PLEASE READ THE BOTTOM FOR CONCLUSION, THANKYOU'S AND A WHOLE LOT OF MUSHY LOVE FROM ME.

For the last time in this story,

Enjoy :)

EPILOGUE - 10 YEARS LATER

A cold runny sensation on my hand wakes me up. I slowly open my eyes and discover that Cato has drooled all over my hand which is trapped under his head. Gross. He looks so peaceful, his hair still as blonde as it was 20 years ago when I first laid eyes on him. Skin that looks like he hasn't been running around after 2 children with me. Muscles that have if possible, gotten more defined from said running (no complaints from me).So perfect with that little bit of stubble he's let grow.

I slowly drag my hand away before wiping it on my pants and ever so slowly trying to get out of bed without creaking the mattress.

"Hey beautiful" He smiles sleepily before pulling me down for a kiss.

"Cato, go back to sleep."

"How can I when you've been staring at me for the past five minutes? It's very creepy you know."

Throwing a pillow in his face, I tell him,

"Seriously, go back to sleep. I'm going to wake up the kids. We've got a big day ahead of us. Well, I do. You're just going to sit around and have beer all day."

He laughs and does as I tell him. I walk across the house to the kid's room. I say 'room' because somebody (i.e, Cato) was installing a bookshelf in our sons room, when he tripped over his own untied shoelaces and smashed the structure through the wall, effectively ruling out the possibility of our son sleeping there for the next few days. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy about sharing a room with his sister.

"Hey. Hey. Hey. Wake up" I whisper, shaking my daughter out of her sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she smiles when she sees me.

"Morning" she replies.

"Did you sleep well?" A sleepy nod is all I get in response.

"Morning kiddo," I say to the child on the bed next to her, as he yawns and stretches.

"Get up you two, we have people coming over and you still haven't cleaned up all your toys. Daddy's making pancakes, so if you want some…" Well, daddy will be making pancakes when I tell him to anyway.

I stare at them, still half asleep. They're so sweet, so innocent, so beautiful. And they're mine.

I run around the kitchen like a maniac, devoting my attention to the oven, the stove and the kids all at once. Losing my patience with them I yell,

"Anise, Caius, stop running and pick up your toys!" They stop and stare for a few seconds, then go about their business as usual. I sigh. Kids.

Cato saunters in. "Woah, Annie, slow down, you're going to hurt some-OOF!" He exclaims as his 9 year old blindly runs into him. "Correction. Me. You're going to hurt me." He laughs as he picks her up and spins her in the air.

"What about me Daddy?" Two years Anise's junior, Caius looks at his father with pleading eyes. Scooping him up in the other arm, he twirls both of them around before literally throwing them on the sofa. What a wonderful parent. I sigh exasperatedly.

"Cato, Finnick just called. They're going to be here early."

"What time?" Just then, the doorbell rings. Anise bounds to the door and opens it with a massive grin.

"Uncle Finnick!" She beams as he plants a kiss on her forehead. "Where's Auntie Annie?"

"She's coming. She brought Coral with her." At the mention of the 4 year old's name, Caius' eyes lit up. The three kids have been the best of friends since Coralia was born. Following this, a very pregnant Annie came through the door, her daughter running in after her. The kids took off and Annie entered the kitchen.

"Four more weeks" She sighed as she helped herself to a glass of water. Pregnancy had not been good to Annie. Her ankles were swollen to breaking point and her face had visibly lost all roundness. Based on her last pregnancy however, she would be back to bouncy teenage skin within a month.

"What possessed you to have another baby, Ann?" I ask, handing her a jar of turmeric I couldn't open, but she would be able to handle with ease. Her face darkened.

"If somebody" Her eyes glared at her husband. "Hadn't managed to get us both drunk, this wouldn't have happened." I laugh as she hands me the opened jar, reaches for the potatoes and begins chopping.

"Um, excuse you, missy. You weren't complaining when you were walking up and down the tables"

our husbands laugh and clink beers, at which both of us disapprove with a shake of our heads.

An hour or so passes in this manner before the door rings once again. This time, it's Caius who opens the door. Katniss comes in, carrying her one year old son in one arm, Peeta holding the door open as their 3 year old bounces in and joins the trio of playing children.

"Hey guys" She sighs as she puts down the salad bowl occupying her other hand.

"My god, you're all so tired today" Comments Cato. Earning a glare from Katniss, she says,

"Some of us don't sit down all day. We have babies to look after. The price of being old."

"Here, Clove, I brought some bread. And tarts." He says, lowering a fresh loaf onto the counter.

"Don't start with the tarts" Katniss grumbles. "Goats cheese and apple, he was up from 6 making them!" He kisses her on the forehead, then on the cheek for Annie and I and joins the boys outside.

Annie retreats to the couch. "Now the only people missing are-" No sooner had she opened her mouth, did the door. Marvel honestly has no boundaries.

"Where are my kids!?" He yells down the hall.

"We're right here, Daddy!" Say the trio of children behind him.

"My other children." He clarifies as 5 kids come running up to meet him.

Shimmer, Ray, and Gloria were the three names Glimmer won for her children, her argument against Marvel being 'The kids have your last name. I'm picking firsts.'

"Clove!" Exclaims Glimmer, engulfing me in a hug of blonde curls.

"Hey! Oh, you shouldn't have!" I say as she hands me a box of Favourites. Who am I kidding. Of course she should have brought Favourites.

"My God, you kids get 10 inches taller every time I see you!" Says Peeta, hugging each one.

"It's a shame Fox and Thresh couldn't be here. She would have loved this." Says Finnick.

"Yeah, and she would be badgering the kids about how old and saggy they'll be so they'll never want to grow up. Gale would be helping her." Snorts Cato. Fox and Thresh finally got married about 8 years ago, and moved halfway across the state for her new job. We make it a point to have a group gathering around once every month, along with their son and daughter Jamie and Gillian .

"It's so weird, everything this group does, it does consecutively." Observes Glimmer.

"Meaning?" I reply.

"Well, look at the order we all got married in. Whats will it be for you guys this year? 10 years?"

"Katniss and I for nine" Peeta chirps

"Fox and Thresh for eight…nine?No, eight. My bad." Crows Finnick

"Glimmer and I for seven…"

"Finnick and I for six…"

"Gale and Madge for five." I supply.

"I still can't believe those two got married. Like seriously I did not see that coming" Says Cato.

"Yeah, because he was in love with Everdeen since the dawn of time. Thank god he went to the strawberry market that day." Says Annie, gaining a blush from Katniss.

"My point exactly. And that's just the marriages." Glimmer smirks slightly.

"Lets see, in birth order?" Marvel starts, "Well, by the end of this year…"
"Anise is 9, Gillian is 8, Caius is 7, Jamie is 6, Shimmer, 5, Coralia will be 4, Willow and Ray turn 3, Gloria turns two and Rye is 1, and due any day now -" Continues Cato

"Four weeks!" Calls Annie

"-Is baby Fannie. Seriously guys, I know you're from the coast but must you give your children mermaid names?" The argument between him and and Finn continues for another 5 minutes.

By the time we all sit down for lunch, I have to stare in amazement. All of us just started as friends. Nothing more. Apparently only 70% of the time do you meet the person you're going to marry when you're a teenager. We just got lucky. And 20 years later, we all have children, careers, homes. We're all grown up. Our faces and bodies have aged but you wouldn't know the difference. Not bad for a bunch of 30-somethings. Between worrying about careers, children, mortgages and insurance, we somehow never let go.

So was true love destined to happen when Cato came through the door that day?

Looking around at the incredible life we have created for ourselves and I know it was.

^^^^^^^^^PERSON WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CONCLUDE STORIES RAISE YOUR HAND^^^^^^^^^

WOW OKAY I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE I'VE FINALLY FINISHED THIS I'M NOT YELLING I SWEAR.

I actually wrote this chapter a few months after the last one, and thought I had published it.

Oops.

So I have 3 stories that I need to update which I thought I already had (:$) that got deleted off my old laptop. Because I'm stupid. Is that even a valid argument anymore?

I promise I will continue with the prequel for as long as you guys would like me to - I'm having a bit of fun throwing ideas around with you guys for now.

On to the thankyous -

My lovely readers who have been here since day one, and all of you who have hopped along for the ride. Your kind words of support, continuous readings and positive reviews have honestly overwhelmed me, because not only did I never expect so many people to read my story, I never thought I would receive the kind of feedback I did. I honestly love you guys so much I can't even.

My reviewers whose comments make me smile to this day -

Alexbelleclato, Clato 27, InLoveWithClatoLove, 'Guest', ItsAllInYourHeadMyDear, District4-divergent-nephilim, , demigodclovelytwiheart, and 'Please'. I can't even. Like, I actually can't. Thankyou.

For all of you who have joined me on this bandwagon, I truly can not express how grateful I am. Writing is something very personal to me, and this story is basically how I picture my life in the future.

I love you all.

Take care,

xoxo - Gossip Goat.