So now that Katniss had agreed to marry Peeta and Gale acted poorly, Katniss has to face the reality of her decision. She also has to tell her family, but news travels faster than lightning in the district...and her family is waiting for her when she gets home. What will their reaction be?

I do not own the hunger games!

Katniss smiled, at him glad that she had helped her boy with the bread.

She walked away but turned around to see Peeta staring at her. Her heartbeat wildly in her chest, though her body was numb. She had just agreed to get married to help Peeta. Though she couldn't believe Gale's stunt.

To be fair, Katniss hadn't expected Gale to act like a wounded feral animal. He couldn't see that they would never work in a marriage. They both had fiery temperaments. He became so blind in his rage that he pushed her to the ground. She was upset with Gale but the tender way Peeta treated, was like the way her father treated her mother when he was alive.

Katniss had hoped to break in the news to her mother about her upcoming nuptials in private, but after the idiotic way, Gale behaved the odds were against her. Still, Katniss held on to a small sliver of hope her mother wouldn't be upset. This was a small district and gossip traveled faster than a Peacekeepers transport.

The news had spread across the Seam by the time she arrived home. Prim and her mother were waiting for her.

"You're getting married!" Both her mother and Prim exclaimed as soon as she entered through the front door.

Prim squealed, then said, "Mother look!"

"Oh," her mother grabbed her face turning it up to closely examine the scrape.

Katniss had forgotten about her small injury.

"Prim get me the calendula balm."

"Okay, I'll also get some soap water so that you can clean her face." Prim rushed to do as their mother said.

"Does it hurt, do you have a headache?"

"Mom." Katniss flinched, but her mother kept on poking at her face. "Mother," she said exasperated.

"Well, do you?"

"No," Katniss said. "I forgot all about it."

"Well thankfully the wound is still fresh, that means that you will not have hardly any blemishes on your face tomorrow," her mother said, all the while tsking.

"Here mom," Prim said bringing all of the things needed.

"I'm just glad, Peeta defended you." her mother said as she began to clean her face, "Now stay still."

"How did you guys hear about tomorrow?" Katniss wondered who came here to divulge the story.

"Hazelle," Prim said. "Hazelle had a fit when she heard Gale started a fight with Peeta. She came over to apologize for Gale's behavior."

Her mother finished cleaning her face, "What exactly happened?"

"Gale got mad when he found out about Peeta and me, he tried to pick a fight with Peeta. I tried to calm Gale down and he pushed me." Katniss winced when her mother put the balm on her face. "Things got heated when Peeta saw me get hurt. The next thing I know Peeta had Gale in a headlock, half the town was egging them on and then Darius showed up."

"Did you press charges?" Her mother asked.

"No, neither did Peeta. We told Darius to bring Gale home to his mother," Katniss sighed.

"I think it's romantical!" Prim sighed.

Katniss wanted to say it was plain stupid. Fighting never resolved anything. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Prim ran to the door, her blond hair trailing behind her. "Oh, Mr. Mellark!"

Peeta's father stood there with the widest grin on his face. He held a basket in his hand. "Good evening ladies."

"Hello Lionel," her mother said.

"Maggie," Mr. Mellark grinned. "I came by to tell Katniss that everything is set for tomorrow. You ladies should be there by ten in the morning." He turned red momentarily before he thrust the basket of bread at their mother. "Here this is for you. A celebratory gift from my family to yours."

"Thank you," her mother said.

Mr. Mellark then walked up to Katniss. "I am so glad you're going to be part of the family. I want you to feel welcome and know my boys and me, well, we're ecstatic and are in your corner."

Katniss was sure Mr. Mellark was talking about his wife, the witch.

"It was right nice of you to welcome, that's right and neighborly, Lionel," her mother said.

"T'were nothing Maggie. I'll look after Katniss as if she were my daughter."

"Thank you," her mother said. Walking Peeta's father out to the door. "We'll be at the Justice building by 10 A.M."

"Until tomorrow."

As soon as the door was closed. Her mother and Prim gathered around the basket pulling out the treated. Cookies, a pie, different types of loaves of bread, and the softest rolls.

They were both excited, whispering and giggling into the night. They became even more secretive when her mother left the house and came back an hour later with a large bag folded over her arm.

When it was time for bed, her mother was called for an emergency. Katniss was with her sister in their bedroom.

"I can't believe you're getting married," Primrose said. Her sister was laying on her belly on the other bed, she had her chin propped up by her hands, and her feet were slowly waving back and forth like Buttercup's tail. Her baby sister looked like their mother, blonde, blue-eyed. At fourteen she was already taller than Katniss. Without the Games, her sister no longer lived in fear. The only thing her sister had to do was eat and dream of a better tomorrow.

Katniss brushed her hair calmly. By now the entire district knew of her pending nuptials in the morning. Gale had caused such a ruckus because of her deal with Peeta.

"I can't believe Gale tried to punch your future husband," Prim said with a far-off dreamy look. "It's so romantic being fought over."

"Prim," Katniss said. She put the brush down. She wanted to dispel those archaic notions from her baby sister's head. "Gale and Peeta's fight today was not romantic. It was dangerous and foolish, either one of them could have gotten hurt or could have been thrown in jail for disturbing the peace. Fighting is never the answer."

"But Gale had it coming to him! For years I've seen him hound you mercilessly about getting married. I know you, you don't have an inkling of romance toward him because if you did you'd be like the other simpering females in the district. They always sigh and get googly-eyed whenever Gale walks by." Prim made a face like she'd eaten something foul. "I don't get why all of my friends dream about kissing him."

Katniss grimaced as she conjured up Gale's image in her head. She was repulsed by the idea of being anything more to Gale than his hunting partner. She would rather have a skunk spray her than kiss Gale.

"So," Prim said moving from one bed to the other. "I want to know how is it that you and Peeta agreed to get married? And how did Gale find out about it? I need details."

Katniss gave her sister a look to drop the subject.

"Katniss, we don't have secrets, spill!"

Honestly, Katniss didn't know how to tell her sister that the marriage was arranged and there was nothing romantic or passionate about the proposal. It was a simple agreement made between two consenting adults. As far as Katniss was concerned Peeta was now able to keep the bakery and she would get Gale off her back. It was a win-win for both parties. Katniss would never again listen to Gale nag her about getting hitched. Prim was another problem altogether. Her sister was just as stubborn and persistent as Katniss.

Her sister pounced on top of her, stopping Katniss from moving. Prim was surprisingly heavy. "Come on Katniss, you have to tell me how it happened, how did you agree to get married? You've always claimed you never wanted marriage or children, so for you to want to get married to a merchant of all people, the son of the worst person in all of District Twelve is pretty mind-blowing!"

"Prim, Peeta and I came to an arrangement," Katniss hesitantly said. She wasn't sure how she was going to put into words what happened since she was bad at talking. Taking a steady breath she said, "I wanted to repay a debt. So I asked him to marry me with the understanding there would be no Toasting."

"Wait," Prim said sitting on the bed. She scrunched her nose as she puzzled over what Katniss said to her. "You asked him to marry you because of a debt?"

Katniss nodded suddenly feeling less sure about her decision today.

Her sister gave her the legendary Everdeen intimidation scowl. "You made the suggestion?"

Katniss had never been able to keep a secret or tell a lie. She blurted out, "I overheard about his predicament from Darius and Greasy Sae. His mother wouldn't agree to let Peeta have the bakery unless he married. Honestly, I don't even know if it's true now that I think about it. It could have just been Darius and Greasy Sae gossiping about nonsense."

"It's not hearsay Katniss. I heard his mother tried to get Peeta to marry several girls, but he refused," Prim interjected.

"You knew about this?" Katniss couldn't believe her ears. How did her sister know about Peeta's predicament? She sat back, now it was her turn to scowl.

"Don't look at me like that," Prim crossed her arms over her chest. "It's been happening for months. Peeta's problems began the moment he graduated and his father announced he wanted to pass the bakery off to Peeta. Mr. Mellark didn't want to give the bakery to River because of his drinking problem and the oldest, Carlton is happily married and likes working with his wife's family. He didn't want the bakery."

"Really?" Katniss was taken aback by the news, she was in awe that her sister knew all of this information, while she was oblivious. "How do you know all of this?"

"Vick Hawthorne is Phill Cartwright's best friend. Phill and Vick are mentors in the Young Engineers of Tomorrow Scholastic Program." Prim shrugged. "Phill said they were celebrating both Peeta's and Delly's graduation when it all happened. Mrs. Mellark invited Tilia Cordata and her parents with the expressed purpose of arranging a marriage. When Peeta found out he became upset and told his mother he didn't want to marry. He asserted he was the best baker and that if need be he would name Colton's firstborn his heir."

Until she had overheard the conversation at the Hob Katniss had no idea this was going on. She felt bad for Peeta, being forced to get married was barbaric. She identified with him and his struggle. "I'm sure that didn't go well."

"Mrs. Mellark got into a terrible fight with Peeta over his refusal. The argument could be heard from the street. During that row, Mrs. Mellark declared that if Peeta didn't marry then he wouldn't inherit the bakery when they retired at the end of the year. It would be handed to River. And since Mr. Mellark has never stood up against his wife, he agreed Peeta needed to get married."

"Huh," Katniss mouthed. "What else do you know?"

"There's been a succession of girls that his mother has tried to unsuccessfully pair him up with, Flori Crabapple, Myrtle Carpe, Amy Yellowwood, Honey Locust to name a few. His mother even got Mabel Meadows to come to dinner at the bakery one evening. Peeta said no to all of them. Until he said yes to you the entire district thought Peeta would never marry."

Katniss scratched her head going over the conversation. Why would Peeta say no to Mabel Meadows, she had a very nice dowry. Her father owned the town grocers where all of the Peacekeepers purchased their goods. She was well off and she was one of the most beautiful girls in the entire district.

"Why would Peeta not want to marry any of those girls?" Katniss pondered out loud. Why would he agree to marry her? She wasn't the prettiest girl, nor was she rich. Beyond her hunting skills, she wasn't a good candidate for marriage to anyone. Maybe Katniss thought it was because she didn't want to have a Toasting with him. In District Twelve, a couple wasn't really married until they had a Toasting ceremony, no matter what the documents given at the Justice Building said. The exchange of toasted bread between a couple was the traditional binding legal way in Twelve, one recognized by the new government, and Katniss figured that's why Peeta agreed.

Katniss picked up her brush after braiding her hair, getting ready to go to sleep. She got up and put the brush on the dresser.

Prim climbed into the other bed and turned to face Katniss. "I have one question though if you're marriage is arranged and you're not doing a Toasting what are you going to do about sex?"

At the word sex, Katniss stubbed her toe on the bed, "Ouch!"

"You okay," Prim was out of bed and was trying to grab her toe to examine it.

"Yeah," Katniss said jumping around.

"Stop jumping around and let me take a look," Prim grabbed Katniss's foot and Katniss fell onto the bed. "It doesn't look bruised, but you should put some of mom's healing balm on it," Prim said reaching into her draw for it. "So what are you going to do about sex?"

"Prim!" Katniss hissed not at the balm but at that word again.

"What," Prim said looking up. Her stare reminded Katniss of Buttercup's superior look whenever the stinker knew he was being pampered. "Are you embarrassed by the word or the act?"

Katniss was sure she was bright red. Her jaw stung from the rush of warmth to her cheeks.

"Seriously Katniss, you have to be realistic. Sex is a natural part of life. Mother and I counsel every newlywed girl that crosses our door about intimate marital relations. It's important for women to know of their options."

Katniss didn't want to have 'this' conversation with her sister. Nor did she want to hear those words coming out of Prim's mouth. Her sister kept on talking and there was nowhere Katniss could run off to.

"Legally you'll be married, but because you're opting out of a Toasting you have to face the fact that Peeta is a man, and he's going to want sex. Now before you get all I'm not having children, there a hundred ways to not get pregnant when the time comes. However, if he doesn't have sex with you then he's going to engage with someone else. Are you prepared to share him with another partner?" Prim finished applying the balm.

Everything her sister said was like the cold slap of a wintry breeze upon her face. With frightened eyes Katniss watched her sister put the bottle back in the dresser and climb back into bed without considering the state she left her. Her sister turned down the oil lamp in the room and Katniss was plunged into darkness. Within seconds her sister was fast asleep.

The conversation kept Katniss awake. She lay in bed thinking about sex. Katniss understood the function of it, but she'd never gave mind to the act. Up until she was fifteen she'd been preoccupied with surviving the Reaping. After the President died, Katniss's sole responsibility was to feed her family and graduating from school. Boys and relationships didn't enter her frame of existence until a few moments ago when her fourteen-year-old sister brought it up. In fact, the only guy in her inner circle was Gale and Katniss could not imagine him touching her.

She wasn't the type of girl for public displays of affection. She just didn't like to be touched. Katniss didn't even like hugs from her mother.

Her thoughts turned to Peeta. Asking Peeta to marry her was a rash decision. She really didn't think about the other stuff Prim brought up. She never thought about marital relations between herself and Peeta. The idea itself wasn't repulsive. She didn't mind the way he smelled. From her observations throughout the years, she found Peeta's kind ways appealing, plus she favored the way he looked. Katniss enjoyed looking at him, watching him speak, even his voice was pleasant, it was mellow but masculine.

She pictured what it would be like to hold his hand and she felt a rush of warmth to her cheeks. She was tingly all over, much the way she felt that one time she shot a buck all by herself.

Would Peeta mind holding her hand? Katniss sat up in her bed and crept to the basin of water. It was a warm night, she splashed her cheeks with water. Her mind churned with thoughts and questions. What if what Prim said was right? Katniss asked herself. What if Peeta didn't favor her, what if he wanted relations with others?

Katniss turned around in her bed, punching the pillow. The idea of Peeta sharing another person's bed did not sit well with her. There were things that needed to be discussed and as much as Katniss hated to talk, she was going to have an honest conversation with Peeta. She decided to sneak out early.