Author's note: Sorry this took longer than expected. I was planning on holding out until my beta was able to get me notes on everything, but I decided I couldn't wait! And I know you guys couldn't either. So I decided to go ahead and get this one out to you. Happy day! (There's a lot of angst in this one, so maybe not really...) Can't wait to hear what you have to say about this.

I want to say a trillion thanks to my beta LavenderVanilla, without whom this story would not be the same nor have made it this far probably. She is also a really good writer. Go read her stuff ASAP!

Also a huge thanks to my support system in a singular person, writingbutunpublished. She's my bestie! And she's a fantastic writer to (go see her if you need ALL the fluff!).

Happy reading.

Chapter Twenty

Katniss sighed and leaned against the empty counter. "Feels good to get some work in. I was starting to feel useless."

Peeta grinned as he finished wiping down the cabinet. "You're far from useless. You've been a great help with Adam."

"I love that little man. I'm sorry he got so fussy and Annie had to bring him home." Katniss said as she walked over to lock the front door.

"He's really grown attached to you. It's sweet." Peeta reached under the counter. "Before we head out, I want to give you something." He handed over something small wrapped in cloth.

She knew what it was before she started to unwrap it. "Cheese bun?"

He shrugged. "They were going pretty quick today and I wanted to make sure you had one."

"Thank you." She tore it in half and offered part of it to him.

"Thank you." He said as he took it.

They both picked at their bread in silence for several minutes before Katniss moved toward the back door. "Prim and Annie probably have supper on."

"Probably. They're getting on pretty well, aren't they?" He followed, extinguishing the lamps as he went.

"They are." Katniss smiled proudly. "Prim really likes people. She'd probably do better out front than me."

Peeta laughed. "Well, I really appreciate your help these last few days here."

"I like getting out of the house. Learning all the Mellark secrets." She smiled and popped the last of the pastry in her mouth before pulling open the back door.

Finnick smiled from the spot where he'd been chopping wood all afternoon. He was shirtless and glistened with sweat. "Closing time?" He brought the ax down hard on a small piece of wood.

Peeta bristled a little. "It is."

Katniss noticed and placed her hand on Peeta's arm. "Finnick, do you have much more wood to chop?"

"No, I've got it just about done here." Finnick smiled kindly. "I'll pile all this up and be about ten minutes behind you."

"Good." Katniss said. "Someone will make sure you have some water and a fresh shirt."

Katniss walked beside Peeta as they headed out of town. She'd reveled in the time alone, but she couldn't help remembering the way his eyes followed Annie around the bakery all day every day. It hurt Katniss, but she knew it would be easier for him when she and Finnick left.

"I've been meaning to tell you," Peeta said when they were away from the last of the clustered buildings, "that I think you've grown into an even lovelier woman than I could have imagined."

Katniss could feel the smile growing. "Well, thanks. And you are a better father than I could have dreamed." Katniss stepped over a branch and nearly lost balance. She bumped against Peeta and gave a hasty apology.

"It's nothing." He said with a shy smile.

"I nearly knocked you over." She said dismissively.

"I wouldn't be the first time." He said it so softly Katniss wasn't sure she'd heard right.

They walked in silence until they were just outside of the house. They could hear Adam inside laughing along with Prim. Katniss took hold of Peeta's wrist and held him still.

"I think Prim will be safer here than on the move with me and Finnick." She swallowed hard. "I don't want to leave her. But it'll be easier for Rory to find her when the war is over."

"You're going to fight, aren't you?" Peeta asked softly.

She nodded. "I feel like I have to. For Prim." She glanced toward the house. "For Adam so that his future will be much better."

He watched her a moment and then asked, "You know how to shoot a gun?"

She shrugged. "I do a little. But I'm going to use my bow. I'll make more arrows."

"You can't fight a war with arrows, Katniss." His tone was full of frustration.

"Well, I'm sure as hell going to try." She caught sight of Finnick several yards away. "Finnick needs a gun, though. Johanna's trying to find him one."

"She doesn't need to." Peeta sighed and walked into the house.

Katniss followed. "You're not going to dissuade us, Peeta."

"I'm not trying." He threw the door open and paused in the front room seeing Adam lying on the floor with Prim hovering over him. The young woman covered her face with a handkerchief and then dropped it, making the baby laugh happily.

Adam was distracted when he saw Katniss walk through the door. He smiled and started babbling.

Katniss leaned over Adam. "Prim is a good playmate, isn't she?"

Adam reached up to her and cooed.

"She knows all the good games because I taught them to her." Katniss tickled Adam's belly and then straightened up to see Peeta and Annie talking in hushed tones just outside of the kitchen. Peeta held a rifle.

"We'll still have the other one, Annie." Peeta said softly.

"What I'm saying is that you need to give Katniss and Finnick both of them." Annie countered. "I still have Daddy's revolver to help around here."

"Why would you need a gun, Katniss?" Prim asked softly, Adam held close to her chest. The look in her eyes told Katniss that she already knew.

"You want to go down to the beach?" Katniss asked softly.

"No, I want you to be honest with me." Prim said sharply. "Because the last time you weren't, I had to leave the only man that ever loved me."

Katniss looked up to see Finnick in the doorway. He looked toward Peeta and Annie. "Jo found me a rifle. You can keep those for protection here."

"Katniss?" Prim asked.

"Come to the beach with me, Prim." Katniss lifted Adam out of her sister's arms and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before handing him to Peeta. She turned and walked out the door, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Prim followed.

"Be careful." Peeta and Finnick both said.

"We won't go too far." Katniss promised.

Prim slipped her arm through Katniss's and leaned close. "Please talk to me, Katniss."

After a moment, Katniss stopped and pulled Prim into a tight hug. "I love you so much, Prim. You know that, don't you?"

Prim returned the embrace. "I do. And I love you."

Katniss pulled back just enough so she could look into her sister's eyes. "This war will be here any day." She looked around cautiously. It probably wasn't safe for them to be outside. "Finnick and I are going to fight. We'll join up very soon. I need you to stay here. Help Annie and Peeta. Maybe Mags can continue your healer training. Won't be the same as me or Mama, but—"

"No." Prim said, tears springing to her eyes. "You made me leave Rory. We probably won't ever see Mama and Daddy again. And now you want to run away and leave me with people I barely know?" She pushed Katniss's hands away. "I won't let you, Katniss. You can't. It's not fair. You'll die out there and I'll have no one." She turned and ran back into the house.

Katniss followed much slower. She stepped into the house and found the atmosphere was now very tense.

Prim was standing toe-to-toe with Finnick, which would have been comical with their height difference any other time. "I can't believe you're encouraging her, Finnick. I know you have a death wish, but you could leave her out of it. You know what it's like to lose everyone you love. And if both of you die, I'll never be able to go on."

To his credit, Finnick remained calm. "I do know what it's like to lose everyone. But I also know the need to fight for what is right. So does Katniss. This is our chance, Prim. I know it seems hard, but she's doing this to give you a better chance in life." He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently. "I also know we're not leaving tomorrow. We've still got time."

"Time enough for me to say goodbye and wait for you both to leave me for good?" Prim shrugged off Finnick's hands and stomped around him. "I hate you all." She slammed the door to the room she and Katniss shared.

Johanna snorted from the corner of the parlor. Katniss hadn't noticed she was even there.

"Do you have something to say?" Katniss demanded.

Johanna shrugged and turned back to the window. "Not a word."

"Good." Katniss stepped toward the hall, but Annie stopped her with a slightly raised hand.

"I may be overstepping," Annie said, "but perhaps you should give her a few minutes alone."

Katniss looked between Finnick and Peeta who both nodded. She let out a slow breath. "Fine." She walked toward the kitchen.

Peeta stopped her and passed Adam into her arms. "He was reaching for you."

"Thanks." It was almost a second nature to her to have Adam's weight in her arms. It was a comfort now when he was the only one who couldn't talk and tell her that she was making all the wrong choices. Adam let out a content sigh as he rubbed his face against her shoulder.

Annie came into the room and finished cooking supper. She said nothing except to ask, "Do you need me to take him?"

Katniss shook her head, not trusting her voice.

There was a loud bang of a rifle going off just outside the kitchen and Adam started crying loudly.

Annie hurried over and pulled him close to comfort him. She stuck her head out the door and yelled, "Do you have to do that so close to the house? You scared Adam?"

Katniss heard the muffled apologies of the men and a cackle from Johanna just before Annie closed the door.

"It's okay, my love. It's all right." Annie cooed soothingly at the boy in her arms. "Do you want to eat? Will that make it better? I know you must be hungry."

Katniss watched as Annie settled the baby against her breast and started back toward the stove. "I'll finish cooking." Katniss offered.

"Thank you." Annie sat down at the table and hummed softly. "You're all welcome to stay for as long as you need. I know we've said that many times, but it's real. I've liked getting to know you, Katniss. And I know Adam loves you just as much as the rest of us."

Katniss nodded.

A gunshot rang out farther away. Adam whimpered a little, but Annie easily soothed him.

"No matter what, we'll look after Prim." Annie promised.

"I wish I didn't have to ask that of you." Katniss admitted.

"Katniss, you don't. You could stay. Stay for Prim. Stay for Peeta and Adam." Annie pleaded. "You could stay for yourself."

The gunshot came again.

Katniss rounded on her. "You know what, Annie? If I were doing anything for myself, I'd just go. Do you have any idea how hard it is to see Finnick and Peeta making eyes at you?" She sighed. "But I can't make Prim travel with no destination. And I won't leave her behind while I just run away. I'll go when the fight comes. And I'll do my best to come back to her. Because I'm loyal to my family."

There was another gunshot just in time to punctuate Katniss's statement.

"And you don't think I am?" Annie's voice was full of hurt. "Or you think I don't care?"

"I don't know." Katniss turned to the stove once more. There was a pressure in her chest and a burning behind her eyes.

"I never set out to fall in love with Peeta. I can't explain to you anymore than I already have. We tried. We failed. We created a life together. We mourned you and Finnick. We moved on." Annie placed a hand on Katniss's shoulder. "When Johanna told us the truth, we'd already decided that it wasn't for us. But then I found out about Adam and it all changed."

"I understand, Annie." Katniss said softly. "But understanding doesn't make the hurting any less." She sighed at the latest shot outside. "Should probably tell them to come inside before they shoot each other in the dark."

"I'll go." Annie stood and pulled her blouse closed with one hand as she offered Adam to Katniss. "He's so very fond of you." She looked up. "They make eyes at you too. But it's mostly when you're not paying attention. I think they're afraid you'll break their hearts if you notice." She stepped out the door and the screen banged shut just as another gunshot met their ears.

Peeta watched Katniss as she examined the sticks she'd gathered. He'd watched her so many years ago as she made arrows. It was a very meticulous task. He still wasn't comfortable with her using her bow to fight against guns, but she knew what she was doing.

"I'm going to bed." Finnick squeezed Katniss's shoulder before he made his way to the back of the house.

Katniss glanced up at Peeta. He quickly looked back down at his shoes. Johanna dozed on the sofa as she waited for the house to go to sleep.

Katniss asked softly, "Shouldn't you go to bed? You have to be up early for the bakery."

"I can't make myself go to sleep while you're still awake." He said softly.

She sat the last of her sticks aside. "Then I guess this can wait."

He glanced toward Johanna and then stood and motioned for Katniss to follow him into the kitchen, picking up the lamp as he went. He sat it on the table and took a seat, pulling out the other for Katniss.

She sat and he scooted closer. Taking her hands in his own, he leaned in and whispered, "I'm coming with you."

Katniss squeezed his fingers. "No, Peeta. You have to stay here with your family."

Peeta gave her a kind smile. "I was set to marry you before I was taken away, so you count as family too. I want to keep an eye on you."

"I can keep an eye on myself." She said defensively. "What about Annie and Adam? And I was counting on you to keep Prim safe. How am I supposed to do anything while I'm worried about you along with Finnick and Prim?"

"You don't need to worry about me. But I need to be there for you. I can't sit here and be scared you'll never come back. Prim'll do that enough for all of us."

She looked him over and then sighed. "I'll never forgive you if you do something stupid and don't come back for your boy."

"Well, we'll both just have to be smart about it, won't we?" Peeta gave Katniss's hands a pat and let go.

She looked down at her empty palms. "Please don't, Peeta."

"I can't sit back and do nothing, Katniss." He stood. "Get some rest." He went into the other room to rouse Johanna.

Katniss walked to the room she still shared with Prim and Finnick. Pausing just inside the door, she watched them both for several silent breaths. She heard Peeta walk down the hall to the spare room that had become his.

Finnick pushed himself up slightly from his spot on the floor and asked, "Everything okay?"

She nodded and closed the door. She said nothing as she changed for bed and then slipped in beside Prim.

"I think we'll do well out there." He said softly as he settled back on the pillow.

"Maybe." Katniss rolled over away from him and slipped her hand into Prim's. In her sleep, Prim squeezed Katniss's hand and moved closer. Katniss kissed Prim's forehead and wrapped her in a protective embrace as she fell into a light sleep.