"It's a boy. You have a boy!" The doctor beams, holding up the screaming newborn for the expectant parents to see. "A very healthy boy."

Katniss can see how ecstatic the doctor is, tears of joy filling her eyes at the excitement of the healthy baby boy she just delivered. It was in stark contrast to a few years prior when she was tasked with delivering their sleeping son.

The baby is quickly placed on his mother's chest, still whimpering and crying. Katniss wraps her arms around her son, kissing his forehead and crying tears of joy.

There were some tears and anxiety before they arrived at the hospital. She could sense Peeta's anxiety, which she fully understood. The last time he was accompanying her to the hospital for a birth, they didn't return home with their baby. But this time, he'd get to watch his baby be born. Hear it's first cries and every other moment that comes with the birth of a new baby.

And she feels guilty he wasn't there to see Lila enter the world two years before.

"Hi my boy." She coos, kissing him again and again, trying her best to calm him down.

She feels Peeta shift beside her, coming to sit down on the bed to get a better view of the baby. Katniss could feel him release a deep breath he'd been holding on to throughout the labor. A relieved exhale as he saw him for the first time. Heard his cries and felt his warming skin. Felt the baby's heart beat inside of his chest.

She looks to her husband, taking her eyes from her son and she smiles at him. It's a smile that speaks million words. It's everything that she can't think to say right now. To say to him right in this moment.

And Peeta obviously must be feeling the same way because all he can do is kiss her, murmuring a thank you against her lips before they turn their attention back to their son.

Anything could happen in this universe. The universe could have truly screwed them over again, delivered them the same awful fate. Teased and harassed them.

But obviously, the universe was in their favor today.

"We're so happy to meet you." She tells him, kissing the newborn's fingers as he begins to settle. "We've been waiting a long time for you."

Their son looks nothing like Leo or Lila. He's fair in complexion and looks exactly like his father did when he was a baby. He has his father's blonde hair and fair skin. He also has light blue eyes where Lila had deep ocean blues.

He's taken from them for a few minutes and Peeta stands watch, watching the nurses tend to the baby. Watching them weigh him, measure him; check his heart and his breathing.

Its all systems go and he's handed back to his mother and they try their best to get him nursing and things start to calm down and they're allowed their moment as parents of a new baby. Allowed their privacy as they count every finger and toe. As they share their own words between each other of joy and utter happiness. As they share kisses and embraces and decide on what they'll name the baby.

The pregnancy came as a bit of a surprise but nothing that blew them away too dramatically. They decided from the end of their trip they'd begin to try for another baby, not really thinking too much of it or actively trying round the clock.

They soon realised they were expecting to welcome their newest family member in May, 8 months after their trip and they couldn't be happier.

Despite the fear and anxiety that came with the impending arrival, they were still very hopeful and excited.

And he is everything they wanted to complete their family.

A few hours later as the sun starts to set and the days events begin to catch up on them is when they find the words to speak again. Words that have been so hard to come by as they stare and gaze at this tiny little thing they created. As they soak in this moment because they know how quickly they grow. His big sister had just turned 2, four days ago and was now becoming her own little person as each day passed.

"He needs a name." She says to Peeta. Peeta shifts the baby in his arms gently. Careful to not disturb him from his sleep. "I don't think any of the names we chose suits him at all." She admits, running her finger softly over the baby's cheek.

"I don't think so either." Peeta agrees, keeping his eyes focused on his son. "So what do you think?"

She sighs. "We have Leo which means Lion. Lila that means dark-haired beauty. Something that contrasts either of those names." She smiles.

"What about Lucas?" He suggests. "It means light-giving. We have our dark-haired beauty, we need our light."

Katniss smiles at him and then down at their boy. "Hi Lucas. Is your name Lucas?" The baby hardly budges or moves but lets out a soft exhale. "I think we have a winner." She laughs. "Why didn't you suggest Lucas before?"

"I had a dream last night just before you woke me to tell me your waters had broke." He begins. "It was Lila at the meadow by the house. We were watching her play. Watching her run through the grass that was getting too long and the dandelions that were starting to overtake the field. The sun was shining down on her. It looked as if she was wearing a halo. Lila was chasing a butterfly, laughing and smiling as she did her best to catch it. She stopped and turned to us and calling out to the toddler who sat on your lap. He was this chubby little thing with blonde curls and grey eyes."

"And you said to him, 'go on Lucas, go and play amongst the dandelions'." He repeats. "You gave him a slight nudge and he ran off, Lila coming to his aid, to keep him steady as they ran amongst the dandelions." He smiles. "But it just wasn't us watching them, it was everyone else we loved were also there. Haymitch, Effie, Johanna and my family. And there was also those we have lost. My father, you parents and Prim." He sniffs. "And Leo. Our beautiful son was sitting with his grandparents, watching his siblings play amongst the dandelions. He got up eventually and went and joined them, playing with his brother and sister in the meadow." He tells her. "And I just knew, this little one would be a boy. And Lucas just felt so right."

"And it fits our 'L' theme." She smiles, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Welcome to the world Lucas Flynn Mellark."

Lucas at only 5 hours old, was already the love of his parents' and sister's lives.

Lucas sighs against his mother's chest as they step out into the late spring sunshine. Lila was in her trike, her father pushing her along the footpath outside of their home.

Baby Lucas was just 10 days old and it was too nice of a day too waste inside. So they decided on a walk around their neighbourhood and then to the park.

The moment they stepped off the plane 8 months before, they were back to their old lives again.

But they didn't want to live in the past; they chose to live in the present.

They bought a house that was in dire needs of repairs but they found a certain charm to it. A homely feeling overcame them when they stepped into the house and they knew this would be the home they'd raise their family in.

At that point, they still didn't know about Lucas and were still recovering from jetlag. Katniss even thought she was still experiencing a delayed bout of jetlag – turned out to be she was pregnant with Lucas. It didn't click until she went for a doctor's visit, wanting something to help with the jetlag. They asked if she could possibly be pregnant and it clicked that she most likely was.

Effie and Haymitch were nice enough to extend an invitation for them to stay with them while they did up the house. Peeta did most of the house himself with Haymitch helping him out on the weekends and after work. They were in the house when the snow started to melt and the dandelion started to bloom in the meadow.

Peeta didn't return back to work, finding himself immersed into a life of blogging and freelancing and Katniss had found herself freelancing like before, commissioned to write pieces for print media and some parenting blogs. They were still finishing up their pieces from the backpacking holiday and the same company that helped them fund it were helping them create a book for those aspiring backpacking families.

Katniss still smiles at the feedback and comments they receive from all those across the world who dared dream about leaping into the world of traveling with their own children. She told them to surprise themselves, like she told herself every single day of the 184 days of travelling they undertook last year.

They cross the road to the park and Peeta parks the trike near a bench underneath the shade and helps Lila out.

"Go on sweetie." He tells her, after planting a big kiss on her cheek.

Lila is such a confident two year old. She's patient and understanding and seems to be entertained by the little things in life. She still wonders why everyone doesn't stop to say hello to her or squeeze her cheeks but she found herself waving and greeting everyone out and about.

And it brought a smile to most of these people's days.

She quickly finds a friend to play with and Peeta sits down beside Katniss on the bench and they watch their daughter play, something they found to bring so much happiness to them.

"How are you feeling?" Peeta asks her, looking at Lucas for a long, loving moment before looking into her eyes.

"So great." She tells him. "He's just awesome."

He agrees with her and kisses the top of Lucas' head gently.

Peeta was a doting father. It showed in the way the little crinkles formed at the side of his eyes as he smiled when he spoke about his children or were near them. She saw the big smile on his face when he first saw them of a morning, when Lila told him she loved him and gave him a kiss and a cuddle. And now when he took Lucas from his bassinet of a morning, holding him tightly in his arms and showering him in kisses. He beamed with so much happiness when he was near his family, it was so beautiful to see.

And the first time he held Lucas, Katniss fell in love all over again. Seeing the man she fell in love with melt at the sight of his new son, how he cried tears of relief and happiness and smiled widely and still in so much shock that his son was finally here. He melted with happiness and love all in an instant.

She had found the greatest man to spend her life with. To create a family with. To raise her family with.

"I feel complete." Peeta tells her. "I don't know why but Lucas has completed our family."

Katniss finds herself smiling and she spots Lila going down the slide. She goes a bit too fast, falling off at the bottom but she gets herself back up and continues playing. Nothing upset Lila. She was a trooper. She hardly cried or worried about a thing. If she fell over, she got straight back up and went about what she was doing.

"Prim told me I'd have three children." She recalls with a small smile. "And we do. Leo, Lila and Lucas. We have three perfect children."

"I finally think the universe is in our favor." He shifts slightly in the bench. "I couldn't ask for a better life."

"Me either." She replies, cuddling into his side.

They watch Lila play for a long time in complete silence.

"So I've thought of a title for our book." He announces.

"Yeah?" She asks, not bothering to look at him, too immersed at counting the blonde hairs on top of Lucas' head.

"Surprise Yourself."

"Really?"

He nods against her head. "I think it's perfect. We surprised ourselves every single day. I want to inspire people to surprise themselves and step out of their comfort zone."

They had made a deal with each other that once a year they'd do something out of the extraordinary. Something they were too scared to do before. They wanted to live a full life, make life mean something for themselves and their children. They wanted to inspire their children to be bold and brave in a world that was sometimes scary and full of so much adventure.

This year, Peeta had already done his crazy thing. He got it done the day after Lucas was born. Haymitch accompanied him to the parlour and he had three thumbprints inked above his heart. They were Leo's, Lila's and Lucas' first thumbprints inked in black with their names. It was his second tattoo, the two of them had both gotten a lion to represent their lion, Leo, while backpacking. Peeta getting his on his right forearm while Katniss got hers on her right wrist. They both got the same design with his birth and death date in his mane of hair. It gave them strength, especially during the days when they were feeling low.

And together, they were still planning on getting more. Katniss liking the idea of getting their children's thumbprints also inked on her skin, possibly in the shape of a tree on the back of her neck. A tree to mostly represent the roots they had planted together. The roots being their beautiful children.

Katniss also had another tattoo one she got after Prim's death. One to represent those who she had lost. She had 'Always' inked on the inside of her left wrist with three little birds in flight to represent her parents and her sister. It's something that she feels keeps her connected to her family and Peeta was the one who helped her design it.

But for now, Katniss still hadn't decided what she'd do as her crazy thing. Peeta had given her a pass though considering she had just had Lucas and a trip to the tattoo parlour or jumping out of a plane seemed way out of the question.

They'd do something together next year.

Peeta was hinting at bungee jumping but Katniss liked the idea of another backpacking trip. This time with Lila and Lucas in tow for a whole year or maybe even longer.

Lila comes for them, running in full force and Peeta catches her and sets her down onto his lap. Katniss smiles at her daughter who beams so brightly and is always so happy and hopeful.

"I like it." She tells him after kissing Lila.

"Yeah?"

She nods and finds herself smiling. "I really do."

"Me too." He exhales, kissing the top of Lila's head.

His breathing is even in the dark of the night. He doesn't hold her tonight due to Lila being right between them but they are still close enough to feel each other. To feel at ease from the little worries in life.

And just like every other night he seems at ease. Seems so much more peaceful. Late nights and early morning have taken a toll on him but he's still the same Peeta and he beams with happiness. He's healthy and happy.

They are all healthy and happy.

Tonight she can't seem to sleep. Despite how tired she is. How much she wants to sleep those few hours Lucas will allow her, she can't bring herself to fall asleep.

She looks over at Peeta and smiles at herself.

He was more than enough for her.

She reaches over her daughter and brushes his hair from his forehead, tangling her fingers through the tendrils of blonde hair. Hair that is so silky between her fingers. Her hand falls to his cheek, brushing it slightly. She admires him, something she tends to do a lot and runs her hand over Lila's hair and her soft cheek before she slips out of bed. She finds her dressing gown and slips it over her arms.

She takes a peak at Lucas who is sound asleep in the bassinet beside their bed. His breathing is even and calm and so peaceful. He looks as peaceful as his father. He even sleeps like his father. She traces his cheek before she tiptoes across the room to their walk-in-robe in an attempt to not wake either of them.

It's in stark contrast to years before when she slipped out in the dead of the night after making love to her husband. After pouring all of her pain into the passion of that evening and bringing herself to the point of shattering into a million pieces. That was the night she needed to find herself, to take a break from the person she was becoming and from reality, especially as her husband was falling further away from her.

That was the night they conceived Lila, a night of passion that brought them their beautiful girl who eventually brought them back together as a family.

She stretches up onto her toes to reach the top shelf and pulls the box down quietly. She sneaks out of the bedroom, headed downstairs to the lounge room, setting the blue box on the coffee table in front of her. She stares at the box for a long time.

Overtime, she found the strength to look inside the blue box full of once painful memories.

Now, it's filled with the things that helped her find the strength to carry on in life, despite the great pain she felt for a long time.

She slides the lid off quietly and looks into the box. Photos, journals, his baby book, clothes and a soft teddy rest inside of the box. There is also his hospital blanket, tag and the cap he wore.

It's for Leo. A box full of mementos and keepsakes.

His ashes sit on the bedside table in their bedroom on Katniss' side. They found the strength to look at the urn just recently and knew that hiding it in the study wasn't a way to honor him or to show they were proud of him. Now they can look at him everyday and say hello to him every morning and goodnight before they go to bed. They sometimes find Lila sitting on the bed, chatting away to her brother who she's slowly learning about overtime. They knew they wanted their children to know of their brother and this was the best way for them to learn all about him. To talk to him as if he was right by their side.

But maybe one day when the kids truly knew who he was, they'd find a place to spread his ashes and honor him in a special place for their family. They'd do it when Lila and Lucas are old enough they can all do it together somewhere they believe Leo would love to be.

She picks up the pile of photographs and sonograms and flicks through them all. Most of them were just belly shots of Leo growing inside of her. There were only a few of him after he was born. There was a USB stick full of shots they had a photographer take for them in the hospital but they weren't ready to see the rest of them just yet.

The baby book Effie bought her wasn't filled in but she couldn't bear use it for the other two when it was bought purely for Leo. It had the basics in it and that was about it.

She pulls out the journal she wrote throughout her pregnancy with him, one that she wrote a few words in each day. Moments she recorded like kicks, hiccups and movements. She wrote another journal the year after his birth, which towards the end mentioned the new pregnancy and how scared she felt that the universe would not be in her favor again.

The other one was what she wrote in when she thought about him, or moments she just wrote to get it out of her system.

She hardly could say his name, ashamed of the fact that he wasn't here.

Now, she spoke his name loud and proud. Cherished the fact that she was graced with a beautiful son who flew before he lived. Given the opportunity to house him in her womb and get to feel his kicks, cherishing his movements he made inside of, letting her know how safe or upset he felt. Even given the opportunity to be his mother.

Even if he wasn't here.

Footfalls sound down the stairs and into the hallway and Peeta appears with Lucas in his arms.

"What are you doing down here?" He asks her, stifling a yawn.

"I couldn't sleep." She tells him.

He notices the box and pads across the floorboards to her. Lucas is fussing slightly against his father's chest, getting agitated his father doesn't have milk to feed him with.

"I've changed him. He's hungry." Peeta tells her, handing him over to Katniss.

"Hi my beautiful man." She greets Lucas as she takes him into her arms. She quickly gets him nursing and settled and against her breast.

"Are you ok?" Peeta asks her.

"I'm fine." She tells him. "I just wanted to have a look at his things."

Peeta smiles at her and looks at the photos of Leo.

She knows how different their lives are compared to almost four years ago when they lost Leo. When they were so lost and unsure of what life meant. How emotional and angry they both were. How she was almost at breaking point.

Now, everything was clear. Their hearts no longer broken in two and their worlds no longer shaky and close to shattering.

Quiet footsteps sound down the hallway and Lila peaks her head into the living room. She has her teddy tucked under her arm. Her hair is a mess and her pyjama shorts are twisted at her waist.

She tiptoes to the couch and climbs between her parents. Cuddling into her father.

"Did you have a bad dream?" He asks her.

She shakes her. "Good."

"Yeah, what was in this dream?" Katniss asks her daughter, pushing her curls from her face.

"You, daddy, L and me." She tells us.

"What were we doing?"

"Laughing."

"We were laughing?" She nods again. "What about?"

"Happy."

"I bet we were."

Lila is sound asleep soon after, cuddling into her father with her teddy close by. Peeta too has drifted off, leaning on Katniss' shoulder, snoring slightly.

She takes one look around at her family and knows that the universe takes them on a crazy journey sometimes. A journey that is sometimes so heartbreaking and earth shattering to them. Then to bring them to a life that is full of pure joy and happiness. One that challenges them everyday. One that makes them gracious for life itself.

She has a good feeling, after all the shit they've been through, this will be all they have to look forward to for now on.

"It used to me just you and me for a long while." She whispers, pushing Peeta's curls from his forehead. "But now it's you and me and Lila and Lucas."

Lucas grizzles and Katniss shushes him, patting his back to calm him down. She finds herself singing, singing the same song she used to sing to him and Lila when they were in her stomach. One that calmed them when the rumbled and roared inside of her stomach.

"They say everything it happens for a reason
You can be flawed enough, but perfect for a person
Someone who will be there for you when you fall apart
Guiding your direction when you're riding through the dark"

Katniss pauses for a few moments, studies her family. Her husband and daughter who are tucked tight in an embrace with each other, sleeping soundly after such a long day. She looks back at Peeta and smiles. They were all flawed. They had a history of bad choices and mistakes. They weren't perfect for the world but they were perfect for each other. For their daughter. For their two sons. Everything happens for a reason, they believed that. They believed that after what they've been through. They believed the universe had a big plan for them, even when it felt so fucked up and unforgiving. They believed everything happened for a reason.

And it did.

Peeta's lips twitch into a smile. He tells her he loves what they have. That he never imagined he'd have or have done the things he has and knows this is the universes way of guiding them through life. Of giving them a break and letting them enjoy the things right in front of them.

She leans over and kisses his cheek softly before taking in her family. She gets a rush of all these emotions, the same emotions she gets every time she looks at her family and realizes how lucky she is.

She lays Lucas in her arms, staring down at him. He's awake and settled. And in that moment Lucas smiles for the first time then and there. A smile meant for just his mother. A smile of happiness and love.

She kisses his cheeky, inhales the addictive baby smell he has and cradles him in her arms and sings the last line for all of her family.

"That's you and me"

Here you go. Thank you all so much for reading and sticking around. I've truly had the best year in writing this.

Just to let you all know, this will be my last Hunger Games story I post to this website. I just find that Archive of Our Own is much easier to use. More user friendly as well. You can find me on that website as the same username and will find I have a couple of other new stories on there that I haven't posted to here.

I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I have but for now, this family are happy, healthy and planning their future and life with their beautiful children.

You can come and find me over on Tumblr - Herainab