.Stone And Lumber (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Epilogue I-

(I told you readers, last chapter was the official ending of the book because it just felt right.... But I also have a lot of things left to write about so you are getting what I insist on calling epilogues.... enjoy.)

Panem was slowly trucking along, Paylor taking the reigns after Coins death.

Life was.... Oddly enough the same as before, people back at working in the mines or in the academy to train and be future peacekeepers... But it was not like before.

The work hours were fair and normal, nothing was enforced by risk of death.

And there was no fear of the reaping anymore.

Athena sat alone in her home, her now two hand sized Cinnamon padding around and being the only sound in the empty home.

She had cleaned out, taken the garbage out and made the home livable again but it was lonely... Oh so lonely.

She was quietly eating away at the quickly made simple bread and ham sandwich as she boredly read through the first, all of Panem in one, newspaper.

Some still loyalist bastards were causing chaos, it was hard to rebuild and tensions were high but it didn't surprise Athena, it would take a while to rebuild a semblance of true order, for now peace was still a concept.

She flipped the page, Katniss' arrow still on the forefront of minds with still many journalists reporting on it.

Athena didn't regret trusting Katniss and voting yes for this outcome.... She just wishes it wasn't so lonely.

Why didn't she skip boarders? Out of everyone Johanna is the closest and someone she can get too in half a day if she leisurely walks. So why did she not go if she felt so alone?

She closed the newspaper, watching her gauntlet's fingers poke holes in the paper not even the claws.

She didn't know but maybe it was just like these gauntlets? Despite war being over she just couldn't bring herself to not wear them, she is 27 almost 28 and half her life had gone down with claws on her hands, she feels naked, incomplete.... Vulnerable and weak without them.... She can only theorize how it will go in the future but for now, she couldn't rid herself of them nor did she want too, Wiress even having given her more of those little vials.

She leaned back in her chair and sighed, staring at the ceiling, the phone would not ring again Finnick was dead, there would be no more laughter Cato wad dead, no more visits Ares and her aren't close and the rest are dead, no more training to throw knives Clove is dead, no more meat up the reapings are over.

She pulled out her little list.

-Going to see the ocean.
-Going home too 2.
-Fix up 2
-Take care of Cinnamon.

She had already traced out telling Johanna she loved her, smiling a bit at it while she traced out going home too 2, only having two more things to say and sighing, knowing she needed more useful life goals.

She lifted her head towards the door when knocking was heard.

Who the hell...

She stood up, fixing up her attire which was her usually wear in 2, ripped pants and a hoodie thrown over a T-shirt, she found a lot of places too hot now, always sitting in as cold of a home but knowing that it was just stupid.

She had the hoodie bunched up at the elbow and grabbed the door knob and opened the door, feeling Cinnamon pad over and sit right across her left boot.

She rose a brow, what is he doing here?

"Hello there, how's it going? I can't believe a month has already passed yeah?" Cinna said in all his glory.

Athena shuffled herself out of the entrance and invited him in with a wave and he did, caring a box covered with a tarp under his arm and handing her a letter as he passed by.

She closed the door and carefully walked after him, paying attention to not knock the kitten off.

She sliced the letter open and pulled out a paper.

'If you are reading this then I am dead.... Or at least I feel like I am and should be but try to survive through humor and the knowledge he would have wanted me to smile at the future with our soon to be son.

I wanted to know if you are the same? How do you do it? I'd want you to come meet him when he is born, so that the memory of his father is not gone.

-Annie

Athena sighed and folded the letter, she didn't expect Annie to be doing that good but she is capable of making jokes so she won't worry just yet... Not that much at least but at least she has Mags with her.... She'll write back later.

In the mean time.

She grabbed the little dry erase board that she had bought and hung right by the door and the marker with it.

"Not that I am not happy to see you but what are you doing here Cinna?"

"Well the Capitol is hectic so instead of going there from 4 I came through 2 and decided to find you."

"Well thanks for thinking about me and thanks for the letter." She didn't tell on herself, not wanting to admit she was lonely.

"Well of course... Say, with all that is going on there, would you put up with helping me find a place in 2 just for a few days?"

Athena thought, how can the world be so cruel and yet so perfect at times?

"I have empty rooms if that would be easier." She told him.

"Oh wonderful." He put down the little bag he carried, smiling at her.

Athena offered one back.

"And what's that?"

"Oh that's something for you, Paylor sends it, it was in the mansion's library." Despite Snow's words she had never gone to that place.

"Let me show you where you can stay."

And as the days passed.

She noticed Cinna didn't look in a hurry to leave, finding him once fixing up the washing machine he clogged or already cooking breakfast when she woke up, looking out for her and sure, she found it strange as she had always done that for others and no one had done if for her.... But she liked it.

Athena wasn't in a hurry to chase him out either, liking the company, the house feeling a little brighter, more homey.

He seemed to have become a permanent addition and Athena didn't fight it.

But there was still something missing from it.

And the thing in the covered box would help her fix that.