Caesar Flickerman POV
'Ladies and Gentlemen we have some very special guests here for you tonight, All the way from district 12 Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!' Another beginning to another show, I never seem to tire of hosting these shows year after year. You would think it gets quite tiring after a while but for me it's perfect, I love my job and to be honest I love the attention it brings. Nevertheless this year is different seen as though there is no Hunger Games anymore.
Haymitch's POV
Okay this is it, the big moment I hope all goes to plan. I can't believe he has pulled this off without Katniss sensing anything peculiar. As much as I hate to admit it, he's family and I hope this goes well for him… Peeta that is and of course Katniss. I can see them up on stage, they look so comfortable around each other, as usual Peeta is charming everybody and katniss is sat with her hand securely gripped round Peeta's… This time I can tell she is doing this for her own comfort rather than to keep up a façade. She really loves that boy and after everything that they have been through together I hope these next few moments go well.
Peeta's POV
I can feel the nerves building, not bad nerves but good ones, ones that want everything to be perfect. I know this is going to be so public but all I want to do is show my love for her to the world. I look over to her as she takes my hand as we walk onto the stage, wow is it just me or does she look more radiant than ever. Her hair isn't pinned back, but left loose cascading down her back like a waterfall over a cliff face. She is dressed in a fitted orange dress, not a bright orange more like sunset, my favourite colour. I'm so mesmerised by her beauty that I miss what Caesar has just said. Damn Peeta snap out of it, this is meant to go perfectly. I hear Caesar chuckle as I ask him to repeat the question.
'A bit mesmerised by Katniss there, eh? He chuckles as I start to blush
'As I was saying before Peeta got caught up by Katniss's beauty. And may I say Miss Everdeen you are looking particularly stunning tonight. As I was saying, isn't there something you would like to ask Katniss whilst you are here?
Oh gosh, he's talking to me. I start to fumble for the small box in my pocket as I reply.
'Yes, thank you Caesar.'
I had been through what I was going to say one million times, I had it right there in my head but somehow it didn't feel right to say something pre-prepared I needed this to come from my heart, spontaneous yet truthful. As I open my mouth words come pouring out I take her hands and drop to one knee.
Katniss POV
What is happening, this is all happening so fast, without even a thought I feel the salty tears streaming down my face. This time tears of happiness and joy rather than pain and devastation. I never thought that I would ever get married and nor did I want too but right here right now in this moment it all feels so right. As I take in Peeta's words I can see what this means to him, his eyes, beautiful blue eyes give away so much as to what he is feeling. I love this boy so much and to reject him would only mean heartbreak, something that I would never wish to happen to him. His words run through my mind 'will you marry me?' A sentence that I never wanted to hear before but now is the words that I could only hope for. 'YES' I cry as I pull him up from the floor 'Yes yes yes, of course I will marry you Peeta Mellark!' Before he has chance to respond I pull him closer. As his warm lips touch mine I know that everything he has said was for us not for them and that even though this was a public announcement it could have been anywhere and it would have still been just as special.
Peeta's POV
Did I really just hear that correctly or is my brain tricking me. I swear she just said yes. Before I even have time to look at her reaction, she starts to kiss me. I feel fireworks and my stomach flips at this spontaneous action, this feels all so natural, not like when we… sorry she had to pretend for the cameras of the capitol. One thing I have always been sure of is my love for katniss, even when I was being hijacked I felt a strong urge to protect her, they asked me every day if I loved her and my answer would always be the same, no matter how much they beat me, bruised me and tried to hurt me my answer would always be yes. I just love her so much, more than anything in the world and I am over the moon to know that she feels the same way. My internal thoughts suddenly interrupted by Caesars voice.
Caesars POV
'Well on that note it's time to end the show, thank you and congratulations to our special guests, the soon to be Mr and Mrs Peeta Mellark!' Wow, well that proves me right; I knew they loved each other all along. I sometimes wondered if this was all a façade kept up to keep them both alive, but obviously not, I'm glad those kids are together they obviously depend on each other greatly and you call tell by their eyes that they are in love. I wish I could have found somebody who loves me like they love each other, oh well at least I've got my looks. I look at my reflection in my pocket mirror. Yep defiantly still got it.
Katniss POV
'Night Peeta' I whisper softly as I bury my face in his chest. He starts whispering softly as I start to drift off; hopefully there will be no nightmares tonight. Even if there are, at least I know I will have Peeta right here with me to help comfort me again. That's the thing…Peeta is always here for me, I have no idea how I could survive without him, one thing's for sure if he wasn't here I would be a total wreck. He's helped me so much, even when we were in our first games he teamed up with the careers just to protect me. Wow I love him so much …. It's official I Love Peeta Mellark and one day soon enough I will be his wife. I try to cling on to these happy thoughts as memories of the games begin to fill my head. 'SNAP OUT OF IT KATNISS.' I keep telling myself as I try to fall asleep without thinking of the games that haunt my past.
Peeta's POV
I had just drifted off when I was awoken by the sound of a gut wrenching scream. I knew she must have had another nightmare. Poor Katniss, almost every night I awake to her screams. She had her head buried into my chest and I could hear her soft sobs as my shirt started to become damp with her tears. It kills me to see her like this, so innocent, so vulnerable. We had survived the hunger games twice, defied snow and yet we still cannot escape the power of the capitol.
Katniss' POV
I'm back in the arena, only this time I can't see Peeta. Suddenly I hear a shriek, it sounded like… Prim. I sprint in the direction of the scream only to hear another in the opposite direction, this time I know its Peeta. I can see it now, a jabber jay perched on a branch high above me. It must have been the one who screamed like Prim, trying to scare me, make me think that she was here in the arena. I calm down slightly, only to be greeted with a sight that I was not expecting. Finnick. I can see him running, Peeta trailing behind, blood soaking through his clothes. Without even questioning the situation I start to run. PEETA! PEETA! I start screaming as I see a mutt emerge from the trees; this must be what they were running from. I see him collapse on the floor, I'm running as fast as I can now, Trying to reach him before he is greeted by the Mutt. It's too late… I'm almost with him when another Mutt drags Peeta away. PEETA! PEETA! PEETA! I start to sob, only to be greeted with Peeta's soft voice.
Peeta's POV
'It's only a nightmare , everything is okay' I coo this repetitively until she starts to relax. She's still got her face buried in my chest when she starts to speak. I can hear her voice trembling as she starts to recall what happened in her nightmare. 'I thought I'd lost you' she sobs as I re assure her that I'm still here and that I'm okay. I have heard this story oh so often, each time the story varies slightly. They are always in the arena, it's like she can never escape. Even though snows gone and the capitol has fallen, they still have the power to control our lives, leave us with a hint of fear and no hope. I hate what this has done. Yes it may have brought me and Katniss together, a pipe dream before any of this happened. But it has broken us. We are broken people, Haymitch a drunk, Katniss and her night terrors, I was hijacked, Prim is dead and yes it has even left gale… Alone. I chuckle at the thought of Gale alone.
Katniss POV
Why is Peeta smiling, wait no why is Peeta smirking. I look up about to question him when I get lost in his eyes. It's still dark but I can see his blue eyes through the darkness. His eyes tell so much, when he's happy, when he's sad …. When he's afraid. How can somebody like him love somebody like me? He's just so amazingly kind and thoughtful; he deserves to be with someone like Delly. Even after all we've been through, what he's been through; he still loves me and I don't think I've ever admitted it but I love him. I just hope he knows that.
Peeta's POV
I start messing with her hair, I claim that I'm practising knots…. but we both know that I'm not. I love the way that her hair cascades down her back, not brushed or styled in any way, but yet it still looks beautiful. Then again she always looks beautiful. I feel a sudden urge to tell her how I really feel. I know she knows I love her, but does she know even after everything that has happened that I love her more than anything in the world. As I stare down at her silver eyes, still messing with her hair I finally pluck up the courage to tell her.
'Katniss'
'Yes Peeta'
'You know I love you right, more than anything in the world'
'Peeta of course I know that. You see that engagement ring on my finger. That is proof. Proof that you love me even after everything we have been through. And surely you know that I love you as well, right? I know I don't say it or show it enough, but I do love you, you are all I have got and I never want to lose you again. '
Katniss POV
Where did that come from? I look up into his eyes trying to figure out what he's thinking, but all I can do is smile. I look up to him, this is the first time I have truly felt happy in a long time.
'I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever' I whisper into his ear
'Me too Katniss, Me too'
