Author's note: This one is a bit shorter than the last one, but definitely packed with some more satisfying material.

Thank you so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! And thanks to the few who have sent messages on Tumblr (booksrockmyface)! Anything you want to say is welcome. If anything ever doesn't make sense or you wish to share your thoughts about the future of this story, I don't mind you coming to me in any format.

Happy reading!

Trigger warning: A little more talk of abuse and some PTSD responses to abuse.

Chapter Sixteen

Katniss dropped Caleb off for his very first day of school. It had been a tradition since kindergarten. They got up early, went to breakfast at a place Caleb chose (McDonald's this year), and then made their way to school. Every day after that, he would finally get to walk in all by himself. The first year, she walked him all the way to the classroom every day, even though he swore he could go on his own. For first grade, she stopped at the end of the hall. This year, she promised her Big Boy he could go in all by himself now. Unless he changed his mind, of course.

She stepped back outside to get into her car when she heard a wolf whistle. She turned to see Annie leaning out the window of her ancient truck. "Hey, pretty lady. Come here often?"

Katniss chuckled. "Only every single day." She waved at Finn and Callie inside. "Hi, you two."

"Hey, Katniss." They chorused.

Annie said, "Peeta's trying to get some stuff squared away at the bakery. He asked me to drop off Callie." She smiled. "Want to go for coffee?"

"Sure. I'll meet you. Strange Brew?"

"Be there as soon as I can get through this hellish line." Annie shook her head. "It gets crazier every year."

"Tell me about it. See you in a bit."

Katniss managed to make it out if the hectic first-day parking to the coffee shop down the block in just a matter of minutes. She ordered a drink and took a seat.

Annie came in a few minutes later and plopped down beside her. "I'm beat. Tell me why I decided to have another baby after nearly a decade?"

"You love your husband?" Katniss shrugged. "I have no idea."

Annie laughed. "Maybe. Not today, though." She accepted her drink. "He's driving me nuts. Be glad you aren't married."

"If I had stayed married, chances are, I would probably be dead." Katniss admitted softly.

Annie shook her head. "Shit, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Katniss sipped her coffee and leaned into her friend's side. "It's not all bad, is it?"

Annie thought a moment and then shook her head. "Finnick a pretty sweet guy most of the time."

Katniss nodded. "Sometimes I think I'd like to be in a relationship, but most of the time I know I'd be too weak. I'm so many years away from him, but he's still always right there. You know? Caleb is starting to grow into such a gentleman and maybe he needs a dad, but..." She took another drink. "I stayed over at Peeta's house the other night."

"You what?" Annie shot forward.

"We just slept. And then I got up when he did and made breakfast. I needed company and I was just going to hang out for a while, but he asked me to stay over and I did."

"No sexy times at all?" Annie asked in disbelief.

Katniss shook her head. "None. But I think he...took care of business in the shower. It was kind of awkward." She sipped her coffee.

Annie giggled. "Oh, wow. And you could stand not to join him?"

"Shut up, Annie." Katniss could feel her cheeks getting hot. "It would complicate things. And things are already so complicated."

"I say sleeping at a man's house and listening to him jerk off in the shower the next morning is pretty straightforward."

Katniss let out a long breath. "He's kissed me. Quite a bit. Of course he asks first. He wants me to have the option to say no. And I have said no a few times. But I've said yes more. I'm being stupid, right?"

Annie smiled kindly and shook her head. "Not at all. When I was in high school, I had a friend with benefits. Finnick and I were so on and off and sometimes I just needed... I needed a release that wasn't working on my own. So I'd meet up with this guy and make out and sometimes we'd do more, but mostly we just kissed and cuddled and it was great. I'm not sure it's something Peeta would be good at because he's very sweet and all about commitment. But it may be something you need. Someone no one else knows about, not even me or Prim. Someone to help you explore what you want sexually while still taking care of everything else in life. You're in your late twenties, a divorcee with a kid, and you've never had a good..." She looked around and leaned in and lowered her voice. "You never had a good male-induced orgasm and you need to experience that at least once. So you can either hire a prostitute or you can find a willing partner."

"And you don't think Peeta's it?"

Annie thought a moment. "I think if you actually want a relationship, Peeta's your guy. But for meaningless sex? Definitely not."

"It's going to take a lot of trust for me." Katniss finished her coffee and put the cup down. "There's no one I know that could do that." She rubbed her face. Her phone rang and she looked at the screen. "Peeta."

"Oh, lover boy." Annie sang as she sat back to drink her coffee.

Katniss made a face at Annie and pressed the phone to her ear. "Hi."

Peeta's chipper voice danced through the phone. "Hey. I only have a couple hours and I just need to do a base coat on the wall. So can I come over?"

"Sure. Annie and I are just drinking a cup of coffee. It'll take me a few minutes to get there."

"Okay, I'll meet you."

Katniss hung up and started gathering her things. "I have to go."

"Do you have protection?" Annie asked with an evil grin.

"Stop it." Katniss laughed.

"Have fun." Annie winked.

Katniss hurried home and was met with Peeta leaning against his car. He smiled and met her at the door to her car. He opened it and held out a hand to help her out. She removed her hand from his immediately and led him to the house.

They walked in silence. Once the door shut, Katniss looked around and then stepped up to Peeta. She pressed her lips to his a moment. She smiled and looked down.

He reached up a hand and cupped her face.

She flinched away and immediately said, "Sorry."

He stepped back. "You don't need to be sorry."

She looked back up and chewed her lip.

He cupped her cheek again. "You didn't do anything wrong."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. She pressed him against the door. He held her close, but not restrictively so. He let her guide the kiss. His hands fell to her waist and pushed her away gently.

"I need to get to work." He said. He pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I would definitely stand here and kiss you all day if I could. If only to make that worry frown leave your face."

She smiled and stepped out of his grasp. "Can I help?"

"You can." He held out his hand.

Katniss looked at it for a few long breaths before she slipped her hand into Peeta's.

He picked up a roll of tape and handed it to her. "You ever taped off baseboard?"

"Nope."

He patiently showed her how to do it and watched her do it for a few seconds. "Looks good." He moved on to the other side of the room. They worked in silence for several minutes. Katniss sat back when Peeta stepped on a ladder to tape off the ceiling. She couldn't help but stare at the line of his back as his arms stretched above his head and the way his shirt rode up just enough to see a little skin. It looked smooth. And his jeans were just tight enough…

"Next is the painting." He said as he placed the final inches of tape and stepped down. He turned and smiled. "That shouldn't take long. Tomorrow I'll start sketching out the scene. I only have a couple hours a day because I am still up to my elbows in wedding cakes and birthday cakes and anniversary cakes." He chuckled. "But it shouldn't take too long, maybe a week at most. And then I can start painting the scene. Sound good?"

She nodded and stepped toward him. "Are you sure you can only spare two hours a day?"

He smiled. "I can maybe squeeze out three."

"Good." She placed a hand on the side of his face and the other on his hip. She pressed her mouth to his for the briefest moment and then stepped away. "So which color is the base coat?"

He chuckled. "That medium blue." They walked together into the utility room. Peeta found the proper can of paint and turned to Katniss. "Have you ever painted a room at all?"

"Once. It was awful." She picked up the bag of brushes and rollers. "Prim did most of it."

He watched her a moment and then he sat down the paint. He stepped up to her. "May I do something?"

"What?"

He took the bag from her and sat it back down. He placed his hands on her waist and leaned her against the dryer. "Can I kiss you?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "Please do."

He covered her mouth with his. The kiss was soft and slow and perfect. Katniss felt Peeta's grip tighten and she quickly broke the kiss. She looked down and mumbled an apology.

"Tell me what I did?" He asked softly.

"Nothing." She moved out from between him and the dryer.

"Something happened." He picked up the paint again.

"You were…I felt like…" She sighed. "It was too much."

He nodded. "I'll be careful next time."

"We need to get the painting done anyway." She picked up the bag of brushes once more and made her way to Caleb's room. She looked at the wall. "You were gripping me too tight and I suddenly felt trapped."

He nodded. "Okay. I'll be more mindful of it from now on."

She smiled. "Thank you."

He gave her encouraging smile. "Let's get to work."