lot of vowels."

"Anne?" Annie asked.

Peeta smiled. "You're a great stand-in mother for me, Annie."

She looked down at her hands in her lap and then stood and hugged Peeta. "Thank you."

"No, thank you, Annie." Peeta said. "You and Finnick helped me so much when I got here. And you helped Katniss. We really appreciate it."

"Can I hold the baby?" Mags asked.

"Sure, have a seat over here, Maggie." Peeta picked her up and swooped her back and forth with noises until he plopped her on the chair.

She giggled. "Now, Uncle Peeta?"

He kissed her forehead and then turned and took Iris from Finnick and placed her in Mags's arms and kneeled in front of her. "What do you think?"

"She's bigger than my dolls." The girl said on wonder.

Peeta chuckled. "I'm sure she is. But she's a real baby, not a doll. She moves and cries and poops and pees."

"Ew!" Mags giggled. "Mommy's going to have a real baby."

Peeta looked over his shoulder. "Really?"

Annie nodded while Finnick slipped an arm around her waist.

"Well, congratulations."

"Brave woman." Katniss said with a chuckle. She yawned. "I'm sorry, I need to sleep a little."

Peeta lifted Iris out of Mags's arms and watched as she scooted off the chair. She walked to the bed and stared up at Katniss. "I hope you feel better, Aunt Katniss."

"Thank you, Mags." She leaned over and kissed the top of the girl's head. "Stay with Mommy and Daddy until you're in the car. It's not safe to run away from them. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." She walked around the bed and slipped her hand into Finnick's. "Bye-bye, Iris."

The family bid their farewells and left. Prim stayed for another minute to hold Iris once more, but she left when she saw Katniss was struggling to stay awake.

"I'll see you guys later." Prim hugged Katniss. "Sleep. I love you." She hugged Peeta and kissed Iris and left.

A nurse came in and took the baby as Katniss was finally relaxing. Peeta sat beside her and held her hand. He was pretty tired himself, but definitely not nearly as much as his wife, he was sure.

Haymitch and Effie popped their heads in and Peeta jumped to his feet. Katniss stirred, but he leaned down and whispered, "Rest, love." He kissed her cheek. She rolled over and went back to sleep.

Peeta clapped Haymitch on the shoulder and rubbed Effie's back as he led them out of the room. "Thank you for coming." He stopped in front of a window. "She's the second one in."

The nurse picked up the baby and brought her into the hall and handed her to Peeta.

"I just changed her diaper, Mr. Everdeen." She informed him.

"Oh, thank you. I'll do it next time." He turned to the couple. "Iris, meet your Uncle Haymitch and Aunt Effie."

Effie gave a soft squeal and held out her arms. "Let me get my hands on that baby."

Peeta passed her over. "Iris Anne."

"Iris Anne." Haymitch repeated as he wrapped an arm around his wife. He moved the blanket away from her face a little more. "Hello, pretty girl. She looks like my sister."

"Katniss says she has my nose." Peeta smiled proudly.

Effie scrutinized his face and then looked down at the baby in her arms. "I can see it." She tapped the baby's nose. "She's so cute."

"Very cute." Haymitch said. He took the baby and held her close to his chest. "Another generation." He gave Peeta a nod. "You're going to be just fine."

Effie nodded. "And if you ever need a break, even for just an hour, call on us. We'll gladly spend time with your little angel."

"We may have to take you up on that." Peeta smiled and took the baby back.

"We'll go now." Haymitch said. "Give Katniss a hug for us." He gave Peeta a hug, surprising them both.

Peeta and Effie shared a not-so-surprising hug before they finally left. Peeta carried Iris into the room and the nurse followed with a basinet. Katniss stirred when he closed the door. She smiled sleepily at him.

"Hey, there." Peeta sat in the chair beside the bed.

"Hi." She closed her eyes again. "Did I dream Haymitch and Effie came?"

"You didn't. They held Iris. They think she's cute. And Haymitch hugged me."

Katniss's eyes opened. "He hugged you? He never hugged you before."

"I guess he decided after three years married to you, I deserved a hug." He looked down at their baby. "I don't ever want to put her down."

"Well, you'll have to eventually. You have to go to work in a couple days."

"Will you be okay?"

She nodded and closed her eyes again. "Just get some sleep in. Come cuddle with me. She needs some rest, too."

He sighed and placed the baby in the basinet. He got into the tiny bed with his wife and held her close. "She'll need to be fed soon."

"I can be awake for that." Katniss mumbled against his chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He smoothed his hand over her hair until they were both happily, comfortably asleep.

Post-story note: So here's the end. Thank you so much for reading. I'm going to be working on Grant Me Serenity (the prequel to this) over the next several weeks. You can always come talk to me on Tumblr (booksrockmyface) where I am planning a giveaway soon to include a cover I made for this story.

And, as always, happy reading.