Author's note: I planned on having this done a couple days ago, but I ended up not having the time. And then I added some stuff to the end. So it became super long.
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Happy reading!
Chapter Four
The first week passed and Katniss was exhausted. But she enjoyed the camp. Her main passion was seeing people learn her trade, even if they never became very good at it, as long as they tried and had fun, she was happy.
"Hey!" Finnick called as he jogged up to her. "Katniss, hey!"
She looked up from locking up the arrows for the weekend. "What's up?"
"Annie wants to have a little get-together this weekend. She asked me to invite you and Caleb. And no excuses this time."
"What does that mean?" She asked defensively.
"It means that every time Annie and I try to invite you and Caleb over, you always come up with a reason you can't."
"Because after I met Peeta the other day, I remembered you telling me once you had a really good friend who was also a single parent. And if he really is a good friend of yours, then I can safely assume he has also been at your gatherings and I don't do set-ups, Finnick. I did once and it got me in a world of trouble."
He watched her a moment and then nodded. "I promise that I won't ever try to force you and Peeta together. And I invited Gale who said he and Prim will be coming. So, you see, you really have no excuse."
She thought for several seconds as she gathered the last of the bows. "I just don't want Caleb to get attached—"
He held up his hand. "Look, I know what led to this. I know what you've told me about your ex. It was a shitty thing he did—"
"It's more than shitty, Finnick."
"I know. You know from me and from Gale that not every man is going to use you and hurt you. And I'll be damned if I ever allow anyone to get near Caleb that is a bad influence. Peeta just needs friends that understand. Annie and I have each other to lean on when Finn is being difficult. And he usually begs Annie to have all the uncomfortable talks with Callie."
"We'll be there. But if you all leave me alone with him or sitting beside him on purpose, I will shoot an arrow through your foot from here to where you sit on the lifeguard stand."
He chuckled. "Promise. Not set up."
"So when? Do I need to bring anything?"
"We're doing hot dogs and burgers on the grill. Annie is doing a couple different salads. Peeta's bringing some cookies and stuff. Gale and Prim said something about chips and buns. So, I guess that leaves drinks?"
"I can do drinks." She said.
"We'll eat around five, so you can show up around four or so."
"Okay." She sighed. "Socializing."
"Don't say that like it's a bad word." Finnick chuckled.
Katniss laughed. "Well, I have no tolerance for it most of the time."
"You'll be fine."
Caleb came running in. "Mama, Uncle Gale says I can stay the night with them if you say it's okay."
Katniss picked him up and swung him around. "But what will I do without you all night?" She kissed his cheek and sat him down.
"You can have some alone time." Caleb suggested. "Take a bubble bath and paint your nails."
She chuckled and combed her fingers through her son's hair. "Maybe. Or I'll go to bed early because I won't have someone keeping me awake with, 'One more story, Mom?'" She tickled him.
He laughed with a fun, high, childish laugh and begged her to stop. She did and kneeled in front of him. "Okay, you and Uncle Gale and Aunt Prim have fun and don't get on their nerves."
Gale chuckled. "He'll be all right. Take yourself out to dinner or something, Catnip. You need it." He rested his hand on top of Caleb's head.
Finnick said, "She agreed to come to the cook-out."
"Good." Gale nodded. "You'll have fun. And Finnick and Annie have a pool." He ruffled Caleb's hair.
"Mama, will you pack my trunks?"
"I will. As long as Finnick is planning on letting you use the pool."
"Sure." Finnick said with a smile. "You can show off some of those things I've been teaching you."
Caleb beamed.
"Let's get you packed and then I'll drop you off with Uncle Gale and Aunt Prim." Katniss said. She led them out of the building and locked it up.
Katniss packed a bag for Caleb and then dropped him at Prim and Gale's house. She stayed long enough to warn them not to spoil him too much and to try not to sleep too late. Then she drove to the next block and walked into her favorite bar. She didn't drink much, but when she did, she came to this place. She walked up to the bar and smiled at Haymitch as he mixed a drink behind the counter.
"Whiskey and coke?" He asked.
She chuckled. "It's been, like, three months since I've been here. How do you remember my order?"
He chuckled. "I never forget a pretty face." He poured the drink he was shaking and then mixed up Katniss's order. "Just enough whiskey for the taste and just enough ice to make it cool. But mostly coke." Haymitch winked and passed it over.
"Thanks." She took a sip and gave him a thumbs-up. "Perfect."
"Good. So who has the kid tonight?"
"My sister and her husband. And I am going to be bored out of my mind all night." She laughed and took a sip of her drink.
"Well, you can hang out here tonight. It'll pick up in a few hours."
She shook her head. "I think I'll head out after this one. I was just in the neighborhood."
"Well, sweetheart, you know where to find me." He walked away and helped another patron with an order.
Katniss stuck around until her drink was gone and then she paid and got up to leave.
"Sure you can't stay? We're doing half price wings tonight." Haymitch chuckled. She knew he hated plugging the deals.
She laughed. "Sorry, I need to eat real food. The last time I ate those wings, I got sick."
He put up his hands. "That was not my doing. I only follow the script."
"You hate the script."
"I have no other choice." He shrugged. "Anyway, I hope I see you sooner than three months. When you're in a talking mood, you're my favorite customer."
She grinned and passed several bills across the table. "Here's hoping you don't get puked on tonight." She winked and left the bar.
At home, she settled in with popcorn for dinner and a cheesy movie she never would have watched with Caleb. One of those romantic ones they make just for TV that always ended with a wedding or some big proclamation of love between the two main characters.
She fell asleep on the couch and woke up flailing from a nightmare. In most of them she was trying to fight off Cato. In others, she was just running. Often she had Caleb in her arms and she dropped him or tripped and they weren't able to get away before she awoke.
This was one of the fighting dreams. She stood on shaky feet and made her way to bed. It took her a long time to be able to get back to sleep. She had another fighting dream and gave up sleeping the second time. Thankfully, the sun was already on the horizon, so it wouldn't be much longer until she was with Caleb again. She made a cup of tea and settled in to watch the morning news.
"Katniss!" Callie called. She ran over and gave the woman a hug.
Peeta smiled when he saw her and made his way after his daughter. "Hi." He held out his hand. "I just want to thank you. Callie has come home every night with a smile on her face, so full of excitement. I've never seen her so ready to learn and experience anything."
Katniss gave him a grateful smile and returned his handshake. "She is a pleasure to work with. She's very interested. Some of the kids are just there because it's the only option their parents have, some are there for their friends, and some are there because they truly want to be there."
"Well, thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
A little boy patted her side and she looked down. "Mama, Finnick said I could make a s'more if you said I could."
"Is someone there to help or do you need me?" She asked softly.
"Finn said he'd do it."
"Well, Finn needs to worry about his own. I'll come help." She looked up and smiled at Peeta. "This is my son Caleb." She smoothed a hand over the boy's hair. "Caleb, this is Callie's dad Peeta."
"Hi, Caleb." Peeta held out a hand.
Caleb shook it. "Hi, Peeta." He looked seriously between the two and then wandered off toward the fire.
"Wonder what that was about." Peeta said. He looked around and was about to ask where Callie had gone when he spotted her with the rest. She must have slipped off.
"He's started asking why I'm single." Katniss said as they joined the rest. "And when he sees men outside our normal group talking to me, I think he kind of wonders. And I know he loves his Uncle Gale and all the men in his life, but he wants a dad like all his friends."
"I go through the same with Cal at least once a year." They all chose sticks and Katniss stuck a marshmallow on the end of Caleb's before putting one on her own.
"I've never been someone that needed another person. And my son is the most important person in my life. If I ever decided to date again, it would have to be a pretty special guy. I'm not just going to jump into anything for the sake of having someone my son can call 'Dad.' You know what I mean?"
He nodded. "I do. It's a very big job to have an instant family. When women find out I have a kid, they usually make excuses and then block my number." He chuckled. "And I've definitely come to peace with it."
"Me too." She lifted her marshmallow out of the fire and blew the flames out.
Caleb did the same and smiled proudly with his charred sugary confection. "Now for chocolate."
Katniss followed him. "I don't know. How much chocolate did you have with Uncle Gale last night?"
"I didn't have any chocolate with Uncle Gale." He gave her a wicked smile. "But I had a ton with Aunt Prim."
Katniss laughed and helped assemble her son's s'more. "Just that one until Finnick has hot dogs and stuff ready, okay? I don't want you filling up on junk."
"Yes, Mama." He said around a big, gooey bite. "Can I go play with Finn and Callie?"
"Sure. Just don't be rude."
"I won't." He meandered off in the direction they took. A frisbee was produced. Finn and Callie were good, Caleb not so much. But the older two were tolerant and took turns showing him how to do it.
"So, now that we've established we don't want to date," Peeta said, "can we acknowledge that my best friend has tried to set us up?"
Katniss chuckled. "I told him I would not appreciate being left alone with you on purpose."
"I told him pretty much the same thing. But, um..." He scratched his neck. "I could use a friend who understands. What do you say?"
She smiled and nodded. "I agree."
They joined the other adults. Prim and Gale were having an argument when they walked over, but both were smiling, so it wasn't a serious one.
"And I said not for another year." Gale finished.
"What's going on?" Katniss asked.
Prim sighed. "Tell your friend it's time we had a baby."
Katniss put up her hands. "Not my business. I think I need a coke." She reached down into a cooler and produced a can. "Want anything, Peeta?"
"I'm good for now, thanks." He smiled.
"All I'm saying," Prim continued, "is that you aren't getting any younger."
"Gee, thanks." Gale said.
"No, listen, I think it's perfect timing. I can defer med school for a year, have the baby, then go right back. If we wait another year, we might as well wait three more."
Gale chuckled. "You Everdeens never quit."
"I'm a Hawthorne now." Prim poked his chest. "So you better deal with it."
"We'll talk about it when we get home."
"Fine." She turned and held out a hand to Peeta. "I've seen you around, but we've never been formally introduced. I'm Prim, Katniss's sister. And this Neanderthal here is my husband Gale."
"I'm not a Neanderthal." He argued.
"Definitely not a feminist." Prim said.
"Okay." Katniss put up her hands. "Heading toward actual argument here. How about we keep it civil?"
"Sorry." Prim slipped her hand into Gale's.
The pair shared a kiss. They'd only been married a few months as were definitely still in the honeymoon stage.
Peeta shook both their hands. "Callie has been going on and on about you, Gale. Very impressed with you and Katniss both."
Gale smiled, "She's made a lot of progress this week."
"I can't wait to see." Peeta said proudly.
Callie and Finn came over with Caleb on their heels. Katniss wrapped her arms around him and pulled him onto her lap. She whispered something in his ear and he nodded just before he started giggling from her tickles.
"Daddy, Finnick said we could swim, but we had to ask you if it was okay first." Callie said.
"Sure thing, kid." He tapped her nose.
"Can I, Mama? I'll stay in the shallow end." Caleb asked.
Katniss nodded. "Fine by me. Just be careful."
"Will you put your feet in?" He asked timidly.
"Sure. My feet could use a soak." She sat him on the deck so he could hurry inside after the older two. She smiled at Peeta. "Callie can tell him to buzz off if she needs to."
Peeta shrugged. "He's fine. She's been talking about him just as much as the rest of you."
The kids all came out changed and ready to swim. Finnick unlocked the gate into the pool just outside the deck. He pulled away part of the fence and sat it off to the side to that they could still watch the kids and not be too far away from a rescue just in case. The kids got in and Katniss sat with her feet in the water. She watched Caleb swim from one side of the pool to the other. He watched the older two roughhousing in the deeper part of the pool. He walked to the deepest part he could stand in.
"Not any farther, Caleb." Katniss said.
"Okay, Mama." He backed up a little and went back to his swimming back and forth.
Annie and Peeta sat down with her.
Peeta said, "I have a massive cake to make this week."
Annie chuckled. "Isn't that all the time?"
He smiled. "This one is intense. The bride is one of the worst bridezillas I have ever encountered and I know if I make even the tiniest mistake, I am screwed."
Katniss asked, "Is it a big wedding?"
"The cake is about five feet tall. Around a thousand guests, I think they said."
Katniss stared agape. "That's crazy. The only people at my wedding were me, him, Prim and Gale, and his mother. And the preacher. We got our cake from a grocery store cooler."
Peeta made a sympathetic face. "That's very unfortunate. I mean, those cakes taste good enough, but that's no way to celebrate a marriage."
"There probably shouldn't have been much of a celebration." She said softly.
"Come eat something." Finnick called.
They gathered around and made plates and sat around talking. Caleb ate an entire plate and asked for seconds and then went back to the pool. Katniss fretted, but Finnick assured her he would keep an eye on him and joined him.
Peeta took off his shoes and shirt and sat his phone on top of the pile before he ran toward the edge. "Cannonball!" He yelled and splashed into the deep end.
The two men wrestled for a few minutes in the water while the children cheered him on.
Katniss sat with the others and leaned forward anxiously when Caleb, holding onto the side of the pool, moved closer to them. Then Finnick wrapped a protective arm around him and encouraged Caleb to swim a little away from the wall. Katniss relaxed. She knew he was in good hands.
"I have an idea!" Prim said after a while. "I mean, this is me speaking as an aunt and not a mom, but what if everyone chips in for a babysitter and all us adults go do something one evening? Like dinner at a place without a kids menu."
Katniss laughed. "That actually sounds refreshing."
Annie nodded. "It would be the last chance we get for a while."
Finnick winked and smiled proudly. "Yeah. We should do it."
"Does that mean what I think it means?" Peeta asked.
"Sure does." Finnick said.
Congratulations were given and then Caleb asked, "What's going on, Mama? Why is everyone so happy?"
Finn grumbled and got out of the pool. "Not everyone."
Katniss patted the older boy's back. She told her son, "Finn is going to be a big brother. It's a great responsibility."
Caleb got out and walked over to Katniss. "Could I be a big brother?"
Katniss blushed. "No, you can't. But you'll eventually be a cousin. When Prim and Gale have a baby."
"But I don't want to be a cousin, I want to be a brother."
She whispered in his ear, "We'll talk about it later."
"Why?" Caleb demanded.
"Because it's something I have to talk about when we're alone. Okay?"
He nodded and rested his head on her shoulder. He fell asleep almost instantly. It had been a long evening.
"I think we should go." Katniss said, trying to get up with her son still in her arms.
Gale hurried over and picked him up. "I'll carry him to your car."
"Thanks." Katniss said her goodbyes and then led Gale out to the front.
"That Peeta guy was eyeing you." He said as Katniss strapped Caleb into the car.
She chuckled. "No, he wasn't."
"He sure was. I noticed it and you know how dense I am most of the time." He grinned. He sang, "Katniss has a boyfriend."
"I am in no mood for a boyfriend. We have camp and I have Caleb." She sighed. "Cato tried to call me this morning."
"Where is he? What does he want?"
She placed a hand on his arm. "Hey, calm down. You're looking like a caged animal."
"Well, he doesn't have any right—"
She squeezed. "Stop. I didn't answer the call. I didn't know the number and it went to voicemail. He said he wanted to make amends. And he wanted to see Caleb. He promises he's changed." She shook her head. "He made that promise to me when I told him I was pregnant. And then after I almost lost Caleb after that beating for being too sick to cook his dinner. And after Caleb was born. He promised to change so often... I'm much stronger now with nearly six years removed. He's not getting his hands on my son."
"Good. If he tries anything else, you let me know. I got friends who can help."
She chuckled and squeezed his arm again. "Thank you."
"Be safe." He said as he watched her drive away.
She sighed and hoped that Cato was just trying to intimidate her. She would ignore it for the moment. She had already blocked his number.