Author's note: I'm floored by the fact that the number of people that have added this to alerts is over 100. I never thought I'd ever write something that was that popular. I hope I continue to satisfy all you lovely people. And if I make it to 200, maybe I'll throw a party and write something special for Katniss and Peeta in the story. Like a really steamy love scene or something...
Anyway, happy reading, y'all!
Chapter Seven
No adjustments had to be made at Peeta's final appointment. Everything checked out with the new leg. Katniss and Peeta had one more dinner with Iris and Alexander. This time, they went out to a small out-of-the-way place the older couple frequented.
"I think someone's followed us." Katniss pointed out, nodding toward a gawker with a camera not hidden very well under a napkin.
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart." Peeta said, putting an arm around the back of her chair. He kissed her cheek. "Just smile and think about being in District Two tomorrow evening away from them. Playing with Mags."
"That is what you are looking forward to. I'm looking forward to going to the range with Gale and Finn." One side of her mouth tilted up. She looked at her mother. "So what plans do you two have?"
"Work." Iris said. "And spending time together." She smiled at her beau.
Alexander smiled back, but said nothing.
They ate, ignoring as the paparazzo became more forward with his pictures.
Katniss was uncomfortable with it. She gripped Peeta's leg tightly.
"Loosen up, Katniss." He whispered. "It's okay."
She clenched her jaw and shook her head. "Why do they need pictures of us?"
"It's you they want to take pictures of." Alexander said. "Everyone here is fascinated with you. I've had so many questions from other staff about you after you and Peeta have left."
"Is that why you're with my mother? Why have pictures when you can see the real thing?"
"Not at all. I fell for Iris before I knew she was your mother. She doesn't like to broadcast it unless she knows people won't exploit her for it." He squeezed the woman's hand and smiled at her. "You should hear the pride in her voice when she talks about you."
"But now everyone will know when they see the news." She looked at her mother. "Are you ready for that backlash?"
Iris looked between all the other people, stopping when she locked eyes with Alexander. "We can do it."
"Are you about to tell me you're getting married?" Katniss joked.
"No." her mother assured her. "We're not there yet. But we will let you know if that changes."
"Is it likely to change?" Peeta asked.
Iris smiled, "Not any time soon."
"Good." Katniss said. "Because with Hazelle and Haymitch tying the knot, I don't know how I'd handle your wedding plans on top of that. They asked us to be in the ceremony."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, Peeta's best man. I'm in the bridal party with Annie and Posy." Katniss gave a wry smile. "I wish Cinna were around to design the clothes. He knew what looked good on me. He knew what looked good on everyone."
Peeta kissed her temple.
Thankfully with the last-minute change in their trip plans, they weren't able to be put in a fancy car. They got a small private compartment, though. And everyone commented on the pictures all over all the news. They asked Katniss if the woman pictured was really her mother. She reluctantly told them she was. She hoped her mother and Andrew would be all right.
She held Peeta's hand the entire trip. It was early evening when they pulled into the train station in District Two. Finn bounced up and down and waved when he saw them.
"Katniss! Peeta!" he called. He pushed his way through the crowd. "Hi!"
Peeta laughed and ruffled his hair. "Hey, kid. How's it going?"
"Why does everyone always mess with my hair?" He smoothed his locks down.
"Chill out, buddy." Gale poked Finn's ribs and then pulled Katniss into a hug. "Catnip."
"Gale." She sighed. She was brought back momentarily to the forest and hunting and berries and poking fun at Effie Trinket and the other denizens of the Capitol. She stepped back. "Where are your ladies?"
"Mags is teething and has been very cranky today so Annie decided to keep her home." He picked up her bag that she'd put down.
"It's driving me up the wall." Finn said. "She was horrible on the trip home from Four."
"She wasn't that bad." Gale protested.
They piled into the car. Katniss sat up front with Gale.
Finn leaned forward and asked, "Dad, are we still going to the range tomorrow after you get off work?"
"Finnick, you sit back and buckle your seatbelt or we won't go at all while Katniss and Peeta are here." He warned.
"Yes, sir." He sat back. "But are we?"
"That depends on if Katniss wants to go." He pulled out onto the road. "Do you?" he asked his friend expectantly.
"I'd love to. It's been quite a few days since I've shot a bow."
"Good." Finn said from the back seat.
Katniss laughed. "Are you any better, Finn?" She asked, turning in her seat to look at him.
"So much better. Right, Dad?"
Gale smiled proudly. "Right. Better every day." He chuckled. "I'm trying to convince Annie to let us put up a range at the house. Maybe in the back yard, put up a few walls or something so the arrows don't go where they shouldn't."
"That would be nice. Peeta, we should do that."
"Sweetheart, you go hunting. You don't need targets. You get real-life practice."
She laughed. "I'm going to teach our children to hunt and I'd rather do it in a controlled situation."
"Children?" Peeta asked from the back seat.
"Forget I said that." She said hastily.
He was quiet in the back seat, but she knew he had a smug smile on his face.
Finn jumped out of the car as soon as Gale stopped. He gathered all the bags and went inside ahead of everyone. The adults exited the car at a much slower pace, Peeta reaching out and catching his wife's hand as they walked.
Annie was walking the floor with Mags when they stepped into the house. She was almost asleep on her mother's shoulder, her eyes almost completely shut. When she saw her father come in, she held out her hand to him.
"Dada." She said softly.
"Maggie." He kissed her chubby cheek and smoothed down her hair. "It's okay." He kissed his wife and then stepped back. "Look who we found."
"Hi." Annie said. "Have a good trip?"
"It wasn't bad." Peeta said.
"Long. Like always." Katniss added.
"She just likes to be outside." Her husband pointed out.
"Did you have supper?" Annie asked.
"Yeah, we ate on the train."
"Well, help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Make yourselves at home. I'm going to try to put her down." She walked up the stairs as Finn walked down.
"I put your bags in the guest room." The boy announced to them.
"Thank you." Katniss yawned. "I'm exhausted."
"That's a long trip from the Capitol." Gale said. "Take a seat if you want."
Katniss sat down on the chair and curled her legs underneath her.
Peeta sat on the sofa nearby. "So, we're all in the wedding, huh?"
Gale sighed, "Yeah. You're the best man. How do feel about that?"
"It's a big responsibility. But I can handle it."
"Yep. You know, I don't know why they're going all out for this."
"Maybe it's Haymitch's idea." Katniss said with a laugh. "Seems more his style than your mother's."
Gale laughed along with her, "Yeah."
Finn shuffled cards nearby and watched as the adults made small talk for a while.
Katniss caught his eye. "Want to play a game?" She asked.
He smiled, "You know how to play Poker?"
"Finn," Annie warned as she came down the stairs, "You're not playing Poker with Katniss. I already don't like that you play it with Gale."
"Aw, Mom, you're no fun."
"I don't care if you think I'm fun or not." She sat down beside Gale. "I'm your mom and I say no gambling."
"It's just a game. I don't play with real money."
"It could become real. Play Go Fish or something."
"Go Fish is for babies. I'm almost twelve."
Annie sighed. "I know you are."
The room was silent for a moment as they all thought back to what that age would have meant in the past. All except the boy, who knew about the Reaping but would never fully understand it. They talked about it at school, but they didn't show the full brutality of it until much later in the learning process. Katniss and Peeta had been in a committee that saw to that mandate.
Peeta cleared his throat. "Well, if we can't play Poker or Go Fish, what about Rummy?"
"How do you play that?"
For the rest of the evening, the group played Rummy. Katniss won by a very narrow margin. Peeta was good at strategy, but so was Katniss. "Maybe tomorrow you guys can play me again and win back your dignity."
"We'll pay you back on the range." Finn threatened good-naturedly.
Katniss laughed, "Oh, yeah. We'll see about that. Maybe we can add your score to Gale's and see if it matches mine."
"Hey!" Gale said. "I'm almost as good as you."
"Almost." She laughed again as she stood. "Thank you, Hawthornes, for letting us stay with you. I'm going to bed. I'll see you all in the morning." She walked upstairs.
The rest of the house followed not long after.
Peeta climbed into bed beside her. He said softly, "You mentioned our children in the car."
"I told you to forget about it."
"I'm not going to forget about it."
She propped herself up on her elbow. "Look, I know that it's what you want. I've known for a long time that it's what you want. But I'm still struggling with it. You should know that. You must experience it too. You have to. You were there with me almost every step of the way."
"There's no more Reaping." He reached up his hand and pushed her hair behind her ear. "You don't need to worry about it."
"I know I don't. But I saw the look on Annie's face when Finn said he was almost twelve. She knows. She understands. I don't know why you don't."
"But I do."
"Then respect my choice to take my time with this."
"I do."
"And anyway, you promised you wouldn't say anything it about it." She rested her head on his shoulder. "So shut up and let me sleep."
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. "Whatever you say, sweetheart."
She laughed around her yawn. "Goodnight."