Author's note: This is a follow on from The Missing Pieces and Pieces and Passion. As this is a series I have discovered it cannot be published as a new story, so this is a continuation of the first two "books". This book is called "Passion with Purpose". I hope you enjoy it :)
Chapter 18: Purpose
Katniss has begun to make plans for her and Peeta's wedding. It is 6 months since Primrose Everdeen Mellark was born and she is growing into a fine little girl. She has dark hair, like her mother, and Peeta's beautiful brown eyes. Katniss and Peeta couldn't be happier.
There is a knock at the door. It's Haymitch. He goes straight over to Prim and picks her up. She is lying on a blanket in the front parlour playing with toys strung across a model that Peeta has created for her. She immediately gives a delighted squeal and snuggles up to Haymitch.
"Little Miss Prim!" says Haymitch. "How are you today?"
Katniss hears Haymitch from the kitchen and comes out to the parlour. Being an uncle suits Haymitch. He is revelling in little Prim's unconditional love and visits nearly every day.
"Well, Haymitch" says Katniss. "Couldn't stay away?"
"From this little treasure?" he says.
"Haymitch, I need to go and see Peeta in the bakery. Can you mind Prim for me while I take a quick walk?"
"No problem" he says.
Katniss gives Prim a kiss and tells her to be good for Haymitch. Primrose gives her mother a big smile and waves her goodbye.
Katniss needs to see Peeta about the guest list and it can't wait. They have so much to organize and they have to get the invitations out today to give their guests time to plan their trip to District 12. The wedding is in August, at the end of the summer, which is only 3 months away so they need to give time for replies as well.
Peeta sees Katniss coming and puts away his drawings of the cake he is planning to bake for the wedding. He wants it to be a surprise.
"Katniss" he says.
"Peeta" she answers with a smile. Her love for him has never waned, nor his for her. Any separation only makes their feelings grow stronger.
Katniss continues. "We need to get this guest list and the invitations sorted out by the end of the day. There are so many people we should invite!"
Peeta smiles at her. She's right. They have made friends in a number of Districts since the Games, and in the aftermath of the Rebellion, but many of them are "well wishers" and they can't invite them all.
"What's the problem?" Peeta asks kindly.
"Well, I want to invite them all!" she says. Typical Katniss, thinks Peeta, so eager for everyone to be able to share in their happiness.
Peeta laughs at her. "We could just hijack the Capitol communications system and send out a newscast to the whole of Panem, Katniss" he says.
She knows he is teasing her and gives him a scowl.
"OK" he says. First, there is family, so that is your mother". It is hard to acknowledge that after the Rebellion they had only one direct family member left. Peeta's own family had all been lost in the attack on District 12. He doesn't know where he would be without Katniss. He remembers telling her "nobody needs me" during the Quarter Quell. He had said it with a sincere heart and much regret. Peeta never felt he was really needed by his family, just used to do what needed to be done. Then cast away, like the bread to the pigs. It is a thought he prefers to avoid now that he has Katniss by his side. Now, two people need him more than anything else in the world.
Peeta goes on. "Then, there are our closest friends and allies from the Games". He runs down the list naming Gale, Haymitch, Effie, Annie and Finn, Johanna and Beetee. So many others had been lost in the Rebellion.
"Should we invite anyone from the Capitol?" says Katniss.
"Apart from Effie?" says Peeta.
"Well, some of them did help us, I guess I just don't like to admit it!" says Katniss.
Peeta suggests the people Katniss might be thinking about. Plutarch, Paylor, Cressida, Pollux, Tigress. Somehow Peeta can't imagine the reaction of people in District 12 to Tigress, but Tigress had sheltered them and, if it wasn't for her, probably none of them would have survived.
"We can also tell each of them to invite anyone else we might have forgotten or that they would like to bring. Then they can get back to us with numbers" Peeta suggests.
"OK" says Katniss. That might work, she thinks. They had been so caught up in their own little world since Primrose had been born that they hadn't maintained contact with all the people they knew and who had wished them well. But they did need some idea of numbers for catering. Katniss was also going to travel the Capitol and meet Effie who would help her pick out a wedding dress. Peeta had insisted. He had been working very hard to provide for his new family and wanted Katniss to have what her heart desired for her wedding day. Snow had tainted the idea so badly, Katniss needed to make this day her own. Peeta was happy to go with the flow. His main focus was the cake.
Making her way back to the house Katniss runs into Gale. He is still on peacekeeping duties in District 12. It is his home too, after all, and one which he had been glad to return to all those months ago. Gale has adjusted to the idea of Katniss and Peeta being together and loves baby Prim as well. He often visits, and Gale and Peeta have become friends. Katniss is actually a little bit jealous of their friendship now. It was the type that only men could share and sometimes she felt left out. Now, instead of Peeta being the outsider, Katniss felt like the outsider in their friendship.
"Gale!" says Katniss.
"Hey, Katnip" he replies. Every now and again he reverts to using his old nickname for her and it makes her feel a little childish. She is no longer a child, but a grown woman with a baby of her own. It isn't fair of Gale to pull her back to the past, a past she is trying hard to forget.
"Peeta and I were just talking about the wedding invitations. I know you are coming, but I will make sure to give you an invitation anyway" she says.
"How do you know I am coming?" asks Gale.
There was a lot of teasing going on today and Katniss decides she doesn't have time for this. Why won't these men take her seriously? It's infuriating!
"Because I invited you!" she says and continues on down the street back to the house.
Gale still delights in teasing Katniss. She isn't always good at responding, she has such a serious side as well. It all depends on the mood she is in and Gale knows he has to pick his moments. She has become so mature since having Primrose. There was always a surety about Katniss which had existed even prior to the Games and the Rebellion, but it had morphed into something new. It is the surety that is guaranteed when you know you have found your purpose in life.
Katniss had found her purpose, one she had chosen and not one chosen by the Capitol, or the rebels. Gale had seen Katniss come into her own thanks to her relationship with Peeta and the birth of baby Primrose. If she was a mighty force before, she had become an even mightier one now. Hopefully she would never need to match another foe as devious and deadly as Snow. Life had been hard enough on Katniss already.