I'm terrible. I know. All these unplanned hiatuses making you guys think I'm gone. I'm not. I'm determined to finish this story. Even if it takes me ages. There's still so much to tell, after all.

Even if I'm gone a year, though that is a terribly long wait and I don't blame those who leave, or even forget about this fic, I will come back.

Also, happy belated birthday, DHTDesty, and anyone else who's birthday I missed in my absence. Forgive the lateness.

***Citrus Warning*** ***Lemon Ahead***

Chapter 22: Adjustments

The first night home was not spent sleeping. Though his girls managed to find some solstice in the nightly hours, Cato stayed up. He spent most of those dark moments lying in bed, his arms around Katniss and Rue - who had been invited to spend her first night in 12 with her new parents. The bed was warm with three bodies in it, yet such warmth did not cause Cato to join his girls in slumber. After hours of catching up with Prim, Mrs. Everdeen, Gale and the Hawthornes, and many others in District 12 who had wanted to welcome their victors back home, Cato though he would be exhausted, though this was clearly not the case.

Cato carefully untangled himself from the girls and managed to get out of bed without waking them. He yawned twice as he quietly padded down the hall to the stairs where he made his way into the livingroom. He had time to waste while the girls sleep and one of his homecoming presents has been on his mind most of the night. It was a gift from Haymitch and Brutus, two gifts technically as both were books. The first volume was slim but its title (Acrophobia to Zelophilia: Kinks and Curves For Sheets of All Thread Counts) told him that it held knowledge he would absorb greedily. The second volume, Satin Secrets, was many inches thick, and promised detailed explanations of all sexual practices. It was an encyclopedia of sorts.

Taking both books off the living room coffee table where he had thrown them after the girls headed to bed, Cato flopped onto the unfamiliar couch and went directly to the table of contents in "Acro to Zelo".

Section A:

Acrophobia, page 3

Adamism, page 4

Agaptism, page 4

Agoraphilia, page 4

Aidoiomania, page 5

Albutophilia, page 5

Allorgasmia, page 5

Amaurophilia, page 6

So far, even he didn't understand half of these words. Skimming the page, he found something that looked interesting, if only because he wanted to understand the acronym and turned to the correct page number.

BDSM:

a generic term for alternate, non-standard sexuality comprising any or all of the activities; BDSM play is by mutual consent, which distinguishes it from abuse and assault, just as consent distinguishes sex from rape; games, scenes or scenarios, are negotiated transfers of power between consenting partners and encompass physical and/or psychological interactions. BDSMers belong to all sexual orientations: heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transsexual, monogamous or polyamorous; some individuals even view BDSM as their sexual-orientation; whatever role they assume during a scene or scenario, top or bottom, dominant or submissive, dominator or slave , BDSMers are not necessarily submissive or dominant in other aspects of their lives. BDSM includes a wide range of alternate (often described as kinky) sexual activities: animal-training (human, puppy, dog, pony girl, pony boy, pony rides, doggy training, worm games, faux bestiality), asphyxiation, being blindfolded, being gagged, being serviced, belting ,beating (hard or soft), biting, body-worship , bondage (light or heavy), boot (or foot) worship , breast-bondage , breast whipping , chauffeuring, choking, clothespins, cock worship , collars, corporal-punishment , corset wearing, cuffs, double-penetration , electrical toys (including ultraviolet-wands and electroshock toys), exhibitionism, face slapping, fantasy rape, fantasy gang rape, fire and ice, following orders, forced dressing, forced nudity, forced servitude, furniture of torture(slings, St. Andrew's crosses, etc.), hairbrush spanking, hair pulling, harnessing, heavy-leather use, high heel worship, homage with tongue, hot-waxing, humiliation (in private or in public), ice cubes, interrogations, kidnapping, kneeling, leather restraints, leather sex, lecturing, licking, massage, medical scenes, mouth bits, nipple clamps, over-the-knee spanking, orgasm denial , orgasm control, phone-sex , physical examinations, psychological games (Uniform Role Playing and Daddy/Boy/Girl games, etc.), pussy worship, role-playing, rope bondage, scratching, sensory deprivation, sexual-deprivation , shaving, spanking, slapping, tape gags, teasing, triple-penetration , uniforms, verbal humiliation, whipping. Bestiality is excluded.

Shit, people do this? He wondered while skimming through other sections of the book dedicated to other sexual practices. Cato's head was spinning as he looked over the cartoon diagrams showing examples of different positions used in this particular field of sexual play. His mind immediately replaced the faceless stick figures with Katniss, waking an entirely different part of his body. Shifting slightly, he tried to clear the images from his mind, and picked up his sexual encyclopedia. Subconsciously, he was very glad Rue hadn't stumbled upon these books. He wasn't ready for that conversation with her yet, or ever.

Spending the next few hours researching the different components of BDSM and other kinks in his encyclopedia, Cato managed to work his hormones into frenzy. All of a sudden his fantasies about his wedding night included Katniss's hands bound by a white tie above her head as he refused her release, or tied behind her back while she serviced him, or maybe over his knee...In fact Cato was so caught up in his fantasies and reading, he didn't notice the person reading over his shoulder.

"Developed some knew morning habits while we were apart, did you?" She whispered in his ear.

Cato jumped up from his reclined position on the couch and slammed his books closed in the same move, ashamed at being caught submitting to his perverted thoughts. Though it could have been much worse, as he hadn't been trying to ease the physical tension of his lust, but he knew which page he'd just been on, and Katniss's reaction terrified him more than anything else. Taking the risk, he slowly turned around and met her gaze. She was smirking at him, but he couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Morning..." he murmured lamely.

"I'll say." He winced, and she followed with, "Oh stop it, Cato, I'm not mad."

He stared at her disbelieving and she rolled her eyes at him before launching into an explanation of how just because they hadn't officially crossed that line yet, that he wasn't the only one curious or willing to explore their sexuality. That he needed to remember her pitiful sexual urges when she was sick in the cave, and what that lead to.

"I'm not that fragile, Cato." She said with an eye roll. "Besides, some of this stuff sounds like fun."

He blinked at her, before trying very hard to stop feeling so embarrassed. In fact he wanted to know where these nerves had suddenly come from. He was perfectly fine around her in the Arena. He was confident in himself. So why was his usual macho and emotionally sensitive attitude failing him now?

Katniss broke him out of his thoughts by climbing onto his lap and draping her arms around his neck.

"Stop it." She scolded. "You're over-thinking this a bit too much."

"Yeah..." he murmured.

Rolling her eyes, she leaned in and kissed him. It didn't take very long for his worries to disappear and be replaced with his pent-up sexual frustrations. He greedily licked her bottom lip, barely waiting for her to grant him access as he pulled her closer by her hips. He wanted her so badly. But Rue would be up soon.

"We need to get married..." He mumbled into her neck between licks and kisses.

She hummed in agreement. "We don't exactly have to wait, love."

"We should." he sighed.

"It's not like one of us is going to cut and run afterwards, Cato."

She had a point, but before he could respond, the sound of footsteps could be heard heading for the stairs. They begrudgingly broke apart and Katniss moved to sit beside him, snuggled against his side. He absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair, which he had unconsciously terrorized a few moments before.

"Hey guys." Rue said cheerfully, hopping over the last two steps and looking quite cute in her green pajama pants and tank top.

The greeted her in return and she made her way over to sit on Cato's other side. He was glad that his earlier arousal had died the moment her heard her feet padding upstairs. He was able to sit comfortably with them both cuddled against him, and the offending sex manuals were safely stowed under the couch cushions. Katniss could have the responsibility of Rue's sexual education all to herself; he would stay at Haymitch's for the duration of that future conversation.

"So, what's for breakfast?" Rue asked.

Cato smiled having realized that for the first time that they now had food better than the food in 12 and surely better than the fares in 11, possibly even better than the food in 2, and that the girls had never had chocolate chip waffles. They were something he considered a District 2 rarity, but luckily he could remember his mother's recipe and wanted to spoil his girls.

"I have something in mind, but it's a surprise, and you guys can't be in the kitchen." He told them.

Katniss glanced up at him skeptically, but he didn't cave in and tell her.

"Okay!" Rue agreed, too excited to protest. "What should we do? How long do we need to be away from the kitchen?"

Cato pondered. "Thirty minutes or so should do it. I can be fast."

Moments later, Katniss and Rue were on their way to Prim and Mrs. Everdeen's residence for tea. Cato was mostly quiet by himself, but the typical bustling of kitchen instruments could be heard from the front door. At some point when he was working, Haymitch and Brutus let themselves in and as Cato was ladling batter into their brand new waffle maker, Brutus piped up.

"Spoiling them already, are you?" He inquired.

Still bitter with his mentor, Cato shrugged, and continued the task before him. He didn't have anything to say that hadn't already been said and the argument certainly didn't need to be rehashed on his first morning back home.

"Your father called this morning. He asked how you were settling." Brutus added after a beat.

"Why didn't he just call here?" Cato asked, keeping his voice neutral.

"All your calls are set to forward to us until you two are settled. We figured you wouldn't like the publicity just yet."

No. No they would not. "Can we make it so only my family, Katniss's family, and you two can call us here?" Cato asked.

"Yes."

"Please do." Cato said coldly, intending for that to be the end of the conversation.

Haymitch snorted. "We already did," he said with a sigh. Cato could almost hear his eyes rolling. Clearly this little power struggle between mentor and former pupil was amusing him to no end. But Cato had other things to worry about than making up with Brutus, like his waffles. The first two batches of said breakfast item were completed and stacked on one of the new plates before anyone spoke to him again.

"How'd you sleep?" Haymitch asked.

"I didn't." Cato replied. "Not because of nightmares or anything. I just wasn't tired. I spent most of the night watching the girls sleep." Cato paused. "In all honesty, are you two incapable of getting an appropriate gift?"

Haymitch chuckled. "We figured you'd eventually want to spice things up a bit. Wouldn't do to have the star-crossed victors get divorced because their sex life was the first domino to fall in their marriage failing."

Cato figured he didn't need to tell him that wouldn't be happening as he finished another batch of waffles. Though it would be nice if the two adults grew up eventually, their tomfoolery was one thing that would never change about them. And in a way, that made all the changes of the last few weeks seem less intimidating.

"Are you two staying for breakfast?" He asked, praying they had already eaten, and with no such luck.

"Sure." Haymitch said lazily, yawning. Brutus remained silent.

Cato set out to make two more batches of waffles, just as he heard the girls return. He smiled when Rue ran into the kitchen demanding to know what smelled so good. He told her to wash up and get a plate so he could give her some waffles. Katniss got the new bottle of syrup from the pantry upon Cato's instructions, while he removed a stick of butter from the fridge.

Cato set two waffles each on three plates, taught Rue how to properly butter her waffles, and gave all three stacks a generous drizzle. They sat together at the island barstools while Haymitch and Brutus served themselves. Katniss cast a few inquiring glances in Cato's direction while Brutus had his back turned, curious if they had made up yet, but Cato shook his head and mouthed 'Later'.

Needless to say, most of breakfast was a silent and awkward affair. Cato wasn't looking at Brutus, Katniss and Rue tried to ignore the issue, and Haymitch sat calmly across the island watching everyone else fidget. Brutus looked like he wanted to ask Cato something, but as the latter wouldn't meet his eyes, he didn't get the chance. The sounds of cutlery against plates were all that could be heard in the open space for several tense minutes.

"Alright," Haymitch started. "This is just ignorant. We've got to talk about something and it's not like we don't have plenty to discuss."

After getting no response from Brutus or Cato, Katniss rolled her eyes and asked, "How exactly is Rue still alive?"

Haymitch grinned, happy with her line of questioning. "Alright, we're all aware that there are lots of interviews that go on after all the tributes are thrown into the Arena, yes?" He asked. After a chorus of nods, he continued. "Well, Brutus and I did a special segment with Caesar and Claudius. This was a little while after Cato woke up from the sleep syrup we sent after he went and got your medicine, Katniss." He explained. "You guys had just turned off the camera's for some not PG rated quality time. I'm sure the footage of the interviews can be found somewhere, but I'll give you the general summary. Caleb was the first caller, he asked us how your love story started here in 12, and we gave the edited version of events. The next couple of people were awful with truly ignorant questions so we went to commercial. Caesar and Claudius rearranged the cards, since we were certain Seneca Crane had tampered with the order of the callers, but little did we know, our co-hosts had put a few familiar people at the top of the pile this time." Haymitch gave an eye roll, while smirking. "This is where things got interesting."

"More interesting than Clove's fifteen minutes of lust and shame?" Brutus mumbled, making Haymitch grin like a cat.

"Brutus, Rue is too young for that, and we're trying to eat a delicious breakfast. I would be damn disappointed if I threw it all up because you brought up that nonsense they shouldn't have aired on television in the first place." Haymitch said with a sniff, causing Brutus to chuckle into his waffles.

"Anyway-," continued Haymitch, though Cato, Katniss, and Rue were confused, "-when we got back from commercial, the person at the top of the list was none other than Cadmar, yes! Cato's father called our show and Brutus about pissed himself." Haymitch snickered. "But Daddy dear only called to beg for a chance to clean the slate with, you, Cato. And then we got the call that lead to Rue's reincarnation, so to speak."

Rue grinned. "Prim."

Katniss's fork stopped in midair as she stared at Haymitch.

"Yes, Kitty Kat, your baby sister was the mastermind behind what the Capitol has been calling The Rue-Union. Get it? Reunion. Rue-Union." Haymitch rolled his eyes, while Brutus tried and failed to not smile. "The Capitolites have been having a little too much fun with puns when it comes to the lot of you."

Cato stole a glance at Katniss, who shrugged. She didn't care about the Capitolites or their puns any more than he did.

Haymitch took the silence as leave to continue. "And you see, since bodies are recovered so quickly from the area to prevent things like cannibalism being televised, and then the bodies are kept in stasis due to the Fallen Tribute Recovery Act-

"Wait, what?" Cato interrupted. "Stasis?"

But Brutus beat Haymitch to answering. "They flash freeze the bodies of fallen tributes to prevent decomposition until after the games have ended. Certain districts, like 1, 2, 3 – sometimes - and 4 - once in a blue moon - get bodies back for proper funerals." He said, then paused and changed the subject. "How long are we going to do this, Cato?"

"Do what?" Cato snapped with his eyebrows raised in challenge.

"We told you Caleb and Cadmar asked about you on live television. If you saw the video, saw the raw emotion of your father's face when he swallowed his pride enough to beg on television for a chance to see his first born again, would you be able to see why I was willing to try? I knew you wouldn't like it, but the whole world doesn't rest on your shoulders alone, kid. Your entire family thought you were going to die, realized that their son had some of the noblest intentions any Career tribute has ever had, and to top it off found his soul mate in this pitiful excuse for a country." Brutus all but growled. "Yet you're throwing temper tantrums and giving the silent treatment to anyone who makes you mad?"

Cato glared fire into Brutus's stare and bit out a low "Fuck you", before Katniss managed to get Haymitch back to the subject at hand.

"Uh, right." Haymitch said awkwardly. "So, since she was in stasis, the medical teams at the Capitol actually had enough time to get Rue stabilized again. Once they restarted her heart on the operating table, they went to work and healed her wounds, stopped the internal bleeding, and after a few days of being in an induced coma, Rue was fine. We had them send her here, and she's been with Prim and your mother ever since, watching the Games and calling us to talk about ideas for your coming home party." He finished, taking a swig of juice. "I was mostly in charge of the Rue-Union Project. Brutus was behind the scenes organizing the Hematitus family reunion, since we both agreed that letting the media get any more attached to the idea of a big Hematitus family drama wouldn't be a good idea."

Cato pushed his food around on his plate, his blood still boiling from Brutus' comments. The older victor had made a few points that struck too close to home for the younger, and bitterness flowed free, though Cato did owe him for not turning his family business into the next Capitol headline. He did not however, have to be nice about the situation.

"When can we start planning the wedding?" Katniss asked

Haymitch hummed in thought. "I suppose I could give you Cinna's number and you two could start talking dress designs, Catnip. Most of the main preparations were made while you two were in the Arena once it became clear who the winners would probably be. Set the date and we'll get everyone in gear."

Cato and Katniss shared a look which said they would discuss those details in private later on.

"I'm finished." Rue piped up. "Can I go play with Prim?"

Cato nodded to her. "Put your dishes in the sink and go get dressed, then yes, you may."

After Rue finished clearing her dishes and had dashed up the steps to her bedroom to change, Cato met Haymitch's eyes.

"Clove's fifteen minutes of lust and shame?" He inquired.

Haymitch grinned. "I'd finish eating first if I were you. It'll put you off your food for the next few days."

Cato wasn't in the mood for exaggeration, so he leveled Haymitch with an impatient stare until the recovering alcoholic sighed in defeat.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Haymitch mumbled, before continuing in a normal voice. "So, when you guys shut the cameras off, before our interviews we just told you about, they panned out to Clove and Thresh for a minute before commercial. Thresh was asleep. Clove..." Haymitch stopped and looked to Brutus for help.

Brutus met Haymitch with a level stare, offering no assistance.

Haymitch sighed. "Well, while you two were playing rated-M games, so was Clove, but she was playing one-player. And pretending she was playing two-player with you, Romeo."

Cato pushed his plate away and shuddered. Katniss's eyes had fire in them.

"Pathetic whore," Katniss mumbled, pushing her near-empty plate away as well.

"Clove had a lot of issues; that goes without saying," Brutus added. "But there are reasons why she ended up how she did."

"Yes, yes. She was sexually and physically abused from a young age and mentally unstable. However she was given the education and the opportunity to better herself and rise from that. She didn't. No sympathy." Cato snapped. "She deserved worse than what I did to her. If I hadn't been so emotionally worn out I would have done much, much worse."

Katniss frowned at Cato's grumpiness, but said nothing.

"Bye guys!" Rue shouted from the front door. "Be back later!"

The adults chorused their goodbyes as Brutus and Haymitch got up and cleared their dishes as well.

"I assume you two would like some alone time. There's a list of phone numbers on the table beside the phone. Call if you need us." Haymitch said.

"Will do." Cato told him. And with that the doltish duo left the house.

Cato and Katniss went upstairs to their bedroom, lied down, and started discussing wedding plans in great detail. They wanted to be married in three weeks' time, before the end of the month. Cato found a brand new sketch book as well as many new sets of sketching and colored pencils in his private study two doors down from their bedroom, across the hall from Rue's room.

With these items in tow, the pair got on the phone with Cinna and Cato roughly sketched out dress designs, as described by Cinna and Katniss. Sometimes they needed the colored pencils, sometimes they didn't. Cato used the printer in his study to fax sketches to Cinna when necessary and they ended up spending the next few days holding these dress design teleconferences until Katniss had a dress design she loved. With his green light to start making a dress, Cinna ended up getting to work, emailing them pictures of the dress as he made it with detailed descriptions of his work so far.

Three weeks and two days later, on the last day of the month, Cato and Katniss, decked out in their wedding finery, walked to the Justice Building. Mayor Undersee breezed through their ceremony with pride and grace for his victors. Cadmar, Delilia, Cameron, and Caleb stood with Mrs. Everdeen, Prim, and Rue at the front of the crowd. Nearly all of District 12 came to witness the small event, which was broadcasted for the Capitol and other districts as well.

Too much was going on for either victor to really keep pace with all the festives. Cato went from nervously pacing around the foyer of their home in his tux to saying "I do" to kissing his bride, to being back home, parting ways with his family members in what felt like minutes. The members of the community who had a hand in the wedding decorations and food made sure leftovers were wrapped as best as they could manage and left in the newlyweds' kitchen. Katniss's bouquet had been caught by none other than Greasy Sae, who had a good laugh at the expense of the younger more anxious to be wed girls.

However their living room was still littered with flowers despite the absence of the bouquet. The Justice Building had been decorated with everything from primroses, daisies, lilies, red roses, and the dozen white roses sent by President Snow. It was after all the hustle and bustle of settling down after the wedding that Cato and Katniss finally made it home by themselves, and were able to shut the rest of the world out for a while.

The door being securely locked, Cato peeked at Katniss, standing mere feet from him, still in her white dress and looking quite lovely. Her dress is sheath, with a V-shaped neckline, open back, and lace overlay of flowers and leaves set closely together. Her engagement ring and wedding band glisten silvery-copper on her finger. Holding her by the hips, Cato gently nuzzles her neck, and kisses his way up to her lips. She tastes like vanilla cake with caramel icing, champagne, and Katniss. As he slides his hands up her exposed back, he comes to the button holding her built-in short bolero sleeves together, and gently pushes the fabric off her shoulders. She leans into him, tired from their long day, but content to be in his arms. Rue was staying with Prim for the next two weeks. They had the house to themselves.

Together they slowly fall into a hormonal rage, racing up the stairs to their wedding bed. Cato had come in earlier and covered their duvet in sagittaria and rose petals, and now he laid her on a bed of sweet smelling flowers, gazing at her. Her hair, pulled to the left side in a fishtail braided bun, with a white Delilah pinned in the center. Some pieces had come astray, causing wisps of hair frame her face on either side. Her makeup, natural colors and barely smoky, with a thin line of dark brown eyeliner framing dark brown eyes; Her cheeks, naturally pinkened by the day's activities, and her lightly glossed, now smudged, lips called to him. He leaned over her, enjoying how the bolero sleeves were pulled down her arms, but her dress still on, her collar bones available to be kissed and bitten. He can hardly decide what to do with her now.

"Cato…" She whispers, as he leans in and rests his forehead and nose against her own.

"Yes, Mrs. Hematitus?" He whispers back.

"I'd like to be out of this dress now."

"I'd enjoy that as well, Kitten. Did Cinna have you step into it or did you pull it over your head?"

"Pulled it over."

He sat up, pulling her with him, bent down, and gathered the hem of her skirt in his hands, slowly dragging the fabric from the floor, up her hips – which to Cato's delight gained noticeable curvature in the last month of being properly fed – over her not-too-skinny waist, past her breasts, and over her head. In order to actually get the dress off of her, Cato had refrained from actually touching her during the removal process. In doing so, he didn't feel the thin white corset hidden under her dress, with a similar white on white flower design all over it. He also didn't notice the matching boy shorts and stockings that accompanied her tantalizing corset. Cato did notice that his pants were very uncomfortable and that his mouth was very dry.

"I get to keep you." He murmured.

"Mhm." She purred back.

"This is what Cinna kept winking to you about, today."

"Mhm."

His eyes burned dark blue into hers as she reached up and undid the buttons on his shirt too slowly for his liking. Grabbing her by the hips once again, he pushed her back until her knees connected with the bed and sent her falling back. He climbed on top of her, throwing off his suit jacket and ripping away the final two buttons on his shirt as it joined their growing pile of clothes on the floor.

He attacked her neck, lips, throat and collarbones with relentless nips and kisses, while she undid his belt and pulled his pants over his hips. He hisses as her nails gently raked over his thighs and back, grinding and growling against her. He managed to remember the foil packet in his pocket before he reared back to shuck off his trousers, and undo her corset. He laid it on the bed beside them before letting his fingers roam and explore the territory beneath the white boy shorts. Katniss mewled and writhed under him as he added one, two, three fingers into the slick heat of her core, while his mouth teetered between her now exposed breasts. In turn she teased him outside his shorts, tugging and torturing him with her shaking fingers.

She clawed at his back and scraped his neck with her teeth any chance she got, presumably as payback for him taking his time with her. He withdraws his three fingers, satisfied with her readiness for him, and licks them clean as he gazes at her. Much more of her skin is flushed now, bright pink against pure white. Her chest rises and falls, the rhythm catching his attention easily as her breasts are pink from his assault as well.

"Make babies with me." He begs her. It's an argument they've had all month and he can't resist begging her once more.

"We have Rue." She pants back, as predicted. He doesn't push her.

After peeling off his final article of clothing and her final articles as well, he reaches for the foil packet. With fluidity that would suggest years of practice he does not have, Cato tears open the packet, and sheaths himself. Crawling up her body once more, he kisses her gently, and positions himself accordingly.

"You have to tell me if I hurt you." He commands. "Promise me."

"I promise, Cato." She replies, burring her face into the crook his neck.

As gently as he can, Cato pushes inside her core, past her barrier, and then holds very still when she tenses like a vice around him. A small noise of pain escapes from her throat and her nails bite into his skin. He peppered the side of her face in butterfly kisses, telling her to relax and breathe. It takes her a few minutes before she pulls back with watery eyes, and she kisses him soundly.

"I'm okay, I think…" She whispers.

"We'll go slow." He promises, gently easing into a slow but steady rhythm.

Katniss slowly relaxes and begins to meet him thrust for thrust. Cato discovers quite quickly that his wife has conscious control of her pelvic muscles, after she time and time again squeezes him, watching for his reaction.

"Been practicing keagles, Kitten?" He breathes, rolling his hips as he grinds into her again just to watch her eyes roll back. She moans his name, squeezing him much more forcefully this time. He hisses.

"Oh, Kitten." He says, his voice wavering to his own ears. "Enough of that, sweetheart. You first." He promises, picking up his rhythm. "I want to hear you scream, sweet girl."

Her eyes are unfocused as she looks at him, whimpering and writhing against him. "Cato, please." She begs him.

"'Please' what?" he replies, finding her breasts with his mouth again, and tugging on a nipple.

She arches her back into him, incoherently mumbling things to him as she starts getting lost in all the sensations he's causing. Her fingers claw into his hair as she whimpers his name again.

"Come for me, Kitten." He commands in a rasp. She's squeezing him again and it's torturous. He won't be able to take it much longer.

He rolls his hips into her again, harder this time, and for every thrust. She cries out louder, burying her face into his neck and her nails into his back once again. Thrice more and she comes undone around him, pulling his own release from him in one final squeeze. He holds her close with hi face buried in her neck too. His breathing is ragged and his heart is trying to escape his chest.

Propping himself up on his elbows, Cato leaned down to kiss her, smiling.

"I love you, my beautiful wife."

She weakly smiled up at him, her eyes barely open and replied, "I love you too, my handsome husband."

He chuckles, and she does too, making him to shudder when the action causes her to clench around him again.

To escape further torture, he gently eases out of her, before going into their en suite. He cleans himself up after removing his condom, and brings a warm wash cloth to gently clean Katniss with. She's nearly asleep when he gets back from putting their laundry in the hamper. After sliding on a clean pair of boxer briefs, he snuggles up with her under the duvet and quickly falls asleep.

He's safe. He's happy. He has Katniss and his family.

He's home.

The End.

No seriously. This is technically the final chapter of this fic. DON'T PANIC – I plan on writing many one-shot like outtakes for this fic, since plans have changed and I know I won't have time to completely write the last two books in the HG series in fic form.

Now I can't promise update times, clearly. Chapter 17 was posted on my 16th birthday. This chapter is being posted just before my 18th birthday, which is on Saturday***. That means in two years I've averaged three chapters a year. I'm graduating from high school early and starting college a month after I graduate. Not sure if I'll have more time once I start college, but if I do, I'll be working on the first outtake for this fic, as well as a fic I've been lazily rewriting for about five years. If you're interested in more details about either of those things, either PM me or say so in a review, and I'll reply.

I always reply to PMs and I'm pretty sure I've ever not answered a question in a review.

I do still hope to at some point rewrite the beginning of this fic, but like I said, I can't give any promises on a timeframe.

We're at 659 reviews. Can I ask for reviews for my birthday? That's totally legal right? :)

Also – because I feel like sharing – There's finally a guy in my life. Yes. Swoon. He's been my best friend since I was 10 and we officially got together last April. Sadly we live in different states, and are just barely too far apart to not see each other more than once or twice a year. However, when I finish college I'm moving to him and we're getting an apartment together. Before this we were sort of, ah…off-and-on friends with benefits for lack of a better term. Both of us hermits who didn't really date much, and just goofed off every once and a while. But now he's my honey. So, now you guys know a little bit about the man who inspired some of these limes. Muwhaha. Mine.

***(Hold on, is Kimi telling me I've been reading a fic that was originally started by a 15 year old? Yes, I am telling you that. When I turned 15 I was already like, 35 in Kimi-years. Now I'm almost 38 in Kimi years.)

PICTURE OF KATNISS'S WEDDING DRESS IS ON MY PROFILE PAGE IN THE CaKOtC SECTION!

Thanks guys! Happy holidays!

~D.A.K-hime