"You Came Home" & Annie's Letter Kiss
Katniss was trudging along the road towards the Victors' Village, trying to put her life back together after the war and without Peeta. She suddenly stopped in front of what had once been her mother's garden beyond their mansion, as she saw a familiar crop of blonde hair digging in the soil.
"Peeta," she whispered.
And indeed it was him, as he stood and turned around to face her. "Hey."
"You came home," she breathed, the ghost of a smile just gracing her astonished face.
"Yeah." Peeta gestured to the flowers he had been planting. "I found these... out by the forest. It's Primrose."
Hearing the name of her dead sister made Katniss melt into his arms, her eyes filling with unshed tears.
"I'm so sorry, Katniss," Peeta whispered.
Over his shoulder, Katniss cried. But then, a smile came across her face even amidst now tears of relief. She buried the smile into his shoulder. Pulling back to look him in the face, she took Peeta in her arms and gave him the most romantic, most sensuous kiss she could muster. His hijacked mind might move him to kill her, but she wanted to make damn sure he knew. Thankfully, Peeta kissed her back. Katniss leapt into his arms, and Peeta held her up, spinning her around as they smiled around each other's lips, deepening the kiss.
'You'll be happy to hear that Katniss's mother is deploying new medical units in the Capitol. Gale has been promoted to a Captain in District 2, to help keep order and security. And I am enjoying every moment with my son. He reminds me every day of his father. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to do the best with these lives. I hope you are both finding some peace... Annie.'
Peeta read Annie's letter out loud to Katniss at their kitchen table one night, as she watched him looking both grim and yet sad. Still trying to come back from all the hurt. Annie's mention of our children had gotten Katniss thinking. Peeta wanted children. And even though she never had, for fear of the Games, those competitions of death were over now. Circling the table, she took Peeta's face in her hands and kissed him passionately. When she drew away, she rested her forehead against his.
"Do you want children someday?" she whispered.
Peeta beamed. "I do. And only with you."
Katniss's breath hitched and her eyes pricked with tears, amazed how someone so amazing as him could still love someone like her. "You will. Someday. When I'm ready... you'll be the first to know."
And the couple went upstairs to the bed they shared.
