We Are Free ~Clato~ (3 Of 3)

∞ℰpilogue∞

Martial plays with Aiedale often. He may be almost 3 years older than her but he still acts like she's his age. The play games that boys of his age would play, but Aiedale is fine with it, she might like it more. We recently moved into District 12, next to Katniss and Peeta. They have 2 kids, Willow and Rye who play often at our house. We moved over so our life would be more peaceful.

Johanna lives just down the street, we all live in Victor's Village but it's less fancy and more homey. Johanna has her 2 children now and she says she wants more. I just hope she doesn't start hoarding them, or horses for that matter.

Katniss and I have been trying to plan how to explain the Hunger Games to our children. Cato and Peeta of course just want it to come naturally, without planning. Katniss and I talk often about our nightmares, which mine are worse in the physical aspects but her's are more mentally destroying. She's been staying strong, mostly for Peeta.

"He still gets flashbacks. He's only lashed out at me once, I know he didn't mean it though" she says smiling lightly as we watched all of our kids playing together, like one big family. We may have started out trying to kill each other, on multiple occasions but we treat each other like family now. We have some sort of scarring from either our Games or our time in the Capitol, or for me it's both.

I often flash-back to my time in the Capitol when I'm with Cato, sometimes during our private times. My kids are my second source of stability, Cato of course would be my first. He will always tell me I'm okay when I thrash in my sleep, or flashback during random times. And I believe him, now more than ever. 

Our kids are almost exact opposites of us, like Katniss' and Peeta's. Aiedale has thick, curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Martial, like Martiall has dark brown hair but deep green-gray eyes.  Aiedale is only 4, her birthday being the day after mine. Martial's is in the middle of December, a painful time to give birth. I would constantly shiver in my sleep, making my heavy body ache all day. He was big when he was born, Cato's trait but he's lightened up.

Cato will often play tag with them and force me to play. He will get our kids out first and then they'll continue to play alone while we watch and snuggle under our favorite oak tree. I'll lay on his chest while he tries and fails to braid my hair. I'll roll onto him and feel his chest without looking too weird to our children. 

'How am I supposed to explain my time in the Capitol? They'll pity me. I can't take another person pitying me' I think to myself, a lot. I'm probably over-thinking it but I can't turn that part of me off. 

I sometimes can't sleep well at night, I'll pull Cato impossibly or lay on top of him and I'll be fine. If that doesn't work, which is rare, I'll ask him to sleep in the shower. The hard surface reminds me of my Capitol cell and I fall asleep quickly, flash-backs taking over before I can. I won't tell him why. It would concern him too much, he'd be too worried. He should only be worried about himself and our children.

"I love you Cato" I say and pull him close. We both have learned the art of sleeping naked, and it doesn't bother me anymore. I lay next to his warm body and snuggle into him. He holds me closer, if possible and I sigh. "I have a question" I ask quietly, careful to keep my voice low. "How am I supposed to explain our time in the Capitol. I'll scare them if I give them details, but if I don't they'll get mad. You know they love to learn" I say, trying to hold my evident emotions, letting only concern show through. I've learned to control my emotions more now, it gets easier with time.

"Don't worry" Cato says quietly. "I'll explain that if you want. Martial's only 6, it'll be a while until they ask questions" I smile up at him, even though it's dark in our room. "I want to see you" he says slowly.

"Why?" I ask quietly, holding in my nervousness. He turns on the light and shifts to me. He looks down at the sheets, covering our naked bodies and sighs.