A/N: I did promise this would be a shorter wait! {Much shorter, in fact.} My internet decided to crash right before I submitted this, though, so hopefully it's all there. I think it is.

Okay, so maybe I wasn't in that much trouble, but Haymitch did lecture me all the way back to my compartment.

Days and weeks go by. I continue to be the Mockingjay. I'm sent out on two more field efforts after my first mission was a success.

The night after I went to 8, the 13 technicians unveiled their first propo. It consisted of footage of me talking to the patients, then the Capitiol bombing the hospital, then me talking. The last shot is a flame background with the words, "If we burn, then you burn with us." It gave me a shiver.

Finnick finally found Annie, who was staying in an unused compartment far, far below where people usually live. She seemed okay, but Finnick checked her into the hospital anyways.

Wiress bops around 13, sometimes with Mags and sometimes without. They're pretty good friends, actually. For two older women.

And my prep team held Posy's initiation code. I was asked to be a guest, so I said "What the heck," and attended. So now Posy is a full-blown stylist. She's only seven!

I haven't visited Peeta. Haymitch observes him sometimes, but there's not any good news to tell.

Until one day, Mags finds him.

Mags' visit works wonders on him, and for the first time, we actually have some hope. Dr. M. is delighted as well, saying that hopefully they might be able to get further into the research about this…..thing.

According to Prim, Mags just wandered in one day with a fish hook. It had been made out of an old earring. I didn't want to know where she got it from.

Mags just plopped herself down in the chair and babbled about nothing, until finally she wore herself out and went straight to sleep in the chair.

Peeta just watched her the whole time. Nobody had been interacting with him, since we didn't know what he'd do; naturally he was starved for people's attention. Even more so, because the Peeta I used to know was outgoing, talkative, and loved people.

Nobody wanted to pull Mags out, either, so we just watched him and let it go. I was delighted. Peeta was on his way back. He'd seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

Mags comes to visit him a lot now. They're quite friendly. Dr. M. explained to me as well, that Peeta didn't see the hallucinations wwhen he looked at Mags. They were only for people he knew well, like me and his brothers, etc. etc.

But I really need to get back to the present, so I dress into the ugly old 13 uniform and walk down the hall.

In the dining room, Finnick sits with Annie's head on his shoulder. They're so sweet together. "Katniss!" Finnick says, his face bright. So much different from the man I met with his sugar cubes and seductive voice.

This man is enjoying his life, and you can tell. "Katniss, guess what!" he says delightedly.

"What?" I ask.

"We're getting married!" he says, giving Annie a one-armed hug.

"Congratulations!" I squeak.

"Thank you," Annie replies softly.

Johanna seems happy about their marriage as well, now that she's out of the hospital. She gives Finnick a light punch as her way of saying congratulations.

Mags garbles something I can't make out, but Finnick gently touches her arm and says, "Thanks, Mags."

"Did you know she was his mentor?" Johanna hisses to me.

"No, actually," I reply.

She just keeps eating her food.

Later that day, I find Annie in my compartment. She's curled up onto my chair, sniffing quietly.

"Hi, Annie," I say quietly. I'm not sure what to do with her.

"Katniss," she acknowledges before sniffing some more.

I hand her some tissues and sit on the floor next to her. "What's wrong?"

"Dress," she says vaguely. "Wedding."

"Your wedding dress? What are you going to wear?"

"Uniform. 13. Ugly." Annie is apparently a woman of few words.

"Annie, Finnick won't care if you wore toilet paper to your wedding. He thinks you're beautiful, not the dress. Trust me, he'll only have eyes for you."

She looks at me, unconvinced. "Dress," she repeats.

So somehow Haymitch gets appointed to get me and Annie to 12, to my house in the Victor's Village. It's where I kept all the dresses I wore on the Victory Tour. Good thing, too, otherwise they'd be ashes by now.

Annie picks out a dark blue dress I wore in Seven, and we go to Peeta's house to pick out a suit for Finnick. Annie chooses a handsome black tux with dark blue linings, like her dress.

I grab some more of Peeta's shirts and my own, and a pretty dress for Prim. I also take some of the fabric swatches from a box for my prep team and Posy.

They're trying to teach her how to sew, but it's much harder to sew leaves (which is what they've been using) than fabric. As a second thought, I add a few needles and thread.

When we get back, Annie seems quite happy with her dress, and Prim is delighted by the summer-y dress I brought back for her. It might have been her reaping dress once, but now…

"It's beautiful!" she squeals, clutching it to her and twirling around. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Peeta's and my clothing goes into the few cupboards in our room.

I bring the tux (which only needs a little altering) and Annie's dress (which needs a lot) and the sewing kit to m prep crew. It's what I call them now, as my prep team just doesn't fit right for them.

All four of them are delighted by my presents. Octavia takes the suit and grabs some needles and thread, while Flavius gathers up the dress. Venia and Posy head off to find the two they need for their fitting, Posy clutching her new sewing box tightly to her chest.

All in all, I feel like I've done some good.

Aaaand the verdict is: Annie cries, Flavius, Octavia, and Venia hold a secret initiation ceremony, Mags makes friends, and Katniss's prep crew competes on Fashion Star.

I hoped you liked it! It was unabashedly fluffy, but now you can think of this chapter when the Bad Things start happening! (And yes, they do merit the capital letters.) Even Peeta made an appearance!

Also, don't forget to REVIEW and check out the Alone forum! I do post regularly, so be sure to follow it! {The link is in my bio, or Chapter 16's A/N.} Also, I just hit 50 reviews, which is a lot for me, so a BIG THANK YOU to all of you that have reviewed! Let's see if we can get it to 60 by Ch. 18!

Review, review, review!

~~FuzzySocksAndWriting