The Hunger Games (After book3 – not including epilogue)

The Wedding That Took A De-tour

Chapter 1 – Here Comes The Bride

"Beautiful." Annie sighed,

"Thank you." I smiled at her, she put a white rose in my hair and I slightly grimaced,

"Oh, sorry. I forgot about…yeah." She took out the rose that so reminded me of President Snow, and chucked it in the bin.

"It's OK. It happened a long time ago, and-" I was going to carry on, but Annie put her hands over her ears and left the room. "Right…" I whispered to myself. I looked around the room and unintentionally filled myself with sadness. Why isn't my mother, father or sister here? Oh yeah, that's right, my father died in a mine explosion, my sister died in a rebel war, and my mother died of heart-break. By heart-break, I mean she couldn't- I mean wouldn't cope without them. My sister, Prim, didn't seem to mean that much to her. I'm not being harsh or anything. My father died. My mother didn't even try to cope. I had to take care of my family. My sister died. My mother went straight back to square one.

"Are you ready?" Came a voice. I turned to see Haymitch, thankfully sober, smiling at me.

"I'll never be." I replied in a quaky voice,

"Come on." He beckoned me over to him and I came. He took me by the arm and looked me up and down, "You look pretty for the second time."

"Why thank you. Although I guess this time, I did it by myself. No fire today." I saw Octavia down the hall and added, "Well, she could've added something in Cinna's memory but why today?" We both laughed and Octavia looked up. She was with Annie, Venia and Johanna. The completely mis-matched bride's maids. The only friends that have been with me 'most' of the way. Except for Annie, but I felt that I owed it to Finnick to choose her.

I was shaking slightly, trying not to show it. Me and Haymitch stopped walking. The bride's maids got behind me and then we started walking again. I breathed in deeply the scent of roses, but I guess I didn't mind anymore. I had a new a life now. Without any rebels, Coin, Snow or extreme depression. We all walked out of the front door of Johanna's new house (District 12 had been completely rebuilt – even Victor's Village) and stepped into the sunlight. The beams of golden-ness blinded me, and before I knew it we were at the Dome. The Dome is nothing like what 12 usually does, but a lot has changed. It's an upside-down dome going into the ground, and going down is a twirling slope, with the end in the middle. Today, on my wedding day, there are yellow tulips everywhere. My friends are on different parts of the slope and the rest of the district that knows and likes me is on the outside of the dome. As Haymitch walks me carefully down the slope, the bride's maids stay at the top. The silk from my dress flutters in the warm breeze. My dress, I have to admit, is wonderful. There are no sleeves, and the bodice is plain. My skirt goes out slightly and then drapes down to the floor. That too is plain, except for some diamonds that had been separately given to me by District 1 after I killed Coin. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who didn't like or trust her.

Only did I notice Peeta when he was right in front of me, in the middle of the dome. There he stood, in a jet-black suit, smiling shyly. He gazed at my dress, noticing the diamonds. He then looked me in the eye, and I felt as if I was about to melt away under his stare. For the first time since I spit out a handful of deadly berries (a.k.a my one way ticket to either win the Hunger Games or die) I allowed myself to be happy. Not fake and all-smiles happy, truly happy. I looked Peeta right back in the eye and smiled. No-one could ever match up to him. Not even Gale. Gale always had my back, and was my hunting partner. But Peeta had gone through the Games twice with me and somehow had found a way to love me again after being completely hi-jacked. Gale was just out of the question. Plus, if I had stayed with him, Peeta would have no-one, and Gale would always go on about the Capitol, even though it no longer existed. Now that Gale's gone to 2, I doubt he'll end up without a girl. I need Peeta and he needs me. Gale just doesn't need me and I don't need him. The Head of the District 12 marriage department started talking but I didn't hear him. I just spoke to Peeta through my eyes;

Can't he hurry up?

Why?

I roll my eyes.

"Now take eachother's hands." The Head says in that old man's voice of his. We take hands, and I don't know how but Peeta's are normal. Mine are like, super sweaty. I hope he doesn't mind. The Head keeps on talking until I hear Peeta say,

"I, Peeta Mellark, take Katniss Everdeen," My heart swells as I recognise the absolute ancient order of marriage. From centuries ago. I smile and nearly start to cry, but I stay strong, like I have done for nearly the whole of my life. I know that Peeta is talking but I can't hear him. Then all of a sudden, words come out of my mouth too. A silent, happy tear trails down my check, un-noticeable to everyone except Peeta. Out of all the people who went through the war, he changed the least, and I'm glad of that. Even though I guess that's ironic, considering he was hi-jacked into hating me. The world blurs and when it focuses, I hear,

"You may now kiss the bride." Peeta lifts my short, netting veil.

And just before my wedding is secured, black. I've considered the thought that I passed out or fainted. But no. I scream, and I felt the sweat all over me.

"Nightmare?" I hear Peeta's voice. What? I don't reply – I just start to shake. "Katniss. Nightmare?" He says again. Kill me now.