Oh, the end of another Everlark story. I'm just bringing all the goodbyes…

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me.

Please check out the last bit of notes from myself and from my husband, who beta'd!

Tides

Epilogue: Katniss

Four Years Later…

Upper East Side, Manhattan

There was a poke on her shoulder.

"Mommy…" came the soft whisper and the scent of strawberry jam. "Mommy?"

"Hmm?" Katniss managed to sleepily croak out.

Then, there was a slight pressure on the bed followed by another poke on her opposite shoulder. "Mommy…wake up." A little hand carefully played with her braid and she tried not to grin.

James was always very gentle. Ever since he was baby, there was that sweet quietness about him.

"Katniss." Her eyes opened slowly and she found Peeta staring at her, an amused grin on his lips. Spooned against him was James, whose own eyes lit up to see her awake. "Your children need you."

"Children?" She looked over to see the approaching lump under the comforter of their bed. "I only see one of our little ones. Now…where is the other?"

There was a giggle and a little dark-haired head popped out from the top of the blanket.

"I'm here, Mommy!" Robin informed her in her boisterous voice. She crawled to the middle of the bed, next to her brother. "We wanted to tell you that we made breakfast!"

She met Peeta's eyes and he held up a part of the comforter to show her a red hand print.

"Let me guess," their father said. "Peanut butter and jelly?"

"YEAH!" The twins threw their stained hands up; peanut butter on James' and strawberry jam on Robin's.

Peeta got up from their bed. "I got it." Rounding the bed, he placed a kiss on her lips. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Her hand went to the scruff on his chin. "Letting it grow out?"

"I thought you liked it." Peeta winked at her. "Isn't it how we ended up with this one?"

His hand went to her slight swell.

"It was a contributing factor," Katniss informed him and gave him a sly smile. "But, I'm not too crazy about the rug burn."

Peeta snorted at her words. "I'll shave after I clean up the kitchen," he told her. "Try to get some rest." His eyes went to the twins. Robin and James sat together, talking quietly to themselves. "As much as you can."

He kissed her once more before leaving for the kitchen.

"Mommy?" Robin crawled over to her, nestling herself against Katniss' chest. "How high are we?"

"We're on the top floor of the building of what was Mommy's old home," she told her little girl. Robin listened intently. "And, I think we're on the twelfth floor."

James crawled to Katniss' other side to rest his sunshine head on her.

"That's pretty high," her son mused. "But, I like our house better."

"I know." She kissed the top of his head and then kissed Robin's. "But, it's going to be your Aunt Prim's nineteenth birthday and we're throwing her a party at Mommy's store!"

"Don't worry, Jamie!" Robin assured her brother. "We can dance with each other and eat lots of cake!"

She smiled seeing the closeness of the two, so much like Prim and Peeta. Robin always seemed to know how to make her brother feel better while Jamie had that special way of calming his sister down right before she melted down—and he had done so on more than one occasion.

Robin had inherited Katniss' fiery temper.

"Okay…" James nodded sleepily and she watched his smoky eyes disappear between closing eyelids.

She turned to see Robin let out a small yawn and quickly, her little girl succumbed to her tiredness.

Katniss followed quickly, her arms holding the twins close while her hand rested on the small bump that was her and Peeta's third child.

"YOU'RE HERE!"

The scent of daisy perfume surrounded Katniss as Prim hugged her excitedly. As they pulled away, she admired her beautiful sister. Tall and long-legged, Prim was every bit the international model with her glowing skin and bouncy, golden hair.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Katniss asked as the two hooked arms. "Are classes going well?"

"They're great!" Prim answered as they walked toward the meeting room of Everdeen Design. "I've even started helping out at some of the smaller fashion shows in the city. I'm busy but it's actually pretty cool to be backstage and not on the runway."

"You bored being dressed in couture?" Prim stuck her tongue out at Katniss as she opened the door to the meeting room. "I bet traveling has gotten to you, too."

"It has," Prim said. The two sat down on a white couch and Prim looked to her, bright blues glistening. "And, I miss you, and Peeta, and the twins." Her eyes went to the small belly that Katniss sported. "I don't want to miss this one's childhood."

"Don't tell anyone," Katniss said with a grin. "Your brother wanted to be the one to break the news. So pretend you don't know!"

"You asked for cookies," her sister replied. "And, you never eat sweets—unless you're hormonal or pregnant. Plus, your boobs are bigger."

Katniss looked down at the neckline of the printed wrap dress that she wore. "Do they?" She met Prim's eyes and smiled saucily. "Well, your brother will be happy."

Prim blanched at her words. "Gross."

"So, you wanted to talk?" Katniss sat back, a hand on her stomach.

Her sister let out a small breath as she fidgeted with the emerald skirt she wore before meeting Katniss' eyes.

"I don't want to model anymore," Prim finally said. "It's been great, but I want to do something more."

Katniss nodded. She suspected over the last few months that her sister had been unhappy. When she wasn't attending Parsons, Prim would be on the road doing a show or magazine shoot. During school breaks, she would be off in another country and had even missed last Christmas with them in Panem.

"It's understandable. You're turning nineteen and want to try new things," Katniss said and took her hand. "And, you've worked hard." She sighed. "We should've put our foot down a long time ago about this whole thing."

"I wanted it," Prim responded vehemently. "But, the traveling and being away from my family—" Her eyes filled with tears. "And Rory…" She let out a breath. "It's not worth it anymore."

Katniss put an arm around Prim and pulled her close. "You miss him, don't you?"

Her little sister wiped her eyes. "Every day."

Last year when Prim had not made it back to Panem, Rory finally had it. He understood that her life was busy but there was no chance for their relationship to move forward with her being away so much. The break-up had been over the phone since Prim was in Paris.

She and Peeta had stayed up that night to console Prim via Skype.

"You know that quitting won't get him back, right?" Prim nodded in understanding. "I want you to be really sure about this."

"I am," Prim assured her. "This is more than just Rory. This is about me wanting to go back to a normal life. I want to go to school and live in my own place. Have friends."

"You have me and your brother," Katniss offered. "I know we're not exactly drinking from kegs but we're here if you just want to talk or hang out."

Prim put her head on Katniss' shoulder. "I know. You both are my best friends, right now."

Katniss kissed the top of her head. "Hah."

Her sister looked up. "What?"

"That's pretty sad if we're your best friends," Katniss joked and Prim swatted her arm. "You need to have girlfriends that you can go shopping with and who you can bitch about me and your brother to."

"Oh, Katniss—you know I'd never bitch about you." Prim cracked a smile. "Peeta, on the other hand…"

The two broke into a fit of laughter. It felt good to hear Prim laugh. Katniss had known that she hadn't been particularly happy and she wanted to do everything she could to help her.

"So, we should announce your retirement," Katniss finally told her. "And, find you a replacement for 'Whimsy in the City'."

"Also," Prim started. "I wanted to talk to you about a job."

Katniss looked to her sister curiously, "A job?"

"Yes." Prim looked around the office. "A job here."

"Of course," Katniss told her. "I didn't know that you were interested in design."

At her words, Prim reached into the tote that she had brought with her and pulled out a large black folder. Handing it to Katniss, she sat back and waited nervously.

Opening the portfolio, Katniss was greeted with a drawing of a stunning emerald gown; sleeveless with a slight sweetheart neckline and flowing down into an elegant a-line skirt that skimmed the bottom of the page. Along the upper section of the skirt, there were several intricate accents that flowed down and faded mid-skirt.

"Those are supposed to be metallic line beading. I wanted it to look like tinsel," Prim informed her. She flipped through to the next page to show Katniss another drawing. This time, the gown was more streamline; pure white with a high slit and a halter-top. The neck fastening was thick with several pearls sewn in. This one was more a mixture of innocence and slight sexuality. "I wanted to show that I had a broad range when it came to design."

"These are exquisite, Prim," Katniss told her sister. She flipped through the rest of the book, looking at each dress. Most of them were eveningwear, but there were some made for daytime formal outings. "You've created your very own line. I bet you already have a name for it."

Prim nodded and there were tears in her eyes. "Jean Robin."

"It's perfect," she responded and looked to Prim. "So you want to start your own line and run your own team?"

"More than that," Prim told her. "I know that I was given an amount of money in Cor's will and I want to use it—to buy stock in Everdeen Design and to become your partner."

Katniss was taken back at her words. Prim wanted to be her partner. Her mind suddenly recalled a young Prim jetting down the street on her bike, bold and unafraid. That's how she always was and instinctively like that first time watching Prim, Katniss was worried that she was going too fast.

At the same time, she knew that Prim would work hard and would be successful. It was not possible that she would fail.

Katniss' hand went instinctively to her stomach. What would this mean for her family? If Katniss accepted Prim's offer, she would have to spend a lot of her time in Manhattan. Cinna had been a Godsend as well as Portia with managing the HQ and flagship store. So, three years ago, she had made them her partners at Everdeen Design. What would it be like with a fourth member on her team?

"That isn't going to work," Katniss suddenly said.

Prim stared for a moment before nodding slowly in acceptance. Katniss could see that she was disappointed.

"I understand," her sister said after a moment. "I guess I'm not quite ready to do this and you're busy—"

"No, Prim," she told her. "It's not going to work with a fourth person because I'm ready to move on." Katniss rested a hand on her growing belly as her other hand took Prim's. "So, I'm going to be signing over the company to you and stepping down. You aren't going to be a co-partner of Everdeen Design. On your birthday, you're going to become Head of Everdeen Design."

"MONSTERS!"

Katniss watched Robin and James run over to their Aunt. Their laughter rang out in the cool, crisp air of the sunny, yet snow-filled park. She laughed seeing her two children in their puff jackets being engulfed in the faux-fur coat that Prim wore.

"They look like two marshmallows." She turned to Peeta next to her. Giving her a quick kiss, he put an arm around her as they walked toward their sister and children.

"But, they're our marshmallows," Katniss responded affectionately. She turned to look at him. "You look very handsome today." Her hand reached to caress his hairless chin. "I especially love you all cleaned up for me."

Peeta wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close. Katniss stared into his blue eyes, warm even in the coldest weather. In her burgundy pea coat, she could still feel the heat of his touch spreading throughout her body.

"If you keep looking at me that way, I'll be sure to shave every day," Peeta told her. His hand reached to the nape of her neck and he drew her close so that he could brush his lips against hers.

The next kiss was warm and wet, tasting of hot chocolate and smelling of aftershave. Katniss sighed against her husband. She could not imagine a time when he wasn't by her side and wondered how long ago, they had spent years apart.

Separating, their eyes met and her lips rose as he breathed out, cool puffs escaping his mouth.

"Amazing," he said to her. "You are amazing."

"Not quite," Katniss said. She took his hand to place it on her stomach. "But, this baby is amazing." Then, turning to their children and Prim, she covered his hand with hers. "And, they're amazing."

Peeta put an arm around her once more as they walked over to Prim and the twins. "Who knew that at 31, I would be married to the Katniss Everdeen—the teenage dream."

"Not to mention, you put your babies in her," Katniss said. "And, I can't believe that I'm married to Peeta Mellark, the youngest superintendent in the history of Panem County—and the hottest."

"Who said that?" Peeta asked nonchalantly.

"Someone said it during one of those county galas," she told him with a sly smile. "I was putting lipstick on in the restroom while a bunch of teachers were gushing over the hot, new superintendent. One of them said that she actually wanted to reach into your pants to give you a lesson in hand jobs." Katniss smirked, thinking of the memory. "She was actually sitting at our table, right across from me."

Peeta snapped his fingers. "Now I remember—green dress and big hair, right?"

"Yes. Then, I got jealous and decided to do you in our car." Katniss looked down at her stomach. "And, that's how we ended up with this little one."

Peeta chuckled. "I'll have to send that woman a fruit basket when we're back in Panem."

"PEETA!" Prim rushed over to her brother and threw her arms around his neck. He caught her easily, twirling her before setting her back down on her feet. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course! I only have one sister—and she just happens to be extra special," Peeta told her tenderly. "Not only is she the toast of the fashion world," He kissed her forehead. "She's smart, brave, and incredibly blunt. And, I love her for it."

"Katniss' second pregnancy has turned you into a huge sap," Prim told her brother but pulled him into a hug, nonetheless. "Did Katniss tell you the news?"

Peeta looked to his wife. "What news?"

"Prim got a job," Katniss replied simply. "And, I am…leaving."

"Do you think that this is right thing?" Peeta asked her as they got ready for bed. "Prim is only just turning nineteen."

"You weren't there for her pitch," Katniss told him. "She put down a good case for herself. I also had no idea that she had been interning as Cinna's assistant for almost a year. He's already been slowly working her into the company while Portia has been teaching her about our customer baseline and profit margins. Prim is already working on the budget for the next fiscal year."

"But, can she handle it?" her husband responded as he pulled back their comforter. "That's a lot of stress on someone her age. She should be studying for her finals, not worrying about fabric production."

"I want to."

They turned to find Prim at their open doorway. She approached them, sitting down at the foot of their bed.

"I know that this is coming out of nowhere to you, but I've known for a while that this is what I've wanted to do," their sister told them earnestly. "I think I can do a lot of great things for Everdeen Design."

"You have to understand, Prim." Peeta sat next to her. "I'm scared for you. Running a company is not exactly what a lot of people do at your age."

"But, I'm not just any person," their sister responded. "I've always known that I was going to do things to my own rhythm—and, that it was okay to do so. I'm still going to go to school. I'm just going to have a different kind of after-school job." Prim gave her brother a self-assured smile. "Come on, Peeta. Look at all those boys in Silicon Valley inventing crap like Facebook. Don't you think that if any girl could equal or surpass that kind of a success, that girl would be me?"

"Damn," Peeta muttered after a moment and shook his head at their sister. "You are incredibly convincing, Prim."

Katniss suppressed the chuckle that almost escaped her mouth. Their sister was incredibly clever.

"You have to promise that you'll keep your grades up," Peeta told Prim. "And, that you'll come home from the office at a reasonable hour—and from the campus. Also—" Katniss watched her husband's gaze turn solemn. "—that you'll come home every holiday. Just because you're going to be running a company, it doesn't mean that you forget where you came from."

"Of course, big brother." Prim's eyes were shining with unshed tears. "All I've wanted to do was to make you proud of me. You've sacrificed your moment to be that regular college kid and gave me that chance. Now, it's my decision to do it all—school, work, and everything else in-between."

"Okay then." Peeta sighed. "You're going to be the head of a major company—just another milestone." He looked to Katniss and held out his hand. "I think you inspired her."

Katniss shook her head and took his hand. "Prim will find her own way. I'll just be there to help."

There was a knock on their doorway. Robin and James stood side by side in their pajamas—which were on backwards.

"I think you have those on the wrong way, you two," Prim said as they walked over to the bed.

"No." Robin climbed onto the bed and plopped herself on her father's lap. "We like them this way."

"Yeah," James added as he went to Katniss, his arms wrapping around her hips and his golden head pressing to her growing stomach. "More comfy."

Prim snorted as she smiled at the couple. "Looks like you have future trendsetters in your hands."

Snow Corporation

"This is swanky," Katniss remarked as she sat down at the long glass table in Johanna's office. "I didn't think that you'd ever leave your firm."

"Well, Beetee was offering a much nicer package for his contracts lawyer," Johanna said to her best friend as she placed a cup of tea in front of Katniss. "Where are Prim and Peeta? And, my Godmonsters?"

"Prim and Peeta are taking a walk with Beetee," she informed the woman. "And believe or not, the twins are with Cato and Finch in his office. Once they saw that Mrs. Snow was a redhead, they were fascinated and needed to touch her hair. It's a good thing that Finch is so good-natured about it."

A little after the twins turned three, Katniss had been surprised to receive a call from her ex-husband. Cato had been dating Finch for almost two years and had decided to propose. He wanted to warn Katniss should she get a phone call or two in regards to it.

It had been strange to hear him so giddy and excited about it; for Cato had never been that giddy when they were together. However, Katniss understood how being in love with the right person could really change your life. She had known since Finch had joined the Snow Corporation that she had been nothing but a positive influence on Cato.

So, Katniss congratulated him and wished him the best—because she sincerely meant it.

Six months later, the photo of the new Mr. and Mrs. Snow was published in The New York Star.

"Is it weird to see him playing with your kids?" her best friend asked. "I mean…after Helena?"

She shook her head. "No. In fact, it was kind of nice—made me think that if Helena had survived that he would've stepped up. We would have separated but he would've been there for her. I know that now."

Johanna smiled sadly at her, squeezing her hand. "That's really good."

Katniss nodded. She had made her peace a long time ago.

"Also, it was kind of funny to see him tripping balls as James opened his drawers and Robin braided Finch's hair," she continued. "Especially with the little Snow on its way."

Johanna snorted and chuckled. "I'm sure it was for you." Her best friend cleared her throat. "Onto another subject—how is Prim doing with all of this?"

"I think Prim needed the walk and talk with Beetee. He'll be a good person for her to go to for advice on the fly," Katniss said. "But, she's nervous—as she should be."

"That just means that Prim wants to do well," Johanna assured her. She squeezed Katniss' hand. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well for someone who is about to delegate her company to a nineteen-year-old," she responded and placed her free hand on her stomach. "And, who is going to have three children."

Johanna guffawed at her words. "It wasn't Peeta's fault that his horny, jealous wife couldn't wait to jump his bones." She shook her head at Katniss. "And, in the parking lot of his office…the parents of the Panem Unified School District would shit themselves if they knew what you did to their young, virile superintendent."

"Oh please," Katniss responded with a scowl. "It was during a gala thrown by those parents—and they were all jones-ing for my man!"

"Don't get her angry. She's likely to kill us all!" The two women looked to see Cinna and Portia at the doorway. Her co-partners grinned at the agitation on her face. "We're just joking with you." Cinna went to her and kissed the top of her head. "We're all actually very proud that you went rogue and decided to mess around in your car."

"Though, I'm never going to ride in it the next time that I'm in Panem," Portia told Katniss after giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Okay, okay…" Johanna held her hands up. "Let's all stop embarrassing Katniss. She's going to have a hard enough time explaining to the little one how he or she came to be." Reaching into the open briefcase on the table, she handed Cinna and Portia a packet as they sat down. "These are the new contracts, each detailing your current duties, and the new duties that will be given to you once Katniss leaves the company."

The two look through their respective packets, signing where Johanna had marked.

Cinna suddenly stopped to look up at Katniss in shock. "This is too much."

Katniss shook her head. "This is not enough," she assured him with a smile. "You and Portia have contributed so much to the company and you've been loyal associates and friends. Also, you're going to be taking Prim on and helping her to find her way. That is a lot."

"We're happy to do it, Katniss," Portia told her. "Cinna and I have always seen potential in Prim. She's always had a keen eye on trends and has been innovative when it comes to ideas. Every meeting that she has sat in on, Prim has had idea after idea. Half of the spring line was her contributions."

"And, she hasn't been overdoing it?" Katniss asked worriedly. "She's still so young."

Cinna shook his head. "We've made sure that she has the time to do her work for her Parsons classes. But, Prim loves being at the office. While the other kids are out at the clubs, she's sitting at her desk just sketching away with a content smile." He gave Katniss an affectionate grin. "I see a lot of you in her. She's young, but so were you. And that drive and work ethic—you taught her that. You should be proud of the person that she's grown up to be."

Katniss bit her lip trying to quiet her emotions. Yes, she was afraid for her sister but hearing those words assured her that Prim would be alright.

That it was okay to focus on what was always the most important part of her life—her family.

There was a knock on the door and Prim entered along with Peeta. "Hey guys. Are you ready for us?"

"Of course," Johanna called out. "Come in."

Prim went to sit in-between Portia and Cinna while Peeta went to her.

"We're just finishing up with the revised contracts for Cinna and Portia," Johanna said after everyone had settled down. She pushed a closed folder in front of Katniss. "This is your agreement to transfer your company share to Prim, which includes stocks as well as your title for Everdeen Design. You will remain employed as a consultant as needed."

"Katniss, I thought I would be using my money to obtain my stocks," Prim told her.

She shook her head. "No, sweetheart. It's what I want to do. Clean break, really," Katniss told her with a nervous smile. "That way, it is really like I'm gone—even though I'll be there if you need advice."

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" Prim asked. "It can be the four of us."

Katniss looked to Peeta, who reached over to squeeze her hand. He had also told her that it was okay to not leave. But, she felt for a long time that her life was no longer in Manhattan—it was in Panem with Peeta and their children. While she would miss certain things about the big city, Katniss could no longer see her future there.

There was a slight fluttering within—and she looked down at her small belly.

It was the first time that their child had moved.

At that moment, Katniss knew that it would be okay.

Signing the contract, she slid it to her sister.

"No," Katniss said. "It's your turn now."

Brooklyn, New York

"Am I all done now, Aunt Katniss?" Hattie asked.

"Almost, love," she responded as she finished braiding the long blonde hair of her goddaughter. Katniss wrapped the tie at the bottom and then kissed the top of the little girl's head. "There you go. All done!"

Hattie swung her hair in delight and the skirt of the navy dress swirled around her legs. "I LOVE IT!" She turned to Effie. "Look Mommy!"

"That looks adorable, sweetheart," Effie responded with an adoring grin. "Now you and Robin look exactly alike!"

"Now we can be triplets!" Hattie rushed over to the other side of the large living room where Robin and James sat at the play table, each child drawing on a piece of construction paper. "Look at my hair!"

Robin was enthusiastic while James simply gave his friend a smile.

"Boys and hair—it's just never going to happen," Katniss remarked with a shake of her head. "Where's Haymitch?"

"Zara had a doctor's appointment. Haymitch volunteered to take her since he knew that we would be busy," Effie said. "It's on their way home, anyway."

"It's hard to imagine Haymitch as the father of two girls," she said to her friend.

Effie laughed. "You've been saying that since Zara was born—and she's almost five now!" The two women looked over to where their children played. "Funny how things work out. I mean, I can't believe that Hattie is seven and the twins have just started first grade." She looked at Katniss' burgeoning stomach. The bump had noticeably grown in only a few days. "And, you're having another one!"

"Did you ever think that when you came to Panem that you would end up married with two girls?" Katniss asked.

"Not really. Also, I honestly thought that you would get bored in Panem and come back home to Manhattan," Effie replied. "But it turned out that it was the other way around."

"While you found your way to Brooklyn," Katniss added as she took a sip of water.

The Abernathy Family had found themselves moving to Brooklyn after Zara was born. Effie's business had doubled since she had gained such popularity in party planning. Her decorating business had since expanded to event planning and it seemed to be the most prudent that they lived closer to Manhattan.

"That I did." Effie looked over at the children who were all giggling with one another. "And, we couldn't be happier." She turned to Katniss. "Let's go over Prim's party."

Prim's birthday would be on the rooftop of Katniss' flagship store. It was black-tie and exclusive to their clients, family, and friends. It would also be where they would be officially announcing Katniss' stepping down and Prim's new position in Everdeen Design to the press.

"There will be an announcement to our shareholders on the Friday before the party," Katniss relayed. "I'm sure that many of them will be letting others know."

"AUNTIE KATNISS!" A ball of energy with dark hair and grey eyes rushed over to her.

"ZARA!" She responded as the little girl crawled on her lap. "I thought you went to the doctor?"

"I did," Zara said cheerfully. She held up a stethoscope to her Aunt. "Look—I got a present!"

"We owe the doctor a hundred dollars," Haymitch said as he walked in. He went to his wife and gave her a quick kiss. "How you doing, Katniss?"

"Just party planning with your wife and grooming the next head of Everdeen Design," she told the man. "And yourself?"

"Just being the principal at one of the newest progressive schools in Brooklyn," he told her with a grin. "Not to mention, dealing with the numerous women in my life."

Zara was already hopping off of Katniss' lap and rushing over to the other children. James stood up to give her his seat.

Haymitch shook his head at the sight. "Look at that—a mini Katniss and Peeta right there."

Katniss tilted her head at the two. "Yeah, James does look a lot like Peeta…the hair and the face shape."

"And, Zara—those big grey eyes, that dark hair…" Effie mused as she watched the kids. "We could end up related."

Haymitch snorted. "And, you want to have another one?"

Katniss laughed at his words. Her hand went to the bump tenderly.

"Well, I can't do anything about it now!"

"Tomorrow's the big day," Peeta said as he put a sweater over her shoulders.

"Yes, it is," she replied as she looked out at the sight before her. The streets were mostly empty and the air was still, but chilly. "Prim did well."

The shareholders meeting had gone as well as they had hoped. Prim was professional and courteous. She had presented herself as a formidable asset to the team and took the time during the Q&A to explain her ideas for the upcoming fiscal year.

"So, she really isn't our little girl anymore," her husband said quietly.

"I know," Katniss told him. "But, you have three other kids who are at your beck and call." She turned to him. "Not to mention, you have a wife who is going to need you to entertain her since she won't be running a business anymore."

Peeta lifted her chin and every part of her came alive at the look in his eyes. "Don't worry. I will find plenty of ways to entertain you." His arm snaked around her waist and drew her mouth to his.

She loved the taste of his kiss; part chocolate from the piece he had shared with Prim and part red wine which he had during their dinner of macaroni and cheese—the whole family's favorite food, including the baby inside her.

"Is this part of the entertainment?" she asked as they pulled apart.

Peeta grinned at her. "Definitely part one." He looked around. "You know this is the first place that I really kissed you."

"I thought I kissed you," Katniss said with a smile.

"We'll call it even," her husband responded. "Now, where were we?"

"You were going to entertain me," she replied.

Putting an arm around her, Peeta led her off of the balcony.

"Okay then," he began. "I showed you part one." His mouth went to her neck and her knees nearly buckled at the twisting sensation in her center. "Now, I'm going to show you part two."

Katniss looked to Prim. "You nervous?"

Her sister nodded her head. "How about you?"

"A little," Katniss responded. "But, you know me. I was never good with speaking in public."

Prim took her hand. "You look good, though."

"Thanks." Katniss turned to her sister in her white halter dress dress. "You look very beautiful. Who created that fabulous gown?"

Her sister blushed slightly, her eyes lowered in shyness. "I did."

"Oh, and looky here—" Katniss held out the wide skirt of her emerald-colored gown as she grinned at Prim. "—you made my dress, too!"

"Do you really like it?" Prim asked as they walked down to the front of the store, arms linked and in unison. "I saw you in it while I drew it." She turned to Katniss. "I'm naming it after you."

She squeezed Prim's hand. "Thank you."

They turned to look at the flashing lights at the front door. Cinna and Portia were already addressing the crowd of reporters. The rumor about her stepping down had already surfaced once the shareholder meeting had finished up the day before.

Cinna and Portia were addressing the worries about Everdeen Design's stock should it plummet after her departure. Their reasoning was that the company still thrived with Katniss not as heavily involved in the business since her move from Manhattan years ago.

Her two former co-workers were much better at handling these questions than she was.

"I bet that you're excited to be handling the press," Katniss joked as they made their way behind the podium set-up. There, Peeta and the twins were waiting for them. She went to her husband to fix his tie. "You look nice."

"You look nervous," Peeta told her bluntly. He lifted her chin and kissed her lightly. "But, the gorgeous kind of nervous."

"Come on guys!" Prim hissed as Robin and James covered their eyes. "No one needs to see that."

"Well, that is how your niece and nephew got here," Peeta responded. "Plus, little bun right here." He put a hand to Katniss' swell. The little one in her stomach was fluttering frequently now.

After they returned to Panem, she would have her appointment with Mags to find out the sex of the baby.

"I would now like to turn the podium over to Katniss Everdeen-Mellark for any further questions," Cinna suddenly spoke.

Her feet were suddenly carrying up the stairs and towards Cinna, who stood at the podium. Beside him was Portia, who was clapping furiously with the rest of the crowd.

Katniss turned and found herself staring into the numerous camera lens. She looked down at the written speech that she had prepared, just in case, before meeting the reporters.

"Good evening," she began. "Thank you for coming. I'm sure that there have been numerous rumors about my role as Head of Everdeen Design. I would like to put these reports to rest." Taking a deep breath, she quickly glanced over at Peeta, who stood behind her along with the children and Prim. He gave her an encouraging smile. "So tonight I would like to announce that I will be stepping down from my position, but will continue to serve as an advisor to my co-heads, Cinna Alexander and Portia Allen as well as the new head of the team."

She gave the audience a shaky smile.

"Are there any questions?"

Johanna, dressed in a one-shouldered number, stepped up to field questions. She pointed to the front. "You in the dark navy suit!"

"Mrs. Everdeen-Mellark? John Sully from Women's Wear Daily. Any reason that you are stepping down?"

Katniss took a breath before replying, "I love fashion and for a long time, it was my whole life." She paused for a moment. "But as I started to venture into other avenues, I realized after a while that it stopped being the only thing in my life. I had my children and got married." Her hand went to her stomach and several flashes went off. "I want to move forward because I've already reached every goal I've ever set out to achieve in the fashion world. To put it simply—I want more."

"Next question," Johanna said. "You." She pointed to a woman in a sharp business suit.

"Ariana Oates from Elle Magazine UK," the woman said in a posh accent. "Can you tell us about the new head of Everdeen Design?"

"The new head is someone that I've known for a majority of my life," Katniss said, her lips growing in a proud grin. "She has been in the fashion world since she was thirteen as a model and has continued to educate herself beyond the runway. Cinna has often turned to her for her keen sense of style and Portia works with her on our budget as well as input on how we can tighten the brand and our mission." She smiled at the crowd. "She also designed and oversaw the team who created my gown for tonight."

Stepping away from the podium, Katniss placed a hand to her hip and slowly turned each way to show off Prim's gown. She could see the furious scribbling on notepads and the cameras slowly angling from top to bottom.

Going back to the podium, she looked to Johanna who then turned to the crowd. "Last question—you!"

A small, squat man called out, "Claudius Templesmith—Vogue Magazine. Mrs. Everdeen-Mellark, the question on everyone's minds is—who is the new co-head of Everdeen Design?"

"Good question," Katniss responded with a grin. "I would like to introduce the newest member to the Everdeen Design team—" She turned to Prim before looking to the crowd. "Miss Primrose Mellark."

There was uproar as Katniss finished saying Prim's name. There was clapping but there were also many who were shouting questions. She knew there would be. Prim was one of the youngest people in Manhattan to be running a company. This fact was especially interesting as it was in the fashion industry.

Prim took a deep breath before walking forward, her steps confident. She hugged Cinna and Portia, then walked up to the podium and hugged Katniss tightly.

"Thank you," Prim told her simply. Katniss nodded, the tears suddenly rising from within as she stepped back to where Peeta and the children stood. Robin and James rushed over to hug her waist.

"You look so pretty, Mama," James told her, his grey eyes gazing up at her in adoration.

"Can I wear that dress when I grow up?" Robin asked, her dark ringlets bouncing with her.

"I bet if you're really nice, Aunt Prim will make you one," she told their daughter before she looked to Peeta. "It's over." The bittersweet sadness welled up in her and Katniss gave him a sad smile.

Her husband kissed her softly. "Sweetheart, it's far from over."

They turned to watched Prim address the crowd.

"Good evening," Prim started. Katniss was amazed at how poise their sister was. She looked so grown up with her blonde hair smoothed and brought to a large bun at the nape of her long neck. Her makeup was clean, with long dark lashes and red lips. "My name is Primrose Mellark. Many of you may have seen me as a model for Everdeen Design as well as for a number of other designers including Chloé and Marc Jacobs. For a long time, I knew that I loved fashion. I love the way that fashion has a way of effecting our lives in so many positive ways. It is an industry that is diverse, creative and fun. We find beauty in all shapes and sizes and our overall goal is to make every person be the best that they can be through clothing. That statement is something that I have always believed in—that we want to be the best selves that we can be."

Prim looked around the room, meeting everyone's eyes boldly.

"I know that I am young. But, age should never be a deterrent in doing what you want," she continued. "I learned that from my brother and from Katniss." Prim looked to them, a smile in her blue eyes. "They have always taught me that the world is open to anyone who is willing to take it by the hands. I believe that I can bring that determined spirit to Everdeen Design and further it beyond anything this industry has ever known. I was raised to value innovation, creativity, and overall passion in what you do. My late parents endeavored to teach myself and my brother that these factors often lead to success and overall happiness in one's self."

There was a sharp intake of breath and she turned to see Peeta's eyes damp at his sister's words.

Taking his hand, Katniss lifted it to kiss his knuckles.

"Why don't we bring the kids to bed?" she suggested.

Peeta lifted Robin into his arms as she took James' hand as his other hand rubbed at his eyes.

"Shouldn't we stay for Prim?" he asked her.

Katniss looked to their sister who continued to speak to crowd.

Prim looked perfectly in control.

She shook her head before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"No, she's going to be alright."

"Katniss! Peeta!"

They turned to see Prim rushing towards them along with Rue, who had flown in for the rooftop birthday from San Francisco where she was going to school.

The couple hugged Rue hello before turning to their sister.

"How did it go?" Peeta asked anxiously.

"It went as well as it could," Prim told him. "There were a lot of questions about my experience and what I would bring to the table. But, I think I'd rather show them rather than explain it to them." She kissed her brother on the cheek. "Thank you for believing that I could do this."

"Just because I did, it's not going to make me any less worried," Peeta informed her. "Though, I think you're going to do great." He pulled his sister into his arms. "I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of you, too," their sister replied, her voice choked.

"You two are a bunch of saps," Rue suddenly interrupted and stuck her tongue out at the two. Katniss laughed at the girl's expression. "I almost don't want to give you your present, Prim."

Prim whipped around to her best friend. "You have to! I made your backpack for you!"

Rue snapped her fingers in annoyance.

"Damn. It is a first edition design from Prim Mellark. My present is not nearly as cool!"

"Geez, Rue! What am I—a bag of socks?"

They turned to find Rory in a black tux standing before them, grinning from ear to ear, his eyes focused solely on Prim.

"RORY!"

Prim was already running to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her easily and the two spun gracefully before Rory placed her back on the ground.

Katniss had to admit—they made a beautiful couple with their captivating contrast of dark and light. Rory had grown just as tall as Gale and in heels, Prim was just about equal in height. He had brushed his dark hair back to neaten his appearance but there a slight bit of scruff coming in along his strong jawline. It was strange to see it on a boy who she had babysat as a child.

On the other hand, she just handed off her company to a girl who used to throw Cheerios on her.

"Wow," Rory said as he looked Prim over. "This dress is very you—bold, beautiful, and leaving you wanting more."

"Down boy," Peeta interrupted as he went to shake Rory's hand. "I'm still in charge of who stays and who goes at this party."

Rory smiled sheepishly. "Yes, Peeta." He gave Katniss a kiss. "You look wonderful. Gale and Madge say hello."

"We'll see them and the rest of their bunch when we get back," she told him.

"What are you doing here?" Prim asked, her blue eyes glowing.

There was no doubt that time had not diminished the feelings that the two had for one another.

"I'm transferring over to NYU. Just put down a deposit on a little apartment in Brooklyn that Haymitch found for me," he informed them though his eyes remained on Prim. "Also, it's close to my Mom's place."

"Your mom is moving, too?" Prim asked.

"Well, she's going to have to," Katniss told her sister. "It'll be difficult for the newest 'Whimsy in the City' ambassador to travel back and forth. You remember how it was!"

Katniss nodded her head at someone across the room and they all looked to see Posy, now fifteen, chatting with Cinna and Portia. The pretty dark-haired girl waved at the group before going back to her conversation.

"Talk about a mini-Katniss," Rue remarked. "Was that the angle that they were going for?"

"I think that they wanted to show that, in some way, I would always be around," Katniss said to her.

"She's been modeling in small shows," Rory said before meeting Prim's eyes again. "You're her idol."

"Did you want to go…talk?" Prim suddenly asked as she took his hand.

Rory nodded, a small blush creeping on his chiseled face. "With you? Always and yes."

The two walked away leaving Rue alone with Katniss and Peeta.

"I think I'm going to go and have Cinna introduce me to that cute model from the Cor Magnus line," Rue said. She kissed the couple goodbye before adjusting her golden dress and walking over to Cinna, who was now talking to the young man.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Mrs. Mellark," Peeta said as he met her eyes. "You think you'll be happy waking up to this face about five…ten…fifteen years from now?"

"Always," she told him. "In fact, let's go home so we can get in bed and wake up to each other."

"Will there be anything happening prior to the waking up part?" Peeta asked eagerly.

Katniss winked at him as she pulled him toward the exit door of the roof. "Oh yeah—definitely."

Three Days Later…

"Remember to listen to your parents," Prim said as she knelt before James and Robin. "Also, make sure that you don't stress your Mommy out because she has to rest and take care of your little brother or sister."

"Yes, Auntie Prim," the two said in unison.

"Now come here and give me a hug!" She engulfed the two kids in her arms. "I love you my Robby and Jamie!" Prim pulled away to give them kisses on the cheeks. "I'll see you soon."

Together, the three went to Peeta and Prim dove into her brother's arms. "Take care of them."

"Of course, little sister," Peeta said as he held her tight. He kissed her forehead before pulling away. "Remember to pace yourself. Get enough rest, but have fun. You're still young." He looked over to where Rory stood, his hands being tugged at by the twins. They had wandered over to Prim's on-again boyfriend and were now using him as their personal climbing tree. "And…not too many sleepovers."

Prim turned scarlet. "Peeta!"

"You run your own company, you run your own life," he told his sister. "But, I'll always be here when you need me and even when you don't."

Prim hugged him once more. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Peeta said in a tight voice.

Finally, Prim turned to Katniss. "Thank you for everything."

Katniss wrapped her arms around her sister. It would be a long time before she could fly over to see everyone, including Prim, as it would be too dangerous for her to fly as she got later into her pregnancy.

"You did it all yourself." Katniss lifted Prim's chin as they pulled apart. "But, thanks for sitting with a lonely woman on a porch many years ago."

"It was my pleasure," Prim replied as she wiped her eyes. "Why am I crying? I'm going to see you in three weeks for Christmas!"

"Because when you leave us, you're in charge of yourself," Katniss said to her. "But, I think that you've known how to take care of yourself since the day I ran into you."

"I'm always going to need my family," her sister told her in a thick voice. "Katniss…you were the one that made our family whole."

Katniss didn't want Prim to see her tears, so instead she kissed her sister's forehead.

"I love you," Prim whispered into her ear. "Thanks for sitting with me on that porch and giving me your coat."

Peeta approached them solemnly as Robin and James flanked his sides.

"We better go. We still have to get through security."

With a final kiss to Prim and a hug to Rory, the Mellarks turned to go towards the security gate.

Katniss knew that Prim and Rory were watching them leave and she knew that she couldn't look back to them—and to Manhattan.

That wasn't her life anymore.

Her eyes met Peeta's before looking to her children who smiled brightly at their mother.

They were her life now.

"You ready?" Peeta asked as he took her hand.

"Yes." She entwined her fingers with his. "Let's go home."

FIN.

First…

Mr. JLaLa's notes:

Like you, I'm saddened that we have reached the end of Tides. It's been one wild ride, hasn't it?

I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being so receptive and supportive of my wife's passion. It's an even greater honor to be recognized by you and I'm happy to be of service to her as well as to all of you.

The part that excites me the most is how you all react to the story. To know that my wife's words can make you laugh, cry, be angry or surprise you speaks a lot to me of how incredible she is as a writer.

Thank you all!

And, now me—JLaLa!

First off, thank you for your support.

This story was the first one that my husband and I ever worked on together—and we're so happy with how it turned out.

There's so much more that I could go into, but I think that for now it is the end.

I will let you guess what the baby's sex is—but it's already somewhere in the story. ;)

As always, your hellos, feedback, and reviews are always welcomed.

With love, JLaLa