Prim was unusually nervous as she sits at my kitchen table, playing with her food rather than eating it. "So, how's school?" I ask her.

"Interesting" she nods "the lessons are much different now, they don't focus around coal and how we owe the capitol. The exams are hard, though, but I'm coping."

Examinations were introduced after the games; instead of just having the option to become coal miners (if you lived on the seam) or help run one of the shops in town, kids could now take examinations in various subjects to gain something called a qualification. These kids could then decide to travel to a different district to learn some new skills or to the capitol to further their education. I think Prim wants to further her education and, someday, become a doctor but I know that she's not too sure right now because she's not keen on living in the Capitol. "What do you have to do?"

"Answer questions" she shrugs "I had a numerical test today and a writing test yesterday."

"How will you know how you did?"

"I'm not sure, they get sent away to be marked."

I smile at her before nodding at the sandwich she'd barely touched. "Are you not hungry? I can get you something else if you don't want that; I think there's some left-over stew in the fridge."

Prim shakes her head before taking a deep breath and saying "Katniss, I want to talk to you about something but I want you to promise that you'll hear me out before you go mad. Ok?"

"Sure" I agree, trying hard to keep the knowing smile off my face.

"Well, things with Rory and I are going really well and, since he is now living with us, Cinna's house is empty and we, Rory and I, thought that we could, maybe, move in there…together."

"Ok" I say

"Together" she repeats as though I'm not understanding her words "like a couple…like you and Peeta and-"

"I'm saying ok, Prim"

My little sister frowns at me for a moment, thinking, before she rolls her eyes and sighs in annoyance. "Cinna told you already, didn't he?"

"He may have mentioned something" I shrug "but, I promise, it was purely accidental."

"Well" she huffs "maybe it was better that he did; lessened the blow, you know?"

I nod "I must admit that it was a bit of a shock but, Prim, you're not a child anymore; you can look after yourself and you know what's best for you. There is one thing that I'm a little concerned about though."

"What?"

"Well, aren't you hoping to continue your education in the Capitol?" She nods "well, you'll be away for three years, at the least, Prim."

"Oh, that's alright; Rory is hoping to go there to, he's very interested in computers and stuff. He's been talking to Beetee on the phone and, if I end up going to the Capitol, Beetee's offered him a job at one of the computer based buildings they have there. He'll be learning on the job so the pay won't be as good but, when we come home, Rory will be able to help twelve move forward with technology and what not."

"It looks like you've really thought this through" I tell her before narrowing my eyes at her and asking "you're not pregnant are you?"

"Katniss, no!" She laughs "Rory and I haven't explored that area of our relationship yet."

I raise my eyebrows at her "yet?"

This is when Prim knows that she should probably leave. "Well, I'm going to go, Katniss; thanks for lunch." She gets up and starts making her way toward the door.

"I'm assuming you'll be sleeping in separate beds, Prim" I tell her as I stand at the front door and watch her walk down the path. "Prim?" I call, when she didn't answer. "You'd better be sleeping in separate beds, Primrose, or I'll rip his balls off!"

Peeta chooses this moment to return with the boys. "See you later, Prim!" He calls to her retreating back.

"Have fun, Peeta!" She calls back.

He turns to me, grinning but that grin slides off his face when he sees me. "Ok, boys, why don't you go and get ready for your bath; I'll be up to run it in a minute." He waits till the boys have disappeared up the stairs before asking "what's going on and why are you threatening to rip Rory's balls off?"

That question was repeated a couple of times, by Peeta, before I answered it but when I didn't reply he gave up and went to give the boys a bath. The question didn't come up again until Haymitch and Effie turn up, the first to arrive for the meeting. "Was that you I heard earlier, Sweetheart?" Haymitch asks as they take a seat in the kitchen.

"Depends what it was you heard" Peeta laughs as he helps Mo into his backpack.

"Something about ripping someone's balls off" Haymitch replies "can I just say that, whatever he did, he doesn't deserve that particular punishment."

"she was talking about Rory and he hasn't done anything" says Peeta

"Yet" I mutter.

I could almost hear Peeta rolling his eyes. "He and Prim are talking about moving in together."

"Oh!" He laughs before he sobers up a little "oh, well, yes; then the threat is justifiable then. Katniss" he sighs "just give the lad a chance to use his rod before you remove the balls."

"Well, as scintillating as this conversation is, I have to go and take the boys over to my mother and Cinna." I say, not willing to discuss this particular subject with Haymitch.

"I'll have the coffee ready for when you get back" Peeta tells me giving my cheek a quick kiss before kissing the boys. "Behave, you two" he tells them "and have fun. See you later."

Prim's not in when I drop the boys off; Cinna tells me that she's over with Rory, studying for another exam. When I roll my eyes, he laughs. "Katniss, Prim is sensible and-"

"Do you even know what it is I'm mad about?" I ask, interrupting him.

"I think all of Victors village knows what you're mad about" he chuckles "Rory was over here when you shouted that you'd cut…" he looks at the boys who were still standing by my side "hey, you two, nanny made some cookies; they're in the kitchen" he tells them and they run off without needing another prompt. "The poor boy almost fainted."

I smirk "good, then he knows what's coming to him if he touches her"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Katniss, but weren't you Prim's age when you found out that you were pregnant?"

"Different circumstances" I sigh "but yes. Look, Cinna" I say as I turn to leave "Prim has her entire life ahead of her, I don't want a baby to ruin her chances. Thanks for looking after the boys, see you later."

When I return to the house, everyone else has arrived. It seems that Peeta had already told them about the call so it was a good thing that the kids weren't here because Haymitch was being very vocal.

"There is no way in hell that they're dragging us back there!" Haymitch snarls. "I don't care if it's just to vote or whatever the hell it is they want from us!"

"I don't know" Johanna says, surprisingly calm "I think, like you" she nods at me; Peeta must have told them my thoughts on the matter "that something more is going on but I missed the rebellion, I'm up for going; I wouldn't mind punching a few Capitol citizens in the face…better if they're children."

"Jo-" Gale cautioned but she cut him off with a laugh

"So it's ok that they took us as children to murder other children but we can't punch their children? I think they're getting off a little lightly, don't you?" She asked, her voice going up an octave.

"We don't take it out on their children" I say. "They were brought up with their customs just as we were brought up with ours. The fault is Snows and-"

"He choked to death" Johanna sighs, rolling her eyes "it's hardly the send-off I'd have given him."

"And how would you have killed him?" Haymitch asks

"Dumped him into an arena" she shrugs before ginning menacingly "along with his children and their children and then I'd make him watch as everyone he ever loved gets killed right before his eyes; he's see their faces in the sky and know that their death was his fault!" She was breathing heavily now, her chest heaving up and down. The look on her face was actually beginning to scare me. "But that's just me" she finishes as though she'd just told us how to bake a perfect cake.

"Well…okay then" Peeta says, steering the conversation away from Johanna "we'll just leave you with that thought and move on to…" he looks around the room and focuses on Finnick and Annie who's sitting on her husband's lap, watching the conversation "Annie, Fin, how about you two? What do you think?"

"If we have to go then we have to go" Finnick shrugs "but I'm not letting my family out of my sight; the Capitol can screw their nurseries and their nannies, the children are going to be staying with us. That is our only condition." Annie nods her head in agreement.

"I'd like to second that" Gale shoves his hand in the air.

"And us" agrees Haymitch

Peeta looks to me and I smile back, nodding "then it's settled then. I'll let Plutarch know what we've decided and Gale?"

"Yeah, mate?"

"You might want to collar and board your wife when we get there."

"Maybe get Finnick to teach you how to make a noose knot" I nod "keep her in line."

Gale laughs and nods as he says "you guys might be my best friends but I will punch you in the mouth if you carry on" a smile stretched across his lips the entire time.

Johanna laughs again as she ruffles Gales hair before kissing him in a way that I would never deem appropriate in public. "Let's get home" she tells him quietly "the girls shouldn't wake up for another hour yet."

Gale frowns as he tries to figure out where she was going with this; I actually think that the rest of the world caught on before Gale. "Oh" his eyes light up a little "oh" he then stands up and takes her hand. "See you guys, let us know what Plutarch says, Peeta" and then they were gone.

"Well, I hope they made it to their house" Haymitch sighs "don't particularly want to be stepping over them on the way back to ours."

Peeta laughs "do you guys want to stay for coffee?"

"Nah, we've got to get back" Haymitch says "Effie doesn't like leaving the kids for too long."

"And too right" she frowns.

"Us too" Annie tells us, getting up and giving me a hug.

"Well, I'll call round later with Plutarch's answer" Peeta tells them.

"Much appreciated, Peeta" Finnick states, slapping my husband on the back "see you guys later."

We wave the four of them off and wait on the stoop for a moment or two. "Well, it looks like Jo and Gale did make it home" Peeta states. "Do you think that we have time to-"

"Hell yes" I say, grabbing him and all but dragging him up the stairs.

"I wish that we could do this more often" Peeta sighs as he traces his finger up and down my body.

"We do it often enough" I reply, shuddering a little at his touch.

"Yes but not like that."

I knew what he was referring to; with the boys in the house, we have to wait until they're asleep and we have to be quiet which makes the both of us a little more reserved. It's almost a completely new experience when we get to do it in an empty house. "Sorry" I sigh, kissing him before sitting up "that's our lot for today, I'm afraid; I have to get the boys."

Peeta nods "I guess I'll get dinner on and then make that call."

"Stand your ground, Peeta" I tell him as I find my clothes "don't let him bully you; he can be quite forceful sometimes."

"Don't worry, I'm very protective of you and our children; I won't be backing down."

When Cinna opens the front door, I'm surprised to find him topless with his shirt tied around his head, like some kind of bandanna, and a red handprint over his eye accompanied by two symmetrical lines on each cheek; the house, behind him, was in mayhem. The boys were running around, in the same state of dress, making a sort of battle cry. "Katniss!" Cinna chuckles "great timing!"

"What's going on?" I ask, stepping into the house.

"We're injuns, momma!" Mo shouts as he flings himself off the fourth step, trusting me to catch him. I do but it was a very close call.

"Injuns?" I look to Cinna.

"Indians" he corrects quietly "they found one of my story books."

I place Mo back on the floor where he starts chasing his brother, yelling loudly. "Well, thanks for keeping them occupied; they should sleep well tonight."

"You are very welcome; your mother says hello and sorry that she couldn't see you. She's not feeling great"

"Oh, what's wrong?"

"Just a headache but, with the boys here, she thought it best that she went somewhere quiet so she's in bed."

"Ok, well, let me know if it gets worse" I tell him before calling Mo and Reed over to me and asking them to put their shoes and clothes back on.

"The paint will come off" Cinna assures me as the boys hug him goodbye.

"I had no doubt that it would" I grin, the last to hug him before heading back home.

After dinner, Peeta carried on playing 'Injuns' with the boys for a while before settling them down with the story book I'd borrowed from Cinna. We decided to wait until they'd gone to bed to discuss the phone call he'd had with Plutarch but he hadn't given any kind of hint as to how the conversation went. "He didn't like it very much" he tells me "complained that it would be distracting and that they'd get in the way but he very reluctantly agreed after I reminded him the debt we're owed by the Capitol and that, in actual fact, this wasn't a massive favour in comparison to what we could be asking for."

"Bet he didn't like that very much" I grin.

Peeta grins back "it took him a while to form a coherent sentence and he's hopping mad but he'll get over it." He then stares at me for a moment before nodding to himself. "Katniss, when we're in the Capitol, we stay together. It's like you said, we don't know if they have an ulterior motive to sending us there but, together, we can protect each other. If we go out alone we'll be like sitting ducks, especially if one or both of the boys are with us."

"You're preaching to the choir, Peeta" I say "I promise that I won't leave your side."

Happy with my reply, he gets up "well, I'd better go and let everyone else know and then, Mrs Mellark, it's bath time."