It pains me to say this, but I've decided to make this the last chapter. To all of you that have supported me throughout this, thank you and it really means a lot to me. I do promise to try and have a new chapter up next weekend, though! I'm not going to say what it's about, though. That's going to be a surprise. I hope you enjoy this last chapter! I know I enjoyed writing it!

He opens the door and helps me out of the car. I look at the ground, feeling all eyes on me.

"Don't let go of me," I whisper to Haymitch, linking my arm with his.

"You got it, Sweetheart," he whispers back.

I notice Cressida and Pollux standing behind the chairs with their camera videoing, but I try to tune them out. I begin to walk and I'm conscious of music playing, but I couldn't name it if I was asked to. I see faces, but not many. There aren't many chairs set up. I leave a mental note to thank Effie later for the small ceremony. She did well.

I look up from the ground and as I do, I see a little girl standing at the bottom step of the stage. Her blonde hair falls in waves down her back and her hands are folded in front of her. She turns her head to look at me and gives me a smile. She nods her head and it's looks like she's wishing me luck, and then she's gone. I feel the shaking stop and I breathe a sigh of relief. She's here with me. Her and Cinna both.

I look up at Peeta and see his face and I begin to smile. Suddenly, I can't wait to get beside him. Haymitch helps me up onto the stage and I fix my dress as he does so. He kisses my cheek and then places my hand in Peeta's.

Paylor talks for a few minutes but I'm only conscious of Peeta and how handsome he looks. I see him mouth the word beautiful, and I blush a little bit.

After the long talk that Paylor gives the audience, she begins the ceremony.

"Peeta," she says. "Do you promise to love Katniss? Do you promise to share your joys as well as sorrows with her? To love her in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer as long as you both shall live?"

Without hesitation, Peeta confidently says "I do."

"Katniss," Paylor says. "Do you promise to love Peeta? Do you promise to share your joys as well as sorrows with him? To love him in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer as long as you both shall live?"

I look at Peeta and smile. I squeeze his hand and then nod my head. "I do."

"Now for the vows," Paylor says. "The bride and groom will be doing their own."

Peeta and I look around confused. No one told us we would be doing our own vows. I find Effie in the audience and she nods her head and whispers "Go on."

I start first, not really knowing what I'm going to say.

"Peeta, you were always there for me, even when I wasn't paying attention. You've saved me so many times, from others, and well, occasionally from myself. When I'm with you, I feel like a better person. You make me whole, Peeta. I vow to spend every day trying to deserve you."

"Katniss, I've known since I was little that I loved you. I'd always try to work up the nerve to talk to you and fail. Being here today, I'm the luckiest man in the world. I will love you no matter what we go through, now and forever. I will love you always."

I get chills and I squeeze his hand tighter. Paylor pulls two rings out of her pocket and holds them out to the audience.

"The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity," she says. "It is a symbol of endless love that these two now share."

She hands us the rings and tells us what to say.

"With this ring, I thee wed," I say. I slowly place the ring on Peeta's finger.

"With this ring, I thee wed," he repeats and he places the ring on my finger.

Paylor steps away from us, revealing three candles on a table behind her. The two on the outside are burning, the one in the middle unlit.

"This," she says, "is a symbol of unity. The two outside candles are lit to stand for your lives right now. They are two very bright lights. Now, as you join in marriage, you shall put these two lights together and become one."

Peeta and I each pick up a candle and place it on the third candle, igniting it. Paylor then instructs us to blow out our candles and place them back beside the middle one.

We then join hands again and Paylor continues.

"Now that these two have promised their lives to each other, I pronounce them husband and wife. Peeta, you may kiss your bride."

Peeta pulls me close and whispers "I love you, Mrs. Mellark," before dipping me down and pushing his lips to mine. Everything is silent and I feel as if it is just Peeta and I. It feels like an eternity later when we pull apart and when we do, everything is still silent. We turn to face the audience and then suddenly, they erupt with applause. The cheer and clap and scream for us.

"Mr. and Mrs. Peeta Mellark," Paylor yells over the crowd and then Peeta picks me up and carries me off of the stage and down the aisle. I'm laughing all the way to the car and when we are in, he pulls me in for another kiss.

"I can't believe this," he says.

We are driven to the new Justice Building and brought to the ballroom, where everyone is already seated and talking to one another. When we walk in, they clap and cheer again and I feel like I'm back in the Capitol.

We cross our arms and feed each other a piece of the cake we cut and then we cross our arms again and drink wine. We both talk to the guests and thank them for coming for a while, and we dance for a while too. All in all, Effie has done a remarkable job with this. She didn't go over the top, which is surprising for her. She might have had a bit of help from Johanna, though.

After a few hours of eating and socializing, Peeta and I are ushered back into the car as people clap and cheer again. We had both told Effie we didn't want a honeymoon, so we stop in front of my house that has become our home in the Victor's Village and Peeta carries me inside.

I start the fire and he grabs a loaf of bread that he made and a knife off of the counter. Everything is quiet as he cuts the bread and then he hands me a piece. I recognize it. It's the same kind he tossed me that day in the rain, full of raisins and nuts.

We hold our pieces over the fire until they are toasted and then we cross arms again and feed each other the bread.

Afterward, he pulls me in for a kiss that makes me feel the hunger I felt so long ago on the beach. He looks at the ground for a second and then back up to me.

"You love me. Real or not real?"

Real or not real. Over these last few months, I've learned that everyone has damage. We've all been wronged and we've all been abused. We just have to learn how either to push it in the back of our minds or to deal with it somehow, even though it could be painful. I've learned though that with pain comes progress. With progress comes happiness and meaning. Peeta is my happiness and my meaning now. He is my progress and he is the promise that life will go on. He is my dandelion in the spring.

I look into those blue eyes and know that life can be good. Peeta has proven that. That is what gives me the confidence to answer.

I grab his hand and say the one thing both he and I need to hear.

"Real."