Mockingjay: Broken Wings

by Jamie Sommers

A/U Katniss and Peeta are married, expecting a baby. Peeta's unsure of Katniss after the things he's seen while being held prisoner. Is she still trustworthy? With a traitor in the rebellion who can Katniss turn to? Haymitch, after all the secrets he's kept? Gale, who's loyalty lies with President Coin? Or will Peeta open up his heart to her again? Sequel to CF: Rekindling

18. You Are Cordially Invited

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

By: Jamie Sommers

Chapter Seventeen: You Are Cordially Invited

When last in D13 Peeta came home and was recovering from some wounds he got while fighting in D2. Katniss and Peeta were about to head back home to D12 and the wedding of Finnick and Annie was just around the corner.

Yes, I am still trying to catch up on life. I rewrote this chapter four different times. For some reason I felt the need to rain down fluff on the world. The war is just around the corner, angst, grief, death...it's all just waiting to be written, and I really needed a little pick me up. There is a surprise in this chapter. Something I really wanted to give to two characters. Closure. You will see what I mean as you read it.

Thank you for your patience, your kindness, the sweet emails wishing me well, and for sticking with me. That means more than anything to me.

S and A you two are the best. As your lives grow increasingly busier you are still there for me. Thank you so much and thank you for sticking around even after this trilogy is over. I have the best betas in the world y'all. THE BEST!

Please come on over to my tumblr page jamiesommers23 dot tumblr dot com and follow me. You will be privy to all the early updates and stuff like that.

Now let's take a peek at what life is like in...

Mockingjay: Broken Wings

Each day passed by at a slow and steady pace. Each walk through the woods held a new experience. For Peeta the short walks were wondrous. Learning from Prim about the vegetation that surrounded him. Being taught how to walk gingerly and how to pick up the trail of wildlife from Katniss. Ultimately attempting to learn in a few short weeks what Katniss spent her entire life learning, how to survive off the land. These lessons were helping him to heal in more ways than one.

"If we make an escape we'll head that way," Katniss pointed towards what Peeta determined was the northeast. "Everyone will expect us to head south because winter will be coming up on us soon, plus it's towards Twelve, but we won't go that way."

"I thought Johanna said we should fake our deaths," Peeta was indulging Katniss in this fantasy of hers to run into the woods, but he knew they'd never escape. If they lost the war, he'd be dead. If they won the war then everything was sort of up in the air. Peeta hoped with all his might that Coin would allow he and Katniss to somehow go back to Twelve and rebuild a life there, but he had no clue how, or if the woman would even be open to it. He just didn't see a chance for them to escape without being detected. He was willing to follow Katniss anywhere, and if she came up with a plan, he'd follow her into the woods in the dead of winter, but how they'd do that if she were still pregnant or with a newborn baby, Peeta hadn't a clue.

"We could fake our deaths, but they'd figure it out with a DNA scan. Unless we charred ourselves or had Regina manipulate the DNA, but that wouldn't be any good. The Capitol has our real DNA on file from the Games. No, Peeta. I think we're just going to have to risk it and make a run for it. We can try the whole 'fake death' thing, but I don't think it will work." Katniss gnawed at her bottom lip as they passed a bush Peeta didn't recognize.

"What's this?" He lifted the bright red berry, was tempted to squeeze it to see what was inside, then thought better of it. "Looks almost like a holly bush."

"Those are preenberries, very sweet, makes a great jam as long as you can stomach them." Katniss pulled a few from the bush very carefully by the stem, avoiding the berry completely. "Most people can't handle the acidic content of the berry, but some can and those that can will spend lots of money on preenberry jam. We don't have very many bushes of them in Twelve. I avoided them. My dad told me that if you touch the juice of the berry and it doesn't give you a rash, then you should be able to handle eating them. I was brave enough to touch them once, and my entire hand broke out in hives."

With reluctant fingers, Peeta took the few berries from Katniss' hand and squeezed them between his fingers. "When do you get the rash?"

"Peeta!" Katniss scolded him when she saw what he had done. "Well, it won't be long now. You'll either feel your skin itching immediately, or you won't." She took out a napkin and a bottle of water from the backpack carrying their lunch inside and handed it to him. "Wash it off really well."

"Don't I need to leave it on here so I'll know if I'm going to have a reaction to it or not?" Peeta took the items from Katniss' hand, careful not to get the berries juice on her skin.

"Do you itch?"

"No." He poured some water over the juice and dried it with the napkin, then rinsed it again. "Should it be bothering me by now?"

"Yeah." Katniss held up his hand by the cuff of his sleeve. "Looks like you can probably tolerate the berry, but I still wouldn't. Maybe if you're close to starvation and you have to." She studied him for a brief second and he wondered what she was thinking behind her curious expression. "You can't eat too many of them or you'll get very sick."

"Like nightlock?"

"No. Nightlock will kill you the second it hits your stomach, these will only make you wish you were dead." Katniss walked on and turned to look over her shoulder at Peeta. "Step in my footsteps, and try to remain on the balls of your feet. Don't press down with your heel, and if you can avoid using your toes... I know that might not be possible with your prosthetic, but if you could try that would be great."

During his weeks of recovery, Peeta spent almost every minute with Katniss. The only times he left her side or she left his was during their visits with the head doctor, Dr. Brown, Regina insisted they start seeing and when Peeta was restless at night.

The first time Katniss went in search of him she found him painting in another hospital room. The second time she didn't find him at all, and spent over an hour worrying about him until he finally showed up smelling of the familiar scents she associated with their kitchen at home, and his hands stained with food coloring. Katniss had a feeling he was spending his time relearning an old skill, but Peeta never said anything, and she never asked. He'd tell her when he was ready, she reasoned. After that she no longer sought him out in the wee hours of the morning unless she had a nightmare, which was happening more often than not depending on how much the baby kicked.

You would think that the large lump taking over her body, the bi-monthly visits to Regina to check that her blood pressure wasn't causing a problem, and listening to the baby's heartbeat would be enough to remind Katniss about the ever present life that grew inside of her, but none of those things bothered her as much as the thumping of the child's limbs against her uterus wall. It wasn't so bad during the day. Peeta would place his palm on her stomach, it didn't matter where, and speak softly to their child. Within seconds the baby would rap against Katniss' belly, searching out her father's hand and then thumping at it with a steady beat as though Peeta's hand was a toy drum for her to play with.

"Why do you think she does that, Katniss?" Peeta wondered about his daughter's reaction to his touch. "Think she knows it's me?" The hopeful sound in his voice left Katniss eager to answer.

"Prim says she recognizes your voice and searches out the heat from your hand. The baby knows you're her daddy because you're the second most recognizable voice there is to her. I'm the first." Katniss grinned bashfully.

"Lucky girl gets to hear you talking around the clock." Peeta held onto her hand and placed a kiss against the palm of it as he led her outside for their daily walk. "Do you sing to her?" He hoped she did.

"Yes," she answered quietly while looking to the side, almost embarrassed to answer him though she didn't know why.

"What do you sing to her?" Peeta asked with delight, hoping he could coax a song out of Katniss.

"Just...some songs I know."

"Will you sing one for me?" He waited while she thought it over. The seriousness in her eyes, her furrowed brow, all had him worrying that she'd say no, but they were without a camera that day, they hadn't had one on them since a week after Peeta's return where he showed the world his bruises and healing scar from the surgery, and Katniss showed everyone how much their child was growing. They had both been hesitant about the topics they were discussing on air, but there were rumors about Peeta being dead and Katniss having a miscarriage that needed to be quelled immediately. "It's been so long since I've heard you sing." He took her hands in his and held her gaze.

This was why she was hesitant to tell him that she sang to their child, music was still difficult to face, but for some reason singing to Maysilee made her as happy as when she sang with her father. As she looked into Peeta's eyes she knew she couldn't deny him his simple request. "What do you want to hear?"

Peeta shirked a shoulder, trying his best not to get overly emotional about her singing for him. Scaring her into silence was not on the menu. "Did you sing to her while I was gone?"

"Yes," Katniss rubbed at her stomach thinking of the song her father had sung to her when she was a child. The song that used to bring tears to her eyes even before she understood its meaning.

She remembered her mother getting angry with her father for teaching it to her. "Clay, why on earth do you sing that song to her before she goes to bed? It always makes her cry."

"Eve my love," her father kissed her mother lightly on the lips, "one day she'll know what it is I'm singing to her and why, but if it makes you happy, I won't sing it around you anymore."

"It'll make me happy if you don't sing it at all. Period," her mother swatted away at her father's playful hands when they reached around her back. "Stop it. Katniss is watching."

"Good, then she'll know what love looks like and won't turn it away when it comes knocking on her door." Her father turned to her and said, "Won't you little duck?" The nickname Katniss had passed on to Prim.

Katniss let out a soft sigh at the memory of her parents so happy and in love, rubbed at her stomach, cradled Peeta's face in her hand and placed a tender kiss upon his lips. As her eyes fluttered closed she thought, 'I didn't turn love away, dad.' Love was standing there staring her in the face with eager blue eyes. "While you were gone I sang banana nut a song my father taught me." She took a deep breath then opened her mouth, hoping she could make it through without breaking down in tears.

"Take care of daddy

who is over there.

Said a tiny little girl

in a tiny little prayer."

Peeta was instantly captured by the clear voice and sweet melody Katniss began to sing. He had never heard the song before, but the words cut through his heart like a knife.

"I know in dreamland

we'll meet somewhere.

Said a tiny little girl

in a tiny little prayer."

A child longing for her father to come back to her. Had he been taken by illness? By a war? Peeta's eyes searched Katniss'. By an explosion in the mines?

"For this is the night

Mommy shut off the light.

How I wish he were here so I could kiss him goodnight."

Had her mother thought of this song after her father's death? Had Katniss thought of it? And would their daughter ever have to listen to this song and long for him? Peeta's heart continued to break with each verse Katniss sang.

"I know in dreamland

we'll meet somewhere.

Said the tiny little girl

in a tiny little prayer."

Peeta brushed the pads of his thumbs under her eyes to wipe away the silent tears streaming down his face, then wiped his with the back of a hand. "That was beautiful."

"It made me cry when I was a little girl." Katniss rested her head against Peeta's shoulder, the flat of her palms resting lightly on his shoulders. "After my father died, I never thought of that song. Not once. Not until you were in Two, and Maysee and I were alone. I kept thinking, hoping really, that our daughter wouldn't have to meet you only in her dreams. That you'd make it home to us, and she'd get to know you."

"I'm home, Katniss," He whispered against the top of her head. "I'm home."

Katniss lifted her face to his. Soft full lips met even softer, fuller ones. Peeta often thought of her lips like normal girl's lips that had been stung by several bees. The bottom one forming into a natural pout, the top barely thinner than the bottom, always aching to be kissed, and Katniss thought of his mouth as chiseled perfection. The arch of his top lip was overly defined. His bottom lip, much larger than the top, always looked like it was begging for her to attach herself to them. Their kiss tasted of salt, sadness and concern. A slow, unhurried tour of the other's mouth was in place. Heads twisted while hands toured and tongues tasted. Katniss gave herself a slight shiver when it was over and Peeta released a loud sigh. Both of them feeling content, but completely aware of their situation and their surroundings.

In less than two hours they were scheduled to be in the Command Center for a meeting on the war efforts of the rebels of the districts. The Comander in each district, along with several soldiers, would gather round a monitor and an update would be given. With each meeting Katniss and Peeta knew that the invasion of the Capitol was moving nearer.

For now Peeta had time to spend with just Katniss, and he didn't want to dwell on the upcoming events neither one of them could avoid. "I fell in love with you the first time I heard you sing."

With a soft teasing voice she said, "My hair was in two braids instead of one, I was wearing a red plaid dress and it was the first day of school."

"No," Peeta knew what time period she was speaking of, and though he remembered the young girl on the first day of school, and that the girl was Katniss, he didn't remember the emotions that went along with it. He took this opportunity to let Katniss know exactly when he fell in love with her and what it did to him. "Your hair was in one long braid down the side, like it is now. You were wearing your Mockingjay uniform, and had your bow slung over your shoulder. You were standing by a lake and you were clutching this," he pulled the locket out from her maternity dress. "The instant I saw you my heart flopped around in my belly, and then you opened your mouth to sing..." Peeta got lost in her silver pools. "I wondered who the song was meant for...wanted desperately for it to be me."

"It was," she spoke in a barely audible hush.

"When you were singing the mockingjays stopped making noise completely." A tiny spark flashed in his eyes. "The whole woods seemed to go eerily quiet, and then you finished your song." Peeta cupped both of her cheeks in his hands and rested his forehead against hers. "The mockingjays picked up your melody and began singing it in a breathtaking harmony, and that's when it happened."

Katniss felt like the baby was tickling her from the inside, her stomach was quaking so. "What happened?"

A smile so gentle lifted his lips and flickered in his eyes. "I fell," he paused. "That's when I knew...I was a goner."

They had discussed their relationship, the fact that they both fell in love with the people they were now, but hearing Peeta say this had Katniss going through the same emotions she had the first time she heard Peeta say he loved her. "Peeta?" her fingers grazed his scalp as they got lost in the hair above his ear. "Regina said that she was going to release you from the hospital tonight, and I know we haven't talked about where you're going to live, and maybe it's presumptuous on my part, but I was wondering...hoping really..."

It's not that he wasn't enjoying her searching for the right words to say, Peeta loved it when she had that wholesome purity to her, but they didn't have much more time and he didn't want to waste a second of it. "Katniss," he interrupted her shaky attempt at suggesting that their relationship move forward. "I don't want to be just your friend anymore," he grinned at her. They had been more than just friends for a while now, but saying that to her seemed like the right thing to do. By the look on Katniss' face, Peeta was certain he had said what she wanted to hear.

"The day you said that to me, you told me you'd never mention marriage unless I brought it up first. I never wanted to get married, even told you so on more than one occasion, but you told me that I'd be begging you to marry me one day." Katniss gulped, licked her lips and then said, "Consider this me begging you."

Peeta wrapped his arms around her, clutching her to his chest as tight as her baby bump would allow, saying, "I don't remember our vows, but if you're willing, I'd like to make them again. Nothing extravagant," he pulled slightly back from her when he felt Maysilee protesting against the pressure of his embrace. "Maybe we could just say a few words to each other in private?"

Katniss looked up at the quickly darkening sky then back down at Peeta. Clutching his hands in hers, she pulled them to her chest. "Now. Let's do it now." The thought of waiting seemed unimaginable.

It sounded perfect to Peeta. "Katniss, I know we had a whole other life before Snow did this to me, and that most of it is lost in a jumbled mess known as my brain, but I swear to you, I love you more now than I ever could have before. Don't know why I know this, but I do. I can't breathe without you," the husky tone in his voice and the little pants coming from him only accentuated his words. "I can't live without you. I promise, I will be the best husband I can be. That I'll love you, take care of you and our baby, and any other children we may have one day, but most of all I promise, you will never be alone again. I will keep you in my heart...love you for all eternity." He had watched recordings of them together, seen the love they shared as though he were a member of the viewing audience, but now...now he got to feel what they had in their past lives. "I love you, Katniss and I can't wait to be your husband again."

'Could this be happening?' She wondered to herself as the flash of lightning split the sky, not pulling them out of their own little bubble. "You love me," she sniffled. "Me. Not because you have the responsibility of fathering our child, but because you fell in love with...me." Her head dropped slightly back as she briefly noticed how gray the sky had become. She preferred the sky blue of Peeta's eyes to the dark gray clouds floating above them, threatening to release a small fury of rain down upon their heads. "After you got to Thirteen I was petrified that you had seen me for what I really was. A selfish, cold, stubborn girl that doesn't like most people." She tilted her head to the side and asked, "I ask myself all the time, why doesn't he see the real me? See the girl everyone else sees? And then I realize...you see the me nobody else can." She licked her lips again out of nervousness. "I am so in love with you it scares the hell out of me. I knew I loved you before, but this...now..." she squeezed his hands even more and pressed them to her lips. "This is the kind of love I was terrified of finding after my father died. If I lost you I'd lose myself too. Our daughter would be an orphan because there is no me without you."

He could argue with her, tell her she was stronger than that, but the truth was, when they were apart from one another they were two separate entities taking up space.

"I know why people call their spouses their better halves. We're two halves that make one whole, and that's what you are Peeta. You are the best part of me." She took the locket from around her neck and slipped it over his head. "One day we're going to pass that locket and my pin down to our children. We'll tell them the story of our love, but until that day, this belongs right here." She pressed her hand over the locket that lay in the center of his chest. "I promise I will be the best wife and mother I can be. I know I'm surly at times, and I'm hard to live with, but I'll do my best to change that..."

"Don't," he interrupted. "Don't change a thing Katniss. I love who you are, so please don't ever change."

An unintentionally coy smile played upon her lips. "Okay," she said softly. "I promise I'll never change. That I'll scowl constantly, and be leery of people's motives, and that I'll love you with every ounce of my being for all of eternity." She took a step into his space, her feet planted between his, their child pressing up against his stomach as the first raindrop fell. "I can't wait to be your wife again." Most people would run for shelter at the first sign of a storm, but Katniss welcomed the rain. Some of their most cherished moments happened during a thunderstorm. "Peeta," she whispered lovingly, "please kiss your bride."

The warm water trickled down upon his skin, mingling between their open mouths as Peeta dipped his tongue between Katniss' lips. It started off as something warm and gentle between two people in love, then quickly changed to a wet, slippery kiss of passion between a man and woman in need.

"Katniss," Peeta gripped her cheeks in the palms of his hands, taking in her dampening features before plunging in for another kiss. He could hear her words in the back of his mind, 'Peeta, please kiss your bride.' It struck something within him he couldn't explain. A foggy image of her kneeling in front of him asking him to do that came to mind and was washed away the second Katniss wrapped her arms around Peeta's neck. He could sense her next movement before she even made it. He felt her jump upwards and quickly scooped her up in his arms, holding her by her bottom as she knotted her feet behind his back. He could feel her pressing the baby into him, and the baby's movements towards the side, like it had to get out of the way of the two lovers. The sound of thunder crashed through his ears as the rain began to pour down on them in buckets rapidly followed by the flash of lightning.

Katniss' voice began ringing through his mind once again. She was yelling, as was he. As he continued to kiss her, he let his mind drift back to a moment in their life that filled him with an overabundance of emotions. The catalyst...a fight that had changed their lives forever.

He and Katniss were standing in the middle of Victor's Village. She was pointing towards their house in District Twelve during the middle of a thunderstorm. "I'm not wanted there!"

"Yes you are, Katniss!" Peeta couldn't tell what were tears and what was rain on her face, but he knew from the sound of her voice that she was crying.

"Then why, Peeta? Why do you keep turning me away from you?" The sound of thunder crashed through the air.

He could see the pain and anguish in her eyes, highlighted by the lightning, and it made him want to cry for being the cause of it. "Katniss, you have to understand what I'm trying to do here." Peeta gripped her arms. "We're in training." It was a lame excuse, but all he could come up with.

"Yes, we're Careers. I get that, but what the hell does that have to do with you and me, Peeta?" Desperation filled her voice. "Does being a Career mean we can't be husband and wife?"

"Yes!" He had to tell her. "It means you don't give into your weaknesses, and you are, Katniss. You are my weakness and I'm yours!"

She shook her head frantically and screamed, "No Peeta! You're my strength! You are my strength!"

It took him only a second before reaching out to her and pulling her to him for a frantic kiss. She jumped into his arms and he carried her through the storm, back into their home.

Peeta pulled his lips away from her for a second to make sure he was in Thirteen with her. "This is real?" He had to ask. For all he knew this could be a drug induced dream. "Tell me I'm not dreaming."

"Real, Peeta. Real." she peppered him with kisses across his wet face, landing on his lips.

"Are you sure?" he asked between pants and messy kisses.

"If we're dreaming," she pulled away and stared into his face, "then I never want to wake up." Katniss attached herself to his lips, making small little mewing sounds into his mouth.

"Maysilee," his voice thick with emotion. "I remember, Katniss. I remember that night...the night you got pregnant." Peeta began walking with her still attached to his body. He ignored the pain in his left side where his injuries were still healing and headed towards one of the barns Thirteen used for the few horses they kept on hand.

"Stop," Katniss choked out. "Let me get down. She's kicking too much." Peeta let out a small painful grunt as he placed her feet down on the ground. "Sorry about that. I wasn't thinking," she held a hand over her eyes so she could make him out in the downpour.

"It's fine." He squinted into the distance, gripping her hand in his and said, "Can you run?" She nodded. "Come on." He tugged her alongside of him as their feet pounded into the wet earth. By the time they entered the barn they were both laughing uncontrollably. "I think it's going to rain," Peeta said with a straight face, then cracked up laughing.

"We're wet."

Peeta stared at the thin material that was clinging to her like a second skin. "You think?"

"We could make a run for the..." Katniss stuck her head slightly out the barn doors trying to determine how far it would be to make a run back into the shelter of Thirteen's underground fortress. "Peeta, why'd you lead us here?" As it turned out, the barn was farther away than the main building, if you could call it that. One look in his eyes answered her question. Peeta didn't want to be interrupted, which happened more often than not when they were indoors.

"Just wanted to be alone with my...wife," he picked up the end of her braid that was dripping down her body. "Do you want to go back inside? It's not like we're going to get any wetter than we already are. Soaked is soaked." Every stich of their clothes was saturated.

Katniss stood at the wide double barn door's entry way, held frozen in place by Peeta's gaze. "No," her body began to tremble. From the cold? From what was about to happen? She didn't know. "I don't want to go inside." She took a tentative step towards him, held her hand out and was tugged into his embrace.

"I remember, Katniss."

It suddenly hit her, what he had said while they were sharing a kiss in the rain. "You do?"

Peeta dropped to his knees, cradled the sides of her belly in his hand, and placed his cheek against her stomach. "I remember creating this beautiful little girl. I remember how I felt that day," he lifted his eyes to hers, "and I was right. I just keep falling deeper and deeper into love with you." Katniss closed her eyes as he skimmed the dress up over her belly and placed his dewy skin against her wet stomach. "If I never remember another thing from my life, I'll be all right with that, because this...you..." he kissed her just under her navel, "...making you is a memory I'll always cherish," he spoke to their daughter. "Some things you just don't forget."

Katniss ran her fingers through his wet curls. She wished she was an artist like Peeta so she could capture this moment forever. "Peeta do you think you'd be able to sketch this? Or paint it maybe?"

"The barn?" he lifted his eyes to hers in question.

"No. Our family. I want to remember this moment for the rest of my life." She watched as understanding entered his eyes then that familiar intensified look. The one that said he was hard at work studying...memorizing his surroundings. Taking a mental photo that would soon be put into a sketchpad or painted onto a canvas. When Peeta focused on her face, she could tell he was through. He got all he needed. As he stood up and held a hand out to her, leading her towards an empty stall full of hay, and kissed her with more love and passion than she had ever felt in her life, she realized that neither one of them would ever get all that they needed from the other.

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Prim had argued with Katniss about the trip to Twelve. She wanted to go back home. "Maybe if I'm there Lady will hear my voice and she'll come to me?"

The world had already put her sister through too much pain, and taking this last bit of childhood from Prim seemed heartless. "Prim, I'm sure someone took her by now, or she's found shelter in the woods." 'Blown to bits by firebombs,' Katniss refrained from saying it out loud. "It was hard enough getting Coin to allow my prep team and Annie to come with me and Peeta. There's no way she'd let you come too." President Coin hadn't really objected to anything when Katniss suggested that she and Peeta take Annie and her prep team back to Twelve to get the remaining items she'd need for her wedding day. "Sorry, Prim, but you can't come." Katniss hated to suggest it because putting her sister in the slightest bit of jeopardy didn't sit well with her, but Prim's puppy dog eyes were breaking her heart, and the truth was Prim had discovered things no one else had. "Why don't you and Regina listen to more of those journal entries?" Katniss lowered her voice down to a whisper. "We really do need to figure out what Beetee and Gale are working on." This much was true. Katniss had entered Beetee and Gale's work space during another refitting of her Mockingjay uniform and noticed the differences in the bomb they were creating.

Though Prim had wanted to go back to District Twelve, Katniss was right, they needed to find out more information pertaining to the chemical compound that doctor had created, and if there was some sort of antidote or precautionary medication that could be taken to prevent being affected by the pox in case something happened. "I know you said you overheard them mentioning test runs, but did they say when?" Prim asked quietly.

"No."

"Okay, Katniss. I'll stay here and talk with Regina. She's still pretty upset about that doctor's accusations about Coin turning in Justus." Prim gave the chair she was on a little swirl. "Do you think he told the truth?"

"I don't know Prim. I hope not." And Katniss did hope the doctor was lying, but she feared that he wasn't. "What did Effie say when you told her?"

"Not much. She just got that lemony look on her face and..."

"Lemony look?"

"Yeah," Prim said it like Katniss should already know what she was talking about. "Like she just bit into a lemon." Katniss let out a snort of laughter at Prim's description of Effie when she pursed her lips. "Anyway, she got all lemony and just tapped her foot."

"Effie didn't say anything?"

"Not one word. Regina and I just stared at each other...waiting for her to say something, but she stood up and said, 'Primrose it's time for history class, and I'd like you to attend from now on and not skip to come to the medical bay.' Regina adjusted my schedule so I could go to those and the sewing classes. Regina's actually going to teach one of the sewing classes. Turns out stitching and sewing are pretty much alike, and Venia practically gushed over Peeta's stitches after his surgery saying how tiny they were and that Regina would make an incredible stylist." Prim giggled. "Regina and I laughed our butts off after she agreed to teach one of the classes. Apparently to Venia being a stylist is a much nobler profession than being a doctor."

Katniss' eyes rolled to the top of her head in disbelief. "That sounds like my pets. They do mean well, but some of their thinking is beyond my comprehension."

"And you're taking them to Twelve?" Prim joshed. "Will you at least look for her, Katniss?"

"I can't go far, Prim, but yes...Peeta and I will take a walk around Victor's Village and the meadow," 'What used to be the meadow,' her mind instantly went to the corpse filled plot of land that used to hold so much beauty. "We'll look, Prim," Katniss left it at that.

"Thanks." Prim reached out and placed her hand on Katniss' stomach without asking, a habit she had taken up after she had felt the baby kicking. Katniss knew she was hoping banana nut would do the same thing she did with Peeta, search out Prim's hand and start pounding, but she never did. Peeta was the only one the baby searched for. "How are you and Peeta doing?"

Katniss felt a slight blush creep up on her cheeks as she thought about all the progress they had made since the rainstorm. "We're good."

"I'd say," Prim rubbed Katniss belly like it was a magic lamp. "Mom and I can hear you two at night. Mom always makes me cover my ears with my pillow, but I don't mind. It's not like I don't know..."

"Oh my God! You can hear us?" Katniss' entire face turned beet red at the thought. "Prim, I'm sorry. I...I...Oh my God," she buried her face in her hands.

"For goodness sake, Katniss. It's a natural part of life. Get over it." Prim shook her head trying to figure out why her sister was so bashful. "How on earth did you get pregnant? I'm surprised you let Peeta lay a hand on you, you're so..." she searched for the right word.

"Pure," Katniss grimaced behind her hands as Peeta's word for her escaped.

"Yes!" Prim agreed and Katniss grunted. "Anyway, I'm glad you two seem to be doing all right, but mom's a bit worried about his flashbacks. We heard that one he had last night. It woke us from a dead sleep."

"You don't have to worry, Prim. We've got them under control." Katniss remembered how scared she was when Peeta jumped out of bed and began throwing things around their quarters. "They're normally not that bad. He can feel them when they're about to happen now...notices the signs, and gives himself a shot, but when he's sleeping he just wakes up in the middle of one."

"Well, mom, pops, Haymitch, Effie and I all agree that you should come get one of us to give him the shot so he doesn't hurt you or the baby." Prim held up her hand in defense before Katniss could say anything. "Don't bother saying he won't hurt you. I know what you think, but I also know what he's capable of and heard the things he called you last night, Katniss. The truth is, we all think Effie's the best one to give him the shot when he's like that. She calms him down the most out of all of us...not you, but you know what I mean." Prim let out a sigh and gave up on feeling the baby kick. "I don't think she likes me at all, Katniss."

"She does, Prim. She's just sleeping right now. You should feel her at night when I'm trying to sleep. The girl never stops moving. Peeta says it's because I'm rocking her to sleep during the day and when I lay down she thinks that's time to play."

"Peeta's right," Prim grinned. "I take it he's been reading that book I gave him."

"Yeah. He won't put it down. Every time something else happens he's turning the pages of that book looking for an answer. It's kind of cute." The beeping on Katniss' bracelet told her it was time to go. "Prim I've got to head down to the Hangar." She glanced at the clock. "I didn't realize what time it was. Will you tell mom and pops I said bye?" The wristband buzzed, begging for Katniss to push the button and talk to whomever was on the other end. 'Plutarch no doubt,' she thought to herself ignoring the third summons from the device. "Shut the hell up," she said quietly to herself as she headed down in the elevator. "I'm coming." The fourth time it went off she finally pushed the button. "WHAT!? I'M COMING!"

"Damn, you really have anger issues, Catnip," the humor in Gale's voice had her chuckling.

"What do you want, Gale?"

"I was going to ask you to stop by the kitchen and pick up the food for our trip, but since you're on your way, I guess I'll go."

"Oh," now she felt like that thing Johanna constantly called her, brainless. "Sorry."

"That's okay. I'll meet you in the Hangar." Gale's end of the conversation went dead.

District Twelve was waiting for them, and though Katniss wasn't sure that Gale should be part of their trip, for Peeta's sake, she was happy that things seemed to be smoothed out between them since their last talk. She never mentioned it to Peeta, but she hadn't asked Gale to keep it to himself. 'Better do that before Gale opens his mouth up.' Katniss never thought Gale would be one to run his mouth, but then she found out that he told Peeta she kissed him and told him she loved him while they were in Two. Granted Gale had explained that she was thinking of Peeta and was mentally disoriented at the time, but he was still upset she had never told him. They talked it through, rather uneventfully, but that night he had a flashback, and it wasn't pretty. "Let's hope today works out for us banana nut," Katniss ran her hand over her stomach. She walked...waddled into the Hangar where Peeta was waiting next to her prep team, Annie and a handful of guards. "Gale stopped to pick up our lunches. He'll be here in a minute." She tucked her hand inside of Peeta's and rested her head against his shoulder. "Ready for this?"

"I don't know," he answered. "To be honest, I'm nervous as sin."

"The doctor said going back might help you to remember, but if it doesn't then no big deal, right?" She shirked her shoulder.

"Right," he said noncommittally. "No big deal," but they both knew it was.

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Weddings were always cause for celebration back home. Not that Haymitch went to a lot of them, and when he did he spent most of the time drunk off his ass, sitting in a corner, slowly growing pissed off with the couple that found love and got married. He hated them all. Though it wasn't their fault for finding what they thought was the love of their life and getting married, Haymitch blamed them all for rubbing their happiness in his face. "The last wedding I went to must have been about eight years ago," he said to Effie in their dark quarters.

"So long ago? Don't they have many weddings in Twelve?" Effie rolled over in bed and rested her head on her arm. "Or were you just not invited?" It wouldn't surprise her considering the belligerent oaf he used to be.

"No, everyone wanted the rich victor at their wedding...you know, maybe they'd get a gift, but I couldn't handle it. The worst part was when the wife would get knocked up shortly after." It made Haymitch sick to his stomach to see the women of his district reproducing. "I'd always think to myself, don't you know the hell you're about to rain down upon that kid?"

"Oh Haymitch," Effie placed her free hand in the center of his chest. "When I think of the horrors all of you lived through, and that I was so blind to it for so long, it gets me so angry. Not only with President Snow, but with myself...my friends...my family," she gave her head a little shake. "People should never have to fear having a child. That must be the most wonderful thing in the world," she said wistfully. "When I think about how much Katniss has changed since finding out about our little girl, it makes me wonder what pregnancy does to a woman."

Haymitch had never thought about it. Being a father wasn't his thing, but Effie would make a good mother and she was still young enough to have kids. "You don't want to...Jesus Effie, I can't be a dad. That just can't happen."

"And I cannot be a mother," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I shall never be able to have children."

"Christ," Haymitch mumbled while running his hand down his face. Now he went and made Effie feel like she could never have a kid, and he was pretty sure he was scarring her for life. He didn't think he could reconsider his position. He'd be a horrible parent. "Effie," it was going to kill him to say this, but he didn't want to begrudge her anything this world had to offer, "I get it if you want to find someone else. Somebody that wants kids. I just...I can't Effie. I can barely handle Katniss and Peeta, and they're grown."

"Haymitch," she furrowed her brow, "did you not hear me when I said I cannot be a mother?"

"Yeah, I heard ya."

"Then why would you say such a thing to me?"

He went over what she said in his head then it struck him. "You're not able to have kids?"

"No." Effie rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Why not?" It never dawned on him that it wasn't really something she wanted to talk about.

"Most women are born with about two million...eggs," Haymitch noticed Effie's fluster, "however, I was not. Or perhaps I was and I simply lost them." She swallowed a few times before saying, "I was never really concerned with having a child. I thought, it would happen when it happens, but for me...it will never happen."

"You don't have any ovaries or something?"

"No, I have one, it's simply empty of anything productive. It was shortly after I got the job as escort that I noticed my monthly cycle skipped. I knew I couldn't be pregnant, but I went to the doctor just the same. As it turns out, I only had a few hundred eggs left in my body at the time." Effie looked towards him, and he could see the pain in her eyes. "They attempted a procedure with stem cells hoping that I'd produce more, but that didn't happen. That's when I was given a treatment option. I could stop my monthly cycle from occurring and live with the remaining eggs, thus providing my body with the necessary hormones I needed, or I could allow nature to take its course and be put on hormone shots. Obviously having my own eggs was preferable, and it allowed me the option of having them extracted in case I wanted to attempt artificial insemination." He gave her a strange look like he had no clue what she had just said. Thankfully Effie explained a little further. "They would extract some eggs and fertilize them in a lab then implant them inside of me with the hopes that I would get pregnant."

Haymitch was growing increasingly full of guilt after hearing her talk about herself so clinically, but once she said she still had a shot at having a kid, he felt slightly better. "So if you wanted you could still have one, right?"

"Unfortunately not," he noticed the blank expression in her eyes.

"Why not? You said you kept your eggs."

"I did, but there was a slight accident." She rolled over with her back to him. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about this any longer, Haymitch. And really...this is not something a lady speaks about with just anyone."

"I'm not just anyone," Haymitch rested his hand on her shoulder and gently turned her towards him. "What kind of accident, Effie?" He had a horrible feeling in his gut when she said that word.

"Prior to the Quell, I fell down some stairs and had some damage done to my reproductive organs. They needed to be removed," she answered vaguely.

"What kind of damage? And how'd you fall down the stairs?" Haymitch was starting to get a picture in his head. "Prior to the Quell you were shacking up with that bastard Bettes. Did he do something to you?" He saw her avert his eyes confirming his suspicions. "That son of a bitch!" Haymitch jumped out of bed and began pacing around the foot of their bed. "What the hell did he do to you?"

Effie sat up and adjusted her pillow behind her back, "I had never intended on you finding out." He had rarely seen her cry, and expected her to do so while telling him all that she had gone through, but his Trinkie didn't shed one tear. She told him of the abuse Viggo put her through, the broken bones that were instantly fixed at the medical centers, the avoidance of questions by medical personnel because of who she was romantically associated with, the bruises she hid with makeup and finally, the emergency surgery she had when Viggo had kicked her so many times in the gut and shoved her down a flight of stairs. "I was hemorrhaging from the damage he caused. Now the only ovary I am left with is practically empty. The last time I saw the physician I was told I had less than fifty eggs, so no...I cannot have children."

Suddenly Haymitch wanted to find a way for her to have a baby. He'd suffer through it, find a way to be a father if he had to for her sake. He'd even see that shrink the rest of the victors had been seeing if he thought it could help, but he didn't' voice any of this. He bellowed out a few expletives, swearing he'd kill the man responsible then squeezed his eyes closed when Effie said, "You're too late. I shot him myself." That's when it happened. That's when Effie lost it and began to cry. "I have taken lives Haymitch." He had taken the lives of children so he knew what she was going through. It didn't matter if you were sixteen or sixty, murder is murder, and when you're forced into it, regardless of who's on the end of the death blow, it's not an easy thing to live with. "How will I ever forgive myself?" She cried into her hands until Haymitch sat on the edge of the bed and took her in his arms.

"You did what had to be done to save the children in this country." He rubbed her back in a slow circular motion. "To save Katniss, Peeta and their baby." He knew she loved to refer to the baby as their grandchild, heck he liked the thought of being a grandfather himself, which was completely different than being an actual father, so he used the term in an attempt to perk her spirits up. "Too bad our granddaughter isn't here yet. She could be one of those girls in the little dresses that throws flowers in front of the bride. Wouldn't that be nice?" He brushed the hair back from her face and placed a hard kiss on her head. "She'd be a knock out, don't ya think?"

"Yes," Effie sniffed, reached for a tissue from the nightstand and dabbed at her eyes. "She's going to be a stunning child with Katniss' fiery lust for life and Peeta's easy going ways."

"Good luck with that," he said jokingly and was pleased when he heard Effie let out a tinkle of laughter. "I was thinking, maybe you should help with all this wedding stuff? Plutarch's having a bitch of a time with Coin, and you two seem to be hitting it off lately. What'd ya say?"

"Well, I do have an awful lot on my plate, but..." he saw that sparkle he had grown to love twinkle in her eyes, "...yes. I do believe I can work that into my schedule. I shall have to get together with Annie to make sure I'm not overstepping any lines, but if she says okay, then I'm all right with it." She blew her nose in a quiet little way that had Haymitch thinking of her in a truly delicate manner. "I do so love weddings," she said happily right before she curled her head against his arm to go to sleep.

"Did you want to get married, Trinkie?" He was just asking in general.

"Maybe...one day, but right now I think I'm enjoying my new found individuality." She gave him a tiny pat on the chest. "Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah...sure...I suppose." To his surprise he wasn't okay with that. As Haymitch drifted off to sleep that night he wondered what the hell was wrong with him. In less than an hour Effie Trinket had him not only wanting to be a husband, but a father as well. 'Jeeeeezus!' he thought angrily to himself. 'This woman's gonna be the end of me.' He looked down at her fragile features that were no longer hindered by the gobs of makeup that was the norm at the Capitol thinking, 'And you wouldn't have it any other way.'

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"Here comes the bride...blah blah blah white...I mean greeeeen," Finnick corrected his song melodically as he secured the collar of the shirt Peeta loaned him for the wedding with a perfectly executed knot in the sea foam green necktie.

"I've never heard that song sung with just one note before," Katniss moved around him to reach for the tray of food that was brought in for her, and that Finnick was making a serious dent in. "Shouldn't you have lost your appetite from nerves or something?"

"Nope," he picked up a piece of toast with a slice of meat and cheese on it and popped the whole thing into his mouth. "I knew I chose the right person to stand up with me." It had shocked Katniss when he asked her.

"So listen, it's tradition to have a family member stand by your side on your wedding day and since Annie's sisters are gone, and my brothers aren't here...we were wondering if you would do it?"

Katniss scrunched up her face a little and glanced at Annie. "Finnick, to be honest, I barely know Annie. I mean...the only time I spent with her was when she tried some of my dresses on. She seemed to be closer to Effie. I'll do it if you want, but if it's supposed to be a family member..."

"No," he let out a laugh. "Annie's asking Effie to stand up with her. She says if it wasn't for Effie Trinket she'd have never gotten out of the Capitol alive." Finnick turned to face Katniss. "I want you to stand up for me. You know...like my little brother."

"Your pregnant little brother," Katniss grinned at him and nodded. "I can do that."

Finnick took her in a headlock and rubbed his knuckles across her scalp. "Great! Now don't tell Johanna because I don't want her to get jealous." He released Katniss' head when she punched him playfully in the stomach.

Finnick almost chuckled when Katniss didn't even bother to fix the mess he made of her hair like most women would and asked him, "Why didn't you ask her?"

"Johanna has spent the past...well, since I've known her, calling Annie a crazed lunatic," he smirked in displeasure. "I know that's just who she is...that she doesn't mean anything by it, but...guess you sort of got it when it came to me and Annie. Most people don't." If there was one thing Katniss understood, it was nontraditional love.

"You get food all the time and not just designated hours." Finnick rubbed his tummy and made a, "Mmmm," noise. "So, how's Peeta doing? Everything good with him?" Finnick didn't wait for an answer, he just gave Katniss a rap on the shoulder and walked past her towards Plutarch who was entering the room saying, "Great, glad to hear it."

"Fine. Good," Katniss said to herself. "Visiting Twelve sucked but things got better when we came back to Thirteen. Much better."

"Did you say something, Katniss?" Plutarch looked at her like she had sprouted a second head when she got caught mumbling to herself.

"Nope. Just yacking at the baby," she took the opportunity to sit down and finish the food on her tray before Finnick did, silently grumbling to herself that he should know better than to take food from an expectant mother, but the truth was, she got more than enough to keep her and banana nut full each day. She kicked her feet while sitting on the arm of the chair, ignored the conversation Finnick and Plutarch were having and thought back to the trip back home she had taken only a few days earlier.

Peeta's doctor had hoped the trip to Twelve would spark some recognition, and it did. Peeta recalled quite a few things when they went home, most of it a blur, but it was the trip to the oak tree that stood out during their visit, and not in a good way.

Katniss watched Peeta's reaction to the oak tree very carefully, hoping it would bring some good memories back. "We shared a lot of lunches here," she said to him when he ran his hands up the bark of the tree. "Look up there," she pointed to a spot up high where the branches shot out of the tree. "That's where you carved our initials."

"I didn't know I could climb trees," Peeta glanced upwards.

"You can't," Katniss let out a little giggle. "Delly told me you almost fell flat on your face trying to get out of it."

The disgruntled sound coming from him had Katniss asking what was wrong. "I just get so..." he began to shake his fists in the air, "...frustrated! I come here hoping to get something back, instead I'm left with more questions than answers." He turned to her and said in displeasure, "Do you know why I turn down the cup of tea you offer me almost every night?"

"No."

"Because I don't know how I take it," He sulked forward a few steps.

"You could just ask, you know. I'd tell you about..."

"I'm tired of asking, Katniss!"

She stood without saying a word, wanting to tell him things he was desperate to know.

"Sometimes I feel like I don't know who I am at all."

The tone in his voice practically broke her heart. He might get angry with her, but she had to take a chance. "You're a painter," she started with her voice full of conviction. "A baker." He turned to face her with questions in his eyes. "Your favorite color is orange. Not bright, but muted like the setting sun."

"What's yours?"

"Gre...green," she answered between a crack in her voice. "You like to sleep with the window open, and you never take sugar in your tea." She waited for his response, getting none in return for at least a few minutes.

Peeta simply nodded and turned towards the tree again. He brushed his fingers over a spot in the center of his chest, unbuttoned the top portion of his shirt, looked at his skin, then closed his shirt back up. "I guess it was just a nightmare or something," he said quietly.

"What was?"

"I...I could have sworn I had a scar right here," Peeta tapped at a spot on his chest.

"You did. The Capitol did a body polish on you and erased your old scars." She hated that he remembered that one in particular, but more than that she hated that the visit to the tree brought back a terrible memory instead of one of their happy ones. "Do you want to leave? We can go back to Thirteen now." She wanted to leave. She wanted to run as far away from this place as she could get and forget what he was remembering.

"No," Peeta shuffled around some of the fallen leaves that surrounded the wide trunk, kicking at the dried foliage. "She burned me." Katniss didn't need him to expound on his statement. He was speaking about the injury his mother had caused. "You asked me about it, didn't you?"

"Yes, but you didn't tell me how you got it." 'Could talking about it now help him,' she wondered. "Peeta, it's not too late. You can tell me about it now if you want. Do you remember how you got the scar?" It was easier asking that than asking if he remembered how he got the wound.

It took about a minute before Peeta started speaking. "My brothers and I were unloading a delivery truck, and they had dropped a bag of flour. It split open, and my mom got angry." He reached out and took Katniss' hand in his. "I wasn't even in the same room when it happened, but she blamed me for it. My brothers even told her it was their fault, but she yelled, 'He should have been unloading the flour, not you two. He knows what he did wrong.' Only I didn't do anything wrong." Peeta sat on the ground and pulled Katniss between his legs, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "We used to make an icing out of corn syrup and sugars that would harden as it cooled. We used it to decorate cookies. You've got to cook it for a little while until it reaches about two hundred and forty degrees. I went up to my mom, she was stirring it on the stove, and told her I was sorry and that I'd clean up the flour, but she was furious with me." Katniss' insides were cringing when she realized where Peeta's story was going. "She started yelling at me. Telling me I was worthless, that all I was good for was eating their food and wasting their money on clothing me." She could feel him trembling behind her and hear the gravely tone in his voice. "That's when she flung the wooden spoon towards me. It was covered in the boiling syrup and a wad of it landed on my chest. I remember clawing at my shirt, trying to pull it off of me. It was scalding hot and hardening at a rapid rate. My brothers heard me yelp I guess, because I just stood there pulling my t-shirt away from my skin, only it was stuck to me, when they came dashing in. Miche, he yanked me towards the sink and Whytte tugged my shirt over my head, but he took a little bit of skin off with it. He didn't mean to. My t-shirt didn't do a thing to protect my skin from the icing." Peeta had tears in his eyes when he said, "You know what my mom did? She yelled at them to go away and let me deal with my punishment. I remember Miche handing me a wet towel and whispering to me to keep rinsing my skin with it, but my mother turned the water off and said I was wasting it."

Katniss' throat began to close up as the tears welled in her eyes. "What did you do?"

"I just kept pressing the wet towel against me trying to cool the spot off, but it had already blistered, plus there was a piece of flesh missing and it..." Peeta sucked in a breath and let his tears drip down his cheeks, "...it hurt so bad, Katniss. She made me finish unloading the truck by myself."

"Where was your dad during all of this?" Katniss found it hard to believe that Bing would allow Peeta to go untreated for his wound.

"With some customers in the front of the bakery. He didn't even know what was going on until he saw my face covered in tears and the giant red blister in the middle of my chest." Peeta wiped a hand under his eyes. "He got me a piece of ice and made me press it on there. He even wanted to take me to your mom, but mine was having a fit. She kept yelling at my dad, lifting up a rolling pin over her head, and I could see him slinking away from her." Peeta's teeth began to chatter. "I thought she was going to hit him, but she didn't. She just yelled at him, but not like...like when you and I get into an argument and we scream at each other. I consider that normal fighting between people. I mean...everyone has arguments with their significant other, but this...the way she hollered. It terrified me to my very core...and my dad too I guess, because I wound up all alone in the back of the bakery cleaning up the flour." Peeta gulped. "It was winter...there was snow outside...and Prim," Katniss turned to face him head on. "She handed me a wad of snow with something green on it, told me to hold it against my skin and that it would help. Katniss, I don't know how she knew what happened. She just appeared out of the corner of my eye, but if it hadn't been for Prim...I just don't know what I would have done. It felt like someone had stabbed me in my chest."

"Oh, Peeta," Katniss began placing soft kisses across his forehead. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," he dug his fingers into her back and held onto her for dear life. "I remember you making me show the burn to you...I didn't want to tell you where it came from, but somewhere inside I guess you already knew, huh?"

She wasn't sure what to say to him. His mother was dead, and she knew it hurt him. For some odd reason Peeta loved her, but the pain that woman made him suffer through his whole life made Katniss glad she was out of their lives for good. "She can never hurt you again."

Peeta was quiet for a few seconds then Katniss felt his body start to quake. "Sometimes I wish Snow hadn't been lying when he told me that Effie had adopted me as her son. I know it sounds stupid, but I really like the thought of having a mother...a real one that loves me no matter what."

"Effie does love you like that, Peeta." Katniss gripped him and tried her best not to cry with him.

"Could you imagine if she had, Katniss? If Effie adopted me. I know legally I'm almost an adult, and God knows mentally I am." With all they had faced in the arena they had both aged more than any young person should. "But it would have been great having a mother, even if it was only for a few months of my life."

"She may not have given birth to you, but no one in this world loves you the way Effie Trinket does."

Peeta pulled slightly away from her, "Not even you?" Katniss could tell that he was trying to lighten their mood.

"You can't compare the love I have for you with Effie's. It's two completely different things, but I'll tell you a secret." Katniss wiped away his tears. "I know you love Effie more than anyone else in this world, and I'm okay with that. It makes me love you all the more."

"Earth to Katniss," Finnick was snapping his fingers in front of her face. "Have a nice trip?"

'No,' she thought to herself, but then quickly remembered what had happened earlier in the morning that brought Peeta so much joy and said, "Yes. As a matter of fact I did, Odair." She stood up and said, "Ready to get this show on the road?"

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Walking a woman down the aisle was not something Peeta expected to do, but there he was walking step by step with Annie, ten feet behind Effie. 'Left foot...step together...right foot...step together...left...' It had been drilled into his head to start on his left foot when walking Annie down the aisle, and to take a pause between steps. It was an awkward way to walk, but Peeta managed it with ease, giving Annie's arm a gentle tug when she'd start walking too soon, hurrying towards Finnick who was waiting with a childlike grin only a few yards away. To his side stood Katniss looking absolutely gorgeous in a peach colored dress that had to be altered for her. Peeta almost laughed out loud when he remembered her trying the thing on, and how Octavia couldn't zip it up the back because her breasts had grown two sizes since getting pregnant.

Katniss had stared down at her bosom and said, "At least we know the kid won't starve."

"You're horrible," Octavia's laughter was infectious, and Peeta joined in on it.

"Isn't she?" He asked before stepping behind Katniss and placing his hand on her stomach. "You're not supposed to outshine the bride, Katniss." His heart did a little flutter when she turned her head over her shoulder and placed a carefree kiss against his lips.

'There you go outshining Annie anyway,' Peeta couldn't take his eyes off of her. When he and Annie reached the end of the aisle, he should have been looking at the man from District Ten, Dalton, they had found to officiate the ceremony, but Peeta's focus was glued on Katniss, and hers on him.

It was Effie's whispering, "Peeta," that pulled him from his stupor.

"Say, I do," Katniss mouthed to him when he glanced at her as though he was in trouble. Apparently she knew something he didn't because when he followed her instructions he was told he could take his seat.

Peeta had one job to do, give Annie away. She had asked him because she said he gave her hope that she and Finnick would be together again while they were held prisoner at the Capitol. As he took his seat his glance darted between Katniss and Effie. Vows were being said, papers being signed, a knot being tied in the hand weaved net that hung above the bride and groom, but Peeta's mind was nowhere near this particular service. His head kept drifting back to early that morning when his life was changed yet again, by not only Katniss' actions, but Effie's and his father's as well.

Peeta captured Katniss' hands in his the moment they stepped into their quarters. "What did you do, Katniss? How...I mean..."

"I was surrounded with all those clucking women in our quarters last night, not to mention Flavius," Katniss rolled her eyes, "and I hate all that syrupy girl talk. I really should have claimed to be too sick like Johanna, anyway I said I was going to check on pops. We had a cup of tea and he told me that you seemed pretty upset after our trip to Twelve. That's when I explained to him what happened under the oak tree." Katniss lifted Peeta's fingers and placed a kiss upon the knuckles. "It was your brother Miche that got word to Prim. Your dad asked him to sneak out of the house and find me, my mom or Prim. I guess Miche climbed out of an upstairs window and down the trellis so your mom wouldn't catch him, then ran into Prim while she was walking Lady."

"Whatever it was that she gave to me helped. I remember the stinging stopping almost as soon as I put that stuff on me."

"Come here," Katniss pulled him in for a hug and kissed his cheek. "I wish I could go back in time and take care of you." What she really wished was that she could go back in time and rescue him like he had rescued her at the age of eleven. Katniss felt Peeta's hand drifting downward and cupping her stomach. It didn't take long for Maysilee to start kicking at the spot his hand covered. "Pops felt pretty guilty when I told him about our day in Twelve, and then he said to me, 'What if I could give Peeta the mother he deserved his whole life?' I had no clue what the hell he was talking about, but then he explained himself and I knew it would be the right thing to do. We went to Coin to find out what it would take. Turns out it's as easy as getting married. Sign some papers and you're done, but she didn't want to waste the resources. Claimed that the paper and ink printing up the documents could be used for more important things. Personally, I think she was afraid of what Effie would do to her once she signed the papers. Needless to say, I had an issue with that," Katniss gave him an evil grin. "You would think people would learn not to mess with my family by now."

Peeta let out a loud laugh. "Katniss, I don't know how to thank you for this."

"I didn't do anything. It was your dad that came up with the idea."

"And he never would have had it if it hadn't been for you," he placed a kiss on the inside of each wrist. "Thank you."

The bride and groom were being told how important their roles would be if ever they brought children into the world, and Peeta's eyes met first Effie's then Katniss'. "Being a parent is one of the greatest joys a husband and wife may be blessed with, but you must understand that by doing so you are promising to care for that child not only in its early years, but its entire life. This is why your bond as husband and wife..." As Dalton spoke, Peeta gave what he had said serious thought, smiling to himself when he saw the faces of two of the women he loved most in the world staring back at him.

"Peeta?" His father walked into his quarters behind Katniss. "Do you have a moment?"

"Sure pops. Is everything okay?" He noticed Katniss continually swallowing like she was trying to hold back her tears, or going through another bout of morning sickness. In a way he hoped for the latter since she told him that they took it as a sign of good health while they were in the arena.

"Katniss and I were talking last night about your mother," Peeta gave Katniss a quick look of disapproval when his father started with that. "She told me how upset you were...how upset both of you were, and I know I never did anything to help you when you were a child. Not as much as I should have anyway."

"Pops, you did what you could," Peeta reached a hand out to his father's shoulder. "That woman did things to both of us, and I don't...not for one minute, blame you for anything I went through as a kid."

"I know that son, and with your help, I realized that we all suffered at the hand of Myrna, but I think it's time we stop letting it control our lives." He put some papers down on the table and pushed them towards Peeta. "I don't expect this to wipe out the years of being abused, but I'm hoping it helps. Maybe it's silly since you're expecting your own baby, and you're married and all. Heck, your 18th birthday is only a few months away, but I thought...even if it's only for a few months..."

Peeta picked up the documents his father had pushed towards him and sucked in a breath. "Are you serious, dad?"

"It's up to you." His father nodded at him. "All you gotta do is say the word, and we'll have Effie sign them. I've already gotten Coin's approval, though I will say, she wasn't too thrilled with the idea, but Katniss here got her to jump on board pretty quickly."

Peeta lifted his eyes towards Katniss and asked, "How long have you known about this?"

"Pops and I went to the Command Center last night while you were with the prep team," she answered.

A lump began to form in Peeta's throat as tears pooled in his eyes. "Does Effie know?"

"She does," his father answered. "And son, she understands no matter what you decide."

"Of course she understands. That's what good moms do. They put their kids first." Peeta quickly ran his hand under his running nose. "Damn," he sniffed. "I need a tissue."

"Here," Katniss handed him one of the many she had in her hand. "So? What do you say?"

Peeta could see the excitement in Katniss' eyes and he was sure his mirrored hers. "YES! Oh my God! Of course!" He threw his arms around his father and got one of his dad's bear hugs in return. "Dad, I don't know what to say."

"Say you forgive me for not being able to protect you all those years," his father sniffled in his ear.

Though he wanted to tell his father there was nothing to forgive, Peeta knew how important acceptance of an apology was. "Of course I do, dad."

"Okay," Katniss blew her nose into one of her tissues and said, "That's enough tears. If we want to do this before the wedding this afternoon, we better go now."

"Yeah. Okay," Peeta smiled and blew his nose too. "Where's Effie? Wow, I can't wait to see her."

"She's waiting in Haymitch's quarters." His father took one of the tissues Katniss held out to him and wiped his eyes. "Let's get this done."

Within fifteen minutes they were standing in the Command Center with Haymitch and Effie in front of President Coin. "You're sure," Effie asked Peeta.

"Positive," Peeta grinned from ear to ear. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life." he lifted his eyes which sparkled with anticipation and joy. "At least I don't think I have."

"Maybe your choice to marry Katniss? Hmm?" Effie said with rosy glow on her cheeks.

"He doesn't remember that, so don't worry," Katniss gave him a look that said it was okay for him to think of this as the best moment of his life. "But when he does remember...that better be the best thing that ever happened to him," she teased.

"Miss. Trinket," Coin pointed to a spot on the documents and said, "If you'll sign there, and Peeta I'll need your signature there. Mr. Mellark, yours goes right next to Peeta's." The three signed where Coin pointed on the duplicate documents and then lifted their faces expectantly. "That's it," she gave them some copies. "Now if you'll excuse me." Coin turned her back while the group of them walked out of the Command Center.

They all stood silently waiting for the elevator door to open. Peeta tapped Effie on the shoulder and waited until she lifted her gaze to him. "Congratulations. It's a boy."

Effie's wide eyes glassed over and she threw her arms around Peeta who lifted her off the ground and spun her in a circle. "Oh my." He could hear her teeth chattering in his ear. She captured his face in her hands and stamped a kiss on each of his cheeks once Peeta set her down on the ground. "My darling boy."

"It's legal now," Peeta lifted up the papers and waved them in the air. "You're my mother."

"You're my son," Effie said with a hitch in her voice. She reached out a hand to Peeta's father and said, "I shall never know how to thank you for doing such a thing." Peeta could tell she was just as shocked as he was by his father's offer for Effie to adopt him as her son and share custody of him. It might be silly to most, but to the members of their tight knit family, this was one of the most momentous occasions of their lives.

"The boy needs a father and a mother. I can't think of anyone else that loves him as much as you do, except maybe Katniss here," Bing squeezed Effie's hand in return. "What do you say we get ready for a wedding now?"

Once in the elevator they all agreed on waiting a few days before sharing the news with anyone other than Prim and Evelyn. "After all, today belongs to Annie and Finnick. I'd hate to take anything away from them," Effie said in a proper tone while riding up to their floor. Peeta held her hand the entire way. Even when she turned to Haymitch and whispered, "Who knew I could have a child after all, Haymitch?"

Peeta's eyes met his mentor's over the top of Effie's head, and he could have sworn the man had tears in them.

The bride and groom were sharing a boisterous kiss as the crowd of people exploded in jubilation. Peeta got to his feet like the rest of the guests, waited patiently for the wedding party to walk back down the aisle then hurried to catch up with his family. "Come on, pops," he turned to his father, who was on his heels like an anxious little boy. "They're waiting for us." Katniss and Effie stood standing at the end of the long walkway looking eagerly at them. "Move it old man," Peeta called to Haymitch who was lagging behind. There was a party to attend, and though Peeta Mellark wouldn't be the one with the camera focused on his every move, he felt like today was made for him.

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Having Effie help with the wedding plans worked out better than anyone had expected. Finnick didn't really care what was planned as long as the end result was that he got to marry Annie. He shared funny looks with Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch whenever Plutarch brought up the wedding propos to Coin at the end of their meetings. Plutarch had asked for a three day celebration and Coin wanted them to sign some documents on camera. It was Effie that interrupted the argument between Coin and Plutarch, much to Finnick's chagrin, because he was enjoying the entertainment.

"Plutarch, you must be realistic!" Effie scolded the former Head Gamemaker like a child. "We do not have resources to waste here in Thirteen. Yes, a wedding is a glorious occasion, but we are in the middle of a war, not the banquet of the century."

"Thank you Miss. Trinket," Coin seemed to be pleased by Effie's outburst towards Plutarch. "It's good to know someone understands."

"Yes, I do understand, and so must you," Finnick covered his laugh with a cough when Effie took to Coin. "We are trying our best to give this country something to look forward to and to get people on our side. What is that saying Plutarch?" Effie asked not waiting for an answer, "Panem et Circenses."

"Huh?" Haymitch twisted his face when he said what they were all thinking.

"It means Bread and Circuses," Plutarch answered giving a short definition as to what the translation meant.

"So that's what the districts are for," Katniss said as if she had finally caught on to Snow's secret, "to provide Bread and Circuses."

"Yes, my dear," Effie gave her head a nod. "The rebels are now controlling the food, which means the Capitol is no longer being supplied with the Bread, and the Games are now a thing of the past, which means we have the opportunity to provide the Circus, or entertainment in this case."

"And who doesn't love a wedding?" Plutarch jumped on Effie's bandwagon, but she gave him a curt shake of the head to shut him up.

Finnick had to admit, he was impressed with Effie Trinket's skills. The woman masterfully manipulated Plutarch into writing a list of demands, looked them over with an eye roll and handed them to Coin, then poured over the list, not giving Coin a chance to say yes or no, and began crossing things off left and right, saying, "Oh, don't be ridiculous...this most certainly isn't happening, Plutarch...we may be able to pull this off with volunteers..." The woman operated the president of Thirteen like a puppet on a string, and Coin had no problems taking credit for everything Effie already approved of.

"Yes, I can work with this," Coin took a pencil to the list making a few marks here and there, but ultimately Finnick walked out of the Command Center shocked to high heaven when Coin said she'd make an announcement looking for children to volunteer to sing the wedding song from District Four, and someone to officiate the service.

"Effie, you are an amazing woman," Finnick rested his hands on her shoulders, giving her a little shake of approval. "Annie's going to be thrilled. Hell, I'm thrilled."

"That's my Trinkie," Finnick noticed the pride in Haymitch's voice as he said it, as well as the way Effie blushed at his comment.

The day Annie went to District Twelve with Katniss, Peeta and their prep team, Finnick had spent the day pacing and worrying. The last time he let Annie out of his sight Snow had gotten a hold of her. Though the districts were now under the rebel's command, Finnick still worried that Snow would have someone hiding out, like Peeta had been when he was rescued, but his mind was put somewhat at ease after Effie explained that the only ones who knew the tunnel's exact location were their tiny group of rebels that had met up in the Capitol hideout so long ago. When Annie got back chattering away about the accessories Katniss' prep team picked up for her to wear, and the dresses they picked out for Effie as a surprise, Finnick was thrilled he had allowed her to go. As they left the Hangar, Finnick noticed the forlorn expression plaguing both Peeta and Katniss, but Annie was happy and right now that was all that mattered. He made a mental note to stop and talk to them about their day, but never got around to seeking out Katniss, and when he looked for Peeta, he was nowhere to be found.

He and Annie each collected greenery from the woods for their half of the net, and spent much of their free time weaving the intricate design with flowers at the last minute. Finnick and Annie both taught the children that had signed up to sing, pretty much all of the words to District Four's wedding song. Katniss brought Prim to both of the rehearsals, but neither one of them sang with the choir, though Prim did copy the lyrics down in a book, so Finnick had hope that maybe she'd sing with the rest of the kids. Ideally, he would have loved to ask Katniss to sing it, but she was already standing up with him, and he didn't want to push his luck.

The day of the wedding she kept him pretty well occupied. Plutarch had come and gone telling Finnick that there was some sort of delay, but not really explaining in detail, which scared the hell out of Finnick. Suddenly he wondered if Annie was giving pause to marrying him, and the confidence that he had been full of only minutes earlier was now out the window.

"You think Peeta's with her right now?" Finnick wondered where his bride to be was, and what she was doing.

"Annie?" Katniss gave him a little grin. "Of course he is. Where else would he be?"

"I don't know. Didn't you say he's been disappearing these past couple of nights? How do you know Peeta hasn't gone to...wherever he's been going?" He surely hoped Peeta was with Annie and keeping her calm. "She's probably nervous," Finnick said with a false sense of security in his voice.

"Because you're the picture of calm," Katniss mumbled and Finnick threw her a disconcerting look.

"I am calm." He bit at one of his cuticles then realized he was a total wreck. "Okay, I'm a little on edge, but can you blame me? What if she changes her mind? What if she realizes I'm not worth her love? What if Plutarch only came in here to buy Effie and Peeta time to talk Annie into marrying me after all? What if..."

"What if you shut the hell up?" Katniss scowled at him. "Christ, you're worse than a girl. How the hell did I get talked into doing this thing with you anyway?"

"I asked and you said yes."

"If I had known what it entailed I would've said, no...hell no!" Katniss gave Finnick a little jab with her elbow. "Calm down and eat something," She picked up one of the last remaining things on her tray and shoved it in his mouth. "There you go. Good boy," Katniss gave Finnick a pat on the top of his head.

"And you're going to be a mother?" Finnick said with a mouth full what he guessed to be a piece of cheese covered bread. "I don't see it."

"Try using your eyes," Katniss gave him a side view of her stomach, and Finnick had to chuckle. The petite girl that had dominated inside of the arena looked like she was about to topple over from the growth in the center of her body. "It's happening whether you believe it or not."

"Poor kid doesn't know what she's in for." Finnick felt slightly relaxed as Katniss shoved another of the snacks they brought for her into his mouth before he could say anything else. 'I'm glad I chose you, Katniss,' he thought to himself about the girl he called his little brother.

"There you go," Katniss patted his tie down and gave his sleeve one last swipe when they got the order that they would be taking their spots soon. "In the words of Effie Trinket," she pulled out her Effie impersonation for the event, "You look quite dashing. Simply divine."

Finnick chuckled at Katniss' comment through his nerves and gave himself one last look in the mirror. "It's almost time." He glanced at the clock. "Correction, it is time."

"Then let's go Odair," Katniss brushed her hand over her stomach, stopped then asked, "Think I have time to go to the bathroom?"

"I seriously doubt it," Finnick answered. "Plutarch's on a time table here." And so was he. Annie could still make a run for it.

"I suggest we make time." Katniss rushed towards the tiny bathroom off of the makeshift remake room. "Trust me, you don't want me doing the pee pee dance at the front of the alter on national television." Finnick smiled at her when she slammed the door closed, and was thankful he asked her to stand up with him that day. She had provided him with entertainment, constantly swearing when the baby would jump up and down on her bladder, plus she was able to get food delivered to her throughout the day which meant Finnick got to nibble too.

'I wonder if Annie would want to get pregnant right away?' Finnick grinned to himself when he thought about Katniss letting him feel the baby kick earlier. 'She'd be a great mom though I seriously doubt most would think so.' When Katniss walked out of the restroom talking to the baby and telling her she needed to behave during the ceremony, Finnick knew, Annie wasn't the only one that would be misjudged when it came to parenting skills.

"What the hell are you grinning at?" Katniss snarled a corner of her lip at him.

"You're going to be a pretty good mom, Katniss."

"Oh Christ," she rolled her eyes at him. "Please don't get all sentimental and shit. I just got over the morning sickness thing, and I have no desire to start puking again." She turned her back to him and started walking out of the room then stopped and said, "But thanks just the same." Finnick knew better than to say you're welcome besides, there was another woman quickly taking up his thoughts.

The wedding of Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta had been as traditional as they could get it considering a couple from District Four normally said their vows while on a raft their families built together, using pieces of driftwood and palm to weave it together. The net that Finnick and Annie wove symbolized each of their individuality as his side was woven with his favorite knots, and hers in her favorite. It would then be woven together by the pair the night before the wedding with the exception of the end. The final knot would be made during the service when they were pronounced husband and wife. In Four it was known as the knot that binds. The engaged couple would normally start off standing on the raft with the person officiating the ceremony and the people they chose to stand up for them, at one end of a pond. On the other end of the pond the guests would be anxiously awaiting the happy couple's arrival. The people standing up for the bride and groom would use long poles to push the couple seamlessly towards their matrimonial bliss. The couple would say their vows while traveling on the raft, and by the time they reached their friends and family, the service would be through and they'd be married. To Finnick and Annie the quiet union didn't matter. They didn't care one bit that the whole world was watching. As far as they were concerned this was cause for celebration, and the more the merrier.

The reception for the bride and groom was a complete success in the eyes of everyone including Plutarch who was certain that the party couldn't be done on the mere crumbs President Coin threw at him, but even he had to admit that Effie pulled it together and provided the entire nation an exceptional event. In the end, Finnick and Annie had done what they always assumed was the impossible. They got married. They stood in the center of the dance floor eagerly awaiting another of Four's traditions, the wedding song, and were pleasantly surprised when Katniss stood in the center of the children taking the lead. By the end of the song, Finnick and Annie both had tears in their eyes. If the dinner and song wasn't enough, then the cake was more than anyone could have asked for.

"Is this where you've been hiding yourself?" Finnick asked Peeta.

"Who was hiding?" he answered in a good nature tone, and gave Finnick his heartfelt congratulations. "I'm thrilled for you both. I hope you two have an eternity of happiness."

The party went on late into the night and early into the morning, but Finnick and Annie left shortly after the cake had been served. "Ready to get out of here?" He whispered in his bride's ear.

"Yes," she said quietly then followed it up with a tinkle of laughter.

It wasn't easy dodging the cameras to make their escape, but they had finally done it with the help of Peeta and Katniss, and now Mr. and Mrs. Odair were standing in their quarters, searching the other's eyes. Wishing for the briefest moments that they could be home, and forget there was a war going on around them.

"One day, Annie," Finnick brushed a wisp of hair away from her cheek, "we'll go back home and have a family. We'll teach our children how to swim and fish, how to sail and we'll be there on the end of the pond when they travel across with their bride or groom. You'll see Annie. We'll have the best life." He stopped himself before he said a long life, because the truth was, even now that they had won the districts neither one of them knew how long they'd live, or if they'd ever see the shores of Four again.

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"It was such a lovely service, don't you think?" Katniss asked Peeta as they walked arm in arm into the Dining Hall.

"I guess," he answered sheepishly.

"I loved it when they recited that poem together," Katniss said.

Peeta crinkled his forehead trying to recall if there was a poem and why on earth Katniss sounded like she was getting all sappy over it. "Sure."

"I knew it!" She gave his shoulder a little jab. "There was no poem. You weren't paying attention to that service at all," Katniss laughed a little when Peeta gave her a, 'whoops,' face. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Peeta."

"Don't blame me." He twirled her into his arms and kissed the crook of her neck. "I told you that Annie was supposed to be the one to hold everyone's focus today, and you went and got all dolled up." He toyed with the ends of her curled hair knowing how much she hated wearing it down, but loving it just the same. "You look breathtakingly beautiful."

Katniss' lashes fluttered as her eyes drifted to the left, "I look like a barely ripe pumpkin." She glanced down at the peach colored dress that had been altered for her to wear and the round stomach that was somehow enhanced in the loosely pleated dress.

"You look gorgeous," Peeta took her hands in his and kissed each one. "Absolutely beautiful," he lowered his voice down as he spoke into her ear, "Mrs. Mellark."

A chill shot through her spine at the sound of her name flowing off of his lips. "We've got a long night ahead of us, so don't you dare start anything with me," she gave him a warning before his flirting got out of hand. "And I have somewhere I need to be," she noticed the children gathering in a semi-circle. "Come on. You want a good view, don't you?" She pulled him towards the singing group and left him on the sidelines where Plutarch had instructed her to. "I'll be right back. Wait here." Katniss took her position in the center of the children thinking, 'Don't screw this up.' Silence washed over the crowd like a wave, from front to back then three separate notes were played by the fiddle player that had escaped from Twelve with his instrument, to let each child know what note they had to start singing in for their basic harmony. 'One...two...three...' It was time to sing District Four's wedding song.

"This is the moment
I've waited for
I can hear my heart singing
Soon bells will be ringing"

Katniss felt her heart rapping against her breastbone as she sang into the microphone Plutarch had set up for her.

"This is the moment
Of sweet I love you
I will love you longer than forever
Promise me that you will leave me never"

As the children softly joined in with their three part harmony, Katniss looked towards Peeta and saw his chest rise and fall.

"Now that we are one
Clouds won't hide the sun
Blue skies of our love smile down
On this, our wedding day
I do..."

The children echoed Katniss' I do with one of their own.

"Love you with all my heart."

She gave Finnick and Annie a quick hug, then walked straight into Peeta's waiting arms.

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning on doing that?" He asked with a thick voice.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," she answered somewhat nervously. "Did you like it?"

"I loved it..." his fingers threaded through hers, "...love you. With all my heart." The cameras had been on both the bride and groom as well as the Mockingjay and the Jabberjay that night, and they hated it.

When the fiddler began playing upbeat tunes, it was Johanna that walked up to them and asked if they were really going to pass up on the opportunity for Snow to see them dance. They shared one look, grabbed Prim and made for the dance floor. To Peeta and Katniss' surprise, he remembered almost all the dances from home, and the ones he didn't, he sat down for. Both he and Katniss knew he was overdoing it, as was she, but neither one of them cared. There was so little cause for celebration in their lives, that this night wasn't going to go to waste.

"Hey," Peeta held onto her by the shoulders and twirled her around to face him. "I'll be right back. Will you wait here for me?"

"Sure," Katniss started looking around for the rest of her family, wanting to use any excuse to get away from the camera. "Have you seen my mom or pops?" She asked Peeta before he could go anywhere.

"Yes, they're busy." He took hold of her arms and stared her down. "Do not move from this spot, Katniss. I mean it."

"Okay. Geez," she stood there waiting, taking up conversation with anyone around until Gale joined her, and turned his offer to dance down. "I'm not allowed to move. Got orders from Peeta that I'm not to leave this spot."

Gale let out a laugh, "Never thought I'd see the day that Katniss Everdeen obeyed a man's order."

She knew he was just kidding, but still felt the need to defend her decision. "That's because I'm not Katniss Everdeen anymore. I'm Katniss Mellark, and she'll do anything her husband asks of..." her attention was immediately distracted at the large tiered cake making its way in her direction. The bride and groom were only a few yards away from her, but now Katniss knew why Peeta wanted her to stay there. The cameramen had a path cleared, and Katniss walked blindly towards the confection being brought out with Peeta and his father behind it. "Oh my God," Gale was forgotten. Everything was forgotten except the delicate décor placed upon the cake's layers. "Peeta," her hands went to her mouth in awe. Though her father in law was close by and worked in the kitchen, Katniss knew the hand that crafted this work of art was none other than Peeta's. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He gave his head a little tilt and answered her the way she answered him. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Well you did!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hard peck on the cheek. "It's extraordinary, Peeta." She stepped back as he and Finnick exchanged some words and admired the gentle slope of the waves he created, the schools of fish swimming beneath the ocean's surface, the intricate dots of white sand on the beach, the boats that sailed across the sea and the setting sun that shone down upon the entire scene.

"Want a slice?" Peeta held out a plate for her, and she had to agree with Effie who thought it was a sin to cut into something that should be considered a work of art, but Katniss took the plate just the same, diving into the lemon cake with raspberry filling.

"You remembered," she gave her head a little shake. "How did you remember?"

"My dad showed me how the first night...just some basic designs..."

"No," Katniss stopped him. "I meant the flavors."

"Oh that," Peeta took a fork full of cake and let it sit in his mouth for a second before swallowing. "My dad asked what flavor we should make it, and I didn't think chocolate banana cake with marshmallow frosting would go over very well for a wedding, but then I heard this voice in the back of my head saying, 'Good God, Peeta. If you ever run out of chocolate, make this for me.'" He gave Katniss a little grin. "Turns out I remembered what 'this' was."

"This is my second favorite cake ever!" Katniss pointed the fork at him. "Personally I don't see any reason why you couldn't make a chocolate banana cake for this shindig. Who would know if it was an appropriate flavor or not? They'd just be thrilled to have something sweet to eat."

"Good point. Next wedding that's what I'll make." They finished their cake, Katniss nibbling off of his plate when she devoured hers before him. Peeta handing her the plate insisting she eat it. "I've never really been a sugar fan. When you work with it all the time, you tend to get sort of...over it." When he said it, she knew he wasn't making an excuse. This is the explanation he gave to her when he first gave her a treat he brought for lunch one day under the oak tree.

"These people are going mad for your cake, Peeta." Finnick and Annie headed over to Katniss and Peeta. "There could be riots."

"Wouldn't surprise me in the least," Katniss agreed. "You two having a good time?"

"Yes," Annie answered.

"Yeah," Finnick said while staring at his bride. "We were just saying what a long day it's been, and how much we'd like to get out of here."

"Tell me about it," Katniss ran her hand over her stomach realizing how much her back was aching, as well as her feet. "I think my whole body is swollen."

"Good Lord," Peeta said under his breath when the cameras approached, but couldn't get around the crowd that had gathered next to the cake. "Don't you ever wish you were just Mr. and Mrs. Smith or something?" He asked Finnick and Annie who had gotten a tiny taste of what he and Katniss went through on an almost daily basis.

"I'm happy with being Mrs. Odair," Annie pressed her hand against Finnick's chest and stared up at him as though she were in a world of her own.

"You two want to get out of here?" Peeta suddenly felt sorry for the couple who only wanted to be alone on their wedding night. "Katniss and I can cause a distraction."

"Ooh, a distraction," Katniss nodded at him. "I like this idea. What should it be Mellark? Should I faint? Or maybe you should have a flashback and really throw them for a loop?" Peeta laughed, but Finnick and Annie just stared at them like they were insane. "Apparently that's only humorous to us," Katniss mouthed to Peeta behind her hand.

"I've got a better idea." Peeta spoke quietly into Finnick's ear then took Katniss' hand and led her towards the empty dance floor. "Mrs. Mellark, may I have this dance?"

"There's no music playing," Katniss answered with a befuddled expression.

"Yes there is," Peeta held her hand against his chest where his heart beat. "All you have to do is listen."

Katniss knew this may have started off as a diversion on their part, but it turned into one of sweetest things Peeta had done for her. "That's my favorite song," she said as she allowed him to lead her in a slow dance across the floor. All eyes, and cameras, were on the pair who twirled in a circle, staring at each other as though there was music playing that only they could hear, and within minutes the fiddler picked up a slow melody that had the floor filled with couples.

They slid out shortly after the bride and groom, heading to the private quarters Katniss had set up for them that hardly anyone knew about. As they walked, shoeless down the hall, wanting to avoid alerting the guards that were patrolling the halls, they soaked in as much of the night as they could. They days of walks in the woods were quickly coming to an end, and nights hiding in the president's former quarters would be few and far between. Rebels around the nation were reinvigorated by the "Circus" they now knew the Capitol could no longer provide.