So much thanks to @otrascosasseries for the above banner! I love that you took my jumbled ideas and made such a beautiful image!
Thanks a ton to @lvfics for being a supportive and constructive beta. You helped me make sense of my original idea and focus it into something that I am really proud of.
I posted two chapters and an epilogue.
If you were waiting for the story to be finished to read the story, now is your chance! You can read from the start here: AO3 or FFN
I wanted to start editing this, but I decided to do some work around the house and now it’s 9PM and I go to bed at 10, so no real time to dive in like I want. So as a consolation for all of us, how about a preview of the first part of the chapter? Please note it still needs some work, so there may be a few mistakes.
One lazy Sunday morning a little over a month later, they were all shocked out of their comfort by the sound of gunfire. With barely any discussion, Peeta and Finnick ran down the beach to retrieve Prim and Mags from the old woman’s house.
They returned to say that they could see the smoke from the cannons firing only a few miles from Mags’s home. It wouldn’t be long before it was much closer to town.
They spent a nervous day around the house. Katniss sat in a corner going over all her arrows, sharpening and repairing as needed. Johanna and Finnick took turns watching out the window. Peeta, Mags, and Prim cooked. Annie held Adam to comfort both of them.
Later that night, as Johanna napped and Mags and Prim slept, Peeta, Annie, Katniss, and Finnick met to talk.
Finnick announced, “Katniss and I are going to join the fight in the morning.”
Annie slammed her palm on the table. “No, you won’t.”
Adam started crying again and Peeta quickly scooped him up from the floor to sooth him.
Finnick placed a hand on Annie’s arm. “The war is getting closer, Ann. You know Katniss and I have been planning to go for a while. We need to keep you all safe.”
Peeta looked between the others gathered and turned to Katniss. “You only know the bow. I don’t think that’s safe. Maybe you should stay behind. Let me and Finnick do this.”
“And how are you going to fight, Peeta?” Katniss demanded. “Throw spoons at them?”
Peeta sighed. “I’ve been practicing with the gun, same as Finnick.”
Everything was suddenly too loud. Annie covered her ears and shook her head. “Everyone always leaves me.”
Finnick’s hand fell on Annie’s arm again and she heard him whispering in her ear. It was several breaths before she made out the words, “It’s okay, Ann. I’m here. Peeta’s holding Adam on the other side of you. You’re okay. No one’s going anywhere just yet.”
Annie slowly raised her head and saw Katniss watching anxiously from the other side of the room. “You know what? Just leave. All three of you.” She lifted Adam out of Peeta’s arms and left the room.
Much thanks to the amazingly talented @otrascosasseries for the beautiful banner!
A million billion trillion thanks to @lvfics (AKA LavenderVanilla) for being such a great critic and help all around for this fic!
Katniss sighed and leaned against the empty counter. "Feels good to get some work in. I was starting to feel useless."
Peeta grinned as he finished wiping down the cabinet. "You're far from useless. You've been a great help with Adam."
"I love that little man. I'm sorry he got so fussy and Annie had to bring him home." Katniss said as she walked over to lock the front door.
"He's really grown attached to you. It's sweet." Peeta reached under the counter. "Before we head out, I want to give you something." He handed over something small wrapped in cloth.
She knew what it was before she started to unwrap it. "Cheese bun?"
He shrugged. "They were going pretty quick today and I wanted to make sure you had one."
"Thank you." She tore it in half and offered part of it to him.
"Thank you." He said as he took it.
They both picked at their bread in silence for several minutes before Katniss moved toward the back door. "Prim and Annie probably have supper on."
I promise that very soon you will have the rest of this story. It’s completely written and a new chapter is with my amazing beta @lvfics! Unless we feel there is a need for a rewrite or something else comes up, I am going to get the last chapters and epilogue to you very quickly. I understand that we need closure and I really want to give it to you.
Now to the preview! This little bit has some Annie/Prim bonding.
Adam lifted his head and looked at Prim with a large smile on his face.
Annie smiled down at him. “He really likes you.”
Prim held out her arms. “Can I hold him?”
Annie passed the baby over and then pulled her blouse back in place.
They sat silently for several moments. Annie watched as Prim sang softly to Adam. The baby was getting more and more mobile as the days passed and he jumped up and down on Prim’s knees.
“Do you have much experience with babies?” Annie asked.
“A little.” Prim gathered Adam close. “Mama’s been a midwife a long time. She trained Katniss and both of them were in the middle of training me when we had to leave.” She pressed her nose into Adam’s soft hair. “I spent a lot of time with my beau’s little sister.”
“You have a beau back home?” Annie suddenly felt closer to the younger woman.
Prim smiled down at the baby on her lap. She looked up and sighed, “I almost didn’t get to say goodbye to him. But Finnick and Katniss knew what it was like to just be ripped apart from the person you love.”
Annie gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m certain they did.”
Awesome banner courtesy of @otrascosasseries. I love it so much!
Thanks a million to my very hard-working beta @lvfics. Seriously, I appreciate all that you have done to help get this chapter in a good place.
"You're good with babies." Peeta pointed out from beside the door.
Katniss shrugged. "After a while you figure out the things that make them comfortable." She moved the instrument over the baby's chest and then rolled him over. She sat back and lifted him up into her arms. "I hear a small rattle, but I don't think it's anything to be concerned about. I can mix up something, though, if you want." She passed Adam back, but he started crying and reached out for Katniss.
Peeta chuckled. "He doesn't normally warm up to people so quickly."
Katniss smiled. "He must see something in me."
"The same thing his father sees, I'm sure." Peeta stepped close and held Adam out again.
Katniss blushed slightly at the comment as she put the stethoscope away. She gathered the baby close to her chest. "What is it with you, little one?" She didn't like the look of adoration on Peeta's face, so she walked past with Adam cuddled up against her. It was too much like all those years before. She wasn't ready to tackle that subject, especially when she was holding his son.
I'm going to try to publish a new chapter of Worry Is Calling either tomorrow morning or tomorrow evening. This is a big one: the reunion chapter! So gird your loins, y'all, it has ALL the feels!!
Because it’s been so long! I have three chapters written and a majority of a fourth. This is from the chapter I am currently working on. I’m going to have this finished (I think) by the end of my vacation in two weeks, as long as things go well and start publishing at least once a week, depending on several factors.
Unedited and unbetaed (unbeta’d?). Anyway, there will be mistakes and it’s subject to change.
Happy reading!!
Adam flailed on the blanket and Peeta was back at his sketching, his hand speeding over the paper. He grumbled, "Moving so much, Adam."
Annie chuckled as she watched. "Would you like me to ask him to hold still?"
Peeta laughed and leaned down over the baby on the blanket. "Hold still."
Adam cooed and reached for his father's face.
Placing his sketchbook aside, Peeta stretched out over the baby and kissed his tiny face. "Oh, you're so sweet. Aren't you?"
Adam made another happy sound and waved his hands at Peeta's face.
"Well, not modest at all." Peeta said. "You know you're a sweet baby."
"Even if he wakes up a dozen times in the night."Annie said, stretching out beside them and resting her head on her hand. "What do you think, Jo?" She looked up at the other woman and Peeta noticed her looking off to the distance.
"Johanna, is something wrong?" Peeta asked.
Jo said, "I don't think it's a good thing for us to be outside. Something's coming."
"There's no one out there." Annie said, scanning the landscape.
Johanna shook her head. "I've heard whispers. And after the last thing..." She shook her head, scooped up Adam, and looked at both of them. "I just don't feel comfortable being outside, especially with a baby." She walked toward the house, where she had taken up residence after Adam was born. She didn't even ask, just moved her things into the extra bedroom.
Annie shook her head and let her go a few feet before she pushed Peeta onto his back. She kissed him softly. "We can let her be cautious with Adam and have a few minutes just for us."
Peeta smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Can we just sleep?"
She laughed. "If you want." She kissed him once more and pressed herself into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.
Threading his fingers through hers, he closed his eyes and relaxed. The waved crashed against the shore and she breathed softly against him. He was so lost in the rhythm of the world all around him, that he didn't feel her tense up right away.
He opened his eyes when he realized it and watched her slowly sitting up. Following her line of vision, he saw three forms moving down the beach. There was a brunette woman walking slightly ahead of a young man with bronze hair who had a slight blonde tucked into his side.
Annie stood, her lips moving slowly as she tried to form words. She finally whispered, "Can it be?" She moved forward before Peeta could grab her.
"Annie, wait." He called as he scrambled to his feet and followed after his wife.
