It's nice to be sitting in the middle of the woods, listening to mockingjays chirp, with my best friend sitting next to me. I hadn't spent any time with Gale since Saturday night, and that didn't even count. I was so happy that he called earlier this morning, saying that he'd been feeling like going on a non-work related hike and wanted to know if I'd be up for it. Of course I was. There are no trees in the Capitol and I'm desperate to get back to my roots.

"So," Gale prompts.

"So what?"

"Did you have dinner with Peeta two nights this week?"

"Did you invite me on this hike with you just so you could ask me that?" I answer his question with a question of my own.

"Partially, now answer the question."

"Yes," I say begrudgingly. "I had dinner with him on Monday then dinner with him and his kids on Friday. Do you have a problem with that?"

"In a way, yes I do."

I look at Gale in disbelief. He, of all people, has a problem with my friendship with Peeta.

"And why is that?"

"Come on Katniss, he's got kids and you hate kids. This is destined to end badly."

"Firstly, I never said I hated kids, it's just that I don't want to have any. Secondly, why does everyone think that Peeta and I are going to get married and have kids? We're just friends for crying out loud!" I throw a piece of moss that I've been picking at to show emphasis.

"I know you Katniss, you'll think that it's not a serious thing and then one day you'll find out how deep you are and bail, leaving both Peeta and his kids high and dry. You've done it before."

I make a point not to meet Gale's insistent gaze. I know exactly what he's talking about. Despite living in different parts of Panem for the majority of our lives, Gale and I always remained close. One summer when Gale graduated high school and was starting my sophomore year, he came to the Capitol to spend the summer with me.

I'm not sure when it happened but Gale and I slid into the more than friends zone without even realizing it. To the point where heated kisses were exchanged and the world lost one more virgin that night. It happened a few more times and then Gale went and told me he loved me. Shit hit the fan and we both said things that we've gone to regret. Gale went home early and we didn't speak to each other for six months.

I ripped his heart out basically and Gale thinks I'll do that to Peeta.

"Peeta's not you," I mutter.

"Ouch."

"I didn't mean it like that. You're my best friend."

"I know and I've come to realize that that is all I'll ever be and I'm come to totally agree with that," he quickly adds when I open my mouth to protest. "We're too much alike to actually work."

Cicadas hum off in the distance and I focus on that, not the tall and annoying figure next to me. God, everyone is this town has to put their two cents into place it's not needed. It's almost worse than the Capitol, almost.

"Look," Gale says after a small eternity of keeping quiet.

I turn to him to see what he wants, quirking my eyebrow up as if I was asking 'what?'

"You might think that you two are just friends, but I can tell that it's already more than that. So if you think you know what you're doing, I'll support it."

"And if I don't know what I'm doing?"

"Most of the time you don't know what you're doing, but you always figure it out. Just do what makes you happy."

XxX

Gale's words ring in my ears Saturday night and into Sunday. Just do what makes you happy. I wonder what would make me happy. Images of me sitting on Peeta's couch, curled into his side, Sage and Jack playing on the floor in front of us with the voice of Bran playing video games enters my mind. Those are dangerous thoughts. But it was a nice thought nonetheless. And it made me happy, and that's what Gale told me to do right?

Prim and I Facetime while I'm getting ready and she ends up picking out my outfit. One of the few dresses that I own, it's orange with a scoop neck and hits just above the knee. It looks good with the brown strappy sandals I never wear and a slim brown belt that Prim makes me wear as an accessory. At first Prim was against me wearing an off white cardigan, saying that I have amazing shoulders and they shouldn't be hidden, but it's the beginning of September and starting to grow colder, so I wear it anyways.

"So Little Duck how was your first week of college?"

Prim dives how different college is from high school. She's met some people but still spends most of her time with Rory. Just at his name I can see my sister's deep blush on the apples of her cheeks.

"Primrose Everdeen, are you and Rory Hawthorne dating?" I tease.

"Well," Prim begins, "it's not official or anything but we have been spending a lot of time together."

"Be careful Primrose, use protection."

"Katniss!" she scolds. "We haven't done anything like that. Rory is the complete opposite of his brother if I remember correctly. He gets nervous just trying to hold my hand; it's the cutest thing really."

I choose to ignore Prim's snide comment about Gale because for one it's true and second I have to leave.

"I have to go Little Duck. I love you, make sure you call mom and Uncle Haymitch," I remind her.

"Will do. Love you, have fun today."

I click the red circle and slip my phone into my purse before heading out of the door.

XxX

Peeta and the kids are already at the park when I arrive. I find Peeta sitting at the closet picnic table by the playground, a red and white checkered cloth hangs over the table with a large basket sitting on the top.

"Hey," Peeta grins when he sees me. He stands to hug me; his lips graze my cheek lightly. "You look beautiful."

"Hi, thank you. You don't look so bad yourself. I think this is the first time where you don't have flour somewhere on you."

"Yeah, I shower on special occasions," Peeta jokes.

"And what makes today so special?"

"Well after lunch, I'm going to go make the kids play then I'm going to confess to you that I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since Monday and hope that you've been thinking about me too."

"The kids are playing now; does it have to wait for after lunch?" I flirt.

Peeta gives me a goofy, lopsided grin. "I can't stop thinking about you and it's driving me nuts. I burnt a loaf of bread yesterday because I was too busy thinking about today."

"That must have been some serious thinking if you, of all people, burnt an entire loaf of bread."

"Yeah, don't tell anyone. I'm trying to keep my baking record clean."

"Hm, what's in it for me?"

I hadn't realized how close we've gotten until Sage comes jogging up to us, shouting my name. I jump back and try to hide my flustered face with a wide smile.

"Katniss Everdeen, will you swing with me?" I laugh at the fact she's only called me by my full name so far.

"How about we eat first Princess?" Peeta suggests.

"I'll swing with you after. I'll even push you if you'd like."

Sage's eyes grow wide with excitement. Peeta calls for his two sons as he begins taking sandwiches out of the basket and setting them on the table.

"I wasn't sure what kind of sandwiches you liked so I made an assortment," Peeta say nervously.

"I'll literally eat whatever you put in front of me. I'm the least picky person in the world."

"That's nice to know. I live with the two pickiest people in the world," Peeta says about Sage and Jack. They're young and only like the things they know and don't want to try other things, it's understandable.

I take a seat next to Peeta with Jack on the other side of him and Sage and Bran sit across from us. I find myself asking Bran and age about school; Bran just started third grade and Sage is going to preschool. Bran tells us all about being the most popular in school because he shares his cookies and everyone loves Mellark's cookies. Sage talks about loving school because she gets to paint all she wants there, whereas the paint at the house is only for Peeta when he gets time to paint.

"I can paint you something tomorrow if you want," Sage tells me with a mouthful of peanut butter sandwich.

"I'd love that!" I say adding extra enthusiasm. "What are you going to paint me?"

"It's a surprise," Sage smirks.

"I'm going to play soccer soon," Bran announces.

"Really?" I turn my full attention to him.

"Yeah my first game is Saturday morning, right Dad?" Peeta nods silently. "Do you want to come?"

I raise my eyebrows and look at Peeta who is also giving a look of surprise. I don't want to say yes and it not be okay with Peeta nor do I want to say no and offend anybody, so I wait for Peeta to say something.

"It's at like eight in the morning but if you're up for it, we'd love to have you there."

"Then I'm there," I smile at Bran who smiles back.

I feel Peeta's hand rest on my bare knee discreetly. He squeezes it gently and I put my hand on top of his, lacing our fingers together. We stay like that, linked together hidden under the table, until lunch is done with and Sage is begging to swing with me. Peeta asks if I could watch over Jack as he cleans up.

Jack grins at me shyly but accepts me as I reach to pick him up. "Hi Jack."

"Hi," he giggles sweetly.

I push Sage with Jack still sitting on my hip until she decides that she wants to show me how high she can get on her own so I take the vacant seat beside her, swinging lightly and making Jack laugh as I periodically tickle his pudgy belly. Bran tells me about soccer practice and how couch wants him to play goalie and that his jersey is a different color than the rest of the kids on the team and that makes him special.

"Do you play soccer?"

"No, I wasn't very good at sports growing up, or that social," I tell Bran.

"What did you used to do when you were little then?"

"Before my dad died, he caught me how to use a bow and arrow."

"Were you any good?"

"She could shoot a squirrel straight through the eye when she was only seven years old," Peeta says joining us. "Grandpa used to buy them and cook them up for dinner in stews and casseroles."

"I didn't know that you knew that."

"Of course," Peeta beams. "It's hard not to take notice when a pretty girl comes to your back door with blood tinged hands hiding behind her dad's legs."

"What else did you notice?"

"Everything," Peeta says with a look in his eyes that makes all the air in my lungs disappear.

"Everything?"

"From the first day of kindergarten till the day you left for the train station."

I smile but don't say anything else since the kids are all looking at us with curiosity. I'll have to ask Peeta more about what he noticed about me when we're alone though, whenever that may be.

Peeta tells the kids that it's time to go and invites me back to his place but I decline. Today has been too much of a sensory overload and if I go over to Peeta's I might end up doing something stupid, like kissing him.