"Kat I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He says. "But, w-what are you talking about?" He continues quickly.

I take a deep breath yet again. "I'm going back." I say confidently. "I'm going back to the war."

"As am I." Gale nods.

"And Haymitch." I add. "And hopefully some of the old squad."

"Katniss. Seriously?" Peeta puts his face in his hands.

"Haymitch is going too."

"Will he tell me that if I call?"

"Yes." Gale answers for me.

"And why the hell are you going? Did she convince you this is a good idea?" I open my eyes wide at Peeta's sudden anger and bitterness.

"Peeta, don't you get that we could freaking win this?" Gale asks.

"How? You think just because you three are going they're going to bow down and the rebels will just drop out of the war?"

"I don't know, Peeta." I say irritated. "I can't figure out why your throwing such a fit."

"Because we have children."

"You think Gale, or Haymitch are going to let anything happen to me?" I ask him.

"Yah know what Katniss, go ahead. Do it. I don't care honestly. You wanna go risk your life again, be my guest."

"Okay listen." I say grabbing his hand on the table. "I know you don't approve of this, but this time is different I swear. We're gonna train. And practice and get in shape."

"You think that makes me feel any better?" A stray tear rolls down his cheek.

"Peeta, i know its scary. But I promise nothing will happen. I'll come back home to you and the kids. I promise it."

"You promise it?" He repeats softly.

His eyes stare into mine. He's scared, I know it, everyone does. It's so obvious that his eyes almost scream: I'm terrified you won't come home to me and our children!

"Peeta I'll come home. I swear. And when I do, Haymitch will be the mayor, Gale and his family will have plenty of money, and we'll live happily forever after. Like we always planned." I caress his cheek softly. "You have to trust me this time."

"I do Katniss. So much. But I just don't think this is a good idea." He says wearily.

"I know you don't. I ain't all that sure about it either. But please baby, trust me."

He waits a few seconds. Cressida and Gale have left the room, either to give us our privacy or talk themselves.

"Okay." He finally says.

"Okay?" I repeat.

"Okay you can go." I smile and lean in to kiss him. "But-" he starts.

"But?"

"But under one condition." He holds up a single finger. "I get to come with."

***
One Week Later.

"Push! Push harder guys! Come on, you have to really want this." The trainer barks, he calls himself Vanc. It's short for Vanquisher. Kind of strange, but he came from the capital before all this.

After our announcement of going back to the war, we called everyone we knew who survived the war.

Johanna and Blaze, who happily said they'd come charging back into the war with us

Ennobaria and Brutus. When I called them, Ennobaria said she was thinking about going anyways. And any excuse to resharpen her fangs. Brutus said she wasn't going anywhere without him. 

Beetee, he survived the war, but started to go insane after he lost Wiress. His therapist - who now lives with him - said there was absolutely no way he would be involved in it at all.

"So, that leaves me, you Gale, Haymitch, Jo and Blaze, Enobaria and Brutus. That isn't too bad." I shrug as Peeta rattles off the names of the new squad 451. "That's a decent amount of people." He shrugs.

"Yeah. I think we got this." I nod picking up a bottle of water and taking a long drink.

The trainer walks over, and mentally I scream. "Alright everyone up. We're off to the train station." He orders.

"Why?" Peeta and I ask in unison.

"The others are arriving."

We stand slowly, I start to get excited to see my old friends. Gale and Haymitch join us, we begin to leisurely walk  down the dirt roads.

"I didn't say walk!" The trainer barks and we all break into a jog. "Better." He notes.

"I called Annie." Gale tells me. "And your mother."

I squint up at him. "My mother? Why?"

"To watch the kids. That's a lot of work."

"So Cressida, my mother, and Annie are gonna take care of them?" I ask.

"Yeah." He says.

"Good deal Hawthorn." I smile.

"Oh god are we starting the military last name thing already?" He sighs.

"Yeah."

Almost as if we planned it, vanc runs by. "Mellarks! Hawthorn! Pick it up!" I nod breathlessly and rush to beat the rest of them to then station.

Gale gives me a good run for my money, he's tall, but he's also the fastest person I've ever met. Except for maybe Peeta when I get myself in trouble.

Gales foot steps on the station a second before mine does. "I win." He gloats sticking his chest out victoriously.

"Yeah yeah." I smile sitting down on the edge of the platform to try and catch my breath.

Haymitch comes running up. For as old as he is, and all the alcohol he's consumed his entire life, that man can run, and jump, and do basically anything we've asked him to. He can even do push-ups with Peeta on his back.

Then Peeta comes padding up the dirt road. Vanc screams in his ears as he tries his hardest to come up to us.

"What's holding you back!" Vanc screams in his face. "Get going maggot!"

It breaks my heart; seeing someone yell and scream at Peeta. He comes and sits down next to me, putting his head in his hands. "Are you okay?" I ask softly putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He jerks away.

"Okay.." I say concerned.

The train whistle sounds, everyone but Peeta looks up. Our friends emerge from the train, and I instantly smile and stand to greet them.

I hug my mother first. "Hi mommy." I breath into her graying hair.

"How are you honey?" She asks pulling back.

"I'm great! How are you?"

"I'm good. Mac proposed." She tells me.

I nod, my smile weakening a bit. "I'm happy for you."

"Really Katniss? That means so much to me."

"If he makes you happy, then that's that. He'll never be my father and I guess I'll have to live with that."

My mother smiles softly.

"Ohhh Brainless.." I hear a tempting voice fall behind us.

I turn, a smile almost instant growing on my already smiling face.

"Johanna!" I squeal wrapping my long arms around her. She laughs with me as we hug tightly. "God I've missed you!"

I hug her for a long time. Johanna's never been one for any physical contact.

Blaze comes over and I nod quickly at him. We haven't ever spoken much.

"Hey sweetheart." A voice says in my ears. I turn around. "Is the boy okay?"

My eyes dart to Peeta, who's still holding his head.

"I don't know." I shake my head. "I'm gonna talk to him tonight."

"Okay."

I go greet and hug everyone else who came. Then we finally make our ways back home.

Everyone takes a victor's house. Most of them have never seen occupants.

They remained empty for many years as we had no victors here besides Haymitch.

That night at home, Peeta walked up to put the kids to bed. I remained down in the kitchen to cook dinner. An unusual switch seeing that he usually cooks all the meals alone.

After him not returning or making any sounds I tip toe upstairs.

I find him and our children lying on the floor. They all sleep silently. Quietly snoring away in a dream full state I hope.

Gently I lift the children, putting them in they're cribs  Then, I squat down and tap Peeta softly. "Hey sweetie. Why don't you go to bed?" I coo.

"I'm not-" He yawns softly. Like a mighty cat's cub. "I'm not tired."

"Come on baby." I whisper.

I help him up, strip him of his pants and shirt, and tuck him into our bed.

I eat dinner with Buttercup that night.

I spoke to him; well mostly I spoke to Prim. Because I feel like somehow, he can speak to her, and vis-versa.

Every time I spoke, he'd stop eating to cock his head and look at me. Like a wise old man, he had a strange way of not answering me.

I finish my dinner and walk to the couch. Quietly I chuckle, thinking about how I just spent half an hour speaking to a cat, hoping to get through to my dead sister.