Author's note: Thanks so much for sticking through to the end of this story. I hope this epilogue brings you joy.

Many thanks to both my betas through this entire story Everlylark and JavisTG. This story wouldn't be the same without your input from start to finish. Thanks so, so much!

Thank you a million times to my bestie and prereader writingbutunpublished. You definitely helped keep me on track at times when I thought of doing more than necessary to this fic.

And thanks again, you lovely readers, for every bit of feedback you have given through this story.

Happy reading!

Epilogue

Elizabeth Everdeen-Mellark came into the world screaming just shy of Katniss and Peeta's fifth anniversary.

Sam, Becca, and Callie all gathered close to meet their new sister.

Peeta held her out so they could see better. "What do you think?"

"She looks a lot like Katniss." Callie said.

"Yeah, and a good thing, too." Sam said, giving her stepfather a teasing grin. "Who needs another one of you wandering around?"

"Gee, thanks, Sam." Peeta said with a chuckle. "What are you thinking, Becca?"

"I'm thinking I just really want a brother." Becca looked up at Peeta. "You're going to have more, right?"

Peeta let out a guffaw. "You don't think four is enough?"

Becca shrugged. "Sam will graduate soon, so you can just have another one then." She looked down at her new baby sister again. "But she is cute."

"Thank you." Peeta gave each of his older girls a kiss on the cheek. "You can go in and see your mom in a few minutes. I'll let you know." He turned with Beth close to his chest and made his way back to Katniss.

Sam graduated from high school as valedictorian. She got a full scholarship to a college in the neighboring state. Katniss cried buckets on the day they moved her in.

"I can't believe my oldest daughter is a college freshman." Katniss sobbed as they drove away.

Peeta squeezed her hand. "It just means more room for the new baby."

She gave a watery laugh. "She wasn't too happy with that news."

"The other girls will be." He kissed her knuckles. "You weren't when you took that test."

"We decided we were done." She lifted her finger to trace the width of his smiling lips. "Four kids. Four was a good number."

"Five will be just as good." He assured her. "And now Beth is potty trained, so diapers should be no problem."

"We're never going to be away from the diapers!" Katniss grumbled.

"Of course we will. For the next few months, at least." Peeta chuckled and kissed her hand again. "And maybe this one will be a boy."

"Becca has brothers. She can finally stop begging us for one."

"Yeah, I can't believe Gale and Madge had twins."

She laughed. "We pretty much do with our middle girls." She rested her hand on her stomach a moment. "I'm glad we decided to have another. I like you in Dad Mode. Especially when they're small."

"I wanted a big family. I'm glad you let me live my dream." He stopped at a red light.

"Well, you don't make me be the sole caretaker, so I'm totally fine with it." She let out a large yawn.

He glanced over just before he started forward under the green light. "Why don't you sleep? You've been restless all week."

She nodded and leaned her seat back. "I sure do love you."

"I love you too." He rested his hand on her thigh as she drifted off to sleep.

Peeta bounced Ben on his knee while Beth told him a story.

"And then Ben had bad poop in his diaper!" Beth said seriously

Katniss walked in just then. "She was a very big helper about it." She pressed a kiss to Peeta's lips as she passed. "Beth even helped Ben take a bath afterward."

"Yeah, it was yucky!" Beth made a disgusted face.

Peeta laughed. "Well, that's what big sisters are for, right?"

Becca and Callie came through the front door talking rapidly. They waved and walked into the room they shared.

Katniss held out her arms for Ben. "Your night to cook supper."

Peeta heaved a dramatic sigh. "Fine. But Callie and Becca are supposed to help."

The teens called, "What?"

"Come help with supper." Peeta called back.

Becca came into the kitchen. "Callie has a lot of math homework." She went to the sink to wash her hands.

"Does she really?" Peeta asked. "Or is she just saying that so she can talk with her boyfriend?"

"She really does." Becca said. "Would I lie?"

Katniss scoffed. "Do you really want an answer to that one?" She bounced Ben.

Becca sighed and amended, "Okay, would I lie now after how much I got in trouble for lying about getting a speeding ticket?"

"You better not." Peeta warned. He handed her a bag of potatoes. "Peel those, please? And chop up for mashed potatoes."

"You got it, Pops!" Becca started working.

Katniss sat Ben in the floor of the living room and handed him some toys. She asked Beth to play with her brother for a while and then went to see about Callie.

"Math homework?" Katniss asked.

Callie looked up from her lap desk, pencil stuck between her teeth. "It's kicking my ass pretty hard this year, Katniss."

With a smile, Katniss sat beside Callie and looked over her shoulder. "You've never been big on math." She took Callie's pencil and erased the answer on the last problem. "You skipped a step."

Katniss walked Callie through all the steps of each problem, but she made it through just as Peeta called them in to eat supper.

"I'll make sure you pass this class, even if it kills me." Katniss promised as they walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks, Katniss." Callie took the stack of plates from Becca and set the table.

"No problem." Katniss picked Ben up off the floor. "Hey, Ben, did you tell Daddy your new word yet?"

"New word?" Peeta leaned down. "What new word?"

"Oh, we've been working on it for days." Katniss smiled. "Ben, can you say 'baby' for Daddy and your sisters? Baby?"

Ben smiled, but refused to say the word his mother prompted.

"Baby?" Peeta smiled. "Have you and Beth been playing babies?"

"A little bit." Katniss looked around the room. All activity stopped. "Ben, can you tell Daddy and your sisters 'Mommy's having a baby?'"

"You're not!" Becca said, a wide grin on her face.

"Ben isn't even a year old!" Callie's face was full of disbelief.

Peeta was in a state of shock.

Beth tugged on his arm, "Daddy, why do you look like that?"

Peeta picked Beth up and placed a hand on Katniss's cheek. "Are you being serious?"

Katniss nodded with tears in her eyes. "I thought it was something else, so I went to the doctor and—"

Peeta interrupted her with a kiss. "We'll be okay."

"I never believed we wouldn't be." Katniss said softly.

They finished settling in for supper, both the older girls completely silent.

Peeta, however, chattered on. "Ben and the new baby can share a room. We can move Beth into the other bedroom. I'm sure Sam won't mind."

"We talked about adding on." Katniss pointed out, offering a spoon of mashed potatoes to Ben. "We could make a little in-law suite that can be just Sam's when she comes home. With a little kitchenette and bathroom."

"I like that idea." Peeta turned to Beth. "You know how to eat mashed potatoes, Elizabeth. Stop making a mess."

"Sorry, Daddy." Beth said meekly.

"Are you two ever going to stop?" Becca asked a little harshly.

Katniss looked over and gave her daughter a reassuring smile. "We're definitely not going to have any more after this one. Don't worry, your inheritance won't be stretched any further."

Callie snorted. "Inheritance?"

"The sporting goods company is flourishing." Katniss said. "And I still have enough skin in that game that all you kids get a decent portion of it when I go."

"And then there's the cake shop and the bakery." Peeta added. "You guys will all be fine." He reached over and patted Katniss's stomach. "Even this little peanut."

Katniss covered his hand with hers. "God, I love you."

Peeta leaned over and kissed her.

Becca laughed. "You know, you two have really ruined my ideas about how relationships could go. Even if I meet my soulmate, I'll never be able to match up."

Callie nodded. "Yep, you've really changed up the expectations."

"Good, then neither of you will ever get married." Peeta said. He leaned over and kissed Katniss again.

"Katniss, they're here." Peeta called into the shop.

Katniss stretched her fingers out as she put down the spindle she'd been sanding. Her hands got stiff a lot more these days. The crib she was making for Beth's baby was almost done. It just needed final sanding and staining.

This would be their fourth grandchild. Sam had two and Callie had one. Becca swore she didn't want any kids. Ben and Nate were still in high school, so Katniss was hopeful it would still be at least a couple more years until they even considered children. There was plenty of time.

Katniss stepped into the house and was attacked around the knees by her granddaughter. "Well, hello, June-bug." She lifted the tiny 7-year-old into her arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Hi, Grandma!" June said happily. "Were you making something out there?"

"A crib for your cousin." Katniss put her down and held open her arms to Ethan as he toddled inside holding Sam's hand. "There's my little man."

"Gamma!" Ethan exclaimed and ran to her arms.

"Where's Dave?" Katniss asked, pressing a kiss to Ethan's cheek.

"Right here." Dave walked into the house behind Peeta, both of them loaded down with bags. "It looks like it's about to start coming down out there. I hope everyone else makes it safely."

"They'll be okay." Katniss kissed Ethan again and then put him down. She smoothed a hand over June's hair. "I'm going to change out of my sawdust covered clothes." She walked by and squeezed Sam's hand. "I'll be right down."

Katniss changed quickly, combing the dust out of her hair as best she could. She heard the door open and an excited exclamation from Sam.

Surprisingly, Anton, the young man Callie met and fell in love with, was Sam's soulmate. It had been a source of fear for Sam for a while. With her parents' soulmates being romantic, she was so scared of breaking up her marriage and her stepsister's relationship. But they decided to be up-front from the moment they felt the spark and it resulted in a close friendship.

Katniss walked down the stairs to see the happy reunion. Peeta held Reed above his head. The baby reached down toward his grandfather, letting out a sweet little giggle. Peeta pulled Reed against his chest and kissed his head.

Katniss walked over and rubbed Reed's cheek. "There's our current youngest."

"Not for much longer." Beth waddled through the door.

"You're huge! Are you going to make it through this weekend?" Sam commented, patting her sister's stomach.

"I don't know. I hope so. My doctor is two hours away." Beth lowered herself between Ben and Nate on the love seat. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good." Ben said.

"Better than you." Nate rubbed Beth's belly and laughed. "That one didn't like my joke."

"No, she's just not too happy that we had to ride that whole way. She likes me to move around." Beth sighed and looked toward her husband. "Hey, Phil, will you bring me my lumbar pillow from the car? I forgot to pick it up."

"Sure thing." Phil turned and stepped out. He poked his head back in. "Snow's starting." He was out again.

"Has anyone heard from Becca?" Katniss asked.

Peeta took out his phone. "Text a half hour ago that she was just about done with work."

Katniss looked out the window. "Hope she gets here soon."

"She'll be fine." Peeta wrapped his arms around her for behind. "She's the most cautious one of all our kids." He kissed her cheek and then stepped back.

The touch of Peeta's lips against her cheek sent a wave of calm through Katniss. "She's also the most headstrong."

Phil came inside and helped settle Beth. He brushed his fingers over her cheek and she let out a long breath. Katniss was so happy with the soulmates their kids had found so far.

"Can we decorate the tree yet, Grandma?" June asked.

"Let's wait a bit more for Aunt Becca." Katniss smoothed her hand down her granddaughter's hair. "I need to go close up my shop."

Peeta followed her outside. "Hey, Katniss." He closed the door to the shop and grabbed her hand. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm anxious about everything with Leslie. Becca didn't tell them anything. I just don't want her to be hurt."

"She won't be hurt. Everyone will like Leslie as much as we do." He pulled her close and smoothed her hair out of her face. "And they're soulmates. I think everyone will forgive the elopement for that." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Come on, let's close this down. I'll make some hot chocolate and get supper started."

Katniss unplugged all her tools and put them away. She pushed the parts of the crib off to the side and covered it with a drop cloth. "I can sweep later." She took Peeta's hand and followed him inside.

Peeta went to the kitchen and set up the hot chocolate and then he got out the ingredients for a large pot of chili.

The hot chocolate was being passed around when the door opened and Becca poked her head around it. "Hey, did you save some of that for me?"

"Aunt Becca!" June called, setting her mug on the coffee table.

Becca grabbed the little girl up in her arms and hugged her tight before pulling Ethan up and kissing his little face. She leaned over Reed and brushed her fingers over his cheeks. She went around the room hugging everyone else. She wrapped her arms around Katniss last.

"Where is she?" Katniss whispered.

"I asked her to wait outside a minute." Becca whispered back. "I've been so nervous all day." She turned toward the front door.

"Well, hello." Peeta said kindly to the young woman standing just inside. "You can come inside, we won't bite."

The young woman nodded and held out her hand to Peeta. "Yes, that's me. Nice to finally meet you in person, Mr. Mellark."

"Peeta, please." Peeta shook her hand warmly. "Nice to meet you too, Leslie."

Katniss smiled and greeted Leslie. "Hey, you're a real person."

"Definitely not some hired actress." Leslie said with a deep Southern drawl. She looked around the room. "I've never been around other soulmates before."

"Oh, you're in for an interesting weekend, then." Peeta said. "There are four sets of us here now."

"Have you met Gale and Madge yet?" Katniss asked.

"We're going over there tomorrow." Becca said, slipping her hand into Leslie's. "Before all the big festivities."

Sam cleared her throat. "Um, there are other people here, sis."

Becca pulled Leslie into the living room. "Guys, this is my soulmate Leslie."

Everyone started to stand to greet the newcomer, but Becca stopped them.

"She's also my wife." Becca's voice shook.

The room exploded in a louder chorus of excitement as they all tripped over themselves to hug Becca and Leslie.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged a proud look. They had both been worried Becca's siblings would be judgmental about the situation. But they were now asking questions about how they met and what they knew of their other lives together.

Peeta slipped his arm around Katniss's waist. "We did a pretty good job, didn't we?" He said softly.

"We did." She looked up at him. "I can't wait to see what the rest of this life has in store for us." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

Their kids started whooping.

Everyone but Nate who called, "Ah, get a room!"

Peeta broke the kiss and looked at the group. "Chili should be ready soon and then we can decorate the tree." He kissed Katniss again and then sat down in the floor and gathered Reed close. Ethan and June piled on.

Katniss sat beside Leslie. She smiled around the room at her family. It was growing so much by the day. She and Peeta really had done well this time around.