Hehehe, I just can't resist capital letters telling me to UPDATE! But seriously, you guys are EPIC.

EPIC, I say.

I take it you all liked the longer chapter with PK reunited. I liked it too. Hehe. But I figured, that since you guys have broken new levels of awesomeness, I shall make it my goal to update often...and make longer chapters.

I have more to say...but for now..read on!

P.S. Important news at the bottom! You better read! (Just sayin'...)

I think this last week of my life has been one of the best ones.

I'm reunited with Peeta, Prim and my mother, even Haymitch.

Peeta and I applied for a separate compartment, so now Chris and Rye get their own compartment and Peeta's father gets his own.

I learn Prim is a trainee in the hospital. Chris helps out in the kitchens sometimes with his father. My mother works alongside the doctors in the hospital. Rye and Gale spend lots of time in Command. Peeta and I disregard the schedules on our arms, (but mostly me) and go find something more exciting to do.

It would be perfect, except for one thing. Coin, the District 13 President, wants me to be the Mockingjay.

But something about Alma Coin throws me off. Peeta agrees. She could be from the Seam if it weren't for her cold, calculating grey eyes and the sheet of silver hair that falls to her shoulders.

Haymitch thinks I should be the Mockingjay. And, because he's Haymitch, I trust him. But Haymitch hasn't been the world's greatest thinker lately, and I think it's because of the alcohol withdrawal. 13 enforces a strict abstinence policy, so Haymitch hasn't had a drink in over two months.

I would go insane, cooped down here, where the lights are dim and walls suffocating. But somehow someone npulled the strings to make sure Gale and I get an hour of hunting time every day.

A light knock.

"Yo, fire chick," comes a familiar voice from the hall. It's Johanna. "Fire chick" is her new nickname for me. I told her I hated it, but she just called me it some more, so I gave up.

"Hi, Johanna," I reply. "What do you want?"

"Come to lunch."

So I get up and follow her out of the room, but not to the cafeteria. I'm honestly surprised I know my way to the cafeteria…Then again, it's the only place I know how to go to. Besides my mother and Prim's compartment.

I look around the meeting room we're in and realize how many people are there. Haymitch. Peeta, Chris, and Rye. My mother. Prim. Plutarch Heavensbee and his assistant, Fulvia. Finnick, with his arm protectively wrapped around Annie. Even old Mags and Wiress.

Food sits on the table, so I ignore everyone and begin to eat in a hard-backed chair.

After I'm finished, Haymitch leans forward and says, "So, sweetheart, you're the mockingjay whether you like it or not. It's your choice whether you embrace it or not."

"What?" I screech at Haymitch. "You brought me here just to convince me to be the Mockingjay?"

"I told you she'd take it like this," says Peeta, smirking at Haymitch.

I snort.

"Katniss, obviously we want—" Plutarch begins, but Haymitch cuts him off.

"Er, okay Katniss," he says, awkwardly.

"Katniss." Finnick looks at me. "You've got to be the Mockingjay. You could help save lots of lives. You could protect kids from the Hunger Games." He pauses and looks at Annie.

It all clicks. Annie is pregnant. I repeat this piece of information.

"Yup," Finnick replies, a glow lighting his face. "In May."

A smile flits its way across my face. "Congrats. Then I will be the Mockingay, for Finnick Junior."

Haymitch snorts.

Prim smiles.

"Then…" says Plutarch, I'd almost forgotten he was there. "Well, before the Quarter Quell," he continues really weirdly, "Cinna gave me this to give to you when you decided to be the Mockingjay. I haven't looked at it. But here."

He hands me a plain black sketchbook.

I flip it open, and am enraptured by a drawing of me. I stand in a military suit, black, but a few hints of white. Even in combat, I am a Mockingjay.

More drawings, highlighting the different features of different outfits. And on the last page, a sketch of my mockingjay pin. Underneath, Cinna has written, 'I'm still betting on you, girl on fire.'

"Thank you," I tell Plutarch sincerely, and I actually mean it this time.

Peeta escorts me back to our compartment, and I put Cinna's sketchbook in my drawer, along with the locket of Peeta's and my mockingjay pin. I really need to ask him about that locket soon. Two grey uniforms of District 12 stare at me too.

Why must they be so itchy? I'd be so much more comfortable in sweats and a big T-shirt. And my hunting boots, instead of these ones that are all broken in wrong.

I go over to sit by Peeta. "I'm glad you're back," he says truthfully. "It was like having half of me missing."

Seriosly. Does he sit up at night thinking of these? Because they can't come off of the top of his head.

But my mouth says instead, "Me, too." And I guess it really is true. I missed Peeta.

Sure, I like Gale too, but Gale is fire, and I have enough of that. Peeta is the lapping water of the lake, the yellow dandelion of the spring that means rebirth.

I lean against him, just enjoying the moment, for now.

"Katniss…" warns a voice I know too well, "wakey wakey or I'll throw this…."

I jump up, fighting a screech. "PEETA MELLARK!" I shriek, probably waking up the entire district, "you wouldn't." I scramble up, but it's too late.

He dumps the bucket right on my head.

No water comes pouring out, though. Instead, a pair of socks hit my head softly.

I scream. "Peeta."

He does his best to look innocent, but it's not working because he's trying not to spit his stomach out from laughing.

"Guess what this means:" I say threateningly.

"W-w-what?" he chokes out before succumbing to the laughter again.

"This." I leap out of bed and begin to tickle him mercilessly. "Not so funny now, huh?" I ask him, smirking.

The door creaks open and we both freeze.

"Um, is this a bad time?" asks Rye's voice from the hallway. This, of course, causes both Peeta and I to fall into giggles again, so naturally Rye comes in, seeing both of us sprawled across the floor, lying helpless with snorts of laughter.

"…..Hi…..Rye….." Peeta finally chokes out.

"Hi, Peeta…." Says Rye, looking so confused. "Um….if this is a bad time….."

"No, it's not, really, it's fine, Rye," I tell him.

"No, um, it's okay, guys, I think I'll see you later.." And with that he exits and closes the door with a loud creak. Of course, this sends us into laughter again.

About an hour later, we're lying on the bed together, my head in Peeta's lap as he traces patterns in my hair. "Hey, Peeta?"

"Yes, Katniss?"

"Well, after they er...after in the arena…"

"You can say it, Katniss, it's over. We might as well accept it."

"Well…okay. After your heart stopped, but then Finnick started working it again, and the hovercraft took you, I gave you one last hug. Anyways, I noticed this big locket. So I took it."

"Did you." Says Peeta, sounding faintly amused.

"Well, yeah. And so I opened it, and it had a note inside."

"Oh, that," he says. "Katniss, I wanted you to know, even if I died in that arena, that I would still love you. So I asked my dad to help find a necklace for you. Not my mom—"

"Yeah, she's a nasty witch," I say and am rewarded by a faint chuckle.

"Yep. And so we picked that out for you. And—do you still have it?" he breaks off.

I get up and cross over to my drawer. I pull out the locket, the bread necklace, and Peeta's note. "Everything."

"I made that charm, you know," he says conversationally.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"So.." I prod him. "Spill."

"I know you know I paint and draw, but I tried a few sculptures once. None of them turned out good..except this one. So I kept it. I knew I'd have a use for it one day. And then, the day we found out we were going back—I knew I had found a use for it."

"It's beautiful," I whisper, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Peeta."

"You're welcome," he whispers, hugging back.

After a few minutes of this, he sits up and says, "We really shouldn't be late for that Command meeting."

"We have a Command meeting?" I look at the purple schedule on my arm. Sure enough. 16:00. Command.

"We better go," I say.

"No, Katniss, wait." He says, looking serious. "They want you to be the Mockingjay, right?"

"Uh—right."

"So if you wanted something, I think they'd let you have it. Can't lose their Mockingjay—"He trails off.

"All I want is to go to District 12," I say. Then: "Oh! Peeta, you're a genius!" I grab a pad of paper and scribble down:

Visit District 12

Just so I won't forget. And I'll probably keep adding things, too.

"Soldier Everdeen." President Coin addresses me. "Will you consent to be the Mockingjay..this time?"

"I would consider it—" I say slowly, knowing I can't mess this up or Haymitch will kill me. "Before I agree, I want to visit District 12."

This prompts another furious discussion between the higher-ups. The Capitolites think, of course, I should be allowed to go. Thirteeners think, no way, too much of a waste.

Let me say, nothing is wasted here. I once saw Plutarch's assistant, Fulvia, crumple an unused piece of paper, and she received so many glares I thought she was going to sink through the floor in embarrassment.

Finally, they come to a decision. They will let me go, with a few invisible hovercraft for safety and me connected to a hovercraft too.

"I want to go with Peeta," I blurt out.

They stare at me. But another round of arguments allows Peeta to go.

"Thank you," I say politely. "I believe I am needed elsewhere." Namely, the cafeteria.

"You better not screw this up, sweetheart," says Haymitch's voice.

"I won't," I reply to the earpiece.

And hand in hand with Peeta, we set off along the ash-crunched main road of District 12, to our old homes, to the Victor's Village…..

Hooray! Katniss goes to some meetings, Johanna is her usual irritating self, Rye gets caught in a bout of awkwardness, Command particiaptes in "America's Dumbest Argument", and PK go on a trip!

Next chapter: More District 12, more fluff, and more Finnick!

As for questions about a sequel: I have a very important question for you guys: Should I continue with the current story arcs, and then end and make a sequel? Or should I make it all into a very, very long fanfic? Your input is what's going to decide this, so make sure you click that little review button! Of course, you should click it anyways...

Hmm...I think that's it. Oh, yes, this chapter's random review topic is...OFFICE SUPPLIES! Make of it what you will.

Review, and until next time,

~~FuzzySocksAndWriting