Author's Note: This is the first chapter or part of a series of Post-Epilogue snippets I will be writing. They won't be long, but I will add to this series every so often. So, I hope you enjoy them. Note that I made the names of the children up – Prue in honour of Prim and Rue, as I think Katniss would have done, and Luis (said 'Lewis') because it's cute and I can. This chapter serves as a sort of introduction to their family and life Post-Epilogue.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games or any characters. All credit (except children's names) goes to Suzanne Collins.
I'm running fast, tearing through the underbrush. Snarling tendrils stretch out from the leaves and grab at me. The stench of roses fills my nose, overloading my senses and making me sick. Everything blurs past me, spinning my world dizzyingly. But there's something ahead of me too, something I am trying desperately to reach. Just a little further… I reach my hand forward to grasp hers, needing to touch her—
I awake with a start, jolting myself into consciousness. My whole body is shivering, sending a hot wave down my aching frame despite the cold. Darkness floods the room, making it seem unfamiliar and poisonous. I feel shaky, like a leaf about to fall.
"Katniss?" comes a concerned murmur in my ear. I immediately relax at the sound of his voice. I've come to my senses enough now to realise that Peeta's arms are wrapped around me, holding me close to him. I melt into his strength, grateful that I don't have to suffer this alone. "Bad dream?" he asks.
I nod softly and feel the welling that has begun in my eyes in my eyes start to dry up. He strokes my hair gently and places a light kiss on the back of my neck. "Well, it's over now." His reassurance makes everything better. I turn to face him, looking into his baby blue eyes. I see a tinge of sadness in them—he knows my pain. We lie like that for a while, watching one another, content in our embrace.
Before long, there's an almost inaudible knock on the door, and a sliver of yellow light is cast across the room. It grows as the door creaks further open. Peeta and I smile at each other before we turn to face the two small figures silhouetted in the doorway, holding hands. "Now who could be coming into our room at this hour?" I say teasingly. The giggling forms run towards the bed, leaping onto it so it bounces. "Oh it's you!" I say as my children fumble their way across the sheets. Now it's my turn to laugh.
Peeta moves away a little, opening up a space between us for the two to snuggle down. I open my arms, kissing the top of my daughter's head.
"Mommy, that tickles!" She cuddles closer to me, squashing her plush rabbit between us.
"Sorry Prue, what tickles?" I smother her with kisses, and she starts her little fit of giggles again.
Peeta is holding our son in his arms, whispering something into his ear. Luis smiles, accentuating his tiny dimples. "Now go hug your mom," I hear Peeta whisper. Luis scoots over to Prue and I clumsily, giving his sister a squeeze as he does. Peeta moves over too, and wraps his arm around all of us. We're one big, happy pile of a family. And at that moment, I feel as though I'm the luckiest person in the world.
We fall asleep like this, huddled together. The cold seems to disappear and the suffocating air becomes lighter. The nightmares find me no more.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading; I'll try to update it soon. Feel free to leave a review, or alert me to any spelling/grammar I've missed.