Ashes Blow Away

Chapter Twenty Four

Baby River becomes a part of our daily routine quickly. Whereas Everly was a difficult baby, River is not. Until, of course, he sees his older sister. He wriggles, gets excited, and screams until her arms are around him.

Everly is thrilled with the arrival of her baby brother. She talks about him relentlessly, and Peeta's assistant at the bakery even gives her a cookie decorated like her brother, which she refuses to eat.

" I am not eating my bro-der!"

Peeta walks in on us spitting arguments at each other and chuckles. " What's going on here?"

I sigh. " She won't eat the cookie."

Peeta simply laughs and leaves the room, shaking his head as he goes and calling over his shoulder, " We should've just named her Katniss."

We soon learn that, although Everly is the carbon copy of me, she also possesses Peeta's baking and artistry skills, too. Peeta says she has an artists hand.

When I try to take her hunting, she refuses to go very far into the woods and cries when I kill a rabbit. I get the silent treatment for that for two days, until she presents me with a plate of iced sugar cookies and a forgiving smile.

River, however, is different. He takes his first steps in our garden at eight months and after that I can barely get him to stop walking. When he turns one, I take him into the woods and we spend a day eating fruit and watching the sky.

Parenthood suits us both just fine, I find.

Soon, River turns two, and I present him with his very own bow.

" Wow," he gasps as I hand it to him. I have spent many an hour crafting it, making it totally child proof.

" Do you like it?" I ask, smiling.

He nods enthusiastically. " I love it. When can I play with it?"

" Whenever you like, baby," I smile. " Do you want to go out to the woods just now?"

" Yes."

So we go. And it is there he spends most of his time from now on, playing with the animals and shooting his tiny arrows.

I teach him what plants and are edible and which are not, and he soon catches on, showing me he is much smarter than he has let out. I feel bad for not noticing sooner, but then Peeta tells me he didn't see it either.

When Everly is six and River is three, I get them both into school. River attends a few hours every day, but Everly goes to a regular day school.

All together, our lives are whole and happy, and normal. I can only be thankful that my children will never have to live through the poverty I did. We are a normal, happy family, with healthy children and proud parents, and I couldn't wish for anything more.

District 12 is no longer an underdog district. I am proud of how far we have come and how prosperous we have become.

And now that I think about it, maybe we were star-crossed-lovers. Maybe there was some truth in the story. But I fought it. I fought falling in love time and time again, and each time it hurt. Peeta was, of course, there to pick up the pieces. But I went against myself - I fought my own wants and beliefs.

Love is a strange thing. And it is very dangerous. It is thin and fragile, and one wrong move can break it. It take willing hands and willing hearts to patch it up, and it's scary.

It took me a long time to love Everly and River. Longer than it probably should have. It wasn't until I held them in my arms that I saw them for what they were; a part of me. And then I wanted them more than anything else.

It took me a long time to stop loving my mother, and to see her for what she is. So I guess the stubbornness goes both ways.

And I really didn't want to love Peeta Mellark. I kissed him, I fought to keep him alive, but I didn't truly love him until we were back in District 12. It was then, when I was broken and grieving and sorrowful, that I saw it in his eyes and the way he said my name, and the way he held me for hours after a nightmare. I was what real love is. In a place like Panem, that kind of love was never showcased. People sent their children to the Reaping without a fight, my mother ignored Prim and I, and people like Gale had to work in the mines because their parents did nothing to prevent it.

My story isn't what I thought it was. It is not a story of revenge and killing and deceiving and hurting. It is a story of changing. And when things changed because I stood up. Peeta made me stood up. We stood up together and we fought it and we made Panem a better place for our children.

Grudges are strong. But letting go and hugging someone and telling them you love them is stronger. It always will be.

One day, I go up to Peeta and kiss him square on the lips.

" What was that for?" he smiles, his hand on my waist.

I look around at my family. River playing with stones, Everly painting on a square of paper, and Haymitch smiling down at them, sketching in a notebook. And I turn and I kiss Peeta again.

" Because I love you," I whisper. " More than anything."

He smiles. " And I love you, too."

I grin. " Come here, you big softy."

And I kiss him again.

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Hey guys :D

So this story has been on hold. The reason why, is a new story I've been working on. It was released earlier today, and it's called 'One Night'! It would mean a lot if you guys read it!

I think this story only has one chapter but there will be a sequel - as long as you guys want one, anyway.

Thanks for reading guys! I love you all millions!

- realornotreal_real xx