Katniss and the Rebels

Chapter 41: Epilogue

AN: This chapter is dedicated to Marius and Elvendork. Thanks for your constant feedback and encouragement. Without you too I probably wouldn't have written Madge and Gale together and I definitely wouldn't have the courage to write Darius and Thom together. So thanks for everything.

I hope this meets all of your expectations and I hope you like it.

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- 6 Years Later -

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Peeta POV

I push through the wooden door of the Hob and am met with the familiar scent of Sae's delicious food and the welcoming greeting smiles of the residents I've come to know better and better over the past few years.

I still remember the first time I came in here with Katniss all those years ago.

We weren't even together at the time, we were working on that ridiculous Home Ec. project for Ms. Trinket and I worked on it at the countertop at the top of the room while she breezed around the bar with her polite smile, cute black apron and a heavy tray of food on her arm.

The eyes of every customer had been on me that day, surely curious as to why the baker's youngest son would visit their part of town. I remember swallowing the tightness in my throat because I admit I had been nervous but it wasn't their opinions I cared about, it was only Katniss's.

Funny how it's been over 6 years since that day and that hasn't changed.

Something else that hasn't changed is the Hob. The homely, comforting feeling is still here. Sae is as healthy and in charge as ever and she always makes a point to talk to me whenever I come in.

She and I are talking about proposing a contract between the Hob and the bakery, Dad's on board but he's letting me take the reins of it.

I'm the manager of the bakery now so he's letting me take charge of these sorts of things.

It's a lot of work but I enjoy it. I really do.

I started working full time at the bakery when I finished my college business course two years ago. Then Dad promoted me to manager a few months ago when I completed an extra night-time food management course. It's working out great so far.

Dad's a lot happier too. He and my mother revealed that they were separating when I came home for Christmas my first year at college. A few months later they filed for a divorce and now they're happily parted.

I know that seeing your parents get divorced is usually heartbreaking but for my brothers and me, it wasn't. It was always just a matter of time and we all knew that.

Of course my mother tried to take my dad for all the money she could get but dad actually ended up hiring Madge's family friend Boggs and he made sure that my mother only got what she was entitled to and what she deserved; nothing more and nothing less.

I take a seat at the bar and order a glass of water from Haymitch. He grumbles something under his breath but gets me my drink anyway.

Katniss says that he's drinking a lot less, not exactly sober but he's not swiping a slug from his flask every chance he gets so that's a good thing.

Town gossip says that's because he's been getting rather friendly with Ms. Trinket from school but I learned a long time ago that town gossip more often than not is mostly lies.

I turn to the left and see the stage being set up for Katniss and the Rebel's show tonight.

Darius is assembling the drum's breakables with Thom's help; Gale is tuning the guitars while Katniss is setting up their microphones.

Just from watching them, anyone could see that they've done this a thousand times before.

And while I've seen them do it at least a hundred times before, it never gets old.

Before every show, Gale has that look of focused concentration on his face as he tunes out the rest of the bar and focuses solely on the sounds coming from the plucking of the strings.

How every time Thom helps Darius set up the drum kit, Darius's eyes flit to Thom every few seconds just to make sure that he's doing it right and that he won't somehow damage Darius's pride and joy (aka his beloved drums).

The change from Katniss's stiffened posture as it slowly relaxes each minute leading up to performing before finally when the music starts and all the tension leaves her body and she's finally free.

"Peeta! Hey!"

The words and a sharp clap on my back have me turning around in my chair and smiling.

"Finnick, Annie, hi, glad you could make it!"

They take the seats next to me and order their own drinks.

"Yeah well, I figured we may as well come seeing as we're home for the weekend." Finnick says, not so subtly winking at me and I shake my head, grateful that Katniss wasn't here to see that.

Finnick and Annie moved to District Four three years ago. First they lived in a lovely ocean view apartment but after they got married last year, they put down a lease on a family home by the seaside.

Katniss and I saw it when we visited them two months ago and it's gorgeous. Big enough but not too big, warm and welcoming with a back porch that you can sit on and look out at the beach.

It's beautiful and the perfect place for the both of them to start their married lives together.

I've a big enough apartment here in District Twelve. It's still in the town but it's far enough away from the bakery that I have some breathing room.

Katniss unofficially moved in last year, she's not always in District Twelve, especially seeing as Katniss and the Rebels spent the last year touring America and they did the same in smaller places two years before that but all her stuff is at my place and she lives there whenever she's not touring.

Katniss and the Rebels turned out to be a big hit in America. They've released two albums and this summer they are touring Europe to promote their third that's coming out in a few weeks.

They have a pretty significant fan base who love them dearly which the four of them still find hilarious.

But a few months ago Katniss and I were lying in bed, it was the first night she came back from her tour and as we were drifting off to sleep, I asked if she was glad she made this decision.

If she was glad that she chose to sign the contract with James Heavensbee and not go to college.

She told me it was the second best decision of her life.

When I asked what the first was, she snuggled into me and smiled, murmuring into my chest,

"Agreeing to go on that first date with you."

And that's when everything fell into place and I knew what I wanted.

I wanted that moment, lying in bed, falling asleep with Katniss, every night for the rest of my life.

"Oh great! Madge is here!"

At Annie's voice, I snap out of my thoughts and turn, spotting Madge making her way through the tables and chairs.

She gives Gale a small wave and then sits beside me, running a hand through her tousled blonde hair.

"I'm so sorry I'm late! The train got delayed."

After Madge graduated from the Academy of Ballet, she's been starring here and there in small ballet recitals. The one she's currently in has her as one of the main dancers and she's performing it in the Capital but she came back for tonight.

Gale has been staying with her for the past month but he travelled down two nights ago as he wanted to catch up with his friends before the show.

Gale and Madge are still together.

They worked through some pretty tough years of long distance. It got particularly rocky at one point when they hadn't seen each other for over ten months but they loved each other too much to let that ruin them.

Thankfully they're very happy now.

Speaking of happy, I look over and see that Thom and Darius have finished setting up the drums and are laughing over something or another; they're still together too.

They came out to Katniss and Gale the Christmas after high school ended. Katniss and Gale of course knew the whole time and supported them one hundred percent.

It wasn't Katniss and Gale's approval that they were worried of though.

Thom's parents were understanding as they had suspected something for years so they didn't mind at all. Darius's parents on the other hand were clueless and it took a lot of courage and multiple times of them backing out for Darius and Thom to finally tell them.

They were surprised but once they accepted that it really wasn't some phase Darius was going through, they quickly got over it and Thom even had Christmas dinner at their house last year (big deal for them because Darius's parents are quite religious).

Darius and Thom have their own apartment in District Ten. It's only a half hour away on the train and it's close to the record studio that Katniss and the Rebels work in.

So yeah they're really happy too.

It's pretty magical I suppose. All the couples from high school are still together even after all these years. Well the couples we care about anyway. I'm pretty sure I heard from my mother a few years ago that Cato Hunter split up with Glimmer after school ended.

Though last I heard he was arrested for dealing drugs or something so needless to say, I couldn't care less who he's dating these days.

Even Prim and Rory are still together. They refuse to let Gale and Katniss know too much about their relationship but they're a lot more open about their relationship now. Prim is preparing to study medicine once their senior years ends while Rory will study history, which of course Gale very proud.

Over the next half hour, the Hob fills up. Most are regulars who have been watching the Rebels performing here for years but there are a few who travelled specifically to see them tonight.

Like I said, they're kind of a big deal in America at the moment.

Katniss taps the microphone and everyone knows that it's time for the show to start.

The four of us at the bar stand and stand in front of the stage. We aren't at the front but near enough to see the band clearly.

I feel a hand squeeze my arm and I see Annie grinning madly beside me.

God dammit, Finnick must have told her, why do I ever tell him anything?

Finnick and I are still best friends. Both of us made friends when we went to different colleges but us being so close never changed.

He didn't like the course he chose but at college he joined the swim team which he adored. The coach saw pure talent in him and urged him to pursue a career in swimming.

Finnick was uncertain but after a little encouragement from Annie and me, he gave in. He finished college and immediately went back to work as a trainee under his swimming coach, Mags.

He has the potential to swim professionally but Finnick says that for now he's content with helping people learn to improve their skill. He also doesn't want the hassle of constant training when he's just getting his married life with Annie started and that's understandable.

I know first-hand what that's like to have your job affect your relationship. Those times when Katniss was on tour were difficult but we made it work. I visited her at several of her shows and I must say that seeing strangers singing along to the words of my girlfriend's songs was incredible.

Songs that I had been the first to listen to, songs that I knew the true meaning of and even some songs that were written about me.

We were nervous at the idea of long distance for so many months and I know when she tours Europe this summer, it'll be difficult but I'll visit her in some countries and take time off work (benefits of having your dad as a boss) and we'll skype constantly I'm sure.

This is what she loves, writing and singing her own music with her best friends and travelling the world, this has always been her dream.

And I'm beyond proud of her.

The lights dim and instantly clapping erupts throughout the Hob. Madge and I are probably cheering the loudest as usual.

Darius sits himself behind the drums and Gale and Thom put on their instruments, ready for action.

Katniss steps forward to the mic stand and when the crowd dies down, she speaks,

"Hi everyone! Thanks so much for coming and seeing us tonight. And thanks Sae for having us back here after all this time. Seeing as this is sort of where the Rebels and I all began, we thought it would be the perfect time to sing our new single for the first time."

More clapping and cheering and I spot Katniss's familiar blush as her and Gale make eye contact and laugh to themselves.

"So anyway, this is from our new album Catching Fire and this song is called My Mockingbird. I hope you like it."

I feel someone nudge me in the ribs teasingly, clearly knowing that the song is directed at me but I don't look to see who as my eyes are trained on the stage.

Gale, Thom and Darius begin to play the soft, delicate intro music and with the spotlight on the stage, I can see Katniss clearly and as her sparkling grey eyes sweep the audience before they finally land on me.

A wide, beautiful smile graces her face and I return the smile just as brightly.

Discreetly, I slip my hand down to my right trouser pocket and trace my fingers along the smooth surface of the ring box that hides there.

'Tonight' I promise myself 'I'm definitely doing it tonight'.

Then Katniss opens her mouth and starts to sing and with that I let myself drift away to the silky voice that has captivated me since I was five years old.

And in this moment, everything is perfect and I know in my heart that somehow, someway once I have Katniss by my side, everything will always be pretty much perfect.

...

The End

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AN: Thank you so much! I can't believe this is the end. Thanks to everyone who got this far because man I know those first few chapters were hard to read. Thanks to everyone who followed and favourited and especially to the people who reviewed. I read every single one and they mean so much to me.

So please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you thought of the ending, the last few chapters or the story in general.

I don't post on here that much anymore for anything more than this fic so if you want to read some of my newer stuff then you can find me on AO3 as KillianJones32

Again thank you and I love you all.

So I'll end this as I've ended every other chapter for who knows how long...

Thanks for reading!

- xTeam Mockingjayx